All-Star Succes in Smyrna-Vinings' Backyard

Clydesdales, Championship Fields, and Community Spirit That Can't Be Manufactured

Author

Ravi Patel
July 15, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Good morning Stewards,

What a week to be proud of our corner of Cobb County! While the nation's eyes turned to Atlanta for MLB All-Star festivities, our community showed exactly why we're the heart of Georgia's hospitality and civic excellence.

From majestic Clydesdales trotting through our historic streets to brand-new softball fields that will serve our kids for generations, this week proved that when opportunity knocks, Smyrna answers with both hands open.

Stay engaged, Smyrna-Vinings.

— Your Voice for Local Prosperity

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In Today's Edition

  • 🐎 Difference Makers: Budweiser Clydesdales bring All-Star magic to historic Smyrna

  • ⚾ Local Legend: $4M+ investment transforms Rhyne Park softball fields

  • 🛡️ Stewards Watch: Protecting our seniors from the “AI slop" invasion

  • 🗣️ Public Pulse: Community buzzes with All-Star excitement

  • 📅 Event Horizon: Your weekly guide to local happenings

DIFFERENCE MAKERS
Clydesdales Steal Hearts on Main Street

Eight magnificent Budweiser Clydesdales transformed Friday afternoon into pure Americana magic when they clip-clopped through Smyrna Market Village, delivering brewery-fresh beer from Cartersville in their iconic red wagon.

The towering draft horses, weighing around 2,000 pounds each and consuming up to 40 pounds of food daily, drew families from blocks around to witness what many had only seen in television commercials.

"Everybody sees them on the commercials, but nobody truly realizes how big they are," said a Budweiser team member. "Seeing the wonder in everybody's eyes when they truly see how wonderful and massive these horses really are, that's the best part."

City Councilman Travis Lindley captured the moment perfectly: "This is awesome — an American icon here in the great city of Smyrna. We couldn't be happier. Look at this crowd. It's a wonderful day."

Why it matters locally: Events like these don't just happen by accident. They reflect our city's reputation as a welcoming, well-organized community that major brands trust to showcase their most precious assets. That reputation brings economic development, tourism, and civic pride that benefits every resident.

LOCAL LEGENDS
$4M All-Star Legacy Transforms Rhyne Park

Major League Baseball and the Atlanta Braves partnered with Cobb County Parks and the Rhyne Park Girls Softball Association to refurbish three softball fields at Rhyne Park on King Springs Road as part of MLB's All-Star Week celebration.

The renovations include new year-round turf fields, a batting cage, updated scoreboards, fresh fencing, painting, and windscreens, all funded through the MLB Together All-Star Legacy initiative, a $4 million-plus investment in youth sports infrastructure.

The timing couldn't be better. Our girls' softball programs have been growing steadily, and these world-class facilities will serve young athletes for decades to come.

Why it matters locally: This isn't just about softball. It's about MLB and the Braves choosing Smyrna as worthy of their biggest annual investment in youth sports. These fields will attract tournaments, boost local businesses, and give our kids facilities that rival any in the Southeast.

STEWARDS WATCH
The AI "Slop" Invasion: What Our Senior Citizens Need to Know

A troubling trend is flooding social media feeds with fake but convincing content generated by artificial intelligence.

HBO's John Oliver recently highlighted how "AI slop": cheaply produced, professional-looking fake videos, images, and articles, is targeting older adults who may be less familiar with these new technologies.

The scope is staggering. Fake disaster videos gain millions of views during real emergencies. Fabricated news stories about judges and politicians spread like wildfire.

Even heartwarming videos of cats "raising" human babies are AI-generated deceptions designed to harvest clicks and ad revenue.

For Smyrna's significant senior population, this isn't just an annoyance, it's a safety issue. Fake emergency alerts during natural disasters have wasted first responder resources.

Deepfake videos of public figures spread political misinformation. And scammers are using AI to create increasingly convincing fraud attempts.

Red flags to watch for: Videos or images that seem too perfect, bizarre, or emotionally manipulative. Content from unfamiliar accounts with massive engagement numbers. News stories with spelling errors repeated words or unusual website names.

Why it matters locally: Our residents built this community through decades of civic engagement and informed decision-making. They deserve digital tools that inform rather than deceive.

As neighbors, we have a responsibility to help our older residents navigate this new landscape safely, whether that's teaching them to spot AI fakes or simply being available when they have questions about suspicious content.

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PUBLIC PULSE
Community Buzzes with All-Star Excitement

The excitement was palpable across social media and coffee shops this week.

Local families shared photos of their children's wide-eyed wonder at the Clydesdales, while parents at Rhyne Park marveled at the rapid transformation happening right in their backyard.

Matt Kozub, who lives near the Market Village, summed up the community feeling: "We live right around the corner. To see the Budweiser Clydesdale horses right next to our house is really cool."

The week's events showcased something special about our community: when big moments arrive, we don't just watch from the sidelines, we participate with genuine enthusiasm while maintaining the small-town charm that makes us special.

Why it matters locally: This kind of authentic community engagement is what sets us apart from other suburbs. It's why families move here, why businesses invest here, and why events like these keep choosing Smyrna as their stage.

EVENT HORIZON
Your Week in Smyrna-Vinings

  • 🚚 Food Truck Tuesday: Savor gourmet bites, sweets, and music every Tuesday night. 📍 Taylor-Brawner Park | 🗓 Tuesday, July 15th | ⏰ 5–9 PM

  • Adult Craft Workshop: DIY Travel Journals & Bookmarks: Learn to create your own travel journals and bookmarks from old maps!📍 Smyrna Library, Meeting Room 🗓 Friday, July 18th ⏰ 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

    📝 Ages 18 and up. Space is limited, so please register.

  • 🛍️ Smyrna Market: Shop 40+ vendors with food, crafts, local goods, and fresh finds. 📍 City Hall, 2800 King Street | 🗓 Sunday, July 20th | ⏰ 10 AM–2 PM

  • 🏃 Monday Night Run Club - Run Smyrna: Meet fellow runners for a relaxed 3–5 mile run📍Smyrna Beer Market (by Stout Brothers, SW of the fountain). 🗓 Monday, July 21st | ⏰ Meet at 6:30 PM, run starts shortly after (Run at your own pace, and your own risk.)

📣 Community Support

This week, your support makes all the difference! We're able to bring you community news because readers like you value informed civic engagement.

No advertisements this time, just sincere appreciation for keeping our local stories alive.

Know a local business that should sponsor future issues? Hit reply and let me know. Supporting the Steward means supporting community-focused coverage.

👋 Until Next Tuesday

This week, we didn't just host some horses and renovate some fields.

We demonstrated that Smyrna and Vinings greatest asset isn't our proximity to Atlanta or our business-friendly environment, it's our people who show up, celebrate together, and invest in each other's success.

That's the kind of civic stewardship that builds legacies worth passing down.

💌 Share the intelligence: Forward this to someone whose always asking you whats going on in town

🧭 Support our local businesses! Show them the same enthusiasm they show our community Smyrna & Vinings
📣 Got a local gem or listing? Send it our way
💬 Chat with your neighbors: CobbTalk Forum

❝

The true measure of a community isn't found in its buildings or budget, but in its ability to turn ordinary moments into extraordinary memories.

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Let’s keep building stronger communities, one neighbor at a time.
— The Stewardship Group

P.S. Stewardship Challenge of the Week
Take a family photo at one of our newly renovated Rhyne Park softball fields and share it on social media with #SmyrnaProud. Let's celebrate not just the All-Star investment, but the community spirit that made it possible.

Better yet, attend a local softball game this season and cheer on our young athletes who now have world-class facilities to call home.