Guitarist Nick Colionne makes an encore appearance at the 8th Annual Atlanta Smooth Music Festival at the Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre, on Saturday, September 12th.  Keyboardist Jeff Lorber, Guitarist Tim Bowman, Saxophonists Paula Atherton and Tony Exum, Jr. will also perform.

Jazz Grooves began producing the Festival to satisfy the needs of Atlanta's smooth jazz fans and continues to feature award-winning national and international recording artists who perform around the globe. The Atlanta Smooth Music Festival gives fans a unique entertainment experience, with a full day of smooth jazz music, in a relaxing intimate outdoor setting. Gates open at 1pm, with performances continuously from 2pm to 10pm. Bring a picnic dinner or visit the concession area at the Amphitheatre. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster or the Amphitheatre box office, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6pm.

Our Cobb County Police precinct will hold its next PENS meeting on Tuesday, September 15th at 7pm at the South Cobb Government Center at 4400 Austell Road. "PENS" stands for Police Emergency Notification System and the meetings are intended to give residents a chance to  discuss any and all concerns about crime in our community. 

Bring your friends and neighbors - ask your questions and learn more about your police department. If you can't make the meeting (or even if you can) be sure to sign up for the PENS alerts. Click the link in blue at the top of the page.

On Saturday, September 26th, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will convene the 2015 Regional Neighborhood Summit. This one-day gathering held at the Georgia International Convention Center is an opportunity for the region's community and neighborhood leaders to connect with one another, learn from each other and advance their vision for metro Atlanta. More than 800 attendees from the 23-county region are expected to attend the workshops, plenary sessions and small group consultations.  

This year's theme is "Embracing the Power of Education." Workshops will highlight the continuum of education that begins at birth and is carried on through school, college and career. Presenters will include leaders throughout the education continuum. This includes representatives from the early education, K through 12, post-secondary and workforce fields. Everyone interested in education - parents, civic leaders and private stakeholders committed to helping children succeed from birth through career are welcome to attend.

The conference hours are 8:30am to 3pm; registration is as little as $10 per person for groups of 5 or more. Please contact MIC by August 22nd if you are interested in the group rate. If we can form a group, MIC will handle the registration. Click here for more details.

It's the start of a new school year - and a New Look - for students of Pebblebrook High School with the launch of the Academies of Pebblebrook, a new brand of education that engages every student with a choice and a path to college or career - or both. To initiate this exciting shift in academic and community focus, the Cobb County School District has partnered with Usher’s New Look, Inc.  Usher's New Look is a charity founded by singer and performer, Usher Raymond.

With the launch of the Academies of Pebblebrook, all non-magnet members of the class of 2019 will choose from two distinct areas of study: The Academy for Creative Studies and The Academy for Global Service. The new academies echo the goal-based approach created by The Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts, which has been at Pebblebrook High School since 1983. Each focused area of study provides students with real-world opportunities and problem-solving techniques, so they can apply their knowledge while learning practical business and social skills. Also, every freshman will participate in this New Look Program, "Powered by Service."