🎷 Dalen Minniefield Sat + Derek's Cafe

_{Welcome to the 69 new readers who joined 6,040 other East Cobb residents this week.}

Hey, East Cobb!

If you've been looking for a reason to get out on a Saturday night, Dalen Minniefield at Perfect Note Atlanta on May 30th is a pretty good reason. Minniefield is playing the saxophone in an intimate setting, and from everything we've read it's absoluting captivating. Low lighting, good drinks, and music that earns your attention. We grabbed tickets already and are absolutely stoked.

More in the issue below, including local news and the full weekend planner.

- Andrew

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:

Takes about 5 minutes. Free, no pressure.

Check us out here, we are open text/call 770-520-7095 (Mon-Fri, closed weekends)

ASW at The Battery Atlanta
900 Battery Ave, Ste 1035,
Atlanta 30339
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Friday, May 29
Ticketed | Get Tickets

You ever stand at your kitchen counter, pour a vodka soda, and think "there has to be something more interesting I can do with this bottle"? ASW Distillery is answering that question Friday night at their Battery location, and you walk out with a finished infusion jar plus a full LITER of their award-winning Bustletown Vodka.

You pick the liqueur you want to make: Limoncello, Coffee Liqueur, or Elderflower and Orange. ASW's team walks you through the whole thing aka this isn't a watch-and-listen class, you're actually building it. You taste three finished liqueurs first to help you decide, then you put together your own jar with fresh fruits, herbs, and botanicals, and you take it home with the vodka and a recipe card.

The kicker? They send you out with a cocktail in hand to drink on a tour of their clear spirits distillation facility. ASW has been the Most Awarded Craft Whiskey Distillery at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition since 2018, so the tour alone is worth the trip.

Hands-on, ninety minutes, and you leave with a bottle worth more than the ticket. Grab your seat before it sells out.

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This is our go-to when we want a real, old fashioned breakfast instead of brunch. It's been on Canton Road since 1984, which makes it one of the oldest diners in East Cobb. Simple booths, friendly staff, hearty country breakfast plates, and a coffee pot that never goes empty.

The French toast is what most regulars order, and it lives up to the hype. The smothered biscuits and gravy are huge. My wife likes the Papa's omelet, and the Irish Eggs Benedict has its own following. They also do a Cuban sandwich and a Gyro at lunch that surprised me the first time I had them.

Here's the wild part. Derek's closed at 2:30pm for years. Now they reopen at 4pm and stay open until 5am, serving chicken wings (honey hot is the move), Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, and shrimp fried rice. Nothing else in East Cobb stays open like this, so its worth going slightly outside the area for!

Price: $
Hours:
Daily 6:30am-2:30pm, 4pm-5am
Sat-Sun open at 7am

🚗 See directions to Derek’s Cafe on Google Maps

This is the original Micro Center, based out of Ohio, and open since 1988.

It has somehow survived the Best Buy era by being genuinely better at the one thing it does: helping you build, fix, or upgrade a computer.

Inside you'll find rows of CPUs, graphics cards, RGB cases, monitors, 3D printers, and a wall of refurbished laptops. In the back is the Knowledge Bar. Walk up without an appointment and they'll handle repairs, virus removal, and data recovery.

The real draw is the build-your-own-PC bundles. They package an AMD processor, motherboard, and 32GB of RAM together for two to three hundred dollars less than the same parts on Amazon or Newegg. Gamers and IT folks drive in from all over the metro for it. The staff actually knows what they are talking about, which is rare for a store this big.

Google reviews call out employees and the store manager by name.

Price: $$ to $$$ (depends on the build)
Hours:
Mon-Sat 10am-9pm
Sun 11am-6pm

🚗 Get directions to Micro Center on Google Maps

Click here to be the business everyone hears about next week!

3 Beds
3 Baths
2,384 sq ft
0.74 acres lot

A) $851,000

B) $925,000

C) $999,000

D) $1,045,000

Tuesday's Georgia primary wrapped up with no candidate securing a majority in several high-profile races, including lieutenant governor and secretary of state. Those contests now head to a June 16 runoff election. Cobb County voters also dealt with some hiccups on Election Day. Poll pad devices at some precincts lost access to the voter file Tuesday morning, though voting continued without a full stop. Results for local Cobb races are available through the FOX 5 Cobb County results page. If your candidate advanced to the runoff, mark June 16 on your calendar. Early voting options for the runoff will be announced by the Cobb County Elections office in the coming weeks.

More info

Toll Brothers has officially opened Cameron Cove, its newest luxury home community in Marietta. The national builder is known for higher-end single-family construction, and the Marietta location adds to a wave of new residential development in the broader East Cobb area. No pricing details were included in the announcement, but Toll Brothers communities in the metro Atlanta market typically start well above the regional median. If you're curious about the neighborhood or know someone house-hunting, the community is now open for tours.
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Marietta City Schools is reporting measurable gains in student reading after five years of placing dedicated literacy coaches in its buildings. The district says the program has helped close gaps and build stronger early reading skills, with students crediting the coaches for making books more accessible and enjoyable. The multi-year commitment to literacy coaching is notable in a metro area where many districts are still working to recover learning lost during the pandemic years. If your kids are in Marietta City Schools, this is a sign the investment is showing results.
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The Cobb County Police Department has launched a new recruitment partnership with Chattahoochee Tech, creating a direct pathway from college coursework into a law enforcement career. The program is designed to make it easier for students to move from the classroom into the police academy without the usual gaps in the process. For families with college-age kids interested in public safety careers, the Chattahoochee Tech connection offers a local, affordable on-ramp. The department has not released specific enrollment details yet, but more information is expected through the college's criminal justice program.
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Somewhere out there is a person who's been waiting for a ginger brindle Boxer-Corgi mix who will fetch a ball until your arm gives out and then entertain himself when you need a break. That person should go meet Asher. He's about three years old and 40 pounds, which sounds manageable until you realize he's, in the listing's own words, a lot of dog in a medium-sized package. He went through the prison training program, learned a ton, and is currently in a foster home doing great. His foster parents have figured out he's surprisingly good at keeping himself busy indoors, so he'd apparently make a solid office dog. He also loves walks and will ask for several of them per day, so if you like getting outside, you two are going to get along fine. A few things worth knowing: he's guarded toys and beds from other dogs before, so he needs to be your only pet. No cats either. Kids 15 and up are a good fit since younger kids and toddlers make him uncomfortable. He can be barky when he spots other dogs on walks, but the Mostly Mutts trainer will walk you through exactly how to handle it. He'd also really thrive with a fenced yard, and an apartment probably isn't the right fit. Asher is in a foster home now through Mostly Mutts in Kennesaw. Visit mostlymutts.org to start the process or set up a meet.

Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue
1462 Kennesaw Due West Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152
(770) 975-4080

See mostlymutts.org for current hours

🩸 American Red Cross Blood Drive - South Cobb Regional Library | 266 Roswell Street Marietta GA 30060 | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Red Cross community blood drive at South Cobb Regional Library this Friday; sponsor code is SCRL at redcrossblood.org if you want to schedule your spot in advance.

💚 Community Friendship Chain - Switzer Library | 266 Roswell Street Marietta GA 30060 | 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Stop by the Accessibility Services Room at Switzer Library to add a paper strip to the community friendship chain, a small but tangible way to mark Mental Health Awareness Month.

👕 DIY Summer Reading Shirt at North Cobb Library - North Cobb Regional Library | 3535 Old 41 Highway Kennesaw GA 30144 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Patrons can make their own custom shirt to wear all summer reading season, a nice Friday-afternoon activity before the weekend kicks off.

🎶 Tiny Library Concert - Stratton Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Local indie acts performing inside Stratton Library, which sounds unconventional but tends to produce an intimate show you wouldn't get in a traditional venue.

🤖 Zero Robotics - Middle School - Cobb County Public Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | 10:00 AM – 10:11 AM | Check website | More: cobbcounty.gov
Cobb County is hosting registration for the Zero Robotics Summer 2026 program for middle schoolers this weekend, so if you have a kid interested in coding and space robotics, this is the signup window.

Saturday, May 30

📿 Bracelet Making / Teen - Vinings Library | 4290 Paces Ferry Road Atlanta GA 30339 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Drop-in bracelet-making at Vinings Library on Saturday, low-key and creative, aimed at teens who want a chill hangout that isn't staring at a screen.

💚 Community Friendship Chain - Switzer Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Stop by the Accessibility Services Room at Switzer Library to add a paper strip to the community friendship chain, a small but tangible way to mark Mental Health Awareness Month.

🧶 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 you can learn the basics or just work on your own project alongside other crafters, all skill levels genuinely welcome.

🎲 Dungeons and Dragons: One-Shot Saturday - West Cobb Regional Library | 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane Kennesaw GA 30152 | 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Ages 14 and up can jump into a self-contained level-3 D&D session on the last Saturday of the month, no ongoing campaign commitment required.

🍄 Fantastic World of Fungi - Gritters Library | 880 Shaw Park Road Marietta GA 30066 | 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
You actually get to cultivate your own oyster mushroom garden at this Saturday library program, which is the kind of hands-on science activity that kids and curious adults will both enjoy.

🦋 Pollinator Palooza - Smith-Gilbert Gardens | 2382 Pine Mountain Road, Kennesaw, GA | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM | $5-$10 | More: kennesaw-ga.gov
Smith-Gilbert is marking the 10th anniversary of its "A Garden with Wings" butterfly exhibit with a full Pollinator Palooza on Saturday, and the gardens are genuinely beautiful this time of year.

🦕 Summer Reading Kickoff @ South Cobb - South Cobb Regional Library | 2805 Clay Road Mableton GA 30126 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
The countywide summer reading theme is "Unearth a Story" and each branch is running its own kickoff party Saturday, so pick the branch closest to you and go sign the kids up.

🦕 Summer Reading Kickoff @ Switzer - Switzer Library | 66 Roswell Street Marietta GA 30060 | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Switzer's take on the county's "Unearth a Story" kickoff, with dinosaurs and discovery activities to celebrate the official start of Cobb County's 2026 summer reading program.

🎵 Sweetwater Valley Library Ukulele Program - Sweetwater Valley Library | 5000 Austell Powder Springs Road, Austell, GA | 12:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Free weekly ukulele lessons on Saturday afternoons for anyone ages 7 and up, so if a kid (or a curious adult) has been eyeing a ukulele, this is a no-pressure way to start.

🎶 Tiny Library Concert - Stratton Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Local indie acts performing inside Stratton Library, which sounds unconventional but tends to produce an intimate show you wouldn't get in a traditional venue.

🤖 Zero Robotics - Middle School - Cobb County Public Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Check website | More: cobbcounty.gov
Cobb County is hosting registration for the Zero Robotics Summer 2026 program for middle schoolers this weekend, so if you have a kid interested in coding and space robotics, this is the signup window.

Sunday, May 31

💚 Community Friendship Chain - Switzer Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Stop by the Accessibility Services Room at Switzer Library to add a paper strip to the community friendship chain, a small but tangible way to mark Mental Health Awareness Month.

🎶 Tiny Library Concert - Stratton Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Local indie acts performing inside Stratton Library, which sounds unconventional but tends to produce an intimate show you wouldn't get in a traditional venue.

🤖 Zero Robotics - Middle School - Check cobbcounty.gov | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Check website | More: cobbcounty.gov
Cobb County is hosting registration for the Zero Robotics Summer 2026 program for middle schoolers this weekend, so if you have a kid interested in coding and space robotics, this is the signup window.

📚 African American Distinguished Georgia Writers Exhibit - Gritters Library | 880 Shaw Park Road Marietta GA 30066 | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
A traveling exhibit at Gritters Library spotlighting influential African American authors who shaped Georgia's literary history, worth a look any time you're in the library this weekend.

💻 Book-A-Librarian Tech Help - Mountain View Regional Library | 3320 Sandy Plains Road Marietta GA 30066 | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
One-on-one tech help appointments with a librarian on Friday mornings at Mountain View, useful if you have a device, app, or account question you've been putting off.

🥃 Infusions 101 at ASW Distillery - ASW Distillery | 900 Battery Ave SE Suite 1035, Atlanta, GA | 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | $75 | More: batteryatl.com
You learn how to infuse vodka with fresh fruits, herbs, spices, and botanicals, taste three finished liqueurs, then take home a bottle of the one you pick.

🎤 Karaoke Night - Battle & Brew Sandy Springs | 5920 Roswell Rd A120, Sandy Springs, GA | 99:00 PM - 11:59 PM | Free | More: visitsandysprings.org
Battle and Brew's brand-new Friday karaoke night is at a gaming bar, so you can hide behind a game if nerves hit or just cheer on your friends as they commit to the bit.

💃 Noche Tropical at El Super Pan - El Super Pan | 455 Legends Place SE Suite #862, Atlanta, GA | 11 PM – 2 AM | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
DJ Luis Trevino runs a high-energy salsa and bachata set every Friday and Saturday, so if you want to actually dance rather than just stand near a speaker, this is your spot.

🐾 Watch PAWty Presented by Boehringer Ingelheim - The Plaza at Battery Atlanta | 755 Battery Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA | Check website | Free | More: batteryatl.com
Bring your dog to the outdoor pavilion, grab a chair, and watch the Braves take on the Reds on the big screen with a crowd of fellow dog owners and their pups.

Saturday, May 30

📚 African American Distinguished Georgia Writers Exhibit - Gritters Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | During library hours | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
A traveling exhibit at Gritters Library spotlighting influential African American authors who shaped Georgia's literary history, worth a look any time you're in the library this weekend.

💼 County-Wide Job Fair - Cobb County location | 2245 Callaway Rd SW, Marietta, GA | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Free | More: kennesaw-ga.gov
The City of Kennesaw and CobbWorks are hosting a county-wide job fair in Marietta on Saturday, worth passing along if you or someone you know is actively looking.

🎲 Dungeons and Dragons (Ages 18+) - West Cobb Regional Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
An ongoing, volunteer-run D&D campaign for adults at West Cobb Library on Saturdays, a genuinely free and social way to spend a few hours if you play or have been curious.

🎷 Jazz Brunch at C. Ellet's - C. Ellet's | 2605 Circle 75 Parkway Ste 400, Atlanta, GA | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
Southern fried chicken, mimosas, and a live jazz duo every Saturday and Sunday brunch, which is a reliably good formula for a low-key mid-morning outing.

👶 March for Babies at The Battery Atlanta - The Battery Atlanta | 800 Battery Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA | 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
A community walk supporting maternal and infant health research, and strollers, kids, and families are very much part of the vibe at this Saturday event.

🥊 NFC Fight Night at Live! at The Battery Atlanta - Live! at The Battery Atlanta | 825 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA | Check website | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
Live cage fights (MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, bare knuckle) right in the venue alongside 40-plus TVs and a 32-foot LED screen, so there is no bad seat in the house.

💃 Noche Tropical at El Super Pan - El Super Pan | 455 Legends Place SE Suite #862, Atlanta, GA | Check website | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
DJ Luis Trevino runs a high-energy salsa and bachata set every Friday and Saturday, so if you want to actually dance rather than just stand near a speaker, this is your spot.

🎧 Silent Disco at Punch Bowl Social - Punch Bowl Social | 875 Battery Ave SE Ste 720, Atlanta, Georgia | Check website | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
Three DJ channels on wireless headphones means you pick your vibe and switch whenever you want, which makes for a surprisingly fun night even if you're not usually a dancer.

🦕 Summer Reading Kickoff @ Gritters - Gritters Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
The 2026 theme is "Unearth a Story" and the kickoff party leans hard into dinosaurs and discovery, so expect crafts, activities, and a signup push before summer reading officially begins.

🦕 Summer Reading Kickoff @ West Cobb - West Cobb Regional Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | Check website | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
Same dinosaur-and-discovery theme as the other Cobb library kickoffs, so if West Cobb is your closest branch, this is the one to put on the calendar for Saturday.

Sunday, May 31

📚 African American Distinguished Georgia Writers Exhibit - Gritters Library | Check cobbcounty.gov | During library hours | Free | More: cobbcounty.gov
A traveling exhibit at Gritters Library spotlighting influential African American authors who shaped Georgia's literary history, worth a look any time you're in the library this weekend.

🥃 Cocktail Class at ASW Distillery - ASW Distillery | 900 Battery Ave SE Suite 1035, Atlanta, GA | Check website | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
You get your own bar station with all the tools, and over the course of the class you shake, stir, and taste three cocktails built on ASW's award-winning spirits.

🌿 Farmers Market Presented by Kaiser Permanente - The Plaza at Battery Atlanta | 755 Battery Avenue Southeast, Atlanta, GA | Check website | Free | More: batteryatl.com
Local produce, artisanal foods, wellness vendors, and pet-friendly shopping all in the open-air plaza, with the Braves away game on the big screen to catch while you browse.

🎷 Jazz Brunch at C. Ellet's - C. Ellet's | 2605 Circle 75 Parkway Ste 400, Atlanta, GA | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Check website | More: batteryatl.com
Southern fried chicken, mimosas, and a live jazz duo every Saturday and Sunday brunch, which is a reliably good formula for a low-key mid-morning outing.

Powder Springs LibrarySummer is officially here, and the Cobb County Public Library system has a great way to beat the heat this Tuesday. Head to the Powder Springs Library for a free screening of the live-action Lilo and Stitch (2025), the Disney remake that has already drawn big crowds in theaters. Bring the kids, bring snacks, and bring a blanket. The library is doing this right.

What it is

This is a free family movie matinee at Powder Springs Library, part of the library's summer programming series. The film is the 2025 live-action reimagining of the beloved 2002 Disney animated classic: a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo befriends a fugitive alien named Stitch, and the two help mend her broken family. Rated PG. After the movie, kids can stick around and make a craft tied to the film. It is a two-hour block of air-conditioned, no-cost fun.

Plan it (Tuesday afternoon)

The event runs from 2:00 to 4:00 PM on Tuesday, June 2. No registration is required, so you can just show up. The library asks that children 8 and under be accompanied by a parent or caregiver. Powder Springs Library is about 20 minutes southwest of the East Cobb core, easy to reach off Atlanta Street. Street parking is available at the library.

At the library (2 hours)

Settle in for the movie first, then kids can make a themed craft after the credits roll. The library encourages families to bring their own lunch or snacks, plus pillows and blankets to get cozy. It has the feel of a low-key movie party, not a formal sit-still screening. If your kids loved Stitch in any version, this will be a hit.

Logistics

Free admission. No registration needed. Children 8 and under must have a parent or caregiver present. Restrooms available inside the library. Check Cobb County Public Library's website for any last-minute updates.

Heads up

This is part of a recurring summer series. Upcoming films include Dog Man on June 16 and Zootopia 2 on July 7, so if Tuesday works for your family, it is worth bookmarking the whole schedule.

May and June are the busiest months for weddings, and there's an insurance angle most families never think about until something goes wrong. Wedding insurance (sometimes called special event insurance) can cover cancellation costs if a vendor goes out of business, a venue suddenly closes, or a family emergency forces a postponement. There are also LIABILITY components that cover injuries or property damage during the event itself. Before you buy a standalone policy, check your homeowners or renters policy first because some existing policies already extend liability coverage to events hosted by the policyholder.

Not sure what your current policy covers for events? Your Peachy agent can check in about five minutes.

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Wellstar Kennestone (Marietta) opened its new nine-story, 235-bed patient tower in April, and the staffing push hasn't slowed down. They're hiring RNs across acute care, ED, OR, and critical care, plus techs and support roles. Experienced RNs can pick up sign-on bonuses up to $30,000 plus relocation help, and they've been running same-day-offer hiring events.

👉 Browse openings

Cobb County Sheriff's Office is hiring deputies with a starting salary of $54,000 on a 12-hour shift schedule, plus a $4,000 hiring incentive currently posted. Detention officers and civilian support roles are also open. If you've been thinking about it, recruiting will walk you through the process at [email protected] or 770-499-4739.

👉 Browse openings

Cobb County School District is filling more than 200 roles for the 2026-27 school year. Teachers and paraprofessionals are part of it, but the district is also hiring bus drivers, custodians, HVAC techs, and special ed support staff. Apply through the district's PowerSchool portal.

👉 Browse openings

McCleskey-East Cobb YMCA is still filling summer slots even with Memorial Day behind us. Lifeguards, swim instructors, day camp counselors, and specialty STEAM camp staff are all on the board. Good fit for teens picking up a first job or college students home for the summer.

👉 Browse openings

Avenue East Cobb (Luga + Giulia Italian Bakery) is building out its teams heading into the first summer. Luga, the brothers' modern Italian spot, needs line cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, bussers, bartenders, barbacks, and servers. Giulia, the bakery and café next door, is hiring cashiers, baristas, pastry chefs, sandwich makers, and dishwashers. Walkable cluster of openings in one shopping center.

👉 Browse openings

Cobb County Public Library System has a Part-Time Library Assistant II posted (18 hours a week, includes some nights and weekends), and clerical and circulation roles turn over often through the county jobs portal. Good fit for retirees, career-changers, and students who want predictable part-time hours.

👉 Browse openings

Bonus help (free): WorkSource Cobb (CobbWorks) at 463 Commerce Park Drive, Suite 100 in Marietta offers free job search help, resume coaching, and no-cost training programs. Walk-ins welcome at the American Job Center.

👉 Visit WorkSource Cobb