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WEDNESDAY January 2 s .-m • Forsyth County N £ws More than a century of covering our community | forsythnews.com | 50<t i ff L* f \ * J Jim Dean Forsyth County News Frank Norton Jr. says Forsyth County is positioned to be a lead er in economic recovery. Coach focus of probe Parents: Struck student in class By Jennifer Sami )sami@forsythnews.com West Forsyth High School’s varsi¬ ty boys basketball coach has been temporarily reassigned while author¬ ities investigate allegations that he struck a student in the classroom. According to the Forsyth County school system, Dennis Benedict remains a paid employee, but is not coaching or teaching. The system took action after the parents of a male freshman at West filed a report with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. The report involves an incident between the student and Benedict, who is also a biology teacher at West. Forsyth County Sheriff's Capt. Gene Moss said the matter is under investigation and authorities “won’t know until it’s done" exactly what transpired. In a letter Tuesday to parents and school staff, West Principal Betty Pope said the student’s parents con¬ tend Benedict "struck the student in the back of the head.” “A decision was made to pull the coach from his basketball coaching duties Friday evening and reassign him to duties outside the classroom until both law enforcement and school system investigations could be completed and a determination See COACH 14A Schedule This year's Great Decisions lecture series is set for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.Thursday nights at the Cumming library branch, 585 Dahlonega Road. Topics include: •Thursday: Middle Eastern realignment with Victoria Hightower, assistant professor of history • Feb. 2: Cyber security with Bryson Payne, professor of computer science and North Georgia's chief information officer • Feb. 9: Promoting democracy with Jonathan Miner, assis¬ tant professor of political science • Feb. 16: Exit from Afghanistan and Iraq with Chris Jespersen, dean of the arts and letters school • Feb. 23: Indonesia with J.T Kwon, assistant professor of political science • March 1: Mexico withTamara Spike, associate professor of history • March 8: State of the oceans with Nancy Dalman, chair of the biology department • March 15: Energy geopolitics with Anna Rulska, assistant professor of political science 90994 TMOO lb Many heading to all-state band | 3A hails local Views Forsyth as economic leader By Crystal Ledford cledford@forsythnews.com An area real estate expert described Forsyth County as a leader in the eco¬ nomic and housing market recovery. EDUCATION YOUNG, ‘EXUBERANT’ h mi r ^ "i Spelling bee title goes to fourth-grader By Crystal Ledford cledtord@forsythnews.com She may have been one of the youngest competi¬ tors, but that didn’t stop Julia Vallier from taking top honors at the Forsyth County Schools Spelling Bee. On Saturday, representa¬ tives from all 28 elementary and middle schools in the Inside Volume 103, Number 14 © 2012, Forsyth County News Cumming, Georgia public system vied for the title of best speller. Each had won their respective schoolwide spell¬ ing bee for the chance to compete at the county level. They gathered Saturday morning at North Forsyth High School’s performing arts center, with a crowd of family members and friends cheering them on. After more than 10 rounds of competition, Vallier, a fourth-grader from Chestatee Elementary, claimed the crown by prop¬ erly spelling “exuberant" See BEE 14A NGCSU lecture series begins s session, others held at Cumming library By Crystal Ledford cledford@forsythnews.com Beginning Thursday night, residents are invited to take part in a popular internation¬ al lecture series. Great Decisions, an annu¬ al public educational pro¬ gram, will be presented by North Georgia College & State University for eight weeks. The lectuhts will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays through March 15 at the Cumming library Abby 4B Classifieds 5B Deaths 2A Horoscopes 2A Legals 1C Opinion 5A Sports 1B & 1 mi iw (ventral notches another win | IB Frank Norton Jr. discussed several of his 2012 “trends" Tuesday during the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Outlook break¬ fast. “Last year 1 told you [Forsyth County] was different, this year I’m telling you it’s a leader,” Norton shared with the crowd of about 200 at the Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center. Norton, president of the Gainesville- Photos by Autumn Vetter Forsyth County News Chestatee Elementary student Julia Vallier and Liberty Middle's Logan Ballard were the final spell¬ ers in Saturday's Forsyth County Schools Spelling Bee at North Forsyth High. Below, North Forsyth Middle student William Dyess spells a word. i ./J V IV.] branch. All sessions are free and open to the public. The series features univer¬ sity professors leading lec¬ tures and community discus¬ sions on various topics set by the Foreign Policy Association, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. This year’s topics range from Middle Eastern realignment to energy geo¬ politics and cyber security. In addition to Cumming, W Man found dead in city parking lot. based Norton Agency real estate and insurance firm, authors Native Intelligence, an annual economic fore¬ cast that provides data on a range of top¬ ics, including housing and job markets. He told the audience that this year's report features 10 "trends" for 2012, a few of which he highlighted Tuesday. The first, he said, is that “2012 isn’t the end of the world." See EXPERT 13A the lectures are also being held on Mondays at the civic center in Gainesville. All lecture topics are also featured in an accompanying booklet, produced by the Foreign Policy Association. The booklets can be pur¬ chased at any of the lectures, but are not required for par¬ ticipation. The topics are also fea¬ tured in the Great Decisions TV series, airing nationally on PBS. For more informa¬ tion, go online at www.fpa. org. Barone: k In defense of negative political ads. 61/47 Forecast 12A '