🌱 Supportive Maternal House Opens + Major Upcoming SR20 Project

Hello again, neighbors! It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the Cumming Patch newsletter. Let's get this Tuesday started off right, with a quick dive into everything you need to know about what's happening in town. In today's briefing, we have these stories and more...

• Fourth Annual Tour de Forsyth is back on.
• Freedom Brew and Shine is hosting Trivia Night.
• Opportunity for family businesses to partner with Coal Mountain Elementary.

Today's newsletter is sponsored by Heart & Hammer Realty

Meet a local Realtor with a heart — and a hammer

Imagine for a moment you could find a local real estate agent with

• amazing energy
• deep knowledge of the changing market in Cumming and the Atlanta area
• an obsession with customer service
• rave reviews from past clients

Now imagine that Realtor came with a top-notch builder — someone who could help you evaluate a home or who could help you get a home ready to sell for the best price.

Impossible, you’re probably thinking.

Meet Amanda and Andy Shelton of Heart & Hammer Realty. She’s a Top 20% Keller Williams agent with deep expertise in the North Atlanta market. He’s an experienced builder who can evaluate a home from the inside out — and do something about it.

“He likes to say he’s the heart, and I’m the hammer,” Amanda says. “But it’s the opposite — unless we’re negotiating.”

Whether you’re looking to buy, sell, build or invest, work with a trusted local team who can serve as your partners in this rapidly evolving market. Call or text Amanda today at 770.572.0722, or email her at amandashelton@kw.com.

Now, your local weather:

• Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a shower. High: 66 Low: 57.
• Wednesday: Warm with variable clouds. High: 73 Low: 64.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Cumming who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top 5 stories in Cumming today:

1. Living Hope Supportive Maternal Residence celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting last week. The center is the first residence established under “Betsy’s Law.” The 501c3 law, established in 2022, allows organizations to provide maternity housing for up to six pregnant mothers and their minor children up to 18 months postpartum. (GEORGIA LAW NEWS)
2. A major road construction project is coming to SR20 between Canton and Cumming with the hope of improving residents' commutes. This 24-mile stretch of interstate sees an elevated amount of heavy traffic, dangerous accidents, and dissatisfied drivers. Although there is no estimated completion date yet, some of the revised changes include having three lanes going in each direction, adding full median breaks in key areas, and installing traffic lights at major intersections. (NewsBreak Original)
3. Transmission lines are being installed along SR 400, 306, 369, and Martin Road via helicopter on Feb. 23. The installation may only interrupt lane openings intermittently. There is further weather-dependent scheduled service on Mar. 13, and updates are available for these services on the county's Facebook and Twitter pages. (NewBreak Original)
4. The Fourth Annual Tour de Forsyth, which encourages people to visit all 18 county parks, is running now through March. You can register here and complete your tour on foot or by bike by Apr. 29. Registration is $45, which includes a T-shirt and a discount for the Boulder Dash in April. All proceeds from the event will fund need-based scholarships for children participating in FC Parks & Recreation Programs, as well as support improvement projects across Forsyth County parks. (Forsyth County Parks)
5. There are three new directors—Emergency Management Agency Director, Code Compliance Director, and Chief Appraiser—serving Forsyth County. Tom Cisco, Jerry Ramos, and Joel Benton, respectively, are taking on these roles. Each bringing decades of experience to their offices, the county is thrilled to have this team of experts serving the community. You can see each of their bios in the link. (Forsyth County)

Today and tomorrow in Cumming:

Tuesday, February 21

• Smithsonian Exhibit: "A Place for All People" - Celebrating Black Heritage At Post Road Library (All Day)
• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week Across Cumming (8:30 AM)
• $3 Taco Tuesdays At Good Ol' Days Bar And Grill (11:00 AM)

Wednesday, February 22

• Preschool Pals Storytime - For Children Ages 3 To 5 Years Old At Cumming Library (11:00 AM)
• Trivia Night At Freedom Brew And Shine (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Forsyth County Family YMCA is waiving the joining fee for the next seven days as part of its Presidents' Day sale. You can arrange a tour or register for membership here. (Forsyth County Family YMCA via Instagram)
• Coal Mountain Elementary is inviting family-owned businesses to join the Partners in Education Program for the 2023-2024 school year. For more information and to express your interest, fill out the contact form here. (Coal Mountain Elementary via Facebook)
• Forsyth County Schools is hosting the Educator Virtual Job Fair on Feb. 23 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can register here. (Forsyth County Schools via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (February 21)
• BJ's Wholesale Club Pre-opening Limited-time Offer (February 23)
• Experience TEDx LIVE! (February 25)
• Add your event

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