🌱 Property Assessments On The Way + Brown Bag Concert Downtown Today

Hello again, friends. It's Thursday in Woodstock-Towne Lake and I'm back in your inbox with everything you need to know about what's happening in town, including news on:

• Property assessment notices are on the way.
• There's a Brown Bag Concert today at noon.
• Local police are asking for your feedback.

But first, today's weather: Cooler; an evening thunderstorm or two. High: 70 Low: 59.

Here's to our local sponsors. Check out what they can do for you:

• Looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity in Woodstock? The Children’s Haven is excited to announce their next training opportunity to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Next training will begin April 12 - May 10, Wednesday sessions from 9am-4 p.m. CASA volunteers advocate on behalf of children in foster care, ensuring their best interests are always at the forefront. Visit The Children’s Haven to learn more, or email Mandy here for more information and complete training details.

• Attention music lovers! Don't miss out on The Roswell Music Festival, a one-day, ticketed event on Saturday, May 20. This exciting festival will take place in Historic Downtown Roswell, featuring six amazing bands, tent vendors, and local businesses serving up delicious food and drinks. You won’t want to miss original and tribute bands covering classic rock, soul, funk, country and blues music — including the incredible talents of Southern Avenue (Blues), End of the Line (Allman Brothers), Funk You (Funk, Dance), Frankly Scarlet (Grateful Dead), The Highwaymen Show (Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash), and TROY (Soul, Pop). Tickets are on sale now!

• Are you ready to give your home’s interior a fresh look? Pam Haston of Haston Interiors has over 20 years of experience at helping clients achieve balance, beauty and functionality in their homes. Pam is an expert in window treatments, furniture, rugs, accessories and design and will work with you to reflect your personal style and aesthetic. You don’t need to move to feel like you live in a new home. Let Pam take the stress out of your home’s redesign. Visit Haston Interiors here to learn more.

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

1. The Board of Tax Assessors will be sending out annual property assessment notices this week. The appraisals were made as of Jan. 1, after a review of the market sales in 2022. Homeowners utilizing a homestead exemption will receive the standard $5,000 exemption and taxable values in terms of county maintenance and operations will remain the same as determined in the original homestead exemption via the valuation freeze exemption and senior exemptions will increase, adjusted per the Social Security Index. Gov. Brian Kemp has authorized a one-time Property Tax Relief Grant for homeowners, reducing assessed value by $18,000 — keep your eye out for tax bills coming later this year. (Cherokee County Communications Division)
2. Catch the live music at this afternoon's free concert at the Gazebo in the Park at City Center. Trevor Startt will be on stage from noon to 1 p.m., head over for the best lunch break ever. The Brown Bag Concert Series brings live, acoustic performances to the stage every Thursday in May, pack your lunch, grab a blanket or folding chair and enjoy. Serpent & Dove will be performing next Thursday, and that'll be the last show in the series. (Woodstock Parks and Recreation)
3. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), an organization that sets up guidelines for the activities and procedures within participating law enforcement entities, has a public website where we can provide feedback regarding our local police. The Woodstock Police Department invites residents to check out the CALEA public portal and lodge any comments, commendations or concerns they might have. Ask yourself how the WPD interacts with the community, how they deliver public safety services and how they adhere to the accreditation guidelines set up by CALEA, and then head over to the portal here to submit your comments. (Woodstock PD via Facebook)
4. As a mid-month reminder, the Woodstock Municipal Court is offering amnesty for certain cases this month. If you have traffic citations you haven't paid or if you've failed to appear for misdemeanor charges prior to this month, you may be eligible. For eligible cases that don't include a probation warrant or a felony, once a defendant pays the citation fee, charges will be dismissed, and warrant fees waived if there isn't a mandatory court appearance. You can find the stated guidelines at the link. (Woodstock GA News)
5. The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners voted on Tuesday to add more stipulations to the county's existing zoning ordinance regulations for tobacco and vape shops. Going forward, these shops must be at least one mile from any school or daycare center, 600 feet from properties with recreational, park or playground designations, 1,000 feet from shops that are similar, and in addition, merchants wanting to set up shop in the county will need to obtain a special use permit. A scheduled public hearing regarding amendments to the county regulations for liquor stores was not held, the board has pushed that item to June 6. (Subscription: Cherokee Tribune & Ledger-News)

Today in Woodstock-Towne Lake:

• YPOW AM: Join the Young Professionals of Woodstock every Thursday morning for coffee, networking and an informal chat with a local leader at The Circuit, 1 Innovation Way. (7:30 - 8:30 a.m.)
• Baby Lap-Sit Storytime: For babies 18 months and younger, songs, rhymes, books and playtime. Children must be accompanied by an adult to the story time at the Woodstock Library, 7735 Main St. (10:30 - 11:30 a.m.)
• Family Fun Night - Prehistoric Party: The movie "Land Before Time" will be shown at 7 p.m. on The Green, and there will be prehistoric-themed activities and offerings at shops along Main and Chambers streets, including Dare to be Different, Made Mercantile, The Blue Ghost Arcade, Partners Pizza and more. You can find more information here. (5 - 9 p.m.)
• Empowered Women, Empower Women: Mix and mingle with other strong, successful and empowering women in town. The ticket includes refreshments and a signature cocktail in The Listening Room at Rootstock, 8558 Main St. (6 - 9 p.m.)
• Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony: At The Park at City Center, 101 Arnold Mill Road, to honor the 245 American officers that lost their lives in the line of duty in the past year, including 11 from Georgia. (7 p.m.)
• Super Smash Bros. Tournament: A double-elimination tournament with prizes for the top three winners. 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.)
• MadLife Grill Patio Stage - free shows, no ticket needed
  • Cody Bolden (5:30 - 9 p.m.)
• MadLife Stage & Studios
  • Bumpin' The Mango - Funk and Soul (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• There's an American Red Cross Blood Drive at the YMCA in Canton today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. You can make an appointment at the link, and all donors will receive a $10 gift card. The G. Cecil Pruett Community Center YMCA is located at 151 Waleska St. in Canton. (American Red Cross)
• Cherokee Recreation & Parks' Public Input Meeting is tonight from 6:30-8:30 p.m. with the purpose of collecting our feedback for the planned Hickory Flat Area Park. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting at the Hickory Flat Gym, the address is 4835 Hickory Road in Canton. (Cherokee Recreation & Parks)
• Reformation Brewery is bringing back Brew Night. On the third Friday of the month, May-July, they're holding a neighborhood get-together at the brewery. You'll get to see the brewing process firsthand and enjoy our community, music and local brews. The first Brew Night is this Friday from 2-8 p.m. at the brewery, 105 Elm St. (Reformation Brewery)
• If you like to make art, there's a great Creative Corner going on at 10:30 a.m. this Saturday at Woodstock Arts. You'll explore the "Off the Wall" exhibit and then make your own 3-D art using paper. All materials will be provided, the event will be held at the Reeves House Visual Arts Center, at 734 Reeves St. You can sign up at the link. (Woodstock Arts)
• The Woodstock Arts Video Game Tournament series is back this Sunday, bringing gaming to The Green downtown with "Wii Sports." There is a $10 entry fee to play, you can save your spot at the link, and spectators are free. The fun starts at 6 p.m., be sure to bring a folding chair. The winner will get a $25 gift card for GameStop. (Woodstock Arts)
• House hunting online can only get you so far. To pick out your new home, it'll take an in-person visit to feel the vibe of the area and see the views, house and land without camera filters and clever angles. Spend a nice day exploring homes for sale in the Woodstock-Towne Lake area, here are some of the open houses coming up. (Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Eagle Watch: "If you need your mailbox painted, please message 678-350-4195. $40 for the painting, but $5 off if you refer us to a friend. Thank you :)" (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Eagle Watch: "Two college students home for the summer who are doing window washing services. We offer reasonable prices based on the number of windows. Please feel free to contacts us at djwindowwashing1@gmail.com or at 678-756-0293 for a free estimate." (Nextdoor)

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Featured events:

• Free Food (May 18)
• 2023 Pond and Garden Tour “Art in the Garden” (May 20)
• Veteran Block Party! Veterans eat free! (May 20)
• Microchip & Vaccination Clinic for Dogs & Cats - Low Cost (May 21)
• Cherokee County Alzheimer's Community Forum (May 25)
• Cherokee County Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale (May 27)
• Add your event

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update.

— Nina Lightcap

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