🌱 Marietta Teachers Receive A Pay Raise + Two Vehicle Collision

Hello, 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, today's weather:

Increasing clouds. High: 79 Low: 57.

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Here are the top three stories in Marietta today:

1. The Marietta City School Board announced an average 8.5 percent pay raise for teachers and staff during a budget meeting, with Governor Brian Kemp approving a $2,000 raise for teachers. The board also discussed improving the fine arts and school nursing programs. Public hearings on the proposed budget will be held on Jun. 13 and Jun. 20, with the final budget vote set to take place on Jun. 20. (WSB TV)
2. Two vehicles collided head-on near Fairground Street on Thursday morning, leaving three people injured, one of whom reportedly sustained severe injuries. The driver of a Chevy Malibu hit the other vehicle head-on, as they failed to stay in their lane around a curve, according to the police. Officials had not identified those involved in the crash at the time of this writing. (11 Alive)
3. Marietta City Schools has introduced a new member to its team, crisis response canine K-9 Barney, to help provide students with emotional support. Barney will be working alongside School Resource Officer Paul Hill who said he believes that the canine will help de-escalate kids and provide an additional tool for the school's team. Canines such as Barney can help reduce anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms, and contribute to lower blood pressure and heart rate. (WSB TV)

Today in and around Marietta:

• Comedy For A Cause At Halcyon Forsyth, Alpharetta (6:00 PM)
• Picnic Party & Live Music At Celebrity Ballroom Dance Studios (7:45 PM)

From my notebook:

• Taste of Marietta, one of the largest food festivals in Georgia, returns Sunday, Apr. 30, for its 28th year. All vendors will be offering "tastes" between $1 to $7 at Marietta Square from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. In addition to food, there will be live music, a kid's alley, a chef spotlight, and more. (City of Marietta, Ga., Government via Facebook)
• On Wednesday, 386 Davis Elementary School students walked and rolled to classes for National Walk To School Day. That is 64 percent of the school's student body! (Davis Elementary School PTA via Facebook)
• Despite a nationwide decrease in housing starts and permits, the number of residential construction permits issued in Georgia increased by 14 percent between 2021-2022. Visit the link for more insights on year-over-year changes in residential construction in Georgia and across the country. (Point2)

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Featured announcements:

• We are victorious God’s Plan (Details)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you soon for 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.