East Cobb News

It’s official: Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center opening on Dec. 4

November 16, 2017 5:33 PM by Wendy Parker

The Cobb County Public Library System confirmed today that the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center is opening on its projected start date of Monday, Dec. 4.

The doors will open at 10 a.m., and the address is the same as the East Marietta Library it’s replacing: 2051 Lower Roswell Road.

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson named East Cobb Citizen of the Year

November 16, 2017 11:54 AM by Wendy Parker

Sen. Johnny Isakson, East Cobb Citizen of the Year — *Kevin Isakson and Dianne Isakson, the son and wife of Sen. Johnny Isakson. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)*

A public official synonymous with the evolution of East Cobb over the last half-century has been named the East Cobb Citizen of the Year.

Johnny Isakson launched a successful real estate agency in the East Cobb area as it began growing in the 1960s and later served in the Georgia legislature and Congress.

But to those who know him best in his East Cobb community, he’s much more than Georgia’s senior senator in Washington. He’s also been a results-oriented public servant, faithful civic advocate, accessible citizen and Sunday School teacher at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.

Among many other things.

“If you looked up a definition of a statesman and a public servant, you’ll see a picture of Johnny Isakson,” said Cobb Chamber of Commerce CEO David Connell Thursday morning at Indian Hills Country Club.

That’s where the Chamber’s East Cobb Area Council held its quarterly breakfast and gave out the Citizen of the Year honor.

Isakson, 72, was unable to attend, being in Washington as Congress is dealing with major tax reform legislation. His son, Kevin Isakson, and wife, Dianne Isakson, accepted the honor on his behalf.

Connell, an East Cobb resident who’s stepping down from his post at the end of the, gushed with praise about Isakson’s dedication to public service, and several legislative accomplishments this year “in the most dysfunctional Congress we’ve ever had.”

Connell cited Isakson’s service on veterans committees, and after years of working with him and maintaining a longtime friendship, noted how Isakson remains the same person he’s known for all those years, including his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease disclosed in 2015.

“There are people in high office who are untouchable,” Connell said. Isakson is “the most humble individual you could ever find.”

It was during his time as founder and president of Northside Realty that Isakson was drawn to public service.

At a ribbon-cutting for the new Walton High School this summer, Isakson recalled how he was asked by Cobb school officials in the early 1970s to help scout land for desperately-needed schools, especially in East Cobb.

Isakson helped them spot true bargains on Bill Murdock Road, properties that now house Walton and Dodgen Middle School, for a grand total of $4,500.

In addition to being the first Georgian to serve in the state house and senate and the U.S. house and senate, Isakson also was chairman of the Georgia Board of Education.

“If there was a Citizen of the Year for the last four decades, it would be him,” said Johnny Johnson, owner of Edward-Johns Jewelers in East Cobb and a former Citizen of the Year recipient who chairs the East Cobb Area Council.

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Walton football tickets on sale online for Colquitt County playoff game

November 16, 2017 6:16 AM by Wendy Parker

The Walton football home playoff game against Colquitt County takes place on Friday at Raider Valley, but advance ticket sales are already available online if you want to avoid the game-day ticket lines.

Raider Valley is expected to be packed for the Class 7A Georgia High School second-round game pitting No. 3 and 11-0 Walton and Colquitt County, which is 8-3, and whose assistant coach is ex-Walton coach Mo Dixon.

Walton holds off North Cobb

In a post Wednesday on the Walton website, athletics director Chris Williams said tickets can be purchased at the GoFan page for the Walton-Colquitt game, or by downloading the GoFan app and presenting the QR code at the gate on Friday.

The ticket cost for adults is $10 (with a $1.50 service charge if you use GoFan). Student tickets are $8 and will be sold Friday during all lunch periods. Williams said any spectators without an approved GHSA pass will be charged $10 at the gate.

If you’d rather get your tickets the old-fashioned way, the ticket booth at Raider Valley opens at 6 p.m. Kickoff is 7:30.

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 seniors object, but higher fees approved by Cobb commissioners

November 16, 2017 12:10 PMNovember 15, 2017 6:51 PM by Wendy Parker

Before the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to raise user fees for a variety of county services, some East Cobb seniors voiced their opposition to the proposals.

It didn’t prevent the commissioners from voting 5-0 to levy increases, including a first-time membership fee for seniors, as they seek to find ways to close an expected $30 million budget hole for fiscal year 2019.

The senior membership fee was reduced from a proposed $100 a year per person to $60 at the request of Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell, who said she was concerned about seniors on a fixed income.

Of the increases overall, she said “it’s something we’ve talked about for years, and it’s much needed.”

Hope Notice, a regular at the East Cobb Senior Center, said she thought that “the raising of fees seemed to be an afterthought.” She said the membership fees are “utterly ridiculous,” and noted that seniors in Woodstock pay only $10 and in Roswell, the annual fee is $25 and includes the use of a swimming pool.

“I realize you need to raise fees, but please find other ways to raise money,” she said. “These increases are more than the norm.”

The membership fees would apply to use of any senior center in Cobb County. Commission chairman Mike Boyce said that while the fee increases approved Tuesday apply to many other services, the only e-mails he has received have come from seniors.

Shirley Scaff, another regular at the East Cobb Senior Center, told commissioners before the vote that she meets there often as part of the Knit Wits knitting group, and also belongs to a crocheting circle. She said the socializing and other benefits of staying active through the center’s many programs are vital for her and others.

“We have members from [age] 60 to 95,” she said. “We enjoy the companionship and the fellowship” and being active “keeps the mind going.” A membership fee, she said, would be “a hardship.”

East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott supported the $100 fee structure. He noted that there is a sliding scale available and that the Cobb Citizens Oversight Committee recommended increases several years ago.

The increased senior fees will go into effect on Feb. 1, 2018, along with increases the commissioners also approved Tuesday for aquatics, athletics, gymnastics and tennis fees; arts fees; picnic pavilion rentals; rentals for the Cobb Civic Center and performing arts venues; and for recreation and community centers as well as library proctoring services and meeting room rentals.

Fees to file for zoning certificates also will go up in 2018, from $40 to $100, and from $200 to $300 for film permits.

The cost for business licenses also is increasing, and will take effect on Oct. 1, 2018. The current range is $102 a year to nearly $15,000 a year (with several tiers based on gross revenues). The new fees will range from $112 to $16,400 annually.

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Rocky Mount ES students celebrate retired teacher’s 97th birthday

November 15, 2017 11:24 AM by Wendy Parker

The following photos and story were submitted by the Cobb County School District after a birthday celebration at Rocky Mount Elementary School for Susie Raper, who lives near the Northeast Cobb school community and who just turned 97 years old.

She taught in Cobb schools for many years, including her final 18 years at Blackwell Elementary School, and after retirement was a guest reader at local schools and volunteered at her grandsons’ schools.

Rocky Mount students created birthday cards, and presented Raper with a tiara for the celebration:

Raper’s face brightened when Principal Peggy Fleming presented her with a basket full of handmade birthday cards from Rocky Mount students.

Her sons joked that their mom now has enough cards to read every day for the next year.

“It meant a whole lot to her,” her son Don Raper said. “She talks about her teaching career as much as she talks about anything in her life. This probably brought a lot of good memories for her. It is going to be a good memory for all of us.”

Her son remembers his mother as a very energetic teacher. He had difficulty keeping up with her as child when she taught at Green Acres Elementary School.

“She was relentless,” he added. “She would work whatever hours it took to do her job.”

Media paraprofessional Barb Evangelista, also known as Ms. E to the Rocky Mount students, didn’t want to miss an opportunity to take photos with Raper on her birthday.

“Ms. E.” still remembers Raper from when the veteran educator volunteered in her grandchildren’s class.

After her birthday surprises, Raper was able to visit a class of her beloved first graders, who serenaded her again with the “Happy Birthday to You” song.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

Wheeler transition specialist honored as teacher of the year

November 15, 2017 10:06 AM by Wendy Parker

Wheeler High School, Wendy Sorkin — *Wendy Sorkin with Richard Marriott, chairman of the Marriott Foundation.*

Wheeler High School’s Wendy Sorkin has been named 2017 teacher of the year by the Marriott Foundation on behalf of the Bridges From School to Work program.

She was honored last week at a special dinner at the Atlanta Airport Marriott. More from a release from Wheeler:

“The Bridges From School to Work program, part of the Marriott Foundation, has been working collaboratively to transform the lives of young adults with disabilities through the power of a job. The Foundation recognizes teachers that help students match the workforce development needs of local employers with the skills and interest of our young people with disabilities.

“Since 1996, more than 760 local employers have provided employment opportunities for over 2,700 youth, helping these young people with disabilities succeed in the workplace.”

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After years of delays, Mabry Park funding finally gets approval

November 14, 2017 5:55 PM by Wendy Parker

Mabry Park Master Plan, funding for Mabry Park — The Mabry Park Master Plan was approved in 2011, but funding wasn’t provided due to budget cuts during the recession.

On Tuesday, after years of delays, the Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved Mabry Park funding. More specifically, they authorized a construction contract that would convert a slice what was once a large farm spread in Northeast Cobb into a major passive park.

The construction contract for $2.85 million was approved unanimously, in a 5-0 vote, a month after the commissioners delayed the vote.

There was little discussion Tuesday about the contract, which was awarded to Integrated Construction and Nobility, Inc.. The park, which will be built on 26.5 acres on Wesley Chapel Road at Sandy Plains Road, is expected to be completed in 2019.

Mabry Park will include walking trails, picnic areas, a community garden, playground areas and more on land that includes a large pond.

The construction will also include the development of a paved road into the park from Wesley Chapel Road. In 2008, the county spent $4.3 million in funding from the 2006 Cobb parks SPLOST to purchase the former farm land owned by Ed and Sue Mabry.

The the land sat dormant during the recession, although a master plan was released in 2011.

While the construction funding came out of the 2016 Cobb government SPLOST, the yearly cost for operating Mabry Park comes out of the county general fund. That was the reason for delaying the vote in October, right before the commissioners held their budget retreat.

Resolving how to pay for recurring expenses from a SPLOST project was one of the subjects at the retreat. A one-time cost of $22,230 for equipment and maintenance tools will be funded after construction is complete.

Mabry Park’s annual operating cost will be $104,992; of that $72,122 will go for staff salaries and benefits, and $31,800 is estimated for yearly supplies and utilities.

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 REAL ESTATE: Home in Charrington sells for $450K

November 14, 2017 6:12 PMNovember 14, 2017 3:37 PM by Wendy Parker

The following deeds for recent residential East Cobb real estate sales were filed with the Cobb Superior Court Clerk’s Office Real Estate Department last week. They include a single-level home on Hadfield Drive, in the Charrington subdivision off Johnson Ferry Road, for $450,000.

The addresses are in Marietta ZIP Codes, unless otherwise indicated:

Nov. 6

2520 Hampton Park Court, 30062, Ian O’Shea to Greg Cavellier, $275,000

2821 Scottish Mill Way, 30068, Wesley Woodruff to Joseph Wright, $405,000

5100 Overlook Drive, Roswell 30075; Myra Reddick to Devon Bank (and then Devon Bank to Hera Khan), $434,500

2418 Stockton Drive, 30066; Mark Schmidt to Samuel Wagstaff, $341,000

2580 Sandy Court, 30066; Wallace Buran to Corey Fritz; $195,000

3653 Hadfield Drive, 30062; Martha Rais to Matthew Causey; $450,000

1798 Hasty Road, 30062; Corey Fritz to Maria Bentley; $240,000

Nov. 7

2251 Rushmore Drive, 30062; Katherine Wagner to Philip Jacobson; $361,600

4750 Taylors Court, 30068; Judy Turner to Francis Lachance; $450,000

434 Woodstone West Drive, 30068; Dawna Godfrey to Jonathan Reaves; $435,000

1931 Meadowbrook Lane, 30067; Vive Homes LLC to Chadwick McCullough; $204,000

423 Cove Drive, 30067; Denzil Lydio to Emily Lieske; $366,000

3324 Talimore Circle, 30066; Lori Jackson to Ranjeet Bhosale; $600,000

650 Coventry Township Lane, 30062; Debra Hawkins to Faezah Soleyman; $145,000

Nov. 8

3966 Courson Street, 30066; Karshkumar and Kim Panchal to Jollah Isatu; $405,000

1475 Brookcliff Circle, 30062; Joy Scanlon and Brian Fagan to Cheryl Richards; $350,000

1643 Fairview Drive, 30066; Land Lot Holdings LLC to Richard Tricket; $397,000

4634 Dandelion Circle, 30067; Robert Gustafson to Qing Miao; $510,000

2208 Whitehall Drive, 30066; William Bracket IV to Justin Lin; $325,000

4196 Skye Trace, Roswell 30075; Martin Kwintner to Tiffany Podhorez; $365,000

Nov. 9

1650 Willie Drive, 30062; Ethel Fann to Emmanuel Fabri, $170,000

3308 Woodrun Trail, 30062; Jesu Obakhan to OfferPad; $283,000

1730 Sierra Drive, 30062; Patricia Clements to Xiang Xou; $190,000

3060 Wendlock Drive, 30062; David Zurn to Knock Homes LLC; $261,250

1307 Golden Rock Lane, 30067; Pulte Home Company LLC to Teeka Harrison; $379,480

Nov. 10

870 Valleymeade Drive, 30067; Nicholas Ladart to Lachlan Heywood; $319,205

370 Fox Hills Drive, 30067; Marco Spasciani to Jacob Coffey; $346,000

3037 Greyfield Trace, 30067; Mildred Cook to Lucy Rick LLC; $266,000

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!

Providence Road sidewalk construction continues into December

November 14, 2017 6:26 PMNovember 14, 2017 11:03 AM by Wendy Parker

If you’ve recently traveled on Providence Road from Pine Road to the intersection of Roswell Road near East Cobb Park, you’ve seen construction crews on the east side of the road.

That’s where a sidewalk project is underway, and will be completed in December. To be precise, the sidewalk construction is taking place between Providence Corner Drive (a little bit south of Pine Road) and Roswell Road, linking up other existing sidewalks and providing additional pedestrian access points.

There will be traffic delays as the project continues, with work crews on occasion reducing traffic to one lane.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners approved spending $63,700 for the project in August.

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!

Mabry Park construction contract returns to Cobb commission agenda

November 14, 2017 6:24 PMNovember 13, 2017 3:45 PM by Wendy Parker

After being delayed last month, a $2.85 million Mabry Park construction contract is expected to be voted on Tuesday by the Cobb Board of Commissioners.

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. in the 2nd floor boardroom of the Cobb BOC Building, 100 Cherokee St., in downtown Marietta.

Approval of the contract was tabled last month at the behest of commission Chairman Mike Boyce until after a budget retreat.

One of the topics at the retreat was how to fund permanent operations out of the annual county budget for projects like Mabry Park that are approved by Cobb voters in the Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referenda.

Mabry Park, which would be built on 26.5 acres on Wesley Chapel Road at Sandy Plains Road, comes with a projected operating cost of nearly $105,000 a year once it opens in 2019.

At the Oct. 24 commission meeting, Northeast Cobb commissioner JoAnn Birrell, a strong advocate for the Mabry Park project was was formerly in her district, was upset by the decision to delay, as were Northeast Cobb residents who’ve been waiting more than a decade for the park.

Boyce and East Cobb commissioner Bob Ott, whose recently redrawn district includes Mabry Park, said it was necessarily to hold off final approval, if only temporarily.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners will consider proposals to raise fees for a number of county-related services, including business licenses, filing fees for zoning, and for parks and recreational uses, arts classes and other public services.

Another item on the agenda would appropriate $850,000 in county funds for a number of non-profit service organizations, including the Cobb Center for Family Resources, Family Promise of Cobb County, MUST Ministries, Communities in Schools for Marietta/Cobb and SafePath Children’s Advocacy.

Commissioners delayed voting on that funding during its budget deliberations in September.

The full agenda can be found here.

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!

NEW EAST COBB BUSINESSES: Punchline Comedy Club, OkKo Ramen opening soon

November 13, 2017 11:39 AM by Wendy Parker

The building that used to house the Spaghetti Warehouse and the Cosmopolitan restaurant on Delk Road is being renovated for a forthcoming expansion of the Punchline Comedy Club.

The official name for the new place is Punchline Club@DelRay Diner, including a full-service diner-style restaurant.

What Now Atlanta reported last week that Atlanta Chef Nicholas Lambrou will be in charge of the diner while he opens a similar concept in Midtown.

An estimated opening date hasn’t been announced.

Black Swan Tavern, La Novia Taqueria now open

In just a couple of weeks, OkKo Ramen will open at 3045 Gordy Parkway, in the same small strip shopping center as New Lucky China (and in the same spot as the former Omega Learning Academy, whose signage still remains). OkKo Ramen got its business license on Oct. 20.

Here are some other new East Cobb businesses, restaurants and otherwise, that have opened or will be opening, based on Cobb Community Development Department filings:

Be Kind Photography, James Hunt (freelance photography);
Magnolia Moments, Michael Tharp (freelance photography);
The Painters Daughter, Alena Lara (retail arts and crafts);
Big Johns Christmas Trees, 2197 Roswell Road;
Dental Home, 2100 Roswell Road, Suite 108;
Drive Copywriting, John Nabinger (consulting);
Hybrid Nation Automotive, 3286 Canton Road (used car sales);
Paprik’a, 4674 Sandy Plains Road (restaurant; see previous East Cobb News post);
TS Hair Studio, 551 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 108 (hair salon);
Atlanta Piano Restorations, 2410 Canton Road (musical equipment);
Noelle Boyd Salon, 4101 Roswell Road, Suite 301 (hair salon).

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 Marietta Library demolished; Lower Roswell Road improvements continue

November 13, 2017 9:59 AM by Wendy Parker

As the new Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center gears up for its Dec. 4 opening, the old East Marietta Library building that stood for 50 years went away last week.

Opening events scheduled for Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center

Work crews demolished the old facility as part of a connected road construction project along Lower Roswell Road.

The old library site will be the entrance to the new library and to Sewell Park. That entrance will be part of a newly figured four-way intersection at Lower Roswell with Shawnee Lane.

The Lower Roswell Road West project stretches from Holt Road to the South Marietta Parkway includes road widening, turn lanes around Eastvalley Elementary School and Sedalia Park Elementary School and repaving.

The 1.29-mile project is expected to finish in December.

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!

PHOTOS: Club Pilates East Cobb Veterans Day car cruise event

November 11, 2017 3:44 PM by Wendy Parker

Mike and Chuck Maloy, Club Pilates East Cobb Veterans Day — *Mike Maloy, with his son Chuck, is a Purple Heart recipient for his service in the Vietnam War. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)*

Mike Maloy is active in a local veterans organization and is something of a classic car enthusiast, so he and his son turned out on a chilly Saturday morning at Sandy Plains Village for a first-time event that blends both of those interests.

For D.J. Little, the co-owner of a fitness business at the shopping center, this is the start of what he envisions becoming an East Cobb Veterans Day tradition.

He and his wife Stephanie, who opened the Club Pilates East Cobb at 2960 Shallowford Road exactly a year ago, decided to celebrate that anniversary and honor veterans with a “car cruise” event that also raised money for veterans in need who are stationed at the Dobbins Air Reserve Base.

Club Pilates East Cobb Veterans Day — *Master Sgt. D.J. Little (center left, in uniform) and other veterans pose for a group photo.*

It’s part of the Littles’ community outreach that’s done every month out of their business. For November, the beneficiary is the Top Three program at Dobbins, where Master Sgt. D.J. Little is on active duty.

“We just wanted people to be here,” he said, after the inaugural event drew around 40 people, many of them veterans, and featured a dozen or so classic cars, including his own 1973 Gold Duster 340. “It’s going to get bigger.”

Top Three provides food and other assistance to veterans who are disadvantaged or otherwise in need. Little said “it’s been a rough couple years” for some of those veterans, with situations that have included suicide.

Maloy, an East Cobb resident and retired design engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation, came to Saturday’s event with his son Chuck, a Pope High School graduate who works at the Kroger next to Club Pilates.

Military service is a family tradition. The elder Maloy’s 99-year-old father-in-law is a World War II veteran, and their plans for later Saturday included attending a Veterans Day event at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre on the Marietta Square.

Having something like this on Veterans Day, so close to home, “is fantastic,” he said.

Maloy also lends a hand with those efforts at Dobbins. He’s a Vietnam veteran, and received a Purple Heart after being wounded in the shoulder when his gun truck convoy was attacked in 1968.

At a Purple Heart chapter in Alpharetta, he and others raise funds for food baskets for those at Dobbins who need some help paying bills. His group also visits veterans who need company and other support.

A silent auction at the Club Pilates event also raised funds for the Top Three program.

Little, who’s lived with his wife and children in East Cobb for four years, wanted to do more than run in the occasional 5K sponsored by Top Three.

He said the outpouring of support, even for a first-time event, was gratifying.

“We wanted to do more in our community,” he said. “We want to be involved in East Cobb. The support has been just great.

“We’re going to keep doing this from now on.”

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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 high school football: Walton holds off North Cobb; Pope and Kell eliminated

November 11, 2017 9:58 AM by Wendy Parker

It wasn’t easy, but the Walton football team held off a Cobb County rival Friday night in the first round of the Georgia High School Association Class 7A state playoffs. The Raiders, who defeated North Cobb 28-14, were one of three East Cobb high school football teams in action.

Dominick Blaylock scored two touchdowns, including on a key drive in the fourth quarter, and quarterback Austin Kirksey was 11-for-11 passing for 181 yards, as the Raiders remained unbeaten on the season.

They’re 11-0 and will remain at home next Friday against Colquitt County, which routed Pebblebrook 49-7.

Walton, which is led by first-year head coach Daniel Brunner, a former assistant, will see a familiar face on the Colquitt County sideline. Mo Dixon, who was the Raiders head coach for the last two seasons, left East Cobb over the spring to become an assistant coach at the South Georgia powerhouse.

In the Class 6A playoffs, Pope fell behind early in a 42-14 loss at Dacula, which scored on six of its first seven possessions. The game was the first in the playoffs in five years for the Greyhounds, who finished 4-7 under first-year coach Tab Griffin, a Pope graduate and former player.

Kell reached the Class 5A playoffs but also went out in the first round, falling to Flowery Branch 21-14. The Longhorns mounted a comeback after trailing 21-0, and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but were stopped on fourth-and-goal on the goal line. Kell’s season ends at 5-6 under Brett Sloan, who was in his first season as head coach after being an assistant at Walton.

Cobb Police coat drive includes Precinct 4 dropoff point

November 11, 2017 7:24 AM by Wendy Parker

For the first time, the Cobb County Police Department is conducting an annual coat drive, and East Cobb’s Precinct 4 is one the places you can drop off old coats for distribution.

The drive is called “Giving the Gift of Warmth,” and it’s part of the expanded outreach efforts of the Cobb PD’s community affairs department (previous East Cobb News post here of new chief Mike Register’s recent talk on that and other subjects before the East Cobb Civic Association).

Precinct 4, located in the East Cobb Government Service Center at 4400 Lower Roswell Road, will be accepting items through Dec. 1. Cobb PD says the best times to drop off items are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for county holidays. Here’s more from Cobb PD about what they’re looking for and what they’re going to do with what they collect:

“The donation of your gently used coats and other winter wear (scarves, hats, and gloves) to kids and families in need is appreciated by all. Your donated items will be shared with numerous organizations throughout Cobb County.”

The other precinct locations are as follows, and the same Dec. 1 cutoff date applies:

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

If you want to donate but can’t go to a dropoff point, contact Sgt. Jeff Tatroe, the Cobb PD Community Affairs Unit supervisor at 770-499-3981 or email jeff.tatroe@cobbcounty.org to have your items picked up.

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!

PHOTOS: Mt. Zion UMC Craft Show, which continues Saturday

November 10, 2017 6:11 PM by Wendy Parker

Several dozen vendors were displaying their handcrafted wares Friday at the 32nd Mt. Zion UMC Craft Show.

East Cobb Veterans Day observations continue Saturday and Sunday

November 10, 2017 5:10 PM by Wendy Parker

A number of schools and other organizations in East Cobb have had Veterans Day observations, but there are still quite a few going on Saturday—the Nov. 11 formal holiday—and also on Sunday.

In case you missed our weekend events preview, here’s what’s on tap for Veterans Day:

Two concerts, one Saturday at Transfiguration Catholic Church (1815 Blackwell Road) that starts at 2:30 p.m. featuring the Metropolitan Atlanta Community band and is followed by a commemorative mass at 5; and Sunday at 3 at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road). It’s the annual Veterans Day concert performed by the Cobb Wind Symphony, and it’s free to the public;
On Saturday, a couple new Veterans Day events in East Cobb: A car cruise theme is featured from 8-12 at Club Pilates East Cobb (2960 Shallowford Road, Suite 200); and a public celebration at Merchants Walk Shopping Center (1280 Johnson Ferry Road) from 11-8 includes sidewalk sales, a food truck and more;
If you’re up for a parade, the City of Marietta is holding its 13th Annual Veterans Day parade starting at 11 a.m. at Roswell Street Baptist Church, and winding its way to the square. That’s where a Veterans Day ceremony will take place at noon.

Every Sunday we round up the week’s top headlines and preview the upcoming week in the East Cobb News Digest. Click here to sign up, and you’re good to go!

St. Ann Catholic volunteers continue food provisions for Cobb elementary students

November 10, 2017 11:27 AM by Wendy Parker

Thanks to the Cobb County School District for submitting the info and photos about a continuing program involving volunteers from East Cobb’s Catholic Church of St. Ann, who’ve been raising money for and delivering food for students at LaBelle Elementary School since 2015.

It’s part of the “Sharing Our Blessings” program with the church’s St. Paul de Vincent Society, and the items the volunteers also deliver include school supplies, board games, uniforms and books.

LaBelle is located southwest of Marietta, not far from Osborne High School, and a majority of the students are on a free or reduced-price lunch program.

When the volunteer effort began, around 150 bags of food were delivered each week by St. Ann volunteers. Now it’s grown to more than 400, more than enough to provide a bag for every student.

That’s around 5,000 bags since the school year began, according to Karen Miller, the “Sharing Our Blessings” coordinator at St. Ann. Around 20 volunteers prepare the food bags every Friday at the church before they are delivered to the school.

“They feel very special when they get the bag, even if it is only five items,” LaBelle art teacher Jerrilyn Price said. “They look forward to Fridays. They say, ‘Oh it is Friday! We get the bags today!’”

The St. Ann volunteer effort is gearing up for the upcoming holidays with another food collection drive, filling a truck with nine days’ worth of food for the students during their break.

Some of the money raised for the food collection comes via the Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Hunger Walk.

“There are a lot ways a community can support a school,” Miller said.

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: Veterans Day events; craft fair and concerts; football playoffs and more

November 9, 2017 7:56 PMNovember 9, 2017 7:15 PM by Wendy Parker

The Charlestones, East Cobb weekend — *The Charlestones, an a capella group from Charleston, S.C., perform at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church on Friday.*

The leaves are changing, and very quickly the season, as the upcoming East Cobb weekend slate of events takes on an autunmnal pre-holiday flair.

Saturday is Veterans Day, and events throughout the weekend are scheduled to observe and honor those who served in the military.

A number of East Cobb schools have had their special events during the week, and from 5-8 Friday the East Cobb Senior Center and both East Cobb YMCAs will serve up dinner, music and tributes. They had “sold out” of the free tickets before November rolled around, but you may want to call 770-509-4900 770-977-5991 to see if there’s any space that’s opened up at the last minute.

Also on tap for Veterans Day in East Cobb:

Two concerts, one Saturday at Transfiguration Catholic Church (1815 Blackwell Road) that starts at 2:30 p.m. featuring the Metropolitan Atlanta Community band and is followed by a commemorative mass at 5; and Sunday at 3 at the Lassiter Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road). It’s the annual Veterans Day concert performed by the Cobb Wind Symphony, and it’s free to the public;
On Saturday, a couple new Veterans Day events in East Cobb: A car cruise theme is featured from 8-12 at Club Pilates East Cobb (2960 Shallowford Road, Suite 200); and a public celebration at Merchants Walk Shopping Center (1280 Johnson Ferry Road) from 11-8 includes sidewalk sales, a food truck and more;

And with the brisk weather now seemingly here for good, there’s post-season football, holiday crafts and music for all tastes:

Three East Cobb high school football teams reached the state playoffs, and they’re all in action Friday. Unbeaten Walton is at home against North Cobb, while Kell visits Flowery Branch and Pope travels to Dacula. Universal kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.;
Friday night temps will be dipping into the 30s, so if staying indoors is your thing, the 2017-18 Concert Series of St. St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church (571 Holt Road) continues with a free to the public 7:30 p.m. concert featuring The Charlestones, an a capella group from Charleston, S.C.;
The Pope Band XPlosion! event is from 7-9 p.m. Saturday at the school (3001 Hembree Road), and features all components of the band program, from the marchers to the jazz orchestra and smaller ensembles, with raffle proceeds supporting the young musicians;
This weekend also marks the return of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Craft Fair, from 9-5 Friday and 9-4 on Saturday at the church (1330 Johnson Ferry Road); it’s organized by the church’s women’s ministry and includes a bake sale and silent auction.

Did we miss anything? Do you have a community calendar listing to share, for this weekend and beyond? Send it to us, and we’ll post it ASAP! E-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com.

Check out our full calendar listings for more things to do! Have a great weekend!

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!

Northeast Cobb residents sound off on zoning cases

November 9, 2017 1:33 PM by Wendy Parker

Some high-density zoning cases we’ve written about here in the last week got their first formal hearing on Tuesday, as Northeast Cobb residents gave an earful to the Cobb Planning Commission.

The commission engaged in virtually no discussion before voting 5-0 to recommend denying a proposal that would rezone 26 acres on Keheley Drive for 51 single-family homes, or nearly 3 units an acre. David Pearson Communities Inc. is seeking zoning from R-20 to R-12, but there’s nothing nearby that’s zoned for that density.

A similar plan was rejected a decade ago, on the same land that’s in the possession of the Ruggles family. But it’s not just density that prompted around 50 nearby residents to show up in opposition.

It’s also about flooding.

Eric Bergin, a resident of the Lakewood Colony neighborhood who spoke on behalf of several homeowners associations (totaling around 800 residents), showed dramatic slides from floods in 2009 that ravaged the nearby Country Meadows community, after which six low-lying homes had to be condemned.

The Ruggles property, which sits partially in a flood plain, is largely undeveloped, and includes Rubes Creek, a tributary of Noonday Creek.

Part of the Cobb zoning staff’s recommendation of denial also included flood plain and water retention issues that residents said would grow worse.

“We get the runoff from everywhere,” Bergin said, referencing Lakewood Colony. “This is going to cause even more water to come down.”

In June, he said, the nearby Enchanted Woods community sustained some flooding damage, as did Country Meadows again during October rains.

“The flooding and the traffic impact are too hard to ignore,” he said.

Judy Williams, who represents District 3 on the planning commission, offered the board’s only comment on the matter: “There are so many problems. Flooding has been a problem here forever.”

The planning commission’s vote is only advisory; the Cobb Board of Commissioners will make the final decision on Nov. 21.

In another Northeast Cobb zoning case, however, the planning commission voted to recommend approval of a higher-density proposal on a smaller scale that still drew community opposition.

By a 4-1 vote, the planning commission endorsed a proposal by EAH Acquisitions to rezone 12 acres on Wigley Road at Jamerson Road for 19 single-family homes.

Residents from the Falconcrest and other neighborhoods spoke in opposition, mainly for traffic reasons, and pointed to other nearby zoning and development plans that are still in the works.

“It’s not a bad plan but it just not the right timing,” said resident Patrick Cahill. “There are a lot of issues in this area already.”

However, the strongest objection came from Thea Powell, the only planning commissioner who voted no. A former District 3 member on the Cobb commission, she also cited the Country Meadows flooding issue in regards to the EAH Acquisitions application.

The land sits in a 100-year floodplain and includes a stream that flows into Rubes Creek. While other planning commissioners liked the proposal, including the architectural features, Powell was adamant.

“It doesn’t matter what the house looks like,” she said. “It’s the impact on the area.”

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!

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