Cobb Sheriff’s Office to hold East Cobb self-defense class

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This is a bit on short notice, but Cobb Sheriff Neil Warren sent word today that his department is holding a self-defense class Tuesday from 6-8:30 at the East Cobb Church of Christ (5240 Roswell Road), with holiday season safety in mind.

Cobb sheriff

They’re free and open for the public to attend and there’s no sign-up.

He said the department will hold other similar sessions through the end of the year that will be announced later.

 

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East Cobb Real Estate: River Hill split-level sells for $500,000

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5090 Hampton Lakes Drive, East Cobb Real Estate

The following deeds for residential East Cobb real estate sales were filed between Aug. 23-29 with the Cobb Superior Court Clerk’s Office Real Estate Department. They include a two-story frame five-bedroom home on Hampton Lakes Drive in River Hill for $500,000.

The addresses are in Marietta ZIP Codes, unless otherwise indicated, and the subdivision names are in parenthesis:

Aug. 23

4019 Oak Forest Circle, 30062 (Oakhill Manor); Rocco LaBella to Jody Strumminger; $294,000

4032 Wesley Chapel Road, Roswell 30075; Libby Roeble to George and Cristina Bozocea; $320,000

3250 Indian Hills Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills); Vera and Sander Bellman to IGMV LLC; $355,000

1664 Hampton Oaks Bend, 30066 (Hampton Oaks); Linda and Michael McDaniel to Ann Koog Hyeon; $428,000

4521 Monet Drive, Roswell 30075 (Tiffany Place); Ulysses and Jean Li to Ronald Corrao and Anh Puckett; $775,000

1196 Clichy Court, 30066 (Emerald Garden); Lauren and Carolyn Miller to Rosa Maria Garza and Wenndy Kroelinger; $203,000

2671 Cottonwood Drive, 30066 (Piedmont Hills ); Ali and Jamey Brown to Steven Weeks; $270,000

3197 Powers Ford, 30068 (Old Paper Mill); Jacob and Lauren Starnes to Hannah and Edward Gloria; $725,000

4649 Outlook Place, 30066 (Highland Ridge); Gregory and Cynthia McKinley to Justin Fickas; $525,000

4780 Fox Hollow Parkway, 30068 (Fox Hollow); Larry and Laura Chapman to Nishad Sankaranarayanan and Aparna Ramachandran; $527,500

2911 Ashebrooke Drive, 30068 (Ashebrooke); Rosemary Ullom to Pengfei Liu; $715,000

1995 Credence Court, 30066 (Blackwell Estates); Lot 1 Homes of Georgia LLC to Tadesse Phares and Tuwers Kukuba; $493,982

Aug. 26

4237 Glenforest Way, Roswell 30075 (Glenforest); Nury Baldridge to Open House Atlanta Realty and Investments LLC; $282,000

490 Creekwood Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills); Neill Nichols to Kyle Jordan, $500,000

5090 Hampton Farms Drive, 30068 (River Hill); Matthew and Stacey Brawner to Carter Whatley and Patrick Butkus; $674,900

3687 Bellegrove Ridge, 30062 (Lost Forrest); James Noble and Carole Taylor to Noble Properties of Georgia; $446,500

1594 Wildwood Road, 30062 (Briarwood Hills); Danny Matthews to Karen Smith; $230,000

4274 Springmill Drive, 30062 (Springmill); Pedro Rossello to Mark Freuchtnicht; $890,000

1230 Windsor Estates Drive, 30062 (Robinson Manor); Akber Bhamani to Samith Shetty; $640,000

690 Bonaire Terrace, 30066 (Northampton); Sandra and Stephen Green to Juan and Clare Vera; $540,000

5139 Davidson Road, 30068 (River Springs); Marlo Biernacki to Hertz Properties LLC; $280,000

283 Paxton Circle, 30066 (Sumter Ridge); Beverly and Larry Robbins to SPH Property One, LLC; $244,300

4220 Chimney Lakes Drive, 30062 (Chimney Lakes); Judith McCoy to Corbin and Alyssa Ainslee; $467,800

Aug. 27

4378 Jenkins Drive, Roswell 30075 (Havenridge); Lara and Joachim Pasquali to Nicholas Brown; $575,000

4523 Hampton Woods Drive, 30068 (Hampton Woods); Igor Chernyavskiy to Elena Tsukanova; $297,500

4002 Columns Drive, 30067 (River Plantation); Herbert Brady to Paul Gandy; $555,000

2415 Cajun Drive, 30066 (Hidden Hills); Stephen and Joann Fortmann to Open House Atlanta Realty and Investments Inc.; $229,500

4242 Loch Highland Parkway, Roswell, 30075 (Loch Highland); Laura and Christopher Nicholson to Crystal McDuffie; $355,900

1250 Blackwell Road, 30066 (Autumn Ridge); Robert Branson to SPH Property 2 LLC; $237,100

4677 Glenforest Drive, Roswell 30075 (Hedgerow); Wanda Dukes to Sun Park; $430,000

Aug. 28

4151 Liberty Lane, 30066 (Windsor Oaks); Matthew and Kimberly Duffy to Abigail and David Godinez; $445,000

2858 Water Wheel Court, 30062 (Holly Mill); Terwilliger Feis Leadbetter LLC to Sethumadavan Sundaramoorthy; $285,000

477 Robin Lane, 30067 (Red Oak Park); Jeffrey Johnson to Elaine Griffith; $185,000

2709 Barnhill Drive, 30062 (Mabry Manor); Juan Gaytan to Emilio Olarte; $733,500

318 Indian Hills Trail, 30068 (Indian Hills); Roark Homes LLC to Anthony Catterson; $1,175,000

301 Kings Court, 30068 (Kings Cove); Dakar and William De La Cruz to Michael Qiunlan and Tanima Cynthia Das; $395,000

1787 Apple Boulevard, 30066 (Heritage Farms); William Wilson Jr. to Emily Jones and Daniel Hobby; $298,000

4005 Matty Drive, 30066 (Princeton Grove); JPH Properties LLC to Pratish Shetty; $608,000

2686 Forest Way, 30066 (Forest Chase); John and Ginger Pearson to SPH Property 2 LLC; $294,700

130 Indian Hills Court, 30068 (Indian Hills Court); Mary Ivie to Kathleen Bjorke; $385,000

1725 Millhouse Run, 30066 (Spencers Ridge); Henry and Deana Stuebner to Jamal Hameed; $413,000

2023 N. Landing Way, 30066 (North Landing); Patrick Rhoden and Kelly Buckley to Sharon Smith; $228,000

1224 Promontory Path, 30062 (Waltons Reserve); Yiping Wu to Bhushan Takar; $598,000

Aug. 29

704 Walt Lane, Woodstock 30188 (Chadds Ridge); Mark Cagle to Laura and Charles Kluball; $274,900

2969 Gant Quarters Drive, 30067 (Gant Quarters); Lisbeth Roa to Adrian and Patrick Kelly; $500,000

2775 Wendy Lane, 30062 (Creek Park); Melba Holliday to Diana and Ilya Lyubich; $155,000

4021 Upland Trace, 30066 (Highland Park); SPH Property 2 LLC to Jonathan and Erin Shurbutt; $478,000

4804 Wigley Road, 30066 (Summit at Sweat Mountain); Garth and Angela Bauknecht to Archie Woodside Jr.; $990,000\

1056 Dunhill Drive, 30067 (Millridge); Svein Hagen to Brandon and Lauren Steverson; $382,500

3942 Cash Landing, 30066 (Oaks at Mill Pond); Carlson Mill LLC to David and Diane Ulrich; $1,450,320

3391 Liberty Lane, 30062 (Independence Square); Hillary Steiner to Jamie Helmer; $385, 000

4034 Defender Drive, Roswelll 30075 (Garrison Oaks); Samuel and Joann Cushman to William Sorrells; $685,000

 

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Friendly reminder: Cobb property tax bills due Oct. 15

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2584 Fieldstone Path, East Cobb Real Estate, Cobb property tax bills

Submitted information:

Tax Commissioner Carla Jackson recently announced that 2019 property tax bills have been mailed. Payments are due by Tuesday, Oct. 15, and payments received or U.S. postmarked after Oct. 15 will incur a 5 percent late penalty plus monthly interest on any unpaid balance.

Ways to pay include:

  • Online via e-check, debit or credit card (processing fees apply)
  • Automated system by phone at 1-866-PAY-COBB (1-866-729-2622) (processing fees applicable depending on payment selection)
  • Mail to P.O. Box 372, 100127, Marietta, GA 30061
  • In-person at any of the following locations: Property Tax Division at 736 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta; East Cobb Office at 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta and the South Cobb Government Service Center at 4700 Austell Road, Austell
  • Drop boxes inside and outside at the Whitlock Avenue location, as well as the South Cobb Government Service Center
  • Drop checks off at any motor vehicle tag office
  • For property owners with escrow accounts, tax information is made available to mortgage companies; however, the property owner is responsible to ensure taxes are paid by the due date. Escrow account holders unsure about who is paying the property tax should contact their mortgage companies directly.

Please visit Understanding Your Tax Bill at www.CobbTax.org for a detailed explanation of our 2019 tax bills and location information.

 

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PHOTOS: Sandy Plains Baseball celebrates 50th anniversary

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Sandy Plains Baseball 50th anniversary

Players, parents, volunteers and representatives of the Atlanta Braves turned out at Field 2 at Carl Harrison Park Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sandy Plains Baseball Association.

The youth baseball organization was founded in March 1969 and originally played games not far away, at Sandy Plains Park. That also is the venue for Sandy Plains Softball.

But as the number of youths playing both sports grew, so did the need for new fields and separate organizations. Sandy Plains Softball still plays at Sandy Plains Park.

The baseball venues moved to Harrison Park, next to Lassiter High School, and Sweat Mountain Park, in the late 1980s.

Ginny Garner, chairwoman of the board of Sandy Plains Baseball, said the organization wouldn’t be what it is without the parent volunteers and families.

“We’ve been so blessed to have amazing families and amazing volunteers,” she said.

While the parks are operated by the Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department, Sandy Plains Baseball helps with maintenance and upkeep of the grounds. Garner said most recently, the organization raised money for new bunting along the outfield fences.

Two years ago, Field 2 was completely refurbished with funding from the Atlanta Braves Foundation, which has undertaken similar projects around metro Atlanta in the name of Chipper Jones.

Garner said Sandy Plains Baseball enrolls around 700 players for the fall season, and around 900 for the spring season, ages 4-18.

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East Cobb traffic alert: Johnson Ferry Road parade closure

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Instead of cars, Johnson Ferry Road will be occupied by unicyclists from Mt. Bethel ES and other participants in Saturday’s EAST COBBER parade. (ECN file)

As the calendar veers toward mid-September, that means something highly unusual is about to transpire in East Cobb: Johnson Ferry Road will be closed. On purpose.

It’s only a portion of Johnson Ferry, and only for a few hours. But it’s the busiest stretch of Johnson Ferry, and it’s a Saturday morning.

The 24 annual EAST COBBER magazine parade and festival is on tap for Saturday, and more than 100 organizations, individuals and groups are taking part.

The parade steps off starting at 10 a.m. at Mt. Bethel Elementary School, and will wind its way to the Johnson Ferry Baptist Church south parking lot, where the festival runs from 11-3.

For the last few days, some traffic alert signs have been posted in the area to give motorists a heads-up about the road closure. Cobb Police will be closing Johnson Ferry between Roswell Road and Lower Roswell Road at 9:45 a.m., and it is expected to reopen around 11:30 a.m. or noon.

The festival has free admission and includes food, music, kids’ games, entertainment and vendors.

East Cobber Parade route
The black stars indicate the road closure points; the red stars indicate the parade route and the blue star signifies the festival site.

 

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East Cobb football update: Walton, Kell roll in rivalry games

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After falling behind in the first quarter, Walton took control of an East Cobb rivalry game with Pope Friday night at Raider Valley.Walton all-sports champion

The Greyhounds led 7-0, but Walton got three touchdowns from KD Stokes and two more from Julian Bumper to prevail 33-10.

For the Raiders (2-1), the win was an encouraging recovery after they lost to Collins Hill last week on the last play of the game. Walton is off next week, then will play at North Gwinnett on Sept. 20.

Pope also is 2-1 and will begin region play next week against Centennial.

In the other East Cobb rivalry game Friday, the visiting team came away with the win, as Kell blanked Lassiter 27-0. Corbin LaFrance threw two touchdowns to Jamal Hill.

The Longhorns, who are ranked No. 8 in Class 5A, improved to 3-0 on the season. They begin region play with a bang next week at No. 9 Rome, which crushed North Clayton 63-6.

Lassiter, which is 0-3, will be off next week. The Trojans have scored only six points on the season, a field goal in each of their first two games.

Sprayberry has put together a two-game winning streak after rolling over South Cobb 48-20. It was homecoming for the Yellow Jackets (2-1), who got two touchdowns from Damarion Owens.

The Jackets will have a week off next week, then start their region slate against Harrison, ranked No. 5 in Class 6A, and which is 4-0 on the season.

Wheeler returned home after last week’s loss to Sprayberry, but Shiloh jumped all over the Wildcats early enroute to a 39-8 win.

Shiloh led 27-0 as Wheeler fell to 1-2. The Wildcats are off next week, then will play Lassiter on Sept. 20.

 

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Sandy Plains Road traffic to be rerouted at Kinjac Drive Tuesday

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Sandy Plains Road closures

Here’s the latest traffic update related to ongoing construction on Sandy Plains Road. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, lanes will be rerouted most of the day at Kinjac Drive for final pipe crossing.

More details from Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell’s office:

“This will entail multiple traffic configurations. A police officer is scheduled to be present to override the traffic signal. The pipe crossing will begin at 9:00 a.m. and is expected to be completed by 3:00 p.m. if all goes as planned.

“If this is not the case, a DOT alert will be issued via newsletter and social media with the reason and time of the delay. We appreciate your continued patience as this work is imperative to prepare for the paving that is tentatively scheduled for Monday, Sept. 16.”

 

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McBath to hold town hall meeting Sunday in Sandy Springs

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U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath will hold a town hall meeting Sunday afternoon in Sandy Springs to meet with 6th Congressional District constituents.U.S. Rep Lucy McBath, gun violence research funding, McBath border-funding vote

The meeting is from 1-2 p.m. Temple Emanu-El, 1580 Spalding Drive.

McBath, a first-term Democrat from Marietta, said the the town hall will be about “hearing about the issues that matter most in our community. ”

McBath has taken a visible role in gun-control issues, and during the August recess took part in a “Protect Our Care” bus tour in Georgia to advocate for greater health care access.

She also sponsored the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act, which allows disabled veterans greater relief from financial hardship by amending bankruptcy laws. That bill passed Congress and recently was signed by President Donald Trump.

If you’re interested in attending the town hall, you’re asked to RSVP here. Seating is limited.

McBath is the only Democrat thus far who’s declared an intention to run for the 6th District seat in 2020. Her win last year helped tilt control of the House to the Democrats, and the 6th District—which includes East Cobb, North Fulton and Sandy Springs and north and central DeKalb—is considered a battleground race again for next year.

Former Rep. Karen Handel, whom McBath defeated last year, is one of four Republicans vying to regain the seat that had been in GOP hands for 40 years. Also running are State Sen. Brandon Beach of Alpharetta, Nicole Rodden, a former Merchant Marine and Marjorie Taylor Greene, owner of a Milton commercial construction company.

According to the latest federal campaign finance reports, McBath has raised $1.15 million for her re-election bid this year.

Among the individual contributors include actress Jane Fonda, who made contributions of $2,200 and $2,800 in June, and former Gov. Roy Barnes of Marietta, who contributed $1,800 in June.

She also has received political action committee contributions from the American Federation of Teachers ($5,000), NARAL Pro-Choice America ($5,000) and the campaign committees for various House Democrats, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Greene has raised $523,351 (with $500,000 coming from the candidate), Handel $460,132, Beach $359,067 and Rodden $158,926.

 

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Consignment Sale; Sunday Funday and more

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Good Mews 30th birthday, East Cobb weekend events
Good Mews is having a car wash Saturday that will benefit continuing operations and the addition of 36 cats from a Glynn County shelter.

It’s going to be sunny and hot this weekend, much like it has this week and is forecast to be in the days ahead. In East Cobb over the next few days, there are a lot of events to choose from, both indoors and outdoors, all the way to Sunday evening.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights from our Events Calendar:

Another Kid’s Consignment Sale gets underway Friday at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road) which opens its doors 9-6 and then on Saturday 9-12. There are more than 300 items, with the price reduced by 30 percent on Saturday. For information: http://spspkids.com/.

A full slate of High School Football is on tap Friday, with two more East Cobb rivalry games in store after last week’s rousing games. The headliners are Pope at Walton, and Kell at Lassiter. Wheeler is at home to Shiloh and Sprayberry is having an early homecoming against South Cobb. Kickoff times at all venues are 7:30 p.m.

On Labor Day we wrote about how Good Mews staff and volunteers evacuated more than 50 cats from a Glynn County Shelter that would otherwise have been euthanized ahead of Hurricane Dorian. The no-kill Good Mews has a regular list of fundraising events on tap, and has been asking for special donations for this emergency addition to their ranks. On Saturday they’re having a benefit car wash from 10-2 at their shelter (3805 Robinson Road). A $10 donation gets you a clean car and the proceeds helps Good Mews earn “bonus dollars” from the Best Friends Animal Society, which offers some matching donations.

Get your family moving Saturday at the library: It’s Family Zumba, from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Mountain View Regional branch 3320 Sandy Plains Road. Bring your dancing shoes and drop in (no charge, no registration) and groove your way to fitness with a certified instructor. Intended for ages 10 and older.

At the East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road), another drop-in event is taking place from 11-1. The Chinese Moon Festival is a presentation of The Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States East Cobb Branch, Walton High School, and the local Chinese School.

Starting at noon Saturday, Sandy Plains Baseball will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with special ceremonies and opening games to follow the rest of the afternoon at Carl Harrison Park (2653 Shallowford Road).

Gospel music will fill the rafters Saturday night at Elizabeth Baptist Church (315 Kurtz Road), which welcomes the Gold City Quartet for a concert from 6-8. The event includes several other performers, and the requested donation is $10.

Wind up the weekend outdoors at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road): It’s another Sunday Funday event from 4-6 p.m. and the McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA will be hosting many family friendly activities, like Yoga and Zumba classes, Soccer Clinics, and kids activities. Bring a picnic, and enjoy some live music.

You’ll find more details about those 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.

 

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Terrell Mill Road school speed zone proposed at Brumby, ECMS

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Terrell Mill Road school speed zone

A proposal to establish a 25 mph school speed zone along a stretch of Terrell Mill Road is among numerous traffic-related changes to be considered Tuesday by the Cobb Board of Commissioners.

It’s part of an occasional update to establish school speed zones, make changes to road signs to match flashing signals and approve road areas for speed detection devices.

Brumby Elementary School and East Cobb Middle School relocated last year side-by-side campuses on Terrell Mill Road between Powers Ferry Road and Paper Mill Road.

Tuesday’s proposal would call for a 25 mph speed limit on Terrell Mill from a point 80 feet north of Timberstone Hollow Court (at the bottom point of the red line on the map) to 480 feet north of Greenwood Trail.

The speed zone limits would be in effect only during school days and during the following times, per Cobb DOT:

  • AM: From 45 minutes prior to commencement time to 15 minutes after commencement time;
  • PM: From 30 minutes prior to dismissal time to 30 minutes after dismissal time.

In addition, Cobb DOT is requesting to remove the former Brumby ES speed zone along Powers Ferry Road, and to remove a reference to East Cobb Middle School in the Holt Road school speed zone area that still includes Wheeler High School.

Mountain View Elementary School also relocated to a new site last year along Sandy Plains Road. Another proposal would move that 25 mph school speed zone further down on Sandy Plains from its old site near Shallowford Road.

The new school speed zone on Sandy Plains would stretch from 570 feet east of Davis Drive to 50 feet west of Berkshire Flat.

Another school-related proposal would create a school speed zone of 25 mph on Beaver Shop Road, from 240 feet east of Boyce Drive to Ebenezer Road, near Addison Elementary School.

A few other school-related updates to road speed signs are routine, and are being done to match current signs and new flashing beacons at the following locations:

  • Lower Roswell Road, from 300 feet west of Holt Road to 200 feet east of Rhodes Drive (Eastvalley ES);
  • Lower Roswell Road, from 80 feet east of Pioneer Trail to 100 feet west of Palmer Oaks Lane (Sedalia Park ES);
  • Pine Road, from 80 feet north of Bill Murdock Road to 225 feet south of Bill Murdock Road (Walton HS);
  • Trickum Road, from 40 feet north of Swanson Court to 0.30 miles north of Sandy Plains Road (Simpson MS).

You can read the proposed radar ordinance changes at this link.

The commissioners also will consider a number of requests to approve the use of speed detection devices on roads around the county.

Among them in East Cobb is on Roswell Road near East Side Elementary School, from 50 feet west of Mt. Bethel Road to 50 feet west of Montague Road. That’s a stretch of .29 miles, and the school speed zone there is 25 mph.

Another proposal would allow speed detection devices to be used along most of Roswell Road in East Cobb, from Greenbriar Parkway near the Loop to the Fulton County line. That’s 6.79 miles, and the current speed limit is 45 mph.

Here’s the full list of roads where detection devices are permitted, with the proposed changes in red.

And here’s more background from Cobb DOT, which mentions that commissioners last updated the list of roads in 2015. Before they can act, the county must get approval from Georgia DOT.

The proposed changes are on the consent agenda.

The full meeting agenda can be found here and the meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.

 

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Roswell Road closed between Powers Ferry and Lower Roswell

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Roswell Road closed, 9.4.19

Marietta Police sent out this message a little after 3:30 this afternoon:

Roswell Road is closed between Powers Ferry Road and Lower Roswell Road due to a downed power pole.

The downed power lines are blocking all lanes of traffic and repair crews are on the scene.

Suggested alternate routes include the Marietta Loop.

We’ll update when we get more information.

 

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Cobb Fire competing in ‘Close Before You Doze’ video contest

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Cobb Fire Close Before You Doze

Thanks to Aaron Salkill, a firefighter with the Cobb Fire and Emergency Services Department, for passing along the following information and educational video you can watch below that’s part of a nationwide contest about closing your door before going to bed.

He and his Dalmatian Cinder are taking part in the “Close Before You Doze” video contest, which will award the winner a $25,000 grant for fire safety education programs.

The video contest is in conjunction with UL Firefighter Safety Research, and the videos are designed “to help educate people about the critical impact that closing your bedroom door can have in stopping the spread of a fire and ultimately saving lives.”

The winnings, according to Cobb Fire, would be contributed to the Cobb County Safety Village.

The eight videos with the most votes move on to the next round where a panel of UL representatives will rank the finalists. They will receive a donation in their name to a fire department of their choosing.

The grand prize donation is $25,000, the runner-up and second runner-up will receive $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, and five additional winners will be recognized with a $5,000 donation and honorable mention.

You can click on to the video link here between now and Sept. 15 to cast your vote for Aaron and Cinder and possibly benefit the Cobb Safety Village.

 

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Blackwell ES students make robotic arm for student in need

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Blackwell ES robotics students

Story and photos submitted by the Cobb County School District:

“We get to build special things for special people.” According to a Blackwell Elementary School student, that is what makes the school’s robotics and coding club so great.

This year, the fifth graders in the club launched a community service project that reaches across the Atlantic Ocean, across the African continent and all the way to the country of Oman.

Blackwell students in the Robotics, Coding, and Community Service (RCC) club are using a 3D printer to build a prosthetic arm for an Oman student in need. The Blackwell club was recently certified to make prosthetic hands and arms for people in need. The Cobb school is the only elementary school in Georgia with the certification.

The international student and her parents recently visited Blackwell and met members of the RCC club along with some of her peers in first grade.

During the club meeting, the international visitor tested out some of the robotic hands that the club members had previously assembled. The club members later created a prosthetic arm-sized and tailored just for her.Blackwell ES robotics students

Although 3D printing the parts only took a few days, the process also included taking special images of the Oman student’s arm, modifications, and a practice prosthetic to ensure the functionality supports her needs.

The Blackwell students partnered with the Enabling the Future to design the arm’s socket, which requires more technical engineering. After the test model was finished, the Oman student was able to try it on and give feedback for the final version.

“The arm fit well overall, and it was functional, but it was a little too long and the socket needed to be a bit deeper. She also decided that she wants the forearm to be brown in color to match the rest of the arm rather than the sports theme that we included,” explained Dr. Tom Brown, Blackwell STEM Lab teacher (in photo at right), and RCC Club advisor.  

The Blackwell students plan to make the changes and send their new friend the robotic arm in the next few weeks. The goal is for her to use the student-built arm until she is ready to try one that is made by professional prosthetic doctors like the ones at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Helping the student from Oman wasn’t the Blackwell student’s first time building a prosthetic. Last school year, they constructed one for a fellow Blackwell student and club member.

The Blackwell Elementary fifth-grader was born without a left hand and forearm. The club printed and assembled an arm called the RIT arm, which is an adaptive device with an elbow but not a wrist.

“While it turned out pretty well, it wasn’t fully functional and didn’t fit her quite right. This summer, we worked on another type of arm for her called the Adjustowrap arm.  We are hoping to have one printed and assembled for her soon,” the Blackwell RCC club advisor explained.   

The Robotics, Coding, and Community Service Club started in 2018 as an opportunity for students to explore their interest in robotics and coding, while the skills can be used to serve the needs of the people in the community, and now even around the world.

As part of the club, the students have learned binary code, drag-and-drop programming and higher-order coding languages like Python. They have also coded robots like Spheros, Ozobots, Cozmo, and Alpha.

“We started by using our 3D printer to print out and assemble a couple of prosthetic hands,” Dr. Brown added.

Before helping the Oman student, the RCC club printed out six hands and worked in small groups to assemble them for practice.

Even with all that the club has accomplished in a year, it is just the beginning.

“We still have lots to learn about all of this,” Dr. Brown said.   

What keeps the students going is knowing that they have the ability and technology to help other people including students just like them. 

 

Blackwell ES robotics students

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Sprayberry Crossing redevelopment called ‘a true mixed-use property’

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Sprayberry Crossing developer
Atlantic Residential, developer of The Reserve at The Ballpark near SunTrust seen above, is proposing a 3- or 4-story apartment building, senior living, townhomes and retail on the site of Sprayberry Crossing.

Last Friday Sprayberry Crossing Action group leaders met with Richard Aaronson of Atlantic Realty, which is proposing a mixed-use development at Piedmont Road and Sandy Plains Road to replace the blighted, mostly abandoned shopping center there.

On Tuesday Shane Spink, one of those community leaders, reported on the meeting, and said he was impressed with the developer’s willingness to listen and make changes and adjustments to the plan.”

He said Atlantic Realty “took a few of the suggestions to go back to the drawing board.”

While the news about Atlantic Realty’s proposal has generated a positive reaction—for the most part—on the Sprayberry Crossing Action Facebook page, the most sensitive part of the project remains over some of the details of the residential plans.

Spink admitted his “top concern” was whether the townhomes would be for sale or rentals, since Atlantic has built some of the latter, but said he was “very pleased to hear that the townhomes will be ‘for sale’ ownership homes.”

About the overall development, here’s what Spink said they were shown:

“Please let me emphasize that what we looked at was a true mixed-use property and not a giant apartment complex like others have tried to describe this as. Here is the preliminary breakdown of what we saw:

  • For Sale Townhomes
  • Luxury Apartments w/Pool
  • Senior Living
  • Senior Living Amenities Center/Pool
  • Ground Floor Retail/Restaurant Space
  • Office/Workshare Space
  • Large Front Lawn Green-space

“In my opinion it doesn’t get more ‘Mixed-Use’ than that.”

Spink said none of the apartments will have three bedrooms and there will be more with one bedroom than two. That’s similar to what’s being built in the Powers Ferry Road corridor, mostly to prevent school overcrowding.

More exact details, Spink adds, are coming next week, and a community meeting will follow in the fall. Spink told East Cobb News there isn’t a set date for that meeting, but it could happen in October.

Understanding the concerns some have over the apartments, Spink urged residents to keep in mind  that “this an opportunity to transform our area for the better. In a few years we will come up on the 50th anniversary of Sprayberry Crossing being built and that’s a long time for any shopping center but especially for one that has been so neglected for so long.”

Back in the 1970s, land was more abundant in Cobb and “sprawling retail centers were all the rage. Fast forward to today, retail is dying, land is scarce, populations are growing and new ideas for use have transformed areas all over the country. This is one of those new ideas.”

You can read his full post here, and check out what’s been a very vibrant comments section.

 

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Cobb Master Gardeners to hold open garden sessions in September

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Cobb Master Gardeners open garden

Every month the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County holds an “open garden” session for the public to learn about and enjoy natural settings tended to by their members, as well as ongoing gardening projects.

Next week, they’ll be holding two open gardens at locations around Cobb as part of a countywide promotion of their programs, on Thursday, Sept. 14 and Saturday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. Five venues are in or near East Cobb:

  • Wright Environmental Education Center (2663 Johnson Ferry Road);
  • Crossroads Community Garden (2661 Johnson Ferry Road);
  • McFarlane Nature Park (280 Farm Road);
  • Hyde Farm (726 Hyde Road);
  • Chattahoochee Nature Center (9135 Willeo Road, Roswell).

The following locations will have the same dates and times at open garden events:

  • Woodland Garden at Smith-Gilbert Gardens, 2382 Pine Mountain Road, Kennesaw;
  • Rose Garden at Smith-Gilbert Gardens, 2382 Pine Mountain Road, Kennesaw;
  • Period and Cherokee Garden at Green Meadows Preserve, 3780 Dallas Hwy, Marietta;
  • Green Meadows Preserve Community Garden, 3780 Dallas Hwy, Marietta;
  • Plant a Row for the Hungry, 657 Old Mountain Road, Marietta;
  • William Root House Museum & Garden, 80 North Marietta Pkwy, Marietta;
  • Reconnecting Our Roots Community Garden, 271 Lemon St, Marietta;
  • North Marietta Neighborhood Community Garden, 342 Pine St, Marietta;
  • Cobb County Water System: Wildlife and Rain Garden 660 South Cobb Dr, Marietta.

Most of the events have free admission, except for the Chattahoochee Nature Center and the Smith-Gilbert Gardens, which will charge an entry fee.

The following open garden will be Thursday only, also from 9-1:

  • Center for Children and Young Adults, 2221 Austell Road, Marietta.

The Wright Center in East Cobb is a regular venue for the monthly open garden sessions. In April, the grounds at Johnson Ferry and Post Oak Tritt Road were designated a wildlife sanctuary by the Atlanta Audubon Society.

Janis Hylton, a volunteer at the Wright Center, says this about the upcoming open garden sessions:

“Come hike the trails, bird-watch, enjoy nature and the native plants, check out the ‘Invasive Plants Jail,’ view the frogs in our recently-enlarged frog pond, and ask Master Gardeners questions. You are welcome to bring a lunch for a picnic on our picnic tables.”

Parking is available at the adjacent Chestnut Ridge Christian Church.

 

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Good Mews evacuates cats from Ga. coast before hurricane

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Good Mews hurricane evacuation

It’s been a busy Labor Day weekend for staff and volunteers at East Cobb-based Good Mews, who traveled to a Glynn County shelter for an evacuation of 50 cats as Hurricane Dorian approaches the southeastern United States.

Shelter manager Kendra Ledlow and three Good Mews volunteers were making the 5-hour trip back to metro Atlanta Monday afternoon.

The cat shelter posted the above photo on its Facebook page and said that 18 of the cats will be delivered elsewhere upon arrival in Marietta, and the rest will be taken in at Good Mews. Without the rescue, they noted, the cats would have been euthanized.

Now Good Mews is asking for public donations, via its Best Friends/Strutt Your Mutt portal, to support its work of rescuing, caring for and preparing cats for adoption. Here’s what Good Mews is suggesting if you’re interested in helping out:

“For the first 32 people to donate $20 or more to our Strut Your Mutt team RIGHT NOW, you get to name one of our new kitties! To do this, write the suggested name in the note section of the donation page (see screenshot). This will automatically forward to our Good Mews hurricane evacuationteam captain. Once our new residents are settled in, we will also email a picture of your sponsored kitty!”

That screenshot is shown at the right.

Another way you can help out is at a benefit car wash this Saturday, Sept. 7, from 10-2 at Good Mews (3805 Robinson Road). Your $10 donation gets your car washed, and helps Good Mews earn “bonus dollars” from the Best Friends Animal Society. All the proceeds through Strut Your Mutt goes to the care of of Good Mews cats.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called for a mandatory hurricane evacuation for the Georgia coast east of I-95 starting at noon Monday for the following counties: Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and McIntosh.

By 8 a.m. Tuesday, all traffic along I-16 between Savannah with Dublin will be reverted to a “westerly contraflow,” meaning all lanes will be for outbound travel only.

 

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The admirable legacy of Johnny Isakson

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Sen. Johnny Isakson and his wife Dianne in Normandy in June for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. (Isakson office photo)

As the legacy of Johnny Isakson was being assessed this week by statewide media, and in Washington, D.C., news outlets, the view from home isn’t all that different, but with a few parochial twists.

Even before he became Georgia’s senior senator, a key leader in an emerging Republican majority in the state and a political elder statesman, Isakson was known simply as “Johnny.”

A personable, eager, hardworking real estate agent, he moved to what was to become East Cobb under the auspices of Northside Realty, founded by his father. This was in the mid-to-late-1960s.

He got involved in many business and civic activities, including the Marietta-Cobb Jaycees, the younger division of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

That’s how my father became acquainted with Isakson during that time, as Cobb County was going through its first boom period. The Jaycees also included George Lankford, later to become the first Republican elected to the Cobb County commission.

The Jaycees attracted many aspiring and ambitious types, some drawn to seeking political office. Isakson ran for the commission but lost in his first stab at elected office. My dad volunteered in the Lankford campaign but didn’t get involved in politics after that, as he built his own successful career as a home contractor.

Isakson continued taking an active role in community leadership as Northside Realty became a cornerstone of an East Cobb residential market that was just beginning to lay the foundation for the desirable homebuying market that it is today.

He took to politics like he took to selling real estate, utterly determined to succeed. That doggedness would serve Isakson well as a Republican because of the Democratic stranglehold on state, local and federal politics.

As a young legislator, he benefitted from Democrats who weren’t afraid to work across the aisle. When Republicans became the majority party, Isakson returned the favor without hesitation.

After losing a nasty battle for governor to Zell Miller, Isakson was called upon by Miller to head up a state board of education in disarray. Isakson took on the job.

Bipartisanship was never a dirty word to Isakson, a rarity given the increasingly polarized times that paralleled his ascent.

He would succeed combative Speaker Newt Gingrich in the East Cobb-based 6th U.S. House District.

After losing a U.S. Senate GOP primary, Isakson in 2004 won the first of three elections to that body, becoming the first Georgia Republican to ever do so.

That he won’t be able to finish out that third term due to health reasons has saddened many, including those who don’t agree with him politically.

That’s because for Isakson, a person’s politics aren’t a reflection of who they are as a human being. He’s unlike too many of his Congressional colleagues in both parties, as well as the current commander-in-chief, who exploit those differences for the purpose of intentional division.

Isakson is a committed conservative, to be sure, and he has fought hard for those positions and has been a loyal member of his political party. Some observers, especially those with a more liberal perspective, think he could have done more to publicly decry the tenor of the Tweets and other outbursts coming from the White House, among other things.

Earlier this year, Isakson did give Trump a tongue-lashing for comments about the late Sen. John McCain, one of Isakson’s closest colleagues and friends. That the president didn’t Tweet something in return, or respond in any other way, is noteworthy.

In an age of political showhorses, Isakson has always been a workhorse.

Treating people with respect has been a hallmark of his service as an elected official, something he cultivated as a young real estate agent in East Cobb many decades ago.

Eight years ago this month, on the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, Isakson stood in the pulpit at East Cobb’s Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, where he has taught Sunday School for many years.

He delivered remarks during an ecumenical service there that summed up so much of what Isakson has embodied in public life. He was resolute about U.S. objectives in cracking down on terrorism, but in doing so reached out to the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faithful in attendance.

That was one set of remarks among the many thousands of speeches he has given in more than four decades on the public stage, but it’s one I heard as so thoroughly decent and devoid of an agenda.

It was refreshing, as was Isakson’s example in so many other ways. He spoke out against an anti-gay resolution adopted by the Cobb commission in the early 1990s that prompted Atlanta Olympic organizers to cancel related events in the county.

The county has come a long way since Isakson stepped into the spotlight, and that’s not a coincidence.

Whether you agreed with his votes and politics or not, his humble leadership style and the personal values he put into practice every day will certainly be missed, especially in these fractious times.

More on Isakson from the AJC‘s Jim Galloway and with MDJ editors. Isakson also spoke this week to longtime Atlanta newsman Denis O’Hayer at WABE-FM.

 

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MUST Ministries to hold new shelter event at Indian Hills

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MUST Ministries wants to an expanded homeless shelter and service facility for those in need, and is holding several “preview” events in September for its upcoming fundraising campaign.MUST Ministries summer lunch program

One of those events will be in East Cobb, at Indian Hills Country Club, on Wednesday, Sept. 11 from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

MUST Ministries is calling the information meetings a “first look” opportunity for anyone who may be interested in hearing more about the plans.

The capital campaign, called “Build Hope a Home,” is aiming to raise more than $10 million. The facility, which would be located near its current site on Cobb Parkway near Bells Ferry Road, would include a food pantry, a clothes closet and job training center for those in need.

The current shelter, which has a capacity of around 70, is in a former church. MUST estimates it turns away more than 200-300 people a month seeking shelter.

MUST provides services to 33,000 people in poverty in an eight-county area, and its Loaves and Fishes Community Kitchen serves an estimated 80,000 meals a year.

At the first look events, individuals will meet with MUST board members and leaders over dessert to hear the plans.

The event is free, but you’re asked to RSVP at mustministries.org a week before the event. There are other similar meetings around the county; details are at the link.

Earlier this week, MUST sent out a message saying it’s running low on a number of regular categories of food it keeps in supply. Included on the “urgent needs” list are the following:

  • canned mixed vegetables
  • peas
  • jelly
  • cereal
  • canned chicken
  • chili
  • beef stew
  • laundry detergent
  • shampoo

You can drop off those and other foods and supplies Tuesday-Saturday 9-5 at at the MUST Donation Center, 1280 Field Parkway, Marietta.

If you’re attending Noshfest Sunday or Monday, the suggested donation for admission is two canned goods per family for MUST Ministries.

You can also donate online.

 

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East Cobb football update: Pope, Sprayberry gain first wins

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Pope and Sprayberry got their first wins on Friday night in East Cobb rivalry contests in the second week of the high school football season.Sprayberry football, East Cobb football

The Yellow Jackets got off to a tough start in an opening loss to South Forsyth last week, and was facing Wheeler, which they hadn’t beaten since 2007.

But Sprayberry took an early 14-0 lead and never relinquished it in a 21-14 win at Jim Frazier Stadium.

Both touchdowns were scored by Damarion Owens, a junior running back, and the Yellow Jackets (1-1) didn’t give up any points until Wheeler ran a kickoff for a touchdown in the second half.

East Cobb sports updateAt the Hound Pound, Pope played its first game of the season against East Cobb Lassiter, coming off a 47-3 loss to Harrison.

The Greyhounds never trailed in a 23-3 win. Pope led 14-0 at halftime, and for the second straight game, the Trojans (0-2) managed only a field goal. Last year, Lassiter’s only win in a 1-9 season came against Pope.

Walton was coming off a come-from-behind victory over Norcross in the Corky Kell Classic last week as it entertained another Gwinnett team, Collins Hill, in the Raiders’ home opener.

After trailing 6-0 most of the game, the Raiders took a 10-6 lead with less than six minutes to play. Walton got a field goal from Conor Cummins and touchdown run from KD Stokes.

But then Collins Hill got the ball and drove 70 yards, getting a nine-yard touchdown play as the clock expired for a 12-10 win.

The loss for Walton (1-1) was only the second regular season setback for third-year Raiders coach Daniel Brunner.

Coming Up

More East Cobb rivalry games are in store on Friday, as Pope visits Walton and Kell (1-0) is at Lassiter.

Sprayberry stays home to play South Cobb, which was trounced 46-0 by McEachern.

Wheeler (1-1) returns home to play Shiloh.

 

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Marietta Blues Bash moving to new East Cobb event space

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Brick and Ivey, Marietta Blues Bash

The Extension, a Marietta-based non-profit agency, provides recovery services for those with addictions and who have been homeless.

Its annual fundraiser, the Marietta Blues Bash, is coming up on Sept. 12, and this year it’s being held at Brick and Ivey, a new event space next to Hoyle’s Kitchen + Bar (1440 Roswell Road).

Here are the event details The Extension is putting out, and they’re expecting tickets to go quickly:

Join co-host Cobb County Commission Chairman Mike Boyce for our annual Marietta Blues Bash event.

For the last 32 years, The Extension has saved, transformed, and restored the lives thousands of men and women struggling with drug and alcohol addiction in our community. 

Enjoy a traditional low country boil meal by Southern Charmed Catering featuring shrimp, Andouille Sausage, corn, baby red potatoes, southern collard greens, Wisconsin Cheddar macaroni and cheese and select pies to finish the meal.

Kenney Bentley Presents and his band will be paying tribute to jazz and blues greats. The silent auction will feature sports memorabilia, tickets to entertainment and sporting events and travel opportunities.  

There is a $50 suggested donation per person. Sponsorships and reserved tables for eight are currently available. For more information, call Renee McCormick at 770-590-9075 x309 or visit us online at www.theextension.org/bluesbash. 

 

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