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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
Midweek Edition-November 16-17, 2022 FORSYTHNEWS.COM forsythcountynews Q @ForsythNews (@J @ForsythNews $1.00
North grad found dead; ex-classmate suspected
Risner
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
A 21-year-old from Cumming was
found dead in Rome over the weekend,
and an apparent former classmate has
been charged with murder in the case.
According to a news release from
the Rome Police Department, Aaron
William Davis, 21, of Cumming, was
found dead in Rome on Saturday, Nov.
12 after his vehicle was found aban
doned and family members reportedly
told police Davis was “overdue meet
ing friends in Alabama.”
“Officers began conducting a miss
ing person investigation,” the release
said. “Signs of foul play were discov
ered at the location Mr. Davis was last
known to have been. As the investiga
tion continued and leads were fol
lowed, the deceased body of Mr. Davis
was discovered off Tumlin Drive."”
A Rome PD spokesperson said
Davis had several wounds that
appeared to be from a bladed weapon.
According to the Floyd County Jail’s
website, the suspect in the case,
Brandon Christopher Risner, also 21,
was arrested on Saturday and is being
held on no bond with charges of felony
murder, concealing the death of anoth
er, aggravated assault and willful
obstruction of law enforcement offi
cers.
According to Forsyth County
Schools officials, Davis graduated
from North Forsyth High School in
See Death 13A
'A perfect opportunity'
Photos from Forsyth County Board of Education
Rep.Todd Jones speaks to the Forsyth County Board of Education about his idea forThe Rural
Project, an initiative aiming to bring Forsyth STEM resources to rural Georgia.
FCS working to bring STEM education to rural kids
FCS Superintendent Dr. Jeff Bearden and the Board of
Education share their thoughts on The Rural Project at their
latest work session.
By Sabrina Kerns
skerns@forsythnews.com
Forsyth County Schools is
working with District 25 state Rep.
Todd Jones and the Cherokee
County School District to help
bring online STEM classes to stu
dents in rural Georgia.
Jones told the Forsyth County
Board of Education at its recent
work session that he first came up
with the idea for The Rural Project
initiative when speaking to the
president of a university in Atlanta
who said students’ experience with
technology plays a factor in admit
tance to the school.
And in turn, he found out very
few students from cities south of
Macon, where STEM resources
and teachers are lacking, had been
accepted to the university this year.
“That was the motivation imme
diately,” Jones said. “I left that
[meeting] and all I could think
about was birthright should not
give you the right or ability to go
to Georgia Tech, Georgia State,
University of North Georgia, West
Georgia, you name it. Rather,
every child should have the oppor
tunity that they have here in
Forsyth.”
Jones quickly reached out to
FCS Superintendent Dr. Jeff
Bearden to brainstorm how to help
students in districts where these
STEM resources were inaccessi
ble.
In the end, they decided to try to
bring Forsyth’s resources to them.
Forsyth Virtual Academy
Principal Drew Hayes and his
team partnered with the Cherokee
See STEM 13A
Sports park
project takes
step forward
By Ashlyn Yule
ayule@forsythnews.com
A proposed major sports project in south Forsyth
is one step closer to becoming a reality following a
decision from commissioners at the board’s latest
work session.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, The Forsyth County Board of
Commissioners heard a presentation about the SoFo
Sports Park, formerly known as Winner’s Circle
Park, from officials from SoFo Sports Group and the
county’s Development Authority.
Following the presentation, commissioners
approved an economic incentive package recom
mended by the Development Authority.
Among plans for the park are nine diamond fields
for baseball and softball, a 125,000-square-foot
indoor sports facility, 21 pickleball courts and res
taurants.
Michael Grade, chief operating officer of SoFo
See Park 12A
Burlington marks
store opening with
school donation
By Ashlyn Yule
ayule@forsythnews.com
A Title I school in Forsyth County will be getting
new supplies for each teacher’s classroom following
the grand opening and donation of a new store off
Market Place Boulevard.
The county’s first Burlington opened on Friday,
Nov. 11, and presented Chattahoochee Elementary
School principal Jennifer Williams with a surprise
$5,000 donation.
“We’re so thankful for this [donation],” Williams
said at the grand opening event. “And very excited
to put this [money] to good use.”
Hannah Samples, communications facilitator with
Forsyth County Schools, explained the donation
came from a partnership between Burlington and the
nonprofit AdoptAClassroom.org, which connects
donors and sponsors with schools to provide neces
sary classroom supplies.
See Donation 13A
48/30
Forecast! 2A
GOP picks Jon Burns
as next Georgia House
speaker. 5A
Forsyth County News app
available for download
Find the app at
forsythnews.com/apps
for local news at your
fingertips.
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7
Volume 113, Number 87
© 2022, Forsyth County News
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