🌱 50th Anniversary Of Hip-Hop + National Black-Owned Business Month

Hi all. I'm back with your new edition of the Smyrna-Vinings Patch newsletter. Here's what you need to know about what's happening in the community today.

But first, today's weather:

Couple of showers, t-storms. High: 84 Low: 72.

Here are the top three stories today in Smyrna-Vinings:

1. The Smyrna Public Safety Foundation is available to host Women's Self Defense group classes anytime. The class teaches women and students how to use their voices, recognize dangerous situations, and if needed, how to use physical techniques that would allow them to escape a dangerous situation. To organize a class for a group, please contact jware@smyrnaga.gov or ldefense@smyrnaga.gov for additional details. (Smyrna Public Safety Foundation via Facebook)
2. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and highlight Atlanta's significant contributions to the genre, nearby Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced the launch of “ATL 50 Hip Hop.” This multi-week series of events will include academic talks, a movie series, art shows, the laying of a time capsule, old-school skating parties, and a major free concert headlined by T.I. and Goodie Mob. The concert will take place on Aug. 13 at the Lakewood Amphitheatre in South Atlanta, and Smyrna-Vinings residents interested in traveling south for the concert can reserve tickets here. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
3. August is National Black Business Month, and down the road, the metro Atlanta area is the nation’s hub for Black-owned businesses, with 7.4 percent of businesses being owned by African Americans — the highest proportion of Black-owned businesses than any other metro in the country, according to Census data. To support local Black-owned businesses this month in Smyrna-Vinings, check out this list of local businesses here. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Shoutout to the awesome local business that keeps this newsletter running:

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Today in Smyrna-Vinings:

Thursday, August 3

• Smyrna Village Players Presents "A Murder Has Been Renounced" At Smyrna First United Methodist Church (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Monday was the first day of the 2023-2024 school year, and Smyrna Elementary Stars were treated to a performance by Campbell High School band and cheerleaders to kick off the year. Congratulations to all incoming students, and best of luck during the first week of school! (Smyrna Elementary PTA via Facebook)
• Mark your calendars: The Smyrna Public Safety Foundation is hosting another Jazz Under the Gazebo event on Aug. 26. You can purchase tickets here, and proceeds from this fundraising event will benefit the local Smyrna Police and Fire Departments. (Smyrna Public Safety Foundation via Facebook)
• A new lawsuit in Georgia is seeking to strike down a law creating a commission to discipline and remove state prosecutors, arguing it violates the U.S. and Georgia constitutions. This lawsuit, and the commission it seeks to remove, both raise fundamental questions about prosecutorial discretion, when a prosecutor gets to decide what cases to try or reject, what charges to bring, and how heavy of a sentence to seek. The outcome of this lawsuit will have a significant impact on state court cases for years to come. (WABE 90.1 FM)

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Featured events:

• Baby House Open (August 5)
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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.