Cherokee Ledger Monthly - July 2025

DRIFTIN’ AWAY THE CHEROKEE LEDGER

LOCAL BUSINESS

OFFERS TUBING EXCURSIONS ALONG THE ETOWAH RIVER

PERSPECTIVES • SPORTS • COMMUNITY EVENTS • FOOD • HEALTH

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Making the most of summer’s dog days

Welcome back to another issue of the Cherokee Ledger Monthly. Summer is in full swing, and whether you’ve been traveling or staying at home, I hope it’s been a good one.

Some of my favorite things this time of year are getting ice cream on a hot summer day, and at night, seeing the fireflies. Some of you call them lightning bugs.

And the Fourth of July is coming up. I love a good fireworks show. Unfortunately, my older dog doesn’t appreciate the noise.

You can find a guide to fireworks, parades and other patriotic events celebrating Independence Day in Cherokee County in our Community section, and more community events happening throughout the month.

In our cover story, Kathleen Sturgeon introduces us to Etowah River Tubing in Canton, where you can rent a tube for an easy float down the Etowah. The take out point is near the Mill on Etowah, where you can get a bite to eat or do some shopping.

Also in this issue, you can see who signed up to officially run for office for Georgia Senate District 21 and Cherokee County District 1 commissioner. The special election for both of these seats is Aug. 26. For more election coverage, please visit our website.

Local and state officials recently celebrated

the start of work to widen Bells Ferry Road — a long-awaited project for the area. You can also check out the Cherokee County government’s purchase of the historic Free Home Elementary campus, restaurants and commercial space coming to Hickory Flat, a new 55-andup neighborhood planned for east Cherokee and more.

In dining news, a new cafe near Canton has joined Cherokee’s coffee scene, and the popular Barrel House Coffee in Ball Ground celebrated its reopening after it was closed for renovations.

And in Sports, multiple Cherokee County teams are celebrating state championship victories: Cherokee and Creekview’s boys golf teams both recently won their first state golf titles, and at River Ridge, the boys soccer team once again beat Sprayberry to win a second state championship.

For even more local news, you can check out the Cherokee Tribune, our website www. tribuneledgernews.com, and the Cherokee Tribune-Ledger podcast.

Shannon Ballew Managing Editor

Publisher lee B. g ArreTT

Managing Editor ShAnnon BAlleW

VP of Content Jk MurPhy

Writers

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JoSePh BenneTT

grIFFIn CAll AghAn

JAye grIMeS

rylee holl And eThAn JohnSon

kAThleen STurgeon

VP of Advertising BoB MCCrAy

Circulation Director

dAVe goSSeTT

VP of Production doug CroW

Photographers

grIFFIn CAll AghAn

JAye grIMeS

SArA hAgen

eThAn JohnSon

BIll MCguIre

roBIn rAyne

AnThony STAlCuP

Layout & Design

JuSTIn grIFFIn, JennIFer BroWn, PhIlIP CleMenTS

On the Cover

Sara hagen captured tubers on the etowah river.

Volume 2, Issue 7

The Cherokee Ledger Monthly 521 E. Main St., Canton, Ga 30114 • (770) 479-1441

Community News

♦ Bells Ferry Road widening celebrated, 4

♦ Who’s running for state Senate, Cherokee County commissioner, 5

♦ Sale of Free Home Elementary OK’d, 6

♦ Newsbriefs, 10

Cover Story

♦ Tubing along the Etowah River, 7 Opinion

♦ Perspectives, 11

♦ Letters to the Editor, 12

♦ Soapbox, 13

Dining

♦ Cafe Flōralia opens at Prominence Point in Cherokee, 14

♦ Ball Ground’s Barrel House Coffee celebrates reopening, 15

Entertainment & Community Events

♦ Celebrating the Fourth in Cherokee, 17

♦ Community Events, 18

Sports

♦ Cherokee and Creekview boys win first golf titles, 21

♦ River Ridge survives Sprayberry for back-to-back titles, 22

♦ Bertils the offensive leader for Sequoyah’s success, 23

♦ Manderano leads River Ridge run, 24

Health

♦ Cherokee County firefighters celebrate young Austin Herre completing cancer treatment, 26

♦ What to know about adult vaccines, 27

Cherokee Social Scene

♦ Concertgoers enjoy 70s rock and family fun at Canton First Friday, 29

♦ NotATypical Festival brings music and food to downtown Woodstock, 30

♦ Electric Avenue, Rock The 90’s USA play in Canton, 31

Gardening

♦ Tips for July, 32

Puzzles

♦ Crossword and Sudoku, 33

Ballew

Cherokee County, GDOT celebrate start of Bells Ferry Road widening

Staff reports

Cherokee County and the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the start to the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Bells Ferry Road Widening Project with a groundbreaking event May 20.

Representatives from GDOT, state representatives, local elected and appointed officials, former elected officials, project contractor Astra Group LLC, right-ofway contractor Atlas, engineering contractor VHB and others joined at the corner of Bells Ferry Road and Towne Lake Parkway to kick off the project.

“It’s a great day for Cherokee County, it’s a great day for Georgia. It’s interesting to have a project that has a history and the project isn’t done yet,” said Chairman Harry Johnston. “Thanks to everyone who helped make

this happen, but I especially want to thank GDOT. GDOT did not have to do this project. This is no longer a state highway. It once was many years ago. It’s now a county road, but to widen this road would really overwhelm the county’s resources. We would not have the $40 million to $50

million to do this project. It’s a small project for GDOT. It’s a huge project for us.”

District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter and District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale, who represent the project area, spoke about seeing the widening project come to fruition.

“This project was one of the first projects I began to follow and support when I was elected on the Commission. I’m excited about this. Thank you to GDOT for continuing to support and push this project through. Thank you to the county staff. They have done a lot of work on

this and pushed this through,” Carter said. “Thank you to the residents — this has been a challenge to the residents of this area and the entire community. This is a major thoroughfare for our county. Thank you for your

See PROJECT, 5

Cherokee County

Cherokee County Commission Chair Harry Johnston speaks at the groundbreaking for the Bells Ferry Road widening project.

Cherokee County

Cherokee County elected officials, county employees, GDOT employees, ASTRA employees, state Reps. Charlice Byrd and Jordan Ridley, and Cherokee Chamber President and CEO Pam Carnes celebrated the start of the Bells Ferry Road widening project at a groundbreaking Tuesday.

Cherokee County Cherokee County Commissioner Benny Carter speaks at the groundbreaking event.

Who’s running for state Senate, Cherokee County commissioner

By Shannon Ballew sballew@ledgernews.com

The candidates are now official for Georgia’s Senate District 21 race and the election for Cherokee County Commission District 1.

Special elections for both races will be held Aug. 26. Qualifying was June 2-4.

GEORGIA SENATE DISTRICT 21

There are seven candidates in the Georgia Senate race to replace Brandon Beach, who resigned from his state Senate seat after he was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as U.S. treasurer. Six Republican candidates and one Democrat have signed up to run.

The Georgia Senate’s District 21 represents portions of Cherokee and north Fulton counties.

The Republican candidates are:

♦ Lance Calvert

♦ Jason T. Dickerson

♦ Stephanie Donegan

♦ Brice Futch

♦ Steve West

♦ Brian Will

The Democratic candidate is:

♦ Debra Shigley

CHEROKEE COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 1

Eight candidates are officially running for Cherokee

County commissioner to represent District 1.

The district generally covers north Cherokee County and includes Ball Ground, Waleska and parts of Canton.

The District 1 seat was vacated by former Cherokee County Commissioner Steve West, who resigned to run for state Senate.

Seven Republicans and one Democrat have qualified to run for office.

The Republican candidates are:

♦ Jonathan Browning

♦ Karen Bosch

♦ Will Cagle

♦ Cameron Holloway

♦ Justin Page

♦ Robert Ridley

♦ Rick Whiteside

The Democratic candidate is:

♦ Charles Ravenscraft

All of the candidates will appear on the same ballot for their respective elections.

July 28 is the last day to register to vote for the special election.

Early voting is scheduled to start Aug. 4 and last for three weeks. For more about early voting in Cherokee, go to https://cherokeegavotes.com.

The absentee ballot application window is June 9 through Aug. 15.

To check your Georgia Senate and county commission district and more voting information, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page at https:// mvp.sos.ga.gov.

PROJECT

From 4

patience and understanding as we move forward.

“I was first elected six years ago and this was a project that was on the table. Thank you to Geoff (Morton) for all the years you’ve put into this and county staff for sticking with this and making it happen,” Ragsdale said. “I know you all do the hard work, and we get to stand up here and talk about it. This going to be a great improvement for the district and the county.

The project spans 2.4 miles from Southfork Way to Victoria Road.

The length of the project will be widened from two lanes to four lanes and will include a multi-use sidepath. The project also includes improving visibility on curves leading into intersections with traffic signals. Some intersections along the route will be updated to Reduced Conflict U-Turns.

“People think about GDOT they think about interstates and state routes, but the truth of it is, roads like Bells Ferry

Road are the most important roads to the people who live in that area,” said GDOT District 6 Communications Officer Joe Schulman. “Because you’re going to leave work, go to soccer practice, go back home, go to the grocery store, pick up someone from baseball, you’re going to use these roads. They matter to people.”

County Manager Geoff Morton started working on the Bells Ferry Road Widening Project in 2001 when he joined Cherokee County as the county engineer. He spoke about the project’s history.

“I went through the files back to 1991. It’s a little bit nostalgic for me looking through those files and meeting minutes — a lot of the people I worked with on this are no longer with us, a lot of the folks who worked on the project at GDOT are no longer with us. It’s surreal that we’re finally getting this project under way,” Morton said. The project is expected to take about three years to complete. Schulman told the crowd a project to replace the Bells Ferry Road bridge over Little River will begin later this year with expected completion in 2027.

School board OKs sale of Free Home Elementary

Staff reports

The Cherokee County school board has voted to sell the historic Free Home Elementary School building, which just finished its last academic year with students.

The school board voted May 15 to sell the school building to the Cherokee County government for $974,100, the Cherokee County School District reports. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase May 6.

The 6.428 acre site includes the school building and historic Free Home gymnasium.

The Cherokee County government is considering using the site for a public library, tax and tag office, and athletic facility.

A new replacement Free Home ES campus, just up Ball Ground Road from the historic school building, will open for classes in August.

The school is relocating due to the Highway 20 widening project.

“Free Home is amazing,” School Board Chair Janet Read Welch said of the new replacement school, which the board recently celebrated at a community open house and ribbon cutting ceremony. “The whole team did a great job.”

The school board also unanimously approved a $27.8 million contract with the Carroll Daniel construction and engineering firm to build an additional gym for Sequoyah High School and improve its athletic facilities including construction of a new field house and press box. Construction will begin this summer

and is expected to be complete by November 2026.

School board members also approved granting a right-of-way dead and easement to the Cherokee County government for its project to add a left-turn lane and the extension of the right-turn lane on East Cherokee Drive at the Macedo-

Where To Find THE CHEROKEE LEDGER MONTHLY

CANTON

h Texaco, 180 Butterworth Rd, Canton 30114

h Shell, 3550 Marietta Hwy, Canton 30114

h Chevron, 4129 Marietta Hwy, Canton, 30114

h Exxon, 2619 Holly Springs Pkwy, Canton, 30114

h Union 76, 900 Waleska Rd, Canton, 30114

h Marathon,14 Mill St, Canton, 30114

h Chevron, 111 Mountain Vista Blvd, Canton, 30114

h Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, 559 Riverstone Pkwy, Canton, 30114

h Cotton Mill Exchange, 225 Reformation Pkwy, Ste 100, Canton, 30114

h Bedoe’s Bar & Grille, 6115 Hickory Flat Hwy, Ste 101, Canton, 30115

h Kroger, 4045 Marietta Hwy, Canton, 30114

h Kroger, 6766 Hickory Flat Hwy, Canton, 30115

h Publix, 15 Laurel Canyon Village, Canton, 30114

h Publix, 1451 Riverstone Pkwy, Canton, 30114

h Publix, 6175 Hickory Flat Hwy, Canton, 30115

h YMCA, 151 Waleska St, Canton, 30114

h Bojangles, 1665 Ball Ground Hwy, Canton, 30114

h Georgian Hills Restaurant, 69 Waleska St, Canton, 30114

h Cherokee Courthouse, 90 North Street, Canton 30114

h Cherokee Tribune, 521 E Main St, Canton, 30114

h RT Jones Library, 116 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton, 30114

h Northside Hospital Women’s Center, 450 Northside Cherokee Blvd, Canton, 30114

h Northside Hospital Main Entrance, 450 Northside Cherokee Blvd, Canton, 30114

h Post Ofce, 2400 Riverstone Pkwy, Canton, 30114

WOODSTOCK

h JD’s Bar-B-Que, 6426 Bells Ferry Rd, Woodstock, 30189

h Family Tradition Restaurant, 4379 Towne Lake Pkwy, Woodstock, 30189

h Family Tradition Restaurant, 7830 Hickory Flatt Hwy, Woodstock, 30188

h Circle K, 12155 Hwy 92, Woodstock, 30188

nia Elementary School entrance to ease congestion.

According to CCSD’s latest capital outlay report, all projects, including construction of the new replacement Cherokee High School campus and Free Home Elementary School campus, are on schedule and within budget.

Pick up your free copy of The Cherokee Ledger Monthly at these convenient locations:

h Family Tradition Restaurant, 4379 Towne Lake Pkwy, Woodstock, 30189

h Rose Creek Library, 4476 Towne Lake Pkwy, Woodstock, 30189

h Kroger, 12050 Hwy 92, Woodstock, 30188

h Citgo, 6790 Bells Ferry Rd, Woodstock, 30189

h Kia, 630 Olde Rope Mill Park Rd, Woodstock, 30188

h Texaco, 6790 Bells Ferry, Woodstock, 30189

h Texaco, 6511 Bells Ferry, Woodstock, 30189

h Village Burger, 9550 Main St, Woodstock, 30188

h Bizarre Cofee, 440 Chambers St, Woodstock, 30188

h Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street, Woodstock, 30188

h Woodstock Visitors Center, 8588 Main St, Woodstock, 30188

HOLLY SPRINGS

h Hop In, 2204 Holly Springs Pkwy, Holly Springs, 30115

h Kroger, 5341 Old Hwy 5, Holly Springs, 30188

ACWORTH

h Food Depot, 5530 Bells Ferry Rd, Acworth, 30102

h Mapco, 1530 Kellogg Creek Rd, Acworth, 30102

Free Home Elementary School.

Janet Read Welch

FUN ON THE RIVER COVER

Canton business offers tubing excursions on the Etowah

By Kathleen Sturgeon

For the Cherokee Ledger Monthly

The summer got a little cooler after Etowah River Tubing opened in Canton.

Located at The Mill on Etowah at 225 Reformation Parkway in Canton, the tubing rental company opened May 24, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

The company is run by Romy and Jennie Lakip, who also own and operate Chattahoochee River Tubing in Duluth.

Manager Ellen Truxell said the family has been providing safe, fun and unforgettable outdoor adventures and experiences since 2009.

“Our goal is to help our customers create lasting memories and enjoy the beautiful great outdoors,” Truxell said.

A typical float with Chattahoochee River Tubing takes roughly four hours, depending on the water flow and participant paddling. Customers had inquired about shorter floats, which led the company to explore a shorter ride option, possibly with other nearby activities like dining or shopping.

So when The Mill reached out, Truxell said it was a perfect match. The float starts at Etowah River Park and ends at The Mill.

“We wanted to be able to offer our customers the option that if they did not care for that four hour long float, they could come to Canton and have a shorter float

See TUBING, 8

Sara hagen

A group of tubers floats on the Etowah River.

Sara hagen

The Etowah River Tubing float starts at Etowah River Park and ends at The Mill on Etowah.

TUBING

From 7

and still have the rest of their day to do other activities right here at The Mill,” she said. “It blended so well.”

Now, they offer an up to an hour float down the Etowah River that conveniently ends next to The Mill.

“It enables the tubers to experience not just the wonders of the river, but also the full flavor of The Mill,” Truxell said. “Including, of course, the restaurants, the breweries, the family activities, the outdoor concerts. It really is a one-stop-shop of entertainment for the family.”

Children ages 5 and older are able to float on the Etowah River, and dogs are also welcome. Everyone must be able to swim, and are required to sign a waiver stating so. Those ages 12 and under must be in a closed tube, wearing their life vest at all times on the river, and must be connected to an adult the entire time.

“A lot of families are saying it’s perfect for the kids,” Truxell said. “It’s just enough time for them to be able to see the wildlife, but then you know how kids

can get. They get hungry or they have to potty. So before all that starts kicking in, their trip is done.”

Initially, the shorter float time concerned Truxell, and she wondered if it would be enough time for the participants. So far, however, Truxell said those who have taken the Etowah trek deemed the length a perfect stretch.

The smooth sailing is due in part to the employees. Truxell took some of her top staff and brought them to Canton to train new staff.

“It’s a job where you’re outdoors and there are times when you just have to hustle,” she said. “You’re throwing tubes, you’re meeting and greeting, you’re helping. You’ve got to have a good team behind you to make sure it goes smoothly. They have blended really well together.”

The knowledgeable staff should help put first-time-tubers at ease, but Truxell also recommends trying the shorter route first. She also suggests using a closed tube, meaning one with a bottom. The other option is an open tube, which looks like a doughnut; a tuber’s bottom will sit in the water which can be chilly to some people.

See TUBING, 9

Sara hagen

Tubers float down the Etowah River in Canton.

Sara hagen

Etowah River Tubing Manager Ellen Truxell helps a group of tubers out of the river.

Sara hagen Blake, Ryan and Sam with Etowah River Tubing.

Sara hagen

Ellen Truxell gives directions to tubers on the Etowah River Tubing bus.

Sara hagen

A tuber holds an open tube on the banks of the Etowah.

TUBING

From 8

And possibly the most crucial bit of advice: use a paddle. While the float is meant to be relaxing, tubers still need to remember it is a part of nature so it can be potentially unpredictable. Truxell herself has become stuck while tubing on the river with friends.

“It is not the lazy river at Disney World,” she said. “It is a natural river with inherent risks along with it, which means there are downed trees, there might be some navigation that you need to do, and a paddle is of utmost importance.”

Although Etowah River Tubing recently opened, Truxell said the company could open another location in the future.

“We don’t have a particular location as of right now,” she said. “It is certainly on the table to try to see how well we can do this and where we could possibly launch and grow the business.”

Tube rentals at the Canton location are $25 for open and closed tubes. Paddles can be rented for $5, and connection straps are $2. A tube designed to carry a cooler can be rented for $20. Reservations are required on weekends.

To reserve a spot or for more information, visit www.rivertubing.com.

Bil on Business

A weekly column addressing small-business, answered by Henssler Financial’s business experts. Submit your questions to businessexperts@henssler.com or call 770-422-6180.

William G. Lako Jr., CFP®

PRINCIPAL AND MANAGING DIRECTOR

Why Emotonal Intelligence Stll Beats Artfcial Intelligence in Financial Planning

In late May, a video of a car show went viral. When atendees were interviewed about the vehicles, they cited safety features and their enthusiasm for electric vehicles. The twist? There was no actual EV car show. From the interviewees to the background crowd, the entre clip was generated by artfcial intelligence. The 70-second video was composed of smaller clips created using Google’s Veo3, the company’s latest AI video model.

Like it or not, AI is here to stay. You’re either excited about the possibilites it brings, or you’re concerned it will replace humans in the workforce. The fnancial industry is no excepton. In the early 2010s, as the industry recovered from the fnancial crisis, robo-advisers gained tracton. Investors with smaller portolios gained access to portolio management, rebalancing, and tax-loss harvestng with just a few clicks. However, many of these platorms lacked the fnancial planning component crucial to comprehensive wealth management. As a result, advisory frms ofen partnered with robo platorms for trading while ofering fnancial planning as an add-on service.

With the rise and open access to Large Language Models (LLMs), it’s easier than ever to have ChatGPT create a household budget or suggest savings goals. A 2024 study from Northwestern Mutual found that 57 percent of Gen Z and 55 percent of Millennials are optmistc that AI will help them achieve their fnancial goals. Additonal surveys show that 54 percent of Americans report using ChatGPT for fnancial recommendatons.

Statstcs like these raise a pressing queston: “Will fnancial advisers be replaced by AI?” I don’t believe so. Money is emotonal—your future ofen hinges on how well you manage your fnances. While LLMs can tailor output based on user input and ofer solid advice rooted in textbook principles, they can’t recognize

the uneasiness in a spouse’s eyes when presented with a fnancial plan. A human adviser can respond to those unspoken concerns, explain where the plan can pivot if assumptons fall short, and ask the right questons to uncover the source of uncertainty.

While AI may give generic advice based on fnancial theory, human advisers provide personalized fnancial planning that incorporates your emotons and level of confdence in the plan. A human can empathize with what maters most to an investor, not just what works on paper.

That’s not to say AI doesn’t have a role. It’s already integrated into major ofce sofware, and many of us have experimented with it to see its capabilites. Meetngs can now be recorded, transcribed, and summarized with acton items and follow-up schedules—ofen within seconds. However, fnance is a highly regulated industry with strict privacy and compliance standards. LLMs learn from their input, which raises concerns around data privacy and cybersecurity that must be resolved before AI can be fully integrated into fnancial practces.

I believe it will be quite some tme before clients are onboarded by only a fnancial adviser’s AI assistant. While AI can be programmed to recognize and respond to human emotons, it remains a computer program—prone to “garbage in, garbage out.” The tool is only as efectve as the data it’s given and the quality of the prompts used.

If you have questions on how your business can navigate these tough economic times, contact Henssler Financial at 770-422-6180, businessexperts@ henssler.com, or Henssler.com/ businessexperts.

Sara hagen

Etowah River Tubing, owned by the same family who runs Chattahoochee River Tubing, offers tubes for rent at The Mill on Etowah.

Sara hagen

Etowah River Tubing rents out tubes to float on the Etowah. Paddles are recommended for tubers.

THE NEWS IN CHEROKEE COUNTY

RESTAURANTS, COMMERCIAL SPACE AND OFFICES COMING TO HICKORY FLAT

A mix of sit-down restaurants, fast-food restaurants and additional commercial and office space are coming to the Hickory Flat community.

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted June 3 to approve a request from D&G Acquisitions, LLC to rezone 14.108 acres from general agriculture to general commercial and neighborhood commercial to build a mix of commercial buildings.

Though no specific number of buildings was approved, the applicant’s site plan shows eight buildings totaling 45,110 square feet.

The property consists of three tracts at 6475 Hickory Flat Highway in the Hickory Flat community. The buildings will feature a variety of retail uses, including restaurants, financial institutions and healthcare, according to county documents.

The site plan shows four multi-tenant buildings with drive-thru windows: one with 9,900 square feet, one with 9,000 square feet, one with 7,400 square feet, and one with 7,035 square feet. Two of the buildings are proposed to be sit-down restaurants, with the drive-thru windows used for a “pick up” only option.

The plan additionally shows a 7,200 square-foot healthcare building and a 2,465 square-foot bank.

The site plan also shows two buildings at the rear of the property. These buildings are designated as restaurant/commercial/retail space.

The site includes two single-family homes and a portion of an existing church property, Journey Christian Church.

The request was approved with multiple conditions, including that the property should be developed like the site plan presented, limiting drive-thrus to two with a menu board and drive-thru and two with pickup windows only, implementing recommendations from a traffic study, and a prohibition on self-storage facilities, convenience stores, auto service, car wash, car dealers, gas station, or auto repair services.

55-AND-UP NEIGHBORHOOD COMING TO EAST CHEROKEE

A 107-unit, age-restricted neighborhood

is coming to east Cherokee.

On May 20, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a request from EC New Vision Georgia, LLC to rezone a little over 88 acres from general agriculture, singlefamily residential (R-20) and single-family residential (R-40) to R-20 for a “conservation design community” consisting of 107 single-family detached age-restricted homes for residents 55 and older.

The properties are at 471 Lakes Drive, 8917 E. Cherokee Drive, 8931 E. Cherokee Drive and 544 Old Rocky Road near Canton.

The starting price for the homes is expected to be over $600,000, according to county documents. Amenities will include a pool, pickleball court and amenity center.

The request was approved with 20 conditions, including creating an HOA and guidelines to maintain the neighborhood, limiting the units to no more than 10% rentals, and closing outdoor amenity areas between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The entrance to the development will be served by a new right turn lane and a left turn lane on East Cherokee Drive.

According to EC New Vision Georgia, homes are anticipated to range from 1,500 square feet to 4,000 square feet. All homes will have at least two bedrooms and two

bathrooms and will have two-car garages.

A minimum of 40% of the adjusted tract acreage will be preserved as green space, according to county documents.

CCSD ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERS

The Cherokee County school board has appointed several new principals and other leaders.

The school board made several appointments May 15 at its regular monthly meeting, and appointed more leaders at a called meeting May 21.

Debbie Ritter, a 27-year educator who serves as principal of CCSD Preschool Centers, will lead Knox Elementary School STEM Academy as its new principal. Jessica Porter, a 33-year educator who serves as an assistant principal of Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy, will lead CCSD Preschool Centers as its new principal.

The school board also appointed Jennifer Williams as principal for Oak Grove Elementary School STEAM Academy. Williams, a 16-year educator, most recently served as an assistant principal for Marietta City Schools.

Open district leadership positions for next school year were also filled: Jennifer McIntosh will serve as director for School Leadership and Operations, Rebecca Carlisle will serve as supervisor of recruitment and retention for Human Resources, Chris Wallace will serve as coordinator for career, technical and agricultural education (CTAE), and Lauren Holtzer will serve as CCSD’s fine arts coordinator.

CANTON ADOPTS DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN

Canton leaders have adopted a Downtown Master Plan aimed at helping guide the city in planning for the future of the downtown area.

On June 5, the Canton City Council unanimously voted to approve the plan after adding language to clarify “road diets.”

A note has been added that says “a fea-

sibility assessment shall be submitted and reviewed by staff and city council as part of a larger development project prior to implementation of road diet projects.”

The plan includes “road diet” projects for parts of Main Street and North Street to be reduced from two travel lanes to one, converting one lane for other purposes. With the new language, the council will consider those projects separately from the master plan.

The plan includes 20 transportation recommendations, 16 redevelopment concepts and seven policy recommendations.

The Canton Downtown Master Plan can be found online in the June 5 Canton City Council agenda under item 11A. For the agenda, visit canton.legistar.com/ Calendar.aspx.

GAS STATION COMING TO WOODSTOCK CAR WASH AND EMISSIONS SITE

A gas station and convenience store are coming to the site of a car wash and emissions testing business in Woodstock near Interstate 575.

On May 19, the Woodstock City Council unanimously approved a request from FBT Ventures, LLC for a conditional use permit to operate a gas station on a little over an acre at 195 Towne Lake Parkway. Conditions of approval include limiting the gas station to no more than four multi-pump fuel dispensers, and requiring a sidewalk to be installed between Towne Lake Parkway and the convenience store building, after a GDOT project on Towne Lake Parkway is completed.

The applicant is the owner and operator of other fueling stations in Alpharetta and Johns Creek.

The property is just east of the I-575 northbound off-ramp, on the south side of Towne Lake Parkway. It is currently occupied by Jambo Mega Detail, a car wash and emissions testing businesses that has operated there since 2017. Several auto-related businesses have operated on the project site through the years, according to the city.

The conditional use permit allows the applicant to use four existing fuel pumps and the existing 1,300 squarefoot building on the property, which also features a car wash tunnel and canopy. The applicant plans to expand the convenience store by adding about 780 square feet to the front and rear of the existing building and extend the front building footprint to be level with the canopy, according to city documents.

Applicant representatives say options for the site include “modernizing” the existing car wash and removing the emissions testing, or keeping the emissions testing and getting rid of the car wash, or keeping the car wash and emissions testing. Both would be considered accessory to the gas station. The site plan shows the car wash as part of the development.

The site last operated as a gas station in 2010, according to city documents.

These renderings show what the D&G Acquisitions development’s buildings may look like.

Special

A rendering shows what the homes could look like in EC New Vision Georgia’s 55-and-up community.

COLUMNIST|JUANITA HUGHES

When I was eight years old, I pieced together little squares for a quilt. Much of the material consisted of scraps from homemade dresses and other clothing. I did not enjoy the activity, but had little choice in the matter. My grandmother was determined that I do this. During those times, it was customary for young girls to begin to prepare items for their “hope chest.” Although those items for the chest (which could be a chest or a cardboard box or a closet shelf) could include all manner of household items, linens usually topped the list. My grandmother took the completed squares to a lady who put them together and added the batting and backing and did the actual quilting. The quilt was packed away and not many years later my hopes were realized and I married and took my hopes and the quilt with me. Over the years it did not show its age as I came to cherish it rather than wear it out. The memories of the difficulty of those stitches may be unpleasant, but its story is treasured. In recent discussions in the family, we talked a bit about its future. It will certainly outlive me, a fact that caused me to ponder the impact of quilts and other needlework in family folklore and in other segments of our lives. In spite of my grandmother’s influence, I never became involved with quilting in adulthood. But I would discover the lasting value

COLUMNIST|LYNN GENDUSA

We have all heard the phrase, “You don’t know until you know.” Sometimes, we choose to remain unaware because gaining knowledge requires effort. Often, we avoid issues that don’t seem to impact our lives or those we love — until they do.

Hugh Macdonald lives just around the corner with his wife, Sabrina. It’s rare to see them without their infectious smiles. Over the past few years, I learned that Hugh graduated from West Point and served our country honorably before transitioning to a successful civilian career in the mid-1970s.

Hugh’s first marriage produced three children, all of whom thrive today. One of his children is the youngest head football coach in the nation, currently leading the Seattle Seahawks. His daughter is a stunt actress and director in California, while her sister is a sales executive for an AI company.

Hugh and Sabrina married 18 years ago. They frequently travel to football games, visit the West Coast, and spend time with their grandchildren whenever possible. In retirement, Hugh enjoys playing golf, trekking overseas with

One stitch at a time

of the messages found in commemorative quilts. In 1987, as Woodstock Baptists celebrated their sesquicentennial, a committee (of course) planned and produced a history quilt. It depicts the history of the church in a different way than a written history. The four corners of the quilt feature four of the buildings that housed the congregation which was organized in 1837 as Enon Baptist Church. (That location was on the corner of today’s Main Street and Ridgewalk Parkway where the church cemetery remains and is still in use.) The log house was just from someone’s imagination since there were no pictures or descriptions of early structures or brush arbors. The image of the 1871 building is from the drawing that was done by Pastor Dan Parker who did the sketch from the description in the church minutes. The other two, 1891 and 1913, are from photographs. Each piece of yellow fruit on the tree in the center of the quilt is one of the “Gifts of the Spirit” and the names on the green leaves are the original twelve members. Logos of eighteen organizations within the church are included in the design along with the names of its many pastors over its 150 years. The sesquicentennial celebration was held in October of 1987 in a tent in the park just across the street, followed by “dinner-on-the-ground.” The quilt

was safe in the sanctuary. The church would later move to yet another location and the 1913 sanctuary would eventually be purchased by the City of Woodstock to become City Chambers. Thereby hangs another quilt tale, literally. Hanging on a wall there is the Woodstock Centennial Quilt. During the months leading up to the city’s 100th birthday on December 8, 1997, a quilt was designed that would include important ingredients of Woodstock’s history. Volunteers were to design the individual squares, having been given a square of unbleached muslin. The volunteers ranged in age and gender from a 17-year-old boy to an 89-year-old lady. The squares depict Woodstock both past and present. Railroad tracks divide the quilt into “old” and “new.” An oldfashioned girl and a modern boy distinguish the two sides, joined by a jump rope to connect the past and the present and to represent Woodstock’s connection to rope. Other images include The Rope Mill, the oldest house (then) and a modern subdivision, an early school and the new Woodstock High School, Main Street as a dirt road and the Interstate 575 of today, the public library, chicken farming and cotton farming, the arts, parks and recreation, the old Little River Methodist Church and the new Woodstock First Baptist Church. The

city’s logo and the Centennial Commission’s catch phrase, “Experience Woodstock — Her Heritage, Her Vision” are incorporated into the design as well. The border depicts the future by featuring the handprints of children whose names are noted on the wall near the quilt. Once the quilt pieces had been put together, the quilt was set up on frames in the Special Collections room at the Woodstock Public Library where the public was invited to help with the quilting. (I put in a few stitches! Grandma would be so proud.)

We’ve come a long way from those hope chest days before central heating and air. Quilts just aint what they used to be. Instead of warm comfort they now give us pleasure in other ways. I enjoy visiting old memories in a couple of personal quilts. One features old T-shirts worn by the man-of-the-house, a daily reminder of happy times. Another is made up of pieces of never-worn T-shirts from Atlanta’s Olympic Games where I served with many others as a field marshal at opening and closing ceremonies. More fun memories. So, you see, a quilt is not always just a bed covering. It can be chapters in a history book, or pages in a family photo album. Or subjects for a column!

Columnist Juanita Hughes is retired head of the Woodstock public library and a local historian.

Save those who saved us

Sabrina, and savoring the rewards of their hard work and dedication.

Recently, Hugh and Sabrina experienced a sudden and unexpected health crisis. Life as they knew it changed in a flash.

Hugh, who is fit, athletic, disciplined, and happy, developed hypertension a few years ago. Like many others, he monitored his condition with the help of doctors and prescribed medications. However, high blood pressure was silently damaging his kidneys. Renal failure quickly prevented him from enjoying golf or even managing daily activities without the help of dialysis.

Friends, family, and those who didn’t know now needed to learn. Hugh asked the question we all ask ourselves when facing a shocking, dire situation: “How could this happen?” Sabrina transformed into what Hugh calls “the Bad, Bull-headed wrestler,” who stepped into the ring and began to battle. She became the power behind the fighting soldier, the decorated Veteran, and her always optimistic husband.

Hugh Macdonald was raised in

Massachusetts by parents who instilled discipline, compassion, and positivity in their children. During my interview with Hugh and Sabrina, I noticed no hint of self-pity in either of them. Even the challenging experience of dialysis treatment has become routine. Hope, humor, and joy continue to radiate in their home just around the corner.

After years of writing stories about our veterans, I know they are our most exceptional and courageous Americans. Our nation has never done enough to repay them for their sacrifices to protect us. Veterans should always be our top priority — first to be served, first to be saved, and last to be forgotten.

Hugh needs a kidney, but none of his family members are suitable matches for a transplant. One of his lifelong friends, eager to help, offered to be tested as a potential donor. When Hugh hesitated to accept this offer, his frustrated friend exclaimed, “How dare you deny me the opportunity to help you?” Now, that’s a true friend!

The Veterans Administration provides care for over 600,000 vet-

erans with kidney disease. Among them, 2000 are waiting for a donor. The VA conducts approximately 160 transplants each year, meaning most veterans do not have the opportunity to receive life-saving transplants.

Kidney disease is 34% more prevalent in veterans than in the general population. Could this be due to toxins and chemical exposure during deployments? Factors such as obesity, diabetes, and insufficient healthcare can severely impact those who served us.

When Sharyn Kreitzer, a transplant coordinator, began noticing the disproportionate number of Veterans with kidney disease, she founded DOVE, Donor Outreach for Veterans, in 2020. DOVE connects potential living donors with the veterans who need them.

Hugh’s life and many others could be saved by someone they have never met simply because that person chose to learn something they never knew. Donating a kidney involves comprehensive medical evaluations and examinations to ensure the procedure is safe and successful for both donor and recipient.

Hugh waits with a strong, cheerful

spirit, facing each day with the same determination as a tackle coached by his son. His optimistic outlook inspires him to find humor even in the darkest moments.

Now, he sees life from a new perspective. He reflects on how he can help others enduring similar experiences by using the wisdom he gained from navigating life’s trials. And so, the soldier marches onward.

Hugh is currently dedicating his time to finishing and publishing a book he wrote before he became ill.

The title, “How Winners Win and Losers Lose,” focuses on achieving business success. However, when we take the time to learn, give back, and support our Veterans, everyone wins, and no one loses.

Learn what you don’t know. Become a donor, save another, be a true friend, and always value our soldiers.

For more information, contact DOVE: info@dovetransplant.org. Call 551-233-1611.

Lynn Gendusa’s latest book is “Southern Comfort: Stories of Family, Friendship, Fiery Trials, and Faith.” She can be reached at www. lynngendusa.com.

Hughes

Gendusa

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

What’s wrong with the Big Beautiful Bill?

DEAR EDITOR:

What’s wrong with the Big Beautiful Bill?

It’s a massive reconciliation bill instead of individual single-topic bills. This allows a small handful of Reps or Senators to demand their own parochial benefits in order to pass.

Every single Rep. or Senator votes for his own constituency, regardless of whether it’s good for the country. SALT, Medicaid, Green New Deal are all bad for the country but live on in the bill because of localized constituencies.

The party out of power always votes unanimously against the party in power, even when the rare constructive bill is proposed. George Washington was opposed to political parties for a reason.

The “debt ceiling” is political theater at its worst. It has NEVER stopped Congress from overspending.

Congress is a broken process that can only be fixed by Constitutional amendments:

A Term Limits Amendment — 12 years lifetime service

This will eliminate the “career” power brokers and focus representatives on doing good while they are in office.

A Balanced Budget Amendment

Limit Congressional appropriations and executive expenditure to revenues projected by the Secretary of the Treasury for any budget year, unless Congress pass-

es a Declaration of National Emergency by two-thirds vote of both houses and the President signs it.

Any excess in actual revenues above the budgeted amount must be used to reduce any outstanding Federal debt.

Presidential line-item veto. This will force Congress to make the hard choices necessary to maintaining fiscal solvency.

A Tax Reform Amendment to eliminate the income tax

Repeal of the 16th Amendment. Reinstate prohibition of direct taxes based on income, production, inheritance or capital gains.

No tax on corporations or other legal entities that are not persons. Corporations don’t pay taxes now, they collect taxes.

“Congress shall not impose any tax or grant any tax preference to any group that is not imposed on the population at large.

All taxation by the Federal government shall be based on sale of new products or services for consumption by individuals. Goods and services sold for resale or business use shall carry no tax.”

This will remove the political tool used to make us do things we wouldn’t otherwise do, and also remove a means for representatives to do favors for particular constituencies.

Never again

DEAR EDITOR:

In the early 1930s, Hitler initiated his sweeping attack against the Jews. It began little-by-little with small acts of violence and in the end as many as six million were murdered by his killing machine. Additionally, others were also arbitrarily chosen by Hitler’s terrorists for extermination.

Today, we see the same play reenacted by the same type of radical terrorists sponsored in part by Iran, Hamas, Palestinian and other rogue entities. The common element seems to be that many of these radicals have entered our country through the Biden administration’s open borders policy. Obviously, Biden and his power hungry gang did NOT care about the damage to the sovereignty of the United States. This flood of illegal criminals was also supported by many NGO’s under the veil of religions’ benevolence and by organizations

that simply hate the American way of life such as dozens supported by George Soros and his ilk.

Many of these groups are often hidden by appealing and misleading benevolent names and are often supported by major religious denominations. These NGOs are complicit and willingly undermine American sovereignty and our rule of law. They should be shunned and resisted by Americans who value our current culture and if necessary prosecuted. This same holds true for “sanctuary” cities that harbor criminals.

The United States is the most welcoming nation on the planet and has generous immigration standards. While it may be difficult to become an American citizen It should be! No country in the world offers the freedoms and benefits that are guaranteed by the United States and they should only be obtained by those willing to contribute to the American culture.

Those who willingly break the law to try to find a hiding

place in the United States are starting off on the wrong foot. They are criminals to begin with and do not deserve the same freedoms that are granted to law abiding immigrants. The same holds true for those who would come and exploit our universities so they might return to their countries of origin and work to undermine the United States. We used to call this “biting the hand that feeds you.” Individuals, such as this, are also criminals just as the institutions that welcome them.

Americans believe in helping to raise the rest of the world from despotism and poverty and history has shown that we offer a strong hand of friendship. However, it is not offered at the expense of our own safety, culture and sovereignty. Americans need to take a stand or there may be no one standing for you when the need arises. Just like the Jews with Hitler.

Canton’s new postmaster

DEAR EDITOR:

I’m honored to introduce myself to the community as your new Postmaster.

My name is Rickey Coker, and I’m excited to begin this journey serving the residents and businesses of Canton.

The U.S. Postal Service has a long-standing tradition of connecting people — through letters, packages, and reliable service. Under our ambitious Delivering

for America plan, I’m committed to upholding that tradition while working to enhance the customer experience in every way possible. Whether it’s ensuring timely deliveries, improving our retail services, or listening to your feedback, my goal is to make our post office a place of trust and support for everyone.

To this role, I have brought 29 years of customer service and postal operations to the Canton community. I always develop my employees to ensure that we are taking care of our customers’ shipping

and mailing needs and to provide excellent customer service.

I encourage you to stop by the Post Office, say hello, and share any questions or ideas you may have. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I’m proud to be here and look forward to working together to keep our community connected.

Rickey Coker Postmaster, Canton Post Office

Mike Lowry Canton

Quentin M. Thomas Woodstock

♦ Kudos to the sheriff’s deputy who stopped on Arnold Mill Road to help a turtle cross the road.

♦ Despite egg prices, the inflation rate has continued to decline from the previous four years. The January thru April rates have declined (3.0%, 2.8%, 2.4%, 2.3% respectively). These compare favorably to 2024 at 2.9%, 2023 at 4.1%, 2022 at 8.0% and 2021 at 4.7%. Should we give a little credit to the current administration or would you prefer returning to the past? Show a little love here! (www.usinflationcalculator.com)

♦ In poet Eugene Fields’ words in the 1890s, “The gingham dog and the calico cat, side by side on the table sat.” Then there was the fight overnight. The next morning there was no trace of either of them. “The truth about the cat and pup is this: they ate each other up!” (Dream on!) We laugh to keep from crying! What a mess.

♦ The solution for the United States is to give California back to Mexico.

♦ Wait until it’s time to renew your fixedrate natural gas (LNG) contract! Gas prices jumped 14 percent in the past month with no end in sight. This is also causing a jump in electric bills. Still, our leaders promote more and more exportation of LNG, shorting America’s supply and driving up prices. This is the opposite of “America First.”

♦ I beg you to reinstate the headline assessment during the annual vehicle inspection required in Georgia. These new, jacked up pickup trucks are absolutely blinding me and most other people in the retirement age group. I know, I’ve talked to them. All we want to do is be able to drive to church at night and not be blinded by ridiculously high headlights. For God’s sake, please reinstate the headlight assessment for the Georgia vehicle inspection process.

♦ When did the Soapbox become the liberal voice of Cherokee County so they can spew their hatred of DOGE and Donald Trump? It used to be a platform for making funny comments. Disgusting.

♦ You can give money and gifts to family, friends, and neighbors; loan them money, tools, and yard equipment; give them a ride and help them move with your truck; and help them with their yard, house, kids, and pets. But the first time that you’re unable or unwilling to help them, they have

a childish temper tantrum, call you an expletive, and hate you. What have you done for me lately?

♦ I love seeing all the new school leaders coming from outside Cherokee. Homegrown talent is great but glad that they bring in the very best to deal with our kids even if they aren’t from here.

♦ Well I’ve seen it for the first time today. There’s a roll-off dumpster truck going down the road with his earphones on, which is very much against the law. But what the heck, we’re on 575 and we don’t enforce the law on 575 very much anyway.

♦ Trump cuts could affect millions of Georgians in adverse ways. Let’s talk about our children going hungry, being deprived of a basic human need to eat, to grow and thrive. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is in jeopardy. It should be stopped. Let’s talk about the millions of citizens whose health care subsidies will be taken away by this inhumane bill. All Georgians need health care. Show you care

Tell Cherokee what you think

letters to the editor may be submitted by email to editor@ ledgernews.com, or by mail to 521 e. Main St., Canton, g A 30114. All letters must be typed and include a phone number to verify authenticity. We reserve the right to reject publication. We reserve the right to edit for libel and brevity. The editor and publisher reserve the right to publish a sampling of letters that reflect an accurate representation of those submitted on the same subject. The content and accuracy of all information contained in a letter to the editor is the responsibility of the letter-writer. letters must not exceed 450 words.

by protesting these unnecessary cuts. Let’s talk about sustainable energy. These cuts will cripple the advances made to date in alternate sources of energy, those besides fossil fuels. We have and need both.

♦ To anyone that thinks that the number of dead people receiving SS is minimal? The government should NOT be issuing checks for ANY deceased persons. Where is that money trail going? And how ignorant to say that undocumented illegal invaders pay taxes.

Also, who will pick your fruit and vegetables, build your houses and mow your lawns? What a racist thing to say! Sounds like your mentality is back in Civil War times.

♦ How did we become so lucky to have crotch rockets and hogs in our subdivision?

♦ I could not be more pleased with what Trump and his administration are doing for this country. So, continue to have your silly marches, with your stupid signs, and yell at the sky. I’ll be voting Republican in 2026.

♦ Why do we have a stop sign at the intersection of Sugar Pike and Lower Union Hill Road? Apparently people can’t read, but they can talk on their cell phones. Where’s the sheriff’s department? There must be at least 200 cars that run that stop sign every day. You need to wear a helmet

if you’re going there.

♦ Mailed a sympathy card at the Woodstock P.O. to friends in Woodstock. They got it 4 months later. Mailed a birthday card to my niece in mid March and she has not gotten it yet. The post office has gone from one of the things we could always count on to work correctly to not being able to trust the mail to get to where it is supposed to go and get there when it is supposed to get there if ever . So very sad.

♦ The Georgia DOT needs to change the stoplight on Northside Cherokee Blvd. To turn left towards the hospital previously there was a YELLOW flashing arrow and now there is a red flashing arrow. So when the light turns green to go straight even if there is no oncoming traffic the RED LEFT TURN ARROW prevents you from turning and needlessly causes traffic going to the hospital to back up. FIX IT PLEASE!

♦ Remember the last time (2017) Republicans tried to sell the public on the idea of tax cuts paying for themselves with economic growth? $2Trillion in the deficit that we’re still paying for. Who do these reps think they’re outsmarting by putting themselves first — all of this to fit their excessive and wasteful spending in place of what it takes to run this country for the better?

Editor’s note: The Soapbox is a forum for residents to sound off about topics of interest. All comments are those of the callers and do not reflect the views of the newspaper. We welcome the contributions of our readers and encourage respectful and lively debate. The ledger-news reserves the right not to publish Soapbox items based on libel or other considerations the editor and publisher deem valid. Comments may be edited for brevity. Please keep comments as brief as possible. lengthy opinions should be addressed in a letter to the editor. To submit a Soapbox, call 770928-1055 or email editor@ledgernews.com.

DINING

Cafe Flōralia opens at Prominence Point in Cherokee

By Jaye Grimes

For the Cherokee Ledger Monthly

The latest to join the ranks of Cherokee County’s locally owned coffee destinations is Cafe Flōralia.

The coffee shop, which opened its doors in May, has welcomed a steady stream of patrons seeking both caffeine and community.

Located on Prominence Point Parkway near Canton, Cafe Flōralia is the joint endeavor of cofounders Joe Costa and Julian Suter. The launch of this venture feels like a full-circle moment for the business duo, who first met by chance in a local coffee shop a few years ago.

“We had this vision to create a craft coffee company inspired by community and creativity (and) also the spirit of renewal,” Suter said.

The cofounders agree that focusing on this initial vision has helped them endure the challenges that have come with opening a business in today’s economy. Due to current economic challenges, Suter says the cafe’s roaster is currently “on a ship somewhere.”

Once the machine arrives, the Cafe Flōralia team plans to roast imported coffee beans in house. According to Costa, the cafe’s imported selection from Honduras, Panama, and other international locations will be featured on rotation, allowing patrons to discover blends from around the world. While Costa and Suter embrace the opportunity to bring in flavors from the global community, they also have a finger on the pulse of the local community.

From locally sourced menu items to locally made artwork on display, Cafe Flōralia champions partnerships with other small businesses. Costa says, especially in times of economic uncertainty, “The only way through is to band together. Local businesses are the way forward. We can all support each other and give everybody a platform.”

Both Costa and Suter agree that this perspective aligns with the cafe’s mission to “grow the good.”

Included on the Cafe Flōralia menu are authentic French pastries from Bonnin’s Bakery of Kennesaw and authentic Mexican pastries from Sweet Cake Bakery of Canton.

Suter says it’s “important to stand behind what the essence of the shop is supposed to be. It’s supposed to be about supporting local, and we want to do that to demonstrate exactly what we stand for.”

Amid the cafe’s industrial-chic aesthetic are original works by local artist Perlizbeth De Leon, who painted live in the shop on its opening day, and a custom monstera-leaf wall mural painted by independent artist Kate Woods. Items designed by Woods, including earrings, barrettes, and stickers, are also available for purchase.

Costa and Suter aim to partner with additional local entrepreneurs and artists for pop-up events and other collaborative opportunities.

“Coffeehouses historically have been a place where community gathers,” Costa explains, adding that one of the ultimate goals for Cafe Flōralia is to become a community hub where visitors can “sit, relax, (and) feel like they have a place to show their creativity.”

Among the menu items available instore and on the app are hot and iced coffees with oat and almond milk-alternatives and a variety of flavor options, hot and iced chai and matcha lattes, teas including vanilla earl grey, hot chocolate, and flavorful, fruity refreshers. The cafe’s namesake menu item, the Flōralia tea, includes notes of peaches, strawberries, rose, lemongrass, and lemon verbena.

Customers are also encouraged to use the Joe app, available on Google Play and the App Store, to order ahead online to pick up in-store or at Cafe Flōralia’s drive-thru window. With the app, each purchase earns points toward discounts and other promotional offers.

Cafe Flōralia is open 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The cafe is located at 149 Prominence Point Parkway, Suite 100, near Canton.

For more information, visit https://www. cafefloralia.com.

Fire and Flowers Studio in partnership with Local recognize Local agency.

The Spicy Bee Latte.

Jaye grimes

From left to right: Owners Joe Costa and Julian Suter.

Jaye grimes

The inside of the cafe.

Jaye grimes

The cafe is on Prominence Point Parkway near Canton.

Cafe Floralia

Mini potato pancakes.

Ball Ground’s Barrel House Coffee celebrates reopening

By Ethan Johnson ejohnson@ledgernews.com

BALL GROUND — Barrel House Coffee Company in Ball Ground celebrated its reopening with a ribbon cutting June 6, with the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce.

The coffee shop officially opened its doors in May after it was closed for a little over a month for renovations due to the business’ expansion. The shop, which originally occupied three spaces within the building, now occupies half of the building.

The business is owned by Ball Ground residents Katie and Ryan Turnage.

“The expansion happened out of sheer necessity for both growth and survival,” Ryan Turnage said. “This is pretty incredible, and it takes a lot of hard work from us and our team. We aren’t going anywhere because this is our home and where we want to be.”

Ball Ground Mayor Rick Roberts said the city is thankful to have this business in its downtown.

“You pull in a lot of people to Ball Ground. Thank you for what you do,” Roberts said.

Barrel House Coffee Company, 275 Gilmer Ferry Road in downtown Ball Ground, offers a variety of coffee and coffee bean flavors, sweets and pastries from Paula’s Zzerts in Canton, honey and branded merch.

For more information, visit www.barrelhousecoffeeco.com.

ethan Johnson

Barrel House Coffee Company and the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony June 6 to celebrate the downtown Ball Ground-based company.

ethan Johnson

Customers enjoy the renovated Barrel House Coffee Company.

ethan Johnson

Barrel House Coffee Company is at 275 Gilmer Ferry Road in downtown Ball Ground.

ethan Johnson

Barrel House Coffee Company celebrated its recent reopening. The coffee shop was closed for renovations and reopened with an expanded space.

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How to celebrate the Fourth of July in Cherokee County

By Rylee Holland rholland@ledgernews.com

From parades and concerts to fireworks and river floats, Cherokee County has many ways to celebrate the Fourth of July. Here are some events in Cherokee celebrating Independence Day:

BALL GROUND’S ANNUAL FIREWORKS AND CONCERT

On June 28, the city of Ball Ground will host its annual fireworks and concert featuring Fly Betty from 7 to 11 p.m. at City Park, 177 Old Dawsonville Road in Ball Ground. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. followed by the fireworks show at 9:45 p.m.

WOODSTOCK JULY 4TH SPECTACULAR

The city of Woodstock is hosting a series of events on July 4. A Freedom Run

will be held at 7 a.m. which includes a 5K, 10K, 1 mile and a Tot Trot. The Fourth of July Parade will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Main Street in Woodstock. A festival will follow that at The Park at City Center and end at 3 p.m. There will be games, food, arts, kids activities and more. The fireworks will begin at dusk behind the Lowe’s shopping center on Highway 92. For more information visit https://woodstock.recdesk.com/Community/Page?pageId=26351.

4TH OF JULY IN CANTON

The American Legion is hosting a patriotic parade celebrating Independence Day through downtown Canton starting at 6 p.m. July 4. Following the parade, the city of Canton will put on a fireworks show behind the Publix shopping center on Riverstone Parkway starting at dusk. For more information and updates, fol-

low the City of Canton GA on Facebook.

FLOAT ON THE FOURTH

Float on the Fourth is coming back this Independence Day with Etowah River Tubing and Reformation Brewery at The Mill on Etowah, 225 Reformation Parkway in Canton. This is a three-day event June 3-5. There will be tubing on the Etowah River and a Reformation porch party. Tickets are $45 for one time slot and include tube rental and transportation to the drop-in, patriotic merch, a drink from Reformation (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and access to the porch party. Only 150 spots are available each day. For more information visit https://explorecantonga.com/events/ float-on-the-fourth-2/.

RED, WHITE AND BOOTS

The Mill on Etowah is celebrating the Fourth of July by hosting a country-style

Friday Night Live event: Red, White and Boots. There will be a line dancing class from 5 to 6 p.m. July 4 on the green and live music from Cody Bolden and The Road Hands from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the stage outside. The Mill is located at 225 Reformation Parkway in Canton.

STAR SPANGLED PUB CRAWL

On July 5, Visit Woodstock GA is hosting its annual Star Spangled Pub Crawl from 2-6 p.m. in downtown Woodstock. This patriotic themed pub crawl features themed food and drink specials.

Crawlers can get a stamp card at their first spot and get stamps for each participating business they visit. Cards with five stamps can be turned in to any of the stops to be entered to win event prizes. For more information, visit https:/ / visitwoodstockga.com/starspangledcrawl.

robin rayne

Woodstock’s July 4 parade in 2024.

File/Shannon Ballew

In this 2022 photo, families watch walkers and floats in Woodstock’s Fourth of July parade.

File/Shannon Ballew

In this 2024 photo, a young woman with Wild Heart Ranch waves from horseback at the Canton Independence Day parade.

File/Shannon Ballew

In this July 2023 photo, Georgia Ambrose from Canton, Alexis Williams from Kennesaw, Elizabeth Smith from Woodstock and Dalton Hollis from Dallas were decked out in red, white and blue for the Star Spangled Pub Crawl in downtown Woodstock.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN CHEROKEE IN JULY

JULY 4-6

FLOAT ON THE FOURTH

The Mill on Etowah is hosting its annual Float on the Fourth event July 4-6 at 225 Reformation Parkway in Canton, with Etowah River Tubing and Reformation Brewery. Tickets are $45 and include tube rental and transportation to the drop-in, a patriotic merch item, a drink from Reformation and access to the porch party. There are limited spots for the event. For more information visit, https://www.etowahmill.com/events.

JULY 4

WOODSTOCK’S JULY 4 SPECTACULAR

The city of Woodstock is hosting a series of Independence Day events July 4. A Freedom Run will be held at 7 a.m. which includes a 5K, 10K,1 mile and a Tot Trot. The Fourth of July Parade is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Main Street, followed by a festival at The Park at City Center until 3 p.m. with games, food, arts, kids activities and more. Fireworks are scheduled to begin at dusk behind the Lowe’s shopping center on Highway 92. For more information visit https://woodstock.recdesk. com/Community/Page?pageId=26351.

JULY 4

4TH OF JULY IN CANTON

The American Legion is hosting a patriotic parade celebrating Independence Day through downtown Canton starting at 6 p.m. July 4. Following the parade, the city of Canton will put on a fireworks show behind the Publix shopping center on Riverstone Parkway starting at dusk. For more information and updates, follow the City of Canton GA on Facebook.

JULY 8

LEGO LAB

On July 8 children of all ages are invited to drop in between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and build with Legos at the Ball Ground Public Library, 435 Old Canton Road in Ball Ground. Materials are provided while supplies last. All children must be accompanied by a participating adult.

JULY 10

THE LEASH PROJECT

The R. T. Jones Memorial Library is hosting a hands-on lesson in making dog leashes at 4 p.m. July 10 at 116 Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton. Participants will also learn about how leashes keep dogs safe. Leashes will be donated to dogs in need. All ages are welcome, but children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

See EVENTS, 19

this

File/Shannon Ballew

In this 2022 photo, a boy waves a flag at participants in Canton’s Independence Day parade.

Shannon Ballew

In

2023 photo, Bumpin’ the Mango performs a concert in downtown Canton.

EVENTS

From 18

JULY 11

CANTON FIRST FRIDAY

Canton’s July First Friday event is 6-9 p.m. July 11, with a free concert from Bumpin’ the Mango.

There will be food and family activities, and extended shopping hours for downtown businesses.

For more information about the First Friday series, visit https://www.cantonga. gov/our-city/visit-us/downtown-canton/ first-fridays.

JULY 11-27

ROCK OF AGES

Woodstock Arts is presenting “Rock of Ages” July 11-27 at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main St. in Woodstock. The show is recommended for ages 13 and up. Tickets are $21-22 online and $24-25 at the door. For tickets and more information, visit https://woodstockarts. org/events/rock-of-ages.

JULY 12

SUMMER PLANT FESTIVAL

The Mill on Etowah is partnering with Plant Daddies to host the Summer Plant Festival from 11 to 4 p.m. July 12 at the Mill, 225 Reformation Parkway in Canton. There will be plants, candles, crafts, music, food and more. The event is free to attend.

JULY 12

JOSH TURNER

The Woodstock Summer Concert Series continues July 12 with a performance by Josh Turner from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater, 101 Arnold Mill Road in Woodstock. The concert is free to attend. For rules and more information about the concert series, visit https://www. woodstockconcertseries.com.

JULY 19

SHYANNE

Canton is hosting a River Rock Concert from 6-10 p.m. July 19 headlined by Shyanne at Etowah River Park, 600 Brown Industrial Parkway. The concert is free admission. There will be food trucks, beverage vendors, a children’s area and more. For more about the River rock concert series, visit https://explorecantonga.com/ events/river-rock.

JULY 21

WOODSTOCK LIBRARY STEAM LAB

On July 21 at 4 p.m. there is an educational exploration of all things STEAM

CAREGIVERS INVITED TO JOIN SUPPORT GROUP

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church hosts a Caregivers Support Group at 1 p.m. on the fourth Thursday and second Saturday of every month at the church, 1208 Rose Creek Drive in Woodstock. Group facilitators are trained through the Alzheimer’s Association. This group is open to all caregivers who are interested in learning more or actively giving caregiving support. More information can be found at gslutheran.org.

— science, technology, engineering, arts and math at the Woodstock Public Library, 7735 Main St. in Woodstock. This event will be math themed. No registration is required, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Homeschool families are invited to attend.

JULY 26

ENDLESS SUMMERFEST

The Mill on Etowah and Goin’ Social Events are hosting the Endless SummerFest from noon to 8 p.m. July 26 at 225 Reformation Parkway in Canton. They are partnering with and raising money for The Children’s Haven, a non-profit. This is a free to attend festival with vendors, restaurants, live entertainment and more. A Kid’s Zone is available for an additional cost. Attendees are asked to bring donations of children’s clothing, toys, diapers, or other items for The Children’s Haven. For more about The Children’s Haven or to donate directly, visit https://cherokeechildrenshaven.org.

File/robin rayne

In this October photo, Annalise Delgado and Ari Wood browse some plants at the Fall Plant Festival at the Mill on Etowah in Canton.

Josh Turner.

NEWS AROUND CHEROKEE COUNTY

Ball Ground’s Hendrix House moving to a new home

By Ethan Johnson ejohnson@ledgernews.com

The historic Hendrix House in Ball Ground is moving down the street, History Cherokee announced.

The plan is to relocate the house on Old Canton Road to a site adjacent to Ball Ground Elementary School.

The house is being cut in pieces so it can be moved on public roads, per History Cherokee, and moved over the next few weeks. The house will be reassembled on the new lot, where it is planned to be for sale.

The Hendrix House is located at 380 Old Canton Road in downtown Ball Ground. It was built for Dr. D.G. Hendrix around 1910. Hendrix was one of Ball Ground’s four doctors during the early 1900s. He also owned two nearby buildings, housing a pharmacy, soda fountain and Coca-Cola bottling plant.

Earlier this year, History Cherokee asked the public for help to move the historic home, which was facing demolition. Multiple single-family homes are expected to be built on the site that will become part of an existing neighborhood.

History Cherokee Executive Director Stefanie Joyner said she is happy that the historical society was able to broker a deal to save the house.

“In the agreement, History Cherokee is purchasing the new lot and will resell it to Safeley Contracting and Jacob & Company so they can relocate the house,” she said. “The redevelopment costs only work because we’re able to sell the lot at a discounted price, thanks to the generosity of the entity we bought it from.”

Joyner added that there’s still a small chance the house will not survive the move, but that History Cherokee is hopeful and confident in the house mover’s experience.

“The contractors have begun the process to cut the house in pieces and we’re waiting on the weather and equipment currently tied up on the McAfee House relocation (Safeley Contracting is also working on this project),” Joyner said.

The McAfee House is an antebellum home that is being relocated from Cobb County to Ball Ground, close to the Hendrix House.

For months, History Cherokee has advocated for the preservation and safe movement of the Hendrix House.

The owner of the property initially gave History Cherokee a deadline of March 17 to move the house, but later granted an extension, giving History Cherokee and its partners more time to relocate it.

Representatives of History Cherokee thanked the city of Ball Ground and Lee and Brittani Lusk, who helped facilitate the relocation of the Hendrix house by bringing in Safeley Contracting and

The house is being cut in pieces so it can be moved on public roads over the next few weeks. The house will be reassembled on the new lot, where it is planned to be for sale.

providing expertise and support for the move. Representatives also thanked Jacob General Construction and Safeley Contracting, who now own the house, as well as the community for their support.

Since efforts to save the Hendrix House began, Ball Ground officials have taken steps to create a historic preservation commission that could help save more historic sites in the city. The Ball Ground City Council is set to consider a second reading to finalize a new ordinance establishing an HPC at its June meeting.

For more information on History Cherokee or to donate, visit historycherokee. org/donate or contact sjoyner@historycherokee.org.

history Cherokee

The historic Hendrix House in Ball Ground.

history Cherokee

The Hendrix House in Ball Ground was built around 1910.

CHAMPIONS

Cherokee and Creekview boys win first golf titles

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@ledgernews.com

Cherokee County brought two 2025 state championship trophies home as the Cherokee and Creekview boys golf teams won their respective titles.

Both titles were firsts for the programs, with Creekview winning by a comfortable six-stroke margin over Milton and Cherokee outlasting Carrollton in a two-hole sudden-death playoff.

For Cherokee, it was the first boys team state championship in the school’s 69-year history. Creekview added another trophy to the school’s case following its recent slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball titles.

It was also the first state championship for a Cherokee County boys golf team since Etowah won in 2002 and 2005.

For Creekview, the title was a payoff after years of coming close and falling short.

The Grizzlies had three runner-up finishes, two third-place finishes and numerous top-five showings before finally clinching their first state title at Jekyll Island Golf Resort, this one in Class AAAAA.

“The moment itself, you just can’t put into words how special it was finally getting one,” Creekview coach Jimmy Thigpen said. “We have been so close over these last 12 years, and finally getting it with this group of

guys, their senior year — five of the six guys are seniors — it’s quite a way to end their high school careers. It was super special and those kids are like family to me.”

Creekview shot 568 to win the title, beating out Milton (574), Lakeside (Evans) (587). Johns Creek (596) and Roswell (600). Woodstock shot 613 for eighth place.

Individually, Griffin Latimer led Creekview with 137 across the tworound tournament, followed by Matt Calhoun (144) and the duo of Ryan Gallagher and Tanner Latimer, who each totaled 145. Austin Guest shot 149 and Reece Whaley finished at 153.

“It’s what makes our team so good. We’re just so balanced,” Thigpen said. “Tanner and Austin both shot evenpar, and then you have Matt shooting 3-under and Griffin shooting 4-under. That was the recipe for success. … It was awesome to see the culmination of all the hard work and hours of blood, sweat and tears that go into it for them to finally break through and win a championship. It’s super special.”

Thigpen, who played with Latimer’s father, Wes, at Sequoyah during his 1994 individual state championship season, said Creekview knew it had a chance to do something special if it hit on all cylinders.

The Grizzlies held an eight-shot lead going into Day 2 and their goal was to relax and play loose. Milton

made a spirited run, cutting the lead to just two strokes at one point, but Creekview’s experience made the difference as it maintained its composure and protected the advantage.

“It’s the best of the best down there, and it was our second time, so they were really familiar with it,” Thigpen said. “They just had that edge of being comfortable in the situation, in the time and then also on the course, which was super beneficial for us. …

Just sitting down there, having dinners and just hanging out in the hotel, we were kind of reminiscing about some of these guys being freshmen and where they were at and shooting in the 80s and almost 90s.”

In the Class AAAAAA tournament at Kinderlou Forest Golf Course in Valdosta, Cherokee shot a season-best 5-under 283 to win its championship.

AJ Burns (67) and Thaxton Cheyne (69) led the way as the Warriors put the final touches on the best season in program history.

It came down to the playoff, where coach Gerald Sharpe said the Warriors competed like champions.

“Our guys just played unbelievably,” Sharpe said. “They stayed focused both days. We shot a career round for us on the second day and 283 is the best we shot all year by far. They just put it all together in one day and we had said that, all year, we felt like, if we could do that, we could really do something.”

Behind Burns and Cheyne, Michael King was Cherokee’s third-best performer on Day 2 with a 72, followed by Blake Spivey (75), Mitch Cady (78) and Cole Byerly (87).

It was a bit of a comeback effort for the Warriors, who sat in fifth place through the tournament’s opening round with a 302. Spivey led the way with a 73, while King and Cheyne each shot 76.

“They all accepted that challenge,” Sharpe said. “Nobody finished poorly at all. You know, they all played well all the way through to the end and the pressure didn’t get to them.”

Sharpe said there were some challenging holes at Kinderlou, paired with “lightning-fast” greens, but the course was in great shape overall.

Cherokee consistently shot in the 300-305 range throughout the season, and with that score, the Warriors felt they could finish somewhere in the top six at state.

However, the Warriors peaked at the perfect time, and it vaulted them to the top.

“I’m just so happy for these kids,” Sharpe said. “We told them when we went out Tuesday morning to go make a memory and that there’s no pressure on you whatsoever. Make a memory that you’ll never forget, one that will be with you for the rest of your life. I don’t think they felt any pressure all day. They performed very, very well.”

Special

Members of the Cherokee boys golf team pose after winning the Class AAAAAA state championship in Valdosta.

Special

Members of the Creekview boys golf team pose after winning the Class AAAAA state championship on Jekyll Island.

SPORTS

CHAMPIONS AGAIN

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@ledgernews.com

DULUTH — In a rematch from last year’s state title game, River Ridge defeated Sprayberry once again to become a state champion, and with plenty of drama to spare.

Deadlocked at 2-all through regulation and overtime, the Knights bested the Yellow Jackets 3-1 on penalty kicks in the Class AAAAA final at Duluth High School, avenging River Ridge’s only loss of the regular season.

“It’s been a really amazing three years — four years really — with this group of seniors,” River Ridge coach Phil Thomas said. “Two years ago, we lost in the finals, and then last year, we got a win. This year, we had the poise to win it again.”

Despite making two straight state finals, Sprayberry (18-3) will have to wait a bit longer for its first title.

The Yellow Jackets set the tone early, maintaining lengthy possessions and forcing River Ridge (19-1) into turnovers. Knights goalkeeper Gracen VanGilder helped curb the advantage with three saves in the first 15 minutes.

The Yellow Jackets finally broke through

River Ridge survives Sprayberry for back-to-back titles

with 15:18 left before halftime as midfielder Eric Cruz scored on a free kick, sending it into the goal’s top-left corner past a diving VanGilder.

Sprayberry’s 1-0 lead stood going into halftime.

VanGilder began the second half by saving a point-blank shot from Jean-Marcel Sylvain. Down one, River Ridge was more aggressive, and with 17:42 left in regulation, Moses Samstag put the Knights’ first goal on the scoreboard with a header off a corner kick.

However, Caua Siqueira sent Sprayberry back ahead just 3 minutes later as he drove the ball from right to left into the bottom corner of the net. With only 2:17 remaining, Reed McLure knotted the score at 2-all with another header into the net.

That sent the championship match into the two 10-minute overtime periods.

“It was just passion from this team,” River Ridge defender Reed McLure said. “Every huddle, we are talking passion because we know we have the support of each other, and we have to push each other when we are tired.”

The overtime periods were relatively un-

eventful, with both teams battling injuries and fatigue. Sprayberry’s Maaziah Brown dealt with injury throughout the night, while River Ridge’s Chris Asbridge missed the second half and Gustavo Almeida suffered a late lower leg injury.

The scoreless overtime periods led to penalty kicks, where VanGilder saved the first attempt by Cruz. Nolan McLure converted his kick, while Sylvain matched his spot to keep the Yellow Jackets in it.

Samstag converted the ensuing shot, while VanGilder saved Sprayberry’s answer by Gavin Crowe. Reed McLure made his kick and a miss over the top from Sequeira

sealed the Knights’ second title.

“I walked up and I knew I had to smash it home,” Reed McLure said. “I knew that if I put that one in, and then we got a save, that meant we could take it home, and that’s what happened.”

It was a fitting end to an excellent match and it kept VanGilder undefeated in penalty kicks.

“Since he was a freshman, he was always huge in PKs, so I’m not surprised,” Thomas said of VanGilder. “I am super proud of him. You need to have a lot of confidence in that situation. He definitely has that confidence, and it showed.”

griffin Callaghan

A scene from the 2025 GHSA Class AAAAA state championship soccer match.

griffin Callaghan

A scene from the 2025 GHSA Class AAAAA state championship soccer match.

Bertils the offensive leader for Sequoyah’s success

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@ledgernews.com

Sequoyah boys lacrosse coach Ben Sparks summed up Jake Bertils’ senior season in one word — heartbeat.

After leading the Chiefs (7-11) to their second straight state playoff appearance, the Alabama-Huntsville signee was voted the 2025 Cherokee County Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year by the county’s coaches.

“To be voted Player of the Year, it feels very rewarding knowing how much work I put in during the offseason,” Bertils said. “Knowing all the talent that is in this county, and having played against them for four years, being named the top player out of all of them is truly honorable.”

Bertils accounted for 73 total points through 18 games this season, including 52 goals and 21 assists. He also registered 164 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers, while winning 205 of 278 faceoffs (74%).

The four-year varsity starter finished his high school career with 216 career points (122 goals, 94 assists).

After earning an all-state honorable mention as a faceoff specialist last year, Bertils jumped to second-team all-state midfield in 2025, showcasing the improvement he made year over year to reach the county’s pinnacle.

“The way Jake played and responded is the way the team reacted as well,” Sparks said. “Jake has meant so much to this program over the last four years and I’m so excited to see him be voted into this honor by the coaches in the county. Jake would tell you that his success was in part to having great teammates on offense, like Cason Diamond, Bryant Scott, Ryan Peters, Logan Pichon and more.”

Like any team in any season, Bertils and Sequoyah had their ups and downs in 2025. The Chiefs dropped their first two games of the year to Lassiter and River Ridge, falling to the Knights by just one goal.

However, Bertils’ team responded with back-to-back wins over Alabama teams Hoover and Spain Park by a combined 30-15. Including those two wins, Sequoyah took four of its next five games to vault itself back into playoff contention.

The Chiefs saved their best for last, and in one of the season’s most pivotal games, they outdueled archrival Creekview 12-10 on April 17. It marked Sequoyah’s first win over the Grizzlies in team history as it mounted a comeback from four goals down in the final 6 minutes.

Bertils and Co. continued onto the playoffs, where they nearly uprooted Pope — a fixture in the state playoffs — and finished off a decorated career.

“A lot went into the success I had over the season,” Bertils said. “It started with putting in extra work when nobody was watching, and then the constant support from my coaches and teammates who pushed me to become the player they needed me to be. As a team, we worked together through the ups and downs of the season, and dealing with injuries, we really had to play as a team to be successful.”

Now, Alabama-Huntsville awaits the arrival Bertils, which will be under new leadership after announcing the promotion of Jordan Warren to head coach and the hopes to improve on a 2-14 season.

“I feel like I am ready right now to go compete at the next level,” Bertils said, “but taking advantage of this summer to get in the gym and getting extra reps will prepare me even more to play at the best of my ability.”

2025 All-Cherokee County Boys Lacrosse Teams

Staff reports

Player of the Year: Jake Bertils, Sequoyah Coach of the Year: Pete Manderano, River Ridge First Team

Attack

Graeme Navarro, River Ridge

Cason Diamond, Sequoyah

Owen Forbes, Woodstock

Midfield

Ethan Forbes, Woodstock

Jake Bertils, Sequoyah

Parker Gross, River Ridge Defense

Connor McCarthy, Woodstock

Landon Schnett, Creekview

William Richardson, Woodstock

LSM

Connor Schroter, Sequoyah

SSDM

Luke Crane, Creekview

Joseph Lucente, Sequoyah FOS

Reagan Joiner, Woodstock

Goalie

Andrew Stafford, Creekview

Second Team

Attack

Palmer Vining, Creekview

Bryant Scott, Sequoyah

Jackson Purser, Creekview

Midfield

Logan Pichon, Sequoyah

Aidan “Bob” Lofstrom, Etowah

Milan Easterbrook, Cherokee Defense

Dominic Lucente, Sequoyah

Austin Styron, River Ridge

Jackson Croxdale, Cherokee

LSM

Matthew Valente, Etowah SSDM

Harris Deriso, River Ridge

Jackson Smith, Etowah FOS

Westin Coleman, Etowah

Goalie

Dylan Hoover, Woodstock

Honorable Mention

Mason Sanford, Cherokee

Brandon Isaacs, Cherokee

Eric Ward, Cherokee

Liam Williamson, Etowah

Brody Hendrix, Etowah

Nathaniel “NayNay” Creigh, Etowah

Patrick Kelly, River Ridge

Ryan Martin, River Ridge

Alex Reeves, River Ridge

Zach Day, Sequoyah

Will Pichon, Sequoyah

Collin Beasley, Woodstock

Ian Britt, Woodstock

Sam McAllister, Woodstock

Ian Taylor, Woodstock

Teams selected by Cherokee County coaches

Special — Bill Mcguire

Sequoyah’s Jake Bertils controls the ball in the opening round of the Division 2 state playoffs at Pope.

SPORTS

Manderano leads River Ridge on semifinal run

By Griffin Callaghan gcallaghan@ledgernews.com

It was a historic season for River Ridge and boys lacrosse coach Pete Manderano.

The Knights (10-9) won the first playoff game in team history and advanced to the state semifinals in what was their second postseason appearance in the last five years.

The year of firsts earned Manderano the nod as the 2025 Cherokee County Coach of the Year.

River Ridge was among the county’s best teams in 2024, winning 12 games, but it fell short of the playoffs after suf-

fering four losses by a combined four goals.

Manderano and the Knights made up for lost time with this season’s historic run.

“I think last year was a little bit of a disappointment for everybody,” Manderano said after beating Riverwood to make the semifinals. “... It’s the work these guys have put in outside of practice and just outside of the season, playing club lacrosse and working together, has made this group a little bit different.”

Navarro and Parker Gross leading the way, it saw clear improvement. Gross scored six goals against Riverwood, and Navarro, who will play club lacrosse at Georgia Tech, scored five times to help the Knights reach the final four.

“It’s just understanding the game a lot more,” Manderano said following the quarterfinal win. “It’s the work they put in outside of practice and that includes outside of the season, playing club lacrosse and working together. They made this one a little bit different.”

led by first-teamers Gross and Navarro. Austin Styron and Harris Deriso were second-team honorees, while Patrick Kelly, Ryan Martin and goalkeeper Alex Reeves were honorable mentions.

River Ridge was better for that experience, and with seniors including Graeme

Under Manderano, seven River Ridge players earned all-county recognition,

With its historic season and on the heels of 22 wins over the last two years, the Knights and Manderano showed they belong among the contenders in lacrosse. “We talked about seizing our opportunities and they’ve done a great job with that,” Manderano said after making the semifinals. “It was kind of an up-anddown season, but they bounced back and they proved they deserve to be where they’re at.”

griffin Callaghan

River Ridge coach Pete Manderano spends a moment with Graeme Navarro during a game this past season.

Pete Manderano

NEWS AROUND CHEROKEE COUNTY

Public input sought on proposed improvements to I-575 and Towne Lake Parkway interchange

Staff reports

The Georgia Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration, is seeking public input about proposed improvements at the Interstate 575 and Towne Lake Parkway interchange.

GDOT’s online public input portal is available now through July 7, Cherokee County announced.

The Project Information website can be found at i-575-towne-lake-pkwy-interchange-0019631-gdot.hub.arcgis.com.

Comments can be submitted through the project website. A form can also be printed from the “Project Documents” section of the website and mailed to the address at the bottom of the form. Project information will still be accessible after the comment period closes.

Cherokee County solicited federal funding for the interchange improvement project and was notified earlier this year that $5.49 million in additional federal funding was added to the $1.37 million of federal funding already allocated to the project.

The total project cost is estimated at $12.9 million to include preliminary engineering (which is complete), rightof-way acquisition, construction and utility relocation.

This project proposes to make operational improvements to the existing interchange at I-575 and Towne Lake Parkway in Cherokee County and the city of Woodstock. The improvements are: adding approximately 282 feet of additional right turn lane on the I-575 southbound off ramp, adding about 306 feet of paved shoulder on the I-575 southbound on ramp to meet the mini mum shoulder width, adding abouty 406 feet of additional right turn lane on the westbound side of Towne Lake

WhAT To knoW

♦ The project proposes to make operational improvements to the existing interchange at I-575 and Towne Lake Parkway in Cherokee County and the city of Woodstock.

♦ The total project cost is estimated at $12.9 million to include preliminary engineering (which is complete), right-ofway acquisition, construction and utility relocation.

♦ Comments can be submitted through the project website at i-575-towne-lake-pkwyinterchange-0019631-gdot.hub.arcgis.com.

♦ Comments can also be mailed by printing a form from the website and sending it to the address on the bottom of the form.

♦ GDOT’s online public input portal is available now through July 7.

♦ Project information will still be accessible after the comment period closes.

Parkway turning onto the I-575 northbound on ramp, and adding about 282 feet of additional left turn lane on eastbound side of Towne Lake Parkway turning onto Woodstock Parkway. The intersection at Woodstock Parkway and Towne Lake Parkway is to be improved with additional through lanes both eastbound and westbound, and an additional eastbound left turn lane as well as right turn lanes on all approaches at the intersection.

Cherokee County

An aerial view of Interstate 575 at Towne Lake Parkway. Since this photo was taken, additional turn lanes have been installed here.

HEALTH

Cherokee County firefighters celebrate young Austin Herre completing cancer treatment

By Joseph Bennett

For the Cherokee Ledger Monthly

Austin Herre was the hero of the moment, but he wasn’t the only hero at Cherokee County Fire Station 13 on May 18.

About 200 people gathered at the firehouse on a sunny afternoon to celebrate Austin’s successful completion of a grueling course of chemotherapy to treat his leukemia.

As an infant Austin was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare genetic condition affecting the nervous system and adrenal glands. After learning to navigate the challenges of ALD, Austin and his family turned to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to help them find answers that would explain Austin’s repeat illnesses and infections. That’s when they discovered that Austin, just two years old at the time, also had B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).

The May 18 event — less than two months before his fifth birthday — was a celebration for Austin alongside his sister Oakley and their parents Chelsea and Chad Herre. The Herre family also used the event to host a silent auction to raise money for another Canton family, whose child was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

The Herres received some support from a GoFundMe site during their challenges, but they’re now determined to help others.

“We were just overwhelmed by the generosity and support we got from friends and family and from the Cherokee County fire people,” Chelsea Herre said.

Fire Chief Eddie Robinson said Austin won the hearts of his team the first time he visited a fire station.

“Every bit of the fight has come from this little man. His mom has been a constant advocate; his father and sister have been there every step of the way. His grandparents have shown him so much love and provided so much support to his parents, it is unimaginable,” he said. “The doctors and nurses who have been involved in his care have been remarkable.”

While dozens of families enjoyed a buffet luncheon donated by local restaurants, a DJ’s music filled the air and children — including Austin — romped joyfully in an inflated bouncy house.

Chelsea Herre said of her young family’s ordeal, “when something like this starts, you think you’ll never see this day, but here we are. Now we want to help others.”

She says she and her husband draw inspiration from their son.

“His strength and resilience throughout all of this has given us strength of our own,” Chelsea Herre said. “From day one, it was obvious he would take this head on and finish on the other side of his diagnosis. Some of our strength also came from our family and friends. They were constantly picking us up when we were down, healing our hearts on hard days, and making sure we were never

alone in this fight.”

Shortly after this third birthday in 2023, Austin was made an honorary member of CCFES.

Robinson said, “members of the staff pulled together and had a little uniform put together and we made him an ID. His unit number is the last day of his treatment — 05182025.”

Chad Herre said his son’s health will continue to be monitored, but he is now free to live a normal little boy’s life.

Austin attends school at Child’s Play Early Learning Center and will start kindergarten in the fall.

At the height of the Sunday celebration, Robinson invited the Herre family to the front of the room and asked Austin to ring a historic bell that once was used in emergencies to summon firefighters and their horses. He rang it loud and clear.

Special — Joseph Bennett

Austin Herre celebrates the successful completion of chemotherapy to treat his leukemia by ringing a historic bell that once was used in emergencies to summon firefighters and their horses. Also pictured are his parents Chelsea and Chad Herre and Fire Chief Eddie Robinson.

Special — Joseph Bennett

Fire Chief Eddie Robinson poses with Austin Herre and his parents, Chad and Chelsea Herre, and his sister, Oakley.

Special — Joseph Bennett

Mary Jo Herre holds her grandson, Austin Herre.

Special — Chelsea herre

Austin Herre gives a thumbs up.

What you should know about adult vaccines

Why are adult vaccines important, and what are some common misconceptions?

The first question I usually get is, “Should I get this vaccine?” But the real question is, “Do I want the illness it prevents?” If the answer is no, then yes — you should get the vaccine. Adults face different risks than children, so we get different vaccines. We don’t often see adults with measles or mumps because kids are vaccinated, but we do see flu, pneumonia and shingles, so we vaccinate for those. Which vaccines are most common for adults?

Once you’re past the childhood vaccines, the big ones for adults are shingles, pneumonia, RSV, flu, tetanus and whooping cough (Tdap).

Why is the flu shot needed every year?

Because the virus changes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does its best to predict which strains will circulate, and they build the vaccine around that. Each year’s shot covers only a few strains, and flu viruses mutate constantly. So, even if you’ve had the flu shot before, you can still get sick from a strain you weren’t protected against. And no, you didn’t get the flu from the flu shot. It’s a dead virus. Any symptoms are usually from another virus or a reaction to additives, which you can avoid by getting preservative-free, single-dose versions. What’s the latest on COVID-19 and RSV boosters?

The COVID booster is recommended every six

months, especially if you don’t want to get sick or have chronic health conditions. RSV currently has no official booster recommendation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get one. If you have lung disease, diabetes or anything that makes recovery harder, a booster might be worth considering.

What about other vaccines — shingles, pneumonia, HPV, hepatitis?

Shingles is recommended after 50, even if you’ve had shingles before. Pneumonia is often offered starting at 50, earlier if you have conditions like COPD or diabetes. HPV is now recommended for men and women, with no strict upper age limit. Hep A and B are wise if you travel or work in food service.

Now let’s talk about some common concerns and myths about vaccines.

How are vaccines tested for safety?

Every vaccine goes through a strict process. It starts in the lab with cell cultures, then moves to animal testing — usually mice. If there are no serious issues, they move to human trials with volunteers who know they’re participating in research. These are doubleblind placebo studies, meaning neither the recipient nor the person administering the shot knows whether it’s the real vaccine or a placebo. Researchers then monitor safety and effectiveness. If that all checks out, the vaccine can move forward. Most vaccines today use an attenuated virus — either inactivated or weakened, like a soldier without a rifle. We don’t use live vaccines much anymore, especially for pregnant women, because of even the smallest risk. For example, we no longer use the live polio vaccine on a sugar cube.

What about concerns over vaccine ingredients?

People often ask about thimerosal, a preservative that contains ethyl mercury. The levels were extremely low and not toxic, but the word “mercury” scared people. Today, you can avoid it by asking for preservative-free vaccines. Again, single-dose vials or preloaded syringes won’t contain thimerosal, which is why we use them in our clinic.

Do vaccines cause illness like autism?

The claim that vaccines cause autism came from a doctor in the 1990s who later had his license revoked for falsifying data. Since then, the CDC has conducted large studies, including one with 25,000 children, and found no link between vaccines and autism. All my kids and grandkids are vaccinated — it’s safe.

Why does herd immunity matter?

Herd immunity protects vulnerable people. About 93% of a population needs to be immunized for it to work — 96% for measles, which is highly contagious. A child with measles at Disneyland led to outbreaks across the country, just by passing through crowds. You can’t rely on herd immunity alone. I’ve had patients who didn’t leave home but still caught COVID from visiting family.

What’s your advice on adult vaccinations?

The diseases we vaccinate against are no joke, especially if you have conditions like COPD, diabetes, or heart disease. The risks of vaccines are minimal — maybe a day of feeling off. Two Advil and you’re fine.

Dr. Larry Anderson is a board-certified physician at Northside Primary Care Foothills in Marble Hill and is affiliated with Northside Hospital Cherokee.

Dr. Larry Anderson

NEWS AROUND CHEROKEE COUNTY

Cherokee County, ARC to study how to preserve historic Pearidge community in Canton area

By Shannon Ballew sballew@ledgernews.com

Cherokee County is getting support from the Atlanta Regional Commission to study how to preserve the historic Pearidge community in the Canton area.

The ARC announced that Cherokee is one of seven metro Atlanta communities selected for its Community Development Assistance Program.

Cherokee County will receive ARC staff assistance to conduct a planning study for Pearidge, which faces development pressures and threats to affordability and historic preservation.

According to ARC, the study will consist of an analysis of existing conditions and thorough community engagement to formalize the community’s vision.

A planning report will give the community a “blueprint to preserve and maintain the historic vibrancy of the neighborhood while preparing for the future,” the ARC says.

“We are excited that our Pearidge project was selected for the CDAP program,” said Cherokee County Director of Planning and Zoning Margaret Stallings. “This will be a great opportunity for the whole community to be involved in developing the final plan including representatives from the City of Canton. Look for more details this summer about how you can be involved.”

Last year, a developer sought to build a mixed-use development on over 60 acres in the Pearidge community and annex it into Canton; in November, the Canton City Council rejected its application in a split vote.

The projects chosen went through a competitive process that solicited proposals from local governments, Community Improvement Districts and nonprofits across the Atlanta region. Some communities were selected for staffing resources and others were selected for grants.

Each project addresses at least one of six regional challenges: Access to healthy food, creative placemaking, historic pres-

ervation, housing affordability, smart technology and impacts of climate change.

The other communities selected include the cities of Clarkson, Decatur, Douglasville and McDonough, as well as Clayton County and Rockdale County.

“The Community Development Assistance Program is a critical implementation tool through which ARC brings its collective technical know-how to help local governments address land use and development issues,” said Samyuth Shenbaga, managing director of Community Development at ARC. “This year’s selection process was extremely competitive. We are thrilled to continue our work in creating healthy, livable communities where everyone can thrive and look forward to working with all our awardees.”

For more information on these programs and the CDAP program, visit tinyurl.com/ycxy28ej.

Reporter Ethan Johnson contributed to this report.

“We are excited that our Pearidge project was selected for the CdAP program. This will be a great opportunity for the whole community to be involved in developing the final plan including representatives from the City of Canton.”

Cherokee County Director of Planning and Zoning Margaret Stallings

Concertgoers enjoy 70s rock and family fun at Canton First Friday

Families gathered in downtown Canton June 6 for a performance from 1970s rock tribute band the Troubadour Project and family fun at the city’s First Friday event.

The city’s First Friday series, typically held the first Friday every month from May through October in and around Cannon Park, features a free con-

cert, food and shopping with local vendors, kids’ activities and more.

The next Canton First Friday is July 11 with Bumpin’ the Mango.

For more information about the First Friday series, visit https://www.cantonga.gov/ our-city/visit-us/downtowncanton/first-fridays.

robin rayne

Concertgoers dance to the tunes of Troubadour Project at Canton First Friday June 6.

robin rayne

Karen Beadle of Woodstock dances in the crowd like no one’s watching at First Friday in Canton.

robin rayne

Noah Sherman of Canton tries his hand at a corn hole game at First Friday.

robin rayne

Kids slide down an inflatable slide at First Friday June 6 in downtown Canton.

robin rayne

Audience members reach out to catch T-shirts tossed out at the start of the Troubadour Project’s performance at Canton First Friday June 6.

robin rayne

Concertgoers listen to a performance from Troubadour Project at Canton First Friday.

robin rayne

Troubadour Project performs at the First Friday block party in downtown Canton.

CHEROKEE SCENE

NotATypical Festival brings music and food to downtown Woodstock

Families and visitors gathered at the Woodstock Arts Event Green May 31 in downtown Woodstock for the NotATypical Festival, with vendors, music and food.

The second annual event, hosted by The Little Sober Bar, featured performances from area musicians, an open mic and interactive activities with the vendors.

Anthony Stalcup

Cannon and Luci Andrews play with oversize blocks at the second annual NotATypical Festival at the Woodstock Arts Event Green on May 31.

Anthony Stalcup

Six-year-old Reagan Beasley enjoys the live music and food at NotATypical Festival in Woodstock.

Anthony Stalcup

Norah Watson paints at Katie May Studios booth at the second annual NotATypical Festival in Woodstock.

Anthony Stalcup

Spencer Scott Smith performs at NotATypical Festival in Woodstock May 31.

Anthony Stalcup

The second annual NotATypical Festival was held at the Woodstock Arts Event Green on Saturday with vendors, music and food.

Anthony Stalcup

Abraham Darlington paints a Steelers logo at the NotATypical Festival in Woodstock.

Anthony Stalcup

Louise and Connie Georges enjoy the live music at NotATypical Festival in Woodstock.

Electric Avenue, Rock The 90’s USA play in Canton

Electric Avenue and Rock The 90’s USA performed at Etowah River Park May 17 as part of Canton’s annual concert series River Rock.

The free series takes place over four weekends featuring live music, food trucks, beverage vendors, a children’s area and more.

Upcoming shows include Shyanne with Nashville Nation from 6 to 10 p.m. July 19 and Mark Chesnutt with Ashley Brooks from 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 23.

Special — Sara hagen

Concertgoers hold a sign showing support for Electric Avenue, who performed at Canton’s annual concert series River Rock.

Special — Sara hagen

Concertgoers enjoy listening to Electric Avenue and Rock The 90’s USA perform at Canton’s annual concert series River Rock.

Special — Sara hagen Canton’s annual concert series River Rock features live performances.

Special — Sara hagen

Concertgoers enjoy listening to Electric Avenue and Rock The 90’s USA perform at Canton’s annual concert series River Rock.

GARDENING

ORNAMENTALS

♦ If your Hosta and azalea stems have a white powder covering them, it is probably the waxy coating of planthopper insects. They do not do much damage but can spread diseases. Spray with garden insecticide if unsightly.

♦ Lamb’s ear tends to have their lower leaves die after a heavy rain. This forms ugly mats that will rot stems and roots. Pull away the yellow leaves to keep up airflow.

♦ Fertilize crape myrtles, butterfly bushes, and hydrangeas with 1 Tablespoon of 10-10-10 per foot of height.

♦ Chrysanthemums and asters should be cut back halfway by mid-July to encourage fall blooming. If not trimmed they will bloom later this month and not in the fall.

♦ Japanese beetles may be feeding heavily at this time. Brush the beetles into a bucket of soapy water held underneath foliage or branches. The use of Japanese beetle traps near your plants is not recommended. Studies show that traps can attract more beetles to your landscape resulting in increased damage.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

♦ Pick squash regularly to keep up production. If the vines wilt, check the base of the stem for “sawdust.” This means the plant has squash borers in the stem. Remove infected plants (thus removing the borers) and plant new seeds. It is good to change your planting location to hopefully prevent the new plants from being attacked.

♦ Before you spray an insecticide on your vegetables, check the label. Each insecticide has a waiting period after application before you can harvest.

♦ Although tomatoes are self-pollinating, they need movement to transfer pollen. If it is hot and calm for several days, gently shake plants to assure pollen transfer and fruit set. Hot temperatures can interfere with blossom set.

♦

♦ Most fertilizer recommendations are for 100 square feet, so keep your garden’s square footage a simple fraction of that. For example, a 4 X 12-foot garden is very close to 50 square feet and would require one half the fertilizer required by a garden of 100 square feet.

♦ Okra pods get tough if allowed to grow too large. Pick regularly.

♦ Mulch strawberries heavily to protect them from heat and drought.

♦ Brown rot infects peach, cherry, and plum fruits. Pick peaches when the background color changes and before fruits become fully ripened. Bring fruits indoors, submerge them in a 1:10 bleach to water solution to kill brown rot fungal spores, rinse well, and allow them to ripen in the kitchen.

♦ The time-of-day vegetables are harvested can make a difference in the taste

July gardening tips

and texture. ♦ For sweetness, pick peas and corn late in the day; that is when they contain the most sugar, especially if the day was cool and sunny.

♦ Cucumbers are crisper and tastier if you harvest them early in the morning.

♦ Start a fall crop of Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale indoors. Outdoors, sow pumpkin, beans, squash, cucumbers, and crowder peas. Plant carrots mid-month.

♦ Sunflowers are ready to harvest when the back of the head turns brown.

♦ Keep an eye out for the tomato hornworm. They can do enormous damage overnight. When you see damage, check under leaves and stems to find them. Hand pick to dispose of them.

♦ Do not plant all your beans at once. If you stagger the plantings every two weeks you will have fresh beans longer. Soak bean seeds overnight before planting for faster germination.

JULY MISCELLANEOUS

If you keep your houseplants indoors all summer, keep them out of the draft of the air conditioner. Plants react to an air conditioner’s cool air in various ways. Some drop their leaves; others do not bloom well and some fail to bloom at all.

Continue to fertilize houseplant while they are actively growing.

Ticks are active year-round. After spending time outdoors in an area where ticks

may be present get in the habit of doing a tick check upon your arrival home. Patrol your yard for mosquito breeding sites. At least twice a week, check and remove water that may be standing in trash and recycling cans, flowerpot saucers, children and pets’ toys, wading pools, tires, tarps, or plastic sheeting.

Happy Gardening!!

Volunteers of

County. For more information or questions contact the Cherokee County Extension Office at 770-721-7803 or follow us at www. facebook.com/cherokeemastergardeners or at cherokeemastergardeners.com.

Marcia Winchester is one of many UGA Master Gardener Extension

Cherokee

GARDENING WITH THE MASTERS|MARCIA WINCHESTER

Winchester

Berean hunter/Wikimedia Commons

Pink Azalea flowers

david Stang/Wikimedia Commons

Chrysanthemums should be cut back halfway by mid-July to encourage fall blooming. If not trimmed they will bloom later this month and not in the fall.

CROSSWORD ANSWER

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