🌱 Dallas Man Identified In Fatal Crash + 'Explicit' Book Charge Bill

Good morning, neighbors. Sean Peek here with your fresh copy of the Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days, including updates on...

• Dallas man identified as victim of crash in Irondale
• Georgia Senate proposes bill that would criminalize librarians for books considered explicit
• Former Hiram police chief serving as interim chief in Chamblee

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Mostly sunny. High: 58 Low: 35.
• Sunday: Sunny to partly cloudy. High: 63 Low: 44.

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Here are the top five stories today in Dallas-Hiram:

1. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office has disclosed the name of the truck driver who died in a crash on Interstate 459 in Irondale. Sherman Louis Mann, a 56-year-old resident of Dallas, lost his life in the accident on Thursday morning. The crash involved a tractor that had no trailer and went off the road, hitting several trees before stopping in a ravine, according to Irondale Assistant Fire Chief Brad Doss. (AL.com)
2. Georgia Senate Republican leaders, including Jason Anavitarte from Dallas, are backing a bill that would make it a criminal offense for school librarians to let students check out books considered explicit. The proposed legislation would expose school librarians to misdemeanor charges, removing their exemption from criminal prosecution under state law. Critics argue that the bill could lead to librarians withholding appropriate books for fear of legal repercussions, which could have a negative impact on students. (Governing)
3. A former Hiram police chief is temporarily heading the Chamblee Police Department. Gary Yandura has been named CPD's interim police chief and will help Chamblee select a permanent candidate for the position. Yandura has previously served as chief at Hiram, College Park, and, most recently, Brookhaven. (11Alive.com WXIA)
4. Two employees at Dallas schools have been recognized as February 2023 "Star Staff." The Paulding County School congratulated Sheila Heppner, Secretary at East Paulding High School, and Amy Harris, School Nutrition Program Manager at Sammy McClure Middle School. Congratulations to Heppner and Harris, and thank you for all you do for the community's young learners! (Paulding County School District via Facebook)
5. Are you proud of your community? Do you want to use your talents to provide a valuable resource to your neighbors? Patch is looking to hire a local curator to take the helm of the Dallas-Hiram Daily. Visit the link for more details on the role and how to apply. (Dallas-Hiram Patch)

Today in and around Dallas-Hiram:

• Emotional Release Workshop At The Dallas Markets (2:00 PM)
• BlairOutLoud At Marietta Wine Market, Marietta (2:00 PM)
• Spiritual Warfare 2023 At Celebration Church Of God (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• On Wednesday, Hiram High's basketball team scored a thrilling overtime victory against Dalton (40-39)! Hiram landed the game-winning shot with just 44 seconds left. (Northwest Georgia News)
• Want to spend your weekend curled up with a good book? The Hiram Library staff is offering personalized reading recommendations via Facebook. (Maude P. Ragsdale Hiram Library via Facebook)
• If you missed Pine Valley Baptist Church's most recent service, you can check out the livestream at the link. (Pine Valley Baptist Church via Facebook)

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That's it for today! See you all soon for your next update.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.