Branding Project Launches Website

1. Marietta's downtown merchants who have banded together as The Branding Project have certainly been methodical in their efforts to cast a new light on Historic Downtown Marietta as a place to shop, work, play and live. The project its "Here & Now" campaign at the end of January. The group some key grants last month from the city of Marietta and the Downtown Marietta Development Authority.

This week, the project launched historicdowntownmarietta.com, a website designed to be a catalyst in encouraging neighbors in metro Atlanta to come to downtown Marietta for business and pleasure (and possibly to move for good).

2. Commissioner Bob Ott of District 2 will hold a town meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Smyrna Community Center's Banquet Hall, 200 Village Green Circle in Smyrna. The topic, not surprisingly, will be the county's 2011 budget.

3. is asking county residents to submit their votes for the qualifying heat of this year's ASPCA $100K Challenge, competing for grants totaling $300,000 from the ASPCA, including a top prize of $100,000. This is the first phase of the competition where registered shelters compete to accumulate the most online votes for their supporters.

The 50 shelters with the most votes become the official contestants for the 2011 ASPCA $100K Challenge. Online voting began Monday and will continue through April 15. To vote for Cobb County Animal Shelter, visit challenge.aspcapro.org/

4. The Cobb Extension program is holding an open house today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Extension office at 678 South Cobb Drive. The event includes programs on urban agriculture, horticulture, family and consumer services, and 4-H. For information, call 770-528-4070, or visit cobbextension.com.

5. Just too many unofficial, official holidays to choose from today: Church of Latter-day Saints Day, Army Day, National Day of Hope, New Beers Eve, Drowsy Driver Awareness Day, National Student Athlete Day, Paraprofessional Appreciation Day (and during Spring Break! Nice.), Tartan Day and Teflon Day. Good luck getting any work done if you celebrate!