🌱 ATL Church Vandalized, Groups Rally + Pacemaker Saves Newborn

Hello, hello. Lauren Kubiak here with your Monday edition of the Atlanta Patch newsletter, filled with all the community information you need to know right now. Today's briefing includes news about:

• Historic Atlanta church was vandalized with hateful graffiti yesterday
• Baby at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta gets tiny pacemaker device, saving his life
• Building from 1800s burns on HBCU campus in Atlanta

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 71 Low: 59.

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Here are the top five stories in Atlanta today:

1. The historic Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta was vandalized with hateful graffiti, including a swastika and racial slurs. The community rallied to clean up the damage, and police have one person in custody but have not released further information. Rev. Gerald Durley called the vandalism "an atrocity to America," expressing sadness that such abusive markings were found on the building on a Sunday morning when people came to worship. (WSB Atlanta)
2. A baby named Connor was born early with a complete heart block, and doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta had to find a new way to save him. They decided to use a new, smaller pacemaker device that required federal approval. The hospital was able to get emergency authorization for the device within a week and successfully implanted it in Connor, allowing him to leave the ICU within 48 hours of his surgery. (WSB Atlanta)
3. A fire broke out at Fountain Hall, the 1800s building on Morris Brown College campus that is now owned by Clark Atlanta University but was not currently occupied. This is the second fire on the campus in a few days, with a large fire breaking out at Gaines Hall on Thursday, causing partial collapse and hours of firefighting efforts. (11Alive.com WXIA)
4. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter opted to receive hospice care at his Georgia home after a series of short hospital stays, according to a statement from his nonprofit organization, the Carter Center. The statement did not specify the reasons for his hospitalization, but Carter, who is 98 years old, has previously been treated for cancer and suffered from repeated falls. The former president has the full support of his family and medical team, and they have asked for privacy during this time. (jacksonprogress-argus)
5. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office plans to use wearable technology to monitor inmates, which they claim will make things more efficient for both inmates and jail staff while also potentially saving lives. They have been working with the metro Atlanta-based company Talitrix for two years to create a wristband to monitor inmates, track their biometrics, and ensure that they have out-of-cell time each hour and day. The sheriff’s office hopes to use technology to leverage better inmate monitoring and care. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

Today in Atlanta:

• Relax And De-Stress With Color Therapy At Scott Candler Library (All Day)
• Winter Safari Camp At Zoo Atlanta (9:00 AM)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (Virtual) Hosted By Enlighten 567 (11:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Five new homes have been listed for sale in the Atlanta area. Available properties range from a 1,362-square-foot, three-bed, three-bath home for $425,470 to a $1.1 million home with three beds, three baths, and 2,800 square feet. Get all the property details at the link. (Atlanta Patch)
• Atlanta purchased a 41-story downtown property from the state, intending to convert the building into a mixed-income, mixed-use site to provide affordable housing and bring more economic activity to the area. (WSB Atlanta)
• A new 500-foot pedestrian bridge now connects Castleberry Hill & downtown Atlanta, marking a significant step towards revitalizing the downtown area. Mayor Andre Dickens joined the unveiling walk on the colorful bridge. (City of Atlanta Government via Facebook)
• On Thursday, Feb. 23, the Starling Hotel in Midtown is hosting "Get Low + Glow," a one-hour, lower-body cardio fitness class to help kickstart your glow up. (Eventbrite)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday. I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with your next update!

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. She is a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.