CTL Script/ Top Stories of January 30th        

Publish Date: January 29th     

From the Ingles Studio Welcome to the Award-Winning Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast 

Today is Tuesday, January 30th and Happy heavenly Birthday to President Franklin Roosevelt.

***01.30.24 – BIRTHDAY – FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT***

I’m Keith Ippolito and here are the stories Cherokee is talking about, presented by Credit Union of Georgia. 

1. Cherokee Senior School Tax Homestead Exemption Bill Introduced in State Senate
2. 'A City That Feels Like Home': Caldwell Shares Updates in State of the City
3. Woodstock Announces Summer Concert Series Lineup

Plus, Bruce Jenkins sits down with Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets to discuss cross contact and contamination.

We’ll have all this and more coming up on the Cherokee Tribune-Ledger Podcast, and if you’re looking for Community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe! 

Commercial: CU of GA

STORY 1: Cherokee Senior School Tax Homestead Exemption Bill Introduced in State Senate

State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, R-East Cobb, introduced Senate Bill 388, a companion bill to House Bill 1025, seeking a referendum to expand Cherokee County's senior school property tax homestead exemption. The bills aim to grant Cherokee County seniors aged 62 and older, and disabled residents, who have lived in the county for at least five years, an exemption from all Cherokee County School District ad valorem taxes for educational purposes for the full value of the homestead. The legislation requires approval through a local ballot referendum election concurrent with or before the May 21 primary election, with implementation set for January 1, 2025, if passed.

STORY 2: 'A City That Feels Like Home': Caldwell Shares Updates in State of the City

Mayor Michael Caldwell of Woodstock, Georgia, delivered his "State of the City" address, outlining the city's achievements and future. He highlighted priorities such as expanding parks and trails, recruiting high-paying jobs, and making homeownership more accessible. Woodstock reported its largest-ever investments in public safety and parks in the last two years, maintaining low crime rates and fully staffing the police department. The city also received approval for a $24 million parks bond, with projects like the Little River Park set for completion by the end of 2025. Woodstock aims to address traffic issues while continuing infrastructure improvements and commercial development. Here is Mayor Caldwell highlighting being the only city not raise taxes last year…

STORY 3: Woodstock Announces Summer Concert Series Lineup

The 2024 Woodstock Summer Concert Series, announced by Mayor Michael Caldwell, will showcase a variety of music genres. The free concerts will take place at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Amphitheater in downtown Woodstock. The season kicks off with Night Ranger on May 11, followed by The Guardians of the Jukebox on June 8, Tonic on July 13, Who's Bad, a Michael Jackson tribute act, on August 10, and will conclude with Eddie Montgomery of country duo Montgomery Gentry on September 14. Each concert begins at 7:30 p.m. For more details, visit woodstockconcertseries.com. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. 

Back in a moment.

Break: DRAKE – CHEROKEE CHAMBER

STORY 4: Hightower Gives 'State of the School District' Address

Cherokee County School District (CCSD) in Georgia continues to achieve academic success, with Superintendent Brian Hightower highlighting the district's strong performance at the State of Cherokee County event. CCSD ranks among the top districts in Georgia, with high average scores on the ACT and SAT. The district also emphasizes career and technical education, with an expansion of pathways from 38 to 45 in 2023. CCSD has achieved its highest graduation rates on record for the past two years, reaching 92.3% in 2022 and 92.2% in 2023. The district remains the largest employer in Cherokee County, with a 92% retention rate.

STORY 5: Cherokee Resident Appointed to Lead National Military Suicide Prevention Campaign

Cherokee County resident Kali Hoffman has been appointed to lead Blue Star Families' nationwide suicide prevention campaign. As a military spouse with firsthand experience in frontline emergency response during the COVID-19 crisis, Hoffman, alongside her Marine veteran husband, understands the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and the impact of suicide on military families. Hoffman introduced the "Combat the Silence" campaign, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, which focuses on creating a supportive community and addressing the unique mental health challenges faced by military families. The campaign includes Blue Star Support Circles, providing crisis intervention and firearm safety training.

Commercial: GCPS– INGLES 4

STORY 6: INGLES - LEAH

And here is Bruce Jenkin’s conversation with Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on cross contact and contamination.

We’ll have closing comments after this. 

COMMERCIAL: HELLER LAW 

SIGN OFF –  

Thanks again for listening to today’s Cherokee Tribune Ledger podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Marietta Daily Journal Podcast, the Gwinnett Daily Post, the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties, or the Paulding County News Podcast. Get more on these stories and other great content at tribune ledger news.com. Giving you important information about our community and telling great stories are what we do.  

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Produced by the BG Podcast Network

Show Sponsors:

• ingles-markets.com
• jeffhellerlaw.com
• drakerealty.com
• esogrepair.com
• cherokeechamber.com
• gcpsk12.org/jobs

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