LOCAL Section

More scenes from Friday

More scenes from Friday
Crowds descended on the Cumming Fairgrounds Friday afternoon in anticipation of the night's fireworks extravaganza. The festivities included food, live music and children's activities.
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Red, white and cool

Red, white and cool
A crowd of thousands filled the Cumming Fairgrounds and lined nearby roads to watch the city's annual fireworks display Friday night. 
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Course lawsuit in the rough

Course lawsuit in the rough
It appears a request seeking class-action status in the lawsuit to stop residential development on Lanier Golf Course is in legal limbo.
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Merchants serve up meals, deals

Merchants serve up meals, deals
Sharon Corio is used to taking Saturdays off. Her restaurant, Country Gourmet Café, is usually closed that day. Not this week. Not on July Fourth. Shortly after sunrise, the restaurant will begin prepping for what Corio hopes will be a big holiday breakfast crowd. “We’re looking at biscuits and gravy, grits, cinnamon rolls, banana nut loaf, carrot muffins, bottled water ... we’re opening for the early morning rush before the parade,” said Corio, who bought ...
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Students bring back accolades
Forsyth County students fared well during a recent Future Business Leaders of America national competition.




Officials ready for revelry
Authorities will be out in force this weekend to ensure revelers have a fun but safe Independence Day.

Big wheels, weekend on tap

Big wheels, weekend on tap
Get ready for a fun-filled, patriotic weekend in Cumming, complete with fireworks, music and the roar of classic steam engines.
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Two sentenced in cocaine bust

Two sentenced in cocaine bust
Two Fulton County men will each spend the next few decades in prison after they received long sentences Tuesday for drug convictions stemming from a spring 2008 bust.
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Business is booming

Business is booming
Fireworks have long been a symbol of Independence Day and for many area businesses, the holiday itself has become a symbol of sales.
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Tax hike appears imminent
The owner of a house assessed at $200,000 could see a tax hike of about $53 per year if Forsyth County commissioners approve a proposed millage rate increase later this month.




Tallant tapped for regional panel
Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has tapped a Cumming attorney to serve on the Council of Regional Commissions.




Sheriff hurt in motorcycle wreck
Forsyth County's sheriff remains hospitalized following a weekend motorcycle wreck that also injured a 37-year-old Forsyth County woman.




Young GOP planning to move books
The Forsyth County Young Republicans will spend the next two Mondays at the county’s newest elementary schools, filling their libraries with books.

Ink artists aim to clean up image

Ink artists aim to clean up image
To many tattoo artists, skin is a blank canvas and every tattoo tells a story. “This is the last place for the true artist,” said Dwayne Matthews, the owner of Magick Dragon Tattoo in Gainesville. “This is their last stand. They haven’t come up with a computer to do tattoos yet.” Matthews set up shop 11 years ago and has watched as the industry has changed. The year he opened, there was little competition in ...
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Parlors not forbidden, just limited
While you’d be hard-pressed to find a tattoo parlor in Forsyth County, officials said businesses specializing in skin ink are allowed under the local adult entertainment ordinance.




Debate over tethering returns
Changes to Forsyth County’s animal control ordinance could come Thursday if the county commission decides to move forward on what has become an increasingly divisive matter.

Aiming high

Aiming high
Five members of the Forsyth County school system’s class of 2009 have received appointments to U.S. Service academies.
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Mixed use project touted for Hwy. 9
A large mixed-use development slated for about 240 acres in south Forsyth is expected to reach the Forsyth County commission next month.




Report will guide update of policies
Forsyth County's chief financial officer said a recent internal controls study, the final version of which was presented last week, was "money well-spent."




Official: Dig 'really deep'
It's not clear when, or if, federal officials will take the Forsyth County commission up on its offer to look into the local elections office.




Customers turned on to turn-off program
It’s a question area power companies have asked for years. If the air conditioner in a home went off for 10 minutes at 4 p.m., would the homeowners even notice? Apparently not. In fact, about 28,000 Sawnee EMC customers have agreed to a program that automatically does just that. Called the load management switch, the device is attached to an air-conditioning unit, allowing the power company to shut off the unit during peak use times. ...

Trip to Poland may be vacation, not goodbye

Trip to Poland may be vacation, not goodbye
Ewelina Bledniak’s future remains uncertain as multiple federal agencies continue to review her immigration case.
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‘Leadership Unplugged’

‘Leadership Unplugged’
This past week, seven Forsyth County high school students learned about media literacy, broadcast journalism and personal leadership from CNN professionals in a weeklong program.
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CSIs gather in Forsyth

CSIs gather in Forsyth
Days after getting some encouraging news about a much-needed facility, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigation unit held a training session for colleagues from across Georgia.
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Eyes on the road

Eyes on the road
The recent rash of deaths on Forsyth County roads has public officials cautioning drivers to slow down and pay attention.
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Fundraiser on June 30 to benefit boys lodge
Organizers of a June 30 fundraiser for Bald Ridge Lodge are taking a low key approach to the event at the Foster House.




Plan for Big Creek advances
Plans for a large, mixed-use development in south Forsyth have cleared the county’s planning board despite opposition from developers of a neighboring project.

County graces yearbook cover

County graces yearbook cover
Government leaders statewide will get a serene glimpse at Forsyth County life when they receive their copy of this year’s Association County Commissioners of Georgia Yearbook.
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Charges unlikely in death of child
An apparent drowning this week at a south Forsyth neighborhood pool was the subdivision’s second in three years.

Summer escapes

Summer escapes
Sure, summertime offers fun in the sun, but many Forsyth County businesses offer a good time without having to use sunscreen.
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District gets waiver from law on choice
Forsyth County is one of two school districts that won’t have to follow a new state law that gives parents more say in what school their children attend.

Lane shift under way

Lane shift under way
There’s no end date in sight, but work continues this week on Hwy. 141 between Sharon Road and Ronald Reagan Boulevard.
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Board wrestles with shortfall
Discussion about Forsyth County’s looming 2010 budget deficit resumed Tuesday, with county officials exploring what they say are some tough options.

Bike shop owner faces long recovery

Bike shop owner faces long recovery
A Forsyth County bicyclist remains hospitalized after he was struck by a car while on a morning ride in north Forsyth.
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Girl, 5, drowns in neighborhood pool
A 5-year-old girl died early Wednesday, hours after she was pulled from a community pool in her south Forsyth neighborhood.




Feds may look into elections department
The Forsyth County commission wants the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the county's elections department in response to issues raised in a countywide audit.

Volunteers hailed for impact, inspiration

Volunteers hailed for impact, inspiration
From students to corporations, Forsyth County’s most generous volunteers were honored Monday.
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