Memorial lacrosse game, scholarships honor coach
By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — For the second consecutive year, the lacrosse community came together to honor the memory of Edward Venglik.
Venglik, mostly known as Ed, was a lacrosse coach and father of three in Johns Creek. He coached most levels of the sport, with his commitment to athletes earning him the title Mr. Gladiator.
Coach Ed’s legacy lived on as Newtown Park stands filled with community members, friends and
family of the Vegliks for a memorial lacrosse game Aug. 12.
The field buzzed with energy and smiles as Ed’s two sons, Nicholas and Oliver, battled each other. Some of Ed’s former players, along with current high school and middle school lacrosse athletes, joined the brothers on the field.
Luke Shusted, who grew up playing under Coach Ed, brought his best to the field. Shusted told Appen Media he learned valuable lessons from Ed while playing for the Georgia Blue
See MEMORIAL, Page 13
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Ed’s kindness and leadership as a coach truly created the best lacrosse experience I could have ever wished for.
LUKE SHUSTED
Former Johns Creek Gladiators lacrosse player
► PAGE 6
Veterans plan rite honoring soldiers killed in Kabul
FIELDS
attack
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Veterans Association will host a ceremony Aug. 24 to commemorate the third anniversary of the attack at an airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Thirteen U.S. Service members and more than 163 U.S. Afghan allies and civilians died as a result of the bombing on Abbey Gate at the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA).
The 10 a.m. event will be held at the Veterans Memorial Walk in the Afghanistan Plaza off Old Alabama Road.
Maj. Gen. Arnold Fields, who retired in 2003 after nearly 35 years of active duty in the U.S. Marines, will be the guest speaker.
The decorated veteran continued service after his retirement by accepting a presidential appointment as U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in 2008.
With offices in the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Arlington, Virginia, Fields was the first U.S. chief watchdog for waste, fraud, and abuse of more than $61 billion U.S. appropriated funds for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
HANNAH FRAZER/APPEN MEDIA
Edward Venglik’s sons Nicholas, crouched, and Oliver face each other in the memorial lacrosse game held at Newtown Park.
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Suwanee man arrested after fleeing traffic stop
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a 31-year-old Suwanee man Aug. 6 after he fled on foot after a traffic stop on State Bridge Road.
Police approached the suspect in his Toyota Corolla because he was stopped in an eastbound turn lane with his hazards on, according to the incident report.
The driver told police his car wasn’t working and that he was coming from Alpharetta and that he was headed to Alpharetta, though his car was positioned toward the opposite direction, the report says.
While speaking with the suspect, police detected an alcohol odor, slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, according to the report.
The suspect admitted to police he had stopped driving because he was drunk, though he said his last drink was a 12-ounce beer the previous evening, the report says.
After the suspect refused sobriety tests, he attempted to flee on foot on State Bridge Road, according to the report. Police chased the suspect and coaxed him out of the roadway, then handcuffed him.
In a search of the suspect’s vehicle, police found a gray plastic bag containing two opened 24-ounce beers on the floorboard of the front right passenger seat.
While in the backseat of the patrol car, the suspect kicked the passenger door, damaging it, and spit on two officers’ faces, according to the report.
As police transported him to the Fulton County Jail, the suspect allegedly threatened to kill one of the officers.
Police charged him with driving under the influence, open container, ob-
struction, two counts of simple battery, terroristic threats and interference with government property.
Police arrest driver in high-speed chase
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a 43-year-old Johns Creek man Aug. 10 after he left a bar, then led police in a high-speed chase on Jones Bridge Road.
When police spoke with the suspect at the bar, they noticed signs that he was too intoxicated to drive and offered him a courtesy ride home, according to the incident report. The man declined the offer and said he would walk home, the report says.
But, the suspect walked toward his car, got in, and left the parking lot at a high speed, according to the report.
Police then attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the suspect continued to accelerate at more than 100 mph on Jones Bridge Road, the report says.
After making several turns, the suspect veered into oncoming traffic near Egmont Drive and collided with an assisting officer. He then exited the vehicle and ran on foot and attempted to climb a fence.
Police were able to pull the suspect down and handcuff him, but he continued to fight officers.
Police said he attempted to bite an officer and used his knees to strike the officer in the head. While being placed in a hobble restraint, the suspect attempted to mule kick another officer, police said.
Ambulance services arrived and sedated the suspect.
Police charged the man with failure to obey signs or control devices; a violation of signal required performing a lane change; speeding; two counts of improper/erratic lane change; improper left turn; two counts of driving on wrong side of the road; failure to obey stop sign; reckless driving; driving under the influence; fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer; interference with government property; unsafe vehicle; and two counts of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers.
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Police locate suspect in hit-and-run crash
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police investigated a report of a hit-and-run crash Aug. 5, locating a driver who had allegedly left the location of the crash.
Officers were dispatched to Westside Parkway and Cumming Street where the crash was reported, according to an Alpharetta police report.
A driver at the location of the crash told police a vehicle had side swiped his car while changing lanes. The Johns Creek man said the alleged at-fault driver had asked him not to call police because she was from out of the country and did not have insurance.
Police saw damage to the bumper and tire of the car that remained at the location of the crash.
Police identified the license of the alleged at-fault vehicle and visited the driver’s residence.
During the second visit, police located the vehicle that had allegedly left the crash and spoke with the driver, who allegedly admitted to driving the vehicle involved.
Alpharetta resident sends $15K to alleged scammer
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta resident reported she was deceived into sending $15,000 to an online scammer on Aug. 5.
The resident said she received a Microsoft warning telling her computer was corrupted, according to an Alpharetta police report. After following the online prompts to visit a website and call a phone number, she was convinced to make withdrawals from her bank, according to the report.
The resident withdrew the money from a local bank and converted it into the digital currency Bitcoin at a local kiosk. She then deposited the money into the alleged scammer’s account.
The resident reported the alleged scam to police on Aug. 6 and froze her bank accounts.
The investigation is ongoing.
Student Leadership Johns Creek commences 13th year of program
By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga.— Student
Leadership Johns Creek commenced Aug. 3 their 2024-25 program year.
The Student Leadership Johns Creek kicked off their 13th year with an escape room experience. Over 200 students representing Innovation Academy, Mt. Pisgah, Providence Christian-Johns Creek, Johns Creek, Centennial, Chattahoochee, and Northview high schools participated in four different challenges at the Odyssey Escape Games in Alpharetta.
Following the event, the group plans to hold monthly in-person program days.
First-year students will participate in community service and learn about government through visits to downtown Atlanta and Johns Creek City Hall.
Second-year students will enhance their professional skills by creating online portfolios, LinkedIn profiles, resumes, and engaging in job shadowing. Additionally, Student Leadership Johns Creek Ambassadors will host a Georgia House Debate on October 9th at Chattahoochee High School.
The two-year Student Leadership Johns Creek program is overseen by an advisory committee from Leadership Johns Creek, a 501(c) (3) non-profit, in partnership with Fulton County Schools. In October, Leadership Johns Creek will offer a three-day Leadership Leap program for adults, covering Johns Creek’s history, community aspects, and providing leadership training and networking opportunities.
For additional information or registration, visit www. studentleadershipjohnscreek.com.
Johns Creek to break ground on Creekside Park Aug. 23
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek officials will host a groundbreaking ceremony Aug. 23 for construction of Creekside Park, 21 acres integral to the city’s Town Center.
Located behind City Hall, the project will feature an amphitheater, terraced seating areas for concert viewing, 15-foot-wide trails, pedestrian plazas and pond overlooks.
The project’s amenities are
connected by a boardwalk to a 3-acre constructed wetland designed to improve water quality and provide regional stormwater detention for future development in the Town Center area.
The ceremony will be from 9:30 to 10 a.m. next to the wooden pavilion by the pond behind City Hall. Attendees can park in the City Hall parking lot off Lakefield Drive.
Volunteers sought to count pollinators at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve gardens
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Great Southeastern Pollinator Census, a citizen science project created by the University of Georgia, will land at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve Aug. 24.
The preserve and the North Fulton Master Gardeners, along with the University of Georgia Extension Office, will provide all the materials needed for those interested in capturing a count in one of
the site’s three pollinator gardens.
From 10 a.m. to noon, volunteers will be asked to choose a favorite pollinator plant to monitor and for 15 minutes, keep count of each insect that lands, then upload the results to the project’s website.
In addition to Georgia, the census is open to residents in South Carolina, North Carolina and Florida. For more information, visit https://gsepc.org.
Roswell United Methodist Church to host 20th Miss Mary’s fundraiser
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Drake House, a Roswell nonprofit that assists women and children experiencing homelessness, is celebrating 20 sweet years of its Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ fundraiser.
The Aug. 25 event, scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. at Roswell United Methodist Church, will offer the chance for families to savor some homemade ice cream and support the organization’s mission of ending homelessness in the community.
This year’s location is a move just up the street.
Named after North Fulton humanitarian Mary Drake, Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ was established in 2004 as the signature fundraising event for The Drake House.
There, attendees will be invited to sample more than 100 flavors of homemade ice cream churned by dedicated community volunteer “crankers,” or those who make ice cream before the event and serve samples the day of.
Tickets are $7 with discounts for family packs. Entrance grants each person a tasting cup and all the ice cream they can eat.
Corporate, civic, faith and family teams will compete for top awards from local judges. Categories include Best Vanilla, Best Chocolate, Best Fruit and Best Other Flavor.
The event will also feature children’s activities, such as a bounce house, face painting and kids contests.
Church gift lets Family Promise offer new housing
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — A recent donation to Family Promise of North Fulton/ DeKalb will give two families in need of transitional housing a place to call home early next year.
Family Promise is a nationwide nonprofit that fights homelessness by providing resources, transitional housing, and support to struggling families.
The North Fulton/DeKalb chapter received the donation, its first transitional home, from St. David’s Episcopal Church as part of a 10-year reduced rent lease agreement.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Aug. 15 on the lawn of the roughly 1,800-square-foot home off Old Roswell Road, next door to the church. It featured remarks from Executive Director Andrea Brantley, Rev. Remington Slone of St. David’s, and Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
At center, Andrea Brantley, executive director of Family Promise of North Fulton/ DeKalb, and the Rev. Remington Slone, senior pastor of St. David’s Episcopal Church, join members of the Roswell City Council for a groundbreaking Aug. 15. St. David’s donated an adjacent house to the nonprofit as part of a 10-year reduced rent agreement intended for two families in transition from rotational sheltering.
As visitors walked through the home, Jason Acree, with project manager McKibbon Places, explained the renovation plans. He expects completion in the first quarter of next year. The home will have five bedrooms and two bathrooms with shared dining and living areas.
Brantley said the home will provide families exiting the nonprofit’s Rotational Shelter program more time to build credit and reach selfsufficiency.
In 2023, the North Fulton/DeKalb chapter served 31 individuals in its Rotational Shelter program, which was made possible through partnerships with a diverse range of a dozen faithbased organizations, including St.
David’s. It also served 54 individuals in its Housing Stabilization program and nearly 2,500 through Emergency Response.
“We’re very super excited to have the City of Roswell … wrap [its] arms around the project…” Brantley said.
She said the project was Slone’s idea.
“He came to me, loved our mission, and said, ‘I want to do more,’” Brantley said.
Families that have been rotating through shelters weekly for 90 to 120 days will have the opportunity to stay at the home for up to six months once they graduate.
“My dream is that other congregations see the value of this,” she said.
Brantley said they could donate space they’re using for storage or for meetings, proposing they relocate to their larger facilities. She also said they could allow the nonprofit to build on their undeveloped land.
“My hope is that we … shake the community up about this and realize that this is a really doable thing, and we can really make an impact on the families that are experiencing homelessness in our neighborhood,” Brantley said.
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North Fulton facing ‘acute’ school bus driver shortage
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By JAKE DRUKMAN newsroom@appenmedia.com
NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Schools in North Fulton County are looking to recruit new bus drivers amid a major shortage that has forced the school system to modify bus routes.
Fulton County Schools’ Chief Communication Officer Brian Noyes said the district is looking to fill 140 bus driver vacancies. While that includes vacancies in both North and South Fulton, Noyes said the district has “an acute issue” with North Fulton’s school clusters, particularly in Milton and Alpharetta.
Noyes said the shortage has caused the district to have some drivers service two elementary schools in one day, picking up and dropping off students from an elementary school with lower attendance before moving to an elementary school with higher attendance. Typically, drivers would drive routes for one elementary, one middle and one high school each day.
Some elementary schools in the district have seen earlier pickup times in the morning to accommodate all of the necessary routes, and some students who live along longer routes have been late to school due to busing issues. Noyes said the late arrival times are not widespread.
One doesn’t need specialized experience to become a school bus driver. Applicants with a basic driver’s license can receive paid, in-house
training from Fulton County Schools to earn a commercial driver’s license for the job.
Starting pay for drivers with no CDL experience starts at $23.54 per hour, while those with experience can earn more. Bus drivers get time off during summer and the holidays, as well as breaks between their a.m. and p.m. routes. Full-time drivers can also receive several other benefits.
“As an employee of a school system, you have all of the benefits of the state’s health benefit plan, you’re bought into the teacher retirement system and in 10 years, you’re vested into a retirement pension,” Noyes said. “So that’s a pretty big set of benefits.”
Noyes noted that driving buses can make a great job for retirees who would like to take on another job, commercial drivers who are looking for more reasonable work hours and parents whose kids go to school in Fulton, because they can have a work schedule that aligns with their child’s school schedule.
Anyone interested in becoming a driver for Fulton County Schools can apply online at Fulton County Schools’ website.
“It’s really a benefit for the kids in the community,” Noyes said. “If people want to get a sense of purpose, education is a great place to be. You’re giving back to the kids… I think it’s really important that we have people who have that feeling about giving back to their community.”
FILE PHOTO
Fulton County is having trouble finding school bus drivers, with about 140 vacancies.
By JAKE DRUKMAN newsroom@appenmedia.com
Georgia committee hears testimony about possibilities, pitfalls of AI A
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — While computergenerated actors and self-driving cars aren’t common in Georgia yet, a state Senate committee is at work to evaluate the benefits and risks such technologies may pose.
The Senate Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence, headed by Roswell Sen. John Albers, met at Trilith film studios in Fayetteville on Aug. 14. Committee members discussed the possible applications of AI with stakeholders in Georgia’s film industry and public infrastructure.
Trilith Studios CEO Frank Patterson was the first speaker to address the committee. The studio has produced some of the highest-grossing films of all time, such as “Avengers: Endgame” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
Patterson discussed ways that artificial intelligence could potentially revolutionize the way films are created, replacing human involvement to a large degree. He noted that current technology is still far from being able to create viable movies without human input.
“We are nowhere close to being able to create characters that have any kind
of humanity,” Patterson said. “I can’t do it, and believe me, I’ve tried… When you’re talking about fictional stories that resonate across humanity, we haven’t figured out how to create a human interaction.”
He said studios will be able to use AI in smaller ways in the near term, such as translating films into other languages for distribution to foreign markets. This is done by having voice actors manually record translated lines and replacing a film’s native dialogue with the translated version. Patterson suggested, however, that AI could both perform the translations and make them sound like the original actor’s voice.
Some acting organizations have railed against such uses of AI in the past, arguing that using technology to replace human labor threatens people’s livelihoods in the film industry.
Patterson and Julie Feagin, CEO of Atlanta-based FilmBook Media, cautioned that AI technology could threaten actors’ — and the public’s — rights to their own names, images and likenesses. Many AI programs can generate realistic images and videos of people without their knowledge or consent.
“AI-generated content is not real,
but it has very real consequences,” Feagin said. “It can cause emotional and financial harm.”
Feagin noted AI has been used to create artificial sexual imagery of real people, known as “deepfakes,” which can damage a person’s reputation and cause major emotional distress. Deepfakes have been the subject of numerous legal disputes in the U.S. over the past several years.
Feagin and Patterson suggested the state take action to protect people’s rights to their images regarding AI recreations.
AI in transportation
Alan Davis, a traffic engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation, was another speaker at Wednesday’s meeting. He suggested AI may one day play a larger role in aiding the state’s transit planning and traffic management. Currently, it plays “little to none” due to such technologies being cost-prohibitive and unreliable.
“Current [AI] models, at least ones that I think would benefit transportation, are not good at outliers,” Davis said. “And if there’s anything that’s full of outliers, it’s transportation and traffic.”
Davis said the state uses several technologies to perform functions such as detecting crashes on traffic cameras and deploying emergency assistance. Still, as of now, these functions are powered by algorithms rather than machine intelligence.
He said fully autonomous vehicles may soon be coming to Georgia. Waymo, a ride-hailing company that offers driverless taxi rides, is “mapping out operations” in Atlanta. Currently, Waymo offers rides in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix.
The state’s Senate Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence is scheduled to hold five more meetings through December. Albers said the committee will draft a final report and recommendations for the General Assembly.
Citizens who wish to share comments with the committee can request to speak at a committee meeting or submit testimony online through the committee’s website.
AZIZ HASHIM, founder and managing partner, NRD Holdings
Franchising expert unveils newest food hub concept
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs has a new restaurant open, and it’s the first of its kind.
Experiential Brands’ new restaurant concept, SocialBites Food Hub, opened its first location within the Sandy Springs Village shopping center at 6650 Roswell Road in late July.
In the first two weeks of business, Experiential Brands CEO Aziz Hashim said the food hub has hosted families with children, corporate team building exercises and an assortment of Sandy Springs residents and neighbors.
As a food hall, SocialBites Food Hub aims to be a one-stop shop for a night out with friends or family.
While food halls make a profit in high-density commercial and residential areas, the food hub concept looks to combine different service models into something that can last.
In the first two weeks of operations, Hashim said SocialBites has seen just about every customer imaginable, something important to any profitable restaurant business.
The floor plan of the restaurant fits with anyone’s night out preferences. The upstairs features BarSocial, an upscale lounge that looks over the main space below.
Three patios wrap around most of the building’s exterior, allowing couples and smaller groups to enjoy a more secluded meal.
Hashim, founder and managing partner of National Restaurant Development Capital, brings decades of restaurant experience as both a franchisor and franchisee to SocialBites Food Hub. He is also the person who came up with the concept of a food hub.
“Considering today’s rapidly changing economic environment, demographics and customer preferences, it’s very difficult to imagine that you could pick a winner today and it remain a winner for the next 20 years,” Hashim said. “With the prevalence of delivery options, the reasons to physically come inside a restaurant have diminished.”
SocialBites Food Hub replaces Huey Luey’s Mexican restaurant in the 1970s shopping center at southwest corner of Abernathy and Roswell roads in Sandy Springs.
The old red lettering on the two-story building is gone and less than $200,000 in renovations later, Experiential Brand’s newest venture — SocialBite Food Hub — is welcoming customers.
The 6,500-square-foot space is designed for weekly social gatherings, or “Happenings,” like Monday night trivia, Wednesday evening poker games and live music on the weekends.
SocialBites Food Hub, at the corner of Roswell and Abernathy roads in Sandy Springs, looks to turn a profit with a new restaurant concept. After opening in late July, founder Aziz Hashim is optimistic he has a sustainable model.
Hashim said he thinks there are a lot of outdated restaurant spaces in Metro Atlanta, and he hopes to find a model that works for them.
Experiential Brands is a portfolio of
See HUB, Page 9
Aziz Hashim, founder and managing partner of NRD Holdings, points to his favorite wall art inside SocialBites Food Hub Aug. 13. Hashim brings nearly three decades of franchising experience to his new concept, the food hub, at 6650 Roswell Road.
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
BUSINESSPOSTS
SOCIALBITES/PROVIDED
A full spread of menu items from The Original Hot Chicken sits on a table at SocialBites Food Hub. The new food hub concept features four additional menu brands, including Inked Tacos, Flametown Burgers, Pinsa Roman Pizza and BarSocial.
Hub:
Continued from Page 8
fast casual restaurant brands under the umbrella of private investment firm NDC Capital.
“The idea here was to reimagine the restaurant model,” Hashim said. “Today, especially the fast casual model, is a one-to-one relationship, that means there’s a sign outside and that’s what you sell inside.”
The new colors — cyan, yellow and red — on SocialBite’s storefront match the energy inside and its owner’s spirit of invention.
The typical fast-food chain model limits the abilities of franchisors and franchisees to change with the times, Hashim said.
In his experience, if any fast-food business is struggling to make a profit, the franchisor-franchisee dynamic often ends poorly for an operator.
Unlike fast food chain customers, restaurant patrons flock to food halls for community, variety and affordability.
“Event and meeting space in the food environment is very limited, restaurants are just not designed for that,” Hashim said. “Only the largest ones have party rooms and stuff like that, but that’s expensive.”
For smaller groups of 15 or less, food hubs offer a variety of cuisine, whether groups are craving chicken, tacos or a burger, the food hub has it all.
But unlike food halls found across Metro Atlanta, SocialBites centralizes all ordering under one kitchen and wait
staff.
The ability to adapt can make food halls and hubs more successful than older restaurant models.
“If you want to be able to be flexible, then you have to have the ability to change up the menus,” Hashim said. “If the name outside reflects what’s sold inside, then you’ve completely lost that ability.”
When ordering at SocialBites Food Hub, customers select from one of four brands — The Original Hot Chicken, Inked Tacos, Flametown Burgers and Pinsa Roman Pizza — displayed above the counter like at any Chick-fil-A in Metro Atlanta.
When asked for his favorite brand or menu at the food hub, Hashim smiled and said he’s a burger guy.
After graduating from the University of California, Irvine with an engineering degree, Hashim said he went to his parents for support as he pursued his passion. Not too long after, he found himself in Atlanta.
Just before the 1996 Summer Olympics, Hashim opened his first KFC franchise downtown. Some two decades later, Nation’s Restaurant News named Hashim as one of the 10 most influential leaders in the industry.
Hashim is a proponent of unit-level economics, something that allows him to take his private capital business into other industries, like technology. The operating model allows business owners to forecast the profitability of products and customers, something important with tight margins.
“Overtime, we can change the menu,” Hashim said. “The only promise on the outside is you’re going to get great food on the inside.”
Bud holder 18 Alpha’s opposite
Additionally
Brewskis
Hindu aristocrats
“Alfred” composer
Jack-o’-lantern feature
Treat with carbon dioxide 28 Prayer pronoun
Refuse receptacle 32 Tie the knot 33 Item with a ladder
A de Mille
Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist
Insist on the
BEST
Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.
He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.
Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 18 years experience as a Dermatology PA. We are excited to welcome her, as she brings with her experience in general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology.
Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.
Kathryn Filipek, PA-C
Vegetables that go bump in the night
As a responsible parent, I try not to talk to my children about celery right before bedtime. I wouldn’t want to give them nightmares!
After all, celery is one of several plants that contain “psoralens,” a group of chemicals that can cause terrible sun burns and rashes when eaten or dropped on one’s skin.
The classic example of a rash from psoralens is the vacationer who makes himself a margarita and accidentally drips lime juice on his skin. All is well until he lies in the sun. Then, blisters develop everywhere the lime juice touched: most often in the pattern of a line down the forearm following where the lime juice dripped and ran.
But limes and celery aren’t the only culprits. Most citrus fruits, figs, fennel, carrots, and even parsnips contain psoralens. Yes, EVEN parsnips. And all this time you thought parsnips were innocent. Hah.
Most psoralens stay in one’s system for about three hours after ingestion, so someone who consumes large quantities of psoralens should avoid the sun for half a day or so.
An infamous report in a 1990 volume of Archives of Dermatology details the case of a German woman who fell victim to celery. She was a vegetarian who enjoyed tanning beds, and she did not realize that celery and tanning beds are a dangerous combination. One fateful day, she cooked a one-pound celery root and proceeded to eat the entire root and all the broth in which it had stewed. One hour later, she went to the tanning bed and received her usual 30-minute treatment. Nothing seemed amiss during the tanning bed session, but over the following 48 hours, she developed fever and then diffuse swelling and large blisters. She was hospitalized, treated with steroids, and the reaction took weeks to subside.
Investigators studied a comparable celery root and determined that there was approximately 1mg of psoralens in every 10g of celery root, meaning that she had ingested approximately 45mg of psoralens. This dose of psoralens would be expected to cause the observed blistering reaction in the presence of the amount of tanning bed light she received.
For the reader interested in toxicology,
the LD50 (Median Lethal Dose: the amount of something that would be lethal in half of the people who took it) of psoralens in the absence of light is approximately 1700mg/kg in mice. This means that if a mouse receives a dose of 1700mg of psoralens for each kg of body weight, then the mouse has a fifty percent chance of surviving. If we assume the same LD50 in humans and assume a 70kg weight for the average person, then this would mean that a human would have to eat 2,600 pounds of celery in one sitting to have a 50% chance of dying from the psoralens. Of course, this is impossible. No one can eat this much celery in one sitting (do not take this as a challenge)! But, in the presence of ultraviolet light on one’s skin, just one pound of celery was enough to nearly lead to the German woman’s death. It’s a remarkable example of a toxicity that is environment-dependent to the extreme. Celery is approximately 2600 times more lethal in the presence of ultraviolet light than in its absence.
Psoralens hurt us in the presence of light because psoralens can fit inside our DNA and cause chemical reactions that depend on light to be initiated. Mutations and even breaks in DNA can occur. Even if the cell survives, the mutations can ultimately lead to cancer. Still, the small doses of psoralens the average person ingests from a normal diet allow us to usually disregard our diet when going in the sun. Large quantities of psoralenscontaining fruits and vegetables are the exception.
Interestingly, we do have a clue as to why plants make psoralens to begin with. The fact that they can be toxic to animals that ingest them means that they may exist to discourage animals from eating these plants. However, a more intriguing finding is that celery stalks will increase their production of psoralens by up to ten times the normal amount when infected with certain molds. Psoralens may be a defense against mold, and we humans may be the innocent bystanders. Eating celery that was infected with this mold prior to harvesting could theoretically increase the psoralen concentration by ten times the amount, and this would mean that the German patient might have only had to eat a couple ounces of infected celery to suffer the same consequences in the tanning bed. So, remember: Be careful with lime juice at the beach. Be cautious about celery ingestion prior to light exposure. And never, ever trust a parsnip!
Dr. Brent Taylor
Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta
6 perks of becoming empty nesters
Brought to you by – Summit Counseling Center
With summer coming to an end, this can be an emotional time for parents of college bound children. Instead of worrying about what life will be like without children at home, I encourage couples to view this time to rekindle their marriage. Though it’s normal to feel bittersweet, here are some benefits of being an empty nester.
1. Date Nights. No more kidfriendly environment needed. You and your spouse can go to any restaurant, venue, or event and not have to worry about if it’s appropriate for the kids, will they like the food, or will they have fun. You and your spouse only need to worry about each other.
2. Travel. Now you and your spouse can take the vacation you have been waiting for without working around the kid’s school schedule. The possibilities are endless.
3. Volunteer “Now, what am I going to do with all my spare time?” Find an organization, community or corporation
you’re passionate about and give back. Spend a day at church or at a homeless shelter. Help stock the local food pantry. Giving back is rewarding for both you, your spouse, and the community you are helping.
4. Reconnect with Spouse. No more excuses. Take this time to focus on your spouse and rekindle your relationship. Start flirting again, making time for one another and planning things together. Go on a spontaneous walk through your neighborhood. Go out to dinner or see a movie.
5. Establish New Hobbies. No more having to drive the kids around, attend sport events, and revolve your schedule around theirs. It is all about you and your spouse again. Take a cooking class or a yoga class together. Establish what things you both like to do together and on your own.
6. Regain Independence. No more excuses about not having time for yourself or your spouse. Start taking care of yourself, doing things for yourself and focusing on what you want in life.
A Long-Term Care Report reduces fear and anxiety
Michelle, I have not felt this relieved in years. Wilson Legal really is where planning meets peace of mind. Many people have no idea how their health, finances, family support (or lack thereof), insurances and state or federal benefits will fit together to effectively and efficiently provide for their care as they age until they are IN it. When older folks have a fall and face rehab after surgery, children are scrambling to figure out what the best next move will be for them and how they will afford care and how long finances will last. Parents (especially the mothers) spend years worrying about what will happen and often are too afraid to hear the answer or talk to their spouse about it – not wanting to suggest that they hire a lawyer. For people between the ages of 55 and 70, this report can help reduce fear and anxiety and restore peace of mind.
What if an investment of time and a bit of savings could save a person years of worry? A person could smile
more, spend more time making great memories with those they love and feel an inner calm understanding that they don’t have to fear what will happen because they invested in a long-term care report from an eldercare attorney. The attorney showed them how their family could support them, the state or federal programs available to them, the costs to expect and how they could pay for those services and the experts they would need on their team to help navigate the process. While some of the facts may be difficult to hear, it’s nice to know what to expect. It’s nice because a person feels empowered to choose what they will do. Imagine living – knowing that you have a plan and a team in place and you’ll land on your feet even if life pulls the rug out from under you. What a wonderful place to be. I’d love to invite you to join a growing group of people who have made the same choice for themselves. Call Wilson Legal at 770-205-7861 and schedule a discovery call to see if you are a candidate for our Long-Term Care Report.
ISTOCK
Brought to you by – Wilson Legal
The life and times of the magnificent Mashburns
BOB MEYERS Columnist
Citizens of Forsyth County are familiar with the Mashburn family thanks to its contributions to the county and due to the efforts of Steve Mashburn, genealogist, historian and retired music educator in the Forsyth County School System. Residents of Alpharetta and other North Fulton communities are familiar with the name due in part to, Connie Mashburn, the official historian of the City of Alpharetta and author of the book celebrating the city’s sesquicentennial in 2008 Alpharetta, Milton County – the Early Years.
The first known Mashburn in the New World was Edward Mashburn Jr (1676 – 1740) who was born in London and who migrated to North Carolina in 1698. A teacher by profession, Edward was the second known schoolmaster in the colony according to Steve Mashburn.
Many of Edward’s descendants settled in Forsyth County. According to Find a Grave, the Cumming City Cemetery has 20 Mashburn’s burial sites and the Ebenezer Methodist Church has 27. Here are profiles of a few family members.
Reverend John Harvey Mashburn (1803-1876) was born in North Carolina and moved to Georgia when he was a young child. He joined the Methodist Church and was licensed to preach locally in 1827. After becoming fully ordained as a Methodist minister in the Georgia Conference, he served as an itinerant
preacher throughout north Georgia. Farmhouses often had special rooms set aside for traveling preachers. His territory included assignments to the Canton Circuit and others including the Gainesville Circuit and the Decatur Circuit, for a period of two years in each assignment.
During the Civil War he served as Chaplin in the 38 Georgia Volunteer Regiment. When the Confederate Congress passed legislation permitting men over 50 to leave the military John resigned. His place was taken by his son John Wesley Mashburn who was captured in December 1862 in the Battle of Fredericksburg, one of the largest and deadliest battles of the war. A few days later he took part in a prisoner exchange.
In 1864 John Wesley Mashburn was captured again at the Battle of Spotsylvania and spent ten months in the Fort Delaware prison. After the war he returned to Forsyth County by foot with a group from the prison, near starvation. The group encountered a dead cow in the middle of the road. They ate the cow and John Wesley died within two weeks of arriving home. He was buried in the Ebenezer Church cemetery in Cumming. He was the only one of Rev. John Harvey’s five sons who died in the war.
After the war Reverend John returned to preaching and died after a week’s illness from a cold he caught while riding his horse in the rain on his way to preach at a church. He was buried at the Ebenezer church.
Dr. James Summerour (Dr. Jim) Mashburn (1921-
See MASHBURN, Page 15
PUBLIC DOMAIN
The Reverend John Harvey Mashburn (1803-1879) was a beloved Methodist minister who rode circuits in North Georgia for many years. He served as a Chaplin during the Civil War.
Memorial:
Continued from Page 1
Jays, Johns Creek Gladiators and 3D Georgia.
“Ed’s kindness and leadership as a coach truly created the best lacrosse experience I could have ever wished for,” Luke said. “He always preached to me growing up that through hard work we can achieve whatever we want on the field as well as in life.”
Ed’s impact continues today, with three scholarships dedicated in his name to helping kids achieve their dreams.
The Johns Creek High School lacrosse coach awards the Ed Venglik Love of The Game College Scholarship. This year’s recipient was Eli Brewer.
Ed’s wife Allyson Venglik explained the award’s criteria.
“Whoever enjoys the game the most will receive the scholarship, because that was Ed,” she said. “He was the kid out there having a good time.”
The 3D lacrosse Ed Venglik memorial scholarship goes towards the membership cost of the 3D Georgia program. The athlete will be selected
annually by the 3D Georgia’s coach. There is also the Ed Venglik Randstad Memorial Scholarship, funded by Randstad Engineering, which is awarded to an engineering student at the University of Florida. The honor shows preference to those with a community college background. Ed originally attended community college before going to the University of Florida.
The recipients of the two memorial scholarships have yet to be announced.
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE PURPOSE
An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to City on August 2, 2024, for Package of Malt Beverage, Wine and Distilled Spirits.
BUSINESS NAME
Heezy FP Inc.
Dba Fairway Package 9730 Medlock Bridge Rd. Johns Creek, GA 30097
OWNER/OFFICERS
Heezy FP Inc.
Dba Fairway Package 9730 Medlock Bridge Rd. Johns Creek, GA 30097
OWNER, Sohail Bandeali
Now Hiring
Conglomerated Host, Ltd is looking for an Accountant to join its team. Job Description: Corporate office located in Milton, GA has an opening in the Accounting Department. Entry level position with opportunity to advance. Starting pay is $20.00 per hour/approximately 30 hours per week. Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel is a plus. How To Apply: Email response to
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.
DEATH NOTICES
Barbara Baylor, age 73, of Marietta, GA passed away on August 10, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Robert Becker, age 86, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 6, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Robert Blackinton, age 96, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on August 11, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Roger Conrad, age 91, of Marietta, GA passed away on August 9, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Cecilia Ginter, age 94, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on August 10, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
David Scott Harris, age 70, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 1, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Jeanette Konicki, age 54, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 2, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Jacob McQuillen, age 21, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on August 6, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Carmela Montoto, age 96, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 11, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Mary Nitschke, age 48, of Marietta, GA passed away on August 3, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Julia Quarles, age 87, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 12, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
SERVICE DIRECTORY
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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).
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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.
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, August 30, 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 to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.
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FP&A Manager (Roswell) to ensure Business Area’s financials are accurate, timely & reflect operating performance. Reqs: Bach degree (or foreign equivalent) in Accounting or Finance rel. fld, + 2 yrs. exp. in job offered or as Auditor. Exp. in industrial Controlling & performing financial & operational audits, reviewing internal controls, & defining & documenting policies & procedures req. Previous exp. working in a public company & mining accounting exp. under IFRS also req. 15% International & Domestic travel req. May work remotely 40% of the time. Email resume to: Imerys USA at tasha.cofer@imerys.com
Mashburn:
Continued from Page 12
1982) was one of several distinguished physicians in the Mashburn family in Forsyth County. His father Dr. Marcus Mashburn, Sr (1890-1978) and his brother Dr. Marcus Mashburn, Jr (19181998) were well known and beloved in the county. Dr. Jim established the first hospital in Forsyth County, the Mary Alice Hospital, in 1946. The hospital was bought by Georgia Baptist and renamed Baptist Medical Center. That hospital was acquired by Northside Hospital in 2002 and was renamed Northside Hospital, Forsyth. Today the hospital has 407 beds, 1,700 physicians and 4,000 employees. Dr. Jim is buried at the Sawnee View Gardens and Mausoleum in Cumming. Drs Marcus Mashburn, Sr and Jr are buried in the Cumming City Cemetery.
Steve Mashburn is the go-to person for Mashburn family history. Steve is the creator of an extensive website devoted to the genealogy of the Mashburn’s. He retired after 30 years with the Forsyth County school system as a music educator. He directed marching bands, jazz ensembles and concert bands in middle school and high school. His website is https://www.mashburn.info/
Connie Mashburn’s father Edmond William Mashburn (1913-1996) grew up in Cherokee County and moved with his wife Eunice Cowart (1914-2003) to Alpharetta in 1935. They bought a poultry farm and 20 acres on Redd Road. Connie remembers how labor intensive the poultry business was, “but it was a good way to make a living,” he says. Connie’s three brothers also moved to be close to Redd Road, “a Mashburn settlement,” says Connie.
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.
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION
The caption under this Atlanta Constitution photo says, “Sylvan’s Larry Hampton Can’t Hold Ball, So Milton’s Connie Mashburn Scores in First.” Connie played third base for Milton High School in 1956-1959 and played league baseball as well. He was named to the State All-star Team during his senior year. Connie is an expert in local history and is Alpharetta’s official historian.
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
The Ebenezer Methodist Church is a beautiful country church in Cumming, Georgia. It was established in 1834 thanks to a financial gift from the Reverand John Harvey Mashburn.
