Johns Creek Herald - November 30, 2023

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Planners approve gymnasium to spur Ga. 20 development

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FILE PHOTO

The Forsyth County Jail in Cumming has arranged to board up to 70 male inmates from Fulton County.

Sheriffs enter boarding pact to ease jail overcrowding

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is housing Fulton County Jail inmates as the Atlanta facility on Rice Street struggles to manage a 100,000-case backlog and overcrowding.

Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman and Fulton County Sheriff

Pat Labat signed an agreement in April that allows up to 70 male Fulton County inmates to be boarded at the Forsyth County Jail on Veterans Memorial Boulevard.

“Fulton County’s court system is suffering a 149,200-case backlog from COVID-19 induced court closures, which, at times, has caused the Fulton County Jail to reach and exceed its maximum

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capacity,” the agreement reads.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office pays $75 per inmate each day they are accommodated. The cost covers meals and medical services.

Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Stacie Miller said the Forsyth County Jail housed 23 Fulton inmates in August, 26 in September and 23 in October.

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Planning Commission recommended approval of a new 28,800-square-foot gymnasium off Ga. 20 and Aaron Sosebee Road.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning of the 7.6-acre agricultural lot to a commercial business district at a formal meeting Nov. 14. The decision now faces the County Commission for final approval.

Project attorney Ethan Underwood said the Olympic gymnasium will host classes at 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., but there may be some stragglers who come for early morning or late-night practice.

“You could have as many as 40 or 50 cars coming in at one time,” he said.

The proposal follows new commercial growth along Ga. 20, or Canton Highway, which is due for a Georgia Department of Transportation widening.

Although Underwood emphasized the gymnasium will have lower impact than other uses a commercial business district allows, neighboring property owners said the proposed access to Aaron Sosebee Road on the lot will make traffic conditions dangerous.

See DEVELOPMENT, Page 10

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Norcross man arrested for DUI and obstruction JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a Norcross man Nov. 11 after he failed to maintain lanes and followed another vehicle too closely on Medlock Bridge Road.

When police conducted a traffic stop, they believed the suspect had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled alcohol on his breath. The suspect told police he was heading to work but changed his story multiple times, according to the police report.

The suspect refused field sobriety evaluations and made several derogatory, racist comments toward officers on the scene, the police report said.

Police arrested the suspect for driving under the influence. After transporting him to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta, the suspect was refused for his behavior and was eventually transported to the Fulton County Jail on Rice Street.

The suspect was charged with driving under the influence, following too closely, willful obstruction and improper lane change.

Man scammed out of $4,100 with threat of fake warrant Judged a newspaper of General Excellence 2023

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek man told police Nov. 13 he was scammed out of $4,100 by someone claiming he had an active warrant for his arrest.

The man told police the caller said the warrant was for a civil action and that if he did not pay the $4,100, he would be arrested.

The man said he sent the money through a cryptocurrency exchange company, according to the incident report, and was instructed by the scammer on what account to send the bitcoin to.

The man provided police with three photos containing an arrest warrant, instructions on payment and the receipt for evidence.

Police say crypto scam linked to previous case JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek man reported to police Nov. 17 that he had been scammed out of $386,000 in cryptocurrency investments.

He told police he met a woman

PUBLIC SAFETY in September, who he had discussed cryptocurrency trading with. At the time, the man said he created two crypto accounts that he would wire money to, to then be invested.

From late September to early November, he had wired $386,000 to the crypto accounts, according to the police report.

After attempting to withdraw $500,000 in his crypto account, the man was advised he had to pay a 15 percent penalty to make the withdrawal, the police report said. He then realized he was being scammed and notified his bank as well as the FBI. According to the report, police believe the man’s case is connected to a previous incident from late October where another Johns Creek resident had been scammed out of $400,000.

Wellington Road home burglarized of valuables JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police responded to a burglary at a home on Wellington Road Nov. 17, where several high-value items had been stolen.

While the homeowner was out of town, he spoke with police over video chat to account for missing sports memorabilia, high-end watches, jewelry, handbags, perfume, sunglasses, sapphires, diamonds, diamond bracelets and a yellow gold Korean war veterans rings with his name engraved.

The owner’s housekeeper told police she was the first to arrive that day, and the scene was turned over to detectives.

Felon caught shoplifting with firearm at Walmart MILTON, Ga. — Police arrested a Gainesville, Florida, man Nov. 15 who allegedly shoplifted more than $650 items from Walmart on Windward Parkway.

When police arrived, a loss prevention officer showed surveillance footage of the man attempting to shove items into his backpack. As the suspect headed towards the exit, police detained the suspect who appeared to have been looking for an exit path.

In the suspect’s bulging backpack, police found 28 DVDs and two Roku sticks. Police also found a firearm in his waistband, the incident report said.

The suspect’s criminal history revealed he was a convicted felon for grand larceny out of Florida in 2016, the report said.

The suspect was charged with felony shoplifting, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and

possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was then transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

Man defrauded of $10,000 in investment scheme MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man reported to police Nov. 17 he was scammed out of $10,000 after contacting what he thought to be customer service at a financial services company.

The man told police he searched for the Robinhood customer service number and thought he spoke to someone with the company, where his money is invested online.

He told police he later received a call from a man, stating that he needed to transfer money and then a phone call from a “supervisor,” who collected some of his personal information concerning his Robinhood account.

The man told police $5,000 had been withdrawn from his account and another $5,000 the day after, placed into an Ethereum cryptocurrency account.

The man said he believed the actual Robinhood company had been notified and that it launched an investigation on his behalf, the police report said, but that he is still waiting for a response in his investigation.

He told police he wanted to prosecute anyone responsible.

Police arrest suspect near victim’s home MILTON, Ga. — Police arrested an Atlanta man Nov. 18, who was reported to have attempted a burglary on Redd Road then crashed his car in a nearby ditch.

Dispatch advised police at around 4 a.m. that the suspect was on a Milton man’s front porch, pulling at the screen door. The victim told police there were wet footprints on the side of his home.

Police located the suspect, then his vehicle. The suspect told police he drank hours before the incident, then told police he has seven degrees and is an engineer.

After conducting field sobriety evaluations, police determined the suspect was too impaired to have driven. Police also found two unlabeled and unmarked pill containers in the suspect’s vehicle, the incident report said.

The suspect was charged with driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane, drugs not in original container as well as multiple felony possessions of controlled substances.

He was then transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

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NEWS

Perimeter area jewelers mark 50th anniversary

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — Although the City of Dunwoody celebrates its 15-year anniversary at Brook Run Park Dec. 1, there is a pillar of the community with its 50-year anniversary already behind them.

Jewelry Artisans, located in Ashford Lane at 4500 Olde Perimeter Way, was founded in 1973 by David Geller, a thirteenth-generation jeweler, who left his family business to strike out on his own.

Geller, with a passion for custom design, opened his first little shop on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs just north of Mount Paran Road.

After about 20 years in business, and three different locations on Roswell Road, Jamie Kresl joined the team as the store manager.

In 2000, Kresl purchased the store with aspirations to add jewelry lines and expand the showroom.

Eventually, in 2006, Jewelry Artisans moved to its current location at Ashford Lane, an outdoor mall near Perimeter Center.

The warm, inviting studio and showroom has welcomed thousands

JAMIE TUCKER/JET-IMAGING

The owner of Jewelry Artisans, Jamie Kresl, stands in the middle of the Ashford Lane showroom, with his team of designers, sales professionals and consultants. Jewelry Artisans’ 50-year anniversary sale concluded Nov. 11. of people in the past 17 years, earning Jewelry Artisans a reputation in the community.

With over 500 five-star Google reviews, the store’s reputation in Metro Atlanta is overwhelmingly positive.

Frankie Doughtie, a customer for 20 years, said she highly recommends Jewelry Artisans.

“Wonderful people to work with and very talented and trustworthy,” she said. “I wouldn’t go anywhere else for all my jewelry needs.”

Another customer, Ronda Powell, said it only took one week to have a ring with a missing diamond repaired at the store.

“They also helped design a new ring using stones from my deceased father’s ring that I can now wear in remembrance of him,” Powell said.

“Highly recommend!”

This year, Jewelry Artisans won Appen Media’s 2023 Best of Perimeter award for best jeweler in the shopping and commerce category, beating out Camelot Jewelers, Status Jewels and Dunwoody Diamonds USA. What’s more, the store placed in the top three for the Atlanta’s Best Award for jeweler, losing to Worthmore Jewelers in midtown Atlanta and Decatur.

“As we look back over the past 50 years,” Kresl said. “We feel immense gratitude for the many friendships that have been forged, and the generations of families that we have been privileged to serve.”

Success starts at the top A large part of Jewelry Artisans’ success can be attributed to the cando attitude of owner Jamie Kresl.

Like founder David Geller, Kresl’s passion for custom design hits home with clients looking to put their own unique spin on an item or seeking an unusual, non-traditional jeweler.

“The team is so friendly and helpful,” customer Robin Adams said.

“I just bought two amazing [and] very unique rings today, and they helped with my repair needs as well.”

Kresl announced Jewelry Artisans’ once-in-a-lifetime sale Oct. 13, which

was inspired by the family-owned business’ anniversary.

The anniversary sale made half of the store 50 percent off, including discounts from 10 percent to 40 percent in other areas of the store from Oct. 27 to Nov. 4.

Kresl said he extended the 50-year anniversary sale to Nov. 11 because of the excitement it generated among his clients and employees.

Also, some of Jewelry Artisans’ loyal customers were not up to date on the store’s Instagram page, @ jewelryartisans, and requested an extension.

While the store’s showroom typically has four or five clients perusing the selection, the anniversary sale brought dozens of people to the Jewelry Artisans’ collection of unique and traditional designs.

“It was just an overwhelming success,” Kresl said. “We were very, very busy, probably busier than we’ve ever been outside of Dec. 23.”

Kresl said Saturdays were the busiest days of the sale.

The trusted jeweler is known for resizing rings, replacing watch batteries, restringing pearls and replacing necklace clasps.

They are also skilled in transforming heirloom family rings into new pieces and turning small diamonds into earrings.

The store is uniformly praised in the Metro Atlanta community for their ability to update pieces and reset diamonds, making them a reliable choice for those looking to revamp their jewelry.

Kresl was able to preview some new offerings on the horizon at Jewelry Artisans before the start of the holiday season.

As a part of Kresl’s passion to offer unique, unusual and custom items in the showroom, he has followed the growing trend of labgrown diamonds.

“Lab-grown diamonds are taking off big time,” Kresl said. “I would call us one of the leading suppliers of labgrown diamonds for... everything.”

Kresl says the possibilities for lab-grown diamonds are virtually endless, but they are primarily used for engagement rings and fashionable jewelry.

“Whether it is a simple solder, an extensive restoration, a watch repair, pearl restringing or appraisal, we treat all of your jewelry with the utmost level of care,” Kresl said. “Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be your personal jeweler.”

NEWS

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 5

Cities gear up for festivities to celebrate the holidays

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

Roswell The annual lighting of the Christmas tree at Heart of Roswell Park will take place Dec. 1 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The event will include choral performances, hot chocolate, fire pits and s’mores, live reindeer, a special reading of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Mayor Kurt Wilson and a visit from Santa Claus.

The culminating event is the lighting of a 40-foot Christmas tree at the center of Heart of Roswell Park.

Canton Street, between Norcross Street and Magnolia Street, will be closed, creating a holiday atmosphere that extends into the downtown business district.

The event is free and open to the public.

Roswell Dance Starz will present “Frozen: A Winter Dance Spectacular,” an all-ages, family-friendly performance featuring ballet, pointe, jazz, contemporary and tap styles Dec. 2 at the Cultural Arts Center on Forrest Street.

There are two showtimes, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec. 2. Performance run time is one hour with no intermission.

Roswell Dance Starz is the resident dance company of the Recreation, Parks, and Historic and Cultural Affairs Department.

The company is comprised of several divisions divided by both grade level and talent, from rising second grade through twelfth grade. Acceptance into Dance Starz is by audition only. Auditions for the 202425 season are May 13-15.

For more information, visit https:// www.roswell365.com/event/rdsfrozen-2023/

Sandy Springs SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The festivities at City Springs begin with the opening of Sparkle Wonderland, Sparkle Village, Skate City Springs, and the gift market and food trucks at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3.

The holiday celebration and parade get into gear with live music by The Rupert’s Orchestra and artificial snowflakes falling on City Springs at 4:30 p.m.

The Sparkle Parade steps off at 6 p.m. and concludes with a menorah and tree lighting around 6:50 p.m.

The schedule is subject to change.

Road closures begin at 3 p.m. and attractions close at 7 p.m.

Residents can also explore the Sparkle Village, a month-long display of miniature homes, decked out in decor and twinkling lights from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31 The six-foot-tall wooden houses are decorated by local businesses, schools and

Johns Creek to host Holly Jolly Block Party JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Holly Jolly Block Party is coming to Johns Creek for the second year in a row Dec. 2.

Held at City Hall from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the event will feature Santa, holiday llamas, the lighting of a 40-foot Christmas tree, a holiday market, face painting, kids’ crafts and activities from the Johns Creek Arts Center as well as a selection of food vendors.

There will also be musical performances from Industrial Rhythms, using custom made drums designed with bright LED lights; Seed & Feed Marching Abominable, a marching band of costumed performers; and The Stephen Lee Band, a four-piece band singing traditional holiday favorites.

The SEC Football Championship between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide will also play on the big screen.

nonprofits. Some of this year’s participants include the Abernathy Arts Center, Heards Ferry and High Point Elementary, Los Niños Primero and the Sandy Springs Perimeter Chamber.

If residents cannot make it out to the Sparkle Sandy Springs parade and holiday celebration Dec. 3, Broadway’s holiday favorite, “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” opens Dec. 8 in the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, 1 CRABAPPLE Galambos Way. The City Springs Theatre Company brings the Christmas classic to Metro Atlanta audiences, with additional performances already in place to meet the demand for this holiday classic. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is part of the 2023-24 PNC Bank Season and is made possible by a generous individual donation from Barbara and Yardy Williams.

“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” will be performed December 8-24, 2023. Group tickets are available for companies and organizations interested in making the production part of their holiday celebrations.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is based on the classic 1954 Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye movie of the same name.

The show features seventeen songs by the legendary songwriter Irving Berlin, including “Blue Skies,” “Happy Holidays,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” and the musical’s Oscar-winning title song.

Returning to direct and choreograph “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is Broadway’s Sara Edwards, who previously directed and choreographed CSTC’s 2022 production of “Anything Goes.”

“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is included in current subscriber season packages. Individual tickets range from $37-$145 with discounts for seniors, students, groups, and active and retired military personnel, and are on sale now.

For more information, call 404-4774365 or visit https://www.cityspringstheatre.com/

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

Musical guests at the Holly Jolly Block Party will include Industrial Rhythms, Seed & Feed Marching Abominable and the Stephen Lee Band.

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6 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

NEWS

UGA alumni, fans flood City Springs for Hairy Dawg

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Hundreds of families and Dawgs fans from Metro Atlanta packed into the City Springs Studio Theater Nov. 19 for Cookies & Cocoa with Hairy Dawg, an annual event put on by one of the University of Georgia Alumni Association’s affinity groups — Women of UGA. The atmosphere was overwhelmingly optimistic after the Bulldogs defeated the University of Tennessee Volunteers 38-10 in their last conference game of the 2023 season.

The annual Cookies & Cocoa event has become a tradition in many Metro Atlanta households, according to Women of UGA councilmember Mandy Rodgers.

Women of UGA have put on the event every year since 2017.

While last year’s event was held at Villa Christina in Brookhaven, this year’s event was held at City Springs for the first time.

“We do try to look at the map and make it as central as possible, which is hard because we have such a big alumni group,” Rodgers said.

The UGA Alumni Association created four affinity groups to be led by 15-person leadership councils who steer the mission and programming for each distinct group.

The other three affinity groups are UGA Black Alumni, Young Alumni and Latino Alumni.

Rodgers said the entire alumni community is invited to the affinity group’s signature event.

Women of UGA selected a specific charitable organization for the first time in the annual event’s history.

The alumni group raised over $10,000 for Embark@UGA, a campus-based initiative for students experiencing homelessness or

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

The Women of UGA Leadership Council takes a photo with the team mascot, Hairy Dawg, Nov. 19. The alumni group raised over $10,000 for Embark@UGA, a campus-based initiative for students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. housing insecurity, according to a Women of UGA Facebook post Nov. 21.

Proceeds from donations, UGA bookstore purchases and admission fees for the event contributed to the charitable donation.

While the event was at a new venue this year, all the previous activities, including story corner with special

guests, “Letters to Uga” activity station, cookie decorating and the Hairy Dawg Holiday Photo.

“We try to do the photos at the beginning because everyone wants to have their kids as clean and crisp as possible,” Rodgers said.

For each of the four time slots from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the City Springs Studio Theatre, story time began at the half-hour mark, giving everyone ample time to take a photo with Hairy Dawg.

After gathering all the young Dawg fans in the story corner, the Alumni Redcoat Pep Band performed to conclude the event.

While author and former wide receiver Malcom Mitchell has been a special guest reader in previous years, Rennie Curran and his daughter Eleana read their book, “What Does It Take To Be a Star?”

Curran is a former professional athlete, three-time All-American at the University of Georgia and the chief executive officer of Game Changer Coaching.

The Currans were asked how it felt to be able to share their motivational children’s book at an alumni event.

“For me, it’s definitely an honor because UGA is such a big part of my life and a big part of how I’m able to pass on my experiences to her,” Rennie Curran said.

“It felt good because I want to empower little kids,” Eleana Curran said. “…to tell them that there is a way to become what you want to become, as long as you put that work in.”

C. Lee Zell, president of the University of Georgia Alumni Association Board of Directors, was also in attendance.

Zell joined Miss UGA 2023 Sarah Park and Chuck Kinnebrew to serve as special guest readers at different time slots throughout the day.

“I came here with my daughter, and it was actually her first time meeting Hairy,” Alpharetta resident Dan Middleton said. “We got some great Christmas photos…this is a great event and its local.”

NEWS

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 7

Kemp extends suspension of Georgia motor fuels tax

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp extended the temporary suspension of the state sales tax on gasoline and other motor fuels Nov. 15, citing ongoing high prices and uncertain economic conditions.

Kemp signed an executive order extending the suspension through Nov. 29, which he said will help Georgians cope with high food and travel costs during the Thanksgiving holiday.

The state can easily afford going without the tax revenue the sales tax would have brought after ending the last fiscal year in June with $5 billion in “rainy-day” reserves and $11 billion in undesignated surplus funds, according to a report released last week by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

“Thanks to our responsible approach in budgeting, we’re able to deliver relief to families fighting through the disastrous effects of Bidenomics,”

Kemp said, criticizing what he called “failed” economic policies coming out of the Biden administration.

“I’m proud this action has helped keep millions of dollars in hardworking Georgians’ pockets and look forward to continuing to see that impact with the Thanksgiving holiday approaching.”

Kemp suspended the gas tax for a second time in September.

The governor is calling on the General Assembly to ratify the

suspension when lawmakers gather under the Gold Dome late this month for a special session aimed primarily at redrawing Georgia’s legislative and congressional district lines following a federal court ruling that boundaries the legislature approved two years ago violated the Voting Rights Act. This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

First German Christmas market comes to Roswell ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Rotary Club, Friends of Bulloch and Munich Event Group are hosting the first annual Christkindlmarket from Nov. 24 to Dec. 24. on the historic Bulloch Hall grounds at 180 Bulloch Ave. Inspired by German Christmas markets, the family-friendly event will feature vendors offering a variety of seasonal crafts and food, including authentic German specialties and Gluhwein.

The beautifully decorated grounds span multiple sections, connected through accessible paths and lined with

rows of wooden vendor stalls, event coordinators said.

Activities include a carousel, free photos with The Santa Bob of Roswell and the opportunity to leave letters for Santa.

“We are excited to bring our German traditions to the greater Roswell area,” owner of Munich Event Group Marcel Radovanovic said.

Alex Kaufman, president of the Roswell Rotary Club, and Bob Hagan, the president of the Friends of Bulloch, will join Mayor Kurt Wilson Nov. 24 to tap a keg in traditional German fashion,

which officially opens the market.

Admission and parking are free, enabling everyone to visit and enjoy.

All ages and friendly dogs on leashes are welcome at the event.

The market, open from Black Friday to Christmas Eve, will be open every afternoon, but some attractions are only available on weekends.

Monday through Thursday, the market is open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday and Saturday hours are from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Sundays, the market will open 30 minutes later and conclude at 10

DECEMBER December 2 Holly Jolly Block Party City Hall - 4 p.m.

December 12 City Council Work Session City Hall - 5 p.m.

December 5 Planning Commission Meeting City Hall - 7 p.m.

City Council Meeting City Hall - 7 p.m.

December 9 Breakfast with Santa - 9 a.m. seating Breakfast with Santa - 10:30 a.m. seating Adaptive Lunch with Santa - Noon Newtown Park - Registration Required

City Calendar & Events! 2023

December 14 Arts, Culture, & Entertainment Committee City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

December 19 Board of Zoning Appeals City Hall - 7 p.m.

Johns Creek City Hall | 11360 Lakefield Drive | Johns Creek, GA 30097 | JohnsCreekGA.gov

p.m.

Munich Event Group is the evolution of a multi-generation hospitality and entertainment business with its roots in Germany.

The owners are experienced operators of many venues and attractions, including a 5,000-person tent and ride at the original Oktoberfest.

For announcements and more information, visit https:// roswell-christkindlmarket. com or https://www.facebook. com/people/ChristkindlmarketRoswell/100091827591276.

December 20 Recreation & Parks Advisory Committee Meeting City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

December 25 Christmas Day City offices closed December 26 Christmas (Observance) City offices closed Scan the QR Code to learn more or to contact the City of Johns Creek!

“When we opened this place up, I think, above all else, we wanted this to be a space where people could come and gather and spend time together and have good conversation.”

BROOKE LIBBY, barista and manager, Warm Waves Coffee House 8 | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023

Café serves community in downtown Alpharetta

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The family-owned Warm Waves Coffee House on North Main Street serves as a gathering place with an intentional and curated menu for the Alpharetta community.

Some 15 years ago, Milton resident Kenny Libby said his wife Shawn gifted him a coffee roaster for Father’s Day, and he began sampling different beans and coffees.

“It was just such a difference between what you buy at the grocery store and roasting fresh coffees,” Kenny Libby said. “It kind of became a personal hobby of mine. I just loved it.”

Initially, Kenny Libby shared the coffee he roasted at home with friends and family. But, when his daughter Brooke needed to fundraise for a World Race gap year mission trip, she thanked those who donated with coffee.

The Libbys then set up shop at the Alpharetta Farmers Market in 2018 and soon found success.

“The next year, we signed up, and we built an espresso bar and then stepped it up and started making espresso drinks and more offerings, and it just became really popular,” Kenny Libby said.

With a proof of concept, he said the family purchased a commercial coffee roaster that year to be housed in a building he owns in Norcross.

Throughout 2019, he was trained through the Specialty Coffee Association and received his professional roasting certification.

“Our goal when we started this was

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SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Warm Waves Coffee House sits along North Main Street in downtown Alpharetta. The family-owned coffee shop serves espresso, tea, seasonal drinks and fresh pastries.

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 9

T: 770.495.0545 • F: 770.495.4646 11695 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite 100 Johns Creek, Georgia 30097

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

Come prepared with business cards and your 45-second pitch about your business! From these meetings, you will form relationships, create business Wednesday opportunities, and share information with 9:30 – 11:00AM Johns Creek Business 11695 Johns Creek Parkway professionals.

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Men’s Happy Hour Networking Location subject to change. Check the calendar on our website.

Location subject to change. Check the calendar on our website.

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

Our Women’s Networking Connection is a great platform for women in business to come together to build strong connections with other businesswomen.

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10 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

Development: Continued from Page 1 The original proposal called for a main entrance off Aaron Sosebee and a gravel overflow lot near Ga. 20, but project staff updated the plans to have a second entrance off the highway.

Currently, the site has two addresses, but Underwood said developers will work with the county to make the gymnasium’s main address on Ga. 20 to redirect traffic from Aaron Sosebee.

“If it’s people who are just putting it in a GPS, hopefully it will be less prone to direct them down Aaron Sosebee than on Ga. 20,” Underwood said.

Still, Aaron Sosebee residents addressed the Planning Commission to emphasize traffic conditions have worsened as more developments come to

NEWS

the area.

The four speakers also agreed the entrance off the primarily residential roadway should be removed.

“If this is a commercial building, let’s leave the commercial traffic to Ga. 20,” speaker Lanier Gramling said. “Let’s leave Aaron Sosebee as a residential farmland.”

Underwood assured the Aaron Sosebee entrance will comply with county standards for sight and visibility, and he said the gymnasium will not draw commercial traffic.

“I would say 99 percent of the traffic’s going to be parents dropping their kids off in passenger vehicles,” he said.

In other action at the meeting, planning commissioners recommended approval of a dog boarding, grooming and training facility on Post Road. The site borders Midway Park to the north.

The Board of Commissioners will hear both requests at its Dec. 21 meeting.

MAPS BY FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED

This map shows the location of a proposed gymnasium, highlighted in blue, off Ga. 20 and Aaron Sosebee Road. The Forsyth County Planning Commission recommended approval of the plans, which now face the County Commission for a final vote.

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This map shows the location of a proposed dog boarding, grooming and training facility off Post Road in Cumming. Forsyth County planning commissioners recommended approval of the business Nov. 14.

NEWS

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 11

Milton officials guide transportation plan, jumpstart roundabout

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — With plans to adopt an updated Comprehensive Transportation Plan in December, the Milton City Council discussed potential shifts in project priorities at its meeting Nov. 19.

The Comprehensive Transportation Plan, drafted in 2009, is a longrange, multimodal transportation plan that assesses the city’s existing and future transportation needs.

The goals of the document are to help identify priorities, establish a relationship between local and regional expectations and support other city plans.

The plan received an update in 2016, and now, a second overhaul is underway.

Engineering Project Manager Rob Dell-Ross presented community input Monday evening, which had been shared at an October council work session, as well as an exhaustive project list, price tags and the associated funding sources.

Short-range projects are funded by the projected $36 million in Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax II, or TSPLOST II, passed by voters in 2021.

Projected funding Projects are broken into funding tiers, Dell-Ross said, based on Fulton County guidelines that advise cities to program 85 percent of projected revenue into Tier 1, 15 percent into Tier 2 and another 15 percent into Tier 3 if extra transportation dollars are available after delivering the entirety of the preexisting projects.

“We had to make some assumptions for our financial framework for our TSPLOST II list,” Dell-Ross said.

He presented more than 20 shortrange projects funded by TSPLOST II as well as mid-range and long-range projects that predict funding from future TSPLOST referendums.

Councilman Jan Jacobus suggested prioritizing improvements to Bethany Bend, from Ga. 9 to Morris Road, an $8 million mid-range project set for TSPLOST III. Jacobus and Councilman Rick Mohrig shared the concern of future traffic funneling onto Bethany Bend.

Because the budget is constrained, Dell-Ross said the council would need to trade projects from one list to another.

But, Mayor Peyton Jamison cautioned that trading any of the big-ticket TSPLOST II items,

One thing that came up very commonly in our input, both in survey and in person, was bicycle safety — not just if you’re the bicycle, but if you’re the driver working with them.”

ROB DELL-ROSS Engineering Project Manager AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Milton Engineering Project Manager Rob Dell-Ross explains an exhaustive list of projects set for the new Comprehensive Transportation Plan at the City Council meeting Nov. 20. A draft of the plan, as part of a second update, will be posted on the city’s dedicated webpage for the project before its adoption in December. improvements to Cox Road intersections and improvements along Redd Road, could stall addressing major traffic safety issues.

“Y’all are gonna be busy,” Jamison said.

Bicycle priority As part of the plan update, Dell-Ross also described policy considerations for a bicycle priority network. He emphasized the network would not entail bike lanes “everywhere,” but rather lanes on one or two of the corridors.

“One thing that came up very commonly in our input, both in survey and in person, was bicycle safety — not just if you’re the bicycle, but if you’re the driver working with them,” Dell-Ross said.

He said the bicycle component of the Comprehensive Transportation Plan might also recommend more education and additional signage, based on data from Strava and the city’s focus groups.

Dell-Ross also suggested a Vulnerable Road Users ordinance, which is an expansion of the state law that requires drivers to provide a 3-foot buffer for cyclists.

Prior to its adoption in December, a draft of the new Comprehensive Transportation Plan will be posted on the city’s dedicated webpage.

In other matters Nov. 20, another roundabout is on its way in Milton at Bethany Road and Providence Road.

Currently, the area is an all-way, stop-controlled intersection where 26 car accidents have been recorded over a five-year period.

The City Council approved nearly

$300,000 in land acquisitions for the single-lane roundabout project. One of the six parcels is more than 33,300 square feet in city-owned, bondfunded greenspace to be reimbursed through TSPLOST. Also at the meeting, the City

Council officially declared the 2023 general municipal election results to be incorporated into the city’s permanent minutes.

City Manager Steve Krokoff, who also serves as the city’s election superintendent, certified the results Nov. 14. Certification involves submitting a form to the Secretary of State outlining the number of ballots counted for each of the Post 2 candidates.

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12 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

Local News Is Growing This year, even more than ever before, the news is in crisis.

More than 17,000 news media jobs were cut just by June, at national and local outlets including at some of the biggest names like NPR, The Texas Tribune and Gannett. In fact, newsroom layoffs are up 20% from last year. Some of these outlets laid off more than 10% of their staff in the last few months — even as we head into a critical election year.

These are devastating numbers. But all is not lost.

Many local and independent newsrooms continue to launch across the country. Small newsrooms like ours continue to grow, adding new journalists and expanding reporting and investigations.

How is that possible? It’s all thanks to readers like you. Local news is different from other outlets: we’re strengthened by supporters who believe in the power of journalism that cares about its community.

Today, during our end-of-year campaign, consider supporting us. Our newsroom — and our community — will be stronger because of you.

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A Community of Advocates For Local Journalism Join today for $16/month

In 2022, Appen Media Group created the Appen Press Club, its mission driven news division dedicated to creating a sustainable infrastructure for local journalism in the north metro Atlanta area. Residents of that community, like you, join the Press Club by committing to small monthly or annual dues, 100% of which is dedicated to producing reliable, professional journalism on local issues that affect your lives.

Join your neighbors in support of local journalism CHARTER MEMBER Big Sky Franchise Team David & Michelle Bertany

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Carol Morgan Kathy Morgan Stu Moring Jack Murphy Tricia Novarro Bob O’Brien Kurt & Leslie Phillips Joy Pooler Debra Powell Righteous PR Chuck Pugh Ashwin Ramaswami Cheryl Rand Jean Rearick Jan Satterfield Stephanie Schuette Susan Searles Tina Shelton Lisa Shippel Joanne Simmons Cindy Simpson Faye Sklar

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MEMBER Alpharetta Lions Club Omar Altalib Ron Altman American Legion Post 201 Barbara Anderson Mary Asbury Barbara Bauschka Kathy Beck Bill Bentley Leslie Berry Tom Billings Ron Boddicker Jodi Bogen Debra Bowen DutchCrafters Amish Furniture Joe Bowen Erendira Brumley Mike & Theresa Buscher Mary Busman Gary Butterfield Clea Calloway Carla Campbell

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14 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

Coffee:

BUSINESSPOSTS If you go…

Menus, hours and more information can be found at warmwavescoffee.com.

Continued from Page 8 to become wholesale coffee roasters,” Kenny Libby said. ”Our plan wasn’t to open a coffee shop. At the end of 2019, we felt pretty good about the quality of our coffee that we were roasting, and we felt comfortable starting moving past just friends and family with the coffee and start selling it to the general public.”

The new business venture hit a hurdle when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Warm Waves to close its existing accounts.

But, on the way home from the last Alpharetta Farmers Market of the season, Kenny Libby said he and daughters Brooke and McKinley spotted a former day spa for lease at 52-A N. Main St. “We signed the lease in December of 2020 and then built out the place and opened up in August of 2021,” Kenny Libby said.

Warm Waves serves the standard fare of tea and espresso in traditional sizes, but guests can also sample seasonal drinks crafted by the shop’s baristas, including bourbon butterscotch, sweet potato pie and fall spice.

“I think, in general, we are just really proud of our sauces and our

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

McKinley, Shawn, Kenny, Woods and Brooke Libby smile outside Warm Waves Coffee House Nov. 17 on North Main Street in Alpharetta. The family-owned coffee shop opened its doors in 2021 after testing the waters at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. syrups, and I think that sets our menu and our coffee apart in a lot of ways,” Brooke Libby said.

Brooke Libby now works as a barista and manager at the Alpharetta coffee shop. She is also set to become manager of Warm Waves’ forthcoming second location in Suwanee.

She said the shop’s fan favorite flavor is the beehive, a combination of cinnamon, vanilla and honey, but its lavender and vanilla flavor is a popular summertime choice.

“When we opened this place up, I think, above all else, we wanted this to be a space where people could come

and gather and spend time together and have good conversation,” Brooke Libby said.

The sourcing of Warm Waves’ coffee is also a priority. Kenny Libby said the shop works with small farmers to cut the middleman and maximize profits for the small-scale operations.

The coffee shop works with an eighth-generation Honduran coffee farming family, a boutique partner in Nicaragua and a family-operated Ethiopian company.

Beyond the coffee, Shawn Libby said Warm Waves serves a variety of fresh pastries in partnership with St. Germain Bakery in Atlanta.

The shop also employs an in-house chef who prepares blueberry muffins, orange cardamom cake, quiches and egg bites.

“We try to incorporate a little bit of everything so people can have something nice to eat, excellent coffee, great atmosphere, positive vibes, good community,” Shawn Libby said. “And our goal is, really, to partner with local, family-owned businesses as well. That’s really important to us because we’re a family-owned business.”

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16 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

OPINION

Balancing needs, wants and stuff These times are interesting.

Sometimes – well actually, often – I catch myself feeling overwhelmed with “stuff.”

Much of the “stuff” seems out of my control which is frustrating. However, perhaps RAY APPEN an equal amount Publisher Emeritus usually is within my control because I am the one who created it.

Sometimes I try to step back and organize what all this “stuff” is really. So, we have “obligations” – like, for example, promises I have committed to like doing work or paying a bill, attending a meeting, or working in the yard etc. Then there are “needs” – stuff that might include going to the dentist or getting that 5-year colonoscopy. These differ from those “wants” though and while “wants” one would think should not be stressors, if you comingle those with the promises, obligations, and needs, collectively they usually create the big “S” – stress.

My sister’s 16-year-old daughter has recently been having health issues; she can’t hold food down and gets excruciating pain in her gut area. Like, she hasn’t really eaten in the last three weeks and has been

in the ER at least three times but possibly four times or more. They still can’t identify with any degree of confidence what the problem is. Mind you – she lives in Boston and is being treated in one of the best hospitals in the country.

So where is the connection between all “my stuff” and the health problems of my niece? Well, which connection should I throw out there?

The default “connection” is going to have to be that we all struggle with life and that today’s “life” may just be the most difficult ever. All it takes is to turn on the TV or go to your news-source online and experience a tidal wave of datapoints all converging on your brain and body simultaneously. Nothing is static. Everything is changing / evolving – continuously. You don’t know what is true. You don’t know who is honest. You don’t know who to trust.

We-are-drowning in information that we cannot process.

And this is even before that other tidal wave has arrived at scale – AI. In 1971 – over 50 years ago - social scientist Herbert Simon (who would win the Nobel prize in economics in 1978) wrote the following: “In an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What informa-

tion consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention."

He also observed (in 1971) this: "Even before television, we lived in an environment of information conveyed mostly by our neighbors, including some pretty tall tales. We acquired a variety of techniques for dealing with information overload. We know that there are people who can talk faster than we can and give us an argument on almost any topic. We listen patiently, because we cannot process information fast enough to refute them; that is, until the next day, when we find the hole in their argument. A relevant rule that my father taught me was, "Never sign in the presence of a salesman." By adopting such rules and their extensions, we allow ourselves the extra processing time needed to deal with the information overload. ... I think that all levels of intelligence, human beings have common sense protecting them from the worst features of their information environment. If information overload ever really gets the best of me, my last resort is to follow the advice of Gertrude Stein in the opening pages of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas: `I like a view, but I like to sit with my back turned to it.'

I wrote my niece a letter telling her how

much we loved her and how much she was on our mind. I tried to say that in a world where there was so much “stuff” that she needed to listen to her body first because so much of everything else was not trustworthy; she could, however, trust her own body and her own instincts.

I wanted to tell her that if she would put down her phone – and computer- for 30 days and avoided any and all social media during those 30 days and, at the same time, reconnected with her body through exercise, meditation, and walks in the woods and such, that I was sure that the impact could be staggering.

We need to create space for ourselves and for each other – space where context has the time to grow and be appreciated.

We need to recognize the toxic nature of unrestricted data and unrestricted access. We need to slow down and touch things and people – and feel drops of rain. Data is not people; it is not alive, nor does it nurture.

People nurture: we need each other, face to face.

“Not even the rain has such small hands” – EE Cummings, “Somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond” “Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore” – Dorothy, Wizard of Oz

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AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 17

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18 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

PRESERVING THE PAST

OPINION

The history of cattle in North Georgia – a beefy business The cattle industry is possibly Georgia’s oldest agricultural pursuit dating back to the Georgia Colony established in 1732 by King George ll. The colony, the last of the original 13 American colonies, BOB MEYERS was governed durColumnist ing its first 20 years by the Georgia Trustees, appointed by the king. One of its key members was General James Oglethorpe who spent ten years in Georgia. Among the inducements to attract settlers from Europe to the colony was an offer of free passage, land and cattle.

Even though agriculture is no longer the largest employer in the state, cattle have played an important role throughout the ups and downs of our agrarian history. Today the Georgia cattle industry is big business. Cattle are raised in all 159 Georgia counties. Beef cattle is the fifth largest commodity produced in Georgia after poultry, cotton, peanuts and timber. According to the Georgia Cattleman’s Association, there are approximately 15,000 cattle producers in the State, most of which have fewer than 100 head, yet, according to the US Department of Agriculture farmers raised 478,000 head of beef cattle plus 92,000 milk cows in 2023. Cattle farm revenue, or gate value, is about $658 million according to the USDA. The North Georgia Cattleman’s Association is one of 75 county and area cattlemen's associations in the state. The goal of the organization is to protect and preserve the state’s cattle heritage.

For more than ten years until his retirement last year, Billy Martin was president of the North Georgia association. At one point he was the largest cattle operator in the area with more than 200 head of Hereford beef cattle on rented land and on his 100 acre farm, or ranch, in the Free Home community where North Fulton, Cherokee and Forsyth counties come together.

He calls his farm Sunset Ridge. Like many cattlemen, Billy took to cattle raising after other successful careers.

Initially he spent 20 plus years with Hewlett Packard in management and sales. Wanting to go into business for himself, Billy bought a small company with four employees in 1983 called Southern Staircase which he sold twelve years later with 180 employees. He started in the cattle business in 1987 with little knowledge but with the same passion to succeed that served him so well previously.

The Sunset Ridge logo has been well known in the local cattle industry for more than 20 years.

Billy is partial to Hereford cattle, a meat breed originally from Herefordshire, England because they are strong, hardy and known for their longevity.

Many live and produce calves beyond the age of 15 years. They are docile and easy to raise, and their meat is tender. They are about the same weight and height as the popular Angus breed, 1200 to 1500 pounds for cows and 2000 to 2300 pounds for bulls. The breed is known for ease of calving and excellent mothering abilities, all characteristics that make them profitable to raise. They are generally red/brown and white with white faces. They can be horned or hornless (polled). In 2011 one of Billy’s bulls won a national championship. “I love that breed,” he says.

Billy raises only registered heifers.

(Female cattle who have yet to give birth.

Once a heifer has her first calf, she is called a cow.) Registered cattle are like cattle with pedigrees. Papers that come with registered cattle tell a great deal about the actual animal you own or are thinking of purchasing. Those papers trace the ancestry back through several generations and make it possible to breed cattle to achieve specific characteristics.

Billy became an expert in Hereford genetics, a science which has been responsible for “a lot of changes under the skin where the meat is,” says Billy.

He explains that through genetic testing and artificial breeding, “we can produce bulls that can reproduce parts of the body that will carry on to generations of offspring.” This, he explains, has resulted in a quantum leap in the amount and quality of beef under the skin. “More of the meat is marbled and graded prime,” he notes. “Cattle genetics is the most rewarding part of my career and the most profitable part of my business.”

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/APPEN MEDIA

Billy Martin stands by a display of just a few of the many awards he has won for his high quality registered Hereford cows and bulls.

A Hereford bull on Billy Martin’s cattle farm in the Free Home community. Herefords are docile and their meat is well marbled and tender.

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

OPINION

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 19

Trout on Tenkara: adventures continue We are ankle-deep in a small stream somewhere up in northern Georgia, and we are fishing for trout with tenkara.

Tenkara, you may remember, is that traditional Japanese fixed-line approach STEVE HUDSON to flyfishing that Columnist doesn’t use a reel.

It’s kind of like high-tech cane pole fishing, in a way, but with high-tech rods and with flies. It’s clean and sweet and elegant, and we are both becoming real fans.

Anyway, we’re on a small stream, about ten feet across, and the fish are sized accordingly. There are plenty of them, too, and she is catching her share.

But despite her success, there is a look in her eyes that I recognize. I’ve seen it before. I wait patiently for her to put the thought into words.

“So,” she says at last. “These little ones are fun. But could somebody land a BIG trout on tenkara?”

That made me wonder: What would it be like to take on one of those giant trouty leviathans on a fixed-line tenkara rod?

The idea is intriguing, and the prospect seems feasible. In fact, there are a number of trophy trout fisheries hereabouts where it might possibly happen too.

So where and when?

She takes a look at the calendar, and

I make a couple of calls. And that’s how we find ourselves one brisk November day at The Retreat at Hiawassee River, standing knee-deep in clear and icy cold water and thinking of big ol’ trout.

The Retreat at Hiawassee River is a popular wedding and event venue near the north Georgia town of Hiawassee.

Good wedding venues are always nice to visit. But for flyfishers, there’s another big draw here. A section of the Hiawassee flows through the property, and lurking in that lovely stretch of water are some trout of (how to put it) thoughtprovoking proportions.

Trout like that one there – “Did you see that?” she says.

I turn toward where she’s looking, toward a patch of water where ripples like small tidal waves are slowly spreading across the surface.

“Was that a trout?” she asks in disbelief.

Yes it was. And a very, very good trout too.

“Okay,” she says, opening the rear hatch on the car. “Where is the rod?”

A moment later she’s ready.

“No waders?” I ask, seeing that she’s still got on her hiking shoes.

“I think I’ll just fish from that little gravel bar,” she says, calling to me over her shoulder, for she’s already on her way to the water.

In seconds she’s in position, up close to water’s edge within easy range of a run on the far side of the flow.

In her hand is a Kyojin II tenkara rod from Zen Tenkara, a purpose-built big fish rod. It should handle these trout

with ease, and it proves to be an accurate casting tool, too. In addition, with a length of just 12 feet, it’s short enough to handle relatively tight conditions should they occur – and on a stream like this, they might.

I ease up and join her at water’s edge, far enough back so as not to spook fish.

“Try it over there by the bank,” I suggest helpfully, but she’s already making the cast and drops the little nymph rig about an inch from the very spot I was eyeballing.

The current is smooth, and the strike indicator (that’s flyfishing talk for “bobber”) begins to drift downstream.

Drift…drift…nothing…

She casts again…another drift…still nothing…

But she is patient and focused and casts yet again. I can tell that she senses that the run has something to offer…

Cast…drift…

This time the indicator stops, bobs, and suddenly disappears.

She sets the hook. Something happens under the water. The line goes tight, and the rod bends like we’ve never seen it bend, like there might be something profound on the other end of the line.

And there is. Several minutes later we get our first glimpse of what’s happening below as a swirl breaks the surface. A shape begins to materialize. It grows more distinct.

“It is HUGE!” she says.

She handles the rod adroitly, holding the upper part of the grip with her rod hand and bracing the lower grip on her

forearm, using the fingers of her other hand to touch the rod above the grip for greater control. She works the rod back and forth, keeping it low, controlling the fish. The rod does its work. She does hers too.

The fish flashes at the surface.

“Oh my,” she says, her voice intense, low, and still the battle goes on.

After a while, the fish tires. She moves it toward the shore. I net it for her, as proud of her fish as I have ever been of anything, as proud of her as I have ever been of anyone.

And the fish is really, truly, absolutely huge. How big? Almost too big for the net! Sometimes inches and pounds lose their meaning, and “big” is all that matters. This is one of those times.

This fish cooperates. We get a photo, and we get a picture of the two of us as well. We ease the fish back into the water, and with a single flick of its tail it disappears into the depths it calls home.

It’s the first of many big fish that day.

All on tenkara.

And we have our answer.

Big fish on tenkara? You bet – and there’s a kiss too right there by the river as the big one swims away.

“Now move,” she says, grinning. “I want to make another cast. I think there might be one more…right…there…”

She casts. The indicator begins its drift…

For info on the Zen Kyojin II, visit zentenkara.com For info on The Retreat at Hiawassee River, visit hiawasseeretreat.com

THE INVESTMENT COACH

Home from war and adjusting to a new normal This column was written on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2023. Fiftynine years ago, in 1964, I was a young Air Force officer stationed at Tan Son Nhut Base in Saigon, LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP Air Vietnam. The day Columnist before this VeterThe Investment Coach ans Day, a special mass was held at St. Brigid Catholic Church in Johns Creek to honor veterans. A reception followed at Holy Redeemer Catholic Elementary School. At the reception, a little girl handed me an adorable handmade card as she

said, “Thank you for your service.” Inside a note read, “Thank you for protecting our schools, neighbors, and most of all, us!”

The card is a keeper; the sentiment, much appreciated.

On Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article entitled “Your New Co-Worker Is a Total Drill Sergeant,” subtitled, “Companies hungry for new recruits line up to hire military veterans,” commanded my attention. Callum Borchers, the writer of the piece noted, “Veterans and companies that recruit from the armed forces say vets’ appeal is rooted in hard work, humility and attention to detail. Many a manager has complained to me that such qualities are hard to find in the age of quiet quitting and “coffee badging.” The “coffee badging” trend is a

way that workers use to get away from returning to office mandates. A piece on forbes.com noted that employees show up at the office to have a cup of coffee, be seen, and “earn an imaginary badge for it, then go home to do their work.”

This writer serves as vice-chairman of the board of a financial services company headquartered in Atlanta. The CEO has been wrestling with how to get folks back into the office in our post-pandemic era where “what was” does not seem to be “what is” currently. While adjusting to new realities post-COVID is not the same as “coming back into the world” after a tour of duty in a war zone, there are parallels.

Out of college less than two years, and a transportation officer in the U.S. Air Force at Lincoln Air Force Base, Nebraska,

in late November 1963, I left for Vietnam.

After some training in the Philippines on the realities of guerrilla warfare and the ever-present threat of terrorism, what the Israelis are dealing with today, by the way, I was stationed at Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut Air Base, the gateway to South Vietnam at that time. The base shared runways with the civilian airport and was the headquarters for the Vietnamese Air Force and Military Assistance Command Vietnam.

While not a pilot, I flew trips each month on C-123 aircraft to supervise deliveries to bases in the delta to the south and to the north, many of which were composed of dirt and clay air strips. Because we lived under the constant threat of bombings

See WAR, Page 21

20 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

OPINION

PAST TENSE

Taking care of Dunwoody’s historic cemeteries The epitaphs on grave markers often include words of how loved ones will be missed and are “gone but not forgotten.” One of the missions of Dunwoody Preservation Trust is to keep that promise, to not let the people who are laid to rest at New Hope, Stephen Martin and Woodall cemeteries be forgotten.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF New Hope and Stephen Martin Columnist cemeteries present challenges such as storm debris and damage to headstones, markers and fences. Headstones that have fallen to the ground are difficult and costly to repair.

The historic Woodall Cemetery presents the biggest challenge. Years of plant growth and pine straw have hidden the cemetery, located off Happy Hollow Road between the Woodall Preserve development and Ashley Trace.

The location is difficult to reach, but DPT has recently worked closely with a neighbor who is allowing access. The cleanup process is just getting started.

New Hope Cemetery is behind the KinderCare Learning Center on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Providence Baptist Church was established on the surrounding land in 1853.

It later moved to Sandy Springs, and New Hope Presbyterian Church was built here in 1887.

Georgia Duke deeded over the land for the purpose of a cemetery in 1888. Georgia and Dr. Warren Duke lived in the triangle formed by Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Roberts Drive. Dr. Duke was Dunwoody’s local doctor.

Cleanup days and regular maintenance help keep the cemetery from becoming overgrown. DPT has enlisted the help of experts from Oakhurst Cemetery to repair headstones. The obelisk marker of Dr. Duke is one of several that have been repaired this year.

Burials in New Hope Cemetery go back to the late 1800s. Many of those laid to rest were farmers, but there are also war veterans, mill owners, store owners and postal workers. William R. Nash operated a store with William Cheek. Nash might have had a much shorter life if not for the Masonic charm on his watch. The charm saved him from a bullet shot by James Clark in 1906. William Cheek was not so lucky that day.

Tolleson Kirby delivered mail, Lizzie Cheek Newhard lived in the old house where Panera is today, and 88-yearold Effie Spruill Carpenter was the Grand Marshall of the 1976 Fourth of July parade. These individuals are buried at New Hope Cemetery.

Stephen Martin Cemetery is located behind Nordstrom Rack, Marshalls and other shops in the Perimeter Expo Shopping Center on Hammond Drive. The cemetery is named for Stephen Martin, who came to Dunwoody around 1830. He married Elizabeth Garrett, and her 1847 burial is the first in the cemetery. Her grave is one of three stone cairns in the cemetery. Stephen Martin and his second wife Sarah Crowley are buried at the other two cairns.

Some of the children of Stephen and Sarah Martin are buried in the cemetery, including their daughter Naomi, who married Thomas Franklin Spruill in 1866. Four of their children and one grandchild are laid to rest nearby.

Naomi and Thomas’ daughter Margaret married Moses B. Reeves and they are also buried at Stephen Martin Cemetery.

John Hardegree and Catherine Dalrymple Hardegree are buried there along with their son John William Hardegree. John William is buried with a headstone that recognizes his service during World War I.

SAM MCENTYRE/PROVIDED

Members of Dunwoody Baptist Church donate their time to work on the landscape of New Hope Cemetery.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA

The restored marker of Dr. Duke is a beautiful feature of the cemetery. It was in pieces earlier this year.

Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett researched and recorded Atlanta area cemeteries between 1930 and 1932.

Garrett often recorded names for unmarked graves after talking with the “locals.” His data was supplemented by the research of Phillip B. Anglin in 2004. Anglin surveyed all of Dunwoody’s cemeteries and documented his findings in the book “Dunwoody, Georgia Historic Cemeteries: Silent Storytellers.”

Recently, Dunwoody Baptist Church sent a large group of people to New Hope Cemetery as part of their Make a Difference Serve Day. Their hard work on the landscape of the cemetery made a significant difference. DPT welcomes individuals and groups to support the cemeteries of Dunwoody by arranging a workday, attending a DPT workday or volunteering on their cemetery committee. Financial support is also helpful. Visit the DPT website at dunwoodypreservationtrust.org for more information.

Of course, there are family members who visit these cemeteries and look after their ancestors’ graves. DPT will continue their mission for those who no longer have family to visit and for the overall care and beauty of these historic

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA

The markers of J. B. and S. J. Sullivan lie on the ground.

DPT is working to repair all broken and fallen markers.

cemeteries.

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.

War: Continued from Page 19 in town, attacks by the Viet Cong, and aircraft being shot at, I received hazardous duty pay.

In short, I learned quickly that the world was not one big cocktail party. I had to show up, do my job, and stay at the base for long hours if need be. I learned to make quick decisions, often under pressure, and perform as if lives depended on it, because they did. When given an order by a superior officer, the only answer was, “yes, sir.” When I gave an order, I expected the same response. Salute and be saluted.

OPINION If I had told my superior officer that “I really don’t think I want to show up for the war today,” I’d have received a response totally unprintable in this newspaper.

Between December 1963 and December 1964, I grew up. Fast. I did not see it then, but my military experience was a gift that was of incalculable value after I returned to civilian life.

When you’re in a war zone, all you think about is survival and getting home.

While I won’t get into details, there were times in Vietnam when I seriously faced the reality that “I could die today.” There are some reading this that faced the threat of death from COVID, and/or who had loved ones or dear friends plauged by the disease. Some of you had loved

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AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | November 30, 2023 | 21

ones on ventilators in hospitals. Those who recovered are just glad to be alive, appreciative of the gift of life. All of us that went through COVID have had to adjust to a new normal of some kind. While going back to the office or job site post-COVID is not the same as coming back from a war zone, there are similarities.

Adjusting to a “new normal” of any kind, post-war zone, or post-COVID, is new, yes, but it isn’t normal. It’s hard to go back to “what was.” But for many, going back to the office or other workplace is important. It’s where you learn teamwork.

It’s where you grow and learn from others.

It’s where you get noticed, important when promotions are considered.

Employers should look for ex-military

recruits. Many are glad to be home. They are proud of their service, proud of our country, proud of their families, and proud to be a breadwinner in the greatest country in the world. Don’t believe we are the greatest country in the world? Spend some time in a war zone, or in a third world country.

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-441-3553; lewis@ capitalinsightgrp.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA), which is otherwise unaffiliated with CIG. Lewis a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK INVITATION TO BID ITB 24-355 SR 120/ABBOTTS BRIDGE ROAD FROM PARSONS ROAD TO PRIMROSE PARKWAY (GDOT PI #0012788) The City of Johns Creek extends an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to GDOT prequalified construction firms for the above referenced project. The project proposes to add a 16' raised median with 3' inside shoulders, 4' bicycle lanes, and 8 to 10' enhanced sidewalks on both sides of SR 120/Abbotts Bridge Road from Parsons Road to SR 141/Medlock Bridge Road. At the project midpoint, the rock outcroppings will be removed to improve a substandard horizontal curve. This project involves the construction of several walls, longitudinal drainage systems, and the replacement of an existing culvert with a bridge.

Bids will be received electronically via BidNet no later than December 21, 2023 at 2:00PM. Questions are accepted and answered online via BidNet. Deadline for questions is December 14, 2023 at 5:00 PM. A recommended attendance virtual Pre-bid meeting will take place online via Zoom on November 30, 2023 at 10:00 AM ET. Quotes, bids, and RFP’s are electronically managed through the Georgia Purchasing Group by BidNet , our online bidding/vendor registration system. To access the ITB, interested firms/individuals must complete the one-time, no cost registration with BidNet. Firms/individuals registered with BidNet will be able to view and bid on projects posted by the City of Johns Creek.

The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award .

Additional information related to the submission of bids may be obtained by contacting the Purchasing Division at (678) 512-3233. All Offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the RFQ information and instructions enclosed herein.

The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

Neil Trust, Purchasing Manager

John Bradberry, Mayor

22 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

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*Add’l term to change a *Add’l term Ends 9/30/2 to change a Ends 9/30/2

24 | November 30, 2023 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TIP YOUR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON This holiday season, consider giving your newspaper delivery person a tip for their weekly delivery of the free community newspaper to your driveway. These folks work hard to make sure you are informed of all the local happenings, rain or shine, week in and week out.

Importantly, at Appen Media, we have always been intentional about our desire to keep delivery of our newspapers free. That said, it would mean the world to us if you would consider tipping your newspaper delivery person so that they will have a little extra money for the holiday season.

If you can help us help these amazing people, we promise to keep delivering high quality news to your driveway, for free, every week. Free home delivery of 105,000 homes is hard work – and we couldn’t do it without our amazing delivery folks.

How you can give your delivery person a tip: 1 We have created an online portal at www.appenmedia.com/deliverytip.

100% of every dollar you contribute will be spread out evenly between the 24 newspaper delivery people that Appen Media employs. Whether you give $5 or $50, they will greatly appreciate it.

2 If you prefer, you can also mail a check made out to “Appen Media Group C/O Newspaper Delivery Tip” to 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.