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Conservation efforts in Forsyth gain 25 additional volunteers. See story Page 2A Sports North Forsyth stays undefeated in the region. Page IB ■ ■■• I gS* 820 Atlanta Hwy ■ Cumming % B ■■%»%■■■■ I SUBARU CremTfTfkst^^ (678) 341-4200 FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS Midweek Edition-October 26-27,2022 FORSYTHNEWS.COM forsythcountynews Q@ForsythNews (@J@ForsythNews $1.00 'We couldn't be happier with the turnout' Photos by Kelly Whitmire Forsyth County News Fire dept, touts smoke alarm saves By Kelly Whitmire kwhitmire@forsythnews.com After two recent homes were saved after owners were awakened by smoke alarms, officials with the Forsyth County Fire Department said there are several fire safety tips local residents should keep in mind as the weather cools down. Forsyth County Fire Department Division Chief Jason Shivers said on back-to-back days, firefighters responded to early-morning fires that would likely have been worse if residents were not awakened by the smoke alarms. “Two fires in a row, two nights in a row early in the morning while the occupants were asleep,” Shivers said. “In both cases, everyone in the home was able to get out safely because their smoke alarms properly notified them of the fire.” Firefighters responded to the first home, on Spindletop Drive off Hwy. 141 in south Forsyth, at about 3:45 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 20 after being contacted by members of the family. “The family was able to safely escape the home and notify 911,” Shivers said. “Of course, we were able to respond quickly and got the fire under control within just a few minutes of arriving and were able to save and salvage most of their home.” Pink Floyd tribute band Interstellar Echoes played the inaugural concert at the Cumming City Center’s Lou Sobh Amphitheater on Friday, Oct. 21. The following day, the city center also hosted the inaugural Fall Fun Day, which included a market, pie-eating contest, parade, trunk-or-treating and more. Cumming City Center hosts inaugural concert, Fall Fun Day Mayor Troy Brumbalow speaks to the crowd before Pink Floyd tribute band Interstellar Echoes plays the inaugural concert at the Cumming City Center’s Lou Sobh Amphitheater on Friday, Oct. 21. By Kelly Whitmire kwhitmire@forsythnews.com After years of construction and planning, the Cumming City Center recently hosted its first major weekend of events. The weekend kicked off on Friday, Oct. 21 with the city cen ter’s inaugural concert featuring Pink Floyd tribute band Interstellar Echoes at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater and continued on Saturday, Oct. 22 with the Fall Fun Day, which included a mar ket, pie-eating contest, an American Cancer Society Lantern Parade and a trunk-or-treat event hosted by Forsyth County Public Safety. “We couldn’t be happier with the turnout,” said Cumming Mayor Troy Brumbalow, who proposed construction of the city center as a campaign promise when first elected in 2017. “I guess for me, it was kind of the proudest moment I’ve had since being the mayor of all the hard work that has gone into this proj ect finally materializing where you have everyone out in the community having a good time and enjoying what the city has done. It was amazing.” Construction for the project began in 2019, and once complet ed, the center will feature 14 res taurants, more than 120,000 square feet of commercial uses and amenities including a board- See Concert 14A Bowling alley, mini golf course set for S. Forsyth Inside By Ashlyn Yule ayule@forsythnews.com South Forsyth will be getting another activity center complete with a bowling alley, mini golf course, arcade and hotel following a recent vote at the Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Oct. 20. Applicant SI Properties LLC has Commissioners tweak devel opment rules; residents ask for traffic relief, 2A requested to rezone approximately nine acres from single-family resi dential district to commercial busi ness district for a 31,800-square-foot indoor commercial recreational facili ty with 124 parking spaces along with retail and restaurants in com mercial buildings totaling 16,400 square feet with 84 parking spaces. The applicant also requested condi- tional-use permits for a 50,068-square-foot hotel with 140 parking spaces, an outdoor commer cial recreational facility, electronic See Bowling 16A See Fire 14A Forsyth Schools tech programs focus on future in district By Sabrina Kerns skerns@forsythnews.com Forsyth County Schools hosted a College and Career Development Stakeholder Summit at the FoCAL Center on Friday, Oct. 21, to showcase what the future of student career programs will look like in the district. Career Technical and Agricultural Education student Sriya Sirigireddy welcomed a crowd of families, busi ness leaders and other stakeholders to the event, announcing that the district released a new workforce strategy for CTAE developed with the help of the com munity over the last year. In the FoCAL Center’s lobby, participants were able to pick up a copy of the new Workforce Development Plan, which is updated every four years to align with local industry and economic needs. “This morning is really about releasing our next phase of where we’re headed for Career and Technical See CTAE 16A Sabrina Kerns Forsyth County News Forsyth County CTAE students speak on their experience in their pathways at the CTAE Stakeholders Summit. 65/45 Forecast! 2A Denmark's vet science program continues to grow. 7a Forsyth County News app available for download 90994 0400 Find the app at forsythnews.com/apps for local news at your fingertips. Volume 113, Number 82 © 2022, Forsyth County News Cumming, Georgia LOOK TO NORTHSIDE A Community of Care on a Mission to Heal