Johns Creek students host exhibit chronicling area’s COVID history

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Student

Leadership Johns Creek showcased the experience of COVID-19 through a community lens in a studentled “Same Storm, Different Boats” exhibit at Northview High School

April 19.

Students from four area schools demonstrated their August 2022-March 2023 research through photos, interviews and collaborative projects in the Northview High

School food court on Parsons Road. Guests toured the exhibit, which featured interviews with first responders and community public servants, COVID in the local media and firsthand experiences on colorcoordinated poster boards.

Students from Northview High School Katie Bernard, Hasini Bollampalli, Neha Gurram, Riya Havanur, Irene Huang, Rohan Mistry and Yatihya Sahoo were responsible for audio visual evidence of the project.

Johns Creek High School students Olivia Bernard, Maggie Dowd, Reagan Forkey, Yoseop Han, Heather Hutmacher, Grace McGehee and McKeith McIlhinney provided the written evidence in the exhibit.

Secretary of State ambassadors Brady Carnsesale, Neha Gurram, Alisha Kohli, Varsha Nirmal, Tiffany Obasohan, Lakshana Ramanan, Aria Smith, Nicholas Stone and Shruthi Balachander contributed to the project’s oral history evidence.

Obasohan, whose group was responsible for interviews with

See COVID, Page 6

“I know this is a team effort, I am here to represent you,” Pozatek said.

Fulton County Schools Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef presented the budget, which is scheduled to be adopted on June 6. The budget has been discussed at previous school board meetings, and it calls for employees to receive a 7 percent salary increase for the 2023-2024 school year.

Dereef said the compensation increase is the highlight to the budget, because “we’re in a competitive market” with neighboring school districts in

See BUDGET, Page 12

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Woman reports texts threatening her family

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported to police April 11 that her mother had received threatening texts and voice messages from blocked phone numbers.

The unidentified suspect, speaking in Farsi, threatened to kill her family in Turkey and Iran, and kill her, her mother and her father, the police report stated.

The victim said her father had a former co-worker who was upset with him over monetary issues but was not certain if the messages were sent by the co-worker.

Police read the text messages, but they only accused the mother and father of writing two checks totaling $80,000 that bounced, the police report said. According to the police report, none of the text messages appeared to be threatening in nature.

Man stumped by ploy using his home address

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek man reported to police April 12 that empty envelopes had been delivered to addresses across the country, using his address.

The victim said he did not mail the envelopes, nor had he allowed anyone to use his address. He said he started receiving empty envelopes that were “returned to sender” as undeliverable about two weeks ago. He also stated he has been receiving phone calls daily from people inquiring why he sent the empty envelopes.

The victim said he complained to his post office on Peachtree Industrial

Boulevard, which advised him to file a report at www.uspis.gov.

Police informed the victim to hold the envelopes and others he may receive due to them not appearing to have any evidentiary value. Police also advised him to hold his mail at the post office and turn over any new envelopes to his postmaster.

Woman reports account opened under her name

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported to police April 13 she received a notice from Bank of America that an account was opened in her name.

The victim said she went to a local branch and was given a document showing that the account had been opened in January and closed in February. She does not use Bank of America.

In the month it was active, a total of $1,668 was deposited and the same amount was withdrawn. The money was deposited at various times and in various dollar amounts, the police report said.

The bank was unable to tell the victim where the account was opened and could only provide general information.

Because the victim believed her Social Security number was stolen and used to open the account, she completed an Identity Theft File Consent Waiver.

Driver points rifle at car wash staff

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — An employee of a car wash reported to Johns Creek Police April 13 that a man pulled into the pay station area, rolled down his window and pointed an assault rifle at her and another employee the day before.

The victim said she was unaware if the weapon was real or fake, but immediately feared for her life and walked away to stand behind a brick pillar.

She said her co-worker walked toward the suspect in the truck and began to have what appeared to be a casual conversation about the weapon that was pointed at them.

After her co-worker was done speaking with the suspect, he continued through the carwash and vacuumed the vehicle. The suspect, whose description was redacted by police, then left the location without further incident.

Police matched the victim’s description with the registered owner of the vehicle.

According to the police report, the victim was adamant about not pressing charges due to the company’s appearance and because she was uncertain whether the incident was intended to be a bad joke.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger updates the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce on recent legislative measures April 17.