A p r i l 2 1 , 2 0 2 2 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 5 , N o . 1 6
Legislative session ends with passage of school directives Lawmakers address issues of race, recess, girls’ sports By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmedia.com
JAKE DRUKMAN/APPEN MEDIA
Forsyth County Animal Shelter Director Cindy Iacopella presents a plan for a mobile pet adoption and veterinary clinic to the Board of Commissioners at its April 12 work session. Commissioners gave initial approval for the proposal.
County OKs major parks upgrades By JAKE DRUKMAN jake@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners moved forward with plans to improve four county parks at its April 12 work session. Improvements to Sawnee Mountain Park, Sharon Springs Park, Central Park and Fowler Park will cost the county a total of around $693,000. The lion’s share of the money — $540,500
— will go toward replacing 13-year-old artificial turf fields at Sawnee Mountain and Sharon Springs parks. Commissioners voted to award the turf replacement contract to South Carolina-based Sprinturf, whose bid came in well below the county’s budget for the project. Parks and Recreation Director Jim Pryor said the county had budgeted $600,000 for the upgrade. About $99,000 will go toward resurfacing tennis courts at Central Park and Fowler Park, and the other $53,100
will go to replace rooftop HVAC units at Central Park’s recreation center. The board also approved another $53,000 contract for TerraMark Land Surveys to conduct a topographic survey for the construction of a recreation center at Matt Park. Outside of work on the county’s parks, the Board of Commissioners approved a $71,200 agreement for United Consulting to provide geotechnical engineering services for the development
Group seeks assistance for military funerals
Community rallies around cat rescue
Cutting edge lawn service launches
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ATLANTA — Rebranding “critical race theory” to “divisive concepts” proved more palatable to state lawmakers who passed an all-encompassing bill outlining what is acceptable to teach in Georgia classrooms about race-related issues. The session began in January with several bills touching on the subject of discriminating “on the basis of race,” according to their sponsors. It ended in early April with one bill, House Bill 1084, known as the “Protect Students First Act,” which ultimately passed both chambers and was sent on to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for final approval. House Bill 1084 outlines nine concepts prohibited to be discussed or taught in the classroom. School systems that veer into these danger zones could potentially lose funding and instructional flexibility in other areas. Officials with the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, which represents the vast majority of public
See LEGISLATURE, Page 6