🌱 City Council Approves Budget Amendment + Newtown Park Vandalized

Good morning, hello. It's me, Rose Mendez, your host of the Johns Creek Daily, here to tell you about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Sunny to partly cloudy. High: 61 Low: 39.

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Here are the top four stories in Johns Creek today:

1. The Johns Creek City Council voted to accept the first Fiscal Year 2023 budget amendment. The amendment takes into account open purchase orders, including uniforms for the fire personnel and a camera system for the police department. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
2. The manager at Newtown Park in Johns Creek reported that vandals spray-painted the walls of the women's restroom near the playground as well as the walking tunnel on Dec. 7. According to the police report, there were no witnesses to the damage. (Appen Media)
3. Families of inmates at the Fulton County jail are concerned about the conditions at the jail, with many calling the conditions "inhumane." The facility was without running water after a water outage due to a ruptured water line on Dec. 27. One family member said her son was unable to shower or use the toilet in his cell for days. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
4. The Fulton County Board of Health (FCBOH) epidemiologists reported an increase in COVID-19 and influenza cases across the county and the greater Atlanta metro area. Dr. Lynn Paxton, district health director of the FCBOH, said, "The winter surge is concerning, but thankfully we have the vaccines and boosters to combat it," and Fulton County residents need to take the virus seriously. FCBOH said vaccines are the best protection against COVID-19 and influenza. First and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are still offered by FCBOH at several locations across Fulton County, which can be found on the FCBOH website. (Fulton County GA)

Today in Johns Creek:

• Music Bingo At Adobo Taqueria And Tequila Bar (6:00 PM)
• Cook & Eat With Chef Fan At Yifan Central Kitchen (6:00 PM)
• Atlanta's Best Karaoke At Tony's Sports Grill (8:00 PM)
• Karaoke Night At Abbott's Bar And Grill (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Johns Creek residents can recycle their Christmas trees on Saturday, Jan. 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Home Depot parking lot at 5950 State Bridge Road. The trees will be recycled into mulch for playgrounds, city and county landscaping projects, individual home use, and to provide habitats for fish and other animals. Click here for more information. (City of Johns Creek, Georgia - Government via Facebook)
• Johns Creek is a USCCA Official Partner. Johns Creek Indoor Range encourages every gun owner to take advantage of what the USCCA offers, including the free Concealed Carry Guide here. (Johns Creek Indoor Range via Twitter)
• Chris Shearer, the principal of Johns Creek High School, posted 10 good habits to consider forming for the new year, including be kind, drink water, don't be afraid to say no, get some fresh air, and more. (Chris Shearer via Twitter)

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update.

— Rose Mendez

About me: Rose Mendez is a freelance writer. She is studying English Literature at Hunter College. She loves reading, walking around the city, and coffee!