Welcome to the 44 new readers who joined 6,477 other East Cobb residents this week.
What's up, neighbors!
Cobb County celebrates the country’s 250th this week, and they are not doing it quietly. Friday night at Jim R. Miller Park you've got live music, food trucks, and a drone show once the sun goes down. It's free this Friday, parking included. Come July 1, that same light show runs $5 a head, so right now is the cheap window.
Saturday is the hard part, because two good things land at the same time. The Battery has its Bourbon & Brisket Festival all afternoon, free to walk into, so you only pay for what you actually taste. Or you stay closer to home for Scene on the Green, a free bluegrass show on the lawn at The Art Place. We're going with the lawn and a cooler.
Sunday we're doing close to nothing. The farmers market at The Battery runs early afternoon and that's our whole plan, which is about right for late June. Bring water no matter what you pick. The heat is not letting up.
Scroll down for the full weekend planner, a few local stories worth knowing, and a tortoiseshell cat named Twiggy who's hoping for a second shot.
- Andrew
In Today’s Connect:
🎆 Cobb turns 250 Friday, with a drone show at dusk
🍣 All-you-can-eat sushi in Marietta that won't wreck the wallet
🥃 Free bourbon and brisket all Saturday at The Battery
🏗️ Lockheed's Marietta plant quietly turns 75
🪨 The concrete crew locals call after a failed inspection
🏰 A 3,894 sq ft showcase on Turtle Cove, guess the price
🐾 Meet Twiggy, a tortoiseshell ready for round two
Tackling any home projects this year?
This issue is sponsored by Peachy Insurance
When was the last time you actually looked at your homeowners policy?
For most folks in East Cobb, the honest answer is "when we bought the house." Which would be fine, except home values around here are up $150K to $200K+ since 2020. If your policy hasn't kept up, your dwelling limit is probably short of what it would actually cost to rebuild today.
That gap won't show up on your bill. It only shows up when you file a claim, which is the worst time to find out.
Peachy Insurance is Atlanta-based and built to make this kind of check painless. No call center, no upselling, no runaround. Just a licensed local agent who looks at your full picture and gives you a straight answer on where you stand.
Three things worth a quick look while it's on your mind:
Home: Whether your dwelling limit still reflects what it would actually cost to rebuild your house right now
Auto: Whether your coverage is current for every vehicle you drive, plus rental reimbursement if yours ends up in the shop
Bundle: Whether pairing home and auto makes sense for your situation (East Cobb households sometimes save up to 25%)
Takes about 5 minutes. Free, no pressure.
Check us out here or text/call (770) 520-7095 (Mon-Fri, closed weekends)
🎆 Cobb Celebrates 250
Jim R. Miller Park
2245 Callaway Rd SW, Marietta, GA 30008
Friday, June 26
5–10 PM
Free, parking included
Learn More
America turns 250 this year, and Cobb is throwing the party for it Friday night at Jim R. Miller Park. Five hours of it. Live music, food trucks, and a full slate of kid stuff like rock climbing, a petting zoo, face painting, and caricature artists.
Then once it gets dark, the whole night ends with a drone and light show set to fireworks, a salute to the troops, and fire drones that shoot real sparks and flames.
Worth knowing before you go: this Friday it's FREE, parking and all. Come July 1, that same light show runs $5 a head. So the free window is right now.
Bring lawn chairs, a blanket, and plenty of water. The heat is not letting up. Get there early, let the kids burn off energy during the festival, and grab a good patch of grass before the drones go up.
See you out there.
🍣 Pacific Buffet
2475 Chastain Meadows Pkwy NW, Marietta, GA 30066, USA
Pacific Buffet on Chastain Meadows is where you go when everybody at the table wants something different and you're done negotiating.
All-you-can-eat sushi, tempura, and American food under one roof, at about the lowest price you'll find in Marietta for what you get. Feeding a hungry family on a budget, or grabbing a fast lunch when you want options instead of a commitment, it handles both.
The sushi is what keeps people coming back. It's not omakase and it's not pretending to be, so walk in with the right expectations. The tempura covers you when you want something hot and fried, and the American side handles whoever in your group isn't feeling adventurous that night.
4,100+ reviews sitting at 4.1 stars tells you they've been doing something right for a long time. It won't blow your mind. But it's reliable, it's cheap, and everyone leaves full.
Some nights that's the entire job.
Buffet Restaurant | 4.1★
Hours:
Sun - Thu 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Fri - Sat 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM
Visit Rio’s Instagram
🪨 Hemma Concrete
819 Pickens Industrial Dr N E #3, Marietta, GA 30062, USA
Driveway and concrete work sits on the to-do list until the day it absolutely can't anymore. A crack you keep stepping over. A slab that's pulling away from the house. A driveway that looked fine right up until the inspector circled it.
Hemma Concrete in Marietta has built a 4.3-star rating across 62 reviews doing exactly this for homeowners around here.
Here's what jumped out in the reviews: people keep saying they called Hemma after an inspection flagged a foundation or driveway problem. That tells you something about the work they take on.
These aren't dinky patch jobs, they're the structural stuff you need done right the first time.
So if you've got a driveway that's been nagging at you, or concrete work that's overdue, get a quote on the calendar. And do it sooner rather than later.
The better a contractor is, the further out they're booked, so calling early beats scrambling when you need it fixed yesterday.
Price: $$
Website (currently under construction)
[email protected]
770-612-8231
3583 Turtle Cove Ct SE, Marietta, GA 30067
Guess how much this showcase home is listed for?
4 Beds
3.5 Baths
3,894 sq ft
1.16 acre lot
A) $800,000
B) $860,000
C) $925,000
D) $1,025,000
🏫 East Cobb T-shirt business launches fundraiser to help Cobb's homeless students
Here's a problem most of us never see: kids in Cobb County who show up to school without a safe, stable place to sleep at night.
Big Frog East Cobb, the custom T-shirt shop, decided to do something about it. Owners Lydia and Ben Olu-Harding launched a fundraiser aimed squarely at getting resources to local students experiencing homelessness.
How the money actually gets distributed is laid out on their campaign page, but the why is simple.
These kids need more support than the school system can give them on its own, and a local business choosing to take that on deserves a shout.
Source: fox5atlanta.com | Big Frog East Cobb
🔒 Mableton locks in one-year police deal with Cobb County
Mableton and Cobb County signed a new intergovernmental agreement that keeps Cobb County police patrolling the city for at least another year.
The deal also lets Mableton keep authority over several local government functions, which had been the sticking point holding everything up.
The clock is the real story here. The city now has one year to decide whether to build its own police department, and that is not cheap.
At a recent town hall, residents pushed back hard on the cost, and plenty of them aren't sold on breaking away from Cobb County PD at all. This conversation runs all year.
Live in or near Mableton? Worth following closely. The actual decision lands before the agreement runs out.
Source(s): wsbtv.com | wsbradio.com | cbsnews.com
🏫 Georgia special education violations nearly tripled, and Cobb County is in the data
The number of Georgia school districts found out of compliance with special education law jumped from 68 cases in 2021 to 190 last year, according to Georgia Department of Education records.
The Atlanta News First report names Cobb County as part of that picture.
If you're a parent with a kid on an IEP or a 504 plan, pay attention to this one. The count nearly tripled in five years, and it's happening right as student needs keep climbing across the state.
Got concerns about your own child's services? The Georgia DOE's parent resources page is where to start figuring out what you're actually entitled to.
Source: atlantanewsfirst.com
🏗️ Lockheed Martin's Marietta plant hits 75 years
Lockheed Martin's Marietta plant just hit 75 years of operation, which makes it one of the longest-running defense manufacturing sites in the Southeast.
It's also one of the biggest employers in Cobb County, with thousands of workers who live right here across East Cobb and the towns around it.
Seventy-five years is a long time for any employer to stick around, and this one is stitched straight into the local economy.
Tip of the cap.
Source: fox5atlanta.com
🐾 Meet Twiggy
7 years, Domestic Short Hair
Twiggy has done this once already. Years back she got adopted out of Mostly Mutts, found a family she loved, and then a new cat moved into the house and it just didn't work. No drama, no bad behavior.
She's a tortoiseshell who would simply rather be the one and only. Now she's seven years old, about 12 pounds, and looking for round two.
She came back in a little spicy. And honestly? Fair. Her whole world flipped overnight and she needed a minute to decompress. She's been in a foster home since, settling back into herself.
Here's what her previous owner knows for certain: once Twiggy trusts you, she loves hard. She wants the attention. She wants to be in your life. She just needs to be the star of it.
Best fit is as your only cat. A dog could be fine depending on the dog, and older kids who know how to stay calm around a cat could work too.
She's fully vaccinated, microchipped, combo tested negative, and spayed. Adoption fee is $175.
Mostly Mutts is in Kennesaw. Send an inquiry through their website and they'll connect you with her foster to set up a meet.
Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue
2523 Broad Street, Kennesaw, GA 30144
(770) 422-0100
Check mostlymutts.org for current adoption info
Friday, June 26, 2026
👾 Camp Cryptid at North Cobb Library - North Cobb Regional Library | 3535 Old 41 Highway, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Camp-style program built around cryptid mythology, Bigfoot, Mothman, whatever they've cooked up, at North Cobb Library on Friday afternoon, two hours of creative themed fun for kids.
🎆 Cobb Celebrates 250 - Jim R. Miller Park & Event Center | 2245 Callaway Road, Marietta, GA 30008 | 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Cobb County's official 250th birthday celebration at Jim R. Miller Park. Five hours of live entertainment, family activities, and food trucks, capped by a drone show at dusk. Worth building the whole Friday evening around.
🎬 Friday Movie & a Meal - Gritters Library | 880 Shaw Park Road, Marietta, GA 30066 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
A movie and a meal at the library, with breakfast at 10 and lunch starting at noon, free, no registration, and a simple way to spend a Friday afternoon with young kids.
🦕 Happy Helpings Summer Meal Program - North Cobb Regional Library | 3535 Old 41 Highway, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Free (meals for ages 18 and under; movie for all ages) | More: cobbcounty.gov
Free breakfast and lunch for kids 18 and under, paired with a movie that runs for all ages, and the first 25 breakfast guests each Friday score a dinosaur figurine from a collectable set of eight, so there's a reason to keep coming back.
🦕 Passive: Adopt a Dino! - Sibley Library | 1539 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Drop by the library anytime this month and adopt your own dinosaur as part of a self-guided summer program, low-key, no registration, and kids love the novelty of it.
📚 Passive: Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt - Sibley Library | 1539 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Follow the clue trail through the shelves, earn a prize at the end, a self-guided activity that gives kids a reason to actually browse the library rather than just grabbing one book and leaving.
🐾 Paws to Read with Tucker - North Cobb Regional Library | 3535 Old 41 Highway, Kennesaw, GA 30144 | 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
One-on-one reading practice with Tucker the therapy dog for kids in grades 1 to 5. Registration required. A sweet, low-pressure way for new readers to build some confidence.
🧸 Playtime for Littles - East Cobb Library | 4880 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Drop-in playtime and socialization for ages 1–5 with an adult caregiver at East Cobb Library, right in the neighborhood, no registration, first hour of Friday morning handled.
🐍 Snakes of Georgia with Cobb Water - Gritters Library | 880 Shaw Park Road, Marietta, GA 30066 | 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Learn which Georgia snakes live near streams and why they matter, then meet a real corn snake in person, a Cobb Water conservation program that turns a library visit into a wildlife encounter.
🎬 Stratton Movie Time - Stratton Library | 1100 Powder Springs Road, Marietta, GA 30064 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Beat the heat with a free G or PG movie in Stratton Library's newly renovated multipurpose room, no registration, just show up and cool down on a Friday afternoon.
🧸 Summer Sensory Playtime - Lewis A. Ray Library | 4500 Oakdale Road, Smyrna, GA 30080 | 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Sensory stations and hands-on activities designed for ages 1–5 with a caregiver, a structured but low-pressure Friday afternoon playdate at Lewis A. Ray Library in Smyrna.
🦕 Take Home Craft - Dino In Egg - Sibley Library | 1539 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060 | 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Grab a dino-in-egg craft kit to take home and assemble at your own pace, quick stop at the library, no program registration needed, good for the younger crowd.
Saturday, June 27, 2026
🦕 Cookie Excavation with STEM on the Move - East Cobb Library | 4880 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Kids use toothpicks and careful hands to excavate a cookie like an archaeologist digging up fossils. Clever STEM premise, free, and right at the East Cobb Library.
🧶 Crochet Meetup - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30060 | 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Weekly drop-in at Switzer Library where beginners learn the basics and regulars work on their own projects, all skill levels welcome, bring yarn if you have it or start from scratch.
📚 Family Bilingual Storytime - Sibley Library | 1539 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA 30060 | 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Short and sweet bilingual storytime in English and Spanish, a nice Saturday morning option for families with young kids, especially those working on dual-language exposure.
🌳 Outdoor Explore and Play - Gritters Library | 880 Shaw Park Road, Marietta, GA 30066 | 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Structured outdoor playtime and exploration for kids at Gritters Library on Saturday morning, good low-key activity before the afternoon gets away from you.
🎨 Paint Pour - Vinings Library | 4290 Paces Ferry Road, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Pour and swirl colorful paints to make your own abstract canvas with no brushwork required, a free one-hour Saturday activity at Vinings Library that kids and curious adults both enjoy.
🎨 Pony Bead Workshop - West Cobb Regional Library | 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane Northwest, Kennesaw, GA 30152 | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Two-hour workshop teaching basic kandi and pony bead techniques with summer-themed designs. Hands-on enough to keep kids (and honestly some adults) busy the whole afternoon.
📚 Saturday Family Storytime - Gritters Library | 880 Shaw Park Road, Marietta, GA 30066 | 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Thirty-minute all-ages storytime at Gritters Library on Saturday morning, quick, free, and easy to stack with Outdoor Explore and Play right after at the same location.
🚂 Stay & Play Saturday - Southern Museum | 2829 Cherokee Street NW, Kennesaw, GA | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Free with regular museum admission | More: kennesaw-ga.gov
The Southern Museum runs hands-on family programming on the fourth Saturday of each month alongside its train collection and Civil War exhibits, three hours of activities designed to spark curiosity in kids.
🎶 Tiny Library Concert - Stratton Library | 1100 Powder Springs Road, Marietta, GA 30064 | 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Indie acts performing at the library across a four-hour window Saturday afternoon, casual, free, and a good way to discover local musicians without fighting a crowd.
🧘 Yoga with HSS - Vinings Library | 4290 Paces Ferry Road Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30339 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Free instructor-led yoga presented by the Georgia Vibhaag chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh USA, community wellness class open to all ages and skill levels at Vinings Library.
Sunday, June 28, 2026
🌿 Farmers Market Presented by Kaiser Permanente - The Plaza at Battery Atlanta | 755 Battery Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA | 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Free to browse | More: batteryatl.com
Local produce, artisanal food, wellness vendors, and pet-friendly products all in an open-air plaza setting, easy Sunday afternoon with the kids or grandkids.
Friday, June 26, 2026
💊 BEST: The Pharmacy - Drug/Food Interactions & Drug/Substance Misuse - Senior Wellness Center | 1150 Powder Springs Street, Suite 100, Marietta, GA 30064 | 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Practical Friday lunchtime session covering how everyday foods and supplements interact with your medications, and how to spot and avoid common misuse risks, aimed at older adults but useful for anyone managing multiple prescriptions.
🍝 Taste of Italy with John - Senior Wellness Center | 1150 Powder Springs Street, Suite 100, Marietta, GA 30064 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Free (sample servings provided) | More: cobbcounty.gov
Chef John is making Pasta con Cece and Savory Baked Ricotta with sample servings for everyone, a free Friday food demo at the Senior Wellness Center that's worth stopping in for if you're in the Marietta area.
Saturday, June 27, 2026
🥃 Bourbon & Brisket Festival at The Battery Atlanta - The Plaza at Battery Atlanta | 755 Battery Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA | 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Free admission | More: goinsocialevents.com
Third annual all-day festival with premium bourbon tastings, pop-up bars, competition-style brisket, live music, and DJs. Admission is free, so you only pay for what you taste. A full Saturday at The Battery.
🌲 Forest Bathing - Smith-Gilbert Gardens | 2382 Pine Mountain Road, Kennesaw, GA | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | $15 ($5 members), 18+, pre-register | More: smithgilbertgardens.com
Guided, mindful immersion in the gardens at Smith-Gilbert. Slower and more intentional than a hike, focused on your senses instead of covering ground. Ages 18 and up, and you need to pre-register.
🍳 Jazz Brunch at C. Ellet's - C. Ellet's | 2605 Circle 75 Parkway Ste 400, Atlanta, GA | 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM | No cover, reservations recommended | More: batteryatl.com
Live jazz duo plays through the full brunch window at C. Ellet's, with Southern Fried Chicken, Pancake Paloozas, and mimosas on the menu, reservation recommended for a relaxed start to Sunday.
🧘 Yoga for Cancer - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA 30060 | 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Gentle yoga session designed specifically for the cancer community, welcoming to patients, survivors, and caregivers, held at Switzer Library in downtown Marietta.
Sunday, June 28, 2026
🥃 Cocktail Class at ASW Distillery - ASW Distillery | 900 Battery Ave SE Suite 1035, Atlanta, GA | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM | From $50 | More: aswdistillery.com
Hands-on cocktail class where you get your own bar station and build three drinks with award-winning ASW spirits, a solid Sunday afternoon date or friend outing at The Battery.
🎶 Despechá at El Super Pan - El Super Pan | 455 Legends Place SE Suite #862, Atlanta, GA | 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM | No cover | More: elsuperpan.com
Bi-monthly group sing-along hosted by Fruta Mami. Spanish-language classics, full volume, big emotions, festive without turning into a full club night.
🎵 Scene on the Green: End of the Line Concert
3330 Sandy Plains Road Marietta GA 30066
Saturday night, live bluegrass, open sky. That's the pitch.
Cobb County Parks brings Scene on the Green back for its second season this weekend, and the June 27 slot belongs to End of the Line, an award-winning bluegrass band with rich harmonies and a high-energy sound that makes a summer evening feel the way summer is supposed to feel.
Grab your chairs and your people. It's completely free.
What it is: Scene on the Green is Cobb County's outdoor summer series, held on the lawn at The Art Place at Mountain View on Sandy Plains Road, about 15 minutes from East Cobb. Over the summer it rotates through live music, theatre, and movies. This weekend it's bluegrass. The format is classic outdoor concert: lawn games and activities during the preshow, then everybody settles in when the band kicks off at 7:30. No tickets, no wristbands, no fees.
Plan it (get there before 7): Doors open at 6 PM, so you've got a full 90 minutes before the music starts. Use it. Stake out a good patch of grass, let the kids burn off energy during the preshow, and get settled before the lawn fills in. Pack a blanket or low chairs, bring your own food and drinks, and plan to ride it out until 9 PM when the set wraps.
At the concert (1.5 hours): End of the Line plays tight bluegrass with vocal harmonies that carry beautifully outdoors. There's usually something happening on the lawn from the second you walk up, so nobody's standing around bored before it starts. The green is a wide open space under the sky, the whole feel is relaxed and communal, and you'll be out there with families, couples, and half the neighborhood on a late-June Saturday.
Logistics: Free, no registration. Seating is first-come, first-served on the green, so bring your own chairs or a blanket. Alcohol is not allowed. If the weather turns, the show moves indoors with more limited seating, also first-come, first-served.
Heads up: Late June in Atlanta means the heat hangs around well into the evening. The 6 PM doors help, since it cools off some by the time the band starts, but bring water and dress for the warmth. If storms are in the forecast, check Cobb County Parks' social channels before you load up the car.
Brought to you by Peachy Insurance
👰 Just Got Married? Your Insurance Situation Probably Just Changed.
Marriage quietly rewires a whole stack of financial decisions all at once, and insurance sits right near the top of the pile.
Two people, two cars, maybe two places becoming one. That combination almost always leaves you with overlap, gaps, or a couple of outdated policies nobody's looked at in years. Auto, home or renters, and life coverage all deserve a fresh look the second two households become one.
Not sure what needs changing? Your Peachy agent can walk through it with you in a few minutes and flag anything that needs attention before it turns into a real problem.
Brought to you by Peachy Insurance
This week: Jobs hiring in East Cobb, Marietta, and nearby
Emory Healthcare is hiring an Environmental Services Technician in Atlanta, estimated around $37,777/yr. Best part: the benefits kick in day one, not after some 90-day waiting game. Full health coverage, student loan repayment help, and wellness incentives. Solid pick if you want a steady healthcare support job with somewhere to grow into.
Lenbrook Square Foundation needs a Server at its North Atlanta dining venue, estimated around $41,013/yr. It's tableside service for residents and guests in a senior living community, so if you've got hospitality chops and you actually like being around older folks, take a look.
AECOM wants experienced Project Managers in Atlanta to run capital improvement and infrastructure modernization projects for the Veterans Health Administration, estimated around $105,333/yr. You'd be working alongside federal stakeholders, healthcare leadership, and design and construction teams on big, complicated facility projects that actually serve veterans. Strong fit if you've got a healthcare or federal construction background and you want the work to mean something.
Northside Hospital has an Employee Relations Lead opening in North Atlanta, estimated around $65,591/yr. It lives inside HR: backing up employee relations policy, digging into the data, and reporting up to management. Worth a look if you've got the HR background and want one of Atlanta's biggest healthcare names on your resume.
Infojini Healthcare is placing a travel CVOR Technician in Atlanta at $2,191 a week on a 14-week contract starting July 13, 2026. Days, three 12-hour shifts. If you're a certified CVOR tech who's open to travel work, this one's got a firm start date and real pay attached.
If you want to read any of our previous issues, check them out HERE on our website.
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