News Nearby: South Cobb Burglary Ring Strikes Again; Pro-Charter School Campaign Launches

South Cobb Burglary Ring Strikes Again…and Again

Cobb Police are reaching out to the community for information about a burglary ring they believe have committed 10 burglaries of Mableton and Austell businesses in three weeks, hitting some businesses twice.

Police believe the incidents are connected because they have all occurred during the same time frame and have all been executed in the same manner.

All of the incidents have occurred between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. and most of the targeted businesses had glass front doors which were shattered by rocks thrown by the burglars.

Read more on South Cobb Patch. 

Pro-Charter School Campaign Launches

Supporters of a constitutional amendment that asks voters if the state should have full authority to approve and fund local charter schools have started a social media campaign to get the measure passed in November.

This week, the Families for Better Public Schools campaign launched a website as well as Facebook and Twitter pages to share the benefits of charter schools with voters.

“We have a very active network of charter parents, students and teachers,” said Mark Peevy, the manager of the Families for Better Public Schools campaign, which is registered as a statewide constitutional amendment ballot committee with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission. 

Read more on Canton-Sixes Patch. 

No Tax Hike Proposed for Powder Springs

 residents likely won’t see an increase in their property taxes this year.

City officials have recommended the millage rate remain at 8.50 mills, the rate at which it has been set for at least the last five years. No one attended an initial hearing held Wednesday night during the city council’s special called meeting.

Read more on West Cobb Patch.  

Georgia’s June Jobless Rate Hits 9 Percent

The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 9.0 percent in June, up one-tenth of a percentage point from 8.9 percent in May, the first increase in almost a year. The jobless rate was 9.9 percent in June a year ago.

“The unemployment rate traditionally inches up in June because new graduates and people hunting summer jobs enter the job market at the same time the private and public schools are laying off for the summer,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler.

Read more on Northeast Cobb Patch.