Happy Thanksgiving this week! We hope everyone will enjoy a safe and festive time with those they care about.
Cobb County Government offices will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, Nov. 23 and 24. Many services and answers to your government-related questions remain available 24 hours a day online at cobbcounty.org.
On Thanksgiving morning, more than 10,000 runners will come to Marietta Square to participate in the 20th annual Gobble Jog. Click GobbleJog.org to register.
Join in the development of the county
Cobb is producing a Unified Development Code and wants your input. The project aims to create a one-stop document that will tear down obstacles and encourage development and redevelopment in identified centers while preserving the unique character of the county’s rural areas. The project will also protect existing neighborhoods, conserve natural and historic resources, support economic development and provide an opportunity for various housing types.
Come to one of our public meetings to learn more about the UDC:
6 - 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 6, Windy Hill Community Center, 1885 Roswell Street SE, Smyrna
6 - 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 7, North Cobb Regional Library, 3900 S Main Street, Acworth
Don't miss your chance! Your feedback can help shape transportation in Cobb County, but the Mobility Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax survey closes on Sunday, Nov. 26. Through it, you can identify transportation priorities to help inform the 2024 MSPLOST project list. You can tell the county how its transit system impacts your quality of life. And you can share your thoughts on how to enhance the public transit experience to meet user demands.
Create a new family holiday tradition! Gather the kids and head to Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland at Jim R. Miller Park in Marietta. Drive through a dazzling array of Christmas lights, synced to holiday favorites, every night from 6 - 10 p.m. through Jan. 7, including holidays, rain or shine.
And the fun doesn't end with the light show. On select weekends you can visit Santa's Village and join in games, write letters to Santa and snap photos with Santa with your own camera.
Santa's Village will be open 6 - 10 p.m. on these dates:
Nov. 25 - 26 - "Jingles and Jammies" Wear your pajamas and sing your favorite Christmas carols with Cobb Parks
Dec. 1 - 3 - "Frozen/Superheroes" Wear your best superhero or Frozen costume.
Dec. 8 - 10 - "The Gift of Giving" Join Cobb Parks in providing the best gift of the holiday: the gift of giving. Bring a gift for children (ages birth to 18) in need this holiday season.
Dec. 15 - 17 - "Home for the Holidays" Bring out the whole family wearing your best ugly Christmas outfits. Be ready for family photo opportunities!
Santa's Village is $10 per child, at the door. Adults accompanying children are free. No pets allowed. For questions about the Santa Village, please call 770-528-8875.
Get your fill of sugar plums, waltzing flowers and dancing snowflakes. Holiday favorite, The Nutcracker, has six performances Thanksgiving weekend, Friday - Sunday, Nov. 24 - 26. The show is staged by the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, 548 South Marietta Pkwy SE, Marietta.
Prevent sewer problems at home during the holidays by scraping leftovers and wiping fats, oils and grease (FOG) off plates and pans into the trash, using a sink strainer, and emptying the collected debris into the trash. Never put frying oil, grease or leftovers down the garbage disposal.
Once in the pipes, fats, oil and grease cool and cling to everything in the sewer system. Over time, this causes blocked pipes and sewage back up into homes, streets or creeks. In Cobb, about 85% of sewer blockages are grease-related and occur in residential areas. Help protect the environment and reduce costs by properly disposing of FOG.
Lewis A. Ray Library is scheduled to reopen Monday, Nov. 27, following completion of a renovation that began in August. The library is being transformed by the county Property Management Department to become a Family Services branch that will focus on children’s collections, programming and resources.
The renovated space will include new enclosed children’s program and study rooms, reconfigured staff and service desk space and updated furniture. The library is located at 4500 Oakdale Road, Smyrna, between South Cobb Drive and Atlanta Road, near Interstate 285 and Cumberland Parkway.
During November, Cobb County Animal Services is waiving adoption fees when you donate six or more cans or 10-pound bags of pet food to the department's Pet Food Pantry. Your generosity will help pet parents who are facing difficulties.
The new Cobb County Police Department K-9's were certified last week and are ready to go to work. Pictured from left, Metro and his handler Officer Muncy, Chief and his handler Officer McMullan, and Vader and his handler Officer Barnett. Congratulations to these newcomers and their partners!
Honoring the fallen during the holidays
On Saturday, Dec. 16, the organization Wreaths Across America will be at Marietta National Cemetary to honor veterans by laying remembrance wreaths on the graves and saying the name on each gravestone. Sponsors can support this project by volunteering or donating.
Residents can also donate to the ongoing Cobb Veterans Memorial project. The planned memorial in Marietta aims to honor all veterans and their families, regardless of service branch, war/conflict or what they did in their service branch.
CobbTV's YouTube channel highlights the latest county meetings, informational videos and live events. Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss an update.
You may have noticed Cobb DOT's winter weather trucks on the road last week. It was part of their annual Inclement Weather Exercise where they "prepare for the worst and hope for the best." Go along for the ride with the DOT crews and learn why this exercise is crucial.
Every year, the District Attorney holds a vigil to remember murder victims in Cobb County. This year's emotional vigil included a heartfelt address by a family member of a murdered resident. She told the group how these cases can impact families for generations.
A lot happens during the seven days between newsletters. Keep up with the most up-to-date Cobb County news on social media. You'll be informed of new events and programs, cancellations/delays, emergencies, disruptions to services and more.
• Not on social media? Get a daily "quick hit" of what's happening in Cobb County on the NEWCobb Blog here.
Upcoming public meetings