🌱 Mother, Son Missing Out Of Cherokee + Fatal Accident On Highway 92

Hi all. I'm back in your inbox this morning with your new edition of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Daily. Here's all the community news you need to know right now, including...

• Mother and son are missing out of Cherokee County.
• Fatal accident occurred on Highway 92 on Wednesday.
• Changes have been proposed to next year's school calendar.

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

1. The Cherokee Sheriff's Office is looking for two people last seen in Cherokee County around the Ball Ground area. Hope Allison, 41, and her son Aaron Allison Neal, 11, were reported missing by family members on January 9. The two may have been seen in Acworth or Marietta recently, but their current location, last-worn clothing and vehicle or method of travel are unknown. Hope is described as being 5 feet tall and 160 pounds, with green eyes and blonde hair. Aaron is described as being 5 feet tall and 185 pounds, with green eyes and brown hair. If you have any information about the two or their whereabouts, please call the Cherokee Sheriff at 770-928-0239 or 9-1-1. (Cherokee Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
2. A pedestrian assumed to have been crossing Highway 92 near Wade Green Road was struck by a vehicle on Wednesday evening. Raymond Oliveri of Acworth sadly succumbed to his injuries after being transported to an area hospital. The driver did stop after he struck Oliveri and he is not thought to have been driving under the influence. No mention was made to any possible charges or investigation forthcoming. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
3. The Cherokee County School Board is considering a change to next year's school calendar. CCSD Superintendent Brian Hightower spoke about this change in the January issue of the district newsletter, proposing that the fall semester ends earlier next year, on December 19. The calendar for the current 2022-23 school year caused reported scheduling and child care issues with staff and families alike, being so close to the holidays - the semester ended on December 22 and teachers worked until December 23. The proposed change will affect only the winter break and will give students and teachers a full two week break while keeping with the standard 180-day school year and bringing Cherokee closer to the calendars kept in other districts. The board was set to discuss this item during their meeting yesterday. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
4. The Cherokee County Animal Shelter recently took in 25, yes, 25 surrendered Guinea pigs and is looking to find good homes for all. You can see them online here, there are long-haired and short-haired piggies of many colors and ages. The shelter is in the process of updating all the listings with pictures and details, but most are ready for adoption now. The shelter is waiving adoption fees for the whole pig crew, head over to the shelter from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. to find your new best friends! (Cherokee County Animal Shelter via Facebook)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• State of the City Breakfast 2023: join the IN WDSTK professionals at Mayor Caldwell's State of the City Address at the Woodstock Arts Theatre. Registration, networking and breakfast start at 7:45 a.m., and the program starts at 8:15 a.m. INvestors can get their complimentary ticket and non-members can get their paid ticket online at the link, an RSVP is required. (7:45 - 9 a.m.)
• Stroll and Roll: for skaters ages 5 and under, and admission includes a dance party, time on the playground and a penguin craft. There is also an admission option that includes lunch. Ride-along toys are allowed, but pedal bikes and motorized vehicles are not. Hot Wheels Skate Center is located at 228 Farm Ridge Drive NE. (10 a.m. - noon)
• Free Coffee Fridays: drop by the Rose Creek Library for a free cup of coffee. You may use your own cup or one from the library, there is a limit of one cup per person. The library is located at 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. (10:30 a.m. - 5:45 p.m.)
• American Red Cross Community Blood Drive: for ages 17 and up, though 16-year-olds can donate with parental consent. Please make an appointment online here and enter the code "RTJones" when prompted, or you can sign up by calling 1-800-Red-Cross. The blood drive will be held at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library, at 116 Brown Industrial Parkway in Canton. (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
• CCSD Virtual Job Fair: The positions to be filled are within the Special Education department for the upcoming 2023-24 school year and include school psychologists, speech language pathologists, board certified behavior analysts and more. If you think you'd be a good fit, you can sign up for your appointment here, and you can find all CCSD job listings here. Please be sure to complete the application and reference process prior to your appointment. (1 - 4 p.m.)
• Art on the Spot: watch as two local artists, Justin Groom and Lee Jordan, create pieces of art in under three hours. The pieces will be raffled off at the end of the event at the Reeves House Education Studio, 734 Reeves Street. (6 p.m.)
• "The Lightning Thief": performed at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (7:30 p.m.)
• Trey Odum: the artist is playing live on the Rooftop at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (7:30 - 10 p.m.)
• DJ Karaoke: every Friday at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92, Suite 156. (9:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage (free shows, no ticket needed):
  • Rae & The Ragdolls (5 - 8 p.m.)
  • Keven Mack (8 - 11 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios:
  • Kids in America - 80's Rock & Pop Hits Tribute (7 p.m.)
  • Baylee Littrell (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Reminder: Saturday is the start of the Woodstock Arts Film Festival! The festival will feature films made by local teams, using a list of required items given by Woodstock Arts, to include a line of dialogue, a prop and a theme. The prompts will be sent out at noon on Saturday. The teams must also create their film within a total of 48 hours. 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)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Enjoy delicious Calamari at Ipp's Pastaria & Bar in Downtown Woodstock. @ippspastariawoodstock #woodstockga #woodstockgeorgia #downtownwoodstock" (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Brookshire: "I have a friend who desperately needs a room for rent for around $600 a month. Please let me know if you know of any available. Please call Susan. 770-375-8789. Thanks!" (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Towne Lake Hills South: "Asher is missing again since Saturday 1/14/2023😢 if you see him please call or text me 678-956-9988. 🚨LOST CAT🚨" (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)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update.

— Nina Lightcap

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