🌱 New Changes For GA-400 + Roswell Man Sentenced To Life In Prison

Good morning, Roswell! It's me, Jessica Griffin, your host of the Patch newsletter. Follow along for the most important things going on in town these days. On this Thursday you'll learn about:

• Man assaults co-workers and injures himself at a Roswell apartment complex.
• East Roswell residents win a disagreement with a developer.
• The Painted Utility Box Project

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Here are the top four stories today in Roswell:

1. The Georgia Department of Transportation will be making more changes on GA-400. The flex lanes that enabled drivers to use the shoulder of the expressway between the Pitts Road overpass and Holcomb Bridge Road will permanently close starting Friday at 9:00 PM. The GA-DOT did not give a reason why they are going to stop the use of flex lanes. The left lane on GA-400 will also be closed from Friday, March 17 at 7:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday, March 19 in both directions. (WSB Atlanta)
2. On February 27, Roswell police responded to a call to an apartment complex on Alpharetta Hwy. where two people said they were assaulted by a man who was a co-worker and had also injured himself. The report states that the victims of the assault picked up a co-worker earlier that day to "hang out," however, the man began to "act out" and scream. His behavior worsened then started to believe his co-workers were members of law enforcement. The co-workers were bitten and attacked after trying to restrain and calm him. Upon arrival, police found the man on the fourth floor of an apartment building. He was not wearing a shirt, was covered in blood, and still yelling, and pounding on doors. In order to subdue him, officers had to "hold" him with a taser and handcuff him. He was tied to a gurney and transported to the hospital for treatment. (appenmedia.com)
3. Fani Willis, the District Attorney for Fulton County, announced the conviction of a Roswell man for the 2019 stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend. Pedro Navarro-Zelaya was found guilty this week of felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. On May 18, 2019 Navarro-Zelaya went to Dalia’s Events & Décor in Roswell where his ex-girlfriend was attending the birthday party of a child. He fatally stabbed his ex six times. He was restrained by multiple people who witnessed the tragic event. Navarro-Zelaya received a sentence of life in prison. He will also serve an additional five years that will run consecutively with his life sentence. (11alive.com)
4. Residents in East Roswell won a battle against the owner of an undeveloped property. At Monday's City Council meeting neighbors expressed their wishes to minimize the size of a new residential project that would significantly disrupt a nearby wooded area cause stormwater damage to their properties. The fight was against Igor Dubinsky, the owner of almost six-acres of undeveloped land on Eves Circle who wanted to lessen the required minimum lot size of 30,000 square feet under the property's current zoning in order to build 11 homes. He also wanted to remove a condition on the property. The City Council "denied rezoning to a minimum lot size of 12,000 square feet." The council also removed two conditions that were already existing on the property’s current zoning. This decision was agreed upon by both the owner’s development team and local residents in the area. (newsbreak.com)

Today in Roswell:

• My View From Seven Feet, a Joe Barry Carroll Exhibit - Mimosa Hall and Gardens (9:00 AM)
• Stand: A Roswell Roots Juried Exhibit - Roswell Cultural Arts Center (10:00 AM)
• Needlecrafters Meeting Group - Roswell Library (1:00 PM)
• Sweet Apple Farmers and Artisans Market - World Harvest Church (2:00 PM)
• Roswell HS VB Tennis vs Johns Creek HS - Roswell (4:00 PM)
• In-Person Women's Circle - The Open Mind Center (4:30 PM)
• Premier Showing of SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods - Aurora Cineplex (4:00 PM)
• Roswell HS V Baseball vs Lassiter HS - Roswell (5:00 PM)
• Ben Bostick Live - Standard at Roswell (6:00 PM)
• Roswell HS JV Baseball vs Riverwood HS - Roswell (6:00 PM)
• Books for the Beloved Community - Mimosa Hall & Gardens (6:30 PM)
• Live Music w/ Acoustic Soul - Gaslight Bar and Grill (7:00 PM)
• Roswell High School/Birmingham Southern College Choral Concert (7:00 PM)
• Dough Bowl Candle & Blessing Beads Workshop - Red Seal Craft Studio (7:00 PM)
• Roswell HS VB Lacrosse vs Greater Atlanta Christian (7:45 PM)
• Live Music w/ Tyson Michael Halford - 1920 Tavern (8:00 PM)
• Chaplin’s Karaoke Thursdays - Chaplin's (9:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• City of Roswell, Georgia Government: Have you noticed the utility boxes around the city with unique paintings? The Painted Utility Box (PUB) project is a joint initiative between the City of Roswell and the Roswell Arts Fund. The PUB is one of the components in the four year implementation of the Public Arts Master Plan. Check out this video message from Elan Buchen, the Program Director for the Roswell Arts fund and Councilmember Lee Hills that outlines how this plan aims to use the arts to help develop and positively evolve the City of Roswell. (City of Roswell, Georgia Government via Facebook)
• Centennial Knights Athletics: Centennial High School's boys Varsity Lacrosse team is making huge strides this season. The have won their 1st Region Game thanks to the contributions of all players on the team. The Knights beat Chattahoochee High School with a final score of 11-20. (Centennial Knights Athletics via Twitter)
• Roswell Inc: Don't forget to visit Roswell's newly created museum: The Roswell History Museum. The Roswell Historical Society has collected and preserved documents, artifacts and original photographs to illustrate and bring the history of the early inhabitants and settlers of the Roswell area to life. The museum is open from Wednesday to Saturday and is located on the second floor of the the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. (Roswell Inc via Facebook)
• Roswell Arts Fund: If your looking for organizations and programs to donate to, the Roswell Arts Fund is an option. Some employers will even match donations made by their employees, retirees, and even the spouses of employees, through matching gift programs. The Arts Fund has a link on their social media pages and on their website for you to check to see if your employer will match your donation. (Roswell Arts Fund via Instagram)
• Keep Roswell Beautiful: The Great American Clean-Up begins this Saturday, March 18 at 9:00 AM. If you would like to volunteer this weekend, you can sign-up on the City of Roswell's website. Their will be more chances to participate and you can host your own community/neighborhood cleanup between March 20 - June 21. (Keep Roswell Beautiful via Facebook)

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That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Jessica Griffin

About me: My name is Jessica Griffin and I am a native of Roswell, Georgia. I have been in the Roswell-Alpharetta community for over 30 years. As a native "Roswellian", I embody, participate, and support all things local. Community is at the core of all of us, and I aim to convey the collectiveness and unity that should be promoted and celebrated throughout our community. Being a mother, a writer, a student of history, and the arts are my passions.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Roswell Patch newsletter? Contact me at Roswell@Patch.com