Woman charged with ‘black magic’ stalking of East Cobb man

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A woman who was charged with aggravated stalking against an East Cobb resident last year is being held without bond for similar offenses against the same victim.Cobb Police, Holly Springs Road suspicious person, East Cobb crime forum

According to an arrest warrant, Michelle Lewis Story, 52, of Palmetto, is charged with four felony counts of aggravated stalking for contacting that individual four times in late June and early July.

A booking report with the Cobb Sheriff’s Office said Story has been in custody at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center since Monday.

She was charged with two counts of aggravated stalking against the same man last year, and terms of her bond prohibited her from having any contact with the victim or coming to his home.

But according to the warrant, which was taken out on July 6, Story broke those conditions by contacting the man and threatening to use “black magic” against him.

On June 27, according to the warrant, she text-messaged the man twice, and acknowledged she knew she “was not supposed to contact” the victim.

The warrant states that Story contacted him again on July 2 via text message, offering to pay him $350 to drive her to her home in Palmetto, and left a voicemail which “contained content to release said victim from said witness’ black magic.”

On July 3, she texted and tried to call the victim again, the warrant states, “with contents concerning said witness holding said victim captive using black magic.”

And the warrant also states that early on the morning of July 4, Story e-mailed the man with a similar message about black magic and urged him “to find someone to take [her] away in exchange for a reward that was unspecified.”

In August of 2025, Story was charged with two counts of aggravated stalking after coming to the man’s home off Murdock Road. A warrant from Aug. 3, 2025 said Story was recorded on a Ring camera that day leaving a box of clothes at his front door and knocking on the door several times.

Those actions violated the terms of a probation order, according to that warrant.

That warrant stated that the victim told him “Michelle, this is harassment, I want you to stop contacting me.” She responded, according to the warrant, by saying that by leaving the clothes she was trying to help him, not harass him.

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$385K Ga. lottery ticket purchased at East Cobb QuikTrip

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East Cobb QuikTrip sells $20K Ga. Lottery 'Mega' ticket

For the second time this summer, a QuikTrip in East Cobb has sold a winning ticket in the Georgia Lottery.

But this one was much larger than the first.

The Georgia Lottery Corp. announced Friday that the QuikTrip at 1900 Lower Roswell Road at the Marietta Parkway sold a Fantasy 5 ticket good for $384,925.

It was one of two such Fantasy 5 winning tickets drawn on Thursday, splitting with another sold in the Athens area.

In late June, the same QuikTrip on Lower Roswell sold a ticket for $20,000 in the Mega Millions jackpot.

The Fantasy 5 jackpots start at $125,000 are held each evening. held every day at 11:34 pm.

Proceeds from Georgia Lottery ticket sales benefit public education in Georgia.

 

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Walton falls to Roswell in Corky Kell+Dave Hunter Classic

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The Walton football team scored on its first two possessions of a brand new season on Thursday night.Walton all-sports champion

Chris Peacock threw for two touchdowns, one for 74 yards, and another, to his brother Jordan.

But for the Raiders, those plays would be highlight of the evening in the Corky Kell+Dave Hunter Classic at Mercedes Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

Roswell, ranked No. 4 in Class 5A, scored 25 unanswered points en route to a 32-20 victory, ignited by an interception return for a touchdown not long after Walton built its early lead.

The game was the first for a Cobb school in the 2026 season, which got underway earlier than usual due to the expansion of the Corky Kell+Dave Hunter Classic.

The annual early-season extravaganza is marking its 35th year, initially named for the late Wheeler High School coach Corky Kell.

Kell High School, also named for Kell—the first athletics director for the Cobb County School District—will be playing host to several games next Wednesday, including the Longhorns’ game against Cobb rival McEachern. That takes place at 7:30 p.m., following a 4:30 p.m. kickoff at the Stockyard between Pebblebrook and Clarke Central.

(Here’s more about Kell and the history of the football event named after him from the Cobb County School District.)

Next Friday, three other East Cobb schools will begin their seasons at home: Pope against Woodland of Cartersville; Sprayberry facing River Ridge, and Wheeler pitted against Campbell.

Lassiter will be on the road next Friday, traveling to Cherokee.

Walton is unranked in Class 6A, after losing many of its starters from the 2025 season, in which the Raiders reached the state quarterfinals.

The Raiders are off until their Aug. 28 home opener against North Clayton.

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Marietta City Council approves data center off Delk Road

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“Companies will come here just to be near this technology,” Prime Storage CEO Robert Moser (center) told the Marietta City Council.

The Marietta City Council on Wednesday approved a controversial proposal to build a data center in a current storage facility off Delk Road that faces Interstate 75.

In a rezoning case that was tabled last month, the council voted 5-2 to approve Prime Storage’s request to use a portion of its 90,000-square-foot building for an 18-megawatt data facility for what it calls “mission critical”  local purposes.

That includes law enforcement, medical and emergency services and local businesses in the area. At last month’s meeting, Marietta also voted for a six-month moratorium on considering other data centers, as Cobb and other jurisdictions have been doing.

But it didn’t include the Prime Storage request. After more than two hours of occasionally heated public comment and discussion on Wednesday, the council agreed to a motion from Ward 7 member Joseph Goldstein that included a number of stipulations.

Those include constant monitoring of the data center site, an independent sound study to gauge noise levels, observing existing city noise limits, silencing of coolers and generators and for Prime Storage to agree not to build another data center at its other Marietta facilities.

Ward 7 includes the East Marietta area where the Prime Storage facility is located, on Powers Ferry Place, near several hotels and apartment buildings in city limits and subdivisions in unincorporated East Cobb.

State Rep. Mary Frances Williams

“Vote them out! Vote them out!” chanted some of the opponents of the data center, who for the last two months have galvanized public attention and crowded City Hall meeting chambers.

Before Wednesday’s meeting, opponents sent out multiple press releases warning against “toxic data centers” that benefit only tech billionaires while using public water ane electricity and causing pollution issues.

Much of the opposition comes from local branches of the Democratic Socialists of America, and local Democratic Party groups and candidates also have been opposed.

State Rep. Mary Frances Williams, a Democrat from Marietta who held a data center town hall recently, said that “I continue to have concerns” about the Prime Storage proposal “that in my opinion have not been answered.”

At one point, an opponent shouted out about what was on four fully redacted pages in the Prime Storage agenda item (see pages 29-33), but his question was ignored.

Supporters of the data center turned out in strong numbers, including an engineer from East Cobb-based J & A Engineering, which does low-voltage consulting work, as well as the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

Dana Johnson of Select Cobb, the Chamber’s economic development arm, said that “this is no different than any other type of infrastructure that you control.”

Marietta City Council Member Joseph Goldstein

Then the meeting went from raw emotion to highly technical talk about emergency generators, cooling systems and noise decibel levels.

Council member Cheryl Richardson (Ward 1, near Dobbins) asked a series of questions about those, saying that “I have a lot of problems with the sound study” that was done, particularly since it didn’t explain a situation in which multiple backup generators would be running.

Parks Huff, the attorney for Prime Storage, said that’s happened only twice in the last couple years at an adjacent data center, for only a few hours.

He also said his client would agree to a stipulation that the data center would not be connected to Marietta’s municipal water and electricity systems.

Prime Storage CEO Robert Moser said he was prompted to build a data center because of a medical emergency involving his mother and learning about the lack of real-time responses that such facilities provide.

He said what’s being planned in Marietta isn’t an artificial-intelligence data center that’s prompted opposition around the country, with additional concerns over potential job losses.

“This is the future,” Moser said, adding that “this will benefit local businesses and citizens. This is the most community-friendly [type of data center] there is.”

Some heckling ensued, but Moser continued, estimating that his data center could attract nearly 50 companies and create 1,500 new jobs over the next decade.

“Companies will come here just to be near this technology,” he said.

After Goldstein’s lengthy motion, Richardson and Ward 3 (West Marietta) council member Daniel Gaddis voted against the rezoning, as howling and chanting ensued.

On Thursday, Shelia Edwards of Cobb County, a Democrat running for the Georgia Public Service Commission, issued a statement opposed to the Marietta data center.

“I will always stand with communities that don’t want these facilities,” Edwards said. “I just struggle to believe that the Council had zero tools to push this back a little longer and ensure due diligence for the people of Marietta.”

The Marietta moratorium on data centers expires on Dec. 31.

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Cobb police chief to hold town halls over Flock cameras

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Cobb Police Chief Dan Ferrell will be holding several town hall meetings over the next month in response to concerns over how law enforcement is using Flock surveillance cameras and other new technology.

Cobb Police interim chief named finalist for top job
Cobb Police Chief J.D. Ferrell

One of those town halls will be in East Cobb, on Aug. 31 at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center.

Cobb County government on Wednesday announced the town halls as “community conversation about License Plate Readers (LPRs), Flock Safety technology, and FUSUS.”

The latter is a a cloud-based real-time crime center and public safety intelligence platform and is among the tools that Cobb Police have been using to track criminal activity.

“These meetings are an opportunity to learn how these public safety tools are used by the Cobb County Police Department, what information they provide to law enforcement, and how they support criminal investigations and public safety,” the Cobb government announcement said.

“Most importantly, we want to hear from you. Residents will have an opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from Chief Ferrell and department leadership.”

A number of incidents in Georgia and around the country have taken place alleging or involving law enforcement misuse of some of that technology.

In Paulding County, the former 911 director in Dallas is facing charges of accessing the Flock surveillance system for non-police reasons.

And in Macon, three Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputies have been arrested for using the Flock system for matters involving individuals with whom they were having personal relationships. All three have resigned from their positions.

Cobb Police have not been facing any similar situations, and have on occasion touted how Flock and other technology has helped to solve serious crimes or at least led to arrests.

That includes a mass shooting near Cumberland Mall in 2023 in which an arrest was made after Cobb DOT traffic cameras pinpointed the whereabouts of the suspect, and Flock cameras identified a vehicle in Midtown Atlanta that allegedly belonged to him.

In June, Cobb Police tracked down a suspect in a road rage incident in Northeast Cobb after reviewing real-time camera footage to identify his vehicle as it headed to Cherokee County, where he was arrested.

On Thursday, Flock announced it will be making some changes to address concerns over privacy and law enforcement excess.

The Cobb Police announcement about the town halls on its Facebook page has generated more than 600 comments, many of them critical of having Flock and other technology at all.

“Are you actual going to listen to residents, or just tell them why you’re going to keep flock cameras against the communities wishes and continue to use them even though they violate our rights?” asked one commenter.

“It’s a violation of privacy and you need a warrant. Stand up against this. Constitution protects us against this in the 4th amendment,” wrote another.

Another commenter who said he toured the Cobb Police Real Time Crime Information Center was told that department leaders had given a similar tour to the American Civil Liberties Association, and that “the ACLU reps asked for a copy of the Center’s policies as they felt it would make a great example for all agencies, nationwide, to use. Cobb citizens should be very proud of what CCPD is doing to protect and serve the community.”

The Cobb Police town hall sessions are scheduled as follows, with all taking place between 6:30-8 p.m.:

  • Thursday, Aug. 27, at Milford Recreation Center, 675 Smyrna Powder Springs Road, Marietta
  • Monday, Aug. 31, at Sewell Mill Library, 2051 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta
  • Tuesday, Sept. 1, at West Cobb Senior Center, 4915 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs
  • Tuesday, Sept. 15, at North Cobb Senior Center, 3900 S. Main Street, Acworth (in Kenworth Park)

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East Cobb students named to Cobb Youth Leadership class

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Twelve students attending high schools in East Cobb have been named to the 2026-27 class of Cobb Youth Leadership, “a development program sponsored by the Leadership Cobb Alumni Association and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta that focuses on developing leadership skills through interactive participation,” according to a release from the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.Cobb Chamber annual golf tournament

CYL was created by the Chamber in 1989 and the selected students are high school juniors who began the application process as sophomores. Around 60 students are chosen each year, and here’s what they do during the school year:

“Through six evening programs during the course of the school year participants in the CYL program are introduced to local, state, and national leaders. They also receive information on the responsibility, ethics, and tools for effective leadership, as well as potential career paths for after graduation.”

The following CYL class members are from East Cobb:

  • Johnson Ferry Christian Academy: Brooks Baughman
  • Lassiter High School: Niyamat Kaur, Grace Qian
  • Pope High School: Callie Cochran, Maret Dickerson
  • Sprayberry High School: Alex Duke
  • Walton High School: Ryan Ghiai, Colton Green, Zach Pila
  • Wheeler High School: Ally Dilbeck, Cristina Moldoveanu, Arnav Nimmagadda, Gayatri Srivastava

Cobb Youth Leadership also is sponsored by  Kennesaw State University, Maranie Brown and Family, Marietta Wrecker, and Six Flags Over Georgia.

For more information about Cobb Youth Leadership, contact Katie Guice at (770) 859-2334 or [email protected].

 

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East Cobb Food Scores: Los Bravos; J. Christopher’s; more

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Los Bravos Johnson Ferry Road

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

Belen de la Cruz Empanadas and Pastries
1050 East Piedmont Road, Suite 146
Aug. 6, 2026, Score: 100, Grade: A

Chick-fil-A Sprayberry
2530 Sandy Plains Road
Aug. 11, 2026, Score: 100, Grade: A

Chick-fil-A Woodlawn Square
1201 Johnson Ferry Road
Aug. 12, 2026, Score: 95, Grade: A

J. Christopher’s
1275 Powers Ferry Road
Aug. 11, 2026, Score: 96, Grade: A

J’MZ Bowls
4400 Roswell Road, Suite 136
Aug. 6, 2026, Score: 100, Grade: A

Los Abuelos Mexican Grill
1420 Terrell Mill Road, Suite 117
Aug. 7, 2026, Score: 80, Grade: B

Los Bravos Mexican Restaurant
1255 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 42
Aug. 7, 2026, Score: 87, Grade: B

Marco’s Pizza
2986 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 100
Aug. 7, 2026, Score: 96, Grade: A

Planet Smoothie
1050 East Piedmont Road, Suite 200
Aug. 6, 2026, Score: 87, Grade: B

Spice Wing
4101 Roswell Road, Suite 904
Aug. 6, 2026, Score: 100, Grade: A

Subway
1860 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 301
Aug. 7, 2026, Score: 96, Grade: A

Tropical Smoothie
4880 Lower Roswell Road, Suite 115
Aug. 7, 2026, Score: 96, Grade: A

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Campaign to ‘flip’ Cobb school board control intensifies

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Campaign to 'flip' Cobb school board majority intensifies
Micheal Garza said his campaign donors are mostly local, reflecting “an indication of strong grassroots support from teachers, community members, and parents of students in our schools.”

With partisan control of the Cobb Board of Education at stake in the November elections, leaders of the Republican Party that holds on to a slim majority are taking aim at the candidate who’s vowing to change all that.

Democrat Michael Garza is challenging three-term Republican incumbent David Chastain in the Post 4 race in Northeast Cobb, which includes the Kell, Lassiter and Sprayberry attendance zones.

The GOP holds a 4-3 majority on the school board in Cobb, which once was heavily Republican. But Democrats control the Cobb Board of Commissioners and the Cobb legislative delegation and occupy all countywide offices.

The Post 4 race is the only contested campaign for the Cobb school board in the general election, as Smyrna-area Democratic incumbents Becky Sayler and Nichelle Davis have no Republican opponents.

On Monday, the current and several former Cobb Republican Party chairs, as well as state GOP leaders, issued a press release demanding that Garza return several thousand dollars in campaign contributions from his biggest individual donor.

That donor is Michael Tafelski, an East Cobb resident who is a supervising attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center, who’s contributed $6,000 to Garza’s campaign.

The SPLC, which has filed several suits against the Cobb County School District on a variety of matters, recently was indicted by a federal grand jury for wire fraud and other charges.

The SPLC is alleged to have donated more than $3 million to informants within violent and extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan and Aryan Nations, while raising money to to dismantle them. A former SPLC employee has been arrested in connection with allegations in the indictment.

In Monday’s release (you can read it here) the Georgia and Cobb GOP leaders said that “Cobb County voters deserve to know whether [Garza] supports the Southern Poverty Law Center’s agenda or whether he will return the money and publicly distance himself from the conduct alleged in the federal indictment.”

Among the signatories is Georgia Republican Party chairman Josh McKoon, Cobb Republican Party chairwoman Mary Clarice Hathaway and her predecessors, including Salleigh Grubbs, Jason Shepherd, Scott Johnson and Rose Wing.

Post 4 Republican incumbent David Chastain said that “we must not start chasing the newest unproven instructional fads.”

Garza told East Cobb News Tuesday he has no intention of returning Tafelski’s donations and stressed the local nature of what he calls his “grassroots” campaign.

“Mr. Tafelski is a parent of a child in Cobb County schools and a well respected volunteer within the community,” Garza said.

“He’s not been accused of a crime, and his employer has no bearing on the donation he made in a personal capacity. It does not disqualify him from being able to have a say in the direction of his child’s educational experience.”

East Cobb News also has left a message with Tafelski seeking comment.

Tafelski has been an attorney with the SPLC as it has challenged the Cobb school district on school board redistricting and its decision to fire a grade-school teacher for reading a book to her class about gender fluidity.

Garza, who’s active in the Keheley Elementary School PTA and the East Cobb County Council of PTAs, said his campaign has received 283 individual donations, and only one from an organization. That’s a $2,000 check from the political action committee of the Cobb County Association of Educators.

According to a financial disclosure report filed last week (you can read it here) Garza has raised $42,000 and has $16,000 cash on hand.

Garza said it was telling that the GOP letter is “another in a series of outside political distractions being brought into our county that have nothing to do with our public schools.

“Our families can’t afford to have leaders who care more about retaining power for a political party than they care about actually serving the students in our community.”

Chastain, the current Cobb school board vice chairman, was not among those signatories.

Late last month, he sent out a campaign newsletter entitled “Cobb County Schools—Town Hall Newsletter” and said that “I will continue my pledge to always protect parents’ right to guide their own children.”

The parental rights’ issue has been cited repeatedly by Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale—whose most vocal critics include Garza—on such issues as removal of school books deemed inappropriate for minors.

Without being specific, Chastain also said in the newsletter that “we must not start chasing the newest unproven instructional fads.”

On his campaign Facebook page, Chastain also has been rolling out brief video spots for yard signs.

Last week, a video message called for the need to “stay away from distractions and keep other things from the outside from affecting how we manage our children and support our teachers.”

According to Chastain’s financial disclosure statement (you can read it here) he has raised $29,000 with $17,000 cash on hand.

He’s having a fundraiser next week on Monday at the Governor’s Gun Club in Kennesaw with U.S. Rep. Clay Fuller.

Cobb Democrats are having a “special meeting” Saturday morning called “Cobb School Board and You” at Bridge Pointe Church in Marietta.

On Saturday afternoon, Garza will be involved in a “Flip the Cobb School Board” canvassing session from 1-4 p.m. at Noonday Park.

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3 East Cobb school PTAs get School of Excellence recognition

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The PTAs at three schools in East Cobb are being recognized in the National PTA Schools of Excellence program for the 2025-27 period.3 East Cobb school PTAs get School of Excellence recognition

The East Cobb County Council of PTAs announced last week that the Dodgen Middle School PTSA, the Keheley Elementary School PTA and the Mountain View Elementary School PTA are among the five recognized for the honor from the state of Georgia.

“This year, National PTA honored 321 local PTAs and schools as 2025-2027 National PTA Schools of Excellence for building partnerships between families and their schools that enrich the educational experience and overall well-being of all students,” the ECCC PTA message stated.

Lindse Parsons, co-president of the Mountain View PTA, told East Cobb News that “I just felt it shines a great light on our East Cobb area and the level of volunteering and engagement in our schools!”

More detailed information and criteria about the National PTA School of Excellence program can be found by clicking here.

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Cobb extends data center moratorium with code changes coming

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Cobb extends data center moratorium with code changes coming

The Cobb Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to extend a moratorium on considering new data center applications for another six months.

The existing moratorium was set to expire later this month, and at a work session last week, commissioners were briefed on forthcoming ordinances to address the issue.

An item on Tuesday’s meeting agenda states that the Cobb County Code enacted in 1972 “gives no consideration for this more modern land use.

“Today, data centers are most similar to a private utility or a warehouse use, both of which are permitted by right in Cobb County in the light industrial (LI) and heavy industrial (HI) zoning districts.”

No data centers have been formally proposed in unincorporated Cobb, but local governments around the nation are issuing moratoria as they grapple with a fast-moving issue that has galvanized community and political opposition.

The City of Marietta imposed a six-month moratorium last month after being besieged by residents opposed to a proposed data center off Delk Road near Interstate 75 as well as consideration of a similar facility on land zoned for a data center off Bells Ferry Road.

The Marietta moratorium does not apply to the former, a proposal by Prime Storage to convert a portion of a storage facility on Powers Ferry Place for what the applicant said is for “mission critical” local purposes.

The Marietta City Council held that case, which is scheduled to be reconsidered on Wednesday. There has been no proposal for a data center on the Bells Ferry Road site.

Cobb Community Development Agency officials have not given a timetable for bringing proposed code amendments for data centers, but the moratorium extension expires on Feb. 24, 2027.

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Democratic challenger in Cobb commission race raises $100K

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A Democrat seeking to unseat four-term Republican incumbent JoAnn Birrell on the Cobb Board of Commissioner has reported raising more than $100,000. Richardson advisor declares intent for Cobb commission campaign

According to campaign disclosure reports filed last week, Kevin Redmon has spent roughly half of that total as the District 3 general election campaign heats up.

District 3 covers most of East Cobb, and is the only contested commissioner’s race in November.

Democrats control the five-member body with a 3-2 majority, and the two Republican-held seats are on the ballot this year.

In May, two-term Republican incumbent Keli Gambrill won her primary in District 1 in West Cobb, and is unopposed in November.

Redmon, who ran for the Cobb Board of Commissioners in 2024 in District 2 and was a “community cabinet” member for former commissioner Jerica Richardson, has reported raising $100,520 in contributions for the District 3 race.

His disclosure report (you can read it here) reports that he has $50,386 on hand.

Redmon announced his candidacy last October and was unopposed in the May primary, while Birrell easily defeated Chris Wasserman in the Republican primary.

Birrell’s campaign disclosure report (you can read it here) indicates that she has raised $50,839, and has $32,007 on hand.

Cobb approves $1.4B fiscal year budget on party-line vote

His campaign issued a release Monday saying that nearly 80 percent of donors live in Cobb, and more than 60 percent of contributors have given 100 or less.

But Redmon also has received large contributions from several sources, including $3,300 amounts from Goldman Sachs tecnology executive Justin Smith; noted Atlanta homebuilder John Wieland; and The Barnes Law Group, the practice run by former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes.

Among the biggest expenses are $13,000 for campaign manager Mindy Seger, a leader with the anti-cityhood group East Cobb Alliance who also was an adviser to Richardson.

Birrell is the longest-serving member on the Cobb commission. Among her campaign contributors are $3,300 from Building Together, the political action committee of the Georgia Home Builders Association; $2,500 from the Project Health Solutions PAC; $2,000 each from Cynthia Reichard and Steve Tanner, top executives at Arylessence Inc., a privately held fragrance firm based in East Cobb; $2,000 from Ben Mathis, managing partner of the Cumberland law firm Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP; and $2,000 from the Freeman Mathis Decisions PAC.

The primary expenses reported by Birrell are $12,000 for campaign mailings.

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League of Women Voters launches ‘How Georgia Votes’ series

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Submitted information: League of Women Voters launches 'How Georgia Votes' series

Sixty-one years ago, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law, a promise that every eligible American’s voice would count. This year, as Georgians prepare to choose a governor, a United States senator, and leaders in every county from Whitfield to Fulton to Colquitt, the League of Women Voters of Georgia is marking that anniversary by launching “How Georgia Votes,” a weekly series that walks through exactly how an election runs in this state — from the moment you register to the moment the results are certified.

Each week between now and November 3, the League will publish a plain-language explanation of one piece of the process: how to register and check your registration, who runs elections in your county, how every Georgia ballot produces a paper record, how voting equipment is tested before a single vote is cast, and how the count is audited after the polls close. No jargon, no politics, just how it works, because Georgians deserve to see the machinery of their own democracy up close.

“Elections in Georgia are run by our neighbors in county offices in Dalton and Moultrie just as in Atlanta, and the process they follow is careful, layered, and open to public view,” said Jackie Killings, President of the League of Women Voters of Georgia. “When voters can see each step for themselves, confidence follows. That confidence is what carries people to the polls.”

The deadline to register for the November 3 general election is Monday, October 5. Voters can check their registration status any time at the Georgia My Voter Page (mvp.sos.ga.gov) or through Vote411.org.

Registering to Vote in Georgia: Everything You Need to Know

Every Georgia election begins the same way, with a voter registration list built one neighbor at a time. This week, the League of Women Voters of Georgia’s “How Georgia Votes” series covers the first step in the process: getting on that list, and helping others do the same, ahead of the October 5 registration deadline for the November 3 general election.

Any U.S. citizen who lives in Georgia and will be at least 18 years old by Election Day can register. Registration takes only a few minutes: (1) online through the Georgia Secretary of State’s registration portal for anyone with a Georgia driver’s license or state ID, (2) by mail using a paper application available at any county registrar’s office or public library, (3) or in person when renewing a license at the Department of Driver Services. Every application, however it arrives, is reviewed and verified by trained election staff in the voter’s home county before a name is added to the rolls.

“Registration is where trust in our elections starts, because it is where accuracy starts,” said Jackie Killings, President of the League of Women Voters of Georgia. “Every name on Georgia’s voter list was checked by an election professional in one of our 159 counties — someone who lives in that community and answers to it. That is true whether your county office sits in downtown Atlanta or on the square in a town of two thousand people.”

Georgians who want to help friends, family, or neighbors register can do so. Anyone may give someone else an application or direct them to the Secretary of State’s portal, and community groups that plan to hold registration drives can find the state’s guidelines through their county registrar. Local Leagues of Women Voters across the state host registration events year-round and welcome volunteers.

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East Cobb resident named manager of Delta Community branch

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Submitted information and photo:

Delta Community is pleased to announce that Greg Fugate has been named branch manager of its Marietta Branch at 1205 Johnson Ferry Road in East Cobb County. The branch’s previous manager, Kara Buckner, has been appointed to lead the credit union’s Marietta branch on Dallas Highway.

Fugate is a longtime resident of East Cobb County and began his career at Delta Community in 2022. He joined the credit union as a Hybrid Member Service Agent at the Johnson Ferry branch, before being promoted to head teller. He later served as assistant branch manager at the credit union’s Alpharetta branch and now returns to Johnson Ferry with a strong understanding of the branch, its members and community.

“I began my Delta Community career at this branch, so it is very rewarding to now have the opportunity to lead it,” Fugate said. “As a proud ‘East Cobber’ for more than three decades, it is truly a privilege to have community members trust me and my team with their banking needs.”

Fugate looks forward to deepening relationships throughout East Cobb and partnering with local schools and organizations through Delta Community’s financial literacy and education initiatives.

The Johnson Ferry branch is one of three Delta Community locations serving Cobb County. Together, the branches help serve more than 40,000 members who live throughout the county.

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Dobbins Air Reserve conducting ‘routine training exercise’

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Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta said on Monday that what it’s calling “a routine training exercise” this week may generate more attention than usual from the public.Dobbins Air Reserve conducting 'routine training exercise'

That’s because “there may be noise impacts to the areas surrounding the installation, and community members should be assured that these are for exercise purposes only. The activities are part of a controlled, simulated training environment that is essential to the readiness and preparedness of our force.”

Dobbins is the home of the 94th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve Command, featuring a fleet of C-130 Hercules transport planes, and is thebase for its 22nd Air Force.

Dobbins also is the home of an aviation service facility for the U.S. Army National Guard and reserve units of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy.

The Dobbins message—posted from a social media account of the 94th Airlift Wing—said on Monday that “in the event of any real-world incidents, notifications will be made through our on- and off-base community emergency management partners.

“Dobbins Air Reserve Base appreciates the community’s understanding and continued support.”

 

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East Cobb Real Estate: Marlanta home sells for $760K

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This week’s featured real estate home sale is in the Marlanta subdivision, in the Pope High School, Hightower Trail Middle School and Shallowford Falls Elementary School attendance zones.

It has 5 bedrooms and 4 baths and includes 3,444 square feet on 0.46 acres, and sold for $760,000 on July 28, 2026.

Click on the middle button below to see more photos.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following East Cobb residential real estate sales from July 27-31, 2026 were compiled from agency reports and Cobb County property records.

They include the street address, subdivision name and sales price listed under their respective high school attendance zones:

Kell

None

Lassiter

3692 Stoney View Drive, 30062 (Rock Mill): $370,000

3845 Fenway Crossing, 30062 (Beacon Hill): $755,000

2451 Stockton Drive, 30066 (Stocktons Ford): $540,000

3985 Loch Highland Pass, 30075 (Loch Highland): $645,000

4311 Summit Oaks Lane, 30075 (Summit Oaks): $925,000

3877 Winners Court, 30062 (Village North Highlands):$489,000

4507 North Slope Circle, 30066 (Highland Pointe): $582,500

3540 Jefferson Township Parkway, 30066 (Jefferson Township): $1.195 million

4978 Gunners Pass, 30075 (Gunners Pond) $474,000

Marietta

739 Pear Grove Place, 30062 (Hamilton Grove): $597,500

Pope

2193 Oakrill Court, 30062 (Cedar Forks): $514,250

3026 Coach Lane, 30062 (Marlanta): $760,000

2737 Hearthstone Circle, 30062 (Chimney Springs): $650,000

2961 Connie Street, 30062 (Rolling Acres): $625,000

4205 Manor House Drive, 30062 (Marlanta): $515,000

3297 Post Oak Tritt Road, 30062: $575,000

2802 Field Creek Court, 30062 (Timber Bluff): $371,500

Sprayberry

1430 Shadowrock Court, 30062 (Woodstream): $632,000

2652 Green Meadow Lane, 30066 (Pine Valley Farms): $450,000

3305 Paxton Drive, 30066 (Brookhaven): $459,000

1314 Shadowood Court, 30066 (Blackwell Road): $500,000

3560 Ebenezer Court, 30066 (Noonday Hills): $485,000

2403 Cape Sable Drive, 30066 (Delac0ur): $460,000

1494 Longwing Lane, 30066 (The Village at Sandy Plains): $671,585

2686 Evers Drive, 30062 (East Cobb Walk): $499,000

197 Laura Lake Road, 30066: $749,000

2831 Bettis Court, 30066 (Caribou Hills): $630,000

Walton

1020 Fairfield Court, 30068 (Indian Hills): $720,000

4411 Kings Way, 30067 (Kings Cove): $760,000

5103 Sandlewood Court, 30068 (Tally Green): $675,000

5058 Meadow Lane, 30068 (The Meadows): $337,000

2210 Heathermoor Hill Drive, 30062 (Heathermoor): $1.85 million

5215 Huntingford Terrace, 30068 (Willow Point): $635,000

640 Maddie Way, 30068 (Robinson Manor): $940,000

836 Chelsea Park Drive, 30068 (Chelsea Park): $1.23 million

4972 Secluded Pines Drive, 30068 (Rose Oak): $712,000

927 Lerose Court, 30068 (Lashley Farms): $650,000

208 Indian Hills Trail, 30068 (Indian Hills): $1.875 million

4505 Paper Mill Road, 30067 (Atlanta Country Club): $2.775 million

1462 Brookcliff Drive, 30062 (Brookcliff): $680,000

505 Bridle Path, 30067 (Mulberry Farms) $500,000

Wheeler

177 Millbrook Farm Road, 30068 (Gant Quarters): $650,000

3093 Old Canton Court, 30068 (Old Canton Court): $465,000

800 Woodmont Drive, 30062 (Woodmont): $635,000

783 Gardenside Circle, 30067 (Gardenside at Powers Ferry): $414,900

5858 Riverstone Circle, Unit 13, 30339 (Riverstone at Wildwood): $578,000

720 Brookline Drive, 30067 (Hyde Park): $607,000

2707 Gettysburg Lane, 30067 (Hyde Park): $470,000

12 Vickwood Court, 30068 (Sentinel Lake): $710,000

265 Pinetree Drive, 30068 (Cross Gate): $565,100

3415 Indian Hills Drive, 30068 (Indian Hills): $750,000

725 Scottish Mill Run, 30068 (Princeton Mill): $652,500

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2026 Milestones test results: East Cobb middle, high schools

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Pope High School, Cobb SAT scores

The 2026 Georgia Milestones test results were released this week, minus some important categories of metrics.

The Georgia Department of Education has been revising its standards for Reading and English Language Arts, and is delaying release of those test scores until November.

At the middle and high school levels, East Cobb News has been breaking down 8th grade English Language Arts and the four subject-area high school tests.

(In a separate post, we looked at elementary school results.)

For the Georgia Milestones assessments, students are tested in grades 3-8 in English Language Arts, reading and math, in grades 5-8 in those subjects plus science, and all those subjects plus social studies in grade 8.

Those are formally called End of Grade Assessments.

High school students are tested in American Literature, algebra, biology and U.S. history under what’s called the End of Course Assessments.

A total of 20 different assessments are measured at the end of each semester, as well as the end of the school year.

Students are categorized in one of four levels, based on those test scores: Level 1 is Beginning Learner, Level 2 is a Developing Learner, Level 3 is a Proficient Learner and Level 4 is Distinguished Learner.

Here’s the link to the Georgia Milestones dashboard, but a warning: There is a massive amount of information and instructions on how to use it.

Broader state education data, including district- and school-level test results, can be found at this link.

The 8th grade math scores at elementary schools in East Cobb (see the table at the bottom of this post) show a variety of differences from 2025.

The same goes for high school tests in biology, algebra and U.S. history (see 2025 test results for a comparison).

What the tables below do not show—again because of state delays—are 8th grade English Language Arts and high school American literature and composition. That testing data will be available in November, according to the Georgia Department of Education.

Schools in East Cobb reported some of the highest figures in the Cobb County School District.

According to a Cobb school district release, 82 percent of all students tested at 82 percent in proficiency levels and above, the highest for a large district in metro Atlanta.

At Lassiter that figure was 94 percent, and at Pope and Walton, those figures were at 90 percent.

At Simpson Middle School, 98.7 of the students taking the Milestones tests were deemed proficient learners and above in social studies, while that metric was 97.9 percent at Dodgen and 97.5 at Hightower Trail.

The downloadable school-level spring 2026 End of Course spreadsheets contain all results by high school name, grade and subject.

The spring 2026 End of Grade spreadsheets include elementary and middle school results by individual school name, grade and subject as well.

8th Grade Math

# Tested % Proficient Learners and Above % Distinguished Learners
Daniell 260 51.9 21.9
Dickerson 362 90.3 69.1
Dodgen 386 88.9 58.5
East Cobb 432 38.9 22.0
Hightower Trail 320 87.5 57.5
Mabry 113 81.4 43.4
McCleskey 184 60.3 33.2
Simpson 310 73.2 43.2
Cobb 7,729 55.4 29.1
Georgia 126,997 46.4 23.1

High School Biology

# Tested 2026 % Proficient Learners and Above 2025 % Proficient Learners and Above
Kell 318 63.8 73.7
Lassiter 510 79.6 80.3
Pope 453 81.5 84.1
Sprayberry 397 46.1 58.8
Walton 668 86.2 85.5
Wheeler 623 55.9 63.3

High School Algebra

# Tested 2026 % Proficient Learners and Above 2025 % Proficient Learners and Above
Kell 341 56.3 46.7
Lassiter 327 74.9 80.3
Pope 236 67.4 64.1
Sprayberry 354 41.8 39.4
Walton 395 81.8 70.6
Wheeler 497 41.4 31.2

High School U.S. History

# Tested 2026 % Proficient Learners and Above 2025 % Proficient Learners and Above
Kell 346 64.7 55.8
Lassiter 297 89.5 89.4
Pope 178 78.7 80.3
Sprayberry 328 57.7 60.3
Walton 377 76.4 89.2
Wheeler 351 35.3 45.3

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2026 Milestones test results: East Cobb elementary schools

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2026 Milestones test results: East Cobb elementary schools
More than 90 percent of 5th graders at Sope Creek ES are proficient or better in math, the best figure in the Cobb County School District.

The 2026 Georgia Milestones test results were released this week, minus some important categories of metrics.

The Georgia Department of Education has been revising its standards for Reading and English Language Arts, and is delaying release of those test scores until November.

At the elementary school level, East Cobb News has been breaking down 3rd grade reading and 5th grade math in the years since COVID-19 disruptions, and this report will focus on the latter.

(In a separate post, looked at some middle school and high school results.)

For the Georgia Milestones assessments, students are tested in grades 3-8 in English Language Arts, reading and math, in grades 5-8 in those subjects plus science, and all those subjects plus social studies in grade 8.

Those are formally called End of Grade Assessments.

High school students are tested in American Literature, algebra, biology and U.S. history under what’s called the End of Course Assessments.

A total of 20 different assessments are measured at the end of each semester, as well as the end of the school year.

Students are categorized in one of four levels, based on those test scores: Level 1 is Beginning Learner, Level 2 is a Developing Learner, Level 3 is a Proficient Learner and Level 4 is Distinguished Learner.

Here’s the link to the Georgia Milestones dashboard, but a warning: There is a massive amount of information and instructions on how to use it.

Broader state education data, including district- and school-level test results, can be found at this link.

The 5th grade math scores at elementary schools in East Cobb (see the table at the bottom of this post) show a variety of differences from 2025 (you can see that graphic at this link).

At Sope Creek Elementary School, 90 percent of the 181 5th graders taking the Milestones are considered proficient or above. That’s the highest number in the Cobb County School District, and 10 percentage points higher at Sope Creek than in 2025.

Students at seven elementary schools in East Cobb have distinguished learning rates in 5th grade math at 40 percent or above, and Sope Creek, Timber Ridge, Tritt and Mt. Bethel have more than 50 percent testing at that level or above.

The Cobb school district reports that nearly 60 percent of more than 7,600 students testing for 5th grade math were at profiency level or above, and 22.8 percent are distinguished learners.

Those benchmarks are higher than the statewide averages of 44.1 percent and 16.9, respectively.

The downloadable school-level spring 2026 End of Grade spreadsheets contain all results by school name, grade and subject.

On that spreadsheet, you search through grades 3-8 math scores in individual assessment categories. As we noted at the top, the Reading and English Language Arts results will be released in November.

# Tested % Proficient Learners and Above % Distinguished Learners
Addison 92 76.1 37.0
Bells Ferry 138 41.3 15.7
Blackwell 102 44.1 15.7
Brumby 138 14.0 8.7
Davis 122 77.0 36.9
East Side 211 85.3 43.1
Eastvalley 97 68.0 32.0
Garrison Mill 128 71.1 35.2
Keheley 56 60.7 16.1
Kincaid 113 66.4 31.9
Mt. Bethel 187 80.2 50.8
Mountain View 131 81.7 45.8
Murdock 159 82.4 46.5
Nicholson 62 66.1 27.4
Powers Ferry 80 26.3 6.3
Rocky Mount 80 65.0 27.5
Sedalia Park 98 34.7 12.2
Shallowford Falls 110 64.5 30.0
Sope Creek 181 90.6 59.1
Timber Ridge 88 79.5 58.0
Tritt 151 86.1 53.0
Cobb 7,604 52.9 22.8
Georgia 123,478 44.1 16.9

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Cobb County International Festival returns Aug. 22

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Submitted information:

Hola! Ciao! Konnichiwa! Olá! Jambo! Marhaban! Nǐ hǎo! However you say it, say hello to the Cobb County International Festival, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center in Marietta.

Join us for a trip around the world with stops for food, drinks, entertainment and activities for all ages — no passport needed. Cobb’s free community favorite returns with even more flavors, performances, traditions and engaging experiences. Bring your appetite and a sense of adventure.

This year’s festival features:

  • More than 20 world consulates represented
  • Global cuisine from more than 30 food trucks and booths, including Mexico, the Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam
  • Handcrafted and imported merchandise from more than 35 international vendors
  • Stage performances by more than 15 cultural groups
  • International sports village with interactive activities
  • Cultural demonstrations and exhibits
  • A passport scavenger hunt for kids and adults
  • New this year: “Taste of Home” bar serving international alcoholic beverages on the plaza and in the event center
  • New this year: Water tent to help guests beat the heat
  • Kids Zone area with crafts and activities

Plan your visit

Where: Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta 

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 

Admission: FREE

Stay cool: Booths and the stage are indoors. Most food vendors are outdoors, and an outdoor water tent will help guests stay hydrated.

Parking: Parking is free and available in the venue’s main lot, with overflow parking at the North Lot on Al Bishop Drive (marked with signage). Shuttles for ADA guests and others needing assistance will run from the North Lot to the event center, and a second shuttle will be available inside the main gate. Shuttle wait times may vary depending on demand.

For more information visit the Cobb PARKS webpage or contact [email protected]

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Marietta Art in the Park festival returns Labor Day weekend

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Marietta Art in the Park festival returns Labor Day weekend

Submitted information:

Marietta Art in the Park is back September 5–7, 2026 from 10am–5pm!

This Atlanta Labor Day weekend tradition is celebrating its 40th anniversary on the historic Marietta Square in Glover Park. This incredible three-day juried Fine Art Festival attracts more than 55,000 guests and continues to shine as one of the top art events in the country.

Ranked #13 by Sunshine Artist Magazine in 2022 and consistently named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, it’s also the only fine art festival in Cobb County.

Presented by the Marietta Business Association, this award‑winning festival supports the community’s civic, social, and economic vitality.

Don’t miss this milestone year—come celebrate art, creativity, and community at Marietta’s Art in the Park Festival.

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Inaugural Cumberland Art Festival scheduled for October

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Submitted information:

One Cumberland announced today that Genuine Parts Company (NYSE: GPC), a leading global distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts and value-added solutions, will serve as the presenting sponsor of the inaugural Cumberland Art Festival, a free two-day celebration of art, culture, and community taking place October 17–18, 2026, at Galleria on the Park (100 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta 30339). Hosted by One Cumberland, the festival is expected to welcome between 15,000 and 25,000 visitors for a weekend featuring more than 125 artists, live entertainment, family activities, local food vendors, and interactive experiences.

Headquartered in Cumberland, GPC is partnering with One Cumberland to help launch what organizers envision as the district’s signature annual arts festival. The partnership reflects the company’s longstanding investment in the community while expanding opportunities for residents and visitors to experience arts and culture in one of Metro Atlanta’s fastest-growing business districts.

“Cumberland has been home to GPC for more than a decade, and we’re proud to support this inaugural event that will bring people together while celebrating creativity and community,” said Renay Blumenthal, Senior Director, Corporate Giving & Community Relations for Genuine Parts Company. “We’re excited to help launch what we believe will become a signature event for the region and look forward to welcoming thousands of residents and visitors this October.”

“We are thrilled to have GPC as our presenting sponsor for the Cumberland Art Festival,” said Kim Menefee, Executive Director of One Cumberland. “Their support and commitment are helping bring the inaugural event to life, creating a new tradition that celebrates local creativity, strengthens community connections, and showcases everything that makes Cumberland a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.”

The Cumberland Art Festival will feature a curated artist market showcasing work across a variety of mediums, alongside live music, a Kid Zone, local food and beverage vendors, and so much more. Designed to become an annual destination event, the festival will celebrate the creativity and energy that continue to shape Cumberland’s growing identity.

The Cumberland Art Festival presented by GPC will take place Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, October 18, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Galleria on the Park. Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information about the festival, sponsorship opportunities, or media inquiries, contact [email protected]. 

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