🌱 Cumming Wine Festival Preview + FoCo Recognized By CyberStart

Morning, everybody. It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the Cumming Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in the community. Including news about...

• A preview of the first-ever Cumming Wine Festival, happening tomorrow.
• Forsyth County Schools recognized for getting students interested in cybersecurity.
• Kacey Martin named as new principal at East Forsyth High.

But first, today's weather:

Occasional rain and a thunderstorm. High: 73 Low: 46.

Business owners and marketers in Cumming: 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 five stories in Cumming today:

1. The first-ever Cumming Wine Festival will take place at the Cumming City Center from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. tomorrow, Mar. 4. With over 50 wineries and distributors from around the country, general attendees will have the opportunity to sample various wines, enjoy food, and live music by local band Liquid Southern for just $10. VIP tickets, which cost $100, come with a private tent, higher quality wines, lunch, and discounted wine prices. All proceeds from the festival will go towards supporting The Place of Forsyth County. Click here for more details and ticketing information. (Newsbreak Original)
2. After two days of storms, Forsyth County may continue to see a chance of severe thunderstorms today, Mar. 3. The area is currently experiencing a cold front, which has resulted in showers and thunderstorms and could potentially bring wind gusts and tornadoes. The National Weather Service in Peachtree City has additional local weather updates on its website. (Newsbreak Original)
3. The University of North Georgia's CyberStart America in Georgia Task Force has recognized 10 Georgia districts, including Forsyth County Schools, for their efforts in promoting cybersecurity education through the CyberStart America program. The program provides a free online game that allows students to learn about cybersecurity and compete for cyber training scholarships. With over 755,000 cybersecurity job openings nationally and almost 23,000 in Georgia alone, the program has become an important workforce development tool that helps students understand the benefits of a career in the field. Georgia has more than 6,200 students registered for the program this year, and UNG is leading the effort to increase this number through the Institute for Cyber Operations and College of Education. (Subscription: Forsyth County News)
4. The Forsyth County School Board has announced the appointment of Kacey Martin as the principal of East Forsyth High School, effective Jun. 1. Martin has served as the assistant principal at Forsyth Central High since 2017. He previously worked as a physical education teacher and the head basketball coach at Chattahoochee High. Current East Forsyth principal Jeff Cheney will serve in his role until May 31, then work on Special Assignment with the Safety Department until his retirement at the end of 2023. (Forsyth County Schools)
5. First Baptist Church Cumming will be holding its annual two-day indoor yard sale on Friday, Mar. 3, from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, Mar. 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Attendees can purchase breakfast on Saturday between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m., and there will be a bake sale both days. The event will be held at 1597 Sawnee Drive in Cumming, and all proceeds will go towards supporting FBC Mission Programs. (Cumming Patch)

Today in Cumming:

• American Red Cross Blood Drive At Cumming Library (10:00 AM)
• Annual Indoor Yard Sale At First Baptist Church Cumming (12:00 PM)
• Masterminds LEGO Lounge At Post Road Library (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• If you’re on the job hunt, the City of Cumming is currently hiring for multiple full-time positions, including a Construction & Storm Water GIS Technician, a Street Department Laborer, a Fairgrounds Maintenance Laborer, and more. Visit the city’s website for more information about the jobs, employee benefits, and how to apply. ( City of Cumming)
• How clean are your favorite FoCo restaurants? Newsbreak shared the latest Restaurant Report Card from the Forsyth County Health Department’s most recent round of inspections. ADDA Sports Pub & Eatery in Suwanee and the Texas Roadhouse on Lakeland Plaza in Cumming both received an “unsatisfactory” grade for multiple violations. ( Newsbreak Original)
• In case you missed it, there’s still time to register for the Forsyth County Parks & Recreation department’s inaugural Rec & Run 5K & Fun Run happening on Saturday, Mar. 18! The race will begin at 8:00 a.m. at Chattahoochee Pointe Park. Visit the county’s website for more details. ( Forsyth County Georgia)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. 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.