The Sandy Springs Police Department is reporting a decrease in crime from 2007 to 2008 including zero homicides. The City saw an overall decrease of nearly 8 percent.

	2007	2008
Homicide	7	0
Rape	22	18
Robery	149	161
Aggravated Assault	50	46
Burglary	798	883
Theft	2,309	1,949
Auto Theft	280	277
Arson	4	6

Saint Joseph's Hospital, Sandy Springs Fire Rescue Department (SSFRD) and Rural Metro Ambulance (RMA) are starting the new year off with an effort to save cardiac arrest patients from a fate that may be worse than death:  loss of neurological function. Saint Joseph's, SSFRD and RMA are joining a small number of hospitals and cities around the country partnering in a pilot program to provide 'hypothermia' or cooling treatment to cardiac arrest patients in order to save neurological function.

"Patients who suffer cardiac arrest out of the hospital most often die or have neurological damage because their brains have been starved of oxygen," says Susan Kill, director of the emergency department at Saint Joseph's Hospital. "In certain cases of cardiac arrest, a sufficient cardiac rhythm is restored. In these cases, brain damage may be avoided by reducing the body core temperature by about eight degrees Fahrenheit. This technique minimizes brain oxygen consumption and minimizes neurological injury."  (Continue Reading)

Fire Department Highlights

• Fire Department Signs Automatic Aid Agreement with City of Atlanta for Use of Fire Station 27
• Photo Gallery - Structure Fire
• Photo Gallery - CPR Training
  

Sandy Springs resident, Lucy Hall-Gainer, has been named the 2009 recipient of the Humanitarian Award. This is the third time the City has given the award that embodies the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and recognizes an individual for his or her humanitarian contributions to society and philanthropic work. A volunteer committee made the selection.

As the youngest of seven siblings, Lucy Hall-Gainer barely knew her mother, who died of alcoholism when Lucy was six. But the impressions her mother made on her life inspired her to reach out to addicted women and women with children so that they could bridge the gap from troubled lives to become independent and self-supporting. Today, her dream is a reality with the founding of Mary Hall Freedom House (MHFH), named in memory of her mother.

A graduate of public schools in her native New York, Hall majored in human services at State University of Brockport and Schenectady College. She moved to Atlanta, where she took a job as a resident counselor for a non-profit organization, working with children who were wards of the state. She also took a job caring for the family of a prominent businessman, who offered her a chance to start her own business if she'd work for the family for a year. At the end of the year, she presented a business proposal to her employer and the MHFH mission began.

The event featured choral tributes, guest choirs and guest of honor and keynote speaker, Dr. Myldred P. Hill. Hill is a leading educator from Fort Valley State University.

Businesses in the City of Sandy Springs have until March 31, 2009 to renew their business tax certificates by submitting a business occupational tax application with full payment of all fees and taxes due. The City mailed the renewal application the last week in December.
 
Failure to receive a renewal application does not relieve a business of its responsibility to pay the business tax by the deadline. Late payments are subject to a 10 percent penalty and interest of 1.5 percent a month. Questions? Contact the Revenue Division, 770-730-5600.

When: Thursday, February 26, 2009, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Registration begins at 5:30 p.m.

Where: 
Sandy Springs City Hall
7840 Roswell Road, Building 500
Sandy Springs, GA 30350
 
Why: This meeting will educate homeowner association and neighborhood group presidents about city government and help foster communication between the City and homeowner/neighborhood associations. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to network and build relationships with other neighborhood leaders.
 
Who can attend?  The meeting is open to all City of Sandy Springs homeowner association and neighborhood group presidents. If the president is unable to attend, you may register an alternate board member.
 
Registration: RSVPs are required. To RSVP, please complete the online registration form. For more information, please contact Dan Coffer, Community Services Coordinator.