A man from Decatur, Eric Lee Francis, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and 10 years probation after pleading guilty to trafficking methamphetamine in Cobb County. The charges stem from a traffic stop in August 2021 when police found a large amount of meth and a glass pipe in Francis' car. In addition to the prison time, he has also been ordered to pay a $200,000 fine. The case was prosecuted by David Williamson and Elena Hernandez on behalf of the state, while Hina Asghar represented Francis at the plea.
A 59-year-old man, Raymond Marti, was arrested and charged with impersonating an officer and possession of drugs outside a Marietta nightclub. He was wearing a shirt with "police" printed on the front, back, and sleeves, and when approached by a Marietta police officer, initially claimed to be a law enforcement officer. However, he later recanted and admitted to not being with the police. A search revealed he had a gun belt with a fake weapon, an outer vest carrier, and a stun gun, along with clear plastic bags filled with a white powdery substance believed to be cocaine. He remains held without bond in Cobb County jail.
The first phase of the Chattahoochee Riverlands project, which aims to develop a 100-mile greenway of trails along the Chattahoochee River, has broken ground. The 2.7-mile stretch of trail in south Cobb, Georgia, will run from Veterans Memorial Highway to Mableton Parkway and is expected to open in 2026. The pilot project will act as proof of concept for the wider Riverlands project, which aims to connect 19 cities and seven counties. The $44m pilot is being funded by a combination of $26m in public money and $18m in private money. The project will transform a 100-mile stretch of riverfront from Lake Lanier to Newnan into a public space.
Ser Familia, a Kennesaw-based nonprofit that offers family, social, and mental health services to Hispanic families in metro Atlanta, has received a $1 million grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. The grant will be used to expand the CAFE model and hire staff to provide assistance for families in Fair Oaks, a community near Smyrna with a population of about 9,000 people. The median income in Fair Oaks is $43,000, which is half of the Cobb County average, and one third of its residents lack health insurance. Ser Familia plans to hire a Project Director, Case Manager, and Family Navigator to connect families to services and provide emergency assistance for urgent needs. Those who want to help the Fair Oaks community can contact Ser Familia or the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
The Cobb Collaborative has unveiled a new Little Free Library at Garrett Middle School in Austell. The nonprofit organization aims to put books in the hands of children and adults around the world. The new LFL will be available 24/7 with free accessibility and operates under the “Take One, Leave One” theory. Local officials and community members attended the dedication ceremony, where they spoke about the importance of literacy and encouraged students to pursue their dreams. This is the third LFL established in Austell this year as part of the Collaborative’s goal to establish LFLs throughout Cobb County.
About 99% of educators in Cobb County schools plan to return for the upcoming school year, an increase from last year's 98%. This high retention rate is attributed to Cobb's reputation as one of the top places to work in Georgia and the nation. Nearly 1,500 professionals attended Cobb's recent job fair at Truist Park, coming from as far away as California. Cobb Schools has also partnered with the University of West Georgia to offer advanced degrees to educators at no cost through Georgia's BEST, with about 4,000 expressing interest. Cobb Schools is hosting another job fair on June 8, primarily focused on filling classified support positions but with teaching positions also available.
#CobbCounty #Georgia #LocalNews
-
-
-
-
-
The Marietta Daily Journal Podcast is local news for Marietta, Kennesaw, Smyrna, and all of Cobb County.
Subscribe today, so you don't miss an episode! MDJOnline
Register Here for your essential digital news.
https://www.chattahoocheetech.edu/
Find additional episodes of the MDJ Podcast here.
This Podcast was produced and published for the Marietta Daily Journal and MDJ Online by BG Ad Group
For more information be sure to visit https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
