3 Marietta Students Among Winners of State Creative Writing Competition

Three Marietta City Schools students are among the state winners of the 2013 Fair Bear Creative Writing Competition.

Three Marietta City Schools (MCS) students are among the state winners of the 2013 Fair Bear Creative Writing Competition. The fourth grade school system winner was James McPherson representing Hickory Hills Elementary (teacher Allison Elder); Valencia Ajeh from Lockheed Elementary (teacher Tanya Bradley) took fifth grade honors; and Ani Henderson from Marietta Sixth Grade Academy (teacher Nina Small) claimed the sixth grade win. The Fair Bear Creative Writing Competition is a themed contest open to fourth, fifth, and sixth graders throughout Georgia. Students write stories to compete for the best in each grade level at their school and winners progress to compete for best in the school system. The system winners move on the Georgia …

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Is NCAA Rule Banning Hashtags Too Strict?

College football programs are not allowed to place website addresses or social media messages on the field due to rules that were recently amended by the NCAA. Tell us what you think of the athletic association’s decision.

#GoDawgs or #GoJackets? Whichever your preference, you won’t see either on an NCAA football field this fall. The NCAA’s recent “Bulletin on Field Markings, Uniforms, etc.” expressly prohibits “social media designations such as URL’s and hashtags” (Hashtags are words or phrases that are preceded by the # symbol that can be used online to group messages together or to rally support for a common cause, such as for a favorite team.). The rule means that while you may see your fellow fans using Twitter and other social media platforms while at the game, you won’t see “#SicemDawgs” between the hedges at Sanford Stadium or “#GaTech” on Historic Grant Field in Bobby Dodd Stadium. Speaking of UGA, another Southeastern Conference school, Mississippi…

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Jobless Rate Rises to 8.7% in Marietta

The Cobb County city's revised jobless rate for January was 8.4 percent.

Marietta's unemployment rate of 8.7 percent was slightly higher than the Metro Atlanta rate for February, but the jobless rate might prove to have been lower when figures are revised. The Georgia Department of Labor originally reported Marietta's unemployment rate at 8.7 percent for January, but revisions released today show it was actually 8.4 percent. That's three-tenths of a percent better than what was first reported. Out of the 31,990 members of the city's labor force, 2,784 of them were counted as unemployed. Marietta's unemployment rate a year ago was considerably worse, being recorded at 9.8 percent. Overall Cobb County's February unemployment rate was better than Marietta's, with 7.4 percent of the labor force considered jobless. …

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Tax Incentive Zone Expanded for Businesses Choosing Marietta

The state of Georgia has expanded one of Marietta's opportunity zones to encourage new businesses to locate in the city or existing businesses to expand.

by city of Marietta The state of Georgia has expanded one of Marietta's opportunity zones to encourage new businesses to locate in the city or existing businesses to expand. When two or more jobs are created, businesses may be eligible to receive $3,500 in state income tax credits for each new job for five years. Marietta's expanded opportunity zone is bounded by Cobb Parkway to the west, Delk Road to the north, Interstate 75 to the east and Terrell Mill Road to the south, and joins the city's other opportunity zones which include portions of Fairground Street, Roswell Street, Powder Springs Street, the South Loop, Franklin Road, and industrial and heavy commercial locations throughout Marietta. "Marietta is doing everything we can to help…

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New Georgia Vehicle 'Title Tax' Takes Effect in March 2013

HB 386 replaces the annual ad valorem tax on newly purchased vehicles.

The so-called "birthday tax" that Georgia vehicle owners pay will end in March 2013 -- for people who purchase a new vehicle. Effective March 1, 2013, House Bill 386 removes the sales tax and the annual ad valorem tax on newly purchased vehicles, according to a Gwinnett County newsletter. Instead, there will be a new title tax of 6.5 percent in 2013 -- only due each time the vehicle is sold and titled. It applies to dealer sales as well as sales between individuals.You'll pay this tax in the county where you register the vehicle. -- Will the new Georgia tax affect your decision to purchase a new vehicle? Use the comments box below to respond. However, you will continue to pay the annual ad valorem tax on vehicle(s) that you currently own. …

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What Would You Like to See Congress do to Avoid Going Over the ‘Fiscal Cliff?’

Lawmakers have Dec. 31 deadline to prevent start of automatic tax hikes and budget cuts.

After kicking the can down the road to avoid making hard choices in the face of an election, lawmakers now have just a few weeks to face financial reality for the American people. Experts may debate whether it’s a “fiscal cliff” or a gentle slope, but everyone seems to agree that dealing with the deficit and expiration of Bush-era tax cuts is a must. (See Wall Street Journal video explainer.) Congress set their own deadline to do so of Dec. 31, 2012, conveniently after the election. But with another election at least two years away, it's now time to do something about it. Up until now, each Party has blamed the other for the footdragging, but all indications are that the American people are tired of the deadlock in Washington. They're …

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Residents in Georgia, Other States Want To Secede From U.S.

The move, which is gathering steam, is being done in the wake of President Obama's re-election.

Residents of Georgia and more than a dozen other states have filed petitions to secede from the United States, according to media reports. Residents of Alabama, New York, Michigan, Texas and other states have filed the petitions under the "We The People" program, featured on the White House website, according to the Huffington Post. The Georgia petition, which already has more than 4,000 signatures, reads in part: "...Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and institute new Government..." The petitions come in the wake of President Obama winning a second …

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Vote for New Georgia Wildlife Tag Designs

The deadline to vote is Sept. 15. The tag fees fund conservation and habitat restoration.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Resources Division wants the public's help in selecting the best tag design for their new wildlife tags. Georgians can vote during part of September 2012 for the new wildlife tags at www.georgiawildlife.com by clicking on the “Make Your Vote Count” link, filling out a short survey and casting a vote. According to a press release from the DNR, a share of purchases and renewals of the new tag will go toward conservation and habitat restoration efforts for the Nongame Conservation Section, the Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) and the Trout Restoration Program of the DNR’s Fisheries Management Section. “We are excited about the opportunity to allow Georgians to vote on their favorite tag …

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EPA Waiver May Prevent Gas Shortage for Georgia

The federal agency temporarily relaxed environmental requirements for gas sold in the state to allow Gulf Coast refineries to resume normal production.

Remember those gas shortages after Hurricanes Ike and Gustav hit refineries in 2008? Did you wait in line to get gas at one of the few stations with gas? It appears that Hurricane Isaac won't have that affect, even though several fuel refineries were shut down by power outages and flooding. The U.S. Environmental Production Agency (EPA) granted Gov. Nathan Deal's request and temporarily waived environmental requirements for gas sold in Georgia to avoid a potential shortage. The EPA granted the waiver through Sept. 15, which will give Gulf Coast fuel refineries time to resume normal production. What are your memories of the 2008 gas shortage? Tell us in the comments? Members of the Georgia Petroleum Council predicted shortages of the …

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Today in Georgia History

Today in Georgia History: Sherman Issues Special Field Order 59

Explore Georgia History with Marietta Patch.

Near Atlanta, Sherman issued Special Field Order 59, prohibiting his forces from trading with Georgia merchants except for items needed by Union troops and setting the conditions under which Union quartermasters could obtain what they needed, according to Georgia Info, University of Georgia and the Georgia Historical Society. Keep up with all the news you care about by subscribing to our free email newsletter, liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter.

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