Forsyth Herald - December 29, 2022

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Clockwise from right: Young firefighter trainees climb downhill during the 5th annual 911 Stadium Climb event; participants run, jog and walk up West Forsyth High School’s football stadium on Sept. 11; elementary school students attend their first day of class on Aug. 4; dignitaries mark completion of the building phase of Cumming’s City Center June 24.

Forsyth County, Cumming agree on sales tax split for next 10 years

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — City and county officials have finalized an agreement over how $60 million in expected local option sales tax revenues will be distributed over the next decade.

At a Forsyth County Board of Commissioners meeting Dec. 20, County Attorney Ken Jarrard said that the agreement giving 87 percent of revenues to the county and 13 percent to the city has been wrapped up and filed with the state, ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline.

“We’ve already tendered our certificate of distribution to the State Department of Revenue, and it has been accepted and confirmed,” Jarrard said.

As part of the LOST distribution, city and county officials have also signed an intergovernmental agreement laying out several other items as part of the deal, including a new method for handling proposed city annexation.

Under these new rules, city, county and representatives from a proposed annexation will have a month to meet and discuss the proposed annexation, and it’s potential impacts, before an annexation application can be filed.

Jarrard said the agreement will also include a modification to the City Cumming ordinances establishing impact fees for libraries and fire service, and the de-annexation of Mary Alice Park.

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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.

California man arrested for theft at temple

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 21-year-old California man in connection with a bold daytime burglary that occurred at a local house of worship in April.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Witnesses saw the suspects loading the safe into a gold Mercedes sedan. They were able to provide deputies with the vehicle’s license number and a description of the suspects.

Jail records show the 21-year-old man from Fullerton, California, was arrested in connection with the burglary Dec. 12.

The man was charged with felony burglary and conspiracy to commit a felony. He is being held in at the Forsyth County Jail without bond.

Dawsonville woman cited for making threats

has since been released on bond.

Deputies arrest man for gunfire incident

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Gainesville man who allegedly fired a firearm outside his neighbors home multiple times in April.

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Incident reports said five people stole nearly $15,000 in cash from the Shri Krishna Vrundavana Temple on Shiloh Road April 17, while pretending to need help from temple staff.

Temple staff and witnesses said the five suspects entered the temple at about 5 p.m. asking for someone at the church to “pray for them because they were having ‘baby issues.’” While one of the male suspects blocked the temple employees by standing in front of a doorway, the others stole a safe containing $4,000 and a backpack containing $10,000 from a room in the temple.

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested a 32-year-old Dawsonville woman for allegedly threatening to kill a Forsyth County resident in late November.

Reports said the suspect has been accused of texting a local woman multiple times, making a specific threat to come to the woman’s house and kill her.

The suspect was taken into custody at the Dawson County Detention Center Dec. 7 and was charged with felony terroristic threats and acts. She was booked into the Forsyth County jail but

Incident reports said the man was captured on security camera footage firing a handgun multiple times out his truck window, while passing by a neighbor’s home April 25. The report said that similar incidents have happened to the victim multiple times, and he believes he is being targeted specifically by the suspect.

Jail records said the 28-year-old Gainesville man who owns the truck shown on security camera footage, was arrested Dec. 13 for discharge of firearms on or near public highway or street and reckless contact. Officials did not comment on why the man was arrested now, eight months after the incident.

The man was taken to the Forsyth County Jail and has since been released on bond.

HOME Real Estate secures major gift to tuition-free school

ATLANTA — HOME Real Estate announced its gift Dec. 12 to The Boyce L. Ansley School, a private school for children experiencing homelessness in downtown Atlanta, alongside that of matching donors Todd and Kim Snell, totaling $60,000.

The matched donation will enable the kindergarten through third grade school to add a fourth grade to their program starting in the fall of 2023. The school currently serves 60 children, and the donation allows it to increase that number to 75.

The Boyce L. Ansley School opened Aug. 1, 2018, on the ground floor of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in the heart of Atlanta with a pre-kindergar -

ten class. Within two years, the school had outgrown its generously donated space and moved across the street to a larger, more permanent home on Ralph McGill Boulevard.

The parents and scholars of The Boyce L. Ansley School thrive within a framework of structure and support that provides two meals daily year-round, uniforms, transportation, trauma therapy, assistance with finding permanent housing, financial training for parents and other services on a case-by-case basis. They have employed one full-time therapist, two interventionists, 15 staff members and 20 regular volunteers.

“HOME is very proud of our involvement with The Boyce L. Ansley School. Their work is having a major effect on these families’ lives and helping to break the cycle of homelessness plaguing our city. Their passionate commitment to these children and their parents makes me want to work harder, so I can give them more money,” said Travis Reed, president of HOME Real Estate.

HOME agents have donated over $1 million to Atlanta charitable institutions since opening in February of 2021.

For more information, visit: homegeorgia.com and theansleyschool.org.

Is Your Company Hiring?

Community rallies around family after tragedy

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — After losing her husband to cancer in November, a Cumming woman was presented a car, $10,000 and Christmas gifts for her three kids.

Friends, family and community members gathered for an annual Christmas breakfast Dec. 13 aimed at helping those struggling in the community. This year, dozens of people pitched in to help the Stonecypher family who had just lost a beloved husband and father.

Around two months earlier, Sarah and Ryan Stonecypher received horrible news when Ryan, in his mid-30s, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite being expected to live another six months to a year, Ryan passed away six weeks after the diagnosis, just one month before Christmas.

“It’s my job to keep Ryan’s memory alive, to remember the purest love I’ve ever known, and to remind myself that the love he gave me wasn’t in vain,” Sarah wrote in a statement.

Working through her grief, Sarah, who is pregnant, holds down three jobs while being a homemaker and mother to three kids. On weekdays, Sarah gets up at 6 a.m. to take her kids to school, then heads to work until around 8 or 9 p.m. She has a friend who helps with the kids while she’s working.

Amid the turmoil of surviving her husband’s death, Sarah’s car died, forcing her to rely on Uber, Lyft and her feet. As a last resort, a friend posted on the social network Nextdoor asking for help on Sarah’s behalf.

Kristin McAfee, who hosts a Christmas breakfast every year in which community members gather to give gifts to children from families in need. She saw the post and reached out to help with the Stonecypher’s Christmas.

“I found this amazing lady Kristin who is helping me with my kids’ Christmas and I couldn’t be more grateful,” Sarah said. “She has truly brought light to our family in these trying times and is truly an amazing blessing. I must say I have a pretty amazing community on my side though. If nothing else, we ask for prayer.”

Typically, children’s gifts given to families at the breakfast are tagged as from the parents or from Santa, but Sarah requested the name tags bear the names of the donors. This way, she said, her kids can learn about the importance of stepping up to help others in need.

Aware that the Stonecyphers helped out a family in need last year, McAfee wanted to go above and beyond to return that support. She reached out to Christian Brothers Auto, knowing they repair donated cars to re-donate to people in need.

McAfee also learned from a friend who works for the Patterson Barclay Memorial Foundation that the organization had $10,000 in leftover funds to donate. After discussing the Stonecyphers’ case, the foundation decided to donate to Holy Spirit Ranch Ministries, an organization that could accept the money on Sarah’s behalf.

All the work came to fruition at the breakfast, when Sarah was presented with the car and donations, which she used to pay bills. The Southern Porch, the venue hosting the breakfast, also donated $1,000 to the Stonecyphers.

Also present at the breakfast was the original owner of the donated car who knew nothing of her story. McAfee noted that this was special because most people never know what became of their donated vehicle.

“After hearing this story, people want to help,” McAfee said. “I think it’s so brave of people to ask for help. For Sarah’s 16-year-old daughter to see this outpouring of support was really neat.”

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Sarah Stonecypher and Kristin McAfee embrace at the Christmas Breakfast at The Southern Porch in Cumming on Dec. 13. Stonecypher, who works three jobs to support herself and her children, lost her husband to a brain tumor in November.

FORSYTH COUNTY YEAR IN REVIEW

Tourism developments, roadwork projects approved in 2022

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County had a big year in 2022, with dozens of different projects and initiatives approved by officials, which will shape the county for years to come.

Here’s a brief recap of some of the biggest Forsyth County stories over the last year.

New redistricting maps

After months of discussion and multiple iterations of draft maps, Forsyth County officials voted to move forward with newly redrawn district lines that will drastically shift how different areas of the county are represented.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved the new district maps Jan. 25 in a 4-1 vote, with District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills dissenting.

Under the new map, District 2 was moved east, claiming the southeastern border of the county and extending north to Lake Lanier, enveloping most of what is currently the southern half of District 5. District 5 was in turn shifted west into what was District 2, on the east side of Ga. 400 and extending north into Cumming.

Work on the Ga. 369/Ga. 400 interchange project continues into the new year, and transportation officials say two lanes of Ga. 369 traffic will soon be brought onto the overpass. For years, commuters have faced heavy backups at the intersection.

The western half of District 4 was absorbed into District 1 but was expanded south of Browns Bridge Road.

The new Forsyth County district lines later received final approval from the Georgia Legislature

Voters reject TSPLOST

Forsyth County voters this year rejected a proposed transportation sales tax that would have brought in an expected $250 million over the next five years.

The penny sales tax was rejected by 50.19 percent of voters during the Nov. 8 midterm election. Totals show 49,681 votes cast for the measure and 50,066 votes cast against it.

Money from the tax was targeted for dozens of roadway projects throughout the county.

Forsyth County had earmarked $173million for capital projects to offset congestion and “critical” new roadway connections, $27.7 million for multi-use trails and sidewalks, $20.7 million for intersection safety improvements, $4.6 million for existing roadway resurfacing and improvements, and $4.6 million for the Forsyth Quick Response Program, which will approach roadway problems that can implemented quickly.

Cumming had proposed three projects, including the $13.6 million Cumming Bypass Phase 1 and 2, $5 million to construct an additional lane on Ga. 20 from Samaritan Drive to Castleberry Road, and $500,000 for roadway resurfacing and maintenance.

County officials said these projects will like now to need to be delayed or completed using other funding sources.

Major roadway projects continue

In 2022, work progressed on several important roadway projects that which rework how traffic flows in north and south Forsyth County over the coming years.

Started in 2020, the Ga. 369/Ga. 400 interchange project which creates an overpass bridge on Ga. 400 and will widen a two-mile stretch of Ga. 369, reached a substantial stage of completion. In December, officials said the Ga. 400 overpass bridge was nearing completion, and two lanes of Ga. 369 traffic will soon be brought onto bridge in 2023.

Roadworkers also made progress on a $60 million widening project on McGinnis Ferry Road, near Forsyth County’s border with Alpharetta and Fulton County.

As part of the McGinnis Ferry Road project, two-lanes of travel will be constructed in each direction, with a 20-foot median and a 10-foot multi-use path.

County officials have a full list of road projects currently underway at www.forsythco.com/Capital-Projects/ Projects.

Tanner departs as county manager

After just about two years serving as Forsyth County Manager, Kevin Tanner has announced his departure due to a state level appointment by Georgia Gov.

Brian Kemp.

Tanner became commissioner of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities on Dec. 16, succeeding the retired Judy Fitzgerald.

“Kevin Tanner is a capable and dedicated leader who has made significant contributions to both the state and his community over more than three decades of public service,” Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said. “It is thanks to his forward-thinking approach as head of the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission that Georgia is now implementing meaningful improvements in how we address mental health. The department will be in good hands under his leadership.”

Tanner was succeeded by David McKee, who was officially named county manager by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners at a special called meeting Dec. 9.

Tourism developments announced

Developers and county officials have announced three major projects in south Forsyth County, which could bring major revenues from tourism into the county over the coming years.

County officials have approved plans for a $143 million sports park and a 10.6-acre hot spring spa in south Forsyth County, which are expected to draw thousands of guests, hundreds of jobs and upwards of $700 million in revenues to the county over the next decade.

The SoFoSports Park will span 62 acres along Peachtree Parkway and Brookwood and Caney roads. It will feature nine turf fields for baseball and softball, 21 pickleball courts, eight basketball courts, 125,000 square feet of indoor sports space and a training facility, an entertainment complex with two restaurants, and greenspace for the public similar to Halcyon and Avalon.

The indoor sports center, which will be operated by Sports Academy, can be converted for volleyball, a sprint track, an athlete lounge, classrooms and office space.

Plans for Passport Springs and Spa, proposed for a 10.6-acre tract adjacent to The Collection in south Forsyth, will combine luxury cuisine, massage, spa services and North America’s largest hot spring pools when it opens in 2023, officials said.

Plans for Passport Springs were officially approved by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners at their meeting on July 21.

Developers have also proposed building a “surfing-based adventure park” in Forsyth County but have not secured a location for the development yet.

PATRICK FOX/APPEN MEDIA

Coming to the end of another year

TROY BRUMBALOW Mayor of Cumming

We have come to the end of another year, and it is hard to believe that we will soon be ringing in 2023. As we close out one year and head into another, the City of Cumming has much to reflect upon and look forward to with optimism.

During 2022, we were able to accomplish two important traffic improvements, which will hopefully help to alleviate some traffic issues around the downtown area. An extension of Buford Dam Road from Hwy. 9 to Castleberry Road was recently completed. Also, after several years of discussion with the Georgia Department of Transportation, we were able to get GDOT to agree to a new “No Left Turn” rule at the intersection of West Maple Street and

Castleberry Road in front of Goodson’s Drug Co. in downtown.

The City also took many strides forward in 2022 on our largest project: The Cumming City Center. For anyone unfamiliar, the Cumming City Center is a 75-acre development situated between Canton Hwy. and Sawnee Drive to the west of downtown Cumming and behind Forsyth Central High School. In 2022, the City Center marked many milestones, including welcoming 20 tenant businesses ranging from real estate offices, medspas, and boutiques to a co-working facility, restaurants, and an 18-hole putting course. Complete listings of all tenants who have signed leases to date can be found on the City Center’s website, cummingcitycenter.com, or at cityofcumming.net under the Facilities tab.

Additionally, the City Center received a huge boost from Lou Sobh Automotive Group, who graciously entered into an

agreement to sponsor the City Center’s amphitheater and various events held there for three years. The amphitheater is now officially named the Lou Sobh Amphitheater. We also partnered with Four Carsons Entertainment, a talent sourcing and event consulting company owned by Chris Cauley, former contestant on NBC’s The Voice, which helps to vet, book and manage performances at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater.

Thanks to our partnerships with Lou Sobh and Four Carsons Entertainment, we were able to present three free community concerts this fall, as well as a Christmas tree lighting event with live concert presented by Browns Bridge Community Church. Additionally, we were able to offer three outdoor festival-type events beginning with the Cumming Art Fest in September and followed by a fall pop-up market in October and a winter/ holiday pop-up market on the same day as our Christmas tree lighting event in

November. Additionally, the Cumming Farmers Market, which previously called the Cumming Fairgrounds’ parking lot home, relocated this fall to the City Center. This move allows the market to now be open year-round on Saturday mornings and on Saturday and Wednesday mornings during their peak months of June to September.

While our tenant businesses are still in the midst of their buildouts and therefore not ready to open for business yet, we are grateful for our partnerships, which allowed us to present these outdoor events for our community. All have been extremely successful, drawing thousands of visitors to the City Center even though it is technically not open yet. We are hopeful our tenant businesses will be able to begin opening not long after the first of 2023. I cannot wait to share all that the Cumming City Center has to offer with our entire community and visitors in 2023!

Let’s work to make a wonderful life for all

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a movie which has reminded many of us how blessed George and Mary were because of the community in which they lived. George also came to understand the impact he had on his community through many simple contributions.

emergencies. A broken water or sewer line also cannot wait until the next business day. They keep the county running.

ALFRED JOHN Forsyth County Commission Chairman

The residents of Forsyth County are blessed in many ways. We are beneficiaries of a beautiful area in the foothills of the mountains. Our parks and vast trail system are heavily used, the school system is a testament to the great families who call Forsyth home and the safety in the county allows families to have peace of mind. People continue to flock to Forsyth County, often paying a premium to be a part of such an amazing community.

While the county is not perfect, we strive very hard to provide excellent service. This is only possible because of men and women who work unnoticed, all hours of the day. No one sees the Sheriff’s deputy driving down the street at 2 a.m., keeping an eye on things or firefighters who respond to

Great residents make for a great talent pool, and we are becoming a destination for business. In recent years, we’ve attempted to attract a wide variety of businesses, leveraging tech and science talent and other highly educated professionals. Not surprisingly, we are also seeing quite a bit of small manufacturing and mixed industrial growth. We face the same challenges which many organizations do in finding workers; the worker shortage is real.

Our success belies the struggle many families face with various substance abuse and mental health issues. It does not discriminate based on age or gender or economic strata. The county, public safety, courts and nonprofits are working hard to provide services. We have a homeless population, which goes unseen because they live in their cars or in the woods or in extended-stay hotels which charge by the day or the week. People struggle to put food on the table as the cost of food rises. It’s not a wonderful life for everyone.

This holiday season, I’ve watched as people greet one another, help one another and create a sense of

community. It’s been great listening to people speaking Russian and Chinese in Costco. Walk the aisles of Walmart and you’ll hear southern accents, both from southern USA and southern India. People are curious. As our community grows more diverse, let’s take the opportunity to invite a neighbor for a cup of coffee or tea on the porch or back deck. It’s ok to ask

questions about one another’s culture, religion and history.

I am blessed to live in the United States but even more so in Forsyth County. My wish is that people reflect on their lives and count their blessings. Lend a helping hand to those who are needy and look out for your neighbor. Be a George Bailey!

Happy New Year!

Group plans tree recycling program

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Once the holiday festivities are said and done, you might wonder to yourself, “What on earth should I do with my old Christmas tree?”

But before you try to grind it up for mulch with the coffee grinder or set your yard on fire with a good old fashioned Christmas tree bonfire, you might want to consider the annual Keep Forsyth County Beautiful “Bring One for the Chipper” event.

Held from Dec. 26 to Jan. 28 at locations throughout Forsyth County, Bring One for the Chipper will give county residents a no-stress way to dispose of their old Christmas tree in an economical, environmentally friendly way.

“Forsyth County has recycled well over 100,000 Christmas trees since the county began participating in the Bring One for the Chipper program in 1994,” Environmental Program Manager Tammy Wright said. “All of the Christmas trees brought to us for recycling have either been placed in the lake as fish habitat or chipped into reusable mulch. We look forward to keeping trees out of landfills every year.”

Christmas trees can be dropped off at the following locations:

• Vickery Creek Elementary School - Dec. 26 through Jan. 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Tolbert Street Recycling Convenience Center – Dec. 27 through Jan. 28, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Old Atlanta Recycling Convenience Center – Dec. 27 through Jan. 28, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Coal Mountain Recycling Convenience Center – Dec. 27 through Jan. 28, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Home Depot stores at 1000 Market Place Blvd and Peachtree Parkway – Jan. 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All three county recycling centers are closed on Sunday and will close at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31 until Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, for the New Year’s holiday. The centers will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 16, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Wood chips made from the recycled trees will also be available on a first-come, first-served basis to county residents at Coal Mountain Park throughout the event, Keep Forsyth County Beautiful officials said.

For more information about Keep Forsyth County Beautiful and the Christmas tree recycling program, visit keepforsythcountybeautiful.org or call 770-205-4573.

Tax:

Continued from Page 1

The agreement lays out a 60-day window for the City of Cumming to de-annex Mary Alice Park into Forsyth County, once a de-annexation is requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who currently own the park on Lake Lanier.

The LOST agreement was unanimously approved by both city and county representatives at separate meetings on Dec. 20.

Land donation approved

Commissioners also approved an 81-acre land donation from a local family to Forsyth County, which may one day become a park honoring veterans in the community.

Jarrard told commissioners that the land in north Forsyth County, has been donated to the county by members of the Burruss family.

“This has been a long time coming,” District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said.

As part of the donation, the family has requested the county place a plaque honoring, “John and Frances Burruss” and the donor “Donald H. Burruss.” In addition, Jarrard said the family has asked Forsyth County to work with the American Legion to place a memorial for soldiers on the property and name the park in honor of veterans.

“They also thought it was very important that it’s not exclusively for veterans. They want people educated about what

veterans do,” Mills said. “I think it’s a great thing. We don’t have a veterans park, so I think this will be a really good thing for our county.”

The proposal was approved 4-0, with District 2 Commissioner Alfred John absent.

Employee bonuses approved

One-time, year-end bonuses for all Forsyth County employees were approved by commissioners at the Dec. 20 work session.

County Manager David McKee told commissioners that they had decided to use up to $800,000 to provide “retention payout” bonuses to all county employees, up to the director level, due to the positive year-end financial situation the county is in and to bolster employee retention.

“We’re very much in unprecedented times for employee retention,” McKee said. “We also had a very strong budget year coming in under budget.”

These bonuses are a one-time payout that will come to employees in January and McKee said the proposal will not jeopardize any county projects currently in progress.

“This is not something that we’ll be continuing to do next year,” he said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen in that budget year, it’s really just a look back at what we’ve done.”

Forsyth County public safety employees, who received a separate bonus earlier this year, will still receive this bonus as well, he said.

The proposal was approved 4-0, with District 2 Commissioner Alfred John absent.

FILE PHOTO

Under terms of the sales tax agreement, the City of Cumming will de-annex Mary Alice Park into Forsyth County.

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Getting Ready For The New Year!

Brought to you by - Jay Looft, Medicare Insurance Broker, SeniorSource Medicare Solutions

With the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period behind us, you have already chosen to either stay on your current plan and allow it to auto-renew, or you are about to embark on a new chosen plan. Either way, we want to offer up a few recommendations before the 2023 plan year arrives!

Get a New Insurance ID Card:

Every November or early December, you should receive a new plan ID card. It is important that you have the most up-todate ID card for the upcoming year. Why, you ask?

Doctor copay dollar amounts (Primary Care and Specialist) are listed on your Insurance ID card, if you have a Medicare Advantage Plan. For many 2023 Medicare Advantage plans, these flat-dollar copays have lowered. I’ve seen too often where Medicare Advantage clients hold onto their previous year’s ID cards and end up paying too much when showing older ID cards to the front desk at a doctor’s office.

Remember, this is usually only for higher-cost prescription drugs (brandname medicines) and is a one-time per year dollar amount. It accounts for all your brand-name medicines and is not a perprescription deductible.

The information above gives you a few things to think about, but you may have questions when your Medicare plan starts

fresh in 2023. We are here to help!

SeniorSource Medicare Solutions is an independent insurance agency representing most insurance carriers for Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Stand-Alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plans. Call us at (770) 315-8145 or visit our website at www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

Save more money by having the most up-to-date ID card!

If you need help getting a new ID card for your plan, I recommend either calling your insurance carrier or contacting us for help. We can easily get a new ID card ordered for you.

Don’t Be Surprised With Deductibles:

Every January, I receive at least a few phone calls asking, “Why are my brandname prescription drugs so expensive?!”

Whether you are on a Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan, many insurance companies will require you to pay up to the first $505 (for 2023) of your brand-name drug cost. This is your annual deductible on prescriptions.

Paige Gorman Agent

Pontoon pours Sandy Springs relaxed craft brews

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Craft beer can often be seen as pretentious, snooty and unapproachable.

And it’s no wonder why – how is a normal person supposed to know the differences between an IPA, Double IPA and a Hazy IPA, or what the term “barrel aged” could possibly mean in the context of taste and flavor?

But according to Pontoon Brewing CoFounder and CEO Sean O’Keefe, enjoying well-made craft beer should be as a day spent floating on the lake. And with the right help, anyone can find a beer that’s right for them.

At Pontoon Brewing, whether you’re a complete beer novice or a certified brewmaster, O’Keefe said you’ll be able to kick back and enjoy a good beer, in a relaxed environment.

“Craft beer is oftentimes thought of in this pretentious way … So, we wanted to have this laid-back approach, because it allows us to be more approachable,” O’Keefe said.

Pontoon Brewing opened in Sandy Springs in 2017 after years of homebrewing by the business’s four founders, O’Keefe, Marcus Powers, Eric Lemus and Eddie Sarrine, who met at the University of Florida and became friends over a shared love of craft beer.

But O’Keefe said their dream really took off around 2013, when they thought it might be fun to put their recipes to the test by venturing into the world of contract brewing, where a commercial brewery makes batches of beer using the recipes of small brewers.

When their contract brewing venture

turned into a success in 2015, O’Keefe and Powers knew it was time to buckle down and bring their beer to the world. O’Keefe said they took a huge risk, and he personally turned down several job opportunities to focus on the brewery and the dream of making it real.

“When Marcus and I moved to Georgia and decided to take on full time, then we started brewing like every weekend, for

about two years,” he said. “It was a big risk.”

But as risky as it was, Pontoon’s founders came to the Atlanta area at the exact right time when the local beer scene, especially the world of homebrewing, was making big waves, as Georgia prepared to change it’s brewery laws.

O’Keefe said that when they first came to Atlanta, Georgia still had restrictive

laws that didn’t allow breweries to sell beer directly to customers, which he said stifled innovation in the craft beer market.

He said that without the ability to sell beer directly to people, breweries had less of an incentive to try new things and take risks on strange-sounding recipes.

The proof for that, he said, was seen

My favorite thing is when people come in, like family members or friends and are like, ‘So happy for you, I’m just not a big beer person...’

SEAN

O’KEEFE, Co-Founder and CEO of Pontoon Brewing

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Located off Dunwoody Place in Sandy Springs, Pontoon Brewing has been entertaining the north Fulton County community with laid-back craft brews since 2017.

Brews:

in the months leading up to when Georgia’s brewery laws were changed, when homebrewers and professional breweries went into overdrive and started tinkering with many of the beers that are popular today.

“What you saw was people homebrewing and making a lot of beers that exist now, the big crazy overly hot New England IPAs and the big, overly fruited sours and the barrel aged beer thing,” he said. “You started seeing breweries put out higher class beer, barrel aged beers, you know, bigger IPAs with more hops in it.”

“You’re starting to see that now in the market, because people can put a price tag on it and people will pay.”

Pontoon finally found its permanent home in Sandy Springs in 2018 after a ton of hard work by O’Keefe and his team. And while it wasn’t exactly where they initially expected to be located, he said that locating the brewery in Sandy Springs turned into one of the best decisions they made.

“The plan for Pontoon was never to be where we are right now,” he said. “So, it’s been cool to prove our projections wrong and to have this awesome program that was supported by the City of Sandy Springs.”

As the first brewery in Sandy Springs,

O’Keefe and his team had to help the city rewrite its laws to make sure that they reflected state laws regarding breweries, and after that process, they found they had made a true partner out of city leaders.

“It’s been a symbiotic relationship since then,” he said.

Being the city’s first brewery, Pontoon Brewing was also able to lay groundwork for what “Sandy Springs beer” is, cultivating a personality and following that O’Keefe and his team hope will inspire others. Just like they were inspired by Mon-

day Night Brewing in Atlanta and Creature Comforts Brewing in Athens.

Recently, Pontoon Brewing opened a new location, The Lodge in Tucker, that O’Keefe said was the product of years of blood, sweat and hard work. Right now, customers can visit the location’s new taproom, and in the coming years, the brewery will move all of its production to the larger Tucker location.

But no matter where they’re located, or how busy they get, O’Keefe said Pontoon Brewing will always hold onto its love of

trying new things and the idea there’s a beer out there for everyone.

“My favorite thing is when people come in, like family members or friends and are like, ‘So happy for you, I’m just not a big beer person,’” he said. “Every single time, I’m like, alright bet. Let’s find you a beer that you like.”

To find a Pontoon Brewing beer you might like, visit their Sandy Springs Taproom at 8601 Dunwoody Place or their new location at 4720 Stone Drive in Tucker.

Frank

Tara Tucker

PHOTOS BY ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

As the first brewery in Sandy Springs, the team at Pontoon Brewing had to work closely with city leaders to ensure local brewery rules reflected updated state laws. After going through that process, Pontoon Brewing formed a true partnership with their city, founders said.

Nonprofit director marvels at heightened charity during holidays

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga.—In November, North Fulton Community Charities welcomed Sandra Holiday as the nonprofit’s new executive director, where she dove into the nonprofit’s several seasonal events.

Holiday came from Atlanta Children’s Shelter, where she worked as executive director for 13 years. She’s spent over 25 years in the field of advocacy.

Holiday said she enjoyed the work she did at the urban core of Atlanta but wanted to help people before they struggled with homelessness.

“I wanted to get into prevention, poverty prevention, hunger prevention,” Holiday said.

NFCC serves more than 8,500 individuals each year with emergency financial assistance, food assistance, life skills & workforce readiness classes and holiday programs.

Holiday joined NFCC at the onset of multiple seasonal programs, including Giving Tuesday, a worldwide event that encourages people to donate time and money to charities the day after Thanksgiving.

She also joined weeks before the start of NFCC’s Toyland Shop, where people donate new, unwrapped toys for families to “shop” for gifts. Holiday said she was shocked

by the turnout for this year’s Toyland, especially given high price tags that are impacting most Americans.

“Whether you’re a single person, a parent, a five-person family, a recent college graduate, everybody is feeling that current climate,” Holiday said. “Food prices go up for everybody. The cost of goods goes up for everybody.

In September, The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that food costs had spiked 11.4 percent in the past year, and people nationwide face rising inflation.

“I can tell you I was quite surprised by the level of giving from the community,” Holiday said.

In her few weeks on the job, Holiday said she’s learned that despite rising costs, people are still able to step up for families in need.

NFCC has multiple programs that are “high barrier,” in which people must show proof of financial hardship to participate, like financial assistance classes or longterm programs.

They serve the most people, though, through the food pantry and thrift store across the street from their office. The food pantry is what Holiday calls “low barrier,” where all someone must do is prove they live in the area.

“People are going through hardship, you don’t have to give them more barriers,” Holiday said.

People in need simply visit the food pantry, where they type their grocery lists on a kiosk. The list is sent to the stock room, where volunteers fill a shopping cart with their requests.

On average, the pantry serves 200 people a day.

The stock room is packed with donations from major grocery stores like Publix and Whole Foods and is staffed by many long-term volunteers. Holiday said the volunteers trained her in how to work the pantry.

The thrift store is connected to the food pantry, and it’s open to the public.

Marten Jallad, NFCC thrift store

director, said the charitability from the programs and pantry carry over to the store. The store receives more than 100 donations a day, enough to keep the shelves filled.

“A donation could be a bag of items, or it could be a U-Haul,” Jallad said.

Some donations come from stores. There are bins of new Walmart blankets next to stacks of unworn Target clothing mixed in with personal donations.

“It’s amazing throughout the year how much stuff we get,” Jallad said. “We’re able to present quality items at such an affordable price for people.”

Jallad said Holiday arrived just in time to see the seasonal operation in full swing, and he thinks she appreciates the drive and energy.

“She’s come in with an attitude of let me learn and let me see, while she has plenty of ideas, she’ll be able to share and implement,” Jallad said.

Holiday said her time at NFCC so far has been a whirlwind, but a good one. She’s watched the holiday events and sat in on English as a Second Language classes, and even attended a class graduation ceremony.

While she’s still learning and observing, Holiday has started working out her goals for the future of the charity. Economic stability and events are key, but Holiday wants to spotlight mental health and dismantling stigmas in the coming year.

“I think, for as many people that have the courage to come to our food pantry and our thrift shop and come here and ask for emergency assistance with rent or mortgage, there’s probably three more people that don’t,” Holiday said. “And that’s really critical.”

Holiday hopes to destigmatize the need for help in North Fulton, especially as rent and food costs continue to rise.

“You don’t know when you’ll be in need,” Holiday said. “It’s important that as a community we remain aware and open-minded.”

Holiday said North Fulton has an “out of sight, out of mind” perception that creates a stigma. It’s the responsibility of her organization to educate the community that people in need are their neighbors, not strangers.

As executive director, Holiday said she sees herself as a link between the community and North Fulton Community Charities.

“I really see myself as this conduit of maybe a better understanding of a more open mindset, just a conduit, where all these great things can flow in between,” Holiday said.

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA Sandra Holiday stands outside of the North Fulton Community Charities offices on Dec. 19 in the middle of the big season drive to deliver hope to the needy. Holiday joined the organization as executive director in November.

Senators pitch more help for disabled Georgians

By JILL NOLIN Georgia Recorder

ATLANTA — A bipartisan Senate panel has proposed funding services for an additional 2,400 people with disabilities next year, putting the state on track to eliminate Georgia’s waitlist in three years.

And those state senators are also pushing for a wage increase for the workforce providing direct care for people with disabilities so they can live in their homes and communities.

The Senate study committee has proposed funding the jump in new waiver slots and the wage increase in the new state budget that would take effect next summer. The shortage of direct-support professionals has hamstrung recent efforts to serve more of the 7,000 people waiting for Medicaid services.

Increasing funding to provide services for 2,400 more people would cost about $66 million, according to one estimate. That would be a significant increase, and it would follow a year where lawmakers covered an additional 513 people.

“It’s critically needed,” said D’Arcy Robb, executive director of the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities who also served on the study committee.

“As a state, we have under invested in this population for a long time. I think we’ve heard very clearly in the testimonies: people are breaking. And these are Georgians, these are folks with disabilities who can live lives and thrive and contribute. These are families.”

The committee drew a crowd at the series of meetings held across the state this year, with the attendees in Tifton spilling into an overflow room. More than 100 people also submitted written testimony.

In the longer term, the study committee has proposed creating a commission like the one established in 2019 to overhaul the state’s behavioral health system and that was the driving force behind last session’s parity bill.

Sen. Sally Harrell, an Atlanta Democrat who pushed for the examination of the waitlist, and her Republican co-chair Sen. John Albers share the vision of creating a reform-minded commission this coming legislative session that will take a comprehensive look at Georgia’s system for caring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and identify solutions. The new session starts next month.

“This is the beginning. This is the kickoff of a process of solving these issues, which are deep and complex,” Harrell said.

Kevin Tanner, who started and led the behavioral health reform commission, became the commissioner of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities on Friday.

‘A crisis in the care economy’

The state agency responsible for Georgia’s safety net system for people with disabilities is in the middle of reviewing the pay of direct-support professionals.

But the lawmakers behind the Dec. 14 committee report said they are frustrated by preliminary findings that would justify raising the hourly rate in Georgia to about $15, up from about $10.

“I personally was disappointed in the amount they came up with which was like $15.18 an hour,” Harrell said.

“We certainly heard testimony that there were organizations that had done enough fundraising and had gone up to that and it didn’t make a difference.”

The rate study is being conducted at a time of steep inflation, which is compounding a long-standing workforce problem nationally. Even before inflation strained the pocketbooks of direct-support professionals, provider groups in Georgia were warning the workforce shortage had already reached crisis levels.

“I’m disappointed too,” Albers said. “But you know what, there’s too much other good things happening – this is advancing the ball – to walk away disappointed over one out of all the other issues.”

Albers committed to revisiting the wage issue later if inflation does not ease and if the proposed rate increase does not help address the shortage.

The cost to the state to fund what the rate study ultimately recommends was not available Wednesday because the study is still ongoing. The state is seeking public comment on the study’s initial findings through Jan. 13.

Dom Kelly, president and CEO of a new advocacy group called New Disabled South that is focused on a 14-state region, said he had not seen the study’s results but struggled to see how a $15 hourly rate would help grow and preserve this important workforce.

“Overall, $15 an hour is not a livable wage for really anybody, especially today with inflation and even without inflation,” Kelly said Wednesday. “Fifteen dollars an hour is not a livable wage, and especially in a vital role like that where this is actually people’s lives that we’re dealing with.”

Kelly said there is an urgent need to shore up this workforce.

“There is a crisis in the care economy right now, and there aren’t enough people willing to do the work,” he said.

Robb with the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities said her organization’s position is for lawmakers to raise the rate to $15 an hour at a minimum in the near term. It would still be a jump from the current rate, she said.

She said she’s encouraged by talk of forming a commission.

“I think what’s come out is that this

problem is deeper and wider than was really realized before,” Robb said. “So, I think the commission is going to be really key going forward to keep these issues in the limelight and address this on an ongoing basis because ‘waivers and wages,’ to my mind, that’s the start.”

Managed care model

The panel also wants to task the new commission, if created this session, with exploring the prospect of delivering services for people with disabilities through managed care, which has prompted concerns.

If deemed a viable option, the panel recommends limiting the approach to a small number of people and only those who are newly enrolled in NOW and COMP waiver services.

Albers said after the meeting that he’s aware of the concerns that moving to the managed care model for these services might diminish the quality of care.

“The reality is we don’t know,” he said. “The fear of the unknown is a healthy fear. But we also should do our homework, we should study it and see if it could work, and if it could, how would we pilot that to make sure.”

This story comes to Appen Media through a reporting partnership with Georgia Recorder, a nonprofit newsroom that covers statewide issues.

JILL NOLIN/GEORGIA RECORDER

State senators Sally Harrell and John Albers, center, react Dec. 14 after their committee passed recommendations for improving access to services for those with disabilities. Harrell, a Democrat, and Albers, a Republican, co-chaired the panel.

Roswell, Johns Creek take 21st century approach to policing

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. —

Roswell and Johns Creek police officials say they’re taking special steps to get to know the people they protect and serve.

Roswell Chief James Conroy and Johns Creek Chief Mark Mitchell say it’s a core value of their guiding principles, called 21st century policing.

Introduced by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2015, 21st century policing consists of six pillars focused on reducing crime and building trust with the public.

The pillars include: building trust and legitimacy; policy and oversight; technology and social media; community policing and crime reduction; training and education; and officer wellness.

Chief Mitchell said he understands the pillars sound like buzzwords, but he wants people to understand how they’re carried through into the police department’s everyday operations. Boiled down, the goal of 21st century policing combines the six pillars into two pieces: reducing crime and building trust with the public.

The work comes internally and externally.

Both cities have focused on taking care of their officers physically and mentally in hopes of retaining employees. The police chiefs say they hope that by creating a positive culture with accountability, the benefits will trickle down into the communities they serve.

On the public side, the police departments each have several initiatives, like citizen’s police academies, coffee with a cop and meetings dedicated to each part of the community.

For the police chiefs, everything must come out of a department-wide commitment to 21st century policing on every level.

A new way to work

In Roswell, Conroy has been on board since the initiatives began. While he was working at the DeKalb County Police Department, his boss started working on a committee to develop a national initiative — 21st century policing. When he joined Roswell in 2019, he brought the initiative with him.

Each of the departments is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Only about 4 percent of police departments nationwide are accredited. It’s a point of pride for the police chiefs.

Mitchell has focused on this goal since he joined the Johns Creek Police Department in 2021, after the city held a

nationwide search for a new police chief.

He brought his commitment to 21st century policing to Johns Creek. Mitchell read the initial 2015 report while he was the police chief in Canton, Ga., and was immediately interested.

“Man, we’re doing some of it, let’s do all of it,” Mitchell said. “Then we realized this stuff works.”

He said he wants to emphasize that 21st century policing isn’t anything to brag about.

“This is how you have to police,” Mitchell said.

That’s the baseline he carried through when he joined Johns Creek. One of his first steps was to change the department’s mission statement to fall in line with the six pillars of policing, with a focus on “partnering with the community to solve problems.”

For Roswell, Chief Conroy focuses on how the police department can fit into the city’s needs.

“We have a small-town feel, but big city problems,” Conroy said.

Conroy said Roswell needs high service, with house checks and smalltown interactions. The department must balance those needs with their “big city” crime problems, he said.

A “trickle down” approach

When Chief Conroy joined the Roswell Police Department, there were 29 officer vacancies. After the protests following George Floyd’s death in 2020, even more officers left.

Conroy had the department participate in the Black Lives Matter protests that summer and doubled down on methods for officer retention and care. He wanted to keep them accountable while encouraging them to stay in the department long term.

The first action was a 20 percent pay increase for police across the board, putting Roswell at the top in the area for police pay. The department also

increased training requirements and started offering advanced specialized trainings.

Mental health was a key focus for officer wellness. Roswell hired a behavioral health specialist to be on call.

Johns Creek established a peer support team, as well as counseling for officers and family members of officers at no cost. Chief Mitchell created a “quiet room” in the department and pushed for improved uniforms and exercise opportunities.

“It’s a holistic approach to physical and mental wellness,” Mitchell said.

Both chiefs said they hope the mental wellness focus will help break down stigmas for officers, especially when dealing with traumatic events. Conroy said officers have always had PTSD, but the prevailing culture to “suck it up” was unhealthy for police and the public.

“If you develop a good running culture, it really helps impact retention and recruitment,” Mitchell said.

The chiefs hope that by breaking down that stigma, the officer health can trickle down into a better relationship with the public.

Mitchell said he wants to attack the “us vs. them” mentality between the police and the pubic, emphasizing that “it’s we” instead.

To do this, Mitchell incorporated opportunities for the public to speak with officers. He’s specifically proud of “coffee with a cop,” the first 21st century policing initiative he launched. He said he’s seen people learn, conflicts get resolved and even helped people with non-police-related issues.

“It’s a chance to talk about it, to ask questions and let them know the ‘why’ of policing,” Mitchell said.

Roswell also employs “coffee with a cop,” and Conroy said the education component of the event is crucial for

residents.

“Learn what your department is doing,” Conroy said. “Find out their policies and procedures and find out if they’re following them.”

Roswell and Johns Creek both offer community policing academies, where residents can learn the details of policing. They also have community ambassadors, who will answer questions from other residents about the police.

Mitchell said when he first started doing community outreach in Johns Creek, he could feel the hesitation.

When he visited a school with primarily Hispanic students, they hid under their desks when he came in. He spent weeks visiting the school and trying to improve that relationship, and eventually the kids grew more comfortable with the cops.

Conroy and his officers go out to diverse communities with popsicles, also hoping to make kids more comfortable with police in uniform.

“We want kids to run towards us, not away from us,” Conroy said.

Looking to the new year

While both departments have been recognized nationally and on a state level, the work is far from over.

“Are we where we need to be? No. Do we need to keep working? Yes,” Mitchell said.

In the new year, both departments plan to continue community outreach. Roswell received multiple microgrants to expand its community policing initiatives and will hold a citizen’s police academy in early 2023.

The department also has a big change in store: Roswell residents approved a $52 million public safety bond in November, and $23 million will go to a new public safety headquarters.

The department has been in the same building on Hill Street since 1991, when they only had 88 officers. That number has almost doubled in the past 30 years to 160 officers.

“We’ve tremendously outgrown the facility,” Conroy said. “This is bringing it all under one roof.”

In Johns Creek, Mitchell is focused on consistent accountability. The city sent out its annual citizen survey, asking residents five questions about their feelings about the Police Department. From there, Mitchell chooses where the department can improve. The city will also host a citizen’s police academy in February, as well as various classes and “coffee with a cop.”

Mitchell reassured that the work to maintain 21st century policing doesn’t stop anytime soon.

“It’s not just a flavor of the month, it’s genuine,” Mitchell said.

FILE PHOTO

Johns Creek Chief Mark Mitchell says he has followed the tenets of 21st century policing since it was introduced in 2015.

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Metro Atlanta players earn All-Region 6-AAAAA honors

ATLANTA — Football players from Milton, Denmark, West Forsyth, South Forsyth, Forsyth Central and Lambert high schools were first-team and second-team selections, and honorable mentions, on the All-Region 6-AAAAA Football Team voted on by the region’s coaches.

Some players were individually distinguished. Quarterback James Tyre from Lambert High School was recognized as Region Player of the Year. Quarterback Ty Watkins from South Forsyth High School was Offensive Player of the Year. Defensive line Owen Phillips from Milton High School (MHS) was recognized as Defensive Player of the Year. Rob Billings, also from MHS, was recognized as Athlete of the Year,serving as defensive back, running back and wide receiver.

Region coaches also voted Marc Beach from Lambert High School as Coach of the Year.

MILTON HIGH SCHOOL

Defensive Player of the Year: defensive line Owen Phillips.

Athlete of the Year: Rob Billings as defensive back, running back and wide receiver.

First-team offense: quarterback Luke Nickel, running back Scott Moskowitz, wide receivers Debron Gatling and Marc Essley, and offensive lineman Evan Zapata.

First-team defense: defensive lineman Wyatt Smalley, linebackers Will Parton and Caleb Moran, and defensive back Bryce Thornton.

Second-team offense: wide receiver Wyatt Nave, tight end Ryan Ghea, fullback Hayden

Tumminia and offensive lineman Brody Benotti.

Second-team defense: defensive linemen Drew Cohen and Terence Spencer, linebacker Jack Lawson and defensive backs Dylan Lewis and Brayden Holmes.

Second-team special teams: kicker Felipe Mota, punter Chase Traubel and long snapper Ben Lowery.

Honorable mention: linebackers Jacorey Stewart and Cole Werthman, wide receiver Garrett Spooner and offensive linemen Riley Rushing, Tim Schindler and Garrett Heinecke.

DENMARK HIGH SCHOOL

First-team offense: offensive lineman Sham Umarov.

First-team defense: defensive lineman William Hodges, linebacker Dee Crayton and defensive back Che Ojarikre.

Second-team offense: quarterback Jacob Nelson, running back Amon Williams, wide receivers Lake Thoman and Kohl Yearwood, tight end Brandon Hester and offensive lineman Kobe Jones.

Second-team defense: defensive linemen Evan Floyd and Charley Cronier, linebacker Austin DeCarlo, defensive back EJ Adams.

Second-team special teams: kicker Hamilton DiBoyan and long snapper Joe Hibbard.

Honorable mention: wide receiver Aidan Brozena, defensive lineman Jacob Smith, defensive back Sean Patterson and linebacker Ryan McDaniel.

WEST FORSYTH HIGH SCHOOL

First-team offense: running back Peyton Streko.

First-team defense: defensive lineman Brady

Gillis, linebacker Raleigh Herbert, defensive back Grey Brockman.

First-team special teams: return Aiden Cook.

Second-team offense: offensive lineman Peyton Wall and athlete Ryder Stewart.

Second-team defense: linebacker Riley McKee and defensive back William Orris.

Honorable mention: punter Luke Anderson, offensive lineman Jace Kile, defensive back Brody Sanderson, quarterback Jack Tomlinson, wide receiver Brian Tawuo, defensive linemen Ryder Smith and Carson Taylor.

SOUTH FORSYTH HIGH

Yeager and offensive lineman Luke Sacchetti.

First-team defense: defensive lineman Aiden White.

First-team special teams: line snapper Koby Balthazor.

Second-team offense: offensive lineman Braden Carter.

Second-team defense: defensive lineman Andrew Carrizo, linebacker Aiden Meehan and defensive back Aiden Manalastas.

Honorable mention: linebackers Brandon Carver and Kole McGlumphy, running backs Justin Taylor and Jayce Todaro, and defensive back Ramon Smith.

SCHOOL

Offensive Player of the Year: quarterback Ty Watkins.

First-team offense: tight end Cade Jacchia, fullback Baylor Duncan, offensive linemen Kristian Dawson and Nathan Efobi.

First-team defense: defensive lineman CJ Kemper, defensive back James Margiotta.

First-team special teams: punter Tyler Simpson and line snapper Ben Blanton.

Second-team offense: right back Maverick Schippmann, wide receiver Chris Nelson and offensive lineman Josh Felton.

Second-team defense: defensive lineman Chris Brown, linebacker Conner Futch, defensive back Cole Yeager.

Honorable mention: defensive back Kai Fernandes, defensive lineman Brady Fogarty, offensive lineman Cooper Lowe, linebackers Hayden Mock and Cole Williams, wide receiver Dash Moore and defensive lineman Christian Wehman.

FORSYTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

First-team offense: wide receiver Camden

LAMBERT HIGH SCHOOL

Coach of the Year: Marc Beach.

First-team offense: wide receiver Brandon Jones, tight end Luke Logan, offensive lineman Jackson DeLoach and athlete Cam Bland.

First-team defense: defensive lineman Finn Braeuer, linebacker Joseph Tripp and defensive back Bradley Gabriel.

First-team special teams: kicker Ryan Degyansky.

Second-team offense: offensive linemen Daniel Uwakwe and Luke Stephens.

Second-team defense: linebacker Branson Brooks.

Second-team special teams: return Christian Smith.

Honorable mention: running backs Tommy Lafayette and Ethan Terry, offensive linemen Riley Mitchamore and Tyler Van Treek, defensive linemen Steven Aguilar and Jack Racki, and linebacker Carson Knowles.

Robin Fricton

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Buoyed by savings, Milton to run its own municipal elections

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — The City of Milton is set to conduct its own 2023 municipal elections, and it likely will save a bundle doing it.

The City Council voted unanimously Dec. 19 to administer the election for the council’s three Post 2 positions up for grabs next year. The election will be conducted “absent any impediments,” Milton City Manager Steve Krokoff said.

A six-member committee, which studied the feasibility of Milton running its own municipal elections, made its recommendation to the City Council Dec. 5 on grounds of big cost savings.

The committee reported that In the first year, the city is looking at an expense of $72,254 to run its 2023 municipal general election. In subsequent years, with one-time costs out of the way, it is estimated the city will pay $56,589.

Up till now, Fulton County conducted the city’s municipal elections.

If the city were to renew its agreement with Fulton County for 2023, the Milton Municipal Election Feasibility Committee projected the cost to range from more than $186,000 to almost $190,000, excluding the cost of a potential runoff election.

It turns out that estimate was based on a previous discussion with Fulton County, which reported the cost per voter was expected to rise from $2.96 to more than $6.

But at the Dec. 12 Fulton County Registration and Elections Board meeting, Elections Preparation Manager Nadine Williams said the cost per voter will be $11.48 per voter in 2023. With the revised cost, Milton would be expected to pay more than $350,000 for Fulton County to run its 2023 municipal election.

“We use the machinery that we are

required to use,” Board Chair Cathy Woolard said at the Dec. 12 meeting. “Increased costs are not costs that we have chosen to bear, but they are costs that are put on county voters as a result of the State Legislature and the decisions that they make.”

While the packed Council Chamber was mostly filled with supporters, who clapped after every public comment that called out Fulton County’s alleged mismanagement, two residents felt differently.

Milton resident Robert Fricton said he voted in 77 elections in Fulton County and never had a problem with Fulton County. He said he was never worried about election security before, but Milton-run elections raise that concern.

“It’s not about the money,” Fricton said. “This is something about trying to get an election that someone besides the citizens of Milton have controlled.”

Fricton called out the two residents on

the elections committee, Mark Amick and Lisa Cauley, for lacking trustworthiness. He also suggested an alleged partisanship among the City Council.

“I know you’re all Republicans,” he said. “I don’t know if you’re deniers or not.”

Milton City Councilman Rick Mohrig, who was one of two councilmembers on the elections committee, later addressed Fricton’s concern over election security.

“This isn’t something that Milton can just come up with,” Mohrig said. “We have to follow what the state mandates.”

Traffic calming

In other business at the Dec. 19 meeting, Milton Public Works Director Sara Leaders looked for direction on potential revisions to the city’s traffic calming program.

The program had been a highly contested issue earlier this year when the White Columns Homeowners Association installed radar feedback signs. At the

time, HOAs were not required to petition the neighborhood before acting on their behalf.

The White Columns HOA sought the city’s cost-share agreement after installation, which was approved by the City Council in August.

Leaders asked for the City Council’s direction on whether to require neighborhood support of 67 percent and to remove the HOA provision in the city’s traffic calming program, which allows HOAs to act on behalf of the neighborhood. Other options were to eliminate the cost-share agreement altogether to make traffic calming a private issue or require the City Council’s approval on traffic calming measures.

Councilman Mohrig suggested striking out the HOA provision to ensure homeowner buy-in. He also said the city should keep the program but eliminate the cost-share agreement, one out of several sections in the ordinance.

Councilman Paul Moore agreed with Mohrig and said the neighborhood was not properly represented by the HOA.

Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison said he would like to exclude the City Council from HOA matters but supported the petition agreement.

Also at the Monday night meeting, the City Council extended a moratorium on development and design permits in the city’s Mayfield District to allow city staff time to develop the area’s zoning ordinance. The moratorium will end in June 2023.

“The last thing we want to do is to continue holding up the people’s property, so the sooner the better,” Mayor Jamison said.

Milton resident Sally Rich-Kolb opposed the extension because she had been waiting to sell her property.

“I’m not sure if this is ‘eminent domain,’ but it sure does feel like it,” RichKolb said.

Alpharetta adopts agriculture development plan

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — After nearly a year of community meetings and planning, the Alpharetta City Council has approved a comprehensive plan to guide and encourage agricultural development in the city over the next five years.

The plan was unanimously approved at the city council’s Dec. 12 meeting, making Alpharetta the second Metro Atlanta community to adopt an agricultural plan through the Atlanta Regional Commission and Food Well Alliance.

City leaders and hundreds of residents

held six meetings between March and April to generate ideas and create the plan, which includes four main priorities, supporting local growers, cultivating a sense of place, sustainable stewardship and city initiatives and partnerships.

“The community worked hard, alongside Food Well Alliance, the ARC and city staff, to get to the point where we have an official plan in place for our agriculture program. We look forward to implementing the Plan and bringing the great ideas the community brought forth to life in our parks, streetscapes, and developments,” Director of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Services Morgan

Rodgers said. “We like to have fun in Alpharetta, and it’s fun to grow in ways that will benefit the community well into the future.”

The plan includes short, medium and long-term recommendations that are expected to be implemented over the next five years.

Recommendations include items like creating a Home Growers’ Cooperative, expanding farmers market partnerships, creation of community garden space in parks, establishment of a community seed library and tool bank and supporting existing local farms.

With these initiatives, community

stakeholders believe they can strengthen the relationships between local food producers, distributors and consumers, and increase access to healthy food in the local community.

“Residents made it clear over the past year that they are passionate about growing, sharing, and supporting local food,” Food Well Alliance Policy and Planning Manager Sarah Brown said. “This plan will integrate those priorities into to Alpharetta’s existing policies, programs and future development.”

Alpharetta has been awarded a $75,000 grant to kickstart the plan, Rodgers said.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Lisa Cauley, Milton Municipal Feasibility Committee member, records the Milton City Council decision to move forward with self-run municipal elections at the Dec. 19 meeting. The decision drew applause after the council’s quick, unanimous vote.

Town Center vision moves closer to reality

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — In the words of Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry, the City Council completed a “historic milestone” when councilmembers unanimously approved zoning plans for Medley.

The 42-acre Medley development at the intersection of McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway will anchor the city’s future 192-acre Town Center, an initiative identified in the city’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan. The town center plan was adopted in October 2021 and integrated into the comprehensive plan the following January.

At the Dec. 12 City Council meeting, Medley received the city’s new TC-X zoning classification (Town Center Mixed Use District) with more than 20 conditions. Medley’s 56-acre parent parcel, a defunct State Farm campus, will also house Boston Scientific.

As an “eatertainment” destination and “third place” beyond work and home, Medley will consist of 200,000 square-feet of commercial space, which includes 80,000 square-feet of retail, 60,000 square-feet of restaurants and up to 60,000 square-feet of entertainment use. The site will also feature 110,000 square-feet of office space, 137 fee-simple townhomes and 750 luxury multifamily units.

Plans call for two multifamily parking decks, more than 12 acres of civic space (plazas, pocket parks, squares and landscaped areas) and nearly 3 acres of amenity space (a clubhouse, swimming pools, amenity courtyards, patios, porches, balconies and lawns).

Mark Toro, known for his work on Alpharetta’s Avalon, said the new development will create a “halo effect” not just for the Town Center but for the entire city. With the Alpharetta project, Toro said he observed a paradigm shift in Alpharetta from, “a cul-de-sac gated mindset to an urban lifestyle that was attractive to many people who didn’t know what they didn’t know.”

But he said there was a distinct difference between Avalon and Medley.

“I believe that the success of Medley will be based on the fact that people are tired of driving 20 minutes to Avalon,” Toro said.

The Wilbert Group, public relations for Toro Development Company, would not disclose financial information for the Medley project at the current time.

Density, approval time

During public comment, sev -

A rendering of the north view of Medley, a 42-acre mixed-use development, from McGinnis Ferry Road. An “eatertainment” destination and “third place” beyond work and home, Medley will include 200,000 square-feet of commercial space. The site will also feature 110,000 square-feet for office, 137 fee-simple townhomes and 750 luxury multifamily units.

eral residents voiced concerns about Medley’s density, including Kristin McCabe, a recently sworn in Fulton County School Board member.

“The density concerns me — 750 apartments you are proposing,” McCabe said. “That’s 225 more than are already at Avalon, and yet, it’s less acreage.”

The Town Center’s zoning ordinance was adopted in August 2022, which, in part, tackles density. Medley is set to have 21.27 units per acre, which is less than the density requirements within Town Center Code at 30 units per acre.

With Medley’s future neighbor Boston Scientific in mind, McCabe noted aspects of the development that should be considered, like traffic and garbage. But Toro said Medley would calm traffic, using various mechanisms proposed by his staff, such as additional access points.

McCabe also thought the City Council should have more time to decide on the project. The first meeting between Toro and city staff was in March. The Johns Creek Planning Commission approved the application, which was filed in September, Dec. 6.

Councilman Bob Erramilli echoed McCabe and said he wished he had more time to discuss the project with counterparts in other cities. Current councilmembers will probably not see something of this size on their dockets again, he said.

But Councilman Chris Coughlin said, “I understand something of this magnitude feels rushed, but we’ve had tons of public participation meetings. We have had ample opportunities for review.”

After a nearly two-hour discussion on the agenda item and the City Council’s vote, the audience applauded. Councilmembers made their last remarks as well as Mayor Bradberry.

“Make it the best damn development ever,” Bradberry said. “Make us the best Town Center ever.”

Groundbreaking is scheduled for late 2023, according to Toro Development Company’s website.

The Legacy Center

At its Dec. 12 work session, the City Council also agreed to purchase land for the Legacy Center, an anticipated “arts park.”

For the discussion, councilmem -

bers were given a 12-page report created by the mayor-appointed Legacy Center Working Group, which was tasked with determining the size, scope and scale of the Legacy Center project. The group consulted the Legacy Center Task Force, a separate organization that has been led by Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra Conductor J. Wayne Baughman for the past seven years.

The Legacy Center would sit on about 6 acres, with two buildings — the Johns Creek Art Center and a performance hall that would include multiuse space with a commercial kitchen.

The report also gave an estimate for land costs in Johns Creek, which could be in excess $500,000 per acre. It also listed other key issues, like fundraising efforts.

Later in the evening, after the City Council’s vote on Medley, Johns Creek Cricket Association Founder Shafiq Jadavji said Dec. 12 would be a memorable date.

“You did a ‘one, two punch’ tonight,” Jadavji said, alluding to the City Council decision to acquire land for the Legacy Center and the vote on Medley.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

The realizations that come with age

The big news from me in 2022 is that I’m getting old.

I’m even mentioning these two social platforms is causing some snickers amongst the whipper snappers in my office.

Speaking of, outside of dear June in our Classifieds department, I am now the most tenured employee on my own staff. How did that happen? This year, I hired someone for the first time whose birth year doesn’t begin with a 19. What?!

a few on the back, told them to have fun, and me and my sore hips made their way back to the hotel for a nap. I slept like a baby.

spend time with my kids. We are neck deep in baseball, soccer, karate, piano, playdates, fishing – you name it, we’re doing it.

Lastly, it used to be that elderly neighbors would call me to help them lift something heavy or keep an eye on their house while they were out of town. Recently, my middle child, Leo, got the call instead.

HANS APPEN Publisher hans@appenmedia.com

It’s bad enough that journalists fresh out of J-School at UGA have been calling me “Mr. Appen,” but now my oldest child, Phoebe, has started to call me “Hans” when she gets mad at me. If she grows any more like her mother in 2023 I’m in big trouble. Said oldest child is also quick to point out the influx of gray hairs on my head and pat my big belly in mock concern.

“Wait, do you have grays in your beard, too?!”

I am officially out of touch and behind the times with the latest advancements in technology, and frankly, I give up. I never jumped on TikTok and I am not going to even try with BeReal. I’m sure the fact that

I am middle of the rung now when someone on staff needs help with a computer program, and I am rarely called upon to represent the “younger generation” in a meeting involving diversifying for an evolving media environment and younger readers.

Just tell me what to do and when to do it, folks.

Recently, I joined a group of about 15 of my uncles, male cousins, and husbands of female cousins for 48 hours in Vegas. We caught the IU/Arizona basketball game at the MGM and walked up and down the strip for hours. At about hour 30, I patted

Yep, I’m getting old.

The thing is, I’m more than OK with this stage in life, and I quite like it, actually.

While Mom and Dad inch closer to retirement and further away from Appen Media, I still have brother Carl on staff with me to continue the tradition of multiple Appen family members working – and coming to blows – in the company that bears their name. He is the ying to my yang at the office, and we do a good job of covering for each other. He’s got my back and I’ve got his.

At home, my favorite thing to do is

The highlight of my day is making my way to each child’s room for their bedtime story. Phoebe and I are on Book 6 of the Harry Potter series, Leo and I are on Book 3 of the Little House on the Prairie Series, and youngest child, Annie, refuses to read anything other than Peppa Pig.

For me, I love to be outside and have my hands in the dirt. I recognize and enjoy moments in life I used to ignore, or take for granted. Blooming flowers, the art of and joy of building something with your own hands, the laughter of a child, a good sermon, good people and the gift of another day.

Life is good, and I am good with it.

So, from Alpharetta’s newest old geezer, I hope you have a wonderful New Year filled with good friends, good health and happy memories.

But first, get off my lawn.

An array of topics: What do you think?

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

So, this column is sort of like a mini “house-cleaning.” There have been a number of things that have occurred recently that are either solid potential “column topics: or at least semi columnworthy.”

One item has to do with one of my recent columns about social media. Another has to do with a longer article that our reporter Amber wrote about drag theater, and another consists of a few things that happened, or I observed when we were in New York to see a Broadway show this past week (“Music Man”).

Don’t know where I live

Every week we deliver just over 100,000 local newspapers (Heralds and Criers) to homes. These are free, non-subscription-based, so every week we usually receive a few requests to stop delivery – for whatever reason. However, it is not that unusual that when we ask the caller their address and the name of the subdivision in which they live, so we can stop delivery, they give us the address but cannot give us the name of their subdivision because they don’t know it. They don’t know the name of the subdivision in which they live?

I am not sure what the opposite of

“woke” is but is it possibly “comatose” or “oblivious to anything but their own field of vision, sensibilities, and values.” “Myopic,” but with a more negative twist, comes to mind. Yes, they might have just moved in last week, but my guess is that is only the case in a few instances.

Not all social media is bad

A reader took the time to correct me about a recent column in which I focused on all the negative/toxic aspects of social media without acknowledging the positive ones. My bad. He was right to call me on that. While I did consider it when I wrote the column, I think in my mind I was thinking that the positives are obvious – just as are the negative aspects. Again, I should have addressed that aspect.

NYC/Broadway/honking

We walked a lot on Broadway as well as took Ubers and Lyfts. One thing was constant – thousands of cars and trucks and honking – honking, honking, and more honking. So, at some point one sort of just stops hearing those honks; but, at another point I had an epiphany about them. Those honks in NYC were not personal; they are not road-rage like they very often are in Georgia. It felt like –opinion here – like those NYC honks were saying “move on,” “quit holding everyone up”, “wake up.” That’s in contrast to the toxic, often threatening,

name-calling personal outrage that is honking in Georgia and specifically in North Fulton. The volume of honks in NYC surely would have resulted in –how many? – people pulling out their guns and … in Georgia?

Tik Tok and Elon

Another reader pointed out to me that in my column about social media, I should have been defending First Amendment rights of free speech instead of trashing social media. I get his point of view. But I also believe that free speech is not absolute; that you cannot shout “fire” in a crowded theater. I also pointed out to him in my reply that, in my opinion, that an un-regulated, unencumbered Internet – which is the main conduit of “free speech” is incompatible with all forms of government. I have not heard back from him yet, but I am sure he will not agree.

Of note, I noted that Congress just passed a bill banning TikTok from being loaded onto any computer belonging to the U.S. federal government; free speech vs what?

The story about theater and drag actors

So, we have received a lot of “feedback” about a recent story about a drag show in Forsyth County.

One reader who had previously emailed me to complement us on how much progress we had made in our Forsyth coverage expressed his

disappointment in our story choice –“you digressed.”

A good friend – who I respect and like – reached out to me about how sad he was that we reported/promoted anything to do with the topic

So here is a poignant local example of choices that must be made and the impact of those choices for a newspaper or media of any sort – and for the audience served. None of the choices are easy. Where does one draw the line? Ban TikTok? Ban reporters because they write true stories about you (Elon Musk)? Ban politicians because they shout “fire” in a crowded theater? Who gets to define “fire?”

Is all we (the media) have to do is make sure that what we write is objectively the truth - (yes)? But, what about story selection? If we write about crime, does that mean we are promoting crime? Do all people have a fundamental right to live their lives as they choose so long as they do not harm others – and more. Are some lifestyles more important than others? Is someone “woke” if they think people should be treated the same? Are people “comatose” if they attack others as being woke because they are different than they are? And on and on.

Respect, honesty, the truth, and common sense are some of the markers that should lead a media – and individuals – to the best middle ground I think.

Peace on Earth, good will to everyone.

Nancy Hanks, Airline Belle, and Man o’ War trains

In the last Past Tense, I told how Charlie Blackburn rode the Airline Belle from Atlanta to Chamblee, then boarded the Roswell Railroad to visit his grandparents in Dunwoody. There are many reasons people traveled by train to or from Atlanta. Some came to visit family, to get to work or school, attend an event such as a football game, or shop in downtown Atlanta, especially in the days before Christmas.

The train known as Nancy Hanks first began the trip from Savannah to Atlanta in 1893. The trip took about six and a half hours. Georgia Central Railway picked the name Nancy Hanks because of the world record racehorse by that name, rather than Abraham Lincoln’s mother.

Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett describes this first version of the Nancy Hanks as “elaborate and luxurious.” The train was painted royal blue and trimmed in gold leaf with images of the racehorse logo in the frosted glass panels above each window.

The Nancy Hanks only lasted a few months because it caused many accidents. It was too fast for the time, colliding with livestock and unfortunately also with people. It was shut down before the end of 1893.

Georgia Central Railway brought the name Nancy Hanks back in 1947. A July 10, 1947, article in the Bulloch Times announced, “Nancy Hanks II: Modern Stream-Liner is Latest Word in Comfort.” A round trip from Savannah to Atlanta began with departure from Savannah at 8 a.m., arrival in Atlanta at 1:40 p.m., departure from Atlanta at 6 p.m. and arrival back in Savannah at midnight.

In September of 1957, football fans could ride the Nancy Hanks to Atlanta for two games. Georgia Tech played Kentucky at 2 p.m. and Georgia played Texas at 8 p.m. Following the second

DEATH NOTICES

Donald Kjenstad, 75, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 19, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

game, a bus would return fans to Terminal Station to leave for Savannah around 11:15 p.m.

Riding the Nancy Hanks II from Savannah or Macon to shop in Atlanta is remembered by many. Stops along the way included Wadley, Tennile, and Griffin. In 1963, the train was owned by Southern Railway and in 1971 it shut down for good with the beginning of Amtrak.

Just as with other forms of transportation, trains were racially segregated in the South and this continued until 1965, according to the Smithsonian Institute Magazine. Southern Railway Car Number 1200, a segregated car used on the Southern Railway in Georgia is on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Cars such as Number 1200 had smaller bathrooms, no luggage racks, and no amenities. Blacks sometimes rode in baggage cars and were denied access to dining cars.

Other trains that brought people from small towns to Atlanta include the Air-Line Belle and the Man o’ War. The Air-Line Belle from Toccoa to Atlanta ran from 1879 until 1931. Stops along the way included Duluth, Suwanee, Sugar Hill, Buford, Alto, Lula, Oakwood and Mount Airy.

Clifford M. Kuhn wrote about riding the Air-Line Belle in “Living Atlanta: An Oral History of the City, 1914-1948.” “We’d get the Airline Belle out of Toccoa, which was about three coaches, and a little steam engine. We’d come down Mitchell Street and turn there to go to Rich’s, Bass’s and Kress ten-cent store.”

Also named for a racehorse, the Man o’ War ran from Columbus to Atlanta beginning in 1947 and continued until the spring of 1970. Bonnie Smith Nichols and Larry Jordon remember riding the Man o’ War from Atlanta to Columbus on a Dunwoody School field trip in 1957. They visited Fort Benning while in Columbus.

Other stops for this route included Cataula, Pine Mountain, and Hamilton.

Atlanta’s Terminal Station, owned

A 1950 advertisement promotes the Central of Georgia Railway’s Nancy Hanks II, a train ride between Savannah and Atlanta. Augusta passengers could connect by way of Millen, Georgia.

by Southern Railway, was shut down in 1970 and demolished in 1972. Union Station in Atlanta was also demolished in 1972.

Marc Hayes of Brookhaven remembers seeing the Nancy Hanks on many occasions when he worked in downtown Atlanta in the 1960s. He worked close to both Terminal Station and the smaller Union Station. “At least a couple of times a week, on my lunch hour, I’d walk over to either or both stations to explore the cavernous

Terminal Station and the smaller Union Station.”

Over the sound system, incoming trains were announced. Passengers leaving Atlanta were notified when it was time to board their train and then the words “All Aboard” were called out.

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

Solomon McDaniel, 87, of Roswell, passed away on December 16, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Florrie Silvers, 78, of Roswell, passed away on December 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Jeanette Sullivan, 93, of Alpharetta, passed away on December 21, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TIP YOUR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON

This holiday season, consider giving your newspaper delivery person a tip for their weekly delivery of the free community newspaper to your driveway. These folks work hard to make sure you are informed of all the local happenings, rain or shine, week in and week out.

Importantly, at Appen Media, we have always been intentional about our desire to keep delivery of our newspapers free. That said, it would mean the world to us if you would consider tipping your newspaper delivery person so that they will have a little extra money for the holiday season.

If you can help us help these amazing people, we promise to keep delivering high quality news to your driveway, for free, every week. Free home delivery of 105,000 homes is hard work –and we couldn’t do it without our amazing delivery folks.

How you can give your delivery person a tip:

We have created an online portal at www.appenmedia.com/deliverytip.

100% of every dollar you contribute will be spread out evenly between the 24 newspaper delivery people that Appen Media employs. Whether you give $5 or $50, they will greatly appreciate it.

If you prefer, you can also mail a check made out to “Appen Media Group C/O Newspaper Delivery Tip” to 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.