The non-partisan fundraiser for the Cobb County Youth Museum was started 21 years ago by then-Sheriff Bill Hutson and has evolved into a "can't miss" stop for Georgia politicos and candidates of all stripes. Tickets are $20 per person for a menu of corn, beans, tomatoes and cornbread, with DJ Moby as emcee.
With no incumbent in this year's gubernatorial race, and with multiple candidates vying for nomination to be the next governor, expect to see an onslaught of hopefuls and supporters for that and lesser offices at the Corn Boilin'.
BTW, for tickets to the Corn Boilin', call (770) 429-8287.
SPEAKING OF POLITICS, who's supporting whom for governor in Cobb? First, let's look at the Republicans. Next week, we'll look at who's behind which Democratic candidates.
Among those supporting former state Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah are: Public Service Commissioner Stan Wise Jr., state Senate majority leader Chip Rogers, state Sen. John Wiles, Reps. Earl Ehrhart, Don Parsons and Ed Setzler, Marietta Mayor Thunder Tumlin, political consultant Shawn Davis, Smyrna Councilwoman Theresa Anulewicz, lawyer Steven Ellis and lawyer Gerald Pouncey.
Co-chairing former Congressman Nathan Deal's campaign in Cobb are John Sours (former chairman of Common Cause Georgia and former chair of Georgia Veterans for McCain-Palin, who also is state chair of the Veterans for Deal) and Tricia Pridemore. Other Deal supporters include U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey of Marietta, former Cobb Commission Chairman Earl Smith, District Attorney Pat Head, clerk of superior court Jay Stephenson, former state DOT board member Johnny Gresham, former state Rep. Tom Wilder, retired assistant D.A. Rose Wing, Inger Eberhart of the Dustin Inman Society, retired Marine Col. Mike Boyce and Tonya Boga, who is state chair of Women for Deal.
In former Fulton County Commission Chairwoman Karen Handel's corner are former Cobb Commission Chairman Bill Byrne, who is chairing her Cobb campaign after having started out on Oxendine's advisory committee, as well as Cobb Commissioner Helen Goreham, Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews, attorney Lance Cooper and Frank Wigington, past president of the Canton Road Business Association. U.S. Rep. Tom Price of Roswell also is supporting Handel after having initially supported Deal.
Michael Opitz of the Madison Forum is co-chair of Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine's Cobb campaign, along with Realtors Chris Waldman and Donna Rowe.
ANOTHER MASS CANDIDATE EVENT will take place from 7-9 p.m. June 16 at the Parc at Piedmont on Hood Road in east Cobb. It's a meet-and-greet forum, but with no candidate speeches, and among those committed to attend are Cobb Superior Court Judges Jim Bodiford, Tain Kell and Stephen Schuster, state Attorney General candidate Sam Olens, statehouse candidates Lynda Coker, Ruth Levy and Don Parsons, school board candidates Scott Sweeney, Ricky Welkis and Bill Borden and Cobb Commission chairman candidate Larry Savage. Sponsors are Don "the Godfather" Jenacova, Oliver Halle and the Parc at Piedmont. For more info, call (770) 992-7195 or (770) 321-2778.
EARLY VOTING for the general, primary and special elections began Friday and runs through July 16 at the Elections Office in the West Park Government Center, 736 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. No reason is required and registered voters may vote in person 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays.
Any voter may also apply for a vote-by-mail ballot and no reason is required. Applications are available at cobbelections.org.
STATE AND LOCAL POLITICAL BRASS were out in force for Thursday’s “sneak peek” at the GE Energy’s new Smart Grid Technology Center of Excellence on Powers Ferry Road.
The Smart Grid headquarters will mean 400 high-paying jobs for the local economy — quite a plum in times like these. And, as several courthouse watchers noted, Cobb landed it “the old-fashioned way,” with its economic development arm still under the auspices of the county government — not under those of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce. As the MDJ has reported in recent days, the Chamber has been quietly working, at the behest of then-Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens, current commission chair candidate Tim Lee, Chamber Chairman Rob Garcia and past Chair David Connell, to move the county’s Economic Development Department and its budget out from under the auspices of county government and into the willing arms of the Chamber.
Advocates for the move have suggested it would allow the county to “speak with one voice” and react more quickly when business and industry from elsewhere considers locating here. But Cobb seems to be doing just fine with the setup as is.
Meanwhile, GE Vice Chair John Rice was effusive in his thanks for elected officials at the Thursday event. Among those he called out for special praise were U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (who was unable to attend), Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and state Sen. Wiles. He noted that all are up for re-election, and then went on to virtually endorse them.
“It is important to know how big of a friend Isakson has been to us, along with John Wiles and Casey Cagle,” Rice told the audience. “Think about the votes you cast this year and think of these people when you do.”
THIS AND THAT: Cassandra Buckalew and Carey Merritt have been named to co-chair the 2010 Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour. Buckalew is co-owner of the Historic Marietta Trolley Company and Merritt is immediate past president of the Cobb-Marietta Junior League. The tour will take place Dec. 4-5 and feature historic homes in the Northwest Marietta-Kennesaw Avenue Historic District. …
AT co-editor and author Joe Kirby will speak at Sunday’s 2 p.m. meeting of the Cobb Democratic Women at Brawner Hall in Smyrna and at Wednesday’s noon meeting of the North Cobb Civitan Club at the Pinetree Country Club about his latest book, “Marietta Revisited.”
ONE OF THE SOUTH’S LONGEST — and most venerable — yard sales takes place this weekend along the 90 miles between Marietta and Ringgold along Old U.S. 41, the former route of the historic Dixie Highway. That road was the main traffic artery between Chicago and Florida in the era before the interstates and divided highways. The yard sales began with the road’s opening in the 1920s, petered out in the 1970s but lately have been revived, reports Abbie Parks of Cobb Landmarks. For more, go to www.dixiehighway.org.
HISTORY BUFFS are invited to the unveiling of the Cobb County historic marker for the Georgia Military Institute, Georgia’s first military school, (1851-1864) at 10 a.m. June 12 at the Marietta Conference Center in the northeast corner of the parking lot near Brumby Hall. It was erected by the Cobb County Commission at the suggestion of the Marietta Town Committee of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in Georgia. The GMI was burned by Sherman in 1864 and later became the original site of the Marietta Country Club.
SICK BAY: Charlie Hood, who compiled an enviable record as Marietta High School’s basketball coach for 37 years, was hospitalized at Kennestone Hospital last week with a severe sinus infection and pneumonia. He is at home recuperating and will be well enough to travel to Dalton tonight to pick up another Hall of Fame award — the Georgia High School HoF. Hood, who retired after the 2008-09 season, was inducted into the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in December of last year.
Hood’s legacy at Marietta is revered statewide. In 37 years, he compiled a 715-284 record, averaging 19 wins per season. His Blue Devils reached the playoffs 21 times and won two state championships.
Friends say the worst part of the trip to the hospital this week is that it interrupted his favorite part of retirement — playing golf. …
World War II vet/retired Cobb educator E.W. Chastain is recuperating at home with new wife Carolyn after gall bladder surgery. He’s expected back at next week’s meeting of the Marietta Kiwanis Club to keep his record of 47 years of perfect attendance intact. …
Jimmie Smith, mother of Marietta gas station owner Riley Smith, came home from the hospital on Tuesday (her birthday) after suffering a small stroke. Her son’s business is often described as one of the last true “service stations” in town.
AND OUR THOUGHTS go out to AT colleague Bill Kinney, whose wife, Alberta, last week became a new resident of Greenwood Gardens senior living community on Whitlock Avenue. Mrs. Kinney, a retired school teacher, is one of too many struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. — Otis Brumby and Joe Kirby
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