As Newt's Bandwagon Grows

1. The surging campaign of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is gaining more visible public support on his old stomping grounds. 

State Rep. Sharon Cooper of East Cobb was front and center earlier this week as Gov. Nathan Deal led a group of more than 60 Georgia Republican elected officials in officially endorsing Gingrich, who was not present at the announcement at the state capitol in Atlanta. 

Both of Cobb's Congressmen, Phil Gingrey of Marietta and Tom Price, who holds Gingrich's former House seat that includes East Cobb, also are on board. 

East Cobb resident Sen. Johnny Isakson has not yet indicated whom he'll support. 

Cooper has been supporting Gingrich all along, and on her Facebook page regularly updates constituents and political supporters about his campaign. She encouraged others to sign up to volunteer if interested and is organizing East Cobb support for Gingrich, who hasn't lived here since leaving Congress in 1999. 

If you're interested, you can contact Cooper by email at cooperforhouse@gmail.com. 

2. Cooper is the chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee and is already gearing up for the start of the new legislative session. In an interview earlier this week with WABE's Dennis O'Hayer, she explains why she's not optimistic about efforts to use funds from a national tobacco settlement to help Georgians stop smoking. 

3. Congrats go out to two fine East Cobb prep athletes. Pope's Mary Hannah Arrington has been named as she led the Lady Greyhounds to three consecutive state titles. 

And Walton running back Tyren Jones has received to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. But would you be surprised that he'd also like to hear from LSU and Alabama, who'll be playing for the national championship next month?

4. It's been tough on job seekers in this economy, but later this morning we'll post a profile of an East Cobb synagogue volunteer who's been working with the unemployed. She's now calling time on her work with the job network she helped start, while her faith community looks to keep it going with new leadership. 

5. Was it really close to 70 degrees on Wednesday? That's what the thermometer said, and while it won't take much of a dip today, we are expecting the chance of rain. 

Temperatures will get in the mid 60s with cloudy skies, with lows tonight into the mid 40s. 

It will start feeling a little chillier into and through the weekend, but this is a rather pleasant respite from the looming winter.