Corps of Engineers Safety Programs Return for Lake Allatoona Rec Season

Vessel Safety Checks by the U.S. Coast Guard are scheduled to kick off May 25 at marinas around the lake, while life jacket loaner stations are at all U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-operated day-use and camping areas.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Allatoona Lake Project office in Cartersville is gearing up for seasonal recreation on Lake Allatoona, and bringing back several safety programs to aid lake goers. Allatoona, which spans Cherokee, Cobb and Bartow counties, saw at least two drownings and a near drowning in 2012 and several in 2011. Vessel Safety Checks by the U.S. Coast Guard are set to kick off this year on May 25 at Bartow's Blockhouse Ramp and other privately-owned marinas around the lake, including Victoria Harbor, Little River Marina and Harbor Town near Canton and Sixes. "The goal is to educate boaters on the importance of wearing their life jackets and to always make safety a priority while boating and on the water," Park Ranger …

• Photos (1)
• Videos (1)
• Documents (1)

Public Input Sought at Lake Allatoona Meeting

The Army Corps of Engineers is updating the lake's Water Control Manual.

Citizens who have an interest in Lake Allatoona are asked to join a public input session to discuss changes to the lake's Water Control Manual. The Army Corps of Engineers has announced it will be updating the Water Control Manual at Lake Allatoona. The manual dictates how the water in the lake will be managed. The level of water in the lake has an impact on water supply, sediment runoff, fishing, recreation, ramp access, dock access, and other activities. The meeting to discuss the changes will be held at Marietta Marine, at 6986 Bells Ferry Rd. in Canton on Sunday at 2 p.m.

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Justin Ove

11:19 am on Monday, February 25, 2013

Brook, You're right! This story was posted at 11 a.m. yesterday. Best, -Justin   more ›

Car Leaves Boat Ramp, Crashes Into Lake Allatoona

No one was injured when a silver Dodge Charger rolled down a boat ramp off Kellogg Creek Road into Lake Allatoona Monday afternoon.

The Cherokee Sheriff's Office is investigating what caused a silver Dodge Charger to roll off a boat ramp and crash into Lake Allatoona late Monday afternoon. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services responded to a call just before 4:45 p.m. Monday regarding a car that had gone into the lake off Kellogg Creek Road in southwest Cherokee County. According to a press release, Cherokee County E-911 received the call from a fisherman who stated the car was sinking into the lake quickly and there were people inside. However, when emergency personnel arrived on the scene, the owner of the car told first responders no one was in the car. The Cherokee County Dive Team was also dispatched to the scene to help in locating the car.  At around 6 p.m…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (4)

Ex-Officer Released After 18 Months in Prison in Fellow Officer's Death

Former Cobb Officer Kenneth Reda was convicted last year in connection with a fellow officer's drowning death on Lake Allatoona.

Kenneth Reda of Acworth, the former Cobb police sergeant convicted in connection with the drowning death of a fellow officer, is being released from prison today after serving 18 months of his sentence, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. On Jan. 28, 2011, Reda was sentenced to four years in prison and nine years on probation for lying to the law enforcement, second-degree homicide by vessel, and violation of office by a public officer in the death of his best friend Brent Stephens on Lake Allatoona. Authorities believe Reda’s boat struck a pylon on April 22, 2010, when he, Stephens and Reda's mistress Shelley Powell were returning home from dinner at a lakeside restaurant. The group had been drinking, according to trial testimony. …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

JustTheFaxMaam

10:37 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012

you were placing the blame for his shortened sentence on the law enforcement of Cherokee County in your first comment, not questioning whether the Cobb County police officer made a wrong decision about a life or death situation.Go back and read your first comment.....................   more ›

Frugal Family

Free Bowling, Free Cookbook, Free Food

Take advantage of these deals, good for sunny or rainy days.

1. KIDS BOWL FREE SUMMER PROGRAM Deal: Register your children and receive two free games of bowling per day, per child from AMF Woodstock Lanes. Shoe rental is not included. Adult and family packages can also be purchased. Good through: Sept. 5, 2011 2. KIDS EAT FREE Deal: Kids 10 years old and under eat free after 5 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays at the Hickory Flat Frosty Frog Creamery & Cafe. To redeem the offer, an adult meal and drink must be purchased. Good through: Ongoing 3. OFFICE SUPPLY SALE Deal: Click here to save 20 percent off of in-store purchases at the Woodstock Office Depot. The offer is good for any product except ink, toner, case paper, technology, media, software products, and consumer electronic products and …

Ex-Cop's Prison Sentence: Four Years

After prison, Kenneth Reda will spend nine years on probation.

Sgt. Kenneth Reda was afraid his wife would find out he was having an affair. He didn’t want anyone to know that his mistress, Shelley Powell, was out on his boat with he and his best friend, Brent Stephens, last April, and that they had all been drinking. So when Stephens, a fellow Cobb County SWAT team member, went overboard on Lake Allatoona, Reda didn't call 911 for more than an hour, according to testimony Thursday in Cherokee County Superior Court. He took Powell, his co-defendant, to shore and then began telling a series of lies to authorities. “You saved yourself instead of saving your friend,” said Judge Frank Mills. Reda was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison and nine years probation in Stephens drowning death and the …

• Photos (1)