Although Cobb County shut down operations Friday as the remnants of Hurricane Helene passed through the state, hundreds of our employees remained on the job to keep the county safe. Crews with Cobb Department of Transportation, PARKS, 911, Emergency Management, Police and Fire, Water, Property Management, and other county departments responded to calls for assistance.
Cobb DOT crews surveyed roadways impacted by flooding during Friday's storm and found all are now passable. They have removed barricades and will continue to monitor the situation. Please use caution on those roads that were affected by the storm.
Although Cobb County was spared the worst of Friday's storm, many still experienced damage. Even if you didn't have to call 911, please report any damage at this link to our Emergency Management Agency and provide pictures if possible. EMA will coordinate this data with state and federal officials.
Assistance just a click away
Cobb County has partnered with FindHelp to create a new online resource that connects residents with local, vetted assistance programs. On the site, you can search for free or reduced-cost services like medical care, food, job training, and more. Residents can access this new portal by visiting findhelp.cobbcounty.gov. The initiative is funded through an allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act.
Books, music and movies up for grabs this weekend
Bring your reading glasses and a big bag or cart to this week's Fall Book Sale Oct. 4 - 6 at the Cobb County Civic Center, 548 South Marietta Parkway SE, Marietta. You'll find treasures at unbeatable prices. The sale offers a massive selection of books, DVDs, magazines, and more. Proceeds support Cobb County Public Library’s 15 branches and bookmobile.
Put your money where your feet are and run or walk for a worthy cause in the Make-A-Wish 5K on Oct. 5. The race raises money to help grant wishes for Cobb children with critical illnesses. The race begins at 8 a.m. at the Marietta Square. Walk-up registration begins at 7 a.m. It's also a Peachtree Road Race qualifying event. Non-runners can make a donation to help make dreams come true.
Alert! The biggest traffic jam of the year is coming to Cobb County this weekend. Police cars, fire trucks, dump trucks, and every big-wheeled beast you can imagine will jam the Town Center Mall back parking lot at Truck-A-Palooza, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.
Bring your children to climb on trucks and interact with first responders. Entry is $5 per person or $20 per family (up to 6 members). Kiddos under 2 are free. Tickets are available at the gate at 400 Ernest W Barrett Parkway NW, Kennesaw.
Ready for a spooky wildlife adventure? Join UGA Cobb County Extension’s Creepy Critters Fall Wildlife Series starting in October, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Click the links below to register and claim your spot.
Step back in time and experience 19th-century farm life at the Mable House Harvest Festival 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, sponsored by the Friends of the Mable House, 5239 Floyd Road SW, Mableton.
Experience history with demonstrations and hands-on activities including blacksmithing, pickling, pottery, weaving, butter-churning, candle making, letter stamping, and corn husk doll crafting. Tots will have storytime and crafts at the Sweet Potato House.
There will be games, a petting zoo and entertainers. Gardeners can pick up heirloom seeds and planting tips at a seed swap.
Parking and entry are free. Food vendors will have snacks for purchase.
Fall fest and haunted house a frightfully good time
Ready your costume for ooky-spooky events with Cobb PARKS. Get tasty treats, go on hayrides, and enjoy a petting zoo, inflatable rides, food trucks, arts, crafts, and a haunted house at The Fall Festival of Fun 5 - 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Jim R. Miller Park. Entry and parking are free. Jim R. Miller Park is located at 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta.
If you dare, enter the Cobb PARKS Haunted House 5 - 9 p.m. Wednesday - Saturday, Oct. 23 - 26. Creep through squeaky doors and eerie shadows. Walk through a world of terror and thrills. The terrifying nightmare maze will leave you shaking with fear. Can you make it through?
► Pop-up Recycling Events
• Drop off your everyday household recycling (plastic, glass, cans, flattened cardboard) at the Keep Cobb Beautiful Pop-up Drop-off Recycling event 8:30 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Kroger Supermarket parking lot, 1310 Powers Ferry Road, SE, Marietta.
• KCB will have another Pop-up Drop-off Recycling event at the Harvest Festival, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12. Bring your everyday household recycling to 5239 Floyd Road, SW, Mableton.
► Paint Recycling
Just paint. That's what you can recycle at the Cobb County Paint Recycling/Amnesty Collection event, 9 a.m. - noon, Saturday, Oct. 19 at Jim Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road SW, Marietta. Limit 10 gallons of paint per vehicle. Registration is required. More information and registration here.
► Medication Take Back
Dispose of medications safely at KCB's Medication Take Back event, Saturday, Oct. 26 at three locations:
• Police Precinct 1, 2380 Cobb Parkway, NW, Kennesaw
• Tim Lee Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
• Freeman Poole Senior Center, 4024 South Hurt Road, Smyrna
Vigil honors domestic violence victims
Coping with the heartbreaking loss of a family member or friend due to domestic violence is a journey no one should face alone. Receive emotional support and honor victims of domestic violence during a candlelight vigil 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct 2 in Glover Park, North Park Square, Marietta. The event is dedicated to honoring the victims of domestic violence in Georgia who lost their lives in 2023.
If you or someone you know needs help regarding domestic violence or sexual assault, call 770-427-3390 or go to livesaferesources.org.
Mobility referendum explained
MSPLOST = Mobility Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. This election, Cobb voters will have an opportunity to vote for a local referendum to expand transit in our community. Learn more and get the facts about MSPLOST here.
• Nov. 5 - General Election. Precincts open 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. MyVoterPage - Check your registration status and information here.
This week on CobbTV
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 crews fanned out across the county as the remnants of Hurricane Helene moved off to our east. Check out the video for some of the problems that popped up and how first responders jumped in to keep people safe.
Chairwoman Lisa Cupid signed a local State of Emergency for Cobb County as the storm approached. Watch this video to see why that was necessary and what these declarations do to help the county in an emergency.
Board of Commissioners regular meeting, 9 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 8
Board of Commissioners zoning meeting, 9 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 15
Board of Commissioners regular meeting, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 22
Meetings take place at 100 Cherokee Street, 2nd floor unless otherwise noted. Many public meetings and hearings are broadcast live on CobbTV and YouTubeand are available on demand on YouTube.
There's a lot going on in Cobb County that doesn't fit in one newsletter. Keep up with what's going on by subscribing to department enewsletters and following us on social media. You'll be informed of new events and programs, cancellations/delays, emergencies, disruptions to services and more.