🌱 City Employees' New Floating Holiday + City Plan For CDBG Grant

Good morning, friends! I'm back with your new edition of the Sandy Springs Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Cloudy, a t-storm in the p.m. High: 48 Low: 45.

⚡️ Attention, local business owners and marketers in Sandy Springs! I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to secure your spot now. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Sandy Springs:

1. During the Dec. 6 Sandy Springs City Council Meeting, council members created a new "floating holiday" for the city's 2023 holiday schedule. City employees will have an extra paid day off each year to celebrate Juneteenth, Veterans Day, or any other occasion they choose. Council members decided to create a floating holiday instead of putting Juneteenth on the list of designated paid holidays for 2023. (Appen Media)
2. Yesterday, Dec. 13, Sandy Springs held an open house to gather the public's thoughts on how to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money for the next five years. A needs assessment meeting will be held on Jan. 11, 2023, and an update to the City Council will be provided on Jan. 23, 2023. A draft plan will then be prepared after a 30-day public comment period, and on May 2, 2023, the City Council is scheduled to adopt that plan. (Reporter Newspapers + Atlanta Intown)
3. Sandy Springs Police Officer Janssen Redcay recently raised more than $6,600 to benefit children who have been trafficked. Redcay rode his bicycle at least 1,000 miles to Austin, Texas, and back to Sandy Springs to fundraise for Zoe International. (Sandy Springs Patch)

Today in Sandy Springs:

• Book Smarts Book Club At Sandy Springs Branch Library (11:00 AM)
• Crafty Kids! At Sandy Springs Branch Library (11:30 AM)
• Havana Nights At Havana Lounge (8:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Want to stay up-to-date with the housing market in the Sandy Springs area? Visit the link to view homes for sale near you, including a three-bedroom in Brookhaven. (Sandy Springs Patch)
• The deadline to donate toys to the Sandy Springs Fire Department's annual Holiday Toy Drive is Friday, Dec. 16! Bring new, unwrapped toys for kids up to 12 years old to any of the Sandy Springs firehouses or to City Hall. (Sandy Springs, Georgia: City News via Facebook)
• The Sandy Springs Branch Library has many upcoming events for all ages. Click the link to see the calendar of events, including Genealogy for Beginners, French Storytime with Madame Jenkins, Adult Crafternoon: Decoupage a Canvas Tote Bag, and Build with Brain Flakes. (Fulton County Library System)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Halcyon Hosts Fourth Annual Ugly Christmas Bar Crawl with the Grinch (December 15)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (December 17)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (December 17)
• The Children's Nutcracker (December 17)
• Ugly Christmas Sweater Latin Night Atlanta @ Tonys Johns Creek Dec 17th (December 17)
• East Cobb & Roswell Community Chanukah Party "Winter Wonderland" (December 18)
• 17th Annual Messiah Sing-Along (December 18)
• Christmas at First: A Music Presentation (December 18)
• Add your event

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you tomorrow for another 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.