Forsyth Herald - June 13, 2024

Six Forsyth County graduates receive veterans scholarships

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Cumming Chapter 1030 of the Vietnam Veterans of America honored the service and sacrifice of six Georgians killed in action in the Vietnam War on June 4 with scholarships presented in their memory to Forsyth County high school graduates.

The graduating seniors received $5,000 checks and a certificate which included a photo of the individual who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. Those receiving the scholarships are:

• Anna Skrip of North Forsyth High School, whose scholarship is in memory of U.S. Army Sgt. Michael

Nations of Dalton.

• Colin Kowalczyk of North Forsyth High School, whose scholarship was given in memory of U.S. Army Maj. Charles Kelly of Warm Springs.

• Andrew Radtke of Lambert High School, whose scholarship honors the service and sacrifice of U.S. Army Spc. 4 Gary Cruse of Murray County.

• Annalise Leitner of Forsyth Central High School, whose scholarship was named in memory of U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman Robert Lewis Brown of East Point.

See GRADUATES, Page 14

► PAGE 3

By JAKE DRUKMAN newsroom@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County commissioners gave approval for 46 new single-family homes on Dr. Bramblett Road and a new shopping center on Peachtree Parkway.

Commissioners unanimously approved a sketch plat June 6 for the 46 homes to be constructed on a 58-acre plot between Tomahawk Lane and Chadwick Drive.

Though there was little commission discussion on the housing development before approval, comments from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service in the county’s staff report note that a high amount of stream frontage in the development mean potential buyers should be made aware of landscaping limits and flood risks due to the nearby wetland areas. Commissioners also approved a sketch plat for a new business center on the 12-acre triangular plot south of Peachtree Parkway and east of Vaughan Road. The development will include more than 67,000 square feet of new commercial space.

See COUNTY, Page 14

WEEKLEY HOMES/PROVIDED A concept plan displays the layout of 46 homes planned to be built on the 58-acre plot on Dr. Bramblett Road between Tomahawk Lane and Chadwick Drive.

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA CHAPTER 1030/PROVIDED

From left, scholarship recipients are Anna Skrip, Colin Kowalczyk, Andrew Radtke, Annalise Leitner and Natalie Knight. Not pictured is Alexa Boada.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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

Police cite dog owner for violating leash law

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported to police June 2 that someone’s dog charged at her and her smaller dog while walking on a sidewalk, seriously injuring it.

The woman told police that despite her efforts to pick up her dog, the large dog managed to grab it by the neck and shake it. The woman said she was knocked down in the process, resulting in an injury to her elbow, according to the incident report.

When the owner of the large dog, a 25-year-old Johns Creek woman, arrived at the scene, police instructed her to locate her dog and keep it contained until Fulton County Animal Control arrived.

The owner told police she had been in her fenceless backyard with her dog and another canine, each equipped with electronic collars, when they spotted a deer and fled. Only one dog returned, the report says. Police cited the woman for violating the city’s leash law.

Couple reports bullet fired into their home

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police investigated a loud explosion near Spring Ridge Drive June 4 after determining a bullet had been fired into a residence.

The victims are a 72-year-old Roswell man and a 73-year-old female resident.

They said they heard a loud explosion while sitting on their couch around 6:20 p.m. followed by the sound of a window breaking on their back deck.

An officer said the broken window appeared to have a bullet hole in the glass.

Another officer noticed a hole in a bookshelf and found a projectile, believed to be a bullet, lodged in the wood.

Officers visited the home directly behind

the victim’s residence, but the homeowner said he did not own a firearm.

They also attempted to speak with another homeowner but did not make contact.

Without an identified suspect, officers returned to photograph the damage at the victim’s home and collect evidence.

The victims said they would like to wait and see who confessed before deciding to press charges.

Fast food worker faces battery charge

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The manager of a fast food restaurant on Abbotts Bridge Road reported to police June 2 that his coworker assaulted him following a disagreement.

The manager told police the suspect became angry once he was told that he could not be in the kitchen while off the clock. The suspect, a 20-year-old Johns Creek man, was preparing himself food, though he was not scheduled to work that day, according to the incident report.

The suspect allegedly repeatedly hit the manager with a closed fist on his face, upper torso, back and arms. After the initial attack, the suspect exited the kitchen but returned to strike the manager a few more times before leaving with his sandwich before the police arrived, the report says.

While surveillance footage was unavailable during the time of the report, police relied on two witness accounts and placed a warrant on the suspect for battery.

Police say cyclist at fault in collision with pickup

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police kept a 31-year-old man in custody at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center May 30 after officers determined he was at fault in a motor vehicle accident.

Police were called to Holcomb Bridge Road and Old Dogwood Road to investigate a crash between a white Ford van and a bicyclist.

Officers determined the cyclist entered the intersection westbound on the Holcomb Bridge Road sidewalk without yielding to the van turning right from Old Dogwood

Road.

After the collision, the man riding the bicycle then got off the ground and fled to the Shell gas station across the street where officers eventually made contact.

The cyclist was transported to the hospital with a possible broken left leg and arm. Later, officers discovered the cyclist had an active warrant for his arrest out of the Roswell Police Department for firstdegree burglary.

Interviewed at the hospital, officers said he told them he was riding on the sidewalk and did not see the van coming when he entered the intersection.

When asked why he fled the scene, the man said he was confused and hurting.

Officers said he remains in custody at the hospital because of his active warrant.

They also secured warrants for hit and run and failing to operate a bicycle in the roadway or designed path.

Retail shopping center reports damage to stores

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating a second-degree forced burglary after multiple stores at the 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road shopping center reported damages June 3.

Officers responded to J’s Wine and Spirits and viewed surveillance footage of the incident.

An employee said an unidentified man damaged the rear door and turned of breaker boxes to multiple businesses.

An officer said the suspect is a Black male with hair twists down to his jaw who wore a puffy black vest while pushing a Home Depot shopping cart.

The officer said footage showed the man attempting to pry open multiple doors behind the businesses.

The cost to replace the door at J’s Wine and Spirits was estimated at around $1,000.

Officers said they contacted employees at Whit’s Frozen Custard, OneMain Financial, Dogtopia who all said they were without power early in the morning.

The owner of Whit’s Frozen Custard said $200 in merchandise had melted, and he faces another $5,000 in potential losses.

Slate of area schools add state titles

By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com

NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Johns Creek High School boys tennis took home its sixth straight state championship May 11, defeating Pope 3-0 for the 6A title.

The match was held at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College.

The Gladiators overcame the loss of one of its key players during the state playoffs and had to enter the championship game playing with a lineup that they had used when they were defeated by Pope previously.

Despite the loss in the regular season, the boys persevered to earn their title as state champions.

“It was nice to go out there and use that same lineup to completely turn the tables,” Coach Todd Hedden said. “And, two of the lines that lost last time actually ended up winning the points for us to take the state championship.”

To add to north Metro Atlanta high schools’ successful athletic season, the Roswell City Council recognized Fellowship Christian Academy’s varsity girls soccer team at its meeting May 28. The team won the state championship for its second year in a row.

Seniors Alden Hays and Avery Paulson will be attending Liberty University next

year to continue their soccer career, and Rachel Williamson is headed to the University of Georgia.

“The greatest thing about them is actually the signature word that we had this year, which was ‘humility’…” Coach Andy Trevers said. “They exemplified that everywhere they went…”

At the meeting, Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson also recognized the individual achievements of athletes at Blessed Trinity Catholic School, including Jack Garrett, the state wrestling champion in the 144-pound weight class for the 6A division.

He also acknowledged the four winners of the 800-meter relay, Addy Wilson, Alayna Carter, London Ray and Claire Peterson. Wilson said Claire was also the 1600-meter

The Johns Creek High School varsity boys tennis team reclaims its title as state champions for the sixth year in a row.

state champion and the 3200-meter state champion as well as the school’s valedictorian this year.

The Georgia High School Association host annual state championship tournaments for varsity teams to compete for a first-place spot. This year north Metro Atlanta had a fighting season full of triumphs, and these varsity teams were able to claim the title as state champion within their division:

Johns Creek

6A: Johns Creek High School girls golf

6A: Johns Creek High School boys swimming and diving

6A: Johns Creek High School boys tennis

5A-4A: Chattahoochee High School boys

cross country

5A-4A: Chattahoochee High School boys

swimming and diving

1A: Mount Pisgah Christian School girls

volleyball

Sandy Springs

6A: Riverwood International Charter School boys basketball

Alpharetta

6A: Alpharetta High School girls volleyball

6A: FCS Innovation Academy’s esports team placed first in the game “Splatoon,” a third-person shooter game.

Forsyth County

7A: South Forsyth High School dance team

The team placed first overall as well in Hip-Hop and Pom. Pom is a style of dance that emphasizes precise and synchronized movements.

6A: West Forsyth High School girls tennis

6A: West Forsyth High School girls soccer

Milton

7A: Milton High School boys football

7A: Milton High School girls lacrosse

6A-5A: Cambridge High School girls

lacrosse

A Division 1: St. Francis High School girls

basketball

Roswell

6A-5A: Roswell High School boys lacrosse

2A: Fellowship Christian Academy girls soccer

Sculptor, 92, creates family with his hands

Yearlong effort produces busts, new friendships

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A corner of the art room at Village Park Milton, a retirement community in Alpharetta, is dedicated to Don Higgs’ sculpting work.

Materials, tools and art pieces, like a small llama and a bust of his wife Grace, crowd the area. Higgs, 92, works mostly in clay — plasteline isn’t as malleable, at least the stuff manufactured in the U.S. The best comes from Italy, he said.

“I love the feel of [clay]. It’s cool and smooth,” said Higgs, on his way to grab the mold of a young girl. She and the likeness of the rest of the Case children are on display in the lobby of Village Park, the result of a yearlong effort.

The mother, Christine Case, sat at the table in the art room with her youngest son Christopher, who was busy doodling and staying occupied with Grace. Higgs approached Case one day at St. Thomas Aquinas, a place where he searches for new subjects.

“Don came up and said, ‘Oh, you have such a beautiful family’ … and then we started chatting,” Case re -

called.

The next week, Case said Don brought along his portfolio and that the interaction unfolded into a year of regular visits to Village Park.

“It was really nice because we got to know Don and [Grace],” Case said. “In addition to Don doing his art, we became friends.”

torch to Higgs when 29 grandchildren came along.

He did 25 of them.

“I had one niece that had eight children. I only got five of them done. I told her she was wearing me out,” Higgs said.

Higgs said his ability to create sculpture is something he was born with, though he learned techniques while helping his mother with casting growing up.

“She’d get her housework done in the morning and do art in the afternoon,” Higgs said.

His mother lived to be 103.

The creative gene is also in Higgs’ children, like his son who is a metal and stone sculptor in St. Petersburg, Florida. Higgs’ wife Grace may have helped with that, a painter herself. Married for 60 years, the couple met in an art class at the University of Maryland.

“For every 100 painters, there’s one sculptor out there, I would say,” Higgs said.

For busts, Higgs starts by wrapping clay around a metal framework, which is eventually removed once the figure is cut in half. He said the eyes are the most difficult to get right, then the mouth, then the nose, especially if the subject is beautiful because there aren’t any outstanding features.

The process takes about 20 hours, firing the piece elsewhere.

Higgs dove into art in his mid-40s, sculpting busts of his wife and children, later taking over his mother’s work as she aged. Once a professional sculptor in the Washington, D.C., area, Higgs’ mother had created busts of her nine grandchildren and passed the

Higgs created two busts and four reliefs of Case’s children, the reliefs done to save space.

“My oldest daughter said she doesn’t like heads,” Higgs said, laughing.

“She’s got heads all over her house, she says,” Case added.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Don Higgs, a 92-year-old sculptor, stands with Christine Case and her son Christopher by a bust of Chrisopher he created on display at Village Park Milton. After meeting Case around a year ago at St. Thomas Aquinas, Higgs began creating sculptures of all six of her children.

EXCUSE ME DARLING WOULD YOU CARE TO ESCORT ME TO ‘CUE IN CELEBRATION OF FATHER’S DAY AS I RECALL TAKING YOU SOMEWHERE NICE FOR MOTHER’S DAY (OH YES, IT WAS ALSO ‘CUE) BUT I’D LIKE TO GO AGAIN BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS SO DELICIOUS I MAY HAVE A BANANAS DOSTER FOR DESSERT AND AN ICE COLD BEER OR THREE AS YOU ARE DRIVING I LOVE YOU SO MUCH ARE YOU READY DO YOU HAVE YOUR KEYS ... BABE?

Just opened?

6 | Forsyth Herald | June 13, 2024

Bookstore captures fans from first page

By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga.— It’s not surprising that the three owners of Johns Creek Books have a plot for success.

Each has selected a literary quote to guide the business.

Joshua Mullinax chose: “Readers live a thousand lives,” by George R.R. Martin. For Mullinax, the quote embodies the spirit of the bookstore off Medlock Bridge Parkway.

From the moment you step inside, Martin’s words come to life, welcoming customers into a world of endless new experiences. Whether it’s the collection of vintage toys, the 1,500-piece puzzles, or the congratulatory card featuring a chubby baby waving “Heck Yeah,” this store is a universe of adventures.

Mullinax joined with Cidne Winegar and her sister Erin Elwood to found the store in July 2023.

Mullinax can be spotted conversing with one of the store’s regular customers, a boy around 10, who is fascinated by the vintage toys.

Elwood is no less subtle in the store, radiating her passion for reading.

“I absolutely love having kids come in and recommending them a book, and then they come in again to get the second book of the series, then the third,” Elwood said. “And then we talk about it.”

The store first opened in 2018, and Elwood, herself, was a frequent customer. Coincidentally, she met one of the former owners at a party and mentioned her career as a lawyer was not quite as

HANNAH FRAZER/APPEN MEDIA

Joshua Mullinax, right, discuss the adventures of “I Who Have Never Known Men” by

Jacqueline Hartman in Joshua’s “Future is Female” book club.

Book:

Continued from Page 6

“Why don’t you take over the store?” the owner asked.

Elwood said she was in disbelief but knew she had to seize this opportunity. After discussing it with her sister and friend Mullinax, they decided it was meant to be. The team officially took ownership on July 1, 2023.

Elwood and Mullinax maintain their careers, she as a lawyer and City Council member, he as an animator during the day. Winegar is the mother of two children. Despite their busy schedules, they find time to share their love for literature at the bookstore.

After buying the company, Elwood began personalizing the store. With the “sink or swim” mentality, she decorated with more bookcases while Mullinax used his color palette to brighten up the place with hot pink and flashing colors.

Nestled in the cozy reading nook at the back of the store, is a white wooden chair painted with the words, “If you don’t see the book you want on the shelves...write it.”

The reading area suits co-owner Winegar’s chosen quote “The world is quiet here,” written by Lemony Snicket. Elwood explained that the sentiment doesn’t suggest they want silence to dominate their store, “but it’s that the

outside noise of everything is quiet in the store.”

From the children’s artwork taped to the wall to the painted wooden rocker chair, the owners achieve just that.

Johns Creek Books offers more than literary adventures for purchase. It also features locally made goods. If it’s not a book, then the goal is to offer communitysourced merchandise, such as candles, ceramics and soaps.

In addition, the business holds book clubs for all styles of readers. Choices include: Erin’s “AP English for Adults” book club, the Wednesday book club, Joshua’s “The Future is Female” sci-fi book club, the award-winning books club, the “Fellowship of Fantasy” book club, the Tuesday book club and the nonfiction book club.

For the Sci-Fi book club, the owners created a welcoming space for guests. A large table showcases an unsolved puzzle, inviting club members to give it a try. During the meeting, guests reflected on the setting of the book and the author’s intent.

“Experience this book like you experience the mystery of life,” Mullinax advised.

A welcoming haven for many tastes, the store boasts a coffee setup at the front, a wide array of books in the middle and vintage toys next to a reading area at the back.

Check out the store’s website for event updates: johnscreekbooks.com

HANNAH FRAZER/APPEN MEDIA

Joshua Mullinax’s eye for décor and love of vintage material has the store bursting with vibrant energy.

Wellstar provides expert care for back pain and spine conditions

Brought to you by -

Dr. Basheer Shakir, neurosurgeon at Wellstar

The idea of getting spine surgery can make many patients nervous. Lower back pain and spinal complaints remain very common at the doctor’s office.

Successful treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis. The cause of spinal pain can include muscle strain, disc degeneration, poor bone quality or nerve compression. It is crucial for the spine specialist, neurosurgeon or pain manager to strive to identify the specific cause to decide the optimal treatment strategy. While many patients may benefit from a short course of physical therapy, rest or medications for pain relief, others may require small procedures like epidural steroid or facet injections. Healthier diets and lifestyles, as well as optimization of bone quality, can also be very helpful.

For those patients requiring more than conservative, non-surgical therapy, surgical outlooks have never been more promising. Significant technologic advances in intraoperative imaging, minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques, spinal cord stimulation and artificial disc implants provide a variety of options for patients to get back to work or leisurely activities quickly.

Be it a compression fracture in the elderly with osteoporosis, herniated discs, sacroiliac joint issues or even complex multiple-level scoliosis or revision-fusion procedures, patients now enjoy a plethora of previously unprecedented treatment options for each ailment. With exception to very large reconstructive operations, gone is the era of long hospital stays and tremendous pain. Current techniques are minimally invasive,

resulting in less pain and better function for patients. Outpatient procedures have become the norm for many spine surgery patients, and the dim prospect of procedure-related morbidity and chronic pain have seen significant decrease. Apart from improving the patient’s experience

short-term and long-term, cuttingedge techniques and technology have allowed neurosurgeons to care for more elderly and enfeebled patients with challenging medical problems that may have otherwise been turned away.

Wellstar Neurosurgery provides

personalized, expert care. Our team collaborates with the Wellstar North Fulton Spine & Pain Center for patients who would benefit from pain management procedures. To schedule an appointment with a neurosurgeon for back or neck pain and to find out if you’re a candidate for surgery, call (770) 664-9600.

SHAKIR

EXPERT SPINE SURGERY

If pain is stopping you from doing what you love and nonsurgical options aren’t helping, you may benefit from spine surgery. At Wellstar, you’ll find a spine care team designed around your unique needs, offering both traditional and minimally invasive surgery.

Our spine surgeons collaborate with primary care providers and other multidisciplinary experts to determine the best combination of approaches to reduce your pain and improve your daily life. wellstar.org/spinesurgery

Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist

Insist on the BEST

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.

Kathryn Filipek, PA-C

Benzoyl Peroxide danger – fact or fiction?

Benzoyl peroxide or “BPO” is a dermatologist’s old standby. It is a triedand-true effective ingredient to treat acne including pimples and clogged pores and is found in both over the counter acne washes as well as prescription acne products. Given its extensive use and presence in so many over-the-counter products, it came as a shock to the world and the medical community when a company named Valisure recently argued that BPO too easily breaks down into benzene, a cancer-causing chemical known to cause leukemia and other types of cancer. Valisure advocated for the recall of over-the-counter acne products containing BPO.

Is Valisure right? What is the truth? The answer is complicated and interesting.

BPO’s potential to cause cancer was suggested in the 1980s when animal studies suggested that it might make skin tumors grow. BPO is a very reactive molecule and works at least in part by reacting with proteins of skin bacteria and killing the bacteria that cause acne. BPO has long been known to be destructive. The question is whether it is only destructive to bacteria or also to humans.

In 1991 new concerning animal data caused the FDA to formally declare that additional studies were necessary on BPO safety, but the data was weak, and sales of BPO products continued to be permitted. During the ensuing years, a concerted effort was made through multiple studies to verify BPO’s safety. In 2010, the FDA reviewed available data and voted to label BPO as GRASE (Generally Recognized as Safe and Effective). Recent data had been reassuring.

Fast forward to the present day and we have a curveball. A company named Valisure studied the potential of BPO to form benzene at elevated temperatures. Valisure tested benzene levels after exposing BPO products to 98.6, 122, and 158-degrees Fahrenheit for two weeks or more. As the temperature went up, so did the level of benzene. These are temperatures that BPO may be exposed to in real life situations such as being left in a hot car or during shipment from manufacturing sites.

Valisure appears to have proven that BPO has the potential to form benzene, particularly if exposed to high temperatures. How often this happens and how frequently this has caused cancer remains unknown. Even if

someone could guarantee that their BPO had never been exposed to heat, BPO left on someone’s shelf for long periods might eventually form significant levels of benzene over time.

Is Valisure a white knight rescuing the public from a serious threat?

One concerning conflict of interest is that Valisure’s president, David Light, filed a patent in 2023 for a method to prevent BPO from breaking down into benzene.

Timelines matter. Did Valisure know of BPO’s potential risks but wait to disclose them and request a recall until after they had filed for a patent for the fix? Valisure’s homepage states that they are a company focused on “transparency,” but Valisure’s mention of its patent application was buried on page 26 of a 34 page “Citizen Petition.” Acknowledgment of this patent application as a conflict of interest was nowhere to be found in that Citizen Petition. Valisure states that their goal is to provide “independent certification” of product safety, but when they stand to profit from finding dangers, then they are not as independent as they should be.

No recall has been issued. At least one manufacturer, Clearasil™, has responded by claiming that its products are safe when stored correctly and stated “The findings presented by an independent lab reflect unrealistic scenarios rather than real-world conditions” according to an article in Chemistry World.

And of course, class action lawsuits have already arisen.

One can argue about whether Valisure’s citizen petition for a recall was premature or whether it is motivated by its patent and a desire to force companies to use Valisure’s BPO stabilizer in BPO products to Valisure’s financial gain. The only thing that is certain is that with the filing of a patent, Valisure ceased to be the independent company that we wish it were.

What are doctors and patients to do? At the least, throw away expired BPO. Throw away BPO that has been exposed to high temperatures. Talk with your doctor about alternatives to BPO. We are in the fortunate position of having many alternatives to BPO available while the true safety of BPO and potential for benzene formation gets sorted out. Two over the counter alternatives to consider are adapalene or salicylic acid. For more stubborn acne including acne that is causing scarring, see a specialist in dermatology. And stay tuned for future updates on BPO.

Dr. Brent Taylor

Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

From Atlanta to the ‘Hooch

Embracing summer in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Brought to you by –

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy

Ah, summer in Atlanta - when the sticky heat and wet air join forces. Luckily, there’s an escape just a short drive away: the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Nestled conveniently close to the city yet far enough to feel like a getaway, this gem stretches 48 miles from Buford Dam to Paces Mill, offering a refreshing array of activities that might just make you forget about the sweltering Georgia heat.

The Chattahoochee River provides the perfect opportunity to cool off when that heat gets a bit too intense. Water released from Buford Dam averages around 50 degrees, keeping the river in your national park cool year-round. Take a dip to cool off, spend a day fishing, or enjoy paddling along our scenic waterway. For a guided experience, check out our Paddle the Park series in partnership with Nantahala Outdoor Center!

If staying on solid ground is more your style, no worries- there are hiking trails and picnic areas galore. With 68

miles of trail throughout the park, each unit offers something to cater to all levels! Don’t miss our monthly Community Hike where you can enjoy the trails with fellow park enthusiasts.

Ready for summer at CRNRA? Learn more about the park’s activities and consider joining the Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy. Membership not only supports the park’s preservation, but also comes with perks that make your visits even more enjoyable. Grab your gear and let the adventure begin - visit chattahoocheeparks.org to learn more.

Men have emotion regulation needs, too

As a male therapist, I’m constantly surprised by my own hesitancy to ask for help. I know the benefits of regulating my emotions and opening up to someone I trust, but I also know the challenges men face when it comes to seeking therapy. Many men have grown up under pressure to suppress emotions and maintain a tough exterior. Be vulnerable? Not today! Unfortunately, this leads many men to suppress valid thoughts and emotions, missing out on greater satisfaction in our work, relationships, and life.

Here are some helpful strategies to regulate emotions:

1. Develop emotional awareness. Recognize tense shoulders, shaky legs, and tiredness as your emotions giving you a heads up. Next, identify your main emotional triggers, like work stress or financial problems, to know why your body is sounding an alarm.

2. Once aware, learn strategies to regulate the emotion. In the work I do with men, we process what the emotional alarms communicate and determine effective responses. Men tell me they feel more empowered and less stress when they can observe the anger or fear start in then body, and then check the facts and choose their response. Responding effectively versus just reacting is both tough and doable.

3. Create healthy coping mechanisms. It’s amazing the benefits I see in my office from straightforward actions like addressing sleep issues, drinking water, eating well, and exercising. In fact, regular exercise has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood in men.

I know it takes courage to seek help, and the benefits of improved mental health and wellbeing are well worth it. Learn more about Summit and schedule an appointment by visiting www.summitcounseling.org.

Brought to you by – Jason Howard, Licensed Professional Counselor at Summit Counseling Center

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Recalling another memory from time spent in Georgia

A few weeks back, I wrote about some thoughts reflecting on these 33 years of living in Georgia. There were emails, texts and Facebook posts that served the purpose of jogging my memory.

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Inevitably, they started with “remember the time, we…” or “you should have written about…”

Okay. Message received. I’ll throw a few more at you that warm my heart and make me grateful for being here.

In October 1995, the Braves were playing the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. Looking back, the fact that it will likely be the last “Native American mascot” Fall Classic. The sixth game was to be played on a Saturday, and I desperately wanted to go. The Atlanta paper was filled with ads from folks selling tickets, and I called several inquiring how much it was going to cost me to see history.

There were some outrageous prices, but I bartered two tickets on Delta and a week at a Marriott as bait to entice a visionary soul to allow me to play Monty Hall and play “Let’s Make a Deal.”

Jan Spector was one of the guys who wasn’t interested in what I was offering.

And then he called back. He took my deal. Vicki and I watched Tom Glavine pitch a beauty, David Justice hit a home run and the city went bonkers. Couldn’t have had better seats. First row, right behind home plate. I could have called balls and strikes.

Wait. It gets better.

When I drove to Atlanta to pick up the tickets, I was under a time crunch. Jan, who is Jewish, would do no business on the Sabbath. I packed Rosie, our Old English Sheepdog, in the car and we met Jan at his house. No money changed hands and our now 30-year bond was formed on trust. As I

was ready to leave, I noticed two extra tickets on a table.

“You want those?” Jan asked. “See if you can sell them”

I did sell them to neighbor Tom Pollock, who at first, balked at going to the game because he had tickets to the Atlanta Knights hockey game.

Tom came to his senses, bought the tickets, which had him sit on the top row of right field in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. He and his wife Lucine, both now deceased, had a rollicking time, blowing cigarette smoke into the Atlanta night with Tom making sure those around him knew his friend was sitting in prime seats while he was in the nosebleed section.

I also was in Minnesota when Morten Andersen kicked a field goal to send the Falcons to the Super Bowl. Tom was with me on that trip. We had tickets on the 50-yard-line, and we hugged each other like a couple of buffoons. The people in Minnesota couldn’t have been nicer. Except for the priest at St. Olaf’s who didn’t appreciate us attending Sunday Mass in Falcons gear.

I had the privilege of playing golf every week with Shaun Callahan and his sons, Michael and Bobby, at the sincedemolished Lanier Golf Club. The boys would smack drivers toward houses that bordered the driving range, and it was an added bonus when a shot would rattle around on the deck, bringing the owner outside while still in his PJs.

We all got a laugh when we ordered a “Mike Tasos sandwich” at the turn. It was a fried egg, bacon and cheese on rye and both Callahan boys still long for one.

I was fortunate to coach my son Greg in baseball. In a most unlikely turn of events, our Central Park team, which lost more 10-year-old all-star tournament games than it won, went to Tyrone, Georgia, and won the state championship in 2009. I still have the plaque in my office.

After a ton of extensive travel, it was always heartwarming to get back to north Georgia. Like many others are doing now, I am glad to have forsaken my California roots for my home here. Anyone asks me where you from, “Georgia” is my answer. It’s home.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@ gmail.com.

MIKE TASOS Columnist

OPINION

What will healthcare look like in the future?

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

Once upon a time there was a frog. Someone caught it and decided to eat the frog. So, they got a pot of water and brought it to boil and then dropped the frog into the boiling water. The frog freaked out and jumped right back out of the pot. The guy tried again, then again, and each time the frog jumped back out. Frustrated, the guy mentioned the problem to his wife who laughed at him and told him to empty out the boiling water and put cold water in the pot. Then put the frog into the cold water and turn the gas on the stove back on, she said. The man, because he knew how wise his wife was, followed her directions and, of course, the frog never jumped out of the pot, even when it started to boil, because the water had heated slowly, and the frog never noticed.

I took someone to urgent care this week. We walked in and spoke to the receptionist who informed us we needed to self-check-in at the kiosk on the other side of the room, which we did. Then we waited, and ultimately my friend was able to see a doctor.

The “check in” made me smile. As I waited with my friend, I thought about how this urgent care was going to change. Here is what I saw.

A year or two from now – maybe sooner – I walk into the same urgent care because I am feeling ill. In the waiting area, I don’t see anyone sitting down waiting because there are no chairs. Instead, I notice half a dozen kiosks.

“Odd, I think.”

Then I notice that three of the kiosks actually are occupied because I can see people in them, the bottom part of legs from the knee down. Those kiosks actually have walls that form sort of a box, like those old pay phone booths that were around in the late 20th century.

I step up to one of the open kiosks and touch the screen. “Hold still please” I hear from the screen, “I can’t scan your face if you keep moving,” it says. I freeze.

“Ray,” it then says several seconds later, “what brings you in today?” I explain that I am feeling bad and have headaches all day, have shortness of breath and no energy. The screen, which now displays an avatar of a

well-groomed person – in their late 30s I estimate – in a white physician’s coat complete with a stethoscope looped around her neck. “Your vitals look fine Ray, and I don’t detect an elevated white blood cell count, so it is unlikely that you have an infection.”

Then the avatar asks me if I am still taking the Lipitor that Dr. Jamison (my former primary care physician) prescribed to me last year. I tell her that I am. She then replies that with my family history of heart disease and high cholesterol, that the probability is 74.82 percent that I need bypass surgery.

“The problem,” she says, “is that Humana doesn’t pay for that procedure unless the diagnosis is 75 percent,” and that she is sorry, but that I will have to defer treatment until I cross the 75 percent threshold. “Don’t worry though,” she says, “there is a 96.15 percent probability that on or before October 22nd, you will pass the threshold.

“I have contacted your employer and notified them that you will be on sick leave for the next five days. I also reached out to your wife so she will know that you will not be able to drive Jimmy to practice today as you have annotated on your Google calendar.”

Also, she said, “I did notice some spots on your arm – basil cell carcinomas – that urgently need to be removed. I took the liberty to notify Dr. Rajan in the procedures kiosk No. 7 on your right as you exit this kiosk. He is expecting you and has scheduled your procedure at 3:05 – in 12 minutes. Is there anything else I can help you with Ray?”

I tell her no and thank her for her time. As I start to leave, I hear her again, in a slightly softer, less authoritative voice, tell me that the behavioral issues Mary Lisa (my daughter) is having at school – and which are noted in her school record – are normal and that, she will most likely grow out of it – at least an 88.44 percent probability. She is a good girl from what her records indicate, she says, with a warm smile.

As I open the door to exit, I hear her voice yet again: “Ray, I noticed that you are parked in a handicapped spot, and your records do not indicate that you have handicap authorization. The patrol is scheduled to pass by in 16 minutes, so if you hurry you can either move your car or exit. That fine is a big one, and I know that you are already two days late paying your Chase Emerald Card so, lets avoid this fine, OK?

I nod my head yes and walk a little faster, relieved that she gave me the heads up.

Table scraps

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Battering wind 25 Passengers 26 Allege as fact

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Quiets 35 Employ

I-20 INVESTORS/PROVIDED

County:

Continued from Page 1

The applicant, Augusta-based I-20 Investors, plans for the space to include a daycare center, a bank, two restaurants and six other commercial buildings which may be used as retail stores, more restaurants or office space. In total, the center will include 330 parking spaces.

The applicants agreed to install a fence between the new shopping center and the adjacent Bridle Ridge subdivision, as well as prohibit commercial deliveries and garbage pickup in the area between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

When one county resident spoke in opposition to the sketch plat on the grounds that nearby residents did not want a 24-hour restaurant in the area, attorney J. Ethan Underwood told commissioners on behalf of the applicant that none of the planned restaurants would be open 24 hours, and that opening one would require a separate permit.

Alcohol ordinance changes

Also at the meeting, the Board of

Commissioners held a public hearing on proposed changes to the county’s alcohol ordinance that would create a new license allowing businesses to provide alcohol to catered events.

The alcohol catering license would only be available to businesses already licensed to sell alcohol for consumption at the business. The restrictions of the catering license would also remain the same as the underlying alcohol sales license — if a restaurant is only licensed to serve beer and wine on its premises, it still could not sell other types of alcohol to catered events.

Caterers selling alcohol would also have to obtain a special event permit with the county before transporting the drinks.

Karen Pachuta, a lawyer with county attorney’s office Jarrard & Davis, said that restaurants offering catering can technically sell alcohol at catered events already, but it requires

Graduates:

Continued from Page 1

• Natalie Knight of Forsyth Central High School was presented a scholarship honoring the service and sacrifice of U.S. Army Spc. George Young of Gainesville.

• Alexa Boada of Lambert High School, whose scholarship honors the memory of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard Hodges of Atlanta.

“Our members feel a sense of obligation to remember and honor the sacrifice of our fallen comrades from the Vietnam War, and we believe this scholarship program helps to accomplish that,” said Ed Shoemaker, Chapter 1030 president.

Shoemaker said the scholarships serve to educate young people about the war and the service members who served and sacrificed so much in Vietnam.

The families of Sgt. Nations, Spc. Cruse and Lance Cpl. Hodges attended the ceremony at the National Guard Armory in Cumming.

the business to have its distributor make a separate delivery of alcohol to the event. The catering license would allow these businesses to transport beverages they already have on hand to catered events rather than organizing a separate delivery.

The proposed ordinance change would also allow caterers that are not restaurants to apply for a consumption-on-premises license so long as they are open to the public and actively engaging in business for at least four hours on at least one day each week.

While another of the proposed changes would increase the amount of bar seating allowed at a business with a consumption-on-premises license from 10% to 20% of total seating, commissioners questioned the need to enforce a maximum of bar seating requirement when businesses are already required to derive a certain percentage of their sales from food rather than alcohol.

Thursday’s meeting was the first of two public hearings on the proposed ordinance changes. County residents will have another opportunity to voice their opinion on the proposal.

A concept plan displays the approved shopping center plans for Peachtree Parkway in Suwanee.

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