Milton Herald, October 1, 2014 by Appen Media Group

Sponsored Sections Real Estate Report ►►PAGE 20

Milton’s historic district? Crabapple rules pondered ►►PAGE 4

‘The Assault’ debuts

Local director appears on Lifetime ►►PAGE 14

Tiny houses, big dreams Small lifestyle grows ►►PAGE 24

Kickin’ it with Cecily Mohammed

Frosh ’Hooch kicker sets her sights on Varsity team ►►PAGE 25

October 1, 2014 | northfulton.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 9, No. 39

Crooked Creek seeks gated roads Would be responsible for upkeep By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com

Plenty of Autumnal events are happening Oct. 4, including the Scarecrow Harvest, Crabapple Fest and Brew Moon Festival.

Fall into autumn Events abound Oct. 4 in North Fulton By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – The first Saturday in October – Oct. 4 – is shaping up to be a busy one. Milton is abuzz with fall activities and, not far away, other local cities are gearing up for the autumn season. In Milton, the annual Crabapple Fest will dominate downtown Crabapple from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. This event sees the city of Milton and nonprofit Crabapple Community Association (CCA) combine to put on one massive destination festival. “We’ve really pulled out all the stops this year to bring everyone more of what they

love about the festival,” said Peyton Jamison, president of CCA. “We’ll have great antiques and art, incredible performances and the best of North Fulton’s food scene.” The festival will feature: • Antiques and art from nearly 100 juried vendors • A music and entertainment stage featuring Banks and Shane • Games, rides and activities for kids • An Oktoberfest Biergarten by the Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub • A game day screen featuring SEC college football action from Carl Black of Roswell Buick GMC Dealer

MILTON, Ga. – One of the largest neighborhoods in Milton is seeking to close off its streets and privatize. The issue will next come before the Milton City Council Oct. 6 for a public hearing and vote. With 640 homes, Crooked Creek has 6.5 miles of roadway right at the border of Fulton and Forsyth counties on Ga. 9. Right now, the road is public, allowing motorists to drive through it unhindered. The city has care of the roads, milling and resurfacing them as needed. According to some residents, the neighborhood would be best served with gates on the entrances to keep out traffic. The main street of the neighborhood, Creek Club Drive, runs from Ga. 9 in the south to Francis Road in the

north. Residents complain commuters use the road as a cut-through when traffic backs up on Ga. 9. Steve Tipton, president of the Crooked Creek Homeowners’ Association, said that the primary reason for privatization is safety. “It’s about safety and quality of life for us,” Tipton said. “We want safety for our children and to reduce crime in our community.” With commuter traffic using Creek Club Drive as a shortcut, they are congesting the road as well as becoming a safety hazard. Speeding, reckless driving and not stopping at stop signs are frequent complaints, he said. Crime is also an issue, given that anyone can drive into the neighborhood. There was an attempted abduction of a neighborhood child there last

See GATING, Page 36

Parking and attendance, as always, are free. Shuttles will be available all day from Crabapple Crossing Elementary School and Crabapple Baptist Church. Crabapple Fest is

TUTORING

See FALL, Page 31

DON’T LET YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING STOP JUST BECAUSE SUMMER STARTS.

JONATHAN COPSEY/STAFF

The residents of Crooked Creek in Milton are petitioning the city to gate off their roads and privatize them.

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A pair of suspicious people were arrested on drug charges Sept. 17 after acting “strange” at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant on Mansell Road. According to police, they received a call from the restaurant about two people – Demetreas Lamon Bronner, 33, of Gainesville, and Christina A. Gliszczynski, 35, of Dahlongea – harassing employees and acting nervous. Employees said the couple entered

POLICE BLOTTER COPSEY NAHED HURD NEWSROOM Revue & News • Jonathan Copsey jonathan@northfulton.com Forsyth Herald • Aldo Nahed aldo@forsythherald.com Johns Creek Herald • Hatcher Hurd hatcher@northfulton.com Milton Herald • Jonathan Copsey jonathan@northfulton.com ADVERTISING General Info, ext. 100 advertising@northfulton.com CLASSIFIEDS ext. 136 or ext. 100 classifieds@northfulton.com CIRCULATION for delivery questions, ext. 100 circulation@northfulton.com PUBLISHER Ray Appen, ext. 101 appen@northfulton.com DELIVERY POLICY

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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.

Resident defrauded of thousands MILTON, Ga. – A Milton resident is the latest victim of a telephone scam that has gained popularity recently. The victim told police she received a phone call Sept. 19 from a “Lt. Kaufman” who said he was with the Fulton County Courthouse. He said the victim had missed jury duty and had a heavy fine to pay or be arrested. The victim was told to purchase Green Dot credit cards and relay their numbers to the officer. She did so, buying more than $2,000 in cards. The “officer” then said some of the cards did not work and asked her to do it again, which the victim did. In total, $4,260 was given to the scammer in cards. Government officials, be they police or court officials, will never ask for money over the phone and never ask to be paid with pre-paid debit cards.

Home intruder finds woman in shower JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A man broke into a Bristol Lane

shortly before closing time and said they had a take-out order. There was no such order. They then walked around, speaking rapidly and entered the manager’s office. Bronner then said he owned the business. When he began talking about the safe, the pair were asked to leave. Police met up with them in their car in the parking lot. The officer noted they were twitching and speaking rapidly, exhibiting signs of drug use. When Gliszc-

apartment Sept. 20 and attempted to assault a woman in the shower. According to the victim, she had returned home from the neighborhood gym. She got into the shower. Several minutes later, she said she noticed a leg on the other side of the shower curtain. She looked around and saw a short man standing in the bathroom. He pulled back the shower curtain and began taking pictures or video of the victim in the shower. She told him to get out and to let her get a towel. He allegedly responded saying, “But you left the door open.” At one point, the man pulled down his pants and made threatening remarks to her. She managed to shut him out of the bathroom and lock the door before calling neighbors for help. No suspects were found in the area.

Secret shopper scammed JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A Bristol Trace resident was the victim of a classic scam Sept. 20 and is out $1,600. The victim told police she received an email to sign up for a secret shopper program. She signed up and was in email contact with a man who told her what to do. He sent her a check for $1,985 and told her to cash

All performances held in High School Gym 7:30 p.m. Thur., Oct. 16 7:30 p.m. Fr., Oct. 17 2:30 & 7:30 p.m. Sat., Oct. 18 Main Characters: “Millie Dillmount” played by Autumn Bristow, “Jimmy Smith” played by Pierce Rossman, “Miss Dorothy” played by Whitney Cookston, “Trevor Graydon” played by David Renfrow, “Mrs. Meers” played by Elise Anzaldua Set in 1922, Millie tells the story of a Kansas girl who moves to Manhattan to follow her plan of marrying for wealth instead of love – the modern way – but her plans get bumpy when she accidentally falls in love with a charming but poor young man named Jimmy.

zynski got out of the car to speak to police, officers noted she was sitting on a scale and a knife, both of which had a white powder residue on them. In the center console of the car was a Tupperware container with suspected methamphetamine inside. Both were arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession of a weapon during a crime. Gliszczynski also had an outstanding warrant out of Hall County.

it. Two money orders for $800 would be made and sent to a Florida address. The remaining money would be used to buy items at stores and she should write up a report. The victim did this. The next day, she said she received another check, this time for $2,485 with the same instructions. She took it to the bank and was told it was fraudulent. The bank employees then told her that the prior check returned for insufficient funds. The bank used money from her other bank accounts to pay for her money orders.

Pushy solicitor harasses neighbors CUMMING, Ga. — Two women felt harassed after a solicitor wouldn’t “take no for an answer,” according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident report. A woman in the 5000 block of Stevenhaven Lane told deputies a blond solicitor wearing khaki shorts and a pink shirt knocked on her door Sept. 16. The solicitor talked to her about books or magazines, but the woman said she was not interested. The solicitor continued to move closer to her front door, so the woman shut the door on her. Then at about 12:45 p.m. Sept. 19, the solicitor came back and knocked on the door of the home across the street. The neighbor there told

deputies the solicitor had a bag of materials with her she tried to sell. The neighbor said she was not interested, and she watched the solicitor’s demeanor change from friendly to angry. The neighbor began taking pictures of the solicitor’s 2014 Chevrolet Cruze, and threatened to call 911. The solicitor ran to her car and sped off.

School buses broken into FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Someone broke into a bus parked at a school and left the flashers on, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident report. An employee of Oak Grove Academy, 3480 Francis Road, told deputies she arrived for work at 6 a.m. Sept. 15 and saw the flashers were turned on in the “big bus.” She said the top right glass in the door was cracked, or “spider webbed,” and the door was open. She checked the other buses and found another one had its weather stripping pulled away from the door. No other buses or pieces of property seemed tampered with. Deputies were unable to review video surveillance because it was not turned on at the time of the incident.

See BLOTTER, Page 3

www.FellowshipChristianSchool.org Elementary School: 770.992.4975 Middle School: 770-641-6855 High School: 770.993.1650 Admissions: 770.641.6816 10965 Woodstock Road · Roswell, GA 30075 @fellowshipCS

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Continued from Page 2

$10K in construction materials stolen CUMMING, Ga. — Someone trespassed onto construction property and stole over $10,000 in copper wire, breaker boxes and drills, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident report. The owner of Doc Holiday’s Electrical Services told depu-

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

DUI arrests

►► Stelios Lampadarios, 46,

of Rives Drive, Alpharetta, was arrested Sept. 13 on Bell Road in Johns Creek for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Andrew Kermit Newsome, 24, of Cumberland Court, Alpharetta, was arrested Sept. 6 on Colony Drive in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Douglas B. Wilks, 34, of Woodhaven Way, Alpharetta,

ties Sept. 16 the theft occurred overnight at 510 Lakeland Plaza. Suspects went through the unlocked gate and stole 9,500 feet of copper wire, main breaker boxes, drills and a large gang toolbox. Deputies said the suspects were careful by cutting the copper wire from the outside of building and only touching what they took.

$800 in yoga pants missing CUMMING, Ga. — Retail em-

was arrested Sept. 5 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to maintain lane, no proof of insurance and violation of license restrictions. ►► Dwayne Adair Johnson, 21, of Hampton Square Drive, Johns Creek, was arrested Sept. 5 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to yield and possession of marijuana. ►► Brent Charles McAfee, 50, of Burnett Drive, Cumming, was arrested Sept. 1 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Katelyn Elizabeth Kitzel, 24, of Statesboro was arrested Sept. 11 on Westside Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and speeding.

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 3

ployees noticed Sept. 14 yoga items missing from the store, but they have no idea who stole them or how, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s incident report. The product manager of Victoria’s Secret, 410 Peachtree Parkway, told deputies the items were taken over a two-day period. The manager said she does not know the exact amount of yoga pants missing, but estimates about 40 pairs. Surveillance video could not identify any suspicious activity.

►► Carlton Alexander Martin,

21, of Decatur was arrested Sept. 6 on Mansell Road in Alpharetta for DUI and possession of marijuana.

Drug arrests ►► Wesley Alan Brooks, 24, of

Canton Street, Roswell, was arrested Sept. 8 on Highway 9 in Milton for possession of marijuana and brake light violation. ►► Jonathan Maurice Martin, 26, of Crabapple Lake Drive, Roswell, was arrested Sept. 13 on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and suspended registration.

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NEWS

Milton considers historic district By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com MILTON, Ga. – Downtown Crabapple is often at the front of residents’ minds when they think not only of Milton, but also of that small-town feel of rural living. That is what the city hopes to keep as officials discuss creating a historic district for the downtown Crabapple area. The proposed district would include the crossroads and span to the new library

site at Charlotte Road. The City Council met with the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Sept. 15 to discuss the proposed district. The ultimate decision to enact the district will be up to the mayor and council. “If you are in the historic district, any changes you make to any structure, including houses, would have to be reviewed and approved by the HPC,” said Kathleen Field, Milton’s Community Development

director. “The idea is to protect the historic district.” A historic district would place limitations on what can be built and how within its boundaries on properties deemed historic. Owners of historic buildings would face restrictions. It does not affect the use of the building. Tax credits are used to incentivize landowners who make upgrades to their properties. “It is concerned with maintaining the historic relevance

of historic structures,” Field said. “We want to protect our historic assets.” Should the district be enacted, proposals would come before the HPC for approval to determine if they keep with the historic character of the surrounding area. If that body denies the plans, the applicant has the option to appeal to the mayor and council. The issue will come before council for a hearing Oct. 6 and then again for a vote Oct. 20.

‘We’ve all had traffic fatigue’ Ga. 9 widening to four lanes a welcomed project By ALDO NAHED aldo@forsythherald.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Hundreds of residents and business owners participated in the Georgia Department of Transportation input open house meeting to address the widening of Ga. 9. For Jo Woodard, who attended the open house at Vickery Creek Middle School and lives off Campground Road in south Forsyth, the population growth has really put stress on county roads, especially on the two-lane Ga. 9 (Atlanta

Highway). “I think we need to hasten it,” Woodard said. “I don’t know how you can build it fast enough.” The proposed widening would take Ga. 9 from the Fulton-Forsyth County line (McFarland Parkway) to Ga. 141 (Bethelview Road/Peachtree Parkway) in Cumming. The proposal would widen Ga. 9 to a four-lane divided highway following the existing roadway but straightening out curves and flattening hills. The plan includes sidewalks on both sides of Ga. 9 and a new bridge over Big Creek. But engineers associated with the project told residents the project is likely not to get started until 2019 and would

ALDO NAHED/STAFF

Residents attend an open house addressing the widening of Ga. 9, also known as Atlanta Highway. take about 18 months to complete. Kim Harper said that’s too long to wait. Harper described morning traffic getting out of her road onto Ga. 9 as a “nightmare.” “Where we live, it can take five-to-seven minutes just to

make a left-hand turn,” Harper said. Harper and two of her neighbors came to the meeting because they were interested in the state’s traffic plan and the group recommended the

See TRAFFIC, Page 36

GARAGE SALES See more garage sales in the classifieds • Page 38

ALPHARETTA, Park at Windward Village. 2932 Commonwealth Circle 30004. Estate sale. Saturday 10/4, 8am-2pm. Tools (power/hand), household, African collectibles, hiking, MORE!!!!! ROSWELL/ALPHARETTA:, 405 Northgate Pass, at Chafin, 30075. Friday 10/3 and Saturday 10/4, 8am-4pm. Moving sale! Various household items including furniture, mens’ and womens’ clothing, yard tolls; something for everyone!. CUMMING,Multi family. Northern Oaks Subdivision, 3125 Yellow Oak Cove 30041. Friday, 10/3, 8am-2pm. Saturday 10/4, 8am-12pm.. CUMMING, Fieldstone Glen. 3690 Azurite Street 30040. Friday 10/3, Saturday 10/4, 9am-2pm. Estate sale! Grandma’s moved here from Amelia Island, Florida with antique furniture, jewelry, real cut glass and more! CUMMING, Multi-familyyard sale. Fieldstone Glen, 3690 Azurite Street 30040. Friday 10/3, Saturday 10/4, 9am-2pm. Furniture, clothes, exercise, electronics, more! CUMMING, Multiple sales in large Lake Forest neighborhood,

off Hendrix Road between John Burris and Highway 369 (Matt Highway/Browns Bridge). Friday 10/3 and Saturday 10/4, 8am-2pm. Follow signs and balloons. JOHNS CREEK 30022:, Multi family/location. Falls Of Autry Mill Subdivision, 4225 and 4170 Falls Ridge Drive, and 320 Willow Glade Point. Saturday 10/4, 8am-1pm. Something for everyone! JOHNS CREEK Kingston Crossing Subdivision (off Buice Road), 9585 Fenbrook Court 30022. Saturday 10/4, 8am2pm. Yard sale: 2 sets of bunk beds, boys’ clothing, home decor, etc. JOHNS CREEK Multi family. Fox Glen Subdivision; Jones Bridge Road to East Fox Court 30005. Saturday 10/4, 8am1pm ROSWELL Devereux Downs/ State Street Subdivisions. Multi-family yard sale.Woodstock Road 30075. Saturday 10/4, 8am-2pm. Rain/shine. SOUTH FORSYTH Entire Springmont community! Peachtree Parkway and Old Alpharetta Road 30041. Friday 10/3 and Saturday 10/4, 8am-2pm.

DEADLINE

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

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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 5

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COMMUNITY

6 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

Run with Alpha PAL Oct. 2 5K race returns ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The annual Alpha PAL Patrol 5K race returns to Jackson Healthcare Oct. 2 in Alpharetta. A Peachtree Road Race qualifier, the Police Athletic League (PAL) 5K begins in the parking lot of Jackson Healthcare, 2655 Northwinds Parkway, and takes the runner through rolling hills in the heart of Alpharetta’s business district before returning to Jackson Healthcare. The race starts at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 2. A Zumba dance fitness program will take place at 7 p.m., and the awards are given out at 8

p.m. Packet pickup begins at 5 p.m. The Atlanta Hawks Fan Club and plenty of health and wellness vendors will come out and join the festivities. For signing up and running, each participant will receive a vintage next level shortsleeved shirt along with pasta dinner and salad. Registration costs $25 if completed by Sept. 25, or $30 on race day. Make entry fee payable and mail to: Alpharetta PAL, P.O. Box 598, Roswell, Ga. 30077. All proceeds benefit the Alpharetta Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL), a nonprofit community-based organization

dedicated to providing an environment of “leaders building leaders” for the youth of North Fulton. Their goal is to engage police officers, firefighters and community volunteers to teach and mentor the youth and establish a bond of mutual respect, understanding and trust with the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety. “It has been rightly said it doesn’t matter where you start out. What really matters is where you’re going,” said Veronica Carew, executive director of Alpharetta PAL. “Leaders building leaders is what we at Alpharetta PAL stand for. We teach children that you are not

Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com

If you go What: Alpharetta Police Athletic League (PAL) 5K When: 6:45 p.m. Oct. 2 Where: Jackson Healthcare, 2655 Northwinds Parkway, Alpharetta, Ga. 30009 Cost: $25 (pre-register); $30 (on race day) More Info: www.active.com a product of your environment. Your environment is a product of you. Our PAL Patrol is just that – we are on the watch to make sure your child is not at-risk. That’s right – they are at-risk to do something that could possibly get him into trouble. We offer guidance and structure, and who better off to do

that than a PAL? Come out and support us. Run or Zumba with someone who still knows it takes a village to raise a kid.” Runners can register online at www.active.com. For more information about Alpharetta Police Athletic League, visit them online at www.alphaPAL.org.

Living Faith Lutheran Church finds Forsyth home By SHANNON WEAVER shannon@northfulton.com CUMMING, Ga. — After gathering in houses and renting meeting spaces for 14 years, Living Faith Lutheran Church has a permanent home at 1171 Atlanta Highway in Cumming. Its first worship service in the new location was July 27, and there will be a dedication ceremony at 4 p.m. on Oct. 5.

The congregation outgrew their last location, said the Rev. Tim Droegemueller, the pastor of Living Faith. The church was founded in 2000 as an outreach of Rivercliff Lutheran Church in Sandy Springs, first meeting in members’ homes. They used North Forsyth Middle School, a community center and Byars Funeral Home before settling on a lease at Buford Dam Road,

the previous meeting place. “It was a lot smaller than what we have now,” Droegemueller said. “Now we have a

place for kids to gather, plenty of space for Sunday school and for them to play outside.” The first service at the new location was in July, which was attended by about 180 people. The Living Faith congregation is estimated at 250 members, or 80 families. The church offers a oneyear catechumenate, or discipleship teaching, program as well as free meals on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., which are

followed by Bible studies. Its Sunday morning services are at 10:15 a.m., followed by a Korean service at 12:30 p.m. “Our concern is on believing His word, hearing Him, studying His word and being a blessing to the people around us,” Droegemueller said. “We know that the Lord will take care of the rest.” For more information, visit www.livingfaithlutheran.com.

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Unitarian Universalists enjoy the picnic festivities.

ROSWELL, Ga. – Roswell Unitarian Universalists from Unitarian Universalist Metro Atlanta North (UUMAN) gathered with congregants from other Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations from across North Georgia at the Georgia ReUUnion picnic on Sept. 7 at Pickneyville Park in Norcross. Founded in 2002, this annual gathering is a venue for fellowship, a potluck meal and a meeting place to coordinate social justice activities across congregations. Many of the 165 attendees wore their “Standing on the Side of Love” T-shirts. The shirts represent a national interfaith advocacy campaign formed in response to a shooting death during a service at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville in 2008. “We are religion of deeds,

not creeds,” said the Rev. Terry Davis, minister at the Northwest UU Congregation in Sandy Springs. Social justice activities discussed included Moral Monday, events held during the active session of the Georgia legislature to bring focus on issues such as health care, wages and discrimination in the workplace. Preparations were also coordinated for the Atlanta Pride parade in October and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the civil rights “Bloody Sunday” event in Selma, Alabama, which will be held in March 2015. The picnic provided food, music, singing, games, arts and crafts, plenty of hugs and conversation. For more information on local UU churches, visit UUA. org. — Vallari Bhave

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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 9

NEWS

10 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

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The search warrant produced hundreds of items of stolen mail, check making materials, counterfeit currency, fraudulent STUART checks, stolen checks, fraudulent Georgia driver’s licenses, dozens of credit cards, financial information and personal information on hundreds of people. Daniel Moss, 48, of Cumming, was arrested on forgery first degree, identity fraud, financial transaction card theft and manufacturing fictitious identification.

Sandra Stepp, 46, of Cumming, was arrested on forgery first degree, financial transaction card theft and manufacturing fictitious identification. Alexandrea Moore, 20, of Cumming, was arrested on possession of methamphetamine and drug-related objects. Kenneth Wilbanks, 23, of Cumming, was arrested for felony probation violation. Aaron Stuart, 28, of Alpharetta, was arrested on a warrant out of Gwinnett County and for forgery from Forsyth County. The investigation is continuing at this time and more charges are possible.

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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 11

Prescription drug abuse awareness video contest for teens ends Oct. 31 LILBURN, Ga. — Attorney General Sam Olens kicked-off a video contest for Georgia high school students at Parkview High School in Lilburn, aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse among teens. The contest, entitled “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” ends Oct. 31. Georgia high school students are challenged to produce a 30-second video encouraging their peers to live a healthy lifestyle by rejecting prescription drug abuse. Students can enter the competition and view the con-

test rules at www.law.ga.gov/ videocontest. “I want students to understand that just because a drug is prescribed by a doctor does not mean it is safe,” said Olens. “If your name is not on the prescription, do not take the drug, and only take drugs as prescribed. Prescription painkillers are some of the most addictive and powerful substances out there, and they can turn deadly, quickly.” Prizes will be awarded to first place, runner-up and people’s choice winner.

Jimmy John’s victim of data breach Old Milton Parkway location hit CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Customers of the Jimmy John’s restaurant on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta may have had their credit card information stolen in yet another corporate data breach. On July 30, 2014, the sandwich company learned of a possible security incident involving credit and debit card data at some of Jimmy John’s stores and franchised locations. Jimmy John’s immediately hired third party forensic experts to assist with its investigation. While the investigation is ongoing, it appears that customers’ credit and debit card data was compromised after an intruder stole log-in credentials from Jimmy John’s point-of-sale vendor and used these stolen credentials to remotely access the point-of-sale systems at some corporate and franchised locations between June 16, 2014 and Sept. 5, 2014. The security compromise has been contained, and customers can use their credit and debit cards securely at Jimmy John’s stores. Approximately 216 stores nationwide appear to have been affected by this event. Cards impacted by this event were those swiped at the stores, and did not include those cards entered manually or online. The credit and debit card information at issue may include the card number and in some cases the cardholder’s name, verification code and the card’s expiration date. Information entered online, such as customer address, email and password, remains secure. In Georgia, the locations affected are: • 365 14th St. NW, Atlanta

• 925A Peachtree St NE, Atlanta • 4180 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta • 3217 Macon Road, Columbus • 51 Newnan Crossing Bypass, Newnan • 6135 Peachtree Parkway, Norcross Jimmy John’s has taken steps to prevent this type of event from occurring in the future, including installing encrypted swipe machines, implementing system enhancements and reviewing its policies and procedures for its third party vendors. The company is offering identity protection services to impacted customers, although Jimmy John’s does not collect its customers’ Social Security numbers. To take advantage of these services, please call 855-398-6442. In addition, customers are encouraged to monitor their credit and debit card accounts, and notify their bank if they notice any suspicious activity. For more information and updates, visit www.jimmyjohns.com.

The people’s choice winner will be determined by the video that receives the most likes on the contest Facebook page where the videos will be posted. Winners will be announced in November. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 259 million prescriptions for pain medications were written in 2012. That’s enough for every American adult to have a bottle of pills. The CDC has also found that one in five high school

students has taken a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription. In Georgia, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reports that in 2013, prescription drugs played a role in the deaths of 524 Georgians in the 152 of 159 counties for which it performs autopsies. Safe storage and secure disposal of prescription drugs is critical to reining in the drug abuse epidemic. A federal government survey revealed that more than 70 percent of Americans who abuse prescription pain medi-

cations get them from friends or family members. Olens’ video competition is being held in partnership with the Council on Alcohol and Drugs, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Drug Free Coalition of Hall County, the GBI, the Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency, the Georgia Medical Composite Board and the Medical Association of Georgia Foundation “Think About It” Campaign.

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12 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

Ga. 400 toll closure project wins awards ATLANTA — The State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) was honored with the Institute of Transportation Engineers’ (ITE) Transportation Achievement Award for Operations for the planning and communications associated with the ending of tolls on Ga. 400. The ITE Transportation Achievement Awards recognize excellence in the concepts, programs or projects that have a significant positive impact on transportation planning, design or operations.

SRTA received accolades for meeting safety goals and communicating the demolition process in advance of and during the Ga. 400 toll closure project. “We are extremely proud to have the hard work and attention to detail of our SRTA team recognized by these international organizations,” said Christopher Tomlinson, SRTA executive director. “Being honored by transportation engineering and communications professionals

is gratifying. But the safe transition of Ga. 400 from tolled roadway to construction zone with no accidents and a wellinformed driving public was our greatest achievement.” Since the Ga. 400 toll plaza closure and end of toll collection on Nov. 22, 2013, construction crews have reinforced and filled in the plaza tunnel stairwells and removed the toll booths and plaza canopy. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has announced Ga. 400 traffic will

shift to its final and permanent configuration, signaling the completion of the project and the unobstructed opening of the roadway. The shift occurred over Sept. 5 for northbound traffic and Sept. 6 for southbound traffic. In June 2014, the project also won the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for media observances in government. For more information, visit www.dot.ga.gov. —Rachael Dier

Sample election ballots now online Available on ‘GA Votes’ mobile app ATLANTA — Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced state registered voters can now access their specific sample ballot for the Nov. 4 general election using the My Voter Page feature on the “GA Votes” mobile application. Voters can also see their sample ballot at www.mvp.sos. ga.gov. On both the app and the website, voters can view their specific sample ballot, find

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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 13

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King’s Ridge student and Brownie Eva Marroquin is honored by the Braves during a recent game.

Eva Marroquin recognized at Braves game ALPHARETTA, Ga. — On Saturday, Sept. 20, the Braves organization honored several members of the Greater Atlanta Girl Scouts. King’s Ridge Troop 12510’s thirdgrade Brownie Eva Marroquin was chosen for the special opportunity, because she was one of the top sellers in the “Chocolates and Magazines” program and part of the “Sweet Success Club.” Marroquin was selected as one of nine girls to represent the council at Girl Scout Day. As a recipient and honored guest, the Braves organization presented these young ladies with an opportunity to go out onto the field, meet one of the players and get an autographed ball prior to the start of the game. Marroquin was able to meet the versatile infielder and outfielder Emilio Bonifacio. —Rachael Dier

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14 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

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Alpharetta director makes Lifetime film ‘The Assault’ airs on Lifetime network By JADE RODGERS jade@northfulton.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – “Ultimately, it’s a movie about choices and consequences,” said director and Alpharetta native Jason Winn, of his newest film, “The Assault,” which premiered Saturday, Sept. 20, on Lifetime. In the film, inspired by the Steubenville High School rape case, high school cheerleader Sam (Makenzie Vega of television’s “The Good Wife”), becomes debilitated by alcohol and is raped by members of the town’s popular high school football team. Together, Sam and a friend manage to determine what happened to her the night of her assault via social media posts that guide local detective (Khandi Alexander) during the investigation of her attack. “The script of [‘The Assault’] is devastating. We live in a new day and age where everything is caught on tape. The movie took technology and used it in a positive way,” said Gary Weeks, who plays Sam’s father in the film. For the most part, young aggressors don’t venture out

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with the clear-cut intention of raping someone. “The Assault” explores the gray area between intentions and choices and how youth seem to struggle with the responsibility of their decisions. “I knew how to make this movie from both sides. These are kids who are just trying to figure it out,” said Winn. Not many teenagers feel as though they are in control of their lives. As a result, many teens view their choices and subsequent consequences as an unstoppable occurrence rather than the result of a conscious decision on their part. “The Assault” displays how “good kids” can make horrible choices, seemingly without remorse, because of their inability to accept that their decisions can have far-reaching effects on those around them. Further, the movie explores the idea of multiple-party guilt in such a rape case; though Sam and the football players who attack her are the two parties clearly and physically involved in the event, Winn reminds his audience that bystanders to sexual assault also play an important role in deciding the fate of a victim.

“The Assault” follows the story of Sam, a cheerleader (played by Makenzie Vega, The Good Wife, Saw, Sin City, The Family Man) who is sexually assaulted by the high school football team. Pitted against popular opinion in her community, she struggles to overcome her shame and use the evidence gathered from the subsequent social media firestorm to piece together a night she can’t remember in her fight for justice.

“Everything Sam did was her choice up until it wasn’t,” Winn explained. “At some point, someone has to say ‘no’. How do we say ‘no’ as a community?” His hope is that “The Assault” will lead audience members in the direction to take action. “A movie like this will get people talking,” he said. Despite the sensitive subject matter, “kids and people will see the film and have a reaction. As a filmmaker, that’s the best you can hope for.”

Makenzie Vega, plays the lead of Sam in the new Lifetime movie, “The Assault,” directed by Alpharetta resident Jason Winn. One of the less obvious traumas of sexual assault are the ones that result at home. “Jason did a great job of keeping true to how rape changes relationships on all levels at home and otherwise,” said Weeks. “The idea of ‘normal’ doesn’t exist anymore after people you trust turn their back on you.” “The Assault” is a film that aims to open audience members’ eyes to the terrifyingly

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common act of rape and the trauma and consequences that follow. “If your art doesn’t create some kind of reaction, what’s the point?” asked Winn. Hopefully, “The Assault” will get people talking about how to prevent occurrences like the Steubenville rape case. “The Assault” will air multiple times on the Lifetime network. Check out www.lifetime. com for show times.

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Italian furniture designer carves way into Roswell By ALDO NAHED aldo@northfulton.com ROSWELL, Ga. — An Italian outdoor furniture designer is not lounging around when it comes to winning over the American market. Designer Carlo Basso is working to break through by visiting direct buyers and going to exhibitions to woo new wholesale customers through Roswell-based Affinity International Furniture. Basso, along with his wife and creative director, Erlina Darmi, say the European market has been extremely receptive to the work. “The main difference from Europe,” Basso said, “is the distribution. In Europe, there’s a lot of retail shops, in America, it’s all about the big stores.” So don’t expect the outdoor furniture, including coffee tables, lounge chairs and other living accessories that Basso creates to be sold at Home Depot or Target. “We are after the mediumto-high quality consumer,” Darmi said. Basso, whose line of outdoor furniture combines retro and vintage with a modern twist, added that distribution through Crate and Barrel would be closer to his retail customer base. “New and fresh always comes out of the traditional, because the traditional is the base,” Basso said. Basso, whose work is featured at several world-re-

nowned hotels, said he aims to reach local interior designers and smaller boutiques specializing in artistic, but functional furniture. “I think the volume market is full of low quality products from China,” Basso said. Ferdinal Winarta, who is representing Basso through Affinity International Furniture, said he’s thrilled to be able to showcase the award-winning designer. “He’s a top outdoor designer and I’m excited to bring him to the United States,” Winarta said. “Carlo Basso’s work is

Ferdinal Winarta, of Affinity International Furniture, Erlina Darmi, creative director of Tanjaya; Carlo Basso, designer. solid and exclusive.” Basso manufactures his furniture in Indonesia, using mostly polyethylene and natural rattan to create functional and durable outdoor pieces. “The keyword is classic contemporary,” said Darmi. For more information, visit www.affinityinternationalfurniture.com or http://web. tanjayasinar.com.

16 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

BusinessPosts

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

August home sales: national and local The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing home sales fell across the country by -5.3 percent in August vs. one year ago. That number is greater than the drop in sales we saw in North Fulton but very different from sales figures in Forsyth County. Oddly, the NAR attributes this to investors pulling back because of fewer cash sales. I say oddly because their data comes from a small number of realtors surveyed around the county. The national media outlets have picked up this story but it’s not the case here, in our area. Looking at North Fulton and Forsyth County, August home sales year-over-year are down -2.9 percent in North Fulton but actually up 1 percent in Forsyth County. Additionally, the median sales price for existing homes dropped -5.2 percent nationally but rose 4.7 percent in North Fulton and 11.7 percent in Forsyth County. Finally, cash sales in August were up over 20 percent

ROBERT STRADER

Local Realtor Keller Williams Realty

in North Fulton and while cash sales in Forsyth were down -7 percent, keep in mind that sales overall were up 1 percent. So, all this begs the question: “What’s going on in our market?” We’re seeing the differing effects of new construction in North Fulton and Forsyth County. New home building has increased in both areas but consider this fact: the median sales price of a new build in Forsyth is $369,900 - a little higher than the $302,000 median sales price of all homes. However, the median sales price for a new build in North Fulton is $722,000; much higher than $382,000 which is the median sales price of all

homes in North Fulton. Because of the dramatic rise in home prices from last year, buyers have been cautions and willing to wait out good values all year long, for both existing homes and new construction. Now, with new home prices skyrocketing, existing homes are looking far more attractive. Bob Strader is a local realtor with The NORTH Group of Keller Williams Realty. More information can be found on his blogs liveincumming.com or liveinalpharetta.com or email him: info@thenorthgroup.com.

Prioritizing your sales pipeline Are you taking the time each week to prioritize your sales pipeline? Are you evaluating opportunities using quantitative data to make decisions on where you are going to focus your time? Is your sales pipeline full of old opportunities that don’t seem to be panning out? Prioritizing your sales pipeline is the first step in ensuring you are focused on the right opportunities at the right time. The first question you have to ask yourself is quite simple. Is there actually an opportunity? In other words, does your customer actually have an issue or challenge that your service or solutions can

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address? If the answer is yes, then you need to answer question number two; Is there a compelling reason for them to do this? If there is either a benefit for hiring you or negative consequences for not hiring you, this will provide the impetus for the client to make a decision. The third questions should

focus on how you win the deal, and prevail against your competitors. This is all about the relationships you have with the key decision makers. If you have built solid relationships with the decision makers and your competition has not, then you have a “leg up” in winning the business. Ask yourself these questions for each opportunity. Is there an opportunity? Can we compete? Can we win? Score each opportunity and focus on the ones with the highest score. Prioritizing your sales pipeline is key to sales success in your small business.

Gwinnett Medical Center has expanded its robotic surgery capabilities.

GWINNETT MEDICAL CENTER »

Robotic surgery expansion gives patients more options LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Recently, Gwinnett Medical Center (GMC) obtained a second da Vinci Surgical System designated for single site and laparoscopic surgery. According to local surgeons, robotic surgery promotes precision and efficiency. “The da Vinci Surgical System Robot, with its precision and 3-D camera, allows us to do single incision surgery, like gallbladder removal or cholecystectomy, in a very precise manner,” said Dr. James Elsey, a vascular surgeon at GMC. This is in line with a national trend toward limiting surgical incisions, he said. “Through the robotic system, we are able to offer single incision surgery to more types of patients,” added Dr. David Schmidt, also affiliated with Gwinnett Medical Center. “It allows us to perform

advanced operations with optimal 3-D visualization.” Schmidt said GMC will soon offer robotic surgery as an option to patients requiring more complex laparoscopic procedures. Surgeons have full control, directing the robot to make precise movements. The da Vinci Surgical System has 3-D vision and a magnified view and provides the surgeons with full control of the laparoscopic instruments. This allows physicians to perform surgery using laparoscopic instruments, which mimic the way human hands and wrists work in open surgery. GMC also offers robotic-assisted surgery for procedures in bariatrics, gynecological cancer and prostate cancer. Visit www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org for more information.

Thank you to all participants! www.AlpharettaChamber.com

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

NewBusinessSpotlight

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 17

Peach Clinic opens two new locations in Cumming Business: Peach Clinic Opened: First location: May 2014, second location September 2014. Owners: Dr. Dhaval Shah, Dr. Monal Shah and Dr. Amita Ghia What: Primary care and pediatric practice catering to

patients of all ages. Where: 3030 Old Atlanta Rd Ste 500 Cumming 30041 and 2320 Atlanta Highway Ste 105 Cumming 30040 Hours: 8 am to 5 pm. Monday through Friday Call: (770) 203-2000 Web: www.peachclinic.com

Georgia among nation’s New basketball, beach volleyball leaders in job growth Up With Kids Sports opens a new training facility, Hoops N Sand, featuring basketball, volleyball and indoor beach volleyball, court rentals, travel teams and more in Cumming.

facility opens in Cumming CUMMING, Ga. — Hoops N Sand, a basketball and indoor beach volleyball training facility, opened Sept. 26 in Cumming at 1710 Redi Road, Suite 100. This 8,800-square-foot facility houses a full-size basketball and volleyball court, a half basketball court and a sand volleyball court. Hoops N Sand will offer a variety of year-round training opportu-

nities for youth through Up with Kids Sports. Up with Kids was founded by coach Samuel Hines, a former professional basketball player, and offers basketball and volleyball programs to boys and girls as young as 5 through middle school. For more information, visit www.hoopsnsand.com or call 470-297-5620. —Shannon Weaver

Coach Samuel Hines

ATLANTA – Georgia is ranked sixth nationally and third in the Southeast for top job growth. With over 79,300 new jobs in the past 12 months, Georgia represents a 2.0 percent annual growth rate, which is higher than the nation’s average of 1.8 percent. These encouraging numbers were announced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The number of jobs in Georgia totaled 4,132,900 in August, up from 4,053,600 in August 2013. The Augustto-August job growth was

the second largest in Georgia since 2005. “Georgia has been ranked in the top 10 states for job creation for the past two years,” said State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler. “Our state’s employers are to be commended for their confidence in our state’s economy, as they continue to invest in hiring and growing their companies.” Georgia’s job gains came in several sectors, including computer system design, accounting, architectural and engineering.

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NewBusinessSpotlight Fitness, medical group opens in Johns Creek

18 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

Business: Medical Fitness and Wellness Group Opened: July 7 Owner: Michael Hardy What: Medical Fitness and Wellness Group provides comprehensive medical exercise, massage therapy and wellness programs for those diagnosed with chronic conditions who are looking to lose weight, improve their health, lower their stress levels and/or manage their current condition. We will work with your physician to help you achieve your goals while providing you a safe and effective exercise program. We also work with individuals with no conditions that

are looking to improve their current level of health and fitness. Whether it is to lose weight, tone up, strengthen your core, improve your favorite sport or improve your flexibility and live pain free, we’ve got you covered. Let us put our medical expertise and experience to work for you and your family. Where: 10700 Medlock Bridge Road, Suite 205 in Johns Creek Hours: 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to noon Saturday Call: 678-469-6497 Web: www.exercise4prevention.com

REAL ESTATE »

Ashton Woods announces new South Forsyth community ATLANTA — Ashton Woods Homes has unveiled its newest community in South Forsyth, The Grove at Spring Valley, which opens for sale this month. The community provides 69 single-family homes with architecturally distinct floor plans and options for master bedrooms on the mains, third floors, finished basements and outdoor living, and a selection of floor plans. The Grove at Spring Valley will also offer a pool and cabana.For more details about The Grove at Spring Valley, contact Tara Brown at 770-642-6123 or visit www.ashtonwoods.com.

Providence Group opens Ruth’s Farm model home ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Providence Group of

BUSINESS COMPUTER PROBLEMS? “Carmichael manages our IT. I have never worked with a more client-centric business before – ever. They return calls fast. They listen exceedingly well. They know what they are doing. They are honest, professional, and local. They are partners with Appen Newspapers / Appen Media Group in the truest sense of the word.” – Ray Appen, Publisher Appen Media Group Appen Newspapers

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From left: Tatiana Kosolapova, massage therapist; Mike Hardy, owner and medical/corrective exercise specialist; John Bemont, president Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce; and Susan Grissom, chair.

BusinessBriefs Georgia officially unlocked the doors of its brand new, fully-decorated model home at Ruth’s Farm in Alpharetta. In celebration of this stunning model home, home buyers can currently save big when they purchase a new home at Ruth’s Farm. Featuring the Brentwood home design, interiors of the model home are spacious and open with five bedrooms and a finished basement. The Brentwood model showcases luxury finishes and features including a gourmet kitchen with large island, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, family room with coffered ceiling and a wall of windows, hardwood floors throughout the main level, large dining room with butler’s pantry and outdoor living space. For more information on available homes or to schedule a tour, call 678-392-7466 or visit www. TheProvidenceGroup.com/Ruths-Farm.

Nicole Buchanan joins Harry Norman, Realtors JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Harry Norman, Realtors welcomes Nicole Buchanan as a realtor in its Johns Creek office. Nicole and her family live in Gwinnett County and she is highly regarded by her clients and peers for having a high level of integrity, in depth market knowledge, and an incredible work ethic that deliver results. BUCHANAN For more information, contact 678-322-7717, nicole.buchanan@harrynorman. com, or visit Buchanan online at www.nicolebuchanan.harrynorman.com

COMMUNITY »

GaPTA gets donation from Alpharetta Beverage ATLANTA— The Georgia Parent Teacher Association (GaPTA) has signed an agreement with the Alpharetta Beverage Company (ABC). The company pledged to donate a portion of every bottle sold of Tenacious Tea in the state of Georgia to the GaPTA. Tenacious Tea has no sugar, no carbohydrates, no calories and naturally caffeine free, ABC representatives say. “We applaud ABC for the development of an all-natural, zero calorie beverage as a healthy drink alternative,” said GaPTA President Rita Erves. “We are excited to work together to educate our communities on healthy lifestyles.” For more information, visit www.gapta.org.

Michael Buckham-White, senior vice president of sales & marketing at Alpharetta-based Agilysys, along with a few members of the Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta. Also pictured is Ziggy Asfaw, executive director of the Brookhaven Club.

Agilysys Donates Movie Tickets to Boys & Girls Clubs ALPHARETTA, GA. —Agilysys, Inc. a technology company with corporate offices at 1000 Windward Concourse in Alpharetta, is donating 500 AMC movie tickets to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in conjunction with its rGuest product launch, held during Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) 2014 in Los Angeles. Movie tickets will be distributed among Boys & Girls Clubs located near most Agilysys U.S. locations— Atlanta; Bellevue, Wash.; Las Vegas; and Santa Barbara, California.

APPOINTMENTS »

Forsyth resident named district engineer GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Keith Golden announced the appointment of Brent Cook as district engineer for the 21 counties in northeast Georgia that make up DOT District 1. Cook, of Forsyth County, is responsible for systems inventory, environmental services, public transportation, COOK as well as planning and programming construction projects throughout the district. He became district traffic engineer in 2004 and was responsible for the placement, installation and maintenance on all traffic signals and other traffic control devices. Cook was named assistant district engineer in 2013 while remaining district preconstruction engineer, but assumed the duties of district engineer Sept. 16.

CALENDAR

Submit your event online at northfulton.com

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 19

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me your event...

Submit your event to northfulton.com or email with photo to calendar@northfulton.com. For a more complete list of local events including support groups, volunteer opportunities and business meetings visit the calendar on northfulton.com.

MUSIC:

THEATRE:

ERICA O’NEAL

Calendar Editor erica@northfulton.com

CUMMING COUNTRY FAIR & FESTIVAL

Fall is here and along with it is the annual Cumming Country Fair and Festival. The fair has carnival rides, games and food along with all kinds of entertainment. Thursday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 12. Cumming Fairgrounds. 235 Castleberry Rd., Cumming. Please call 770-781-3491 or visit cummingfair.net.

GWINNETT BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS “19-20-21”

Come out to watch a dance experience set to the music of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Saturday, Oct. 4 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. Gwinnett Performing Arts Center. 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy., Duluth. Please call 770237-0046.

BIG FISH THE MUSICAL

ATLANTA EATS LIVE

Bring out family and friends to the Atlanta Eats Live event. Last year’s event brought thousands of food lovers together to experience their favorite restaurants and meet chefs face to face. Atlanta Eats is a combination of food and rock star chefs on the biggest stage around. This year, Atlanta Eats Live brings back more than 40 of Atlanta’s restaurants under one roof. Tickets are $45. Sunday, Oct. 5 beginning at 5 p.m. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, 2200 Encore Pkwy., Alpharetta. Please call 404-733-5010.

West Forsyth High School’s award winning studio, West Productions is excited to announce its fall production, the Georgia Premiere of “Big Fish, the Musical!” Based on the celebrated novel by Daniel Wallace and the acclaimed film directed by Tim Burton, Big Fish centers on Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who lives life to its fullest and then some. Edward’s incredible, larger-than-life stories thrill everyone around him – most of all, his devoted wife Sandra. But their son Will, about to have a child of his own, is determined to find the truth behind his father’s epic tales. Thursday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 12. Showtimes are varied. Tickets are $8-$12. WFHS Studio West Productions, 4155 Drew Rd., Cumming. Please call 770888-3470.

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CRABAPPLE FEST

CHATTAPOOCHEE PET FEST

Bring your pet to the Chattapoochee Pet Fest. The event features pet vendors, craft vendors, food vendors, rescue and adoption groups. This is a family friendly event and all “well behaved” leashed dogs and cats are welcome. Proceeds benefit the Historic Strickland House. Sunday, Oct. 5. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Rogers Bridge Park. 4291 Rogers Bridge Rd., Duluth. Please call 770-663-7952.

Whether looking for antiques or nifty household items, Milton’s Crabapple Fest has everything. The annual event will close down much of historic Crabapple Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Nearly 100 vendors will show their wares alongside music, games and an Oktoberfest Biergarten at the Olde Blind Dog pub. Visit www.crabapplefest.com for information.

BREW MOON FEST

The Alpharetta Business Association (ABA) presents the 3rd annual Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest. Beer, wine and food from select Alpharetta restaurants will be available for sale as the city comes together for one big street party. Saturday, Oct. 4 at 6:30-11 p.m. Historic downtown Alpharetta, 35 Milton Ave., Alpharetta. Please call 678-297-0102.

ROSWELL FINE ARTS ALLIANCE ART SHOW

The Roswell Fine Arts Alliance announces their 20th annual premier member’s juried show called “Genesis XX.” The show has 70 works of art available for viewing and purchase. This year’s event will be hosted by the Bank of North Georgia. Viewing is available Sept. 19 until Nov. 7 during banking hours Monday-Friday 9 a.m.– 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–noon, closed Sunday. Bank of America. 10446 Alpharetta Street Roswell (Corner of Holcomb Bridge Rd. and Alpharetta St.). Please visit rfaa.org.

OKTOBERFEST: BENEFIT FOR STANDUP FOR KIDS

Please join the fun in celebrating Oktoberfest. Enjoy craft brewed beer tastings and soft pretzels along with music by George Martini. Admission is $30 per person. Proceeds benefit StandUp for Kids - North Fulton Initiative (SUFK-NFI). SUFK-NFI goes to local high schools to assist “homeless” students struggling to survive, as they are also trying to stay in school and graduate. Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 6-9 p.m. Jekyll Brewing. 2855 Marconi Dr., Alpharetta. Please call 678-5571329.

RACES & BENEFITS:

CHEROKEE ZOMBIE FEST

Halloween comes early at the Cherokee Zombie Fest. Activities include bands, food trucks and a Zombie Response Unit Vehicle Show and much more. The festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. Main St., Canton. Entrance is a $5 donation. Please call 770-345-5483 or visit CherokeeZombieFest.com. will be a huge celebration filled with music, food and local entertainment along with hundreds of people who understand the impact of diabetes. The walk will begin with a Stop Diabetes Festival at Independence High School. A healthy breakfast will be provided along with a fun warm up before the 5k walk through downtown Alpharetta. Saturday, Oct. 4 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Independence High School. 86 High School Dr., Alpharetta. Please call 404-320-7100 or visit stepout.diabetes.org.

MICHELOB ULTRA MARATHON

After five years in Brookhaven, the Michelob ULTRA Atlanta 13.1 Marathon moves to Cumming on Oct. 4. The event is expected to draw 3,500 runners and walkers. The race kicks off at 7 a.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd. Cumming. Register at www.131marathon.com/ atlanta/#register

STEP OUT WALK TO STOP DIABETES

Step Out Walk To Stop Diabetes is a fundraising event for the American Diabetes Association. This year’s walk

ALPHA PAL 5K

Join hundreds of runners Oct. 2 at Jackson Healthcare, 2655 Northwinds Parkway in Alpharetta for this local Peachtree Road Race qualifier. Vendors, food and the race benefit Alpharetta Police Athletic League, a non-profit that helps local youth. 6:45 p.m. Oct. 2. Cost: $25 (pre-register); $30 (on race day). To sign up and for more information, please visit www. active.com.

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Fall Home Checklist By Jennifer Pino, Atlanta Fine Homes Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty As cooler days and nights approach, it is the perfect time to prepare you home for winter. These simple steps, many which you can do yourself, can reduce utility costs and protect your largest investment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your home. Get an HVAC tune-up. For under $100, a technician can inspect and service your heat pump or furnace to ensure that it maintains the highest level of efficiency in the coming months. It also helps to keep you from making that service call on the coldest day of the year along with everyone else. Program your thermostat. According to EnergyStar, you will save $180 annually on heating costs if you set the thermostat in winter to no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit when you are awake and not more than 62 degrees when you are asleep or away. Trim landscaping. Cut back plantings at least one foot from exterior walls, and cut back tree limbs growing within five feet from the house. This will create better ventilation, reducing moisture, decay and damage. It can also keep critters away from the house

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REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section

Why a Pre-Approval is Essential to Your Home Search By Bill Rawlings Vice President/Managing Broker Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty Some people think preapproval means limiting possibilities, but the reality is that if you do not earn a loan pre-approval before you start looking, you might actually prevent yourself from finding your dream home. Here’s why. Streamlined Hunting Most start their home search by browsing homes for sale to get an idea of what neighborhoods and housing styles they like. If you do not know what you can afford, you may be looking out of your price range and wasting your time. You may also be looking below what you would have qualified for and not getting the right home for you. If you start with getting a pre-approval, you can sort by price, identify the right neighborhoods and find your dream home much faster. Better Results from a REALTOR® When a REALTOR® knows what you want and what you can afford, they are able to do a better job finding your dream home. Rather than performing a general search across several price ranges, if you have preapproval, a REALTOR® would know exactly what to focus on and would be able to suggest different neighborhoods, sizes and conditions of homes to match your needs — making it easier to get you exactly what you want. Higher Acceptance Rate If you are not pre-approved and you find a home you want to make an offer on, you are taking a gamble. REALTORS® and sellers are less willing to accept offers from a buyer without a pre-approval. Odds are, they will go on to the next offer — and you could miss out. If you are

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pre-approved, you have more room to haggle. Sellers may be more willing to lower the asking price, include appliances, RAWLINGS cover closing costs or make other allowances to work with a pre-approved buyer. Less Stress

Finally, skipping this step can cause you additional, unnecessary stress. If you are not pre-approved, you will spend longer looking for homes. You may not feel like you are getting great service from a REALTOR®. You may get turned down once you are ready to make an offer. When you know you are a qualified buyer, you know there are lenders willing to work with you, and you can feel confident when you make an offer.

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Sponsored Section • REAL ESTATE REPORT

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Finding the Perfect Home By Pam Santoro Harry Norman Realtors Are you getting ready to purchase a home? Make a list of the features you want in a house and the area you are looking for: • Is a flat back yard a must have? • Do you need a finished basement? • Is a swim & tennis neighborhood important? • Are you looking to move immediately or within 6 months? These are all things that will help a Realtor find the perfect house for you. Make sure you talk to a banker or mortgage lender to determine which loan works best for you, to define your price range along with closing costs, and to get a pre-approval letter. Once you find your perfect home, read the seller’s disclosures thoroughly:

• Are the HVAC systems old? • Should you ask for a home warranty? • Is there a transferrable termite warranty on the house? • Are all of the appliances staying with SANTORO the property? All these things will help your Realtor work with you to make a good offer to get the house you want especially if the purchase price is in line with the neighborhood comparable properties. To learn more about purchasing a new home or the value of your current home, please feel free to contact me at 678-656-6627 or pam.santoro@harrynorman.com.

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REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section

October 1, 2014 23

Five Tips To Help You Land A Home You’ll Love (NAPSI)—With mortgage rates still low, now could be a great time to buy a new home. Before diving into the market headfirst, however, it’s important to do your homework so that you’re prepared to tackle each hurdle in the homebuying process. With this in mind, the “What I Wish I Knew About the Homebuying Process” survey gauges the preparedness of recent homebuyers. As a result, these five tips can help you make the right homebuying decision. 1. Identify your “must-haves.” Identifying your “must-haves” is key to guaranteeing satisfaction with your home purchase. The survey found that nearly four in 10 recent homebuyers (39 percent) said that, knowing what they know now, they would buy a home of a different size, at a different price point, and/or in a different area. In addition, first-time homebuyers (55 percent) are more likely to say that they would make significant changes with respect to the home’s size, price and/or location. To help you look back regretfree, make a checklist of top priorities (access to a good school district, for example) and perks you can forgo (such as a multiple-car garage). Know what you’re willing to compromise on and what you are not so that you’re prepared to find the home that’s right for you. 2. Understand the financial aspects of the homebuying process. Nine of every 10 recent homebuyers felt prepared going into the homebuying process, but in hindsight, more than half (56 percent) wish they had been armed with

more knowledge about the financial aspects of purchasing a home, according to the survey. In fact, it found that recent homebuyers would have liked more knowledge about the ins and outs of the closing and settlement process (22 percent), negotiating/making an offer on a home (19 percent) and financing a home (15 percent). To help people overcome the challenges of buying a home and give them a primer on what to expect, Chase launched the My New Home app and YouTube Channel. 3. Prepare with technology. Key aspects of the homebuying process differed from expectations. A majority said the length of the process was not what they anticipated, saying it either took longer (40 percent) or shorter (16 percent) than expected. Thirty-four percent of recent homebuyers overall said the costs and fees of maintaining their home were more than they expected, with the sentiment especially felt by first-time homebuyers (55 percent). Chase’s My New Home suite of educational tools can help individuals and families avoid surprises and fully prepare for one of the biggest purchases they will ever make. 4. Seek out advice from experts. Homebuyers continue to rely on Realtors and mortgage bankers to meet their needs. Sixty-eight percent of homeowners sought out advice from Realtors throughout the homebuying process and about half (45 percent) turned to mortgage bankers and loan officers. Seek out Realtors, mortgage

Heeding a few hints can help you wake up in the home of your dreams. bankers and loan officers with key industry data and tools that are easy to understand so you have all the information you need to find the right house—one that you will be proud to call home. 5. Consider the desire to renovate. The desire to renovate is bound to hit even the newest of homeowners. While recent homebuyers said the home they

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COMMUNITY

24 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

TINY HOUSE GIANT JOURNEY/WWW.TINYHOUSEGIANTJOURNEY.COM

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ATLANTA – Dream big, live tiny. That’s the motto of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which rolled into Atlanta Sept. 13 and 14 to teach a workshop on all aspects of living the downsized life to save time, money and the environment. Many see the diminutive dwellings as an opportunity to prioritize where their hard-earned income goes. For some, opting to conserve what they were spending on mortgage, maintenance, taxes and utilities to pursue their dreams of travel – whether actually in their haulable home or jumping jets to circle the globe – allows them to lead the life of their choosing. Art Cormier and Guillaume Dutilh know well whereof they speak. Cormier has lived in a 117-square-foot portable (albeit parked and stationary) home for two years. Dutilh finished his 172-square-footer in September and has embarked on a grand tour of North America spreading the gospel of “More is Less.” Cormier was posting YouTube videos at tinysiphouse.blogspot.com and Dutilh had been posting his photographs and his girlfriend’s blogposts on tinyhousegiantjourney.com. Both began sharing their experiences online to benefit others and attracted the attention of Tumbleweed, a builder of small houses. They now have become presenters of workshops held most weekends throughout the U.S. and Canada. In Atlanta, people came from as far away as Puerto Rico and Ohio, though most of the 85 attendees were from the Atlanta area, and a few from neighboring states. In the spirit of networking, everyone was asked to state what their particular reason was for learning more about the tiny lifestyle. Participants ranged in age from 14 to about 74, and there were many different reasons, but all were variations on a few themes – running the gamut from wanting to embrace the gypsy lifestyle and help the homeless and handi-

TINY HOUSE GIANT JOURNEY/ WWW.TINYHOUSEGIANTJOURNEY.COM

capped to yearning to live mortgage-free and needing a hedge against crippling vet school debt. One frank woman simply stated she hated to clean house. Shane Orfas, of Johns Creek, believes that getting out of his typical suburban home, which requires daily running on the corporate treadmill, will free him up to better serve his yoga and reiki clients. Another Johns Creeker, Steve Newell, has three kids and is in no position to drastically downsize. (The largest Tumbleweed Cottage floor plan is a Lilliputian 884 square feet.) “It’s just easier to live big with a family,” Newell said, although he’s interested in one of their largest cottage floor plans for a mountain family retreat. Dutilh holds a master’s degree in engineering and used his ingenuity to dream up some unique ways to maximize space and derive double- and sometimes triple-duty from everyday furnishings like tables and kitchen cabinets. Their storage is an amalgamation of found and repurposed crates and cupboards that are stair-stepped so they (and even their dog) can climb up them to their sleeping loft. The Tiny House movement has gathered steam since the Great Recession. “Tiny House Nation” is a cult hit on cable’s FYI channel. A recent episode told the story of a couple who lost

See TINY, Page 37

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SPORTS

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 25

’Hooch’s Cecily Mohammed kicks up fuss Frosh kicker on football team earns her place on squad By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A 13-year-old Little Leaguer named Mo’ne Davis created a national stir with her arm, but there is 14-year-old Cecily Mohammed at Chattahoochee High School who has started a bit of a stir with her leg. She’s the kicker for the Chattahoochee freshman football team and two games into the season, she has made four of her PATs (point after touchdown). Obviously Cecily has more than just a whim to be on the team. As it turns out, she is a true athlete who has played soccer since she was 2. Her mother Desiree Stoute said she just laughed when her daughter told her she was going to try out as the kicker on the football team. But when Cecily said she was serious, she started to have reservations. “So when we went to tryouts, I watched her and made sure she was the first in line,” Stoute said. “Then she had to try out in front of all the guys, but she was really good.” Stoute said she was the one who was nervous. “I would never have had the confidence to do that,” she said. “But Cecily has that. She’s always had that.” Stoute said that when her daughter was in middle school she wanted to do something to raise money for breast cancer research. So she started

HATCHER HURD/STAFF

Cecily Mohammed has already kicked five of six extra points in her first two games on the freshman Cougar football team. Her goal is to kick for the varsity. “Think Pink,” an organization to raise money for a gala and raised $10,000.

“I started it because my mom and I have both lost very important people in our lives to

breast cancer,” Cecily said. “We want to raise awareness about it and make people understand why they need to know about it.” Stoute was amazed at her drive to get Think Pink going and for it to be so successful. “She’s always had a confidence I’ve never had,” Stoute said. Cecily admits she wanted to prove something with football as well. “I knew there had never been a girl on the Chattahoochee football team,” she said. “I wanted to be like the first one and to set records. “The boys talk about how they are better at sports than girls. I just wanted to show I could play and make a difference,” she said. She knows she has a powerful leg, and her soccer has helped her to use it with skill. Chattahoochee head football coach Vince Strine knew Cecily well, having coached her on the girls’ soccer team before taking the reins as head coach of football. “She sent me an email at the first of summer to tell me she wanted to tryout. I told her to come on,” Strine said. Cecily said the boys were confused as to why she was there at first. “But then they saw me in practice demonstrating for the coach. And they said, like, ‘Wow, she’s really good.’ They were surprised I could really kick,” she said. The coach had Brian Holmes, CHS kicking coach, be there to work with her for a few minutes, before the tryout. Holmes coached standout Cou-

gar kicker Ammon Lakip, who now kicks for Clemson University. Strine said there’s no better kicking coach around. They stepped back to let her kick. “She just nailed the football,” Strine said. “Absolutely, she can kick,” Holmes agreed. There are some logistical problems with a girl on the team when traveling. But it is nothing that can’t be worked out and she handles it well. “Girls and football are not something that usually go together. So she’s taken some teasing from other schools and what have you, but she’s handled it well,” Strine said. As for her intentions to kick for the varsity team, Strine said that was fine. “She understands we are not going to lower the expectations of the football program; she’s going to have to rise up to them,” Strine said. “But she has absolutely done that already.” Strine said she is continuing to grow and has a very strong leg. “As she continues to grow and gets better, I have no problem letting her kick field goals and extra points at all,” he said. “It’s been a great experience for her and for the team.” Cecily has a lot of selfmotivation and the drive to succeed, Strine said “To be honest, you would love to have a room full of boys with that same kind of selfmotivation that she has,” the coach said. “She’s one of ours, and I’m very proud to have her,” Strine said.

Brock Lohnes wins 'That Guy' award Awarded the 2014 Legacy Lacrosse Cup ROSWELL, Ga. — The 2014 Legacy Lacrosse Cup has recognized Brock Lohnes as the recipient of its That Guy award. The winner is chosen by the Legacy Lacrosse Board from a group of male high school goalies recommended by coaches and fans who feel they are deserving and represent the pillars of the award: “competitive spirit, camaraderie toward teammates and opponents and character which honors the game.” Lohnes, a graduate of the class of 2014 at Roswell High, earned many honors throughout his high school lacrosse career. The four-year letterman at Roswell High was named to the Under Armour All-

American Uncommitted 2014 Team. The 2014 Georgia 6A lacrosse state championship was won on Roswell’s home turf with Lohnes in goal. “We are delighted to recognize Brock and feel his future on the Young Harris lacrosse team is very bright,” said a representative of the Legacy Lacrosse Board. “We know he will be a significant part of their success at Young Harris and look forward to watching Brock play college lacrosse.” The Legacy Lacrosse Cup was established to celebrate the legacy of Parker Jackson, a 16-year-old lacrosse star at Milton High School, who was killed in a single vehicle accident in 2006. For more information about Lohnes and the Legacy Lacrosse Board, visit www. Roswell student wins That legacylacrossecup.com. —Rachael Dier Guy award

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26 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

SPORTS

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Johns Creek’s Stephens named Coach of the Year By ALDO NAHED aldo@northfulton.com

CLARK SAVAGE/CAMERACRAFT

From left are Mike Hayes of XL212, Johns Creek volleyball coach Beth Stephens, Eric Douglas of XL212 and Brandon Beach of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The head volleyball coach at Johns Creek High School was honored for her outstanding accomplishments as Coach of the Year. Beth Stephens was honored by XL212, in partnership with the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, as the 2013-2014 school year female

sport Coach of the Year. The award recognizes a deserving coach in the greater North Fulton area. Led by Stephens, the Johns Creek varsity volleyball program, in its fifth year, has made a name for itself. The team has made the state playoffs each of those five years, including three Final Four appearances. In those five years, the team averaged more than 40 wins per season with an overall win percentage of .784 with 203 wins and 56 losses. They were area champions in 2012 and area runners up in 2011 and again in 2013 in one of the toughest 6A areas. Three of 6A’s eight teams made it to the Final Four. Recipients of the Coach of the Year honor are chosen from nominations made by area athletic directors based on strong team success, exemplary contribution to education and outstanding civic accomplishment. Annika Olsen, a now graduated player at Johns Creek HS,

said Stephens is a talented volleyball coach on the court. “But she is also an incredible role model who taught me the importance of integrity, discipline and hard work in all aspects of my life,” Olsen said. When Stephens is not on the court, she is an AP Statistics math teacher at Johns Creek HS. She has a master’s degree in teacher leadership. Additionally, she sponsors the Teenage Republican Club at the school. “She prides herself in instilling not just a love of the game but a true sense of integrity and sportsmanship,” said Mike Cloy, Johns Creek HS athletic director. “She expects nothing less of her players and insists that, win or lose, they do so with dignity and always hold their heads high.” Coach Stephens was accompanied at the awards presentation by her husband Pete Goggin (head basketball coach at Johns Creek) Cloy, and Johns Creek HS Principal Gail Johnson.

Ambush boys win Atlanta Cup ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Alpharetta Ambush 03 boys’ soccer team won the top 8 v. 8 division of the U12 Publix Atlanta State Cup Labor Day weekend in Dacula. The boys played extremely well, scoring 30 goals in five matches and not allowing a single goal all tournament.

In back are coach David Eristavi, Kamal Korrapati, Shreyas Kumar, Zach Sullivan, Holden Tracy, Justin Oh, Mitch Stone, Erik Holmen, Zach Hugues and coach Danny Clavijo. In front are Andrew Swauger, Yahsha Pomozov, Ashkon Mokhlesi and Jeremy Parades.

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ROSWELL 33, MILTON 31 »

SPORTS

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 27

Slade’s late TD catch lifts Hornets to comeback victory over Eagles By MIKE BLUM news@northfulton.com MILTON, Ga. – After three difficult seasons, the Roswell Hornets are again a playoff caliber team that knows how to win big games. For the second straight week, the Hornets knocked off one of the top teams in Region 5-AAAAAA, scoring a touchdown in the final 25 seconds to defeat North Fulton rival Milton 3331 last Friday night, Sept. 19, on the Eagles’ home field. After wins over Milton and perennial playoff participant Walton, the Hornets are 2-0 in 5-AAAAAA and tied for first with Etowah and Woodstock, neither of whom have played a team likely to contend for a 5-AAAAAA playoff berth. The Hornets won when Mechane Slade, who has successfully made the transition from tailback to wide receiver, tipped a pass to himself in the end zone for a game-winning 13-yard touchdown pass, beating tight double coverage by the Milton secondary. Roswell downed the Eagles, who were 2-0 after wins against Alpharetta and defending state champion Norcross, with an outstanding defensive effort and a series of big plays from their three primary offensive weapons – Slade, tailback Sheldon Evans and quarterback James Whitaker. The Hornets limited Milton to just 232 yards total offense, 65 coming on a Micco Brisker touchdown run with 3:41 to play in a back-and-forth to give

the Eagles the lead. Roswell, which rallied from a 10-0 first quarter deficit to lead 20-17 and 26-24 in the second half, responded with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that included four receptions by Slade for 62 yards and three scrambles by Whitaker for 19 yards. Slade’s juggling 28-yard catch along the sideline put the Hornets on the Milton 35, and he dove for the first down after a short reception on fourth-and-4 from the 29. Whitaker evaded the Eagles’ pass rush for eight yard and a first down at the 13 before connecting with Slade for the winning score. Whitaker completed 18 of 39 passes against a quality Milton defense for 191 yards and three touchdowns, one to Slade for seven yards late in the second quarter to pull the Hornets within 17-14, and an 8-yarder to Jayden Comma to give Roswell a 20-17 lead early in the third period. Slade caught eight passes for 114 yards and two TDs, leaving most of the running game to Evans, who carried 13 times for 138 yards. The Eagles contained the Roswell ground game

for all but a handful of plays, but each time Evans made it past the line of scrimmage, he made Milton pay. Evans scored the first Roswell touchdown on a 19-yard run, with the 77-yard drive beginning with a 33-yard strike from Whitaker to Slade, who almost took it the distance, stepping out of bounds at the Milton 44. Evans’ 49-yard run led to Jayden Comma’s go-ahead touchdown catch on the Hornets’ first series of the second half, and the sophomore tailback put the Hornets back in front with a 44yard burst with 7:45 to play in the final period. The Hornets finished with 188 yards rushing. Milton took advantage of excellent field position to take a 10-0 lead, starting its first two series near midfield. A 26-yard pass from Austin McLeod to Obe Fortune on the Eagles’ first play led to Ethan Suda’s 32-yard field goal, and a 51-yard touchdown drive made it 10-0 later in the first quarter. Other than a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by the Eagles’ Nathan Cranor, Roswell controlled the second quarter, due in large part to three plays by the Hornets’ punt and punt return teams. Roswell recovered a muffed punt by the Eagles, which flipped field position and led a 35-yard punt by Demetrius Kaisharis that was downed at the Milton 1. The Hornets got the ball back at the Milton 31 after a 23-yard punt return by Miles Blouin, with Slade catching a 7-yard toss from Whitaker one play Hunter Coleman’s 24-yard

reception on third-and-10. After Roswell went ahead early in the third quarter, Milton scored on a beautifully-executed 30-yard screen pass from McLeod to Brisker, who scored three times, to take a 24-20 lead. Evans and Brisker swapped long scoring runs that produced the third and fourth lead changes of the second half before Slade’s second TD catch resulted in the fifth and final lead change. “I did not know if we were going to win the game,” Roswell coach John Ford said, “but I thought the longer it went, the better our chances were. “ The Hornets completed a sweep of its three biggest rivals (Centennial, Walton and Milton) in consecutive games, but Ford said what matters to him is that “We’re 2-0 in region games. “ Ford praised the play of his three playmakers on offense, as well as the work of defensive coordinator Tommy Gilstrap. Tre Lamar, Marcelino Ball, Justin Ellis and Max Boyd were among the players who made key defensive plays for the Hornets, who limited Milton to 72 yards rushing other than Brisker’s long scoring run and allowed the Eagles to complete just 6 of 19 passes. The Hornets, 3-1 overall, are off this week, while the Eagles (0-1, 2-1), host defending region champion Lassiter, which suffered heavy graduation losses and is 0-2 in the region and 0-4 overall. The Trojans are averaging 33 points a game, but are yielding 50 points per contest.

28 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

SPORTS

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ST. FRANCIS 21, MT. ZION, CARROLL 0 »

St. Francis improves to 3-0 with second shutout victory ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The St. Francis Knights pounded out more than 300 yards rushing and the defense recorded its second shutout of the season in a 21-0 victory at home last Friday night, Sept. 19, over Mt. Zion of Carrollton. The Knights remain unbeaten at 3-0, scoring an impressive win against a team that came into the game 3-1 and was averaging 36.5 points per game. St. Francis fumbled twice inside the Mt. Zion 10,

finally scoring in the second quarter on a 72-yartd touchdown by A.J. Cummings on a fake punt. Cummings rushed for 99 yards on five carries. Also scoring for the Knights were Avery Showell (8 carries, 46 yards) on an 8-yard run later in the second quarter and Jordan Ferguson (16 carries, 72 yards) on a 10-yard run in the third period. Lake McClure led the St. Francis defense with 10 tackles including a sack, as the Knights

held the Eagles to around 130 yards of offense. “I think Friday’s game proved we’re here to compete,” said St. Francis coach Brennan Booth, whose team opened the season with victories over two teams that are winless this season. The Knights play their first away game Friday night at Walker in Marietta. The Wolverines are 1-3, with their lone win coming against Kings Ridge Christian. – Mike Blum

ALPHARETTA 35, LAMBERT 17 »

Smith’s 3 TDs spark Raiders CUMMING, Ga. – The Alpharetta Raiders remained unbeaten in Region 6-AAAAAA, winning 35-17 last Friday night, Sept. 19, at Lambert. Miles Smith ran for three touchdowns for the Raiders, 3-0 in region play and 3-1 overall. Two of them were in the first half as Alpharetta took a 14-3 lead. Smith scored on a 7-yard run early in the second period and made it 14-0 on a 28-yard TD following an interception by the Raiders’ Matt Moore. A 46-yard pass from Austin King to Nick Carlton in the third period increased the Raiders’ lead to 21-3. King completed 19 of 30 passes for 234 yards, with Carlton gain-

ing 88 yards on three receptions. After the Longhorns closed within 21-11, Moore went 38 yards for a score late in the third period. Lem Cobbs scored the final Alpharetta touchdown on a 6-yard run after a fumble recovery, one of four turnovers forced by the Raiders. Smith gained 83 yards on 11 carries and Cobbs added 62 yards rushing. The Raiders limited the Longhorns (1-2, 1-3) to 148 yards of offense. Both teams had problems with the officiating, incurring a combined 24 penalties for 215 yards. The Raiders play at home Friday night against winless Habersham Central. —Mike Blum

Hughes-Tinsley J.R and Karen Hughes of Alpharetta and Jim and Mandy Tinsley of Milton, are happy to announce the engagement of their daughter Margaret Kathryn Hughes to Captain William Charles Tinsley. Maggie is a graduate of Blessed Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, and received a Masters Degree in Social Work at The University of Georgia. She is currently employed at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. Charles is a graduate of Milton High School and received a Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Georgia. As a Captain in the US Army, he was deployed to Afghanistan and is currently stationed at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, Indiana. The couple will wed on November 22, 2014 at Alpharetta First United Methodist Church.

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SCHOOLS

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 29

North Fulton students sign ‘commitment’ letters for college scholarships REACH program offers $10K incentive stay in school, make good grades By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@northfulton.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – During an event patterned after signing day for athletes, eight middle school scholars from Fulton County signed commitment contracts to stay in school, earn good grades and reap the rewards of a $10,000 scholarship. The eighth-graders, including four from North Fulton, are among the select group of middle schoolers across Georgia who are promised REACH scholarships upon graduation. The program is a key part of Gov. Nathan Deal’s “Complete College Georgia” to increase the number of high school graduates in Georgia. “This program is an investment in our students and our state, opening doors for youth in Georgia who may not have the opportunity to seek postsecondary education due to financial constraints,” said Deal. The governor himself was on-hand Sept. 24 at the headquarters of the Fulton County School System (FCSS) to assist in the celebration, alongside

Claudia Munoz of Haynes Bridge MS signs her commitment to the REACH scholarship while Gov. Nathan Deal, left, and Fulton Superintendent Robert Avossa look on. Fulton Superintendent Robert Avossa, board of education members, faculty and parents. The North Fulton REACH scholars include: • Mirian Rivera, Elkins Pointe MS • Claudia Munoz, Haynes

Gov. Nathan Deal, left, and Fulton Schools Superintendent Robert Avossa, right, congratulate the eight Fulton County recipients of the REACH scholarship. The eighth-grade students are, from left, Sabrina Villa (Holcomb Bridge MS), Daniel Narvoes (Sandy Springs MS), Janelle Tenoria (Ridgeview MS), Prayer Idowu (McNair MS), Rayven Alsobrook (Sandtown MS), Claudia Munoz (Haynes Bridge MS), Sarah Rahimpour (Taylor Road MS) and Mirian Rivera (Elkins Pointe MS). Bridge MS • Sabrina Villa, Holcomb Bridge MS • Sara Rahimpour, Taylor Road MS “This was a proud, emotional day for all of us,” said Avossa. “[It] means our young students, many who will be the

first in their family to attend college, will have the financial ability to pursue higher education.” For the next five years, these students must have good behavior and attendance, a minimum 2.5 grade point average in core courses, re-

main crime and drug free and graduate high school on time. In return, they will receive a $10,000 scholarship to attend a HOPE-eligible college in Georgia. REACH, which stands for

See SCHOOL, Page 36

30 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

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NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle, second from left, and City Councilmember Jim Gilvin, far right, present a resolution to Roger Wise, ambassador to the American Legion Post 201, in recognition of American Leagion Week, Sept. 17-23. The cities of Roswell, Johns Creek and Milton also made resolutions. From left are Alpharetta Public Safety Director Gary George, Belle Isle, Wise, Don Nahsur, a veteran, and Gilvin. —Jonathan Copsey

Centennial HS JROTC posts colors at Legion

ALPHARETTA, Ga. —The long-standing tradition in the Alpharetta high school area is JROTC’s (Junior Share your opinions Reserve Officer Training Corps) participation in the American Legion Post 201 flag presentation ceremoNorthFulton.com nies. Members of the Centennial High Quality School JROTC preConsignments! sented the U.S. and American Legion Cotton House flags at the openSelected Merchandise Antiques & ing of the August Store Hours: general membership Consignments Mon-Fri: 10-6 Sat: 10-5 • Sun: 12-5 meeting of Post 201 on Aug. 19. 21 Milton Avenue | Alpharetta, GA 30009 | 770-733-1790 During the opening ceremonies, cadets present the colors as Legionnaires salute the flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. —Rachael Dier

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Fall: Continued from Page 1 located at 765 Mid Broadwell Road. “It will be a day to remember for the whole family,” said Jamison. For full information about Crabapple Fest, visit www. crabapplefest.com. To talk about the festival, ask questions or spread the word, use #crabapplefest on Facebook and Twitter. Also in Crabapple, the World’s Hoppiest 5K Road Race returns to the Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub. The race starts and ends at the Olde Blind Dog in Milton in the midst of a biergarten with bands playing. After the race, every legalage runner will get a free beer from the official race sponsor, Monday Night Brewing Company. Traditional and not-sotraditional German food will be served. Registration starts at 5 p.m.; the race begins at 7 p.m. For more information and to register, visit www.active. com and search for “Hoppiest 5K Road Race.” Alpharetta Down the road, in Alpharetta, the annual Scarecrow Harvest Festival will see Ga. 9/ Main Street dotted with 100 scarecrows created by local schoolchildren and businesses. The Scarecrow Harvest event from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. includes groovy country music, games of crow-cornhole, hay rides to the log cabin, face painting, historical demos, arts activities, story-telling and inflatables. Judging on most creative, best constructed and best personality scarecrows will be at noon on Milton Ave., at 2 South Main St., Alpharetta. Later in the day, return to Alpharetta for the Brew Moon Festival from 6:30 – 11 p.m. on Milton Avenue. This celebration of all things brewed features fall beer, wine and food from some of Alpharetta’s best restaurants. There will also be live

music from Old School band until 8:30 p.m. and the Mike Veal Band following. Featured beer includes: • New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin • Terrapin Pumpkinfest • Warsteiner Octoberfest • Sierra Nevada Flipside IPA • SweetWater 420 • Blue Moon • Alpharetta’s own Jekyll Brewing For more information, visit www.awesomealpharetta.com. Roswell In Roswell, the annual Pumpkin Patch at Roswell’s Bridge to Grace Church opens Oct. 4 with its popular children’s maze and array of pumpkins and gourds. Families can also take family photos beside a scenic backdrop. Guests can enjoy the maze and photo area for free, and proceeds from the pumpkin sales benefit a mix of community service projects. This includes Project Lift, which provides one-on-one mentors to at-risk youth. For members of Bridge to Grace, it’s a way to get to know others who live and work nearby. “We have a prayer box available for those individuals who’d like our prayer team to pray for them,” said Roxanne Densmore, a church member who’s worked at the patch for the last four years and now helps plan the effort. “For me it’s a chance for fellowship with

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SCHOOLS

Colorado State University FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Shireen Zolghadri has been accepted into the professional veterinary medical program, which leads to the degree of doctor of veterinary medicine, at Colorado State University for the fall 2014 term. Zolghadri, the daughter of Ali and Vickie Zolghadri of Alpharetta, was among 138 students selected for the program from a pool of 1,550 applicants. Zolghadri graduated in 2009 from Chattahoochee High School and received an undergraduate degree in animal science from the University of Georgia.

ROSWELL, Ga. – Hembree Springs Elementary School in Roswell has been named to the 2014 list of Reward Schools by the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) in recognition of its academic performance over the past three years. The Reward Schools, which all receive Title I federal funding, are evaluated in two categories: highest performing schools and highest progress schools. Hembree Springs ES was one of only 92 schools across the state designated as a Highest Performing School. This places the school among the top 5 percent of Title I schools with the highest performance for all student groups on statewide assessments.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Fulton Science Academy Private School has been named a finalist in the middle school category for the 2014 STEM Education Awards. The awards are given by the Technology Association of Georgia to recognize schools for their outstanding efforts and achievements in supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in Georgia. In selecting FSA as the middle school finalist, TAG officials pointed to the school’s strong STEM-based curriculum and achievements in the STEM fields, as well as its collaboration with the community. “STEM occupations will increase in Georgia by more than 22,000 during the current decade,” said Tino Mantella, president and chief executive officer of TAG. “The finalists of this year’s STEM Education Awards are helping to prepare the tech-ready workforce needed to fill these jobs [and we] applaud them for standing out as leaders in Georgia’s educational community.” FSAPS hosts the regional Technology Fair for all Georgia private and homeschool competitors and is the organizer of the annual statewide “MathGeniuses” competition, which

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Highest Progress Schools are the top 10 percent of the state’s Title I schools that have made the most progress in improving student performance on statewide assessments for three years. “The schools on this list represent some of the finest efforts being put forth in Georgia education,” said State School Superintendent John Barge. “The educators, parents, students and communities who came together to move these schools forward should take great pride in the results.” The only other Fulton school that made the state’s list of 2014 Reward Schools is KIPPSouth Fulton Academy. Title I federal funds are directed to public schools with high numbers of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches under federal guidelines. This year, 54 Fulton County schools receive Title I funding. –Candy Waylock

Fulton Science Academy Private School named a STEM awards finalist By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@northfulton.com

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Hembree Springs ES among top Title I schools in Georgia Roswell school named a 2014 Reward School

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attracts over 250 students. The school also offers robotics and computer classes starting in pre-K and hosts an annual STEM camp every summer. “We are honored that the dedication and hard work of our students, faculty and parents are being recognized statewide,” said Principal Kenan Sener. TAG is the state’s leading association dedicated to the advancement of Georgia’s technology industry. This is the third year the organization has presented STEM awards in eight categories: elementary school, middle school, high school, post-secondary outreach, extracurricular program, STEM certified school outreach, corporate outreach and best STEM Day activity. Winners in each category will be honored at the annual STEM Education Awards event Sept. 26 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. FSAPS is located in Alpharetta and serves students in pre-K through eighth grade. The curriculum is built around STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) concepts and emphasizes advanced logic, high-level reasoning, greater material retention and creativity. The school operated as a Fulton School System charter middle school for a decade before converting to a private K-8 school in 2012.

COLUMBUS, Ga. – The following local students have graduated from Columbus State University following the fall 2013 semester. Jordan Demers of Cumming graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts. Jeremy Klein of Roswell graduated with a master’s degree in environmental science. Bianca Street of Roswell graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. Scott Vash of Cumming graduated with a certificate degree in criminal justice. Courtney Mason of Suwanee graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration degree in marketing. In addition, Columbus State University congratulated local students for earning a place on CSU’s President’s List for the 2013 fall semester for achieving a grade point average of at least 3.80: Conner Ray of Milton, Nathan Hudson of Alpharetta, Patrick Haley of Alpharetta, Leah Martin of Cumming, Kayla Richards of Cumming, James Klausmeyer of Roswell, Jessica Johnson of Duluth, Brooke Pulaski of Suwanee and Jordan Walsh of Suwanee. CSU also honored the following local students on the Dean’s List for earning at least a 3.6 grade point average: Daniela Volkovinsky of Alpharetta, Jordan Hughes of Suwanee, Dena Kalariotes of Suwanee, Daniel Blanda of Alpharetta, Hyunji Lee of Roswell and Margaret Fordham of Cumming.

Flagler College ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Matthew Motz of Milton and Susannah Schloss of Mountain Park were part of a group of 65 Flagler College freshmen that were honored by Omicron Delta Kappa, the college’s leadership organization, for distinguishing themselves while building their legacy at Flagler. The honored students were nominated by college faculty members, staff and current ODK members.

University of Oklahoma NORMAN, Okla. – Several local students were listed on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus Honor Roll and President Honor Roll for the fall 2013 semester. President Honor Roll students earned a 4.0 grade

point average. In most colleges, students must earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale to be included on the Honor Roll. Students in the College of Architecture are recognized with a 3.3 or better, and students in the College of Engineering are recognized with a 3.0 or better. Those recognized on the President Honor Roll include Kimberly Lynn Maxwell of Alpharetta, Keith D. Strasbaugh of Cumming and Philip Nathaniel Barker of Johns Creek. Honor Roll recognitions went to Claire Jean Demetree of Alpharetta, Allison Nicole Snyder of Roswell and Hani Suleiman of Suwanee.

Harding University SEARCY, Ark. – Garrison Gerard of Suwanee spent a three-month semester studying abroad at Harding University in Paris, France (HIP). As part of the HIP curriculum, Gerard spent the semester immersed in French culture and sharpening language skills. Students in the program have a full course load available to them taught by visiting professors who travel with the students. The classes encourage exploration and interaction among the French people.

Georgia College MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Taylor Wood of Cumming completed courses with exemplary marks and made the Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester at Georgia College in Milledgeville.

Brenau University GAINESVILLE, Ga. – The following local students achieved Dean’s List and Merit List honors at Brenau University for the fall 2013 semester. Dean’s List students earned at least a 3.6 grade point average for 15 semester hours, and Merit List students earned at least at 3.5 grade point average on coursework of less than 15 semester hours. Dean’s List: Caitlin Macalla Cavanaugh of Suwanee, Chelsea Morgan Foster of Alpharetta, Jennifer Marie Garciasalas of Suwanee, Laura Ann Harvey of Johns Creek, Deirdre Michele Kunze of Alpharetta, Ding Yuan of Duluth, Hogai Balouch of Cumming, Stephanie Lynn Desrosiers of Roswell, J.R. Mae B. Espinoza of Alpharetta, Angela Vicki Hawkins of Alpharetta, Shannon Nichole Heath of Alpharetta, Lindsay A. Kelly of Cumming, Jamie Leigh Merola of Cumming and Jordan Bryant Wallace of Cumming. Merit List: Carly Ann Berg of Duluth,

See VARSITY, Page 33

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SCHOOLS

northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 33

Fulton students named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Nearly 120 students in the Fulton County School System were named semifinalists in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program and will go on to compete for college scholarships valued at $33 million. This is the first round of competition for the scholarship program. Finalists will be named in the winter, and the winners will be announced in the spring. The students were identified through high scores on the PSAT, which they took as juniors. Moving forward, semifinalists must maintain a record of high academic performance, be endorsed and recommended by their school leadership and earn SAT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test performance. National Merit Scholarship semifinalists from North Fulton high schools include: Alpharetta – Pranov Duggasani, Joseph Elengickal, Alison Heffron, Alan Hesu, Hope Hong, Shadman Ibnamasud, Nicole Izmaylov, Kristen McClelland, Alexandria Nickens, Ankita Raghupathy, Rajiv Reddy, Rick Saha, Nikhil R. Sethi, Aditya Sood, Ranjani Sundaresan, Nagashumrith Vinakollu and Amy Wang. Cambridge – Sabrina Long Centennial – Amanda Hamilton, Ryann Khalil, Maxwell Roberts and Kaliq Wang. Chattahoochee – Sungmin An, Heeseung Choi, Tara Cooper, Sahrudh Dharanendra, Amber Feng, Christine Feng,

Varsity: Continued from Page 32 Tara Sylace Davis of Cumming, Kathryn Mary Kibler of Cumming, Rachel Elizabeth Lange of Alpharetta, Nicolette Amanda Weaver of Cumming, Denisa J. Dafinescu of Suwanee and Lois Sherrell Powell of Suwanee.

Rensselaer Poly.Institute TROY, N.Y. – Eric Deutsch of Roswell has been named to the Dean’s List at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for the fall 2013

Jun-Kit Ho, Nirav Ilango, Shiyao Ji, Manasa Kadiyala, Ramya Pathuri, Amith Punyala, Nicole Redder, Preet Shah, Nikita Varman, Samuel Weinbach and Stephanie Wyman. Johns Creek – Sevda Arjomand, Luke He, Rachel Kim, Kelsey Li, Hana Nazir, Krishna Sambhu, Patrick Shin, Edward Xiao, Catherine Xie, Ha Yun Yoon and Jung Yun Yoon. Milton – Allison Albright, Kevin Berry, Patricia Chang, Tyler Curl, Akshay Easwaran, Sean Flanagan, Brandon Kim, Christian Kirkup, Harrison Lee, Sean Lu, Sibley Lyndgaard, Coleman Maberry, Ryan Salmon and Andia Shamsaie. Northview – Yahia Ali, Valerie Avva, Edward Chen, Victor L. Chen, Tarun Daniel, Dillon Fournier, Tony Gong, Connie Huang, Woo Suk Jang, Daniel Jiang, Lillian Jin, Esther Kwon, Jin Hee Lee, Justin Lee, Seung Seok Lee, Jonathan Lian, Cassandra Mullins, Janani Rammohan, Da-In Ryoo, Dhaumya Shah, Kyung Min Shin, Joshua Shue, Sumit Sohani, Liheng Song, Harsha Sridhar, Ziyi Sun, Puja Tripuraneni, Shalini Vemuru, Natasha Venugopal, Michael Wang, Oxford Wang, Rachel Williams, Patrick Wu, Di Xia, Charles Xiao, Amy Yang, Albert Zhang, Rachel Zhu and Andrew Zou. Roswell – Gavin Hudnall, Sydney Jerez, Robert McKenzie, Jeremy Peterson, Ramya Prabhakar, Aditya Ramaswamy and Mohammed Saqib.

semester. The Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who maintain grade point averages of a minimum of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0. Deutsch studies physics.

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine STANDISH, Maine – Michelle Mackey of Alpharetta and Kamela Sooknanan of Duluth earned degrees at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine following the fall 2013 semester. Mackey graduated in December with a bachelor’s of business administration degree in management. Sooknanan graduated in December with a master’s degree in health administration.

Mount Pisgah students smile for a picture during their annual retreat.

Mount Pisgah has annual peer mentorship retreat ALPHARETTA, Ga. – At Mount Pisgah Christian School’s retreat, the current seniors embraced the opportunity to serve as positive role models for fellow students. This annual retreat at SharpTop Cove in the North Georgia mountains is a time-honored tradition when seniors serve as peer mentors to middle school students. The senior leaders provide guidance during retreat week and continue building relationships throughout the year by leading advisory group meetings where students are encouraged to ask questions and simply discuss anything on their hearts and minds. The bonding begins at the SharpTop retreat where kids have time to reflect, relax and connect with their teachers and one another. “To me, SharpTop has always been a place to relax and get close to my classmates and God,” said senior Ryan Avery. “Cabin time is especially good at helping this happen because people are honest with themselves and each other, as well as sharing things they might not share otherwise.” Inspiring guest speakers, musicians and

personal development activities are balanced with time for fresh air, fun and relaxation. The students find the slower pace provides the perfect opportunity to slow down and connect with one another. “SharpTop is a place where I can get to know my friends and teachers in a more personal way because I am able to see them in a non-academic, casual environment,” said senior Ashley Foreman. “I love SharpTop because everybody’s true colors come out and I get to know people in a way that I would not get to if it weren’t for the wacky games and activities we participate in while on the retreat.” “My first year at SharpTop Cove was unlike anything I had ever been to. I felt like I bonded with some of my classmates, even though I did not really know anyone that well. I had a great time and made friendships with people that have lasted all of my high school career,” said senior Colton Adamczyk, who also claimed the retreat was an amazing and life-changing experience. —Vallari Bhave

Alpharetta student named National Merit semifinalist CARROLLTON, Ga. — Alpharetta native Maxwell Roberts, along with Thomas Spader of LaGrange, is one of two University of West Georgia Advanced Academy students recently named as a 2015 National Merit semifinalist. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that offers more than $30 million in scholarships. Roberts, of Centennial High School, is dual enrolled at UWG as a member of the Advanced Academy of Georgia. “We are thrilled to have these students at UWG and proud of their accomplishments,” said Dr. Michael Hester, UWG dean of the Honors College and Transdisciplinary Programs. “Due to the Advanced Academy, high achieving students such as Max and Thomas are bringing national attention to our university.” Each year, an estimated 1.5 million entrants take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Only about 16,000 students are chosen as semifinalists who are designated on a state

representational basis as the highest scoring entrants in each state. “I’m very glad I have had the opportunity to succeed,” said Roberts. “I want to become an aerospace engineer and work in the defense industry, so I’m hoping to continue my success in the future.” In February, selected semifinalists will be notified of their advancement to finalist standing. Then in March, finalists will be selected to receive a Merit Scholarship award. National Merit finalists will compete for one of 2,500 scholarships. Nearly 250 corporations and business organizations will also give 1,000 corporate-sponsored scholarships for finalists who meet those organizations’ criteria. About 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and more than half of the finalists will win a scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. 2015 Merit Scholarship winners will be announced between April and July 2015.

Going Green

Making a difference in your local community Milton Herald | October 1, 2014

Why is my tree dying? ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Since moving to the Fulton County Extension Office in December 2012, I have heard this question often. I have seen many tree problems; but I have never seen as many dying trees as I have this year. Why are we having this problem and what can we do? Oak, hickory, dogwood and other trees have been losing leaves, browning at the edges of their leaves or dying suddenly without any apparent reason. If we could look at the roots though, the reason would probably become apparent. Often when leaves suddenly dry up and die on a plant, it is due to a stem or root problem. Stem damage, especially by string trimmers and lawn mowers can open the tree up to rots, which weaken the tree. Check your tree for damage. Once damage occurs, it is too late to do much. We do not recommend putting anything on the wound, just prevent further damage. Kill the grass around the base of the tree and replace with mulch, so mowers and string trimmers will not be used close to the tree. Most shade tree decline is probably due to drought and flooding. The roots of a tree are in the top 8 to 12 inches of soil. When this soil is very dry or saturated with water for a long time, the tree’s feeder roots begin to die. The feeder roots are the small, fine white roots. They take up most of the water and nutrients for the tree. The tree must replace these roots to

partial shade. Prepare the site well before planting — digging a planting hole at least two to three times wider than the root-ball. It is best to till up a large area to plant the tree in. Till the area 8 to 12 inches deep and if plants are grown in a container, loosen roots in the root-ball before planting. For balled and burlapped trees, remove the burlap from the top of the ball being careful not to damage the ball. Plant the tree at the same level it was originally growing. Never plant trees deeper that they were growing before transplanting. Before planting, read the Extension Service publication on planting shrubs and trees. For established trees, stay away from trees with mowers, trimmers and heavy equipment. Even if equipment has not hit the tree, driving over the roots compacts the soil and can kill roots. Digging deeply around trees or filling around trees also kills roots and weakens trees. When filling around trees, remember the general rule that states that placing six inches of soil over the roots of a tree has a 50 percent chance of killing the tree. One the most important things you can do for your tree is water it. During dry times, water the soil to a depth of 7 inches every four days. To do this will require 3/4 to 1 inch of water each time. If using a sprinkler, place a pan under it when watering and time how long it takes to put out enough water. Then you can water this long each time. Do not water lightly each

PASCALE CHAMBERS Guest Columnist

survive. The continued bad weather we have had over the past few years has damaged trees and made it impossible for many to recover. The result is trees that die suddenly without apparent reason. We call this condition shade tree decline. What can you do? By the time the tree shows symptoms, it is often too late. Trees have large reserves of food and water stored up. When they suffer enough damage to kill them, it may be a year or more before they actually dry up and die. This is why a tree may die due to drought or flooding that happened long ago. Shade tree decline weakens trees making them more susceptible to pests. I have noticed dying trees with beetles in them. Weak trees can also have problems like slime flux (an oozing liquid from the stem), cankers or leaf spots. However, the main problem is tree decline. This must be addressed to solve the problem. The key is preventing shade tree decline. Keep the tree vigorous throughout its life. When planting, pick a site that is suitable to the tree you are planting. For instance, do not plant dogwoods in full sun, they like

day. This causes problems by encouraging a shallow root system making the tree susceptible to drought and cold weather. Proper watering is extremely important and may have saved many trees if done during the drought. Once trees show signs of stress, it may be too late to help them. However if the tree has green leaves on it, continue to care for it. It may recover.

Garden and lawn advice is provided by Rolando Orellano, your UGA/ Fulton County Cooperative Extension agent. For your speORELLANA cific gardening questions, call the North Fulton Extension office at 404-6137670.

Find your paper online at issuu.com/appen-inc August 28, 2013

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By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. wanted to know what – If you ever looked like with every Atlanta’s roads resident driving on them, Tuesday, Jan. 28 should give a glimpse. Schools, businesses and governments all shut same time, turning down about the workers out onto the streets at the same time. Variously called “Snowmageddo n,” “Snowpocalypse,” or “SnOMG,” local governments were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of motorists on the road and the worsening conditions throughout the day. A commute that would normally take 20 minutes turned into a 10-, 14- or 20-hour drive. Alpharetta had 50 Department employeesPublic Works begin salting the roads as the snow began on Tuesday, said Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz. Over the course of Tuesday and the following day, Sewczwicz said hundreds of tons of sand and salt were put down by workers working 12-hour shifts. Unfortunately, as traffic grew, so did Above, in Milton, the problems. Hopewell was like so many others Road “We had all our trucks – clogged with traffic and abandoned ready to go,” he said. “Our problem vehicles. is we couldn’t get anywhere once we treated The worst intersectionsit once.” and bridges were hit first, however, day as the salt trucks with the slugbegan using gish lines of traffi police cruisers as c, the salt trucks escorts to move could not get to the traffic aside. hot nor could they return spots quickly; Conditions became to those already treated. The trucks cal police departments so bad, lobecame as stuck as the traffic. help stranded motoristsrefused to or come to It’s a problem a frustrated fender-benders. Sewczwicz said was unavoidable. “People didn’t know where to “When cars are backed turn,” said Lisa Holland, up and with the you cannot get your Roswell Police Department. vehicles there to treat roads again,” 911 call centers were he said, “and where busy with people are stopped endless calls for help in and you get ice. There’s snow and rain, “We had to save our police. nothing we can do resources with that. We were for the most serious frustrated. Because calls,” Holland of the saturation said. “In 30 years, of traffic, we couldn’t I’ve never seen do more.” anything like this.” A solution showed itself later in the

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Traffic: Continued from Page 4 addition of a traffic light to their street near McFarland Parkway and Ga. 9. “We obviously need an expansion to Ga. 9,” Harper said. “You can see the traffic back up, exactly where they want to start the project.” For Espressos Coffee business owner Jeff Amodio, widening the road is a muchneeded plan, but he said the median will hurt businesses located along Atlanta Highway. “We will lose all the business of people trying to come up to our restaurant going north,” Amodio said. “The way it is now, they would have to go half a mile north to turn around, do a U-turn, so the only business we would get is southbound traffic.” Amodio said a good alternative would be turning lanes like those that exist now and getting rid of the medians. “I don’t know why they can’t keep the turning lanes and widen the road,” Amodio said. GDOT engineers and consultants discussed the proposal with residents and business owners, but there was no formal presentation. Forsyth County Commissioner Todd Levent, who owns Midway Warehouse, said it’s his responsibility to jumpstart the project and he used his

massive email list to let residents know about voicing their concerns to GDOT. “It’s important to let GDOT know that we need this project really bad and it’s been a long time coming,” Levent said. As far as the median, Levent said his business will also be impacted. “If you have a product and you have a store people like, they will find a way to pull into your parking lot,” Levent said. “I’m one of the ones who have to suffer through this as well, but this is transportation for the future of our county and it brings all kinds of business. We’re all stuck in traffic right now and we’ve all had traffic fatigue.” Anyone who was unable to attend the public information open house can send comments on the project to Hiral Patel, state environmental administrator for Georgia DOT, 600 West Peachtree St., 16th Floor, Atlanta, Ga. 30308. All comments will be considered in the development of the final project design and must be received by Oct. 3. Plans and handouts can be viewed at the Georgia DOT District Office located at 2505 Athens Highway in Gainesville. Project information will be available on the DOT website after the open house meetings at www.dot.ga.gov. On the home page, choose “information center,” then public outreach” and select the project’s county and choose “go.” A list of active DOT projects in the county will appear.

City of Milton Notice of Public Hearing Variances Public Hearing:

Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday, October 21, 2014 7:00 P.M.

Location:

City of Milton City Hall 13000 Deerfield Parkway, Bldg 100 Suite E Milton, Georgia 30004-6119 678-242-2500

Consideration of Primary Variances a. V14-017, 3273 Baily Forrest Drive, Sherwin Loudermilk Requests(s): • To allow a lot to exceed the 20% maximum impervious coverage (Section 64-1141, 6C) b. V14-018, 14124 Hopewell Road, Rick McDermott Requests(s): • To allow pool to be closer than 35 feet to a cemetery ( Section 64-2422.b.3) c. V14-019, 5210 Windward Parkway, McDonalds, Ty Lin International Requests(s): • To reduce the required parking from 49 spaces to 34 spaces (Section 64-1410)

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End Project 007844 Begin Project 0008357 SR 371/Post Road

End Project 0008357 SR 371

Proposed Bridge over Big Creek

End Project 0007843 Begin Project 007844 McFarland Road Begin Project 0007843 Fulton/Forsyth County line

Gating: Continued from Page 1 year as well as the occasional break-in. Tipton said, should the neighborhood be privatized, the HOA plans to keep the roads in better shape than the city, helping property values. “There are a limited number of funds for the city of Milton to work on roads every year. We want control of it to make the best roads we possibly can,” Tipton said. However, there are issues with privatization. The primary issue is that residents will be responsible

School: Continued from Page 29 Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen, began in 2012 and is funded with private dollars. AT&T was the first corporate sponsor, providing $250,000 in seed funding. In three years, nearly 160 middle school students from

Big Creek Greenway

for all the maintenance of the internal roads, rather than the city, as well as installing and maintaining gates and guards. HOA dues would increase by more than $500 per year to pay for this, Tipton said. Beyond those costs, safety will change. No longer will police be able to stop drivers from speeding or not stopping at stop signs. However, police will still be able to stop drivers for big crimes, such as vehicular manslaughter or DUI. Public safety personnel would also be able to respond to 911 calls in the normal manner. “The police would have limited authority,” said City Manager Chris Lagerbloom.

Under Milton law, a public road can only be abandoned by the city and made private under strict circumstances. The majority of residents must be in favor of the move. The residents must also answer one of two questions: Is there no substantial public purpose served by the road? Is its removal from the municipal street system in the best public interest? If the answer to these questions is “yes,” the city may allow the roads to be abandoned. That decision is up for the City Council to decide. That decision will be made Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. at City Hall after a public hearing on the matter.

23 school systems in Georgia have been named REACH scholars, with the first class of 15 students now in 10th grade. The goal, say officials, is to have the program in place at all 180 school systems in Georgia by 2020. While the scholarship is needs-based, REACH officials say the goal is to have opportunities within each of the state’s 400 high schools, regardless of the location of the school. “There is a belief that there

are no kids in need in the more affluent areas,” said Brad Bryant, executive director of REACH. “[But] there are worthy kids in many of the schools in North Fulton where parents are going to struggle to [pay for college] and we want to give them this opportunity.” Bryant said by identifying the recipients in eighth grade, it allows the community to see them through the next five years and see the full benefits of the program.

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northfulton.com | Milton Herald | October 1, 2014 | 37

Tiny: Continued from Page 24 everything in a wildfire and rebuilt a 500-square-foot tiny mountain-top home on their foundation – 1,000 square feet smaller than their previous one. Sarah Susanka is the godmother of the movement, publishing her bestseller “The Not So Big House” in 1998. In the book, she states, “Formal living and dining rooms are memorials of the way we used to live.” Dan Louche, of Tiny Home Builders, hosts workshops and a Tiny House Incubator on his Cumming property, providing space, tool lending and expertise for those ambitious enough to DIY. Tumbleweed’s incredibly detailed emphasis on DIY construction – literally down to the nuts and bolts – was still a wealth of knowledge of pros and cons on everything from siding and interior finishes to fixtures and appliances for those who only plan to wield a pen to sign a check for their home. Although one can just go the typical RV route, they are created to recreate, not to live in every day. Therefore they are generally poorly insulated with single-pane windows, which can be a problem for poor sleepers. Some tiny housers cite all the light and air one can have over a typical apartment without the shared walls. With high-quality construction and double-paned windows, peace and tranquility are a much more attainable goal than in inadequately constructed housing or vehicles. And although an RV can be less expensive on the front end, heating and cooling it over the long-term can erase any economy. In one of Cormier’s YouTube videos, he holds up a little heater that most people use to warm their feet under their desk. He showed the outside thermometer registering 38 degrees, and inside his was a “balmy” 63. The structural insulated panels (SIPs) that comprise the walls, floor and ceiling of his home make it as energy-efficient as a picnic cooler. He calculates it costs about 90 cents a day to heat his home. Peter Pfeiffer, whose own home graced the cover of Fine Homebuilding Magazine as “The Greenest House in America,” has been paid to design many grand statement houses, but he calls some “The Big Dumb House” and not just because they are overconsumers of materials and utilities. He actually cites higher divorce statistics in them because they diminish family unity. Cormier told his group in Atlanta of how his daughter used to come visit him on the

TINY HOUSE GIANT JOURNEY/WWW.TINYHOUSEGIANTJOURNEY.COM

weekends from college and he would literally not lay eyes on her at home with their conflicting schedules. Since he has downsized, she now sleeps on a sofa in his “great room” and wakes up when he does and enjoys breakfast with her dad before she falls back asleep. Another way the tiny home can bring families together is to place one in the backyard for a parent (or two). Everyone maintains their privacy, with a bit more dignity than living in the basement, and the lofts in most designs make ideal sleepover nests for the grand-

children. Roswell resident Lew Oliver, an internationally renowned architect and town planner, has launched a new line called the Lew Oliver Nest in response to the resurgence of living logically and more simply with less. More information is available online and on Facebook on tiny houses and all aspects of the downsize and declutter movement. Visit http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com or www. tinyhousegiantjourney.com for more information.

TINY HOUSE GIANT JOURNEY/WWW.TINYHOUSEGIANTJOURNEY.COM

DEATH NOTICES Michael Daniel Diem, 17, of Cumming, passed away September 16, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Delwin Travis Hammons, 94, of Cumming, passed away September 18, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Bettie Callaway Harden, 80, of Commerce, passed away September 20, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Muriel Kellman, 94, of Roswell, passed away September 20, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Sandra Lankford, of Cumming, passed away September 20, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. Fabian McMahon, 93, of Roswell, passed away September 23, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Christ Henry Miller, 79, passed away September 19, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Martha Elizabeth Paprism, 61, of Duluth, passed away September 18, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.

Timothy Rossi, 41, of Cumming, passed away September 16, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Roy Yates Sanders, Jr., 92, of Cumming, passed away September 20, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Monnie Scott, 100, of Roswell, passed away September 23, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Andrew Solarski, 90, of Alpharetta, passed away September 20, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Josephine Soldt, 94, of Roswell, passed away September 19, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.

Sharon Steinke, 70, of Duluth, passed away September 19, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home. William Turk, 64, of Cumming, passed away September 18, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Jase Clayton Workman, infant, passed away September 19, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.

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40 | October 1, 2014 | Milton Herald | northfulton.com

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Stephanie Butler Realtor® 678.296.1774

UNDER CONTRACT Taylor Glen: 333 Taylor Glen Drive 5 bd • 5.5 ba • master on main • pool ﬁnished basement FMLS #5339302 • $675,000

NEW LISTING Crabapple Crossing: 12466 Broadwell Rd 6 bd • 5 ba • bedroom on main • 3rd ﬂoor retreat • walk to downtown Crabapple • FMLS #5339874 • $559,900

NEW LISTING Prov @ Atl Nat’l: 625 Glen National Drive 6 bd • 6.5 ba • mstr on main • outstanding kitchen w/ large island • screen porch • gated FMLS #5340751 • $965,000

Lisa Swayne Realtor® 770.241.9165

Deidre Beirne Realtor® 404.783.3372

NEW PRICE Vickery Crest: 229 Woodliff Court 5 bd • 4.5 ba • bedroom on main fenced yard • swim & tennis comm FMLS #5334136 • $639,000

FOR SALE OR LEASE Sable Pointe: 370 Sablewood Drive 4 bd • 2.5 ba • Cambridge HS Available for sale or rental Rent: FMLS #5335575 $2,150 For Sale: FMLS #5341474 $319,000

UNDER CONTRACT Crabapple Chase: 12341 Crabapple Meadow Way 4bd • 2.5ba • master up • renovated master bath • fenced yard FMLS #5328800 • $365,000

Laura Falk

Realtor® 770.715.0325

NEW PRICE The Manor: 2925 Manor Bridge Drive 6 bd • 7 ba • 2 half ba • master on main saline pool/spa • exercise ﬂoor, sauna FMLS #5115460 • $1,850,000

POOL Prov @ Atl Nat’l: 720 Lake Mist Cove 6bd •5 full ba • 2 half ba • master up Kitchen totally renovated FMLS #5320034 • $899,000

SOLD Pure Magic Farm: 13165 Birmingham Hwy 17 acres • dressage arena • pool/spa 17-stall barn FMLS #4281932 • $1.995M

Ramsey Flint Realtor® 404.312.2269

UNDER CONTRACT The Manor: 3074 Watsons Bend 5 bd • 5.5 ba • master on main perfect pool lot • 8th fairway FMLS #5265501 • $1,239,000

CUL-DE-SAC/SPORT COURT Cobblestone Farms: 105 Old Barn Court 7bd • 6 full ba • 2 half ba • pool • sport court • master on main FMLS #5258900 • $997,000

UNDER CONTRACT Six Hills: 550 Owens Farm Rd 6 bd • 5.5 ba • bdrm on main pool/spa • total kitchen renovation FMLS #5290723 • $1.399M

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