Real Estate Report Sponsored section ►►PAGE 20
Forsyth economic outlook: Strong Frank Norton Jr. speaks about county ►►PAGE 10
Salute the troops
Soccer shootout
Ga. NCL assemble care packages ►►PAGE 12
Lambert HS hosts 3 v 3 tournament ►►PAGE 27
February 4, 2015 | forsythherald.com | 75,000 circulation Revue & News, Johns Creek Herald, Milton Herald & Forsyth Herald combined | 50¢ | Volume 18, No. 6
Subpoenas issued in city of Cumming insurance flap By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com
KEVIN O'BRIEN/SPLIT SECOND IMAGES
Lambert’s Connor Mannion (24) tries to get around Alpharetta’s Devontae Cacok.
Longhorns can’t contain Raiders Lose in double OT, remain second in region By MIKE BLUM news@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. – The Alpharetta Raiders took complete command in Region 6-AAAAAA with a 72-70 double overtime victory at home Friday, Jan. 23 over Lambert. Lambert remains in second at 12-2, with both losses against Alpharetta. Lambert led 15-9 after a solid opening quarter, but couldn’t hold on trailing 30-
27 going into halftime. The Raiders stepped up their defensive pressure in the third quarter and rattled the Longhorns, leading by as many as 14 points before ending the period with a 49-39 lead. Alpharetta regained its 14-point lead early in the final quarter before the Longhorns began to find the range from outside while the Raiders struggled to preserve their lead. Regulation ended tied 5656, with the Raiders scoring with 30 seconds to play on a tying basket by Greg James. Alpharetta appeared to be in trouble in the first overtime period when standout post player Devontae Cacok left
the game after being hit in the face while drawing an offensive foul. The Raiders trailed by five points with one minute in the first overtime, but freshman point guard Alex Jones scored on a three-point play off a turnover. Jaylon Gamble drove for what would have been the tying field goal with 15 seconds on the clock after the Raiders stripped a Lambert player trying to score, but Gamble was called for an offensive foul. Undeterred, the Raiders again forced a quick turnover and got the ball inside off an inbounds pass
See LONGHORNS, Page 28
CUMMING, Ga. — The U.S. District Court has subpoenaed Cumming Human Resources Manager Phil Higgins for documents related to Cumming’s mayor, the mayor’s girlfriend and the city attorney, and will require Higgins to appear before a grand jury in Atlanta next month. According to information obtained by the Forsyth Herald through the Open Records Act, the court issued three separate subpoenas Jan. 20 to Higgins. In addition to commanding Higgins “to appear and testify before the grand jury of the United States” at 9 a.m. on Feb. 10, the subpoenas requested documents or objects regarding Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt, his longtime girlfriend Angela Mullinax and City Attorney Dana Miles. The first subpoena requested documents including any city of Cumming checks issued to Mullinax, as well as correspondence related to Mullinax between the city of Cumming and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), which is where the city gets its insurance. The court is also seeking a list of government or city property issued to Mullinax, travel expenses related to her and any records relating to the payment of health and/ or dental benefits by the city for Mullinax. The second subpoena
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... [Councilman Sexton and I] had been discussing insurance and the annual renew rate we get from Georgia Municipal Association. I felt it was OK to give him this information.” PHIL HIGGINS Human Resources Manager requests similar documents relating to the mayor, including any city of Cumming checks issued to Gravitt, his personnel file, a list of government and/or city property issued to him, all records of donations or funds provided to the Carolyn Gravitt Memorial Scholarship Fund Inc. and all records related to the leasing of property located at 251 Ingram Avenue. A check of that address shows the restaurant Tam’s Backstage is located at 251 Ingram Avenue. The last subpoena requested documents related to Miles, the city attorney. Information requested in the subpoena
See SUBPOENA, Page 4
PUBLIC SAFETY
2 | February 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
Sheriff’s office promotes four leaders
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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office promoted four of their officers in January, including Capt. Bill Franco, Sgt. Terry Roper, Sgt. Derek Bleisath and Sgt. Donnie Daves. Franco was named the new Uniform Patrol commander. Uniform Patrol includes all Uniform Patrol shifts, the Traffic Unit, the Reserve Unit and Animal Control. Franco joined the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office more than 16 years ago on Nov. 4, 1998 as a Deputy Sheriff II/ Sergeant in the reserves. He became a full-time employee Sept. 09, 2000 as a Deputy Sheriff II working in Uniform Patrol Division. Prior to joining the Forsyth Sheriff’s Office, Franco worked with Fulton County Sheriff’s Office for three years. Bleisath will now supervise Uniform Patrol deputies on one of the day shifts. He joined the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in July 2002 as a Deputy Sheriff I. Daves is the new Operations Division assistant commander. Operations includes School Resource, Community Relations, Ordinance and Permits and the P.A.C.E. Unit. Prior to joining the Forsyth Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff II 15 years ago, Daves worked with Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy and the city of Holly Springs as a sergeant.
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.
Cellphone thieves target Cumming CUMMING, Ga. — Cumming Police were reportedly dispatched Jan. 16 to Target, 1525 Marketplace Blvd., after receiving a theft call about two women allegedly notorious for stealing cellphones from Target stores. Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the manager who reported the incident that occurred Dec. 31, 2014. He reported two females walked into the store together and headed to the cellphone area. They were seen on camera breaking the locks that secure the phones to the counter and placing the phones in their back pockets. Target has stated this is the second time these women have done this at the Marketplace Boulevard store; but in the past year, officials said these women have been seen in 47 other Target stores and have reportedly been caught on camera stealing from the stores. During an attempted getaway at
The officers are, from left, Sgt. Terry Roper, Sgt. Derek Bleisath, Capt. Bill Franco and Sgt. Donnie Daves. Roper will supervise jail deputies on one of the night shifts. He joined the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in April 2003 as a Deputy Sheriff I.
one of the stores, it was reported the women sprayed a loss prevention officer with pepper spray. Out of the 47 incidents, 22 are felony amounts, and they have reportedly stolen over $24,000 in merchandise since May 1, 2014. One of the women, 27, has been arrested before and has warrants for her arrest in multiple jurisdictions. The other woman is believed to be her sister, but little information is available on her. The case will remain active until the officer can gather more information on the suspects and warrants will be issued.
Woman accuses cleaners of stealing FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A woman contacted the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Jan. 16 because she believed her house cleaners stole multiple items from her, totaling about $8,000. The woman said she was in the process of moving, so from Dec. 13 – 23, 2014, she would pick up four males and one female from the front of the Glenwood Mobile Home Park to help her around her house. On Dec. 26, she reportedly first started noticing things missing, so she
made an inventory sheet of the missing items. She told the officer where the five people lived, but when he made contact with them and searched their house, he was unable to find any of the missing items. The workers said the woman’s house was very messy and they could barely walk around in the house with so much stuff on the floor. They said under the woman’s instruction, a lot of items were thrown out and it’s possible some of the missing items could have been included. The woman told the officer she would never allow them to throw away any of the missing items. She contacted her insurance company and has filed a claim.
Suspicious activity at Forsyth Admin Building CUMMING, Ga. — While on patrol Jan. 20, a Cumming Police officer was dispatched to the Forsyth County Administration Building, 110 East Main St., in reference to a suspicious person/ terrorist threats. The officer met with the complainant, who told the officer while he was in
See BLOTTER, Page 29
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DUIS & DRUGS 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.
DUI arrests ►► Brandon Andrew Ballew,
28, of Mockingbird Road, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 17 on Keith Bridge Road in Cumming for DUI and failure to yield when turning left. ►► Michael Mangialetto, 59, of Carriage Drive, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 17 on Lakeland Plaza in Cumming for DUI and failure to obey a traffic control device. ►► Philip Jeffrey Thompson, 27, of Oakwood, Georgia, was arrested Jan. 17 on Canton Road in Cumming for DUI and
failure to maintain lane.
►► Jennifer Michelle Kersey,
27, of Hyde Road, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 18 on Hurt Bridge Road in Cumming for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Anita Lynn Whelchel, 49, of Mars Hill Road, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 17 on Mars Hill Road in Cumming for DUI. ►► Marsha C. ManswellMelvin, 38, of Wildener Way, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 18 on McFarland Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► James Richard Banks, 52, of Eatonton, Georgia, was arrested Jan. 17 on Habersham Hills Road in Cumming for DUI, open container and possession of marijuana. ►► Regina Maholick, 59, of Oak Walk, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 20 on Highway
►► Diana Marie Brown,
20 in Cumming for DUI.
►► Geraldine Kay Jordan, 58,
Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 3
of Toccoa, Georgia, was arrested Jan. 25 on Keith Bridge Road in Gainesville for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Shane Alan Long, 36, of Dawsonville was arrested Jan. 24 on Ga. 400 in Cumming for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Christian Banchs, 37, of Holleybrooke Drive, Alpharetta, was arrested Jan. 25 on Union Hill Road in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Albert A. Myers, 38, of Lawrenceville was arrested Jan. 25 on Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Cumming for DUI, speeding and failure to maintain lane.
52, of Shepherds Pond, Alpharetta, was arrested Jan. 25 on McFarland Parkway in Alpharetta for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Michael Wayne Jones, 60, of Buford was arrested Jan. 25 on Hopewell Road in Cumming for DUI and failure to maintain lane. ►► Kenneth S. Johnson, 22, of Suwanee was arrested Jan. 26 on Bagley Drive in Suwanee for DUI, no headlights and window tint violation.
Drug arrests ►► Felicia Montez Gray, 29,
of John Trammel Drive, Cumming, was arrested Jan.
24 on John Trammel Drive in Cumming for possession of methamphetamines. ►► Jeremy Komorech, 24, of John Trammel Drive, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 24 on John Trammel Drive in Cumming for possession of methamphetamines. ►► Eric Deon Demmings, 24, of McFarland Parkway, Alpharetta, was arrested Jan. 17 on Trotters Parkway in Alpharetta for possession of marijuana, tampering with evidence and possession of drugrelated items. ►► David Michael Horne, 29, of Acorn Court, Cumming, was arrested Jan. 17 on Atlanta Highway in Alpharetta for possession of heroin.
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4 | February 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
Lambert HS to share upgraded football field with county Commissioners also receive update on transportation, courthouse projects By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Commission approved a joint funding agreement to use a practice field at Lambert High School, following a commissioners’ work session Jan. 27. Under the agreement, the county will provide JARRARD the primary funds for an upgrade of a practice field at Lambert. The county would fund the installation of synthetic turf at the field, in return for use of the field for county programs, said Ken Jarrard, county attorney. “The county would be able to do county parks and recreation programs on the field,” Jarrard said. “The day-to-day operation will be on the Board of Education. It will be installed by July 2015, and the county will tender the cost up to $495,000.” The Parks and Recreation Department gets to use the field Saturdays year-round and weeknights on a schedule, Jarrard said. “They’ll follow our field standards like our existing football fields,” said Gary Davidson, principal of Lambert. At the work session, the commissioners also heard from County Manager Doug Derrer about the county’s plans following the approval of the countywide transportation bond referendum in November 2014.
The day-to-day operation will be on the Board of Education. It will be installed by July 2015, and the county will tender the cost up to $495,000.” KEN JARRARD County attorney
After the transportation bond passed, many Forsyth County residents were left wondering what was next. Derrer said staff has already begun looking into a transportation plan and will continue to move forward to develop a comprehensive plan or approach to administer the projects. While the county could use a firm or project manager to work with them on all or some of the projects, Derrer said they decided against that. “We decided to use a hybrid approach using existing staff,” Derrer said. “It’ll
work perfectly fine.” Derrer also said they want to update the county’s website more frequently to keep everyone updated. “If we need to update weekly or daily, we will,” Derrer said. “We want everyone to know where we are on the project.” Jodi Gardner, director of communications, said the goal was to make a central location for all transportation information. “The engineering department will update us on a regular basis, and the website contains information on SPLOST updates,” Gardner said. To view the updated website, visit http://tinyurl.com/mw96nl5. Commissioners also received an update on the art and décor at the new courthouse and jail, set to open early spring. Carla Beasley, a member of the art-décor committee, said the county wanted to stick with local history and a regal theme for the buildings. “For the lobby, we have someone who will create pictures of historical and current and new courthouses, so six total,” Beasley said. The committee chose Bryan White, Beasley said. He will make the pictures of the buildings cohesive. In total, the buildings will contain nine documents of historical significance, the six pictures of the courthouses, two pictures of judges who passed away while in office and the inscription of “Equal Justice Under Law” outside the courthouse. The commissioners will meet next on Feb. 5.
Head-on collision takes one life By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A car crash ended in a fatality at 10:35 p.m. Jan. 25 when Kenneth Payne, 54, of Cumming died after his car collided head-on with another
Subpoena: Continued from Page 1
included Miles’ personnel file, any Georgia Municipal Association benefit enrollment forms and applications related to or associated with Miles, city of Cumming checks issued to him, any correspondence between the city of Cumming and the GMA related to him, including any letters waiving the probationary period for health and/or dental benefits for him, and any city contracts awarded to him or to Miles, Patterson, Hansford & Tallant LLC.
vehicle. The accident took place on Old Atlanta Road near Daves Creek Drive in southern Forsyth County. The other driver, 34-yearold Kirthika Sivasubramanian of Cumming, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threaten-
ing injuries. Investigators currently believe Payne was driving his 1997 Chevrolet Blazer in the southbound lane of Old Atlanta Road around a curve near Daves Creek Road, while Sivasubramanian was heading southbound in her 2013
Nissan Leaf. The curving road prevented Sivasubramanian from seeing Payne coming straight at her until it was too late, and the two vehicles collided, according to investigators. The accident is still under investigation.
The subpoenas come on the heels of the potential impeachment of Councilman Rupert Sexton. Sexton has been accused by fellow councilmembers of directly or indirectly publishing a list put together by Higgins that contained confidential insurance and financial information of the city’s employees. Higgins said he provided the document to Sexton at the councilman’s request in July 2014. “In and around that time period, we had been discussing insurance and the annual renew rate we get from Georgia Municipal Association,” Higgins said at an impeachment hear-
ing Jan. 13. “I felt it was OK to give him this information.” The document was later leaked onto social media, causing the city to launch an impeachment investigation of Sexton over releasing confidential documents. Sexton, however, said he did not release any information, but that the records in question are open records anyway. The release of the document listed Mullinax and Miles as recipients of city-funded health insurance plans. When asked why his girlfriend is on the document, Gravitt admitted to putting her on the list.
“She does a lot of work for the city of Cumming,” said Gravitt. “I put her on [the list]. I think the city pays $663 a month for her insurance – that’s it. I think we got a good bargain.” Miles, who does work for the city but isn’t a full-time employee, was also on the leaked document. He said that other city attorneys in the state receive health insurance as a form of payment, so he believes it’s not a conflict of interest. The city uses GMA for insurance coverage. GMA’s policy says in order to receive health insurance benefits, the employee must be full-time.
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Community leaders gather to discuss drug problem By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — On a cold and rainy Friday afternoon, judges, law enforcement and religious leaders gathered to discuss drugs and their impact on the Forsyth County community. Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills called for the year’s first Drug Awareness Council Jan. 23 after more than three deaths of young people have occurred in the community in the last six weeks. The council was created in 2013 in response to the growing presence of drugs in the community. Over 30 members of the council attended the meeting, including Sheriff Duane Piper, Chief Judge Jeffrey Bagley, Juvenile Court Judge Russell Jackson, Superintendent Jeff Bearden, Drug Court Coordinator Jennifer Johnston and Edward Bailey from No Longer Bound. “I definitely saw and heard a lot about drug problems in the community,” Mills said. “It wasn’t really written about in the paper. It wasn’t in speeches. Yet there were kids dying, and we kept hearing of kids dying. I kept having parents come to me and say, ‘We don’t know what to do.’ From that,
we started these meetings and formed our first drug summit.” Last year, the Drug Awareness Council held three drug summits, where the community gathered to learn, share and mourn drug addictions and deaths due to drugs. There have been roughly 500 people who attended those three summits, Mills said. “The people come hungry, they want to hear and know more,” Mills said. “I’ve talked to more people in desperate situations who just don’t know which way to turn.” Mills said after the third meeting, the council didn’t know what step was next. “It’s not a quick fix,” Mills said. “It’s ongoing. We have a great group of people who are no longer trying to pretend like there’s not a problem. We know there are issues. “Now, we need to think about where we go from here,” she said. “If we can get kids equipped in elementary age, they’ll be so much better off.” One of those people who knows it’s a constant struggle is Forsyth County Sheriff Duane Piper. “We have drugs in our community,” Piper said. “Before anyone starts panicking, the numbers are lower here than
KATHLEEN STURGEON/STAFF
Over 30 community leaders attended a Drug Awareness Council meeting Jan. 23. other places.” Every year, there are at least five who die from drug overdoses, Piper said, with one of the biggest problems being heroin. Piper said drug issues don’t start in your 40s, they start when they’re kids. Despite the recent chain of deaths, Piper said Forsyth is becoming successful because people are getting involved. “We need to get the community to know it’s OK to talk to each other,” Piper said. Drugs are not the problem, Piper said. What drives kids to
the drugs is the problem, he said. Corp. Page Cash with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Community Relations Unit created a teen interception program she hopes will help stop those early drug problems before they get started. “Teen Interception is a teen drug educational program provided by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office,” Cash said. “It’s not a scared straight program. It’s a program focused on saving teen lives and redirecting them to make
better choices in order to live successful lives.” The class is something Cash hopes to start this year. It will be offered to 13- to 17-year-olds for free for seven weeks. Each week will have a different theme, Cash said, including breaking down the barriers between teens and law enforcement and the possibilities of jail, becoming homeless and death. Solicitor General Bill Finch said programs like Cash’s are important because people use self-preservation and stigma as a way to ignore problems. “If you don’t have tools to stop your kids from using drugs, find someone who can,” Finch said. “Stop being their friend and be more of a parent.” Debbie Smith, director of student support and services for Forsyth County Schools, said the overall thing is having an open mind, not a fixed mindset. “No matter the circumstances you came from, you become what you want to be,” Smith said. “It’s intrinsic. We have to get kids in that mindset.” The Drug Awareness Council is planning its next drug summit for the near future.
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OPINION
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DRUG AWARENESS:
Saving a life more important than protecting a reputation Getting invited to attend a Drug Awareness Council is not something that happens every day, especially in a town that you don’t think has a drug problem. Like many local papers, the Forsyth Herald receives police reports each week. Of course, there are DUIs and drug arrests, but nothing too out of the ordinary. At the Drug Awareness Council meeting, I thought the agenda might include a discussion of drugs in general and how to prevent it from becoming a problem in Forsyth County. I figured there may be some concerned parents in attendance. I didn’t know what to expect. So I was taken aback when I walked into the room and saw it was filled with some of the most important people in the county. Judges, lawyers, law enforcement, teachers, parents, drug abuse
KATHLEEN STURGEON Forsyth Herald Reporter kathleen@appen mediagroup.com
advocates, religious leaders, elected officials and more filled the room to the brim. It was pretty cool to see these prominent people in the county collaborate to tackle an existing issue. We discussed numbers and figures, but eventually, the talked turned real. When it was announced that there had been at least three overdose deaths in the county by young people in the past three months, the room became very quiet. Various people spoke up about their associations with drug abuse, whether personal or through their job.
But in the end, the consensus was Forsyth County has a drug problem that’s affecting the young people – and it needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Many talked about parents who know their child has a problem but don’t want to admit it, either because of self-preservation or stigma. This needs to end. The council decided there needs to be more people to talk to and places to go when parents need help. In the upcoming months, the council hopes to hold events and figure out more resources that could be helpful, even in a matter of life and death. For starters, visit http:// forsythcountydrugawarenesscouncil.org to get information if you think your child is using drugs. After all, isn’t saving a life more important than protecting a reputation?
LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Vegetarians unite in Forsyth The following is a letter to the editor in response to Kathleen Sturgeon’s column from Jan. 21 entitled, “Food for thought.” There are plenty of vegetarian people (many Asian Indians are vegetarian due to religious beliefs) in Forsyth. My family has been in the
same situation as you have described. We don’t even eat if we know that the food has some type of meat-based broth. It is hard to know the truth at some places due to language and cultural differences. Some places have received complaints from me because
their placement of meat before beans leads to pieces of meat or drops of gravy falling into beans. I do believe that if more people go to restaurants and ask for vegetarian food, restaurants will be forced to take notice. –Chirag Sanghavi Forsyth County
The Big Creek kindergarten team members, from left, are Cynthia Fauscett, MacKenzie Hayes, Lisa Biedermann, Carey Upchurch, Becky Smith, Sue Norris, Gretchen Adams, Lindsey Dorsey, Cindy Dorsey, Donna Corey and Anne Marie Larson.
Big Creek ES celebrates 100th day of school CUMMING, Ga. — Gray hair, walkers and ankle-hugging nylons were the look at Big Creek Elementary School when it celebrated the 100th day of school Jan. 20. Teachers and staff who
support the kindergarten and first-grade students appeared to age to 100 years old overnight. The students were amazed as they entered the classrooms looking for their teachers.
“It was a fun and memorable way to mark the 100th day of school while incorporating an authentic depiction of number sense for our younger students,” said Principal Sherri Black.
Say goodbye to Cadbury? I am not a huge fan of chocolate. I like the occasional piece, but I do have some sweets that I enjoy over others. High on that list are many types made by British chocolatier Cadbury. They make the ever-famous Cadbury’s Crème Egg at Easter as well as Chocolate buttons, Maltesers and Cadbury Bar (their equivalent of the Hershey’s Bar). These candies and many more can be found in grocery stores’ “international aisles” as well as British-themed shops throughout the nation. So imagine my dismay upon hearing the news that many of the Cadbury candies will no longer be imported to the States. The horror! This news comes after a legal dispute between a major importer of the sweets, L.B.B. (Let’s Buy British imports) and Hershey’s, the Pennsylvania chocolate goliath. According to the New York Times, the results are horrendous – “The company also agreed to halt imports on KitKat bars made in Britain; Toffee Crisps, which, because of their orange packaging and yellow-lined brown script, too closely resemble Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; Yorkie chocolate bars, which infringe on the York Peppermint Patty; and … Maltesers.” (As a side note, apparently Swiss company Nestle was also targeted by Hershey’s.) One type of candy not affected by this are the Cadbury chocolates made by Hershey’s itself. The Pennsylvania company has an agreement with Cadbury to make U.S. versions of their chocolate, albeit with changes for the American market. For instance, the iconic Cadbury Bar is made by Hershey but with a different recipe, making it taste, oddly,
JONATHAN COPSEY
Revue & News Editor jonathan@ appenmediagroup.com
U.S. chocolate only has to have 10 percent actual chocolate to be considered “chocolate.” That percentage is twice as much in the U.K. a lot like a Hershey Bar. A la the NY Times – “Chocolate in Britain has a higher fat content; the first ingredient listed on a British Cadbury’s Dairy Milk (plain milk chocolate) is milk. In an Americanmade Cadbury’s bar, the first ingredient is sugar.” Also, U.S. chocolate only has to have 10 percent actual chocolate to be considered “chocolate.” That percentage is twice as much in the U.K. I understand stopping Brit KitKats, maybe even Yorkies (not to be confused with York Peppermint Patties), because of their similarities to American chocolates. But to stop all other imports seems like spite and an example of Hershey’s trying to keep their near-monopoly on the U.S. chocolate market. I for one will be stocking up on the imports while I can. Who knows when they will next be available?
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forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 9
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Forsyth’s economic outlook stronger than other northeast counties By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — As the fastest-growing county in Georgia, it’s no surprise that the economic outlook for Cumming and Forsyth County is good. At the 2015 Economic Outlook breakfast held by the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce Jan. 27, keynote speaker Frank Norton used an analogy about swimming upstream to describe Forsyth. “You’ve been swimming upstream since I’ve been associated with Forsyth County, and you’ve done it very well,” said Norton, who is president of The Norton Agency. “Swimming upstream is what you all have done best. You continue to look forward and you’re capturing more of what’s happening in Atlanta than any other northeast county. That’s pretty amazing.” Norton said to remember that the leadership that emanates from groups like the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce is what makes Forsyth County great. “I see bursts of brilliance, then I see isolation and community at war,” said Norton. “I see competitiveness that brings down a county. But
NON PAI
Frank Norton gives details about the economic outlook for Forsyth County and Cumming. what we have here is a collective spirit. Northeast Georgia is a patchwork of cities and counties, and you have to work together.” Norton gave quick facts about Forsyth, including the fact that it’s the third largest county in northeast Georgia, but the fastest growing county in the state. “If we look at the median household income, you outstretch every other county on this side,” Norton said.
Over 260 people attended the 2015 economic outlook breakfast. For unemployment and number of second homes, Forsyth ranks third for both. “It looks like you all sold some $2.9 billion worth of real estate trading hands in Forsyth County in 2014,”
Norton said. “You’re significantly pulling ahead of the other counties in northeast Georgia.” Because of what has been built in Forsyth, the county has pulled itself out of the
PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN STURGEON/STAFF
pack of other counties and is leading northeast Georgia, Norton said. “You’re getting the best and brightest of the newcomers coming into Atlanta,” Norton said.
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forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 11
State promises more rigor, higher bar under Ga. Milestones tests By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA – Melissa Fincher readily admits the state’s most recent assessments, primarily the Criterion-Reference Competency Tests (CRCTs), did little to evaluate achievement over their past 14-year life span. “Georgia has the very dubious distinction of having the lowest achievement expectations in the nation… as far as what it means to classify a student as proficient,” said Fincher, deputy superintendent of testing and accountability for the Georgia Department of Education (GDOE). With the CRCT, given for the final time in grades 3-8 last spring, only students scoring in the “Exceeds” expectations category likely mastered the curriculum. In some test categories, getting fewer than half of the answers correct was considered passing. Fincher is confident the new Georgia Milestones Assessments will be a true indicator of academic achievement, and allow the state to move toward one assessment tool instead of a series of tests. “We have been a test happy
Nearly $110M budgeted for Georgia Milestones tests ATLANTA – In June 2013 with Common Core Standards a four-letter word among many politicians and parents, Georgia opted out of the national assessment, preferring to create its own annual assessment of the standards. Georgia had been part of a consortium of 22 states that joined to develop the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) in math and English/language arts to measure achievement under the Common Core standards. The test would have been administered for the first time in 2013 as a pilot, then rolled out nationwide this school year. The state’s decision not to use PARCC surprised few, and its unceremonious dumping was seen as a compromise between those for and against the Common Core standards. At the time, then-State School Superintendent John Barge cited the per pupil cost for the PARCC test – $23 million annually – as prohibitive. But last year, Georgia entered into a contract for $108 million to develop the Georgia Milestones as the state’s annual assessment beginning this school year. That figure does not include the millions of dollars spent to develop and validate test questions and the communications components to educate and inform the public, according to state officials. The exorbitant price tag has prompted the person who took Barge’s job, current State School Superintendent Richard Woods, to proceed cautiously and methodically. “[The costs] adds to the need for an audit to provide information on the number of tests and loss of instructional time our children endure, as well as a cost-benefit analysis on our current national testing model,” said Woods, who has been in office for just over one month. state and we are trying hard to turn the page in launch-
ing Georgia Milestones,” said Fincher.
Georgia Milestones: An overview ATLANTA – The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) will be administered annually beginning this spring in grades 3 through 12. The assessment will measure a student’s knowledge in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Students in grades 3-8 will take an end-of-grade (EOG) assessment in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. High school students will take an end-of-course (EOC) assessment in eight courses designated by the State Board of Education. The test will count for 20 percent of the student’s final grade in that subject. The test format will include: open-ended response items in language arts and mathematics in all grades and courses. a writing component at every grade level and course within the language arts assessment. embedded items that are nationally normed (instead of just Georgia curriculum) to provide a national comparison. a transition to complete online administration over time, replacing paper-pencil. For more information on the Georgia Milestones Assessment, visit the Georgia Department of Education at http:// www.gadoe.org. During a media forum hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education in January, Fincher laid out the plans for the Georgia Milestones, which will be administered for the first time this spring in grades 3 through 12. “If I had three words to describe what we are trying to accomplish with Georgia
Milestones, they would be comprehensive, coherent and consolidated,” said Fincher. She said Milestones scores, when compared to the CRCT and the End of Course Tests in high school, will likely plunge initially as students become accustomed to the higher bar and rigor. Gone are the tests
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Girls from all chapters assembled boxes. Among them were the class of 2020 Tick Tockers after they completed their project. NCL members are called Tick Tockers and Patronesses.
Georgia NCL chapters salute the military ATLANTA — About 400 mothers and daughters from six Georgia National Charity League chapters (NCL) joined together Jan. 13 to salute the military at the Peachtree United Methodist Church in Buckhead. NCL chapters had representation from Buckhead, Dunwoody, Northeast Atlanta, Roswell, Alpharetta, Gardenia and Milton. The program began with several dynamic speakers.
Shelley O’Malley, a graduate from the United States Naval Academy, a retired naval officer and currently a Delta pilot and flight instructor, inspired the members to “fly high” to achieve their dreams. She also spoke about her experience in a predominantly male environment. Additionally, O’Malley’s daughter Lauren, who was recently accepted to the Naval Academy for the upcoming fall term, spoke candidly about
her decision to also attend the Naval Academy. The next speaker was Remington Youngblood, a middle school student who founded a military-based community service organization called Change 4 Georgia. Youngblood spoke passionately about his commitment to serve, and inspired the National Charity League girls, ranging from seventh to 12th grade in over a dozen local schools, to get involved. After the speakers con-
cluded their portion of the program, the members broke out into five different areas to assemble care packages for the troops overseas. Specific donations were generously supplied by the NCL members for the contents of the care packages. Donations included breakfast items, coffee and tea packets, powdered beverages, energy drinks, snack items and foot care products. Collectively 1,100 packets
were assembled and filled 30 boxes. The boxes were brought to the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW Post 9143 in Cumming and will be shipped to the troops overseas. The event proved to be a demonstration of mothers and daughters working together to serve the community, which is the cornerstone of the NCL mission. To learn more about the organizations go to www. nationalcharityleague.org and www.change4georgia.org.
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Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 13 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Forsyth to celebrate Give Sawnee EMC taking Kids a Smile Day Feb. 6 applications for Washington Youth Tour CUMMING, Ga. — Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation will be accepting applications through Feb. 13 from high school juniors and seniors to be a delegate to the 2015 Washington Youth Tour. The tour will be held June 11-18. “This is a very prestigious award and will go to two students of the many that will apply,” said Blake House, vice president of member services. Students of Sawnee EMC members who are selected will have a firsthand experience to see what electric co-ops from across the U.S. are experiencing and how co-op members’ energy needs are met by 21st century approaches. “The annual Washington Youth Tour is truly a unique opportunity for two of our area high school students,” said Cindy Badgett, director of external affairs. “Since 1965, Georgia’s electric cooperatives have sent teenagers to our nation’s capital to give future leaders in the co-op communi-
ties a front-row seat to American government and electric cooperative principles. Youth Tour participants represent our future electric co-op leaders of tomorrow and hopefully will become leaders in their communities.” The two student delegates selected by Sawnee on this year’s Washington Youth Tour will participate in leadership training, engage in one-on-one conversations with elected officials, jumpstart their national peer network and tour Washington, D.C. In 2014, Sawnee EMC sent two student-delegates to Washington, part of a record of 1,660 students from across the nation who participated in the 2014 Youth Tour. Applications for this year’s event can be found online at: www.sawnee.com/content/ washington-youth-tour and questions can be directed to Badgett at 678-455-1399 or via email at cindy.badgett@ sawnee.com. All applications must be received before by 5 p.m. Feb. 13.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County students from families in need will have the opportunity to receive free dental treatment through Give Kids a Smile Day on Feb. 6. These students have been identified through dental screenings at their schools as needing some sort of dental care. For many, this will be their first experience at the dentist’s office. Through the continued generosity of local dental practices, these students will receive
free dental services that will include x-rays, cleanings, sealants, fluoride treatments and in some cases, more extensive services. This year marks the sixth year of the collaboration between Forsyth County Schools, local dental practices and United Way of Forsyth. United Way of Forsyth County said it sincerely appreciates the dental practices that once again stepped up to support Give Kids a Smile Day by the giving of their time and expertise.
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COMMUNITY
Cat of the week: Prissy CUMMING, Ga. — Prissy is a calm and quiet 6-year-old female who needs a home. She would love a home that is relaxed, peaceful and not too noisy. She is OK with dogs that share her relaxed temperament. This petite girl is very loving and affectionate; she will purr as soon as you look at her.
She is such sweet and gentle cat; she deserves a wonderful life in a loving home. Come meet her at the Humane Society of Forsyth County adoption center, 4440 Keith Bridge Road. Open Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
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Dog of the week: Buddy CUMMING, Ga. — Good dude. He was my buddy before I even knew his name, which just happens to be Buddy. With a heartfelt but necessary owner surrender, Buddy is now in the Humane Society of Forsyth County dog building. That’s the right spot to find
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Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 15 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Drug, alcohol awareness breakfast yields largest audience yet By KATHLEEN STURGEON kathleen@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — Harmony Grove Baptist Church Brotherhood hosted the 11th annual Drug and Alcohol Awareness Breakfast Jan. 25. The event began out of the concern from men in the church after one of their own young men almost died due to
drug addiction. After they realized the need in the community, the men of Harmony Grove Baptist had two goals — to educate and encourage everyone, especially young people, to avoid falling into this deadly trap and to offer help and hope to those who are suffering from addiction and their family members. In its early years, the event
attracted 40 or 50 people, but it has now grown to over 225 attending this year. “The support of the community and our elected officials shows how much this problem has affected our area,” said Karen Martin, the mother of the young man who almost died.
This year’s breakfast featured many special guest speakers, including Forsyth County Sheriff Duane Piper, Assistant District Attorney James Dunn, Deputy Page Cash and Solicitor Bill Finch. “The recurring theme was that this problem will not be solved by any one agency or
person alone, but takes the whole community coming together to make a difference,” said Martin. “The hope of Harmony Grove Brotherhood is that this event might play a part in our community’s efforts to save and restore lives from the devastation of addiction.”
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Coca-Cola Enterprises CEO refreshes GNFCC Eggs & Enterprise John Brock heads European bottling operations, says world’s best brand still needs to remain current By HATCHER HURD hatcher@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – CocaCola Enterprises Chief Executive Officer John Brock has spun a career that began as an undergraduate at Georgia Tech to heading up the largest soft drink bottling operation in Europe – Coca Cola Enterprises. Sure, it helps to have the most valuable consumer brand in the world, but it still takes a lot work to keep on top of an ever-changing world, he said. Speaking at the Jan. 20 Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Enterprise breakfast, Brock said being No. 1 means staying No. 1, and that still takes drive, technology and good marketing. That means selling 30 billion units in Europe alone. Coca-Cola Enterprises maintains its dominance doing the little things in a big way. “We are the best at managing retail relationships,” Brock said. “That means from the biggest retailer to the local pizza parlor.” It means sending in reps to move product on store shelves three and four times a day because the store manager doesn’t have the staff to restock Coke products that often. Coca-Cola mines the data that comes from its sales and customer preference. “What allows us to win in the marketplace is for our salespeople to go and make a call and to know more about our business in that store than
the owner does,” Brock said. There are two entities in the Coca-Cola world – the people who make the Coke and Coca-Cola Enterprises, which markets the retail product. They are separate companies. Of their combined 800,000 employees, only 50,000 are employed by Coke. The rest work for Coca-Cola Enterprises. Of course there are numerous products in the Coca-Cola line that are not Coke. And in Europe, there are many options Americans don’t see this side of the Atlantic, as tastes differ in the various regions of the world. Yet Coca-Cola products are sold in more countries than there are members of the United Nations. Staying No. 1 means you don’t stand still, Brock said. Therefore, Coca-Cola has embraced social media. It has the largest Facebook following in the world. The brand is always in front of people – on coolers, menu boards, umbrellas and, likely as not, on the scoreboard of your Little League field. Innovation is continuous, he said. The newest Coke product in Europe is a greenlabeled Coke Life, a reduced calorie cola sweetened with sugar and stevia, a non-caloric natural sweetener from a South American plant. “It tastes the same as red Coke, but has only a third of the calories,” Brock said. “We want to be a part of the solution to obesity. So 40 percent of our products are low-cal or no-cal drinks.”
HATCHER HURD/STAFF
Coca-Cola Enterprises CEO John Brock addresses the Greater North Fulton Chamber’s Eggs and Enterprise breakfast at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Coke Zero has been the biggest new product introduced since Diet Coke. Coke Life will be a different “flavor system” with 89 calories, he said. Which brings Brock to the theme of sustainability. “That is important to the company, but also the future of the planet,” he said. “The two most important measures of that are reducing water
usage and power usage. The company’s goal is to be 100 percent recyclable by 2020.” As chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, Brock and his leadership team established the company’s first-ever global operating framework with a single vision and strategic priorities. Two of the key priorities have been sustainability and
corporate responsibility. Both are keyed into the expectations of the new millennials – that population cohort born after 1990 – who have a different worldview from their parents about the future. As a company that wants to serve that generation, Coca-Cola must operate in the changing environment, he said. It must embrace that generation’s values. “Does a company have a social purpose? The world is changing and the millennials pay to a different drummer,” Brock said. “They have an idea of what a company should be. They see [a career] of many jobs, not one.” So Coca-Cola’s corporate response – as well as all corporations – must be, “How do we connect” to the millennials who will be company’s customers and its next generation of managers? As a practical matter, Brock’s job is built on three pillars – brands, customers and employees. “I spend most of my time in people development. Part of that is diversity. We are one of 13 Fortune 500 corporations that feature female board members,” Brock said. “All I have to do to find them is look.” Diversity is desirable because it increases the pool from which to recruit the best and brightest minds. “We make better decisions with diversity at the top,” he said. “It is all about winning, and we love winning.”
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BusinessPosts
Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 17
Development dominates north metro 2014 business news Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of excerpts from Frank Norton Jr.’s “Norton Native Intelligence Report for 2015.” The report, which reflects and synthesizes the views from more than 500 individuals surveyed and economic vital signs recorded, has been used to chart the north Georgia economy and real estate for more than 25 years. For years, Norton Native Intelligence has published its Top 10 Trends for North Georgia, but for the last three years, we have diverted from that ”David Letterman” countdown and focused on strong and grand narratives of leading conditions in our region rather than stretch ourselves to talk about or repeat watered-down “trends.” This year, we have reintroduced a Top 10 list but one that, through interviews with our commercial brokers and other knowledgeable industry experts, have determined the most significant real estate or business events that have happened in our primary service area in 2014. While in Atlanta, you might include such things as the construction of the new Falcons Stadium, the relocation of the Atlanta Braves to Cobb County or sightings everywhere of Atlanta’s New Bird, “The Apartment Construction Crane.” North Georgia is our focus and our hometown, our roots from which our legacy springs. Norton Top 10 Business/RE stories 1. Kubota Manufacturing’s 150-acre land acquisition on U.S. 365 at the Gateway Industrial Park. A development which not only brings 650 to 1,000 new jobs and $100 million in plant investment, but solidifies the strength of Gainesville’s North Industrial Park and Kubota’s North Georgia and Hall County’s presence. Kubota is the largest industrial user in
FRANK NORTON JR. CEO and Chairman The Norton Agency
Forsyth County’s transportation SPLOST referendum perhaps is the tipping point for countyby-county transportation initiatives. Hall County. 2. Forsyth County’s transportation SPLOST referendum perhaps is the tipping point for county-by-county transportation initiatives. The positive vote creates a $200 million transportation program of work and could push other counties – Gwinnett, Cobb, Hall and Cherokee – to mount similar self-help transportation initiatives. 3. With the new River Place Hospital (South Hall – Braselton) only months from opening, a frenzy of companion developments are under way or on the drawing boards. Athens Vascular, Medical Arts/Longstreet/Diagnostic Clinic are already underway with separate medical campuses. Smaller medical providers are scrambling for space and a myriad of associate support users are being drawn closer like a moth to a flame to the new hospital epicenter. 4. Walmart Markets has entered the Hall County
market with two stand-alone grocery stores. One is on Thompson Bridge Road,; the other on Browns Bridge Road. The street rumors are a third is planned in south Hall. This is major. The first new Walmart Markets we know of in Georgia, and Hall County is their test market for the South. 5. Residential sales are on the way up. Metro Atlanta and North Georgia inventory is down and horizontal development is returning in isolated pockets. As inventory of available lots continues to decline, the hot elementary school zones (Forsyth, Gwinnett, Cobb, Cherokee) will see more and more land sales, rezoning and platted lot development. 6. The new poultry lab construction on Ga. 356 and the sewer expansion up U.S. 365 north have spurred other development (see No. 1 Kubota). East Gainesville development is heating up; Kroger, McDonald’s, QuickTrip, and now Ga. 356 expansion opens an employment pipeline for Habersham, Banks, Stephens and Rabun. 7. The industrial explosion on I-85 in Jackson County merits this year’s ranking. Over 5 million square feet of industrial space is either under construction or in the pre-development stage. Significant movement includes Ollie’s Bargain Outlet lease in Commerce and a major German manufacturer on the Prologics site, to name a few. The next decade is sure to be Jackson’s industrial awakening. 8. The national builders who have primarily concentrated their renewed construction activities in a tight North Atlanta swath have, at long last, entered the Hall, Barrow and Jackson counties residential fray in 2014. This signals renewed strength in those markets and expanding builder confidence overall. 9. The record industrial sale of 37 acres on Dry Pond
Road in the Raco Industrial Park at $125,000 per acre. WOW, simply WOW. 10. The boom in active adult communities such as Cresswind, Deaton’s Creek and Soleil Laurel Canyon in Cherokee County lead the market into a new character and market demographic, perhaps even a “retirement mecca” if others follow. Other notable real estate or market-driven events not making our Top 10 included: • Gov. Nathan Deal’s reelection; • the announcement of impending upscale retail
along Ga. 400 between Cumming and Dawsonville; • Avalon’s live, work, play development opening in North Fulton; • King Hawaiian’s plant expansion in Oakwood; • Verity Bank (Barrow and Habersham) sale to C&S Bank; • The Mega Kroger store opening in East Gainesville; • Norton’s-952 acre sale in Lumpkin – the biggest acreage sale in our region since 2006; • Brenau University opening a new Medical School in downtown Gainesville.
Protecting your small business from getting hacked With all of the recent data breaches, are you worried that your small business will get hacked? Have you implemented security measures to protect your digital assets, such as customer or financial information? There is little doubt that small businesses face a growing threat to cyberattacks. So, what are you going to do to protect yourself? First and foremost, lock up your network. Many small businesses are compromised via Wi-Fi networks. Hackers drive by buildings and use technology to identify networks that aren’t secure. Once they find one, getting into your information systems is easy. Second, make sure you install anti-malware and anti-virus software. Even if a hacker can breach your network, it makes it more difficult for them to infect computers with malicious software or viruses. Educating your employees can also go a long way in preventing hacking. Make sure employees are changing their
DICK JONES
Founder & President Jones Simply Sales
passwords and not clicking on unknown links in emails that could provide an entry point for hackers. Employees need to know that your data and information is important, and part of their job is protecting it. Hiring an outside security expert may cost you some additional money, but it’s far cheaper than someone getting your information. A small business security expert can do an assessment of your current environment and make recommendations to protect your digital assets. Protecting your data is not just for large corporations. Small businesses are becoming targets for hackers, and it’s imperative that data security is a high priority.
There has never been a better time to become a member of the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce.
BRING IT ON! Start the new year right by considering a membership to the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce. It is a great way to network, learn, and grow your business. For more information, visit alpharettachamber.com or contact Ciara Rubin at ciara@alpharettachamber.com or 404-277-4930. A L P H A R E T TA C H A M B E R
AFTER
H URS URS
ALPHARETTA CHAMBER’S
BUSINESS ACADEMY
Gala 2015
January 24
www.AlpharettaChamber.com
18 | February 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald
NEW LOCATION »
Principal Financial Group opens Roswell business center ROSWELL, Ga. – The Principal Financial Group has opened a new office at 11285 Elkins Road, Suite H2B, to serve Roswell and surrounding areas. The new location provides a full line of financial planning and retirement products and services, as well as tax-saving strategies, estate-planning options and insurance protection plans needed to meet long-term goals. The Roswell office will include Phil Vance, CLU, senior financial services representative, who has more than 35 years’ experience in the insurance and financial services industry. Staff also includes Jim Reinhardt, MBA, registered investment advisor, and Henry Levine, MBA, registered representative. For more information or to set up an appointment, call 678-878-2078.
Neuropathy Treatment Centers open in Roswell, Sandy Springs ROSWELL, Ga. – Foundation Therapy Center has opened the Comprehensive Neuropathy Treatment Center at its Roswell and Sandy Springs locations. Owner Beverly Stegman said the center uses specialized treatments that may include physical therapy, orthopedic therapy, balance rehabilitation and fall prevention, pain management Bev Stegman, Foundation treatment, reflexology Therapy Center owner with use of medical and administrator, leads grade essential oils, a session in therapeutic therapeutic yoga and chair yoga. massage therapy. It also offers complimentary screenings, clinics and lectures/demonstrations, available to the community at large. For more information about the Roswell location, call 770-753-9195.
BUSINESS COMPUTER PROBLEMS? “Carmichael manages our IT. I have never worked with a more client-centric business before – ever. They return calls fast. They listen exceedingly well. They know what they are doing. They are honest, professional, and local. They are partners with Appen Newspapers / Appen Media Group in the truest sense of the word.” – Ray Appen, Publisher Appen Media Group Appen Newspapers
BusinessBriefs HealthSource Chiropractic moving to new location JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — HealthSource of Alpharetta/Johns Creek (formerly Chiropractic Health Center of Alpharetta) is moving to a bigger location in Johns Creek. The new office will be at 11180 State Bridge Road, Suite 501. Dr. Lenny Zaprowski said his new space will provide not only excellent chiropractic care, but also progressive reZAPROWSKI hab as well as therapeutic massage, nutritional counseling and custom-made orthotics. The new office hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment. Zaprowski said the move was to serve his expanding practice and to better serve patients’ needs. He plans to be in the new space by Feb. 16. The phone number will remain the same, 770-772-0335.
Convention, Visitors Bureau launches new website ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau has updated its website, adding new features to attract a wider audience. The CVB marketing team worked with Inward Solutions, an Alpharetta-based company that specializes in web and graphic design, to accommodate the many technology devices being used to search for information on Alpharetta. Potential visitors can download electronic newsletters and brochures, book hotel rooms through the booking engine or share information from the website on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Plus and email. For more information, visit www.awesomealpharetta.com or call 678-297-2811.
PEOPLE »
Ryan Assad joins Keller Williams Realty JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Ryan Assad, one of Atlanta’s top producing residential real estate agents, has joined Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners. Assad joins Keller Williams following 19 successful years ASSAD with Re/Max and Atlanta Communities, where he was honorably inducted into the Re/ Max Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement.
State Bank and Trust names Mike Sims chief banking officer ATLANTA, Ga. — State Bank and Trust Company announced Mike Sims has been appointed the bank’s executive vice president and chief banking officer for all banking functions in both Atlanta and Middle Georgia, reporting to State Bank Chief Executive Officer J. Thomas Wiley Jr. “Mike is an outstanding banker SIMS who exemplifies all the best qualities of our organization,” Wiley said. “I am thrilled to have Mike as a leader of our organization as we continue to grow our presence both in Atlanta and in Middle Georgia.”
Harry Norman North Fulton welcomes three agents Call today for your free IT assesment.
– Tyler Jones, Principal
678-224-8000 • www.CarmichaelConsulting.net
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Harry Norman, Realtors is pleased to welcome its three newest agents in their North Fulton office: sales associates Kim Schott, Rick Lara and Sara Ead. Raised in Pennsylvania, Schott graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Marywood
Submit your business news & photos to businessnews@appenmediagroup.com College. Prior to joining Harry Norman, she worked as a space planner and designer in the corporate architectural field. She has lived in Cumming with her husband and EAD LARA two daughters for many years. Lara is an Atlanta/Roswell resident for over 25 years and is exceedingly familiar with the city and its surrounding areas. As a former Atlanta luxury hotelier and Les Clefs d’Or member with IHG, Lara brings a wealth of hospitality and tourism experience to the team. Ead moved to North Fulton in SCHOTT 2011, and is no stranger to re-location. She is the owner of her own children’s clothing company and has served as president of her school’s parent organization. She wishes to extend the same warm welcome she received to newcomers to North Fulton. For more, visit at www.harrynorman.com.
REAL ESTATE »
Ryland opens model home in Marketplace Commons CUMMING, Ga. — Ryland Homes Atlanta has opened its fully decorated model, The Augustine, at the new Marketplace Commons in Cumming. The community offers homebuyers a selection of several floor plans ranging from 2,064 to 3,329 square feet, starting in the $290,000s. The community, as part of the Forsyth County School District, places residents’ children in three schools: Mashburn Elementary, Lakeside Middle and Forsyth Central High, which features the STEM program for math and sciences.
NEW BUSINESS »
New bakery to cut ribbon in downtown Alpharetta ALPHARETTA, Ga. — 2B Whole Gluten-Free European Bakery will hold a grand opening and ribboncutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 at 42 Milton Avenue. The bakery will feature 100 percent gluten-, wheat-, soy-, casein- and peanutfree baked products. Owner Toula Argentis said she got the idea for the business about 10 years ago when one of her sons was diagnosed with a gluten allergy. After years of experimenting, Argentis developed a product line of breads, pies, cakes, cookies and paleo products suited for those with common and uncommon food allergies.
EXPO »
More than 80 exhibitors to attend GNFCC business expo ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce will hold its seventh annual North Fulton Business Expo March 27 at the Alpharetta Marriott on Windward Parkway, just east of Ga. 400. With more than 80 exhibitors and 1,200 attendees expected, the sell-out event provides local business people the opportunity to network with a wide variety of business service providers and vendors of all types, as well as financial and legal professionals. “Meet! Greet! Connect!” is the theme of the 2015 Expo, which is sponsored by Renasant Bank.
CALENDAR
EDITOR’S PICKS
Submit your event online at forsythherald.com
Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 19
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me your event...
SHANNON WEAVER
Calendar Editor JODY MAYFIELD calendar@ appenmediagroup.com Jody Mayfield has worked with
Submit your event to northfulton.com or email with photo to calendar@northfulton.com. For a more complete list of local events including support groups, volunteer opportunities and business meetings visit the calendar on northfulton.com.
ART:
top hip-hop producers such as Organized Noize, Anthony David, Marq (Remarqable) Jefferson of So So Def Records. The Velvet Note, 4075 Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta. Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $22. Visit thevelvetnote.com for more info..
EVENTS: FATHER/DAUGHTER VALENTINE DANCE
What: Fathers and daughters are invited to step out for a fun evening! A special time of sweet memories await participants at our Father/Daughter Valentine’s Day Dance. Where: Alpharetta Community Center, 175 Roswell Street in Alpharetta When: Friday, Feb. 6 Hours: 6:30 p.m. Cost: $20 Alpharetta or Milton residents, $30 non-residents Online: alpharetta.ga.us
LIVE! IN ROSWELL PRESENTS RUTHIE FOSTER
Three-time Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster brings her blend of soul, blues, rock, folk, and gospel to Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street. Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. (doors open 7:30). Tickets are $35 for general admission. Visit roswell. gov for more info.
6TH ANNUAL BOWLS EVENT
Celebrate art, food and fun with ceramic wheel and hand-building demonstrations, as well as handmade pottery by the Johns Creek Arts Center available for purchase. Johns Creek Arts Center, 6290 Abbots Bridge Road. Saturday, Feb. 7. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. $20 Visit johnscreekarts. org for more info.
$20 BATH TIME TUESDAYS
ROSWELL GREEN EXPO
What: A fun family event that promotes sustainable living in our community. Featuring a “Green Market,” family entertainment and crafts, and unique demos and workshops. Where: Hembree Park, 850 Hembree Road in Roswell When: Saturday, Feb. 7 Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost: Free Online: keeproswellbeautiful.org
A monthly competitive storytelling series with a different theme each month at Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street. Monday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, 180 Academy Street in Alpharetta When: Ongoing Online: www.alpharettapres.com Contact: nancy@alpharettapres.com or 770-751-3862
SHARON CRUMLEY ART EXHIBIT
What: Join us for an opening reception for the Sharon Crumley exhibit on display at the Smith Plantation Barn throughout the month. Where: Smith Plantation Home, 935 Alpharetta Street in Roswell When: Friday, Feb. 6 Hours: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: Free Online: roswellroots.com
STORY SLAM: ‘LOVERS AND HATERS’
What: Bring us your less than fresh pup and we with bath them, dry them and brush them. Where: Pet Lodge Pet Resort, 3456 Bethany Bend in Alpharetta When: Tuesday, Feb. 10 Cost: $20 Contact: 770-475-3455 Online: petlodge.us
950 Forrest Street When: Sunday, Feb. 8 Hours: 7 p.m. Cost: $25 Online: chopinatlanta.org
THEATER:
MUSIC:
CELEBRATING THE LIVES OF SENIORS
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT AT
What: Annual fundraiser for Senior Services North Fulton with a seated dinner, silent and live auctions, and dancing to the music of Platinum. Where: Atlanta Athletic Club, 1930 Bobby Jones Drive in Johns Creek When: Saturday, Feb. 7 Hours: 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Cost: $135 for single tickets Online: ssnorthfulton.org
ALPHARETTA PRESBYTERIAN DAYSCHOOL
What: Registration for part day programs for children of ages 18 months to 5 years.
GREEN EGGS AND HAMLET
YULIANNA AVDEEVA PIANO RECITAL
What: Adveena is the winner of the First Prize and best performance of a sonata at the 2010 International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center,
What: Please join Barnwell Elementary School 4th and 5th graders as they perform a zany musical parody. Where: Northview High School, 10625 Parsons Road in Johns Creek When: Thursday, Feb. 5 and Friday, Feb. 6 Hours: 7 p.m. Cost: $7 Online: seatyourself.biz/barnwell
20 | February 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
North Atlanta’s
Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com | Recycled paper
Sponsored Section • Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2014
News and advertising for new homes, realtors, developers, commercial properties and more.
When is the right time to sell your home? By BILL RAWLINGS Vice President/Managing Broker Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty The decision to sell your home is both a financial and emotional one. While you should definitely pay high at-
tention to market conditions as part of your thought process — conditions which will absolutely impact your home sale — you should always remember that the choice to buy or sell a home is completely individual. Reasons to Sell. Whether you have an expanding or
shrinking family, a job change or a desire to move to a particular school district — your reason for selling ultimately impacts when you should put your home on the market. Market Conditions. Find out your loan payoff amount so you have an accurate idea
SOLD. Alpharetta. 3950 Grey Abbey
of what your sales proceeds will be after you have paid off all home loans and closing costs. Research recent sales prices of comRAWLINGS parable homes in your community. Consult with REALTORS® about current market conditions to estimate a listing price and how long it may take for your home to sell. Selling for the Season. Many sellers opt to put their homes on the market in the spring because that is when more buyers are looking, but you can choose to sell at any time of year. If your home attracts families and is in a sought-after school district, you are just as likely to get offers in the sum-
mer as in the spring because buyers want to settle in before school starts. Is your home ready to sell? An important element in determining when to list your home is its condition. You will need time to make repairs and improvements, deep-clean your home and clear away many of your possessions. If you have a large, disorganized home with overflowing closets and a garage with no space for a car, you may need weeks or months before you are ready to put your home on the market. Today’s buyers have high expectations of your home’s condition, so do not expect to be able to work on your home after it is listed. Your home should be priced correctly and in prime condition on day one in order to sell quickly and for the best price possible.
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Sample of properties sold in 2014 MARY JANE EGAN c. 678.521.1501 o. 770.442.7300 maryjaneegan@atlantafinehomes.com maryjaneegan.atlantafinehomes.com © MMXV Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. *Agent represented buyer.
Call today for pricing & info! 770-442-3278 x100 319 North Main Street • Alpharetta advertising@northfulton.com
Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section
February 4, 2015 21
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Visit ryland.com for more information.
In the Atlanta division, on accepted purchase agreements on homes that are signed between January 1, 2015 and January 31, 2015 are eligible to receive $15,000 in Flex Cash; can be used towards MyStyleÂŽ Design Center Options and/or closing costs when using RMC MortgageÂŽ and/or lot premiums, ďŹ nished basement, etc. Incentive oer does not apply to contracts written prior to January 1, 2015. The following communities are excluded from the $15,000 incentive, Bethany Crossing, Bridleton, ManorView and Marketplace Commons. Individual promotions may vary by community. Certain included features may not be available on all plans. Value of package, and products, may vary by community and plan. Homes already under contract prior to this oer are not eligible. Plus for New to-be built homes, buyer eligible to receive up to $5,000 toward closing costs. Individual incentives may vary by community. Closing cost assistance available from Ryland Homes to those ďŹ nancing through RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation and closing with a closing attorney selected by Ryland. Amount of closing cost assistance may vary by product and community, and is subject to applicable contribution limitations. For all ďŹ nancing promotions, see a RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation Loan OďŹƒcer for details. RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation is located at 1000 Mansell Exchange West, Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30022 and is a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, license number 24225 and NMLS number 203897. Buyers also eligible to receive Waived 1% Origination Fee through RMC MortgageÂŽ; average value of $4,000 which is based on a $400,000 loan amount. The waived origination fee through RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation is subject to cancellation or change without notice. Buyers must make a loan application by January 31, 2014 with RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation (NMLS# 203897) a Georgia Residential Mortgage Lender Licensee #24225. *Buyers must also close with RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation. Please contact your RMC MortgageÂŽ Corporation Representative for exact quotes. Prices, plans and speciďŹ cations are subject to change without notice. Ryland reserves the right to modify or cancel these oers at any time. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only. Oer may not be combined with any other promotion or incentives. Information shown believed to be accurate but not warranted. See a Sales Counselor for details on available promotions, restrictions and oer limitations. Š 2015 The Ryland Group, Inc.
22 February 4, 2015
Sponsored Section • REAL ESTATE REPORT
forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald
Schools, Real Estate, and the Community Excellent schools raise home values; this increases tax revenues; and the economy in the community thrives. CUNNINGHAM Why then, do so many of us who don’t have children in our schools pay so little attention to what is being taught in our schools. Have you heard about the effects of the Core Curriculum and how it is impacting our children? Tax dollars again are being wasted and children are suffering the results of bandwagon politicians and greedy “so-called” educational experts pushing their agendas on our school systems. A national curriculum has been the dream of would-be educational reformers since the time of Dewey, but our country is set up so states are in charge of the schools. We have numerous laws forbidding the federal government from mandating any sort of national curriculum. But, the government uses the “Old Money Hammer” to demand states sign up for their ideas or all federal grants are revoked. Let me give you a short list of failed governmental and educational theorists programs and ideas from the 1950’s till now: • Initial Teaching Alphabet(ITA), Programmed Learning, Open Classroom concept, Whole
Language, Saxon Math, Fuzzy Math, Free at Last, Learner-Centered Education, Discovery-Centered Learning, New Math, New, New Math, Head Start, NDEA, NCTM, No Child Left Behind(NCLB), and now Common Core. (COST – Trillions of your tax dollars) For some reason education is the one profession where it is acceptable to throw out proven practices and replace these with new. Theories that have little or no evidence to support them are readily brought into our schools. Now we have the Common Core State Standards! Diane Ravitch, an educational historian, is opposing the Common Core State Standards. She wants to know why The American National Standards Institute was not used to the write these CC standards. This institute represents the interest of over 1,000 companies, organizations, governmental agencies, institutional and international members. Ms. Ravitch states that only 24 people wrote these standards. A large number of these people were from the testing industry. No input was sought from experienced teachers or subject matter experts. Early childhood and educators for children with disabilities were not consulted. In fact, there were no elementary teachers in this group.
For some reason education is the one profession where it is acceptable to throw out proven practices and replace these with new. Theories that have little or no evidence to support them are readily brought into our schools. No process for appeal or revision was established. States are not allowed to deviate from the set Common Core. They can add a small amount (15%). This ends most local control of public schools and may end alternative schools, such as Montessori. Georgia schools received the grade of “C” for overall achievement. Isn’t it time we (the taxpayers) get involved? Remember: The school system’s success or failure will affect our community, economy, and our overall well-being. –Carroll J Cunningham
Five quick ways to upgrade your home for resale (NAPSI)—Whether you’re considering cashing in on your equity, downsizing, trading up, moving for a change of scenery or relocating for better prospects, a few smart investments and improvements can help your home stand out from the competition so you get top dollar. Even if you’re not planning on moving anytime soon, these strategies can maximize your home’s value and increase its marketability:
Sprucing up the exterior
If you think you’ll have a few years before you move, work on your landscaping now to give plants time to mature. Look for easy-care perennials such as hostas, which multiply on their own. If you have less time, you can still achieve a quick makeover by power washing paths and siding, painting or upgrading your front door and keeping the lawn watered and weeded.
Improving the kitchen—to a point
You probably won’t recoup the cost of a full kitchen renovation but smaller projects such as upgrading appliances and painting or refinishing cabinets can modernize the space.
Refreshing rooms with neutral paint
This is a time-honored tip for a reason. While seeing your
favorite bold hues on the walls makes you happy, potential buyers may not agree. A fresh coat of neutral paint can help them envision their own belongings in the space.
Focusing on energy efficiency
The right energy-smart upgrades can assure buyers they’re seeing an efficient home where utility bills can be minimized. Adding insulation to the attic and walls can make a dramatic improvement in many homes. Consider the windows as well. Adding a heatrejecting window film such as 3M Sun Control Window Film can reduce cooling costs and typically does not change the windows’ appearance. Since the window film can reject up to 99 percent of UV rays, it can protect the investment you made in your hardwood floors, rugs, window treatments, furniture and artwork.
Removing eyesores inside
Some minor adjustments can help buyers recognize what’s great about your home. Swap outdated fixtures, remove wallpaper and give everything a deep clean. Replacements don’t have to be top of the line; they just need to eliminate hang-ups for potential buyers. Learn More: For further facts, visit www.3M.com/homeimprovement.
Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
REAL ESTATE REPORT • Sponsored Section
February 4, 2015 23
24 | February 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
SCHOOLS
Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Delivery system falters in Tests: latest test of Milestones
Continued from Page 11
Online platform ‘freezes,’ locking out tens of thousands By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmediagroup.com ATLANTA – Georgia students are preparing for the newest statewide assessment, Georgia Milestones, but the question is whether the state is ready for the rollout of the high stakes, high cost test. Last month, a test of the readiness component had a success rate of just over a 10 percent when the online delivery platform crashed. Of the 105,000 students statewide who participated in the “stress test,” only 12,000 were able to complete the readiness test, according to state officials. “The system failed,” said Matt Cardoza, spokesman for the Georgia Department of Education. “Student computers became frozen and prevented students from progressing through test items.” He was quick to point out the failure was not in the test itself, just the delivery method. “The readiness test was
designed to assess the performance of the online platform that will be used to deliver the Georgia Milestones tests this spring; it was not a trial test of the assessments themselves,” said Cardoza. “In other words, this was not a field test.” But semantics aside, the state has less than three months to perfect the full rollout of the Georgia Milestones, which will be delivered in grades 3 through 12 beginning in April. The test replaces the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCTs) in grades 3-8, and the End of Course Tests (EOCTs) in high school. Milestones is high stakes for the state. It serves as the federal requirement under Georgia’s waiver from the No Child Left Behind law, which mandates a statewide assessment each year. It is also the foundation for the College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) –essentially the annual
report card for schools and school systems. Cardoza said last month’s delivery launch did not meet standards, however the department is confident the test will be good to go in April when more than 1.5 million students will be taking it. “The test will be ready [and] we are optimistic we will be in position to offer the test online in April,” said Cardoza. “We assessed over 130,000 students online without major incident during our winter administration of the [test] in December/ early January.” State School Superintendent Richard Woods, who is just a month into his position, is more cautiously optimistic about the rollout. “I am hopeful that the spring assessment will run smoothly. I have complete confidence in the leadership and capability of the Assessment Department, but still have concerns regarding the capacity of the testing vendor and some of our school districts,” said Woods, who had urged a “moratorium” of the rollout this year while on the campaign trail.
composed completely of multiple choice answers; they will be replaced by a combination of multiple choice, short answers and essays. This year poses a challenge since test results will not be released until late fall. Fincher said “human scorers” will grade the written sections, adding delays. Therefore, this year is a “hold harmless” year for districts since scores released in the fall are meaningless this school year. Although a waiver is in place this year, districts must still determine what will replace the Milestones scores. State law requires an annual assessment to count for 20 percent of final grades in tested subjects in high school, and many courses had factored that in prior to the waiver. Scott Muri, deputy superintendent of academics for the Fulton County School System, said this year poses a challenge. “The state requires 20 percent and we’re not going to have that number from Milestones this year,” he said. “There are different options [for how to assess 20 percent]
and I applaud the state for allowing districts to make their own choice.” In Fulton, Muri said schools can use “an appropriate and comprehensive evaluation activity at the conclusion of every [tested] course” as a replacement for the Milestones grade this year in tested subjects. This could be in the form of a test, project, portfolio or other measure determined appropriate, he noted. Tested subjects, which include ninth grade literature and composition, American literature, biology, physical science, coordinate algebra, analytic geometry, U.S. history and economics, will be using alternative assessments this year in lieu of the Milestones score. A spokesman for the GDOE said the impact should be minimal on schools this year, and the department can provide guidance if needed. “Local districts issue grades on a regular basis without state assessments [and] make these determinations following their local practices,” said Matt Cardoza, spokesman for the Georgia Department of Education. “Keep in mind the vast majority of courses taught in high schools do not have a state mandated test.”
COMMUNITY
Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 25 Submit your news & photos to news@appenmediagroup.com
Citizens encouraged to plan, prepare during Severe Weather Awareness Week Residents urged to assemble disaster supply kit FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The week of Feb. 2-6 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Georgia. This annual observance is designed to educate Georgians about a variety of severe weather-related topics. Forsyth County residents are encouraged to get ready for unexpected events, practice emergency response procedures for all types of severe weather and learn more about threats. “It is important that every household have in place an emergency plan,” said Forsyth County Fire Chief and Emergency Management Agency Director Danny Bowman. “I encourage all households to develop a plan – it will no doubt prove valuable, should you be faced with an emergency situation.” During Severe Weather Awareness Week, Forsyth County residents are encouraged to focus on severe weather threats and information, and to learn how they can prepare for each. On Feb. 4, Forsyth County will participate in the statewide tornado drill that is a part of Severe Weather Awareness Week. “Residents should note that
this is only a drill,” said Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Chris Grimes. “During the drill on Feb. 4, the county’s outdoor severe weather sirens will sound the audible siren as a test, weather permitting. Should there be severe weather in the area on Feb. 4, the drill would be postponed.” The county has 17 outdoor severe weather sirens located throughout the county, designed to notify residents who are outdoors that severe weather is in the area. The sirens are activated (warning tone) in the event Forsyth County is placed under a tornado warning. Regular monthly testing of the audible siren (test tone) takes place at noon on the first Wednesday of every month, weather permitting. The Forsyth County Emergency Management Agency encourages residents to sign up for weather alert notifications, for use in concert with the county’s outdoor severe weather sirens and a NOAA weather radio. To sign up for the alerts, visit the Forsyth County website at www.forsythco.com and look for the ‘Weather Alerts’ icon on the home page. For more information, call the Forsyth County Emergency Management Agency office at 770-205-5674.
Two murals showcase Forsyth’s history CUMMING, Ga. — A new permanent exhibit showcasing the medical and cultural pioneers of Forsyth County is now on display at the Cumming Library. The display includes a segment of the fencing from the old Mary Alice Hospital as well as two murals created by local artist Bryan White. The murals feature 76 distinct photos joined together over historical newspaper clippings, prescriptions, hotel registers and store ledgers. The photos feature images, buildings and citizens of Forsyth County that have impacted the medical and cultural aspects of life in Forsyth, including the groundbreaking ceremony at Buford Dam, the county’s
first jail, the old courthouse and prominent businesses in Forsyth. “From the very start, the Library Board members and I wanted to make sure the artwork had a historical connection and provided an interactive approach for the viewers,” said White. Research support for the project was provided by the Historical Society of Forsyth County. The city of Cumming and the Heritage Village at the Cumming Fairgrounds also arranged for access to several artifacts pictured in the exhibit. To view the exhibit, visit the Cumming Library, 585 Dahlonega Road. —Joe Parker
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Being Herself Bridget O’Donnell starts conversation of hope and inspiration about recovering from eating disorders By KIMBERLY BROCK CUMMING, Ga. – Bridget O’Donnell, a soft spoken sophomore at Lambert High School in Cumming has a story to tell and she’s not afraid to talk about the hard stuff. Today Bridget spends her time running track, playing soccer and spending time with friends, her parents Susan and Tim and her older brother and sister. But only four years ago, she faced the horrible descent into anorexia and the difficult journey toward recovery. “People think eating disorders are a choice,” Bridget explained. “They think you just choose to stop eating. But it’s not really so much about the physical. It’s mental. It’s a constant war with yourself.” Bridget’s mom, Susan O’Donnell, agrees. “Anorexia is a symptom of a state of mind,” Susan said. “For Bridget, the struggle began in seventh grade, but we chalked it up to the typical teenage kinds of things. Her siblings were moving into new phases in their lives. Her sister left for college and then her brother started high school, leaving Bridget alone in middle school and feeling anxious. “The schedules and routines in our home that had always provided stability, were changing and less predictable,” she said. “She also faced changes in her childhood friendships as the girls began to gravitate toward different groups according to their interests and activities. Everyone seemed to know where they fit, but Bridget felt uncertain. She began to obsessively compare herself to others and felt she always came up short.” Bridget also remembers
that time in her life when everything changed. “At school, we watched a video about eating disorders, and I thought it was awful,” she said. “I thought how could you do that to yourself? And then everything changed and I started obsessing and comparing myself. It was just a few months and I was that girl.” Susan said the changes in Bridget were gradual. “The changes we first saw weren’t in Bridget’s weight, but in her personality,” Susan said. “She became withdrawn, manipulative, depressed and belligerent. She would eat in front of us, but was a master of deception when we weren’t watching. She was skipping meals or severely limiting her food and exercising to excess. She began to have a hard time getting up and was often late for school. She started complaining of stomach aches all the time. That’s when we went to see our pediatrician.” Most of Bridget’s meals weren’t with her family anymore due to busy schedules, and so her condition was fast deteriorating by the time she was diagnosed with an eating disorder. Susan has advice for parents. “If you have suspicions, don’t wait. Days count,” she said. “Call ahead to your physician with your concerns so the conversation happens before your appointment, so you’re taken seriously and everyone comes to the appointment prepared.” Bridget’s activities were restricted as she and her family focused on improving her eating. Susan took her to the Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders (ACE) for an evalua-
People think eating disorders are a choice. They think you just choose to stop eating. But it’s not really so much about the physical. It’s mental. It’s a constant war with yourself.” BRIDGET O’DONNELL
tion, where they recommended she start treatment. But this meant daily trips to the center, which would take Bridget out of school. Bridget was able to talk Susan out of making her go to the center. Within weeks, a follow-up appointment revealed Bridget’s condition required hospitalization. For two-and-a-half weeks, Bridget was at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA), where she continued to deteriorate physically and mentally struggled with suicidal thoughts. At this
Bridget O’Donnell with her mom Susan. point, she was transferred to the women’s eating disorder wing at Ridgeview Institute, where she remained for two months. It seemed to be a turning point. Going into eighth grade, Bridget seemed to be doing well and made the decision to come off her medication. It was a mistake. “We relaxed and she relapsed,” Susan said. “It happened so fast. It was terrifying.” ACE recommended she go to a residential treatment center. Bridget’s parents found Veritas Collaborative in Durham, North Carolina, a program that specializes in adolescent disorders. The focus was on emotion regulation, something Bridget felt really made a difference in her recovery. Therapists guided her through exercises to help her focus not on where she was failing or needed to change, but on the idea that everyone is on their own journey. It’s a process, learning to take her
time and find what works from one day to the next. “Talking to others with eating disorders was the biggest relief,” Bridget said. She is gentle, but there is purpose in her voice. “The program included yoga, art, movement and culinary classes,” she said. “We learned about mindfulness, being in the moment, skills for dealing with anxiety.” Both Bridget and Susan recall that time apart as difficult, but hopeful. “The Veritas program is hours away from our home, but family-oriented,” said Susan. “They wanted us involved. On weekends, we often participated in family therapy. We’d struggled to understand or find ways to help. “It was difficult when we tried to find activities we could enjoy as a family that didn’t center on food. My older kids withdrew from the situation, afraid for Bridget and confused
See BRIDGET, Page 29
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Lambert hosts youth soccer shootout CUMMING, Ga. — The Lambert soccer program hosted the fourth annual Lambert 3 v 3 Shootout Jan. 24 at the Lambert High School stadium. Youth soccer players ages 6-14 from the greater Forsyth, Cobb, Gwinnett, Hall and Fulton County areas competed in what totaled 144 games over the course of the day. The stadium field was divided into eight 25-yard by 30-yard fields with small, pop up goals on each end. To allow the event to focus on youth, each participating team was assigned a current Lambert soccer player to coach their team, eat lunch with them and bond with them for the day. This was a kids-only event as parents were only permitted to watch from the bleachers. The event included a carnival atmosphere with inflatable rides, train rides, crafts, food trucks and silent auctions. –Kathleen Sturgeon
SPORTS
Players from area clubs face off on the turf.
PHOTO BY KIM ENZMANN
forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 27
Girls from the Star Spangled Ballers, in blue, show their skill and determination at the Lambert soccer 3 v 3 tournament.
28 | February 4, 2015 | Forsyth Herald | forsythherald.com
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Local girl holds fundraiser to help elephants CUMMING, Ga. — Hannah Testa of Cumming is a 12-year-old animal activist who has partnered with Sugarboo & Co. to raise funds and awareness for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. Testa and Sugarboo owner Rebecca Puig will be on-hand at a fundraising event Feb. 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 146. Testa will be at the store to sell items and talk about
If you go What: Fundraiser for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya When: Feb. 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Where: Sugarboo & Co., 410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 146 elephants to raise awareness. All profits from the sales
of elephant T-shirts, elephant artwork and cookies will be donated to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. The trust is a nonprofit that takes care of orphaned elephants and rhinos in Africa, which are being poached at a rapid rate for their tusks and horns. For more information, visit www.sugarbooandco.com or http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org. –Kathleen Sturgeon
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Continued from Page 1
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court and set up inside. But the 6-foot-6 senior took over in the second overtime period, scoring all eight of the Raiders’ points. The Raiders got the ball inside to Cacok for two baskets, and he scored twice on offensive rebounds. Two of his four baskets came on resounding dunks. Cacok’s second rebound score came with five seconds on the clock and snapped a 70-70 tie.
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Bridget: Continued from Page 26 by what she was doing to herself,” she said. “When we tried to encourage them to spend time with her, to show support, it often made things worse instead of better. Veritas helped us learn to reconnect with one another.” After four months, Bridget was able to go home and return to school for her freshman year. Now she’s starting a conversation, beginning with a video about the possibility of recovering from eating disorders that she recorded for her video broadcasting class. It features many of the other young women she’s met along her journey. She wants others to know there’s hope. “I remember thinking this was just
Blotter: Continued from Page 2 the restroom he heard a male utter obscenities and state that he might hurt or kill someone. The statements the man heard were reportedly vague and nondescript, but he felt he should report it just in case. The officer was able to get video footage and still shots of the man and a woman who may know the suspect, but the officer was unable to get in contact with her. Because no actual crime was committed, the investigation is closed pending further information.
Convenience store sells beer to 19-year-old CUMMING, Ga. — A convenience store clerk, 1080 Dahlonega St., reportedly sold a can of beer to a 19-year-old detention officer Jan. 20. The Cumming Police officer met with a deputy from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office upon arrival. The deputy reportedly said an off-duty officer and underage detention officer entered the store to buy a can of beer as an operation staged by the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department. The underage buyer went to buy the can and was successful after the clerk didn’t check his driver’s license for legal age. After the buyer left the store, the deputy entered and told the seller he sold to an underage person. The seller reportedly said he checked the license and everything was okay, but the officer said the underage person he sold the beer to is an employee of the Forsyth County Detention Center. The seller then said he did not check the license for legal age of purchase, and was cited for selling alcohol to a minor.
how I was going to be and there was nothing I could do about it,” Bridget said. “Then, when I went into treatment, I hoped it would just click one day and everything would be alright. But that’s not how it is. “You have to put a lot of effort into yourself and your recovery,” she said. “You have to go through the pain, the hard time. But if you put forth the effort yourself, it will get better. You will get better.” Susan, too, feels the need for action. “Once we started talking about what we’d been through, we were amazed at how many kids in Bridget’s social circles were in therapy for various reasons,” she said. “We realized our large schools may be less than prepared to support families like ours. It’s a battle for every child with an eating disorder and every family trying to support them mentally and physically while keeping
Owner’s boat sold while in jail FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A man called the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Jan. 21 to report that his boat had gone missing. The man said he bought the boat before he was taken to jail a few months ago from another man when they lived together. The man said it was a verbal agreement between them, and he paid $250 for the boat. After the man was released from jail, he reportedly returned to his property and noticed the boat was missing from the yard. He believes the seller sold the boat to the scrap yard without his permission. The man told the officer he cannot contact the seller, because he is now in jail. He could not provide any information about the boat, including a title, bill of sale or documentation he owned the boat. The boat could not be listed as missing without the identification number, and the officer could not get in contact with the seller, as he is still in jail.
forsythherald.com | Forsyth Herald | February 4, 2015 | 29 them from falling behind or through the cracks. “I feel it’s important to advocate for our kids as they face these stressors in our culture, to move away from the stigma of treatment, whether it’s therapy or stabilizing medications,” Susan said. “First, being aware and second, being open can make all the difference. Therapy or drugs may not be for life, but they can certainly save one.” “I’m hopeful now,” Bridget shared. “It’s been a lot, but I’m happier, stronger. It’s easier to finally just be myself, and that’s the best part.” To learn more: • You can watch Bridget’s video on recovering from eating disorders at: http://youtu.be/SzbIp7DLAOA. • The O’Donnell family recommends the following books, services and educational resources:
he pulled over to regain control of his breathing. While sitting at the intersection of Post Road and Canton Highway, a man knocked on his window with a knife and told him to “get out.” The man got out of his car, grabbed the assailant’s knife and struck him in the throat with his other hand. The other suspect then came over and they hit each other. The man then got back into his car and returned home. He had no other information about the incident.
• Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders, www.eatingdisorders.cc. Affiliated therapists include Julie Orr, 770458-8711, ext. 217, and Rachel Rose, 770-458-8711, ext. 211. • National Eating Disorders Association, www.nationaleatingdisorders. org. • “Brave Girl Eating” by Harriette Brown • “Teach Your Children Well” by Madeline Levine • Links to books, articles and blogs written by experts at www.bulimia. com and https://www.newharbinger.com. • Atlanta Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Norcross • Ray of Hope Counseling Services in Suwanee • Healthy Eating and Weight Support at Emory University, Dr. Erin Jones, 404-805-6008
The deputy said he watched the video surveillance from the gas station, but was unable to see anyone approach the man’s car; however, they could have been out of the video frame. EMS was requested for the man’s face and breathing, but he didn’t go to the hospital for further evaluation.
Driver turns self in CUMMING, Ga. — A woman called the Cumming Police Department Jan. 20 in reference to a hit and run on Market-
place Boulevard. The woman said she was traveling northbound when a white four-door vehicle pulled out in front of her. She reportedly said she then struck the vehicle, but the vehicle continued southbound toward Buford Highway. She said the vehicle should have damage to the driver side rear quarter panel and her vehicle had damage to the driver side front bumper area, but she did not get a tag or good description of the other vehicle.
DEATH NOTICES Robert Marcellous Bishop, Jr., 64, of Cumming, passed away January 25, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
Roger Lee Hubbard, 65, of Gainesville, passed away January 25, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home.
Sally Gentry Trawick, 74, of Alpharetta, passed away January 26, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.
Marie Collis, of Milton, passed away January 24, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Masami Hull, 79, of Cumming, passed away January 27, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.
Virginia Louise Vaughn, 77, of Cumming, passed away January 19, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.
Man gets assaulted on way home
Andrew Jack Duncan, 80, of Cumming, passed away January 25, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A man was reportedly assaulted Jan. 16 by two men after he fixed his car at the Marathon Gas Station, 4870 Atlanta Highway. He told a Forsyth County deputy he fixed his car and went into the store. When he came out, there were two men standing around his car. When he approached the car, the men backed away and he was able to leave. While driving home, he reportedly noticed the two men in a car behind him. The man reportedly said he has a heart murmur and his symptoms began to surface due to the anxiety of the car following him, so
Ronny Reamer Floyd, 71, of Cumming passed away January 27, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Marcus M. Gazaway, 87, of Forsyth County, passed away January 25, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Peggy Lou Hanley, of Alpharetta, passed away January 23, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Jeanne F. Kohler, 63, of Gainesville, passed away January 25, 2015. Arrangements by Byars Funeral Home.
Earl Vick, of Roswell, passed away January 24, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Warren Kraemer, of Alpharetta, passed away January 27, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors. Hugh Lee Wall, Sr., 78, of Cumming, passed away January 26, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Kathy Schlacht, of Johns Creek, passed away January 23, 2015. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors.
Helen Opal Wilson, 86, of Cumming, passed away January 24, 2015. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home. Joel Ronald Zingerman, 78, of Suwanee, passed away January 24, 2015. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home.
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