August 2025 Community Life - Woodstock CCFES’s Liscio Earns Educator of the Year AwardCherokee County Fire & Emergency Services’ (CCFES) Kaleigh Liscio has been named the 2025 Ann Segers Educator of the Year by the Georgia Public Safety Educators Association during this year’s Georgia Fire Safety Symposium.The award was named in honor of the late Captain Ann Segers, a fire educator and volunteer firefighter in Cherokee County who earned her Basic Firefighting Certification in 1990 and was the first person in Georgia to earn credentials as an NPQ Fire Safety Educator. It recognizes exceptional commitment and achievement in public safety education across the state. This recognition celebrates Liscio’s dedication to fire and life safety outreach and her impact on the Cherokee County community.“Miss Liscio does an outstanding job supporting the needs of our community,” said Dr. Doug Knott, Fire & Life Safety Education Manager for CCFES. “This recognition is well deserved, and we are thrilled to see her efforts celebrated at the state level.”—————————————————————————————Cherokee County Implements U.S. Flag Retirement ProgramIn partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo) and Boy Scouts of America Troop #241, Cherokee County has installed a U.S. Flag Retirement Box at the Cherokee County Administration Building (1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton). Residents can access the box free of charge in the lobby. “This centrally located drop-off provides convenience while respecting our national symbol,” said Cherokee County District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter. “The county is unified in helping enable our citizens to respect our great nation while disposing of old or worn-out flags.”As part of the partnership, members of Boy Scout Troop #241 have committed to collecting flags from the box quarterly and conducting dignified retirement ceremonies in accordance with the United States Flag Code.The United States Flag Code outlines proper flag etiquette, including how to display, handle, and retire the American flag. “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning,” the code states. Residents are asked to fold flags respectfully before placing them in the box.—————————————————————————————Startup Cherokee Unveiled for a New Era of Entrepreneurship Support The Cherokee Office of Economic Development (COED) unveiled a bold new identity for its Fresh Start Cherokee entrepreneurship initiative: Startup Cherokee. Launched in 2016, Fresh Start Cherokee served as the launching pad for hundreds of local entrepreneurs and small businesses through its programs, mentorship, and community. That legacy will continue as Startup Cherokee, which is a vibrant hub for trailblazing startups and bold entrepreneurs, powered by the COED. Fueled by passion, intelligence, and a rich community history full of entrepreneurial spirit, Startup Cherokee is committed to supporting Cherokee entrepreneurs and helping startups learn, grow, and innovate. The mission is simple – to make launching and scaling a venture more accessible and easier to navigate for entrepreneurs at all stages by connecting them to the education, resources, and community they need.Through this rebrand, Startup Cherokee reflects the community it serves: bold, modern, and built for innovators. As the startup landscape shifts, this updated brand has been constructed to connect with the next generation of forward-thinking founders and to inspire growth and innovation across our region.COED has also launched a new website for entrepreneurs: StartupCherokee.com. This new website connects local small businesses to resources, events, and programs offered through the initiative, and highlights stories of Cherokee’s small business owners.Despite the name change, longstanding programs such as Fresh Start Mornings, LaunchPad Bootcamp Series, the North Atlanta Venture Mentoring Service, and the Cherokee Tech Meetup will continue to operate and support local businesses, including The Circuit Woodstock coworking space.In addition to launching the new brand, the SizeUp Cherokee tool was also introduced. Local businesses can now access industry-specific and hyperlocal information to help them grow and make smarter decisions. The research is individually customized for each company. By using the website service, local businesses can: 1. Rank their business performance compared to industry competitors. 2. Discover potential customers and suppliers and better understand their competitive landscape. 3. Optimize advertising to target ideal customer segments. SizeUp Cherokee uses big data, cloud computing, and computer algorithms to deliver custom analysis for local businesses. The data comes from hundreds of public and proprietary sources covering firmographic, demographic, geographic, labor, wage, cost, consumer spending, transportation, and more. This new service is free to local businesses and available anytime at StartupCherokee.com.—————————————————————————————Hobgood Recycling Now OpenThe Hobgood Park satellite location of the Cherokee County Recycling Center is back open for business. The site had to be closed at the end of May due to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s widening of Bells Ferry Road.A county employee will provide customer service and assistance to those who use the temporary site.“Plans for a new, permanent home for recycling at Hobgood Park are underway,” said Community Services Agency Director Bryan Reynolds. “The timeline for construction of that facility depends on the construction of the new park entrance made necessary by the road widening project.”The Hobgood Park drop-off site, located at 6688 Bells Ferry Road in Woodstock, will be open 8:00am-5:00pm Tuesday through Friday and 8:00am-noon on Saturday. Recycling services include single-stream recyclables such as paper, plastic 1 and 2, cans, and broken-down cardboard boxes. Please ensure items are properly cleaned and dried before bringing them to the facility. The recycling center is for Cherokee County residents only, and no commercial materials will be accepted. —————————————————————————————Retirement of Woodstock Police Chief AnnouncedChief Robert Jones of the Woodstock Police Department will retire on September 2, 2025. Chief Jones joined Woodstock PD in March 2022. He has served for 27 years in law enforcement and 12 years in the United States military.“Serving this city and working alongside the dedicated men and women of this agency has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Jones. “Together, we have built something remarkable, an agency rooted in integrity, professionalism, and service to our community. I will always be proud to have been a part of this organization.”The City of Woodstock plans to conduct a national executive search to recruit a new chief of police. Woodstock PD is nationally accredited through CALEA and certified through the State of Georgia, placing it in the top 5% of agencies in the state. When the application period begins, information about the role will be posted at WoodstockGa.gov/jobs.
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