New round of community grants for literacy open with reading by Super Bowl champ

Cherokee Tribune-Ledger Podcast

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8d ago 11:48

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CTL Script/ Top Stories of September 26th

Publish Date: September 26th

Pre-Roll:

From the Ingles Studio Welcome to the Award-Winning Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast 

Today is Friday, September 26th and Happy Birthday to Tommy Lasorda

I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are the stories Cherokee is talking about, presented by Times Journal

New round of community grants for literacy open with reading by Super Bowl champ
Will Cagle wins vacant Cherokee County commissioner seat
Dickerson wins runoff for open Georgia Senate seat

Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on sodas

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! 

Commercial: Ingles Markets 5

STORY 1: New round of community grants for literacy open with reading by Super Bowl champ

  The Georgia Reads program is back, offering $20,000 grants to boost literacy across the state. And who better to kick things off than Super Bowl champ-turned-literacy advocate Malcolm Mitchell?

On Monday, Mitchell read to 400 fourth graders at the College Football Hall of Fame, sharing his book The Magician’s Hat—and a little inspiration. He’s on a mission, attending 75 reading events a year.

Mitchell’s foundation, Share the Magic, has been changing lives since 2016.

The program, backed by the Georgia Council on Literacy, comes as state test scores show room for improvement—only 43% of fifth graders scored proficient in English last year. Lawmakers are investing millions in teacher training and student screenings, hoping to turn things around.

Communities like Dalton and Augusta are already using past grants to teach parents about literacy. Applications for this year’s grants are open now—details on the Georgia Reads website.

STORY 2: Will Cagle wins vacant Cherokee County commissioner seat

  Republican Will Cagle is poised to take the Cherokee County District 1 Commissioner seat, with unofficial results showing a decisive win.

By 9:37 p.m. Tuesday, Cagle had secured 75.19% of the vote—8,887 ballots—while Democrat Charles Ravenscraft trailed with 24.81% (2,932 votes).

Cagle thanked voters for their turnout, even during Fall Break.

Ravenscraft, gracious in defeat, congratulated Cagle.

Cagle’s win follows a runoff after no candidate cleared 50% in August. Results await certification.

STORY 3: Dickerson wins runoff for open Georgia Senate seat

Republican Jason Dickerson is set to become Georgia’s next state senator for District 21, according to unofficial results.

By 9:55 p.m. Tuesday, Dickerson, an investment manager from Canton, had secured 61.47% of the vote (19,061 ballots), defeating Democrat Debra Shigley, an attorney from Milton, who garnered 11,950 votes.

At his Canton watch party, Dickerson shared that representatives of Donald Trump had called to congratulate him.

Shigley, conceding Tuesday night, and thanked her supporters.

The seat was vacated earlier this year when Brandon Beach was appointed U.S. treasurer. Results await certification.

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We’ll be right back.

Break: Ingles Markets 5

STORY 4: Three sentenced for trafficking meth in Cherokee County

 Three people are heading to prison after pleading guilty to meth trafficking and other charges, the Cherokee County DA’s office announced.

Justin Carl Benson, 29, of Canton, got 10 years without parole for meth possession with intent to distribute and giving false info to police. Heather Sparrow Bird, 49, also of Canton, was sentenced to 15 years (parole possible) for trafficking meth, plus charges involving oxycodone, clonazepam, alprazolam, and marijuana. Terry Raymond Spriggs, 53, received 20 years without parole for meth trafficking and theft charges.

The case began in July 2023 with a 911 call about suspicious activity on Lower Scott Mill Road. Deputies found a stolen truck, drugs scattered throughout a home, and even a stolen Harley in the yard.

STORY 5: Canton looks to bond to fund fire station renovations

 Canton’s Fire Station 16 is finally getting the overhaul it desperately needs. On Sept. 18, the city council gave the green light to move forward with a revenue bond to fund the $8 million renovation.

Here’s the deal: firefighters have been living in a mobile unit inside one of the bays since 2017—yes, 2017—because the building’s in such rough shape. The new plan? Permanent housing for firefighters, more space for services, and a design that honors the station’s century-old legacy.

The bond, expected to close in November, will cover $5.8 million, with impact fees paying off the debt. Construction starts in 2026. Finally.

And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on sodas

Commercial:

We’ll have closing comments after this. 

 COMMERCIAL: Ingles Markets 5

SIGN OFF –  

Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.tribuneledgernews.com

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