🌱 The Mayor's Thoughts On Our Growth + Fire & Rescue Chief To Retire

Hey, friends! I'm here right on time with your weekend edition of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Daily, filled with all the things you need to know about what's happening locally. In this issue, you'll learn about:

• Some points from the Mayor's talk.
• The Woodstock Fire & Rescue Chief is retiring.
• Changes were made to the Woodstock Arts Film Festival.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: Cloudy. High: 53 Low: 42.
• Sunday: Cooler with showers around. High: 47 Low: 38.

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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 five stories today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

1. If you missed the State of the City Address, the general message seems to be that the growth of Woodstock has been a positive path overall, and more of that growth is coming, and our city is in a great position all around. The past year has seen the crime rate drop by 12.5%, with Safewise ranking us as the 12th safest city in Georgia, and the city has raised the starting pay of a police officer by 26%. In 2022, the city started on the first phase of the Highway 92 and Neese Road project, almost completed the Hub Transformation project, approved an agreement with Woodstock City Partners for the $100 million City Center project, issued 350 new business licenses and worked through the city council's growth boundary agreement with the county. In the look ahead, the Mayor said we will see the expansion of the city's parks and trails, efforts to bring in new, local jobs, movement towards a trail connection from the Noonday Creek Trail into Cobb County, and much more. It looks like it'll be a great 2023 and 2024 for Woodstock! (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
2. Woodstock Fire & Rescue Chief Dave Soumas is retiring after 34 years of service to our community. Soumas started his career in 1988 as a firefighter/EMT in Woodstock and was steadily promoted through the ranks, to include his rise in 1998 to assistant chief/fire marshal. Soumas has been the fire chief in Woodstock since 2009 and has earned many certifications and awards throughout his career. Since he took the helm, the city has reached the highest level of fire protection for citizens and property owners, as rated by the Insurance Services Office, the fire department is now utilizing an updated state-of-the-art software in all vehicles, two sets of gear have been issued to firefighters and several special units have been created, including the Swiftwater Rescue Team, the Bike Team and the Technical Rope Team. Click the link to learn more about the growth and achievements we've seen with Dave Soumas as Chief. (Woodstock News Post)
3. There's been a big update made to the Woodstock Arts Film Festival schedule. The 48-hour filming period will be postponed until February 18 to allow participants more time to gather their teams together and get ready to film. Other than the start date, all else about the event will remain the same at this time. The contest is for all ages and skill levels and if you're interested, it's a good time to start thinking about who you want on your team. Further details, including the requirements and necessary paperwork, can be found online here. If you have any questions, please reach out to brian@woodstockarts.org. (Woodstock Arts)
4. Don't forget, there's a donation opportunity out of Cherokee Recreation & Parks for you. The department is collecting donations to be put into goody bags for Empower Cherokee's Project Valentine. The items requested are lip balm, lotion, sticky notes, pens, markers, word searches, art and music activities and pre-packaged treats. You can drop items off during regular business hours from January 9 to February 8 at The WREC, located at 7545 Main Street. If you'd like more information, please reach out to Jessica Hallman by calling 770-924-7768 or by emailing jshallman@cherokeega.com. Empower Cherokee is a local organization that helps "empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live life as they define it." (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
5. The Cherokee County Animal Shelter is holding its regular Saturday adoption event this morning. All available animals can be seen online here, there are quite a few puppies and kittens this week. A QR code at the front door of the shelter will become active starting at 10 a.m. today, please scan the QR code to enter the "virtual line." The shelter adopts on a first come, first served basis, so animals can't be put on hold. The adoption fee includes spay or neuter, heartworm and leukemia testing, initial vaccinations, deworming, flea preventative, microchipping and more. (Cherokee County Animal Shelter via Facebook)

Today and tomorrow in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

Today

• Social Security Workshop: free and open to all, topics will range from when to claim Social Security to how your Social Security will be taxed and lots in between. The class will be held in Classroom A at Chattahoochee Tech, 1645 Bluffs Parkway in Canton. (10 a.m. - noon)
• Graffiti Party: for all ages, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Thankful Baptist Church Kennesaw Youth Department. Sign the wall, enjoy music and snacks at Payton Jean Marie, 9550 Main Street, Suite 100. (1 - 4 p.m.)
• Lunar New Year Celebration: for all ages, though children must be accompanied by an adult. Welcome in the Year of the Rabbit with crafts, music and games at the Rose Creek Library, 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. (2 - 3 p.m.)
• Paint and Chat Professional Art Classes: for all skill levels, all supplies will be provided for the class at Tranquility Fine Arts, 9194 Main Street. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• Lauren Denton, Joy Callaway & Kimberly Brock in-person event: head over for a book discussion and signing at FoxTale Book Shoppe, 105 E. Main Street, Suite 138. (2 - 5 p.m.)
• Artisan Wine Tasting: enjoy some fine wine today at The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400. (5 - 7 p.m.)
• Uber Bretzel Pop Up: grab an Uber Bretzel artisan pretzel and a beer today at the Woodstock Beer Market, 240 Chambers Street. (5 - 9 p.m.)
• Build Your Own Earrings with Broken Ankles: for all ages, drinks and snacks will be provided. Create three pairs of earrings at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (6 - 8 p.m.)
• "The Lightning Thief": performed at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. Note: the afternoon performance is sensory friendly. (2:30 and 7:30 p.m.)
• Ben Bostick: playing live on the Rooftop at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (7:30 - 10 p.m.)
• Board Game Night: play one of the 100+ board games at the arcade or bring your own. If you RSVP via Meetup, you'll get $5 off admission. There's also a full bar, pinball machines and many arcade machines that are free to play with paid admission at The Blue Ghost Arcade, 164 Towne Lake Parkway. (8 p.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage (free shows, no ticket needed):
  • Know Nothing Steve (5 - 8 p.m.)
  • Eric & Lisa (8 - 11 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios:
  • Hot Licks & Rhetoric - A Steely Dan Tribute (7 p.m.)

Tomorrow

• Planner Party with Moments with B: build a one-month planner using curated pages and a binding machine at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• Jeffrey Dale Lofton in Conversation with Robert Gwaltney: Jeffrey Dale Lofton will be on hand to discuss his novel "Red Clay Suzie" at the FoxTale Book Shoppe, 105 E. Main Street, Suite 138. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• "The Lightning Thief": performed at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (2:30 p.m.)
• Wine Tasting BINGO: all supplies will be provided for BINGO at The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400. (3 - 5 p.m.)
• Nashville Songwriters Session: Matt Rogers and Eric Erdman are playing live in The Listening Room at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (6 - 8 p.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage (free shows, no ticket needed):
  • Greg Shaddix & Friends (11 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
  • Roger "Hurricane" Wilson (2 - 5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Wonderful news, Woodstock, the missing mother and son from Cherokee County that I discussed in the newsletter earlier this week have been found. The pair had been reported missing on January 9, and were found yesterday afternoon. Details of their whereabouts during the two weeks haven't been released. (WSB-TV)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Lots of great gifts for Valentines can be discovered at Made Mercantile. Even better all the items are locally made here in Downtown Woodstock! @mademercantilewdstk #woodstockga #woodstockgeorgia #downtownwoodstock" (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Towne Lake Hills South: "Missing cat - This is not my cat. This cat was lost in the Laurel Brooke area, but I believe that I saw him on my security camera. The owner has asked that I post the cat, named Sammy, from my location. If seen, call Tracy at 551-217-2703 or email tcagg123@gmail.com " (Nextdoor)

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Events:

• Comedy Show (January 21)
• OOH-RAH HA HA Comedy Night with Derrick Tennant! (January 28)
• Intuitive Painting Classes - Ignite the Healing Power of Your Creative Process (January 30)
• Home Buyer Workshop - This is for ANY Buyer - Your First Home or Your Forever Home! (February 11)
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That's it for today. I'll see you soon!

— Nina Lightcap

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