Cobb County Sheriff's Office welcomes newest GED graduates | ACT scores increase in Cobb, dip in Marietta | KSU student arrested after protesting Charlie Kirk memorial

  =====  MDJ Script/ Top Stories for October 17th 

Publish Date: October 17th 

 

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From the BG AD Group Studio, Welcome to the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast.  

  

Today is Friday, October 17th and Happy Birthday to Alan Jackson 

 

I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cobb is talking about, presented by Times Journal 

1. Cobb County Sheriff's Office welcomes newest GED graduates
2. ACT scores increase in Cobb, dip in Marietta
3. KSU student arrested after protesting Charlie Kirk memorial

 

Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on grass fed beef 

 

All of this and more is coming up on the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!  

 

BREAK: Ingles Markets 10 

STORY 1:  Cobb County Sheriff's Office welcomes newest GED graduates 

The Cobb County Sheriff’s Office hosted its third GED graduation of the year on Oct. 8, right inside the Adult Detention Center. Seven detainees walked away with diplomas in hand—proof that change is possible, even behind bars. 

Since the program launched in March 2024, over 30 detainees have earned their GEDs. The ceremony was heartfelt, with speeches from Chief Deputy Rhonda Anderson, Col. Michael Williams, and Dr. Kim Kranzlin of Cobb Adult Education. 

The program isn’t easy—four subjects, a minimum score of 145, and 40+ hours of study. But for these seven, it’s a step toward something better. 

STORY 2: ACT scores increase in Cobb, dip in Marietta 

 ACT scores are in, and Cobb County is celebrating its highest average in four years, while Marietta High saw a slight dip. Cobb’s average jumped to 23.7 (up 0.9 points), while Marietta landed at 22.2 (down 0.5). Both still outpaced state (21.4) and national (19.4) averages. 

Wheeler High led Cobb with a stellar 28.5 average, even climbing 2.5 points from last year. Meanwhile, Marietta students continued to outperform state and national peers in every subject, despite the slight drop. 

“Success takes time,” said Marietta Superintendent Grant Rivera. “Hard work and curiosity drive our students forward.” 

Georgia students, for the ninth year, beat the national average. 

STORY 3: KSU student arrested after protesting Charlie Kirk memorial 

 A protest at Kennesaw State University’s memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk ended in chaos Tuesday night, with one student, Luca Compiani, 18, arrested on charges of battery and obstruction. 

According to police, Compiani “intentionally” bumped into KSU Police Capt. Timothy Murphy in a “provoking manner” and fled when confronted. Protesters, however, claim the situation was escalated unnecessarily, calling the arrest “a gross abuse of authority.” 

The memorial, hosted by Young Americans for Liberty, drew both supporters and protesters. Some shouted chants, others threw ketchup at a flag. Despite the tension, organizers said the event achieved its goal: promoting free speech—even amid dissent. 

 

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