🌱 Get City Updates By Text + Canton Man Imprisoned For Embezzlement

Hello, everybody! It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the Canton-Sixes Daily. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town, including:

• Canton's new text message notification system for city updates.
• A local restaurant manager's prison sentence for embezzlement.
• Cherokee County Animal Shelter's annual Lunar New Year lantern ceremony for lost pets.

But first, today's weather:

Clouds yielding to sun. High: 53 Low: 32.

Business owners and marketers in Canton-Sixes: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

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

1. The City of Canton has launched a new SMS notification system to update local citizens about the happenings in and around town. Residents can now get the latest on road closures, park updates, event notices, and more. Users can opt in to text, email, pager or voicemail notifications in the following five notification groups: Downtown Canton, General Communications, Parks & Rec, Trash and Recycling, and Utilities Notifications. (City of Canton)
2. A former restaurant manager based in Canton was recently sentenced for embezzling $300,000 from his employer. Scott Spilberg was hired as the manager of Houck's Grille in August 2020. He was accused of using his company-issued debit card to pay for trips to two adult entertainment clubs, visiting them more than 50 times in an 11-month period starting in October 2020. After pleading guilty to the charges of wire fraud in September 2022, Spilberg will spend two-and-a-half years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He has also been ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $300,533.78. (Coosa Valley News)
3. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has its next meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Jan. 10, at 6:00 p.m. After reviewing commission business items, the commission will go over seven planning and zoning requests, which will include at least one public hearing, and consider five consent items for various amendments and grants, such as the Annual Grant Budget Amendments. They will also consider the purchase of a Ford F-150 police responder truck for the Sheriff's office. If you'd like to check out the full agenda, visit this link. (Cherokee County, Georgia via Facebook)
4. The Cherokee County Animal Shelter is continuing its annual Lunar New Year "lantern ceremony" to honor beloved lost pets. The ceremony has been held for the past nine years. This year, the shelter will hang personalized lit paper lanterns in the ceiling of the lobby for the duration of the Lunar New Year. You can participate by donating a memorial lantern by mail, website, or by dropping one off at Cherokee County Animal Shelter. Be sure to include the name(s) you would like inscribed on your lantern. The lanterns will be available to see anytime through the beginning of February. (Cherokee County Animal Shelter via Facebook)
5. Canton has been named No. 3 on Nomad Lawyer's list of 10 best places to live in Georgia. The article called out the Cherokee County School system for being highly rated, while also noting the many outdoor attractions, community events, and historical areas available in-and-around town. Nomad Lawyer stated "this [is] one of the most preferred places to live in Georgia for families." (NomadLawyer.com)

Today in and around Canton-Sixes:

• Food Truck: Lobster Dogs At Truck And Tap, Woodstock (2:30 PM)
• Meet Monat Georgia At B&B Tavern Sixes (6:00 PM)
• Adult Eclectics Book Club At R.T. Jones Memorial Library (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Heads up, local house hunters! If you're looking for a property in the Canton-Sixes area, these five gorgeous homes have just been listed for sale. Check out Patch's latest real estate roundup for details on homes like 521 Rosemont Avenue and 113 Grandmar Chase. (Canton-Sixes Patch)
• Did you know that setting up a Medical ID on your phone or smartwatch can help the Canton Police Department help you in an emergency? The Department shared a reminder this weekend to set up your Medical ID so emergency personnel can see critical medical information such as allergies and medical conditions as well as who to contact in case of an emergency, without needing your device passcode. See their Facebook post for basic instructions. (Canton Police Department, GA via Facebook)
• Want to find out how Canton has been doing this past year? Mark your calendar for Mayor Bill Grant's "State of the City" address, which will be delivered on Jan. 19 at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall. (City of Canton)

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

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.