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Snapshot. It’s a glimpse into this community, but also a glance at our work at the Forsyth County News. At the FCN, our goals are always ambitious. Day after day, we strive to provide Forsyth County with the best local media experience for any community in the world. We’re both promoters and watchdogs – highlighting the vibrant lifestyle and places we call home, while simultaneously ensuring transparency in our local leaders and government. Much like our staff, our content can be extremely serious. It can also be playful and fun. In a newspaper industry known for tradition, we’re not afraid to blaze a new trail, reaching our community in the rapidly growing number of ways that you consume media.

Publisher

We’re social. We’re mobile. We’re video. We’re contests and quizzes. And we’re curiously charging into whatever comes next. The Harvard Business School’s chief innovator named us the newspaper industry’s most innovative company for 2016 – an award quite shocking, given the size of our staff compared to the scope of the other finalists. As you read through these pages, my hope is that you understand us more, you engage with us more and you find value in our work to improve your daily life. We know Forsyth County expects the best, and as our audience continues to grow at a rapid pace, that’s what we continuously try to provide.

We fight for you - and with you - every day, Forsyth County. If you haven’t already done so, I’d ask that you considering subscribing to our journalism at ForsythNews.com. Join us on the adventure. Best regards,

Vince Johnson Publisher

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2017

OPENING SPRING 2018 Morrow Family Medicine’s Newest Location This new, state of the art office will be located just behind Parson’s at Lakeland Plaza.Watch for more details later in the year.

Until then, visit us at our Northside Forsyth Campus!

Practicing the full range of family medicine — whether it’s an illness, chronic care or routine exam — we can help. State-of-the-art technology, and old-fashioned care... that’s

Morrow Family Medicine.

Cumming

1400 Northside Forsyth Dr., Suite 200 Cumming, GA 30041

Milton

12970 Highway 9 Milton, GA 30004

(T) 770.781.8004 (F) 678.679.4053

www.MorrowFamMed.com

WHAT'S INSIDE The FCN team 8 Forsyth County timeline 10 Picture this: Award-winning photos 18 The future of Forsyth 20 Forsyth County Schools 24 Your elected officials 26 Things to do in Forsyth County 28 Scenes from Best Of 2017 30

28 6

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10 2017

PUBLIC SERVICE NOTICE TO THE FORSYTH COUNTY VOTERS S.R. 400

Forsyth County Services not replicated (not all inclusive): CITY OF CHESTATEE

S.R. 20

CITY OF MATT

CITY OF BETHELVIEW

Propose Forsyth County be divided into: 20

. S.R 0 40

S.R

CITY OF SHARON SPRINGS

City of Cumming (Existing Boundries) City of Sharon Springs (East of Hwy 400, South of Hwy 20) City of Bethelview (West of Hwy 400, South of Hwy 20) City of Matt (West of Hwy 400, North of Hwy 20)

- Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (F.C.S.O.) - Forsyth County Board of Education - Forsyth County Parks & Recreation - Forsyth County / Cumming Water & Sewer - Forsyth County Administration - Forsyth County Roads, Bridges, and Storm Water - Forsyth County Final Plat/As-Built Recording - Forsyth County Recycling Centers - Forsyth County Public Library - Forsyth County Health Department - Forsyth County Fire Department - Forsyth County EMS - Forsyth County Animal Shelter / Animal Control - Forsyth County Magistrate, Probate, State, & Superior Courts - Forsyth County Voter Registrar - Forsyth County Tax Assessor - Forsyth County Tax Commissioner - Forsyth County Park Rangers

City of Chestatee (East of Hwy 400, North of Hwy 20)

Cut Out & Mail In

“…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…” The Declaration of Independence

Proposed Duties of each new City (not all inclusive): - Create a new Comprehensive Plan for land use, housing, economic development, transportation, and quality of life standards. - Create a new Unified Development Code (UDC) replacement ordinance which implements and regulates the new Comprehensive Plan. - Code Enforcement of ordinances, building inspections, and soil erosion & pollutants. - Govern all zoning actions using the Comprehensive Plan to eliminate Spot Zoning. - Issue all [ordinance] permits and [business] licenses (excluding those issued by the F.C.S.O., Health Dept., Fire Dept., water & sewer, etc.). - Obtain Georgia EPD Local Issuing Authority (LIA) certification to issue Land Disturbance Permits (LDP). - Govern all sanitation, landfills, power plants, and waste transfer stations. - Collect all zoning, use, permit, and license fees. - FoCo Voter approved SPLOST shall be used to construct each new city hall complex. - Redistribution of FoCo Maintenance and Operation (M & O) Real Estate tax (2016 was 7.534 mills) at the rate of 0.250 mills to each new city to cover fixed costs. No Real Estate tax increase for property owners to create four new cities. - City elections outsourced to FoCo Voter Registrar.

2017

*Paid for by Hank Hanson snapshot

The FCN Team Vince Johnson Publisher

Ryan Garmon

Kayla Robins Editor

Angie decker Graphic Designer

MICAH GREEN Creative Director

Tracie Pike Production Manager

Isabel Hughes Staff Writer

KELLY WHITMIRE Staff Writer

Brian Paglia Sports Editor

Ian Frazer

Carly Wages

Connor Kelly

Advertising Intern

Advertising Director

Sports Writer

Advertising

Facebook.com/ForsythNews www.ForsythNews.com Advertising rates and deadlines available upon request. Contact Ryan Garmon at (770) 205-8960 or rgarmon@forsythnews.com.

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2017

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OUR TIME

THE

Forsyth County News : A glimpse into our efforts to be your go-to local news source.

2015

LIFE

Driving Force: How Superintendent Jeff Bearden plans to keep Forsyth County Schools ahead (Aug/Sept 2015)

400 NORTH

DRIVING FORCE Bearden's plan to keep Forsyth County Schools ahead

BEST KEPT Is there anywhere SECRET to go from the top Swimming hole brings students together except down? A EASY FALL man who splits his LANDSCAPING days between FIXES sitting behind a clean desk in a corner office and visiting students and teachers refuses to accept that thought. But continuing to climb takes work, and just because the stones stepped on to get there led to the top does not mean those same stone will continue upward. Bearden talks about the future of education in Forsyth. And what – if any – threats it faces.

FCN sports staff wins 6 Georgia Sports Writers Association awards for work in 2014 (July 20, 2015)

2016

Including best sports section.

Heroin’s Hold: A look inside addiction (2015)

Ghost Out: Fatal crash re-enactment sends message to Forsyth teens (April 1, 2015)

A six-part series that ran in the second half of 2015 that investigated the rise in heroin overdoses in recent years and what Forsyth County and the nation are doing to combat the causes at their root.

A different high school holds a re-enactment of a fatal DUI crash each year before prom in partnership with emergency and law enforcement agencies to show teens the possible consequences of drinking and driving. 10 |

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2017

FCN wins 5 Associated Press Media Editors awards for work in 2015 (June 25, 2016) Spanning writing, photo and multimedia categories.

THE

LIFE 400 NORTH

The final season: Braves field director and Forsyth resident juggles two stadiums (April/May 2016) The Braves announced in November 2013 the team would be moving out of downtown Atlanta, its home since relocating from Milwaukee in 1966, to Cobb County. Mangan is managing both fields at the same time.

Farewell to the Field

During the Bravesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; last season at The Ted, field director and Forsyth resident Ed Mangan juggles two stadiums. Inside: Teaching kids to love their veggies | Beekeeping and how to save the world

FCN wins national award for innovation (Feb. 25, 2016) The Mega-Innovation Award was given by Harvard Business School Innovator in Residence Michael Maness at the 2016 Key Executives Mega-Conference for multimedia news coverage, video department reach and advertising strategies.

Follow our timeline on the following pages...

Freshman sensation (June 17, 2016)

Seth Beer wins the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded to the National College Baseball Player of the Year. At Lambert, he starred in two seasons, helping the Longhorns win state and national championships in 2014. Beer could've played out his senior season at Lambert and likely been a major prospect in that year's MLB Draft, but he instead decided to enroll early at Clemson. That turned out just fine: he hit .369 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs in 62 games to become the first freshman to be named ACC Player of the Year.

FORSYTHCOUNTYNEWS 2017

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FCN sports staff wins 12 Georgia Sports Writers Association awards for work in 2015 (June 6, 2016) Including best sports section, best special section and best overall story.

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Four girls, all close friends, chose to go out for their respective football teams at Liberty, South Forsyth and Vickery Creek middle schools. Haylee Dornan had already played a season at Liberty, and the avid football fan convinced her friends, Isa Quilar, Maddie Franz and Anna Halloran to try it, too.

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Kicking stereotypes (June 6, 2016)

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LIFE 400 NORTH

MEDAL TESTED Rio ‘16 Paralympian returns to Cumming

Tailgating with the pros

Being born with osteogenesis imperfecta has made McKenzie Coan’s life different, sometimes hard, many times painful, but it has not stopped her from achieving what most can only dream of, marveling at the from behind their TV screen every four years – becoming an Olympian.

Inside: The National Park Service celebrates 100 years | A fresh taste, or two, on South Main St. in Alpharetta

2017

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Forsyth County will hold a surplus sale for county furniture, which will feature desks, chairs and other items.

ORSYTH COU

NTY NEW

2016

Inside

See story

From fighting hunger to Manufacturing Day, there is much going on in education around the around the county.

Page 10A

Page 3A

FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS

SUNDAY, October 23, 2016

@ForsythNews

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@ForsythNews

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An in-depth investigation into child sex trafficking in the area is Georgia busiest for it – north metro-Atlanta. The article ran just before the November election, when a constitutional amendment was on the ballot to create a fund for victims. It passed.

location:

Fernando Nishan o • Dr. Leguizam Jorge • Dr.

Northside

moving on up A

three-floor expansion is complete at Northside HospitalForsyth, and when people move in Monday, they will be occupying the tallest building in Forsyth County. Hospital administrators and staff are ensuring the patient experience is as grand as the technology in the rooms and the views from them.

See story, Page 5A Photos by Micah Green Forsyth County News

64 3 60

$30M 77,975 14

Beds added to hospital

Cost of project

Floors added, two for patient use Jobs created

Proposed apartments at The Collection spark debate

Square feet added to the structure

Years of consistent growth at campus in Cumming

Advance voting for Nov. 8

election brings in crowds Northside Hospital-Forsyth moves into new floors (Oct. 23, 2016) 6A 1C By Kelly Whitmire

kwhitmire@forsythnews.com

By Kelly Whitmire

kwhitmire@forsythnews.com

Tempers flared during a public hearing this week for a proposed overlay that would allow for apartments at a popular outdoor mall in south Forsyth. During a meeting on Thursday,

After one week, advance voting for the Nov. 8 general election is off to a sprint in Forsyth County. As of Friday, 17,692 Forsyth County voters have cast ballots at five advance voting locations – more than the total of 8,505 who voted in advanced for the

See DEBATE | 10A

INSIDE Abby Classifieds Deaths Life Opinion Sports

4C 9B 2A 1C 9A 1B

Man indicted for crash that injured passenger.

local primaries in May and 13,471 who did so in March for the presidential primaries. “I’m really happy with the numbers,” said Barbara Luth, the county’s supervisor of voter registrations and elections. Luth said the number of voters See VOTING | 4A

We take you back in time to county growth concerns, Halloween and a tragedy at a school.

Upgrades and new designs were incorporated into almost every aspect of the $30 million, 77,975-square-foot upward expansion, from the meditation room near the elevators to the safe boxes in the patient rooms to the large windows that stream natural light and views overlooking Ga. 400 and the city into every room. The three additional floors make the hospital the county’s tallest building. Volume 107, Number 127 © 2016, Forsyth County News Cumming, Georgia

Presented by Gracemont Assisted Living

74 / 51

Forecast | 2A

Our cancer centers offer:

› Board-certified medical oncologists & hematologists › Latest evidence-based treatments › Access to groundbreaking clinical trials › Second opinion consults

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute is one of the largest cancer care providers in the Southeast. Northside leads the statewide network of the National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program which gives you access to the latest research and treatments. Using the latest technology to provide the most effective treatment possible, our team of physicians, nurses, researchers and support staff is dedicated to your health and well-being. northside.com/cancerinstitute

• •

› Genetic screening and testing › Counseling and support groups › Nutritional counseling services › Pain management services › Rehabilitation services

Atlanta Cancer Care

Georgia Cancer Specialists

1505 Northside Boulevard Suite 4600 Cumming, GA 30041 770-205-5292

1505 Northside Boulevard Suite 4300 Cumming, GA 30041 770-205-1331

AtlantaCancerCare.com

GACancer.com

Physicians at this location:

Dr. Kelly A. May • Dr. Ronald Steis Dr. Sreekanth Reddy • Dr. Amelia B. Zelnak

• Dr. Nishan Fernando • Dr. Jorge Leguizamo

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601 S. Enota Dr., Ste A • Gainesville, GA 30501 770.534.4150 • Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm snapshot

FCN receives Beacon Award for education coverage (Dec. 4, 2016) The 2016 Electronic Media Beacon Award from the Georgia School Board Association for education reporting recognizes coverage that “over time has created understanding of public education issues by informing the general public about programs, policies and/or issues affecting the public schools, students and/ or communities.”

2016

Atlanta chef to open three restaurants in south Forsyth’s Halcyon (Feb. 2, 2017) Forsyth’s newest mixed-used development announced Chef Marc Taft – who currently owns and operates Chicken and the Egg in Marietta – signed three leases to open multiple restaurants at the development, which is expected to open in spring 2018 off McFarland Parkway/Exit 12 of Ga. 400.

2017

This is just a small fraction of our coverage over the past couple years. For more, subscribe online at ForsythNews.com

Suicide: Lost in the shadows (Dec. 18, 2016) A multi-part series examining suicide as a growing public health concern in the area and nation, especially in teens, and what is being done locally to fight it and its stigma.

4 14

snapshot

2017

FCN wins 17 Associated Press Media Editors awards for work in 2016 (June 24, 2017) Spanning writing, photo, digital and multimedia categories and includes best website and a sweep of the multimedia category.

www.AllStarsChildrensDentist.com

Where Rising Stars Grow Shining Smiles. Taking interest in each child, their personalities and preferences, is an important part of any dental visit. Dr. John Haffner and his professional pediatric dental staff believe your child’s visit to the dentist should be fun and educational. Our all star team members have been specially trained to treat children with all needs and abilities.

We’re Close To Home Base. Located just a mile from GA 400 and Exit #17 in the Publix Shopping Center. Intersection of Keith Bridge Road and Brown’s Bridge Road.

Call today and schedule your child’s dental visit

770.292.9441

Level up: County schools rack up athletic scholarships (June 9, 2017) The 2016-17 school year came to a close with a record-setting 156 Forsyth County high school senior athletes signing scholarships to play in college. Lambert had the most with 46, followed by South Forsyth (35), West Forsyth (29), North Forsyth (21), Forsyth Central (18), Pinecrest Academy (eight) and Horizon Christian Academy (one).

2017

snapshot

Picture this. There is more than one way to tell a story or set a scene. We try to always be able to give our readers different mediums to digest what we observe. Here are some of our award-winning photos â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and some other of our favorites. Photos by Micah Green and Jim Dean

Clockwise from right: Evan Cole during his senior year at South Forsyth. A man helps bring in a box of material to a house under construction in west Forsyth. Forsyth Central pitcher Ethan Hankins zeroes in on the strike zone during the 2016-17 baseball season.

snapshot

2017

Clockwise from top: A man watches his son see his new face after surgery for the first time in Nigeria; A firefighter peers in the window of a burning building; thenpresidental candidate Donald Trump on stage at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta; a bee keeper holds his tools.

2017

snapshot

THE FUTURE

Story by Kayla Robins

OF FORSYTH 20 |

snapshot

2017

he future of Forsyth County is growth, and the future is imminent. On any given day, growth transpires in ways visible to both area natives and passersby along the now expanded Ga. 400 corridor. It presents itself in the form of four new schools being erected between 2016 and 2018. In the form of orange cones and red-clay dirt bulldozed on the side of the road. Creating more. Building upward. It can be seen in the exponential population boom diversifying the fastest-growing county in the state and the 11th in the nation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paving the road for a change in landscape in how we live, how we get there and who we are. Some say the unprecedented growth is unbridled. Exponential. Overbearing. Some welcome it. They cite the economy. The prosperity. The quality of life. One thing is for sure. Growth is imminent. What may not be as certain is what that will mean down the road (other than more roads). So weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to make some bold predictions. Fact-based predictions using history and data-driven projections without adjusting for the unknown that will inevitably shift the script to a new story. But predictions nonetheless. The future is imminent. The future of Forsyth County is growth.

2017

snapshot

COMMUNITY

HEALTHCARE

Before we can try to guess what amenities will be in Forsyth County in the future – let’s say 2040 – we have to look at who we will be. The population is not only growing as fast as the Road Runner runs. It’s changing. Diversifying. Gaining youth. Growing older.

Northside Hospital-Forsyth may be the cornerstone of healthcare in Forsyth, but there are myriad options for residents to get better soon. So many, in fact, that healthcare options are one of the reasons Forsyth County has been named the healthiest county in Georgia for the fifth year in a row.

It is projected that 8 million people will be living in the 20-county Atlanta region by 2040 holding 4 million jobs, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission, an addition of 2.5 million people. Forsyth’s population is expected to double in that time to 430,301 – a 108.2 percent change from 2015. If those projections come to pass, Forsyth will continue to grow faster than any other county in Georgia. The share of those residents who are 65 and older is expected to increase from about 11 to about 18 percent, and the percentage of millennials should increase slightly. Meanwhile, that gap will be filled by a decrease in those aged 35-64 from 42.7 percent to 38.35 percent. “They don’t want to drive as much, so that puts a different type of strain on resources,” said Jim Jaquish, a spokesman for the ARC. “So there will have to be a bigger move for more public transport and things like Uber and taxis.” The future of Forsyth County is new-age diversity.

22 |

snapshot

BOLD PREDICTION: Whether it is MARTA, buses or the next big-thing in Uber-type companies, public transport will reach Forsyth, in line with Ga. 400 having been expanded yet again. The county is becoming more racially diverse, too, with the Hispanic population projected to increase from 10.25 to 15.52 percent of the makeup. “The Atlanta region will remain a desirable place to live, thanks to our low cost of living and a strong economy that continues to create jobs,” said Mike Alexander, director of the ARC’s Center for Livable Communities. “We’ll see growth in existing suburban areas as well as the region’s core, as more people choose to live near jobs or transit.” The future of Forsyth County is niched. BOLD PREDICTION: In the place of municipalities, live-work-play character areas will retain residents, who are largely seniors or young adults, in their own neighborhoods. Constantly increasing traffic woes will lead to less communing outside of work, creating tight-knit communities resembling neighborhood-sized cities.

The 852-bed nonprofit healthcare provider is in talks to solidify a merger with Gwinnett Medical Center to create a single system across metro Atlanta and north Georgia. The NorthsideGwinnett Medical system would have about 1,400 beds, more than 16,000 employees and about 3,500 physicians on staff. Just the most recent change in an ever-morphing campus. A three-floor expansion opened last fall, bringing the Forsyth location to about 330 beds. “We started out in 2002

PREDICTED POPULATION INCREASE

with 41 beds. There’s been a significant amount of growth in a relatively [short] amount of time in the hospital world,” said Lynn Jackson, administrator of Northside Hospital-Forsyth. Properties were recently also annexed from the city of Cumming to continue building. The future of Forsyth County is health. BOLD PREDICTION: The merger will put Forsyth on the map as a major healthcare nucleus. If the population is going to double, why not assume the same for the hospital?

2040

430,301

2016

221,009

*Source: Atlanta Regional Commission, U.S Census Bureau 2017

EDUCATION It’s hard to imagine the school system constructing 37 more school campuses by 2040, which is what may need to happen to educate a doubled population of children. The ARC projected that 31.17 percent of the population in 2040 to be made up of Generation AA, who are not even born yet. School system administration and school board members have been adamant in finding new ways to teach students without being afraid of going against the grain or trying something new. With the district’s Strategic Waivers School System contract, they can do just that. More flexibility in state standards in exchange for strict accountability for success has worked for schools in Forsyth County so far – it earned the highest CCRPI score in Georgia last year, and students scored among the highest on

2040

Georgia Milestones. But already breaking 46,000 students enrolled in a public school, how will education change in the coming years to accommodate for an everincreasing number of learners? The future of education in Forsyth County is choices. BOLD PREDICTION: Virtual schools will explode in popularity, as will dual enrollment and blended learning-type programs that will turn students over quicker. East Forsyth High School may even finally be built.

COUNTY SIZE IN GEORGIA

5th largest 2016

8th largest 2017

snapshot

FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

MIDDLE SCHOOLS

1. Big Creek

22. DeSana

27. Otwell

23. Lakeside

28. Piney Grove

24. Liberty

29. Riverwatch

25. Little Mill

30. South Forsyth

26. North Forsyth

31. Vickery Creek

1994 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 887-4584

2. Brandywine

175 Martin Drive, Alpharetta, GA 30004 (770) 667-2585

3. Brookwood

2980 Vaughan Drive, Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5060

4. Chattahoochee 2800 Holtzclaw Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 781-2240

5. Chestatee

6945 Keith Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA 30506-6316 (770) 887-2341

6. Coal Mountain 3455 Coal Mountain Drive, Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 887-7705

7. Cumming

540 Dahlonega St., Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-7749

8. Daves Creek

3740 Melody Mizer Lane, Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 888-1222

9. Haw Creek

12. Mashburn 3777 Samples Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 889-1630

13. Matt 7455 Wallace Tatum Road, Cumming, GA 30028 (678) 455-4500

14. Midway 4805 Atlanta Highway, Alpharetta, GA 30004 (770) 475-6670

15. Sawnee 1616 Canton Highway, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-6161

3595 Old Atlanta Road, Suwanee, GA 30024 (770) 888-7511

18. Shiloh Point 8145 Major Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 341-6481

19. Silver City

20. Vickery Creek

24 |

snapshot

6800 Little Mill Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5000 3645 Coal Mountain Drive, Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 889-0743

610 James Burgess Road, Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 455-7311 4670 Windermere Parkway, Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 888-3170 6240 Post Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 667-2580

17. Sharon

10. Johns Creek

1180 Chamblee Gap Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (678) 965-4953

7465 Wallace Tatum Road, Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 781-4889

8135 Majors Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5010

600 James Burgess Road, Suwanee, GA 30024 (770) 887-1883

2555 Echols Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5070

11. Kelly Mill

2565 Echols Road, Cumming, GA 30041 (678) 965-5080

605 Tribble Gap Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-5248

16. Settles Bridge

6200 Dahlonega Highway, Cumming, GA 30028 (678) 965-5020

6205 Old Atlanta Road, Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 965-5041

625 James Road, Alpharetta, GA 30004 (770) 667-2591

6280 Post Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 346-0040

21. Whitlow 3655 Castleberry Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (678) 965-5090

HIGH SCHOOLS 32. Forsyth Central

131 Elm St., Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-8151

34. Lambert

805 Nichols Road, Suwanee, GA 30024 (678) 965-5050

35. North Forsyth

C. Alliance Academy for Innovation (opening 2018) 1100 Lanier 400 Parkway, Cumming, GA 30040

A. Denmark (opening 2018 in southwest Forsyth)

•

3635 Coal Mountain Drive, Cumming, GA 30028 (770) 781-6637

43. Gateway Academy

36. South Forsyth

39. Forsyth Academy

585 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming, GA 30041 (770) 781-2264

37. West Forsyth

4155 Drew Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 888-3470

(6-12 alternative program)

(6-12 non-traditional program)

33. Forsyth Virtual Academy (6-12 online school) www.forsyth.k12.ga. us/forsythacademy (770) 781-3141

2017

FCS BY THE NUMBERS • Highest CCRPI score among large districts and metro-Atlanta (92.5) • Highest ACT score in GA (24.1) • Highest SAT math score in GA (539) • Highest Financial Efficiency Star Rating in GA (5-star) • Highest graduation rate in metro-Atlanta (92.7%) • Highest SAT score in metro-Atlanta (1585) • Lowest cost per pupil among 12 largest districts in Georgia • 46% enrollment in AP courses

For complete information on Forsyth County Schools visit: www.forsyth.k12.ga.us

2017

• 7th largest district in Georgia • 37 schools • 44,675 students enrolled in 2016 White: 65.22% Hispanic: 12.67% Asian: 15.21% Black: 3.39% Multi-racial: 2.79% American Indian/Alaskan: 0.40% Pacific Islander: 0.06%

snapshot

YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS CUMMING CITY COUNCIL City Hall 100 Main St. Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 781-2010 H. Ford Gravitt, Mayor (770) 887-4342 Christopher Light (770) 480-1396 Quincy Holton, Mayor Pro-Tem (770) 887-5279 Lewis Ledbetter (770) 887-3019 Linda Ledbetter (770) 781-2010 Charles Welch (770) 781-2010

FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS County administration building 110 East Main St. Cumming GA 30040 (770) 781-2101

Todd Levent, Chairman District 3 (678) 513-5883 tlevent@forsythco.com

R.J. (Pete) Amos District 1 (678) 513-5881 rjamos@forsythco.com

Cindy Jones Mills District 4 (678) 513-5884 cjmills@forsythco.com

Rick Swope, Vice Chairman District 2 (678) 313-3882 rhswope@forsythco.com

Laura Semanson, Secretary District 5 (678) 513-5885 losemanson@forsythco.com

snapshot

BOARD OF EDUCATION District central office 1120 Dahlonega Highway Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 887-2461 Ann Crow District 1 (770) 490-6316 acrow@forsyth.k12.ga.us Kristin Morrissey, Chairwoman District 2 (678) 250-4047 kmorrissey@forsyth.k12.ga.us

2017

Cumming Dental Associates

Tom Cleveland District 3 (770) 844-9901 tcleveland@forsyth.k12.ga.us

1200 Bald Ridge Marina Rd., Ste. 200 (Located at Exit 15 across from Costco)

Cumming, Georgia 30041

770-781-8650 www.cummingdental.com

Darla Light District 4 (770) 887-0678 dlight@forsyth.k12.ga.us Nancy Roche, Vice Chairwoman District 5 (770) 889-0229 nroche@forsyth.k12.ga.us

U.S. LEGISLATORS

STATE LEGISLATORS

U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (202) 224-3643, D.C. (770) 661-0999, GA

Sen. Steve Gooch District 51 (404) 656-9221

U.S. Sen. David Perdue 3280 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 2640, Atlanta, GA 30305 (202) 224-3521 U.S. Rep. Doug Collins District 9 (202) 225-9893, D.C. (770) 297-3388, GA U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall District 7 (202) 225-4272, D.C. (770) 232-3005, GA

Sen. Michael Williams District 27 (404) 656-7127

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME EMERGENCY CARE Dr. Kevin Short Dr. Susan Swain Dr. Blake Upshaw Dr. Alexandra McTier

$99

Dr. Susan Kramer Dr. Teresa Esker Dr. Ryan Brown Dr. Javid Yavari (Orthodontist)

Take-Home Teeth Whitening System

Care Credit® Financing

• Cosmetic & Whitening Services • Orthodontics / Braces • Root Canals • Crowns / Bridges • Dentures • Implants / Mini Implants • Oral Medication for Anxiety • Nitrous Oxide / Laughing Gas • Oral Surgery / Wisdom Teeth • Botox/Dermal Filler • TMJ Treatment • Most Insurance Accepted

New Location in Vickery Village opening late

2017

Rep. Kevin Tanner District 9 (404) 656-0152 Rep. Wes Cantrell District 22 (404) 656-0202 Rep. Sheri Gilligan District 24 (404) 656-0325 Rep. Todd Jones District 25 (404) 656-0298 Rep. Geoff Duncan District 26 (404) 656-7859

2017

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THINGS TO DO AROUND FORSYTH COUNTY IN THE CITY Cumming Fairgrounds The Fairgrounds, located in downtown Cumming just off the square, is home to the annual Cumming Country Fair and Festival, an event that has become the landmark attraction in Forsyth County each October. Also hosted at the Fairgrounds are weekly summer farmers markets, the IPRA World Championship Rodeo, the Steam and Gas Engine Expo, an Indian Heritage Village, Taste of Forsyth and the county’s July 4th celebration. 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 781-3492 CummingFair.net

Lake Lanier Mary Alice Park Road leads directly to a beach and campground on Lake Lanier, where visitors can take advantage of beach and swimming areas, pavilions, picnic tables, grills, boat ramps and a campground.

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Cumming Aquatic Center Great for kids and families to take lessons, swim and play in the splash pad. 201 Aquatic Circle, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 781-1781 CummingAquaticCenter.com Hours: May 27-August 2 Mon-Sat 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 2:30–6:30 p.m. Sunday 1–6 p.m. August 5-September 4 Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 2:30–6:30 p.m. Sunday 1–6 p.m.

The Cumming Playhouse

101 School St., Cumming GA 30040 (770) 781-9178 PlayhouseCumming.com

2017

IN THE COUNTY Forsyth County Public Libraries Cumming Library 585 Dahlonega St., Cumming GA 30040 Hampton Park Library 5345 Settingdown Road, Cumming, GA 30041

Forsyth County Parks and Recreation 25 public parks or recreation centers

How big is it? Phases 1-4 span from McFarland Parkway to Kelly Mill Road for about 9.6 miles. When Phase 5 is complete, it will span about 15 miles in Forsyth County.

Big Creek Greenway What is it? A linear park that provides conservation, recreation, environmental education and alternative transportation through a 12-foot-wide concrete boardwalk that goes through the woods along Big Creek, ideal for walking, jogging, running, biking and inline skating.

Access points 5120 Bethelview Road – parking and bathrooms 4110 Carolene Way at Fowler Park – parking and bathrooms 1622 McFarland Parkway – parking for about 50 vehicles and portable bathrooms 5259 Union Hill Road – parking for about 25 vehicles and bathrooms ForsythCo.com

Post Road Library 5010 Post Road, Cumming, GA 30040 Sharon Forks Library 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming, GA 30041 Phone (770) 781-9840

2017

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SCENES FROM BEST OF FORSYTH 2017 We held our inaugural banquet to celebrate our Best Of contest winners. Nominations for the 2018 contest open in September. For a complete list of this year's winners, visit ForsythNews.com/BestOf.

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2017

November 11, 2017 North Forsyth High School Sign Up: www.ruckerpet.com/ruffandtuff

BeneďŹ tting K9s for Warriors