East Cobb food scores: Eggs Up Grill; Hong Kong Star; La Novia Taqueria; Suburban Tap and more

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Hong Kong Star, East Cobb Food Scores

The following East Cobb restaurant scores from Nov. 5-16 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing to view details of the inspection:

Addison Elementary School
3055 Ebenezer Road
November 15, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

Arby’s 
4367 Roswell Road
November 16, 2018 Score: 87, Grade: B

BiteFull 
2217 Roswell Road, Suite B1
November 14, 2018 Score: 80, Grade: B

Blackwell Elementary School
3470 Canton Road
November 16, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

China Express
1779 Canton Road
November 15, 2018 Score: 63, Grade: U

Delray Diner
2475 Delk Road
November 15, 2018 Score: 91, Grade: A

East Side Elementary School 
3850 Roswell Road
November 7, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

Eggs Up Grill
4401 Shallowford Road, Suite 126
November 13, 2018 Score: 86, Grade: B

GTC Merchants Walk Cinema
1301 Johnson Ferry Road
November 6, 2018 Score: 96, Grade: A

Hong Kong Star Chinese Cuisine 
4719 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 110
November 13, 2018 Score: 90, Grade: A

J. Christopher’s 
1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 113-114
November 8, 2018 Score: 99, Grade: A

Jersey Mike’s Subs
4400 Roswell Road, Suite 148
November 16, 2018 Score: 90, Grade: A

Kell High School
4770 Lee Waters Road
November 16, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

La Novia Taqueria
255 Village Parkway, Suite 330
November 5, 2018 Score: 87, Grade: B

La Strada
2930 Johnson Ferry Road
November 15, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

Lassiter High School
2601 Shallowford Road
November 13, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt
4475 Roswell Road, Suite 205
November 15, 2018 Score: 96, Grade: A

Mountain View Elementary School
3151 Sandy Plains Road
November 11, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

Noonday Baptist Church/Eastside Catering
4121 Canton Road
November 15, 2018 Score: 92, Grade: A

Picture Show 
4400 Roswell Road, Suite 110
November 14, 2018 Score: 84, Grade: B

The Pokeway
1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 365
November 7, 2018 Score: 73, Grade: C

Starbuck’s
31 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite A
November 5, 2018 Score: 95, Grade: A

Studio Movie Grill
40 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 400
November 5, 2018 Score: 91, Grade: A

Suburban Tap 
1318 Johnson Ferry Road
November 6, 2018 Score: 98, Grade: A

Subway  
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 902
November 15, 2018 Score: 99, Grade: A

Waffle House
550 N. Greenbriar Parkway
November 6, 2018 Score: 97, Grade: A

Zaxby’s
2981 Delk Road
November 5, 2018 Score: 100, Grade: A

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Cobb libraries Thanksgiving Week schedule includes Friday closure

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East Cobb Library, Cobb budget crisis

The Cobb County Public Library System will be closed not only for Thanksgiving Day next Thursday but also Friday as well.

All Cobb government offices and services are closed on Thursday and Friday.

All library branches will be closing on Wednesday at 5 p.m. and will reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday.

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East Cobb celebrity poker fundraiser nets $20K for Emory ALS research

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East Cobb celebrity poker fundraiser

Real estate agent Janice Overbeck and former Atlanta Falcons player Terance Mathis were the hosts of a celebrity poker fundraiser for Emory ALS last weekend in East Cobb.

Here’s more on the event per a release from the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team:

A little over one hundred attendees joined together to try their luck in the tournament while raising funds through a silent auction and awareness for Lou Gehrig’s disease. Other local celebrities such as Mark Lee from the band Third Day, Michael Reid (NFL), and Corey Patterson (MLB) came to support the cause and play in the tournament with local fans and event goers.

Through donations, silent auction, and raffle tickets sold, the event raised $20,472 presented to Dr. Jonathan Glass of the Emory ALS Reach Center.

Since its inception in 2016, the Janice Overbeck Real Estate Team’s non-profit, JO Gives, Inc., has hosted fundraising events in addition to making donations to the Emory University ALS Research Center annually.

“After losing my father to ALS in 2015, I have been very passionate about research and finding a cure for this horrible disease. Additional funding is extremely important to better understand the disease and determine possible risk factors. Though research has advanced over the last several years to help m any ALS patients live longer and more productive lives, there is still a lot of work to be done,” says Overbeck.

For more information on current research and clinical trials for ALS or to make a donation please visit the Emory ALS Research Center website.

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Cobb Police coat drive accepting donations at precincts

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East Cobb Government Center, Cobb Police Precinct 4, Cobb Police coat drive

The Cobb County Police Community Affairs Unit is conducting its second annual coat drive for those needing them this winter.

Last year more than 2,000 coats and other items were collected as part of “Giving the Gift of Warmth.”

Those wishing to donate new or gently used coats, scarves, hats and gloves can do so now by dropping off items at Cobb Police precincts. In East Cobb, that’s Precinct 4 at the East Cobb Government Service Center (4400 Lower Roswell Road).

The hours to make donations are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, excluding holidays. A cutoff date for the drive will be announced later.

The other precinct locations are as follows:

  • Pct. 1—2380 Cobb Parkway, Kennesaw;
  • Pct. 2— 4700 Austell Road, Austell;
  • Pct. 3—1901 Cumberland Parkway, Atlanta;
  • Pct. 5—4640 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs;
  • H.Q.—140 North Marietta Parkway, Marietta.

Those who donate to the coat drive and who are interested in adopting a pet can get the adoption fee waived by the Cobb Department of Animal Services.

To receive a voucher, donate either five hats, five pairs of gloves or one coat. Those items must be new, and you should indicate to the precinct staff where you drop off that you’re interested in getting a pet adoption voucher.

Vouchers can be obtained starting Nov. 19, and can be used for an adoption from Dec. 3-21.

Those who want to donate but cannot do so in person are asked to call Sgt. Jeff Tatroe, the Cobb Police Community Affairs Unit supervisor, at 770-499-3981 or email him at jeff.tatroe@cobbcounty.org for a scheduled pick-up.

 

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Walton football season ends in heartbreak; Kell trounced by Buford

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Walton football season, Daniel Brunner
Daniel Brunner has lost just three games in his first two seasons as Walton coach. (ECN file photo)

The second round of the Georgia High School Association football playoffs on Friday proved to be the end of the road for the two East Cobb teams still competing.

The Kell Longhorns fell behind early at Buford, which kept piling up the scoring in a 44-11 rout in the Class 5A bracket.

In an all-Cobb battle in Powder Springs, the Walton Raiders and Hillgrove Hawks fought to the final whistle in Class 7A.

After trailing and then drawing even most of the night, the Raiders caught up again in the fourth quarter on a touchdown catch by star wide receiver Dominick Blaylock.

But unbeaten Hillgrove got the ball back and kicked a field goal with time expriring to advance 23-20.

For Walton (10-2), it was the second heartbreaking loss of the season. The Raiders’ only other loss came at Raider Valley, when Roswell scored a touchdown late to get to within one point, then converted a two-point play and held on for a 32-31.

For the second year in a row, Walton’s season ends in the second round. The Raiders also will say goodbye to a senior class that includes Blaylock, quarterback Austin Kirksey, linebacker Malik Adams and others who guided the team’s resurgence under second-year coach Daniel Brunner.

Kell went into the Buford game as one of the hottest teams in the state, having won nine games in a row. Buford has won several state titles in a row in recent years, and the high-powered Longhorns’ offense couldn’t get much going.

The game marked the end of the line for Kell quarterback Evan Conley. However, star running back Ebony Jackson is only a junior.

Second-year coach Brett Sloan, who like Brunner is a former Walton assistant, has continued a tradition of post-season excellence at Kell, which has qualified for the state playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons.

Brunner and Sloan were two of the four head coaches in East Cobb that were hired before the 2017 season. Another second-year coach, Tab Griffin of Pope, also has guided the Greyhounds to the post-season in his first two years.

The other, Brett Vavra of Sprayberry, is like Griffin in coaching at his alma mater. Despite a 3-7 record, the Yellow Jackets were competitive in a region that includes Creekview and Sequoyah, which are still alive in the Class 6A playoffs.

Wheeler missed out on the playoffs after losing four of its last five games. Lassiter went 1-9 and will have a new coach next season.

Jep Irwin resigned after completing his ninth season with the Trojans. They reached the Class 7A semifinals in 2011 but missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

 

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East Cobb Teriyaki Madness closes at Sandy Plains Centre

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Late Friday afternoon the owners of the Teriyaki Madness restaurant in East Cobb announced the location was closing for good:East Cobb Teriyaki Madness restaurant closes

We want to graciously thank all the customers that have passed through our doors over the past year and a half. We’ve enjoyed serving each of you. We have other Teriyaki Madness locations opening in the Atlanta area in 2019 – please visit teriyakimadness.com to see where the next TMAD will be in the Atlanta area. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

The husband-and-wife team of Joe and Robin Cleveland opened Georgia’s first Teriyaki Madness location as franchisees in early 2017 at Sandy Plains Centre (2960 Shallowford Road).

On Thursday, they were posting usual messages on social media, including a spirit night event for Addison Elementary School, as well as promoting promoting Uber Eats, Grub Hub and Door Dash delivery options.

Teriyaki Madness, based in Denver, operates 77 restaurants across the country.

 

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Williams declared Georgia House District 37 winner after recount

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The Cobb Board of Elections on Friday announced that Mary Frances Williams is the official Georgia House District 37 winner after a recount.

Mary Frances Williams, Georgia House District 37 winner

The recount was requested by her opponent, incumbent Republican State Rep. Sam Teasley, after he finished 137 votes behind Williams, a Democrat from Marietta.

She was initially certified as the winner on Monday. In the recount, she still had the same 11,928 votes she received in the general election, while Teasley lost a vote, totaling 11,754.

Teasley, a real estate agent, has represented the district that includes a portion of Northeast Cobb since 2010.

Williams, who was running for elected office for the first time, is the daughter of a former Marietta mayor and legislator and has been a lobbyist for children’s issues at the General Assembly.

She is one of three Democratic challengers to defeat Republican incumbents in East Cobb races on Nov. 6. Lucy McBath ousted U.S. Rep. Karen Handel in the 6th Congressional District election, while Charisse Davis beat Scott Sweeney for a seat on the Cobb Board of Education.

Also on Friday the Cobb elections board revised its overall county certified vote totals to include six more voters who cast provisional ballots.

Cobb Elections also has released a precinct-by-precinct breakdown of state and local races, as well as ballot issues, that were on the general election ballot.

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Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect sought after Halloween heist

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Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect

Police need the public’s help locating a Sandy Plains Road bank robbery suspect who got away after a holdup on Halloween.

UPDATED, Nov. 20, 2:20 P.M.: Police say the suspect apparently shot himself this morning as they attempted to serve him with a search warrant.

On Friday Marietta Police released surveillance photos of the man they say held up the SunTrust Bank branch at 1840 Sandy Plains Road.

The robbery took place at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, according to police, who said the man handed a teller a note demanding cash and saying he had a gun.

He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

The suspect is described as a slender white male, between six feet and 6-foot-5, with police adding that he bears “unique physical features including birthmarks and his distinct chin structure.”

Police also said the circumstances of this robbery resemble a similar bank robbery at a Wells Fargo Bank at 2687 Sandy Plains Road on June 22.

Anyone with information about the Oct. 31 robbery is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS or Marietta Detective Greene at 770-794-2365.

Call Cobb Police at 770-499-3945 with information about the June robbery.

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Cobb school calendar tops board’s 2019 legislative priorities

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The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday adopted a set of legislative priorities for the 2019 session, and the contentious issue of school calendars tops the list.

Scott Sweeney, Cobb school board, Cobb school calendar
Scott Sweeney

The board voted 6-0 to endorse Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s recommendation that the Cobb County School District determine when school years should begin an end.

The issue came up this year with the creation of a special State Senate study committee.

Some within the Georgia tourism industry have indicated that starting school in early August has had a detrimental effect on their business.

The study committee has held hearings around the state and is meeting now during a special session. Among the bills being considered would call for a statewide school start after Labor Day.

As far as Cobb schools are concerned, that should be a matter of local control.

“Whether it is giving Cobb the flexibility to test a new assessment system that has the potential to benefit all students in Georgia or allowing local communities, like Cobb, to approve school calendars that best serve the needs of their students and staff, local control is a must,” Ragsdale said in a statement.

Earlier this decade members of the Cobb school board sparred over setting the calendar. In recent years, however, it’s adopted what’s called a “balanced” calendar, with an early August start date and more breaks than a calendar with a later start time.

The balanced calendar also is strongly supported by the Cobb County Association of Educators.

In October the school board voted 6-1 to adopt balanced calendars through 2020 that have Aug. 1 start dates.

The board also included in its legislative priorities proposed changes to the “Local Fair Share” component of the Georgia Quality Basic Education Act.

In this provision, school districts are levied five mills of their local property tax rate, with the funding going to the state.

East Cobb board member Scott Sweeney noted at a work session earlier Thursday that Cobb sends $144 million annually to the state, and advocates capping the Local Fair Share amount at $100 million.

Cobb schools said that getting $44 million in return would enable it to hire 488 teachers or build two new schools.

Other priorities include changing graduation rate calculations “that more accurately reflect schools’ academic process” and pushing for a return to local control of K-12 dual enrollment programs.

Current graduation rate guidelines require school districts to count all students enrolled in a four-year period, regardless of how long they attended classes in that time.

In 2018, Cobb reported a countywide graduation rate of 85.18 percent. While that’s a record, district officials said the graduation rate would be 97.1 percent if only students who attended high school in Cobb all four years were counted.

 

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Simple Needs GA to have Saturday open house in Marietta

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A couple weeks ago we wrote about Brenda Rhodes of Simple Needs GA, who was named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year.Simple Needs GA open house

She noted that the non-profit she started to help people in need with basic, everyday items is holding an open house Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

They’ve got a warehouse in the Marietta area, and will be giving tours, discussing their programs and asking for volunteers to help them help families in need. Here’s more from Rhodes:

 

“We’re inviting everyone in our community to stop by the warehouse to chat, grab a bite to eat, meet some clients and learn about our mission. The open house is a great opportunity to see for yourself what Simple Needs GA does for people in need in Cobb County and to learn how you can get involved. Those who take the tour always learn something new about our programs.”

The open house coincides with a donation drive in which SNGA is collecting household items, winter wear and more. For more details, visit simpleneedsga.org.
For more information and to get the warehouse address e-mail: brenda@simpleneedsga.org.

 

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Freeze warning Thursday night for Cobb, North Georgia

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Cobb freeze warning

Our dreary weather week has a new twist tonight: A freeze warning that includes Cobb and north Georgia.

The National Weather Service in Atlanta issued the warning from 11 p.m. Thursday through 8 a.m. Friday.

The watch area is on a line north from West Point to Macon to Louisville.

The freeze warning comes as most of the metro Atlanta area and north Georgia has been enduring heavy rains this week that came with flood and flash flood watches and warnings.

The rain had largely stopped by Thursday afternoon but roads are still wet, with some minor flooding and tree and other debris.

Temperatures also have dropped into the mid-30s and tonight’s low could fall into the high 20s.

There could be some patchy black ice on roads where residual water freezes over.

Friday could see the return of the sun, with clear skies forecast and high temperatures in the low 50s.

The weekend is expected to be the same, with sunny days and highs reaching into the 60s through Monday.

UPDATED, 7:50 P.M.

The Cobb County School District issued this message a short while ago:

We are aware of low temperatures tonight leading to possible ice on the roads in the morning. We are currently working with the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) to monitor the weather, looking for any impacts on school operations. If necessary, an update will be provided in the morning should there be any delays or closures. Remember it’s going to be cold tomorrow, make sure to bundle up. Stay warm!

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Sprayberry Craft Show; Georgia Philharmonic Concert; Little Red Riding Hood; and more

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Sprayberry Craft Show, East Cobb weekend events

This weekend’s events in East Cobb aren’t all about the holidays, which will be kicking into full gear around Thanksgiving and beyond. But the Sprayberry Craft Show, which returns for its 36th year, gives early-bird shoppers another chance to stock up before season begins in earnest.

The Sprayberry Craft Show takes place from 9-5 Saturday and from 10-4 Sunday on campus (2525 Sandy Plains Road), features more than 200 vendor booths with artisanal goods, photography, Christmas decorations and more. There will be food trucks and other things to eat, and Santa Lane also returns with crafts and face-painting for kids. The show is the Sprayberry PTSA’s lone fundraiser benefits student scholarships, teacher grants and other programs at the school.

This is billed as the Men’s Book Club, but it’s not just limited to the fellas: Saturday’s meeting at the East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) goes from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., and the work being discussed is George Orwell’s novel “1984.”

Kids of all ages are invited to the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) for a special rendition of Little Red Riding Hood, starting at 2:30 p.m. It’s a special presentation of the Wheeler High School Drama Club, and the show takes place in the library’s community room.

On Saturday night, the Georgia Philharmonic will present the “Impressions of the New World” at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road).The featured composers include Smetana and Dvorák as th show celebrates music’s power to bridge divides. Tickets are $10-$25, and the show starts at 7.

Check our full calendar listings for more things to do in East Cobb this weekend, and beyond.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a calendar item you’d like to share with the community? Send it to us, and we’ll spread the word! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com, and you can include a photo or flyer if you like.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, make it a great one! Enjoy!

 

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East Cobb Honest-1 to have 5th anniversary celebration

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East Cobb Honest-1

On Saturday, Nov. 24, the East Cobb Honest-1 automotive repair business is having its fifth anniversary celebration.

The festivities are from 10-4 and include door prizes, games for kids, a cookout with free hamburgers and hot dogs and a photo opportunity with Cousin Eddie from the “Christmas Vacation” movie.

There also will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. with the East Cobb Business Association.

Owner Butch Carter is active in the community as a member of the ECBA and the Rotary Club of East Cobb.

As part of the celebration, Honest-1 also is collecting items for the food pantry at Brumby Elementary School.

You’re asked to bring like peanut butter, jelly, canned meats, beef stew, spaghetti noodles and sauce and granola or breakfast bars.

Anyone who brings a bag with those items to the event will receive a voucher for a free synthetic blend oil change.

Honest-1 is located at 1391 East Cobb Drive, next to the East Cobb Station post office and behind Pinestraw Plaza (Trader Joe’s and California Pizza Kitchen).

Tell us about your business

Do you have business news to share? We’ll post your openings and non-sales events here, including charitable activities. E-mail us at editor@eastcobbnews.com.

If you want to promote your business (including sales and specials other than grand openings), email us at advertising@eastcobbnews.com and we’ll be glad to send you a media kit.

 

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Recount ordered for Georgia House District 37 election

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The Cobb Board of Elections will conduct a recount into one of the closest legislative races in the state this year, in Georgia House District 37.Sam Teasley, Georgia House District 37

The district includes part of Northeast Cobb, as well most of the city of Marietta and some of west Cobb.

The recount was requested by Republican State Rep. Sam Teasley (pictured), who according to results certified Monday by Cobb Elections lost to Democrat Mary Frances Williams by 137 votes.

According to official numbers, Williams received 11,928 votes (50.34 percent), to 11,755 votes for Teasley, or 49.61 percent.

Teasley, first elected in 2010, is a real estate agent who works out of the Atlanta Communities office on Roswell Road in East Cobb.

Williams is a first-time candidate who has been a children’s advocate at the Georgia General Assembly. Her late father was the mayor of Marietta and served in the legislature.

According to Cobb Elections Supervisor Janine Eveler, her agency will conduct the recount at its offices on Whitlock Avenue in Marietta. The Cobb Board of Elections, which is appointed, is tentatively set to meet to certify the recount at noon Friday, according to county spokesman Ross Cavitt.

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East Cobb resident Karen Hallacy re-appointed to Cobb Development Authority

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Karen Hallacy of East Cobb was reappointed to serve on the Cobb Development Authority this week.Karen Hallacy

She was reappointed by a 4-0 vote on Tuesday by the Cobb Board of Commissioners. Her new term will run through March 13, 2022.

The development authority is a seven-member board that oversees some economic development activities, including financial incentives for expanding or relocating businesses, and to market Cobb County to businesses and industries.

It considers tax abatements requested by companies seeking to redevelop or reoccupy properties on the county’s redevelopment list.

Among them is the MarketPlace Terrell Mill development that commissioners approved earlier this year. The developer, which is including a Kroger superstore as an anchor, has been seeking a tax break that was granted by the development authority.

Hallacy was opposed, concerned about setting a precedent for retailers getting abatements.

That tax break is being contested by East Cobb resident Larry Savage, whose successfully appealed in Cobb Superior Court. The developer and development authority have appealed that denial to the Georgia Supreme Court.

Hallacy has been active in many community activities in East Cobb, the county and the state and is the president-elect of the Georgia PTA.

She is the development authority appointee of District 2 commissioner Bob Ott.

 

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The East Cobb Holiday Guide is here! Send us your news, events, photos and more!

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East Cobb Holiday Guide
Local youth will be performing in “The Nutcracker” at the Cobb Civic Center on Thanksgiving weekend. (Photo: Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre)

It won’t be long now, and already we’re getting all kinds of notices we’ve been adding to our special calendar for a special time of year: The East Cobb Holiday Guide is your one-stop community resource.

We’ve got all the holidays here: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, as we keep adding to our calendar listings, and provide coverage of holiday events.

They include Santa visits, religious services, arts and entertainment events, caroling, tree lightings, holiday sales, meals, fundraisers and more.

Very soon we’ll begin listing Christmas worship services here, as some churches are getting out word about their schedules.

If you have holiday events to share with the public, e-mail us at calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

For photos and news related to the holidays, get in touch with us at editor@eastcobbnews.com.

If you’re interested in running holiday advertising, let us know at advertising@eastcobbnews.com.

 

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Cobb flash flood watch continues through Thursday morning

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Cobb flash flood watch

The rain lightened up on Tuesday, but more is expected before a flash flood watch is due to expire Thursday morning.

At 4 p.m Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Atlanta expanded the watch for most of central and north Georgia, including Cobb County.

The area under the watch could get between an inch to three inches of rain through Wednesday and into Thursday, worsening already-soggy conditions that include flooding of rivers, streams and some roads.

In Cobb, Sope Creek was flooding during Tuesday’s heavy rains, and some roads were affected.

Cobb DOT said today that the heavy rains were clogging drains, including an area of Davidson Road in East Cobb.

The possibility of more flooding of roads remains for the rest of the week, after the watch expires.

The NWS said another two or three inches of rain is possible on Wednesday, with the heaviest rainfall expected in the afternoon and evening.

In Cobb, the chance of rain will be between 60 to 100 percent on Wednesday, mainly after 11 a.m.

For now, the local forecast is between three-quarters of an inch to an inch of rain. On top of that, it’s going to get colder, with highs expected in the high 40s and lows Wednesday night in the high 30s.

The rain is expected to continue into Thursday morning, with a 60 percent chance of remain. Cold temperatures will linger, with highs only in the mid 40s and lows hovering near freezing Thursday night.

Friday is expected to be sunny and warmer, with highs in the low 50s, but wet conditions and flooded areas may not recede by then.

The rest of the weekend and the early part of next week also are forecast to be clear and warmer than this week.

 

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Cobb school bus camera program extended for five years

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The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement to continue a joint school bus camera program with county courts and public schools for another five years.

The automated enforcement system issues citations to motorists who ignore school bus “stop arm” signs. The cameras, equipped on about 100 of nearly 1,000 buses in the Cobb County School District, take photos of the license plates of violating vehicles.

The agreement (agenda item here, formal agreement doc here) includes the Cobb County State Court Clerk, the camera manufacturer American Traffic Solutions and the Cobb Board of Education, which also must approve the agreement.ATS school bus camera, Cobb school bus camera program

The commissioners’ action comes after the original agreement was extended by a year.

Cobb State Court judges had not been enforcing the violations for a time earlier this year, questioning their legality. Enforcement resumed in February, but the county said the burden of handling stop arm violations required additional staffing.

In September, commissioners approved the creation of three positions in Cobb State Court and two more in the Cobb Solicitors office to start with the fiscal year 2019 that began in October.

County officials estimate more than 8,000 such cases are generated annually. Each violation comes with a fine of $300.

The fine money, which exceeded $2 million in 2017, is split evenly between the county, Cobb schools and ATS, which provides the cameras at no charge.

 

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Temple Kol Emeth teen participates in Teen Israel Leadership seminar

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Eli Roberts, Temple Kol Emeth teen

Eli Roberts, whose family is active at Temple Kol Emeth in East Cobb, was one of 24 teens who gathered last month at Emory University for the second Teen Israel Leadership Institute hosted by the Center for Israel Education and the Emory Institute for the Study of Modern Israel. 

Roberts, pictured in the middle above, is the son of Jodi and Tim Roberts, Kol Emeth congregants. He is an 11th grader at The Weber School, a private Jewish school in Sandy Springs.

Here’s more about what happened from the Center for Israel Education:

The weekend featured a mix of activities, discussions and educational games designed to expand students’ knowledge and understanding of Israel and Zionism and to help them plan learning programs back home.

Rich Walter, Center for Israel Education
Center for Israel Education Vice President Rich Walter introduces the teens to the card game Atzmaut, which teaches early Israeli history.

The 24 teens came from Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Michigan and California. Interactive sessions included having teens develop a program goal and craft a program outline.

For example, the students formed a human timeline representing Zionist and Israeli events from 1881 (the start of the First Aliyah) to 2007 (Hamas’ takeover of Gaza), picked out the eight prime ministers among 16 head shots, identified the Israeli locations of cat photos, and played a version of the Food Network show “Chopped” in which six teams made hummus that had to include such ingredients as wheat crackers, hot sauce and orange Gatorade.

“I have a lot of Jewish friends in NFTY. Every one of them supports Israel, but I don’t think a lot of them know about Israel too much,” Roberts said. “I feel like I’m going to be able to teach them and also talk to my friends in Israel.”

CIE and ISMI emphasize context and documentary evidence in the study of Israel’s issues and history but do not advocate specific views, allowing students to reach their own conclusions. To that end, CIE President Ken Stein led two sessions to help the teens own Israel’s story and confront the Israeli-Arab conflict, and the teens got to choose among two or more programs several times during the weekend.

The program included the Abrahamic Reunion, a team of Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze leaders, and explored different perspectives on Israel’s independence in 1948 and diverse elements in modern Israeli culture.

Although Israel was the focus of the weekend, it also addressed anti-Semitism, a topic that took on unexpected immediacy when the massacre occurred at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha synagogue while the institute teens were worshiping and studying at Emory’s Marcus Hillel Center.

(Photos courtesy of the Center for Israel Education)

 

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Cobb election results certified; state to follow after Tuesday deadline

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District 37 Georgia House, Sam Teasley, Mary Frances Williams
Sam Teasley finished 173 votes behind Mary Frances Williams in the State House District 37 race.

On Monday, Cobb election results were certified from last Tuesday, with the possibility of a recount looming in a legislative seat that includes part of Northeast Cobb.

Tuesday 5 p.m. is the deadline for all county elections boards in the state to certify their results and report them to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, which was closed Monday for the Veterans Day holiday.

Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams won Cobb but Brian Kemp took most East Cobb precincts.

Most counties, including Cobb, have finished. DeKalb and Gwinnett county elections boards are the subject of a lawsuit filed Monday by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

Abrams, who won Cobb County, has not conceded to Republican Brian Kemp, who holds an unofficial lead of under 60,000 votes and who has declared victory. She is vying for a runoff.

A runoff could take place in State House District 37, where Republican incumbent Sam Teasley trailed Democratic challenger Mary Frances Williams by 137 votes. That seat includes part of Northeast Cobb, much of the city of Marietta and a portion of West Cobb.

That’s the closest race that was certified on Monday by the Cobb elections board. More Cobb results from the Georgia Secretary of State website.

Related stories

The re-elections of Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell and Cobb school board member David Chastain (Kell and Sprayberry) were certified, as was Charisse Davis’ win for another Cobb school board seat in East Cobb that had been held by Scott Sweeney (Walton and Wheeler).

David Chastain
David Chastain was re-elected to the Cobb Board of Education.

Other East Cobb legislative incumbents all won last Tuesday, but final results have to be certified in some of those races since they include more than one county.

The same goes for the 6th Congressional District race, which includes East Cobb, North Fulton and north and central DeKalb. Democrat Lucy McBath edged Republican incumbent Karen Handel by a little more than 3,000 votes.

Also certified by Cobb elections on Monday was the biggest landslide winner of them all: the so-called “Sunday brunch bill,” which would allow for Sunday alcohol sales as early as 11 a.m., instead of the 12:30 p.m. start currently permitted.

In unincorporated Cobb, voters approved the measure with a whopping 71 percent of the vote. The measure passed in Cobb cities by similar margins.

Georgia Governor

Brian Kemp (R) Stacey Abrams (D) Ted Metz (L)
Statewide 1,976,614 1,918,847 37,173
State % 50.26 48.79 0.95
Cobb only 138,850 168,764 4,194
Cobb % 44.50 54.09 1.34

6th District Congress

Lucy McBath (D) Karen Handel (R-I)
Districtwide 159,945 156,752
District % 50.50 49.50
Cobb only 40,807 51,297
Cobb % 44.26 55.63

Cobb Commission 3

JoAnn Birrell (R-I) Caroline Holko (D)
Total Votes 36,450 34,290
Vote % 51.46 48.41

Cobb school board 4

David Chastain (R-I) Cynthia Parr (D)
Total Votes 20,630 17,907
Vote % 53.50 46.43

Cobb school board 6

Charisse Davis (D) Scott Sweeney (R-I)
Total Votes 21,771 20,640
Vote % 51.29 48.63

State Senate 32

Includes most of East Cobb and portions of North Fulton.

Kay Kirkpatrick (R-I) Christine Triebsch (D)
Total Votes 52,870 39,288
Vote % 57.37 42.63
Cobb Votes 47,558 33,718
Cobb % 58.49 41.47

State House 37

Mary Frances Williams (D) Sam Teasley (R-I)
Total Votes 11,928 11,755
Vote % 50.34 49.61

State House 43

Sharon Cooper (R-I) Luisa Wakeman (D)
Total Votes 13,122 12,379
Vote % 51.52 48.41

State House 44

Don Parsons (R-I) Chinita Allen (D)
Total Votes 14,170 11,422
Vote % 55.33 44.60

State House 45

Includes parts of East Cobb and North Fulton.

Matt Dollar (R-I) Essence Johnson (D)
All Votes 17,003 11,681
Vote % 59.28 40.72
Cobb Votes 15,896 9,574
Cobb % 62.39 37.57

State House 46

Includes part of Northeast Cobb and Cherokee.

John Carson (R-I) Karin Sandiford (D)
All Votes 17,458 10,783
Vote % 61.82 38.18
Cobb Votes 11,679 7,707
Cobb % 60.22 39.74

Cobb ‘Brunch Bill’

To allow Sunday alcohol sales at 11 a.m. instead of 12:30 p.m.

Yes No
# Votes 217,806 85,879
Vote % 71.72 28.28

Cobb Elections Miscellany

  • No. of Registered Voters in Cobb: 486,697
  • No. of Votes Cast in General Election: 312,510
  • Turnout: 64.21 percent
  • Absentee mail-in votes: 25,453
  • Absentee electronic votes: 554
  • Advance votes in person: 111,696
  • Total advance votes: 137,691

More election coverage

 

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