Forsyth Herald - April 11, 2024

Libraries host exhibit focused on Fox Theatre

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Public Library system is hosting a free interactive exhibit detailing the history and importance of the Fox Theatre.

The exhibit, “Fox in a Box,” will be at the Post Road Library April 29. It explores how the Fox Theatre’s timeline intersects with the Civil Rights Movement, American history, economics and the importance of community.

Library officials said the exhibit is designed to challenge participants to consider how communities come together to share experiences and protect what is important.

It will feature history lectures from Fox Theatre experts, theater activities for children and a Fox-inspired murder mystery for adults.

The program is a partnership between the Georgia Public Library Service and the Fox Theatre Institute. Since opening in Clayton County libraries in October 2022, the exhibit has expanded to 15 library systems across the state.

“To know that the interactive exhibit and the film have a reach within more of Georgia’s 159 counties helps us meet our goals to increase the awareness and sustainability of historic theatres and cultural centers beyond our own home here at the Fox,” Fox Theatre Institute Director Leigh Burns said. “We are grateful for the opportunity and growing our partnership.”

More information on “Fox in the Box” can be found at forsythpl.org.

— Shelby Israel

Enrollment launches for junior fire academy

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Fire Department will host its annual junior fire academy from June 17-21 for incoming seventh and eighth graders.

The camp will offer education and experience in firefighting, with other areas of study including EMS and search and rescue practices.

The program will be held at the Fire Department headquarters at 3520 Settingdown Road from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participants must be picked up by 4 p.m.

“The junior fire academy creates a level of excitement and activity that

echoes the life of a true firefighter,” County Fire Chief Barry Head said.

“Students have the opportunity to learn lessons about teamwork, responsibility and leadership that will take them far beyond this camp.”

Space is limited. Interested students must apply by April 26.

— Shelby Israel

FORSYTH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY/PROVIDED

Two patrons visit the “Fox in a Box” exhibit at the Post Road Library. The interactive exhibit features history lectures from Fox Theatre experts, theater activities for children and a Foxinspired murder mystery for adults.

POLICE BLOTTER

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Gainesville man charged for $89,000 check forgery

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 61-year-old Gainesville man March 27 for an alleged $89,000 check forgery.

Deputies reported the Henry County Police Department informed the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office of the alleged forgery Feb. 13.

Henry County officers reported the suspect cashed two forged checks totaling $89,000 at a Truist on Freedom Parkway and a Chase Bank on Atlanta Road.

Deputies later located and arrested the suspect, who was charged with felony forgery in the third degree.

18-year-old arrested for reckless driving

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested an 18-year-old Cumming man March 23 for alleged speeding and reckless driving on Post Road.

Deputies reported clocking the suspect driving 15 miles over the speed limit around midnight.

The driver reportedly crossed double yellow lines and drove into the gore to pass another vehicle in a residential area. Deputies also reported it was raining, and the suspect was approaching a hill.

Deputies reported following the suspect and stopping him near Willow Oak Pass.

The suspect reportedly told deputies he was driving recklessly because his mother needed him home, but he was unaware if there was a medical emergency.

Deputies asked the suspect to call his mother, but he did not put the call on speaker.

The suspect then said he had practice the next morning, and his mother disliked it when he stayed out late. He also said he was out with his girlfriend, and he under -

stood what he did was “very stupid.”

The driver was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving, speeding and driving on the wrong side of the roadway.

Sugar Hill man arrested for pawning stolen rings

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 27-year-old Sugar Hill man March 27 for allegedly pawning stolen jewelry at a pawn shop on Atlanta Road.

Deputies reported Gwinnett County Police Department officers informed them that the suspect had pawned the stolen items last April.

Forsyth deputies spoke with employees at the pawn shop, who said one of the items was on layaway, and the others were in inventory.

Deputies picked up the five stolen rings on behalf of Gwinnett officers in November.

The suspect was later located and charged with felony theft by taking.

Man’s stolen vehicle found at Atlanta home

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported April 1 someone stole his vehicle, which officers later found outside a home in Atlanta.

The victim reported his vehicle was parked in a deck on Summit Place around 7 p.m. March 31, and when he returned the next morning, it was gone. He said the keys may have been inside, and the vehicle may have been unlocked.

The victim tracked the vehicle on his phone, which showed an address on Elmwood Road in Atlanta. The vehicle was reportedly seen on Flock camera footage around 4 a.m. April 1 on two roads in Atlanta.

An Atlanta Police Department officer found the vehicle at the address, and it was unlocked, the report states. The Atlanta officer stayed with the vehicle until the victim arrived to take it home.

The Atlanta officer reported the department receives “a lot of activity” at the address where the vehicle was found, but he did not try to contact anyone inside.

No suspects have been identified.

Woman loses $8,500 in alleged bank scam

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta woman reported someone claiming to be with her bank scammed her of more than $8,000 March 28.

The victim reported she received a call with an ID showing Bank of America, and the suspect claimed to be a fraud protection employee.

The caller reportedly said the victim’s bank account was compromised, and she had to transfer $8,500 to an Apple Pay card, which she thought she would be able to access.

The victim said after she transferred the funds, there was no money on her Apple Pay card, and she realized she had been scammed.

Apple fraud employees traced the transactions to a Best Buy and an Apple Store in Florida, the report states.

No suspects have been identified.

Uber driver reports attempted assault

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A Jonesboro Uber driver reported an intoxicated client punched her while she was driving her home on southbound Ga. 400 around 2:30 a.m. March 29.

The driver reported picking up the suspect and her coworker from The Brass Tap in Milton.

The coworker told officers the suspect was too intoxicated to tell her where she lived, so she initially offered to let the suspect stay with her.

During the ride, the coworker reportedly asked the driver if she could make a second stop for the suspect.

After the driver asked for the address, she reported the two women began arguing. The suspect then leaned forward, and the driver thought she was going to grab the wheel. The suspect allegedly struck her right shoulder.

Officers reported responding to the Mansell Road exit ramp, where the driver had pulled over. The driver said she did not want to press charges, and the suspect was too intoxicated to make a statement.

From left, Christo Lamprecht and Nick Dunlap present watches they received for competing at the 2024 Georgia Cup at the Golf Club of Georgia April 7. Lamprecht, reigning British amateur champion, won the 2024 Georgia competition.

Lamprecht named champion at Georgia Cup in Alpharetta

ALPHARETTA,

Ga. — South African amateur golfer Christo Lamprecht was named 2024 Georgia Cup champion at the Golf Club of Georgia April 7.

Reigning British amateur champion Lamprecht faced off against U.S. amateur champion Nick Dunlap in an 18-hole match play event.

This year, Dunlap became a professional player for the Professional Golfers'

Association of America, marking the first time a professional faced an amateur for the Georgia Cup.

Lamprecht and Dunlap were tied at the 18th hole, but Lamprecht secured a oneup win with a 15-foot putt.

Both men were invited to compete at the 2024 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club April 11-14.

— Shelby Israel

Veterans group sets deadline for $5,000 scholarship award

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Vietnam

Veterans of America Cumming Chapter 1030 will close the application process for its ninth annual college scholarship program April 15.

The chapter will award six $5,000 scholarships to public and private school Forsyth County students graduating in 2024. The funds will be presented in memory of Georgians who were killed in action during the Vietnam War.

To receive a scholarship, students must submit an application demonstrating academic excellence and participation in school activities and community

service.

Applicants must also submit an original 500-word essay themed “why freedom isn’t free.”

To apply, students must be a United States citizen and have a relative who served in the U.S. armed forces.

Those interested can pick up an application from their school guidance counselor or call the chapter’s scholarship committee at 770-500-7234.

Applications must be postmarked no later than April 15.

— Shelby Israel

STEVE NEESE/APPEN MEDIA

COMMUNITY

PLANT SALE AND MORE!

Saturday, April 20

• 9am–3pm

The Grove @ Wills Park

• 175 Roswell Street

Free parking and shuttle from the Amana Academy parking lot

Brought to you by THE NORTH FULTON MASTER GARDENERS

in partnership with Georgia Native Plant Society & the Alpharetta Community AG Program

Educational speakers, Fleatique, Children’s activities, Plant Vendors, Food Vendors, and Master Gardeners to answer your gardening questions. For more information: www.nfmg.net/garden-faire

The popular North Fulton Master Gardeners Pass-along Plant Sale will feature more than 2000 beautiful plantings suitable for sun and shade.

The North Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society will have a selection of around 2000 native perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees.

The Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program will have around 5000 unique varieties of organic, heirloom, and non-GMO plants, grown from seed at Old Rucker Farm.

Appen Media Listening Tour scheduled for

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Staff reporters with Appen Media will be all ears at its open forum at Cherry Street Brewing in Forsyth County April 18.

The forum provides visitors the chance to offer suggestions and feedback on coverage.

Forsyth County Schedule

May 16 – Six Bridges Brewing, Milton June 20 – July Moon Bakery and Café, Alpharetta

July 18 – Pontoon Brewing Company, Sandy Springs

Beginning at 4 p.m., staff will be on-hand for around an hour or so for one-on-one conversations and a Q&A session.

This is the fourth stop on the newsroom’s “Listening Tour,” a seven-month series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. So far, staff have made rounds in Dunwoody, Roswell and

Johns Creek, gaining valuable insight from residents on how to strengthen reporting.

All stops are open to the public and free to attend.

An RSVP is not required but appreciated. Visit appenmedia.com/join to let us know you are coming.

GARAGE SALES

See more garage sales in the classifieds

ROSWELL - HORSESHOE BEND NEIGHBORHOOD, Huge multi home sale! Saturday 4/13, 8am-2pm. Holcomb Bridge Road, 3 miles east of GA-400. Info & maps at: www.HorseshoeBendGarageSale.com. Organized by Mitch Falkin, RE/MAX Around Atlanta 770-330-2374

SOUTH FORSYTH/SUWANEE, Dig for treasures in Olde Atlanta Club in COMMUNITY-WIDE SALE! 5750 Olde Atlanta Parkway 30024. Saturday 4/20, 8am-1pm. Children’s clothes and toys, collectibles, sports equipment, electronics, household, furniture!

ESTATE SALE (ALPHARETTA), collectibles, antiques, pictures and tools

Fri-Sun 4/12-4/14 10-4; 337 Lynne Circle, Alpharetta 30009

DEADLINE

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

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA Appen Media Publisher Hans Appen leads about two dozen people in a Q&A session for the company’s second stop on its “Listening Tour” at From the Earth Brewery Company in Roswell Feb. 15. The tour’s next stop is in Forsyth County at Cherry Street Brewing on April 18 at 4 p.m.

GrillFest is a celebration of all of our favorite foods that can be prepared on the grill, smoker, or flattop griddle. Guests will enjoy unlimited samples of juicy burgers, smoked BBQ, and an array of grilled meats from wings to steaks. Don’t worry veggie lovers—we’ve got you covered, too, as our restaurant partners and chefs will also have your

Union Hill Park - Alpharetta, Georgia

Saturday, April 20th 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

General Admission: $65

favorites fired up on the grill. GrillFest will include craft beer and craft cocktails, along with bourbon and tequila tastings from our spirits partners. Enjoy live entertainment all day and visit with our vendor sponsors just in time for summer—think outdoor living, summer fun, and grills and gadgets for the outdoor chef.

We have good variety for everybody with all the consignment items, antiques, collectibles and artwork.

STEVE FUNSTEN, business co-owner at 425 Market Place

Movie studios and model trains keep store running

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — With classic rock playing in the background and Loco the golden retriever hanging out with customers, 425 Market Place embodies the historic Roswell feel.

It only took Allison Kummerfeldt of Peachtree Corners a few minutes to find a piece of uranium glass she was looking for. Sometimes called Vaseline glass for its pale yellowish-green color, uranium glass fell out of widespread use during the Cold War.

Kummerfeldt said there are only so many places in Metro Atlanta with such treasures available for purchase.

Because it glows under ultraviolet light, the glass is sought after today.

With around 7,000 square feet of retail space filled with collectibles, antiques, jewelry and consignments, Steve Funsten and Greg Lundy have something for everyone.

Lundy warned, because the pieces contain radioactive materials, do not breath in if your uranium glass breaks.

The store at 425 Market Place has three components: dealers who have rented booths and have a permanent presence; artists who re-create old things into new treasures; and consignors who sell items because they are redecorating or no longer have a need for the item.

Blue Ox Trains, which handles over 50 percent of the business at the store, took over half of the first floor after Funsten purchased the business in 2016.

The remainder of the first floor and upstairs features various booths where customers can find anything from a

March 1918 picture of the Atlanta Police Department’s Bicycle Division to handpainted porcelain vases of unknown origins.

Model trains are big Funsten started his journey at 425 Market Place as a vendor with one case at the front of the store with just a few model trains on display.

“Then things spread, and I got a little bit more space and a little bit more space,” Funsten said.

Located in historic Roswell, 425 Market Place is housed in a lodge-looking building that began life as the retail store,

Call of the Wild. Built by the Watford family some 60 years ago, it served the needs of area outdoorsman until it closed in 2005.

Funsten said a Woodstock resident, Jerry Blackledge, took over operations from the Watfords for a few years after the couple took a step back from the business.

Chris and Julia Watford still own the building and lease out space to Funsten and Lundy. Since the pair took over in 2016, Anna Lee’s Café and Swiss Watch & Clock Shop have moved into separated retail space in the wings of the lodge.

“I basically bought over the whole

business, instead of just being a vendor here with the trains,” Funsten said.

Today, half of the first floor of the antique shop is dedicated to building model railroads and educating customers along their own journey through the complexities of the miniature train hobby.

Blue Ox Trains, owned and operated by Funsten, draws model train enthusiasts from around the Southeast for the store’s extensive selection of HO and N scale locomotives, rolling stock, structures and scenery.

The HO scale, or 3.5 millimeters to 1 foot, is the most popular modeling proportion worldwide.

The HO scale’s middle-of-the-road status provides a balance between the detail of larger model railroads and the smaller space requirements for indoor tracks.

“We do a lot of model train sales,” Funsten said. “We have good variety for everybody with all the consignment items, antiques, collectibles and artwork.”

Funsten said he knows why people from Tennessee and south Georgia drive to his shop.

“In a lot of places, there are not any train stores left,” Funsten. “They’re all closed down and everything has gone online, that’s kinda why I started the business.”

A lot of nearby North Fulton residents, like a New Jersey woman and her 3-year-old Roswell grandson, just like to come in to see the model railroading displays.

PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

A look from the parking lot at 425 Market Place shows the loft-style building and active tenants. Steve Funsten said he took over the location in 2016 after a local businessman parted ways with the location.

Market:

Continued from Page 6

“Some folks like to test run things and get advice,” Funsten said. “That is the biggest thing, you order something online, and you can’t get advice.”

It should be no surprise that Funsten named his golden retriever Loco, short for locomotive.

“He’s come to work ever since he was 8 weeks old,” he said. “He’s almost 6 now and has never missed a day of work.”

Windfall from Hollywood

Besides Funsten’s Blue Ox Trains and his golden retriever, 425 Market Place also draws high-profile customers to peruse its antiques and one-of-a-kind treasurers.

“We get a good bit of movie set designers,” Funsten said. “All the movies going on around Atlanta… buyers will come in here and get the most off-the-wall stuff.”

He said you can’t predict what set designers are looking for. Typically trying to date a scene, some film productions buy rotary dial phones, while others need a kitchen appliance from the 1960s.

“We still have a few dealers, so we make consignment space available if someone wants to rent a booth,” Funsten said. “If we’ve got an empty booth, we will just fill it with consignment items from individuals.”

The result is an array of treasures you can’t find anywhere else.

Lundy, who works the front register and manages consignments,

From left, Greg Lundy rings up a customer, Peachtree Corners resident Allison Kummerfeldt, April 2 at 425 Market Place. Lundy said some customers come into the store for very specific items, like the uranium glass that Kummerfeldt bought.

said some customers come in for baseball cards.

“People collect different things, so it will be random,” Lundy said. “Fortunately for us, we also get the set designers in, so we have provided materials for some of the Netflix shows and some movies.”

He said a production crew came in last week looking for items to fill a 1980s home. Because people rarely have contemporary home décor, the set designers wanted antiques from the 1960s and 1970s.

“They will buy here, as opposed to going out and buying new,” Lundy said. “Because they can find something they like at a fraction of the price.”

PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

A look from the staircase inside of 425 Market Place April 2 shows jewelry, painting and antiques on display at the front of the store.

Expert treatment for head and neck cancers at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center

April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month. So, what are head and neck cancers?

The term includes several different types of malignant tumors affecting parts of the head and neck, including the nose and sinus cavities, mouth, throat, voice box and salivary glands. Head and neck cancers typically involve the mucosa, or the tissues lining these areas, and represent about 4% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States each year.

Well-known risk factors for the development of head and neck cancers include heavy alcohol and tobacco use, especially if someone uses alcohol and tobacco together. Men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with oral and throat cancer compared to women, according to the American Cancer Society.

An additional risk factor is human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, which

is related to the development of oropharyngeal cancer specifically. The oropharynx is the midsection of the throat and includes the tonsils and the root of the tongue or tongue base where many of these tumors originate. HPVrelated oropharyngeal cancer is more prevalent now than HPV-related cervical cancer in women. HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer has been increasing in the United States over the last three to four decades, while the incidence of tobacco and alcoholrelated tumors has been declining. More than 22,500 people are diagnosed with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer each year.

You can act against these risk factors by decreasing tobacco and alcohol use and getting the HPV vaccine.

Treating head and neck cancers

If you are diagnosed with cancer, Wellstar provides expert care here in North Fulton. Oropharyngeal cancers are typically treated with surgery (with or without radiation therapy) or radiation therapy (with or without chemotherapy) at equivalent cure rates. Goals of treatment are to remove the cancer, prevent its return and limit side effects.

Wellstar providers work with patients to tailor care to their needs—based on effectiveness of the treatment, tumor location and stage, accessibility of the tumor to a surgical approach, risk of side effects and patient choice.

At Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, the multidisciplinary head and neck cancers tumor board takes each of these factors into consideration while selecting the most appropriate treatment regimen for every individual patient. At the Head and Neck STAT Clinic, the patient can meet with the entire

treatment team in a single visit during treatment planning and may start treatment sooner.

Transoral robotic surgery, offered at Wellstar North Fulton, has changed the way oropharyngeal cancers are treated surgically. In this procedure, the surgeon accesses the cancer by passing tools through the mouth rather than making an incision. For those patients with early-stage tumors and limited disease in the neck, the surgery offers the patient a cure at a single intervention without the need for tracheostomy or abdominal feeding tube, faster return to taking food orally, improved outcomes and faster recovery. This is preferred over traditional surgical methods, which required splitting the jaw and/or the tongue or gaining access to the throat via neck incision.

Learn more about cancer care at Wellstar North Fulton at wellstar.org/ northfultoncancercare.

Brought to you by - Dr. Kia Jones, Wellstar Ear Nose & Throat Physician

JONES

A network of advanced cancer specialists means more holistic care for you.

At Wellstar, you’ll find a multidisciplinary team of cancer care experts built around your needs and dedicated to comprehensive, personalized treatment.

We are a leader in cancer care, embracing innovation to improve patient outcomes. Our surgeons perform a variety of minimally invasive procedures—providing patients with smoother recoveries and less pain. We also support patients during their cancer journeys with STAT Clinics, which bring cancer care providers together and put people at the center of their treatment. With this multidisciplinary approach, patients start care sooner, optimizing treatment and outcomes.wellstar.org/cancercare

Why do some tumors track along nerves?

Atlanta

At a recent conference, an outstanding lecture by Dr. Scott Lester of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, provided insight into the question of why tumors exhibit “perineural invasion” – the behavior of tumors wrapping around and travelling along nerves. The answer is another example of how nature and biology never cease to surprise.

BEFORE implanting the pancreatic cancer, the tumor grew but paralysis did not occur upon tumor implantation against the nerve. Nerves that had received radiation produced less GDNF.

Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 18 years experience as a Dermatology PA. We are excited to welcome her, as she brings with her experience in general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology.

Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.

In medical school, one of my favorite professors loved to say, “50% of what you are going to learn during these four years will ultimately be proved wrong.” As I sat in my hard wooden chair taking notes on apparently error-ridden knowledge, I hoped that the 50% that was misinformation was at least not the half that mattered.

As it turns out, one of the pieces of misinformation apparently concerned perineural invasion. In medical school, I was taught that some tumors track along nerves because nerves are convenient highways to other parts of the body. This was the “path of least resistance idea.” Professors also posited that some of the vessels and lymphatics running along with the nerve are an additional reason for tumor growth along nerves – essentially the idea that tumors spreading along nerves is really just tumors spreading along the surrounding lymphatics and blood vessels – “business as usual.”

Several recent studies presented by Dr. Lester have provided data that sheds new light on this subject:

In one experiment, scientists placed a nerve next to but well apart from a tumor growing in a petri dish. The tumor extended a strand of cells in the direction of the nerve and grew toward the nerve. This challenges the idea that perineural tumor growth in patients is simply cancer extension along nerves already touching a tumor. Then, the scientists tested proteins found in the nerve and found that the entire nerve did not have to be present in the dish to attract tumor growth. When scientists put a small amount of a nerve protein called GDNF (glial derived neurotrophic factor) in the dish, the tumor grew towards the GDNF. Apparently, proteins in the nerve attract tumor growth. So nerves are not just highways: some tumors seek out nerves by growing towards proteins that nerves produce.

In another experiment, scientists placed pancreatic cancer cells next to the sciatic nerve inside of a live rat. Predictably, the cancer grew and invaded the sciatic nerve. The muscles relying on the sciatic nerve were unable to function which caused partial paralysis. However, when the scientists delivered radiation to the rat’s sciatic nerve

We have long thought of radiation as primarily working by killing cancerous cells because radiation is known to cause breaks in cancer cell DNA resulting in cell death. But these studies led Dr. Lester, a radiation oncologist, to ask if radiation therapy’s effect on healthy tissue is just as important to its success as its effect on cancer cells themselves. Perhaps in some cases, radiation’s effect on growth factors in healthy nerve tissue is critical to preventing cancer recurrence.

As many questions as answers are raised by these studies. Will we one day have medicines that treat perineural tumors by inhibiting neurotrophic factors? For tumors that do not track along nerves but that invade muscle, bone or other tissue, will medicines increasingly target growth factors in these tissues to prevent spread? Already, medicine that targets “vascular endothelial growth factor” is being used to treat certain cancers. Perhaps one day a local injection of a medicine that blocks neurotrophic factors will be used to help treat perineural tumors.

As a Mohs surgeon, I took interest in these studies because many skin cancers track along nerves and because identifying perineural invasion under the microscope is an important part of my job. When I find significant perineural invasion, radiation therapy after surgery is an option I discuss. I hope that I might one day be able to offer a targeted pill or injection as an alternative to radiation.

However, I thought that these studies are of broad general interest because they are an intriguing example of how the obvious or intuitive answer so often is not the correct answer when biology is involved. Tumor growing along nerves is not just a case of taking the path of least resistance. So much of what we assume or are taught does not turn out to be the whole story. Nature is always more complex than we imagine, and new discoveries provide opportunities for medical advancement.

If you or a loved one struggles with skin cancer or any dermatologic complaint, consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C are delighted to help you achieve your skin health goals. Dr. Taylor is a Harvard-graduate, a board certified dermatologist and vein care expert, and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. Kathryn Filipek has greater than 15 years of dermatology experience with expertise in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology including fillers, Botox®, and sclerotherapy.

Kathryn Filipek, PA-C

How to build your child’s self-esteem

Brought to you by

– Charles Smith, MS, LAPC, NCC | Summit Counseling Center

A child’s self-esteem begins with a positive self-identity, which is critical for building a foundation for confidence, happiness, and emotional well-being. When children have a positive self-identity, they can navigate through life with a sense of purpose and feel like they belong. These children gain confidence and can persevere when facing challenges in school and all areas of their lives. A strong sense of selfidentity and self-worth also drives children to confidently pursue their passions without giving into self-doubt, which can hinder personal and academic growth. The mission for parents and mental health professionals is to help nurture and develop a child’s positive self-identity; so they can reach their full potential and lead meaningful and productive lives.

The How and Whys:

Step 1: Encourage your child to embrace their unique qualities (i.e., race, culture, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, talents, etc.). By embracing what makes them unique, children can fully appreciate themselves and feel a sense of inclusion.

Step 2: Celebrate your child’s accomplishments often, using positive affirmations. Their accomplishments are a great way to increase their sense of selfworth and ensure that they feel valued.

Step 3: Teach your child healthy coping skills (i.e., mindfulness, deep breathing, positive self-talk, guided imagery, etc.). These skills provide the foundation for children to manage their stress levels and regulate their emotions.

Step 4: Expose your child to various extracurricular activities. These activities encourage children to find opportunities to be successful and build self-confidence and self-esteem.

Step 5: Provide your child with a safe and supportive environment. Ensuring that your child feels safe and supportive

creates a non-judgmental environment where they feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Step 6: Help your child to develop healthy relationships with their peers and family members by utilizing assertive communication skills and reinforcing the use of “I” statements. Providing children with appropriate communication skills provides them with the foundation to stand up for their own needs and wants, while also considering the needs and wants of others.

Step 7: Teach your children the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting strategy by encouraging them to set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goals for themselves. This strategy provides children with the skills needed to improve their confidence and self-esteem, after achieving success.

Step 8: Teach your child to use a strength-based approach to problemsolving. Reminding children to focus on their strengths and achievements rather than dwelling on their self-perceived limitations which can hinder their overall growth and development.

Step 9: Help your child to recognize their negative thoughts and inner dialogue. Once recognized, children can be encouraged to replace negative self-talk with their own positive affirmations (i.e., reading scriptures, inspirational quotes, positive messages, etc.) aloud.

Step 10: Provide your child with positive modeling of self-esteem and expose them to positive mentors. This exposure enables children to demonstrate how to meet challenges with confidence and resilience.

The Summit is offering a wide range of summer groups for elementary, middle, and high school students. Registration closes on May 10th. Financial assistance is available, and groups are FREE for students that attend any of our partner schools. Visit our website at summitcounseling.org to learn about summer groups, our school partnerships, and other services available for children, teens, and adults.

Of North

The end of truth keeps marching forward

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I have always studied history; it is one of my passions. I studied it in college, and I study it now. Now I find myself in a disturbing place. Everything tells me that “truth” as we have known it, is dead – or at least rapidly disappearing. That is a problem, a really big problem.

It is not so much that “truth” is disappearing. It is more that our access to it and our ability to disseminate it is diminishing. Why? Because of a number of factors.

Our world is now more connected than it has ever been – like in the history of the world. Ease of communication and access to information via the internet has changed everything. Part of that is good. Part is very not good.

The very not good aspect of the internet is that, in effect, because we now have access to so much information, the information that is “true” is being diluted; it is mixed in with all other information, including information that is false/not factual/not accurate/not presented in context.

In addition to this “dilution” problem, there is a compounding factor – a multiplier if you will –with the emergence of artificial intelligence, “AI.” Basically, AI will increasingly make it more difficult for us to judge what is true and what is not. Information will be generated by AI, as directed by those people and organizations who wish to advocate for their own agendas, uploaded to the internet and passed off as “true.” Some of it will be, and some of it won’t be.

AI-generated information reminds me of fusion – the merging of different elements to form another element. So, especially with AI, one can take two

things that are true, add them together; and in some cases, the result is something that is false. So much depends on context.

Increasingly, that AI-generated information will appear to be more and more “true” because that is what AI does. It accesses and processes almost “all information,” and from that universe of data, crafts new “information” that looks more like it must be factual and “the truth.” That is, it is going to get geometrically more difficult for all of us to decide if what we are reading or watching or listening to is “true” – and is in appropriate context.

The magnitude of the “problem” absolutely cannot be underestimated.

“More information” does not necessarily mean better decisions. You would think it should, but it does not – at least those decisions made by humans. We have a limited capacity to process information. Our brains can only deal with a fixed amount. So, between the internet and AI, we are kind of toast, like sailing ships without rudders – at the mercy of weather we do not control.

Compound the internet with AI and add in “natural selection” – arguably the only true constant in any society –and where do we land? Indeed.

Is it any wonder that “democracy” as a form of government has succeeded as long as it has? A democracy based on the will and knowledge of “the people” – a plebiscite – even now as I write, just seems and feels like a remnant of the past, an aberration, an antique of some sort – certainly not an idea or a concept that is in ascent.

I hope I am wrong.

In the meantime, as this information “problem” plays out, we still have our faith to hopefully keep us on some sort of an even keel, and we will keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to make the best of it like we have always done, no?

Buckle up.

OPINION

Do you remember S&H Green Stamps?

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

I grew up with S&H Green Stamps and other saving stamps around the house. There was a drawer in the kitchen where all the saving stamps were kept. My brother and I helped stick stamps in books until each book had the required number. The stamps were not self-adhesive. Filled books were collected until there were enough to make a purchase, usually a household item.

The only purchase I recall making for my own home with S&H Green Stamps was a coffee pot in 1982. Saving stamps continued to be part of shopping through the late 1980s.

S&H stood for the Sperry and Hutchinson Company, which began in 1896. There were several saving stamp companies. Top Value and Gold Bond stamps were also popular.

Different grocery stores gave out different stamps, and along with the product price they advertised how many stamps were given with the purchase. The program encouraged customer loyalty, as shopping decisions were often influenced by the type of saving stamps offered. The best strategy was to primarily collect one savings stamp brand, and at my house it was S&H Green Stamps.

Advertising encouraged shoppers to plan around these stamps. The September 1960 LIFE magazine features an advertisement showing a mother and son along with the line, “Merry Christmas in September,” and “I’m starting right now to save more S&H Green Stamps than ever for extra gifts to give at Christmas.”

Women were the primary advertising target of S&H Green Stamps. S&H claims, “No wonder four

DEATH NOTICES

Jimmie Cadenhead, 79, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 1, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Elissa Coalson, 89, of Milton, passed away on March 23, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

out of five women who save stamps save S&H Green Stamps.” They also appeal to women with these words, “Be smart. Be thrifty. Join the 20 million thrifty women who save S&H Green Stamps.”

Saving stamps was so much a part of shopping and culture in the 1960s, musical humorist Allan Sherman wrote a song called “Green Stamps.” He is best remembered for his song “Camp Granada,” which he performed on the Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1962, there were five redemption centers in Atlanta and the surrounding communities. The S&H Green Stamp Redemption Center on Columbia Drive in Decatur opened that year. There were also redemption centers on Piedmont Avenue, Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, Perkerson Road in southwest Atlanta, and Roswell Street in Marietta. A larger store on Peachtree Street was built in November 1962, just in time for Christmas shopping.

Redemption stores advertised the brand name of products they carried. These included General Electric, Samsonite, Spalding, Kodak, Bulova and Kodak. The company also published a catalog of items available for purchase with stamps. The catalog had different names through the years but is best remembered as the “Ideabook.” In addition to household products, S&H stamps could be used to buy toys.

If this article brings back fun or not so fun memories of saving stamps, contact me at the email address below to share your stories.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

Dee Dee Cooley, 58, of Milton, passed away on March 31, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Cynda Douglas, 72, of Alpharetta, passed away on March 25, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Sandra Piper, 78, of Roswell, passed away on March 29, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Charlene Shirley, 86, of Alpharetta, passed away on March 30, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

The S&H Green Stamp Ideabook of 1966 celebrated the 70th anniversary of the company.

South Forsyth/Suwanee

Dig for treasures in Olde Atlanta Club in COMMUNITY-WIDE SALE! 5750 Olde Atlanta Parkway 30024. Saturday 4/20, 8am-1pm. Children’s clothes and toys, collectibles, sports equipment, electronics, household, furniture! Estate Sale

Collectibles, antiques, pictures and tools Fri-Sun 4/12 -4/14 10-4 337 Lynne Circle, Alpharetta 30009 Bargains

Washer & Dryer for sale. One year old, $900 or best offer. 847-630-2471

Full-time

Family First Credit Union in Roswell, Ga. is seeking a full-time teller for the Roswell office. This position provides a variety of services to our members - deposits, withdrawals, transfers and payments on accounts. Applicant should have previous cash handling experience, be detailed oriented, possess strong communication skills and be self-motivated. Previous financial institution experience a plus. The full time teller will report to the Branch Manager. The hours for the full time position are Monday and Friday (8:45- 5:15) and Saturday (8:45-12:15). This position also requires flexibility for vacation schedules and sick days of other employees. The duties of the full time teller may include but are not limited to:

• Greeting members

• Deposits and withdrawals (cash and checks)

• Phone requests

• Safe deposit box entry

• Maintaining member account privacy

• Auditing loans and membership applications

• Visa transaction (payments and cash advances)

• Account closure

• Daily balancing of cash drawer

Assisting employees at other branch(s) The following qualifications are required for the full time position:

• Previous cash handling experience

• Teller experience preferred but not required

• Excellent member service

• Excellent phone etiquette

• Excellent balancing skills

• Excellent attendance

• Excellent communication and organization skills

• Computer experience

• Team player

To apply please send your resume to search@ffcuga. org Only candidates meeting the above qualifications will be considered.

Family First Credit Union in Roswell, Ga. is seeking a full-time Loan Officer/ Members Services Representative for our Roswell office. Opening Accounts, assisting members with account information including credit card issues, Providing lending options to members. Applicant should have previous customer service experience and lending experience, be detailed oriented, possess strong communication skills and be self-motivated. Previous financial institution experience is a plus. The hours for the full-time position are Monday and Friday (8:45- 5:15) and Saturday (8:45-12:15). The following qualifications are required for the full-time position:

• Lending experience

• Excellent member service

• Excellent phone etiquette

• Excellent organizational skills

• Excellent attendance

• Excellent communication and organization skills

• Computer experience

• Team player

The duties of the full-time Loan Officer/MSR may include but are not limited to:

• Greeting members

• Booking Loans

• Working with credit reports

• Safe deposit box entry

• Maintaining member account privacy

• Auditing loans and membership applications

• Opening Accounts

• Account closure

• Assisting employees at other branch(s)

Please consider joining our team! We offer excellent salary and benefits! To apply please send your resume to search@ffcuga.org. Only candidates meeting the above qualifications will be considered.

Part-time

REAL ESTATE ASSISTING

Healthy, hard-working, very tech-savvy lady, good organizing skills. 1-5 or 6pm. 2-3 days/week. My Johns Creek home. Also willing to help with home organization. Salary approx. $15+/hour based on performance & work accomplished. Have own reliable transportation. 678-524-3881 & send resume: realestatetreasure@msn.com

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