Cherokee Chamber Names New Board Chair The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Adam Smith is the organization’s 2021 Board Chair. Smith, who follows 2020 Board Chair David Simmons, has been actively involved with the Chamber for the past nine years. He and his wife, Laura, reside in Canton with their two children.
Electronics Recycling Event Draws Large Participation Numbers Despite the cold temperatures this winter, many residents participated in the Cherokee County Recycling Center’s electronics recycling event.“We nearly doubled the recyclable material received from 35,125 pounds in December to 58,117 pounds in January,” said Community Services Agency Director Bryan Reynolds.Roughly 540 cars were seen at the 4-hour drive-through event. County employees, community service workers, and Keep Cherokee Beautiful volunteers filled two tractor trailers and two box trucks with collected recycled items. For more information, call the Recycling Center at 770-516-4195 or visit CherokeeGa.com/recycling-center.
COED Announces Filmed in Cherokee App The Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) recently announced the launch of a new Filmed in Cherokee app, developed in partnership with Woodstock-based Black Airplane. This free mobile app offers an interactive experience that takes users on a behind-the-scenes tour of fan-favorite film locations. The app features on-set photos, insider stories, and fun facts on why each location was selected. “Georgia has quickly become one of the top film locations in the world, and when film enthusiasts come to explore Georgia by visiting their favorite sites from television and movies, they also increase tourism dollars in our communities,” said Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner of Film, Music, and Digital Entertainment. “We appreciate the Cherokee Office of Economic Development for their work on this innovative Filmed in Cherokee app. Combining film locations with nearby business establishments will not only accommodate fans, but spur interest in local small businesses and help the economy.”Once downloaded, users can learn about each film’s storyline through bonus, behind-the-scenes content, discover tips for connecting with Cherokee’s film community, and snap a selfie while visiting the locations of these fan-favorite movie and television productions: American Made, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Champion, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul, Doctor Sleep, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, Hidden Figures, MacGyver, Noelle, Ozark, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, The Founder, The Outsider, and The Resident. The Filmed in Cherokee app is available to download for free on Google Play or through the Apple App Store. For more information on filming in Cherokee, visit COED’s film page.
MUST Ministries Chooses Senior Director To Lead Executive Women Yvonne Byars, MUST Ministries’ senior director, was selected as the 2021 chairwoman of Cobb Executive Women. Byars, who has been senior director for four years, oversees MUST Ministries’ Neighborhood Pantry program that serves more than 100 schools in Cobb and Cherokee counties. Through this program, Byars has helped over 20,000 clients by distributing more than 1 million pounds of food to students and families. She also developed the concept of MUST Ministries’ new Neighborhood Mobile Pantry. The Cobb Executive Women’s mission is to inspire women to achieve success personally, professionally, and within their community. The group hosts monthly luncheons and community outreach events.
Cherokee Fire Station on Sugar Pike Road To Be Expanded Land to expand Fire Station 32 – and possibly build a new station in the future – now belongs to Cherokee County after the board approved a $104,000 land purchase on Sugar Pike Road. With the purchase of the adjacent property, the county will be able to increase the living space of the existing station, leaving room to grow in the future.Fire Chief Tim Prather said Station 32 was built many years ago by volunteers and was never intended to house career firefighters.
Local Artist and Instructor Selected for City of Canton Mural Project Shanna Coulter, a fine art instructor at Cherokee High School, was selected as the featured artist to complete a 3 feet high and 540 feet long mural on Railroad Street. The City of Canton and the Downtown Canton Main Street’s Public Art Steering Committee issued a call for artists for the project early in 2020, and Coulter’s design stood out among the many who presented. Coulter submitted a rendering of a mural representing the history and diversity of Cherokee County.“We envisioned a parade of ‘legs’ through history, marching toward the present moment,” shared Coulter, who plans to complete the painting with a team of artists. “The mural would begin with the Native Americans who were here when the county first began to attract settlers, through the ‘Gold Rush,’ the ‘poultry capital of the world,’ the Great Fire, Denim Day, the Civil Rights Movement, and the integration of schools, to the colorful fashion of the mid-to-late 1900s.” “We want to use as many historical photographs for reference as we can get our hands on,” she continued. “As the timeline of Cherokee County reaches the 2000s, we would like to recruit living representatives to photograph for the final decades of the mural. Additionally, the blue river from the Canton logo would weave through connecting everyone, and the mural would end with the Canton logo.” The Public Arts team that helped with the selection of the Railroad Street mural project’s artist and design included Councilor Brooke Schmidt; Councilor Will Carlan; Councilor Sandy McGrew; Jamie Foreman, owner of Menagerie on Main; Penn Hodge, developer at The Mill on Etowah; and Velinda Hardy, downtown development manager. Artists were asked to consider connectivity, community, and blending the historic with the contemporary.“Shanna’s design is essentially a super creative take on a timeline,” explained Schmidt. “She plans to meet with Stefanie Joyner at History Cherokee to make sure clothing is correct and to get other ideas for Canton-specific items to include.” Coulter will complete the project by June, with the help of her team of artists and fellow art teachers, including Shannah Dean, Lori Thompson, Chris Lambert, MaryJo Mulvey, Leslie Babcock, Susan Jones, and Morgan Boswell. Funding for the mural project will be provided by the Canton Main Street Board and a grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts.
Construction of New Water Pollution Control Plant Underway The City of Canton awarded construction of its new Water Pollution Control Plant to Clark Reeves Young JV (a joint venture between Clark Construction and Reeves Young). The construction will be managed by the engineering firm of Atkins, which was also the firm that designed the new facility. The project is expected to be completed in mid 2024.The total project cost is estimated at $70M, which includes design, construction, and construction management and inspection. Financing will be via Water and Sewerage Revenue Bonds. In late December, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s awarded the City credit ratings on these anticipated revenue bonds at the rate of AA- and Aa3, respectively.
Remembering Larry Berry Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services was saddened by the recent passing of Larry Berry who was instrumental in starting the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department in 1975.Berry was Hickory Flat’s volunteer fire chief for more than 40 years. During that time, three fire stations were constructed to serve southeastern Cherokee County. In recent years, Berry served as a trustee and board member of the Hickory Flat Volunteer Association, where he volunteered to provide CPR and first aid training to the community.A representative with the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs said that Berry was a man who touched many lives. His footprint on the ground in Hickory Flat will remain forever.In 2017, Berry was recognized for his service to the community at the opening of the new Fire Station #3, located off Highway 140. Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather invited Berry to thank him for his service to the community and to unveil a plaque dedicating the building to him for his contributions, loyalty, and dedication to the fire department.
Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agency Is Hiring Contract Instructors Cherokee Recreation & Parks Agency (CRPA) is hiring instructors to teach tennis, music, art, and more. Contract instructors work in partnership with CRPA to provide classes and services to the community. Contact Lauren Voss at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to obtain more information.
MUST Ministries Partners With Bethesda Community Clinic To Provide Access to Free Healthcare The MUST Ministries Canton location has partnered with Bethesda Community Clinic to provide its Mobile Medical Unit to Cherokee County residents in need. The Mobile Medical Unit offers free healthcare services at the MUST Ministries Canton location on the first Friday of each month from 10:00am-2:00pm. “MUST is excited to partner with Bethesda Community Clinic to bring free medical care to our Cherokee County clients who don’t have the necessary resources for even the most basic healthcare,” said Dr. Ike Reighard, president and CEO of MUST Ministries. “Bethesda Community Clinic’s mission is to provide quality healthcare services to those in need. So, by bringing the Mobile Medical Unit to our MUST Canton location, we’re able to work together to provide crucial health services to the local community.”Every service offered in the Bethesda Community Clinic will be available on the fully equipped Mobile Medical Unit including primary care, chronic disease management, women’s health, pediatric care, sick visits, and physicals.To find out more about MUST Ministries’ services, visit MUSTMinistries.org.
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