🌱 New Local Firefighters + Safer Internet Day + Food Favorite Closing

Hi all! I'm here with your Tuesday edition of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter, filled with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Including updates on:

• More than thirty new firefighters are now keeping us safe.
• It's Safer Internet Day, catch the webinar today!
• A busy, local restaurant is closing for renovations.

Today's newsletter is sponsored by Leslie Spennato of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

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Now, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 65 Low: 47.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Woodstock-Towne Lake 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 four stories in Woodstock-Towne Lake today:

1. Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services (CCFES) has 33 new firefighters to count among them in helping our county's residents. At the graduation ceremony on Friday, ten months of intensive training were recognized and several graduates and instructors received awards for their efforts beyond expectations. For his hard work during training, Joshua Meeks received the Clark Waters Award. The Pinnacle Award, the highest award given, was earned by Samantha Jordan, and Aaron Moore received the Jill Mabley Star of Life for his excellent work in Advanced EMT training. The 33 graduate firefighters started their careers on Sunday throughout the county as Firefighters, Hazardous Materials Technicians and Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians. Congratulations, all! (CCFES News)
2. It's Safer Internet Day 2023, and the Cherokee Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is hosting a webinar today to help further the goal of creating a "safer and better internet, where everyone is empowered to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively." The webinar today will be focused on Self-Generated Content and Sextortion Awareness and Prevention and aims to define self-generated content and sextortion, explain the tactics and their impact on victims and identify self-generated content and sextortion prevention messaging. For pre-teens and teens, these are real and actual threats that have lead to tragic outcomes in too many cases. If you're a parent or a concerned relative or friend, you can catch the presentation from 2 - 3:30 p.m., registration is here. (Cherokee Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
3. If you're a Chick-fil-A fan in the area, you may have to find a new location to visit for a while. The restaurant at 6114 Hickory Flat Highway will be closing for a week or so beginning February 11 while several changes are made in an effort to expand and enhance their drive-through service. Some of the changes you'll see at their February 23 reopening include a drive-through "cockpit" to give employees more equipment on hand and space to work, two doors for the drive-through instead of one window and increased seating to be created in the current playground area. Unfortunately, the playground will need to be removed to increase the seating area - which will have been reduced to create the "cockpit" area. Phase two of the project will start later on this year and will increase the drive-through to two lanes. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
4. A new documentary about plastic waste and its global impact will be released today on Amazon Prime Video, iTunes and on-demand platforms like Dish and Comcast. The documentary, "Plastic Earth," is hosted by actor Rob Riggle and was written, directed and produced by Janice Overbeck and Woodstock resident Jack Winch. The film takes a hard look at the effect of plastics on the environment and offers solutions to help mitigate and prevent the damage. Hobgood Park is featured in the beginning of the film, along with members of Keep Cherokee Beautiful and the Cherokee County Recycling Center, before the documentary follows Janice Overbeck on a journey around the world to speak with a host of subject matter experts, including scientists and clean-up organizations about pollution and waste and what we can do about it. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• Family Storytime: for children of all ages, read stories, play games and make crafts. Children must be accompanied by an adult to the event at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library, 116 Brown Industrial Parkway, Canton. (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
• Rose Creek Memory Lab Open House: take in a short presentation and demonstration of the new memory lab equipment at the Rose Creek Library, located at 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. You can register here. (11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.)
• Ballet Day Celebration: for all ages, though all children must be accompanied by an adult. Head over to the Woodstock Library for a meet and greet with the Dance and Music Academy of Woodstock and local dancers to celebrate National Ballet Day. The library is located at 7735 Main Street. (4 - 5:30 p.m.)
• Paper Quilting for Black History Month: for all ages, though children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Help decorate the library's paper quilt with influential figures from Black history. The completed paper quilt will be on display in the library for all to see. The event will be held at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street. (5:30 - 7 p.m.)
• Tie-In Talk, The History of Blacksmithing: Josiah Wolff, the education coordinator at the Funk Heritage Center, will be speaking at the Reeves House Visual Arts Center, located at 734 Reeves Street. Wolff will speak about the history of blacksmithing, apprenticing and the legacy of blacksmithing. The event is free, but please RSVP. (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.)
• Music Bingo: 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: 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 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.)
  • Painter's Club - for all skill levels, receive professional instruction, share ideas and be creative at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
  • Mahjong Instruction - for beginners, every Tuesday in the WGLSC Multi-Purpose & Meeting Room. (1 - 3 p.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.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios:
  • Country Dance Night, featuring The Honky Tonkers - the evening begins with dance lessons. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Attention all area hikers, bikers and nature enthusiasts - The pedestrian bridge on the Trestle Rock Trail at Olde Rope Mill Park will be closed through tomorrow while it's being repaired. (City of Woodstock via Facebook)
• The Cherokee Sheriff's Office advises that their incident report / police report system will be down for maintenance on Wednesday, from 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. The system for car accident reporting will not be affected, however, and those services can be handled in person or by phone. You can contact the Sheriff's Office with any questions at 678-493-4140. (Cherokee Sheriff's Office via Facebook)
• J.D.'s Bar-B-Que is holding a special Valentine's dinner evening on Saturday, starting at 4:30 p.m. There's a great menu for the evening, featuring smoked prime rib, orange bourbon glazed salmon, pan fried green beans, truffle mashed potatoes and special desserts and cocktails along with live music from 6 - 9 p.m. (J.D.'s Bar-B-Que Events)
• Cherokee Recreation & Parks is offering a flock of bird-related classes this spring, kicking off with "An Introduction to Birding" class on March 4. The other Environmental Education Classes coming up next are "Attracting Birds to Backyard Feeders" on April 15, "Building a Birdhouse Easily" on April 29 and "Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds" on May 6. Sign up for one or the whole gaggle! (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• The Cherokee County Animal Shelter offers free pet microchips for county residents. According to the shelter, only 15% of the animals that enter the shelter are microchipped, and a chip is an important tool in finding a lost or stolen pet. You can bring your furry ones to the shelter for their microchip Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and you can go to 1015 Univeter Road or 131 Chattin Drive to receive the service without making an appointment. Please make sure your pets are secured on a leash or in a carrier. (Cherokee County Animal Shelter via Facebook)
• Reminder: There's a raffle going on to win a 65-inch Roku TV, with proceeds going to help a local hero in need. Monies from the raffle will go to help Tanya Hale, an employee of Cherokee County that has been diagnosed with cancer. If you'd like to help, you can enter the raffle by either bringing cash to the Cherokee Marshal's Office at 959 Marietta Highway in Canton or sending money via Venmo to the user @Tanya-Hale-23. If using Venmo, you will be asked for the last four digits of a phone number, use #1204 and include in the memo your name and phone number so they can reach out to you if you win. The drawing will be held this Friday at 1 p.m. on Facebook Live. (Cherokee Marshal's Office via Facebook)
• Does your job take away your joy? Maybe it's time for a change. There are so many jobs out there for people just like you and me, take a look! Here are the latest openings in the Woodstock-Towne Lake area. (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch)
• And on the subject of finding a job that brings you happiness, the Reeves House is hiring! They are looking for part-time event staff to work at the coffee bar and mimosa and drink carts at the amazing music and art events coming up this season. What a gig! You can read more and apply for a position here. (Reeves House at Woodstock Arts via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Mantra HHC-Metaphysical Shop and Holistic Hea — (Visit website)
• Queen Custom Couture — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• Cherokee County Republican Precinct Caucus (February 11)
• Home Buyer Workshop - This is for ANY Buyer - Your First Home or Your Forever Home! (February 11)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Nina Lightcap

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