Canton Main Street Named Quarterfinalist for Americas Main Streets Contest The national small business movement, Independent We Stand, recently announced that Canton Main Street is one of the quarterfinalists in the 2019 Americas Main Streets contest. The winner of the $25,000 grand prize will be announced this month.The Canton Main Street program was established in 2010 to enhance the quality of life for Canton residents. With a heart for historic preservation and an eye on the future, Canton is building an economy for the next generation while restoring buildings from past generations. In the last two years, over 300,000 square feet of historic buildings have been restored including former schools, a textile mill, and the historic Jones Mercantile in the heart of downtown. Canton has made a name for itself with exciting new possibilities for growth within an authentic, inviting community that deeply cares about the citys future and unrivaled quality of life.
Brewery Opens This Month at The Mill on Etowah Reformation Brewerys new location at The Mill on Etowah is celebrating its grand opening on June 7-9. Located at 141 Railroad Street, Suite 500, the 20,000+ square foot space is in a mixed-use area still under construction along the Etowah River with future access to nearby shopping, restaurants, river use, and green space. Serving as the brewerys main production facility and warehouse, the space also includes a public taproom and private event space.Canton has all the historic bones to create something unique to our state and region, said Grant Schmeelk, developer. We are fortunate to have the chance to participate in the restoration and transformation already started. We hope The Mill on Etowah, anchored by Reformation Brewery, will become a destination for all who wander into north Georgia and a place to celebrate its wonderful gifts.
Rotary Club Honors Public Safety Officers The Rotary Club of Canton held its 4th annual Public Safety Appreciation Luncheon at the Bluffs Conference Center last month. The theme of the event was Honoring Our Heroes.Sergeant Nathan Ernst, Holly Springs Police Department, was awarded the Public Safety Medal of Valor due to the tremendous bravery he demonstrated during a call earlier this year. Three officers received the Colonel George Bailey Distinguished Leadership Award: Deputy Courey Carter, Cherokee Sheriffs Office; Matthew Dunn, Woodstock Police Department; and Deputy Chief Tommy Keheley, Holly Springs Police Department.Public Safety Employee of the Year awards were presented to Mike Adams, Holly Springs Police Department; Dale Belvin, Cherokee County E 9-1-1; Shane Bonebrake, Woodstock Police Department; Sergeant Chris Bryant, Cherokee Sheriffs Office; Corporal Cody Jones, Cherokee Sheriffs Office; Chief Mark Kissel, Cherokee County School Police Department; Animal Control Officer Viola Lynne Laux, Cherokee Marshals Office; Monica Moore, Cherokee County District Attorneys Office; Cameron Smith, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services; Jenna Stoner, Cherokee County E 9-11; Michael Sweat, Canton Police Department; and Mike Thomas, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services.During the event, the Rotary Club also awarded the Public Safety Business Partner of the Year to Malek Eljiche, Tuscany Restaurant, and Chuck Cox, Chucks Auto Repair.Keynote speaker was Vic Reynolds, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
New Commemorative Bricks Installed at Cherokee Veterans Park Cherokee County recently added 164 new commemorative brick pavers to the Monument at Cherokee Veterans Park. The monument, located at 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton, opened to the public on Veterans Day last year. This brings the total engraved brick pavers installed since the monument opened to nearly 300.The centerpiece of the design is a large United States flag with five granite walls and plaques depicting the names and mottos for each uniformed branch of service along with the year each branch was founded. The pentagon-shaped plaza includes a five-pointed star with a column at the point and the seal for each branch of the armed services on the column. The monument also includes a tribute to veterans who were prisoners of war or who remain missing in action. Each point of the star includes brick pavers to thank our veterans and commemorate their service.Commemorative brick pavers are still available for purchase by visiting the Commemorative Brick Program at CRPA.net or in person at the Recreation Center in Woodstock. All proceeds are used for upkeep of the monument.The next installation of bricks is scheduled prior to Veterans Day in November. The deadline to purchase a brick for installation prior to Veterans Day is August 31. For more information, please call 770-924-7768, or visit CRPA.net.
Cherokee County Clerks Office Requests Teddy Bear Donations The Cherokee County Clerks Office is excited to announce Buddy Bears, a program that benefits Cherokee Countys children in foster care. The office will be collecting donated teddy bears to give to children who come before the citizen review panels. In cooperation with the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges, the Cherokee County Juvenile Court participates in the Permanent Homes for Children program. Citizen volunteers meet monthly to review the case plans developed for children in foster care. While reviewing cases, these volunteers track the case plans progress, assess how parents are doing on their reunification plan, and ensure that children are receiving the services they need. The Clerks Office would like to give teddy bears to the children to help ease their stress, trauma, and anxiety. New and gently used teddy bears will be collected through July 1, 2019 in the Justice Center lobby (90 North Street, Suite 230, Canton).
City of Holly Springs Receives 2019 Main Street Accreditation The City of Holly Springs has been designated as an accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs to recognize their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.We are proud to acknowledge this years 840 nationally accredited Main Street America programs that have worked tirelessly to strengthen their communities, said Patrice Frey, president and CEO of the National Main Street Center. These programs deserve recognition for generating impressive economic returns, preserving community character, and celebrating local history. The Citys Main Street Programs performance is annually evaluated by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Downtown Development, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings. We are proud to be a part of such a powerful national movement, said Erin Honea, Main Street director. We have a wonderful Main Street Board, chaired by Dr. Ollie Evans with Holly Springs Chiropractic & Massage, that tirelessly gives of their time and talents to make Holly Springs a great place to be. During 2018, special events brought in over 10,000 guests, and volunteers gave over 200 hours of their time.
Plans for New History Museum Announced The Cherokee County Historical Society is pleased to announce plans to develop a new and innovative Cherokee County History Museum and Preservation Center. The new History Center will be in the former Canton Police Department building at 221 East Marietta Street in historic downtown Canton following an extensive reuse and renovation project. The museum is planned be a major tourist attraction for Cherokee County, as well as a center for residents and students to explore the countys rich and vibrant history.Purchase price of the property from the City of Canton will be $1.32 million, with the Historical Society making the initial payment of $600,000 when the purchase is finalized later this summer. The remainder of the purchase price will be paid annually from a tourism grant the Historical Society receives from the City of Cantons hotel/motel tax fund, according to a partnership agreement between the organization and the City. The museum will engage visitors by telling and depicting the human stories behind the countys history. Using artifacts, storyboards, and stunning audiovisuals, these personal narratives will bring the artifacts to life and connect visitors to Cherokees rich past.We are excited to finalize the location of the new History Center, said Historical Society Director Stefanie Joyner. This will bring a much-needed cultural attraction to Cherokee County and provide a place for students to learn about local history. Were grateful to the City for working with us to make this a reality.When completed, the museum is expected to draw 20,000 visitors a year to Cherokee County. For more information, contact Joyner at 770-345-3288 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Reinhardt Offers New Online Masters Degrees Reinhardt University recently announced two new masters degree programs. Beginning in August 2019, the university will offer Georgias first 100 percent online sport-based masters degree program at a private institution. The new Master of Science in Sport Administration consists of 30 credits, which can be completed in one year.We see a need for a fully sport-based online masters program in the state of Georgia, said Dr. Joe Mullins, sport studies & PE program coordinator. The program will provide advanced skills for sports professionals looking to enter leadership or administration positions in all aspects of the sports industry.Beginning in fall 2019, Reinhardt has also made it more convenient to earn a Master of Business Administration through a new online alternative to its successful on-campus MBA program. This MBA degree can be completed in less than two years. Some choose a graduate degree in business to increase their earning opportunity, while others want to learn new skill sets to use in their current positions.The new online MBA will open doors for those who have commitments preventing them from earning their MBA through the traditional on-campus option, said Dr. Steve Morse, dean of the McCamish School of Business & Sport Studies. The MBA will make our high-quality faculty available to many more students around the United States and the world.To learn more about these programs, call 770-720-9191, or visit Reinhardt.edu. The new Master of Science in Sport Administration and Leadership degree program is pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services Donates Fire Safety House to Gilmer County Last month, Cherokee County Fire donated its old fire safety house to Gilmer County.After the merger of Cherokee County and Canton fire departments, the consolidated organization ended up with two fire safety houses one from Canton, one from Cherokee. After careful review and consideration, Cherokee County Fire & Emergency decided to keep the citys newer fire safety house and donate the countys older model. Cherokee County Fire Chief Tim Prather contacted the Gilmer County fire chief and determined that they did not have a fire safety house. Earlier this year, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved the transfer. On behalf of the Gilmer County Board of Commissioners and Gilmer County Public Safety, we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude for your generous donation of the fire safety training trailer, said Keith Kucera, director of Gilmer County Department of Public Safety. Our Fire/Life Safety team at Gilmer County has already used this wonderful gift at Ellijay Primary School, which saw over 50 first graders pass through and learn about home safety. Our entire community truly appreciates you and your staff.
CCSD Students Win State Leadership Awards The 21st Century Leaders organization presented Georgia Youth Leadership Awards to Cherokee High School junior Michael Garcia and Etowah High School junior Kailen Kim. Each year, the youth leadership and talent development program selects 21 youth leaders from throughout Georgia for the honor. The high school leaders selected are already making names for themselves as nonprofit founders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, authors, and community advocates.
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