Rockin’ all night
37 Main at odds with ‘sleepless’ residents ►►PAGE 6
Players of the Year named Find out who made the cut ►►PAGES 30 – 31
Celebricktion Father, son’s mammoth Lego City now on display ►►PAGE 34
December 18, 2014 | johnscreekherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 18, No. 50
JC makes new City Center start No. 1 objective to grow commercial tax base By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com
HATCHER HURD/STAFF
Teenage engineering Johns Creek High School student Vasishta Srirama steers a hovercraft he and his teammates have made. From left are Adam Grexa, Steve Wycoff, Srirama and Brian Sledjeski, holding the power cord. They are part of a four-year engineering program in which North Fulton students do amazing things. See story, Page 35.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Johns Creek took a giant step Dec. 15 into transforming itself from a collection of subdivisions and shopping centers into a vibrant, successful city united by a thoughtfully crafted business district and community center. With that as a preamble,
the Johns Creek City Council voted unanimously to accept the $250,000 bid from Urban Design Associates/WakefieldBeasley & Associates to create a new 728-acre central business district with a mixed-use City Center as a gathering place and focal point for citizens and visitors. “This is nothing less than a 20-year, transformational plan,” said City Manager Warren Hutmacher when presented the city’s choice to award the contract for creating the implementation strategy. Pittsburgh-based Urban Design says, “We build cities,” and they do it through collaboration with the stakeholders. The goals of the plan are threefold, Hutmacher said: Reduce the imbalance of the city’s tax base, which today is 81 percent resi-
See CENTER, Page 4
City Council to decide election call in January Still weighing cost of special election By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – In its Dec.15 workshop, the Johns Creek City Council discussed the issue of whether to hold a
special election to fill the two vacant council seats or save the cost by waiting another 11 months for a regularly scheduled election. The council postponed a decision until the first meeting
in January, which is as long as they can wait to call an election in March. A June special election would still be viable. Then they went into the regular council meeting where citizens stepped up to the microphone to have their say at
See ELECTION, Page 32
The Central Business Planning District encompasses 728 acres. It follows the Ga. 141 corridor beginning at Abbotts Bridge Road and is bisected on the north end by McGinnis Ferry Road.
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2 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
Road rage nearly gets violent
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POLICE BLOTTER All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
Sneaky shoplifter still caught MILTON, Ga. – A suspected shoplifter tried to trick police Dec. 3 when he changed clothes to escape identification. Employees of the Walmart on Windward told police they saw Christopher D. Rider, 53, walking through the store with a shopping cart, filling it with electronics, games, music and jewelry. In total, he had about $1,700 worth of items. He then went to the garden center and left the cart. He left the store through the main entrance, circled around, entered the store through the garden center and then tried to leave with the goods. When the theft alarm went off, he ditched the cart and ran. Store employees described him as having grey hair, wearing a grey hoodie, baseball cap and blue jeans. He headed
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MILTON, Ga. – A man brandishing a large knife and driving an expensive car is suspected in a case of road rage. The victim told police he and a colleague were driving on Ga. 400 near Windward Parkway Dec. 2 about 4:30 p.m. They took the exit and as they pulled to a stop on Windward, a silver Nissan 350Z pulled beside them. The driver, a young man with a full beard and glasses, began yelling at them and then took out a large hunting knife and brandished it. He accused the victim of an unsafe lane change. The victim continued to Deerfield Parkway and the sus-
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CORRECTION
The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra’s Dec. 20 concert ran with the incorrect time. The concert will start at 8 p.m. In the Dec. 10 article “Balanced Lady Knights off to fast start,” the Centennial girls’ basketball coach was incorrectly identified as Don Padgett. The correct name of Centennial’s girls’ basketball coach is Joe Padgett.
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to the strip center with Five Guys Burgers. When police searched the area, a witness told them they saw an older man remove his hoodie and baseball cap and stuff them into a trash can in the store. Underneath the hoodie the man was wearing a Superman T-shirt. The officer spotted Rider next door wearing a Superman shirt. He was positively identified by Walmart employees. Rider was arrested for felony shoplifting.
Janitor cleans out store? ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A janitor is suspected in stealing eight iPhones from the Apple Store at North Point Mall between Jan. 5 and Jan. 9, 2014. The suspect was arrested Dec. 6, 2014. Store employees told police they had surveillance footage of a janitor, Quentin McKenzie Little, 23, of Lithonia, take iPhones off a back room shelf one at a time and conceal them either on his person or in janitorial equipment. He would then leave the store and hide the phone in a dumpster. A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was finally arrested nearly a year later for theft.
Car yields Black Friday rewards ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A Black Friday shopping outing Nov. 28 turned into a disaster when four women returned to their car to find it broken into and many of their purchases stolen. The victims told police they arrived at North Point Mall about 10:45 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and returned to their car about 3 a.m. They found the door was pried open and many thousands of dollars’ worth of items stolen.
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Reported stolen were purses, clothing, phones, IDs, toys as well as a $15,000 diamond chain and expensive purses.
Someone’s on the naughty list ALPHARETTA, Ga. – A man was arrested Nov. 29 after allegedly causing a scene at Santa’s Workshop at North Point Mall, yelling and drawing lewd pictures. Employees of the Santa’s Workshop attraction told police Levon Karagyozyan, 39, of Alpharetta, was in line for the attraction with his wife and children. They said he became irate at the length of the line and the time it took to finally get to the jolly old elf. When his family finally went through, there was a delay in printing out the photos with Santa for him. They said Karagyozyan became upset and began yelling at the employees. He picked up a pen and wrote “Santa Suck” on a window of the attraction, along with several obscene images. He also smashed an ornament. When police found Karagyozyan, he was still causing a scene and allegedly refused to calm down or follow police instructions. He was arrested for disorderly conduct.
Burglar breaks into Tyson’s CUMMING, Ga. — Someone dropped through ceiling tiles of a chicken plant and stole cash and blank checks, according to a Cumming Police incident report. A plant manager of Tyson Foods Inc., 340 West Maple St., told officers
See BLOTTER, Page 3
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pect followed, continuing to taunt and harass. When the victim arrived at his destination, near Milton City Hall, he said the suspect followed and, getting out of his car, walked up to the victim, again brandishing his knife and boasting how he was an “assassin” and “ex-military,” as well as threatening to kill the victim. When the victim did not back down from the threats, the suspect fled, but not before his behavior and car tag were caught on cellphone by the victim’s coworker. Police note the suspect has a history of road rage.
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DUIS & DRUGS All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
DUI arrests ►► Jonathan Graham
Temmel, 24, of Wood Shoals Court, Alpharetta, was arrested Nov. 29 on Waters Road in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to maintain lane and no proof of insurance. ►► Douglas Lamar Lipscomb, 52, of Acworth was arrested Nov. 27 on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and driving within a gore. ►► Jeanine Francine Goforth, 55, of Hamby Road, Milton, was arrested Nov. 27 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to signal when chang-
ing lanes. ►► Richard Christopher Layer, 34, of Plantation Glen Court, Johns Creek, was arrested Nov. 20 on Broadwell Road in Alpharetta for DUI, no license on person and contempt of court. ►► Katherine D. Podrazhansky, 46, was arrested Nov. 28 on New Providence Road in Milton for DUI and child endangerment. ►► Jeremy Garrison Jennings, 28, of Atlanta was arrested Nov. 5 on Dogwood Road in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Andrew Lawrence Kramer, 45, of Marietta was arrested Nov. 6 on Atlanta Street in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Dwayne Darnell Boyd, 44, of Ashton Drive, Roswell, was arrested Nov. 6 on Houze Road in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane.
Blotter: Continued from Page 2 the burglar landed inside the accounting office when he broke in Nov. 23. The manager said the suspect knew where the key was to the safe and stole seven $50 gift certificates, $95 in cash and 42 blank checks. Officers said it was clear the suspect went through the ceiling tiles as the insulation was pushed back. The suspect also stacked boxes on the outside wall to climb back out.
►► Robert Joseph Fowler,
64, of Longs Peak Drive, Alpharetta, was arrested Nov. 7 on Ga. 400 in Roswell for DUI and following too closely. ►► Michael Aaron Milligan, 34, of Canton was arrested Nov. 9 on Crabapple Lake Drive in Roswell for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Carlos J. Ariza, 24, of Orlando was arrested Nov. 9 on Ga. 400 in Roswell for DUI, suspended license and move over law.
Drug arrests ►► Sagar Rijal, 27, of Buford
was arrested Nov. 23 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, suspended license, speeding, failure to maintain lane, windshield violation and improper license plate transfer.
See ARRESTS, Page 37
Someone needs to keep cool MILTON, Ga. – Someone made off with two HVAC units at a housing development Dec. 1. Each unit was valued at $2,000. According to the builder, the workers left the two units on the building site the day before Thanksgiving. When the foreman returned Dec. 1, he noticed the units missing along with tire marks leading away from where they were supposed to be.
Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 3
Keep the holidays safe and fire-free ATLANTA — The American Red Cross Metropolitan Atlanta chapter has released safety tips to avoid a home fire during the holidays.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights to avoid damaging cords. • Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
HOLIDAY DECORATING: • Choose decorations and artificial trees that are flame resistant or flame retardant. • If getting a real tree, choose a fresh one and secure it in a sturdy stand. • Place the tree away from heat sources and exits and water it daily. • If hanging stockings on the fireplace, do not use the fireplace for fires. • Keep children, pets and decorations away from lit candles. • Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet. • Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. • Connect no more than three strands of mini light sets and the total number of bulbs to 50. • Read manufacturer’s instructions for the number of LED strands to connect. Some strings of lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
COOKING HAZARDS: • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are two of the top three days for cooking fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Follow these simple steps to avoid a cooking fire around the holidays: • Test smoke alarms. • Check food regularly and remain in the home while cooking. Use a timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on. • Enforce a “kid-free zone” in the cooking area and make children stay at least 3 feet away from the stove. • Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove, oven or any appliance that generates heat. • Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup. • Purchase a fire extinguisher to keep in the kitchen. Contact a local fire department for training on the proper use of extinguishers.
NEWS
4 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
Center: JC starts plans for 728 acres district Continued from Page 1 dential and 19 percent commercial. That is unsustainable in the long term, Hutmacher said. A tax base of 50 percent to 60 HUTMACHER percent commercial is considered healthy and sustainable. The plan should create more value while providing unique opportunities to create new opportunities for commercial development. Create that long-sought public gathering spot of 40 acres to 60 acres with restaurants and shops that is walkable and attractive. The City Center would be a sub-market of the greater project. It will be a high concentration of retail, office and public spaces. Actively create a mixed-use relationship in the area that will stimulate daytime, evening and weekend use. The plan would not be successful, however, if it did not include a traffic plan and strategies so that current traffic congestion would be exacerbated, Hutmacher said. The design team of Urban Design Associates and the Alpharetta-based Wakefield Beasley won the bid over eight other bidders for the project. The selection committee also liked its combination of national and local expertise.
Central Planning District Quick Facts & Goals • Cost of study: $250,000 • Design team: Urban Design Associates/Wakefield-Beasley & Associates • Process: 6-9 months • Create symbiotic mixeduse area with day/evening/weekend uses • Increase worth of undervalued land • Create 25-acre public gathering space “The next step will involve intense public involvement,” Hutmacher said. “We are creating a document and a strategy for the next 20 years.” Councilman Lenny Zaprowski said the plan will give the city a huge opportunity to rewrite its destiny. “This is transformational. It will focus on stopping traffic from worsening, bring growth and development with a plan to keep the impact down,” Zaprowski said. “Included in the transportation plan will be trails, bike paths and pedestrian walkways.” The money spent on the plan will be worthwhile as it will create more equalization of the tax base. Councilman Steve Broadbent praised the selection process that not only attracted the best talent to bid, but to lay out goals and expectations so that everyone including bidders could see what was
Scope • 728 acres • 210 parcels • 12 miles of road • 20 percent parcels undeveloped • Current property tax: $2.3M • 4.8M square feet • 42 office buildings, 500 apts. • 0 acres parkland/public space desired. “That RFQ [request for qualifications] got us some quality candidates,” Broadbent said. Later, Hutmacher said the big difference in this plan and in earlier attempts to create a revitalization plan is the “sheer size – 728 acres.” “It is looking at it as a regional development area, such as a Galleria in Cobb or a Perimeter Center,” Hutmacher said. “We have an office park here that has lived its useful life. It is time to re-imagine what the area can be.” That will mean creating a discernable downtown. That means going vertical with office buildings that will create value, jobs and tax dollars in a defined amount of space. “Without some part of office use in the bigger picture, we are just not going to move the meter,” Hutmacher said. “Without office, it won’t make a
But now, the real work begins. It will be a community effort from beginning to end.” MIKE BODKER, Johns Creek mayor
difference. What is needed is a long-term sustainable economic engine.” Examples are there. Go back 30 years to Perimeter Center when it was just the Spruell family farmland. Decatur has become an “overnight” miracle, but it took 20 years to do it. The key is having an economic engine that will continue to fuel improvements. Mayor Mike Bodker has led the way, championing the idea of a revitalized and vibrant downtown. He laid down the challenge at his inauguration speech that followed a bitter re-election campaign. But he did take up one word that has become associated with the Central Business District plan. That is transformational. “But now, the real work begins,” Bodker said. “It will be a community effort from beginning to end.”
Big Creek Parkway to help Holcomb Bridge traffic Joins east, west Roswell By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. – In an effort to alleviate the traffic flow problems of the Holcomb Bridge Road/Ga. 400 intersection, Roswell has hopes of building a new eastwest connector just north of Holcomb Bridge. It is estimated that 61,000 vehicles cross the Ga. 400 bridge each day. Dubbed the “Big Creek Parkway,” the new road would go from Warsaw Road to Old Alabama Road, with a bridge spanning Ga. 400 in between. Currently the bridge on Holcomb Bridge Road is the only way to get from east Roswell to west Roswell. The Big Creek Parkway project is a key consideration in the city’s long-range planning to alleviate local traffic congestion and provide better connectivity between the eastern and western portions of the city. The proposed project includes a new
For information about the Big Creek Parkway project, visit roswellgov. com/bcp. roadway from Warsaw Road just north of Holcomb Bridge Road (Ga. 140), extending east across Ga. 400 between the Holcomb Bridge Road and Mansell Road interchanges. The new road would then connect to the existing intersection of Old Alabama Road and Holcomb Woods Parkway and end at Holcomb Bridge Road (Ga. 140). It would include a sidewalk and bicycle path. Roswell Transportation Director Steve Acenbrak called the project’s plans “aspirational.” “This has enormous traffic value and an economic development value,” Acenbrak said. “It’s a really great project.” Should the Ga. 400/Holcomb Bridge Road Bridge ever be expanded, the Big Creek Parkway would be a vital alternate
This has enormous traffic value and an economic development value. It’s a really great project.” STEVE ACENBRAK Roswell Transportation Director route, Acenbrak said. The project is expected to cost about $50 million and take two years to build. It is a long-term project with no identified funding for right-of-way acquisition or construction at this time. The city is seeking state and federal money for it. For information about the Big Creek Parkway project, visit www.roswellgov. com/bcp.
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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 5
A Mastery Makeover for One Deserving Lady
The Mastery Salon selected the first makeover winner, Lisa Hewitt!!! Lisa Hewitt, 41-year-old single mother of two, was laid off from her job in June. In an effort to get back to her previous income level, Lisa is currently working three jobs- including a full-time position, working as security at a theater at night, and cleaning out horse stalls at a local stable on Saturdays. This made her the perfect candidate for the very first in a series of makeovers being awarded to deserving women in the local community by Alpharetta/Roswell salon, The Mastery By Esani. The Mastery Makeover Series was inspired by the exciting makeovers the salon provided to the Atlanta Hawks cheerleaders at the beginning of their 2014-2015 season. In crafting Lisa’s makeover, experienced Mastery stylist Luci Retzer revitalized Lisa’s fine, red hair by deepening the color to a warmer tone in order to make her blue eyes stand out. Luci used two shades of red in order to give depth and dimension, make the hair look fuller, and give it more movement. Stylist Luci finished off Lisa’s hair with a “Diamond Shines” treatment, and graduated asymmetrical bob to give the hair more volume. Lisa was able to leave the horse stalls behind and enjoy the “ONE Experience” at The Mastery, which included complimentary wine; a Reluxe five-point head, neck and shoulder massage; and relaxing, zen sounds and scenes of nature with her shampoo. Mastery bridal makeup artist, Brittany Crow, applied Lisa’s makeup and chose a neutral palette emphasizing peach, gold and brown to warm her complexion; and used concealer, cream eye shadow, blush and bronzer to create a clean, fresh look.
BEFORE
Makeover winner Lisa was blown-away with the finished result, and with tears in her eyes said, “My makeover was wonderful, I enjoyed the head massage so much, I have never in my life had an experience like this before. My stylist Luci just knew exactly what I wanted with the cut and the color. The Mastery salon gifted Lisa with several Paul Mitchell products to maintain her beautiful new hair, a gift bag of Ultimate Face Cosmetics makeup, and a VIP card so she can continue to enjoy Luci’s expert services throughout the coming year.
AFTER
“Thank you to everyone at The Mastery for making me feel so special. You have some really good people working here, and now I feel as if I can keep going and have a fresh start with only good things for 2015.” The Mastery by Esani is an award-winning salon crafted for salon guests yearning for personalized attention and predictably superior service at an affordable price. Outfits for Lisa’s makeover where donated by The Drake Closet in Alpharetta, a resale boutique that provides a designated revenue stream to The Drake House in Roswell.
“Best New Salon in Atlanta 2012”
Nominate a woman who gives to others, puts herself second, someone who wishes for a new look possibly for a new start, a new lease on life or just a new way to feel fabulous. And remember, that woman could be you!
“The Knot Best of Weddings 2014” “Preferred Salon of the Atlanta Hawks Cheerleaders”
Nominations need to include a short paragraph telling us about the nominee and why she deserves a makeover. Include contact information and a photo. Email entries to makeover@ themasteryatl.com.
1009A Mansell Road, Roswell, GA
www.TheMasteryATL.com • 770.542.1532
The Mastery is conveniently located at 1009A Mansell Road, Roswell. To make a reservation for your next hair or makeup service, please call our Concierge at 770-542-1532 or email reservations@themasteryatl.com
6 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
NEWS
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Medlock subdivision residents rock 37 Main Music club just too loud, residents tell council By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – More than a dozen Medlock Bridge subdivision residents came to the Dec. 15 City Council meeting to vent their frustration with loud music “thumping” their walls Thursday through Saturday nights. The music is coming from the 37 Main music club just across from their quiet neighborhoods. When it is not the loud music, it is the throbbing bass notes that “just travel through the walls” of their homes. “The noise can begin in the early afternoon, when the bands are tuning up. But it gets really bad late in the evening and goes until 2 a.m.,” said Medlock resident Rich Shuler. “When we ask [the owner], he just says he has a business to run.” In fact many of the national acts that play at 37 Main have it in their contracts that they can play at certain decibel levels. The club owners, three brothers, have to sign to get the acts to play.
But Shuler said it is causing his family to lose sleep and his property values to fall. Maya Heller said she is a 17DENSMORE year Medlock resident. She said she had no problems with other restaurants in the strip center 200 yards from her house. But 37 Main is ruining her sleep. “And it’s not going away,” she said. Heller’s daughter said she has midterms to study for, but she can’t concentrate because of the distraction. Steve Whit said he represented the Medlock Homeowners Association, and came to say residents are concerned about the ongoing problem. Like many of the residents, he said he is glad to see 37 Main thrive at the location, but the people need relief. “I talked to the owner, and he said they have a business plan. Well, so do I. It’s to enjoy my home,” he said. Anne Min said as a small business owner, she understands it is hard to succeed. But she said she has police officers come to her house,
HATCHER HURD/STAFF
Over a dozen Medlock Bridge subdivision residents have complained about the loud mousic from 37 Main. and they could not believe the noise. “We can feel the vibrations through the walls. We moved the kids to the other side of the house. But there is nothing I can do to keep the vibrations out of the house,” Min said. Mayor Mike Bodker said the City Council does not respond to citizen comment as a rule. But since Chief of Police Ed Densmore and Zoning Director Justin Kirouac were present, they could discuss what options they had outside council chambers.
A dozen or more residents listened as Kirouac explained the city does not have a noise ordinance; rather, it employs the nuisance ordinance, which officials feel is more effective in most cases. He said the club has been cited before. Kirouac said he advised residents to call 911 for a police officer – not because it is an emergency, but because it is after hours. Because the club has been cited before, it will trigger a summons before the local magistrate judge.
Densmore also encouraged the residents to call 911. He also advised that they request an officer come to their home. “That will mean the officer will make a report. It will also contain what the officer saw and heard at the scene. All this creates a record of activity,” Densmore said. “A judge will be more swayed by that kind of record rather than just a log of 911 calls.” Owners of 37 Main did not agree to meet with a reporter at the club or by telephone the next day before deadline.
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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 7
8 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
JC needs full representation
Hold early special election
While I understand that it is legal for the city to delay the special election to fill two vacancies until November 2015, I still disagree that a delay is the best option for our city, considering this election involves two seats vacant for a total of nearly 12 months’ time. While it is within the law to put off the election, doing so leaves a vacuum of leadership for our city with those two empty seats. Between vacancies and absences, in the past four years only about 40 percent of council meetings have had full representation with all seven council members present. When there are absences, in addition to vacancies, the city suffers from lack of representation. The lack of a full council concerns many of us in Johns Creek because our charter was written to have a council
of seven members representing us, seven viewpoints to discuss and weigh in on issues of importance to our outstanding city, seven votes to cast on such issues. And it is becoming a pattern in Johns Creek to leave seats vacant for many months, by holding the special elections on the last possible legal date. Thus, a sorely understaffed council is taking votes, for months on end, on issues that will significantly impact our city for generations. While some people have framed the delay of the election as a cost-saving issue, might Johns Creek administer a special election for City Council on their own, rather than outsource the running of the special election to Fulton County? If other municipalities are able to hold a special election for $10,000 to $20,000, I think Johns Creek should certainly explore options for holding the election on one of the earlier dates. –Cathy Eads Johns Creek
The time capsual’s been found! The time capsual’s been found!
Opening our own time capsule Once upon a time, Paul Revere and Samuel Adams made a box. Not just any box; a time capsule. For those who haven’t heard, a time capsule from these two founding Patriots was recently unearthed at the Massachusetts State House in Boston, dating back to 1795. Workers found the copper box while making repairs to the building. The box was sealed in the cornerstone of the building. There is little description of what might be inside other than letters and a metal plate of Revere’s. Maybe a bottle of Adams’ famous beer?
JONATHAN COPSEY
Revue & News Editor jonathan@northfulton.com
Wait, wrong Sam Adams. Anyway, this is the second time the capsule was discovered. In 1855, similar work again turned up the capsule, which was then sealed in a leather bag. The Victorian-era
See CAPSULE, Page 27
OPINION
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Magic of Christmas in memories it creates From the time we are children, Christmas is special. Of course when we are young, it is all about the anticipation of Santa Claus. Two major events came each year as far as I was concerned. One was the last day of school because that meant another endless summer loomed before me. Anything was possible come June 1 (or thereabouts). Perhaps a visit to far-off lands such as Colorado. I was born in Texas, which is mostly flat as a pancake, so the opportunity to see a real mountain was akin to floating down the Amazon. In the summer, every day was Saturday – except Sunday of course, which meant I would still have to go to Sunday school and church. Yes, summertime when you are 7 years old is an indescribable period of almost endless excitement. But it wasn’t a patch on Christmas. Christmas was every day of summer compacted and condensed into one single day. One glorious incandescent day of absolutely boundless joy, you are Christmas. The gloom of the first day of school would be tempered by the knowledge that the countdown to Christmas had begun. You could not truly appreciate the approach of Christmas without the balancing drudgery of homework, spelling tests and that plague of all mankind – arithmetic. Just as there is no light without dark, there was the beacon of Christmas. It shone like a lighthouse with the promise of great things yet to come as we navigated the treacherous shoals of third grade. No doubt prison must be something like school. You thought you would scream if you had to listen to Alvin Loveless read aloud. He destroyed Dick and Jane with the most mind-numbing monotone, fingernails-onblackboard voice that completely ignored all vestiges of punctuation. Then there was the no talking in class commandment. Six hours of sitting in class without talking – except for Susan Holden who did it all the time. She never got in trouble because she could always say something to the teacher that would make her smile and forget to correct Susan. What an injustice. Then you had to line up to go anywhere. “No cuts,” was
HATCHER HURD
Executive Editor hatcher@northfulton.com
the admonition invoked when some transgressor tried to inveigle himself near the front. And teachers policed the crime of cutting in such a desultory way, it made you think the fabric of civilization was being whittled away, one cut at a time. But there were oases through that desolate wasteland that was school. They were there to ease life’s burdens as you made your way to Christmas. The first, of course, was Halloween. So much candy, so little time. Off I would go in the care of my older brothers – who promptly would abandon me three houses down from our front yard. No matter. It’s all about the candy anyway. Then came Thanksgiving and all that turkey and dressing. You had to get through Monday Tuesday at school, but then you were free until the following Monday. It gave you the will to go on. For once Thanksgiving was over, there was no pausing before the assault on the Summit. It was Christmas or die, and many times I thought I would just die if Christmas didn’t get here. First the tree went up and the whole family decorated it. I was jealous of my brothers who had favorite ornaments and claimed the right to hang them on the tree themselves. Oh, I burned at that. I wanted my special ornament too. Of course Mother gave me one, but that wasn’t good enough. I coveted the ones my brothers had. Those ornaments were Tradition. And my puny elf ornament was new, so it didn’t have any tradition. I wanted their ornaments and railed at the injustice of it all. As the presents began to appear under the tree, I would haunt them, count them and mark each one with a name on it. I would mourn at the paucity of gifts engraved for me. But their number would grow, and I would pick them up, feel their heft – even hold the ones in thin tissue up to the light and cast my practiced eye over them. And woe is unto me if the
heft of a box indicated that most disappointing of contents – socks and underwear. As the days approached – 10, then nine, now eight … truly did I understand how time can stand still. Then comes Christmas Eve. Everyone is so nice, even my older brothers who are never nice, but this night they are almost pleasant. But as the youngest, I am the only one banished to the bedroom. I’m told the sooner I sleep, the sooner Santa will come. As if sleep were possible. No visions of sugarplums danced in my head. No it was filled with racecars, a Fort Apache set, a football and the like. I would hear laughter coming from the living room and my eyes would fill with tears of bitterness. As the youngest, I always had to go to bed just when the fun was greatest. My brothers were not exiled, and I was left to contemplate the unfairness in this world. Then I would awake. And immediately I knew it was Christmas morning. I would run into my parents’ bedroom and wake them up. My father and I would have a philosophical discussion as to whether 4 a.m. was truly morning. I argued in the affirmative, most eloquently. It was 4 a.m. after all. My father took the position that sunrise must figure prominently in any definition of morning and sent me back to bed. Finally, I was allowed – nay, unleashed – to go to the living room. Again, time stopped. I am transfixed. With acute tunnel vision, I can only see my corner of the room – that was one tradition I did share. Almost uncomprehendingly, I saw that all of this was for me. The things I had hoped to get were forgotten in the midst of wonderful things I never knew I wanted until now. Oh, Christmas. Happy, happy Christmas of days long ago. What treasured memories they bring. And how does one recapture that bliss? Why the best way of course. I’ll sit in the corner of another living room Christmas morning and watch all that joy and bliss reflected – in the eyes of my grandchildren. Oh happy, happy Christmas.
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SCHOOLS
10 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION. LIVE ON STAGE!
SHEN YUN
Community views latest redistricting plan Final map goes to Fulton School Board in Jan. By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – With high school attendance lines out of play, Fulton School System planners said the latest round of redistricting for North Fulton elementary and middle schools has seen little of the controversy that generally flares up.
Still, more than 5,000 comments have been submitted in person or online, and 350 residents showed up at the third and final redistricting meeting Dec. 10 to provide input on the second round of draft attendance zones. The latest round of redistricting for North Fulton schools is necessary with
See MAP, Page 36
Summary of areas moved under the redistricting draft plan
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Mimosa ES to New Hwy. 9 ES: • All areas north of Old Roswell Road and west of Lowe Lane including Lowe Lane, Roswell Commons, Eaglescrest and Grand Oaks • All areas south of Holcomb Bridge Road including Riverwood apartments, Camden Ridge, Swaybranch Drive, Grimes Place, Rock Creek Drive, Shadowood Court, Crestview Circle, Stonebridge Drive, Shadowbrook, Carriage Station and Pembroke Hill Roswell North ES to New Hwy. 9 ES: • Areas along and to the east of Crabapple Road between Woodstock Road/ Street and the creek just north of Kathleen Court, including Weatherford Place, Crown Park and the Tower Park Place condos • Areas along and to the north of Alpharetta Street northeast of Woodstock Street, including Alpine Drive • All of the area east of North Atlanta Street between Woodstock Street and Oxbo Road including Liberty Lofts and Townhomes, Opal Drive, Norcross Village, Courtyard Terrace, Millbrook, Myrtle Street apartments, Forest Grove apartments and Vickery Landing Esther Jackson ES to New Hwy 9 ES: • Areas along Holcomb Bridge Road and Old Holcomb Bridge Road west of Dogwood Road including The Crossings at Woodbridge • Hillside ES to Esther Jackson ES: • All the area west of Old Dogwood Road including Wood Creek apartments. River Eves ES to Hillside ES: • All residential areas that empty onto Nesbit Ferry Road and the eastern half of Champions Green Parkway, including Arden Place, Ashley Crossing, Devonshire, Nesbitt Reserve, Ashley Forest, Berkshires on Nesbit Ferry and Rivercrest • Hembree Springs ES to Mimosa ES: • From Elkins Road, all areas south and east of Hwy. 9 including The Regency at Mansell • All areas south of and including Old Ellis Road including Old Ellis Pointe and Old Roswell Corners Hembree Springs ES to Sweet Apple ES: • All areas along Crabapple Road north of Houze Way including The Courtyard at Saddle Creek • All the area west of Houze Road south of Hembree Road and north of creek near Hollyberry Drive, including Houze Commons, Hollyberry, Charleston Oaks and Derby Forest • All areas along Houze Road north of Hembree Road including Saddle Creek, Crabapple Creek, Crabapple Woods, Crabapple Walk, Orchard Trace, The Reserve at Crabapple, The Cottages of
Crabapple and Barrow Downs Sweet Apple ES to Mountain Park ES: • West of and including Roper Road, all areas south of Cox Road including Lakeside at Ansley, Huntington Park and Huntington Estates • Mountain Park ES to Roswell North ES: • All areas along Lake Charles Drive including Lake Charles Plantation, Meeting Street and Charleston Pointe Creek View ES to New Prospect ES: • Areas along Old Milton Parkway including Country Place Court, The Pointe at Preston Ridge, Stone Ridge, Camden Pond, Bridge Point and Pennbrook • Ocee ES to New Prospect ES: • Areas along Old Milton Parkway northwest of Vista Forest Drive Middle schools: All middle schools north of the Chattahoochee River Crabapple MS to Elkins Pointe MS: • Areas along and to the east of Crabapple Road between Woodstock Road/ Street and the creek just north of Kathleen Court, including Weatherford Place, Crown Park and the Tower Park Place condos • Areas along and to the north of Alpharetta Street northeast of Woodstock Street, including Alpine Drive • All of the area east of North Atlanta Street between Alpharetta Street and Oxbo Road including Liberty Lofts and Townhomes, Opal Drive, Norcross Village, Courtyard Terrace, Millbrook, Myrtle Street apartments, Forest Grove apartments and Vickery Landing Northwestern MS to Hopewell MS: • All the area south of Bethany Road in the current Cambridge HS attendance zone including Evergrace, Providence Oaks, Providence Square, Oakmere West, Spence’s Field, Hook Road, The Orchards at Hopewell, Milton Glen, Mayfield Circle, Lynne Circle, Burnett Way, Nathan Circle, Park Lane, Wills Commons, Georgian Townhomes, Magnolia Place apartments and Victoria Square Webb Bridge MS to Taylor Road MS: • Areas east of Douglas Road including Calument, Concord Hall, Douglas Road Park, Hartsmill Pointe, Highland Park, Kensington Oaks, Laurel Park, Leeward Walk, The Vicarage, Woodland Cove and Wyngate • Areas north of Kimball Bridge Road and west of Jones Bridge Road including Fox Glen and Wellsley Townhomes River Trail MS to Taylor Road MS: • Cambridge and Wellington subdivisions River Trail MS to Autrey Mill MS: • Areas south of Parsons Road including Eaton Manor, Myers Park and St. Ives Holcomb Bridge MS to Haynes Bridge MS: • All areas north of Holcomb Bridge Road between Ga. 400 and Eves Road including Terramont, Centennial Ridge, The Overlook at Centennial, The Highlands at Centennial, Centennial Walk and Walton Centennial Elkins Pointe MS to Crabapple MS: • West of and including Roper Road, all areas south of Cox Road including Lakeside at Ansley, Huntington Park and Huntington Estates
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COMMUNITY
12 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald
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Public works director earns CH2M Hill Excellence Award Tom Black lauded for innovation, leadership, delivering $40M from outside sources to city By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The city of Johns Creek relies heavily on the expertise and ability of its CH2M Hill employees. This was driven home when CH2M Hill awarded Public Works Director Tom Black one of the highest honors the company can bestow. CH2M Hill recently named Black as a 2014 winner of Chief Executive Officer Jacque Hinman’s Excellence Award for Career Achievement based on his work for the city, including his work to attract outside funding for various capital projects. CH2M Hill has provided various municipal services including public works, community development, parks and recreation and call center operations for Johns Creek since the city’s incorporation in 2006. CH2M Hill is a Fortune 500 company with more than 27,000 employees, so for Black to be singled out from among all of those talented people is
We tracked $40 million in outside commitments [Black] brought to the city from GDOT and federal sources. That is a remarkable number.” WAYNE WRIGHT CH2M Hill project manager no small accomplishment. “Tom Black, like many of our staff, is indicative of the incredible fortune we have to have so many talented people working for the city,” said Mayor Mike Bodker. “He’s a guy who wakes up every day and thinks about
what we can do to move traffic better and more efficiently through Johns Creek.” What pleases the mayor even more is Black’s ability to find outside funding so that with a relatively small investment by the city, great projects are affordable. Bodker recalled one project in which the city spent $60,000, but state and federal funding added $6 million to the pot. Black understands how to design a project so that it hits the Federal Highway Commission’s or the Georgia Department of Transportation’s sweet spot. For example, a $1.5 million roundabout at the intersection of Boles Road and Bell Road will be 100 percent funded by GDOT with 5 acres of excess land for a city pocket park. CH2M Hill Program Director Wayne Wright said while Black’s award was a career achievement award, he had a particularly “good year” in the award’s calendar year from April 2013 to March 2014. “We tracked $40 million in outside commitments he
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Johns Creek Public Works Director Tom Black has been honored by CH2M Hill with its CEO Excellence Award in recognition for a career of exceptional service. brought to the city from GDOT and federal sources. That is a remarkable number,” Wright said. “It’s one thing to get those
kinds of dollars for projects that the state and the federals
See BLACK, Page 37
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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 13
HOLIDAYS
14 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald
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NOTES FROM SANTA’S DESK:
Santa learned joy of giving early in life This time of year, my desk traditionally looks as cluttered and chaotic as a Friday afternoon traffic tangle on Atlanta’s I-285. And smiling across the clutter is a framed picture of me intricately dressed as one of the most easily identifiable personalities in the world: Santa Claus. That particular picture was taken just after news arrived that Time magazine had chosen me as one of the Top 10 Santas in the U.S., an honor that still gives me a jolt – a mixture of feelings ranging from gratitude to elation to humility. Playing the role of Santa has been the greatest blessing I ever received. But how did a little boy from Roswell, Georgia, mature
THOMAS TOLBERT THE REAL SANTA CLAUS
into one of the most believable, likeable, well-received Santas around? Well, I’ll tell you. The reason, I have to confess, is because I am not the first Santa in my family. I was blessed with exceptional parents who taught me from the beginning the value and satisfaction of giving to others. They grew up hard, surviving the Great Depression with not much more than each other and a strong faith and
the character to pull through. My father Ben was the oldest of eight children of Ena and Guy Tolbert. Growing up in the Great Depression, he remembered well waiting in a “soup line” for some basic nourishment. He knew what it meant to have nothing, and it was something he never forgot. He promised himself and God that one day he would be able to help others. As a boy every Christmas Eve, Ben and his siblings would hang up clean socks – they were called stockings back them – on small nails hammered into the edge of the mantle. His mama would hand wash the socks because they should be clean for Santa. Christmas morning, each stocking held an apple, an or-
ange, some nuts and a few pieces of hard candy and peppermint sticks. Every Christmas morning, he would receive the same gifts. Little Ben heard about the gifts other more fortunate children received. He wondered why his family had it so hard, but in his heart, he knew this was the best his parents could do. And he was thankful. Dad grew up, managed to go to college and through long days of hard work and dedication, he opened a clothing store in Roswell. Franklin Roosevelt had just been elected president of the United States. It was 1932. The store prospered and Ben decided it was time for payback. He shared his Christ-
mas dream with Roger Weaver, a childhood friend, and the two set about making a dream a reality. Throughout the year, they collected toys that had been discarded, broken or simply were no longer wanted. In their spare time, they repaired them. Old bicycles got a fresh coat of paint. Broken dolls were glued together like new and given clean clothes. Balls were cleaned up and filled with air. And sometimes two broken bicycles were turned into one serviceable bike. All this was done quietly and without any fanfare. At last, it was Christmas Eve and it would be cold. Still, Ben and Roger loaded all the “new” toys
See GIVING, Page 15
Religious Services It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Christmas Eve Services
Johns Creek United Methodist Church • www.JohnsCreekUMC.org
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24 Christmas Eve Services 3:00 | 5:00 | 7:00 | 11:00 p.m. Living God’s Song!
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2: 1-20
Dr. D.B. Shelnutt, Jr. Senior Pastor www.JohnsCreekUMC.org
Johns Creek United Methodist Church 11180 Medlock Bridge Rd Johns Creek, GA 30097
HOLIDAYS
Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 15 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Giving: Continued from Page 14 into the back of his rickety, old Ford pickup truck. He dressed up in a Santa outfit he had bought from a local five and dime store. Now, this was a complete getup. The pants and jacket were pretty much as you might imagine they would be. But the beard was attached to a plastic Santa mask with rosy cheeks and a cotton mustache. Then Ben placed a chair in the truck bed with toys all around him. Roger was the driver. They fired up the truck – it was old but it did start with a key not a crank – and off they went down bumpy dirt roads through the countryside around Roswell. When they spotted a house with lights on, they turned in and Roger honked the horn. That first year, they were greeted with a good deal of ap-
PHOTOS BY J. MIGUEL/JMIGUEL.COM
prehension. Picture it: Out of the dark December night, Christmas Eve no less, when most people were home with family and loved ones, here comes this pickup truck with a man dressed as Santa Claus, laughing the traditional “Ho! Ho! Ho!” and inviting the children to come to the truck and
choose one toy each. Some parents asked, “How much?” Not a cent! Some had to be convinced there was no catch. And one doubtful, cantankerous man stood guard on the porch of his unpainted frame house with a shotgun while his four children rushed out to try to decide what pres-
ent to choose. For many of the children, it was their first encounter with Santa Claus. He knew how they felt. He saw their eyes, bright and shining and he heard the sincere “thank-yous.” Ben had to fight back tears when one little girl, clutching her doll, climbed into the back of the truck to hug Santa and promise, “I’ll take real good care of her.” When all the toys were delivered and it was time to head back home, Ben stayed in the back of the truck instead of riding in the heated cab. It was cold and the wind was as sharp as if it had blown cross a whet stone, but Ben didn’t feel it. It was a clear night and the sky was filled with millions of stars. You can see them still when you get away from city lights. It was his personal Thanksgiving a month after the official day. He was thankful he was
able to do this, and he and Roger continued to do it for several years. “Giving back gives you a wonderful feeling,” Ben would say. “Some people never feel that, and I feel sorry for them.” Even today when I appear at Christmas functions and children line up and wait their turn to tell Santa what they are wishing, I keep nearby a bowl containing an apple, orange, unshelled nuts, hard candy and some peppermint sticks. Those simple items define Christmas for me. And when I look into those children’s eyes, I can feel how my father did all those years ago in the back of an old Ford truck. Thomas Tolbert has made a career and a ministry of portraying Santa. Time magazine once named him one of the Top 10 Santas in America. He considers it a privilege to be Santa to thousands of kids every year.
Religious Services Experience
the true meaning of Christmas
at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church Longest Night Service – Sunday, Dec. 21
For those with a heavy heart during the holidays.
Christmas Eve Services – Thursday, Dec. 25 3:30 p.m. Children’s Service (designed for younger children) 5 and 7 p.m. Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols (nursery provided) 11 p.m. Candlelight Communion Service
Christmas Eve Services
4 p.m. – Children & Family 6 p.m. – Contemporary Candlelight 5575 Peachtree Parkway 8 p.m. – Traditional Peachtree Corners Candlelight 770-449-1211 Ctklutheran.org 10 p.m. – Contemplative
180 Academy Street Alpharetta, GA 30009
770-751-0033
www.alpharettapres.com
Christmas Mass Schedule All are Welcome – Todos son Bienvenidos Vigil of Christmas Wednesday, December 24
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church 535 Rucker Road Alpharetta, GA 30004 770-475-4501 For more information www.sta.org
4PM-Church 4PM-Parish Hall 6PM-Church 6PM-Parish Hall 8PM-Church-Español 8PM-Parish Hall Midnight-Church
Christmas Day
Thursday, December 25 9AM-Church 10:30AM-Church NOON-Church 2:30PM-Church-Español
Vigil of Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God Wednesday, December er 31 31 5:30PM 7PM-Español
Thursday, January 1 10AM
Many, But One Body in Christ hriist st – Muchos, Pero Un Solo Cuerpo erp rpo enn Cristo Cririst sstto – 1 Co CCorinthians orriiint nntthi hian ans 10 110:17 0:1 :17 :17
16 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
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Economist provides roadmap for U.S. rebound By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA, Ga. – Local commercial brokers got a pep talk from one of the nation’s leading economic minds this month, and they came away with ideas on how the global economy can affect their business. John Doggett, a senior lecturer in the Department of Management at the University of Texas, told a crowd of more than 100 business leaders in Atlanta that recent changes in the global economy puts the United States in a position to outpace all countries as a world economic power. Speaking at a Georgia Certified Commercial Investment Member meeting, Doggett said the end to the Cold War and this year’s collapse of the world oil market represent two “strategic inflection points” that can give the United States unprecedented opportunities to prosper. “A strategic inflection point is a fundamental change in the way business operates,” Doggett said. “It’s a ‘before and after.’” There is a problem among American businesses that conditions them to fear tinkering with success, he said. However, he said businesses often miss the reality of a situation. “The Saudis have predicted oil will stabilize at about $60 a barrel,” he said. “That’s good news for us, bad for Iraq, Russia and Venezuela.”
The news was not lost on local broker Josh Barnes, director of real estate operations at Orkin & Associates in Milton. He said the industry will continue to see labor cost challenges, but with the drop in oil prices, many construction-related ventures become more affordable. “The cost of diesel fuel is cheaper, and that means it’s going to be cheaper to move dirt and operate the big machinery,” he said. “That can help us in the real estate market as we start to develop.” Barnes said his company will be breaking ground shortly on a 156-acre acre Deerfield Township development in south Forsyth County, so he is hoping to see stable production and grading costs. Deerfield Township was approved as a master plan development last year. A single-family neighborhood component has already broken ground with sites being prepared and infrastructure established to begin building homes, he said. Atlanta is historically a high-vacancy metro area, and it still is today, according to Jeff Myers with CoStar Portfolio Strategy, one of the nation’s largest real estate research firms. Vacancy levels climbed to more than 25 percent in some areas during the recession. They have since fallen into the mid-teens as job growth recovers. Doggett also spoke about
the perceived threat from the Chinese economy, which has shown signs of slowing recently. If the United States came to grips with the notion that it cannot continue to run deficits, it could rebound on the world stage, he said. “Seven percent of the money spent by our federal government goes to pay interest on the debt,” Doggett said. “The implications of that number on our future are significant.” And it’s not just the government that is overspending. Students in school now owe more than a trillion dollars in student loans, he said. America’s biggest debt holder is China. “What if the Chinese decide tomorrow the will not buy another dollar from the United States?” Doggett asked. “What would that do to our interest rate? It would skyrocket.” However, there are inroads to China, Doggett said. There are needs that American companies can meet in the most populous nation in the world. China has massively overbuilt, and 250 million people are being forced to relocate to occupy this new construction, he said. The country is also home to the world’s largest environmental movement because the population is choking to death on pollution. Business and civic leaders from Sandy Springs are already mining one of the largest
PATRICK FOX/STAFF
John Doggett, senior lecturer at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, visits with one of the attendees at the Georgia Certified Commercial Investment Member luncheon held at the Cherokee Town Club in Atlanta Dec. 4. markets in China: health care for the aged. Sandy Springs has the largest concentration of health care facilities between Washington and Houston. The city has spread that message to China, where a one-child mandate and the massive move by young people to the cities have left millions of elderly struggling. Sandy Springs is continu-
ing conversations to export expertise and help build facilities to meet that growing need. James Comerford, managing director of Proscenium Capital and chairman of the Sandy Springs Economic Advisory Committee, said the city has a wealth of intellectual knowledge in an area of health care that is now one of the greater societal issues facing the Chinese.
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NewBusinessSpotlight
Adler Chiropractic marks 20 years in Roswell Business: Adler Chiropractic Opened: 1994 Owner: Dr. David Adler What: Dr. Adler celebrated his 20th anniversary (and 24th year in practice) serving Roswell, Alpharetta and North Fulton. For three weeks, the practice offered all new patients the anniversary promotional fee of $20. The celebration was topped off with a party attended by loyal patients, colleagues from the
chiropractic and medical fields, members of the City Council and business leaders in Roswell Inc. Where: 1475 Holcomb Bridge Road, #177, Roswell Hours: Monday, Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturday, by appointment. Phone: 770-594-2233 Web: www.adlerchiro.com
Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 17
Sports Revolution changing youth sports climate Business: Sports Revolution Opened: September 2014 Owner: Tony Schuster What: Our main goal is to increase training and development for players, parents and coaches and promote services to help all sports teams and leagues in your area from youth sports up to and including high school athletics.
We can be the catalyst for healthy, positive change in the youth and high school sports environment. Sports Revolution utilizes technology, resources and strategic partnerships to achieve a happier, healthier and more productive youth sports climate. Hours: 24/7/365 Phone: 309-287-8021 Web: www.sportsrevolution.com
BusinessPost
The value of using a process map Do you use a sales process in your small business? Have you aligned your sales resources to each step in the process? Are you using technology to enable your sales process to be more efficient? Creating a “process map” will help you to maximize both the effectiveness and efficiency of your sales process. So, what is a process map? Simply put, it is a document that breaks down each step of your sales process, and allows you to “map” both human resources and technology to
DICK JONES
Founder & President Jones Simply Sales
each step in the process. For example, the lead generation process may be done by a telemarketer, while a sales representative would be responsible for customer meetings and
preparing proposals. It’s easy to create a process map using an Excel spreadsheet. Documenting all the steps in your sales process on the horizontal axis (columns) of the spreadsheet and your sales resources on the vertical axis (rows) creates an “intersection” of a process step with the resource responsible for execution. Documenting the specific actions that occur in each intersection will provide an “end-to-end” view of who does what during all steps in your sales process.
You can then add a “technology” and “tools” row at the bottom of the process map to spell out the specific systems that support each process step. Measurements of process effectiveness and efficiency – like how many leads does it take to generate a sale, or how long does it take to generate the leads – can also be used to improve your sales process. People, process and technology drive sales results, and having a process map can help you make your sales process better!
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18 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald
AWARDS »
Milton builder wins Gold OBIE MILTON, Ga. — The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Sales and Marketing Council awarded builder t-Olive Properties a Gold OBIE Award building a custom, single-family home in the $1 million to $2.4 million category in The Hayfield development, Milton. The OBIE Awards are the pinnacle of accomplishment within the Atlanta homebuilding industry and serve to recognize outstanding achievements in more than 100 categories. “Winning this Gold OBIE Award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team,” said Randy Schiltz, president of t-Olive Properties. “Each aspect of the home was carefully designed and planned. It resulted in a truly beautiful home. It is something we are very proud of.” For information, visit www.toliveproperties.com.
PROJECTS »
Wakefield Beasley awarded Creekside Village project ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta’s Wakefield Beasley & Associates has been awarded the Creekside Village Assisted Living project by Provident Development Group. Creekside Village is the first phase of a multiphase senior development site located in Smyrna, Georgia. The estimated $10.9 million project will be a 78,500-square-foot, three-story building with 108 rooms and a designated wing for those who need more intense support due to dementia or other memory-related functions.
PEOPLE »
Wakefield Beasley names new project coordinator ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Wakefield Beasley & Associ-
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BusinessBriefs ates, a top architectural and design firm in the Avalon complex in Alpharetta, announced that Bianca George has joined WBA as a project coordinator in the multi-family studio. George brings six years of industry experience to the firm and has worked on many projects, including the Fulton County Aviation GEORGE Community Cultural Center, Jean Lafitte Prairie Acadian Cultural Center and Annapolis Towne Center. “Bianca represents the first hire to our new, Atlanta-based multi-family studio. She brings residential experience, a diverse background and a great attitude to the team. I am very excited to have her come in on the ground floor of this new venture,” said B.J. Laterveer, director of the multifamily studio. George earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Hampton University and a master’s degree in arts administration from Savannah College of Art and Design.
REAL ESTATE »
Harry Norman represents River’s Edge Milton MILTON, Ga. — Harry Norman, Realtors and agent Annemarie Russo are the exclusive representatives of Milton’s newest luxury community River’s Edge Milton. The Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 12 to open River’s Edge Milton. Mayor Joe Lockwood cut the ribbon to officially welcome the community. Sponsors included the Sequoia Club and Southeast Mortgage. River’s Edge Milton consists of 133 acres in the heart of Milton’s horse country and farm land. One of Milton’s newest gated luxury communities, the community will consist of custom built estates on 1.6-acre to 5-acre home sites with walking trails and other amenities. For information, visit www.RiversEdgeMilton. com.
COMMUNITY »
Sawnee EMC donates to charities, schools CUMMING, Ga. — The Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation recently awarded $26,490 to local charities through its Operation Round Up program. Local charitable organizations that received funding included Act Together Ministries, The Place of Forsyth and North Fulton Community Charities. The Foundation Board also awarded $13,022.89 in classroom grants to teachers within the Sawnee EMC service area, including Hillside Elementary School, Whitlow Elementary School and Piney Grove Middle School. These programs are funded by Sawnee members who round their electric bill up to the next highest
Got News?
Submit your business news & photos to businessnews@appenmediagroup.com dollar, averaging $6 a year. This “extra change” goes directly into the Sawnee Foundation. These small, yet generous, donations have allowed the Foundation Board to donate over $1.63 million back into the communities since inception in 2003. For information, call Cindy Badgett, director of external affairs, at 678-455-1399 or email cindy. badgett@sawnee.com.
NEW BUSINESSES »
Burger Dispatch delivers in Alpharetta ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Sisters Saphire Sumpter and Satoria Sumpter turned a veggie burger craving into a San Francisco-like delivery service in June with Burger Dispatch. The Alpharetta-based business delivers from local restaurants to the customer’s door. When their favorite burger spot didn’t offer delivery, the sisters decided to provide the service themselves, personally selecting restaurants for traits such as freshness and quality. Delivery is within a five-mile radius of each restaurant, with a flat fee of $7 plus 50 cents per mile added on per order. “We know standard protocol is to launch in a big city, but we’re excited to have Burger Dispatch based in Alpharetta – because it’s unexpected,” Satoria Sumpter said. For information, visit www.burgerdispatch.com.
Advance Auto Parts opens third store in Alpharetta ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Advance Auto Parts announced it will open its third store Dec.18 in Alpharetta at 10825 State Bridge Road. The new store offers a wide range of parts, recognized national brands and free services, including installation for new windshield wipers, a complimentary check of the vehicle’s electrical system and old battery and installation of a new battery with purchase on most vehicles. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Other locations are 5596 Highway 9 North and 731 North Main Street in Alpharetta. For more information, visit www.advanceautoparts.com.
Marco’s Pizza opens in Cumming CUMMING, Ga. — Marco’s Pizza announced it will open Dec. 22 at 4 p.m. at 2332 Atlanta Highway in Cumming creating up to 25 jobs. “Pizza lovers in Cumming will quickly find out that we’re substantially different than your typical pizza chain,” said Chander Vashishat, owner of Marco’s Pizza in Cumming. “We were attracted to the Marco’s brand because it was founded on Italian freshness and quality standards, making it stand out from all other well-known brands.” For information on Marco’s Pizza franchising opportunities, visit www.marcosfranchising.com.
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CALENDAR
EDITOR’S PICKS
Submit your event online at johnscreekherald.com
Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 19
Send
me your event...
ERICA O’NEAL
Calendar Editor erica@northfulton.com
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.
EVENTS:
CELEBRICKTION LEGO SHOW
A show with demonstrations and creations by Lego Robotics. Show features viewing a city built out of 1 million Lego pieces by Harry and Austin Nijenkamp. High Meadows School Community Center, 1055 Willeo Rd., Roswell. Saturday, Dec. 20 through Monday, Dec. 22 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person Visit celebricktion.com for more info.
Contact: Fred Jakobsen, 425-2051854 Info: The light event is hosted at a private home. Park on the street outside, and then walk down the driveway to the garage and trailer where the lights and animations are set up. Donations are welcomed for Toys for Tots.
HOLIDAY POPS CONCERT 1853 WEDDING REENACTMENT A reenactment of the 1853 wedding of Mittie Bulloch to Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. Bulloch Hall, 180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell from Monday, Dec. 22 from 6-9 p.m. Adults $15, children $10. Visit bullochhall.org for more info.
Laura Story Where: Perimeter Church, 9500 Medlock Bridge Rd., Johns Creek When: Sunday, Dec. 21 Hours: 5-7 p.m. Cost: Free Online: perimeter.org/laurastory
RACES & BENEFITS:
HOLIDAY SHOPPE 141
SANTA’S VILLAGE
What: A collection of lights, animated characters and Christmas characters to create a winter wonderland. Where: Fred Jakobsen, 405 Waverly Hall Drive, Roswell When: Wednesday, Dec. 17 through Thursday, Jan. 1 Hours: Daily, 6-9 p.m. Cost: Free
A Christmas concert performed by the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Rd., Johns Creek. Saturday, Dec. 20. Show begins at 8 p.m. Adult tickets are $30, senior tickets $25 and student tickets $15. Visit johnscreeksymphony.org for more info.
VELVETEEN RABBIT
A play production of the children’s story, Velveteen Rabbit. The Dancing Goat Theatre, 1000 State Bridge Rd., Johns Creek. Thursday, Dec. 18 through Saturday, Dec. 20. Showtimes vary. Tickets are $5 each Visit performingartsnorth. org for more info.
What: 10 vendors exhibit unique items such as clothing, art and handcrafts for sale. Where: Commonwealth Plaza Holiday Shoppe 141, 1614 Peachtree Pkwy., Cumming When: Thursday, Dec. 18 through Tuesday, Dec. 23 Hours: Thursday and Tuesday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Cost: Free admission Contact: Kim O’Day, 678-314-8753
When: Friday, Dec. 19 through Sunday, Dec. 21 Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: $25 per ticket Online: metropolitanballet.org
27TH JINGLE JOG
What: The 27th annual Jingle Jog 5K Where: Lambert High School, 805 Nichols Rd., Suwanee When: Saturday, Dec. 20 Hours: Race begins at 8 a.m. Cost: Between $15 to $25 Online: jinglejog.com
THEATER: CHATTAHOOCHEE: REIMAGINE OUR RIVER FILM
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT AT
What: A viewing of Chattahoochee Nature Center’s feature film, Reimagine Our River Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Rd., Roswell When: Saturday, Dec. 20 through Sunday, Dec. 21 Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: Price of viewing is included with general admission, $10 for adults and $7 for seniors and students Online: chattnaturecenter.org
MUSIC: CHRISTMAS CONCERT BY LAURA STORY
What: A Christmas concert performed by Perimeter Church’s worship leader,
NUTCRACKER PRODUCTIONS: THE NUTCRACKER BY SAWNEE BALLET THEATRE
What: A theatre play production of The Nutcracker by Sawnee Ballet Theatre Where: South Forsyth High School, 585 Peachtree Pkwy., Cumming When: Thursday, Dec. 18 through Sunday, Dec. 21 Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: $15 for student tickets, $20 for adults Online: sawneeballettheatre.org
THE NUTCRACKER BY METROPOLITAN BALLET THEATRE
What: A theatre play production of The Nutcracker by Metropolitan Ballet Theatre Where: Blessed Trinity High School, 11320 Woodstock Rd., Roswell
THE NUTCRACKER BY ALPHARETTA DANCE THEATRE
What: A theatre play production of The Nutcracker by the Alpharetta Dance Theatre Where: Milton High School, 13025 Birmingham Hwy., Alpharetta When: Saturday, Dec. 20 through Sunday, Dec. 21 Hours: Showtimes vary Cost: General admission is $20 Online: alpharettadancetheatre.com
20 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
COMMUNITY
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Rotary Club of Johns Creek-North Fulton inducts new member JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Rotary Club of Johns Creek-North Fulton inducts Johnnie Andrews into the club Nov. 12. From left are Bev Miller, Andrews, Rory Robichaux and Glenn Spears.
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COMMUNITY
Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 21 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Dolvin kindergarten students in Jessica Hemmann’s class learn programming code and have fun doing it.
Dolvin kindergartners learn computer programming JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Jessica Hemmann, a kindergarten teacher at Dolvin Elementary, showed her students that anyone can learn to code Wednesday, Dec. 10. With the help of teacher
assistant Jeneen Boucard and media specialist Mary O’Shea, the class explored block coding through an Angry Birds activity to capture the pig from the games. The event was sponsored by Hour of
Code. “The children were so excited each time they wrote two lines of code, four lines of code and so on,” O’Shea said. “Having a team of instructors made a world of difference.”
Happy holidays from Sen. Brandon Beach The cold weather is here. Melodies of holiday music are faintly beginning to play in the background while grocery shopping and we are nearing the end of another great year of living and thriving not only in North Fulton, but throughout our state. We are fortunate to live in a community with a high quality of life. Our children receive valuable educations from esteemed teachers, we feel safe and our economic climate is continuing to thrive. However, around this time of year, it is important to sit back and realize what really makes our community so special to live in. For me, it’s spending time with my son and daughter while they are home from college and enjoying the limited time we get as a family. It’s taking the extra time to give back to our community that we all love and contribute to each and every day. It’s about sitting back and really thinking, what is important? Most of us will spend the holidays in warm homes, eating copious amounts of food and laughing with loved ones.
Improve Your Vision
BRANDON BEACH Senator, Georgia’s 21st district
For some, the holidays are a memory of a difficult time; the loss of a loved one or the reminder of a lost job. During this holiday season, I challenge you to count your blessings, help someone in need, be a true neighbor and appreciate time spent with family. We have a lot to be thankful for living in North Fulton, so really reflect on all you have without the fastidious pace of your professional life interfering in your holiday cheer. After all, January is right around the corner, and we all know the work will be waiting for us when we return, especially at the Gold Dome. I thank you all for entrusting me to represent you for another legislative session. From my family to yours, I hope you have a safe and happy holiday.
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22 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
SCHOOLS
Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Winners from Northeast Learning Community School
KATHLEEN STURGEON/STAFF
The Atlanta Hawks cheerleaders came out to support the teachers, including Johns Creek HS Professional of the Year Carol Matthieson, Chattahoochee HS Teacher of the Year, James “Blake” Stetson and Johns Creek HS Teacher of the Year Roya Schweinbeck.
Fulton recognizes school system’s top employees By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Atlanta Hawks cheerleaders, multiple high school marching bands and two new cars were only a few ways Fulton County Schools (FCS) celebrated its Teachers and Professionals of the Year Nov. 14. The district’s annual recognition luncheon was held at the Georgia World Congress Center, 285 International Blvd. NW, and had over 1,000 in attendance. The guest list included employees, business partners and special guests, including Donna Lowry, kids
and schools reporter from WXIA 11Alive, as the emcee. Jennifer Sweigart from Hillside Elementary School was honored as FCS’s Teacher of the Year while Kindra Smith of Roswell North Elementary School was recognized as the district’s Principal of the Year. Both received new cars that they will be able to use for a year. Olivia Gonzalez, a bilingual parent liaison at Riverwood International Charter School, was honored as the school Professional of the Year. Larry Keen, a bus driver with the transportation department, was honored as the Support Professional of the Year.
Fulton School Superintendent Dr. Robert Avossa said he was proud of all FCS employees. “What I learned in over 20 years of education is people matter the most,” said Avossa. “We have to take a team approach. People are turning to teachers to solve problems. At Fulton County Schools, we’re solving those problems.” He also spoke about how the employees motivate him to do his job better. “I came to inspire you today,” said Avossa, “but each and every one of you inspires me. The reality is I love our teachers the most.”
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Teacher of the Year
Abbotts Hill ES Barnwell ES Dolvin ES Findley Oaks ES Hillside ES Esther Jackson ES Medlock Bridge ES Northwood ES Ocee ES River Eves ES Shakerag ES State Bridge Crossing ES Wilson Creek ES Autrey Mill MS Haynes Bridge MS Holcomb Bridge MS River Trail MS Taylor Road MS Centennial HS Chattahoochee HS Johns Creek HS Northview HS
Professional of the Year
Amber Coxwel Melissa Nail Rebekah McGowan Kate Pornsopone Jennifer Sweigart Allison Maselli Lauren Burnette Amanda Clifton Shannan LaPorte Nancy Brockington Kellie Segraves Allison Elder Jennifer Kosciow Lisi Furman Chris Chang Lauren Dykstra Jennifer Lee Melissa Hartfield Amanda Otto James “Blake” Stetson Roya Schweinbeck Josh Lee
Bonnie Roles Paula Cattanach Kara Schwede Karen Reed Chandler Deas Emily Merkle Betty Pippin Mack Ervin Christy Mallein Cecilla Panizo Max Lapushin Holly Berg MJ Sturgeon Robyn Magnussen Jessica Karp Rosemary Pforsich Regina Christian Gerilyn Robbins Phyllis Newhall Liz Marinelli Carol Matthieson Linda Robinson
Winners from Northwest Learning Community School
Teacher of the Year
Alpharetta ES Birmingham Falls ES Cogburn Woods ES Crabapple Crossing ES Creekview ES Hembree Springs ES Lake Windward ES Manning Oaks ES Mountain Park ES New Prospect ES Roswell North ES Summit Hill ES Sweet Apple ES Crabapple MS Elkins Pointe MS Hopewell MS Northwestern MS Webb Bridge MS Alpharetta HS Cambridge HS Independence HS Milton HS Roswell HS
Paula Moore Amanda Jeffery Julie Rothman Anne Bopp Mollie DeCouto Sarah Yoo Anne McKown Kristina Whitley Ashley Polito Carol Moore Lauren O’Prey Christine Terrell Rebecca Blackman Julia Claire Hires Miyuki Johnson Teresa Lynn Hoebeke Julie Zahner Bailey Susie L. McFarland Michael Nance Brian Wynne Linda Legros Allison Gonding Megan Volpert
Professional of the Year Judy Jones Deidre Fann Brenda Miller Lynn Greene Rosny Benjamin Donna Lagimoniere Suzie Orr Irene Salerno Mariclaire Blackburn RuVae Roberts Trey Thomas Kimberly Thompson Joan Willoughby Linda Porter Denise Lewis Holly Schmidt Pam Paugh LaJuan McGill Amilia Cadet Mike Bostardi Kathy Hard Tammy Jones Jennifer Hooper
COMMUNITY
Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 23 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
JONATHAN COPSEY/STAFF
Representatives of AT&T gave a donation of $10,000 to Roswell-based Drake House. From left are Dennis Boyden of AT&T, Drake House Executive Director Kathy Swahn, David Hammond, chairman of the Drake House Board of Directors and Judy Agerton of AT&T.
AT&T donates $10K to Drake House Money goes to programs, teens By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@appenmediagroup.com ROSWELL, Ga. – The dedicated volunteers at the Drake House received an early Christmas present Dec. 11 in the form of a large check from AT&T. AT&T Regional Vice President of External Affairs Judy Agerton, a volunteer at the Drake House, presented the $10,000 check to the Roswellbased nonprofit.
“We saw a need,” Agerton said. “This is a way to give back to the community.” The Drake House offers short-term emergency housing for mothers and their families as well as classes and counseling to get the families back on their feet. Dennis Boyden, AT&T regional director of external affairs, agreed. “Whenever a family comes in, they work to help the family
and get back on their feet to sustain themselves,” Boyden said. “We appreciate that. It doesn’t just give them emergency shelter, but gets them back on their feet.” Drake House Executive Director Kathy Swahn said she was overwhelmed by the donation. “This is extremely generous,” Swahn said. “AT&T has been a strong supporter for many years.” The $10,000 will go to support the educational programming for teens as well as
life skills and career coaching. For more on the Drake
House and its mission, visit them online at www.thedrakehouse.org.
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24 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald
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Georgia College MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The following local students completed courses with exemplary marks and made the Dean’s List for the 2014 spring semester at Georgia College in Milledgeville. Milton: Astrid Arciniegas, Nicholas Chmura, Erica Eubanks, Erin Patrick, Rachel Plate, Ian Roberts and Phillip Speer. Duluth: Christina Bignotti, Michael Caplan, Zubin Irani, Megan Mays, Sally Sockwell, Christopher Stuart, Moriah Thomas and Kathryn Watson. Suwanee: Alexander Adamczyk, Samantha Baker, Morgan Barnhardt, Tyler Carroll, Katherine Cryan, Mateusz Debczynski, Andrew Doris, Emily Edmond, Sara
Etelalahti, Kaelyn Farrell, Rebecca Foster, Aliyah Gilenson and Bennett Gualdoni. Ashlyn Hogg, Kyle Kinsler, Rachael Kutuk, Jackson Lucas, Nicole McGarrell, Hayden Melson, Angela Moreland, Sydney O’Neill, Steven Scudder, Cassidy Shaw and Andrew Westbrook.
University of South Carolina COLUMBIA, S.C. – Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honor Organization announced that Sarah Nicole Johnson of Roswell was recently inducted into the honor society at its University of South Carolina chapter. Sigma Alpha Lambda is dedicated to promoting and rewarding academic achievement and providing members with opportunities for community service, personal development and lifelong professional fulfillment.
Piedmont College DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont
COMMUNITY College has recognized the following local students from the 2014 spring semester who were selected as Dean’s Scholars and for the Dean’s List. Students named as Dean’s Scholars have earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester, and students named to the Dean’s List have earned a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99. Dean’s Scholars: Isabella V. Brown of Milton, Melissa Childs of Johns Creek, Brittney A. Head of Cumming, Lauren G. Head of Cumming, Kathleen M. O’Neill of Alpharetta, Jennifer C. Pitt of Suwanee and Shameka Walker of Suwanee. Dean’s List: Mitchell E. Auger of Alpharetta, Kate M. Berardi of Cumming, Corey D. Brabham of Suwanee, Emily S. Clance of Suwanee, Rachel L. Davis of Cumming, Megan E. Holder of Alpharetta, Amanda L. Jewell of Duluth, Stone M. Kelly of Milton, Hannah L. Kelly of Suwanee, Hailey B. Polson of Suwanee and Christopher J. Vincent of Cumming.
Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
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Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 25 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Part of seventh-graders’ integrative study Holcomb Bridge students learn about Ebola at CDC ROSWELL, Ga. – The Holcomb Bridge Middle School seventhgrade class recently concluded an integrative study on the Ebola virus with a field trip to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Museum and Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta. Teachers delivered a relevant and rigorous set of cross-curricular lessons for the students, using the current events around Ebola as a platform to make it real. The students were led by a
teaching team of Pam Wright (language arts), Dwayne Gregory (social studies), Melanie McCollum (science) and Alexis Farmer (math). The students engaged in an intense and carefully coordinated set of lessons. For example, in language arts, students read the non-fiction book “The Hot Zone” by Richard Preston. And in social studies, students explored Africa and wrote a position paper on the history of health issues and the influence of government
and politics on diseases such as AIDS and Ebola. The segment concluded with a field trip to the museum at the CDC, where several students tried on hazmat suits, learned the steps for preventing contamination and explored the history of the CDC and the role it plays in today’s world. In parallel, students were also able to visit the Fernbank Natural History Museum. “People of any age learn better when the subject is relevant to their lives, and they understand how it affects them personally,” said Wright. “By weaving the topic through all core courses, we hoped to provide a learning opportunity
Holcomb Bridge student Will McCall gets an up close look at the hazmat suit of student Elijah Kirby. that will have a lasting impact on our students.” Principal Chris Shearer agreed. “Since coming to HBMS this year, I have been very impressed with the passion,
From left, seventh-graders Marley Rusden, Bea Lee and Summer Stockard share their public awareness poster on Ebola.
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26 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald
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REBUILDING HAMP’S:
Neighbors pledge to rebuild Hamp’s Saddles and Tack Fire destroyed Milton landmark, horse community responds By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com MILTON, Ga. – Smoke was still curling up around the remains of Hamp’s Saddles and Tack the morning after a Dec. 8 fire gutted it when talk started of rebuilding the store. Hamp Phillips is a lucky man. First, he was lucky that two neighbors were passing by when the fire broke out at his saddlery on Hopewell Road, where Phillips has his house and barn. Melissa and Melinda Day pulled over and pounded on the door until they woke up Phillips and his grandson Lex Phillips, who were both sleeping. “They hollered at us to get out,” said Lex Phillips at the scene. “We were both asleep.” Hamp’s daughter Pippa Sheehan was standing nearby as Milton firefighters were still putting water on the smoldering ruins of the shop. It stood only about 15 feet from the bedroom where Hamp was sleeping. “Those girls saved their lives,” Sheehan said. “The metal slats on his window blinds had already melted. If they had not called 911 and got them out, I don’t think they would have gotten out. “They pulled in and blew the horn and pounded on the door until they came out,” she said. “They’re the real heroes.” Sadly, there was one casualty to the fire. Hamp’s dog Pistol had been sleeping in the shop and did not make it out. After escaping the fire, Hamp found out he had even more good fortune. Word spread quickly about the fire. Sheehan put the news of the fire on her Facebook page. It quickly had 500 likes. A customer set up a donation page at gofundme.com to raise $25,000 to rebuild the shop. It raised $14,000 the first day and has 1,400 followers. “The response has been amazing. I don’t think Dad realized how much he was loved in this community and among the horse community,” Sheehan said. “My father is not a man of many words. He has just been overwhelmed and amazed by all this.” The horse community in North Fulton-Cherokee is a close-knit one. And Hamp’s is known throughout the Southeast. Donations already have come in from as far as Vermont
PHOTOS BY HATCHER HURD/STAFF
Hamp Phillips gets a hug from the Day sisters, who roused Phillips and his grandson out of their beds when the house was in danger of catching fire. Standing in front of the debris, from left, are Melissa Day, Phillips, Melinda Day and Lex Phillips.
Community clamoring to rebuild ‘mainstay’’ By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com
A firefighter moves a hose after the blaze has been put out. and Virginia. Milton Fire Department Communications Chief Mark Stevens said multiple calls came in about a structure fire at 16075 Hopewell Road, and units responded to find the building “fully engaged.” The fire was about to engulf the entire building.
Firefighters quickly brought it under control and kept the fire off the Phillips’ house next door. It was not seriously damaged. “The barn had a tin roof and there was a lot of nylon material stored up there; so it melted, creating a kind of crust
MILTON, Ga. – As soon as word spread that a fire had destroyed Hamp’s Saddles and Tack, the horse community’s grapevine went to work to help Hamp Phillips and his family rebuild what most people consider a Milton institution. A fundraising site on gofundme.com registered pledges of $14,000 in the first 24 hours. Hamp Phillips’ daughter Pippa Sheehan said her Facebook page had dozens of messages offering in-kind donations to rebuild, offers of help to “clean up” and other inquiries asking to help get the store’s doors open again. The fundraising website described Phillips’ influence on the community: “Hamp Phillips is deserving of the support of the community he has done so much for. His friendly and outgoing nature and wonderful contribution to the Atlanta horse community has inspired me to set up this campaign on the family’s behalf and with their blessing and support. The funds from this campaign will go directly to Hamp Phillips in order to help mitigate the loss of his buildings and inventory and to support him during his recovery. Fox 5 News Atlanta aired the story at 5 p.m. on Dec. 9, 2014.” For more information or to make a donation, visit http://www.gofundme.com/RebuildHamp. all over the building,” Stevens said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
“There were some space heaters in the barn that were left on. But that is just a good guess,” Stevens said.
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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 27
The fifth annual Asa Adler Memorial Alumni Lacrosse Classic will be Dec. 21 at Chattahoochee High School and feature alumni players from at least five North Fulton high schools. In 2013, over 150 alumni players and coaches met up again on Chattahoochee’s turf field.
’Hooch boys lacrosse hosts alumni game fundraiser Asa Adler Memorial Classic set Dec. 21 JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Chattahoochee High School boys’ lacrosse program will host the fifth annual Asa Adler Memorial Alumni Lacrosse Classic Dec. 21. Men’s alumni players from Alpharetta, Centennial, Chattahoochee, Lassiter, Milton and Northview high schools will come together for a festive afternoon full of competitive jamboree-style games. Teams will begin arriving and warming up at noon, with games scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. All players are encouraged to purchase a $5 ticket for an after-party hosted by Jeffrey’s Sports Bar and
Capsule: Continued from Page 8 Americans added their own items to the capsule and sealed it up. And, once again, it has been found. Time capsules are wonderful things. They tell about the people who created them, the items and things these people found important to preserve for posterity. Postcards, letters, photographs and coins all typically get thrown into such capsules. There is something deeply personal about time capsules. They speak to the people who buried them. What was so important about a postcard they felt people of the future would want to see it? I am reminded of a sub-plot from the movie “Amelie.” The title character finds a little box hidden behind a bathroom tile. Inside were toys, a racecar, sports cards and jacks from a former resident in her apartment. Each of the items means little to a 20-something woman living in the 2000s; but to the boy from the 1950s, they meant the world. When Amelie finds the original owner – now an old man – he breaks down in tears at the sight of the box.
Grill and featuring a buffet and a choice of soda, beer or wine. The annual philanthropic event for ’Hooch boys’ lacrosse, donations from this year’s Alumni Games will benefit Tyler’s Way Foundation, which promotes character in children, supports the local community and embraces families after a loss. For more information, go to www.tylersway.com. Alumni players from all six high schools are encouraged to register to play. If you played boys’ lacrosse for Alpharetta, Centennial, Chattahoochee, Lassiter, Milton or Northview high schools and want to be part of the
There is something deeply personal about time capsules. They speak to the people who buried them. What was so important about a postcard they felt people of the future would want to see it? It just goes to show how important time capsules can be. As a historian, I know how much writings and items from the past help our understanding of long ago eras. But they mean more to those who created them. Given how this is a season for reflection, take a moment and think about what matters to you. What would you put into a time capsule to tell future generations?
festivities, email Kathy Cioffi, kdjc@mindspring.com, for
contact information for your school’s team. Other high
schools are welcome to participate, as well.
28 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
SPORTS
Gladiators off to strong start in region play Addition of Lancaster sparks offensive effort By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Johns Creek Gladiators headed to their holiday break tied for second in the Region 6-AAAAAA basketball standings with a 5-1 record that includes a pair of home court victories last weekend. After scoring a comfortable 64-45 win Friday over South Forsyth, the Gladiators spotted West Forsyth a 17-9 first quarter lead the next night before roaring back for a 69-53 victory. Johns Creek brings a 6-4 overall record into the annual Deep South Classic at Gwinnett’s Brookwood High School, with the Gladiators playing the host team in a first round game Dec. 27. Johns Creek made its firstever appearance in the state tournament last year after a 12-13 record in the regular season. The Gladiators were a predominantly senior team, but returned starters Blue Smiley and Ian Joseph. Top reserve Chase Campbell was also back. Roderick Whitlow has assumed the point guard duties this season, with the Gladiators aided by the addition of junior Mark Lancaster, a transfer from Peachtree Ridge. Lancaster leads the team in scoring with a 15.6 average, including a season-high 25 in the win over South Forsyth and 19 the next night against West Forsyth. The 6-foot-2 lefty is an all-court weapon, capable of scoring on slashing drives to the basket or on three-point shots. “Mark is a talented player who has given us a spark on offense,” Johns Creek coach Pete Goggin said after the Gladiators’ victory Friday. The Gladiators’ four other starters are averaging between 7.6 and 8.6 points per game, with Smiley and Campbell both scoring 18 points in a game to lead the team that night. Smiley and Whitlow are the other primary three-point shooters. Whitlow hit four from long range in a season-best 18-point effort against South Forsyth. Campbell and Joseph, both 6-foot-3, are the Gladiators’ tallest starters. “We don’t have a true post player,” Goggin pointed out. “We’re more of a perimeteroriented offense.”
SOL SIMS/ SOLARVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Lancaster (20) leads the Gladiators in scoring, averaging 15.6 points a game. Johns Creek tries to use its quickness on the perimeter to force turnovers and push the pace, with sixth man Miles Clay coming up with six steals and also scoring 11 points in Saturday’s win over West Forsyth. Fellow reserve Nate Zodula contributed 12 points against West Forsyth, as the Gladiators won back-to-back games without Campbell, who was out with an illness. The Gladiators experienced their lone region loss earlier last week, suffering through a cold shooting night against Centennial and attempting just three free throws. Johns Creek connected on 10 three-pointers in an earlier 68-56 win over Northview. However, they shot just two of 16 from long range a few nights later in a 54-50 victory over Chattahoochee, with Campbell scoring 18 points to lead the offense. Johns Creek began the season with losses by 22 and 25 points to Greater Atlanta Christian and perennial state
power Norcross, as Goggin looked to schedule some strong non-region opponents. “We wanted to play some of the best competition we could, which is why we played GAC and Norcross,” Goggin said. “I’m not worried about our record. I want us to be ready to play state playoff competition, and you only get better by playing the best teams you can. “Those games were a good experience,” he said. “The kids saw the level we know we want to play at, and it made them come together. The team has a high basketball IQ and they’re learning to play together.” Region 6 is not among the strongest boys’ basketball regions in Class AAAAAA. Alpharetta is the early region leader at 6-0. Johns Creek and Lambert are second at 5-1 and Centennial is 4-2, with its two losses by a combined three points. Chattahoochee and 28-points-a-game scorer
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Basketball scoreboard: Dec. 9 – 13 Boys’ games Tuesday • Milton 51, Etowah 47 • Roswell 66, Lassiter 29 • Alpharetta 80, North Forsyth 60 • Centennial 54, Johns Creek 34 • Lambert 64, Chattahoochee 48 • West Forsyth 64, Northview 47 • Riverwood 66, Cambridge 48 • Blessed Trinity 49, Washington 37 • King’s Ridge 73, Mount Pisgah 68 • Pinecrest 65, Fellowship 61 • St. Francis 93, Buford 60 Friday • Alpharetta 76, Lambert 71 • Centennial 57, West Forsyth 43 • Chattahoochee 48, Habersham 28 • Johns Creek 64, South Forsyth 45 • Northview 58, North Forsyth 56 • Milton 57, Cherokee 43 • Wheeler 74, Roswell 35 • Cambridge 74, North Atlanta 71 • St. Francis 84, Pinecrest 45 • Walker 50, Mount Pisgah 42 • Fellowship 53, Christian Heritage 49 • King’s Ridge 46, Hebron 45 Saturday • Alpharetta 62, Chattahoochee 52 • Johns Creek 69, West Forsyth 53 • Lambert 58, Centennial 56 • South Forsyth 56, Northview 54 • Johnson 69, Cambridge 65 • Landmark 94, Mount Pisgah 73 Girls’ games Tuesday • Centennial 50, Johns Creek 28 • Chattahoochee 50, Lambert 40 • North Forsyth 67, Alpharetta 41 • West Forsyth 64, Northview 32 • Roswell 38, Lassiter 17 • Etowah 54, Milton 27 • Riverwood 60, Cambridge 46 Markus Sheffield will also be a factor in the region. The Gladiators are currently in prime position after winning five of their last six games after starting 0-3.
• Washington 60, Blessed Trinity 52 • Mount Pisgah 59, King’s Ridge 27 • Pinecrest 47, Fellowship 44 • St. Francis 69, Whitefield 43 • Friday • Milton 53, Cherokee 32 • Wheeler 40, Roswell 34 • Alpharetta 53, Lambert 43 • Chattahoochee 67, Habersham 37 • South Forsyth 41, Johns Creek 38 • West Forsyth 52, Centennial 43 • North Forsyth 59, Northview 40 • Cambridge 45, North Atlanta 39 • Mount Pisgah 46, Walker 17 • St. Francis 78, Pinecrest 33 • Fellowship 47, Christian Heritage 39 • Hebron 47, King’s Ridge 24 Saturday • Chattahoochee 48, Alpharetta 41 • Centennial 43, Lambert 30 • West Forsyth 51, Johns Creek 28 • South Forsyth 59, Northview 40 • Cambridge 40, Johnson 25 • Mount Pisgah 42, Landmark 41 • Team records – Boys; Girls • Alpharetta: 6-0, 6-1; 1-5, 2-7 • Johns Creek 5-1, 6-4; 2-4; 5-5 • Centennial: 4-2, 5-4; 4-2, 7-2 • Chattahoochee: 2-4, 4-4; 4-2, 6-2 • Northview: 1-5, 1-9; 0-6, 2-8 • Milton: 4-1, 4-4; 2-3, 2-8 • Roswel:l 2-4, 5-6; 1-5, 1-10 • Cambridge: 2-1, 5-6; 1-2, 4-7 • Blessed Trinity: 2-0, 8-2; 0-2, 2-8 • St. Francis: 3-0, 7-1; 3-0, 8-0 • Mount Pisgah: 2-2, 3-4; 4-0, 7-0 • King’s Ridge: 2-2, 5-6; 0-4, 0-11 • Fellowship: 0-3, 3-5; 1-2, 5-3 “We’re in the top four in the region right now,” said Goggin, the team’s coach since Johns Creek opened in 2009. “We want to stay there and get in the state playoffs.”
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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 29
Young Lady Cougars rebound from early losses Team wins 5 straight after beginning season 1-2 By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Chattahoochee Lady Cougars start three sophomores and no juniors, have no size to speak of with one exception and they lack the numbers to field a junior varsity team. To top it off, they play in a region with two unbeaten teams and two others with just a pair of losses each. But one-third of the way into the 2014-15 season, the Lady Cougars are 6-2 overall and 4-2 in Region 6-AAAAAA after winning all three of their games last week to stretch their winning streak to five in a row. Things did not start especially well for the Chattahoochee girls after an easy opening victory against an outmatched team. They lost their next two games, both against region opponents, by 32 and 35 points, and looked completely out-ofsynch in the latter loss against Centennial. After that game, Chattahoochee coach Haaris Quraishy said he “re-emphasized fundamentals,” and his players responded positively. “They’ve done everything a coach could ask them to do.” In addition to having no seniors in the starting lineup (there are just two on the team), the Lady Cougars’ starting five consists of one center, four guards and no forwards. Sophomore Alayna Ford is the team’s lone starter with any height, and when she got into foul trouble Saturday against Alpharetta, Quraishy went
with a lineup that sported five guards. “That’s the first time she’s fouled out,” Quraishy said of Ford, who had to battle against an Alpharetta front line that included two starters and three reserves between 5-foot-10 and 6-foot-1. The Chattahoochee players will encounter match-up problems throughout the season against taller teams, but the Lady Cougars also present match-up concerns for opponents, who have to guard against a promising young post player surrounded by four guards who can all shoot three-pointers. While Ford tries to work for position inside, teammates Siena and Marissa Gore (sisters), Charity Starkes and Aysia Key spread out along the three-point line, and the team patiently works the ball around the perimeter in search of a good shot. Siena Gore, one of three sophomore starters, is the team’s primary threat, averaging 18.5 points a game. She scored 34 in Chattahoochee’s season-opening win and went for 30 in last Friday’s 67-37 victory over Habersham Central. Gore, who started as a freshman and scored 22 points against Centennial in a first round loss in the region playoffs, is adept at slicing through defenders and getting to the basket for lay-ups. She also creates her own scoring opportunities off steals on the defensive end. “She’s only a sophomore and people don’t know much
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Charity Starkes (22) shoots a jumper from beyond the arc. about her, but they will,” Quraishy said of Siena Gore. In Saturday’s 48-41 win at Alpharetta, Gore was relatively
quiet with 14 points. Her sister Marissa also scored 14, with the two hitting seven of eight free throws down the stretch to
United Futbol Academy’s U11 Premier girls win The winning team includes, in back, coach Asmir Kokorovic, Coco Carleton, Naomi Moleka, Emma Armstrong, Tori Dellaperuta, Lily Johnson and Kate Liebel. In front are Ella Zimmerman, Maddie Baker, Dani Mullins, Ella Ciardullo and Taylor Robinson.
preserve Chattahoochee’s lead. The Lady Cougars opened last week with a 50-40 win over Lambert, with Siena Gore and Ford combining for 35 points, largely due to some accurate free throw shooting. Gore was 14 of 16 at the line and Ford made seven of eight attempts, with both players likely to spend a lot more time at the foul line this season. Marissa Gore, also a sophomore, and Starkes are also three-point threats, and Quraishy will rely on them to take some of the offensive load off Ford inside and Siena Gore’s all-court game. Ford scored eight points against Alpharetta before getting into foul trouble, with Starkes and Key scoring six each. “All four of them can shoot the three,” Quraishy said of his guards. “We’re going to utilize that and our quickness. Quraishy is also relying on all four starting guards to help in the rebounding department, and the Chattahoochee coach said he has been pleased with the effort they’ve put forth against taller opposition. “The girls are resilient,” he said. “They came back after the two losses and they’ve played hard. They’re learning how to play with each other and I think we’ll get better as the season goes along.” Quraishy recognizes that the Lady Cougars are playing in a region that is very strong at the top, but after the team’s recent efforts, Chattahoochee is very much in the mix for one of the region’s four state playoff berths.
ORLANDO, Fla. — At the Disney Junior Soccer Showcase Nov. 27-29, the United Futbol Academy’s U11 Premier girls’ team won the national tournament in Orlando. The three-day event featured teams from around the country. Four teams from Georgia made it to the finals — Concorde Fire North, Concorde Fire Central, Top Hat Gold and United Futbol Academy.
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30 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
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Appen Media’s Players of the Year: Six NF Jasinski, Fortune, Moore, Winchester, Sapp, Butcher area’s best By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. – The 2014 high school football season in North Fulton featured outstanding performances by a number of athletes from local schools, resulting in each of the three Player of the Year awards being shared by two worthy individuals.
Players of the Year The Players of the Year, selected as the area’s top two-way performers, are Blessed Trinity linebacker/ tight end Pat Jasinski, the Region 4-AAA Defensive Player of the Year, and Milton’s Obe Fortune, who starred at wide receiver and defensive back for the Eagles. Jasinski was the best player on a Blessed Trinity team that went 13-1 and reached the AAA semifinals. He was the team’s leading tackler with 94 solo stops, 10 for losses. He also intercepted four passes and recovered two fumbles, ranging from sideline to sideline. On offense, Jasinski tied for first in receiving yards for the Titans (526). He averaged more than 20 yards per catch with six touchdowns, one a 70-yarder in BT’s semifinal playoff game. He will play college football at Central Florida. Fortune, who transferred to Milton from out of state for his senior season, was the Eagles’ most dangerous offensive weapon, catching 53 passes for 1,057 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added two rushing TDs, one for 49 yards, and also excelled defensively at cornerback, returning an interception for a 14th touchdown. He committed to Appalachian State, but is considering other scholarship offers.
Defensive Players of the Year The Defensive Players of the Year are Alpharetta’s Andrew Butcher and Milton’s Quarte Sapp, the Defensive Players of the Year in Region 6-AAAAAA and 5-AAAAAA respectively. Butcher, who will join former teammate Josh Dobbs at Tennessee, had 14.5 sacks and 19 total tackles for losses, causing and recovering four fumbles for the Raiders. Alpharetta reached the second round of the AAAAAA playoffs. Sapp was the leader of a Milton defense that helped the Eagles reach the quarterfinals before losing to topranked and unbeaten Colquitt County. He led the team with 76 solo tackles and 50 assists. He also had 15 tackles for loss, intercepted five passes, returning one for a touchdown, recovered two fumbles and forced one safety. He is being recruited by a number of major colleges in the Southeast.
Offensive Players of the Year The Offensive Players of the Year are
Brian Moore accounted for 2,865 yards of total offense and 36 touchdowns for Cambridge on his way to being named one of the Offensive Players of the Year. dual threat quarterbacks Brian Moore of Cambridge and Aaron Winchester of Mount Pisgah. Moore led the Bears to a 7-3 record in just their third season of varsity football and was the Region 7-AAAAA Player of the Year. Moore completed 165 of 267 passes for 2,299 yards and 23 touchdowns, and rushed for 566 yards on 113 attempts with 13 TDs. He accounted for 2,865 yards total offense and 36 touchdowns. The totals for his final two seasons were 4,467 yards passing, 1,080 yards rushing and 53 combined touchdowns. Moore has drawn interest from several schools, including at least two from the Ivy League. Winchester, the 6-A Co-Player of the Year, was again the driving force for a Mount Pisgah team that reached the Class A semifinals last year and the quarterfinals this season. He completed 150 of 257 passes for 1,955 yards and 25 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,230 yards and 14 TDs on 198 carries. His 12-game totals were 3,185 yards total offense and 39 touchdowns. In 25 games as a junior and senior, Winchester passed for 4,227 yards, rushed for 2,212 yards and accounted for 73 touchdowns, with the Patriots going 20-5. He has committed to Georgia State.
Coaches of the Year Coaches of the Year are Milton’s Howie DeCristofaro and Blessed Trinity’s Tim McFarlin. Both coaches have taken their teams to four straight state playoff berths after assuming their respective jobs prior to the 2011 seasons. Milton enjoyed the best season in the school’s history, going 11-2 with a region championship and the Eagles’
Alpharetta’s Andrew Butcher is one of the Defensive Players of the Year.
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Obe Fortune, who starred at wide receiver and defensive back for Milton, was named one of two Players of the Year. first two state playoff victories. Milton took Colquitt to the final minute in Moultrie before losing 42-35. Under McFarlin, who coached Roswell to a state title in 2006, Blessed Trinity has won 38 games the past four seasons, seven of them in the playoffs. The Titans scored a string of victories over playoff teams this season before losing for the second straight season to a strong Washington County team. Also meriting Coach of the Year consideration was Roswell’s John Ford, who led the Hornets to an 8-4 record and the second round of the state playoffs after three straight losing seasons.
Blessed Trinity linebacker/tight end Pat Jasinski was named one of the Players of the Year.
First team All-North Fulton offense Heading up the first team All-North Fulton offensive unit along with Moore, Winchester and Fortune are Blessed Trinity junior tailback Milton Shelton and Roswell’s explosive duo of sophomore tailback Sheldon Evans and senior receiver Mechane Slade. Evans led North Fulton in rushing with 1,909 yards on 274 carries and 21 touchdowns, averaging more than 210 yards per game over the Hornets’ last seven contests. Despite missing three games due to injury, Slade caught 52
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johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 31
players share top football honors for 2014
SOL SIMS/ SOLARVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY
Mount Pisgah’s Aaron Winchester was named one of the Offensive Players of the Year. passes for 996 yards and 10 TDs and rushed for more than 200 yards. The other first team receiver is John Hurst of Cambridge, who caught 63 passes for 834 yards and seven touchdowns. The Bears’ Hunter Smith (37778-8) was second team as a receiver and the first team punter. Penny Hart of King’s Ridge, who played receiver, running back and quarterback, is first team on offense as an athlete. Hart carried 112 times for
All-North Fulton Team 2014 First Team Offense QB: Brian Moore, Cambridge, senior QB: Aaron Winchester, Mount Pisgah, senior RB: Sheldon Evans, Roswell, sophomore RB: Milton Shelton, Blessed Trinity, junior WR: Mechane Slade, Roswell, senior WR: Obe Fortune, Milton, senior WR: John Hurst, Cambridge, senior ATH: Penny Hart, King’s Ridge, senior OL: Nick Wilson, Milton, senior OL: Cameron Whiteman, Roswell, junior OL: Ernest Dye, Milton, senior OL: David Blain, Roswell, senior OL: Matthew Castner, Blessed Trinity, junior K: Ethan Suda, Milton, junior First Team Defense DL: Andrew Butcher, Alpharetta, senior DL: Connor Owens, Northview, junior DL: Nick Steinhaus, Milton, senior
973 yards and 16 touchdowns, caught 20 passes for 337 yards and four TDs and passed for 385 yards and three scores. He had a combined 1,695 yards and 23 touchdowns. Milton’s Nick Wilson, who will play at Stanford, heads up the offensive line. The first team defense consists of four players from Milton and three each from Alpharetta and Northview. Milton’s Ethan Suda, who connected on 13 of 19 field goals and also had an DL: Michael Collins, Milton, senior LB: Quarte Sapp, Milton, senior LB: Pat Jasinski, Blessed Trinity, senior LB: Jake Behrend, Alpharetta, senior LB: Devan Johnson, Northview, senior DB: Dejon Rowe, Alpharetta, junior DB: Ernest Gunn, Northview, senior DB: Shakur Jackson, Roswell, senior DB: Lucas Nedza, Milton, senior P: Hunter Smith, Cambridge, senior Second Team Offense QB: Austin King, Alpharetta, senior QB: Conor Davis, Blessed Trinity, junior RB: Micco Brisker, Milton, senior RB: A.J. Cummings, St. Francis, senior WR: Hunter Smith, Cambridge, senior WR: Isaac Kinsey, Chattahoochee, sophomore WR: Rustin Suter, Alpharetta, senior ATH: Caden Herring, Centennial, junior OL: Cary Shirley, Alpharetta, senior OL: Cole Ramaekers, Roswell, senior OL: Brice Percynski, Northview, senior OL: Alex Yankey, Centennial, senior OL: Jacob Bolton, Blessed Trinity, sopho-
The Milton Eagles had a suprsingly deep run in this year’s playoffs thanks to the play of Defensive Player of the Year Quarte Sapp (14) and Second team All-North Fulton offense player Micco Brisker (33). excellent season as a punter, is the first team kicker.
Second team All-North Fulton offense Heading up the second team offense are quarterbacks Austin King of Alpharetta (169 of 298, 2,415 yards, 20 TDs) and Conor Davis of Blessed Trinity (117 of 192, 1,790 yards, 20 more PK: Mitchell Rostowsky, Blessed Trinity, senior Second Team Defense DL: Turner Fortin, Northview, senior DL: Chris Calhoun, Centennial, senior DL: Marty Horan, Milton, senior DL: Josh Kania, Cambridge, senior LB: Malcolm Conn, Northview, senior LB: Gio Douyon, Johns Creek, senior LB: Tre Lamar, Roswell, junior LB:Tyrone Hopper, Roswell, junior DB: Devyn Wilkins, Milton, senior DB: Rodney Dorcemont, Roswell, senior DB: Matt More, Alpharetta, senior DB: Josh Moran, Northview, junior P: Ryan Kopec, Alpharetta, senior Honorable Mention: Milton: Austin McLeod, QB; Charlie Fault, LB; Jordan Parisian, DB; Roswell: James Whitaker, QB; Sam DiRoberto, LB; Marcelino Ball, DB; Alpharetta: Miles Smith, RB; M.J. Lee, OL; Nick Torrance, OL; Tommy Sprague, OL; Khari Cobbs, DL: Austin
TDs), and Milton running back Micco Brisker (248-1,211-21). Quarterbacks D.J. Pearson of Northview and James Whitaker of Roswell both passed for more than 2,100 yards and are honorable mention selections. Whitaker passed for 22 touchdowns and rushed for three. Also earning honorable mention status is Milton’s Austin McLeod (109 of 180, 1,655 yards, 14 TDs) who threw only two interceptions in 13 games. Hoffman, DL; Devan Mayers, DB; William Downing, DB; Northview: D.J. Pearson, QB; Nathan Phillips, RB; Ricci Nuckles, WR; Tyler Cross, DL; Johns Creek: Chase Campbell, WR; Anders Olson, OL: Kyle McGregor, LB; Bo Majkowski, DB; Centennial: Casen Conway, QB; James Kelley, WR/KR; Brad Koblitz, OL; Jimmie Walton, DL; Max Martin, DL; Grayson McClain, DB; Chattahoochee: Chase Owens, QB; Josh Weisberg, LB; Sean Hoffman, LB; Andrew Gray, K; Cambridge: Branch Morley, OL; Trey Wolfe, LB; Charles Mills, LB; Blessed Trinity: Matthew Higgins, WR; Joe Camacho, DL; Logan Craighead, LB; Elijah Hamilton, DB; Mount Pisgah: Ben Miller, WR; Patrick Ainsworth, OL; Garrett Brasher, OL; Blake Smith, DL; Nicky Piccapietra, LB; John O’Connor, LB; Oz Dixon, DB/WR; Shingi Chigwere, DL; St. Francis: Avery Showell, RB; Sam Franke, FB; Brent Turry, OL; Seth Cecil, OL; J.R. Lewis, DL; Lake McClure, LB; John Robbin, DB; Fellowship Christian: Shane Young, QB; Deklan Reid, OL/DL; Reed Kroeber, OL; Jack Hardin, LB; King’s Ridge: Remy Lazarus, WR/DB; Austyn Hennings, LB.
32 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
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Gladiators’ Cloy out as head football coach Team 17-3 in 2011-12; 1-19 last 2 seasons By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com
Haley Templeton, a 2014 Chattahoochee grad and current setter for the University of Miami volleyball team, has been named the 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – After going 1-19 the last two seasons, the Johns Creek Gladiators will have a new head football coach in 2015. Mike Cloy, who started the school’s football program in 2009 and guided the Gladiators to a 17-3 regular season record and back-to-back state playoff berths in 2011 and ’12, lost his job after back-to-back seasons of 0-10 and 1-9. Cloy, who also started the football program at Centennial, has been a head coach in Fulton County for some 25 years. He was head coach at North Springs from 1980-90. There, he led the Spartans to the state semifinals in 1981, part of a six-year stretch in which North Springs went 51-15. Centennial began its football program in 1997 and the Knights went 27-7 from 2001-03, including an undefeated regular season in 2002. Cloy also helped Bill Waters get the Alpharetta program going in its early years. Waters later joined him at Johns Creek as defensive coordinator when Cloy was selected as the Gladiators’ first head coach in 2009. The Gladiators were an immediate success under Cloy, going 9-1 in their second full season of varsity football. Their only regular season loss
’Hooch grad named volleyball ACC Freshman Election: Player of the Year Continued from Page 1
MIAMI – Haley Templeton, a 2014 Chattahoochee High School graduate and University of Miami volleyball player, has been named the 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year. She becomes only the second freshman Hurricane in school history to take the top honor. A 6-foot setter, Templeton had an amazing freshman debut, earning ACC Freshman of the Week honors five times during the 2014 season. She surpassed the 1,000-assist mark during Miami’s 3-1 victory over Georgia Tech, recording the 10th 1,000-assist season since the program returned in 2001. “It has been great to see Haley mature and develop as the season went on,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said in a press release. “She is very deserving of the award, and I look forward to watching her continue to develop.” Templeton finished the regular season ranked second in the ACC with 11.02 assists/sets and finished the year with 1,047 assists, leading the Hurricanes with 27 service aces. With 59 kills on the season, the freshman also recorded at least 20 assists in 28 of Miami’s 29 matches
this season, including a career-high 53 assists four times (9/13 vs. Ball State, 9/20 vs. Missouri, 10/5 vs. Florida State and 10/10 at Syracuse). “I’m ecstatic about this, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Templeton said. “They’ve helped me the entire year, and I couldn’t have done this without them being there to help me along the way.” The Hurricanes (21-8, 14-4 ACC) earned one of 64 spots in the 2014 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball field. Among Templeton’s many accomplishments at Chattahoochee, she was selected to the All-Area and the Georgia All-State teams all four years and holds numerous state records for assists in the state. A three-time AAU AllAmerican, she was named to the Under Armour All-American 1st team as a senior and competed with the top 24 players in the country before the NCAA National Championship in Seattle December 2013. There, she won Setter of the Year. Templeton was also named the 2013-14 Gatorade Georgia Volleyball Player of the Year.
“citizen comment” time. In the workshop, they discussed the newest wrinkle in the city charter and the lack of bodies in council seats. Johns Creek Community Association President David Kornbluh researched the charter. In addition to other problems caused by the shortage of councilmembers, it changes the balance of power until the vacancies are filled. Under the charter, the mayor has a veto power, but it can be overturned at the next meeting by an override of a supermajority of five votes. There being only five members at present including the mayor, Kornbluh pointed out correctly that the mayor’s veto can never be overridden as long as there only five members. Mayor Mike Bodker agreed. “Unless the mayor overrides his own veto – which is hardly likely – the mayor has an absolute veto,” Bodker said. He noted that a majority vote of three votes is all that is needed in the case of only five council members present. But the charter only provides that five votes are needed to override a mayoral veto. It makes no provision for a council that is fewer than six, so an override is not possible. City Manager Warren Hutmacher said while the lan-
was against defending state champion Chattahoochee in overtime. It took a last second Hail Mary touchdown pass by Flowery Branch to eliminate the Gladiators in the first round of the state playoffs. Johns Creek went 8-2 the next season after moving up to the state’s largest classification and again made the state playoffs, with the highlight a 14-9 victory over a Milton team loaded with Division I prospects. The first graduating class at Johns Creek featured a sizeable number of outstanding multi-sport athletes, but no major college football players. Veteran coaches Cloy, Waters and Arthur Letchas maximized the abilities of that group, but there was a significant drop in the level of talent after the first class graduated. In 2013, the team also suffered through a string of quarterback injuries and went 0-10. Things improved only slightly this past season, with the team’s top returning player transferring to Northview before the season began. The Gladiators went 1-9, with three of their losses by a combined 13 points. Cloy, who has more than 40 years of teaching experience, says he plans to continue coaching, possibly as an assistant coach at an area private school.
guage of the charter does not specify a special election must be called, the language of the charter indicates “the intent of the charter seems to favor faster filling of vacancies.” Members of the council did not seem to be willing to read any intent in the charter language. Councilwoman Cori Davenport noted four seats would be up for election in November anyway. Councilmen Bob Gray and David Broadbent won two partial terms this year and will have to run again in November. The seat vacated by Brad Raffensperger also ends in 2015 and will be on the ballot in November as well. “So we’re only going to fill one seat by having an election in March,” said Davenport. Broadbent said he thought the citizens will suffer from “voter fatigue,” if an election is called for March. If an early election is called, then let it be June, he said, when possible candidates have more time to consider getting in a race. The idea was floated to have the city hold its own elections rather than pay Fulton County’s seemingly exorbitant fee of $205,000 (if there is a runoff). But Hutmacher said that is not really feasible given the need for manpower, printed ballots and voting machines if they are available. Finally, they agreed to postpone the decision until January. At citizen comment, sev-
eral residents spoke up for a special election sooner. Nancy Reinecke, who has twice run for council herself, said the charter calls for seven and it should be returned to seven members, not five. It was also pointed out that any further attrition in the council’s numbers will make governing an even more murky mess. “It simply gives the mayor too much power,” said Kornbluh. “And even if the current council gets by all right, it has set a precedent to keep the council at a lower number. The charter says seven for a reason.” Leaving the positions empty until November could see another influx of rookies. Posts 2, 4, 5 and 6 could all find new faces on the council. At least filling former Councilwoman Kelly Stewart’s seat would ensure a 2.5-year term to get someone some experience. A couple of residents spoke up for bypassing a March or June election to save the expense. Michael Fitzgerald and former Councilman Dan McCabe said it was better to save the cost. “We have a very strong City Council in place now – especially the last two elected,” Fitzgerald said. “The funds are important. That we would use the money for something better is important to me. It’s a tradeoff. How much are we willing to pay? “I say we pocket the money and just run with it.”
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Korean cabinet minister honors Korean War veterans Attends ceremony at Veterans Memorial Walk By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.comw JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Korean Veteran Affairs Minister Park Sungchoon honored all Korean War veterans by placing a wreath Dec. 13 at the Korean War Memorial at Johns Creek’s Veterans Memorial Walk in Newtown Park. Sungchoon was met by U.S. Rep. Tom Price and Mayor Mike Bodker to tour the newly opened park and inspect the Korean War Memorial donated by the Korean government. “This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Veterans Walk and to welcome Korean-American veterans and Korean War veterans to their park,” said Price. “The Republic of Korea was one of the benefactors to this memorial, and so it is fitting that the minister came to visit it. It also marks the long partnership and cooperation between America and the Republic of Korea.” Around 40 Korean-American veterans participated in the ceremony on a clear Saturday afternoon. Sungchoon is on a trip to
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The interpreter helps JC Veterans Association President Wayne Kidd describe key points about the park to Korean Minister Park Sungchoon, as U.S. Rep. Tom Price and Mayor Mike Bodker look on. visit Costa Rica and Bolivia, and he stopped in Atlanta to meet with members of Atlanta’s Gen. Raymond G. Davis chapter of the Korean War Veterans Association. There, the minister presented 11 members with the
The JCA Honor Guard stands at attention at the Korean War Memorial.
Ambassadors for Peace Medal. He then made his way to a reception for him by Johns Creek at the park. “Minister Sungchoon as a Korean cabinet minister is the highest ranking government official to visit Johns Creek. So
we wanted to show him and all the Korean citizens of Johns Creek our thanks for sponsoring the Korean War Memorial,” Bodker said. “It is also to thank our Korean citizens for making Johns Creek a better place to live and
Korean veterans wait for the ceremony to begin.
Johns Creek Veterans Association members who are Korean War veterans themselves wait for the dignitaries to arrive.
work,” he said. Johns Creek Veterans Association President Wayne Kidd was host to the group of distinguished guests and led the party around the 4-acre Veterans Walk.
Mayor Mike Bodker and Minister Park Sungchoon enjoy a smile at the park.
Korean Minister Park Sungchoon, left, and U.S. Rep. Tom Price inspect the plaque at the entrance to Johns Creek Veterans Walk.
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34 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald
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How big can you dream? Roswell father and son built huge Lego city with no glue and no rules By KATIE VANBRACKLE katie@northsidewoman.com ROSWELL, Ga. – If you are a fan of Lego’s toy building bricks, then you won’t want to miss “Celebricktion,” a magnificent Lego city display containing more than one million Lego pieces, all “free-built” by Roswell father and son building team, Harry and Austin Nijenkamp. The show, to be held Dec. 20-22 at High Meadows School’s Community Center in Roswell, is a fundraiser for the Drake House, with all proceeds from ticket sales benefiting emergency housing for homeless women and children in the community. Celebricktion’s Lego city is a wonder to behold – with towering skyscrapers, parks and gardens, sailing ships on a blue ocean and 2,000 minifigures filling the streets in a DragonCon-style parade. All straight from the boundless imaginations of Harry and Austin, who build with no glue and no rules. “The great thing about Legos is there are no limits on what you can build. If you have the time, talent, money and are willing to put in a lot of sweat and late night hours, you can do it,” said Harry. “I grew up playing with Legos in Holland. Back then, it was still expensive, and there were just a few basic shapes in primary colors. We mostly built houses,” he recalled. Harry and his young son, Austin, eventually worked their way up to the biggest Lego set on the market, which in 2001 was the 3,000-piece Statue of Liberty. But instead of being satisfied, the pair still had the itch to build something even bigger and better. They started ordering pieces in bulk and designing their own creations,
like a 14-foot skyscraper with 20,000 windows, a Japanese castle surrounded by blooming cherry trees, a Mexican restaurant complete with mariachi band in sombreros and a museum with big picture windows allowing one to peek inside to see dinosaurs on display. Harry and Austin build in “mini-figure scale,” meaning everything is the appropriate size for a Lego character. “Here’s a fun fact – if we were to build a model of the Empire State Building in minifigure scale, it would be 33 feet tall,” said Harry. Astounded friends encouraged Harry and Austin to share their creations with the public, and in 2011, the pair built a large Lego city for the showroom at Honda Carland in Roswell. The free display drew large crowds of enthusiastic Lego fans. As their Lego creations grew, so did the need for more space in which to build. A large bonus room in Harry’s home is now his Lego studio, with 1,500 custom labeled bins covering the walls, organized by color, then by part. Lego makes 14,000 different parts, and Harry owns about 10,000 of them. How does he find them all? “Every Lego part has a number, and there are networking websites such as Bricklink.com that link Lego buyers and sellers. We get Legos in the mail almost every day at my house. We’ve ordered from almost all of the 50 U.S. states and from dozens of countries around the world.” Harry’s wife, Kristy, doesn’t join in the building process, but helps behind the scenes with organization and administrative tasks. “Yes, she sometimes thinks all this is crazy, because it is crazy, but she’s fully support-
Harry and Austin Nijenkamp with their Lego city
If you go What “Celebricktion”
Fundraiser
When: Dec. 20-22, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. each day Where: High Meadows School’s Community Center, 1055 Willeo Road in Roswell More Info: www. celebricktion.com $10 tickets – 100 percent goes to support the Drake House in Roswell, providing emergency housing for women and children in the local community. ive,” said Harry with a chuckle. Daughter Nikole, 21, is away from home earning a college degree in chemical engineering. Austin, 19, is also a college student, though a bit closer to home, which still allows him to partner with his Dad on building projects. Appropriately, for a young man who has been designing and building massive Lego cities for years, Austin is studying to become an urban planner. In addition to the massive Lego city display, Celebricktion will also include a Lego robotics demonstration, a replica of Harry’s Lego studio and various creations by other metro Atlanta Lego enthusiasts. Harry looks forward to visit-
Harry works in his home studio. ing with Lego fans young and old during the show. “Legos appeal to all ages, from young kids who love to build, to adults who are into design or robotics,” he said. “People are impressed by the largesse of the whole thing, and kids and teens love spotting their favorite pop culture characters in the display. A bunch of the ‘Lego Movie’ characters are there, as well as
Star Wars, Harry Potter, BatMan, you name it. And people can enjoy the show and feel good knowing that the cost of their ticket is going to support a great cause.” If you visit Celebricktion, look for the tall Dutchman with the friendly grin. Harry is happy to “talk trade” with Lego fans and you are sure to come away inspired to dream big. Really, really big.
Find your paper online at issuu.com/appen-inc August 28, 2013
History lesson
Legionnaires
hold Courthouse to donated American artifacts Society by the Historical ► PAGE 4
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ley Forsyth mulls Cauon Creek sewer opti
closed ng facility Fulton Looking at reopeni State law prohib-
sewerage its pumping HURD to By HATCHER from one basin Etowah hatcher@nor thfulton.com another. The most of Basin serves Ga. – but JOHNS CREEK, needs to Forsyth County, rn porForsyth County the southeaste capacity in Johns add sewerage and tion is in the southeast Forsyth, Creek Basin. owns County one option the looking The county is as Commission 300 acres known Cauley AMOS at is reopening n and Threatt property. the Creek opCreek Reclamatio an as As for the Cauley Reuse Facility it was too early building a facility tion, Amos said alternative to anything. say to scratch. from the process of Reclamation “We’re still in Cauley Creek onsplants to see 5 million-gall comparing sewer Facility is a us best,” Amos facility that had in which will suit per-day (mgd) discuss that County in east said. “We will served Fulton but we haven’t Last fall, Fulton the near future, on Cauley Johns Creek. contract with made any decision bought out its Fulton’s saying Creek.” Cauley Creek, into focus, EnvironmenAs plans come own Johns Creek be cheaper county will have would Amos said the tal Campus discussions” in the long “full and open Creek and and as effective ALDO NAHED/STAFF with both Johnsabout Cauley run. to expand its Fulton County Forsyth needs at Fowler. in the Shakerag enjoys skating Creek. capacity student, sewer at that point Elementary it has been “But we’re not a Vickery Creek area, because growth area. Samuel Cushman, yet,” he said. ner tapped as a are Forsyth Commissio Forsyth officials on represents commenting Brian Tam, whosaid it is just are guarded about negotiations Shakerag, also about where the idea since bids for building too soon to talk ongoing and ons-perForsyth is at. a new 2.5 million-gall situation. opened only “It’s a delicate is a numday facility werecounty has $27 there Somewhere, for us to last week. The sense construcfor makes ber that million budgeted to say we are facility. do this. It’s fair tion of the ShakeragChairby renowned options includwas designed Hollyday, of assessing our Forsyth County rmed the Tam said. – Fowler Wally Creek,” Ga. confi Cauley architect Amos ing CUMMING, man Pete in 2008 met is in a good are-foot with Cauley California, who “Forsyth County look at these Park’s 23,000-squ county has talkedbut it is still to draw county skaters can with about 40 final design position. We we have budskate park continues CEO Ron Green, the . to help craft bids for which million. And enthusiasts. who very much preliminaryour opfor the park. to skaters, geted up to $27Cauley Creek. For Mark Cushman, “We are evaluatingare still he was at In addition now, we a we can look had skated when have joined tions. Right need to keep a great opthe bids we have other enthusiasts and BMX So all of them younger, it was comparing to with hang out the new plant in. Stunt scooters the numerALDO NAHED/STAFF Page 6 portunity to received for 10, and See SEWER, of that basin,” bikers now share of Cumming, two sons, Samuel, serve the needs Conor McKeon, a place ous ramps. Benjamin, 7. are really said Amos. —Aldo Nahed said it’s nice to have “The lights US TO ARRANGE said. “You to BMX. HERE NOW! CONTACT good,” Cushman on page 24 A TEST DRIVE TODAY dark.” More photos can stay until skate park The county’s
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South relocating to
hold a place in our hearts. We are relocathis ing to South he will resign Feb. 1. Georgia, Post 4 seat effectivehe said, “I closer to In a statement citizens for our my sales wish to thank serve seven to territory in allowing me as a City Georgia and FIGUEROA wonderful years in Johns Florida. The Council memberKaren and I move will alCreek. My wife daughters in both markets low me to be have raised our by wondertime on the and spend less time at home here, surrounded supported by road and more ful friends and could we with my family.” the finest schools Page 4 imagine. and all it See COUNCIL, “Johns Creek, forever will es, encompass
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Zachary Henderson looks back at career. PAGE 21
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Fulton County Schools let out just as the snow on buses and in classrooms began, leaving students LOU HABLAS due to heavy traffic. stranded
Ga. – Once JOHNS CREEK, (1959), a fairy upon a time and the tale (“The Princesson Broadlife Pea”) came to going strong. way and is still
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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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Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 35 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
MAKING THE GRADE:
NF engineering students go to top of class Comprehensive program stretches limits students can go in classroom By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Step into Stephen Sweigart, PhD’s classroom at Johns Creek High School and there are subtle clues that his engineering class is not like others you may have seen. The big tip-offs are the four guys who have a hovercraft tooling around the classroom just inches off the floor. Sweigart says it is all part of the four-year engineering program that has students doing remarkable things – things that not too long ago would have been for college juniors and seniors, not high school. “We expose students over four years to a full curriculum in the engineering discipline,” he said. If they stay in it the full four years, students will study Foundations of Engineering in the first year; Engineering Concepts in the second year; Engineering Applications in the third; and Research and Development their senior year. “Our goal is to find careers in engineering. They go where their interests take them,” Sweigart said. “We use lectures, trainers and projects.” They learn principles first. Then, they learn how to apply principles to machines and use the principles and machines to apply what they know to accomplish a project or task. Of about 18 students in the class this day, only four or five were actually sitting at a desk. The rest, mostly in groups of two or more, were engaged in projects. Few asked questions.
Dr. Stephen Sweigart stands with his new protégé, “Jarvis,” who will be a walking, talking, seeing and prehensile robot. Mostly, they seemed bent on doing things themselves. In addition to the hovercraft, others were building a “smart house” that could be secured remotely by “the owner” and would notify him if there was a security breach. Another pair were using sensors that could identify an approaching ship to signal a drawbridge to rise. The most interesting project involved Jarvis. Jarvis is a robot that Patrick Shin is assembling. He designs the parts, then uses the 3-D printer to make the parts. He also assembles the motors and the video “eyes” so that it will not only obey commands, but perform tasks. This day, Shin is trying to
Jacob Aramov, left, and James Myslinski are creating a drawbridge that will sense the approach of a ship and raise the bridge if the ship is too tall. A crane can then lift a ship and place it at the dock for unloading.
HATCHER HURD/STAFF
Patrick Shin is creating a program that will allow his robot “Jarvis” to move its hands and arms the way a human does. program the hands and arms to work in concert with each other so Jarvis can pick up an object. “There are any number of movements that the hand, wrist and elbow do all at once when you pick up a pencil. But I have to program all of that information so that Jarvis will do it,” Shin said. Sweigart said Shin has done two internships at Georgia Tech and with Siemens. So he is getting pretty good at what he is doing. “Patrick is translating the movement of the hand into his computer using a sensor that ‘sees’ the movement and shows it on the screen,” Sweigart said. Shin said, “The hardest part is finding the best joint angles to carry out the desired position. The goal is to program it to know the best route to effectively do the task.” Jarvis has microprocessors that use Arduino boards that can be connected by standard USB cables. They can ramp up the computing ability to do these tasks. Just another day in Sweigart’s classroom. A lot of what the students do is made possible through Amatrol teaching products, which produces the hardware pumps, pressure gauges and a host of other parts that make the students’ work possible. Amatrol also provides the tools: saws, drills, miter boxes, the table saw, the drill press and sanders. It doesn’t end there. Stu-
Engineering is not just for guys. There are careers for women also. Just ask Gabrielle Coco, standing, and Ellora Lalla. dents must create projects that have real-world applications. So to be successful, they have to sell it. Sweigart has the students create a website for their “product.” Next they have to develop a “sales pitch” and a video presentation to put online. Students even create a logo and have a T-shirt printer to make “company” shirts. Shin will take his presentation a step farther. He will have Jarvis make the presentation in the company video. If Sweigart seems somewhat proud of the engineering program, he has reason to be. He was lead curriculum writer for the second and third year curricula. And he is the Career Technology Department chairman at JCHS.
In these classes, which are offered at all North Fulton high schools, students learn how STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects are integrated in their real-world applications. “It’s a joy to come to work and see these students working so hard,” Sweigart said. At that moment, two students tell him they are going to lunch, but will be right back to continue working in their free time. “Many of our engineering students come back from college at Georgia Tech, Southern Polytech (at Kennesaw State), Clemson and Auburn and tell us how great a start they got from the program here,” he said. “They tell us, ‘don’t change a thing.’”
36 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
Map: Continued from Page 10 the opening of a new elementary school in Roswell in 2015 along Highway 9, along with additions at three area middle schools. Yngrid Huff, director of
planning for Fulton Schools, said the second round of maps still impacts fewer than 4,000 of the more than 48,000 students in North Fulton. “For the most part, with no changes to high school lines, it’s been a light touch for middle and elementary schools,” said Huff. “With the new school opening in Roswell,
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we are mostly focusing on that community, with some tweaking in other areas.” Feeder lines, primarily from middle to high school, were looked at during this redistricting, with planners attempting to mitigate some quirks that sent small numbers of students into one high school apart from the majority. Huff
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M. CITY OF JOHNS CREEK MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M. CITY OF JOHNS CREEK COUNCIL CHAMBER 12000 FINDLEY ROAD, SUITE 300 JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA 30097 The following Land Use Petition proposals located within the City of Johns Creek are scheduled for Public Hearings as stated above. LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:
RZ-15-001 Anita Ford 11200-11300 Block of Medlock Bridge Road MIX Conditional MIX Conditional Remove condition prohibiting retailers that primarily sell mattresses CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza (new City Hall), Alpharetta, Georgia. Items forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Monday January 26, 2015 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza (new City Hall), Alpharetta, Georgia. a. UDC Changes – Climate Controlled Storage Consideration of a change to the Unified Development Code in order to add the definition for climate controlled storage and add permitted zoning designations for the use. b. CLUP-14-08/Z-14-12/V-14-27 Twelve on Canton Consideration of a request to rezone 5.5 acres on the west side of Canton Street from R-15 to R-10 for the purpose of developing a twelve lot subdivision. The property is located at 310 and 324 Canton Street and legally described as being located in Land Lot 1197 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. c. Z-14-10/V-14-25 Mull Estate Consideration of rezoning 1.3 acres from R-12(For-Sale Residential) to O-P (Professional Office). The property is located at 2385 Old Milton Parkway and legally described as being located in Land Lot 748, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 South Main Street.
said they were able to create direct feeds from middle to high school in the eastern part of North Fulton, but that is not possible at the schools on the west side of Ga. 400. “In some cases, parents whose children were part of the smaller splits asked to remain at those schools, so we respected those wishes when possible,” said Huff. Three draft maps were presented in November, with staff whittling that down into a single map for the Dec. 10 meeting. Staff will now take the
comments from that meeting and submit their final recommendation to the Fulton School Board in January. The Fulton School Board will likely finalize the zones in February, with middle school changes going into effect in August 2015, and elementary changes the following year. The new elementary school in Roswell opens in August 2015, but will house students at nearby Esther Jackson Elementary in the first year while a rebuild of that school takes place.
Notice of Public Hearing CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M. CITY OF JOHNS CREEK MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2015 AT 7:00 P.M. City of Johns Creek Council Chamber 12000 Findley Road, Suite 300 Johns Creek, Georgia 30097 Zoning Text Amendment A-15-001 A PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE CITY OF JOHNS CREEK ZONING ORDINANCE TO REVISE THE ZONING PROCEDURES IS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING AS STATED ABOVE. A COPY OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES IS LOCATED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR PUBLIC VIEWING.
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR WESTSIDE PARKWAY STREET LIGHTING – OLD MILTON PARKWAY TO WEBB BRIDGE ROAD BID #15-009 The City of Alpharetta is accepting bids for WESTSIDE PARKWAY STREET LIGHTING – OLD MILTON PARKWAY TO WEBB BRIDGE ROAD including, but not limited to: the design, purchase, delivery, and installation of LED street lighting; the maintenance of traffic; clean-up and restoration; and related work. The location of the work is along Westside Parkway between Old Milton Parkway and Webb Bridge Road --- within the City of Alpharetta, Georgia. The Plans and Project Manual will be available online Thursday, December 18, 2014, under the tab “Bids Online” on our website, www.alpharetta.ga.us. The bid opening will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 4:00 PM. The City of Alpharetta location will be provided by addendum to be issued at later date. For information, please contact Debora Westbrook at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department at 678-297-6052 or via email at purchasing@alpharetta.ga.us.
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Black: Continued from Page 12 want for the hot project of the day. It is another to get that kind of money for things the city wants to build.” Wright said it would likely take five years getting all the commitments done, but the important thing is to have the funds committed. “It is also important to note it has been a team effort on the part of the city’s Public Works Department. But he is the leader, and leadership at the
Arrests: Continued from Page 3 ►► Eddie Eugene Cooks,
38, was arrested Nov. 30 on Dinsmore Drive in Milton for possession of marijuana, reck-
top is key. You have to keep your department hitting on all cylinders,” he said. Steve Meininger, CH2M Hill senior vice president and managing director of operations management services, said the CEO Excellence Awards program is one of the ways to recognize the “amazing difference” CH2M Hill employees are making in the world and for its clients. The award nomination lauded Black’s ability to find innovative, creative ways to provide quality services that help Johns Creek reach its goals and save money. He was less driving, attempting to elude police, speeding, failure to maintain lane and suspended license. ►► James Christopher Goethals, 43, of Decatur was arrested Nov. 4 on Eves Road in Roswell for possession of marijuana and suspended license.
johnscreekherald.com | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2014 | 37
also cited for his leadership in providing mentoring and motivation for his staff. Black said his diverse experience has helped him gain useful knowledge both in pouring blacktop and in the board rooms at GDOT and the Federal Highway Administration. He has served as DeKalb Public Works director and spent 10 years developing subdivisions for private development. Few in the business have as sharp a pencil as Black does when it comes to figuring costs. “I think it helps to have worked on both sides of the
street,” he said. “I’ve seen the problems both sides will run into. “The customer wants competent and quality service,” he said. “The government is looking for a quality development with a quality engineering plan.” Black spends a lot of time listening – to the City Council, to the citizens and to the government agencies. Then he says he finds a way to “thread the needle” so that everyone is pleased with the result. “This city has benefited from CH2M Hill from the start;
DEATH NOTICES Harley Bennett, 86, of Silver City, passed away December 7, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Judith Hariett Blum, 95 of Cumming, passed away December 8, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.
Paul Kavulic, 92, of Roswell, passed away December 4, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Hamilton Bradford Cayce passed away December 3, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
Bradley James Keebler, 64, of Woodstock, passed away December 3, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
Francesca Maria Capolunghi Burton, 72, of Cumming, passed away December 2, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
Margaret Kock, 93, of Alpharetta, passed away December 2, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Mary Elizabeth Clark, 58, of Murrayville, passed away December 2, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Catherine Cowart, 76, of Cumming, passed away December 8, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Beatrice Newman, 90, of Roswell, passed away December 5, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Pamela Faw, 71, of Roswell, passed away December 5, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
James Wesley Ferris, Jr, 67, of Cumming, passed away December 5, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
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we’ve had the same people involved from the start,” Black said. “The credit really goes to my team,” he said. “They do a superior job all the time. I was humbled to receive this award. It’s the team that is doing the work.” He did admit he asks a lot of his personnel. He tries to keep people focused on getting the task at hand done. In his folksy way, the Arkansas native says: “Don’t worry if the mule’s going blind. Just keep loading the wagon.”
Marilyn P. Grossenbacher, 93, of Big Canoe, passed away December 4, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.
Doris J. Lathem, 73, of Jasper, passed away December 7, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Janie Cagle Martin, 76, of Rayle, passed away December 8, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Marcelle Mathis, 92, of Oakwood, passed away December 4, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Carol G. Miller, 67, of Atlanta, passed away December 6, 2014. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home. Erika Charlotte Nelson, 96, of Cumming, passed away December 6, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Maureen O’Sullivan, 89, of Roswell, passed away December 1, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Roy Hawkins Pruitt, 72, of Cumming, passed away December 3, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Robert Richards, 93, of Alpharetta, passed away December 5, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
78, Wilbert Roland, of Alpharetta, passed away December 5, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
John Sharpe, 74, of Marietta, passed away December 7, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Robert Stanley Smith, 71, of Cumming, passed away December 7, 2014. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Shirley Strum, 75, of Roswell, passed away December 8, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Laszlo Toth, 41, of Milton, passed away December 6, 2014. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
COMPUTER/IT
SVK Systems, Inc (Johns Creek, GA) seeks multiple Programmer Analysts to analyze user requirements, test and deploy various client-servers and web-based applications.. Sr. positions require MS or foreign equivalent In Comp. Sci./IT/Engg/Math/Science/MBA with computer science as major or minor / or related +1 yr of relevant IT experience using Java, Websphere, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server DBA or Developer, ColdFusion, Adobe Flex, PowerBuilder, Remedy, ETL Informatica, .Net, Salesforce or similar technologies (or BS or foreign equivalent in Comp. Sci./IT/Engg/Math/ Science/BBA with computer science as major or minor or related with 5 yrs of relevant IT experience) and Jr. positions require BS or foreign equivalent in Comp. Sci./IT/Engg/Math or related + 2 yrs of relevant IT experience using above mentioned programming skills. Positions involve travel to client locations all over the USA. Send resumes to HR Manager-SVK Systems, Inc, 11465 Johns Creek Pkwy, Suite# 180, Johns Creek, GA 30097 or Fax# (678)8247031, or Email: hr@svksystems.com
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Advantage Painting 770-255-8575 Interior/Exterior Decks Sealed & Stained Carpentry Repairs No Up Front Money Proudly use Benjamin Moore & Sherwin Williams paints Prompt Professional Service Free Estimate, Insured
40 | December 18, 2014 | Johns Creek Herald | johnscreekherald.com
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