🌱 Crash Closes I-285 Ramp + Sandy Springs Students Get New Glasses

Hey, everybody. It's Saturday in Sandy Springs and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly cloudy. High: 61 Low: 48.

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Here are the top three stories today in Sandy Springs:

1. A two-vehicle crash closed the I-285 eastbound entrance ramp at Peachtree Dunwoody Road on Friday morning. According to the Sandy Springs Police Department, a sedan hit the tire of a semi-truck, causing the truck to travel over the guardrail and onto the ramp. As of Friday afternoon, it is unknown if there are any injuries associated with the crash. (Sandy Springs Patch)
2. Over 200 students at Sandy Springs Charter Middle School received new glasses, thanks to a partnership between Sandy Springs Rotary Club and Vision to Learn. The partnership was made possible through Fulton County Schools' three-year Bridge to Success Plan, designed to help recover learning loss amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sandy Springs Rotary Club purchased over 800 pairs of prescription glasses, the first 200 of which were distributed Dec. 7-8. (Subscription: MDJOnline.com)
3. Catalytic converter theft is still on the rise. To help combat this issue, the Sandy Springs Police Department has partnered with Pep Boys, Advance Auto Parts, and True Automotive to offer the community free Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etching. Drivers can bring their cars to participating locations to get the VIN etched onto the catalytic converter, then covered with high-temperature paint. The program launched approximately one month ago and has received positive feedback from the community. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Today in Sandy Springs:

• Winter Wonderland Open House And Caregiver Workshop At Early Autism Services (12:00 PM)
• Vision Board Workshop At North Springs United Methodist Church (1:00 PM)
• A Christmas Story, The Play At Act3 Playhouse (8:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The City of Sandy Springs' Economic Development Department invites the local business community to participate in its inaugural Annual Business Community Survey. The online survey takes only a few minutes to complete and will be open through Tuesday, Dec. 13, at 11:59 p.m. (Sandy Springs, Georgia: City News via Facebook)
• Looking for nearby weekend plans? From Winter Wonderland Tea to a hot chocolate crawl at Lenox Square, there are plenty of fun and festive events happening in the Atlanta metro. (11Alive.com WXIA)
• Officer Jannsen Redcay is coming back to Sandy Springs today (Saturday, Dec. 10) to complete a 1,000-mile bicycle trek for charity! Redcay and other cyclists are expected to cross the finish line at City Springs between 12:30-12:45 p.m. (Sandy Springs, Georgia: City News via Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.