Friday, July 14, is the deadline to reserve a spot for showcasing your wares, food or cultural performances at the Cobb County International Festival 2023. The August festival will be a celebration of the best traditional foods, music and art from around the world in our community. The event will be held 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, at Jim R Miller Park Event Center. Vendor applications are due by this Friday.

Click here for more information.

Cobb County is working on its 2024 budget process and will hold public hearings prior to adopting the budget and millage. The first will be 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 11, during the Board of Commissioners regular meeting (Budget and Millage)

Subsequent public hearings are:
• Tuesday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. during a special called meeting (Millage)
• Tuesday, July 25, 7 p.m. during the Board of Commissioners regular meeting (Millage)

During these hearings, residents may speak for up to three minutes on the specific subject. If you are not able to attend in person, the meeting and hearing will be broadcast live and available online at youtube.com/@CobbCountyGovt/streams.

Cobb still has the lowest millage rates in the metro area with a floating homestead exemption and is one of the few counties with a school tax exemption for those over 62.  
 
This year the state has a property tax grant program, in which property owners will receive the tax relief grant in the form of an $18,000 reduction of the assessed value of their property. Click here to view more details.

Please visit the Cobb Tax Assessor's website for additional information. Click here to watch the chief appraiser's explanation of the tax assessment.

The Atlanta Youth Tennis and Education Foundation will host Return the Serve Fun Day 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Wednesday July 12, at the Fair Oaks Tennis Center in Marietta. This free event for ages 7 - 18 will be filled with tennis, games, music and educational activities. All tennis levels welcome. The Fair Oaks Tennis Center is located at 1460 West Booth Road Extension, Marietta.

Click here to register.

Click here to view flyer.

The musical group Get Down Town will play Wine Down Wednesday 7 p.m., July 12, at the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre. General admission is free, but VIP tables are available for purchase. Doors open at 6 p.m. The Mable House Complex is located at 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton. Call 770-819-7765 for more information.

Click here for tickets.

Line up for the Cobb PARKS' Youth Fishing Rodeos continuing this month. The competitions are open to children ages 3-16 years old. Trophies will be awarded for the biggest fish caught. The entry fee for participants is $5.

Dates and locations of the fishing rodeos:
Lost Mountain Park - July 15
Ebenezer Downs Park - July 22
Furr Family Park - July 29

PARKS is looking for volunteers to assist and teach kids fishing basics including how to bait a hook, cast a line and remove fish from a hook. Other volunteers will help with weighing and measuring fish and other non-fishing tasks. Please select a fishing rodeo near you and sign up to help. To volunteer email Anne.Norton@cobbcounty.org or call 770-528-8819.

Click here for more information.

Click here to register for a tournament.

CobbLinc will hold public workshops next week regarding site selection of transit centers in south Cobb County and Marietta. Residents will be able to learn about these projects and discuss priorities for the new transit centers. 

The first meeting will take place 6:30 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, at Connection Pointe Church in Austell to talk about placing a new transit center in south Cobb County. The church is located at 888 East-West Connector, Austell.

The second will be 5 - 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at the Cobb County Civic Center to discuss a study for the relocation of the Marietta Transit Center. The Cobb County Civic Center is located at 548 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta. 

These projects are planned to accomodate future transit growth and expansion, enhancing connections to Cobblinc services as well as regional and local transportation options. 

Click here for more information.

Meals On Wheels Atlanta manages a first-come, first-served grant-funded home repair services program for eligible Cobb County homeowners. The program aims to provide single-family residential system upgrades and health and safety modifications for seniors, veterans and low-income homeowners of Cobb County at 80% and below the area median income.

The allowable work consists of the following: roof, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, accessibility modifications (ADA standards) and fixing code violations. Please contact Meals On Wheels Atlanta, Home Repairs for more information at homerepairs@mowatl.org or call 404-351-3889.

Cobb’s first ever Pickleball Challenge between Cobb County Government directors and officials will raise money for Meals on Wheels Friday, Aug. 4. You can play too by backing your favorite player. Your votes will go towards helping Meals on Wheels. May the best team win!

All proceeds are to go to Senior Services Meals on Wheels. Click here to learn more and donate.

July is Disability Pride Month. This annual observance marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. The month promotes visibility and mainstream awareness of the positive pride felt by people with disabilities. It celebrates disability culture and the unique experiences of people with differing abilities and the contributions that they offer society. Residents can seek out media that has been created by and with people with disabilities.

Click here to view a booklist curated by Cobb Libraries featuring stories with disabled characters.