Forecast 2023

FORECAST 2023

PUBLISHED BY THE MARIETTA DAILY JOURNAL

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESS

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

EDUCATION

HEALTH

REAL ESTATE

SENIOR LIVING

THE MOST IMPRESSIVE LISTING IN COBB COUNTY

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OUR TOP PRODUCERS Top row: Becky Branan

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Forecast is published annually by the Marietta Daily Journal and distributed to homes and businesses throughout Cobb County. To subscribe, email circulation@mdjonline.com or call 770-795-5001. To advertise, contact Tara Guest at 770-428-9411, ext. 4511.

Senior Editor: Jon Gillooly; contributing writers/photographers: Jake Busch, Brian McKeithan, Chart Riggall, Hunter Riggall, and Robin Rayne

Cover photo by Robin Rayne: Brookfield Properties, the firm which manages Cumberland Mall, is at work on a huge redevelopment project of the mall set to be completed in 2024.

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2021WINNER

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

WHATEVER YOU LIKE: Cobb art and entertainment in 2023

By Brian McKeithan bmckeithan@mdjonline.com

There is no shortage of things to do in Cobb County, and all signs point to 2023 bringing plenty more events.

For baseball fans, there is the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. For thrill seekers, there is Six Flags Over Georgia. For movie buffs looking for an experience beyond the usual Regal or AMC — perhaps a silent movie accompanied by a live orchestra — there’s the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre on Marietta Square.

If you’re looking for other old-fashioned entertainment, Feb. 17-19 the Strand is hosting a live reading of an episode of “The Lone Ranger,” the radio show that started in the ’30s, complete with costumed actors, an orchestra, and a foley artist doing sound effects.

“It’s a fun callback to yesteryear, and it’s not something you can see, as far as I’m aware of, anywhere else,” said Andy Gaines, the manager of the Strand.

Gaines said that 2022 marked the end of a strategic 5-year plan for the Strand, and the creation of a new one. The theater will focus on improving what they already do well, he said, which

includes a wide range of performances, a quarterly comedy series, jazz and folk concerts, and the “Strand Ole Opry” series of country music performances.

“I don’t know what the thing is that you like, but I guarantee it’s happening on this stage at some point,” Gaines said.

In addition to the venues and arts institutions, Cobb has a plethora of public food and art festivals throughout the year. One of the largest is Chalktoberfest, the chalk festival put on every fall by the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art.

“Our mission is to bring the community together through art, that’s one of the reasons we started Chalktoberfest,” said Sally Macaulay, the museum’s executive director.

Macaulay said she’s particularly excited about Chalktoberfest 2023 because of plans to add more international artists to the lineup, and she hinted that this year’s Chalktoberfest may have a theme “having something to do with old movies.”

Among other new additions, the museum will add its first glass-fusing class to its lineup of painting and sculpting classes. Macaulay added that the museum will begin revamping parts of its historic building, with plans to begin painting the exterior during the first months of 2023.

The scene on Etowah Drive on the morning of the 14th annual Cherokee Heights Arts Festival in Marietta.

- Brian McKeithan

“The direction we’re going in is really just building community through art — having new events, having new exhibitions, having new art classes,” Macaulay said.

One of the museum’s planned exhibits in 2023 will be made with contributions from the community. The “Quilting the Pandemic Project” will tell the stories of Cobb locals during the pandemic through quilting. Residents can contribute quilt squares to the project, which will then be stitched together into quilts that will be on exhibition.

“We’re basically recording people’s experience of an event that 200 years from now people are going to ask, ‘Oh, what was it like in Marietta?’ Well here are these tangible projects giving the stories of people’s experiences,” said Candise Curlee, the museum’s director of education.

The exhibit is scheduled to open April 1.

“This is taking a traditional form of storytelling and bringing it into the modern world,” Curlee said.

If 2022 was the year of reopening, 2023 could be a year of thriving. Holly Quinlan, the president of Cobb Travel and Tourism, which works with arts organizations throughout the county, said she thinks 2023 will be a “breakout year” for a Cobb arts scene still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

“I think it will be a story of continued resilience,” Quinlan said.

Whether it’s the Atlanta Ballet at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center, or the annual production of “The Nutcracker” danced by students of Marietta’s own Georgia Dance Conservatory, Cobb has options upon options for fans of dance, music, art, and nearly anything else.

Good luck choosing what to do first.

Celebrating 49 Years in Cobb County

The denizens of a winter wonderland, including Paradise Hill’s Sugarplum Fairy, dance at a dress rehearsal for the Georgia Metropolitan Dance Theatre’s 2022 production of “The Nutcracker” in November.

- Brian McKeithan

Michela Bogoni, from Verona, Italy, rubs freshly applied chalk into the pavement to create a gradient at the ninth annual Chalktoberfest in Marietta on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022.

- Brian Mckeithan

CREDIT UNION OF GEORGIA MEMBER & COMMUNITY FOCUSED

Credit Union of Georgia has been a part of the Northwest Georgia Community since 1960. Striving for the best member experience possible, they have an expansive list of product and service offerings and a lifelong commitment to supporting our local communities.

Offering a wide range of account solutions, convenient account access, exclusive member benefits, a variety of loan solutions and complete business services, it’s safe to say that there is something for everyone at Credit Union of Georgia.

Credit Union of Georgia is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, and its mission is to serve local communities by providing financial solutions and guidance for every stage of life.

Deposits are federally insured up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration. Credit Union of Georgia has four locations in Cobb County including the Kennesaw location, off Jiles Road; and in East Cobb, off Johnson Ferry Road; West Cobb, off Dallas Highway; and Marietta, near the square.

JOINING IS EASY

It is easy to join Credit Union of Georgia, which is a full-service financial institution, if you are a resident of Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Douglas, Fannin, Forsyth, Fulton, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Paulding, Pickens or Union counties.

Applications are accepted online at www. CUofGA.org, in person at any branch location or over the phone at 678-486-1111. With an initial deposit of only $10, members can begin enjoying the benefits of credit union membership, starting with no monthly or annual service fees.

Other benefits include:

• Full line of loan solutions, including auto, home equity, personal and recreational vehicle loans.

• On-site mortgage department.

• Business account options, including commercial lending.

• Rewards Checking including Cell Phone Protection & Identity Theft benefits.

• Digital Solutions including account alerts, mobile check deposit, mobile app, bill pay and eStatements.

• Saving options including Money Market, Share Certificates, Kid’s Club Program and IRAs.

• No-cost financial adviser.

COMMUNITY MINDED

Credit Union of Georgia was established in 1960, to serve the faculty, staff and students of local school systems and institutions of higher learning, then later expanded its field of membership to serve those who live or work in specific counties in Northwest Georgia. With a history of serving educators, Credit Union of Georgia has a passion for education and giving back to local schools and the community.

While keeping members engaged with Credit Union of Georgia’s philanthropy, local charities benefit from various fundraising efforts including monetary donations, volunteerism and donations of food, clothing toys and personal hygiene items.

Fundraisers are held throughout the year for local charities and organizations.

IN THE FUTURE

Credit Union of Georgia is exploring options for additional branch locations in its field of membership area. “We’ll continue to add additional branch locations as we continue to grow. For more accessibility, we are a part of the CO-OP Shared Branch network, to give members access to over 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs and more than 5,000 shared branching locations,” said Brian Albrecht, president/ CEO of Credit Union of Georgia. “We promise to give our members a place to bank that they can trust and depend on. We are your neighbors, and we want to serve you.”

WHAT MEMBERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CREDIT UNION OF GEORGIA…

• “Every time I have been here, there has been outstanding service! Everyone is professional and always friendly and welcoming to all. Honestly, this is the best customer service I have ever received in a bank. Definitely 5 stars!” – Shirley S.

• “The service was amazing, the people are great, and they work hard to satisfy the customer.” – Breon I.

• “Working with the team at Credit Union of Georgia has been awesome. We have financed several cars with them, and they make the process so simple. Much of it has been completed without having to even go to the branch. We were with a Big Brand Bank for our personal and business banking, but after having such a great experience with the car loans, I moved everything over. I love knowing I can walk into a branch and the team there knows me.” – Adam H.

• “Great place to do business, would recommend them to anyone, good experience, nice staff, very processional and helpful.” – Aaron A.

• “Recently contacted Credit Union of Georgia about an equity loan. Everyone I spoke with was super helpful and it felt like I was dealing with a small town bank. In a few short weeks, I’ve closed a loan, opened a checking, savings and credit card account and I couldn’t be happier. Working on moving all of our family accounts to CU of GA now! Awesome service and people!” – Ryan W.

AWARD-WINNING

• 2022 Best of Cobb, Marietta Daily Journal

– Best Credit Union

• 2022 Aroundabout Readers’ Choice, Around Canton – Best Bank/Credit Union

• 2022 Aroundabout Readers’ Choice, Around Kennesaw – Best Bank/Credit Union

• 2022 Aroundabout Readers’ Choice, Around Kennesaw – Best Mortgage Lending

• 2022 Aroundabout Readers’ Choice, Townelaker – Best Bank/Credit Union

• 2022 Aroundabout Readers’ Choice, Townelaker – Best Mortgage Lending

• 2022 Best of Life, Canton Family Life

– Best Financial Institution/Bank/Credit Union

• 2022 Outstanding Partner in Education – Marietta High School, Cobb Chamber of Commerce

• 2022 Partner of the Year – Cherokee County Schools – Woodstock High School

• 2022 Partner Appreciation Recognition –Creekland Middle School

• 2022 West Cobb Business Association Member of the Year – Kathy Winiarczyk, Business Development Officer

• 1st Quarter 2022 Volunteer of the Quarter –Cherokee Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Quarter

• 2022 Cherokee County Schools Superintendent’s Game Changer Award – Jason Blakey, Cherokee Area Manager

Cobb optimistic on business climate, even facing economic headwinds

By Chart Riggall criggall@mdjonline.com

Ask anyone in Georgia, and they’ll tell you we’re the No. 1 state to do business. And Cobb County’s business leaders are looking to keep it that way.

Enterprises big and small had their eyes on the prize this year as the state began to properly and finally emerge from the pandemic.

Even with the threat of a recession, business leaders are confident Cobb can weather the storm.

“We have diversified our economy in a lot of different ways with industry, and that’s going to help us overcome any recession,” Cobb Chamber CEO Sharon Mason said a few months ago.

Ben Ayers, the dean of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, said in December he doesn’t “expect a repeat of the housing bust.” He predicted a rebound to begin next year once inflation is brought under control and the Federal Reserve slows its interest rate hikes.

“We will continue to outperform the nation,” he said. “Growth will slow, but growth will not stop.”

Workforce woes remain a top concern for employers both public and private coming out of the pandemic. Mason said workforce is “a top reason companies are choosing us, but we want to keep it that way. We want to make sure that we’re staying proactive, and continuing a strong pipeline.

“And we know there’s a major challenge — pandemic-related, especially — for companies. We’re seeing that nationally, but that everybody has experienced that shortage.”

One sector that’s nearly back in full swing is tourism and hospitality. According to Tyler Reinagel, Kennesaw State University’s associate vice president of economic development, the industry contributes about $3 billion per year and tens of thousands of jobs to the local economy.

The Cobb Galleria and Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (CEPAC), meanwhile, both saw their revenues back in the black this year since the first time before COVID. The Galleria hosted

A preliminary conceptual rendering of the redevelopment that could one day come to the Cobb Galleria. The authority which manages the venue has proposed to replace the Galleria Specialty Shops with an on-site hotel, shown at left. - Cobb Galleria

187 events, while CEPAC held 178 events. That performance is expected to continue into next year.

“The performing arts center has accomplished its ambitious goal of bringing arts and entertainment events that wouldn’t otherwise be presented to local audiences and lifting up its resident companies — the Atlanta Ballet, The Atlanta Opera and ArtsBridge Foundation,” said Michele Swann, general manager and CEO of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority, which oversees both venues.

The authority also inked a new revenue sharing agreement with Cobb County, which will help it undertake a long-awaited redevelopment of the Galleria’s Specialty Shops mall. A feasibility study will soon be done to determine if a hotel could be built on the site.

Working hand in hand with business leaders are Cobb’s Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) — property owners who levy a tax upon themselves to fund local infrastructure projects.

The Cumberland CID has big plans for the coming year, moving forward on projects to restore and renovate parklands while expanding transit and walkability in the county’s bustling commercial hub.

The Town Center CID, meanwhile, recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and has more than 60 projects on its wish list for the years to come. In 2022, it broke ground on a long-awaited phase of the South Barrett Reliever road project which will provide new connections in the district.

Said Kelly Keappler, CID chairman, “Over two decades, the focus has shifted to green space, community and quality of life improvements. This kind of transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It takes thoughtful planning and intentional action to advance a shared vision of what can be.”

Got Vibes

The latest leg of a long-awaited project to divert traffic from the often-congested Barrett Parkway got rolling in October. Backdropped by the woods the road will soon run through, officials broke ground on the $37.9 million third phase of the $50 million South Barrett Reliever. Left to right: Ty Denning of Arcadis, Cobb Chamber Chief Operating Officer Dana Johnson, Cobb Transportation Director Drew Raessler, Town Center CID board member Steven Cadranel, Town Center CID Executive Director Tracy Styf, Town Center CID Chairman Kelly Keappler, Commissioner JoAnn Birrell, Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, and Paul DeNard, district engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation. - Agustin Orozco-Tello

Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, addressed a crowd of business leaders and community members at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Marquee Monday breakfast in September. - Special

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KSU expert: Tourism in Cobb responsible for 35,000 jobs

By Jake Busch jbusch@mdjonline.com

KENNESAW — Tourism and hospitality are responsible for 35,000 jobs and an economic impact of $3 billion in Cobb County annually, according to Tyler Reinagel, Kennesaw State University’s associate vice president of economic development.

Reinagel shared those statistics at KSU’s first of four community-focused forums meant to demonstrate Cobb’s impact to Georgia’s tourism industry. Statewide, the industry brings in $40 billion annually. The inaugural Campus to Community Forum was about connecting the work being done on campus to that in the broader Cobb community, Reinagel said, with a focus on tourism in Cobb, metro Atlanta and across Georgia.

The forum featured Leonard Jackson, director of KSU’s hospitality management program; Kim Franz, Cobb Travel & Tourism Director of Programs and Events; and Dale Kaetzel, recently retired president of Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags White Water.

With COVID, the industry took a big hit, and discussion about workforce challenges that ensued came up during the forum.

“In general the hospitality industry is struggling,” Franz said.

Franz noted that while Cobb Travel & Tourism did not take big

hits to staffing in the past two years, companies the group partners with have.

“Our goal at Cobb Travel & Tourism is to help our partners to get that talent and to give them opportunities to showcase what they have and what they can do in terms of tourism and hospitality for the county,” she said.

From that, Franz encouraged students to think outside the box in how they approach future career opportunities in the industry. She said they should consider applying to companies that partner with local visitor bureaus and destination marketing organizations.

The forum’s speakers also noted that the industry is constantly changing, and adapting in the wake of COVID-19 remains a challenge.

“Perceptions of service have changed,” Jackson said, adding that the hospitality industry has begun to embrace more technology to deliver services. “As an industry, we’ve always been backward with technology, so now we’re trying to find a way to embrace high-touch with high-tech.”

Jackson said KSU’s hospitality students are driven to build careers that open opportunities like those offered throughout Cobb and across the state. While they may not know what exactly they want to do, the tourism and hospitality industry is expansive enough that everyone has the chance to find what most suits their interests.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Cobb offers home field advantage to spur growth

By Chart Riggall criggall@mdjonline.com

Cobb County continues to be as friendly a place as you’ll find when it comes to attracting economic development.

The Cobb Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority of Cobb County rolled out the welcome mat for a number of big-ticket projects in 2022.

Major businesses like A.G. Rhodes, Biolyte, McGuire Sponsel, NPSG Global, and Soliant all announced new footprints within Cobb. Truist Financial, the name sponsor behind Cobb’s ballpark, plans to relocate its Buckhead headquarters to the Battery Atlanta.

Biolyte was previously located in Atlanta and Canton, but relocated its operations to Marietta with a $60,000 investment in a warehouse and the addition of 13 jobs to its 25-person workforce.

“Never in a million years did I think that we could have everyone under one roof, but our new warehouse in Marietta made that possible,” said Jesslyn Rollins, CEO of BIOLYTE. “Our team is thrilled and that lets me know this is going to be huge for our culture and growth trajectory.”

Fragrance company Arylessence, meanwhile, announced a new 54,000-square-foot expansion of its Marietta campus this year, with the help of a $27 million bond from the development authority. That project is expected to add 30 jobs to the facility.

“Arylessence has been an important part of Cobb County’s business community for over four decades,” said Dana Johnson, executive director of SelectCobb, at the time.

Pat Wilson, Georgia’s commissioner for economic development, said even without the state’s blockbuster Rivian and Hyundai deals, “we still break our record numbers, which is unbelievable … 2022 proved to not only break it, but blow that out of the water.”

Yet more projects are coming down the pipe.

In August, the development authority approved a record-shattering bond package of $1.6 billion for Lockheed Martin’s Marietta plant, which will help the firm finance a series of expansions should it win big-ticket defense contracts. While Lockheed executives have kept mum on what those projects will be, they compared them to the transformative impact of the C-130 aircraft, which has been produced in Cobb since the 1950s.

“These are franchise programs,” said Rod McLean, head of Lockheed Marietta. “Either you win it, or you’re out. Think about the C-130. We won that almost 65 years ago, and we’re still building the C-130 today. So these are one time shots you have to capture these programs.”

And in south Cobb, Novare Group is already at work on a sprawling mixed-use development that promises to help reshape the city’s downtown.

Said Powder Springs Mayor Al Thurman, “If you can go back through the years, there was a building here with restaurants and office buildings. And the city, we had a vision, and some of these plans have been on the drawing board for a number of years … and we tore it down. My point is, sometimes with a vision, you’ve got to tear down to build up.”

From left: Cobb Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, Powder Springs Economic Development Director Tina Garver, City Manager Pam Conner, Mayor Al Thurman, Novare Group executives Jim Borders and Derek Dill, and PointOne Holdings’ Peter Joerss. - Chart Riggall

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Crews are at work on a new access point to the I-75 express lanes from Akers Mill Road. The $44 million project, once complete, will for the first time provide access to the Cumberland commercial and entertainment district from the Northwest Corridor express lanes. - Robin Rayne

Left to right: Chattahoochee Technical College President Ron Newcomb and State Sen. Michael “Doc” Rhett, D-Marietta, look on as Superior Plumbing President Jay Cunningham speaks at an October ribbon cutting of the Superior Plumbing VECTR Center. - Chart Riggall

Lockheed Martin Vice President Rod McLean, who heads up the firm’s Marietta plant, speaks at an event announcing that the plant will help build the LMXT refueling aircraft. - Chart Riggall

We are a well-rounded community alive with community spirit, a touch of urban chic and plenty of down-home natural charm.

Smyrna offers lively events for our diverse community, and we are home to equally diverse neighborhoods nestled among lush trees. Our community offers residents and visitors acccess to indoor and outdoor amen�es, from boa�ng on the Cha�ahoochee, to biking, walking, or running along our trails, to baseball at the Ba�ery, or good vibes in our downtown and more.

We are where urban chic meets community sweet.

We work everyday to make the Town Center community a vibrant place to grow a business, raise a family, shop and work, earn a degree, and enjoy the outdoors.

Communication:

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Powder Springs expanding places to live, work, play

Cobb County’s fastest growing city is primed to continue to remain so, with residents and visitors set to see even more reasons to visit and stay in 2023 and beyond.

With approximately 1,500 new dwellings approved or under development, and another 500 residential applications coming before the city for consideration, its leaders are focused on responsibly managing growth while maintaining Powder Springs’ small-town character and quality of life.

Powder Springs’ City Hall and Community Development building closed their doors in 2022 to prepare for mixed-use development that will transform the downtown core. Atlanta-based Novare Group is constructing 226 apartments and almost 5,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space on these sites anchored by Thurman Springs Park. Nearby, the Pineview Trail and trailhead will soon connect Silver Comet Trail users to downtown businesses and new eateries. A redesigned Municipal Court building, meanwhile, will become the future home of City Hall in 2024.

Thurman Springs Park is among the city’s 105 acres of active and passive park land. The downtown destination along with its Hardy Family Automotive Amphitheater will be the site of the third-annual “Bringing the Sea to the Springs” seafood festival this May and a returning Summer Concert Series, as well as multiple events throughout the year.

Business recruitment and retention efforts continue to attract commercial projects like the 20 West Intermodal planning and distribution facility, an investment of $35 million by Native Development that will create up to 200 new jobs within the city. The city is also focused on implementing its land annexation plan and working closely with the state to gain curb cuts on U.S. 278 needed for commercial growth along the major corridor.

A new pavilion was constructed this fall in Powder Springs Park, with future additions including a dog park for both large and small dogs, and a parking lot/farmer’s market area that would have water and electrical outlets that would better allow the park to host special events

A professional skatepark will be built later this year in Silver Comet Linear Park, a project funded by the 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). The skatepark is to have a competition-level certification through World Skate, the governing body for skateboarding.

Powder Springs remains a city in motion, but one that will always welcome residents both old and new. Visit cityofpowdersprings.org and follow us on social media to learn more about how Powder Springs can put a “spring” in your step.

There’s

@powder_springs @powdersprings01 @cityofpowdersprings

always something worth stepping out for.

EDUCATION

Sales tax projects bring new and improved facilities to Cobb, Marietta schools

By Hunter Riggall hriggall@mdjonline.com

Cobb’s reputation for well-performing schools has made it a popular choice for Georgians looking to start a family. In 2022, those trends continued, even as political fights in education made headlines.

With 106,703 students, the Cobb County School District is Georgia’s second largest. About 14% of all Cobb residents are children enrolled in CCSD. The district is also Cobb’s top employer, with more than 17,000 workers.

The smaller Marietta City Schools educates the public-school attending children of the city of Marietta, with 8,711 students and approximately 1,200 employees.

A chunk of the funding for local schools comes from the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Cobb voters have approved six of these taxes, the most recent in November 2021.

Ed-SPLOST V is the tax cycle still running its course. Approved by voters in 2017, it collects a 1% sales tax to fund schools through the end of 2023.

In the Cobb school system, several projects are scheduled to be completed in 2023 — the replacement of Eastvalley Elementary; new gyms for Pebblebrook High and Sprayberry High; classroom additions at Pebblebrook, Hillgrove High and Lovinggood Middle; and new tennis courts and a baseball field for Walton High.

A slew of Cobb construction projects are also set to commence

this year, including classroom additions at Dickerson Middle, Dodgen Middle and Nickajack Elementary.

The Lindley Middle School attendance zone will be split in two this year with the creation of the new Betty Gray Middle School. Classroom additions and renovations will start at Betty Gray Middle this year.

Also breaking ground in 2023 are a new gym for South Cobb High; classroom upgrades and renovations at Wheeler High; theater renovations at Lassiter High; career, technical and agricultural education (CTAE) renovations at North Cobb High; and numerous renovations to schools’ restrooms, HVAC systems, roofs, flooring, electrical and plumbing across the district.

SPLOST projects in progress in Marietta schools include the installation of synthetic turf at Marietta High’s baseball and softball fields, and a new cafeteria at West Side Elementary.

In addition, the Marietta Board of Education will be asked to move forward on a SPLOST-funded renovation of Hickory Hills Elementary in the new year.

New programs in Marietta schools include the Community Conversations parent education series, the Home Depot STEM Lab at Marietta Sixth Grade Academy, Apto Solutions employment placements for neurodiverse students, and the Raising Highly Capable Kids parenting program.

Enrollment in both systems remains below pre-pandemic levels as of October 2022, and it isn’t clear when, or if, the numbers will grow again.

Cobb schools is rebuilding Eastvalley Elementary at a site formerly occupied by East Cobb Middle, across from Wheeler High on Holt Road.

- Hunter Riggall

At the beginning of the 2019-20 school year, Cobb schools had 112,097 students, about 4.8% more than the district does now.

To start the 2019-20 school year, Marietta City Schools counted 8,877 students, about 1.9% higher than current levels.

Cobb schools saw a slight bump in its graduation rate in 2022, while Marietta High School’s dipped by a percentage point.

Cobb’s 2022 graduation rate sat at 87.4% while Marietta’s was 85.7%. In 2021, Cobb’s rate was 87.2%, while Marietta’s was 86.7%.

Cobb and Marietta continued to outperform the state at large. The statewide average increased by about half a point to 84.1% in 2022.

Both school districts saw declines across the board in the latest College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) report, released in November.

The districts’ results were incomplete, due to a federal waiver, in the first reporting year since 2019, but point to the ongoing educational losses of the pandemic. Performance declined in every category in Cobb and Marietta, except for high school graduation rates. Those categories measured “content mastery” and “readiness” at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Cobb Teacher of the Year

Jenifer Mitacek unveils her personalized handprints at the Teacher Walk of Honor on Marietta Square in October.

- Cobb Chamber of Commerce

A construction worker works on the new Eastvalley Elementary, being built at a site formerly occupied by East Cobb Middle, across from Wheeler High on Holt Road.

- Hunter Riggall

Marietta Teacher of the Year Josh Dempsey unveils his personalized handprints at the Teacher Walk of Honor on Marietta Square in October.

- Cobb Chamber of Commerce

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Family owned and operated, Georgia Trade School stands as one of the nation’s elite boutique welding schools. Named to the Cobb Chamber Top 25 Small Business of the Year seven consecutive times, our efforts to ‘Rebuild America” have led to critical acclaim and commercial viability. With twelve hundred graduates across twenty states in a range of industries from energy to construction, fabrication, manufacturing, film, television, and shipbuilding this program changes lives and offers a pathway to middle class security.

GTS graduates have welded on iconic projects like Ponce City Market, Truist Park, Mercedes Benz Stadium, The Battery Atlanta, Aria, Restoration Hardware and San Antonio Class Amphibious Assault Ships. Our graduates have built sets for Hollywood blockbusters including Stranger Things, Godzilla, Fast n Furious and Tyler Perry Studios. We even have graduates

working on rocket launchers putting satellites into orbit and building temporary hospitals during the Covid 19 pandemic.

An independent school, GTS does not burden taxpayers with student loan debt. We are proud investors in Historic Downtown Acworth operating in a restored mill from the 1920’s. Our community involvement includes high school athletics support and multiple Cobb based charities.

The quality of our staff is measured by their experience and credentials. We have a former Practical Welding Today National teacher of the year, three certified welding inspectors, our President who holds an MBA and M.Ed. and our Founder, who serves on boards with the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, American Welding Society, and the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium. With an eye on quality over quantity, our student teacher ratio is 10:1.

Standing Ovation

NCCS Student Lindsay Nichols is a Triple Threat

by: Kate Hartley

North Cobb Christian School (NCCS) senior Lindsay Nichols is a triple-threat talent: first chair violinist in Mastery Orchestra, a stunning vocalist with the school’s Academy Singers, and a mainstay in the spring musical. Last spring found her high-flying above the stage as Mary Poppins.

And while God and good genetics are to be acknowledged for her gifts, Nichols credits NCCS for their development. “The arts programs at NCCS have played a crucial role in my musical growth,” she says. “I would not be the musician I am today, nor would I have had such amazing performance opportunities, without this school’s directors and programs.”

Developing students’ love for the arts begins with 3-year-olds at NCCS, with students in preschool through fourth grade enjoying weekly music class, chapel worship, and seasonal plays and performances, in addition to private lessons in guitar, piano and voice. In fifth through eighth grade, students participate in band, orchestra, visual art, chorus, photography, videography, and theater. In high school, students can audition for the Academy of the Arts, a deep-diving arts magnet program with tracks in vocal, visual, instrumental and theatrical studies.

The school’s annual spring musical brings together all four arts Academies, with visual artists making impressive sets, vocal and theater students comprising the cast, and instrumentalists performing in the orchestra pit. Last spring, Mary Poppins landed the NCCS orchestra with a Shuler Hensley nomination — the most prestigious honor given to Georgia high school musical theater.

“Any family interested in music or the arts would find a perfect fit at NCCS,” concludes Nichols. “This school is the perfect place to explore and build on God-given talents, providing me with memories I’ll cherish long after graduation.”

Scan the code or visit bit.ly/nccsmusicvideo to watch the NCCS Academy Singers latest music video!

Tour North Cobb Christian School: info@ncchristian.org, 770-975-0252, ncchristian.org.

Lindsay Nichols and Landon Clark in NCCS’s Mary Poppins.

Credit: Caroline Clark

Founded in Faith

In 2012, two mothers wanted to provide their dyslexic children with a specialized education in a Christian setting. GRACEPOINT School began with four students and has steadily grown to an enrollment of more than 135 students in grades one through eight.

GRACEPOINT Mission

The mission is to equip dyslexic students with the skills needed to develop into independent and con dent learners. They strive to instill a life-long desire for their students to grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, so each will ful ll God’s purpose and bring Him glory.

Nationally Accredited by AOGPE

GRACEPOINT’s instructional program is 1 of only 20 programs in the nation to be accredited by the Academy of Orton Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. After completing remediation, students transition to area public and private schools.

Small Classes, Big Impact

GRACEPOINT utilizes the Orton-Gillingham method, a multisensory approach woven into all subject areas. Their students receive seventy- ve minutes of explicit reading instruction daily by a certi ed Orton-Gillingham teacher. The student / teacher ratio for reading is 5:1, while all other core subjects have a student / teacher ratio of 8:1.

GRACEPOINT School Prepares for a Home of Its Own

GRACEPOINT School was founded in Cobb County in 2012. Through the faith and effort of 2 determined mothers, this private Christian School for dyslexic learners has become a saving grace to over 300 families in our community. Curriculum is designed around the dyslexic brain, remediating areas of weakness while enriching and accelerating the individual student’s Godgiven strengths and gifts. By helping students and their families understand that dyslexia is not a disability to overcome but a learning difference to embrace, this quickly growing school is changing lives and restoring hope to future leaders of our community.

Now in its 11th year, GRACEPOINT school has reached full capacity in our current facility on the campus of Piedmont Church. In response to this growth, GRACEPOINT purchased the MUST Ministries building located at 1407 Cobb Parkway in April 2022. This 30,000-square-foot building is double the size of the present facility. It will allow GRACEPOINT to serve up to 50% more dyslexic students who could benefit from this life-changing specialized Christian education.

Renovation will occur during the summer and fall of 2023, with a projected opening in January 2024. GRACEPOINT’s new home will provide students and staff with many improvements including larger classrooms, an indoor recreation gym, a news-technology lab, a designated lunch area, and two science labs. The support of Cobb County businesses is vital to the growth and development of GRACEPOINT school. For information on supporting this essential resource for children in our community, contact Ed Lindekugel, Director of Advancement at 678-709-6634 or ed.lindekugel@ gracepointschool.org.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of Chattahoochee Technical College opening its first campus. The college began with one building in 1963 for 120 students at the colleges current 980 South Cobb Drive location in Marietta, which is approximately two miles south of the Marietta Square.

The evolution of Chattahoochee Tech over the past 60 years has been grounded in dynamic enrollment for programs of study designed to meet Georgias workforce needs. The college awards certificates, diplomas and associate degrees in more than 50 programs of study linked to the states fastest-growing, high-demand career fields. Students can transition easily from local high schools into the college and, if desired, on to four-year colleges.

Chattahoochee Tech is now the largest technical college in the state with campuses in Cobb, Bartow, Cherokee, Paulding and Pickens counties. Three of the Chattahoochee Tech campuses are located in Cobb County. The Chattahoochee Tech Marietta Campus continues to have the colleges largest campus enrollment each semester. Popular areas of study at the Marietta Campus include Practical Nursing, Dental Assisting, Phlebotomy Technician, Medical Assisting and Health Care Management. These programs are housed in the colleges 71,716-square-foot Health Science building, which features Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) classrooms and dedicated labs for anatomy, biology, chemistry, physics and physiology. The Marietta Campus is also home to Associate of Applied Science degree programs in Cybersecurity, Computer Programming, and Web Application Development, as well as degree programs in Accounting, Business Technology, Marketing Management, Early Childhood Care & Education, Automotive Technology and Criminal Justice Technology.

In East Cobb, the Chattahoochee Tech Mountain View Campus is located off Shallowford Road next to the Mountain View Aquatic Center. Popular programs of study based at this campus include Film and Video Production Technology, along with Design and Media Production Technology. Graduates of these programs may apply their skills in the states robust film and television industry. In South Cobb, the colleges Austell Campus is located on Veterans Memorial Parkway, with convenient access to I-285. This campus has a major focus on continuing education courses and professional development training offered through the colleges Office of Economic Development.

“Chattahoochee Tech students are gaining the skills and experience they need in programs of study that prepare them to become part of todays essential workforce,” said Chattahoochee Tech President Dr. Newcomb. “We are very proud of the fact that our graduates are meeting the demand from local employers for highly skilled employees to fill well-paying jobs available now in our community.”

A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Chattahoochee Tech provides students with an excellent, easily accessible college education at a fraction of the cost of other area colleges and universities. The college also offers customized workforce training, continuing education classes, and adult education programs that include free GED and HiSET preparation classes.

More information is available at www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu.

Health systems expand reach in Cobb as officials confront non-COVID crises

By Jake Busch jbusch@mdjonline.com

As the impact of COVID-19 receded in 2022, Cobb health officials began turning their sights toward other health challenges facing the county.

In 2023, Cobb and Douglas Public Health, the county’s public health authority, will create a strategic plan to try and put the findings of the 2022 community health assessment, a sort of five-year checkup for the county, into action. One of the first steps is a matching grant program of up to $25,000 for partners tackling the challenges outlined in the report.

Dr. Janet Memark, CDPH’s director, called the health assessment a “snapshot into the health of our community” that gauges the major challenges facing the region, with mental health and addiction being two of the biggest.

The hope is that, with an

easing of the pandemic’s strain on health systems, more attention can be turned to combating mental health crises and drug addiction in Cobb.

Among the most startling revelations from the health assessment is that suicide became the second leading cause of premature death (in numbers of years of life lost) in Cobb during the five-year period surveyed from 2016 to 2020, killing about 13 people per 100,000 residents each year.

Alongside a mental health crisis gripping Cobb and other communities is a drug addiction crisis, being exacerbated by the likes of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

“It was getting a little bit better, but now it seems like it’s getting worse again…This is a problem that has been brewing for a while, and it keeps changing its face a little bit,” said Memark. “We went from having a prescription drug problem, to … heroin, and it’s now these synthetic opioids that are very, very concerning.”

Data from the Georgia Department of Public Health indicated that there were 123 opioid overdose deaths in Cobb in 2021, with 97 due to synthetic opioids. Data has not yet been released for 2022.

In response to growing concern around opioid abuse, Cobb County implemented the Opioid Fatality Project, which, assisted by a federal grant, has brought together law enforcement, public health officials and politicians to combat both drug trafficking and drug use in the county.

The new Department of Veterans Affairs clinic located at 1263 Cobb Parkway North.

- Hunter Riggall

Janet Memark, head of Cobb & Douglas Public Health.

Despite the health challenges facing Cobb in the coming year, there are also expanding healthcare opportunities for residents.

In the early fall of 2022, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs opened a new, 65,000-square-foot clinic in Marietta.

The new clinic is one of five multi-specialty clinics in the Atlanta VA system, and the only one north of Interstate 20 that’s not in Decatur.

In Cumberland, a new state-of-the-art medical office building from Northside Hospital opened at the start of January.

The 60,000-square-foot building at Atlanta Road and Cumberland Parkway houses numerous primary care providers and offers imaging, outpatient surgery and infusion services. Specialties based at the building include medical oncology, cardiology and urology.

Steve Aslinger, director of facilities planning for Northside, said the Cumberland area is a fast-growing market with more than 230,000 residents the health system can serve.

“Northside Hospital and its physicians already have patients who live and work in this area, so placing health care facilities and services here provides convenience for patients by reducing their commute and improving their access to care,” Aslinger said. “Cumberland is a perfect example of the health and access to care needs aligning with a growing community.”

Meanwhile, Cobb’s largest healthcare provider, Wellstar Health System, is reaching new heights — literally.

In the works for the system is a new tower at flagship facility Kennestone Hospital to expand the hospital’s number of beds. The seven-story tower will add 61 acute-care beds and relocate 67 other beds from around the hospital.

“We are thrilled to offer our community a future, stateof-the-art bed tower, and I am pleased to report significant progress with its enabling work to date,” said Callie Andrews, Kennestone and Windy Hill hospitals’ senior vice president and chief operating officer. “This tower is being designed with the utmost patient and provider comfort, safety and functionality in mind, and it will offer all-private rooms along with other personalized service offerings.”

The tower will offer private rooms focused on patient, family and healthcare provider comfort and include high-quality NICU and neonatal services, in addition to expansions in other crucial services and spaces.

“The tower also allows us to build on our reputation of excellence in key neuroscience, surgical and cardiovascular service areas and offers expansion of other critical, healthcare service areas which will benefit the future growth of healthcare needs for your entire family,” Andrews said.

Construction began late in the fall of 2022, and the tower has an expected completion date of late 2025, with patients beginning to occupy its beds beginning early 2026.

An excavator performs site work along the access road near Church Street for the new tower coming to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.

- Wellstar Health System

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REAL ESTATE

Optimism high as homebuyers expected to regain ground in 2023 real estate market

By Jake Busch jbusch@mdjonline.com

The real estate market in Cobb cooled off a bit in 2022 after a red-hot 2021.

As the year came to a close, the total home sales volume in the county declined. It was about $231 million in December, the first month in 2022 that sales volume failed to exceed $250 million.

John Ryan, the chief marketing officer for Georgia Multiple Listing Services, said the steady decline in sales volume from June through December was due in large part to rising interest rates.

“While we see a seasonal decline generally at the end of the year, we saw the start of an accelerated decline,” Ryan said. “Then, as we saw interest rates kind of hold a little bit steady, that decline eased a little bit, so we saw the effect of what interest rates can do.”

The median sale price for a home in Cobb last year peaked in June at $434,000, before dropping to $379,000 in December, according to Ryan.

Ryan said that drop is not as significant as expected after seeing record highs in median price earlier in the year, and it tells him that, with low inventory, prices may drop off a bit more in 2023, “but not a whole lot.”

Sierra Westrick, the new president of the Cobb Association of Realtors, said the first half of 2022 was a seller’s market, with homes selling for higher prices, and selling quickly.

“I am very happy to see that we’re getting back to that place where buyers and sellers can actually negotiate on a contract and come to an agreement with one another,” Westrick said.

The average sale price of a home in Cobb at the start of 2023 is $415,000, according to Westrick, compared to $429,925 in January 2022 and $445,000 in April 2022.

After the mid-2022 peak, Westrick said, the market slowed as prospective homebuyers were turned off by rumblings that others before them had overpaid for homes.

Westrick noted, however, that the market was still active despite the slowdown, with homes on the market for an average of 22 days in December, compared to less than five days in May.

The market has Westrick optimistic about 2023.

Marietta City Councilman Johnny Walker, a real estate agent, is also optimistic about what’s to come.

Walker said demand for homes is still outstripping supply in Cobb, adding that higher interest rates have made it harder for homebuyers, particularly first-time buyers, to find their dream home in a desirable part of metro Atlanta.

While Walker said he’s not expecting 2023 to exceed the flurry of real estate activity in 2022, he’s hopeful interest rates will go down, easing the pressure on buyers in the new year.

There is also optimism for the commercial real estate market in 2023 among local experts. Dan Buyers, a partner at McWhirter Realty Partners, said there is still plenty of activity on the commercial front despite higher construction costs and interest rates since the beginning of 2022.

“Atlanta seems to be better positioned than most any market I can think of in the United States,” Buyers said. “Our diverse population and our workforce makes us attractive for corporate relocations, and so we’re continuing to grow and attract new companies at a time when other metro areas envy Atlanta’s ability to bring in new employers.”

Still, Buyers said the same concerns in other markets, especially regarding unused office space, hold true in Cobb and metro Atlanta. Despite those concerns, Buyers is “cautiously

optimistic” about the future of office space here.

The shift of many employees to working from home in the wake of COVID-19 has left office space around the country empty, and Buyers has seen some projections indicating as much as 40% of unoccupied office space in the U.S. will need to be converted to other uses.

The commercial real estate research firm CoStar says the sublease volume for commercial space in metro Atlanta is at a 15-year high. Buyers called it a “concerning trend” and said it is typified by the recent move by Cobbbased Home Depot to make 600,000 square feet of sublease office space available. He noted that CoStar says the office vacancy rate in the metro Atlanta area above 14%, which is higher than average.

Buyers said there is higher demand for office spaces that promote walkability in desirable locations such as The Battery Atlanta and Marietta Square. The same is true, he added, for mixed-use and multi-family developments in Cobb, which he said are also moving forward at a steady pace in cities like Smyrna, despite high construction costs.

In other commercial areas, such as industrial real estate, Buyers said there is reason for optimism.

“Industrial has been so hot for so long. Since even before the COVID, Atlanta’s industrial market’s been exceptionally

REAL ESTATE

strong, and that’s particularly true in northwest Atlanta, where we just don’t have enough industrial inventory,” Buyers said. “I would say that industrial buildings and industrial land remain at an all-time high in Cobb, right now.”

That hot streak is cooling a bit nationally, Buyers said, due in part to the slowing of e-commerce sales that boomed during COVID, but in metro Atlanta “the industrial market remains exceptionally healthy.”

Buyers said the medical office market is still hot, and the continued growth of health systems in Cobb, such as a new 60,000-square-foot medical office building from Northside Hospital in Cumberland, reaffirms this trend.

Finally, Buyers said retail is also in a good position in Cobb, with less than 4% of retail spaces vacant in the metro Atlanta area.

“We are seeing examples, across the country and across Atlanta, including Cobb County, (of) repositionings of suburban malls, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens over the next couple of years at Town Center mall, a very well-located asset,” said Buyers, who is vice chair of the Town Center Community Improvement District. “Just great real estate, has great infrastructure around it and population and office market, so I think Town Center mall is going to be an interesting story over the next couple of years.”

A house for sale at 3294 Rangers Gate in Marietta in Sept. 2022.

South Cobb is ‘moving on up,’ mayors of Austell, Powder Springs say

By Hunter Riggall hriggall@mdjonline.com

AUSTELL — South Cobb is on the up and up, the mayors of Austell and Powder Springs say.

Addressing the South Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Mayors Al Thurman and Ollie Clemons spoke about the state of their respective communities, pointing to new businesses, housing and civic projects they say will inject fresh energy into the cities.

“South Cobb, you know what they say in ‘The Jeffersons’ theme song, we’re moving on up,” Thurman said.

Powder Springs

When Thurman first joined the Powder Springs City Council in 2002, a colleague used to refer to the two cities as “the stepchildren of Cobb County.”

“Well, we are no longer stepchildren,” Thurman said.

The mayor recapped some of the city’s recent initiatives to revitalize the downtown.

The project that got the most attention is when Powder Springs sold 6 acres of downtown property, including the land its City Hall sat on, to developer Novare Group. Novare will build a mixed-use complex with 221 multi-family apartments and 5,000 square feet of commercial space on the site. Thurman said construction will start in 2023 and take about 14 months.

“You know, it’s interesting,” Thurman said. “When we sold the property (containing) City Hall and community development, I thought they were gonna string me up. But understand something: City Hall and community development don’t pay taxes. So we sold it.”

Thurman said the apartments and other residential development will bring density to downtown, further stimulating business. The Novare development is the kind of project consultants have told city officials they need, if they are to attract young families and professionals.

Powder Springs Mayor Al Thurman, left, and Austell Mayor Ollie Clemons at a Cobb Chamber event where they spoke about development in their cities. - Hunter Riggall

Business is growing downtown, Thurman said, with the addition of Skint Chestnut Brewery and a handful of new restaurants in recent years.

Thurman said various ongoing residential projects will bring 1,500 new housing units to the city — a mix of single-family homes, townhomes and apartments.

Amid all that new construction, however, the Powder Springs City Council voted unanimously to pause new rezoning applications for residential units for six months. The move comes as the city undertakes a planning, zoning and growth management review.

The city will conduct a full financial impact analysis to ensure it is managing growth “in the best possible way,” the mayor said.

Another major project in the city is a $35 million, 347,000-squarefoot logistics warehouse, a project of Alpharetta-based Native Development Group, to be located at Oglesby Road and C.H. James Parkway. It is scheduled for completion in June 2023 and will be built near the Norfolk Southern freight rail yard.

The Powder Springs Development Authority last October approved a 10-year tax abatement and the issuance of $35 million in economic development revenue bonds for the warehouse.

Thurman said the project could bring up to 200 jobs to the city.

On the greenspace front, the city plans to improve Powder Springs, adding a dog park and area for a farmers market.

The city also has plans to build a $1.8 million skate park. A new trail connecting the Silver Comet Trail to downtown is also under construction and should be complete in 2023, Thurman said.

Thurman also touted the city’s hosting of summer concerts, the seafood festival, 5k and 10k runs and various holiday celebrations.

“There’s a buzz in the air. I was down in Alabama. Can you believe people are talking about Powder Springs in Alabama?” he said.

To expand citizen engagement, Powder Springs has added quarterly newsletters, increased its social media presence and launched an app.

The City Council and staff, he said, are pushing a vision for “quality, smart, managed growth that respects our small town charm.

“This is very important to us,” Thurman said. “People always ask the question, ‘What is the balance, how much is too much?’ We get it, and we understand. And certainly as we move … our development is about quality growth.”

Austell

Mayor Clemons, meanwhile, said “there’s never been a better time

to be a part of what is going on in south Cobb and Austell today.

“What I want to talk to you about today is not the big economic development projects that capture the headlines, but the quiet redevelopment that is going on around our city,” Clemons said.

In his remarks, the Austell mayor highlighted a few “success stories” in the city, Cobb’s smallest by population with roughly 7,800 residents. One such project is Volkstuin Local Food + Gathering, a formerly vacant lot in downtown Austell being redeveloped into a private garden and restaurant.

Coming to downtown in spring 2023, Clemons said, is Cincinnati Junction. Developer Lundstrom Studios plans to convert historic buildings, putting in a microbrewery, a restaurant, retail space and offices.

“These buildings sat vacant on Broad Street for decades,” Clemons said.

Clemons also said Austell’s residential real estate is being revitalized. Though he didn’t provide any hard data, Clemons displayed before and after photos of several dilapidated homes throughout the city that have been renovated recently.

“Young couples are moving from Midtown and Smyrna to Austell, fixing up these formerly dilapidated structures and turning them into something amazing,” he said.

The city has invested in upgrades to its parks, Clemons said, including Legion Park and Pine Street Park. And it has expanded its sponsorship of cultural happenings, such as arts and crafts events, public movie screenings, a Juneteenth celebration, and the BBQ Blues & Brews Festival.

He also touted the city’s October 2021 adoption of a Livable Center Initiative (LCI) plan, which includes design standards for future development. The LCI plan calls for adding two new parks, along with trails, single-family homes, apartments and commercial space. Austell in 2020 received a $120,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission to fund the LCI plan, described by the ARC as “a blueprint for the rejuvenation of downtown Austell, looking at improvements to transportation, zoning and the development of economic development strategies.”

“Mayor Clemons has said that he wants to continue to make Austell a destination where people want to come live, work and play,” said Smith Peck of HUD International, at the event. “And he’s done a good job of that. The city has been revitalized and … that dream is now a reality.”

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Teem Resident Mickey recently sat down with us to talk about why she chose Winnwood...

"Being a Marietta girl to start with I watched the original building being built and I thought wow they're doing a nice job, so pretty. I really like the ambiance outside as well as inside and I like that it's a bit secluded. It's a different feel than the big corporate communities they don't have the close homie feeling that you get here.

I like the fact that when I came here to actually look at an apartment there were people laughing and joshing with each other like old friends and I thought, it takes awhile to do that. But it didn't take a while to do that! The staff is really kind and caring. The residents care about each other." See

SENIOR LIVING

Community, healthcare, pickleball: a slice of senior life in 2023

By Brian McKeithan bmckeithan@mdjonline.com

For June Van Brackle, 2023 will be another year of advocating for seniors, which became one of her main hobbies in retirement after she tried dancing, playing cards and golfing.

“I’ve been an activist all my life, and I needed somewhere to channel my energies,” she said.

Van Brackle, 81, is the president of the Senior Citizen Council of Cobb County, which looks to address issues like healthcare, housing, and loneliness for seniors. The all-volunteer organization works primarily by advocating for seniors with city and county governments, though they also host social and educational events.

Van Brackle said she’s looking forward to the council’s second expo event featuring vendors who offer low- or no-cost services to seniors, after the success of their first expo of the same kind in 2022.

“That was very successful. In fact, I was awestruck because I was so afraid nobody was going to show up, and at least 198 people came,” she said.

Gathering with peers isn’t something to be taken for granted. Seniors are living longer and are more likely to live alone, Van Brackle said, which means that some seniors can become socially isolated, especially if they don’t have family nearby.

Van Brackle does have family nearby, but she said volunteering helps keep her engaged. She recommends other seniors volunteer their talents to stay connected and active in their communities, or take classes with Cobb County Senior Services, which offers classes ranging from yoga to kombucha brewing to thyroid health.

Van Brackle praised Cobb Senior Services, which offer myriad other social events and resources, but said she’d like to see more transportation provided to the county’s six senior centers.

“Accessibility is one of the biggest problems I see,” she said, adding that some seniors can’t drive, or can’t drive after dark.

In 2022, Ionna Bovo-Nicolescu became Cobb’s new director of senior services. She said the department is still in the planning stages for most of 2023, but that the “Share the Care” program, which debuted in 2022, will return. The grant-funded program provides financial assistance to seniors who need dental, hearing, or vision care.

“These are things that typically tend to be quite expensive for folks, and a lot of people don’t have the resources to get hearing aids for example, or to get dental work, and that’s crucially important for a person’s wellness,” Bovo-Nicolescu said.

Also returning after a success in 2022: the pickleball tournament.

“We had a lot of great, great feedback, we kept hearing from everybody that they wanted more,” Bovo-Nicolescu said.

Part of the appeal is the sport’s accessibility, which has made it popular among people of all ages — more than 4.8 million people play pickleball in the U.S., according to a 2022 report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.

“Nobody feels like ‘oh my gosh, I’ve got to be an expert in pickleball,’” Bovo-Nicolescu said.

As for ex-golfer Van Brackle — she hasn’t tried pickleball, but she said she might consider it.

“Everybody seems to be excited about it, so I’m going to try to take a swat at it,” Van Brackle said.

Susan Heald of Marietta, left, and Judy Aselton of Marietta, right, play canasta at the C. Freeman Poole Senior Center off Hurt Road in Smyrna. - MDJ

Sonia Savall of Acworth poses on a jungle gym at Cauble Park in Acworth during a gathering with the North Cobb Senior Center. - MDJ

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Carol Wolski of Kennesaw focuses on her turn in Jenga at a gathering with the North Cobb Senior Center.

- MDJ

Glenn R. Hammonds of Austell sets up his billiards shot at the C. Freeman Poole Senior Center off Hurt Road in Smyrna. - MDJ

A Continuing Care Retirement Community offering comprehensive services for your needs now and in the future. For couples, the continuum of care provides increased health support if that becomes necessary while allowing both of you to remain in the same community.

With a variety of care options, Presbyterian Village can be your home for a lifetime: Residential Living • Supportive Living • Memory Care • Skilled Nursing

Carol Wolski of Kennesaw focuses on her turn in Jenga at a gathering with the North Cobb Senior Center.

- MDJ

Glenn R. Hammonds of Austell sets up his billiards shot at the C. Freeman Poole Senior Center off Hurt Road in Smyrna. - MDJ

Farzad Oskuie of Acworth, left, Ray Newman of Powder Springs, center, and Jimmy Lemmings of Powder Springs, right, show their muscles during lunch at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center. - Andrew Cicco

The nursing home of the not-too-distant future

The nursing home of the not-too-distant future

By Deke Cateau

By Deke Cateau

The institutional, hospital-like design of nursing homes has long been a problem, but the need for change has become more urgent in recent years because of COVID-19. The spread of viruses and other illnesses is much harder to manage in nursing homes because of shared room accommodations and communal spaces that are designed for large groups. The pandemic exacerbated this harsh and tragic reality as we witnessed severe illness and death among our community’s most vulnerable population.

The institutional, hospital-like design of nursing homes has long been a problem, but the need for change has become more urgent in recent years because of COVID-19. The spread of viruses and other illnesses is much harder to manage in nursing homes because of shared room accommodations and communal spaces that are designed for large groups. The pandemic exacerbated this harsh and tragic reality as we witnessed severe illness and death among our community’s most vulnerable population.

As the aging population increases rapidly, and as the prevalence of people living with dementia rises, more families are turning to community institutions like A.G. Rhodes to care for their aging parents at the very moment when those institutions have become overwhelmed and outdated. Fortunately, this is changing.

As the aging population increases rapidly, and as the prevalence of people living with dementia rises, more families are turning to community institutions like A.G. Rhodes to care for their aging parents at the very moment when those institutions have become overwhelmed and outdated. Fortunately, this is changing.

At A.G. Rhodes, we know that the nursing home of the past no longer meets the needs or expectations of our aging population. That’s why we launched our Legacy of Care campaign in 2021—a Marietta and renovate our existing building.

At A.G. Rhodes, we know that the nursing home of the past no longer meets the needs or expectations of our aging population. That’s why we launched our Legacy of Care campaign in 2021—a landmark capital effort to build a new home on our Cobb campus in Marietta and renovate our existing building.

We’re creating an environment that will improve the quality of care and safety of our elders, particularly for those living with dementia. Construction is well underway for this new model, which can be replicated nationwide and will include private room accommodations to better protect our most vulnerable seniors while honoring their dignity as they age. This is something that all seniors—regardless of socioeconomic status—should have access to.

We’re creating an environment that will improve the quality of care and safety of our elders, particularly for those living with dementia. Construction is well underway for this new model, which can be replicated nationwide and will include private room accommodations to better protect our most vulnerable seniors while honoring their dignity as they age. This is something that all seniors—regardless of socioeconomic status—should have access to.

Though the majority of our residents receive Medicaid, which does not cover private accommodations, our partners in the philanthropic community share our commitment to creating the safest possible environment for all our residents to thrive. Together, we are meeting the community need for compassionate skilled nursing care in the post-COVID era.

Though the majority of our residents receive Medicaid, which does not cover private accommodations, our partners in the philanthropic community share our commitment to creating the safest possible environment for all our residents to thrive. Together, we are meeting the community need for compassionate skilled nursing care in the post-COVID era.

As one of Atlanta’s oldest nonprofit organizations—and as one of the only mission-driven nonprofit nursing home providers— A.G. Rhodes is leading the way in redefining what elder care looks like. Follow our progress at agrhodes.org/legacyofcare

Follow our progress at agrhodes.org/legacyofcare

We are building a new home on our Cobb campus that will improve the quality of care and safety of elders, particularly for those living with dementia. This new home will include six households with each featuring:

Twelve private bedrooms

Sunroom to connect with the outdoors

Centralized community kitchen

Living room with an inviting hearth

Dining room for family-style meals

Outdoor gardens

Help us create A LEGACY OF CARE as we pioneer what it means to live well during all stages of life – regardless of age, diagnosis, or socioeconomic status.

www.agrhodes.org/legacyofcare

Deke Cateau is the CEO of A.G. Rhodes.

Deke Cateau is the CEO of A.G. Rhodes.

Parc at PiedmontEast Cobb

Exceptional Senior Living!

Since opening its doors in 2001, Parc at Piedmont has defined “the art of hospitality” in senior living for the residents of East Cobb, Marietta and Roswell. Over the past 20 years, this established retirement community has earned the favor of countless families with its uncompromising dedication to hospitality, service and care.

best life at

Parc at Piedmont is situated on a beautifully-landscaped 9-acre site, conveniently located in the heart of vibrant East Cobb. Offering a collection of graciously-appointed studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartment homes, Parc at Piedmont has fashioned an atmosphere of comfortable living that is carefully tailored to enrich the lives of residents and their families. Featuring chef-inspired fine and casual dining, and a thoughtful array of features and amenities, Parc at Piedmont is designed to complement a life well-lived.

Inspired by an abiding tradition of “ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen”, the Parc at Piedmont staff is carefully selected and trained to uphold Parc’s standards of service excellence - attentive, responsive, relaxed, and friendly. Best of all, there are no large buy-in or entrance fee requirements, and Parc at Piedmonts’ resident-friendly lease agreements enable residents to maintain their financial independence, control and peace-of-mind.

The Parc at Piedmont lifestyle includes 24-hour concierge, fine dining, state-of-the-art wellness programs, engaging activities, weekly housekeeping and linen service, scheduled transportation, and the full-time attention of a highly-trained, professional staff. Parc at Piedmont invites you to begin living your best life now. To learn more and schedule a personal appointment, please call (770) 565-8828 or visit parcatpiedmont.com.

Food, drink, music & more!

Georgia Food and Wine Festival

MARCH 23 - 26, 2023

JIM R. MILLER PARK, MARIETTA, GEORGIA

The Georgia Food + Wine Festival celebrates the best of Georgia and the South, from its culinary superstars and beverage experts to its farmers, artisans, live musicians and more. A variety of events for all taste buds starting with Cobb Life Magazine’s “Best of Cobb” event and the legendary barbecue event, “Fired-Up” an all-inclusive, food and drink tasting event. Saturday’s main event, “Savor” offers hundreds of unlimited beer, wine and spirits tastings, a Georgia Celebrity Chef Stage, VIP Lounge, artisans, and live music. “Sunday/Funday” is the budget friendly and family-friendly day, with Kids Zone, VIP Lounge Oyster Roast, live music and more. Savor the Flavors!

Early &$ave!