CTL Script/ Top Stories of August 8th
Publish Date: August 8th
Pre-Roll:
From the Ingles Studio Welcome to the Award-Winning Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast
Today is Friday, August 8th and Happy Birthday to Roger Federer
I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are the stories Cherokee is talking about, presented by Times Journal
Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on peaches
We’ll have all this and more coming up on the Cherokee Tribune-Ledger Podcast, and if you’re looking for Community news, we encourage you to listen and subscribe!
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STORY 1: Federal loan to help finance Georgia 400 toll lanes
Georgia 400’s getting a major upgrade, and the federal government just handed over a massive $3.89 billion loan to make it happen. It’s the biggest loan ever awarded under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), and it’s all going toward adding toll lanes in Fulton and Forsyth counties.
The project, a $4.6 billion public-private partnership, will add two toll lanes in each direction along a 16-mile stretch—from the North Springs MARTA station to just north of McFarland Parkway. Expected to open in 2031, the lanes could save drivers 15 minutes per trip and cut crashes by 8%.
Gov. Brian Kemp called it a win for Georgia’s transportation network, while Javier Gutierrez, CEO of SR400 Peach Partners, said the loan is a “game-changer.”
Oh, and there’s a transit twist: $75 million will go toward bus rapid transit improvements along the corridor. Optional tolls, faster commutes, and a nod to public transit—progress, right?
STORY 2: Mass shooting wounds five soldiers at Fort Stewart
Chaos broke out Wednesday morning at Fort Stewart, southwest of Savannah, when five soldiers were shot in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area.
The alleged shooter, Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, was apprehended by 11:35 a.m., thanks to nearby soldiers who tackled and subdued him before law enforcement arrived. Radford, who used a personal handgun, has no combat history but does have a recent DUI on his record.
The victims, initially treated on-site, were later transported to Winn Army Community Hospital. Two were sent to Savannah’s Memorial Health for advanced care. All are stable and expected to recover, according to Brig. Gen. John Lubas.
Gov. Brian Kemp and Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock expressed their prayers and support for the victims and the Fort Stewart community.
The base went into lockdown within minutes, though it was lifted an hour later, except for the combat team complex. Investigators are still piecing together how Radford got the gun onto the base—and why he did it.
STORY 3: Developer looking to build industrial park near Ball Ground
Cherokee County leaders are gearing up for a public hearing in September to decide whether a developer can build 10 office and industrial buildings near Ball Ground.
The Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to schedule the hearing for 6 p.m. on Sept. 16 at the Cherokee County Conference Center in Canton. The developer, Ball Ground Business Park, LLC, wants to rezone 69 acres on East Cherokee Drive from residential and office use to light industrial.
The plan? Ten buildings, 325,000 square feet total, with 330 parking spaces. The developer insists the light industrial zoning won’t bring noise or odors, but the Planning Commission has already recommended denying the request.
Commission Chairman Harry Johnston, however, isn’t sold on the denial. “It’s across from the landfill—the largest east of the Mississippi—and next to a wastewater plant. Industrial use seems logical,” he said, pushing for the additional hearing.
Access to the site would include driveways on East Cherokee Drive and Cokers Chapel Road, with deceleration lanes planned to manage traffic.
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STORY 4: Cherokee County leaders vote to hold property tax rates steady
The Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to keep property tax rates steady for 2025, holding the maintenance and operations (M&O) millage rate at 5.153 mills. Fire services will stay at 2.888 mills, and the parks bond rate drops slightly to 0.26 mills, for a total of 8.301 mills.
Even with no rate increase, rising property values mean the county will collect more tax revenue. For a $500,000 homestead property, that’s about $35.88 more than the rollback rate.
Residents voiced concerns about budget cuts, especially to the sheriff’s office, during public hearings. “Don’t tax us into foreclosure,” one resident pleaded.
Cherokee still boasts one of the lowest millage rates in metro Atlanta, with the parks bond expected to be paid off by 2029.
STORY 5: Woodstock officials celebrate the groundbreaking for Little River Park
Woodstock finally broke ground Tuesday on the long-anticipated Little River Park—a project that’s been years in the making.
Spanning 110 acres, it’ll be the city’s largest park once finished, complete with a scenic trail hugging Little River, a lake for fishing and kayaking, and plenty more. The land, tucked along Trickum Road, was purchased back in 2017.
Fast forward to 2023: 87% of voters said “yes” to a parks bond, giving the city the funds to speed things up. In June, the council approved an $8 million contract to get construction rolling. If all goes as planned, the park opens in late 2026.
And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on peaches
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