Forsyth Herald - March 16, 2023

Furkids pins future dreams on event facility

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Furkids

Animal Rescue and Shelters announced its dedication of a new event center at Shiloh Gardens for fundraising March 9.

The 3,400-square-foot facility was named after donors Kay and John Giaquinto, and it will host meetings, community gatherings and weddings. The center was rebuilt from an existing barn, and all proceeds from events will directly support the organization.

“We are really excited and motivated about the potential for it to generate ongoing income for the organization to fund lifesaving programs into the future,” John Giaquinto said. “And we encourage people to support Furkids in their own ways, whether it’s fostering or adopting Furkids animals, volunteering time or donating money, materials or talent.”

District partners with clinic to open school health center

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Schools and Georgia Highlands Medical Services hosted a ribbon-cutting for the county’s first school-based health center at Cumming Elementary School March 9.

The school-based health center will

provide on-site medical and mental health services to students and school staff. It will be led by nurse practitioner Ashley Ford and licensed professional counselor Michele Ruiz.

Cumming Elementary school nurse Kimberly Crockett will manage communication between the school and the clinic. Students will still visit the nurse first, then attend the health center on

her recommendation.

At the March 9 ceremony, representatives from Cumming Elementary School, Georgia Highlands Medical Services and Forsyth County Schools gathered to talk about the process of creating the school-based health center.

See HEALTH, Page 10

The opening marked the completion of phase one of the Furkids Capital Campaign, which funded the purchase of the property, two outbuildings for cat intake and an isolation building for sick cats, as well as other projects.

The organization is composed of a cat shelter; a veterinary clinic; care and intake buildings; and the Sadie’s Place dog shelter on Union Hill Road.

In the second phase of the capital campaign, the shelter is raising money for new free-standing dog and cat shelters, a medical facility and to repurpose the current dog shelter for intake and quarantine for its TransFur program, which sends animals to no-kill shelters with high demand for adoption.

“Our goal is to make Shiloh Gardens at Furkids unique among animal rescue and shelter organizations,” Furkids founder and CEO

See ANIMALS, Page 11

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

County Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden, Georgia Highlands Medical Services CEO Todd Shifflet, County Schools Health Services Facilitator Heidi Avila, Georgia Highlands Medical Services Nurse Practitioner Ashley Ford and Cumming Elementary School Principal Jordan Livermore cut the ribbon for the county’s first school-based health center March 9.

Three people injured in crash on Ga. 400

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A rollover crash on Ga. 400 southbound between exits 13 and 14 resulted in the injury of three March 6.

According to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the accident occurred around 8:25 a.m., and multiple drivers reported the crash involving a Hyundai

POLICE BLOTTER

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Gainesville man arrested in January theft incident

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested Christopher Cook, 46, of Gainesville Feb. 28 as a suspect in a January theft incident.

A woman told deputies Jan. 21 her vehicle had been burglarized. She said she and Cook had hauled scrap metal Jan. 17 with a trailer that she had received permission to use. The next day, her vehicle had broken down, and she left it and the trailer at Eagle Beak Park.

When she returned to repair her vehicle Jan. 21, the trailer and several items were missing from her vehicle, the report states.

The woman reported various tools, flashlights and two dragonfly pendants stolen. The total value of the missing items was $850, and the trailer was valued at $1,500.

Deputies identified a Jeep Grand Cherokee registered to Cook with the trailer in Jan. 19 Flock camera footage. The woman confirmed that Cook had stayed with her Jan. 20, the report states, and he had

Elantra and a CO2 tanker truck.

The Hyundai failed to maintain the middle lane, the sheriff’s office said, and it struck the truck in the far-right lane, which caused both vehicles to flip off the right side of the highway.

The drivers of both vehicles were transported to a county hospital for

driven a vehicle that matched the description.

Cook was charged with felony theft by taking, entering automobile theft and felony criminal damage to property in the second degree. He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail with bond set at $22,390.

Lawrenceville woman arrested for battery

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies arrested a Lawrenceville woman March 5 who allegedly battered her girlfriend outside a Home Depot in Suwanee.

Forsyth County deputies met with a woman at Emory Johns Creek Hospital who said her girlfriend Precious Ayeni, 23, had scratched, bitten and hit her. The woman said she had waited for Ayeni in the car at the Home Depot on Peachtree Parkway with her dog.

The woman told deputies Ayeni disliked when she left the car door open, which she said she did when she exited the vehicle to walk her dog. The woman said she and Ayeni argued over the open door, and then Ayeni attacked her.

During the argument, Ayeni allegedly caused the woman bodily harm by “disfiguring her tongue by slicing it open with her fingers to expose its insides after biting her face causing it to bleed and scratching her neck

evaluation. The passenger in the Hyundai was airlifted to a local trauma center. The sheriff’s office said driver error appears to be the only factor in the accident, and it remains an ongoing investigation.

– Shelby Israel

and arm while beating her,” the report states.

Ayeni told deputies on a phone call the argument ensued over their relationship, past relationships, loyalty and trust. Ayeni met with deputies at the hospital, where she was arrested for felony aggravated battery.

Deputies cite suspect for 13 counts of fraud

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a suspect March 2 in multiple credit card fraud and theft incidents that occurred June 2019.

Sheriff’s Office deputies charged Ricky White Jr., 28, of Conyers on six counts of felony transaction card theft, seven counts of felony fraudulent use of a transaction card and four counts of entering automobile theft.

Deputies reported June 22, 2019, White had broken into four vehicles outside the Planet Fitness at Merchants Square. Three of the victims reported items missing, including credit cards, an iPhone, cash, debit cards and a Social Security card.

Two victims told deputies their cards had been used for purchases that totaled $365. A third victim reported $200 in cash stolen.

White is being held at the Forsyth County Jail with a bond amount of $72,390.

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.

Forsyth County to raise impact fees

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County commissioners have agreed to amend the county’s impact fee ordinance each January to adjust for inflation.

The commission adopted the measure unanimously at its March 7 work session. The decision will be formalized at the board’s March 16 meeting, and it will raise 2022 impact fees by 6.4 percent beginning in October.

Impact fees are placed on new land developments to fund government services they may draw from, like roads, parks and public safety.

County Chief Financial Officer Marcus Turk said the impact fee ordinance had not been amended since 2016, but the automatic adjustment component was first featured in the January 2004 ordinance.

“After an extensive search of documents, I have been unable to locate any documented automatic adjustments since 2004,” Turk said. “The process will now be implemented to ensure the automatic adjustment provision of the impact fee ordinance is completed as stated this year and in future years.”

Turk said the automatic adjustment in the ordinance is calculated by the annual consumer price index. The January 2023 index places a 6.4 percent increase on the 2022 baseline impact fees.

County Attorney Ken Jarrard said impact fees analyze the county’s baseline cost of services, which is then used to determine the additional financial burden that a new project would create and propose a fee that maintains the county’s baseline.

“It is almost, really, sort of a retroactive tax to take the burden of new development off of our citizens and put it onto new individuals coming, because any new individuals or services or entities that come to the county necessarily

dilute the delivery of the services we provide,” Jarrard said. “More people move in, more burden on roads. More people move in, more burden on 911, et cetera.”

Commissioners voted 4-0 to adopt the ordinance. Commissioner Laura Semanson was absent.

School resource officers

Also at the work session, commissioners approved the addition of six school resource officers in an agreement between the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the Forsyth County School District.

Director of Employment Services

Charity Clark said the School Board will fund the benefits and salaries for the additional officers.

Sheriff Ron Freeman said the agreement followed the outcry after the 2022 elementary school shooting in Uvalde,

Texas, and he and the Board of Education agreed to have one officer on every campus. Freeman said there will no longer be joint campus officers, even if

two schools are across the street from one another. If new schools are added, the Sheriff’s Office and the school board will split the cost of new officers evenly, Freeman said.

Playground replacement

Commissioners also approved $200,000 to Playground Creations for the design and installation of the playground at Coal Mountain Park. Interim Parks and Recreation Director Laura Pate said the amount is included in the department’s capital replacement budget.

Pate said the project will replace the 21-year-old playground and the rubber surfacing on the universal playground near the front of the park.

Commissioners also unanimously approved the creation of a cottage food administrative permit that allows county residents to sell approved food items out of their homes. According to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, these foods include cakes, breads, pastries, jams, seasonings and confections.

The property must be zoned agricultural or agricultural-residential, and applicants must pay a $25 fee for the annual permit, as well as obtain a state cottage food license.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Chief Financial Officer Marcus Turk addresses the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners at its March 7 work session. Commissioners approved a measure to raise county impact fees 6.4 percent to allow for inflation.

Gasthaus Tirol

Computer Museum of America seeks to generate bigger crowds

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga.— The Computer Museum of America hosted its second annual “Byte: A Night of Cuisine, Cocktails and Computers” fundraiser March 9, marking the start of a new phase for the tech-focused museum.

More than 200 people gathered at the museum after hours to tour exhibits and donate to the non-profit tech museum.

The Computer Museum of America opened in the corner of Roswell Town Center on Commerce Parkway in July of 2019. Museum founder Lonnie Mimms used his own collection of over 300,000 technology artifacts collected over 40 years to create the exhibits. The museum opened with the mission of “preserving stories and artifacts from the so-called digital age.”

With more than 34,000 square feet of exhibit space and displays on supercomputers, film technology and space travel, the museum spans the history of technology.

Museum highlights include the Pixar computer used to create “Toy Story,” a timeline of technology and a temporary interactive art installation.

Yet Executive Director Rena Youngblood said growth “hasn’t been as fast” as the museum’s team had hoped.

“We are now where we could have been within 12-15 months of starting,” Youngblood said. “Instead, it’s been three years.”

Youngblood joined the museum staff in early 2020, six months before COVID-19

shutdowns began. She cites the onset of the pandemic as one of the museum’s biggest challenges.

“We reopened when the government said we could, but it has not been the same,” Youngblood said.

Volunteers at the Computer Museum of America called the space a “hidden gem” in Roswell. Youngblood said the museum hears that a lot. For 2023, she plans to allocate more funds to promoting the museum and moving away from “hidden gem” status.

“You know, we’re just so young,” Youngblood said. “Every dollar you spend, it’s thoughtful.”

To bring in funds, the museum decided to host a “Byte” fundraiser event in 2022. The first fundraiser faced COVID-19 related delays, but Youngblood said it was eventually a success.

The funds helped the museum grow. Last year, they hired the museum’s first education and programs manager, hosted about 26 summer camps and weekly field trips. Youngblood said she has spent a lot of time working on a new strategic plan.

“We almost consider what we’ve done so far a proof of concept,” Youngblood said.

For the second annual “Byte” fundraiser, the Computer Museum of America had 17 sponsors, with 11 local restaurants and catering companies providing food and drink to guests.

The museum premiered their temporary exhibit, Georgia Tech’s interactive art

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Sam Berman and Vivian Kovach tell the crowd about their experiences at Computer Museum of America’s summer camp at the March 9 “Byte: A Night of Cuisine, Cocktails and Computers” fundraiser in Roswell. See

Group makes recycling a community venture

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Green Cell, the Alpharetta-based nonprofit, is endearingly scrappy, but it packs a punch with more than 100 volunteers.

The group leads a number of ecoconscious projects that service other cities in Fulton County, like Johns Creek, as well as Forsyth and Gwinnett counties.

Green Cell is also looking to engage communities outside of the state by setting up utensil banks in Charlotte and one in Texas. The project loans coolers and utensils for low-waste gatherings. By loaning utensils in 2022, Pankaj Rajankar said more than 100,000 singleuse utensils were eliminated.

Rajankar, who co-founded Green Cell in 2018 with Sandesh Shinde, said the idea for Green Cell started with a wellliked Facebook post spreading environmental awareness.

“My comment on that was, ‘These likes don’t matter,’” Rajankar said.

He said everybody points a finger and asks others to change their habits, yet they hold a plastic bottle or don’t own reusable grocery bags.

“Unless all human beings change

and ask for this change, the change is not going to happen,” Rajankar said.

He along with board member Vijay Desai and youth coordinator Ramya Shivkumar sat inside the Dunkin’ Donuts off North Main Street in Alpharetta sharing Green Cell milestones. Shivkumar’s young but forward-thinking daughter was there, too, and said she wants to move to California because the state is banning plastic bags.

Desai pointed out the window to call out the harmful transportation of pine straw used to beautify the parking lot’s medians. The area already has a lot of pine trees, but Desai said the needles are mostly transported from Florida.

“It’s crazy that they are actually spending carbon to bring [those] pine needles and spread it here when we could just simply leave the leaves alone,” Desai said impassioned, with comments on an alternative like spreading composted soil.

Composting was one focus of the Feb. 9 discussion. But Shivkumar also brought news about an upcoming youth sustainability conference hosted by Green Cell in September, the first of its kind in the state in a decade.

GREEN CELL/PROVIDED

From left, Green Cell volunteer Uday Golambade, co-founder Pankaj Rajankar and board member Vijay Desai stand next to a newly constructed community composter in Alpharetta. Green Cell volunteers take material from around 25 families in their neighborhoods for composting. See RECYCLING, Page 20

All Saints to host annual food drive

DUNWOODY, Ga. — All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody, in partnership with the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, will host the annual “Hope for the Hungry” food drive from March 18 to March 19.

During the event, local residents can make donations to help neighbors in the community by replenishing the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry’s stores for the coming months.

Food pantry officials said that all food items are needed and welcome, but the need is greatest for canned meat, peanut butter and diapers. A

full list of recommended foods and household items can be found by visiting allsaintsdunwoody.org and clicking on St. Vincent de Paul on the ministries page.

St. Vincent de Paul is also accepting monetary donations made payable to SVdP GA Food Pantry, officials said.

Dropoff for the food donation event will be held from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 18, and from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 19.

All Saints Catholic Church is at 2443 Mount Vernon Road in Dunwoody.

Roswell Police arrest 2 on prostitution charges

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police made two arrests for prostitution-related charges on March 2 at a location on Alpharetta Street.

One individual was arrested for prostitution and related sex acts for hire. Both people were arrested on a misdemeanor charge of “keeping a place of prostitution,” and for giving massages in a place used for lewdness, prostitution and other acts for

hire.

Fulton County Jail records show both people were released on cash bonds the same day they entered the facility.

The arrests are part of an ongoing investigation, and the Roswell Police Department says more information will be made available as the case progresses through the prosecution stage.

Rauf

,

engineer with Nelson Intelligence Solutions, uses a

application Feb. 28 to map Macedonia Cemetery for future ground penetrating

Analysts visit Macedonia Cemetery for preliminary ground radar survey

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Macedonia Cemetery, a Black historical cemetery off Medlock Bridge Road, saw visitors Feb. 28 for a preliminary ground penetrating radar survey.

Devon Ramey, a geospatial analyst with Nelson Intelligence Solutions, monitored drones aerial-mapping the area. Meanwhile, Rauf Hussein, a geotechnical engineer, walked around the cemetery mapping locations using a phone application. Hussein said he has been doing ground penetrating radar (GPR) for a decade.

Museum:

Continued from Page 4

installation “LuminAI.” Participants danced with an artificially intelligent, projected dance partner while other guests watched.

Two children who attended the museum’s computer-focused summer camps spoke about how much they enjoyed their time learning about technology. In remarks, Youngblood recalled what another child said to her after he left the museum.

“He said, ‘I’m just shocked it’s not full of people right now!’” Youngblood said.

To the executive director, reactions like that are an example of the museum’s impact so far. Now, she’s looking to “phase two” of the museum.

“It’s raising awareness, raising funds

Real-time data collection would take place in a second visit, Hussein said.

Kirk Canaday, Johns Creek Historical Society member, followed Hussein around to provide guidance on the area. Sabrina Aquell, a Macedonia descendent, was also there to key in on the process.

GPR focus is going toward the area where the first church was, near the St. Ives fence. But for best results, Canaday said the City of Johns Creek will need to clear the ground.

Because moisture kills radar signals, Hussein said GPR should be performed before next winter.

and raising energy for what we do as a group,” Youngblood said.

Youngblood hopes to expand into the rest of the museum’s space. In addition to the exhibit area, the Computer Museum of America has a 10,000 square foot ballroom, classrooms and a second floor offering 65,000 square feet of space.

The museum still acquires artifacts that it plans to display in the future, once the staff knows “how things are going to shake out” and decides what to preserve and share. The artifacts are part of the museum’s long-term goal.

“We want to be here 75 years from now,” Youngblood said.

To do that, Youngblood said the museum needs fundraising, partnerships, and for everyone to “believe” with her that the museum can do what it takes to succeed.

“We’re a nonprofit, so let’s work together,” Youngblood said.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Hussein

geotechnical

phone

radar. Kirk Canaday, Johns Creek Historical Society member, provided guidance to the process. A descendant of one of the people buried, Sabrina Aquell, was also at the cemetery to stay updated on the project.

Community members gather to reject antisemitism

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — People of various faiths gathered at Temple Emanu-El March 5 to discuss ways to combat antisemitism after anti-Jewish flyers were distributed across the community in early February.

The event, “Georgia’s Fight Against Antisemitism,” consisted of small lectures from elected officials and religious leaders followed by a community discussion led by representatives from the Anti-Defamation League.

Senior Rabbi Spike Anderson spoke to a crowd of more than 100 about the importance of uniting against hatred. Also present was Anderson’s friend and fellow faith leader the Rev. David Lower of St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody. Lower spoke on the importance of interfaith relationships and showing up for the Jewish community.

“We are ready to do what is required of us,” Lower said.

The ADL-led community discussion centered around defining antisemitism, with several attendees detailing various examples. Presenter Eric Ross described the need to discuss actions, not people, as antisemitic because it

allows room for apology and growth. Also discussed was the need for allyship and standing up for oppressed people who face injustice. Presenters referenced the complacency of the general public and the lack of allies the Jewish community had in the beginning stages of the Holocaust.

The importance of solidarity across faiths and among marginalized groups and the need to publicly reject hatred were themes present throughout the event.

“The ADL can’t be everywhere, but I can be where I am,” one attendee said. The community event is largely in

response to antisemitic flyers distributed in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs in early February. Georgia State House Rep. Esther Panitch, the state’s only Jewish legislator, was among several concerned citizens who awoke to find antisemitic flyers in their driveways.

Panitch said that such events can feel isolating and that seeing so many non-Jewish community members show their outrage was comforting.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch, who is also Jewish, said that while she was upset, she was not surprised because similar flyers had been spread in a nearby area months before.

Free speech vs hate speech

The spreading of antisemitic flyers in February is one of the latest in a disturbing trend of increasing acts of hatred against Jewish people.

Multiple acts of antisemitic acts of gun violence have occurred in the U.S. over the past five years.

In February, a Los Angeles man was charged with two hate crimes after shooting two Jewish men as they were leaving religious services.

In January 2022, a gunman took a

See COMMUNITY, Page 10

LUKE GARDNER/APPEN MEDIA

Georgia State House Rep. Esther Panitch, the state’s lone Jewish legislator, discusses Georgia House Bill 30, which provides clearer definition of hate speech.

Alpharetta student to perform in Toronto piano competition

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Kenneth Low, a 13-year-old pianist from Alpharetta, has been selected as the Georgia finalist to play at The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Music Lights the Way Piano Festival at Koerner Hall in Toronto March 21-22.

Low will play Frédéric Chopin’s “Mazurka in A flat Major, Op. 24, No. 3” in the intermediate level seven at the competition. The grand prize for Low’s level is a Yamaha b1 acoustic upright piano that retails for more than $6,500.

The Royal Conservatory College of Examiners member Jonathan Roberts said nearly 8,000 participants from Canada and the United States submitted videos of their piano performances.

“As a judge for the Music Lights the Way Piano Festival, I was impressed by the quality of submissions from piano students across the continent,” Roberts said. “It was very exciting and inspiring to hear so much talent and joyful music-making in the performances at all levels and I am honored to have been part of this wonderful event.”

Low said he started playing piano around 2014, and he started loving it when he was 9 years old.

“It means a lot, and it is really exciting to be heading to Toronto to perform in front of the big crowd,” Low said. “I can't deny that I have been wanting to do this for a long time.”

level seven of the competition.

Low said he recommends the conservatory’s piano program because it has enhanced his knowledge. After his performance in Toronto, he plans to expand his repertoire and participate in more competitions.

Roswell receives federal funding for Greenway multi-use path

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Big Creek Greenway Community Connectivity Planning Project is getting a shot in the arm, thanks to $2 million in federal grants announced Feb. 28 by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The project aims to design a multiuse path to unite disadvantaged residents to jobs, health care, education and other civic life. It will be built on a 20-foot easement in Roswell underneath Ga. 400, land owned by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The path will connect Roswell’s town center, Alpharetta, the

historically disadvantaged Liberty Square neighborhood and Metro Atlanta through the Big Creek Greenway.

“Transportation should connect, not divide, people and communities,” Buttigieg said.

The Reconnecting Communities Program, established by President Joe Biden provides technical assistance and funding for community planning and construction projects that aim to reconnect neighborhoods split by transportation barriers.

The grants, totaling $185 million, were awarded to 39 planning projects and six capital construction projects.

THE ROYAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC/PROVIDED Kenneth Low, 13, of Alpharetta will participate in The Royal Conservatory of Music’s Music Lights the Way Piano Festival in Toronto March 21-22. Low will play in the intermediate

Community:

Continued from Page 8

Rabbi and three others hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. In October 2018, 11 people were killed in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Months later, in April 2019, one person was killed and three injured by a shooter at Chabad of Poway Synagogue in San Diego, California.

An Anti-Defamation League audit recorded approximately 2,700 antisemitic incidents in 2021, the highest number on record since the league began tracking them in 1979.

Temple Emanu-El project volunteer Rich Lapin said he believes that Antisemitism is a community issue, not just a Jewish issue.

“The degree to which antisemitism is present becomes an indicator of the quality of life in a country and or community,” Lapin said.

Many speakers at the event shared the same sentiment. Several described the Jewish people as the “canaries in the coal mine” of a society. ADL Regional Director Eytan Davidson expressed the need to stand in solidarity with all marginalized people, including people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

Georgia State House Rep. Long Tran called attention to the rhetoric of rightwing politicians as a likely contributing factor to increased hate speech, specifically referencing the “locker room talk” of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Davidson described the group who distributed the flyers as “loosely organized White supremacists hiding

behind the first amendment.”

Besides containing antisemitic content, the flyers suggested that people who might take issue with them are un-American, rhetorically asking “You don’t support free speech?”

Dunwoody police chief Billy Grogan told WSBTV that those who distributed the flyers will not be charged because it is a free speech issue. Davidson assured the community that the ADL and law enforcement are keeping an eye on extremist groups.

Georgia House Bill 30

Rep. Panitch spoke about Georgia House Bill 30 at the event, explaining that it was introduced in 2022 and seeks to provide a legal definition and examples of antisemitism. Similar bills have received bipartisan support and have been adopted by several states. The bill, which survived the legislative “crossover day” to remain active for consideration, seeks to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of anti -

Health:

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Georgia Highlands Medical Services CEO Todd Shifflet said the entire process from conception to creation took about 14 months, thanks to collaboration between the school and the medical nonprofit.

“It’s open even quicker than we expected,” Cumming Elementary School Principal Jordan Livermore said.

The Forsyth County Board of Education approved an agreement with Georgia Highlands Medical Services at a September 2022 meeting. The project already had funding via federal grants from Health Resources and Services Administration and Georgia Primary Care Association.

Shifflet had sat on the idea of a school-based health center for years, but when he secured funding, he approached Cumming Elementary School for a partnership.

The nonprofit community health center serves over 5,000 children, 90 percent from low-income households. Shifflet chose Cumming Elementary because of its location and Title 1 status, which is a federally funded program that assists schools with high numbers of children living in poverty.

With the county’s approval, Georgie Highlands Medical Services moved ahead with transforming vacant classrooms in the school into a full-fledged health center. The nonprofit aims to provide students with accessible onsite medical care, without kids having

semitism.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has taken issue with the definition’s discussion of Israel and has condemned the bill as potentially criminalizing pro-Palestinian speech.

Rep Panitch said the bill contains examples of anti-Zionism and that “not all anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”

Panitch said in a previous interview that the bill would not affect incidents like the spreading of antisemitic flyers, because that is considered free speech and is protected under the First Amendment.

To view the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of antisemitism, go to holocaustremembrance.com.

To learn more about the Anti-Defamation League, visit adl.org.

To learn about how to report hate speech on various platforms, visit adl. org/cyber-safety-action-guide.

To learn about the services and resources offered by Temple Emanu-El, go to templeemanuelatlanta.org.

to miss school or parents having to leave work.

“It’s like having a pediatric office inside the school,” Shifflet said.

The CEO said the health center will have various benefits, including “better attendance, better grades and better engagement.”

Shifflet and the Georgia Highlands Medical Services team visited multiple health centers across Georgia while developing the plans for Cumming Elementary’s center.

The school and nonprofit did not expect the health center to open until August, but construction finished ahead of schedule. Principal Livermore joked that he should have taken “before and after pictures” of the transformed space.

At the ribbon cutting, guests toured the health center, with multiple examination rooms fully stocked with medical gear.

Principal Livermore said the key component to the health center’s success is getting children and parents to trust its employees. Nurse Practitioner Ford has children who attend the school, and she has already served as the nurse practitioner for some students.

“She’s kind of bringing the clientele with her that go to this school,” Livermore said. “She’s already earned the trust of our community.”

Livermore said as families begin to trust the health center more, he hopes it will become the “hub of the community.”

“This is really going to help kids’ social, emotional, behavioral and physical health,” Livermore said.

Fire Department employees earn rank promotions

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Fire Department promoted 25 officials at its annual recognition ceremony at Local Church Forsyth March 11.

Fire Chief Barry Head said it was an honor to recognize personnel who had reached levels of achievement in their careers with the department.

“I am proud to work beside all of the men and women that serve in the Forsyth County Fire Department; their service and dedication have my highest appreciation,” Head said.

Randall Todd Sliger was promoted to battalion chief, and Shane Lively and Jeremiah Anderson received the title of captain.

Department officials promoted Chantz Adams to senior fire inspector and Erin Long to senior fire prevention training officer.

The department promoted Jonathan Arendt, Joseph Clark, Dan Clausen, Alex Goebel, Donald Holtfreter, Kyle Horton, Bobby Hughes, Dustin Jurceka, Nick Kitchen and Tony Monk to fire apparatus operators.

Drew Allingham, Howie Barrett, Johnny Capps, Michael Cody, Clark Coleman, Anthony DiMercurio, Matthew Johnson, Justin Rogers, Miguel Salazar and Marlin Thompson were promoted to lieutenant.

Department officials also presented Life-Saved Awards to those who performed outstanding actions during life-threatening situations, Unit Citation Awards and recognition of the department itself for its receipt of the Don Hendricks Award at the Forsyth County School District’s 2023 Teacher of the Year Ceremony.

Animals:

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Samantha Shelton said. “The Giaquinto Event Center is a powerful fundraising source that helps us fulfill our mission of helping animals. Equally important, it adds a new dimension to our services, giving us connections with people for some of the most significant moments of their lives, whether they are celebrating, planning, learning or even mourning.”

Since its 2002 founding, the nonprofit has rescued more than 65,000 animals, and it is the largest cage-free and no-kill shelter for cats in the Southeast.

It’s an American story. It’s a story that engages a high degree of authenticity. Real hands, real people working in small wood shops.

JIM MILLER, CEO,

DutchCrafters celebrates 20 years of handcrafted perfection

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — When DutchCrafters CEO Jim Miller and his partner Miao Xue first went into business in 2003, they didn’t really know what they wanted to sell.

Normally, that doesn’t bode well for the survival of a business. But Miller and Xue, both former grad students at the University of South Florida, knew that an invention called the internet was starting to show a lot of potential for matching customers with niche products that were hard to find.

DutchCrafters will celebrate its 20th anniversary later this month, marking years of hard work through recessions, a global pandemic and countless other challenges that led them to become an industry leader in selling hand-crafted furniture to customers around the world.

“It’s been a great success story,” Miller said. “But wow, there were challenges along the way. It took a lot of work.”

Today DutchCrafters is known for selling high-end custom furniture made by Amish craftsmen from communities in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. But initially, Miller didn’t even think it would be possible to sell such an expensive product on the internet, which was seen as “shady” during its infancy.

“People didn’t trust it,” he said. “Consumers weren’t there yet. In 2003, total U.S. sales of eCommerce were something like 1.25 percent.”

Instead, they began selling nifty, but less expensive, Amish-made

craft items like decorative wooden lighthouses and outdoor furniture, which weren’t really being sold anywhere else online.

All that changed when Miller and his wife, Linse, took a trip to

Pennsylvania to scout for vendors, and she convinced him they’d be crazy not to try selling the beautifully crafted furniture they kept seeing.

“I said, that’s never going to

work. There’s too many problems,” he said. “The next year we did about half a million dollars in revenues … So, it was a great time to be wrong.”

See TWENTY, Page 9

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Jim and Linse Miller, center, stand with their staff in the showroom of DutchCrafters in downtown Alpharetta. The Amish-made furniture company opened its Alpharetta location in October 2022.

DutchCrafters

Twenty:

Continued from Page 12

Like the trust they had to build with customers, Miller said they also had to slowly build relationships in the close-knit Amish craftsman community by convincing suppliers they could sell their products faster, more consistently and for higher prices than traditional brick-andmortar stores.

“It was almost more difficult to break into the vendor community than it was with customers,” he said.

In October 2022 DutchCrafters cut the ribbon on their third location outside of their headquarters in Sarasota, Florida, and quality control warehouse in Indiana, a state-of-the-art product showroom in downtown Alpharetta.

Miller said DutchCrafters has been serving the North Fulton area for years, and he thinks that with the new location, they can boost their business in the region, while also charting a course for showrooms to open in other cities

“We’re really thrilled with the reception that we have had here from the business community and customers in Alpharetta,” he said.

“We’ve felt really welcomed by it. We want to engage in the community and be part of it.”

But customers at the showroom aren’t going to take anything home with them, like they would from an Ikea, Rooms To Go, or other furniture stores. Instead, the showroom allows customers to learn about DutchCrafter’s products and options before their furniture is custom-made by Amish craftsmen.

A custom-made piece of furniture takes much longer to arrive at its final destination, months rather than weeks, but the end product is totally unique for each customer, Miller said.

“I call it slow furniture, like slow food,” he said. “Slow Food takes a little longer, yeah. But it usually tastes pretty good, you experience it in a different way. You sit down and enjoy it together with friends.”

Beyond that uniqueness, Miller said his customers are really buying a story.

“It’s an American story,” he said. “It’s a story that engages a high degree of authenticity. Real hands, real people working in small wood shops.”

For more information about DutchCrafter’s products and story, visit www.dutchcrafters.com.

The top two things that drive me crazy

saying/dong “I’ll show you flashlight manufacturer.” But of course, when my flashlight dies, I can never find the warranty or the receipt. So that doesn’t help.

#2. Motion activated solar-powered security lights run a close second after flashlights.

the big box store that questions – always questions – my wanting to use the warranty – to the point that I dread even going there.

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

isn’t.

#1. Flashlights.

Seriously? Yep, flashlights. Yep, I always have a flashlight when I need one, but of course it never works. Either the batteries have died, or the bulb has gone bad – that bulb for which one can never find replacements – or the “bulb” that is now a LED thing that who knows if those are ever replaceable. While I am at it, what the heck does “LED” stand for? Have no idea. Oh, almost forgot to include the contact mechanism – the thing that completes the current and makes a light appear. It’s the thing that without fail, when the batteries are good and the bulb or the LED thing are good, that never works.

I started buying warranties for the flashlights that I buy – extended warranties. Sort of my way of

I have tried buying those flashlights that you charge with a USB cord. I have tried those that use rechargeable batteries – you know those batteries that do not recharge because the charger stops working. I have bought those onerous flashlights that law enforcement uses. I have tried those that you leave plugged into outlets that cease working after the 5th time you use it. I have bought expensive flashlights, cheap ones, disposable ones and none last longer than the third or fourth use.

Now, I keep candles and a Bic lighter handy. Why is it that they can make lighters that always work but can ‘t make a flashlight that always works? Why do wax candles always work? Can’t someone find a way to screw those up too? My iPhone flashlight has never failed me. It always works. Hello. Maybe Apple should make flashlights. It could be their huge new product – a Apple flashlight with a touch screen on/off that works – and keeps working. I know Steve would approve and that flashlight would be a huge win.

Another light issue, no? What is up with me and light?

Ok, so, you would think that these would not be like flashlights. I mean, almost no moving parts. Unlimited charging. Almost never in use. So, these should always work, right? Wrong. I am batting 1000 on purchasing these things and them lasting more than 30 days-ish. I have purchased them for my office, for our house, for our warehouse, for our beach place and 100% of the time they stop working in a month or two, if not sooner.

Most of these security lights have rechargeable batteries that the solar panel charges. And that seems like the dog that won’t hunt. I think that most rechargeable batteries can only be recharged so many times and then they too stop working / recharging. Maybe I need to add “rechargeable batteries” to my list.

As with the flashlights I started buying the extended warranties for my solarpowered lights and the result has been identical. Maybe I use the warranty once after the light stops working and then the next time, I can’t find the warranty or don’t have the energy to go deal with

I know Elon at least at one time was working on roofing material that doubled as solar panels. Maybe he needs to get into the solar-powered motion sensor security light business. No one else seems to be able to get it right although there is one use of these solar chargers that I have found works each and every time. And that would be? Using it as a trickle charger to my car battery at the beach. Since I have started leaving a solar panel hooked up to my car battery, I have not had a single dead battery. Go figure.

So, we have been brewing coffee with coffee makers in the kitchen for generations. And they, generally, worked well and lasted. Then along comes a better mousetrap called a Keurig coffee maker that becomes a runaway sensation – much like those vacuum robots – the Roomba.

We can send someone to the moon. We can make domestic airplanes that safely fly for 50 years easy. We can install new hearts into people. So why hasn’t someone – anyone – made a flashlight that works longer than a month or two? I don’t get it.

Bueller, Bueller, anyone, Bueller?

I think that the older I get the less patience I have with people or stuff that are, well, snarky. That is, stuff that drives me crazy – stuff that should be different and could be different but

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

It’s astounding the places trout can take you

Spring’s here. I know that for sure.

The pear trees are starting to bloom, and the nose is starting to itch. Pear trees and pollen are the sure harbingers of spring.

Trout are a sure harbinger of spring too. It’s fun to fish for them, and it’s fun to just go see them too.

There are some neat places to see trout in northern Georgia, too, and one that’s near and dear to my heart is Rolater Park in the town of Cave Spring. You may remember Cave Spring as the site of Southern Flavor, that wonderful restaurant with the all-you-can-eat catfish. We’ve talked about that before, and thinking about it is making me hungry again. How long till lunchtime?

The cave part of Cave Spring, which is the centerpiece of Rolater Park, is not large as caves go. You can explore it in just a few minutes. But the spring part makes up for it. A flowing spring yields about 2 million gallons of cold, cold water a day. It’s been described as “the purest, best-tasting water you’re likely to find anywhere,” and folks come from far and wide with plastic milk

jugs and even big glass mayonnaise jars to take some of that water home. The water eventually flows into the park’s swimming lake, an understandably popular spot, especially as the days grow warmer. The temperatures are not there yet, but it won’t be long.

But today we’re looking at what happens between the cave and the swimming lake. After exiting the cave, the water flows into a nice little reflecting pond.

And said pond is usually the home to trout.

“Do people catch them?” she asked. We were waiting to go across the street to lunch, so we had a little time.

“No,” I said, “but we can feed them. Would you like to?”

“Yes,” she said. “That sounds like fun!”

I moseyed over to the cave entrance, where trout chow is for sale. For the cost of a cup of coffee, I bought three or four little plastic bags of food-for-trout – enough, I figured, to keep us and the trout entertained for a while.

I walked back to where she waited for me, there on the little walkway by the pond. The trout seemed to know that something good was about to happen. It was like the word had gone out, and just like that they all somehow congregated in the water near

where we stood.

“Watch this,” I said, and tossed a half dozen of the trout chow pellets into the water. The fish were on ‘em in a flash.

“Well!” she said.

“Now it’s your turn!” I said.

I poured some of the trout chow into her hand, and she tossed it into the water, and the trout were all over it, and water was flying everywhere, and she laughed out loud.

“This is neat!” she said.

The feeding continued, and the splashing and the laughter did too. We used up one bag of food, and then started on a second, stopping to show two young children how to feed the fish too.

“I think I need more trout food,” she said, laughing, and again I poured some into her hand.

More laughter. More splashes. Smiles all around.

She was having fun. I was too.

And then…

You know that feeling you get sometimes when someone is looking at you? I got it then.

For some reason I turned around, and looked, and I saw a lady standing there near the two of us. I remember how in that instant something funny happened to the

light and how it was all bright and clear and crystalline blue all of a sudden. And then the lady looked at us – at her, at me –and then pointed at the two of us –

-- and said, “You two are perfect together” –

-- and then turned and walked away.

And then everything kind of stopped. It does that, sometimes, when something really significant is happening.

In that instant out-of-time moment, in that moment by the cool, clear water with the trout and the sky, there we were. Just the two of us, it seemed, there on the little walkway near the pond at Rolater Park in Cave Spring, Ga., zip code 30124. Nearby, the children were still feeding trout. But the scene had refocused. The center of the image had changed.

There was silence, hushed, expectant.

“Did you hear that?” she asked, her voice a little low.

“I did,” replied.

We stood there for a moment. She leaned on the railing. I looked at her, and she looked at me.

Time out of time -

And then time returned to normal. And we went and had catfish for lunch.

You never know where trout are going to take you.

STEVE HUDSON

Columnist

H R NG ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

PRESERVING THE PAST Jimmy Carter and Dolvin Elementary School

At a time when many Americans are contemplating the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, it is appropriate to recall the history of the Dolvin Elementary School in Johns Creek, which Carter was on hand to dedicate in September 1980. This column is the story of that event and the story of one unique woman, his Aunt Sissy Dolvin, who helped make Jimmy Carter the person he became. Dolvin Elementary School is the oldest operating school in Johns Creek. It is known for its academic excellence and for the active interest students’ parents take in education. School Principal Karen Cooke says, “We live our school mission: inspire, challenge, achieve.”

As part of the Fulton County Charter School system which emphasizes local school autonomy, Dolvin School has an active School Governance Council whose membership is 50 percent staff and 50 percent parents,

an energetic PTA and the effective Dolvin Foundation. The foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that raises funds to support educational programs, new technology and other equipment that would not otherwise be available through the school’s annual budget. For the past two years the Foundation has focused its efforts on a Science Discovery Lab. Cooke states that the Foundation has raised more than a million dollars over the years.

The school is named after William Jasper Dolvin (1908-1974), a celebrated educator who was principal of Roswell School on Mimosa Boulevard. He was married to Emily Gordy Dolvin (19122006), President Carter’s beloved “Aunt Sissy.” Emily subsequently married Hubert Visscher (1914-2005), a meteorologist. Emily was a well-known community leader in Roswell for more than 50 years. She played a key role in Carter’s political success, especially in 1976 when the then relatively unknown Georgia governor ran for president. The Dolvins’ home on Bulloch Avenue, built in the 1880s, became known as the Carter Roswell White House.

June Gay, retired assistant principal at Dolvin Elementary School, remembers

the dedication ceremony. “It started off in a wonderful way,” she says. “Jimmy had just become president. The principal was Betty O’Quinn. We invited Emily Dolvin for lunch to get to know her. She liked our proposal, and she said she would call Jimmy. We moved into Dolvin School Dec. 7, 1979 and hoped to get the president to come out soon, but it was Sept. 15, 1980 before he could schedule his visit.”

June taught school the day of the dedication and had three Secret Service agents in her classroom.

“We thought we would have a lot of students attend since it was a school event, but there were so many politicians and reporters that we had to cut way back the number of students,” she recalls.

To control the crowd, the school instituted a ticket system for students and teachers.

“A Secret Service agent was assigned to me, and we had to move all the teachers into one room so the Secret Service could search the school,” June says. “When the president arrived, the agent and I stood at the door to be sure everyone who entered had a ticket. I said ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to our people who wanted to come in, and the Secret Service agent checked out the VIPs.”

June remembers that Aunt Sissy was very excited. She was raised in the Dolvin house in Roswell and was excited to show her deceased husband’s namesake, the school, to her nephew, the president.

Carter spoke to the crowd in the auditorium/cafeteria and told them how proud he was to see his Uncle Dolvin’s name on the school. He noted that he had visited the Dolvin home often “because Sissy was my favorite aunt and helped to guide me through my formative years. And as I got into politics and government, Sissy and Dolvin’s house was a good place for me to come, not only to receive love and friendship and support but also to learn. . . because he knew that I was eager to learn and to improve the educational system of our state. He taught me just as he taught his students in elementary school.”

Following the dedication, Aunt Sissy hosted a reception for about 100 people at the Dolvin residence including Mrs. Lillian Carter, the president’ mother, Governor Busbee, Senator Talmadge and Representative Fowler.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

ingramfuneralhome.com

Our family serving your family since 1928. On

Offering:

Recycling:

Continued from Page 5

For the conference, Shivkumar is working with the Wild Center based in New York, which has a youth climate program. Shivkumar reached out to Atlanta’s chief sustainability officer for support.

Shivkumar foresees the conference attracting at least 400 middle and high school students. Details, like venue and keynote speakers, are still being decided.

But Shivkumar said the conference will involve students in a climate change workshop where they will create actionable plans to address climate change and sustainability in their local communities. There will also be mini workshops.

The summit will provide a platform to share success stories, Shivkumar said, and continue to build a platform for students to continue discussion post-conference.

While plans are in the works for the larger conference in September, Green Cell’s youth program has regularly hosted virtual summer camps, where students are asked to study an environmental issue and perform a related action, like three-minute showers or glass recycling. Green Cell also has an orientation program for kids that teaches about environmental issues and why action is important.

Shivkumar said the program, which

now has more than 40 volunteers, came into the picture once she saw a void in the education system.

Students aren’t taught how their everyday actions impact the environment, she said, and many don’t have the resources or guidance to actively participate in discussions.

“We wanted to bridge that gap by providing that education on what you can do in your everyday life,” Shivkumar said. “You don’t have the money, you don’t have the resources, but you have a voice and you have certain things that are in your control that you can do.”

Composting made accessible

In February, Green Cell volunteers including Rajankar, Shinde and Desai, constructed a community composter in Shinde’s backyard.

The 475-gallon, enclosed composter is made of pressure-treated plywood and uses a pump air system which speeds up composting from 8 weeks in summer and 16-20 weeks in winter to about a month.

Once the organic material, made of “greens and browns,” is composted, the soil will set out to dry for a few weeks and is then picked up for personal use. “Browns” are the dead leaves that are necessary to dry out the moisture from organic matter, or the “greens.” Finding the balance between the two is the number one issue people face when they compost, Rajankar said.

Composting has two benefits, he said. When people compost, they aren’t throwing organic matter in trash, which prevents methane gas. Rajankar said methane is 25 times more potent in warming the planet than carbon dioxide.

The second benefit is that the carbon is captured in the soil, he said, rather than the atmosphere.

Because people understand the need for composting, but are not able to compost, Green Cell started a mentoring program called, “Compost with a buddy.” The program assigns volunteers to residents to help them until they are successful with their first batch of compost.

The grant for Green Cell’s new composting learning center at Autry Mill in Johns Creek was recently funded. Visitors will be able to see the benefits of composting through different types in a walking tour.

Johns Creek saw Green Cell efforts in other ways, too. Youth volunteers helped implement glass recycling at Ocee Park last year.

Green Cell has hands on several other projects. The nonprofit rescues discarded food with the help of Bagel Rescue. This past year, volunteers have rescued more than 40,000 pounds of food. Much of it was bagels, which Desai stockpiles in his personal freezer before donation.

“Composting — the food is gone to waste,” Desai said. “But with food rescue, you’re actually feeding people, right?”

NFCC is looking for a full-time executive assistant to support the Executive Director and leadership team.  This person will play a vital role in help keep the NFCC leadership team organized and productive and will interact with the board of directors and other important stakeholder groups. Sensitivity, discretion and attention to detail are a must. Candidate must have a two-year degree, bachelor’s degree preferred and should have at least 2-3 years of relevant experience. For a complete job description visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Client Services Specialist

The full-time Client Services Specialist greets visitors to NFCC and assists them with obtaining services. In addition, this person conducts followup interviews, enters data and may participate in additional follow-up activities.  A high school degree or equivalent is required along with at least one year in customer service or other relevant experience. Discretion and strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish are also required. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Supportive Service Coordinator:

The Supportive Service Coordinator (“SSC”) will be responsible for managing the social/supportive services for a portfolio of properties, under the supervision of the Company Asset Manager. This position will serve as a liaison between the Asset Manager and the property management company. This individual will primarily be responsible for managing compliance and reporting for supportive services and, secondarily, procuring grant funding to supplement the property service budget, and identifying local service providers to augment property offerings.

Full time hours. Requires a Bachelor’s degree in social work or education and a minimum of 5 years’ experience.

For a full job description and to submit a resume, please reach out to:

Samit Patel, spatel@rhgroup.org

Resource Housing Group, Inc.

Workforce Development Coordinator

Develop programs and services for clients and students who are seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The coordinator collaborates with employers in the community who are hiring. The role also includes working one-on-one on job applications, resumes, interview preparations and offers tips for successfully securing and improving employment. Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field required.

For full job description see: https://nfcchelp.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/02/Workforce-DevelopmentCoordinator-2023.pdf. To apply, send resume to cswan@nfcchelp.org.

Accounting Specialist – PART TIME

Responsible for the day-to-day transactions within the accounting department. The specialist is accountable for preparing financial transactions, processing invoices, and entering general ledger data which will assist in balancing the income statement, managing budgets, and preparing financial reports. Role works closely with the Finance Manager and Director of Finance and Administration. Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or related field required. For full job description see: https://nfcchelp. org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AccountingSpecialist-02.21.23-1.pdf. To apply, send resume to jrice@nfcchelp.org.

Senior Business Analyst, Job code OCS0802 (Opus Consulting Solutions Inc): Alpharetta, GA & various unanticpt locs w/in U.S. long term relo may be req’d. Understnds & anlyzes critcl bus rqmnts & provdes technical solns.  Wrtes usr stries for prvded rqmnts. Coordinats UAT testing for users & prvdes demo for usrs & prduct mgrs for fnctonalites that are dvlped. Uses tools such as Jira, Jira Align. MS Visio & Mock Simulatr for Core banking tools. Requires Bachelor’s in Comp Sci./Eng. or frgn equivlnt + five yrs progressive exp or will accpt 3 yrs Bachelor’s w/ 7 yrs wrk exp. Email resume to hrusa@opusconsulting.com

Deadline to place a classified ad is Thursdays by 5 pm

Software Developer needed to dsgn, dvlp, & mntain new & exsting appl as well as gather/define cstmr req to dvlp clear specs for creating well orgnzed proj plans. Duties will be prfrmed using JHipster, Java & SpringBoot/Spring. Systems Analyst needed to Anlyze, doc, & dsgn the SW sys appl. Work w/ cross fnctnal teams to dsgn, dcmentation of re-engineering & digi trnsfrmtin process. Cnstrct biz flow for current & future state of appl. Asst in moving the new SW proj to prod envrmnt. All duties will be prfrmed using SAP Biz Objects, Invision Studio, & Visual Studio. Not all pos’s req all skills. Work locations for all pos’s will incl Alpharetta, GA & var unanticipated client locations in the U.S. which may req relocation. Applicants must specifically identify all post- secondary edu & all mentioned s/w, langs, skills or tools in which applicant has edu, trng or exp. Resumes must show if the applicant has any of the mentioned combo of skills. Mail resumes to Sun Techs, Inc. Attn. HR, 3700 Mansell Road, Ste# 220, Alpharetta, GA 30022. Resume must specifically identify all edu & exp rel to job offered.

Now Hiring: Office Coordinator

Local commercial real estate company is hiring an Office Coordinator. The role includes coordinating administrative tasks between our property management, leasing and accounting departments. The position requires exceptional communication and organizational skills, knowledge of MS Office, a strong work ethic, internal drive, and a positive attitude. This is an office only (not remote work) position. Please contact us Employment@mpshoppingcenters.com for more information.

Solution

Part-time

BORED RETIREE?

Painter needed for small sports replica (Georgia, Braves, etc) components painting. $14 per hour. McFarland-Union Hill near 400. 770-667-3516

PART-TIME CATERING, DELIVERY, AND SETUP

• Flexible hours – mostly mid day

• Need own transportation

• Inquiries to info@asculinaryconcepts.com or 678-336-9196

• Located in Johns Creek

Office Space

Wonderful Office Suite Available

Near (.7 mile) Downtown Alpharetta

• Turnkey – Everything provided

• Utilities included

• Marketing can be included

• Conference Room

• Parking

• 24/7 access

• Private office suite within Appen Media Group’s building

• Easily accommodates up to 5 people

• Office has great light. Ground floor

• .7 mile to Alpharetta City Hall on Hwy. 9

• Smaller office space also available in same building

• Short or longer term lease. Reasonable $ Contact Ray Appen via Text (770-527-4042) or email me at RayAppen@Gmail.com – or just call me but best to text and I will return your call.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Gutters

AARON’S ALL-TYPE GUTTERS

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Gutter cleaning, roof repair, free DRONE roof, picture inspection, tree service. 770-905-9682

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Roofing

ROOF LEAKING?

Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123.

Christian Brothers Roofing

Driveway

$250 OFF NEW DRIVEWAY!

Flooring

PHILLIPS FLOORING

Hardwood, laminate, carpet & tile installation and repairs. We do tile floors, showers, tub surrounds and kitchen back-splashes. Regrouting is also available. Call 678-887-1868 for free estimate.

Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs.  A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $4,500.

Home Improvement

PHILLIPS HOME IMPROVEMENT

We offer drywall, painting, carpentry, plumbing and electrical. Basements finished, kitchen and bath rehabs. All types flooring. Also total home rehab for those who have a rental house or one to sell. Call 678-887-1868 for a free estimate.

DECKS BUILT & REPAIRED-PAINT

Decks repaired/built. Labor payment upon completion. 30-plus years experience. John Ingram/678-906-7100. Act now before prices increase next year! Heritage Home Maintenance HOMEREPAIRGA@GMAIL.COM, (HERITAGECONSTRUCTIONGA.COM)

Tree Services

24 hour emergency service. Licensed, insured. Workers Comp, insurance claims. 25+ years experience. Family business. Free estimates. We Love Challenges!

Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts 770-512-8733 • www.yellowribbontree.com

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Text or Call us for a FREE quote appointment.

Tree removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Free mulch. Fully insured.

Emergency 24/7 770-450-8188

Landscaping

Full Service LANDSCAPING Company

Retaining walls (brick or wood), grading, sod, tree services, hauling, topsoil & more

Ralph Rucker 678-898-7237

Haulers

Bush Hogging, Clearing, Grading, Hauling, Etc.

Many local references Call Ralph Rucker

678-898-7237

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Retaining Walls

Brick or Wood

Contact Ralph Rucker. Many local references. Honest, punctual, professional and reasonable prices!

678-898-7237

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