Happy Helpings, Georgia’s summer food service program, will provide free meals to children in three Cobb County public libraries on weekdays in June and July. Sit-down meals will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis at these locations:

North Cobb Regional Library, 3535 Old 41 Highway, Kennesaw
Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, June 5 - July 28
Breakfast 10 - 10:30 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. - noon

South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, June 5 - July 28
Breakfast 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. - noon.

Charles D. Switzer Library, 266 Roswell Street, Marietta

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, June 6 - July 27
Breakfast 9:30 - 10 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

A local, county-inspected commercial kitchen prepares free meals for children ages 18 and younger.  Adults 19 years and older who are enrolled in school programs for persons with disabilities will also receive meals. Parents and caregivers must remain with the children during the meals.

Read more here.
  
For information on the Happy Helpings program and children’s food insecurity in Georgia, visit happyhelpingsga.com. 
 

Wear a firefighter hat, hop into a squad car, ring the firetruck bell and have more family fun at the Cobb County Safety Village next week. Kids of all ages can learn about safety, tour Sparky's House, play safety games, see up-close emergency vehicles and more.

The Cobb County Safety Village is located at 1220 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta. Admission is $5 per person, with a maximum cost of $20 per family. For group rates of 20 or more, call 770-852-3270. Head over on any or all of these dates: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, Thursday, June 29, and Tuesday, July 18.

Pickleballers – come play in a fun competition for charity, Paddles in the Park, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Friday, June 9, at Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center, 2245 Callaway Road SE, Marietta. All skill levels can join the fun indoors. This event, hosted by the North Cobb Business Association, will raise funds for a service animal for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and a raffle will contribute to the Georgia Veterans Memorial Foundation. Beginners are welcome too — lessons will be offered all day.

Click here for more information, to register to play, and buy sponsorships.

June is Pride Month, and the Cobb County Library System has compiled a booklist of works that celebrate diversity, community, inclusivity and understanding.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month recognizes the impact that these groups have had on history. The celebration has its origins in the Stonewall Uprising in New York City’s Greenwich Village, which turned into a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement.

Click here to see the book selections.

New and improved trails around Kennesaw Mountain are officially opening this week. The Cobb County Department of Transportation will hold an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the Kennesaw Mountain Trail Pedestrian Improvements at 11 a.m. Friday, June 9. If you'd like to attend, park at the Burnt Hickory parking lot at the intersection of Old Mountain Road and Burnt Hickory Road in Marietta.

Due to very limited parking spaces and an anticipated large crowd, please arrive 30 minutes early. Carpooling is strongly encouraged for this event.

Click here to learn more about the Cobb County SPLOST program.

Singer-songwriter Brian McKnight will bring his talents and special guest Mindi Abair to the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre in Mableton on Saturday, June 10, for an Evening of R&B. The concert starts at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. VIP tables are available. The Mable House Complex is located at 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton. Call 770-819-7765 for more information.

Click here for tickets.

Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865, when the Union army finally freed the last enslaved African Americans held in Confederate states. There are many opportunities to celebrate and commemorate the day in Cobb County, including a pre-Juneteenth festival scheduled for 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta.

Click here for details and a compilation of upcoming events.

You can adopt a pet for free 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday, June 12, at Cobb Animal Services. Meet our featured pets in the "barking lot" and find a match for life. Animal Services will set up in the lot outside the shelter at 1060 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta.

All through June, dogs 30 pounds and more and all cats can be adopted for $30. More information on pet adoption can be found at cobbcounty.org/pets.

Also this month, Animal Services offers free pet micro-chipping at a clinic Monday, June 26. We have 100 spots available. Make an appointment by contacting jessica.darrough@cobbcounty.org.

Join Cobb Water System for a leisurely walk along the trails 7:30 - 9 p.m. Thursday, June 15. During the walk, you'll practice identifying frogs by their calls and seek out salamanders. This event is open to all ages. Minors must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Trails are unpaved, uneven, and may contain loose gravel and/or dirt. Come dressed for the weather. The event is rain or shine. Register here for this free event.

Everyone can prevent harmful waste from entering our environment and water systems. Now is your chance to clean out under the sinks, garage, attic, and shed and get rid of the stuff safely. Save the date for the next household hazardous waste collection event, 9 a.m. - noon, Saturday, June 17, at Jim R. Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta.

Visit keepcobbbeautiful.com for more information.

The Board of Tax Assessors recently mailed residential assessment notices. Cobb's Chief Assessor says most people will see an increase in their assessments due to a red-hot real estate market in 2022.

Taxpayers can research home prices in their neighborhood and decide whether to appeal using tools on the Tax Assessors webpage, cobbassessor.org. The deadline date to file appeals is located on the assessment notice. Appeals can be filed electronically, or you can call the Tax Assessors office for assistance. For more information on filing an appeal, visit cobbassessor.org/appeals.

Watch the Chief Appraiser's explanation of the tax assessment.