Check your status, update your address or find your polling location on the Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page” at https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s
The webpage also provides the option to register.
For the Nov. 5 general election, the deadline to register is Oct. 7
4
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — While the full extent of costs and damage from the storm has yet to be determined statewide, north metro residents began returning to their normal lives over the weekend.
Forsyth County came out the other side of Hurricane Helene undamaged, for the most part.
County officials were pleased to have sustained minimal damage.
“The storm trended much further east than originally forecasted leading to less of an impact in Forsyth County in the way of strong winds and flooding that were seen in south and east Georgia,” said Amanda Roper, communications and external affairs assistant director.
County operations returned to normal in the afternoon of Sept. 27 with only a few exceptions.
See HELENE, Page 12
Students do lab work as part of a Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education pathway program. Forsyth County Schools hopes to build a new center to provide additional education options for students.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — An agreement between Forsyth County schools and the county would contribute land and funds to create a Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education center.
The agreement is part of a collaboration between the two governments for The Gathering at South Forsyth, a $2 billion mixed-use development.
munity center and 450 hotel rooms. The development is working to attract an NHL team to call its arena home.
County Commissioners considered an amendment to the agreement at a Sept. 24 work session. The amendment would require the county to transfer 10 acres and $3 million to the school district for the education center.
HANS APPEN/APPEN MEDIA Crews in the city of Alpharetta work to clear a downed tree limb from Lee Street around 8:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27. Hurricane Helene, with tropical storm and flood warnings, has caused road closures and power outages in Metro Atlanta. See CENTER, Page 13
The Gathering would include 1.6 million square feet of commercial space, a 750,000-square-foot arena, com-
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By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office could receive a new de-escalation tool that can restrain from a distance.
bullets, said Stacie Miller, public information officer and director of the office’s External Communications Unit.
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Sheriff’s officials will apply for an $11,518 grant, which opens Oct. 16, to fund the purchase of BolaWrap devices, according to county documents. The BolaWrap deploys a 7.5-foot Kevlar tether that wraps around a person’s arms or legs without causing physical harm, according to Wrap Technologies, the company that produces the devices. It also features a laser sight to allow precise targeting and makes a sound to help diffuse situations. Deputies already uses Tasers, bean bag guns and rubber
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies investigated a report of domestic aggravated assault at a Cumming home Sept. 10.
Deputies spoke with a man who said he had been assaulted by his wife, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office report. He said his wife thought he had cheated on her and looked at other women at a recent weekend festival.
Conglomerated Host, Ltd is looking for an Accountant to join its team. Job Description: Corporate office located in Milton, GA has an opening in the Accounting Department. Entry level position with opportunity to advance. Starting pay is $20.00 per hour/approximately 30 hours per week. Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel is a plus. How To Apply: Email response to conglomeratedhost@gmail.com or fax to 770-521-0809.
During an argument, the wife hit him with an open hand and rolling pin and threatened him with a knife, he said.
The man said he had pushed his wife to avoid being hurt by her.
The wife confirmed with deputies the reason for the argument. She also said she had hit her husband.
During subsequent interviews, the couple changed details in their stories, making it difficult to obtain an accurate timeline of events, according to the report.
Deputies separated the couple but decided not to arrest either person.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies investigated a report of porch piracy at a Ball Ground home Sept. 14.
A woman told deputies her security camera had recorded an Amazon delivery driver stealing a package from her porch after delivering it, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office report.
The package contained a pasta maker and pack of flour valued at a
BolaWraps are able to deploy the tether onto a person from up to 25 feet away. They allow law enforcement personnel to immobilize a person without coming into direct contact.
“Its technology emphasizes immobilization rather than incapacitation, making it a suitable choice for nonviolent conflict resolution,” according to Wrap Technologies.
A 2011 U.S. Department of Justice study found Tasers can cause injuries and in some cases deaths. Bean bag guns and rubber bullets also can cause serious injuries, according to a report in the New York Times.
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.
total of $112.24.
After placing the package on the porch and photographing it, the driver grabbed it and drove away, the woman said. The package was reported delivered on an Amazon app, according to the report.
Later in the day, the woman phoned the sheriff’s office, saying it had been delivered by another driver. The package appeared to have been opened and resealed, she said.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police cited two drivers, a 50-year-old Roswell man and a 66-year-old Johns Creek man, for racing on Jones Bridge Road Sept. 16.
Police said they saw the drivers traveling at what appeared to be the posted speed limit and coming to a stop at a red light on Jones Bridge Road, northbound.
When the light turned green, though, police said both SUVs accelerated quickly and continued to accelerate, driving side-by-side as they sped, appearing as if they were trying to outrun each other, according to the incident report.
The Roswell man had been driving a BMW iX, and the Johns Creek man, an Alfa Romeo Tonale.
Police estimated the SUVs were
The BolaWrap deploys a 7.5-foot tether that can wrap around a person’s arms and legs. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office will seek a grant to fund the purchase of the devices.
According to the National Police Association, less lethal tools can help law enforcement save lives and de-escalate situations where a suspect is posing an imminent threat to others.
BolaWrap also comes with virtual reality headsets to train law enforcement.
traveling at 80 mph in a posted 45mph speed zone, not gaining on them until accelerating to 85 mph.
Police conducted a traffic stop on the Roswell driver first. The man told police the other SUV had been following him closely on Jones Bridge Road, and that he, himself, acted like an “idiot.”
Police cited him with reckless driving, racing and speeding.
After running the tag of the Johns Creek driver, police made a call to him, and they agreed to meet at the man’s home. He told police the other driver had been tailgating him on Jones Bridge, northbound from Waters Road, driving so closely that he triggered the Tonale’s rear alert sensors several times.
Police also cited him with reckless driving, racing and speeding.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a 20-year-old Norcross man Sept. 18 for stealing more than $300 in Legos at Target on State Bridge Road.
The thefts occurred throughout the summer, on three separate occasions. The suspect used his mom’s car for each incident, according to the police reports.
Police reviewed surveillance footage showing the suspect scanning cheaper items in place of the Legos, and walking out with the Legos, the reports say.
Police took out three warrants for theft by shoplifting.
After the suspect turned himself in, he was transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.
By ZOE SEILER, AMBER PERRY and JON WILCOX newsroom@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — The deadline to register to vote for the upcoming general election is Oct. 7.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
To register to vote, an individual must be at least 17.5 years old to register and 18 years old to vote. They must be a United States citizen, a legal resident of the county in which they wish to vote, not be serving a sentence for conviction of a felony, and not be found mentally incompetent by a judge, according to the Georgia Secretary of State website.
Voters can check their registration status and Election Day voting precinct on the state’s My Voter Page by visiting mvp. sos.ga.gov.
Early voting runs from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1. The early voting locations and times vary by county.
Statewide, the president and vice presidential races will be on the ballot. All U.S. House and state legislators are up for election as well, and the My Voter Page will show voters who their representatives are.
How to register
There are a few ways to register to vote.
Emilee Terry voted in the Georgia primary election at the Decatur Recreation Center on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.
• If you have a Georgia Driver’s License or State ID Card, you can register online by visiting https://mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/olvrhome.
• You can choose to register when you renew or apply for your driver’s license at the Department of Driver Services.
• If you are registered, but need to change your address within the county, you can fill out the back of your precinct
card or update your information on the My Voter Page.
• You can download a voter registration form from the Secretary of State’s website and mail it to the Secretary of State's Office at PO Box 105325, Atlanta, GA 30348.
• Applications can be also emailed or
mailed to your county’s registrar’s office.
Voting absentee
Absentee ballots are available for the Nov. 5 general election as well.
The last day to submit an application for an absentee ballot is Oct. 25. Absentee ballots must be returned to a ballot box by 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the latest to a drop box or a county registrar’s office. Absentee ballots can be returned at any time before Nov. 5.
Voters are now required to provide either a Georgia driver’s license or Georgia ID card number or a copy of another form of ID when applying for an absentee ballot. Other forms of acceptable identification are a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows a voter’s name and address.
Forsyth County
Local Forsyth County races on the ballot are Forsyth Board of Commissioners Districts 2, 4 and 5 as well as Forsyth County Board of Education Districts 2, 3 and 4. Other uncontested county officials
See VOTE, Page 5
Continued from Page 4
are also on the ballot.
In Forsyth County, early voting will be held Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 20 from 8 to 5 p.m.
Absentee ballot applications can be emailed to absentee@forsythco.com. To submit absentee ballot applications by mail or by personal delivery, send them to Forsyth County Voter Registrations & Elections, 1201 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040.
Applications may also be faxed to 770886-2825, or requested online.
Forsyth County has one drop box location at the Voter Registrations & Elections Office, 1201 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 15-18, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 19-20, and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 28-Nov. 1.
DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA
People were able to apply for absentee ballots and register to vote during a voter registration rally and vaccination clinic hosted by DeKalb County District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson at the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections Office in greater Decatur on Friday, April 1, 2022.
Visit forsythco.com/vote for more information about the early voting locations and to see the sample ballot.
Local Fulton County races on the ballot are the District Attorney, Fulton County Board of Commissioners District 2, 4 and 6 as well as several other uncontested county officials.
Saturday Oct. 5 2019
absentee drop box locations, and to see the sample ballot.
Murphy-Harpst provides hope and healing to severely abused and neglected children and youth through residential treatment, foster care, and creative therapeutic approaches. Over 1/3 of their annual support comes from United Methodist Churches!
Local DeKalb County races on the ballot are the DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer, DeKalb Board of Commissioners Districts 1 and 3-7, as well as several other uncontested county officials.
In Fulton County, advance voting will be held Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
Please give generously today and be a part of a nearly 100-year legacy of serving Georgia’s most vulnerable children.
www.murphyharpst.org
Absentee ballot applications, attached as a .pdf or .jpg, can be emailed to elections.absentee@fultoncountyga.gov or mailed to Fulton County Registrations and Elections, 5600 Campbellton Fairburn Road, Union City, GA 30213, in addition to being request online.
Visit fultoncountyga.gov/vote for more information about the early voting and
• www.active.com
In DeKalb County, early voting will be held Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
Absentee ballot applications can be emailed to absenteeballot@ dekalbcountyga.gov or mailed to DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections, 4380 Memorial Drive, suite 300, Decatur, GA 30032, in addition to being requested online.
Visit dekalbvotes.com for more information about the early voting and absentee drop box locations, and to see the sample ballot.
• Search “Midway Mission Possible 12”
Transforming the lives of homeless families. Because every child deserves a home.
Murphy-Harpst provides hope and healing to severely abused and neglected children and youth through residential treatment, foster care, and creative therapeutic approaches. Over 1/3 of their annual support comes from United Methodist Churches! Please give generously today and be a part of a nearly 100-year legacy of serving Georgia’s most vulnerable
Murphy-Harpst provides hope and healing to severely abused and neglected children and youth through residential treatment, foster care, and creative therapeutic approaches. Over 1/3 of their annual support comes from United Methodist Churches! Please give generously today and be a part of a nearly 100-year legacy of serving Georgia’s most vulnerable children. www.murphyharpst.org
TO LEARN MORE: www.familypromise.org www.fpforsyth.org
Event Schedule
7:00 am
Registration and bib pick up 8:30 am 5K Run/Walk begins Registration
SATURDAY NOV. 2 2024
Murphy-Harpst provides hope and healing to severely abused and neglected children and youth through residential treatment, foster care, and creative therapeutic approaches. Over 1/3 of their annual support comes from United Methodist Churches! Please give generously today and bea part of a nearly 100-year legacy of serving Georgia’s most vulnerable children.
www.murphyharpst.org
Event Schedule
7:00 am – Registration and bib
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6 | Forsyth Herald | October 3, 2024
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — There is a community gathering at Oak Street Bottle Shop once a week — Five Dollar Fridays — that harkens back to the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Top Job Beverage & Events owns the warehouse at 75A Oak Street, where coowners Scott Harb and Michael Fabian set up shop in downtown Historic Roswell Oak Street Bottle Shop is an unsuspecting place where friends and families gather to reconnect with people who they spent time with while the world was sheltering in place.
Harb said hosting the public outside of the bottle shop every day during summer 2020 kept his businesses afloat and surprised him in some ways.
In 2018, the company acquired the roughly 2,000-square-foot industrial facility to support the company’s main source of income, catering for festivals and concerts.
Top Job began catering small events in 2012 as partners of a local Roswell restaurant.
Co-owner Scott Harb said with the growth of the catering business, him and his business partner decided to purchase the building and get their own alcohol license through the city of Roswell.
The specific license is for craft beer and wine market, which allows the warehouse on Oak Street to double as a tap room and caterer.
Regulations surrounding alcohol licenses in Roswell mandate that employees work at the facility for at least 20 hours a week. Before the pandemic, the co-owners said they spent some time at the facility just to maintain the alcohol license.
Harb and Fabian also own a staffing agency, Top Job Hospitality, which is in downtown Historic Roswell off Park Square Court.
“I have a whole other day job, so I’d just come up here and do work, most of that was catering and a bit of staffing,” Harb said. “Then COVID comes … all of our events were canceled.”
More than 300 concerts, festivals and private events across Metro Atlanta were canceled, and with it, the company’s main source of revenue.
Top Job Beverage & Events partners with city governments, local organizations and individuals to cater alcohol at community gatherings. The partnerships share revenue generated at events with organizers and the business, which works well when there’s not a pandemic.
“Everything was shut down and we didn’t have anything to do,” Harb said. “My wife said, ‘Scott, you’ve got an alcohol license and beer, why don’t you just open up the garage door?’”
Shortly after, the front of the warehouse turned into a package store, with the business partners opening a tap room in the back after things got going.
“That was the start of Oak Street Bottle Shop as you see it today,” Harb said.
The shop operates differently now, given the end of pandemic-era restrictions. For one, it’s usually only open on Fridays, not every day of the week.
While the hospitality and catering businesses have rebounded since 2020, Top Job is busy elsewhere, too. It still rents out the facility for private events and always has a party for Five Dollar Fridays.
See SHOP, Page 13
7 | Forsyth Herald | October 3, 2024 Sponsored Section
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•
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By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
Editor’s note: Appen Media Group owns and operates The Georgia Politics Podcast, and when ProPublica turns its attention to Georgia, it catches our eye.
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Citing medical experts, ProPublica recently reported that the death of two Georgia women who had sought abortion treatment, were preventable.
Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, both Black, are the subject of recent reporting from ProPublica in a series entitled “Life of the Mother: How Abortion Bans Lead to Preventable Deaths.”
ProPublica is a nonprofit national newsroom that focuses on public interest and investigative reporting, exposing harm and bringing accountability as well as solutions.
ProPublica Senior Editor Ziva Branstetter joined Appen Media Group Senior Reporter Amber Perry on an episode of the Georgia Politics Podcast Sept. 27, sharing with listeners the details of reporter Kavitha Surana’s
Continued from Page 1
The county deployed teams from the sheriff’s office, fire department, road & bridges and water & sewer departments and Emergency Management Agency. The emergency operations center was activated about 7 p.m. Sept. 26.
“The county was very well prepared for what the storm may have brought our way,” Roper said.
Helene knocked down a “minimal” number of trees and utility lines, mainly in the early morning hours.
County officials opened their offices about noon after the worst of the storm had passed.
A tree was dragging down power lines on Samples Road at Canon Court, according to county officials. On Shadow Creek Drive near Samples Lane, a tree took down power lines, leaving them lying across the roadway. On Bonanza Trail near Crooked O Trail, a downed tree blocked the southwest side of Bonanza.
As of Sept. 28, the county could not provide a cost estimate for the impact.
Meanwhile, local governments and utilities are recovering from the two-day flurry of preparations and response to blocked and damaged roads and electric power outages.
With the bulk of its resources still focused on the southern part of the state, Georgia Power restored service to the
yearlong effort to bring Thurman’s case to light.
Not long after the episode aired, local media and national outlets reported that Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney struck down the law. In its coverage of the Sept. 30 decision, The Guardian cited ProPublica’s reporting.
The order comes after the state Supreme Court reversed a 2022 ruling from McBurney, according to local media. McBurney had said the law had been passed illegally, since Roe v. Wade was in effect at the time.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed the LIFE Act in 2019, though it did not go into effect until July 2022.
After deciding to end her pregnancy in summer 2022, Thurman traveled to a North Carolina clinic to receive a surgical abortion but was instead
The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency has set up a Crisis Cleanup Hotline at 844-965-1386
If you need assistance cleaning up damage from the hurricane, the hotline will connect you with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups and faith communities who may be able to help with trees, tarp and clearing debris. All services are free but are limited due to the high volume of damage. The hotline will remain open through Friday, Oct. 11.
remaining areas without power in west Roswell Saturday afternoon. The utility completed service to some 200 customers in Sandy Springs and a few pockets of Dunwoody later in the evening.
Overall, Georgia Power reported more than 420,000 Fulton County customers initially lost power due to the storm.
Sawnee EMC reported it had restored power to nearly all of its customers in Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Forsyth County by early Saturday evening. Close to 500 customers were without power midday Sunday near State Bridge and Medlock Bridge roads. That issue was resolved by early afternoon. Power had been restored to another 40 customers on Browns Bridge Road in Forsyth County Sunday morning.
At its peak, the utility reported almost 700 customer outages in Forsyth County following the storm.
Top update: Local and national outlets reported Sept. 30 that a Fulton County Superior Court judge struck down Georgia’s six-week abortion ban, allowing the procedure at up to around 22 weeks of pregnancy. The Guardian cited ProPublica’s reporting in its coverage of the new decision.
offered a two-pill abortion regimen.
That July, Georgia’s six-week abortion ban had gone into effect. Thurman’s pregnancy had advanced to the ninth week.
Thurman developed complications from the abortion pills, a rarity, and sought urgent treatment at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge in mid-August. Through a time-stamped account of Thurman’s visit, ProPublica revealed a delay in a procedure that could have saved Thurman’s life, called a D&C, or dilation and curettage.
Branstetter, working closely with Surana and contributing reporters, said the team’s entry into Thurman’s story began with a review of public death certificate data.
There were still several pockets of outages in DeKalb County Monday morning, each affecting fewer than five residences.
Diminished rainfall over the weekend eased flooding concerns along the Chattahoochee Roswell, which had reached flood stage of 9 feet in Roswell Friday. Some flooding was reported along Riverside Drive, but most of the impact occurred farther west in Cobb County and south into Atlanta.
Alpharetta also dodged most of the high winds from the storm.
City officials celebrated the city’s escape in a Facebook post on Sept. 27.
“We would like to thank the storm for defying all of the forecasts and staying on a track that was well east of Alpharetta,” according to the post. “As a result, the tropical storm force winds that had been predicted never materialized here.”
Communications & Engagement Coordinator Deanna McKay said Helene toppled trees, knocked out power at some intersections, but the city was “back to normal” Sept. 30.
The city entered the “cleanup phase,” addressing widespread tree falls and other impacts. Officials dedicated a portion of their website at alpharetta.ga.us/storm to help residents with emergency tree removal, utility outage reporting and other recovery efforts.
Johns Creek
Johns Creek came out almost un-
Branstetter said around 30 cases were identified that had the hallmarks of potentially preventable deaths, with insights from forensic pathologists, maternal fetal medicine specialists and gynecologists who advised the team what they should be looking for.
Key words were sepsis alongside “retained products of conception,” relevant to both Thurman’s and Miller’s cases, as well as miscarriage and a general lack of options.
“We’re not trying to attack doctors or hospitals,” Branstetter said. “We’re just trying to examine ways that these bans are resulting in deaths, and perhaps some solutions can come out of this, some more clear directives.”
Doctors and nurses involved in Thurman’s cases did not respond to questions from ProPublica.
“Doctors have said these bans are going to cause confusion and fear, and these exceptions are not going to be enough to prevent people from being harmed and possibly dying,” Branstetter said.
To listen to the episode, visit appenmedia.com/podcasts/ thegeorgiapoliticspodcast.
scathed.
Communications Director Bob Mullen said the storm resulted in only a couple of downed trees and a few light signals that went dark, but all was well by the afternoon Sept. 27.
He said Johns Creek, the city’s namesake waterway, filled up but did not get within a foot of either of the bridges that stretch over Abbotts Bridge and Old Alabama roads.
“We were so fortunate that we didn't get hit as hard as neighboring communities did, and we're pleased with the response and the attentiveness of our folks who were out there,” Mullen said. “I know it's cliche, but I feel like we dodged a bullet.”
The city prepared for the worst, nonetheless, creating its makeshift Emergency Operations Center on the third floor of City Hall in its Traffic Management Center. Communications Lieutenant Lt. Deb Coble posted a selfie on X Sept. 27, adding that it was a “quiet night” as officials monitored Hurricane Helene.
No additional costs resulted due to the storm, Mullen said, aside for meals provided to those who worked overnight in the center. The schedules for salaried city employees were shifted around to ensure 24/7 coverage.
Mullen said the city makes arrangements with Fulton County on debris collection and American Medical Response for any needs that might arise, in addition to services factored into on-call contracts that many of the city’s departments have with various vendors.
Sometimes writing a weekly column is like the ultimate experience of being a “Monday Morning Quarterback.” I can sit at my computer making predictions, pontificating, criticizing. But right now, like most everyone else, I am watching with a deluge of anticipation as to how Hurricane Helene is going to impact us here in north Georgia.
A good litmus test of how wild and wooly things are going to get is that the Braves have boarded up Truist Park for two crucial games with the Mets, choosing to schedule a doubleheader the day before the MLB playoffs were slated to start. Not a good thing for the Braves, lots of revenue lost and the possibility of making the playoff field forced to use pitchers
Continued from Page 6
Harb said the facility is usually rented for high school and college graduations, corporate team-building events and the occasional birthday.
Because the alcohol industry has good margins, Top Job’s Five Dollar Fridays allows the co-owners to get the “pandemic community” together once a week.
“That’s my baby, we’re only here one day a week,” Harb said. “During the pandemic, it was every day.”
Five Dollar Fridays are still rocking at 75A Oak Street. Most of the crowd, which continues to show up, met one another and became friends at the bottle shop during the pandemic.
“We did a cookout in May 2020 and about 30 people showed up,” Harb said. “There’s been as many as 300 people here, and we’re getting bigger bands.”
Scheduled fall bands include Corporate Therapy Oct. 4, M80 Rocks Oct. 11,
Continued from Page 1
The county would reimburse the school district for the cost of educating each student living in the development’s area as long as its bonds are outstanding. The Gathering also would allow the district to host graduation ceremonies at its arena.
Forsyth County Schools approved
instead of having the luxury of resting them.
No surprise. In this wacky injuryplagued season, if Atlanta is to play post-season baseball, it will come with a gauntlet. As the rainstorm turned into hours of dousing, another dose of adversity seemed all too fitting.
Meanwhile, over at The Weather Channel, the giddiness of its roster of meteorologists was Christmas-like in their anticipation of Helene’s arrival. Up and down the Florida coast, and even inland in Atlanta, the reports took the breath away from reporters who seemed to be trying to one-up each other on how nasty Helene was going to be.
Every time someone said “storm surge,” I thought of the late Tim Dorsey and what a rollicking time his Serge Storms/ Coleman duo would have had with all the anticipated devastation about to befall the Sunshine State.
There was a slew of weather experts vying for who could describe Helene’s traits
better than the last on-air description. The one person I wanted to hear from was Jim Cantore, whose no-nonsense reporting painted a true picture of how serious things were about to get.
Cantore was relegated to Tallahassee before the storm hit which led me to surmise that landfall would be close by. Cantore only goes to where it’s going to be hairy. I fully expected him to be dogpaddling down a flooded street, using a destroyed piece of patio furniture as a flotation device.
Back in my traveling days, waiting for a plane to depart to a Florida destination where bad weather was on its way, I figured when Cantore boarded the plane, bad weather was sure to follow.
And sure enough, days later there was another hurricane, another storm surge. I was safe at home and watched Cantore dodging flying palm fronds while letting anyone watching that he was in the middle of another bad one.
I rarely tune in to The Weather Channel
OAK STREET BOTTLE SHOP/PROVIDED
Patrons at Oak Street Bottle Shop enjoy the sunset during Five Dollar Friday.
Co-owner Scott Harb says the venue is usually only open to the public on Friday evenings, but the company’s event catering runs year-round.
Zachery Mannino Band Oct. 18, Justin Oct. 25, Nostalgia ’80s Experience Oct. 26, 40HZ Nov. 1, and Bear Bones Band Nov. 8.
It’s a community now, and people keep showing up to hang out with the friends they met four years ago.
a resolution on Aug. 20 supporting the financing of the project.
Currently, there are more than 25,000 students enrolled in the district’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education program. The program aims to partner with business and industry to prepare students for future careers. When a student completes a program, they obtain industry accreditation.
The school district offers career pathways that teach students com -
unless there’s an opportunity to someone holding on for dear life while attempting to have a death grip on a hotel balcony railing. What’s the point? Unless of course you’re not able to look outside, see dark ominous clouds and deduce “It’s going to rain.”
I’ll admit, I don’t pay much mind about the weather, but I did used to enjoy watching classy Ken Cook who did the weather at local Fox affiliate on Channel 5. You could have had the volume muted and would have still know if things were going to get nasty.
If Ken had his shirt sleeves rolled up and his necktie off, it was time to head for Publix and be prepared to put up some groceries. Pretty sure the tie would have come off for Helene.
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.
Variant Canton Street IPA from down the road.
The bottle shop has craft beers from every nook and cranny of America, with a shelf set aside for Georgia-brewed beer and all the name brand favorites.
It also sports an extensive selection of red, white and sparkling wines.
In summer 2023, Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson served as a celebrity bartender during the bottle shop’s support of North Fulton Community Charities fundraising at Alive in Roswell.
Seemingly out of circumstance, Oak Street Bottle Shop has cemented itself in the downtown Historic Roswell community and beyond.
Local craft beers
Oak Street prides itself on its selection of local craft beers, including Six Bridges Light Lager from Johns Creek, Social Fox’s Wrecker from Norcross, TKR Pilsener from Tucker and
puter science, engineering, technology, financial literacy, agriculture, business management, marketing, health care, leadership, construction, audio visual skills and more.
The district has considered creating a Career, Technical and Agricultural Education center since 2021, said Michele Dugan, director of communications.
A center would ideally host from 8-10 programs and pathways, giving additional opportunities for skills-based programs.
“There’s all these moments where things change,” Harb said. “The people you’re around during that time, those people are who you build new relationships with.”
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