🌱 Phoenix Gymnastics Closing? + Child Abducted By Non-Custodial Dad

Hello, neighbors! Nicole Fallon-Peek here with your Saturday edition of the Sandy Springs Patch newsletter, full of everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Cooler with periods of rain. High: 51 Low: 36.

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Here are the top three stories in Sandy Springs today:

1. Gina White's Phoenix Gymnastics at Hammond Park Gym is fighting to stay open after their rental agreement was terminated by the City of Sandy Springs. White had fallen behind on rent payments and could not catch up even after the city reduced the fee by at least half. The gymnastics center serves 300 children from underserved families through recreational and competitive programs. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
2. A child was abducted by her non-custodial father on Tuesday in nearby Alpharetta. Jireh Carrice Marie Perry, 10, was taken by her father, Phillip Perry, from the Alpharetta campus of Gwinnett Tech, where she was last seen. The mother had reportedly asked the father to watch Jireh while she attended a class for an hour, and when she returned to the parking lot where the two were, they were gone. If anyone has information about Phillip or Jireh's whereabouts, please call (678) 297-6335. (WSB Atlanta)
3. SweetWater 420 Fest will not be held in Atlanta's Centennial Park like in past years. The reason is that Georgia's gun laws cannot ban them on public property. SweetWater Brewery released a statement that said, "Several factors played into this decision, the most important being the safety of our festival goers ... Firearms and weapons of any kind will be prohibited at the event, and SweetWater will strictly enforce this policy." (WSB Atlanta)

Today in Sandy Springs:

• Sandy Springs Conservancy Trail Blazers At Lost Corner Preserve (8:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Spring? Is that you? Check out all of the daffodils blooming in the Wynham Hills neighborhood at the link! (Wyndham Hills Neighbors via Facebook)
• Join the Sandy Springs Recreation and Park Department – and the Atlanta Astronomy Club – at Morgan Falls Overlook Park for a night of family stargazing on Feb. 20 from 7-8 p.m. (City of Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks Department via Facebook)
• Here’s some Super Bowl weekend trivia for you: Georgia ranks 5th in the nation for producing the most NFL athletes, with 217 NFL players hailing from our state since the 1966-67 season. Check out more Super Bowl stats from across the country in this new BeenVerified study. (BeenVerified)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday! 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.