Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery

Cobb Fire and Emergency Services is encouraging residents to change their smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries when they change their clocks back for daylight savings time this Sunday, Nov. 1.

The Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery campaign aims to remind people of the importance of changing batteries in these life-saving devices. Prevention is key and working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire nearly in half. Two-thirds of deaths result from fires in homes without working smoke alarms. Residents are also reminded that smoke alarms should be replaced at least every 10 years and tested once a month to ensure they are working. For more information, including simple home safety tips, visit cobbfire.org

New Allowances to Outdoor Watering Restrictions

New amendments to the state water restrictions allow residents to use drip irrigation and soaker hoses on established plants for a full hour between midnight and 10 a.m. on assigned watering days. The new rules come with restrictions and do not change the existing rules regarding use of other watering methods, including the 25-minute hand watering limit and the odd-even day schedule. Even and unnumbered addresses may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Odd numbered addresses may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Under the new amendments, established plants are defined as trees, flowers, vines and shrubs. However, soaker hoses and drip irrigation cannot be used for turf or lawn grass. The additional rules define drip irrigation as systems manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water through small flexible pipes and emitters slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff and wetting of plant foliage.

A soaker hose is one connected to a typical outdoor faucet and that is manufactured and sold specifically for delivering water slowly and directly to the soil around the base of individual plants by allowing water to seep from it in a manner that minimizes evaporative losses, pooling, runoff and wetting of plant foliage, according to the amendments.

Up-to-date statewide Environmental Protection Division guidelines are available at cobbcounty.org/Water

Street Light Repair

Don’t be in the dark! For streetlight repairs/outages in Cobb County, please contact your power company at the appropriate number listed below:

Cobb EMC – (770) 429-3432
Marietta Power – (770) 794-5125
Georgia Power – 1-888-660-5890 (after answer, press 2, then 4, then 1)
Greystone – (770) 942-6576

For all other streetlight inquiries, please contact Cobb DOT at (770) 528-1690 or (770) 528-1691.
You can also visit their website at https://www.cobbcountyegov.org/secure/dot/dot-streetlight.htm where you can fill out an online repair request.

Crime stats up! Break-in Reported! Beware! Be safe!

We don’t have all of the details but just got a call that there has been a break in at Hillcrest West. We’ve also heard that there has been more vandalism recently in the general area. Hillcrest East currently has an organized Neighborhood Watch Program in place. Other Habitat neighborhoods should consider forming a Neighborhood Watch group. For more information go to:  http://www.ncpc.org/topics/neighborhood-watch.

In the meantime:

• Ask the police to increase patrols of your neighborhood.
• Be sure the outside doors of your home or business have strong deadbolt locks.
• Keep spare keys with a trusted neighbor or friend, not under a doormat or planter, on a ledge, or in the mailbox.
• Lock gates, garage doors, and shed doors after every use.
• Illuminate or eliminate places an intruder might hide: the spaces between trees or shrubbery, stairwells, alleys, hallways, and entryways.
• Set timers on lights when you’re away from home so it appears to be occupied.
• Keep your bike and sports equipment inside the house when they’re not in use.
• Avoid confrontations with burglars.
• Watch out for your neighbors
• Report any suspicious activity by calling 911. This is what you pay taxes for!
   

Habitat Founder, Millard Fuller Dies

Habitat for Humanity is deeply saddened by the death of Millard Fuller, the visionary whose ideas and tireless work created Habitat for Humanity.

Mr. Fuller led Habitat from its founding in 1976 until his separation from the organization and his founding of the Fuller Center for Housing in 2005. He died February 3, following a brief illness. He was 74.

“Millard Fuller was a force of nature who turned a simple idea into an international organization that has helped more than 300,000 families move from deplorable housing into simple, decent homes they helped build and can afford to buy and live in,” said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. “The entire Habitat family mourns the loss of our founder, a true giant in the affordable housing movement. Our prayers are with the entire Fuller family.”

The idea for Habitat for Humanity was born at Koinonia Farm, a Christian farming community founded in 1942 in rural southwest Georgia to be a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” Millard and Linda Fuller made their way to that demonstration plot in 1965.

By the time Millard Fuller turned 29, he had earned his first million dollars as an entrepreneur and attorney. But as his finances flourished, his health and marriage crumbled. To save their marriage, the Fullers decided to begin anew. They sold all they owned, gave the money to the poor and in their searching, landed at Koinonia where they began soaking up the teachings of farmer, theologian and community founder Clarence Jordan.

In time, Jordan and Fuller launched a program of “partnership housing,” building simple houses in partnership with rural neighbors who were too poor to qualify for conventional home loans. The first house was dedicated in 1969 and others soon followed. In 1973, the Fullers took the concept of partnership housing to Africa. Within a few years, simple concrete-block homes were replacing unhealthy mud-and-thatch homes … and Millard Fuller had a bold idea: If partnership housing could improve lives in Georgia and Zaire, why not the rest of the world?

WOW! Yard of the Month! Garden of the Month!

Yard of the Month:

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Nichols and family, 3672 Ten Oaks Circle, Powder Springs!

Garden of the Month:

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Villegas and family, 1760 Aircraft Drive, Marietta!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are absoultely convinced that we have THE BEST homeowners of all the Habitats anywhere! With over 200 homes to choose from, our decision on who to pick each month is very difficult. However, in our eyes you are all winners (and there are 12 months in the year) so don’t give up.

Do you have someone you’d particularly like to nominate? Someone you know has worked extra hard and should be recognized? Let us know (it’s ok to nominate yourself). Also, do you have any tips or ideas for other homeowners? Feel free to post them under comments or call and we’ll do it for you. We’re all about neighbor helping neighbor and learning from each other.

We’re Changing Our Name!

It’s an exciting time! Cobb Habitat is expanding its reach into Douglas and Paulding Counties and with that comes not only a larger geographic area but a new name. Effective immediately, our new name is Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta.

We’ll be gradually incorporating the new name into our letterhead, signs, website etc. Please help us with this change by addressing all future checks and correspondence to: Habitat for Humanity of NW Metro Atlanta.

WOW! Yard of the Month! Garden of the Month!

Yard of the Month:

Congratulations to the The Lopez Family at 6980 Brumley Cove Drive, Hillcrest West, Austell

Garden of the Month:

Congratulations to the Bektic Family at 2597 Bates Street, Smyrna

 

We are amazed! After driving through every one of the Cobb Habitat neighborhoods, all of us, including our Executive Director, were absolutely blown away at how beautiful your yards and gardens are. The fact that we have super-great families living in Habitat homes is reflected on the outside as well! Thank you for the work and tender loving care you put in to making your neighborhood so beautiful!

If your home didn’t get picked this time, keep up the good work. We will be choosing a different winner each month, one for Yard of the Month and one for Garden of the Month. You could be the next winner!

Deadline Approaching – Are you registered to vote?

If you are not registered to vote, you have until Monday, June 16, to register for the July 15 General Primary/Special Election. You can register at any Cobb County library or when you get or renew your driver’s license. Application forms are available at the Elections Office, government service centers, senior centers or online. If you have moved within Cobb, you must inform the Elections Office as your polling place may have changed. If you move to another county, you must re-register in that county. If you are not sure if you are registered, call the Cobb Elections Office at 770-528-2581 or visit cobbelections.org.

Job Opportunities at Six Flags

Hillcrest families looking for a job close to home? Check out this Six Flags job link for a variety of current opportunities:
http://www.sixflags.com/overGeorgia/jobs/JobListings.aspx

It’s Not Just a House, It’s Your Home: Free Home Repair for Seniors

Are you 60 years or older?

Do you own your own home?

Do you need major house repairs?

Do you have limited income?

Senior Connections provides home repairs such as roofing, plumbing and electrical; weatherization; and safety/accessibility modifications like wheelchair ramps and bathroom safety grab bars. If you are in need, and meet the requirements above, they may be able to help. For more information call 770-455-7602, extension 162 or visit www.srconn.org

Save $, Save the Earth

It doesn’t have to cost a lot to scale back on items that are hard on the environment. Conservation often means using less or making smarter choices about what you do use — moves that will help you save, not force you to spend.

Consumers would do well to focus on three areas:

1) Reduce your reliance on fossil fuels. Don’t dash out to buy a hybrid car or trade in your train pass for a $2,500 titanium wonder bike. Simply make whatever form of transportation you use, especially your car, as fuel-efficient as possible. Some tips:

-Inflate your tires properly.

-Get regular tuneups and oil changes.

-Consider getting by with one car (an inconvenience for some, not possible for many, but it can save you thousands a year in gas, insurance and maintenance).

-Use public transportation whenever possible.

-Perhaps the most dramatic way to decrease your car’s footprint-Drive a little more slowly.

Don’t Dump on Habitat

Our awesome construction team is asking that you please DO NOT put anything in the dumpsters around the build sites. Since we only pay to have constuction debris picked up they charge us a ton more if anything else in in there.

As a Habitat homeowner you must have trash pickup service set up.  It is illegal for you to dump your trash in Cobb Habitat’s dumpster and you will be fined if you are caught.

Thanks so much for your help with this.

Weather Radios and Sirens Help Track Storm Danger

Cobb County has placed 74 warning sirens at strategic locations throughout the county to assist in reducing the potential for loss of life and property damage. Many of Cobb’s residents live in audible distance of at least one of the warning sirens, which are located at fire stations, schools and other county-owned sites.

However, sirens are in place primarily to notify individuals who are outside prior or during an imminent and dangerous weather event. Residents are encouraged to utilize weather radios to receive the most updated information on storms from the National Weather Service.

During severe weather you should:

Tune to local television or radio programs for weather updates.

Go immediately to your basement or safe area (interior room) if high winds, severe thunder and lighting occur.

Carry a battery-operated radio and NOAA weather alert radio. You will know when an emergency has passed and it’s clear to leave the safe area.

Do not rely or count on hearing a siren if you are in a low-lying area.

Cobb’s sirens do not specify the type of storm or emergency, so you should tune into local news for further information.

Reduce the Amount of Waste You Produce

The average person in an industrialized country produces over 4 pounds of garbage per day. Solid waste is a significant source of pollution, and being wasteful also has serious implications for energy use and global warming. Recycling just one aluminum saves enough energy to run a television for three hours!

Recycle and reuse. Roughly 50% of the average person’s trash can be recycled. Don’t forget that hazardous waste like batteries, your printer’s ink cartridges, and cell phones can be recycled too! Find out how and where to recycle in your area. Always buy recycled paper. Just 1 ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees.

Bring your own grocery bags when you shop. Designate a reusable cloth sack as your grocery bag and use neither paper nor plastic. If you are buying something small, carry it home in your pocket.

Start a compost pile. Don’t trash your kitchen and garden wastes. You can cut your household’s waste by 500 pounds per year while creating a fertile soil for your garden. Learn more about how to start composting.

Buy products with less packaging. About 33% of municipal waste is packaging. When choosing between two products, pick the one with the least amount of unnecessary packaging. Reuse packaging when possible.

Avoid using throw-away products. Paper napkins, plastic silverware, and paper plates are easily replaced by reusable alternatives. Store food in reusable containers instead of using plastic bags, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap.