City of Canton Appoints Cpt. John Lummus as Interim Police Chief Cpt. John Lummus has been appointed as the interim police chief for the Canton Police Department and will be leading the agency during the transition from the retirement of Police Chief Stephen Merrifield. Lummus joined the Canton Police Department in February 1997 and served as a sergeant and lieutenant before his promotion to captain in July 2022.The City of Canton engaged Reddish Executive Consulting (dba Mercer Group) to manage the search for the next chief of police. The application went live on December 18, 2023, and the application window will close on January 19, 2024. After applications are closed, selection of semifinalists and final interviews will occur over a six-week period. The city manager hopes to select a new chief in early March.
Cherokee County School District Announcements 12-23 National Signing Day for Student AthletesFifty-four student athletes recently signed commitment letters to compete at the college level. The students were honored with ceremonies at their high schools to celebrate their signings of National Letters of Intent. This National Signing Day was the earliest day on which high school seniors could sign a binding commitment to play competitive college sports other than football.Congratulations to participating student athletes at the following schools in Woodstock:Etowah HSDimitri Angelakos, Baseball, Georgia Tech; Danielle Bailey, Softball, Kennesaw State University; Oliver Bandy, Baseball, Hillsborough Community College; Katie Callaway, Soccer, University of Utah; Alexis Castle, Soccer, Jacksonville State University; Cara Holland, Softball, Berry College; Caleb Hughes, Baseball, University of Southern Mississippi; Camdyn Magrosky, Soccer, Jacksonville State University; Jake Zehner, Baseball, Florence Darlington TechRiver Ridge HSAmanda Fulton, Softball, Western Carolina University; Matthew Lipcsey, Baseball, St. Johns River State College; Bella McKinney, Lacrosse, Coker University ; Scotty Milbourn, Baseball, Coastal Alabama Community College; Caroline Moon, Volleyball, Brevard College; Kaitlyn Mulligan, Lacrosse, Coker University; Brelyn O’Hearn, Softball, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Ethan Osada, Baseball, Kennesaw State University; Avery Parker, Soccer, Mercer University; Emma Porterfield, Lacrosse, Mars Hill University; Allie Sweet, Volleyball, University of North Carolina Greensboro; Chandler Thiel, Baseball, University of North Georgia Woodstock HSDakota Beasley, Lacrosse, Newberry College; Oz Eckard, Baseball, Lenoir Rhyne University; Brooks McKenna, Baseball, Samford University; Kevin Maurer, Baseball, U.S. Naval Academy; Roy Shewmake, Baseball, Maryville College; Caden Tuck, Baseball, Wallace Dothan Community College; Mylon Uribe, Baseball, Albany State University; Brooklyn Walker, Lacrosse, Converse UniversityCongratulations to participating student athletes at the following schools located in Canton: Cherokee HSShealyn Baker, Soccer, University of West Georgia; Jackson Bradfield, Baseball, Kennesaw State University; Marissa Davis, Lacrosse, Young Harris College; Seth Grogan, Cross Country, Auburn University at Montgomery; Emma Harlow, Softball, Lagrange College; Reagan Horton, Soccer, Reinhardt University; Alley Jones, Lacrosse, Shorter University; Elyse Kresho, Softball, University of Oregon; Sophie Lyen, Beach Volleyball, University of South Carolina; Riley Simmons, Basketball, University of South Carolina-Aiken; Toni Warren, Basketball, Wofford College Creekview HSChris Aiello, Lacrosse, University of Alabama in Huntsville; Yasmine Arriola, Lacrosse, Liberty University; Tristan Brady, Softball, Truett McConnell University; Abbie Burkett, Softball, Young Harris College; Jack Burns, Baseball, Georgia Highlands College; Karina Harrington, Lacrosse, Palm Beach Atlantic University; Alec Hotaling, Baseball, Auburn University at Montgomery; Jake Hughes, Lacrosse, University of Alabama in Huntsville; Victoria Kjaerulff, Swimming, Georgia Southern University; Sydney Neff, Softball, Thomas University; Emma Pethel, Soccer, Northwestern State University; Christina Warren, Lacrosse, Winthrop University Sequoyah HSAbby Cleveland, Lacrosse, Mars Hill University; Catherine McCrobie, Lacrosse, St. Leo University ------------------------ Etowah HS Senior Named Semifinalist for National HonorIxchel Avila is one of only 1,500 high school seniors nationwide selected as 2023-2024 Coca-Cola Scholars Program semifinalists. She is one of only 37 seniors selected from Georgia.Semifinalists were chosen from more than 103,800 applicants based on academic excellence, leadership, and service demonstrated in school and community activities. Ixchel now advances to the next stage in the review process to be named a Coca-Cola Scholar. The organization will name 250 regional finalists, with 150 becoming Coca-Cola Scholars and receiving a $20,000 college scholarship funded by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. ------------------------Woodstock MS Assistant Principal Honored With National Recognition Dr. Chad Flatt was recently celebrated in Washington, D.C., as a National Distinguished Principal by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. The award recognizes one exceptional middle or high school principal from each state who has excelled in meeting the academic and social needs of all students and establishing strong ties with parents and local business organizations. Dr. Flatt, a 23-year educator who joined CCSD this school year, was named the Georgia winner in May for his success as principal of Pickens Junior High School. He and 36 other honorees from across the country participated in two days of events at The Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C., to share best practices, culminating in an awards banquet to honor their accomplishments.
2023 City of Canton Mayoral, Council, and Special Election Results The elections were conducted by the Cherokee County Board of Elections. In the race for mayor, Bill Grant defeated Andy Tubbs. Grant received 1,759 votes (57.5%) compared to Tubbs who tallied 1,298 votes (42.5%).In the race to succeed JoEllen Wilson as Ward 1 councilor, Travis Johnson ran unopposed. Shawn Tolan also ran unopposed to be reelected as councilor for Ward 2. In the race to succeed Brooke Schmidt as Ward 3 councilor, Farris Yawn received 1,411 votes (50.3%), defeating Tracye Busbee who collected 1,392 votes (49.7%).The winners of these four races will be sworn in for four-year terms at the January 4, 2024, Canton City Council meeting.In the special election to complete Will Carlan’s unexpired term, Bryan Roach won by receiving 1,766 votes (64%) compared to Sammy Baker’s 429 votes (15.5%) and Luke Smith’s 564 votes (20.5%). Roach was sworn in at the November 16 City Council meeting.All election results have been certified by the Cherokee County Board of Elections.
Many Items Accepted for Free at Cherokee County Recycling Centers Did you know that recycling is FREE on most items for Cherokee County residents? The Cherokee County Recycling Center offers two drop-off locations and, for your convenience, now encourages single-stream recycling, allowing residents to recycle cans, paper, and plastic products without the need to separate them. Glass must be separated by and placed in specified dumpsters. The Cherokee County Recycling Center (470 Blalock Road, Canton) is open 9:00am-5:00pm Tuesday-Friday and 8:00am-4:00pm on Saturday. An additional drop-off site is located at Hobgood Park (6688 Bells Ferry Road) and is open daily from 9:00am-6:00pm.Items accepted at no charge: clean food and beverage cartons (dairy, soy, almond, broth, wine, juice, soup), paper, plastic, cardboard, food-grade glass (no candles, cookware, coffee mugs, etc.), batteries (Blalock Road only), and Styrofoam (must be bagged, Blalock Road only).Items accepted for a small fee at the Blalock Road location: metal, appliances, bagged household trash, flat Screen TVs (LED, LCD, or plasma only — no tube or projection TVs), flat screen computer monitors, mattresses, paint, Power Wheels kids’ vehicles, plastic play sets and sheds.
Two Cherokee Professionals Named Top Georgia 500 Influential Leaders Misti Martin, president and CEO of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, and Reinhardt University President Mark A. Roberts, Ph.D., were selected by Georgia Trend magazine to be two of Georgia’s most influential leaders. The “Georgia 500” edition of the magazine was published on November 1. Selections were based upon nominations, editorial committee recommendations, and extensive research and interviews, resulting in a selective guide to the Georgians who impact our state. Martin was recognized in the economic development category, and Dr. Roberts was recognized in the education category of the magazine.
Cherokee County Employees Create New Food Pantry Twenty-five Cherokee County employees participated in the Carl Vinson Institute of Georgia’s Management Development Program (MDP). As part of the program curriculum, participants complete a project that impacts their community. “As a class, we wanted to complete a project that would benefit our community and be sustainable for years to come,” said Cherokee County Human Resources Director Kathy Lambert. “We quickly narrowed down the underprivileged communities within Cherokee County and discussed what our greatest impact might be in those areas. We decided to build an outdoor food pantry that would be continuously stocked by organizations and private citizens with a heart to help those in need.”The pantry is located outside the Greater Church (5744 Bells Ferry Road, Acworth) and will be available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Energy Assistance Program Open for Homebound and Elderly The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program administered by the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services is now open to homebound and elderly households. Homebound households are defined as those in which every resident is confined to the home because of medical conditions or disabilities. Elderly households are defined as those in which every resident is aged 65 years or older (if anyone in the household is under age 18 and all other household members are 65 or older, that household will meet the definition).All households participating in the program must meet the income criteria, be responsible for paying the cost of energy for home heating directly to the supplier, and be U.S. citizens or aliens admitted to the U.S. for lawful permanent residence. Applicants must present their most recent heating bill and electric bill as well as proof of household income, valid Social Security number, and citizenship with a valid picture I.D. and/or alien status. Elderly households must also provide proof of age for all household members.To apply for assistance, call the Cherokee County Service Center at 770-345-6531. If you are unable to get through, please be patient and keep trying until you reach someone. Do not leave messages, as they will not be returned. The homebound/elderly "priority" is open through December 31, 2023.
Cherokee Chamber Seeks Nominees for First Citizen of Cherokee County and Applicants for Teen Leadership The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominees for the prestigious First Citizen of Cherokee County Award until 5:00pm on December 11, 2023. The distinct title of First Citizen of Cherokee County is bestowed upon a man or woman who has resided in the county for a minimum of five years and has shown significant meritorious service to his or her community through family, civic, and/or religious involvement. A panel of out-of-town judges carefully reviews the accomplishments of each applicant, and the winner is chosen based on merit. The Chamber is also accepting applications for the Teen Leadership Cherokee Class of 2024 through December 10, 2023. Students must be in 10th grade to apply. The mission of Teen Leadership Cherokee is for participants to L.E.A.D. (lead, engage, aspire, and drive), so that they may confidently become our community's next generation of leaders. Participants will develop a sense of community while discovering the impact of teamwork on their peers, their schools, and Cherokee County.The young men and women selected to participate in Teen Leadership Cherokee must attend school and/or live in Cherokee County, demonstrate outstanding qualities as existing or potential leaders, and possess the desire to effect change in the community. Participants’ academic achievements and responsibilities – working after school, active participation in school functions, or membership in other organizations – will be reviewed during the selection process. The class is limited to 20 participants.Applications for these awards can be found at CherokeeChamber.com. For additional information, please call 770-345-0400.
Cherokee County E 9-1-1 Launches Logan's Law Database Cherokee County E 9-1-1, in partnership with the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority (GECA), has launched a Logan’s Law database on its website. The database gives E 9-1-1 dispatchers information to share with law enforcement and public safety personnel regarding any individuals in the home who have special needs.Adding information to Cherokee’s Logan’s Law database will give residents the ability to note any special medical conditions at a particular address. The form is available at CherokeeGa-911.org/logan.
CASA of Cherokee County Celebrates 30 Years of Child Advocacy This year marks 30 years of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), a program of The Children’s Haven, serving children experiencing foster care in Cherokee County. CASA volunteers provide child advocacy and are the voice for children, advocating for their best interests. To celebrate and commemorate this special milestone, a luncheon was held to honor CASA volunteers, past and present. The event was also attended by elected officials, Cherokee County judges, county and state community partners, as well as generous sponsors.At the event, Judge Jennifer Davis shared family and child well-being statistics from Cherokee County as well as the state of Georgia, indicating that Cherokee County is the third highest in the state for the number of children in foster care (on October 20, there were 429 Cherokee County children in foster care). These statistics are a reminder of the significant need for CASA volunteers. A CASA volunteer is a deeply committed, specially trained individual from the community who is appointed by the juvenile court judge to improve a child’s experience in foster care by providing individualized attention, bringing urgency to children’s needs throughout their time in state custody, and offering consistency and continuity by helping to connect information among case managers, foster parents, attorneys, and many other stakeholders.To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the CASA program aims to raise $30,000 to fund the training of additional volunteers. To give, volunteer, or learn more, please visit CherokeeChildrensHaven.org.
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