🌱 Leatherwood To Play + Hwy 140 Talking Points + Board Meets Tonight

Hello again, everybody! It's me, Nina, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's all the local news you need to know right now, including...

• Bryce Leatherwood is coming to town!
• An update on Highway 140 improvements.
• The Board of Commissioners meets tonight.

But first, today's weather:

Times of sun and clouds. High: 59 Low: 40.

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Here are the top six stories today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

1. Bryce Leatherwood will be back in Woodstock on August 25 for a special hometown performance over at the Amphitheater. The local-turned-national star was raised in Woodstock and attended college at Georgia Southern. After his recent win on the TV show "The Voice" and subsequent performances and interviews, he'll be back in town thanks to the City of Woodstock and Carriage Kia of Woodstock. Look for updates about the event in upcoming Patch newsletters and on the official websites for the City of Woodstock and Woodstock Parks and Recreation. (Woodstock Georgia News)
2. The town hall meeting last Thursday in Hickory Flat shed light on quite a few issues and concerns of Cherokee County residents. One of those issues, the lingering problem of traffic along Highway 140, was discussed in depth with Cherokee County Commissioner Richard Weatherby. The commissioner admitted that the goal of 2034 for the widening of the road to four lanes was not comfortably sustainable or in line with the rate of growth in the area. Weatherby also advised that the board in general is against high-density housing and holds the common desire to keep the area rural. Talk was also had at the meeting about plans to add a stone façade to the new, giant concrete walls at the four-way intersection on Highway 140 in Hickory Flat at the CVS. As a frequent traveler of the road, I can't wait for improvements to Highway 140 at Arnold Mill Road. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
3. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners is holding a regular meeting at 6 p.m. tonight with time allotted for citizens to speak. The agenda lists a public hearing to be held to consider extending the current moratorium on new applications for land use at the I-575 and Sixes Road Interchange area. There are also items listed for zoning modifications and a proposed amendment to the Cherokee County Code of Ordinances regarding the use of ATV's. If you would like to be heard on these or other items on the agenda, head over to the Cherokee County Admin Complex, Cherokee Hall, 1130 Bluffs Parkway in Canton. The meeting agenda is here and the official Rules of Procedure are here - you can find the specific rules and standards for public comment on page 12. (Cherokee County Calendar)
4. A car accident on I-575 North Saturday evening resulted in the death of one person and the serious injury of two others. The Canton Police Department responded to the accident around 5:30 p.m., after a white Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck and a blue Honda Accord collided head on just south of the Riverstone Parkway off ramp. The driver of the Honda is from Chattanooga and was taken to the hospital for treatment, he was seriously injured in the crash. The passenger of the Honda was from Ellijay and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet is from Marietta and was also taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The crash is under investigation, and the police department is asking that anyone with information call 770-720-4883. (WSB-TV)
5. There have been recent cases in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs where anti-Semitic flyers were found around neighborhoods, but now, homes in Cherokee have been targeted. Unfortunately, it seems the hate has somehow spread out to the county we all love. Sunday morning, families in the Bridge Mill subdivision were shocked to find similar flyers littering yards and driveways around the neighborhood. Come on, neighbors, we are all better than that. Police in the area are said to be looking into the incident. (WSB-TV)
6. We are a city full of walkers, and our downtown area has a billion amazing places to walk to. That said, the Woodstock Police Department would like us to stay safe on our feet, so they created a great list of pedestrian safety tips. Here are a few of my favorite tips, but please check them all out at the link: pedestrians must follow the rules of the road and obey signs and signals, walk on sidewalks when available, walk facing traffic when there are no sidewalks, cross at crosswalks or intersections, look for cars in all directions and watch for cars going into or out of driveways and parking lots. Walk safe, Woodstock! (Woodstock PD via Facebook)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• American Red Cross Community Blood Drive: donors will receive a $10 prepaid Visa card and will be entered to win a $3,000 prepaid Visa card. You can make an appointment at the link for the blood drive at Cherokee Presbyterian Church, 1498 Johnson Brady Road in Canton. (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
• Family Storytime: for children of all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult. The little ones will have fun with stories, games, crafts and lots of fun at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library, 116 Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton. (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (1 - 8 p.m.)
• Dungeon Explorers Roleplaying Adventure: a simplified version of Dungeons & Dragons, ideal for those in 3rd-grade and up. Characters, supplies and snacks will be provided. Please register here, children under 9 must be accompanied by an adult to the event at the Rose Creek Library, 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. (5 - 6 p.m.)
• Community Yoga: the free class is open to all fitness levels and takes place every Monday morning and Tuesday evening. Please bring your own mat. You can sign up at the link for the class at The WREC, 7545 Main Street, Building 200. (5:30 - 6:30 p.m.)
• Tie-in Talk - The Science and Art of Roasting Coffee: featuring Tim Whitson, Director of Coffee at Firelight Coffee, and his thoughts on the method and art of coffee roasting. The event is free and will be held in the Gallery or on the Front Porch of the Reeves House (weather depending) at 734 Reeves Street. Please RSVP at the link. (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
• DJ Bingo: fun, family-friendly music bingo that pays out cash every Tuesday at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Jim Stapley Live Music Session: the artist will be playing at Rootstock tonight, 8558 Main Street. (7 - 10 p.m.)
• Music Bingo: hosted by DJ CaseyD every Tuesday at Truck & Tap, 8640 Main Street. (7:30 - 10 p.m.)
• Mario Kart Tournament: all ages welcome, prizes for first, second and third place every Tuesday at The Blue Ghost Arcade, 164 Towne Lake Parkway. (8 - 10:30 p.m.)
• RPG Night: new players are welcome. Please make a reservation on the arcade's Meetup page to ensure your spot. Mason and Noah will lead the evening, and the admission fee includes unlimited gaming until midnight at The Blue Ghost Arcade. (8 - 11 p.m.)
• Senior Center Programs - most classes and events are held at the William G. Long Senior Center (WGLSC), 223 Arnold Mill Road
  • Woodcarving Club - every Tuesday in the WGLSC Multi-Purpose & Meeting Room. (9 - 10 a.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • Open Mic Night - you can sign up for a spot here. (6 - 9 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Who here needs a summer job? Cherokee Recreation & Parks posted the need for seasonal hires, including a lifeguard, front desk attendant, swim instructor and water aerobics instructor. If any of those fit your expertise, you can see the full job descriptions and apply here. The county has a lot of other jobs posted there, too, including a part-time lab technician, deputy clerk, community development intern and many others. Take a look and see if something doesn't catch your interest. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks via Facebook)
• If you've wanted to learn how to make bread, Bread Beckers offers classes with an online or in-person option. The next one up is "Getting Started" and it'll be going on this Saturday, from 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. The class will go over ingredients, types of wheat and equipment needed, milling flour, mixing quick breads, kneading bread dough and more. Sign up soon if you'd like to attend, their classes tend to fill up rather quickly. (Bread Beckers)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, River Landing: "Hey neighbors! I'm Summer with Dazzle Toes and I do mobile in home grooming and nail trimming. Feel free to call or text me at 404-735-9238 to get on the schedule :) have a pawesome day!" (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Towne Lake Hills South: "Hey Woodstock! This Wednesday night, March 22nd we will have our very first interest night for Restoration Life Church. We are excited to meet and fellowship with you. Event starts at 7pm, we will be meeting at Hope Church Atlanta in Woodstock 6576 Commerce Pkwy..." (Nextdoor)
• Because these tend to sell out quickly, here are the next few classes at Leaning Ladder with tickets still available:
  • April 12: Introduction to Black Garlic Dinner with Chef Oakley - demonstration class (7 - 9 p.m.)
  • April 13: Sushi & Sake with Chef Sunisa - hands-on class (7 - 9 p.m.)
  • April 17: Korean BBQ with Chef Sunisa - demonstration class (7 - 9 p.m.)
• These also sell out quickly, so here are the next few events at Made Mercantile with tickets still available:
  • March 24: Bracelets, Beads & Bevvies with bamabelle - for ages 12 and up, create three bracelets. (7 - 9 p.m.)
  • March 29: Jewelry 101 with bamabelle - for ages 12 and up, learn basic wire wrapping skills, create two pairs of gemstone earrings and bring home a six-piece set of jeweler tools, a jeweler's mat, a tray, a take home project. Coffee and light snacks will be provided. (9:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
  • April 1: Hand Paint Your Own Earrings with Broken Ankles - create and paint your own earrings, clay and tools will be provided. (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Nina Lightcap

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter? Contact me at Woodstock@Patch.com