🌱 Man Steals APD Car + Cobb County Elections Director To Retire

Welcome back, Smyrna-Vinings! I'm back in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, today's weather:

A little morning rain; cloudy. High: 60 Low: 48.

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

1. A routine traffic stop near 2841 Greenbriar Parkway SW turned into a frantic police chase after a man stole an Atlanta police car Saturday morning. Police say 29-year-old Mickal Parker lost control of the vehicle during the chase and flipped the car onto nearby train tracks. Atlanta police officers, Georgia State Patrol officers, and the Atlanta police Aviation Unit located the vehicle and suspect near McDonough Boulevard SE. With an oncoming train seconds away, officers pulled the suspect from the car and moved him to safety. Parker suffered minor injuries and was taken into custody and charged with theft by taking, fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, obstruction, and damage to city property. (WSB Atlanta)
2. Cobb County Elections Director Janine Eveler announced her retirement after 18 years of service. In a public information release issued Friday, the Board of Elections and Registration said they would immediately begin a search for a successor, with support from Cobb County Government. The board will research the use of an outside search firm to find qualified candidates. (Cobb County Courier)
3. The Cobb Chamber’s 2022 chairwoman, Britt Fleck, passed the baton to Greg Teague at Saturday night's 81st annual dinner. Greg Teague, CEO of Croy Engineering, was set to fill the role in 2022 before the COVID-19 pandemic threw things off course. Teague is a graduate of Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering, now a part of Kennesaw State University, and has experience in both the public and private sectors. (Yahoo News)

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Today in and around Smyrna-Vinings:

• Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure At Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta (8:00 AM)
• Free Spinal Screening And Posture Check At Atlanta Chiropractic And Rehab (9:00 AM)
• I Love R&B Mondays At Aura Lounge, Atlanta (10:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• New homes have been listed in the Smyrna-Vinings area! Get all the details at the link. (Smyrna-Vinings Patch)
• Atlanta R&B singer Keri Hilson will be performing during halftime at an upcoming Atlanta Hawks game at State Farm Arena on Pride Night Thursday, Feb. 9. The evening will be sponsored by local BMW dealerships, which will also include special in-game programming and performances that celebrate members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community! (The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
• In honor of Black History Month, PNC Bank is sponsoring the Local Take and will host a month of innovative programming at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. From gospel to jazz to Ambassador Andrew Young, there will be something for everyone to enjoy! (WCLK)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Crossing Over With Psychic Medium John Edward (Live)! (February 23)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday! 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.