01192017 johns creek herald

J a n u a r y 1 9 , 2 0 1 7 | N o r t h F u l t o n . 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 1 , N o . 3

Getting facts on McGinnis widening

Falcons riding wave of success

Hatcher Hurd gives his take on Atlanta’s Super Bowl aspirations ►►PAGE 8

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. Read more, Pages 12 – 13.

City wants input on Comp Plan Asks citizens to help plan 20-year vision ►►PAGE 4

Roswell man dies in auto accident Alpharetta crash didn’t hurt others ►►PAGE 9

Sail away with Appen’s Cruise Giveaway Learn how to win the cruise of your dreams ►►PAGE 23

Hooch math whiz shines at conference Kalen Patton rubs elbows with top mathmeticians ►►PAGE 25

MLK Parade keeps dream alive HATCHER HURD/HERALD

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St. James UMC has annual march ►►PAGE 27

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2 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

PUBLIC SAFETY

Burglars break into occupied house ALPHARETTA, Ga. — At 5:17 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9, two, possibly three, suspects broke into a home on Brindle Lane by kicking down the door while the homeowner was still inside.

The homeowner said that she heard a loud bang downstairs, but when she went down, she did not see anyone. A door in the back of the house was still locked, but “felt a little loose,” so she closed it and locked it with the deadbolt.

Ten minutes later, the homeowner once again heard banging sounds downstairs. This time when she went down,

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 ►► Rashaun Yusef Stevens, 25, of

Derby Ridge Trace, Roswell, was arrested Jan. 1 on Crabapple Road in Alpharetta for DUI, wanted person, speeding and suspended license. ►► Brendan Dodge, 29, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, was arrested Dec. 31 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Reginald Gorey Tate, 36, of Fort Street, Winder, was arrested Dec. 29 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for

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.

Family comes home to burglary in progress JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A family reported Jan. 6 that they found two people ransacking their kitchen when they came home late in the evening.

the homeowner saw two men dressed in all black running out of the busted down back door. The two drove off with a possible third suspect in a car parked nearby.

Police searched the area along with K-9 units but were unable to find the suspects. It is unknown if they were armed.

According to the homeowner, no items are missing from the house.

A witness told police that he saw one man dressed in black appear to test the door and leave before the incident.

DUI, speeding, open container, expired tag, reckless driving, failure to allow an emergency vehicle to pass, failure to obey a traffic control device and violation of motorcycle permit restrictions. ►► Katie Elizabeth Terry, 23, of Wellsley Bend, Alpharetta, was arrested Dec. 28 on Collingwood Lane in Alpharetta for DUI, driving on wrong side of roadway and improper use of center turn lane. ►► Anthony Ray Johnson, 49, of Glen Castle Court, Duluth, was arrested Dec. 27 on Parsons Road in Johns Creek for DUI, failure to maintain lane, driving on the wrong side of the roadway and duty upon striking a fixed object. ►► Suzanne Kimberly West, 56, of Bancroft Valley, Alpharetta, was arrested Dec. 27 on Old Alabama Road The family came home a few minutes before 7 p.m., only to encounter two unknown men in their kitchen. The family immediately ran back into their car and called police.

Police later determined that the suspects entered through the rear of the house by breaking the window pane of the patio door and then breaking down the glass door that leads to the kitchen.

The suspects allegedly took two boxes of jewelry, worth $600 total, from a bedroom closet.

One suspect was wearing a dark hoodie and the other a white hoodie.

NORTHSIDE CHAPEL Appen Media Group

in Johns Creek for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Paulius Kurcikevicius, 31, of Ullswater Cove, Johns Creek, was arrested Dec. 28 on Parsons Road in Johns Creek for DUI, open container, suspended license and headlights required.

Drug arrests ►► Shala Benn, 41, of Georgian Hills,

Lawrenceville, was arrested Dec. 29 on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and display of license plates. ►► Zaejon Marcel Jones, 25, of Decatur Road, Decatur, was arrested Dec. 27 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, wanted person, suspended license and improper lane change.

2 generators stolen from construction sites JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Two local construction companies reported Jan. 3 that someone had stolen generators.

Police responded to a burglary call at a construction site on Findley Road, where a representative of one of the companies working there said that their $1,000 generator had gone missing.

The generator, which was rented from Home Depot, had been secured and

See BLOTTER, Page 37

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NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 3

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month Glaucoma is an eye disease that typically does not have symptoms early on, but may cause gradual, permanent loss of vision over time, if left untreated. It can affect people of all ages, but the most common forms primarily affect the middle-aged and elderly population. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide according to the World Health Organization. More than 3 million people in the United States have glaucoma, and this number is projected to increase dramatically by 2030. Risk factors for glaucoma include family history/genetics, African, Asian, or Hispanic descent, older age, diabetes, and hypertension.

Glaucomatous vision loss is caused by damage to the optic nerve over time. Vision loss begins with loss of peripheral or side vision, and since one eye’s visual field compensates for the other eye, a person may not notice symptoms of vision loss or glaucoma until significant vision is lost and there is already severe damage to the optic nerve. A person can develop glaucoma even with a normal eye pressure. Therefore, it is important to have a comprehensive dilated eye examination yearly with an optometrist or ophthalmologist so nerve damage can be detected before vision loss has occurred.

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4 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

NEWS

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What city will look like in future depends on what residents say they want today

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – What will Johns Creek look like in 20 years? That will depend a great deal on what people say are the qualities they want the city to have.

One idea receiving overwhelming support so far has been a city town center, garnering support from 75 percent of those surveyed.

That is why Community Development Director Sharon Ebert and her staff are working to find out what people want for the update of the city’s 20-year Comprehensive Plan.

“So far we have gotten some clear responses from Johns Creek citizens.

But we have only heard from a total of 304 citizens. Clearly in a city of some 85,000 people, we would like to have a larger sampling,” Ebert said.

The plan adopted in 2008 includes the city’s vision for the future and strategies for achievement of the vision.

That encompasses transportation planning, policy objectives, future development, issues and opportunities, long-range activities and more.

Project consultants will collect residents’ input regarding how they view the city today, and what they would like to see in the future.

Workshops began back in October,

3-Day Comp Plan Workshop When: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 6–8 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 26, 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Where: City Hall (12000 Findley Road), third floor in Council Chambers.

What: All city residents are welcome to attend all three days or attend the day and time that’s most convenient. Visit ConnectJohnsCreek.com for updated schedules, timelines and locations of meetings and events.

Minecraft for the kids, planning activities for parents: The kids can get involved, too. The City will provide children (8 and older) the opportunity to “build” a future Johns Creek using the interactive computer game, Minecraft, during public meetings. Children should have their own laptop device.

...We have only heard from a total of 304 citizens. Clearly in a city of some 85,000 people, we would like to have a larger sampling.”

SHARON EBERT Community Development Director but Ebert said the city wants many more citizens involved in the visioning process, hence the three-day session Jan. 24-26 at City Hall.

“We will analyze where we have come from since 2008 when we created the first Comprehensive Plan,” Ebert said. “See where we have come in the first 10 years, and then take the long view 20 years out.”

Some have already taken the online survey at connectjohnscreek.com, but Ebert wants more residents to weigh in.

There is also a 26-member citizen advisory committee that meets with Mayor Mike Bodker and councilmembers Jay Lin, Bob Gray and Lenny Zaprowski.

They are involved in such issues as goal-setting, land development, transportation and civic uses of property, such as parkland.

The proposed city town center is making a return, perhaps in a much smaller scale, Ebert said.

She noted the city center has received one of the highest favorable responses so far.

Transportation is a huge issue for the city, so it will consider what the best alternatives to the automobile are.

These would include bike paths, walking trails, transit and other options.

“The biggest problem for the city is that Johns Creek is still young. We’re only 10 years old.

There are not enough local connections. In every western [United States] city, you find a grid pattern,” Ebert said. “Those cities were planned and laid out with a grid system of streets and avenues.”

Johns Creek as unincorporated Fulton County did not have that benefit. It grew haphazardly along existing country roads. The lack of connectivity

Citizen survey Are you satisfied with the transportation network?

61%: DISSATISFIED Would you like to see a town center developed?

75%: YES Would you support an initiative for more workforce housing?

46% YES 12% Not Sure 12% No How often would you shop if available on foot in 5 minutes?

53% Very often 28% Sometimes 10% Barely 9% Never Are there enough cultural activities, entertainment options in the city?

55% NO 44% Yes Would you like to see a higher education center here?

72% Yes 17% No 11% Not sure Would you sacrifice easy parking for dining & retail walkability?

69% Yes 20% No 11% Don’t know among city roads remains one of the enduring traffic problems for the city.

“Most cities are laid out in advance with a plan for future growth. Johns Creek is like a human body with no skeleton or blood system.”

Retrofitting that connectivity is no easy task.

However, to date, only 1 percent of the population has filled out surveys or responded online.

“People move here for the schools and the low crime. But they have no reason to stay once the children are grown. So they move or perhaps relocate to downsize to a smaller home.”

But there is not the community infrastructure to keep them in the city.

“There are no roots here,” she said.

So what kinds of institutions and amenities will keep people in Johns Creek? That is what the visioning is supposed to address.

“Right now, the town center is the main topic. It has the most enthusiastic support. But we would like to hear from more people,” Ebert said.

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 5

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6 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

Residents go one-on-one with JC Council Q&A gives citizens open floor

subdivision. He said it was “a bear” to get out of the subdivision when school is in session.

Bodker said plans are on the books to widen Johns Bridge Road to four lanes.

The issue of billboards was a hot topic. One resident asked about the feasibility of buying one or more of the most obnoxious signs to make the problem go away.

Bodker said there are two parts to the answer. First, even if the sign company was inclined to sell – the city could not force it – it would be expensive. It could be in the $4 million to $5 million range.

“This was a legacy from Fulton County which had the defective sign ordinance which led to the lawsuit against the county,” Bodker said.

The result was that after a long legal battle, sign companies won the right to put up as many as 17 signs in the city.

That was negotiated down to 10 signs.

The city could perhaps buy one billboard, but it would not end there.

Other residents would come forward to ask for billboards in their neighborhoods be dealt with in the same way.

“Ultimately, the city would in fairness have to buy all 10 locations.

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Johns Creek City Council conducted Jan. 12 what is billed as a quarterly Town Hall Meeting, and the agenda was left up to the 20-or-so residents who came to City Hall to air their concerns.

Council members Lenny Zaprowski and Steve Broadbent and Mayor Mike Bodker were on hand for the twohour Q&A with residents in council chambers. Little new was brought up.

Limiting billboards was a popular topic, as was the widening of McGinnis Ferry Road (see article Page 12-13), Jones Bridge widening and Abbotts Bridge widening.

Mayor Mike Bodker brought up that the office of mayor would be up for election this November as would Post 1 (Lenny Zaprowski, incumbent), Post 3 (Cori Davenport, incumbent) and Post 5 (Stephanie Endres, incumbent).

The questions opened with resident Wayne Ferrer asking what could be done about traffic at Jones Bridge

HATCHER HURD/HERALD

Johns Creek council members Lenny Zaprowski, Steve Broadbent and Mayor Mike Bodker field questions from the 20-plus residents in attendance.

That would mean $40 million. We just passed a parks bond for $40 million that will do a lot of good things in the city. We can’t justify the expense of buying all those signs – even if the companies agreed to sell,” Bodker said.

The purchase of the new City Halll was brought up. Councilman Lenny Zaprowski called it fiscally a “no brainer” for the city.

“We did not buy a Taj Mahal. But it is going to save us money over continuing to rent space all over the city,” he said.

The new space will bring in all branches of city services, including the municipal court, under one roof. Not only is it better organizationally, but saves money. And it could become a stimulus for more development around the new City Hall in Technology Park, he said.

It could be part of the focus of the proposed town center, Bodker said.

“And this is the right place for City Hall.

Any other place would have infringed on existing neighborhoods.”

Other residents brought up topics for discussion. One called for places to recharge electric cars. Another wanted details about development of Cauley Creek Park.

Councilman Broadbent said that construction would begin the fourth quarter of 2017. Athletic fields there would relieve strain on Newtown Park facilities. There would also be passive uses too.

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NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 7

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8 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

OPINION

YouTube: Homeowner’s greatest tool I always wondered why it seemed like everyone’s father could diagnose a problem within the home, and more often than not, fix it himself.

It baffled me. Was JOE PARKER there some kind of Reporter joe@appenmediagroup.com innate gene that allowed him to be handy with a saw and have technical data of home repair built in to his knowledge-base?

After purchasing my home I realized it is not an innate gene, rather, it is actually owning a home that creates such knowledge. Things will go wrong — pipes will leak, drywall will crack, shelves will slump and outlets will stop supplying electricity — and it is up to you, the homeowner, to fix them.

Or in my case, attempt to fix them but only make the problem much, much worse.

But thanks to YouTube, I can research videos related to the problem and how to fix them, which is much better than my typical approach of hitting things with a hammer until they work or break completely (It’s always the latter). YouTube is an invaluable tool for a person like me, because without it my newly purchased home might be a pile of 2x4s and crumpled drywall.

There was a time when I used YouTube for entertainment. My “recommendations” were filled with music

I enjoy, car videos, clips of sports and other things that piqued my interest.

But that was before I became a homeowner. My YouTube recommendations are now filled with videos that might as well be called, “Home repair so easy that if you need to watch a video on how to do them, you should not, by law, be allowed to own a hammer.”

But thanks to the YouTube professionals who take the time to teach the not-so mechanically inclined, I have been successful in some home repairs.

I once took it upon myself to attempt to diagnose a toilet that had been running. Instead of watching YouTube videos on the problem, I decided to go ahead and spend six hours taking the entire toilet apart trying to figure out what it could be. The only reason my toilet was running was a small seal that needed to be replaced.

I took the entire toilet apart when I all I needed to do was take 30 seconds to replace the gasket.

I vowed from then on I would scour the endless videos on YouTube before I ever attempted to work on or repair anything within my home.

So far this approach has served me well, but it does have an unwanted side effect.

Now, I am inundated with YouTube suggestions not only on how to repair things around the house, but also how to actually build them.

I fear this will lead to an endless cycle of me trying to build something and then having to fix everything I broke in the process. The joys of home ownership.

Falcon fans flying high this week Now many of our readers in the 75,000 homes we deliver to will not be the Atlanta Falcon fan I am. I get that.

Many of our readers grew up Steelers fans or Cowboys fans or – God help HATCHER HURD them – Buffalo Bills Executive Editor hatcher@appenmediagroup.com fans.

I myself was a Packers fan as a kid growing up in south Georgia. I swore allegiance to Green Bay because my hometown high school had the same team name, Packers.

That allegiance lasted for about 5 minutes after I learned the Atlanta Falcons would be flying over the state. Up to this time, most professional football fans in the South were Washington Redskin fans. That was simply because that was the team farthest south in the NFL. So, with a team in the state, I was hooked and have been since that day in 1965 when it was announced. Then the Braves came, and both teams played in Fulton County Stadium. It was a sandbox compared to the cathedrals of sport they build today, but here we were on national television.

Last year’s Falcons were deceptively bad. They raised expectations high going 5-0 and then 6-1, but they crashed and burned to finish 8-8. So yes, there is potential on the team, I told myself.

When Coach H. Hurd looked at what was wrong, he sagely said, quarterback Matt Ryan is running for his life on every play!

What a difference a year makes.

Take Alex Mack for a start. For the uninformed or the indifferent, Alex Mack is the center. He snaps the ball to the quarterback. Traditionally, the center is also the unofficial quarterback of the offensive line. Mack is the linchpin for the offensive line now.

Mack had toiled long, winning great appreciation but little else in far-off Cleveland. Mack brought not only AllPro credentials to the Falcon O-line, he took the excitement out of the direct snap to the quarterback. Last year, getting the ball to the quarterback on first bounce was considered a successful exchange.

The pundits assailed Ryan as over the hill once we dropped Game 1 to the Tampa Bay Bucs. What a difference 16 weeks make. Now he is Milord Ryan, he

The Atlanta Falcons have soared this season with Matt Ryan at quarterback. of the Golden Arm and possible MVP who has led us to the brink of a conference championship and – dare mere mortals speak its name? – The Super Bowl.

Super Bowl – a kitsch name when first applied to that first game. It pitted the NFL’s Vince Lombardi and his invincible Green Bay Packers against the Kansas City Chiefs of that upstart American Football League. But the game has grown into its name and there is no other sports championship to compare (save perhaps soccer’s World Cup, but that is truly a world contest).

So here we are. One win away from Super Madness, the most overhyped game ever. And that’s just why I want to see those guys go there. Super Bowlbound. They carried on when no one believed early on.

Ryan was called a has-been. But the Falcons stayed the course and are flying high. I hope they fly a little longer.

NEWS

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 9

Inner peace, strong heart.

ALPHARETTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY/SPECIAL

All lanes of South Main Street, near Devore Road, were shut down for a two-vehicle crash that ended with one dead.

Roswell man dies in Alpharetta crash 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.

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JC businesses can renew business licenses online now JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Businesses in Johns Creek have until March 31 to renew their business tax certificates (business licenses) and starting this year, they are now able to renew online.

Businesses can renew their business tax certificates by submitting a business tax return with full payment of all fees and taxes. Online renewals can be completed through the online portal via the City’s website. Instructions to renew online are available online as well.

The city has mailed renewal applications the last week of December.

Failure to receive a renewal application does not relieve a business of respon-

sibility to pay its business tax by the deadline.

Late payments are subject to a 10 percent penalty and interest of 1.5 percent a month. Business tax certificates, commonly called business licenses, will be considered on time if they are postmarked by March 31.

Certificates are valid for a calendar year, Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.

When business owners submit their tax certificate application, they can also include their business website address, which will then be included in the city’s online business directory, a service provided to help citizens find and learn more about its local businesses.

Georgia Clinic Welcomes Dr. Britt Boyd to the Johns Creek location.

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Registration begins for Newtown Rec JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Newtown Recreation is now registering for its spring athletic programs including baseball, flag football, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and soccer.

Registration for spring runs through Jan. 31. Programs are offered for youths age 3 and older and are designed for all skill levels.

Most youth teams will have 1 weekday practice and 1 weekend game per week.

Practices last about 1 hour. The team coach will notify families of the practice day and time the week after the Feb. 11 coaches meeting.

Practice times for the spring are: 4 p.m., 5 p.m., or 6 p.m.

To register for one of the spring programs, visit www.newtownrec.com. Parents are advised to register early – teams fill up quickly. Fees vary depending on sport and age group.

Newtown Recreation is a park partner of the City of Johns Creek. The athletic association runs sports programs at Newtown Park, owned by the City of Johns Creek.

Newtown Park is at 3150 Old Alabama Road.

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12 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.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 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.

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 through-

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. out 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 construction 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

NEWS

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 13

Warm up to January at

HATCHER HURD/HERALD

Ann Jones, a resident of the Seven Oaks subdivision in Johns Creek, gets some answers from Forsyth County Engineering Assistant Director Tim Allen.

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Dr. Ryan Edwards of Windermere Dental will be here to discuss the importance of excellent oral health. Meet Dr. Edwards and enjoy an array of tasty treats.

Movie, Martinis & More Tuesday, January 24 Residents compare notes at the meeting held at Lanier Technical College on Majors Road. 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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Alpharetta STEM campus begins to take shape Career pathways school set to open at old Milton High School in 2020

By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com

What will the Alpharetta STEM campus offer?

NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Fulton School officials outlined the aggressive schedule to open the STEM campus in downtown Alpharetta by 2020, recognizing the school is needed both for academic choice as well as enrollment relief in North Fulton.

During a presentation to the Fulton County School Board on Jan. 10, officials said the goal is to make sure everything is done correctly from the beginning to ensure the end product is viable.

“This is a new type of school with a different type of requirement, and spending time on the front end ensures we are getting results that meet the board and community expectations,” said Patrick Burke, deputy superintendent of Operations for Fulton Schools.

The school will be built on the site of the former Milton High School.

The building currently houses Independence High School which will be relocated to make way for the STEM campus.

The Alpharetta site is one of two STEM campuses approved by voters last year as part of the continuation of the one-cent Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST).

Fulton officials said much of the conceptual work has already been done for the STEM schools, including assessing the needs and involving the community in the conversation.

“We’ve been [busy] looking at workforce needs in our community, identifying areas where we can make a difference and having an ongoing conversation with our community,” said Rob Anderson, deputy superintendent of Academics for Fulton Schools. “We are not starting at square one.”

The next few months will be spent

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) school will focus on a curriculum that places students on a career pathway to high-demand, high-paying jobs in information technology, health care sciences and engineering, say Fulton School officials.

During a presentation to the Fulton County Board of Education last spring, Yalanda Bell, executive director of Career and Technical Education, said the goal of the STEM campuses is to offer students a “relevant and applicable curriculum so that they leave our district with college and workready skills they can instantly use.”

The downtown Alpharetta school will open in 2020 on the former Milton High School site. A second STEM site in South Fulton will open the following year.

Bell said the district looked at three aspects for success: partnerships with business and industry, workforce trends data and student interest.

To determine the career fields where demand for workers is high and supply is low, the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce assisted in providing workforce trends in Fulton County.

The data shows the county has robust opportunities in health care sciences, primarily nursing, engineering and information technology. Data from ACT reports also showed high student interests in these fields.

The STEM schools will have a curriculum allowing students to transition directly into the workforce, receive industry certification credentials, and/or obtain college credit while still in high school.

Students will take all state-required core academic courses along with directed STEM classes, which will include biotechnology, nursing, pre-med, megatronics, robotics, information technology, networking and computer programming.

The move to include a STEM curriculum reverses a course the state has pushed for years which assumed all students would benefit from a “straight to college” pathway.

“Look at where we are now – we’ve done a 180, and the state and Fulton County have finally come up to the real world,” said Fulton School Board member Gail Dean. developing educational standards for the STEM campuses, building additional partnerships in the community, and engaging and recruiting students, teachers and leaders.

Burke said those conversations will include a wide range of topics, including what types of students will be drawn to the STEM concept, how many classrooms are needed to support the curriculum and talks with the “desti-

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nation” schools the students may move onto after graduation.

Anderson said the project starts with filling a need.

“We want to provide our students with a rigorous and relevant school choice option with a STEM focus,” said Anderson.

Once education standards are

See STEM, Page 37

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek 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 | Johns Creek 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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NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek 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.

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.

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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 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.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.”

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek 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 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.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

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek 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.

COMMUNITY

22 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

Alpharetta to mull 3rd parking deck option

By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Residents, including business leaders, will have another say on where the growing number of visitors will park in downtown Alpharetta.

The city has scheduled a public forum for Feb. 13 to present residents with the latest studies on where a new deck, estimated at between $5 and $7 million, will be located.

City leaders have been considering two sites, both on the west side of Main Street, to augment the existing fivestory, 455-stall parking deck on the east side of the street near its City Hall.

One suggested site is just off Main between Roswell Street and Old Roswell Street behind Smokejack restaurant.

The other site is farther north and west on Milton Avenue near Resthaven Cemetery.

But, over the three months since the issue was last discussed, consultants have come up with a third option – one that melds the earlier sites that have divided residents and downtown business owners.

“Option C is a blended option, so it addresses parking in both those locations

and should be a good, viable alternative,” said City Councilman Dan Merkel.

Consultant for the study, Pond & Co., was brought in to provide more detail about the two options, their costs, their capacity and how much disturbance construction would cause.

“We had feedback from those who didn’t want the lot behind Smokejack, and we had people who said that’s where it needs to go to support business,” Merkel said. “We had people who said we need to put it back by the cemetery and make it a more walkable community. We had very emotional input from people who supported one of the two locations we were considering as options.”

Merkel said Pond was fed all the public input.

“It’s a town of 65,000 people at night and 120,000 during the day,” he said. “If you’ve got 100 people who are passionate about a food truck, I get it. But at the end of the day, we’ve still got to look out for the majority of the people in the city. So if there’s an opportunity to address as many people as we can who are local, let’s see what we can do.”

Merkel said the third option includes designs on both decks that pro-

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Option C is a blended option, so it addresses parking in both those locations and should be a good, viable alternative.”

DAN MERKEL Alpharetta City Councilman vide for future expansion. He also said the Roswell Street lot would probably restrict parking on a time basis so as to promote retail and restaurant turnaround. The Milton Avenue lot, he said, might be suitable for employee parking.

Merkel said he wants to hear from those passionate on the issue and plans to attend the Feb. 13 forum.

“It may cost us a little bit more to do it this way, but, again, I think if we can address the issues the people have in the right way, that may be OK,” he said.

“It will definitely be under budget.”

He said the city did explore other sites, but there simply was no available land for sale.

The farther away you get from the city,” he said, “the cheaper land gets.

But, the next thing you know, you’re going to have to get a shuttle bus.”

No one has released cost estimates for the third option. Funding for the project will come primarily from the sale of parcels across Main Street at City Center.

Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard said details about the project will be presented at the forum when representatives from Pond will be on hand. The forum runs from 6:30-8 p.m., Feb. 13 at City Hall..

“Pond will do the program,” Drinkard said. “Elected officials will be there. We’ll have staff there. We like to hear the public comment first-hand.”

The City Council originally voted to locate the parking deck at the Roswell Street site. But that vote, taken last August, was voided after officials heard an outcry from residents who wanted that site preserved for outdoor events.

Business leaders in the downtown area, however, told city officials in an informal poll that the site would be best suited for commerce and that a parking deck farther out near the cemetery would doom many Main Street businesses.

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 23

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.

24 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

COMMUNITY

North Fulton Rotary honors first responders Rotary gifts K-9 with ballistic vest

K-9 Mattis survives 30-foot drop

By JULIA GROCHOWSKI julia@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Rotary Club of North Fulton recently held a special luncheon as a thank you to local firefighters and police.

Dozens of first responders were treated Jan. 12 to a meal organized by the Rotary and catered by Smokejack BBQ. The appreciation luncheon was planned for months by the club as part of its mission to support the community in a meaningful way.

“Anything we can do to give back to these men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day is a wonderful thing,” said Natalie Hudgins, president of the Rotary Club of North Fulton. “There’s no way we can ever fully repay them for the service they provide us. Every little bit of appreciation that we can show, every positive action that we can take for them, is the least we can do for them.”

During the luncheon, a local K-9 police dog was presented with a new, specially-fitted ballistic vest and several

Officer Mark Tappan has been working with K-9 Mattis for the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety for more than a year. Mattis is specially trained for protection and apprehension.

But the canine was severely injured back in October, when he fell down a 30-foot retaining wall while pursuing a suspect. Despite his injuries, including what was later discovered to be a lacerated liver and heavy internal bleeding, Mattis caught the suspect, got up again and went on to catch another. Mattis collapsed soon after his victory, however, and had to undergo emergency surgery that night. dog toys. The vest alone cost $2,800 and was funded fully by the Rotary as a gift to the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.

The K-9, Mattis, has recently recovered from a lacerated liver and heavy internal bleeding sustained while apprehending two suspects.

“I’m a huge animal lover, and I’m also a big supporter of our first responders and military, so I tried to put those two together,” Hudgins said. “I have first responders in my family, and

“I was a wreck. Mattis goes home with me. He stays with my family. He’s my best friend. He’s with me more than any person on the planet,” Tappan said.

“I still remember to this day. I still have nightmares of him falling.”

Mattis has since made a full recovery and was back in the game only a month after the surgery.

Through time, Mattis has not once lost his positive attitude, Tappan said.

“He’s so lovable,” Tappan said. “He never gets out of control, even when I’ve had to use him. He’s just so clear headed and a great dog.”

I’ve seen how important the K-9s are, not just for the job, but for the first responders personally.”

The bulletproof vest is specially sized and fit specifically for Mattis to provide coverage for his chest, back, sides and abdomen while he’s on duty.

It’s light, at only about 2.5 pounds, and easy to put on Mattis in the case of a life-threatening situation.

“There are no words that can adequately thank you enough for what you do for our community, for how much

JULIA GROCHOWSKI/HERALD

Police officer Mark Tappan, left, sits with K-9 Mattis and president of the Rotary Club of North Fulton, Natalie Hudgins.

you sacrifice and give up for us.” Hudgins told the first responders. “Thank you.”

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NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 25

Hooch math whiz Kalen Patton a real numbers guy Senior finishes in Top 10 in contest: ‘Who Wants To Be a Mathematician’

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Chattahoochee High School senior Kalen Patton, almost on a whim, decided to enter a math contest. He wound up being a Top 10 finalist in a national math quiz sponsored by the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America.

Patton gave up a weekend of “doing” math, practicing the piano and playing “Settlers of Catan” to participate Jan. 7 and 8 in what was the culmination of a national math contest called “Who Wants to Be a Mathematician?”

Patton had never heard of the event until his CHS math coach Elizabeth Smith encouraged him to enter.

“I began teaching at Chattahoochee four years ago, the same year that Kalen was a freshman. I was also asked to coach the varsity math team,” Smith said.

Patton’s older brother, Alex, was an officer for the math team and was also in one of her accelerated pre-calculus courses, so it was only natural that Kalen became a member, she said.

“So I had an opportunity to see Kalen’s mathematical talent up close.”

What impressed Smith most was the sheer breadth of mathematical knowledge Patton possesses.

“He knows theorems that are only studied in the higher level college math courses. The amount of study that he has dedicated to mathematics as a high school student is incredible,” she said.

So it was no great leap to suggest he

SPECIAL

Kalen Patton, a senior at Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek, and math guru Ken Ono, currently the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Mathematics at Emory University, chat at the Joint Mathematics Meetings conference in Atlanta.

Patton was one of 10 national contestants for the “Who Wants to be a Mathematician?” at the conference. enter the contest.

“I always love to find opportunities for our students to compete in unique competitions. This was an easy one, since the first two rounds were done online at Chattahoochee,” she said.

Patton was not familiar with “Who Wants to be a Mathematician?”

“I didn’t really know much about [the contest] at the time, but it was math problems. So I said sure,” he

said.

The questions are timed, so it is a measure of how quickly the contestant can reason and find the solution. For a “beginner” he did fairly well.

Then he got word that of the more than 2,000 high school mathematicians who entered the contest, he was one of only 10 selected to come to the conference held in Atlanta’s Hyatt Regency Hotel this year. He was the only Geor-

gian to qualify.

While it is a high school math competition, it is a competition designed to be similar to the TV quiz show “Jeopardy.”

The contestants have only pencil and paper to use in answering questions covering algebra, geometry and trigonometry. The 10 finalists played an initial round, two games of five players each.

Contestants had 60 seconds to answer questions posed. For example, one question posed if a triangle had an area of 13, what length would the three sides have to be to produce that?

Patton didn’t reach the final round with its cash prize of $10,000 (his group making the finals included the eventual winner). But he did finish ninth overall.

Last summer Patton also attended PROMYS, a six-week summer math program at Boston University. It is a course designed to “encourage strongly motivated high school students to explore in depth the creative world of mathematics in a supportive community of peers, counselors, research mathematicians and visiting scientists.”

Not surprisingly, Patton said he wants to pursue math in college. He has applied to Princeton, Stanford, Harvard and Georgia Tech. But his first choice is MIT because his brother is there.

In addition to placing ninth out of 2,000 teens in the “Who Wants to be a Mathematician?” competition, he also received a perfect score on the 2015 AP Chemistry Exam, one of only four in the world to do so last year.

MIT, are you listening?

SCHOOLS

26 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

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Governor Deal remains committed to fixing schools Number of ‘chronically’ failing rising

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NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Undaunted by voter rejection of his plan to fix failing schools, Gov. Nathan Deal is pledging to continue the fight to help the growing number of students “trapped” in failing public schools.

During Deal’s State of the State address on Jan. 11, the governor said failing schools remain the “greatest negative” in the education landscape of Georgia.

“Two years ago, there were 127 chronically failing schools with roughly 68,000 enrolled students,” said Deal.

“Now...there are 153 schools that had a failing score for three consecutive years [serving] almost 89,000 students last school year.”

Since 2012, schools have been graded on the CCRPI (College and Career Readiness Performance Index) which evaluates schools on a 100 point scale covering academic performance and other variables.

Schools scoring below 60 are considering failing; three years of failing adds the label NATHAN DEAL “chronically failing.”

Georgia Governor Last year, Deal lobbied hard for a constitutional amendment creating the Opportunity School District (OSD) – a state-run district made up of the state’s lowest performing schools.

But voters soundly rejected that plan in November, concerned by the overreach of state government into local schools.

While Deal maintains the data proves outside intervention is still needed, others say the state is simply raising the requirements each year, guaranteeing more schools will be added to the list of failing schools.

While avoiding any plan specifics or legislative proposals, Deal said his efforts will be directed at elementary schools, which comprise 70 percent of the state’s failing schools.

“If we can reverse this alarming trend early on, if we can eliminate this negative that directly or indirectly

impacts all of us, then our reading comprehension scores, math skills, graduation rates and the quality of our workforce will all improve considerably,” said Deal.

Turning to teacher pay, Deal pledged to add $160 million to fund a 2 percent teacher salary increase in the Fiscal Year 2018 budget.

This year, the 3 percent increase given to school systems was intended for teacher raises. However only 60 percent passed the money directly to teachers; 40 percent of districts used the money for other purposes.

In FY18, the money will go directly into the state teacher salary plan, providing a true permanent raise for teachers.

Deal focused on the more than $2 billion increase in education funding over the last four years, pointing out nearly 50 percent of all new state revenue is going to public education.

But education advocates say revenue increases should be directed to fully funding the Quality Based Education (QBE) formula which determines how much money each school system receives.

Districts were particularly hit hard in the early 2000s when an “austerity cut” was first implemented to compensate for falling revenues. Those cuts have since become permanent.

While Deal has steadily reduced the level of cuts from $1.1 billion to $167 million last year, districts are still underfunded, school officials say.

“The governor is recommending that the state base salary schedule be increased 2 percent effective Sept. 1, but did not address the existing $167 million shortfall,” noted Angela Palm, director of policy for the Georgia School Boards Association.

Notably missing during the Jan. 11 speech was any mention of the blue ribbon Education Reform Commission which developed 58 recommendations for changes in education. Those recommendations were delivered to Deal at the end of 2015, with the governor pledging to consider the recommendations and fund those he wanted to implement this year.

...There are 153 schools that had a failing score for three consecutive years [serving] almost 89,000 students last school year.”

COMMUNITY

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 27

PHOTOS BY PAT FOX/HERALD

Close to 100 people took the annual walk down Academy Street, from St. James United Methodist Church to Alpharetta City Hall to commemorate Martin Luther King Day Jan. 16.

Alpharetta church mobilizes to celebrate King Day St. James UMC speakers outline new challenges for King’s ‘Dream’

By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. − There remains a void between today’s reality and the “Dream” envisioned by Martin Luther King more than 50 years ago.

That was according to the Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley, keynote speaker at the St. James United Methodist Church for the MLK Day celebration Monday in Alpharetta.

Durley, pastor at Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, told the crowd of more than 300 that it is not enough to come together once a year and speak on the legacy of King.

“Many of us will come together and try to keep the dream alive,” he said.

“There will be those who articulately extoll the virtues and values of a black man who literally gave his life up for the people he tried to lift up.”

In such observances, he said, good people experience a brief moment of strength.

“Yet his dream is being destroyed daily by what is being done to it,” Durley said. “By those who Dr. King courageously served. I never thought in my lifetime that I’d be afraid to go to the gas station and pump gas because of some ill-mannered maniac trying to steal my car.

“Is that keeping the dream alive?

“How did we desecrate the moral value of a man who said we need to reach out and love one another across racial and ethnic and gender lines? Is that keeping it alive when we’re afraid of our own children and teachers are afraid to go into the classroom?”

Martin Luther King’s dream of what things would be and what things could be like, his vision … ‘we’ll never get there’ cannot be the mantra in our minds.”

DAVID BELLE ISLE Alpharetta mayor Durley said America faces old challenges today, historic challenges that have disenfranchised people. America finds itself in the grips of ignorance, frustration and fear. This is no time to panic, he said.

Instead, those who take up King’s vision must be courageous enough to speak the truth and foster communication between those with different views.

“Silence is forbidden,” he said. “It’s time to stand up.

“In order to communicate, we’ve got to understand each other,” he said.

“Once you get to understanding each other and communicate, you’ve got to respect each other, despite the differences we have.”

From communication and respect, trust will grow, he said.

Durley added that trouble will not

last long, but King’s dream cannot move forward unless people are willing to challenge the system with voices grounded in their moral code.

They must understand, he said, that before he was tagged a “civil rights leader,” Martin Luther King was a husband, a father, an uncle and a brother.

Most importantly, though, Durley said, King was a preacher of the gospel.

It is that which gave King the fuel to continue his struggle for equality. His motivation up until his death was breaking down barriers and spreading love, he said.

And in that spirit, Durley proclaimed to the crowd: “We don’t need to be great again, we just need to be loving again.”

The celebration included remarks by Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle, who spoke on recognizing the milestones along the way.

As a marathon runner, the mayor said, it’s important to keep your focus on near-term goals and take comfort in the distance you’ve already covered.

“What I’ve learned about myself is that sometimes I give up,” he said.

Sometimes it just seems like it’s too far to go, he said.

“When I focus on how far I have to go, I quit,” Belle Isle said. “If I focus on the next marker, the next landmark, then I can keep going. Also, if I start thinking about how far I’ve come… there’s a lot of satisfaction in that.”

The recent events that have erupted over the past several years have challenged everyone’s hopes for racial equality and understanding. But this is not a time to quit or to rest, he said.

Keynote speaker the Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley told a crowd of close to 300 people at St. James United Methodist Church that Martin Luther King’s dream will wither without a renewed commitment from those who believe in freedom and equality.

“Martin Luther King’s dream of what things would be and what things could be like, his vision … ‘we’ll never get there’ cannot be the mantra in our minds,” Belle Isle said. This is not the time to get discouraged, he said.

“We’re not focusing on the next marker because we’re not realizing just how far we’ve come,” he said.

And with the theme of traveling distances on foot still ringing, following the service, about 100 of the attendants, including clergy, joined in the traditional two-mile march from the church to Alpharetta City Hall. The group was led in songs reminiscent of the Civil Rights movement.

28 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

COMMUNITY

November Eagle Scouts for the Northern Ridge District NORTH FULTON, Ga. — The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District, including the cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Milton, has announced its newest Eagle Scouts, who passed their Board of Review on Nov. 28, 2016.

These are Scouts who passed their Eagle Board of Reviews, held at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church: Andrew Gerhardstein, of Troop 2143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church. His project was the design construction of a play fortress at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center.

Bradley Arms, from Troop 27, sponsored by the Johns Creek Christian Church. His project was the design and construction of an arbor with a swing for Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center.

Ryan Williams, from Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. His project was the design and construction of a new fire pit ring, complete with a drainage system and a wood pile rack.

Kyle Nichols, from Troop 87, sponsored by Roswell Presbyterian Church.

His project was the design and construction of a sod house for Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center.

The newest Eagle Scouts in the top row, from left, are Andrew Gerhardstein, Bradley Arms, Ryan Williams and Kyle Nichols. Standing in the bottom row are Vikram Ruppa-Kasani, Adam Puckett and Chason Thompson.

Vikram Ruppa-Kasani, from Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church. His project was the collection of over 2000 books to supply two libraries in Ghana, Africa.

He also collected enough money to ship these books to their destination.

Adam Puckett, from Troop 430, sponsored by St. David’s Episcopal Church. His project was the enhancement of the Patio at Jefford’s Hall at St. David’s Episcopal Church. This included building tow Leopold Benches and a new pathway to the patio.

Chason Thompson, from Troop 87, sponsored by Roswell Presbyterian Church. His project was the design and construction of a recycling cart, which included five different slots for different recyclable materials, for the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK ITB # 17-040-1 2017 NEIGHBORHOOD PAVING-AREA 1 The City of Johns Creek is accepting sealed Invitations to Bid (ITB) from qualified construction firms for the 2017 Neighborhood Paving Project. Sealed ITB’s will be received no later than 11:00AM. on February 9, 2017 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. ITB’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of questions is February 2, 2017.

The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.

ITB packages are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov) . Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 512-3233. ITB’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the ITB number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.

The name of the company or firm submitting an ITB response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. TWO (2) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE ITB ON FLASHDRIVE MUST BE SUBMITTED. ITB’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions enclosed herein.

The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

Warren Hutmacher City Manager

Mike Bodker Mayor

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 29

SPORTS

30 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

Kemper resigns from Johns Creek after 2 seasons Kemper to take over Roswell program

By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com

Johns Creek head coach Matt Kemper resigned last week and will take over the head coach position at Roswell High School.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – After leading a remarkable turnaround for the Johns Creek football program, Matt Kemper has resigned the head coaching position with the Gladiators and will take over coaching duties at Roswell.

Kemper was the second head coach after the Johns Creek program began in 2009.

He joined the program beginning in the 2015 season after the Gladiators went on a 1-19 slump during 2013-14.

In his first season at the helm, Kemper and the Gladiators went 4-6, and with a host of returning starters, 2016 looked bright. It was.

The Gladiators 2016 season was its first winning season and first playoff berth since 2012.

The 2016 season also saw Johns Creek capture its first region title, compiling a 7-1 record in Region 7-AAAAAA. “We were blessed to have an incred-

ible group of young men who really bought in to what we were trying to do,” Kemper said. “They were a special group of kids.”

Kemper said amid his hiring, there was much change and uncertainty, but the Johns Creek faculty and staff were immensely supportive.

“I was hired by Gail Johnson who left after I was hired, but we were lucky enough to get Dr. Jimmy Zoll as principal. He is an outstanding man. We were also lucky to get Jason Holcombe as an athletic director who is such a dynamic guy who loves extracurricular activities from fencing to football. We all kind of locked arms and said it was time we have a great football team.”

Not only was the faculty of Johns Creek supportive, said Kemper, but the parents and community were vital to the successful turnaround of the Johns Creek program and Kemper said he owes them many thanks.

“This turnaround was certainly not a one-man or a 10-man job, it was a group effort. We have had tremendous support from the community and the parents and we greatly appreciate it.”

On his move to Roswell, Kemper said he is thrilled for the opportunity.

“I’m very honored and humbled, this is the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said. “[Roswell] is one of the most storied and historic programs in the great state of Georgia. You walk in the building over there and you can feel the history and tradition. I’ll take upon this task with the upmost seriousness and understand that I have some very big shoes to fill.”

Johns Creek has already begun the search for a new head coach according to Athletic Director Jason Holcombe, who spoke fondly of Kemper.

“He was an outstanding man, and we were lucky to have him,” Holcombe said. “What he did in two years was incredible, and we wish him the best of luck. It’s very tough to say goodbye, he is a high man of integrity, gets all aspects of football but also what it can do to change the lives of young men.”

Holcombe said Kemper led an amazing turnaround for the football program, and that momentum is palpable and will continue even in Kemper’s absence.

“We have full capability of taking up where coach Kemper left off,” he said.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK ITB # 17-040-2 2017 NEIGHBORHOOD PAVING-AREA 2 The City of Johns Creek is accepting sealed Invitations to Bid (ITB) from qualified construction firms for the 2017 Neighborhood Paving Project. Sealed ITB’s will be received no later than 11:00AM. on February 9, 2017 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. ITB’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of questions is February 2, 2017.

The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.

ITB packages are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov) . Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 512-3233. ITB’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the ITB number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.

The name of the company or firm submitting an ITB response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. TWO (2) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE ITB ON FLASHDRIVE MUST BE SUBMITTED. ITB’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions enclosed herein.

The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

Warren Hutmacher City Manager

Mike Bodker Mayor

SPORTS

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 31

Northview still leading the pack in Region 7-6A Teams making final push for regular season title

By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. — Still undefeated in region play, Northview leads the pack in the girls Region 7-AAAAAA standings as teams vie for the top seeds in the region tournament in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Northview enters this week after dominating Centennial and North Atlanta over the weekend to improve to 10-0 in region play.

The Lady Titans defeated Centennial 59-28 last Friday as senior Shannon Titus scored 31 points and surpassed the 1,000 points in her career. On Saturday, Northview got another lopsided win with an 87-25 thrashing of North Atlanta. Titus lead scoring with 30 points followed by Ashlee Austin with 25 and Maya Richards with 15.

Northview is off to its best start in school history and will be seeking its first region title. The Lady Titans have six region games remaining, including against Chattahoochee, Johns Creek and Alpharetta, the three teams behind Northview in the region standings.

Girls Region 7-AAAAAA standings 1.

2.

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5.

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Northview (16-3, 10-0) Alpharetta (12-7, 8-2) Chattahoochee (11-3, 6-2) Johns Creek (12-6, 6-3) Pope (12-5, 5-4) Centennial (9-8, 3-6) Cambridge (8-10, 2-7) Dunwoody (7-10, 2-7) North Atlanta (3-12, 0-11)

CREDIT-NHSMESSENGER.COM

Alpharetta has the most realistic shot of overtaking the Lady Titans in the region standings if the Lady Titans falter.

The Lady Raiders (12-7, 8-2) are off to their best start since the 2012-13 season under second year head coach David Walden. So far this season, the Raiders have already surpassed their win total for the prior two seasons combined.

Alpharetta will wrap up its regular season by hosting Northview on Jan. 31. The Lady Raiders lost a heartbreaker to the Lady Titans, 42-41, in the teams’ Jan. 5 meeting.

Shannon Titus has led the Northview Lady Titans to a 10-0 record in region play.

She surpassed 1,000 career points last week.

After reaching the semifinal game of the region tournament last season, the Lady Cougars of Chattahoochee look to earn a top seed entering this year’s region tournament. Chattahoochee currently sits third in the region standings but has a challenging region schedule remaining. The Lady Cougars will face Northview, Johns Creek, Alpharetta and Pope within their final seven games of the regular season.

Under first year head coach Kirk

Call, Johns Creek looks poised to have its first winning season in program history. Led by senior shooting guard Sydney Tanguilig, the Lady Gladiators (12-6, 6-3) suffered a 42-35 loss to Alpharetta last Friday to drop Johns Creek a half game behind Chattahoochee for third in the region standings.

The Lady Gladiators will face Chattahoochee and Northview on the road in their final seven games of the regular season.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK ITB # 17-040-3 2017 MAIN ROADS REPAVING The City of Johns Creek is accepting sealed Invitations to Bid (ITB) from qualified construction firms for the 2017 Neighborhood Paving Project. Sealed ITB’s will be received no later than 11:00AM. on February 9, 2017 in the City of Johns Creek Purchasing Office, 12000 Findley Rd., Suite-400, Johns Creek, Georgia, 30097. ITB’s received after the above time or in any other location other than the Purchasing Office will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of questions is February 2, 2017.

The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.

ITB packages are available on the City of Johns Creek website (www.johnscreekga.gov) . Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Office at (678) 512-3233. ITB’s shall be presented in a sealed opaque envelope with the ITB number and name clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.

The name of the company or firm submitting an ITB response should also be clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. TWO (2) ORIGINALS AND ONE (1) COPY OF THE ITB ON FLASHDRIVE MUST BE SUBMITTED. ITB’s will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email. All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions enclosed herein.

The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

Warren Hutmacher City Manager

Mike Bodker Mayor

32 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

SPORTS

Roswell’s Xavier McKinney commits to Alabama Senior safety plays in All-American game

By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell standout senior safety Xavier McKinney has committed to the University of Alabama.

McKinney made the announcement while competing in the Under Armour All-America Game on New McKINNEY Year’s Day in Orlando.

McKinney, who was highly recruited by some of the top football programs in the nation, including Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State among others, recommitted to Alabama after retracting his commitment to the school last summer.

A four-star recruit, McKinney compiled 72 total tackles, seven interceptions, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick in his senior season. As a kick returner, McKinney ran back two kicks for touchdowns

n the 2016 season, Xavier McKinney (15) recorded 72 tackles and seven interceptions for the Hornets. and also had a 48-yard reception for a touchdown.

In his junior and senior season, Mc-

Kinney averaged 6.4 tackles per game and brought in 16 interceptions.

He recorded three tackles in the All-America game which showcases the top senior high school players in the country.

McKinney became the second Ros-

JOE PARKER/HERALD

well player in the past two years to play in the game. Last year, former Roswell linebacker Tre Lamar was on the All-America squad.

McKinney has already graduated from Roswell and will enroll early at Alabama.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR MULTIPLE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS ITB #17-006 The City of Alpharetta (City) is accepting bids for MULTIPLE SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS including, but not limited to, the fabrication, delivery and installation of sidewalks, curb and gutter, excavation/trenching, backfilling for utilities, landscaping and other related work to constructing sidewalk.

The location of the work is at various locations within the City of Alpharetta, Georgia.

The ITB will be available online Thursday, January 19, 2017, at our bid posting website, https://www.ebidexchange.com/alpharetta.

Interested parties are required to log in to review the ITB documents.

The bid opening will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Alpharetta City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009.

For information, please contact Stephanie Cochran at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department via email at purchasing@alpharetta.ga.us or at 678-297-6052.

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 33

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34 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

SPORTS

Cambridge gives Pope a fight, falls short Pope downs Bears 56-52

With guns blazing, the Bears’ opened a 12-6 lead in the first quarter, but Pope would respond with a 9-0 run late in the first quarter and early in the second to take its first lead of the game.

The lead would change hands multiple times, but Pope began to pull away in the third quarter due to strong rebounding, multiple missed shots, espe-

cially from beyond the arc, missed free throws and Cambridge turnovers. The Bears were just 8-15 on free throws in the loss and had 13 turnovers.

As Pope began to pour on steam, the Greyhounds opened a 7-point lead in the fourth and denied a late comeback attempt by the Bears.

Sophomore Kamar Robertson led

the Bears in scoring with 16 points. He added seven rebounds and three steals.

Fellow sophomore David Banks scored 15 with seven rebounds and a block.

Flemmer said his young team, which starts three sophomores and a junior, is making progress, but they still have much room for improvement, especially where turnovers are concerned.

“We have to take care of the ball.

We make some unnecessary turnovers that are costing us. We have a bunch of sophomores out there and guys that don’t have the experience a veteran senior would have, but we are getting there, and we will keep working hard.”

Even with the region loss, Pope sits third in the region standings with seven region games remaining. Cambridge is in the running for one of the top seeds in the region tournament, but coach Flemmer said a tough road to the tournament still lies ahead.

“In this region, anyone can beat anyone. It’s one of those regions where you better bring your A game every night, otherwise you are going to get beat. I think we can compete with any of those teams and I look forward to us hopefully making a run and hopefully doing some great things in the region tournament.”

After Friday’s loss, the Bears bounced back to defeat Walton on Saturday, 68-64, in overtime.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA PUBLIC NOTICE PH-17-AB-01

CITY OF ALPHARETTA PUBLIC NOTICE PH-17-AB-03

CITY OF ALPHARETTA PUBLIC NOTICE PH-17-AB-02

PLACE City Hall Two Park Plaza Council Chambers January 19, 2017 3:00 P.M.

PLACE City Hall Two Park Plaza Council Chambers January 26, 2017 2:00 P.M.

PLACE City Hall Two Park Plaza Council Chambers January 19, 2017 3:00 P.M.

PURPOSE Consumption on Premises Liquor, Beer & Wine Sunday Sales

PURPOSE Convenience Store Beer & Wine – Sunday Sales

APPLICANT Taste of India 3070 Windward Plaza Suite M Alpharetta, Ga. 30005

APPLICANT QuikTrip Corporation d/b/a QuikTrip #843 1590 Mansell Rd. Alpharetta, Ga. 30009

Owner Shyam Dasari Registered Agent Sreemannarayana Jannu

Owner QuikTrip Corporation Registered Agent Jim Klun

By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com MILTON, Ga. — Cambridge got off to a fast start against region foe Pope but was unable to hang on for what would have been a crucial win.

The Bears (12-6, 7-3) are off to their best start in program history after getting solid production from underclassmen Kamar Robertson and David Banks as well as from seniors Jackson Boyea and Josh Leonce. But as the Bears looked to tie Pope for second in the Region 7-AAAAAA standings, a fast start fizzled into a back-and-forth contest between the teams, with the Greyhounds taking the eventual 56-52 win.

The loss to Pope was the Bears’ second of the season. The first was an 80-61 loss on Dec. 2. Head coach Chip Flemmer said though last Friday’s loss was tough, he was still pleased with most aspects of his team’s performance.

“We struggled in that game a month ago,” Flemmer said. “Tonight we came out guns blazing, but Pope is a good team, they are well coached and they always play their hearts out. We did a good job though.”

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE PURPOSE An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to the City on January 5, 2017 for Consumption on Premises of Malt Beverage and Wine.

BUSINESS NAME Fan’s Cooking School LLC. Dba Yifan 10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd. Suite 370 Johns Creek, GA 30097

Cambridge’s Josh Leonce (25) and Kyler Ingram (33) block a Pope shot.

PURPOSE Consumption on Premises Liquor, Beer & Wine Sunday Sales

OWNER/OFFICERS Fan’s Cooking School LLC. Dba Yifan 10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd. Suite 370 Johns Creek, GA 30097

APPLICANT TT Alpharetta/Roswell, LLC d/b/a Twisted Taco 1495 Alpharetta Highway Alpharetta, Ga. 30009

Owner Fan Wang, Junge Ni and Emma Yu

Owner TT Alpharetta/Roswell, LLC Registered Agent Richard Seaman

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 35

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on Thursday, February 2, 2017 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

Items forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Monday, February 27, 2017 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. a. MP-16-13/Z-16-11/CU-16-19/V-16-25 TPA Fuqua Development/Peridot (Deferred by Planning Commission) Consideration of a request to amend the Peridot (A.K.A. MetLife) Master Plan to allow 430 ‘For-Rent’ residential units, 70 ‘For-Sale’ townhome units, 51,200 square feet of retail/restaurant use, 664,400 square feet of office use, and up to a 200-room hotel. The master plan amendment also includes changes to previous conditions of zoning. A rezoning is requested on 15.51 acres from O-I (Office-Institutional) to MU (Mixed-Use) and conditional uses to allow ‘Dwelling, ‘For-Rent’ use and a bank or savings and loan use. A variance is requested to eliminate the requirement for retail under ‘For-Rent’ residential use on 2 sides of each ‘For-Rent’ building. The property is located on the west side of Haynes Bridge Road south of Lakeview Parkway and is legally described as Land Lots 744, 745, 752, and 753, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. b. MP-15-01/CLUP-15-01/Z-15-01/V-15-01 KB400 Master Plan/1699 Land Company Consideration of a request to rezone approximately 12.4 acres from O-I (Office-Institutional) to CUP (Community Unit Plan) in order to develop 25 ‘ForSale’ Townhome units and 57 ‘For-Sale’ Detached lots in a gated community. A master plan amendment to the KB400 Master Plan is requested to add ‘Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’ Attached and Detached’ to the list of permitted uses and to change required setbacks. A Comprehensive Land Use Plan amendment is requested to change the designation of the property from ‘Corporate Office’ to ‘High Density Residential’. A variance is requested to reduce the 100acre minimum lot size in the CUP district. The property is located at the southwest corner of Kimball Bridge Road and North Point Parkway and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 807, 808, 849 & 850, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. c. Z-17-01 Tribble/285 Karen Drive/DT-R Consideration of a request to rezone 0.817 acre from R-12 (Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’ Residential) to DT-R (Downtown Residential) to allow for the construction of 4 ‘For-Sale’ Semi-Detached units and 1 ‘For-Sale’ Detached home. The property is located at 285 Karen Drive and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 696, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. d. CLUP-17-01/Z-17-02/V-17-05 GRBK Academy, LLC/Manning House Consideration of a request to rezone approximately 0.39 acres from R-8A/D (Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’ Attached/Detached Residential) to DT-LW (Downtown Live-Work) in order to allow a historic residential structure to be used for an office or residential use. A change to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan from ‘Downtown Residential Density’ to ‘Mixed Use Live Work’ and a variance to reduce the buffer requirement between residential and non-residential uses is requested. The property is located at the northwest corner of Academy Street and Haynes Bridge Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1268, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. e. PH-17-02 Historic Preservation Incentive Zoning – UDC Text Amendments Consideration of amendments to the Historic Preservation Incentive Zoning Ordinance to remove and add historic properties to Appendix A: Historic Resources Inventory, as well as miscellaneous text amendments. f. PH-17-03 Alpharetta 2035 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Consideration of an amendment to the Alpharetta 2035 Comprehensive Plan to add language to the Kimball Bridge Activity Center Character Area in order to clarify the vision for the redevelopment of the Alpha Park neighborhood. g. PH-17-05 Unified Development Code Text Amendments – Sign Code Consideration of amendments to Unified Development Code Section 2.6 Signs, to increase the maximum allowable wall sign area associated with Industrial and Office Parks from 156 to 200 square feet. h. PH-17-04 Milton Avenue Commercial Center (City Council Only) Consideration of a request to change previous conditions of zoning to allow for the enclosure of a 2,400 square foot structured parking area to be utilized as office space. The property is located at 44 Milton Avenue and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1269, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

36 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

SPORTS

Emory hosts free Youth Baseball Injury Prevention Workshop ATLANTA — Emory Orthopaedics, Sports & Spine will hold a free Youth

Baseball Injury Prevention Workshop on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 8 a.m. – 1

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017 AT 7:00 P.M. CITY OF JOHNS CREEK MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONDAY, FEBRUAY 27, 2017 AT 7:00 P.M. CITY OF JOHNS CREEK COUNCIL CHAMBERS 12000 FINDLEY ROAD, SUITE 300 JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA 30097 The following Land Use Petitions located within the City of Johns Creek are scheduled for Public Hearings as stated above.

LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:

RZ-17-001 Edge City Properties, Inc. 10655/10725 Jones Bridge Road AG-1 (Agricultural District) R-5A (Single Family) Single-Family detached dwellings

LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: Current Zoning: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:

RZ-17-002 Douglas R. White 11705 Jones Bridge Road CUP (Community Unit Plan) C-1 (Community Business) Staff initiated rezoning based on existing commercial uses

LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING:

RZ-17-003 Ray Bachman 3018 Haynes Trail CUP (Community Unit Plan) Conditional CUP (Community Unit Plan) Conditional Change in Conditions Change in Conditions of rezoning to reduce the existing 50 ‘rear yard setback to a 27’ rear yard setback to erect an enclosed porch.

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:

LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: Current Zoning: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:

RZ-17-004 Steve Rajabi 5400 Sargent Road AG-1 (Agricultural District) R-3 (Single-Family) Two Single-Family Homes

LAND USE PETITION:

RZ-16-007 & SUP 16-003 (DEFERRED FROM THE JANUARY PLANNING COMMISSION) Piedmont Atlantic Capital, LLC 11105 Jones Bridge Road & 4823 Taylor Road O-I (Office Institutional) C-1 (Community Business) Self-Storage Facility

PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:

p.m. at Emory Johns Creek Hospital.

The workshop is open to all high school baseball leagues. Coaches, parents, athletes and trainers are welcome to attend.

Scott Maughon, MD, will lead the event.

Sports medicine experts will provide tips to help prevent sports-related inju-

ries, give proper stretching techniques and age-appropriate pitching recommendations. Atlanta Braves manager, Brian Snitker will serve as keynote speaker.

For information about the workshop, email janelle.richards@emoryhealthcare.org or call 404-778-3268.

To register, visit bit.ly/2eNMQGA.

Local man honored as top golf teacher JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Paul Belongie, from RiverPines Golf Club in Johns Creek, has recently been named to U.S. Kids Golf’s annual list of Top 50 Kids Teachers.

The award recognizes the world’s most BELONGIE outstanding youth golf instructors. Each of the winners are chosen based on their contributions to youth golf, such as: experience with young golfers; time devoted to teaching youth; innovation and fun in their programs; and overall effort to grow the game.

The Top 50 Kids Teachers of 2016 includes golf professionals from 26 states, Canada, England and Kenya.

Each year, award recipients include teachers who work at public, private, resort and municipal courses.

“These coaches are honored as more than instructors,” said Dan Van Horn, the President and Founder of U.S. Kids Golf. “They create outstanding opportunities for young golfers to learn in a fun and rewarding environment that instills a love for the game and engages the entire family. Their ability to connect with students and fully engage them in the learning process sets them apart.”

For information about Belongie and the award, visit uskidsgolf.com.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF JOHNS CREEK COUNCIL CHAMBERS 12000 FINDLEY ROAD, SUITE 300 JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA 30097 A PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR THE JANUARY 23, 2017 CITY OF JOHNS CREEK CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AT 7:00 PM, TO CONSIDER ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE TO CONSTRUCT A PAVILION WITHIN THE 2000-FOOT CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER CORRIDOR. A COPY OF THE REPORT FROM THE ATLANTA REGIONAL COMMISSION IS LOCATED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC VIEWING. CASE NUMBER: PETITIONER: LOCATION:

RC-16-002 Rivermont Community Association, c/o Mr. John Kohler 8679 Barnwell Road

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 37

STEM: Continued from Page 14 drafted, the community will have the opportunity to review and comment on those standards.

Burke noted the goal is to have a final set of standards by April so planners can begin narrowing down and focusing the “industry pathways” offered at the school.

School board members from North Fulton say the school cannot open

Blotter: Continued from Page 2 chained on site Dec. 31.

When the representative returned Jan. 3, however, the tool box showed signs of tampering, the locks were damaged and the generator was missing.

A similar theft was reported nearby by a separate construction company.

Their generator also went missing between Dec. 30 and Jan. 3 after being secured over the weekend. The cable that had secured the generator had been cut.

Man’s stolen info used in car buying attempt MILTON, Ga. — A man reported Jan. 10 that he was contacted several times

soon enough, with nearly every area high school at or above capacity. The Alpharetta STEM school is the only option for relief in the area through 2020.

“I would be very interested in the final recommendation for capacity,” said Fulton School Board member Katie Reeves, whose district includes Milton and Alpharetta. “I think all of our parents with kids in overcrowded schools are looking at this as the only solution in the next five years.”

Board President Linda McCain, who represents primarily Johns Creek, said the concept must be attractive to

students.

“This is a [school] the kids must want to go to, because they are going to have to choose this,” said McCain, who noted marketing efforts must include the middle school level.

The stakes are high for Fulton Schools to deliver a viable product. In 2007 the system opened The Connected Academy at the former Milton High

School site as the first charter school in the state opened by a school system.

The school was marketed at the “disengaged learner” who was looking for options beyond the traditional high school.

The school closed quietly 18 months later, having never attracted more than 100 students and failing to create an identity.

about insurance agencies regarding quotes for a car that someone was attempting to purchase with his information.

The man said he first realized his identity had been compromised when he received multiple phone calls from different insurance agencies regarding quotes for a 2012 Mercedes Benz that someone had tried to buy using his information.

The man confirmed that his name, address, email address, phone number and date of birth had been used with at least three agencies. He said he was not sure if his Social Security number was used or if the car had been successfully purchased.

The man was advised to monitor his accounts for any fraudulent charges and to contact both his bank and credit bureaus to tell them that his information had been compromised.

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.

38 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.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.

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 19, 2017 | 39

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40 | January 19, 2017 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

Big School Opportunities, Small School Feel Challenging STEM Programs

75 Yearly Arts Performances and 14 Art Studios

25 AP Classes

18 Varsity Sports and 13 Intramurals

86 Student Clubs and Service Organizations

8:1 Faculty: Student Ratio

At Woodward Academy, students of all learning styles come together from every religious, ethnic, and cultural background, making our school a microcosm of the world.

Discover the Woodward Difference.

Now Accepting Applications

Global Connections

Travel Abroad Experiences in 23 Countries

Success Beyond Woodward

100% Acceptance to Colleges and Universities

Main Campus Pre-K to 12 College Park Woodward North Pre-K to 6 Johns Creek