On Tuesday the Cobb Board of Commissioners issued a proclamation to retired U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, who stepped down on Dec. 31 due to health reasons.
The East Cobb resident is the only Georgian to serve in both the state house and senate and U.S. house and senate. Isakson also served as chairman of the Georgia Board of Education during a 45-year career in public office.
“It’s been a pleasure representing this county for a long time,” Isakson said upon receiving the proclamation.
“I appreciate all you’ve done for me and all the nice things you’ve said about me.”
Isakson also commended outgoing Cobb County Manager Rob Hosack (at far right in photo), who is retiring in April.
Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!
The following East Cobb food scores from Jan. 13-17 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing to view details of the inspection:
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!
Marietta artist Rita Pelot will be featured in a solo show titled “The Goodness of God” at The Gallery at Johnson Ferry. The exhibit will open on Fri., Jan. 17 and run through Sun., Feb. 16, 2020. There will be an opportunity to Meet the Artist in the Gallery on Sunday, Jan., 26 from 9:30 to 11:15 a.m.
“God has been so good to me in giving me the talent, creativity and passion to paint. My desire is that I will do my art for God’s glory,” said Pelot. “I am thankful for Johnson Ferry because the church values the visual arts as a means to speak to our hearts in a unique way. As I gathered the paintings for the exhibit, I was reminded of the blessing that a painting can bring to someone. My desire is that this exhibit will be a blessing to you as well.”
Pelot has loved to draw for as long as she can remember. While attending the University of Georgia, the art classes she took for an elementary education degree were her favorite classes. Though she laid her art aside while marrying and raising two daughters, her passion for art was again renewed when her daughters went to college. She has taken many workshops and classes from well-known artists such as Marc Chatov, Greta Schelke, Jim Schelle, Mel Stabin and Tony Van Hasselt, and Kris Meadows. She is a juried member of the Portrait Society of Atlanta and a member of the Portrait Society of America. Her work appears in many private collections.
About The Gallery at Johnson Ferry
The Johnson Ferry Gallery is located at 955 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta, GA 30068, in the third floor Atrium of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. It is a part of the Johnson Ferry Creative Arts Ministry, focused on giving artists a voice in the church and opportunities to use their gifts for the glory of God. and puts on 6-7 art exhibits a year, with one of these exhibits dedicated to a solo show each year. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and on Sundays during regular worship hours. You can view artwork from previous exhibits at https://www.johnsonferrygallery.com/.
About Rita Pelot
Rita Pelot is a member of the Portrait Society of Atlanta and the Portrait Society of America. Pelot’s paintings have been selected for juried shows at the Abernathy Arts Center, the Atlanta Artists Center in Buckhead, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art, Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, the Portrait Society of Atlanta, the Roswell Visual Arts Center, and many private collections. She and her husband Bill live in Marietta, GA with their Boston terrier, Lovey.
For more information about Pelot and her work, visit www.ritapelot.com.
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!
Information submitted by the Cobb County School District:
Did you know that the Center for Puppetry Arts has Sensory-Friendly Sundays or the Children’s Museum of Atlanta opens early on designated Sensory-Friendly Saturdays?
Did you know the Georgia Ballet offers a class for special needs students?
Did you know McKenna Farms has a special needs equestrian team or the Studio Movie Grill offers special needs screenings where children are free to move around, talk, or even dance in the aisles during the movie?
Those are just a few of the examples of what Cobb parents will learn about if they attend the fourth annual Community Connections Resource Fair for students with disabilities on Monday, January 27. To accommodate more community organizations and parents, this year the fair will welcome parents inside the Wheeler High School’s gymnasium from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
More than 50 representatives from Atlanta and Cobb county attractions, organizations, and businesses will be on hand to share information about their accessibility and sensory-friendly offerings for families of students with disabilities.
Parents, like Beth Foy, praised what they learned at the annual fair.
“I knew that there were sports organizations out there but didn’t know that a variety of sports were offered throughout the year. [My daughter] participated in a bowling program and had a great time with the buddies provided by the organization which gave her opportunities for interaction with typically developing peers,” Foy explained.
Other parents were just as quick to highlight how the event opened the door to new activities for their children.
“I learned about opportunities for [my son] to participate in, like a summer camp he could attend with his significant level of disability. He had the opportunity to go to sleepover camp and spend time with other people and do traditional camp activities,” shared parent Emily Riggs.
She is already planning for her son Jackson to attend the camp again this summer.
Most of the parents, who have attended in the past, were completely unaware of all the resources in the community available to students with disabilities.
“I signed my son up for a weeklong horse camp, where he was paired up with a teen buddy,” said parent Susan Hand. “[My son Ben] just loved it. He was really proud of what he learned and had the opportunity to share it with others during the show on the last day.”
Hand will be one of the parents at this year’s fair shopping for new opportunities for her son.
Make plans to join Hand and the other parents by signing up to attend the free event today: www.signup.com/go/kBNgGbH.
Browse the list of some of the groups planning to attend:
Aerie Experiences
Cobb County Therapeutic Recreation
McKenna Farms
Alliance Theatre
Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame
NCG Cinemas
Alternative Baseball
Elm Street Cultural Arts Village
Parent-to-Parent
Aqua-Tots
Engineering For Kids of Metro Atlanta
Pinnacle Climbing Team
ARC of Georgia (Wings 4 All)
Erin’s Hope for Friends/E’s Club
ReClif
Art Station – Big Shanty
Fernbank Museum
Safe Kids Cobb County
Atlanta Braves Exceptional Fans
Focus + Fragile Kids
Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
Autism Improvised
Georgia Aquarium
SHINE Sports @Johnson Ferry
Beyond Limits
Georgia Ballet
Six Flags Over Georgia
Bounce U
Georgia Symphony Orchestra
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
BSD Tae Kwon Do
Girl Scouts
State Farm Arena
Camp Dream
GOALSoccer
Special Olympics
Camp Twin Lakes
Hand, Hoof & Heart
Special Pops Tennis
Center for Puppetry Arts
House of Artists Foundation
Studio Movie Grill
Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Inneractions Therapy Services
Tellus Science Museum
CK Danceworks
Kennesaw Parks & Recreation
Therabeat Inc.
Cobb Aquatics
Children & Family Programs at KSU
Zoo Atlanta
Cobb County Library
Lekotek of Georgia
Cobb Energy Centre
Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta
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!
In addition to Cobb commemorations of the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday on Monday (see the bottom of the post), East Cobb’s Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will be holding a special MLK worship service.
It’s Sunday at 3 p.m. at the church (2922 Sandy Plains Road), and the public is invited to attend. Here’s what Holy Trinity is sharing with the community about the service:
You are invited to this special once a year event as we share the love of Christ and live out thereality of being family of God together in worship. Come be part of this Lutheran service withmulticultural expression. We will have organ and choir, drums and liturgical dancers, singing,praying, and gathering together at the table. We are also blessed to have Bishop KevinStrickland share God’s Word with us in the message. This year’s theme is “A Foretaste,” whichreminds us both of God’s overarching purpose and blessing for us, as well as what we strive fortogether in response to God’s amazing grace.
Come early for a seat and to experience inspirational pre-service music and dance. In the spiritof the foretaste, all are welcome and invited to a reception immediately following the service.This year is the first year our annual service has come to East Cobb. Come, let us celebrate andworship together as the one body of Christ! For more information please contact the church atchurchoffice@holytrinitymarietta.org or call 770-971-4600.
Cobb County government offices will be closed Monday.
The county’s official MLK observance takes place Monday at 10 a.m. at the Cobb Civic Center’s Jennie T. Anderson Theatre (548 S. Marietta Parkway).WSB-TV anchor Fred Blankenship will serve as emcee.
The event will also feature the annual presentation of the “Living the Dream” award by the Cobb branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. This honor is given to community members who demonstrate leadership and commitment to making our county more diverse and inclusive.
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!
Updating last week’s post about precinct changes in Cobb, including a few in East Cobb: Those measures got final approval on Monday by the Cobb Board of Elections.
But the head of the Cobb County Democratic Committee and a Democratic candidate for a State House seat in East Cobb objected, saying they were made with little time to spare before the March presidential primary and the general primary in May.
They spoke during the public comment portion of the Cobb Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday. The precinct changes will affect 43,000 registered voters in Cobb.
The changes come as Cobb and other counties in Georgia will be installing new voting machines for the 2020 elections, and with turnout expected to be high in a presidential election year.
Cobb voters will go to the polls in the presidential primary March 24, with early voting from March 2-20.
Jackie Bettadapur of East Cobb, the county Democratic chairwoman, said she and the party’s appointed member of the elections board attend those meetings regularly, but “none of us were aware that these changes were planned.”
Making such changes on a “short notice, just under the wire” basis “has the makings of a perfect storm.”
Nine precinct changes were made, as the Cobb elections office is gradually moving away from schools for security reasons. Three of those changes are in East Cobb:
The Dickerson precinct will now be at the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation (1200 Indian Hills Parkway);
The Dodgen precinct will relocate to the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road);
The Marietta 6A precinct at Lockheed Elementary School is moving to the Redeemed Christian Church of God-Heaven’s Gate Church (816 Pickens Industrial Drive).
In addition, the Bells Ferry 3 precinct was divided, with a new Bells Ferry 4 precinct being created. Around 3,500 voters will be voting in the new precinct, located at Shiloh Hills Baptist Church (75 Hawkins Store Road). Bells Ferry 3 voters will remain at Noonday Baptist Church (4120 Canton Road).
“I just think it’s too close to the election,” said Caroline Holko, a Democrat who’s running for the State House District 45 seat in Northeast Cobb, and who ran for Cobb commission District 3 in 2018. “I haven’t seen a real plan to notify voters of the changes and why.”
Janine Eveler, the Cobb elections supervisor, told commissioners that voters whose precinct locations have changed, or who have been moved into new precincts, will get new precinct cards in the mail.
In addition, she said they will get a first-class letter delivered to their home address, and that signs will be posted at old precinct locations.
South Cobb commissioner Lisa Cupid, the only Democrat on the five-member board, voted against all three agenda items to split precincts, saying she wanted to see “some actual data to show that there’s a true problem . . . at this point in time.”
East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott said the board “doesn’t need to get into the minutiae” of elections board business, and Cupid snapped back.
“If it was to be a rubber stamp it wouldn’t come here,” she said. “This is a proper forum to have these discussions.”
With the approved precinct relocations, Eveler said roughly half of the 60 precincts at schools have moved.
She said there won’t be any more precinct changes this year, but that the process will continue in 2021.
Other recent precinct changes and new locations in East Cobb include:
Addison 1, Legacy Church (1040 Blackwell Road);
Bells Ferry 2, Christ Worship Center (3393 Canton Road);
Blackwell 1, Northeast Cobb Community Center (3100 Jaycee Drive);
Davis 1, Mountain View UMC (2300 Jamerson Road);
Elizabeth 2, Covenant Presbyterian Church (2881 Canton Road);
Garrison Mill, Unity North Church (4255 Sandy Plains Road);
Hightower 1, Woodstock Church Shallowford (3662 Shallowford Road);
Lassiter 1, Pilgrimage Church of Christ (3755 Sandy Plains Road);
Mabry 1, Hope Presbyterian Church (4101 Sandy Plains Road);
McCleskey 1, Shallowford Free Will Baptist Church (1686 Shallowford Road);
Nicholson 1, East Cobb Baptist Church (1940 Shallowford Road);
Pope 1, East Cobb Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road);
Shallowford Falls 1, Harmony Grove Baptist Church (4207 Shallowford Road);
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 Commissioner Bob Ott announced Tuesday he would be retiring at the end of the year. Last night, he distributed the text of his prepared statement that he made during the commission business meeting:
It’s hard to believe this is the 12th year I have had the honor and privilege to serve the people of District Two. As I reflect on those years during the holidays, I am so thankful for all of the people who help me every day. None of this would be possible without the support of my best friend; my wife Judy. She along with Katie and Chris continue to accept the late nights and weekend phone calls that come with this job. I also need to recognize all the volunteers and appointees who have accepted appointments to the numerous commissions and boards. Without them, Kim and I wouldn’t be able to serve the citizens of District Two. Many of them are now the chairs of their respective groups. Together, we were able to accomplish so much for our citizens. The challenges started early, and the group showed it was ready and willing to jump right in. In 2009, we had the great flood. Less than nine months after starting as the commissioner, the county experienced what the experts say was a 750-year flood event. Parts of the district were under over 20-feet of water. The Chattahoochee River crested at 29-feet above flood stage. The citizens of the district, especially those along Columns Drive and in Vinings needed help. County staff literally came to their rescue. There couldn’t have been a worse time, as the county was feeling the effect of the Great Recession. Budget numbers went south, the county instituted furloughs, much to my disappointment. To many county employees it was a wake-up call that even Cobb County wasn’t immune to the devastating impact of the recession. But out of all the down times, we got the commissioners to agree to the creation of a Citizens’ Oversight Committee. They were tasked to look at all aspects of the county operations and recommend where things could be done a better way. Thank you to all the members of that committee. Although it took some time for all the proposals to work their way into the system, eventually, the county started to pull out of the recession. Along with the recovery, there was a new SPLOST proposal, that for the first time was not the usual six years of questionable spending. With the help of Commissioner Powell, we cut the SPLOST to a four-year list of projects saving over $200 million. The Braves will begin their fourth season at the new ballpark, soon to be renamed, Truist. As the new season begins, ThyssenKrupp’s new tower is beginning to rise, and the final phase of The Battery is nearing completion. These successes will bring more opportunity to the district. I look forward to what the future will bring to the county and the district. So, today, I am officially announcing that I will not be running for re-election in November and will be retiring from the commission at the end of the year. I want to thank all of the citizens of District Two for allowing me the honor and the privilege of serving as your commissioner.
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!
Bob Ott, the longest-serving member of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, won’t be seeking a fourth term. (ECN file)
Cobb commissioner Bob Ott, who has represented part of East Cobb since 2009, announced Tuesday he won’t be seeking re-election to a fourth term.
Ott, a Republican who is the longest-serving member of the commission, made his announcement at the end of the board’s business meeting on Tuesday.
He rattled off a long list of developments and accomplishments in District 2—which includes part of East Cobb and the Cumberland-Vinings area—during his tenure, reading from prepared remarks.
His announcement appeared to have caught his colleagues by surprise.
“Wow,” said commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who represents Northeast Cobb.
Chairman Mike Boyce said “I for one will miss you, and I say that with all genuineness. . . . I’m sure there will be time for accolades later,” but Boyce said he looked forward to working with Ott through the end of the year.
Speaking later to East Cobb News, Ott said he decided a couple months ago he wouldn’t be running again.
“It just seemed like the right time,” said Ott, a Delta Air Lines pilot who turns 63 this year and must retire by the age of 65.
Ott, who travels on long haul routes to San Juan, Hawaii and Rome, said he wanted to enjoy the rest of his flying days as much as anything.
Ott said he told outgoing County Manager Rob Hosack and a few other people of his decision, but not his commission colleagues before Tuesday’s announcement.
Ott got involved in civic affairs in East Cobb through the East Cobb Civic Association, which he served as president, was a member of the Cobb Board of Zoning Appeals and was appointed to the Cobb Planning Commission by former commissioner Joe Lee Thompson.
Ott challenged Thompson in the 2008 Republican primary and defeated the incumbent. He didn’t have any opposition in seeking a second term in 2012. In 2016, Ott was opposed by attorney Jonathan Page, but prevailed in the Republican primary and did not have a Democratic foe.
Ott said his main reason for seeking a third term was to “see through” the opening of the new Atlanta Braves stadium in 2017.
This fall, Ott declined to indicate his future plans, saying he would make an announcement after the first of the year.
He’s occasionally been regarded as a possible candidate for chairman, including for the upcoming 2020 election, and sparred regularly with Boyce and previous chairman Tim Lee.
He said he thought “a little bit” about running for chairman this year but decided against it. Boyce and South Cobb Commissioner Lisa Cupid have announced they’re running for chairman.
Larry Savage, an East Cobb resident who ran for chairman as a Republican in 2012 and 2016, is running for chairman for a third time.
Ott said he understands why some have thought he’s harbored larger political ambitions, but cited a quote from Ronald Reagan, about what can be accomplished without caring who gets the credit.
“This has never been about me,” Ott said. “It’s been about serving the people of this district.”
“I’m not surprised that he’s looking for some downtime after three pretty intense terms as commissioner,” said Linda Carver, outgoing chairwoman of the East Cobb Civic Association. “We appreciate the positive things he’s done for District 2 and the county.”
In recent months, Ott also has deflected speculation that he might be interested in running for mayor in a possible City of East Cobb (in what’s now a stalled cityhood effort).
Former 6th District U.S. Rep. Karen Handel, who’s close to Ott, called him “one of the finest public servants I have ever known. He leads with integrity and great care, always putting the interests of the people he serves first.”
During his remarks, Ott recalled entering office just as major flooding hit Cobb County, along with the recession that forced budget cuts and prompted staffing furloughs he says he opposed.
He pointed to the creation of the Cobb Citizens Oversight Committee to recommend budgeting and spending priorities in the wake of the recession, and touted the creation of the first citizen-led master plans in the county, including the Powers Ferry, Johnson Ferry and Shallowford-Johnson Ferry corridors.
Addressing growth and revitalization in those and other areas and improving communications with constituents are among what Ott said are his most satisfying accomplishments.
He’s held many town hall meetings, launched a newsletter and has hosted a TV show on Cobb’s public government access channel and a podcast on the county website.
Ott said he doesn’t have any future civic activities lined up for now, but that “you don’t just walk away. I don’t plan on moving.”
Ott said another reason for stepping aside now is that he feels that “you want to leave with things better than when you got it. Some things are a lot better than when we got them.”
Among the lingering challenges for the commission is grappling with public safety staffing shortages and county employee pension obligations.
Declared candidates for the District 2 seat include Democrat Jerica Richardson, who announced in July and who has not run for office before, and Lloyd “Shane” Deyo of East Cobb, who did not indicate a party affiliation.
An Ott appointee said Tuesday he’ll be seeking to replace him.
Republican Andy Smith of East Cobb, named to the Cobb Planning Commission in 2018, has not formally declared his candidacy.
The owner of a commercial interior construction company in East Cobb, Smith said he’s previously told Ott—with whom he attended high school in New Jersey—of his desire to run for commissioner at some point.
Smith, who’s been involved in community service work through Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, said he doesn’t have a specific set of priorities for his campaign for now.
“I have the desire, and I think I have the time,” Smith said. “I see this as an opportunity to give back to the community.”
Smith also has served on the Cobb Neighborhood Safety Commission.
Candidates for office in Cobb must qualify in early March, and Smith would have to resign from the planning board upon filing his paperwork.
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!
The flash flood watch area is in green; flash flood warnings are noted in red. (NWS map)
Monday’s heavy rains are just the beginning of some more wet weather to greet Cobb at the start of the week.
The National Weather Service in Atlanta has issued a flash flood watch through 7 a.m. Wednesday that covers Cobb and north Georgia.
The NWS said one to three inches of rain have already fallen in the east metro Atlanta area, and between and inch and two inches is forecast for the rest of Monday and into Tuesday in the north metro area.
When a flash flood watch is issued, it means that conditions are favorable for possible flooding, including standing water and saturated ground.
The chance of rain is 90 percent today in Cobb and 80 percent overnight, with highs in the high 60s and lows in the low 60s.
For Tuesday, the chance of rain will be 80 percent during the day and 60 percent Tuesday night, with temperatures ranging between the low 60s and and around 70.
Wednesday’s forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of rain, with precipitation tapering off to 20 percent by Thursday.
Temperatures also will be warmer, with highs also expected to reach into the high 60s and low 70s.
We may not see any sun until Sunday, with highs expected around 50.
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!
A teenage girl was killed and another suffered serious injuries Sunday night in a two-car crash on Jamerson Road, according to Cobb Police.
Officer Sydney Melton, a police spokeswoman, said Kayleigh S. Neste, 17, of Kennesaw, was pronounced dead after being taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital.
Neste was a student at Kell High School.
A 16-year-old girl, who was not identified, also was taken to Kennestone, with serious injuries that were not specified, Melton said.
Police said the crash happened at 7:14 p.m. Sunday on Jamerson Road at Navilly Way, near Kell High School. A westbound-traveling white 2008 Nissan 350Z driven by Neste lost control and collided with a white 2012 Kia Forte, heading east and driven by the 16-year old.
Neste’s car caught fire after the crash, and Melton said bystanders helped her out of the car and also pulled the Kia away from the Nissan before it could catch fire.
The 16-year-old girl was trapped inside the Kia until fire and rescue crews could free her, Melton said.
Melton said the crash remains under investigation and anyone with information should call Cobb Police at 770-499-3987.
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!
Some highlights from our events calendar and other activities going on in East Cobb in the coming week:
Gardeners Night Out: Hydrangeas in My Garden, Now What!
Master Gardeners of Cobb County will be presenting Gardeners Night Out at the East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. Lisa Bartlett, garden manager at the Smith-Gilbert Gardens in Kennesaw, will present “Hydrangeas in my Garden, Now What!” Lisa has an extensive horticultural background and will share her knowledge and experience with growing hydrangeas. The event is free. Click here to register or call the East Cobb Library at 770-509-2730.
Kids Cursive
On Wednesday at 5 p.m. its Kids Cursive at Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road). This program is for cursive beginners 8 years and up and their adult caregiver. Learn letters, practice names, and play fun games to reinforce skills! All materials will be provided. No registration required.
Sandy Springs-Cobb Business Networking
Thursday from 8:30am – 10:00am at a new location, Jason’s Deli (1401 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 334). Pay for your breakfast, bring business cards and meet other business owners and entrepreneurs in an informal session.
Financial Fraud
Friday at the East Cobb Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road), 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
Incidences of fraud are on the rise, and scammers’ tactics are becoming more complex. This presentation will help you get the information you need to “outsmart the scammers.” We will discuss how to spot certain red flags that may indicate a fraudulent encounter, resources individuals can turn to in the event they or loved ones are targeted, and steps you can take to help protect yourself and loved ones. Free; registration required by calling 770-509-4900.
Freaky Friday the Musical
Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Wheeler High School theatre (375 Holt Road). Watch what happens when a mother and daughter who are always in each other’s face end up in each other’s body in this 21st century update of a beloved classic.
Wheeler Theatre’s production of Freaky Friday is directed by Dayna Strickland, with choreography by Jaclyn H. Barber. Visit wheelerhs.booktix.com for reserved and general admission tickets. Contact wheeler.theatre.boosters@gmail.com for more information.
Polar Bear Run
From 8-11 a.m. Saturday at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road), it’s the 32nd running, and and Peachtree Qualifier road race. The distances are 5K, 2K or Cub Run with the miles outdoors and a party indoors, to be run rain, snow or shine. For information and to register, click here.
Pope High School Band Recycling Day
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the school (3001 Hembree Road), accepting recyclable metal, electronics, appliances, paint and paper for shredding.
A $10 donation includes all you can bring metal, appliances and electronics. Additional fees apply for TVs, monitors, tablets, large items, paint and paper shredding. Pick-up is available with advance reservation.
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 County government is saying Saturday night that thunderstorms that came through late this afternoon have left some roads blocked by trees.
Those roads include portions of Old Canton Road, Post Oak Tritt Road, Bill Murdock Road, Casteel Road and Bishop Lake Road.
A message sent out by the county around 7:30 p.m. Saturday wasn’t more specific, except to say that it was responding to at least two dozen calls, and likely more, around Cobb.
The county said Cobb police and fire/rescue crews that have responded thus far haven’t reported any injuries.
Cobb EMC is updating its power outage map (see above), which as of 8:30 p.m. included some locations in East Cobb. The biggest cluster was in the Terrell Mill/Powers Ferry area, with nearly 500 outages reported.
More than 200 outages were reported in an area around Lower Roswell Road and the South Marietta Parkway, around 30 off Canton Road near Morgan Road, and 20 or so off Lower Roswell, east of Johnson Ferry Road.
Georgia Power showed some outages on its map around the Noonday area, also around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.
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!
Submitted information from the Cobb County School District:
Something exciting and fresh is happening at Wheeler High School! The Wildcat Nation is expanding Wheeler Fresh Collaborative, a cross-curricular collaboration by teachers and students whose goals are to increase community involvement and provide food essentials when and where needed. This STEAM initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) was originally conceived as a farm-to-table program but has since evolved to include a food pantry started by Wheeler students and eventually supplemented with contributions from the surrounding community.
The Wheeler Fresh Collaborative utilizes expertise from Wheeler’s culinary, horticulture, environmental science, drafting, graphic design, and marketing classes along with many Wheeler clubs to help ensure fellow Wildcats have a reliable source of food when needed.
From concept to realization, many classes have helped develop the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative. Drafting students designed the layout of the grow beds for horticulture students. Environmental science students studied the soil and the growing environment. Now, horticulture students grow herbs and vegetables, and culinary students prepare, cook, and serve meals. Graphic design students create logos and visuals. Credit for branding and promotion of the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative goes to the school’s marketing students. Wheeler’s Girls Who Code Club members manage the online ordering system for the food pantry, which they created.
For its kick-off event, Wheeler Fresh Collaborative hosted a dinner theatre ahead of Wheeler Theatre’s production of the musical “Annie” in the Spring of 2019. This event, along with Marketing students attending monthly business luncheons in the East Cobb and North Cobb areas and articles published in local media outlets such as East Cobber Magazine, brought attention to the initiative. Collaboration has since involved linking Wheeler’s feeder schools and their food pantries to further extend the program’s reach.
Currently, Wheeler Fresh Collaborative is preparing for its inaugural Wheeler Fresh Marketplace scheduled for January 17. The Marketplace will be set up outside the Performing Arts Center [from 5-7 p.m.], in conjunction with Wheeler Theatre’s musical production of “Freaky Friday!”
There will be an interactive gallery where a variety of Wheeler clubs, organizations, and classes will promote concepts of students helping students, collaboration and community involvement within the Wheeler family.
The Horticulture Club will sell plant starters, AP Statistics students will display their original games for people to play, and other Wheeler clubs will have snacks for purchase or a community experience to present. Thanks to donation boxes placed around the Marketplace for the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative and Feed Our Friends initiatives, visitors will be able to help pay off student lunch debt across the Wheeler cluster of schools.
Program organizers and volunteers plan for the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative to sustain a food pantry with both Wheeler grown food and other non-perishable items, which will aid the 41% of Wheeler students who benefit from free and reduced lunch. The goal is for the Wheeler Fresh Collaborative to reduce the challenges faced by those in need in the community, all the while demonstrating what can be accomplished when students work together to build a true sense of community.
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!
Loyal Tavern closed at Parkaire Landing in June 2019, after previously opening as Loyal Q and Brew in 2017. (ECN file)
The former Loyal Q/Loyal Tavern space at Parkaire Landing will soon become another location for the expanding McCray’s Tavern venture, according to a published report.
ToNeTo Atlantaposted Friday that the fourth McCray’s Tavern in metro Atlanta will open in the spring. McCray’s has existing neighborhood bar-type restaurants in Smyrna, Lawrenceville and Midtown.
Randy McCray, one of two brothers behind the LEAD Hospitality Group, recently purchased the longstanding Shillings on the Square restaurant in Marietta.
That’s being converted into a steak and seafood establishment to be called Mac’s Chophouse, also slated to open in the spring.
Other restaurants run by LEAD (for Let’s Eat and Drink) include The Mill in Roswell.
OVME, a “medical aesthetic boutique,” is opening its second metro Atlanta location Jan. 20 at Merchants Walk.
Services will include facial services, dermal fillers, body sculpting and laser hair removal, testosterone replacement therapy and PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) for hail loss, as well as B0-12 shots and hydration therapy.
OVME (www.OVME.com) has locations in Buckhead, Dallas and Nashville.
Boyce to speak to ECBA
Cobb commission chairman Mike Boyce is the guest speaker at the Jan. 21 luncheon of the East Cobb Business Association at the Olde Towne Athletic Club. Tickets are $20-$25 in advance and $25-$30 at the door; get info and register by clicking here.
On Jan. 15 the Northeast Cobb Business Association holds its first event of 2020 at the Piedmont Church. The speaker is Scott Reed, franchise owner of Chick-fil-A at Sprayberry. Info and more 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!
Warmer weather this weekend will bring with it the chance of severe weather on Saturday, including heavy rains and a wind advisory that’s been issued for much of the state.
Cobb is included in the wind advisory, which begins at 7 a.m. Saturday and ends at 10 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service in Atlanta, northwest Georgia could be in for heavy rain showers, damaging winds and possible tornadoes.
The severe weather is expected for mid-afternoon and into the early evening on Saturday.
A 50 percent chance of rain is expected Friday night, rising to 90 percent by later Saturday afternoon.
The high Saturday is expected to be around 70, with winds gusting between 15-20 mph and possibly as high as 35 mph in some places, especially in west Georgia and metro Atlanta.
Between a quarter-inch and a half-inch of rain is in the forecast, and the winds are likely to pick up Saturday night.
The low Saturday night could drop into the high 40s.
The sun will return on Sunday, most likely in the afternoon, with highs in the mid 60s. The chance of rain is expected to be around 20 percent, and winds will die down to 5-10 mph.
More rain is in the forecast Sunday night and through most of next week, and temperatures will be above average for the winter.
In anticipation of the severe weather, Georgia Power has prepared a checklist and tips for safety and preparing for the possibility of power loss.
et 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!
Rob Hosack, the Cobb County Manager since 2017, announced his retirement on Thursday, according to a release issued by Cobb County Government.
Hosack, an East Cobb resident, will be leaving on April 1, and his position will be filled by deputy county manager Jackie McMorris on an interim basis after that, according to the release.
“It has been one of my highest honors to serve as county manager of Cobb County,“ Hosack said in a statement. “For the past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with an outstanding team in the county and to engage with Cobb’s residents. We have developed a deep bench of talented administrators and it’s time for me to step aside and let others lead.”
The county manager directs the day-to-day governance of county government departments and a workforce of 5,000.
This is Hosack’s second employment with Cobb County. He previously had worked 29 years for the county, including serving as the Community Development Director, and returned to assume the county manager post in 2017.
He succeeded David Hankerson, who was the Cobb County Manager for 24 years.
“Rob is the epitome of a public servant,” Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce said in a statement. “Any success we’ve achieved in the county while I’ve been Chairman is largely due to Rob Hosack. I’m saddened, but understand his reasons for leaving and wish him nothing but success. No Chairman could have had a better working relationship with a county manager than I had with Rob.”
Hosack returned to Cobb under new political leadership after Boyce defeated incumbent chairman Tim Lee in 2016.
And Hosack’s announced departure comes in an election year when Boyce is up for re-election, and whose seat is being eyed by South Cobb commissioner Lisa Cupid.
Another announced candidate for chairman is East Cobb resident Larry Savage, who’s twice run before for that seat.
East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott is also up for re-election, but he has not announced his plans.
Several Cobb department heads have changed in that time, including community development, DOT, communications and public safety.
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!
The following East Cobb food scores from Jan. 6-9 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing to view details of the inspection:
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!
Jump start your new year’s resolution of finding a job by attending career seminars at the CobbWorks Worksource Development Center.
Ace Your Interview 9-11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 17 Learn important components to a successful interview, what research you should do beforehand and what your clothes say about you. Presented by David Perry, human services director for the Omni Hotel at the Battery Atlanta.
Resume Building 9-11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 24 Learn the keys to a powerful resume. Presented by Georgia Department of Labor staff. All attendees must register at employgeorgia.com and create a searchable resume in order to attend.
Skills Employers Want 9-11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 31 Learn the soft skills employers want most. Presented by Georgia Department of Labor staff. All attendees must register at employgeorgia.com and create a searchable resume in order to attend.
Registration for all workshops is required. To register, call 770-528-4300 or send an email to information@cobbworks.org. The workshops will be held at 463 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 100, Marietta.
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!
A 3-point basket swishes through the net for the Lady Trojans in the first event at the new Lassiter gym. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)
Before the first-ever event tipped off at the new Lassiter High School gym on Tuesday, the school’s athletic director stood at midcourt, looked around around them, and took in some history.
Scott Kelly is 1993 Lassiter graduate who recalled his time the school’s first gym, built in 1980.
“We played on a rubber floor,” he said.
The new $15.66 million building features maroon-colored seating for 3,000, as well as locker rooms for basketball and volleyball, and a wrestling practice facility.
For the last year or so, the construction area has been a mess, in addition to taking out parking space.
“I think you’ve got the best gym in the state,” Kelly told the Lassiter student body at a grand opening ceremony that included CCSD officials.
He also thanked the students for their patience: “You finally made it.”
Lassiter and Cobb County School District leaders and representatives from R.K. Redding Construction Inc. attended the grand opening.
As the Lassiter girls basketball team played Walton in the first game, Kelly paused momentarily near the Lady Trojans’ bench and took in the atmosphere.
He’s been a teacher and administrator at his alma mater for 20 years, including the last five as athletics director, as plans were being made for a new gym.
“It’s something people in this community have been looking forward to for a lot of years,” he said.
It’s state of the art, and part of a continuing wave of new gyms in the Cobb County School District to feature such a large capacity, and with specific space for multiple sports.
That’s also the case at a new gym that opened in August at Walton and two years ago at Pope. They have combined gym-theatre facilities, unlike Lassiter, whose concert hall opened in 2013 on another part of campus.
Kelly said the Lassiter freshman and JV teams will be playing at the new gym as well, starting with home games on Friday against Roswell.
The wrestling team will have competitions there, and the volleyball team will make its debut at the new gym in the fall of 2020.
On Tuesday, however, Walton played the role of spoiler, winning the girls game 65-37 and the boys game by a 55-50 score.
The Lassiter huddle was fired up in the fourth quarter as Walton began pulling away.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
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!
The Cobb Board of Elections and Registration will consider a proposal next week to relocate nine voting precincts from schools for the 2020 elections, including three in East Cobb.
The precincts at Dickerson and Dodgen middle schools and Lockheed Elementary School are among those to be considered for relocation by the five-member board next Monday.
Under the proposal the Dickerson precinct would move to Lutheran Church of the Incarnation (1200 Indian Hills Parkway), and the Dodgen precinct would move to the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road).
The Marietta 6A precinct at Lockheed would be moved to the Redeemed Christian Church of God-Heaven’s Gate Church (816 Pickens Industrial Drive).
Most of the other proposed precinct changes elsewhere in the county also involve moving from schools to churches or community centers.
“Any objections must be filed in writing before the time of the hearing or presented orally during the hearing. If no objection is made, the Board will adopt this change at that time.”
Also on Tuesday’s elections board agenda is a proposal to divide the Bells Ferry 3 precinct in northeast Cobb and create Bells Ferry 4.
Here’s a proposed map of the two precincts; voters remaining in Bells Ferry 3 would continue to vote at Noonday Baptist Church (4120 Canton Road). Voters in the new Bells Ferry 4 precinct would vote at Shiloh Hills Baptist Church (75 Hawkins Store Road).
Two members of board of elections are appointed by the Cobb legislative delegation, and one each are chosen by the Cobb Democratic and Republican parties and the Cobb Commission Chairman.
The elections board meets Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. in the conference room at West Park Government Center, 736 Whitlock Ave., in Marietta.
Any precinct changes made by the elections board are subject to final approval by the Cobb Board of Commissioners next Tuesday, Jan. 14.
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!
