South Forsyth Man Arrested in Stolen Eagle Sculpture Case – Cumming Patch

A 29-year-old south Forsyth County man was arrested Monday in connection with the theft of the eagle bronze sculpture taken from the Big Creek Greenway three weeks ago. The nearly 400-pound eagle sculpture is approximately 6-feet-tall, with an 8-foot wingspan. 

Pedro Castro Garcia was apprehended by authorities around noon today [Monday] at his residence and charged with theft by receiving stolen property, according to investigators with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office.

The eagle sculpture was located on Wednesday, Sept. 12, in a storage shed at Garcia’s residence following a tip from Lance White, owner of Lance's Jewelry and president of the Humane Society of Forsyth County, to Forsyth County Commissioner Todd Levent.

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Smoking Ban Debate Continues in Stone Mountain – Stone Mountain-Redan Patch

The smoking ordinance debate in the City of Stone Mountain burns on.

Up for discussion again at Monday night's work session, this time council members and others talked about whether smoking should be prohibited at city parks and city events, such as the Blue Grassroots Festival and Movies on Main, bringing up the possible effect on children, people with allergies and asthma, and others.

"Are we going to just do something for the benefit of people that certainly do have something that is a habit, that is dangerous to other people around them while they're smoking?" said Marla Bexley-Lovell, of the city's Historic Preservation Committee. "I think we should consider not accommodating people that are doing something that is a nuisance and danger to everybody's health."

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Man Charged With Robbing Two Women in Their 60s – Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch

Avondale Estates and DeKalb County police have charged a 20-year-old man with robbing two women in their 60s -- one of whom was hurt and taken to the hospital.

Julian Rashawn Clay of Mountain Drive, just outside the Avondale Estates city limits, is being held in the DeKalb Jail. He's charged with two counts of robbery, one count of aggravated assault and two counts of misdemeanor battery.

Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch has more on this story.