🌱 Park Bench Plaque Missing + Citizens Academy Applications Open

Good morning, Smyrna-Vinings! I'm back with your fresh copy of the Smyrna-Vinings Patch newsletter, fresh off the presses. Let's get this Monday started off right, with a quick guide to the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Mostly sunny and milder. High: 61 Low: 36.
• Tuesday: A thick cloud cover. High: 65 Low: 50.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Smyrna-Vinings who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

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 learn more and secure your spot now.

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

1. A park bench in Smyrna's Taylor-Brawner Park is missing a plaque dedicated to George Floyd, and another plaque dedicated to Breonna Taylor reportedly shows signs of tampering. The plaques, which also include a plaque dedicated to Ahmaud Arbery, were the ideas of a local family and were installed in 2020. The plaque has reportedly been missing since September 2022, but city officials said they were not made aware of the missing plaque until this past Thursday and that a new replacement plaque should be available sometime next week. (WSB Radio)
2. Applications are currently open for the 2023 Smyrna Citizens Academy. Participants will learn how the City of Smyrna operates in each department during the program. Interested parties can learn more about the academy and apply here on the City of Smyrna government website. (City of Smyrna, GA Government via Facebook)
3. For Cobb County couples looking to make Valentine's Day extra special by getting married, or for those couples simply interested in a discount wedding deal, Cobb County Chief Magistrate Judge Brendan F. Murphey will be holding a Valentine's Day group wedding ceremony. The ceremony is free for interested couples and will be on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Cobb County Magistrate Court in Marietta. (NewsBreak)

Today and tomorrow in and around Smyrna-Vinings:

Monday, February 13

• Show Me The Body At Terminal West, Atlanta (7:00 PM)

Tuesday, February 14

• Keep Smyrna Beautiful Board Meeting At Smyrna Community Center Jonquil Room (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• With the recent power outages over the weekend, including widespread power outages in Cobb County, Cobb EMC shared tips to take if you find yourself without power. Read about these tips on the Cobb EMC website here. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
• The Breman Museum down the road in Atlanta will be hosting an event as part of its Holocaust oral history series. "Unforgettable Stories from the Holocaust" will take place on Feb. 26 at 2 p.m. and will feature Robert Ratonyi, a Holocaust survivor from Hungary. ( The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• Are you looking for a new furry family member? This medium-sized female tan pit bull is Cobb County Courier's Dog of the Day, and she's waiting at the Cobb Animal Shetler for her new best friend! (Cobb County Courier)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Anna Razumovskaya Artist Show (February 18)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (February 20)
• BJ's Wholesale Club Pre-opening Limited-time Offer (February 23)
• GO Kickball Spring Leagues - Registration Deadline March 9th (March 9)
• Add your event

Other featured classifieds:

• Looking to Rent A Warehouse for 2 weeks Atlanta (Details)
• Add your classified

Alrighty, you're all good for today! See you all soon 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.