Dateline Cobb: The Week of Aug. 30
Aug. 26—Hillgrove NJROTC to have car wash fundraiser on Aug. 27
Hillgrove High School's Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps will have a car wash on Aug. 27 from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Chick-fil-A at 2555 Dallas Highway in Marietta.
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Waste management companies will discuss future on Aug. 31
Cobb County's director of Sustainability, Waste and Beautification Dr. Jonathan Jenkins has invited leaders of waste management companies operating in the county to meet with members of the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 31 at 2 p.m. at the Cobb County Civic Center, 548 South Marietta Parkway SE in Marietta.
The meeting will address a history of complaints by residents in Cobb County of missed pickups, poor customer service and lack of recycling services.
Dr. Jenkins hopes the meeting will allow the group to exchange questions and concerns and help generate solutions to address the complaints. A proposed code amendment package about the situation was met with concerns by the board, prompting this renewed look at potential solutions.
The meeting will be a work session with no public comment, and CobbTV will stream the event on its outlets at www.cobbcounty.org/CobbTV.
Residents can still provide their feedback at trashcomplaints@cobbcounty.org.
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Burdsnest Boot Camp registration is open
There will be a boot camp-style training from Sept. 1 to Oct. 6 at the Fair Oaks Recreation Center, 1465 West Booth Road Ext SW in Marietta.
The Burdsnest boot camp workout is a high-intensity interval training of intense activity alternated with intervals of lighter activity. A boot camp workout also can include functional fitness, such as using whole-body, multi-joint exercises that simulate movements people do in life. Wellness instructor and fitness coach Jarrett Burgess will be the class instructor.
To register, visit https://bit.ly/3Tn3LPO. For more information, call 770-528-4053.
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Elections office grand opening and job fair is Sept. 10
The Cobb's elections office in celebrating the grand opening of its new building on Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 995 Roswell Street NE in Marietta.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be followed by an open house and job fair at noon.
Participants can meet the elections and registration team; learn more about the elections process, while touring the building; and learn about immediate opportunities with the elections team. There will also be giveaways and light refreshments.
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Town Center at Cobb mall to hold Caffeine & Octane event on Sept. 4
Town Center at Cobb mall, 400 Ernest Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw, will have Caffeine & Octane on Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot near Belk & JCPenney.
This is the second showing of the massive car exhibition. The free family-friendly event features over 1,000 automobiles. Car lovers will find a vast selection of all makes and models in the parking lot near Belk & JCPenney.
Spaces are first come first serve to exhibit a privately-owned vehicle.
For more information, visit caffeineandoctane.com/about-caffeine-and-octane or towncenteratcobb.com.
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Test and go kiosk offers COVID testing
There's a new way to get a COVID-19 PCR test without having to go to a doctor's office.
Cobb & Douglas Public Health is now using kiosks that are open 24/7. There is one located in Cobb County at the Riverside Epicenter, 135 Riverside Parkway in Austell.
Pre-registration for testing at the kiosks is not required but is available at https://register.testandgo.com/.
There is no out-of-pocket cost for the tests provided through the kiosk, but for those individuals with insurance, their insurance will be billed for the test.
In most cases, test results will be available by email or text within 48 hours of specimen collection. To view a short video about using the kiosks, visit https://youtu.be/QPkKFQF3Qak.
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order eight free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 testing kits. The test kits are completely free and packages will ship for free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. To order, visit www.covidtests.gov.
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Absentee ballot application window is open
Georgia voters can request an absentee ballot now for the Nov. 8 general election at https://georgia.gov/vote-absentee-ballot.
Voters do not need an excuse to request an absentee ballot. One must request an absentee ballot in order to receive one in the mail. The absentee ballot must be received by one's local County Board of Registrar's Office by the time polls close on Election Day in order to be counted.
If voters are unsure if they are registered or know where to vote, they can check their voter registration status at https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/.
Key dates to know for Georgia voters:
— Oct. 11 is the last day to register to vote in the general election.
— Oct. 28 is the last day to submit an absentee ballot application.
— Nov. 8 is Election Day.
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Schedule a phone meeting with Lisa Cupid
Cobb Commission Chairwoman Lisa Cupid is making it easy to set up a meeting with her.
To schedule a 15-minute one-on-one phone meeting with her, residents can visit https://calendly.com/chairwoman_cupid.
When it's time for the call, Cupid's office will contact residents by telephone so be sure to share the best phone number. Residents can email Executive Assistant Janine Ramsay at janine.ramsay@cobbcounty.org with any questions about the process.
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Middle school art contest spotlights importance of water
The Cobb County Water System and the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority have opened the 13th Annual waterSmart waterArt Middle School Calendar Contest.
Students in grades 6-8, enrolled in Cobb County and City of Marietta School Districts, can create and submit a piece of 2-D art that answers the question: "How is water important to me?"
Students may select the medium of their choice, including colored pencils, paint, crayons, photo collages, mixed mediums, etc. The entry must also include a 50-word statement explaining how their artwork depicts the theme. Winning entries will be posted online and included in the 2023 waterSmart calendar.
The deadline for submissions is Oct. 6 at 3 p.m.
For more information, email michael.kahle@cobbcounty.org or visit https://www.cobbcounty.org/water/education/schools/school-contests.
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Cobb to host second International Festival
Cobb County will host its second International Festival on Aug. 27 from noon to 6 p.m. at Jim Miller Park & Event Center, 2245 Callaway Road in Marietta.
The festival returns after a two-year COVID-related hiatus. The inaugural festival in 2019 was a huge success and recognized as 2019 Cobb Travel & Tourism's Best New Festival.
This year's festival will feature a wide variety of local and international music and art, cultural performances, culinary options, an international marketplace, a kids' corner with games from different countries and educational information from consulates and public safety organizations.
Admission and parking are free, but there is a cost to purchase food, drinks and other items.
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American Rescue Plan Act applications due Sept. 9
Cobb County is processing applications for organizations applying for grants through the federal government's American Rescue Plan Act.
The federal government allocated $147 million to Cobb County as part of the program. Cobb's Board of Commissioners approved ARPA investment guidance that allocates federal funds to five priority areas:
— Community health — to enhance mental, physical and behavioral healthcare services.
— Support services — to strengthen programming and services for vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community.
— Economic development — to aid economic recovery through the business sector and workforce opportunities.
— County infrastructure — to enhance its physical and/or structural capacity to meet operational responsibilities.
— Public safety — to assist in keeping Cobb County residents safe.
Interested groups can visit https://www.cobbcounty.org/communications/info-center/american-rescue-plan-act-arpa to access the application for project funding. Individuals who would like to submit project ideas for the county to consider can do so using the same application.
Applications are due by Sept. 9 and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis before they're considered for funding by the Board of Commissioners.
Detailed instructions and frequently asked questions are included in the online application. Paper copies of the application will also be available at the County building, 100 Cherokee Street in Marietta.
For more information, visit www.cobbcounty.org/ARPA.
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Cobb Library's Accessibility Services featured in Library News for Georgia
Cobb County Public Library's Accessibility Services department is featured in the fall edition of Library News, the Georgia Public Library Service quarterly newsletter.
Renaté Elliott, library services supervisor for Accessibility Services, describes in the article how the Accessibility Services Room at the Charles D. Switzer Library in Marietta is a place for introducing patrons to assistive technology devices like talking books and screen readers, and connecting them to disability resources. These connections include helping patrons discover Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Georgia Mobile Audiology, veterans support services, special recreational departments and many other organizations.
Elliott said the Accessibility Services team strives to be a bridge to inform people about the resources available to them.
"I love the look on a person's face when they realize that the library has thought about their needs, that coming here isn't going to be a challenge," Elliott said.
The full article, "Accessibility is the priority at Cobb County Public Library," is at georgialibraries.org/accessibility-at-cobb-county-library. For more information on Cobb library programs and resources, visit cobbcat.org.
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Community Huddle on Code Amendments is Sept. 3
Do you have a question about the proposed 2022 code amendments or opinions you would like to share directly with Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson?
Join the next bi-weekly virtual Community Huddle on Sept. 3 at 11 a.m. to speak with Commissioner Richardson and learn about the proposed changes. To register, visit https://staff315236.typeform.com/to/IR7Xz94u.
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Input wanted on Environmental Justice Agreement
Make sure to have your opinions heard on the community's environmental and sustainability policies.
The proposed projects focus on empowering Cobb residents with information about water, soil and air. To take the survey, visit https://staff315236.typeform.com/to/ek1JIKMc.
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Ringing of the Bells event is Sept. 17
The Fielding Lewis Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, will have the annual Ringing of the Bells event on Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. on Marietta Square.
On Sept. 17, 1787, at 4 p.m. the Constitution of the United States of America was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This year is the 235th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.
The Ringing of the Bells event will feature the ringing of bells on the Square and area churches at 4 p.m. Participants can bring a chair and honor the Constitution. The week of Sept. 17-23 has also been designated as Constitution Week, a time to commemorate the signing of the Constitution.
For more information, contact fieldinglewischapternsdar@gmail.com.
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Marietta to hold Mill Street Plaza ribbon cutting on Aug. 30
The City of Marietta will hold a ribbon cutting event on Aug. 30 at 4:15 p.m. for the newly renovated Mill Street Plaza, located next to the Mill Street Parking Lot, 44 Mill Street in Marietta, across from the Marietta History Center.
The Mill Street Plaza was recently renovated to include historical panels detailing the 1974 train derailment that occurred on Marietta Square. The Plaza includes an original Glover Machine Works Engine from 1916, new brick pavers, new landscaping, a new roof covering the engine and historical panels.
Immediately following the ribbon cutting, Keep Marietta Beautiful will dedicate a trash receptacle in honor of past Executive Director Joan Ellars. The trash receptable is located within the Mill Street Plaza.
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Virtual Switzer Library launches Sept. 2
A virtual version of the Charles D. Switzer Library with 360-degree interior views of the facility developed to improve access and awareness of services and collections the library offers will launch on Sept. 2.
Virtual Switzer Library shows the physical space of the library with quick access tabs which visitors can click to explore the library in greater detail. This service provides interactive images of the library covering the main floor of the library and the children's and teen areas on the first floor.
Virtual library tours show tabs providing images and information on library spaces, including the Georgia Room historical and genealogical area, Accessibility Services Room, adult and teen makerspaces, the children's program room and study rooms.
Located in downtown Marietta at 266 Roswell Street, the Switzer Library is the main Cobb County Public Library.
Officials plan to develop virtual libraries of each of the 14 Cobb library branches over the next two years. The virtual library is created on the ThingLink digital education and media company's platform.
For more information, visit cobbcat.org.
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Civil War Roundtable of Cobb County to have Sept. 1 meeting
The Civil War Roundtable of Cobb County will meet on Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Hilton Atlanta/Marietta Hotel & Conference Center, 500 Powder Springs Street in Marietta.
Jan Croon will present "The War Outside My Window."
The CWRTCC meets the first Thursday of each month and serves as a membership organization available to the public. The CWRTCC encourages the study, analysis and appreciation of the events, personalities, records and publications associated with the American Civil War.
First time visitors are free. Yearly dues are $45 per person or $65 per couple.
For more information, email cobbcivilwarrt@gmail.com.
