When Community Vigilance Matters Most

Good morning Stewards,

This week, Smyrna Police issued a direct request every business owner could answer: check your security cameras.

A young woman's life was taken on Windy Hill Road, and investigators need community eyes to help bring justice.

Meanwhile, parents are discovering that the private equity firm managing their children's daycare is preparing to sell for nearly thirty times what they paid—raising questions about when profit margins override child safety.

From students demanding action on gun violence to highway heroes changing tires in traffic, this week shows that community strength emerges through both crisis response and everyday service.

Your camera footage, your voice in civic conversations, and your support for local businesses all contribute to neighborhoods worth protecting.

Stay vigilant, Smyrna-Vinings.

— Your Voice for Local Prosperity

In Today's Edition

• 🛡️ Stewards Watch: Police seek community assistance in Windy Hill Road homicide investigation

• 🏢 Business Beat: When private equity profits override child safety—the Primrose Schools story

• 🍴 Event Horizon: Food trucks, farmers market, and running club return this week

• 🏛️ Public Pulse: Students organize walkout demanding action on gun violence

• 🌟 Local Legends: Meet the H.E.R.O. Unit 436—your highway guardian angel

• 🔎 Hidden Gems: Vinings honors folk art icon Nellie Mae Rowe with new historical marker

STEWARDS WATCH
🛡️ Police Investigation Needs Your Camera Footage—Here's How to Help

Every security camera within miles of 810 Windy Hill Road could hold the key to solving a homicide that shocked our community last Wednesday morning.

The Investigation: Smyrna Police are actively investigating the murder of Olivia Matthews , a writer and playwright whose apartment was set on fire after she was killed around 4:00 AM on September 3rd.

What Police Need: Security footage from early September 3rd showing suspicious activity, unfamiliar vehicles, or individuals near 810 Windy Hill Road SE.

Your Action: If you have security cameras within reasonable distance, check your footage and contact Detective Wachowiak at [email protected] or 678-631-5264.

Why This Matters: Police investigations often succeed or fail based on community cooperation during critical early days.

Business owners who haven't checked their systems could possess evidence leading to an arrest.

Community Response: A vigil honored Olivia's memory while demonstrating how tragedy brings communities together around shared responsibility for justice.

Why It Matters Locally: When violent crime occurs in Smyrna, our collective response determines whether perpetrators face consequences. Community vigilance and cooperation protect everyone's safety.

BUSINESS BEAT
🏢 When Private Equity Profits Override Child Safety: The Primrose Schools Investigation

Parents at Primrose Smyrna West are unknowingly funding a private equity profit machine that values shareholder returns over classroom safety.

The Corporate Structure: Roark Capital Group acquired Primrose Schools in 2008 for $68 million. They're now exploring a sale valued at nearly $2 billion—a 30x return.

The Local Impact: Multiple parents report dramatic quality decline, including safety incidents where children are injured without proper documentation, staff ignoring communications, and dangerous situations involving students harming others.

The Pattern: Parents describe high staff turnover, inadequate incident reporting, and administration responsive only after negative reviews—classic symptoms of cost-cutting designed to maximize profit margins before corporate sale.

Parent Testimony: One documented case: daughter tagged with wrong name on first day, kicked by another student without notification, suffered injury that wasn't cleaned, bandaged, or reported.

The Business Model: Private equity firms acquire companies, implement cost-cutting to increase profitability, then sell for maximum return.

When the product is childcare, these strategies compromise safety protocols and family communication.

The Exodus: An entire class of parents met with ownership about concerns, only to be told "not to tell him how to run his business."

Most families transferred to Woodchase, which parents describe as significantly better.

Why It Matters Locally: When corporate profit margins override child safety in Smyrna, families suffer while distant investors collect returns.

Understanding ownership structures helps parents make informed decisions and demand accountability.

EVENT HORIZON
🍴 Your Week of Community Connections: Food, Market & Miles

Three recurring traditions return this week to bring neighbors together around shared experiences that strengthen our community bonds.

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

• 🛍️ Smyrna Market: Shop 40+ vendors with food, crafts, local goods, and fresh finds. 📍 City Hall, 2800 King Street | 🗓 Sunday, September 14th | ⏰ 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, September 15th | ⏰ Meet at 6:30 PM, run starts shortly after (Run at your own pace, and your own risk.)

PUBLIC PULSE
🏛️ Students Demand Action: Metro Atlanta Walkout Protests Gun Violence

Metro Atlanta students walked out of class on Friday, September 5th, protesting gun violence and demonstrating youth civic engagement when they feel adult leadership isn't adequately addressing safety concerns.

The walkout showed organized activism around issues directly affecting students' daily school experience, with young people demanding policy changes and safety measures through collective action.

Why It Matters Locally: When students feel compelled to leave classrooms demanding safety, it reflects broader conversations about protecting vulnerable residents while supporting youth civic engagement.

Safety Note: The community also mourns the serious injury of a young girl struck by a falling tree branch at a Paulding County festival.

The victim is former Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon's granddaughter, reminding us how accidents affect our extended community network.

LOCAL LEGENDS
🌟 Meet H.E.R.O. Unit 436: Your Highway Guardian Angel

Sometimes the most important heroes are ones you hope you'll never need—until you desperately do.

The Hero: Georgia DOT's Highway Emergency Response Operators (H.E.R.O.) Unit 436 represents public service that restores faith in government programs.

The Rescue: When Jean Millkey had a flat tire on I-75's narrow shoulder with traffic racing past, H.E.R.O. arrived 20 minutes before AAA, changed her tire in 10 minutes, maintained constant safety awareness, and never required her to leave the vehicle.

The Program: H.E.R.O. provides free roadside assistance on Georgia interstates through 511, requiring no membership fees. The program operates throughout metro Atlanta with trained operators handling routine assistance and emergencies.

How It Works: Dial 511, request H.E.R.O. roadside assistance, speak with live operators who coordinate response for tire changes, jump starts, fuel delivery, and basic mechanical help.

Why It Matters Locally: When government programs deliver exceptional service exceeding private alternatives, they prove public investment creates value serving everyone regardless of economic status.

HIDDEN GEMS
🔎 Vinings Honors Folk Art Icon Nellie Mae Rowe with Historical Recognition

The Georgia Historical Society dedicated a new historical marker honoring Nellie Mae Rowe, the renowned folk artist whose work gained international acclaim while she lived and created in Vinings.

A new Vinings park has been named to honor Rowe, recognizing her contributions to American folk art and deep community connection.

Rowe created distinctive folk art capturing Southern life, spirituality, and personal expression through works now appearing in major museums worldwide.

She lived and worked in Vinings, making our community the birthplace for artwork representing Georgia's cultural heritage internationally.

Why It Matters Locally: Recognizing artists who lived in Smyrna-Vinings builds community pride while demonstrating that significant cultural contributions emerge from any neighborhood.

Rowe's legacy reminds us to notice creativity among current neighbors.

👋 Until Next Tuesday

This week reminded us that community strength emerges through crisis response and everyday service. When police request camera footage, parents demand corporate accountability, students organize for safety, and highway heroes serve travelers—these moments reveal civic fabric worth protecting.

Your security cameras could solve a homicide. Your questions about corporate ownership could protect families. Your support for local events sustains businesses creating community character.

Democracy isn't just elections—it's daily choices determining whether we build communities around profit margins or human well being.

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We commend you for being a part of a brighter future for Smyrna-Vinings.
— The Stewardship Group

P.S. This week's Stewardship challenge: Be Your Neighborhood's Eyes and Ears

Check Your Security Systems and Know Your Role. If you have security cameras, review footage from September 3rd around 4:00 AM and contact Detective Wachowiak if you captured anything suspicious near 810 Windy Hill Road.