Leave the house and meet your neighbors at National Night Out Tuesday, Aug. 6. This annual event at multiple sites in Cobb County promotes law enforcement and community partnerships as well as neighborhood camaraderie. Organizers have planned for fun, food and festivities. Have an entertaining night out with your family. Locations and times include:
• Cobb County, 6 - 9 p.m., Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center, 2245 Callaway Road SW, Marietta. Click here for more information.
• Austell, 6 - 8 p.m., Threadmill Complex, 5000 Austell Powder Springs Road. Click here for more.
• Kennesaw, 6 - 8 p.m., Swift-Cantrell Park, 3140 Old 41 Highway. Click here for more.
• Acworth, 6 - 8:30 p.m., Cauble Park with a golf cart parade, 4425 Beach Street. Click here for details.
Back-to-school safety crucial for drivers and kids
Cobb County Schools started last week. This means every motorist must be alert for school buses and the children who board them. Georgia law changed on July 1 making illegally passing a stopped school bus a high and aggravated misdemeanor when stopped by a police officer punishable by a fine of not less than $1,000, up to 12 months in jail, or both. When the violation is caught by school bus-mounted cameras it is punishable by a civil fine of not less than $1,000.
Consider these reminders:
Yellow flashing lights mean the school bus is slowing down and about to stop.
Red flashing lights and the extended stop arm mean children are boarding or exiting the bus. Motorists must come to a complete stop a safe distance from the bus. They must wait until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm is retracted, and the bus starts moving again before they return to their drive.
Children alongside the road might dart into traffic without looking. Motorists are responsible for driving slowly, yielding to crossing children and coming to a complete stop to protect children on the roadway.
Motorists should drive more slowly if they see children beside the road or a bus nearby.
Please drive slowly in your neighborhoods as school buses conduct pick ups and drops in subdivisions too.
Remember to use your headlights if it is dark outside to ensure visibility of pedestrians.
Open house event to unveil opportunities
Find your spark at this year's 4-H Open House on Aug. 8. Check out clubs and activities including archery, creative arts, public speaking, STEM, cooking, horse and pony activities, competitive teams, agriculture and more. The extension office is located at 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta.
Did you know that the water we have on Earth today is all the water we will ever have? This means that every drop counts. Cobb County Water System encourages you to adopt simple water conservation actions that can have a great impact at home and the environment:
Replace bathroom fixtures with EPA WaterSense labeled products.
When doing laundry or using the dishwasher, run full loads.
Group plants with similar water needs together and irrigate between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m.
For more water conservation tips, incentives, and water saving kits, visit cobbcounty.org/we.
Concerts continue at the amphitheatre
You'll get a peaceful, easy feeling at the free Wine Down Wednesday concert Wednesday, Aug. 14, featuring the ultimate Eagles experience from the tribute band "To the Limit." The show starts at 7 p.m. at the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre. Other shows this month include:
Aug. 10 - An Evening of Hip Hop: Scarface, 8 Ball & MJG, Too Short, Trick Daddy and Nappy Roots. Aug. 17 - An Evening of Soul: Musiq Soulchild and Raheem DeVaughn. Aug. 18 - An Evening with Heatwave, Average White Band and WAR. Aug. 31 - An Evening of Classic Soul: Russell Thompkins JR & Stylistics.
Get free products, food, resources and services at Cobb and Douglas Public Health Farmers Market and Resource Fairs in August. There will be fresh, locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs.
• Markets are open to the entire community.
• WIC participants: bring a WIC ID to receive $30 free per eligible WIC participant per season.
• Events run 8 a.m. - noon at two locations:
• Aug. 7 and 21
1738 County Services Parkway, Marietta
• Aug. 13 and 27
875 Riverside Parkway, Austell
How to meet an author
Don't miss out on the opportunity to meet Kelly Stuckey, author of "How to Teach a Troll to Read", at the Booked for Lunch event noon - 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Sewell Mill Library and Cultural Center in Marietta. Engage in enriching conversations and immerse yourself in the world of books and culture. Tickets are $30 each. (Photo credit: Shoutout Atlanta)
Cobb County Senior Services continues to hold farmers markets around the county this month. Join us at your nearest senior center to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables while supporting your local farmers. Qualifying seniors, age 60 and older, will receive $50 on a market benefit card for produce. One per household, per summer. Space is limited, so you must call to reserve your market benefit card at 770-528-1060.
The Aug. 22, market has changed location. These are the locations and dates that still have open slots:
Thursday, Aug. 22
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Senior Wellness Center
1150 Powder Springs Street, Marietta
Thursday, Aug. 29
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Tim D. Lee Senior Center
3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
Grow your family by four paws with Cobb Animal Services' adoption special. All dogs and cats are $20 through Aug. 30. Stop by 1060 Al Bishop Drive to meet your new friend.
Various Cobb PARKS facilities are temporarily closed for improvements. Check below to see when they're scheduled to reopen:
• Big Shanty Park
The baseball fields, soccer fields and trails will be closed at Big Shanty Park through Oct. 1 for a sewer line installation. The playground and upper part of the parking lot, the art center and the tennis courts will remain open.
• Mabry Park
The playground at Mabry Park will be closed Aug. 12 - 16 as new pieces of equipment are installed. Weather permitting, the work should be completed on Aug. 16.
• Mountain View Aquatic Center
We are making improvements to Cobb's aquatic centers including resurfacing the pool and painting the natatorium. The Mountain View Aquatic Center is undergoing renovations now through the end of September and is expected to reopen Sept. 30.
Make the effort to benefit emergency personnel
Help those who run to help you at Cobb County's First Responder 5K on Saturday, Aug. 17, at The Battery Atlanta. Participants can walk, jog, or run either in-person or virtually. This family-friendly event for all fitness levels will include first responder vehicles and displays, field games with The Atlanta Braves' mascot Blooper, and a performance from the Braves Heavy Hitters drumline. This event is a qualifier for the Peachtree Road Race.
Sample the world through the Cobb International Festival 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Jim R. Miller Park and Event Center in Marietta. The annual event will bring together sights, sounds, and tastes from around the globe.
CobbTV brings you coverage of public meetings, events, and stories of interest to those who live in Cobb. Visit www.cobbcounty.org/CobbTV and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more!
Cobb's Safety Village and our Fire Department team up to help eligible seniors keep track of the status of their smoke alarms to make sure they work and are working! Go along and watch what our team does!
Cobb's Law Library gives presentations on legal topics that might help residents deal with issues that they face. This week the lecture is on the basics of the name change process in the courts. Check it out now streaming on CobbTV.
Board of Commissioners regular meeting, 9 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 13
Board of Commissioners zoning hearing, 9 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 20
Board of Commissioners regular meeting, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27
Meetings take place at 100 Cherokee Street, 2nd floor unless otherwise noted. Many public meetings and hearings are broadcast live on CobbTV and YouTube and are available on demand on YouTube.
Events are subject to change.
Get the news you need
There's a lot going on in Cobb County that doesn't fit in one newsletter. Keep up with what's going on around Cobb County with the help of other emailed publications and social media. You'll be informed of new events and programs, cancellations/delays, emergencies, disruptions to services and more.
