Johns Creek Herald - November 21, 2024

Johns Creek girls athletes commit to play at next level

By ANNABELLE REITER

annabelle@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga — Johns Creek High School held a signing day Nov. 13 for five seniors to declare their letters of intent to participate in collegiate athletics. Family and friends gathered with coaches and others of the community to celebrate advancing to the next level of competition.

One swimmer attended the ceremony, and the remaining four athletes play for the Johns Creek lacrosse team.

Maddie Tredway committed to Lin-

denwood University’s lacrosse team. She will enter her senior season with over 600 career control draw wins. Last season, she won offensive MVP and was named to the all-state second team for attack. The multi-sport athlete also played flag football during her time at Johns Creek, being named an all-area honorable mention as the quarterback.

Brooke Denny, Tredway’s goalie, committed to the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Denny will enter her fourth season for Johns Creek with 150 career saves. As a junior, she was awarded all-state first

team honors for lacrosse.

“Brooke is ready to take any obstacle on head-on, I am so proud of her,” coach Stephanie Mathewson said.

Rose Coluzzi committed to Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She plays attack for the Gladiators and has contributed 125 points in her three years on the team. Coluzzi is also a Georgia Certificate of Merit Scholar, achieved by being in the top 10 percent of her class, and will graduate summa cum laude in the spring.

See ATHLETES, Page 21

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Toro Development Company, the real estate firm led by Avalon developer Mark Toro, announced Nov. 6 it has secured financing for the anticipated mixeduse project Medley in Johns Creek.

Groundbreaking for the $560 million, 42-acre development is slated for December, with an anticipated opening in late 2026. Medley will be integral to the city’s 192acre Town Center, which will weave together housing, restaurants, retail and offices through new public pathways and parks.

The deal includes an equity investment from Ascentris, a Denverbased real estate private equity firm, and a $158 million construction loan from Banco Inbursa, out of Mexico City, for the first phase.

Located at McGinnis Ferry Road and Johns Creek Parkway, Medley will encompass 150,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space, a 175-room boutique hotel, 110,000 square feet of lifestyle office, 750 multifamily residences, 133 townhomes and an activated 25,000-square-foot plaza.

The company purchased the suburban office park for $44 million in March 2024 and has since razed a 350,000-square-foot office building to prepare the site for

MEDLEY, Page 21

ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Johns Creek seniors Maddie Tredway , Brooke Denny , Rose Coluzzi , Nora Donaldson , and Brooke Murphy assemble for a signing day ceremony at Johns Creek High School Nov. 13.

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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.

Bomb, death threats scar Election Day

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police scoped out bomb threats at two polling locations, Northview High and Barnwell Elementary schools, on Election Day, Nov. 5.

The bomb threats were two of nearly three dozen across polling locations that day in Fulton County, including one in Roswell at Northwood Elementary School.

At Northview, police asked around for procedures concerning bomb threats and were not provided one by either the polling manager or a school employee, according to an incident report. But, the polling manager stopped voters from entering the building, though the reporting officer said they personally didn’t see any voters turned away.

After the school was cleared, police were informed that the caller of the bomb threat may have been the same person who called in a threat at Lake Forest Elementary in Sandy Springs.

The threat at Barnwell was made to Johns Creek City Call, according to another incident report, with the caller stating that the bomb had been placed in the women’s restroom.

Upon receiving the information, police said they immediately notified the school`s principal as well as the polling location manager. Police conducted a sweep of Barnwell’s interior as well as the perimeter, finding no devices or further threats, the report says.

Also on Election Day, a State Senate candidate reported to police that he had received a death threat.

The candidate told police his campaign political team sent out an

automated message to numerous phone numbers and that he received a reply with a death threat. He told police he did not want to press charges.

The candidate had previously filed a similar report just days before.

Amber Perry

Police cite Roswell man who fled scene of crash

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a 22-year-old Roswell man after he was found in the woods near his car that he had crashed on State Bridge Road.

A woman had called for a welfare check after hearing the crash and seeing a black Honda Civic with its hazard lights on, according to the incident report. When police arrived, they concluded that the vehicle hit the curb and drove on the median.

While searching the area for the driver, police discovered the suspect in the wood line around 200 feet from the collision scene, the report says.

The suspect told police he did not drive the vehicle and did not have a driver’s license. When police asked about an ID they saw in the suspect’s pocket, the suspect attempted to run, according to the report.

After a short foot pursuit, police caught the suspect and tackled him.

While detained in the backseat of a patrol car, police saw that the suspect had bloodshot, watery eyes, was slurring his speech and smelled like alcohol. Police said the suspect admitted to driving and crashing the vehicle on State Bridge Road.

They tested the suspect with a breathalyzer at .188, above the legal limit of .08, according to the report.

Police charged the man with failure to maintain lane, valid license required, driving under the influence and disorderly conduct, then transported him to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta once he was medically cleared.

Amber Perry

Contractors report theft at Boston Scientific site

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Contractors working at the site of new development Boston Scientific reported to police Nov. 8 that around $24,000 in copper wire had been stolen.

The general superintendent for one company told police that other contractors began reporting that their push carts were missing and misplaced throughout the construction site.

He also discovered pallets full of copper wire were missing from the storage room, that locks to a cabinet were cut off and that the smaller copper wire reels inside were stolen as well, according to the incident report. The superintendent also told police a few copper wire reels were stolen off a wire tree.

His electricians estimated about $15,000 in copper wire had been stolen from the company’s subcontractor, the report says.

Police spoke with a foreman with another contractor, who said around 450 copper fittings had been stolen from an open shelf inside of the same storage room as the copper wires. The fittings were valued at $9,000.

Police said a wooden board screwed in as a temporary window on one of the side entrances was found pried open and that it was found set aside with the screws off.

In the grass next to the wooden board entrance were fresh wheel marks from a pushcart, which led to the bottom of the hill on the side of the construction site off Lakefield Drive, according to the report.

Police said the fence at the bottom of the hill surrounding the construction site was found pushed open off the wall. Empty spools along with a pushcart were lying in the grass at the bottom of the hill.

Amber Perry

By PAT FOX pat@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Nov. 14 it has determined that conditions of confinement at the Fulton County Jail violate the 8th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The department’s report details findings from a comprehensive investigation of the jail, which is funded and operated by Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation included the main jail on Rice Street in Atlanta and three annex facilities: the Marietta Annex in Atlanta, the North Annex in Alpharetta and the South Annex in Union City.

The Rice Street jail currently houses around 2,000 people and in recent years has surpassed 3,000 people.

In its long list of findings of abuse or neglect, the DOJ report does not specify which of the four jails the incidents occurred. But, based on descriptions in the document and from news accounts of the incidents, most appear to have been referring to the main jail in Atlanta.

Inquiries to the DOJ for clarification had not been answered by press time.

“In Fulton County, people in custody awaiting formal charges or trials frequently must protect themselves from brutal physical attacks, endure frequent excessive force, manage their wellbeing with inadequate food and unsanitary living conditions, and hope they can find access to a strained medical and mental health care program. This is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia.

Over the past two years, the report says six incarcerated people have died in violent attacks at the jail.

According to Sheriff’s Office reports, in 2023 there were 1,054 assaults on incarcerated people and 314 stabbings in the jail.

In September 2022, Lashawn Thompson died alone in a filthy cell in the mental health unit of the Fulton County Jail.

County

Thompson, who had a history of mental illness and was unhoused, was accused of spitting at a Georgia Tech police officer and arrested on a simple battery charge, then held on an old warrant. Three months after his arrest, Thompson was found in his cell, slumped over with his head on his toilet. A medical examiner reported that his malnourished body was infested with an “enormous presence of body lice,” and concluded that he was “neglected to death.”

Most municipal police agencies in North Fulton use the Alpharetta Annex to process and hold prisoners, especially those involved in non-violent crimes. The facility has 50 beds and as of mid-August 2024, held 27 people, the DOJ stated. The North Annex has an intake and reception center, and separate housing areas for men and women. Fulton County and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office house detainees there, particularly people who need separation from the jail population because of the nature of their charges or conflicts in the main jail.

Calls to Fulton County for a response to the report were not returned by press deadline.

According to Atlanta News First, Fulton County officials are taking the matter seriously.

“We share the concerns that were outlined and we’re going to be working jointly, cooperatively to address them,” Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts said, according to ANF.

Sandy Springs Police contracts, in most cases, with private providers and local governments. The City Council approved an agreement with Lumpkin County last June to house some adult inmates at its detention center. Those arrested for city ordinance violations, traffic offenses are booked at the Smyrna Jail.

Felony offenders out of Sandy Springs are booked at the Atlanta Rice Street Jail.

Sandy Springs Police Sgt. Leon Millholland said if the city court sentences an individual to one year or less, they are housed at the Lumpkin County Jail in Dahlonega.

Editor Dan Whisenhunt contributed reporting for this story.

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Glenhurst neighborhood celebrates Diwali in style

The spirit of Diwali illuminated the Glenhurst subdivision in Johns Creek Nov. 2 as some 150 of its residents gathered to celebrate the festival of lights.

Held at the neighborhood tennis courts, the community effort resulted in a display of culture, community and camaraderie, showcasing a rich tapestry of traditions.

The aroma of authentic Indian cuisine filled the air, some items homemade, and children's laughter mingled with the rhythmic beats of traditional music.

Teenagers showcased their talents with energetic dance performances, while others enjoyed friendly competition in a variety of games. That evening also featured arts and crafts, like coloring diyas, or clay lamps.

As dusk settled, the night sky was ablaze with a fireworks display, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and hope over despair, the essence of Diwali.

— Amber Perry

NAVNEET KUMAR/SPECIAL

Resident Seema Garg applies tilak on Glenhurst Homeowners Association President Kevin Brown at a Nov. 2 neighborhood celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights. Applying tilak is a tradition of welcoming, commonly associated with Hinduism.

Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm

Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm, re-imagining how bath & kitchen remodels are done.

Brandon Sanders, owner of wildlife management solutions company Sanders Wildlife, speaks to about two dozen visitors Nov. 6 for the first class in a new City of Milton series called “Wildlife 101,” held at Community Place by Milton City Hall.

Wildlife control specialist headlines education series

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — About two dozen people dialed into a presentation Nov. 6 from a wildlife control officer at Community Place next to Milton City Hall, the first class in the city’s new “Wildlife 101” series.

Brandon Sanders, owner of Sanders Wildlife, ventures into peoples’ homes, many times their attics, to perform “wildlife exclusion” which is to humanely remove animals and seal the point of entry.

The talk included photos and clips of Sanders’ work as well as a Q&A session.

Throughout the class, Sanders emphasized the importance of coexisting with animals and understanding that what often makes a homeowner angry is an animal just trying to survive.

“These animals, of course, are beings,” Sanders said. “They're very smart. Just because they don't talk English or talk our language doesn't mean that they aren't families just trying to survive.”

Licensed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Sanders also collaborates with nonprofits to transport injured wildlife to rehabilitation facilities.

The focus of Wednesday evening’s talk was on coyotes, a misunderstood creature.

Sanders has worked with the Atlanta Coyote Project, a regional, scientist-led research and educational initiative that promotes understanding of coyotes in Metro Atlanta. Their collaborative work has gone viral through the story of Carmine, a melanistic coyote found playing

Residential Mortgage Loans

with dogs across a number of backyards in the area.

Sanders, the Atlanta Coyote Project and the nonprofit Angels Among Us helped transport Carmine to the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary in Lilburn, where he met Wilee, his life mate.

“Having coyotes, it helps keep a very healthy ecosystem,” Sanders said. “So, while a lot of people don't like them, they serve their purpose. Just like every other animal, they have a place in this world, in this ecosystem, and they kind of help make everything go around.”

Milton Outdoor Recreation Supervisor Jen Young said the series of public educational workshops was prompted by an inquiry she received from a resident on how to handle a sick coyote on their property. The dozens of questions she gets about snakes and whether they’re venomous, and the annual bear sighting are ideas for future workshops, featuring experts on those subjects.

Young, aka Ranger Jen, was recently recognized as the state’s top recreation program professional, through the Georgia Recreation and Park Association Recreation Programmers Network.

She has created a number of programs connecting residents of all ages to nature, since joining the City of Milton last year.

With a love of engaging children, Young said Wildlife 101 could also reach schools.

“I've been to classes where they'll bring a hawk, and you learn all about birds,” she said. “So, I think this is kind of the slow roll of us being able to introduce what's in your backyard.”

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AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Johns Creek artist spearheads South Asian exhibit

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The art and culture reception “Unity in Diversity” on Nov. 8 marked the start of a two-month art exhibition featuring the work of 15 South Asian artists from Metro Atlanta.

Afreen Khundmiri, a Johns Creek-based artist and vice president of The Art Center Artist Guild, organized the sold-out event at the Fulton County Government Center. It drew 300 people, including Fulton County Commissioner Natalie Hall and Fulton County Arts and Culture Director David Manuel.

The event was historic in scale, bringing together 15 visual artists, 40 models showcasing the fashion collection of four local designers, and 10 cultural performances.

In another groundbreaking achievement, Afreen’s clothing line Roya’Elle made its debut in September at the prestigious Atlanta Fashion Week’s “Faces of Fashion” opening reception, where she became the first woman of Indian descent to present her line at the annual event.

Roya’Elle is more than just a brand. Khundmiri says it’s a tribute to her heritage, blending traditional South Asian artistry with modern design to celebrate both her Asian roots and her journey in the United States.

Through initiatives like Roya’Elle and “Unity in Diversity,” Khundmiri says she continues to inspire audiences, breaking cultural barriers and setting new standards for inclusivity in the arts.

Amber Perry

AFREEN KHUNDMIRI/PROVIDED Event sponsor Shahid Rafique, organizer Afreen Khundmiri, Fulton County Arts and Culture Director David Manuel and artist Sohail Ilyas gather Nov. 8 at “Unity in Diversity,” a reception for a two-month exhibition at the Fulton County Government Center.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA City Springs Conservancy students perform Christmas classics during the 2023 Sparkle Sandy Springs parade through the city’s downtown district. This year’s festivities kick off at 4 p.m. Dec. 8.

Sparkle Sandy Springs to unfurl holiday cheer

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The city is inviting everyone to attend the annual Sparkle Sandy Springs celebration and awardwinning parade Dec. 8 throughout the City Springs district.

Blue Stone Road, Galambos Way and Mount Vernon Highway will be transformed into a winter wonderland, presenting residents with festive traditions, a nighttime parade and the lighting of the Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah.

Road closures begin at 3 p.m.

Festivities at City Springs kick off at 4 p.m. with food trucks, holiday music from Ansley Stewart, snow machines and the Sparkle gift market where visitors can find the perfect gift.

For those looking to secure the best view of the parade, Sparkle Wonderland across from Sandy Springs United Methodist Church won’t disappoint with its largerthan-life inflatables of Santa Claus, The Grinch and Rudolph.

The Sparkle Village around the City Green will showcase unique miniature homes decorated with twinkling lights and festive designs.

As a new feature this year, guests can vote for their favorite miniature home. The competition for bragging rights is expected to heat up between local schools, nonprofits and businesses.

The award-winning Sparkle parade begins at 6 p.m. at Mount Vernon Highway and Lake Forrest Drive near the water tower. Last year, city officials said 5,000 people turned out for the parade and its collection of marchers, performers and floats.

The parade route continues down Mount Vernon, turns left onto Galambos Way, passes the city’s three-story Christmas tree and concludes in front of Sandy Springs City Hall.

Celebrations continue after the parade until 7 p.m. with Mayor Rusty Paul’s countdown for the lighting of the Christmas tree and Hanukkah menorah.

For more information visit, www. sandyspringsga.gov/sparkle.

– Hayden Sumlin

Patrons flock to Korean eatery for award-winning chicken

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alice Lee was confused by the line wrapping around Kimchi Red.

On July 6, 2023, the Korean restaurant was suddenly inundated with customers. When Lee asked those in line what brought them there, they said they were eager to try the best fried chicken in the country.

“I thought they were really being sarcastic,” Lee said, smiling. “And I was like, ‘Well, you know, I never said we were No. 1, but our chicken is good.’”

Lee’s customers informed her that Yelp, the ubiquitous online business review site, had just awarded her Alpharetta restaurant the top spot in the nation for fried chicken. News outlets in Atlanta, the nation and even Korea followed suit.

“It was unbelievable,” Lee said.

The Yelp award and sudden attention that followed recognized something Lee already knew, she said. For the past two years, Kimchi Red had quietly earned fame among locals with its delectable fried chicken and other mouth-watering Koreaninspired dishes.

Lee and her husband Joey W. Lee opened the first Kimchi Red in Alpharetta in 2021, Alice Lee said. They opened the restaurant because their wholesale business was busy only half the year.

Lee’s husband had often cooked Korean and American food for church and charity events and was eager to try his hand with a business.

But they quickly realized just how hard the culinary industry could be.

“We were closed more than we were open for the first six months,” Lee said.

During that time, the Lees found help from their faith in God and within their own family. Their daughter Madison, now 20, helped them establish a presence on social media. Their son Joshua, now 14, occasionally pitched in with extra work.

Lee said she and her husband depended on God during the difficult time and sought divine guidance

in every business decision.

“Honestly, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for God’s direction and planning,” she said.

For example, the Lees decided their menu item should be cooked only with the best and freshest ingredients. Name brand products are selected over generics, and the fried chicken is made only with fresh chicken, which is marinated for 24 hours. They replace their frying oil every day.

“If by chance, we receive a box of frozen chicken, we send it back,” Lee said. “We’re very meticulous.”

Before long, the food began to speak for itself, and word spread, Lee said. Sometimes, the Lees would accidentally leave the lights on at the restaurant after closing, attracting customers eager to get inside.

See KIMCHI, Page 11

locations

Alpharetta: 3630 Old Milton Parkway Johns Creek: 3651-D Peachtree Parkway

A third location is expected in February in Peachtree Corners

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

The dining room at Kimchi Red lies waiting for a lunch crowd Nov. 13. The restaurant features Korean favorites like galbi, bulgogi and kimchi soup.

KIMCHI RED/PROVIDED Kimchi Red owners Joey W. Lee and Alice Lee are married with two children.

Kimchi Red

BUSINESSPOSTS

Kimchi:

Continued from Page 10

“They loved the food. They said, ‘It’s so flavorful. It’s so good,’” she said. “They loved the chicken. They loved the beef, and they just loved the food in general, and that was very humbling.”

That success led them to open a Johns Creek location with plans to debut a third in Peachtree Corners in February.

Their menu also includes Korean staples like galbi beef short ribs, sweet and savory bulgogi beef, kimchi fried rice, a cheesy and spicy buldak ramen and intensely flavorful kimchi-jjigae soup.

Marietta resident Caryn Hatton and Bryan Pham from Johns Creek said they love the fried chicken, but the other menu items are just as strong.

“We’ve tried pretty much everything,” Hatton said.

The buldak ramen, another favorite with Hatton and Pham, comes in different levels of spiciness. Pham said he prefers the noodles “super spicy,” while Hatton orders it at a more moderate level.

“It really complements it very well with the fried chicken,” Pham said. “They also have the egg on top. It’s a runny egg, and that makes it better, too.”

Korean food is special because it balances so many flavors, and it’s no wonder the cuisine is trending with Americans, Lee said.

“There’s salty and sweet and spicy and savory and rich, and it’s all there with different menu items,” she said. “I think that’s what makes it so attractive.”

Lee said she is proud to see the popularity of Korean culture sweeping through her community, the nation and world. Foods like Kimchi, pop artists like BTS and movies like 2020 Academy Award winner “Parasite” are now mainstream.

“The Korean culture is very inviting, very welcoming,” she said. “We have a lot to offer.”

KIMCHI RED/PROVIDED Kimchi Red offers several varieties of award-winning fried chicken.

KIMCHI RED/PROVIDED Korean food is special because of its balance between sweet, savory, spicy and other flavors, Kimchi Red owner Alice Lee said.

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Marietta resident Caryn Hatton and Bryan Pham of Johns Creek enjoy lunch together at Kimchi Red on Nov. 13. The restaurant is expanding to a third location in Peachtree Corners in February.

Business district conference keys on housing gap

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Elected officials, business leaders, urban planners and developers held their second meeting Nov. 7 to discuss evolving suburban housing options in Central Perimeter.

The cities of Dunwoody and Sandy Springs split most of the business district, one of the nation’s largest edge cities with around 29 million square feet of commercial office space.

Commercial districts across the country are facing an oversupply of older, and often vacant, office buildings and an undersupply of housing options.

The second stop in the seminar series, “Edge City 2.0: Reshaping Tomorrow’s Perimeter,” was held at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse off Perimeter Center Parkway.

With the 2024 presidential election over, investors and developers are anticipated to increase activity assuming lower market volatility.

Sam Shenbaga, managing director of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Community Development Department, moderated the panel alongside a regional real estate analyst, a master planner from the New Urbanism school and one of the region’s top residential housing developers.

housing was common in American cities. With racially and class-motivated zoning in the early 20th century and Civil Rights Movement, the housing types are still illegal in some districts within Metro Atlanta cities.

Central Perimeter is unique to north Metro Atlanta cities because of its abundance of commercial real estate and office buildings and proximity to traditional neighborhoods with single-family homes.

Panelists argued that missing middle housing in Central Perimeter would serve as a buffer between the business district and neighborhoods. They also pointed out that it’s hard to find rents below $1,000 in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

Many workers in Central Perimeter, like Jeffery Middleton who served attendees during the seminar, do not live near where they work.

Middleton listened intently during the presentation, especially as panelists were discussing conditions in the housing market and the need to fill the gap.

All four panelists addressed the question: How can the public and private sectors work together to provide needed housing options that are congruent with a city’s economic development plans?

Geoff Koski, president and owner of KB Advisory Group, went over current

conditions in Metro Atlanta’s housing market.

Missing middle housing, which includes a range of options like duplexes, bungalows and townhomes, are often more affordable for working class families and young professionals. Missing middle housing is typically more affordable and denser than single family homes. Midrise apartments don’t qualify as missing middle.

“Our financial system is set up to build large apartment buildings and single-family homes … and that’s what our zoning codes have also been focused on,” Koski said. “That’s fine … it’s just that it’s a mismatch, and if we’re trying to house more people, then we’ve taken away a quarter of our ammunition.”

Before World War II, missing middle

“[They’re] right, missing middle housing has been gone,” he said. “There’s nothing if you’re making in-between $40,000 and $125,000, but I’m optimistic.”

Paul Corley, regional president of residential developer Empire Communities, pointed to a examples of denser, missing middle housing developments that he’s recently built, like Chastain Park’s Buckley townhomes.

Corley said many Metro Atlanta homeowners do not understand the concept of missing middle housing, that they aren’t traditional mid-rise apartments. Many homeowners also do not recognize the increasing need for attainable housing, he said.

The terms attainable and affordable refer to the same type of housing: something the average American worker can pay for.

DECEMBER

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Sam Shenbaga, managing director of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Community Development Department, leads a panel Nov. 7 discussing housing options in Central Perimeter with Geoff Koski, president and owner of KB Advisory Group; Lew Oliver, Atlanta-based urbanist and master planner; and Paul Corley, regional president of residential developer Empire Communities.

CINEFLIX/PROVIDED

The “American Pickers” television show is asking residents to reach out with their hidden treasures for an upcoming production in Georgia.

‘American Pickers’ program seeks local hidden treasures

ATLANTA — The History Channel’s “American Pickers” television series is asking North Metro Atlanta residents to reach out with their hidden treasures.

The show is asking to connect with residents with unique items, stories, according to Cineflix.

The show does not “pick” stores, flea markets, auction businesses, museums or anything open to the public.

Anyone interested may send your name, phone number, location and a description of the collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix. com, call 646-493-2184 or message on Facebook to @GotAPick.

“American Pickers” is a documentary series that explores the world of antique “picking.” The show follows skilled pickers in the business as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques.

They are always excited to find historically significant or rare items, in addition to unforgettable characters and their collections.

The pickers are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, they want to meet characters with amazing stories and fun items. They hope to give historically significant objects a new lease on life while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way. The pickers have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them.

Jon Wilcox

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Johns Creek officials break ground on Town Center pedestrian tunnel

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek city leaders broke ground on the Town Center pedestrian tunnel Nov. 12, a $6.5 million project that will provide a crossing under Medlock Bridge Road to the new park behind City Hall.

The tunnel will link the Town Center to retail and restaurants on the west side of Medlock Bridge Road, inviting travelers to explore and enjoy the area. The design features an arch culvert underpass, creating a gateway into Johns Creek.

Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2025. The project is funded by transportation special purpose local option sales tax, or TSPLOST II.

The City Council was scheduled to revisit the project at its work session Nov. 18 in consideration of additional design elements, which would be funded by the $400,000 owner’s allowance allocated within the overall budget.

— Amber Perry

At right: Johns Creek City Councilman Larry DiBiase and Mayor John Bradberry, center, as well as city staff participate in a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 12 for the Town Center pedestrian crossing and tunnel project. Slated for completion in fall 2025, the tunnel will provide a safe, accessible crossing under Medlock Bridge Road connecting residents and visitors to the Town Center area and new park behind Johns Creek City Hall.

Four developments breaking ground in Alpharetta

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — As developments move along around Alpharetta, residents may notice projects in different stages of completion.

From restaurants and school updates to new subdivisions, these ventures represent just a portion of the construction and remodeling work going on in the city. Here are a few sites in Alpharetta and what residents can expect from the projects.

1. 12265 Charlotte Drive

DRB group has rezoned 37 acres off Charlotte Drive for a residential development. Plans include 42 for-sale singlefamily homes. Rezoning was approved with conditions at the Alpharetta City Council Oct. 21. The vote was unanimous.

• Address: 12265 Charlotte Dr.

• Developer: DRB Group

• Fun fact: Entrance street to subdivision will be named to reflect family history of the property.

2. The Gathering

The Gathering is a mixed-use collection of retail and restaurant space, 39 detached single-family homes, 140 for-sale townhomes, and 180 parking spaces on 25 acres in the North Point Overlay. Townhomes are expected to start at $600,000 and single-family homes at $1.4 million.

The project was approved by the Alpharetta City Council Sept. 9 with a vote of 6-1.

• Address: 0 Haynes Bridge Road

• Developer: Brock Built

• Amenities: Outdoor recreation space, bicycle racks, accessibility to Alpha Loop

• Fun fact: the Gathering has space for up to 12 different businesses.

3. Fulton Science Academy Sports Fields

Fulton Science Academy will be adding to their campus with a sports facility just off Fanfare Way. Plans include four tennis courts, a soccer field, concessions, a field house and additional parking with a second driveway.

• Address: 3035 Fanfare Way

• Builder: BuildLine Inc.

• Estimated completion: January 2025

4. Cooper’s Hawk

Coopers Hawk is an 11,000-square-foot restaurant under construction on North Point Parkway. Brixmore Operating Partnership, responsible for Connexion and Kings Market in Roswell, is the developer. The project passed through the Alpharetta Planning Commission Oct. 13 with a unanimous vote.

• Address: 7750 North Point Pkwy.

• Amenities: 1,200-square-foot patio, 0.64 acres of open green space, eco district measures

• Website: chwinery.com/locations/alpharetta-ga

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

Estate planning is essential for anyone with a business

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Running a business is more than just a day-to-day operation; it's an investment in your future and your employees, clients, and family. Without a solid estate plan, the fruits of your labor could be at risk. Estate planning isn't just about drafting a will or setting up a trust—it's about creating a comprehensive strategy to ensure your business continues to thrive, even in your absence, mental incompetency, or in the event of a lawsuit. Estate planning allows you to define your wishes clearly regarding business succession, ensuring that your vision for the company is upheld. It provides a roadmap for how your business should be managed, including critical decisions on operations, investments, and strategic direction, reflecting your values and goals. Estate

planning is not just a financial or legal obligation— it's a strategic tool that helps ensure the legacy of your business endures, while also protecting your loved ones and minimizing potential conflicts and lawsuits. It’s about making sure that the business you've built with dedication and hard work continues to thrive and serve its purpose long after you’re gone. So, take the time to create a comprehensive estate plan and safeguard the future of your business and the people who depend on it.

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Melanie is a lifelong Atlanta native and has been a member of the Alpharetta / John’s creek community for over 30 years. She grew up in Dunwoody and attended Chamblee High School. She graduated from Georgia Southern University and had a lengthy career in education before entering the financial business world. Melanie joined Touchmark National Bank in 2021 as a Customer Service Representative and Lead Teller. Her customer focus and outgoing personality are qualities that make her perfect for serving Touchmark’s clients every day.

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THE

INK PENN Tried and true mystery series

Quite often I hear from Crier readers that they’ve enjoyed a book they discovered in my columns. Recently, though, I received an email from a Crier reader with a request:

“Please consider reviewing books that take place elsewhere. Not everyone is infatuated with the dark, dreary, depressing world of the UK. It’s a big world out there! Maybe try a sunny destination with great food, like Italy.”

My reply?

“Thanks for taking the time to drop me a line. I’m not sure whether to laugh or be defensive —perhaps a bit of both. Let’s just say I consider myself very fortunate to be able to write about books I enjoy. Are they more often than not books set in the UK? Yes, though I do, on occasion, branch out.

“My most recent haul from the library includes one book set in Washington, DC, one set in California, and another in some coastal town. Perhaps reviews of them will show up in the paper down the road. “

It’s quite often the luck of the library draw as to what I read. Do I put mostly British mysteries on my hold list at the library? I must confess I do, so those show up in the paper more frequently than anything else. It’s pure chance that three of my last four reads were set elsewhere, and now I’m returning to my favorite locale.

“Murder Takes the Stage” by Colleen Cambridge

This is Book IV in the Phyllida Bright Mystery series, and it’s the best one yet. Of course, I’m biased because it’s set in London in the 1930s, and Phyllida is Agatha Christie’s housekeeper — everything I could want in a murder mystery.

The author did a masterful job of dropping hints about Phyllida’s background in the first three books, and finally readers get some answers — not everything by any means, but enough to keep us coming back for more. We know she and Agatha were nurses together in the Great War. We know Phyllida’s not happy about being in London. She’d much prefer to be in the Devon village where Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan spend most of their time. What we don’t know is why Phyllida is concerned about visiting the city.

The plot centers on murders at three London theaters, but the subplots are as intriguing as the main one. Nearly the entire household shifts to London for a few weeks, so the usual cast of characters is back. The maids, the butler, and the chauffer enjoy London to varying degrees, but as always, it’s Phyllida who gets

involved in solving the murders. I suspect Book V won’t come out for another year, so I’ll be champing at the bit to get my hands on it. I have to know what the future holds for Phyllida.

“The Detective Inspector Skelgill Mystery Series” by Bruce Beckham I discovered this series when a Crier reader wrote to thank me for introducing her to the Ruth Galloway series, and she told me about this one. I try to read books set where I’m vacationing, so the Skelgill mysteries fit the bill for my trip to the Lake District that year. The two of us met for coffee to exchange notes, as she was planning a trip to the Cotswolds, where I’d spent a week in 2018, and subsequently set my mystery series.

She tells me she’s jealous that I’m still working my way through the Skelgill stories since she’s long since finished them. I’m on fourteen of twenty-four and have a ways to go.

Skelgill is a rough-around-the-edges detective inspector who’s an outdoors guy. He can spend endless hours fishing, and that solitude on the water is often where he works out puzzles in his cases. He’s also a fell runner and a member of the mountain rescue squad. A fell is a hill or mountain with steep slopes and rocky terrain. And believe it or not, fell runners run up and down the mountains in the Lake District. Part of the fun in reading these books is learning a new language. It may be British English, but the Lake District has its own dialect, so much so, that there’s a glossary in the front of the books. The author also does an outstanding job of bringing the setting to life—the water, the mountains, the weather. I feel as though I’m there as I read. These are police procedurals, not cozy mysteries, so if you don’t care for cursing, steer clear. The cast of characters includes Skelgill’s two detective sergeants—one a married man with kids, the other a young woman in her twenties—both from London. Of course, he has a nemesis too—a sharpdressed DI from Manchester—who would like nothing better than to get the best of Skelgill.

Though the books are described as standalone mysteries, I suggest you start at the beginning with “Murder in Adland.” As in any good series, you learn more about Skelgill and his team as the books progress. I only just found out his first name, but I’m not telling.

Happy reading.

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/.

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

OPINION

The important role of roads in Georgia’s history

I remember when Ga. 400 was new. I entered the highway in Alpharetta and headed south expecting to find long lines of traffic. Often, there were almost no cars on the road, a situation that did not change for a long time. Now it seems everyone wants to go to or from Atlanta at the same time.

I thought about the first residents of this area and how the Indians managed to travel through the dense forests to hunt, herd animals, visit friends and conquer enemies. This column is the result of my musings.

The first “roads” in Georgia were paths made by animals, which in some areas of our continent date back to 6000 BC. Some of the earliest paths in Georgia were made by large animals, primarily buffalo. Those paths, or trails, led to clay pits, called licks, up to the late 18th and early 19th centuries when buffalo were hunted to extinction.

In the 1700s, European settlers arrived in our area. Commerce and trade came with them. They took advantage of existing trading paths in the Cherokee Nation. By the end of the century, traders and settlers were encouraging the government to upgrade the paths so horse-drawn wagons could move more freely.

In 1803, the second Treaty of Tellico was negotiated. It was one of a series of treaties with the Cherokee Indians negotiated in Great Tellico, a Cherokee town in today’s Tennessee. The Treaty of Washington was negotiated with the Creeks. The agreements led to the construction of the famous Georgia Road.

The Cherokee negotiator was James Vann, a famous mixed-blood Cherokee who won the rights to a lucrative ferry where the path met the Chattahoochee River between today’s Hall and Forsyth counties. His crossing was flooded in the 1950s by the creation of Lake Lanier. His tavern built circa 1805 still exists in New Echota, formerly the capital of the Cherokee Nation.

The Georgia Road was a federal toll highway that linked Savannah with Knoxville and Nashville frontier settlements in Tennessee. Used from 1805 to the 1840s, it passed through modern day Athens and several northern Georgia counties. Later, its name changed to the Federal Road after President Madison ordered the road to be widened to facilitate troop movements. Sometimes traveling settlers would be so impressed with the land that they settled down and began farming along the road with permission

GEORGIA

This exit sign on I-75 south of HartsfieldJackson International Airport is one of a few remaining historical markers reminding us of the important role the Old Dixie Highway played in the development of the Georgia highway system.

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Both routes of the Dixie Highway passed through Georgia, met up in Jacksonville, Florida before ending up in Miami. Eastwest connecting highways were authorized in 1916. The highway began near the Canadian border.

from the Cherokees.

In 1838, the Cherokees were expelled from Georgia to Oklahoma on the infamous Trail of Tears. The Federal Road continued until the late 1840s when the development of steamboats and railroads in the 1830’s and toll-free competing roads led to its demise. Settlers took over most of the old inns and taverns along the route and used them as barns.

Georgia scholars John Goff and Marion Hemperley researched the complex web of Indian trails, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia. They found that most trails were found in the Piedmont area where streams were too dangerously fast and interrupted by rapids for boats. Pioneer settlers often set their locations along the safer Indian trails.

of two boys riding a cart in 1899 led by two oxen representing transportation at the turn of the last century. The railroad tracks in the foreground show how technology was incorporated into rural areas in Georgia.

Photo of an open passenger bus near Macon circa 1914-1915 showing how modern transportation has evolved due to Georgia’s advancing road system. Passengers stopped to pose for the photo in front of J. William Lee, Undertaker & Livery, established in 1849.

The Great Wagon Road became one of the most important trade routes in the east. The road began in British Philadelphia, passed through the Great Appalachian Valley and North Carolina, eventually reaching Augusta, Georgia, a distance of more than 800 miles. Augusta became an important trade hub as a result. Construction began in the 1720s, but the road did not reach Augusta until the 1760s. The road was important during the American Revolution.

The Great Wagon Road was preceded by The Great Warrior’s Path which was used by Indian tribes in the 1600s. It went from New York through Georgia to Alabama. It consisted of a series of narrow footpaths 12 to 18 inches wide. Wild game flourished in the heavily wooded terrain allowing the road to be used for hunting as well as for trade and warfare before the arrival of European settlers.

The Ochese Creek Trail in central

Georgia was used by the Muscogee (Creek) Indians and connected various Indian villages. The trail was used from the late 1600s until the Muscogee were moved to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears.

The Dixie Highway built between 1915 and 1927 was the first paved north-south interstate highway in the United States. The route consisted of two divisions. One began in Chicago, one in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The road played an important role in the development of Georgia’s highway system. The term is not used much today, but a few historical markers exist including one near Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

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.

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

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NEW

ENCYCLOPEDIA/ COURTESY OF EDWIN L. JACKSON

Doraville’s Carver Hills community weathered development

When plans for a General Motors assembly plant were underway in the early 1940s, a community of Black families, their school and a church were displaced. Homeowners were bought out and offered land for new homes in a nearby Doraville location. General Motors bought 150 acres for the new development. Each undeveloped lot cost $2,000.

The new neighborhood was called Carver Hills, named for George Washington Carver, famous Black scientist and inventor. It was located where Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and I-285 meet.

A Nov. 27, 1949, Atlanta Journal writeup describes a neighborhood of 50 homes. Water, lights, and paved streets were included, but property owners had to find their own builder. Both a Baptist and Methodist Church were part of the new neighborhood.

In the 1960s, the homeowners were encroached upon again, this time by the construction of I-285. The highway divided the neighborhood into two sections.

In the mid-1980s a developer wanted to buy Carver Hills property to build a hotel. Homeowner Fannie Mae Jett fought the effort to build the 145room hotel, which would have blocked the view from the east side of the neighborhood.

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger rejected a developer’s claim that Carver Hills was a dying neighborhood and was best suited for commercial development. Fannie Mae Jett said of the ruling, “I don’t think anything in the world could thrill my heart like knowing that the old people will be able to live out their lives here.” (Atlanta Constitution, DeKalb Extra, Oct. 17, 1985, “Old Neighborhood in Doraville Refuses to Die”)

Then, in 1987 a new I-285 entrance ramp cut off another section of the neighborhood. (Photographic Permanent Archival Record, Carver Hills Historic District, copy held by the DeKalb History Center)

The Mt. Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church still stands on Carver Drive where a few remaining Carver Hills homes still stand. First established in 1879, Mt. Carmel AME is the oldest African American congregation in Georgia.

New homes and townhomes have been built on the former Carver Hills location north of I-285.

In 2023, a historical marker was placed to recognize Carver Hills and the Mt. Carmel AME Church. The marker text begins, “Carver Hills, established in 1947. In the 1940s, when General Motors purchased land to build a new plant, it displaced a school, church and a number of homes belonging to members of Doraville’s African American community.”

Additional land purchased for Black families displaced by General Motors includes the Parsons Village Subdivision, platted in 1953, and the Happy Valley subdivision, platted in 1954. The name Parsons comes from the previous owners of the land. Carver Hills was the only subdivision where only Black individuals could purchase land.

Former Carver Hills residents Patricia Jett Hood and Sarah Rainey Wallace were among the former and current residents who gathered for the

County were integrated in 1968. (DeKalb History Center Archives, oral history recordings of Patricia Jett Hood and Sarah Rainey Wallace)

Sarah Rainey Wallace’s parents and grandparents talked about their move when the General Motors Plant was built. People in the community planned to work at the plant. Wallace recalled that the former location of Mt. Carmel AME Church was in the middle of the once large community. That location today would be in the middle of I-285.

In a 1999 oral history of Fannie Mae Jett, she recalled that her grandfather, Bartow Langford, owned property that later became part of General Motors. The Greater Mount Carmel Church was built on her ancestor George Washington Gholston’s property. (DeKalb History Center Archives, Fannie Mae Jett)

The historical marker text continues with the history and a description of Carver Hills today, “…all that remains of the original Carver Hills neighborhood are 10 houses on Carver Drive along with Mt. Carmel AME Church and Zion Full Gospel Ministries. This plaque is a reminder of the strength and resilience of Doraville’s African American community in the face of multiple challenges over the decades. Presented by Doraville Celebration Committee 2022.”

2023 marker dedication to honor historic Carver Hills of Doraville. Hood attended Doraville School and Lynwood Park High School. Sarah Rainey Wallace attended Lynwood Park Elementary and High School. These were segregated DeKalb County schools for Black students. Schools in DeKalb

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.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

BOB KELLEY/PROVIDED

A 1940s photo of a new home in Carver Hills. Photo from "Images of America: Doraville"

DEKALB HISTORY CENTER ARCHIVES. This historical marker honoring Carver Hills and the Mt. Carmel AME Church was dedicated in February of 2023.

OPINION

100 most influential people

People and things that have impacted our world, #21-30

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

No. 21 — CRISPR . In 2020, Jenifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier were awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry for their work on CRISPR technology — essentially technology that facilitates gene editing — something with countless applications in science, medicine, and agriculture, to name just a few. Examples include the creation of disease-resistant and drought-resistant grains; correcting mutations at the DNA level for people with genetic disorders that cause diseases like sickle cell anemia; and potentially the eradication of diseases such as malaria by modifying the genes of malaria-causing mosquitos to make them sterile. Of note, use of CRISPR significantly contributed to the development of the successful vaccines for COVID-19.

No. 22 — Moore’s Law ( 1965 - ?) . In 1965 Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor, observed/predicted that the number of transistors that can fit on a computer chip will double roughly every two years, with a minimal increase in cost. That is, computers will get smaller and process faster without costing significantly more. The smallest transistors currently being manufactured (by IBM) for commercial use are 2 nanometers, about the width of several atoms, a size that facilitates placement of roughly 50 billion transistors on a chip the size of a fingernail. The iPhone you own has more computing power and more storage capacity than main frame computers of the past. Technology drives so much of every aspect of our lives today, and Moore’s Law is why.

No. 23 — Archie Bunker Archie and “All in the Family” creator Norman Lear could make this Top 100 list for multiple reasons. Lear was responsible for wildly popular TV shows that introduced political and social themes to millions. His shows also included “The Jeffersons,” “Maude,” “Sanford and Son,” “One Day at a Time,” Mary

Hartman, Mary Hartman” and “Good Times.” Many themes of the shows have morphed into political footballs in today’s world, sharp-edged political weapons used by politicians to attack, divide and disrupt. Lear made fun of today’s weapons. He served them out to everyone. He made us laugh without getting angry or vindictive. He tried to show us that we could be different and still be civil. How far away that seems now. How short our memories seem to be.

No. 24 — Peter, Paul and Mary . “Where have all the Flowers Gone?” Peter, Paul and Mary, right? Nope. Try Pete Seeger; he wrote it. But they first made it a huge hit. Nope, try Marlene Dietrich — in German — in 1962. OK, PP&M did cover the song. Joan Baez, too. Geez. I had no idea. The song was an anti-Viet Nam war protest song of the ’60s, a song about lost innocence, soldiers dying, flowers on graves. It wasn’t the only one. So, Seeger wrote it in 1962, and we’ve been at war ever since. The same thing keeps happening; that’s why PP&M are on the list — to remind us about that. How many young people today have a clue?

No. 25 — Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel (19041991) was a beloved author of children’s books, an illustrator, and (surprise) an advertising professional (prior to his Dr. Seuss career). He is on the list because he represents a time, an attitude, and a sense of possibility that was “ours” before cynicism, snark and animosity took over. His best-selling book: “Green Eggs and Ham.” Total sales of Dr. Seuss: over 600 million worldwide (in more than 50 languages). He taught us much about ourselves: “Today you are you! That is truer than true. There is no one alive who is you-er than you.” Amen.

No. 26 — Time’s Person of the Year . This

list, which began in 1927 with Charles Lindberg on the cover, surely is a good list for any Top 100 most important people and events. That being said, here are some fun facts about Time’s list: Person of the Century: Albert Einstein. The only person to be named three times: FDR. Individuals named twice: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Dwight Eisenhower, Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill. Number of times a woman has been named: 9 (out of 97). Last two women named: Greta Thunberg (2019), Taylor Swift (2023).

No. 27 — Charles Schulz . Wrote “Peanuts” from 1950 to 2000 and is generally seen as the most influential cartoonist in history.

Total “Peanuts” strips published: 17,897.

Who didn’t hold their breath when Lucy would convince Charlie Brown into trying to kick the football one more time? Who didn’t hope, for once, that she wouldn’t pull it away at the last second? We all did.

No. 28 — Conspiracy theories . I hate to add this one to my list because their impact on society is worse than cancer; worse than pandemics; brings out the worst in humanity. Yes, vaccines do work. No, he didn’t win the 2020 election. Yes, there is global warming that is destroying our ecosystem. No, the hurricanes this year were not generated or controlled by the government. Ad nauseum.

No. 29 — “The Sound of Music” . I added this to the list because I wanted to end this segment on a positive note. This movie and the soundtrack is generally universally loved and presents to us something that is uniquely “us” — something precious, pure and redeeming.

No. 30 — Mary Poppins . See No. 29.

Stocking trout at the Whitewater Unit

It’s the first day of November, and there’s a crowd of wader-clad anglers gathered at the Whitewater Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Area. Are they fishing? Not yet. Instead, they’ve gathered to help stock trout into the Chattahoochee on the muchanticipated opening day of Georgia’s Delayed Harvest trout fishing season.

“Delayed Harvest” (often called simply “DH”) is an approach to managing streams that are too warm for trout during the warmer months but that become good trout habitat through the colder days of late fall, winter and early spring.

Here’s how it works. During the warmer months, DH streams are managed as warmwater fisheries and provide good angling for bass, sunfish and other suitable species. But as temperatures drop in the fall, those same waters eventually become cold enough to support trout. They are then managed as trout fisheries (under special DH regulations) until things warm up again with the coming of spring.

In Georgia, the DH season begins Nov. 1 and continues through May 14. During that time, fishing in designated DH waters is restricted to artificial flies or lures and single-hook lures only. It’s strictly catch-and-release, too, and all trout caught must be immediately returned to the water.

One particularly neat thing about the DH season is how it actively involves the fishing community. Several times during the season, volunteers help the Department of Natural Resources stock trout into the state’s DH streams – and on this day, one of those volunteers is me.

I arrive at the Whitewater Unit

of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area early and grab a parking place. Others are already there. The stocking truck is there, too, and I ask fisheries technician Kinsey Girard what’s inside the truck’s holding tanks.

“This load is all rainbow trout,” she says, adding that the total is about 1,600 fish. “About 1,400 of them are in the 10-inch range,” she says, “but another 200 are 14 inches or bigger.”

Helping Kinsey is fisheries technician Kyle Trenda, who earlier in the morning put an additional 1,600 fish into the river at nearby Akers Mill. At that location, the truck can get close to the water and stock the fish directly. But here at Whitewater, there’s no close approach to the river. That’s where the volunteers come in.

More folks arrive. Soon there’s a large cadre of wader-clad trout enthusiasts, each carrying a 5-gallon bucket with which to transport fish from the truck to the river, and conversation turns to practical matters like fly choice and tackle. There’s general agreement that patterns such at the Y2K or 3D Sucker Spawn egg imitations as well as the ubiquitous Woolly Bugger should work well.

But then it’s time to get to work. Kinsey thanks everyone for coming and gives a quick rundown of how DH stocking works.

Then, as folks line up, she climbs onto the truck and opens the first holding tank. She picks up a net and scoops up a load of trout and dumps them into a waiting bucket. The bucket brigade has begun!

For the next hour or so, volunteers move hundreds of buckets of trout from the truck to the river. Most fish, as expected, are in the 10-inch range. But there are some giants, too, including many of 16 to 18 inches range. Are one or two even bigger?

Then comes the big question: Where in the river should the fish be placed?

Some of the stocking volunteers,

including dad Richard Mohr who’s there with his 2-year-old son Miller, don’t go much farther than the river’s edge before placing the fish into the water. Debbie Ambroze, Miller’s grandmother, cheers them on, while Miller is for his part just having a grand old time with the whole thing. But others wade on out into the cold river, going farther (sometimes much farther) from the bank before pouring out their offering of trout.

How does one decide which way to do it?

“Well, we like to tell ourselves that we will put them in our own secret places, so we’ll know where they are when we fish later on,” says Matt Westborn, a trout fishing enthusiast from Atlanta and a veteran of many such stockings. “But the reality is that the fish will quickly spread out.”

The hope, he adds, is that they’ll eventually spread out enough to provide good DH trout fishing over a big section of the designated DH water.

Among those helping this morning are student members of the Georgia Tech Five Rivers Fishing Club, part of a nationwide initiative targeting college students and jointly sponsored by Trout Unlimited and Costa. Some are experienced trout anglers; for others, this is their first trout experience. All are having fun.

Sid Wilson, who serves as TU’s advisor for the Georgia Tech Five Rivers Fishing Club, is no stranger to helping young people discover the fun of fly fishing. He was asked to help start the group at Georgia Tech, and the Five Rivers club was the result. He adds that the club has been a great way to introduce these students to cold-water conservation and to the lifelong joys of fly fishing, and events such as volunteer stocking on Delayed Harvest water provide “an excellent opportunity for them to catch a trout too.”

What makes someone give up a day to come carry heavy buckets of trout down a slippery path to the Hooch?

Volunteer Malik Wilder, who operates FishProCo.com, a guide service and fishing school, puts it this way.

“It’s just a way of giving back,” he says. “It’s just a way of helping others. That’s the main goal.”

Meanwhile, the stocking continues. The old saying that many hands make short work certainly applies to stocking a river with trout, and in less time than you’d think, the entire load of 1,600 trout has been relocated from truck to river. Their work done for the moment, the DNR team closes up the truck’s compartments and then heads back to the hatchery.

And that’s when the focus turns to fishing. You’d be surprised how little time it takes enthusiastic fisherfolk to get ready when they know that trout are waiting, and in no time at all several are knee-deep in the river, casting flies and hoping for fish. Soon, excited shouts echo across the water as rods bend and fish are brought to net, where they are admired and then carefully released.

Delayed Harvest fishing has begun, and it’s looking like it’ll be a good year. Would you like to help stock the Chattahoochee Delayed Harvest water too? Your next chance is Tuesday, Nov. 26, again at the Whitewater Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. This date, which falls just two days before Thanksgiving, coincides with the Thanksgiving holidays for many folks and provides a perfect opportunity to get your kids or grandkids involved in stocking some trout.

Check it out. They’ll have a blast –and you will too!

To learn more about fishing Georgia’s Delayed Harvest streams, check out Steve Hudson’s book “Georgia Delayed Harvest Trout Guide.” It’s available from many area fly shops, and signed copies are available direct from the author at flybooks.net.

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

Avoiding the oilfield meant clean fingernails

I grew up in one of the biggest oilproducing areas of the country. Looking at old photos of Kern County in central California, inevitably the landscape was full of oil derricks and pumping structures that resembled huge rocking horses.

It was more than rumored that a sure way to top off an evening of hellraising was to head for the oilfield, jump a fence and ride one of those monstrosities. I can still remember some classmate crazies describing this twisted type of rodeo. The crowd I knew had more guts than sense. The advantage to their injury-inducing chicanery was that early on, they developed personal contacts at hospital emergency rooms across the area.

Lots of high school classmates thumbed their noses at a college education, choosing to ditch textbooks and work on the massive oil rigs that were prevalent in the county. Later on, when I’d run into them, they all had tired eyes and grime under their fingernails.

Recalling all the good times I had in high school, the word “underachiever” pretty much fits the bill. I had a lot of fun, and studying never got in the way of making people laugh and making my parents’ lives miserable, shuddering every time a teacher would call and relate tales of my latest chapter of tomfoolery.

A Spanish teacher once phoned and asked my stepdad “Doesn’t Michael get enough attention at home?”

My answer, which I found hilarious: “I might do better if that lady wasn’t constantly speaking Spanish. I told her to try a little English every now and then.”

I thought my parents had some type of nervous tic. In reality, they were just shaking their heads in pity and despair. Fact is, I didn’t care about going to college until my senior year when the prospect of spending my life in the “oil patch” seemed like a prison sentence instead of a career.

My teenage epiphany made me buckle down, feeling sad when attending senior awards activities and having to sit on my hands. One teacher who I never really cared for showed that he was not adverse to jumping on the consensus opinion of my future, when I told him I was going to attend junior college, go to a university and go to law school, he scoffed and said: “Son, you’ll be in the oilfields two weeks after grad-

uation, that is, if you even graduate.”

I did pretty much all I set out to do post-high school education-wise, even being asked to give a speech at graduation. It’s a safe bet I had the lowest GPA of anyone on the podium at the ceremony.

Alas, I did flirt with oil-related work.

After my late Uncle Bob, a purveyor of bull butter like no other, promised me a job post-college graduation working with him on the pipeline in Alaska, I had the means to pay for a law school education. Except there was no job in Alaska. Uncle Bob disappeared and I speculated he’d been ravaged by a moose. He even changed his phone number.

Without a job for the summer, I was faced with the prospect of working for the recreation department, dodging spit wads and dirt clods from little monsters, transferring to me the terror reserved for their elementary school teachers.

I contemplated selling a kidney to finance my legal education when a lightning-bolt idea came to me. I’d get a summer job at an oil refinery. It was a most-coveted, well-paying summer job.

I spent the summer of 1977 wearing overalls and working long hours at the now defunct Mohawk Refinery in Bakersfield. It was the hardest I ever worked, and the prospect of spending a working life there made me study in earnest.

Summer job experiences are priceless memories. I can’t wait to share them with you next time.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail. com.

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construction. Toro Development will renovate and incorporate the other existing office building into the master plan to create a workplace.

Announced retailers for Medley include Ford Fry’s Little Rey, CRÚ Food &

Athletes:

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Nora Donaldson, committed to Georgia State University. She has been a three-year lacrosse varsity starter and received all-region second team honors last season. Donaldson has participated in Athlete Leadership Council, is a member of NFU, and will graduate a semester early to attend GSU in January.

Brooke Murphy committed to swim for the University of Miami. She is a captain of the swim team and was

Wine Bar, Fadó Irish Pub, Summit Coffee, Lily Sushi Bar, Knuckies Hoagies, Cookie Fix, Sugarcoat Beauty, BODY20, AYA Medical Spa, 26 Thai Kitchen and Bar, Five Daughters Bakery, Drybar Shops, Minnie Olivia, Burdlife, Amorino, Pause Studio, Fogón and Lions and Clean Your Dirty Face.

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voted Johns Creek High School Athlete of the Month in Jan. 2023. Murphy has received the Most Valuable Female Swimmer award three times and has set two records for the school in 100 fly and 200 free sophomore year.

“We’re really proud to be here today and celebrate Maddie, Brooke Denny, Rose, Nora, and Brooke Murphy,” Johns Creek Athletic Director Kirk Call said. “They’ve all been fabulous athletes for Johns Creek, representing the Gladiator logo and our community well. They’re successful in their sports realm on the field or in the pool, but also in our hallways being leaders.”

MIKE TASOS Columnist

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

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