Cherokee County Fire Chief Announces Retirement Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather announced that he will be retiring from Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services.“As some of you know, I am now completing 35 years of service with Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services. To put it into perspective, I have served our department over half my entire life. It has really been hard for me to make the decision, identify a retirement date, and have some kind of exit plan. It is bittersweet to announce that the time has come for me to retire from Cherokee County, with the official retirement date of March 11, 2022,” Chief Prather said. Chief Prather has over 47 years of collective experience in fire service, and he is proud to have served the citizens of Cherokee County as well as honored to have worked alongside some of the best and most dedicated personnel in the industry.
Sequoyah Regional Library System New Executive Director Announced The personnel committee of the Sequoyah Regional Library System’s (SRLS) Board of Trustees has selected Angela Cortellino as its new executive director. She has served as deputy director for SRLS since 2016, after joining the system in 2015 as public services director. Prior to joining the SRLS, she worked in public libraries in Hall and Lumpkin counties.Cortellino earned a Master of Science in Information Technology from the University of Tennessee School of Information Science. She is a member of the Georgia Library Association, where she serves as advocacy chair. In 2021, she was awarded the Georgia Library Professional Commendation for Outstanding Service and was honored as one of Cherokee County’s Top 10 Under 40 Professionals to Watch. Cortellino will replace retiring Sequoyah Regional Library Executive Director Anita Summers.
Local Scout Completes Service Project at Cherokee Veterans Park Boy Scout Noah Boynton recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout by completing his service project at Cherokee Veterans Park. Along with a team of approximately 40 Scouts and troop leaders, he worked to develop the Cherokee County UGA Extension Office’s Backyard Agriculture Education Station, located at the park. The work entailed spreading more than 50 yards of wood chips over a bank before planting nearly 400 rooted wildflower plugs. Volunteers from the UGA Extension Office and the Cherokee County Master Gardeners were also on hand to assist and demonstrate proper planting. “Through this journey, I learned a great deal about many of the north Georgia native plant varieties, the best way to plant them, and the critical importance of planning,” said Boynton. “I would like to thank Josh Fuder from the UGA Extension Office for his help in identifying the project and helping me see it through to its successful completion.” The project received roughly $1,400 from the county’s Tree Replacement Fund, which provides funding to plant trees and other vegetation on county property and public spaces. The education station will serve as an outdoor learning space where citizens can attend classes and learn horticultural techniques from UGA Extension agents and trained volunteers. Classes and workshops are set to begin in the spring. The station is privately funded, and donations are being accepted for the purchase of a greenhouse to allow for expanded teaching and fundraising opportunities. To learn more about the education station or to donate, please contact the Cherokee County UGA Extension Office at 770-721-7803.Sequoyah Regional Library System New Executive Director AnnouncedThe personnel committee of the Sequoyah Regional Library System’s (SRLS) Board of Trustees has selected Angela Cortellino as its new executive director. She has served as deputy director for SRLS since 2016, after joining the system in 2015 as public services director. Prior to joining the SRLS, she worked in public libraries in Hall and Lumpkin counties.Cortellino earned a Master of Science in Information Technology from the University of Tennessee School of Information Science. She is a member of the Georgia Library Association, where she serves as advocacy chair. In 2021, she was awarded the Georgia Library Professional Commendation for Outstanding Service and was honored as one of Cherokee County’s Top 10 Under 40 Professionals to Watch. Cortellino will replace retiring Sequoyah Regional Library Executive Director Anita Summers.
New Stage at Reinhardt University To Honor Joan McFather Last year, Reinhardt University announced plans to build the Joan McFather Stage, which will be the centerpiece of a beautiful new outdoor venue for students and the community.In addition to taking generations of students on field trips to the theater and singing in the Cherokee Chorale and the Canton FUMC choir, McFather spent countless hours volunteering at Reinhardt’s Falany Performing Arts Center. She enjoyed greeting people at shows, created posters and programs, and managed one of the yearly performances. She understood how performing arts can uplift and bring a community together.Reinhardt is investing in this stage and surrounding park now because the pandemic has underscored how important such a space is to the physical and mental well-being of students. The university currently has no outdoor spaces to host student gatherings and open-air events. The venue will also benefit the local community, providing a space for all to enjoy performances by local choirs and ballets, special screenings of films, and other events. If you would like to donate toward the construction of this new stage and outdoor space, please visit CI.Ovationtix.com/35154/store/donations/42553. Reinhardt has graciously offered to match gifts dollar for dollar.
Make a Mark With Canton’s Bench Mark Program Need a unique gift? A special way to honor someone? Want to share the memory of a loved one? The City of Canton is now offering a program to purchase a plaque, bench, or both as a tribute to someone special. The BenchMark Program was the idea of Councilor JoEllen Wilson, who thought Canton needed this opportunity in our beautiful parks.“About one year ago, a constituent asked if she might place a plaque on one of the City park benches in honor of her uncle, a former council member. I had been interested in this project for a while, having visited Rolater Park in Cave Spring, Georgia, where I often enjoy their memorial benches,” said Wilson. “As I walk in Etowah River Park, it is such a respite to have lovely benches on which to rest. Adding the name(s) of those we wish to honor or memorialize will help, as we rest and enjoy the view.”The BenchMark Program is open to everyone and is not exclusive to City of Canton residents. The cost for an installed plaque including the engraving of four lines (28 characters per line) is $200. A bench is $1,300 including installation and an engraved plaque. Cost and product availability are subject to change. The City will choose the placement of plaques on current benches and the installation location of new benches.For more information or to order a plaque/bench, contact Parks and Recreation Manager Adam Dodson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
City of Canton Special Project Updates - Old Ball Ground Sewer Expansion and Etowah River Trail Connection Between Heritage and Boling ParksConstruction is proceeding, but work along the Etowah River has been slow due to the depth of the sewer (35 feet deep). Construction of the trail will begin early this year. - Riverstone Parkway Pedestrian CrossingThe Canton City Council approved a task order with Atkins to begin a study for pedestrian safety in the area of Riverstone near Medical Lane and the Ingles Shopping Center.- Etowah Trail Bridge ReplacementMaterials have been delivered. A section of the trail east of Interstate 575 will be closed during the winter project completion.
Cherokee County’s New Atlanta Regional Commission Board Representative Beginning this month, lifelong resident Steve Stancil will serve as Cherokee County’s citizen representative on the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). He will succeed Dennis Burnette, who has served as the District 15 representative for more than a decade. Stancil retired in 2019, following 11 years as a state property officer. Prior to that, he oversaw the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority Board as its executive director and served as a representative in the Georgia House of Representatives, including minority House leader. Cherokee County is part of the 11-county ARC, a metropolitan planning organization that spearheads long-range planning from a regional perspective, disperses federal funding for transportation projects that impact the region, and promotes a skilled workforce through training and skills development.
Woodstock Police Department’s Assistant Chief Retires Assistant Chief Kevin Culpepper has retired from the City of Woodstock Police Department. He became a certified peace officer in 1991 with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and in November 2002 joined Woodstock PD as a patrol officer under Chief David Schofield. Culpepper was promoted to sergeant in 2005 and transferred to Criminal Investigations later that year. In 2009, he was promoted to lieutenant. In 2011, he was appointed captain and assigned to command staff. He became assistant chief in 2017. In 2015, Culpepper successfully completed the FBI National Academy Executive Development Course and received his Intermediate and Managerial Certification from Georgia POST. During his 19 years with the City of Woodstock, Assistant Chief Culpepper said he “enjoyed assisting the citizens in our community and valued working with victims of crime greatly.”
Local Marine Honored by Georgia Military Hall of Fame Woodstock’s Marine Corp League Detachment 1311 is proud to announce that its founder, John P. Newport, Jr., a decorated US Marine Corps master sergeant, was inducted into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame in recognition of the many veteran initiatives he established after retiring.One of his achievements was establishing a trained rifle team to perform rifle honors with the official three-round military salute for deceased members of all branches of the military at the Georgia National Cemetery and other private cemeteries. The team has performed more than 500 such honors.
Woodstock Youths Excel in Weightlifting Chloe Sukola recently won silver medals at U.S.A. Weightlifting’s 2021 Youth National Championships, and Desmond Carey qualified to compete in the 2022 Youth National Championships June 25-July 3 in Las Vegas, Nevada.These young athletes and others are getting stronger and learning new skills at Woodstock’s Cherokee Barbell Club.“For kids – and for all of our athletes – we always prioritize technique and proper body movement,” says head coach Ayse Sukola. A former Turkish national swim athlete, Sukola understands the pressure that kids (and adults) can feel to push themselves beyond the bounds of safety. “That’s not my style,” says Sukola. “My goal is to help them learn how to do the lifts properly, so that they get strong and don’t get hurt.”Under the keen eyes of their coaches, young athletes lift alongside older teammates, compete in local and national weightlifting meets, and develop both athleticism and confidence.
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