🌱 First Black President Of Golf Org. + Valentine's Day Group Wedding

Welcome back, Marietta. I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Mostly sunny and milder. High: 60 Low: 36.
• Tuesday: Cloudy. High: 64 Low: 51.

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Here are the top three stories in Marietta today:

1. The Georgia State Golf Association elected Marietta local and vice president at the PGA Tour Superstore Ralph Stokes as the organization's newest president. After serving as vice president of the association for the last two years, Stokes becomes the first Black man to head the organization, which oversees golf in Georgia. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
2. For couples looking to make Valentine's Day extra special by getting married or simply interested in a discount deal, Cobb County Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan F. Murphey will be holding a Valentine's Day group wedding ceremony. The ceremony is free for interested couples and will be on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Cobb County Magistrate Court in Marietta. (NewsBreak)
3. A park bench in nearby Smyrna is missing a plaque dedicating the bench to George Floyd, and another plaque dedicated to Breonna Taylor reportedly shows signs of tampering. The plaques, which also include a plaque dedicated to Ahmaud Arbery, were the ideas of a local family and were installed in 2020. The plaque has reportedly been missing since September 2022, but city officials said they were not made aware of the missing plaque until this past Thursday and that a new replacement plaque should be available sometime next week. (WSB Radio)

Today and tomorrow in and around Marietta:

Monday, February 13

• Bingo At Suburban Tap (6:30 PM)

Tuesday, February 14

• Compost Workday At Cobb County Water Quality Lab (1:00 PM)
• Love At First Bite At Nibbles Kitchen And Bar, Powder Springs (Various Times)

From my notebook:

• Ride along with Cobb County police via video as the officers conducted active shooter training at Six Flags Over Georgia this last week. The officers trained with members of the U.S. Air Force 94th Security Forces. (Cobb County Police Department via Facebook)
• Seniors, come let the good times roll and learn fun historical facts and traditions about Mardi Gras at a special event for seniors aged 55 and over! The event will take place at the Marietta Senior Center on Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. Register here for an entry fee of $8. (Cobb County Government via Facebook)
• Are you looking for a new furry family member? This medium-sized female tan pit bull is Cobb County Courier's Dog of the Day and currently looking for a new home! (Cobb County Courier)

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Featured events:

• Love at First Bite (February 14)
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• Looking to Rent A Warehouse for 2 weeks Atlanta (Details)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday off right. I'll catch up with you bright and early soon with another update!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager 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.