Johns Creek Herald, May 7, 2015 by Appen Media Group

Real Estate Report Sponsored section ►►PAGE 24

Assisted living rezoning on hold

Council concerned about stress on emergency service ►►PAGE 4

Hats and horses

CDA’s Down Home Derby draws crowd ►►PAGE 33

May 7, 2015 | johnscreekherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 19, No. 17

New ISO rating saves homeowners $6M on fire insurance Alpharetta mutual aid has huge role in reduction By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com

HATCHER HURD/STAFF

Johns Creek Fire Chief Jeff Hogan, right, and Battalion Chief Cam Huynh celebrate the good ISO rating with the firefighters at Station No. 63 on Old Alabama Road.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – After years of working to improve service, the Johns Creek Fire Department has lowered its ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating to a 2 for the entire community. That will mean a savings of more than $6 million in fire insurance premiums for city homeowners. When Johns Creek came into being, one of the first things it needed was a fire department. But the transition was not smooth. Many department records were “lost” and coverage was spotty in some of the city’s extremities (for an ISO rating of 9). In some, it

was considered nonexistent. That meant homeowners and commercial buildings required much higher fire insurance (an ISO of 10). The ISO is a private, nonprofit company that grades fire departments. Lower numbers signify better fire protection. Insurance companies rely on the ratings premiums for homeowners and businesses. “In 2008, we were starting from scratch,” said Johns Creek Fire Chief Jeff Hogan. “We didn’t have any of the records for the buildings. We didn’t have a fire plan.” The city’s ISO rating (which is the standard for most fire insurers) was at a 4-9-10. That meant most of the city was a solid 4, with 10 being the worst and 1 the best. But some areas were an anemic 9 and those at a 10 were not considered to be

See ISO, Page 34

Eaves: Fulton County future ‘bright’ Optimism, progress in county By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – A renewed sense of optimism has grasped Fulton County of late. Long known for dysfunctional politics, the county has turned a corner, says Fulton Commission Chairman John Eaves. “This is a new day for the county,”

Eaves said. “The present is bright, and the future is even brighter.” He was speaking at the inaugural State of the County address April 30 to a crowd of legislators and local government officials. EAVES Fulton County has 1 million residents and 14 municipalities. It is the most populous county in the state, as well as the largest in size. This can make its challenges unique.

We are a great county, one county. Our best days are yet to come.” JOHN EAVES Fulton County Commission Chairman Governing can be difficult. While this has proven true in past years, so far this year, the county com-

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mission has already passed several hurdles – a budget was unanimously passed, as was the appointment of a new county manager. Neither have happened in recent memory. “People are beginning to embrace collaborate leadership,” Eaves said. “We can get a whole lot more done working together than going by ourselves. “We are a great county, one county,” he said. “Our best days are yet to come.” Eaves laid out five goals he has for

See EAVES, Page 35

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Angry neighbor pulls gun on skateboarders

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MILTON, Ga. – An Alpharetta man was arrested April 20 after allegedly pulling a gun on three people skateboarding in his neighborhood. The three victims – all in their late teens or early 20s – said they were skateboarding when a black Jaguar driven by Douglas Todd Lapinoza, 40, of Sunfish Bend, sped by. They said Lapinoza yelled at the victims, allegedly calling them racial slurs, to get out of the street. They said he then drove to his home, got out of the car

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.

Woman caught cashing fake check ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A South Carolina woman was arrested April 21 after allegedly trying to cash a fake check for more than $5,000 at a local bank. Police were called to the Bank of America on Windward Parkway at 2:38 p.m. after a suspect came in trying to cash a check for $5,800. The bank

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.

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►► Kelly D. Avery, 27, of Hazelwood

Drive, Alpharetta, was arrested March 18 on Alpharetta Highway in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Donna T. Krug, 60, of North Bluff, Alpharetta, was arrested March 18 on Alpharetta Highway in Roswell for DUI. ►► Ronnell Lanair Rock, 38, of Carleigh Lane, Roswell, was arrested March 18 on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell for DUI, failure to maintain lane and suspended license. ►► Morgan McDonald Monette, 24, of Canton was arrested March 19 on Atlanta Street in Roswell for DUI, speeding and reckless driving. ►► Joel Christopher Kurtz, 40, of Evergreen Place, Roswell, was arrested March 20 on Houze Way in Roswell for

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surmised the ID used was forged and called the business the check was drawn against. The business confirmed the check was also fake. The suspect, Shawn Deleen Dobbs, 28, of South Carolina, was arrested for first and third degree forgery and identity fraud.

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See BLOTTER, Page 3

DUI, failure to maintain lane and child endangerment. ►► James M. Montgomery, 44, of Pearwood Path, Roswell, was arrested March 20 on Riverside Road in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Tunisa Cloud McClendon, 41, of Atlanta was arrested March 21 on Atlanta Street in Roswell for DUI, reckless driving and failure to obey a traffic control device. ►► Gerardo A. Quintana, 36, of Regatta Grove, Alpharetta, was arrested March 22 on Alpharetta Highway in Roswell for DUI, failure to maintain lane and taillight violation. ►► Justin Scott Mayo, 33, of Chads Ford Way, Roswell, was arrested March 22 on Holcombs Ferry Way in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Athena Kiersten Speck, 22, of Atlanta was arrested March 24 on Alpharetta Street in Roswell for DUI and failure to obey a traffic control device. ►► Alicia Dawn Hannon, 29, of Marietta was arrested April 12 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI, failure

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oper, told police two separate checks, both fake, were recently cashed by two different people. The actual checks were still in the company’s possession. They were both written out to about $4,500 each. The IDs used by both individuals were forgeries. The victim was advised to close their bank accounts and create new ones.

Boyfriend steals jewels for ‘surprise’

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A local business is out nearly $10,000 after two fake checks were successfully cashed April 24. The victim, a Milton-based devel-

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and retrieved what the victims called a shotgun from his home. The victims reported he brandished the gun at them, saying he was a police officer and again yelling slurs. He then drove away. Police later picked Lapinoza up at his home. He allegedly has a history of brandishing firearms, as he was reportedly involved in a similar incident in October 2014 at a local bar. Lapinoza was arrested for aggravated assault with a firearm and impersonating a police officer.

to maintain lane and use of wireless communications while driving.

Drug arrests ►► Ambrocio Morales, 33, of Norcross

Street, Roswell, was arrested March 22 on Alpharetta Highway in Roswell for possession of cocaine. ►► DoShawn Pierre Davis, 31, of Gran Crique Drive, Roswell, was arrested March 26 on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell for possession of marijuana. ►► Amine Khalil Bensaadoun, 21, of Doraville was arrested March 27 on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell for possession of marijuana. ►► Janice Margaret Altidor, 31, of Lithia Springs was arrested April 17 on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and headlight violation. ►► Justin Gabriel Monroe, 21, of Summer Breeze Court, Alpharetta, was arrested April 13 on Tumbling Creek Drive in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and possession of drugrelated items.

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Neighbor steals electricity FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A man called the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office April 23 after he realized his neighbor was stealing electricity from him. The man has a rental property off of Wilkinson Drive and said that was the first time he had been there in about two weeks. He told officers he noticed a yellow extension cord running from the power outlet on his back deck attached to an orange extension cord that ran to the back of the neighbor’s

house. He reportedly tried to make contact with the neighbor, but no one answered. The officer contacted the neighbor, who said he had lived there for two months. He reportedly told officers he was stealing the power because his was cut off. The man said he didn’t want to prosecute. He just wanted the theft documented, so he could turn it over to the property manager.

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Blotter:

Continued from Page 2 DUI stop April 20 turned into much more, as a suspect was arrested for stealing nearly $8,000 in jewelry from his girlfriend. Nicholas Gabriel Mendez, 33, of Marietta told police he took the numerous necklaces, rings and bracelets from his girlfriend’s home in Milton to get them fixed and upgraded. This was to be a surprise for her, he said. His girlfriend said otherwise, saying not only did Mendez not have permission

Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 3

to take the jewelry, but they had broken up several weeks ago. Mendez was arrested for felony theft.

Woman nearly victim of PC scam JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A Johns Creek resident realized she was the victim of a computer scam before any serious damage could be done to her computer or bank accounts. The victim told police she was on her home computer April 17 when a window popped up warning that her computer was compromised.

It listed a number to call for tech support. She called this number and a man on the other end told her how the problem could be fixed. As he did this, he was moving the mouse on the victim’s computer, having control over it. He said the problem could be fixed for $299, which the victim provided via credit card. The call was ended. The victim called the business she bought the computer from and was told the fix was a scam. She cancelled the charge, ordered a new credit card and reset her computer.

NEWS

4 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

The assisted living 112-bed facility would represent a down zoning in terms of traffic generated and vehicle trips.

Council defers zoning for Medlock assisted living 107,000 s.f. facility may tax emergency services By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Johns Creek City Council voted unanimously April 27 to table a decision on a 106,000-square-foot assisted living facility on 6.1 acres at the northwest corner of Medlock Bridge and Abbots Bridge roads. Although the four assembled parcels for the site have never been developed, council raised concerns that the construction of another assisted living facility in the response area of Fire Station No. 61 could burden the response times for that station. The project required a rezoning from C-1, the most dense commercial zoning classification, to C-1 Conditional. The property had been limited to retail or service-commercial office uses and planning staff

recommended denial of the project on the grounds it would take retail uses off the comprehensive plan. “Staff has determined the proposed use is not suitable or in keeping with the goals and objectives of the comprehensive plan,” said Community Development Director Sharon Ebert. “The goals include preventing the erosion of noncommercial uses in the [Ga.] 141 corridor.” However, the Johns Creek Planning Commission recommended approval of the project with some conditions requested by nearby residents. The applicant, Dan Simmons, wants to put 112 units in three stories on property directly across from Northview High School. A one-story building would house memory care residents. Speaking to council, Simmons’ attorney Carl Westmo-

reland pointed out the site has remained vacant since it was zoned in 2006. The applicant has agreed to the conditions suggested by the Planning Commission. Westmoreland said the Comprehensive Plan is somewhat at odds with itself on what is desired in the Ga. 141 corridor. He quoted from the plan where it states it is the policy to “evolve from sprawling strip commercial development.” “This development would certainly be a step in that direction,” Westmoreland said. He also pointed out that staff had some discussions whether the project would be a residential use; Westmoreland said it is not. Rather it is an institutional use for zoning purposes. The most telling case for the approval of the project lies in the failure of the property to be developed in the inter-

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vening nine years since it was rezoned, despite being graded and prepared for development. “There would be a dramatic drop in the traffic volume if it is developed as assisted living instead of another retail strip center,” Simmons told council. Simmons also noted it would be a $25 million addition to the tax digest and create 80 new jobs. A market study of the property shows a need for such a facility serving local residents within a 5- to 7-mile radius. No one spoke against the rezoning. However, Brad Harris, a member of the Myers Park townhouse community adjacent to the property, said his homeowners’ association is in favor of the assisted living facility. In addition to halting the “retail sprawl,” the presentation of the project by Simmons was well received by the residents who were assured this would be a good use for the property and that he had the experience to do it. “We don’t need another strip center on 141 when so many of them have empty stores now,” Harris said. “This project would generate very little noise – which is important to us – and it represents a step-down zoning which is called for in the Comprehensive Plan.” Councilman Steve Broadbent questioned the effect of another assisted living facility in the city and its effect on the ability of the fire department to respond to the demand. Mayor Mike Bodker agreed. He said if users require more from city services that taxpayers pay for, he would like to see that direct cost borne by the users. But he did not know of a way to do this. City staff had collected the number of total calls for emergency service from all eight existing facilities and reported in 2013, it was 179 calls. In 2014, it was 180 calls and so far this year, 68 calls. The council then decided

See DEFER, Page 37

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NEWS

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Police, fire units use new system By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; North Fultonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency services officially broke from the county April 28, when the officers of most cities transferred to a new system. The radio systems used by public safety personnel in the cities of Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs were transferred from Fulton County to new systems operated by the North Fulton Regional Radio System Authority (NFRRSA).Â Johns Creek chose not to take part in the system, remaining on the county service. The consortium was formed in 2013 with the goal of creating a locally controlled and locally funded, comprehensive public safety radio system. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Public safety is paramount, and response time is a true â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;life or deathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; factor,â&#x20AC;? said John McDonough, Sandy Springs city manager and chairman of the NFRRSA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We embarked on this program back in 2009, intent on finding the best solution to upgrade the systems we were using,

Public safety is paramount, and response time is a true â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;life or deathâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; factor.â&#x20AC;? JOHN MCDONOUGH Sandy Springs city manager and chairman of the NFRRSA which were more than 20 years old, failing and provided no viable back-up.â&#x20AC;? The new system, he said, ensures public safety personnel are able to communicate and respond to an emergency.Â The completed system replaces radio dispatch consoles at three 911 centers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alpharetta, ChatComm (Sandy Springs) and Roswell. Individual transmitter positions provide enhanced capacity as backup in case of a power grid loss.Â Coverage area also improves with the new system, enabling enhanced in-building coverage to public safety users. The system utilizes eight transmitter sites located around the

Transmitter sites for the emergency radio network â&#x20AC;˘ Fouts Road, Roswell â&#x20AC;˘ Lackey Road, Roswell â&#x20AC;˘ Freemanville Road, Milton â&#x20AC;˘ Atlanta Fire Station 21, Atlanta â&#x20AC;˘ Morton Road, Johns Creek â&#x20AC;˘ Hembree Road, Roswell â&#x20AC;˘ Morgan Falls, Sandy Springs â&#x20AC;˘ Riverwood, Cobb County (Cumberland Mall) North Fulton area, encompassing Buckhead to the Forsyth, Cherokee, Cobb and Gwinnett county borders. The system cost the cities of the NFRRSA approximately $14 million to design and build, with the cost share among the participating cities based on city population, square miles of coverage and number of radios needed by public safety personnel. The North Fulton system is completely separate from the Fulton County system, which is being upgraded to meet new regulations.

Recycle, shred documents May 9 Part of Day of Service in JC

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; As part of a day dedicated to improving the community, the City of Johns Creek, Keep Johns Creek Beautiful, and Panera Bread Co. on Medlock Bridge Road are offering free recycling of electronics, fluorescent bulbs, and cooking fats, oils, and grease (FOG) and shredding of sensitive documents May 9 at Panera Bread Co. on 11715 Medlock Bridge Road. Volunteers helping at the event are part of a citywide day of service that includes community improvement efforts across the city. Other events include a clean-up of roadways by Adopt-a-Road sponsors, installation of a vegetable garden at Wilson Creek Elementary School, a blood drive at Shakerag Fire Station, and a cleanup of a portion of Johns Creek, the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s namesake.Â The North Fulton Day of Service is supported by numerous organizations, including Leadership Johns Creek,

What: Document shredding, fluorescent bulb recycling, FOG recycling Where: Panera Bread Co., 11715 Medlock Bridge Rd. When: May 9, 2015 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost: Free Keep Johns Creek Beautiful, the Red Cross, Alpharetta Rotary, and Senior Services North Fulton. For a list of service day projects in Johns Creek and other North Fulton cities, see www.nfserves.org. To avoid identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission recommends shredding charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards and credit offers.Â Documents at the event will be shred on-site, and all paper will be recycled. For more info, contact Keep Johns Creek Beautiful at 770551-7766 or info@knfb.org.

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OPINION

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The American Dream is elusive for some Something has gone very wrong in America. Riots erupted in Baltimore last week after the April 19 death of Freddie Gray. He died a week after he was arrested and suffered a severe spinal injury while in police custody. The cause of this injury is currently unknown. In the past six months, protests and rioting have erupted in a half-dozen cities across the country. They all have similar circumstances – an unarmed black man is killed by a white officer, which has spurred protests both peaceful (during the day) and violent (at night). I don’t know if these killings surprisingly close together are a new phenomenon or if we are simply paying more attention now. But it doesn’t really matter. It’s time we acknowledge this is more than simply one incident in one upset town outside of St. Louis. There is something going on far larger than that, a national and cultural problem. Beyond the aspects of police violence – which, to be clear, is the exception rather than the norm – there is the deeper issue, one of why black communities seem to be targeted more than white or even other minorities. Why

JONATHAN COPSEY

Revue & News Editor jonathan@ appenmediagroup.com

The American Dream is one of working hard and getting ahead in life. It’s one of making things better not just for yourself, but for your family, leaving your children a better lot than before. are we not seeing or hearing about similar cases of officers killing Hispanics or Asians? Why just African-Americans? Is it simply because the black community is more vocal

about crimes against them? I do not know if this is truly a race issue or more of a poverty issue. Perhaps it is a mixture of both. At the very least, all this unrest speaks to the intense distrust of police by the black community. There are simple solutions that could help the situation – requiring police body cameras is one possible step. Better police training or leadership could be another. Some departments around the country just need fixing. But fixing police issues is not fixing the problem; it’s treating the symptoms. The American Dream is one of working hard and getting ahead in life. It’s one of making things better not just for yourself, but for your family, leaving your children a better lot than before. Somewhere along the line, a large portion of the black community was denied this dream. Or perhaps they simply gave up pursuing it. An impoverished, disenfranchised and, frankly, violent, community doesn’t get that way overnight. There are calls to help the black communities in these cities rise up from poverty. Better investment in these com-

VICTORIA MACCHI/VOA NEWS

Riot police form a line to push back protesters and media, Baltimore, April 28, 2015. munities both in education and economy is needed, to be sure, but no business is going to invest in an area with high drug use and crime. No school is going to get better teachers with violent or truant students. There are good people of every race working every day to make a difference, to break cycles of violence or poverty. We need more of these people and they need more help. That is probably the single best option to help these impoverished communities. It is sad that this year –

2015 – is 50 years from many of the accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act the year before. That was itself a turbulent time, but it ended all right for the black community and indeed the country. I used to think we had progressed significantly since then. Apparently I was wrong. We may have political parity across races, but social and civil parity is still lacking. This road is a long one and there is still a long way to go.

Change comes How are race relations in your city? to Cumming WHAT’S APPENING?

Take even a cursory glance at newspapers, social media or radio and television reports and you would be hardpressed to miss the disturbing events going on in Baltimore this week. The controversial death of a young black man in police custody, followed by public grieving, anger, charges of racism and injustice and ultimately rioting and looting have left a community in tatters and a nation wondering how and when will this end? People throughout the country are asking if race relations are getting worse, or are we just paying more attention? Is the problem institutional or isolated? Why are protests of injustice turning into riots and lawlessness? Where else could this happen? In situations like these, technology and social media can act as both curse and blessing. Used one way, the pervasive nature of camera phones can help clear or

KEITH STILL

Newsroom Editor keith@appenmedia group.com

convict. They can also create chaos. Images and other information shared through social media posts spread so quickly that they can make it difficult to assess what really happened, how it happened or who is responsible. The images and posts flying around from the first minute can make justice seem unattainable to many. So while prosecutors on Friday ruled that this case is a homicide and moved quickly to charge six police officers, their incredibly swift investigation did not – and perhaps never could have – come quickly enough to ease the tensions and

Join the conversation

• Are race relations in the country better, worse or unchanged today? • Do you think your community’s race relations mirror the country’s overall? • How do you think Atlanta -- or North Fulton or Forsyth -would respond? Email your thoughts to keith@appenmediagroup.com. avoid the violence that shut down the streets of Baltimore. Worse, the frenzy on all sides makes it nearly impossible to come together and search for solutions to prevent similar tragedies in the future...maybe in a neighborhood near you.

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The city of Cumming has an opportunity that hasn’t presented itself since 1992 — an open councilmember spot. The newest councilman only joined because his successor passed away while in office. The other councilmen have been in office since at least 1979, 36 years ago. Collectively, they have 239 years of public service. That’s an incredible feat that should not be downplayed or written off. I commend Mayor H. Ford Gravitt, Quincy Holton, Lewis Ledbetter, Ralph Perry, John D. Pugh and Rupert Sexton for their time in office because running a city is not a job for the faint of heart. But now that Sexton has retired and is moving on, it’s time for the city to get some new blood. This incredible opportunity comes once in a lifetime — or life hood of a city in this case — given the longevity of the City Council. The voters of Cumming need to think long and hard

KATHLEEN STURGEON Forsyth Herald Reporter kathleen@appen mediagroup.com

before the June 16 election about electing someone who will represent the city of Cumming of the 21st century, not the 20th. Sexton himself said he believed there has never been another councilmember who has retired while in office. The council voted to fill Sexton’s post until they can hold a special election in June, but they had one requirement the interim person needed to abide by — they wouldn’t run for a full term. Gravitt said he wanted anyone who was interested in running to have a fair chance and therefore they couldn’t fill the interim and then have a leg

See CHANGE, Page 36

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OPINION

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 9

WEEKLY POLL Would you ever refuse (opt out) standardized testing, such as the Georgia Milestones, for your child?

YES, I ALREADY HAVE REFUSED (OPTED OUT) FOR MY CHILDREN 61.4%

Roswell High School’s great 65th Anniversary Issue depends on YOU Roswell High School Principal Jerome Huff and the students at Roswell High School have been celebrating the 65th anniversary of the school for the entire 2014-15 term. Why should they have all the fun? The Alpharetta-Roswell Revue & News is planning a big celebratory issue for all Roswell High School grads at the end of the school year, but just how great will depend on all of you Green Hornets out there who are willing to share your memories and photos of your “happy daze” at Roswell High. We are asking Roswell alums to send in their best memories of school and email us their photos. Since most of the photos are true photographs, we at Appen Media will digitize them and give you digital copies as well. RHS has been one of the

HATCHER HURD

Executive Editor hatcher@ appenmediagroup.com

important institutions in North Fulton, taking gangly, awkward ninth-graders and somehow transforming them into the smart, self-assured and above all really cool seniors four years later. Who was the coolest guy in your class (and you don’t have to be modest if it’s you) or who was the one girl you wished you had asked on a date, but never did? Where did your crowd like to hang out? What were the best songs? Nobody knows better than you what made RHS great. And they never will, if you

Join in the celebration We are looking for RHS alumni from all years and all decades. Email your remembrances, thoughts and best stories about those days: Email: RHS65@ appenmediagroup.com Keep up with other RHS grads at the Facebook group: http://tinyurl. com/pvt8r7f don’t help us. Each decade will be featured, so you may have to help us with your parents’ and even grandparents’ pictures. (See box for details.) What was the funniest or wildest time you had at school? Do you remember who or what was really “neato?” How

about the cool cat? The most righteous dude? The foxiest fox? Who had the baddest ride? You can also recall the best teacher you had. We would like to hear the stories of who influenced you in a positive way. Do you remember how the songs of the day would ask a question: “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” by Frankie Lyman. “Do You Wanna Dance?” by the Beach Boys. “Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?” by Chicago. “Is There Anybody Out There?” by Pink Floyd. And of course the ever popular “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” by Dionne Warwick. What song makes you think of those good old days? So help us celebrate Roswell High School and its 65 years of service to the community and providing us with the memories of a lifetime. See the box for details.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:

Arrogance and bureaucracy led to APS scandal Hatcher Hurd’s April 16 APS cheating scandal editorial [“APS cheating scandal has no winners, only victims”] asks “the big question – why did this happen?” Hatcher never answers. I’ll try. APS public servants “alter(ed) test scores ... on an enormous scale,” covered up their corruption, lied to investigating state employees and children’s parents with special needs and corrupted the institution they were getting paid to run. Hatcher incorrectly seems to blame standardized tests and parents who want their children to excel on those tests. Also, Hatcher’s first reaction was that “these people did wrong, but they are not gangsters. How much of a threat to the community are they now?” Again, Hatcher misses the point.

An example needs to be set. We need to promise and threaten accountability to all those future liars, cheats and crooks (public servants?) who haven’t yet acted or been caught. Education breeds hope, self-respect and is the doorway to success. APS employees “robbed a generation of children of their education” and their futures. Parents suffered. The broader society was damaged. Why did this happen? The answer is – faith in bureaucratic solutions made (and make) this threat, and future ones, possible. We first need more individual responsibility and private sector solutions. Only then, try any government-based solutions. Even communist countries have

rejected top down Marxist and Leninist approaches in favor of market-driven ones. Many contemporaries still haven’t gotten that message. Government should only set goals, hire private contractors and then review and/or audit private sector performance. Otherwise, using total, instead of just “second guessing,” government solutions, we will continue to breed self-serving politicians, failing services, waste the privilege of power, bureaucratic arrogance with less freedom and the systemic failures of unionized government-based solutions. Let’s change our attitudes and approaches and institutions. Learn from past mistakes or be doomed to repeat them. –JIM HARGREAVES, Roswell

YES, I'VE CONSIDERED IT 18.2 % NO, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH TESTING 11.4% I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD REFUSE TESTING 9.1% YOUR FACEBOOK COMMENTS Ashlea O'Neil: Yes, and I refused for both of my children. We need to let our teachers do their job. 50% of the teachers evaluations should not be based on one test. Our children and our teachers deserve better! Peggy Fernandez Franco: No! It was easy according to my 3rd grader. She didn’t turn into an evil dragon or grow horns or anything scary! LOL! Kids will face tests all their lives. Opting out is coddling and sheltering them and leaves them at a disadvantage. It does nothing to prove Common Core is wrong! Rachael Cornatzer: We've refused. It's nice to see folks becoming more aware of the topic and issues.

Join the conversation! Check out our facebook pages for weekly polls, contests and expanded stories that you don’t see in the paper! VISIT: HTTP:// TINYURL.COM/ LKQWOXJ

COMMUNITY

10 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

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KOREAN WAR VETERAN:

Rep. Harry Geisinger dies at 82 Longtime GOP stalwart loses long battle with leukemia

was he was a man who could disagree with you without being disagreeable,” Beach said. “You could talk to him about an issue without him taking it personally.” At the end of his political career, he was still trying to engineer an agreement with the state of Tennessee that would allow Atlanta and North Georgia to tap into the waters of the Tennessee River to alleviate Atlanta’s critical need for additional water resources. He was also a champion of bringing horse racing to the state. “This year, I introduced horseracing in the General Assembly, and I came up short,” Beach said. “But I will do everything in my power to re-introduce horseracing next year in his honor because his passion for the last eight years was to bring the equestrian industry to Georgia.” U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson served with Mr. Geisinger in their early days in the state General Assembly. “He was a legislative pioneer for the Republican Party who served with unquestioned integrity and dedicated service to our state. He will be missed,” Isakson said. In a statement, House Speaker David Ralston hailed Mr. Geisinger as a “great Georgian” and also saluted him for his military service in the U.S. Navy. “He was a true public servant … I always admired his tenacity and his integrity and his commitment to the folks he represented,” Ralston said. Mr. Geisinger was a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in business and enjoyed a varied and successful business career. It was interrupted in the early 1950s when he served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. In 1972, he was singled out by the press to be nominated and selected by Rutgers University as one of 50 legislators in the United States to attend the Eagleton Institute of Politics, an honor for outstand-

By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. – State Rep. and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Harry Geisinger died last week at the age of 81 after a long struggle against leukemia. Mr. Geisinger was first and foremost a family man, married more than 50 years to his wife Patricia. They had three children, Donna, Clay and Tricia, and grandchildren Kate and Sam. Mr. Geisinger was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1968, and he served three terms, two as the Republican whip. In 1974, he was a Republican candidate for governor. He was one of the few Republicans in those early days to hold state office as a Republican. He answered his party’s call again in 2004, when he was elected to the Ga. House for District 48. He would go on to serve six terms since then, three times unopposed. State Sen. Brandon Beach remembered Mr. Geisinger with warmth and affection. “We were fortunate to have him in our party,” said Beach. “He was a Republican when there were probably only 15 or 16 Republicans in the General Assembly. Then he came back [many years later] and did a second stint as a state representative.” Beach called him a “true statesman and a true gentleman.” It was not in Mr. Geisinger’s character to let disagreements in politics spill over into personal relationships. “One of the things I really respected about Harry

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Harry Geisinger was a public servant until the day he died. He served a total of nine terms in the Georgia House of Representatives, earning the respect of his colleagues and the gratitude of his constituents. ing leaders. In 1980, the Reagan Administration appointed Mr. Geisinger as the administrator for the Southeastern Power Administration, a position he held for eight years. In recent years, he was a business and political consultant. His public service to his community was lifelong. He devoted his time to such organizations as: the Atlanta Boy Scout Council; Doraville Jaycees; the Ashford-Dunwoody YMCA Board of Directors; the American Cancer Society-DeKalb Unit, serving as president and then chairman of the board (197174). He took an active part in the Georgia Youth Soccer Association after coaching his son’s soccer team, serving as its president for three years. He served variously as chairman of the Board of the Georgia State Soccer Association and as their president. In 2006, he was inducted into the Georgia State Soccer Association Hall of Fame.

Recycled paper | Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 11

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12 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

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New Eagle Scouts announced for the Northern Ridge District NORTH FULTON, Ga. — The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District, which includes the cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Milton, announced its newest Eagle Scouts, who passed their Board of Review on April 23, 2015. These are Scouts who passed their Eagle Board of Reviews are: Kyle Diprima, from Troop 87, is sponsored by Roswell Presbyterian Church. His project was the building an extension to the storage room for North Fulton Charities. This project doubled the storage capacity from 6300 sq. ft. to 15,000 sq. ft. Carson Howgate, from Troop 1717, is sponsored by Cross of Life Lutheran Church. His project was revitalizing the campsite located off Foe Killer Creek, by clearing out all the overgrowth, building a new table, installing two lantern holders and building a new usable permanent fire ring. Dean Jackson, from Troop 1717, is sponsored by Cross of Life Lutheran Church. His

The newest Eagle Scouts are, from left, Kyle Diprima, Carson Howgate, Dean Jackson, Andrew Champion and William Wittstock. project was the construction of enhancements at the baseball fields at Roswell Area Parks and Recreation. Dean replaced the weathered boards in 2 bleacher stands, the scorekeeper’s box was cleaned up, restored and repainted, and the surrounding area was cleaned up Andrew Champion, from

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Troop 1717, is sponsored by Cross of Life Lutheran Church. His project was repairing a footbridge, reconstructing and improving three existing fire rings and repositioning a volleyball net for Cross of Life Lutheran Church William Wittstock, from Troop 1818, of the North Metro office of the Marcus Jewish Community Center. His project was the development of a picnic area, including the construction of two picnic tables for the Chabad Community of North Fulton. Theodore Sayre, from Troop 7153, is sponsored by

The newest Eagle Scouts are, from left, Theodore Sayre, Daniel Bethancourt, Tyler Lee and Ashton Berthelot. St. Brigid Catholic Church. His project was the restoration of the storage shed at Holy Redeemer Catholic School as well as adding usable shelves to this storage unit. Daniel Bethancourt Jimenez, from Troop 10, is sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. His project was the design and construction of mulch walkway along the side of the chapel, at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve. Daniel also cleared the area of plants. He also sanded and restored the arbor behind the chapel. Tyler Lee, from Troop 69, is

sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church. His project was the design and construction of 10 large folding wood frames for displaying art in the hallways of Cambridge High School Ashton Berthelot, from Troop 841, is sponsored by St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. His project was the design and construction of an outdoor challenge course for St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Andrew constructed a. “island hopper,” log swing, and tire run challenges. —Jonathan Copsey

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Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 13 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

JC Vets honor guard saluted at 6th District Conference

Historical Society brewing up beer tasting

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Members of the Johns Creek Veterans Association were the color guard at the recent 6th District Conference. With them are American Legion Ambassador Roger Wise Jr., far left, and state Sen. John Albers. —Jonathan Copsey

Mac McGee’s in Roswell to host event ROSWELL, Ga. – The Roswell Historical Society is hosting a Beer Tasting at Mac McGee’s on Canton Street as a fundraiser for the society. The event is Tuesday, May 19, 7 to 9 p.m. and will have Four IPAs will be available for sampling: • Gate City IPA (Roswell) • Terrapin Hopsecutioner (Athens) • Sweetwater Hop Hash (Atlanta) • Mary Jane IPA (London) Admission is $25. Advance reservations should be made at Mac McGee’s in person (no phone reservations). The Historical Society will be hosting in the second floor bar area. The $25 admission covers four “flight size” samples (i.e.: four medium size glasses in a wooden rack). All questions relating to the venue should be directed to Mac McGee’s: 770-518-2866. Questions about ticketing should be directed to the Roswell Historical Society at 770-992-1665 or at societyrhs@bellsouth.net.

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Attention Former Roswell High Students

RHS is celebrating its 65th anniversary and to cap the festivities, the Alpharetta-Roswell Revue & News will publish a special Green Hornet pull-out section honoring the school and all who passed through its halls.

We are asking all RHS grads to send to us photos, anecdotes and remembrances of their times at school. It could be about: • Who were your best buddies? • Where did you hang out? • Best moment in school

(first kiss?) • Most hilarious incident (names may be withheld) • Coolest guy or gal

The articles should be short, 200 words or less. Email to RHS65@ appenmediagroup.com (put RHS 65th in the “info box”)

• Baddest car • Most influential teacher or person • We just want to hear from you!

Since many photos will be film, bring them to our office (319 N. Main St., Alpharetta) and we will scan them while you wait. (We don’t want to be responsible for losing precious memories)

PHOTOS ARE VERY IMPORTANT: If you have them electronically Anything we scan we can saved, simply email to same then email back to you to put address. with your smartphone photo galleries.

Contact Hatcher Hurd with questions: 770-442-3278 x 121

14 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

SCHOOLS

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

AHS students participate in Spring Leadership Conference

AHS students at the annual Career Technology Instruction Spring Leadership Conference did well. Attending are Hannah Frazier, Cydni Turner, Cydni Turner, Shawn Wright, David Samuel and Daniel Hernandez.

The Next Step In Senior Living Is Coming!

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Seven students from Alpharetta High School competed at the annual Career Technology Instruction Spring Leadership Conference at Rock Eagle 4-H Camp in Eatonton. Students competed in various areas. Bringing home first places in the state were Hannah Frazier for Culinary and Cydni Turner for her Career Exploration Manual and Job Interview. Hannah had created a Croquembouche, a French wedding cake made of over 100 creampuffs and decorated with confectioner’s sugar and white

roses. She also completed a notebook documenting the skills involved and showing the steps she took to make the Croquembouche. Cydni researched the career of a veterinarian and displayed her work in a notebook. This information covered the education required, schools offering that major, the skills and responsibilities of the job, and possible future outlook and salaries. Also competing were Cydni Turner in Catering with a Coca-Cola theme and Shawn Wright, David Samuel, and Daniel Hernandez in Occupational Creative Thinking.

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 15

Findley Oaks headed to global Destination Imagination JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Findley Oaks Elementary participated in the Georgia Destination Imagination Affiliate Tournament on March 28 at Duluth High School. Destination Imagination is an educational program where student teams solve open-ended challenges and present their solutions during the tournament to a panel of judges. Findley Oaks sent seven teams, which worked to solve their respective challenges for 5 months. Three non-competitive Rising Stars teams of kindergarten through second grade students, two competitive technical teams and two competitive fine arts teams comprised of third through fifth grade students from FOE went to the tournament. One of their teams, The Smarties, comprised of third and fourth graders earned a spot to compete at then global competition at the end of May in Knoxville, TN. To donate money for their trip visit www.gofundme.com/teamsmarties. For more information, contact Heather Mikolajczak, Destination Imagination program coordinator for Findley Oaks at heather.mikolajczak@gmail.com –Shannon Weaver

’Hooch Spring Festival has food trucks, free football JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Chattahoochee High School Football’s first-annual Spring Festival kicks off Monday, May 11 at 5 p.m. followed by the spring games. Attendance is free and sure to be fun and filling as a food truck festival will kick off events at 5 p.m. Bring your appetite – and your wallet – for food-truck delights featuring everything from Philly cheesesteak sandwiches to mini cheesecake desserts. The ’Hooch Football Blue/Gold Monday

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SCHOOLS

16 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

Outgoing Fulton County Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa, left, presents Noah Sannes of Cambridge High School, Ingrid Cai of Centennial High School and John Brolly of Milton High School their scholarships. Interim Superintendent Kenneth Zefflooks on.

North Fulton PTA Council presents Fitzgerald Scholarships NORTH FULTON – North Fulton Council of PTAs announced the selected recipients of its annual Sally FitzGerald Scholarships. This year’s winners have shown high standards in edu-

cation along with demonstrating leadership in both their schools and community. Each scholarship winner was awarded $1,500 at the NFC PTA Presidents’ & Principals’ Luncheon Tuesday, April

28. The 2015recipients of the scholarships are John Brolly of Milton High, Ingrid Cai of Centennial High and Noah Sannes of Cambridge High.

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Mount Pisgah student named Georgia Scholar JOHNS CREEK, Ga.Mount Pisgah senior Katherine Gooding has been selected as a 2015 Georgia Scholar. Gooding is one of only 183 students statewide to earn the title. Students eligible for Georgia Scholar recognition are high school seniors who exhibit excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities and in the home. Georgia Scholars are students who have carried exemplary course loads during the four years of high school, who performed excellently in all courses, successfully participated in interscholastic events at their schools and in their communities and who have assumed active roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools. Gooding is a varsity tennis player, president of National Honor Society, commissioner of service in Student Govern-

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 17

Alpharetta HS FCCLA students strike gold 2015 Georgia Scholars

includes 21 from N. Fulton schools

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The AHS Chapter of the FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) club had a successful trip to the 2015 State Leadership Meeting in Athens March 22-24, taking home several awards. Eight students competed, all were ranked in the top 10 of their competitive event. Six chapter members placed either first, second or third, and four students qualified for National Competition in July in Washington, D.C. Bringing home awards are: • Arman Quereshi & Kristin Smith GOLD – National Qualifiers- Star Event: Advocacy- NO KID HUNGRY; • Jiabin Du – SILVERNational Qualifier- Star Event: Applied Math for Culinary- Cost Control through Conversions; • Destiny Storey – Third Place- National QualifierState Event: Knife Skills; • Nate Patino – GOLD- Star Event: Recycle & Redesign; • Evan Schmitz – SILVER- Star Event: Sports Nutrition. Alpharetta also won the themed banner challenge for the conference.

Alpharetta High School FCCLA chapter members come home from 2015 State Leadership Meeting with awards galore.

NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Students from Fulton County high schools compose more than 10 percent of the 183 seniors named to the 2015 Georgia Scholars list by the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE). Chattahoochee High School, with six scholars, led the list of 21 total graduating seniors on the annual list from North Fulton. A spokesman for the GDOE said the state looks for students who excel not only in the classroom, but in the community as well. “Students eligible for Georgia Scholar recognition are high school seniors who exhibit excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities and in the home,” said Matt Cardoza of the GDOE. “Georgia Scholars have carried exemplary course loads during the four years of high school, have performed excellently in all courses, participated in interscholastic events at school and

in their communities and have assumed active roles in their schools.” Area seniors from public and private high schools who were named 2015 Georgia Scholars include: • Alpharetta – Willie Chang, Sebastian Fernandez, Shadman Ibnamasud and Annelisse Papantonis • Cambridge – David Ashcom and Noah Sannes • Chattahoochee – Divya Chawla, Sahrudh Dharanendra, Khushboo Sarda, Preet Shah, Ankita Varman and Jaspal Mahal • Fellowship Christian School – Kelsey Royalty • Johns Creek – Ketaki Kini • Milton – Allie Albright, John Leavitt, Amy Ruiz • Mount Pisgah Christian School – Katherine Gooding • Northview – Justin Lee • Roswell – Juni Dasgupta, Ramya Prabhakar – Candy Waylock

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18 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

COMMUNITY

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

Time running out on Veterans Memorial deadline Big donors step up, but still $36K short By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The model for the half-ton bronze casting of the Alpharetta War Memorial is coming down to the wire and the Alpharetta Business Association (ABA) is still $36,000 short of the $100,000 needed for the completion of the monument in time for the Sept. 11 Patriots Day unveiling. Last fall, the ABA presented Alpharetta with a gift and a challenge. The gift was $10,000 toward funding the Alpharetta Veterans Memorial to be placed on the Haynes Bridge Road side of the Alpharetta City Hall. There, it is proposed to be the centerpiece of historical and patriotic events as well as a meditative park for quiet reflection. The challenge was for the community to come forward with the remaining $90,000 to complete the bronze casting of two erect figures in battle dress. To date, the community has stepped up, raising the total collected to $64,000 to date. Memorial Fund co-chairs William Perkins and Donald Mitchell are confident the community will come forward, but time is a factor. “We need to have all of the funds in hand for the casting of the two figures, but that is a process that requires us to have the money raised by the end of May to meet the foundry’s deadline to have the memorial ready for 9/11,” said Mitchell. While the monument, christened “The Defenders,” will be placed on city property, no city funds will be used for the project. “So if you are planning to donate, we really need folks to come forward now,” he said.

HATCHER HURD/STAFF

Alpharetta Director of Public Works Pete Sewczwicz, left, measures for the base of the memorial by artist Kevin Chambers, far right, as memorial co-chairs William Perkins and Donald Mitchell discuss the figures’ placement. Perkins and Mitchell met with sculptor Kevin Chambers last week to review his progress, and it is nearly completed. “It is going to be a significant and moving monument dedicated to every woman and man who has ever served our country from any branch of service,” said Perkins. Mitchell agreed. “It will have a powerful

effect on those who witness these soldiers who are shown in a very tense pose of battle. I do not believe anyone can leave this monument without extreme gratitude for our veterans’ sacrifice and valor,” Mitchell said. Sculptor Chambers said the memorial is “95 percent done.” The foundry will need about three months to complete the casting.

Gold sponsors of $10,000

To be a contributor

• Alpharetta Business Association • John Bardis and Family • Mark Hyssbrod CPA • North American Properties/Avalon

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COMMUNITY

Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 19 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com

TherapyLand offers new take on autism therapy By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — With nearly one in 68 children identified with an autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s hard to imagine there are limited resources for parents of autistic children. But that’s exactly what Cheri and Thane Brooks encountered when they were trying to find a therapy center for their 7-yearold daughter, Jaslyn. So the Brooks took matters into their own hands. On May 2, they held a grand opening carnival for their new autism therapy center, TherapyLand in Alpharetta. “For the past five years, we tried to find places we could put her that would help her progress and grow,” Cheri Brooks said. “It’s very limited in Georgia, and Texas and California are so progressive when it comes to autism. We just thought of a dream of an amazing facility where the kids would want to come and learn through play. Then we came up with TherapyLand.” TherapyLand, 6505 Shiloh Road, Suite 100, is privately funded and a kid’s dream with carnival signs, games and interactive rooms offering differ-

ent types of therapy. The types of therapy include occupational, physical, speech language pathology and applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. Cheri said they wanted to make it something really special every time the children and parents came. “[TherapyLand is] special for the parents too,” Cheri said. “I would sit in my car and work on my computer [when my daughter had therapy]. I would see other parents try to take a nap and there was no place to go. That’s where we came up with the parent lounge, where you can sit, work on your computer, have coffee and just relax for a few minutes.” Aside from the therapies offered, Cheri said they have Brooks Academy, a pre-kindergarten ABA school. “Our goal is to build a foundation for those special needs children so they can enter into the school system when it comes time to go to kindergarten and they have that extra special care and support by actually being in a special needs school,” Cheri said. TherapyLand’s opening comes on the heels of a unanimous vote in both the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate for Ava’s Law.

KATHLEEN STURGEON/STAFF

The Brooks’ son, Branson, enjoys playing with the giant rabbit at the opening. House Bill 309 relates “to insurance coverage for autism, so as to provide a short title; to provide for definitions; to provide for certain insurance

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coverage of autism spectrum disorders; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws and for other purposes.” Rep. Scot Turner (R-Holly

Springs) worked with Ava’s Law for three years and attended TherapyLand’s grand opening. “Ava’s Law will open the door to access for families who are struggling with autism,” Turner said. “It will cover up to a certain amount for sciencebased therapies, like ABA or speech — things that have been proven to have a positive effect on children with autism.” Turner said he wanted to see the facility, and it was amazing. “As access becomes available for families, it will offer these families an opportunity to have autism treated in a way it should be, as a medical condition,” Turner said. “It’s important there are providers out there that can meet that need for these families and lead these children on a path toward being productive adults.” Also in attendance were Sen. Brandon Beach, Sen. Mike Williams, Rep. Mike Dudgeon and Sen. John Albers. “We know Ava’s Law will help us facilitate what you do,” Albers said. “It’s our pleasure and honor to help out in any way we can for children.” For more information on TherapyLand, visit http:// www.therapyland.net/.

20 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

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From dorm room to board room, student found niche in tutoring By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – As the world grows more technology dependent, the scramble for college degrees promising high-paying jobs grows more intense. With Georgia, and particularly north metro Atlanta, as a technology hub, corporate interest in skilled training has given rise to an explosion in the private tutoring industry. Competition for classroom seats at the best universities has spurred parents and their children to seek paths outside the traditional education system to provide higher SAT scores and extra Advanced Placement classes. “I don’t think the schools are failing, per se; it’s a matter of resources and demand,” said David Kim, chief executive officer of C2 Education, which operates some 150 tutoring facilities in the United States, 15 in metro Atlanta. “You know, the main goal of a high school is to make sure the student graduates. It’s not necessarily to get them into the best college.” A GSV Education report estimates the U.S. private tutoring market at about $13 billion, up 6 percent in the past three years. Forbes Magazine estimates the industry is in

Growth industry Since 2006, C2 Education has opened 15 locations in metro Atlanta, evidence of the growing market for educational tutoring. • Buckhead • Cumming • Roswell • Sandy Springs • Alpharetta • Dacula • Suwanee (two locations) • Duluth • Johns Creek • Peachtree City • Snellville • Duluth • Lilburn • East Cobb • Marietta excess of $102 billion globally. Kim began his company operating out of a dorm room at Harvard in 1997 and incorporated the business two years later. From the first, Kim said he saw signs of the pending explosion in the tutoring market. He saw a growing number of athome tutors that were providing subject tutoring, test prep providers for the SAT and independent college counselors. “But what was really missing was an organization to

C2 Education’s Roswell office is one of three new sites the tutoring company has opened in metro Atlanta. C2 has opened 15 facilities in the metro area since 2006. put all those things together,” Kim said. “So, the thing that parents are coming to us about is how to get their child into a certain university and where do they find guidance, coaching and counseling.” C2 opened its first four schools in Georgia in 2006, all in north metro Atlanta. Its most recent schools opened in Johns Creek, Buckhead, Roswell and Sandy Springs, and plans are under way to open a new facility in Dunwoody later this year. Kim said he targets the centers for areas where he sees strong housing growth and highly rated schools. It’s in those areas, he said, that parents show the strongest interest in their children’s education.

There are limited college counseling resources at public and private schools, he said. A study by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors found that the ratio of counselors to students at most public schools is 1,000 to 1. “There’s no way, in realistic terms, you’re going to help prepare and navigate a student through all the college choices,” Kim said. “The ratios are so ridiculous.” C2 provides free college counseling services to students, helping them determine the best career track for their interests and the academic preparation needed to enter into some of the best colleges, Kim said. The company also provides them with a best-

guess estimate on the costs of college, including opportunities for financial aid and scholarships at specific schools, he said. Following the consultation, students are under no obligation to enroll in classes at C2, Kim said. Tutoring at C2 runs anywhere from $35-$75 an hour, depending on the level of study. An advanced session on calculus, for example, will cost more than an entry-level college algebra class, he said. “What we really do a great job of is helping parents and students pick and choose what the best college might be for them based on what their interests are and based on affordability,” he said.

BusinessPosts

Submit your business news & photos to businessnews@appenmediagroup.com

Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 21

Using good old-fashioned marketing channels Are you spending most of your marketing budget on “high tech” channels like social media, email marketing and having a website? What about traditional channels like print media, radio, television or even billboards? While the growth of digital marketing has grown enormously over the past 15 years, using good old-fashioned marketing channels may also be a great option for your small business. Direct mail, for example, if done correctly can produce great results in promoting your product or service to a select

DICK JONES

Founder & President Jones Simply Sales

distribution list. On average, the response rate from direct mail is around 5 percent, but this cheap method of reaching out to potential customers may be a good choice for your small business. With all the focus on search engine optimization (SEO), it’s

easy to forget that there are cheaper options to drive traffic to your website. For example, hosting a contest for your customers and providing them with an incentive to share their submission with friends, may help to attract new customers to your business. Putting ads in the local paper, like the one you’re reading now, is very effective for small businesses whose customers are close to where the paper is distributed. An advertisement with discount coupons can and will drive a lot of traffic to your place of business.

With all the focus on search engine optimization (SEO), it’s easy to forget that there are cheaper options to drive traffic to your website. While there are hundreds of marketing options available these days, sometimes using good old-fashioned marketing channels may be a better option than getting wrapped

up with all the digital channels out there today. Give it a try, and see for yourself that old school marketing is still very effective.

Successful sellers know how to dress up a home Editor’s note: This is part of a series of excerpts from Frank Norton Jr.’s “Norton Native Intelligence Report for 2015.” Here are some more micro trends in the housing market and general economy we’ve spotted on our radar. Design Power – Buyers are demanding more design in their housing. Builders and sellers who provide the “wow!” will do very well. If in doubt, provide more, not less. Here are some of the design “turn-ons” and “turnoffs.” Turn-ons include: Houses backing to open space, views, water; outdoor rooms and outdoor fireplaces; colors (anything but white); hardwood or tile floors on most of the main level (except bedrooms and possibly dining rooms): main floor master bedrooms; 9- to 10-foot ceilings (even in basements); natural materials (stone, wood); “killerkitchens” – custom cabinets (42 inches or better), islands, granite full-tile backsplash; stainless-steel appliances. Turn-offs include: Dated, overpriced homes; clutter; un-staged homes; white walls; oak; brass; vinyl; choppy floor plans that don’t flow; dated designs and colors; 8-foot ceilings; inch tiles; half of anything – half brick up the front, half-wide porches you can’t use, half the lighting you need, single-tile backsplash versus full backsplash. Buyers today are facing the reality of a new market. They are not quite as obsessed with finding “the deal of the century” but want to stretch their purchase dollar wherever possible. They are showing less willingness to wait and buying something to flip or renovate to better suit their needs. Foreclosure buys at the courthouses of Georgia are now selling at a 12 to 20 percent discount off market value versus 47 percent discount at the peak of distress. A new survey from the American Affluence Research Center found that the number of affluent Americans planning to make large purchases this year – including major home renovations – has finally returned to pre-

FRANK NORTON JR. CEO and Chairman The Norton Agency

Buyers today are facing the reality of a new market. They are not quite as obsessed with finding “the deal of the century” but want to stretch their purchase dollar wherever possible. recession levels. The survey polled more than 300 households with a minimum net worth of $800,000. Prior to 2008, respondents who had no plans to make large purchases held steady at around 45 percent. Since then, even the wealthiest Americans have tightened their belts, and that number rose to between 50 percent and 60 percent. Now, penny-pinchers are back to a 45 percent minority, meaning more than half of all of the affluent respondents – who represent the wealthiest 10 percent of American households – do plan to either remodel, upgrade to a new home, purchase a second (or third) home, buy a new car, go on a cruise or make another large purchase.

22 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald

REAL ESTATE »

BusinessBriefs The property will have 16 floors and meeting space, an elevated pool deck and bar overlooking the plaza and ballpark. Plans call for the facility to be integrated with the development’s all-fiber network, which will be the highest-capacity network serving any ballpark and mixed-use community in the nation, capable of delivering multi-gigabit speeds throughout the entire development. “Our unique brand of hospitality is a big part of the experience of attending an Atlanta Braves game, and we’re thrilled to have a partner that embodies that same feeling with their guests,” said Terry McGuirk, Atlanta Braves chairman and CEO. “Omni Hotels and Resorts only builds and operates iconic properties in premier destinations. Their presence in this community further enhances our belief that this will be a destination unlike anything in professional sports.”

BUSINESS » Lorrie Collie (left) and Bette Glass have joined Lennar Atlanta as new home consultants.

Lexus Southern honors local sales associate

Two home consultants join Lennar Atlanta

ROSWELL, Ga. – Sal Damico has been recognized as one of the top 25 sales associates for the Lexus Southern area. Damico is the top sales associate from Nalley Lexus in Roswell. In 2014, Nalley ranked among the top 25 Southern area dealerships, and the top sales associates from each of these dealerships accounted for the sale of more than 6,200 Lexus vehicles. Damico was honored at the second annual Lexus Southern Area Sales Excellence Awards Banquet in Atlanta in March and at the Asbury/Nalley Awards Banquet in Orlando in April.

ROSWELL, Ga. – Realtors Bette Glass and Lorrie Collie have joined Lennar Atlanta as new home consultants. Glass, a Texas native, has extensive experience selling real estate in Atlanta. Collie, is an active member of both the Atlanta Association of Realtors and the Cobb Association of Realtors and belongs to the Million Dollar Club in recognition of her success in real estate. Since Lennar Atlanta started building in the metro area in 2010, the company has completed more than 1,200 homes in more than 30 residential communities, primarily across Atlanta’s northern arc, and additional neighborhoods are slated to open this year.

Braves partner with Omni to develop hotel near park ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves have announced the club is partnering with Omni Hotels and Resorts to develop a 260-room high-rise hotel in the mixed-use area near the new Sun Trust Park in Cobb County.

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Allen joins Convey Services board ROSWELL, Ga. — Convey Services has named Curt Allen, president of X4 Solutions, to the company’s board of directors. Allen has more than 20 years of telecommunications and technology experience. As president of X4 Solutions, one of the premier master agents in the telecommunications and cloud channel, he manages day-to-day business operations and develops the strategic direction for the company. “X4 Solutions was one of the original customers for Convey in the channel,” Allen said. “Together with Convey, we’ve worked to bring more value to our sales partners at X4 by increasing their ability to access vendor and carrier information in a single, online location, versus having to waste time hunting for product information and training.”

Submit your business news & photos to businessnews@appenmediagroup.com

Dental practice offers free services to needy ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Advanced Cosmetic and Family Dentistry, the office of Dr. Brett S. Silverman, will hold its second annual day of free dentistry along with the Dentistry from the Heart organization from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 30. The practice will be offering free cleanings, fillings and extractions for those in need. The American Red Cross will be participating this year collecting blood donations. Patients will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit www.acfdga.com or call 678-389-9000 to volunteer or for more information.

Tech groups sign pact for collaborative effort ATLANTA — The Innovation Crescent Regional Partnership and Georgia Bio have signed a memorandum of understanding, formally agreeing to collaborate in the promotion and support of the life science industry in Georgia. The agreement was signed at the Atlanta Center for Medical Research. “Georgia’s Innovation Crescent is rapidly building its reputation as one of the leading life science clusters in the nation, thanks in part to the many collaborative efforts of public, private, academic and government institutions in the region,” said David Hartnett, vice chairman of the ICRP. Under terms of the agreement, the ICRP will serve as one of Georgia Bio’s economic development partners, and Georgia Bio will support the ICRP in marketing the region to recruit, retain and expand life science companies in Georgia. The Innovation Crescent is both a geographic area and a coalition of more than 15 counties and economic development entities focused on life sciences and technology in Georgia.

Rountree Group welcomes Trey Newstedt ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Rountree Group Integrated Communications has hired Trey Newstedt as an assistant account executive. A graduate of Elon University, Newstedt received a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications with a minor in business administration. “Trey’s positive attitude, willingNEWSTEDT ness to learn and extensive media relations experience make him a strong addition to our team,” said President Don Rountree. For more information, visit www.rountreegroup.com.

NewBusinessSpotlight

The Carriage House opens at Matilda's Cottage Business: The Carriage House (along with Cathie Cox Designs LLC) Opened: Wednesday, April 22 Owner: Cathie Cox What: A sophisticated cottage offering interiors, consignment and design service. Where: The blue doors of the existing Matilda’s Cottage, 377 S. Main St., Alpharetta, Ga. 30009 Hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Cox, Wednesdays or by appointment. Call: 770-714-2721 Web: www.galeriematilda. com

EDITOR’S PICKS

Submit your event online at johnscreekherald.com

CALENDAR

Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 23

Send

me your event...

ROCKIN’ AT THE RIVER GALA TASTE OF ALPHARETTA

Sample appetizers, entrees and desserts from the best restaurants in town with rock/folk/R&B bands performing. Historic Downtown Alpharetta. Thursday, May 7. Samples $1 – 3. Visit awesomealpharetta.com for more info.

Live and silent auctions, gourmet dinner, dance music performed by Stephen Lee Band and more benefit the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell. Saturday, May 9, 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Visit chattnaturecenter.org for more info.

ROSWELL HERITAGE DAYS EXHIBIT

DIRTY BOURBON RIVER SHOW

Who: Dirty Bourbon River Show has brought their blend of “New Orleans Gypsy Brass Circus Rock” all over the United States. When: Saturday, May 9 at 8 p.m. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center Cost: $20-$40

JOHNS CREEK SYMPHONY

What: JCSO presents “Around the World in 80 Minutes!” Where: Johns Creek High School, 5575 State Bridge Road in Johns

SHANNON WEAVER

COLORS FESTIVAL OF ARTS

Roswell Photo Society’s Heritage Days artists’ reception and awards. Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street in Roswell. Friday, May 8, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more info call 770-594-6232 or visit roswellphotosociety. org.

Calendar Editor calendar@appenmediagroup.com

Spring festival featuring a wide array of original arts and crafts the entire family will enjoy. Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit www. visitroswellga.com for more info.

Creek. When: Saturday, May 9 at 8 p.m. Cost: $30 adults, $25 seniors, $15 students Web: johnscreeksymphony.org

MILTON HIGH SCHOOL CHORUS

What: Join MHS for the chorus spring concert. Where: Milton High School Auditorium, 13025 Birmingham Highway in Milton When: Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m.

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.

MILTON HIGH ORCHESTRA

What: Milton High School Orchestra spring concert Where: Milton High School Auditorium, 13025 Birmingham Highway in Milton When: Wednesday, May 13 at 7 p.m.

CIRQUE AVONTUUR

What: Milton’s annual cirque performance is in its last weekend. Where: Milton High School, 13025 Birmingham Highway in Milton When: May 7 through 9 at 7:30 p.m. Web: miltontheatrecompany.com

JC VETERANS GOLF TOURNAMENT SET JUNE 1 $10,000 in prizes for players By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Veterans and all who support them are invited to sign up for the Johns Creek Veterans Association Golf Tournament Monday, June 1, to help the group with its ongoing improvements and maintenance of the JCVA’s Veterans Memorial Walk in Newtown Park. The 4-acre meditative memorial is a meandering tribute to all veterans of American wars since 1900. Ten plazas memorialize each war as well as special memorials such as Women in Service and POWs and Missing in Action. The organizers have really gone overboard in amassing prizes this year. More than $10,000 in gifts will be awarded. Players also receive a boxed lunch, Standard Club polo shirt and refreshments. Of course, golf fees are included. The tournament is a shamble format with teams playing from best drive and scored on best net ball. The $300,000 Veterans

If you go What: Johns Creek Veterans Association Golf Tourney, shamble format When: 10 a.m. Monday, June 1 Where: The Standard Club, 6230 Abbotts Br. Road, Johns Creek Registration: 770-4971290; jared@standardclub.org Sponsorships: 770-8801711 or Warren.Tobin@ gmail.com Donations: $175 per player of $700 per foursome Memorial Walk opened last year and was 100 percent subscribed by private donations. The vets are determined that the costs of maintenance and improvements will also come from donations. Already scheduled this year: • The planting of 38 trees, 450 shrubs • Staining/sealing gazebo and adding a fan • Adding five new benches

HATCHER HURD/STAFF

Veterans are ready to tee off for the Johns Creek Veterans Association annual golf tournament to raise money for the maintenance of the Veterans Memorial Walk at Newtown Park. From left are veterans Victor Ackerman, Warren Tobin, Jim Williamson and Standard Club head pro Jared Sobelson. • Installing an led lighting system • The installation of the U.S. Navy bell and monument tower • A brick paver locator system • Initiating veteran-led tours/ self-tour audio • Installing a water feature “We have been really sur-

prised with the enthusiasm and the support of our local merchants. We will be stuffing player gift bags with some really nice gifts,” said JCVA member and tournament committeeman Jim Williamson. The golf tournament is a popular event and a great way to help the JCVA keep the Veterans Memorial Walk, said

JCVA President Wayne Kidd. “We want to keep improving the memorial as a tribute to our veterans. The golf tournament is a way to help us do that and have a lot of fun and comradery too,” Kidd said. “This memorial is in the top 2 percent of non-cemetery memorials and we want it to be No. 1 when it comes to beauty and reverence.”

North Atlanta’s

Sponsored Section • Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015

News and advertising for new homes, realtors, developers, commercial properties and more.

Five ways to breathe new life into your home (NAPSI)—Whether the urge to remodel strikes during National Home Improvement Month or any other time of year, you can seamlessly update your home with just a few simple steps toward improved design, comfort, functionality, energy efficiency and curb appeal. 1. Work with what you have. Look around your home. Is there anything in dire need of replacing or refurbishing? Updates may not be as expensive as you might think. Consider this: If your kitchen cabinets are looking a little worn, consider resurfacing instead of replacing them. Just remove the doors, then strip and refinish or repaint them. Invest in new handles and pulls, as well as new hinges if they’re visible. 2. Build a greener home with energy-efficient enhancements. Homeowners can dramatically cut energy costs without

major renovations. Instead of new windows, try caulk and weather stripping to stop any air leaks on the windows you already have. Install high-efficiency water heaters to drive down heating costs. You can also install an ENERGY STAR–certified air conditioner that adds to your home’s good looks. For example, the Art Cool Mirror ductless indoor unit from LG has a flat panel with a charcoal mirror finish that complements any décor. Plus, when paired with LG’s Smart AC, homeowners can control the system and monitor temperature on their smartphone anytime day or night, whether at home or away. 3. Beautify your yard to increase personal comfort now and receive more cash later. Try planting deciduous trees on the south side of your house to provide additional shade in the hotter months, allowing you to cut down on air-conditioning expenses and

save energy. What’s more, real estate experts estimate that by spending 5 percent of the value of your home on quality, lowmaintenance landscaping, you could boost the resale value by 15 percent. 4. Create a seamless look for your kitchen. A counter-depth refrigerator, like a 3-Door French Door Refrigerator from LG, will allow homeowners to get the sophisticated look they desire for their kitchen without sacrificing space or the added cost of installing an actual built-in appliance. To help keep the hub of your home clean, establish a message center in your kitchen. Put a bulletin board or chalkboard on the wall and store a calendar, notebook and writing utensils in a nearby drawer to help eliminate clutter. 5. Stylish lighting is a

bright idea. A striking chandelier or light fixture can serve as a charming addition in a wellcomposed room. Lighting is also one of the easiest ways to update your space; a petite desk lamp or floor lamp can significantly

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Avenge 2014 loss in title series By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. – After winning the state Class AAAAAA championship last year by defeating Milton in the finals, Lambert began the 2015 season as the No. 1-ranked team in at least one national poll, returning almost all its top players. The Eagles, meanwhile, graduated almost all their key players, returning just one starting position player. The two teams met at Lambert last week in the first round of the state playoffs, the third straight year they have faced each in the postseason. For the second time in three years, the Eagles came away with a series victory over the Longhorns. Milton rallied from a first game loss to win Games 2 and 3 by scores of 10-1 and 5-3 to advance to the second round this week. Milton will play a doubleheader Wednesday at Kennesaw Mountain, with a third game if needed Thursday, also at Kennesaw Mountain. “They were very, very good last year, and they are very, very good this year,” Milton coach Joey Ray said of the Longhorns. “But there is a ton of pressure to repeat, and we went through that.” The Eagles beat Lambert in the quarterfinals two years ago en route to a state championship, but with much of that team back last year, lost to the Longhorns in the finals. Only infielder Steven Curry returned as a starter. A new group of Eagles, including several freshmen who played key roles, led the team to its series victory over Lambert. Milton lost the first game 9-4, trailing 6-1 after two innings. Jonathan Tracey collected four hits and Curry had two hits and two RBIs in the loss. The Eagles jumped out to a lead in the second game and won 10-1 behind a complete game, four-hitter from Clay Forbes, who struck out six, walked only one and did not allow a run until the sixth inning. Tracey, Kris Franklin and Garrett Cook had two hits each for the Eagles, with Cook and Kyle Jaworski both driving in two runs. Milton trailed 3-1 after five innings of the decisive third game. The Eagles scored four runs in the sixth and won 5-3

AL LEVINE

Milton center fielder Drew Tate is a picture of determination as he drives a deep shot to the outfield against Lambert. The teams split their doubleheader in the first round of the state playoffs but Milton’s 5-3 win in Game 3 sends the Eagles to the second round. behind an outstanding relief effort from Milan Sutaria, who spent almost the entire season on the junior varsity. Sutaria entered in the second with the Eagles trailing 2-0, runners on second and third, a 3-0 count on the batter and Seth Beer, one of the state’s most dangerous hitters, on deck. He threw three straight strikes to get out of the inning, and after allowing one run in the third, shut down the Longhorns (20-9) the rest of the way. Curry and Brent Centracchio singled to start the Milton sixth, and Jaworski followed with an RBI-single on a hit and run. Ray decided against a bunt to put the tying runner in scoring position. He then called for a bunt and Franklin’s squeeze drove in the tying run. Cook broke the tie with a hit and freshman catcher Drew Hamrock singled to drive in an insurance run and cap the winning rally. Another freshman made

a huge defensive play for the Eagles in the bottom of the inning. After the leadoff batter singled, the No. 2 hitter lined a shot that second baseman Mason Kenny barely snagged, leading to a double play. That play again prevented Beer from coming to the plate with a chance to do major damage. “Our goal is to focus on what we need to do,” Ray said. “We’re not going to get into a slugfest with a team or try to outpitch anybody. We want to put the ball in play, run the bases hard and play good defense.” The Eagles (18-6) defeated Kennesaw Mountain in the playoffs last year. Like Lambert, they returned almost their entire team. Coming into the season, Ray thought the Mustangs (21-8) were the most likely team in the state to challenge Lambert for the state title, and said playing them “will be a huge challenge. We’ll just try to do what we did last week.”

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 27

New JCHS football coach Blessed Trinity, King’s Ridge debuts in spring game BOYS BASEBALL:

sweep baseball openers NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Blessed Trinity and King’s Ridge opened defenses of their state baseball championships with sweeps last Friday in the first round of the playoffs. Blessed Trinity rolled past outmatched Hephzibah 10-0 and 19-0 in AAA and King’s Ridge got past George Walton 5-4 and 9-2 in the Class A private school opening round. Cambridge lost in the first round in AAAAA, falling to Gainesville 3-2 and 14-3. The first game for Blessed Trinity lasted only 4 ½ innings, and the second game ended after the Titans scored 15 runs in the third inning. Cody Roberts and Connor Davis had two hits each in the opener, with Roberts driving in three runs and John Castro two. All three belted home runs in the game to back the pitching of Brad Spinner, who worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one walk and striking out six. Davis, Will Galloway and Garrett Dupuis had two hits each in the second game. Dupuis and Castro drove in three runs each and Jake Bogosian

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and Jack Dunn had two RBIs. Davis, Galloway and Castro all homered and Hunter Lehman pitched a three inning no-hitter, striking out seven and walking one. The Titans (25-2) host Cedartown (15-10) in a doubleheader Wednesday, with a third game if needed Thursday. George Walton scored three runs in the fourth inning to tie the game against King’s Ridge in the opener, with the Tigers scoring the winning run in the fifth. Adam Moore went five innings to get the win, with Kyle Brnovich retiring all four batters he faced to earn a save. The second game was tied 2-2 after five innings, but the Tigers scored three runs in the sixth and four in the seventh to win 9-2. Cullen Monette had two hits and drove in three runs for King’s Ridge, and Kyle Janofsky had two RBIs. Starter Austin Higginbotham al-

lowed two runs in five innings, striking out seven, and Conor Burns and Tarez Miller worked one scoreless inning each in relief. The Tigers (23-3) are at home Wednesday for a doubleheader against Eagle’s Landing Christian (19-3), with a third game if needed Thursday. Cambridge tried to rally in the first game with two runs in the seventh inning at Gainesville, but came up just short. Austin Weiermiller, who had a shutout for three innings, allowed five hits and three runs in six innings. The Bears (12-11) trailed 6-3 after four innings in the second game, but Gainesville broke it open with eight runs in the fifth. – Mike Blum

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Johns Creek High School has hired Matthew Kemper to fill the position of varsity football head coach and will lead out the 2015 Gladiators in the spring game. Kemper is a seasoned football coach with over 20 years experience coaching in Ohio, Florida and Georgia. He spent the last seven years as the head coach at Pope High School in Marietta where he set the record for most career wins in the history of that school. Among many other accomplishments, he set the school record for most consecutive GHSA playoff appearances and finished as Region 5 AAAA Champion in 2011. Additionally, Kemper brings experience as a former collegiate and professional football player. Coach Kemper will be joined by offensive coordinator T.K. Dodd, and defensive coordinator Chris Prewett. Both are new to the JCHS family. Coach Dodd, was a former head coach at Campbell High School and comes to JCHS

Former Pope coach Matt Kemper will unveil his new Johns Creek Gladiators May 15. most recently from North Cobb where he was special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Coach Prewett follows Coach Kemper from Pope where he coached the defensive backs. Kemper’s JCHS debut will take place at the Gladiator’s Spring Game Friday, May 15. The rising freshmen will square off at 7 p.m. followed by the JV/Varsity at 7:45.

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GIRLS SOCCER:

Johns Creek falls to Lady Eagles in first round Milton gets past state-ranked Johns Creek By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Milton Lady Eagles brought a 7-9 record into the first round of the girls’ Class AAAAAA soccer playoffs at state-ranked Johns Creek, but records and rankings don’t mean much once the postseason kicks in. Milton knocked off Johns Creek, ranked seventh in AAAAAA with a 13-2 record coming into the match, by a 2-0 score last week to advance to the second round against unbeaten and No. 1 Harrison, with that contest played earlier this week. “It was a team effort,” Milton coach Phillip Broome said. “That was a huge win.” Broome said the Lady Eagles “are traditionally a top 10 team, but we are very, very young.” The team began the season with just three seniors and lost one to a seasonending injury. That was one of what Broome described as “a ton of injuries” that cost the team four starters for various lengths of time. Milton also played much of the season without standout sophomore Belle Briede, a member of a national U.S. junior team; but once she joined her school team, she made a difference. Briede scored both the Lady Eagles’ goals in the second half against a Johns Creek team that allowed more than one goal just once the entire regular season.

The Lady Eagles got a big game in goal from junior Jessica Stutler, who Broome said made several critical stops on Johns Creek breakaways. Prior to their playoff win, the Lady Eagles had defeated only one team this season with a winning record, that coming against 9-8 Pope, the fourth playoff team from Region 5-AAAAAA. That win came late in the season, and was the difference between the Lady Eagles missing the playoffs entirely or qualifying as the region’s No. 3 team with a 5-3 record. Broome said the victory over Pope “awoke a sleeping giant,” with Milton winning its last four matches by a combined 18-0, although one of the wins came in a rout against winless Wheeler. The Milton girls have also had to deal with a recent tragedy, as a member of the team is the younger sister of McKay Pittman, one of the Georgia Southern nursing students who died in a recent car accident. “The last two weeks we’ve had some challenging moments,” Broome said. “The team has come together, and they’ve learned there’s a lot more things out there that are bigger than a game.” Broome said Milton came into the playoffs “with nobody expecting us to win, not against Johns Creek. We

looked at it as an opportunity to shock the state. ” A win over Harrison would be even more shocking. Harrison was almost unchallenged in winning a state championship last year, and is unbeaten and almost untested through 16 matches this year. “It’s a huge challenge for us,” Broome said. “But we fear no one.” Milton won a state title in 2012 and lost in overtime in the second round last year. Broome said the team has only a few returning starters from that team, with this year’s squad including a strong sophomore class led by Briede. Sophomore forward Layla El-Shami played as a freshman, with sophomore midfielder Makayla Scott making some key plays in the win over Johns Creek. Junior Denae Kappers and freshman Anna Gorecki “absolutely excelled” in the playoff victory, Broome said. With a strong freshman class coming in next season, Broome expects the Lady Eagles to be a playoff team for quite a few more seasons, with an eye on matching the achievement of Milton’s 2012 team.

BOYS SOCCER:

Raiders defeat Walton in soccer opener By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Playing in its first-ever state soccer playoff game, the Alpharetta Raiders defeated Walton 1-0 last week to advance to the second round. The Raiders advanced to a second round game Wednesday at Harrison. Alpharetta is 10-5-1 after its win over Walton, with Harrison 10-4-3 and the No. 1 team from its region. “It was a defensive struggle,” Alpharetta coach Scott Cole said of his team’s win over Walton. “And we played really well defensively.” The Raiders lost senior defender Stephan

Jean to a concussion, but managed to keep Walton’s primary scoring threat in check. Senior Omar Doark led the effort to mark Walton’s standout. Senior David Roel aided Doark’s efforts, with senior goalkeeper Warren Cherry preserving the shutout, the team’s fourth in its last five games. Senior Diege Recalde scored the game’s only goal off an assist from junior Matt McGivney with about 12 minutes left in the second half, converting what Cole said was “the best opportunity either team had.”

See RAIDERS, Page 36

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SPORTS

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 29

BOYS SOCCER:

Eagles upset Cougars in state soccer playoffs 10th shutout of season ousts No. 2-ranked team By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – After scoring shutouts in nine of their first 11 matches of the season, the Milton Eagles boys’ soccer team yielded at least one goal in each of their next six contests and lost three of them. The Eagles picked a good time to score their 10th shutout, holding formerly No. 1-ranked Chattahoochee without a goal in a 1-0 victory over the Cougars last Wednesday in the first round of the Class AAAAAA playoffs. The victory advanced Milton into the second round Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at No. 3 Marietta. The only goal was scored by Milton senior Josh Gray, who converted a penalty kick in the latter stages of the second PHOTOS BY AL LEVINE half after the Eagles’ Ameen ElMilton’s Ben Agnew (7) delivers a header and an inadvertent Shami was taken down in the kick to Chattahoochee’s Owen Ferreira (11) during the Eagles’ box on a breakaway. 1-0 state playoff victory. “He was taken down a couple of times,” Milton coach Michael Nova said of El-Shami, with Gray and El-Shami to give the Milton coach said he and describing the sophomore midthe Eagles some “exceptional” his team “felt we could play fielder as “a gifted player.” play in the midfield area, acwith them,” after a season Coming into the last game cording to their coach. in which the Eagles played of the regular season, ChatThe Eagles’ reward for a number of the tahoochee was 16-0 defeating the state’s secondstate’s top-ranked with nine shutouts ranked team is another road teams. and was ranked The playoff first in the state in game, this time against the No. victory improved AAAAAA. But the 3 team in AAAAAA. Chattahoochee’s Jorge Herrera takes the brunt of a header atMilton’s record to Cougars lost 1-0 in “We’ve beaten other top 10 tempt by Milton’s Joshua Gray (5). Gray would be Milton’s man 11-5-1, with the their regular season teams this season,” Nova said. of the hour after his penalty-kick goal upset top-seeded ChattaEagles going 5-3 in finale to Roswell, “We’re not fazed by anyone.” hoochee 1-0 in the first round of the state soccer playoffs. 5-AAAAAA to get the which took as over region’s fourth seed the state’s No. 1 in the state playoffs. team, and ended The Eagles the season 16-2 have relied largely after the playoff loss on their defense, to Milton. with Suda turning “They have a SBA Preferred Lender • www.metrocitybank.com in a strong effort very good defense,” in goal the entire Nova said of the season. Suda, who Cougars. “We also handles all got through sevthe kicking duties eral times, but they ■ for Milton’s footblocked all of them ■ MICHAEL NOVA ball team, allowed but one.” Milton coach Gray to move to a Nova said both position in the field, teams had chances, ■ with Nova asserting but Milton goal■ that Milton “has two of the best keeper Ethan Suda and Dara goalkeepers in the state.” Mansouri, his Chattahoochee Suda got plenty of defensive counterpart, did not allow a ■ help in the win over Chattashot to get past them other ■ hoochee, with Nova citing the than Gray’s penalty kick. defensive play of seniors Matt The two teams played in Shannon, Phillip Avery, Grant mid-April, with the Eagles losGarcia and Lukas Agnew, ing to the Cougars 2-0 in their along with freshman Clay first game in two weeks followJames Lee (NMLS# 796712) 770-454-1867 | Jimmy Song (NMLS# 1218336) 770-454-1871 Davis. ing spring break. Sandy Na (NMLS# 983548) 770-454-1861 Juniors Sam Liptak, Matt “We made some blunders,” Shamoun, Colin Burris and Nova said of the loss to ChatMortgage Lending Office: 5385 Jimmy Carter Blvd., #100, Norcross, GA 30093 sophomore Sam Liptak teamed tahoochee. Despite the defeat,

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SPORTS

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BOYS & GIRLS LACROSSE

State playoffs begin in lacrosse Milton girls seek another title By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – The high school lacrosse playoffs begin this week, with North Fulton teams contenders in all four divisions. The Milton girls have won state championships each of the last five years and are ranked No. 1 going into this year’s AAAAAA playoffs, which were scheduled to begin Tuesday. Chattahoochee is third and Northview sixth in AAAAAA. Cambridge is No. 1 in A-AAAAA and plays its first game Wednesday. The Blessed Trinity girls are the No. 4 team in A-AAAAAA and also play

Wednesday. In AAAAAA boys, Centennial comes into the playoffs ranked second, with Johns Creek third, Roswell fourth and Northview 10th. They all begin play either Tuesday or Wednesday, with Cambridge, the No. 4 team in A-AAAAA, and Blessed Trinity scheduled to play on Tuesday. The Milton Lady Eagles have dominated lacrosse in the state since the sport was first played in Georgia in 2005. Milton won the first four titles when the sport did not include a state-sanctioned championship, and has won each of the last five years since lacrosse has had official state championships.

PHOTOS BY AL LEVINE

Centennial’s Stefan Russell (22) is a study in concentration as he readies a shot on goal against South Forsyth in the Knights’ 23-5 victory. Milton brings a 14-4 record into the playoffs, with its losses coming to out-of-state competition. Milton was to play Lambert in the first round of the playoffs, and would host either North Paulding or Collins Hill in the second round Friday. Like Milton, Chattahoochee is seeded No. 1 in its area. The Lady Cougars are 14-3 and played at home Tuesday against Pope. A victory would advance Chattahoochee to a second round game at home Friday against either Mill Creek or Kennesaw Mountain. Northview (11-5-1) was at home Tuesday against Walton, and would play Friday at Harrison, a No. 1 area seed, if both teams won Tuesday. The Cambridge girls (171) open the playoffs at home against Sprayberry, with a possible second round game Saturday at home against Marist or Lovett. Blessed Trinity (16-2) is the No. 2 seed from its area and hosts Creekview in the first round. The Lady Titans will likely play at McIntosh in the second round. The Northview boys also played Tuesday at Roswell. Both teams are defending state champions, with Roswell winning the AAAAAA title and Northview taking the A-AAAAA championship. Roswell brought a 16-2 record into the playoffs, with Northview 14-4. The winner plays Saturday against either North Paulding or Mill Creek, with the Hornets the home team if they win.

It’s a squeeze play but Centennial’s Brendan Spence (5) manages to get past South Forsyth’s Conner Travis (7) and Liam Connolly (14). Centennial (16-2) hosts Lassiter in the first round Wednesday, with the Knights looking for a second state title in three years. The Knights would play either Collins Hill or Harrison in the second round, and would have to go on the road if Harrison is the opponent. Johns Creek, the No. 1 seed in its area, is at home Wednesday against Etowah in the first round, and would also be at home in the second round against either Peachtree Ridge or Kennesaw Mountain. Cambridge (14-3) is the No.

1 seed in its A-AAAAA area, and hosted Kell on Tuesday. A win would put the Bears into the second round Friday at home against Decatur or Starrs Mill. Blessed Trinity (9-7) drew a tough first round opponent, and was to play Tuesday at Westminster. The winner plays Friday against Woodward or Benedictine, with the Titans again the away team. The semifinals in all divisions will be played Tuesday and Wednesday next week, with the championship games next Saturday.

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 31

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SPORTS

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Chattahoochee’s Kayla Williams has signed a National Letter of Intent to dive at Georgia Tech. Seated with her are her parents Debbie and Jay Williams. Standing from left are CHS assistant principal Tim Corrigan, CHS swim and dive coach Ron Loula, aunt Terry Little, brother Jared Williams, grandparents Michael and Patricia Little, brother Michael Williams and CHS Athletic Director Matt Crooks. Chattahoochee’s Alvaro Godoy signs his letter of intent with the Air Force Academy. With him are, seated, his parents Maria and Jorge Godoy. Standing from left are CHS Athletic Director Matt Crooks, CHS head coach Michael Bennett, coach Torrey Hawkins, brother Adrian Godoy and CHS Principal Tim Duncan.

‘Hooch’s Godoy commits to Air Force Academy for tennis JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Chattahoochee High School’s Alvaro Godoy has committed to play tennis at the United Air Force Academy. The Air Force Fighting Falcons compete in Division I of the NCAA, and

most sports teams are members of the Mountain West Conference. Godoy, who has started on Chattahoochee’s varsity tennis team since his freshman year, helped the team to a state runner-up finish for 6A tennis in 2012.

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Hooch’s Williams Signs to dive at Georgia Tech JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Chattahoochee High School’s Kayla Williams has signed a National Letter of Intent to dive at Georgia Tech, where she plans to major in business. Georgia Tech is an NCAA Division I school that competes in the ACC. Williams, a Level 9 competitive gymnast for 13 years, turned to diving after four back fractures ended her gymnastics career. She began diving with the Atlanta Diving Association under coach Grant Segal her junior year and placed 11th at her first Geor-

gia High School State Meet. Her senior year saw great improvement, with a first-place finish at the Fulton County Championships and a sixth-place finish at the state meet. Williams participated in varsity gymnastics, cheerleading and diving while at Chattahoochee, lettering in all three sports. Williams, the first diver from Chattahoochee to receive a scholarship to dive at the collegiate level, was also involved in leadership with FCA, Class Council and is an honor roll student.

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PHOTOS BY HATCHER HURD/STAFF

It’s not the Kentucky Derby without Dazzling Derby Hats

CDA’s Down Home Derby comes in a winner Popular Kentucky Derby-themed soiree always a must-attend event By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com MILTON, Ga. – The secondbest place to see the the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby May 2 was at the Iron Horse Farm in Milton, site of the seventh annual Down Home Derby to raise funds for the Child Development Association. What better place to watch the Derby than at the horse arena of one of Milton’s finest horse farms? The Down Home Derby celebration included live viewing of the Kentucky Derby, a wine pull and games, dancing, great food and beverages of all descriptions at the open bar. Former Atlanta Falcon and Brave Brian Jordan was onhand representing the Brian Jordan Foundation, which sponsors literacy programs, youth fitness and scholarships. “It’s all about supporting the kids,” Jordan said. Live and silent auctions featured everything from a South African safari to Kendra Scott jewelry, as well as wine and restaurant gifts.

Not to be missed however, were the ladies’ hats. Derby Day is the day to bring out one’s best millenary creations. It was also a day for seersucker suits and sporty bowties. It was all for the benefit of the CDA’s kids. For 45 years now, CDA has provided affordable early learning programs and childcare for preschool children of low-income families in the metro Atlanta area. Home Depot was the charity event’s presenting sponsor. Triple Crown sponsors were Roswell Presbyterian Church and the Rotary Club of Roswell. Derby sponsors were the Robert W. Hagan Family Foundation, Kimberly-Clark and North Point Community Church. The CDA prepares economically disadvantaged children for success in education and life in a nationally accredited preschool. And the CDA’s childcare services enable hardworking parents to maintain full-time employment to support their families. For information about the work they do, go to cdakids. org.

Bob Hagan and Claudia Wood enjoy the atmosphere.

Three belles ready for post time.

Excitement mounts as they are at the starting gate.

Mike Mudd, left, and Doug Higgins are fit to be (bow)tied.

Everyone knows the King of Bowties, Mayor Jere Wood.

34 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

ISO: Continued from Page 1 served by fire service. All of this combined for a range of fire insurance rates depending on the location of the home. Now all homeowners will experience a drop in fire insurance rates, and some can expect to save hundreds of dollars a year. According to the city, a home valued at $500,000 will see insurance premiums drop about $290 a year in Johns Creek. The new rating goes into effect July 1. The ISO rating is more than just the fire vehicles, equipment and location of fire stations –although these are important. Hogan said it requires a fire plan, a detailed study of the entire city, especially commercial buildings. Every building must be inspected and measured to the square foot. None of those records were made available to

JCFD when Johns Creek became a city, so every business had to be remeasured just for starters. A fire plan must inform dispatched firefighters of everything they need to know from the location of fire hydrants, footprint of the building, entrances and exits to whether any toxic or hazardous materials are stored and where they would be found. In all, ISO conducts an indepth examination on a variety of issues, such as resource allocation, training, records, water supply, numbers and locations of stations, driving distances and communications systems. “We had no records in the beginning, no training hours logged for our personnel. We had a fire department, but we didn’t have a plan,” Hogan said. So the department went to work acquiring the training hours for personnel, painstakingly acquiring a fire plan and updating equipment.

Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com | Recycled paper Since 2010 when ISO last rated Johns Creek, the fire department has hired additional firefighters, purchased new trucks, instituted more training and upgraded recordkeeping. Perhaps the biggest improvement was to enter into a mutual aid agreement with Alpharetta, thus reducing distance and response times to portions of northwest Johns Creek. Without that agreement, there would be no ISO 2 rating. Mutual aid agreements for many cities can mean they do not have to build entire fire stations to improve coverage and lower their ISO ratings. Approving the mutual aide agreement has only come about in the last 18 months. Alpharetta has attained the hallowed ISO rating of 1. It is now one of only six in the state with that designation. Johns Creek is now one of 33 ISO 2 fire departments in Georgia. Nationwide, 1,014 of 48,675 departments have a Class 2 rating or better, put-

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Along with previously advertised items, the following item will be heard at a public hearing held by the City Council on Monday, May 18th, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. a. PH-15-04 Capital Improvements Element(City Council Only) Consideration of a resolution transmitting a draft Capital Improvements Element amendment and a draft Capital Improvements Element 2015 Annual Update report, relating to the City’s impact fee program, to the Atlanta Regional Commission for regional and State review pursuant to the Georgia Planning Act of 1989. b. PH-15-12 Teasley Street Abandonment (City Council Only) Consideration of abandonment of a portion of the Teasley Street Right of Way. The street is located north of Milton Avenue and south of School Drive within Land Lot 1269, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza. CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The following item along with previously advertised items will be considered by the City Council on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. MP-14-09/V- Parkway 400/Hotel Consideration of a request to amend the Parkway 400 Masterplan in order to allow a Hotel as a permitted use on Building Sites 7 and 8. Consideration for a variance to allow 3 wall signs is also requested. The property is located on Kimball Bridge Road. The property is legally described as being located in Land Lots 801 1st District, Second Section, Fulton County, Georgia. Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza.

What is the ISO rating system? Since its creation in 1971, the Insurance Services Office (ISO) has been a major source of statistical, actuarial, claims and underwriting information used by insurers. To help establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties, insurance companies needed reliable, up-to-date information about a community’s fire-protection services. ISO collects information on municipal fire-protection efforts all over the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes data and creates what it calls its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule. ISO then assigns a Public Protection Classification from 1 to 10. Class 1 is for superior property fire protection. Class 10 indicates that the area’s fire-suppression program doesn’t meet ISO’s minimum criteria. By classifying communities’ ability to suppress fires, ISO helps the insurance companies evaluate the relative quality of fire-protection services in American communities. The program provides an objective, countrywide standard that helps fire departments in planning and budgeting for facilities, equipment and training. And by securing lower fire insurance premiums for communities with better public protection, the ISO provides incentives and rewards for communities that choose to improve their firefighting services. ISO has extensive information on more than 47,000 fire-response jurisdictions. ting JCFD in the top 2 percent of fire departments across the nation. “These new ratings reflect the numerous enhancements and improvements by Johns Creek Fire Department to make us all safer,” said Mayor Mike Bodker. “We can all take comfort in knowing that Johns Creek has one of the finest departments in Georgia. We’ve always known they are exceptional, but now it’s been confirmed from the experts.” Hogan said, “This is huge. To make that kind of a jump is unheard of. This is more than just rewarding. This feels like winning a Heisman.” Hogan said it was a complete team effort. “It took all the guys in blue shirts [firefighters] to make this happen. We were able to make the organizational changes as well as physical changes for

this. We were prepared,” he said. Going for the Class 1 rating would be the Super Bowl stratum, Hogan said. “And we were only two points away from that,” he said. “It’s a matter of continuing to invest in more equipment.” That would be more of a budget decision, balanced by new growth in the northwest area of the city. Another fire station could be contemplated in the area of Emory Johns Creek Hospital and The District. “The ISO now rates response times in road miles as opposed to coverage radius,” the chief said. So ultimately, it comes down to deciding whether the cost is worth the benefits of an ISO 1. Hogan said that decision is above his pay grade.

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Eaves: Continued from Page 1 the county in the coming year. A healthy county – The county spends about $100 million a year on health services, with the majority of that spent on Grady Hospital. “We are determined to provide services of health and have a greater impact,” Eaves said. Quality of life services – The county spends $30 million on library services, providing services in 34 libraries. New libraries are being built and the collection is expanding. Hours and days that were cut last year were recently restored. Eaves said one of his goals for the coming years is to get every resident a library card. Currently, about half the population has one. In addition, increased funding for the arts and culture is hoped for. “[The arts] add to the economic robustness of the county,” he said. A safe community – Eaves’ own son was robbed at gunpoint while at university, an alltoo common crime in Atlanta. “[Public safety] is important to all of us. No one is exempt from crime,” he said. The county spends 40 percent of its budget on criminal justice, he said. The county is making strides in making that money go further. As a result of partnering and collaborating, the government consent decree on the county jail has been lifted, he said. The 2006 decree was the result of overcrowding in the jail as well as letting it decline in quality. Since the decree, the county has invested heavily in both the jail and programs to keep people out of it. Such alternatives to imprisonment, such as prefer-

ring “proactive and diversion” programs, are being pursued by the county. “We want to be a model in terms of diversion,” Eaves said. “To help with this, the county needs to work on mental health, substance abuse and workforce development.” An efficient government – An audit has been commissioned of all the county services in an effort to find costcutting opportunities. Eaves said he believes $10-15 million can immediately be trimmed from the budget. “Our hope is the over the next 10 years, the county can find $100 million in savings,” he said. “That money could go back to the taxpayers or be reinvested.” Along with this, the county needs a better public face. The citizens deserve to have exemplary customer service, he said, and better training and technology can aid in this. “Why can’t technology be used to make the interface between the county and the public more friendly?” he said. Economic generation – “It is no accident that Fulton County has nine Fortune 500 firms and 17 Fortune 1,000 companies in its borders,” Eaves said. Because of what Fulton County is doing, Porsche, Mercedes and NCR have recently relocated their headquarters to the county. One way to keep that growth going is to improve the county’s transportation systems. New roads and public transit options are needed, he said. A new Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) could be voted on and created as early as next year, which would help pay for the expansion. “We can support greater economic development with transit and traffic solutions,” he said.

ONLINE AUCTION BY CITY OF ALPHARETTA The City of Alpharetta, in conjunction with GovDeals, will conduct a CONTINUOUS online auction to sell surplus material, equipment, and vehicles. To view the surplus items or to place a bid, please visit www.govdeals.com. All sales will be final to the highest bidder and sold as is, where is, with no warranty expressed or implied. The City of Alpharetta and GovDeals reserves the right to reject any and all bids, and the right to waive formalities. Once the items are sold, the coordination of and actual removal of the items must be completed by the selected party. For further information, visit www.govdeals.com or contact Joshua Amusa with the City of Alpharetta, Department of Finance at (678) 297-6095 or jamusa@alpharetta.ga.us.

johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 35

Pet of the week: Blondie ATLANTA – LifeLine Animal Project presents the Fulton County Pet of the Week Blondie. She came to us as a stray in February and immediately won everyone over. This 1-year-old beauty is calm, unassuming, sweet tempered and great with children. Blondie is the kind of dog who kids could dress up, and she would enjoy the attention. She also loves making new doggie friends and would do great with a dog sibling or on a visit to a dog park. Blondie is spayed, microchipped and vaccinated, so she could go home with the lucky family today. And if you’re the lucky person who adopts her this month, you can take advantage of our (April or May) promotion, where all pets 25

pounds or over may be adopted at no cost. Qualified adopters will pay nothing to adopt this gem of a dog. To meet Blondie, please drop by the shelter, email adoptions@fultonani-

malservices.com or call 404613-0357. To view dogs or cats available for adoption, please visit the shelter at 860 Marietta Blvd NW, Atlanta, 30318 or go to www.fultonanimalservices.com/adopt.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on Monday, May 11 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. Items forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Tuesday, May 26, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. a. Z-15-05 Rucker Road/ Rodriguez Consideration of a rezoning approximately one acre from AG to R-15 in order to develop one single family home. The property is located at 1540 Rucker Road. The property is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1273, 2nd District, 2nd Section of Fulton County, Georgia. b. PH-15-13 Unified Development Code C-2 Consideration of a text amendment to the C-2 zoning category in order to add “for sale” attached residential units as a conditional use. c. CLUP-15-05/Z-15-07/CU-15-04 River Rock Development/Canton Street Consideration of a request to rezone approximately .5 of an acre from SU to C-2 to develop a mixed use project. A Conditional Use amendment to allow Single Family attached is also requested on the entire site in order to construct 24 for-sale stacked flats over retail. A request to change a portion of the property from the Comprehensive Land Use Plan from “Public/Institutional” to “Central Business District” is also requested. The property is located at the northwest corner of Milton Avenue and Canton Street. The property is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1269, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. d. PH-14-13 Regulations for the Downtown Master Plan Consideration of approval of the Downtown Master Plan regulations. The area boundaries generally include Mayfield Road and Canton Street to the North; South Main Street and Allyson Circle to the South; Wills Road to the West; and Westside Parkway to the East. e. PH-15-08 UDC Changes Assisted Living Definition Consideration of changes to the Unified Development Code definition for Assisted Living and changes to the 2.2 List of Permissible and Conditional Uses. Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza.

36 | May 7, 2015 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com

Change: Continued from Page 8 up immediately. I completely agree. It’s time Cumming has a new face, and this is their chance. Not even two hours after the interim-filling meeting, a candidate sent out a press release saying she was going to run for the open post. The last time a new candidate ran for council or mayor was in 2003, when Gravitt faced opposition for mayor. He won by a vote of 289-15. Just to reiterate, the last time someone even ran was 12 years ago, and the last time a new person joined of-

fice was 23 years ago. That’s quite a long while for someone to be in office, and that’s just the “youngest” term. These long public service duties makes me think Cumming may be in need of term limits. Just as the president of the United States is only allowed eight years maximum, the city of Cumming should limit their terms as well. Change is rarely easy, but it’s good and necessary. Fresh perspective can help solve problems others thought unsolvable. At the end of the day, change can help make the city of Cumming an even better place to live, work and play.

DEATH NOTICES Gilbert Belisle, 55, of Cumming, passed away April 8, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. William Eugene Brake, 84, of Cumming, passed away April 25, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Fred Center, 44, of Alpharetta, passed away April 10, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.

Robert J. Malone, 89, of Alpharetta, passed away April 22, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Huie Moore, 79, of Alpharetta, passed away April 17, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. William Edward Moore, Jr., 70, of Gainesville, passed away April 25, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.

Mary Frances Chadwick, 64, of Gainesville, passed away April 22, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

Doris Passons, 83, of Alpharetta, passed away April 13, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.

Joseph Colmore Creason, 90, of Cumming, passed away April 26, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

Lori Rolleri, 59, of Roswell, passed away April 9, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.

Annie Crenshaw, 85, of Alpharetta, passed away April 15, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.

Donnie L. Shadburn, 76, of Cumming, passed away April 22, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.

James Crisp, III, 43, of Alpharetta, passed away April 18, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Joyce Etheridge, 85, of Alpharetta, passed away April 10, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Joseph Goddard, 77, of Alpharetta, passed away April 15, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Jerry Dean Hood, 71, of Forsyth County, passed away April 27, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Judith Juers, 83, of Roswell, passed away April 23, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.

Bonnie Sicher, 75, of Johns Creek, passed away April 10, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Glenn Singleton, 95, of Roswell, passed away April 20, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Helen Smith, 94, of Roswell, passed away April 19, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Virginia Stearns, 93, of Roswell, passed away April 18, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society. Theresa Talbot, 62, of Roswell, passed away April 10, 2015. Arrangements by SouthCare Cremation & Funeral Society.

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Raiders: Continued from Page 28 “We knew it was going to be a low-scoring game,” he said. “Neither team has given up a whole lot. I figured if we scored one goal, we had a good shot.” With a veteran squad that includes 11 seniors, Cole said he knew his team “had a chance to be good,” with the Raiders coming close to an even better regular season record. Alpharetta lost to the other two playoff teams from the region, losing on penalty kicks to Chattahoochee and 1-0 to Lambert on a goal in the final minutes of regulation. The Raiders did not play Harrison in the regular season, but are 2-0 against common opponents, while Harrison is 0-1-1. The winner of the game will play Saturday against ei-

ther Meadowcreek or Tucker. In other local boys’ playoff games: Roswell defeated Lambert 2-0 and hosts Pebblebrook on Wednesday. If the Hornets win, they would be at home Saturday against either Parkview or Lowndes. Cal Jennings scored in the first half for the Hornets on an assist from Arturo Hernandez, with Luis Vazquez scoring the second half goal. The Hornets’ defense turned in a strong effort against a tall and talented Lambert offense, coach Will Roney said. In AAAAA, Cambridge lost 2-1 to region champion Gainesville. In AAA, Blessed Trinity defeated Hephzibah 4-0 and will play Saturday at Calhoun. In Class A, Mount Pisgah lost to Paideia 7-0, while Fellowship Christian had a first round bye. The Paladins are at home Wednesday against

TOWN HALL MEETING PUBLIC NOTICE CITY OF JOHNS CREEK Tuesday, May 12, 2015 In conformance with the Georgia Open Meetings Law, please note a quorum of the City of Johns Creek Mayor and Council Members will be in attendance at a Town Hall Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at Johns Creek City Hall, 12000 Findley Road, Suite 300 in Johns Creek, GA 30097. The Town Hall Meeting begins at 7:00pm and is open to the Public. Please contact the City Clerk’s office at 678-512-3212 should you have any questions or need assistance. Joan Jones City Clerk

North Cobb Christian, and will be at home Saturday if they win against either Paideia or Mount Paran. In girls’ playoff games: Northview put up a battle against 16-1 Lassiter, losing 2-1 on penalty kicks, with Lassiter outlasting the Lady Titans 9-8 on PKs. In AAA, Blessed Trinity coasted to a 10-0 win over Johnson of Augusta, and played at home Tuesday in the second round against Adairsville. The winner will play either Southeast Bulloch or Oconee County on Friday, with the Lady Titans the home team. In Class A, King’s Ridge lost 7-1 to Paideia, while Fellowship Christian had a bye. The Lady Paladins were to play at home Tuesday against Lakeview in the second round, and would host either Paideia or Walker in the quarterfinals Friday if they win.

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CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The following item will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on Thursday, May 11, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. Item forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Monday, May 18, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. Z-15-02/CU-15-02 City Center Consideration of rezoning approximately 26 acres from C-2, SU, R-12 and O-P to MU in order to allow a mix of uses for office, civic, commercial, residential, park and open space. A conditional use to allow for-rent dwellings is also requested. The property is generally described as being located east of Main Street and south of Academy Street, north of Thompson Street near the intersection with Haynes Bridge. The property is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1268, 2nd District, 2nd Section, and Land Lot 748, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza.

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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | May 7, 2015 | 37 General Notes:

1. Site has been previously approved as a retail center. Construction was begun and improvements have been made to the site. 2. The Site has been cleared of all vegetation within the improvement areas. 3. Water and Sewer has been installed at the previous pad locations of the Retail Buildings. 4. All driveways from Medlock Bridge Road and Parsons Road have been approved during the previous Site Plan submittal and are installed per plan. This site plan does not change the location of the previously approved driveway locations. 5. The Retaining Wall previously approved has been constructed on the East Side of the Site. 6. The previously approved Storm Water Retention Basin has been installed and will be utilized in this scope of work. 7. There are no wetlands on the developed area of the property.

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The planned assisted living facility would take up 4 parcels of undeveloped land across from Northview High School.

First ‘Johns Creek’s Finest 5k’ race To run for Special Olympics Georgia JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Johns Creek police are hosting May 23 a new race called “Johns Creek’s Finest 5k” at Shakerag Park to benefit Special Olympics Georgia. The Johns Creek’s Finest 5k is a qualifier for the AJC Peachtree Road Race, billed as the largest 10k race in the world. After the race, runners can relax with healthy snacks and

beverages. Participants receive a T-shirt and are automatically entered into drawings for gift cards from local restaurants and businesses. Register at www.johnscreeksfinest5k.org. Registration costs $30. Minimum age for participants is 10 years old. For information, call Cpl. Min Cha at 678-780-5432 or email him at Min.Cha@johnscreekga. gov.

Medlock B

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Defer: Continued from Page 4 to defer the application until June for further study. After the meeting, Sim-

mons said in his 39 years in the business, he had never heard that issue raised. “Any additional costs would have to be passed on to the residents,” Simmons said. “But I can appreciate what they are saying.”

Whatever costs might be imposed on facilities, Simmons said he would not “sacrifice the potential safety of my residents.” “We will just have to evaluate what the council comes up with,” he said.

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