🌱 Waffle House Shooting + Mask Mandate In Effect At Morris Brown

Hello all! Nicole Fallon-Peek here with your Tuesday edition of the Sandy Springs Patch newsletter, filled with all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny and very hot. High: 97 Low: 75.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny and very warm. High: 95 Low: 75.

Here are the top three stories in Sandy Springs today:

1. A 19-year-old, former Waffle House employee was shot and killed outside a Waffle House in nearby DeKalb County on Sunday morning. The young man was gunned down outside the restaurant, and DeKalb police are now investigating it as a murder. Witnesses say the victim was a former employee waiting for his ride, and detectives have obtained security footage from outside the restaurant as the investigation continues. (WSB Atlanta)
2. As students begin returning to school, Morris Brown College in nearby Atlanta has reinstated its COVID mask mandate. The mandate will be in effect for 14 days following recent reports of positive cases among students in the Atlanta University Center. The College announced the mandate on Sunday night, via Instagram. (11 Alive)
3. On Sunday, a federal judge blocked the Georgia state ban on hormone therapy for transgender minors. The judge ruled in a challenge to a section of Senate Bill 140 banning hormone replacement therapy for the treatment of gender dysphoria in adolescents. This ruling will allow the lawsuit challenging the ban on hormone therapy for minors to move forward, restoring parents’ rights to make medical decisions that are in their child’s best interest. (Rough Draft Atlanta)

Business owners and marketers in Sandy Springs: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

Today and tomorrow in Sandy Springs:

Tuesday, August 22

• Kids & Teens (AGES 6-14) Fall Art Classes At Abernathy Arts Center (4:00 PM)

Wednesday, August 23

• Crafty Kids At Sandy Springs Library Branch (11:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Solidarity Sandy Springs is hiring! They are seeking applicants for a Community Engagement Coordinator to help with work at the food bank. (Solidarity Sandy Springs via Facebook)
• REMINDER: Today through Sep. 27, a portion of City Green will be closed for repairs and construction. The Splash Pad and Stage area will remain open. (Sandy Springs, Georgia: City News via Facebook)
• Are you looking to expand your family with a fur-ever friend? There are many adoptable pets in the Sandy Springs area in need of a loving home. Click the link to see available pets at local shelters. (Petfinder)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Latin Wednesdays - Salsa, Bachata, Merengue & Reggaeton @ Tongue & Groove ATL (August 23)
• Roswell Career Expo (August 24)
• Mix and Mingle with Cuban-American Author Andrew Diaz Winkelmann at The Book Miser in Marietta, GA (August 27)
• Purple Pansies Annual Pillars of Hope Gala (September 10)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door this Tuesday! I'll catch up with you bright and early soon with a new update.

— 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.