Cumming Arts Center honors young artists

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County parents, teachers and residents enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon gathered at the Cumming Arts Center for a reception to recognize student artwork March 4.

The exhibit hosted by the Sawnee Association of the Arts recognized 159 students in the South Forsyth Vertical Team, which includes Lakeside Middle School; Daves Creek Elementary School; Haw Creek Elementary School; and South Forsyth Middle and High Schools.

South Forsyth Middle School art teacher Taylor Shoemake said roughly 30 students from her school had their art displayed.

“I think it's very encouraging for kids in elementary and middle to see what they can look forward to in high school,” Shoemake said. “And I think it's for the high school kids to be able to look back and see maybe where they came from, but just the creativity that shines through, every single piece that is up there is completely different from the one next to it.”

Shoemake said she was excited for her students to have the chance to show their skills and hard work and to celebrate their achievements.

One of Shoemake’s students, sixth grader Samudita Baral, said she chose Donald Duck as the subject of her ceramic sculpture, “KAWS Donald Duck,” because the character has anger issues, which fits the sad themes of the artist KAWS’ sculptures. Baral said it felt good to have her art displayed publicly.

See ARTS, Page 8

Commissioners bid farewell to departing county executive

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County commissioners recognized Assistant County Manager Brandon Kenney for his service as he departs from his role at its March 2 meeting.

Kenney served as assistant county manager since June 7, 2021, where he oversaw the Parks and Recreation; Planning and Community Development; Code

Compliance; Water and Sewer; Animal Services; and Senior Services Departments.

In addition, Kenney served as chief information officer since 2016, where he led the Information Systems and Technology Department and Geographic

Information Systems, and he revamped the official Forsyth County website and expanded online access to agenda packets prior to meetings.

See FORSYTH, Page 5

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Suspect cited for theft after domestic dispute

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Sheriff’s deputies added a charge of felony theft to a Gainesville man wanted for questioning in a Feb. 20 domestic incident.

Deputies were called to the suspect’s home on Wits End Drive Feb. 20, where a woman said her ex-fiancé and roommate Keith Brookshire, 44, had struck her face with his forehead.

A struggle then ensued when Brookshire tried to take her phone, the report states. The woman told deputies Brookshire held her down against the bed with his arm covering her face and nose. She said she could not breathe, and she had bitten Brookshire to make him stop.

The woman retrieved her young child and locked herself in a bedroom to call 911. She heard Brookshire attempting to enter the room, but she said he left the scene in his truck before deputies arrived.

Deputies reported seeing signs of injury on the woman.

Brookshire called the woman while deputies were on the scene, but he ended the call when a deputy answered it. He then returned to the scene and drove his truck onto the front lawn.

The sheriff’s report states the residence had a history of domestic violence calls, and the woman told deputies that Brookshire might have a firearm in his vehicle. When Brookshire exited his vehicle, deputies report that he kept his right hand down and near his body.

Due to Brookshire’s history and behavior at the scene, a deputy drew his weapon and aimed it at Brookshire, the report states. Brookshire complied with commands to put his hands up, and deputies transported him to the County Jail.

When deputies informed Brookshire of his charges, he hit his head four times on the partition in the patrol vehicle, told deputies that he would “show them crazy” and said the woman would “get what’s coming to her” even if she got a temporary protective order.

Brookshire was charged with misdemeanor cruelty to children in the third degree and misdemeanor battery family violence.

The woman notified deputies Feb. 21 she found pawn receipts for two of her personal belongings inside Brookshire’s truck. He had allegedly pawned her wedding ring valued at $4,690 and a $320 cordless drill.

Brookshire was then charged with felony theft by taking. He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail with bond set at $33,390.

Deputies say suspect had drugs inside shoe

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies reported finding methamphetamine inside a suspect’s shoe after a Feb. 25 arrest for an active warrant.

A deputy input the tag number of a vehicle parked at the Shell gas station on Browns Bridge Road. The search showed the registered owner, Jay Hutchins, 30, of Dawsonville, had an active misdemeanor probation violation warrant in Alpharetta.

Deputies detained Hutchins when he exited the store, and they reported asking his girlfriend if she would be willing to take his vehicle.

The woman, Jennifer Evans, 34, of Cumming, told deputies she did not know the status of her driver’s license. The Georgia Crime Information Center informed deputies Evans had an active felony probation violation warrant in Dawson County.

The couple was detained, and the girlfriend was placed in the custody of Dawson County deputies. Forsyth County deputies asked Hutchins if he had any illegal substances on his person, which he denied.

Deputies at the County Jail reported finding a bag of a crystalline substance under the left insert of Hutchins’ shoe. Hutchins told deputies he had purchased the drugs from a man in another county, and he had forgotten it was in his shoe. He said he did not attempt to conceal the substance, the report states.

Hutchins was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. Bond is set at $16,630.

Deputies arrest man in November rape

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies identified Urve Balli, 26, of Cumming as the suspect in a rape that occurred in November.

A woman informed deputies Nov. 13 she had visited Balli, whom she knew as “Austin,” and his roommate’s townhouse on Summit Crossing Way after work. She said Balli’s roommate had left, and Balli allegedly raped her later that night while she slept.

Deputies arrested Balli Feb. 22 on charges of felony rape.

Crooked credit activity sparks police complaint

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A man reported he received a letter from Capital One Feb. 16 in reference to an attempt to open a new credit card.

His son told Johns Creek Police Feb. 21 his father had not made the application, and that Capital One had been notified. It is not known when and where the account was opened or by whom, the police report said.

The man received another letter in the mail from GAP clothing in reference to opening a new GAP credit card, which had an outstanding balance of $800.

GAP informed the man the card had been opened in an unidentified store using his Social Security number and date of birth. The phone number on the account was inaccurate, the report said, and the account had been flagged as fraudulent.

The man and his son went to the Social Security Office and informed personnel of the situation and froze the man’s credit with all three credit bureaus.