🌱 No To New Smoke Shops + Yes To New Café + Former Teacher Sentenced

Hello, everybody. I'm here right on time with your Friday edition of the Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch newsletter, filled with all the local news you need to know right now. In today's issue, you'll find news about these stories and more:

• There's a pause on new smoking-related shops.
• Woodstock Coffee Company opens this weekend!
• A former county teacher was found guilty and sentenced.

But first, today's weather:

A morning t-storm; cloudy. High: 65 Low: 38.

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

1. As of Tuesday, the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has put in place a 90-day moratorium on new shops selling tobacco, electronic cigarettes and other smoking-related items. This will pause all new permit applications for such stores, allowing the county time to review existing codes and ordinances with other area stakeholders to see if they need an adjustment, with the health of our residents in mind. Currently, there are 13 smoke shops in unincorporated Cherokee County alone. Other items of note include the decision to hold a public hearing on March 21 regarding ATV noise regulation, and the unanimous approval of the acceptance of $19,149 in annual state grant funds for the EMS Trauma Grant, which will be used to procure trauma-related equipment. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)
2. This weekend is the grand opening of Woodstock Coffee Company, a new coffee shop in Woodstock that has a serious back story. Paris Landon Jr., owner of the highly successful Woodstock Coffee Company, wanted to create a new business to help open opportunities for formerly incarcerated people of color. After he struggled to receive loans for Woodstock Coffee because of his time in jail, he realized the need for a way around those judgements. Last summer, he started up a GoFundMe to help open a brick and mortar shop and began work on the Second Chance Coffee program to help the formerly incarcerated, the fundraiser brought in over $40,000. The coffee shop is actively looking to hire more employees that have been incarcerated, if that's you, head on over to apply. The shop is located at 9550 Main Street, Unit 190. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
3. A former teacher found guilty of charges related to the sexual assault of a child at Fulton Academy of Science and Technology (FAST) in Roswell has now been found guilty on two counts of child molestation with regard to later incidents at Lyndon Academy in Holly Springs. Robert Vandel's first in a string of similar charges were in 2003, while employed at Midland Middle School in Columbus. That case did not result in a guilty verdict, though his certification was suspended for two years as a result. He taught at several schools in Georgia after 2003, including Chatham County’s Coastal Middle School, Duluth’s Notre Dame Academy, St. John's Catholic School in Fulton County and Cherokee Charter Academy. Then, in 2017, while he was a teacher at FAST, he assaulted a child in a classroom there. He was sentenced to 10 years in that Fulton case, and his latest case in Cherokee has ended with an 8-year sentence to run concurrently. After he serves his time in prison, he will live out his life on probation, on the sex offender registry and with no access to children. (11 Alive and Atlanta News First)
4. Tractor Supply is holding a pet adoption event on Saturday. The event is open to the public and will be held at the 2860 East Cherokee Drive location near Canton. There will also be information on pet clinics, pet grooming, dog washing and vaccinations. If you'd like to attend, the adoptions will be taking place from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., and if you'd like more information, please reach out to 770-704-8011. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• Ribbon Cutting - Vera Bradley: you can find the store at the Outlet Shoppes of Atlanta, 915 Ridgewalk Parkway. (9:30 - 10 a.m.)
• Open Gym: open to county residents at The Buzz, 7345 Cumming Highway in Canton. There is a nominal fee to play. (noon - 6 p.m.)
• Rock Wall Climbing Zone: open to county residents ages 4 and up and 40-pounds and over at The Buzz. There is a nominal fee to climb. (1 - 3:30 p.m.)
• American Red Cross Community Blood Drive: donors will receive a $10 prepaid Visa card and will be entered to win a $3,000 prepaid Visa card. You can make an appointment at the link for the blood drive at Hickory Flat Fellowship Church, 5301 Hickory Flat Highway in Canton. (1 - 6 p.m.)
• Open Pickleball Play: open to county residents at The Buzz. There is a nominal fee to play. (2:30 - 4:30 p.m.)
• Wicks and Sips with Woodstock Candle Co: create a custom candle, decorate your own fire starter and enjoy some snacks, drinks and music at Made Mercantile, 8636 Main Street. (7 - 9 p.m.)
• "Company": it's opening night! Catch the first performance of the play at the Woodstock Arts Theatre, 8534 Main Street. (7:30 p.m.)
• One For The Road: the band will be live at Keegan's Public House, 1085 Buckhead Crossing, Suite 140. (7:30 p.m.)
• Trey Odum Live Music Session: in The Listening Room at Rootstock, 8558 Main Street. (7:30 - 10:30 p.m.)
• Karaoke Night: at Reformation Brewery, 105 Elm Street. (8 - 10 p.m.)
• Daniel Lieving: playing live tonight at Donovan's Irish Cobbler, 1025 Rose Creek Drive. (9 p.m. - 1 a.m.)
• DJ Karaoke: every Friday at Guston's Grille, 12195 Highway 92, Suite 156. (9:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.)
• Senior Center Programs - most classes and events are held at the William G. Long Senior Center (WGLSC), 223 Arnold Mill Road
  • Fit Over 50 - stretch and exercise with chair yoga, balance, bands, weights and core strength work every Wednesday and Friday at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (9:30 - 10:30 a.m.)
  • Garden Club - work with the city community garden to develop and implement plans for planting and maintenance around the Senior Center, the club meets at the WGLSC Activity Center Expansion. (10 - 11 a.m.)
  • Nutrition 2023 - every Friday at the William G. Long Senior Center. (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • Crews & Company (5 - 8 p.m.)
  • Eric & Lisa (8 - 11 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios
  • Guardians of the Jukebox - Covering Iconic Pop & Rock from MTV (7 p.m. and 10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Sequoya-Con will be at the Gilmer County Library Saturday, and the theme for this weekend's event is "gaming." There will be games all day, a craft market, a scavenger hunt, mini golf and much more. The mini-convention series will be back in town the following Saturday, March 18, at the Woodstock Library. The theme for that event is "cryptids," and there will be a poster contest, a themed storytime, "X-Files" trivia, crafting for all ages and more. Author Delilah S. Dawson and Georgia Paranormal Investigations will be there as well. (Sequoyah Regional Library System)
• Cherokee Recreation & Parks is holding a Red Cross Babysitting + Pediatric CPR class for ages 11 - 15 on March 18. Your child will learn about basic child care and basic first aid and will receive a Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certification. The class will run from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and will be held in Wet Class 2 at the Cherokee County Aquatic Center, 1200 Wellstar Way in Canton. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• Unwind Wednesday is starting back up in April and running until October. Every last Wednesday of the month, Cherokee Veterans Park in Canton will host the free evenings from 5:30 - 8 p.m., where there will be yoga, food trucks, music, and all sorts of seasonal themed evenings. The first one will be on April 26, and it'll be "Yoga at the Park", so bring your blankets, chairs and mats when you go. The department has released the entire schedule, you can check it out at the link. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• Who needs a furry friend? There are lots of cats, dogs and other animals available for adoption. Check out these potential family members looking for homes in the Woodstock-Towne Lake area. (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch)
• Downtown Woodstock: "Join Pie Bar in celebrating National Pi Day (3.14). Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant Pi. For Pie Bar, it is also their BIGGEST day of the year outside of Thanksgiving!! Pie Bar will be celebrating with LOTS O' PIE!" (Downtown Woodstock via Instagram)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today! 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