🌱 Research Grant For Driver Safety + Upgrade To Atlanta Roads, Trails

Good morning, neighbors. I'm here with your fresh copy of the Atlanta Daily. Keep reading to find out all the community information you need to know right now, including updates on...

• Emory University and Grady Hospital were granted over $4 million for a driver safety project.
• Atlanta's roads, trails, and transit will be upgraded thanks to a $235 million grant.
• A distracted truck driver hit a Delta Air Line employee.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 53 Low: 38.

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Here are the top five stories today in Atlanta:

1. The Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory University and the Grady Health System were awarded a five-year, $4.4 million grant to study motor vehicle accidents in metro Atlanta. The project began in 2017 to study how to improve driver and passenger safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded the project, which will now expand to include pedestrian crashes because of the grant. (Emory News Center)
2. The Atlanta Regional Commission announced that $235 million in federal funding would be used to improve the city's roads, transit, and trails. Upgrades include Atlanta Beltline's southside and northeast trails, Mountain Industrial Boulevard in DeKalb County, and bus service between McDonough and Stockbridge in Henry County. The grant will fund 35 road projects, 25 bicycle and pedestrian trails, eight transit projects, and nine planning studies. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
3. An airline employee was hit by a truck while ushering in an airplane at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport over the weekend. The truck driver was reportedly distracted when he hit the Delta Air Lines worker and was escorted out of the airport. The injured woman's name and information were not disclosed, but she did not suffer from any life-threatening injuries. (Atlanta Patch)
4. A 22-year-old Woodstock native was the winner of NBC's hit singing competition show "The Voice." Bryce Leatherwood is a country singer who chose Blake Shelton as his coach throughout the show. Leatherwood thanked all of his fans from metro Atlanta for supporting him. (11Alive.com WXIA)
5. Gov. Brian Kemp officially banned TikTok on government phones, following the lead of other Republican politicians prohibiting the social media app. Kemp sent a memo to state agency heads detailing his concerns over the app's Chinese ownership and worries over a national security threat. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

Today in and around Atlanta:

• Elbert Outlaw Holiday Classic At Burdett Recreation Center, South Fulton (5:00 PM)
• Holiday Cocktail Class At Rooftop L.O.A. (5:00 PM)
• Sugarplum Art Ball At The Bakery South Downtown (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Working on Christmas looks much different in 2022 if your office is remote and you can travel to any destination. Atlanta ranks as No. 5 as the top holiday destination for those who work from home! (CoWorkingCafe)
• Are you looking for a new family member with four paws? Check out the list of adoption-ready pets in the Atlanta area at the link! (Atlanta Patch)
• If you're a last-minute shopper, visit the link for 10 fun gift ideas. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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Featured businesses:

• Colony Roofers — (Visit website)
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Events:

• Food Giveaway (December 17)
• Procrastinator's Pop Up: local artisan market (December 17)
• A Taste of Christmas in the Arab World Artist & Artisan Bazaar (December 17)
• 3hr Bachata Class @ Ballroom Impact + Evening Latin Night @ Tony Johns Creek Dec 17th (December 17)
• Aura Reading & Chakra Balancing (December 17)
• Holidays on Stage and Screen (December 17)
• Ugly Christmas Sweater Latin Night Atlanta @ Tonys Johns Creek Dec 17th (December 17)
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Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.