Cobb Water System probing Lake Allatoona wastewater spills

by

The Cobb County Water System announced Tuesday that it is investigating three separate instances of treated wastewater being released into Lake Allatoona in the last month that didn’t meet state environmental standards.Cobb Water System to ask for rate increase

A release issued through the Cobb government communications office said that there have been three readings of “out of specification test results” from wastewater released from the water system’s Northwest Water Reclamation Facility since late May.

A total of 7 million gallons of “out of spec” wastewater was spilled into the lake. When that happens, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division requires a public notice.

Cobb said last weekend that routine tests conducted last Thursday, Sunday and Monday revealed “out of spec” readings, and that immediate action was taken.

“The released wastewater, which was disinfected, poses no threat to our drinking water supplies. No cleanup or remediation is required,” the Cobb release said.

On Tuesday, Cobb County said the water system is continuing to determine the cause of the readings. which could come from “a contaminate introduced into the wastewater system that interferes with microorganisms used in the treatment process.

“Test results are pending, and crews are working to adjust the plant’s operations to prevent a repeat.”

Cobb is permitted to release 12 million gallons of treated wastewater daily into Lake Allatoona, the primary source of drinking water for Cobb County.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

Planning Commission OK’s farmer’s market at NE Cobb church

by
Planning Commission OK's farmer's market at NE Cobb church
The Blackwell Farmers Market held a grand opening June 22. (St. Andrew UMC Facebook page)

The Cobb Planning Commission on Tuesday recommended approval of a land-use permit for a church in Northeast Cobb to operate a weekly farmer’s market on its premises.

A consent item on the agenda said that zoning staff recommended approval of a temporary 24-month permit for St. Andrew United Methodist Church to run the market on Saturday mornings.

The Blackwell Farmers Market features local vendors selling produce, meats, breads, baked goods and other artisanal food items in a portion of the parking lot at the church (3455 Canton Road, at Blackwell Circle).

The hours would be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the agenda item stated expected business would be between 100 to 200 customers a week.

The market held a grand opening June 22 and is scheduled to continue through the end of September, with temporary 9-12 Saturday hours.

There are roughly 150 available parking spaces on the lot, and there would be no deliveries on the day of the market, according to the agenda item. Vendors bring their own food supplies.

St. Andrew said that between 3-6 volunteers oversee the market each week, and there is a dedicated manager on duty with specialized training.

According to an April 18 stipulation letter, Blackwells Farmers Market will not allow loudspeakers to be used when the market is open. Vendors also must comply with local food health regulations, and no open-flame cooking is allowed.

The church initially applied for the land-use permit in March.

“Committed to fostering a healthier, more connected neighborhood, our market thrives on providing fresh, locally-sourced foods while serving as a hub for the diverse families in our area,” the market said on its about page.

“With a dedication to offering wholesome options and supporting local growers, we aim to nourish both body and spirit.”

The Planning Commission’s recommendation goes to the Cobb Board of Commissioners, which will make a final decision on July 16.

Related stories

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

Delta Community opens applications for 2025 Philanthropic Fund

by

Submitted information:

Delta Community Credit Union philanthropic grants
Delta Community Credit Union Logo (PRNewsFoto/Delta Community Credit Union)

Delta Community Credit Union is now accepting grant applications for its 2025 Philanthropic Fund program. For the 12th year, the annual grant program will provide financial support to organizations that share Delta Community’s commitment to helping families manage their finances more effectively; improving the physical and financial well-being of young people; or enhancing educational and career opportunities for teens and adults. As Georgia’s largest credit union with more than $8.5 billion in assets, Delta Community looks forward to distributing a total of $150,000 to 20 nonprofit organizations throughout 2025.

“It is our privilege to support and invest in programs that positively impact the lives of metro Atlanta families,” said Hank Halter, Delta Community’s CEO. “As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, we operate under the ideal of good corporate citizenship and strive to strengthen the communities where our members live and work through our own direct efforts and by partnering with organizations that share our values and sense of responsibility.”

The application window closes on Aug. 30, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET. Applications must be submitted via the online portal at www.DeltaCommunityCU.com/PhilanthropicFund.

Since launching its Philanthropic Fund program in 2013, Delta Community has invested nearly $1.2 million in more than 220 organizations that offer educational opportunities, job and career training, and medical and human services support to families and individuals in need. In addition, Delta Community invests in local communities through scholarships, school partnerships and support for chambers of commerce and civic organizations. 

Related:

Cobb Chamber announces 2024-25 Leadership Cobb Class

by

Submitted information:Cobb Chamber annual golf tournament

Leadership Cobb, the Cobb Chamber’s premier leadership development program, has selected 60 new participants for the 2024-2025 class.

Founded in 1983, Leadership Cobb brings together diverse business and community leaders for a 10-month journey focused on personal and professional growth. The program accomplishes this through leadership training, teambuilding, and educational experiences highlighting our community’s greatest success stories and most significant ongoing challenges.

Congratulations to the members of the 2025 Class:

  • Benjamin Andrews, Advanced Technology Development Center
  • Eliese Bernard, Wellstar Health System
  • Melanie Brueggemann, Croy Engineering
  • Toby Carmichael, City of Acworth
  • Colt Chambers, The Alley Stage
  • Ollie Clemons, Jr, City of Austell
  • Elizabeth Colletti, Cobb Chamber of Commerce
  • Carl Crumbley, Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services
  • Denise Czarnik. Smyrna Public Safety Foundation
  • Sean Ditzel, Abernathy Ditzel Hendrick, LLC
  • Mariel Ellis, Gas South
  • Owen Farist, Gregory, Doyle, Calhoun & Rogers, LLC
  • Sean Ferrell, LGE Community Credit Union
  • Kellie Fletcher, BDR Partners
  • Rachel Franklin, Cobb & Douglas Public Health
  • Kim Franz, Cobb Travel & Tourism
  • Molly Gillis, Gillis Law Firm, LLC
  • Christopher Gulledge, Cobb County Government
  • BJ Haisten, Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC
  • Brad Humphrey, HNTB Corporation
  • Evan Ingram, Goshen Valley
  • Anthony Iorillo, CROFT & Associates, INC
  • Rich Jakob, Atlanta United FC
  • Earnest Johnson, Georgia Power Company
  • Chyeena Kellogg, Cultured Ag Inc.
  • Brittany Lambert, Walton Communities, LLC
  • Adebola Lamikanra, Genuine Parts Company
  • AikWah Leow, Cobb County District Attorney’s Office
  • Alyssa Liguori, Northside Hospital
  • J.D. Lorens, Cobb County Department of Transportation
  • BJ Martin, W&A Engineering
  • Jesus Martinez, Peach Tree Commercial Capital, LLC
  • Jenn McNeely, Delta Air Lines
  • Lisa Mello, LiveSafe Resources
  • Stephanie Meyer, Chattahoochee Technical College
  • Cheryl Morgan, Dobbins Air Reserve Base
  • Stacey Nicely, Atlanta Braves
  • Angela Orange, Marietta City Schools
  • Nehemiah Pace, Atlanta Falcons Football Club
  • Ashley Palmer, Cobb County State Court
  • Kirstin Popper, kirpop
  • Kevin Pounds, MUST Ministries
  • Troy Refuge, Refuge Law, PLLC | DTSpade Specialized Real Estate
  • Keisha Register, City of Marietta
  • Nick Rider, Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC
  • Rico Short, Apex Endodontics P.C
  • Rick Shumpert, Kennesaw Police Department
  • Douglas Simmons, Cox Communications
  • Kelli Spearman, Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP
  • Alina Stevens, All-Pro Pest Services, Inc
  • Casey Tanner, Kennesaw State University
  • Eric Trehern, The Home Depot
  • Joy Ugi, American Council of Engineering Companies Georgia
  • Naporsha Valentine, Allstate – Law Office of Marcus A. Blackwell
  • Danny Vander Maten, Cresa
  • Gretchen Walton, Cobb County School District
  • Chris Wasserman, Wasserman Talent Solutions
  • Chad Williams, GB’s Lake & Stable
  • Jen Willis, Summit Heating and Air
  • Nick Winbus, Dallas Smith & Company, LLC

Jennifer New, Mount Paran Christian School, and Greg Mize, The Atlanta Braves, will be Co-Chairs for the 2024-2025 program year. Joyette Holmes, Georgia State Board of Pardons & Paroles, and Eddie Wade, Croy Engineering, will be the Vice Co-Chairs for the 2024-2025 program year. The 2024-2025 class theme is “Bring It Home.”

The Leadership Cobb class of 2025’s Yearlong Presenting Sponsor is Kennesaw State University Executive MBA & MBA Programs; and Legacy Sponsors are Genuine Parts Company, Croy Engineering, Mauldin & Jenkins, Accounting Consultants of Cobb, and Johnson & Alday, LLC. For more information about Leadership Cobb, contact Kai Lawrence at 770-859-2346 or klawrence@cobbchamber.org.

Related posts:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

 

July fishing rodeos return to Hyde Farm, Ebenezer Downs Park

by

Submitted information:Ebenezer Downs fishing rodeo

Round up your gear and saddle up for the annual Cobb PARKS Fishing Rodeo. You have four chances to cast your line at our fishing ponds. Catch the big one and earn bragging rights. Winners will be awarded at each event.
Parents – just register the kids who are fishing, $5 per child.
Bring your own gear, bait, water, snacks, etc.

All events are 9 – 11 a.m., rain or shine.
🐟 Hyde Farm Park ( registration code #38598) Saturday, July 6 (East Cobb)
🐟 Lost Mountain Park (registration code #38597) Saturday, July 13 (West Cobb)
🐟 Ebenezer Downs Park (registration code #38599) Saturday, July 20 (North Cobb)
🐟 Furr Family Park (registration code #38600) Saturday, July 27 (South Cobb)

 

More information and registration here.

 

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

East Cobb Biz Scene: Honors for The Music Studio Atlanta

by

The Music Studio Atlanta, which has a location in East Cobb, has been named the 2024 School of the Year by Music Academy Success, the largest international coaching organization dedicated to music academy owners.

Honors for The Music Studio Atlanta
Cecilia Rowe, The Music Studio Atlanta

“We are so pleased and humbled to have been awarded with these three incredible honors in the past few weeks!” said Cecilia Rowe, owner and founder of The Music Studio Atlanta. “We have been committed to the highest quality music instruction for over three decades. I believe the unique combination of top-notch teachers, our proprietary reward curriculum and decades of experience has helped us reach this level of recognition,”

The Music Studio Atlanta was among 10 schools nationwide nominated for the Music Academy Success distinguished School of the Year award, a select group chosen from a collection of 500 national candidates. This nomination is a testament to those schools that have demonstrated exceptional performance and dedication to music education.

The Cobb Chamber also has recognized The Music Studio as one of the Top 25 Small Businesses of the Year in May.

Doctors’ honors

Dr. Arun Chervu, Vascular Surgical Associates

Four physicians from Vascular Surgical Associates rank among Atlanta’s Top Doctors in Atlanta magazine’s July issue, including one at the practice’s East Cobb location.

They include Dr. Arun Chervu, who is among the more than 1,200 physicians on the publication’s 2024 list.

Physicians are asked to nominate fellow physicians they deem the best in their field of practice. Many votes were cast honoring excellence in all fields of medicine. The featured doctors were screened and selected through the verification of licensing and review of any infractions through applicable boards, agencies, and rating services.

Chervu is a partner at Vascular Surgical Associates, PC in Marietta. He received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at Princeton University, graduating magna cum laude, and received his Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University Medical College. He completed his surgical residency and fellowship at UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Chervu’s hospital appointments include Wellstar Kennestone Hospital and Wellstar Cobb Hospital. He is actively involved in clinical research and is director of clinical trials for Vascular Surgical Associates.

ECBA events in July

The guest speaker at the July luncheon of the East Cobb Business Association is Tim Ashmore of Ashmore Management Consulting LLC.

The topic: “Protect Your Business. How to Avoid Employment Landmines.” The event is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 16 at Rich Hart Global Studios  (2030 Powers Ferry Road, Suite 270).

The Professional Women of East Cobb will hold its monthly luncheon on July 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at J. Christopher’s (1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 115). The speaker is a group member who speaks about personal journeys in business.

The registration cost for both luncheons includes lunch.

The July ECBA Lunch & Learn event is also at the same J. Christopher’s, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on July 23. This month, an ECBA Mastermind Round Table will be held in a workshop format with group participation and opportunities to leverage the experiences of other business owners.

The Rich Hart Global Studios is the venue for the President’s Club Toastmasters meetings on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Wednesdays of each month, from 7-9 p.m.

The ECBA’s free weekly networking event is held every Friday at the IHOP (3130 Johnson Ferry Road) from 7:30-9 a.m. You pay for whatever food and drink you wish.

For information on registration fees and other ECBA events, click here.

Other Biz Association News

The East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce next meets on Friday, Aug. 8.

It’s the organization’s annual pigskin preview, featuring the head football coaches of the six public high schools in East Cobb (Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler).

The breakfast event is from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Indian Hills Country Club (4001 Clubland Drive), and you can purchase tickets by clicking here.

Online registrations and refunds close on Aug. 5/

The Northeast Cobb Business Association is on hiatus until August.

Related posts:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

East Cobb residential real estate sales, June 10-14, 2024

by
Blackwell Road, East Cobb real estate sales
Blackwell Road

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records. They include the street address, subdivision name, high school attendance zone and sales price:

June 10

718 Trevett Way, 30062 (The Gates at Hamilton Grove, Marietta): $431,879

3731 Northpoint Court, 30062 (Spring Wood, Lassiter): $665,000

3243 Talimore Circle, 30066 (Northampton, Lassiter): $820,000

3333 Sewell Mill Road, 30062 (Walton): $1.6 million

2831 Bentwood Drive, 30062 (Saddle Ridge Lake, Pope): $600,000

2809 Meadow Drive, 30062 (Rising Sun, Pope): $700,000

3708 Thornwood Way, 30062 (Country Woods, Lassiter): $465,000

1056 Swaying Pines Trace, 30066 (Thornbrook, Sprayberry): $427,000

1800 Jacksons Creek Drive, 30068 (Jacksons Creek—The Bluffs, Walton): $640,000

24 Parkside Circle, 30068 (Riverside at Mulberry Farms, Walton): $750,000

4996 Meadow Lane, 30068 (The Meadows Condos, Walton): $337,500

June 11

5 Ashleigh Terrace, 30062 (Heartwood, Pope): $490,000

2680 South Arbor Drive, 30066 (Arbor Bridge, Lassiter): $633,000

2116 North Sound Trail, 30066 (North Landing, Kell): $290,000

June 12

2309 Sunny Day Drive, 30062 (Piedmont Crossing, Sprayberry): $826,000

2770 Burtz Drive, 30068 (East Valley Estates, Wheeler): $650,000

3111 Randall Drive, 30066 (Russell Plantation Estates, Sprayberry): $337,000

4110 Manor House Drive, 30066 (Marlanta, Pope): $455,500

968 Saint Lyonn Courts, 30068 (St. Lyonn, Walton): $1.725 million

611 Serramonte Drive, 30068 (Villas at Parkaire, Walton): $325,000

4761 Sologne Court, 30068 (Lafayette Square, Walton): $869,000

June 13

4098 McCleskey Drive, 30066 (Greenland, Kell): $305,000

2188 Carefree Circle, Unit 7, 30062 (The Crossings of East Cobb, Sprayberry): $375,000

321 Somerset Lane, 30067 (Somerset, Wheeler): $790,000

1485 Pleasant View Circle, 30062 (Sewell Mill Heights, Walton): $850,000

3168 Plains Way, 30066 (The Plains, Sprayberry):$400,000

June 14

3110 West Somerset Court, 30067 (Somerset, Wheeler): $850,000

305 Yancy Drive, 30067 (Hamby Acres, Wheeler): $310,000

124 Rhodes Drive, 30068 (East Valley Estates, Wheeler): $565,000

22 Heatherleigh Court, 30068 (Heatherleigh, Wheeler): $960,000

4070 Clubland Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $875,000

2430 Mitchell Road, 30062 (Post Oak Square, Pope): $595,000

2855 Wendy Springs Court, 30062 (Post Oak Springs, Pope): $645,000

2935 Carolyn Street, 30062 (Rolling Acres, Pope): $505,000

3148 Cherbourg Court, 30062 (Dorset, Pope): $660,000

1700 Blackwell Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): $1.5 million

1531 Waterford Court, 30068 (Willow Point, Walton): $637,300)

735 Olde Towne Lane, 30068 (Hamptons of Olde Towne, Walton): $475,000

1802 Urquart Court, 30068 (Chadds Lake, Pope): $1 million

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

July 4 celebrations in Cobb: Where and how to celebrate

by

The City of Marietta is the focal point of July 4 public festivities in Cobb County with its “Let Freedom Ring” parade, followed by the “4th In the Park” celebration at the Marietta Square.Cobb fireworks New Year's Eve

More than 100 groups are taking part in the parade, which starts at 10 a.m. Thursday at Roswell Street and Victory Drive. The route continues west along Roswell Street to the Square, then heads up Cherokee Street and ends at the Cobb 911 building on North Marietta Parkway.

Marietta Police said that road closures along the parade route will begin at 9:15 a.m. Spectators are asked not to sit on the walls of the Marietta National Cemetery or stand on headstones.

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the day, also per MPD:

  • 10:00 AM until 9:00 PM Festival in the park activities (art/craft vendors, food trucks, concession stands, carnival games and kids play areas with large inflatables etc.)

  • 12:00 Concert featuring Scott Thompson

  • 2:00pm Bell Ringing Ceremony

  • 2:30pm Concert featuring The Atlanta Concert Band

  • 7:00pm Concert Featuring The Tulani

  • 8:00pm Concert Featuring Savannah Jack

  • Dark (somewhere around 9:30 PM) FIREWORKS!

More here from the city’s July 4 website, including a parking map.

Police said the fireworks will be launched from the First United Methodist Church parking lot, which as a result of state law will be unavailable for parking the whole day.

Road surrounding the square also will be closed all day Thursday, although nearby parking decks will be available.

No fireworks can be used on the decks, nor are open alcohol containers and consumption allowed there as wll.

Some other traveling tips from police, given the traffic restrictions:

  • Parking will be challenging, especially with the First United Methodist Church parking lot closed.  PLEASE CONSIDER USING A RIDE SHARE SERVICE.

  • UBER/LYFT drivers will take you anywhere, but the city has DESIGNATED an easy intersection to give YOU quick access with limited walking as well as give the drivers easy access so they can keep moving and minimize your ride costs.  PLEASE use the intersection of Lawrence Street and Waddell Street as your drop off and pick up locations.

  • It is supposed to be ABOVE normal temperatures, please stay hydrated and plan accordingly.

  • Pets can NOT cool off as quickly as you can. PLEASE keep them hydrated and guard against having them standing for too long on hot pavement.

Other nearby communities will be having their own July 4 events, including the City of Roswell, the City of Sandy Springs and the City of Woodstock.

Cobb Travel and Tourism has more options, including celebrations in Acworth, Kennesaw and Six Flags.

For those wishing to set off their own fireworks, Cobb County government sent out a reminder this week that fireworks may be discharged until midnight both Wednesday, July 3, and Thursday, July 4.

Here’s more from the county about when and where you can use fireworks, and other restrictions and safety tips:

Fireworks and other pyrotechnics are prohibited at all county parks. This includes historic sites, recreational areas or state property. It is illegal to use them within 100 yards of an electric plant, water or wastewater treatment plant, gas station, refinery, electric substation, jail, helipad, hospital, nursing home or other health care facility.You must be 18 or older to purchase or ignite fireworks. It is illegal to let young children play with them.

For more information click here.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

East Cobb Food Scores: Seed; Stem; Peach State Pizza; more

by

Seed Kitchen and Bar, East Cobb food scores

The following food scores have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

3 Colors Asian Kitchen
2060 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 160
June 24, 2024 Score: 99, Grade: A

Chick-Fil-A
2530 Sandy Plains Road
June 27, 2024 Score: 100, Grade: A

Giga-Bites Cafe
1851 Roswell Road
June 27, 2024 Score: 98, Grade: A

Jerusalem Bakery and Grill
1175 Franklin Gateway
June 25, 2024 Score: 91, Grade: A

KFC/Taco Bell
2540 Delk Road
June 26, 2024 Score: 98, Grade: A

Peach State Pizza
4475 Roswell Road, Suite 1700
June 26, 2024 Score: 87, Grade: B

Seed Kitchen & Bar
1311 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 504
June 25, 2024 Score: 90, Grade: A

Stem Wine Bar
1311 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 516
June 25, 2024 Score: 96, Grade: A

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

Proposed Cobb FY 2025 $1.27B budget raises property taxes

by

Proposed Cobb FY 2025 $1.27B budget holds line on tax rates

The proposed Cobb County government budget of $1.27 billion for fiscal year 2025 won’t be raising any property tax rates.

But it won’t be scaling them back, so due to rising property assessments, that constitutes a tax increase according to state law.

Following a budget presentation Tuesday afternoon at a the Cobb Board of Commissioners work session, the county announced the proposed increase, and laid out the schedule for budget and millage rate hearings in July.

The budget includes a $41.3 million increase in the general fund, mostly due to recurring expenses pertaining to raises in the step-and-grade salary structures for public safety personnel.

That represents two-thirds of that additional general fund revenue, which stems from an estimated net Cobb tax digest growth of around 6 percent.

That’s down from 2023, when the tax digest grew by more than 12 percent.

The current adopted FY 2024 general budget is $898 million, and is proposed to rise to $961 million, holding the line at 8.46 mills.

(You can read the details of the budget presentation by clicking here.)

The property tax revenues in the proposed budget are a 9 percent increase from fiscal year 2024.

The overall proposed budget includes $63.7 million in new spending, with an additional $14.7 million for the fire fund, with a proposed millage rate to remain the same at 2.99 mills.

Only five new positions would be created in the FY 2025 budget, whittled down from 382 requests for new jobs from department heads.

Also in the proposed budget is a reduction in the amount of Cobb Water System revenues to the general fund, from six percent to five percent.

Commissioners didn’t discuss the budget proposal at the work session, except to ask a few questions.

Last year, citizens pleaded with commissioners to roll back the millage rage to offset higher property assessments, citing inflation and other rising daily living expenses.

But the 3-2 vote to adopt the budget without tax rate cuts was along partisan lines, with the Democratic majority saying the additional revenues are needed to address chronic county government staffing shortages.

At a commission meeting Tuesday night, some citizens protested the FY 2025 proposed budget for similar reasons as a year ago.

“Citizens in the county are running out of money,” Marietta resident Tracy Stevenson said. “I hear it from a lot of people all the time. Nobody’s happy about it.”

He referenced a proposed stormwater fee and a transit tax referendum in November as potential additional burdens on taxpayers.

“There is no end to it—the bloodlust for the taxpaying dollar is phenomenal.”

Formal public hearings on the proposed FY 2025 budget will take place July 9 at 9 a.m., July 16 at 6:30 p.m. and July 23 at 7 p.m.

Adoption of the budget and the proposed millage rates is scheduled for July 23 at 7 p.m.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

 

 

Wrong-way Trickum Road crash sends three to the hospital

by

Cobb Police said Tuesday that an elderly man sustained serious injuries and two other people had minor injuries after a two-vehicle crash Monday on Trickum Road.Cobb Police, Holly Springs Road suspicious person, East Cobb crime forum

Public Information Officer Aaron Wilson said Paul Borts, 84, was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with serious injuries in the crash, which took place at 8:48 a.m. Monday on Trickum Road at Timberbrook Trace.

Police said Borts, of a Northeast Cobb address, was driving a 2016 red Chevrolet Malibu in a southbound direction on Trickum near the intersection when the vehicle was struck by a 2023 white Chevrolet Express van, which had been traveling northbound but veered into the southbound lane.

Wilson said the Malibu spun around and the Express van traveled northbound before both vehicles came to a stop on Trickum.

The two passengers in the van, driver Edward Jural, 33, of Dunwoody, and Penny Grigalanz 47, of Marietta, an occupant, also were taken to Kennestone with minor injuries, according to police, who said an investigation into the crash is ongoing.

Anyone with information is requested to contact the Cobb County Police Department at 770-499-3987.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

Trump campaign volunteer group opens East Cobb office

by

A new voter initiative by the presidential campaign of former President Donald Trump, Trump Force 47, opened an office in East Cobb this week.Trump campaign volunteer group opening East Cobb office

An opening event took place Wednesday at the office, located at 2440 Sandy Plains Road, Building 10.

Trump Force 47 is a canvassing effort to mobilize volunteers to get out the vote for Trump in key battleground states. A similar field office is opening this week in Woodstock, and others are rolling out in other states where the presidential race is expected to be competitive.

The statewide Trump Force 47 effort is organized by the Republican National Committee and the Georgia Republican Party.

The Trump Force 47 organization was created after Trump’s guilty verdict in a hush-money trial in New York last month. One estimate by the campaign claimed it raised $35 million after the conviction.

Trump has been lagging behind Biden’s campaign in fundraising, but a recent report says the Trump campaign now has more cash on hand.

The Cobb field office for Trump opens shortly after the Biden campaign opened a Cobb office near Kennestone Hospital in Marietta.

Georgia is expected to be a decisive factor in presidential voting, especially metro Atlanta suburbs that once were strongly Republican. The candidates held their first debate Wednesday in Atlanta in an event organized by CNN.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris has been campaigning frequently in Georgia in recent weeks, and polls released last week had Trump leading Biden 45-41 percent in the state.

Cobb has been a focal point, after being strongly Republican since the 1980s. Hillary Clinton and Biden have won the county in 2016 and 2020, with parts of East Cobb and West Cobb favoring Trump.

Biden defeated Trump in Georgia in 2020 by fewer than 12,000 votes, according to certified results. But Trump and some Georgia Republicans have disputed those figures, claiming election fraud.

Trump and other defendants have been indicted in Fulton County on charges of racketeering activities to attempt to illegally overturn the Georgia results.

Trump is trying to get Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis disqualified, and his case has been put on hold temporarily.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

Mountain View Aquatic Center to close for renovations

by

Mountain View Aquatic Center to close for renovations

Starting July 1, the Mountain View Aquatic Center (2650 Gordy Parkway) will be closed for three months for scheduled renovations.

The work includes resurfacing pools and painting work and is part of $4.5 million in improvements to Cobb PARKS facilities in the 2022 Cobb SPLOST (Special-Purpose Local-Option Sales Tax).

Related projects include renovations at the Cobb County Central Aquatic Center in Marietta, which is reopening July 1 after three months of renovations. The West Cobb Aquatic Center in Powder Springs also reopened in April after renovations.

The scheduled reopening for the Mountain View Aquatic Center is Oct. 1.

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

Walton HS student at Troop 565 earns Eagle Scout designation

by

Walton HS student at Troop 565 earns Eagle Scout designation

Submitted information and photos:

Theodore Adams Thomas of East Cobb, a student at Walton High School, has earned the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers to Scouts, the Eagle Scout Award.

Thomas was recognized in ceremonies on Sunday, May 16, 5:00 pm at the Eastminster Presbyterian Church. A member of Troop 565 at Eastminster, Thomas is one of approximately 4 percent of all Scouts who attain the Eagle rank.

Each candidate must earn 21 merit badges and successfully complete a community, church, or synagogue-related service project to earn their Eagle; Thomas chose to improve the safety and quality of life of school children and neighbors in the Timber Ridge Elementary School zone by creating a path to school on Highway 120 frontage at the intersection of Highway 120 and Bishop Lake Road. Previously, the stretch of road was occupied by shrubbery behind a guardrail which prevented pedestrian traffic and forced anyone transiting the area to walk in the roadway on a very busy section of Highway 120/Roswell Road.

Thomas organized the removal of the shrubbery and laying a mulch path through coordination with the Georgia Department of Transportation, St. Anne’s Catholic Church, and 36 volunteers who assisted him in the labor. Thomas has served as Senior Patrol Leader, Chaplain’s Aid, and Scribe.

Honors he has received include Arrow of Light, Silver Explorer, 50-Miler, Gold Palm, and he holds the record for the mile swim at Camp Woodruff. Thomas joins other outstanding American citizens who have become Eagle Scouts, among them former President Gerald R. Ford, Jr., astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, cinematographer Steven Spielberg, and the head of the F.B.I., William Sessions.

Thomas is a member of Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation. He is Captain of Walton Swim and Dive, the defending 7A state champions, and active in the Engineering Honors Society, RPG Club, and E-Sports at Walton High School, where he is a Senior. He also swims with the Stingrays Swimming Club.

He is the son of Dominic and Elizabeth Thomas of Marietta and in interested in pursuing engineering and a career in military automotive technology.

Walton HS student at Troop 565 earns Eagle Scout designation

Walton HS student at Troop 565 earns Eagle Scout designation

Related:

East Cobb residential real estate sales, June 3-7, 2024

by
Highland Park, East Cobb real estate sales
Highland Park

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records. They include the street address, subdivision name, high school attendance zone and sales price:

June 3

1103 Glen Ivy, 30062 (Glen Ivy Townhomes, Marietta): $389,000

2901 Brandl Cove Court, 30067 (Brandl Cove Condos, Wheeler): $455,000

4471 Leesburg Road, 30066 (The Grove at Highland Pointe, Lassiter): $1.325 million

1831 Wilkenson Crossing, 30066 (St. Charles Square, Sprayberry): $585,000

3425 Hallmark Drive, 30067 (Terrell Mill Estates, Wheeler): $839,900

2447 Kingsley Drive, 30062 (Newcastle, Pope): $585,000

4687 Township Court, 30066 (Jefferson Township, Lassiter): $805,000

June 4

714 Trevett Way, 30062 (The Gates at Hamilton Grove, Marietta): $435,908

3130 Greenwood Trail, 30067 (Stratford, Wheeler): $584,000

1466 Logan Circle, 30062 (Providence Square, Walton): $682,000

1810 Kinridge Road, 30062 (Sandy Plains Estates, Sprayberry): $338,000

2127 Lamplight Drive, 30062 (Chadds Walk, Pope): $660,000

2582 Oak Village Court, 30062 (Post Oak Village, Sprayberry): $550,000

3311 Allegheny Drive, 30066 (North Chestnut Grove, Sprayberry): $600,000

3691 Edenbourgh Place, 30066 (Highland Park, Lassiter): $770,000

5206 Weatherwood Trace, 30068 (Willow Point, Walton): $905,000

4568 Pond Lane, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $975,000

June 5

2821 Prado Lane, 30066 (Enclave at Laura Creek, Sprayberry): $530,000

1325 Glenover Way, 30062 (The East Worthington, Marietta): $405,000

1621 Rex Drive, 30066 (Village North, Sprayberry): $376,000

2838 Baccurate Drive, 30062 (Covington Ridge, Pope): $975,000

2575 North Arbor Trail, 30066 (Arbor Bridge, Lassiter): $610,000

5150 Hampton Lake Drive, 30068 (Hampton Lake, Walton): $795,000

June 6

5247 River Mill Circle, 30066 (Chattahoochee Heights, Walton): $1.6 million

901 Highbury Lane, 30066 (Viviane Park, Walton): $1.15 million

2650 Princess Lane, 30067 (Smithstone, Wheeler): $560,000

1665 Paddlewheel Drive, 30062 (Wellcrest Townhomes, Wheeler): $295,000

1474 Shadowrock Drive, 30062 (Woodstream, Sprayberry): $515,000

1809 Ardsley Drive, 30062 (Cedar Hill Estates, Pope): $675,000

2614 Murdock Road, 30062 (Ashley Hall, Pope): $756,000

3162 Oak Springs Way, 30066 (Oak Creek Estates, Sprayberry): $565,000

4964 Turtle Rock Drive, 30066 (Turtle Rock Lassiter): $430,000

1166 Lake Colony Drive, 30068 (Lake Colony, Walton): $716,500

June 7

711 Suholdon Circle, 30066 (Overlook at Hilltop Drive, Sprayberry): $925,000

489 Guilford Circle, 30068 (Hanover Woods, Wheeler): $625,000

738 Princeton Mill Run, 30068 (Princeton Mill, Wheeler): $675,000

1165 Gray Squirrel Crossing, 30062 (Providence Corners, Walton): $560,529

2101 Meadowind Lane, 30062 (Saddle Ridge Downs, Pope): $575,000

1383 Shadowood Court, 30066 (Noonday Hills, Sprayberry): $450,000

2444 Mountain View School Road, 30066 (Shallowford-Trickum Crossroads, Lassiter): $366,000

3277 Whitfield Drive, 30062 (Whitfield, Lassiter): $535,000

4813 Woodspring Drive, 30066 (Tremont, Kell): $500,000

4773 Old Timber Ridge Road, 30066 (Lake Crest Estates, Walton): $1.34 million

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

Cobb to consider moratorium on issuing health spa licenses

by

Cobb to consider six-month moratorium on new health spas

The Cobb Board of Commissioners will be asked next week to adopt a six-month moratorium on issuing licenses for health spas in order to make possible changes to county ordinances.

An agenda item for a business meeting Tuesday night referenced “a growing problem with illegal and illicit activities at health spas including various code violations, prostitution and human trafficking.”

The agenda item (you can read it here) didn’t specify any incidents, but the proposed measure comes shortly after the county fined the owner of an East Cobb health spa for several violations and a review board approved a suspension of its health spa license.

While the state oversees the licensing of massage therapists in Georgia, local governments regulate the businesses.

According to county documents, Cobb business license compliance officials, as well as an investigator from the Cobb Police Department, inspected Peace Spa at 4994 Lower Roswell Road in April after receiving a complaint from a different agency “stating the possibility of sexual activities being offered.”

A summary of a Cobb License Review Board show cause hearing in May (you can read it here) said that the business, which has a license to run a health spa with massage services, didn’t have a state-licensed therapist or designated manager on the premises during business hours, which is required by law.

The only staff person who was there when inspectors arrived was a woman who was not included on an official list of Peace Spa employees, according to the show cause summary.

The owner, Xiangnan Zhang, is a state-licensed therapist, but had gone home temporarily. The summary said she was cited for three violations, including not filing an employee list with the county, not recording treatments provided and allowing unlicensed persons to provide massage therapy services.

(You can read the county code regulations on health spas by clicking here.)

The summary said Zhang pleaded guilty to the charges in Cobb Magistrate Court and paid the fines, and that the Cobb License Review Board voted to impose a two-week suspension of Peace Spa’s health spa license.

But the report, which said Zhang took over the business from a previous owner in January, did not detail any illicit activities. It said that Zhang apologized for the violations and said she would be hiring a licensed massage therapist to help with the business.

At their June 11 meeting, commissioners were to have considered a withdrawal of a request to review the suspension.

But that matter was pulled from the consent agenda with Commissioner Jerica Richardson saying it was to come back for a hearing.

Cobb’s proposed 180-day moratorium would follow similar action by the City of Roswell, which last year twice paused issuing new health spa licenses.

Undercover police discovered what they alleged was a network of prostitution and human trafficking activities at several health spas, and the city council voted to close seven of them during the moratorium.

An AJC news report indicated the health spas in Roswell were “operating without valid licenses and had either been previously closed or changed ownership as a way to continue operating illegally.”

In the agenda item for Tuesday’s meeting, Cobb Community Services Director Jessica Guinn said that “this is a serious concern for the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public. Community Development and Public Safety have determined that the illicit health spa establishments are evading code and law enforcement; therefore, a temporary moratorium will provide a necessary opportunity to review the Cobb County Code to enhance regulations and strengthen protections to the public by suspending any health spa applications and further reviewing this regulatory process.”

You can read the proposed resolution for the moratorium by clicking here.

The agenda item is on the commission’s consent agenda; the meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building (100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta).

The full agenda can be found by clicking here.

You also can watch on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

National Charity League of East Cobb volunteers on Impact Day

by

National Charity League of East Cobb volunteers on Impact Day

Submitted information and photos:

On a 100 degree day, 105 members of the National Charity League (NCL) of East Cobb gathered at St. Ann Catholic Church for the 2nd Annual Impact Day. The event aimed to benefit The Sandwich Project, a nonprofit fighting food insecurity in Metro Atlanta. NCL East Cobb’s mission is to foster mother-daughter relationships in a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. Lexi Bretl, a 2027 Ticktocker (daughter), said the day left her with “a great feeling of giving back to our community, and it was neat seeing everybody come together to make so many sandwiches!”

After a brief membership meeting, Silke Shilling, Former VP of Philanthropy, led the group through a Roots of Hunger Activity geared toward helping the young ladies understand the concept of how the greatest difficulties with food insecurity isn’t the lack of food, but rather the inequality of distribution and accessibility. The Ticktockers were given a brown bag with a various number of snacks in them upon their arrival. At Mrs. Shilling’s direction, they opened the bags to find that they did not all get the same amount. “It felt unfair not to get the same amount of food as my neighbor,” said Brooklyn Paulin, a 2026 Ticktocker.

The 60 Ticktockers were then tasked with equitably distributing the snacks to everybody in the room. The chaos in the room, as Mrs. Shilling pointed out, is what many food programs and families face trying to get the correct amount of food into the hands of those in need. She continued with some statistics that 1 in 8 Georgians, including 500,000+ children and numerous households with veterans, are affected by food insecurity. Miss Paulin said that “the event deepened my understanding and interest in world hunger. It also helped me understand the complexities of the food distribution system and of fixing the issue of equal food distribution.”

The Sandwich Project, established in 2020 in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19, is a nonprofit organization with a network of volunteers who make and deliver fresh, homemade sandwiches to people experiencing food insecurity throughout Metro Atlanta. With over 4,000 volunteers and more than 30 collection sites, they serve over 60 charities. Since June of 2021, NCL East Cobb has contributed an impressive 46,646 sandwiches to The Sandwich Project. Additionally, fifteen of our mother-daughter duos or trios from NCL East Cobb have generously donated over 625 sandwiches each.

Finally, with the generous support of Whole Foods Merchants Walk, Publix Charities, and Costco Perimeter, the members of NCL East Cobb demonstrated their commitment by making a total of 1,645 nutritious sandwiches! This more than doubles the sandwiches made at NCL’s first Impact Day last year. In an email to the chapter, Silke Shilling confirmed that the sandwiches were distributed the following day to the Community Assistance Center and St. Vincent de Paul Society, and will most likely be all eaten by Monday the 17th!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all NCL East Cobb members for their participation and a special thank you to the individual members who dedicated extra time to make this initiative a resounding success!

For more information about NCL East Cobb, please visit https://www.nationalcharityleague.org/chapter/eastcobb/
For more information about The Sandwich Project, please visit https://www.thesandwichproject.org/.

National Charity League of East Cobb volunteers on Impact Day

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

East Cobb Food Scores: Five Guys; Howlin’ Willy’s; more

by

East Cobb Five Guys

The following food scores have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Chili’s
4111 Roswell Road
June 20, 2024 Score: 87, Grade: B

Five Guys
4269 Roswell Road, Building 200
June 11, 2024 Score: 100, Grade: A

Howlin’ Willy’s Hot Chicken
4250 Roswell Road, Suite 600
June 12, 2024 Score: 91, Grade: A

Los Abuelos Mexican Grill
1420 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 117
June 11, 2024 Score: 90, Grade: A

Mazzy’s Sports Bar & Grill
2217 Roswell Road, Suite A-200
June 21, 2024 Score: 90, Grade: A

Starbucks
2135 Roswell Road
June 21, 2024 Score: 100, Grade: A

The Superfood Company
2550 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 325
June 11, 2024 Score: 99, Grade: A

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

 

Justin Ross Harris freed from Ga. prison, back in Cobb jail

by

Nearly two years after having his murder conviction overturned in the “hot car” death of his young son, Justin Ross Harris has been released from a Georgia prison.Justin Ross Harris freed from Ga. prison, back in Cobb jail

But he’s been transferred to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, where he is to finish serving a sentence on other related charges.

The Georgia Department of Corrections announced that Harris, now 43, was released from the Macon State Prison on Sunday, Father’s Day.

That’s where he had been since Dec. 2016, after being convicted by a Glynn County jury for the death of his 22-month-old son, Cooper.

Harris left the boy in his vehicle in June 2014 while he worked as a web developer for Home Depot in Vinings. He said during his trial that he forgot about the child, but prosecutors allege he wanted to kill his son to get out of a troubled marriage.

The boy was pronounced dead of hypothermia after being inside of Harris’ SUV for several hours, as temperatures rose above 100 degrees.

The jury in Brunswick, in Glynn County—the trial was moved to the Georgia coast due to pretrial publicity—returned a guilty verdict, and Harris was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

He also received 12 more years for misdemeanor charges of criminal attempt to commit sexual exploitation of a minor and distributing harmful materials to minors.

During the trial, Cobb prosecutors presented evidence about Harris’ extramarital activities and sexually lewd activities and communications with girls and women.

Harris’ lawyers claimed that including that evidence was prejudicial, but Judge Mary Staley Clark rejected those objections, as well as their motion for a new trial after the conviction.

In June 2022, the Georgia Supreme Court overturned the conviction, saying that the sexual offenses should have been tried separately from the murder charge.

Last May, Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady said his office would not retry Harris because “crucial motive evidence that was admitted at the first trial in 2016 is no longer available to the State due to the majority decision of the Supreme Court.”

Prosecutors who tried the case under former DA Vic Reynolds have been critical of Broady’s action, as has Sonya Allen, a deputy district attorney in Fulton County.

She defeated Broady in the May 21 Democratic primary and is running unopposed in the November general election.

Allen cited the Harris case as among her reasons for running and indicated that if elected she may conduct a review for a possible retrial.

According to Cobb Sheriff’s Office records, Harris was booked in the Cobb jail Sunday, on two misdemeanor counts of distribution of obscene materials to minors, a sentence that has two years remaining.

He served 10 years in state prison for a conviction of sexual exploitation of a child.

Related:

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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

 

Cobb Commissioner District 2 Democratic runoff results

by

Cobb Commissioner District 2 Democratic runoff results

Updated, 10:24 pm:

According to final, unofficial results, Howard received 73 percent of the vote with all 37 precincts reporting.

Howard tallied 1,738 votes to 641 for Whorton, and he won 35 of the 37 precincts.

The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office has updated results at this link. They must be certified by the Cobb Board of Elections.

Howard advances to the November general election, but it is unclear what the District 2 boundaries will look like and who the Republican candidate may be.

For the primary and runoff, District 2 included a good portion of East Cobb, but the electoral maps are under a legal dispute that could change them.

There was a hearing Thursday in Cobb Superior Court before Judge Kellie Hill on that matter. Afterwards, the Cobb Board of Elections asked for a delay in the District 2 and District 4 commission general elections slated for November, until after the matter is resolved in the courts.

Democratic first-term Commissioner Jerica Richardson was drawn out of her seat during legislative reapportionment in 2022, and she and her Democratic colleagues are observing maps drawn by the Cobb delegation, citing “home rule” powers that apply to local governments.

Most of East Cobb was included in the legislative maps in District 3, which is represented by Republican JoAnn Birrell, who was re-elected to a fourth term in 2022.

Richardson opted to run for the 6th Congressional District, but was routed in the May 21 primary by incumbent Democrat Lucy McBath.

In the District 2 maps being observed by the Cobb commissioners and Cobb Elections Board, the only Republican to qualify is Pamela Reardon, a local GOP activist.

In the legislative map, Reardon lives in District 3 and could be disqualified if those boundaries change.

But another Republican, Alicia Adams of the Kennesaw area, is challenging the county-observed maps after being disqualified. She filed to run according to the District 2 legislative maps.

But East Cobb Democratic activist Mindy Seger challenged her qualification based on residency requirements, and the Cobb Elections Board concurred.

Adams has appealed that decision in Cobb Superior Court. Hill asked for oral arguments following a recent decision by the Georgia Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two Cobb residents against the county “home rule” maps.

Another Cobb judge, Ann Harris, ruled in January that the county maps were unconstitutional, saying only the legislature can conduct reapportionment, and that home rule powers do not include redistricting.

The county appealed the Harris ruling, and the state’s high court reversed it, concluding that the plaintiffs didn’t have standing.

Near the end of its ruling, the Supreme Court did acknowledge that there are “very serious Constitutional issues” with the county commission Democrats’ adoption of the “home rule” maps.

But Adams’ legal challenge could prompt a ruling on the legal merits of the county “home rule” maps, possibly before the general election.

It’s possible the District 2 primary and runoff results could be thrown out and new elections ordered before November.

Original post:

The polls have closed in Tuesday’s runoff elections that includes the Democratic Party race for District 2 on the Board of Commissioners.

Jaha Howard and Taniesha Whorton were vying for the right to earn a spot on the November ballot.

Democrats hold a 3-2 edge on the commission. Chairwoman Lisa Cupid and Commissioner Monique Sheffield, both Democrats, are up for re-election in November.

Related:

 

Get Our Free E-Mail Newsletter!

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