Editor’s Note: Help us get to 250 monthly donors in June!

by
https://eastcobbnews.presspatron.com/
Please become a donor today by clicking the graphic above! And thank you!

We hope you’ve enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend and the start of summer!

Here at East Cobb News we took a bit of a break from our usual schedule and took stock of the generosity of our readers.

Thank you so much for those of you who have pledged your financial support for the work we do at East Cobb News, giving you the local news that you love!

We provide this community resource free to readers, including our popular Sunday newsletter, and we want to keep it that way.

But as I have mentioned over the last couple of weeks in this space, I am considering the option of a paywall. We have a growing audience—around 60,000 unique monthly visitors on average, and more than 9,300 newsletter subscribers.

But while we are a frugal operation, we also have increased business costs, and we want to expand our coverage of the news in this large, busy community.

Nothing has been decided yet about charging for access, but as I laid out at the start of the year in launching the 1500 Club, we want to get to 1,500 recurring monthly donors by the end of the year.

That’s less than 20 percent of our newsletter subscribers, for example.

Please contribute today!

It’s an ambitious goal but I know we can do it, because we have a growing, engaged audience of readers who tell us all the time how much they appreciate what we do.

Now is the time to show it, and shortly I’ll be explaining how we use the donations that we get from readers. We want to be upfront with you about where the money goes.

As we close out May, I’ve set a goal of getting to 250 recurring monthly donors by the end of June. If we can do that each month, we’ll surpass 1,500 by the end of the year.

But first things first. At this time, we have fewer than 50 recurring monthly donors. We really do need your support now more than ever!

We’re suggesting a reasonable amount—$6 a month—but you can contribute more if you like. While we appreciate yearly and one-time contributions, we really want to have recurring monthly donations.

We have a safe and secure online payment platform, Press Patron, that you can manage easily.

Help keep East Cobb News free—please donate today!

With 250 monthly donors, we will bring in $1,500 a month at that $6 amount—there’s that 1500 number again—that will help us in a significant way. In my next column I will detail what that funding will support.

We also will be offering other incentives at higher payment tiers, which I also will outline in the near future.

Before you get too busy with your summer, please think for a moment about how much you value East Cobb News and make a contribution accordingly.

Nobody else is doing this in our community, and our plans are to keep giving you the local news that you love for a long time to come.

Let us know what you think about all of this: e-mail me at wendy@eastcobbnews.com. I’m interested in hearing from you.

Thank you for your support of East Cobb News!

Support local independent journalism—and discover the power of local!

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Big Blue Swim School to hold Family Fun Day

by

Big Blue Swim School Family Fun Day

Submitted information and photo:

Big Blue Swim School Family Fun Day

Location: 2960 Shallowford Road, Marietta, GA 30066

Date/Time: Saturday, May 31 2025

Event Description: Join us on May 31 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm to celebrate the opening of Big Blue Swim School in Sandy Plains!

Get a first look at our new state-of-the-art swim school while enjoying live entertainment, kids activities, and more!

We’ll be offering tours, and we’ll also have entertainment, food, and activities inside and out! This event is FREE and open to the public.

You can also enter to be the lucky swimmer who gets an ENTIRE YEAR of FREE lessons! We will reveal the winners at Big Blue Family Fun Day. Enter here- https://www.promoamp.com/c/digital-reputation-reviews-jy2h2o

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

East Cobb residential real estate sales, May 12-16, 2025

by
Fox Hollow, East Cobb real estate sales
Fox Hollow

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

1665 Millhouse Landing, 30066 (Spencers Mill): $750,000

1775 Jody Drive, 30066 (Shallowford Oaks): $480,000

Lassiter

2243 Provence Court, 30066 (North Landing): $373,815

3450 Brookhill Circle, 30062 (Woodbine): $425,000

2845 Jims Road, 30066 (Everleigh): $879,900

3810 Sweat Creek Run, 30062 (Highlands at Wesley Chapel West): $1.225 million

4520 Windsor Oaks Drive, 30066 (Windsor Oaks): $599,000

4589 Misty Meadows Drive, 30066 (Wexford): $1.24 million

2833 Landing Way, 30066 (Creekside Oaks): $819,000

4537 Ashmore Circle, 30066 (Hampton Ridge): $765,000

2691 Jamerson Road, 30066: $653,000

Marietta

2112 Palmyra Drive, 30067 (Covered Bridge): $242,000

1822 Butterfly Way, 30066 (The Village at Sandy Plains): $721,405

1553 Pinebreeze Drive, 30062 (The Pines at East Worthington): $480,000

Pope

2795 Kakki Court, 30062 (Olde Canton Chase): $628,000

3287 Harvest Way, 30062 (Harvest Manor): $390,000

2794 Kakki Court, 30062 (Olde Canton Chase): $652,000

3172 Weymouth Drive, 30062 (Dorset): $800,000

3292 Holly Mill Court, 30062 (Holly Springs Crossing): $475,000

3801 Bays Ferry Trail, 30062 (Baywater): $935,000

3141 Branford Court, 30062 (Brandon Park): $750,000

2146 Wolbert Trail, 30062 (Greyfield on Oak Lake): $2.15 million

Sprayberry

2270 Abbey Cove Court, 30062 (Piedmont Cove): $1.14 million

1413 Eastbrooke Way, 30066 (Eastbrooke): $479,000

3165 Bellestone Court, 30066 (Bellstone): $356,000

630 Cambridge Drive, 30066 (Canterbury Park): $470,000

1703 Alton Way, 30062 (Benson Heights): $419,900

2059 Mozelle Drive, 30062: $924,900

877 Old Farm Walk, 30066 (Hadley Farm): $405,000

2357 Barrett Cottage Place, 30066 (Cottages at Bells Ferry): $340,000

3923 Lookout Point, 30066 (Lookout Point): $325,000

3920 Maybreeze Road, 30066 (Maybreeze Estates): $1.2 million

301 Dunstans Pass, 30066 (Canterbury): $705,000

2545 Kingswood Drive, 30066 (Kings Wood Estates): $400,000

2680 Irene Drive, 30066 (Marietta-Canton Highway): $240,000

3097 Sycamore Lane, 30066 (Oak Creek Estates): $517,000

Walton

3285 Mitsy Forest Way, 30068 (Mitsy Forest): $575,000

918 Fox Hollow Way, 30068 (Fox Hollow): $875,000

906 Fairfield Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills): $2.75 million

4366 Karls Gate Drive, 30068 (Princeton Lake): $817,500

5400 St. Lyonn Place, 30068 (St. Lyonn): $1.8 million

4813 Fernie Court, 30068 (Chadds Lake): $890,000

1401 Riverview Drive, Unit 1401 (Overlook at Riverview): $215,000

2114 Castlewycke Court, 30068 (Brookshyre Manor): $1.965 million

3576 High Green Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills): $775,000

3007 Octavia Circle, 30062 (Vestavia Estates): $650,000

1900 Denton Walk Court, 30068 (East Hampton): $1.25 million

323 Rolling Rock Road, 30067 (Paper Mill Road@ACC): $2.552 million

105 Park Ridge Circle, 30068 (Park Ridge): $229,500

Wheeler

3040 Greenfield Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills): $769,000

917 Edgewater Circle, 30062 (Barnes Mill Lake): $305,000

2850 Gant Quarters Drive, 30068 (Gant Quarters): $685,000

300 Chase Lane, 30068 (Sentinel Chase): $875,000

1315 Golden Rock Lane, Unit 2, 30067 (Ivy Crest): $485,000

2959 Rivergreen Lane, 30339 (Riverwalk at Wildwood): $610,000

2500 Grand Manor C0urt, 30068 (Grand Manor): $559,900

2907 Clearbrook Drive, 30068 (Country Place East): $410,000

1661 Paddlewheel Drive, 30062 (Wellcrest): $306,000

790 Denards Mill, 30067 (Sibley Forest): $1.09 million

664 Powers Ferry North, 30067 (Powers Ferry North): $248,000

133 Cross Gate Drive, 30068 (Crossgate): $472,000

480 Springs End Lane, 30068 (Spring Creek): $545,000

1699 Paddlewheel Drive, 30062 (Wellcrest): $272,000

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Wheeler graduates urged to ‘find something that you love’

by
Wheeler seniors listen to remarks from outgoing principal Paul Gillihan. CCSD screengrabs.

As the awaited getting their diplomas Saturday, some Wheeler High School seniors danced. Or waved to family members.

One insisted on having a selfie taken with Principal Paul Gillihan.

The Wheeler Class of 2025 gathered for the final time at the KSU Convocation Center brimming with smiles, joy and the satisfaction of completing an important part of their lives.

In delivering some words of wisdom, Valedictorian Declan Amerault encouraged his classmates not to take any opportunity they have, nor the time they have, for granted.

He said it took him until his senior year to finally commit to something, and participating in robotics, which he said he absolutely “loved.”

“I was just going through the motions,” said Amerault, who’s heading to Georgia Tech to study mathematics.

“Find something that you love and put everything you have into it. Now is the time to take charge of you life and figure out who you are.

He made several references to Wikipedia, including warnings from teachers as a freshman not to rely too much on the Internet encyclopedia.

“You can find anything on Wikipedia,” Amerault said, “but you’ll never find out what makes you tick, and what makes you smile, and what makes you unique.

“You will not have a Wikipedia page . . . and that is a good thing. At this point in our lives, we are the writers, not the readers, of our own Wikipedia page.”

Gillihan, who is leaving Wheeler after six years to become principal at Campbell High School, told the graduates to “go forward, make good choices and do the right thing and you will have a great life.”

Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

St. Ann, Holy Family groups to take part in Memorial Day Mass

by

Members of the Knights of Columbus from the Catholic Church of St. Ann and Holy Family Catholic Church in East Cobb will taking part in a Memorial Day Mass on Monday in Marietta.

The K of C Assembly 3770 from St. Ann will be joined by Assembly 2161, comprising the Holy Family, St. Joseph and St. Thomas parishes at the service at the Marietta National Cemetery starting at 9 a.m. Monday.

According to a message on the St. Ann website, “the Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, Archbishop of Atlanta, will concelebrate a commemorative Mass with other Atlanta Archdiocesen bishops and offer a homily of gratitude to the deceased veterans. The public is invited. Seating and parking are complimentary made available for the audience.”

Here’s more about what will transpire at the service:

“A contingent of Knights of the Fourth Degree—the highest ranking, or ‘Patriotic’ level of the order—will escort the Archbishop to the cemetery’s marble-columned rostrum, which will be draped with red, white and blue bunting. Other members will form a color guard and post the colors for the National Anthem.

“A section of the fraternal assembly from St. Ann’s parish—’The Note-able Knights’—will stand at attention during the Mass. Accompanied by their church keyboardist, Ed Bolduc, the ‘Note-ables’ will lead the congregation in liturgical hymns, such as The 23rd Psalm and How Great Thou Art, followed by a professional solo trumpeter, who will perform Taps at the end of the Mass. The program will conclude with the singing of God Bless America as the Archbishop and Honor Guard exit in procession.”

The Knights of Columbus have sponsored the Marietta Mass since 1988 to honor more than 17,000 veterans who have fallen during America’s wars.

Parking is provided in the Switzer Library parking lot as well as a trolley to transport attendees to the Mass site.

The Cemetery is located at 50 Washington Ave. in Marietta.

The National Memorial Day Association of Georgia will be holding a Memorial Day observation at the cemetery starting at 12 p.m.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Michael Shannon, President of the University of North Georgia, with remarks also from Brigadier General Dennis Watts, Commanding General, Georgia Defense Force.

More on Monday’s service can be found here.

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

 

Golden K Kiwanis Club presents 2025 Silver Pen Award

by
Golden K Kiwanis Club presents 2025 Silver Pen Award
L to R: John Kone, past president KCMGK; Rosie Teague, KCMGK; Aailyah Reeves, Powers Ferry ES Silver Pen award winner; Jim Perry, past president KCMGK and Philip Gold, VP KCMGK

Submitted information and photo:

Over 30 years ago, Jack Boone of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K launched a Signature Project for the Club called the Silver Pen Award. This program is now a Georgia District of Kiwanis Program available to fourth grades statewide. We invited local schools to have their fourth grade classes compete for a school-wide Silver Pen Award by completing a writing assignment submitted by the Club. 

The title of the essay this year was “The Person I Admire Most.” Each classroom submitted their top two entries to the School Administration, who submitted one from each classroom to the Silver Pen Coordinator for Kiwanis. A panel of professionals and former educators then evaluated the remaining submissions and chose the school winner.

This year Acworth Elementary School, Addison Elementary School, Powers Ferry Elementary School, and Rocky Mount Elementary School accepted our invitation to have their students compete. 

The winning 4th grade recipients were: ACWORTH ES – Keyden Kanau; ADDISON ES –  Evoleht Haddock; POWERS FERRY ES – Aaliyah Reeves and ROCKY MOUNT ES – Rachael Wilson. Jim Perry, Past President and Silver Pen Coordinator, along with a group of leaders from the Club, presented the awards to the winners in each school during the morning broadcast, so all students could witness the presentation in their  respective schools.

“Each winner received a Silver Pen in a velvet sleeve, a Kiwanis Club Pen, 25 golden commemorative, uncirculated one-dollar coins from the U.S. Mint, and an engraved plaque. We enjoyed many great essays from the students this year and congratulate each winner for a job well done. Each classroom winner received a Silver Pen and a Kiwanis Club Pen,” explained Jim Perry, the Silver Pen award presenter.

We are very grateful to the schools for their cooperation in continuing to support this writing program. The Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K looks forward to presenting the Silver Pen award again next year and we wholeheartedly extend our congratulations to each award winner.

Send Us Your News!

Let East Cobb News know what’s going on with your organization, or about any recognitions, to share with the community. We love to get photos and stories like the above, as well as calendar event listings and more.

We want to be the go-to source for all the many ways people in East Cobb are involved in the community.

It’s what we call The Power of Local, and we’d love for you to take part!

Pass along your details/photos/videos/information to: editor@eastcobbnews.com, and please observe the following guidelines to ensure we get everything properly and can post it promptly.

Send the body of your announcement, calendar item or news release IN TEXT FORM ONLY in the text field of your e-mail template. Reformatting text from PDF, JPG and doc files takes us longer to prepare your message for publication.

We accept PDFs as an accompaniment to your item. Images are fine too, but we prefer those to be JPG files (more than jpeg and png). PLEASE DO NOT send photos inside a PDF or text or any other kind of file, but d0 send them as attachments to your email.

Of course, send us links that are relevant to your message so we can direct people to your website.

Thanks for your cooperation and we look forward to hearing from you!

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Sewell Park Pool open for summer daily through July 27

by

Sewell Park Pool

From Saturday, May 24, through Sunday, July 27, the Sewell Park pool (2051 Lower Roswell Road) will be open to the public on a daily basis.

That includes Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day and Labor Day.

It’s one of two Cobb PARKS facilities open for the summer, and the hours are from 1-6 p.m.

Daily admission ranges from $3 to $4.50, and there are quarterly and family passes available. Additional charges apply to non-Cobb County residents.

The Sewell Park pool also will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-6 p.m. from July 26-Sept. 1.

For more information, click here.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Pope graduates told: Have ‘attitude that makes a difference’

by
Pope graduates told: Have 'attitude that makes a difference'
Pope seniors listen to speakers before receiving their diplomas. CCSD screengrabs.

The mood was festive and the spirit was buoyant at the KSU Convocation Center Friday morning as Pope High School’s Class of 2025 took their turn to celebrate graduation.

Principal Matt Bradford told them in his remarks to try to take that feeling with them as they head out into the world, no matter what their immediate or future plans may be.

He said that “there is a bond that no one else can take from you” as a Pope graduate, but as individuals they will be tested as they move into adulthood.

“Attitude is one of the most powerful choices you can make in your life,” Bradford said. “Your attitude is contagious.”

He said that successful and happy adults possess positive attitudes that help them through adversity, and he implored the graduates to carry “an attitude that makes a difference.”

Pope salutatorian Aanchal Acharya didn’t join her classmates until the 10th grade, when her family moved to East Cobb from Michigan.

The Georgia Tech-bound aspiring neuroscientist congratulated them “for our hard work, dedication and perseverance in getting through high school.

“Every step of the journey has made us more confident as we’ve become the best version of ourselves. We have laughed, loved, cried and felt about every emotion imaginable.

“Each emotion, each experience has brought us to this moment.”

Her parting words came from a quote from Christopher Robin of Winnie the Pooh fame:

“You are stronger than you seem, braver than you believe, and smarter than you think.”

Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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 Food Scores: Mezza Luna; Lemon Grass; more

by

Mezza Luna, East Cobb food scores

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

Chelo’s Taqueria
2821 Chastain Meadows Parkway, Suite 230
May 21, 2025, Score: 86, Grade: B

Fuego Tortilla Restaurant
50 Ernest Barrett Parkway, Suite 4000
May 21, 2025, Score: 85, Grade: B

Golden Corral
700 Ernest Barrett Parkway
May 20, 2025, Score: 94, Grade: A

Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant
2145 Roswell Road, Suite 190
May 22, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

Mezza Luna Pasta and Seafood
2100 Roswell Road, Suite 2198
May 19, 2025, Score: 96, Grade: A

Pochino Italy
600 Chastain Road, Suite 135
May 20, 2025, Score: 100, Grade: A

Taichi Bubble Tea
2100 Roswell Road, Suite 2148
May 19, 2025, Score: 95, Grade: A

Related:

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

Walton graduates told to ‘appreciate what you get to do’

by
Walton High School graduation
Walton’s 698-member senior class is the largest in the Cobb County School District in the last decade. CCSD screengrabs.

An eventful senior year for the Walton High School Class of 2025 went off without a hitch on Thursday during graduation ceremonies at the KSU Convocation Center.

The class made of up 698 seniors—the largest in the Cobb County School District this year and the largest in the last decade—includes 563 who will be getting HOPE Scholarship financial assistance to go to college.

“It’s who breathe life into Walton,” senior class president Joel Bishara said. “You make Walton a home for anyone.”

He noted that the school year started out with a small fire on campus, and included tuberculosis testing and a bomb threat that was not considered an active threat.

“It’s hard to believe we made it this far,” Bishara joked.

He told his classmates that “no matter where you are or what you do, we will always be connected. Once a Raider, always a Raider.”

The Class of 2025 was the first for Dr. Stephanie Santoro as principal. She’s been a teacher and administrator at Walton for 23 years, and said she had a learning curve to master in her new job.

They include many more obligations, including meetings and e-mails, but “I’ve had the time of my life.”

She thanked the seniors for “the memories you have provided and the legacy that you are leaving behind.”

The school year was marked with a 50th anniversary celebration, as well as the first-ever Senior Sunset last Friday at Raider Valley.

“There will be many more things that you will have to do,” Santoro said. “But be sure to appreciate the things you get to do.”

Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Lassiter graduates encouraged to ‘find your community’

by
Lassiter High School graduation
Lassiter’s Class of 2025 gathers together for the final time. CCSD screengrabs.

Before he and his classmates scatter in their post-high school stage, Obadiah Cao wanted to hold on to them just a little bit longer.

Lassiter High School’s 2025 valedictorian came to Cobb as a sophomore from Boston, and wasn’t sure what to expect when he arrived.

What he found is something he said he’ll cherish forever, as he said during Wednesday’s commencement ceremony at the KSU Convocation Center.

“I found my community in the student body at Lassiter and especially in this graduating class,” he said. “And I implore you to find your community.”

It’s a process he and his fellow seniors will have to undertake once again. For Cao, it means leaving the area. He will be attending Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he’ll study computer science.

But he urged his classmates to “remember the impact the communities here have had on you. Don’t be afraid to seek out more opportunities .”

Lassiter principal Chris Richie echoed that theme, saying that “what stands out the most to me is not where you’re going or what you’re doing after graduation, but who you’ve become as leaders in your four years at Lassiter.”

He noted that this year’s seniors have logged more than 21,000 hours of community service that also adds to their legacy.

“I hope your memories of Lassiter are something you will carry with pride,” Richie said. “The foundation that you built at Lassiter will serve you for a lifetime.”

Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Kell graduates asked to ‘never forget where you came from’

by
Kell High School graduation
Kell seniors assemble at the KSU Convocation Center before getting their diplomas Wednesday. CCSD screengrabs.

Kell High School’s seniors got a stirring message from one of their classmates during Wednesday’s graduation ceremony at the KSU Convocation Center.

Austin Killebrew is one of the most accomplished members of the Longhorns’ Class of 2025, having been named salutatorian, among other honors. He’ll be attending Georgia Tech in the fall, planning on studying chemical engineering.

But in giving his first public speech, Killebrew shared his origin story that served as inspiration to those like him, who are departing to many places for the next stage of their lives.

When Killebrew was a baby in China, he was adopted by American parents who brought him back to Northeast Cobb in 2009.

He asked his classmates “to reflect on when you last gave someone a chance. When you take a moment to invest in someone else, you’re not just giving them your time, you’re giving them a reason to believe in themselves.

“Never forget where you came from,” Killebrew said. “Because in the end, it won’t be trophies or titles that we hold onto. It’ll be the people who believed in us when no one else did—the people who gave us a chance.”

Principal Peter Giles told the Kell seniors that “where you are going is not where you are right now.” He urged them to “take the time to be the very best that you can become, and don’t be afraid of failure.

“Failure is success in disguise, and it’s how we learn. Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself along the way.”

Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

East Cobb restaurant update: Toastique Cafe coming soon

by

East Cobb restaurant update: Toastique Cafe coming soon

The gourmet toast and juice bar Toastique is opening a location soon in East Cobb, in Pinestraw Place (4250 Roswell Road, Suite 150).

That’s next to Trader Joe’s and in the former Dan’s Fan City space, and it will be second Toastique in metro Atlanta.

The concept that started in Washington, D.C. in 2018 opened in Midtown last year, and has locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

The Toastique website says there will be more expansion in “Atlanta” in 2025 but didn’t specify East Cobb.

The franchise operators are Rex and Leslie Sheridan, an East Cobb-area married couple.

Rex Sheridan told East Cobb News that the target opening is the fall, and that “we are excited to bring healthy, delicious food with a great atmosphere and convenient location to our neighbors in East Cobb.”

In addition to gourmet toasts, the Toastique menu includes bowls, coffees and teas, smoothies and cold-pressed juices, grab and go snacks and wellness shots.

Featured items include an Avocado smash toast and a hummus Greek toast.

The Toastique founder, Brianna Keefe, says on the company website that “Toastique is where beauty and all-day brunch-y goodness come together to break bread, and smoothies, and coffee, and juices . . .

“We are the fast-casual, modern dining your inner health nut has been waiting for.”

Related:

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

 

Projecting school enrollment in East Cobb through 2033

by
Projecting school enrollment in East Cobb through 2032
The East Cobb area won’t be growing that much over the next-quarter century. Education Planners presentation.

At last week’s Cobb Board of Education presentation on long-term enrollment projections, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s comments on apartments and transience got most of the attention.

But the demographic forecast by Education Planners, a private company that provides the Cobb County School District with detailed metrics, continues a pattern in regards to enrollment at East Cobb schools.

There’s been little to no growth for several years, and what has increased is very slight. According to school-by-school forecasts (see tables below), most public schools in the East Cobb area will be at or under capacity between now and 2033.

And overall projections for the district are expected to remain steady during that period, from 105,738 currently, to 106,013 in 2028 and 105,932 by 2033.

“We are growing, but we are growing in pockets,” James Wilson, Education Planners president, told the Cobb school board.

Most of the overcrowding and enrollment growth continues in the Cumberland-Smyrna area, where a new middle school—Betty Gray Middle School—opened in recent years.

In addition, capacity has increased at Campbell High School, which has the largest enrollment in the district with around 3,000 students.

And while Osborne High School got a new campus in 2020 built for 2,300 students, it’s still well over capacity, to nearly 2,800 students.

The demographics at schools in East Cobb are different, including the two biggest high schools, Walton, which is just under capacity.

However, Wheeler High School and its feeder, East Cobb Middle School, are projected to remain above capacity over the next few years.

That’s the only attendance cluster in the East Cobb area that contains a significant number of apartment complexes.

Brumby Elementary School, also in the Wheeler cluster, is below capacity after being overcrowded in its former location on Powers Ferry Road.

East Side and Sope Creek elementary schools, both in the Walton cluster, are expected to remain close to their four-figure capacities, as are Dickerson and Dodgen middle schools (Walton) and Lassiter High School.

Education Planners takes data from the Atlanta Regional Commission, Cobb building permits, live birth numbers and other sources to project long-term enrollment to help Cobb school district officials plan for school construction needs.

A rebuild of the Sprayberry High School classroom building is underway and will be completed next year, and there are classroom additions at other schools in East Cobb.

Bells Ferry Elementary School also is getting a replacement facility that is slated to open in 2027.

Additional district-wide dem0graphic data from Wilson’s presentation is included the East Cobb enrollment projections. Click the middle button to view the slideshow.

Elementary Schools

Capacity Oct. 2024 Projected 2028 Projected 2032
Addison 662 571 576 561
Bells Ferry 737 704 698 694
Blackwell 837 580 616 611
Brumby 1,162 963 938 933
Davis 800 635 598 584
East Side 1,087 1,072 1,109 1,094
Eastvalley 962 679 684 688
Garrison Mill 700 649 634 628
Keheley 600 393 373 324
Kincaid 762 603 563 558
Mt. Bethel 937 898 934 922
Mountain View 962 837 808 814
Murdock 962 847 881 853
Nicholson 637 413 386 377
Powers Ferry 462 475 408 396
Rocky Mount 612 576 552 546
Sedalia Park 912 634 583 567
Shallowford Falls 962 591 583 567
Sope Creek 1,162 1,104 1,051 1,041
Timber Ridge 612 529 478 472
Tritt 937 804 778 761
District-wide n/a 45,615 44,867 44,427

Middle Schools

Capacity Oct. 2024 Projected 2028 Projected 2033
Daniell 1,175 884 870 890
Dickerson 1,237 1,225 1,234 1,233
Dodgen 1,237 1,178 1,249 1,232
East Cobb 1,287 1,352 1,349 1,339
Hightower Trail 1,012 944 983 977
Mabry 1,162 938 936 929
McCleskey 937 540 575 566
Simpson 962 884 844 834
District-wide n/a 23,953 24,846 25,032

High Schools

Capacity Oct. 2024 Projected 2028 Projected 2033
Kell 2,025 1,587 1,528 1,620
Lassiter 2,087 2,005 2,015 2,020
Pope 1,912 1,793 1,823 1,809
Sprayberry 2,087 1,769 1,863 1,861
Walton 2,812 2,705 2,686 2,658
Wheeler 2,262 2,401 2,382 2,371
District-wide n/a 35,190 36,300 36,473

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

East Cobb students excel at Georgia Science Olympiad

by

East Cobb students excel at Georgia Science Olympiad

Students from four schools in East Cobb recently placed in the top three in their respective grade levels at the Georgia Olympia Science Olympiad.

East Side was second and Sedalia Park was third in the elementary category, Dodgen finished second among middle schools and for the first time for a school in the Cobb County School District, Walton won the AA division in the STEM skills competition.

Science Olympiad is for students in grades 3-12, and during the school year they take part in various STEM competitions, and are scored together as teams.

Here’s more about their achievements per a CCSD release (and check out the Sedalia Park video at the bottom):

Sedalia Park Elementary has enjoyed strong Science Olympiad teams for over 30 years. Mrs. Leland has been the club sponsor for 40 years and has provided direction and consistency for the competing teams during that time. Students apply and are chosen based on grades, teamwork, and a commitment to meet every Thursday after school. Administration, staff, parents, and community help and support the team. 

“Something felt special this year,” Mrs. Leland said. “Students were super focused and passionate about their subject area or building event. Everyone on our team medaled 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at the Title 1 competition. We won 2nd place at Regionals, which earned us a spot in the State Competition at KSU!”

Dodgen Middle School’s award-winning Science Olympiad Team also had an outstanding year! Coached by 6th-grade teacher Barbara Kappel, the team won the Regional competition, which put them through to the State Tournament held in Athens, Georgia, in late April. In an impressive showing, Dodgen’s team earned 2nd place in the State! 

“Dodgen’s Science Olympiad team has a reputation of outstanding achievement, and with the many hours these students and coaches put in outside of the classroom, they deserve to be recognized!” said Dodgen Principal Dr. Patricia Alford. “We are so proud of all the team members and Mrs. Kappel for representing our school so well at the state level!”

The Walton Science Olympiad team claimed 1st place at the State Tournament held at Georgia Institute of Technology, earning an invitation to the 2025 National Science Olympiad Tournament at the University of Nebraska in May. 

Walton rose to the top of a competitive field of 24 teams at the State Tournament in the Division C “AA Flight” (highest level of competition), a flight that included many of the state’s most accomplished programs. Walton beat Fulton Science Academy (the 2024 State Champions), Chattahoochee High School (the 2024 runner-up), and perennial powerhouse Brookwood High School for the title. This will be Walton’s first return to Nationals since 2022, when the team was State runner-up.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

Sprayberry graduates urged to pursue passions ‘head-first’

by
Sprayberry graduates urged to pursue passions 'head-first'
Sprayberry seniors celebrate after placing their tassels in the “graduated” position. Screengrabs from CCSD livestream.

The Class of 2025 at Sprayberry High School has graduated.

“We did it!” proclaimed senior class president Abraham Grant III, then he repeated the line with effect, and pointed to the crowd.

“We did it!”

The first of six East Cobb public high schools held its commencement exercises Tuesday afternoon at the KSU Convocation Center.

As one of the featured speakers, Grant told his fellow seniors that “the world beyond these walls is full of possibilities” and that “we only get one shot to live the life that we live.”

He rattled off a number of questions he said he tried to answer during his four years at Sprayberry about putting forth his best efforts, not just academically, but in helping others and finding enthusiasm and satisfaction in whatever he did.

“Success isn’t about how much money you make or your material successes that you achieve,” Grant said. “If you are truly passionate about something, go after it head-first and whole-heartedly.”

Cobb Board of Education member David Chastain thanked the seniors for their patience as the school undergoes a rebuild they won’t get to enjoy.

Tuesday’s graduation was the last at Sprayberry for principal Sara Fetterman, who has been appointed the new principal at Wheeler High School.

On Wednesday, Kell and Lassiter will have graduation ceremonies, also at KSU. Full East Cobb graduation schedule is here.

Click the middle button below to view the slideshow.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

Plans for children’s camp at Paper Mill Road home withdrawn

by

An East Cobb resident who wanted to use her home on Paper Mill Road to run an outdoor summer day camp for up to eight children withdrew that request Tuesday before the Cobb Board of Commissioners.

Plans for children's camp at Paper Mill Road home withdrawn
“I just want to invest in our kids,” Emily Jordan told commissioners of her summer camp proposal.

Following a lengthy discussion about concerns over traffic and setting an unwelcome community precedent, Emily Jordan withdrew the request for a 24-month land-use permit without prejudice.

Commissioners approved the withdrawal by a 4-0 vote, with new commissioner Erick Allen absent.

The vote means that Jordan can bring the proposal back at any time, since it wasn’t denied.

Commissioner JoAnn Birrell of East Cobb said while she commended Jordan for wanting to work with children, “but to me this is not really appropriate in a residential area. It’s not a home-based business. It’s not allowed.”

Jordan and her family last fall moved into a home on a two-acre property on Paper Mill Road near Woodlawn Drive on land zoned R-80 (low-density residential).

An occupational therapist, she has children aged one and two years old, and wanted to operate the camp on a half-day basis with age-appropriate activities that she said would be “therapeutic based.”

She would run the camp one week a month in June, July and August, and the activities might include meal preparation and nutrition, gardening, as well as carpentry and similar trade-oriented activities for older children to supplement traditional academic subjects.

“These are things that can help them be more independent,” Jordan told commissioners. “This is a passion project. This doesn’t pay our bills.”

Although the Cobb Zoning Staff recommended denial, the request was recommended for approval two weeks ago by the Cobb Planning Commission.

The original proposal would have had between 5 and 12 additional people on the property each day, including volunteers and professionals to help with the teaching and a state requirement for child-to-adult ratios at camps.

Jordan said the driveway is large enough to accommodate parking for the camp and that there would be no deliveries while it is in session.

She also said that she properly informed neighbors of her camp plans and none of them objected.

But the zoning staff said the use was not compatible with the neighborhood and cited the lack of a traffic plan with Jordan’s application.

Richard Grome of the East Cobb Civic Association countered that traffic would be a problem, and commercial activity makes this “a precedent-setting case.”

He said the proposal is confusing and short on specifics, in terms of how many people would be on the property and for how long, and what activities in particular would be offered.

Approval “would set a negative precedent for homeowners in residential neighborhoods to use their property for summer camps,” Grome said. “This is not a home occupation. There are too many clients visiting the home at the same time and is too intense for a business operated from a residence.”

He said there’s additional traffic using the Paper Mill-Woodlawn area as a detour due to the ongoing Lower Roswell Road construction project.

“This isn’t a big operation,” Jordan said, “This isn’t 100 kids at a YMCA camp.”

She said she never heard from anyone at the ECCA or anyone who might be opposed to the camp.

Birrell suggested holding the application but Commissioner Keli Gambrill said she would vote to deny it “because there’s a lot homework that needs to be done,” including traffic plans, getting proper permits for the food activities and meeting code requirements.

A denial would have meant that Jordan couldn’t bring her plans back for 12 months.

Gambrill suggested she resubmit the application after resolving those issues.

Related stories:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

 

Editor’s Note: Donate today! Support local news that matters!

by

Another big week of news this past week meant another very busy week for us here at East Cobb News reporting on all of that for you.

We featured a loaded end-of-school-year package on everything from the new budget, graduation ceremonies, principal reassignments, vals and sals to the superintendent’s charged remarks about apartments that drew a lot of response.

We also broke the news of an Einstein Bros. bagel shop coming here soon—our readers love restaurant news!—and a real-time update about the long-term Lower Roswell Road traffic project that is already becoming a headache.

Judging from our traffic and engagement numbers, we’re giving you exactly what you come to East Cobb News to find out.

Please contribute today!

It’s local news that matters and we know how much this matters to you!

And as we noted last week, we’re seeking more financial support from readers, and we’re appreciative of those who have donated.

But after a few months of strong support earlier this year, we’re not getting that now. We don’t know if we can keep giving you this news for free.

This isn’t a step we’re taking lightly, and we don’t want to do it. We want local news to be accessible to all, but we’re considering some options to charge for access.

And as the school year ends and the summer begins, we’d like to ask you to take a moment today to consider making a donation if you haven’t already.

We’re suggesting a $6 monthly recurring donation as part of our 1500 Club plan to boost reader support. You can donate more if you like, but we think that’s a reasonable ask.

We know money can be tight and people are busy with their lives, but we remain hard at work no matter the time of year. The summer can be really busy, news-wise, and we’re not going to slow down if it does.

But readers love what we do! They tell us so! When we have good meaty news weeks like the last two, we get more newsletter subscribers and we have plenty of comment threads going on about some of these stories.

Help keep East Cobb News free—please donate today!

But we need readers to do more than just tell us what they like about East Cobb News. Here’s the time to show us that appreciation!

We have just a few dozen supporters, and we want to get to 1,500. That sounds like a high bar, but that 1,500 number is only a fraction of our newsletter subscribers, and an even smaller number of our overall readership.

I’m very proud of what we’ve built up here, from scratch, when so many news outlets have more name recognition and resources.

The truth is many news outlets rely on reader support to fund significant aspects of their news and business operations.

Soon I’ll be detailing how we use the contributions we receive from you, and to offer you incentives to contribute.

I’ve been doing a goodness-of-my-heart ask for a few months now, and it’s clearly not working. I blame myself for not being more proactive sooner about soliciting reader support. I haven’t been good at explaining what it takes to sustain a news site like this.

There is nowhere else to get this kind of news coverage, but we need your help. East Cobb News is community-driven, devoted to the people who live and work here, and who contribute to our daily lives.

For nearly eight years now, we’ve been giving you the local news you love, but we can’t sustain this on love alone. We’re not just a news source, but a small business. We keep our expenses to a minimum, but we do have costs, and some of them are rising.

If you have donated, thanks! If you haven’t and are ready to do so now, please click below. Our Press Patron platform is safe and secure and easy to use.

I wish for you all to have a great Memorial Day holiday weekend and a start to your summer, and we’ll come back with more details in June about how you can support East Cobb News.

Let us know what you think about all of this: e-mail me at wendy@eastcobbnews.com. I’m interested in hearing from you.

Thank you for your support of East Cobb News!

Support local independent journalism—and discover the power of local!

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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 government to move county website to .gov domain

by
Cobb government to move county website to .gov domain
A Cobb government spokesman said the new county website will look and function the same, “except for the last three letters!”

After recent ransomware attacks on the Cobb government website, the county is moving it to a more secure online location.

The county announced Monday that starting June 2, what had been cobbcounty.org. will be housed at cobbcounty.gov, “ensuring that county services remain secure, transparent, and easily accessible to the public.”

But the county said plans have been in the works for nearly a year to migrate to the .gov domain, after being contacted by the federal government.

County Manager Jackie McMorris said in a county release Monday that the .gov domain—which is used by many federal, state and local government agencies—will enable Cobb to take “an important step to strengthen cybersecurity and enhance public confidence in our online services. Residents can trust that when they visit our website, they are accessing official government information and services.”

The .gov domains are reserved for verified government entities, “reducing the risk of fraud and phishing attacks,” the county release said, and also are prioritized in search engine results.

E-mail security also is beefed up at .gov, and official Cobb government addresses will use @cobbcounty.gov, “improving protection against phishing and spoofing.”

In addition to providing information about county agencies, the site allows citizens to view meeting agendas, conduct online library searches, register for recreation and arts classes and pay water and property tax bills.

Cobb government officials acknowledged a ransomware attack earlier this month, but aren’t commenting on reports that the website was hacked by a global cybercrime gang that’s taken down other government sites.

The county said it declined a third-party ransom demand following the March data breach, which it said affected 10 individuals, but didn’t elaborate on what data was stolen or compromised, and that the FBI has been notified, but didn’t indicate how that agency may be involved.

The county said on May 2 only that “Cobb County’s network is secure, and it remains safe to do business with us.”

Cobb said that its current website had more than 8 million visits in 2024 and that the old address will be accessible for a limited time and that citizens should update their bookmarks now.

The county also urged residents to use the @cobbcounty.gov e-mail address when contacting county agencies and employees “as soon as possible.”

Cobb spokesman Ross Cavitt said in response to a question from East Cobb News that “this does not require any significant capital expenses and has been an ongoing project in ITS [Information Technology Services] over the past year to implement the change. There is no budgetary impact requiring [Board of Commissioners] approval.”

He said the new site will look and will be organized just the same, “except for the last three letters!” Cavitt added that there will be a new website design coming later this year.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!

East Cobb residential real estate sales, May 5-9, 2025

by
Whitfield Woods, East Cobb real estate sales
Whitfield Woods

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

4062 Silver Fir Court, 30066 (Whitfield Woods): $559,000

4326 Whitecap Road, 30066 (Lamplighter): $345,000

4853 Chapelle C0urt, 30066 (Emerald Garden): $417,000

Lassiter

2051 Candlewood Court, 30066 (Stocktons Mill): $535,000

3824 Running Fox Drive, 30062 (Raintree Forest): $625,000

4496 Windsor Oaks Drive 30066 (Windsor Oaks): $620,000

2167 Tully Wren, 30066 (Cork Wren): $562,500

4506 Reva Way, 30066 (Stockton Place): $519,900

Marietta

1628 Ruskin Way, 30062 (The Gates at Hamilton Grove): $431,098

592 Alpine Way, 30062: $262,000

1860 Chardin Way, 30062 (Gables at East Worthington): $467,500

707 Augusta Drive, 30067 (St. Augustine Place): $192,000

Pope

2564 Walden Estates Drive, 30062 (Estates at Walden): $1.3 million

2421 Spring Lake Drive, 30062 (Shadowwoods): $625,000

2562 Tritt Springs Trace, 30062 (Post Oak Springs): $725,000

3248 Holly Mill Run, 30062 (Holly Springs Crossing): $565,000

2996 Bea Mar Drive, 30062 (Folkstone): $739,786

2991 Bea Mar Drive, 30062 (Folkstone): $615,000

3100 Meadow Drive, 30062 (Rolling Acres): $534,000

3320 Woods Field Drive, 30062 (Post Oak Square): $607,000

2441 Mitchell Road, 30062 (Post Oak Square): $630,000

2813 Long Grove Court, 30062 (Madison Hall): $1.4 million

3036 Lassiter Road, 30062 (Cherrytree Park): $675,000

2574 Warwick Drive, 30062 (Key Estates): $639,000

2413 Crooked Tree Court, 30062 (Post Oak Square): $610,000

Sprayberry

1529 Monarch Drive, 30062 (Glen Crest): $711,000

1072 Powell Wright Road, 30066: $425,000

2307 Woodridge Drive, 30066 (Fraser): $331,000

4103 Christacy Way, 30066 (Thornbrook): $456,000

163 Bluffington Way, 30066 (Old Bells Ferry): $427,359

2100 Wood C0urt, 30062 (Shannon Woods): $685,000

2500 Waterstone Way, 30062 (Autumn Lake): $440,000

1342 Bertha Way, 30062: $485,000

1767 Wingard Drive, 30062 (Hasty Meadows): $387,500

1150 Autumn Ridge Drive, 30066 (Blackwell Road):$431,000

Walton

992 Bridgegate Drive, 30068 (Bridge Gate): $555,000

971 Saint Lyonn Courts, 30068 (St. Lyonn): $1.55 million

4610 Wynmeade Park, 30067 (Wynmeade): $1.2 million

717 Robinson Farms Drive, 30068 (Robinson Farms): $858,000

1050 Willeo Court, 30068 (River Forest): $1.1 million

595 Willow Knoll Drive, 30067 (The Columns): $1.375 million

Wheeler

780 Gardenside Circle, 30067 (Gardenside at Powers Ferry): $450,000

573 Lyle Drive, 30067 (Meadow Brook): $331,593

2120 Blaylock Drive, 30062 (Clydesdale Estates): $595,000

2179 Powers Ferry Drive, 30067 (Sunvalley Estates): $330,000

3816 Berrybridge Way, 30067 (Berrybridge): $1.185 million

1921 Hazelwood Drive, 30067 (Hamby Acres): $465,000

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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!