🌱 Life Lost In House Fire + Passport Fee Bill Amended, Approved

Good morning, neighbors! Nina here with your fresh copy of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's happening in town, including updates on...

• A house fire took a life on Tuesday.
• Funds were approved to address homelessness.
• The issue of passport fees has made some movement.

But first, today's weather:

Very warm and more humid. High: 80 Low: 62.

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

1. A house fire in Woodstock took the life of an elderly resident on Tuesday evening. Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services received the call around 5:45 p.m. Joseph Stacey, 83, was found deceased by firefighters inside the mobile home while they were working on the fire. It was stated that a cooking-related incident started the fire. The activity did shut down Victoria Road, but it was reopened by 9 p.m. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
2. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners approved the issuance of a second round of federal funding to put towards the issue of homelessness. The approved $2.5 million will go to local non-profits and comes out of the $6 million in funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act last year. The projects that will receive the funds include the redevelopment of the old Tippens Elementary School site in Canton through MUST Ministries, the construction of six two-story homes for use as transitional housing for homeless people in six-month increments, redevelopment and/or improvements to Canton's Oakside public housing project and more. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
3. The rules may change regarding the legal practice of Superior Court Clerks in Georgia keeping passport processing fees as compensation. Prior to a related GBI investigation shedding light on the matter, it was not widely known that it was happening, nor was the excessive amount of that compensation. Some clerks took hundreds of thousands each year in addition to their salary. Senator Kay Kirkpatrick's bill went through some changes and was ultimately approved by a state Senate committee on Wednesday. The bill as it stands now states that the clerks will receive a personal supplement of $7,500, using the processing fees that they take in. Half of anything over that amount would go into the county's general fund and the other half would go to the clerks' office for operating and maintenance costs. The rules committee will decide if the bill moves forward to the Senate. (Atlanta News First)
4. Being hungry is something we don't pay much attention to these days. We are hungry, so we eat. What if you have limited funds, what if you're down on your luck and your family can't get the meals they need? In Woodstock, we have the Meals for Woodstock program, hosted by Vingenzo's Italian Restaurant and aided by area churches. On the first and third Tuesday of the month from 4 - 6 p.m., the restaurant offers curbside pickup for those less fortunate. If you're an interested resident, please reach out to 770-591-2501, Vingenzo's is located at 105 E. Main Street. If you're a restaurant in the area, please consider joining the effort, and if you're a concerned citizen, think about making a donation to help keep the program running. (Woodstock Outreach)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• YPOW AM: open to non-members, join the Young Professionals of Woodstock every Thursday morning for coffee, networking and an informal chat with a local leader at The Circuit, 1 Innovation Way. (7:30 - 8:30 a.m.)
• Bread Beckers, Just the Basics: online registration is closed for the in-person class, but the registration link to view the class online is still active as of this writing. A moderator will be available for the live chat during the online event. The class will cover the basics of home flour milling. (10 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• Get Rid of Junk Email: hear some tips on cleaning up your email inbox and getting rid of spam. You can register here for the talk at the Rose Creek Library, 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
• Open Gym: for ages 11 and under at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• Open Pickleball Play: head over to The Buzz for some open pickleball time. (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• LEGO Lab: for all ages and skill levels, create and build with LEGOs. Children must be accompanied by an adult for the fun today at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street. (4:30 - 6 p.m.)
• Black Superhero Showcase Party: for all ages, though children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Head over for a celebration of Black History Month with games, crafts and more at the Rose Creek Library, 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. (5 - 6 p.m.)
• Retire Ready: register here for this free retirement course at the Chattahoochee Tech Canton campus, in Lecture Hall Room A101, 1645 Bluffs Parkway in Canton. (6 - 8 p.m.)
• Open Gym: for ages 50 and over at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. (6:30 - 8:30 p.m.)
• Team Trivia: every Thursday at Sidelines Grille - Hickory Flat, 6199 Hickory Flat Highway in Canton. (7 p.m.)
• History in Woodstock - Desegregation: a discussion on desegregation and integration in Cherokee County in the 1960s. Harvee White, education manager at History Cherokee and committee chair of History Cherokee's Black History Committee, will be leading the discussion at the William G. Long Senior Center Activity Center Expansion, at 223 Arnold Mill Road. Please register at the link. (7 - 8 p.m.)
• Music Bingo: on-demand music bingo with Lights Up! Entertainment, every Thursday in February at The Daily Draft, 8594 Main Street. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Hand Up Stand Up Comedy Night: enjoy a night of comedy in The Listening Room at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Bubbles & Bubbly with the Dirty Unicorns: create custom personal care products, hors d'oeuvres and sparkling wine will be provided during the event at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament: double-elimination tournament with prizes for the top three winners, the entry fee includes access to all arcade, pinball and board games at The Blue Ghost Arcade, 164 Towne Lake Parkway. (8 - 10 p.m.)
• DJ Trivia: every Thursday, the top three teams win cash at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92, Suite 156. (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
  • Line Dancing - every Monday and Thursday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (9:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
  • Nimble Fingers Sewing Club - for all skill levels, learn to knit, crochet or cross-stitch every Monday and Thursday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
  • Adult Coloring Club - every Monday and Thursday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • Mother Legacy (5:30 - 9 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios
  • Jacob Bryant & Elijah Wise's Unplugged Nashville Songwriter Show (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• PURE Taqueria announced that it has opened up the rooftop early this year. While no specific artists or times are mentioned, the post states that it'll have live music up there this weekend. Keep an ear open while you're downtown and stop by for some food and drink if you hear the music, its at 405 Chambers Street. (PURE Taqueria via Facebook)
• Want to get some rock climbing in at The Buzz? The Rock Climbing Zone is open this Saturday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 - 4 p.m., and you can find The Buzz at 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• Searching for a new place to hang your hat? Take a peek at these five open houses in the area! (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Brown Sugar Chess is such a delicious treat at Pie Bar in Downtown Woodstock! Brown sugar filling, oat crumble crust, topped with flaky sea salt, and served to perfection with a scoop of locally crafted vanilla ice cream. This flavor is gluten friendly, too!" (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)

Here are some events coming up that require a ticket purchase or registration in advance:

• MadLife Stage & Studios, 8722 Main Street
  • Friday: Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi Tribute (7 p.m. and 9:55 p.m.)
  • Saturday: No Fences - The Ultimate Garth Brooks Tribute (7 p.m. and 9:55 p.m.)
  • Sunday: Big Band Jazz - Performing the Hits of Count Basie, Duke Ellington and More (4 p.m.)
• Rootstock, 8558 Main Street
  • Sunday: Listening Room Session with Trey Odum and Kaitlyn Kroker (6 - 8 p.m.)
• Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street
  • Sunday: Wicks and Sips with Woodstock Candle Co. - create a custom candle, decorate your own fire starter and enjoy some snacks, drinks and music. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400
  • Saturday: Artisan Wine Tasting (5 - 7 p.m.)
• Woodstock Parks and Recreation
  • Saturday: Essential Gardening, Growing Mushrooms - learn how to grown mushrooms with Howard Berk of Elijay Mushrooms. You'll hear about home and commercial growing methods and the uses of mushrooms both for food and for health. The talk is open to all and will be held at the William G. Long Senior Center, 223 Arnold Mill Road. (10 - 11:30 a.m.)
  • Saturday: Woodstock Community Garden Volunteer Workday - help spruce up the garden and prep the site for the spring season. A new Donation Garden is also going to be installed at the garden, located at 311 Arnold Mill Road. (noon - 2 p.m.)
  • Saturday: Bee Hive Maintenance 2023 - learn how to manage your beehive in this once-a-month class headed up by Woodstock Community Garden Beekeper Shannon Sorescu. The class for all skill levels meets three times, this second meetup will go over how and when to perform your first hive check and what to look for and will be held at the Woodstock Community Garden, 311 Arnold Mill Road. (3 - 4:30 p.m.)
• Cherokee Parks & Recreation
  • Friday: Dive In Movie - registration appears to have been extended until Friday at 6 p.m. for this event. Watch "Moana" on the inflatable screen while you relax in the water. You can bring your own float, but it must have a diameter of 40 inches or less. Everyone must be able to swim, and children in life jackets must be with arm's reach of a parent. For more information, call 678-880-4760. (6 - 8 p.m.)
• Woodstock Arts
  • Friday, Saturday and Sunday: Murder on the Orient Express - it's closing week, be sure to catch the performance at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (Various Times)
  • Sunday: Paint on the Patio, Inside Edition - all supplies will be provided, and there's an option for bottomless mimosas during the painting session at the Reeves House Visual Arts Center, 734 Reeves Street. (2 - 4:30 p.m.)
• Senior Center Programs - most classes and events are held at the William G. Long Senior Center (WGLSC), 223 Arnold Mill Road
  • Friday: Walking Club - every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Dupree Park walking/running track, 513 Neese Road. (8 - 9 a.m.)
  • Friday: Fit Over 50 - stretch and exercise with chair yoga, balance, bands, weights and core strength work every Wednesday and Friday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (9:30 - 10:30 a.m.)
• Other
  • Saturday: Paint and Chat Professional Art Classes - for all skill levels, all supplies will be provided for the painting class at Tranquility Fine Arts, 9194 Main Street. (2 - 4 p.m.)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Queen Custom Couture www.Queencustomcouture.com — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• BJ's Wholesale Club Pre-opening Limited-time Offer (February 23)
• Aura Reading & Chakra Balancing (February 26)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (February 27)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Nina Lightcap

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