Georgia elections board to investigate Cobb absentee ballot issues

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The Georgia Elections Board says it is looking into the delayed mailing of absentee ballots to some Cobb voters for the U.S. Senate runoff.State Elections Board Cobb absentee ballots

The board held an emergency meeting Saturday to say it would be conducting a probe into 3,442 absentee ballots that were mailed last Monday due to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Three Cobb voters filed a lawsuit to get extended time to return their ballots, and a consent decree was ordered Friday by a Cobb Superior Court judge.

Those voters who received ballots on or before Nov. 26 will have until Friday, Dec. 9, to return their ballots, but they must be postmarked by Tuesday, election day in the runoff between Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker.

But at a court hearing Friday, Cobb Elections protested the extension of time, and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger also objected.

They said that the proper processes were followed for mailing absentee ballots for the runoff, which has an 11-day window. The Cobb Elections office was closed on Friday following Thanksgiving as it’s a county holiday.

On Sunday, Cobb County government sent a message saying Cobb Elections would cooperate with the state elections board investigation.

“Voting by absentee ballot has become increasingly popular, with Cobb County issuing more absentee ballots than any county in the state during the runoff,” the Cobb statement said. “Our office and other elections offices across the state face challenges created by this increased demand and the reduced timelines for absentee ballot processing and distribution mandated under SB202.

“The Cobb Board of Elections and Registration is committed to reviewing and updating our processes and procedures following the December 6 runoff and will incorporate any findings from state officials into our review and updates.”

Final voting in the U.S. Senate runoff is Tuesday, with the polls open at regular voting precincts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Absentee voters not affected by Friday’s consent order have until 7 p.m. Tuesday to return their ballots to the Cobb Elections Office at 995 Roswell Street.

They can also take their absentee ballot to their regular polling station and cancel it and vote in-person.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Nov. 14-18, 2022

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Powers Park, East Cobb real estate sales

The following deeds for residential East Cobb real estate sales were filed Nov. 14-18, 2022 with the Cobb Superior Court Clerk’s Office Real Estate Department.

The addresses include ZIP Codes; subdivision names and high school districts are in parenthesis:

Nov. 14

567 Gramercy Drive, 30068 (River Park at Hampton Farms, Walton): Gail Goetz to Sharma Anup; $1.591 million

3431 Forest Peak Way, 30066 (Highland Pointe, Lassiter): Redeemed Property Management Inc. to Barbara Affaine; $650,000

3816 Running Fox Drive, 30062 (Raintree Forest, Lassiter): Gordon and Amie Briggs to Kyle and Akiko Dupont; $595,000

4231 Doisy Court, 30066 (Keheley Bend, Kell): Jon and Kathryn Christopher to Harrisen Howes; $350,000

3971 Philmont Drive, 30066 (Philmont Estates, Sprayberry): Brian and Courtney Collins to WDJF LLC; $265,000

3919 Chapel Heights Drive, 30062 (Chapel Heights, Lassiter): JPH Properties LLC to William and Liliana Armstrong; $1 million

4305 Revere Court, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): Louis Versaci to Matthew and Leslie Cogbill; $575,000

2327 Milstead Circle, 30066 (Landsdowne, Sprayberry): Taylor Banks to Michael Salamon; $417,000

1882 Poinsettia Drive, 30062 (Hasty Acres, Sprayberry): Karl and Nellie Hoenes to Kristi and Robert Halsell; $355,000

2409 Hembree Drive, 30062 (Walton): Daniel Rybin to William Ryan; $1.249 million

3579 Clubland Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): Orchard Property III LLC to Linda Danise; $605,000

Nov. 15

1344 Waterford Green Close, 30068 (Waterford Green, Walton): Patrick Ghazal to Saraubh Sinha and Aditi Das; $975,000

4833 Wigley Road, 30066 (Edgewood East, Lassiter): Toll Southeast LP Company Inc. to Veejay and Reena Vanmali; $1.157 million

4491 Park Place Terrace, 30066 (Jefferson Township, Lassiter): Emily May Jennings, executor to Rashaad Young; $525,000

4315 Arbor Landing Drive, 30066 (Arbor Bridge, Lassiter): James Edward Glenn IV, executor to Jon and Kathryn Christopher; $440,000

3809 Cochran Lake Road, 30062 (Cochran Lake Shores, Lassiter): Bercher Homes LLC to Benjamin and Jessica Kopp; $1.148 million

3349 Alexis Court, 30066 (Carrington Place, Sprayberry): UAR Solutions Ga. LLC to Yulong and Hui Chen; $442,000

3316 Hilltop Drive, 30066 (Overlook at Hilltop Drive, Sprayberry): Hilltop REI LLC to Christopher Williams; $669,737

439 Mark Avenue, 30066 (Kingswood Estates, Sprayberry): Laura Ann Garner to Jamie Pederson; $320,000

1180 Mitsy Forest Drive, 30068 (Mitsy Forest, Walton): Naomi Weyand Smith, executor to Donald and Lucy McMullan; $540,000

Nov. 16

2427 Rachel Court, 30066 (Village North, Sprayberry): Julie and James Flagel, trustees to Bobby Gleaton and Kaitlyn Jones; $415,000

4188 Avid Park, 30062 (East Haven, Walton): Bishops TH to Andy and Shelly Berke; $868,205

Nov. 17

2161 Heritage Trace Lane, 30068 (Heritage Trace, Walton): David and Erin Lynn to Garrett Thompson and Jessica Pluta; $605,000

809 Bedford Oaks Drive, 30068 (New Bedford, Walton): Rodney Collier to Andrea and Grayson Striebel; $650,000

2741 Jims Road, 30066 (Lassiter): Yvonne Hall to Pramila Addagiri; $517,000

2530 Chimney Springs Drive, 30062 (Chimney Springs, Pope): Kirsten Porter to David Ozer and Marissa Leslie; $600,000

1760 Canton Hills Drive, 30062 (Canton Hills, Pope): Sharon Schlief to Daniel and Heidi Elias; $340,000

Nov. 18

4760 Powers Park Circle, 30067 (Powers Park, Walton): Patricia Ross to Mariya and Azeem Malik; $665,000

4988 Gunners Run, 30075 (Gunners Pond, Lassiter): Raymond Connolly to Edward Connolly; $375,000

2773 Holly Ridge Circle, 30062 (Holly Ridge, Pope): 2993 Holly Ridge Circle LLC to Kristen and Kyong Rok Moon; $445,000

2406 Spring Lake Drive, 30062 (Shadowoods, Pope): Karen Holt to Rodney McKenzie and Kazuha Ikeda; $435,000

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PHOTOS, VIDEOS: 2022 Holiday Lights go on at East Cobb Park

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2022 East Cobb Park Holiday Lights

The weather was a little chilly but not too frightful for several hundred people who turned out at East Cobb Park Sunday night for Holiday Lights.

The annual tree lighting—there were two in fact, on either side of the concert shell—was conducted by Judy Boyce, the 2022 co-recipient of the East Cobb Citizen of the Year Award (with her husband, the late Cobb Commission Chairman Mike Boyce).

The Cobb Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends for the East Cobb Park, an all-volunteer organization that supports park events and activities, organized the celebration, with support from Wellstar Health System and the Rotary Club of East Cobb.

The Dodgen Middle School Pops band perfomed, and refreshments were available from Alumni Cookie Dough.

After the tree lighting, Santa and Mrs. Claus made their way to the back of the park, and then greeted children on the concert stage to hear their gift wishes.

There’s another holiday celebration at East Cobb Park, a community Menorah Lighting on Dec. 18 starting at 5:30 to mark the begnning of eight days of Hanukkah. That event is being organized by the Congregation Etz Chaim.

The Friends for the East Cobb Park has begun a membership drive to generate more volunteer and financial support for activities at the park. President Kurt von Borries said the drive will be ongoing and the organization is seeking community members to take part.

Among the objectives is to raise funds to purchase more the Tritt property next to the park, and for regular progamming activities. For information, click here.

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PHOTOS: Johnson Ferry Christmas Party celebrates the season

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Johnson Ferry Christmas Party

The halls of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church were bursting with people of all ages on Saturday, and especially children and their parents, at the church’s Annual Christmas Party.

Live music, “the Christmas Experience” storytelling, a petting zoo, bouncy games, crafts and the more were featured on a busy weekend for holiday events in East Cobb.

On Sunday, Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park gets underway, and the Bethlehem Walk exhibit continues at Mountain View UMC.

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Early voting surges in Cobb as U.S. Senate runoff finish nears

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cobb advance voting, Cobb voter registration deadline, Walton and Dickerson PTSA candidates forum

As early voting in the U.S. Senate runoff has concluded, more than 150,000 votes have been cast in Cobb in person and via absentee ballot.

Tuesday’s conclusion to the race between Democratic U.S. Sen Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker will take place at regular voting precincts throughout Cobb and the state. Voters who are returning absentee ballots face a Tuesday 7 p.m. deadline to return them.

As we reported Friday, a Cobb judge has extended the time for some absentee voters to return their ballots to Dec. 9, as long as they are postmarked by Tuesday.

Cobb Elections agreed to the extension after being sued over delays in mailing some absentee ballots due to the Thanksgiving holiday last week.

Voters who received their absentee ballots on or before Nov. 26 will have the same deadline as military and overseas voters, next Friday, Dec. 9.

Through Friday, a total of 146,705 people voted in person in Cobb, according to Cobb Elections. That’s roughly a third of the county’s registered voters and included 29,798 votes on Friday, a single-day record for early voting.

At the East Cobb Government Service Center, 15,996 voted early, and 17,495 voted early at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center.

More than 20,000 people have voted each day of early voting since Monday.

A total of 24,053 absentee ballots have been requested by Cobb voters, with 9,709 returned and 6,237 accepted.

In a social media posting Saturday morning, Gabriel Sterling, the chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, said more than 1.8 million votes were cast across the state in early voting and absentee voting.

He said that represents 26.4 active voters in Georgia, and that 60 percent of absentee ballots have been returned and accepted.

The Secretary of State’s office has a Ballot Trax service voters can use to follow the status of their absentee ballots.

Absentee ballots can be returned in Cobb in-person Monday and Tuesday at the Cobb Elections office (995 Roswell Street, Marietta.).

On Monday the hours are from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Tuesday the hours are voting hours—7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There will be no other absentee ballot drop boxes at any of the regular voting precincts.

All absentee ballots not subject to Friday’s court order must be received by the Cobb Elections office by 7 p.m. Tuesday.

For more information visit the Cobb Elections page.

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Stuff-A-Bus to roll out Dec. 13-15 for the Cobb Christmas program

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Cobb Stuff A Bus 2022
For a larger view, click here.

The annual Stuff-A-Bus program will be rolling out throughout Cobb County in mid-December to collect holiday gifts for needy children.

The Cobb Christmas program includes various community partners in conducting the drive, which takes place from Dec. 13-15.

Citizens are asked to bring unwrapped toys for children ages 3-13 at the locations, dates and times indicated on the flyer.

The Cobb Linc bus will be collecting the toys to be distributed to around 1,000 children. Start shopping now and drop off your toy donations at any businesses listed on the flyer.

The two East Cobb stops on the schedule take place on Tuesday, Dec. 13.

The bus will stop at the Northeast Cobb YMCA (3010 Johnson Ferry Road) from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and at the Wellstar East Cobb Health Park (3747 Roswell Road) from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

For more information on the Stuff-A-Bus program, click here.

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Cobb Elections sued over absentee ballots in U.S. Senate runoff

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Just as in the general election, the Cobb Board of Elections and Registration is being sued over delays in sending out absentee ballots for the U.S. Senate runoff.Cobb absentee ballots

The Southern Poverty Law Center, the ACLU of Georgia and the law firm Dechert LLP have filed an emergency lawsuit in Cobb Superior Court on behalf of three voters who either have not received absentee ballots before Tuesday’s runoff election concludes or are just now getting them.

Cobb Elections Director Janine Eveler said this week that 3,442 absentee ballots did not go out until Monday instead of last Wednesday, the day before the two-day county Thanksgiving holiday, when they were listed as having been mailed out.

The runoff between Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker has an 11-day window for absentee ballots to be requested, returned and received, and on four of those days no ballots were mailed.

UPDATED:

Cobb Elections has agreed to extend the deadline for those who did not receive an absentee ballot by Nov. 26. Those voters will have until next next Friday, Dec. 9, to have their absentee ballots postmarked and mailed.

A hearing took place Friday before Cobb Superior Court Judge Kellie Hill, who signed a consent decree as she did last month.

Cobb Elections contended during the hearing that all absentee ballots requested for the runoff met the legal deadlines for being mailed, and that they weren’t picked up in the mail until Monday, Nov. 28, due to the holiday.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Absentee ballots from voters not subject to Friday’s agreement must be received by the Cobb Elections office by 7 p.m. Tuesday. Absentee ballot drop boxes are available at some early voting locations, including the East Cobb Government Service Center, by 7 p.m. Friday, the last day of early voting.

Another plaintiff in the lawsuit is the Cobb County Democracy Center, which bills itself as a voter advocacy organization.

The suit sought to extend the deadline for those who haven’t received their ballots to Dec. 9, when military and overseas ballots are due.

The suit also wants to allow those voters who haven’t received the absentee ballots by 2 p.m. Friday to use a federal absentee write-in ballot.

A similar suit in the general election resulted in a consent decree allowing absentee voters extra time to return their ballots. That was after Cobb Elections admitted to a “human error” in delaying the mailing of around 1,000 absentee ballots.

In a release Friday morning, the SPLC, ACLU and Dechert also want Cobb Elections to deliver absentee ballots to homebound voters and for the county to notify voters of the changes.

They say the problems are due to a new state voting law, SB 202, which reduced the time for absentee ballots to be requested and returned from the 2020 elections.

One of the plaintiffs is working out of state is not available to vote in person, according to the lawsuit (you can read it here).

She said she inquired on Tuesday about the status of her ballot, but was told she would have to wait for it to be mailed, vote early or vote in person.

County elections offices have three business days to mail an absentee ballot upon receipt of an application.

Another plaintiff said he requested his ballot on Nov. 16 but received it on Thursday, with the mailing date showing Nov. 26, last Saturday.

That plaintiff, David Medof of East Cobb, said in an affidavit attached to the lawsuit that he’s a student attending college outside the county. He said he does not have a car and is studying for final exams.

Medof said he completed and returned his ballot immediately on Thursday, “but I am still concerned that my ballot will not arrive by 7:00pm on election day in time to be counted.”

The lawsuit also claims that Cobb is slower to process returned absentee ballots, with around 20 percent of those turned in by Nov. 21, compared to nearly 30 percent in Fulton and 27 percent in DeKalb.

After today, the only location to drop off an absentee ballot in person is Tuesday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., at the Cobb Elections office (995 Roswell St., Marietta).

Those voters casting ballots in person will go their usual precincts, which do not have absentee ballot dropoff availability.

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Lidl rezoning request for NE Cobb store delayed to February

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Lidl Northeast Cobb plans
The discount grocer Lidl’s rezoning request to build a store in Northeast Cobb is being continued to February.

So is a previously delayed application to build a standalone Starbucks coffee shop at Paper Mill Village.

They were to have been heard Tuesday by the Cobb Planning Commission.

Lidl filed a revised site plan and new renderings and elevations on Nov. 18 for a 31,540-square-foot store on 3.47 acres at Canton and Piedmont roads, on the site of a closed Rite Aid pharmacy.

But the application calls for only 128 parking spaces; a minimum of 158 are required for the CAC (commercial activity center) and NAC (neighborhood activity center) categories being sought.

The new site plan includes an above-ground retention pond at the Canton-Piedmont intersection.

But the biggest concern for the Cobb Zoning Office is the limited amount of space for emergency vehicles. The staff analysis (you can read it here) recommends approval pending those and other issues being addressed.

The continuance comes after a community meeting this week involving Lidl, the Canton Road Neighbors civic group, Commissioner JoAnn Birrell and Planning Commissioner Deborah Dance.

 

For a larger view, click here.

This is Lidl’s third attempt to build a store in the Northeast Cobb area; a store at Woodlawn Square opened in the former Fresh Market space in September 2020.

In the Paper Mill Village Starbucks case, the applicant, S & B Investments, is requesting the continuance to February.

Attorney Garvis Sams said in a letter that the building’s architecture and configuration on the site are being changed.

The application for the proposed two-story, 5,000-square foot building has been continued twice before.

Zoning cases are not heard in Cobb County in January.

The Cobb Planning Commission is a five-member body appointed by the Cobb Board of Commissioners to make recommendations in zoning cases.

Final decisions are made by county commissioners, who meet on the third Tuesday of the month.

The full agenda for Tuesday’s Planning Commission meeting can be found by clicking here. A summary agenda can be found here.

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

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Former Mt. Bethel UMC members start new Methodist church

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Former Mt. Bethel members start new Methodist church
The newly formed Grace Resurrection Methodist Church is holding services at the former Lutheran Church of the Incarnation.

After leaving Mt. Bethel Church over its dispute with the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, some former members have been meeting in recent months for picnics and other gatherings, including worship services.

Some expressed a desire to form their own church, and over the summer began the process of starting what is now called Grace Resurrection Methodist Church.

They met at the tiny New Providence Baptist Church on Providence Road, as what was called the Mt. Bethel Resurrection Church Exploratory Committee was taking shape.

The leadership has included Rev. Randy Mickler, who was Mt. Bethel’s pastor for nearly 30 years, and Dr. Rev. Steven Usry, who had been appointed to the role of senior pastor at Mt. Bethel at the start of the controversy.

With attendance heading into triple figures at New Providence, they were running out of room to worship.

Former Mt. Bethel members start new Methodist church
Rev. Dr. Steven Usry delivers the sermon at the new home of Grace Resurrection Methodist Church. Photos courtesy Donna Lachance.

So the exploratory committee set out for larger, more permanent space. On Nov. 20, the first worship service of Grace Resurrection took place at that new venue, the former Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, which closed this summer.

More than 100 people attended, and the newly formed Grace Resurrection choir sang.

Among those in the pews was Donna Lachance.

“It just felt like coming home after a long dry spell,” she said.

She was a longtime Mt. Bethel member and church employee who was among the more vocal opponents of the church’s move to separate from the United Methodist Church.

Disaffected members stayed connected by starting the Friends of Mt. Bethel group, which had more than 600 names on its e-mail list until being shuttered last month.

“My husband and I have already started attending Roswell UMC, but we strongly support this initiative, and will attend periodically at the very least,” Lachance said about Grace Resurrection.

Even as the litigation between Mt. Bethel and the North Georgia Conference continued, she was hopeful the denomination would stand its ground and at least allow the church membership a vote on disaffiliation.

The mediated settlement in Cobb Superior Court required Mt. Bethel to pay $13.1 million to leave the UMC. Former North Georgia Bishop Sue-Haupert Johnson, whose reassignment of Mt. Bethel senior pastor Jody Ray in April 2021 triggered the controversy, met with Friends of Mt. Bethel members, some of whom told her they feel like they don’t have a church home.

(Haupert-Johnson was appointed the UMC’s Bishop of Virginia earlier this month.)

Former Mt. Bethel members start new Methodist church

Grace Resurrection, which registered as a domestic non-profit religious organization in late October, has covered the former Lutheran church’s signage and included its name on the marquee.

Grace Resurrection is occupying the former Incarnation facility at 1200 Indian Hills Parkway that is now owned by the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

There’s one Sunday service, at 11 a.m.

In response to an interview request from East Cobb News, Grace Resurrection sent out a brief press release saying that weekly attendance has averaged around 200 people.

It quoted a member saying that “rather than scatter or dropout altogether, we wanted to continue worshiping together and expand our welcome to new members. Now an excellent centralized location is available to us.”

The release said that interim clergy are leading services and that “Sunday School classes and other fellowship gatherings are forming.”

A second Sunday service, mission projects and a youth program also are being planned.

“The church has come together in unity, faith and love and is excited to provide a kind, welcoming and Christ-centered worship experience for people across the East Cobb community,” the release said.

Lachance said that while wishes her friends Grace Resurrection “the best, and will likely visit from time to time,” she is joining Roswell UMC, with established mission and youth programs “for our grandkids.”

She said that many former members of the Friends of Mt. Bethel were involved in the formation of Grace Resurrection, but so were others.

“But the leadership team of Friends of Mt. Bethel UMC made a group decision to close down that organization and that name. It existed for a time and a purpose, and that time and purpose have passed,” she said.

During Advent, Grace Resurrection is offering Sunday School classes at 9:30 a.m. A Christmas concert will take place Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m. and a Candlelight Christmas Eve service is scheduled for Dec. 24 at 5 p.m.

Former Mt. Bethel members start new Methodist church

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East Cobb Weekend Events: Holiday Lights; Apple Annie; Christmas Party; more

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Holiday Lights at East Cobb Park

The first full weekend of Christmas events may be the busiest of all in the 2022 holiday season in East Cobb.

There are three full days—and nights—of festivities, starting bright and early on Friday morning.

That’s when the Apple Annie Arts and Crafts Show starts at the Catholic Church of St. Ann (4905 Roswell Road), and all on one floor in the church’s expansive new parish hall.

More than 100 artisanal vendors will be selling their wares, and there will be food and other refreshments. Hours are 9-6 Friday and 9-2 Saturday, and overflow parking and shuttle service will be provided at the Episcopal Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1795 Johnson Ferry Road).

The choruses from Dickerson Middle School are featured Friday from 6-7:30 p.m. in Caroling at The Avenue East Cobb (4475 Roswell Road), one of the retail center’s many holiday events.

Saturday afternoon includes more family holiday celebrations and entertainment.

From 12-2 p.m., it’s the Johnson Ferry Christmas Party (955 Johnson Ferry Road), a festival with more than 20 venues including inflatables, trains, food, live music, crafts and more. The host is Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, an East Cobb News sponsor.

Music-lovers will enjoy the Cobb New Horizons Christmas Concert from 2-4 p.m. at the Lassiter High School Concert Hall (2601 Shallowford Road). It’s free, and the musicians are seniors with musical experience.

This year is the 30th anniversary of the Bethlehem Walk at Mountain View United Methodist Church (2300 Jamerson Road), and the interactive display of Jesus’ birth takes place from Saturday-Monday from 7-9:30 p.m. each night.

After walking through the streets of Bethlehem, attendees can enjoy refreshments, including hot cider. The event is free but donations are accepted.

At the very end of the weekend, and as the sun goes down, Holiday Lights will be going on at East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Road).

Live music including Dodgen Pops and a visit from Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will be featured at the event sponsored by the Friends for the East Cobb Park, which will be selling hot chocolate and cookies.

You can find all of our calendar listings in one handy place on our site. If you have events to share with the public, please e-mail: calendar@eastcobbnews.com and we will post them here.

 

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East Cobb Food Scores: J. Christopher’s; Clean Juice; Mzizi; more

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J. Christopher's Woodlawn Square, East Cobb food scores

The following food scores for the week of Nov. 28 have been compiled by the Cobb & Douglas Department of Public Health. Click the link under each listing for inspection details:

Belen De La Cruz Empenadas & Pastries
1050 E. Piedmont Road
December 1, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Brewsters Neighborhood Grille
3595 Canton Road, Suite 326
November 30, 2022 Score: 95, Grade: A

Catering Cajun of Georgia 
2421 Shallowford Road, Suite 130
December 1, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Clean Juice
1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 124
November 30, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

Great American Cookies/Marble Slab Creamery 
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 308
December 2, 2022 Score: 100, Grade: A

J. Christopher’s 
1205 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 113-114
November 30, 2022 Score: 90, Grade: A

Marietta Donuts
1282 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 109
December 1, 2022 Score: 92, Grade: A

Mzizi Coffee Roaster
2995 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 220
November 30, 2022 Score: 89, Grade: B

Parc at Piedmont
999 Hood Road
December 1, 2022 Score: 80, Grade: B

Thai Taste
4796 Canton Road, Suite 600-700
November 30, 2022 Score: 82, Grade: B

Vespucci’s Pizza & Pasta Tavern
4805 Canton Road, Suite 100
November 30, 2022 Score: 81, Grade: B

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East Cobb MS PTSA to sponsor ‘Angel Tree’ for needy families

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East Cobb MS PTSA Angel Tree

The East Cobb Middle School PTSA is teaming up with the school’s social worker to sponsor what it’s calling an “Angel Tree” program to support families in need during the holiday season.

According to Monica Bright, the ECMS social worker, each “angel” has an item on a family’s wish list that typically range from $10-$20 and are personalized to student needs.

She said Walmart and Kroger gift cards in $20 increments are being accepted to help families purchase food during the winter break.

All items purchased for the Angel Tree students must be returned wrapped to the front office at ECMS (825 Terrell Mill Road) by Dec. 7. Bright says to make sure the angel is attached to the item so it can be distributed to the correct family.

For information about the Angel Tree program contact Monica Bright at Monica.Bright@cobbk12.org.

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The Avenue East Cobb redevelopment construction work begins

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The Avenue East Cobb construction work
Fencing around the back portion of The Avenue East Cobb has prompted some significant traffic detours.

Right before the holiday shopping season got underway, a sizable portion of the back parking lot at The Avenue East Cobb was being fenced off.

It’s the start of a redevelopment plan we’ve been following for some months, to include a public plaza and two “jewel box” buildings with restaurants and retail, as well as optional valet parking.

“Our intention is to transform AEC into a more walkable and pedestrian-friendly destination, so the current, short-term disruption to traffic flow is required to reach that goal,” said Britni Johnson, a spokeswoman for North American Properties, which manages the retail center on Roswell Road.

The groundbreaking was in August, but nothing further has happened until now to begin work on the “Central Boulevard” plan that’s scheduled to be completed early next year.

The barricades and fencing went up earlier this month, and the loss of a few dozen parking places and detours caused some traffic issues on Black Friday and over the weekend.

What you can’t do any longer—and this change is permanent—is use the traffic lane closest to the back of the main building, between the former Bravura store and what was Stockyard Burgers and Bones.

That’s where Central Boulevard will be located, featuring the public plaza and the valet service.

The jewel boxes will be constructed in the parking lot area between that building and the Michael’s craft store.

For the time being, there is no access along the back traffic lane between the Pottery Barn and Williams-Sonoma.

There is some limited parking in that area, including access to Michael’s, with detour signs and arrows on the pavement directing motorists around the fencing.

There were some complaints on social media about the construction work, especially the timing given the holidays.

North American Properties said in response to questions from East Cobb News that 88 parking spaces have been fenced off for the construction, with all but 20 to reopen when the project is.complete.

Johnson said construction is beginning late due to delays in getting necessary permits.

She said the building permit took longer than expected, and that while construction could have begun in September, when a civil permit was issued, “we chose to wait until building construction could officially get underway to reduce the amount of disturbance time for locals.”

She said the decision to begin work now, at the start of the holidays, was necessary “to keep the project on track for a summer 2023 delivery.”

Johnson said the “no thru traffic section” was opened on Black Friday and it is open again now.

The Avenue has scheduled a number of holiday events, including caroling this Friday, a live music concert next week and a Menorah lighting on Dec. 18.

When asked how extra traffic for weekend shopping and holiday events would be handled, Johnson said that “We are actively working with our general contractor to determine a low-impact solution for keeping the drive aisle open throughout the project while also moving construction forward in a timely manner.”

The Avenue East Cobb construction work
The planned “Central Boulevard” will be built between the main and back buildings at The Avenue East Cobb.

The Avenue East Cobb construction workA public plaza will be built at the former Bravura store.

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East Cobb traffic alert: Lower Roswell Road crash blocks lanes

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Lower Roswell Road crash
Georgia 511 screenshot.

Cobb Police are asking motorists to find an alternate route along a busy portion of Lower Roswell Road Tuesday afternoon.

A crash on Lower Roswell eastbound near Fairfield Drive has blocked two lanes of traffic in a congested area at the East Cobb Government Service Center and Mt. Bethel Church.

Police said in a social media posting that traffic is getting by, but there are delays and “please use an alternate route.”

Early voting continues at the East Cobb government center until 7 p.m., and the parking lot was nearly full when we went by earlier Tuesday afternoon. There was a backup of traffic trying to access the entrance at Lower Roswell and Fairfield.

UPDATED, 5:15 P.M.: Cobb Police are reporting that all lanes of traffic are open.

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Sewell Mill Library, The Art Place to hold holiday markets

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Cobb Parks holiday market sale

The Cobb Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department once again will be holding its 12 Days of Christmas Holiday Markets at four county arts centers starting Wednesday.

Two of them are in East Cobb, at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center (2051 Lower Roswell Road) and The Art Place (3330 Sandy Plains Road).

The markets feature handmade items sold by local artists that are ideal for the holiday season.

The markets are open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 12-6 p.m. through Dec. 11.

The other markets are at the Mable House (5239 Floyd Road, Austell) and The Art Station (2050 Kennesaw Due West Road, Kennesaw).

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Cobb launches UDC page, announces December public meetings

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The Cobb Unified Development Code project has a new web address and two public meetings have been scheduled for early December as an independent consultant begins its work.Cobb UDC page launches

Cobb government said Monday that public meetings will take place next week—Monday, Dec. 5 at the North Cobb Regional Library (3535 Old Highway 41 Northwest, Kennesaw) and Tuesday, Dec. 6 at the Switzer Library (266 Roswell Street, Marietta).

Both meetings are scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Other meetings throughout the county will be announced at a later date.

The UDC is a project of the Cobb Community Development Agency, whose goal, according to a county release, “is to produce a document that encourages and enables development and redevelopment in identified centers while preserving the unique character of the county’s rural areas.”

Community development officials said it’s needed because development regulations in Cobb date back to the 1970s.

“The project,” according to the county, “also aims to protect existing neighborhoods, conserve natural and historic resources, support economic development and provide an opportunity for various housing types.”

Cobb commissioners in a split vote in August approved spending nearly $500,000 to hire Clarion Associates, LLC, a nationwide land-use and planning consulting firm which has provided services for a UDC in Hall County and design and development guidelines in Savannah.

Some critics of the UDC proposal in Cobb have called it “a war on the suburbs,” but agency officials said it’s an increasingly common approach to pulling together all components of development projects.

The consultant’s work will take place over an 18 to 24-month process, starting this winter with public meetings and feedback sessions and opportunities.

A code assessment process will start in the spring of 2023, followed by a draft UDC expected to be presented in the spring of 2024. Public hearings of that draft are slated from summer-fall of 2024.

The new Cobb UDC page includes a timeline of that process, along with zoning, development and design documents and project updates and other materials.

Citizens also can submit questions and sign up for project updates and other information, provide comments and review and comment on draft documents.

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A gift guide for shopping small in East Cobb this holiday season 

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East Cobb shopping small gift guide

For the holiday season we’re encouraging East Cobb residents to really keep it local with their shopping. East Cobb News contributor Tamar Levy has rounded up a few small businesses that provide a truly authentic community touch with their products, goods, services and customer connection.

Last Saturday was the traditional “Shop Small” promotion begun more than a decade ago by American Express to help promote community-focused businesses, especially retailers.

With additional promotions such as Cyber Monday, the shopping small ethos continues through the holiday season.

Levy will be contributing other holiday stories over the coming weeks. We’ll also be adding more freelancers in the new year to help us cover more of the news you’ve come to expect from East Cobb News.

In a recent reader survey, a number of you said you wanted more news and coverage of local businesses, and here’s an example of what we have in mind. Feel free to tell us how we’re doing.

By Tamar Levy

East Cobb is home to many unique small businesses, and this holiday season is a great opportunity to support them. From children’s items to home goods to wellness, you are bound to find something for everyone you are shopping for.  

Pineapple Porch Boutique 

Embrace your passion for southern hospitality and gracious living in an intimate shopping experience. This store has something for everyone on your list and items you won’t see anywhere else. They carry a wide variety of gifts and provide complimentary gift wrap as well.

1255 Johnson Ferry Rd, Unit 40 
Marietta, GA 30068 
(678) 398-9667
@pineappleporchboutique

The Orange Iris 

The Orange Iris presents a carefully curated collection of pieces for baby, child and her.  From the most traditional children’s clothing to whimsical gifts for your friend, they truly have something for everyone. And looking for something personalized? They have an extensive selection of both classic and modern monograms. 

255 Village Pkwy, Unit 160 
Marietta, GA 30067 
678-667-3526 
@theorangeiris 

Willow Park 

A curated and unique collection of women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. The items you’ll find in this store are one of a kind and will help you stand out during the holiday season. With new pieces arriving frequently, you are bound to find something new for your closet here. 

255 Village Pkwy, Unit 170 
Marietta, GA 30067 
(404) 302-7138 
@willowparkboutique 

Olea Oliva! business anniversary

Olea Oliva 

This shop is the perfect place for the foodie. They carry spices, balsamic vinegars and olive oils. This family-owned business sells the finest oils and vinegars from around the world. In addition to shopping at their incredible taproom, you can enjoy a culinary experience through their various events. The perfect idea for a night out in East Cobb. 

4475 Roswell Rd, Unit 1725 
Marietta, GA 30062 
(770) 321- 0099
@oleaolivausa

Rose Jasmine Flowers and Décor 

This is the first flower shop in Atlanta to offer same day fresh arrangements with the option of delivery as well. In addition to typical flower arrangements, they carry beautiful, handcrafted flower boxes. This high-end flower and décor studio is the newest floral shop to East Cobb that has already made a lasting impression. 

255 Village Pkwy NE, Unit 740 
Marietta, GA 30067 
(404) 494-6473 
@rosejasmineatl 

Skin Care by Gabriela 

This five-star spa offers several treatments and services just for your skin. From light therapy to dermaplaning to luxury facials, they can do it all for your skin. Their team of experts will make you feel right at home no matter where you are on your skincare journey. 

286 Village Pkwy,  
Marietta, GA 30067 
(770)-226-9990 
@skincarebygabriela 

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Mr. Clean Car Wash to hold grand reopening events in East Cobb

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Mr. Clean Car Wash reopens East Cobb

After closing in March 2021 due to a fire, Mr. Clean Car Wash reopened in East Cobb earlier this month and is holding several events and specials this week.

The combo car wash and oil change service is located at 3950 Shallowford Road, adjacent to a CVS store that is closing.

The new facility has been entirely rebuilt and expanded from the original building.

Services include self- and full-service car washes, detailing and Jiffy Lube oil changes for all types of vehicles.

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Thursday at 11 a.m. with representatives of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce and an appearance by the Morning Show crew from 94.9 The Bull and comedian Brian Moote for what’s being billed as “clean comedy.”

Free express car washes will be offered to all customers between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Thursday, Dec. 1 to Saturday, Dec. 3, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4.

Customers who purchase a single wash after that will get unlimited washes for their first month.

Mr. Clean has 11 locations in Georgia and four in Florida.

Updates for the East Cobb location are provided on its Facebook page.

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Early voting lines shrink in East Cobb after as U.S. Senate runoff continues

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Cobb U.S. Senate runoff early voting lines
Nearly 2,500 voted in-person Saturday and Sunday at the East Cobb Government Service Center.

After hours-long waits in weekend early voting in the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff, lines shrank considerably Monday in Cobb County.

Estimated wait-times of two hours and longer were reported at the East Cobb Government Service Center (above) on Saturday and Sunday.

Early voting is continuing there (4400 Lower Roswell Road) and at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center (3332 Sandy Plains Road) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday this week.

Cobb Elections said Monday that turnout countywide was 13,686, with 2,469 turning out at the East Cobb government center.

When we drove by on Saturday afternoon, there also was a bit of a line to find a place to park.

But as the weekday early voting continued Monday afternoon, the East Cobb center was reporting waits of only 15 minutes, and 25 minutes at the Tim D. Lee Center.

(You can view the estimated wait-time map by clicking here; it will be updated periodically each day by poll managers at those locations.)

Other early voting spots had longer times, including two hours at the Ron Anderson Rec Center in Powder Springs and an hour at the Ward Recreation Center in West Cobb.

Turnout is high across the state in the battle between Democratic incumbent Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker, even though control of the U.S. Senate is no longer being contested.

Democrats will retain a majority with at least 50 votes and the tie-breaking powers of Vice President Kamala Harris.

But more than 180,000 voters around the state cast their ballots over the weekend.

A Fulton County judge last week allowed for Saturday voting, overruling Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

Cobb, which had already called for Sunday voting, added five hours of Saturday voting, one of 13 counties in Georgia to do so. They are all in metro Atlanta.

Voters in Cobb can go to any early voting location in the county to cast their ballots in person. Absentee ballots can be dropped off at the East Cobb center during early voting hours only.

There is no early voting this weekend. On Tuesday, Dec. 6, voters will go to the assigned precincts to vote. Absentee ballots may be dropped off that day only at the main Cobb Elections office (995 Roswell St.) between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

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East Cobb residential real estate sales, Nov. 7-11, 2022

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Meadow Chase, East Cobb real estate sales
Meadow Chase

The following deeds for residential East Cobb real estate sales were filed Nov. 7-11, 2022 with the Cobb Superior Court Clerk’s Office Real Estate Department

The addresses include ZIP Codes; subdivision names and high school districts are in parenthesis:

Nov. 7

2270 Ravenwood Trail, 30066 (Ravenwood, Kell): Thomas Bae to Mackenzie and William Brackett; $430,000

4943 Keota Run, 30075 (Indian Creek, Lassiter): Opendoor Property Trust I to Bay Street Homes LLC; $375,000

3508 Parkview Drive, 30075 (Parkview East, Lassiter): Pamela Murphey Vincent to Erica and Rochelle Roberts; $465,000

190 Worthington Drive, 30068 (Sewell Manor, Wheeler): Soraya Roshan and Jay William Brown to Carmen Velazquez; $309,500

Nov. 8

4355 Stockton Way, 30066 (Stocktons Ford, Lassiter): Matthew Boyd to John and Ashley Shipp; $420,000

2416 Renny Court, 30066 (Village North, Sprayberry): Martha Martin to Jeffrey and Luis DeGuzman; $325,000

2351 Barrett Cottage Place, 30066 (Cottages at Bells Ferry, Sprayberry): The Loe Family Trust to Roberta Lee Martin; $335,000

1466 Hembree Station Drive, 30062 (Hembree Station, Walton): Veronica and James Khoury to Tanber Mehedi and Yoko Ariza-Diaz; $310,000

Nov. 9

1044 Boyd Road, 30066 (Sprayberry): Nicole Harrington to Maria Del Rosario Aguilar Gomez; $288,000

3494 Meadow Chase Drive, 30062 (Meadow Chase, Walton): Deborah and William Krupp to Venkata Koti and Prashanthi Anayavilli; $740,000

750 McBurnette Road, 30068 (Wheeler): Chelsea Price to Orchard Homes II LLC; $475,000

Nov. 10

4910 Climbing Vine Place, 30066 (Cooks Valley, Lassiter): T. Richard Arch to Curt and Carrie Cerise; $646,000

3151 Andover Drive, 30066 (Stockton Place, Lassiter): Outdoor Property C LLC to Abdallah Nabilsi and Mahmoud Hleis; $490,000

431 Buckingham Drive, 30066 (Canterbury North, Sprayberry): Weaver Assets LLC to Jesse Scherer; $465,000

3234 Belford Drive, 30066 (Chaucer Place, Sprayberry): Garrett Abdo to Osvaldo and Annette Silvera; $599,000

4215 Tirol Lane, 30062 (Alpine Forest, Pope): Preston and Elyse Easley to Phillip York and Jessica Hale; $610,000

2137 Nottley Drive, 30066 (Barrett Creek Townhomes, Sprayberry): Barbara Lincoln to Jordan Romeo and Dalton Bertine; $405,000

2160 Mark Hall Court, 30062 (Saddle Ridge Downs, Pope): Allan and Rita Lollar to Evan Phillip-Douglas Feringa and Diana Ticu; $500,000

2022 Dayron Court, 30062 (Piedmont Chase, Sprayberry): Trent Weiser to Abigail Thompson and Travis Garcia; $525,000

1931 Beaver Brook Lane, 30062 (Beaver Brook Farms, Pope): Dina Heym to Guadalupe and Jeffrey Haman; $365,000

1573 Valley Stream Drive, 30066 (Woodstream, Sprayberry): Tyler Purner to Jaclyn Lipnicki and Robert Finlay; $475,000

3665 High Green Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills, Walton): Julie and Juan Rivera to Mark and Annette Hackman; $663,000

245 Old Farm Road, 30068 (Weatherstone, Wheeler): Mariet Walter to Andrew Livingston and Ariane Lefevre; $565,000

Nov. 11

1772 Huntingford Drive, 30068 (Willow Point, Walton): Stephen and Barbara Banks to Innovating Group LLC; $320,000

2997 Clary Hill Court, 30075 (Clary Lakes, Pope): Nicholas and Megan Palmer to Bryce and Meredith Petty; $799,000

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