🌱 East Cobb Retirees + Water Bills Skyrocket + Citizenship Kits

Good morning, everybody! Sean Peek here with your Thursday edition of the East Cobb Daily. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and hot. High: 91 Low: 58.

Here are the top three stories in East Cobb today:

1. Several people who served at schools for more than 30 years recently retired from the Cobb County School District. Last week, the retirees were honored as part of a 335-member group that retired in 2020, 2021, and 2022 in the first such event since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those retirees was Mary Ortland, the longtime nurse at Dodgen Middle School in East Cobb. (East Cobb News)
2. Some Cobb county homeowners saw their bills skyrocket after a worker never actually checked their meters. According to the county, a now-fired meter reader was turning in bad readings, causing bills to be much lower than they should have been. Last month, the county attempted to correct the situation, however, it caused dozens of homes to get bills four, five, and even 10 times higher than normal. Now, the county is in the process of implementing a new water meter reading system and says residents should contact the county’s water system department if they have an unusually high water bill. (WSB-TV)
3. The Cobb County Public Library will soon be offering Citizenship & Civics Kits for checkout. Beginning on Oct. 3 — to coincide with National Diversity Week —, the library will offer kits that include official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) publications and study guides on the naturalization process for becoming a U.S. citizen. According to Katherine Zavala, a member of the library’s Community and User Engagement department, the kit is designed to provide information for people seeking to explore the steps for becoming a citizen. (Cobb County)

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Today in and around East Cobb:

• Fly Energy Neo Soul Poetry Night, At 2520 E Piedmont Rd (7:00 PM)
• Hispanic Heritage Festival, At Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center in Kennesaw (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Cobb County Public Library's Georgia Room is proud to present "In the Shadow of Salem: Families and Their Allies" with author Richard Hite and CJ Majahad, the Director Emeritus of the North Andover Historical Society on Oct. 4 at 6:00 p.m. (Cobb County Public Library via Facebook)
• Last month, members of the Kiwanis Club of Marietta Golden K and the Lost Mountain Kiwanis Club sponsored the 27th Annual Youth Charity Golf Tournament at BridgeMill Athletic Club in Canton which raised more than $40,000 for various charitable organizations. (East Cobb News)
• Are you in the market for a new home? Check out this upcoming open house in the area for a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home listed at $585,000. (East Cobb Patch)

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That's it for today! I'll see you around.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.