Real Estate Report Sponsored section ►►page 20
Verizon sounds off
King Arthur
Historical Society previews ‘Camelot’ ►►page 10
Amphitheater exec shares highlights ►►page 14
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Water balloon Hot air balloon nearly goes into lake in Roswell ►►page 28
Alpharetta-Roswell
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April 3, 2014 | northfulton.com | 73,500 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 32, No. 14
British invasion Car Fayre draws cars, clouds, crowds
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Alpharetta endured another British invasion March 29 as the annual British Car Fayre came back to town. Dozens of antique and unique British vehicles were on display on Milton Avenue in
downtown Alpharetta. Jaguars, MGs, a Rolls Royce and Land Rovers were all on display on what was an appropriately overcast day. It would not be British without fish and chips, which this year were provided by the Mobile Marlay food truck. The Big Chicken Beatles Tribute Band performed classic Beatles music for the crowd to provide the right atmosphere. —Jonathan Copsey
Reward offered for info on robbery suspect ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety and Crime Stoppers Atlanta are offering a $3,000 reward for information that successfully leads law enforcement authorities to the location of Kinneth Battle, which results in his arrest. On March 15, Fredrequis Cobb entered the BP station on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta and committed a criminal act by jumping over the counter and taking a cash register drawer. Cobb then entered a getaway vehicle driven by Battle and then fled the scene. Battle and Cobb were subsequently located at Battle’s home in Cumming.
Cobb was taken into custody, but Battle fled out the back door armed with an AK-47 or similar weapon. Battle is still at large Battle and is to be considered armed and dangerous. Any information on the case can be submitted anonymously to the Crime Stoppers Atlanta tip line at 404-577TIPS (8477) or online at www. crimestoppersatlanta.org. The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety will keep all tipster information confidential.
Councils plan for future Use annual retreats for info Photos by Jonathan Copsey/Staff
This 1948 Allard “L” Type was one of 191 cars manufactured between 1946 and 1948. It is one of 19 known to still exist worldwide.
By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com
Enthusiasts look under the hoods of various British cars.
NORTH FULTON, Ga. – Every year, city governments hold retreats. These retreats typically set the goals for the coming year and allow the mayor and City Council to meet and speak at length with department heads and directors about what should be on that list of goals. However, in recent years, especially during the recent recession, some cities have come
A car on display at the fayre.
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We try to visit a community that has something going on or completed something that we want to do here.” James Drinkard Alpharetta’s deputy administrator
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See COUNCIL, Page 4
public safety
2 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
Mobile phone theft common, dangerous 770-442-3278 northfulton.com
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NORTH FULTON, Ga. – We’ve all done it or heard about it – our smartphone is lost or, worse, stolen. The theft of personal phones is a common problem, said George Gordon, with the Alpharetta Public Safety Department. Their small size and common usage make them a prime target for thieves. “They are an easy thing to steal,” Gordon said. “They’ve become so commonplace in our lives, with us 24-7, there’s always a good opportunity for theft.” A 13-year-old girl in Atlanta recently had her phone stolen. However, thanks to an app installed on her phone, police have the location and photo of the suspect. According to the girl’s mother, Kali, the girl was at track practice when her phone was stolen. When the thief attempted to access the phone and failed, an app on the phone called “Lookout” took his picture and sent that along with his location to the family. This was forwarded to police. Lookout is used by 50 million people worldwide. Gordon advised always use a password to lock your phone, and never keep personal information on it, such as home address, Social Security numbers and
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 ►► Roberta Lynn Fried, 47,
of Anclote Drive, Johns Creek, was arrested March
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In an article entitled “Johns Creek photographer opens Windows to the Soul,” one detail was omitted. The article read that Susan had two children who lived in New York, when she has three children, two sons who reside in New York, and a daughter who attends Auburn University. We are sorry for the discrepancy.
Simple ways to keep your phone safe from crooks Activate your password feature. As simple as it sounds, only around 50 percent of people report having a password on their phone. Even if you were quick to snatch up one of the brand new iPhone 5s with fingerprint scanning technology, it is still recommended to keep the password feature active as a second layer of protection. Download a security app. These apps are equipped with features to help locate your phone if it is lost or stolen. This can be features like taking photos of the user, GPS tracking and location information. Don’t wait. If your device is stolen, immediately use your security app to remotely lock and wipe your information so the thief has no time to transfer it or use it to their advantage. home phone number. “Somebody can steal your identity,” Gordon said. A home phone number can be used by the thief to call to check if someone is home. If no one answers, they may try to rob the house. There are many programs – like Look-
12 on Kimball Bridge Road in Alpharetta for DUI and speeding. ►► Andrew Tobie Francis, 44, of Bethany Creek Drive, Milton, was arrested March 13 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI and speeding. ►► Yaw Clement Darko, 34, of Anna Zanes Court, Cumming, was arrested Feb. 22 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to maintain lane and failure to use turn signal when
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.
Hotel receives threatening calls JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A Johns Creek hotel received dozens of threatening phone calls March
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Use discretion when downloading apps. Even the most innocent-looking app can contain software designed to steal personal data, make fraudulent charges or even hijack your phone. Only download apps from sites you trust, check the app’s rating and read reviews to make sure they’re widely used and respected before you download.
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changing lanes.
►► Lauren Nicole Kostrub, 21,
of Freemanwood Lane, Milton, was arrested March 7 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for DUI, failure to maintain lane and driver to use due care. ►► Nicholas Jeffrey Horvath, 30, of Surrey Drive, Alpharetta, was arrested March 15 on Deerfield Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to obey a traffic
3, all allegedly from the same number. An employee told police the Hilton Garden Inn on Medlock Bridge Road received 45 calls from a number coming from Escondido, Calif., between 2:45 and 3:15 p.m. Each time, a woman was on the phone and, several times, made threats such as “you are going to die today,” or “there is a bomb in the building.” The last phone call asked for information on a specific
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►► Robert Lee Murray, 25, of
Covington was arrested March 15 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and child endangerment. ►► Tonya Zahra Shirvani, 38, of Sandy Springs was arrested March 6 on Mansell Road in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to obey a traffic control device.
See ARRESTS, Page 30 employee. When staff told the caller they were calling police, the calls stopped.
Cash, clothes taken from store ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Two Macy’s employees were arrested March 16 and 17 for stealing from the company in two separate incidents.
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Blotter: Continued from Page 2 In the first incident, store employees said they saw Kristina Alicia Greaves, 24, of Atlanta, take two shirts and a pair of pants into a changing room. When she left the room, the clothing was gone. Employees were searched as they left the store and the missing clothing was allegedly found with Greaves in a bag. Greaves was arrested for shoplifting. The next day, an employee was arrested for stealing more than $2,000 from the store. Employees told police they
saw Harvey Hubert Guess, 33, of Duluth, open two tills and pocket $130 in cash. Guess was stopped by store loss prevention and allegedly admitted to taking as much has $1,935 from the tills over the past three months. He was arrested for felony shoplifting.
Litany of charges for driver ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Pulling up next to a police car with a suspended tag is not the brightest of ideas. For one Cumming resident, his alleged actions March 21 landed him in jail. According to police, an of-
ficer was stopped at a red light at Old Milton Parkway and Ga. 9 in one of the turn lanes. A car driven by Jason Wayne Ahumada, 37, of Cumming, pulled alongside the officer. Ahumada then “suddenly backed up approximately 50 yards,” and, crossing all lanes of traffic, pulled into the right turn lane and went north on Ga. 9. A check of the tag showed it was revoked. The officer pulled Ahumada over. A check on his license showed it was suspended. A search of his car turned up suspected marijuana. Ahumada was arrested for improper backing, driving with
northfulton.com | Revue & News | April 3, 2014 | 3
a revoked license plate, driving with no insurance, driving with a suspended license and possession of marijuana.
In 2 hours, thousands stolen JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – A Sugar Crest Avenue resident reported his home was broken into March 17 with thousands of dollars in jewelry and cash
taken. The victim told police he left his home at 10 a.m. and returned two hours later. He found someone had broken in by prying open one of the living room windows. The victim said $400 in cash was taken from his children’s wallets in the kitchen. A $300 headphone set, $1,000 in electronics and nearly $4,000 in jewelry were also missing.
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North Fulton Golden Games begin May 1 ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Are you an active senior looking for a fun and rewarding way to enjoy the beautiful Georgia spring? Then the 20th annual North Fulton Golden Games are for you. This year’s games, scheduled throughout the month of May, are open to area adults 50 and older. Registration is just $15 for as many events as you would like and includes a T-shirt and opening day picnic lunch. To sign up, download the registration packet by visiting http://www.roswellslc.org/
If you go What: North Fulton Golden Games When: May 1- 22 Where: Throughout North Fulton County Cost: $15 registration Ramblers. Packets are also available at all North Fulton senior centers. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10a.m. May 1 in Alpharetta’s beautiful Wills Park. There North Fulton Mayors will compete in a “Minute to Win
Alpharetta holds Easter Egg hunt April 12 ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Children age 3 to 6 are invited to join the fun and festivities at the City of Alpharetta Recreation and Parks Department’s Annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 12, 2014 at North Park softball fields 1-4, at 13450 Cogburn Road, Alpharetta. The hunt begins promptly at 11 a.m. Children will be divided into age groups as they hunt for thousands of plastic eggs filled with toys and candy. The children should check their eggs to see if they find an egg that says “prize egg.” If you found one of these eggs bring it to the table to redeem a prize. Since there is no designated
Council: Continued from Page 1 This year, however, it seems to be the opposite. Two cities in North Fulton – Johns Creek and Roswell – have not held a retreat and, as of right now, have no plans to hold one. Milton kept things at home
hunt area for children age 2 and under and children 7 and older, the first 300 children in these age groups will receive a special goody bag. The public is invited to participate in pre-hunt activities including face-painting, animal balloons, inflatables, and the Easter Bunny as a special guest. Pre-hunt activities begin at 10 a.m. For more information, call 678-297-6140 or activeadults@ alpharetta.ga.us. In case of inclement weather, the event will be canceled. Please call the Adult Activity Center at North Park at 678-297-6140 if the weather is questionable. —Jonathan Copsey when it held its retreat Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, at the Atlanta National Golf Club’s clubhouse off New Providence Road. “We went over the budget and future goals for the city,” said Mayor Joe Lockwood. Lasting one day, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the roughly 25 people in attendance cost the city $342.09. “That’s everything,” said
It” style challenge to prove who reigns supreme. Track and field events, including a one-mile walk and run, half-mile walk, flying disc throw, discus and shot-put throw, horseshoe toss, ladder golf and football throw, begin after the opening ceremony. Throughout the month, participants can look forward to the 5th annual Wii video game bowling tournament, a dance competition, bunco and poker contests, diving events, a tennis tournament, rounds of corn hole and a softball skill challenge.
Ga. immunization changes go into effect in July ATLANTA – Beginning July 2014, Georgia’s immunization requirements for children attending seventh grade have been revised. Beginning in the 20142015 school year, seventhgraders and new entrants into Georgia schools in eighth through 12th grades will be required to have Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) and MCV (meningococcal conjugate) vaccines prior to entering school. Parents are asked to plan to have their child vaccinated in advance of the start of the new school year. Seventhgrade students for the 2014City Communications Manager Jason Wright. “Including venue, food, drinks, snacks and supplies for all of council and staff.” In Alpharetta, they went further afield when they visited Chattanooga, Tenn., Jan. 19 and 20. The total cost of the retreat was $2,917, of which $1,692 was for accommodations.
GARAGE SALES See more garage sales in the classifieds • Page 34
MILTON: 6 families: Fieldstone Farms Subdivision, Fieldstone Trail, across from While Columns Golf and Tennis. Friday 4/4 and Saturday 4/5, 8am-3pm. JOHNS CREEK: Parsons Run Subdivision, 5450 Hampstead Way. Moving! Saturday 4/5, 9am-2pm; Sunday 4/6, 11am-3pm. Clothes, furniture, miscellaneous ROSWELL: Willow Springs Community Sale! Large 700+ home community! 2500 Old Alabama Road 30076. Friday 4/4 and Saturday
4/5, 8AM-2PM. View and download map of participating homes: www.willowsprings.org. Info: 404-502-7006 ALPHARETTA: 1585 Eversedge Drive 30009. Friday 4/4-Sunday 4/6, 9am-4pm. NO EARLY BIRDS; EVERYTHING MUST GO! ALPHARETTA: Multi family. Mayfair Subdivision, 3220 Arborwoods Drive 30022. Saturday 4/5, 8am-12pm. Collectibles, antiques, kids’ items, household, miscellaneous
DEADLINE
With over 350 participants in 2013, registration fills up quickly. Register by April 12 to be eligible for a $50 gift card drawing. The games will wrap up with a luncheon and awards ceremony Thursday, May 22 at 10 a.m. at the Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Complex, 6500 Vernon Woods Drive in Sandy Springs. For more information on the Golden Games, contact the Roswell Ramblers at 770-641-3950 or visit the group’s Web site at www.roswellramblers.org. —Jonathan Copsey
To place garage sale ads: Noon Friday prior week Call 770-442-3278 or email classifieds@northfulton.com
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15 school year will not receive class schedules unless they have these vaccines. For additional questions, please contact your school nurse. Alpharetta’s council did not go simply to see the Chattanooga Choo-Choo. They went to view the downtown. “We try to visit a community that has something going on or completed something that we want to do here,” said James Drinkard, Alpharetta’s deputy administrator. Last year, they went to Athens, Ga., to look at the conference center there. Alpharetta is seeking to create its own conference center. Two years ago, the city went to Madison, Ga., to view its downtown and how it used the existing buildings. At the time, the plans for the City Center project were nearing completion. In Chattanooga, there was a plan. “They’ve done some interesting things,” Drinkard said. “Their arts and downtown district are adjoining and there are a lot of things they’ve done up there we are curious about.” With nearly weekly events, Alpharetta is trying to keep support and excitement in its own downtown in anticipation of the City Center completion.
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North Fulton Chamber hosts data breach symposium How can companies survive a data breach? ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce hosted a breakfast symposium March 20 with the experts entitled, “Will Your Company Survive a Data Breach?” Held at the Alpharetta Marriott, the panel discussion was moderated by Ralph Pasquariello, CLCS, Snellings Walters Insurance Agency. More than fifty GNFCC members attended the symposium. The symposium featured experts in the fields of forensic services, cyber insurance, risk management and legal counsel. Attendees learned critical steps to take, systems to have in place and prepared responses to have ready when, not if, their company experiences a data breach. “We wanted to provide chamber members and the business community with information regarding the growing threat of a data breach,” said GNFCC Members Services Director Deborah Lanham.
JONATHAN COPSEY
Carmichael Consulting Solutions was out in full force. From left: Desmond Hardy, Neil May, Tyler Jones and Lee Jones. From left are David Adams, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC; Timothy Frances, Second Vice President for Travelers Bond & Financial Products; Ralph Pasquariello, CLCS – Snellings Walters Insurance Agency; Greg Freemyer, Senior Consultant, IAC Forensic Services; Dan Benish, Founder & President/CEO Core ID Services, LLC; and Daniel Schroeder, CPA, Habif Arogeti & Wynne, LLP. “It’s important for our members to be aware of the facts about detection, prevention and a company’s legal responsibility regarding data breach and fraud. The GNFCC will continue to offer these timely events that keep our members informed and protected.” The panel, led by Doug Sandberg, Senior Vice President of WorldPay US, included:
David Adams, Institutional Law, Baker Donelson, Berman, Caldwell & Berkowitz; Daniel Benish, CEO, CORE ID Services LLC; Tim Francis, Data Breach Lead, Travelers Insurance; Greg Freemyer, Senior Forensics Examiner, IAC Forensic Services; and Dan Schroeder, Risk Mitigation, Habif Arogeti & Wynne, CPA. —Jonathan Copsey
Networking with the business expo ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce’s annual North Fulton Business Expo was March 27 and March 28 at the Marriott Alpharetta. Once again, the networking event filled the ballrooms to capacity with businesses large and small from throughout the area. Participants got to shake hands, trade business cards and meet new peers. Medical companies, print-
ing companies, restaurants and everything in between had booths set up. Many of the vendors said they had come to the expo before. “This is our third or fourth year,” said Carla Liff, with BIS Benefits. “There is a definite benefit. We get to know people in the community and they get to know us. And you can always make good contacts here.” —Jonathan Copsey
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8 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
schools
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Mount Pisgah School $17.5M expansion underway Already raised $15.3M of costs By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Steel girders are coming out of the ground at Mount Pisgah Christian School on Old Alabama Road that are the harbingers of the new $17.5 million, 48,000-square-foot expansion that will be the new upper school (high school). The good news is 87 percent of the required funding has already been donated or pledged. This is the latest phase in the school’s strategic plan. The expansion will allow the Pisgah middle school to occupy the former upper school space, and the new building, named Geier Hall for the family that made an outstanding donation, will give upper school students 20 percent more space, said Head of School John D. Marshall. It is also to have state-ofthe-art technology capabilities and spaces where faculty, students and technology can come together. The expansion will also include: • Flexible spaces where small groups can collaborate on projects. • A chapel for the upper and middle school students where they will be groomed to the next generation of Christian leaders. • A new dining hall with expanded space, natural light and multiple food options. It will also have a performance stage for music and theater. It will also have an outdoor patio. • A media center of 3,500 square feet. “We have been blessed with generous donors,” Marshall said. “We’ve raised more than $15 million in a little over one year in a campaign we call Building for the Future. We see it as a validation of the school and what people feel about what we’re doing here.” The building will show two stories from street level, but will actually be three stories
This rendering shows the northeast exposure of Geier Hall, expected to open for the 2015 school year.
Our facilities are adequate today, but we want to be able to do more. The school’s mission is to be the best college preparatory school it can be and is unapologetically evangelical in its mission.” John Marshall Mount Pisgah Head of School
with the first story built into the slope. Enrollment is up this year with a student population of 1,050 enrolled and a further 40 students to 50 students expected in the fall. Pisgah will graduate its largest senior class ever this spring. The ultimate goal is to have school for 1,200 students including pre-school. A future building campaign will expand the lower school, a second gymnasium and a fine arts building to expand current music and choral programs and will contain a black box theater for the drama program. “Our facilities are adequate
HATCHER HURD/Staff
Mount Pisgah Head of School John Marshall stands at the construction site for the new 48,000-square-foot addition to the school’s campus.
Accreditation • Founded in 1986, Mount Pisgah Christian School’s mission is to provide an outstanding college preparatory education grounded in Christian faith and values. Pisgah is an independent, non-denominational, coeducational school serving children from 6 weeks old through 12th grade. • Pisgah has a remarkable reputation for college acceptances. In 2009, 87 percent of Pisgah graduates were accepted to their first college of choice. • In the Upper School, Pisgah offers and impressive number of Honors and Advanced Placement courses. Each year, students explore new interests and subjects during Pisgah’s “Mini-Mesters”. • Innovative courses include: Forensic Science, Palates of the World, Introduction to Media Production, Baroque Painting, and Sports Ethics among others. • Pisgah holds dual accreditation from AdvancED and the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and is a member of numerous professional and educational organizations including the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Georgia Independent School Association (GISA), and the Georgia High School Association (GHSA). today, but we want to be able to do more,” Marshall said. “The school’s mission is to be the best college preparatory school it can be and is unapologetically evangelical in its
mission. “A Christ-centered curriculum goes hand-in-hand with stringent academic program.” This phase follows the $11 million Patriot athletic
campaign three years ago. It paid off this past season when the Patriot football team was undefeated in region play and narrowly lost the state championship for private schools.
Friends of the Alpharetta Library offer scholarships ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Each year, the Friends of the Alpharetta Library award scholarships to graduating high school seniors. The deadline for receipt of an application is May 1, 2014. Read more about these scholarships at www.fotal. org. Ralph L. Anderson Memorial Scholarship The Friends of the Alpharetta Library present two $350 scholarships
to graduating seniors from Milton High School in memory of Ralph L. Anderson who was an Alpharetta businessman. They honor two students who intend to follow a business related career at an accredited college or university. Anderson’s two children are graduates of Milton High School and his late wife, Mary Anderson Stanley, was a past President of the Friends. Applications may be obtained by contacting the Milton High School
counselor’s office or by contacting fotalforum@yahoo.com via e-mail. Dr. Robert F. Fulton Memorial Scholarship The Friends of the Alpharetta Library also present a $350 scholarship each year to a residing North Fulton senior who is graduating from a private school, a public school or has been a homeschooled student. The award is given in memory of
Dr. Robert F. Fulton, a longtime Fulton County Commissioner and a dedicated supporter of local libraries. The recipient must have been accepted at an accredited college or university. Applicants will write an essay on the importance of public libraries. An application may be obtained by contacting fotal-forum@yahoo.com via e-mail or may also be picked up in the lobby of the Alpharetta Library. —Jonathan Copsey
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The January Eagle Scouts of the Northern Ridge District are, from left, Jackson Barnes, Nolan Rausch, Matthew Kessel, Kyle Keepers, Payden Herring, Amaan Charaniya, Brett Ball, Sasanka Kota, Nick Malinowski and Perry Brandes.
Northern Ridge District January Eagle Scouts NORTH FULTON, Ga. – The following Scouts completed their Board of Review to become Eagle Scouts. Jackson Barnes, Troop 7153, built benches for the Newtown Park Senior Center. Nolan Rausch, Troop 629, built a closet for the Drake House. Matthew Kessel, Troop 69, made carnival games for St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Kyle Keepers, Troop 431, led a beautification project at Roswell High School. Payden Herring, Troop 629, built a kiosk for the East
Jennifer Alice Acker, playing Guenevere in the upcoming performance of “Camelot,” practices with Bryant Smith, who plays King Arthur.
Roswell disk golf course. Amaan Charaniya, Troop 3143, recorded books for Learning Ally Books. Brett Ball, Troop 3000, built an outdoor classroom at Crabapple Crossing Elementary School. Sasanka Kota, Troop 3143, planted beds and repaired an outdoor classroom at Northview High School. Nick Malinowski, Troop 3000, repaired outdoor areas at the Bethwell Community Center. Perry Brandes, Troop 69, installed a brick patio at the Mansell House, Alpharetta.
Historical Society holds ‘Camelot’ preview ROSWELL, Ga. -- The Roswell Historical Society will host a theater night featuring the dress rehearsal of “Camelot” on Tuesday, April 8, at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, in Roswell. A pre-performance reception will be held in the Society’s Roswell Archives on the second floor of the Cultural Arts Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. Light hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided
by local restaurants and a silent auction. Showtime is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and may be obtained at the Roswell Historical Society offices at 950 Forrest Street or at the Roswell Visitors Center, 617 Atlanta Street (checks only). The Roswell Historical Society is a non-profit organization and was established in 1971 to collect, preserve
and promote the history of Roswell. The Society staffs and maintains the Roswell Archives which has in its collections the history of the city, information on the early settlers , the textile mills, the Cherokee nation and local African American heritage. For additional information visit www.roswellhistoricalsociety.org. For information on Georgia Ensemble Theatre visit www.get.org.
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12 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
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Nick Howrey, right, performs a song off of his EP.
Nick Howrey performs his Debut EP By RYAN PIERONI ryan@northfulton.com ROSWELL, Ga. — As Nick Howrey began his first original song of the night, I thought to myself, “Wait, how old is he again?” He’s 16. Yet, Howrey sings and writes with an impressive amount of skill for someone so young. Howrey is a sophomore at Centennial High School with some big aspirations — and potential. “You know, eventually, like all upcoming artists, I want to make it in the professional league,” he said. “Make it big. That’s my dream.” Howrey says eventually he would want to sign with a music label. His latest effort, an EP
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(short for “Extended Play”), titled “Liv,” an alternate spelling of the word, “live,” is a great showcase of Howrey’s musical talent. The EP’s spelling is — of course — a play on the name of a girl, “who is prettier than the rest,” he said. “I think it’s great to live life the best we can,” Howrey said. From such songs as the melodic “My Companion,” which shows an amount of lyrical depth, to the catchy country tune “Never Left Nashville,” the songs are an impressive debut for this singer/songwriter. If these songs are an indication of things to come, he seems to have a good shot at reaching his dream. Listen online or buy the new EP at Howrey’s website, www.nickhowrey.com.
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A new product at Chocolat is the Red Wine Chocolat box. This array of chocolates has been selected to be complementary when serving them with red wine. M Chocolat took home awards at the Flavors of Georgia competition.
Chocolatiers take home first prize at Flavor of Georgia M Chocolat sisters recognized for confectionary excellence By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – M Chocolat is already the confectionary shop that is everyone’s guilty pleasure up and down Old Milton Parkway. Now proprietors and sisters Maritza Pichon and Marlena Snyder have a new creation, the Blues Blueberry and Peach Bar. It was so successful it won statewide recognition March 18 at the annual Flavors of Georgia competition. It is sponsored by the University of Georgia and the Ga. Department of Agriculture. Pichon and Snyder opened M Chocolat in in 2011 to much local success. Last year they were runner-up in the Snack Foods category with a peanut and caramel bar. This year they won it all with their Georgia Blues Blueberry and Peach Bar. It was all part of Georgia Agriculture Awareness Day March 18 at the Georgia Freight Depot in Atlanta. M Chocolate’s blueberry, peach and dark chocolate snack bar was chosen from more than 125 Georgia products to compete as one of 35 finalists in the 2014 Flavor of Georgia contest. They took the top prize in the Snack Foods category. There are 12 categories in all, including barbecue sauces, dairy products, adult bever-
ages, confections and jams and jellies. “We had so many great contestants this year,” said Sharon P. Kane, Flavor of Georgia contest coordinator. “It really highlighted the high caliber of the food products created by Georgians.” While Pichon and Snyder are thrilled to win, it is only one more step as they develop their business. Pichon is the business side of the business. A former CFO, she keeps the books and works on the strategic plan. Snyder is the artist-chocolatier who concocts the confections. “My sister is the creative one,” Pichon said. “I’m the taster. I’m quality control.” Both are committed to expanding their products with the hope of one day wholesaling their wares. “The state wants to promote its local growers using local products,” Snyder said. “They judge on certain criteria – innovation, marketability, Georgia-grown ingredients, packaging and of course taste.” They chose blueberries for the main ingredient along with pecans because Georgia is the second-leading producer of blueberries in the U.S. just behind Michigan. “Most people don’t even know blueberries are grown in the state,” she said. Snyder says making the confections is her passion, and
everything they sell is made on the premises. “Everything we make is as natural as it can be,” Snyder said. Since they started making the bars, they have sold $10,000 worth. Pichon said she agreed to be a partner but the idea was her sister’s. “My role is to help grow it. We don’t want to remain just a chocolate shop. We want to expand our products and eventually wholesale them,” Pichon said. “The potential is great. It just makes good sense to manufacture them with fresh ingredients from right here in Georgia, and place them in other retail locations.” That is one of the reasons they will likely enter again next year, if for no other reason than to add yet another product to their line. “We have made some wonderful contacts doing this,” Snyder said. “It opens up opportunities to meet growers and other retailers. It also helps get connected to farmers markets.” Showcase events like the 2014 Flavor of Georgia competition help entrepreneurs spread the word about their products. Many competitors have gone on to land spots in regional and national grocery chains like Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Earth Fare, Kroger and Harvey’s. For information about these products, see www.flavorofgeorgia.caes.uga.edu. For more go to mchocolat.com or 3960 Old Milton Parkway.
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Drake House names new board member
‘Roger Wise Jr. Day’ proclaimed by Senate ROSWELL, Ga. -- Roswell resident, retiree-volunteer, veteran and long-time Rotary Club of Roswell member Roger Wise Jr. was honored recently at the Georgia State Capitol when the Georgia Senate proclaimed Thursday March 13, 2014, to be “Roger Wise Jr. Day” at the Georgia State Capitol. Read by Sen. John Albers, Georgia Senate Resolution
888 commended the retired pharmaceutical government affairs manager for his work on behalf of children’s health and veterans’ issues. An emotional Wise accepted the honor with his family in the room, looking on. The North Fulton delegation arranged for them to be in attendance as a surprise for Wise. —Jonathan Copsey
ROSWELL, Ga. – Layne Kamsler has been appointed a full-voting member on the Roswell-based Drake House Board of Directors. Kamsler joined the nonprofit board in a non-voting position for a term of one year in May 2013 through the Board Engagement Program of the North Fulton Alliance of Young Professionals (NFAYP). NFAYP is a growing group of young professionals seeking to provide their members an opportunity to learn and be a part of a local nonprofit by sitting on their board. Be-
cause of her high level of involvement and dedication to the agency, Kamsler was invited to fill a board seat vacated by a Kamsler member due to corporate transfer. “Layne’s specialty is employment law and she is bringing a wealth of expertise to our organization,” said Drake House Executive Director Kathy Swahn. “We also value her youthful
perspective in regard to social responsibility and we look forward to having her serve in this key role.” Kamsler earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and law degree from William and Mary School of Law. She is an attorney with Hipes and Belle Isle Law Firm in downtown Alpharetta. The Drake House provides short-term crisis housing, support, education and empowerment to homeless mothers and their children. For more information, go to www. thedrakehouse.org.
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Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre by the numbers Exec gives highlights of venue By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – If the numbers are anything to go by, Alpharetta and the surrounding North Fulton area have benefitted immensely from the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park. Speaking at the monthly breakfast meeting of the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, March 20, Trevor Ralph, chief operating officer of the amphitheater, laid out the figures. Since it opened its doors in 2008, Verizon has seen 1.5 million guests come to 200 shows and see 500 artists. It took $35.5 million to build the outdoor venue, with $2 million of that coming from public funds. It sits on 45 acres with about half dedicated to the venue itself. The rest is parking that can also become entertainment space, such as hosting the annual Red Apple Circus. It provides $4 million in direct economic impact to the area in wages and donations. Millions more come from sales tax that benefits the entire
county; $43 million has been collected from ticket sales with $94 million in total revenue. The venue sells 150,000 beers a year and has been nominated for the best outdoor venue for five of the past six years. About 50 percent of all shows sell out. Despite all this, Ralph said the venue wants to expand its offerings into more community events. “We have the opportunity to do more shows and more traditional concerts,” Ralph said. “We also want to do more special events.” Ralph gave the audience his most commonly asked questions. Do you get to meet the bands before the show? “Yes. However, backstage is designed to be comfortable for the artist,” he said. Artists have a job to do and Ralph said he does not want people interrupting them during the show. What is the most you paid for an artist? $5.1 million for the Eagles.
By the numbers
Schedule for Verizon Wireless at Encore Park
• 25 percent of guests come from more than 100 miles away to see shows. • 45 percent of guests reported visiting the venue for the first time. • 60 percent used local services, such as restaurants and hotels, while they were in town.
This season is packed with great acts and will likely see more announced in coming months. For more information on the venue, acts or tickets, go to http://www.vzwamp.com.
Why are tickets so expensive? “That’s largely due to the artist guarantee,” he said. The venue pitches a price to lure the artist to play there. That price has to be made back in ticket sales. Also, artists have their cut of the sales. Ralph said that, with the changes in the industry lately, such as record sales declining in place of online sales, artists and record labels make their money up in ticket prices. What is the craziest thing included in a contract? Rock legends Van Halen had in their contract that there were to be no brown M&Ms in their dressing room. Ralph
See VERIZON, Page 30
• Good Friday: Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin, Crowder, Christy Nockels and Kristian Stanfill Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. • Alabama: “All American Tour 2014” with special guest Will Hoge Sunday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. • Styx, Foreigner with Don Felder Saturday, May 24 at 7 p.m. • Jack Johnson with special guest Amos Lee Tuesday, June 3 at 7:30 p.m. • Boston with special guest .38 Special Saturday, June 14 at 8 p.m. • The Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton with Matthew Curry Thursday, July 17 at 7 p.m.
• Ray LaMontagne with special guest Jenny Lewis and Belle Brigade Friday, July 18 at 7:30 p.m. • The Avett Brothers with special guest Emmylou Harris Friday, July 25 at 8 p.m. • The Avett Brothers with special guest Gov’t Mule Saturday, July 26 at 8 p.m. • Phish Sunday, Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. • James Taylor Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. • Dodge Presents: Mötley Crüe with special guest Alice Cooper Saturday, Aug. 16 at 7 p.m. • Keith Urban with Jerrod Niemann and special guest Brett Eldredge Sunday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m.
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Pink Affair helps breast cancer Gala at Country Club of the South JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The 13th annual Pink Affair fundraising gala was held Saturday, March 22 at the Country Club of the South in Johns Creek. More than 200 people were on hand for the festive event that benefits the nonprofit TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation. TurningPoint provides specialized and evidenced-based rehabilitation for women with breast cancer, including physical therapy, massage therapy, counseling and nutritional counseling. The Pink Affair was chaired by Kathy Smith, while the auction committee was led by David Bercaw. Dean Crownover served as the evening’s emcee and auctioneer.
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The evening included a competitive game of Heads or Tails, a silent auction with 100 items and a live auction featuring VIP tickets to the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” a Georgia Tech cheerleading experience at a football game this fall and tickets to the practice round and Par 3 contest at the 2014 Masters Golf Tournament. Pink Affair sponsors included Oglethorpe Power, Kids Cathy Furbish, left, of TurningPoint and Lynn Wyatt enjoy the Pink Affair March 22. R Kids Learning Academies, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s, Autotrader.com and Sutherland. TurningPoint will host its next fundraising event with a golf tournament at the Dunwoody Country Club Aug. 24-25. For more information on TurningPoint, visit them online at https://myturningpoint.org. —Jonathan Copsey
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Verizon to hire hundreds in North Fulton Customer service, retail, network, IT focus of jobs By JONATHAN COPSEY jonathan@northfulton.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Telecom giant Verizon Wireless is bringing 450 jobs to Georgia this year – more than 200 of which will be in the Alpharetta and Milton area. Verizon has offices on Deerfield Parkway at the border of Milton and Alpharetta. “Since Verizon Wireless opened its doors in Alpharetta over 14 years ago, the company has been an integral part
of the area’s business and job growth. This announcement further solidifies Verizon’s position as a leader in our city,” said Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle. More than 200 of the available positions are for customer service-related opportunities at call centers located in North Fulton. The company is also seeking positions in retail, network and information technology. “As we continue to grow Georgia’s economy, cuttingedge technology companies like Verizon Wireless are critical to the production of innovative products and new jobs,” said Brandon Beach, president
of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce. “Having lived in North Fulton for almost 20 years myself, I can attest to the area’s appeal to qualified workers.” Verizon Wireless employs more than 4,500 employees in the state, and over 72,000 employees nationwide. The company has been named one of the best companies for working moms by Working Mother for 13 straight years. Computer World lists Verizon Wireless as one of the “100 Best Places to Work in IT.” Those interested in applying for the new positions can find them online at www. vzwcareers.com.
Jonathan Copsey/staff
Verizon Wireless announced it intends to bring hundreds of jobs to Alpharetta and Milton. They currently have offices on Deerfield Parkway, in Milton.
Harry Norman Realtors honors agents
From left are Senior Vice President Todd Emerson with Amy Barocas, Phoenix Award recipient Katie Bellew, Donna Augello and Dan Parmer.
ATLANTA – Harry Norman Realtors honored its leading agents of 2013 at its Celebration and Awards Breakfast in Buckhead. President and Chief Executive Officer Dan Parmer congratulated the firm’s more than 1,000 associates, acknowledging their efforts in “making 2013 such a successful year with $3 billion in closed sales, an amazing 36 percent increase over the previous year.” Bonneau Ansley III of the Buckhead office was saluted as the No. 1 agent company-wide in sales and also the No. 1 agent in closed listing units. Pam Scudellari of the North Fulton office was recognized as the top agent in total closed units. The President’s Award for distinguished service in the profession, in the community and in civic organizations was awarded to Julie Altenbach of the East Cobb office. The highest Phoenix Awards were presented to Sandy Abrams of the Buckhead office, recipient of the Diamond Award for 45 years of Mil-
North Fulton agent Marny Midkiff was honored with the Phoenix Award. lion Dollar Club membership, and Fran Shivers of the Sandy Springs office, given the Platinum Award for 35 years of Multi-Million Dollar Club membership. —McKenzie Cunningham
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BusinessBriefs
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Alex Kim has signed an agreement to open a restaurant in Johns Creek later this year, while new multi-unit franchisee Jim McGlynn will open two restaurants, targeting sites in the Alpharetta and Perimeter Mall areas. To date, Burger 21 has 12 open locations and 19 franchised restaurants in development across the country. Last year, the company opened its first franchised restaurant in Atlanta across from the Mall of Georgia. An additional location is slated for development in North Alpharetta, Kennesaw, Midtown, Buckhead, Cumberland and Norcross. Visit www.burger21.com for more information.
Pollo Tropical to open in Johns Creek Co-owners Antonio LoRusso and Wesley Lovvorn.
Cuoco Italian Table opens in Forsyth CUMMING, Ga. — Cuoco Italian Table sets the stage for Italian meals that are festive and simple, with many dishes having only four to eight ingredients. “Cuoco Italian Table is a whole new experience in Italian cooking,” said restaurant manager Antonio Lo Russo. The restaurant, 1475 Peachtree Parkway, recently opened and has started serving Sunday brunch that includes homemade frittata, eggs Benedict on homemade focaccia bread and capicola ham, shrimp and polenta Romana. Cuoco’s entrees are prepared by Chef Aaron Avers and his staff. The pastry chef is Vivian Munson. “We combine the quality of fine dining with the casual atmosphere and generous portions of a family gathering,” Lo Russo said. For more information, visit cuocoitaliantable. com or call 678-807-7472.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Pollo Tropical got final approval to begin work on their new restaurant location at State Bridge Road and Medlock Bridge Road. The restaurant first submitted plans two years ago. The restaurant was stalled because it did not meet Johns Creek Planning Commission guidelines, including a pitched roof and the color palette approved by the city. Last year, the Miami-based company opened locations in Alpharetta at 10900 Haynes Bridge Road and Cumming at 1510 Market Place Blvd. Visit www.pollotropical.com for more.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Burger 21, a Tampa, Fla.,based burger franchise, founded by the owners of the Melting Pot restaurants, announced it has signed two new agreements to develop three units in the Atlanta area.
The anticipation was high, the images of what they were about to see created intense excitement. The gentleman got on his bicycle and started peddling around the perimeter of the warehouse building up speed. At the point he hit full speed and everyone was at full attention, the trickster flew through an open door and was gone. After a few moments of bewilderment of what the trick was, and at
ATLANTA – Scientific Games Corporation announced that its Sciplay technology platform received the 2014 Product Launch of the Year Award from the Technology Association of Georgia. Sciplay is a scalable, flexible technology platform that securely delivers lottery and gaming content, player account management and payment processing through traditional digital and mobile channels. Sciplay launched in August 2013 as a replacement to the existing Minnesota Lottery subscription system and again in December 2013 as a new product offering with the North Carolina Educational Lottery’s new player subscription service. Both product launches were managed by Mike Brandsma, Sciplay product manager at Scientific Games, and a team of interactive technology professionals at the company’s Global Technology Center of Excellence in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.scientificgames. com.
Neil May joins Carmichael Consulting Solutions ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Carmichael Consulting Solutions, recently relocated to offices at 319 North Main Street in Alpharetta, has added a new member to its team. Neil May has joined the company as director of service delivery. May brings years of information technology (IT) expertise to the company, as well as a passion for MAY customer service. May will lead full-time support techs and contractors. Email neil@carmichaelconsulting.net or visit www.carmichaelconsulting.net.
Georgia Eye Partners acquires Eye 1st Vision and Laser
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Volcano Asian Bistro recently opened its doors at 5316 Windward Parkway in Alpharetta. Featuring a sushi bar, the bistro serves freshly made-to-order Southeast Asian dishes from Thailand, China and Japan. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, call 678-366-9668 or visit www.volcanobistro.com.
Most Daring Bicycle Trick Ever Performed Back in the 1930’s in the small North Carolina town of Stoneville, the tobacco market would come in twice each year. All of the buyers from the tobacco companies and the tobacco farmers would meet at a local warehouse and auction off the tobacco. At the end of each day, after the business was concluded, they would be in need of some entertainment, as there wasn’t much going on in Stoneville in the way of night life. Occasionally, someone would play the banjo or harmonica, or someone would sing, but on one occasion, a guy showed up with a fancy English bike and offered to perform the most daring bicycle trick ever witnessed. After the hat was passed around, a few dollars collected, and the bicyclist had the money secured, he told everyone to move out of the way so he could perform.
Sciplay receives 2014 Product Launch of the Year Award
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Volcano Asian Bistro opens in Alpharetta Burger 21 eyes locations in Johns Creek, Alpharetta
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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Georgia Eye Partners recently acquired Eye 1st Vision and Laser. The combined companies will move forward under the name Georgia Eye Partners. The addition of the former Johns Creek office of Eye 1st Vision and Laser (10080 Medlock Bridge Road) will be George Eye Partners’ third office in the metro-Atlanta area. The company currently has offices at Northside and Emory Midtown. Patients with questions about the acquisition should call the Johns Creek office at 770-623-3931. For more information, visit www.GaEyePartners. com.
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the point that the entertainer hit the edge of town, it dawned on the onlookers that they had just witnessed the most daring trick ever performed on a bicycle! The point of this story is to make sure you fully understand the specifics of the investments you use, as you don’t want what you think you are getting and what you actually get to be different. You don’t want to witness the most daring trick when it comes to your money.
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Note: Some of the information in this article came via Investor’s Business Daily and the Heritage Foundation
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18 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
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Lake buyers fear the past Zillow and Trulia – good or bad for real estate? It won’t come as a surprise to you that the Lake Lanier market is a different market than the rest. Housing inventory is, and has been, very low for some time now. That isn’t the case on Lake Lanier. The lake is a little more sensitive to seasonality than the rest of the market. Also, geographically, the lake is a much smaller part of the housing market, so it should be looked at differently. For home sales specifically on Lanier, the absorption rate (the rate at which the market will consume current inventory) is four times higher than the rest of the county. Currently, at the time of this article, there are 108 homes for sale in Forsyth County with a boat dock on Lake Lanier. Over the past 12 months, there have been 101 sales of similar homes – which equates to 12.8 months of lake inventory compared to 3.4 months of inventory for non-lake homes throughout the rest of Forsyth County.
Robert Strader
Local Realtor Keller Williams Realty
Currently, only 7 percent of lake inventory is listed under $300,000, but nearly 17 percent of all sales fall into that price range. At the opposite end of the spectrum, 30 percent of listed inventory is priced over $700,000, but only 10 percent of sales fall into that price range. So there is still significant downward pressure on luxury lake home sales while buyers are – as usual – snapping up bargains at the lower end. The main reasons affecting lake sales are the very slow recovery of the second home market and buyers’ fear that the low water issues during the drought in 2007 and 2008 will occur again. Water depth at the dock is paramount.
Are Trulia and Zillow good or bad for the real estate industry? That question is one of the most contested amongst real estate agents today. Not contested is the fact that both companies have enjoyed impressive revenue and valuation growth. Real estate agents subscribing to their “lead-generation” services represent the lion’s share of each company’s revenue. These agents pay on average $3,100 per year and $2,300 per year to Zillow and Trulia, respectively. Some of the good things about Zillow and Trulia: They provide greater listing exposure to millions of consumers. The addition of tax records, school ratings and other information to listings is good for consumers and makes the agents’ job easier. They level the playing field for newer agents and agents without many listings, give consumers access to FSBOs (for sale by owner), foreclosures and other non-agent represented properties, which paints a fuller picture of the available mar-
ROBERT AIKEN Senor VP, Managing Broker Harry Norman Realtors Forsyth/Lanier
ket, and create a new, broadly reaching advertising platform for agents to advertise their skills. Some of the bad things about Zillow and Trulia: A high percentage of their “available” listings are actually sold or off the market. This confuses and upsets consumers and makes agents look
bad. The sites’ property valuations are often way off, making agents’ jobs harder. They promote non-listing agents alongside listings that aren’t theirs, tricking consumers into believing they know the property, and they sell to any agent, regardless of experience. The title of “Premier” or “Pro,” the “leads” generated for subscribing agents, are low quality, non-responsive and a waste of time, and the cost of being a subscribing agent is too high for what you get. Basically, use Zillow and Trulia only as a reference. Go to a professional to verify and provide accurate real estate information.
Using a sales methodology improves win rates Is your small business using a sales methodology to enable a more effective sales process? Do all of your sales representatives adhere to your sales methodology to qualify and pursue new business? Most small businesses don’t follow a defined sales methodology, and subsequently, they sub-optimize their win rates and revenue growth potential. What exactly is a sales methodology? At its core, a sales methodology provides sales professionals with a framework and step-by-step instructions on all aspects of the sales process. Don’t confuse a sales process with a sales methodology. A sales process tells you
Thanks to
Dick Jones
Founder & President Jones Simply Sales
what to do, and a sales methodology shows you how to do it. Knowing what to do without how to do it is a recipe for disaster. It’s like baking a cake. You may know what ingredients to use and how long to bake the cake. But the methodology of baking a cake is the step-by-step directions on how to mix the batter, when to add the ingredients, how long to
bake it and what to do when it’s done. It’s the same thing for sales. All sales professionals know that you find leads, convert them to opportunities and then close business. But there are many routes you can take in this process, and all of them don’t produce the same results. Following a sales methodology can help you better qualify leads, work more effectively with opportunities and close more business against your competition. Using a sales methodology is a proven way to improve your win rates, and if you are winning more business, it is helping you grow your small business!
Georgia’s first energy efficiency store opens in Alpharetta Business: SuperGreen Solutions Owner: Marvin Austin Opened: November 2013 What: SuperGreen Solutions is Georgia’s first energy efficiency store. SuperGreen leads the market as one of the world’s premier advisors, suppliers and installers of domestic and commercial energy efficient solutions, making us truly a “one stop energy solution shop.” Launching SuperGreen provides an opportunity to do something with a purpose in an emerging industry and fulfill an
ambition to build a winning company with high values and talented people. As such, it is our plan to achieve favorable results by doing business the “right way.” Where: 1605 Mansell Road, Suite D in Alpharetta Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday by appointment. Call: 770-755-1686 Email: marvinA@supergreensolutions.com Website: www.supergreensolutions.com or www.trumarkhomecare.com
for hosting the March Networking Event
North Fulton Alliance of Young Professionals
Join us today at www.nfayp.com!
nfayp
nfayp
Submit your event online at northfulton.com
Ryan Pieroni
Calendar Editor ryan@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.
LOCAL LIVE MUSIC »
The Festival benefits a scholarship fund for local artists administered by the Georgia Foundation for Public Spaces. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. April 12. 6100 Lake Forrest Drive Northeast, Sandy Springs. Please call 404-873-1222 or visit sandyspringsartsapalooza. com.
ART » SANDY SPRINGS ARTSAPALOOZA
The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces presents the Third Annual Sandy Springs Artsapalooza. Artsapalooza is one of the premiere art festival attractions in the Sandy Springs area and draws a large crowd each year to the beautiful treelined streets of Sandy Springs. Equal parts art show, music festival and street party, Sandy Springs Artsapalooza is the perfect way to kick of spring festival season in Atlanta. This festival will feature up to 150 local and regional artists representing disciplines in painting, ceramics, glass, woodwork, handcraft, mixed media and more. In addition to the selection of artwork, the festival will also include a lineup of gourmet food trucks, live acoustic music, children’s activities, and free parking and admission.
of “Cattle Drive in Roswell,” and other stories from the book “Blue Locusts” by author Marion Blackwell, to be held in the Historic Gardens of Great Oaks. 7 p.m. April 3. 786 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell. Please visit roswellhistoricalsociety.org.
THEATER » Mello-Drama Productions presents “Oliver” at the Cumming Playhouse, the classic musical based on the novel “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens. Show times vary. Through April 19. 101 School Street, Cumming. Please call 770-781-9178 or visit playhousecumming.com.
northfulton.com | Revue & News | April 3, 2014 | 19
concessions including gourmet food trucks. This event is organized by the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces and volunteer artists to benefit the local community. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. April 5 - 6. 1451 Ponce de Leon Ave., Northeast, Atlanta. Please call 404-873-1222 or visitfestivalonponce.com.
YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR JACKSON PEARCE
‘OLIVER’
JAZZ VOCALIST DIANE SCHUUR
The legendary jazz vocalist Diane Schuur is coming to the Velvet note. With a long and prestigious career, including even a performance at the White House for the Reagans, Diane Schuur’s performance is sure to be spectacular. Tickets for the Sunday show have already sold out, so be sure to get the tickets for Monday’s show early. 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. April 7. 4075 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta. Please call 855-583-5838 or visit thevelvetnote.com.
calendar
EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA AT FORSYTH YMCA The Easter Eggstravaganza at the Forsyth YMCA will feature an Easter egg hunt, decorating eggs, face painting, Easter crafts and bounce houses. A great free event for the family. 2 – 4 p.m. April 6. Y Street, Cumming. Please call 770888-2788.
Come and learn about the publishing industry with accomplished young adult author Jackson Pearce at the NE/Spruill Oaks Library. Navigating the publishing world is tough, from writing queries and short summaries to how advances and royalties work. Registration required. 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. April 12. 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek. Please call 770-360-8820 or visit afpls.org.
Top Five EVENTS ‘CHARLOTTE’S WEB’
The Center for Puppetry Arts presents “Charlotte’s Web,” an adaptation of the novel by E.B. White, in which Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig become unlikely friends. Show times vary. April 10 – May 25. 1404 Spring St. Northwest, Atlanta. Please call 404873-3391 or visit puppet.org.
ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY THEATRE NIGHT
The Roswell Historical Society will host a Theatre Night, featuring a dress rehearsal of “Camelot” at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. A preperformance reception will be held, featuring light refreshments and a silent auction. 5:30 p.m. April 8. 950 Forrest St., Roswell. Please visit roswellhistoricalsociety.org.
ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL
AUDITIONS FOR ‘DRIVING MISS DAISY’
Presented by Gypsy Theatre Company at the Sylvia Beard Theatre (Buford Community Center), performing July 10-27. 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM. April 8, 9 and 12. 2200 Buford Highway, Buford. Please call 770-870-7697 or visit gypsytheatrecompany.biz.
EVENTS » FORSYTH COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS PLANT SALE
Featuring a wide assortment of native plants, trees, shrubs, vegetables, garden art and free presentations throughout the day, the Master Gardeners Plant Sale is a must for anyone with a green thumb. The funds received from the Plant Sale goes to supporting county-wide gardening projects, demonstration gardens and sharing gardening knowledge with the community. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on April 11 and 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. on April 12. The Barn at Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road, Cumming. Please call 770887-2418.
ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY READS ‘BLUE LOCUSTS’
The Roswell Historical society presents a reading
Join the more than 20,000 people who attend the Atlanta Film Festival each year and enjoy an incredible variety of documentaries, shorts, narratives, animated films and more. As an Academy Award qualifying festival, this is your chance to be among the first people in the world to see the short films that could be nominated for best picture. 6 p.m. Through April 6. 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave. North, Atlanta. Please call 678-929-8103 or visit atlantafilmfestival.com.
SWEET AS A PEACH INDIE AUTHOR BOOK SIGNING
Into the Night Reviews is hosting the first annual Georgia Indie Author Event. This year’s theme is Sweet as a Peach, and more than fifty authors will be in attendance. The event will be donating food to a local children's charity, so any donations of canned goods would be greatly appreciated. 2 – 6 p.m. April 5. 3410 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Cumming. Please call 770-781-6974 or visit gaindieauthorevent. blogspot.com.
SPRING FESTIVAL ON PONCE
The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces is proud to announce the 3rd Annual Spring Festival on Ponce on April 5 – 6, 2014. Visitors will enjoy fine art and crafts, children’s area, live acoustic entertainment and local food and beverage
BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY
The Forsyth County Lions Club presents its First Annual "Breakfast With The Easter Bunny at Fowler Park. This event will feature a pancake breakfast with the trimmings, a visit from The Easter Bunny, plus various children's activities, storytelling and a performance by the local barbershop quartet, “Three Score and More.” All proceeds will be used to help low-income uninsured Forsyth County residents receive vision and hearing care. 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. April 12. 4110 Carolene Way, Cumming. Please call 770-887-8478 or visit forsythcountylions.org.
RACES & BENEFITS »
JAZZ TRUMPETER JOE GRANSDEN Joe Gransden, a jazz trumpeter hailing from New York, will be coming to the Velvet Note. 7 and 9 p.m. April 13. 4075 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta. Please call 855-583-5838 or visit thevelvetnote.com.
SMITH’S PLANTATION EASTER EGG HUNT
This Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the historic grounds of the Smith Plantation for Children ages 8 and under, who should bring their own baskets and enjoy finding candy-filled treasures. 10 – 11 a.m. April 11. 935 Alpharetta St., Roswell. Please visit archibaldsmithplantation.org.
CHASTAIN CHASE
The Chastain Chase 6k will wind through beautiful and historic Chastain Park. The event benefits the Cancer Support Community Atlanta (an affiliate of Northside Hospital) and will fund support and education programs for cancer patients in the area. Event begins and ends at Road Runner Sports. 8 a.m. April 6. 3756 Roswell Road Northeast, Suite 16, Atlanta. Please call 404-843-1880 or visit cscatlanta.org.
SWEEP THE HOOCH RIVER CLEANUP EVENT
Sweep the Hooch is the largest river cleanup event in Georgia, traversing 60 miles and including 27 sites. Registration is required, so be sure to register for your preferred site early. 9 a.m. April 12. Various locations. Please visit sweepthehooch.org.
20 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
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News and Advertising for New Homes • Realtors • Developers • Commercial Properties • and more
April 2014
A l p h a r e t ta • C u m m i n g • C h e r o k e e • D u l u t h • F o r s y t h • G w i n n e t t • J o h n s C r e e k • M i lt o n • R o s w e l l • S U WA N N E E
Spring buying starts strong By BILL RAWLINGS Vice President/Managing Broker North Atlanta Office, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty Spring is off to a great start
here at Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, as we have seen a good beginning to home buying for the spring season! And we’re not the only ones, according to “Realtor.
comŽ Report: 2014 Home Buying Starts Strong.� The nation as a whole is off to a strong start for the season already finding inventory levels rising as there are more homes
Marietta. 2957 Kings Walk Avenue 5BR/5.5BA FMLS: 5252246
arriving on the market and home prices are rising. This booming market we are beginning to see, is enticing for both buyers and Rawlings sellers. Many buyers have been very anxious to make a purchase, but rather discouraged with the limited inventory available through the past few months. On the flip side, sellers are now more enticed to put their homes on the market with the economy coming back and higher home list prices being more justified. According to the article, “The median list price for January rose 8.3 percent compared to the same time last
year...â€? Although the harsh winter storms have had a tremendous effect on both the real estate market and even the nation as a whole, it seems that everyone is motivated by the beginning of the spring season. Buyers and sellers alike are ready for and welcoming the warmer weather and hopefully a stronger market along with it. The article states, â€œâ€Ś the national median existing home price is projected to rise about 5 percent to 6 percent in 2014, according to the National Association of REALTORSÂŽ.â€? Despite the lull in inventory and reluctance to list during the cold winter months, the overall consensus is that people are ready to get back out there and start buying and selling!
Why sell now? By ANDREA CUENY Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty
The Cueny Team
404.695.7040 | 770.442.7300 andreac@atlantafinehomes.com TheCuenyTeam.com •
Recognized as one of the top real estate teams in Atlanta by the Atlanta Board of REALTORSÂŽ.
•
Awarded No. 1 Small Team at Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty.
•
Experience with new construction, equestrian and farm, land development, waterfront and all areas of Metro Atlanta and surrounding suburbs.
•
$150 million in gross real estate sales throughout Metro Atlanta.
AtlantaFineHomes.com
Cumming. 3045 Wills Mill Road 6BR/6.5BA FMLS: 5199404
Roswell. 1300 Atherton Park 5BR/5.5BA FMLS: 5266374 ‹ 00;,9 6RWKHE\¡V ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 5HDOW\ $IÀOLDWHV ,QF $OO 5LJKWV 5HVHUYHG (TXDO +RXVLQJ 2SSRUWXQLW\ (DFK 2IÀFH ,V ,QGHSHQGHQWO\ 2ZQHG $QG 2SHUDWHG
One of the key reasons to sell now is low inventory. As a potential seller it may look like a lot of homes are on the market, but there are not. Inventory continues to stay well below that of 2007. New listings can have buyers in a matter of days. Buyers have seen what is available and they are ready to make an offer for their perfect house when it gets listed! Another plus of listing your home now is that existing homes and resales have a leg up on new construction in the current marketplace. According to Scott Murphy of DS Murphy Appraisals, “Builders are building houses as fast as they can, but it takes years to ramp up production. New home sales are one-third of what they were. Existing home sellers have the market virtually to themselves - at least for now. By this time next year the new construction market will be back in full swing.� This is good for sellers because some buyers either don’t have the luxury of waiting on a home to be built and others
just don’t want to! There was a six year period where finding any new construction was difficult and it will take time for the market to replenish its new home inventory. This will make a resale shine even brighter for the time being. The Cueny Team knows the market and has years of expertise is existing home sales. We are ready to get your home on the market and help you with all of your real estate needs. Visit www.andreasellshomes. wordpress.com or www.facebook.com/thecuenyteam for more information about us.
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REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section
April 3, 2014 21
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Congratulates The Best of the Best We are proud to share the news that the Alpharetta North Point Office was once again named the #1 Office in the Coldwell Banker Atlanta Company for 2013 overall performance.
Saluting our top sales associates:
Anita Bryde
Judy Linderman ABR Phoenix Year
Julie Barnes
Grace Hodges
Dodie Hamrick
Shelby Pedersen ABR Phoenix Year
Sue Forsythe
Jenifer Cusick
Susan Craig
Tina Davis
Anita Bryde #1 GCI & Units
Chapman Team #1 Team
Julie Morton #1 New Sales Assoc.
Pam Putnam #1 New Sales Assoc.
Julie Barnes #1 Listing Agent
Mary McPherson Managing Broker
Congratulations to these top producing associates for their outstanding sales performance! With local expertise and global connections in more than 50 countries, these trusted associates have the right tools to help with all your real estate needs. We thank our clients for making Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage their real estate company of choice in Atlanta.
ColdwellBankerAtlanta.com 3800 Mansell Rd., Suite 100, Alpharetta GA 30022
770-642-0399
Š2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Coldwell Banker is a registered service mark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. 7791ATL_2/14
22 April 3, 2014
Sponsored Section • REAL ESTATE REPORT
northfulton.com | Revue & News
Things to consider when buying a family home By MARY McPHERSON Branch Manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage’s Alpharetta/North Point Office For many people, finding a new home is more than a matter of personal taste and individual finance – it’s a family affair. Certain factors are very important to consider when buying a home with family in mind: 1. Proximity to extended family. Nearly half of homeowner respondents in a recent Coldwell Banker® survey said they live less than 10 minutes from extended family members, and 72% reported living within 30 minutes away. Buying a home that is close to family members can provide great emotional and financial benefits. 2. Surrounding neighborhood. A neighborhood looks different from the eyes of a parent. It’s wise to get an idea of what the neighborhood offers for children, such as local recreational centers, parks or playgrounds – as well as the school system – before deciding to move there. 3. Existing floor plan. Each family has its own unique dynamic and should take its distinctive needs into consideration when exploring different floor plans. Ask yourself, does this kitchen suit our needs? Do we want an open floor plan to keep an eye on the kids, or do we want some separation? Does the home have a place for the kids to play?
4. Future lifestyle needs. Make sure the home you purchase leaves growing room and will still fit your family’s needs a few years down the road, especially if there are plans for more children. 5. Budget. This is one of the most important considerations, as a growing family usually means a growing list of expenses as well. Estimate monthly expenses along with a mortgage payment to ensure all financial commitments can be reasonably met. Get the facts and advice you need from one of our Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales associates at our conveniently located Alpharetta office at 3800 Mansell Road or call 770.642 0399. Visit ColdwellBankerAtlanta.com to view all properties currently for sale in the area.
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REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section
April 3, 2014 23
When selling a home, what you don’t know can hurt you By EVE JONES Harry Norman Realtors So, you are ready to list your home for sale and you start by consulting with an agent or two. You may be tempted to use an agent who offers a discount commission, but is that the smart choice for selling your home. First off, your agent, who has so generously decided to take a cut in their commission, may be cutting the other agent’s commission too! For instance, your agent has contracted to sell your home at 5%, but are they still offering the selling (buyer’s) agent 3%? Or, are they offering only a 2.5% commission? Why would you care about what that other agent makes? Well, because your home listing is competing against others that may be offering a fee of 3% or higher. How motivated will that buyer’s agent be to recommend and sell your home to their buyer, whom they have been working with for three solid
months? So, step one: confirm the “co-op fee” in writing by asking to see the agents’ listing sheet. Step two: determine how your agent is presenting your home to the market? Are they marketing your property in the most positive light? Have you ever looked at home listings on-line and had a good laugh at the photos? It never ceases to amaze me how many really, really bad photos (and typos for that matter) are out there. Bad photos will discourage showings and interest. Make sure your agent emails your listing once it is live, so you can see for yourself how your home looks and intermittently, go out on-line and check on it. Lastly, be sure to confirm that your listing agent is a fulltime Realtor. In real estate, time is of the essence which means access to your agent is critical. Your agent needs to be available full-time throughout the transaction to best represent you and your home.
BEFORE
AFTER
JUST SOLD
(i.e. just accurately priced, just staged, just professionally photographed, just masterfully marketed, just rolled out listing to 500+ web sites, just negotiated through 4 offers, just provided market analysis to appraiser, just negotiated and worked through Buyer’s repairs lists, just presented a back-up offer, just coordinated with the lender and attorney, just secured the seller a price of 16% over their original purchase price, just celebrated with the seller).
There’s a lot more to selling homes than you think. That’s why you’ll want to carefully chose your agent to sell your most valuable asset, your home. Patty Ash and Eve Jones of Harry Norman are just the agents you need. We bring sellers (and buyers) the highest level of experience and expertise. Our total 17+ years of experience and $17+ million in sales (2013), combined with our previous corporate professional experience, offer our clients the perfect blend of professionalism, a fresh perspective and knowledge. Call us today for a free in-home consultation. And, if you are thinking of selling and buying, we work as a team to help make the transition smooth every step of the way.
Eve Jones
Patty Ash
770-365-1406 cell
678-557-2877 cell
eve.jones@harrynorman.com www.evejones.harrynorman.com
patty@pattyash.com www.pattyash.com
NORTH FULTON OFFICE | 678-461-8700 | Alpharetta, GA 30022 | www.harrynorman.com
7855 North Point Parkway, Suite 100
24 April 3, 2014
Sponsored Section • REAL ESTATE REPORT
northfulton.com | Revue & News
Tips and tools for your spring cleanup (NAPSI)—There’s good news for homeowners preparing for their first yard work of the season. Investing a little time and effort in selecting the right tools and techniques when it comes to your spring yard cleanup can make the process quicker, easier and greener. For starters, homeowners should be aware that advances in battery technology are making it possible for the performance of cordless tools to match that of their gas-powered counterparts. Thanks to a new wave of battery-powered tools, such as the OREGON 40V MAX* Cordless Tool System, homeowners no longer have to sacrifice power for convenience. And because these tools produce zero emissions, batterypowered tools boast a huge environmental benefit over gaspowered tools. To help make your cleanup easier—and greener—the experts at OREGON offer these tips: • Choose the right tools. For instance, battery-powered tools start instantly, making it easy to tackle any yard task as soon as spring is here. With battery-powered tools, you’ll be ready with a simple charge of the battery.
• Clean up the yard. Remove leaves and winter debris from lawn and shrub planting areas before new growth starts. Inspect trees and shrubs for winter damage, then use a chain saw or pole saw to trim damaged limbs back to the nearest healthy bud. Lightweight, cordless chain saws and pole saws can be excellent tools for this kind of task. They’re also handy to have on hand for cleanup after spring storms. • Prune trees and shrubs at the right time for maximum leaf growth. Most shrubs and ground covers are best pruned in early spring, before they start to grow. A pole saw, such as OREGON’s new PS250, makes it easy to trim out-ofreach branches without the use of a ladder. • Keep grass trimmed to ward off weeds and summer drought. Cut lawns low and reestablish edges along shrub beds, walks and driveways in early spring. Allow your lawn to grow taller as it enters late spring or summer to improve drought stress. The convenience offered by battery-powered trimmers can help make it easier for homeowners to achieve a well-trimmed lawn. • Be a better neighbor.
Compared to their gas-powered counterparts, cordless tools are low noise and quiet between cuts. And no gas means no pollution-producing ex-
haust emissions. To learn more about battery-powered tools and see what products are available, visit www.OregonCordless.com.
*Fully charged battery voltage measured without a workload is 40 volts. Nominal voltage is 36 or 37 depending on battery used.
Put it in the paper! Your Engagement, Wedding, Anniversary, Birth, or Graduation! Call today for pricing & info! 770-442-3278 x100 319 North Main Street • Alpharetta advertising@northfulton.com
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northfulton.com | Revue & News | April 3, 2014 | 25
Don’t miss the ‘Garden Faire’
JTTF founders (second row from left) Betty Yu, Tom Feng and Ethan Jin presented trophies to tournament winners.
JTTF holds 2nd annual table tennis tournament JOHNS CREEK, Ga.—On the weekend of March 8-9, more than 24 teams filled the Atlanta Table Tennis Academy in Johns Creek for the second annual junior table tennis team tournament. Young players from four major table tennis clubs and five high schools in north Georgia paddled in two level competitions. There were two divisions: Division A consisted of players with a rating above 2,500 and Division B consisted of beginners or players with a rating below 2,500. The victorious team of Divi-
sion A was James Du and Jason Zhang, and the first place team in Division B was Michael Fu and Kevin Zhao. The event was hosted by Junior Table Tennis Foundation (JTTF). The JTTF was founded in 2013 by three local high school students: Betty Yu, Tom Feng and Ethan Jin. Their goal is to promote youth table tennis in America by raising funds for USA Table Tennis and organizing annual tournaments for junior table tennis players. For more information, visit www.juniortabletennis.com. —McKenzie Cunningham
When Dorothy stepped out of the rubble of her family home and onto the streets of Munchkin City in “Wizard of Oz,” she marveled at the colorful flowers and unusual plants — so different from her native Kansas. A special gardening event Saturday, April 26, at Bulloch Hall in Roswell will eclipse Dorothy’s awesome sight. The “Garden Faire” will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. Admission is free, and the public is welcome. Garden Faire, hosted by dedicated North Fulton Master Gardeners and co-chaired by Carol Brooks and Pat Price, will have something for every level of gardener — from novice to the seasoned. Don’t worry about breakfast or lunch that day. Master gardeners, many of whom are also master bakers, will provide goodies for purchase at the bake sale. Visitors can also enjoy a cup of coffee while perusing the vendor area, listening to a speaker or browsing the “Fleatique,” which will boast all types of gently used household goods, books and garden ephemera. Whole Foods will provide
Lisa Ethridge N.F. Master Gardener A special gardening event Saturday, April 26, at Bulloch Hall in Roswell will eclipse Dorothy’s awesome sight. lunch fare with a vegetarian option. Bring your gardening questions, too. The popular “Ask a Master Gardener” booth will be open and any
of the workers will be happy to provide good advice on any topic of interest. A wide variety of plant and gardenart vendors will sell specialty items and chat about “best practices” throughout the day. The Garden Faire’s most popular attraction is the PassAlong-Plant Sale. Throughout these past two chilly months, master gardeners have nurtured seedlings and root cuttings, divided rhizomes, landscaped volunteer plants and much more. The plants are strong, healthy, inexpensive and ready for a new home. Our experts will help you select the perfect specimens, tell you how to plant them correctly and provide instructions on care and feeding. Late April is the perfect time to buy and plant perennials and annuals, and the Garden Faire is the place to start making those gardening dreams come true. Lisa Ethridge is a certified master gardener with North Fulton Master Gardeners, part of the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. For information, contact 404-613-7670 or NFMG.net.
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Georgia Southern University STATESBORO, Ga. – Nicole Baar and Will Biddy, both seniors at Roswell High School, recently participated in Scholars Day, sponsored by the Georgia Southern University Admissions Office in Statesboro. More than 250 exceptional high school seniors with outstanding SAT and ACT scores gathered at GSU for the 11th annual Scholars Day to interview for academic and leadership scholarships as well as a place within the University Honors Program.
Georgia Tech ATLANTA – Zachary Campbell, a sophomore at Georgia Tech, made the Faculty Honors list for both spring and fall 2013. The Faculty Honors List recognizes those students who achieve a 4.0 grade point average.
Brevard College BREVARD, N.C. – Two local students were honored by Brevard College in Brevard, N.C., for their work during the fall 2013 semester. Nicholas Bier of Cumming was named to the Dean’s List. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a 3.50 grade point average or higher for the semester. Christopher Frohsin of Milton was named to the Honor Roll. To be eligible for the Honor Roll, students must be enrolled
schools full-time and earn a grade point average of 3.0 to 3.49 during the semester.
The Loomis Chaffee School WINDSOR, Conn. – Samir Agadi, a sophomore from Alpharetta, has been named to the Honor Roll for the fall 2013 term at the Loomis Chaffee School.
Armstrong Atlantic State University SAVANNAH, Ga. – The following local students were named to the fall 2013 Dean’s List at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah. To make the Dean’s List, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.6. John Gomez of Roswell is
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Submit your news & photos to news@northfulton.com a radiological sciences/nuclear medicine major. Alyssa Plemmons is a pre-radiological sciences major from Cumming. Jessica Schlender is a psychology major from Alpharetta.
Louisburg College LOUISBURG, N.C. – Jeffrey Sneed of Cumming completed courses with exemplary marks and made the Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester at Louisburg College. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must have a semester grade point average of at least 3.5. In addition, Kenneth Miller of Duluth completed courses with exemplary marks and made the Honors List for fall semester 2013 at Louisburg College. To be named to the Honors List, a student must have a semester grade point average of at least 3.0 to 3.49.
Savannah College of Art and Design SAVANNAH, Ga. – Local residents recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Jessica Gray of Johns Creek earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design with a minor in advertising. Sarah Al-Mahdi of Alpharetta earned a bachelor’s
degree in fashion marketing and management with a minor in photography. Elizabeth Ordonez of Roswell earned a bachelor’s degree in advertising. Joshua Wood of Alpharetta earned a master’s degree in visual effects. Andrew Averso of Cumming earned a bachelor’s degree in fashion marketing and management. Ann Hancock of Suwanee earned a bachelor’s degree in visual communication. Joshua Wood of Alpharetta earned a master’s degree in visual effects.
American Hebrew Academy GREENSBORO, N.C. – American Hebrew Academy student Jacob Frenkel was named to the Principal’s Honor Roll for the fall trimester of 2013. Frenkel, a senior from Alpharetta, is one of 18 students to qualify for the Principal’s Honor Roll this trimester, denoting an academic average of 95 or higher. In addition, American Hebrew Academy student Roland Rosenberg was named to the Dean’s Honor Roll for the fall trimester of 2013. Roland is a freshman from Cumming.
See VARSITY, Page 27
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northfulton.com | Revue & News | April 3, 2014 | 27
Centennial’s Whitaker headed to West Point JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – U.S. Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) personally notified Centennial High School senior Will Whitaker that he has earned an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Price and Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) nominated Whitaker. Out of thousands of students applying each year, only 1,100 freshmen are accepted to West Point. Applicants must go through a rigorous application process that includes congressional nomination, both medical and
Varsity: Continued from Page 26
Auburn University AUBURN, Ala. – The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to announce that Sarah Suciu of Alpharetta was recently initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Suciu was initiated at Auburn University.
University of Dayton DAYTON, Ohio – Alexander Erdman of Roswell recently graduated from the University of Dayton with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Berry College ROME, Ga. – Berry College welcomed 93 new alums Dec. 14, 2013 at its fall commencement, including the following
physical exams, top-percentile SAT and ACT scores and toptier class rank in school. Candidates must also have proven leadership roles in athletics and extracurricular activities, academic honors for extraordinary performance, exhaustive writing assignments and an interview by a congressionally appointed team. Whitaker will report to the U.S. Military Academy this summer to begin orientation and training. – Staff local graduates. Ashley Harzog of Alpharetta earned a bachelor’s degree in management. Brook Bowers of Cumming earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Mike Robb of Cumming graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science. Danny Tibbetts of Cumming earned a bachelor’s degree dual-degree engineering. Matt Stokes of Roswell graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication. Marissa Cioffi of Suwanee earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Nick Gettys of Suwanee graduated with a bachelor’s degree in government.
Reinhardt University WALESKA, Ga. – Reinhardt University announced that 402 students have been named to the Dean’s List for fall semester 2013. The following local residents were among those included on the list: Brandon Keith of Alpharetta, Laura Rincon of Alpharetta, Natasha Robinson of Alpharetta, Morgan Twiss
of Alpharetta, Audrey Vassell of Duluth, Jessica Lowenstein of Johns Creek, Jeremy Morris of Johns Creek, Kaylee Rinesmith of Johns Creek, Jeremy Burns of Suwanee, Noah Ford of Suwanee, George Minor of Suwanee and Erika Szatmary of Suwanee.
Harding University SEARCY, Ark. – Carter Hughes of Alpharetta and Edward Stringer of Cumming recently returned from a threemonth semester studying at Harding University in Zambia (HIZ). As part of the HIZ curriculum, students spent the fall 2013 term immersed in Zambian culture cultivating new relationships with fellow students.
Carson-Newman University JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Laura Kinney of Roswell was among students honored recently with inclusion on Carson-Newman University’s Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester.
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28 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
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Balloon party narrowly misses unscheduled dip By HATCHER HURD hatcher@northfulton.com ROSWELL, Ga. – A party of five or more in a balloon Saturday, March 22, just missed out on a dunking in a private lake off King Road in Roswell. Neighbors share frontage around Kind Lake got quite a surprise Saturday morning two weeks ago to look out their decks and windows to see a hot-air balloon descend-
CAROLINE BATTERSON, Special
The balloon nearly got stuck in the trees, but pulled free to presumably make a safe landing elsewhere.
ing to less than 10 feet above the water of their suburban lake before generating enough thrust to get airborne again. Marsha Kowalski said she didn’t know what was happening until her dogs started raising a ruckus barking at the back door. “The dogs didn’t seem to like the noise they heard. I went outside and that is when I saw the balloon right off my deck. I thought they were going to take a swim,” Kowalski said. “I got the impression some alcohol might be involved. Anyway, they didn’t seem to be worried about anything.” The balloon was getting quite low and they seemed to be having trouble getting up again, she said. The balloon did manage to stay out of the drink, but then it barely made it over Kowalski’s neighbor’s house and did get snagged by the trees beyond for a minute or two. “There were five or six in the balloon. Like I said, they didn’t seem to be alarmed or anything. But the people in the chase car were going crazy trying to follow. They watched it get out of the trees over Hamilton Park subdivision and keep going,” she said. The balloon passed over
MARSHA KOWALSKI
A hot-air balloon makes a surprise visit to King Lake, a private lake off King Road in Roswell and the balloonists nearly got their feet wet. Marion Vinson’s house, another neighbor on the lake. She said she heard a lot of yelling and went outside to look. “I was probably the only one on the entire lake who did not think to take a picture,” Vinson said. “They got caught in the trees on the other side of my property, but all they did was laugh like crazy. I would have been scared of power
There were five or six in the balloon. Like I said, they didn’t seem to be alarmed or anything.” Marsha Kowalski, Spectator lines or something but not them.” It was stuck in the limbs
for a few moments but then pulled away and flew on, Vinson said.
CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Along with previously advertised items the following will be considered by the City Council on Monday, April 28, 2014 commencing at 7:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, Georgia.
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a. V-14-09/PH-14-07 Bridgeway Christian Academy Soccer Consideration of a request to change a previous condition of zoning in order to allow a sign on a soccer field. The property is located at 4755 Kimball Bridge Road and legally described as being located in Land Lot 163, 1st District, 1st Section, Fulton County, Georgia. b. V-14-11 Webb Bridge Low Impact Development Consideration of a request for a variance to the front yard setback from 35’ to 15’; a variance to permit storm water detention on a lot with a home; a variance to the typical City roadway section; and a variance to allow a 35’setback along Webb Bridge Road. The property is located at 4570 Webb Bridge Road and legally described as being located in Land Lots 158 and 159,1st District, 1st 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.
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‘Based on a true story…’ What an odd world we live in jonathan The recent film “American Hustle” has perhaps the most honest caveat that plays along similar lines. It says, “Some of these events really happened.” This is simply a nicer way of saying the trite “based on a true story.” Wikipedia is a godsend for random lists. In this case, movies based on actual events. Interestingly, for all of movie history – dating back to the 1800s! – there were 211 movies made before the year 2000 that claimed to be based on fact. After 2000, all 14 years of it, there have been 221 made. At some level, being based on a true story reels the audience in further to the fictional tale told on the screen. We are more likely to believe the ragsto-riches or inspirational tale of the hero if we think it is true. “Good Morning Vietnam?” Apparently, everything in it except the main character was made up for the character played by Robin Williams. “The Hurricane?” Ditto – except that was largely to paint Rubin “Hurricane” Carter as a victim of a racist justice system. Many of these movies are based on actual news events – such as “Zero Dark Thirty” or “Diana” – or books, such as “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” which was based on the autobiography. What really takes the cake,
copsey
Revue & News Editor jonathan@northfulton.com
It might be more fair to say these films “drew inspiration from real events.” or they “have some facts in them.” Like places, or gravity. however, is when horror movies claim they are true. Again, this is simply to make the film seem more believable. It has become almost expected now to see “based on a true story” before every ghost story or stab-fest. “The Strangers” is a perfect example of this. Everything in the movie except the ending is completely fabricated. Yes, two people were killed. Were the two hours leading up
to this fact or simply educated guessing as to what happened? It might be more fair to say these films “drew inspiration from real events.” or they “have some facts in them.” Like places, or gravity. Not all movies are lying when they make the claim. Some tweak reality a little to make the story flow better or fit into a twohour movie. The recent “Dallas Buyers Club” created two characters who were composites of several other people. Instead of having a cast of dozens, the filmmakers simply made up those two people. Sometimes Hollywood gets it right. The recent “Lincoln” was praised for its accuracy. Even then, it fudged some facts. Allen Guelzo, of Gettysburg College, is quoted as saying “the film was 90 percent on the mark, which given the way Hollywood usually does history is saying something.” It is indeed saying something, especially for such an important moment in history boiled down to a few hours of screen time. The kicker to all this is at the end of the credits of all of these films. There is that legal mumbo jumbo in fine print saying all the characters and events in the film are fictional and any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental. Well, at least that’s honest.
“The odds of meeting your partner on a blind date: 1 in 34.5.” As a journalist, I’m fascinated by the odds (probabil- Managing Editor ity) of things and, of course, aldo@forsythherald.com by odd (bizarre) things as well. So when I came across “The Book of Odds: From Lightning Strikes to Love at are 1 in 1.1 that you’re a First Sight, the Odds of Evfemale, while for a male, the eryday Life,” I had to get it. odds of reading a romance I wanted to share some novel are 1 in 10.5. of its findings this week. But the power of love is Remember, odds are based strong, because the odds an on recorded past occurrences adult 30-49 will report he or and are not describing parshe would rather suffer than ticulars. let his or her loved one suffer The authors of the book are 1 in 1.1, or 90 percent. warn readers of this upWhen it comes to staying front. at home, a married woman Obviously as the title with one or more children suggests, what are the odds under age 6 has a 1 in 3.7 of being struck by lightning? chance of being a stay-atOnly 1 in 1,101,000. home mom. For a married The odds an adult in a man, the odds are 1 in 125 relationship met his or her he will be a stay-at-home partner at a New Year’s Eve dad. party? The odds a person will die 1 in 465. The odds a person 18-25 years old will binge in a year? 1 in 135. That’s about the same odds that a drink alcohol in a month are male born in 2008 is named 1 in 2.4. David: 1 in 134. And if you’re an underAnd the odds that an graduate student, the odds adult does not have a living that you broke up and got will are 1 in 1.5; the same back together with the same odds an adult does not beperson are 1 in 1.6. lieve in ghosts. Romance reader? Odds
aldo nahed
Private prison bill surrenders our rights Though Georgia Republicans earned a victory for gun rights in the Georgia State Legislature, they simultaneously ceded the civil liberties of its citizens over to private prison companies. HB 837 didn’t get a whole lot of attention relative to the fact that Georgians can now bring guns into bars and churches, but the bills that do genuine damage rarely do. If signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal, private companies will not have to disclose how much probationers pay local governments, nor will the companies have to report how many people are in their control—this despite a system paid for by tax dollars. Additionally, the bill allows for private companies to extend probation indefinitely and to collect additional fees. Sarah Geraghty, an attorney representing the South Center for Human Rights, told
james carr
Guest Columnist news@northfulton.com
The Chronicle the bill is “a gift to the private probation industry.” She may not be entirely wrong. The bill was introduced to the floor by Republican Sen. Jesse Stone of Waynesboro, who also happens to be a candidate for a judgeship in Burke County, which contracts many of its needs out to private prison industries. Coincidentally, The Chronicle also reports the bill was introduced shortly after lawsuits were filed in Richmond and Columbia to challenge the constitutionality of private companies carrying out
judicial processes, as well as a judicial ruling in 2013 that blocked private companies from extending probationary sentences on their own, meaning they had to pay back thousands of dollars to taxpayers—threats the private prison will now consider neutralized in Georgia. This bill is another aggressive move towards drivers in the state of Georgia— one of the few states which considers traffic violations as misdemeanors, and thus put anyone driving a car at the risk of private probation. Super speeder laws continue to rake in money for local police departments, while the new police force in Milton seems hired to fine anybody driving slightly over the speed limit. Georgia’s hefty asset forfeiture laws—described as “among the worst in the country and the very worst in the
...Our government should never pass bills that surrender our rights, or our tax money, to private companies... South,” by Joel Aaron Foster of Americans for Prosperity Georgia while a bill to reform the system lay dormant on the House floor—allow police to seize anything suspected of using in a criminal activity, including cars and cash. So much for innocent until proven guilty. These bills contribute to big profits for the industry, which makes it’s money purely off those in prison or probation— money which should go back to the taxpayers who fund the system. In the last quarter of 2012,
Sentinel Offender Services controlled 254,000 Georgians serving probation on misdemeanor terms, resulting in $1.8 million for the company in one month alone. It is one thing to pass a law in the name of safety or good economics. It is another thing to pass a bill that has popular support. But our government should never pass bills that surrender our rights, or our tax money, to private companies—certainly not from the party that supposedly represents strong individual rights.
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30 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
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Brits meet in 17th Georgia Cup Match Verizon: First all-England match at Golf Club of Georgia
ALPHARETTA – In the first All-England match in the history of The Georgia Cup, Brits Matt Fitzpatrick and Garrick Porteous meet Wednesday, April 2, at 1 p.m. in the 17th rendition of this unique amateur event at The Golf Club of Georgia. Fitzpatrick, 19, is from Sheffield, England, is the 2013 U.S. Amateur Champion and the No. 2-ranked amateur in the world. He goes up against No. 9 amateur Garrick Porteous, 24, the former University of Tennessee player who won last year’s British Amateur and lives in Morpeth, Northumberland, England. Serving as 2014 Georgia Cup Honorary Captain is three-time major champion and Hall of Famer Larry Nelson of Marietta, Ga., a match-play expert himself with a 9-3-1 Ryder Cup record. Walker Cup teammates in 2013, Fitzpatrick and Porteous will compete in the Masters April 10-13 at Augusta after
Arrests: Continued from Page 2 ►► Seyed Rezvan, 58, of
Beacon Hill Crossing, Alpharetta, was arrested March 10 on Jones Bridge Road in Johns Creek for DUI. ►► Chandler Bryan Watts, 19, of Jefferson was arrested
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spending the week at The Golf Club of Georgia, preparing for the season’s first major. The Georgia Cup annually pits the U.S. amateur champion and the British amateur champ, but for the first time ever, they are both Brits. The two players will compete in an 18hole match play competition Wednesday, must break the tie in The Georgia Cup, which is knotted at 8-8 through the first
March 11 on Sargent Road in Johns Creek for DUI, underage possession of alcohol, open container, tag light requirements, no registration and violation of a limited permit. ►► Margarita Monsalve, 53, of Brockham Way, Alpharetta, was arrested March 14 on State Bridge Road in Johns Creek for DUI and driving on the wrong side of the roadway. ►► Robert Jason Hunt, 39, of Midland Court, Alpharetta, was arrested March 11 on Morris Road in Milton for DUI
said this wasn’t to be difficult or prima donnas, but instead to gauge how seriously the venue was taking other requests in the contract. “It showed they saw it as a real and valued contract,” Ralph said. For Verizon, the craziest thing was a brand new toilet for a diva. She required a new toilet in her dressing room everywhere she went. Also on Ralph’s list was a sailboat for Paul McCartney.
16 years of the event. The British Amateur Champion has won three of the last four years, most recently with Alan Dunbar of Northern Ireland defeating U.S. Amateur Champion Steven Fox of UT-Chattanooga in 2013. Proceeds from The Georgia Cup benefit the Georgia State Golf Association Foundation and the Folds of Honor Foundation. The Georgia Cup’s major 2014 sponsors are Cisco and KPMG.
and failure to maintain lane.
Drug arrests ►► Jonathan Ji Yul Kim, 23, of
Calmwater Lane, Johns Creek, was arrested March 14 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana. ►► John Carter Grimes III, 18, of Park Creek Road, Alpharetta, was arrested March 14 on Brookside Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana. ►► Steven Tyler White, 26, of
ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSALS CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN RFP 14-112 The City of Alpharetta is requesting proposals from highly qualified consulting firms to assist the City in creating an updated DOWNTOWN MASTER PLAN.
What is the best show you have ever seen? Radiohead is his personal favorite, however a Metallica and Kid Rock performance for the Y2K was also amazing, he said. Fifty thousand people were crammed into the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich.
Duluth was arrested March 6 on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and too fast for conditions. ►► Paul Gates Braas, 53, of Marietta was arrested March 8 on Mansell Road in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and expired tag. ►► Brandon Rayford Bush, 25, of Tucker was arrested March 9 on Ga. 400 in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and no insurance. ►► Elisjah Sean Ramirez, 22, of Atlanta was arrested March 10 on North Point Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and failure to obey
a traffic control device.
►► Jacob Louis Packman, 19,
of Forest Place, Roswell, was arrested March 10 on Mansell Road in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana and tampering with evidence. ►► Courtney Deshon Fraiser, 24, of Brookhollow Lane, Johns Creek, was arrested March 12 on State Bridge Road in Johns Creek for possession of marijuana. ►► Daffy Upkins, 33, of Ellenwood was arrested March 15 on Deerfield Parkway in Milton for possession of marijuana, suspended license and tint violation.
ADVERTISEMENT FOR INFORMATION CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR WIRELESS ACCESS POINT /WAP TECHNOLOGY FOR WI-FI ACCESS RFI 14-1005
The Request for Proposals document will be available online Thursday, April 3, 2014, at our website, www.alpharetta.ga.us, and then choose the Bids Online tab. Proposals will be due on Thursday, May 1, 2014 at 10:00 AM at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department, 2970 Webb Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
The City of Alpharetta is requesting information for WIRELESS ACCESS POINT /WAP TECHNOLOGY STANDARDIZATION FOR WI-FI ACCESS from qualified firms to standardize and deploy Wireless Access Point technology for WI-FI access for mobile devices for City business and guest usage.
A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held at City of Alpharetta’s Community Development Department Conference Room, 217 Roswell Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009 on Wednesday, April 16, 2014, beginning promptly at 1:00 PM. Participation in the conference is optional. However, it is advisable that all interested Offerors participate.
The Request for Information document will be available online Thursday, March 27, 2014, at our website, www.alpharetta.ga.us, then choose the Bids Online tab. Information will be due on Thursday, April 17, 2014 at 2:00 PM at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department, 2970 Webb Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
For information, please contact Debora Westbrook at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department via email at purchasing@alpharetta.ga.us or at 678-297-6052.
For information, please contact Debora Westbrook at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department via email at purchasing@alpharetta.ga.us or at 678-297-6052.
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northfulton.com | Revue & News | April 3, 2014 | 31
We Have Exciting News! In the last five years (2008-2013) which media use is increasing? 47% 48%
17%
Survey Question: “Which of the following news sources would you say that you rely on the most for news about issues and problems in Johns Creek? 18%
15%
13% 5% 5%
Atlanta Journal Constitution
5/2/2013
10/1/2008
Johns Creek Herald
Johns Creek Patch*
9%
7% 3%
Johns TV Stations Creek From Neighbor** Atlanta
1%
Internet
4% Other
4%
5%
Unsure or Refused
APPEN MEDIA newspapers reach 40% more (over 30,000 more homes) in North Fulton / South Forsyth than the next closest competitor and is by far the preferred source for local news. If your business depends on reaching buyers in North Fulton or South Forsyth, we deliver. Why settle for less? Let us connect you. Call now for more advertising information 770-442-3278.
Circulation Comparison
AppenMediaGroup.com Survey of Voter Attitudes in Johns Creek, Georgia conducted from April 30 - May 2, 2013 by The Tarrance Group for the City of Johns Creek. Question #QD7. *Listed as Johns Creek Post in 2008 survey. ** Not included in 2008 survey.
AJC WEEKDAY 16,481
AJC SUNDAY 29,241
NEIGHBOR 43,250
APPEN 73,500
Data based on the following: 2013 CVC Audit for Appen, 2013 ABC Audit for the AJC, 2013 CAC Audit for the Neighbor. Comparison only of circulation in Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek, and Forsyth county.
32 | April 3, 2014 | Revue & News | northfulton.com
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Mandatory concussion baseline test beneficial to young athletes By CAROLYN ASPENSON carolyn@northfulton.com CUMMING, Ga. — Cumming resident Stacie Garramone cheered as her son scored a goal for South Forsyth High School’s freshman lacrosse team against Druid Hills. But she stopped cheering when he walked himself off the field. “When he scored, the referee threw the yellow flag and I figured it was a penalty,” she said. “I didn’t realize the goalie left the field for hitting my son.” Garramone said her son Cameron, 15, was hit in the side of his helmet, snapping his head sideways. “The goalie has both hands on his stick and hit him next to his ear,” she said. “He walked himself off the field and when the coach asked why, he didn’t know.” Garramone’s son was out for the rest of the game, but seemed fine, so he went to school the next day. “He called me from school and told me his head was throbbing and he felt sick to his stomach,” she recalled. “So I brought him to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at the Collection and he was diagnosed with a concussion.” Garramone’s son is one of
Common signs of a concussion
Cameron Garramone, 15, took a hit during a South Forsyth lacrosse game against Druid Hills and suffered a concussion. thousands of young adults diagnosed with concussions each year, and the number is rising, experts say. “We see kids with concussions several times a week,” said Dr. Russ Mitchell of Northside Emergency Associates. Statistics show football is the No. 1 traumatic brain injury sport in the country, with sports like lacrosse, soccer, cheerleading and gymnastics following closely behind. Last year, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed the Georgia Youth Concussion law to protect children from sustain-
• Appears dazed or stunned • Confused about assignment • Forgets plays • Is unsure of game or opponent • Moves clumsily • Answers questions slowly • Loses consciousness (even temporarily) • Shows behavior or personality changes • Forgets events prior to injury (retrograde amnesia) • Forgets events after injury (anterograde amnesia) (Source: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta)
Common symptoms of a concussion • Confusion • Clumsy movement or dizziness ing injuries from unnoticed or untreated concussions. The law requires parents to sign a concussion-information form before their child can participate in sports and that any child with a possible concussion be removed from the sport until they’re cleared to play again by a medical professional. “Cameron took the baseline test before the season started,” Garramone said. “And when he took the concussion test at Children’s, he failed.” Garramone said the test helped her understand the severity of his injury and is glad
• Nausea or vomiting • Memory loss • Tiredness • Upset stomach • Vision problems • Sensitivity to noise and light • Numbness or tingling anywhere on the body • Loss of balance or trouble walking • Mentally foggy, cannot think clearly or remember things • Slurred speech or other changes in speech • Irritable or more fussy than usual • Acts differently than normal (does not play, acts fussy or seems confused) • More emotional, perhaps very sad or nervous • Different sleeping patterns (Source: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta)
the state requires them. “With the test, we have more information than just asking our child how they feel,” she said. Her son’s treatment plan incudes rest, limited stimulation and activity until his symptoms are gone. Garramone’s son didn’t black out from the injury, but that’s not always the case with a concussion. Dr. William Primos, of Children’s Healthcare, said traumatic brain injuries like concussions vary in intensity. “Each injury is unique dependent upon the location and
intensity of the hit, as well as several other factors,” Primos said. Recoveries vary, too, but Primos said it’s all about rest and limited stimulation. “As the symptoms dissipate, activities are slightly increased,” he said. “We have a very specific system to determine the rise in activities.” Primos encourages parents to take children to the doctor after they are hit in the head. “What may seem like something minor can actually be serious,” Primos said. “And certainly not worth the risk.”
Brothers named wrestling state champs MILTON, Ga. — Milton brothers Jack and Luke Nickel have won the state wrestling title. Jack and Luke achieved Georgia Youth State Wresting Champion status at the Georgia Dome on March 1. Jack (10U, 120 pounds) finished the season with a 22-1 record. His brother, Luke (6U, 70 pounds), also finished the season with a 22-1 record with 17 of the wins by pin or technical fall. Jack began wrestling at the age of 7. “Hard work pays off, and writing down your goals and making them happen is awesome,” Jack said. Luke began wrestling at the age of 4.
Left, Luke Nickel with his medal. Right, Jack Nickel with his medal. “Work hard for your goals and always give your best effort,” Luke said. Both brothers say their practices are the hardest part
of wrestling. They train with coach Charlie Morris at the Morris Fitness Wrestling Club in Alpharetta. —Shubhi Tangri
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From left are Jake Sadd, Cole Woodward, Bryan Barnett, Diego Torres, Hunter Phillips, Chad Foster and Ryan Tillman.
Centennial athletes sign seven letters of intent ROSWELL, Ga. — Seven Centennial High School students signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level. From the baseball program, Chad Foster signed with West Georgia University. Ryan Tillman signed with Sewanee, the University of the South, and Hunter Phillips signed to play
at Alabama State University. Tennis player Bryan Barnett signed to play at Piedmont College. Diego Torres signed to play soccer at Southern Polytechnic University, and lacrosse players Jake Sadd and Cole Woodward both signed to play at Guilford College. —McKenzie Cunningham
Sports
northfulton.com | Revue & News | April 3, 2014 | 33
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ROX U15-U16 Girls Soccer Team wins Championship MILTON, Ga. — The Rox U-15-U16 Girls Soccer Team finished their winter season at STARS Soccer Barn with a 6-0 record. In their finals, the team ended 4-0 in game one and 4-1 in game two to take the championship title. -Lindsey Conway
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Bruce F. AcKinclose, Jr., 70, of Suwanee, passed away March 14, 2014. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.
Antoinette Giuseffi, 102, passed away March 16, 2014. Arrangements by Roswell Funeral Home and Greenlawn Cemetery.
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