Since April '11, 2,300 More Residents

1. The recounts of the  and  races were held Thursday at the  in Canton. Click on the following link for details.

2. The attorney for a fired  employee indicted in April 2011 in connection with the alleged sexual battery of a teenage boy had no comment on Thursday, one day after it was revealed that the boy's parents had filed a civil suit in . And the church did not reply to a request for a statement.

3. Between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012, Cherokee County grew by 2,300 residents, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission. In 2011, there were 218,500 residents in the county. Now, there are 220,800 residents.

But population growth is slowing in all 10 metro Atlanta counties, officials said. The 10-county region includes Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties. Gwinnett, which added 9,000 residents, led the region in growth. 

“While this growth is certainly slower than what we became accustomed to in the 90s and 2000s, this pace is laudable in the face of the economic pressures we face,” Doug Hooker, ARC Executive Director.  “This blip in our growth pattern allows the region and our local governments to catch our collective breaths and prepare for the return of more typical growth.”

4. Upload a photo and a few words about what makes your dog the tops among Georgia Patch pooches. You have until 5 p.m. Aug. 20 to submit a photo for a chance to win a $100 gift card and some Patch swag.

5. In June, we solicited your nominations for your favorite businesses and people in Canton-Sixes Patch? Now it's time to see which of your selections will earn a Readers' Choice award. Vote in our Patch poll until Aug. 17. Only registered users can do so. Click on the categories below and vote for your favorites.

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