Sponsored Sections Real Estate Report ►►PAGE 22 Summer Camps ►►PAGE 24
Johns Creek radio tower in Forsyth To be used for public safety ►►PAGE 4
‘Gray Clouds on my Mind’
Courthouse on schedule
Stephanie Tian’s art ranked top 10 in country ►►PAGE 15
Set to open March 16 ►►PAGE 6
March 4, 2015 | forsythherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 10, No. 18
FCS says itsLearning working so far By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com
JOSH MARTIN
Josh Martin, left, and Brian Grasso sit at a Simple Charity table set up at a North Forsyth High School football game, selling T-shirts and asking for donations to raise money to fight global poverty.
NFHS makes helping charity ‘simple’ By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – Brian Grasso, a senior at North Forsyth High School, saw the impact of extreme poverty firsthand in middle school after going on a mission trip to Kenya. “This trip had a massive impact on me and caused me to begin to think about charity with a global perspective,” Grasso said. “I was struck by the widespread lack of basic necessities overseas, and I wanted to do something about it.” A few years later as a high
school junior, Grasso had idea to start Simple Charity. “I realized that if every student in my high school donated just $40 over the course of a school year, we could raise $100,000 to fight global poverty,” Grasso said. “I knew this money would go so far overseas. With a lot of help from my close friend Josh Martin, I started Simple Charity in March of 2014.” Simple Charity is a faithbased club with the goal of raising $100,000 to fight global poverty in Jesus’ name over the course of this school year. The official deadline is May 31.
Grasso said they have a leadership team made up of top students at NFHS, and they raised $30,000 last semester. The monetary goal has shaped a lot of their efforts and plans this year, but Grasso said from the beginning, $100,000 is not the real goal. “The real goal is to inspire both high school students and adults in Forsyth County to give with a global mindset,” Grasso said. “Leading this club has taught me so much about people, and I sometimes
See NFHS, Page 11
to get on, Bray said it didn’t come without problems. “As a result of how many FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — people were on at once, the With two ice and snow events system came to a crawl this in as many weeks, Forsyth morning,” Bray said. “The itsCounty Schools’ new policy to Learning company had to shut have students use its online it down for a little while. All of itsLearning program to make this is on the company’s servup for inclement weather days ers in different places. They is getting a baptism by fire. took the server down and took This academic year, the it to another server with more county had built in two inclem- capacity. We only see these ent weather days, which were numbers increasing over time.” both used on Feb. 17 and 18. The county held a test When the county cancelled run in late December to early school on ThursJanuary dependday, Feb. 19 and ing on schools, again for several and Bray said days last week they were testing due to snow, stuin six different dents and teachcategories — ers throughout access/equity, the county logged teachers, stuon for their first dents, parents, official itsLearnadministration ing days. and other recomForsyth Counmendations. ty Schools (FCS) The access/ Chief Technology equity category and Information required the Officer Marty research team to Bray said Feb. go out and talk 19 at the school to the school board meeting the social workers, county’s impleprincipals and mentation of itsITs at all schools. MARTY BRAY Learning is going “We identiForsyth County Schools (FCS) Chief Technology and well so far. fied additional Information Officer “We expestudents who rienced about needed access,” triple the use of Bray said. “FCS itsLearning today,” Bray said. is consulting with other dis“This says a lot about people tricts that use a checkout modreally wanting to get on. They el for some mobile hotspots. were ready to go. Usually there FCS increased the number of are around 2,000 users going students receiving devices as a on at any one time; today we result of the drill.” had close to 6,000-7,000 conBray said the group came current users.” Although people were eager See FCS, Page 29
Usually there are around 2,000 users going on at any one time; today we had close to 6,000-7,000 concurrent users.”
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Alpharetta man guilty of drug, weapons charges
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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.
Motorcyclist gives self away FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputy noticed a motorcyclist Feb. 11 pulled over in a grassy shoulder of the road, spinning its rear tire. The deputy approached the man, who said he had pulled off the road to allow an ambulance to pass. The deputy reportedly noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from the driver’s helmet and noted his eyes were red and watery and his speech slurred. The man said he had nothing to drink but was reportedly unsteady on his feet when he got off the bike. He later allegedly said he only had a couple of drinks.
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GAINESVILLE, Ga. – An Alpharetta man is among two dozen members of a motorcycle gang found guilty for drug-dealing and weapons offenses. Howard Haney, 44, Alpharetta, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Haney was sentenced to 10 years in prison as part of a long-term investigation of motorcycle gangs in North Georgia suspected of drug trafficking and illegal gun and explosives offenses. Beginning in mid-2010, the FBI conducted a long-term undercover investigation in North Georgia into allegations that members of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club, the Black Pistons Motorcycle Club and other motorcycle clubs were engaged in various forms of criminal activity, including drug distribution and illegal firearms and explosives offenses. An undercover agent posed as a drug dealer from Florida who was looking to expand his drug dealing into North Georgia. He was introduced to members of the motorcycle clubs
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In the Feb. 4 edition of the Forsyth Herald, the pictures in the Lambert hosts youth soccer shootout article on pg. 27 were attributed to the incorrect person. They should have been attributed to Sam Bennett with www.ceimagesinc.com.
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by a club member who was working as an informant for the FBI. The undercover agent conducted actual and ruse drug deals in which he either bought methamphetamine from motorcycle club members or recruited club members to assist him in moving what they were led to believe were significant quantities of methamphetamine or cocaine from North Georgia to Tennessee. The undercover agent also obtained firearms from convicted felons and engaged two defendants in discussions about making an unregistered explosive device for him. Twenty-two defendants were arrested Aug. 16, 2012 on drug, firearms and obstruction of justice charges. Six other defendants were arrested later. Since then, 20 defendants have pleaded guilty to various charges, two defendants were convicted after jury trials and five defendants were acquitted at trial. The final defendants were found guilty in February 2015.
The man would not do field sobriety tests, so the deputy arrested him for DUI. While in the backseat of the patrol car, a tow truck arrived to get the motorcycle. The man allegedly said it was easier for the tow truck driver to get the bike unstuck because he was sober, before he added that he was also sober. He was transported to the Forsyth County Jail.
Driver purposely damages drive-thru FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A manager of McDonald’s, 4890 Post Road, called the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Feb. 17 after a truck reportedly purposely drove over the safety pylons in the drive-thru. She told the officer the driver asked if he could run over the pylons. She said she told him no because they’re expensive to replace, but that he ran over them anyway and left the parking lot. The manager said the restaurant has had problems with him in the past, ranging from him being loud in the lobby to smoking electronic cigarettes after being told not to. Another customer witnessed the incident and said he went to high school with the driver. The customer said he saw the driver go over the pylons and kick several bushes along the sidewalk. The truck returned to the parking lot, and the witness identified the man. The driver allegedly admitted to the deputy that he hit the pylons and
kicked the bushes and apologized because sometimes he “gets bored.” The deputy spoke with the manager, and she agreed that they should issue a criminal trespass warning, gather the driver’s information and advise him not to return to the restaurant until further notice. The deputy notified the driver of the warning, who said he understood and left after his information was gathered.
Report of man with gun leads to another’s arrest FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies were dispatched Feb. 14 to Parks Road in reference to an individual walking around with a gun. Upon arrival, they were met by the owner of the residence, who said his brother was hunting for coyote in the woods. The owner said he had other friends inside the house and brought them outside. One of those individuals was reportedly recognized from multiple previous encounters. After that man was asked to identify himself, the homeowner asked the man why he was lying, but he didn’t respond. The deputy then arrested the man for giving a fake name and date of birth. After putting his name through their system, the man came up as having an active parole warrant and as a wanted person located. The warrant was verified and returned valid.
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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 ►► Linda K. Landrum, 57, of
Creek Tree Lane, Cumming, was arrested Feb. 10 on Atlanta Highway in Cumming for DUI, failure to maintain lane and impeding traffic. ►► Preston Keith Nave, 37, of North Bluff, Alpharetta, was arrested Feb. 12 on Kelly Mill Road in Cumming for DUI and defective tires. ►► Steven Kyle Tillery, 23, of Rolling Oaks Circle, Cumming, was arrested Feb. 14 on Mary Alice Park Road in Cumming for DUI and taillight violation. ►► Charles Louis Purdy, 30, of Greyhawk Lane, Cumming, was arrested Feb. 19 on Greyhawk Lane in Cumming for DUI, striking an unattended vehicle and expired registration. ►► James Travis Edmunds, 41, of Dawsonville was arrest-
ed Feb. 20 on Ga. 400 in Dawsonville for DUI and failure to maintain lane.
Drug arrests ►► John Stailey, 50, of Ball
Ground was arrested Feb. 10 on Northside Forsyth Drive in Cumming for possession of marijuana, failure to maintain lane and failure to signal lane change. ►► Kurtis Bell Hanna, 52, of Gainesville was arrested Feb. 10 on Matt Highway in Cumming for possession of marijuana. ►► Daniel Edwin Sosebee, 31, of Dawsonville was arrested Feb. 10 on Crystal Cove Trail in Gainesville for possession of methamphetamines. ►► Michael Thomas Galitello, 31, of Morganton, Georgia, was arrested Feb. 10 on Buford Highway in Cumming for possession of marijuana and failure to maintain lane. ►► Theresa Rose Knight, 44, of Gainesville was arrested Feb. 13 on Highway 53 in Gainesville for possession of a schedule III controlled substance.
Forsyth Herald | March 4, 2015 | 3
Man breaks into car, stays there MILTON, Ga. – A Dunwoody man was arrested on multiple outstanding warrants from around the state and country after he was found disoriented in another man’s car. Police were called out Feb. 18 at 8:16 a.m. after a Lathenview Court man found a stranger in his car. The stranger would not leave the car. It took several officers to remove the stranger, who seemed tired and disorientated and repeatedly gave them a false name and date of birth.
The victim said the inside of his car was in disarray, with wiring pulled out of the center console and steering wheel and the contents of the glove box scattered. Through fingerprinting, police were able to identify the suspect as Joel Townsend Diekhoff, 32, of Dunwoody, who had warrants for his arrest from Idaho and DeKalb County for burglary. Diekhoff was arrested for entering auto, giving false information to police and having outstanding warrants.
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NEWS
4 | March 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
Commissioners approve Johns Creek request to build radio tower in Forsyth By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The city of Johns Creek will soon have a new public safety radio tower — but not within its city limits, or even Fulton County. At the Forsyth County Commission’s Feb. 23 work session, commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement between the county and Johns Creek to allow the city in Fulton County to build a public safety radio tower off McGinnis Ferry Road in Forsyth. Forsyth County Attorney Ken Jarrard said Johns Creek needed a piece of property for a communications tower and had looked at Forsyth and various locations in Johns Creek for some time. For various reasons, Johns Creek was unable to find a location for the tower within its city limits. “They approached Forsyth County with respect to a parcel of property located just within the Forsyth border that borders Johns Creek,” Jarrard said. “Johns Creek came to the county and submitted plans for a building permit to erect this tower.” Originally, the county believed a conditional use permit would be required, which is true for most communications towers, Jarrard said. Johns Creek responded that its request was for a government tower. In the Unified Development Code, it says the conditional use requirements don’t apply for a government tower. Jarrard said the county’s position is that it is governmentally controlled or owned property. “What we understand now is Johns Creek is suggesting they will secure an easement, a property interest, on that piece of property. If that’s true, then they’re ex-
[Johns Creek] just can’t come up with money for it right now. They might come up with it later.” R.J. “PETE” AMOS Forsyth County Commissioner empt,” Jarrard said. “But they do need an intergovernmental agreement.” There are a few conditions Johns Creek will have to abide by, Jarrard said, including the tower will have a maximum height of 200 feet and will not be lighted. This particular parcel has two other towers on it. “The primary purpose of the tower is to be a public safety facility, meaning it would serve the public safety interests of Johns Creek,” Jarrard said. “In exchange for us allowing this tower to be built in Forsyth County, we would have a right to erect two things on it — a 400-pound tornado/weather warning siren, and we have the right to erect our own public safety radio antenna.” In addition, Forsyth has the right to direct private communications companies to that tower so long as there’s a load capability to have a colocation on that tower, Jarrard said. “To the extent another communication tower company like Verizon wanted another tower like this but this satisfied their needs, that’s good for Forsyth – because it means another tower doesn’t have to be erected,” Jarrard said. “The way the intergovernmental agreement is structured is if a private lease
was secured for this tower, Johns Creek and Forsyth would split lease payments.” The area in which the tower would be built has two other intergovernmental agreements on it pertaining to McGinnis Ferry Road, Jarrard said. “We’ve been working with Johns Creek for a long time to get an intergovernmental agreement with respect to maintenance of McGinnis Ferry Road that’s been long overdue in getting done,” Jarrard said. “If they need intergovernmental agreements here for us to approve it, we want the other McGinnis Ferry Road [projects] to be done. There’s a third intergovernmental agreement which pertains to the widening of McGinnis Ferry Road.” Johns Creek is willing to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Forsyth to fund up to $200,000 for the design to widen McGinnis Ferry Road, Jarrard said. “I don’t believe Johns Creek at this point wants to commit half of construction costs of the widening of McGinnis Ferry Road, which is a multimillion endeavor,” Jarrard said. “The way I structured the agreement with Johns Creek was they had to pay us the $200,000 or assistance of it with the widening design.” Commissioner R.J. “Pete” Amos said Johns Creek is committed to the intergovernmental agreement and the widening of the intersection. “They just can’t come up with money for it right now,” Amos said. “They might come up with it later.” The public safety tower agreement was approved with a modification requiring that if a private party locates on the tower, Forsyth County gets 100 percent of the lease proceeds.
Renewal of lease for soccer academy discussed By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Commission has postponed until a later date a decision to renew the county’s lease with Mike Domenicone for the Polo Soccer Academy. Commissioners discussed Feb. 23 renewing the lease on the 26-acre piece of property at the Polo Fields in the southwestern part of the county. The private property, which backs up to houses in the Polo Golf and Country Club neighborhood, is currently used as an outdoor recreation facility and for outdoor coordinated soccer, said County Attorney Ken Jarrard. The county originally had to enter into an agreement with Domenicone, the property owner, to use the fields for a soccer program because the land is not currently zoned for such a use. “There were issues about a piece of property zoned Residential 2, and this type
of use is not allowed,” Jarrard said. “Neighbors were concerned of lights, trash and debris based on activity going JARRARD on there. The property owners didn’t want to rezone then, and the county’s overall view of the place is positive because it’s heavily attended with lots of parents and kids there.” The county parks and recreation staff said there could be no space for private recreation fields at county parks, and said to keep the fields there, Jarrard said. Instead of rezoning, the county’s solution back then was to enter into a lease with owner of property. There was an agreement with Domenicone and the county and later Extreme Soccer that ended up paying for a tree buffer on the property to mitigate what was going
The property owners didn’t want to rezone then, and the county’s overall view of the place is positive because it’s heavily attended with lots of parents and kids there.” KEN JARRARD County Attorney on between the fields and the neighborhoods that backed up to it, Jarrard said. “It seemed a win-win situation,” Jarrard said. “The county saw a need for the field, but now the lease is expired.” Jarrard said the fields are still very heavily used and if the lease isn’t renewed, the county’s codes will need to be enforced. Jim Pryor, the director for parks and recreation, said there are about 4,300 kids
who use the space’s six soccer fields. “If we shut it down, we couldn’t accommodate them,” Pryor said. “This fills a big need for them, and if it closes, they’ll come to the county to fulfill need. It’s not a hassle on our end with this facility. There have been no complaints from neighbors since I’ve been here.” The fields are in Commissioner Todd Levent’s district, but he was absent, so they voted to postpone any decision.
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NEWS
6 | March 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Courthouse on schedule and under budget Courthouse set to open March 16 By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. – Officials said Feb. 23 construction on the new Forsyth County Courthouse is under budget and on schedule to open next month. The opening of the new jail has been delayed due to running into rock during construction. The SPLOST VII jail/courthouse project team held a meeting to discuss the current status of the buildings, including final details like jury box microphones, intercoms, dedication plaques and the Lady Justice plaque. Judge Jeffrey Bagley said microphones in the jury box would allow the members to be heard during jury selection and trial. Currently, each jury box has a microphone in the corner for the jury foreman, but it was mentioned the judges might want to test the amplification of that microphone from the furthest corner in the jury box before committing to additional microphones. Bagley motioned to test the amplification of the corner
microphone in the jury box. If it is determined to be inadequate, the project team would consider approved the $7,000 to $10,000 cost for additional microphones. The motion was approved. There was also discussion about the placement of intercoms on the fourth and fifth floors of the courthouse, so that judges and judicial assistants will know who is requesting access to the secured area. Commissioner Pete Amos motioned and Mayor H. Ford Gravitt seconded to give County Manager Doug Derrer the authority to spend up to $5,000 to correct any intercom system on the fourth and fifth floors. Also considered was a ceremony for a dedication plaque by the Masons. Bagley said the county will be placing items into a time capsule and placing the time capsule into the courthouse cornerstone one week after the building’s grand opening. He said this might be an appropriate time for the Masons to perform their dedication ceremony and plaque installation.
A rendering of the completed courthouse and jail. Gravitt motioned to authorize the Masons to proceed with a dedication ceremony and present the plaque. Amos also motioned to let
Bagley, Derrer and Fire Chief Danny Bowman select the size, location and time for the plaque dedication ceremony. The motion was approved. The verbiage for the Lady
Justice plaque provided by Bagley was also approved. The dedication and opening of the courthouse will be March 12, and it will officially open March 16.
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OPINION
CTRL + ALT + TEACH:
Technology in education While I may be young, I do remember a time before almost every household had a computer. Granted, I was around 8 when my family got our first computer. Growing up, the Internet and personal computers were just becoming mainstream in the daily lives of Americans. People in my generation are sometimes called digital natives, and that’s pretty fitting. Most adults in our lives didn’t have much experience with the World Wide Web, so we had to be self-taught. If we wanted to add the latest Britney Spears song to our Myspace profiles, we had to learn a little bit of HTML code. And yes, I do remember the beautiful music and hourlong wait when you would log into AOL. But even though I’m a millennial, I still am amazed every time I walk into a school and see a classroom full of elementary students all using their own digital device for an activity.
KATHLEEN STURGEON Forsyth Herald Reporter kathleen@appen mediagroup.com
A few weeks ago, Forsyth County Schools announced their finalists for Teacher of the Year. When the elementary teacher was taking pictures with her class, one student pulled out his iPad to take a class selfie. It’s exciting how kids get to grow up with technology in their schools and use it in everyday lessons. My mom is an elementary school librarian, but their job description recently changed to include more technology instruction. She has used this as a chance to learn as much as she can about apps and Web tools for her students. Sometimes, she teaches me a thing or two.
I wish we could have used this technology when I was growing up. It seems to be so helpful for students to really grasp concepts and demonstrate what they learned. I know my generation can sometimes get a bad reputation for always being plugged into our digital devices, but sometimes technology can be an effective tool – and one of those places is in the classroom. There are thousands of free or low cost apps, websites, blogs, vlogs (video blogs) and software for students, which is pretty cool to think about. My cousin just turned 3 and when I visit her and have my phone out, she takes it from me and starts playing games. She too also loves to take selfies with me. She is fearless when it comes to technology. If we don’t all start to embrace a future with technology, we will soon be as obsolete as the floppy disk.
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Love: Why I can’t afford the toilet paper In December, I asked for my girlfriend’s hand in marriage. Actually, I asked for her entire body in marriage, but you get the idea. The marriage proposal is considered “popping the big question,” but once that big question is out of the way, another rears its moneygrubbing head – “How much will it cost?” First on the list of things that cost a ridiculous amount of money, the ring. Now, I happen to be of the opinion that engagement rings are nice, but a redundant and useless idea that we only conform to because it is the norm. But, I’m also not a complete fool and did not propose with an empty hand, lest my asking for her hand in marriage would end with her not giving me her hand, but rather a single, raised finger. I learned much about diamonds and rings in my research on the matter, though what I learned most was that I could have purchased an almost new car for the same price. But with the impending wedding costs, little did I know that my bank account was about to go down faster than a ring-less proposal. When the ring was purchased, and thus the first wedding punch to the wallet was complete, on comes the cost of the wedding venue, which as far as I can tell, costs about as much as a 30-year mortgage. Finding a venue is a delicate mix of finding a building that is user-friendly, beautiful, well-decorated without being gaudy, has enough space for people to move freely yet is still intimate, has a big dance floor, proper accommodations, catering options, a DJ, plenty of parking, a bar, plenty of bathrooms, is handicap accessible and on and on and on. Well, that is the kind of venue my fiancé is looking for. So far, my only questions on venues has been, “Do they have a bar?” and “How much does it cost?”
JOE PARKER
Appen Intern news@appenmedia group.com
... I’m also not a complete fool and did not propose with an empty hand, lest my asking for her hand in marriage would end with her not giving me her hand, but rather a single, raised finger. The quick answer to the latter question – “A lot.” Slap the term “wedding” on anything from a venue to a tablecloth and the price will escalate tenfold. A nice candlelit centerpiece? $450. Colored drapes to hang over the chairs? $450. Using the resident DJ? $450. In fact, I’ve found that everything you can add to a reception is $450. It wouldn’t surprise me if they charged $450 to have toilet paper in the bathroom. It has been very difficult finding a venue that can not only accommodate my fiancé’s novella of requirements, but also one that won’t force me to sell my body to science to pay for it. I could use that open bar now.
No more animals! I mean it this time, no more animals! The Internet is a strange and complex place. It is a place where a photo of a dress can spark heated debates over just what its color is – blue and black, or white and gold? But it’s also a place largely divided into two portions – pornography and cute animals. It’s the cute animals that get me into trouble. The Missus loves animals. Cats (“kitties!”), dogs (“puppies!”), rabbits (“bunnies!”), hamsters (“hammies?”) and
JONATHAN COPSEY
Revue & News Editor jonathan@ appenmediagroup.com so on are constantly being squealed in our home whenever she sees pictures of them. Or videos of them. Or sees them outside. Or thinks about
them. Or whenever. We already have a cat and a dog. That’s enough for me, thanks. But she wants more. Always more. And the Internet gives her a great place to find more. Always, there are photos of cute animals at hand, often from shelters or adoption centers, and I’m fairly certain I have seen most of them at one point thanks to Her. Cat playing the piano? I’ve seen it. Dog running in its
sleep? Watched it. Did I know a group of rabbits is called a “fluffle?” I do now. Llamas running down a highway? I guess that’s cute? I’m certain this is all part of a plan to wear me down to just give in. She hopes I will see the perfect video and say, “Well, OK. We can get a XX.” That’s not going to happen. Don’t get me wrong – if I wanted another animal, our first stop would be a shelter. All animals deserve a home, is
my belief. There are plenty of great shelters that are chockfull of animals waiting for someone to love them. And I would encourage anyone looking for an animal to make their first stop at a shelter. The problem is that I don’t really want another animal. We have two and they are plenty, I think. But there’s always room for more, isn’t there? At least in her mind. But try telling her otherwise. I dare you.
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From left: Falcons defensive end Jonathan Babineaux, Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn, Northside Hospital Forsyth Administrator Lynn Jackson and Falcons offensive guard Joe Hawley.
Falcons donate to Northside Hospital Foundation New head coach Dan Quinn presents check By SHANNON WEAVER shannon@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn paid a visit to Northside Hospital Forsyth to present a check to the hospital’s foundation Friday, Feb. 27. The event was one of Quinn’s first appearances in the Atlanta area since being hired earlier this month. Jonathan Babineaux and Joe Hawley of the Falcons also attended the event. “I couldn’t be more proud to be here,” Quinn said. “For me to learn that you guys deliver more babies than anywhere else in the United States, that’s doing it better than it’s ever been done.” Quinn, Babineaux and Hawley presented a donation of $30,000 to the foundation with Lynn Jackson, administrator of Northside Hospital Forsyth. “I couldn’t be more excited to be doing this with you guys,” Quinn said. “Let’s get it even stronger, let’s get that check even bigger as we move forward from here on.” Delane Cope, the Northside Hospital Foundation manager, accepted the donation. “I just want to thank the Falcons for this wonderful partnership and this wonderful gift,” Cope said. “Our vision is to connect donors, volunteers and resources to build strong and healthy
New Falcons Head Coach Dan Quinn addresses the crowd. communities. We do that through providing leading edge research, lifesaving screenings, patient services, education and state of the art technology in our local community.”
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Rufus is believed to be a Shepherd/ Labrador mix and he is 2 and a half years old. Please consider giving Rufus his forever home. Visit him at the Humane Society’s adoption center at 4440 Keith Bridge Road, from noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Fill out an application online at www.forsythpets.org.
March 6 thru March 29 Photography courtesy Mike Glatzer Photography
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NFHS:
FCS approves admin moves
Continued from Page 1 wonder if we set our goals too high. However, I believe that most people set standards that are far too low for high school students and that anything is possible with God; so Simple Charity will press on toward our goal until the very last day.” Simple Charity has been far more successful than he could’ve imagined, Grasso said. “We’ve had an incredible amount of support from the community and have pulled off events and fundraisers that most student-led clubs don’t even attempt,” Grasso said. “Last semester, we did a car wash, a chili dinner, a battle of the bands and two yard sales to raise money to fight global poverty by giving to World Renew, Gospel or Asia, Food for the Hungry and Just One: Africa. We also raised money by making our own T-shirts using a stencil and spray paint or bleach.” That’s not where the club’s success ends. Grasso said Simple Charity funded three wells in India through Gospel for Asia and enough water filters to give over 2,500 people clean water for life in Kenya through Just One: Africa. It has given 43 students around the world everything they need to go to school for a year through World Renew, paid for 10 farmers in Mozambique to learn sustainable farming techniques, given 100 children nutrition kits to combat malnourishment in Honduras and funded 10 sheep to be given to impoverished families in Guatemala. While that may seem like a lot, Grasso said they have many more am-
NON PAI
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Board of Education approved the following administrative moves Feb. 19, effective for the 2015-16 school year.
JOSH MARTIN
Megan Wilson, left, and Chad Ward lead a night of worship hosted by Simple Charity at the Warehouse in Midway Park. bitious events they want to do before the end of the school year. “We’re hopefully going to do a 5K on March 28 to raise money for Just One: Africa,” Grasso said. “We’re also going to try to do another battle of the bands, a poetry slam, a night of worship and an end of the year banquet before the May 31 deadline. All of this we want to do in addition to increasing our T-shirt sales and enlarging our ‘Give 5 Friday’ campaign that encourages people to give $5 to fight global poverty every Friday.” Even though they’ve been received well in the community for the most part, Grasso said they sometimes come off as controversial because they’re committed to give only to global causes. “There is a different kind of pov-
erty overseas that doesn’t exist here; this really is an objective statement,” Grasso said. “No one dies of malaria locally because it’s been eradicated. No one can’t afford a high school education locally because it’s free.” Grasso said there are perhaps a dozen organizations at NFHS that do local community service work, and that’s not an exaggeration. “Simple Charity is the only club at NFHS that has a global humanitarian focus,” Grasso said. “Many of our leadership members are active in other clubs doing local community service, and Simple Charity as an organization has supported local causes as well.” To learn more about Simple Charity, visit simplecharity.wordpress.com.
High School Laura Wilson, current assistant principal at South Forsyth HS, will be the principal at South Forsyth HS. Current South Forsyth HS principal Jeff Cheney will be the principal at North Forsyth HS. Current North Forsyth HS principal Beth Hebert will be the director of human resources at the central office. Middle School Cheryl Riddle, current assistant principal at Little Mill MS, will be the principal at Liberty MS. Current Liberty MS principal Connie Stovall will be a director of teaching and learning at the central office. Drew Hayes, current assistant principal at Riverwatch MS, will be the principal at Vickery Creek MS. Current Vickery Creek MS principal Kathy Rohacek is retiring. Elementary School Derrick Hershey, current assistant principal at Vickery Creek ES, will be the principal at Shiloh Point ES. Current Shiloh Point ES principal Rebecca Johnson will be a director of teaching and learning at the central office. —Kathleen Sturgeon
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Transportation, taxes highlights of Legislature By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – With the General Assembly deep in their annual session downtown, there are many bills making their ways through the halls of the Capitol that have Georgians interested or concerned. To help give an update on the major work affecting their constituents, Sens. John Albers (R- Roswell) and Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) held a town hall meeting Feb. 14 at Alpharetta City Hall where they answered questions from residents. Economic development and jobs The expansion of the port of Savannah will have a large effect on the state, said Albers. “It will lead to more jobs and economic growth,” he said. The deepening of the port coincides with the expansion of the Panama Canal and will enable Savannah to be one of the few posts on the Eastern seaboard able to handle the cargo. One of the largest recipients of the freight from Savannah is Fulton County. Transportation That freight has get from Savannah to Fulton and all parts west somehow, and that is typically by trucks, said Beach. He wants to work on reducing the amount of trucks on the roads to help congestion and reduce wear-
and-tear. Railroads, he said, could handle more freight. The state collects tax money from every gallon of gas pumped. This money goes into the transportation fund to pay for road improvements. ALBERS However, Beach said this method was unsustainable, as vehicles become more efficient and especially as electric cars become increasingly popular. The state is about $1 billion short of where it needs to be in transportation funding, he said. Several suggestions have been made to solve the issue, including eliminating the electric vehicle tax rebate and changing how the state and cities collect the gas tax. Tax incentives Many industries get tax incentives from the state. Gaining momentum in the Legislature is a search to discover just how many industries and how much money is used in those breaks. For a state grappling with ever-increasing costs, they need to find sources of revenue. Case in point – the film industry. “People are flooding in from Hollywood and New York City,” said Albers. No one knows quite how much money the film incentives are costing
the state. Others, such as one for airliner Delta, face scrutiny. When the recession hit, the airliner was given a tax break to help it stay afloat. Now the trouble has passed and the company is BEACH doing well, but it is still collecting the incentive. Many such cases will be looked at to weigh the costs against benefit. “We want to be good stewards of those dollars,” Albers said. Health care In an effort to reign in rising health care costs, Beach proposed overhauling the medical malpractice system. Currently, cases of malpractice go before the courts. Beach said an “administrative system” could be put in place to take the courts and overly large settlements out of the way. He said the vast majority of doctors practice defensive medicine, to protect themselves from lawsuits. This adds to the costs of health care. “If you take that out of the equation, we get lower costs,” he said. “The constant rises are unsustainable.” 911 infrastructure Under proposed legislation, cities and counties would no longer be allowed to enact moratoriums on “critical
systems,” Beach said, especially cell towers. He cited a recent case where a Milton woman died after she called 911, because her call went to another county, which had the closest cell tower. It took so long for emergency crews to find her, she died. “Some infrastructure is for the public good,” Beach said. “Twenty years ago [cellular technology] was a luxury, but now we have to have it.” Horse racing Back again this year is an effort to legalize horse racing. Beach said he wants the state to become a center for the equestrian community, capitalizing on horse tourism, jobs and veterinarians that would come with it. While betting would be allowed, Beach was clear that casinos would not be. Money raised through the gambling would go toward the HOPE scholarship. Education The largest portion of the state budget goes to education. Albers said a bill has been introduced to allow and encourage school systems to use ebooks and more online tools. This could reduce cost and help students in poor, rural areas get the same instruction as the wealthier districts. “We can put technology in a child’s hand, no matter where they live,” Albers said. “It’s a great equalizer.”
Library celebrates women’s history month with Girl Scouts CUMMING, Ga. — The Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta will help the Forsyth County Public Library celebrate National Women’s History Month March 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cumming Library, 585 Dahlonega Road. This special guest lecture is part of the Library’s One World Forsyth program to help bring
cultural information and issues from around the world to the local community. One World Forsyth is sponsored by the Forsyth County Public Library Friends and Advocates. The 2015 theme for National Women’s History Month is “Weaving the Stories of
Women’s Lives” and representatives from the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta will discuss the history of the organization, beginning with its founder and Savannah, Ga. resident Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low. The presentation will also include information on the ways Girl Scouts have changed over the
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years and the new ways girls and young women build courage, confidence and character though participation in scouting. Young attendees at the presentation may also participate in a craft activity in honor of National Women’s History Month. The event is free and all ages are welcome. Advance registration is not required. At the next One World Forsyth event, the Library will celebrate El día de los niños, El día de los libros or simply Día.
Translated from Spanish, the event is also called Children’s Day, Book Day and is meant to honor children and connect them to literacy and the joy of reading. Día will be observed with special performances from The Center for Puppetry Arts April 4 at 11:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. at the Post Road Library, 5010 Post Road. For more information on One World Forsyth and other programs at the Forsyth County Public Library, please visit www.forsythpl.org.
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XL212 announces February student athletes of the month ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Brittney Neser and Jordan Pitt were honored as the XL212 studentathletes of the month (SAM Award) at the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce February Eggs & Enterprise Breakfast Feb. 24. The SAM award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of deserving student athletes in the greater North Fulton area. Winners are chosen from nominations made by area athletic directors and coaches, and based on extraordinary academic proficiency, exceptional athletic accomplishments and dedication to civic action. Brittney Neser, a senior basketball player from Northview High School, was named the female student athlete of the month for February. Academically, Neser achieves a 3.4 GPA while carrying multiple advance placement classes. She has consistently maintained her honor roll status throughout her entire high school career and scored a 1790 on her SAT. Neser is the co-President of the National Leadership Council at Northview and is very involved in shaping the student athletes in a positive light. Neser’s athletic accom-
From left, Dr. Robert Avossa, superintendent of Fulton County Schools, Mike Haynes, with XL212, pose with Jordan Pitt, Brittney Neser, Eric Douglas, with XL212 and Brandon Beach, North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. plishments include starting point guard for the last three years, averaging per game seven points, four assists, four rebounds and two steals. She has scored over 400 points in her career, with 250 assists. She is also an active varsity soccer player and will attend the University of South
Carolina at Beaufort on a scholarship. Neser will be playing in the upcoming XL212 Basketball All-Star Classic on March 14 at Lambert High School. When asked what sets this student leader apart from her peers, Coach Chris Yarbrough said, “Brittney has been a
true pleasure to coach. I’ve seen her grow as a player and a leader. She virtually played every minute this year and was always competing on and off the court. Players like her don’t come around very often, and she will be missed. She set the tone for the players and her leadership helped us
improve this year.” The February male student athlete of the month is Jordan Pitt, a senior wrestler from Chattahoochee High School. Academically, Pitt achieves a 3.66 GPA, 1800 SAT and a 27 ACT. He has been a member of the honor roll for all seven semesters. Pitt has received numerous awards including three time recipient of the athletic academic award, outstanding achievement award in GPS Geometry and Cougar Pride award in mathematics. Pitt’s athletic accomplishments include 2015 region, sectional and state champion at 120 lbs., four time State placer (first, second, third and third), two time freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling state champion, all-American at Cliff Keen National Tournament, career record of 199-21 and a season record of 56-3. When asked what sets this student leader apart from his peers, Coach JJ Hicks said, “He makes everyone around him better. His tireless work ethic in all aspects of his life and his natural talent for the sport of wrestling makes him a champion on and off the mat.” –Kathleen Sturgeon
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Alpharetta unveils downtown plans Retail, apartments expected By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The city’s plans for the future of downtown Alpharetta were unveiled to the public Feb. 16, in an open house. Six outparcels of land around the new City Hall are available for development. Cheri Morris, with Morris and Fellows, the project’s management team, said the hope is to
build a mix of office, retail and residential buildings to make downtown Alpharetta a vibrant city center. “This will be the heart and the marketplace of downtown Alpharetta,” said Morris. She and the city envision 2- to 3-story buildings clustered around the town green, with commercial and retail fronting Ga. 9 and residential – apartments – bordering City Hall. “We have gone back to what would have been in the downtown,” Morris said. “We wanted to create an enticing space.”
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The new development plans for downtown Alpharetta’s City Center were unveiled Feb. 16 and feature a mix of office, retail and residential uses. The plan calls for 50,000 square feet of retail, 30,000 square feet of office and about 170 units of residential. Morris and her team created downtown Woodstock, she said, so she has experience revitalizing city centers. For Alpharetta, the business is easy – the city owns all the land, and much of the water and electricity are already installed. Essentially, all that has to be done is build. Residents were able to view the designs, giving input. Paula Milliard, who lives in downtown Alpharetta, said she liked what she saw.
Downtown Alpharetta plans • 50,000 square feet of retail • 30,000 square feet of office • About 170 units of residential “I love it,” she said. “I was worried about the residential, but I had no idea it would be this pretty.” The plan must still come before the City Council. Once they give their nod of ap-
This will be the heart and the marketplace of downtown Alpharetta.” CHERI MORRIS Morris and Fellows
proval, Morris said she expects construction to begin this time next year, with completion in early 2017.
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Local student in top 10 for art contest Woodall reacts to CUMMING, Ga. — Last fall, Stephanie Tian, 10th grader at Lambert High School, submitted art to a contest held for student artists through the United States and Canada. Tian’s art, “Gray Clouds on my Mind,” was selected from thousands of entries as one of the ten best in her grade division. The contest was held for students in grades K-12. The top ten artists in each division (grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12) each receive special recognition in the art anthology “Celebrating Art.” Each top ten winner receives a complimentary copy of the anthology and a $25 award. Art pieces are selected for their creativity, originality, self-expression, craftsmanship and skill. The upcoming art contest deadline is April 9. Art of high merit will receive an invitation to be published in an anthology. To enter, students should submit one original entry online at www.celebratingart. com. Each art piece must be submitted with the student’s name, grade, home address (optional), school name and school address. For more information, contact Tom Worthen at Celebrating Art at 435-755-8136 or editor@celebratingart.com. –Kathleen Sturgeon
President Obama’s veto of Keystone XL authorization
WASHINGTON, D.C. —U.S. Representative Rob Woodall said Feb. 24 in reaction to the presidential veto of S. 1, authorizing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, “by vetoing the Keystone XL pipeline authorization today, President Obama said “no” to the American people; as well as to the jobs, energy security and reduction in daily living costs that the bill would provide.” “Republicans and Democrats alike came together and found a way to say “yes,” but sadly the President chose not to join us,” Woodall said. “America’s new Congress is committed to getting things done on
behalf of the American people, and while I do not know whether the senate has enough votes to override the WOODALL President’s misguided veto, I hope that it will try in the near future.” Woodall represents the seventh congressional district of Georgia, which includes the majority of Gwinnett and Forsyth counties, and currently serves as chairman of the rules subcommittee on legislative and budget process.
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Johns Creek Business District breaks mold for revitalization By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Johns Creek’s plan to designate a 25acre site near Medlock Bridge and McGinnis Ferry roads as a business district runs counter to recent efforts by cities to grow their economies. Over the past 20 years, north metro Atlanta cities have shelled out hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild areas in an effort to draw visitors, businesses and economic prosperity. Nearly all started the process with plans for a new city hall. But Johns Creek is keeping its focus on business, a commodity it is sadly lacking compared to most of its neighbors. Commercial real estate makes up a paltry 19 percent of the city’s property tax base, placing the bulk of the tax burden on homeowners. And with growing needs for revenue, a new city hall is the least of Johns Creek’s worries. “We’ll take a spot as a lead tenant in a 75,000-square-foot building a developer wants to build,” said City Manager Warren Hutmacher. “The idea
Correction A recent item in the business briefs carried an incorrect spelling of the new marketing coordinator for Harry Norman Realtors Forsyth/Lake Lanier office. His name is Jeff Bucchino.
Residents pack City Hall to begin the discussions of what the community would like to see in The District. is not to build a sprawling 20acre campus where none of the land is taxable.” By contrast, Sandy Springs, which was founded 10 years ago as the poster child for smaller government, is spending tens of millions of dollars to build a city center along Roswell Road. Proponents argue the project, which includes a city hall that may double as a meeting center, will spur an economic boom that will spiral outward and nourish civic pride. Alpharetta is in the midst of a $30-million project that includes a new city hall with a parking deck, retail shops and green space on its Main Street.
Sugar Hill continues work on the commercial elements of its revamped downtown with its new $8.5 million city hall. From Smyrna to Suwanee, the message has been the same, a government complex is a magnet for business. But Johns Creek is taking a different tack. “Land in the district is not sufficiently utilized, so we’ve got capacity for more growth, more development in that area to raise more revenue,” Hutmacher said. “If you can generate more money from this potential business district, you can pop that money into other residential areas in the city and let the residents benefit from the
commercial growth.” It’s up to the city to capitalize on the growing job market that has most recently been creeping from Atlanta to the northern suburbs, Hutmacher said. “The goal from the city’s standpoint is to make these improvements in a measured and successful way without creating more traffic that’s going to be a nuisance for the rest of the community,” Hutmacher said. The new business district plan is still in the planning stages, but civic groups and business leaders have already participated in a series of informational presentations to learn
HATCHER HURD/STAFF
more about it. Johns Creek Chamber President John Bemont said those he’s spoken within the business community are excited about the prospect of a well-planned area where commercial growth is fostered. “Any time you plan things out in an area where development makes sense, rather than random expansion, it’s good,” Bemont said. “It’s going to be more opportunity.” Most chamber members, he said, are anxious to see what comes out of the planning sessions. “I’m still learning a lot about it,” he said.
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More big, bold ideas Building and managing to usher in prosperity your sales pipeline Editor’s note: This is the sixth in a series of excerpts from Frank Norton Jr.’s “Norton Native Intelligence Report for 2015.” The report, which reflects and synthesizes the views from more than 500 individuals surveyed and economic vital signs recorded, has been used to chart the North Georgia economy and real estate for more than 25 years. We’ve been speaking of “big, bold, bodacious ideas” that we proposed in our annual Native Intelligence Report for 2015. Here are a couple more: Progressive preservation What makes a community great? With the surge of growth anticipated by our gorilla “Atlanta” and her twin sister “Gwinnett” over the next 40 years, how does a community like North Georgia preserve (save) its soul? Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said “about pornography, I don’t know what it is but I know it when I see it.” The same is true for the soul of a community – hard to explain but you know it when you see it…when you feel it… magical, inspirational and aspirational. The character of a community is manifested in its architecture, the context of preservation of its people and their welcoming arms and attitude. It’s the sense of place. More than festivities and parades, it’s a community giving heart as demonstrated when a side of Clarkesville’s square burns to the ground or a church mobilizes for a lost child. Our bold challenge is to preserve our heritage, bottle that North Georgia spirit before it’s too late. Through some vehicle like the North Georgia Community Foundation, you can create a Heritage Com-
W o m e n
FRANK NORTON JR. CEO and Chairman The Norton Agency
They say that future wars will not be fought over religion or politics, but over food and water. munity Fund to preserve and protect landmark properties. Through some sort of alliance, you can bring together a variety of organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and give them training and resources that prepare them for growth and expand their reach and develop their clout. Self-sufficiency The recent successful SPLOST transportation referendum in Forsyth County got us thinking, “Could we do the same for water?” Forsyth County, pressured by the bottleneck congestion and on the precipice of a population explosion, placed on the November ballot a comprehensive transportation package: surface roads, interchanges, cross county arterial access roads, even widening Ga. 400 through their county. The
county knew that congestion would strangle the local economy, its tax base and Forsyth’s quality of life. Lack of water could do the same thing. Yes, we have Lake Lanier but Atlanta claims it, as do Alabama and Florida. While the lawsuits make their way to the Supreme Court, we cannot be like Nero and fiddle while Rome burns. We are liable to have no water to put it out. They say that future wars will not be fought over religion or politics, but over food and water. Lumpkin took the bold step some years ago creating the Yahoola Creek Reservoir. Hall County is in design of an 850-acre reservoir at the Glade Farm, but much more is needed. With limited surface water but abundant rainfall, our control of water and control over our destiny has been limited to running waterlines, not building storage basins. While a hurdle may be environmental, regulatory permitting and the crazy governmental maze to get a permit, the bigger hurdle will be land. Norton Native Intelligence forecasts that the large reservoir quality of privately held land tracts will disappear in the next 20 years. Smaller ones may still be around but the larger non-public forest land tracts will be developed or economically out of reach. Communities like Jackson, Forsyth, Dawson, Cherokee, Pickens, Barrow and Walton will find themselves scrambling for water by 2030 if they don’t take some preventative action now. You plant a tree today to cast shade on future generations; it’s the same for water. It’s time to plant water trees for future generations of thirsty North Georgians and take full control of our future.
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have the budget to pay for it. Managing your sales pipeline requires that you allocate time to all “segments” of your pipeline. In other words, how much time are you spending generating new leads, qualifying opportunities and closing business? Additionally, knowing how many leads it takes to identify a qualified opportunity and how many qualified opportunities result in closed business will help prioritize your time. The end game for revenue growth is always sales, but there is a lot of activity that precedes a sale. Managing your activity while building your sales pipeline will help you to maximize your sales efforts.
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20 | March 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald
GRAND OPENING »
BusinessBriefs ment with the company. During his time heading Intergraph, from 2003 to 2011, Wise grew revenue from $525 million to $850 million. Based on his performance, Wise was selected as Ernst & Young’s 2010 Entrepreneur of Year in the technology category for Georgia/Tennessee/Alabama.
POH announces new senior associates REI celebrates grand opening of new Alpharetta store ALPHARETTA, Ga. – REI will celebrate the grand opening of its Alpharetta store with co-op members and the local community from Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8. The store will be at Mansell Crossing at 7531 North Point Parkway. Activities scheduled throughout the weekend include: Shop Early, Get a Gift – The first 200 people (age 18 and older) who visit the store each day will receive a limited-edition CamelBak water bottle with a $10, $50 or $100 REI promotional card. Fuel Up – Early birds can enjoy a free continental breakfast throughout the weekend one hour before the store opens. Win Great Products – Members and customers can enter to win gear sweepstakes packages from Coleman, Eno and REI. Store hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
PEOPLE »
Wise assumes top post at medical technology firm ALPHARETTA, Ga. – R. Halsey Wise has been appointed chairman and chief executive officer of MedAssets, replacing company founder John A. Bardis. Wise, a former chairman and CEO of Intergraph Corporation, joined MedAssets board of directors in March 2014. Bardis will remain on the MedAssets board of directors until the next annual stockholders’ meeting. He has entered into a multi-year consulting agree-
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Pieper O’Brien Herr Architects has announced three new senior associates: Gary Hightower, Earl Smith and Laurie Walters. Hightower has HIGHTOWER SMITH been with POH for over 14 years. He serves as a project manager on a wide variety of project types including correctional, ecclesiastical and justice facilities. Smith celebrated 30 years of dedicated service to POH last year. He serves as a senior project manager and has worked on several of the firm’s most significant projects WALTERS including the Riverside EpiCenter and the Cobb County Superior Courthouse. Walters has been with POH for over 17 years. In addition to her role as marketing manager, she has made major contributions on the education and employee relations committees.
Johns Creek agent Maura Neill receives President’s Award ATLANTA – Johns Creek real estate agent Maura Neill was awarded the 2014 President’s Award by Atlanta Board of Realtors President Todd Emerson at the annual business meeting and awards breakfast recently. The award recipient is personally selected by the president and is given to the member for outstandNEILL ing service and contributions to the board, going far beyond any particular assignment. Neill was recognized for her dedication and sharing of her time and experience with others. In addition to being a top-producing real estate agent with Re/Max Around Atlanta, Neill is a volunteer and served as chair of the professional development committee for the Atlanta Board of Realtors for 2014. She was also sworn-in as a member of the board of directors for 2015-2017 and serves on various committees with the Georgia Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors, as well as serving as a national real estate instructor for NAR and the Real Estate Buyer Agent Council.
HEALTHCARE »
Jackson Healthcare named ATL’s healthiest large employer ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Jackson Healthcare was named Atlanta’s Healthiest Large Employer at an awards breakfast presented by the Atlanta Business Chronicle in partnership with Healthiest Employers, which recognizes companies that succeed in promoting wellness in their workplace. “Our mission is to improve the lives of everyone we touch,” said R. Shane Jackson, president of Jackson Healthcare. “This means creating a culture that values associates and works hard to provide each and every one with an environment in which they can thrive.”
Submit your business news & photos to businessnews@appenmediagroup.com Live Well, Jackson’s wellness initiative, begins on the first day for each associate with a health risk assessment. Jackson offers associates a free on-site clinic, health club and in-house café and hosts wellness rallies and fitness challenges throughout the year.
BUSINESS »
FirstLight launches program to assist local seniors ROSWELL, Ga. — FirstLight HomeCare, a provider of non-medical, inhome care for adults, has launched Spring Assist, a program to prevent seniors from falling by offering to change smoke detectors batteries for free this spring. The program is open to the first 200 seniors requesting the service. “We look at Spring Assist as an opportunity to help seniors by reducing their fall risk while keeping up with basic housekeeping such as changing the smoke detector batteries,” said FirstLight owner Jeff Duren. To register for the program, call 770-580-0102 or email to jduren@firstlighthomecare.com. In addition to light housekeeping, FirstLight HomeCare services include bathing and hygiene, walking and mobility assistance, continence and toileting assistance and live-in services.
Intelliverse expands partner program ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Intelliverse, a global leader in sales accelerated solutions, announced the expansion of its partner program, which enables sales consultants, sales trainers and cloud software consultants to bring Intelliverse’s managed services and sales acceleration software to clients in all market segments. “Intelliverse’s mantra is simple – deliver industryleading solutions that bring qualified prospects to our clients. All of our offerings are based SEAN GORDON solidly on sales enablement strate- Intelliverse chief executive officer and president. gies, so we have found that sales consultants, sales trainers and cloud consultants are a natural fit for partnership,” said Sean Gordon, Intelliverse chief executive officer and president. A partnership with Intelliverse enables consultants to be part of the $40 billion CRM software market and leverage Intelliverse’s research and development in sales acceleration. Partners can earn up to 35 percent of recurring monthly revenue for the duration of the customer relationship.
All of our offerings are based solidly on sales enablement strategies, so we have found that sales consultants, sales trainers and cloud consultants are a natural fit for partnership.”
CALENDAR
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Forsyth Herald | March 4, 2015 | 21
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EDITOR’S PICKS
me your event...
Submit your event to northfulton.com or email with photo to calendar@northfulton.com. For a more complete list of local events including support groups, volunteer opportunities and business meetings visit the calendar on northfulton.com.
MUSIC:
THEATER:
SHANNON WEAVER
INTERNATIONAL
Calendar Editor WOMEN’S DAY MOVIE calendar@ appenmediagroup.com The movie “Iron Jawed Angels”
portrays young activists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns who risked their lives to help American women win the right to vote at the Post Road Library, 5010 Post Road in Cumming. Saturday, March 7, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Contact Anita Tucker at anita.h.tucker@ gmail.com for more info.
SHAMROCKIN FOR A CURE
Come eat, drink and help cure Cystic Fibrosis with a night filled with music that will rock the stage at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 2200 Encore Parkway in Alpharetta. Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $85. Visit awesomealpharetta.com for more info.
GUYS AND DOLLS
“Guys and Dolls” presented by Forsyth Central Stage at Forsyth Central High School, 520 Tribble Gap Road in Cumming. Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. Visit forsythcentralstage.com for more info.
EVENTS:
HABITAT VOLUNTEERING
JERRY FINNEGAN’S SISTER VIRTUOSO STRINGS
Who: Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra What: This wide-ranging program features repertoire from Bach and Bartok to Tchaikovsky and Copland. Where: Johns Creek High School, 5575 State Bridge Road When: March 7 at 8 p.m. Cost: Adults $30, Seniors $25, Students $15. Web: johnscreeksymphony.org
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT AT
What: Presented by Act 1 Theater Where: Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, 180 Academy Street When: Friday, March 6 at 8 p.m. Cost: $15 adults, $12 children and seniors Web: act1theater.com
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
What: Fellowship Christian School presents “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Where: Fellowship Christian School, 10965 Woodstock Road in Roswell When: Thursday, March 12 through Saturday, March 14 Cost: $10 Contact: 770-993-1650 Web: fcspaladins.org/news_resources
ONE ENCHANTED EVENING
What: Who says prom is just for highschoolers? All adults are invited to slip into their fanciest attire and dance the night away at “One Enchanted Evening.” Where: Roswell Adult Recreation Center is located at 830 Grimes Bridge Road in Roswell When: Friday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m. Cost: $30 for individuals, $55 per couple $11 for dance only Web: http://thecurrentplus. com/2015/02/one-enchanted-evening
The Habitat for Humanity ReStore needs volunteers at 11060 Alpharetta Highway in Roswell. March 3 through March 20, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (except Sundays) Email mrobeck@ habitat.org or call 770-415-1636 for more info Northeast When: March 7 Hours: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Cost: $175 a ticket, $300 for couples Web: fostercares.org
FOOTNOTES DANCE SHOWCASE
What: Come to the 4th Annual Dance Showcase featuring 65 talented young dancers performing various styles including jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and tap. Where: Cambridge High School, 2845 Bethany Bend in Milton When: Saturday, March 7 Hours: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Cost: $15 advanced purchase Web: footnotesdance.net
“FOSTEROPOLY” ALL KIDS COUNT GALA
What: Monopoly-themed, annual “All Kids Count” Gala brings hundreds of guests together in an effort to raise supporting funds for foster and displaced children in foster care homes. Dining and entertainment, complete with open bar, both live and silent auctions to help our cause. Black tie optional. Where: the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead, 3300 Peachtree Road
BOOK SALE
What: Gently used books and media for all ages for sale at great prices. Where: Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, 9560 Spruill Road in Johns Creek When: March 6 through 8 Contact: 770-360-8820 or karen. swenson@fultoncountyga.gov
22 | March 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald
North Atlanta’s
NORTHSIDE WOMAN Sponsored Section • Forsyth Herald | March 4, 2015
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News and advertising for new homes, realtors, developers, commercial properties and more.
Find the perfect neighborhood By Bill Rawlings Vice President/Managing Broker, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty Before you begin the search for the perfect home, take time to scout out neighborhoods. Selecting the right neighborhood plays a critical component in your everyday life. Take into consideration the factors most important to you – do you want to walk to the park? Have a short commute to the office? Reside in an award-winning school district? Enjoy easy access to shopping and restaurants? You can begin the process from the comfort of your home by visiting AtlantaFineHomes.com/videos and clicking on the ‘Community Profiles’ tab. Our ‘Live the Life’ video series showcases more than 50 of Metro Atlanta’s most popular cities, neighborhoods, areas and communities. The videos provide insight on pricing, home styles, community events, surrounding schools and nearby shopping and dining. Once you have your short list of possibilities, hop in your car and drive around to determine what neighborhoods appeal to you.
Explore the area and consider talking to residents who are out and about. Give consideration to the appearance of the homes in the neighborhood, noting if they are well maintained and nicely landscaped. RAWLINGS Our Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty agents are experts in the field and their familiarity with all the neighborhoods in the area can help guide you in making the right decision. You benefit from an agent’s expertise and intimate knowledge of the schools, crime and home values. Every neighborhood has its strengths and weaknesses and a REALTOR® can assist you in determining the most important factors to consider. School districts Even if you do not have children, buying a home in an award-winning school district will be in your best interest. If and when you sell in the future, neighborhoods with great schools are
often a top priority for homebuyers. There are several sites on the Internet in which school reports based on geographical area and zip code are just a few mouse clicks away. Do your due diligence: • Ask your REALTOR® to share school information. • Talk to people in the neighborhood, especially people with children. • View standardized test scores (available on the Internet). • If you have children, visit the schools and take a tour to form your own opinion. Crime statistics No matter where you live, you cannot escape crime. Although the suburbs generally have lower crime statistics, you may have to drive a little further to the store or to work. Living in a city may offer more convenience, but often you will find a higher crime rate. Homestore is a website where you can search for crime data by city or zip code. • Research crime statistics: • Talk to neighbors. • Talk to the police or sheriff’s department.
• Keep an open mind. If you are gravitating toward living in the hustle and bustle, you may not be able to get away from everything you consider unappealing, such as noise and traffic. Think about now – and the future There are a multitude of components to consider before buying a home. Envision your current needs and factor in what may be of greater importance five to 10 years down the road. The community and neighborhood you select become an integral part of your identity. With spring finally on the horizon, make your ultimate neighborhood wish list so you are ready to hit the ground running. At Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, we are dedicated to providing you with an exceptional experience throughout the buying and selling process. If I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. Article adapted from Realty Times.
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In the Atlanta division, on accepted purchase agreements on homes that are signed between January 1, 2015 and January 31, 2015 are eligible to receive $15,000 in Flex Cash; can be used towards MyStyle® Design Center Options and/or closing costs when using RMC Mortgage® and/or lot premiums, finished basement, etc. Incentive offer does not apply to contracts written prior to January 1, 2015. The following communities are excluded from the $15,000 incentive, Bethany Crossing, Bridleton, ManorView and Marketplace Commons. Individual promotions may vary by community. Certain included features may not be available on all plans. Value of package, and products, may vary by community and plan. Homes already under contract prior to this offer are not eligible. Plus for New to-be built homes, buyer eligible to receive up to $5,000 toward closing costs. Individual incentives may vary by community. Closing cost assistance available from Ryland Homes to those financing through RMC Mortgage® Corporation and closing with a closing attorney selected by Ryland. Amount of closing cost assistance may vary by product and community, and is subject to applicable contribution limitations. For all financing promotions, see a RMC Mortgage® Corporation Loan Officer for details. RMC Mortgage® Corporation is located at 1000 Mansell Exchange West, Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30022 and is a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, license number 24225 and NMLS number 203897. Buyers also eligible to receive Waived 1% Origination Fee through RMC Mortgage®; average value of $4,000 which is based on a $400,000 loan amount. The waived origination fee through RMC Mortgage® Corporation is subject to cancellation or change without notice. Buyers must make a loan application by January 31, 2014 with RMC Mortgage® Corporation (NMLS# 203897) a Georgia Residential Mortgage Lender Licensee #24225. *Buyers must also close with RMC Mortgage® Corporation. Please contact your RMC Mortgage® Corporation Representative for exact quotes. Prices, plans and specifications are subject to change without notice. Ryland reserves the right to modify or cancel these offers at any time. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only. Offer may not be combined with any other promotion or incentives. Information shown believed to be accurate but not warranted. See a Sales Counselor for details on available promotions, restrictions and offer limitations. © 2015 The Ryland Group, Inc.
Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section
March 4, 2015 23
5 easy kitchen and bath upgrades that take only hours to complete Do your kitchen and bathrooms look a bit drab? If you don’t have the time or budget for a full remodel, there are still many simple updates you can do to refresh these spaces and invigorate each with impressive style. From affordable faucet updates to pretty paints, each takes one day or less to complete, instantly providing a dramatic effect. Freshen the faucet Almost anyone who enters the bathroom or kitchen will use the faucet, which means it’s a functional focal point of the space. Installing a new faucet is a simple way to redefine interior design and reflect your own personal style. The new line of Kohler faucets available at Home Depot offers exceptional quality at an affordable price. For example, set the ambience in your bathroom with the Georgeson line of faucets, inspired by the Gatsby era with chic detailing and unique shapes to provide a decorative, eclectic touch. For those who prefer traditional silhouettes, the Mistos kitchen faucet’s soft lines and classic aesthetic provide a timeless, upscale look. Update hardware and ac-
Instead of investing in a costly new mirror, simply add a new frame around your current one. You can buy a prefabricated frame or create one yourself fairly easily from supplies at your local craft store. Your boring old mirror will be transformed immediately into an upscale alternative.
cessories Cabinet hardware and other accessories do for a room what jewelry does for an outfit - they provide the finishing touches that really elevate the space. Fortunately, it’s simple and economical to swap out dated hardware for new handles, knobs and pulls. Popular metal finishes include brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze and chrome. For bathrooms, update accessories to match your new Kohler faucet - each line
includes coordinating accessories like towel bars, showerheads and tub fillers. Experiment with paint Paint is one of the most affordable ways to dramatically change the look and energy of a space. If you have dated tile, research if tile paint is an option for your kitchen or bath. Don’t be afraid to experiment with color - a rich or vivid color on a focal wall can add instant style, like on the wall behind the tub or stove. Don’t forget the fifth wall:
a fresh white ceiling instantly brightens the area and visually heightens the room, which can make the space feel larger and more modern. Frame the mirror Every bathroom has a mirror, and some kitchens and adjacent dining spaces feature mirrors as well. A mirror provides a focal point while reflecting light to make it appear brighter. But if you have a builder-grade mirror, you’re probably longing for more style.
Swap light fixtures and bulbs If your current bathroom and kitchen light fixtures evoke nostalgia from a lost era, it’s time for a swap. Pick out a new overhead fixture to instantly dress up the room - modern chandeliers, track lighting and recessed lighting are popular options. For bathrooms, installing task lighting by the mirror can help streamline daily routines. Keep in mind, cool, bright white bulbs with a high color-rendering index (CRI) closely reflect natural light and therefore are a good option for bathrooms as well as cooking spaces. Harry Norman Realtors®, Forsyth/Lake Lanier Office 1664 Market Place Blvd. Cumming, GA 30041 Used with permission, Brandpoint, 2015.
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Forsyth Herald | March 4, 2015
A fun-filled summer of wonder and adventure! Whether your child attends Catalina Sea Camp or AstroCamp depends on your child’s specific interest. If your child is interested in the wonders of the ocean world or just wants to spend summer with friends on an island, Catalina Sea Camp is the best choice
with scuba certifications, sailing courses, marine biology classes, Island exploring, sea food cookery and lots of traditional fun social activities like Talent/No Talent, carnival night, dances and color Olympics. Our Island Campus has a unique charm with it’s
Spanish California architecture and private cove. Some activities are age specific and there are many more activities than are listed here so check out the sea camp website at catalinaseacamp.org If your child loves science activities, space exploration, Astronomy,
rock climbing, LARP, dungeons and dragons, and good old fashioned summer camp fun, AstroCamp is a great choice. There are many more activities so check our website at astrocampsummer.org. Whichever camp you choose, you can rest assured that your child will get the highest quality program, comfortable accommodations, great food and memories that will last a lifetime. All of our staff are hand picked for there fun loving per-
sonalities and ability to work with young people. Astrocamp and Catalina Sea Camp are owned and operated by the non-profit corporation Guided Discoveries. Guided Discoveries hosts over 50,000 students, parents and teachers from over 1,000 schools annually in it’s outdoor education program. Guided Discoveries has been running summer camps for over 35 years. For more information, go to our website at gdicamps.org.
“American Road Trip” The Best Summer Camp in Town is at Kids ‘R’ Kids #52, on Old Atlanta Road. Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy is a SACS Accredited, privately owned and family operated learning facility. From the well trained staff to the state-of-the-art innovative school, your child is given the opportunity to explore the summer of a lifetime. We have put together everything you are looking for in a perfect camp setting. We offer both junior
and senior camps. Parents are able to select any weeks or days of their choice. This year’s summer camp theme is “American Road Trip” We will embark on an action packed road trip stopping to see sites along the way. Grab your map and plot your course for a fun filled summer across the United States. Our summer camp themes include: Getting from here to there, Heading down South, Water,
See KIDS, Page 25
Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
Camp listings Day Camps Dance
A summer of exciting theatre awaits your child at Off Broadway Performing Arts Center. Located in the heart of Crabapple, Camp Off Broadway offers 1 week and 2 week camps for kids ages 4-17 in a professional yet family oriented environment. Immerse your child in the worlds of “Legally Blonde Jr.”, “Junglebook Kids” and “Honk” as they learn life skills, make new friends and memories to last a lifetime. At Off Broadway, we give every child a chance to shine. To register, visit us online at offbroadwaydance.com or call us at 770-664-2410 Have a budding ballerina wanting to dance her way through summer? Metropolitan Ballet Theatre’s Summer Trainee Camp definitely fits the bill! Known for serious training of pre-professional dancers, MBT has an exciting and informative summer camp tailored just for younger dancers – boys and girls – ages 4 to 8. Experienced instructors cover foundational technique while encouraging campers to have fun and build friendships, and a variety of enrichment subjects introduce campers to the wider world of Dance. June 15-19 & June 22 -26 A day at Trainee Camp includes: Ballet, Jazz, Dance-related crafts, Tales from dance history, Professional performance review, Learning and rehearsing ballet variation, Get the details! MetropolitanBallet.org!
Horse
Willow South Riding School, Celebrating
Kids: Continued from Page 24 Water Everywhere, Rodeos Barbeque and Boots and Lights Camera Action! One of the most popular attractions at our Summer Camp is the onsite Water Park! Some of the exciting field trip opportunities include: Medieval Times, Tellus Science Museum, Tree Top Quest, Sky Zone and Chattahoochee Nature Center! Of course, no summer would be complete without a trip to The Georgia Aquarium and an overnight camping adventure. Stop by for a complimentary tour, meet the teachers, see the summer camp grounds and see what Kids ‘R’ Kids can offer you and your child this summer. Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime! Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy, 3036 Old Atlanta Road, GA 30041, 678-648-3175, www. kidsrkidscumming.com info@krk52.com
SUMMER CAMPS • Sponsored Section 15 years of excellence in riding! NEW Johns Creek location with INDOOR ARENA. United States Pony Club Riding Center. We offer all levels of instruction. Ages 5-12. 9a.m.1p.m. Learn to ride in a fun, safe program with skilled instructors and experienced horses. For the true horse enthusiast! www.willowsouth.com $375 includes camp shirt and horse show! Send email to willowsouth@gmail.com. Sign up early to reserve your spot! June 1-5, June 8-12, June 1519, June 22-26, July 6-10, July 13-17, July 20-24, July 27-31.
Christian Camping for boys & girls 6-17 Weekly overnight and day camp sessions.
Music
Activities include horses, climbing tower, wakeboard & more!
The 8th Annual Vivace! Summer Middle School Band Camp is for band students in the North Metro Atlanta area. Students experience full band, master classes, jazz band/ improvisation, marching band techniques, music composition taught by certified teachers. Eligibility: For current 5th-8th grade band students who have been in their public or private school band program OR have taken private lessons at least 1 school year. Also, we have recreation time, end of camp ice-cream party & concert. $205 by May 1st, $225 thereafter. Sibling, District, & All State discounts are available. REGISTER AT www. vivacecamps.com. Location: June 15-19 at Mt. Pisgah Christian School in Johns Creek. Jay Hutcherson, director@vivacecamps.com. 678-278-9210 Atlanta Celtic Camp:. Irish Music and Language Camp for kids and teens ages 6 to 17 years. Fiddle, flute, song and more! June 8-12 (9am to 1pm) in Roswell; sponsored by The Atlanta Irish Music School. Register online at: www.atlantairishmusicschool.com. 770-712-9334
Rowing
Learn the Olympic Sport of Rowing with Atlanta Junior Rowing Association! Ages 12-
See CAMPS, Page 28
March 4, 2015 25
Visit our Open House Saturday, March 28th 10am-2pm
IN CONYERS, GA
Register Today! www.campwestminster.org 770-483-2225
26 March 4, 2015
Sponsored Section • SUMMER CAMPS
forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald
Deer Run Camps: Deeper faith, greater adventures Adventure is waiting for your kids AND your family at Deer Run summer camps — located on 100 scenic wooded acres just four hours northwest of Atlanta, near historic downtown Franklin, Tennessee. Deer Run is a nondenominational Christ-centered camp where campers experience “Deeper Faith and Greater Adventures.” Exceptional staff lead well-organized activities creating positive lifetime memories and building character, confidence and relationships. Overnight camp sessions are
age-graded: • Preteen camps (completed grades 3–5) • Middle school camps (completed grades 6–8) • High school camps (completed grades 9–12) Camps begin Sunday afternoon and end Saturday morning with a parent-camper celebration time. Each camper receives a themed camp shirt and a DVD video and slide show of their camp week so they can remember their experience throughout the year
... and for years to come! If your child is coming to camp by plane, Deer Run provides a supervised airport shuttle service to and from Nashville International Airport. The shuttle service is provided by Deer Run — not a third party. Campers are divided into small groups by age and gender. Activities are all-inclusive: Lake fun (zip line, water slide, kayaks, swimming, aqua park), horseback wooded trail rides, climbing tower, paintball, low and high ropes, cardboard boat regatta,
reak le! B g n i d Spr w Availab n a r e o Summ Camps N
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• Field Trips • Martial Arts • Birthday Parties & • Speed & Agility Events • Day Care • X-treme Gaming 360
Phone: 470-297-5620 Website: hoopsnsand.com
archery, BB guns, wiffle ball, games, skits and fun songs. Each small group has daily Bible study plus each night there is a large-group worship with an engaging speaker. Have you often wanted to go to camp yourself — to play, go down the water slide, enjoy the camp experience together as a family? You can at Deer Run! For families looking for a unique and fun outdoor experience together, there are two 3-night Family Camps (ages 5 and up) — May 31–June 3 and July 2629. Playing together strengthens relationships! Camp begins Sunday afternoon and ends Wednesday afternoon. Accommodations are at the upscale lodge at Deer Run. All rooms are private. No more “camp” food! At Deer Run meals are an important part of the camp experience. Our chefs cook healthy, delicious meals made from fresh ingredients. A full salad bar and fresh fruit are available each day. Camper families are invited to three open houses (2:00 to 4:00 p.m. CST) to meet the camp directors and some of the summer staff: March 8, April 12 and May 3. Reservations are not nec-
essary for this guided walking tour of the facilities. The relationship of the summer staff and the camper is vital to a successful camper experience, so this is a great way to connect with summer staff by meeting some of them before camp starts. Deer Run has an intensive application, referral and interview process including a background check. Collegeage students are selected who are mature and are great role models. There are no registration deadlines, but spaces fill up quickly, so register soon to get your preferred camp dates. Go to Camps.DeerRunRetreat.org to view session weeks and to register. If you have questions about the Deer Run camp programs, call 888-794-2918.
Hoops N’ Sand Up With Kids Sports, Inc. (UWKS) is a youth program designed to provide instructions in fundamental basketball and volleyball skills through after school enrichment programs, private or group coaching. The program also provides children the opportunity to learn a lot about social skills while competing in a fun environment. UWKS evaluates a player’s skill set and utilizes the appropriate tools to improve the player’s knowledge of the game, skills, physical condition, confidence, self-esteem, hand-eye coordination, listening skills, and much more. With more 20 years of domestic and international community service, he has demonstrated a dedicated passion for working with children of all ages and backgrounds. Coach Hines has now opened his own state of the art training facility in Cumming, Georgia, Hoops N Sand-www. hoopsnsand.com. This 8800 square foot facility will house
a full size basketball and volleyball court, a half basketball court and a sand volleyball court. Through Up With Kids Sports, Inc. a youth training program operated by former professional basketball player, Samuel Hines, Hoops N Sand will offer a variety of year round training opportunities. Hoops N Sand will also be a unique and fun entertainment facility for both children and Adults!! Game room, basketball, volleyball and beach volleyball court rentals, lacrosse, futsal, hockey, open gym, leagues, parties, and corporate events. The facility is great for AAU teams, volleyball clubs, feeder teams, school teams, home schools, daycares, religious organizations, boy scouts/girl scouts, field trips, birthday celebrations, and team bonding. A wide variety of professionals including lawyers, correctional officers, social workers, educators, professional athletes, and clergy have partnered with UWKS.
Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
SUMMER CAMPS • Sponsored Section
March 4, 2015 27
Y L I M A F & T H G I OVERN
OVERNIGHT CAMPS
P M A C S E C N E I R E P X E
Preteen
grades 3–5
Middle School grades 6–8 1 or 2 weeks
High School grades 9–12
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8 1 9 2 . 4 9 7 . 8 8 8 • g r o . t a e r t e
R n u R r e mps.De
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MARCH 8 • APRIL 12 • MAY 3 2 to 4 p.m. [CST] Come & Go Walking Tour a ers Po ead l
son P
Meet the camp directors & some of the summer staff! aff!
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Camper Shuttle available to/from Nashville International Airport hours northwest of ATLANTA > NEAR HISTORIC FRANKLIN, TENN.
DEEPER FAITH. GREATER ADVENTURES.
28 March 4, 2015
Camps: Continued from Page 25 18 co-ed, no experience necessary. Five 2-week sessions with USRowing certified coaches: choose from 2 morning or 1 evening sessions, $175/session. Also for 2015, back by popular demand, 3 1-week sessions are available for High School campers only, $125/session. Held at the Chattahoochee River, 245 Azalea Drive, Roswell. Learn the fundamentals of sweep rowing and begin a basic workout program with the largest and most successful youth rowing program in Georgia! All campers are grouped each session by age, size, and skill level. To register, or for more info: www.ajracrew.com, or Sarah Low ajra.information@gmail.com.
Science
Science Camp conducted by High Touch-High Tech, Inc. since 1994. Degreed professionals instruct fun science from CSI discoveries, Robotics, Bugs & Rockets, to Fossils, Flowers, Space,& Volcanoes- Your older child can experience science coming to life in the fields of Chemistry, Physics, Light, Sound, and Electrical energy. Does your younger child like dinosaurs, gemstones, or animal studies? Then our age appropriate camps are for them. Also- STEM camps- Science, Technology, Engineering & Math camps too! Snacks and recess games will be provided. ‘Pizza Fridays’ available at an additional charge. Completed K-5, 9am-3pm. 770-667-9443.
Sponsored Section • SUMMER CAMPS Locations: Roswell, Cumming, Marietta, Lawrenceville,Vinings, and Dunwoody. www.sciencemadefunatl.org
Soccer
Soccer Camps at Emory University
Boys Camps
Eagle Full Day Camps - June 8-12 / June 15-19 for boys ages 7-14, extended care available Eagle Elite Residential/Commuter Camp - July 10-12 for boys ages 15-18 Info available at www.eagleboyssoccercampsor contact: Sonny Travis Emory Men’s Head Soccer Coach 404-727-0597 sonny.travis@emory.edu
Girls Camps
Full Day Camps - June 1-5 / July 6-10 for girls ages 7-14, extended care available Info available at www.emorysportscamps.com and scroll to girls soccer or contact: Sue Patberg Emory Women’s Head Soccer Coach 404-727-2839 spatber@emory.edu Camps traditionally fill up so sign up early, Day Camp cost for each week $320 includes lunch.
Overnight Camps Adventure & Travel
Catalina Sea Camp and AstroCamp are two amazing adven-
ture summer camps. Located on beautiful Catalina Island in Southern California, Catalina Sea Camp offers ocean adventure activities for boy and girls ages 8-17. We have 1-week sessions for ages 8-13 and 3-week camps for ages 12-17. Located in beautiful Idyllwild California, Astrocamp is a mountain adventure science summer camp for boy and girls ages 8-17. These two great summer camps were developed by the nonprofit corporation Guided Discoveries in order to provide boys and girls with summer opportunities that enrich and inspire their lives. Check out our websites at www. californiasummercamps.org for a list of activities.
challenges. Our 63rd anniversary, 6/25 25-8/11. Fun, traditional camp activities. academics. speech & language therapy. daily living skills. weekly social dancing & end-of-summer “prom” for older campers. Therapeutic horseback riding and optional day and overnight trips during summer. Exceptional facilities featuring air conditioned bunks & buildings, Junior Olympic heated pool, caring, nurturing staff. In 2015 we are excited about the launch of the Lee Mar L.I.F.E. program (Living Independently Functional Education). Visit us on the web at www. leemar.com. 215-658-1708. ari@ leemar.com
Mississippi
Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont offers nature, backpacking, science adventure and family camps inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Imagine splashing around in an icy-cold mountain stream, climbing ridges to an unbelievable view, or choosing from a variety of activities to discover nature through hands-on explorations, day hikes and crafts. Options for beginning campers as well as outdoor enthusiasts - ages 5 to 95. Tremont Institute creates space for discovery, personal development and opportunities to unplug and explore. Call (865) 448-6709 or visit www.gsmit.org/GA.html. Located on the Tennessee side of the national park. Find us on Facebook @GSMITremont to see pictures and videos of the adventure that awaits!
Camp Iti Kana and Camp Wahi - Summer Camps for girls ages 6-17. Located in Wiggins and Brandon, Mississippi. Owned and operated by Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi. Non-Girl Scouts welcome. Three and four day overnight sessions. Traditional summer camp activities – swimming, archery, nature, crafts, science, trip units, games, leadership, hiking, cook-outs, campfires and sing-alongs. Contact: summercamp@gsgms.org or 601.660.2847. www.gsgms.org
Special Needs
Camp Lee Mar: For children and teenagers with mild to moderate learning and developmental challenges. Since 1953, A Special Camp in beautiful Pennsylvania Poconos, co-ed, ages 7-21, with mild-moderate developmental
Tennessee
forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald Voted the No. 1 Summer Camp in Nashville for the past six years, the YMCA Camp Widjiwagan is an action-packed summer adventure where confidence is built through skill development, and new friends are made as a result of teamwork. Camp Widjiwagan offers progressive Day, Resident and Equestrian one-week programs for children ages 5-17. We offer a wide variety of water activates such as swimming, ski and surf school, the Blob, and an advanced sailing program. Land activities include field sports, climbing, double zip line and archery. Arts, crafts and theme production are also offered at camp. Go to www. campwidji.org to learn more or call us at 615-360-2267. Deer Run Camps & Retreats: 3845 Perkins Road. Thompson’s Station, TN 37179. 888-7942918. Camps.DeerRunRetreat. org. Contact@DeerRunRetreat.org. Nondenominational, Christ-centered camp on 100 scenic wooded acres. Campers experience “Deeper Faith and Greater Adventures.” Age-graded sessions, grades 3 through12 plus 3-night Family Camps for ages 5 and up.. Exceptional staff lead a well-organized experience creating positive lifetime memories and building character, confidence and relationships. All-inclusive activities: lake fun (zip-line, water slide, kayaks, swimming, aqua park), horseback wooded trail rides, climbing tower, paintball, low and high ropes, cardboard boat regatta, archery, BB guns, wiffle ball, games, skits, fun songs. Daily small group Bible study plus nightly large group worship with an engaging speaker
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Blotter: Continued from Page 2
Car tampered with in apartment complex FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A man went to Sandy Springs and back after noticing his car had been tampered with, but didn’t call the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office until later Feb. 16. The man reportedly told officers he left his apartment that morning and noticed his car was not where he left it. He said he backed his car into a spot across from his apartment, but when he went to get in it the next morning, it was about five spaces down. He opened the car door and
FCS: Continued from Page 1 up with actions to be done as a result of each finding. “FCS will continue to pursue external funding,” Bray said. “FCS will explore options for after-school lab availability. We will also gather and communicate low cost access options to be sure we’re leveraging that full amount for access to everybody.” The second group, and the most vocal, said Bray, was the teachers. He said they think itsLearning is a great way to make up snow days. “They do think we need to provide more support from other personnel like English Lan-
noticed the driver’s seatbelt was tied around the steering wheel and the driver’s seat was pushed all the way forward. He told officers he didn’t think too much about it and thought it was his girlfriend playing a trick on him. He drove to Sandy Springs and back, but later talked to his girlfriend and realized she had nothing to do with the car. The man then looked throughout the car to see if anything else was wrong and saw his district attorney’s badge was missing and that there were scratch marks midway up the driver’s side door and on the door lock and unlock buttons and a smudge on the driver’s side window covered up with some paper. The officers noticed distinctive drag marks from the tires that left the parking space and went up the street for a
couple hundred feet and then stopped, as if the car was dragged from its space. The officer reportedly thought all the damage was consistent with a Slim Jim tool being used to enter through the door frame and push the unlock buttons. No prints were able to be taken inside or outside. The man reported the only thing missing was his badge. There were no cameras in that direction and the deputy asked the front office to review the cameras for any tow trucks coming or leaving the area during the incident time frame.
guage Learners (ELL) teachers and support teachers,” Bray said. “Some content area, such as physical education and younger students, needs more concrete content that’s less iconic in terms of texting and discussion boards.” Some teachers reported lack of parental support, Bray said, which surprised him, but he said there are areas in the district where parents are not as involved as others. “Especially for elementary schools, we are just on the cusp of rolling that out and we’re a bit behind middle and high, and I don’t think the parents are quite as aware of what’s going on there,” Bray said. There will be additional training for teachers and support staff, including training on use of itsLearning at the
beginning of the school year, especially for younger students, Bray said. Students enjoyed the opportunity to complete assignments online, Bray said, and they also appreciated the ability to collaborate activities while not in school. “They said they needed more direction for submitting assignments online,” Bray said. “Some students did not participate due to lack of Internet, parental support or ELL – which we’re rolling out and working on.” Another issue students faced was not being able to use smaller devices to do their work, Bray said. “We want to work with itsLearning to improve the mobile experience,” Bray said. “Many students, especially older,
Woman worried about nephew overdosing FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A woman called the Forsyth
How is itsLearning really doing? We asked parents on Facebook to describe their students’ experiences with the county’s new policy to use the online itsLearning program on snow days. The following are some of the responses we received. “ItsLearning has been working well for us. My daughter is in first grade and her assignments are fairly easy. Reading a book or watching an educational video and answering questions or measuring objects around the house and comparing. My son is in 10th grade and his has been a little overwhelming with so many teachers posting and the assignments taking a while to complete. In regards to high school, the assignments should be simple and shouldn’t take that long to complete since there are seven teachers posting. Some of my son’s assignments take an hour, if not more, to complete. He said that the itsLearning online is like a normal day of school except at home instead of school, and I don’t think that was the intention when Forsyth County Schools created this for inclement weather days. Students shouldn’t have eight or more hours of assignments to do online for a snow day.” Melinda Hays “I’ve really liked it for my kindergartener. I had some issues with the initial login, but my son’s teacher was able to get me through it. My son really enjoys it and I like seeing what he learns and how much he knows.” Katie Chavez “In theory, I like the idea. In practice it has gone very well with my fifth-grader, but not as well with my high schooler. Since the teachers have until 5 p.m. the day after they return to school to post, assignments have trickled in between 8 a.m. and as late as 8:30 p.m. Even if the task can be easily completed, my child is still tied to the computer all day checking for new assignments. Even with the five-day grace period to have work turned in, the more rigorous classes have been stressing that the lessons taught those days need to be learned or the student will be behind when they return. I can’t fault Advanced Placement and advanced teachers for that; it is just the reality of the situation. Our experience with it has varied greatly depending on the teacher and the subject matter. I think the kinks can be worked out, but they are going to have to change the way it works for high school students in order for it to be truly successful.” Lynn Wyche Dotson “ItsLearning is a modern necessity now. So much of college work can be done online so this is a wave of the future. Having said that, it is not a smooth program because it is not well organized. The kindergarten work was hard to navigate through, it wasn’t clear what the assignments were or where they were and it is cluttered with many files. The work that was turned in did not always update as completed and tech support was not instant. Some learning links didn’t work and awkwardly, some of the work had to be hand-written and then typed onto a different page. Initially, I wasted time because I couldn’t open the files at all, just see them. I was signed in as a parent and it didn’t give me access to the files but I didn’t know it. I felt so stupid. I’m getting the hang of it now but wish it had been intuitive and simple to navigate.” Cynthia Alsup
forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | March 4, 2015 | 29 County Sheriff’s Office Feb. 15 after she couldn’t get her nephew to answer phone calls or texts and suspected a possible drug overdose. When the deputy arrived on the scene, he noticed all the doors were unlocked, seven cars were parked out front and there were numerous beer cans and other items in the yard. When no one answered the door, the deputy went to his patrol car and activated his siren in short intervals. A man then came to the door, and the deputy asked if the nephew lived there. The man said the nephew lived in the basement, but he didn’t think he was home. As the man showed the door to the nephew’s room, the deputy reported he saw numerous drug-related items on the table inside and other
possible narcotics throughout the room. When the resident went back inside, the deputy said he could see the man attempt to hide the drug-related items and approach the nephew, who appeared to be laying on the bed unresponsive. The man came back outside and told the deputy the nephew wasn’t there. After the deputy told the man he watched him go inside, the man changed his story and said he didn’t move anything but that he did go in the room and the nephew wouldn’t move or wake up. The deputy arrested the man for obstruction, and tried to verbally and physically shake the nephew awake. When the nephew didn’t respond, the deputy called for a medical unit. He was later medically cleared.
bring cellphones and they’re using that for Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) and we want itsLearnnig to provide more mobile-friendly experiences so they have more flexibility of being able to access those resources.” ItsLearning’s focus was initially on delivery through the Web, so mobile programming will take a bit more work, Bray said. Bray said they’re working on it and they have a mobile app, but there’s room for improvement. Parents thought it was easier than expected, and Bray said that’s thanks in part to a series of parent training nights that they found valuable and requested more. “We want to rework and redesign the FCS parent toolbox and make more resources available through that,” Bray said. “Not only for itsLearning, but how these things actually play out in terms of how are students actually learning.” The administration also requested more training on itsLearning, and Bray said they will increase communication about specifics of the drill, and more. They also found they need to provide a template for communication to make everything consistent. All in all, Bray said it’s working pretty well considering it has only been used a few times. “This is not just to benefit for terms of what we’re doing again here at the district level, but it’s a benefit for the kids as well, because this is the world they’re operating in,” Bray said. Some have criticized the program, but Bray said this gives the county a chance to err on the side of caution during bad weather. “It’s a lot better for us to say this is much better than having a school bus in an accident because of an icy road,” Bray said.
For more information on itsLearning, visit https://forsyth.itslearning.com.
DEATH NOTICES Foster Bennett , 86, of Cumming, passed away February 19, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Roger Ben Gilleland, 82, passed away February 19, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Ruby Clarice Hale, 94, of Cumming, passed away February 16, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Lester W. Kaiser, Jr., 86, of Cumming, passed away February 19, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Marie Martin, 77, of Cumming, passed away February 19, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. J. C. Munda, 86, of Cumming, passed away February 19, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Tracy Suzanne Savor, 28, of Cumming, passed away February 21, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Tommy Wayne Smith, 68, of Suwanee, passed away February 24, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Lucille Stancil, 79, of Cumming, passed away February 20, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Roy Eugene Westray, 87, of Cumming, passed away February 18, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
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32 | March 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
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