Johns Creek Herald - April 25, 2024

Art in the park

Tour explores Cauley Creek history, sculptures

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Joan Compton, co-president of the Cultural Arts Alliance at Johns Creek, covered 200 years of history with a small group gathered on a bright, hot Sunday afternoon near the new Rogers Bridge at Cauley Creek Park.

The outdoor program April 14 centered on the intersection of art and history, with Compton providing points of connection between the area’s key historical figures and nearby steel sculptures at the park and across the river in Duluth.

Compton, who founded the Johns Creek Historical Society, first defined Cauley Creek Park as Cherokee Nation farmland and explained the significance of Rogers Bridge.

The bridge was named after John Rogers, who was a prominent area landowner in the early 1800s and a friend of former President Andrew Jackson.

After the Rogers family lost their land once the Treaty of New Echota was passed in 1835, Compton said the area became a favorite site of gold panners. One gold mine shaft remains at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve.

Beverly Thompson, a direct descendant of the Rogers, the Bells and the Taylors (her maiden name), chimed in periodically to add color to Compton’s presentation.

Thompson, who grew up on the

Joan

Taylor farm, recalled rural life and the devastation of high water before the Buford Dam was built in the 1950s.

“People would call and tell their neighbors, ‘The river’s out, the river’s

out,’ so that everybody could get their cows out of the way and whatever else they needed to do,” Compton said.

Medlock Bridge, State Bridge intersection set for revamp

City to add glass recycling station

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek City Council approved a plan April 15 that reimagines the Medlock Crossing Shopping Center to feature more entertainment options and gathering spots.

The plan had been up for a vote in November after months of interviewing stakeholders, meeting with area property owners and holding public input meetings.

Out of the four corners of the State Bridge and Medlock Bridge roads intersection, Regal Medlock Crossing was the sole candidate with enough redevelopment potential.

The original recommendation focused on owner-occupied housing and lower density. But, the City Council asked staff to give it another go, following comments about the vision being too conservative.

See COUNCIL, Page 20

Compton, co-president of the Cultural Arts Alliance at Johns Creek, describes the significance of the steel sculpture at Cauley Creek Park April 14. Compton, also the founder and president of the Johns Creek Historical Society, led a presentation on the intersection of art and history.

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Second student charged after classmate allegedly brought gun to Forsyth school

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A second student has been arrested at Little Mill Middle School after a 14-year-old classmate allegedly brought a firearm to campus April 16.

Sheriff’s Office officials said deputies identified a student April 17 who allegedly knew the initial suspect had the firearm.

The Sheriff’s Office was notified after another student reported the possible firearm to school administration. A school resource officer searched the 14-year-old student and found a loaded 9 mm pistol in their waistband.

The first student was arrested and transported to the Regional Youth Detention Center.

Officials said the two students talked about the weapon, and the second student

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.

Man arrested for DUI on State Bridge Road

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a 24-year-old Cumming man April 11 after observing him speeding more than 80 mph on State Bridge Road and following another vehicle too closely.

Before conducting the stop, police had received reports about the suspect recklessly driving in his red Jeep Wrangler and yelling at other drivers, according to the incident report.

Police noted the suspect’s rambling and reported a smell of alcohol, though he did not confirm how many drinks he had consumed.

Police arrested the suspect and charged him with driving under the

recorded video of the first student with the firearm. The video was later posted to social media, which drew concern from parents and classmates.

The video was filmed during the school day, and it was not reported to school resource officers or administration. Officials said the video was not posted as a warning to students or parents.

Officials also said the second student was not involved in their classmate bringing the firearm to school.

Investigation shows the firearm was secured by the first student’s parents, and the student accessed the locked storage container without their parents knowing.

The second student was charged with

influence, reckless driving, following too closely, speeding, turn signal required, headlights required and driving too fast for conditions.

The suspect was transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

Mother and son report car break-ins

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating two car break-ins at Willeo Park April 7 after a Roswell woman and her son reported stolen cash and credit cards.

The victims, a 51-year-old Roswell woman and her 29-year-old son, said they parked their cars along Willeo Road around 4 p.m. for a walk in the park.

When the victims returned to their parked vehicles around 8 p.m., they discovered an unidentified suspect had broken into the man’s Ford F-150.

The male victim said he is sure he locked his truck before heading into the park.

An officer said the method of entry

misdemeanor terroristic threats and removed from the school.

Sheriff’s Office officials said April 16 the school is secure, and no one was injured.

Sheriff Ron Freeman said the Sheriff’s Office has more than 50 deputies serving as school resource officers in Forsyth County Schools, with at least one deputy assigned to each campus.

“This is a sobering example of why it is so important to emphasize ‘see something, say something’ to our kids and students, as it takes all of us to keep our kids and schools safe,” Freeman said.

The investigation is ongoing, but the Sheriff’s Office does not expect any additional charges.

appears to be a pry tool used between the passenger side windows. He also said two footprints were found inside the truck on the center consol.

The victim said multiple credit cards and more than $300 in cash were taken from his truck.

The victim told officers he had already canceled his BestBuy credit card, which the suspect attempted to use at a Target and Walmart in Marietta. He said both transactions, each more than $1,000, were declined.

A transaction using the victim’s Regions Bank card for around $1,000 went through at a Walmart. The victim did not report fraudulent transactions on his Home Depot card or Bank of America debit and credit cards.

Officers then spoke with the second victim, the man’s mother, who said she parked behind her son on Willeo Road.

The female victim said some lose change and a medical kit was taken from her vehicle.

Both victims told officers they want an investigation and to press charges if an offender is found.

Special Olympics Georgia honors Johns Creek coach

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Leah Douglass said becoming a coach to athletes with special needs was a life changer.

Douglass heads flag football, soccer and basketball for Special K’s, a Johns Creekbased nonprofit and one of some 200 local agencies of Special Olympics Georgia.

Special K’s gives athletes aged 8 and older a space to train and compete in a variety of Olympic-type sports. With around 100 athletes, the organization serves North Fulton but also neighboring counties like Forsyth, helping to fill a void.

“It is so rewarding,” Douglass said, whose 18-year-old son Jake is an athlete with Special K’s. “The athletes are just amazing … They inspire me. They are inspirational.”

The work earned Douglass Special Olympics Georgia Coach of the Year in January, the third time a coach with Special K’s has had the honor.

“I was so humbled and honored because there’s so many great people out there — the [unified] partners and coaches and athletes and parents,” Douglass said. “To be recognized amongst that group is even that much more special.”

Unified partners participate in the sport alongside athletes with special needs, providing an inclusive experience. Douglass’ flag football team is unified, and she is a unified partner herself, keeping pace with an athlete at the Peachtree Road Race every year.

“It makes it that much more meaningful,” Douglass said. She has competed in the Atlanta 10K since 1984.

Douglass joined Special K’s in 2019 at the request of her lifelong best friend and flag football co-coach Helen Villar, whose family had just begun volunteering with the nonprofit earlier that year after meeting with Special K’s coordinator Chris Bray.

“The positivity and energy [Douglass] brings is infectious,” said Bray, who was recognized for his work with Special K’s at the Johns Creek City Council meeting March 4. He has been involved for more than 20 years. “It’s something that really does rub off on the athletes.”

Villar, who wrote Douglass’ nomination letter, said she has a knack for making the athletes feel good, heard and respected.

“They seek her out, just to get the fist pump or the high-five,” Villar said.

Inseparable since elementary school, Villar said she has supported Douglass while navigating life with a son who has special needs.

“When Special K’s came along … Jake was 12 or 13, and I think that it’s just really helped his social activity and his ability to interact with people

and feel celebrated,” Villar said.

Jeff Smith has watched his own daughter Lilah grow through Special K’s, learning sportsmanship and collaboration. But, as a co-coach with Douglass, Smith said he has witnessed the evolution in skills of all the flag football team members.

Smith said Douglass ensures the experience is enjoyable for the athletes, giving them what they need to succeed.

“From my perspective, as a parentturned-co-coach with [Douglass], she just always goes above and beyond,” Smith said.

Smith’s son Tyler is a unified partner on the flag football team, meaning he wakes up early on Saturday mornings to play alongside the athletes at Newtown Park, where Special K’s flag football practice is held. The organization also practices in Alpharetta and Roswell.

Tyler, a junior at Denmark High School, said the role of head coach requires a lot of patience, which Douglass has been able to master on the field.

“I, myself, sometimes don’t have the level of patience that I should, but I have never seen her in a moment as a coach, where she has never had the patience for her athletes or for her partners, even in a stressful situation out there,” Tyler said.

He also noted her open-mindedness to suggestions and the level of commitment to not only Special K’s but to her son Jake, who also attends Denmark High.

In his sophomore year, Tyler formed the first and only unified league at a Forsyth County school, though he hopes the idea will spread. Douglass had been a resource for him starting up the flag football team there.

“I wouldn’t have a unified program at my school without Special K’s,” Tyler said. “I wouldn’t be as excited about it. I wouldn't be as involved in the Special Olympics in general, and the truth is that all comes back to Leah being the coach in the first place.”

CHRIS BRAY/PROVIDED

Leah Douglass, head coach of the Johns Creek-based nonprofit Special K’s, accepts the Special Olympics Georgia Coach of the Year award in January.

Johns Creek orchestra to bid farewell to late founder, maestro with concert

CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will perform “Celebrating the Maestro” May 4, a concert in memory of late founder and maestro J. Wayne Baughman.

The program was hand-picked by Baughman before his death in November after a battle with pancreatic cancer. It will feature some of his favorites over the past 18 years, since the nonprofit’s founding, and solos from his two daughters — violinist and JCSO concertmaster Adelaide Federici and Singing Sergeants soprano Katie Edelman.

Ken Double, organist for the Fox Theatre, will act as emcee of the concert, and Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry will share remarks about the impact Baughman had on the community.

“This is our chance to say goodbye to the maestro and thank him for founding the orchestra and being such a great advocate for the arts in our community,” Executive Director Linda Brill said. “We know he’ll be watching.”

The orchestra will perform selections from “West Side Story” and “Camelot” as well as “Méditation” from the opera “Thaïs” by Jules Massenet, featuring a solo from Federici.

Edelman will sing “The Light in the Piazza” by Adam Guettel, orchestrated by Tim Aucoin, a JCSO board member, sought-after jazz musician and former orchestra director at Northview High School.

The group will also perform “Summertime” from George Gershwin’s opera “Porgy and Bess” in memory of Steve Dorough, a longtime friend of Baughman who had helped fundraise for the Legacy Center — an envisioned performance hall

KEN ORTLOFF/PROVIDED Maestro J. Wayne Baughman leads the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra last May at the nonprofit’s side-by-side concert with Northview High School at Johns Creek United Methodist Church.

If you go

Location: Johns Creek

United Methodist Church

Time: May 4, 7:30 p.m.

Purchase tickets: johnscreeksymphony.org.

in Johns Creek.

Before his death last year, Dorough had won the chance to guest conduct the song at the nonprofit’s annual gala.

The program will also feature “Pomp and Circumstance,” the go-to song for graduation ceremonies all over. Brill said the likely intention of Baughman to include the piece was a commentary on his graduation onto the next phase in life.

That Saturday evening, Brill said the audience will be the first to hear about the future of the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra and exciting plans in the works.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed by a reception, at Johns Creek United Methodist Church. Tickets can be purchased online at johnscreeksymphony. org.

GARAGE SALES

See more garage sales in the classifieds

JOHNS CREEK, DoubleGate Subdivision Community Sale (enter into Twingate Dr. from State Bridge). Saturday 4/27 8am-2pm. See signs & balloons. Online info: doublegate.net

THE FALLS OF AUTRY MILL- Saturday April 27 from 8:00am to 2:00pm.

HUGE NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALES. More than 40 homes: Furniture, collectibles, tools, sporting goods, appliances, clothing, toys and more. Streets marked with signs and homes marked with balloons. Rain or shine.

ROSWELL Multi family. Crabapple Creek and Crabapple Walk Subdivisions. 130 Birchwood Court 30076. Saturday 4/27, 8AM-1PM. Furniture, toys, clothing and more!

DEADLINE

To place garage sale ads: Noon Friday. Call 770-442-3278 or email classifieds@appenmediagroup.com

This “good to know” moment made possible by Emory Women’s Center.

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Visit emoryhealthcare.org/women to schedule an appointment.

Officials break ground on $34.6 million Abbotts Bridge project

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — City, county and state elected officials gathered alongside Johns Creek staff April 18 to break ground on a $34.6 million construction project along Abbotts Bridge Road.

Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry was joined by Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne and Sen. Shawn Still to mark the beginning of a project that will add turn lanes, medians, sidewalks and bike lanes between Parsons and Medlock Bridge roads to match the section from Jones Bridge to Parsons roads.

Improvements will directly serve more than a dozen neighborhoods, Abbotts Hill Elementary School and the Standard Club golf course. Construction is slated for completion in summer 2027 and is funded by TSPLOST, or transportation special local option sales tax, II.

The added turn lanes benefit both those needing safe ingress and egress from neighborhoods as well as the traffic flow for commuters.

In addition to turning lanes, the project also addresses existing substandard horizontal and vertical roadway curves, like the major road curve by Reynold’s Farm and the Abbotts Run neighborhood.

The project will also replace two large box culverts carrying the namesake Johns Creek under the road to minimize flooding issues and reduce environmental impacts.

Improvements will also include pedestrian and bicycle facilities to provide options for residents to

Tractor Supply seeks Atlanta market with location near North Point Mall

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — National retail chain Tractor Supply Company is seeking to tap into the Metro Atlanta market with a proposed location across from Alpharetta’s North Point Mall.

If approved by the City Council, the new store would take over the 34,313-square-foot vacant Ethan Allen at 6800 North Point Parkway.

The Alpharetta store would become the company’s first in Metro Atlanta along Ga. 400. Its nearest locations are in Kennesaw, Buford and two in Canton.

Developers are seeking an amendment to the North Point Business Center master plan, a conditional use permit and a variance to open the location.

The property sits in the heart of Alpharetta’s North Point corridor, which the city has prioritized for redevelopment since the decline of the North Point Mall.

The mall once served as the retail heart of the city until the rise of mixeduse projects such as City Center and Avalon in the 2010s.

Approved developments in the area include Brixmor at Mansell Crossing, which will include restaurant and retail components, a Big Creek Greenway connection and a renovation of Barnes and Noble on North Point Parkway; retail plaza Encore Commons; and Pickle and Social off Haynes Bridge and Rock Mill roads.

Ecco Park, a townhome development, and Maru Japanese Restaurant are under construction on North Point Drive.

Plans for the redevelopment of the North Point Mall are still pending. In January, Economic and Community Development Director Kathi Cook said the city anticipates a new proposal for the mall around this summer.

The regional mall is one location

SCREENSHOT

Tractor Supply Company is eyeing the former Ethan Allen at 6800 North Point Parkway, highlighted in yellow, for its first Metro Atlanta location. The Alpharetta City Council is set to consider the proposal at a meeting May 20.

in north Metro Atlanta developers are eyeing for a National Hockey League franchise.

In a March press release, Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment Group announced it is working with North Point Mall owners New York Life to redevelop the property with an arena for hockey and concerts designed by architect Frank Gehry; facilities for esports and performing arts; a professional-level outdoor stadium; hotels; and retail, dining and residential components.

Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment Group is an ownership group backed by NHL veteran Anson Carter, Neil Leibman, Peter Simon and Aaron Zeigler. It is not affiliated with the city.

Alpharetta hosted a community zoning information meeting April 10 to field public feedback and concerns about the proposed Tractor Supply store.

The Planning Commission is scheduled to give its recommendation on the use May 2 before the application faces the City Council for final approval May 20.

Post 201 Family Day Open House

Sunday, Apr. 28, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Bounce Houses, Face Painting & More for Children

Free Hot Dogs, Hamburgers ‘til all consumed

Enjoy the Walk of Memories, Clubroom Open to all Visitors

Bourbon & Cigar Night at the Post

Friday, May 3, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Flight of 3 Bourbons, a Cigar & Hors d’oeuvres

Tickets: $50 per person at Clubroom/Bar or Online at www.legion201.org

Dances

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Forsyth putting ‘finishing touches’ on McGinnis Ferry Road redesign

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County is working to finalize its twopart redesign of the McGinnis Ferry Road widening to advertise and rebid construction of the major infrastructure project.

The east-west artery connecting traffic from Cobb and Gwinnett counties to and through Fulton and Forsyth counties currently sees some 20,000 vehicles daily, 55 percent over its designed capacity.

Forsyth County, Alpharetta, Johns Creek and the Georgia Department of Transportation have agreed to widen the road for nearly a decade, but a $79 million construction cost late last year temporarily halted the effort.

At a work session April 9, the Forsyth County Commission unanimously approved an update to its agreement with Jacobs Engineering Group for construction, engineering and inspection services for the road widening from Douglas Road to Hospital Parkway in Johns Creek.

The services agreement was origi -

nally approved in August 2022 when plans called for a complete widening of McGinnis Ferry from Ronald Reagan Boulevard to Sargent Road.

The services for phase one from Douglas Road to Hospital Parkway total $2.5 million.

In October, construction firm Vertical Earth presented a $79.4 million construction bid for the widening, the lowest of the four bids received. The County Commission voted to reject all offers, citing the high cost.

A 2020 agreement between Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Forsyth County and GDOT outlined a total commitment of some $50.8 million, falling more than $20 million short of the October estimate.

After reassessing options, the Board of Commissioners approved a $101,209 redesign of the widening Dec. 12, which is still underway.

The county is now pursuing the project in two segments to manage costs: one from Douglas Road to Hospital Parkway in Johns Creek, and another from Douglas back to the Union

MAP BY JACOB TOMBERLIN/APPEN MEDIA

This map shows the first phase of the McGinnis Ferry Road widening from Douglas Road to Hospital Parkway in Johns Creek. Officials said the county is working to finish its redesign of the widening, which will then be advertised and rebid for construction.

McGinnis:

Continued from Page 8

Hill Road and Ronald Reagan Boulevard intersection in Forsyth County.

“We’re trying really hard to get the finishing touches on the adjusted plans, which basically splits them in half, so we can get them advertised and rebid,” Capital Projects Director John Jefferson said.

Jefferson said the county plans to redo its agreement with Johns Creek, and GDOT has indicated it will contribute $20 million to the first phase. Forsyth County would be responsible for the remaining cost.

In 2023, Johns Creek indicated it would contribute an additional $3 million from TSPLOST II funds to the project, and discussions with Alpharetta are pending completion of the redesign.

County Manager David McKee said funding for the second phase is still up in the air. He said a future SPLOST, or special purpose local option sales tax, or a GDOT Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant are possibilities, but it has not been decided.

The widening also seeks to handle potential traffic growth from The

Gathering at South Forsyth, a planned $2 billion mixed-use development at Union Hill Road and Ronald Reagan Boulevard, which borders McGinnis Ferry.

At the April 9 work session, Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills questioned if the county asked The Gathering developers to contribute to the effort.

McKee said The Gathering is responsible for road improvements surrounding its boundaries regardless of the McGinnis Ferry widening, but a contribution to the effort specifically was not discussed.

In other action, commissioners unanimously voted to apply for $3.7 million from the state’s 2024 Local Road Assistance Administration to resurface county roads.

The $3.7 million would require no match from the county, unlike a Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant.

The funds would resurface 18 roads across the county, including Ronald Reagan Boulevard from Haw Creek to Old Atlanta roads; Windward Concourse from Windward Parkway to Union Hill Road; and Majors Road from Peachtree Parkway to Shiloh Road.

The April 9 votes will be formalized at an upcoming regular Board of Commissioners meeting.

7506 Wilderness Parkway

Big Canoe, GA 30143

Facts About Me

bigcanoeanimalrescue.org

706-268-1346

This is Miss Delta!

Breed: Terrier/Shepherd/Malinois Mix

Color: White w/ black markings (Short haired)

Age: 6 months old

Weight: (Current) 27 lbs

Fully Grown: Medium Size (45lbs)

Sex: Female

My Info

Good with children & dogs

May need potty training

Healthy

Shots current

Chipped & spayed

My Story

What is it that makes me so special?

Well, first of all I’m a puppy, but besides that have you noticed the little beauty marks above my eyes? No other puppy is as unique as me. My brother Porter and I are enjoying our other canine friends here, but I really would rather be at home with you playing, enjoying belly rubs and treats. Want to go for a walk? Come meet me. I have puppy kisses waiting for you!

All BCAR dogs are placed as indoor family pets. No electric fences, please. Visit pets every Saturday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (706-268-1346) or visit our website for adoption information at www.bigcanoeanimalrescue.org

80-year-old eyes 50th Peachtree Road Race

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — More of a walker nowadays, 80-year-old Larry Lascody will participate in his 50th Peachtree Road Race July 4.

The race, which dates to 1970, has grown to be the largest 10K in the world with a capped 60,000 participants. The race, beginning at Lenox Square in Buckhead and ending at Piedmont Park, also includes a wheelchair division.

Larry and his wife Barbara Lascody have made the Peachtree Road Race a family event, booking a hotel that weekend. Over the years, their two daughters and their five grandchildren have participated, and now, their grandchildren’s spouses have since tagged along.

“There’s only one family member that’s never participated,” Larry said, sideeying Barbara who recently had a knee replaced. Larry looks forward to her full recovery in time for next year’s event.

Larry, also an Army veteran, said he has run most of his life as a member of his high school’s track and cross-country teams, then becoming a member of the Atlanta Track Club. He competed as a runner in the Peachtree Road Race until 2019, when he suffered a knee injury.

“I’ve missed the run, and I miss the competition,” Larry said.

He injured his knee while participating in CureSearch’s Ultimate Hike, which raises funds for pediatric cancer research. It was his second time participating, having raised more than $13,000 for the cause across two hikes, the first in 2011.

“It’s an unbelievable experience, very

emotional to me,” Larry said.

At the Lascodys’ home in Milton, a room has been dedicated to Larry’s awards with the help of his daughters, who surprised him with walls covered in plaques and shelves holding small trophies. There were also boxes of medals — one containing first, second and third place finishes.

Barbara pulled out a quilt made of T-shirts Larry had received at 30 Peachtree Road Races, and another 20 will be made into a second blanket.

She described the spectacle that is the Peachtree Road Race — participants in costumes, wearing tutus, military members holding their flags, commentators from TV stations, and if July 4 falls on a Sunday, priests are out there blessing you.

“They’re handing out beer, if you want to run the beer, and there’s bands playing on the side,” Barbara said. “It’s just so fun.”

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Larry and Barbara Lascody stand with a blanket made of Peachtree Road Race T-shirts from three decades at their Milton home. Larry, 80, will participate in his 50th Peachtree Road Race July 4, the world’s largest 10K race capped at 60,000 participants.

Boxes hold Larry Lascody’s first, second, third and finisher medals.

Facts About Me Breed: Terrier/Shepherd/Malinois Mix Color: Black and white (Short haired) Age: 6 months old Weight: (Current) 25 lbs Fully Grown: Medium Size (50lbs) Sex: Male

This handsome boy would bring any family joy and happiness! Porter has a gentle way about him with a sweet calm disposition. He would be great for a family with children of any age. He gets along with other dogs and never met a human he didn’t like. He is leaning his commands and is very smart. Don’t miss out on him! Bring treats.

All BCAR dogs are placed as indoor family pets. No electric fences, please. Visit pets every Saturday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (706-268-1346) or visit our website for adoption information at www.bigcanoeanimalrescue.org

“I like to say, it’s not your mama’s microfiber.”

Milton resident aims to offer luxury to Metro Atlanta sleepers

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Milton resident Karen Levine aims to provide a luxurious night’s sleep while giving back to local schools through her business PeachSkinSheets.

Now headquartered in Forsyth County, Levine started PeachSkinSheets in her previous Johns Creek home in 2013 after leaving behind a corporate career.

Before cementing its online presence, the business frequented festivals in Cobb County, Crabapple, Johns Creek and Dunwoody.

With a background in ecommerce and marketing, Levine dedicated the venture to offering a luxury sleeping experience without a lofty price tag.

“Price point was very important because I needed something that would be affordable to people,” Levine said. “I didn't want people to have to choose between a car payment and a sheet set.”

After settling on a sheet business, Levine said she investigated fabrics from across the world. She narrowed down her options to a performance grade smart fabric, but Levine emphasized her products differ from the cheap, scratchy microfiber that comes to mind.

“I like to say, it's not your mama's microfiber,” she said.

She said the sheets are made with a fabric reminiscent of athletic wear, which is known for being moisturewicking and comfortable.

“And it's the same concept with sleep,” Levine said. “You spend so many hours sleeping a day that you want to be on the right fabric.”

Levine said she designed PeachSkinSheets based on what she would want in a bedspread. Her fitted sheets feature a wide elastic band; top and bottom placement labels; and an expansion panel to accommodate larger luxury mattresses.

Because of the moisture wicking fabric, the sheets also dry quickly, and they resist stains.

“I come from that old school where I like my bed to not have any wrinkles,” Levine said. “Nowadays, a lot of the younger generation, they like a more relaxed bed, and maybe wrinkles aren't so important to them. They want that wrinkly look. But I know for me, I wanted a smooth, wrinkle-free look, and so that's why we have the wrinkle release out of the dryer.”

PeachSkinSheets come in an expanding variety of colors. When Levine founded the business in 2013, she said most sheet companies only offered neutrals.

PeachSkin started with 12 colors, soon doubling to 24 and now expanding its collection to 32 with eight new Caribbean varieties, including tiki turquoise, hot coral, Bahama blue and zesty lemon.

“Colors are really important to us, making sure that there's something to match almost every decor out there,” Levine said.

KAREN LEVINE, founder of PeachSkinSheets

Karen Levine is the founder and CEO of Forsyth County-based PeachSkinSheets. Levine started the business in 2013 to provide affordable high-quality sheets and a solution for hot sleepers.

KELZ MEDIA/PROVIDED

Kelly Mill Elementary School staff accept a check from PeachSkinSheets in January. The bedding business partners with school districts nationwide to help fund educational initiatives and supplies.

Sheets:

Continued from Page 12

PeachSkin also offers oversized comforters, duvet covers and individual pieces like pillowcases and single sheets.

Levine said the business features colors of the month, where four signature sets and duvet covers are discounted. Its April colors of the month are buttercream, cotton candy pink, lavender mist and brushed silver.

PeachSkinSheets is also launching a Mother’s Day promotion from April 19 to May 13 where customers can buy a robe, sheet, duvet or comforter set and receive a mix and match gift.

But, the business offers more than just comfortable bedding. PeachSkinSheets partners with local school systems to support educational initiatives and teacher appreciation.

Its Partners in Education initiative started with a pilot partnership at Kelly Mill Elementary School in Forsyth County in December 2022, and it has since rolled out nationwide.

PeachSkin offers a $45 discount to partner school families, and the school receives $20 for each set sold.

With the $1,300 raised in the first partnership, Kelly Mill purchased new podcast equipment for its students.

“Those monies help offset some of the classroom expenses,” Levine said. “The teachers, they always have to put so much of their personal income into classroom supplies and extras, and so a lot of times, these donations will help offset some of that.”

Through the Partners in Educa -

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tion initiative, PeachSkinSheets has partnered with parent-teacher associations in East Cobb and Cherokee County, as well as Cherokee County Schools.

The business donated more than $5,000 to Forsyth County Schools from a holiday initiative in December.

PeachSkinSheets Director of Corporate Partnerships David Bartow said Partners in Education will focus on teacher appreciation in May.

He said partner schools have used the money raised for library books, appreciation dinners and lunches, and equipment.

“Everybody needs sheets,” Bartow said. “And everybody will eventually need sheets, and why not have them buy the best sheets at an affordable price?”

To browse PeachSkinSheets or order a free color swatch, visit peachskinsheets.com.

Sally White

Throughout her time at Milton High School, Sally has been an active member of various clubs and sports teams, including the Debate Club, Science Olympiad, and Drama Society. Her leadership skills shone brightly as the captain of the soccer team, leading them to victory on numerous occasions. Sally’s commitment to excellence extended beyond athletics; she also excelled academically, earning recognition for her outstanding achievements in advanced mathematics and literature.

As she prepares to embark on the next chapter of her life, we are filled with pride and excitement for Sally’s future endeavors. Congratulations, Sally, on this remarkable achievement! We can’t wait to see the incredible things you’ll accomplish next.

Class of 2024

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Interstellar (Pink Floyd Tribute)

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

May 4

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International Festival

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11a.m. - 7 p.m.

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City Council Work Session

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City Council Meeting

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Planning Commission

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May 9

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Fitness 108

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May 11

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May 15

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Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness

Zumba

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Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee

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May 16

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

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Arts, Cultural, & Entertainment Committee

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May 17

Adaptive Rec. BINGO

Newtown Park - 7 p.m.

May 18

Free Outdoor Fitness Strength Training

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Touch-a-Truck

City Hall - noon

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May 19

Free Outdoor Fitness - Yoga

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

May 22

Free Outdoor Fitness - Barre

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Free Outdoor Fitness

Zumba

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May 23

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

Newtown Park - 10:30 a.m.

May 25

Free Outdoor Fitness Strength Training

Cauley Creek - 8 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness Jazzercise

Cauley Creek - 10:15 a.m.

May 26

Free Outdoor Fitness - Yoga

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

May 27

Memorial Day

City Offices Closed

May 28

City Council Work Session

City Hall - 5 p.m.

City Council Meeting

City Hall - 7 p.m.

May 29

Free Outdoor Fitness - Barre

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness

Zumba

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

May 30

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

Newtown Park - 10:30 a.m.

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Resident urges safety following house fire

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County resident and animal advocate Sue Bova suffered a major loss Feb. 14 when a suspected short in an electrical panel resulted in a fire at her home.

But, Bova wants to use her experience to send a message of safety about the dangers of electrical fires to others in the community.

While on her way home from church on Ash Wednesday, Bova said she received a call: Her home security company had alerted a nearby station, Station 6, to a fire in her house.

“And the only thing I could do in that moment was say, ‘My dog, my dog, my dog. Is Tuxie okay?’” Bova said. “That’s the only thing I could get out of my mouth while I’m driving, trying to get home.”

Firefighters at Station 6 were able to rescue Tuxie and stop the fire from spreading to the rest of Bova’s house. However, the fire and smoke damage to her kitchen and keeping room was significant, and during the following four to five months of reconstruction, Bova and Tuxie have relocated to a rental home.

Though reeling from the trauma and shock of the incident, Bova said she felt immense gratitude toward the Fire Department and for her and Tuxie’s safety, compelling her to use her story as a platform to advocate for unplugging appliances.

“One of the silver linings that I guess I sort of came to is, ‘Can I use this experience to help other people do something so simple and life changing?’” Bova said.

She said investigators indicated the fire was caused by a spark in an electrical panel or her toaster oven or can opener, which were both plugged in, but the exact cause remains under investigation.

Bova said she did not use either kitchen appliance leading up to the fire, which was also confirmed by investigation.

County Fire Department Technical Services Division Chief Jason Shivers said house fires like Bova’s are not uncommon, and they can happen because of daily items that are not considered dangerous.

As electronics become increasingly mass produced, he said the department has responded to more fires caused by

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How to build your child’s self-esteem

Step 5: Provide your child with a safe and supportive environment.

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A child’s self-esteem begins with a positive self-identity, which is critical for building a foundation for confidence, happiness, and emotional well-being. When children have a positive self-identity, they can navigate through life with a sense of purpose and feel like they belong. These children gain confidence and can persevere when facing challenges in school and all areas of their lives. A strong sense of self-identity and self-worth also drives children to confidently pursue their passions without giving into self-doubt, which can hinder personal and academic growth. The mission for parents and mental health professionals is to help nurture and develop a child’s positive self-identity; so they can reach their full potential and lead meaningful and productive lives.

Step 1: Encourage your child to embrace their unique qualities (i.e., race, culture, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, talents, etc.).

Step 2: Celebrate your child’s accomplishments often, using positive affirmations.

Step 3: Teach your child healthy coping skills (i.e., mindfulness, deep breathing, positive self-talk, guided imagery, etc.).

Step 4: Expose your child to various extracurricular activities.

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Step 6: Help your child to develop healthy relationships with their peers and family members by utilizing assertive communication skills and reinforcing the use of “I” statements.

Step 7: Teach your children the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting strategy by encouraging them to set specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely goals for themselves.

Step 8: Teach your child to use a strength-based approach to problem-solving.

Step 9: Help your child to recognize their negative thoughts and inner dialogue.

Step 10: Provide your child with positive modeling of self-esteem and expose them to positive mentors.

The Summit is offering a wide range of summer groups for elementary, middle, and high school students. Registration closes on May 10th. Financial assistance is available, and groups are FREE for students that attend any of our partner schools. Visit our website at summitcounseling.org to learn about summer groups, our school partnerships, and other services available for children, teens, and adults.

Why do some tumors track along nerves?

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

At a recent conference, an outstanding lecture by Dr. Scott Lester of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, provided insight into the question of why tumors exhibit “perineural invasion” – the behavior of tumors wrapping around and travelling along nerves. The answer is another example of how nature and biology never cease to surprise.

In medical school, one of my favorite professors loved to say, “50% of what you are going to learn during these four years will ultimately be proved wrong.” As I sat in my hard wooden chair taking notes on apparently error-ridden knowledge, I hoped that the 50% that was misinformation was at least not the half that mattered.

tion to the rat’s sciatic nerve BEFORE implanting the pancreatic cancer, the tumor grew but paralysis did not occur upon tumor implantation against the nerve. Nerves that had received radiation produced less GDNF.

We have long thought of radiation as primarily working by killing cancerous cells because radiation is known to cause breaks in cancer cell DNA resulting in cell death. But these studies led Dr. Lester, a radiation oncologist, to ask if radiation therapy’s effect on healthy tissue is just as important to its success as its effect on cancer cells themselves. Perhaps in some cases, radiation’s effect on growth factors in healthy nerve tissue is critical to preventing cancer recurrence.

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.

As it turns out, one of the pieces of misinformation apparently concerned perineural invasion. In medical school, I was taught that some tumors track along nerves because nerves are convenient highways to other parts of the body. This was the “path of least resistance idea.” Professors also posited that some of the vessels and lymphatics running along with the nerve are an additional reason for tumor growth along nerves – essentially the idea that tumors spreading along nerves is really just tumors spreading along the surrounding lymphatics and blood vessels – “business as usual.”

Several recent studies presented by Dr. Lester have provided data that sheds new light on this subject:

In one experiment, scientists placed a nerve next to but well apart from a tumor growing in a petri dish. The tumor extended a strand of cells in the direction of the nerve and grew toward the nerve. This challenges the idea that perineural tumor growth in patients is simply cancer extension along nerves already touching a tumor. Then, the scientists tested proteins found in the nerve and found that the entire nerve did not have to be present in the dish to attract tumor growth. When scientists put a small amount of a nerve protein called GDNF (glial derived neurotrophic factor) in the dish, the tumor grew towards the GDNF. Apparently, proteins in the nerve attract tumor growth. So nerves are not just highways: some tumors seek out nerves by growing towards proteins that nerves produce.

In another experiment, scientists placed pancreatic cancer cells next to the sciatic nerve inside of a live rat. Predictably, the cancer grew and invaded the sciatic nerve. The muscles relying on the sciatic nerve were unable to function which caused partial paralysis. However, when the scientists delivered radia-

As many questions as answers are raised by these studies. Will we one day have medicines that treat perineural tumors by inhibiting neurotrophic factors? For tumors that do not track along nerves but that invade muscle, bone or other tissue, will medicines increasingly target growth factors in these tissues to prevent spread? Already, medicine that targets “vascular endothelial growth factor” is being used to treat certain cancers. Perhaps one day a local injection of a medicine that blocks neurotrophic factors will be used to help treat perineural tumors.

As a Mohs surgeon, I took interest in these studies because many skin cancers track along nerves and because identifying perineural invasion under the microscope is an important part of my job. When I find significant perineural invasion, radiation therapy after surgery is an option I discuss. I hope that I might one day be able to offer a targeted pill or injection as an alternative to radiation.

However, I thought that these studies are of broad general interest because they are an intriguing example of how the obvious or intuitive answer so often is not the correct answer when biology is involved. Tumor growing along nerves is not just a case of taking the path of least resistance. So much of what we assume or are taught does not turn out to be the whole story. Nature is always more complex than we imagine, and new discoveries provide opportunities for medical advancement.

If you or a loved one struggles with skin cancer or any dermatologic complaint, consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C are delighted to help you achieve your skin health goals. Dr. Taylor is a Harvard-graduate, a board certified dermatologist and vein care expert, and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. Kathryn Filipek has greater than 15 years of dermatology experience with expertise in medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology including fillers, Botox®, and sclerotherapy.

Kathryn Filipek, PA-C

OPINION

A hand built stone house is something special PRESERVING THE PAST

There is something unique and special about stone houses. A person can even build one by himself with the help of a few friends as farmers sometimes did years ago. Basic raw materials, field stones and sand from a creek, are free for the taking. Tools are relatively inexpensive: shovels, wagons, hammers. Then of course there are expenses for a roof, windows, doors, plumbing and electrical connections.

Alan Rucker and his wife Shelia live in a stone house on Arnold Mill Road in Alpharetta. Alan’s grandparents L.G. (Lawrence) Rucker, a cotton farmer, and his wife Byrd Broadwell Rucker built and lived in an oak and pine frame “shotgun house,” a narrow rectangular home, usually no more than about 12 feet wide, with three to five rooms arranged one behind the other and doors at each end of the house with one hallway running the entire length of the house. It was a very popular style in the South from the end of the Civil War through the 1920s.

Unfortunately, the house burned down in 1939. The entire Crabapple community came to the rescue and built the stone house that exists today. Granite from Stone Mountain was used in the construction. Sand from Little River about 3 miles north of the house was brought in by mule drawn wagon and mixed with Portland cement and crushed stone to make concrete. Timber was cut on the property. Rocks were shaped by hammer on site. To assure straight walls, a frame was built and covered with 1 x 6 or 1 x 8 inch rough cut lumber with the stones set outside the frame much in the fashion of modern bricklaying. Plumb bobs assured vertical walls. Only the exterior walls are stone. Inside construction is tongue and groove pine. The floors are heart pine. Two fireplaces provided the only heat. Alan’s grandparents added propane tanks to the fireplaces a few years later. Like many farmhouses of the time, the house had no bathroom. Alan’s grandparents installed one in 1950. Water came from a 35 foot deep hand dug well on the back porch until the 1980s when the county required conversion to county water.

Down the street a few hundred yards where Cagle Road and Arnold Mill Road intersect is one of the most recognized stone houses in the area,

This beautiful stone house owned by Alan and Shelia Rucker was built by Alan’s grandfather L.G. (Lawrence) Rucker in 1939 using granite from Stone Mountain. The original house was heated by two fireplaces. A 35 foot deep hand dug well on the back porch provided water until the county required conversion to county water in the 1980s.

A very special stone house in Milton is currently undergoing major renovation and restoration while preserving its historic character. When the transformation is completed this spring, I will write a column that will interest those who love local history. Stay tuned.

confirming the origin of the building, based on the date of a well cover on the property, the house was built around 1913. Both the exterior and interior walls are stone. It had been vacant for several years until Rob bought it. It has been undergoing major renovations to bring it up to code and to create a welcoming atmosphere. The restaurant will feature family friendly casual dining and a full bar with 24 taps of draft beers. It will accommodate 50 patrons inside and 80 outside.

Unfortunately, some historic stone houses have been demolished in recent years, victims of urban development. Selina Kent, great granddaughter of William David (Dave) Rucker, knows of a stone house built in the early 1900s that used to be where Charlotte Road joins Rucker Road in Milton. She recalls that Anita Murdock Wright, granddaughter of Dave Rucker passed ownership of the property to her daughter Dorcas Wright Berthod who sold it to developers about 20 years ago. The house was made entirely of field stone, not granite. It had pine board interior walls because Dave Rucker was building his rock house across the street and gave the lumber he had planned to use in his house to his neighbors whose house burned down. Dave Rucker’s house had one bedroom upstairs, two bedrooms downstairs as well as a kitchen, dining and sittings rooms, big back porch with a well and a front porch with a swing and willow chairs.

built in the 1970s in the shape of a castle. The house has a moat that serves as a swimming pool. The castle was reportedly made of marble from the quarries in Tate, Georgia, and granite from Stone Mountain and Elberton. It has round rooms and interior stone walls, according to Sheila Rucker Chapman who lives near the house and remembers watching it being built.

Sheila’s great uncle Irving Barnett built a stone house on Rucker Road in the 1950s. It still stands and is noteworthy for the large flower design on the front of the one story home.

A stone house, currently being brought back to life by restauranteur Rob Forrest, will soon be the Stone House Tap restaurant, situated on the highest point in downtown Crabapple. Although there are no records

Selina also recalls the rock house across the street from the Milton Library owned at one time by Claude Holcombe. The house was on a large corner lot and was vacant and for sale for several years. The land was sold about two years ago and is now a Northside Hospital facility. The stone house was demolished.

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.

PHOTOS BY BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

The Cagle Castle is one of the most recognizable stone homes in the area. It is a private residence located at the intersection of Cagle Road and Arnold Mill Road in Alpharetta. It features a moat, drawbridges and turrets. It is sometimes referred to as the Dwarf Castle because of the gnomes that decorate the property. This castle is not open to the public.

Making the most of what is now “my” time

With retirement looming before I come back from this “short-term disability” stint, I don’t seem to be in a hurry to get where I’m going. I still believe in having a list of “must do/should do/can do” every day. Even if it’s just to piddle around, I have found that aside from a doctor appointment, there are no deadlines.

“I’ll get there when I get there,” has become a mantra I’ve grown fond of. After years and seven million worth of airline miles traveled, my posture is if I never go to the airport again, that’ll be jake with me. If I’m going to travel, the Black Beauty or the Acura will take me as far as I want to go. Listening to an ELS system in the car and getting plenty of “wind therapy” on the Harley does me just fine.

Besides, with planes having pieces

fall off like Boeing is now resurrecting Yugo, I’m avoiding airplanes.

Better yet, if I don’t feel like driving, I’ve got my own personal livery service in the form of youngest son Greg, who will take me anywhere I want him to. The other day it was a jaunt to Ferguson’s for Traeger pellets and the best salsa around, then on to Costco for shrimp and fresh flowers for Vicki.

Greg drove and I sat to his right, talking baseball and father/son subjects. I thought we’d be back by noon, but we weren’t. It mattered little to me as long as the shrimp didn’t thaw and the flowers didn’t wilt.

Back in the day, I would have been sitting in an airport lounge reading a sales report, writing a coaching report and praying for decent weather so I got home at a decent hour. I’m sleeping in my own bed. Thank you, Mr. Marriott, you’ve devalued your Bonvoy points drastically, I’ll pay my own bill from now on.

Make no mistake, I now prefer

rustic to luxury.

With all this time on my hands, perhaps I can become a lobbyist or since I’ll be unemployed, a consultant. I’ll be offering my services to the automobile industry. Not certain they need my expertise, of which I have none. Since I’ve been receiving a seemingly endless supply of surveys, I reckon I, along with countless millions, are getting inundated with emails wanting to know what I think.

The whiz kids who design cars are on the right track. They do some good things. I’ll go to my grave believing that cigarettes killed my mom, Detroit has smartened up and had ash strays do a Houdini in cars being produced.

During one of my non-hurried trips to Costco, I was taking a little too long getting out of my parking spot. At least that must’ve been what the (even older than me) old codger must’ve been thinking. He was giving his sorn a real workout, which naturally made me take just a little bit longer before backing out.

Living in a Material World...

Madonna’s January 1985 pop hit "Material Girl" may be more accurate now than in 1985.

Our Federal Reserve sees our economy as healthy due to continued spending despite their unprecedented rate hikes, which are taking rates to 20year highs. However, consumer spending does not seem to have been slowed very much by higher prices and higher rates, and this is why the Federal Reserve is reluctant to cut rates even though we are starting to see signs of unemployment moving to higher levels.

Savings rates for the average American are at their lowest levels in several years, posting up at 3.6 percent, while consumer debt (non-mortgage and/or

vehicle) continues to rise each month. I am not denying that consumer spending has risen unchecked for several years, but it is not because the economy is doing well. It is because the average American sees something, wants it, and then buys it, not with cash, but on credit. They are truly living in a “material world.” The “buy now, pay later” mentality is more the norm than the exception, keeping our economy at what appears to be “healthy.”

The Dow Jones is within 1000 points of hitting 40,000. I am not saying we will see another Black Monday like in 1987, where the Dow fell 22 percent in one day, but many of the same factors existed then as they do today. We are currently bouncing on a Dow Jones alltime high while real estate sales are in their second-plus year of a slowdown, and real estate sales make up a large portion of our economy. Consumer spending and debt are at all-time highs.

None of this seems to be a good recipe for a thriving economy. The Fed says we need to see inflation go below 2 percent so that rates can move lower. However, as I stated in an earlier post, that math does not work if we are averaging the inflation rate over the last 12 months. We will need to see monthly inflation numbers go below zero percent for several months, which will most likely not happen anytime soon.

We are now hearing from several Fed officials stating that cuts may come sooner if they start to see unemployment rise. Interesting. I am glad they are at least talking about it, as I believe we will see unemployment rise faster than the Fed could force them into making cuts. Unfortunately, this will not solve the bigger problem of rising consumer debt as long as the credit card companies keep handing out credit cards or raising limits. This problem will probably come to an ugly

It made me wonder: “Why do we even need horns?” They’re not very nice. In my neighborhood, there’s nary a horn that breaks the silence. Plenty of waves to each other, which serves the same purpose of a horn.

However at Costco, Captain Horatio Hornblower was taking his time locking his car as I prepared to drive off. I feigned an apologetic “Sorry it took me so long to get going. I know you’re in a hurry, despite your onepiece leisure suit saying different.”

Free of his horn, he looked like he wanted to blow his nose at me. And I couldn’t resist leaving him with a zinger.

“Why in the world would you bother locking that pile of junk. Say, I haven’t seen a Rambler in 50 years.”

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.

end sooner rather than later. It is simply not sustainable. Lowering rates, which will lower credit card payments, may slow the overall issue, but the problem will remain. Solving this issue will be the topic of a future Weekend Update.

So, while rates continue to hover close to 7 percent on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, it does appear that they will soon begin their move to lower levels by the end of the year.

As Madonna said in 1985…"The Boy With Cold Hard Cash Is Always Mister Right."

D.C. Aiken is vice president, producing production manager for BankSouth Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken.com.

MIKE TASOS Columnist

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

Eclipses and the science of fishing

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

Back in like the seventh grade (just a few years ago) the tiny little elementary school I attended ¬made a big deal of things when graduation day rolled around. The whole last week of seventh grade, in fact, turned into one big celebration of intellectual enlightenment, complete with pomp and ceremony and all the other trappings of a bunch of adolescents who, in that enlightened and less serious time, would really have rather been out playing in the creek and chasing frogs.

But even if it was just a distraction for we of the younger set, it was a big deal for our moms and dads.

Yeah. And mine were ecstatic when I was named to receive the “Outstanding Science Student” award.

Science, huh? Well, I’ve always kind of liked it. I play with ham radio and electronics, and once in chemistry class I decided to do an experiment and see what happens if you drop a piece of potassium metal into a beaker of water. Spoiler alert: What happens is not good and will pretty much guarantee you a private discussion with the teacher.

For a while I thought I’d like to be a famous scientist. I took a bunch of scienc-y classes and did pretty good, I suppose, but eventually the siren song of the writing world grew so loud that I took that fork in the road instead.

But the interest in science lingered, at least at some level, and that brings me to the recent eclipse.

I’m sure you heard about the eclipse. Several of the folks I know really got into it, one going so far as to make tracks to the Midwest, his entire family enthusiastically in tow, to enjoy some of the very best seeing. “Seeing” – that’s science talk for wearing funny glasses and looking at strange things going on in the sky. The seeing was pretty good, too, and my buddy gushed eloquently for days about the unabashed coolness of seeing a little arc of solar flare stuff in the middle of the day from the middle of a field out in the middle of the Midwest somewhere. He said it was cool beyond words, and I believe him.

Had I been able to get away, I’d probably have been right there with ‘em, goofy glasses and all.

But as it turned out, I had to stay here. And yet the call of science was strong.

“What shall we do?” I asked at breakfast a day or two before the sun went away.

“How about some fishing?” she replied. Fishing. Of course.

It just so happened that white bass were at that very moment making their

annual spawning run up Little River in Cherokee County. The fish, I’m guessing, didn’t care two hoots about what was going on with the sun, having other things on their little fishy minds.

But I cared. I did. In fact, I decided on the spot that I would put my highly tuned scientific abilities to work and investigate the effect of a solar eclipse on the behavior of white bass! I would do it for you, my faithful readers, for I was certain that you too were staying awake at night wondering what temporary darkness in the middle of the day would do to the behavior of white bass. Right?

Who could say? Maybe I would prove so brilliantly adept at it all that I would have to give up on this writing thing and become a Man of Science!

So on the appointed day, we went fishing. We got to the river (at Olde Rope Mill Park) a few minutes before show time, put on waders and rigged up the fly rods, and were in the water casting as the moon did its thing and the sun faded to a fingernail and then came back again in all its gleamy glory. We fished right through it all.

What did we learn?

Well, we learned that it is possible to not catch a single fish (nary even a bite) in a river that you know holds fish galore. That’s right. We did not get a bite. Not one.

Us outdoor writer types are not used to not even getting a bite. I was perplexed, and so like any good scientific type I set about searching for explanations.

“Perhaps,” I said, “I was using the wrong fly.”

“Maybe,” she said. “Or maybe you just didn’t catch ‘em.”

“Perhaps,” I said again, “but maybe the fish all swam off to someplace else.”

“Maybe,” she said. “Or maybe this just wasn’t your day.”

“Oh, no!” I said. “That can’t be! For an outdoor writer of my stature always catches fish. But since I did not catch any fish, they were clearly not there. Or maybe the eclipse confused and distracted them. That must be it!”

I considered this for a moment (scientific types are always considering things for a moment, you know) and then I made a pronouncement.

“That’s it!” I proclaimed. “There were no fish, and the ones that were there were confused.” That’s what I said, internal consistency be damned.

“So we can tell everyone that we have reached a conclusion!” I pronounced. “A scientific conclusion. Based on science!”

“And…?” she asked.

“It’s thusly,” I said, really getting into this sound-like-a-scientist thing. “The

eclipse may or may not have impacted white bass behavior in Little River, but the real story is that there were no fish there to be caught. That’s why I didn’t catch any. There were simply no fish in the river, for if there had been I would have caught ‘em, eclipse or not. And that’s science!”

At that moment – at that very moment – the faint sound of wings reached our ears. It was coming from the sky (sounds of wings often do that) and so we looked up to see from whence it came.

What we saw was an osprey. The osprey was flying low over the river, perhaps because it was carrying an enormous white bass in its talons.

The osprey flew upstream a ways, turned 180 degrees, and then flew back

downriver and passed right over our heads, still showing off that giant fish.

Then it turned back upstream and did the same thing again. And I’ll swear that the bird paused an instant as it passed over us, turning so the fish it carried glinted in the sun, maybe gloating a little bit and surely saying in Bird Speak, “Ha! Silly angler! No fish, eh? Maybe you just didn’t CATCH ‘em!”

Scientists types like me don’t really know what to do with things like that, so I decided then and there to give up on the famous scientist aspirations once and for all and just go back to writing. And fishing.

Which we did – and to the surprise of no one at all, she outfished me.

Again!

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Community Development Director

Ben Song presented three configurations for Medlock Crossing Shopping Center at the regular meeting April 15, showing varying degrees of commercial and residential space with pedestrian connectivity and streetscape enhancements.

“The key point to make in all three is utilizing the excess parking that exists today, adding value to the existing shopping center while maintaining what’s already there,” Song said.

Renderings show a range of amenities that would act as a guideline for developers, like civic spaces which could include a performing arts or recreation center; district concepts for entertainment and the arts; community gathering spaces on active or multipurpose greenspace; a brewery district or biergarten concept; and unique spaces for families and children.

“One thing that you will notice throughout all three concepts, residential is not the key component,” Song said. “It’s one component that sort of integrates into the overall design.”

In other matters, the City Council accepted a $65,000 grant from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division that would fund construction of a driveway

Johns Creek Community Development Director Ben Song presents an updated revitalization plan for the intersection of State Bridge and Medlock Bridge Roads at a City Council meeting April 15. Councilmembers unanimously approved the plan, which features three configurations of the Medlock Crossing Shopping Center developers could use as a guide.

and glass recycling site at Cauley Creek Park.

Johns Creek started its glass recycling program in 2022, and in its first year, more than 267,000 pounds of glass

During these turbulent times, we would like to highlight the continued courage and commitment of everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.

Albert Askea, 69, of Milton, passed away on April 3, 2024.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

James Coylee, 84, of Roswell, passed away on April 5, 2024.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Norma Hawkins, of Roswell, passed away on April 7, 2024.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Elaine House, 66, of Roswell, passed away on April 3, 2024.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

were collected. Currently, a glass recycling center is housed at Ocee Park, and a temporary glass recycling location is at 6460 East Johns Crossing.

Preceding the regular meeting, councilmembers prioritized nine capital projects for fiscal year 2025 at their work session.

The list was drafted as part of the city’s new Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, a dynamic document to be reviewed every year. Historically, the City Council approved capital projects on an ad-hoc basis.

Councilmembers moved forward with funding the replacement of Fire Station 63, five new police vehicles, additional parking at Cauley Creek Park, a stormwater grant program, an arts facility, the west and east trails along Medlock Bridge Road, and bioswales for Fire Station 61 and Old Alabama Road.

The City Council’s final vote of approval is slated for May 6.

Patricia Price, 93, of Roswell, passed away on April 7, 2024.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Art:

Continued from Page 1

Following the lesson, the group walked over to the arched sculpture made of Rogers Bridge steel named “The Bridge,” which stands at about 18 feet tall.

Compton said the old Rogers Bridge had been dismantled despite recommendations from a national commission on historic bridges. She said the group noted that Rogers Bridge was ranked eight out of 10 for historical importance, meaning it was rare and should be saved.

“They said, even if you’re going to build another one, leave this one up,” Compton said.

Around 10 tons of steel had been salvaged from the old bridge, half of which was given to Johns Creek for repurposing.

Compton pointed out the symbolism of the sculpture — abstract people on either side of the arch, representing the connection of modern day to the past or the United States and the Cherokee Nation.

“They’re all working together for one goal,” Compton said. “The one thing that I thought was neat was this arch is actually supported by these people.”

Fire:

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lithium-ion batteries overheating, a problem that fire stations across the country are also facing.

“We are regularly running house fires now, house fires and apartment fires, from lithium-ion batteries on the charge, the simplest of things that people don’t think of,” Shivers said. “But it can be from a drill, or a battery powered blower, an electric toothbrush. The toys are a big risk now.”

Shivers said the Fire Department asks residents to unplug appliances and batteries from chargers, especially when away from home.

“It never fails when you’re there with it,” he said. “It’s always at night, or when you’re out of town, or you’ve gone to church for the day, or you’re at work. It never happens when someone’s at home and sees it happen. But when a lithiumion battery fails, it is a catastrophic release of energy and will cause for a room to be on fire within just a moment of it failing.”

Shivers also recommended homeowners consider installing sprinkler systems

when building new homes or doing gut renovations.

While the law requires sprinklers in multifamily homes, he said the systems are effective at mitigating damage until first responders arrive.

Bova visited Fire Station 6 March 30 to thank the team with an invocation, lunch and a photo collage of Tuxie. She said it was the efficiency of her home security alert system and the Fire Department’s best practices in managing the fire that saved Tuxie and preserved 80 percent of her home.

PHOTOS BY SUE BOVA/PROVIDED

Before and after shots show Sue Bova’s kitchen following a Feb. 14 fire that resulted in a major loss. Initial investigation showed the fire was likely caused by a spark in an electrical panel behind her can opener or toaster oven.

PNOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

At left, Lynn Pennington, co-president of the Cultural Arts Alliance at Johns Creek, welcomes guests to the organization’s program on the intersection of art and history April 14.

Guests of the Cultural Arts Alliance’s program stand by “The Bridge,” a sculpture created by Ilan Averbuch that uses steel from the old Rogers Bridge.

Sawnee EMC is seeking an Electrical Distribution System Engineer. Requires a bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, civil engineering or similar engineering discipline. Preferred experience in design, modeling and maintenance of distribution power systems. Must have strong computer, mathematical and communication skills. Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, April 26, 2024. Apply online: www.sawnee.com/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568. Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer of Females, Minorities, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

Landis + Gyr Technology, Inc.

Product Manager

Alpharetta, GA

Responsibilities: Manage life cycle of company’s assigned products. Manage complex engineering tools for power, electrical & utility industry & lead product lifecycle activities, including gathering customer engineering requirements, authoring Product Requirement Documents (PRDs), prioritization of sustainment activities, managing Investment Plan (IPL) & New Product Introduction (NPI) processes for assigned products.

Salary range: $100,980 - $123,420/year

Requirements: Bachelor’s in Electrical Engg, Comp Sci or related field & 2 yrs exp in job offered or 2 yrs exp with Oracle/SQL Server databases. Exp must include 2 yrs of exp with wireless technologies. Exp must include 2 yrs utility domain exp. Exp must include 1 yr product management. Experience may be gained concurrently. Send resume & cover letter to: Landis+Gyr c/o Lisa Hudson, Talent Acquisition, 30000 Mill Creek Ave, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30022 or via email to: lisa. hudson@landisgyr.com

Lead DevOps Engineer (Alpharetta, GA): Assists in many of the day-to-day tasks critical to the success of the Application & D/b Ops team. Respsbl for provisioning & maint of the infrastructure on cloud pltfrms such as Google Cloud Platform (GCP) & Microsoft Azure using terraform as Infrastructure as a Code (IaaC). Helps creating, installing & maintaining var security certificates from certificate signing authorities (CA) such as on entrust & digicert on mltpl live apps that are currently being used by end users. Resumes to: Global Payments Holding Company, Brian Simons, Assoc Director, HR Risk & Compliance, 3550 Lenox Road, Suite 3000, Atlanta, GA 30326. #AV080054

Deadline to place a classified ad is Thursdays by 4pm

Sawnee EMC is seeking a Dispatcher with electric utility experience to dispatch workers for customer service, normal maintenance, or emergency repairs to electric-power transmission and distribution lines. Requires high school diploma or equivalency, minimum of one (1) year working knowledge of radio operation, or equivalent experience, map reading and line design knowledge, problem solving and communication skills by radio, telephone and in person. Must be available for alternate shift assignments and irregular work hours, including evenings and weekends.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, May 3, 2024. Apply online: www.sawnee. com/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer of Females, Minorities, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS ENGINEER:

Analyze/gather bus. reqts and tech design docs, develop software apps, web-services, enterprise APIS. Jobs based in Alpharetta, GA but requires travel/relocation to various unanticipated client locations throughout the U.S. Email resume to hr@deloscomputersinc.com or mail to Delos Computer Corp. 4080 McGinnis Ferry Road, Suite 1407, Alpharetta, GA, 30005

Sawnee EMC is seeking a General Clerk 1L (Building and Grounds/Custodial/ Maintenance) (parttime position) to perform facility maintenance and grounds keeping duties. Requires some heavy lifting, high school diploma or equivalency and a valid GA driver’s license. Related experience with outdoor maintenance equipment and a valid CDL are preferred. Hours: Availability for alternate shift assignments and irregular work hours.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, May 3, 2024. Apply online: www.sawnee. com/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer of Females, Minorities, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

PART-TIME SERVERS AND BARTENDERS

• Flexible hours

• Need own transportation

• Inquiries to info@asculinaryconcepts.com or 678-336-9196

• Located in Johns Creek

Wednesday

9:30 – 11:00AM

11695 Johns Creek Pkwy 1st Floor Meeting Area

Come prepared with business cards and your 45-second pitch about your business! From these meetings, you will form relationships, create business opportunities, and share information with Johns Creek Business professionals.

A part of our mission is to help businesses in Johns Creek connect, grow, and thrive. One of the ways we fulfill this mission is by helping business professionals grow their networks. All are welcome to the following networking opportunities for little to no cost, so please join us! The schedule is subject to change so to stay up to date with all the information visit the Calendar on our website or give us a call.

Men’s Happy Hour Networking

4th Thursday of the month. Check calendar on website for all details.

This event allows male professionals in the Johns Creek area to expand their referral network. So come on join your fellow gentlemen friends – and make new ones- at this monthly event! Chamber membership is not required and there is no admission for this event, just pay your own tab.

Women’s Networking Connection

4th Thursday of the month. Check calendar on website for all details.

Our Women’s Networking Connection is a great platform for women in business to come together to build strong connections with other businesswomen. Whether you own, run, or have a women targeted business you’ll enjoy great networking, great referrals, and great conversations!