🌱 Former Smyrna Lawyer Sentenced To Life + Summer Movie In The Park

Good morning, everybody. I'm here right on time with your fresh copy of the Smyrna-Vinings Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out all the community information you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 79 Low: 56.

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

1. Disbarred Smyrna lawyer Richard Merritt has been sentenced to life in prison without parole in the stabbing death of his mother. Merritt evaded arrest for eight months after he beat and stabbed Shirley Merritt, 77, to death in 2019. At that time, he was already set to spend 15 years in prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his clients' settlement payments. On Wednesday, a Dekalb County jury found Merritt guilty of murder, aggravated assault, and possessing a weapon during the commission of a crime. (Subscription: Marietta Daily Journal)
2. Smyrna Parks and Recreation has announced an upcoming summer movie in the park! On Jun. 24, Top Gun: Maverick will play at Taylor Brawner Park. The movie will begin around 9:00 p.m., and attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Registration is required and is available at this link. (City of Smyrna, GA Government via Facebook)
3. Drivers in the metro Atlanta area may have noticed an increase in tractor-trailer trucks on the downtown connector. An investigation by 11 Alive revealed that the number of tickets for truck drivers inside the perimeter has increased sharply in the last three years. In 1978, the state legislature passed a law mandating that tractor-trailer drivers use I-285 unless they have a legitimate reason to drive inside the city. However, the Motor Carrier Compliance Division issued 1,248 tickets last year, an increase from 893 tickets in 2021. Captain Tony Pilcher with the Department of Public Safety attributed the increase in tractor-trailer violations to an overall increase in trucks on the highways. (11 Alive)

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Today in Smyrna-Vinings:

• Adult Game Night At 2279 Benson Poole Road SE (9:00 PM)
• DJ Ray At Varners Tavern (10:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• This Sunday, the Smyrna Handmade Market will take place at Market Village from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. There will be over 60 vendors with a large variety of items to browse. (City of Smyrna, GA Government via Facebook)
• Now that school is out for the summer, it's time to sign up for Summer Reading with the Smyrna Public Library! Participants can win prizes for reading, and the library will host programs throughout the summer like magic shows and LEGO club. (Smyrna Library Kids via Facebook)
• Cobb County has announced dates for the upcoming Family Fun Safety Days. These events will take place on Jun. 13, Jun. 29, and Jul. 18 at the Cobb County Safety Village in nearby Marietta. Attendees will be able to sit in fire trucks and chat with first responders. (Cobb County Government via Facebook)

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow 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.