Recovering from Storms, Budget Cuts

1. For the first time all week, we could reach 80 degrees today, according to the National Weather Service. It will be mostly sunny with little or no wind. The temperature will drop to about 53 overnight.

2. The East Cobb Democratic Alliance is meeting at the Delkwood Grill tonight at 7 for a of the 2011 General Assembly. Rep. Stacey Evans, a first-term legislator from Smyrna, will address the alliance. Evans is originally from Ringgold, so she might have something to say about the recent tornadoes and the response.

3. Speaking of Ringgold, Temple Kol Emeth is collecting relief supplies for the people recovering from the tornadoes' devastation there. You can drop off pet food, diapers, baby wipes, new underwear, feminine hygiene products, household cleaning gloves, sunblock, bug spray and first-aid supplies at the synagogue at 1415 Old Canton Road in East Cobb through Tuesday for delivery to Ringgold next Wednesday. For more information, email ellenlopezrn@hotmail.com or carolynshapiro@hotmail.com.

4. The Cobb County Board of Education has its regular monthly meeting tonight at 7 at the Central Office on Glover Street in Marietta. Naturally, the board will start by convening at 5:30 p.m. and going immediately into executive session to keep talking about such personnel issues as hiring a superintendent. Among other items on the regular agenda, the board will recognize AAAA state champion boys tennis team and champion academic team. We know the folks at will be paying close attention to how the school board operates. You can find out why later today at East Cobb Patch.

5. You may have heard that . Well, it turns out that the latest budget cuts have left the county Department of Transportation with no money for "nonessential" aesthetic matters, including mowing medians. So the county DOT and Keep Cobb Beautiful are looking for some good volunteers to Adopt-a-Median for mowing, picking up litter and generally taking responsibility for making a median or right of way look neat and clean. Have mower, will travel.