Scarecrows took over the Marietta Square in October as individuals, groups, businesses, schools and clubs created scarecrows for display in Glover Park. As part of the city’s Halloween Happenings, Marietta Parks and Recreation awarded prizes for the best scarecrows, listed below with links to their pictures.

Overall
First Place: Gallet & Assoc of Georgia, Inc
Second Place: The Sole Sisters
Third Place: Delmar Gardens of Smyrna

Non-profit
First Place: Marietta Gone with the Wind Museum
Second Place: Marietta Jaycees
Third Place: Keep Marietta Beautiful

Business
First Place: Bank of North Georgia
Second Place: Hair Art
Third Place: Something New

School Division
First Place: Marietta Charter School
Second Place: Sawyer Road elementary
Third Place: Marietta Middle School

Most Creative Use of Materials:  Marietta Board of Lights and Water
Spirit Award:  US Navy

Special thanks to the AJC for the article on our beloved Theatre in the Square…

in the park on the Marietta Square.

The public is invited to enjoy birthday cake, drawings for theater tickets and music by the cast of “Smoke on the Mountain.” The annual summer musical and “The 1940s Radio Hour” have been big money-makers for the theater.

This season’s first play is also drawing big crowds, said marketing director M.J Conboy.

“Turned Funny,” based on the memoirs of Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Celestine Sibley, is selling out some nights, she said. Last week, 96 percent of the seats were full.

“That’s unheard of. It’s a wonderful thing for us,” she said. “We’ve had to add two phone lines to handle the calls.”

Palmer Wells, producing director, and the late Michael Horne opened the theater with 85 seats in a freight storage room behind the former Marietta train depot. It was a low-budget venture the first three years, Wells said.

Patrons often brought cushions to pad straight-back chairs. And Wells and Horne, who worked for IBM, took turns during lunch checking the theater’s answering machine.

“There was a buzz on opening night and

we knew that this was going to work,” said Wells, 69. “For all of the ups and downs through the years, this has been amazingly satisfying.”

The theater, now at 11 Whitlock Ave., seats 225 for main stage performances and 123 at the Alley Stage at the back of the building. The theater had 3,700 season subscribers last year and a budget of more than $1.7 million.

“I can’t imagine not doing this,” said Wells. “I wouldn’t look back for a minute. I am always looking ahead.”

Information: 770-422-8369 or www.theatreinthesquare.com.

Just got this from Holly (Holly Walquist) - thought you all might want to check it out - - -

Holly’s Office Hours at City Hall: I currently hold office hours every Tuesday from 2pm-7pm if you would like to make an appointment to stop by and talk about issues that you have on your mind. You can also just stop by, but if I already have appointments you might have to wait. Please email me ahead of time or call me (my number is listed at the end of this email).

Louise Burford Henry Park Renovations: The next public meeting about the park is August 22nd at 7pm in the City Council Chamber. Some of the changes you will see are: The dog park has been eliminated, the basketball courts have increased to two half courts and the number of parking spaces have decreased. See the below E-news for more information.
We are trying to strike a balance between the community’s desire for a passive park and the need for recreational facilities.

Hundreds turned out for a party on the historic downtown Square to
celebrate Marietta being named of the 10 best cities in America. U.S.
Congressman Phil Gingrey congratulated the community, and Governor
Perdue sent a proclamation recognizing Marietta’s achievement as a 2006
All-America City.

The award is the oldest and most respected community
recognition program in the country. Nearly 600 communities began the
application process, and Marietta beat other national finalists for the
award, which recognizes exemplary grassroots community problem-solving.

The Marietta Master Chorale, conducted by Jerid Morisco, started the party by singing Georgia on Mind and America the Beautiful. Volunteers served free hot dogs, cake and drinks, and children enjoyed balloon animals and face painting.

Sharon Metz, a member of the National Civic League board and juror for the national competition, congratulated Marietta on behalf of the organization that crowned the winners. She explained the importance of the award to the community and why judges chose Marietta as one of the country’s best cities.

Marietta City Manager Bill Bruton and Mayor Bill Dunaway presented each member of the team who competed in California a plaque. Members of city council also thanked the community organizations that were a part of Marietta’s application for the award.

The Mustangs played a free outdoor concert, and the crowd wrapped up the evening by doing the chicken dance and electric slide.

The All-America City award is like the “Academy Award®” for cities and means the work the community is doing is among the best in the country. Since 1949, the All-America City award has recognized civic excellence, honoring communities of all sizes where citizens, government, businesses and volunteer organizations work together to address critical local issues.   

Being selected a winner substantiates Marietta is a model for the nation with extensive planning efforts and approaches to facing difficult challenges in innovative and collaborative ways. Winners in previous years have been honored at the White House.

Marietta applied for the award and was selected a finalist. Then a delegation of community members presented the city’s programs and successes to a jury of national civic affairs experts during a three-day competition against other finalists in Anaheim, California.

Marietta presented several community projects to the judges. The first was Marietta’s efforts to reduce crime and stabilize deteriorating neighborhoods by creating M-STAR. The citywide program combines community policing and computer analysis of crime trends with accountability of city staff and public involvement. M-STAR has resulted in many successes, the most notable being a 22 percent reduction of crime.

The Marietta Revitalization Program was the second initiative submitted to judges. Its goal is to save the city from decline and create a stronger sense of community by balancing the city’s housing stock, stabilizing school enrollments, creating affordable workforce housing and revitalizing neighborhoods. The city has made substantial progress toward increasing the percentage of homeowners while reducing substandard rental units. Over $335 million has been invested in Marietta’s redevelopment.

Judges required a program to benefit children, and the city highlighted Marietta Reads. The citywide effort to foster reading and literacy has increased student test scores and book circulation, while students read one billion words.

Dozens of community organizations and programs were cited in the city’s award application, and many were part of the delegation that competed before the jury. Everyone in Marietta should be proud, because winning the award is the result of the entire community working together every day.

Allgood Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force
Atlanta Regional Commission
Aviation Museum
Boys and Girls Club
Brown Park Cemetery Restoration Project
Center for Family Resources
Chattahoochee Technical College
Citizens Government Academy
Citizens Police Academy
Civil Service Commission
Clean City Commission
Cobb Chamber of Commerce
Cobb County
Cobb County Comprehensive Traffic Plan Task Force
Cobb Housing, Inc.
Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society
Cobb Municipal Association
Cobb/Paulding Regional Transportation Task Force
Communities in Schools of Marietta/Cobb County
Community Leadership Development Program
Downtown Marietta Development Authority
Faith based organizations, including local mosque
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Franklin Road Community Association
Franklin Road Task Force
Georgia Ballet
Georgia Department of Education
Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Municipal Association
Homeowners’ associations
IMPACT
Keep Marietta Beautiful
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield
Kennesaw State University
Kiwanis Club of Marietta
Latin American Association
Leadership Cobb
Loop Group neighborhood association
Marietta Business Association
Marietta City Schools
Marietta Civitan Club
Marietta Housing Authority
Marietta Initiative for Neighborhood Transformation
Marietta Mayor and City Council
Marietta Metro Rotary Club
Marietta Museum of History
Marietta Parks and Recreation Department
Marietta Planning Commission
Marietta Reads!
Marietta Redevelopment Corporation
Marietta Schools Foundation
Marietta Tree Keepers
Marietta Weed and Seed committee
Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art
M-Star community policing program
MUST Ministries
NAACP
Powder Springs Road Master Plan participants
Root House
Rotary Club of Marietta
Southern Polytechnic State University
Strand Theatre
Theatre in the Square
WellStar Health System

###

According to this latest MDJ article, the city is taking on Historic homes in a major way! Any thoughts?

MARIETTA - Owners of historic homes in downtown Marietta want more protection for their properties, but not too much.

Ward 4 City Councilman Van Pearlberg will hold a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 8 at City Hall to discuss a new historic preservation ordinance with city residents.

“My objective is to inform and educate the community,” he said.

That community includes more than 150 historic homes adjacent to Marietta Square built between 1900 and 1950, with some older homes in Whitlock Heights possibly included.

Pearlberg said a panel of historic preservation authorities would be on hand to talk with residents about different ordinances, including Cobb Landmarks President Daryl Barksdale.

Pearlberg said he wants to see the state-level ordinance in place because under that, communities are eligible for state preservation grants.

He added that all the ordinance proposals should be looked at before a decision is made.

“I don’t think we should put money before property rights,” he said.

The councilman said some residents are worried about the state-level ordinance.

“People are concerned they’re giving up property rights,” he said. “I don’t think they are.”

The city’s historic preservation ordinance requires 60 percent of a community vote to become a historic district.

If 60 percent approve, the area becomes a historic district. Otherwise, no protection is given.

Mayor Bill Dunaway said under this city ordinance, single homeowners and landlords could opt out.

“The state-certified ordinance cannot have opt-out clauses,” he said.

Dunaway added he preferred the state-level ordinance for the city because it would set a standard for all properties, whereas the city’s ordinance establishes different rules for different districts.

“It’s not one size fits all,” he said.

Pearlberg said historic preservation ordinances have been proven to increase property values and bring more tourists to a community.

He said without them, a “checkerboard effect” could take root, where a historic district leapfrogs around homes that have opted out of being historically designated.

“You could have random districts,” he said. “We’re relying on property owners to keep the historic integrity of the home intact, but there’s nothing to require it.”

Some homeowners believe the state-level ordinance would be too strict, requiring residents to get approval from the city for even minor repairs to their historic homes.

Church Street resident and retired businessman Steve Imler, 55, said he wants a compromise ordinance that would preserve homes, but protect property rights.

Imler called his version a “renovation ordinance” that would allow a homeowner to make repairs to their home without interference, but require approval on major renovations and additions.

“In most places where these things are successful, the community supports them,” he said. “I want to preserve the community’s involvement in how this turns out.”

Imler said the right balance could be found between property rights and historic preservation.

He said he would attend the meeting to present the renovation ordinance.

“There’s more than just one blanket ordinance,” he said.

Dunaway said the City Council delayed approving the state-level ordinance in April to do more research.

He said the council has not decided to advertise an ordinance change yet, which must happen before the council can vote on the issue.

Pearlberg already has scheduled a second town hall meeting for Aug. 30.

Morning everyone! We had reported this story a few weeks back, but since the main star of it wrote us directly with all the details, we wanted to share it with the rest of you all (with his permission of course) !

Enjoy!

A 4th of July to Remember
9:00am- 2.5 weeks before our baby’s due date, my wife Erin and I went to Marietta, GA to see the 4th of July parade .
12:00pm – After watching floats and marching bands, we drove up to Lake Allatoona to enjoy picnicking and swimming. At the Lake, she told me that she had very small contractions but that there was no pain.
3:05pm – We arrived at the ESPN Zone in Buckhead to watch the world cup semifinal between Germany and Italy. Many of our friends were there to join us. At the Bar, she had more contractions; I even timed them. They were a little stronger but still did not hurt.
5:15pm – We went home and Erin rested for about an hour. At this time, her contractions were inconsistent in frequency and duration.
7:30 pm - Deciding to go to Marietta Square, we listened to “Little Big Town” (one of Erin’s Favorite bands) which played prior to the fire works.
The story really begins here:
Towards the end of the concert, Erin’s contractions were yet a little stronger, but it was still 2.5 weeks early so we did not worry too much. As the fireworks were nearing completion, Erin and I headed out to get a jump start home when she met one of the singers. I took a picture of them. As she told me she was now experiencing a little pain, we quickly walked to our car. By the time we reached our car, all the other 10,000 people reached their cars too, and there it was: THE WORLDS WORST TRAFFIC JAM AND LEVAN’S WORST NIGHTMARE COME TRUE. (And for nine months, I had been planning for 285 traffic. HAHA!) We sat in out car in the parking lot for 30 minutes and moved at the most a few yards. Erin’s pain increased; she began to cry. My panic increased also. I finally maneuvered the car out of the parking lot but traffic was worse on the little street (we were about 30-35 minutes from Northside). I jumped out of the car and asked other drivers to let me through because we were having a baby. This effort took us no more than 100 feet. Panic took a hold of me; I was sweating like a big dog in the humid weather. I called 911, and they said it would be very hard to find me in such bad traffic. I called back 5 minutes later, turned my flashers on, jumped out of the car, and ran like a crazy man looking for a cop. I finally found a cop; he came to the car and called some paramedics and the ambulance. Erin was sitting down. I thought she for sure was going to have our kid there. Finally, the ambulance made it through the traffic. They loaded Erin onto a stretcher and into the vehicle. I quickly backed the car up over the sidewalk to the parking lot, grabbed the camera (I am a smart man even though I was in panic), and sat in the passenger seat of the ambulance. In 25-30 minutes we arrived at Northside (11:15pm). Erin was already 7 cm dilated (craziness). In a short 30 minutes, she was fully dilated. And in 1 hour after being at the hospital, baby DANTE KAKHADZE was born. No epidural, no drugs, but O’boy was she in PAIN. (Note to future Dads in the labor room: don’t talk and do what she asks you to doJ). The whole experience was amazing; DANTE came out very healthy 16 minutes after midnight (so his birthday is July 5th) 7 lbs. 9 oz and 20.5 in. It was a blessing that labor in the hospital only took 1 hour, but I probably lost 2 years of my life before we got there thinking that I would have to deliver the baby in the car.
So nightmares can come true; however, we had many blessing that day: we had a full day of fun, Erin saw her favorite band, and Italy beat Germany and advanced to the world cup finals. Labor only took 1 hour and much more.
Lesson learned: if (when) we have a second child, you can find us camping out in the hospital parking lot for the last 4 weeks of pregnancy.J
Advice to fellow Atlantans: Never underestimate the traffic in our city, and when planning to reach your destination in a hurry, expect the unexpected, which, quite predictably, happens very often in Atlanta.
-Levan

In a recent article in the AJC, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is brought into the spotlight. Here are some exerpts from the article:

For years, cross country teams across metro Atlanta have had free run of the popular trails at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. There, runners could get in their miles in sylvan surroundings.

But the days of unrestricted access for high school and college athletes may be coming to an end. Too many running teams, and the vehicles that bring them to Kennesaw, have strained the capacity of trails and parking lots, a top official said. The crush is particularly bad after work on weekdays and on weekends.

“We are simply at a point where the volume of usage at the park with organized athletic groups is in conflict with other park users,” said park superintendent Dan Brown. “I have gotten complaints from park visitors.”

They have complained, he said, that the teams essentially use what is a memorial site as a staging area to take off sweats, warm up and discard water bottles.

Large running squads can cause some individual visitors to “feel forced off the trail,” he said, as they sweep by in fast-moving packs.

Park officials plan to meet with area coaches today in an effort to find a solution. One prospect, Brown said, is to schedule days and times when each team is permitted to run. Some time blocks would be prohibited.

“We’re certainly going to ask for their input,” Brown said, “but there are some things we’ll definitely have to take a position on.”

What is your opinion about the situation? Have you found the athletic teams to be a problem or do you think they have every right to continue using the area for practices? SHARE YOUR OPINION!

Thanks to the AJC for this story!

If you’ve ever bought a piece of clothing from Vintage by Judith on the Marietta Square and received a dirty look from the store’s namesake, don’t take it personally.

Just understand — Judith Nudi runs her store more as museum than mercantile — she is reluctant to part with much of her collection.

Even now, as she tries to create some space for a new locale — three doors, and one level, up Roswell Street — Nudi cringes each time the cash register rings.

“Every day I’m taking things out,” said Nudi, who’s owned the vintage clothing and costume rental store for 15 years. A rent increase is prompting the move, which she expects to complete by Aug. 1. “I hate selling my stuff.”

And when she does, she’s picky about who buys it. She said she prefers selling to people “who are worthy of having that particular piece of clothing. They’ve got to love it as much as I do.”

That’s a tall order. While she’s experienced success as a retailer, Nudi is, by her own admission, more astute harvester than savvy businesswoman.

“Look at this 1940s Girl Scout uniform,” she said as she perused a rack of vintage garb. “I can’t stand to part with it.”

Nudi estimates she has 30,000 articles of clothing — ranging from Old South ball gowns to zoot suits — scattered between her current location and her new digs. Transporting that collection has made these past few months “the hardest in my life.”

“It’s been dragged out because I’ve had to go through every single piece,” Nudi said.

The items she felt she could part with are marked down, though don’t expect a hard sell from Nudi or her assistant.

“Between the two of us, we spend most of our time just admiring the clothes,” said retired social worker Susan Hopkins, who works part-time at Vintage by Judith. “It’s a roomful of history. You can develop a whole story line for these clothes.”

Nudi’s love of “old things” goes back to her childhood in Pittsburgh. While some kids blanch at the idea of accompanying their mother to an estate sale, Nudi was always a (vintage) clothes hound.

“I appreciate the quality of the fabrics, the craftsmanship … just everything about them,” she said. “I like to find something old and musty that might be worthless to someone else but is priceless to me.”

Nudi plans to emphasize the rental part of her business at the new store, relieving her of at least some of the sorrow that comes when she must part with one of her “children” (pack-rat speak for merchandise).

“I prefer to add [clothes] than subtract,” Nudi said.

Which leads one to wonder: Does she ever worry about running out of space?

“I’ve got a 3,000-square-foot basement at home that’s still got a little bit of room left,” she said.

Thanks to the AJC for letting us know about this story! What are your thoughts and opinions on this story? Thanks for sharing!

Funds pour in to replace vehicle

By CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A fixture of Marietta’s historic square was missing this past weekend, but a group of merchants, customers and well-wishers from across the Southeast is plotting his return.

Carriage driver Clint Small is recovering from injuries suffered 10 days ago when a van rear-ended his buggy. The driver of the vehicle — Noel Basquez, who turns 24 today — remains at large, said Nancy Bodiford, a spokeswoman for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Department. Basquez faces felony hit-and-run charges.

Carriage driver Clint Small (left), who was injured in a hit-and-run accident, and friend Neville Brewer ride around Marietta in this 10-year-old photo.

Meanwhile, Small is confined to his home, temporarily stripped of his livelihood. Yet he still smiles.

“Something like this makes you realize there are a lot of good people out there,” said Small, who sustained a lacerated liver and lacerated biceps muscle.

A newlywed Oklahoma couple and Small’ assistant suffered minor injuries. The horses were spooked, but otherwise fine, Marietta police said after the accident.

Small has escorted couples, children and tourists for 16 years in a custom-made carriage that cost $12,000. Since the wreck destroyed his carriage, he finds himself dependent on the kindness of friends and strangers. So far they have delivered.

“I really missed them on Saturday,” said friend and merchant Gerald Alvarez, who owns Jeweler on the Square. He has collected $1,500 toward the purchase of a carriage and hopes to raise $6,000.

Callers from Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida have offered to help. And a longtime friend and fellow horse enthusiast is filling in while Small recuperates.

“As long as he needs me, I’ll be there,” said Lynn Freeman, an electrical contractor, who owns a carriage similar to Small’. He said Small interested him in what has become a consuming hobby. Now Freeman is returning the favor, salvaging what might have been a devastating financial blow to Small.

“He’s a unique part of the charm of the historic square,” said Johnny Fulmer, president of the Marietta Business Association. “It’s no surprise to see people really reaching out.”

Meanwhile, Small is planning his comeback. He and his wife, Barbara, have put a down payment on a carriage built by Amish artisans in Berne, Ind. Small said he hopes to be back on the square in August. “We want to order another carriage just like the one we had,” he said. “That’s been the hardest thing about this, not being able to be with my animals.”

In recent years, the working class home buyers in Marietta have been challenged with finding an affordable place to live in the city. Areas such as the lower income housing Johnny Walker homes have been demolished, amongst others, in hopes of a new grand plan for the city. According to the MDJ,

The Marietta Housing Authority is considering becoming a developer in its own right and might forego working with familiar big-name companies as it makes plans for the redevelopment of the Lyman Homes public housing project near Cherokee and Montgomery streets, MHA Executive Director Ray Buday said last week.

This is going to be an interesting move for the city. Only time will tell. What do you think? Should the city be getting their hands into a new redevelopment effort instead of letting a company take charge and develop the site?