In the same retail center as Willy’s Mexicana Grill (4250 Roswell Road, Pine Straw Place) in East Cobb, a new location of Howlin’ Willy’s Hot Chicken opened in Tuesday.
It’s located two doors down from Chopt.
Atlanta-based Willy’s, which also has locations at Piedmont Park and in Hapeville and Druid Hills, is among the latest restaurant companies to develop the Nashville-style hot chicken concept.
The East Cobb location is the first freestanding of the Howlin’ Willy’s, and held a grand opening celebration on Saturday.
The Howlin’ Willy’s menu features tenders and wings as well as sandwiches and salads, and cooling treats that include milkshakes and ice cream.
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A reader provided the photos of a crash Monday morning that shut down a portion of Johnson Ferry Road in both directions.
Cobb Police said that Ryan Hurley, 45, of Marietta, sustained serious injuries when his black 2020 Mazda CX-5 that was heading northbound crashed into a tree in the median near Johnson Ferry Drive at around 6:14 a.m. Monday.
That’s between Post Oak Tritt Road and Oak Lane, above Roswell Road, and Sgt. Eric Smith said in a release that the vehicle lost control after attempting after a right-hand curve.
Smith said that Hurley was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital by ambulance with serious injuries and that the incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the Cobb Police Department S.T.E.P. Unit at 770-499-3987.
Cobb DOT said in a social media post that Johnson Ferry Road reopened to traffic shortly after 9 a.m.
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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name, high school attendance zone and sales price:
March 18
3901 Riverlook Parkway Unit 6, 30067 (Willows by the River, Walton): $300,000
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East Cobb Park drew a crowd for the last solar eclipse in 2017.
Most school districts in metro Atlanta will be in session on Monday afternoon, when the solar eclipse will be visible across North America.
But the Cobb County School District will be releasing early at all three grade levels before the eclipse window begins.
The district will have a shortened first day following the past week’s spring break, and has cited parental discretion and student safety issues.
High schools will release at 11:30 a.m., followed by elementary schools at 12:30 p.m. and middle schools at 1:30 p.m.
All after-school activities will take place as regularly scheduled.
The district extended the school day during the last solar eclipse in August 2017. Many students were seen with friends and parents at East Cobb Park for that event.
But last July, the Cobb school district sent a message to parents notifying them of an early release, stating that “while experiencing a solar eclipse can be memorable and educational, looking directly at an eclipse can seriously damage a student’s eyes. We are providing Cobb families as much time, information, and flexibility as possible so they can make the best health decisions for their children.”
DeKalb schools will be having an “independent learning day” on Monday, but most other local school districts, including Marietta, will be in session in person as usual.
According to forecasts, the rolling path of the eclipse across North America will take place between 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday, with between 80-85 percent of the sun being blocked in the Atlanta area.
The projected path of the eclipse stretches from Mexico and Texas to the Midwest, and into the Northeast.
Several Cobb library branches will be having special eclipse watch events, including East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) from 2-4 p.m.
The event will include a live stream of NASA’s official live broadcast.
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Ari Low of Pope High School was the overall winner with this photo of a swimming race.
The Cobb County Water System and the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority honored Cobb County high school student winners in its fifth annual High School Photography Contest.
Eight of the 10 are from high schools in East Cobb, including overall winner Ari Low of Pope.
The others are Ashley Ann Lafferty and Timy Dang of Sprayberry; Eleanore Witte, Jessica Mitchell, Kaitlyn O’Connor and Maya Story of Lassiter; and Samuel Moore of Walton.
The contest invites high school students enrolled in Cobb County and City of Marietta schools to enter a photograph in one of 6 categories: Water at Play, Water at Work, Water in Nature, Water and People, Protecting Water, and Conserving Water.
The photo contest is part of the CCWS and CC-MWA’s waterSmart education program aimed at students at all grade levels “to learn about water conservation and the value of water.”
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Sweat Mountain Park in Northeast Cobb is one of three parks in Georgia that’s included in a list of “Hidden Gems” for dogs.
Based on a survey of 3,000 dog owners across the country, the dog-oriented website Technobark.com “unleashed” a ranking 120 parks in all. The goal is “to highlight the unsung sanctuaries for pets and their owners, showcasing their unique features and the joy they bring to get tails wagging.”
Sweat Mountain Park, which includes a two-acre dedicated area for dogs off Steinhauer Road, came in at No. 41.
“It includes shaded areas, benches, and water fountains for dogs. The park is well-maintained and offers a peaceful environment for dogs to socialize and play, away from the city’s hustle and bustle,” Technobark said in a release.
That was the highest ranking in Georgia, followed by Piedmont Park in Atlanta at No. 68 and Newtown Dream Dog Park in Johns Creek at No. 84.
The top dog park was Prospect Dog Park in New York City, according to the survey, which you can peruse in full by clicking here.
Sweat Mountain was the first of three off-leash dog parks in Cobb PARKS, opening in 2006. The others are Pinter Road Dog Park in Acworth and Sweetwater Park in Austell.
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Contractors for the Georgia Department of Transportation will close lanes along closures State Route 120/Roswell Rd NE (SR 120) this weekend as resurfacing activities continue on the roadway from SR 120 ALT to the Cobb County/Fulton County line.
Resurfacing improves the condition of the deteriorating roadway and provides a smoother ride for drivers.
Weather and on-site conditions permitting, one alternating right or left lane will be closed on SR 120 in the project area beginning 9 p.m. on Friday, April 5 until 6 a.m. on Monday morning.
These lane closures will help ensure the safety of drivers and workers as crews begin milling, inlay and resurfacing operations on the roadway. Expect delays and use signed detours, exercise caution, and reduce their speed while traveling through work zones.
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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Cobb commissioners on Tuesday will consider a request to relocate an 1840s-era cabin off Post Oak Tritt Road to the Hyde Farm facility in East Cobb.
An agenda item states that the badly deteriorating Power-Jackson Cabin would be moved to Hyde Farm off Lower Roswell Road near the Chattahoochee River, where it would be restored as part of a continuing 19th century working farm.
Cobb PARKS said it’s recommending that Leatherwood Inc., a Tennessee-based company that restored 13 structures at Hyde Farm in 2014, perform the restoration of the Power-Jackson Cabin.
The cost to do so would be $321,000 in 2011 SPLOST funds earmarked for Hyde Park restoration projects. Commissioners would have to vote separately to approve that contract.
“As a collaborative community effort, moving the cabin to and restoring the cabin at Hyde Farm honors the history of Cobb County by saving this valuable historic asset,” the agenda item states.
Cobb Landmarks, a Marietta-based historic preservation non-profit, has raised more than $65,000 to pay for relocation expenses for the Power-Jackson Cabin.
Hyde Farm, which includes 136 acres and 42 acres run by the county, is where another Power family cabin exists. Last year, commissioners approved a resolution for the county to submit an application for Hyde Farm to be included on the National Register of Historic Places.
A property near Hyde Farm, the George Abner Power House, which also dates to the 1840s, is owned by Cobb Landmarks and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
The Power-Jackson Cabin, possibly built before 1840 by farmer William Power, is located on 13 undeveloped acres on Post Oak Tritt Road near McPherson Road that was part of a recent zoning case.
Landowner Kenneth B. Clary sought rezoning for a single-family subdivision, but issues over the cabin and possible Power family burials complicated the issue.
Clary later withdrew the rezoning request, and his family agreed to allow Cobb Landmarks to remove the cabin.
Last week Cobb Landmarks said it’s working with University of West Georgia to perform dendrochronology (the study of tree rings) on the logs, which could help determine when the trees were cut down to construct the cabin.
“This is part of our ongoing effort to better understand and preserve the cabin,” Cobb Landmarks said.
The full agenda for Tuesday’s meeting can be viewed by clicking here; the meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the second floor board room of the Cobb government building (100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta).
You also can watch on the county’s website and YouTube channels and on Cobb TV 23 on Comcast Cable.
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People gathering for the solar eclipse at East Cobb Park in 2017.
Prepare for the 2024 solar eclipse with a kid-friendly take home kit from East Cobb Library.
Learn about the eclipse, complete educational crafts, and record your eclipse observations in a DIY journal.
Kits include two activities, a solar eclipse hat intended for younger elementary children and a solar eclipse journal ideal for upper elementary children. Protective eclipse glasses are not included in the kits.
Kits are available at East Cobb Library (4880 Lower Roswell Road) until the day of the eclipse, Monday, April 8.
In addition, several Cobb library branches will be having the following eclipse events on Monday:
Several Cobb County libraries will hold solar eclipse viewing events Monday, April 8. Details of activities vary by location, but each will provide a place to view this rare celestial event.
• 1:45 – 4 p.m. West Cobb Regional Library, 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane, Kennesaw. One pair of protective viewing glasses per family. Live streaming TV viewing of the eclipse via the NASA channel. Crafts for the whole family. Click here for details.
• 1:45 – 3:30 p.m. South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton. Protective viewing glasses will only be distributed during the viewing party. One pair per person. Click here for details.
• 2 – 4 p.m. Switzer Library, 266 Roswell Street, Marietta. Registration is required. Can guarantee one pair of protective viewing glasses per group. Crafts and activities. Click here for details.
(Please note, it is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing during an eclipse. Viewing any part of the sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.)
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Overview: 6 bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms, 7,897 finished square feet; built 2022 on 0.81 acres
Architecture: Four-sided brick, traditional
Schools: Sope Creek ES; Dickerson MS; Walton HS
Sales Price: $3.5 million
Listing By: Tina Blumberg, Keller Williams Realty North Atlanta; tinablumberg@kw.com; 404-409-9414
Features: This stunning 16-month-old custom home is located in the sought after Atlanta Country Club offering the epitome of luxury living.
This exquisite residence boasts a plethora of desirable features from the reclaimed 100-year old oak floors throughout all 3 levels to the unique hidden jib door in the formal dining room allowing for storage and serve wear, a state-of-the-art kitchen perfect for aspiring chefs and culinary enthusiasts.
No expense was spared with top-of-the-line appliances and intricate custom cabinetry, ensuring a culinary experience like no other.
If one kitchen is not enough, you’ll find an additional prep kitchen, providing ultimate convenience for entertaining and preparing meals. Adjacent to the kitchen is a gorgeous family room wired for multiple televisions featuring built in shelving and a gas fireplace, perfect for displaying cherished mementos and creating a cozy ambience.
As an extension of the family room there is a sunroom with a wall of windows overlooking the walk-out fenced backyard. The abundance of natural light makes it an ideal spot for reading, lounging, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee while basking in the warmth of the sun.
Retreat down the hall to the expansive primary bedroom located on the main level, offering privacy and luxury at its finest. Step into the lavish primary bath evoking a sense of relaxation, indulgence, and pure luxury.
Also, on the main floor you will find a large guest bedroom with ensuite bath and its own garage entry and mudroom providing a very comfortable experience for guests. Custom laundry room, walk-in pantry and two offices catering to those who work from home round out the main level.
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Upstairs you will find a spacious open loft area that can serve as additional living space, an office or even a bedroom. Three oversized bedrooms all with ensuites and custom closets, along with a second laundry room, provide ample storage space and organizational bliss.
Two bedrooms connect to walk-out attic space with one large enough to be finished into a studio, and another large attic can be accessed through the pull-down stairs.
Descend into the basement, where entertainment awaits. A spacious game area beckons friendly competition, a media area for total relaxation, while a large gym allows you to stay active without leaving the comfort of your home.
An additional bedroom with ensuite bathroom and ample storage including a large holiday closet complete this lower level, ensuring convenience and practicality.
The backyard oasis includes a refreshing saltwater pool surrounded by beautiful travertine tile, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The outdoor kitchen compliments the pool area making it ideal for hosting unforgettable gatherings.
The property includes award-winning roses, Freestone peach trees, kiwi, blackberry and raspberry bushes, blueberry bushes, lavender, Japanese maples, camelias, peonies, gardenias, azaleas, boxwoods, viburnum and tea olives.
Custom lighting and accent walls add a touch of elegance and character throughout the home, truly making it one-of-a-kind.
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Firefighters were called to a home in the 1000 block of Indian Hills Parkway Tuesday afternoon to battle a fire in the garage.
Cobb Fire and Emergency Services said Indian Hills Parkway was closed between Clubland Drive and Fairfield Drive while crews were on the scene.
A department social media posting said that Company 21, Engines 15, 20, 3, Squad 16 and Air 12 were called extinguish the fire.
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A line of thunderstorms will be moving into Cobb County and North Georgia overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, followed by some cooler weather for most of the rest of the week.
The National Weather Service in Peachtree City has issued a hazardous weather outlook starting at 11 p.m. Tuesday and into the overnight hours (enhanced risk area in orange on map).
The forecast said that some thunderstorms “could be severe and capable of producing damaging wind gusts, large hail and a few tornadoes.”
The chance of precipitation is 100 percent, and between 1-2 inches of rain is possible.
While high temperatures on Wednesday will be in the mid-60s, lows will be dipping into the 40s and close to freezing through Sunday as the rain clears.
The NWS forecast said that areas of frost are possible across portions of North Georgia. Wind gusts are expected between 25-30 percent from early Wednesday through Thursday evening.
Highs during that stretch will range from the mid-50s to the low 60s, with warmer weather returning Sunday.
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The Cobb Water System sent out the following message Monday morning:
We’re currently transitioning to a new online customer account service system. ALL online services, including billing and payment systems, will be unavailable from Monday afternoon, 04/01/2024 through Thursday, 04/04/2024. During this time, we will have no access to customer accounts.
You can still make cash or check payments in person at 660 South Cobb Drive, Marietta. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.
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A motorcyclist and a motorist sustained serious injuries Saturday in a crash on Canton Road, Cobb Police said.
Officer Aaron Wilson said in a release Monday that Ali Babar, 32, of Marietta, and Marilyn Jensen, 90, of Woodstock, were taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
Wilson said the Babar was heading north in a a black 2016 Honda CB500 motorcycle on Canton Road near the intersection of Farm Ridge Drive at 9:42 a.m.
That’s just north of Jamerson Road, near the Cobb-Cherokee county line.
Jensen was traveling south on Canton Road in a white 2012 Honda Civic and was in the center turn lane, police said. She turned left and into the path of the motorcycle, Wilson said, causing the bike to crash into a curb.
Babar and the motorcycle landed in a northbound lane of Canton Road, near Farm Ridge Drive, according to police.
Wilson said an investigation into the accident is continuing and that anyone with information is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department at 770-499-3987.
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The following East Cobb residential real estate sales were compiled from agency reports. They include the subdivision name, high school attendance zone and sales price:
March 11
1247 Golden Rock Lane, 30067 (Ivy Crest, Wheeler): $555,000
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!
Days after the Cobb Board of Commissioners voted to delay imposing a stormwater fee, the chairman of the Cobb Board of Education blasted the proposed changes, saying they would they would be “grossly unfair” to taxpaying school parents.
Randy Scamihorn
Republican Randy Scamihorn said in “Just the Facts,” his occasional column, that the fee would “add to the monthly bills of hardworking parents and, again, apparently, schools across our county.”
The Cobb Water Sytem’s proposal would switch how customers are charged for stormwater services.
Currently, the charges are based on the amount of water consumption. The county wants to charge according to the amount of impervious surfaces of a building and property.
While homeowners have been most vocal in protesting what they call a “rain tax,” the impervious surface change would mean that commercial and institutional customers would be paying a larger share than they do now.
That prompted protests from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce last week.
Scamihorn wrote that “for our families who already live on a tight budget, this additional ‘fee’ on their already strained finances is grossly unfair.
“I’ve raised the impact this fee would have on our schools a number of times with district leaders,” Scamihorn wrote.
“Unfortunately, our staff does not have enough information from the Commissioners to know how much money would be taken from classrooms, but they know it would mean fewer dollars for teachers and students. We also know our schools could have been made legally exempt, but they weren’t.”
The Cobb County School District posted the message on social media channels and sent out a separate e-mail with Scamihorn’s remarks Friday.
Cobb government spokesman Ross Cavitt told East Cobb News Friday that as far as he knows, any specifics of the financial impact to the Cobb County School District haven’t been discussed, including a fee exemption.
Cavitt added it “that it is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars to allow an elected official to express a personal opinion through taxpayer-funded communications channels.”
After a contentious, hours-long hearing on Tuesday, Cobb commissioners voted to delay taking up a stormwater vote, and called for more public hearings to take place in August.
Among the issues is the uncertainty over how much more commercial and institutional customers would be charged for stormwater services.
Cobb Water System Director Judy Jones has indicated in various presentations that a majority of residential customers would pay between $2 to $4 a month for a dedicated stormwater utility fee and the commercial and institutional customers would pay up to $21 a month.
Those institutional customers include churches, schools and other non-profit organizations.
“After consulting with our legal team, we believe this bizarre ‘stormwater fee’ will be imposed upon schools, as well as the thousands of acres on which your schools are built,” Scamihorn wrote.
“The reality is that every school dollar taken for stormwater management is a dollar taken away from our children’s futures. . . . I know I speak for the majority of the Board when I point out that the latest proposal being brought forward by Cobb Commission Chair Lisa Cupid is fraught with problems for our schools and our parents.
“I’m not telling you how to vote; I’m telling you what is and isn’t good for our schools and Cobb’s children.”
On the Cobb school district’s Facebook page, some citizens pushed back against Scamihorn’s comments.
Laura Judge of East Cobb, a Democratic candidate for the Post 5 school board seat, noted that talks with commissioners about the stormwater fee have been “bipartisan, heated and long. That’s why one of my hopes as a future board member is to work with the other layers of government. Not start a blog bashing them.”
“I hope that as a possible member I can say that if our board chair is concerned, now the commission vote has been delayed, he’ll reach out to our commissioners and the school community to set up an education townhall about this rainfall fee.”
Another commenter found it ironic that Scamihorn was complaining of “yet another threat to dollars that belong in the classroom” when he signed off on spending $50 million for special events center for the school district, amid an “ongoing staffing and maintenance budget burden. . . . What a joke, Mr. Scamihorn. What an absolute joke.”
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!
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!
KIDS CARE service learning nonprofit is launching a new Intergenerational Pen Pal Program with Sterling Estates of East Cobb and Sterling Estates of West Cobb retirement communities. All aged participants (including adults) are welcome to join and exchange written letters with local seniors from Sterling Estates.
The program will run April-September. At the end of six months, there will be a celebration meetup of the pen pals at Sterling Estates of West Cobb Retirement Independent/Assisted Living Center. (You do not have to attend the final meet up to participate in the program.
To become a pen pal with a senior resident of Sterling Estates, please fill out KIDS CARE Google form by April 3rd: https://forms.gle/Yj12AYtrxFGAeNca8. KIDS CARE nonprofit will then contact you in April with your paired senior’s info and general guidelines.
To view the full parameters of this program, please visit: www.kids-care2018.org/pen-pal-program. The link for the Google form can also be found there.
KIDS CARE is a Marietta based, service learning nonprofit who creates youth community service experiences, encourages Kindness and promotes environmental stewardship.
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Cafe Rivkah was named Best Overall Taste at the 2023 Taste of East Cobb.
We’re a little more than a month away from the 2024 Taste of East Cobb, and the festival organizers recently announced the restaurants and other food vendors that will be participating on May 4 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.
They include the newly-opened Crumbl Cookies, Press Waffle Co. and Verandah Indian Cuisine, along with Sips of Tea, which is based in Kennesaw.
Familiar names include Chick-Fil-A Woodlawn Square, Camps Kitchen and Bar, McCray’s Tavern, Marlow’s Tavern, Righteous Que and Smallcakes.
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