Cobb elections finished a recount in the Kennesaw City Council race on Tuesday afternoon, confirming Lynette Burnette narrowly defeated Madelyn Orochena, albeit by two votes fewer than previously counted.
The recount saw Burnette receive 1,755 votes (18.27%) to Orochena’s 1,726 votes (17.96%), a margin of 29 votes, according to Cobb Elections. That number differs from what was reported Nov. 16, when Cobb Elections recorded 1,756 votes for Burnette to 1,725 votes for Orochena.
Cobb Elections Director Janine Eveler said the recount came after a memory card containing 789 votes was not uploaded by Cobb Elections staff, changing the outcome of the race.
New results Friday declared Burnette the winner of the City Council race, demoting Orochena to second place. Orochena had initially been declared winner when the Cobb Board of Elections certified the election results the first time on Nov. 15.
A pre-Thanksgiving service at Temple Kol Emeth, a southern reform Jewish synagogue, included an Islamic call to prayer, a guided meditation, and a bhangara dance performed by a local Sikh organization.
The event, held a week before the holiday, was the 18th annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Celebration, and it brought together faith leaders and congregations from across metro Atlanta.
The theme was “finding common ground,” something Larry Sernovitz, Kol Emeth’s senior rabbi, said is increasingly difficult and important in a divided world.
The service included speakers from a wide range of Atlanta metro faith organizations: Ebenezer Baptist Church, the East Cobb Islamic Center, the Catholic Church of St. Ann, St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church, Unity North Atlanta Church, and the Art of Living Center, the last of which teaches meditation and yoga.
More than a dozen faiths were represented at the service, according to Kol Emeth.
Legislators from across Georgia and across party lines gathered underneath the Gold Dome Tuesday to pay tribute to former House Speaker David Ralston, who died last week and will lie in state at the Capitol until Wednesday morning. Kemp listed some of Ralston’s key accomplishments: A mental health reform bill passed earlier this year, a 2020 hate crimes bill, and a 2015 transportation funding package.
After serving for more than a decade in the state Senate, Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, was first elected to the House in 2002. In 2010, he assumed the position of speaker, which he held for more than a decade until his death last week.
Ralston surprised Georgians earlier this month when he announced he would not run for the leadership position next year. His death followed soon thereafter. House Majority Leader Jon Burns, R-Newington, is expected to succeed Ralston as speaker during the next legislative session, which will begin in January.
Ralston’s body will lie in state in the Rotunda of the state Capitol until Wednesday morning. A funeral service at Fannin County High School Performing Arts Center in Blue Ridge is planned for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27.
Fifteen Cobb County high school basketball players have been selected for the 2022-23 Atlanta Tipoff Club Watch List.
The watch list identifies the top 40 boys and girls players across the metro area. The players are selected by committees led by Hebron Christian girls coach Jan Azar and Norcross boys coach Jessie McMillan.
The girls side has the players spread out across the county as the seven players come from different schools. In Class AAAAAAA there are three players from Region 3AAAAAAA — McEachern’s Jada Bates, Marietta’s Kayla Day and Hillgrove’s Aryelle King. Sprayberry’s Anna Vereen is the lone player from Class AAAAAA and Crystal Henderson, who is currently leading Kell, the No. 1 team in the state in Class AAAAA.
The eight boys players come from five different schools. Wheeler leads the way with three players in Isaiah Collier, who just committed to USC, to join his teammate Arrinten Page, who also made the list, along with Jelani Hamilton.
McEachern had two players earn spots — Ace Bailey and Jamichael Davis — Pebblebrook’s Jauin Simon and Osborne’s Akia Fleming complete the Class AAAAAAA representatives.
Wheeler (No. 1), McEachern (No. 2), Pebblebrook (No. 4) and Osborne (No. 10) are all ranked in the top 10 of Class AAAAAAA.
The final county representative is Kell big man Peyton Marshall. The Longhorns are No. 1 in Class AAAAA.
For the first time since 2020, the Atlanta Braves will welcome fans back to Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta for the annual Braves Fest Weekend benefiting the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
The event will take place Jan. 20 and Jan. 21.
The weekend will begin Friday night with the Braves Fest Gala. Fans will enjoy once-in-a-lifetime opportunities alongside Braves players in the Delta SKY360° Club, which will be transformed into an elegant lounge. A DJ will set the party atmosphere, along with photo spots, player engagement opportunities, and auctions to raise funds for the foundation.
On Saturday, fans can interact with Braves players and coaches. The experiences will include autograph sessions, photo opportunities, kids activities, gaming sessions, Q&A panels, baseball clinics, and more.
Tickets for the Braves Fest Gala and autograph sessions will go on sale on Dec. 6, with an A-List Member presale on Dec.r 5. Additional details and the full schedule of events will be released on a later date.
Visit www.Braves.com/BravesFest for additional details.
Citing threats from non-native species, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has expanded limits on animals that can be bought, sold or kept as pets in the state.
Owners of newly listed species, legally called wild animals and varying from Argentine black and white tegus to Everglades crayfish, have a year to meet most of the requirements. This allows pet owners to register and tag six reptile species added, businesses to sell animals acquired before the changes took effect and people ineligible for a permit or license to find their animals an appropriate home.
The 12-month grace period begins Dec. 4, the effective date of the rules approved by the state Board of Natural Resources, and applies to specific reptiles, fishes and invertebrates as detailed in the rules. However, even animals eligible for the grace period cannot be imported or bred after Dec. 4.
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