🌱 New Regulations For Tobacco & CBD Shops + CCSD Game Changer Awards

Good morning, Woodstock-Towne Lake. I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on in town, including news on...

• New tobacco and CBD shops have distance restrictions.
• CCSD Game Changer Award winners for 2022.
• A listing of this week's remaining events.

But first, today's weather:

Milder with clouds, then sun. High: 55 Low: 35.

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

1. The Woodstock City Council voted to adopt new regulations to any tobacco or CBD store opening a shop in the city going forward. The regulations have increased the distance required between existing and new businesses - new businesses must be more than 1,000 feet from religious institutions, daycare centers and schools and over 3,000 feet from any other retail CBD or tobacco shop holding a Woodstock business license. There is still a moratorium on new tobacco or CBD stores in effect until December 28. Currently, there are 5 tobacco specialty shops and 7 CBD retail shops operating in the city. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
2. Sequoyah High School Career Pathways teacher Brandon Grummer received the 2022 Game Changer Award for Instructional Excellence yesterday. The award was announced in a surprise presentation given by the Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower. Grummer leads the engineering drafting and design and architectural drafting and design programs at Sequoyah. The award is given out four times a year, one time for each criteria: Instructional Excellence is awarded to a classroom teacher, Instructional Support is for an employee that works in a support staff role, Instructional Leadership is for a school or district leader and Instructional Advocacy is awarded to a non-CCSD employee. (CCSD Press Release)
3. Three other 2022 Game Changer Award winners have been recognized this month as winners in their individual categories. The winner in the Instructional Support category was Denise Lewis, the Oak Grove Elementary School STEAM Academy media specialist. The winner in the Instructional Leadership category was Rodney Larrotta, the Principal of Cherokee High School. For the Instructional Advocacy category, a non-CCSD employee is recognized for their support of the school district. The 2022 Game Changer Award for Instructional Advocacy went to Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce President Pam Carnes. Congratulations, all! (CCSD Press Release)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• YPOW AM, Secret Santa Event: bring a gift, and receive a gift! Join the Young Professionals of Woodstock for a Secret Santa event, coffee, networking and an informal chat with a local leader at The Circuit, 1 Innovation Way. (7:30 - 8:30 a.m.)
• Team Ezra Fundraiser - Your Pie: head over for lunch or dinner to help raise money for the King family, as young Ezra continues his fight against cancer. The Woodstock and Canton locations of Your Pie will be donating a percentage of all sales and 100% of all donations to the King family. If you'd like, you can also make a monetary donation at either Your Pie location from December 15 to December 18. (11 a.m. - 9 p.m.)
• Merry + Brite Shop Night: celebrate the holidays with a sale, drinks and snacks, gift wrapping and children's activities at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (5 - 9 p.m.)
• Holiday Open House: the Oak Grove Elementary Chorus will be performing at 6:30 p.m., and the jolly one from the North Pole will be arriving soon after. Enjoy music, refreshments and crafts at the Rose Creek Library, 4476 Towne Lake Parkway. (6 - 7:30 p.m.)
• Themed Adult Book Club: for adults, December's theme is "What if?" You can read any book where characters experience multiple or alternate versions of their lives and share your thoughts during the meeting at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street. (6 - 7:30 p.m.)
• Pick & Pour - Pick Your Vessel, Pour Your Candle: learn the basics of candle making and create a custom candle at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• Holiday Songs Themed Bingo: with Lights Up! Entertainment at The Daily Draft, 8594 Main Street. (7 - 10 p.m.)
• The Lasting Laugh: clean comedy hosted by Jessica It's All Good at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (7:30 p.m.)
• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Tournament: double-elimination tournament, the entry fee includes access to all arcade, pinball and board games at The Blue Ghost Arcade, 164 Towne Lake Parkway. (8 - 10:30 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:
  • Line Dancing - every Monday and Thursday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (10 - 11:30 a.m.)
  • Nimble Fingers Sewing Group - every Thursday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage (free shows):
  • Hughes Taylor (5:30 - 9 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios:
  • Dueling Pianos with The Andrews Brothers (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Cherokee Recreation & Parks is looking for volunteers for the Therapeutic Recreation program. Volunteers would help with programs like Leisure Spectrum, Leisure Roamers, Social Friends and more. If you are interested, please reach out by phone to 770-924-7768 or head over to the department's website. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks via Facebook)
• Here are five open houses in and around the Woodstock-Towne Lake area. (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Low ticket warning! Woodstock Arts Christmas Carol shows are selling FAST! But don't panic, just head on over to their website and secure your seats today. Don't miss out on this yearly tradition! 20 years going strong!https://woodstockarts.org/even..." (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Looking for Woodstock Christmas Ornaments? Swing by the Woodstock Visitors Center to check out the selection of locally themed and made ornaments. #woodstockga #woodstockgeorgia #downtownwoodstock" (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Cherokee Forest: "50+ Singles group in Cherokee County. - We have a good base of some wonderful people. If you work go home to an empty house. Need to make friends. Great environment. Our page is on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/group... come check us out today." (Nextdoor)

Here are some events coming up that require tickets or registration in advance:

• DJ Jamz Shuffle Skate: for ages 18 and up, participants must have their own skates for the event this Saturday at Hot Wheels Skate Center, 228 Farm Ridge Drive NE. (9 p.m. - midnight)
• MadLife Stage & Studios, 8722 Main Street
  • Friday: Chi-Town Transit Authority - A Tribute to Chicago (7 p.m.)
  • Friday: Carpool - #1 Cars Tribute Band (10 p.m.)
  • Saturday: Back 2 Mac - A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac (7 p.m.)
  • Saturday: Nightrain International - Guns N Roses Tribute (10 p.m.)
• Rootstock, 8558 Main Street
  • Friday: Drew Thams - playing live in The Listening Room (7 - 10 p.m.)
• The Gifted Ferret, 1910 Eagle Drive, Suite 400
  • Friday: Private Christmas Discounted Shopping & Wine Tasting (7:30 - 10 p.m.)
  • Saturday: Annual Christmas Hanukkah Mashup Wine Tasting Party (5 - 7 p.m.)
• Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street
  • Saturday: Kid's Winter Fairy Garden with Uptown Design (3 - 5 p.m.)
  • Sunday: Wicks and Sips with Woodstock Candle Co. (2 - 4 p.m.)
• Cherokee Recreation & Parks
  • Saturday: Adopt-A-Park clean-up day volunteers needed. An opportunity for individuals, families and groups to give back to the county and to our area parks. For more information or to sign up, please call 770-924-7768 or email Jessica Hallman at jshallman@cherokeega.com. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks via Facebook)
• Woodstock Arts
  • Friday, Saturday and Sunday: A Christmas Carol, performed at the Woodstock Arts Theatre. (Various Showtimes)
  • Saturday: Creative Corner, Gnome for the Holidays - for teens and adults, enjoy the "small town : small works" exhibit and then create your own gnome decoration at the Reeves House Studio, 734 Reeves Street. (10:30 a.m.)
  • Saturday: A Christmas Carol - sensory-friendly performance at the Woodstock Arts Theatre. (2:30 p.m.)
  • Sunday: Paint on the Patio, Inside Edition - all supplies will be provided for the painting session at the Reeves House Education Studio, 734 Reeves Street. (2 - 4:30 p.m.)
  • Sunday: Screen on the Green, The Polar Express - the Green will be the place for this free screening. (4 p.m.)
• Sequoyah Regional Library System
  • Saturday: Woodstock's Got Talent (Holiday Edition) - showcase your talent, prizes will be awarded. Please register here for the event at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street. (4 - 6 p.m.)
• Senior Center Programs
  • Friday: Walking Club - every Wednesday and Friday at the Dupree Park walking/running/biking track, 513 Neese Road. (8 - 9 a.m.)
  • Friday: Fit Over 50 - every Wednesday and Friday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (9:30 - 10:30 a.m.)

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• Free Food (December 15)
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• Medical Specialty Office seeking patient assistant (Details)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Nina Lightcap

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