Johns Creek Herald - March 14, 2024

of the City Address March 6 at Northview High

Johns Creek mayor lists big strides in annual State of the City Address

By AMBER PERRY

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry delivered his third State of the City Address March 6, centering on the city’s new strategic priorities.

The City Council, at its planning retreat in January, took the long view and identified five key issues of most concern: recreation and parks, transportation/connectivity, economic development, public safety, and arts and culture.

During his address at Northview High School, Bradberry covered milestones for each, like the city successfully attracting 14 major business projects in the past few years forecasted to bring about 1,300 jobs and more than half a billion dollars in new investment.

A project “on the hush-hush” that has opened is a multimillion-dollar technology and security center for a “very large company,” whose name could not be confirmed at press time.

“For a while, Johns Creek had a reputation that we were not business friendly, that we were not very excited

about a new business opening,” Bradberry said. “We have been hard at work to try to change that, and I think that our efforts are paying dividends.”

But, in his opening remarks to the crowd of more than 100, Bradberry explained the city’s reasons for conducting its own municipal election in 2025. The State of the City Address drew dozens of business and civic leaders and elected officials, including Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson, Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin and Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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

Employee reports customer threatened to shoot up store

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — An employee at a mattress store on Medlock Bridge Road reported to police Feb. 26 that a customer called and threatened to shoot everyone in the store.

The employee said the suspect, a Lawrenceville man, had been having an issue with the manufacturer’s warranty department for a massage chair he bought in 2021, according to the incident report.

Police made contact with the suspect who said he made no threats and doesn’t own a gun. He also told police about his frustration with the companies because no one would help him.

There was no evidence that threats were made, the report says, and due to the lack of probable cause, the case was left active.

Uber driver says passenger hit him over lost cell phone

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — An Uber driver reported to police Feb. 28 that a passenger punched him after claiming she had left her cell phone in his car.

The driver told police he received a call from the suspect, an Atlanta woman, who said she left her phone in the vehicle after he had dropped her off. The driver asked the woman for $50 to deliver the phone because he was far away at the time.

After the woman declined the offer, the driver said he was stopped at a red light at Medlock Bridge and Bell roads when the suspect pulled in front of him and exited another vehicle demanding her phone back and proceeded to punch him in the left shoulder, according to the incident report.

The driver told police when he handed over the phone, the suspect said, “You’re lucky I didn’t blow your head off,” then left the scene.

Police did not see any marks or bruising on the driver’s body, and the driver declined medical attention, the report says. But, the driver told police he wanted to pursue charges against the suspect.

Masseuse reports assault by client, unpaid services

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Mableton woman, who works remotely as a masseuse, reported to police March 1 that a client grazed her buttocks with his hand and asked if she provided “extra” services.

The woman told police she was at the suspect’s home when the incident happened and that the suspect would not pay her for the massage after she immediately ended the session.

Police spoke with the suspect over the phone, who told them he wanted a lawyer and that he would pay the money he owed. When the call ended, the suspect sent $125 to the woman through Apple Pay.

The woman said she did not want to press charges.

Atlanta man arrested in string of liquor thefts

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 25-year-old Atlanta man Feb. 28 who allegedly stole more than $1,500 in liquor from a package store on Peachtree Parkway.

An employee reported Feb. 1 that two cases of Clase Azul and Don Julio 1942 valued at $680 were stolen. He said multiple cases of liquor, valued at $850, had gone missing over the past three to four months.

The employee said he used security footage to identify the suspect, and he showed deputies a screenshot of messages warning others about the suspect. He was reportedly able to find the suspect’s name because his mugshot from the Cobb County Jail was published online.

The employee also said other stores

have reported the same issue, and he provided deputies with a list of names, the report states.

The suspect was charged with three counts of felony theft by shoplifting.

Couple arrested at Walmart for alleged drugs, shoplifting

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a Decatur couple Feb. 28 for alleged shoplifting and drug possession at Walmart on Peachtree Parkway.

Loss prevention employees reported the 30-year-old woman and 29-year-old man were at the store swapping price tags on different items at self-checkout around 9:30 p.m. He said the female suspect tried to leave with a cart and purse full of stolen items, but she said the male suspect had the receipt.

The man reportedly left the self-checkout area after multiple declined payments, and deputies followed him to the womens clothing section.

The suspects were talking to one another in adjacent aisles, and deputies reported seeing the grip of a tan handgun and merchandise roll out under a clothes rack from where the male suspect was.

Price tags and stickers and a small glass vial of cocaine were allegedly found on the male suspect, and the Smith and Wesson handgun he left behind returned stolen out of Atlanta, the report states.

Deputies reported more stolen items were found in the woman’s purse, and narcotics detectives found suspected MDMA and a 9 mm round in the suspects’ vehicle.

The male suspect was charged with felony possession of cocaine, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

He also received one misdemeanor charge of theft by shoplifting.

He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail on a $67,695 bond.

The woman was charged with felony theft by receiving stolen property, possession of a Schedule Ie controlled substance and weapon receipt by a convicted felon. She also received a misdemeanor charge for theft by shoplifting.

No bond information is available.

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At the Johns

Johns Creek revisits plan for new Fire Station 63

City advances $38 million Abbotts Bridge Road project

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — With the conceptual plan for Fire Station 63 completed, some Johns Creek councilmembers argued it may not accommodate future needs.

The new facility, which will also house the Police Substation, is slated for a 2.11acre property on Brumbelow Road. The design bid called for two double-depth bays, shown in a rendering that had been created by CROFT in collaboration with members from the city’s Fire, Police, Information Technology, and Recreation and Parks departments.

The new building, estimated to cost $10.3 million, will double the capacity of the existing Fire Station 63.

But, Johns Creek City Councilwoman Stacy Skinner recommended a third bay be added at the council’s work session March 4. She drew support from councilmembers Bob Erramilli and Larry DiBiasi. The discussion was intended to serve as a check-in.

“If we’re trying to make sure we’re setting us up for success and not having to go back and reverse value engineer, it would be prudent to add it now instead of later,” Skinner said.

Fire Station 63

The fire chief had originally asked for three bays, Skinner said, though the

formal request included two. She said the addition, which would tack another $1.2 million to the project, could be used for additional storage to either house ambulance services, a ladder truck or police vehicles.

In an email to Appen Media, Skinner provided the initial design documents from CROFT that included three bays, which she obtained through an open records request. While not discussed by the council, Skinner also said she has heard “rumblings” about cities being asked to subsidize ambulance services in the next fiscal year.

But, the current plan includes a storage building on-site. Interim City Manager Kimberly Greer said the city does not anticipate growth in the Newtown area, served by Fire Station 63, to require more apparatus to operate.

Growing frustrated, Councilman Chris Coughlin said proposed changes to the project were not related to any safety concern.

“Let’s move ahead, rather than putting a finger in a pot that has no rational explanation of why we would do this at this point,” Coughlin said.

Construction for Fire Station 63 is expected to go out for bid in August.

Also at the work session, the City Council took a stab at finalizing a list of projects for the city’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, a document that will help facilitate the city’s budgeting process. Historically, the city has chosen capital projects on an ad-hoc basis.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Creek City Council work session March 4, Mayor John Bradberry and Councilman Bob Erramilli discuss whether Fire Station 63 should include a third bay, though the conceptual plan for the $10.3 million project is already completed which called for two double-depth bays.

Alpharetta drops plans to prioritize parks bond

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta officials have backed down from plans to discuss reprioritizing the projects approved in the 2021 parks bond referendum.

The City Council raised the idea at its annual planning retreat Jan. 21-22 after Parks and Recreation Director Morgan Rodgers said the $29.5 million bond budget fell some $5 million short from completing the work outlined in the original projects list.

At the retreat, City Councilman Dan Merkel and Councilman Brian Will supported an agenda item to consider prioritizing the bond projects. City staff tentatively scheduled the item for discussion Feb. 26, but the topic did not appear on the City Council’s agenda at that meeting.

In a phone interview with Appen Media Feb. 29, City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said since the retreat, councilmembers have grown satisfied with the Parks and Recreation Department’s plans to use the bond account interest money, and there are no plans to discuss any changes to the parks bond.

“With all the members of council saying they’re satisfied, there’s really no reason to have

a discussion because we’re not going to be moving any money around,” Lagerbloom said. “And I don’t want the public to think that we’re trying to shuffle money from one project to the next. Right now, we’re just maintaining the status quo.”

Plans for funding

Rodgers said the parks bond budget discussion at the retreat accounted for inflation and the cost of business, labor and materials. The $5-6 million shortfall estimate included all bond projects.

Not factoring in Farmhouse Park, the Alpha Loop and the Wills Park Equestrian Center, Rodgers said the city needs $3.5 million to complete work on Old Rucker, Union Hill and Wills parks, as well as the artificial turf at Webb Bridge Park.

“When we drill down to the numbers, what we really need is just a little over $3 million to complete those projects, above what’s funded right now,” Rodgers said.

As of Feb. 29, Lagerbloom said the parks bond account has accrued some $2 million in interest, and staff anticipates another $1.4 million in investment earnings in the 2024 fiscal year.

See BOND, Page 28

CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Alpharetta has spent around $5 million of the $29.5 million parks bond voters passed in 2021. The bond account has accrued $2 million in interest, and city staff anticipates an additional $1.4 million this fiscal year.

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Appen Media staff to visit Sugo for Johns Creek ‘Listening Tour’

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Staff reporters with Appen Media will be all ears at its open forum at Sugo in Johns Creek March 21.

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

Beginning at 4 p.m., staff will be onhand for around an hour. There will also be a short Q&A session.

This is the third stop on the newsroom’s “Listening Tour,” a seven-month series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. In January, the group set up shop in Dunwoody, and in February, they heard from residents in Roswell.

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

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Sandy Springs approves incentives for corporate relocation to Queen Building

SANDY

Ga. — Newell Brands is preparing to relocate its global headquarters less than 2 miles south from 6655 Peachtree Dunwoody in Sandy Springs to the Queen Building on Concourse Parkway. Representatives for Newell Brands applied to the city Jan. 25 requesting a waiver of building permit fees and business occupational taxes for the buildout of their corporate headquarters.

Newell Brands, a global manufacturer and marketer of consumer and commercial products, is known for products like Coleman, Rubbermaid and Sharpie.

The Queen Building at 5 Concourse Parkway lies in the heart of Perimeter Center and stands 31 stories with almost 700,000 square feet of Class A office space.

The property is a part of the Concourse at Landmark Center, a 2.2 million-square-foot development just north of I-285 and immediately east of Ga. 400.

“The new site will serve as our world headquarters of our multinational business that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange,” a spokesperson for Newell Brands said. “We routinely bring business contacts from around the world to meetings at our headquarters which further promotes the city.”

Following the recommendation to approve the incentive application from city staff, the City Council will vote March 5 whether to approve or deny the incentives.

With the national office vacancy rate at a record-breaking 20% in the fourth quarter of 2023, a new major tenant in the Queen Building signifies a jump

or Concourse Corporate Center V. The Sandy Springs City Council will vote March 5 whether to approve an economic incentive request for the relocation of Newell Brands’ global headquarters to the iconic building.

in the regional competitiveness of the Perimeter Center.

With councilmembers expressing concerns about office vacancy rates at the Jan. 30 annual retreat, the city is expected to keep the global headquarters in the city.

City staff said the publicly traded company is in the final stages of exploring relocation options both inside and outside of Sandy Springs, including Dunwoody. They also said the application for incentives will help the corporation determine the final costs and benefits of selecting Sandy Springs.

FILE PHOTO

A view of northbound Ga. 400 shows the Queen Building,

This image shows an overhead view of the 24,000-square-foot home at 13090 Freemanville Road, with an asking price of $8,900,000. The 9-acre estate was listed Feb. 8 on realtor.com.

Milton mansion lists at nearly $9 million

MILTON, Ga. — A single-story, 24,000-square-foot Milton mansion at 13090 Freemanville Road hit the market in early February.

After 27 days on realtor.com, the home has a listing price of $8,950,000. A description on the website bills the property as “Milton’s most iconic estate.”

The mansion, custom-built in 2002, sits at the back of a 9-acre and fully gated property abutting Milton High School. The home sits in the Summit Hill Elementary and Northwestern Middle school districts.

Ron and Mary Wallace own the property.

The estate is located less than a mile from the Crabapple Market district and Milton City Hall with its 1,000-foot-long driveway factored into the calculation.

sound.

Checking every box for quality, the commercially built home sports a steel and concrete structure, a commercial boiler with a cooling tower, 22 temperature-controlled systems and a state-ofthe-art emergency generator.

The ceiling of the one-story home extends some 25 feet with floor-to-ceiling windows highlighting custom millwork on the window and door trim.

One wing of the home sports a 4,400-square-foot Old West town replica with a saloon and two half baths, modeled after 19th century Tombstone, Arizona.

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A five-bay, 14-car garage equipped with 220-volt wiring and high-voltage hookups is ideal for any automotive enthusiast. It also features a complete workshop area with built-in cabinetry, with one bay designed to accommodate motorhomes or boats.

The mansion has an exercise room with a sauna and a steam room, an executive office, a two-story library, a lounge with a curved bar for entertaining and a media room custom-designed for

The realtor, Bonnie Smith of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, said the wing could be adapted for additional living areas or an indoor basketball court. The 15,000-square-foot unfinished basement also offers opportunities for expansion.

A manicured and level front yard is suitable for equestrian pursuits, or helicopter landings.

The home features four bedrooms, eight bathrooms, covered patios and porches and a shingle roof.

For interested buyers, the monthly payment on a 30-year fixed loan at 7 percent is just over $50,000.

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The harp is not just for classical musicians on a concert stage. Once we know what your goals are, we can find the harp that is right for you.”

KATHERINE COOK, manager, Atlanta Harp Center

Atlanta Harp Center strings together festival lineup

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Harp Center, located in a quiet office park off South Main Street in Alpharetta, sports the largest selection of harps in the South.

Its showroom at 11775 Northfall Lane features pedal and lever harps from Lyon & Healy and Venus in Chicago; Salvi in Piasco, Italy; Camac in Mouzeil, France; and Dusty Strings in Seattle.

Visitors to the showroom are greeted with a mix of nature and technology.

More than 50 harps are on display from around the world. Three little fish, each of one the primary colors, circle a tank in the lobby as harpists peruse the extensive inventory.

From the hand-carved pillar of the Minerva Natural from Salvi to the 34-string, electric-lever Camac Ulysses, there is a harp designed for each patron’s taste.

The Atlanta Harp Center requires appointments to visit its showroom, which employees said allows clients to hear and experience the unique sound of each stringed instrument.

For harpist across the South, Alpharetta’s Atlanta Harp Center is a mecca.

The rent-to-own program for lever harps gives customers the choice to either return the instrument after a four-month period or continue to rent it on a month-to-month basis.

The team, consisting of industry experts and professional harpists, applies most rental payments toward the purchase of the instrument and allows

a trade-up policy for the purchase of a pedal harp.

The initial payment for rental varies between $260-$600, with monthly payments less than $200.

While credit approval and a contract are required for the rental program, Atlanta Harp Center works with customers to find the right size, sound, look and price.

The price range for harps extends from $2,500 to $40,000.

After co-owners David and Mary Jane D’Arville married, the couple opened the Midlothian-based Virginia Harp Center in 1997. They decided to keep the name when opening a second showroom in Haddonfield, New Jersey after the success of their first location.

The Atlanta Harp Center opened its doors to the public in 2007, becoming the go-to place for world-renowned harps for interested players across the Southeast.

The Atlanta Harp Center Festival, sponsored by Camac Harps, Lyon & Healy and the Virginia Harp Center, will be March 15-17 at the Courtyard by Marriot in downtown Decatur at 130 Clairmont Ave.

See HARP, Page 14

The D’Arvilles bill their locations as offering the largest selection of harps on the East Coast with international and domestic customers.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Katherine Cook, manager of the Atlanta Harp Center, and David Paul Raaen, assistant manager and harpist, stand in the showroom at 11775 Northfall Lane off South Main Street in Alpharetta. Cook said employees and customers are excited for the world-class lineup at the Atlanta Harp Center Festival March 15-17 in Decatur.

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Harp:

Continued from Page 10

The second regional Harp Center festival after the COVID-19 pandemic features Canadian harpist Valérie Milot; multi-award winner Juan Riveros; Celtic harpist Kim Robertson; and jazz specialist Amanda Whiting from Wales.

The festival also showcases guest performances and ensembles from Urban Youth, Middle Georgia and Feiner Musicke.

Tickets are available online and at the door.

For more information, visit atlantaharpcenterfestival.com/.

The manager, Kathrine Cook, said clients primarily come from the Lower 48 states, but the team has fulfilled orders from South Korea and Canada.

“We don’t do all international shipping, because harp factories have dealers in other countries,” Cook said. “There’s just not that many dedicated harp locations.”

Cook graduated from Kennesaw State University where she studied clarinet performance. She said she applied for an assistant manager position at the retail store without ever playing the harp.

“After college, I was working as a theater manager and was away from the music world a bit more than I liked,”

she said. “I thought, ‘there’s no way they would want me, I don’t play harp,’ but it was too interesting to not apply!”

Cook said she promoted David Paul Raaen, assistant manager and harpist, to a full-time position when she took over the manager position last year.

“The harp is not just for classical musicians on a concert stage,” Cook said. “Once we know what your goals are, we can find the harp that is right for you.”

Raaen, who began playing the harp at 13, performs in weddings, church services and ensembles. He said Rhett Barnwell, composer-in-residence, and Julie Koenig, harpist-in-residence, are in the showroom a couple days a week.

Pedal harps are primarily used for classical repertoires in orchestras, while lever harps are best suited for the quick notes in folk styles, such as Celtic. Pedal harps are typically more expensive and larger than lever harps, making transportation more difficult.

“The similarity between the harp and the piano is you use both hands,” Raaen said. “You have the treble clef and the base clef.”

Raaen said Seattle-based Dusty Strings is the world’s most well-known manufacturer of lever harps for folk music.

“On the lever harp, if you start changing, you lose your base clef because you have to change it with your left hand,” Raaen said. “Whereas on [the pedal harp] you are shifting it with your feet.”

The tradeoffs between the styles do not limit the possibilities of the harp, but

The harp is not just for classical musicians on a concert stage. Once we know what your goals are, we can find the harp that is right for you.”

KATHERINE COOK Manager of the Atlanta Harp Center

interested customers should note the differences, he said.

French instrument maker, Sébastien Érard, first patented the double-action pedal system in 1801.

Raaen said the system, with a few mechanical upgrades, is still in use today.

Harp-like instruments emerged around 3,500 B.C. in Mesopotamia.

Cultures throughout Africa, Asia and Europe developed harps in different forms throughout the centuries.

After its introduction into classical orchestra in the 1800s, pop culture icons in the 20th century, like the Marx Brothers and the Beatles, used harps in their performances.

“A silver lining during the pandemic was the resurgence in popularity of harps,” Raaen said.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

David Paul Raaen, sales associate at the Atlanta Harp Center and music instructor, plays a classical tune March 6 on the Minerva Natural from Salvi Harps. Raaen said preferences for harps vary, based on an individual’s ear and preferred style.

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Power Cooking Studios is ready to welcome your children to summer camp at two locations this summer: Alpharetta and East Cobb! Our popular cooking camps are offered weekly, May 28th through August 1st, and are open to kids ages 5-12. We’re offering both full and half day camps again this year.

Each week will feature a different theme, from the Chocolate Factory to Christmas in July to Movie Munchies! Your lil’ chef will be making their own snacks and lunch and will round out their day with arts and crafts, kitchen science experiments, games, and lots of FUN! All ingredients and supplies are included. Questions? Give us a call at 470-760-6460. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

For more information and to register, visit our website:

Alpharetta Location: 131 S. Main Street Suite G

Alpharetta, GA 30009

www.flourpowerstudios.com/alpharetta

East Cobb Location: 4281 Roswell Road Suite 316 Marietta, GA 30062

www.flourpowerstudios.com/eastcobb

Interdisciplinary Clinic treats brain and spine tumors at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center

Brought to you byWellstar Neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Zussman

A diagnosis of a brain or spine tumor affects each person differently. While for some people, the tumor’s location in the central nervous system can cause disorientation, an altered mental state, dizziness and seizures, for others the symptoms will look different. At Wellstar, every person is unique and deserves a personalized care team and plan that’s right for them.

The compassionate team at the Brain and Spine Tumor STAT Clinic at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center is made up of expert

neurosurgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, neuroradiologists and neuropathologists who come together to offer the timeliest, patient-centric diagnosis and treatment for benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spine.

In our STAT Clinic, we put people at the center of their care by bringing multiple cancer experts together to collaborate about care and meet with patients the same day. As a result, patients and their families are able to ask questions, make decisions and start treatment sooner. At the heart of the clinic’s philosophy is the recognition that oncology requires a multifaceted approach, considering not only the physical aspects of the disease, but also the emotional wellbeing of the patients. In addition to the Brain and Spine Tumor STAT Clinic, Wellstar North Fulton offers

STAT Clinics for head and neck, breast and lung cancers.

The cancer care team at Wellstar North Fulton uses the latest diagnostic technologies, allowing for precise imaging and monitoring of brain tumors. Patients are seen by a variety of specialists on the day of their STAT Clinic appointment and benefit from a streamlined and coordinated approach to care. The multidisciplinary team collaborates seamlessly, facilitating quick decisionmaking and ensuring that patients receive the most effective and personalized interventions.

The interdisciplinary nature of the clinic promotes a continuous flow of information and expertise among providers, so patients benefit from the collective knowledge of specialists across various disciplines. Regular case conferences and tumor boards

create a forum for collaborative decision-making, ensuring that the most up-to-date and evidencebased approaches are employed for each patient. In addition to medical interventions, the clinic places a strong emphasis on caring for the whole patient. Our dedicated nurse navigators and nutritionists collaborate with the medical team to address the emotional, social and nutritional aspects of the patient’s journey.

This unique Wellstar clinic represents supportive, comprehensive care for those navigating the challenging terrain of brain and central nervous system tumors.

To learn more about cancer care at Wellstar North Fulton, visit wellstar. org/northfultoncancercare or call (770) 410-4530.

ZUSSMAN

PEXELS

Ulysses Price WELLSTAR SPINE PATIENT

On Occam’s Razor, Hickam’s Dictum and Crabtree’s Bludgeon

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

Arriving at a correct diagnosis is not a simple matter. With the exception of the occasional conspiracy theorist (Is Elvis alive?), most people gravitate to the least elaborate explanation to a question – the explanation that makes the fewest assumptions to fit available data.

fit our previous beliefs and account for the new evidence. Never underestimate the ability of people who are wrong to invent reasons not to admit it and to figure out how the new evidence actually further proves that they are right. (Think Flat Earthers)

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

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

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

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

Indeed, this approach is known as “Occam’s razor” and is the most famous rule of diagnosis taught in medical school. Within medicine, this rule is sometimes abbreviated to mean that a doctor should seek one single unifying diagnosis that explains all of a patient’s complaints instead of trying to explain five complaints with five diseases. For example, if a patient has a tick bite, rash, fever, headache and confusion, perhaps a single tick-borne illness explains all the symptoms and the patient can be treated accordingly rather than delaying treatment and introducing risk to perform spinal taps, MRIs or other investigations to search for second, third or fourth diseases.

Occam’s razor might sound like obvious and sage advice. Unfortunately, it proves wrong often enough that a Dr. John Hickam, former departmental head of medicine at Indiana University, felt the need to remind students that Occam’s Razor is sometimes wrong. He coined Hickam’s Dictum, which states “patients can have as many diseases as they [darn] well please.” (Dr. Hickam used the other D word, but we may have children in the audience.)

How often is Occam’s razor wrong?

In my physical diagnosis class in medical school, a professor taught us that there was a study of inpatients admitted at a university hospital in which the researchers looked at how often at least two diagnoses were necessary to account for the patient’s chief complaint. The result? One third of the time at least two diseases were to blame. Hickam’s dictum counterbalances Occam’s razor and reminds us of not becoming nearsighted or prematurely triumphant upon reaching a plausible single diagnosis. Sometimes two or more diseases are to blame. Sometimes, the patient in respiratory distress has the flu and covid.

A third rule, Crabtree’s Bludgeon might be my favorite. Who doesn’t love a good bludgeon? (You can tell I am a father of boys). Crabtree’s bludgeon says that a motivated individual will figure out an intelligible method of explaining away a set of contradictions, no matter how contradictory they are and how wrong they might be. This rule hints at the extent to which we humans often doggedly stick to a certain conviction or belief despite all the evidence to the contrary. New evidence says we might be wrong? No problem. We simply reason out elaborate new rules and exceptions that

Sometimes, a doctor can cling to an erroneous diagnosis far too long when what the patient needs is a complete reassessment. This is one of the most compelling arguments for patients receiving second opinions.

One of the most interesting cases that I have encountered in my medical career occurred when I spent a month studying at Stanford University. A patient presented to Stanford’s dermatology clinic with a tumor near her optic nerve and with certain birthmarks of her skin. She was sent by the ophthalmology department to the dermatology department for an opinion on whether the eye tumor was related to the birthmarks.

The stakes were high. If the eye tumor was deemed connected to the skin findings, then the ophthalmologists planned on watchful waiting and observation of the tumor. If not, then they planned surgery which could result in blindness in that eye. I spent hours researching the embryology of her findings and discovered reasons to believe that the patient’s tumor was very likely an atypical presentation of a disease called segmental neurofibromatosis. I concluded that the tumor and the birthmarks were very likely part of a single syndrome.

When I presented the case at Stanford’s dermatology grand rounds, Occam, Hickam, and Crabtree all showed up. Great debate ensued. The first professor to speak argued for the optic nerve tumor being unrelated to the birthmarks. Other professors found my evidence for a syndrome convincing. When the first professor found herself outnumbered, she doubled down and bludgeoned her way into arguing that the data was not only weak but actually backed her argument.

How did things turn out? The patient chose observation instead of surgery. My visit to Stanford ended, but I corresponded with a professor there, and the last update that I received was that the patient was doing well with no further growth of the tumor on subsequent MRIs.

I hope that you enjoyed this peek into diagnosis within medicine. For readers with children or grandchildren, I suggest that the lessons to be learned from Occam, Hickam and Crabtree are worth sharing and have relevance far beyond the field of medicine.

If you or a loved one has a possible skin cancer or any medical or cosmetic skincare need, please consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor, Kathryn Filipek, PA-C and our wonderful staff are honored to take care of you and your family.

Dr. Brent Taylor

Why are my teeth so sensitive?

Brought to you by – Dr. Bradley Hepler, Atlanta Center for Dental Health

Why are my teeth sensitive? What can I do about it? To understand why your teeth are sensitive, it’s important to delve into the underlying causes and factors contributing to this discomfort. Tooth sensitivity, medically known as dentin hypersensitivity, is a common dental problem affecting millions of people worldwide. It manifests as a sharp, sudden pain or discomfort experienced when teeth are exposed to certain stimuli such as cold, hot, sweet, or acidic foods and beverages, as well as during brushing or flossing. The sensation can range from mild to severe and can significantly impact one’s quality of life, if left untreated.

There are several potential reasons why your teeth may be sensitive:

1. Exposed Dentin: Dentin is the layer of your tooth beneath the enamel, containing tiny tubules that lead to the nerve center (dental pulp) of the tooth. When the protective enamel layer wears down due to factors such as aggressive brushing, acidic foods, or tooth erosion from conditions such as acid reflux or bulimia, the dentin becomes exposed.

This exposes the nerve endings, leading to sensitivity.

2. Gum Recession: Receding gums, often caused by aggressive brushing, gum disease, or aging, can expose the sensitive roots of the teeth. Unlike enamel, the roots do not have a protective layer making them susceptible to sensitivity.

3. Tooth Decay or Damage: Cavities, cracked teeth, or dental restorations like fillings, crowns, or bridges that are improperly fitted or have deteriorated can leave the inner layers of the tooth vulnerable to sensitivity.

4. Bruxism (Teeth Grinding): Clenching and Grinding your teeth can be an unconscious habit that you’re not even aware you are doing. Habitual clenching or grinding can wear down your enamel, leading to tooth sensitivity. Additionally, it can cause fractures in the teeth, structurally compromising the tooth or exposing the dentin causing discomfort.

5. Dental procedures: Certain dental procedures such as teeth whitening treatments, professional cleanings, or root planing can temporarily increase tooth sensitivity. However, this sensitivity usually subsides after a short

period.

6. Acidic Foods and Beverages: Consumption of highly acidic foods and beverages can erode tooth enamel over time, leading to sensitivity. Examples include citrus fruits, soda, wine, energy drinks, and certain types of vinegar.

7. Medical Conditions: Conditions such as acid reflux, bulimia, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can expose teeth to stomach acid, leading to enamel erosion and sensitivity.

8. Poor Oral Hygiene: Neglecting proper oral hygiene practices such as regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups can lead to plaque buildup, gum disease, and ultimately tooth sensitivity.

To alleviate tooth sensitivity and prevent further discomfort, it’s essential to address the underlying cause. This may involve using desensitizing toothpaste, practicing proper oral hygiene, avoiding acidic foods, wearing a mouthguard to prevent bruxism, and seeking dental treatment for conditions such as gum disease or tooth decay. Regular dental check-ups are crucial for early detection and management of any dental issues contributing to sensitivity.

By identifying and addressing the root cause of your tooth sensitivity, you can restore comfort and maintain optimal oral health.

“Preventive Dentistry can add 10 years to human life.” -Dr. Charles Mayo of the Mayo Clinic

Dr. Bradley Hepler and the experienced team at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health provide all the modern advances for healthy and attractive smiles. You will realize immediate results with non-invasive and often inexpensive procedures to enhance your smile and your health. If you would like a complementary consultation to discover your smile restoring options, please call the Atlanta Center for Dental Health at 770-9922236. Dr. Bradley Hepler has spent many hours dedicated to perfecting and updating the latest and best techniques in dentistry. It is with this breadth of knowledge that we provide each patient with the perfect solution to their situation, their life, and their goals. It is our pleasure to serve this community and help as many people as possible live their best life.

Why do I get so many Cavities?!

4. Your flossing habits:

At Roswell Dental Care, we take pride in our ability to educate our patients about their oral health. One question we frequently hear from our patients, “Why do I get so many cavities? I brush my teeth every day!” We understand the frustration that comes from putting the work in to maintain your teeth and still ending up with cavities, we are here to help break those reasons down for you.

1. How deep your grooves are:

How your teeth are shaped, including the grooves of your teeth, are inherited. These grooves are too small for your toothbrush bristles to get in and clean properly. Some teeth have deeper grooves, which increases the risk of biting surface cavities. We can prevent these types by placing sealants (plastic) over the grooves of the teeth.

2. Your oral bacteria:

Did you know, you inherit the genetic layout of your oral bacteria from your mom? The types of oral bacteria can impact your oral health, including your likelihood of cavities and developing periodontal disease. Staying on a cleaning schedule with your dental hygienist will help reduce the number of bacteria you have in your mouth.

3. Your frequency of sugar intake:

Your habits also play a significant role in your oral health. Your frequency of sugar intake has a direct tie into the frequency of the occurrence of cavities. The more times you consume sugar, the more opportunities for cavities to take hold.

Flossing removes plaque and bacteria from the sides of your teeth, so not flossing on a consistent basis increases your risk of developing cavities between your teeth.

5. Your medications:

When you eat or drink anything other than water, the pH of your mouth becomes acidic. Saliva’s job is to neutralize the acidic environment. Some medications cause xerostomia (or dry mouth). If your saliva is reduced or becomes thicker, your teeth have an increased risk of developing decay, especially along the gumline. Products containing xylitol are “mouth wetters,” and xylitol prevents bacteria from adhering to tooth structure, helping to prevent the effects of a dry mouth.

The above reasons are just a few of the many complex factors that go into why cavities develop. As dental professionals, we strive to keep our patients educated in their oral hygiene. Good or bad oral hygiene plays a role in overall health, and we are here to get your oral health in excellent condition so that your overall health can be too. Drs. Hood and Remaley at Roswell Dental Care understand and customize treatment for each person. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels. Give our office a call at 770.998.6736, or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!

ISTOCK

Living with guilt vs. Living with gusto!

Brought to you by - Alice D, Hoag, EdD, LPC, Summit Counseling Center

A few years ago, I intercepted one of my sons as he was descending the staircase and heading outside. He explained, with a guilty expression on his face, that he was going to go outside to smoke a cigarette. Ever since I was my grandmother’s companion during her final months of life as she went through chemo and radiation treatments for lung cancer after her 50 years of smoking cigarettes, I’ve not been a fan of cigarette smoking. And he knew this. I stopped him and challenged, “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.” I went on to encourage him, “Fully enjoy inhaling and blowing smoke rings or whatever you do. Get the most out of whatever it is that you do. Choose wisely, then do it with no guilt. If you cannot enjoy it fully, then don’t do it at all.”

In the decade since that first statement just slipped out of my mouth on its own, I’ve reflected on that sentiment. I believe it is a way of living life to its fullest. “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.”

Guilt and anxiety. Neither is a good option to live with as a way of life, yet I interact with so many people who do live in a constant state of guilt and/ or anxiety! It’s their default mode; it just happens without even thinking. Every action and thought carries with it

either a sense of guilt or anxiety.

“Being my best self” is a way of life that I attempt to live by every moment of every day. While I may not hit the “best self” goal all the time, I can certainly choose the “better self” more often than not. It’s an element of being a good steward of what I’ve been given. And we’re all called to good stewardship of everything we’ve been given: time, talent, energy, body, mind, actions, motives, finances, relationships, and on and on.

It is not an easy task to choose our better self (or best self). It requires that we surrender the easy path, the selfish or self-protective default mode in each of us. However, as we do, we become more intentional. When we choose our actions intentionally to be consistent with our best self, we end up being less guilt-driven. And when we act intentionally, there is less anxiety. There’s actually less emotional involvement at all. Acting intentionally requires that we observe the options from several angles, then choose the best version of ourselves to move forward in a direction. This results in freedom, contentment, and joy. That’s living with Gusto!

If you’d like guidance and encouragement on choosing joy and living with gusto as your better self, The Summit would love to come alongside and walk with you on your journey.

Brought to you by – Michelle Wilson, Wilson Legal, PC

She’s suffering from memory loss, and she knows it. Three years ago, she thought her neighbor had her back. In fact, they were going to have each other’s backs. But then she found out that her neighbor’s daughter’s name was on her deed. How did that get there? Now they want to go to the bank with her and put their names on her bank accounts. She doesn’t want that, but she also doesn’t want to lose her friend. She likes her family just fine, but she didn’t want to put anyone out or burden them when she chose her agents for her power of attorney. Now she’s worried the outcome will result in the loss of a friend. She’s already anxious and this turn of events has her up at night.

Choosing the right people to help you is super important. Are they helping so that they can get access to your money and your property? Are they helping because they want the best for you? If you’re not sure,

it may be time to review your current financial power of attorney. A financial power of attorney (POA), your trust or will, and an advanced healthcare directive (AHD) are amendable. You can change them anytime. If you have not reviewed your deeds or your documents in 1-2 years, it’s time to review them. At Wilson Legal, we do document reviews for a low flat fee, and we also discuss your documents with you. We ask you if the people you chose to be on your team are the teammates that you still want or need, and we talk about alternatives too.

Worry and anxiety are not good for your health. About 4% of the global population has an anxiety disorder. If you or someone you love needs more peace of mind and less worry about their planning documents or their property, connect them with us through one of our free community webinars on our events page. Wilson Legal is the place where preparation meets peace of mind.

Four Killer or Foe Killer – what’s in a name?

If you are like many people who have moved recently to North Fulton you probably have wondered about the odd name of one of our creeks, Foe Killer Creek. Or, if you have lived here a while, you may be convinced that the original name was Four Killer Creek, and that a Cherokee Indian by that name lived by the creek and may have killed four enemies. Here is the story behind the name.

Cherokee warriors were sometimes awarded ranks reflecting the number of enemies they killed in battle. These were honors awarded to outstanding warriors. One such warrior was Four Killer, or commonly Fourkiller, who lived with his family at the headwaters of the stream that lies between Alpharetta off Hopewell Road and Roswell where it joins today’s Big Creek. His Cherokee name was Nvgidlihi or Nunggihtehe or Nanketeehee. Nunggih means “four” and tehe signifies “killer.” Somehow over time the word Foe became a misnomer for Four (possibly slurred by White settlers). Modern road signs identifying the creek call it Foe Killer Creek.

Historian John Goff included an essay written in 1956 on the subject in his 2007 book “Placenames of Georgia.” He explained that a warrior’s name or rank would change as he vanquished more enemies:

One Killer, Two Killer, Three Killer, Four Killer, Five Killer, Six Killer and possibly more elevated ranks were used. Anyone with “teehee or tehe” at the end his name, regardless of number slain, was a prominent individual. Further detailed information on Cherokee place names can be found at chenocetah. wordpress.com.

Sometimes “killer” was used with other than cardinal numbers. Path Killer was a warrior, statesman and Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1811–1827 and was a signer of the Treaty of Tellico in 1805. Tellico was the site where several treaties were negotiated whereby the Cherokees ceded large portions of land in Tennessee and Georgia. Chickasaw Killer also signed the treaty. He must have been a very special warrior because the Chickasaw were known to be very fierce, unconquerable warriors.

Four Killer’s land was confiscated during the Gold Lottery of 1832. He died on the infamous Trail of Tears march to the Oklahoma Territory in 1838, also known as The Cherokee Removal from Georgia.

Chekilli was an important Creek chief who in 1733 negotiated peace with the British upon their founding of Savannah. According to John Goff, Chekilli’s name in the Creek language has a suffix equivalent to the Cherokee “teehee,” signifying “killer.”

From Georgia to Oklahoma

In modern times, the Fourkiller surname is most common in Oklahoma where many Cherokees

were settled following the Trail of Tears. According to “Name Census,” Fourkiller appeared 195 times in the 2010 U.S. census, primarily in Oklahoma. Eighty percent of the individuals with the Fourkiller last name were classified as American Indian, 10 percent were white and 7 percent mixed race.

The Fourkiller Cemetery in Piney, Oklahoma, has 110 memorials according to “Find a Grave,” more than 50 of which are marked Fourkiller with the earliest burial in 1848 and the most recent in 2009.

Sam Sixkiller (1842–1886) was a prominent Cherokee leader during and after the Civil War. He was the

son of Red Bird Sixkiller. According to legend, the Sixkiller name came from a fight between the Creeks and the Cherokees where one of Sam’s ancestors killed six enemies before being killed himself. The name has been passed down since then.

The Tenkiller Ferry Dam and lake were built across the Illinois River between 1947 and 1952 and were named after a prominent Cherokee family, the Tenkillers. They operated a ferry service near the dam. After the Trail of Tears, the warrior husband was given his name by soldiers because of the 10 notches in his bow.

Controversy

There has been some good natured discussion over the years as to what the correct name of the stream should be. In a National Public Radio “All Things Considered” program in 2018 the announcer stated “We discovered that Foe Killer is actually a misnomer. The stream between Roswell and Alpharetta was actually called Four Killer Creek.”

Celebrated columnist Aubrey Morris in his May, 1998 “North Fulton Footprints” column titled “Foes of Foe Killer Creek dispute name clouded in Indian lore,” he quoted several knowledgeable people, some of whom favored one version while others favored the other. Both sides spoke with conviction.

The Atlanta Constitution in March 1957 ran an article by Marjory Rutherford with a cartoon of Four Killer in which she referred to “a little stream with the intriguing name of Four Killer Creek.”

“Roswell A Pictorial History,” edited by Darlene Walsh and published in 1985, plays it safe with a photo of the creek and the following caption “Four (Foe) Killer Creek is a small stream that winds its way from the site of the old Camp Mill near Rock Bridge Crossing. The stream derives its name from a prominent Cherokee called Four Killer who once farmed the land at the head of the stream.”

Whether you call it Four Killer or Foe Killer, the 6.8 mile long stream is one of many Georgia small waterways with odd names, many derived from our rich Cherokee heritage.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

PHOTOS BY BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

Foe Killer Creek can be seen from the overpass on Hembree Road.

This overpass on Hembree Road identifies the location of Foe Killer Creek, a stream that winds its way for 6.8 miles from near Hopewell Road in Alpharetta to where it joins Big Creek in Roswell. Four Killer was a Cherokee warrior who lived with his family at the headwaters of the stream.

AI wave – When reality can no longer be ignored

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I hate it when what I have been working so hard at avoiding or not seeing becomes so compelling and so intrusive that I must deal with it. Sometimes that “thing” is something personal and relatively trivial –like a toothache at the point a dentist can no longer be avoided, or like a mole that is starting to change shape and color and not going to see the dermatologist is no longer an option.

Sometimes the “thing” is not so individually personal but more “macro” in nature – like say an epidemic – like COVID 19. We collectively ignored it; dealt with it by isolating and getting vaccinated; denied it; recognized it; and so on – but at one point, no one could continue to not see it or deny its existence - even though we were told not to worry because it would just “magically disappear someday” – the height of scientific reasoning, knowledge and prudence.

Now we are in one of those “macro” situations, and the reality of the “idea” or the “concept” is getting real, fast. I am not talking about the war in Ukraine. It is still going to be a while before we collectively must face the realities of that war – including the direct consequences to us when and if Russia succeeds, which will probably happen if U.S. aid does not resume. Talk about penny-wise and poundfoolish to the most absurd extreme.

No, the unavoidable 900-pound gorilla that can no longer be ignored or swept under the rug is artificial intelligence – AI. To me, it is no longer this vague existential threat that “we” must “do something about.” It is here, now, and the impact is already hitting us in the pocketbook.

Here is a case in point: Atlantabased Hollywood movie and film producer Tyler Perry just announced that he's putting his Atlanta studio's $800 million expansion on hold indefinitely because of his concern that much of the utility of the physical production facilities could be done instead with software – AI software. Tyler’s expansion – four years in the planning – was to include construction of 12 new sound stages on his 330-acre production campus. Tyler was quoted as musing that “why would I go to the time, money and labor to build

production sets when I can sit in my office in front of a computer and accomplish the same thing with AI?”

The short term and long-term economic impact of Perry’s $800 million expansion could have been substantial. The number of jobs that could have been created in building the facility and post-construction use – from construction workers and engineers, to actors, grips, electricians, sound technicians, writers and editors – was massive. That is not to mention the tax base that would have been generated for the City of Atlanta; the power that would have been consumed; the number of hotel-stays and restaurants that would have benefited; the business generated for the real estate companies; and all the peripheral businesses that would have been created to support and supply the demands of the expanded studio. We are talking about a ton of lost jobs, lost revenue, and lost opportunity –all because so much of the core work now – and in the future – can be done with artificial intelligence software and computers.

Yes, not all those jobs are lost, and yes, one would assume more computer-related jobs will be created, but, as AI is increasingly used in the film process, a huge percentage of jobs formerly required will simply go away. Why spend more money than necessary in producing entertainment content?

Even Gary Trudeau who writes the Doonesbury comic strip picked up –almost immediately – on Tyler Perry’s announcement.

In his Feb. 25 script, Trudeau shows a talent agent pitching a new writer sensation to a producer. The producer incredulously replies to the talent agent the following: “Ted, anyone who doubts that AI can write a soap opera script has never watched a soap opera. Two years from now, AI output will be network quality! In three years, it’ll be cranking out peak TV and film scripts.”

The example of AI’s impact on the film industry is only representative of its impact on the entire current economic system. It will impact most jobs in most industries and services. More will be done with less – less employment. Yes, there will be an upside –somewhere – and yes, on some scale, new jobs will be created – somewhere, somehow. I wish I could see in that crystal ball, but I can’t.

So, fasten your seatbelt. It is going to get bumpy.

Across

1 Actress Sorvino

5 Child’s ailment

10 Check

14 Voiced

15 Lariat

16 Toothpaste holder

17 Slick thief

19 Soon, to a bard

20 Look for

21 Cuba, e.g.

23 ___ Cayes, Haiti

24 Fairy tale character

26 Berth place

28 Deer

29 City on the Ruhr

33 With 68 Across, old radio duo

34 Couch

36 Street sign inits.

37 Small rug

38 Conger

39 Query

40 Handful

41 Time zone

42 Herb for a feline

44 Bowed

45 Sand bar

47 Cape ___, Mass.

48 Blowgun missile

49 Expire

51 Jog

52 Mexican dish

55 Started a lawn

58 All excited

59 Needles, in a way

63 Primary

64 Stars

65 Ark builder

66 Coastal raptors

67 Affirm

68 See 33 Across

Down

1 Floor cleaner

2 Spring bloom

3 Subspecies

4 Acid neutralizers

5 Gator relatives

6 Rolling in dough

7 Durable wood

8 Colorado native

9 Terrace

10 Horse holders

11 Sandwich filler

12 Deep black

13 Darn, as socks

18 Make ready, briefly

22 Aerodynamic

24 Moppet

25 Keep

26 Demolish

27 Numbers game

28 The Nile and Mississippi have them

30 Less hazardous

31 Happening

32 Former Speaker Gingrich

33 Rock band equipment

34 Vast amount

See solution Page 31

35 Clairvoyance, e.g.

38 Plaudits

43 Compass pt.

44 Head or neck wear

46 Trues up

48 Face-off, of sorts

50 Aches

51 Recycle

52 Notability

53 Food thickener

54 Connect

55 “Go away!”

56 Collar type

57 At rest

60 “___ so fast!”

61 Egg cells

62 Timid

Serious, hardworking, ‘Mr. Steve’ was respected in Dunwoody

Stephen Spruill was born in Dunwoody in 1870 and grew up in a log cabin behind his grandfather’s house on Spruill Road. Today, that road is Ashford Dunwoody Road.

One of his chores as a child was to gather pine knots to help light the cabin. He remembered that his grandfather once paid him $1 to drive an “unruly” calf to cattle market in Atlanta.

The first school Spruill attended was a one-room log cabin, located where Spruill Center for the Arts and the Dunwoody Library are today. His teacher, Mattie Graham, lived with his grandparents.

“We walked to school through the woods, carrying our lunch pails containing such things as a baked sweet potato, sausage and a biscuit, and fried apple pies,” he recalled. (“The Story of Dunwoody,” by Elizabeth L. Davis and Ethel W. Spruill)

In 1903, a group of men decided it was time to build a Methodist church in Dunwoody. The group included Stephen T. Spruill, Henry Spruill, J.C. Spruill and John Cates. They met at Cephas Spruill’s blacksmith shop. Church members first met in 1899 at Dunwoody School. Lumber for the church came from the sawmill on Stephen Spruill’s land and from the sawmill of John Wallace in Chamblee. (“The Story of Dunwoody United Methodist Church, 1899 to 1963,” Mrs. D.C. Waybright, Jr.)

Spruill’s parents and grandparents were active in Sandy Springs Methodist Church, so the family vacation each year was a week at Camp Meeting. They packed up and stayed in Sandy Springs for religious meetings, singing and spending time to visit with neighbors.

Stephen Spruill married Mollie Lee Carter of Sandy Springs in 1889, and they had 11 children. After her death in 1932, he married Ethel Warren of Sugar Valley, Georgia.

In addition to cotton and vegetables grown on the farm, there was a 50-acre orchard of apples and peaches. Produce was sent daily to Atlanta by mule-drawn wagons and later by car or truck.

Stephen Spruill was known as a kind, understanding man who lived simply. He was loved and respected in the community. Friends and neighbors called him “Mr. Steve.” One of his sons, Euil Spruill, said his father worked from daylight to dark with everyone else on the farm and “took no foolishness from anyone.”

In 1970, Euil Spruill reflected on the changes to the land where his family lived. He remembered standing on a knoll 50 years earlier, when all he could

see were mules and men working the fields. There was a commissary on the farm where tenant farmers and employees could buy flour, meal, lard, coffee, sugar and work clothes. The view in 1970 was the Perimeter Mall construction site.

(The Eagle, Tucker Federal Savings and Loan newsletter, November 1970)

Euil Spruill recalled, “One thing my father enjoyed was rabbit and squirrel

hunting. He had two or three hounds and roamed the place in his spare time.”

Stephen Spruill died in June of 1967, just two months before his 97th birthday. He is buried at Arlington Cemetery in Sandy Springs.

The Spruill home still stands today as Spruill Gallery and Gift Shop at 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road in Dunwoody.

If you are curious about this 1950 pho-

tograph of the Dunwoody Methodist Chapel and the other people pictured, return to Past Tense next week.

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

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Columnist

AUSTIN FAMILY PHOTO

This 1950 gathering of Dunwoody Methodist Church Sunday School attendees includes Stephen and Ethel Spruill standing on the left side, front row of the photograph. Stephen Spruill is in a dark suit and Ethel Spruill is wearing dark gloves.

Simpler times sure seem like better times

This wise old woman who used to apply Bactine to my scrapes, provide solace and refuge from a raging drunkard’s maniacal rantings, all while stretching a food budget for three growing boys by making fideo pasta that you would have paid good money for, never once focused on what we didn’t have.

“Always be thankful for what God has given us,” was what Mom used to say.

We never got help from the welfare department. We always had clean clothes, even if the latest styles stayed on store shelves. Working for Thrifty Drugs as a clerk, she did all she could to make a good life for me and my two brothers, Matt and Marty.

Looking way back, realistic perspective was best summed up as: “We were poor, but we didn’t know it.”

There was always a quarter for bus fare to visit my grandpa and grandma. After a Saturday of raking leaves or mowing their yard, we could always count on going to a football game to watch the Bakersfield College Renegades batter an opponent. The ‘Gades used to pack 18,000 fans into Memorial Stadium on a Saturday night.

This was for junior college football, before cable TV. There was one game on TV in the afternoon. If you didn’t like Keith Jackson and his home-spun sayings, you were slap out of luck.

If I was lucky, and I seemed to always have a pocketful of horseshoes, I’d hop in Gramps’ battered old pickup truck and we’d head for town. I had no idea of the destination, but I knew I’d be entertained by the characters I’d meet.

It was an opportunity to hone my observation and listening skills. I could count on learning some new cuss words that didn’t go over well when I repeated them. Picture Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” with a bar of Lifebuoy in his mouth.

Recently, while having an inordinate amount of time on my hands to remember the way it used to be, I thought of how many things used to be a normal part of our lives that have dissipated into thin air.

There used to be a man named Fitzpatrick who sold Mom a life insurance policy. He’d show up at the house to, I guess, collect a premium. I’m sure I was a handful, and the policy was purchased as a hedge against Mom or Dad braining me. I wonder what ever happened to Fitzpatrick, or better yet, the policy premiums.

It used to cause a clamor and interrupt our street football games when our ears would perk up at the shrill Helms Bakery truck whistle. Every once in a while, the driver would open his truck’s doors and let us look at all the goodies packed into the drawers.

It was always a bad day when the TV repairman would be summoned to magically restore order and allow us to fill our minds with the mush of afternoon cartoons. The repairman was a wizard

as he isolated which tube would restore our ability to watch Mighty Mouse.

Does anyone remember the concept of a “service station,” where a man would pump gas, check your oil, wash your windshield and give you a drinking glass, all for 25 cents a gallon?

Simpler times, indeed. Our milk was ice cold and came in glass bottles. If you got sick, the doctor would come to the house and give you a shot taken from his big bag of goodies.

I’m pretty sure some of those goodies came from the liquor store and came in a brown bottle. I remember seeing Fitzpatrick and the doctor laughing themselves silly. Perhaps they thought a penicillin shot and a pull of Seagram’s was hilarious.

I remember my dad sure liked that doctor’s “medicine.”

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.

Two thrilling reads offer change of pace

KATHY MANOS PENN

These books are a shift from my typical reading fare, as I more often choose British mysteries— cozies and police procedurals. From time to time, I branch out to titles I find reviewed in the local paper or the “Wall Street Journal,” or who knows where. These two thrillers were a pleasant change of pace.

“Everybody Knows” by Jordan Harper Harper’s latest novel is billed as a murder thriller and praised by the likes of authors Michael Connelly, Megan Abbott, and S. A. Cosby.

Set in Los Angeles, its protagonist is a black bag publicist. I had no idea what that was until I read this book, but it makes sense that people like her exist. I have no doubt that crisis PR firms are in the business of making the messes of the rich and powerful disappear. With enough money and enough power, the rich and famous can have their debauchery and depravity managed and whitewashed.

As I read of Mae Pruett’s work for the firm, I could easily put celebrity names to some of the scenarios she handles.

Sometimes, real life situations are referenced, like the discovery of John Belushi dead of an overdose. It only takes a small leap to imagine what would have happened if he’d been found in time to save his life. With someone like Mae working her magic, we might never have known he overdosed.

If you’re looking for a book to keep you up late at night, a book to keep you guessing until the end, this one’s a keeper.

“The Last Mona Lisa” by Jonathan Santlofer

After reading a review of the author’s latest book, “The Lost Van Gogh”, I went in search of his first thriller. The storyline is based on the real-life theft that occurred in 1911. The Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre and recovered two years later when the thief tried to sell it. Since then, some have believed that what hangs today in the Louvre is a copy.

This account of the heist shifts between what led to Vincent Peruggia’s 1911 theft of the famous painting and his fictional great-grandson’s 2019 search for his story. Why did Vincent steal the painting? Was it greed? Was it need? We discover his circumstances and motivation when his great-grandson Luke Perrone visits the Laurentian

Library in Florence to view what may be Vincent’s journal.

As a university art professor and artist, Luke has been trying for years to learn more about his great-grandfather. Day after day, Luke reads a journal allegedly written when Vincent was in prison. Mix in a rogue employee of INTERPOL’s Art Theft Division and a beautiful blonde from New York City, and you have an intriguing thriller.

Who is tracking Luke’s every move? Is it INTERPOL? Is it the blonde? Is it someone else? Let’s just say that he is a person of interest to many. Once again, a book kept me up late too many nights

in a row. I had to know how the loose ends tied together and whether a happy ending was in the cards. You’ll have to read the book to find out. Me? I’m off to put “The Lost Van Gogh” on hold at the library and join Luke in yet another art mystery.

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/.

Columnist

THE INK PENN

MIKE TASOS Columnist

Taking a winter walk in the woods

CAROLE MACMULLAN

Walking in the woods is always a refreshing and invigorating experience and good for the soul. Now that it is winter, a great remedy for cabin fever is to bundle up and take a winter walk.

As you walk, note the forest trees as well as the ground below. Most if not all of the trees have lost their leaves. As a result, a whole new visual landscape opens to our eyes, and the leaf litter below us can offer clues about the trees that inhabit the woodland terrain.

If you are curious about the types and names of trees, you can also quickly identity one of the dominant northern Georgia forest trees, the beeches. They have a unique characteristic because their paper-thin, light beige leaves stay firmly attached to their branches during the entire winter. Continue your walk by picking up some of the leaves on the forest floor. Note there are many tree species, but I venture to guess, most of them are oaks. You will also see a variety of acorns, most of which have been partially or totally devoured. All oaks belong to the genus Quercus. Based on their leaf structure, the genus Quercus is divided into two major types, the white oaks and red oaks.

How can they be differentiated?

White oaks have leaves with round leaf lobes and red oaks have leaves with pointed leaf lobes. Please look at the pictures, and I am sure you can quickly distinguish between these two types of oaks. Oaks are the most valuable landscape and forest trees in the eastern United States. For this reason, oaks are considered a Keystone Tree. They have earned this designation because their acorns produce life-sustaining nourishment for a variety of living things. If oaks were eliminated from the eastern U.S., the entire ecosystem would suffer.

As I write this article when the outside temperatures are hovering around freezing, I have begun to reflect on how the animals find food and shelter during the winter. In my front yard, I have three mature pin oaks that have reached 30 feet and are now producing acorns. Amazingly, most oak trees need to reach the age of 10 and pin oaks the age of 20 before they are sexually mature and produce acorns, and the number of acorns a tree produces will vary from year to year. In the spring, oaks produce inconspicuous flowers. Like all flowers, they need to be pollinated to produce seeds. Oak trees are pollinated by wind because the flowers do not contain nectar. After pollination, the

flower is gradually transformed over the late spring and summer months into an acorn. Each acorn contains a seed that has the potential, if the conditions are right, to germinate and produce another oak tree. To ensure a future generation, the oak trees create an excessive number of acorns. This bonus crop of acorns provides a forest feast!

Squirrels devour them and instinctively they bury some of them for future consumption. This squirrel activity is a win-win situation! The oak trees win since some of the buried acorns germinate. Many other woodland organisms, such as deer, opossums, racoons, rodents, insects and fungi also enjoy this abundance of life-sustaining nourishment, which keeps them alive in the fall and winter. Acorns are consumed by a total of 96 species of birds and mammals in the U.S. In addition, oaks provide food for more than 897 species of butterfly or moth caterpillars in the United States.

What do kangaroos and Georgia oaks have in common? Both of them are endemic, meaning they originated, thrived and found an environmental niche in one specific location on the planet and exist nowhere else. What a surprise to find that the Georgia oak, Quercus georgiana, is a type of red oak and is endemic. The common and scientific names for Georgia oaks were selected because this species of oak lives primarily in Georgia and a few isolated sites in Alabama and South Carolina! This oak species is a small species of oak and often takes on the form of a shrub. Over time, it has adapted to the dry granite and sandstone outcroppings

and thin layer of soil found on two, lowaltitude mountainous regions of Georgia, Stone Mountain and Pine Mountain. I was fortunate to have seen one of these rare and endangered oaks on a recent hike at FDR State Park near Warm Springs, Georgia.

There are 70 species of oak trees in the U.S., and 28 oaks are native to Georgia. Today I will focus on two common oak species that you will encounter on most walks in local parks, forested areas dominated by hardwoods, as well as in your yard or the yards of your neighbors, friends, and family.

From my observations, the most commonly planted medium-size trees found in residential Atlanta landscapes are pin oaks, Quercus palustris. Pin oak leaves have four to six lateral lobes and one terminal lobe with pointed ends. As a result, they are classified as red oaks. White oak leaves, on the other hand, have lobes with rounded ends and acorns that germinate within two weeks of reaching the ground. White oak acorns also have less of the bitter tasting chemical, tannin, making them a more desirable food source for deer and other wildlife.

Another oak native and easily identifiable is the chestnut oak, Quercus montana. My first encounter with this oak was not with the tree or a leaf but with its large, brown acorn. Next to the acorns were a collection of scalloped edge leaves. The leaves were quickly identified as a white oak because they have rounded lobes. The small, scalloped edged leaves, unlike those of other Georgia white oaks, helped me to narrow my selection to

About the Author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a Master Gardener and a Milton resident. She taught biology for 35 years in the Pittsburgh area. In 2012 after moving to Milton, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Her hobbies are hiking, biking, gardening and reading.

Learn more

• Georgia Oak https://plants.ces. ncsu.edu/plants/quercus-georgiana/

• Oak Tree & Acorn Identification for Deer Hunters https://www.youtube.co mwatch?app=desktop&v=FIKGm4VSK DQ-this

• Quercus georgiana https:// footstepsintheforest.com/georgia-oaktree-quercus-georgiana/

• G Norman Bishop, Native Trees of Georgia, Georgia Forestry Commission, 2013. https://gatrees. org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ Native-Trees-of-GA-2013-Web-Version. pdf (Page 36-American Beech, pages 48-56 Oaks)

chestnut oak.

On your next forest walk, pick up some leaves and try to identify the surrounding trees.

Happy gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/opinion/ columnists/garden_buzz/.

Save the Date! Garden Faire 2024 will be held on April 20, 2024, at The Grove at Wills Park. https://www.nfmg.net/gardenfaire.html

CAROLE MACMULLAN/PROVIDED

Calendar

POP-UP PERFORMANCE SERIES: MARLA FEENEY BAND

What: Marla Feeney, an Atlanta-based vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, will perform. With a love for jazz and classical performance as well as country, blues, bluegrass, folk and special ethnic music, Feeney plays violin, clarinet, saxophone and flute.

When: Thursday, March 14, 7 p.m.

Where: Mimosa Hall and Gardens, 127 Bulloch Avenue, Roswell

Cost: $35

More info: roswellartsfund.org/popup

THE SLAVE DWELLING PROJECT: LECTURE AND AUTHOR DISCUSSION

What: Joseph McGill, Jr. and Herb Frazier will discuss their book

“Sleeping with the Ancestors: How I Followed the Footprints of Slavery,” a personal account of one man’s groundbreaking project to sleep overnight in the countless, oftoverlooked, former slave dwellings that still stand across the country, the fascinating history behind those sites, and how he has used the experiences to shed light on larger issues of race in America.

When: Friday, March 15, 6 p.m.

Where: Mimosa Hall and Gardens, 127 Bulloch Avenue, Roswell

Cost: Free

More info: roswell365.com

JOHNS CREEK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

PRESENTS BRILLIANT BEETHOVEN

What: Join the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra as they commemorate Ludwig van Beethoven in this 200th anniversary concert celebrating the debut of his monumental Symphony No. 9, featuring soloists and the Johns Creek Chorale.

When: Saturday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek

Cost: $20-50

More info: johnscreeksymphony.org

DON NAHSER MEMORIAL CONCERT

What: Sixty musicians with the Alpharetta City Band will perform a program of works including “Lincolnshire Posy” and “Children

EASTER BUNNY HOP

What: Bring the entire family for an interactive walk around North Pond at Creekside Park with vendors, a DJ and the Easter Bunny. Kids will follow the Bunny Trail around the pond to gather sweets and treats (tattoos/stickers) from local businesses after they snap a photo with Mr. and Mrs. Bunny.

When: Friday, March 22, 4:307:30 p.m.

Where: North Pond at Creekside Park, 11360 Lakefield Drive, Johns

Creek

Cost: Free

More info: johnscreekga.gov

MARCH 14 — MARCH 24

of Sanchez” in its first annual Don Nahser Memorial Concert honoring the late founder.

When: Sunday, March 17, 3-4 p.m.

Where: Jeffords Hall at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 1015 Old Roswell Road, Roswell

Cost: Free

More info: alpharettacityband.com

INTO THE WOODS JR.

What: A production of Jerry’s Habima Theatre, “Into the Woods Jr.” weaves together the stories of some of your favorite storybook characters including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, a cunning wolf, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and a baker and his wife who have been cursed by a witch.

When: Until March 17, times vary

Where: Marcus Jewish Community Center, 5342 Tilly Road, Dunwoody

Cost: $10-36

More info: atlantajcc.org

EASTER BUNNY HOP

What: Bring the entire family for an interactive walk around North Pond at Creekside Park with vendors, a DJ and the Easter Bunny. Kids will follow the

Bunny Trail around the pond to gather sweets and treats (tattoos/stickers) from local businesses after they snap a photo with Mr. and Mrs. Bunny.

When: Friday, March 22, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: North Pond at Creekside Park, 11360 Lakefield Drive, Johns Creek

Cost: Free

More info: johnscreekga.gov

COMMUNITY EGG HUNT

What: This family event, hosted in partnership with Stonecreek Church on Cambridge High School’s football field, includes egg hunts for all ages and a sensory-friendly egg hunt at 3 p.m. Games, face painting, music and the Easter Bunny will be there. The event is free, but please pre-register.

When: Saturday, March 23, 4-6 p.m.

Where: Cambridge High School, 2845 Bethany Bend Road, Milton

Cost: Free

More info: miltonga.gov

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

What: Step into the enchanted world of this modern classic, based on the Academy Award-winning animated film of the same name.

When: Until March 24, times vary

Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Cost: Tickets starting at $44

More info: cityspringstheatre.com

THE RUBY SUNRISE

What: Presented by Act1 Community Theatre, “The Ruby Sunrise” charts the course of the phenomenon of television through a girl named Ruby.

When: Until March 24, times vary

Where: Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, 180 Academy Street, Alpharetta

More info: act1theater.org

THE ART OF MOVEMENT GALLERY EXHIBIT

What: Focusing on the theme of movement, this exhibition presents artworks that depict dynamic motion, capturing the energy and fluidity of the human body, animals, or inanimate objects. The opening reception is March 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.

When: Until May 4, business hours

Where: Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton Street, Alpharetta

More info: artsalpharetta.org

Address:

Continued from Page 1

Over the course of work sessions this year, the City Council has debated whether Johns Creek should divorce itself from Fulton County-run municipal elections. The city has spent more than $15,000 since last July on a consultant to get them started. No decision has been made yet, but Bradberry said the city is continuing to prepare for self-conducted municipal elections in 2025.

“The bottom line is — Johns Creek — we can run our own elections better, more efficiently, and I believe over the long term, more cost effectively,” Bradberry said, though a two-year, selfconducted cycle was estimated to cost $1.3 million with an in-house staffing structure.

Last year, Fulton County charged Johns Creek $462,309 to conduct its municipal election.

“At the end of the day,” Bradberry said, “that will also enable us to be more

Bond:

Continued from Page 4

Rodgers said it is hard to say whether Farmhouse Park and the Alpha Loop will need more funding in the future. The Alpha Loop and Farmhouse projects have not been started, and the Equestrian Center improvements are a partnership between the city and the Wills Park Equestrian Foundation.

“We don’t know yet for the Farmhouse and the Alpha Loop exactly what we’re going to build, so we don’t know if it’s going to be over or under because we’re still trying to figure out all the details,” Rodgers said.

Conceptual plans for the Farmhouse Park trail, a staircase and path that will lead to the site, were presented in January 2023 at the City Council’s previous retreat.

The city has an agreement with the developers of the lot immediately to the east of Farmhouse that would create access

Hi, I’m Amber Perry and I report on all things in and around Johns Creek and Roswell. If you have any story tips or ideas please contact me at amber@appenmedia.com

independent and have a greater level of control.”

He also touched on the city’s stormwater system, saying he seeks to explore a grant program offering relief to impacted property owners. Additionally, he said he intends to again propose the rollback millage rate to avoid property owners experiencing a tax increase.

On parks, Bradberry mentioned the opening of the 203-acre Cauley Creek Park last year and the city’s plan to begin construction on Creekside Park later this year, which will be anchored by the pond behind City Hall and serve as the centerpiece to Town Center.

The city also completed a number of transportation projects last year, he said, including improving traffic flow at two schools, closing two significant sidewalk gaps and improvements to several intersections. This year, Bradberry said the city plans to break ground on the pedestrian

down to the site and shared parking, pending buildout of the lot.

At its March 4 meeting, the City Council was slated to discuss the $7.5 million that was approved for the Alpha Loop in the 2021 parks bond.

The council’s authority

At the latest planning retreat, councilmembers floated using the anticipated $3 million in interest to wrap up work on the parks projects closest to completion. That would have left out Farmhouse, Wills Park and barns at the Equestrian Center.

At that time, councilmen Will and Doug DeRito supported using the money dedicated for Farmhouse on the other projects facing funding deficits.

While Alpharetta’s 2021 parks bond drew overwhelming voter support, passing by a 3-1 margin, city councils do have authority to change projects named in a bond.

Georgia code allows local government commissions or councils to deem a bond

tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road and continue trail projects.

To increase its multimodal opportunities, the city updated its bike policy in 2022 to allow riders under age 18 to use sidewalks in addition to riders of any age to use public multi-use trails at least 8 feet wide. Bradberry also said the city may come forward to add golf carts to the mix.

Looking to public safety, he lauded the training firefighters receive. One paramedic-trained firefighter is on every truck, preventing wait times for an ambulance, and all new recruits go through paramedic school before finishing the fire academy.

He also offered a story about the professionalism he encountered from a Johns Creek police officer while pulled over for speeding toward City Hall one afternoon.

“I’m reading the ticket. It says hair: brown – check, eyes: blue — check. But, he made me two inches taller, and he made me 30 pounds lighter,” Bradberry said. “Best ticket experience in my life.”

Rounding out the address, Bradberry described one arts and culture project that has been under discussion for close to a decade, what advocates have called

project unnecessary and remove it from funding. Such a decision would require a two-thirds vote of the governing board.

City Attorney Molly Esswein said a city council could bring forth a resolution related to park bond expenditures if a purpose in the original notice is no longer necessary, or if circumstances have changed since the bond was adopted and an expenditure is no longer practical or feasible.

If the city adopted such a resolution, the bond money and interest could be used on something substantially similar or to pay off debt on the bond.

Esswein emphasized councilmembers cannot arbitrarily make changes. The City Council would have to define its reasoning for the change in a public presentation.

A defense of Farmhouse

Alpharetta Natural Resources Commissioner Michael Buchanan, who is also a local filmmaker and author, wrote and codirected “Saving Farm House,” a documentary detailing the history of the Farmhouse site as a social and trading hub.

Buchanan said he was unaware of the site until some six months before releasing the documentary. For him, supporting the Farmhouse Park is about raising awareness of where Alpharetta began.

Buchanan said visiting the site for the first time and seeing people’s names and the date “1912” carved into the stone of the rebuilt dam made him realize the site’s significance.

With rapid growth and development abound in Alpharetta, he said it is comforting to know there are a couple of acres nestled away that have remained unchanged since the 1850s.

“And it’s one of those things where,

the Legacy Center. The future arts facility, which now has $200,000 in funding for its construction documents, was envisioned to house a performance hall, events space and the Johns Creek Arts Center.

Discussions are taking place to address the events space and the Arts Center portions of the project, he said, but the most difficult piece that also has the most potential to be a “game changer” is the performance hall.

“This has literally been dreamt about. It’s been analyzed…” Bradberry said, alluding to the efforts of the late J. Wayne Baughman, founder and former conductor of the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. “You know, they say that there’s a very fine line between fishing and standing at the edge of the water waiting, looking foolish. Isn’t it time that we get serious about either fishing or cutting bait?”

He said he’s confident the city will find a location for the performance hall by the end of the year.

“Folks, we have a great community here in Johns Creek,” Bradberry said. “We are truly blessed. We are good and getting better, and I believe the best is yet to come.”

once it’s gone, it’s gone,” Buchanan said. Buchanan spoke at a Feb. 26 City Council meeting, frustrated that plans for the park have not moved forward. He also criticized the previous discussions of prioritizing other bond projects over Farmhouse.

“To do so would bring into question whether or not voters could trust the council in some of these future referendums,” Buchanan told the council. “I would think that’s not a road elected officials would travel.”

A council perspective

Alpharetta City Councilman Donald Mitchell is a longtime supporter of the Farmhouse project. Mitchell and former Councilman Ben Burnett championed the addition of the Farmhouse project in the months leading up to the November 2021 bond.

When discussions at the retreat turned to Farmhouse, Mitchell blasted any suggestion of shifting money from the project.

“So much of Alpharetta has been changed, and I think in many ways made better, but it’s a way to honor our predecessors,” Mitchell said in an interview Feb. 28. “And it would be the first heritage park that the city has. And there’s an authenticity about it that other parks will never be able to have because it’s our original settlement.”

Mitchell also emphasized the importance of honoring what Alpharetta residents voted for in the bond referendum.

“Especially, when 75 percent of our citizens have voted for a project, it’s important for us to get it done and to do it like we’ve promised and committed to,” he said. “And if we can’t do that, we shouldn’t be in office. If we can’t be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, we shouldn’t be in office.”

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

The new facility for Fire Station 63 is slated for a 2.11-acre area along Brumbelow Road.

Council:

Continued from Page 3

Assistant City Manager Ron Bennett provided the council with a list of 15 projects which had been vetted by city staff, Fire Station 63 as the No. 1 priority. Another project the City Council highlighted was parking for the courts at Cauley Creek Park, but councilmembers are expected to come back to a future work session to solidify the list.

Abbotts Bridge Road

The City Council also agreed to move forward with a $34.6 million construction contract for improvements along Abbotts Bridge Road, from Parsons to Medlock Bridge roads.

The total cost of the project is roughly $38.4 million, which includes a 5 percent construction contingency, and will be fully funded by TSPLOST II.

Plans call for adding turn lanes, medians, sidewalks and bike lanes to match the section between Jones Bridge and Parsons roads. This is the third section along Abbotts Bridge Road being addressed, part of a years-long plan with the Georgia Department of Transportation. The state is contributing $19.4 million to the section from Parsons to Medlock Bridge roads.

“I know that this is a project that, in general, has broad support, and I appreciate it,” Mayor John Bradberry said.

Johns Creek TSPLOST Manager Mindy Sanders said traffic will not be rerouted for

construction along the segment.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for April and completion in summer 2027.

Tourism projects

In other matters, the City Council approved fiscal year 2025 tourism projects to be funded by around $250,000 in hotel/ motel tax collections.

The 4-3 vote entailed sending $50,000 toward public art and the remainder toward construction documents for a performing arts hall. Councilmembers DiBiase, Skinner and Erramilli cast the dissenting votes.

DiBiase said there’s too many questions left unanswered about the arts facility, and Erramilli emphasized that the idea was not discussed at the joint brainstorming session between the Johns Creek Convention and Visitors Bureau and the city on how to allocate the hotel/motel tax — Mayor Bradberry had proposed the funds be used for construction documents at a later work session.

Following the work session, at the formal March 4 council meeting, Bradberry said the vote represented more of a “placeholder” until the facility’s location is confirmed.

Councilwoman Erin Elwood expressed her excitement about the decision.

“I don’t want to take away from the enormity and the excitement that I personally feel at this moment — the fact that, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re putting $200,000 towards funding for the arts,’” Elwood said. “We’ve said we all support it. Okay, well, now we’re going to do something about it.”

NOTICE OF SALE OF ABANDONED PROPERTY

Pursuant to Georgia Code 10-4-211, Neighbor Storage will hold a Public Sale of Property to satisfy Landlord's lien on Thursday, March 24, 2024 online through Storagetreasures.com. Tenant is Jennifer Ervine. Last known address for renter is 3077 Parrish Rd. Apt. D, Augusta, Georgia 30907.

The storage space is located at 101 Tor Dr, Warner Robins, Georgia, 31093. Property will be sold to the highest bidder (credit card payment). Property must be removed within 72 hours and space broom swept. Seller reserves the right to reject any bid and withdraw property from a sale. Said properties are: vending machines.

Queen:

Continued from Page 6

Staff expects the corporation to sign an 11-year lease commitment for some 181,000 square feet of office space.

Newell Brands is expected to invest $30.4 million for renovation and another $20.8 million for furniture, fixtures and equipment. The corporation is anticipated to occupy the first floor and seven others.

If Newell Brands elects to stay in Sandy Springs, it will retain 890 jobs and add 165 new jobs, with an average wage of $130,000.

Based on information that Newell Brands submitted to the city Feb. 7, the relocation project satisfies the tier three qualifications in the city’s Economic Development Incentive Policy, last updated in 2017.

The incentive policy allows the city to hold large employers accountable for following through with redevelopment and revitalization efforts.

With more than 100 jobs created, $5 million invested and 10 years committed, Newell Brands qualifies for expedited permitting, a building fee waiver and a 3-year business tax waiver.

Staff in the Finance Department said the estimated value of waived fees will not exceed $282,000.

“Our employees and visitors often leave for lunch or after work stopping to eat, shop and play in the businesses in Sandy Springs,”

a Newell Brands spokesperson said. “We also have a subset of employees that choose to live close to work, and will buy or rent housing, raise families and ‘do life’ in Sandy Springs outside of work hours.” The city anticipates renovations to begin in fall 2024 and the relocation to occur sometime in 2025.

— Hayden Sumlin

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

PUBLIC NOTICE

PURPOSE

An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to the City on February 29, 2024 for BYOB

BUSINESS NAME

Unified Change Inc. Dba

Rewax & Unwine

6000 Medlock Bridge Suite E-100

Johns Creek GA, 30022

OWNER/OFFICERS

Unified Change Inc. Dba

Rewax & Unwine

6000 Medlock Bridge Suite E-100

Johns Creek GA, 30022

Owner, Darnella Gamble

PUBLIC AUCTION

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

CITY SURPLUS AUCTION VEHICLES

The City of Johns Creek Purchasing Division sells surplus vehicles and equipment as they become available per the City’s Vehicle and Other Assets Replacement Policy. City surplus vehicles and equipment are sold on-line, in open competitive auctions, and always open to the public.

Online auctions will include an optional inspection day, a day designated by appointment only to allow bidders to inspect vehicles and equipment to be auctioned. All vehicles and equipment are sold “AS IS, WHERE IS” and with all faults. The City of Johns Creek provides no warranty or refunds on surplus items sold through auctions.

Interested individuals and firms may visit the online auction at www.govdeals. com advance search for zip code 30097. Questions and answers are to only be submitted though Govdeals.com. Auction shall close two weeks from the date of publishing.

All Offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the auction outline in Govdeals.com. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to wave technicalities and informalities, and extend or terminate an auction in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS – MULTIPLE OPENINGS - ALPHARETTA, GA

Intuites LLC needs professionals: Work using MFED, COBOL, CICS, Java, Jira, GIT, JCL, DB2, SASand PL/SQL.

Req. –bachelor’s with +2yrs exp. Comp. sal. Relocate to unanticipated sites. Please mail resume to Ref: Director, 1740 Grassland Parkway, Ste 405, Alpharetta, Georgia, 30004.

Pastry Baker/Closer Position

Job brief:

We are looking for an experienced Pastry Chef to prepare a variety of desserts, pastries or other sweet goods. Your skill in baking high quality treats should be matched by your creativity to develop new amazing tastes and recipes.

The ideal candidate will be well-versed in culinary arts with a passion for sweet and delicious creations. They must adhere to health and safety standards to provide clients with the best possible serving.

Create pictures and shapes on cakes, and use a variety of tools and ingredients to decorate cakes.

The goal is to enhance customer satisfaction so that we can maintain and expand our clientele.

Proven experience as Pastry Baker or Cake decorator, or relevant role with a minimum of 3 years’ experience. 35-40 hours/week. $18/20 per hour.

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TEACHERS

Fun Kidz @ Midway United Methodist Church is looking for teachers for our before/after school care program. If you are an early riser and love kids, we may be a perfect fit. Hours: 6:45am – 9:15am.

Contact Beth by email: beth@midwayumc.org or phone: 770-752-0440

REAL ESTATE ASSISTING

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

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Home Improvement

Bargains / Medical Equipment

MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR

Merits Vision Sport. Less than a year old. Purchased 3/2023. $2800/obo. Alpharetta; must pick up. 352-391-4276

Landscaping

Carreno Landscaping

Monthly lawn maintenance, irrigation, sod installation, plants, mulch-fertilization, tree removal, pinestraw installation. 404-333-5107 or text address for work.

Pinestraw

PINESTRAW, MULCH

Delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch. 770-831-3612

Pet Sitting

H.E.L.P. PET SITTING & HOUSE SITTING. AVAILABLE FOR WALKS AND OVERNIGHTS. 470-402-1184

Deadline to place a classified ad is Thursdays by 4pm

Flooring

PHILLIPS FLOORING

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

Roofing

in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123.

Christian Brothers Roofing

Cemetery

GREENLAWN ROSWELL:

2 plots on picturesque lakeview hillside. Market price, $9000 each. Bargain priced at $5000 each! 770475-7307

Office Space for Lease

Close to Downtown Alpharetta

Small private office space (unfurnished) available in Appen Media Office close to Downtown Alpharetta (319 North Main Street, Alpharetta). All utilities included, Internet included (within reason), 24/7 access. Space is upstairs in area of Appen Newsroom. Private, quiet, and open. Approximately 200 sq. ft. (14’ x 14’). $/600 per month, first/last/security deposit required as well as solid reliable references.

Space would be perfect for a bookkeeper or a self-employed person.

Contact via text or email: Ray Appen at 770-527-4042 or RayAppen@Gmail.com

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725

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DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.)

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Diagnosed with lung cancer & 65+? You may qualify for a substantial cash award. No obliga-tion! We’ve recovered