Editor’s Note: Thanks, East Cobb, for all your support!

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As I packed my East Cobb News swag bag into my car Saturday morning, I took a deep breath.

Taste of East Cobb 2023

I’ve been promoting this community news venture in a variety of ways since launching it in the summer of 2017, mostly on my site and newsletter and before the local business community.

But going before the larger community was something different. The Taste of East Cobb event on Saturday was a great opportunity to meet some of my readers, spread the word about it to those who weren’t familiar and reinforce the value of local news, community information and small business advertising.

It couldn’t have been a better day on the grounds of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, weatherwise and otherwise.

People stopped by the booth, picked up pens, magnets and other goodies I laid out for them, chatted and signed up for the newsletter.

Many of them said simply this: “I really like what you do and I just wanted to tell you that.”

Or words to that effect. Also this:

“Keep up the good work.”

“I love how local it is.”

The response was exactly what I was hoping for, as the audience for East Cobb News continues to grow. Thus far in 2023 we’re averaging between 150,000-200,000 page views a month, and between 70,000-100,000 unique visitors a month.

More than 8,200 of you subscribe to the Sunday newsletter. What I wanted to gauge was what readers were interested in.

Not surprisingly, many of you said it was updates on local businesses and restaurants, as well as zoning cases and development issues.

Some wanted more political news, others wanted more news of a certain political bent, and some were grateful for news about events at East Cobb Park and other community venues.

For the newcomers who signed up, I mentioned the Community Guide of services, businesses and community entities. For those interested in advertising, I’m sending rate information.

One of my current advertisers, real estate agent Sheri Hardy, stayed for a while and offered her testimonial for advertising with East Cobb News, and left behind some Atlanta Braves schedules that were scooped up by many of you.

Oh, and the food. I was lucky enough to be located between the booths for Mediterranean Grill and Belen de La Cruz: I had gyros to the left of me and empanadas to the right.

The kind of community gatherings that we went without for a couple years seem so much more vital and meaningful now. I’ve attended the Taste of East Cobb before, and it’s different when you’re a sponsor.

You really get an appreciation for what it takes to stage such an event when you learn more about what happens behind the scenes.

The folks at the Walton Band Parent Association do a phenomenal job, and I’d like to thank them for how well they worked with this first-time sponsor. Thanks to Pam Duffy, who first reached out to me in February about getting involved, 2023 event coordinator J.J. McKelvey and photographer David Wilson, who let us use some of his many photos from the event, including the cool aerial shot below.

While event proceeds go to Walton High School’s band program, the entire community benefits as well from having such a festive gathering.

I can’t wait for the Taste of East Cobb next year, but East Cobb News will be doing more of these events in the coming months so stay tuned!

And thanks for your readership! As always, feel free to get in touch with your thoughts by e-mailing me: wendy@eastcobbnews.com or calling: 404-219-4278.

Taste of East Cobb 2023

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Hand and Stone moves into new space at The Avenue East Cobb

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Hand and Stone moves The Avenue East Cobb

The Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa had to relocate for the redevelopment project underway at The Avenue East Cobb, and the move has been ideal for the business that first opened in the retail center in 2016.

Last week staff held a grand reopening, treating visitors to mini-massages and refreshments, and showing them around the expanded new space in Suite 900, in the former location of the Sunglass Hut, adjacent to one of the new “jewel box” restaurant buildings that’s under construction.

Hand and Stone ‘s new quarters feature 4,500 square feet with 17 rooms—most of them private suites for massages—in April, and the relocation took place the day after Easter, with the reopening the following day.

“Moving seven years in one day—I don’t think we’ll ever do that again,” said Amy O’Nell, the spa’s senior operations manager. “But it’s been incredible.”

In addition to its core services, Hand and Stone offers waxing, cryoskin treatment and other esthetic services

There’s an introductory tier for massages (Swedish, hot stone and Himalayan salt) and facials (Clarity and Dermalogica) for men, women and teens.

Specialty massages include deep tissue, prenatal and for sports and there are a number of options for cryoskin therapy, which is a non-invasive treatment and freezes and destroys fat cells.

O’Neill said all of the spa’s massage therapists are licensed in the state of Georgia, and one of the private rooms includes two beds for a “couple’s massage.”

She said those often include a mother and daughter, sisters or friends.

Hand and Stone also offers a membership program and accepts walk-in customers, but recommends reservations.

The spa is open Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information call 770-565-0808.

Hand and Stone moves The Avenue East Cobb

Hand and Stone moves The Avenue East Cobb

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, April 17-21, 2023

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Windsor Oaks, East Cobb real estate sales
Windsor Oaks

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales between April 17-21, 2023, were compiled from agency reports:

April 17

153 Parkstone Way, 30066 (Barrett Creek, Sprayberry): $577,000
1168 Clarendon Drive, 30068 (Camden Place,Walton): $880,000
3656 Sope Creek Farm, 30067 (Sibley Forest, Wheeler): $895.000
126 Alicia Court, 30062 (Heartwood, Pope): $371,000
1956 Wellington Lane, 30062 (Kensington, Walton): $801,000
2427 Brookvine Drive, 30062 (The Vineyard, Pope): $611,000
4657 Wynmeade Park, 30067 (Wynmeade, Walton): $845,000

April 18

4036 Columns Drive, 30067 (River Plantation, Walton): $850,000
61 Holt Road, 30068 (Danny’s Corner, Wheeler): $525,000
1841 Wicks Valley Drive, 30062 (Wicks Creek, Walton): $624,000
3372 Timber Bluff Drive, 30062 (Pope): $233,000
2863 Interlaken Drive, 30062 (Alpine Lakes, Pope): $390,000
161 Vistawood Lane, 30066 (Piedmont Hills, Sprayberry): $323,000
4111 England Court, 30066 (Canterbury North, Sprayberry): $350,000

April 19

3015 Robinson Road, 30068 (Cobb Estates, Wheeler): $439,900
4995 Highpoint Drive, 30066 (Tremont, Kell): $284,900
1202 Bridle Path, 30068 (Mulberry Farm, Walton): $359,594
2088 Haverhill Drive, 30062 (Chadds Walk, Pope): $810,000

April 20

1062 Woodruff Plantation Drive, 30067 (Terrell Mill Estates, Wheeler): $1.489 million
102 Lakeshore Drive, 30067 (Hidden Valley, Walton): $440,000
444 Greystone Trace, 30068 (Indian Hills, Wheeler): $435,000
2951 Clearbrook Drive, 30068 (Country Place East, Wheeler): $310,000
2423 Rachel Court, 30066 (Village North, Sprayberry): $385,000
3454 Winter Hill Drive, 30062 (Winter Chase, Lassiter): $290,000
3008 Oaktree Court, 30066 (Windsor Oaks, Lassiter): $770,000
4636 Dandelion Drive, 30067 (Walton): $851,500
3471 Ellenwood Park Drive, 30075 (Ellenwood, Lassiter): $591,000
2665 Chimney Springs Drive, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $575,000

April 21

1405 Vada Drive, 30068 (Robinson Park, Wheeler): $400,000
2445 Timberland Creek Drive, 30062 (The Preserve at Holly Springs, Pope): $895,000
2329 Barrett Cottage, No.7, 30066 (Barrett Cottages, Sprayberry): $468,000
1222 Rosette Way, 30062 (Rutledge Place, Walton): $903,000
3304 Perrington Pointe, 30066 (Northampton, Lassiter): $987,500
1009 Greenfield Drive, 30067 (Wheeler): $450,000
3414 Sewell Mill Road, 30062 (Meadow Chase, Walton): $465,000
4207 Kenwyck Court, 30062 (Bishops Green, Pope): $989,000
2218 Cedar Forks Drive, 30062 (Cedar Forks, Pope): $355,000
3402 Stillbrook Way, 30062 (Glenmoor, Pope): $692,000
1236 Worley Drive, 30066 (Shaw Woods, Sprayberry): $375,000
4549 Jamerson Creek Drive, 30066 (Jamerson Forest, Kell): $330,000
101 Carryback Drive, 30068 (Mulberry Farm, Walton): $412,500

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PHOTOS: A fabulous day for the Taste of East Cobb 2023

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Taste of East Cobb 2023
Belen de la Cruz Empanadas drew good, steady crowds for samples. ECN photo.

The weather was fantastic and the crowds were huge for the 2023 rendition of the Taste of East Cobb, which is a major fundraiser for the Walton Band Parent Association.

More than 100 restaurants, vendors and sponsors (including East Cobb News) set up booths offering food samples, company swag and even mini chiropractic adjustments.

Various bands performed—Walton High School Jazz Bands, Wheeler High School Jazz Band, South Cobb High School Jazz Band, Dickerson Middle School Jazz Band, Dodgen Middle School Pops Ensemble, and Hightower Trail Middle School Jazz Band.

There also were raffle prizes and drawings, and guests voted for their favorite vendors.

We were fortunate to be seated near two savory restaurants, Mediterranean Grill, and Belen de La Cruz: gyros to the left of us and empanadas to the right.

Thanks to David Wilson of the Walton Band Parent Association for sharing some photos. We’ve identified his shots in the photo gallery below.

Taste of East Cobb 2023
One of the jazz bands playing at the Taste of East Cobb. Photo: David Wilson
Taste of East Cobb 2023
The Chick-Fil-A Woodlawn mascot made the rounds. ECN photo
Taste of East Cobb 2023
Walton sports announcer Mark Aston was the emcee for the day. Photo: David Wilson
Taste of East Cobb 2023
Cobb’s finest took part in the festivities. Photo: David Wilson
Taste of East Cobb 2023
A drone shot of the Taste of East Cobb venue. Photo: David Wilson
Taste of East Cobb 2023
East Cobb News was proud to be a Taste of East Cobb sponsor for the first time. ECN photo

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Temple Kol Emeth holds Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

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Temple Kot Emeth Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

Temple Kol Emeth held a Holocaust Remembrance Day observance with a special Shabbat service at the East Cobb synagogue on April 14 and participated in the Parade of Scrolls in Savannah on April 16.

The solemn observation—Yom HaShoah—preceded the international day of observance from sundown on April 17 to the evening of April 18.

The observation also includes educational programs, testimonials from survivors and the lighting of yahrzeit, odr memorial, candles.

“As fewer survivors remain, the congregation at Temple Kol Emeth feels it is more important than ever to remind the next generations about the atrocities of the Holocaust so that it may never happen again,” said Temple Kol Emeth President Jodi Roberts.

“In a time in history when we recognize the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Yom HaShoah calls upon all of us —Jews and non-Jews—to remember the six million Jewish victims and their efforts to resist the Nazi forces. Holocaust Survivor Day reminds us to fight antisemitism and other prejudices in order to be the upstanders the world needs.”

Temple Kot Emeth Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

Temple Kot Emeth Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

Temple Kot Emeth Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

Temple Kot Emeth Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

Temple Kot Emeth Holocaust Remembrance Day observance

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East Side ES students win Delta Credit Union essay contest

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East Side ES students win Delta CU essay contest
Front row left to right: East Side Elementary Youth Essay Contest winners Cameron Courant (5th grade), Stella Eagen (4th grade), Polly Funk (4th grade) and Gianna Sitaf (3rd grade). Back row left to right: Ryan Behrens (Community Development, Delta Community), Jessica Williams (Assistant Branch Manager/Johnson Ferry Road, Delta Community) and Maria Clark (Principal).

Four students from East Side Elementary School in East Cobb were named recipients of the 2023 Delta Community Credit Union Youth Essay Contest in April.

The contest, held in April in recognition of National Credit Union Youth Month, was open to third, fourth, and fifth graders, and 21 students from metro Atlanta schools were chosen. Delta Community received more than 130 entries and selected seven winners from each grade level.

The East Side students are third-grader Gianna Sitaf, fourth-graders Stella Eagen and Polly Funk and fifth-grader Cameron Courant.

Each of the recipients was awarded a $100 youth savings account. Here’s more from Delta Community about the essay content:

“Winning essays included responses from students that said they would save money for altruistic causes like donating to the National Brain Tumor Society, building a wildfire refuge for animals, or providing necessities for those in need. Another student said they would save money to build a school, and another would save to pay for college.”

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Ebenezer Downs Park design contract to be considered

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Ebenezer Road park, Cobb parks master plan
Ebenezer Downs contains a lake that’s been used by the public for fishing. ECN file photo.

Nearly three years after a master plan was approved for a new passive park in Northeast Cobb, the project is getting closer to getting underway.

On Tuesday the Cobb Board of Commissioners will be asked to approve a design contract for what’s been named Ebenezer Downs Park.

It’s located on Ebenezer Road near Canton Road and contains 18 acres the county purchased in 2018 with proceeds from the 2008 Cobb Parks Bond referendum.

Funding for the design and construction comes from the 2022 Cobb SPLOST (Special Local-Option Sales Tax).

According to an agenda item (you can read it here), $3 million has been earmarked for the entire project, and $544,828 has been spent, primarily for the master plan.

Its features include a fishing lake and lakeside pavilion, walking trails, a playground and a 30-space parking lot. One of the former homes on the site would be used for small events, including wedding receptions and private parties, and public restroom facilities would be built.

The entry to the park would be aligned with the Ebenezer Road entrance to Noonday Baptist Church.

Two companies bid for the design contract, with WSP USA Environment & Infrastructure, Inc. the low bidder at $218,625.

But the agenda item states that a selection committee voted to award the contract to Pond & Company, which bid $238,450, as it was the “top-ranking firm.”

Included in the design contract are cost estimating, bidding assistance and construction administration services. 

A timeline for completing the work wasn’t included. Once the design project is finished, commissioners will have to approve a construction contract separately. 

Proposed Ebenezer Road park master plan
For a larger view of the Ebenezer Downs Park master plan, click here.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners will get an update on the county’s memorandum of understanding with the Atlanta Braves about Truist Park and The Battery and conduct a public hearing on the county’s proposed strategic plan.

They also will be asked to approve a recommended ranking of the top three qualified firms to conduct a disparity study of the county’s procurement policies. 

The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the second floor board room of the Cobb government building (100 Cherokee St., downtown Marietta). You can read through the full agenda by clicking here.

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

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EAST COBBER magazine Parade and Festival to return for 2023

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East Cobber parade
Unicyclists from Mt. Bethel Elementary School are a regular feature at the EAST COBBER magazine parade. ECN file photo.

EAST COBBER magazine announced this week that it’s resuming its signature parade and community festival this year after a nearly four-year hiatus.

A message on the magazine’s website said the event date is Saturday, Sept. 9, with the parade marching off from Mt. Bethel Elementary School at 10 a.m. and down Johnson Ferry Road to Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. where the festival continues until 5 p.m.

It will mark the 25th staging of the festival, which along with the parade hasn’t been held since 2019 due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the sale of the magazine last year from founder Cynthia Rozzo to Laren Brown, the publication’s former advertising representative.

Rozzo started the magazine in 1993 and began the parade in 1995.

After the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, the magazine went from publishing 11 times a year to six times a year. At the start of 2023, the EAST COBBER began publishing again on a monthly basis, with a combined June/July issue.

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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy to begin Athletics Hall Fame

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Mt. Bethel Christian Academy will hold its inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony next Friday, May 12.Roger Kaiser, Mt. Bethel Christian Academy Athletics Hall of Fame

The first inductee is Roger Kaiser, who helped establish the school’s athletics program in 2003 and served as its first boys basketball coach.

The event takes place at 7:45 p.m. on Friday, May 12, following MBCA’s Baccalaureate ceremony in the library of the Lower and Middle Schools campus (4385 Lower Roswell Road).

The creation of the Athletics Hall of Fame comes as Mt. Bethel Christian marks its 25th anniversary.

Kaiser served in his dual roles at Mt. Bethel until his retirement in 2018.

Mt. Bethel Christian began its sports programs with the middle school grades, then expanded when the academy began high school classes in 2014.

The Upper Campus is located at 2509 Post Oak Tritt Road, where a new athletics complex is being built. After competing in a private Christian athletic association, Mt. Bethel’s varsity high school teams now participate in the Georgia High School Association.

Football teams were added at Mt. Bethel two years ago for fifth and sixth grade students, and in the current year two teams were formed with fourth-through-eighth grade students.

Kaiser is a former basketball star at Georgia Tech who also served as athletics director at Life University.

He is a member of the Georgia Tech, Life and West Georgia sports halls of fame and the Georgia and Indiana basketball halls of fame.

Those interested in attending the hall of fame ceremony are asked to RSVP@mtbethelchristian.org.

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Weekend Events: Taste of East Cobb; Plant Sale; Creek Cleanup; more

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Taste of East Cobb returns
Drift Fish House & Oyster Bar returns as one of the participating restaurants in the Taste of East Cobb Saturday.

The weather is predicted to be perfect for many of the events on our weekend calendar, in East Cobb and beyond, as May swings in full gear.

As we’ve been noting in recent weeks, the Taste of East Cobb is back Saturday from 11-5 at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church (955 Johnson Ferry Road), with savory bites, the smooth sounds of Walton High School jazz bands and plenty of family-oriented fun and entertainment.

Parking and admission are free; you purchase the food tickets. All proceeds go to the Walton Band Parent Association to support the school’s band programs.

For the first time, East Cobb News will have a booth at the festival as a gold sponsor, and we’re thrilled to be involved. Stop by, say hello and pick up some ECN swag!

More spring plant sales are continuing this weekend, with the Sope Creek Garden Club Plant Sale on Saturday from 9-4 at Temple Kol Emeth (1415 Old Canton Road). Admission is free, and hundreds of plants and shrubs from members’ gardens will be on sale.

Garden baskets will be raffled off, and decorative garden items, plant stands and bird houses also will be sold.

And a couple of things going on at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road) this weekend:

On Saturday, the Cobb County Water System will have a Sewell Mill Creek Cleanup event from 10-12:30. All the equipment will be provided; you should come with waterproof clothing and closed-toe shoes.

On Sunday, a second consecutive Music in the Park concert takes place from 4-6, featuring the local duo The Woody’s. It’s rescheduled from a postponement in April and is sponsored by Wellstar. Bring your own food, blankets/chairs, pets and friends/family and enjoy Fleetwood Mac and rock covers, among other popular tunes.

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Atlanta man gets life sentence for raping Cobb woman in 2020

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An Atlanta man was given a life sentence this week after a Cobb Superior Court jury found him guilty of raping a woman in her apartment in the East Cobb area.Cobb rapist gets life sentence

The Cobb District Attorney’s office said that Cam Melikoglu, 34, must serve 25 years in prison and will be on probation for the rest of his life following the sentencing by Judge Julie Adams Jacobs.

According to the DA’s office, Melikoglu was at a home on Aug. 3, 2020, for drinks and dinner with friends that included two women who are sisters.

Prosecutors said that the victim became heavily intoxicated and her sister took her to her apartment off Wylie Road.

The victim’s sister and Melikoglu messaged each other on Instagram, with Melikoglu saying he wanted to check on them “due to some tension between others at the party,” the DA’s office said.

Melikoglu arrived at the victim’s apartment and her sister let him stay there overnight because it was late, the DA’s office said.

According to his arrest warrant, the attack took place around 3 a.m.

Prosecutors said sometime during the night Melikoglu went into the victim’s bedroom and raped her while she was passed out, and when she woke up he was still in her bed.

The DA’s office said her injuries were “consistent with sexual assault” and his DNA was present. After an investigation by the Marietta Police Department, Melikoglu was charged with rape and was indicted on that felony count.

At the trial, the victim, now 30, testified, according to the DA’s office, as did her sister and others at the party. The jury returned a guilty verdict earlier this week.

“This defendant is a predator. He saw an opportunity and he took it,” Cobb assistant District Attorney Lindsey McClure-So said in a statement. “He thought because the victim was unconscious when he raped her that she wouldn’t say anything. The victim should be commended for her bravery to come forward with what happened to her and to give testimony in front of her rapist.”

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Technology played ‘huge role’ in Atlanta mass shooting arrest

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Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer speaks as Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens listens. Cobb Police Department

Shortly after his officers apprehended a man who shot five people Wednesday at an Atlanta medical complex, Cobb Police Chief Stuart VanHoozer had a lot of people to thank.

After naming names, and admitting he was probably forgetting to identify others, VanHoozer said one of the most crucial components in capturing the suspect was new technology.

Flock license plate readers identified the truck in Midtown Atlanta that Deion Patterson allegedly commandeered after his shooting spree, and Cobb DOT traffic cameras pinpointed his exact whereabouts in Cobb County as the afternoon turned into the evening.

Patterson, 24, was arrested around 8 p.m. without further harm to others, VanHoozer said at a press conference at Atlanta Police headquarters shortly after the arrest.

A 39-year-old woman at the Northside Hospital building in Midtown Atlanta was killed and four other women were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, three of them in critical condition.

“If you rewind the hands of time four years, we probably would not be where we are right now,” VanHoozer said of the license plate readers. “Those tools are really what got us the clues that we needed.”

Cobb and Atlanta police both use Flock license plate readers that are used to track cars and license plates, but only after a crime is committed.

VanHoozer said having the people “who know how to use” the technology was just as vital in Wednesday’s frantic search, and as a fluid, fast-developing situation evolved, police and emergency dispatch crews had to sift through a flurry of 911 calls and information.

“It was a fairly chaotic scene,” he said, referring to the vicinity around Truist Park and the Cumberland/Smyrna/Vinings area.

Atlanta Police said the Patterson left the Northside Medical building on West Peachtree Street on foot shortly after the shootings around noon, and walked to a nearby Shell station where he saw an unattended pickup truck with the engine running and drove it away.

Atlanta Police notified Cobb Police around 12:30 that they had received an LPR (license plate reader alert) that the truck was in Cobb County.

Shelter-in-place orders were given in many areas around Truist Park and The Battery, and Cobb’s Real-Time Crime Center staff fielded many calls from the community.

Cobb DOT also aided in the search by providing its camera feeds, which VanHoozer also credited with giving police a precise location of the suspect.

VanHoozer didn’t specify that location, but it was the Waterford Place condominiums in the Cumberland area, not far from where police found the pickup truck they said Patterson had driven from Atlanta. He was taken into custody without incident near a swimming pool after being confronted by an undercover officer.

Atlanta Police have not thus far released a possible motive for the shootings. Patterson was scheduled to have a medical appointment at the Northside Hospital building when gunfire erupted on the 11th floor.

Atlanta Police said the suspect was in the building for roughly two minutes after the shootings.

Patterson, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard and returned to civilian life in January, has been charged with one count of murder and four counts of aggravated assault.

He is being detained at the Fulton County jail’s medical observation unit and on Thursday waived his arraignment hearing.

“Hats off to everybody who was involved in this,” VanHoozer said of the search.

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Cobb Police capture Atlanta mass shooting suspect

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UPDATED 8:25 PM

Cobb Police say they have arrested Deion Patterson and will release more information in a joint press conference with Atlanta Police.

Follow-up story can be found by clicking here.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Cobb Police said Wednesday that they are assisting Atlanta Police and other law enforcement agencies in trying to apprehend a man whom they say shot at least five people at Midtown hospital, one fatally.Midtown Atlanta shooting suspect

In a social media message posted around 3:15 p.m., Cobb Police said they have assigned officers in the search “after reports he may have come to Cobb County. Portions of Cobb County that border Atlanta may see heavier than normal presence.”

Cobb Police said in another message a few minutes later that “reports of a recovered carjacked vehicle near Campbell Middle School are not correct. We will update with information as it becomes available.”

Another message posted around 3:45 p.m. said the search was taking place in the Vinings, Cumberland and Truist Park areas.

At 4:25 p.m., Cobb Police said that “reports of shots fired at 200 Galleria Pkwy were a false alarm. No shots fired.”

The Smyrna Police Department posted a message shortly after 2 p.m. saying it had received “credible information that a vehicle possibly connected to the midtown shooting was seen in the area of Campbell Rd and Atlanta Rd.

“Officers responded to the area to assist in the search, but the vehicle was not there. Smyrna Police Department is continuing to work with other law enforcement agencies in this matter. If you see anything suspicious please call 911.”

At 4:45 p.m. the Cobb Sheriff’s Office said it had activated its SWAT unit to support Cobb Police search efforts.

The Cobb Police postings came shortly after Atlanta Police lifted a shelter-in-place order in the area around 1110 West Peachtree St.

That’s the address of the Northside Hospital Midtown campus.

Atlanta Police identified the suspect as Deion Patterson, 24, and released the accompanying photos, saying that as of 2:46 p.m. he was still at-large but believed he was no longer in the Midtown area.

“The suspect is believed to be armed and dangerous and should not be approached,” Atlanta Police said shortly before 2 p.m.

The shelter-in-place was ordered around 12:40 p.m. after shots rang out at the medical building.

Midtown Atlanta shooting suspectPolice said four of the shooting victims were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and the person who died was pronounced deceased at the scene.

A Grady official said at a press conference that three of the shooting victims taken to the hospital are in critical condition—two of them had been in surgery—and the other is in the emergency room.

Atlanta Police held a media briefing later Wednesday afternoon, and said a 39-year-old woman was killed, and that the other victims taken to Grady also are women, ages 25, 29, 56 and 71.

This story will be updated.

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Hand and Stone grand reopening set for The Avenue East Cobb

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Hand and Stone The Avenue East Cobb grand reopening

A number of stores are on the move at The Avenue East Cobb as redevelopment work continues.

One of those businesses affected by the construction of “jewel box” restaurants and a public plaza is Hand and Stone  Massage and Facial Spa.

It’s now located in Suite 900, between the Loft and Bath and Body Works, and on Friday will have a grand reopening celebration from 4-8 p.m.

The event is open house style and is open to the public, with refreshments, guided tours, raffle prizes and exclusive offers.

You’re asked to RSVP at this link.

A few other moves at The Avenue: The College Station store that was located in Suite 1520 near the Gap is now next to Lenscrafters in Suite 425; and Faced the Facial Studio has opened in Suite 200, between Warby Parker and the forthcoming Barnes and Noble bookstore.

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Cobb Library System’s ‘Vision to Learn’ partnership expanding

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The Vision To Learn on-site mobile clinics will return in June to Cobb County public libraries this summer to provide eye exams and glasses–free of charge–for children ages 5-18.Cobb Library Vision to Learn program

The program, which began in 2018, is expected to exceed last year’s record of almost 400 exams, with more than 250 receiving glasses.

Funding is being provided through the next four summers by the Cobb Board of Commissioners, using $264,000 of the county’s allocation of American Rescue Plan Act, as well as $247,000 for Vision To Learn programs with Marietta City Schools.

Registration is required to take part, and the form for June is can be found https://bit.ly/vtlcobblibrary.

One library branch in East Cobb will be the venue for the Vision To Learn visits. The Sewell Mill Library (2051 Lower Roswell Road) will be accepting appointments from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on two Wednesdays next month, June 7 and June 14.

The Vision To Learn visits are part of the Cobb County Public Library’s collaboration with Learn4Life, Metro Atlanta Regional Education Partnership for students’ success to make the region a more equitable and prosperous community.

For information, visit Cobb County Public Library at www.cobbcat.org and Vision To Learn at www.visiontolearn.org.

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Delta Community Credit Union names new East Cobb branch manager

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Tina Nelson, Delta Credit Union East Cobb branch manager

The Delta Community Credit Union has named Tina Nelson the new branch manager at its East Cobb location on Johnson Ferry Road.

She has nearly 24 years of banking and management experience and was previously a branch manager with the Bank of Montreal in her native Canada and the Regions Bank branch in Dallas, Ga., and was a mortgage loan officer with Security Mortgage Company prior to joining Delta Community.

Nelson moved to the U.S. in 2014 after her husband, an American military veteran, retired after serving at a local installation.

“I’m looking forward to incorporating my industry knowledge to bring a positive impact to our credit union team and our members in Marietta and Cobb County,” Nelson said.

Based in Atlanta, the Delta Community Credit Union has more than 484,000 members and nearly 30 locations in the metro area and north Georgia.

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Cobb Planning board delays Post Oak Tritt subdivision plans

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Post Oak Tritt subdivision plans delayed
For a larger view click here.

A long-delayed request to build homes on property containing an historic 19th century cabin is being held again after the Cobb Planning Commission voted for a 30-day hold on Tuesday.

The 5-0 vote came after a lengthy discussion about a number of other issues—including stormwater, dam repair and traffic access issues—that weren’t resolved after the applicant submitted a revised site plan last month.

“It’s pretty clear to me that we don’t have enough information,” said Planning Commissioner David Anderson, who represents District 2, which includes the 13.38 acres at 4701 Post Oak Tritt Road.

The five-member board, appointed by members of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, voted to hold the request last month for similar reasons.

Kenneth Clary, the property owner, wants to sell the land adjacent to the Clary Lakes subdivision for what would be an 18-home development (case file here).

His property is currently zoned R-30, the lowest-density residential category in Cobb. After initially making an R-15 request, his attorney, Parks Huff, submitted an R-20 site plan per the recommendation of the Cobb Zoning Office.

Huff told the planning board that many of the outstanding issues mentioned by opponents can be resolved during the plan review process.

“Your job is to zone property,” he said. “You cannot say that R-20 is not a proper category for that property. Let’s not overthink this. Let’s put this in the proper zoning category and move on.”

But the requested zoning category wasn’t why opponents came forward.

Another outstanding issue is historic in nature, that being the possibility of three graves on the site located near the Power-Jackson Cabin, one of the last one-room structures left in the county dating from the 1840s.

Huff said his client knows of no human remains on the property.

But Jimmy Richards of the Cobb Cemetery Preservation Commission cited a book about the early history of Cobb County (up to 1932), indicating a young mother, part of the Power family, died there nearly 140 years ago giving birth, and she is buried there with her baby twins.

He asked for the delay for the applicant to hire an archaeologist, per county code, to conduct a survey to discover if, and where, they may be resting.

The site plan submitted by Huff, according to Richards, doesn’t indicate anything about the location of the cabin or the possible graves.

Joe Ovbey, who lives in an adjacent home on Post Oak Tritt, said his family has known the Clarys for decades.

“I’ve been shown where those graves are for many years,” he said, urging that the rezoning be delayed.

Cobb Landmarks, an historic preservation non-profit, wants to have the cabin relocated to Hyde Farm, near other Powers family cabins.

The Power-Jackson Cabin includes Masonic markings on the chimney that are “why it wasn’t burned down during the Civil War,” Ovbie said.

More modern concerns also prompted the additional delay.

Richard Grome, president of the East Cobb Civic Association, said the new site plan “seems to have some of the same problems as the old one.”

One of the lots would not be accessible by the subdivision street at all, but via Post Oak Tritt Road.

other lots are included on a flood plain on the southern edge of the two Clary lakes. There also is a dam that is located on one of the lots.

When Anderson asked who would bear responsibility for repairing the dam, Huff indicated that it might not be a homeowners association but rather an individual property owner.

“We’re doing this the same way [as nearby subdivisions],” Huff said. “We’re doing it at a lower density.”

But Anderson wasn’t reassured by that response, nor some of the traffic access problems. His motion to delay included provisions for a community meeting between the applicant and nearby residents, a third-party analysis of the possible graves and further addressing dam and stormwater issues.

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LM Frame and Gallery to hold ribbon-cutting for expanded space

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LM Frame and Gallery expanding

The LM Frame and Gallery is opening expanded gallery space at its existing location at the Shops of Woodlawn (1062 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 150) and will hold a special ribbon-cutting ceremony later this month to celebrate.

The ribbon-cutting, which is being held in association with the East Cobb Business Association, takes place on May 18 at 5:30 p.m. and the event will include a special art exhibit of local artists featuring Aboriginal works.

The custom framing store and contemporary art gallery is owned by Christophe and Caroline Choquart. Framing work includes traditional paintings, 3D objects, needlework, posters and more.

New Businesses

The following businesses in East Cobb were granted licenses in April by the Cobb Community Development Agency:

  • Cindy’s Stitch Studio, 4901 Olde Towne Parkway, Suite 100 (tutoring services)
  • Drea Nicole Photography, 2000 Powers Ferry Road, Suites 1-4 (photography studio)
  • Larry’s Kitchen, 3910 Canton Road, Suite 140 (restaurant)
  • PT Solutions Physical Therapy, 4401 Shallowford Road, Suite 100 (physical therapy)
  • Scooter’s Coffee, 2943 Canton Road, Suite 1600 (coffee and tea store)

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Cobb County outdoor burn ban continues through Sept. 30

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From May 1-Sept. 30, an outdoor burn ban is in effect in Cobb County.Cobb Fire Department fireworks safety reminder

Citizens may not burn leaves, tree limbs or other yard waste and forest land and may not use air curtain destructors for land clearing.

Cobb is one of 54 counties in Georgia with the outdoor burn ban, which includes unincorporated areas as well as the cities of Acworth, Kennesaw and Powder Springs.

Certain types of recreational fires and bonfires are permitted throughout the year, and there are restrictions that apply and some permits may be required.

Exempted from the burn ordinance are fires stemming from barbecue grills or pits, and outdoor fireplaces and similar devices that burn logs and clean wood.

For more information on permitted outdoor burning in Cobb, please click here.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, April 10-14, 2023

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The Fountain at Woodlawn, East Cobb real estate sales
The Fountain at Woodlawn

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales between April 10-14, 2023, were compiled from agency reports:

April 10

3428 Lower Roswell Road, 30068 (Oak Leaf Plantation, Walton): $730,000

4976 Concert Lane, 30066 (Tanglewood Enclave, Lassiter): $1.65 million

1745 Jody Drive, 30066 (Shallowford Oaks, Lassiter): $420,000

2971 Goldfinch Circle, 30066 (Woodrush Court, Sprayberry): $575,000

2467 Sewell Mill Road, 30062 (Hickory Grove, Walton): $1.8 million

1526 Oakmoor Place, 30062 (Allgood Farms, Sprayberry): $526,000

492 Kelly Drive, 30066 (Addison Heights, Sprayberry): $280,000

3348 Vandiver Drive, 30066 (North Forty, Sprayberry): $500,000

948 Blackwell Trail, 30066 (Blackwell Bend, Sprayberry): $432,000

4592 North Landing Drive, 30066 (North Landing, Kell): $375,000

524 Gramercy Drive, 30068 (River Park at Hampton Farms, Walton): $2.3 million

April 11

118 Yancy Drive, 30067 (Hamby Acres, Wheeler): $225,000

3882 Emerson Street, 30062 (Emerson Bridge, Walton): $274,000

2159 Spalding Drive, 30062 (Sandy Plains Estates, Sprayberry): $462,000

164 Bristol Lane, 30066 (Bristol, Sprayberry): $374,500

2689 Tritt Springs Trace, 30062 (Post Oak Springs, Pope): $557,620

5005 Gardenia Circle, 30068 (The Gardens at Parkaire, Walton): $308,000

4563 Fountain Drive, 30067 (The Fountain at Woodlawn): $862,000

April 12

2734 Suwanee Way, 30067 (Bentley Ridge, Wheeler): $278,000

2799 Hitchcock Mill Run, 30068 (Princeton Mill, Wheeler): $650,000

1210 Rockcrest Drive, 30062 (Blackjack Hills, Sprayberry): $435,000

2962 Bea Mar Drive, 30062 (Folkstone, Walton): $725,000

2565 Jewell Drive, 30066 (Sprayberry): $420,000

2971 Pauls Way, 30062 (Barbara Estates, Pope): $435,000

2920 Foothill Trail, 30066 (Caribou Hills, Sprayberry): $390,000

4016 Upland Trace, 30066 (Highland Park, Lassiter): $600,000

2311 Fox Hound Parkway, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $732,100

April 13

2121 Heritage Trace Drive, 30062 (Heritage Trace, Walton): $479,500

3099 Balearic Drive, 30067 (Valencia Hills, Wheeler): $275,000

3482 Sheridan Drive, 30066 (Oak Leaf Plantation, Sprayberry): $720,000

266 Pinehurst Lane, 30062 (Heritage Woods, Walton): $320,000

2638 Cedar Forks Drive, 30068 (Cedar Forks, Pope): $443,000

4446 Chimney Springs Court, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $750,000

1375 High Country Court, 30066 (Jamerson Forest, Kell): $339,000

270 Hampton Farms Court, 30068 (Hampton Farms, Walton): $860,000

2065 Kinsmon Drive, 30062 (Easthampton—The Estates, Walton): $909,750

April 14

1009 Birch Creek Lane, 30067 (The Oaks at Powers Ferry, Wheeler): $536,080

3321 Page Heights Court, 30062 (Hembree Heights, Pope): $1.102 million

4061 Defender Way, 30075 (Garrison Oaks, Lassiter): $935,000

2746 Morgan Road, 30066 (Olde Morgan Farm, Sprayberry): $572,000

654 Gunby Road, 30067 (Sibley Forest, Wheeler): $947,600

1241 Pebble Creek Road, 30067 (Terrell Mill Estates, Wheeler): $610,000

402 Somerset Close, 30067 (Somerset, Wheeler): $625,000

623 Lullingstone Drive, 30067 (Glens at Powers Ferry, Wheeler): $445,000

192 Kings Row, 30067 (Kings Cove, Walton): $500,000

234 Hunting Creek Drive, 30068 (Weatherstone, Wheeler): $440,000

3669 High Green Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): $1.925 million

2284 Collinworth Drive, 30062 (East Lake Ridge, Wheeler): $382,500

3169 Wicks Creek Trail, 30062 (Wicks Creek, Pope): $680,000

1726 Willie Drive, 30062 (Benson Heights, Sprayberry): $292,000

1160 Alan Lane, 30062 (Benson Heights, Sprayberry): $325,000

300 Piedmont Drive, 30066 (Bristol Mill, Sprayberry): $348,000

2501 Hidden Hills Drive, 30066 (Hidden Hills, Sprayberry): $367,500

2710 Salzburg Drive, 30062 (Alpine Forest, Pope): $630,000

4148 Westchester Crossing, 30075 (Westchester, Lassiter): $702,000

2715 Hawk Trace, 30066 (Falcon Crest, Kell): $410,000

3603 Hampstead Lane, 30075 (Hampstead, Pope): $685,000

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

2285 Chimney Springs Drive, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $543,000

2120 Stone Hollow Court, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): $690,000

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