Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Why Marietta schools lock phones while Cobb schools refuse pouches

Be sure to catch Big Chicken Chorus Christmas Show on the Marietta Patch calendar

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What's up Marietta! Let's start this morning right by getting caught up on what's going on around town. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why Marietta schools lock phones while Cobb schools refuse pouches
  • How a Marietta OB-GYN says infections quietly threaten pregnancies
  • Could your missing greeting cards be tied to this Marietta mail probe?

Also on today's calendar: Big Chicken Chorus Christmas Show and 9 more events.

Find out what's happening in Mariettafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did the boat dock say when it was arrested? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Mariettafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Saturday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 64 and low of 37 degrees.
  • Sunday: Mostly sunny; windy, chilly, temps: high: 42, low: 20.
  • Monday: Sunny, but chilly, with a high of 44 and low of 25 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Cobb lawmakers hear sharp divide on school cell phone policies (macon.com) — Marietta’s school leaders are doubling down on locked phone pouches in middle grades, arguing they’ve boosted focus and cut discipline problems, while Cobb County schools reject spending on pouches. At a Jim Miller Park meeting, local lawmakers heard sharply different visions for complying with Georgia’s new Distraction-Free Education Act, a change that will directly shape how Marietta students use phones in class by 2026.
   

2. Infections During Pregnancy: How Early Guidance Shapes Maternal, Neonatal Outcomes (infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com) — A Marietta OB-GYN explains how pregnancy changes the immune system and why local patients need earlier, more proactive counseling on infections, screening, and vaccines. Drawing on guidance from national medical groups, she describes practical steps Marietta families can take—like food safety, hygiene, and recommended vaccinations—to better protect both mothers and newborns throughout pregnancy.
   

3. Postal worker accused of stealing greeting cards out of the mail (wsbtv.com) — If your greeting cards went missing recently, investigators say a USPS worker at the Marietta East Cobb station is accused of stealing cards and using gift cards taken from them. Cobb County police and postal inspectors have recovered stolen mail and taken out warrants, and they’re urging anyone who suspects missing mail to contact the USPS Office of Inspector General.
   

4. Why It's a Tough Time for House-Flippers (mansionglobal.com subscription) — A Marietta-based real estate consultant warns that local house flippers now face tougher competition from institutional and foreign buyers, making good deals harder to find. The story explains how high mortgage rates, tight housing supply, and rising renovation costs are squeezing profits nationwide, and details how experienced flippers are changing strategies to survive in today’s market.
   

5. Kennesaw's head of planning and zoning retires; successor named (cobbcountycourier.com) — Kennesaw has named assistant planning administrator Chanelle Campbell to lead its planning and zoning department as longtime director Darryl Simmons retires. Simmons previously worked for Marietta, and the article’s author also lives in Marietta, underscoring the close ties between the two neighboring cities’ planning communities.
   

📸 Around Marietta

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🪧 Patch Classifieds

  • Pet Service Franchise Opportunity in Smyrna, GA 🐾
    A Pet Butler franchise is now available for resale in the Smyrna area, offering a local foothold in the rapidly growing $24 billion pet service... (More info)

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • LOST CAT!!!
    My kitten white and grey got out earlier today around 5pm she’s usually afraid of loud noise but is very sweet. She is microchipped but if anyone… (Nextdoor Horseshoe Bend Rd)
  • Anybody lose this sweet baby?
    We have her safe and sound in a home off of Audubon in Indian Hills . (Nextdoor Indian Hills)
  • Kirkland's posted a job opening for * Temp/Seasonal Stock Team Member - Kirkland's Home in Marietta. Apply here.
  • O'Reilly Automotive posted a job opening for Merchandiser/Stocker - Hub in Marietta. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Marietta here.

Ok Marietta! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I demand a jury of my piers.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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