A p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 2 2 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 2 6 , N o . 1 5
Johns Creek to host Bunny Hop at future Creekside Park site By SYDNEY DANGREMOND sydney@appenmedia.com
JEFFREY ALBERTSON/APPEN MEDIA
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signs the Mental Health Parity Act bill at a ceremony April 4 at the Capitol in Atlanta. The legislation, which passed unanimously in the House and Senate, broadens mental health access to residents.
Kemp signs mental health bill By JEFFREY ALBERTSON newsroom@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — A bipartisan supported mental health and substance abuse bill became official with the signature of Gov. Brian Kemp at a State Capitol
ceremony April 4. HB 1013, known as “The Mental Health Parity Act,” cleared the Legislature on March 30, passing 54-0 in the Senate and 166-0 in the House. In remarks delivered at the ceremony, Kemp said the bill ensures Georgians
do not fight alone and applauded the full bipartisan support from the General Assembly. “Today has been a long time coming, this outcome is exactly what we hoped
County adjusts plan to survey unhoused
Avalon signs leases with more retailers
Lawmakers pass tax cut legislation
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See GOVERNOR, Page 4
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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — This year, the city’s Easter celebration has been moved to Johns Creek’s proposed town center at Creekside Park. Instead of an egg hunt on April 16, 12 vendors will set up booths along the shore of the North Pond behind City Hall, armed with 24,000 plastic eggs. Families will follow a trail of painted bunny paws along the pond path and gather eggs from vendors including the Johns Creek Fire and Police Departments, local churches and fitness groups and a pickleball team. On the grassy area to the left of North Pond, the city will also set up a petting zoo and, in the pavilion, the Easter Bunny will pose for photos, Recreation Programs Coordinator Cara Prell said. Historically, the city has hosted an Easter egg hunt at Shakerag Park, but in an effort to bring awareness among residents to Johns Creek’s town center plans, the city is shifting
See BUNNY HOP, Page 27
2 | January 20, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
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All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
Caller extorts woman out of more than $4,000 JOHNS CREEK, Ga. –– A Johns Creek woman was scammed out of more than $4,000 from a caller who claimed to be with the Fulton County Sheriff’s office. The victim said she received a call from someone who claimed to be with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office who told her she had arrest warrants for failing to appear for jury duty. The caller then told her to purchase 14 gift cards, totaling approximately $4,200, and to read the cards’ information to him over the phone. The caller then instructed her to mail all the cards to an address in East Point. The victim said she spoke to two callers who identified themselves as Captain Knox and Antonio Rodriguez.
Woman notified of loan taken out in her name JOHNS CREEK, Ga. –– Police are investigating the report of an attempted fraud filed by a Johns Creek woman March 21. The woman notified police that her personal information had been used to open a line of credit via an online bank, Minto Money. The bank had emailed her that morning to e-sign for a loan of $1,200. Shortly after, she received another email notifying her that the application had been accepted. The woman said she has three accounts with her personal bank, but she had never opened an account with Minto Money. She said she notified Minto Money of the fraud and that she would
check with her bank to ensure none of her accounts had been compromised.
Thief steals plywood from construction site JOHNS CREEK, Ga. –– A Cumming man reported $5,000 worth of plywood stolen March 15 from a construction site on River Bend Way. The man told police that when everyone had left the site, 80 pieces of plywood were left chained to one of the home frames. Employees first thought a company had come to pick up the wood, but they noticed the chain had been cut. One of the employees stated a white Toyota Tundra with a trailer was seen around the construction site two days prior.
Police say shopper hid items in stroller ALPHARETTA, Ga. –– Police issued an Alpharetta woman a misdemeanor citation March 13 for shoplifting more than $300 of merchandise at Dillard’s on North Point Circle. Loss prevention stated the suspect had placed several clothing items on the bottom of her stroller and passed all points of sale. The woman told police she purchased items but forgot she placed items on the bottom of the stroller. The suspect stated she had the items on the bar of the stroller, but they did not stay in place, and she put them underneath the stroller. She said while checking out the other items, she had engaged in conversation with the cashier and forgot about the other items. Loss prevention refuted her claim, and said she strategically placed the higher priced items under the stroller and paid for the lower priced merchandise. The total value of merchandise was $386.
Man conceals jacket under his clothing ALPHARETTA, Ga. –– An unidentified suspect shoplifted more than $300 March 12 at High Country Outfitters on Avalon Boulevard. The store manager stated a male in his mid-30s had entered the store and walked to the back corner of the store near the jackets. He then removed one of the jackets and concealed it inside the jacket he was wearing and exited the store. The store has security cameras, and the suspect was observed on camera. The manager stated he wants to press charges if the male is identified.
Roswell boy drowns in community pool By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — A 4-year-old boy died over the weekend after family members said they found him unresponsive in a pool at a Roswell apartment complex. While the drowning remains under investigation, Roswell police spokesman Tim Lupo said it appears to be a “heartbreaking accident.” Lupo said officers were called to the Park 83 Apartments on Calibre Creek Parkway at around 8:30 p.m. April 2, where they found the unresponsive child who had already been pulled out of the water by family members. First responders quickly began lifesaving measures and transported the boy to a local hospital, but he did not survive, Lupo said. Investigators believe the child was among several other families having a social gathering at the communal clubhouse adjacent to the pool area. But when the child had not been seen for some time, family members went to look for him and found him inside the pool. “This incident remains under investigation, but at this time it appears to be a heartbreaking accident,” Lupo said. “… The Roswell Police Department wants to remind our community that drownings can occur in mere seconds and stress the importance of following best practices in drowning prevention.” According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, drowning is a leading cause of unintentional death among children aged 1-14 in the United States. For further safety information, visit the National Drowning Prevention Alliance at NDPA.org.
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 3
County’s homeless count takes different form this year North Fulton assessment results to be released soon By SYDNEY DANGREMOND sydney@appenmedia.com FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County’s Point in Time count of the homeless took a different shape this year. Typically, trained volunteers spend a single day canvassing streets and other areas off the beaten path to conduct a count of those without permanent housing. The count serves as a micro-census of the unhoused population in the county, and the results are shared with community organizations that work with them. In 2021, the count was cancelled due to concerns with spreading COVID-19. This year, the count was split into a seven-day canvassing effort from Feb. 1825. Outreach took place in the morning, mid-day, lateday and night and was performed by county commissioners and their staff, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s team, Fulton County employees, local municipalities, nonprofits and a team from the Veterans Administration. Official results of the count are not yet released, but The Drake House Executive Director Nesha Mason said she is encouraged by the approach of performing the count. She said canvassing over multiple days would likely provide more accurate data. “I don’t know if that one-night snapshot is as accurate as having those people who are a little bit more familiar with the homeless population canvas those areas over seven days,” Mason said. At the same time, United Way of Greater Atlanta took a deeper dive into the issue of homelessness in North Fulton, something beyond counting. In March, United Way completed a 10-month assessment of homelessness specific to North Fulton. The project was led by North Fulton Advisory Board member and Alpharetta Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard. “We decided that homelessness was a big enough issue in North Fulton and one that, especially in light of COVID and the economic impacts of COVID, was changing,” Drinkard said. “We really did not have a good enough understanding of the homeless situation, housing instability, the homeless population and their needs.” United Way worked with the Fulton County Continuum of Care and local organizations to form a steering committee for the assessment. Members included The Drake House, which specializes in helping mothers who are experiencing homelessness in North Metro Atlanta. “I think this assessment will inform ways that we can collaborate across data collection to really tell a truer picture of what homelessness looks like in north Fulton and how we are serving those families in need,” The Drake House’s Mason said. This year, The Drake House has seen a 30% increase in calls for intake for single mothers and children in the area. “We are seeing more mothers who are working full time and living in their cars because they can no longer
afford their homes,” Mason said. “With rent increases of 20 to 30%, single-income families contribute to our economy and workforce, but can’t afford to live here even when making $50,000 a year.” In North Fulton, Drinkard said, homeless populations are more likely to be families, and many are sheltered, meaning they may be staying in a hotel or a car. These individuals also tend to be employed. “So, it’s just different and we needed to get a better handle on what that population looks like,” Drinkard said. “Also, in terms of the services that are being provided and the services that are needed. Where are there service gaps? Where is the capacity of agencies to provide services?” One of the assessment’s findings was a continued decline in Fulton County students experiencing homelessness, from 685 in the 2017-2018 school year to 413 in the 2020-2021 school year. The assessment’s findings, however, carry a caveat. Fulton County Schools stakeholders emphasized that the transition to virtual school may have skewed the schools’ reporting. The assessment also points out a need for increasing the number of emergency, transitional and permanent supportive housing beds as many providers of these types of shelter are at capacity, while need has increased. In a survey of housing and service providers, the assessment results show the top three service needs are for housing navigation, mental health services and case
management. Additionally, rental payment assistance, the assessment concluded, “consistently ranks as the mostrequested form of assistance according to United Way’s 2-1-1 data for North Fulton County contacts.” “We’ve been serving the families that we serve for now 16 years, and I know that the face of homelessness and the circumstances of homelessness has changed in North Fulton through that time and [the assessment] really gave us a good snapshot of what it looks like now,” Mason said. “And what we’re seeing is that it is a heavier lift for families to get back on their feet and that is largely due to the unaffordability of living in north Fulton.” The assessment echoes this. Housing costs have risen dramatically in North Fulton in recent years, while wages have not. Since the study concluded last month, United Way is now looking to work with all agencies and potential partners including municipalities on how to improve the strategy for addressing homelessness in North Fulton so they may have a greater impact, Drinkard said. United Way is planning for a phased release of the assessment results in the coming weeks beginning with nonprofits and local government leaders and then making the report available to the public. This approach, Drinkard said, will allow the individuals who will likely be contacted as subject-matter experts to be informed on the data in the report before fielding questions on it.
4 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
Legislature adjournment sets stage for campaign season By JEFFREY ALBERTSON newsroom@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — A flurry of legislation cleared the Georgia General Assembly on the 40th day of the legislative session, a marathon that ran into the early morning hours of April 5. Around 12:15 a.m., a day of farewell speeches, voting and hurry-up-andwait moments, finally ended. With the adjournment, legislators transition from lawmaking to campaigns as primaries scheduled for May 24 approach. Day 40 opened with laughs, backslapping, and a joyous singing of “This little light of mine” by Rep. Dexter Sharper (D-Valdosta). “I’m going to let it shine all sine die,” Sharper belted in song. Bipartisan favor continued through the first half of the day as Rep. Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) gave a farewell address ending a 48-year career. That continued as Gov. Brian Kemp signed “The Mental Health Parity Act” about 1:30 p.m. bringing changes to mental health and substance abuse treatment. Despite late evening political theatrics, at least three bills passed with support from both parties: • HB 911 represents the state’s $57.9
Governor: Continued from Page 1 for,” Kemp said. “Everyone in the General Assembly made history today.” The legislation was sponsored by Speaker of the House David Ralston (RBlue Ridge), who had marked it as a top priority. The 76-page bill brings sweeping changes to the treatment of mental health and substance abuse, including a state loan cancellation program and revised complaint filing and tracking procedures for private and state managed insurance plans. Also included is a provision permitting law enforcement to seek involuntary commitment under certain criteria. The law goes into effect on July 1. Ralston called the bipartisan efforts the model of effective lawmaking and acknowledged the work of Rep. Todd Jones (R-South Forsyth) and Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur). “This will lift Georgia from the basin of mental health care,” Ralston said. The bill faced vocal right-wing opposition in a Senate Health and Human Services Committee hearing. Opponents said it would lead to guns being removed from
billion budget, with $30.2 billion coming from state funding and the rest from the federal government. This includes a $5,000 cost-of-living raises for full-time, benefit eligible state employees. Teachers will receive a $2,000 increase starting Sept. 1. • HB 1437 gradually lowers the state’s income tax rate to 5.49% in 2025 to 4.99% in 2029. Standard exemptions would increase to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for married couples who file jointly. • SB 338 extends postpartum Medicaid coverage from six months to one year after childbirth. As midnight loomed, most bipartisan favor had faded as Republicans spurred on dormant bills. Around 8 p.m. Gov. Kemp spoke separately to both chambers and urged action. In the speeches, Kemp referenced a tax refund bill, movement on a bill addressing how race is taught in schools and a measure to restrict trans child participation in sports. Each had seen little movement as the clock approached midnight. A main thrust of the Republican platform cleared earlier in the session,
See LEGISLATURE, Page 29 people diagnosed with mental illness. The version signed by Gov. Kemp removed an earlier provision that required insurance companies to provide mental health benefits if they did not offer them. “This bill is many things (and) a result of years of study and work,” State Sen. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek) said. “It’s a framework for continued work that needs to be done. But above all, it is a moral document.” The bill creates a litany of studies and reports that will be delivered to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house or the entirety of the Legislature in the coming years. “H.B. 1013 is a bill for 11 million hardworking Georgians,” Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan said. It is not a Republican or Democratic bill Duncan said. Loan cancellation by the Georgia Student Finance Authority (GSFA) is a key component to address the state’s fledgling mental health care staffing storages. Data from Mental Health America indicates the Peach State ranks 48th in access to mental health care. For students in paramedical or other fields related to aging or primary care, up to $10,000 per year may be cancelled. A person on track to become a doctor of medicine would be ineligible unless specializing in psychiatry or primary care. A person enrolled in a program to become a licensed practical
JEFFREY ALBERTSON/APPEN MEDIA
Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan presided over his final Senate session on sine die. Duncan opted to not seek re-election in 2022. nurse or registered nurse is also eligible for loan cancellation. Georgia National Guard members are eligible for loan cancellation, but must exhaust all federal funds, including those from the Departments of Defense or Veterans Affairs. A National Guard member would no longer qualify once active duty ends, fails to maintain sufficient academic standing or graduates. There is no requirement to study in a medical-related field.
This will lift Georgia from the basin of mental health care.” DAVID RALSTON Speaker of the House
A student enrolled in a program related to mental health or substance abuse — including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers or behavioral health — are eligible for loan cancellation. GSFA has the ability to identify areas with personnel shortage for future loan cancellation. Another provision in the bill changes
how law enforcement may respond to a person experiencing a mental health or substance abuse emergency. If someone commits an offense and the officer has probable cause that the person is mentally ill requiring involuntary treatment, they can be taken for emergency examination by a physician. The officer does not need to file charges prior to the person going to a physician or emergency receiving facility. The officer is required to consult with a physician either in-person or by telephone and write a report that will become part of the clinical record. The physician in turn must authorize the person to be transported for examination. Police can transport the person to a facility. If county transport is required, vehicles normally used to transport criminals must be avoided. In some circumstances the person may be transported by family members to a facility. In nonemergency situations, a female may not be transported without another female who is not needing care. A female may be transported by a husband, father, adult brother or adult son. If transportation is not provided by a law enforcement agency, the cost cannot be billed to the respective government. It may be billed to the person needing care directly, but the cost is not an obligation of the health care facility.
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 5
6 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
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AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 7
FILE PHOTO
North American Properties announced that five new businesses will open shop at mixed-use development Avalon.
North American Properties to open new stores at Avalon ALPHARETTA, Ga. –– North American Properties has announced five new brands coming to Alpharetta’s Avalon in the coming months. The list includes Aerie and Offline, Allbirds, Electric Gamebox and Freebird. “Our team’s ability to create experiences that continually attract top retailers to seek out space at Avalon is unmatched,” said Adam Schwegman, partner and senior vice president of leasing at North American Properties. “Avalon is already home to nearly 100 retailers and restaurants, and we look forward to delivering these new concepts to round out our lineup of best-in-class offerings.” Retail brands Aerie and Offline by Aerie sell women’s apparel with a focus on inclusivity and body positivity. Allbirds is a sustainable apparel and footwear brand whose products are made
with environmentally conscious materials. The Allbirds store and community center is set to open in May, taking over the space which formerly housed Lululemon. Also joining Avalon is Electric Gamebox, a virtual reality gaming experience where players use their bodies as controllers. Electric Gamebox offers a variety of gaming options for ages 5 and up. Freebird, a Denver-based footwear brand, prides itself on its handcrafted, well-constructed footwear. Most recently, Lilly Pulitzer joined Avalon earlier this month with a grand opening celebration. Rowan will host a grand opening April 15. North American Properties said Makers Marker is also set to open later in the spring. For more information on new openings at Avalon, visit experienceavalon.com. —Sydney Dangremond
8 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
State hits Anthem with whopping fine By REBECCA GRAPEVINE and ANDY MILLER Georgia Health News ATLANTA — The state insurance department has levied a $5 million fine against health insurer Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the largest penalty in the agency’s history, for violations of state law involving medical providers and consumers. Insurance Commissioner John King, at a March 29 news conference at the State Capitol, cited numerous complaints in taking the agency action. The Georgia Office of Insurance was “inundated with complaints about Anthem from individuals, from doctors, hospitals and others, from all corners and across Georgia,” King said. Among the problems cited was that Anthem’s directories listed some health care providers as being part of the insurer’s network when in fact they were not participating in those health plans. Such erroneous listings can mislead patients who pick a health plan based on whether a certain doctor or hospital is in that network. Philip Mattera, director of the Corpo-
rate Research Project at Good Jobs First, a corporate and government accountability organization, said that the $5 million fine is among the top 1 percent of state government penalties against insurance companies that his organization has tracked. In February 2020, the state insurance department issued warning letters to five insurers, including Anthem, stating that the agency found providers listed as being in-network although they were not actually participating in those networks. The letters were obtained by GHN through an Open Records Request. In the Anthem case, providers said the insurer failed to pay them promptly, state officials said Tuesday. The company also negotiated contracts with medical practices and then failed to load those providers into its system, leaving patients and doctors out in the cold, King said. “There have been instances when doctors and hospitals had to lay off staff” due to Anthem payment delays, King said. An Anthem spokeswoman, Denise Ward, said that the company “¬strives to process and pay claims as quickly
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and efficiently as possible in accordance with provider agreements and applicable state laws and regulations.” She said the Georgia Office of Insurance focused on a provider database system implemented nearly seven years ago that is no longer in use. “As the department is aware, we worked diligently to address these challenges,” Ward said. “We have since migrated to a new platform with the goal of improving accuracy and transparency.” The investigation found around 78,000 separate violations, state officials said. They involve Medicare, employer health plans, and state insurance exchange plans. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is the state’s largest health insurer, with more than 2.5 million policyholders. “A clear pattern has emerged,” King said. “As I traveled across Georgia, this became a running theme.” The consent decree also requires Anthem to take corrective actions to prevent future violations and respond to complaints in a timely manner. “We will hold insurers accountable when their actions are unfairly impacting Georgians,” King said.
The $5 million will go to the state’s general fund, said King, a Republican. King has held the state insurance post as an appointee since 2019, due to the previously elected commissioner’s arrest and subsequent conviction on fraud charges. King is running for election to the post. Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, said that many problems identified in the Georgia investigation “result in the consumer holding the bag financially – there’s nothing in there to make them whole.” “This is the insurance department doing its job,” said Corlette of the state fines. “It looks like [Anthem] has some work to do in terms of cleaning up its act.” Earlier this month, Anthem announced that it is changing its name to Elevance Health. Some state legislators stood behind King and said that they had heard similar complaints from their constituents. Laura Colbert, executive director of advocacy group Georgians for a Healthy Future, praised the state action.
See ANTHEM, Page 27
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 9
Coming Soon!
Nominations for Best of North Atlanta (Nomination Period: May 15 – June 15)
FOOD & BEVERAGE: Best All Around Restaurant Best Asian Food Best Bakery Best BBQ Best Beer (LOCAL) Best Breakfast/Brunch Best Brewery/Brewpub Best Burger Best Cajun/Creole Food Best Coffee Shop (LOCAL) Best Dessert Best Family Dining Best Fine Dining Best German Food Best Happy Hour Best Indian Food Best Italian Food Best Local Flair Restaurant Best Lunch Spot Best Mexican Food Best Patio Dining Best Pizza Best Salad Best Smoothie/Juicery Best Takeout Food MEDICAL: Best ABA Therapist Best Adult Day Care Best Audiologist Best Chiropractor Best Cosmetic Surgery Best Counseling Services Best Dentist Best Dermatologist Best ENT
Best Family Practice Best Gastroenterologist Best Hair Restoration Best Holistic/Alternative Medicine Best Home Care for Seniors Best Hospice & Palliative Care Best Internal Medicine Best Med Spa Best Medical Weight Loss Best Memory Care Best Mobility Store/Services Best Music Therapy Best Nutritionist Best OBGYN Best Occupational Therapist Best Oncology Best Ophthalmology Best Optometry Best Oral Surgery Best Orthodontist Best Pediatric Dentist Best Pediatrician Best Physical Therapy Best Podiatry Best Senior Activity Center Best Senior Living Community Best Speech Therapy Best Substance Abuse/Addiction Treatment Best Urgent Care Best Urology Best Vein Specialist Best Veterinarian RECREATION: Best Art Lessons/Studio Best Community Event Best Dance Lessons/Studio
2022
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Best Date Night Hotspot Best Day Spa / Massage Best Farmers Market Best Golf Course Best Group/Corporate Activity Best Gym / Fitness Facility Best Music Lessons Best Performing Arts / Theatre Best Place for Kids to Have Fun Best Sports Program Best Summer Camp Best Wedding Venue RETAIL: Best Antiques Store Best Apparel Boutique (LOCAL) Best Art Gallery / Retailer Best Beverage / Wine Store (LOCAL) Best Boutique Shop (LOCAL) Best Bridal Shop Best CBD Retailer Best Consignment Store Best Florist Best Furniture / Home Décor Best Jeweler Best Pharmacy (LOCAL) Best Shopping/Entertainment Plaza SERVICES: Best Auto Service Repair Best Bank / Credit Union Best Barber Shop Best Car Wash Best Commercial Real Estate Company Best CPA Best Dry Cleaner Best Electrician Best Esthetician
Best Family Law Attorney Best Financial Planner Best Funeral Home Best Graphics & Printing Shop Best Hair Salon / Stylist Best Heating & Air Services Best Home Builder / Developer Best Information Services Best Insurance Agency Best Interior Design Services Best IT/ Business Services Best Landscaping Services Best Law Firm Best Maid Service Best Merchant Services Best Mortgage Lender Best Networking Group Best Painter Best Personal Injury Attorney Best Pet Daycare / Lodger Best Pet Grooming Best Pet Supply / Boutique Best Photographer Best Plumber Best Pool Services Best Pre-School / Day Care Best Private K-12 School Best Promotional Products Best Real Estate Brokerage Firm Best Realtor (Individual) Best Realtor Team Best Renovation/Home Improvement Services Best Senior Information Service Best Shredder Services Best Travel Agency / Service Best Tree Service
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It’s not just a gift shop. It’s a ministry, and that’s what’s going on in all these little gift shops around us. BARBARA ROWE, co-owner, Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique 10 | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022
Roswell business owners find meaning in gift giving Loyal customer base has kept shop thriving By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Sisters Audrey Findlay and Barbara Rowe say it was their lifelong dream to open a gift shop, but over time, their business became like a ministry in the community. For years, the women worked together in the corporate world and raised nine children between the two of them. Findlay was a pharmacist and Rowe a computer programmer, but they loved decorating and entertaining, so they created floral designs on the side for over 25 years. That’s until 2011 when they decided the time had finally come to take a shot at their dream. In November of that year, they celebrated the grand opening of Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique on Woodstock Road in Roswell with a special ribbon-cutting by former Mayor Jere Wood. Findlay said the shop started out small with only 800 square feet, but after their first year, they took over the spot next door, and in May 2021, they expanded to Woodstock. Initially, the shop was both a fullservice florist and boutique for gifts, but after just five years, they nixed the floral side of the business altogether. Today, their Roswell storefront features a variety of items from gifts and jewelry to decorative home accessories and clothing. Many of the companies they work with are either women or locally owned, including Inspiredesigns, which is
FINDLAY ROWE DESIGNS/PROVIDED
Sisters Audrey Findlay and Barbara Rowe are the owners of Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique in Roswell and Woodstock. The original Roswell location opened in 2011.
based in Alpharetta, and INDIGO Home and Design, based in Milton. Rowe said they all support each other. “We are all separately owned,” Rowe said, “but we are here to lift each other up, so anytime there’s a need we say, ‘Well, let us call one of our surrounding gift shops.’ We really like the camaraderie. There’s really no reason for us to be in competition because what you do for your customer is what makes the difference in them coming back.” Findlay said they have about 11 employees at their Roswell store and another six or seven who work in Woodstock. And because they’re small stores, they get to really know their customers. Rowe said some customers come in just to buy a gift but may end up opening up about an issue in their lives to one of their employees, who will then hand out little bracelets to remind them that they are not alone, and someone is praying for them. “There’s nothing like being able to touch a life,” Rowe said. “It’s not just a gift shop. It’s a ministry, and that’s what’s going on in all these little gift shops around us.” In the 11 years they’ve been in Roswell, Rowe said they’ve watched their customers’ children grow up, and then their children have children. She said their customers are like family and recounted a story about a gentleman who would always drop his wife off at the store while he went out to get a haircut. “Well, she passed away,” Rowe said, “and then he would come in and we’d just tell him what he needed to buy. So, we just take all the guessing away, you
See SISTERS, Page 11
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 11
NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique Sales Associate Wanda Grigg works behind the cash register April 8. Business Name: Sankranti Restaurant Owner: Bharat Vadlapatla Description: Sankranti is a harvest festival celebrated across India. And like many Indian celebrations, it is centered around food, family and prosperous abundance. We strive to bring the culture and abundance of Indian hospitality
and celebration to each and every one of our guests, and share a true festival of food! Opened: March 2022 Phone: 470-622-7778 Address: 237 Perimeter Center Pkwy, Dunwoody, GA 30346, USA Suite #H-56 Website: https: sankranti.com/
Business Name: Functionize Owner: Lauren Sok Description: Functionize is a private-pay physical therapy and wellness center serving active adults and athletes. Built on the foundation of understanding human experience, offering practical solutions and insisting on an
individualized approach, Functionize empowers you to take control of your health and wellness so you may thrive and enjoy your life. Opened: February 2022 Phone: 404-907-4196 Address: 5054 Nandina Lane; Dunwoody, GA 30338 Website: functionizehealth.com CDAR Member SWIFT Code: GMCBUS3A
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Sisters: Continued from Page 10 know, because it’s familiar and we’re family.” Those types of relationships, Findlay said, are what allowed them to reopen after closing for six weeks during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. Rowe said that during that time, they were able to remodel and get their online business going thanks to the support they received from the Alpharetta/ Roswell community, which wanted to see them succeed. “It really didn’t impact us that badly, because we had an amazing group of customers who supported us during that time,” Findlay said. “They shopped online,
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and we would do curbside pick-up. I think I sold more of my Jellycat bunnies that Easter than ever before. We were still above what we had done the year before after closing that long. It was just amazing.” While the sisters think “totally different,” Findlay said it’s worked out well for them. She said Rowe works on the creative side of the business, and she tries to rein in her ideas. The sisters also give back to the community by supporting the local schools, such as the Child Development Academy, as well as community events like the backpack drive for North Fulton Community Charities. Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique is at 1030 Woodstock Road in Suite 3110 in Roswell. For more information, including store hours, visit findlayrowedesigns.com.
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12 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
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Roswell sells K9 officer to county sheriff’s office By CHAMIAN CRUZ chamian@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — K-9 Alf is leaving the Roswell Police Department and joining the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. After approximately three years with the department, the Roswell City Council voted unanimously March 28 to sell K-9 Alf, an explosive ordinance detection canine, and all his associated equipment to the sheriff’s office for $8,000. Roswell Police Chief James Conroy said at a March 15 Public Safety and Public Works Committee Meeting that after K-9 Alf’s handler, John Hix, announced he was leaving the Roswell Police Department, the sheriff’s office approached them about purchasing the 5-year-old German Shepard. “This is an opportunity for both departments,” Conroy said. “They’ll get a fully trained canine, and we will get funding that will go towards the purchase of a new [explosive ordinance detection] canine [that] … is also used for our Community Relations Unit.” Hix joined the Roswell Police Department in 2014 and worked various assignments, including uniform patrol and the traffic enforcement unit as a hit-and-run investigator. He also worked as a field training officer and a SWAT negotiator. In 2019, Hix was partnered with K-9 Alf to sniff out explosives. He was 18 months old at the time. K-9 Alf is certified through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. Conroy said once the police department hires a new handler and the sale of K-9 Alf is complete, they will purchase a new canine using the city’s Confiscated Assets Fund. Roswell police spokesman Tim Lupo said in a March 25 email the department currently has two canines who are assigned to the Special Investigations Section within the Criminal Investigations Division. In other business at the March 28 meeting, the City Council approved a resolution to allow the Roswell Police Department to apply for a Community Policing Microgrant of up to $15,000. The grant is from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia. Conroy said if the department is awarded the grant, the funds will be used to develop an event that enhances
ROSWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT/PROVIDED
After approximately three years with the Roswell Police Department, K-9 Alf, an explosive ordinance detection canine, and all his associated equipment is being sold to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. the trust and legitimacy between youth and law enforcement. A match is not required for the microgrant.
They’ll get a fully trained canine, and we will get funding that will go towards the purchase of a new [explosive ordinance detection] canine.” CHIEF JAMES CONROY Roswell Police
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 13
14 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
Tax cut clears General Assembly in last hour By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – Georgia lawmakers approved a tax cut during the final hour of this year’s General Assembly session April 5. After the state House of Representatives voted 1672 to support a compromise version of the legislation reached by a joint conference committee, the state Senate followed by a margin of 41-13. The bill includes a phased-in rollback of Georgia’s income tax rate from 5.49% to 4.99% over six years, starting with the 2024 tax year. The current tax rate is 5.75%. Democrats had blasted the original version of the bill proposed by the Legislature’s Republican majority, which would have dropped the tax rate to a flat 5.25% immediately upon taking effect, arguing some Georgians actually would end up paying higher state taxes. “We haven’t been able to find anyone who pays more,” House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, said of the compromise bill. “Everybody pays zero [more in taxes] or less under this plan.” The bill also includes a trigger mechanism to ensure tax cuts don’t continue if the economy falters. Taxes would not be reduced in any year in which state revenues don’t grow by at least 3% or the year’s net revenue collections are not higher than those of each of the previous five fiscal years. “If the triggers aren’t met, it will pause a year,”
said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome. The legislation also increases taxpayers’ personal exemptions. Single filers will get an exemption of $12,000. Exemptions for married couples filing jointly will increase every two years, from $18,500 in 2024 to $24,000 in 2030. Hufstetler said the tax cut will cost the state $455 million during its first year and $1 billion during the second year. Danny Kanso, senior tax analyst with the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, said it will end up costing more than either version of the bill the House and Senate passed earlier in the session. “Lawmakers are skewing the tax code so that the wealthy get massive tax cuts and would not have to pay their fair share, but only paying lip service to support for low- and middle-income families,” he said. Kanso noted the final version of the bill does not include a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit, which had been included in the Senate version. But Blackmon said the tax cut has something for all taxpayers. “This bill puts $1 billion back in the pockets of hardworking Georgians,” he said. The legislation now goes to Gov. Brian Kemp, who is expected to sign it. This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
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New study finds redheads have a higher pain tolerance Brought to you by - Roswell Dental Care People with red hair have always been known to possess similar, unique traits, such as fair skin and freckles, but did you know that they also feel pain differently than people with other hair color types? It’s true! Research shows that the same gene responsible for giving pigment to hair, skin, and eyes (MCR1), exhibits a mutation in red-haired people that causes them to have a higher tolerance for pain, but also to be more difficult to sedate. Studies have revealed these findings about redheads: • They need about 20 percent more anesthesia to be sedated. • They also need more local topical anesthetics, such as lidocaine, which is why many redheads have a fear of dentists, according to the American Dental Association. • They need lower doses of pain-killing analgesics, such as opioids. • They easily detect changes in hot and cold temperatures.
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Unfortunately, these findings that redheads require more anesthesia, but may be more tolerant to pain medications due to their higher pain threshold is still not widely known. It is recommended that redheads be proactive when undergoing a procedure that requires medication for pain. Tell your surgeon, anesthesiologist, and dentist that you will most likely need more anesthetic or local anesthesia, and that you may be more sensitive to opioids. Avoid taking extra doses of these types of pain medications without talking to your doctor. 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 (470) 288-1152 or visit us at www.roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!
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16 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
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AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 17
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COVID-19 Pandemic Stress?: Take a Breather! Brought to you by: The Hourglass Performance Institute
1. General consequences and changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for families across the USA. The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented, widespread impacts across all American households. There are legitimate concerns about our ability to weather the long-term consequences of the pandemic. One of the major concerns that we are facing is the cumulative effect of stress on people’s health and functioning. Americans are struggling to cope with the disruptions the pandemic has caused to many aspects of their lives, including their work, money, the economy, family responsibilities, personal health concerns, health problems affecting the family, relationships (i.e., family, friends, colleagues), housing costs, personal safety, job stability, and discrimination. The American Psychological Association (APA) conducted a recent survey across the USA which revealed that approximately 8 in 10 adults (78%) say the coronavirus pandemic is a significant source of stress in their life. And, 2 in 3 adults (67%) say they have experienced increased stress over the course of the pandemic. People have been anxious and stressed about many aspects of life due to the pandemic. Many have been worried about the possibility of becoming exposed to the coronavirus or have had to cope with illness or death in the family as a result of the exposure. Others, especially the ones that have lived on their own, have become stressed and depressed due to the isolation and social distancing. Caregivers worry about their job security, their incomes, and their ability to provide adequately for their families. Many parents have had to adjust their lifestyles at home when helping their children with inhome school activities, on top of their usual parental responsibilities. Children are missing their first days of school, months, or even years of in-person schooling, graduation ceremonies, sports competitions, playdates, and time with relatives. And finally, there has been stress in general about the uncertainties for the future, while wondering when or if we could ever return to our “old” lives, before the coronavirus confronted us. In spite of the current COVID-19 vaccines, the pandemic will most likely not go away very soon, and the stressful disruptions in our lives caused by the coronavirus will also remain with us for a while. However, there is a proven method to manage a lot of the stress while facing daily challenges during the pandemic, namely the use of your own breathing!
2. Understanding stress: Stress is change To manage our daily stress with our breathing during this pandemic, it is helpful to understand the underlying principles of stress. An important aspect of understanding stress is to consider stress as change. The more changes we are exposed to in our lives, the more stress this may cause. Just consider the amount of stress we are currently facing due to the dramatic changes caused by the pandemic. These unprecedented changes are associated with almost every aspect of our lives whether financially, socially, physically, mentally, emotionally, or behaviorally. To respond to these challenging changes efficiently, we need to use a gas pedal and a brake pedal, both located in our body. The gas pedal, scientifically called the sympathetic nervous system, is important when we need to be energized and actively involved while dealing with pandemic related stress. The brake pedal, called the parasympathetic nervous system, is important when we need to restore ourselves during recovery periods while enduring the pandemic stress. For healthy stress management, we need a strong pedal system that is used wisely. Efficient use of the pedal system means that we need to know how and when to push on each pedal when managing stress. Exposure to long, intense durations of stress like the COVID-19 pandemic, where we continuously push hard on our “gas pedal,” will eventually exceed our stress management capacity and can lead to signs of burn out. This would be similar to burning up the engine of our car by pushing on the gas pedal as hard as possible for hours in a row. It is therefore important to counteract the activity of the gas pedal by pushing on the brake pedal for recovery purposes when managing daily stress. 3. Controlling the gas and brake pedal system for stress management. There are many ways we can manage stress in life (i.e., hobbies, sport activities) However, the most efficient and effective way of optimizing and controlling our gas and brake pedals when we have to manage stress is via our own breathing! Evidencebased research has demonstrated the immediate and powerful control of our breathing on the gas and brake pedal system. Specifically, our breathing in activates the gas pedal, while our breathing out activates the brake pedal.
A very effective way to influence the pedal system is through the focused abdominal breathing technique. This type of breathing requires a focus on our breathing while paying attention to our abdomen or belly where the diaphragm is located. The diaphragm is a very important breathing muscle that is strongly connected with the gas and brake pedals. To get familiar with the abdominal breathing technique, it is helpful to imagine the belly as a balloon that fills up with air when we breathe in for a duration of 2-3 seconds, and then deflates when we breathe out for a duration of 2-3 seconds. The breathing should be done in a relaxed, comfortable manner and not too deep, to avoid hyperventilation. By implementing even relaxed abdominal breaths, we are pushing evenly on the gas pedal and on the brake pedal, forcing our pedal system to become balanced. The balancing of the pedal system is helpful in recovering from high levels of unhealthy stress, where the gas pedal unnecessarily overrules the brake pedal. To manage stress as well as possible through our breathing, it is not only important to be able to balance the gas and the brake pedals at will, but it is also essential to keep the pedal system strong. A stronger gas pedal allows us to be more energized and focused when facing stressful situations, while a stronger brake pedal enables us to relax deeper and to better restore during recovery periods. We can strengthen the gas and the brake pedals optimally by implementing the focused abdominal breathing technique where we slow down our breathing to about 6 breaths per minute. This means that we breathe in for 5 seconds and breathe out for 5 seconds. This is called resonance frequency breathing. Resonance frequency breathing pushes the deepest on our gas and brake pedals which then maximally strengthens the pedal system. The stronger we make our pedal system, the more we increase our stress management capacity. As mentioned earlier, stronger gas and brake pedals allow us to be more energetic and to recover deeper when managing stressful events like the pandemic. 4. Implementation of breathing during the pandemic To implement our breathing as a powerful tool to help us cope on a daily basis with pandemic-related stressors,
we could use regular focused abdominal breathing during the restoration periods of our day, when we would like to recover from specific daily tasks, and also to establish a healthy sleep routine. Stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread sleep difficulties. According to a 2021 survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), about 56% of Americans say they have what experts have labeled “COVID-somnia”, an increase in sleep disturbances. Focused abdominal breathing lowers our brain activity and therefore removes stressful thoughts before we close our eyes, better preparing us for a good night of sleep. When we sleep better, we wake up more refreshed and with more energy, which allows us to manage our daily stress better. To strengthen and maintain our optimal stress management capacity, we should practice resonance frequency breathing sessions for 5 minutes, a couple of times a week, applying our focused abdominal breathing using 5 seconds durations for the breaths in and for the breaths out. To become accustomed to these relatively long breaths, it is recommended to start using 2 seconds breathing durations and increase the length of the breaths by one second during the following sessions until it feels comfortable to use breaths of 5 seconds duration. Focused abdominal breathing will not take all the COVID-19-related stressors away, but it gives us a powerful tool to manage our stress better during the pandemic. Focused abdominal breathing is not difficult and it is always available to us. It is good for young and old and it can be helpful for any type of stressful situation, whether at home, at work, at school, or in sports settings. Good luck and take a breather! The Hourglass Performance Institute, or HPI, is an Atlanta-based mental performance consulting service with its foundation in sport psychology expertise. HPI is specialized in providing stress management services to promote performance, health, and well-being in sport, work, school, and home settings. HPI’s stress management expertise has been cited in the Wall Street Journal. To learn more, visit: www.hpi-us.com
18 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Self-advocacy and second opinions Brought to you by - Premier Dermatology Second opinions can be invaluable. A study by the Mayo Clinic found that a diagnosis was changed or discovered in 21% of patients seeking a second opinion, and nearly 66% of all patients seeking a second opinion had their diagnosis refined. Receiving care for the wrong diagnosis or, more often, not receiving care for an undiagnosed issue can be life altering or sometimes even prove deadly. Recently, a surprising number of patients have told me about experiences when their own initiative or a second opinion proved to be lifesaving. One patient was told that an incidental finding of low platelets (thrombocytopenia) was dismissed by his first physician as likely of little consequence. This patient sought a second opinion, and a bone marrow biopsy identified leukemia and led to treatment. Another patient’s doctor told her that a mass could be watched and that since imaging was not necessary, it would not be covered by insurance. She paid out of her own pocket for a CT scan that identified the cancer that she suspected she had. Multiple other patients shared similar stories. And whereas this may come as a shock to some, it is, sadly, not surprising to me. Physicians are not infallible. I genuinely believe that patients should be their own advocate. Good physicians support their patients seeking additional professional opinions. In fact, my patients and I share similar stories because a second (fifth actually) opinion saved the life – or more accurately the quality and course of life – of my son: I count my blessings that my wife holds to her convictions and advocates for our family. Multiple “second” opinions at her insistence saved my oldest child from a lifetime of developmental struggles and unnecessary deafness. Our oldest effectively stopped talking at about 14 months old. He never had a diagnosed or suspected ear infection. And although he would eventually turn towards us when we called his name, my wife was convinced that he could not hear. She took him to multiple pediatricians and was repeatedly dismissed with the counsel that “boys will be boys” and “not everyone is a talker.” These were board-certified, well-trained physicians. Over the course of a year, his speech deteriorated from a dozen words at 14
months to only 2 words at 2 years old. A pediatric ENT, an audiologist and another pediatrician examined him and suggested autism, but when asked, they could not support their conclusions convincingly. The diagnosis just didn’t fit, as there were no other symptoms of autism. Finally, at our second pediatric ENT and audiology appointment, the audiologist determined that the way sound waves bounced back from his ear drums was not consistent with open, air-filled middle ears. Dr. Matthew Whitley (Pediatric Ear Nose and Throat of Atlanta) scheduled an appointment to place tubes in his ear drums and explore further. Shortly into the surgery, Dr. Whitley discovered that my son had “glue ear,” which is when a glue-like semisolid forms behind the ear drum. Our son could hear sounds, which explains how he passed his first hearing test at one year old, but sounds were heard as if underwater, and he could not differentiate between many sounds which made speech unintelligible. Dr. Whitley inserted tubes, removed the glue-like material from our son’s middle ear and restored his hearing. Within one week our son went from speaking two words to twenty words. We were informed that in a case such as our son’s, it would likely have taken years for the glue ear to resolve on its own. Had we stuck with our first, second, third, or fourth opinion, our son would have been severely affected by deafness (and thus speech) during critical developmental years. As a Mohs surgeon, I have had many of my greatest successes in the field of skin cancer, oftentimes in the context of my serving as a second opinion. One patient was told by his previous Mohs surgeon that further surgery was not possible on his scalp, which was riddled with painful cancers. However, my patient and I selectively employed photodynamic therapy, 5-fluorouracil cream and Mohs surgery with skin grafts. His scalp is now healed and pain and cancer-free. Other patients have come to me with skin cancers dismissed by their previous dermatologists who assured them that a biopsy was not necessary. The most common scenario has been that of growths that the patients were reassured were cysts but that ultimately proved to be squamous cell carcinomas. Biopsies have often identified the presence of skin
See SECOND, Page 20
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
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20 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section
Getting back to life pain-free with spinal surgery Brought to you by - Dr. Basheer Shakir, neurosurgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital While spinal surgery is becoming a more common procedure, many patients still have questions. Understandably, patients considering spine surgery can be either optimistic or worried. Complicating the longstanding challenges SHAKIR are new phenomena such as the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, new technologies and experienced specialists like those at Wellstar Health System offer people dealing with spinal ailments more hope than ever for positive outcomes. Successful treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis, and the care team at Wellstar collaborates with patients to personalize care and find the best treatment option. Patients and physicians must work together in identifying the source of the problem using imaging, a physical exam and the patient’s personal history.
Today’s technologies offer patients more ways than ever to relieve pain and get back to doing their favorite activities. Over the last several years, new developments have made surgery safer and less invasive. Wellstar’s surgeons are experienced in minimally-invasive procedures, which reduce short and long-term pain, hospital stays, risk of infection, time off work and disability after surgery. Our providers work to keep surgeries as minimally-invasive as possible, making the experience more comfortable for patients and helping them get back to their routines quicker. No two patients are the same, so Wellstar providers tailor the operation to the patient, considering factors like their differing anatomy, medical conditions, bone quality and age. Each patient will have a supportive care team by their side through the entire process to answer questions and ensure a smooth recovery. To learn more about spine surgery, visit wellstar.org/neurocare. To make an appointment with a neurosurgeon who specializes in spine surgery in North Fulton, call (770) 664-9600.
Second: Continued from Page 18 cancers that, if left untreated, could metastasize to other organ systems. Perhaps most frustrating to my patients, innumerable individuals have come to me upset that at their previous practice they were never told that Mohs surgery is an option. Frequently, patients first see me when cancers treated elsewhere begin to regrow. Usually, these cancers were treated by a scrape and burn (ED&C), standard excision or freezing by another doctor. Each of these methods is appropriate in certain circumstances, but what frustrated these patients is that they were not offered the choice of Mohs surgery. Mohs surgery is a method of curing skin cancer by removing small pieces of tissue and checking the edges under the microscope until clear, cancer-free margins are obtained. Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate (usually 99%) of any procedure for the most common skin cancers and is considered the gold standard treatment for skin cancer on the head and neck. Physicians have an obligation to present patients with the most reasonable treatment options, even when that treat-
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ment option is not available in their own practice. I sleep well at night knowing that I genuinely give my patients treatment that I would not necessarily pick for myself. My job is to present facts and to be a guide but not to choose for my patients. Just today, I saw a patient who was referred to me for Mohs surgery of a basal cell carcinoma on the lower edge of the nose. We reviewed his treatment options together. He had never considered radiation therapy until I presented it as an alternative to Mohs surgery, and ultimately radiation therapy is what he selected. Likewise, I occasionally have patients referred to me for Mohs surgery who select imiquimod cream instead of surgery after I present it as a treatment option for certain types of basal cell carcinoma. When non-surgical options exist, it is a surgeon’s responsibility to help educate a patient about treatment options worth considering. The providers at Premier Dermatology believe in second opinions and in patient advocacy. I, along with Kathryn Filipek, PA-C, strive to truly listen to our patients and empower them to seek second opinions and alternative courses of treatment. At Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta, whether we are your first or second (or fifth!) opinion, we make you and your family our priority.
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 21
22 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
Dunwoody Crier 4/14/22 Crossword
GUEST COLUMN
OPINION
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 23
Across
Georgians risk losing access to affordable health care
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these savings – which average $50 per month or $600 per year. Without an extension of health care subsidies, thousands of Georgians will soon face the financial burden of not being able to afford health care—especially as inflation is at an all-time high and people are paying higher prices for everyday goods. In fact, a 2021 Gallup poll found that more and more Americans are forgoing health treatment because costs are too high. No one should have to risk serious or fatal illness because they cannot afford the cost of care. Improving access to health care has been my life’s work. For over 35 years, I have helped lead health care organizations, including the American Heart Association, Emory Healthcare, and Johns Hopkins Hospital. My career has focused on bringing efficient, effective, and patient-centered care to everyone that walks into a hospital, doctor’s office, or clinic—regardless of their insurance status. Health care is just as personal to me as it is professional—one of my twin boys was born with a heart condition. Due to the tremendous care and open-heart surgery he received at two-years-old, he is thriving and doing remarkable work as a medical researcher at Emory. Unfortunately, however, too many families lack this same opportunity. Allowing federal marketplace tax credits to expire would be a huge mistake with detrimental consequences for Americans. With current ARPA health care subsidies, we have been able to deliver more financial relief than ever before to help people get covered and stay covered. There has never been a more important moment to ensure all Americans can get the quality health care they need and deserve. Georgians are counting on Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to do everything they can to permanently extend current marketplace subsidies so that more families and communities across our state are equipped to emerge from this pandemic stronger, healthier, and more resilient.
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We have learned too much about health policy that works to lose any ground we’ve gained in affordable care. Remember: at this time two years ago, we were trying to wrap our heads around a MARY ROBICHAUX new reality of isolaState Representative, District 48 tion and mitigation as COVID-19 spread throughout our communities and life as we knew it came to a screeching halt. The toll on our communities has been substantial and many are still reeling from the public health impact as well as the financial fallout. But even as we enter a third year with this global pandemic, there is reason for optimism. Cases and deaths due to the virus are down and today we have widespread access to three safe, effective, and free vaccines developed in record time. Good policy also plays a role in this optimism. Our federal leaders stepped up in an important way last year by expanding insurance subsidies through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which has given nearly 6 million Americans new access to affordable health care. This includes 127,100 uninsured Georgians who became newly eligible for tax credits. The impact of this financial assistance cannot be overstated—enrollment has reached record-breaking levels with more than 701,000 Georgia residents signing up for marketplace health coverage for 2022. This progress is significant, but we must keep in mind that millions of Americans will see their health insurance premiums rise considerably unless Congress acts to make current tax credits permanent before the end of the year when they’re set to expire. Premium payments could double for 14.5 million Americans with marketplace insurance coverage. Low-income enrollees could experience some of the largest premium increases. Many of these Americans could lose their coverage altogether as it becomes increasingly unaffordable. Current subsidies reduce premium rates for all individuals who purchase coverage in the marketplace. Making the subsidies permanent will ensure
State Representative Mary Robichaux represents Georgia’s House District 48.
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SOLUTION, Page 23
Happy Easter
from all of us atSolution on next page
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Continued from Page 8 “For our health care system to work as intended, patients, providers, and insurance companies each have to hold up their respective ends of the bargain,” Colbert said. “When Georgians paid their health insurance premiums each month, they did their part. Blue Cross Blue Shield failed to do the same when they
were slow to address members’ complaints and made it difficult for members to access health care by sharing inaccurate information about which doctors were in-network.” Meanwhile, Anthem is still locked in a contract dispute with the Atlantabased Northside Hospital system. A Fulton County judge has extended a reprieve in the dispute between Northside Hospital and Anthem until April 15, delaying for a second time the need for thousands of patients to switch
doctors. Northside patients who have Anthem insurance have been caught in the middle of the battle between the insurer and the hospital system for months. King said that as a Georgia consumer, he is concerned about the contract standoff, but added that his department does not have the authority to force a resolution. This article was first published on georgiahealthnews.com
Bunny Hop: Continued from Page 1 some celebrations to the town center area, beginning with Easter. “I think the biggest difference is it’s more organic, because you come as you want anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.” Prell said. “It’s more of a stroll around the park.” For more information on upcoming city events, visit johnscreekga.gov/calendar.
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DEATH NOTICES Ronald Russell, 84, of Milton, GA passed away on March 22, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Scott Dunbar, 50, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on March 25, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Cheryl Jorgensen, 75, of Roswell, GA passed away on March 31, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Nodya Havice, 75, of Roswell, GA passed away on March 23, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Jewell Dalton, 98, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on March 25, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Ann Hudson, 67, of Roswell, GA passed away on March 31, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Darrell Flowe, 68, of Roswell, GA passed away on March 24, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Patsy Flowe, 94, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on March 30, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Rita Leanza, 85, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on April 2, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Bobby Joe Reed, 88, of Cumming, GA passed away on April 3, 2022. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory.
28 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
OPINION
The lifespan of history and the lessons lost I came across a nice piece of writing the other day. Marc Cenedella, founder and CEO of Ladders website, wrote a piece, “Once in a Lifetime,” in which he proposed that the United PAT FOX States faces a monuManaging Editor mental crisis every pat@appenmediagroup.com 80 years. He observed that in 1781, 1861, 1941 and again in 2021, this country has had to reshape itself to
forge a new social and economic path to the future. It is no coincidence, he wrote, that the average human life is about 80 years. These major upheavals surface as the final eyewitnesses to the last crisis are buried – the limit of personal memory. “We bury wisdom in its grave, only to retrace the path to its errors.” That’s a good line. It explains much of what’s going on in America today. Most astounding to me are neo-Nazis parading openly on the same soil where, 80 years earlier, my father, the fathers
of nearly all the kids I grew up with, and three of my uncles shipped overseas to fight tyranny in its most evil incarnation. Even a decade after the war, when I was a kid, the extremist displays we see today would never have happened. There was no audience for them. In today’s polarized society, it is remarkable how both ends of the political spectrum siphon blood spilled for this country to nourish their own agendas – less regulation, higher wages, smaller houses, bigger cars. Sometimes, when I see at old, scratchy newsreels from the 1920s, I study the people walking down city streets in their suits and porkpie hats. I wonder what they are thinking about. Maybe they’re musing over a Will Rogers column poking fun at Calvin Coolidge, or how Black Gold won the Kentucky Derby. Maybe they are chatting with a friend about the new Buster Keaton movie (never mentioning that he performed all his own mindboggling stunts without computer generated imagery). Whatever it was the were talking about, most has been lost to history, topics we’ll probably never discuss again. One final note about the lifespan of memory and its blue-collar relationship with history. It’s personal, but it helps illustrate how fickle the relationship can be.
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE PURPOSE An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was summited to City on April 5, 2022 for Consumption on Premises of Malt Beverage, Wine and Distilled Spirits. BUSINESS NAME Lunsford Hospitality LLC Dba Snook’s Grill & cocktails Johns Creek, GA 30022 OWNER/OFFICERS Lunsford Hospitality LLC Dba Snook’s Grill & cocktails Johns Creek, GA 30022 Owner, Jekerri Lunsford
During my childhood, my dad would often say, “I like old Joe,” whenever my little brother, Joseph, did something praiseworthy, like bringing home a good report card. It was years later he told me where he came up with the expression. He picked it up from Harry Truman. During Truman’s 1948 campaign, a reporter asked the president his thoughts on Soviet Premier Stalin whom he’d met at the Potsdam Conference in 1945. This was a good 12 years after Stalin had organized a mass starvation in Ukraine that led to the deaths of more than 3 million peasants. “I like old Joe,” Truman told the reporter. “He is a decent fellow. But Joe is a prisoner of the Politburo.” You won’t find that quote in any history book. Before Google, you’d have had to scour library basement archives to unearth it. Yet, my dad remembered it from when it happened. He might have read it in a newspaper or heard it on a radio news broadcast. It stuck with him, and it died with him – except for my remembering it. The quote is all but forgotten now. If no one reads this column – which is pretty likely – then, in a few years, it will be as though Truman’s expression of fondness for one of history’s greatest monsters will never have been uttered.
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Legislature: Continued from Page 4 providing an initial salvo for campaign season. These bills await the governor’s signature. One measure, dubbed the Freedom to Farm bill, limits conditions a nuisance suit can be brought against farms, livestock handlers or the timber industry. The permitting requirement to carry a concealed firearm was eliminated with SB 319, waiving additional background checks from the GBI and FBI, fingerprinting and the fee collected by county probate courts. Georgia is set to become the 25th state to eliminate these requirements. The governor had already signed SB 514 on March 29 allowing parents to opt their children out of school mask mandates. Two bills related to education were
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 29
also bound for Kemp’s desk before the last legislative day started: • SB 226 requires local boards of education to create a complaint policy for parents who claim that education materials are harmful to minors. Under the proposed law, principals are required to respond to parents within seven days. Opponents call it a book ban bill. • HB 1178, called the Parents’ Bill of Rights, would give parents the right to see materials used in classroom instruction. State law already grants public review. Both chambers chugged along after the speeches, passing bills with eyes towards the May primaries: • SB 259 removes places of worship from the unauthorized list where firearms or rifles can be carried. The bill also prevents local governments from prohibiting the discharge of firearms on land that is 10 acres or more. • HB 1, called “The FORUM Act,” prevents universities and technical schools
from creating free speech zones. • SB 345 prevents the state or local governments from asking for proof of COVID-19 vaccination before receiving any services or accessing a building. The requirement does not apply if adherence would violate Centers for Medicare and Medicaid or any federal requirements. • SB 441 authorizes the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate any election fraud claims. That authority currently rests with the Elections Division under Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. If a GBI investigation happens, the GBI director, assistant director and deputy director for investigations are authorized to issue subpoenas, with approval from the Georgia Attorney General. A subpoena could require local elections board to produce papers or documents. A prior elections bill, HB 1464, cleared the House, but was gutted in a Senate committee hearing. An earlier version of this bill had a provision about
ballot chain of custody. Fifteen minutes before midnight political theater was on full display as the “divisive concepts” legislation was brought before the House for a floor vote. The bill, HB 1084, limits how “divisive concepts” such as race are taught in K-12 curriculum. It was amended at the last moment to include language allowing the Georgia High School Association to ban transgender participation in sports. The House quickly approved 98-77 along a party line vote. A motion to reconsider failed 70-99. The Senate took up the bill just after midnight without debate and before the bill was printed. Despite objection from Democrats about the procedure, the Republican controlled Senate passed it 32-21. Before final dismissal, both chambers passed HB 824 giving lawmakers about a 40% pension increase.
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RECEPTIONIST GCAC of Georgia, Giving Children A Chance is in search of a receptionist in Alpharetta, Georgia We are seeking an exceptional individual with a positive attitude who has the ability to multitask and possesses great organizational skills. The right person will be willing to go above and beyond to deliver superior services to a diverse customer base. This candidate will function as a team player supporting a passionate group of professionals working in a private Foster Care Placement Agency and performing front office responsibilities. The candidate must have excellent verbal communication skills, with a great understanding of how to work with others from all walks of life. Qualified candidate will function as a gate keeper for the organization. The rewards of this job offer a unique opportunity to work in an environment where one can truly makes a difference in the life of a child. Prefer a college degree in business, social sciences, or marketing. Candidate will have a working knowledge of Windows based programs, telephone systems and office equipment. To apply, please send resume, salary requirements and a detailed cover letter explaining your interest in this position to Heatherl@GCACofGeorgia.com
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Director of Open Arms Special Needs Ministry Alpharetta Presbyterian Church has an opportunity for a compassionate and energetic individual who enjoys working with special needs children, youth, and adults to direct our Open Arms ministry. Responsibilities • Lead the Promise Class (where our special needs community congregates) during Sunday morning services in worship through music, Bible lessons, crafts, and other activities. • Supervise, work with, and coordinate volunteers and staff. • Direct quarterly respite events at the church. • Work alongside the Open Arms committee and Associate Pastor to identify opportunities to sustain and grow this ministry. Hours vary but average six per week, with 3–4 hours every Sunday morning. Compensation is up to $18/hour plus 3 Sundays (weeks) of paid vacation per year. Requirements • Annual Background Check and Child Safety Training • Current American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) CPR training/certification for infants, children, and adults (or complete within 3 months of hire) • Proof of vaccination against COVID-19, since you will be working with a vulnerable population. • Degree in Special Education and experience managing staff preferred. • Age 21 years or older. Interested? Send us a letter telling us why, along with your resume: jobs@alpharettapres.com To learn more about Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, please visit us in person or at https://alpharettapres.com/.
Newspaper Delivery Routes Open We have several delivery routes open in the Alpharetta-Roswell / North Fulton area. The work is once a week and requires the following: Reliable transportation, very clean driving record (we do a record check), and professional work ethic. We prefer the ideal person to have experience delivering newspapers but that is not an absolute requirement. The delivery route is to every home in the subdivision - and is NOT subscriber based. The route can be done on your schedule - within our specific 2-3 day window - depending on which paper you deliver. We pay for all your gas, provide bags, and pay you as an independent contractor on a per home delivered basis. Call our office at 770-442-3278 to request an application. The typical route pays approximately $140 plus gas per week and takes about 4-5 hours to deliver.
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Cemetery
JOHNS CREEK
GREELAWN ROSWELL
Fully equipped cafe. State Bridge Centre. Includes tables & chairs; coffee, tea, espresso & cappuccino machines; hot dog & pizza grills, display refrigeration units for beverages, salads, sandwiches, desserts, etc. Contact Robert at 404-680-2270
FREE
Contact a Generac dealer for full terms and conditions
Retail Space for Rent
Prime drive-up location! Accommodates 4 urns, or one casket & one urn. $4895.
Office/Business Equip/Supplies EXECUTIVE DESK: Arhaus traditional styling with storage. Shows well for home office. $700. For photos call 678-296-0020
Send us your ... Cemetery
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Prime drive-up location!
SERVICE DIRECTORY Concrete/ Asphalt
Garden/Lawn DISCOUNT CYPESS & ARBOVITAE TREES avniarpacilar@ h o t m a i l . c o m
Miscellaneous LARGE C AT TREEHOUSE: Barely worn. $65, originally $125. 678-663-5953
ROOF LEAKING?
Ralph Rucker
678-898-7237
678-898-7237
678-898-7237
Home Improvement
Pinestraw
Tree Services
Driveway
Phillips Home I m p r o v e m e n t
COMPLETE TREE
$250 OFF NEW DRIVEWAY!
We offer drywall, painting, carpentry, plumbing and electrical. Basements finished, kitchen and bath rehabs. All types flooring. Also total home rehab for those who have a rental house or one to sell. Call 678-887-1868 for a free estimate
PINESTRAW, mulch delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch. 770-831-3612.
Retaining Walls Brick or Wood
Contact Ralph Rucker. Many local references. Honest, punctual, professional and reasonable prices!
Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs. A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $4,500.
PHILLIPS FLOORING Hardwood, laminate, carpet & tile installation and repairs. We do tile floors, showers, tub surrounds and kitchen back-splashes. Re-grouting is also available. Call 678-8871868 for free estimate.
Gutters
Bargains
Full Service Bush Hogging, LANDSCAPING Company Clearing,
Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123. Christian Brothers Roofing
Flooring
Prepare for power
outages today Prepare for power outages today
AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | April 14, 2022 | 31
AARON’S ALL-TYPE GUTTERS Repaired and Installed. Covers, siding, soffit, facia. www.aaronsgutters.com. Senior citizen discount! 770-934-2766
Haulers
Grading, Hauling, Etc.
Many local references-
Call Ralph Rucker
Capable of doing your job – grading, hauling and tree service.
Roofing
SERVICES Appen-Rated 98 Text or Call us for a FREE quote appointment. Tree removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Free mulch, Fully insured, Emergency 24/7 770-450-8188
Junk Removal Call Junk Express For professional full service junk removal. Licensed/insured. Same day service available. Ask about our specials. 770-824-1000
Tree Services
Landscaping From Atlanta to Athens, Landscaping Concepts & Retaining Walls Inc. Paverstone Patio & Driveway. Bobcat work. 678-508-5990. www. landscapeconcepts1ga. com
scaping
Is Your Company Hiring?
24 hour emergency service. Licensed, insured. Workers Comp, insurance claims. 25+ years experience. Family business. Free estimates. We Love Challenges! Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts 770-512-8733 • www.yellowribbontree.com
Submit your opening at appenmedia.com/hire
32 | April 14, 2022 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek
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