Forsyth Herald, July 30, 2014 by Appen Media Group

Education Focus Sponsored section ►►PAGE 18

Schools say no to guns

Schools won’t be affected by gun law ►►PAGE 3

No horse play here

Event benefits victims of domestic violence ►►PAGE 12

Fore!

Golf Club of Georgia hosts collegiate championship ►►PAGE 9

July 30, 2014 | forsythherald.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 17, No. 31

Traffic relief in sight at Ga. 9 and Bethelview Road Roadwork to be completed this week By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com CUMMING, Ga. — Road construction on Ga. 9 at Bethelview Road was still on schedule for completion by July 29,

even as rain continued to delay the planned roadwork in Cumming. The $5 million project will reconstruct the existing intersection of Peachtree Parkway (Ga. 141)/Bethelview Road and Ga. 9, creating two through lanes, two left turning lanes and a right turning lane for each leg of the intersection. The project also upgrades the traffic signal equipment and constructs

sidewalks. The expected paving and traffic shift at the intersection of Ga. 9 and Ga. 141 at Bethelview Road were delayed due to rain, said Georgia Department of Transportation District Engineer Bayne Smith. Smith said crews were only able to work a couple of hours last week.

See TRAFFIC, Page 4

The blue marker indicates completion of road project.

Longhorns get ready for football CARROLLTON, Ga. — Lambert High School football players and their new head coach Louis Daniel attended a football camp at the University of West Georgia July 11-14. The Class AAAAAA Longhorns and several regional Georgia high schools par-

ticipated in scrimmages and position drills in preparation for the upcoming 2014 football season. The Longhorns will host Creekview High School on Friday, Aug. 8 for an exhibition game. –Kevin O’Brien

PHOTOS BY KEVIN O’BRIEN/SPLIT SECOND IMAGES

Left: Longhorns running back Trevor O’Brien takes on the White County Warriors. Above: The Lambert High School Longhorns face the Gainesville High School Red Elephants.

PUBLIC SAFETY

2 | July 30, 2014 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com

Catalytic converters stolen from hospital parking lot 770-442-3278 northfulton.com

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CUMMING, Ga. — Three cars parked at Northside Hospital-Forsyth had their catalytic converters cut off. The catalytic converter is an emissionscontrol device that contains precious metals that act as catalysts. When hot exhaust enters the converter, a chemical reaction occurs that renders toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, into less harmful emissions. The cars — all Honda Element models — were in the parking deck of the hospital, according to Cumming Police incident reports. At about 11 a.m. July 12, a victim said he parked his silver 2000 Honda Element in the middle of the parking lot next to

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.

$18K stolen from gas station CUMMING, Ga. — Someone ransacked a gas station, damaged electronic poker machines and pried open an ATM, according to a Cumming Police incident report. At about 6 a.m. July 1, two employees of Al’s Quick Stop, 1080 Dahlonega St., told police the store was a mess when they arrived at work. Police investigators found the ATM machine pried open and parts of the machine scattered on the floor. Police saw a hole in the wall likely made by a hammer and the back door of the store open. They also found the cameras tilted up, the power box cover on the ground and the security system’s battery removed. The burglars trashed the office and threw papers on the floor. When the owner arrived, he said the ATM had about

the hospital’s entrance, 1200 Northside Forsyth Drive. When he came back about 2 p.m., he said he saw the catalytic converter, valued at $500, missing. To replace the catalytic converter, the victim may incur about $2,000 in repair costs. On the same day, two hospital employees also had their catalytic converters stolen. One employee said she parked her car at about 7:30 a.m. When she came back at about 5 p.m., her car made a loud noise. She drove it home and had her husband look at the car. He told her the catalytic converter was cut and missing. The other employee parked her Ele-

$3,000 to $5,000 inside, and the two damaged poker machines each had about $500 in them. The burglars caused about $1,000 in damage to those machines and stole the safe, which had another $12,000 inside.

Vandals damage headstones CUMMING, Ga. — A vandal pulled up several headstones and foot stones at a cemetery, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident report. A man overseeing James Cemetery, 1575 Union Hill Road, said he saw many damaged or pulled up stones when he arrived about 4 p.m. on July 15. He said about 50 feet from the entrance of the cemetery, there was a pile of ash littered with Coke cans, which he assumed to be from a bonfire. The man said he found a piece of mail by the bonfire addressed to a man in Alpharetta.

Car batteries stolen CUMMING, Ga. — Someone stole a pallet of car batteries worth $600, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s inci-

ment in the parking deck about 7 a.m. and returned about 8 p.m. When she turned on her car, it made a loud noise and she confirmed her catalytic converter was gone. Police are reviewing security footage for possible suspects. Car repair shops say thieves typically target Honda CRVs and Element models in addition to trucks and other cars that sit higher from the ground. That’s because thieves can slide underneath without having to jack up the vehicle to gain access to the converter. The catalytic converter can be stolen in less than a minute. Thieves typically sell the platinum in the catalytic converters for $100 to $200.

dent report. An employee of Walmart, 5455 Atlanta Highway, told deputies the theft occurred after the store closed about 5 a.m. July 15. The employee said the suspects cut and removed a padlock that secured the battery storage area. Then, they stole all batteries from one of the pallets and took off. After reviewing video surveillance, deputies saw a dark Dodge pickup truck drive by the garden center. The suspects pulled behind the business, turned off the truck lights and backed into the battery area. A few minutes later, the truck left. The car tag is unseen in the video.

Fireworks built in garage CUMMING, Ga. — A man said his neighbor manufactures fireworks and sets them off in the subdivision. On July 18, a man in the 2000 block of Keenland Court said the fireworks are set off in an “intimidating manner,” according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident report. The man said this is not the first time the neighbor has

done this, nor is it the first time the man has reported an incident like this to deputies. The man said he thinks the neighbor knows he is the one who filed the previous reports, because he recently set off fireworks in front of the caller’s home.

Possible ‘Peeping Tom’ scare CUMMING, Ga. — A woman shopping in a store bumped into a man holding a cellphone up her skirt. On July 17, a woman told Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputies that the incident unfolded in the baby section of Walmart, 2395 Peachtree Parkway. She said she moved backward and bumped into a man. Because she does not speak English, she excused herself in Spanish and kept shopping. She said she did not think anything about the incident until she saw the same man standing too close to her. She looked down and saw the man’s cellphone in his hand held under the edge of her skirt. She swung her arms at the man without hitting him, and he fled the store before she could find help.

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PUBLIC SAFETY

forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | July 30, 2014 | 3

Schools increasing security before students return No change anticipated in school gun policy

CUMMING, Ga. — Weapons are not allowed at Forsyth County Public Schools, but the recent gun law changes have parents and educators talking about the issue. On April 23, Gov. Nathan Deal signed the Safe Carry Protection Act, effective July 1, allowing Georgia residents with concealed carry permits to take guns into some bars, churches, school zones, government buildings and certain parts of airports. Deal said the law gives about 500,000 state residents with concealed carry permits who have played by the rules the added protections to protect themselves and others against those who don’t. The law allows any “duly authorized official of a public or private elementary or

secondary school or a public or private technical school, vocational school, college, university or other institution of post-secondary education or a local board of education” to bring guns to school as long as the school board allows it. The Forsyth County School Board does not allow weapons of any kind on school property, said Jennifer Caracciolo, a school board spokeswoman. There are no plans to change the board’s position, she said. But Forsyth County resident Todd Hegi, who has two students in the school system, said he thinks the school board should reconsider. “In virtually every school shooting scenario, the event only ended when a good guy with a gun showed up and the perpetrators either killed themselves or were killed,” Hegi said. “I want the good guys with the guns to be there always.” Hegi said if school staff is trained properly, they should be allowed to bring guns to school. Cumming resident Rita

Berryman, who has four children in school, agrees. “Never in a million years did I think I would say this, but in light of the tragedy at Sandy Hook and the other numerous school shootings, I think teachers and other faculty need to be better equipped to keep our children safe,” she said. Other parents and some residents feel the new law creates a bigger risk by giving students easier access to guns. “On the surface, it sounds like a good idea with the rash of school shootings over the years, and it may deter kids from contemplating similar attacks,” said a Forsyth County resident, parent and community coach for one of the schools. “If we dig a little deeper, this will ultimately backfire and actually give kids more access to guns in the schools we are trying to protect. “The last thing we need is every teacher or school employee going out and getting a concealed carry permit, so they can tote at school,” he said. Otwell Middle School teacher Tracey Smallwood said she wouldn’t feel comfortable

DUIS & DRUGS

►► Richard Corey Harrison,

DUI, wanted person, failure to use seatbelts, failure to maintain lane, suspended license and expired registration. ►► Mark Gregory Gunter, 57, of Creek Tree Lane, Cumming, was arrested July 11 on Jot Em Down Road in Cumming for DUI. ►► Kristina Ann Cates, 40, of Dawsonville was arrested July 15 on Ga. 400 in Cumming for DUI. ►► Daphne L. Wallace, 45, of

By CAROLYN RIDDER ASPENSON carolyn@forsythherald.com

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

DUI arrests ►► Nancy Ryan Szopinski,

49, of Marymount Drive, Cumming, was arrested July 10 on Peachtree Parkway in Cumming for DUI and failure to maintain lane.

45, of Gainesville was arrested July 9 on Grindle Road in Cumming for ►► DUI, failure to maintain lane, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamines, possession of drugrelated items and possession of a schedule IV controlled substance. ►► Charles L. Washington, 39, of Hastings Terrace, Alpharetta, was arrested July 10 on Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Cumming for

See ARRESTS, Page 25

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carrying a gun at school. “I am entrusted with the well-being of my students and would not want to be responsible for the risks involved,” Smallwood said. Smallwood said she’s not opposed to school security officers in addition to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the school principal carrying. “As long RITA BERRYMAN as they’ve had extensive train- Cumming resident ing,” Smallwood said. “I’m comfortable with it.” Caracciolo said in light of the new gun law, the school board is taking steps to increase security in the schools. “Last summer, we added controlled entrances to all elementary schools, and this summer, similar work is be-

ing completed at all middle schools,” she said. She said schools with multiple buildings and trailers like North, Forsyth Central, West and South high schools are also being addressed. “Their campuses will be secured with new construction funded by the recently approved bond referendum,” she said. “The new construction will connect portions of the facility and have new buzzin entrances. “Lambert already has the new security entrance,” she said. Caracciolo said the work on the high school campuses is extensive and is scheduled for completion over the next four years.

...Teachers and other faculty need to be better equipped to keep our children safe.”

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NEWS

4 | July 30, 2014 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com

County’s budget recognized for excellence Budget book receives award for second consecutive year

ALPHARETTA: Entire Hedington Square neighborhood! Off Rucker Road on Brisbane Drive 30009. Friday 8/1 and Saturday 8/2, 8am-1pm. CUMMING/SUWANEE HUGE multi-family! Glencree Subdivision, 3835 Killkenny Court 30024. Friday 8/1, Saturday 8/2, 8am-2pm JOHNS CREEK: Moving; downsizing! Huntington Subdivision, 11130 Crofton Overlook Court. Saturday 8/2 and Sunday 8/3, 9am-4pm. Household furniture, kitchenware, bookshelves, pictures, tools, much much more!

ROSWELL, Wildwood Springs Subdivision, 535 Old Path Crossing 30075. Saturday 8/2, 8am-2pm. Furniture, wicker, framed art etc. ROSWELL, Litchfield Hundred Subdivision, 305 Buckingham Forest Court 30075. Friday 8/1, Saturday 8/2, 9am-3pm. Moving! Golf cart, pool table, household items, kids’ stuff, MUCH more! ROSWELL: Horseshoe Bend Subdivision, 8640 Haven Wood Trail. Friday 8/1 and Saturday 8/2, 9am-2pm. Antique furniture, childrens’ items, NEW Christmas decor, NEW decorative gifts from shop closeout; kitchen, glassware, books, garden, and too much to list!

DEADLINE

To place garage sale ads: Noon Friday prior week Call 770-442-3278 or email classifieds@forsythherald.com

books, magazines, videos,” said County Attorney Ken Jarrard. FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The But in the area of adult Forsyth County Board of novelties — such as adult Commissioners will toys — there’s no lanhold a public hearguage in the current ing to consider law that captures THE ORDIN amending their that sort of thing. Adult EntertainOperations of ment Ordinance. adult entertainThe section ment businesses under amendare restricted to .BI F ment is the county areas zoned T . LY / 1 P “Amusements and commercial and Entertainments” part industrial and are not of the code, further exallowed to serve alcohol. tending the definition of “adult The public hearing will be entertainment establishment” held in the Forsyth County to include commercial estabAdministration Building, 110 lishments selling or renting E. Main Street, Suite 220, in adult novelties or devices. Cumming. The meeting takes “Our adult entertainment place at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. ordinance clearly speaks and 7. Read the Adult Entertainregulates adult dancing, adult ment Ordinance at www.bit. live entertainment, adult ly/1pfBrLR.

Traffic: Continued from Page 1 “There are two full nights of work to finish the paving, then shift traffic on Ga. Highway 9,” Smith said. “The first night is for putting down the top layer of asphalt, the smooth driving surface. The second night, crews will do the striping and change the signage shifting traffic to use the new lanes of Ga. 9, opening up both lanes in each direction for Ga. 9 traf-

E ANC

MILTON: Waterside Subdivision, 12805 Morningpark Circle 30004. Saturday 8/2, 10am-3pm. Mens’ medium and large Polo brand shirts, mint condition! Sports clothes and Lacrosse equipment. Womens’ clothes sizes 3-5. Kitchen and barware items. Household decor. Books. Tools. Heavy duty steel garage racking, and more!! MOVING!!

By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com

MILTON: Neighborhood sale, White Columns Gated Section. Must enter on Freemanville Road. Friday 8/1, 9am2pm/Saturday 8/2, 8am-12pm

County to hold public hearing on adult entertainment law

JOHNS CREEK: Country Lake Subdivision, 5330 Taylor Road 30022. Friday 8/1 and Saturday 8/2, 8am-3pm. Dining room table and 6 chairs, server, MANY household items

To view the 2014 adopted budget, visit www.bit.ly/1pfAgfe.

See more garage sales in the classifieds • Page 26

At their July 17 meeting, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners adopted the millage rates that will fund a major portion of the county’s 2015 general fund budget, the fire district and bonds. Commissioners voted to maintain the county’s millage rates with no change. The county has the same total millage rate, 7.656, for the fifth consecutive year. Forsyth County staff, Finance Committee and Board of Commissioners will continue preparing the county’s proposed 2015 budget, which is slated for adoption in November.

READ

GARAGE SALES

2015 millage rates stay the same

THE

T KLE

In order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as an operations By ALDO NAHED guide, as a financial aldo@forsythherald.com plan and as a communications device. GRUEN FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth Budget documents County was recognized with the highest must be rated “proficient” in all four achievement in governmental budgeting categories and the 14 mandatory criteria for the second year in a row. within those categories to receive the The county received the Disaward. tinguished Budget Presentation “We are certainly proud that DGET BOO Award from the Government the Forsyth County BudU B Finance Officers Associaget Presentation has been tion of the United States and recognized with this award,” Canada (GFOA) for the said David Gruen, director county’s 2014 budget book. of finance. “Receipt of this This is the second consecaward again this year reflects .BI utive year the county received Forsyth County’s continuing T. L Y / 1 P F this award, which is the highcommitment to financial transest form of recognition in governparency and to making quality mental budgeting and represents a financial information accessible to significant achievement. our citizens.”

fic.” Smith said two nights of dry weather will help get the work completed. The second project is the Bethelview Road widening and realignment from Castleberry Road to Ga. 9. That project widens Bethelview Road to two through lanes with turn lanes at each intersection and sidewalks. A completion date for the widening project is Sept. 6. Both projects were awarded to C.W. Matthews Contractor, of Marietta.

NEWS

Submit your news & photos to news@forsythherald.com

forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | July 30, 2014 | 5

Newcomers take helm in runoff School superintendent, U.S. senate race to be decided in Nov. By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Voters across Forsyth County decided runoff races Tuesday, July 22. There were 17,126 voters this election and that included absentee, in person and mail, or 16 percent of the county’s active voters — 105,033, according Barbara Luth, supervisor of voter registration and election for the county. The Republican-controlled county did not have any local Democrats running, so in January, the county will have a new solicitor general and a new state senator for District 27. The runoff took place because of the May 20 primary election. William “Bill” Finch defeated incumbent Solicitor General Donna Gopaul with 9,611 votes to Gopaul’s 6,317 votes. In March 2013, Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Gopaul to fill the solicitor general position left vacant by Leslie Abernathy Maddox, who was appointed as State Court judge of Forsyth County.

FINCH

WILLIAMS

In the state senate race, newcomer Michael Williams won with 66 percent of the votes or 10,796 to incumbent Sen. Jack Murphy’s 5,518 votes. Murphy has served the county since 2007. The high-profile Republican Senate contest between 11term U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston and businessman David Perdue went to Perdue locally by 56 percent of the vote and statewide by 50.9 percent. Perdue will face Democratic nominee Michelle Nunn in November. The Republican candidates for Georgia school superintendent were headed for a recount last week. In Forsyth, Richard Woods garnered 53 percent of the votes over Mike Buck, but statewide, the race was too

General Forsyth County primary runoff and general nonpartisan election runoff July 22, 2014

The Republicancontrolled county did not have any local Democrats running, so in January, the county will have a new solicitor general and a new state senator for District 27. close to call. For the Democratic candidates for school superintendent, Valarie Wilson won with 57 percent of the votes in Forsyth County or 181 votes. Wilson defeated challenger Alisha Thomas Morgan. In the small district that covers west Forsyth, District 22 State House, Wesley Cantrell won in Forsyth with 74 percent of the votes over Meagan Biello’s 25 percent. The district covers mostly

(Winner in bold and listed first)

Solicitor General: Republican of the 15,928 votes • William Finch received 60.34% (9,611 votes) • Donna S. Gopaul (I) received 39.66% (6,317 votes) State Senator, District 27: Republican of the 16,314 votes • Michael E. Williams received 66.18% (10,796 votes) • Jack Murphy (I) received 33.82% (5,518 votes) State Representative, District 22: Republican of the 1,232 votes • Wesley Cantrell received 74.27% (915 votes) • Meagan C. Biello received 25.73% (317 votes) United States Senator: Republican of the 16,608 votes • David A. Perdue received 56.58% (9,396 votes) • Jack Kingston received 43.42% (7,212 votes) State School Superintendent: Republican of the 13,858 votes • Richard L. Woods received 53.17% (7,368 votes) • Michael L. ‘Mike’ Buck received 46.83% (6,490 votes) State School Superintendent: Democrat of the 316 votes • Valarie D. Wilson received 57.28% (181 votes) • Alisha Thomas Morgan received 42.72% (135 votes) Cherokee and parts of Milton went to Cantrell.

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6 | July 30, 2014 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com

Girls fight cancer with WSB Care-a-Thon By SHANNON WEAVER shannon@forsythherald.com ATLANTA — Local patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Aflac Cancer Center are sharing their stories and raising money to fight cancer and blood disorders. They will take to the airwaves on WSB radio for WSB’s annual Care-a-Thon, from 4:30 a.m. July 31 until 6 p.m. Aug. 1. Some of these children are locals from the North Fulton and Forsyth area. Mary Elizabeth Paris, 11, of Milton, has completed chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is scheduled to receive a bone marrow transplant from her brother in August. “We’re very lucky that her sibling was a match,” said Mandy Paris, her mother. The Paris family said they support Cure Childhood Cancer and Be the Match, a transplant organization. “Even though we’re lucky, there’s many friends of ours and kids we see that don’t have matches,” Paris said. Hudson Lillystone, 4, from Alpharetta also has leukemia — acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Now in remis-

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Listen to locals’ stories of surviving childhood cancer on WSB Radio, 95.5 and AM750 • Mary Elizabeth Paris: 2:15 p.m. July 31 • Lauren Morris: 10:10 a.m. Aug 1. • Hudson Lillystone: 3:06 Aug. 1. sion, Hudson is in a study to determine if different radiation treatments can reduce risks of secondary cancer and other side effects. “Hudson has been very resilient,” said Emily Lillystone, her mother. “She loves swimming, going to the pool and playing with friends. You would never know that she has cancer.” Lauren Morris, 10, of Cumming, was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) in her brain in March. She is in week 14 of a year-long chemotherapy and radiation treatment program. Morris told WSB she is “tougher than cancer.”

Mary Elizabeth Paris, right, with siblings Maddie and Whit. “She’s doing very well,” said Karen Furr, Morris’ mother. “In the hospital, they have mini golf and a basketball court. She’s starting to be able to do those things again.” Paris, Morris and Lillystone will appear on the radio with

other Aflac Cancer Center patients inviting listeners to donate toward cancer and blood disorder research. Celebrities are scheduled to appear and there will be matching sponsors and prize packages. Last year, the Care-a-Thon raised

over $1.5 million for research and programs. The annual WSB Care-aThon, will be from 4:30 a.m. July 31 until 6 p.m. Aug. 1 on WSB Radio 95.5 and AM750. For more information, visit www. wsbradio.com/s/care-a-thon.

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forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | July 30, 2014 | 7

Temporary Starbucks trailer keeps loyal customers happy Construction will add a drive-thru By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com CUMMING, Ga. — The Starbucks on the corner of Bethelview Road and Ga. 9 is going to be closed for 12 weeks while

construction of a drive-thru takes place. The coffee shop is undergoing a complete overhaul and adding a drive-thru window, but that has not stopped loyal customers from dropping by a trailer set up to serve hot beverages. The temporary trailer sees about 100 customers a day and does not serve any food

because of the company’s strict temperature control policy. Customer Jennifer Barker said the trailer is a great temporary fix from her favorite location, which she’s been frequenting for four years since she moved to the area. “I’m kind of loyal,” Barker said. “I pass four Starbucks locations on my way to work, but I always come to this one.”

ALDO NAHED/STAFF

Jennifer Barker gets a cold coffee beverage from Starbucks barista Jennifer Nahrstadt.

Forsyth County Fire Department offers Citizens’ Fire Academy CUMMING, Ga. — The Forsyth County Fire Department invites citizens to sign up for a free 10-week Citizens’ Fire Academy. Participants will learn about fire department services and interact with first responders. The Citizens’ Fire Academy will be held 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays from Sept. 2 through Nov. 4, with end-of-session activities Nov. 8. The course will be held

at the fire department headquarters, Forsyth County Public Safety Complex at 3520 Settingdown Road in Cumming. “The Citizens’ Fire Academy aims to provide our residents with an in-depth understanding of their fire department,” said Fire Chief Danny Bowman. “We are proud to offer this new program to engage our citizens.”

Participants must be 18 or older, have no felony conviction, pass a background check and be a Forsyth County resident. Participants must be willing to make a 10-week commitment to the program. Those interested must submit an application with a signed and notarized liability release and confidentiality

agreement. The application packet is available on the department page on the Forsyth County website. If submitted via fax or email, original copies should be retained by applicants to turn in during the first meeting. For more information, call 770-7812180 or visit www.forsythco.com. –Shannon Weaver

Grant wins silver at World Duathlon Championship

Christine Grant, left, was the silver medalist at the ITU World Duathlon Championship.

PONTEVEDRA, Spain — Christine Grant, 45, of Cumming won the silver medal in her age group at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Duathlon Championship in Pontevedra, Spain on June 1st. Grant had the fastest time of the U.S. medalists. Duathlons consist of a running leg and a biking leg followed by another running leg. –Shannon Weaver

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Mother pushes for better cancer diagnosis CTCA patient on road to recovery By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — After a year of being misdiagnosed, Debra Sweat couldn’t understand what was going on. Sweat, of Chesapeake, Virginia, had a physical exam that showed nothing was wrong. But something wasn’t being detected properly, she said. “Because the mammogram came back with no problem, the doctor didn’t notify me of anything wrong,” Sweat said. “Eventually, I started getting tired, but I assumed it was because I was working nine hours a day, five days a week and had a part-time job on Saturday, and I was taking night classes to get my degree.” A month after graduating with her social science degree, Sweat, a mother of two, found out what was making her ill

and causing so much pain. She had pancreatic cancer. When her family found out, they asked her to come to Alpharetta to stay with them, while she received treatment at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southeastern Regional Medical Center (Southeastern). The facility is located in Newnan, Georgia, south of Atlanta. “People are so busy with their normal and busy life that when they feel a twinge or they feel pressure, you just make excuses,” Sweat said. “Now I’ve learned that if something doesn’t feel right, it’s important to get it checked out and not make excuses.” Sweat is passionate about sharing her story in order to encourage others to pay close attention to their bodies and to be aware of their families’ history.

Sweat was an active duty member of the U.S. Navy for 11 years. Most recently, she served as a civil service worker in finance for the Coast Guard in Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, but in 2013, stepped down in order to begin the fight of her life at Cancer Treatment Centers of America Early in her treatment, Sweat realized an important aspect toward her recovery involved maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She quickly sought out nutritionists at CTCA to help restore her digestive health and over the course of a year went from a size 18 to a size 2. “I cannot put into words how thankful I am for the Cancer Treatments of America,” Sweat said. “People who are diagnosed with cancer and want a second opinion, I would definitely send them to the CTCA.” For more information, visit www.cancercenter.com.

Debra Sweat went from a size 18 to a size 2 as part of her cancer treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Riverwatch teacher participates in ‘Freddie G Broadway Experience’ NEW YORK — Miriam Reynold, a teacher at Suwanee’s Riverwatch Middle School, was one of eight educators in the country selected to work one-on-one with Broadway professionals at the fifth annual Freddie G Broadway Experience in New York City. Music Theatre International (MTI) honors teachers who make a difference for their students and communities with the Freddie G Broadway Experience, named for Freddie “G” Gershon, chairman and chief executive officer. In addition to the New York experience, each of the teachers’ schools received $5,000 from Freddie and Myrna Gershon to enhance their arts program. The teachers met and worked with Broadway stars such as Stephen Sondheim, Jeanine Tesori and Warren Carlyle. “These teachers do inspiring work with limited financial resources,” said Gershon. “It’s crucial we keep theater alive in this country

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SPORTS

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Golf tourney to attract 3,000 to Alpharetta Collegiate championship event prepares for 9th year By CAROLYN RIDDER ASPENSON carolyn@forsythherald.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The ninth annual U.S. Collegiate Golf Championship, scheduled for Oct. 16-19, is on target to be their biggest and best event yet. “We’re expecting to have over 3,000 people attend the event,” said Rich Dennis, the event’s co-chairman. “Not including of course, the participants.” The event, held at the Golf Club of Georgia located at 1 Golf Club Drive off Windward Parkway in Alpharetta, will showcase top golfers from 15 colleges across the country including the event sponsor, Georgia Tech. “This year, we’ll have some of the top college teams and players from across the country,” said Tori Pisciotta, co-chair. “We’ve had to turn down schools that wanted to participate because it’s getting so big.” Participating universities include Auburn, Clemson,

East Tennessee State, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Kent State, Louisiana State, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, Virginia, Wake Forest and Washington. “The event features some of the nation’s top collegiate players, and we view it as an opportunity to watch the future of the PGA Tour,” Dennis said. Pisciotta said No. 1 worldranked amateur Ollie Schniederjans of Georgia Tech and No. 4, Oklahoma State’s Jordan Niebrugge, will play the course. The three-day event is free to the public, with viewing up-close and personal to the players. “We do have skyboxes that can be purchased and we’ll also have a large hospitality booth on the course,” Pisciotta said. The program is managed by the nonprofit Friends of Georgia Cup. The event supports various scholarship programs. “The Folds of Honor Foundation is our primary charity,” Dennis said. “With the money

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Appalachian State University BOONE, N.C. – Kevin C. Lentz, an Army ROTC candidate from Milton, earned a place on the Chancellor’s List at Appalachian State University for the spring semester. To be eligible for the Chancellor’s List, a student must have a 3.85 grade point average or higher and carry a minimum of 12 hours. In addition, James Koehler of Roswell made the Chancellor’s List in the Honors College at Appalachian State University by attaining a 3.88 GPA. Koehler just completed his junior year.

Mercer University Law School MACON, Ga. – Christopher Perniciaro of Cumming graduated from Mercer Law School in Macon magna cum laude in the spring commencement ceremony. He also received the following recognitions: Brainerd Currie Honor Society, CALI Awards and was a member of the Mercer Law Review.

Troy University TROY, Ala. – Shawn Kimble of

Georgia Tech’s Ollie Schniederjans, ranked No. 1 amateur in the world, will play the United States Collegiate Classic. we raise from the event, we’re able to help them provide

Cumming and Michael Syrios of Roswell both received degrees from Troy University as the school honored more than 700 graduates during its spring commencement inside Trojan Arena on the Troy campus.

Loyola Marymount University LOS ANGELES – Jessie Garrett Black of Milton has graduated from Loyola Marymount University and has been awarded a bachelor’s of degree in fine arts with honors (cum laude). Black is a 2011 graduate of Milton High School and earned her college diploma in three years.

University of Mississippi OXFORD, Miss. – Andrew Butler, a St. Pius High School alum, recently graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with an emphasis on homeland security. Additional, he graduated with the ROTC’s Distinguished Military Honors and was commissioned a second lieutenant with the U.S. Army, Infantry Division.

Brevard College BREVARD, N.C. – Brevard College has named Nicholas Bier of Cumming to the Dean’s List for the spring semester of the 2013-2014

scholarships to family members of our military who’ve

academic year. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a 3.50 grade point average or higher for the semester.

Hampden-Sydney College HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. – HampdenSydney student Chase Baldwin of Suwanee graduated May 11 with a bachelor’s degree in religion. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Baldwin.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln LINCOLN, Neb. – Brigitte Lorraine Speicher of Alpharetta was among more than 2,900 students who received degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in ceremonies May 9-10. Speicher received a bachelor’s degree in education and human sciences from the College of Education and Human Sciences.

SUNY Institute of Technology – Utica/ Rome UTICA, N.Y. – Pranav Prabhudesai of Alpharetta received a master’s degree in computer/information sciences at the State University of New York Institute of Technology’s spring commencement.

been injured or killed.” Dennis said funds are raised through sponsorships and skybox purchases. “We’ve kept the bulk of tickets for the event, free,” he said. “Because we want to draw in a large crowd.” Pisciotta said people from all over the country come to the event, and many corporations like his employer, UPS, bring in executives and clients. “We’ve got arrangements with several hotels in the area, and the rooms book quickly,” Dennis said. “The local restaurants see a surge in business during the event, too.” Dennis said the area is the perfect location for the event, and he’d like to see it grow. “The course is excellent and the area is easily accessible from the airport, as well as the surrounding states,” Dennis said. “The community has always been extremely supportive and welcoming, so we’d really like to see the attendance grow, as it can have such a positive impact on the businesses in the area.” Tickets for the event are available at www.theuscc. org and will soon be available through Lifetime Fitness. For sponsorship opportunities, visit www.theuscc.org/ sponsorship.

Fall baseball and softball registration begins July 28 FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Parks and Recreation invites baseball and softball players to sign up to play ball in the fall. Registration is open Monday through Friday, July 28 through Aug. 15. The fall recreational baseball and softball league is for boys and girls ages 4 through 17. The registration fee is $70 per child for county residents and $84 per child for non-county residents. Beginning July 28, registrations will be taken at the county’s three recreation centers, located at Fowler Park, Central Park and Old Atlanta Park, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registrations will also be accepted beginning July 28 via fax, mail and online. Mailed or faxed registration forms must include payment and be received by Aug. 15. Practices are scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 1. Games are scheduled to begin the week of Sept. 15 and will continue until the middle of October. Fowler Park is located at 4110 Carolene Way in Cumming. Central Park is located at 2300 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming. Old Atlanta Park is located at 810 Nichols Road in Suwanee. For more information, call Forsyth County Parks and Recreation at 770-781-2215 or visit www.forsythco.com/parks. –Shannon Weaver

10 | July 30, 2014 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com

Going Green

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

Making a difference in your local community Forstyh Herald | July 30, 2014

Sustainable business practices for the new economy Charles Eisenstein, Yale University graduate and author of “Sacred Economics,” believes our society must form a “gift economy” in order to combat massive social inequality and the destruction of our environment. His work is based upon how former civilizations worked, wherein the richest person in the society was the person who did the most for society, without government meddling, when individuals instinctively supported each other without intrusive laws. This person could only gain so much by giving away the same amount. Because whatever was produced was a gift for someone else, individuals were always ensured of receiving one back. Eisenstein wrote that this type of thinking must apply to business leaders in the community. “Someday, hopefully soon, we must change the business environment to end the opposition between profit and ecological well-being,” Eisenstein wrote in the British newspaper, the Guardian. “…Herein lies a very different sort of ‘business case’ for sustainability. It comes from questions like, ‘Who are you, really?’ ‘What do you care about?’ and, ‘What do you serve?’ From a deep consideration of such questions, courage is born. “The other business case, the one based on profit, is just a tactical device, a way to give the bean counters – and our own internal bean counter – permission to say yes to what we all really want.” In this sense, Maria Fundora, owner of Casa Nuova in Alpharetta, is ahead of the game. Fundora manages a 13-acre “garden,” which is more like a farm, along with her husband, children and employees from the restaurant, to provide all the fresh veggies, herbs and fruit served in the restaurant. “It’s probably a wash,” said Fundora, describing the expenses of the business practices of maintaining and running a farm to support a restaurant. But she doesn’t do it for the bottom line. She does it to keep her customers happier and healthier — ultimately, sustaining and expanding her base of clients. Fundora even gives away her extra produce to customers after they enjoy their meal.

JAMES CARR

The Jig Is Up james@forsythherald.com

Maria Fundora with her son Pepe. “That changes everything; that you are not just making a living or making money, but you’re caring about your environment, you’re caring about your customer, you’re caring about improving your food quality even though it may cost more money,” said Fundora. “Because at the end of the day, people will appreciate what you are doing and your business will improve.” The value of Fundora’s garden isn’t quantifiable; it’s just good for the community. It brings people together. It means land that was once grass and trees is now productive and useful. And it tastes amazing. Steps like these will create waves in our free market, should we all choose to take them. I challenge business owners in the area to consider what you can do for your employees or community. Could you plant tomatoes and greens out back so your employees can make salads for lunch? Could you buy chickens so your employees could have eggs each morning? Could you save all the rainwater from your building to limit water waste? Could you let your employees work from home once a week to cut down on carbon emissions and let the workforce recover and spend time with family? There are unlimited options and almost none will help the bottom line. They will, how-

GOING GREEN: Q&A with Maria Fundora During research for my book, “The Jig is Up,” a book about sustainable living in urban environments, I interviewed Maria Fundora, owner of Casa Nuova restaurant and an avid farmer. Here’s an excerpt from our conversation. Read more of this interview at www. northfulton.com. How did the farm become a part of your restaurant? Fundora: We live on a farm, which is two blocks away. My husband bought the property in 1980, and at that time, there were no people out here (laughs). We wanted to open something closer to home. We found this little place; it was a strip mall that was going up and we were the first people to sign in 1997, and we opened in February 1998. We started slow, because the land you have to really work and if you want to be organic, you have to find natural fertilizers and that kind of thing. You have to really till depending on what kind of winter you had, too. We started out kind of small. My husband would make small batches of gelato for our family. That’s kind of how it started, and it snowballed. We did one acre, then two then three, and now we’re up to 12 acres. We don’t sell it to the public. We’ll use what we use here in the restaurant or like now, we have an abundance of cucumbers, so our customers will go home with little bags of our organic cucumbers to take with them. We try to use it as a marketing tool so people know we care about our customer, our environment and making our food better. And at this time of the year, our food is better. The recipe hasn’t changed, but what we’re using is better because we’re growing it ourselves. What do you grow in the garden, and what is the process like? Fundora: We start from organic seed in March or February, and we always plant after Easter -- we learned that lesson five or six years ago. We said, ‘Why don’t we start a little bit earlier?’ There was a major freeze, and we lost a lot of money in having to start over. If it’s an early Easter, we wait a little later. We don’t do any mushrooms, but we have parsley, cilantro, basil, corn. We have every color of pepper you can imagine; cucumbers. This year, we planted around 5,000 tomato plants. For us, tomatoes are a major key ingredient, because aside from making sauce, it makes soup, it makes our sun dried tomatoes for the year. We have cherry, heirloom, beefsteak – every kind of tomato you can imagine, we have. Eggplant, we have in the ground. We also have zucchini, yellow squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, different Caribbean squashes, ever, make the people around you happier and healthier. How much is that worth?

some potatoes, spinach, other greens – a little bit of everything that we use in the restaurant. And we have fruit trees to make our homemade gelato. We’re not doing it necessarily to make money because, as you know, using organic anything raises your price. Our pricing is very reasonable. We’re in a middle range, where you can have dinner with us on a weekly basis and not spend a fortune. We try to be sustainable. It helps our customers and our families eat healthier, which is very important. The Slow Food Movement in Italy isn’t just about food, it’s about an attitude. What are some of the differences between Italy and the United States in that regard? Fundora: We travel to Italy pretty often. One of the things we find wherever we go – whether we’re in Southern Italy on the islands of Capri or we’re in Sorrento, or Northern Italy or the Adriatic Coast of Florence – is every restaurant that we go to has a garden. And they’ll pick from that garden what they’re going to make for the day. Whether they do it as a special or as an additive – OK, we’ve got a lot of basil, let’s make a pesto sauce. And their customer base is used to that. I think it’s more of a way of life. At almost every home, you see a couple of vineyards. Not like an acre, but you’ll see a little track where they’ll harvest their own grapes and make homemade wine. You know? It’s the same kind of thing with food. We’ve been here 16 years now. In this area in Alpharetta, I see more and more of that. I see more gardens. And it’s very nice to be able to see it on my level, that people are doing it for their businesses. Does the garden supply enough food to last the entire year? Fundora: Depending how the weather is, we’ll have a fall garden, which is much smaller of course. Last year, we had maybe two acres. And you get excited about seeing those things that you plant in the fall that are different than what you planted in the spring. It keeps you talking about the garden throughout the year. We’ll talk to our customers throughout the year about what we’re doing, so there’s an excitement about what you’re doing. Our first flowers that we have every year are camellias, and when our customers see that we have camellias on the table they’re like, “Oh my god, have you started the garden?” What five items would you grow regardless of time or temperature? Fundora: Tomatoes, peppers, corn, spinach and basil. There are so many uses for all those.

James Carr is working on a book about the local, sustainable movement called “The Jig

Is Up.” For more information, visit thejigisup89.com.

COMMUNITY

forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | July 30, 2014 | 11

PET SPOTLIGHT:

Dizzy is a mild-mannered cat FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Dizzy is a beautiful senior girl who just turned 9 years old this month. She is a sweet, affectionate cat who would prefer a quiet household. She tends to be bullied by other cats, so it would be best if she were with others who are as mild-mannered as she. She would be a lovely lap cat and companion for anyone. As with many older people, she too needs to be on daily medication; she is on thyroid medicine to keep her levels in check. She is a healthy, gentle and loving girl who deserves a wonderful home in which to spend the rest of her life. Her adoption fee is just $25, but if you are a senior citizen with an approved application, you could bring her home for no charge through the Senior for a Senior program. Visit the Adoption Center, 4440 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming any day between noon and 6 p.m. and ask for her by name. She’ll be waiting for you. Call the shelter at 770-887-6480 or visit www. forsythpets.org.

From left are Forsyth County Commissioner Brian R. Tam, Capt. Mark Flowers, Commission Chairman Pete Amos, William Norwood III, Commissioner Jim Boff, Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills and Commissioner Todd Levent.

Two employees recognized for 25 years of service FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — At their July 17 meeting, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners recognized two employees for their years of service with Forsyth County government.

Forsyth County Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Flowers and William Norwood III of Forsyth County Roads and Bridges were each recognized for reaching 25 years of service with the county. —Aldo Nahed

12 | July 30, 2014 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com

COMMUNITY

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Girls have the horsepower Harry Norman shows benefits domestic violence victims By JADE RODGERS jade@forsythherald.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Wills Park was filled to the brim July 19 and 20 when girls and their horses gathered for a benefit show sponsored by Harry Norman Realtors. The weekend-long show benefitted shelters for battered women in Forsyth, Dawson, Lumpkin and Hall counties as well as the Captain Herb memorial fund. The show featured talent from all corners of Georgia. “I’ve always wanted our agents to give back in time, money and PR,” said Robert Aiken of the Harry Norman Forsyth/Lake Lanier office. The press given to Homes for Battered Women goes to increase awareness for the cause of stopping domestic violence. “There is very little support for that cause,” Aiken said. “No one realizes the ripple effect the horse industry has in Georgia.” In recent years, colleges have begun to acquire equestrian teams to suit the popularity and growing support of the horse-riding community. “Showing breeds self-confidence and self-esteem,” said Aiken, “It makes a whole person out of the girls who ride.” The riders couldn’t agree more. The

JADE RODGERS/STAFF

Robert Aiken, Senior VP & Managing Broker for Harry Norman of Forsyth County / Lake Lanier, before the Wills Park horse show.

positive effect of working with horses and fellow equestrians is tangible at competitions. “My favorite part of riding is meeting new people,” said rider Carri Beach as she lead her horse, Lucy, to the competing ring. “The girls are empathetic, sympathetic and very demanding,” Aiken said. For more information on Harry Norman Realtors and the work they do in the community, visit www.harrynorman.com/robertaiken.

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Tully the horse shows some affection to his fans Katelyn Jarvis and Sarah Jarvis before entering the ring with his rider, Chelsea Koornick.

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