🌱 New School Zone Cameras + Peaberry Film Festival + Babysitter Class

Hello, neighbors. It's Tuesday in Woodstock-Towne Lake and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in our community. Hope you all have a great day. In today's newsletter, we'll cover these stories and more:

• School zones in Canton are outfitted with cameras.
• The Peaberry Film Festival is coming!
• Babysitter training at the Aquatic Center.

But first, today's weather:

Clouds breaking; not as warm. High: 69 Low: 39.

Business owners and marketers in Woodstock-Towne Lake: Do you want to build awareness with local customers? I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. Click here to learn more.

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

1. After conducting school zone speed studies in all Canton school zones with over 3,000 violations in one day alone, the Canton Police Department has announced the installation of more school zone speed cameras to help combat speeders. Additional cameras on Reservoir Drive, in the Teasley Middle School area, have been installed, but they won't be used until April 10, at which time there will be a 30-day warning period given prior to tickets being issued. The cameras will run Monday through Friday, from one hour before to one hour after the school day. The speed enforcement program is utilized in the Hasty ES, Teasley MS and Cherokee HS school zones, specifically on Marietta Highway, Cumming Highway, Brown Industrial Boulevard and Reservoir Drive. You can find the full listing of speed limits at the link. (WSB-TV)
2. The Peaberry Film Festival, which replaces the Etowah Film Festival, is coming to Canton next month. The annual festival features panel discussions, question and answer sessions and post-screening parties and it will be held at the Canton Theatre April 28 - 30. A documentary film shot in Canton will be shown, along with a horror film about pollen, documentaries, student films and more. You can grab your tickets here. There is also a chance to see some of the films for free at The Mill on Etowah on April 26. The full schedule will be released closer to the date, and there are still sponsorship and volunteer opportunities on the official Peaberry Film Festival website here. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
3. For the babysitters in the area, there are a handful of Red Cross Babysitting + Pediatric CPR classes coming up at the Cherokee Aquatic Center. The class is for ages 11 - 15 and will train participants on leadership skills, starting a babysitting business, basic child care and basic first aid. Keeping children and their sitters safe is the main goal, and on top of teaching crucial skills for safety and wellness, the training will also earn participants a Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certification. The upcoming dates are April 22, August 12, July 8, June 24 and May 13, and all classes run from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. You can sign up here. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks via Facebook)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• Storytime at the Gallery: head over to the Reeves House Visual Arts Center for an artsy storytime featuring art, stories and crafts. Children must be accompanied by an adult, you can register here for the event at 734 Reeves Street. (1 - 2 p.m.)
• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (1 - 8 p.m.)
• Tween Book Club: for ages 10 and up or those at a 5th grade reading level, those under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. This month, the group will go over "Lalani of the Distant Sea" by Erin Entrada Kelly using discussion, games and more. You can register here. The group meets on the last Tuesday of every month at the R.T. Jones Memorial Library, 116 Brown Industrial Parkway, Canton. (5 - 6:30 p.m.)
• Community Yoga: the free class is open to all fitness levels and takes place every Monday morning and Tuesday evening. Please bring your own mat. You can sign up at the link for the class at The WREC, 7545 Main Street, Building 200. (5:30 - 6:30 p.m.)
• Three Women Who Changed the World with Historian Suzanne M. Litrel, Ph.D: hear about three women who helped create dynasties, kingdoms and empires, featuring Mongol Empress Chabi (1216 - 1281), Queen Njinga of Angola (1581 - 1663) and Empress Maria Leopoldina of Brazil (1795 - 1826). A Q&A session will follow the presentation at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main Street. (6 - 7 p.m.)
• Adult Men's Basketball Free Agent Night: if you want to join or form a team, head over to The Buzz, located at 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. (7 - 8:30 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: hosted by DJ CaseyD 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: new players are welcome. Please make a reservation on the arcade's Meetup page to ensure your spot. 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 classes and 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.)
• 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
  • Live Band Karaoke with The Checkers - you can sign up for your spot here. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Mayor Michael Caldwell recognized the River Ridge girls basketball team for their first championship win during the council meeting on Monday. The win is the first state championship win for River Ridge altogether, and to honor the achievement, the mayor declared March 28, 2023, as "River Ridge Knights Champions Day" in Woodstock. Congratulations team, great job! (City of Woodstock via Facebook)
• There's vandalism and destruction afoot in our beautiful city. The giant, mosaic guitar on The Green was made by hand by a true staple of this community. Please don't rip pieces off of it, or any other art, for that matter. If you like the guitar enough to steal pieces from it, please head over to Blue Frog Imports and support our local artists by picking up an art piece of your own instead. (Downtown Woodstock via Facebook)
• If you're a YMCA member, they have a really fun contest going on right now. Pick up an Easter Bingo card at the membership desk at the Y, located at 151 Waleska Street in Canton, and play to win a packed Easter basket. The Bingo boxes include questions about the Y, and there are two chances to win. (YMCA of Cherokee County via Facebook)
• The Rustic Market in Downtown Woodstock is hosting a "permanent jewelry" pop-up shop on April 1, from 2 - 6 p.m. If you're new to this type of jewelry, it's a bracelet, anklet or necklace that's closed permanently on you. Of course you can take it off, though, if you decide to. You can schedule your spot here for the Gilted Thread event, and The Rustic Market is located at 8720 Main Street, Suite 100. (Downtown Woodstock via Facebook)
• Woodstock Parks and Recreation, Cherokee County Master Gardeners and the Cherokee County UGA Extension Office are holding an herb gardening class on April 8. The class, Essential Gardening - Kitchen Garden, will be held from 10 - 11:30 a.m. at the William G. Long Senior Center (WGLSC), at 223 Arnold Mill Road. Participants will go home with a plant or seeds for their own herb garden. (Woodstock Parks and Recreation)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Tuesday off right! I'll see you around.

— Nina Lightcap

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