Local News

Holmes Sworn in on Georgia Juvenile Justice Board Gregory Doyle Calhoun & Rogers attorney Joyette Holmes has been appointed and sworn into office on the Georgia Juvenile Justice Board. Prior to joining GDCR, which has offices in Marietta and Atlanta, Holmes served as the district attorney for Cobb Judicial Circuit. Her extensive public service experience led to her appointment by Gov. Brian Kemp in July. She was selected as the 2019 Cobb County Citizen of the Year, and she serves on the boards of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Must Ministries, the Cobb Community Foundation and the Davis Direction Foundation. Holmes also has held positions as the chief magistrate judge for Cobb County, assistant district attorney and assistant solicitor general. She made Cobb County history by becoming the first woman and first African American From left: Bridges Holmes, Joyette Holmes, Gov. Brian Kemp, Juvenile Justice Board Chair Sandra Heath to serve as both chief magistrate and Taylor and Department of Juvenile Justice Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. district attorney.

Smith-Gilbert Gardens Awarded Grant

The Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, awarded a grant to Smith-Gilbert Gardens as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2022. A total of 218 organizations were awarded 266 grants, which provide more than $2 million in funding to arts organizations throughout Georgia. Additional grants for vibrant communities and cultural facilities programs will be awarded this fall. “As we emerge from this past year’s quarantine, the arts sector is vital to restarting the economy by attracting tourists, assisting with classroom learning, and igniting events to bring communities back together,” said GCA Executive Director Tina Lilly. “The 266 grants we have awarded will help cities and organizations leverage additional funds and bring people back to work, while providing fun and educational opportunities for Georgians across the state.” The grant will help Smith-Gilbert Gardens grow Art Blooms, which aims to provide emerging artists with a new exhibit platform. Art education programs for local students, weekly art programs for visitors, and a new temporary exhibit with regional and national artists will be added to complement the permanent collection, thanks to the grant.

Local News

Grand Prix Series Continues

Runners taking part in Kennesaw’s 2021 Grand Prix 5K Series are preparing for the Aug. 14 Dream Dash, the second race in the series. The course through downtown Kennesaw is mostly flat, asphalt, professionally timed and USA Track & Field-certified. While perfect for competitive runners seeking a qualifying time for the Peachtree Road Race, beginner runners/walkers can enjoy the family-friendly, festival-like atmosphere and plentiful food and drink.

The six 5K runs are part of the Fit City Kennesaw initiative, which encourages residents to become more active and engage in wellness-related activities. Online registration is available. The entry fee of $25 ($35 on race day) includes a race T-shirt. The rest of the schedule includes the Sept. 18 Great Locomotive Race and the Oct. 30 Garden Gallop.

All races are electronically timed by Orion Racing, and awards are presented in several categories. On Facebook. www.kennesawgrandprix.com.

The Georgia Symphony Orchestra (GSO) returns to the stage for its 71st concert series in September, for the classics series. Led by Music Director and Conductor Timothy Verville, the series features three artistically captivating and musically challenging classical works at the Marietta Performing Arts Center or the Bailey Center for the Performing Arts at Kennesaw State University.

On Sept. 25, the orchestra will kick off the season with “Mahler, smahler,” a reduced orchestration of Gustav Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. This work often is referred to as Mahler’s most “chamber-like,” due to the intricacies and interplay between instrumental sections. Soprano and Marietta native Maria Valdes, who has received acclaim on the stage from San Francisco to Chicago and New York, is the featured soloist.

The series continues on Feb. 26, 2022, with GSO’s Beethoven at the Beach, featuring Amy Beach’s Symphony No. 2, the first symphony written and published by an American woman composer, and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major.

The series concludes on May 21 with The Firebird and Music of Remembrance concert. The performance includes American composer Jennifer Higdon’s Blue Cathedral, one of her most performed works, and Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite (1919), which is a collection of music from the ballet of the same name. In addition to the classics series, the season also includes Holiday Pops in December, GSO Jazz! in February and April, and the annual Sensory Friendly performance in March. For more information, and details on purchasing tickets, visit georgiasymphony.org/all-events.

First Fishing Rodeo a Succes

Cobb residents had a great time at the first Fishing Rodeo of the year at Lost Mountain Park. More than 100 young people joined the fun. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources staff brought a trailer full of fishing supplies for participants. More than 30 fish were caught, weighed, measured and released.

The annual Fishing Rodeo, hosted by Cobb Parks staff, continued through the end of July. Keep an eye on the Parks and Nature tab at cobbcounty.org/parks for information and registration for next year. The competition is open to children, ages 3-16, and trophies are awarded for the five biggest fish overall.

Georgia Symphony Orchestra Returns

A Message from the

This month, we celebrate a season of transition in our community. Brian Bulthuis, who served as the city manager for 25 years, is celebrating retirement. Brian was instrumental in managing our growth as a community during his years of service.

He accomplished many things during his tenure, including working with the state on the widening of Highway 92, the revitalization of downtown Acworth, the oversight of more than $150 million in impactful Special Local Option Sales Tax projects, 21 years of excellence in financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, and the completion of major building projects, such as the Acworth Community Center, City Hall and the Acworth Police Department headquarters.

We are excited to announce the appointment of our new city manager, James Albright. James was born and raised in the Acworth community. He went to Acworth Elementary, Awtrey Middle School, North Cobb High School, and he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kennesaw State University. He is about as local as it gets!

He started his career with the city 21 years ago as a summer camp counselor and crew member, performing maintenance in the Parks, Recreation and Community Resource Department. In 2005, at the age of 23, he became one of the youngest directors of parks and recreation in Georgia, after being appointed by myself and the Board of Aldermen.

James has successfully recruited, developed and retained some of the top talent in the parks and recreation field to create one of the most dynamic and impactful departments in the state. In addition to traditional parks and recreation duties, the department also handles all building maintenance within the city, and it provides operational support to the Downtown Development Authority, the Tourism Authority, the Lake Authority, Tree Commission and the Housing Authority, under his leadership. He oversaw the construction of the Acworth Community Center, the development of the Logan Farm Park expansion and the renovation of the Art House and the Logan Farm House. This department has led the city’s effort to create inclusive recreation opportunities for everyone in our community.

James has been an active volunteer in our community as a youth baseball, football and wrestling coach. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Acworth Business Association and the Special Needs Development Group. He resides in the city with his wife, Shannon, and their two children, Ashtyn and Grant. They attend NorthStar Church.

We are so grateful for Brian’s contributions to our community, and we wish him the best in retirement! We wish James the best of luck as he picks up the reins and continues to work with me and the Board of Aldermen to continue to move our great city forward!

God bless, Tommy

Tommy Allegood was elected to Acworth’s city council in 2000 and has served as mayor since 2002. He is a community builder who is purposed to make it count!