🌱 Ex-Amazon Employees Plead Guilty + 'Disco Kroger' Closes Doors

Hello, Smyrna-Vinings! I'm here in your inbox per usual to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, today's weather:

Milder with rain tapering off. High: 62 Low: 59.

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Here are the top stories today in Smyrna-Vinings:

1. Two former Amazon employees of the Smyrna Amazon warehouse plead guilty to defrauding the company. The employees used fake vendors and fake invoices to defraud the company for nearly $10 million, which they then used to buy high-end goods like real estate and cars. The men, Kayricka Wortham, 31 of Atlanta, and Demetrius Hines, 35 of Smyrna, are expected to be sentenced in March 2023. (WSB Atlanta)
2. The Georgia State Election Board launched a second investigation into how Cobb County elections department handled absentee ballots. Voters in Cobb County reported not receiving their ballots in time for the U.S. Senate runoff. (WSB-TV)
3. There's some good news if you're looking to travel for the holidays: Gas prices are decreasing. According to a weekly press release from the Auto Club Group, average gas prices in Georgia have dropped below $3.00 a gallon. The average price of gas in the state is now $2.96 per gallon. (Cobb County Courier)

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Today in Smyrna-Vinings:

• Friends Reading Group Book Club: Wonder By R. J. Palacio Hosted By Friends Of Smyrna Library, Virtual (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Santa is coming to town for brunch! Girls Inc. of Greater Atlanta is set to host their annual Brunch with Santa event on Saturday, Dec. 10. The free event will be hosted at the Marietta Center and includes crafts, games, a full brunch, and pictures with Santa. (Subscription: MDJOnline.com)
• Looking to wrap up the year with a new job? Here are the newest job listings in the Smyrna-Vinings area this week, including a variety of customer service postings as well as positions in marketing and logistics. (Smyrna-Vinings Patch)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Terminus Ballet presents "A Christmas Carol Told Again" (December 9)
• Georgia Festival of Vendors 2022 (December 10)
• Jazz at the Ballroom Presents "HOLIDAY IN" (December 17)
• Holidays on Stage and Screen (December 17)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer 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.