🛶 Keep Paying Attention

Good morning, Forsyth County.

The World Cup has been about as fun as advertised so far. It is one of those sports events that manages to pull in people who normally do not care about soccer at all. You turn it on for a few minutes, tell yourself it is just background noise, and then suddenly you are locked in, yelling at the TV, and acting like you have always had strong opinions about set pieces.

Team USA has helped make it even better. After opening with a big win over Paraguay and following it up with a clean win over Australia, there is a real buzz around this team. They look confident, they are scoring, and they are giving casual fans plenty of reason to keep paying attention. And that is the best part of a World Cup on home soil. It turns regular days into little national check-ins. People are watching at restaurants, talking about the games at work, checking scores on their phones, and pretending they were soccer experts long before this month.

- Chad

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A new Home Depot is on the way to Forsyth County after commissioners approved a rezoning request for about 21 acres near Browns Bridge Road and Keith Bridge Road. The property sits behind Bojangles and Dunkin’ Donuts and will shift from agricultural to commercial zoning. The store is expected to use an updated layout, including a redesigned contractor pickup area that moves that activity away from the front of the building. Plans also include two parking lot entrances. The main entrance will be on Browns Bridge Road and include a traffic signal, while a second entrance will connect to Keith Bridge Road. Drivers using the Keith Bridge exit will not be able to turn left out of the property. The rezoning was approved unanimously on Thursday, June 18.

Two Whitlow Elementary students helped put Forsyth County in the national spotlight at the 2026 MathLeague National Championship. Maneet Arakere and Arnav Bhatnagar both earned gold medals and finished in the Top 10 individually at the June 13 competition at Texas A&M University. Both students also qualified for the Countdown Round, a head-to-head event for 16 of the nation’s top scorers. Arakere went on to win the Countdown Championship, becoming the first student from Georgia to ever earn that title. Their strong performances helped Whitlow Elementary finish third overall in the team standings, the highest national team placement ever for a Georgia school at MathLeague Nationals. Forsyth County Schools had a strong showing beyond Whitlow, with several elementary and middle schools placing nationally. Both students will attend Otwell Middle School this fall.

A Flag Day and Flag Retirement Ceremony brought patriotic groups and residents together June 13 at Ingram Funeral Home and Crematory in Cumming. The annual event gives worn American flags a respectful sendoff once they are too faded, torn, or frayed to be properly displayed. A color guard opened the ceremony, while members of local patriotic organizations took part, including groups connected to the Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Children of the American Revolution. Ingram Funeral Home has hosted the event for five years and helps retire the collected flags through its crematorium. Organizers expected nearly 4,000 flags to be gathered this year. Residents can also leave unserviceable flags in collection boxes at area Home Depot locations and other community sites.

Monday Mood: Yoga on the Green
When: Monday, June 22, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
What: Cumming City Center is hosting a free, all-levels outdoor yoga class on the green. The class includes a meditation session and is a simple way to start the week outside. Bring a mat, water, and a friend if you want company.
Where: Lou Sobh Amphitheater at Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming, GA 30040

Family PJ Storytime
When: Monday, June 22, 6:30 PM – 7:00 PM
What: Sharon Forks Library is hosting an evening storytime for families. Kids can come in pajamas for books, songs, and activities designed for the whole family. All ages are welcome.
Where: Sharon Forks Library, 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming, GA 30041

Summer Storytime
When: Tuesday, June 23, 11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
What: Cumming Library is hosting a summer storytime for children ages 3 to 6 with a caregiver. The program includes stories, songs, and early literacy activities in a relaxed library setting.
Where: Cumming Library, 585 Dahlonega Street, Cumming, GA 30040

Zumba Sunset Sweat with Allyson
When: Tuesday, June 23, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
What: Cumming City Center is hosting an evening Zumba fitness class. This is a high-energy option for anyone looking to get moving after work and enjoy a summer evening at City Center.
Where: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming, GA 30040

Kids Club at Halcyon
When: Wednesday, June 24, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
What: Halcyon’s weekly Kids Club returns with preschool-friendly activities for children and caregivers. The rotating program may include crafts, dance, animals, story time, puppet shows, special guests, and music.
Where: Halcyon, 6365 Halcyon Way, Alpharetta, GA 30005

Hooray for Jump Day!
When: Wednesday, June 24, 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
What: Cumming City Center and Jump N Jacks Moonwalks are bringing back this weekly summer kids’ event with bounce houses, water slides, games, and plenty of room for families to burn off some energy. The series runs Wednesdays through the end of July.
Where: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming, GA 30040

Button Bonanza Workshop
When: Wednesday, June 24, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
What: Cumming Library is hosting an all-ages button-making workshop. Supplies are provided, and families can stop in to design and create their own custom buttons.
Where: Cumming Library, 585 Dahlonega Street, Cumming, GA 30040

Summer Cornhole League at Cumming City Center
When: Thursday, June 25, 6:30 PM start
What: Cumming City Center’s summer cornhole league continues Thursday evening. The league includes multiple skill levels, prizes, and tournament-style play. Registration is required for participants, but it is still a good one to know about if you like local social sports.
Where: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming, GA 30040

Sounds of Sawnee Concert Band Patriotic Concert
When: Sunday, June 28, 3:00 PM
What: The Sounds of Sawnee Community Band is hosting an afternoon of patriotic music at Sexton Hall. The concert will feature patriotic favorites and concert band selections honoring America’s history and traditions. Families and friends are invited to come enjoy the program together.
Where: Sexton Hall, 2115 Chloe Road, Cumming, GA 30041

87° 🌡️ 70° | ⛈️ | 80% | 💨 5 mph SW

84° 🌡️ 66° | ⛈️ | 30% | 💨 10 mph W

85° 🌡️ 68° | ☀️ | 0% | 💨 3 mph

87° 🌡️ 70° | ⛈️ | 40% | 💨 3 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 79ºF
Temperature readings taken from Lake Sidney Lanier the night before publication

That’s it for today’s Forsyth Flyer.

I hope your week has a little bit of that World Cup energy in it. A reason to check the score, meet up with somebody, stay out a little later than planned, or pretend you know exactly what the announcer means when he talks about shape and spacing.

That is the fun part about big events like this. They give everybody something easy to talk about for a while. And around here, that is usually how the best local stories start anyway. Somebody sees something, hears something, asks a question, and suddenly a little piece of Forsyth County life becomes worth sharing.

So if you spot something around town, send it my way. A new sign, a local event, a business opening, a school update, or just something you think people around here would want to know about.

And if you know someone who likes being in the loop, forward them this issue.

I’ll be back Thursday. In the meantime, follow Forsyth Flyer on Facebook and Instagram for the stuff that pops up between emails.

Have a great week!