Johns Creek Herald - December 8, 2022

We Treat Peripheral Neuropathy

Holly Jolly Block Party pulls crowd to City Hall

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Holly Jolly Block Party, a celebration that took over the parking lot of Johns Creek City Hall, kicked off the holiday season for the com munity Dec. 3.

Unlike years past when holiday events were spread across the city, the Holly Jolly Block Party provided a unifying space where everyone in the community could celebrate the holidays. More than 2,500 visitors saw the likes of guests from the North Pole, like Santa, elves and Rudolph, as well as its snowy weather. The event also had the Hanukkah Bear.

A line stretched around the lot to take pictures with two llamas, adorned with festive wear. Kids played on holidaythemed inflatables, participated in games in the Elf Zone and took train rides. Visitors could also peruse items from vendors, pick up food from several trucks and catch a robotics display.

Throughout the evening, performanc es took over the stage, like the Mount Pisgah Adult Choir. But the lot itself was a stage as well as the Seed & Feed Band played their instruments, eventually

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry speaks at the One Johns Creek Coalition Nov. 30 meeting. With the purpose to reduce addiction among youth, the coalition has hit major milestones in 2022. Representatives from Milton and Alpharetta were in the room, seeking guidance to form their own coalition.

Milton, Alpharetta take home pointers about Johns Creek drug abuse initiative

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The yearend meeting of One Johns Creek Coalition – a group committed to fighting drug abuse – was packed with around 30 stakeholders, includ ing representatives from Milton and Alpharetta who are looking to form their own wellness alliance.

The Nov. 30 meeting, hosted at Brady Ware in Alpharetta, was the second gathering of minds where all three cities talked about a com mon goal — reducing drug addiction among youth.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Children take pictures with Santa at the Holly Jolly Block Party in front of Johns Creek City Hall Dec. 3.

The Seed & Feed Band performs at the Holly Jolly Block Party Dec. 3.

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Police: School shooting report at Cambridge High was a hoax

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Police officials say news of an active shooter at Cambridge High School in Milton Nov. 30 has been deemed a hoax.

Milton Police officers responded to the school off Bethany Road and Ga. 9 on Wednesday after receiving a 911 call from an unknown source claiming to be a teacher, saying that shots had been fired.

“Milton Police contacted Cambridge High’s administration, which reported no incidents they were aware of, though they did put the school on a hard lock down,” police said in a statement.

While the school was in lockdown, police officers completed a sweep of the school and found no indication that shots had been fired, Milton Police Capt. Charles Barstow said.

He said similar threats have been reported at schools across Georgia, in cluding one threat made at a Savannah school earlier the same day.

Milton Police, in conjunction with the Fulton County School System will continue investigating this event, he said.

POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group im plies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Woman reports fraud with $6,500 fake check

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police investi gated a fraud case reported by a Johns Creek woman Nov. 22 who said she received a copy of a check drawn at her bank for $6,500 made out to someone she didn’t know.

The woman advised that a check with the same number was still in her checkbook, the police report said. She noted the differences between her check and the one that was cashed. The fake check had small print at the top, stating “color blocked,” which does not appear on her own personal checks. She also said her checks have a small padlock emblem, but the fake check did not.

The woman said she contacted the bank fraud division, who shut down the

account. But she was concerned that other checks on other accounts might also be at risk.

Police provided the woman a case number and advised that she go to her bank’s branch as soon as possible with the police report.

Police officer injured in highway car crash

GRAYSON, Ga. — A Johns Creek officer notified dispatch that he was involved in a car crash on Loganville Highway at Moon Road Nov. 27, leaving him slightly injured.

He explained that he was traveling in the right lane on Loganville Highway when a blue Nissan Sentra pulled out in front of his patrol car from Moon Road, according to the police report. The in-car camera from the patrol unit captured the crash and confirmed his statements.

The video showed that the officer was not the at-fault party, and the driver of the Nissan had violated state law, failing to yield.

The officer suffered injuries to his right hand and wrist.

Argument over dog sparks alleged assault

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The victim of an alleged assault told police Nov. 28 that she was assaulted while trying to get her dog back from her boyfriend at a resi dence on Stonefield Landing.

The woman said she and her boy friend, who had once lived together, were breaking up and that she wanted her dog back, and the boyfriend refused. She said he put his hands around her neck and pushed her into a wall.

Police saw no visible marks on the woman, the police report said.

The woman became uncooperative when police told her they would not take the dog from her ex-boyfriend and give it to her. She then returned a bag of dog food to her boyfriend, then got into her vehicle and left the area.

Police talked to the boyfriend, who denied putting his hands around the woman’s neck or pushing her into a wall.

Police determined there was not enough probable cause to make an arrest because there was no video evidence, any witnesses or visible marks indicating a physical altercation.

Volunteers clean fields used by Miracle League

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Members of the North Fulton Young Men’s Service League part nered with the North Metro Miracle League across two weekends in November to clean up the Miracle League Sports Complex in Alpharetta’s North Park on Cogburn Road.

The Young Men’s Service League is a national volunteer organization for mothers and their teenage sons. During the four-year program, members perform volunteer work focused on service, learning and leadership.

The North Fulton chapter has over 140 members. Every year, they hold the Young Men’s Service League Ultimate Gift, a multiday philanthropic event dedicated to a differ

ent partner each year.

The 2022 partner, North Metro Miracle League, promotes active lifestyles for chil dren, youth and adults with disabilities. The organization runs an annual adapted softball season at two fields in North Park.

During the weekends of Nov. 5 and Nov. 12, about 60 Young Men’s Service League members cleaned the two North Park softball fields and the surrounding park grounds.

They sorted through and discarded old equipment as well. The volunteers, along with Atlanta-based sporting goods store Play it Again Sports, donated gently used gloves and bats.

Jolly:

Continued from Page 1

marching through the lot.

At dusk, Santa and Johns Creek Mayor Bradberry, alongside council members, toggled the switch that lit up a 40-foot Christmas tree. The tree became a centerpiece for the Holly Jolly crowd, who watched the tree’s multicolored, animated designs.

The Ha nukkah Bear greets visitors at the Holly Jolly Block Party Dec. 3.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

City Council approves synagogue expansion

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — After a long and arduous discussion on plans to expand Chabad of North Fulton, a synagogue and Jewish community center, the Johns Creek City Council approved special per mits and zoning variances to jumpstart development.

The City Council came to its deci sion in its third motion in a 4-2 vote at its Nov. 28 meeting, amending the city’s zoning map. Councilmembers Stacy Skinner and Dilip Tunki cast the dissent ing votes; Councilwoman Erin Elwood was absent from the vote.

The proposed site plans call for three new special permits and four variances across three parcels, two of them acquired in recent years. Develop ment would include constructing an 8,000-square-foot parsonage house, a two-story 15,000-square-foot gym, an outdoor basketball court, three recre ational fields, expansion of the existing daycare play field and three gazebos.

Rabbi Hirshy Minkowicz, the Chabad of North Fulton director, spoke on behalf of the organization to explain Chabad’s need to expand, which primarily rests on the lack of outdoor space for its success ful, long-running, five-week summer day camp.

Sound barrier

City staff recommended the applica tion with conditions, such as no light ing or loudspeakers on the recreational fields, as well as denial of one variance, which would allow encroachment of a new 46,200-square-foot recreational field into a 50-foot buffer and 10-foot improve ment setback.

While Minkowicz said he accepts the light restrictions on the fields, the loud speakers would only be used five weeks of the year in the summer.

But what stifled swift decision-mak ing is denial of the variance. The field, as planned, would impede on the buffer,

which acts like a noise barrier to sur rounding neighborhoods, Johns Creek Community Development Director Ben Song said.

Minkowicz emphasized the positive relationships he’s developed with the surrounding residential areas, including the one he lives in. He also noted that the president of a homeowners association in one of the nearby neighborhoods has voiced his support.

Councilman Chris Coughlin explained his decision to allow encroachment, har kening to the city’s commitment to health and wellness, and said the intent of the buffer won’t be impacted because of the encroachment’s limited space.

“You know, it’s for the kids,” Coughlin said.

Skinner, who voted against the mea sure, had fears over setting a precedent for future zoning applications. But Councilman Larry DiBiase said the vote wouldn’t set a precedent because it per tains to an individual parcel.

While city staff and the Planning Commission recommended denial of the related variance, the City Council ultimately decided to allow encroachment but with a condition to add a sound miti gation fence along the recreational field.

Skinner said the fence would not only impose undue expense, but also said the fence would not be truly effective in mitigating sound.

“This is a rec field. This isn’t a profes sional soccer field or football field,” Skin ner said.

Recognitions

Also at the meeting, the City Council recognized the Johns Creek Arts Center. Mayor John Bradberry read a proclama tion, loaded with the center’s achieve ments and its features, which define its important role in the community.

“I see that you’ve done so much,” Bradberry said halfway during the proclamation, eliciting laughs from the packed chamber.

The council also recognized Diwali

festival volunteers. There were around 20 volunteers present for the meeting, whose names were read individually, but that was only a fraction of all who helped with the first city-sponsored Diwali festi val in Georgia.

For their efforts to improve the intersection at Brumbelow Road and Tuckerbrook Lane, Johns Creek Public Works Director Chris Haggard, Trans portation Engineer and Project Manager Matt Simpson and Ben Clopper, Michael Baker International project engineer, stepped up for an award given by the Georgia Partnership for Transportation Quality.

During the public comment por tion of the City Council meeting, Public Safety Foundation Chairman David Rich presented a $7,700 check raised for the foundation through a cricket tour nament. He then said someone came forward and donated more, unveiling an additional personal check for $8,000.

Special events

Preceding the City Council meeting, councilmembers discussed a potential framework for planning special events at the work session.

Councilman DiBiase formulated a series of questions regarding the process,

motivated by the Diwali festival, which didn’t follow the traditional process for planning and executing special events. His goal was, in part, to build consensus around the council’s appropriate role in soliciting sponsorships.

The council also heard comments from Johns Creek Volunteer Coordina tor Stacey Gross about two upcoming events, spearheaded by the newly seated Arts, Culture & Entertainment (ACE) committee.

Because Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures, the city plans for a Lunar Day celebration in January at Newtown Park. ACE anticipates using the Mark Burkhal ter Amphitheater, where performances could take place on stage with heaters added for warmth. There will also be cul turally relevant music, food and activi ties, according to the memo.

The second special event on the dock et, Daffodil Days, is a week-long celebra tion in March intended to recognize a story of “hope, strength, survivorship and community support.” Pioneered by Johns Creek Beautification, the Daffodils4Hope program is a community-wide daffodil planting campaign that raises awareness for cancer survivors.

Young performer builds confidence, finds community in drag character

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — By day, Abbi DeJohn is a 17-year-old Forsyth County high school student. But by night, she transforms herself into Valentina Dae, her sassy, confident, rock star drag persona, and performs with House of Laveau on Browns Bridge Road in Forsyth County.

Valentina Dae, whose name originates from Abbi’s love of Valentine’s Day discounted candy, is always changing. She said her persona used to be “very girl, very bubbly,” akin to Barbie, but has evolved into someone along the lines of a Bratz doll with teased blonde hair and bold costumes.

“When I was younger, I always wanted Bratz dolls because I thought they were cooler. They had the big hair and the crazy heels and the skimpy outfits,” Abbi said. “I feel like Valentina is a living Bratz doll — me being able to live my Bratz kind of fantasy.”

While Valentina Dae is considered a drag persona, defined by imitation and exaggeration, DeJohn said she carries

Valentina in her daily life. Abbi, who’s been with House of Laveau since March, recently performed “Confident” by Demi Lovato — “a full circle moment.” For a long time, Abbi said she was terribly insecure.

“I keep forgetting that she’s not just a character — she is me,” she said. “I realized that I really can carry that energy on.”

A family affair

Abbi’s mom, Dyneen, learned about the House of Laveau when she sought hair color treatment for Abbi at the Punk & Poet Cut and Color Co., a known haven for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Owners Kendra and Elliott Rubin founded House of Laveau — “Cumming, Georgia’s first drag family,” according to its Instagram page.

Abbi has been experimenting with makeup since the age 12, following makeup gurus like Jeffree Star and posting looks on her own makeup account. Knowing her daughter’s love for makeup, Dyneen thought Abbi could help the House of Laveau drag family

look their best.

Soon after Abbi began assisting with shows, she asked to perform because she missed the stage. She used to do ballet but stopped because of all the rules.

“I like drag so much because there really aren’t any rules,” Abbi said. “You can determine what you want to do. It’s so freeing and powerful.”

Dyneen described the first time she saw Abbi perform in drag. It was the second night Abbi ever performed. The first night, Dyneen was in the back helping Abbi get ready. A selfproclaimed “stage mom,” Dyneen helps Abbi with her hair and designs her costumes.

Eric, her husband and Abbi’s dad, was there in the audience, too. Abbi bounces music ideas off of Eric, who’s had music in him since a young age. He’s also a DJ.

“We were completely, I want to say, ‘gobsmacked,’” Dyneen said. “She came out on stage, and we looked at each other, and we both got chills. I’m telling

ADAM BISSONNETTE/PROVIDED

Abbi DeJohn, 17, performs with House of Laveau as Valentina Dae. DeJohn has been performing with the drag family since March.

Drag:

you, it was the best thing I’ve ever seen.”

Dyneen has received backlash for allowing Abbi to perform, but she said drag has no agenda — it’s nothing more than theater with people in costume, singing and dancing.

Abbi had gone through a bad period, Dyneen said, where she needed something like the House of Laveau, whose members have helped and supported her after having gone through a rough period.

For Abbi, House of Laveau has become a second family. While Abbi’s family fully accepts and encourages her to participate, the term “family” is associated with drag houses because its members are often estranged from their own.

“She got her glow back. She got her smile back,” Dyneen said. “Man, she is incredible.”

Leading the pack

Salon owner and House of Laveau founder Kendra, aka Kentucky Laveau, is the drag mom, but not a traditional one who teaches everyone how to do everything.

“In this instance, I’m learning with everyone,” Kendra said.

While Kendra considers herself more a student of drag, having only recently formed House of Laveau this year — her “baby” and lifelong dream — she takes the responsibility of making sure everyone is on time and that everything is up to standard.

She’s also charged with group choreography and goes into it with a vision. Every show starts with a huge opening number to energize the crowd, and there’s often closing numbers. She also ensures that performances are family friendly.

“It’s not a typical drag show,” husband and fellow drag queen Elliott said. “They’re really produced, cohesive performances.”

Like other queens, Kendra intentionally overstates femininity. As Kentucky, Kendra can be seen with a long, neon orange wig, fishnets and a leotard, and a drag-traditional strong, full face of makeup.

Kentucky is someone who doesn’t have to be careful about what she says, Kendra said. Because she became a mom at a young age, Kendra said she had to grow up fast. So, Kentucky allows her to be the person she had to neglect for the sake of new responsibility.

Making a statement

Elliott, Kendra’s husband, performs as Deverauxxx, who, he said, isn’t really a persona, so much as just being

himself.

“Deverauxx will do anything for cheers — 100 percent,” Kendra said.

Elliott, who talked about the tangible difference he, Kendra and others have made in Forsyth County, said he does drag despite the county’s traditional conservative nature.

“It’s the most punk rock thing I can do in these times,” he said. “Drag, for me, is the biggest middle finger to the people who have been here who don’t want you.”

Like Dyneen, Kendra and Elliott’s daughter participates in drag events. 11-year-old Avalia, aka Venus Valentine, is always stage-left with her older brother David, who runs the music. Kendra said she doesn’t find any problem with allowing someone under 18 to perform drag.

People tend to think drag is filled with “oversexualized perverts,” she said, because most people, at one point, who did drag were gay.

“It’s a performance that shows everybody who’s in the room that you’re loved and that you’re accepted,” she said.

Kendra brought up the recent Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ club shooting, where a 22-year-old man killed five people and injured over 20 others.

“[The attack] gives us a bigger fire to keep pushing on,” she said. “At some point the hate has to stop. At some point, people have got to be able to not be scared to just live their lives. At some point, some people need to just mind their own business.”

ADAM BISSONNETTE/PROVIDED House of Laveau has eight drag performers. But Kendra and Elliott Rubin’s daughter Avalia has her own drag persona, Venus Valentine, and helps during songs.

Economic crisis doesn’t wait for the holidays

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Charity assists needy near Perimeter

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — If there were ever a “Jack-of-all trades” charity in Metro Atlanta, it would almost certain ly be the Community Assistance Center off Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.

But far from being “a master of none,” the Community Assistance Cen ter has spent the last three decades building a dedicated network of com munity resources and partnerships to help people during their darkest days, no matter what they might need.

It all started in 1987 when five church congregations came together to form a simple food pantry for commu nity members who were having a hard time making ends meet. Just a small group of neighbors helping neighbors, the charity’s Communications Manager Laura Deupree said.

“These neighbors were just not able to put food on the table,” Deupree said. “So, these five congregations came to gether, took over the Boy Scout shack at Mount Vernon Presbyterian, and turned it into a food pantry.”

Since then, the organization’s ser vices and reach has grown dramatical ly, helping thousands of families with food, clothing, financial assistance and education each year. But what hasn’t changed, is the community-led mission that first launched the group.

While the organization only has 18 staff members, Deupree said they see 250 to 450 volunteers each month to

group’s food pantries. See NEED, Page 9

LAURA DEUPREE, Community Assistance Center Communications Manager

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE CENTER/PROVIDED Community Assistance Center volunteers mark donations that will be distributed to Sandy Springs and Dunwoody through the

help run a number of food pantries in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, the Community Assistance Center thrift store and offices for financial as sistance, adult education and career center.

“That spirit has completely stayed at the core of what CAC is,” she said. “It’s going from an all-volunteer organi zation to what we like to call a volun teer-led organization.”

No big crisis spurred the creation of the Community Assistance Center, but throughout the years the char ity has faced every sort of challenge imaginable, from recessions and the housing crisis of 2008 to the COVID-19 pandemic. In each time of crisis, the community stepped forward to make ensure the nonprofit could fulfill it’s mission in the community.

Right now, Deupree said the North Fulton community is facing an “insidi ous” threat from across-the-board in creases in the prices of rent, gas, food, which is pushing people to a breaking point.

Rent increases have had the great est impact, she said, because many of their most vulnerable clients are already living on the edge of what they

can afford. Any shift in that balance can be devastating.

“It’s never one thing that goes wrong that completely derails your life,” she said. “It is often a series of things that just keep piling up until you can’t sustain it financially any more.”

To combat that threat and put cli ents back on their feet and in a better position from when they started, Deu pree said they were able to launch a

Career Center last year.

Clients of the Com munity Assistance Center in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs are able to shop and make their own choic es about food at the group’s cli ent choice food pan tries.

at the Career Center already have a full-time job,” she said. “This year just has been really tough on people who normally do not need help.”

One example of the charity’s mis sion of allowing neighbors to help neighbors is its annual holiday pro gram, which pairs donors with children and families in need to provide person alized Christmas presents.

Like nearly everywhere else, Deu pree said they’ve seen a spike in the number of families that need help during the holidays. Out of 1,600 kids registered to receive presents, they’ve been able to pair up about 1,450.

“The need is just up, especially for things that are considered luxuries like holiday gifts, which is a little heart breaking to think about,” she said.

If you want to help with the Com munity Assistance Center’s Holiday Adopt-a-Family program, email adopta family@ourcac.org.

At the CAC Career Center, clients and anyone in the community who needs help, can find higher paying job opportunities, learn new marketable skills, and get resume and interview help. In the short time the career center has been open, the organiza tion has assisted more than 150 people either find a new job, or progress in their career.

“About 80 percent of the clients

But beyond the holidays, Deupree said they need help and donations year-round, especially during the sum mer and other major holidays when people go on vacation and things get lean.

“Economic crisis doesn’t wait for the holidays,” she said.

For details on how donate and learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Community Assistance Cen ter, visit www.ourcac.org.

Frank

Tara Tucker

Wellness:

Continued from Page 1

Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison, Mil ton Police Capt. Charles Barstow and Alpharetta EMS and police were there to key in on strategy. Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry, Councilwoman Stacy Skinner and a representative from Johns Creek police were there as well.

Alyse Hensel, One Johns Creek Coali tion program director, led a presentation on the group’s accomplishments over the year, goals for 2023 and welcomed ques tions, initiating productive conversation among those who attended.

Other coalition members were there to offer comments in addition to staff from Pathways2Life, the coalition’s par ent nonprofit organization, and Beatrice King, Fulton County opioid public health analyst.

Pat on the back

One Johns Creek was formed in December 2020 through a grant from the City of Johns Creek, and it acquired a memorandum of understanding (MOU) a year later, allowing it to easily collaborate with the city on initiatives.

In its short existence, the nascent program has seen a lot of success. More than 1,100 people signed the No Shame pledge, an effort that encourages individu als to provide a shame-free environment by learning more about mental health challenges, stigma and the disease of ad diction.

Johns Creek High School, with 270 student pledges, and Chattahoochee High School, with 693 student pledges, have been deemed No Shame Campuses.

The coalition has maintained an ac tive presence in Johns Creek, steering several community events, like parent webinars. Members have taken charge of two DEA Drug Take Back Days, dispos ing of more than 230 pounds of medicine. They distributed more than 1,500 drug disposal bags and installed a permanent drug disposal drop box at Johns Creek City Hall, which has collected more than

100 pounds.

One Johns Creek has also hosted school training sessions, set up lunch wellness tables and disseminated 15 school drug prevention newsletters. The list goes on. By the end of the meeting, Hensel extended her arm over her shoul der for a pat on the back and asked the coalition to do the same.

Many hands

Because One Johns Creek Coalition has established a framework for navigat ing addiction prevention and intervention, other cities won’t have to reinvent the wheel.

When Milton and Alpharetta joined for their first coalition meeting, which had a far lower attendance, Hensel spoke on how to get the ball rolling. She offered a five-step approach for implementing a drug-free community coalition, a process created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and is used by 28 other drugfree alliances in Georgia.

SAMHSA requires that groups use the Strategic Prevention Framework, which calls for assessment, building capacity, planning, implementation and evaluation, to obtain the Drug-Free Communities grant, funded by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The tailored presentation included statistics on both Milton and Alpharetta residents, noting that use of alcohol, tobacco, prescription drugs and nicotine climbs from nearly 0 percent in sixth grade to anywhere from 8 to 25 percent in 12th graders.

The long-term plan is to have a One North Fulton Coalition, which Hensel called an audacious goal. Still, she said local problems require local solutions. Because Johns Creek has a different demographic than Milton and Alpharetta, the two-city coalition should be custom ized to its own population.

Hensel advised Milton and Alpharetta to seek a formal memorandum of under standing. Hensel, along with another co alition member, wrote the grant proposal last year that Milton and Alpharetta could essentially plug and play.

“It’s super replicable,” she said.

The Wednesday morning meeting was Jamison’s first meeting with the coali tion, there to learn. But, he said forming a coalition with Alpharetta would be a great complement to the work that the Milton Police Department already does.

Jamison said he hasn’t spoken with Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin, but expects that banding together will garner support. His next steps will be to gather more in formation about the process of forming a coalition and sit down with the Milton City Council and city staff.

“It’s about community involvement and education,” Jamison said. “And I think that’s the most important thing.”

Local problems, local solutions

Localizing the approach calls for look ing at 12 sectors within the community. To brainstorm, large pieces of paper were taped along the back wall of the meeting space, each titled with a sector — youth, parents, business, media, schools, youth serving organizations, law enforcement, civic/volunteer organizations, religious/ fraternal organizations, health care pro fessionals, state/local/tribal government and substance abuse organizations.

Hensel dove into a key issue the coalition faces — a data void. Last year, the Georgia Department of Education made the Georgia Student Health Sur vey, an assessment that all DFCs use, optional. Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, the survey was mandated. Only Johns

Creek High School chose to opt-in and that was because the coalition had a relationship with the principal.

“We have no idea what our trends look like. We have no idea what our past 30-Day Use looks like. We have no idea what our perception of risk and harm looks like,” Hensel said. “We need to bond together and ask our schools to put it back.”

One goal for 2023 is to create a data team to help mitigate the lack. But if more cities were to strategically push for community wellness, and create their own coalition, a network of loud voices would take root and make an impact.

“Many hands make light work,”

Dr. Rupal Gupta Dr. Mike Thaker Dr.

Taking time to reflect

Year-end holidays and the coming New Year bring back memories of family times, and the opportunity to make new ones. We can all take a moment to reflect on what we are grateful for and take stock of what life has bought our way. It’s a good time to stop and consider changes that may have occurred within our family structure due to the advancing needs, health or recupera tive challenges of older loved ones.

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The best gift you can give your family and you is to consider the impact profes sional care can have on all your lives. We

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Early symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Brought to you by - Dr. Jack Shen Jr., movement disorders neurologist at Well star Health System

First described in 1817 as the “shaking palsy,” Parkinson’s disease (PD) is now recognized as the second most common neurodegenerative condition. Research ers estimate that about 10 million people worldwide are living with the disease. Americans comprise ap proximately 1 million of these individuals, with 60,000 more in the United States antici pated to receive the diagnosis each year. These harrowing numbers are expected to in crease over the current decade. Moreover, with the subsequent greater need for specialized PD care to address these popula tions, only 54 neurologists per year successfully “match” into a U.S. movement disorders training program to become PD experts, based on training data spanning the past five years.

Because people living with PD experi ence the disease in unique ways, it may be difficult for them, their loved ones and even physicians to come to the diagno sis. People with PD, despite their distinct underlying neurobiologies, may manifest certain early symptoms. Below is a nonexhaustive list of common symptoms that may occur intermittently, progressively, persistently, in isolation or in combina

Tremor at rest — involuntary shaking movements of a limb when muscles are relaxed, usually on one side

of the body

2. Shuffling gait — shorter, some times dragging steps while walking; may be accompanied by the reduced swinging of an arm or a stooped, slumping posture

3. Rigidity — stiffness of muscles (with or without tremor) causing discom fort, difficulty arising from the seated position and sometimes reduced range of motion

4. Micrographia — hand writing that has become smaller or trails off by the end of a written sentence

5. Hypomimia — reduced facial expressions, less fre quent blinking resulting in a “masked” or “poker” face

6. Anosmia — the com plete inability to smell

7. Hypophonia — a softer or less loud voice

At Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, neurologists, physical therapists, occupa tional therapists and speech language pathologists offer a team-based approach in evaluating and caring for people liv ing with PD. Helping these individuals arrive to their diagnosis sooner leads to better symptom control and, ultimately, a greater quality of life as they navigate their journey with PD.

Dr. Jack Shen Jr. is a board-certified, fellowship-trained movement disorders neurologist at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center. To make an appointment with Dr. Shen at his office on the campus of Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, call (770) 663-4649.

SHEN

Do you take my insurance?

Care

As the new year approaches and many are looking at what insurance coverage to select, you may be wonder ing if you should add dental benefits to your plan and which company to choose. Every person begins the search for a new dental healthcare provider for various reasons. Perhaps you moved to a new area or even your dentist moved, or maybe you had a bad experience and no longer trusted your dentist or felt valued as a patient. Whatever the reason for the search, once someone begins looking for a new dental healthcare provider, they will find a wide selection of practices. But not every practice is the same. This will help shed some light on some key differences in “insurance-driven” dental practices versus fee-for-services dental practices.

An Insurance-Driven practice is a dental practice that is “in-network” with many different dental insurance com panies. While there are many kinds of Insurance-Driven companies, there is one central pilar upon which they are all built on: their contract with the insur ance company dictates what procedures will be covered (ex. you want a white fill ing, but your insurance will only pay for a silver filling) and how much they will get reimbursed (or paid) for those proce dures. Many insurance companies have not increased the amount they will pay towards a procedure in years, regardless of inflation of the economy. To make up for these lowered reimbursements from insurance companies, Insurance-Driven practices often are forced to see a higher

volume of patients. This usually comes at the expense of the patient, whether it be their time, comfort, or relationship with their dental provider. The highvolume demand for these practices un fortunately affects the quality of dental work received by patients.

A Fee-for-service practice differs from an Insurance-Driven practice in that it is often either in-network with select few insurance companies or no insurance companies. This allows the dental prac tice to set their own fees, which means those providers have the luxury of build ing a relationship with their patients and the time to perform well-done proce dures that a patient needs, not dictated by a third party.

How does this affect YOU? Bottom Line: Whoever sets the fees will ulti mately contribute the quality of care and amount of time allotted for each patient.

Here at Roswell Dental Care, incor porate the best parts of both practice models. We are a Fee-for-service practice but file and make the most out of your out-of-network insurance benefits. This allows us to set our own fees and make the time in our schedule to properly care for our patients. Drs. Hood and Remaley at Roswell Dental Care understand and customize treatment for each person. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels. Give our office a call at (470) 288-1152, or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!

Brought to you by - Evelyn Watkins, Human Resources Manager at Roswell Dental

Unhitch the itch!

A revolution has been taking place in dermatology in recent years.

Previously incurable diseases are be ing cured.

Previously uncontrollable diseases are being controlled.

Previously itchy conditions are now being…de-itched. Un-itched? Un hitched? Scratched?

No, definitely not scratched. You should cure a disease, but you should not scratch an itch. It feels so gratifying in the moment but scratching just leads to more itching later and usually to more suffering, scratching, itching and before you know it, your skin either has chronically itchy spots, bumps, nodules, thickened areas or worse: areas that are now painful and itchy.

You see, fixing itching is so new that there isn’t even a good word for it yet. But de-itchifying the itchy is exactly what some of the newest, latest and greatest medications are doing.

One of the most recent examples of this exciting forward march of medical progress is the use of Dupixent to treat eczema and prurigo nodularis.

Dupixent is a medicine that works by blocking a pathway in our body that in volves interleukin 4 (IL-4) and immuno globulin E. These proteins are involved in conditions that itch such as eczema and many allergic reactions. By block ing the IL-4 pathway, Dupixent stops these proteins from activating cells such as eosinophils that are responsible for inflammation and itching in many cases. Many dermatologists were not surprised that a medication like Dupixent would help eczema. But the exciting news is that Dupixent appears to be effective in many other itchy conditions. It recently gained approval for treating “prurigo nodularis” – a condition characterized by itchy bumps or nodules that previ ously would often persist for years with little hope of resolving.

Even more remarkable, a clinical

trial is underway because Dupixent has shown potential for causing keloids to improve. Keloids are scars that grow with time and often are larger than the size of the wound that caused the scar. Keloids are often itchy and painful.

A new treatment for prurigo nodu laris and possibly keloids may not seem like a medical breakthrough, but there is such a deficit of other effective treat ments for these conditions that this is actually very exciting news.

What’s the catch? Don’t we need IL-4 and immunoglobulin E? Is it safe to block them from working? Don’t most pathways in our body exist for a reason? These are reasonable questions to ask before going on a new medication – es pecially one that someone might be on for years.

The fascinating background to why modern Americans suffer from many skin diseases is that our ancestors likely developed weaponized immune responses against parasites that used to be a problem and are now rarely encountered in the United States. Many medications that treat psoriasis block a protein called TNF-alpha that is impor tant in fighting off tuberculosis. Medi cations such as Dupixent that block IL-4 likely impair our ability to fight off certain types of parasitic worms such as hookworm. Remember from above that IL-4 activates eosinophils. Well, eosino phils are a type of white blood cell that is important in fighting off “helminth” or parasitic worm infections. Likewise, many believe that keloid scars developed as an ability to wall off parasites with scar tissue.

The package insert for Dupixent mentions that this medicine may inter fere with our body’s ability to fight off these parasitic worms. If you regularly come in contact with parasitic worms, Dupixent might not be right for you!

If you avoid parasitic worms and suffer from atopic dermatitis or prurigo nodules and are interested in learn ing about treatment options including Dupixent, contact Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta.

PROVIDED

Brought to you by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

‘Tis the season understanding seasonal depression

to you by Darrick Brown, Men tal Health Awareness Program Coordi nator at Summit Counseling Center

Each year, about five percent of Ameri cans experience seasonal depression. Also referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), seasonal depression can cause those affected to experience feel ings of sadness, low energy, or just not feeling like their regular selves as days become shorter in the winter months, often subsiding in spring when days become longer and warmer.

Considered just as devastating as clinical depression, seasonal depression can be accented with more issues when accompanied by traumatic events - not only is one depressed, but memories of events or experiences of current events add additional weight to the season.

Additionally, when the days are shorter and darker, the production of melatonin increases. Melatonin can af fect an individual’s “biological clock,” re sulting in unusual sleep/wake rhythms. In addition to the typical signs of major depression, symptoms typically more common in seasonal depression include:

• Oversleeping

• Overeating, particularly craving

carbohydrates or sugar • Weight gain

• Social withdrawal (feeling like “hi bernating”)

Seasonable Affective Disorder is treatable, with success found in the fol lowing treatments:

• Light therapy (exposure to artificial sunlight to make up for the loss during darker winter months)

• Antidepressant medications

• Talk therapy

I would add that being in commu nity, having a support system, devel oping systems of accountability, hav ing healthy coping skills, and making healthy lifestyle choices work yearround to assist anyone working to con front and combat depression regularly.

Seasonal depression is a recognized mental illness that can impact those af fected by it emotionally, spiritually, and physically. If you are struggling with signs of seasonal depression, Summit Counseling is here to help. We have a team of trained and experienced thera pists available to walk alongside you this season. Visit our website to view our services, meet our therapists, and schedule an appointment for yourself or a loved one at www.summitcounseling. org!

ISTOCK

Brought

Robert Cichocki, 64, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 26, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Robert Clifton, 90, of Roswell, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Betsy Coble, 77, of Dunwoody, passed away on November 18, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Chad Jason Fields, 49, of Cumming, passed away November 15, 2022. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral & Crematory.

Marlene Joiner, 87, of Roswell, passed away on November 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Theresa Lenich, 87, of Roswell, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Garland Loudermilk, 91, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 15, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Marlene Mahotiere, 82, of Roswell, passed away on November 19, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Lena McGuyer, 87, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 26, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Mariellen Naegele, 95, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 18, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Paul Scholfield, 81, of Milton, passed away on November 16, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Michael Smith, 62, of Johns Creek, passed away on November 17, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Brian Spandau, 32, of Roswell, passed away on November 22, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Harold Vogel, 79, of Roswell, passed away on November 22, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Barbara Whalley, 86, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 19, 2022.

Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Reba Wright, 90, of Milton, passed away on November 14, 2022. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

More about the curious state of college football

But some networks don’t.

They need the full bottom third of the screen to add program teasers encased in an Oregon Ducks’ canary yellow box, along with other incidental information, and an endless crawl of scores from other games.

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

A number of readers responded to a recent column in which I took col lege football to task for some alarming trends that have surfaced in recent years – from nar cissistic bands to Oregon’s Imelda Marcos closetful of uniforms. (The Ducks lost at home last week tricked out in a charming, two-piece, canaryyellow outfit.)

One writer, who goes by Chef Jeff and has a regular list of subscrib ers to his “I Wonder” newsletter, sent along some of his own pet peeves.

The one I liked most and made the most sense was something I’d never thought of before. It’s not a new trend, but it’s still worth a mention.

“If a team has two (or more) penal ties on a play, only one is enforced,” he wrote. “And the coach of the other team decides which penalty will be enforced. And he must decline all the other penalties. That’s crazy!”

Chef Jeff goes on to say that this phenomenon occurs nowhere else in the real world.

If you run a red light, then flee po lice while exceeding speeds of 80 mph, the cops aren’t forced to decide which offense to cite you with. They throw the book at you. You’re tossed out of the game and fined, to boot.

Another writer, a native of Arkan sas, said he grew up reveling in his hatred of Ole Miss and Texas. He lamented the fact that one of his sons enrolled at Ole Miss, and his favor ite niece and nephew chose to attend Texas.

He still hates Tennessee, though. And, he thinks the NCAA should ban cowbells.

There are so many other nits to pick with college football, despite my love of the game.

Allow me one final complaint, this one about the television coverage.

Nearly all college football broad casts include graphics at the bottom of the screen to provide the game score, time remaining, time outs re maining and the play clock – all well and good. That’s about all I need to know. Some networks present this information in a handsome, unobtru sive way – a thin sliver of information complementing what is happening on the field.

The screen is cluttered with so much multi-colored debris that view ers are made to wonder whether they’re watching a football game or a slot machine.

I was tuned into the final seconds of an exciting match-up last Saturday when my eye was pried to the bottom of the screen where network Einsteins were running scores from soccer games.

Soccer games!

Let’s be clear about one thing – and I think I speak for all college football fans. The reason most people tune in college football games is college foot ball. The score of a close soccer game is not going to have me scrambling for the remote.

I have Hulu. I can watch soccer or hockey if I want to, but I don’t.

Newspaper should include environmental coverage

I frequently read the Alpharetta-Roswell Herald, and I appreciate all the content and news in it. I like how the news is diversified and there are a variety of topics. However, one very important topic that is missing from the newspaper is global warming. I believe some stories about the dangers of global warming should be included in the news.

climate change may not affect us right

A NEWSLETTER FROM

INVITATION TO BID CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

ITB #23-363-1

MEDLOCK BRIDGE ROAD AT JOHNS CREEK PARKWAY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT

The City of Johns Creek extends an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to qualified construction firms for the construction of an intersection improvement at the intersection of Medlock Bridge Road (State Route 141) and Johns Creek Parkway in the City of Johns Creek. ITB’s will be received electronically via the City’s bid platform, BidNet no later than 2:00PM on December 29, 2022. A recommended Prebid conference will take place December 13, 2022 2:00PM at City Hall. Questions are accepted and answered online only via BidNet. Deadline for questions is December 22, 2022 at 5:00 PM.

Quotes, bids, and RFP’s are electronically managed through the Georgia Purchasing Group by BidNet, our online bidding/vendor registration system, on the City website: https://www.johnscreekga.gov/Residents/Purchasing. To access the ITB document you must register with BidNet. Go to the City website above and click the link “register and view quote/bid/RFP opportunities”.

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.

All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting Neil Trust at the City of Johns Creek Procurement Division at purchasing@johnscreekga.gov or (678) 512-3233. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to wave technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

INVITATION TO BID CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

ITB #23-363-2

JONES BRIDGE ROAD PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS (DOUGLAS ROAD TO MCGINNIS FERRY ROAD)

The City of Johns Creek extends an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to qualified construction firms for the construction of trail sections along Jones Bridge Road between Douglas Road and McGinnis Ferry Road in the City of Johns Creek. ITB’s will be received electronically via the City’s bid platform, BidNet no later than 2:00PM on December 29, 2022. A recommended Prebid meeting will take place December 13, 2022 3:00PM at City Hall. Questions are accepted and answered online only via BidNet. Deadline for questions is December 22, 2022 at 5:00 PM.

Quotes, bids, and RFP’s are electronically managed through the Georgia Purchasing Group by BidNet, our online bidding/vendor registration system, on the City website: https://www.johnscreekga.gov/Residents/Purchasing. To access the ITB document you must register with BidNet. Go to the City website above and click the link “register and view quote/bid/RFP opportunities”.

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.

All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting Neil Trust at the City of Johns Creek Procurement Division at purchasing@johnscreekga.gov or (678) 512-3233. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to wave technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

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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:

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.

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.