Cedartown City Commission marks Hispanic Heritage Month
Board also hears update on returning fast food restaurant
The Cedartown City Commission meeting last week included a recognition of one of the community’s most prominent groups of citizens as part of an official action by the board.
Commission Chairman Matt Foster read a proclamation at the Oct. 12 meeting recognizing Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month in Cedartown and providing evidence of Hispanic influence on the city’s make-up and economy.
Cedartown’s population of 9,997 includes 3,759 residents who identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to 2019 United States Census Bureau estimates. That is 37.6% of the total population of the city. Foster also included that the city has issued 44 business licenses to Hispanic business owners in 2020 alone.
Hispanic Heritage Month is meant to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. It was first observed nationally as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson and was was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.
The period of time in which Hispanic Heritage Month takes place includes the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days of September 16 and September 18, respectively.
Newly appointed City Manager Edward Guzman participated in his first official commission meeting in the role after having previoulsy served as assistant city manager.
Guzman informed the board that everything was in place for crews to begin site work on the new Wendy’s restaurant that will be built on an outparcel near the Walmart shopping center on U.S. 27 just north of town.
Work was scheduled to start Monday with the project taking 3-4 months to complete, according to Guzman. Cedartown last had a Wendy’s in late 2018/early 2019 at the corner of Philpot Street and East Queen Street before it was closed and demolished to make way for Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen in 2019.