🌱 Mixed Responses For Educational Bills + The Holi Hai Color Festival

Hello and happy Monday! I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening locally. In this issue, you'll learn about:

• The Holi Hai color festival
• An art competition for high school students to show their work in Washington for a year
• Mixed responses for Georgia's educational bills and what that entails

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny and warmer. High: 57 Low: 30.

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Here are the top stories in and around Cumming today:

1. Thousands of people celebrated the Holi Hai color festival at Cumming Fairgrounds with traditional Desi food, music and dancing, and brightly colored powders on Mar. 11. The festival, organized by Sewa International USA, is the largest Holi festival in the state and is aimed at bringing the Indian festival of colors to the US. Attendees of all ages expressed their joy and the refreshing feeling of celebrating spring and love with their families and community in a way that is connected to their culture. (Subscription: Forsyth County News Online)
2. On Mar. 28, 2023, a Forsyth County event will take place with Chairman Alfred John at the Forsyth Conference Center in Cumming. The event offers three pricing options: $40.00 for a lunch reservation, free open seating without a lunch reservation, and $400.00 for a table of 10 reservations. (focochamber.org)
3. The General Assembly in Georgia has received a mixed response to the education bills proposed this year. The proposal to protect teachers' time and improve literacy rates received widespread approval. However, the bill to provide private-school vouchers drew severe criticism for undermining the public school system by diverting funds from it. The latter also lacked a fiscal note, which is required for bills that impact state finances. (Northwest Georgia News)
4. Gwinnett County's congressional representatives, Lucy McBath, Rich McCormick, and Andrew Clyde, are holding an art competition for high school students in their districts, with the winner's artwork being displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year. The deadline for submission of entries to McBath's competition is Apr. 24, and the entry form can be found on her website. Additionally, Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman, Nicole Love Hendrickson, has launched her campaign for re-election, and State Rep. Matt Reeves has praised several provisions in the Georgia state fiscal year 2024 budget, including pay raises for teachers and law enforcement officers. (Gwinnettdailypost.com)
5. The daughter of a late Nassau County Police Detective has been charged with stealing $246,000 in pension payments after his death and using the money to buy a Mercedes Benz and a seven-bedroom house in Cumming. She has been accused of continuing to collect her father's pension payments for 4 1/2 years after his death in 2014 and making multiple transfers into her family bank accounts. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. (New York Post)

Today in Cumming:

• Books & Babies - Forsyth County Public Library (10:00 AM)
• Adult Special Needs Craft & Story Hour - Forsyth County Public Library (10:30 AM)
• Picturing Women Inventors: A Smithsonian Exhibit - Forsyth County Public Library (12:00 AM)
• Leap into Literacy with Froggy! Sponsored by South Forsyth Rotary - Cumming Elementary (5:30 PM)
• Family PJ Storytime - Forsyth County Public Library (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Kelly Mill Elementary has a fun, interactive experience for exploring force, motion, and friction for their second-grade class! (Kelly Mill Elementary via Facebook)
• Coal Mountain Elementary reports that Whitlow is offering a STEM Camp this summer for Kindergarten-sixth Grade students, providing creative experiences in science, engineering, technology, and math! The camp will begin to run on Jun. 5, with full-day or half-day sessions available, and registration closes on May 5. (Coal Mountain Elementary via Facebook)
• If you're on the lookout for a new place to call home in or around Cumming, we got you covered with this list of options! (Cumming Patch)

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)
• Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra - On Broadway! (March 25)
• Add your event

Alrighty, you're all good for today. See you all tomorrow 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.