Join Cobb Library’s Multicultural Services Group in welcoming spring with family-friendly crafts, activities, and snacks from around the world, while supplies last! This event is a celebration of cultures and all ages are welcome.
Some crafts & activities include:
DIY kites
Bead jewelry
Mini piñatas
Origami
Bollywood dancing, and more!
About the Multicultural Services Group
The Multicultural Services Group fosters cross-cultural understanding through inclusive programming and resources. Its members offer programming and outreach that celebrate the diverse cultures and groups in the county, providing education and entertainment for all.
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A record number of 40 volunteers picked up 44 bags of trash along Powers Ferry, Terrell Mill and Delk Roads during Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance’s Spring Adopt-A-Mile clean-up with Keep Cobb Beautiful on Saturday, March 29, 2025.
Submitted information and photos:
Powers Ferry Corridor Alliance welcomed a group of 40 volunteers, including District 3 Cobb County commissioner JoAnn Birrell, to its Spring 2025 Adopt-a-Mile event on Saturday, March 29th.
“This was the largest turnout ever, essentially doubling the number of participants from any prior event,” said Patti Rice, the event’s project leader. “It’s amazing and heartwarming to see these people join forces to improve the community’s environment. Forty-four bags of trash is a significant number.”
Area neighborhoods represented included Riverwalk at Wildwood, Riverstone at Wildwood, The Flats at Riverwalk, River’s Call, Woodruff Plantation, Millridge, Sedalia Park, Stratford Grove/Mead/Hyde Park, Valencia Hills and Terrell Mill Estates.
Volunteers enjoyed complimentary refreshments provided by Kroger and a surprise donation of lots of Krispy Kreme donuts!
PFCA conducts the cleanup every spring and fall in partnership with Keep Cobb Beautiful.
ABOUT POWERS FERRY CORRIDOR ALLIANCE
As a non-profit, non-partisan alliance of individuals, HOAs and businesses, the PFCA works to understand community issues, promote quality development, support local schools and help drive the area’s economic vibrancy.For more information, visit powersferryca.com
Event organizer Patti Rice and neighbor Linda Bell proudly show off 44 bags of trash collected along Powers Ferry, Terrell Mill and Delk Roads.Jordan Deeney, pictured with his sons, Maxen and Oliver, were among the nearly 40 community volunteers who picked up 44 bags of trash.District 3 Cobb County Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, left, with event organizer Patti Rice.
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!
The community is invited to clean out their closet for a shoe drive to raise funds for the Wheeler Band Booster Club. Donations of gently worn, used and new shoes will be accepted. Any size, any shoe! While you spring clean please put your shoes aside to help us out! The fundraiser’s success is based on the total weight of the shoes collected so more shoes equals more funds raised! Find our more: https://www.wheelerbands.org/shoes
All donated shoes will be redistributed to micro-enterprise partners through Funds2Orgs, a for profit social enterprise, and used in developing nations for impoverished people to start their own businesses.
WHEN: April 5th, April 26th and May 10th from 9am – noon
WHERE: Wheeler High School, 375 Holt Road, Marietta, 30068
DETAILS: In the US alone, over 300 million pairs of shoes are thrown away per year. The materials used to manufacture a pair of shoes are created from chemical compounds that will create health hazards if left to disintegrate openly or in landfills. By donating your gently worn, used and news shoes to The Wheeler Band, your shoes are given a second chance to make a difference.
The Wheeler High School Band Booster Club is an organization that supports and uplifts our talented band students. As Boosters, our primary role is to provide operational support to the band directors, allowing them to focus on nurturing the talent of their students. We coordinate various activities for the band and provide additional resources, both financial and volunteer driven. This fundraiser will support our annual budget.
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Celebrate veterans with a VIP reception, dinner, dancing, and silent auction, 6 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at the Marriott Atlanta Northwest at Galleria, 200 Interstate North Parkway SE, Atlanta. Tickets are now available on the website. Proceeds will help build the Cobb Veterans Memorial. Email cvmfmilitaryballgala@gmail.com for more information.
The Cobb Veterans Memorial is a project planned as a park to honor veterans, teach history, and inspire future generations to live meaningful and purposeful lives of service.
Steps you can take right now to support the project are:
Make a donation HERE to help raise the funds to start construction of the Memorial. Every dollar helps!
Want to do even more? If you would like to host a fundraising event, make a corporate/foundation donation, or help some other way, please email contact@cobbvmf.com.
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Get your spring cleaning started and participate in one of the community recycling and educational events hosted by Keep Cobb Beautiful.
KCB Mobile Recycling Pop-up/Drop-off
April – July – Various dates – visit the website for more information.
Community Recycling event
Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Jim R. Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road SW, Marietta
Free on-site document shredding, electronics, metal, textiles, and Hefty Renew Program plastics will be accepted. Register here.
Medication Disposal event
Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location 1: 2380 Cobb Parkway NW, Kennesaw
Location 2: 4025 S. Hurt Road NW, Smyrna
Location 3: Tim D. Lee Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
Safely dispose of unused and expired medications by bringing them to this free event.
Sustainability Forum and Expo
Thursday, April 30, 4 – 8 p.m.
Jim R. Miller Event Center, 2245 Callaway Road SW, Marietta
Attend sessions, demonstrations, and interactive exhibits and hear guest speakers on green initiatives and how they affect you. Nominate your fellow neighbors for a sustainability award.
For more information on the above events, visit keepcobbbeautiful.org or call 770-528-1135.
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The Cobb District Attorney’s Office said a former Cobb Sheriff’s Deputy has been indicted on charges of fraud and violating his oath of office.
Cobb DA Sonya Allen said in a release Friday afternoon that Mark Ryan Hampton, 38, has been indicted by a grand jury for multiple counts of allegedly defrauding individuals and organizations by receiving money through fundraising and gifts after falsely claiming to have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and having complications.
Hampton was a sheriff’s deputy for five years, and an investigation into his activities began in November 2021, after complaints were filed about a social media account associated with him, according to the release.
The DA’s office said the investigation yielded that Hampton faked an illness with multiple sclerosis to solicit financial support.
Allen’s office didn’t indicate how much money Hampton allegedly raised, but said he was arrested on June 13, 2022. His indictment charges him with violations of Oath by Public Officer and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
“This indictment reflects our commitment to upholding the law and ensuring that public trust is maintained. He betrayed that trust by deceiving others for personal gain. No one should ever feel they are above the law,” Allen said in the release.
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Walton High School football coach Daniel Brunner is inviting all former Raiders football players for a special ceremony at the spring football game on May 15.
In a social media posting this week, Brunner said that alumni will be honored at the spring game as part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebration.
There will be a special open house at the school (1590 Bill Murdock Road) on April 19 (details here), and the football portion of the celebration will take place at Raider Valley starting at 7 p.m.
Alumni will be recognized at halftime of the Walton game against Cambridge.
Former Walton football players are asked to sign up at this link if they’re interested in attending and/or staying in touch with the program.
According to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association, Walton is 356-198-1 in 49 seasons of varsity football.
The Raiders have won nine region championships in that time. They have reached the state finals twice, in 2011 and 2023, and the semifinals three times.
Walton’s 50th season kicks off on Aug. 16 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta in the Corky Kell Classic against McEachern.
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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!
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!
Over the weekend I shared with readers that we need to finish strong in our March fundraiser to reach a monthly goal of $1,500 in contributions.
In the days since, we’ve gotten a nice boost, and thanks to all of you who have donated!
With March almost over, we’re around $750 in reader contributions. I’d like to see us get to $1,000 for the month, and I think that can be done—and we’d like to get your help to do it.
The state of local news in many communities is dire. In East Cobb, we launched this site more than seven years ago to address that dearth here, and many of you have responded.
We think we’ve built up a good following of engaged residents who appreciate what happens here, and that turns to East Cobb News to find out.
We have nearly 9,300 newsletter subscribers, for example, and that has grown organically. We appreciate people spreading the word about East Cobb News, which is produced for you—the citizen, voter, homeowner and stakeholder in this community.
We don’t charge readers, because we believe local news should be accessible to all. But we do have expenses, and we are trying to expand what we cover as we develop a news business that is unique to this community.
We got some encouraging messages in recent days from readers who appreciated our coverage of concerns over anti-Semitic incidents in local schools.
That’s the kind of coverage readers have come to expect from East Cobb News, which blends traditional news reporting with useful community news and information.
We’re no non-sense, and try to ensure that the news we provide you is straightforward and relevant to you.
If you find value in what you get from East Cobb News, please consider making a donation today, if you haven’t already.
We’re asking for a $6 donation on a recurring monthly basis, but you can contribute whatever amount you like, either monthly, annually or on a one-time basis.
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Cobb government finance officials on Tuesday presented an overview of the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget that would increase spending by nearly $100 million.
During a Cobb Board of Commissioners work session, Chief Financial Officer William Volckmann said the formal budget budge tproposal would come to a little more than $1.35 billion, based on requests from department heads.
That’s up $92.7 million from the adopted FY 2025 budget of $1.27 billion, with $74,3 million coming from the general fund.
(You can view current and recent budget details here; updated FY 2026 information also will be posted at that link.)
Much of the additional funding would pay for 290 new requested positions across the government, primarily in public safety, as well as increases in costs for pensions, health care and other employee benefits and insurance.
The biggest single increase in funding by department is the Cobb Sheriff’s Office, which is requesting 113 new full-time positions for a total budget of around $27 million.
Volckmann didn’t break down how many of those positions would be for patrol officers and support staff.
“This is quite a big budget request,” said Commissioner Keli Gambrill, who asked for a breakdown of positions within the Sheriff’s Office that may provide duplicative services.
The second-largest jump comes from Cobb Police, which is asking for an additional $8.8 million, with $5.8 million earmarked for 17 new full-time positions.
Information technology spending would go up by $6 million, and $5 million more is being requested by the library system, with most of that funding for capital improvements, Volckmann said.
The Cobb County Water Fund—which is separate from the general fund, the main source of government operations—would increase by nearly $12 million, primarily for additional maintenance and infrastructure costs for water, sewer and stormwater management.
Water revenues are derived from water and sewer bills paid by commercial and residential customers. Commissioners voted in December to approve water and sewer rate increases through 2029, at an additional 3.5 percent each year.
For the last two years, commissioners have adopted budgets of $1.2 billion and $1.27 billion, largely due to significant increases in the county tax digest.
The current FY 2025 budget was adopted with growth in the tax digest coming to more than 7 percent.
But last week, the Cobb Tax Assessor’s Office projected digest growth of only 2 percent for 2025.
Commissioners have come under fire from citizens both years for not “rolling back” the property tax rate to offset the additional revenues.
Tuesday’s presentation was the kickoff to a formal budget presentation at the end of June.
He said before then, commissioners will receive detailed binders with the budget proposals and will be able to discuss revenue projections before prioritizing requests.
Public hearings on the budget proposal and county millage rates will take place on July 8, 15 and 22, with adoption scheduled for the latter date.
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Stuart VanHoozer, who will be leaving his post next month as Cobb Police Chief, is the featured speaker at the March meeting of the East Cobb Civic Association Thursday.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Wellstar East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road), and seating is limited.
VanHoozer, who was appointed police chief in 2022, said in an interview with WSB-TV earlier this month that he will be stepping down at the end of April, after a 25-year career with the department.
The county has not officially announced the news, and an interim chief has not been appointed.
VanHoozer cited lowering crime figures and a desire to spend more time with his family for his departure, and that he plans to find employment outside of law enforcement.
VanHoozer began with Cobb Police as a patrol officer in 1999, and moved up the ranks as a precinct commander and in other high-ranking roles, including narcotics investigations and internal affairs, before becoming a deputy chief.
He holds a bachelors degree in criminal justice and public and social services from Kennesaw State University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
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Some Cobb County services remain impacted by a server outage prompted by an unscheduled maintenance operation over the weekend. Residents may find certain online services unavailable, and email communications may be slow or delayed.
Departments are open during regular hours, and the county’s phone system is operating normally. The county’s court system was operating today, although specific filing systems and non-cash payment services may not be available. Residents with questions about the status of cases should contact the appropriate court for information.
Anyone wishing to schedule a building inspection should call the Community Development Department at 770-528-2060 rather than attempting to schedule online.
Cobb County Information Technology Services detected unusual activity on a county server, prompting a maintenance operation over the weekend that required taking multiple servers offline. Restoring these servers has taken longer than anticipated, impacting various county systems. Services are being brought back online gradually, but we do not yet have a timeline for complete restoration. The website, bill pay services, and phone service are operating normally.
During normal business hours, please contact 770-528-1000 or email information@cobbcounty.org for further assistance.
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!
After you log in to the printing service webpage, upload the file you want to print: click [1] Select a file to upload, choose your file, then click [2] Upload.
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 Barber Shop, a trusted name in the East Cobb community since 2000, is proud to celebrate 25 years of service with a special Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at its Marietta location.
“We want to sincerely thank our loyal customers for making East Cobb Barber Shop your go-to spot for over two decades,” said Dee Reitz, Owner. “Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or you’re a new face in the chair, this day is for you.”
The event is free and open to the public. Guests are encouraged to bring a friend and enjoy food, giveaways, surprises and community fun.
Customer Appreciation Day Schedule Location: East Cobb Barber Shop – 1401 Johnson Ferry Road #148A, Marietta, GA 30062
Date: Saturday, March 29, 2025 Time: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Free muffins & coffee to start the morning 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Free burgers & hot dogs fresh off the grill
All Morning: Spin the Wheel for a chance to win discounts on haircuts, shaves, hair products, and more
This milestone celebration reflects the shop’s commitment to customer service, community, and quality grooming for men of all ages.
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!
Click here or on the links in this column to support East Cobb News today!
For the month of March we’ve been asking readers to contribute a total of $1,500 for our donation drive.
With a little more than a week to go, we’re less than halfway there, and we’d like to ask those of you who have not contributed to consider doing so.
As of this writing, we’ve received $625 in donations thus far in March, and thanks to all of you who have provided support! Your generosity helps us as we strive to give you local news that you love, and the kind of daily community connection that you can’t find anywhere else.
East Cobb News was created in 2017 to serve readers and advertisers directly, without the filter of a corporate media organization. We don’t do the news for anyone else but those people who live and work here and who are invested in this place that we call home.
We are truly local, independent, and totally focused on the news needs of our citizens, and the local businesses who provide the primary financial support for what we do.
As little “indies” or mom-and-pops, hyperlocal publishers around the country that I know are utterly devoted to their communities too.
We’re embedded with our friends, neighbors, fellow church members, Little League parents and PTA volunteers on a daily basis. It’s one of our biggest advantages, in fact, but there are tradeoffs.
I know one such publisher in Wisconsin, whom I met at a publishers’ conference a few years ago. This week she revealed something truly startling to me.
Fortunately we haven’t been in that situation, but we can relate to what it takes to keep East Cobb News up and running, with fresh and relevant stories that really matter to you, and to continue to build a small business that’s sustainable for many years to come.
Unlike much of corporate media and like my friend’s publication, we don’t have a paywall, because we believe local news needs to be accessible to everyone.
But if you value what you get nearly every day from East Cobb News (we try to take Sundays off!), please consider supporting us today.
March is the start of spring, and East Cobb News is springing into a new season with vigor and commitment, with a passion for serving this community that is from the heart.
We want to continue to make it better and more useful for our readers, and we’d like to have your help in doing so.
We’re asking for a $6 donation on a recurring monthly basis, but you can contribute whatever amount you like, either monthly, annually or on a one-time basis.
Press Patron, our online platform is safe, secure and easy to use, and you can manage your account however you like.
Just click the link below and thank you so much! As my Wisconsin publishing friend told her readers this week, “thank you for reading, for sharing, and for believing in the power of local journalism.”
A member of the Venezuelan street gang Tren De Aragua was arrested Thursday in Cobb County for the murders of two people in Chicago, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The DOJ said in a release that Ricardo Gonzales, 32, was taken into custody on an arrest warrant in Cook County, Ill, as he is a suspect in multiple kidnapping and murder cases.
Authorities say he is a “high-ranking” member of Tren De Aragua, which has been classified as a transnational criminal organization and as a criminal terrorist organization by the U.S. government.
According to the Cobb Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales was listed residing at an apartment on Hidden Glen Drive, located near Delk Road and Cobb Parkway, and was arrested there by the Sheriff’s Office early on Thursday morning.
He is being held without bond at the Cobb Adult Detention Center as a fugitive from justice, according to his booking report.
The DOJ said he is awaiting extradition to Chicago on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder.
The DOJ said that five other people were arrested as Gonzales was being detained and were transferred to detention facilities run by the department’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unit.
According to the DOJ, Gonzales was accused of kidnapping three female victims on Jan. 28 and taking them to an alley in Chicago where they were all shot in the head.
Law enforcement in Chicago said two of the women died, and the surviving victim was able to escape and call 911.
“This defendant’s crimes against American women are horrific, and he is exactly the type of Alien Enemy the Trump administration is fighting to remove from this country in order to make America safe again,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in the release.
In recent weeks, several members of the Tren De Aragua gang have been arrested by U.S. authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, dating from 1798, in an attempt to deport violent illegal immigrants.
The DOJ didn’t indicate Gonzales’ immigration status, nor was there any mention of that on his Cobb jail booking report.
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St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church in Marietta, Ga., will conclude its 2024-2025 Friends of Music concert series with a free, Lenten Choral Evensong service on Sunday, March 30, 2025, at 3 p.m.
This special choral performance features St. Catherine’s Choristers and Chancel Choir, along with select guest singers and organist Mason Copeland. Rooted in Scripture, the program will feature anthems, chanted psalms, and the sung forms of evening prayers of the Anglican tradition. The service will provide guests with time and space for reflection, peace and an opportunity to experience the holiness of Lent through the music of Evensong.
All Friends of Music events are free to the public and donations are accepted. General seating is first-come, first-served. No tickets are necessary. All concerts are held at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, which is located at 571 Holt Road. For more information, email stcats@stcatherines.org or call 770-971-2839.
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Grace Resurrection Methodist Church (1200 Indian Hills Parkway) is thrilled to welcome back The Kingsmen, a renowned men’s a cappella group from Cobb County, to their 11 a.m. worship service on Sunday, March 24. Known for their rich harmonies, heartfelt music, and exceptional talent, The Kingsmen have long been a favorite among the Grace Resurrection congregation.
Community members are invited to join in this spirit-filled service and experience the beauty of music and faith brought together in perfect harmony.
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