Five Things You Need to Know Today

Arts Festival This Weekend

Find out what's coming up on Canton-Sixes Patch today and what you might have missed overnight.

1. Head to Canton's Brown Park this weekend for the Canton Festival of the Arts. Saturday and Sunday, there will be artists, musical entertainment, food, a youth art exhibit and a hands-on area for children. Visit the Canton-Sixes Patch calendar of events for details. 2. The Fraternal Order of Police endorsed David Waters for Cherokee County sheriff against current Sheriff Roger Garrison. Lodge membership is made up of law enforcement officers from Cherokee and other nearby jurisdictions, and the endorsements aim to reflect the interests of those officers. 3. Cherokee County Associate Magistrate Judge E. Benson Chambers Jr. was sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Look for details at 5 a.m. 4. Four members of Creekview High's girls basketball …

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Photos: College-Bound Grizzlies

Four members of Creekview High's girls basketball team signed with collegiate programs.

Four members of Creekview High's girls basketball team recently signed with collegiate programs. They include: For photos of each player, flip through the photo gallery. To upload your own photos to Canton-Sixes Patch, go to the front page and click on the Post Pics & Clips hyperlink.

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'Parents Are the Ultimate Local Control'

Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 797 at Cherokee Charter Academy in Canton, where he was awarded the 2012 Champion for Charters Award from a national charter schools group.

With Cherokee Charter Academy students flanking him, Gov. Nathan Deal this morning signed a bill that he said will provide Georgia families with choices when it comes to public education. "We have every confidence to believe that Georgians all across this state embrace the idea that parents should have more options and that parents should be more involved in the process of the education of their children," he said moments before he signed House Bill 797, which will restore the state charter schools commission if voters approve a corresponding constitutional amendment in November. "Charter schools are, in my opinion, a key ingredient in the future educational success for the state of Georgia. We know that when you promote competition, …

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Poll: Are Kids Getting Priced Out of Baseball and Softball?

A New York Times article explores the era of the $250 baseball bat.

Have you bought a baseball glove for your Little Leaguer lately? Did you pay more than $100 for it? How about a $250 bat? In Tuesday's New York Times, reporter Mike Tanier took a look at the big business of equipping youngsters for participation in youth baseball and softball leagues, quoting those costs and more. "A batting helmet protects tiny heads for $39.99," Tainer wrote. "A pair of Nike Jordan Black Cat cleats will make your child fast and fashionable at $51.99 until he or she outgrows them." So what do you think? Has the cost of bats and gloves taken our kids too far from the simpler days of sandlot and playground ballgames? Or have you had better luck finding more modestly-priced equipment for them?

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Sarah Cool

11:24 am on Wednesday, April 25, 2012

We were "priced out" of soccer this spring. $300 for 10 games just doesn't work for our family. I know scholarships are available, but I just didn't even feel like asking. We'll have more fun flying kites at the park, shootin' hoops and riding our bikes for exercise = free/priceless.   more ›

41 Student-Athletes Sign Scholarship Offers

An additional 43 Cherokee County student-athletes were honored at the February signing day.

Cherokee County had 41 more student-athletes sign scholarship commitment letters to compete at the collegiate level. Parents, coaches, athletic directors and principals joined the students at a ceremony at the Northside Hospital-Cherokee Conference Center to be honored for making their college choices in their respective sports. The spring signing day ceremony was sponsored by the Credit Union of Georgia. There were 43 other students who were honored at a February signing day for their scholarship commitments. Check here to see the list of students who were honored earlier this year. The following students were honored at a brunch on April 11:

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

Time's Up, Last-Minute Tax Filers

Find out what's coming up on Canton-Sixes Patch today and what you might have missed overnight.

1. By midnight, you need to mail off your 2011 tax return or your request for an extension. Normally, the tax deadline is April 15. But this year, April 15 fell on a Sunday. And Monday was Emancipation Day, a holiday observed in the District of Columbia. The Canton Post Office will remain open until 6 p.m. to accommodate last-minute filers. After that, you have to go to the Atlanta Main Post Office, 3900 Crown Rd., or the Duluth Postal Store, 1605 Boggs Rd. to send off your return. Both locations will be open until midnight. 2. Not only is today the last day to send off your postmarked tax return, it is the last day that applications will be accepted for the warehouse materials specialist opening with the Cherokee County Fire and Emergency…

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Bailey Signs with Georgia Gwinnett

Creekview's Tiffany Bailey was named Canton-Sixes Patch's Prep Athlete of the Week in October.

Tiffany Bailey, a standout on Creekview High's varsity fastpitch squad, will play softball at Georgia Gwinnett College, the school district announced today. Bailey was named Canton-Sixes Patch's Prep Athlete of the Week in October after leading her varsity fastpitch team into the second round of the GHSA Class AAAA playoffs.

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Last Chance: Save 50%

If you plan to send your child to this summer's Academic/Athletic Camp for Stars at Sixes Road Presbyterian Church, keep reading.

Tuesday is the last day to register early for this summer's Academic/Athletic Camp for Stars at half the price. Register online or call 888-552-0225 and pay only $12.50. The camp runs from May 29 until July 27. Editor's note: The point of Patch is to make life ridiculously easy for you. In keeping with that theme, Last Chance will serve as that final reminder for everything from Little League signups to kindergarten registration. If you know of upcoming deadlines, scroll to the bottom of canton-ga.patch.com, look for the "Contribute" header in the bottom right corner, click "Put an event on the calendar" or "Announce something to everyone," fill in all the fields, and your event, announcement, photos and videos will automatically go up on …

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

Another Blockbuster Set to Close

Find out what's coming up on Canton-Sixes Patch today and what you might have missed overnight.

1. Sixes Tavern has chartered a bus to take diehard Atlanta Braves fans to the April 13 home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. For $50, get a ticket to the game and roundtrip transportation. And there will be a keg on the bus. For more information, call Sixes Tavern at 770-345-2939. 2. ZIP code 30114 will soon be without a Blockbuster. Another local store is closing. This time, it's the one on Prominence Parkway. Last year, the city's other Blockbuster on Riverstone Parkway closed. 3. Now that Gov. Nathan Deal has signed Cherokee's controversial school redistricting bill, the names of several propsective school board chair candidates have emerged in recent days. Find out who is interested in the seat. 4. The Canton City Council will …

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Whiz Kids

Nominate Whiz Kids, Superior Athletes

Patch makes it easy to highlight junior members of our community through two features, Whiz Kids and Prep Athletes of the Week. Nominate someone as often as you'd like.

Canton-Sixes Patch is looking for its next Whiz Kids and Prep Athletes of the Week. Savannah Little of Little River Elementary was the last Whiz Kid. And Lexi Ly of Liberty Elementary was the last Prep Athlete of the Week. If you think your child, student or protege is worthy of either of these honors, submit your nominations in our comment box below or email the information to rodney.thrash@patch.com. The Whiz Kid's photograph and mini-bio will appear on the site at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Occasionally, a new Prep Athlete of the Week will be announced at 8 a.m. Thursday. Be sure to include all of the following information: Nominate a junior member of our community as often as you'd like. Don’t miss any of the local news you care about. …

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