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Newspaper Page Text
National VVA
president visits
to recognize
local chapters
past president
See story
Page 4A
Sports
Forsyth athletes sign
to continue playing
in college.
Page IB
FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS
Midweek Edition-May 22-23,2024 FORSYTHNEWS.COM (j forsythcountynews ^ @ForsythNews (©) @ForsythNews $2.00
BOC sets new date for mental health solutions
By Daniel Dotson
danieldotson@forsythnews.com
After a vote to dissolve the for
merly approved Mental Health
Advisory Committee, the Board
of Commissioners voted to form
a staff-directed stakeholder group
to present possible solutions for
mental health services in Forsyth
County.
During a meeting on May 7, it
was made clear to the Board that
the mental health committee
could not meet because the
Forsyth County school system,
which was planned to have three
representatives on the committee,
opted not to participate.
It was determined that a new
direction to resolve mental health
concerns would be discussed dur-
ing the next Board of
Commissioners meeting on
Thursday, May 16.
During the May 16 meeting,
several Forsyth County residents
addressed the Board to express
mental health concerns regarding
children and veterans in the com
munity.
One such speaker was veteran
Tom Burgess, who deployed 12
times to Iraq and Afghanistan
during a 23-year career with the
United States Military.
“Unique combinations of
stressors [that] military personnel
experience place them at
increased risk for behavioral
health concerns,” said Burgess.
“Locally, according to the 2020
census, Forsyth County has
almost 2,000 disabled vets. Who
do they call... when one of them
is in crisis?”
Burgess listed statistics from
the Department of Veterans
Affairs stating that veterans have
a 21% higher risk of suicide than
non-veterans and that the suicide
rate of veterans aged 18-34
increased by 95% from 2001 to
2020.
Also present at the meeting
United States Military veteran Tom Burgess addressed the
See Mental health 15A Board of Commissioners during a meeting on Thursday, May 16.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County
Trader Joe’s at Lidl site?
Sign announcing store revealed as school prank
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
A new sign promising a Trader
Joe’s grocery store recently
popped up at the site of the yet-
to-open Lidl at Kelly Mill and
Bethelview Roads, but locals
shouldn’t get their hopes up.
The sign popped up on
Thursday, May 15 with the words
“Trader Joe’s Coming Soon!”
and a QR code that sheds some
light on who is behind putting up
the banner.
The code goes to a page that
says, “Just Kidding
#SENIORPRANK and “Trader
Joe’s NOT coming soon but
maybe one day ;)” while playing
Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out.”
The link does not reveal which
senior class pulled the prank, but
West Forsyth High School is
roughly a mile away from the
sign.
Forsyth County residents have
been waiting for both grocery
stores to open in the community.
Lidl, which began construction
in 2021, received a Certificate of
Occupancy in September 2022.
Signs at the store were covered
in white wraps in February,
though Lidl officials told FCN
“We still plan to open the Lidl
store in Cumming, GA, but we
do not have an opening date to
share just yet.”
Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s
recently filed a business location
verification document with the
Forsyth County government con
firming that the grocery store will
be coming to Halcyon.
According to officials, con
struction of the Trader Joe’s is
expected to begin soon, though
no anticipated completion time
line has been announced.
Photo courtesy Sam Flail
A sign recently popped up outside the long-awaited Lidl at Bethelview and Kelly
Mill roads promising a rival grocery store.
New laws may
help pay for
The Gathering
By Daniel Dotson
danieldotson@forsythnews.com
Two bills focused on funding options for
The Gathering at South Forsyth were
recently signed into law.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill
1476, which allows Forsyth County to
increase its hotel excise tax, and House Bill
1488, which grants Forsyth County the
opportunity to establish a tax allocation
district by using newly awarded redevelop
ment powers.
Both bills had full support from the
Forsyth County delegation.
“These are two really important bills for
our local economy,” said Forsyth County
Chamber of Commerce President and CEO
See Gathering 13A
Man arrested on
sexual battery,
sodomy charges
By Kelly Whitmire
kwhitmire@forsythnews.com
A Roswell man was
recently arrested on
charges of sodomy, sexu
al battery, aggravated
assault and battery in
connection with an
alleged Forsyth County
crime.
Forsyth County Jail
records show that Daniel
Luis Garcia, 26, is being held on no
See Charges 13A
Garcia
85/65
Forecast! 2A
Memorial Day
Ceremony to
be held at City
Center. 5A
Forsyth County News app
available for download
FCN
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0400
Find the app at
forsythnews.com/apps
for local news at your
fingertips.
Volume 115, Number 39
2024, Forsyth County News
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