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Community Corner

🌱 Winter Storm Watch Begins Tonight + How to Honor King's Memory

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Atlanta.

Kathy Cioffi, Community Contributor
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(Patch)

Happy Saturday, Atlanta! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening around town today.

First, today's weather:

A shower in the p.m.; breezy. High: 53 Low: 36.

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Here are the top 5 stories in Atlanta today:

  1. A winter storm watch for this weekend in North Georgia has been issued by the National Weather Service in Atlanta. From Saturday night to late Sunday evening, a varied amount of wintry weather is predicted for the top half of the Peach State, with the worst coming to the extreme northeast. From Canton past Athens and Gainesville going toward the northern and eastern borders of the state, residents should expect significant accumulations of snow and/or ice with at least 2 inches or more of snow. Check out the latest Atlanta area forecast from the National Weather Service. (Atlanta Patch)
  2. Wondering how you might honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr? Every year we take a day off to celebrate his legacy, and many use the long holiday weekend to give back to their community – just as King would encourage. Check out these worthwhile ideas awaiting Atlantans looking for ways to help community charities in honor of King's legacy. (theatlanta100.com)
  3. A Georgia man is among 11 members of the Oath Keepers charged Wednesday in federal court with seditious conspiracy for his alleged part in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riots. Brian Ulrich, 44, of Guyton, was named in a federal indictment that was unsealed Thursday. It is connected to two other indictments that collectively charge 19 individuals with corruptly obstructing an official proceeding in an attempt to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election results. The charge of seditious conspiracy carries a mandatory penalty of 20 years in federal prison, according to court records. (Atlanta Patch)
  4. New Realm Brewing Co. is joining the Betty White Challenge. White, who passed away just weeks before her 100th birthday on Dec. 31, 2021, might have been best recognized as a comedic actress on the small screen in "Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," but she was also a passionate animal rights activist. To honor her legacy and work to help animals, New Realm has joined the Betty White Challenge. Through Jan. 16, mention "Betty White Challenge" at check out and New Realm will donate a portion of the bill in White's name to the Atlanta Humane Society, a no-kill animal welfare organization. (theatlanta100.com)
  5. Zoo Atlanta is mourning the loss of Choomba, a 59-year-old female western lowland gorilla. Choomba, who died Jan. 13, was the second-oldest gorilla at Zoo Atlanta and the fourth-oldest gorilla in the world. The Animal Care and Veterinary Teams had been monitoring Choomba closely following a marked decline in her physical condition due to advanced arthritis and other age-related complications. Given her poor prognosis and the impact it would have on her comfort and quality of life, the teams made the extremely difficult decision to euthanize her Jan. 13. The matriarch of four generations of gorillas, Choomba was the mother of Machi, Kudzoo and Sukari, as well as the grandmother of Willie B. Jr., Merry Leigh, Anaka and Mijadala, all of whom live at Zoo Atlanta. Additionally, her descendants include grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great-great grandchild living at accredited zoos around the U.S. (MDJOnline.com)

Today in Atlanta:

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Martin Luther King Jr. International Day of Service at Saint Philip AME Church (8:00 AM)
  • Silence is Golden Half-Day Meditation Retreat at Kadampa Meditation Center Georgia (9:00 AM)
  • Become a Beer Expert at Red's Beer Garden (4:00 PM)
  • West Coast Wine Tasting with Food at Wine Shoe (6:00 PM)
  • Rock The 90s USA (Pays homage to the guitar driven rock of the 1990s) in Buford (9:30 PM)

From my notebook:

  • The Atlanta Falcons say "What a season for Chris Lindstrom 🔥" (Instagram)
  • The Atlanta Police Department's Air Unit and Zone 5 Officers team up to catch a car thief wanted in an Aug. 30th homicide on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard. (Facebook)
  • Mayor Andre Dickens joined City of Atlanta Police Department Buckhead Coalition and Cousins Properties to unveil the new APD Zone 2 village precinct located in the Buckhead community. (Facebook)
  • According to the Atlanta History Center, established by President George W. Bush in 2005, January 13 is recognized as Korean American Day in honor of the immense contributions from the Korean American community and commemorating the date when more than 100 Korean immigrants first arrived in the United States in 1903. (Facebook)
  • Nextdoor Neighbor, Cambridge Commons: "The City of South Fulton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department and the Parks and Recreation System Master Plan Consulting Team invites residents to an informational open house Jan. 29." (Nextdoor)

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

— Kathy Cioffi

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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