The summer concert series at Mable House
Barnes Amphitheatre is still going strong. There
are great acts left to see. Smokey Robinson
(top), Starship (featuring Mickey Thomas) and
John Michael Montgomery (bottom) are all
scheduled to perform this summer.

Lots of great concerts left to see this summer

CobbLine Staff

Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre is bringing nationally recognized music acts throughout the summer season.

Smokey Robinson, an original member of The Miracles, delivered 37 Top 40 singles for Motown between 1960 and 1987 and will appear on July 22.

Mickey Thomas, a founding member of the band Jefferson Starship, will be performing Aug. 13 alongside Survivor, best known for the song “Eye of the Tiger.” The Survivor/Starship show begins at 8 p.m.

John Michael Montgomery is one of America’s top country artists. Montgomery has released 11 studio albums and will perform on Sept. 10.

The 2010 Jazz Grooves Atlanta Smooth Music Festival will feature some of the top names in the smooth jazz genre and there will be plenty of vendors on hand with many products to offer.

This is a two-day event beginning on Friday, Sept. 17, and running through Saturday.

For more concert times and show dates for Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre, visit ticketmaster.com or mablehouse.org.

The Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre is located at 5239 Floyd Road, Mableton.

Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com as well as any ticketmaster outlet or by calling 800-745-3000.

Additionally, tickets can be purchased at the box office of the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre. Please call 770-819-7765 for box office hours.

CobbLine Staff

Drowning claims the lives of more than 4,000 people every year. Although all age groups are represented, children 0-4 have the highest death rate due to drowning.

An estimated 5,000 children under the age of 14 are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning-related incidents each year, according to the National Safety Council. Most drowning and near-drowning happen when a child falls into a pool or is left alone in the bathtub. The National Safety Council encourages adults to establish and adhere to strict water safety rules.

Never leave a child alone near water—at the pool, the beach or in the tub—a tragedy can occur in seconds. If you must leave, take your child with you.
Always use approved personal floatation devices (life jackets.) The U.S. Coast Guard estimates nearly 90 percent of drowning victims were not wearing one.
Remove toys from in and around the pool when not in use. Toys can attract children to the pool.

Pool barriers can offer added protection against drowning. Power or manual covers will completely cover a pool and block access to the water, however, be sure to drain any standing water from the surface of the pool cover as a child can drown in very small amounts of water.

Enroll children over age three in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. But keep in mind that lessons don’t make your child “drown-proof.”

Older children risk drowning when they overestimate their swimming ability or underestimate the water depth.

Teach your children these four key swimming rules:

• Always swim with a buddy.
• Don’t dive into unknown bodies of water. Jump feet first to avoid hitting your head on a shallow bottom.
• Don’t push or jump on others.
• Be prepared for an emergency.

Always have a first-aid kit and emergency phone contacts handy. Parents should also be trained in CPR. For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/fire.

Staff Reports

This summer is a great time to take pictures in Cobb parks.

Submit your best recreation and cultural affairs photos for the 2010 'Fun in the Parks' Photo Contest.

We are looking for photos that capture your enjoyment of Cobb parks.

Your pictures can capture youth at play, sports and action, nature and wildlife or just a picnic under the shade tree.

Take your best shots and enter them for fun and awards.

For more information, visit cobbcounty.org/prca.

Staff Reports

The Cobb Library System is taking part in the sixth annual Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers Check-It-Out Reading Challenge, running June 2-Aug 15, for students in grades kindergarten through 12th. The event is designed to encourage youth to read throughout the summer months. By reading at least five books, participants can earn a free ticket to an Atlanta Hawks game and a free ticket to an Atlanta Thrashers game. Tickets are valid for 2010-2011 regular season home games.

After reading their selected books, participants can then visit checkitoutreading.com to receive their rewards. Each student completing the program can choose from among three selected Hawks and Thrashers home games to use the tickets. Additional tickets for family members of participants can be purchased at discount prices. The last day to register for the reading challenge is Aug. 15. For more information on the challenge and its regulations, visit checkitoutreading.com or a county library.

Staff Reports

The Harlem Global Legends will be hosting a basketball camp directed by former player, Elbert Tree Gordon. The Global Legends will provide fundamental lessons to help strengthen players’ game and condition his/her mind. The camp will focus on shooting, one-on-one moves, pick-and-roll, passing, ball-handling, feeding the post, footwork and more.

The camp is for children ages 7-17 and costs $130 for the week (early bird registration is $20 off). The camp will meet from 9 a.m. -2 p.m., July 26 - 30 at Fullers Recreation Center in east Cobb. You can register in person at the recreation center. For more information, call 770-509-2737.

Staff Reports

Cobb hotels, attractions, museums and restaurants, working with the Cobb County Convention and Visitors Bureau, have put together cost-saving, high-value packages for customers. The deals are designed for those spending their vacation time in Cobb County – including residents who want to experience a “staycation” as an alternative to long travel. Information about these packages, which offer reduced rates for couples and families ranging from $10 coupons to $200 hotel-restaurant specials, is available at the Web site cobbcvb.com. Many of the deals combine restaurant meals with hotel stays and local shopping discounts. The Cobb Convention and Visitors Bureau recommends those taking part in a staycation plan ahead, including making reservations and purchasing tickets in advance. The bureau can also offer suggestions about current activities and events you and your family would enjoy.

Staff Reports

Cobb County drivers can get a step ahead of road closings this summer by regularly checking the county Department of Transportation Web site at cobbcounty.org/DOT and selecting “Road Reports.”

When a road closure is scheduled, a specific detour map and time-span will be posted.

If you have any questions or concerns about the closures, call 770-528-1653.

Staff Reports

The Jennie T. Anderson Theatre will host several performing arts camp opportunities this summer, giving youth a chance to hone their stage skills.

The ETC, or Exciting, Entertaining, Educational Theatre Company, will hold its camps July 6-10, July 13-17 and July 20-24. The camp, which will be 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., is for rising grades 3-9. The cost is $80.

The PROMPT Camps will be held during the same dates as the ETC Camps. The times will be 1-3:30 p.m. at a cost of $40. The PROMPT Camp, which is for rising grades 5-9, is a musical theatre camp, not a performance opportunity.

For additional information, call 770-528-8490. Send registration forms to Jennie T. Anderson Theatre, 548 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Staff Reports

The Cobb County Library System will hold its free end-of-summer celebration 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Central Library in Marietta.

The event, which includes storytelling, games and crafts, marks the end of the annual summer reading program. The summer reading program is ongoing through the end of July.

Families can still join the program and receive a free reading register to track their reading progress and participate in the free activities taking place throughout the library system. To sign up, visit any Cobb library branch, where program packets and event schedules are available. For details visit one of the 17 Cobb County libraries or log on to cobbcounty.org/library.

Staff Reports

According to the Cobb County Code, vehicles may not be parked in the grass or unimproved surface between the roadway and the home’s front setback. In the R-30, R-20, R-15, R-12, RD, RA-4 and RA-5 zoned districts, parking allows only one vehicle, one boat and one recreational vehicle, or any combination totaling three, in the rear or side yard on a hardened surface. In the R-40, R-80 and RR zoned districts, any combination of boats and recreational vehicles exceeding three must be screened from public roadways via a buffer (approved by the Cobb County landscape architect) or fencing.

A hardened surface is either concrete, asphalt or a heavy tar and gravel mix. The use of concrete blocks, pavers, runners or other similar materials will be considered as a treated and hardened surface as long as it is installed permanently in the ground (not loosely on top). When parked, all tires of the vehicles must be on a hardened surface.

Violations of this code will result in a notice of violation issued for compliance. If the property remains in violation, a citation will be issued to appear in Magistrate Court. County code states per OCGA 36-1-20, violator may be incarcerated for a period not to exceed 60 days and/or fined $100-$1,000. More detailed information is available in the county code on the county clerk’s Web site at cobbcounty.org/clerk or by calling Code Enforcement at 770-528-2180. Additional information is also available at the Code Enforcement Web site.

Staff Reports

Housemate Match is a unique and nationally recognized home sharing program that matches adult homeowners who have extra room in their homes with adults seeking roommates in a safe place to live around the metro Atlanta area.

HMM connects two people who are looking to combine personal and financial resources. They provide rooms to rent for those who prefer to share a space rather than live alone.
The organization is both nonprofit and nonsectarian and international citizens are welcome.

Reasons to utilize the program include reducing living expenses, providing increased security for the homeowner and tenant or just camaraderie and friendship.

Homeowners are independent and provide a private bedroom and shared common areas. Tenants are single and are often college students or professionals that are employed and are able to provide proof of income.

The homes are private single-family homes, townhouses or condominiums and rents vary. Most homeowners do not require a lease and rooms come furnished or unfurnished. There is no charge for the service, although contributions are welcome.

To get started you can schedule an interview with a professional housing counselor. Interviews are scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Call 678-812-3729 or visit housematematch.org.

Staff Reports

June 1, Governor Perdue signed the Water Stewardship Act into law. The law has new provisions for landscape watering. You may water landscapes any day between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. The odd/even schedule is currently still in place for other outdoor uses such as car washing or at home pressure washing. Even numbered addresses may use water for purposes other than landscape watering on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; odd numbered addresses may use water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

For more information or clarification please review the frequently asked questions and/or the outdoor water use guide on the Web site at cobbcounty.org/water.

Irrigation systems should be fully inspected by a certified irrigation professional before they are reactivated. Inactive irrigation systems can experience multiple problems, such as cracked or missing heads, misdirected nozzles, or broken lines. Being allowed to water everyday does not mean you should.

To receive further information or to report a concern about the water ban you may call 770-419-6278.

Staff Reports

Make good use of your summer by volunteering your time to help out people in need. Cobb County has numerous ways to volunteer and every organization could use your help.

Keep Cobb Beautiful offers a chance to spend time in the sun as you volunteer. Its mission is to enhance our community through litter prevention, beautification, recycling and environmental education and the organization is made up of concerned people from all walks of life.

More than 100,000 meals are served each year at Cobb Senior Centers and through Meals on Wheels. Around 200 meals are prepared and delivered each day. The organization needs your help in its ongoing effort to distribute hot meals to homebound seniors.

The Cobb Literacy Council has raised the reading levels of more than 50,000 individuals in need; but it could still use your help. Volunteers will assist in supporting literacy training in Cobb County by expanding reading classes, offering services to those most in need and providing education for families and the workforce.

The libraries always need help from people, over the age of 16, willing to donate their time. Volunteers help with shelving and straightening and maintaining order throughout the library.

For more information about how to volunteer your time this summer, visit the Web site at cobbcounty.org/volunteer.

The Annual Report is now available online at cobbcounty.org/annual-report/.


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