For many years the Lions Club has led the city of Marietta’s Independence Day parade and distributed 10,000 American flags to spectators along the parade route before its start. Thousands of parade watchers wave flags as the floats and participants move along the downtown streets.

This year, members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2681 will join the Lions Club at the start of the parade in handing out even more flags to spectators. Veterans will lead off the parade by walking with the city’s fire truck to distribute flags to children and adults along the route.

Thousands of people waving flags throughout the parade show Marietta’s patriotism, and the city is proud of the community’s spirit as local groups, including Marietta Kiwanis, display American flags throughout the city on holidays throughout the year.

Join us in celebrating Independence Day with a day full of activities on the Marietta Square beginning with the parade at 10 a.m.

For more information, call the city’s Parks and Recreation Department at 770-794-5602.

The city of Marietta’s Fourth in the Park celebration begins July 4 at 10 a.m. and includes a parade, free live concerts, museum tours, arts and crafts show, food, carnival games and fireworks finale.

Parade

The Marietta July 4 parade includes 110 entries, 2,000 participants and an estimated 30,000 spectators.

The parade begins at 10 a.m. at Roswell St. Baptist Church and travels west on Roswell Street, north on E. Park Square past Glover Park and the Square, down Cherokee Street and ends at North Marietta Parkway.

Entries include marching units from the city of Marietta, Air National Guard Band of the South, civic organizations, beauty queens, scouts and local businesses.

Temporary traffic changes

Roswell Street and all streets it crosses will be closed for the parade from 9:15 a.m. until the parade concludes around 12:15 p.m. North, South, East and West Park Streets around the historic Marietta Square will be closed the entire day for the festival. 

Museums and shopping

The Marietta Welcome Center will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum and Marietta History Museum will be open for tours. Historic walking tours are also available. Unique shops located around the Square will have special July 4 hours. For details, call the Marietta Welcome Center at 770-429-1115. 

Crafts, food and carnival

Arts and crafts show with 80 vendors: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Food concessions: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Carnival games: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; tickets for games available at booths located throughout the park

Entertainment schedule

Stage in Glover Park
10:00 a.m. - Marietta Freedom Parade
Noon - Buck and Duke Band - country
1:30 p.m. - Float Awards Ceremony
2:00 p.m. - National Bell Ringing Ceremony
2:30 p.m. - Cobb Wind Symphony
7:00 p.m. - Buck and Duke acoustic set - country
8:00 p.m. - Carolina Rain - country

Fireworks

The fireworks display is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. and will be shot from the First United Methodist Church parking lot. KICKS 101.5 FM will broadcast patriotic music during the fireworks. Rain date for fireworks is July 5 at 9:30 p.m. 

The Fourth in the Park Festival — the city’s largest annual event — is presented by the city of Marietta and sponsored by Carl Black Buick, Pontiac, GMC; KICKS 101.5 FM; Marietta Daily Journal & Neighbor Newspapers; Cohutta Mountain Spring Water; and Security Exchange Bank.

For more information, call Marietta Parks and Recreation at 770-794-5601.

So my brother in law snapped a picture for the site the other day, it was too good not to post and ask for comments - this quote was recently up in front of the Marietta Middle School. Is it just me or does this statement seem way out of line? What are your thoughts? Does it make sense? So just because at 14 someone has incredible ability to play a sport, they are wise? Interesting quote to say the least.

Map to the Marietta Middle School…

For more than a decade, American flags have been distributed along the parade route during the city of Marietta’s July 4 celebration, and this year the city is again welcoming groups who wish to hand out Old Glory. The city encourages the distribution of flags before and during the parade when done safely.

To prevent children from possibly being injured by running into moving traffic in the street, the city long ago adopted rules preventing the distribution of literature, candy, flags, fans, etc. from or adjacent to vehicles in the street while the parade is in progress.

For many years the city has assisted civic groups in distributing up to 10,000 flags annually along the parade route prior to the parade starting and vehicles moving. Volunteers walk alongside the city’s antique fire truck before the parade and hand out flags to spectators, helping create a patriotic parade atmosphere as veterans and parade entries move along the route.

This year the city of Marietta has extended the same offer to help volunteers hand out flags before the parade along with the opportunity to distribute flags during the parade on sidewalks where the crowds gather.

Because of the parade’s popularity, the city welcomes as many flags as possible since the supply of them is often not enough to last the entire parade route.

For more information, call the city’s Parks and Recreation Department at 770-794-5602.

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(Marietta, Ga. – June 28, 2007) A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held Friday, June 29 at 2 p.m., officially re-opening Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs’ fully renovated and expanded Cobb Gymnastics Center.

The building was recently expanded to include some 7,300 square feet with additional program area, new offices, concession area, restrooms, lobby and mezzanine spectator area. Renovation of the 30-year-old building and addition of the floor area will enable the County to expand gymnastics class offerings and competitive team opportunities. The cost of the project was $1.4 million and was completed in about six months.

The Cobb Gymnastics Center is located at 542 Fairground Street, Marietta, in Larry Bell Park near the intersection of Clay Street (South 120 Loop) and Fairground Street.

The Gymnastics Center offers both instructional and competitive programs throughout the year. Programs include gymnastics classes and camps, cheer gymnastics, martial arts and dance. All levels of gymnastics instruction is offered for boys and girls ages 2 years through high school age.

Hours of operation are Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. (on days of classes only.)

Residents may contact the Cobb Gymnastics Center at (770) 528-8475.

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Released by:
David Layman
Robert Quigley
(770) 528-2480

Marietta condemns unsafe Wynhaven apartments
6/22/2007
City contacts for media

The city of Marietta continued inspections this week of Wynhaven Apartments at 560 Powder Springs Street and condemned 32 unsafe units in four buildings.

Marietta Code Enforcement manager Judy Garrett says the property is not being maintained and has been allowed to deteriorate, prompting city inspectors to shut down dozens of unsafe units in the complex.

In early June, city inspectors visited the common areas of the property and found dilapidated buildings that appeared unsafe. The complex’s owner, Berkman Wynhaven Associates, and on-site management allowed the city to inspect the interiors and exteriors of the apartments after a written request from Marietta for permission to inspect the property.

On June 21 Marietta Fire officials joined seven city of Marietta code enforcement inspectors in a survey of Wynhaven. They began by checking 40 apartments that appeared the most unsafe and condemned 32. Each was vacant, but some were unsecured and had vagrants living in them.

Inspectors found

• Gas leak in one building
• Gas lines to the stoves in three buildings were uncapped and could allow gas to leak, creating an extremely dangerous risk for adjoining occupied units
• Uncapped sewer line that could potentially expose adjacent occupied units to raw sewage
• Roofs had missing or deteriorating shingles that allowed water to leak into the top floors of apartments
• Broken windows and door locks
• Rotting bathroom sub floors
• Ceilings falling into units
• Evidence of cocaine use by vagrants in unsecured units

Garrett anticipates it will take city inspectors another week to complete inspections of the remaining occupied and unoccupied apartment units. There are 295 in the complex.

The city is compiling a list of other available apartment complexes in Marietta in the event condemnations of occupied Wynhaven units are required that displace residents.

Ongoing enforcement efforts

The most recent inspection of Wynhaven is a continuation of the city’s ongoing code enforcement efforts aimed at protecting residents, ensuring safe housing and improving the quality of life in Marietta neighborhoods.

Garrett says the number of the city’s overall Code Enforcement cases has increased 30 percent from January 2006-January 2007 as a result of three additional inspectors being added to the division. As of June 15, 2007, the caseload reached the same numbers as through August 2006.

After several months of training the new inspectors, the division conducted a survey of the city’s apartment complexes and picked the most severely unsafe for inspections, which are underway.

Officials also inspected Wynncreek at Little Street this week and found problems that needed to be corrected but required no condemnations.

The Code Enforcement Division plans to continue inspections of other apartment complexes in the city depending on the severity of violations.

Ensuring safe housing for all residents is a goal Marietta City Council adopted as part of its most recent vision statement.

For more information, call the city of Marietta’s Code Enforcement Division at 770-794-5439.

Friday, June 29th Glover Park Evening Concert Time: 8:00 PM Cost: Free
The Glover Park is the place to be this Friday. The park is the perfect setting for families and friends to enjoy a picnic and listen music under the stars! Concerts are rain or shine. Blankets and lawn chairs may be set up after 4:00 PM. The Marietta Wine Market is open until 8pm. Let us know if you want us to chill some wine or need some appetizers to take to the park

SATURDAY, June 30 th (2:00pm- 4:00pm) Open to the Public
Wine Tasting on the Square “Wines From New Zeland ” -COST: $ Charity Donation Located roughly midway between the equator and the South Pole, New Zealands vineyards are the southernmost in the world. This country is best known for its Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs, and elegant Chardonnays. This Saturday we will taste wines from Whitehaven, Babich, and Kim Crawford Wineries. Make plans to stop in and taste some award winning wines from the land thats under, the land down under.

Special thanks to the MDJ for this story!

MARIETTA - While driving around the city this week, don’t be alarmed at the sight of dozens of teenagers perched on roofs, wielding hammers and disturbing the peace.

These young people have forgone typical summer plans of video games, poolside tanning and road trips in favor of something far more rewarding.

They’ve volunteered their time and resources with World Changers, which is sponsored by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

World Changer’s mission is “to provide Christian youth and adults with opportunities to meet the physical and spiritual needs of others,” the organization’s Web site states.

“That’s what we’re doing here,” said Cassie Marie Bundy, a technical project specialist for World Changers. “We’re meeting people’s physical needs, meeting them where they are and just loving on them, serving them - if you look in the Bible, Jesus always met people’s physical needs before he would tell them who he was.”

World Changers began in Tennessee in 1990 with just 135 volunteers. Since, the organization has lived up to its name, rapidly expanding its outreach mission to 86 cities in the United States and 12 foreign countries.

Clyde Kraemer, construction coordinator for Cobb, said that more than 300 volunteers have teamed up in the county. Most hail from the Southeast, but some are from as far away as Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. This is the first time the program has orchestrated a project in Cobb.

“We’re very thrilled to have a program here in Marietta,” project coordinator Gordon Davidson said. Volunteers, who camp out at Marietta Sixth Grade Academy for the weeklong outreach program, will repair 19 houses and one church in Marietta.

Kraemer said 13 houses are being re-roofed. The rest of the homes will be repainted, have steps or handicap ramps built, and windows replaced. According to Davidson, 90 percent of those homes belong to elderly people, low-income families, or handicapped individuals.

Because the program is volunteer-based, most cash for repairs comes from government grants, Kraemer said. A Cobb Community Development Block Grant funds repairs in the county. Volunteers pay approximately $250 to participate, which covers the cost of food and lodging.

John Haeger, Missions and Ministries Development Director at Noonday Baptist Church, said 13 different churches are represented in the project. The program is not restricted to Baptists, Kraemer said, and is open to all Christian youths.

Caroline Davidson, age 16, of Winterhaven, Fla., took a short break Monday afternoon from ripping shingles off a house on Roosevelt Circle to describe the mission.

“It’s awesome. I’m in the company of some really cool people, spiritually, and they’re just really fun to be with,” she said.

When asked about doing manual labor in the muggy Georgia heat, she laughed and said, “It’s hard, but it’s fun, you know?”

She looked up at the disarrayed roof and acknowledged with a grin, “I’m definitely a rookie, but I’ve had some people teaching me, so it’s been cool.”

Brother-sister duo T.J. and Kari Martin, from Mount Airy, N.C., agreed. “We’re definitely getting there,” 17-year-old T.J. Martin said of his group’s progress on re-roofing another house on Roosevelt Circle. “Really, everyone we’re working with is great. And God is good.”

“You can do anything he wants you to,” added Kari Martin, 15, pointing to the roof where the rest of her crew was hard at work. “All your problems are gone when you’re up there.”

Ruby Grogan, the owner of one of the homes receiving a new roof, enjoyed watching volunteers work on Monday, even venturing outside to join them in the heat.

Ms. Grogan, 80, has lived in Marietta all her life.

A widow whose children have grown up and moved away, she had resigned herself to the dangerous leaks in her house; a new roof was out of the question.

“I really appreciate all they’re doing, because I don’t have the money to get this done,” she said.

Ms. Grogan said there was so much water in her house’s structure, she was afraid to even use her fan in the summertime for fear of an electrical short.

Help arrived unexpectedly one day as if sent from above.

“I was just sitting here one day and this man and this lady came up and said ‘We want to help you,’” Ms. Grogan said. “I really, really appreciate it.”

Drought conditions lead to community-wide fire hazard warning

(Marietta, Ga. – June 22, 2007) Fire officials from across Cobb County have joined together to urge residents to reduce the risk of fires as they celebrate Independence Day during drought conditions.

Cobb and its six cities are under level two drought restrictions as determined by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The lack of rainfall and generally dry conditions have left much of the area prone to fires. Officials from Cobb, Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs and Austell have been closely monitoring these dangerous conditions and are concerned fireworks may lead to brush and structure fires.

Residents are reminded many of the novelty fireworks sold in Georgia are a fire hazard and can lead to brush or structure fires when not used properly. A single spark into dry pine straw, grass or undergrowth can quickly become an uncontrolled fire leading to property damage and/or injury.

Officials have worked together to promote safety at commercial firework displays across the county including those scheduled for Acworth, Kennesaw and Marietta. Residents are encouraged to participate in these free public displays instead of placing themselves and neighbors at risk by using fireworks in their own neighborhoods.

Police will be on patrol looking for illegal fireworks being used across the county. Illegal fireworks are those that are not considered novelty items under Georgia law and are most frequently purchased outside of the state. The illegal use of fireworks could result in criminal charges.

Firework Facts:

On Independence Day in a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires. (source NFPA.org)
Nationwide in 2004, fireworks started an estimated 1,600 structure fires and 600 vehicle fires which were reported to local fire departments. These fires resulted in 20 civilian injuries and $21 million in direct property damage. There were no reported civilian deaths. (source NFPA.org)
School-age children are at the highest risk of fireworks injuries. In 2005, nearly half of the people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15.
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Next Zone 3 Meeting Monday, June 18, 7pm
Location: Marietta Middle School, Commander David Lee.

Next Ward 2 and Ward 3/Zone 5 Town Hall Meeting Tuesday, July 17, 7pm
Location: Marietta City Hall Council Chambers.

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting Thursday, June 21, 7pm
Location: Marietta City Hall - 4th floor conference room.

Water Quality Workshop Thursday, June 26, 5:30-6:30pm
Location: Marietta City Hall Council Chambers. No cost. No pre-registration required.

Concert on the Square Friday, June 29, 8pm
Location: Marietta Square.