CTL Script/ Top Stories of January 9th 

Publish Date: January 9th 

Pre-Roll:  

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

Today is Friday, January 9th and Happy Birthday to Jimmy Page 

I’m Chris Culwell and here are the stories Cherokee is talking about, presented by Times Journal 

1. Fincher wins runoff for Cherokee County’s state House seat
2. Farm Bureau seeks entries for High School Art Contest
3. Georgia Republicans move to scrap state income tax by 2032 despite concerns

Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on saturated fats 

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: INGLES 10 

STORY 1: Fincher wins runoff for Cherokee County’s state House seat 

Republican Bill Fincher is poised to take the Georgia House District 23 seat, according to unofficial results. With all precincts reporting by 8:57 p.m. Tuesday, Fincher secured 71.38% of the vote—4,345 ballots—against Democrat Scott Sanders, who pulled in 1,742 votes. 

Fincher, a retired assistant DA and RV park owner, thanked supporters on Facebook: “To everyone who voted, knocked doors, prayed, or just believed—thank you. I’m humbled and ready to get to work.” 

Sanders, meanwhile, called his campaign a success, saying, “We hit every goal and laid the groundwork for 2026. No more uncontested elections.” 

The seat, left vacant after Rep. Mandi Ballinger’s passing, saw six candidates in the Dec. 9 special election. Fincher and Sanders advanced to the runoff. 

Turnout was low—just 13.75%—with most votes cast on Election Day. Results will be certified Friday after the elections board reviews one provisional ballot. 

STORY 2: Farm Bureau seeks entries for High School Art Contest 

 Hey, high school artists—this one’s for you! The 2026 Georgia Farm Bureau High School Art Contest is here, and there’s cash on the line. The state winner gets $250, and 10 district winners snag $100 each. Not bad, right? 

It’s open to all 9th–12th graders (public, private, or homeschool). The rules? Create your masterpiece on 8.5 x 11-inch white paper using black, white, and gray. Use whatever works—charcoal, graphite, pen, chalk, mixed media, you name it. Just one entry per person, though. 

Deadline? Feb. 6. Drop your entry at the Cherokee County Farm Bureau office. Questions? Call 770-479-1481. Let’s see what you’ve got! 

STORY 3: Georgia Republicans move to scrap state income tax by 2032 despite concerns 

 Cutting state income taxes sounds great, right? But here’s the catch: how do you replace billions in lost revenue without gutting schools, health care, or public safety—or jacking up other taxes? That’s the question Georgia Republicans are wrestling with as they push to eliminate the state’s personal income tax by 2032. 

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, eyeing the governor’s mansion in 2026, is leading the charge, with State Sen. Blake Tillery backing him up. Their plan? Start by exempting the first $50,000 of income for singles ($100,000 for couples) in 2027. Sounds nice, but it’d cost the state $3.8 billion in year one alone. 

Tillery says they’ll cover it with surplus funds and borrowing for infrastructure, but critics—Democrats and even some Republicans—aren’t sold.  

For now, the debate rages on. 

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We’ll be right back. 

Break: INGLES 1 

STORY 4: Prep Roundup: Hamby, Bass have record-setting nights 

Creekview’s Kailyn Hamby had a night to remember, shattering both the single-game and all-time scoring records as the Grizzlies rolled past Sprayberry, 62-35. Hamby dropped 33 points, grabbed six boards, and helped Creekview climb to 13-1 overall and 4-0 in Region 6AAAAA. They’re now neck-and-neck with River Ridge for the top spot. Next up? A Friday showdown at Pope. 

Meanwhile, River Ridge stayed unbeaten in region play, edging Pope 70-60 behind Finley Parker’s 28 points and Makayla Roberson’s 25. 

Elsewhere, North Paulding handled Etowah 56-46, and Sequoyah crushed Woodstock 78-50 with a dominant third-quarter run. Cherokee also outlasted Wheeler, 41-34. 

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Will Rajecki. If you’ve followed Cherokee County football these past few years, you know the name. It’s only fitting he caps off his high school career as the 2025 Cherokee County Offensive Player of the Year. 

Records? He smashed them. Flashy stats? Oh, plenty. Rajecki was the heart of Sequoyah’s offense, leading the Chiefs to their first region title since 2003 and back-to-back state quarterfinals for the first time ever. 

The numbers are wild: 4,049 career rushing yards (a school record), 66 all-purpose touchdowns, and a jaw-dropping seven-touchdown game against Sprayberry that landed him third in state history. 

This season alone, he racked up 1,974 rushing yards, 30 touchdowns, and helped Sequoyah to a 35-14 record over his four varsity years. 

Now? He’s weighing offers from Arkansas, Oregon State, and Georgia after decommitting from Memphis. Wherever he lands, one thing’s clear: Rajecki’s story is just getting started. 

STORY 5: Cagle names appointee to Cherokee County T-SPLOST committee 

 Cherokee County just named the first three members of its new T-SPLOST Citizens Review Committee, a group tasked with keeping an eye on how the county spends its transportation sales tax dollars. 

On Tuesday, Commissioner Will Cagle appointed Jack Norton, a Canton resident, Marine Corps vet, and small business owner with a background in transportation.  

Norton joins Ashley Holcomb, appointed by Chairman Harry Johnston, and Tom Teague, chosen by Commissioner Benny Carter. Two spots are still open, but Johnston isn’t worried.  

The 1% T-SPLOST, approved by voters in November, kicks off April 1 and is expected to bring in $445 million over six years. The committee’s job? Make sure the funds are spent responsibly and projects stay on track. They’ll review reports, offer recommendations, and keep the public informed—but they can’t change the project list. 

Meetings will be open to the public, with the 2026 schedule set at the first session. 

And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on saturated fats 

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We’ll have closing comments after this.  

 COMMERCIAL: INGLES 2 

SIGN OFF –   

Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.tribuneledgernews.com 

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