🌱 Canton Native Wins On "Jeopardy!" + Moratorium On Smoke Shops

Hello, hello. I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through the most important things happening in town. Today you'll find these stories and more:

• A Canton native wins on "Jeopardy!"
• There's a pause on new smoke-related shops.
• A former area teacher has been sentenced in Cherokee.

But first, today's weather:

A morning t-storm; cloudy. High: 63 Low: 37.

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Here are the top five stories in Canton-Sixes today:

1. Canton native and current Brown University student Justin Bolsen won the grand prize on last night's "Jeopardy! High School Reunion Tournament" finale. This is the second time Bolsen has appeared on a "Jeopardy!" franchise, his first time in 2019 while a Creekview High School student. The grand prize winnings in this year's competition totaled $100,000, and Bolsen's win also secured his spot in "Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions" coming up in the fall. Congratulations, Justin! (Macon Telegraph)
2. As of Tuesday, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has put in place a 90-day moratorium on new shops selling tobacco, electronic cigarettes and other smoking-related items. This will pause all new permit applications for such stores, allowing the county time to review existing codes and ordinances with other area stakeholders to see if they need an adjustment, with the health of our residents in mind. Currently, there are 13 smoke shops in unincorporated Cherokee County alone. Other items of note include the decision to hold a public hearing on March 21 regarding ATV noise regulation, and the unanimous approval of the acceptance of $19,149 in annual state grant funds for the EMS Trauma Grant, which will be used to procure trauma-related equipment. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
3. A former teacher found guilty of charges related to the sexual assault of a child at Fulton Academy of Science and Technology (FAST) in Roswell has now been found guilty on two counts of child molestation with regard to later incidents at Lyndon Academy in Holly Springs. Robert Vandel's first in a string of similar charges were in 2003, while employed at Midland Middle School in Columbus - that case did not result in a guilty verdict, though his certification was suspended for two years as a result. He taught at several schools in Georgia after 2003, including Chatham County’s Coastal Middle School, Duluth’s Notre Dame Academy, St. John's Catholic School in Fulton County and Cherokee Charter Academy. Then, in 2017, while he was a teacher at FAST, he assaulted a child in a classroom there. He was sentenced to 10 years in that Fulton case, and his latest case in Cherokee has ended with an 8-year sentence to run concurrently. After he serves his time in prison, he will live out his live on probation, on the sex offender registry and with no access to children. (11 Alive and Atlanta News First)
4. Tractor Supply is holding a pet adoption event on Saturday. The event is open to the public and will be held at the 2860 East Cherokee Drive location near Canton. There will also be information on pet clinics, pet grooming, dog washing and vaccinations. If you'd like to attend, the adoptions will be taking place from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., and if you'd like more information, please reach out to 770-704-8011. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
5. Don't forget to grab your tickets for the Cherokee Film Summit coming up on March 16. Benefitting both local film industry pathway students in the school district and local film industry professionals, the event will be held at the YANMAR/EVO Center and will run from 5 - 9 p.m. The event will offer chances for business, film and local creative talent to mingle and create networking connections. There will be many panelists at the event, including writers, producers, visual effects supervisors, editors and more. You can grab your tickets and read more about the Cherokee Film Summit here. (City of Canton via Facebook and Cherokee Office of Economic Development)

Today in Canton-Sixes:

• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (noon - 6 p.m.)
• Rock Wall Climbing Zone: open to county residents ages 4 and up and 40-pounds and over at The Buzz. There is a nominal fee to climb. (1 - 3:30 p.m.)
• Friday Funday - Oh Hoppy Day: you'll decorate wooden rabbit figures with transfers, stamps and decoupage. All supplies will be provided along with light refreshments, but you're welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks to the event at M&M Mercantile, 225 Reformation Parkway. (1 - 4 p.m.)
• American Red Cross Community Blood Drive: donors will receive a $10 prepaid Visa card and will be entered to win a $3,000 prepaid Visa card. You can make an appointment at the link for the blood drive at Hickory Flat Fellowship Church, 5301 Hickory Flat Highway. (1 - 6 p.m.)
• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz. There is a nominal fee to play. (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
• Hutton and Smith Tap Takeover: enjoy beer discounts, pint glass giveaways and swag tonight at Stout's Growlers, 188 North Street. (5 - 8 p.m.)
• Circle of the Rose: there's no yoga at this event. Wear comfy clothing and a snack to share, there will be lively conversation and a chance to learn from each other. (7 - 8:30 p.m.)
• Laurie Ann Jazzwine: the artist will be live at Riverstone Corner Bistro, 151 Reinhardt College Parkway. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Matt Jackson: playing live at J. Michael's Prime, 110 Mountain Vista Boulevard. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Camo Attire Party: throw on your best camo outfit and head over to Canton Icehouse at 150 Keith Drive. Prizes for the two best outfits, and DJ Tammy will be playing all night. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Cherokee Recreation & Parks is holding a Red Cross Babysitting + Pediatric CPR class for ages 11 - 15 on March 18. Your child will learn about basic child care and basic first aid and will receive a Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certification. The class will run from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and will be held in Wet Class 2 at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center, 1200 Wellstar Way in Canton. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• Stout's Growlers, at 188 North Street, is holding a Wine Glass Paint and Sip on April 16 to benefit the Canton Lions Club. The event will be held at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., so you can pick the one that fits your schedule best. You can grab your tickets here. (Stout's Growlers via Facebook)
• Unwind Wednesday is starting back up in April and running until October. Every last Wednesday of the month, Cherokee Veterans Park in Canton will host the free evenings from 5:30 - 8 p.m., where there will be yoga, food trucks, music, and all sorts of seasonal themed evenings. The first one will be on April 26, and it'll be "Yoga at the Park,” so bring your blankets, chairs and mats when you go. The department has released the entire schedule, you can check it out at the link. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• Cherokee County, Georgia: "Attention all parents and caregivers in Cherokee County! Don't miss out on a chance to ensure your child's safety while traveling in a car. Safe Kids Cherokee County is hosting a car seat inspection event on March 24 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. at Cherokee Veterans Park..." (Cherokee County, Georgia via Facebook)
• Sequoyah Regional Library: "We’ve almost crossed the finish line for our preparations for Sequoyah-Con Day 2 at Gilmer County Library this Saturday, March 11th! Visit our website to learn more: sequoyahregionallibrary.org/con/ #SeqLib #SeqCon2023 #GeorgiaLibraries" (Sequoyah Regional Library via Facebook)
• Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News: "The Cherokee County Planning Commission has voted to recommend denial of a request to bring a special events facility to Highway 20 in east Cherokee." (Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News via Facebook)

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That's it for today! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Nina Lightcap

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Canton-Sixes Patch newsletter? Contact me at Canton-GA@Patch.com