🌱 Drake Tour Stop + Terán Autopsy + Sandy Springs STEAM Showcase

Welcome back, Sandy Springs. I'm here in your inbox today to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, today's weather:

Breezy in the afternoon. High: 51 Low: 28.

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Here are the top four stories in and around Sandy Springs today:

1. Rap artist Drake has announced his "It's All A Blur" tour — his first tour in five years — which will include two stops in nearby Atlanta on Jul. 1 and 2. He will be joined by 21 Savage, with tickets going on sale Wednesday, March 16. The tour celebrates the last decade of Drake's career, following the release of four studio albums in the last five years, and is named after one of his new songs. (11Alive.com WXIA)
2. The family of Manuel Esteban Paez Terán, an environmental activist who was shot and killed by Georgia State Patrol troopers during a clearing operation on the site of a proposed training center, has released the results of a private autopsy. The autopsy found that Terán was shot 14 times and was likely in a cross-legged position when he was killed. The family disputes the claim that the shooting was in self-defense and has filed a lawsuit to access information about the incident under the Georgia Open Records Act, while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains that Terán was killed in self-defense after he shot a state trooper. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
3. Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns has urged Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to ensure that her office handles its day-to-day duties while also investigating allegations that former President Donald Trump interfered with the 2020 presidential election in Georgia. Fulton County has over 4,000 pending felony indicted cases and almost 14,000 unindicted felony cases. During the speech to the Atlanta Press Club, Burns also praised his colleagues from both parties for passing legislation related to mental-health reform, a cause which began with his predecessor, David Ralston. (InsiderAdvantage)
4. Chattahoochee Riverkeeper is participating in the Sandy Springs Education Force STEAM Showcase on Mar. 15, exhibiting a water quality demonstration among other activities. The showcase, which is free to attend, is sponsored by various organizations, including Regent Level sponsors Mercedes-Benz USA, RangeWater Real Estate Impact Foundation, and State Farm, and is a partner organization with Atlanta Science Festival. The event will take place from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at North Springs High School, located at 7447 Roswell Rd. (Sandy Springs Education Force via Facebook)

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Today in Sandy Springs:

• Solidarity Sandy Springs at 86 Mount Vernon Highway NW (9:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Sandy Springs Police Department emphasizes that it's never safe to drink and drive, especially during St. Patrick's Day celebrations. It's essential to act responsibly and make arrangements for a designated driver or use ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft. (Sandy Springs Police via Facebook)
• Sandy Springs Youth Sports is fundraising to help with the 12U STORM team's trip to Cooperstown! The opportunity to build a bracket remains open until noon, March 16. (Sandy Springs Youth Sports via Facebook)
• Gasoline prices in Georgia increased by 12 cents per gallon over the past week, with the average price of regular unleaded gasoline sitting a $3.26 per gallon. The increase is due to the switch to summer blend gasoline which may add around five to ten cents per gallon, but if demand and oil costs remain low, this recent price hike may fade. Nationally, the price of a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 7 cents to $3.47, but this price hike could be short-lived, as gas demand declined and the global cost of oil has fallen recently. (Cobb County Courier)

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Featured businesses:

• Atlanta Academy — (Visit website)
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Featured events:

• The Ecology of the Chattahoochee River: Past, Present & Future at Lost Corner Preserve (7:00 PM)

You're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— 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.