East Cobb News

McBath votes to formalize impeachment process against Trump

October 31, 2019 1:59 PMOctober 31, 2019 1:24 PM by Wendy Parker

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia’s 6th Congressional District voted with the Democratic House majority on Thursday to move forward with an impeachment process against President Donald Trump. U.S. Rep Lucy McBath, gun violence research funding, McBath border-funding vote

The vote, which passed 232-196, is not a vote to impeach, but to set forth procedures for conducting an impeachment inquiry.

(You can read a draft of the resolution here.)

Only two Democrats voted against the resolution, which followed some fierce floor debate. All House Republicans, among them Barry Loudermilk of the 11th District of Georgia, which includes some of Cobb County, voted against the measure.

The vote comes after revelations of the president’s communications with the government of Ukraine. Specifically, Trump is alleged to have told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in a July phone conversation that U.S. military aid to that Eastern European nation was contingent upon conducting an investigation into Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden.

The White House has denied what has been referred to as a “quid pro quo,” and Republican members of Congress last week stormed a closed-door impeachment meeting held by Democrats, delaying a deposition by several hours.

McBath, a first-term Democrat from Marietta, is a member of the House Judiciary Committee. She voted September in favor of an impeachment inquiry based on information presented in special prosecutor Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in U.S. elections.

That report could not conclude that Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russian government.

Since then, Trump supporters have protested in front of McBath’s district headquarters in Sandy Springs.

Last fall, McBath edged Karen Handel to win the 6th District, which includes most of East Cobb, a flip that helped the Democrats take control of the House.

The 6th District is considered a swing seat for 2020, and it’s where Trump won with only 51 percent of the vote in the 2016 presidential race.

In a statement issued by her press office, McBath said Thursday afternoon that “I voted to formalize the rules for the inquiry process and continue to support the responsibility of this Congress to secure the truth and defend the Constitution.”

Handel, one of several Republicans who’s announced for the 2020 race, said that “today’s resolution continues the illegitimate sham process that has been underway in the House for some 37 days. It’s a process that denies fairness, denies due process, and provides for selective leaks and secret interviews.”

State Sen. Brandon Beach, another GOP candidate, said “Lucy McBath finally showed her true allegiance to Speaker Pelosi & ‘woke’ Democrats who have been working for three years to remove a DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED President and undo his economic policies.”

Only two presidents have been impeached: Andrew Johnson, Abraham Lincoln’s successor, in 1868, and Bill Clinton in 1998. Both survived Senate trials that would have removed them from office.

In 1974, the House Judiciary Committee returned three articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal, but he resigned before a full House vote.

Should Trump be impeached, he also would be tried in the Senate, which has a Republican majority, including Johnny Isakson and David Perdue of Georgia.

But a trial would likely come after Isakson’s retirement at the end of the year due to health reasons. Gov. Brian Kemp has not yet selected a successor who would serve through a special election next year.

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A soggy trick-or-treat: Rain, storms in Cobb for Halloween

October 30, 2019 6:59 PMOctober 30, 2019 5:48 PM by Wendy Parker

Cobb Halloween forecast

Thursday in Cobb County will be much like Wednesday, with storms in the forecast, and colder temperatures ushering afternoon and evening Halloween activities.

Cobb is included in a flood watch across much of north Georgia until 8 p.m. Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Atlanta.

Here’s what the NWS issued earlier Wednesday afternoon:

There is a chance for flooding across northern Georgia as multiple rounds of rain could produce several inches of accumulating rainfall. Two to Four inches of rain are forecast along and north of the I-85 corridor, with locally higher amounts possible.

There is a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms across portions of northern and west-central Georgia, including the Atlanta metropolitan area. This marginal risk exists this afternoon and
evening, but will be increasing early Thursday morning. The primary threat will be damaging wind gusts associated with stronger storms, with an outside chance of a weak, brief tornado for far northwestern Georgia.

Thursday’s high temperatures are expected to be much like today, in the low 70s, and also with a 90 percent chance of rain in the Cobb area. The rain is expected taper off to around 60 percent Thursday night.

Friday will be sunny but colder, with highs in the high 50s, and that’s the forecast for the rest of the weekend as the rain clears out.

Lows will be just above freezing from Friday through Sunday, only in the high 30s.

Temperatures will be a little warmer next week, with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s, but more rain will return by midweek.

Halloween safety tips from Cobb Police

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Cobb Police issue Halloween safety tips for kids, parents and drivers

October 30, 2019 2:35 PM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information from Cobb Police about staying safe for Halloween (keep in mind rainy weather is in the forecast for Thursday as well):

Walk Safely

Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.

Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.

Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.

Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.

Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to
the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.

Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Drive Extra Safe on Halloween
Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully. Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings. Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances. Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Always remember to Trick or Treat with an adult!

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe
Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls.

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All-East Cobb state volleyball final pits Walton vs. Lassiter

October 30, 2019 2:17 PMOctober 30, 2019 11:17 AM by Wendy Parker

Walton and Lassiter will play for the Georgia High School Association’s Class 7A volleyball state championship this weekend after sweeping their semifinal opponents on Tuesday.

Walton (31-8), which is seeking its fifth consecutive state title and 13th overall, downed Roswell, while Lassiter (32-7) did the same at Etowah.

Neither the Raiders nor the Trojans have lost a set during the state playoffs.

The state championship match will be played Saturday at Marietta High School (1171 Whitlock Ave.) at 6:30 p.m., after matches to determine the winners in Class 4A, 5A and 6A. Tickets are $8 per person and admission is for all the matches.

Lassiter has never won a state championship in volleyball. The teams have met twice this season, with Walton winning by a 3-1 score in August and 3-0 in the Region 4AAAAAAA tournament.

Pope also was aiming to repeat as state champions in Class 6A, but the Greyhounds were defeated in three straight sets on Tuesday by Sequoyah, which will meet Cobb school Allatoona for the title.

The Greyhounds ended their season at 37-13.

The Walker School volleyball team has reached the finals of the GHSA’s Class 1A/2A private school division, and will play Hebron Christian Saturday at 11 a.m. at McEachern High School (2400 New Macland Road, Powder Springs). Tickets also are $8

Pope softball team cruises to state title

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Cobb continues school testing pilot program after waiver denial

October 30, 2019 7:14 AM by Wendy Parker

The release last week of a key Georgia K-12 educational testing assessment for 2019—the CCRPI—revealed that Cobb schools performed above the state and national averages, with East Cobb schools leading at all levels.

John Floresta, Cobb County School District — *John Floresta, CCSD Chief Strategy and Accountability Officer*

It’s among the myriad ways that local school districts meet required state assessment benchmarks, along with the Georgia Milestones.

The Cobb County School District had applied for a waiver to use its own pilot testing model, CobbMetrics, in lieu of the Milestones. However, that request was turned down by the U.S. Department of Education over the summer.

The district had the option of reapplying, but instead will continue administering CobbMetrics—a “formative assessment” which calls for shorter, continuous and individualized tests issued throughout the school year—along with the Milestones.

In the Milestones, students in grades 3-8 are tested at the end of each school year in English arts and math, while students in grades 5-8 are also tested in science and social studies.

The high school Milestones tests come at the end of each course, and students are tested in the 10 courses designated by the Georgia Board of Education.

In its application, Cobb schools argued that its model offers a better gauge not only of student progress, but gives teachers the tools to adapt to what they see as learning needs.

Think of it as a regular series of glorified pop quizzes.

“Instead of one big test at the end of the year, we’re testing [in] small chunks in real time,” John Floresta, the Chief Strategy and Accountability Officer for Cobb schools, said in an interview with East Cobb News at the start of the current 2019-20 school year. “The whole school year is worked around the Milestones.”

In medical parlance, what Cobb is aiming for is “a biopsy, not an autopsy,” he said.

East Cobb Biz Notes: PITA Mediterranean Street Food opening Nov. 15

October 29, 2019 3:04 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Pita Mediterranean Street Food

Michael Carino of PITA Mediterranean Street Food has reached out to update a story we noted last month: The new East Cobb location, at the Sandy Plains Centre (2960 Shallowford Road, Suite 112), is holding its grand opening Nov. 15.

He said the event includes free food from 6-9 p.m. (details at its Facebook page). Each customer is limited to one main item, a side and a drink during the promotion.

East Cobb Rugby Club to hold fall registration event Nov. 4

October 29, 2019 12:49 PM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb Rugby Club registration

Thanks to Tammi Ryley, parent coordinator of the East Cobb Rugby Club, for the photos of the team and information about its fall registration and recruitiment event on Nov. 4:

For our 2019/2020 Season, East Cobb Rugby Club is actively seeking middle school and high school men and women to fill our ranks as one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing rugby clubs. Rugby experience is not necessary, but those athletes with a strong desire to learn, who possess integrity, passion, and grit are bound to succeed in this sport. We’ve seen incredible success with football players, lacrosse, soccer, and wrestlers who have just joined this sport! We welcome athletes from all East Cobb schools as well as home schooled.

Join us for our Fall Introduction and Registration Event at Mt. Zion Methodist Church [1770 Johnson Ferry Road, Marietta] this Monday, November 4th at 7pm sharp.

Shake hands with the players and coaches leading our teams. Learn the rules. Learn about rugby’s focus on proper tackling techniques. Learn about rugby scholarships and leadership opportunities. Stop by to experience just a bit of the community that we are all a part of. The opportunities for this global sport are endless.

To learn more about joining the East Cobb Rugby Club, visit www.eastcobbrugby.org.

Rugby is more than a sport. If it is a ‘fit’ for your athlete, it will become an important part of your child’s life and the leadership, sportsmanship, and athletic skills your child will gain will chart them on a very positive path. Any questions, send an email to: eastcobbrugbyclub@gmail.com. See you November 4^th at 7pm.

East Cobb Rugby Club registration

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Man gets 20 years for choking woman at her East Cobb home

October 29, 2019 1:21 PMOctober 29, 2019 10:00 AM by Wendy Parker

A man who was convicted of choking the mother of his baby at her East Cobb home last year has been given a 22-year prison sentence, with 20 to serve. Derek Burns, East Cobb woman choked

Derek James Burns, 29, of Carrollton, was sentenced Monday by Cobb Superior Court Judge Adele Grubbs, after a jury convicted him last week of aggravated assault (strangulation), false imprisonment, simple battery and simple assault.

According to the Cobb District Attorney’s Office, Burns, who has been in jail since the April 2018 incident, will get credit for time served.

Prosecutors said at the trial that Burns and the victim were arguing at her home on Bradford Lane, off Barnes Mill Road, on April 19, 2018. According to testimony, Burns put the woman in a chokehold until she lost conscious and control of her bladder.

Prosectors said the woman realized after she regained consciousness that she had been dragged across the floor and placed in a corner, and said that Burns threatened to shoot her if she looked up or raised her head until he was gone, and would “make it look like a suicide.”

Also testifying at the trial was a former girlfriend of Burns, who said he had choked her, also rendering her unconscious, when they were dating.

Grubbs, who said Burns was “vicious and harmful,” also ordered him to serve the final two years of his term on probation.

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Keep Cobb Beautiful holding community recycling event

October 29, 2019 7:05 AM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information:

Just in time for fall cleaning, Keep Cobb Beautiful staff is hosting a free community recycling event for Cobb County residents. It will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 2, at Jim Miller Park. 2245 Callaway Road SW, Marietta. Early arrival is recommended. Items accepted include:

Paper shredding
10 banker boxes limit

Electronics
Computers, cell phones, printers, hard drives, VCRs, keyboards, CRT TVs and CRT monitors (there is a $10 free for each CRT TV or monitor. cash only)

Household appliances
Stoves, microwaves, ovens, washers and dryers, water heaters, refrigerators

Household textiles
Gently-used clothing and gently-used shoes

Styrofoam (polystyrene)
Packing peanuts

Metals
Steel, aluminum, cast iron

Hefty Energy Bag Plastics Program
Plastic shopping bags, plastic straws and stir sticks, clean foam egg cartons

Lawn and other equipment
Ceiling fans, lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws. Fuel must be removed from tanks

Items that will not be accepted include paint, batteries, medications, hazardous waste, flip flops, mattresses or carpet. For more information and a complete list of accepted items, visit keepcobbbeautiful.org or call 770-528-1135.

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 softball team wins rain-delayed state championship

October 28, 2019 9:02 PM by Wendy Parker

Pope softball team state champions — *Pope players, coaches and school administrators celebrate at dusk on the Greyhounds’ home field. (East Cobb News photos and slideshow by Wendy Parker)*

A little more than 48 hours after taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the state championship game, the Pope softball team picked up where it left off Monday afternoon, except in a different place.

After their Georgia High School Association Class 6A finale against Lee County was postponed Saturday due to pouring rain in Columbus, the Greyhounds learned they would get to play at home when the game resumed.

That’s because Pope (30-4), which had lost early in the season to Lee County, was the higher seed.

“At first, they were kind of bummed out, that they wouldn’t have a chance to win it in Columbus,” Pope coach Chris Turco said. “But when they realized they’d get to play in front of their home fans, they got really excited. Having those fans behind us really helped.”

Before a standing-room-only home crowd, Pope tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning for a 6-0 victory.

Pitcher Hallie Adams allowed only one hit, and it was a freshman who gave the Greyhounds some extra breathing room with her bat.

Jaydn Laneaux banged out three hits, including two triples, the latter leading Pope’s big inning.

Even with all of those advantages, Turco wasn’t ready to breathe a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t feel comfortable until the seventh inning,” said Turco, who also led Pope to its other state title in 2014 with pitcher Kelly Barnhill, later a collegiate All-American at the University of Florida.

Pope softball team state champs — *Hallie Adams got the last Lee County batter to hit a pop foul, clinching Pope’s state title.*

A year ago, Pope also reached the state finals, but fell to Harrison. Turco said he felt good about Pope’s chances of winning it all with his returning players.

In the fifth inning, Jaydn Laneaux, the younger sister of Pope senior star shortstop Zoe Laneaux, burned around the bases after drilling her second triple into left center field.

Adams brought her home with a bunt that the Lee County pitcher threw home, but too late to get Laneaux. Carolyn Deady, one of Pope’s seniors, singled to center, and Bailey Chapin drove home Emily Ricci with a single to left.

The Greyhounds finished off the scoring—and the Trojans—when Katie Ward hit a grounder to shortstop that resulted in an error, with Zoe Laneaux crossing the plate.

Jaydn Laneaux said her key was that she was prepared for the riseball. “I was confident the whole time, and so was our team,” she said. “We all knew do to whatever it took” to win the game.

“I knew all the fans would come out. We had a huge cheering section and that helped.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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East Cobb volleyball update: Walton, Lassiter, Pope reach state semifinals

October 28, 2019 1:55 PM by Wendy Parker

Walton gym, East Cobb volleyball — *Walton will play host to Roswell Tuesday in the GHSA Class 7A volleyball semifinals.*

On Tuesday three East Cobb schools will continue play in the Georgia High School Association volleyball tournament, with a chance for an all-East Cobb final in Class 7A.

That’s because defending state champion Walton and Lassiter are in opposite brackets in the semifinal round.

The Lady Raiders, who are 30-8 and have been ranked No. 1 all season, will be at home Tuesday against Roswell. Match time is at 7 p.m. and admission is $8.

Walton easily downed Lambert three games to none to earn the right to stay at home for the semifinals, which has been dubbed a “jersey out” event in which Walton fans are asked to their favorite jerseys in support

Lassiter went on the road Saturday to defeat Norcross, also in three games, to get to the semifinals. It was the third straight match in which the Lady Trojans have won on their opponents’ home floor, and they’ll have to do it again Tuesday when they visit Etowah.

That match also is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Lassiter is 31-7 and Etowah is 35-13. Both are in the same Region 4 as Walton and Roswell (24-9).

In Class 6A, Pope is still in the hunt for a second consecutive state championship after sweeping River Ridge in the quarterfinals on Saturday. On Tuesday, the Lady Greyhounds (37-12) will play at Sequoyah in the semifinals. The other semifinal match features Allatoona vs. Alpharetta.

The GHSA finals in Class 6A and Class 7A will played on Saturday at Marietta High School.

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 Mill Library showing ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy Tuesday

October 28, 2019 1:09 PMOctober 28, 2019 9:01 AM by Wendy Parker

Submitted information from the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road): Sewell Mill Library Lord of the Rings

We’re starting Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings trilogy at 10AM and watching all three films back to back.

Cool Beans Coffee and Good Food will provide beverages and snacks during the marathon and the movies will be streaming into the cafe, so you can get your snack on and not miss a minute!

Crafts for the kids

Prizes for anyone who up in costume

Cool beans Coffee serving second breakfast, elevensies and luncheon (10AM-5PM)

Good Food serving afternoon tea, dinner, and supper (5PM-8PM)

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 Museum of History celebrates photography exhibit opening

October 27, 2019 2:36 PM by Wendy Parker

The Man with the Camera, Marietta Museum of History photography exhibit

Submitted information:

On Monday, October 28, 2019 from 4pm till 7pm, the Marietta Museum of History will host a VIP Reception to commemorate the closing of its special exhibit, Spalding: An American Sports Empire which ends, Saturday, November 2, 2019. This exhibit showcases A. G. Spalding, his company and early American sports’ history. Not only was A.G. Spalding the master of a sporting goods empire, he was also a professional athlete, sportsman and marketing genius. Spalding memorabilia on exhibit includes vintage baseball, football, golf, fishing, cycling, basketball history, uniforms and equipment. A highlight is “Babe” Ruth’s 1935 Boston Braves cap! Other items feature Cobb County’s own, Atlanta Braves’ history including a 1970 Braves uniform top, 1958 World Series bunting and Boston Red Stockings items. In attendance Monday night will be Jeff Mann, the owner of this impressive private collection.

Also, on Monday night, the Museum will be celebrating the opening of the newest exhibit, The Man with the Camera: Photographs by Raymond T. Burford. This unique exhibit highlights African American photographer Raymond T. Burford, known locally as “The Man with the Camera,” and the local black communities that he documented. For over twenty years, from the 1940s through the early 1960s, Burford seemingly attended and documented every important social event, family party, school function and community activity in the Marietta areas of Baptist Town, Liberia and Louisville among others. Photographs include scenes at Marietta’s segregated school, Lemon Street School, and intimate looks inside the homes and lives of African Americans around town.

When: Monday, October 28, 2019, 4pm till 7pm

Where: Marietta Museum of History, One Depot Street, Marietta, GA 30060

Cost: FREE for Museum Members, $10 for Non-Members

The Marietta Museum of History uses ordinary objects to tell the extraordinary stories of Marietta and Cobb County’s rich history and culture. Galleries and exhibits cover topics such as military history, home life throughout the centuries, technology and local businesses from our past.

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 schools pace district results in 2019 CCRPI tests

October 26, 2019 9:27 AM by Wendy Parker

*Students at Mountain View Elementary School scored 100 in three categories of the 2019 CCRPI tests. (ECN file)*

East Cobb schools at all grade levels topped Cobb County School District results for the 2019 CCRPI tests—the College and Career Ready Performance Index that the state of Georgia uses as its main educational accountability measure.

Timber Ridge, Mountain View, Murdock, Mt. Bethel, Garrison Mill, Shallowford Falls, Sope Creek, East Side, Kincaid and Tritt all had overall CCRPI scores of 90 or above (out of a possible 100) at the elementary school level.

Among middle schools, Hightower Trail, Simpson, Dodgen, Dickerson and Mabry also scored 90 or higher.

Walton, Lassiter and Pope scored likewise among high schools.

Some of the biggest year-to-year gains also occurred at other East Cobb schools.

Kincaid Elementary in northeast Cobb had an overall score of 92.2, up from 70.8 from 2018. Eastvalley’s score jumped from 73.9 to 81.8. Students at Powers Ferry raised their overall scores from 65 to 75.3.

Daniell Middle School enjoyed a significant boost, with a CCRPI score of 86.3, up from 66 in 2018. At East Cobb Middle School, students tested at 82.7, a rise from 67.1 last year.

Across the district, Cobb schools tested at an average of 6.5 points higher than 2018, at 86.1 points out of a possible 100. That’s higher than the state average of 75.9.

“Although we believe there are significant opportunities to better reflect what students know, CCRPI scores show students across the District and across all grade levels are finding success,” Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale said in a statement.

In the CCRPI tests, students are assessed in several ways, including content mastery (30 percent), progress (30 percent), closing performance gaps (15 percent), readiness (15-20 percent), and at the high school level, graduation rates (10 percent).

After the Georgia Department of Education changed the formula last year—much to the chagrin of Cobb school officials—schools saw their overall numbers, as well as figures in separate categories, adjust, especially at the elementary school level.

At Mountain View Elementary, for example, students scored 100s in content mastery, progress and closing performance gaps. What that means is all students tested in those categories achieved those benchmarks.

One of the most important indicators is closing the gap, which is a figure to calculate year-to-year improvement by subgroups of students.

As a big part of its improved score, East Cobb Middle School got a 100 score in closing the gap (as did Hightower Trail and Simpson).

What follows are overall CCRPI scores for schools in East Cobb, compared to 2018 results in parenthesis. A more detailed chart will be published early next week. For full Cobb school district details, click here.

Elementary Schools

Addison, 88.7 (83.2)
Bells Ferry, 86.3 (80.9)
Blackwell, 77.0 (76.7)
Brumby, 68.9 (63.0)
Davis, 83.9 (86.7)
East Side, 93.1 (89.5)
Eastvalley, 81.8 (73.9)
Garrison Mill, 95.3 (91.9)
Keheley, 73.2 (78.1)
Kincaid, 92.2 (70.8)
Mt. Bethel, 95.6 (95.6)
Mountain View, 98.6 (91.9)
Murdock, 96.4 (92.0)
Nicholson, 71.5 (73.9)
Powers Ferry, 75.3 (65.0)
Rocky Mount, 84.6 (82.7)
Sedalia Park, 76.5 (71.0)
Shallowford Falls, 94.7 (93.7)
Sope Creek, 94.5 (92.2)
Timber Ridge, 99.3 (93.3)
Tritt, 90.2 (84.7)

Middle Schools

Daniell, 86.3 (66.0)
Dickerson, 94.3 (90.0)
Dodgen, 95.3 (91.8)
East Cobb, 82.7 (67.1)
Hightower Trail, 96.4 (91.8)
Mabry, 94.7 (84.7)
McCleskey, 88.1 (83.0)
Simpson, 95.9 (94.7)

High Schools

Kell, 79.8 (80.4)
Lassiter, 96.2 (95.8)
Pope, 91.6 (91.5)
Sprayberry, 83.0 (83.9)
Walton, 96.3 (96.3)
Wheeler, 88.8 (87.8)

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 Weekend Events: Halloween; Fall Festivals; more

October 25, 2019 7:41 AM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb UMC Pumpkin Patch

Some spooky (and rainy) weather is in store for the weekend, but Halloween and related events in East Cobb haven’t been dampened—for the most part. From our calendar listings:

One event that has been called off was the Keheley PTA ES Blues Fest, which has been postponed from Friday to next spring.

From 6-8 p.m. Friday, it’s the McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA Spooktacular, geared for kids and featuring carnival games, crafts, and a costume parade. The cost is $5 per child. (1055 E. Piedmont Road).

High school football games continue with playoff contention at stake, and all six East Cobb teams are on the road: Kell vs. Cass; Lassiter vs. Woodstock; Walton vs. Roswell; Sprayberry vs. Sequoyah; Pope vs. Cambridge; Wheeler vs. Campbell. All kickoffs are at 6 p.m.

Take a jaunt down Johnson Ferry Road Saturday morning: It’s the Northeast Cobb YMCA Haunted Hustle 5K, from 8-11 a.m., and it’s a qualifier for the Peachtree Road Race. Same-day registration is available on site. (3010 Johnson Ferry Road).

From 10-5 Saturday, the newly opened Frenchie’s Modern Nail Care is holding a Jewelry Show and Donation Collection. Shop for jewelry presented by Rebecca Deutsch at Park Lane Jewelry. A portion of jewelry sales will be donated to the Center for Children and Young Adults in Marietta for the purchase of healthy snacks and feminine hygiene products. (3154 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 102).

The weather forecast doesn’t look promising for The Avenue East Cobb Fall Festival from Saturday 3-5 but it will go on rain or shine, moving indoors to vacant space if necessary. Arts and crafts, entertainers and movie characters will be on the scene. (4475 Roswell Road).

Another big East Cobb Halloween event is the Sprayberry HS Trunk or Treat, from 4:30-7:30 Saturday. Candy, food trucks, raffles, games and more, kids can come in costumes; admission $3 per child or 2 for $5. (2525 Sandy Plains Road).

This won’t rained out: Two more showings of the Pope Haunted Theater: Things That Go Bump in the Night. Thursday’s session was sold out; the Saturday and Sunday events are from 6-10 in the school’s performing arts center. Tickets are $5. 3001 Hembree Road).

Likewise for the indoors: Two sessions on Saturday for the Wizarding Academy at The Art Place, from 1-3:30 p.m. and from 5-7:30 p.m. For ages 5-12, this event includes games, crafts, magic, snacks and more; Harry Potter dress-ups are welcome. Cost is $25 per person. (3330 Sandy Plains Road).

On Sunday, another indoor event, this a fundraiser for suicide prevention efforts. It’s the 2nd annual Passionate Artists With a Cause, with a portion of local artists’ sales going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; see ECN post. (LM Frame + Gallery, 1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 150).

You’ll find more details about those events and can check out more of our calendar listings for this weekend and beyond.

Send your events to us and we’ll post ’em here: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

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! ss

East Cobb Food Scores: Chicken Salad Chick; Los Arcos; more

October 29, 2019 11:21 AMOctober 24, 2019 8:25 AM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb food scores, Chicken Salad Chick

The following East Cobb food scores from Oct. 21-25 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing to view details of the inspection:

Chicken Salad Chick
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 811
October 22, 2019 Score: 97, Grade: A

Delray Diner
2475 Delk Road
October 22, 2019 Score: 77, Grade: C

Dickerson Middle School
855 Woodlawn Drive
October 21, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Firehouse Subs
2900 Delk Road, Suite 550
October 25, 2019 Score: 82, Grade: B

Heritage of Sandy Plains Assisted Living
3039 Sandy Plains Road
October 25, 2019 Score: 83, Grade: B

La Bella Pizza
2635 Sandy Plains Road, Suite A-7
October 24, 2019 Score: 83, Grade: B

Los Arcos Mexican Restaurant
3101 Roswell Road, Suite 104
October 21, 2019 Score: 90, Grade: A

Mr. Wonton
3595 Canton Road, Suite 328
October 22, 2019 Score: 56, Grade: U

The Patty Wagon
4796 Canton Road, Suite 500
October 23, 2019 Score: 100, Grade: A

Peace Love & Pizza
1050 E. Piedmont Road, Suite 154
October 25, 2019 Score: 86, Grade: B

Winston’s Food and Spirits
1860 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 101
October 22, 2019 Score: 84, Grade: B

Zaxby’s
750 Johnson Ferry Road
October 23, 2019 Score: 89, Grade: B

The Fresh Market announces East Cobb store closing sale

October 23, 2019 2:02 PM by Wendy Parker

The Fresh Market East Cobb closing

Following up last week’s story about The Fresh Market closing in East Cobb: Here’s what’s posted at the store entrance now.

All sales of beer and wine are 25 percent off and 30 percent off everything else; all sales are final.

The special closing sale hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The tentative closing date is Nov. 18.

(1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 109)

Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q open at Sandy Plains Marketplace

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Attending LION Publishers conference for the rest of the week

October 23, 2019 12:18 PMOctober 23, 2019 11:47 AM by Wendy Parker

Just dashing off a quick note to readers that I’m in Nashville Thursday-Saturday at the LION Publishers conference, and will be traveling the rest of today.

It’s an annual meeting of those who, like East Cobb News, publish local, independent online news sites (hence the name LION).

I will still be publishing to the site, although it may be not be as frequent for the next few days. If you’re a newsletter subscriber, don’t worry, you’ll get your East Cobb News Digest on Sunday as usual.

If you have breaking news to share, don’t hesitate to get in touch: editor@eastcobbnews.com or phone/text 404-219-4278.

As for other items readers and others send, I may not be able to respond and post as promptly as when I’m home. I’ll be taking my laptop with me so I will be doing East Cobb News work when I’ve got a break.

LION was formed in 2012 in response to the need to revitalize local news, as newspapers and other legacy media outlets were cutting staff, space and resources.

Many of us LIONS are like myself, former reporters and editors, mainly from the newspaper diaspora, who are learning how to build and grow sustainable businesses.

We’re now about 200 members strong nationwide, and we’re generating the interest of representatives from Facebook, Google, web publishing entities and other technology companies, as well as journalism foundations that understand the importance not just of preserving local news, but strengthening it.

The decline of the newspaper industry is as deep as it is real, and more and more communities are losing that local news source altogether.

What many of us in LION are aiming to do is not just to fill in the gaps, but to reimagine community news the way it once was done, that really connects with citizens, businesses and organizations in a meaningful way.

At this conference, I’m eager to gain more insights and ideas for furthering the twin missions of East Cobb News—to meet the news and information needs of this community, and to assist local businesses with getting out their messages.

If you’ve got thoughts, ideas or questions along those lines, please feel free to get in touch.

In the meantime, I’m looking forward to stepping back a bit, getting out on the open road, soaking up knowledge and enjoying the Music City!

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Jim ‘N Nick’s East Cobb opens in Sandy Plains Marketplace

October 23, 2019 10:54 AM by Wendy Parker

From Tuesday’s opening day and ribbon-cutting of Jim ‘Nick’s Bar-B-Q in East Cobb, the first business to open in the new Sandy Plains Marketplace:

Today we celebrated our East Cobb Grand Opening and we are so excited to be a part of this wonderful community! At our official ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony with Cobb Chamber of Commerce we proudly presented a donation to the Lance Corporal Skip Wells Foundation.

The Lance Corporal Skip Wells Foundation was started after a terrorist shooting on July 16, 2015 in Chattanooga took the life of Skip Wells, as well as 3 other Marines and a Navy Sailor.

Skip graduated Sprayberry High School in Marietta where he was active in both the band and NJROTC. The Lance Corporal Skip Wells Foundation offers scholarships to help students go to college or tech school to further their education.

Visit www.lcplskipwellsfoundation.com for more information on this wonderful foundation.

Jim ‘N Nick’s started in Birmingham and now has more than 30 locations in seven states, mostly in the the South.

The East Cobb location is the 10th in Georgia and is located at 3420 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 100. Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

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East Cobb cityhood foes blast financial review as ‘baloney’

October 23, 2019 8:34 AM by Wendy Parker

East Cobb cityhood financial review — *A City of East Cobb fire department “will not have the resources to operate” at a top certified level of protection, according to a group opposing cityhood. (ECN file)*

A group opposed to East Cobb cityhood is criticizing an independent financial review that concluded that a proposed city would be fiscally viable.

The five-member Independent Financial Group, consisting of East Cobb residents who are finance and legal experts, volunteered to examine a Georgia State University feasibility study and issued its report in September.

The East Cobb Alliance, which formed over the summer to oppose cityhood, said in a posting on its Facebook page over the weekend that “in the beginning, there were 5 people on the IFG, but the 5th guy resigned when he couldn’t stomach the baloney the other 4 were proposing…and, ‘baloney’ is putting it nicely.”

(Shailesh Bettadapur, a member of the IFG group, resigned two days before the report was released, according to Bill Green, another member of the review group.)

The ECA post further stated that “several members of ECA who have choked their way through reading this document consider it nothing but a bunch of mumbo-jumbo malarkey.”

The East Cobb Alliance took issue with the report above all over fire services. The Committee for Cityhood in East Cobb had state legislation introduced in March that would create a city of East Cobb with police, fire and community development services.

The ECA noted in its posting that in the IFG report, members of the review group and the cityhood group “are concerned the [GSU feasibility] Study may not have included all necessary fire protection expenditures.”

The ECA post continued:

“This is a group of 4 people, NONE of whom have ANY experience in the fire protection services world. No one on the GSU research team had ANY experience in fire protection services. No one on the Pro-Cityhood Committee has ANY clue as to what it takes to operate an effective fire department.

“Our County Fire Department, and our personal lives and property, should NOT be subjected to the whims of fools who have NO IDEA of what it takes to assemble, hire, train, OR operate a world-class Fire Department like we have right now.

“Tell your friends and neighbors about this IDIOCY being pushed upon us.”

The GSU feasibility study estimated an annual fire budget of $5.9 million. According to the IFG report (read it here), a city finance director in a nearby municipality said a City of East Cobb may have relatively lower costs for fire because it “has a low proportion of multi-unit residential housing and fewer tall buildings.”

The IFG, in its report, added $4 million for fire expenses estimates “as a placeholder” pending further budgeting information becoming available.

The East Cobb cityhood bill includes a proposed municipality of around 96,000 people, and five fire stations currently part of the Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services Department.

The ECA in recent days has examined other aspects of the cityhood proposal, including the possible purchase and use of the East Cobb Government Services Center on Lower Roswell Road, and the proposed cost of buying those five fire stations for the new city from the county.

The ECA also claims that a new City of East Cobb fire department “will not have the resources” to provide the top certified level of protection, also known as ISO-1. Cobb is one of around 240 fire departments nationwide to have that status, which is given by the Insurance Services Office, a non-profit that provides insurance information, including for fire and building codes.

“Should we kill a great Fire Department to build a new police department? Seems like kind of a weird trade-off,” the ECA asks.

Another topic covers police and jail services that have been proposed by the cityhood group. The GSU feasibility study suggested a 140-officer East Cobb police force, nearly double the number of officers on patrol in Cobb Police Precinct 4, which covers an area well beyond the proposed city lines. Currently Precinct 4 has a staffing of around 50 response officers, a shortage of less than 20 for what it’s been allocated.

“That just seems very bizarre to us when the land area will be half of their current coverage,” concluded the ECA. “Why should we vote to form a new city to correct a deficiency of 16 people . . . when the coverage territory of a new city will be 50% of the original precinct territory? For all we know, 71 people may be the ideal force for a PCEC.”

The East Cobb Alliance and the East Cobb cityhood group have been invited to a Nov. 12 forum hosted by the East Cobb Business Association.

The day before, on Nov. 11, the cityhood group will hold a town hall meeting at Wheeler High School.

The cityhood group’s public events, which follow town halls in the spring, also tentatively will include more meetings after the first of the year, when the Georgia legislature would take up the East Cobb cityhood bill.

That bill would have to pass the entire General Assembly for a cityhood referendum to take place in 2020.

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