Etowah River Park Plans Delayed; Cherokee Teens Make Historic Trip

1. Cherokee Charter Academy will open as planned after a public-private partnership of "corporate, individual, and foundation charter school supporters" helped closed the funding gap that organizers of the school were scrambling to fill. Gov. Nathan Deal made the announcement Thursday. Click for details.

2. After hearing a Cumming man claim self-defense in the shooting death of their daughter, Shannon Lawrence's mother and father shared their thoughts with Patch on Thursday. Denise Ray has the report .

3. Dizzy Dean might have to wait to play baseball at Etowah River Park. At Thursday's work session, city leaders decided to push back plans for the 60-acre park, which was slated to open late next year. With the exception of council members Jack Goodwin, Amelia Rose and Pat Tanner, officials said a new design that meets the needs of all taxpayers was necessary. The current design only includes five basbeball fields.

In other news, Rush postponed discussion of a millage rate increase at Thursday's work session.

4. Teenagers from Cherokee County made the trip to Florida for last Friday's Space Shuttle launch. Watch Ashton Woolen's video of the journey at 10 a.m. 

5. will host a launch party for Time in Contention 3: The Trouble in Tombstone, the final novel in a series by celebrity authors Cindy Smith and T.B. Burton. The party begins at 5 p.m. tonight. Jeannie Caryn will have the details later today.