The Atlanta Police Department lost three of its members last year and honored them Tuesday in a memorial service at Atlanta City Hall. The service was held in advance of next week's annual Police Memorial Week in Washington, D.C. where the names of those three officers, Gail D. Thomas, Richard Halford and Shawn Smiley, will be placed on the National Police Memorial Wall. Senior Officer Gail D. Thomas of Austell, 46, was struck by a vehicle while assisting another officer at a traffic accident on the Brookwood Interchange ramp in between Midtown and Buckhead. A sworn police officer for 15 …

GRANT PARK — Next to the Giant Pandas and the Big Cats, the Great Apes are one of Zoo Atlanta's most popular attractions. We caputured a few scene-stealing moments during a recent visit.

GRANT PARK — Farasi, a 22-year-old male African lion, died May 6, 2013. A beloved resident of Zoo Atlanta for nearly 13 years, Farasi was the oldest male African lion living in the North American population of pedigreed cats managed by the Lion Species Survival Plan. The Animal Management and Veterinary Teams made the difficult decision to euthanize the geriatric cat once it became apparent that age-related complications were compromising his quality of life. “Farasi was a very special member of the Zoo Atlanta family. We’re all saddened by his loss, but we’re fortunate to have shared just a …

DOWNTOWN — Peachtree Street is a lot of things, but being mistaken for the French Riviera isn't one of them. And while we've seen plenty of strange sights in and around the communities of East Atlanta Patch, we were still taken aback a wee bit by this image. Seems this parking lot on Peachtree Street — just across the street from Atlanta Police Headquarters and in the shadow the Garnett MARTA Station — serves more than one function. So we imagined ourselves in his shoes, er, Speedos and closed our eyes (just for a second, it is Atlanta, after all). We realized with a bit of imagination, it …

by Valencia Hudson REYNOLDSTOWN — One of Atlanta’s largest Earth Day events took place on Saturday, April 27 at 815 Old Flat Shoals Road SE. Residents of District 5 communities from East Lake to Cabbagetown took part in the 12th Annual Tire Round-Up sponsored by Atlanta City Councilwoman Natalyn Archibong. Saturday's haul netted 837 tires. Since 2002, District 5 residents have collected more than 12,000 tires. Since its inception, more than 12,000 have been collected and sent to be recycled.  Liberty Tire graciously collects the tires at no charge. Here's the neighborhood breakdown: East …

OLD FOURTH WARD — The construction crunch on Edgewood Avenue is beginning to give way to what eventually will be the Atlanta Streetcar. The $90 million project, which is expected to go into service next year, will create a rail route that links Old Fourth Ward to Centennial Olympic Park Downtown. Last week we saw rail lines being laid in the ground. Light rail is a popular mode of transportation in many world cities including Los Angeles, Boston and Amsterdam and Berlin, among others. When built and functional do you think it will prove to be popular with metro Atlantans as well as tourists? …

REYNOLDSTOWN — During warm months, the dog park at Parkgrounds Coffeeshop is a haven for man' best friends. Most of them come to and fro the old-fashioned way: They're walked on a leash. But LE (pronounced Ellie) is carried about in style, via backpack. It's a dog's life.

OLD FOURTH WARD — After months of waiting, the long-planned demolition of the Edgewood Avenue Bridge took place April 3. The city is replacing the span because the bridge was in danger of becoming structurally unsound. The replacement bridge is projected to take a year with the new bridge scheduled to come online in April of 2014.

One of the surprise guests at the Central Atlanta Progress 72nd annual meeting Thursday was Atlanta Falcons owner, Arthur Blank. When he approached the podium, he said he’d keep his comments brief because the Falcons had a new stadium. Then he elaborated that Atlanta was the only choice for the new Falcons Stadium, alluding to his history in Atlanta with Home Depot and with his foundation, and the fact that the Falcons had called Atlanta home for 47 years. “We will build a world-class,” stadium. Blank said. “It will be an iconic addition to downtown Atlanta.” He concluded with explaining that…

Cyclists from Atlanta as well as Decatur, Avondale Estates and other suburbs pedaled to the state Capitol Tuesday, March 26, as part of their efforts to raise awareness around the need for improved bike riding conditions to make it safer for them to ride. The riders sought to impress on state legislators and Georgia Department of Transportation officials three key points: The implementation of a statewide Complete Streets policy using federal funds set aside for bicycle and pedestrian projects. The protection of the legal rights of cyclists. The dedication of a fair share of funding for …

Fred A. Toomer Elementary School's second and third grade toured the State Capitol in late February and met with their representatives. State Sen. Jason Carter (D-Decatur), pictured above, spent 20 minutes in a lively round of Q&A with the students. — Douglas Wood, Kirkwood

EAST ATLANTA — Flat Shoals Avenue is becoming awash in color. Up and down the East Atlanta Village's main street are signs of a spring awakening from the rich, vibrant colors of flowers just awakening to usher in the spring season. Have you seen a image or taken a shot of your favorite spring scene? Upload them here to share with fellow readers.

GRANT PARK — Lulu, a 13-year-old western lowland gorilla at Zoo Atlanta, gave birth to an infant late in the evening on March 14. The newborn is Lulu’s first surviving offspring and the seventh for 23-year-old family leader Taz. Lulu's offspring also is a grandchild of Zoo Atlanta’s most legendary resident, the late Willie B. The newborn appears to be healthy, and Lulu has been observed nursing. Provided the new mother continues to provide appropriate maternal care, the pair may be seen in their outdoor habitat as early as Saturday, March 16. Jennifer Mickelberg, Curator of Primates says zoo …

KIRKWOOD — Fred A. Toomer and Gideon Elementary School competed Saturday, Feb. 23rd in the Continental Societies’ Annual Spelling Bee held at Fred A. Toomer Elementary School. More than 60 children participated from 3rd to 5th grades. The competition went 17 rounds with Toomer 4th grader Nicolas Sullivan taking first place, Toomer third grader Elian Chavez winning second place and Gideon Elementary's Ziya Rainwater, a fifth grader, placing third. — Douglas Wood

EAST LAKE — The East Lake Foundation is proud to announce that four of its associates have been named as “best” in their respective professions. These recognitions have come from the local or state chapters of the professional organizations that each play active roles in leading, outside of their day-to-day work. Jeff Dunovant, director of instruction for The First Tee of East Lake, has been named the 2012 Junior Golf Leader by the PGA Georgia Section. Jeff influences the lives of hundreds of East Lake’s children who either take golf lessons as part of the physical education curriculum at …

CANDLER PARK — Today is International Women's Day, where we mark the milestones and contributions women have made to humanity. This sculpture by Phil Proctor, entitled "One Woman Rising," is atop the rise in Freedom Park, near the Moreland Avenue and Freedom Parkway entrance. Commissioned by the Chelko Foundation, it harks to the One Billion Rising, a global day of action that aims to end violence against women. Proctor's sculpture shows the woman dancing and freeing herself from mental and physical bondage and into freedom. One Billion Rising ATL, the local arm of the movement, is meeting at…

KIRKWOOD — Our Patch Pic of the Day takes us to the heart of the historic Kirkwood neighborhood where the BP station was undergoing a transformation on Thursday. Workers were spotted putting up Valero signage around the 1989 Hosea Williams Drive station at the corner of Howard Street. Based in San Antonio, Texas, Valero Energy Corp. is one of the country’s largest retail fuel operators and in the fourth quarter of 2012, it posted a profit of $1 billion, its best showing in seven years.

  OLD FOURTH WARD — Students at Hope-Hill Elementary joined millions of their peers across the country to celebrate the 16th annual National Education Association's Read Across America Day on Friday, March 1, 2013. NEA's Read Across America Day celebrates Dr. Seuss's birthday and the joys of reading. An expected 45 million readers, both young and old, picked up a book and read on March 1st.. To honor the good doctor and celebrate the fun and value of reading, Hope-Hill invited a long list of parents and community members to come on campus and read to a classroom of thankful students.  Enjoy …

CABBAGETOWN — Streetside musicians are part of a neighborhood's identity, and reflect its character. So when we spied Larkin Taylor-Parker playing her tuba on Carroll Street, it had us thinking of the street players we've come accross over the years, from New Orleans' French Quarter to New York's Times Square to Paris' Monmartre District. Taylor-Parker, a history major at Agnes Scott College, told us she often comes Carroll Street to play her tuba, the instument she's studied for eight years.

OLD FOURTH WARD — For years, 375 Angier Ave. was the eyesore of eysores in this part of the neighborhood. On Thursday, Feb. 21, the house finally came down following concerted efforts by neighbors and District 2's Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall. From Jay Tribby, Hall's chief of staff: "It was an abandoned property that, about two years ago, had its roof collapse. Neighbors and Kwanza worked to get it on city demo list, even though NSP monies had already been allocated. One less eyesore, one less dangerous property."