Information is posted on this site about various Kennesaw issues. The site is not connected to the City of Kennesaw, all opinions are those of the blog author. Contact via: consumer2014@aol.com
Kennesaw to Buy, Demolish Budgetel for $3M By Carolyn Cunningham, For the AJC
The Budgetel Inns and Suites in Kennesaw will be bought and demolished by the city of Kennesaw for nearly $3 million. This decision was made by the Kennesaw City Council on Dec. 2. The Kennesaw Downtown Development Authority “plans to market the property for redevelopment,” said Kennesaw Communication & Engagement Manager Becca Graham. With 102 guest rooms - each with full kitchens, this Budgetel is an extended stay motel at 2570 Cobb Parkway NW, Kennesaw. One of 15 Budgetel Inns and Suites in Georgia, there are 29 more such motels in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.Information: budgetel.com/hotel-details/bi-kennesaw-ga, kennesaw-ga.gov
======================= 4 years ago the last of the Mathews administration departed and new people took over the running of the City. For a bit it seemed that it would be run better. Unfortunately that seems NOT to be the case. The City is now involved in property speculation and is taking on a heavy debt load to finance the purchase in the hopes of making a killing when (if) they resell it. In the meantime other K projects such as the promised gymnastics facility are put on a back burner with no prospect of ever being resurrected.
11/15/19
'Doc' Eaton wins second term in Kennesaw's sole contested race
Incumbent Kennesaw Councilman James “Doc” Eaton will hold his seat for another four years after claiming 55.4% of the vote, or 837 votes out of 1,511 total votes cast, in the city’s sole contested race, according to unofficial election results.
The 1,511 ballots cast in the Post 1 council race represent only 7.2% of Kennesaw’s 20,967 active registered voters.
Results will be official after they’re certified next Tuesday, according to Janine Eveler, director of the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration.
Eaton, an assistant professor at Marietta’s Life University and doctor of chiropractic, beat out two challengers for his Post 1 Council seat. Antonio Jones, who owns a small landscaping business, received 454 votes, or about 30%, and Karen Gitau, an accountant and 11-year Kennesaw resident, received 220 votes, or 14.6%.
Mayor Derek Easterling and Post 2 Councilwoman Tracey Viars both ran unopposed and will reclaim their seats for another four-year term.
Celebrating at The LoKal Restaurant in Kennesaw, Eaton chalked his win up to running a campaign free of negativity.
“I stayed 100% on the positive side,” he said. “I’ve been active, I’ve been positive, and I think that’s the trick to what my campaign is.”
Eaton, who will begin his second term with his win, said he’d taken extra precautions, including isolating himself from social media, to avoid being sucked into arguments or emotional responses.
“I even put myself in Facebook jail so I couldn’t make a mistake,” Eaton said, chuckling and adding that he’d allowed members of his campaign to manage his Facebook account for him. “You know, sometimes you read something and you react and you say, ‘Oh shoot, I shouldn’t have said that.’”
As election results rolled in, Jones was gracious in defeat.
“I just want to say congratulations to Doc Eaton for his win,” he said.
Tuesday’s election was Jones’ second attempt at the Kennesaw City Council. Jones said he’ll continue to run for the same reason he ran the first time: He’d like to see all demographics represented on the council.
Gitau did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Follow Thomas Hartwell on Twitter attwitter.com/MDJThomas. --------------------------------------------
James Eaton 83755% Antonio Jones45430% Karen Gitau22015% Total1,511 =======================
An impromptu running race changes one man's perspective of police officers
KENNESAW, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta)- The negative perception of police has been seen across the country in recent years, but a Kennesaw officer managed to change one man's mind through a friendly competition.
"I feel like competition brings people together, it's all in good fun and humor," said Kennesaw Police Officer Jeremy McGhee.
Play this for 1 minute and see why everyone is addicted!Throne: Free Online Games
Kennesaw Police Officer Jeremy McGhee had just finished assisting fellow officers with a traffic stop when he was confronted by a man named Jay who had been watching the arrest.
"His attitude toward cops was like man you're always doing this to us, it was like us versus him," said Officer McGhee.
Officer McGhee said he tried to talk to the man about his attitude toward those who wear a badge.
"I was just trying to give him a different perspective from the law enforcement side," said Officer McGhee.
At some point, Jay challenged the officer to a foot race. Officer McGhee said at first he was hesitant, but eventually gave in. They lined up at the end of the Waffle House parking lot on George Busbee Parkway, someone gave a countdown and they were off.
Officer McGhee easily won. Jay was a good sport. It ended in a handshake, a hug, and a whole new attitude.
"He said 'man you're a cool officer, I didn't' like cops but you changed my perspective.' It made me feel good," said Officer McGhee.
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ANYONE PLANNING ON VOTING TUESDAY NOV. 5TH?
Probably not very many will. At a back of the envelope guess probably 1 out of every 23 voters will cast a ballot for the single Post 1 Council seat that is contested this year.
As of July 2019 the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration had 21,357 voters registered in Kennesaw.
Going back to the last City elections in 2017, only 1,274 people voted for those 3 Council seats and it was actually an interesting election that year. This year I know of no controversy or any interesting issues. Nothing there really, to spur people on to go vote for that one post.
I can't see any chance that 1,274 voters will turn out this election and probably Kennesaw will be lucky to get 1,000 voters to the polls, split between the 3 candidates.
Quite possibly the winning candidate will have more people vote 'against' them than for them but with no runoffs in Kennesaw that won't matter. The winner just needs one more vote than the next closest candidate.
Just FYI: The 3 candidates for Post 1 are listed below along with links to their campaign sites:
If you don't want to take time out to drive to one of the polling places to vote in person, you can vote by absentee ballot for the cost of one postage stamp. Applications for an absentee ballot can downloaded from the Internet.
All the necessary absentee voting information and links are available at: https://www.cobbelections.org/AbsenteeVoting.php
--------------------------------------------------- FROM THE ARCHIVES: With elections looming for Kennesaw Mayor and 2 Council members, it brings to mind a long term Kennesaw citizen who served in both capacities. You might recall Mayor and Councilman Leonard Church. Anyone wanting to write to him can reach him at the below address, he should be there until about Dec of 2033:
CHURCH, LEONARD LEROY, GDC ID: 1001688600
LONG STATE PRISON
1434 US HWY 84 EAST, LUDOWICI GA 31316
Each month he has deposited into his prison account about $100. Where the rest of his monthly Kennesaw pension of $501.94 goes is unknown but the City will be paying him until he dies.
Here is a recap from the MDJ: "Prosecutors said Church twice molested a 9-year-old boy after showing him pornographic images of children. The boy was injured while being molested, but prosecutors reduced the charge of aggravated child molestation — and its minimum 25-year prison term — in exchange for the guilty plea. Investigators allege they found neary 1,000 child porn images on computers in Church’s home."
All the info on this is available at: https://leonardchurch.blogspot.com/ When you get tired of reading about Leonard Church you can brush up on another Cobb County (Ga) pedophile, Joseph Dendy, at: http://josephdendy.blogspot.com/
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019
(Home Warranties are for Suckers! See my comments after you read this CBS investigation.)
Woman Dies Waiting For Home Warranty Air Conditioner Repair
Harry Samler CBS Atlanta 46 - Sep 12, 2019
ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) -- The Better Call Harry Team has received dozens of complaints about warranty companies. Many of them are from families who have air conditioning problems and have clearly suffered through a long, hot summer.
One homeowner who grabbed our attention was Martha Christopher. Christopher’s pastor reached out to tell us that her warranty company, First American Home Warranty, had sent contractors out a total of nine times without getting the air conditioner repaired. One warranty company rep told Reverend Greg Smith that he checked the temperature and it wasn’t that hot.
Another rep told him that if it was an emergency, he should call 911. The pastor did have to call 911 when Christopher was having problems breathing because of a lack of air in the house. Christopher was also dealing with a personal tragedy. Her daughter died from cancer, while they both waited for the A/C to be fixed.
The warranty company said it would replace the unit, but wanted to charge Christopher $1,683. After Better Call Harry got involved, First American Home Warranty agreed to replace the unit at its cost. Now Christopher is finally enjoying the cool temps in her home.
3 Years ago I purchased a 12 yr old home and the seller included as a perk a 1 year Home Warranty with Home Warranty of America. A totally worthless firm operating under 41 variations of their name and totally untrustworthy.
They are in the top of the CBS list of warranty firms with local complaints, they had 8.
These firms have so many exceptions to coverage that you really have little hope of getting anything fixed and 'if' you do get them to send someone out there is a service charge to you of about $75 whether they go forward with any repair or they say it isn't covered.
I looked into this particular firm and it is just a scam. I put it online in a series of blogs calling them crooks. An 'honest' firm would have sued me, they didn't and that alone should tell you they are dishonest.
Kennesaw police registering private security cameras and alarms By Rosie Manins rmanins@mdjonline.com 9-10-19
The Kennesaw Police Department is asking home and business owners within the city to improve public safety by registering their personal security cameras and alarms under a new initiative. It will mean police officers can look up which properties have working security cameras or alarms so they can target the owners of those properties for help in identifying suspects or solving crime.This will save time and ideally improve public safety in the city, Kennesaw Police Chief Bill Westenberger said.
“Kennesaw Community Watch allows our citizens and businesses free registration for camera and security alarm systems with the police department,” he said. “In keeping with our intentional efforts to create partnerships with our community, we are excited to announce a new program.”
Westenberger said it’s vital that police have the most updated information possible, particularly in respect to community outreach, and he invites all Kennesaw home and business owners to register any security alarms or cameras they have.
“Following a crime, police officers often go door to door to seek any cameras in the area that might have captured any portion of the crime or a fleeing vehicle,” he said.
“This process is time consuming and can delay the apprehension of the criminal at large. With access to accurate information, our officers are able to serve the community more effectively and efficiently.”Registration can be done online through the police department’s page on the city of Kennesaw’s website.
North Cobb Regional Library celebrates grand opening
By Thomas Hartwell thartwell@mdjonline.com Sep 5, 2019
KENNESAW — Nancy Maxwell has lived in Acworth her entire life, nearly nine decades, and some Cobb County Library System staff say she’s one of the first patrons of the Acworth Library.
Maxwell, who turns 89 in November, said she was born and raised steps away from the home where the Carrie Dyer Reading Club was established in 1898.
The reading club later became what many consider the first library in Acworth and merged with the Cobb County-Marietta Public Library System in 1963 after a new public library was built nearby, according to Cobb Landmarks.
And when a new Acworth Library opened in 1967, Maxwell said she lived across the street.
For decades, she visited the Acworth Library nearly every day, she said. In 1933 or 1934, when she would have been just a toddler, she said she’d walk over to the original library and peruse the shelves of books.
“I’d walk down to get my own books and just look at ‘em, and that’s how I learned to read,” Maxwell said, adding that as she grew, the library became a second home. “Even if I didn’t get a book, I’d just go and visit — just go in and say hey to ‘em at the desk. I knew ‘em all.”
Neely Simpson, youth services senior assistant for the Cobb County Public Library System, said other staff members introduced Maxwell to her when she started with the Acworth Library three years ago. Simpson said she and Maxwell became fast friends.
Maxwell would come in in the morning to read the paper or just pop in — sometimes multiple times in a day — to check on everyone, say hello or just share something she forgot to earlier in the day, Simpson said.
“We just had a really close relationship with her. She’s a really rich resource about the history of Acworth ... and she’s traveled around the world, so she’d tell us about her travels,” she said. “I think we all consider her a friend and not just a patron.”
Maxwell recalled fondly one Christmas that Simpson, who makes art out of the folded pages of books slated for recycling, walked a gift to her door.
“One day my doorbell rang, and I went to open the door and there was just a little Christmas bag sitting there. And there was this little snowman made out of a book with his little hat on and a little scarf,” she said. “She’s so talented.”
Maxwell sat in the front row under a tent just outside the new North Cobb Regional Library on Thursday afternoon as members of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, mayors from Kennesaw and Acworth and library officials, among others, lauded the opening of the 25,000-square-foot, $8.6 million facility across the street from North Cobb High School.
The crowd stood as the high school’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps presented the nation’s colors and a men’s quartet from the school sang the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Sixty-one more students from Awtrey Middle School in Kennesaw stood listening patiently to the music and speakers while waiting for their chance to rush inside.
“I firmly believe that libraries remain the focal point of an educated and cultured society,” said Mike Boyce, chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. “I believe (North Cobb Regional Library) will be a cornerstone for a remarkable place that our children and our grandchildren will benefit from.”
Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling echoed the chairman. The new library, he said, is a bright light in the community and for future generations.
“That’s our future, ladies and gentlemen,” Easterling said, pointing from the podium at the crowd of middle schoolers. “That’s what this library is for.”
Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood thanked the community for their approval of the 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that paid for the new library.
“This is a quality-of-life project paid for by the citizens of Cobb County by their support of SPLOST,” Allegood said. “This is what we invest in, and it is a great, great opportunity for us to celebrate this wonderful achievement, this new regional library.”
Though the county celebrated its grand opening Thursday afternoon, the North Cobb Regional Library officially opened its doors Tuesday.
The new facility replaces both the Acworth Library, which stood on Dallas Street next to Acworth City Hall; and the Kennesaw Library at 2250 Lewis St., southwest of North Main Street in Kennesaw. The two libraries, built in the mid-1960s, closed their doors for good on July 13.
The 2,900-square-foot Acworth Library and the around 5,000-square-foot Kennesaw Library just weren’t cutting it for the region’s patrons, she said.
“Acworth had no community space, no study rooms. Kennesaw had a small space for people to gather. But this is a community center,” she said, gesturing to the interior of the North Cobb library, which was buzzing with activity.
Poyer said the regional library broke records the first day it welcomed patrons. The North Cobb library had the highest material circulation of any library in the system, as well as 63 new cardholders, she said.
“For both libraries, that’s a record,” Poyer said.
The new library at 3535 Old 41 Highway in Kennesaw offers interactive play areas and dedicated child and teen rooms, she said, as well as creative space, a community room, study rooms, an outdoor plaza for children and a drive-up book drop.
The library is open Monday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to the library system website.
Maxwell sat in a chair near the children’s section after the ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday as she watched all the commotion around her with a smile. With obvious admiration, library staff had quickly moved her to the comfortable seat and out of the heat. They brought her a plate of refreshments while she rested.
North Cobb Regional Library sits a couple miles, not steps, from Maxwell’s home. And while she said she’d miss the short walk to see her friends, even at 89, she won’t stop visiting.
“I’m still driving,” she said with a grin. ------------------------------------------- MISC VOTER INFO FOR KENNESAW
As of July 2019 the Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration had 21,357 voters registered in Kennesaw.
Going back to the 2017 City elections, 1,274 people voted.
With only one contested race this years November 5th General Election it is quite possible that the turnout will be even less than in 2017 and those votes, divided among the 3 candidates, might find that more people will end up voting 'against' the winning candidate than 'for' him or her.
Since there is no run off in Kennesaw elections the winner is the candidate with the highest vote total.
The contested race is for Post 1 Kennesaw City Council. The 3 candidates are listed below along with links to their campaign sites:
If you don't want to take time out to drive to one of the polling places to vote in person, you can vote by absentee ballot for the cost of one postage stamp. Applications for an absentee ballot can downloaded from the Internet.
KENNESAW - City to spend $913,983 for truck route signs The Kennesaw City Council approved Sept. 3 the expenditure of $913,983 for construction and installation of truck route signs. These signs will be installed on North Main Street at Jiles Road, on Jiles Road at North Main Street and on Cherokee Street at Jiles Road as Phase I. Phase II will be on Cherokee Street at Ben King Road. For Phase I, Brooks Berry Haynie & Associates, Inc. was the low bidder at nearly $659,202. The same company was the low bidder for Phase II at $254,781. CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM FOR THE AJC --------------------- KENNESAW - City funds recreation center in Adams Park The Kennesaw City Council voted Sept. 3 to pay $741,840 for initial work on the city’s new recreation center in Adams Park. In 2016 Kennesaw voters approved the 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) that included funding for this new recreation center. For the project, Croy Engineering, LLC will provide architectural and engineering design services. The new recreation center will be around 39,700 square feet. Phase One will be about 21,500 square feet and Phase 2 approximately 18,200 square feet. The project will be fully designed under this proposal but will be designed to be constructed in two phases. The Scope of Services will include land surveying, civil engineering, architectural design, construction documents and construction administration. CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM FOR THE AJC
The coming 2019 election, with only one contested seat, will probably be decided by about 1,000 voters out of 21,000.
9/3/19 Walmart To Stop Selling Ammo At Kennesaw Stores, Nationwide
The nation's largest retailer is also "respectfully requesting" that customers no longer openly carry firearms in stores. By Kathleen Sturgeon, Patch Staff Updated Sep 4, 2019 The retailer made the announcement after weeks of discussing the appropriate response to the violence that occurred in El Paso on Aug. 3.
KENNESAW, GA — Doug McMillon, the CEO of Walmart, announced on Tuesday that the company would stop selling certain types of ammunition that can be used in military assault rifles. The move comes in response to the shooting in the company's El Paso store last month that killed 22 people, as well as the subsequent mass shootings that occurred in Dayton, Ohio, and in Midland and Odessa, Texas. The retailer is also "respectfully requesting" that customers no longer openly carry firearms into their stores in states where "open carry" is allowed — except if they are law enforcement officers. The retailer made the announcement after weeks of discussing the appropriate response to the violence that occurred in El Paso on Aug. 3. The company said, "We've also been listening to a lot of people inside and outside our company as we think about the role we can play in helping to make the country safer." Walmart announced the following changes in stores in Kennesaw, and across the nation: "After selling through our current inventory commitments, we will discontinue sales of short-barrel rifle ammunition such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber that, while commonly used in some hunting rifles, can also be used in large capacity clips on military-style weapons." "We will sell through and discontinue handgun ammunition." "We will discontinue handgun sales in Alaska, marking our complete exit from handguns." Here are the Walmart locations in or near Kennesaw: 2795 Chastain Meadows Pkwy, Marietta 3105 Cobb Pkwy Nw, Acworth 3826 Cobb Pkwy Nw, Acworth The Sept. 3 announcement comes in the wake of previously made decisions by Walmart to stop selling handguns, military-style rifles, to raise the age limit to purchase a firearm or ammunition to 21, to require a "green light" on a background check, and to only allow certain trained associates to sell firearms. Walmart expects the action to reduce the companies market share of ammunition from around 20 percent to approximately 6 to 9 percent. The companies concluding message was one of finding a solution for mass shootings. "In a complex situation lacking a simple solution, we are trying to take constructive steps to reduce the risk that events like these will happen again. The status quo is unacceptable."
The American Revolution officially comes to an end when representatives of the United States, Great Britain, Spain and France sign the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783.
THE NORTH COBB REGIONAL LIBRARY opened for business, Tuesday Sept 3rd 2019.
This brand new state of the art library replaces both the cramped and outdated Kennesaw and Acworth libraries which were built in the mid 1960's. Both locations closed for business on Saturday, July 13th in anticipation of the new Regional Library opening. The new library is located at 3535 Old Highway 41 in south Acworth at Blue Springs Road and is just across from the North Cobb High School. The $8.6 million library was funded by voter-approved 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds. Amenities will include creative space, a community room, study rooms, dedicated children/teen areas, an outdoor plaza for children, state-of-art technology and a drive-up book return.
The only contested race in the 2019 Kennesaw municipal election is that for Post 1 on the City Council. These off year Muni elections usually do not get many people out to vote. There are about 19,000 registered voters within the City limits and while they do turn out in decent numbers for elections for President, Senate, House, they do not pay much attention to City races. If you go back 4 years to find out how many voted you will come up with 1,913 in that 2015 election. That turnout was probably boosted a bit as Derek Easterling was opposed by controversial ex-Councilman Debbie Williams, she lost 884 to Easterling's 1,071 (there were 8 write in votes also). Going to the contested Post 1 race we find that 1,833 voted and the current incumbent Jim (Doc) Eaton got 1,029 to Steve Creason's 791 (13 write in votes). In 2019 we do not have any real interesting races. 2 incumbents were not challenged (1 mayor, 1 councilman). So the only real contest is Post 1 where 2 minority challengers go up against the incumbent Eaton.
In the run up to the 2017 Kennesaw City Council election I asked these questions and they are still relevant:
Ms. Gitau has replied and this is found below, just scroll down-
1) Should the city enact 'term limits' for all elective offices? If so how would you configure them?
2) Should City taxpayer funds continue to support the Museum and The Gardens, keeping in mind that neither has ever, nor will ever, generate any worthwhile funds by themselves? If you favor continued support, at what level?
3) Should those in elected City positions be subject to suspension (with or without pay) for any criminal acts involving 'moral turpitude' which resulted in their arrest during their term of office?
4) Should the outdated method of running for Council 'posts' be eliminated in favor of those candidates receiving the highest vote totals being elected? (i.e.: if 7 people qualify to run for 3 posts, the 3 with the highest number of votes are elected?)
5) Should inquiries be made to determine if the City would benefit financially by merging the KPD with the Cobb Police? If there were a worthwhile savings, would you favor such a merger?
6) Kennesaw has up to now considered itself to be a major player in Georgia's support of Southern independence during the War Between the States. Now there is a backlash against anything 'Confederate'. Will you support efforts to ban anything Confederate from City property such things may include, flags, historical markers/plaques, cemetery markers, re-enactors use of City property?
Here is another, not asked back then:
7) Should trash collection be taken over by the City of Kennesaw. This would require running up some cost estimates to see if $ could be saved over what is being charged by the private trash hauler.
Below, from the archives:
RESULTS FOR THE 2013 ELECTION: Post 3 L. Church 768 40% B. Jenkins 720 37% Washington 434 23% ---------------------------- Post 4 D. Williams 1,142 60% Riedemann 757 40% ---------------------------- Post 5 Sebastian 964 51% Duckett 934 49%
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8/23/19
KENNESAW 2019 Election
Two hopefuls challenge incumbent on council
For Kennesaw City Council, At Large, Post 1, three candidates have qualified for the Nov. 5 general election, including the incumbent.
Councilman James W. Eaton, a chiropractor, a professor at Life University in Marietta and a U.S. Army veteran, is opposed by Karen Gitau, a senior accountant, andAntonio Jones, a smallbusiness owner.
Unopposed are Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling and incumbent Tracey Viars for Council, At Large, Post 2.
A Kennesaw mosque that previously won a fight with the city to open and operate within a strip mall is now seeking to build its own facility on a nearby property across Cobb Parkway as soon as next year.
Masjid Suffah of Kennesaw has been operating for about four years in a strip mall on Jiles Road behind the Publix grocery store that fronts Cobb Parkway. The prayer center’s permit was granted by the City Council following an initial denial by a 4-1 vote in December of 2014. After Doug Dillard, the attorney representing mosque members, threatened to sue the council for violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, council members reversed their decision.
Now Masjid Suffah leaders are pursuing the initial steps to move to a permanent location behind the Bank of America on Pine Mountain Road near Cobb Parkway. Mohammad Jafari, the imam or leader of prayer at the mosque, said that while mosque leaders would like to have the facility built sometime next year, a more realistic construction table would likely see it opening in two or three years. Fundraising for the facility, he adds, will be the ultimate factor of when it is built.
The mosque has been the topic of several discussion threads on the social media site Nextdoor. The traffic generated by the facility is among the points of concern.
“My question is who in their infinite wisdom approved the construction of a potentially heavily attended, non-residential facility in a residential area on a single lane street that is already heavily burdened with traffic? Am I missing something?” wrote Larry Krause, a Pine Mountain Road resident.
But the city has yet to receive any building plans, and no votes have been taken regarding the proposed mosque site by the city’s planning commission or council, according to Councilman Chris Henderson, who says the mosque has so far only gotten approval for mass grading of the site and pre-engineering work.
In 2016, mosque officials said their plans called for an 8,500-square-foot space with a larger worship area, multi-purpose space for kids to play and about 200 parking spaces. The property, which was donated to the mosque by a member, was said at the time to be about 3.5 acres.
The mosque has yet to submit to the city any documents pertaining to its proposed facility.
“I would assume at some point, it will come to us for final plat approval,” Henderson said of the residentially zoned property, which under city zoning code and federal law is allowed to have religious facilities built on it and therefore does not need to be rezoned.
The mosque would still have to meet all building codes and other regulations, he added.
“So far, I’ve had one phone call, and that’s the main interaction I’ve had with the community on it. I have heard from other council members that at least one other has had at least one phone call,” Henderson said. “It’s an understandable concern — as the gentleman who talked to me said, he bought his property and it had residential behind it, so the worst he expected was a house built behind him. Now that there’s a parking lot that’s going to be built behind him, that’s a surprise and a completely understandable surprise.”
NEIGHBOR SEEKING EFFECTIVE BUFFER
Mitchell Hyre, who resides in the Village At Pine Mountain neighborhood near the proposed mosque site, shares Henderson’s concern. He says his goal is to see the formation of a committee of nearby property owners that would meet with the developer and the city to come up with buffers that would be visually pleasing to those in neighboring residents and would muffle any sound from the mosque.
“These people bought their properties with the understanding that all around it was residential, and we were told by Realtors that nobody (else) could build there, and ‘you’ll be fine,’ and it’s all wooded, and there are deer and rabbits and foxes,” Hyre said, who says his opposition is not based on religion.
“If they do their due diligence, and we don’t have to look at it, and we don’t have to hear it, that we don’t have lights shining in our bedroom window and that we don’t listen to garbage trucks at 2:30 in the morning servicing their dumpster, that’s about all we can do,” Hyre said, “and that’s all that I want.”
The city of Kennesaw, Henderson adds, has received “zero complaints“ since Masjid Suffah began operating, adding that he would vote in favor of the mosque’s plans if they met all city codes.
“It comes down to there is no difference in a mosque or a Baptist church or anybody else, and I have to protect their rights, just like I protect the rights of any other citizen in Kennesaw,” he said. “If they are following our zoning ordinances, and they are building to code, then there is absolutely no reason that I can ever see saying ‘no’ to it.”
Amid Masjid Suffah’s efforts to open in the strip mall in 2014, protesters attended numerous council meetings about the mosque, carrying signs saying “Ban Islam” and “No Mosque,” and voiced concerns about the mosque spreading Shariah law.
Jafari, the mosque’s imam, said he fears that anti-Islam sentiment could return.
“People are not aware of what or who Muslims are, and so I think that’s the main issue that we’re dealing with,” said Jafari, adding that a church operates on the same street, likely less than a mile down the road.
In the meantime, Jafari is extending an invitation for community members to visit Masjid Suffah when it is open at prayer times.
We are here to establish our connection with God, and that’s by the teachings that have been taught to us in the Quran and ultimately by the example of our prophet, Muhammad,” Jafari said. “Our responsibility as Muslims is to make sure that our neighbors are always good in terms of our relationship with them. This is just our gesture to them and our way (to say), ‘Hey, we’re open to helping you guys understand what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.’”
COBB COUNTY - Work progresses on North Cobb library
Crews continue working on construction of the North Cobb Regional Library.
This 25,000-square-foot facility will be located in Acworth at the intersection of Old Highway 41 and Blue Springs Road directly across from North Cobb High School.
The library will include creative space, a community room, study rooms, dedicated children and teen areas, an outdoor plaza for children, state-of-the-art technology and a drive-up book return.
The facility will be a consolidation of the Acworth and Kennesaw public libraries that were built in the mid-1960s.
This $8.6 million project is funded by voter-approved 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax funds.
Cobb - KENNESAW 1/26/19 - Qualifying fees set for mayor, Council members
Kennesaw qualifying fees were set Jan. 22 by the City Council at $576 for the mayor and $360 each for two City Council members for the Nov. 5 on. Fees are determined as 3 percent of the $19,200 gross salary for the mayor and $12,000 gross salary for the Council members.
The Council members are for Posts 1 and 2, which are elected at-large by all registered voters in the city.
These three terms will last four years, starting Jan. 1,2020.
Qualifying dates will be in late August.
Currently, these posts are held by Mayor Derek Easterling, Post 1 Councilman James Eaton and Post 2 Councilwoman Tracey Viars.
CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM FOR THE AJC
KENNESAWCity is among top-five safest in Georgia Kennesaw is one of the top-five safest cities in Georgia. The designation comes from the National Council for Home Safety and Security for its 2019 Safest Cities in Georgia list.
Kennesaw ranks fifth with Holly Springs first, Braselton second, Milton third and Johns Creek fourth.
Kennesaw’s crime statistics are:
■ 552 total crimes with 0.016 crime rate per 1000
■ 72 violent crimes with 2.108 violent crimes per 1000
■ 480 property crimes with 14.054 property crimes per 1000 To identify these cities, the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics are reviewed.
A total of 7,639 cities were factored into this ranking with populations ranging from 7,639 to 4,007,147.
Information: kennesaw-ga.gov/chiefs-message, alarms.org/safest-cities-in-georgia CAROLYN CUNNINGHAM FOR THE AJC
A Cherokee County grand jury has indicted a 60-year-old Kennesaw man who was jailed in March on child sex-related charges after he was arrested outside a Woodstock roller hockey rink where investigators said he expected to meet a minor.
Thomas Arthur Ward, who was arrested March 28 by officers from the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office internet crimes against children unit, was jailed on six counts of obscene contact with a child and one count of distribution of obscene materials to a minor.
Authorities said at the time of Ward’s arrest that he used an app called Whisper to interact with sheriff’s investigators, though he thought he was having online interactions of a sexual nature with a minor.
“There have been previous reports of Cherokee County juveniles being victimized on this same app,” sheriff’s office spokeswoman Marianne Kelley said when Ward was arrested. “When our investigators started using it, Ward made contact with them.”
Suspects like Ward are referred to by sheriff’s investigators as “travelers,” because they will travel a distance from their homes to meet juveniles for indecent purposes, Kelley said.
According to the grand jury indictment released on Tuesday:
When he was communicating with sheriff’s office investigators, Ward thought he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl named Amanda. The first contact occurred on March 1.
On March 9, Ward reportedly used the Kik app to describe a sexual fantasy to an officer posing as Amanda. Then, on the day he was to drive to Woodstock to meet Amanda, Ward reportedly sent her two photos of a minor girl engaged in a sex act.
OK, it isn't 'Knnesaw' but it might be of inerest a epeated thefts from this gun shop may well impact all cities in N. Georgia.
Georgia Power is on site servicing Hi Caliber Firearms and Indoor Gun Range Friday Nov. 30 following a late Tuesday Nov. 27 break in that wound up disrupting power. A front entrance door to the Hi Caliber gun store is boarded up where thieves forced entry into the building. Margaret Waage
HOLLY SPRINGS — Federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms confirm that more than 100 guns and silencers were taken Tuesday from Hi Caliber Firearms and Indoor Gun Range located at 3800 Holly Springs Parkway.
Holly Springs Police Corporal Greg Bettis said “The detectives are actively and aggressively investigating this burglary. Sometime after the close of business on Tuesday, Nov. 27 person(s) unknown forced entry through a building door and removed an unspecified amount of product.”
Holly Springs Criminal Investigation Department has partnered with the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms’ Atlanta Office to jointly investigate. Holly Springs police Chief Michael Carswell said, “Our detectives are aggressively investigating this incident. We have partnered with the BATF in the past with great success and I am confident that we’ll see similar results.”
The store is owned by former state Rep. Sean Jerguson and has had three previous burglaries in 2016.
ATF says a reward up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of anyone involved with the burglary.
Bill, a floor manager at Hi Caliber Firearms and Indoor Gun Range, who didn't want to give his last name said the robbery has not impacted regular business hours and the store is open for business.
CORRECTION: In the print edition Sean Jerguson's was misspelled. It has been updated on the online edition.
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More than 100 guns stolen in Holly Springs theft
By: Jaclyn Schultz, FOX 5 News NOV 29 2018
UPDATED: NOV 30 2018 02:04AM EST, HOLLY SPRINGS, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms confirm that more than a hundred guns were taken from a Holly Springs firearms store and gun range, in a heist that may be connected to other thefts of its kind.
Holly Springs Police said Wednesday night after the store had closed, thieves forced entry through the front door and proceeded to steal "product" from the store.
Federal agents said more than a hundred guns and several silencers were taken. Agents said the method of forced entry is similar to other recent thefts but did not specify their locations.
The Holly Springs store has been burglarized multiple times in recent years. No word if the same burglary crew could be behind this latest attempt.
The ATF said there is a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the capture of the individuals responsible for the theft.
Tipsters can contact the ATF Gun Hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (283-4867), email at ATFTips@atf.gov, or through www.atf.gov/contact/atftips.
The City is now involved in property speculation and is taking on a heavy debt load to finance the purchase in the hopes of making a killing when (if) they resell it. In the meantime other K projects such as the promised gymnastics facility are put on a back burner with no prospect of ever being resurrected.
The Kennesaw Police Department is asking home and business owners within the city to improve public safety by registering their personal security cameras and alarms under a new initiative. It will mean police officers can look up which properties have working security cameras or alarms so they can target the owners of those properties for help in identifying suspects or solving crime.
This will save time and ideally improve public safety in the city, Kennesaw Police Chief Bill Westenberger said.
“Kennesaw Community Watch allows our citizens and businesses free registration for camera and security alarm systems with the police department,” he said. “In keeping with our intentional efforts to create partnerships with our community, we are excited to announce a new program.”
Westenberger said it’s vital that police have the most updated information possible, particularly in respect to community outreach, and he invites all Kennesaw home and business owners to register any security alarms or cameras they have.
“Following a crime, police officers often go door to door to seek any cameras in the area that might have captured any portion of the crime or a fleeing vehicle,” he said.
“This process is time consuming and can delay the apprehension of the criminal at large. With access to accurate information, our officers are able to serve the community more effectively and efficiently.”Registration can be done online through the police department’s page on the city of Kennesaw’s website.
