WITH LESS than two weeks to go until the July 31 primaries, the heat is getting turned up to high and several campaigns are reaching boiling temperatures.

The flash point is the debate over charter schools versus public schools, and both sides are taking shots.

Another sizzling topic is the TSPLOST.

This week a mailer picturing state Senate District 21 candidate Brandon Beach along with some cows in an effort to say he is milking the taxpayers dry went out to voters.

The mailer is listed as paid for by TrafficTruth.net, the website of the Transportation Leadership Coalition, an anti-TSPLOST organization that is lobbying hard to stop the 1 percent regional tax for transportation.

Beach, who serves on the Georgia Department of Transportation Board, is targeted by the group in what appear to be fabricated headlines and news stories.

And signs against Beach’s opponent, Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) are popping up around town saying “Boot Chip — Are you better off than you were eight years ago?”

Those signs are paid for by Neighbors for A Better Cherokee or ABC, the political action committee chaired by Cherokee School Board Chairman Mike Chapman, who was redistricted out of his post by state legislators.

Chapman is leading the charge to get pro-public school candidates and legislators in office.

***TO MAKE MATTERS even more tense between the two groups, public school advocates have been setting up lemonade stands in neighborhoods where Rogers is holding fundraisers.

Students with hand-drawn signs supporting the pro-public school slate of candidates were out waving to passers-by.

Candidates including school board Vice Chair Janet Read, who is running for the new school board chairman seat, were also out campaigning at the lemonade stands.

Another robocall also went out against Read this week from unknown sources. That is the third call with no one stepping forward to say who is paying to blast the candidate.

Read is facing Macedonia resident and charter school supporter Danny Dukes for the opportunity to lead the board for four years.

The two are facing off Monday night in what is expected to be a well-attended and highly charged final debate for the Cherokee Republican Party at party headquarters.

***FAVORITE FACEBOOK post from Canton resident Louise Roach: A copy of a billboard reading “That ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ thing…I meant that.” ~ God

“Around Cherokee” is compiled by Rebecca Johnston and the editorial staff of the Cherokee Tribune.