Empty Nest
Special Section ►►PAGE 20
A better community Milton makes connections PAGE 14
County elections
Commissioners hold forum ►►PAGE 15
Conserving Milton City names eco-law expert ►►PAGE 4
April 23, 2014 | northfulton.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 9, No. 17
Man gets life for girlfriend's murder Killed her in front of their kids By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com
CHARLIE HOLLOWAY/WWW.PSYCHEDELICPLAYGROUND.COM
Milton High School’s production of “Legally Blonde” garnered two awards at the annual Shuler Hensley theater awards ceremony April 17. Insert: The awards went to Sim Jones for best technical director and best lighting director.
Milton Theater wins 2 at Shuler awards Tri-Cities sweeps ceremony ATLANTA – Milton High School’s annual appearance at the Shuler Hensley Awards April 17 saw them take home two awards. This year, Milton’s Sim Jones took awards for best technical director and lighting director in the production of “Legally Blonde.” Milton was nominated for 14 awards. Tri-Cities High School swept the ceremony, with their performance of “Dreamgirls” gathering 13 awards for everything from best actor and actress to scene design and best musical. Similar to the Oscars, the annual Shuler Awards honor musical theater excellence at
the high school level, taking place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, complete with the red carpet walk. Last year, Milton High School’s musical “Spamalot” was nominated for 13 and took home six awards, and West Forsyth’s “Oliver!” was nominated for 12 and won four awards. This year, no Forsyth schools took home awards. Fifty-nine high schools from 23 counties, representing school districts as well as private schools from throughout the state, participated this year. Cambridge student Tracey Buot was awarded one of six Shuler scholarships. —Jonathan Copsey
MILTON, Ga. – A Cumming resident was given life in jail without parole April 4 for the shooting death of his former girlfriend ERDMAN three years ago in Milton. Christopher Erdman, 27, of Cumming pleaded guilty to murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated stalking, cruelty to children and weapons offenses for the murder of 25-year-old Shannon Lawrence, June 5, 2011. Erdman and Lawrence, the estranged mother of his two children, 1 and 2 years old at the time, had organized to meet in the parking lot of the Birmingham Highway Wells Fargo Bank in Milton. They met to exchange custody of the children. During their exchange, Erdman grew angry and pulled a gun, firing four shots at Lawrence. She was struck in the pelvis, lungs and twice in the back of the head while lying on the ground. The episode happened in plain view of the couple’s young children. After the shooting, Erdman put Lawrence’s body in the back of his truck, loaded the children inside and drove to his father’s home in Cumming. Erdman left his children at his
They have had a long, tumultuous relationship” LT. SHAWN MCCARTY Milton Police Spokesman
parents’ house, and then both he and his father took Lawrence to Northside HospitalForsyth in Cumming. He told police he shot her because she threatened him with a knife. The state initially wanted to seek the death penalty for Erdman. However, they eventually accepted a plea deal at the request of the victim’s family. “They have had a long, tumultuous relationship,” said Milton Police Spokesman Lt. Shawn McCarty at the time of the murder. “We have reports from Cherokee County where the sheriff’s office was called [for domestic violence]. It appears this has progressively gotten worse in the last six or eight months.” Lawrence sought a temporary protective order against Erdman in Forsyth County. She said Erdman was acting aggressive and possessive of her after she left him, sending her hundreds of text messages and hounding family and friends. She ended the relationship following a report on Aug. 4, 2010, where Erdman allegedly struck their young daughter. “At this point, I am very afraid of him,” wrote Lawrence in the Jan. 31 protective order request.
PUBLIC SAFETY
2 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
Alleged bank robber runs out of gas, luck
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Suspect may be involved in more bank robberies
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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a suspect in the robbery earlier this month of the Chase Bank at 1710 Buford Highway. Stephen C. Plunkett, 39, of Dallas, Texas, was taken into custody at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, April 15,after he ran out of gas on Ga. 400 near McFarland Parkway. Plunkett allegedly used a note and an “explosive device” April 9 to rob the Chase Bank on Buford Highway in Cumming in its drive-thru. He used a Hyundai rental under his
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 ►► Melanie Ann Ravi, 26, of
Lakeheath Drive, Cumming, was arrested March 30 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to maintain lane, impeding traffic, suspended license, notice of change of address, no license on person and violation of restricted license. ►► Adam Michael Emanuele, 35, of Marymount Drive, Cumming, was arrested March 30 on Ga. 9 in Alpharetta for DUI, impeding traffic and improper stopping. ►► Michael Allen Davis, 24, of Sherman Oaks Way, Alpharetta, was arrested
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.
Kids threaten pal with knife ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Two young boys, ages 9 and 13, allegedly threatened a friend April 13 by holding a knife to his throat. Police were called out to Webb Bridge Court about 8 p.m. They spotted the young boys who allegedly committed the assault as they were running away from the officer. Officers tracked them down and interviewed them. One boy claimed they had not used a knife but a stick. The other boy said he did hold a knife to his friend’s throat but it did not touch his neck. A steak knife, which is the suspected weapon, was found in the boys’ home.
name out of Texas to pull off the bank robbery. The car was reported stolen after it was not returned. Plunkett got an undisclosed amount of cash and the device used to rob the bank turned out to be fake. The Forsyth County PLUNKETT Sheriff’s Crime Scene Unit had identified Plunkett April 15 based on fingerprint evidence located at the scene. Plunkett was driving a Chevrolet Silverado truck when he ran out of gas on Ga. 400 northbound near McFarland Parkway.
He was taken to the south precinct for questioning and later charged. Plunkett is also wanted out of Dallas, Texas for probation violation. The sheriff’s office took out warrants for Plunkett for armed robbery and aggravated assault with more charges pending. Plunkett, who was living with his girlfriend near Lake Lanier a few miles from the bank, will remain in the Forsyth County Detention Center without bond upon further investigation of other possible robberies including in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, a spokesman said in a news release. “We’re working with the FBI on identifying any other similar armed robberies,” Maj. Rick Doyle told news outlets.
March 30 on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI, improper stopping, failure to maintain lane and following too closely. ►► Leigh Chandler Dutton, 39, of Springberry Court, Alpharetta, was arrested March 30 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI. ►► Anna Paige McDonald, 23, of State Street Court, Roswell, was arrested April 1 on Mansell Road in Alpharetta for DUI. ►► Arnoldo Hernandez, 25, of Smyrna was arrested April 3 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to maintain lane, failure to use due care and suspended registration. ►► Brian Wescott Minton, 30, of Big Fork, Mont., was arrested April 4 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI and speeding. ►► Robert Andrew Brewer, 31, of McDonough was arrested March 29 on Windward
Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane.
The boys claimed the incident happened during a dispute over a fort in the woods behind the apartments. The assailants were turned over to their parents.
Dawson allegedly claimed he only did it because he was hungry and homeless. Officers noted from previous run-ins with him that Dawson in fact lived nearby. He was arrested for shoplifting.
The deputy caught up to Bennett and brought him back to the store, where he was arrested for shoplifting.
Still no free lunch
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A local woman is without an expensive handbag and wallet April 8 after they were stolen from her car at Newtown Park. The victim told police she parked her car at the park about 7:20 p.m. and returned 40 minutes later to find the rear passenger window smashed. Missing were a brown Louis Vuitton purse, valued at $2,000, a red Louis Vuitton wallet, valued at $1,200, as well as $300 cash and several credit cards. The purse was left in plain view on the car floor. Another purse and a wallet also left in the car were not taken.
No such thing as free lunch JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A Johns Creek man was arrested April 10 after allegedly trying to steal several sandwiches from a local store. Police were called to the Publix supermarket on Haynes Bridge Road at nearly 6 p.m. after employees said they saw a young man take some items of food and place them in a backpack. He then ordered four sandwiches and got a fountain drink before trying to leave the store. Cody Markel Dawson, 19, of Feather Sound Court, Johns Creek, was stopped as he tried to leave. In his backpack were four sandwiches, eight Starbucks drink packs and a frozen drink.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Drug arrests
►► Jermaine W. Griffin, 21, of
Preakness Drive, Roswell, was arrested April 4 on North Point Drive in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and brake light violation. ►► Tabiatha S. Robinson, 20, of Gatewater Court, Cumming, was arrested April 3 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, possession of drug-related items and suspended registration. ►► Jamal Tito Thompson, 18, of Walton Way, Roswell, was arrested March 30 on Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, failure to maintain lane and failure to obey a traffic control device. ►► Carlos Montez Burse, 19, of Oak Tree Hollow, Alpharetta, was arrested March 30 on Leeward Walk Circle in
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – In another incident of someone trying to steal a free lunch, a man was arrested April 8 at the Publix on Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta for allegedly stealing a sandwich while a police officer watched. The officer in question was a Fulton County deputy. He was also getting lunch at the deli, and the suspect was behind him. Both ordered sandwiches. After getting his sandwich, the deputy went to stand in the check-out line. However, he saw the suspect, Julian J. Bennett, 20, of Whitehall Way, Alpharetta, head straight to the exit, allegedly without paying for the sandwich.
Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct. ►► Yosef Ozeri, 50, of Atlanta was arrested March 30 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and failure to maintain lane. ►► Brandon Cruse Cotton, 18, of Camber Woods Drive, Roswell, was arrested March 24 on North Point Center East in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and failure to maintain lane. ►► Ahmed N. Kadhim, 23, of Norcross was arrested April 5 on Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, possession of drugrelated items and brake light violation. ►► Nathan Wade Heath, 24, of Homestead Trail, Alpharetta, was arrested April 4 on South Main Street in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, suspended license and no insurance.
Pricy handbag, wallet stolen
See BLOTTER, Page 3
Blotter:
ed. He bought several “Green Dot” prepaid cards and paid the scammer. It was only when he hung up that he realized he had been fooled.
Continued from Page 2
$5K swindled from resident JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Internal Revenue Service and other government agencies will never demand money over the phone. One Johns Creek man found this out the hard way as he was swindled out of $5,000. The victim told police he was called April 8 by someone claiming to be with the Treasury Department who demanded payment of $5,000. The suspect claimed if the money was not sent via “Money Gram” cards, the sheriff would be sent to arrest the victim and take possession of his home. The victim complied and bought $5,000 worth of cards and sent the money to the suspect. Once he had the money, the suspect then demanded an additional $6,000. When the victim said he could not pay that, the suspect lowered his amount to $3,000. At this point, the victim became suspicious. The caller hung up when confronted. A similar incident happened in Alpharetta a day earlier. Again, the victim was told he owed nearly $5,000 to the IRS or he would be arrest-
Forger claims forced at gunpoint ALPHARETTA, Ga. – An unemployed Griffin man was arrested April 8 after allegedly trying to cash a fake check. He claimed he was forced to do it. Larry Demond Tyus, 28, of Griffin entered the Bank of America on Windward Parkway and tried to cash a check made out to him for $891. The teller realized it was fake and secretly called police. When they arrived, Tyus was still at the counter. Dispatch notified police, saying Tyus’ sister had called in claiming Tyus was forced at gunpoint to cash the check. Speaking with police, Tyus claimed he was walking around downtown Atlanta earlier in the day when two unknown assailants jumped him and forced him into a car. They bought him professional clothes at a Goodwill and handed him a check to cash. Tyus said he initially refused to take part, but one of the men placed his hand in a pocket and acted like he had a gun. Police questioned Tyus, notably curious how his name
Alpharetta | Cumming | Dunwoody | Johns Creek Serving the Atlanta community since 1968.
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could be on a pre-printed check if he had just been picked up off the street. He said he did not know. Tyus was charged with fourth-degree forgery.
Forger faints when confronted ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A suspected forger fainted April 12 when he was arrested by police. The suspect, Thomas Baki King, 35, of Atlanta, allegedly tried to buy goods at the Best Buy on North Point Drive. Store employees called police. When officers arrived, they confronted King, who handed them what the police report
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 3
calls a “very obvious fake paper state identification card.” King was handcuffed for obstruction using a fake identity. He fainted as the cuffs were put on him. Police found his real identity by running his fingerprints through a database. Police found a U-Haul truck key on King and another fake check made out to Macy’s department store. There were two incidents earlier in the day at the Macy’s and Champ’s stores of fake checks used and the suspect drove a U-Haul truck. A search of the Best Buy parking lot turned up King’s U-Haul. Inside were Macy’s and Champ’s store bags with purchases.
NEWS
4 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
NEWS
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 5
Milton taps expert for conservation
Network brings tech to Northside
Resident brings decades of environmental law experience
Inaugural event May 8
MILTON, Ga. – In the latest move to try to stem the tide of explosive growth in Milton, the City Council approved an agreement April 14 securing a longtime conservation professional to help create the city’s first “green print� land use plan. Laurel A. Florio, a Milton resident, brings to the city decades of experience as a consultant, legal counsel, land specialist and educator for a host of environmental protection organizations. Among that wealth of experience was six years as an attorney and land specialist for Memphis, Tenn.’s Ducks Unlimited Inc., the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. “At the city of Milton, we are dedicated to finding the right balance of environmental conservation and the preservation of land owners’ rights in an environment, welcoming smart, measured business and residential development,� said Mayor Joe
perfect to help us realize this tremendous opportunity.� Florio joins the city’s growing list of conservation efforts, including: International City and County Manager Association (ICMA) consultancy on innovative strategies for green space protection from the Leadership ICMA program; a sixmonth moratorium on rezoning applications across multiple residential districts in the city; and growth strategies like form-based coding, transfer of development rights and community-based master planning. Florio said she’s excited to help her hometown craft its first green print land use plan, which will help Milton conserve the rural character of the city. “I’m here because City Council and staff agree that Milton’s residents deserve a town unlike any other – one that features a heart of good business, great schools and growing economic opportunity with the soul of unparalleled access to nature,� she said. “This is simply too important to leave to chance.� —Jonathan Copsey
PHOTO COURTESY FOREST HILL PHOTOGRAPHY
Milton resident Laurel A. Florio brings to Milton decades of experience as a consultant, legal counsel, land specialist and educator for a host of environmental protection organizations.
Lockwood. “Laurel Florio, who we are truly blessed to have right in our backyard, is
Thurman
Kunz
Lusk
Hewitt
Longoria
Mohrig
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Appointment of a member to the Milton Board of Zoning Appeals for District 3/Post 2.
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Approval of an inter-agency agreement between the city of Milton and the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce Inc., doing business as Progress Partners North Fulton Atlanta, to implement certain economic development-related sections of the strategic plan.
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
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Y
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Y
Consideration of the abandonment of all public rights of way within the Crooked Creek subdivision.
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Consideration of a professional services agreement between the city of Milton and Laurel A. Florio for land conservation consulting services.
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Consideration of the issuance of an alcohol beverage license for Sequoia Golf Manor LLC, doing business as the Manor Golf and Country Club, located at 15951 Manor Club Drive, Milton. Consideration of the issuance of an alcohol beverage license for Sequoia Golf Manor LLC, doing business as the Manor Golf and Country Club, located at 15952 Manor Club Drive, Milton.
FAILED
Lockwood
Consideration of the issuance of the addition of wine package to an existing alcohol beverage license for All About Spirits Inc., located at 15840 Birmingham Highway, Suite B, Milton.
PASSED
Milton • April 14
If you go
By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – There are 600 technology companies within the borders of Alpharetta and a further 300 only a short distance from it. Alpharetta is making strides to claim the title of “Technology City of the South.� However, much of the regional technology conferences and events are still centered on downtown Atlanta. “We all share the same challenge, trying to get to some excellent programming in downtown or in Buckhead,� said Karen Cashion. While there may be quality programs available downtown, it can be a trial for a worker in the northern suburbs to make it downtown for a 7 p.m. event. “There was a need for more programming,� she said. Cashion decided to bring some of that energy and programming back up north by starting the Greater Alpharetta Tech Network (GATN). “I was hearing from technology companies that there is not a lot of programming on the north side of town,� Cashion said. For the initial year, Cashion said she plans to have an event once a quarter. After that, more networking and programming will be planned. Atlanta Tech Village founder and serial tech entrepreneur David Cum-
What: Greater Alpharetta Tech Network When: 5:30 p.m. May 8 Where: The Metropolitan Club on Windward Parkway More Info: www.gatnconnect.org.
mings will speak about creating a community of innovation at the official launch of the Greater Alpharetta Tech Network (GATN) on Thursday, May 8, at the Metropolitan Club on Windward Parkway. Before founding Atlanta Tech Village, the largest technology entrepreneur center in the Southeast, Cummings was co-founder at Pardot, a B2B marketing automation company that was acquired by ExactTarget in 2012. Months later, ExactTarget was acquired by salesforce.com for $2.5 billion. GATN’s launch event is complimentary, and all technology company executives and their professionals are invited to register. Cashion said membership in GATN is limited to technology executives, chambers, nonprofits and elected officials. “There is a tremendous amount of excitement in the tech community,� Cashion said. “We are starting to put this area on the map in tech. This is an exciting time to launch this group.� For more information on GATN, visit www.gatnconnect.org.
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ALPHARETTA, Park Brooke Subdivision, multi-family 4350 Park Brooke Trace 30022. Friday 4/25 and Saturday 4/26, 8am-2pm. Bargains galore! Rain or shine!. ALPHARETTA, Leeward Walk Subdivision, 11820 Leeward Walk Circle 30005. Friday 4/25 and Saturday 4/26, 9am-2pm. Treasures galore! ALPHARETTA/JOHNS CREEK, HUGE! 9526 and 9470 Kingston Crossing Circle 30022. Saturday 4/26, 8am4pm. Houseful of everything! CUMMING, Polo Fields, 50+ homes! Friday 4/25, Saturday 4/26, 9am2pm. 400 North, exit 13 (left). Maps at entrance homes. Kids, housewares, furniture, more! CUMMING, multi family. Creekside Subdivision, Bethelview and Castleberry Roads. Friday 4/25, Saturday 4/26, 8am-3pm
CUMMING, Brighton Lake Subdivision, 4675 Brighton Lake Drive 30040, off Bethelview Road. Saturday 4/26, 8am3pm. Furniture, piano, clothing, toys and MUCH more!! DULUTH: ESTATE SALE, 350 Victorian Lane 30097. Thursday-Saturday 4/244/26, 9am-4pm. Houseful of beautiful, like-new furniture (Thomasville, Bassett, Lexington Leather and all the classy accessories to go with it!), tools, records, collectibles, yard decor, and a retiring crafterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large supply of jewelry-making beads. DULUTH: ESTATE SALE, 350 Victorian Lane 30097. Thursday-Saturday 4/244/26, 9am-4pm. Houseful of beautiful, like-new furniture (Thomasville, Bassett, Lexington Leather and all the classy accessories to go with it!), tools, records, collectibles, yard decor, and a retiring crafterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large supply of jewelry-making beads.
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JOHNS CREEK, DoubleGate Subdivision (enter onto Twingate Dr. from State Bridge). 15-20 homes. Saturday 4/26, 8am-2pm. See signs and balloons JOHNS CREEK, Westbury Subdivision, on Westbury Lane off Abbotts Bridge Road. LOTS of participants! Friday 4/25 and Saturday 4/26, 8am-2pm. Household, baby, and toddler items; electronics, too many great items to list! MILTON, North-South Bethany Creek Subdivision, Highway 9 and Bethany Bend. Saturday 4/26, 8am-2pm. Neighborhood sale. SUWANEE/JOHNS CREEK, Grand Cascades Subdivision, 106 Grand Ave 30024. Friday 4/25 and Saturday 4/26, 8am-6pm. Relocating out of state; 3 floors of furniture, lawn equipment, antiques, many household items, electronics, clothes, books, crib and high chair; everything must go!
To place garage sale ads: Noon Friday prior week Call 770-442-3278 or email classifieds@northfulton.com
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SCHOOLS
6 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com
Teacher raises, longer school year proposed for FY 2015 budget Schools to get more money for ‘per pupil’ spending By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@northfulton.com ATLANTA – Students will be in school for an additional day next year, schools will get more flex dollars per pupil and teachers will see their second consecutive pay increase under the recommendations being proposed in the fiscal year 2015 budget for the Fulton County School System (FCSS). A 2.5 percent pay increase should be welcome news to employees who went five years without a raise during the economic downturn beginning in 2008. Last year, employees received a 3 percent raise, which was the first permanent increase since 2009. School officials said measures were taken to compensate employees during lean years, pointing to a one-time bonus in FY 2012, followed by a 3 percent bonus the following year. At an April 16 work session, the Fulton County School Board received a first look at the FY 2015 general fund budget being proposed by Superintendent Robert Avossa. The proposed budget of $886.5 million in expenditures
exceeds expected revenues by $50 million, but the deficit will be covered by an infusion from the system’s reserve funds. Even with the $50 million drawdown, the ending reserve funds will contain more than $151.5 million – in line with the goal of two to three months of operating costs. Board member Katie Reeves of Alpharetta questioned the wisdom of using reserve funds for ongoing expenses, instead of only for one-time, non-recurring expenses. “The big elephant in the room is, ‘what is the reserve being used for?” asked Reeves. “The larger discussion here is we are not covering our expenditures…[and we will not] until fiscal year 2018.” School finance officials said they were confident the reserve funds will remain healthy through expected growth in the tax digest in coming years. Across all programs, including the school nutrition fund, debt service and other non-general areas, the FCSS will spend more than $1.4 billion in FY 2015. ‘Zero-based budgeting’ creates school budget This is the second year the FCSS has used zero-based budgeting to de-
See BUDGET, Page 28
Customized Healthcare With Old-Fashioned Service. “With healthcare becoming less personal and more complex you deserve more than the standard level of care.”
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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 7
SAT. & SUN. • APRIL 26 & 27 •10am - 6pm
Artist’s Profile
William Staubach Where are you from? I’m from Daleville, Alabama When did you realize that art was a calling? I began doing stained glass in high school. In my early 20’s, I started working with metal. Are you self-taught or have formal training? I am self-taught. I opened a furniture design company with 3 friends and we grew as metal artists from there. Tell us about one of your favorite pieces of work. My favorite piece is the cone flower. It has a very artistic flow to it.
I might work on a particular piece for weeks before it looks just right and then I go into production mode. Each piece starts out as a flat sheet of metal or a long straight stick of steel. I have to cut and bend each one to my liking. What inspires you to create? I am inspired by Ikebana, which is the Japanese art of flower arranging. It’s very simplistic but beautiful. I am also inspired by my mom. She was an amazing artist. She worked in all mediums but always incorporated flowers into all of her work.
What is the price range of your work? My pieces range in price from $38$350.
Tell us something that someone would be surprised to learn about you, or a favorite guilty pleasure. I love to play tennis.
How long does it take you to conceptualize, create and finish a piece? It’s hard to put a time stamp on each piece.
Name an artist that inspires you. My mom, Sachiko Staubach and Chihuly the glass artist.
What was the one thing you always wanted to be growing up? I knew that I always wanted to be in business for myself. How can someone buy your art? I sell only at art shows such as the Alpharetta Arts Streetfest.
Here is a sneak peek at some of the other artists that will be featured at this year’s show
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8 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
GEORGIA DOT »
Don’t put signs in rights of way ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) is cautioning the public not to place signs on rights of way. Georgia law stipulates that GDOT is required to maintain a safe roadway for the traveling public, which includes the immediate removal of any obstruction or hazard that may pose a threat to the traveling public. Therefore, any sign along Georgia’s state routes and interstates must meet safety standards and be permitted by GDOT to be within rights of way. For example, signs that advertise yard sales, real estate for sale or political candidates on department land adjacent to roads are not allowed and will be removed by GDOT personnel. “In the midst of this political season, Georgia DOT would like to clarify the laws that deal with signs along state routes and interstates,” said Bayne Smith, GDOT district maintenance engineer. “As part of our routine maintenance work, the department will remove any and all signs from our right of way. Right of way is defined as the strip of land over which facilities such as highways, railroads or power lines are built and maintained. It is a wise practice to ask the property owner where the right of way line is when you get permission to install your sign on their property.” Signs that are removed from right of way by department personnel will be held for a short while and then destroyed. To prevent the loss of signs, do not place signage within the state-owned rights of way. —McKenzie Cunningham
NEWS
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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 9
Milton Police Department holds drug take back April 26 at Target Keep unused drugs out of wrong hands MILTON, Ga. -- The City of Milton Police Department will take part in the eighth installment of the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Target on Ga. 9 in Milton. The Target is located at 13057 Ga. 9. All forms of prescription drugs will be taken, no matter how old. Please note no liquids or syringes accepted.
During the last DEA-led National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Nov. 2, agencies collected 647,211 pounds (324 tons) of expired and unwanted medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,683 takeback sites that were available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. For more information, contact Milton Community Outreach Officer Ara Baronian at 678-242-2527 or ara.baronian@cityofmiltonga.us. —Jonathan Copsey
Prosecution conference on animal cruelty law ATLANTA — The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys will hold the fourth National Animal Cruelty Prosecution Conference May 5-7 at the Atlanta State Bar Association headquarters, 104 Marietta Street NW, Atlanta. The conference is free and invites anyone involved in law enforcement, veterinarians, animal shelter workers, animal trainers and teachers or who are interested in the welfare of animals.
The Honorable Vic Reynolds, district attorney for Cobb County, is the keynote speaker. New opportunities in investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases will be discussed including information regarding the new animal cruelty law. Education hours are available for industry professionals. For more information or to register, visit http://apainic.org. —Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
www.alpharetta.ga.us ArtsStreetFest AlpharettaStreetFest
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, APRIL 26-27, 2014 10 am - 6 pm Milton Avenue at Main Street, Alpharetta Historic District
10 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
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’Hooch rallies for 6A wrestling tourney JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – When inclement weather forced the cancellation of the state wrestling championships scheduled at Gwinnett Arena, several schools were asked to host their division championships. With just one week to prepare, Chattahoochee High School offered to host the 6A division, which included 224 wrestlers, 200 coaches, numerous GHSA officials, referees and medical staff, as well as more than 2,000 guests. With the support from ’Hooch basketball, lacrosse, band boosters, alumni, Jr. Cougars, coaches, faculty and some 100 volunteers, the tournament was successfully held Feb. 21-22. Rallying in much the same fashion as their school’s community, Chattahoochee’s wresters had the best state tournament in school history. For the first time ever, Chattahoochee finished in the top five in team points, coming in fourth overall. A record eight wrestlers qualified for state this year, including freshman Ethan Phillips, sophomore Matt Picus, juniors Perry Benton, Sean Hoffman and Jordan Pitt and seniors Brady Miller, Rowdy Miller and Taylor Podhouser. Of those, four placed in the top four. Rowdy Miller took fourth in state at 152 pounds, and Brady Miller won third in state at 160 pounds. Hoffman claimed third in state at 195 pounds, and Pitt won second in state at 113 pounds.
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 11
Twins Kingsley, left, and Hudson Lillystone hold up their goody bags.
Charlotte White, 6, holds up her haul of Easter Eggs at the annual Alpharetta Easter Egg Hunt.
Children help Easter Bunny find eggs Chattahoochee wrestlers and coaches at the recent 6A state wrestling championship included, seated, from left, Rowdy Miller and coach Adam Pitt. Standing, from left, are coach Steve Aiken, coach Shawn Cavanaugh, Sean Hoffman, Brady Miller, Jordan Pitt, head wrestling coach J.J. Hicks, coach Jack Macko and National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach Randy Faries of Roswell.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Easter Bunny was able to find all his eggs with the help of hundreds of little helpers April 12 at the annual North Park Children’s Easter Egg Hunt. Nearly 400 children searched the softball fields of the park for the little colored eggs, said
Toby Smallwood, Alpharetta’s arts coordinator. The children collected nearly 6,000 eggs. Along with the egg hunt, children enjoyed face painting, animal balloons and inflatables. —Jonathan Copsey
The Easter Bunny with fire fighter escort.
Julie Zimmerman brought three little sisters to the egg hunt April 12. From left, they are Charlotte, 6, Emma Clare, 1, and Amelia White, 5.
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12 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
NEWS
What you can do to safeguard against Heartbleed Heartbleed is a “backdoor” entry to encrypted files that could allow hackers to access secured information on a server, including user names and passwords. What this means for you is that banking websites, application websites and others could be at risk. Here is what Tyler Jones of Carmichael Consulting suggests you do: • Immediately change your passwords for any of the sites that we already know have been attacked. These include, but are not limited to, Yahoo, Flickr and Tumblr. • It is strongly recommended that you change your passwords for sites that may have been vulnerable but are now patched. These include Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Clio, Instagram, Netflix, Pinterest, YouTube and others. • If you are unsure about a website, the site should have a statement posted somewhere about their current security status. If they have patched their software, go ahead and change your password. If they have not yet secured their site, you can change your password now if you want, but you will have to do it again once they secure their site. Remember, a good password is a minimum of eight characters long, has letters, numbers and special characters (like @, #, %, !) and is unique to each site. Do not re-use passwords.
Tuesday, April 29th, 5 pm
Join us as we marvel at the work of a local artist, and enjoy wine and cheese. Kindly RSVP: 678-319-3000
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How to avoid heartburn over Heartbleed Web’s biggest problem has solutions By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Anyone with a computer has probably heard or seen information about the newest threat to cyber security, “Heartbleed.” Fortunately, there are solutions already out there, but users still must act to protect themselves by changing their passwords. “This is the largest serverside security flaw we have ever seen,” said Tyler Jones, of Carmichael Consulting Solutions. “What makes it unique is that, unlike most security threats in IT, there is nothing you can do on the client side.” That means the user cannot fix the problem – but the user can protect himself. Typically, when there is an issue, patches or fixes can be applied by the user to fix the issue. However, since this problem is built into the code of the very servers the Internet is built upon, it is up to the companies we do business with to address it. The flaw affects the coding called “Open SSL.” Whenever a user logs onto a secure website, a lock icon or green bar
appears to indicate security. This is the Open SSL part. Two-thirds of the Internet uses this security program. Heartbleed allows someone to read small snippets of information on the servers in plain text rather than encrypted code, Jones said. Usernames, passwords, security questions and more could be compromised. And given the ubiquity of the Open SSL and the nature of the problem, websites could have been targeted for years and never know it. “There is no way to ever tell they have been compromised, if at all,” Jones said. Anything with a password – banks, Yahoo, Google, Netflix and Dropbox – is affected by the exploit. However, PIN numbers for debit cards are not affected. A fix was released April 7 and many websites have already implemented this, while others are in the process of doing so. However, the damage to any particular user may already have been done. The best thing consumers can do is check with their websites to ensure the issue has been solved, and then change their passwords, Jones said.
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One of largest in country By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com ROSWELL, Ga. – The Roswell Cycling Festival returns for its 13th year as a spring tradition with a full day of bicyclingthemed activities for the entire family, along with fast and furious racing for elite athletes. On Sunday, April 27, Canton Street in historic Roswell comes alive with the two-wheeled fun. This year’s Roswell Cycling Festival, presented by Hennessy Automobile Companies and Roswell Bicycles, features the Roswell Mayor’s Ride, Kids’ Bicycle Safety Rodeo, Kids’ Zone, Bicycle Expo and 10 races in the Historic Roswell Criterium. Bike Roswell has promoted cycling education in the city for years, said president Tom Erdmanczyk. This is the first year Bike Roswell has been in charge of organizing the event. “We see this as a family festival that introduces the citizens of North Fulton to a professional level of cycling,” he said. Roswell is recognized as an official Bicycle Friendly Community, one of 300 in the country, and was the first in Georgia with the honor. Bike Roswell helped attain that status. “We have several rides a year,” said Erdmanczyk. “We want to introduce more people to cycling and get more people on bikes.” The Roswell Cycling Festival is a full day of familyfriendly activities and cycling events. It has entertained more than 60,000 spectators since it began in 2002. Bicycle races are contested by elite and
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Annual cycling festival returns April 27
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If you go What: Roswell Cycling Festival When: Sunday, April 27 •Roswell Mayor’s Ride – 8 a.m. to noon •USA Cycling amateur races – 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. •Kids’ Zone presented by Moncrief Heating and Air – 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. •Kids’ Bicycle Safety Rodeo managed by Historic Roswell Kiwanis – 2 to 5 p.m. •Kids’ races presented by Moncrief Heating and Air – 5 to 5:30 p.m. •Women’s pro race – 4 to 5 p.m. •Men’s pro race – 6 to 7:15 p.m. nationally ranked men, women and juniors, taking place from 10 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. with the Historic Roswell Criterium. These races are sanctioned by USA Cycling, and have attracted more than 8,000 junior and adult cyclists. This year’s Historic Roswell Criterium is part of the USA CRITS Speed Week, six races in six Southeastern cities offering the biggest prize purse in American Criterium racing of $125,000. Live streaming of the Historic Roswell Criterium races will be broadcast at usacrits.com. For more information on race times and events at the festival, visit www.roswellcycling festival.com.
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JONATHAN COPSEY/STAFF
Members of the cycling team Novo Nordisk (in white), Roswell Mayor Jere Wood, center, and Bike Roswell President Tom Erdmanczyk (in green) show off their presenting sponsor of the Roswell Cycling Festival, Hennessy Automobile’s Jaguar and Porsche cars.
14 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
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Milton makes connections over cake Better Together hosts first business event By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com MILTON, Ga. – April 16 was a sticky sweet day for some residents at the first in a series of business connection events. Held at Nothing Bundt Cakes, 5230 Windward Parkway, the event aimed to bring the community together at a local business for fun and education. At this event, residents could learn how to decorate cakes. This was the first business connection event held by Mil-
ton’s Better Together group. “We started this to connect residents to our local businesses,” said Wayne Boston, community builder for the city of Milton. “We are hopeful this program will provide an opportunity for residents to meet each other and, at the same time, provide support for our local businesses.” As a group, Better Together aims to make “connections” through the community between people and neighbors, largely focusing on bringing
Candace Brent (right) daughter of resident, Mildred Walker
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 15
County Commission candidates hold forum Put issues before electorate
groups such as the elderly or those with special needs into the wider community. “We want to increase awareness of what residents can do to support the city,” said Gloria Mattei, owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes. “They can do this while connecting businesses to the community.” The Windward Parkway location is the second Nothing Bundt Cakes store in the state. For more information on Better Together or any of its activities, visit the group’s Facebook page or contact Boston at 678-242-2512 or wayne. boston@cityofmiltonga.us.
“I love the staff and management here! They really care for the residents. [My mom] really enjoys the friends she has made since she’s been here.”
NEWS
By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com
JONATHAN COPSEY/STAFF
Milton resident Gail Gill won a drawing of a pair of cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes.
Free GBI cyber safety workshops April 27, 29 Milton Community Alliance for Mental Wellness presents eye-opening classes MILTON, Ga. – The Milton Community Alliance for Mental Wellness, a collaborative effort of Fulton County Schools and the city of Milton, among others, is sponsoring two Georgia Bureau of Investigation cyber safety workshops in April at Milton schools. • Sunday, April 27 at Northwestern Middle School, 2-4 p.m. • Tuesday, April 29 at Cambridge High School, 7-9 p.m. GBI’s Georgia CyberSafety Initiative is a free parent education workshop on current trends amongst children and their use of technology.
Join them for an eye-opening presentation about youth and the technology they have at their fingertips. The Milton Community Alliance for Mental Wellness, founded in 2013, works to educate Milton-area students, their parents and the community at large about the importance of mental health and the impacts of pressure, anxiety and peer influence on the city’s youth. It is a collaborative effort of Fulton County Schools, the city of Milton, the Milton Police Department and a host of caring community volunteers. —Jonathan Copsey
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Candidates vying for the open Fulton County Commission seats met April 16 at a forum hosted by the Alpharetta Business Alliance. The primary election is May 20. Held at Alpharetta City Hall, six of the seven candidates for District 2, District 3 and the at-large chairman’s seat fielded questions from the audience and local politicians about what they would do, if elected. County Commissioner Liz Hausmann is running unopposed for her seat in District 3, which now covers North Fulton largely east of Ga. 400. Candidates Eric Broadwell and Bob Ellis are contending for the newly created District 2, which covers western North Fulton. The chairmanship, held by John Eaves currently, is county-wide, and Eaves has competition in Robb Pitts, also a sitting commissioner. Earl Cooper was absent for the forum. Moderating the event and asking questions were Sen. Brandon Beach, Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle and Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood. Each candidate had two minutes to answer questions. For the new District 2, the candidates were asked a slew of questions covering how they would address the problems in Fulton County. Tax increase The county passed a budget this year calling for a 15 percent tax hike on residents. Both Ellis and Broadwell said they would not have supported
such a budget. “I would work hardest not to put us in that scenario in the first place,” Ellis said. “I think it was improper… that tax increase HAUSMANN was not necessary in the first place.” The state legislature voted last year to bar Fulton from ever raising taxes, despite it having one of the lowest tax rates in the metro region. The budget is in defiance of this law. “There is plenty of room in the budget to not require a tax increase,” Broadwell said. He pointed to inconsistencies with funding Grady Health System at the level the budget calls for, along with giving county employees a raise. In contrast, Eaves, when asked the same question, cautioned against a blanket approach to not raising taxes. “Leadership is about making tough decisions,” he said. “From 1991 to 2013, we did not increase the tax rate. We have had $100 million in reductions over the years… [but] our back was against the wall.” The alternative was to cut critical services, he said. Pitts said the budget was a bad move. “It’s illegal based on state legislation,” he said. “It’s thumbing our noses at the legislature.” He contended the county has approved budgets for the past several years dipping into cash reserves. Pitts said this was not a balanced budget. Eaves disputed this. Milton County Of course, one of the largest concerns is about spinning North Fulton off into a possible
ELLIS
BROADWELL
EAVES
PITTS
Fulton County Commissioner, District 2 candidates: Eric Broadwell Bob Ellis Fulton County Commissioner, District 3 candidates: Liz Hausmann, running unopposed Fulton County Chairman candidates: John Eaves, incumbent Robb Pitts Earl L. Cooper Primary election: May 20
Milton County. Both Broadwell and Ellis said they were cautiously in support of such a move. “A lot of things already operate independently,” Broadwell said. “But if it is to
See ELECTION, Page 29
April is Pet CPR First Aid Month
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BusinessBriefs
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16 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
REAL ESTATE »
Sponsored by
In addition to Northside Hospital as title sponsor, the North Fulton Community Improvement District will be a platinum sponsor. The event’s after party and entertainment will be sponsored by Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. Sponsorship opportunities are available beginning at $2,500. Individual tickets for the black tie optional event are $200 each and can be purchased online at www.GNFCC.com/events. For more information, email Debbie Ryals at dryals@gnfcc.com or call 678-397-0556.
It’s not unusual for these people to literally spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on energy. GEORGE PLATTENBURG, Managing partner of Burton Energy Group
Alpharetta company honored by EPA One of six in state with Energy Star award By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) honored an Alpharetta company as a recipient of the 2014 Energy Star awards. Burton Energy Group, of Alpharetta, received the Partner of the Year award for the second consecutive year. Burton is one of six organizations in Georgia receiving the award. A total of 127 organizations will be honored for their commitment to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. The winners were selected from 16,000 Energy Star partners, including manufacturers,
retailers, public schools, hospitals, real estate companies and home builders, for their dedication to protecting the environment through greater energy efficiency. “We’re proud,” said George Plattenburg, a managing partner of Burton. “It’s a reflection on the great work that our clients are doing and that we support them on.” The 12-year-old company moved to a Mansell Road location two years ago from Roswell. It employs 22 workers. Plattenburg said the company helps clients manage and lower energy consumption costs, largely in utilities such as electricity, water and sewer. They work with many large, national companies such as hoteliers, banks, retailers and
manufacturers. “It’s not unusual for these people to literally spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on energy,” Plattenburg said. “We help them develop strategies and help track their progress.” More companies are warming up to the idea of conserving energy for two reasons, he said. First, it saves money in the long run. Second is sustainability. “EPA applauds this year’s Energy Star Partner of the Year Award winners, who have demonstrated innovative strategies to help their customers, partners and stakeholders save energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe. “Their commitment to saving energy helps fight climate change while also helping their bottom line.” Products, homes and build-
JOIN TODAY: 770-993-8806 • WWW.GNFCC.COM
Georgia companies that received Energy Star Awards are: Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence: Servidyne, Atlanta The Home Depot, Atlanta Partner of the Year: Beazer Homes USA Inc., Atlanta Burton Energy Group, Alpharetta Hoshizaki America Inc., Peachtree City Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, Decatur The complete list of winners can be found at www.energystar.gov/awards.
ings that earn the Energy Star label prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency requirements set by the U.S. EPA. From the first Energy Star-qualified computer in 1992, the Energy Star label can now be found on products in more than 70 different categories, with more than 4.5 billion sold. Over 1.5 million new homes and 23,000 office buildings, schools and
hospitals have earned the Energy Star label. Since the Energy Star program began, American families and businesses have saved $297 billion on utility bills and prevented more than 2.1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions with help from Energy Star. For more about Burton Energy Group, please visit www. burtonenergygroup.com.
Professional building modernized in Roswell
By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com PHOENIX, Ariz. – Sprouts Farmers Market is kicking off its Southeast expansion by opening a Johns Creek store in 2014, and a Forsyth location in 2015. Other Georgia locations opening in 2014 include Snellville, Dunwoody and Norcross. Next year a Cumming location will open at Lakeland Plaza, a company spokeswoman said. Sprouts Farmers Market
will soon finish construction on four of their healthy grocery stores in the Atlanta area. The Johns Creek market, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, will open Sept. 17. The Snellville location, 1250 Scenic Highway, Suite 1704, will open June 18. On July 16 and the company opens its Dunwoody location, 2480 Mt. Vernon Road. A Norcross location opens Aug. 20 at 5130 Peachtree Parkway, All stores are also hiring for 500 full and part-time
positions including store managers, department managers, clerks, cashiers, administrative coordinators and cashiers. Sprouts, which has about 15,000 employees companywide, offers consumers a complete grocery store experience featuring fresh produce, bulk foods, dairy, meat and seafood, bakery, vitamins and supplements and more. “For more than a decade,
Sprouts has focused on helping our customers reach their health goals by providing high quality natural and organic products at prices the everyday grocery shopper can afford,” said President and CEO Doug Sanders in a news release. “We are excited to introduce Atlanta-area residents to Sprouts beginning this summer.” Sprouts was recently
named one of the top five supermarket chains by Consumer Reports, based on feedback from more than 27,000 shoppers who rated 55 grocers. This marks Sprouts’ first expansion into the Southeast. Earlier this year, the company opened its first store in Overland Park, Kan. Sprouts sources its own produce and plans to support the Atlanta market through its Dallasbased distribution center. For information, visit www. sprouts.com or for a career, visit sprouts.com/careers. Interviews will be scheduled for select candidates in early May.
and agencies that serve Forsyth County. For more information on Sawnee EMC, visit www.sawnee.com
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ROSWELL, Ga. — Bauman and Company has invested $1.5 million in a complete renovation of the North Fulton Professional Building, a four-story, 94,000-square-foot multi-tenant office building located in Roswell, adjacent to North Fulton Hospital. Built in 1991, the building underwent a yearlong modernization that includes a new roof and air conditioning system, plus a total redesign and refurnishing of the lobby and public spaces. “Our improvements focused on two objectives,” said Billy Bauman, president of Bauman and Company. “First, to reduce operating costs for tenants and second, to enhance the aesthetic environment for employees as well as visitors.” A photo tour of the renovated building is available at www.northfultonphysiciansbuilding.com. For more information about the firm, visit www. baumanco.com.
EVENTS »
Sprouts Farmers Market opening Johns Creek store Forsyth County store to open in 2015
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 17
Lee selected as ‘Super Lawyer’ ALPHARETTA, Ga. — George E. Lee, of the Lee Immigration Law Group, was selected to the 2014 Georgia Super Lawyers list. Each year, about 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. The Lee Immigration Law Group is located at 2520 Northwinds LEE Parkway, Suite 450 in Alpharetta. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com. For more on Lee Immigration Law Group, call 404-892-8300 or visit www. leelawusa.com.
COMMUNITY »
North Fulton Chamber to host 41st annual Chairman’s Gala ATLANTA — The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) will host its 41st annual Chairman’s Gala on April 26 at the St. Regis Atlanta. The Chairman’s Gala is the highlight of the year for the chamber and provides a showcase for North Fulton’s successes. The evening’s festivities will include remarks from several distinguished guests and an announcement of the winners for key chamber awards. Freda Hardage, GNFCC Board chair and director of foundation services at Northside Hospital, will be honored at the event.
Sawnee EMC participates in ‘Touch a Truck’ event CUMMING, Ga. — On April 1, Sawnee EMC participated in the first annual “Touch a Truck” event sponsored by the Forsyth County Library System. The event took place at the Post Road Library, with approximately 500 people in attendance. In addition to a Sawnee EMC bucket truck, there were nine other vehicles from various companies
M&H Design Group opens in Alpharetta ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Mernaz Dejgir and Hayedeh Badiei have opened M&H Design Group, a full-service residential interior design agency serving North Fulton homeowners. M&H Design Group specializes in a wide variety of styles including traditional, contemporary and transitional. The agency’s designers make home visits to create floor plans and design presentations as well as provide furniture, accessories, paintings and window treatments. Their showcase office is located at 100 North Main St. in Alpharetta. For more information, call 770-674-9000 or visit www.MandHDesignGroup.com.
Journey Family Chiropractic opens in Alpharetta ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Journey Family Chiropractic has opened its doors at 320 Prospect Place in Alpharetta. Owned by Dr. Keisha Pitt, Journey Family Chiropractic offers care to all ages with the goal to help patients accomplish a quality state of health. For the month of May, Journey Family Chiropractic will donate half of their proceeds to Beacon of Hope, a pregnancy resource center located in Johns Creek. With this donation, Pitt hopes that families will become more aware of the resources out there for young mothers. Journey Family Chiropractic is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit www.journeyfamilychiro.com or call 404-590-6118.
Thanks to Village Tavern® for hosting the April Networking Event Join us May 20th at Brunswick Bowling Alley!
Northh Fulton l Alliance ll off Young Professionals
Join us today oday at www.nfayp.com!
nfayp
nfayp
18 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
BusinessPosts
North Fulton housing snapshot Now that the sales data is all in for March, we can take a look at the quarterly home sales for North Fulton. Comparing the first quarter of this year to 2013, the biggest thing that jumps out to me is the drop in total transactions. In a market recovery, which we are experiencing, conventional wisdom would be that sales would rise. That is happening around the country in various places, but in North Fulton they have actually dropped by 10 percent. However, we are seeing asking prices rise and, in turn, sale prices rise a good bit (9 percent and 12 percent, respectively). Total days on mar-
ROBERT STRADER
Local Realtor Keller Williams Realty
ket is down 27 percent, but keep in mind this is an average across all price ranges. There are a few factors that could be affecting the drop in the number of home sales. Interest rates are a little higher, for instance. Also, as prices rise, inventory at the lower price points has nearly disappeared and loan requirements
have tightened; first-time buyers are getting closed out of the market to a certain degree. But I think the real culprit is the jump in prices coupled with the low inventory levels. As buyers are presented with the decision of paying more, they are more closely scrutinizing value. That value would be found in overall size, condition and location of the property. And, by most accounts, if a buyer isn’t finding what they want, they’re choosing to keep looking rather than settle. These are the factors a home seller needs to scrutinize when pricing their home today. I’ll share quarterly numbers for Forsyth County next week.
The skinny on fat taxes, fatter returns As I mentioned in a previous article, when you sell an investment property, IRS rules will allow you to purchase a “like” property, of equal or greater value and defer the capital gains into the new property. In real life, this can mean a difference in big bucks in your pocket or a big, fat tax bill. More and more investors are choosing the big bucks in their pocket route. In a real life example, we just completed a transaction for a client that chose to undergo a 1031 exchange. He sold a building on the west coast that had been the home of his business enterprise for many years. His tax bill was going to be around $300,000 on a one million dollar profit. That’s a big bite for anyone
BRIAN PATTON
Capitol Realty Advisors www.capitallistings.com
to stomach. Through the 1031 exchange, we found a fitting property that generated $140,000 in cash per year... and that’s after all his expenses, including his new mortgage. It doesn’t take a genius to agree with this client’s decision. To go from the threat of paying $300,000 in taxes or collecting almost half of that per year in revenue for the next foreseeable future, is the way any savvy investor would
choose. On top of that, we estimate that this investor will collect over $1.5 million in revenue over the next 10 years, the value of the property will increase by $1.3 million and he gets valuable tax deductions during the next ten years. Not bad...turning a $300k debt to the tax man into $2.8 million. Of course, this strategy can be utilized by anyone. Do you own a beach condo that you enjoy, or renting a house that you couldn’t sell? If so, use this same 1031 exchange technique to create a fat return for the future. Brian Patton, CCIM is a commercial real estate investor, broker, author and radio show host. Call 770-634-4848. or visit his website: www.CapitalListings.com
Submit your business news & photos to businessnews@northfulton.com
Hiring athletes for sales roles Are you looking to add sales resources to your small business to help you grow your revenue? Are you wondering what the best criteria are for identifying the best sales people in the marketplace? Having hired, trained, mentored and coached hundreds of sales professionals in my career, the best sales reps I’ve ever had were athletes. Now you may ask why athletes make good sales professionals, and the answer is quite simple. Athletes have attributes associated with them that are almost identical to the attributes you want with sales professionals. For starters, athletes are self-disciplined. They also possess incredible organizational skills. Having the self-discipline and organizational skills to build relationships, surface new business opportunities and close business is very similar to their history of practicing and preparing for a game, event or a match in the sport they played. Another critical element in successful sales professionals is their competitiveness. They need to have a will to always
DICK JONES
Founder & President Jones Simply Sales
win, with a relentless and self-motivated attitude that they can. Athletes have the same core foundation. Whether they played individual or team sports, they demonstrated over and over again that they were competitive. And athletes who actually played team sports are an even a better choice. Most small businesses don’t operate well without seamless teamwork. Hiring an athlete for a sales position who has a history of playing team sports will almost guarantee they will fit in and be a team player with their peers and other employees. If you are looking to hire good sales professionals, look no further on their resume than the sports activities that they have done in the past. You can’t go wrong hiring an athlete for a sales role in your small business.
Co-founder of Radarsign joins Atlanta nonprofit board ALPHARETTA, Ga. – PEDS, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making metro Atlanta safe and accessible for all pedestrians, has named Charlie Robeson to its board of directors. Robeson is a resident of Alpharetta and is the co-founder of the Alpharetta-based company Radarsign. The Radarsign team has collaborated with PEDS since 2007, working closely with government agencies, community organizations and others to increase pedestrian safety.
JOIN TODAY!
TOP FIVE EVENTS RYAN PIERONI
Calendar Editor ryan@northfulton.com
ALE YEAH BEER TASTING
Local merchant Ale Yeah will host a beer tasting at Barrington Hall. There will be several types of beer to sample. Registration required. 6:30 – 8:15 p.m. and 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. April 25. 535 Barrington Drive, Roswell. Please call 770-9922246.
LUDWIG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SPRING CONCERT ALPHARETTA ARTS STREETFEST
The streets of Historic Downtown will be filled with nearly 100 artists, musicians and performers. Enjoy a beautiful spring weekend as you stroll through outdoor galleries filled with fine art. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. April 26 and 27. 2 South Main St., Alpharetta. Please call 678-2970102 or visit awesomealpharetta. com.
BACK TO WOODSTOCK
The '60s/'70s themed event will have a Silent Auction, live music, cash bar and food. The proceeds from this event benefit the services Family Haven provides to victims of domestic violence. 7 – 11 p.m. April 25. 6844 Majors Road, Cumming. Please call 770-889-6384 or visit forsythcountyfamilyhaven.info.
The LSO presents "A Cherry Blossom Spring Fling,” a gala closing concert for its seventeenth season at the Gwinnett Center-Performing Arts Center. The evening's performance features internationally-acclaimed Korean violinist Hye-Jin Kim interpreting SaintSaens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso and the rare Dvorak Romance in F, Malek Jandali, American/Syrian pianist and composer, in the premiere of his Piano Theme and Variations, and local Russian artists Olga and Jacob Yampolsky performing the double concerto for violin and viola by Max Bruch. 7:30 p.m. April 26. 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth. Please visit ludwigsymphony.org.
ART »
The fifth annual Drake Walk to benefit local non-profit organization The Drake House, presented by DataScan consists of 1 mile and 5k routes that go through beautiful historic downtown Roswell. There will be lots of fun for the whole family at the finish line festival as well. Registration required. 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. May 3. 814 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell. Please call 770-587-4712 ext. 307 or visit thedrakehouse.org.
Kick off the Alpharetta Arts Streetfest at this one day event, showcasing eight of the Alpha Arts Guild’s talented and accomplished artists, each displaying numerous pieces of work in various mediums. Register onsite to win an original work of art. Refreshments will be served. Free. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. April 26. Alpharetta Welcome Center, 178 South Main St., Alpharetta. Please call 678297-0102.
THEATER » ‘TARZAN THE MUSICAL’
LOCATION: 3960 Old Milton Pkwy #300, Alpharetta, GA 30005 (770) 751-7222 • iroff.com
www.AlpharettaChamber.com
ALABAMA IN CONCERT
Alabama, the legendary country band formed by three cousins from Alabama, is coming to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. 7:30 – 11 p.m. April 27. 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. Please call 678-297-0102 or visit vzwamp.com.
King’s Ridge High School presents “Tarzan the Musical.” Based on Edgar Rice Burrough’s, “Tarzan of the Apes,” and the 1999 smash-hit Disney animated film, “Tarzan” tells the story of an infant boy orphaned on the shores of West Africa, and is raised by apes in the jungle. “Tarzan” features music and lyrics by pop icon Phil
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 19 special needs — Emory Johns Creek Pediatric Patients (NICU) and the Preschool itself. This year’s proceeds will support the same causes. Bring your friends and family to enjoy pony rides, a petting zoo, carnival rides, inflatables, games and more JCUMC Preschool. Tickets sold at the door. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. April 26. 11180 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek. Please call 770-497-8215.
‘BUTTERFLY: PARALLEL LIVES’ BOOK SIGNING
LOCAL LIVE MUSIC »
DRAKE WALK
ROBESON
Collins and book by Tony Award-winning playwright, David Henry Hwang. Show times vary. April 24 – 26. 2765 Bethany Bend, Alpharetta. Please call 770-754-5738 or visit kingsridgecs.org.
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.
ARTFUL ALPHARETTA
Join us May 1, 5:30pm at Iroff & Son Jewelers Join the Alpharetta Chamber for a can’t miss after hours at the Iroff & Son and M Chocolat. Bring business cards, network, and have a great time!
CALENDAR
Submit your event online at northfulton.com
‘INTO THE WOODS’
Forsyth Central Stage invites you "Into the Woods" at the Forsyth Central High School's Performing Arts Center. This whimsical steampunk version of the classic American musical by Steven Sondheim is a mash up of both various fairy tales and time. The story centers around Cinderella, Jack with his beanstalk, Rapunzel, a baker and his wife, a wolf, a giant, two princesses and a witch who have their fates intertwined when they enter a mysterious forest to see their wishes come true. But, the true power of the play comes when we find out what happens after “happily ever after.” 7 p.m. Through April 25. 520 Tribble Gap Road, Cumming. Please call 770-886-2388 or visit forsythcentralstage.com.
‘THE GOLDEN AGE OF TELEVISION’
For decades, they've been part of our families — Lucy Ricardo, Ralph Kramden, George Burns, Ed Sullivan and the Golden Girls. Now, the Georgia Senior Follies pay tribute to these and other fabulous characters in "The Golden Age of Television." Don’t miss this evening of music and laughter for the whole family. Show times vary. May 2 - 18. 101 School St., Cumming. Please call 770-781-9178 or visit playhousecumming.com.
EVENTS » 9TH ANNUAL KIDS HELPING KIDS CARNIVAL
Johns Creek United Methodist Church Preschool is having their 9th annual "Kids Helping Kids" Carnival. Last year's Carnival was a huge success, with over 2,000 people in attendance and raising over $47,000 for Camp Sparrowwood — a camp for children with
Local author Monette Massard will host a book signing event for her book “Butterfly: Parallel Lives” at the Anthony Gallery. During the event, Massard will share some of the challenges that she has faced throughout her life (including battling cancer and infertility, as well as domestic abuse), and the inner strength that she had to call upon to overcome these issues to become the woman she is today. Light hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served. 6 p.m. April 26. 5822 North Vickery Street, Cumming. Please call 770-710-3887 or visit monettemassard.com.
prize award to brew the award-winning recipe at Red Brick Brewing. Proceeds benefit Heritage Sandy Springs, a nonprofit community organization. Tickets are $30 in Advance or $40 at the Door. Designated Driver/ Non-Drinker tickets also available for $10 at the Door. 4 – 8 p.m. April 26. 6110 Bluestone Road, Sandy Springs. Please call 404-851-9111 or visit hssbeerfest.com.
‘SPRING INTO SPRING WITH NEW SALAD IDEAS’
Guest author Claudine Destino presents a cooking demonstration, “Spring into Spring with New Salad Ideas.” Claudine Destino is the author of “Confessions of a Kitchen Diva.” All are welcome and this event is free. Registration required. 6 - 7:30 p.m. April 28. Spruill Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek. Please call 770-360-8820 or visit afpls.org.
RACES AND BENEFITS »
ANNUAL GARDEN FAIRE
Bulloch Hall's Annual Garden Faire heralds the start of spring planting season and provides a onestop shop for everything you need to make your gardening dreams reality. This free gardening event, hosted by North Fulton Master Gardeners, will have something for every level of gardener — from novice to seasoned. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. April 26. 180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell. Please visit bullochhall.org.
ROSWELL CYCLING FESTIVAL
The Roswell Cycling Festival will take place on Canton Street, and feature many fun events for cyclists of all ages. The festival will begin with the Mayor’s Ride, followed by races of various categories, and a kid’s bicycle safety course. 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. April 27. Canton Street, Roswell. Please visit roswellcyclingfestival.com.
FIESTA 5K/15K CHALLENGE
HERITAGE SANDY SPRINGS BEER FEST
Sandy Springs' only beer festival returns to the heart of Sandy Springs. The 4th Annual Heritage Sandy Springs Beer Fest features over 100 craft beers for sampling, live local music, great food, tons of giveaways and more, all in a beautiful outdoor setting. Homebrewers can compete in the Moondog Growlers HomeBrew Competition and win big with a grand
As the name suggests, the Fiesta 5k/15k Challenge is not your ordinary race. Casual runners and walkers enjoy the 5k or the Fun Run, while endurance runners will want to participate in the 15k distance. The Fiesta 15k/5k Challenge is the perfect way to kickoff Cinco de Mayo. The race brings everyone out for a morning of health and fitness, awareness for ALS, and celebrating life. 100 percent of race proceeds and donations benefit the Emory ALS Center. 7:30 AM. May 3. 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming. Please call 678-491-0639 or visit fiestarunga.com.
Empty Nest Sponsored Section
Milton Herald | northfulton.com
Milton Herald | April 23, 2014
launch of our new App - ‘Easy Drops’ for our patients. ‘Easy Drops’aims to simplify eye drop regimens, educate the patient and promote better outcomes through better compliance. The
App is free and available for iPhones and iPads. Support for Android devices will be upcoming. After having performed thousands of cataract surgery,
Cataracts? Worry no more! Bladeless laser surgery is now available.
Milan Eye Center is the first practice in the United States to offer bladeless cataract surgery of its type.
Milan Eye Center is excited to announce that we have been chosen to be the first practice in the United States to use the Ziemer Z6 Laser for bladeless laser surgery. Now, Atlanta residents have the option to have a safer, quicker and more precise way of removing cataracts by utilizing our new bladeless laser procedure. Look for our ad series and visit us at www.MilanEyeCenter.com for more information on specific services and ways to learn more.
2011 and 2012 One of America’s Top Doctors by U.S. News and World Report
Milan R. Patel, M.D. Niraj Desai, M.D. Cataract & Refractive Cataract & Refractive Surgeon Surgeon
Gina Borgnini, O.D. Optometrist
Priyal Gadani, O.D. Optometrist
www.MilanEyeCenter.com
Call today for a consultation 678-688-4575
(NAPSI)—It’s a blanket statement but still true: Aging Americans can benefit from having a special blanket—one that’s lightly weighted to about three to five pounds, that is. There are several reasons. First, older people tend to get less deep REM sleep at night. A weighted blanket can help the brain produce melatonin and serotonin, allowing the person to sleep more soundly at night and be more alert during the day. The elderly tend to get cold easily regardless of the temperature, and featherweight blankets keep them warm because the polypellet content makes these blankets sort of a beanbag combined with a blanket. Featherweight blankets from Mosaic Weighted Blankets provide a feeling of comfort; they mimic a hug with their steady pressure on the body. The even distribution of weight gives a pleasant feeling of being
Spring is here and it is time to plan start fresh and make some positive changes for the year. Caring for a spouse or an elderly relative can be challenging, and there is no need to approach this alone. Let Senior Helpers provide the one-on-one care that your loved one deserves! With services starting at just one hour, Senior Helpers truly is your hometown solution for Senior Care. Senior Helpers is Family Owned & Managed and has been helping families since 2006. Located in Alpharetta, Senior Helpers is your Hometown solution for Private Home Care and Transportation. Pam Hodgson owns Senior Helpers with her adult children, Elizabeth Jackson and Matt Fredenberg. Having lived in North Fulton for the past 30 years, Pam has a tremendous heart for
helping families with caring for their loved ones. Q; I need help! I have been caring for my father for the past year and I am wiped out. My father has memory issues and cannot be left alone, what are my options? Pam; I am so sorry to hear about your Father, he is truly blessed to have such a loving daughter! You do need a break and the great news is that we can provide loving caregivers to give you this break! Our caregivers can come for the afternoon or stay 24/7 while you are out of town. All of our services are as needed and flexible! Give me a call at our office (770-442-2154) so we can discuss a care plan! Q; My wife is about to return from Northside Forsyth and the Case Management team is suggesting that we
have around the clock care, can your team do this? Pam; Yes we can! Our caregivers can provide 24/7 care for your wife as she recovers and then we can taper off the hours as she gets better! This is a very common service that we provide, we call it our Transition/Recovery Care! Senior Helpers has specially trained Caregivers (Certified Nursing Assistants mostly) that can provide care anywhere from one hour a day to live-in and 24/7. Senior Helpers is Licensed in the State of Georgia and all employees are bonded/licensed and insured and have passed all background checks and screenings. For more information about Senior Helpers services, please call 770-4422154! Or visit at Www.Seniorhelpers. com/northatlanta
Regular Eye Exams Are Important For Seniors
helping the patient with eye drops after surgery. The interface has been designed with our patients in mind and is intuitive, easy and straightforward. This App has been made available by Dr. Patel and Dr. Desai exclusively to the patients of Milan Eye Center.
Good News For Older People
6300 Hospital Pkwy, Suite 325 | Johns Creek 970 Sanders Rd, Suite 100 | Cumming
Learn more at
we have come to learn from our patients that the most difficult part of having cataract, pterygium, or glaucoma surgery is the eye drop regimen that follows. When both eyes are operated upon – which is common with cataract surgery – keeping up with three to four different eye drops to be taken at different times of the day in two different eyes can get quite confusing, even for the most organized. Paper charts designed to help the patient keep track of their eye drops can get lost, aren’t convenient to carry everywhere and are, otherwise, an inefficient mechanism. The ‘Easy Drops’ App automates your eye drop regimen once your surgical dates are inputted. The App also allows patients to get driving directions to the surgery center or clinic, have one touch access to emailing the practice as well as educational videos for perusal. You can even read about your surgeon, learn about new surgical procedures like ‘Bladeless cataract surgery’ and easily share the App with friends and family who may be involved in
April 23, 2014 21
Ask Pam, Your Expert in Senior Care since 2006
Surgeons at Milan Eye Center on the cutting edge of technology once again The surgeons at Milan Eye Center have taken another step towards the modernization of cataract surgery. Milan Eye Center is very excited to announce the
EMPTY NEST • Sponsored Section
(NAPS)—Many seniors will be glad to learn that there are steps they can take to protect against vision problems— starting with an eye exam. A regular exam is key for seniors because some eye conditions and diseases do not show warning signs. While it is commonly known that eye troubles increase rapidly with age—particularly after age 65—a lesserknown fact is that vision loss is also associated with a higher incidence of falls, injuries, depression and social isolation. A Regular Examination As part of an overall healthmaintenance strategy, the American Academy of Ophthalmology urges seniors to have a comprehensive eye exam, especially if they have not had one in the past two years, whether or not there are symptoms.
The Academy also encourages seniors, their loved ones and caregivers to be aware of signs that indicate vision problems that require an eye exam. These problems can include: • Bumping into or knocking over objects • Stepping hesitantly • Squinting or tilting the head when trying to focus • Missing objects when reaching • Discontinuing everyday activities such as reading and writing. Simple, painless eye exams are crucial in detecting an eye disease or condition in its early stages, to help preserve your sight. During the exam, an ophthalmologist—a medical doctor who specializes in eye care—will provide a diagnosis and treatment of all eye dis-
eases and conditions. service program of the Foun“The earlier a patient seeks Making Eye Care Available dation of the American Acadmedical diagnosis and treatDespite medical evidence emy of Ophthalmology, which ment, the greater the chances that healthy vision plays a crit- matches patients to volunteer for saving and recovering one’s ical role in overall health and ophthalmologists. vision, which contributes to happiness, many older adults “Sight problems should overall health and happiness.” in the United States do not not be ignored at any age, The program is sponsored seek regular eye care or face but particularly in seniors, as by the Knights Templar Eye difficulty accessing and paying problems are more common Foundation with additional for health care services. in this group of patients,” said support from Alcon. To learn To ensure that all seniors Richard P. Mills, M.D., MPH, more and to see if you qualify, throughout the country have chairman for EyeCare America. visit www.eyecareamerica.org. access to eye care services, nearly 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists are available to provide eye care at no outof-pocket cost to qualifying seniors 65 and older through • Alzheimer and Dementia • Caregivers Available EyeCare America, a public Care from 1 hr./day to 24/7
• Transportation and Errands • Bathing, Dressing and Light Housekeeping • Fall Risk Care
and Live-in
• Assisted Living Placement Assistance • Custom and Flexible Schedules
Older people can find lightly weighted blankets, a great sensory integration tool, both comfortable and comforting. cuddled and comforted. Learn More Find further facts about featherweight blankets that provide comfort at www. featherweightblankets.com, weighted blankets which assist healing at www.mosaicweightedblankets.com and call (512) 567-8943.
Senior Helpers: Matt Fredenberg, Elizabeth Jackson, Pam Hodgson, Hutch Hodgson
770.442.2154 A regular eye exam is key for seniors because some eye conditions and diseases do not show warning signs.
Your Local Senior Care Expert.
22 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
SCHOOLS
Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com
XL212 and the North Fulton Chamber announce Student Athletes of the Month ALPHARETTA, Ga. – XL212 and the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce have named Isabel Formby and Jonathan Mock as Student Athletes of the Month for March. This award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of deserving student athletes in the greater North Fulton area. Recipients are chosen from nominations made by area athletic directors and coaches based on exceptional athletic accomplishments, extraordinary academic prowess and a commitment to civic action. Formby, a senior tennis
player at North Springs Charter High School, was awarded the Female Student Athlete of the Month. A four-year varsity tennis player at the No. 1 singles spot, Formby maintains a 98.667 grade point average in school, has taken 13 AP courses and has an ACT score of 34. She is active in her school and community, participating in student government, Interact Club, National Honor Society, Student Ambassadors, Trees Atlanta and helping local wheelchair tennis players. She has been accepted to Georgia Tech’s engineering program,
the University of Georgia’s honor program and Grinnell College. Formby was joined at the awards presentation by her parents, Julia and Kevin Formby, tennis coach Tonique Fraiser and North Springs Athletic Director Tommy Amoroso. Mock, a senior lacrosse player from Johns Creek High School, was named the Male Student Athlete of the Month. The captain of the lacrosse team maintains a 4.27 grade point average, has an SAT score of 1880 and an ACT score of 29. He is a Fellowship of Chris-
Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com
Teams played for 2013 state baseball title
BARNY MARCHAND Johns Creek High Lacrosse Coach
NORTH FULTON, Ga. – After meeting in last year’s Class AAAAAA state championship baseball series, Milton and Roswell are both headed for return visits to the playoffs this season. Milton held the lead in the Region 5-AAAAAA standings going into last weekend with an 8-2 record, 15-7 overall. Roswell was second at 7-3, 14-8 overall. The two teams faced off in back-to-back games a few weeks ago, with Milton winning 13-4 at Roswell and Roswell winning 8-6 at Milton. Milton has played a demanding non-region schedule, including six games against national caliber teams from out of state. The Eagles are 3-3 in those games, including a 2-2 mark in a national tournament in North Carolina in late March. “Our schedule has been brutal,” Milton coach Joey Ray said, citing several other nonregion games against 2013 region champions from metro Atlanta. “We have had our hands full.” The Eagles returned nine key players from last year’s state championship squad, but shortstop Dylan Cease, who is also one of the team’s two aces, has been sidelined recently with an elbow injury. That has left a hole in the team’s rotation, but Milton still has two top-flight starters in seniors Alex Schnell and Matt Geiger. Schnell, who pitched an eight-inning, two-hitter to win the third game of last year’s championship series, is 5-2 with a 1.00 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 49 innings. Geiger has taken over as the No. 2 starter and is 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 41 innings. Cease was 1-0 with a 1.09 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 12 innings before being sidelined. Schnell has signed with Clemson, and Cease is headed to Vanderbilt. Cease is also a key offensive performer, batting .343 with 13 RBI in 12 games, and Ray hopes he will at least have Cease’s bat available for the postseason. Other returning starters from last year’s team are first baseman Jack Thompson (17 RBI, .323, Georgia State signee); second baseman Ryan Gridley (.443, Mississippi State); third baseman Dalon Farkas (17 RBI on 18 hits, Kansas State) and center fielder Dalton Ewing (.407, Coastal Carolina). Catcher Alec Miller and
By MIKE BLUM news@northfulton.com
CADY STUDIOS/SPECIAL
Isabel Formby and Jonathan Mock are the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce’s Student Athletes of the Month.
Student becomes principal for day ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A special honor was bestowed on fifth-grader Dora Reed when she had the opportunity to be Creek View Elementary School’s Principal for the Day. Reed assisted Principal Debbie Doss with sorting books for the Leveled Book Room, going on Creek View’s morning news show, helping with lunch duty in the cafeteria and visiting classrooms. Reed is in Allison Snow’s fifth-grade class and is pictured with Doss. —Jonathan Copsey
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 23
Eagles, Hornets heading back to state playoffs
He is a true leader and team player.”
tian Athletes leader, a member of the Theological Foundations for Leaders at Perimeter Church and is a youth lacrosse coach and referee. “He is a true leader and team player,” said coach Barny Marchand. “He has a positive attitude, a great work ethic, is coachable, and is a ‘we’ player, not a ‘me’ player.” Mock was joined at the awards presentation by his parents, Brian and Jana Mock, and Marchand.
SPORTS
outfielder Erik Peterson are also returning starters, giving the Eagles a veteran group as they look to defend their title. Ray said he is “still trying to figure out the No. 3 three starter,” with the Eagles having several candidates. Will Matthews has “been our go-to guy” for long and short relief, Ray said, with a 2-1 record and 2.19 ERA in six appearances, but no other Milton pitcher had worked more than eight innings as of the middle of last week. Roswell suffered heavier
graduation losses, with the Hornets having 10 seniors sign to play college baseball off the 2013 state runner-up squad. Roswell also lost returning starter Ryan Ritson, the team’s left fielder and No. 3 starter, for the season after Tommy John surgery. Returning junior Austin Krzeminski, who has committed to Georgia Tech, is the Hornets’ No. 1 starter, with junior Rory Horde behind him. Senior Scott Franklin has done an outstanding job as the Hornets’ closer with a 4-1 record and five saves. Juniors Dion Simpson and Nick Barlow are vying to be No. 3 starter.
Our schedule has been brutal. We have had our hands full.” JOEY RAY Milton Eagles Coach Offensively, the Hornets have less power than last season but more team speed, said coach Mike Power. Third baseman Mitchell Benson, a Georgia State signee, and outfielder Lawson Dunkin are among just a handful of returning starters off last season’s team. Seniors Jordan Hovater and Colin McCaulley have moved into the
lineup at shortstop and second base and have played well, along with junior catcher/ DH Matthew Hammaker and Horde, an outfielder. “The biggest thing is getting better as the season has progressed,” Power said. “Not many of our guys had an opportunity to play much last season.”
SPORTS
24 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com
Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com
SCHOOLS
northfulton.com | Milton Herald | April 23, 2014 | 25
Blessed Trinity, King’s Ridge take aim at state baseball titles
Chattahoochee architecture students win honors
By MIKE BLUM news@northfulton.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Three Chattahoochee High School architecture students earned monetary prizes and the right to be published in the next house plan book published by Atlanta Plan Source. Michael Ditto, the first-place winner, received a $100 Apple store gift card. Lucas Ferreira took second place and won $50, and Arianne Perez, the third-place winner, received $25. The students are in their second year of Gregg Mervich’s architecture class at Chattahoochee. This past fall, the students learned all aspects of designing a home, including rooms and space needed in new home design. The students then tackled their own custom design of a four bedroom, 2.5 bath two-story home. The design parameters were set by Jim Wells, owner of Atlanta Plan Source. Wells has been judging final designs and determining winners for the past four years. “I am constantly amazed at the level of creativity and talent these high school students display,” Wells said. “It is always a challenge to determine the winners because all the designs are so good.” Wells’ plan books are sold at home stores around the nation. One of his house plans has been the highestselling plan in the U.S. for numerous years. The architecture students took their design ideas from bubble sketches to line sketches and then used Autodesk’s building design software, Revit, to draw their house plans. The software allows students to do exterior and interior three-dimensional renderings of their plans as well as floor plans. The final set of plans included a foundation plan and electrical plan as well. “It is fun to watch the students develop their skills during the four years they can take the architecture class here at Chattahoochee High School,” said Mervich. Mervich’s upper-level architecture students are now working on designing an observation tower for downtown Atlanta as a part of the American Institute of Architects Atlanta chapter high school design contest.
NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Both Blessed Trinity and King’s Ridge Christian have made deep runs in the state high school baseball playoffs in recent seasons. With the playoffs only a few weeks away, the two teams are in position again to take swings at a possible state title. Blessed Trinity was unbeaten in Region 6-AAA with a handful of games remaining in the regular season, with King’s Ridge second in its 6-A sub-region. Both teams were state-ranked as of last week, with BT second in AAA and King’s Ridge fifth in Class A. St. Pius handed Blessed Trinity its first region loss of the season, winning 1-0 in 10 innings last Thursday to move into a first place tie in 6-AAA at 11-1. The Titans are 17-7 overall, going 2-2 recently in a national tournament in Las Vegas. Until last week’s St. Pius game, all their other losses came against top teams from higher classifications by a total of five runs, two of the defeats in extra innings. BT defeated St. Pius 11-1 in the first game between the two teams this season. The Titans have qualified for the playoffs every year since 2003, winning the state championship in 2006 and advancing to at least the quarterfinals every year but one since then. Blessed Trinity has been powered by a lineup that has put up impressive numbers top to bottom, with a pitching staff led by the strong 1-2 duo of Ryan Young and Brad Spinner. Midway through last week, Young was 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA. The senior lefthander had 40 strikeouts in 39 innings. Spinner, a junior righthander, was 4-1 with a 1.79 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 37 innings. Offensively, the Titans had eight front line players with batting averages of .349 or better. Paul Dwyer and Bryson Jenkins, the only seniors among the group, were hitting .349 and .373 respectively. Junior Bronco O’Brien was batting .404 and led
the team in runs (25), stolen bases (27), walks (16) and on-base percentage (.517). The Titans were also getting big seasons from fellow juniors Jack Dunn (.386, 14 steals), Cody Roberts (.446, 21 RBI) and John Castro (.339, 19 runs). Two of the team’s top offensive threats are sophomores Jake Bogosian (.422, team high 24 RBI) and Connor Davis (.365, 23 runs, .481 OBP). King’s Ridge wrapped up second place in Region 6-A South with a 12-2 victory last Thursday at Walker. The Tigers improved their record to 13-3 in the sub-region with three games scheduled this week. Overall, King’s Ridge is 17-3. The Tigers have made it to the quarterfinals in the Class A playoffs twice in the past three seasons, including their first season in the GHSA (2011) and last year. In the team’s final season in the GISA in 2010, King’s Ridge advanced to the state semifinals. Last week’s win over Walker avenged an earlier loss, with the Tigers’ two other defeats coming at the hands of sub-region champion Mount Paran, one of just a handful of teams ranked ahead of King’s Ridge in Class A. Like Blessed Trinity, King’s Ridge has a lineup full of hitters with gaudy statistics. Right fielder Paul Stallings, a Georgia Tech signee, is batting .528 with 12 extra base hits and 16 RBI. Shortstop Grayson Byrd (LSU signee) is hitting .473 with 16 RBI and 12 stolen bases, with Wake Forest-bound Connor Burns leading the team with a .510 average and sharing the RBI lead at 16 with Stallings and Byrd. Other players enjoying strong seasons are Slade Osborne (.466, 14 runs); Kyle Brnovich (.442, 10 RBI); Cullen Monette (.386, 13 runs), Lawson Hill (.360, 13 RBI) and Adam Moore (.359, 13 runs). Austin Peay signee Austin Higginbotham is the lone regular batting below .360, but is also the team’s No. 1 starter with a 5-1 record and a 2.50 ERA. Moore (3-0, 2.50) and Burns (2-0, 2.99) join him in the starting rotation, with Slade and Brnovich (four saves) the primary relievers.
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Three Chattahoochee architecture students, from left, Mike Ditto, Lucas Ferreira and Arianne Perez, won monetary prizes as well as the opportunity to be published in the next house plan book published by Atlanta Plan Source.
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26 | April 23, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com
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Concorde Fire U15 girls win region championship NORTH FULTON, Ga. – The Concorde Fire U15 ECNL team showed hard work and dedication as they won the Southeast
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Budget: Continued from Page 6 velop its annual plan. Avossa explained the process allows the system to “do more with less.” With zero-based budgeting, all departmental costs are built from the ground up, starting at zero dollars, and based on
need instead of fixed amounts from previous years. Throughout the year, “interviews” are held with department heads to provide an opportunity to lobby for the dollars needed to run their programs. “The FY 2015 budget was developed using this process and it required that the budget be developed from the bottom up and based on demonstrated need rather than just approv-
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Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com | Recycled paper ing incremental increases or decreases,” explained Avossa There is little wiggle room in the Fulton Schools budget from year to year, said officials, noting that 67 percent of the dollars go directly into classrooms and instruction. That leaves 33 percent to cover all other costs, including transportation, maintenance and operations, utilities and all the other non-classroom expenses. “The economic slowdown, an enrollment growth of about 1,800 students next year, increases in health insurance costs and the reduction or elimination of some state and
federal grants have created funding challenges for the school district,” said Avossa. But even with those challenges, he said, the FCSS will have a balanced budget, keep class sizes the same and add more money per pupil in local schools to use as they see fit. The system is also getting closer to an 180-day school year, which had been the norm before economic issues forced the system to cut three days off the calendar five years ago. There was no loss in instruction time, since the system made the school day longer to make up for the three
days. There was no word on whether the school days would shorten as the days are added back. The millage rate of 18.502 is being proposed to remain unchanged for FY 2015. This would be the fifth consecutive year that the millage remains unchanged, and will keep Fulton’s rate the lowest in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Public hearings on the budget are planned for May 6 and May 15, with tentative approval slated for May 15. The school board plans to formally adopt the budget in June.
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Election:
the “Balkanization” of Fulton County, saying it would only further hamper pushes for more regional fixes, such as MARTA and transportation. “The real issue is a perceived lack of representation and a misalignment of resources,” he said. “Forty percent of Fulton County’s population is in North Fulton, but the resources allocated do not match up with the population. We need to close that gap.” Pitts agreed. “There were legitimate concerns about the county government,” he said. “The new [commission] seat begins to address the issue of representation. You were underrepresented.” Jail overcrowding Asked about overcrowd-
ing at the Fulton County Jail, Broadwell said Atlanta’s jail is only 20 percent used. The county at one point agreed to buy the center, however, the deal was put on hold. “We need to acquire a facility that is already up to code and up to speed,” he said. “That would solve the issue right away.” Ellis agreed the issue was a priority. “We have to get this county from out beneath this consent order,” Ellis said, referring to a court order demanding Fulton fix outdated jail systems and overcrowding. “Being in a reactive mode has just served to cost us as taxpayers a lot of money. We have got to get this addressed.”
Claude Ralph Alberson, Jr., 66, of Cumming, passed away April 13, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.
Eden Sara Hersh, 50, passed away March 31, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery.
Mary Kosakowski, 78, of Seminole, FL, passed away April 2, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Laila Asaad, of Cumming, passed away April 12, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Sylvia Higginbotham, 78, of Alpharetta, passed away April 3, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Continued from Page 15 happen, you have to make Fulton fiscally healthy, standing on its own feet.” He said taxes in south Fulton would likely increase substantially. The county will have to look at how best to approach that. “We can’t have the same level of dysfunction that has existed,” Ellis said. “I’m for [Milton County] in concept. The reality does not look practical at this point. We have to deal with what we have right now and make the best of it.” Eaves said he was against
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Jerry Farmer, 72, of Norcross, passed away April 8, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Sonia Gemidoff, 76 , of Alpharetta, passed away April 4, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
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Patti A. Hazzard, 62, of Marietta, passed away April 11, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Frank Hudson, 100, of Sandy Springs, passed away April 4, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Marietta G. Jones , 69, of East Point, passed away April 5, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
James F. Kelly Jr., 82, of Roswell, passed away April 9, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Edward Kloss, 64, of Atlanta, passed away April 11, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Lucille Korn, 92 , of Atlanta, passed away April 10, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
Chase Luther, 23, of Roswell, passed away April 8, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Charles Meurisse, 57, of Alpharetta, passed away April 8, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Richard Alan Mitchem, 59, passed away April 4, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery. Eric A. Muller, 86, of Cumming, passed away April 12, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Riley Oslen Johnson, 1, of Alpharetta, passed away April 5, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Carolyn Pafford, 88, passed away April 3, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery.
Christina Palma, 67, of Alpharetta, passed away April 11, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Edith Angela Ashe Pirkle, 90, of Cumming, passed away April 9, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Milton Polakovic, 82, of Suwanee, passed away April 10, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Rafael Ramirez, 55, of Alpharetta, passed away April 8, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Steven Edward Roth, 59, passed away March 31, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery. Linda Ruggerio, 62, of Alpharetta, passed away April 15, 2014. Arrangemetns by Byars Funeral Home.
Lois Silva, 73, of Roswell, passed away April 11, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
97, Elsie Laura Sloan, passed away April 3, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery. Vasiliki Smith, 81, passed away April 5, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery. James Waldroup, 73, of Roswell, passed away April 12, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
42, Zelia Nery Walker, passed away March 31, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery. Roger Wall, 67, passed away March 31, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery.
Felicia Sands, 87, of Roswell, passed away April 10, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Bertha Mae Webb, 88, of Alpharetta, passed away April 10, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Dorothy Eleanor Schieber, 94, passed away April 9, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Green Lawn Cemetery.
Marianne Willnow , 71, of Alpharetta, passed away April 7, 2014. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.
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