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FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
Midweek Edition-Nov. 23-24,2022 FORSYTHNEWS.COM forsythcountynews Q @ForsythNews (®)@ForsythNews $2.00
Funeral service held for EMT killed in crash
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
Emergency lights from fire
trucks, ambulances, police cars
and more flashed outside of
McDonald and Son Funeral
Home on Monday as first
responders remembered one of
their own.
On Monday, Nov. 21, the
funeral service was held for
Central EMS EMT Gina Ayres,
who was killed in a three-vehicle
wreck on Thursday, Nov. 17
while responding to an emergen
cy call.
“Gina was a consummate pro
fessional, the kind of medic that
you just want to have with you in
the firehouse: compassionate,
dedicated, detailed,” Forsyth
County Fire Department Div.
Chief Jason Shivers said on
Monday. “An amazing, amazing
lady, and she’s going to be
missed for many years. She’s
leaving a big void that is going to
be tough to fill.”
First responders from Forsyth
County were joined by employ
ees and vehicles from surround
ing areas who came to pay their
respects.
“A line of duty death, in any
branch of public safety, always
brings out what you see here, a
significant presence from multi
ple agencies and multiple public
safety professions, whether you
knew the deceased or not,”
Shivers said. “It’s just what we
do; it’s how we honor one anoth
er.”
Along with showing support at
the funeral, Shivers said first
responders from other counties
also covered work for EMS and
911 to allow those employees to
attend the service.
“We’re being covered for in a
mutual aid capacity by other
See Ayres 110A
Kelly Whitmire Forsyth County News
Two Forsyth County Fire Department fire trucks cross their
ladders in memory of Central EMS EMT Gina Ayres, who
died in a crash while responding to an emergency call on
Thursday, Nov. 17.
Residents gather to spread cheer
City Center holds first annual Winter Market, tree lighting
ByAshlyn Yule
ayule@forsythnews.com
With holiday season just
around the corner, the
Cumming City Center cele
brated with cold temperatures
but warm hearts at its first-ever
Winter Market and Christmas
Tree Fighting event.
Forsyth County residents
came together on Saturday,
Nov. 19 to peruse handmade
crafts, clothing and food from
local vendors, meet Santa and
pick up some yummy hot
cocoa.
The market was held until 5
p.m., and as excited friends
and families waited for the sun
to set, they were able to rock
out to some live music playing
at the amphitheater.
As soon as it got dark, the
large Christmas tree sitting in
the middle of the City Center
was lit up with bright lights,
shining and glowing all the
way to Canton Highway. Then
friends and family gathered
around the tree to sing songs,
take selfies and make lasting
holiday memories.
Above, following the market, a
tree lighting ceremony was held
to mark the City Center's first hol
iday season. Left, Santa made
an appearance at the winter mar
ket and tree lighting, talking with
children about what they wanted
for Christmas this year and
spreading holiday cheer.
Photos by Ashlyn Yule Forsyth County News
Company provides meals for FCSO employees, those in need
By Kelly Whitmire
kwh itm i re@f o rsythnews.com
Employees and volun
teers with a south Forsyth
workout supplement busi
ness put their muscles to
work to feed those in need
in the community and
members of the Forsyth
County Sheriff’s Office.
On Friday, Nov. 18,
employees and other vol-
Inside
Santa, hundreds of
helpers ride during
annualToy Run, 3A
unteers at FINAFFEX, a
healthy snack and supple
ment company, met at the
business’s headquarters at
3615 Francis Circle Ste.
100 to pack a truck and van
See Flex 13A
Employees and vol
unteers at
FINAFLEX, a
healthy snack and
supplement compa
ny based in south
Forsyth, packed
more than 100
Thanksgiving meals
for those in need in
the community.
Kelly Whitmire
Forsyth County News
Judge stops
school board
from limits
on speaking
By Sabrina Kerns
skerns@forsythnews.com
A federal judge ruled Wednesday, Nov. 16,
that parts of the Forsyth County Board of
Education’s public participation policy are
unconstitutional, temporarily banning mem
bers from enforcing the full policy.
The ruling came as part of a lawsuit a
group of local parents, called the Mama
Bears of Forsyth County, filed in late July
against Forsyth County Schools and mem
bers of the board alleging their public partici
pation policy and the decision to ban a par
ent, Alison Hair, from board meetings violat
ed citizens’ First Amendment rights.
The plaintiffs later filed a motion for pre
liminary injunction, asking the judge to tem
porarily repeal the board’s enforcement of its
policy and ban over Hair while the case con
tinues forward before final decisions are
made.
In his ruling, Richard W. Story, U.S.
District Judge for the Northern District of
Georgia, partially granted the injunction and
noted the board would no longer be able to
enforce parts of its public participation poli
cy.
“We are ecstatic about this ruling,” said
Cindy Martin, chair of the Mama Bears.
“The Forsyth County Board of Education
can no longer ban parents or free speech
from their meetings. This ruling upholds the
right of every citizen to freedom of speech
and freedom to petition our government. No
matter what side of an issue you are on, this
is a victory for all people.”
One part of the board policies the court
found unconstitutional is the requirement
that speakers must address the board in a
“respectful manner.” The ruling states the
phrase is “highly subjective and lends itself
to broad interpretation” by the board.
“In the Court’s view, the public participa
tion policy’s ‘respectful manner’ requirement
See Lawsuit 16A
67/45
Forecast] 2A
College Board
surprises student with
$40K scholarship. 4A
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Volume 113, Number 89
© 2022, Forsyth County News
Cumming, Georgia
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