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Forsyth J Your "Hometown CountvNews Paper" Since . Vol. 99, No. 87 Board delays redistricting Factors include parental outcry By Lara Moore Staff Writer A final decision in the con¬ tentious, months-long redistrict¬ ing process for the 2009-10 school year has been postponed until Sept. 18. The Forsyth County Board of Education decided on the delay Thursday after further parents School for all JR 1 '■MM L ■ ' 4*4 9RN * i If 4*4 ...%. y . ■ m — __ Photos/Emily Saunders Meredith Martin, 14, examines one of the vacation Bible school items to accompany the theme “Power Lab” at Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. Vacation Bible school starts today at many area churches. Rite of summer, VBS is blend of games, Gospel By Frank Reddy Staff Writer When it comes to organizing vacation Bible school, area youth ministers and chil¬ dren’s pastors agree. It takes lots of planning. June marks the start of vacation Bible school, or VBS, season for many local parents, children and churches. For ministers, it’s a way to teach kids about God in a fun environment. For children, it means, cookies, crafts, skits, Bible stories and a structured break from the summertime monotony. “Kids at our church have been talking See SCHOOL, Page 4A Sjf: H mtk fi % T if ( '»AS’* \ 1:1 1 , V * • n r * * i ^ i Missed paper policy: For a replacement paper, call 8:30 Thursday, a.m. -1:00 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday, Sunday (770) 887-3126. Copyright © 2007 Forsyth County NewT □ 7 SUNDAY June 1, 2008 outcry. In 2009, the district plans to open one middle, one high and three elementary schools, landing thousands of children in new learning environments. Some residents spoke at Thursday’s session on behalf of communities that have had their district lines redrawn five times since 1998. I "~ as i wm * K * ’ ! .....is 111 a « , ■m ■ : - 1 4 . _ — INDEX Abby............. 6B Births............ 4B Classifieds.. 3C Deaths......... ,2A Forsyth Life IB Horoscope. 6B Opinion....... 10A Sports........... 1C “The board has broken its published guidelines and broken commitments to over nine com¬ munities by redistricting them five times in eight years,” said Jack Aspenson, who lives in the Castlebrook community. Parents there want their chil¬ dren to remain at Vickery Creek Middle and West Forsyth High schools. New lines have them attending Otwell Middle and Forsyth Central High. “If you do not vote to restart Local Service to honor gospel music pioneer. Page 3 A this process, your shareholders will call for your dismissal on July 15,” Aspenson said. Board members Tom Cleveland and Nancy Roche are running for re-election this sum¬ mer. Both face opposition in the July Republican primary. Cleveland suggested postpon¬ ing a decision on redistricting until after school starts to allow the board to work with solid See DELAYS, Page 2A Above, Mitchell Martin, 10, holds some of the vaca¬ tion Bible school supplies. Left, Jane Martin shows some of the sup¬ plies that she and her family made to go along with their Bible school theme. ij it: Forsyth County News presents All-County lacrosse teams. Page 1C New team in town I Well, not yet. But Lambert High has decided on a mascot. The school, which is sched¬ uled to open in fall 2009, will be known as the Longhorns. See page 1C. Firefighter renews battle against cancer Experimental treatment is up next in third bout with disease By Julie Arrington Staff Writer There’s more to Robby Cowart than his disease. He’s a firefighter. He’s a family man. He’s a beloved friend. He also refuses to let his battle with cancer keep him down. Cowart, 35, was first diagnosed in 2001 with osteosarcoma, a cancer that fonns in bone. The cancer was on the left side of his head and was treated with surgery and chemotherapy. It reappeared in 2005 in the same place. “After 30 surgeries and two rounds of radiation they said it was gone,” Cowart said. ‘Three years later, it has reappeared in my lungs.” Because of his condition, Cowart has been reas signed from Forsyth County Fire Station 3 to adminis¬ trative duties at the fire department’s headquarters. “I want my lungs back and I want to get back on the fire truck and get back to my crew,” Cowart said. In about a week, he is going to a clinic in San Antonio, where he will participate in clinical trials of a drug called Reolysin. Cowart said he is optimistic the treatment will extinguish the cancer once and for all. The drug, Cowart explained, uses a vims. When it comes in contact with tumors, it reproduces until “it blows them apart.” “It educates the immune system to fight that partic¬ ular cancer,” he said. “That’s how it’s been working, so that’s what I’m going out there for.” Though he would rather be fighting fires, he said he is grateful to be working. “I’ve been very fortunate to be where I’m at," he said “The administration at the fire department and the (human resources) department have been more than gracious to allow me to work in an office mode until I go out there.” See BATTLE, Page 2A L*C Photo/Emily Saunders From left, Jay Davis, Robby Cowart, Christian FI. Mild and Michele Crews stand in front of a fi retruck Friday at Station 3. Possible Storms . nh h High in the mid-80s. Low in the fnid-60s. 9 1 LIFE, IB Program helps men find new path • LAKE LANIER LEVELS Date Level May 26 1057.78 ft May 27 1057.77 ft May 28 1057.78 ft May 29 105774 .ft Full 1071 .GO’ft