Johns Creek Herald - March 28, 2024

Johns Creek game for pickleball

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Fadó Irish Pub is setting up its third Georgia location at Medley, a 43-acre mixed-use development slated for the Johns Creek Town Center.

Fadó Irish Pub is a part of the first 11 restaurants announced for Medley, brainchild of Avalon developer Mark Toro, according to What Now Atlanta.

Fadó, meaning “long ago” in Gaelic, was founded in 1996 by a group of Irish entrepreneurs who came to the United States with the goal of offering the best of Dublin pubs to consumers, according to the company website.

Other Fadó locations are in Buckhead and Midtown with additional locations in Chicago, Philadelphia, and Columbus, Ohio.

Little Rey, which boasts a Northern Mexico inspired menu from acclaimed chef Ford Fry, is also coming to Medley alongside CRÚ Food & Wine Bar, Lily Sushi Bar and Knuckies Hoagies.

► PAGE 3

Pickleball, attended the ceremony as well.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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

Man reports threats by former employee

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A man who works at a tire business on State Bridge Road reported to police March 12 that a former employee said he has a “bounty” on him and his family.

The victim told police he hired the suspect last December but that he was fired due to poor performance. He also said he had filed a report against the suspect that month and that the suspect was arrested for entering auto at the business, according to the incident report.

A woman showed police text messages that had been sent by the suspect, saying the suspect had a $500 bounty on the victim’s head and $1,000 on his family’s heads.

While the victim told police he did not feel threatened, he said he feared for his wife’s safety, the only other family member living at his home.

Man arrested for felony drug possession, firearm

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a 37-year-old Alpharetta man March 17 after they found a number of packaged narcotics in his vehicle and more than $2,600 in cash during a traffic stop.

Police pulled the suspect over State Bridge Road because his vehicle had been equipped with a flashing blue and green light.

Due to the odor of marijuana and admission to smoking in the car days before, police conducted a probable cause search and found a variety of drugs, including packaged marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine, Alprazolam pills as well as pressed fentanyl pills.

They also found two digital scales, a

THC vape device and a marijuana pipe as well as a firearm between the driver’s seat and center console.

After police transported the suspect to the Fulton County Jail, they were granted warrants on the suspect for the use of blue light in commission of a felony, possession of drug related objects, obscured or missing license plate, possession of cocaine, possession of schedule I controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, possession of controlled substance in schedule IV, possession of schedule II substance, possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.

Police also seized the cash.

Woman charged for animal neglect

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — An employee at a business off Abbotts Bridge Road reported to police March 17 that someone had abandoned a black labrador, tying it to a nearby fire hydrant.

The employee showed police footage which captured a woman walking out of the woods and tying the dog to the fire hydrant with its leash, then walking away, as well as a second video showing the suspected owner walking around the shopping center after the abandonment.

The woman never returned to the scene, according to the incident report.

Police found a chip in the dog, revealing its owner to be a 31-year-old Johns Creek woman. Police charged the owner with animal abandonment and the incident was turned over to Fulton County Animal Control.

Man’s home targeted in alleged prank war

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported a group of children allegedly set his front yard on fire and vandalized his garage door on Tuxford Drive March 3.

A neighbor reported she woke up to the sound of an explosion outside and saw the victim’s front yard on fire around 2 a.m., and she alerted him.

The victim was able to extinguish the flames with his garden hose before police and fire arrived, the report states.

Officers reported telling the victim that the junior and senior high school prank war was in full swing, and the victim said one of his granddaughters is a junior at a local high school.

The victim also said a vehicle in his driveway had gotten egged twice and covered in Silly String. He reported he had not checked for damage, but he thought there were some minor marks.

Officers reported observing the victim’s right garage door had the letters “SR” spraypainted on it. The victim estimated it would cost some $400 to repaint.

A large area of the front yard was also charred and black. The victim told officers he wishes to prosecute the suspects for the $700 in damages, the report states.

The victim’s neighbor reportedly provided officers with Ring doorbell footage that showed a group of suspects lighting something on fire in the man’s yard before fleeing.

No suspects have been identified.

Woman’s identity used to open six phone lines

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta woman reported March 11 someone used her identity to fraudulently open six lines of phone service.

The victim’s mother reported the alleged identity fraud because the victim was attending college in Massachusetts.

Officers reported speaking with the victim on the phone, and she said she received a Verizon bill at her permanent address in Alpharetta. She said her name was misspelled on the bill, and she does not use Verizon as her phone service.

Officers reported the $753 bill was due March 14 for three iPad Pros and three iPhone 15 Pro Maxes.

The victim was referred to the Federal Trade Commission to report her identity as stolen, the report states.

No suspects have been identified.

Johns Creek woman breaks records in kettlebell at Team USA qualifiers

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — In Syracuse, New York, 46-year-old Urmila Tawar broke a world record in the kettlebell sport March 9.

Tawar’s performance in the twohour, non-stop kettlebell lift at the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation Team USA qualifiers sent her over the top, lifting 190 repetitions more than the last record set in 2018.

With the feat, she also set a national record and became the first person in the under-60 kg body weight category to do the two-hour lift for the one-arm jerk.

Tawar’s daughter Arya Negre, a third grade student at Barnwell Elementary School, also participates in the sport, having competed for the first time in the IKMF World Championship in Cegléd, Hungary, in November.

Since she joined the team in 2021, Tawar has won seven medals in total, with several in gold, and recently made the roster for Team USA to compete in Denmark in May.

— Amber Perry

New York,

URMILA TAWAR/PROVIDED

Urmila Tawar, center, wins first place in the one-arm jerk for 60 minutes at the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation World Championship in Belgium in November 2022.

URMILA TAWAR/PROVIDED

Urmila Tawar, 46, sets a world record for the two-hour, nonstop kettlebell lift at the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation Team USA qualifiers in Syracuse,

March 9. Tawar has been part of the International Kettlebell Marathon Federation Team USA since 2021, winning a total of seven medals, and recently made the Team USA roster for a competition in May.

Forsyth County welcomes Danish officials

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia and Danish officials joined Kamstrup leadership March 21 to commemorate the opening of the company’s new North American headquarters in Forsyth County.

The noon ribbon cutting at the new 150,000-square-foot facility on Forsyth Commerce Way featured remarks from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Jesper Møller Sørensen, Kamstrup CEO Søren Kvorning, Kamstrup Vice President and Country Manager Bruce Bharat and Chris Smith, honorary consul of Denmark.

Kamstrup is a water metering solutions and services company based in Denmark that aims to reduce waste and support production of clean water and energy. Its U.S. operations began in 2013 and focus on supporting water utilities. The company’s previous headquarters opened in Roswell in 2018.

Kemp said the new headquarters and manufacturing facility would not be possible without support from Forsyth County government and Georgia’s longstanding relationship with Denmark.

The first Danish consulate in the state was established in 1802 in the Port of Savannah.

“I’m so excited about Kamstrup and certainly want to thank the ambassador for being with us today and for his support of this great company,” Kemp said. “It’s an honor to have him in the State of Georgia. We had a great visit about this, so many things that our state

and his country are doing together, and we’re excited about the future of that.”

Ambassador Møller Sørensen thanked Kemp for the welcoming business climate in the state, and he recognized Kamstrup’s growth in Georgia from a company with four employees to more than 130.

“As we now look ahead, let us continue to build on this foundation of

cooperation and shared goals,” Møller Sørensen said. “And let us work together toward a future that is not only more sustainable, but also full of opportunities for our next generation.”

Local officials including Forsyth County Commission Chairman Alfred John and commissioners Laura Semanson and Cindy Jones Mills also attended the ceremony.

City Calendar & Events! 2024 APRIL

April 3

Free Outdoor Fitness - Barre

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness

Zumba

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

April 4

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

Newtown Park - 10:30 a.m.

April 6

Free Outdoor Fitness Strength Training

Cauley Creek - 8 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness Jazzercise

Cauley Creek - 10:15 a.m.

April 7

Free Outdoor Fitness - Yoga

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

April 10

Free Outdoor Fitness - Barre

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness Zumba

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

April 11

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

Newtown Park - 10:30 a.m.

Arts, Culture, & Entertainment Committee

City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

April 13

Free Outdoor Fitness Strength Training

Cauley Creek - 8 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness

Jazzercise

Cauley Creek - 10:15 a.m.

Daffodil Days Celebration

City Hall - 11 a.m.

April 14

Free Outdoor Fitness - Yoga

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

April 15

City Council Work Session

City Hall - 5 p.m.

City Council Meeting

City Hall - 7 p.m.

April 16

Planning Commission

City Hall - 7 p.m.

April 17

Free Outdoor Fitness - Barre

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness

Zumba

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee

City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

April 18

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

Newtown Park - 10:30 a.m.

April 20

Free Outdoor Fitness Strength Training

Cauley Creek - 8 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness Jazzercise

Cauley Creek - 10:15 a.m.

April 21

Free Outdoor Fitness - Yoga

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

April 23

Board of Zoning Appeals

City Hall - 7 p.m.

April 24

Free Outdoor Fitness - Barre

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness Zumba

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

April 25

Free Outdoor Fitness Fitness 108

Newtown Park - 10:30 a.m.

April 27

Free Outdoor Fitness Strength Training

Cauley Creek - 8 a.m.

Free Outdoor Fitness Jazzercise

Cauley Creek - 10:15 a.m.

April 28

Free Outdoor Fitness - Yoga

Newtown Park - 10 a.m.

April 30

Teen Driver Safety Class City Hall - 7 p.m.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Kamstrup leadership, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Danish Ambassador to the U.S. Jesper Møller Sørensen and Honorary Consul to Denmark Chris Smith cut the ribbon on Kamstrup’s new North American headquarters in Forsyth County March 21.

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KNEE SURGERY

The Gathering shares confidence in bringing NHL to

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The developers of The Gathering at South Forsyth expressed confidence in securing a National Hockey League team in Forsyth County at a community meeting March 19.

More than 100 people packed into a conference room at Lanier Technical College to hear the latest updates from project staff and share their thoughts on the proposed $2 billion mixed-use development off Union Hill Road, Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Ga. 400.

The 90-minute meeting featured presentations by Krause Sports and Entertainment CEO Vernon Krause, The Gathering Senior Project Executive Frank Ferrara, SCI Architects partner Tone Frisina, Kimley-Horn Vice President Jim Hamilton and Nelson Worldwide principal Lamar Wakefield, who designed Alpharetta’s Avalon and The Battery in Cobb County.

“We think we have, by far, the best location, the best project, the best team to pull this thing off, and we’re going to do it,” Krause said.

Krause said NHL Commissioner Gary

More than 100 people hear the latest updates on The Gathering at South Forsyth at a community meeting at Lanier Technical College March 19. The $2 billion planned development hopes to entice an NHL tenant for its 700,000-square-foot arena.

Bettman expressed enthusiasm when he presented the plans to him in September, and discussions continued through the end of the year.

“In December, I met with him again, took our investment banker with us, and had a good, healthy discussion with him,” Krause said. “And he said, right before we left the room, he said, ‘Vernon, go get

your deal done with the county. Bring me a binding MOU, memorandum of understanding, and I’ll tell you when to start the arena.’”

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved an agreement on principal terms and authorization to continue with The Gathering Jan. 31.

In the agreement, the county agreed

to foot $350 million for the construction of the arena and $40 million for an arena parking deck through revenue-backed bonds if The Gathering secures an NHL tenant.

A binding agreement between the developers and the county is scheduled to be considered at a called Board of Commissioners meeting March 26.

Krause also recognized Alpharetta’s interest in securing an NHL tenant at its North Point Mall.

Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment Group announced March 12 its petition to the NHL with backing from Neil Leibman, Peter Simon and Aaron Zeigler in partnership with NHL veteran Anson Carter.

“So, rather than just go to the media and make up things, like I believe Alpharetta is doing, we are going to send a binding memorandum of understanding to the commissioner, and I think that puts us in the queue,” Krause said.

A vote on potential redevelopment plans for the Alpharetta mall is still pending. At the Alpharetta City Council annual planning retreat Jan. 22, Economic and Community Development

See GATHERING, Page 10

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Appen staff opens ears to Johns Creek in newsroom ‘tour’ of North Atlanta

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The newsroom at Appen Media Group stopped at Sugo in Johns Creek March 21 to listen to residents about the stories they want to see.

This was the fourth stop on Appen Media’s “Listening Tour,” where reporters are visiting the company’s seven coverage areas to gather story ideas, tips and feedback from readers. The next event is scheduled for April 18 at Cherry Street Brewing, Vickery Village in Forsyth County.

Staff reporters Amber Perry, Shelby Israel and Hayden Sumlin kicked off the event with general questions to more than a dozen in the audience, from how readers get their news to what coverage is missing. The reporters also gathered potential sources for beats they hope to dive into, like housing, environmental

reporting and traffic issues.

The hour-long event was filled with guests vocalizing the need for more diverse voices in the paper, to better represent the varied ethnicities and backgrounds of those living in Johns Creek, high school sports coverage and highlighting the dozens of nonprofits that operate out of the city.

Town Center was another point of discussion, with one guest voicing her excitement about the businesses that have already been secured for the area, like biomedical engineering giant Boston Scientific and Atlanta restaurant group Fado. She wanted staff to continue to keep an eye out for new developments.

The project, spanning 192 acres, will be anchored by the pond behind City Hall, also the centerpiece to the future Creekside Park.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA Appen Media staff field audience questions at the Appen Press Club Listening Tour March 21. Reporters visited Sugo in Johns Creek for the fourth stop on the tour to gather story ideas, tips and feedback from readers.

More than a dozen people gather at Sugo in Johns Creek for the Appen Press Club Listening Tour March 21. Attendees, many Johns Creek residents, vocalized the need for more diverse voices in the paper, high school sports coverage and highlighting the dozens of nonprofits that operate out of the city.

The main goal is to make sure people understand that the Village is so much more than one section, and it’s a destination.

LAUREN SOK, owner, Functionize Health & Physical Therapy

Dunwoody Village businesses sculpting a downtown for city

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — In a continued effort to boost Dunwoody Village as the city’s downtown, a newly formed group of area business owners are working on a game plan.

Dunwoody Village, a neighborhood of shops, offices and residences along Chamblee Dunwoody Road near Mount Vernon Road, has been a focus for city officials for some time.

In 2011, the Dunwoody Village Master Plan was created through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Livable Center Initiative grant program, which incentivizes local jurisdictions to revitalize areas into self-sustaining communities with a diverse range of housing, employment and commercial options.

About a decade later, an update was adopted that focused on rewriting zoning regulations.

Dunwoody Community Development Director Richard McLeod said he had passed Dunwoody Village in the ’70s, growing up in Roswell while his mother worked at Perimeter Mall, and noted it hadn’t changed.

“I thought it was a little weird, and I started talking to some of the councilmembers and some of the folks who live around here, and they said, ‘It’s so tired. It needs a lift,’” McLeod said.

There had been criticism from the community that spanned from the number of banks in the Village to style limitations, he said.

Michael Starling, Dunwoody’s director of economic development, said aesthetics of Dunwoody Village were meant to capture the historic feel of Williamsburg,

Virgnia, but that they became a hindrance to new development. Based on a survey conducted by an architectural firm, Starling said most people were more concerned with function anyway, giving city staff ammunition to incorporate design changes into the zoning code.

The master plan also resulted in more city investment into key Dunwoody Village corridors, like the $2.33 million streetscape project on Dunwoody Village Parkway, completed in 2014. Another project, Village Crossroads, is underway which intends to make Chamblee Dunwoody Road more walkable and bike-friendly with additional traffic calming measures.

Merchants group

Then, last year, the Dunwoody Village

Merchants Association was formed, composed of about a dozen business owners, pulled together by city staff.

“I think the majority of Dunwoodians believe that the Village is sort of their local downtown, and we agree with that and think it needs to look and feel and operate more like a downtown,” Starling said. “One of the things that downtown does is have events, concerts, sidewalk sales, that kind of thing, so that’s what that group is focused on.”

David Abes, an association member and owner of a number of restaurants in Dunwoody Village, said the group is planning for quarterly events. His overall project to do business in Dunwoody, as founder of Dash Hospitality Group, is six years in the making.

Abes first opened Bar{n} around two and half years ago, a craft beer and whiskey bar with a menu that offers charcuterie and small plates.

Then came Morty’s Meat & Supply, named after Abes’ grandfather and featuring a community-created “Wall of Fame” with pictures, a 1976 map of Dunwoody Village and a “shrine” to Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest, which includes portraits painted by Dunwoody High School students.

“[Seacrest] just posted about Dunwoody yesterday on social media,” Abes said. “So, the mayor actually tagged him and said, ‘You need to go to Morty’s and see your shrine.”

There’s also an old program from a

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Business owner David Abes leans on a community-created wall inside his restaurant Morty’s Meat & Supply, which features a “shrine” to Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest. Abes, who also owns the nearby Bar{n} and Message in a Bottle, is a member of the Dunwoody Village Merchants Association, a group of business owners working to further define the area as the city’s downtown.

Situated between business owner David Abes’ Bar{n}, Morty’s Meat & Supply and Message in a Bottle, is the Dunwoody Village courtyard, a community gathering spot. Abes noted his work to transform the space into something more vibrant and welcoming.

Village:

Continued from Page 8

Dunwoody July 4 parade — this year, Abes was elected as the parade’s Grand Marshal.

“I said, ‘Am I old enough for this?’” he said. “Because I have gray hair, but … No, it was a really nice honor.”

Gathering place

Across the way is Message in a Bottle, a seafood restaurant and Abes’ latest addition. In another interactive feature, Abes invites families to submit their beach pictures for a TV display as well as write messages to be placed in stacked bottles near the entrance.

All his restaurants, including his food truck Yoffi which serves Mediterranean food, are situated around a courtyard. In a tour, he highlighted the work he had done to transform the space into a more inviting community hangout spot with investment from Regency Centers, the property owner.

“There were literally two metal benches in the whole place and one lamppost,” Abes said. “So, we cleaned it all up, added furniture, the stage, the big screen.”

The courtyard also features colorful murals for picture-taking moments, one with his trademarked “Funwoody” and another with “Good Vibes.”

Abes said he and other merchants saw

Lauren Sok, owner of Functionize Health & Physical Therapy and member of the Dunwoody Village Merchants Association, and Paula Shiver, vice president of engagement at the Perimeter Chamber, stand together during a recent Chamber meeting. The Chamber took over the association in December.

missed opportunities, looking over to the “cool” events that Alpharetta and Roswell were hosting.

Two years ago, he created Green Eggs and Kegs which will be the group’s first event, held in the courtyard on April 20. It will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, hitting close to home as his son was diagnosed as a toddler.

“I always want to do stuff for charity,” Abes said. “I think that’s very important. Whatever we do — it’s like you got to do it community-focused.”

Dunwoody Village, a neighborhood of shops, offices and residences along Chamblee Dunwoody Road near Mount Vernon Road, is the focus of area business owners working to further define it as the city’s downtown.

All the Village

The association also plans to host an all-day, back-to-school event in August called “Funwoody Field Day,” which will include school field day classics like relay races and a scavenger hunt as well as a sidewalk sale in the second half of the day.

Lauren Sok, association member and owner of Functionize Health & Physical Therapy, said Funwoody Field Day will be spaced out throughout all the Village.

“What we realize is when most people say the ‘Dunwoody Village,’ they think it’s the side where Fresh Market is,” Sok said. “All of the businesses in the greater Chamblee Dunwoody/Mount Vernon area are part of the Village.”

Light Up Dunwoody, a pre-existing city event, will be the group’s fourth-quarter focus, but Sok said they plan to make it more magical and again, ensuring it is held throughout the village, with hot chocolate stands, carolers and maybe a petting zoo.

“The main goal is to make sure people understand that the Village is so much more than one section, and it’s a destination,” Sok said, with a hope that the city’s marketing dollars will go toward the area.

The Dunwoody Village Merchants Association is under the auspices of the Perimeter Chamber now, allowing them greater autonomy and an organized platform.

As a longstanding Dunwoody resident, Perimeter Chamber Vice President of Engagement Paula Shiver said she has always felt like there were things that can be done to the Village to bring cohesiveness to the space and that Abes has had that same vision.

“The whole thing sort of clicked and fell into place was his motivation and his enthusiasm and people really seeing how just a little bit of effort can bring a whole community together,” Shiver said.

LAUREN SOK/PROVIDED

SCREENSHOT

ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY/PROVIDED

The Roswell Historical Society will host its inaugural Night at the Museum fundraiser April 6 from 6 to 9 p.m., showcasing its new rotating exhibit, “Presidential Connections to Roswell.” The ticketed event will also feature hors d’oeuvres, drinks and live music.

Historical Society exhibit to feature Roswell’s presidential connections

ROSWELL, Ga. — In its inaugural Night at the Museum fundraiser April 6, the Roswell Historical Society will showcase its new “Presidential Connections to Roswell” exhibit.

The gallery highlights the ties of former U.S. presidents to the city, including Teddy Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter and Woodrow Wilson.

Held at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, Night at the Museum will also feature hors d’oeuvres, drinks and live music. It will last from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the exhibit’s ribboncutting ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Attire for Night at the Museum is casual cocktail. Tickets can be purchased at roswellhistoricalsociety. org. For Roswell Historical Society members, tickets are $65, and for non-members, tickets are $75.

Like other rotating exhibits produced by the Historical Society in the Roswell History Museum, “Presidential Connections to Roswell” will be on display for a year.

The museum is on the second floor of the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. It is free and open to the public Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Gathering:

Continued from Page 6

Director Kathi Cook said the city anticipates North Point Mall owners New York Life will present new plans around this summer.

In a press release, Alpharetta Sports and Entertainment Group announced it is working with the mall owners to redevelop the property with an arena for hockey and concerts designed by architect Frank Gehry; facilities for esports and performing arts; a professional-level outdoor stadium; hotels; and retail, dining and residential components.

Addressing skepticism toward bringing a hockey team back to Metro Atlanta after the relocation of the Atlanta Flames and the Thrashers, Senior Project Executive Ferrara said times have changed, and there are NHL fans spread evenly across the country rather than just in traditional hockey markets.

In his presentation, Ferrara cited failures of the past as poor fan experience, ownership issues, team

performance, financial circumstances, locating the arena too far from its fan base and the eventual relocation of the two teams.

“There were problems with the first two,” he said. “I don’t believe that this is the so called, ‘Oh, they’ve already had two strikes. Will this be the third?’ This is the first time at doing it right. This is the first time of doing this in the right location.”

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Vernon Krause, CEO of Krause Sports and Entertainment, fields audience questions on The Gathering at South Forsyth at a community meeting at Lanier Technical College March 19.

Painter turns vibrant work into fashion pieces

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Over a cup of coffee at Warm Waves in Alpharetta, resident Monika Mittal described how she creates each of her scarf collections.

The designs in Alora, her brand, are taken from Mittal’s acrylic paintings, largely featuring colorful birds and flowers, washed with a medium that allows the work to resemble water color.

Like a journal entry, she said each collection is an impression of her travels abroad — her next will be based on her time in Norway, though some feature her own backyard, like Georgia hummingbirds.

“Each of the scarves is associated with some place,” Mittal said, referencing London as she pulled out a scarf featuring English roses. “London is famous for its roses … In India growing up, I loved roses. The best rose that people would say is the English rose.”

Mittal has two collections featured on her online shop, each using six paintings, and she is beginning to collaborate with other artists to have their paintings featured through Alora, which is Mittal’s 20-year plan.

The site also features kaftans, worn like a loose dress, as well as winged tops and crop tops. She has added other items like paper products and belts, which can be used as bandanas, in her pop-ups.

Versatility is a key aspect to her brand, being able to wear one scarf in multiple ways and giving a familiar outfit a boost. Mittal said scarves allow her to cater to people who want a unique style every day.

With only a carry-on for a two-week trip in Europe, Mittal said she looked fabulous almost every day because of the three scarves she brought. The fabric is mostly satin, wrinkle-free and light, suitable for long trips.

Images are often symbols in Mittal’s work, representing concepts like freedom that harken back to her upbringing in Pilkhuwa, a small town in India.

While Mittal was surrounded by conservative beliefs, living in a building filled with dozens of family members, she said her mother, who taught English in Delhi, instilled in her a sense of empowerment, that she could do anything.

“Being a girl in the 1970s, to grow up and learn that from her, it was amazing,” Mittal said. “I used to dream — I was always doodling and felt like I could fly. That’s how I used to feel.”

Inspired by her daughter who studies fashion in Chicago, Mittal said she found the courage to start Alora four years ago after a career in IT and heading a local pre-school she founded with her husband. Mittal also had to spend time finding the right fabric suppliers and printers, who

I used to dream — I was always doodling and felt like I could fly. That’s how I used to feel.”

MONIKA MITTAL Alpharetta resident and painter

To shop Monika Mittal’s apparel brand Alora, visit www.alorabymonika.com.

offer quality, an ongoing process.

Mittal has been painting for much longer, though, around two decades, and is currently the president of the Johns Creek Arts Center Artist Guild.

She said people wear yellows, reds, greens to all the many celebrations and festivities in India, also excitedly describing Holi, or the festival of colors. Black is not a color you see often, Mittal said, and white is worn to funerals.

For Mittal, colorful clothing, like what’s found in her work, acts as an offering of happiness.

“I say this to my friends. When they’re looking at me, they’re like, ‘I love what you’re wearing.’ I say, ‘Because it’s colorful,’” Mittal said. “If you’re happy looking at me, I should be happy looking at you, too.”

She described the discomfort some of her friends feel in wearing bright colors, but she’s slowly introducing them to adding just a pop, even if it’s adding a scarf to their purse.

“We love seeing people in color,” Mittal said, still appreciating neutrals. “When you look at a painting, you love seeing that.”

Monika Mittal, an Alpharetta resident and president of the Johns Creek Arts Center Artist Guild, shows a scarf featuring an English rose, a print of one of her acrylic paintings. Mittal started her fashion brand Alora four years ago but has been painting for two decades.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Monika Mittal shows off a piece from her fashion brand Alora.

Wednesday

9:30 – 11:00AM

11695 Johns Creek Pkwy

1st Floor Meeting Area

Come prepared with business cards and your 45-second pitch about your business! From these meetings, you will form relationships, create business opportunities, and share information with Johns Creek Business professionals.

11695

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

Men’s Happy Hour Networking

4th Thursday of the month. Check calendar on website for all details.

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

Women’s Networking Connection

4th Thursday of the month. Check calendar on website for all details.

Our Women’s Networking Connection is a great platform for women in business to come together to build strong connections with other businesswomen. Whether you own, run, or have a women targeted business you’ll enjoy great networking, great referrals, and great conversations!

Sponsored Section

Brought to you by - Alice D, Hoag, EdD, LPC, Summit Counseling Center

A few years ago, I intercepted one of my sons as he was descending the staircase and heading outside. He explained, with a guilty expression on his face, that he was going to go outside to smoke a cigarette. Ever since I was my grandmother’s companion during her final months of life as she went through chemo and radiation treatments for lung cancer after her 50 years of smoking cigarettes, I’ve not been a fan of cigarette smoking. And he knew this. I stopped him and challenged, “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.” I went on to encourage him, “Fully enjoy inhaling and blowing smoke rings or whatever you do. Get the most out of whatever it is that you do. Choose wisely, then do it with no guilt. If you cannot enjoy it fully, then don’t do it at all.”

In the decade since that first statement just slipped out of my mouth on its own, I’ve reflected on that sentiment. I believe it is a way of living life to its fullest. “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.”

Guilt and anxiety. Neither is a good option to live with as a way of life, yet I interact with so many people who do live in a constant state of guilt and/ or anxiety! It’s their default mode; it just happens without even thinking. Every action and thought carries with it either a sense of guilt or anxiety.

“Being my best self” is a way of life that I attempt to live by every moment of every day. While I may not hit the “best self” goal all the time, I can

certainly choose the “better self” more often than not. It’s an element of being a good steward of what I’ve been given. And we’re all called to good stewardship of everything we’ve been given: time, talent, energy, body, mind, actions, motives, finances, relationships, and on and on.

It is not an easy task to choose our better self (or best self). It requires that we surrender the easy path, the selfish or self-protective default mode in each of us. However, as we do, we become more intentional. When we choose our actions intentionally to be consistent with our best self, we end up being less guilt-driven. And when we act intentionally, there is less anxiety. There’s actually less emotional involvement at all. Acting intentionally requires that we observe the options from several angles, then choose the best version of ourselves to move forward in a direction. This results in freedom, contentment, and joy. That’s living with Gusto!

If you’d like guidance and encouragement on choosing joy and living with gusto as your better self, The Summit would love to come alongside and walk with you on your journey.

On Occam’s Razor, Hickam’s Dictum and Crabtree’s Bludgeon

Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Arriving at a correct diagnosis is not a simple matter. With the exception of the occasional conspiracy theorist (Is Elvis alive?), most people gravitate to the least elaborate explanation to a question – the explanation that makes the fewest assumptions to fit available data.

Indeed, this approach is known as “Occam’s razor” and is the most famous rule of diagnosis taught in medical school. Within medicine, this rule is sometimes abbreviated to mean that a doctor should seek one single unifying diagnosis that explains all of a patient’s complaints instead of trying to explain five complaints with five diseases. For example, if a patient has a tick bite, rash, fever, headache and confusion, perhaps a single tick-borne illness explains all the symptoms and the patient can be treated accordingly rather than delaying treatment and introducing risk to perform spinal taps, MRIs or other investigations to search for second, third or fourth diseases.

Occam’s razor might sound like obvious and sage advice. Unfortunately, it proves wrong often enough that a Dr. John Hickam, former departmental head of medicine at Indiana University, felt the need to remind students that Occam’s Razor is sometimes wrong. He coined Hickam’s Dictum, which states “patients can have as many diseases as they [darn] well please.” (Dr. Hickam used the other D word, but we may have children in the audience.)

How often is Occam’s razor wrong?

In my physical diagnosis class in medical school, a professor taught us that there was a study of inpatients admitted at a university hospital in which the researchers looked at how often at least two diagnoses were necessary to account for the patient’s chief complaint. The result? One third of the time at least two diseases were to blame. Hickam’s dictum counterbalances Occam’s razor and reminds us of not becoming nearsighted or prematurely triumphant upon reaching a plausible single diagnosis. Sometimes two or more diseases are to blame. Sometimes, the patient in respiratory distress has the flu and covid.

A third rule, Crabtree’s Bludgeon might be my favorite. Who doesn’t love a good bludgeon? (You can tell I am a father of boys). Crabtree’s bludgeon says that a motivated individual will figure out an intelligible method of explaining away a set of contradictions, no matter how contradictory they are and how wrong they might be. This rule hints at the extent to which we humans often doggedly stick to a certain conviction or belief despite all the evidence to the contrary. New evidence says we might be wrong? No problem. We simply reason out elaborate new rules and exceptions that fit

our previous beliefs and account for the new evidence. Never underestimate the ability of people who are wrong to invent reasons not to admit it and to figure out how the new evidence actually further proves that they are right. (Think Flat Earthers)

Sometimes, a doctor can cling to an erroneous diagnosis far too long when what the patient needs is a complete reassessment. This is one of the most compelling arguments for patients receiving second opinions.

One of the most interesting cases that I have encountered in my medical career occurred when I spent a month studying at Stanford University. A patient presented to Stanford’s dermatology clinic with a tumor near her optic nerve and with certain birthmarks of her skin. She was sent by the ophthalmology department to the dermatology department for an opinion on whether the eye tumor was related to the birthmarks.

The stakes were high. If the eye tumor was deemed connected to the skin findings, then the ophthalmologists planned on watchful waiting and observation of the tumor. If not, then they planned surgery which could result in blindness in that eye. I spent hours researching the embryology of her findings and discovered reasons to believe that the patient’s tumor was very likely an atypical presentation of a disease called segmental neurofibromatosis. I concluded that the tumor and the birthmarks were very likely part of a single syndrome.

When I presented the case at Stanford’s dermatology grand rounds, Occam, Hickam, and Crabtree all showed up. Great debate ensued. The first professor to speak argued for the optic nerve tumor being unrelated to the birthmarks. Other professors found my evidence for a syndrome convincing. When the first professor found herself outnumbered, she doubled down and bludgeoned her way into arguing that the data was not only weak but actually backed her argument.

How did things turn out? The patient chose observation instead of surgery. My visit to Stanford ended, but I corresponded with a professor there, and the last update that I received was that the patient was doing well with no further growth of the tumor on subsequent MRIs.

I hope that you enjoyed this peek into diagnosis within medicine. For readers with children or grandchildren, I suggest that the lessons to be learned from Occam, Hickam and Crabtree are worth sharing and have relevance far beyond the field of medicine.

If you or a loved one has a possible skin cancer or any medical or cosmetic skincare need, please consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor, Kathryn Filipek, PA-C and our wonderful staff are honored to take care of you and your family.

Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 18 years experience as a Dermatology PA. We are excited to welcome her, as she brings with her experience in general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology.

Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.

Windward retiree group honors deceased member

ALPHARETTA, Ga.

— The Windward Association of Retired Men presented late member Paul Yosick with its annual Founders Award.

A member since moving to Alpharetta in 2015, Yosick died Nov. 9 at age 79. He served as the association’s treasurer for five years and was instrumental in the Windward Veterans Day Flags Across the Dam event.

Member Leland Carawan presented the award to Yosick’s wife Barbara at a weekly breakfast meeting.

Yosick also supported the group’s participation in the annual Windward July 4 picnic and was the unofficial

greeter of visitors and members at weekly meetings.

“Paul’s passing was a tremendous shock to WARM members,” member Eric Hempelman said. “He radiated positive energy and meant so much to so many people. He is greatly missed by all his WARM friends.”

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Tri-State College in Indiana, Yosick spent more than 35 years working on air pollution control systems for power plants. He and his wife Barbara had three children.

The Windward Association of Retired Men is a voluntary organization that offers activities to current or past Windward residents who have retired or are considering it.

— Shelby Israel

Alpharetta Rotary sets date for inaugural golf tournament

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Rotary Club of Alpharetta will host an inaugural golf tournament at Iron Horse Golf Club at 3430 Ga. 9 April 15.

Registration will open at 7 a.m., followed by a shotgun start at 9 a.m. and cocktails at 3 p.m. Participants will receive breakfast and a lunch reception. Individual registration is priced at $350, and foursomes are invited to register for $1,200. Game packages that include a putting contest, four mulligans and 15 raffle tickets are also available for $100.

Sponsorship is open to individuals and businesses. Hole sponsorship is

available for $500, and a tournament title sponsorship is priced at $6,000. “This tournament will attract small and large business sponsors, as well as individuals who want to make a difference in the areas where they work and live and do business,” Alpharetta Rotary President Casey Robinson said. Those interested can register at birdease.com/alpharotarygolf.

The Rotary Club is also accepting volunteers for the tournament. To volunteer, email alpharettarofogolf@ gmail.com.

— Shelby Israel

YOSICK

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

Simplifying…and the one that got away

If there’s one thing that’s universally true about fly fishing, it’s that gearing up can be complicated.

But what if gearing up could be made simpler?

It can be, and one way to do just that is to sing the song of tenkara.

That’s what I’m doing on a fine afternoon a week or so ago. I’m getting ready to enjoy a day of tenkara fishing up in the mountains. We’re in the midst of one of those brief warm spells that often characterize the approach of spring, and that’s all it takes to get me into a trouty frame of mine. Fishing is in my future!

But where – and how?

The “where” is easy. For the last few weeks I’ve had a hankering to fish the upper reaches of the Chattahoochee River. To get there, I’ll drive from Helen, turning off Alt. 75 at the little white church and then following Poplar Stump Road (paved) until it morphs into gravel and follows the river up into the Chattahoochee WMA. I’ll keep driving until things just look right, and then I’ll stop and grab the rod and see what happens next.

And the “how?”

Lately, in the interest of that “simplicity” thing, it seems as if I’ve been picking up a tenkara rod as much as anything.

Tenkara is a centuries-old Japanese approach to fishing with flies. It uses a fixed line about the same length of the rod, plus about 4 feet of 5X (or so) tippet. And that is all. The line attaches directly to the tip of the rod. There is no reel, and as a result life is suddenly simpler for sure.

I’ve talked about tenkara before here. Does it sound interesting to you?

On this day, I pick up a Tiny Ten 2 rod from Tiny Tenkara, a rod company based in Colorado. This is a delightful little rod for use on small mountain waters like the one I have in mind. It has a fully extended length of about 8 feet, making it an ideal rod for small, tight mountain streams. I’m using it with a level fluorocarbon monofilament line, to which I’ve added the obligatory 4 ft. of tippet. On the end of the tippet I’ve tied a small reverse-hackle fly (a traditional sabaka kebari) to the end of my leader.

And with that, I’m ready to go.

After a while, I come to a section of creek that’s to my liking. I pull off the

Steve Hudson’s new book, TENKARA 101, is a perfect introduction to the art of tenkara-style fishing. It’s available from local outfitters or direct from the author at FlyBooks.net.

road and park. Then I put on the waders (it’s kind of chilly outside) and pick up the rod and turn toward the water.

Five minutes later I stand beside the stream. The flow here is small – just a few yards across – and there’s not a lot of room for casting. But the little 8-foot Tiny Ten 2, which weighs only 2 ounces and collapses to a length of 13 inches, is right at home in the tight quarters of this beautiful mountain stream. In some areas, there’s room to make an actual cast, and the Tiny Ten 2 proves precise and accurate in its ability to put the fly where I want it to go.

In other places, streamside vegetation closes in and regular casting is impossible. That’s when I turn to the “bow-and-arrow” cast, a technique which allows me to almost slingshot the fly toward chosen targets. It’s a great technique for fishing small mountain streams, and the little rod does a great job there too.

How are the trout reacting to all of this? Well, several wild rainbows vote in favor of the small soft-hackled sakasa kebari (which is, at the risk of oversimplifying things, Japanese for “a fly with a reversed hackle”).

I fish the fly subsurface through several promising runs, watching the junction of the line and the tippet for subtle signs of a strike. Sure enough, there are several. I get lucky and bring a few of them to the net, where I admire them and quickly release them back into the water. Sometimes I’ll even see a fish move to the fly, but when that happens I often strike too soon and miss the fish completely.

After a while I switch to a surface fly. I am concerned that it might be too cold for such imitations of adult aquatic insects, but it’s warmed a bit and I’ve seen some bugs (maybe stoneflies) flying over the water. I rummage in my fly box and find something that looks about right for imitating them, then cut off the subsurface fly and tie on the surface imitation instead. Fishing is slower with the dry fly, but even so I manage to coax two trout (a brown and a rainbow) come to the surface and strike.

Though there’s always the possibility of a minor trophy in stretch of water, I encounter no big fish on this day. Most

of the ones I tangle with are in the 4- to 6-inch range, a size which fits the water (and the Tiny Ten 2 rod) perfectly. But I do manage to lose one that seems a little bit larger. Was it eight inches long? Maybe ten?

Of course, if a fish gets away, it can be as big as I want it to be. You understand that, don’t you? Of course you do.

So I figure that the one I lost went about five pounds!

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

The author used the Tiny Ten 2, an 8-foot tenkara rod, on a recent trip to fish for trout on the upper Chattahoochee near Helen.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

A wild rainbow trout from the upper Chattahoochee near Helen.

Swing into Spring with the Dunwoody Garden Club Gala

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

It’s a sure sign that Spring is here when the Dunwoody Garden Club holds their annual Gala. The popular event includes a morning of games with a light breakfast, followed by a silent auction, a luncheon and a Chico’s fashion show. Arrive at 10:00 a.m. to play card games, mah-jongg, or a board game of your choice.

If you don’t come for games and breakfast, be sure to arrive at least by 11:00 a.m. so that you have time

PAST TENSE

to peruse the silent auction items and place your bids.

The 2024 Gold, Silver, and Bronze sponsors are The CBD Store, The Mansions-Sandy Springs, and Atlanta Hearing Associates and Dunwoody Ace Hardware.

Tempting restaurant gift certificates are always plentiful. Café Intermezzo, Lazy Dog, and Budi Sushi are just a few of those who have contributed. You’ll also find live plants and flowers, passes to area attractions, fine art and jewelry, gift baskets, beauty packages, and more. The lakehouse getaway at Lanier is sure to be a popular item.

If you go

• April 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Dunwoody United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall

• $35

• 1548 Mount Vernon Rd

• For tickets call Bonnie Barton, 770-639-3510, by March 25

This annual fundraiser allows the Dunwoody Garden Club to continue its many projects to beautify and improve Dunwoody and its environs. The main entrance gardens at Brook Run, the Dunwoody Library atrium planter and main entrance gardens,

and the accent landscaping at Windwood Hollow Park are all provided and maintained by this industrious group.

To purchase tickets, please contact Bonnie Barton, 770-639-3510. Tickets for the event are $35 and must be purchased by March 25th.

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/.

Families moved to a new town by wagon or train

No one likes to move. It is one of the most difficult and exhausting tasks we manage in our lives, even if a moving truck is coming to pick up our belongings. Imagine all your possessions fitting in a wagon.

In the early twentieth century, before everyone had a car or truck and before moving companies, families were still moving everything they owned with a wagon pulled by a mule or horse. If the destination was near the railroad, a family could move their household and personal items by train.

Nancy and Fred Miles moved from Atlanta to Sandy Springs in April of 1915, along with their seven-year-old son Edward and five-year-old daughter Alice. Fred worked a half day at his job with Georgia Power in downtown Atlanta and rode the streetcar to Buckhead to meet his family on moving day.

The possessions of the Miles family, including their chickens, were brought to their new home by a mule-drawn wagon. Their cow Betsy and her calf walked behind the wagon.

The family arrived at their new farm at the corner of Dalrymple and Brandon Mill Roads, known today as Lost Corners Preserve. The log home with two lean-tos was replaced later that year with a new home on the same foundation. Fred Miles, Jr. was born in 1916, Peggy in 1922, and

Henry in 1929.

The Webb family made their move from the area where Lindbergh MARTA station is today to their new home in Sandy Springs in 1924. Cliff and Clara Webb and their twelve children traveled down Lindbergh Drive towards Peachtree Road, turned on Peachtree Battle Road, then north on Northside Drive. Their home was at the intersection of Glenridge Drive and Johnson Ferry Road.

The family brought their Aberdeen Angus and Holstein cattle on their

move and started C. S. Webb Dairy in Sandy Springs. The dairy barn, milk house, sleeping barn, engine and boiler room were built by local builder Arthur Mabry.

Posey and Feriba Mitchell moved from Sandy Springs to Roswell in the Fall of 1905. The family had already moved multiple times, and their last move before Roswell was to Sandy Springs where Posey began working construction at Morgan Falls Dam. Feriba and her daughters prepared and sold lunches to workers at the

dam. They were saving up for the final move to the home they bought in Roswell.

The journey to their home at Oak Street and Ellis Street in Roswell was not long, but the roads were narrow with deep ruts from wagons. A good portion of their journey was along what would become Roswell Road.

Nolan Reed wrote, “Moving day came and all our belongings loaded on our two-mule wagon, the cow had to be walked by Papa, so Mama drove the mules and wagon.” At the Chattahoochee River, the mules refused to cross the covered bridge. They made it across the bridge after encouraging the mules with oats. Next was the steep hill up to Roswell.

When the Reed family arrived at their new home to find the previous owners had not moved out due to an illness, they lived with their cousins Lemma and Austin Martin temporarily.

Tolleson and Laura Little Kirby brought their family from Tate, Georgia to Dunwoody by train in 1914. They traveled to Atlanta and Chamblee, then north on the Roswell Railroad to Powers Station. Their possessions were in a boxcar, which was left at the station for the night while the train continued to the Roswell Depot. Everything had to be unloaded overnight before the boxcar was picked up the next morning.

Their three-room house was on forty acres Tolleson Kirby purchased from Scott Powers. Back then, the road was called Little Kirby Road, combining the family names. Today, that road is known as Pitts Road.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

KIRBY FAMILY/PROVIDED

The Tolleson Kirby family came to Dunwoody by train. Later, Tolleson delivered the mail by horse and wagon, then with his Model-A Ford, seen here parked by the New Hope Presbyterian Church.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Senate Bill 472 is bad news for Johns Creek businesses

Online marketplaces have provided a huge opportunity for Georgians like me who sell online. I took a chance with my business and can sell to practically anyone, anywhere. But now our lawmakers could upend 11 years of my work with a bill that makes selling online harder.

SB 472 would change the definition of who qualifies as a “high volume” seller and hold me liable for tracking transactions that I’m not even privy to. Just about anyone could be a high-volume seller - from college kids reselling textbooks to boutiques selling online.

This is a ridiculous and unnecessary burden. How am I supposed to comply with this kind of rule, especially when there’s already a

national law? The INFORM Consumers Act went into effect last year and already defines high-volume sellers. Does this mean I have to comply with two different laws? Government overreach has never solved much in my experience, and I don’t want to give over that much sensitive information that could be hacked down the road.

Georgia is right to want to curb retail theft, but it can’t do so at the expense of honest business owners. A federal bill already exists to deal with those issues; State Sen. Brandon Beach and the rest of the state need to let the INFORM Act do its work and leave sellers like me alone.

Bryan Fly , Johns Creek

Is Your Company Hiring?

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING:

Tuesday, April 16, 2024, AT 7:00 P.M.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING:

Monday, May 6, 2024, AT 7 :00 P.M.

CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS

11360 LAKEFIELD DRIVE, JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA 30097

The following Land Use Petitions are scheduled for public hearings:

LAND USE PETITION: RZ-24-0001 and VC-24-0001

PETITIONER: McKinley Homes

LOCATION: 5825 Abbotts Bridge Road

CURRENT ZONING: AG-1 (Agricultural District)

PROPOSED ZONING: CUP (Community Unit Plan District)

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Single-family detached residential subdivision with 31 lots at a density of 0.83 units per acre with one concurrent variance to reduce the landscape strip along Abbotts Bridge Road from 40 feet to 20 feet.

LAND USE PETITION: RZ-24-0002

PETITIONER: Toll Brothers, Inc.

LOCATION: 6350 Hospital Parkway

CURRENT ZONING: MIX (Mixed Use District) Conditional

PROPOSED ZONING: TR (Townhouse Residential District)

PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Single-family attached residential subdivision with 60 townhome units at a density of 8.9 units per acre.

So far so good

Recently, I felt like I was the luckiest guy in the world. It had nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day, March Madness, or the fact that the South’s beauty was preparing to, once again, offer a pleasing respite to dreary Old Man Winter.

I now know what true despair is: Being prone in a hospital bed from January 5th until late February is a phenomenon, I recommend to no one, no matter how proficient someone might be in nastiness. It seems like ages ago when I stared out that hospital window, wishing for snow. But I really didn’t care about the climate. I just wanted to go home.

Ditto for being in that rehab facility. Written on the board in my room were the words “Non weight bearing.” I guess I was a slug, constantly telling myself that this too will pass. But coming home, aside from being around loved ones, didn’t provide the instant return to normal that I had envisioned. I didn’t want to sleep in my bed, reasoning “all in due time.” My recliner, followed by a comfy couch would do me just fine.

Until it didn’t. Mustering up as much gumption as warranted, I went upstairs and experienced the sleep of the just. Lordy, that sleep was so good that I never wanted it to end.

But it did. So, I went out and started my motorcycle, dreaming of rides with friends. I was allowed by my podiatrist/ surgeon, to put weight on my toeless foot. I ditched the wheelchair and used a walker. I had this monstrous shoe on my foot, but loving a challenge, I went out and started my car. Youngest son Greg had done a fabulous job driving his dad to appointments and outings. But it was time to tackle being truly free. I drove around the neighborhood. Wouldn’t

you know it: Mastering the intricacies of the car, a four-wheeled computer, was something to work up to.

A weekend trip to Frazier’s HarleyDavidson lifted my spirits. David, Lil Billy, and Big Carl seemed genuinely happy to see me. And I was elated to see them, figuring the initial trip of 2024 was a time to pump the brakes on good-natured ribbing. They’re my friends and I cannot wait to mount the Black Beauty, my threewheeled Harley and walk through the door.

A phone call from high school best friend Klint Schahrer drove home the point that he truly cares. We laughed until it was time to go, then we laughed some more.

Folks called to ask Vicki if there was a funeral. I was a poor communicator of the trials and tribulations of losing toes. Then they seemed grateful at being able to talk with me. A surprise visit from my brother Matt helped me cope with even though I was now “half-footed,” the love of a brother made me feel I’d thrive in a pair of Wolverine riding boots. Larry Suarez, the Grand Knight from our Knights of Columbus, barbecued a brisket that he and wife Theresa delivered. Neighbors David and Zayra brown brought soup that was so good, I got nary a spoonful. Cynthia Meisner brought a gift card. Father Brian Higgins brought wisdom and Holy Communion.

There have been some lessons learned. When someone says: “Let’s go,” I’ll beat them to the car.

Dorothy was right: There truly is “No Place Like Home.”

Slowly, I’m getting back. Smiling at knowing my family, and many others, love me and want me back.

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.

MIKE TASOS Columnist

Calendar

KEVIN HART – BRAND NEW MATERIAL

What: Emmy- and Grammynominated comedian Kevin Hart will perform.

When: Friday, March 29, 9:30 p.m.

Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Cost: Tickets starting at $91.80 More info: sandyspringsga.gov

THE GRASS IS DEAD

What: The Grass Is Dead will perform its own interpretations of Grateful Dead tunes and traditional roots music.

When: Saturday, March 30, 9 p.m.

Where: From the Earth Brewing Company, 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell

Cost: $20 in advance; $25 at door

More info: ftebrewing.com

PUNCHLINE COMEDY NIGHT

What: On the first Monday of every month from April through October, Punchline Comedy Night features live comedy acts and drinks specials. Performances last about 90 minutes and are recommended for ages 13 and older.

When: Monday, April 1, 7:30-9 p.m.

Where: Palmer Plaza at Avalon, 950 3rd St., Alpharetta

Cost: Free

More info: experienceavalon.com

TIN CUP CRUISE-IN

What: On the first Thursday of every month, an evening of classic cars will take place at Cumming City Center. The road will be shut down prior to the event. Beginning at 5 p.m. classic cars can enter through the Canton Road entrance and park up the main street on a first come, first served basis.

When: Thursday, April 4, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming

Cost: Free

More info: cummingcitycenter.com

BIRD WALK AT OVERLOOK PARK

What: Join for a morning birding walk at Morgan Falls Overlook Park, which boasts several habitats and a large variety of birds over the year. A scope and loaner binoculars will be available.

BIRD WALK AT OVERLOOK PARK

What: Join for a morning birding walk at Morgan Falls Overlook Park, which boasts several habitats and a large variety of birds over the year. A scope and loaner binoculars will be available.

When: Saturday, April 6, 8 a.m.

Where: Morgan Falls Overlook Park, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs

Cost: Free

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MARCH 28 APRIL 7

When: Saturday, April 6, 8 a.m.

Where: Morgan Falls Overlook Park, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs

Cost: Free

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

RIDE FOR VETS

What: The Johns Creek Veterans Association presents Ride for Vets, a motorcycle ride to support veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

When: Saturday, April 6, 8 a.m.

Where: Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek

Cost: $25 for riders; $35 for riders & passengers; $15 for T-shirts

More info: studentleadershipjohnscreek.com

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

What: The Roswell Historical Society will host its inaugural Night at the Museum fundraiser to showcase its new rotating exhibit “Presidential Connections to Roswell.”

When: Saturday, April 6, 6-9 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell

Cost: $65 for Roswell Historical Society members; $75 for nonmembers

More info: roswellhistoricalsociety.org

TAI CHI WORKSHOP

What: Join for a class on tai chi, a series of gentle physical exercises and stretches, sometimes described as meditation in motion.

When: Sunday, April 7, 2-4 p.m.

Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody

Cost: $20

More info: dunwoodynature.org

ROSWELL READS PRESENTS:

CHARLES FRAZIER

What: National Book Award-winning

Author Charles Frazier, author of “Cold Mountain,” will discuss his latest work, “The Trackers.” The novel is a portrait of life in the Great Depression, conjuring up

the lives of everyday people during an extraordinary period of history. Frazier’s discussion will be moderated by Gina Caison, the Kenneth M. England associate professor of Southern American literature at Georgia State University.

When: Sunday, April 7, 4 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest St., Roswell

Cost: $20 for general admission; $40 for reserved seating and signed book More info: roswell365.com

THE ART OF MOVEMENT GALLERY EXHIBIT

What: Focusing on the theme of movement, this exhibition presents artworks that depict dynamic motion, capturing the energy and fluidity of the human body, animals or inanimate objects.

When: Until May 4, business hours

Where: Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton St., Alpharetta

More info: artsalpharetta.org

Landscaping

Carreno Landscaping

Monthly lawn maintenance, irrigation, sod installation, plants, mulch-fertilization, tree removal, pinestraw installation. 404-333-5107 or text address for work.

Bargains / Medical Equipment

MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR

Pinestraw

Delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch. 770-831-3612

Real Estate

Merits Vision Sport. Less than a year old. Purchased 3/2023. $2800/obo. Alpharetta; must pick up. 352-391-4276 Deadline to place a classified ad is Thursdays by 4pm

678-910-1094

12x50 Mobile Home for rent. South Forsyth near McFarland Road. $800 per month on private lot. 770-639-6518.

Home for rent in Windermere Golf Community. $2,900 a month.

2955 Links View Way, Cumming, GA 30041 5 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms.

Dolan Bursaw 770-891-8860

GREENLAWN

2 plots on picturesque lakeview hillside. Market price, $9000 each. Bargain priced at $5000 each! 770-475-7307

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SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS: (mltple opngs) (Job Code SD-23) - Master’s deg in Info Systms/Technlgy, C.Sci, Engg/IT Mngmnt, Sci, any Engg or relatd flds reqd. Travl &/or relocn to unantcptd locns in US reqd. Job loc: Cumming, GA & unantcptd locns in US. Apply - Attn: HR (Job Code SD-23), Kube IT Inc. 763 Peachtree Pkwy, #4, Cumming, GA 30041. EOE

SYSTEMS ENGINEERS: (mltple opngs) - Master’s deg in C.Sci, Info Sys/Technlgy, Engg/IT Mngmnt, Sci, any Engg or relatd flds reqd. Travl &/or relocn to unantcptd locns in US reqd. Job loc: Cumming, GA & unantcptd locs in US. Apply - Attn: HR, Kube IT Inc. 763 Peachtree Pkwy, #4, Cumming, GA 30041. EOE

DEVOPS ENGINEERS: (mltple opngs) (Job Code DVOP-23) - Bach’s deg in C.Sci, Info Systms/Technlgy, Engg/IT Mngmnt, Sci, any Engg or reltd flds. Travl &/or reloc to unantcptd locns in US reqd. Wrk loc: Cumming, GA & unantcptd locns in US. Apply - Attn: HR (Job Code DVOP-23), Kube IT Inc. 763 Peachtree Pkwy, #4, Cumming, GA 30041. EOE

Project Management Specialists – Multiple Openings – (Alpharetta, GA) Intuites LLC needs professionals: Plan, manage using JSON, Microservices, Agile scrum, Oracle DB, HTML5, CSS3, Angular2. Req. – Bachelor’s plus 2 yrs Exp. Comp. salary, Relocation to unanticipated client site. No National/International travel. Please mail resume to Ref: Director, 1740 Grassland Parkway, Ste 405, Alpharetta, Georgia, 30004

Part-time

REAL ESTATE ASSISTING

Healthy, hard-working, very tech-savvy lady, good organizing skills. 1-5 or 6pm. 2-3 days/week. My Johns Creek home. Also willing to help with home organization. Salary approx. $15+/hour based on performance & work accomplished. Have own reliable transportation. 678-524-3881 & send resume: realestatetreasure@msn.com

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