ROSWELL, Ga. — Members of the Alpharetta chapter of the Young Men’s Service League, a national nonprofit of mothers and sons, volunteered their time Sept. 29 at GiGi’s Playhouse off Ga. 9 in Roswell.
More than 150 mothers and sons spent their Sunday working on projects designed to enhance the experience at Gigi’s Playhouse, which provides programming and support for people with Down syndrome and their families.
With 61 locations nationwide, GiGi’s Playhouse is the only network providing achievement centers for Down syndrome people. It’s a nonprofit and is solely funded through donations.
The Young Men’s Service League is also a nationwide nonprofit, pairing high school boys with their mothers to enjoy quality time and volunteer in the community.
A major highlight of the community service was transforming the underutilized outdoor space into a vibrant recreation area.
The high schoolers painted the pavement with a colorful design, assembled picnic tables, built a shed and provided new outdoor games such as custom-painted cornhole sets, ladder toss and Jenga.
MELISSA PUPPA/PROVIDED Members of the Alpharetta chapter of the Young Men’s Service League stand behind a completed outdoor classroom Sept. 29 at GiGi’s Playhouse in Roswell.
Milton’s first responders gather at Fire Station 44
and prepare for the worst-case scenario as Hurricane
the storm went east and most of the region was sparred from the worst damages.
Milton tallies storm impacts
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — North Fulton County fared better than the city of Atlanta during Hurricane Helene, despite downed trees, power outages and minor flooding Sept. 26-27.
Some Atlanta and Sandy Springs residents living along Peachtree and Nancy creeks received emergency evacuation orders early Friday morning, with roadways shutting down
due to floods.
Overall, Metro Atlantans were lucky to be on the storm’s western side. More than 175 people have died across six states in the Southeast.
Milton City Manager Steve Krokoff said, “We got very lucky.”
Thursday evening, heading into Friday morning, Milton’s emergency personnel learned Metro Atlanta would be on the western side of the storm, sparing the highest wind speeds
and heaviest rainfall.
Krokoff said the forecast began to show wind speeds slowing down around 2 a.m. in the morning Friday, Sept. 27.
“At one point, they were talking about the mid-70s during the night,” he said. “Slowly we saw that receding back … we knew that the storm had appreciably moved.”
Milton Emergency Manager Jason Baswell, who is also a
CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED
off Ga. 9 around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 to debrief
Helene hit Florida’s Big Bend area. Luckily for Metro Atlantans,
See STORM, Page 15
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POLICE BLOTTER
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Man reports Acura driver threatened him with gun
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police investigated a report of aggravated assault in an apparent road rage incident Sept. 13.
A 32-year-old Alpharetta man told police that an Acura TL Type S sedan suddenly cut in front of him on Ga. 400 at Haynes Bridge Road and began brake checking him.
After both vehicles pulled into a parking lot near North Point Mall, the Acura driver reportedly exited his vehicle and brandished a black gun, waving it and yelling.
The Alpharetta man said the other driver told him, “I’ll beat your Huckleberry.” He said he called 911 because he felt his life was threatened.
The suspect was described as wearing a gray graphic T-shirt and cargo shorts and having light brown hair. The Alpharetta man sped away and fled into the mall.
The man provided to police a license plate for the Acura, which was registered to a Cumming man.
Police arrest three people over course of traffic stop
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Three people were arrested on drug charges after police allegedly found marijuana in their vehicle Sept. 10.
Police stopped a vehicle on Old Milton Parkway at Morris Road driven by a 20-year-old Gainesville man after running his license plate and determining it was not registered.
An officer smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle while speaking with the driver and searched the vehicle. Officers later determined the driver did not have a valid driver’s license.
During the search, officers found 58 grams of marijuana and 45 grams of a brown powdery substance that tested positive for THC, according to the police report.
They also found a large handgun magazine containing 30 9mm bullets.
Police determined the man intended to sell the marijuana because some of the drug had been divided into baggies. They also found a scale and cash.
Police arrested the man and two other passengers, a 19-year-old woman and 29-year-old man, both from Durham, North Carolina. All three were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a Schedule 1 substance.
The driver also was charged with driving while unlicensed and altering a license plate for the purpose of concealing a vehicle.
Felon on probation charged with battery
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police arrested a 35-year-old Fulton County man Oct. 4 for obstruction, drug possession and battery of a public officer after discovering his active warrants.
The officer said he saw a man walking down the middle of Oak Street in historic downtown Roswell around midnight and instructed him to keep to the sidewalk.
The man said he was rushing to make the bus to Sandy Springs and provided the officer with his identification.
After a Georgia Crime Information Center search, the officer said it showed an active
warrant for probation violation out of Fulton County with original charges for statutory rape, armed robbery and possession of marijuana. The officer also said the suspect is a registered sex offender.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office lists him as a wanted fugitive after his arrests in 2009 and 2011. His sentence was 15 years.
The suspect, identified as Justin Lane Byrd, began his incarceration in June 2012 and was released in July 2021.
The Roswell Police report did not indicate what the probation violation was specifically for.
After detaining Byrd, the officer called dispatch to confirm the active warrant.
Soon after, the officer said Byrd took off running.
After he tackled the suspect, the officer said he eventually gained top-side control after a ground struggle and waited for backup.
The officer said he sustained lacerations and bruises during the fight.
American Medical Response personnel treated Byrd for injuries.
During a search of the suspect, officers said they found a baggie of presumed controlled substances and a pipe.
They said a field test of the substance was positive for methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Officers charged Byrd with battery of a public officer, felony obstruction of law enforcement, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center for treatment.
Records from the Fulton County Sherrif’s Office show Byrd’s warrants for two probation violations related to his Oct. 4 arrest.
It’s not clear, as of press time, where Byrd is being held.
THE PICTURE FRAMER
Alpharetta wine shop pushes natural vinting
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Adam Danielson, owner of Fermented, thinks the wine industry may have lost its way, but he wants to help customers get back to its roots.
At Fermented, Danielson has stocked his shelves with wines sourced from vineyards that embrace the natural growing process, rather than fighting against it.
“They follow the cycles of the moon for their pruning, for their planting,” Danielson said. “It’s a holistic vineyard approach, where they don’t bring in anything from the outside world.”
Danielson created Fermented with the idea that Alpharetta and north Metro Atlanta residents care how their wines are made. His philosophy is about purchasing a sustainably made product that simply tastes better.
Fermented prides itself in offering customers an opportunity to purchase superior wine without having to make a lengthy drive into central Atlanta.
“We’ve realized how incredible the community is,” he said.
On top of selling holistically made wines, the shop offers tastings and classes
to teach their unique stories.
Danielson, 45, began his love affair with wine waiting tables as an 18-year-old and then managing a restaurant when he was 20. Eventually, he began working as a cellar manager and living in Santa Barbara, California, a region known as the “American Riviera.”
There, he realized all of his favorite wines had something in common. They were made naturally.
“What I began to discover was the wines that I was drawn to were less alcohol, less oak, and less manipulations,” he said.
After meeting with vintners, he learned some dirty little secrets about the trade, he said. Mass production vineyards were growing with an eye on profit margins and little regard for flavor. They were mixing in additives, artificially inflating flavor profiles and somehow getting overrated scores from critics, he said.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Adam Danielson, owner of Fermented, explains the grape-growing process while holding a naturally made wine at his shop Sept. 19.
Alpharetta Rotary mobilizes to benefit hurricane victims
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Rotary Club of Alpharetta acted quickly to collect and transport supplies to help victims impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Club members drove a trailer filled with supplies to Burnsville, North Carolina, after having collected contributions Oct. 3 and 4, club President Jeff Davis said.
Helene laid waste to western North Carolina communities, killing more than 100, after bringing almost 30 inches of rain in a matter of hours in some places.
Alpharetta Rotarians collected cleaning supplies, bottled drinks and water, toiletries, gas cans, diapers, flashlights and batteries and other items. Davis said the club is
considering a second supply drive for the storm-stricken area.
Club members acted after seeing coverage of Helene’s aftermath in North Carolina.
The televised images, said Davis, a retired marine who served combat tours, reminded him of a “war zone.”
Davis said the relief aid dovetails with the club’s mission statement. He said he hopes the help might inspire victims to help others in the future.
“It’s really simple,” he said. “Our goal in Rotary is to make the world a better place one small act at a time. If this can help someone change their life from tragedy to success, we are all in.”
To connect with the Rotary Club of Alpharetta, visit alpharettarotary.com.
MELISSA PUPPA/PROVIDED
The Alpharetta chapter of the Young Men’s Service League takes a break Sunday, Sept. 29 at GiGi’s Playhouse in Roswell after volunteering their time along with their mothers.
Volunteer:
Continued from Page 1
With the revamped space, program participants get a new outdoor classroom, gathering area and place for recreation— offering more opportunities for them to learn, socialize and thrive.
Also, the young men redesigned Gigi’s parade float for the Youth Day Celebration and Frances McGahee Parade in Roswell.
With the theme “Gigi’s Future Innovators,” volunteers repaired and repainted the structure to resemble a schoolhouse, decorated it and created new banners to showcase Gigi’s mission and vision.
Mothers said a young participant from Gigi’s helped guide the redesign, contributing his creative input and leaving his mark on the float.
Volunteers also transformed the entrance to Gigi’s Playhouse, cleaning the mold-covered courtyard, pressure washing the area, potting new plants and building a welcoming bench.
Mothers said Gigi’s Playhouse is often short-staffed, and the efforts helped alleviate some of the day-to-day challenges, ensuring the space is better organized and efficient for all who use it.
“We are so proud of the dedication our young men showed today,” said Martine Zurinskas, one of the mothers who participated. “They took real pride in their work, and the impact they made on Gigi’s Playhouse was evident from the smiles and appreciation of everyone involved.”
Mothers said the event was a powerful experience for everyone involved, reinforcing the values of community, inclusion and kindness.
Howie Rosenberg, executive director of GiGi’s Playhouse, said he’s thankful for the “incredible transformation,” extending his gratitude to the local chapter of Young Men’s Service League. “They turned underutilized spaces into places of joy and opportunity for our participants,” Rosenberg said. “The new outdoor recreation area and welcoming entrance will allow us to serve even more people in new, engaging ways.”
— Hayden Sumlin
Cumming Arts Festival showcases city’s heart
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
CUMMING, Ga. — The Cumming Arts Festival brought thousands to enjoy the “Main Street Americana” feel at City Center Sept. 21-22 for the last weekend of 90-degree temperatures in north Georgia.
Organizers did not bother counting the crowd, estimating anywhere between 5,000 and 10,000 people made their way through the city center.
The third annual Arts Festival in the new heart of the county seat attracted sunnier skies than last year. Hundreds of dogs, strollers and couples meandered through Cumming City Center, popping inside local businesses, checking out artisan tents or spending some time in the natural greenspace abutting the development.
Despite Georgia’s mild August and September weather, the last day of summer and first day of fall kept patrons’ hands busy carrying water cups.
Patrons spent the two-day arts festival perusing more than 90 displays from creative arts, local craftsman, talented musicians and forming community connections.
One vendor, The Hat Bar of Georgia, had a steady stream of patrons asking about its leather patches and easy-tomake caps.
Leatherworker Phil Heath said his company started out as a pandemic-era passion project.
After making hats for friends and coworkers, Heath and his wife Brandy decided to take their labor of love on the road, traveling from their home in Canton across Metro Atlanta to local festivals.
“We do customized leather patch hats on-site,” Heath said. “After folks pick out a patch and hat, we can make it in about two minutes.”
Some crowd-favorite patches include “Have No Fear, Grandpa is Here,” professional sports team logos, pop culture references and some barbeque puns.
Each week, the couple adds more patches, which sell for around $10, and hats, which go for $30.
Other artists at Cumming’s third annual arts festival included local blues guitarists, jazz players, several painters using different mediums and a host of local artisans selling everything from fish bowls to hand-crafted plates and jewelry.
Splash Festivals produces eight art showcases across Metro Atlanta, including the Cumming Arts Festival and ones in Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Johns Creek.
Forsyth County residents check out some colored pencil drawings at a booth along
Center. The two-day Cumming Arts Festival brought thousands to peruse the offerings of local musicians, painters, leatherworkers and artistic entrepreneurs.
The Splash Festivals team of Cindy Flynn and Frances Schube have been putting on the showcases for the past 15 years.
Schube said she started out organizing an arts festival in Norcross by herself. After teaming up with Flynn, she said the festival business exploded.
Schube, a Dunwoody resident, said the first year of the Cumming Arts Festival in fall 2022 was a lot different before completion of the City Center.
Vision Drive, which weaves through the mid-rise buildings full of coffee shops, clothing stores and event venues, had not been paved in advance of the inaugural arts festival.
What’s more, the colorful and vibrant storefront along the main street were still being built out, Schube said.
Today, the roadway gives Cumming City Center its “Main Street Americana” feel and there’s more growth on the way at the city’s largest project in its history.
Cumming City Center, just east of Forsyth Central High School off Canton Road (Ga. 20), includes an amphitheater in the middle of a sprawling greenspace with streams, walking trails and recreational activities.
City officials and developers have billed the mixed-use development as combining modern amenities with a uniquely small-town feel.
The mid-rise storefronts abutting Vision Drive, the City Center’s main street, bolster local businesses
Patrons at the Cumming Arts Festival stop at The Hat Bar’s booth Sept. 21 and ask how long it will take the Canton-based business to manufacture their customized leather patch caps. The owners behind the pandemic-era passion project attend functions like the Cumming Arts Festival across Metro Atlanta.
and the city’s tax base while giving residents the option of a shorter drive for weekend entertainment, goods or services.
Shady spots along Vision Drive were popular for a respite from the heat.
At the end of last year, Mayor Troy Brumbalow announced that the project had truly blossomed in 2023 with the completion of storefronts and tenants moving in.
So far this year, occupants at City Center have opened more doors to the public, bringing pubs, restaurants,
barber shops, chiropractors and even a direct mortgage company to the new heart of the city.
And, there are even more plans for a new Cumming Police Headquarters and Municipal Court on-site.
“We hope to break ground on the facility sometime during the first quarter of 2024 and complete construction by the end of 2024,” Brumbalow wrote. “This new modern, two-story building is much needed as the current building is almost 50 years old.”
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Two
Vision Drive Sept. 21 at Cumming City
Inflatables Trunk-or-Treat hosted by Milton Police
PRO TIP: Bring a tupperware or gallon-sized ziplock bag to save your seeds for roasting! Join us for GET READY FOR A GOURD-GEOUS TIME, !
Saturday, October 19 from 4-7 p.m.
Don't forget to B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Pumpkin)! We’ve got all the carving and painting tools you need to create the spookiest or silliest jack o’lantern for Halloween. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Milton Police are hosting a Trunk-or-Treat across the street, so bring your Trick-or-Treat bags and snag some candy. Plus, join in the costume contest for extra fun and prizes! Once your pumpkin masterpiece is done, stick around for crafts, games, face painting, food trucks, inflatables, and so much more! Make Carvin’ in Crabapple a part of your Halloween tradition –we can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Just opened?
Developer looks to anchor Medley with boutique hotel
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A boutique hotel may be the centerpiece of Medley, the anticipated 42-acre mixed-use development that is one facet of the Johns Creek Town Center project.
The new proposal discards original plans for a two-story entertainment space and adds a hotel featuring up to 175 rooms, 8,000 square feet of meeting space and a restaurant.
The rest of the Toro Development project is filling out. Restaurants like 26 Thai Kitchen, Ford Fry’s Little Rey and Fadó Irish Pub are part of a slate leasing agreements for Medley.
“We’ve signed probably almost 25 retail leases, one of which is with a boutique grocer who shall remain unnamed, but I’ll allow anybody to speculate,” Developer Mark Toro told the Johns Creek Planning Commission Oct. 1. “It’s interesting, the NDAs (nondisclosure agreements) that we sign with retailers…”
The Planning Commission unanimously approved Toro Development’s hotel pitch, which will now go before the City Council for a vote at a future meeting.
Approval includes a special use permit that would allow the hotel to stand six stories, or 75 feet, on the sides and in the rear. The facade, facing Medley’s central plaza, would meet the zoning district’s four-story, or 60-foot, height requirement.
Toro offered the success of the Hotel at Avalon with the Planning Commission as a rationale for the move.
“The hotel, specifically, has been a
resounding success, and has injected new heads in beds every night and brought new energy to the property,” said Toro, who led the development of the Alpharetta crown jewel less than 10 miles away under North Atlanta Properties. He co-founded and led the Atlanta office.
New hotels cropped up in Alpharetta after Avalon’s opened.
In July, though, investment firm Peachtree Group bought the 119-unit Hamilton Hotel in downtown Alpharetta after foreclosure for a price of $41.9 million. The hotel opened in 2021.
Toro also spoke of the privatepublic partnership between the City
of Alpharetta and Avalon owner North American Properties. He said the city wanted the Alpharetta Conference Center because of a lack of options in the area.
“In fact, at the time, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce had to go to Buckhead for their gala because there was no other place to be,” Toro said.
In 2016, the City of Alpharetta approved an agreement with the Alpharetta Development Authority to issue $26 million in revenue bonds to fund construction of the 44,000-squarefoot conference center, connected to the Hotel at Avalon.
Alpharetta Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard said the city gets two free uses of the conference center annually, excluding catering or A/V costs.
Drinkard also said the city’s bond debt for the project is cushioned by the 1 percent increase in hotel/motel tax, approved at the time. A portion of that tax also goes to the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, which funds a $500,000 annual marketing expense related to the conference center.
Toro said the company is in the process of interviewing nine operators, adept at managing hotels of the proposed size.
But, he told Appen Media the hotel’s
brand is unknown at this point. He is encouraging people to help with the selection process. Pending approval by the City Council, Toro said the company will create an Instagram post and ask people to chime in.
Some members of the Planning Commission questioned how the update might impact the Fire Department.
Commissioner Vicki Horton emphasized the major shift from an entertainment space to an asset where people stay overnight.
“I’m not just talking the equipment, I’m talking the ability to effectively protect and serve that asset and the people in it,” Horton said, riding a question about whether the Fire Department had the appropriate apparatus to handle the proposed building size.
Planning and Zoning Manager Ruchi Agarwal said every rezoning and special use permit goes to the Fire Department. She added that the fire marshal reviewed the plan, and that the accessibility of the property hasn’t changed, a typical focus.
Many Planning Commission members voiced their excitement about the hotel, including Chris Jackson.
“...Avalon was one of these things where it became, ‘If we build it, they will come,’” Jackson said. “I think the same thing is going to happen here.”
TORO DEVELOPMENT/PROVIDED
A rendering of the proposed Hotel at Medley shows a four-story facade facing a central plaza. A special use permit, approved alongside a rezoning, would allow the sides and rear of the building to stand at six stories.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Mark Toro, the developer who spearheaded Avalon, pitches an update in plans for the 42-acre mixed-use development Medley at the Oct. 1 Johns Creek Planning Commission meeting.
The City of Milton has the highest regard for the sacrifice and service of our veterans on behalf of our nation. We certainly are not alone locally in this respect – including a dedicated group of Milton volunteers that visually honors veterans around Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
The Milton Veterans Memorial Markers (MVMM) organization builds and strategically places markers around the city to honor our deceased Milton veterans who lived or have family in Milton. Since this movement started 16 years ago, it has grown to honor over 800 deceased veterans. MVMM continues to seek the names of more veterans to honor.
If you have a deceased veteran to honor, please visit MiltonVeterans.org to register.
If you have any questions, please email info@miltonveterans.org
Submissions must be received on or before October 20 to ensure inclusion for Veteran’s Day. Submissions sent in after the deadline will be reviewed for a marker in time for the next installation.
Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm
Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm, re-imagining how bath & kitchen remodels are done.
U of Wisconsin graduate joins Appen newsroom
ALPHARETTA, Ga – Appen Media Group announced Sept. 30 that Annabelle Reiter will join its staff as a reporter. Annabelle will cover sports, local government and business in the North Fulton area. She will report to Carl Appen, director of content and development, and she will be based in Alpharetta.
Reiter grew up in Waunakee, Wisconsin, a suburb of Madison, and graduated in May with a degree in communications from the University of Wisconsin. During her time at UW, she took courses in political rhetoric, mass communications, and sports media, and worked as a policy intern
in Gov. Tony Evers’ office.
“I’m extremely excited to be joining the team at Appen Media,” Reiter said.
“I’m passionate about the human experience, I love culture and connecting people through storytelling, I’m very fortunate to be able to have a place to do so in the newsroom at Appen Media.”
To contact Reiter with news tips or story ideas, email annabelle@ appenmedia.com
Alpharetta comedy club to open in October
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A family-owned comedy club set to open soon in Alpharetta plans to feature national and local talent.
Helium Comedy Club, 3070 Windward Plaza, will host live comedy and other performance art acts weekly, Brad Grossman, company COO, said. The venue will be managed by Georgia residents. It is part of the national Helium brand with main offices in Philadelphia.
The contemporary-styled space will offer food and drink to guests, including entrees, desserts, appetizers, cocktails and craft beers.
Grossman said Helium is proud to open the club after seven years of work.
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“We pride ourselves on providing a top-notch comedy experience and nurturing the local comedy community,” he said. Construction began in 2023.
Shows will average at about an hour and 40 minutes in length and feature an opener, feature, and headliner with national entertainment credits. Guests can expect to see Duncan Trussell, Craig Robinson, Shannon Ford, Randy Feltface, Jordan Jensen, Adele Givens, Drew Lynch, Pinky Patel, William Montgomery, Nick Mullen, Kelly Stafford and others.
Next summer, the club plans to introduce a Funniest in Atlanta contest, which has sister contests running in seven other markets across the country.
Notable winners have included Martha Kelly, of “Baskets” and “Euphoria”; Shane Gillis, of Netflix’s “Tires”; and Ian Karmel, who was featured on the “Late Late Show With James Corden.”
Comedy has lately become increasingly popular as social media and other digital platforms have embraced the medium, Grossman said.
“Podcasts, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok have been tremendous for performers to find an audience,” Grossman said. “In the end, people want to see their favorite acts in person, in an intimate space, which is what Helium has been doing for 20 years.”
For more information or tickets, visit atlanta.heliumcomedy.com.
Authors, booklovers assemble for Pulitzer Prize-winner’s
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The second annual Johns Creek Literary Fair Sept. 29 drew a couple hundred people to peruse books from local authors and hear from one of the South’s best.
Just a couple days after Hurricane Helene rushed through Johns Creek, residents gathered at the Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater at Newtown Park for a day dedicated to books.
Local authors set up their book stands around the amphitheater as kids played lacrosse on the turf field next door.
It was an early fall afternoon in North Fulton County, an ideal setting for authors to discuss how they do what they do.
Up on the hill abutting the venue, children’s authors displayed books about everything from the lost journal of Nikola Tesla to the challenges faced by American minorities.
With most in attendance over retirement age, the Literary Fair still featured Johns Creek’s diversity, with people from all backgrounds uniting through their passion for writing or reading.
Last year’s Literary Fair had slightly
higher attendance. Some organizers speculated that the University of Alabama’s narrow victory over the University of Georgia Saturday night kept some residents indoors the Sunday after the game.
Mayor John Bradberry, addressing the crowd before the keynote speaker took the stage, sent his condolences to his fellow UGA alumni.
Before Bragg spoke with awardwinning author and Atlanta Writers Club
Executive Director George Weinstein, local Metro Atlanta authors had some words of their own.
The Literary Fair had three-minute author pitches and an author panel, thanks to the Recreation and Parks Department’s collaboration with the club, active since 1914. It brought most of the talent to Newtown Park that day.
To kick off the program, patrons grabbed a meal before hearing from a couple dozen local authors.
Each local author, some residents of North Fulton County and others from around the state, had three minutes to pitch their book. The rotating talks from authors showed the great diversity of minds, people and places.
Some authors read from their book, others introduced the plot, and a few
From left, Rick Bragg, Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist and bestselling author, speaks with George Weinstein, an award-winning author and executive director of the Atlanta Writers Club, about their careers as Southern writers Sept. 29 at the second annual Johns Creek Literary Fair.
brought out most of the crowd.
Known for his books about his family, he credits his mother with ensuring he did not live the life that people in his community seemed predestined to live. It’s one of poverty, addiction and hopelessness.
The rural South is often poor and forgotten, although Bragg has ensured the latter changes.
Bragg is a unique American. His journey from the small town of Piedmont, Alabama to authoring 11 books and winning the highest national honor in print journalism has made him who he is.
Another panelist at the Literary Fair, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, has something in common with Bragg.
Thurmond, the son of sharecropper and one of the most prominent Democratic politicians in Georgia, grew up poor in the South like Bragg.
Each faced unique challenges but have also lived the American Dream.
Both have completed programs at Harvard University, which was unimaginable in their youth.
shared their writing processes and motivations.
The crowd listened for anything that sounded like a good read.
Throughout the afternoon, writers in the crowd stayed glued to each speaker, especially Rick Bragg.
Throughout his conversation with Weinstein, another Southern author, Bragg spoke in song, blending Appalachian lexicon with rhythmic cadence into the world-famous Southern drawl.
In Metro Atlanta, people hardly hear the accent anymore.
Bragg, who won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing at the New York Times,
About a second after Bragg took the stage, he had the crowd laughing, smiling and hanging on every syllable.
Thurmond had a similar effect on the crowd during the “Legal Eagle with Scribe Vibes” panel with fellow attorneys who have also published books.
Bragg’s first book, “All Over but the Shoutin’,” tells the story of his family.
“Before I could write a book about my mama sacrificing her whole life so I could talk to y’all, I had to explain my daddy,” Bragg said.
By talking to people about growing up poor in the rural South, Bragg has given a voice to a struggle hidden from many Americans.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Former Cold War spy shares autobiography
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Author Martha “Marti” Peterson said she had to push for a “real” assignment in the CIA, one on par with her male counterparts.
Speaking to a crowd of more than two dozen at Johns Creek Books Sept. 17, Peterson recalled it was the early ’70s, and she had just lost her husband John while they were on a tour in Laos. She wanted to do what he intended to do before his death — assess and recruit foreign spies who would give the U.S. government secrets from their country.
“I was a piss poor secretary,” Peterson said.
The 79-year-old Wilmington, North Carolina, resident was at the store promoting her autobiography “Widow Spy,” published in 2012. Peterson assured visitors that she ran the book script by the CIA, but that the story had already been out “in a vague way.”
The CIA’s training had been intense. Peterson said it was nine months of learning all the necessary skills, including “sneaky photography” and how to detect whether you were being followed.
After pushing back on a couple of offers, Peterson was given a job in Moscow, becoming one of the first women operations officers assigned there. She went through 44 weeks of Russian.
In November 1975, she landed, and reality hit her, when she noticed the plowed snow by the runway.
“I went from Fort Lauderdale to Moscow, and I tied my belt around my camel hair with a pile lining coat,
and thought, ‘Oh, Martha, this is the beginning. What have you done?’”
Peterson recalled. “In a moment there, I realized this was a big thing to take on.”
In Moscow, she became the handler to Trigon, a Soviet recruit out of Bogotá, Colombia, whose real name is Aleksandr Ogorodnik. Peterson said he had been aggressive at bringing documents out of the Soviet embassy for the CIA, adding that he would take pictures of them, tuck them in his pants and place them back where they were found.
Trigon’s aptitude for the work landed him in Moscow, what Peterson said was referred to as the “Lion’s Den.” His condition, that he be given the means to commit suicide, had been met.
She showed the small crowd the sorts of packages she would leave for him — a limb, a slab of concrete. These would be hollowed out.
During one of the timed exchanges, Peterson was caught by the KGB and taken to Lubyanka, “Stalin’s very favorite prison in the center of Moscow.”
“People say, ‘Were you afraid?’ No, I was angry,” she said. “Something had happened to Trigon, and I knew it.”
Trigon had already been compromised, using his poison pen to kill himself while being forced to write a confession, though Peterson didn’t find that out until years later.
Russian officers grabbed her by the arms and restrained her.
“I was a young officer. I was 30 years old. I didn’t have a lot of experience, and this horrified me,” Peterson said. “I also realized that it’s like sending someone to war without bullets.”
She was responsible for keeping in contact with Trigon via dead drops.
“I don’t know how you would react, but I got angry, and I started kicking people,” Peterson said. “One guy showed me the bruise on his shin, and there is word — it’s a legend that I kicked a man, and he was hospitalized and had no sex for a few days.”
Because of diplomatic immunity, Peterson was released.
She retired from the CIA in 2003. When a visitor asked about the rest of her career, she said, “No, that remains.”
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Martha “Marti” Peterson begins detailing her autobiography “Widow Spy” to more than two dozen visitors at Johns Creek Books Sept. 17.
Alpharetta photo exhibit reveals miniature worlds
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — There’s another world hiding in plain sight on the miniature scale, photographer Elena Sullivan says.
“It’s very interesting to show tiny things to the big world,” said Sullivan, who lives in Alpharetta. “Sometimes people don’t notice when we are running around, rushing to work or rushing home. It’s easy to miss all that beauty. That’s what mesmerizes me.”
Sullivan’s exhibit, “Refreshing Whispers of Bloom,” is on display at the Alpharetta Branch Library, 10 Park Plaza, through Oct. 20. Her collection of 15 fine art photos captures the smallest details of flowers through a macro lens, revealing miniscule details like dew drops and petals.
Sullivan began her foray into macro photography in 2019 while living in Cancun, Mexico. While sitting in the garden of her home drinking coffee, she noticed a speck of rain sitting on a blooming rose.
Eager to see the detail on a larger scale, she leapt into action, capturing the image on her Nikon.
“I guess coffee is inspirational,” she said, laughing.
That photo led Sullivan on a creative journey in macro photography.
One photo in her exhibit shows brown veins forming geometric patterns on the underside of a leaf. Another, titled “The Daisy Echo,” features a drop of water resting on one daisy reflecting another.
A photo she took outside her Alpharetta home, again while drinking coffee, focuses on a droplet that almost seems to include another universe inside.
“(The photos) explore the tiny details of the world,” she said. “You have to learn to notice things you wouldn’t notice in your daily life.”
Sullivan began her professional career in photography taking commercial photos of weddings, marriage proposals and other family events. But with a master’s degree in art and culture from St. Petersburg University, she always knew she wanted to be creative with her camera.
Born in Sevastopol when the city was a part of the USSR, she said she was lucky to be raised by parents who fostered creativity in her early years.
Although neither parent was an artist, they cherished imagination in everyday tasks, like sewing the family’s clothes or photographing their moments together. Her father developed those
photos in the bathroom of her family’s small apartment.
In her family, creativity was a mindset.
During the early years of her career, Sullivan found herself enriched by her work in exotic places.
In Cancun, she fell in love with the area’s colorful homes and friendly, open-minded locals. There, she did underwater photography, working on a project for television producer Christina Cindrich that let her swim with whale sharks.
“When you find yourself underwater and looking at this enormous, enormous creature, it is really peaceful,” she said.
It was a little daunting at first, being so close to a creature the size of a small house, she said.
When Sullivan moved to Alpharetta to live with her husband, she decided it was time to pursue art seriously.
For her next artistic project, Sullivan is exploring the abstract shapes found in water. As with her macro photography, she is finding entire worlds hidden inside moisture.
For example, a recent photograph she took of an LED reflection reveals what looks like a galaxy.
“That’s what I hope to ignite in people, a lost sense of curiosity,” she said. “Even in the ordinary, you can see something extraordinary if you stop, slow down and pay attention.”
Elena Sullivan is an Alpharetta photographer whose works are exhibited at the Alpharetta Branch Library. Sullivan used a macro lens to capture tiny details on flowers and plants.
PHOTOS BY: ELENA SULLIVAN/PROVIDED
“The Daisy Echo,” by Elena Sullivan, captures a reflection of another flower in a dew drop resting on a daisy’s petals. The photo is one of 15 macro photographs in her exhibit.
Storm:
Continued from Page 1
battalion chief with Milton Fire-Rescue, led the city’s preparations for the storm.
“Earlier that day, we went ahead and did an incident action plan for the operational period, which we considered 7 p.m.-7 a.m.,” Baswell said. “We had resources established and already placed north, southwest and southeast near Ga. 9.”
The action plan allowed emergency personnel to access downed trees and road closures for different parts of the city.
Baswell said three trees came down overnight before 7 a.m. and seven more fell before noon Friday, Sept. 27.
“The Police Department was riding around, and they caught most of the trees down before any 911 calls,” Boswell said. “They phoned it in to the Emergency Operations Center.”
The Emergency Operations Center allows Milton to monitor weather channels, receive warning from the Atlanta Fulton County Emergency Management Agency.
Since 2007, Milton has had four federally declared disasters, a tornado and several severe winter events. Those experience have prepared the city.
The fallen tree on New Providence Road proved the most difficult to remove with downed power lines tangled in its
Wine:
Continued from Page 4
“A lot of these just tasted like spiked grape juice,” he said. “It was so much fruit, so much alcohol. It wasn’t what I initially learned wine was in my early career.”
All wines at Fermented are either biodynamic or organic. Farms that are biodynamic grow grapes in an environment that replicates the natural environment as closely as possible. They are sustainable and “heal the land” as they farm.
Grapes, like people, do best when they experience adversity, Danielson said.
“There’s a lot of similarities that I’ve found between people and wine,” he said.
Vines planted in poor soil and struggle for water produce more complex flavors. The plants, which are capable of incredible things, can dig as deep as 80 feet in search of moisture.
When wine is made naturally, it also produces less of a hangover, said Danielson, who bragged he hasn’t had one in years.
Fermented also includes a room
Works Department and Alpharetta-based contracting company Tri Scapes clear a tree of off Providence Road overnight Friday, Sept. 27.
branches.
Baswell said crews from Sawnee EMC, a Forsyth County-based electric utility company servicing Milton, cleared the hazardous power lines around 10 a.m. Sept. 27.
At noon, all downed trees were off roadways, Baswell said.
The city closed two unpaved roadways due to flooding: Clarity Road as it crosses Little River and Lively/Wills Road as it passes over Chicken Creek.
Public Works Director Sara Leaders went over the specific challenges Sept.
30.
“Clarity and Lively are both gravel roads, very low volume and have been prone to flooding in the past,” she said. “So, we knew to check those as the rains starting moving in.”
Leaders said downed power lines on Nix Road, connecting Birmingham Highway (Ga. 372) to Freemanville Road, shut down the roadway overnight.
The 2009 floods led to worse flooding of the city’s waterways and the wetlands abutting Hopewell Road.
She said all barricaded roadways
WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Fermented hosts tastings and classes in its “Flight Club” room. Customers can take part in a variety of events there to learn about the wine making process and their unique stories.
Danielson dubs the “Flight Club.”
There, he and his staff teach patrons about the winemaking process and individual stories each bottle has to tell.
“You’re going to learn a lot,” Danielson said.
Every wine has a story to tell, he
reopened after waters receded Friday, Sept. 27.
As far as damage to city and private property, Leaders said her staff first checked for leaks at Milton’s facilities.
“Staff went around Friday morning to early afternoon checking all the buildings,” she said. “There were a few minor roof leaks and maybe some of the grounds had a few trees, but that’s all still being looked at.”
Leaders said she thinks three city buildings had small leaks and her staff has successfully surveyed the properties.
Fire Chief Gabe Benmoussa said no residents reported fallen trees on homes, but one called later Friday, Sept. 27 to report one leaning from the Broadwell Pavilion toward a private property.
“I sent the crews out there and got permission from the homeowner behind and took care of it,” he said.
With several city employees pulling all-nighters to help keep Milton residents safe, City Manager Krokoff specifically thanked one.
“Jason Baswell … he managed us through this,” he said. “I think he pulled a 36-hour shift.”
Baswell, with all the South’s humility, said it was a team effort and thanked everyone who helped.
“Shout out to everybody,” he said. “Really, we couldn’t have done this without boots on the ground and people actually getting things done.”
citrus and apple.
Danielson said he is especially proud to sell Foradori wines, which are made by a groundbreaking woman. After taking over her family’s estate, she converted their operation into a biodynamic farming model and became a leader in the industry.
“Her wines are uber limited, uber delicious,” he said.
Danielson said he is blessed to be based in Alpharetta for several reasons.
“They love to support good people and good products,” he said.
Fermented’s customers said they keep coming back to partake in Danielson’s selection and knowledge.
Matt Keeter, of Woodstock, stopped by to find a California red his wife could enjoy without getting a headache.
“His memory is unbelievable,” Keeter said. “I guarantee he will remember what I like personally.”
said.
The Avino Cava reserve brew was made by a family who has been making wine since 1597. The champagne-like drink is fermented from grapes indigenous to northern Italy. It combines delicate bubbles and a beautiful froth with notes of bright
Jay and Courtney Waggoner, of Roswell, said they also appreciate Danielson’s knowledge. But they keep coming back because the natural wines don’t give them much of a hangover.
“It’s good, clean wine,” Jay Waggoner said.
CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED
Emergency personnel from Milton’s Public
JON
Personalized breast care close to home at Wellstar North Fulton
Brought to you by - Dr. Laura Pearson, breast surgeon at Wellstar
I have never met a woman who enjoyed getting mammograms, including myself. They can be uncomfortable, awkward and anxietyprovoking—especially if you have had scares in the past or are at high risk for getting breast cancer.
There are so many additional resources for risk reduction and surveillance available that go hand-inhand with mammograms. At Wellstar, reducing your risk and screening for cancer starts with a physical from your primary care doctor.
If you are at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin annual screening mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend earlier or more frequent screening. If
something is detected on a mammogram, the Wellstar Comprehensive Breast Health Program has nurse navigators who will help arrange diagnostic imaging, biopsy procedures and referrals to breast specialists. If you are diagnosed with cancer, the compassionate and oncologytrained nurse navigators with Wellstar Cancer Care walk patients through diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and beyond.
If you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment and care will transition from our Comprehensive Breast Health Program to the Wellstar Cancer Care team. In Wellstar STAT Clinics, which stands for Specialty Teams and Treatment, we put you at the center of your care plan. In our STAT Clinic for Breast Cancer, the care team, including breast oncology nurse navigators, surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, nutritionists and genetic counselors, will meet with you and your support system on the same day to formulate a treatment plan personalized to your specific cancer, as well as your
personal and cultural needs. Patients can ask questions, make decisions and start treatment sooner, improving outcomes.
Many times, surgical intervention can be done as an outpatient procedure. We can also offer some people intraoperative radiation therapy, or IORT—the option of doing their radiation treatment in the operating room at the same time as their lumpectomy, meaning they are able to avoid four to six weeks of radiation treatments. Any other interventions, such as chemotherapy or radiation, including our CyberKnife for treatments like targeted partial breast radiation therapy, are found in the cancer center on Wellstar North Fulton’s medical campus. We have physical therapists, social workers and palliative care specialists who are there for you if the need arises.
Your Wellstar care team can also help you reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. Being overweight or obese or being a smoker can increase your risk. Patients at Wellstar have access to our Center for Best Health to assist in weight management. We also have smoking
cessation programs and dietitians waiting to help you make healthier choices that can positively impact your health.
Wellstar provides more than healthcare, PeopleCare—working relentlessly to exceed national standards and our patients’ expectations while remembering the humanity of every patient. We are here for all the situations and stages of our patients’ lives by offering the tools and resources to be healthy and thrive. Wellstar clinicians live in the communities we serve. We must get physicals, mammograms and biopsies. We need help being our healthiest selves. We get sick and have family members who need compassionate care. PeopleCare means offering our patients world-class healthcare in the communities where they live and work.
Your care team can put your mammogram order in Wellstar MyChart to book online, or you can schedule by calling (678) 581-5900. Visit wellstar.org/ northfultoncancercare to learn more about cancer care at Wellstar North Fulton.
PEARSON
At Wellstar, you’ll find a multidisciplinary team of cancer care experts built around your needs and dedicated to comprehensive, personalized treatment.
We are a leader in cancer care, embracing innovation to improve patient outcomes. Our surgeons perform a variety of minimally invasive procedures—providing patients with smoother recoveries and less pain. We also support patients during their cancer journeys with STAT Clinics, which bring cancer care clinicians together and put people at the center of their treatment. With this multidisciplinary approach, patients start care sooner, optimizing treatment and outcomes. wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare
The importance of hydration during Hormone Replacement Therapy and GLP1 Use
Brought to you by – OlympusMD
When undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or using GLP1 medications, maintaining proper hydration is crucial. Here’s why making sure your body is wellhydrated can significantly enhance your therapy experience and outcomes.
Enhancing Efficacy and Absorption
Water plays a vital role in the body’s ability to effectively absorb medications. Staying hydrated ensures that HRT and GLP1 therapies are absorbed efficiently, thereby maximizing their intended benefits. Adequate hydration allows your bloodstream to carry these treatments more effectively to where they are needed.
Counteracting Dehydration Effects
Certain medications, including some used in HRT and GLP1s, have a diuretic effect, which can lead to dehydration. By prioritizing hydration, you can counteract this effect, ensuring your body remains balanced and functional. This approach helps maintain your overall health and well-
being throughout your treatment plan.
Supporting Detoxification Processes
Hydration supports your body’s natural detoxification processes, primarily facilitated by the liver and kidneys. These organs play a significant role in hormone regulation, and adequate water intake is essential for their optimal functioning. By
staying hydrated, you assist your body in flushing out toxins, which can help in maintaining a balanced hormone environment.
Reducing Side Effects
Dehydration often leads to uncomfortable side effects such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. These symptoms can interfere with
your daily activities and reduce adherence to your treatment. By ensuring you are well-hydrated, you can minimize these side effects, improving your comfort and commitment to therapy.
The Role of IV Hydration and IV Vitamins
For those undergoing HRT or using GLP1s, incorporating IV hydration and IV vitamins can provide an extra layer of support. This method delivers hydration and essential nutrients directly to your bloodstream, offering immediate benefits such as improved energy levels and enhanced overall well-being.
Conclusion
Proper hydration is more than just drinking water; it’s about ensuring your body operates at its best, especially when undergoing therapies like HRT and GLP1s. By focusing on hydration, possibly supplemented by IV hydration and vitamins, you can optimize your treatment outcomes and feel your best throughout the process. Prioritize hydration as an integral part of your therapy routine to enhance efficacy and maintain your health.
with 3-month GLP-1 package
ISTOCK
Mouth breathing
What it is and why it’s important to identify the signs early?
Brought
to you by
- Dr. Destinee
at Roswell Dental Care
Mouth breathing is a condition in which a person breathes through their mouth instead of their nose. It can be caused by several factors, including nasal congestion, allergies, and enlarged adenoids. Mouth breathing can have a number of negative consequences for your health, including:
• Dry mouth: Breathing through your mouth dries out your mouth, which can lead to cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
• Poor sleep quality: Mouth breathing can disrupt sleep by causing snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
• Increased risk of infection: Breathing through your mouth can increase your risk of respiratory infections, such as the common cold and the flu.
• Changes in facial structure: Mouth breathing can lead to changes in facial structure, such as a long, narrow face and an overbite. This is especially important during midface development, between ages 5-9.
If you think you or your child may be a mouth breather, it’s important to see a doctor to get diagnosed and treated. There are a few things that can be done to help mouth breathers, such as:
• Treating the underlying cause: If the mouth breathing is caused by a medical condition, such as allergies or enlarged adenoids, treating that condition can help to improve mouth breathing.
• Using nasal sprays or drops: Nasal sprays and drops can help to clear nasal congestion and make it easier to breathe through the nose.
• Using a chin strap or mouth tape: A chin strap or mouth tape can help to keep the mouth closed at night. You can order these on Amazon!
If you are a mouth breather, there several things you can do to help manage your condition, such as:
• Drink plenty of water: Staying hydrated can help to keep your
PROVIDED
mouth from getting too dry.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol can dehydrate you and make dry mouth worse.
• Use a humidifier: A humidifier can add moisture to the air and help to keep your mouth from getting dry.
• Brush and floss your teeth regularly: Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can help to prevent cavities and gum disease.
It’s important to see your dentist regularly for oral health screenings. This may be the first step in identifying your risk factors or signs you may be breathing through your mouth. As your neighborhood dentists, Drs. Hood and Remaley give your comfort and trust top priority. We assure you feel confident in any dental solution before beginning treatment after a thorough and comprehensive examination. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE conscious sedation, including nitrous oxide. Rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding. Take the first step in feeling great about your oral health. Schedule your oral health screening and give us a call at 770.998.6736 or visit www.RoswellDentalCare.com.
• Crowns and Bridges in a few days
• Porcelain Veneers
• Tooth Colored Composite Fillings
• Teeth Whitening- no sensitivity
• Oral Cancer Screenings on all patients
• Teeth Cleanings, Digital X-Rays and Comprehensive Oral Exams on all new patients
• Cosmetic Smile Makeovers and Full Mouth Reconstruction (Complimentary Consultation)
• Occlusal Guards and Bite Adjustments
• Snore Guards and Sleep Apnea Analysis
• Digital X-Rays (90% less radiation) and Intra-Oral Photos
• Digitally Scanned Dental ImpressionsNo more gooey impressions!
• Electronic Records
• Accept and File
• Implants
• Root Canals
• Extractions
• Spa-like Relaxing Atmosphere
• Custom Baked Cookies Daily
• FREE Nitrous Oxide and Oral Conscious Sedation
• Facial Aesthetic Enhancements including BOTOX and Dermal Fillers
Dr. David Remaley Dr. Destinee Hood
Hood
Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist
Insist on the BEST
Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.
He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.
Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 22 years experience as a Dermatology PA and cosmetic dermatology.
Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.
Premier Dermatology – Providing Excellence. Every Patient. Every Time.
Congratulations to Premier Dermatology and Mohs surgery of Atlanta for its seventh year in a row of being voted Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist of North Fulton! Since opening in 2017, Premier Dermatology has quickly become the go-to dermatology practice for Mohs surgery and comprehensive dermatologic care. As in years past, I decided to sit down with Dr. Brent Taylor to get his take on his success and to learn a bit more about him.
Alyssa : Hey you two! Thanks for meeting with me again. Winning the Best Dermatologist and Best Vein specialist for seven years in a row means you must be doing something right! To what do you contribute your continued success?
Dr. Taylor : Thank you! Well, I believe that my patients understand our sincerity and our dedication to their healthcare. Kathryn and I and our amazing team all honestly care about our patients and their wellbeing. I hope that that sincerity comes through during our interactions. We always strive to give our patients our complete attention and to learn more about an individual as a person as well as a patient. There are plenty of times when a patient brings something to our attention or when a case compels us to do additional research. Kathryn and I are constantly collaborating and advocating on our patients’ behalf. I believe that comes through.
Kathryn : I agree with everything that Dr. Taylor said, our team really is wonderful. And we have received a lot of compliments that the practice has a personal and “boutique” feel, even as we deliver care that is scientific and academic.
Alyssa : Do you have a patient care moment or a diagnosis of which you are exceptionally proud?
Dr. Taylor : Well it is always our goal to deliver outstanding dermatologic care. Regarding diagnoses that I’m proud of, the first instances that come to mind involve catching a disease that is technically outside my specialty. For example, a patient looked a bit yellow, and I ordered a liver function test and caught acute liver failure. I helped another patient discover that one of his ureters had been accidentally cut during a surgery at the hospital.
Within my own specialty I’m often most proud of how simply
being thorough can be critical to a patient’s care. By being thorough, I have caught melanomas on the scalp and bottom of the feet of patients who were sometimes surprised I asked them to take out a hair tie or take their socks off. Likewise, photography helps us monitor moles for change, and just last month we caught a melanoma early because a slight change from a previous photo prompted an early biopsy.
Alyssa : Has a patient or teacher or coworker ever asked you out on a date?
Dr. Taylor : (Laughs) Yes they have. Sadly, the number of patients in their 90s who have asked me on a date is higher than the number of nonpatients who ever asked me on a date before I was married.
Alyssa : Is there a funny medical fact that you have learned?
Dr. Taylor : Actually I have a good one! An ENT professor in medical school told us that as men age they lose the ability to hear higher pitch sounds, and, as women age, their voices increase in pitch. Thus, men naturally lose the ability to hear women with time. So the next time your wife accuses you of ignoring her: blame biology, not the football game!
Alyssa : If you could tell your 16 year old self something, what would it be?
Dr. Taylor : To not put too much stock in timelines. I was raised very traditionally, and I thought that I was going to meet my wife in college, get married right after we graduated then start a family a few years later, and it made me worried when I hadn’t met the right person by the time that I expected. My advice to the teenage me would be to just pour yourself into positive and worthwhile activities and that the result would be becoming who you are supposed to and meeting who you are supposed to all in its own time.
Kathryn : Stop stressing. You’ll make it happen. I was so focused on my future, worrying about not achieving my goals, and how I was going to put myself through school that I didn’t stop to enjoy being 16. In hindsight, I realize that having a bit more faith would have gotten me to the same endpoint without all of the pressure I put on myself.
Alyssa : Do you have a pet peeve of which patients or staff are guilty?
Dr. Taylor : I really don’t get frustrated easily. I understand that
Dr. Brent Taylor
Kathryn Filipek, PA-C
Brought to you by – Premier Dermatology
Premier:
everyone has a life and everyone’s lives have struggles about which we often know little. If someone is being rude, I usually chalk it up to unseen struggles. That being said, I do wish that certain patients would realize what a marvel Mohs surgery really is. My primary pet peeve is patients mistreating my coworkers. Sometimes, patients get frustrated waiting on their tissue to process during a day of Mohs surgery. And they sometimes take it out on my medical assistants, who are wonderful and caring and are in healthcare for the right reasons.
was like the videogame Oregon Trail – the journey took months, and half of the wagon party died of cholera on the way. Like air travel, skin cancer treatment nowadays is miraculous. Prior to Mohs surgery, far more skin cancers routinely caused disfigurement and even death. Now, Mohs surgery offers a cure rate of 99% for most skin cancers, and the aesthetic results are often outstanding. Modern skin cancer care truly is fantastic. Unfortunately, the same day shipping world in which we live has made people expect immediate results, and they sometimes take out their frustrations on my coworkers. The world can always use a little more kindness, patience and grace.
There is a comedian who has a bit on youtube called “everything’s amazing and nobody’s happy.” He talks about how upset people get on airplanes when just a few hundred years ago a trip across the country
Thank you to Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek PA-C for sharing a little more about themselves and congratulations again for winning both Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist in North Fulton for 2024! Continued from Page 20
Dental membership programs
Brought to you by –
Dr. Bradley Hepler, Atlanta Center for Dental Health
Just like the American Express commercials, “Membership Has Its Privileges”. Dental membership programs are a subscription service where patients pay an annual or monthly fee and receive complimentary preventive hygiene services and discounted pricing on additional services. If you don’t have employer paid dental benefits, a dental membership plan is often the most cost-effective way of receiving the preventive services that you need each year to maintain a healthy, disease-free mouth.
A dental membership program, like Plan for Health at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health, includes:
• No Deductibles
• No Yearly Maximums
• No Claim Forms
• No Pre-Authorizations
• No Exclusions
• Immediate Eligibility
• Simplicity
More than dental insurance, Plan
for Health is a yearly membership program with lots of benefits designed to meet your individual needs. The Plan for Health includes 2-4 professional dental cleanings per year, comprehensive, periodic, and emergency dental exams, all dental radiographs as needed, fluoride treatments, and discounts on dental treatment. Call the Atlanta Center for Dental Health for more information.
We are devoted to helping as many people as possible.
The Atlanta Center for Dental Health is a team of exceptionally talented professionals dedicated to providing comprehensive oral healthcare for the health and happiness of our patients, their families, and our community. We are committed to providing a lifetime of optimal oral health to our patients and fostering relationships of mutual trust,
excellent customer service, and the best patient care available. Patients are at ease knowing that their care will be administered with a sense of kindness, care, and comfort.
Prevention is key. Much of dental disease is preventable. Do you have a Plan for Health?
Dr. Bradley Hepler and the experienced team at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health provide all the modern advances that contemporary aesthetic dentistry offers. You will realize immediate results with noninvasive and often inexpensive procedures to enhance your smile. If you would like a complementary consultation to discover your smile restoring options, please call the Atlanta Center for Dental Health at 770-992-2236. Dr. Bradley Hepler has spent many hours dedicated to perfecting and updating the latest and best techniques in dentistry. It is with this breadth of knowledge that we provide each patient with the perfect solution to their situation, their life, and their goals. It is our pleasure to serve this community and help as many people as possible live their best life.
ADOBE STOCK
ProPublica editor shares reporting on deaths amid state abortion law
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
Editor’s note: Appen Media Group owns and operates The Georgia Politics Podcast, and when ProPublica turns its attention to Georgia, it catches our eye.
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Citing medical experts, ProPublica recently reported that the death of two Georgia women who had sought abortion treatment, were preventable.
Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller, both Black, are the subject of recent reporting from ProPublica in a series entitled “Life of the Mother: How Abortion Bans Lead to Preventable Deaths.”
ProPublica is a nonprofit national newsroom that focuses on public interest and investigative reporting, exposing harm and bringing accountability as well as solutions.
ProPublica Senior Editor Ziva Branstetter joined Appen Media Group Senior Reporter Amber Perry on an episode of the Georgia Politics Podcast Sept. 27, sharing with listeners the details of reporter Kavitha Surana’s yearlong effort to bring Thurman’s case to light.
Not long after the episode aired, local media and national outlets reported that Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney struck down the law. In its coverage of the Sept. 30 decision, The Guardian cited ProPublica’s reporting.
The order comes after the state Supreme Court reversed a 2022 ruling from McBurney, according to local media. McBurney had said the law had been passed illegally, since Roe v. Wade was in effect at the time.
Gov. Brian Kemp signed the LIFE Act in 2019, though it did not go into effect until July 2022.
After deciding to end her pregnancy in summer 2022, Thurman traveled to a North Carolina clinic to receive a surgical abortion but was instead offered a two-pill abortion regimen.
That July, Georgia’s six-week abortion ban had gone into effect.
Top update
Thurman’s pregnancy had advanced to the ninth week.
Thurman developed complications from the abortion pills, a rarity, and sought urgent treatment at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge in mid-August. Through a time-stamped account of Thurman’s visit, ProPublica revealed a delay in a procedure that could have saved Thurman’s life, called a D&C, or dilation and curettage.
Branstetter, working closely with Surana and contributing reporters, said the team’s entry into Thurman’s story began with a review of public death certificate data.
Branstetter said around 30 cases were identified that had the hallmarks of potentially preventable deaths, with insights from forensic pathologists, maternal fetal medicine specialists and gynecologists who advised the team what they should be looking for.
Key words were sepsis alongside “retained products of conception,” relevant to both Thurman’s and Miller’s cases, as well as miscarriage and a general lack of options.
“We’re not trying to attack doctors or hospitals,” Branstetter said. “We’re just trying to examine ways that these bans are resulting in deaths, and perhaps some solutions can come out of this, some more clear directives.”
Doctors and nurses involved in Thurman’s cases did not respond to questions from ProPublica.
“Doctors have said these bans are going to cause confusion and fear, and these exceptions are not going to be enough to prevent people from being harmed and possibly dying,” Branstetter said.
To listen to the episode, visit appenmedia.com/podcasts/ thegeorgiapoliticspodcast.
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Local and national outlets reported Sept. 30 that a Fulton County Superior Court judge struck down Georgia’s six-week abortion ban, allowing the procedure at up to around 22 weeks of pregnancy. The Guardian cited ProPublica’s reporting in its coverage of the new decision.
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OPINION
PRESERVING THE PAST
Fouts Road where some important history began
BOB MEYERS
It is common to find roads in North Fulton named for the families who first settled on the land where the roads were built.
Fouts Road in Roswell is a prime example. At least five generations of Fouts have lived on the road over the past 100 years. At one point, everyone who lived on the road were Fouts.
When Hans Michael Pfautz came to America with his family of five in 1727, immigration officials Americanized their name. This was common practice when immigrants had names officials found difficult to pronounce or spell. The newcomers settled in Pennsylvania near the Susquehanna River. At some point, date unknown, Hans’ son Jacob or grandson Michael moved to North Carolina.
Research suggests that the first of the Fouts to settle in Georgia, no doubt drawn by stories of rich, cheap land, was Jacob’s great, great grandson John Fouts, born in 1813. He settled in Dawson County and married in 1844. Like most early settlers, the first Fouts in Georgia were farmers.
At some point in the family’s history, one of the Fouts settled on what became Fouts Road in today’s city of Roswell off Holcomb Bridge Road. At the time the road was in the unincorporated Newtown settlement. Today, East Roswell Park sits on the family’s old home place.
Gene Fouts, a descendant of John, was born in 1933 and raised on Fouts Road. His wife Carolyn Lawson was born in Atlanta in 1936 and as a young girl moved to within sight of the Newtown school which both attended. The couple recently celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary.
The Newtown School was built in 1929 in today’s Johns Creek on Old Alabama Road. The school was a four-room H-shaped building with a central assembly room, potbellied stoves and outdoor privies. It replaced four separate one-room schoolhouses in what was then Milton County, thanks to the Barrett-Rogers Act of 1919 which sought to rid Georgia of its multitude of inefficient one-room schools. The government provided $100,000 to help rural school districts fund consolidation of
ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY/PROVIDED
The original Newtown School as it appeared when built in 1929. The school closed in 1980 and was allowed to deteriorate. It was restored and preserved thanks to a community effort. Today the building is an adult center.
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
The historic Newtown School building as it is today. The original school was built in 1929. It has been restored and preserved and is today the Park Place at Newtown School Adult Center. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
the state’s many small rural schools into more efficient larger buildings. It was the last school built in Milton County before its 1931 merger into Fulton County.
The school closed in 1980 and fell into disrepair. Thanks to community efforts the old schoolhouse was restored and preserved. Today it is the Park Place at Newtown School Adult Center. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
Gene recalls looking out the window of a school bus one afternoon in 1948 when he noticed a beautiful girl riding her bicycle to school. He turned to a friend and said, “I am going to marry that girl one day.” Gene was 15 and Carolyn was 12.
FAMILY/PROVIDED
Gene and Carolyn Fouts at their wedding in 1954.
Five years later they were married. Gene was one of nine children, eight boys and one girl, all born on Fouts Road. He and his younger brother Mark are the only ones still living.
Gene says “I was born in a threebedroom house. Fortunately, we did not all live there at the same time, so space was not a problem. We kids did have to share bedrooms. In 1940 my sister and oldest brother graduated from Milton High School and moved out.”
Gene played on the first football team at Milton High School in the 1950s. He had to leave the team due to a heart murmur. This was devastating for Gene who desperately wanted to play. Sometimes he and
FAMILY/PROVIDED
Gene Fouts, age 10, is standing on the back of the family mule which was used for pulling plows and wagons, photo taken in 1943. Children using work animals for fun was common practice on farms.
Mark would stay after practice so long that they missed the school bus and had to walk 7 miles to their home.
Carolyn’s family attended the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Newtown. Gene became an active member as well. He has served as a deacon for 68 years, including several terms as chairman. Carolyn has played the piano or organ for the church for 75 years. She is very artistic and has made hundreds of crocheted blankets and afghans for family and friends. She starts making Christmas decorations in May, according to their son Gary. Carolyn retired from Fulton Concrete. Gene worked for Chevron for 33 years. The couple has been active in the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. Gene was president at one point.
Thanks to Gene, Carolyn and Gary Fouts for their help with this column.
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.
Columnist
OPINION
With more rate cuts on horizon, ‘Patience’ may pay off
D.C. AIKEN
This week’s “pop” hit is the 1988 hit “Patience” by Guns & Roses. It seems everywhere we turn today someone is soliciting us to refinance NOW to a lower rate. Yes, 30-year fixed rates have come down to their current national average of 6.20% which is substantially lower than the mid 7% rates we saw during the past 12 months, but does it make sense to refinance now on a straight rateterm refinance? Probably not just yet.
While “deed dogs” and “list” buyers are calling and trying to
THE INK PENN
sell rates below 6%, you must ask yourself, if the national average is running around 6.20% with anywhere from .50 to 1 point…why would these folks be offering rates below 6%. The answer is they are buying down the rate to those levels and will try to convince you that they can get you to closing with “no money” out of your pocket.
While this may be true, how they got there is the rest of the story… What they do is finance your cost back into your new loan amount, and thus you don’t come “out of pocket” at the closing table.
Closing cost in the Metro ATL average in the 2.0% to 2.5% of your loan amount. So, a $500,000 loan amount may have $12,500 in closing cost…Yes, you are not coming “out of pocket” at the closing table but
you just lost $12,500 in equity to save maybe a little over $300 per month. Simple math tells me it will take you over 3 years to breakeven on this transaction.
So, if you don’t sell your current home, and/or refinance again in the next 36 to 40 months, then you would have done the right thing in this scenario.
However, with all the news about the FED potential making additional cuts before the end of the year of another .50% to maybe even 1%.... and even more possibly next year, why would you pull the trigger now?
Keep in mind that these unsolicited calls, text messages or emails are coming from folks who get paid solely if they close your loan. And, let’s be honest, mortgage originations are down notably this
year. See where I am going with this? Are they truly looking at what is best for you? Or are they looking out for what is best for them?
I get the “cash out” refinances to pay off consumer debt with interest rates over 20%. But even these cases — and with what appears to be lower rates on the horizon — you might just need to have a little “Patience.”
D.C. Aiken is vice president, producing production manager for BankSouth Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken.com.
The opinions expressed within this article may not reflect the opinions or views of BankSouth Mortgage or its affiliates.
From New York to points all over the world
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
This week’s reads were, of course, mysteries, as I rarely read any other genre. In both, the protagonist embarks on a search, though one is seeking a missing author while the other is searching for a lost painting. Both start in New York City before the clues lead them to another locale.
“My Favorite Terrible Things” by
Madeleine Henry
This is a new-to-me author, and I’m delighted to have discovered her. That this novel came out in May 2024 and has garnered 7,000+ reviews speaks volumes about what an intriguing tale the author weaves. Her first two books eked out just over 100 reviews each. She’s made
her mark with this one.
Publishers Weekly had this to say: “[A] cunning debut thriller… Just as Henry seems to be leading readers down one path, she veers in a wholly unexpected direction, delivering a welcome jolt to an already effective mystery. Sharp observations on toxic fan culture and a basketful of literary easter eggs are icing on the cake. This delivers.”
Private investigator Nina Travers is hired to find Claire Ross, a bestselling author who disappeared on her wedding day months ago. The police have no clue what happened to her or whether she’s even alive. It’s Claire’s mother who hires Nina, and Nina hopes to make a name for herself with this case.
I was kept guessing all the way to the very end, with every revelation coming as a shock, not as something I anticipated. If you’re seeking a novel to keep you turning the pages,
this is the book for you. And, if, like me, you like books about authors and their creativity, you won’t want to miss this one.
“The Lost Van Gogh” by Jonthan Santlofe r I had never heard of this author until I read a review of this book that came out in January 2024. When I figured out this was the second art mystery with Luke Perrone as the main character, I chose to start with the 2021 book,“The Last Mona Lisa,” which I wrote about earlier this year. Both books move back and forth in time. Both involve stolen art. Set primarily in modern times with Luke as an artist and university art professor, this one shifts to Paris during WW II, when the Nazis are leaving with as much artwork as they can, artwork, of course, taken from the Jewish population.
Not only did I find the mystery of the missing Van Gogh portrait
intriguing, I was also fascinated by the details about the artist’s life. The action moves from New York City to Amsterdam and France, offering an international adventure. As did the first book, this one has a romantic subplot. All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I always consider it a bonus when I learn something along the way.
If you are intrigued by mysteries involving art, you may want to check out Santlofer’s back list. Most of his previous novels concern art, be they series or standalones. Happy reading.
Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook. com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.
Georgetown Shopping Center opened in 1964 amid fanfare
Scott Hudgens, president of Scott Hudgens Realty & Mortgage, first advertised lots available in the Georgetown subdivision in the Aug. 27, 1961, Atlanta Journal.
“Come on out! Georgetown is ready,” was announced. In these early days of Georgetown, buyers could select their lot and floor plan.
Details described in the July 4, 1962, Atlanta Journal include quality construction, large, wooded lots, three-tofive bedrooms, two or more bathrooms, surface units, oven, hood, dishwasher and a choice of carpets or oak flooring. Styles offered were early American, Dutch Colonial, French Provincial and Colonial.
The 1962 advertisement for Georgetown informs buyers a shopping center is conveniently located 1 mile away. That shopping center was Chamblee Plaza. A proposed shopping center is planned and would be built next to the subdivision. This was the future Georgetown Shopping Center.
Georgetown Shopping Center first opened July 1964. It included a Big Apple grocery store, King’s Drug Store, furniture store and a laundry. The price of the original shopping center construction was $1 million. (June 1, 1964, Atlanta Journal, “Georgetown Shopping Center”)
Scott Hudgens also developed the shopping center, which was described as 10 acres at the northwest corner of Chamblee Dunwoody Road and the Circumferential Highway. The highway was completed five years later and is known today as I-285.
Robert Schaumann purchased the shopping center in the early 1970s and announced a plan to quadruple the space in 1973. Part of the plan was to add a 30,000-square-foot Kroger grocery store, the largest Kroger in Metro Atlanta in 1973. Existing tenant spaces would be renovated. The center’s square footage went from 33,000 square feet to 125,000.
Possibilities for Georgetown Shopping Center additions included a theater, more restaurants, specialty shops, and a community room for clubs and civic groups. I have never heard or read about a theater at Georgetown, but please email me if you remember one. (Neighbor newspaper, “Georgetown to expand,” Feb. 7, 1973, DeKalb History Center Archives)
A map accompanied the advertisement for the new Georgetown subdivision in the 1961 Atlanta Journal, indicating the future Georgetown Shopping Center.
In 1976, the first Dunwoody Fourth of July parade began at Georgetown Shopping Center and continued to Dunwoody Village. Gerry Spruill was chairperson of the parade. Her committee included several members of the Dunwoody Woman’s Club. Cecil Day and Mike Tilleman were grand marshals of the parade.
According to cororealty.com, Georgetown Shopping Center today includes 142,397 square feet on 11.3 acres. Stores and businesses include Kroger, Goldberg’s Deli, Farm Burger, Vino Venue, and Sherwin Williams. The AT&T store was the former location of Starbucks before it moved to adjacent Shoppes of Georgetown.
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
PROVIDED
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA Georgetown Shopping Center first began in 1964. This is the center's entrance sign today.
Georgian stepped up to render assistance following hurricane
Helene was horrible. She was devastating. She was a deadly killer hurricane that didn’t fight fair.
Here in north Georgia, we’re not accustomed to such ferociousness in a storm. It rained and rained and rained in our area. Twelve inches in a Wednesday through Friday stretch.
We never lost power, and there was minimal wind damage. While we were spared much of the storm’s wrath, there were others who lost their homes, their businesses and their lives.
It was an example of others being hopeless, having been dealt a hand so tragic. We’ve all seen the video footage of towns, whole towns, completely washed away.
The natural reaction to this is to feel sorry for those who have been affected. When we see a natural disaster halfway across the world, it is easy to empathize but much tougher to take action to help. Maybe a mention about it on Sunday from the pulpit, a plea for help, a second collection perhaps and the whole matter is shelved from our minds.
Maybe it’s a Southern thing, or perhaps it’s a North Georgia thing, but when the chips are down and there’s a call for help, by golly, a sense of community emerges that is so gratifying that, well, you just have to write about it.
Neighbors Josh and Alethea Jacobs posted a Facebook message that they were heading to Baxley, Georgia, to help. The Jacobs couple were probably envisioning a pickup truck load of what was needed. The community was looking at two to three weeks without power.
What happened was such an outpouring of generosity that the subsequent message was: “We have
had such an amazing response from our Forsyth community! We have had several people donate much needed items, and we have been able to purchase so many items thru $ donations that now we are in need of a trailer for the day!”
The lines to get any type of assistance and sustenance were massive. Think of trying to get in for a concert and prepared to be treated to music. Then think about standing in such a line to get food for your family, drinking water and any other essentials.
These were folks who never would have thought about asking for a handout until the deluge.
Then think about how proud the Jacobs made you feel as they pulled that trailer to Baxley.
Ditto for the Knights of Columbus from Christ the Redeemer parish in Dawsonville. Grand Knight Larry Suarez fielded a call from a Knights group in Vidalia. No water. No means of getting water. Suarez was the organizer and commissioned two Knights, Ike Pankhurst and Tony Roberti, to drive a truck ladened with nearly 6,000 bottles of water to Vidalia.
There’s enough going on that would warrant a tumultuous case of the blues. War in the Middle East, a dock workers strike (talk about a Titanic-sized case of bad timing), chemical clouds befouling our air are crises we can do nothing about.
Thank heavens for all the folks doing more than merely wishing they could help.
It makes worrying about whether the Braves would survive the trip to San Diego rather inconsequential and unimportant.
Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.
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