June 2026 Community Life Woodstock Cherokee County Elections & Voter Registration Receives National Award Cherokee County Elections & Voter Registration has been nationally recognized for excellence in election administration, earning a Clearinghouse Award from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for its voter education initiative, Empowering Voices: A Community Guide to Elections. The program was honored in the Communications: Distinguished Voter Education and Communications Initiatives category for its efforts to provide accurate, transparent, and accessible election information to the community. Now in its 10th year, the EAC presents these awards annually to recognize best practices in election administration. This year’s winning programs took place during the 2025 election cycle.Cherokee County’s Empowering Voices: A Community Guide to Elections was one of 46 programs recognized with a Clearinghouse Award. For more information on the Clearinghouse Awards, visit EAC.gov/clearies. For more information about the Cherokee County Elections and Voter Registration office, visit CherokeeGaVotes.com.______________________________New State Law Aims to Simplify Property Tax Notices and Exemption Process Changes to state law made during the most recent Georgia General Assembly session are affecting how Notices of Assessments look and, in turn, are affecting the timing of when property owners will receive their annual notices. Senate Bill 566 was signed into law on April 23, 2026, and the Cherokee County Tax Assessor’s Office has been working with its vendor to ensure all required changes are reflected on the 2026 Notice of Assessment. While notices typically are mailed mid-May, the Assessor’s Office expects the mailings to be sent this summer. This will not affect the time property owners have to appeal their assessed values.SB 566 is designed to make property tax information clearer, more transparent, and easier for taxpayers to understand. The changes will take effect beginning with the 2026 tax year. Under the updated law, annual assessment notices sent to property owners will include additional details, such as:• Prior year and current year property values• Explanations for changes in value• A complete listing of exemptions, credits, and preferential assessments applied to the property• An estimate of tax savings generated by exemptions• Clearer instructions regarding the appeal process, including deadlines, contact information, and available appeal optionsOne of the most significant updates expands the timeframe for applying for a homestead exemption. Previously, some taxpayers missed exemption deadlines before receiving their assessment notices. Beginning with the 2026 tax year, property owners may apply for a homestead exemption up to and including the deadline to appeal their assessment notice.Tax bills mailed in the fall will also become more transparent by clearly displaying the total taxes levied, the amount reduced through exemptions and credits, and the final net amount owed.The law also strengthens accountability requirements related to homestead exemptions. Property owners are required to notify local officials if they become ineligible for an exemption. Failure to do so could result in repayment of taxes, interest, and penalties.For more information, contact the Cherokee County Tax Assessor’s Office at 678-493-6120.______________________________23rd Annual Kentucky Derby Day Fundraiser Success History Cherokee raised more than $65,000 at this year’s Kentucky Derby Day to support the organization’s mission. Held at The Mill on Etowah, guests arrived in their finest Derby Day attire to watch the race on the big screen and enjoy a hat contest, silent auction, raffle, pony pull, and photo booths.Proceeds from the event will help fund History Cherokee’s work in 2026, including operating the Cherokee County History Center, developing new programming for all ages, and continuing advocacy efforts for historic preservation. The funds will also support ongoing initiatives to make the organization’s extensive archival collection of more than 100,000 items increasingly accessible to the public through expanded research resources and new exhibits.______________________________American Legion Post 45 Names Firefighter of the Year Sgt. Manny Zapeta of Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services has been selected as the Firefighter of the Year by Thomas M. Brady American Legion Post 45, recognizing his outstanding service, leadership, and commitment to the community.The American Legion, the nation’s largest veteran organization with nearly 1.5 million members, has a long-standing tradition of recognizing individuals who demonstrate exceptional service to their communities. Sgt. Zapeta’s selection as Firefighter of the Year highlights his professionalism, courage, and impact both on and off duty.______________________________Hickory Flat Optimist Club Raises Funds for Fitfully ForwardAt a recent meeting, the Hickory Flat Optimist Club presented the Fitfully Forward program with a $5,818 check. The funds were raised at the club’s BINGO fundraiser event. Fitfully Forward is a nonprofit organization that offers fitness, dance, and nutrition education to under-resourced populations, including individuals with special needs, seniors, and veterans.______________________________Property for Downtown Canton Parking Lot Expansion Approved for PurchaseLand that will allow for parking expansion at the Frank C. Mills III Justice Center complex in downtown Canton has been approved for purchase by the Board of Commissioners. The Justice Center is a Tier 1 project in the SPLOST initiative approved by voters in November 2024, which means it receives top priority for funds.The County and City of Canton are constructing an 800-space parking deck as part of the expansion and Canton’s downtown mixed-use development project on North Street; however, the deck must be one of the last components constructed during the project due to logistics. The County’s plans to alleviate parking problems at the Justice Center include a more immediate solution in expanding the existing parking lot behind the Historic Courthouse.The Board of Commissioners approved, 4-1, entering into a sales agreement to purchase 4.63 acres and authorizing the county manager to execute the transaction. The total cost is $4.9 million, and the current landowner is providing an additional $500,000, which will be used for improvements to the Badger Creek Soccer Complex. The 4.63 acres include seven parcels located west of the existing parking lot. Funding for the land purchase will come from SPLOST 2018.The Board also approved a $25,850 agreement for a limited Phase II Site Assessment for the parking expansion site. The assessment follows a Phase I review that identified potential environmental concerns, including oil and grease staining, vehicle maintenance debris, historical use of harsh chemicals by nearby businesses, and two underground gas tanks. The Phase II Site Assessment will evaluate the potential impact of these recognized environmental conditions on the property.______________________________Sneak Peek: Soccer World Cup Festivities in Woodstock With the world’s biggest soccer tournament set to kick off this summer and Atlanta named as one of the official U.S. host cities, Visit Woodstock GA is gearing up to welcome a wave of visitors with daily game broadcasts and a kickoff party you won’t want to miss.For the duration of the tournament, June 11-July 19, soccer fans can enjoy at least one match per day screened live on the Woodstock Arts Event Green at 111 Elm Street. VisitWoodstockGA.com/soccer will feature a daily schedule of games. In addition, numerous local restaurants and venues will be designated as official WDSTK Watch Spots, showcasing matches throughout the tournament. These locations will be marked with “WDSTK Watch Spot” flags, making it easy to find the perfect place to catch the action.To commemorate the first USA team game on June 12, Visit Woodstock GA is also inviting everyone to a celebratory kickoff WDSTK Watch Party on the Woodstock Arts Event Green. The event promises fun for all ages, including:• Meet-and-greets with Impact Soccer’s semi-professional men’s and women’s teams, featuring autograph sessions and penalty kick shootout games• Live music from 7:00-8:30pm• A live showing of the USA vs. Paraguay match at 9:00pmAttendees at the WDSTK Watch Party on June 12 will also be invited to participate in the “WDSTK Watch Party Passport,” an interactive experience encouraging visitors to explore Woodstock’s local businesses. Participants can collect stamps with purchases at participating shops and restaurants, then redeem completed passports at the Event Green for a commemorative pin. ________________________________ Cherokee County School District Announcements Seniors Honored by Cherokee County Sports Hall of FameEach spring, the Cherokee County Sports Hall of Fame, a CCSD Partner, recognizes the most outstanding male and female senior athletes from each of CCSD’s six traditional high schools. Honorees are nominated by high school administrators based on outstanding athletic contributions made during their high school careers. Honorees include: Cherokee HS’s Carlee Platko (lacrosse) and Blake Spivey (golf), Creekview HS’s Jesse Roland (fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball) and Malachi Burnett (cross country and track), Etowah HS’s Ewomazino Edet (track and field) and Carson Moore (baseball), River Ridge HS’s Ava Hoynowski (swimming) and Miles Lesley (wrestling and football), Sequoyah HS’s Rain McRae (flag football and track and field) and Will Rajecki (football and track), and Woodstock HS’s Nina Carcone (softball and track) and Tyler Barbera (football and track).High Schools Earn Top Honors for Advanced AcademicsAll six of CCSD’s traditional high schools have been named 2026 AP Honor Schools for exceptional student performance and participation on AP exams, which offer students more challenging coursework and the opportunity to earn college credit. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the New Cherokee HS The Cherokee County School District (CCSD) celebrated the new replacement campus for Cherokee HS with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house in anticipation of its official opening on August 3 for the first day of school. Within budget and on schedule to open on time, the School Board-approved new campus at 1500 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, funded by Education SPLOST, replaces CCSD’s oldest high school, which opened in 1956. The new school has been designed to accommodate up to a total enrollment of more than 3,000 students. Three Seniors Earn National Merit ScholarshipsGrace Dai of Cherokee HS and Aiden Johnson of Creekview HS were named among the 2,500 graduating seniors nationwide to earn National Merit Scholarships. Recipients are selected from 15,000 finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Finalists represent the top 1% of all U.S. high school seniors. Dai will attend Stanford University, and Johnson will attend Georgia Tech to study computer science.Additionally, Ian Zeller of Cherokee HS earned the corporate-sponsored National Merit Emerson Electric Co. Scholarship. He will study aerospace engineering at the University of Alabama. Emerson, a global technology and software company, recognizes outstanding children of its employees who are also named National Merit Scholarship finalists. Teacher Named State Education Ambassador Indian Knoll ES fifth-grade teacher Chelsea Leming, a past CCSD Teacher of the Year and Georgia Teacher of the Year Top 10 finalist, is one of only 20 teachers statewide selected to serve as a Teach in the Peach ambassador. The Georgia Department of Education program promotes teaching as a rewarding profession and supports local and regional teacher recruitment. Students Earn Honors at State Healthcare Science Career Skills Competition River Ridge HS students in the Career Pathway Healthcare Science Program recently competed at the HOSA Future Health Professionals student organization’s State Leadership Conference. Junior Victoria Marin Garzon earned second place in the research poster competition for her project on art therapy, and senior Camryn Hooks earned third place in phlebotomy skills. They have advanced to the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, this summer. Two students earned state recognition for excellent scores on the National Geographic Learning Academic Test: senior Isabella Garcia in anatomy and physiology and sophomore Carlianne Timbol in biology. The school’s HOSA chapter was also recognized for its membership growth, Courtesy Corp, and newsletter. Their advisor is Career Pathway Healthcare Science teacher Callie Davis, president-elect of the national Health Science Educators Association.Teacher Earns Two Awards for Outstanding Classroom Instruction Samantha Westerlind, who teaches technology classes at Little River ES, won both the Discovery Education’s Educator of the Year Award and the Presidential AI Challenge’s Georgia State Champion Award.Teacher Earns Statewide Educator of the Year Award Woodstock HS Latin teacher Kellie Jo Baglio is the Georgia Junior Classical League Teacher of the Year. The League is a statewide academic organization dedicated to promoting the study of Latin and Greek. Each year, it recognizes one outstanding Georgia educator whose work exemplifies excellence in teaching and service to the Classics community. Honorees are nominated by their peers statewide, and the winner is selected by a judging committee. In addition to teaching Latin classes at Woodstock HS, Baglio also serves as world languages department chair, sponsors the Junior Classical League and National Latin Honor Society chapters, and teaches Latin and Latin culture at Woodstock MS. She is also a past Teacher of the Year for Woodstock HS and a past CCSD Teacher of the Year finalistThree Student Artists Earn Statewide Honors and Advance to Nationals The annual PTA Reflections fine arts contest offers students in all grades and of all abilities the opportunity to create original works of art in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. Students can earn recognition at the school, district, state, and national levels. Students advancing to Nationals include: Tatum Bishop, Grade 7, E.T. Booth MS, Dance Choreography Harper Ulrich, Grade 1, Bascomb ES, Dance Choreography Evelyn Olotka, Grade 5, Bascomb ES, Literature
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