Corky Kell football kicks off
Artist guild expands reach
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — The artist guild at the Art Center, formerly known at the Johns Creek Art Center, welcomed visitors to its reception at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse Aug. 6.
The show “Autumnal Equinox,” on display until Oct. 31, features around 25 pieces from a dozen artists in the guild.
Guild President Monika Mittal said she chose the venue to widen the group’s reach but also to allow for bigger pieces. The courthouse walls easily accommodate 6-foot-high paintings.
Among the small crowd was Janice Rinaldo, recreation program coordinator for Gwinnett County. She told Appen Media she previously saw the guild’s work at an exhibition at Emory Johns Creek Hospital.
“I was like, ‘This is great art.’ I was like, ‘I got to get a hold of the guild and see if they want to come do something over here,’” Rinaldo said. “It finally came to fruition a year later.”
The courthouse, off West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville, has rotating art shows on a quarterly basis.
See ARTS, Page 13
By MAGGIE LEE The Current
ATLANTA — To build confidence in voting rolls, Georgia digitized a cancellation process. Instead, they exposed voter data to exploitation.
The website launched July 29 by Georgia’s secretary of state intended to help individuals to cancel their voter status and to increase confidence in the state’s electoral rolls has instead exposed private personal data of voters, according to an investigation by The Current.
Oversights by IT workers during a test phase meant that for at least two days vital data such as driver’s license information or partial Social Security numbers would have been visible to malicious actors. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger unveiled the site on Monday, July 29.
The Current discovered one security flaw on Wednesday — and immediately alerted the Secretary of State’s office. The story was held for publication until the agency worked with the IT vendor, MTX Group, to correct the issues.
Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer for the Georgia Secretary of State’s office and former member of the Sandy Springs City Council, told The Current on Wednesday afternoon that approximately a couple hundred people had visited the site before the software fix.
“We launched something, we found some issues, no one was impacted in any real way that we can discover, we’ve taken steps to mitigate it and make sure it doesn’t happen,” Sterling said.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Afreen Khundmiri, member of the Art Center’s artist guild, describes her paintings to guests at the group’s reception at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville Aug. 6. The show “Autumnal Equinox” is on display until Oct. 31.
NEWS TIPS
770-442-3278
AppenMedia.com
319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009
HANS APPEN Publisher RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus CONTACT
Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance.
ADVERTISING
For information about advertising in the Johns Creek Herald or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.
CIRCULATION
To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278
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.
Couple reports theft of jewelry, cash
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police were dispatched to a home off Easthaven Place July 29, where jewelry and $500 in cash had reportedly been stolen.
The homeowner told police she had left that day at around 12:45 p.m. and returned about an hour later to a shattered kitchen door.
In the incident report, police wrote they believed someone rummaged through the woman’s bedroom dresser and closet. They also reported signs that a safe had been broken into.
The woman said that cash had been taken from her purse, left behind on the steps of the living room, the report says.
The woman’s husband told police a weed wacker left at the back of the house was not his. Police suspected that it had been used to enter the home.
Parents say daughter was sexually exploited
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. —Johns Creek parents told police July 30 they believed their 9-year-old daughter had sent nude images and videos on Snapchat at the request of an older man.
The mother said she had noticed her daughter spending more time in the bathroom and staying up later than usual in recent days, according to the incident report. The father said he also noticed a change in behavior.
The daughter told police she sent the images because she was asked to, though she would tell the suspect “no” several times. She also told authorities she believed the man was 23 and lived outside the country.
As police spoke with the family, the suspect attempted to call multiple times. When police answered, the suspect disconnected.
Police informed the family about the dangers of accepting friend requests from strangers on social media, the report says.
The investigation is ongoing.
Woman with dementia scammed out of money
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A phone scammer defrauded an Alpharetta woman diagnosed with dementia out of $15,000 on July 29.
About 5:20 p.m., police were dispatched to a home after the woman’s husband reported his wife was missing and couldn’t be reached by phone, according to an Alpharetta police report.
The husband told police his wife had a history of being deceived by scammers.
Officers searched for the woman’s vehicle and were beginning a process to track her cell phone when she arrived back at the home. She was still on the phone with the scammer.
An officer took the phone, identified himself and asked whom he was speaking with.
A man on the phone identified himself as Kevin and claimed he was with PayPal. The call originated from a number with area code 706, which covers an area outside of Metro Atlanta.
Kevin was upset the police had been called and refused to answer questions before hanging up.
The woman told police she already had sent $15,000 to the scammer.
She said she had been contacted via text claiming her PayPal account had been mistakenly credited with $15,000. A person claiming to be a PayPal representative had asked her to return the money.
The woman withdrew the money from her bank account, converted it
ASK APPEN
to Bitcoin at a package store and sent the digital currency to the scammer.
Examining the phone, police found that the woman had received multiple fraud detection warnings from her bank throughout the day.
While looking at her phone, police noticed she had installed remote access and Bitcoin apps.
Police also noticed she had emails from her bank notifying her that her passwords had been changed.
Police contacted her bank, which froze her online banking accounts.
Rental company owner reports stolen vehicle
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating the report of a stolen vehicle after the owner of Daniels Cars reported a renter for failing to make payments July 30.
The local business owner said he rented a car to a man May 13 who was making regular payments until July 25.
The vehicle is a white 2018 Audi Q3, valued at $28,000.
Officers said the owner’s tracker showed the car at the same location as their license plate readers.
After checking law enforcement databases, officers said the renter used a Texas man’s identification to secure the car.
Officers said the owner’s description of the suspect did not match with the Texas man’s ID.
After searching the suspect’s phone number on file, officers tracked it to an Atlanta residence.
Officers later said they found a July 2023 case involving two Atlanta men who lived at the same residence attached to the phone number.
After listing the vehicle as stolen, officers said charges against the suspect are pending a positive identification or the recovery of the Audi in his possession.
Attempts to contact the suspect and his next of kin were unsuccessful, officers said.
Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic kicks off new football season
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — The 33rd annual Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic kicks off the 2024 high school football season Aug. 14-17 with 11 games across five locations, featuring some of Georgia’s top talent.
Each of the games will be shown live on Peachtree Sports Network and streamed digitally on the Atlanta News First app. The Saturday games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be broadcast on Peachtree TV and 92.9 The Game.
Half of the 22 competing teams will make their first-ever appearances in the high school football showcase this year. For the first time in school history, the Dunwoody Wildcats are playing in the Corky Kell Classic.
Last season, head coach Michael Nash and the Wildcats ended a 14-year playoff drought, exiting in the first round after a historic season.
One reason to be optimistic about the school’s first showcase invitation is star quarterback Matt Pearch,
two-sport athlete pitching for Yale University in 2025.
The Dunwoody Wildcats will travel up Ga. 400 to Cumming and square off against the South Paulding Spartans from Douglassville Aug. 15 at 4:30 p.m. at West Forsyth High School.
It’s the third game of the 2024 Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic.
The West Forsyth Wolverines, perennial Class 7A playoff team, takes the field right after at 7:30 p.m. against the Class A defending champions Prince Avenue Christian.
The Alpharetta Raiders, head coach Jason Kervin and edge rusher Julius Holly have a chance to get revenge for their neighbors to the south, North Atlanta High School, when they face the Houston County Bears Aug. 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Bears knocked off the North Atlanta Warriors 42-32 in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs last year. The Warriors face the Kell Longhorns at their stadium 8 p.m. Aug. 14 in the second game of the high school football showcase.
Alpharetta is led by a group of highend recruits, including quarterback D.J. Bordeaux and tight end Ethan Barbour who is committed to the University of Georgia.
Corky Kell Executive Director I.J. Rosenberg said it took three months to put together the showcase’s widest range of participants yet.
“I think if you look at the 11 games and 22 teams playing this year, you will see we worked hard to be as inclusive as possible,” Rosenberg said. “We also have made a move into South Georgia as well as going back to the northwest part of the state while getting teams from all over Metro Atlanta.”
When the football showcase began in 1992, only four Metro Atlanta high schools participated, McEachern, Brookwood, Southwest DeKalb and Newnan.
Corky Kell Classic organizers added former Brookwood Broncos head coach Dave Hunter’s name to the high school football showcase in 2023 to honor his involvement and advocacy since day one.
The 2024 Corky Kell & Dave Hunter Classic schedule
Thursday, Aug. 15 at West Forsyth High School, Cumming
• 4:30 p.m. South Paulding vs. Dunwoody
• 7:30 p.m. Prince Avenue Christian vs. West Forsyth
Friday, Aug. 16 at Hebron Christian High School, Dacula
• 2:00 p.m. D.M. Therrell vs. Hebron Christian
Friday, Aug. 16 at Barron Stadium, Rome
• 5:00 p.m. Callaway vs. Cass
• 8:00 p.m. Creekside vs. Rome
Saturday, Aug. 17 at MercedesBenz Stadium, Atlanta
• 10:00 a.m. Walton vs. Brookwood
• 1:00 p.m. Alpharetta vs. HoustonCounty
• 4:00 p.m. McEachern vs. North Gwinnett
• 7:00 p.m. Douglas County vs. Cedar Grove
Tort reform likely front-burner issue for 2025 General Assembly
By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat
ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp has made tort reform the main theme of his annual August address to Georgia political and business leaders two years running.
But his Aug. 7 speech at this year’s Georgia Chamber of Commerce-sponsored Congressional Luncheon had a different ring to it than the 2023 version.
Kemp followed up last year’s pledge to make tort reform a top priority by essentially pulling out the rug on the issue when he addressed the chamber again at the beginning of this year’s General Assembly session. He said significant tort reform would require more than one year.
Toward that end, lawmakers passed a Kemp-backed bill this year directing the state insurance department to gather data on legal trends affecting premiums and prepare a report by Nov. 1.
“The governor very smartly decided to take a step back and look at the data,” said Nancy Palmer, vice president of government affairs for the Georgia Chamber. “Lawsuit reform is a huge wide-ranging topic. We’re talking
about the entirety of the civil justice system.”
Tort reform has been a goal of Georgia Republicans and their allies in the business community for decades. But the most significant reform legislation to make it through the General Assembly came way back in 2005, a bill that imposed a $350,000 cap on non-economic damage awards in medical malpractice and product liability lawsuits.
The cap immediately came under fire in the form of lawsuits challenging its constitutionality. The Georgia Supreme Court sided with the plaintiffs and threw out the cap in 2010.
Calls for tort reform have come like clockwork virtually every year since, with Republican lawmakers and conservative policy groups warning that huge jury verdicts from frivolous lawsuits are hurting job creation by forcing companies to close their doors.
“I hear stories every week from business owners who can’t get insurance or can’t afford it,” said Kyle Wingfield, president and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, a think tank that advocates free-market approaches to public-policy issues. “There’s got to be more balance.”
Palmer said improving access to insurance is just as important to businesses as the premiums they have to pay for coverage.
“We have insurers who are leaving the marketplace,” she said. “What we want is for businesses not only to pay lower rates but to have more choices. … There should be more competition in this marketplace.”
Opposition to tort reform has come from trial lawyers and legislative Democrats, who have argued that Georgians injured by medical malpractice or faulty products deserve access to a legal remedy.
“Constitutionally, people have a right to their day in court, and appellate courts in Georgia have been protective of that,” said state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
Oliver suggested that Republicans have been unsuccessful thus far in passing major tort reforms because many past governors and legislative leaders – including Republicans – have been lawyers who understand the complexities of the issue.
“What’s unique about this time is (neither) the governor, lieutenant governor, nor (House) speaker are law -
yers,” she said. “It makes it easier for them to say they’re for tort reform.”
One reform Republicans are expected to pursue in 2025 is in the area of premises liability. Business owners have long complained about being drawn into lawsuits after injuries or deaths occur on their properties that are not their fault and, in many cases, occur at night when the business is closed.
“When someone shows up and decides to commit a crime on your property without your permission, how much do you have to do to prevent that?” Wingfield said. “That ought to be a common-sense place to start.”
Two bills pertaining to the premises liability issue were before the General Assembly this year, but neither passed.
Palmer said the chamber is looking to Kemp for direction on which tort reforms lawmakers should pursue in 2025. Next year begins a new two-year term in the legislature, so whatever is considered has to start from scratch.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
Retired Milton, Johns Creek principal passes away at 80
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — Former Milton High School Principal Ron Tesch died July 31 at his home in Denison, Texas. He was 80.
“He was pretty much a legend,” Milton Principal Brian Jones said.
Tesch retired from Milton High School as principal in 2010 after 12 years at the post. In 2017, he was called out of retirement to serve as interim principal at Johns Creek High School.
Born in Aurora, Illinois, he attended Northern Illinois University to pursue a career in education, according to an obituary published by Fisher Funeral Home in Denison.
He leaves behind his wife, two sons and five grandchildren.
Tesch began his career in education in 1966 and served as a teacher, coach and principal.
At Milton High School, Tesch was instrumental in the school’s move from Alpharetta to its current building in Milton, Jones said. He believed in creating a well-rounded school with an emphasis on not only academics but other activities, like the Cirque program, which was inspired by the Cirque du Soleil show.
Jones, who worked alongside Tesch for three months, said he inherited much of Tesch’s hard work and success. He also said the former principal was “very much a mentor” to him.
Tesch, Jones said, was serious about his job but also approachable.
There will be a service honoring Principal Ron Tesch at Milton High School Sunday Aug. 18 at 3.
He was “there for the right reasons” and a positive role model, Jones said.
“The reality is a lot of people have so many positive and fond memories of him that his legacy is entrenched in the school’s community,” Jones said. “It was very difficult hearing of his passing.”
1939-2024
Join today for $16/month
Support Local News
Join Appen Press Club
CHARTER MEMBER
DC Aiken
Big Sky Franchise Team
David & Michelle Bertany
Amour & Duane Carthy
Barbara Anderson
Kerry Arias
Scott Baynton
Joseph Bell
James Bennett
Carl Abernathy
Salpi Adrouny
Alpharetta Lions Club
Omar Altalib
Dave Altman
Ron Altman
Joel Alvis
American Legion Post 201
Alice & Dr. Richard Appen
Gaye Armstrong
Mary Asbury
Shannon Banna
Beth Barnes
Janet Bass
Barbara Bauschka
Kathy Beck
Leslie Berry
Tom Billings
Tochie Blan
Ron Boddicker
Jodi Bogen
Sherri Bolles-Rogers
Helen Borland
Debra Bowen
Joe Bowen
Ryan Brainard
Mark Brandus
Mel Brannen
Dorothy Brouhard
Erendira Brumley
Bernhard Burgener
Alvin Burrell
Mike & Theresa Buscher
Mary Busman
Gary Butterfield
Clea Calloway
Kirk Canaday
James Carr
Bridgette Carter
William Cartwright
Pat Check
Virginia Christman
Christopher Cleary
Ann Coaloa
Kim Coggins
Evelyn Collazo
Michael Mackenzie
Communications
Adam Corder
Robert Flint
Robin Fricton
Allison January
Roderick Liptrot
Bob Meyers
Claude Nardy
Ross & Lori Ramsey
MEMBER+
Rita Brown
Mark Casas
David Conti
Theodore Davis III
Maureen Drumm
Charlcie Forehand
Deborah Jackson
Ali Mahbod
Vickie McElroy
Anne Peer
MEMBER
Joan Compton Terri Coons
Rhonda Cude
Christopher Cupit
David Davis
Duane DeBruler
Marilyn DeCusati
Rebecca Donlan
Tom Driscoll
Michael Dudgeon
Jeanette Dummer
DutchCrafters Amish Furniture
Mim Eisenberg
Danny Elkins
Su Ellis
Martha Fasse
Nell & Doug Fernandez
Lee Fleck
Cathy Flynn
Mary Ford
Nanci Foster
Amy Frederick Kelly Frommer
Carol Fry
Tracey Ganesh
Daniel Gay
John Gibbs
John Gilberto
Leslie Gilliam
Bailey & Ryan Gladysz
Michelle Glotzbach
Harvey Goldberg
Christopher Goodrich
Phyllis Goodrich
Ralph Griffin
Marilee Hamilton
Susan Hanna
Roxanne Hazen
Joe Hirsch
Penn Hodge
Dianne & Steffan Holmquist
Joan Hostetter
Austin Hughes
Lynn Johnson
Tyler Jones
Arthur Kebanli
Laura Keck
Mark Kelly
Allison Kloster
Dyna Kohler
Larry Krueger
Jess & Chris Kysar
Malinda Lackey
Ken Leffingwell
Carol Lehan
Bonnie Lind
Francia Lindon
Harlan Little
Ross Long
Brenda Lundy
Rita Loventhal
Karen Magill
Kyile Marshall
Julie Martin
Valerie Matthews
William Maxwell
Rachel McCord
Austin McCully
Diane McDonald
Lynn McIntyre
Mike McLoughlin
Jennifer Mendoza
Al Merrill
Chris Miller
Christine Miller
Fred Moeller
Sarah Moen
Carol Morgan
Kathy Morgan
Stu Moring
Leslie Mullis
Donna Murphy
Jack Murphy
Tricia Novarro
Bob O’Brien
Anne Pappas
Lynn Pennington
Jonathan Peters
Kurt & Leslie Phillips
Debra Powell
Righteous PR
Chuck Pugh
Robert Radloff
Raj Rajagopalan
Ashwin Ramaswami
To join go to appenmedia.com/join and follow the prompts to select your membership level and select your t-shirt size! Questions? Email Hans Appen at hans@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.
Cheryl Rand
Mark Rundle
Kim Truett
Roger Wise Jr.
Colt Whittall
Robert Popp
Kate Seng
Carol Williams
Marilyn Colarossi-Woods
Jean Rearick
Neil Robertson
Kimberly Robinson
Matt Rohs
Stephanie Schniederjan
Robert Scholz
Stephanie Schuette
Susan Searles
Tina Shelton
Lisa Shippel
Joanne Simmons
Tom Simon
Cindy Simpson
Robert Singleton
Faye Sklar
Judith Slaughter
Andy Smith
Gena Spears
Gloria Stathos
Wesley Stewart
Cathryn Stovall
Celeste Strohl
Andy Sumlin
Mike Tasos
Candice Teichert
The Small Business Advisor
Lisa Tilt
Michael Townes
Matthew Tyser
Ollie Wagner
Lewis Walker
Jonathan Washburn
Michael Watson
Sally White
Thom White
Michael Weiss
Umpika White
Susan Wilson
Jamie Wimberly
Nancy & Dave Wistrand
Carla York
Jonathan Young
Lynne Byrd was guardian of Dunwoody history
By VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Past Tense columnist
Lynne Byrd passed away July 5, 2024, but the difference she made in Dunwoody will continue to be visible every day. The Cheek Spruill House and DonaldsonBannister Farm remain as landmarks of Dunwoody and both properties are on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to her tireless efforts. The Isaac Roberts home in Sandy Springs was also placed on the register by Lynne. Her friends and neighbors will recall her gentle and kind nature.
Lynne researched and identified the historic properties of Dunwoody and along Spalding Drive, then had markers built and placed on those properties. Her work to preserve the stories of early Dunwoody through oral histories is held in the archives of Dunwoody Preservation Trust. She was a reliable source of local history, always happy to share her knowledge.
In the Spring of 1994, Lynne and friend Joyce Amacher were shocked when two railroad section houses of three that were located on Chamblee Dunwoody Road were suddenly demolished. This event spurred the two women to action.
A historic preservation committee was established as part of the Dunwoody Homeowner’s Association. Lynne was chair of the committee, which later became a separate entity, Dunwoody Preservation Trust. Lynne was the first president of DPT, followed by Joyce Amacher.
Scan QR code to join the Appen Press Club
Queenie and Danny Ross became the next co-presidents of DPT. “What an amazing lady she was,” recalls Queenie. “She was firm and very knowledgeable in
the field of historic preservation. She was a visionary and never ran out of ideas for preservation in Dunwoody.”
Following the 1998 tornado that destroyed homes and countless trees in Dunwoody, Lynne and Joyce were part of the Replant the Dunwoody Forest initiative. That is when Kathy Florence, Communications Manager for the city of Dunwoody, first met Lynne.
"So much of what makes Dunwoody special is because of Lynne Byrd,” observes Florence. “She was the quintessential Southern lady, and her tireless pursuits toward maintaining the history, heritage and early charm of Dunwoody is a perfect complement to its growth and popularity. Her gifts to this city will be appreciated for generations to come." Kathy and Tom Florence served as co-presidents of DPT in 2009 and 2010.
In an interview recorded in 2017 at Donaldson-Bannister Farm, Lynne shared the story of how the Cheek-Spruill House was saved. The home was for sale beginning in 1994 and was in danger of demolition. Fundraisers were held, so the community could buy the property. Lynne and Joyce stood in front the farmhouse wearing signs that read “Save Me.” That image and a painting of the Cheek-Spruill House with a sign that read, “Coming soon: Big Discount Gas Station for your convenience” were both featured on the cover of the Dunwoody Crier newspaper. This was a brilliant move by Lynne.
Lynne enthusiastically shared the excitement of July 4, 1998, in her interview. An agreement was worked out with the
Lynne Byrd and Joyce Amacher in the barn that once stood next to the Cheek-Spruill house.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/PROVIDED
Milton Community Burger closed its doors after just over one year of operations at Market District Crabapple. A letter from the owner, Single Barrel Hospitality, says other locations in Alpharetta, Canton and Forsyth County remain open.
Crabapple’s Community Burger closes
By HAYDEN SUMLIN
hayden@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. —Milton Community Burger off Heritage Walk closed its doors Aug. 5.
A letter from ownership posted on the front door announced the decision.
Community Burger continues to offer its handcrafted burgers, sides and cocktails at its flagship location on Reformation Parkway in Canton.
Chef Todd Hogan’s Single Barrel Hospitality owns Milton Community Burger and the Canton location.
Shane Clements, director of operations at Single Barrel Hospitality, penned a letter explaining the decision to close.
“Unfortunately, we have chosen a strategic realignment within the brand due to economic challenges,” Clements wrote. “Despite our best efforts and the dedication of our team, continuing operations at this location has become unsustainable.”
Milton Community Burger opened last summer, leasing space on the first floor at 3100 Heritage Walk. While many tenants remain at the mixed-use development, Milton Community Burger
is not the first to shut its doors.
The letter goes on to say other locations at The Mill at Etowah in Canton, Branch & Barrel Avalon and Branchwater Vickey Village will remain open and offer the same dining experience synonymous with Community Burger.
For any guests with unexpired gift cards, Clements encourages them to go to the Canton location.
“Since opening the Milton location, Community Burger Milton has been proud to serve the community with our fast casual dining experience,” he wrote. “We are immensely grateful to out loyal customers, dedicated staff and supportive community for their unwavering patronage and enthusiasm during this time.”
Greg Swayne, co-owner of Market District Crabapple, told Appen Media that his team was surprised by the announcement. Moving forward, Swayne said he expects ebbs and flows at Market District Crabapple with a dynamic market affecting restaurants across Metro Atlanta.
Single Barrel Hospitality’s Hogan said they’re simply consolidating brands in a challenging economy.
Funeral home remains fixture after nearly century of service
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
CUMMING, Ga. — Jack Allen, director of operations and former owner of Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory, said his neighbors used to give him a hard time about his line of work.
Until someone they knew suddenly died of a heart attack.
“Once they come here and see what you do, then they go, ‘Whoa. Thank you so much. We had no clue what all you do,’” said Allen, sitting across from Joey Wallace, Ingram’s office manager. Allen endearingly referred to the more soft-spoken Wallace as his “second wife” because of his aptitude in keeping him organized, like finding a contract from four years ago at the drop of a hat. The pair have been working together for two decades.
“You don’t know what the funeral business is like until you deal with one,” Allen said.
Allen took ownership of Ingram in 2004, after its founders ran it for nearly 80 years. Royston Ingram founded the business in 1928, and his three sons took it over in the ’70s.
Allen said the Ingram brothers, George and Robert, mulled over the decision to sell for quite a while. They wanted to sell to an individual, rather than a corporation.
The negotiation with Allen lasted two years.
“We paid it off, and we did pretty well,” Allen said.
Ingram, one of three funeral businesses in Forsyth County, handles about 800 services a year. Sixty percent of those are cremations, a more affordable, convenient option than a burial.
“I’d be surprised if someone doesn’t have a [crematory] now,” Allen said.
When he got started in the funeral
business, there were only two crematories in the state.
History in the walls
The building, some 18,000 square feet, has a life of its own, housing both the Ingram’s former home and funeral business. Walking in, living quarters were on the left, a fireplace still there, separated by the main hall which was once a driveway. To the right was the funeral home, the old brick painted white.
The A-frame of the Ingram home can still be seen at a certain angle from outside.
In a tour, Wallace said the founder would walk through a tunnel under the building to go to work, bypassing visitations. Royston’s children would also use it as a place to roller skate.
Today, the basement, what Allen refers to as the “bowels,” serves as storage
space, filled with items like caskets and embalming machines.
The crematory is down there, too, open to the outside. It was being repaired — a machine that burns bodies at around 1,700 degrees, over an average of three hours, requires regular maintenance.
Wallace, a Forsyth County native, recalled his grandmother passing away in the ’90s and the showroom, a state requirement for funeral homes, as being downstairs.
Now, it’s closer to the main entrance.
A casket made of premier mahogany with a champagne velvet interior, priced at nearly $10,000, lays against the back wall under a sign that read, “Tell the Story. Remember the Life.” A wall of urns, vault samples and flag cases are on display in the showroom as well.
Funeral homes must also have a
chapel. Ingram’s has a capacity of around 230 people, with more space across the business’ three visitation rooms, two that can be partitioned in half.
While more than half the business is cremations, there are still several full-time embalmers. One wheels a body into the “catch-all” room from the embalming room that houses his workstation. Bodies in the catch-all area are ready to be placed in the casket, then transported for visitation.
Wallace said embalmers must go through 18 months of training and serve at a funeral home under an apprenticeship.
In another room, bodies are prepared by beauticians and hairdressers. Ingram keeps a list of recommendations in case families don’t have their own.
Lifelong career
Allen has as much experience in the funeral business as one could have, coming from his own family’s firm which serviced 1,700 funerals a year across four locations in Atlanta.
His great-grandfather Hyatt M. Patterson started the business in 1880, eventually passing it down to Allen’s grandfather, then his father Dan Allen, and after he died, Allen’s mother, Lee Patterson Allen.
A refurbished horse-drawn hearse, at the end of the main hall, is said to have been in Allen’s family. Black-and-white photos and illustrations of the Patterson business hang nearby.
A May 1945 issue of The Southern Funeral Director details the funeral arrangements of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose embalming was performed by Fred Patterson, Allen’s grandfather. Roosevelt died in Warm Springs.
See INGRAM, Page 9
PHOTOS BY: AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
From left, Joey Wallace, office manager, and Jack Allen, director of operations and former owner, stand outside Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory in Cumming. Royston Ingram founded the funeral home in 1928.
BUSINESSPOSTS
Ingram:
“Fred W. Patterson, owner and manager of H.M. Patterson & Son, was at home in Atlanta smoking a leisurely after-dinner cigar when his phone rang at 7:40 p.m.,” Managing Editor Beth J. Herzog writes. “It was THE CALL, probably the biggest and most important ever experienced by a contemporary funeral director.”
Allen recalled seeing his first dead body at 12 years old.
“My dad didn’t want me to sit at home, not have anything to do, so he sent me down there to work,” Allen said.
Death became less of a shock for Allen. But, he has never really been “spooked,” though he said being in any funeral home at night can be strange, with creaks and pops and the sounds of doors closing. Allen said the sounds are usually explainable.
“You know people talk about ghosts and all this stuff,” he said. “I haven’t seen one in 40 years.”
Allen said he did not intend to go into the family business, with a dream to do advertising work for Coca-Cola. He described the strained dynamics of the family affair and the little money his three brothers were making with their embalming license.
But he stayed, with not much of a choice because of the few jobs available in the early ’80s. When his father died, he helped his mother grow H.M. Patterson & Son dramatically.
“I was 26 years old, in charge of four funeral homes with 80 employees, doing $3 million a year revenue,” Allen said.
Allen’s family sold the business and began consulting work with funeral homes that were struggling. Tired of constant travel, they sought Ingram.
Big growth
Before Allen bought Ingram, it had serviced around 300 funerals a year — a respectable number considering most mom ’n’ pops average about a third of that.
The increase can be attributed to the county’s population growth, of more than 100,000 people since the early 2000s. Allen said many transplants are older, folks who didn’t want to leave after visiting their kids and grandkids.
“To me, it ended up being more like a retirement community, which, because of that, probably added to our growth,” Allen said. “We got so big so fast that it was hard to handle some days.”
It was especially hard to handle during the COVID-19 pandemic, which added around 100 funerals a year at Ingram. It became too much for Allen, leading him to sell off to Park Lawn Corporation in 2021, which owns nearly 170 funeral homes across the country.
refrigerator trucks just to keep the bodies in until they could do something with them.”
During that time, the Ingram staff had to adapt to ever-changing guidelines, from no funerals at all to conducting them with a 20-person maximum.
“Those parts made it very unusual, having the supplies dealing with the huge volume,” Allen said. “It was very trying times.”
New owner
Allen said he sometimes wishes he would have kept Ingram, with all the extra hoops the company has to jump through.
The bureaucracy.
But, much of the stress has been lifted, from retaining increasingly expensive health insurance for employees to navigating legal issues.
“I knew that they would have more stability with a corporation in the long run,” Allen said.
Park Lawn has an on-call legal department when Allen is having trouble determining who has the legal authority over a deceased person. He said he deals with attorneys more than he’d like.
“[The body is] just like the property of an estate, who has the legal right to it” Allen said. “If we don’t do it right, we get sued.”
Legal issues have led to Ingram holding bodies for months. But bodies aren’t like stacking wood, he said.
“It’s a body that is deteriorating,” Allen said. “You have to do something with it.”
Allen said he has had to get court orders, usually a quick procedure because the issue at hand is “cut and dried” — often a fight between exes.
A caring staff
Wallace, who started his career in insurance, said he finds his job of two decades rewarding.
“Joey knows a lot more of the families than I do, being born and raised here,” Allen chimed in. “So, it’s somebody at his church. It’s a preacher he knew. It’s one of his best friend’s parents. There’s a connection, always, with these guys, and so to them, it’s personal.”
Most of the staff are local to Forsyth County. One funeral director has been with Ingram for nearly 40 years.
Allen attributes the success of Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory to the staff’s level of care, which involves customizing services.
“If somebody wants to bring their HarleyDavidson motorcycle in here … they bring it in,” Allen said.
He said if it’s not illegal, staff will do it — except for drinking because it’s a liability, though he’ll allow a toast behind closed doors.
Customization also means being mindful of religious tradition.
Little League coach, often
It might be “big”
Circle or square, e.g.
Swallow-tailed hawk
Multivitamin supplement
It's made in
“It was killing me, and it was killing all of us actually,” Allen said. “...Some of the firms had so many deaths that they had to rent
“We can have a Greek Orthodox — which sounds funny in Forsyth County, but there’s quite a few Greek Orthodox people here — a Muslim, Indian, Asian and a Baptist [service] in the same week,” Allen said. Continued from Page 8
Dedicated to making a positive impact in the business community
Committed to helping businesses succeed and grow
Brought to you by - Touchmark National Bank
As a dedicated Business Development Officer specializing in small businesses at Touchmark National Bank, Carlos Rodriguez leverages over 20 years of banking experience to assist business customers in identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities. In addition, as an ambassador for the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, Carlos is a trusted resource in the community, recognized for his commitment to fostering strong business relationships and promoting trust within the business community.
Touchmark National Bank also offers special competitive deposit rates to help businesses maximize
their financial potential. With a focus on banking resources, Carlos is passionate about helping small businesses thrive and achieve their financial goals through building lasting relationships based on trust and mutual success.
At Touchmark National Bank, we provide a comprehensive range of products, tools and resources tailored to streamline processes and support the unique needs of each business we serve. We are dedicated to making a positive impact in the business community and are committed to helping businesses succeed and grow through meaningful relationships built on trust and collaboration.
To learn more, contact Carlos Rodriguez at 770-407-6700 touchmarknb.com
Settling an estate
Brought to you by - Estates Law Center USA
What if you didn’t have a Trust and now the executors are settling an estate — but the decedent owes money. What can the creditors take and what is reserved for the inheritors? There is no easy answer, and a variety of federal and state laws apply.
To start with, retirement accounts that qualify under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act are generally protected from creditors, bankruptcy and civil lawsuits. But they’re vulnerable to exspouses and the IRS — in the form of child support, federal income tax debts, criminal fines and penalties, or civil or criminal judgments. Some states shield IRAs in nearly all instances, while others offer only limited protection.
IRAs and 401(k) plans may be protected from creditors in bankruptcy proceedings. If you declare bankruptcy, your IRA assets are usually safeguarded and cannot be seized. Depending on state law, your IRA assets may be protected from other creditors, but rules vary.
Beneficiaries of IRAs aren’t always afforded the same creditor protection as the
original account owner. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that an inherited IRA for a non-spouse beneficiary is no longer protected from creditors’ claims when the beneficiary files for bankruptcy. Spouses can roll over inherited IRA assets into their own accounts, but non-spouse beneficiaries cannot commingle inherited IRA assets with their own retirement assets.
The Supreme Court’s decision highlights the importance of beneficiary designations for each of your retirement accounts. For situations where creditor protection is a primary concern and ERISA protection isn’t available, using trusts as beneficiaries is a popular option. If your children are listed as beneficiaries and have financial issues, divorce, disability or face debt collectors, you can go the route of a trust, which may offer more protection. Talk to a professional about trusts that can protect loved ones.
There are many complex rules and regulations, and only a professional can help you decide what is right for you. The point is that whether you are planning your Trust, Will, planning to inherit or serving as an executor or Trustee, you can’t assume anything — work with an Expert attorney!
The Great Southeast Pollinator Census needs your help
Pollinators play important roles in biodiversity, crop production, and even the economy.
A 2014 economic impact study by University of Georgia experts determined that the annual value of pollination to Georgia is over $360 million. What’s even better is that the services pollinators provide are free.
Pollination is key to seed production, and without pollinators like hummingbirds, bees, ants, butterflies, wasps, and many others, our favorite fruits and vegetables would never make it to our tables.
Pollinators are also key to the survival of wild plant species, help to control pests that destroy agricultural crops, and help in decomposition, which is extremely important in crop production.
Although wasps, ants, and bees don’t yield warm and fuzzy feelings for most people, that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. Pollinator populations are decreasing. Not only in population, but also in diversity. Research from UGA is helping to identify not only the reasons behind the decline, but also what homeowners can do to help them.
Back in 2019 Becky Griffin, Community & School Garden Coordinator for Center for Urban Agriculture created the Great Georgia Pollinator Census a citizens Science initiative. According to Becky there were three goals for the project.
1. To create sustainable pollinator habitat by educating gardeners about using plants that provide nutrition for our pollinators while handling our summer droughts and do not have disease or pest insect pressure.
Byrd:
new property owner Guardian Savings. The bank deeded ½ acre including the house to Dunwoody Preservation Trust. The barn would have to be demolished, but the home was saved.
Lynne and Joyce spent that July 4th shouting throughout the parade crowd, “the farmhouse is saved.” Lynne recalled
2. To increase the entomological literacy of our citizens. As I mentioned to one teacher, we want students to go from “oooo, it’s a bug” to “look at the tarsal claw on that bee!”
how everyone was clapping and waving flags. The community came together under the leadership of Lynne and Joyce and money raised to save the house from demolition was used for restoration. Lynne referred to the Cheek-Spruill Home as the “crown jewel of Dunwoody.”
Lynne and Joyce also took on the task of updating “The Story of Dunwoody,” originally written by Elizabeth L. Davis and Ethel W. Spruill. The original book covered years 1821 through 1975. Lynne and Joyce picked up the history from 1975 and
3. To generate useful data about our pollinator populations, so we can begin to spot trends and see how pollinator populations are affected by weather and how honeybees influence native bee populations.
took it through 2001.
Lynne wrote three additional books on her own, including her memoir “The Sweetness and the Pits.” Lynne tells of her life as a nurse, wife and mother and her later years which included working at Byrd Realty with husband Noah and as a volunteer with DPT. She continued her education throughout adulthood, earning a Masters in Historic Preservation in her 50s.
Former DPT Board co-president Melanie Williams remembers her friend. “Lynne was an amazing woman with a deep love
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Judy Peacock, a master gardener for fourteen years. Judy is a member of the North Fulton County Master Gardeners. Judy graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Art Education. She is an avid gardener and is developing a pollinator garden, a stumpery, a perennial garden, and a vegetable garden on her seven and a half acres in Ellijay.
The first pollinator census held in 2019 had over 4,000 participants in 134 of Georgia’s 159 counties. From that impressive beginning it has grown to become The Great Southeast Pollinator Census covering the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida.
The 2024 Great Southeast Pollinator Census will be held this year on August 23rd and 24th. The actual census only takes 15 minutes. This is a wonderful way to help the pollinators and to help ourselves, who depend on pollinators to help produce our food. If you would like to participate, please go to the website at https://gsepc.org/. There you will find everything you need to know about counting, insect identification and all the forms for the count. Invite your friends, children, grandchildren and make it a party!
Happy gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener
Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.
for the Dunwoody community. Her boundless energy and determination were critical to the preservation of our community’s history. Lynne kept her beautiful smile and positive spirit to the end of her days— to be remembered as a bright star among us.”
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
JUDY PEACOCK Guest Columnist
JUDY PEACOCK/APPEN MEDIA
Gulf fritillary butterflies hover on bee balm.
GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!
At Moccasin Creek, age has its privileges
This time last week, you’ll recall, we were in the midst of grandkids. It was much fun! We even took them fishing, she and I did, leading our entourage down to a nearby stream.
Fish were caught – many fish. Snakes were spotted too.
The kids, it turns out, are much more adept at spotting water snakes than are those of us of more advanced age. They have sharper eyes, perhaps?
Anyway, how did that go? Well, I kind of like seeing the snakes, but she is less enthusiastic. As in:
“Mimi! Look at that snake!”
And she replies, “I think it’s time we move.”
Anyway, we fished and skipped rocks and looked for snakes and climbed in and out of the creek, oh, about 150 times the kiddos made all that in-andouting look easy, hopping without misstep or pause from rock to rock and flying through the air as they did so.
She and I moved a little bit more deliberately and maybe, as the afternoon progressed, a little bit more slowly too?
Later, back home, the kids were still all energy and excitement. We, however, were (as my granddad used to say) feeling it in the knees.
Yeah. It must be that age thing I keep hearing about.
But aging isn’t all bad. For example, they say that wisdom comes with it. It has seemed to me that I’m a little wiser lately. Don’t you think?
Mostly, though (and as someone near and dear to me once put it) aging sure as heck beats the alternative.
Another eventual advantage of aging is the senior discount at the Golden Corral. I do dearly love their bourbon chicken, and now and then I just have to go get some. When I do, thanks to my maturity and wisdom, it costs me less to do so than it used to. Yay for me.
I get the same kind of age…uh, wisdom-based special treatment at the local thrift store.
At the thrift store? You bet. She got me hooked on “thrifting,” as she calls it, not long after we met. Now I can hardly pass one up, especially when it happens to be Senior Discount Day. I think I’m secretly hoping I’ll walk in and there will be a box of classic handmade English bamboo fly rods labelled “Fishing Poles $1 Each.” I shall buy them all…but since it’ll be Senior Discount Day I won’t pay nearly what I would have if I was still a young whippersnapper and less
wise. See? All you have to do is look for the silver linings.
One of the best things about this age thing, though, awaits those of a fishing bent just a few miles up the road at Moccasin Creek State Park. It’s the seniors-and-kiddos section of Moccasin Creek, a trout stream which flows through the park next to the park’s campground.
It’s a stream where age (I mean WISDOM!) is a plus!
Moccasin Creek State Park is a 32-acre park is located in northeast Georgia’s Rabun County on Georgia 197. It nestles up next to Lake Burton, and it is right across the creek from the Burton Fish Hatchery. The park offers a range of things to do too. Right there at the park is a playground where the kids can work off some energy. If you’re feeling more ambitious, you’ll find some good hiking, too, including a good trail that takes you to Hemlock Falls. The trailhead is marked by a prominent inscribed boulder. With a total in-andout length of about 2 miles, it’s a great hike to do with the kids.
Or maybe you prefer the water. Moccasin Creek State Park offers easy access to the lake, thanks to a boat ramp and dock. Don’t have a boat? Kayaks, paddleboards and canoes can be rented at the park during the warmer parts of the year.
There’s camping, too, with more than 50 tent, trailer and RV campsites. All have water and 30-amp electrical service – and (yes!) the camping is discounted for those 62 years old or older. See? Age is looking better all the time. But make your reservations early as this park is often completely booked.
During your visit, you’ll want to
cross the creek and visit the Lake Burton Trout Hatchery. It’s open from 8 till 4:30 weekdays and from 10 till 3 on weekends and holidays.
But what about that fishing?
The section of Moccasin Creek through the state park is open only to seniors age 65 or older and to kids age 11 or younger, as well as to those with disabilities. This special-regulation water starts on the downstream end near the lake at a sign marking the “approximate normal pool level of Lake Burton” on the downstream end. From there, it extends upstream under Georgia Highway 197 to the diversion dam which feeds water into the Burton Trout Hatchery.
Aha! So we who are steeped in wisdom (as well as those who are still too young to worry about such things) have our own special piece of trout stream heaven? You bet we do!
Access to this stretch of the creek is easy, even though no wading is allowed. Fishing platforms put you in good positions to cast to some of the best holding water. Creekside access is good away from the platforms, too, and a trail on the state park side provide additional fairly easy bank access to further expand the possibilities.
What swims in the creek? The big draw is the trout, of course, and the folks at the adjoining Burton Trout Hatchery regularly stock catchable-sized trout there. You’ll probably see some of these fish holding in the current near the fishing platforms…but remember that if you can see them, they can see you too. They may be harder to fool than you’d think!
What should you use when fishing the special section of Moccasin Creek?
One good bet is worms – nightcrawlers or super jumpers or whatever your favorite flavor happens to be. Another is eggs (the kind you find in jars in the fishing department of your favorite bigbox retailer, those so-called “fish eggs” of various colors). Regular-style pink or orange fish eggs are the choice of many, but others swear by different colors (you hear chartreuse mentioned quite often) or by those which are seasoned with a hint of garlic.
Another good bet can be a flashy inline spinning lure such as a Roostertail or Mepps Spinner. Fish these on a light line. If you’re fly fishing, try a Y2K, a 3-D Sucker Spawn, or a San Juan Worm. A bright streamer (that is, some sort of minnow imitation) may work for fly fishers too.
In addition to trout, you’ll see sunfish in the creek. You may catch a few of those too. All are fun!
If you don’t fall into the age brackets that let you fish the special regulations water, there’s still fishing awaiting you at Moccasin Creek State Park. You can fish the nearby lake, for example, or you can go upstream above the diversion dam and fish for trout there. Just remember that within the special regs section, you’ve got to be 65 or older, 11 or younger, or disabled.
The next time you’re looking for something to do with the grandkids, or the next time you want to really convince yourself that the aging thing isn’t all bad, take a look at Moccasin Creek State Park. It’s made to order for making memories – and you just might take home a nice trout or two as well. We had a good time at Moccasin Creek. And (despite the name) we didn’t see a single snake!
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
PHOTOS BY: STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA
Fishing takes place from the creek’s bank at Moccasin Creek. In the background, across the creek, is the Burton Trout Hatchery.
An inscribed boulder marks the start of the Hemlock Falls Trail.
Arts:
Continued from Page 1
Mittal has also been working to pull in more diverse groups of people to the guild. The group has nearly 40 members from varied backgrounds, ethnicities and ages.
Mittal’s 21-year-old daughter has a macrame piece in the show, and not far from it, is a quilt made by an 80-year-old artist.
The diversity carries through to the work.
Guild member Afreen Khundmiri had two pieces in the show, one of which represented her perspective as someone with dyslexia. She painted the dress she wore, Rumi poetry in Farsi.
“I want to convey the message … women, period, are multitaskers,” Khundmiri said. “They can do any -
Votes:
Continued from Page 1
The issue is the second security flaw discovered since the site came online. The first, reported by The Associated Press, has also been fixed, according to Sterling.
The partial Social Security numbers and drivers’ license numbers exposed inadvertently on Georgia’s voter cancellation site are part of data necessary to initiate a voter registration cancellation, along with a person’s date of birth and county of residence. This personal information is valued by hackers to perpetuate identity or credit fraud.
The Current, while using the new site, discovered that sensitive personal information displayed in the computer code sent from the cancellation portal to some users’ browsers. That flaw was related to an even more obvious security problem first reported by the AP: One page inside the portal very briefly displayed personal information in plain text.
Sterling said his office has been testing the portal internally for weeks. One of the problems had been fixed during testing, but a last-minute change elsewhere invalidated the fix, he said. The problem identified by The Current was on a list of things that needed to be checked, but it wasn’t checked, he said.
The cancellation portal is part of a larger $5.1 million overhaul of the state’s voter registration system. Those changes include storing information in cloud-based servers run by the company Salesforce, which uses security standards laid out for agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Defense. Not even the MTX Group programmers can see voters’ information, he said.
Georgia’s new election laws allow
Hi, I’m Amber Perry and I report on all things in and around Johns Creek and Roswell. If you have any story tips or ideas please contact me at amber@appenmedia.com
thing and everything. They don’t need a language. They just need a love language.”
Khundmiri said her love language is food, showing photos she took of her husband’s dishes.
Another artist in the show, Greg Barnum, had some landscape paintings as well as abstract work.
Barnum, who joined the guild a couple of years ago, said the group allows him to sell his work but also to support the Art Center. He began attending classes there about a decade ago.
“The Art Center is not going to work without people supporting it out of the goodness of their hearts,” he said.
unlimited numbers of challenges to voter registration, part of a series of changes that the Republican-led state government has made to voting law amid pressure from the pernicious but wrong opinion that voting fraud is rampant in the Peach State. The brunt of those registration challenges falls on county election officials.
Though this portal was designed for individuals to remove only themselves or deceased relatives, it comes at a time when voter-list vigilantes are appearing at county election boards with thousands of names they want removed from voter rolls. Voting rights advocates are on high alert, and didn’t care for the language that first appeared on the new Secretary of State page: “Please enter the information for the voter you are wanting to cancel.”
Despite the initial flaws in the cancellation portal — which Sterling emphasized were fixed within hours — the new digitized system is more secure than depending on paper and the mail, he said.
Solution
Sterling said fewer than 20 people visited the site before Monday’s flaw was fixed; and a couple hundred people had initiated cancellation requests as of Wednesday
afternoon.
“At the end of the day … all these county [election office] folks, a human being still has to look at this to see if it seems right to them,” Sterling said. Anyone whose registration is canceled should receive a postcard in the mail double-checking the deletion.
Raffensperger’s office called the site “secure” when they announced its debut via press release Monday. The office touted it as a simple way for anyone moving out of state to remove themselves from the Georgia voter list, or to do so for a deceased family member.
“It will also help keep Georgia’s voter registration database up-to-date without having to rely on postcards being sent and returned by an increasingly inefficient postal system,” Raffensperger was quoted as saying in the Monday release.
Georgia Democrats this week have panned Raffenberger’s voter cancellation initiative, and the security snafus have enhanced the mistrust among many members of the state’s minority party. As Georgia moves from long-term Republican dominance to a place where more Demo-
crats register to vote, margins as small as 12,000 votes matter in statewide elections. Democrats fear the portal will be abused by conspiracy theorists and bad actors to wrongly disenfranchise voters.
One Democratic state senator said she saw her own personal information in plain text on the site. Her caucus called for the cancellation portal to be taken down altogether.
The state cancellation site still starts by asking for a person’s name, date of birth and county of residence to start the voter cancellation process.
Next, the site asks for the voter’s drivers license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
For a short period Monday morning, if a user clicked an option saying they don’t have a driver’s license, the site generated a form for the user to print and return by mail or email. Pressing that button to create the form exposed the personal information.
This story comes from The Current, an independent, in-depth and investigative journalism website for Coastal Georgia.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Artist Guild President Monika Mittal , left, speaks to guests at the group’s art reception Aug. 6.
SERVICE DIRECTORY
Home for Rent
BIG CANOE $1,000,000 home for lease with long range views. 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 4500 sq feet. $3500 per month, good credit required. Inquire at larryjmorris@aol.com.
1-888-872-2809. Have zip code!
lawn service: Fertilization, weed control,
aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote.
about our first application
1-833-606-6777
for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to re-ceive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-948-6176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.
Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protec-tion.
Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-610-1936
Bath & shower updates in as little as 1 day! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & military discounts available. 1-877-543-9189
Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads
Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306
Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation ExpertsOver $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-308-1971
DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405
Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234 Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as one day. For a limited time, waving all installation costs! (Additional terms apply.
Sawnee EMC is seeking a General Clerk III – Customer Service to assist in a high-volume call center. Requires high school diploma or equivalency, computer, communication, and general office skills. Requires one (1) year experience in a customer service call center or service-type organization, utility, finance, banking, or equivalent industry. Bilingual is preferred, fluent in English and Spanish (written and verbal).
Position is full-time; must be flexible to work irregular hours, to include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, August 23, 2024. Apply online: www.sawnee.coop/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 and disabled veterans to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.
Best
Best
Best
Best