🌱Cobb Co. National Park Shooting + Missing Cobb Co. Woman

Good morning, everybody! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Smyrna-Vinings Patch newsletter — here to explain everything you need to know about what's happening locally.

But first, today's weather:

Warm with clouds and sun. High: 90 Low: 72.

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

1. A teenager is facing multiple charges for firing gunshots at a popular national park, Palisades Trail, near Cumberland Mall in Cobb County. Witnesses reported gunshots around 5:30 p.m., interrupting outdoor activities like hiking and rock climbing. Police found the 19-year-old, Linxuan Xu, armed with three guns at the scene, and the motive for the shooting remains undisclosed. Xu made bond on Thursday night. (WSBTV)
2. Carrie Marie Jones disappeared in February after she was expected to have dinner with a friend in nearby Marietta. Jones adds to the alarming number of missing Indigenous women in the United States. Cobb County police are requesting assistance from the public in finding her; anyone with information can contact (770) 499-3900 to provide tips. (11 Alive)
3. After a legal battle that reached the Georgia Supreme Court in 2019, a long-awaited Kroger grocery store has finally opened in nearby East Cobb. The 90,000-square-foot store is part of the MarketPlace Terrell Mill mixed-use development, which includes luxury apartments, restaurants like Chick-fil-A and Panera Bread, as well as service establishments. The Development Authority of Cobb County granted tax incentives to Kroger in 2018 for this project, a decision that was upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court despite earlier challenges regarding the relocation's eligibility for tax breaks. (Subscription: Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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Today in and around Smyrna-Vinings:

Saturday, August 5

• Adult Beginner Golf Class At Fox Creek Golf Course & Driving Range (9:00 AM)
• Music Bingo At The Duke, Dunwoody (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Smyrna Education Foundation is thrilled to reveal its latest initiative, where 14 esteemed Principals from the Smyrna area have been invited to participate in the application process for a $500 grant. The grant, for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year, will center around enriching fine arts education. This exciting opportunity aims to enhance and support the role of fine arts in the local educational landscape. (Smyrna Education Foundation via Facebook)
• Join Smyrna Police Department for Women's Self-Defense (RAD) class starting on August 7! Limited slots are available. The 12-hour training is spread across August 7, 9, 14, and 16 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. To register, email Andrea Boyes at aboyes@smyrnaga.gov with attendee details. (Smyrna Public Safety Foundation via Facebook)
• REMINDER: The next Community Engagement Open House with the Smyrna Fire Department will be held on Sep. 16. Learn more at the link. (Smyrna Fire Department via Facebook)

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Featured events:

• Baby House Open (August 5)
• Big Psychic Fair (August 5)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all tomorrow morning for 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.