BOOKS

N Chain Gang All Stars

By Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Releases April 4

The Criminal Action Penal Entertainment is a highly controversial prison program that allows people to fight to the death for their freedom. Follow two chain gang all-stars, Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker, as they do what it takes to survive while still trying to maintain their humanity. Thurwar is only a few fights away from securing her freedom. But in a system this corrupt, will she ever really get out?

N Sisters Of The Lost Nation

By Nick Medina

Releases April 18

Anna Horn is being haunted – and possibly hunted – by an entity from an old tribal myth that follows her wherever she goes. What’s more, women are disappearing in alarming numbers across the reservation where she lives. Does the entity have anything to do with the disappearances, or is it something newer and potentially more sinister? Anna isn’t the only one searching for answers, but when her sister, Grace, also disappears, she will do whatever it takes to get her back.

N Happy Place

By Emily Henry

Releases April 25

Wyn and Harriet broke up 6 months ago, and they still haven’t told anyone. Mostly because that would mean discussing why they broke up. Plus, they’ve always been considered couple goals to all their friends, and they wouldn’t want any of them to lose faith in love, right? Instead, Wyn and Harriet are choosing to fake it through the annual get-together with their friends in Maine. Even if it means lying to everyone and sharing a bed.

Circles Cobb names executive director, aims to combat poverty

The newly formed Cobb County chapter of a national nonprofit that works to bring people out of poverty has named Barbara Garner of Marietta as its executive director.

Circles USA has over 80 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The new local chapter, Circles Cobb, was established last year by a board of community nonprofit and business leaders.

Board Chair Holly Tuchman said when the founding board members discovered Circles USA, they “all decided that this would be a great program to bring to Cobb County.”

In the later half of 2022, Tuchman said she and Vice Chair Jeri Barr joined the board and moved forward with finding a director who could lead the organization.

“At the end of the day, we were really looking for somebody who had a passion for people but who also had a business mind,” Tuchman said. “It may be a nonprofit, but you’re still running a business to a certain extent.”

Tuchman said the board wanted the executive director to be extremely familiar with the community.

“Cobb is a very unique community,” she said. “I think we have great businesses, a great chamber and we have some of the best schools in the country. But we also have pockets of poverty.

“So we wanted to find somebody who knows the community and the community knows them... someone who had a passion for this work.”

Tuchman said the group imple- mented a task force, comprised of six board members, to lead the search.

“The bottom line is, I 100% believe in the mission,” Garner said. “Just being able to step in and lead an organization that will be addressing the community’s needs is huge.”

Garner said Circles USA differentiates itself from other nonprofits because the organization not only helps families and individuals move out of poverty, but it also provides a team of mentors who offer long-term guidance and resource outlets for participants to stay out of poverty.

“I think the nonprofit landscape here in Cobb is really robust,” Garner said. “...The thing that’s different about Circles USA is, it’s really pulling the community together.”

Garner added that Circles USA chapters — and now Circles Cobb — act as networking communities. The nonprofit gathers those who want to move out of poverty and matches them with volunteers who can provide financial insight and job opportunities.

“Relationships are key from the beginning,” Garner said. “...And it ends up being really a nice friendship.”

With hopes of hosting their first meeting in August, Garner said Circles Cobb will need all hands on deck and at least 50 to 60 volunteers. Additionally, the nonprofit is inviting churches, restaurants and other organizations in Cobb to participate in the initiative.

To volunteer, contribute or learn more about Circles Cobb’s mission, visit CirclesCobb.org.

Braves Fest returns to The Battery Atlanta and Truist Park

Thousands of fans flocked to The Battery Atlanta and Truist Park in January to attend the return of Braves Fest.

After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the festival featured a wide variety of family-friendly events including on-field activities, interactive experiences, baseball clinics and live entertainment.

The free event allowed fans to interact with Braves players and coaches while also sharing their excitement for the upcoming season.

Infielder Vaughn Grissom, All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and strikeout pitcher Spencer Strider were among the many Braves players who attended the festival.

Grissom said this Braves Fest was his first, adding that he enjoyed spending quality time with his fans.

“It’s been a blast,” said the 22-year-old Grissom, who is in line to succeed Cobb County native Dansby Swanson as the Braves’ starting shortstop. “This has been a really cool opportunity for us.”

One of the events, “Bowl with the Braves,” allowed fans to bowl a frame and nail a strike alongside players at Punch Bowl Social.

Festival-goers also had the opportunity to sit at the Bally Sports South broadcast desk and snap a picture.

Lee Arnold, a Braves fan from Chattanooga, Tennessee, attended the festival, with his father and son tagging along for the fun. The three generations sat at the broadcast desk and met former Braves player and current Bally Sports broadcaster Paul Byrd.

“We came here for a true Braves experience and today didn’t disappoint,” Arnold said. “This is a generational thing for us. My dad and I are former baseball players and my son is a player now. Meeting Mr. Byrd and touching home plate was pretty cool.”

Cobb restaurant revamps and new beginnings

Cobb dining and nightlife is constantly evolving and it seems this year is no exception. From southern-style pizza joints and Belgian waffle parlors to Tex-Mex diners and coffee shops, check out the most recent restaurant news happening in and around Cobb.

Bernardo’s Modern-Mex, owned by Brett and Laura Olszeski, is now open in downtown Kennesaw. It takes the place of Trackside Grill, which the Olszeski family owned and operated for 20 years.

Brett said Bernardo’s is not your typical Tex-Mex. The restaurant’s main culinary influences come not from Texas but from Mexico, Arizona and New Mexico.

“There’s a little hybrid of everything in there,” Brett said. “I kind of just threw it all in a pot and we’re trying to do little samples of each region.”

The Frozen Goose opened on Powder Springs Street near Marietta Square in December, featuring frozen, slushy cocktails, alongside a menu of bar food and other alcoholic offerings.

The 27-seat bar has three large TVs for sports, along with churning machines that dispense a variety of frozen drinks, including a kid-friendly, non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri and Disser’s favorite, “Chuck’s Revenge” — a drink made with tequila, pineapple, tangerine and peach.

New restaurants coming soon to Cobb

A retro building on Canton Road, formerly known as Derek’s Diner, will soon house a new coffee joint, Cafe Clement

Cafe Clement will feature specialty coffee and prepared foods, overseen by owners, Arthur Beaudet and Luisana Rojas-Beaudet.

Arthur is the son of Douceur De France owner and founder Luc Beaudet. Arthur Beaudet is continuing the family legacy with his own brand and new spot, Cafe Clement, which is set to open soon.

The coffee joint will have a walk-up counter where guests can place their orders and then find a spot in the cozy dining area to relax and enjoy their fresh coffee.

Omni Hotel at The Battery Atlanta will welcome a new signature restaurant, National Anthem, this spring.

The restaurant, just steps away from the Chop House Gates at Truist Park Stadium, will celebrate America’s favorite pastime, mixed with a bit of a modern diner feel.

Peach State Pizza, a southern-style pizza joint, is coming to the Avenue East Cobb. The pizza parlor will boast a 3,560-squarefoot restaurant with a front porch swing and vintage Georgia décor.

Construction on Peach State Pizza is set to begin in the spring, with NAP aiming for a grand opening in the late summer.

Belgian waffle purveyor Press Waffle Co. will also be coming to the Avenue East Cobb later this year.

East Cobb locals and huband-wife duo Keith and Niki Ginel will be the franchise owners of the new Press Waffle Co. location, which was founded in 2016 and later took off after an appearance on the hit ABC show “Shark Tank.”

A new brewery is coming to Austell later this year. Frog Rock Brewing Company has signed a lease in the new development, dubbed “Cincinnati Junction,” and will open in late spring or early summer, according to Andrew Lundstrom, the project’s developer.

The brewery’s interior will draw inspiration from the city’s history — Austell was once known as Salt Springs, due to springs with supposedly medicinal qualities that were popular in the 19th century.

Frog Rock also plans to have an outdoor beer garden with seating, fire pits and string lights, a bocce ball court and a music stage.