From Life-Saving Heroes to 100% Health Scores (Issue #40)

Good morning Stewards,

If you're wondering what defines our community, look no further than this week's headlines: from the commitment of our first responders who saved a baby's life to the business standards that delivered 15 perfect health scores.

This is the quality of life we protect. Inside, we cover these stories, introduce key job openings, and map out your holiday week ahead.

In Today's Edition

• ☀️ The Weather Report: Cold Start, More Warmth On the Horizon

• 👮 Difference Makers: Officers Edwards & Lahr Save Infant with Life-Saving CPR

• ⚾ Local Champion: Smyrna's Jacob Grantham Leads UGA Club Baseball

• 🛡️ Stewards Watch: 15 Perfect Scores & Restaurant Compliance Update

• 🎄 Holiday Events:, Job Listings & More!

— Your Voice for Local Prosperity

THE WEATHER REPORT
❄️ Starting off Chilly, Mid-Week Warm-Up

The start of this week brings a distinct chill, but temperatures will moderate quickly, giving you a nice break before rain arrives mid-week.

Daily Forecast Overview

• 🥶 Tue 16: Sunny skies. High 56°/Low 29°. A cold night with clear skies—bundle up!

• ☁️ Wed 17: Cloudy. High 61°/Low 40°. A warmer day, but expect increasing clouds.

• 🌧️ Thu 18: Cloudy with rain developing later in the day. High 61°/Low 41°. The main event—expect an 80-90% chance of rain, with about a quarter inch of rainfall overnight.

• 🌤️ Fri 19: Sunny skies. High 53°/Low 27°. Cooler and clear after the rain, with breezy NW winds (10 to 15 mph).

• ☀️ Sat 20: Mainly sunny. High 61°/Low 38°. Clear and pleasant with moderate temperatures.

• ☁️ Sun 21: Considerable clouds early, followed by partial clearing. High 62°/Low 45°. The warmest day in the forecast, but with morning clouds.

• 🌤️ Mon 22: Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 63°/Low 43°. A slight warm-up and partial clearing.

Plan Accordingly: Wednesday and the start of Thursday look like the best times before the rain arrives. Prepare for the wet conditions on Thursday and the noticeable drop in temperature on Friday morning. The weekend is looking mostly sunny and moderate.

DIFFERENCE MAKERS
👮 When Training Meets the Moment: Officers Save Baby's Life

MPO Edwards and Officer Lahr are being hailed as heroes after saving an infant's life with CPR last Tuesday evening.

What Happened: Around 8:40 PM, the officers responded to an emergency call about a baby boy who "had gone limp and became unresponsive." When they arrived, the parents handed them their son—eyes open but unresponsive, body limp, breathing shallow.

The Response:

• MPO Edwards began CPR immediately

• Officer Lahr stabilized the baby's head and maintained an open airway

• After several cycles, the baby's breathing increased

• Moments later, the baby grabbed Officer Lahr's finger and squeezed—an encouraging sign of responsiveness

Smyrna Fire Department crews arrived and continued care. The baby survived.

Why This Matters: "Through their quick thinking, professionalism, and training, MPO Edwards and Officer Lahr worked together to deliver lifesaving aid to an infant in critical condition," Smyrna Police said. "Their actions embody the highest level of service, compassion, and dedication to the citizens of Smyrna."

Body camera footage captured the entire rescue, showing the officers' calm professionalism under pressure.

The Bigger Picture: Police officers carry naloxone for overdoses, tourniquets for trauma, and AEDs for cardiac arrest. But sometimes the most important tool they have is training—knowing exactly what to do when a baby stops breathing and every second counts.

MPO Edwards and Officer Lahr didn't have time to think about being heroes. They just had time to act. And because they did, a baby boy is alive.

That's what "to serve and protect" actually means.

BUSINESS BEAT
⚾ Smyrna's Jacob Grantham: Building Baseball Without Coaches or Budget

Jacob Grantham, a fourth-year economics major from Smyrna, is co-president of Georgia's club baseball team—a completely student-run program competing at the Division I club level.

The Setup: No coaches. No staff. No university funding. Just players who weren't ready to give up baseball after high school.

What They're Building:

• 33-player roster (Division I, strict limit)

• 60 students tried out this fall

• $500 annual dues cover uniforms, umpires, travel, equipment

• Players handle scheduling, practice plans, fundraising, travel arrangements

Grantham's Journey: "I had to dig to even find the team," Grantham said. "That's part of why I stayed—I wanted to help build something stronger."

He plays alongside Nick Cubides (Marietta) in leading a program that competes in the National Club Baseball Association against Clemson, South Carolina, Georgia College, and Coastal Carolina—with a path to regional and World Series championships.

The Reality: Weekend series mean driving several hours, sharing Airbnbs, playing three games, returning to Athens to catch up on coursework. Players manage lineups, scout opponents, organize travel—all while maintaining full academic loads.

A recent fundraiser brought in $10,000+ to upgrade gear and secure better fields.

Why It Matters: "I couldn't imagine life without baseball," said Sam Dale, sophomore from Dunwoody. "There really is no way to fill a hole from something I've been playing for 12 years."

For athletes who chose Georgia's academics over smaller schools where they might have played NCAA baseball, club ball offers something rare: continuing the sport they love without sacrificing their education or paying $50K+ annually at a smaller college.

The team enters spring season expecting to contend for regionals. Not bad for a program with no coaches, no budget, and nothing but players who refused to quit.

STEWARDS WATCH
🛡️ Smyrna-Vinings Food Safety: 15 Perfect Scores, 1 Critical Concern

Recent health inspections show Smyrna maintaining strong food safety standards, with 15 establishments earning perfect 100 scores.

🟢 Perfect Scores (100):

• Bruster's Ice Cream (Cobb Parkway) - 12/11

• Indigo Room (Concord Rd) - 12/08

• Hyatt Place (Tourist Accommodation) - 12/03

• The Vineyard Cafe & Wine Bar (W Spring St) - 12/03

• Jet's Pizza (S Cobb Dr) - 12/02

• Domino's Pizza (S Cobb Dr) - 12/02

Plus 9 more establishments scored 95-100, including Holiday Inn Express (99), Jeremiah's Italian Ice (98), Starbucks (97), Taste of China (96), Olive Garden (96), and Argyle Elementary School (96).

🟡 Needs Minor Improvements (75-94): Eight establishments scored in this range, including Marrakech Express (93), Las Tejitas (92), and International Academy of Smyrna School (91). All will receive follow-up inspections to confirm violations are addressed.

🔴 Critical Concern:

• Hong Kong City (S Cobb Dr) - 60 (12/04)

A score of 60 indicates significant health violations requiring immediate correction. Environmental Health will conduct follow-up inspections before the restaurant can fully reopen.

What This Means: The majority of Smyrna food establishments maintain high safety standards. Schools consistently score in the 95-100 range, reflecting strong institutional protocols. For the few establishments with lower scores, follow-up inspections ensure violations are corrected before continuing operations.

Always remember to check scores before dining out, especially with young children or immunocompromised family members. Full inspection details available through Cobb County Environmental Health.

🎉 Upcoming Events

🎅 Santa’s Post Office at The Battery Atlanta | 12:00 PM–8:00 PM, Daily until Dec 24

• Location: Truist Holiday Community Corner (Corner of Power Alley and Battery Avenue), The Battery Atlanta

• Description: Santa Claus is greeting local children in a free, first-come, first-served event. Parents/guardians are encouraged to take their own photos. The Community Corner also features a Holiday Market with diverse-owned small businesses, photo ops, and family-friendly activities. Parking is free for 2 hours in public decks.

📖 Smyrna-Vinings Silent Book Club | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM, Dec 16

• Location: Sincerely Yours Bookstore, 2450 Atlanta Rd SE Suite 300

• Description: Join this global community of readers! There is no assigned reading—bring whatever book you're currently reading. The format is 30 min of socializing, one hour of silent reading and finally more socializing.

🧠 Adulting 101 | 4:00 PM–5:00 PM, Dec 16

• Location: Smyrna Public Library, 100 Village Green Circle SE, Smyrna, Georgia 30080

• Description: A monthly program for teens aged 15-18 to gain independence skills. This month's topic is "You Time," focusing on taking a break to reset and recharge with games and real talk. Snacks will be provided. RSVP is requested.

🤝 SBA Holiday Mixer – Alive After 5 with a Twist! | 5:00 PM–7:00 PM, Dec 18

• Location: The Village Hideout, 1295 W Spring St #130, Smyrna, GA 30080

• Description: A special, extra merry edition of Alive After 5 for business networking and holiday celebration. The free event brings together SBA members, local business leaders, and community partners for conversation, connections, and end-of-year fun. Attendees should bring business cards.

🥃 O Bourbon Tree | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM, Dec 18

• Location: Community Center, 1250 Powder Springs ST SE, Smyrna, Georgia 30080

• Description: An evening dedicated to bourbon appreciation. Guests (21+) will explore various bourbons, taste bourbon-inspired cocktails, and enjoy a delightful food pairing along with a bourbon-infused dessert. Cost is $50 per person, and registration is required as spots are limited.

🎁 Kids Holiday Market – A Merry Afternoon of Holiday Cheer! | 1:00 PM–4:00 PM, Dec 21

• Location: The Battery Atlanta (Exact location not specified, but within The Battery Atlanta)

• Description: A family-friendly market in partnership with the Children's Entrepreneur Market, featuring local kid-run businesses selling one-of-a-kind gifts, treats, and holiday goodies. Enjoy live festive performances by the Allatoona High School Jazz Band and other surprise holiday moments. The event supports young entrepreneurs.

🏃 Run Smyrna | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM, Dec 22 and Every Monday

• Location: Stout Brothers, 1265 W Spring St

• Description: Meet fellow runners for a relaxed 3–5 mile run.

👋 See You Next Tuesday

Remember to support local, celebrate the season, and thank a first responder.

📬 Ready to dig deeper? : Sign up for the scoop on Smyrna-Vinings delivered right to your inbox every Tuesday @ 8 AM

— Ravi & Rinnah Patel

P.S. 🎁 Still looking for unique holiday gifts? The Kids Holiday Market (Dec 21) is packed with one-of-a-kind items created by Smyrna-Vinings's youngest entrepreneurs. Shop local, support creativity, and finish your list!