Marietta.com

Keep Cobb Beautiful is teaming up with Keep Marietta Beautiful to offer a free document shredding day. The event takes place from 9am to noon on Saturday, September 25, 2010. Each vehicle can bring up to 100 lbs of paper and it will be securely shredded for free. Please note that no plastic, electronics, metal, or cardboard will be accepted.

Address:
Piedmont Church
570 Piedmont Rd
Marietta GA 30066

City of Marietta
591 N. Marietta Parkway
Marietta GA 30060

For more information, call (770) 528-1135

The Marietta Museum of History’s latest exhibit showcases popular women’s fashion styles from the 20th century. The clothing is a part of their extensive textiles collection and the exhibit runs from now through the end of October.

Date:
Now through October 30, 2010.
Monday through Saturday 10 am to 4 pm

Admission:
$5 for adults
$3 for seniors and students
Free for members and children 6 and under.

Address:
Marietta Museum of History
1 Depot Street, Suite 200
Marietta, GA 30060

Parking:
Mill Street Parking lot

For more information, please call 770-794-5710

The Earl Smith Strand Theatre will kick off its first official music series this August. Featuring the blues, ragtime, beach music, country, and pop, the unique lineup has something for everyone and patrons can count on a music event at The Strand once a month and sometimes more.

“The vision was that The Strand would be a multi-use entertainment facility for the community,” said Christy Rosell, director of business development & marketing. “We have musicals and movies and special event space for brides and fundraisers. We’ve had some music, but the audience always asks for more. Music has been the missing link. Until now.”

Through the end of 2010, The Strand will produce six music events:

• Friday, August 20, 8 PM. Soulphonics & Ruby Velle.
• Saturday, August 28, 8 PM. Banks and Shane.
• Friday, September 10, 8 PM. Blair Crimmins & The Hookers.
• Friday, October 22, 8 PM. The Return.
• Friday & Saturday, November 5 & 6, 8 PM. A1A Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show with Jeff Pike.
• Friday, December 31. Billy Joe Royal.

For more information, call the Box Office at 770-293-0080. The Box Office is located at 117 North Park Square, Marietta, and is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 12 PM; 1 PM to 4 PM; and two hours before the show.

As one of the nation’s most traveled and congested highways, I-285’s top end has become a focal point for improvement in the state of Georgia. Initiated in 2006, the Georgia Department of Transportation’s and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority’s revive285 top end project has been in the process of the development, identification and selection of solutions to improve congestion, safety, system linkage and transportation options on this vital corridor.

Alternatives for improving I-285 top end narrowed

GDOT and GRTA have recently completed analysis of the eight alternatives developed and taken into account the input received from the public in order to determine if an alternative should move forward, be modified, or be discarded from consideration.  The alternatives were evaluated based on costs, impacts, and ability to satisfy the project Need and Purpose.  The following alternatives best meet those needs and are advancing for further consideration:

a) Alternative 1- No Build, which is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA);
b) Alternative 4 – Express Bus + Operational Improvements;
c) Alternative 6A – Express Bus + Managed Lanes + Operational Improvements + Future Transit Right of Way; and
d) Alternative 6B – Express Bus + Managed Lanes + Operational Improvements + Future Transit Right of Way + General Purpose Lane Re-designation

Next Steps

In order to be approved, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) requires a project go through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.  NEPA provides the framework for environmental planning and decision-making by federal agencies. It includes input from the public as well as from other state and federal agencies so that all environmental issues, such as impacts to the natural, social, cultural, and economic environments, as well as other issues are addressed. In addition to evaluating environmental effects, the transportation needs of the public are taken into account in reaching a decision that is in the best overall public interest.

The revive285 top end project documents its NEPA process with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  An EIS is a comprehensive report that details the process through which a transportation project was developed, including consideration of a range of alternatives, of potential impacts, and of compliance with applicable environmental laws.  Now that we have narrowed the alternatives down to four, we will begin drafting the EIS.

How Can You Get Involved?

Public Hearing Open Houses will formally offer the public the opportunity to review and provide input on the Draft EIS and the alternatives advanced. In the meantime, we will be conducting additional analysis of alternative 6A.  New information on this and additional detail on existing alternatives will be shared as it becomes available, and the public is invited to stay engaged by:

• Participating in upcoming project surveys,
• Scheduling speakers for your organization,
• Sharing the project emails, website: www.revive285.com, mapping tool and videos with other citizens, and
• Interacting with the project via online information requests, message boards, e-mail, Facebook (revive285 top end) and Twitter (@revive285).

You can contact us directly with questions and comments at info@revive285.com or (770) 431-7445.

Article courtesy of the Revive285 top end Public Involvement Team

Cobb County recently launched a reverse-911 system called CodeRED high-speed notification solution. On Monday, Feb. 1, the system called every land line registered in the county encouraging people to register by visiting cobbcounty.org/911 and clicking on the CodeRED Reverse 911 Registration tab.

The system affords the ability to communicate time sensitive messages to targeted areas or the entire county. This will be especially helpful in delivering important information during an emergency. The system is only as effective as the telephone number database supporting it, so residents are strongly encouraged to add their home and mobile phone numbers.

All businesses should register, as well as residents who have unlisted numbers, changed their phone numbers or addresses within the past year or those who use cell phones or VoIP phones as their primary numbers. It is important to register cell phone numbers as well.

The information provided will only be used for emergency notification purposes. To register, visit http://www.cobbcounty.org/911

The Today Show on NBC listed Marietta, Georgia as one of the best places in the country to buy a home. In an interview between Al Roker and Barbara Corcoran, Marietta was the number four spot in the top ten places to buy a home nationwide.

Also on the list were:
#1 Sarasota, Florida
#2 San Francisco, California
#3 Lansing, Michigan

(Skip to 2:17 for the info about Marietta)

Friends for the East Cobb Park and local officials cut the ribbon for East Cobb’s first “all-access” playground on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009. The playground is specially-made for children with disabilities, although children of all abilities are welcome to enjoy the new playground.

In a unanimous decision, the Marietta City Council has voted to ban smoking in Marietta’s Glover Park. The outdoor park in Marietta Square plays host to numerous events throughout the year, including rock concerts. After a recent concert, the Marietta City Council received numerous complaints about excessive cigarette and cigar smoke. As a result, smoking is now banned in the park effective immediately, and anyone caught smoking in the park could face fines as high as $500. Several other cities and counties in Georgia have already banned smoking in all public parks, and Marietta may vote to join them and ban smoking in public parks later this month.