🌱 FoCo Student Artists Celebrated + Local Fire Dept Members Honored

Hello, Cumming! I'm here in your inbox per usual to get you caught up on everything you need to know about what's going on around town. In this issue, you'll get updates on:

• FoCo student artists were recognized at a Cumming Arts Center reception.
• A Cumming resident was arrested by Forsyth County officials and detained in Dawson County.
• Forsyth County Fire Department members were honored in an awards ceremony this weekend.

But first, today's weather:

Cool with plenty of sun. High: 51 Low: 27.

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Here are the top five stories today in Cumming:

1. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Forsyth County residents, teachers, and parents gathered at the Cumming Arts Center for a reception honoring student artwork. The exhibit was hosted by the Sawnee Association of the Arts and recognized 159 students in the South Forsyth Vertical Team, which includes several schools. One of the participating art teachers, Taylor Shoemake from South Forsyth Middle School, mentioned that around 30 of her students had their art showcased in the exhibit. (Appen Media)
2. During a routine tag search at a gas station in Forsyth County, Georgia, deputies discovered an active warrant for Jay Hutchins' arrest, a man from Dawsonville. Upon detaining him, Hutchins denied having any illegal substances on him, but deputies later found a bag of crystalline substance in his shoe at the County Jail. Hutchins claimed he had bought the drugs from someone else and had forgotten about them. He is now facing charges of felony possession of methamphetamine, with bond set at $16,630. (Appen Media)
3. The Forsyth County Fire Department held its annual recognition ceremony on Mar. 11 to present awards and promote 25 personnel. During the event, personnel received Life-Saved and Unit Citation awards for their outstanding actions during life-threatening situations. The ceremony also included the promotion of 25 members of the department to new positions, including battalion chief, captain, lieutenant, fire apparatus operator, senior fire inspector, and senior fire prevention training officer. (Forsyth County Georgia)
4. Federal officials have temporarily paused a plan to rename Lake Lanier and Buford Dam after locals in Georgia opposed the change, citing the landmarks' current namesakes as Confederate soldiers. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has postponed the renaming process and is awaiting further guidance from the Department of the Army. Despite the delay, the Corps of Engineers will continue to solicit public comment about new names for the lake and dam, and the decision ultimately lies with Congress. (The Christian Index)
5. Looking for a new job that will allow you to be more involved in your community? Forsyth County recently posted openings for numerous positions, including a full-time Administrative Specialist, a full-time Firefighter/EMT, a part-time Van Driver, and more. Get job descriptions, salary information, and application details at the link. (GovernmentJobs.com)

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Today in Cumming:

• Food Truck - Chuy’s Tacos At NoFo Brew Co. (4:00 PM)
• Public Felicitation To Oscar Nominee Sri Chandra Bose At Astro Celebrations (5:00 PM)
• Live Music Bingo At Black Diamond Grill (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Looking for a change from the monotonous real-estate listings while searching for a new house in or around Cumming? Check out the latest additions, including a $299k 3-bed, 1-bath home and a $3 million property in nearby Canton. (Cumming Patch)
• As Georgia lawmakers approach their final chance to pass legislation before Sine Die on Mar. 29, big changes to public schools could be in store for students and families. Proposed education bills seek to increase funding for classrooms, enhance the HOPE Scholarship, and expand school vouchers. To learn more about the potential impact of these bills, click the link provided. (Georgia Recorder)
• The United Way of Forsyth County will conduct a "Board Officers That Make A Difference" workshop on Mar. 22 at 9:00 a.m. Interested individuals can register or obtain additional information through the provided link. (United Way of Forsyth County (Georgia) via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (March 14)
• Homebuyer Blueprint Live Webinar (March 16)
• STEM Adventures at Kiddie Academy of Cumming (March 18)
• Saint Patrick's Weekend Latin Night @ Tonys Johns Creek Sat Mar 18th (March 18)
• Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra - On Broadway! (March 25)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— 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.