Forsyth Herald - January 19, 2017

J a n u a r y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | Fo r s y t h H e r a l d . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 0 , N o . 3

Bike sharing coming to Forsyth Parks may soon have option ►►PAGE 11

Commissioners work session touchy Has “different” feel ►►PAGE 4

Meet Dennis Daniel Director of Public Facilities ►►PAGE 10

McGinnis Ferry widening plans considered

Open house gives information ►►PAGES 12 – 13

New sheriff in town

Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman had a busy first week, from an ice storm, officer-involved shooting and massive pawn shop robbery, running one of the state’s largest law enforcement departments.

Read more, Page 8.

KATHLEEN STURGEON/HERALD

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Person named in officer involved shooting

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The man shot, and who ultimately died, Jan. 8 in a confrontation with a Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputy has been identified.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation identified the person as Jason Samuel Aldridge, 44, of Forsyth County.

Aldridge succumbed to injuries sustained in the shooting on Jan. 9 after being transported to Northside Forsyth Hospital. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has completed notification of relatives.

At 11:22 p.m., Jan. 8, deputies responded to the Shady Grove RV Park

POLICE BLOTTER All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

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Deputies found 126 marijuana pot plants at a home in Forsyth County.

The Herald Newspapers are published by Appen Media Group, 319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta Ga. 30009.

Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit conducted a drug search warrant at a home on Jot Em Down Road in North Forsyth County.

The narcotic detectives confiscated 126 marijuana plants growing inside the house. Along with the plants, they also found trash bags containing dried green leafy materials suspected of being marijuana.

One arrest was made for manufacturing, trafficking and possession with intent to distribute.

Man arrested, charged in connection with shooting

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in Cumming in reference to a suicidal person armed with a knife.

When deputies arrived at the recreational vehicle, they were confronted by a male armed with a knife.

When the man began to threaten the deputies with the weapon inside the residence, one of the deputies was forced to fire his sidearm, striking the subject, according to a press release.

Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman has requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conduct an independent investigation into the shooting.

The deputies involved in the incident have been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Sheriff’s search reveals 126 pot plants FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A recent search led to the confiscation of 126 pot plants in a Forsyth County home.

On Jan. 12, the Forsyth County

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office deputies recently arrested a man in connection with a shooting.

At 2:13 p.m. on Jan. 14, deputies were called to 6415 Atlanta Highway in reference to a person shot call.

When deputies arrived, they

See BLOTTER, Page 22

DUIS & DRUGS All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

DUI arrests ►► Shawn Wei Ramirez, 34, of Ivy

Grove Street, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 12 on Hendrix Road in Cumming for DUI and failure to dim lights. ►► Cameron Scott Bulley, 26, of Fourth Rail Lane, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 8 on Browns Bridge Road in Cumming for DUI and defective tires. ►► Kevin David Clegg, 26, of Aaron Sosebee Road, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 11 on Meadow Drive in Cumming for DUI, suspended registration and failure to obey a traffic control device.

Drug arrests

►► Paul Ray Eskridge, 52, of Pont Du

Gard Drive, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 11 on John Burruss Road in Cumming for possession of marijuana and expired tag. ►► Deborah Marie Simonds, 50, of Canton Highway, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 11 on John Burruss Road in Cumming for possession of marijuana. ►► David Matthew Johnson, 51, of Lakeside Way, Gainesville, was arrested Jan. 9 on Old Keith Bridge Road in Gainesville for possession of marijuana and possession of drug-related items. ►► Paul Edward Mastronunzio, 31, of North Avenue, Gainesville, was arrested Jan. 4 on Bailey Drive in Cumming for possession of methamphetamines with intent to distribute, possession of a schedule II controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, obstruction, tampering with evidence, possession of drug-related items, reckless driving, suspended license and window tint violation.

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 3

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4 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

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First board of commissioners work session testy at times

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The first Forsyth County Board of Commissioners work session Jan. 10 got off to a rocky start.

The board welcomed two new members, Rick Swope of District 2 and Laura Semanson of District 5. But from time to time, things got a little heated.

Semanson asked to update the 2017 board meeting schedule to better reflect the school schedule, as public participation is often down during school breaks, she said.

Chairman Todd Levant said the public sometimes gets upset when the board has its main public hearing night when two thirds of the county is out of town due to school breaks.

“We have lots of people out of town, and I know a lot of people think that’s,

Board of Commissioners elects officers for 2017 At their first meeting of the year on January 5, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners elected officers for 2017.

District 3 Commissioner Todd Levent was elected to serve as chairman. District 2 Commissioner Rick Swope was elected to serve as vice chairman. District 5 Commissioner Laura Semanson was elected to serve as secretary.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners is made up of five members, each living in a specific district and elected by district to serve four-year terms. Each year in January, the five members elect officers for the coming year.

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‘when things are done when people are conveniently out of town,’” Semanson said. “So we wanted to look at some dates that might be problematic for public participation.”

This brought out some fight from Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills.

“No offense, but nobody changed any calendar for me when I ran for office,” Mills said. “They just gave me the calendar and I came to the meetings.

There’s never been an issue with the public not being there.”

Semanson said Mills, “should have asked.”

“This isn’t about us, though,” Semanson said. “This is about facilitating public participation. They aren’t going to tell their kids they aren’t going to Disney World because they’re going to a Board of Commissioners meeting.”

After the meeting, Semanson said the work session didn’t feel any more aggressive to her than other meetings.

Rather, she said it had a different feeling due to bringing in people to speak on topics, more so than usually takes place during work sessions.

“It was a livelier meeting,” she said.

“There will always be some disagreement on things. But I didn’t take it as being hostile.”

All in all, she said with the new commissioners joining in, it went well.

“It’s always fun to sort things out in the beginning,” Semanson said. “We had a lot of material, some very meaty.

With that in mind, and it being a fivehour work session, we got through a lot of it pretty well.”

However, Mills said the agenda was packed with items that “no one really

SEMANSON

SWOPE

To view the meeting, visit forsythco.com/Meetings/ Meeting/1000. knew about.”

“It was a different type of meeting that no one was really accustomed to,” Mills said. “It threw things a little out of kilter.”

One item that Mills questioned was discussion of “miscellaneous proposed UDC (Unified Development Code) revisions.” At one point Mills even stood up and said, “just shoot me now.”

She said she was approached after the meeting by audience members and staff members regarding the tone of the meeting and the seemingly unplanned agenda.

“In my four years on the board there has never been a vague item on the agenda like that,” Mills said. “You usually have to have clearer agenda items than that just for the sake of transparency. It’s not just for board members, but for staff to know so they can be prepared.”

But, aside from the unpreparedness, Mills said there isn’t any bad blood between board members and that the officials have been working together well so far.

Semanson echoed this and said it’s been busy, but she is looking forward to future meetings.

“When there are new parties involved there is always a bit of angst if they’re not sure how it’ll play out,” Semanson said. “But I think as we continue to meet and work together, things will get a lot smoother and we will all work well together.”

United Way offers free income tax preparation FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — United Way of Forsyth County and the AARP Foundation Tax Aide Program are teaming up again during the upcoming tax season to provide free Income Tax preparation to assist low to moderate income families, those earning $54,000 or less with no age requirements, and those individuals 60 years and older in Forsyth, Dawson and surrounding counties.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including Form 1040.

State Income Tax Returns are limited to Georgia returns

only.

This service will be available in Forsyth County beginning Feb. 1 through April 15 with Cumming sites at United Way of Forsyth County located at 240 Elm Street on Thursdays and every other Saturday by appointment only. A walk-in site at Central Park located at 2300 Keith Bridge Road on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. will also be offered. To schedule an appointment at the United Way site or for more information contact United Way at 770-781-4110 or melissa@unitedwayforsyth.com.

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 5

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NEWS

6 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

Warm up to January at

ALPHARETTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY/SPECIAL

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A Roswell man was pronounced dead Jan. 12 after his vehicle crashed on South Main Street.

The man, identified as 72-year-old Lawrence Jones, allegedly crashed his Chrysler Corridor Sedan into another car a few minutes after 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 11, shutting down all four lanes of South Main Street for an hour.

“We believe that [Jones] had exited the parking lot of the Chevron station, near Devore Road, and was attempting to make a left hand turn onto Highway 9 southbound,” said Alpharetta Public Information Officer George Gordon.

The crash pinned Jones to his car after the impact. Rescue teams had to cut off the driver’s side door to pull

Jones out.

Jones was transported to North Fulton Hospital in critical condition. He died hours later from his injuries.

The other driver and two children were also taken to the hospital for evaluation, but according to police, they were only “shaken up.” None of them was seriously injured.

“There’s no evidence on scene that indicate any alcohol or narcotics played a role in the accident,” Gordon said.

“We offer our condolences and prayers for the family.”

The incident is still under investigation by the traffic unit reconstruction team. Police urge any witnesses to call 678-297-6307.

–Julia Grochowski

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 7

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8 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

NEWS

Sheriff Ron Freeman hits ground running Freeman took office Jan. 1

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — In Forsyth County, there’s a new sheriff in town.

And true to the nature of the job, the world didn’t slow down for him to get accustomed to the work.

Just hours after starting his new role, Ron Freeman had to handle an armed robbery of a pawn shop that led to the arrest of six men who stole more than 30 weapons. If that wasn’t enough, within the next week he saw an officer-involved shooting, an ice storm that shut down the county for a weekend and a homicide.

“I don’t know if they were trying to break me in or run me off,” Freeman said. “It has been a challenging first week, but I’m really impressed. For all the problems I may have found that were processes or equipment issues, what I’ve been so pleasantly surprised about is the police work I’ve seen, which has been impressive.”

Busy weeks like this are nothing new for Freeman. He has 25 years with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, working in just about every position from deputy to senior captain.

“I’ve worked pretty much every division, which I think is important. If you only work one area, like traffic or being a detective, then you don’t learn the whole complexity of an agency this size,” he said.

And those are crucial skills to have, because when he first started at the sheriff’s office years ago, it had 28 total employees. It now has a staff of 436.

That’s a reflection of the county growing, too. He said when he first started at the sheriff’s office, the county population was about 35,000. Today, that figure stands at roughly 220,000.

That transition turned the organization from a rural sheriff’s office to the fourth largest full-service law enforcement sheriff’s office in the state right now, he said. And while there are bigger sheriff’s offices in the state, they don’t do all that’s required of a full-service department, like performing all law enforcement duties.

In 2013 he got the opportunity to help form the new Brookhaven Police Department as a deputy chief. That gave him the chance to learn about municipal law enforcement, how to work in a county where the crime rate was significantly higher than Forsyth’s.

It also taught him about growth and changes that come along with it.

He left Brookhaven Dec. 31, 2014 to

Sheriff Ron Freeman swore in his command staff during his first weekend in office. return to Forsyth, which he calls home, to seek out the sheriff seat.

“You hope when you’ve been here this long you’ve made a lot of connections and have built a lot of relationships to lean on,” Freeman said. “I think that’s why we’re successful in running for sheriff. You also, along the way, build and prepare yourself if your goal is to be the sheriff.”

And from day one, he set himself and the department up for success.

He brought in a command staff of men with expertise ranging from school resource officers to investigators to Georgia State Patrol. Together they total 204 years of combined law enforcement experience.

“They are true professionals, highly educated and highly successful where they came from,” Freeman said. “They know what they’re doing.”

But, he said he will not be firing anyone, outside of for disciplinary matters, which he had to do already.

“It had nothing to do with me being the new sheriff coming in,” he said. “In my absence, the chief deputy would have terminated this person for a serious disciplinary issue of a policy violation. But no one is getting laid off or fired because there’s a new sheriff in the office. If there are any changes in the office it’s because someone created a disciplinary issue for themselves.”

Instead, he said the agency is about to go on a hiring spree to gain up to 40 new people. This is necessary as the department had been operating with 40 to 80 open positions.

“That makes it easy to maintain

I don’t know a better place to be a police officer than in Forsyth County.”

RON FREEMAN Forsyth County Sheriff your budget, but our citizens who have been paying for the budget for this amount of law enforcement protection have not been getting it,” Freeman said.

“This agency had been suffering with places not being staffed as well as they should. When I say we are 40 positions down, it’s not anything new. These are already in the budget and have been for years, they just hadn’t been filled.”

One of the changes he has made was to transfer a captain to a newly created position, the policy and accreditation manager to work on getting the department’s national accreditation back through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA. He calls this the “blue ribbon seal of approval.”

“National accreditation is the hardest thing you can do to achieve,” Freeman said. “We’re the fastest growing county; the most affluent on per capita income; we are the highest educated county in the state of Georgia; we have the best school system. We are all these ‘bests’ in Forsyth County, and that is a fantastic thing to be. If we are, then why is the sheriff’s office not reaching out for the best? I’m committed to

FACEBOOK.COM/FORSYTHCOUNTYSO

reaching that highest standard. For law enforcement, that is proving we don’t just talk the talk, but walk the walk.

And that is CALEA.” Other areas of improvement he wants to look into include: The narcotics unit, which he has already doubled from two to four people and is hoping to add more soon.

Recruiting officers to work with state and federal narcotics on a larger scale.

Speaking with the school system on implementation of school resource officers in elementary schools.

Crime and fiscal transparency, including monthly reports of how the office is spending money and what it is being used for.

“It’s going to take a little longer than week one to get all those things done,” he said. “But all those things are already in progress. We want to be really transparent.”

And to accomplish all their goals, he, his command staff and many of the agency’s deputies already have put in 80- or 90-hour weeks. But that just shows how dedicated the entire department is, he said.

“I say, ‘don’t judge me on what I say, judge me on what I do,’” Freeman said.

“We live in one of the best communities.

I’ve worked in and around a lot of law enforcement agencies in the southeast and the nation. I don’t know a better place to be a police officer than in Forsyth County. We have an unprecedented level of community support toward our officers. Doesn’t matter who is the head of the agency, it matters about the men and women doing the job.”

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ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 9

Inner peace, strong heart.

911 Center employees participate in food drive.

Forsyth County 911 Center employees participate in local food drive FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — On December 10, 2016, several Forsyth County 911 Center employees and their families volunteered their time at the fifth annual Fastpitch Food Drive held at Forsyth County’s Central Park Recreation Center.

Volunteers were asked to provide the necessary materials to assemble at least 100 individual lunches – including bread, deli meat and paper bags – and then prepare the bagged lunches during the event.

The lunches were donated to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, an organization that provides food to families in need in Forsyth and Hall counties.

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Government go-getters: Meet Dennis Daniel Director of Public Facilities

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Every Sunday night Dennis Daniel doesn’t go to bed dreading the start of a new work week the next morning.

Instead, he is excited, and he has been for six months since he was hired, to go into work as the director of public facilities for Forsyth County.

“My best moment here was realizing after a week I was going to totally love this job,” Daniel said. “I could see some of the challenges ahead and knew they could be fixed. I realized the gravity of how important this job is.”

After being at various jobs from UPS to animal health company Merial, Daniel was in between jobs when he ran across the Forsyth opening online.

“I knew it was it the minute I saw it,” he said. “To be honest about it, once I applied I didn’t worry about it. I was so confident I’d get it as it was a perfect match. And I have to say, I love this job more than any job I’ve ever had.”

Daniel and his crew do the mainte-

KATHLEEN STURGEON/HERALD

Dennis Daniel is the director of public facilities for Forsyth County.

nance on all county facilities, custodial work and construction on anything that gets built like parks, fire stations or county buildings.

“It is awesome,” he said. “Within a

mile of where I live (in Forsyth County) we are building a park and a fire station. It will service my house. I will go with my kids and grandkids to play in a park I had a part of building.”

During the recent ice storm he was impressed when he saw employees go to the county Public Safety Complex and work with the various county departments.

“There wasn’t a person in that room that didn’t deeply care about every resident of this county,” Daniel said. “They wanted to get the roads clean and make sure people were safe.”

He’s especially proud of the team that works in his department. He said he strives for his team to provide a customer experience that is great from beginning to end.

“It is by a fairly large measure my favorite group of people I’ve ever worked with,” Daniel said. “When I came in, I was new and never worked in government, only industries. It’s different. Every one of the staff was deeply gracious and giving of their time to get me up to speed.”

At any one time, the department has roughly 30 open projects. They are divided up between employees so all items can be addressed.

“You can’t look at them all at the same time,” Daniel said. “You pick the low-hanging fruit and put it to bed. It’s best to get something done quickly because when there’s too many in the air, they start hitting the ground.”

And while they like to have fun with each other, the department does serious business, he said.

“It affects every employee and resident in this county,” Daniel said. “From fire stations, to public safety buildings to parks, we build those things. When weather is bad, we make sure the sidewalks and parking lots are passable.

It’s important.”

It also hits close to home when he realized what he does in his day job will ultimately impact his family.

“It’s an opportunity to quietly go about and do things in the community that affect everyone,” Daniel said.

“This is a great county, as our schools, weather and parks are good. Our emergency services are world class. There’s not a drawback I can think of to live in Forsyth County — to have a small part in making it better and continuing that by building quality fire stations that last a long time; parks that my grandkids can enjoy. The day I realized this will be my favorite job was my best day here.”

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ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 11

Forsyth considers bike sharing at parks Program would start at Fowler Park

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Those wishing to bike along Forsyth County’s Greenway, but who don’t own a bicycle, may soon have another option.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners discussed a potential bike sharing program at its Jan. 10 meeting.

Hal Woodyard, a local small business owner and Forsyth County resident, said he’s seen numerous similar programs across the country and wants to launch it locally.

“This proposal would provide a bike share in Forsyth County for residents and guests to take advantage of the current and future Greenway, parks and safe biking locations throughout Forsyth County while promoting a healthier and greener lifestyle,” he said. “Bike share is a great way to incorporate this healthy lifestyle ‘amenity’ as well as address alternative transportation options, reduce traffic congestion and help boost the local economy.”

The county would have no liability, he said, but a request for proposal from the county’s procurement department would need to be awarded to a management company to oversee operations and finances.

Bike renters would download an app on their

This photo depicts what the potential bike share site could look like. phones, or use a kiosk next to the bikes if they are unable to download the app, and then sign a waiver.

After that, riders determine how much time they need and for how long, like a day or a month, and then pay and start riding.

There are several parks, bike paths and expanding Greenway locations throughout Forsyth County where bikes can be used safely for both recreation and alternative transportation, Woodyard said. One bike share location will have 10 to 15 bikes and would be located at the Fowler Park Recreation Center. It is proposed to begin this summer.

The goal would be to expand the bike share locations as the parks expand and the Greenway and other bike paths connect throughout Forsyth County and surrounding counties and even Atlanta’s Belt Line, he said.

Findings from a May 2016 county parks and recreation community survey showed the interest of the public.

“The most consistent message back to the board was the residents’ high ranking of having healthy lifestyle amenities available in the county,” Woodyard said. “The three most popular outdoor activities cited in the survey were the use of the nature trails, Greenways and playgrounds. Residents ranked renovations of existing older parks and trails, expanding the Greenway system and acquiring park land for passive facilities as the most important improvements.”

Woodyard said he’s already seen support for the program from local businesses and health organizations interested in becoming founding sponsors and partners financially.

Additionally, he said the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce has said it would help support the program with promotion “of the county’s many benefits of a healthy lifestyle.”

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12 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

NEWS

McGinnis Ferry widening plans draw crowd Forsyth, Johns Creek, Alpharetta residents look for answers at open house about project

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Around 200 to 300 residents turned out Jan.10 at Lanier Technical College on Ronald Reagan Parkway for Forsyth County’s open house on the $42 million project to widen 4.6 miles of McGinnis Ferry Road.

Most of those who came to the informal “drop-in” meeting sponsored by Forsyth County were Johns Creek and Alpharetta residents joined by Forsyth homeowners whose subdivisions border the road and are affected by the project.

Many of the attendees were like Seven Oaks subdivision resident Mark Jones whose Johns Creek house backs up to McGinnis Ferry Road. Jones is concerned how much of his backyard will be affected by the widening, the proposed median and sidewalks.

“I want to find out how close the road will be and how much of my property they will have to take,” Jones said.

“At one point they said they would have to take 25 feet. That would put the road on my deck. But as bad as it is for me, it’s worse for folks at The Vicarage subdivision. They have homes closer to the road than mine.”

Jones said he understands the need to widen the road, but sidewalks and a “fancy median” are going too far, he

McGinnis Ferry Road widening at a glance • 4.6 miles of McGinnis Ferry road to be widened from Union Hill Road in Alpharetta to Sargent Road in Johns Creek.

• This is a joint project by Forsyth County, Georgia Department of Transportation, Johns Creek and Alpharetta.

• Preliminary engineering has begun for a four-lane road with a 20-foot raised median strip.

• A 16-foot wide urban shoulder along the north with a 10-foot wide multi-use path.

• A 12-foot wide urban shoulder along the south with a 5-foot wide sidewalk.

• $10 million has been set aside for purchase of rights of way.

• The project is not slated to start before late 2019. said.

“Just settle for the road and nothing else,” he said.

Seven Oaks has an additional problem others don’t have. There is a church cemetery on the Forsyth side that virtually precludes taking any more property on the north side of the road.

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McGinnis Road resident Gloria Gayters, who is also president of The Vicarage subdivision, asks questions of Jason McCook, program manager at Moreland Altobelli & Associates, the firm engineering the project for Forsyth County. Gayters and around 200 other residents affected by the widening of McGinnis Ferry attended the drop-in meeting sponsored by the county.

Kristine Torre is an affected resident on the Forsyth side and a real estate agent. She said she has seen a lot of homes going up for sale as people “just want to get out,” she said.

She said her main fight is to see that trees taken down for the right of way are replaced with mature trees.

“Our amenities including the pool would have no privacy from the road,” she said.

Larry Hanlon, another Seven Oaks resident said his home is not close to the construction, but he is concerned about increased volumes of traffic, including 18-wheelers, and the effect that could have on property owners throughout his subdivision.

Realtor Kami Pyvand said he expects home values in the affected subdivisions will fall by 20 percent. He said he is meeting with two attorneys to prepare for when construction begins.

While there was no formal presentation, county officials were present with maps of the project so residents could see just where their homes were in relation to the new road. The proposed design includes two lanes in each direction with 20-foot wide raised median sidewalk/trails on both sides of the road.

Construction will be done stages, and traffic control devices will be used to maintain traffic during construc-

Residents compare notes at the meeting held at Lanier Technical College on Majors Road. tion and may require temporary lane closures.

Forsyth County is overseeing the design of the widening project with the Georgia DOT. The cities of John’s Creek and Alpharetta are also participating and providing review and comments on the design.

The Forsyth County Transportation Bond approved by voters in 2014 is

providing $18.1 million for this project; GDOT has committed $10 million.

Alpharetta and Johns Creek are each participating to the tune of $5 million apiece even though the road is entirely in Forsyth (but not any right of way south of McGinnis.)

Johns Creek Public Works Director Tom Black was also at the meeting to provide what answers he could to city residents.

“East-west capacity will have to be increased to ease the gridlock. McGinnis has been chosen as an arterial road to be widened,” Black said.

McGinnis already exists, so this is the road that GDOT will use. It has already been improved on the Gwinnett side of the border, he noted.

Jason McCook, project manager for Moreland Altobelli & Associates which has the design contract with Forsyth County, said the project is still in its preliminary stage. That is why it is important to gather as much public input as they can.

“We will take every reasonable comment into consideration,” McCook said.

Gloria Gayters, president of The Vicarage HOA, came loaded with questions of McCook from her residents.

He promised every suggestion and every worry will be addressed to the fullest extent possible.

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Local student creates Plastic Pollution Awareness Day She will visit state Capitol in February

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Vickery Creek Middle School eighth-grader, Hannah Testa, is your average teenager for the most part. Except, when she’s not at school, playing soccer or hanging out with friends, she’s changing the world, one cause at a time.

At age 10, she began raising money for a horse farm in Cumming. The event was so huge it gained national media attention. From there, she was hooked on helping others.

Since then, the 14-year-old has fought for issues affecting various animals and the environment. Up next, she will travel to the state Capitol Feb. 15 to join State Senator Michael Williams while the Senate passes a resolution declaring the day Plastic Pollution Awareness Day in Georgia.

Her interest in plastic pollution awareness didn’t start recently. At age 4, she told her mom she didn’t think anyone beside her family cared about the environment, as she saw many people using plastic shopping bags over reusable containers.

“In the years since, I educated myself about issues affecting our Earth and realized that plastic pollution was an issue that few knew about, but it was a global crisis that affected the animals I loved,” Testa said. “I felt that if I made people aware of the issue of plastic pollution and provided practical solutions we could all make to reduce our plastic footprint, we could reduce our plastic pollution problem.”

She said she’s not talking about all types of plastic because that would be too big of a step, but single-use, disposable plastics which are used for a few minutes but remain on the Earth forever such as plastic bags, straws and bottles.

Her mindset has helped her earn plenty of awards already, including: • Young Superhero for Earth Award

by Captain Planet Foundation • Animal Hero Kids Wildlife Freedom Award • One of 25 recipients of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes • Pioneer of Sustainability Award, Ted’s Montana Grill (first-ever recipient) • Georgia Resolutions (SR1034 and

John Seydel, director of sustainability for the city of Atlanta, celebrates Hannah Testa’s accomplishments.

If you go What: Plastic Pollution Awareness Day in Georgia When: February 15, doors open at 10 a.m.

Where: State Capitol Building, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, room 123 More info: hannah4change.org HR1530) passed to recognize Hannah’s volunteer efforts In May, Williams came to Testa’s school’s award night to surprise her with an award. And while she had him there, she took the chance to ask for a meeting regarding plastic pollution.

“At the meeting, I gave him several options on how we could reduce the state’s plastic footprint,” Testa said.

“He really liked the idea of creating an awareness day because he felt, like me, that knowledge is power, and the public should be more aware of what is occurring and how we are impacting our environment.”

To Testa, advocating is how she grew up and is all she knows.

“I have learned so much along this journey — and met so many great people — but I am humbled to know that there is always so much more to learn,” Testa said. “I am also humbled when I see other young people stepping up and doing similar things.”

To learn more about Testa, visit hannah4change.org.

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 15

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It’s all about attention to detail. And we pay our people better than anybody. So we have the best employees, a nice environment for them.

Ultimately that is what keeps the quality high.

JIMMY TESTER, Mammoth Car Wash & Detail Salon owner

16 | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017

Mammoth Car Wash finds success old fashioned way Owner Jimmy Tester’s 20 years in business testament to getting it right – by hand HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Jimmy Tester has made his company Mammoth Car Wash a success one car at a time.

And he still does it the old-fashioned way – by hand.

“It’s the only way really to give the customer that ultimate satisfaction he or she is looking for,” Tester said. “For a lot of people, that car, that truck, that’s their baby and they want it treated right.”

Tester has three stores. Two are in Alpharetta: one on Old Milton Parkway, one literally around the corner on South Main Street. The third is a franchise on Holcomb Bridge and Spalding Drive in Roswell.

All of them offer 100 percent handwashed and hand-detailed service.

Tester raised some eyebrows when he began totally refurbishing his South Main store last month. It will be about 1,200 square feet with the lobby three times its former size.

It was his first Mammoth location, yet so near the car wash on Old Milton, many people wondered why not put the money into a totally new location?

“There are several reasons to keep that store where it is,” Tester said.

“First, I don’t want to give up that location on Main Street. It gives us so much exposure. Second they complement each other.”

Tester said his best customers like to baby their vehicles and come in once a month or even more frequently. What they don’t like is to wait.

Hand-washed is the company mantra at Mammoth Car Wash.

HATCHER HURD/HERALD

Mammoth Car Wash & Detail Salon owner Jimmy Tester has found success giving each automobile the “Mammoth Touch.” Everything is done by hand with attention to detail.

“We have a free app you can download from our website and it gives you the wait time at each one. So if you’re in a hurry, you can have your choice of the store that has the shorter wait,” Tester said. “You can also make appointments for detailing packages with the app.

“It has been really popular with my customers. And for us, it is just a

way to serve folks better. It’s like our unlimited wash program. You pay one monthly fee and you can bring the vehicle in whenever you want.”

People also respond to the low-tech handwashing because they see the value it has over running the vehicle through a machine wash.

“It’s all about attention to detail.

And we pay our people better than anybody. So we have the best employees, a nice environment for them. Ultimately that is what keeps the quality high,” he said.

Another reason to keep the Main Street location, it was already zoned C-2 which allows a car wash. Those C-2 zonings are hard to come by, he said.

Tester should know. He tried to get a store in Johns Creek at the corner of Old Alabama Road and Jones Bridge Road, and while it had a lot of C-1 commercial, a car wash was not allowed.

Mayor Mike Bodker actually apologized for turning Tester down because his hand-washed business would have been a good fit.

“But if we rezone the property C-2, it’s zoned forever. We can’t break our

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rules even for such a good fit as yours,” Bodker said at the time.

It was a good decision 20 years ago for Tester to make the move into the car wash business, he said. Tester was running a valet service for one of Atlanta’s most popular nightclubs, and business was great. But as a married man with his first child on the way, Tester was looking down the road a bit.

“I saw the statistics that most successful night clubs have a run of about seven years and then they start to fade.

The club where I ran the valet service was turning 7 years old.”

About that time a friend approached him about becoming a partner in the car wash business. Although he was making a good living where he was, Tester thought it was a good move long-term. A couple of years later he bought out his partner and has never looked back.

“And about six months after we opened, that nightclub closed,” he said. “I’ve been blessed. Things have just fallen right. We have good, loyal employees, good management and you couldn’t have a better spot to be than Alpharetta.”

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ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 17

Massive GM plant redevelopment back on track Improving customer satisfaction The project will

The massive redevelopment of the old GM plant in Doraville is back on track after it stalled last year due to a public infrastructure improvement shortfall of about $180 million. The GEOFF SMITH $2 billion-project Assurance Financial, gsmith@lendtheway.com is expected to take from five to eight years to build out and will include more than 10 million square feet of office towers, apartments, stores and restaurants sitting along MARTA’s Gold Line.

The project was set to begin last summer when DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Stephen Green blocked the formation of a tax allocation district.

The district would have provided the necessary $185 million in public infrastructure funding to go along with the $2 billion-private investment. To get around this, the developer, Integral Group LLC, worked with the City of Doraville to create the Assembly Community Improvement District, whose future revenues it can use to make bond payments to fund the public infrastructure improvements.

I have not been able to see exactly what the boundaries of this new district would be, but a typical community improvement district (CID) collects a tax of sorts from businesses located within its geographical boundaries, with those funds going toward improvements in the district. And apparently this new CID either isn’t at the mercy of the DeKalb Schools’ superintendent, or he is not opposed to it.

The project will give new life to the 165-acre GM site which has sat noticeably dormant along I-285 in Doraville.

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neighborhoods are ranch-style homes in the $300,000-range.

Values could jump with the addition of this massive, urban development just up the road.

There has not been a lot of new redevelopment along Peachtree Industrial or Buford Highway in that area.

The roads are mostly aging industrial and office buildings with a number of car dealerships scattered in between.

The area could be ripe for the millennial market with moderately priced homes near a very walkable urban district and a MARTA station.

give new life to the 165-acre GM site which has sat noticeably dormant along I-285 in Doraville.

The plant opened MARTA seeks more in 1947 and dollars, announces closed in 2008. new projects The plant opened in 1947 and closed in 2008.

The plant has been demolished, and one component of the new development has already been completed. A 60,000-square-foot film and television studio is up and running. Filming has already begun there in what Integral’s CEO Egbert Perry says is the largest film for 2017.

Renderings of the new project show plenty of mixed-use with walkable streets connecting workers and residents to shops, restaurants and MARTA. Perry predicts the project will create up to 8,000 office, retail and light manufacturing jobs.

The project sits just north of the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and will add a significant value to the homes in neighborhoods along Peachtree Industrial in Chamblee and Buford Highway (there are not a lot of residential neighborhoods in Doraville. At this time, Zillow shows 11 houses listed in the Doraville city limits).

While there has been some rebuilding of homes in that area, most

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According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, MARTA officials are working to try again to get voters in Fulton and DeKalb Counties to approve an increased sales tax to raise about $5.5 billion over the next several decades. Projects that could be funded include the extension of the North line from Dunwoody to Alpharetta, extension of its rail line east along I-20, and bus rapid transit service along I-20.

MARTA announced it is moving ahead this year with projects inside Atlanta that include light rail construction along the Atlanta Beltline, $10 million in improvements to the MARTA station inside Hartsfield-Jackson airport, and adding a light rail line connecting southwest Atlanta to the Beltline and downtown.

Geoff Smith gsmith@lendtheway.com 770-674-1433 Personal: NMLS#104587 Business: NMLS#70876 *The views and opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of Assurance Financial Group

Are you meeting your customer’s expectations? Are your customers satisfied?

Existing customers are the source of current revenue, future sales, and referrals to others.

Statistics indicate DICK JONES that it is 6-7 times Founder & President Jones Simply Sales more expensive to attract a new customer than it is to sell an existing customer. As such, retaining current customers should be a No. 1 priority for every small business owner.

Retaining customers begins by gaining a thorough understanding of their expectations and priorities. Oftentimes this is unknown, unclear, or internally defined by company personnel. In most cases, companies have not taken the time to actually ask their customers what they want.

Deploying a Customer Satisfaction Management System in your small business will ensure that you are developing and delivering your products and services based on what your customers want, not what you think they want.

A simple three-step process will allow you to implement this. First, talk with your customers to understand their expectations. This can be done through interviews or focus groups.

Next, have your customers prioritize their expectations by ranking the ones that they value the most. And finally, use the ranked list and have your current customers rate your performance.

A simple survey can be used to do this.

Satisfied customers buy more, are more loyal, and recommend you to others. It is definitely an asset to your business to have satisfied customers, and having a Customer Satisfaction Management System is a proven approach to accomplishing this.

18 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

BUSINESSPOSTS

Skaltek opens U.S. headquarters in Forsyth Coil packaging company takes unique business perspective

By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — For Ralph Skalleberg, entrepreneurship runs in his blood.

And because of that, he runs his business, Skaltek America, a bit differently than others.

But don’t call him the boss.

SKALLEBERG “We have no room for managers, but if you want to be a servant we have room,” Skalleberg said. “Who has the right to be boss over someone else? We are responsible to make a better world. I had the chance to build this and wanted to build something fantastic.”

And build something fantastic he did. The company, founded in 1981, makes packaging machines for electric cable and has customers in 60 countries. It is a family-run business

and Skalleberg is second generation.

Additionally, the company is involved in the fiber optics industry, telecommunications and power grids.

Skaltek bought the 38 acres it sits on 18 years ago for their recently opened American headquarters at 5601 Shiloh Road. But he was waiting for the right time to build. Then in April 2014, Skalleberg began designing the building, broke ground in January 2016 and moved in 11 months later.

Before occupying this space, the company was headquartered in Norcross. But Skalleberg, who is a former semi-professional water skier, moved to Lake Lanier in the 1990s. He knew he wanted to build close to Lake Lanier.

“Forsyth County is an interesting county,” Skalleberg said. “I was in Gwinnett County when it ‘took off.’ I remember it well. Gwinnett County didn’t preserve a lot of greenspace. People were greedy and did whatever they could. I feel for the most part Forsyth County has learned from Gwinnett County and is protecting the land.”

Playing off that mindset, the building itself has a lot of the company’s philosophies built into it, he said, including no walls in the office area.

“By tradition, people are forced to

think in a hierarchic organization,” Skalleberg said. “The boss is at the top, and if something goes wrong, you typically push up [the chain of command] until you get somewhere. Then those guys are trying to push down. So you have a recycling of lack of responsibility. We take the pyramid and turn it upside down. You are supposed to see the individual as much as possible with full access. To get full access, you get

Atlanta Realtors Association names new president NORTH ATLANTA — Bill Rawlings, North Atlanta office managing broker and vice president of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, has been elected as the 2017 President of the Atlanta Realtors Association.

The announcement was made at the annual

rid of the walls.”

The space has plenty of natural light, and is clean with crisp colors and open spaces. While sitting in the office area, large windows show the manufacturing side of the company.

“In corporate America, people are treated like rats,” Skalleberg said. “We wanted people to have total access and

See SKALTEK, Page 19

BUSINESSBRIEFS meeting and installation ceremony held at the St. Regis Hotel in Buckhead.

Rawlings will lead the 7,000 member organization, the largest residential real estate association in Georgia.

“The Atlanta Realtors Association, founded in 1910, has been an instrumental factor in the growth of organized real estate in the State for over a century. It’s a great honor to serve this outstanding association of my real estate colleagues,” Rawlings said.

Rawlings’ North Atlanta office is located in Sanctuary Park and specializes in suburban areas, including Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming and Milton.

Three generations of Bill Rawlings’ family attended his installation as the new President of the Atlanta Realtors Association. From left are Bill Rawlings, his son Carter, his wife Audra, his daughter and his parents Judy and Bill Rawlings, Sr.

KATHLEEN STURGEON/HERALD

The machine packages cables.

Harry Norman, Realtors announces leadership changes MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Harry Norman, Realtors, a HomeServices of America company, recently announced that Jenni Bonura, general manager of Harry Norman, Realtors, has been promoted to president and CEO. Dan Parmer, former president and CEO, has been named chairman emeritus.

BONURA As president and CEO, Bonura will shape the company’s strategy and direct operations with a focus on driving future growth

while preserving Harry Norman’s 86-year legacy of exceeding clients’ expectations.

Bonura was previously the senior vice president and managing broker of Harry Norman’s North Fulton office.

In early 2016, Bonura was named general manager of Harry Norman, where she has been actively engaged in virtually all aspects of brokerage operations and has provided guidance and direction to the company’s 900 Realtors.

NF Chiropractic Center welcomes new providers ALPHARETTA, Ga. — North Fulton Chiropractic Center has recently brought two new team members on board: Dr. Angella Perotti and Mary Melvin, LMT. Perotti, is a National Board Certified chiropractor and holds a National Physiotherapy certification. Perotti uses multiple spinal and extremity adjustment techniques. She works with patients of all age groups and health backgrounds, from pediatrics, geriatrics, middle age adults, athletes and pregnant women.

Melvin is a Licensed Massage Therapist who graduated from Georgia Massage School in 2013, where she earned her LMT. Mary is proficient in many modalities of massage, including Swedish, deep tissue, neuromuscular therapy, sport and lymphatic massages.

BUSINESSPOSTS

Skaltek:

Continued from Page 18 for people to see exactly what’s going on in the manufacturing space.

Those guys’ days and life quality go up because this company actually invests in them.”

The site backs up to wildlife, sometimes giving employees a look into nature with deer and a heron often seen out the windows.

“All answers are in nature, so we are close to nature,” Skalleberg said.

“When you’re connected to nature you learn to behave. Atlanta is a master of destroying land. To be a good steward of the land is a key thing.”

But inside the walls, the space provides room for testing products, research development and assembly.

While Skaltek doesn’t actually make wire, just the machines that make the wire, they give their customers plenty of space to test out ideas.

“I trust good examples, but not leaders,” Skalleberg said. “We look at new governments coming in and the people are called public servants. I don’t know how serving they are, it’s more self-serving. It’s dishonestly that I don’t care for. As we run this business, we have a chance to show a better way.

It’s my desire, and it pays off.”

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 19

Roswell gears up for Restaurant Week More than two dozen local restaurants to showcase culinary finest

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI julia@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. — It’s almost that time of year again for food lovers. Roswell Restaurant Week is fast approaching.

From Jan. 23-Feb. 1, Roswell Restaurant Week will showcase some of the city’s best culinary experiences and local favorites. A total of 26 restaurants will participate in this year’s event, once again put on by Roswell Inc. “Roswell Restaurant Week is one of our favorite times of the year,” said Steve Stroud, executive director of Roswell Inc. “Roswell has an incredibly strong and growing restaurant scene, and this event is a fun and exciting way to invite people from all across the region to experience the unique culinary treasures and dining experiences we have in our city.”

Throughout the week, guests are invited to choose from special chef-driven prix fixe menus at each of the participating restaurants. The prix fixe menus offer a full meal, complete with several courses, at a fixed price. Customers can choose, for example, from one of

Hollywood Feed opens in Roswell Business name: Hollywood Feed Owners: Shawn McGhee, president; Nate Jones, store manager About: Hollywood Feed offers a wide selection of natural and holistic pet food and products, and supports local rescues through regular pet adoption and community events. Hollywood Feed serves customers in nearly 50 stores across the Southeast in Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Texas.

Opened: December 17, 2016 Address: 1125 Woodstock Road, Suite 350, Roswell, Ga. 30075 Phone Number: 678-795-9096 Website: www.hollywoodfeed.com

three appetizer, entrée and dessert options for one discounted price.

“If you see a restaurant you like, you can go there and order off that prix fixe menu to experience a variety of different dishes,” said Carisa Turner, communications and partnerships director for Roswell Inc. “The point, and what we really encourage the restaurants to do, is to not only showcase some of their signature favorites, but to also come up with some special items to feature during that week only – maybe something the chef has always wanted to try or a new dish that the restaurant wants to test out with their customers. It’s a good way to get some feedback and new menu items into the mix.”

There are foods to try out for every palate, with restaurant options ranging everywhere from Italian and seafood to BBQ and pizza, and everything in between. It’s an opportunity to not only

enjoy some good food but support local businesses as well.

“This is the second time that Roswell Inc is presenting Roswell Restaurant week,” Turner said. “It was originally a grassroots idea, before Roswell Inc took it up, to have a week celebrating the restaurants in the city. It’s such a huge economic driver for the city.”

The week provides an opportunity for people all across metro Atlanta to try new restaurants and dishes that only Roswell can provide.

“Our restaurant scene has been growing over the past couple of years and we’re becoming known as a foodie destination around Atlanta,” Turner said. “We’re inviting everyone from around the region to come experience the culinary treasures we have here in Roswell.”

To see a full list of participating restaurants and their prix fixe menus, visit roswellrw.com.

NEWBUSINESSSPOTLIGHTS

Roswell welcomes Co-Work with Us

Ederra Bella Plastic Surgery cuts ribbon in Johns Creek

Business name: Co-Work with Us Owner: Stacey Scott About: Co-work with Us is an innovative alternative to the traditional office space or working from home. Independent workers and entrepreneurs can have a dedicated desk and locker along with access to conference rooms, a breakroom and other office amenities at a fraction of the price. Co-work with Us allows you to work among other accomplished professionals without the distractions of working from home or in a coffee shop.

Opened: Dec. 2, 2016 Address: 963 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, Ga. 30004 Phone: 678-242-4000 or 888-615-3990 Website: www.coworkwithus.com

Business name: Ederra Bella Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa Owner: Myla Bennett About: Ederra Bella’s newly renovated Johns Creek location creates a luxurious setting for patients to receive treatments for a variety of procedures, including facelifts, dermal fillers and liposuction.

Dr. Myla Bennett specializes in body contouring and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation. She offers medical spa services such as microneedling, HydraFacials, vampire facelifts and skin tightening.

Opened: Nov. 30, 2016 Address: 2685 Old Milton Parkway, Suite 130, Alpharetta, Ga. 30009 Phone: 678-325-0006 Website: www.ederrabella.com

20 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

CALENDAR

ROSWELL RESTAURANT WEEK

Sample the best culinary experiences that Roswell’s restaurants have to offer. Enjoy a diverse selection of food from dozens of local restaurants that will all have special chef-driven prix fixe menus for one week only. See a full list of participating restaurants online. Restaurant week will span Jan. 23-Feb. 1 and will include local restaurants across Roswell. For more information, including menus and locations, visit roswellrw.com.

movie. This month’s movie is “Florence Foster Jenkins,” a biographical comedy-drama featuring Meryl Streep.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 25, 1 p.m.

Where: Park Place at Newtown School, 3125 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek More info: johnscreekga.gov/parkplace

MUSIC, ARTS & THEATER:

CAR SEAT CHECK

What: The Johns Creek Fire Department will demonstrate how to properly install vehicle child safety seats and make sure that it’s the correct seat for the child’s age and size.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 9 a.m.-noon Where: Fire Station 61, 10265 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Johns Creek More info: johnscreekga.gov or 678474-1641

is Scott Durham, who will share his story after breakfast.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 8 a.m.

Where: 5470 Keith Bridge Road, Cumming More info: 678-232-3239

AVALON ON ICE

What: Ice skate on the Rockefeller Center-sized ice skating rink in the plaza. Watch for theme nights and enjoy warm, tasty treats rink side.

Enjoy special events throughout the season and sign up for ice skating lessons.

When: Through Jan. 22, times vary Where: Avalon, 2200 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta Cost: general admission starts at $18 More info: experienceavalon.com

OPEN HOUSE: KIMBALL BRIDGE IMPROVEMENT

YOUTH BASEBALL INJURY PREVENTION WORKSHOP

What: Attendees will learn tips to prevent sports related injuries, proper warm up techniques and age-appropriate pitching recommendations. Atlanta Braves manager, Brian Snitker will serve as keynote speaker.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 8 a.m.

Where: Emory Johns Creek Hospital, 6325 Hospital Parkway, Johns Creek More info: emoryjohnscreek.com or 404-778-6268

DRUG AND ALCOHOL AWARENESS BREAKFAST

What: Harmony Grove Baptist Men’s Brotherhood will host their 13th Annual Drug & Alcohol Awareness Breakfast. This year’s guest speaker

What: Join City Council and the Transportation Team as they discuss the final designs for improvements to the section of Kimball Bridge Road, between North Point Parkway and Waters Road.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6:30-8 p.m.

Where: New Prospect Elementary School, 3055 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta More info: alpharetta.ga.us

TOASTMASTERS SPEAKING CONTEST What: The Alpharetta Toastmasters Club will be conducting its annual International Speech and Table Topics Contest. Winners of this contest will represent the Club at the Area Contest. Anyone can attend.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m.

Where: Kroger, 12870 Highway 9, Alpharetta More info: alpharettaclub. toastmastersclub.org

MOVIES AT PARK PLACE

What: Join the group at Park Place each month for a free screening of a

SPOTLIGHT ARTIST: GEORGE GRAY

What: Come see the works of lifetime artist and Johns Creek resident George Gray. Gray has spent over 40 years of photo retouching by hand.

When: Jan. 2-30, times vary Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forest St., Roswell More info: behance.net/georgegray

LIBRARY EVENTS:

Looking to get the word out about your event?

Submit it to our online calendar at NorthFulton. com/Calendar.

EVENTS:

When: Jan. 5-Jan. 22, times vary Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell Cost: Tickets start at $20 More info and tickets: get.org

FAVORITE TURKISH RECIPES

AUTREY MILL UNPLUGGED

What: Come hear Out of the Rain, a folk duo whose acoustic sound has been described as warm, eloquent and vivid. This is the first of the Autrey Mill Unplugged concert series for the year.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 7-10 p.m.

Where: Warsaw Church, 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek Cost: $20 More info and tickets: autreymill.org

S.T.E.A.M. TEAM

What: Five neighborhood friends join forces to form the S.T.E.A.M. Team and help a friend in need. This play focuses on project learning, anti-bullying, social change and education.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell Cost: Tickets start at $10 More info and tickets: get.org or 770641-1260 ext. 223

What: Explore the world of Turkish cooking and food with chefs from Alpharetta’s Istanbul Culture center.

There will be free samples to enjoy.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, noon-1:30 p.m.

Where: Alpharetta Library, 10 Park Plaza, Alpharetta More info: afpls.org

EXPLORING CHINESE CULTURE

What: Presented by Atlanta-Taipei Sister Cities Committee, learn about Lunar New Year as well as traditional tea ceremonies, calligraphy, and more.

Open to anyone ages 12 and up.

When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 3-5 p.m.

Where: Ocee Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Alpharetta More info: afpls.org

JAPANESE FOLK ARTIST HIROYA TSUKAMOTO

What: Hear Hiroya Tsukamoto has he takes the audience on an impressionistic journey of earthy, organic soundscapes to impart a mood of peace and tranquility.

When: Sunday, Jan. 22, 7:30-11 p.m.

Where: The Velvet Note, 4075 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta Cost: $24 More info and tickets: thevelvetnote. com

“GREETINGS FRIEND YOUR KIND ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED”

What: When retired schoolteacher Rhonda Charles opens an email in her spam folder, the journey of a lifetime begins. This is the world premiere comedy from Atlanta playwright Topher Payne.

RINGLING BROS. CIRCUS STORY TIME

What: The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Ambassadors of Laughter will present a free circus story time, for ages 2-6, that will encourage children to read, discover, dream and learn.

When: Monday, Jan. 23, 10:30-11 a.m.

Where: East Roswell Library, 2301 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell More info: afpls.org

JANUARY ART PROJECT

What: Roswell mixed media artist, Sharon Crumbley will lead a free art workshop making a winter craft.

All materials will be provided, but reservations are required and limited

to 10.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Where: Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell More info: afpls.org

CODING AT OCEE

What: Teenagers learn basics of Java, including basics of programming, conditions, loops and arrays at this free workshop. For grades five and up.

Registration is required and limited to the first 20.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6-7 p.m.

Where: Ocee Library, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Alpharetta More info and registration: afpls.org or 770-360-8897

LIBRARY BOOK SALE

What: The Friends of the Roswell Library will be selling books, DVDs and CDs. All proceeds will go directly to the library for materials and community programs.

When: Jan. 26-28, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Jan 29, 2-5:30 p.m.

Where: Roswell Library, 115 Norcross Street, Roswell More info: forl.net

PET ADOPTIONS: FORSYTH COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER What: Pet adoptions When: Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: The Forsyth County Animal Shelter, 4065 County Way, Forsyth County More info: 678-965-7185

FULTON COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES What: Pet adoptions When: Every Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Where: PetSmart, 6370 North Point Parkway, Alpharetta Additional adoptions: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Fulton County Animal Services, 860 Marietta Blvd.

NW, Atlanta More info: 404-613-4958

CALENDAR

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 21

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA:

Learn to tie flies at Alpharetta Rec And now (as they say) for something a little different…something that just might help you enjoy the out-of-doors in an entirely new way.

Have I piqued your interest? I STEVE HUDSON hope so!

Get Outside Georgia, aa4bw@comcast.net Over the last few weeks in Get Outside Georgia, we’ve talked about fishing on several occasions. The fishing lure (get it?) has gotten even stronger over the last few days, thanks to that welcome run of warmer days that got fisherfolk far and wide thinking about getting out on the water.

Fly fishers, and that includes me, look forward to the first hint of warm weather. Sure, it may (and probably will) turn cold again. But that little spring-flavored teaser was all it took to encourage fly fishers to start checking out their gear…and (for many) to prompt ‘em to turn to their favorite vise.

Wait. What?

No, not vice with a “c.” Instead, I’m talking vise with an “s” – as in a “fly tying vise.”

Hmmm. I see that I’m already getting ahead of myself, but let me backtrack and explain (and I promise it’ll all come together). A fly tying vise is the tool that “fly tyers” use to hold the hook during the process of “tying” a fly. Fishing with flies that you created with your own hands is definitely a special thing, and there’s no doubt about it: creating your own flies is fun!

Now here’s the really good news.

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 28, Alpharetta’s Recreation and Parks Department will be offering a special three-hour “Introduction to Fly Tying” class. This class, which will be held at the Alpharetta Community Center at 175 Roswell Street, is a perfect opportunity for you to learn to make your own flies for fishing for trout, bass and other fish. It’s sure to be a great time!

Who’s the teacher?

Well…okay, I’m delighted to say it’s Yours Truly. I’ve been teaching folks to tie flies, as well as to fly fish, for years and years now, and leading workshops like this one is something that I truly enjoy doing. I don’t know who has the most fun – me as I teach folks to tie flies, or the participants in the class as they see new skills develop and handtied flies take shape.

This particular class is designed for adults and for youth (youth ages 14-17 must be accompanied by an adult). We will be creating flies for trout fishing as well as for bass and bream fishing.

But the fun won’t stop once our class is complete. The focus in this workshop will be on helping you learn basic tying skills so that you can continue enjoying fly tying for many years to come, and I hope that that’s exactly what everyone in the class will do.

What should you bring with you to the class? The good news is that you don’t have to bring a thing. All tools, supplies and instructional materials are provided for you to use during the class, and of course the flies that you tie are yours to keep.

Yes, it’s going to be a great time.

I hope to see you there, and I know you’ll have a tremendous amount of fun.

But the fun doesn’t stop once the

workshop is done. Indeed, the most fun will come after the class…when you catch that first fish on one the flies you created with your very own hands.

Now is a perfect time of year to explore the great hiking trails along the Chattahoochee River. Learn about these trails in Steve Hudson’s book “Hiking the Hooch”, a complete guide to the incredible hiking opportunities awaiting you within the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

Check out “Hiking the Hooch” at local outfitters, on Amazon or at chattahoocheemedia.com.

22 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

COMMUNITY

Northside Forsyth Chief tells vets Pinecrest’s Dr. Lindekugel speaks group a story of growth, service at annual Blue Ribbon conference FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Starting with 41 beds, five physicians and three operating rooms 17 years ago, Northside Hospital-Forsyth has grown with the community to become a regional medical facility capable of meeting virtually every health care need. That is the overview provided to the Cumming Vietnam Veterans Chapter by Hospital Administrator Lynn Jackson.

Speaking at the group’s January general membership meeting, Jackson told how the 160 acre campus has grown from small beginnings to the 265 bed, 500 physicians and 18 O-R facility it is today.

Jackson said that since it began growing to meet community population expansion in 2002, they’ve “never had a day without construction.”

The most recent work was the addition of three floors making it the tallest structure in Forsyth County.

The longtime hospital executive said it’s not just about the growth of the physical plant that matters. Instead it’s the quality of care that’s the No. 1 priority for her and for the 2,600 people who deliver patient care every day to nearly a half million patients each year.

Jackson said she is proud to note that the emergency room wait time at the hospital is the shortest in the state.

Additionally, since opening the Women’s Center in 2008, when it started providing Cumming with

Northside Forsyth Hospital Administrator Lynn Jackson speaks to Cumming Vietnam Veterans about the growth of the hospital and its services and capabilities. hospital based obstetric care for the first time in 25 years, it has delivered around 24,000 babies.

The future of Northside Hospital Forsyth is continued growth, including construction of a fifth physicians building that’s underway on the campus right now.

She closed her presentation telling her audience, “we want to be the very best we can be for you.”

CUMMING, Ga. — Pinecrest Academy Headmaster, Dr. Ed Lindekugel, was selected as a guest speaker at the 17th Annual National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Conference in Orlando, Fla., November 29 - December 2, 2016. The event provided a forum for administrators at Blue Ribbon Schools to share models of excellence, as well as best practices, in key areas.

Nearly 600 educators attended the conference, and 70 presentations were given by National Blue Ribbon Schools and Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Lighthouse winners.

As a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School, Pinecrest Academy was identified as having a “best practice” in one or more of the following areas, resulting in an invitation to submit a proposal to present at the conference: • Student Focus and Support • School Organization and Culture • Challenging Standards and Curriculum • Active Teaching and Learning • Technology Integration • Professional Community • Leadership and Vitality • School, Family and Community Partnerships • Indicators of Success Pinecrest’s proposal to present at the Conference was accepted out of hundreds submitted, and Lindekugel was invited to present on “Ser-

Pinecrest Academy Headmaster Dr. Ed Lindekugel was selected as a speaker for the annual Blue Ribbon Schools Conference in late November/early December. vant Leadership in the 21st Century School.”

“A strong school leader must actively work to develop leadership skills on their campus with teachers, students and staff,” said Judith Warden, EdD, CEO of Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, Inc. “Headmaster Lindekugel is a proven and effective leader, and we look forward to his presentation.”

Lindekugel’s presentation was well received by attendees, with many participants talking about the session, according to Warden.

ATL performs ‘James and the Giant Peach’ FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — After winning second place in the GHSA 7-AAAAAAA regional one-act competition with “James and the Giant Peach,” The Acting Troupe of Lambert is now bringing their full version performance of this title to the local community in early February.

This adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic tale includes original music by Tony Award nominated lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Blotter: Continued from Page 2 located a male victim with a non -life-threatening gunshot wound to his left abdominal area. The victim, as well as witnesses on scene, was able to provide deputies with a description of the shooter.

A perimeter was set up and after a brief manhunt, the suspect was located sitting in a parked car near the incident

For the second consecutive year, the Acting Troupe of Lambert has been invited to perform this show at the Georgia Thespian Conference 2017 in Columbus. Only twenty high schools in Georgia are selected for this honor.

Artistic direction and choreography will be under the direction of Lambert High School’s Theater Department Director Carly Berg, and music direction

location. While taking the suspect into custody, deputies located the weapon used in the shooting in his possession.

The suspect was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and is being held at the Forsyth County Jail without bond.

Apparent armed robbery at local pharmacy FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is seeking more

will be under Lambert High School’s Chorus and Music Theory Director Ryan Wason.

Performances will be held at Lambert High School Auditorium Feb. 2-4 at 7 p.m., with an additional performance Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be sold online at showtix4u.com and at the door. They will go on sale starting Thursday, Jan. 19. Adult tickets are $15, and student tickets are $10.

information on a recent armed robbery at a local pharmacy.

At 10:45 a.m., Jan. 13, an armed robbery occurred at Forsyth Pharmacy, 3592 Old Atlanta Road.

A white female brandished a black handgun and reportedly demanded various opiate-based medications. After being given an unknown amount of medication, she fled the pharmacy on foot.

A white male suspect was observed talking to the female just before the robbery.

At this time there is no vehicle description.

The female was wearing a beige coat with a red hoodie underneath, blue jeans and sunglasses. She was described as approximately 5’2”, 180 pounds.

The male was wearing a dark hoodie with khaki pants.

If you have any information, contact the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office at the non-emergency number 770-7813087, and Crime Stoppers at 770-8887308.

COMMUNITY

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 23

22 Forsyth schools receive awards from Governor’s Office of Student Achievement

Library piloting extra hours for patrons with special needs FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Visiting the library in Forsyth County is getting a little easier for individuals with special needs. This month, the Hampton Park Library will launch a Special Needs Library Hour pilot program to provide additional services to patrons with special needs, such as autism or sensory processing disorders.

The first Special Needs Library Hour event was held Jan. 14 and was open to individuals and children with special needs, along with their families or caregivers. The program will continue to be offered on the second Saturday of each month through May, when library staff will review attendance and patron feedback collected during the program.

“The buzz and excitement of a public place can be too overwhelming for patrons with special needs,” said Kayla Lawson, a youth specialist at the Hampton Park Library who first proposed the program. “This program will provide a quiet, low-sensory hour of freedom within the library. And while they’re here, patrons have the option to enjoy Sensory Storytime.”

The Hampton Park Library, already

nestled into a quiet locale in the northern part of Forsyth County, will open its doors one hour earlier than usual to give patrons with special needs access to the library. Patrons can expect softer lighting, limited background noise, and fewer people in the library.

“Our staff will be on-hand to assist patrons in finding the materials they want, or simply guide them in exploring all our library has to offer,” said Ross Gericke, branch manager.

“Because this is a pilot program, we’ll also be listening for feedback from our patrons about their needs and the ways we can make adjustments during Special Needs Library Hour to help them better use the library.”

“Programs like this are becoming more common in libraries across the country,” said Program Manager Laura Bradley.

Advance registration for Special Needs Library Hour is not required.

Patrons should call the Hampton Park Library at 770-781-9840 ext. 6709 with any questions or specific accessibility requests.

For more information, visit forsythpl.org.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Governor Nathan Deal recently announced 22 Forsyth County schools will receive 2016 Highest Performing or Greatest Gains school awards.

In total, 218 Georgia public schools in 53 districts will receive these awards.

The 2016 Greatest Gains award winners consist of 139 schools across 50 districts, and the 2016 Highest Performing award winners consist of 130 schools across 22 districts.

Including 14 schools from Forsyth

County, 51 schools in 14 districts are award winners in both categories.

The school awards are part of Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability System. Highest Performing schools must earn a three-year average College and Career Ready Performance Index Achievement Score that ranks in at least the 93rd percentile.

Greatest Gains schools must earn a three-year average CCRPI Progress Score that ranks in at least the 93rd percentile.

The award recipients include:

Big Creek ES Brookwood ES Chestatee ES Daves Creek ES Johns Creek ES Lakeside MS Lambert HS Mashburn ES Midway ES North Forsyth MS Piney Grove MS Riverwatch MS Settles Bridge ES Sharon ES Shiloh Point ES Silver City ES South Forsyth HS South Forsyth MS Vickery Creek ES Vickery Creek MS West Forsyth HS Whitlow ES

Greatest Gains Gold Platinum Silver Gold Platinum Bronze

Gold Silver Silver Silver Silver Bronze

Gold

Gold Gold Gold

Platinum

Highest Performing Platinum Platinum

Platinum Platinum Silver Platinum Bronze

Bronze Gold Platinum Platinum Platinum Silver

Platinum Platinum Bronze Gold Silver Bronze

24 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

COMMUNITY

Family mission project packs meals for starving children Event draws more than 750 volunteers from Pinecrest community CUMMING, Ga. — More than 750 Pinecrest Academy students and their families, and faculty and staff at the private prekindergarten3-12th grade Catholic school, served together on Dec. 11, 2016, at the Feed My Starving Children MobilePack Event at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian non-profit organization committed to feeding God’s children hungry in body and spirit. Children and adults hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children, and FMSC ships these meals to distribution partners.

Meals have reached nearly 70 countries around the world. The boxes of goods packed by Pinecrest families will go to Haiti and Nicaragua, locations that students and parents have participated in direct missionary work.

Kathleen Nichols, assistant to the President at Pinecrest Academy, who directs the Family Life program at Pinecrest, and Anne Rice, Pinecrest parent, organizers of the FMSC service project, hoped to get 700 from the school to sign up, a seemingly lofty goal for a school of about 820 students.

According to Lisa Stueckemann, Feed My Starving Children Development Advisor, MobilePack, Pinecrest put together the largest volunteer group that FMSC hosted for the MobilePack event over the weekend.

“Feed My Starving Children is unique in that everyone, ages five and up, can participate together. The faculty and staff did a fantastic job getting the entire Pinecrest community involved. The response was tremendous,” Stueckemann said.

In a two-hour period, the Pinecrest team packed 990 meal boxes, equating to 213,840 meals. “We were pleased to learn that our efforts will feed 585 children for a year,” Rice said. “That would be like feeding over half of our students for a year.”

An additional $9,000 was raised for the cause.

President of Pinecrest Fr. David Steffy, LC served alongside the families on Sunday. “Pinecrest was humbled to not only provide volunteers, but to also spiritually and financially contribute to the relief effort of Feed My Starving Children,” he said. “For this privilege, we are grateful.”

Three generations from the Pinecrest community served together at the Feed My Starving Children MobilePack Event at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta on December 11, 2016. Pictured from left, are Chris Daniels, Lucy Daniels, Brian Piszczek, Angela Piszczek, Sophia Piszczek and Joseph Piszczek.

DEATH NOTICES Dominic Anthony Accetta, 81, of Cumming, passed away January 6, 2017.

Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

Matthew Kenneth Bass, 44, of Cumming, passed away January 2, 2017.

Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

James Burnham III, of Roswell, passed away January 9, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Zeboim Christopher-DeSales Chastain, of Cumming, passed away January 1, 2017. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

Patricia Sue Cook, 69, of Cumming, passed away January 10, 2017.

Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

Stephen Morley, 55, of Alpharetta, passed away January 7, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Greg Thomson, of Alpharetta, passed away January 3, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Addie Mae Peek, of Roswell, passed away January 5, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Albert Neal Whigham, 73, of Alpharetta, passed away January 6, 2017.

Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

Joseph Herbig, of Alpharetta, passed away January 7, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Richard Yokom, of Roswell, passed away January 3, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Marcus James Holtzclaw, 84, of Forsyth County, passed away January 6, 2017.

Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

William Kirk, Sr., of Roswell, passed away January 8, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Dorothy Stafford, of Alpharetta, passed away January 9, 2017. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 25

IT’S BACK! WE ARE GIVING AWAY ANOTHER CRUISE!

3rd Annual

Appen Cruise Giveaway January 19th - February 23rd, 2017

ATTENTION READERS!

2016 Winners Jeff & Elise Baggett

HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are kicking off 2017 by giving away a

FREE CRUISE!

$2,000 toward the cruise of your dreams!

It’s easy to enter – follow the steps below.

LOOK for the Expedia Cruise logo hidden throughout the papers each week.

GO to Northfulton.com CLICK “Enter to Win” icon TELL us which page number the logo is on WATCH your email on March 6th to see if you have won a Free Cruise! * Winner will be drawn March 6th 2017

“Our cruise was fantastic! We sailed on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, trans-Atlantic from New York to Southampton England in October.

We were at sea for 6 days and loved how relaxing it was. It was a jazz cruise and we enjoyed the music. We especially loved the British food and afternoon tea and met many wonderful people.”

– Jeff and Elise Baggett

10945 State Bridge Rd., Ste 105 cruiseshipcenters.com/Alpharetta (678) 712-5059

Sponsored by:

Cruise winner will be drawn and notified via email Monday March 7th.

One entry per household, per week.

26 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com

Now Hiring: Advertising Sales Executive Job Description & Duties: Appen Media Group is hiring sales executives for the marketing and advertising department. Primary responsibilities will be managing a book of existing business by consulting on and selling advertising campaigns, and growing the existing book of business through cold calling and networking.

QualiďŹ cations: Must be ambitious, hard working, good with people, and goal oriented.

Previous sales experience preferred, but not required. Compensation: Base salary of $18,200/ year with aggressive monthly commission. Full medical benefits, matching 401k and PTO. About Appen Media Group: Appen Media Group is a multimedia news company with a focus on print newspapers. AMG publishes

four weekly newspapers in the north Fulton and south Forsyth markets totaling 75,000 in circulation per week. In addition to its weekly coverage, AMG also publishes the monthly womens magazine, Northside Woman, as well as quarterly community guides, called Answer Books. Digitally, AMG has a vast online presences through various social media platforms and through its operation of northfulton.com and northsidewoman.com.

Email a resume and cover letter to: christina@appenmediagroup.com and CC hans@appenmediagroup.com.

ForsythHerald.com | Forsyth Herald | January 19, 2017 | 27

® HANDYMAN REMODELING

678-455-2434

www.HandyHero.net

28 | January 19, 2017 | Forsyth Herald | ForsythHerald.com