Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - April 24, 2025 by Appen Media Group

Crowds pack Historic Canton Street April 17 for the year’s first

Alive in Roswell kicks off season

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Alive in Roswell kicked off its 2025 season with thousands of people strolling up and down Historic Canton Street April 17.

Visitors enjoyed live music, food trucks, artisan vendors and interactive activities.

Mayor Kurt Wilson welcomed guests to the first of many Alive in Roswell celebrations planned for this year.

“Alive in Roswell is an amazing community project,”

Wilson said.

Officer Victor Aguirre stood outside the Roswell Police tent, welcoming passersby. His favorite part of the event, he said, is showing the community what police officers do to help residents.

“You want to be able to engage,” Aguirre said.

The free celebration is held every third Thursday through October from 5 to 9 p.m. The next Alive in Roswell will be May 15.

For more information about the festival, visit www. aliveinroswell.com.

Four-yearold Ella Slota holds her balloon animal at Alive in Roswell on Canton Street April 17.

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Committees of Council unanimously approved a resolution April 15 declaring the city’s intent to issue a second tranche of general obligation bonds. The resolution allows the city to move forward with the second issuance of bonds in an amount of roughly $93.4 million.

The Committees of Council includes the mayor, City Council and City Manager Randy Knighton. Senior staff often attend meetings to provide detailed departmental information. The bond issuance will help finance recreation, park, bicycle and pedestrian path, sidewalk and public safety projects.

PHOTOS BY: SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA

Alive in Roswell celebration.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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

Police investigate dispute between two coworkers

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Officers investigated a reported workplace assault between coworkers April 10.

An assault was reported about 5 p.m. at an Old Milton Parkway financial company, according to an Alpharetta police report.

A 67-year-old Marietta woman said a 45-year-old Milton woman punched her shoulder where she had had surgery for broken bones. The Milton woman said she thought the Marietta woman was speaking to another coworker about her, according to the report.

The Marietta woman said the Milton woman knew about the injury because she had worn a sling at work.

Officers observed no injury to the woman’s shoulder, but she said she suffered severe pain. She planned to visit a doctor to have the shoulder checked out.

The women said they’d had no prior altercations or disputes.

The police report included no information about whether the Milton woman was charged with a crime. The incident was classified as a misdemeanor battery.

Jon Wilcox

Roswell apartments tenant reports theft of equipment

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police responded to a report of stolen landscaping equipment from a truck at the Roswell Village Apartments April 19.

A 49-year-old resident said the theft occurred around 5:30 a.m. while his 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 was parked outside his apartment off Hemingway Lane.

The owner showed police damage to

his truck’s roll-up bed cover, which appeared to have been pried open to gain access to his tools.

The stolen items include a 10-inch saw, a Milwaukee drill set, a nail gun and several other saws, all with a value totaling $1,368.

The victim told officers that he could name no suspect and that he is new to the North Fulton area. The man said random vehicles frequently speed through the apartment complex.

Officers said the victim made his report for insurance purposes, and they gave him a case number.

— Hayden Sumlin

Man dashes out of store with engagement ring

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A diamond engagement ring was reported stolen from a North Point Mall jewelry store April 12.

Employees said a man entered the store, asking to view an engagement ring, according to an Alpharetta police report.

After an employee presented the man with a ring to view, he dashed out of the store, according to the report.

The 1-carat natural diamond Marquise-brand ring had diamonds around its band. It was valued at $9,000.

The man was described as 23-28 years of age with a large Afro hairstyle. He was wearing a blue T-shirt, gray sweatpants and white sneakers.

Employees gave police with a copy of video recorded by security cameras.

A mall security guard said she had approached the man while he was walking in an employee hallway before the alleged theft.

The man said he was an employee at a department store and was taking a break.

The security guard disputed the man’s story, saying the department store had its own break room.

A mall security camera video showed the man running down the hallway after the alleged theft and exiting the mall before entering a dark-colored SUV in the parking lot.

Officers were unable to identify the driver or license plate.

The incident was classified as a theft by taking, greater than $1,500.

— Jon Wilcox

Alive in Roswell vendor reports card theft, fraud

ROSWELL, Ga. — A 27-year-old Tennessee woman reported the theft of her credit card and fraudulent transactions April 18 after working as a vendor at Alive in Roswell the day before.

An officer said he spoke on the phone with the victim, who told him she last remembered having her pink wallet while unloading for the Canton Street festival April 17 around 3 p.m.

The woman said she discovered her American Express card had been used to make a $100 purchase at Rock ‘N’ Taco later in the evening.

Later that day, after speaking with the officer, the woman called back and reported her card was added to Apple Pay and used to make a purchase at IHOP.

The officer said the pending charges are theft of mislaid property and felony financial transaction card theft and fraud.

The report did not identify a suspect.

— Hayden Sumlin

Lithonia man arrested on outstanding warrants

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police arrested a 24-year-old Lithonia man April 19 after the Economy Hotel off Old Dogwood Road reported him for trespassing and refusing to leave the property.

Officers said they returned the man’s belongings to him but discovered he had active warrants out of Cobb and DeKalb counties.

The warrant out of Cobb County was for hijacking a motor vehicle and reckless driving, and the one out of DeKalb County was for probation violation.

After trespassing the man from the hotel, officers said they transported him to DeKalb County Jail for his outstanding warrants.

— Hayden Sumlin

THE PICTURE FRAMER

Fulton County increases focus on possible cuts in federal funds

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Fulton County anticipates it will receive nearly $92.8 million in federal grants this year to help fund the salaries of 70 employees across several departments.

The county is set to receive around $71 million directly from the federal government this year and $21.3 million indirectly through other agencies.

Chief Financial Officer Sharon Whitmore told county commissioners April 16 that she wanted to share the county’s exposure to federal funding cuts and their impacts on staffing and grants.

Whitmore said one of the things her department is doing to mitigate the impact of potential federal funding cuts is to track grant reimbursements monthly. Past policy was to request grant reimbursements quarterly.

In March, the county received $3.17 million for the Ryan White Program to fight HIV, just over $77,000 for community development and $484,000 in state pass-through grants that originate in Washington. So far, the county’s budget has not been hit by federal funding cuts, but it has

blossom & browse

FRIDAY, APRIL 25

SATURDAY, APRIL 26

11am – 3pm

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts says the county’s property tax rate could increase by more than 1 mill if federal aid ends.

significant exposure, officials say.

The most significant grants this year are $36.8 million for the Ryan White Program, which covers 19 employees; $11.5 million for the District Attorney’s Office, which pays for 17 employees; and $12.4 million for the Behavioral Health Network and its five staff members.

“Overall, our exposure is that

$92.8 million, if we were to assume that the county would try to step in and continue to provide whatever programs and resources that are being provided to county residents through these current federally funded grant programs,” Whitmore said.

Last year, the county spent around $867 million for its day-to-day operations.

County External Affairs Director Jessica Corbitt is coordinating with federal lobbyists to monitor the status of any changes to federal grants.

Impact of losing federal aid

County Commission Chair Robb Pitts confirmed with Whitmore that without federal assistance, the county’s property tax rate would increase “about a mill and a half or so.”

The Board of Commissioners set the 2024 tax rate on property at 8.87 mills, the same as the prior year. The addition of 1.5 mills would represent about a $350 higher tax bill for a home with a fair market value of $600,000.

Commissioner Bob Ellis said he wants to know which grants are more at risk than others.

“This is a great thing for you to have captured,” Ellis told Whitmore. “I think it’s great we’ve started inventory, and we’ve got a process in place where we’re doing the monthly reimbursements.”

County Manager Dick Anderson said he wanted to address overall financials.

A SPRING SALES EVENT

Officials plot strategies to improve Atlanta housing options

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Atlanta city officials and housing advocates met at the first-ever State of Atlanta Housing on April 15.

Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Housing CEO Terri Lee say they’re optimistic about the future of affordable housing in the city.

As one of the largest housing authorities in the nation, the agency provides affordable housing resources for low-income residents in the city.

“We are working very hard to make sure that people transitioning out of homelessness have safe, dignified homes to build their lives in,” Lee said.

In 2024, approximately 2,867

individuals were experiencing homelessness in the city, a 7 percent increase from the previous year.

As part of a 2022 strategic plan, the authority is working to create or preserve 10,000 affordable units by 2027. This month, the authority has reached 67 percent of its commitment. In efforts with Dickens, the authority hopes to reach 20,000 units by 2030.

“This has never been just about hitting targets,” Dickens said. “It has always been about people, families in Atlanta just trying to gain their foot trying to find their place

in the promise of the American dream.”

Right now, the Atlanta Housing Authority provides help to some 27,000 low-income households – 45,000 individuals.

The mayor also addressed the potential impacts that cuts to federal funding could have on the projects.

“The economy shifts, market moves, prices go up, tariffs affect the cost of goods, but our focus cannot change,” Dickens said.

Housing Authority CEO Lee called for more support from the private sector. Approximately 98 percent of the Housing Authority’s funding comes from federal sources.

“By the end of this year, we would have committed more than $270 million from our precious federal funding,” Lee said.

Lee said that a few months ago, the agency received a memo about potential funding cutbacks. The memo was later rescinded.

“It exposed a vulnerability, but it also showed us an opportunity,” Lee said. “Now more than ever, we need strategic, committed, local and national partnerships ready to lock arms with us and invest in Atlanta's future.”

The CEO said the Housing Authority needs the private sector to invest in historically left-behind communities to help develop additional affordable housing units.

“Every person in this room has a role, a responsibility and unique power to shape the future of affordable housing,” Lee said.

During the address, Lee also highlighted the work they had done in the past year and what they are doing now to assist low-income residents.

“In 2024, we closed 12 real estate transactions more than the previous three years combined,” Lee said. “Our investments last year supported the delivery of more than 3,200 affordable housing units.”

Atlanta Housing is moving forward with 21 projects either in the construction or lease-up phases. In the next quarter, the authority expects to close financing for six projects, which will lead to more than 600 units of affordable housing with a $180 million investment from Atlanta Housing.

The projects include renovating the Atlanta Civic Center property into a mixed-use neighborhood, as well as new developments in Mechanicsville, Vine City and the city’s Westside.

The Civic Center will feature rental housing, senior housing, a hotel, office space and retail space, which hopes to breathe new life to Downtown, Midtown and the Old Fourth Ward. Parts of the project are expected to be finished by summer 2026.

As of mid-April, the Housing Authority has begun activating over 248 acres of formerly vacant public housing sites. The sites include the full-scale redevelopment of Bowen Homes in the Carey Park neighborhood. The full redevelopment will bring 2,000 homes across a mixed-income, mixed-use community.

Atlanta Housing is in the second phase of Englewood South in southeast Atlanta. The development will feature 200 units in a multi-family development. Alongside 22,000 square feet of retail space, the site will feature 100 Atlanta Housing-assisted units.

In fiscal year 2026, the authority plans to emphasize expanding resident services through financial education and coaching, providing aging-in-place for seniors and expanding youth programs with educational institutions for the more than 17,000 children in Atlanta Housing communities.

Officials stressed that the fight for affordable housing in Atlanta remains a group project.

“We want your home to help to prepare you for the future,” Dickens said.

GARAGE SALES

See more garage sales in the classifieds

JOHNS CREEK, DoubleGate Subdivision Community Sale (enter into Twingate Dr). Saturday 4/26 8am-2pm

JOHNS CREEK, Bargains! Multi-Family in Lexington Woods Neighborhood, Sargent Road, April 26 from 8am-3pm. CUMMING-30040, Fieldstone multi-family; Saturday 4/26, 8am-3pm RAIN OR SHINE!

ROSWELL, WEXFORD NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE at Etris Rd/Hardscrabble Rd Sat, 4/26 8am–2pm

Chivukula, MD Johns Creek Only

R. Sanikapally, MD Johns Creek Only: Mon., Tues.,

DICKENS

GrillFest is a celebration of all of our favorite foods that can be prepared on the grill, smoker, or flattop griddle. Guests will enjoy unlimited samples of juicy burgers, smoked BBQ, and an array of grilled meats from wings to steaks. Don’t worry veggie lovers—we’ve got you covered, too, as our restaurant partners and chefs will also have your

Union Hill Park - Alpharetta, Georgia

Saturday, April 26th 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

General Admission: $65

favorites fired up on the grill. GrillFest will include craft beer and craft cocktails, along with bourbon and tequila tastings from our spirits partners. Enjoy live entertainment all day and visit with our vendor sponsors just in time for summer—think outdoor living, summer fun, and grills and gadgets for the outdoor chef.

BEARS 11, EAGLES 9

Cambridge mounts comeback over Milton on senior night

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga — Cambridge High completed the school’s first season sweep of Milton lacrosse April 15 after a fourth quarter comeback on senior night. The final score was 11-9.

The Eagles jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first quarter before Cambridge fired back.

The first half was back-and-forth, with the Bears keeping the deficit at one or two goals through halftime.

Milton came out electrified in the third quarter and put up three goals in less than eight minutes, while Cambridge notched only one. Senior defenseman Jay Marcille got in on the action with a goal.

Despite a whistle-heavy game where many faceoffs resulted in a violation, Milton was able to forge their momentum in the second half through wins at the dot. Eagles sophomore Jaxson Burke went 60 percent on the night.

But, Cambridge’s Carter Solomon showed up big to stifle the Eagles’ momentum, stealing several clutch faceoffs that put his team on the comeback trail.

The Bears defense stiffened after a goal by Eagles senior Steele Smithson.

Saved shots by goalie Jack Wildstein and forced turnovers by Cambridge’s defense primed the offense for six straight goals in the second half.

Senior Patrick Bojcic got his hat trick with a goal to take the lead with five minutes left. Attackman Josh Oblen sealed the win with another goal just two minutes later, and the Bears’ defense held stiff until the buzzer.

Oblen and fellow senior Mike Guy shouted out the younger team members for knocking it down in big moments.

“No quit from everyone, they fought for us on our senior night,” Guy said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Cambridge team fight as hard as this one does, and it’s not just our top senior guys. All the underclassmen, the bench was getting juiced, everybody rallied together so it was good to see.”

Oblen was the Bears’ leading scorer with four goals and gave credit to the coaching staff especially during halftime for guiding the players to adjust defensively.

“Once we got going, we got the energy up,” Oblen said. “We’ve been playing with these kids for eight or nine years, this is a culminating moment just beating our cross-town rival all together. Our entire team felt that joy, coming back from down four goals against our big rivals.”

ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

Milton sophomore Jaxson Burke gets the drop on the Bears on a faceoff at Cambridge High School April 15. Burke went 60 percent from the dot.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino celebrates World Cup in Atlanta

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — FIFA President Gianni Infantino joined Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens to celebrate the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on April 14, ahead of its summer kickoff.

The first of its kind, the tournament will feature 32 clubs from across the globe, taking place between June 14 and July 14.

“We can say Atlanta unites the world this year and unites the world as well next year,” Infantino said.

Atlanta will be one of 12 venues across the United States, with the final match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Six matches will be played in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium between June16 and July 5.

Dickens said Atlanta is one of the few cities to have this opportunity.

“We've been growing and growing as a soccer town as you've seen throughout the history of Atlanta,” Dickens said.

During the tournament, eight groups of four teams will compete in a single-game roundrobin format. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16. A direct single knockout stage will take place for the remaining games.

“We will finally know, after almost 100 years, which club team is the best in the world,” Infantino said.

Atlanta will also be one of 16 cities across three countries to host the FIFA World Cup 26. Eight matches, including one semifinal, will be played in the MercedesBenz Stadium from June 15 to July 15, 2026.

“You're going to have the best countries from around the world who are passionate about the game of soccer, come to this great state, come to this great city, to enjoy their game unlike any other opportunity they've ever had, and in 2025 the best clubs will get the opportunity to do so,” AMB Sports and Entertainment President Tim Zulawski said.

To buy tickets, visit fifa.com/ en/tickets

SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA

From left, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens discuss the design of the official FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match ball at an April 14 press conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Just opened?

Gallery provides safe space for women

By SARAH COYNE Sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Judie Raiford’s jewelry is more than just wearable art, it’s a symbol.

Her art is a symbol for love, survivors and even for sad memories like death.

For more than 55 years as a master metalsmith, Raiford has created unique pieces through her business, Judie Raiford Inc. at 1159 Canton St. in Roswell. She began her career after she got tired of school.

“I finished 10th grade, got a little more under my belt, and decided it was time to start living,” Raiford said.

After leaving high school, Raiford decided to see what the world had to offer, but quickly realized she needed to find a career.

“The ’60s were ending, and I realized that sex, drugs and rock and roll was not a career choice,” Raiford said.

In 1970, she began her metalsmith journey, apprenticing under jeweler Ben Douglas.

She created her business at 19 and never looked back.

Since 1996, Raiford has created functional art in her studio on Canton Street. Originally based in a 9,000-square-foot, three-level timber frame barn she and friends built in 1995, her gallery now resides in the historic Fowler House. The building stands only a few yards away from the original barn.

In 2018, Raiford renovated the 195-year-old building into a Roswell staple. The building serves not only as

See GALLERY, Page 9

SARAH COYNE/ APPEN MEDIA

Judie Raiford sits in her Raiford Gallery studio on Canton Street in Roswell. The business features works from hundreds of artists in different mediums from across the nation.

Gallery:

Continued from Page 8

a studio, but also as a gallery space for other artists. Guests can visit the shop to buy their next favorite art piece or watch Raiford create her next masterpiece alongside her dogs, Nelly Grace and Louise.

Raiford Gallery features work from more than 200 artists across North America, in all different art forms.

While renovating the building, for Raiford said creating an environment was important.

“I wanted a place where art could be respected, and women could be safe,” Raiford said.

An advocate for women who are survivors of domestic violence, Raiford quickly realized that her space was going to be a safe place for women after one of her employees became a survivor of the abuse.

“We've been pretty successful in that,” Raiford said.

Raiford and her all-female staff take measures to ensure a safe place at all times.

Her favorite part of the job is not the final product, but the process. In her studio, you can find all sorts of gemstones, pearls and her favorite materials to work with, silver and gold.

BUSINESSPOSTS

“I love to reinvent the wheel,” Raiford said.

Alongside her two assistants, the team creates new family heirlooms and new staple wardrobe pieces.

Due to the high price of gold, she has noticed more customers requesting her to melt down the gold they already own.

“You may not want to wear what your parents or your favorite aunt wore, but I can make it into something that you'll wear, and you get to wear the metal that they wore,” Raiford said.

Each February, Raiford and her assistants head to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show to collect materials for their pieces. Sellers and artists from across the world gather at the show.

Assistant Berlin Randall has been with Raiford for almost two decades. Her favorite part about working in the studio is the freedom to be herself.

“When I come here, I get to interact with other women, which is just the best part about it,” Randall said.

Randall also displays her own work in the gallery.

Throughout her career journey, Raiford said the most important thing she has learned is how important it is to do what she loves and not take shortcuts.

“I had to learn how to make things that people wanted to buy and were wearable,” Raiford said.

HELP IS HERE

If you live in Georgia, you can still get help with recovery from Helene or Debby through housing assistance, loans, resources and more. Stay in touch and check your application for updates.

Ways FEMA Can Help

Housing: FEMA may call for more information from an unfamiliar number. Be sure to answer, as FEMA may be able to help with immediate housing, additional support and information on housing opportunities.

Home Inspection: Inspectors will make an appointment before they visit and will show your application number and their photo ID.

SBA Centers: FEMA staff is available to assist at Small Business Administration centers in Coffee, Jeff Davis, Lowndes, Richmond, Screven, Telfair and Toombs counties.

Center for Rural Entrepreneurship:

208 E. 1st St., Vidalia, GA 30474

Jeff Davis Rec Dept: 83 Buford Rd., Hazlehurst, GA 31539

McDuffie Woods CC: 3431 Old McDuffie Rd., Augusta, GA 30906

Satilla Library:

200 S. Madison Ave., Douglas, GA 31533

Screven County Library: 106 South Community Dr., Sylvania, GA 30467

Telfair CSC:

91 Telfair Ave., #D, McRae-Helena, GA 31055

Telfair CSC: 91 Telfair Ave., #D, McRae-Helena, GA 31055

VSU Foundation: 901 N. Patterson St., Valdosta, GA 31601

Keep Your Recovery On Track

Read your FEMA letter carefully. If you’ve applied for FEMA disaster assistance and were not approved, you may need to send additional documentation.

Scan the QR code or go to fema.gov/HelpIsHere and select “check your status” to upload documents, track your application, update contact information, get directions or get help.

fema.gov/HelpIsHere

Stay in Touch

ONLINE: fema.gov/HelpIsHere

DOWNLOAD: The FEMA App CALL: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

PHOTOS BY: SARAH COYNE/ APPEN MEDIA

Above: Raiford Gallery, 1159 Canton St. in Roswell, features works from more than 200 artists across North America.

At left: Berlin Randall holds a torch for a necklace she is creating inside Raiford Gallery, 1159 Canton St., Roswell.

Gateway to Fishing program widens door to sport

By ADAM DARBY newsroom@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Prime fishing season has begun in Georgia.

Since March, outdoor enthusiasts, fishing poles in hand, have enjoyed visiting their favorite fishing holes to see what the day brings. With prime fishing season expected to run until June, the Gateway to Fishing program has promoted the activity by providing the resources necessary for the ideal experience with family and friends.

“We’re trying to introduce folks to fishing,” said Keith Weaver, the fisheries biologist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and one of the program’s coordinators. “The [increased] interest is what’s been really rewarding.”

The Gateway to Fishing program continues to aid visitors with on-site events that include trailers of fishing equipment and guidance for those who may not be as experienced. With the goal of attracting families and friends to enjoy the outdoors, the program works to ensure people can return home with memories, if not fish.

“You don’t need sophisticated tools or equipment or to spend a lot of money,” Weaver said. “We enhance the fisheries by stocking additional catchable fish in Piedmont and Adams Park…it’s just a good time to get away from your worries and just relax and enjoy.”

While the program has plans to expand soon, both Piedmont Park in the heart of Atlanta and Adams Park on the city’s south side serve as the ideal fishing spots in Fulton County. While the program provides those additional tools and fish, people are encouraged to create their own lasting experiences with loved ones while enjoying the outdoors. Although fishing is an all-year activity, the period from March through June serves as the best time of the year for county residents.

“Typically, this is the time of year,” Weaver said. “So, I would consider this to be the best season. This is the best time of the year for folks in the metro-Atlanta area to be fishing within their community…it’s just a good time to catch fish and this is the time of year where anglers enjoy most of their success.”

To learn more about the Gateway to Fishing program and prime fishing spots throughout Atlanta, visit www.storymaps. arcgis.com or email Keith Weaver at keith.weaver@dnr.ga.gov.

KEITH WEAVER/SPECIAL

The Gateway to Fishing program encourages people of all skill levels to enjoy a day outdoors with family and friends.

Gladiator boys hold up against Chattahoochee

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga — The Johns Creek boys lacrosse team improved to 3-10 on the season April 16 with a 17-8 win over Chattahoochee High.

Chattahoochee has faced extensive injuries this season. With only three subs on the sideline the game was sure to be an uphill battle.

Cougars senior Luke Priester, who also plays quarterback in football, filled in several gaps in the team’s play. Throughout the duration of the game, the Lenoir-Rhyne commit could be found behind both restraining lines on attack or defense and also took three faceoffs with a 66 percent win rate.

When Priester didn’t have a longpole in his hands, the Cougars offense was flowing through him. He assisted on four goals to go along with the one he scored.

The Cougars struggled at the faceoff with their starter going 25 percent, due to a comeback from injury on the Gladiators.

Johns Creek head coach Chikcizo (CJ) Mucker Jr. complimented sophomore Will Dell’Orto, who in his first game back from a wrist injury, went 15 for 22 at the dot.

“In previous games we’ve needed to get

defense to be more aggressive and that’s what they showed tonight,” Mucker said. “Communication on and off the field was great today. I can’t ask for much more, because the more you talk to everybody, the easier the game is to play.”

The Gladiators held strong with a lead that only grew after the first buzzer sounded.

Freshman Brayden Ko kicked off the game with the first goal only 30 seconds into the match.

Chattahoochee managed to find their offense at times, going on two separate threegoal runs in the third and fourth quarters.

Junior Joseph Keever took care of one of the two by himself with three straight in less than three minutes in the final period.

However, Johns Creek’s defense was able to derail the Cougars’ offensive momentum by disrupting the passing lane to shut down the runs while continuing to have success on offense.

Junior Tyler Hampson was the Gladiators’ leading scorer with five goals and one assist against the Cougars.

“Winning this game that could send us to the playoffs is probably the biggest game of the year, so it’s good to win that one,” he said. “That was the lowest number of turnovers we’ve had all year. We played a buttoned-up game.”

ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

Chattahoochee’s Joseph Keever, left, drives against Johns Creek defender David Scruggs at Chattahoochee High School April 16. Scruggs and the Gladiators dominated the Cougars 17-8.

Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist

Insist on the

BEST

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

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

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 22 years experience as a Dermatology PA and cosmetic dermatology.

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

Is Lidocaine a secret weapon against cancer?

We always worry about the negative side-effects that a medicine might have. At the end of a pharmaceutical company’s commercials, an auctioneer very quickly states the twenty terrible things that might happen if you take the advertised medicine. Side effects range from your ear falling off when you sneeze to the belief that you are Elvis. Side-effects make almost any medicine sound scary. But occasionally, a positive side effect emerges. Sometimes, we discover something wonderful about a medicine that is wholly unexpected.

Examples of positive side-effects are not hard to find. The medicine finasteride was first being used to help decrease the size of the prostate in men who were having difficulty urinating. An unexpected positive side-effect was discovered when it was noticed that many of the men were re-growing their scalp hair. With finasteride, male pattern baldness was often partially reversed or stopped in its tracks.

One of the most recent medications discovered to have a possible positive side effect is lidocaine, which has been around since 1943. Lidocaine is an injectable anesthetic. We use lidocaine for skin biopsies, excisions, Mohs surgeries and countless other procedures every day in the dermatology office. Amazingly, lidocaine may be more than an anesthetic. It may also have anticancer effects.

A team of surgeons in India operating on breast cancer divided patients into two groups. One group had standard breast cancer surgery. The other group received a lidocaine injection around the tumor 7-10 minutes prior to surgery. During the 5 years after surgery, the group that received the lidocaine injection had an 8.5% rate of the cancer recurring (popping up again) at a distant site versus an 11.6% rate of distant recurrence in the surgeryonly (no lidocaine) group. The study has some limitations including not being a double-blind trial and

being a single-center study, but it is intriguing enough to warrant further investigation. The authors reported that injecting lidocaine around breast cancer before removing it increased survival in their study.

What made the surgeons perform this study in the first place? Why lidocaine? Over the last few years, researchers have discovered that electrical gradients maintained across the membranes of cancer cells are important to their ability to metastasize or spread. Our cells have pumps in them called “ion channels.” They allow certain ions to pass across the cell membrane. The resulting ion concentration gradient creates an electrical charge across a cell. This gradient affects the way other proteins in the cell function. Importantly, some of the proteins affected by the charge across a cell membrane are important for healthy cells’ growth and development as well as for cancers’ ability to grow and spread.

Lidocaine works by blocking sodium channels in cell membranes. Disrupting the electric charge across a cancer cell membrane was suspected to have the potential to weaken the cancer itself. Pre-clinical studies supported this hypothesis, and the breast cancer surgeons took the next step of performing a trial with breast cancer patients and peritumoral lidocaine injections.

I don’t know if breast cancer surgeons in the United States consider these results valid, are awaiting confirmatory studies or are already injecting lidocaine. However, in dermatology, these results are exciting because, for now, we do not need to change anything that we are already doing. Every day that I perform Mohs surgery, we inject the area around a tumor with lidocaine prior to surgically removing the cancer. If lidocaine is more than an anesthetic, then our patients are likely already benefiting from any anti-cancer properties that lidocaine has.

Mohs surgery is the gold standard for treating most skin cancers and has a cure rate that is usually at or above 99%. Perhaps lidocaine is one of the secrets to this success.

Dr. Brent Taylor

Kathryn Filipek, PA-C

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

Medicare Advantage gets big boost!

Brought to you by – SeniorSource Medicare Solutions

Earlier this month, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that next year's payments to Medicare Advantage plans will not increase to the expected 2%, but rather will increase 5.1 percent.

This unexpected increase equates to an estimated 25 billion dollars in additional payments!

One reason for this increase, sources say, is because of new data showing medical cost being higher than first reported.

As this announcement was celebrated amongst the Medicare Advantage insurance community, they are still adjusting to a continued 3-year roll out of the new CMS reform policy. CMS is continuing its new standards placed on the Medicare Advantage plans that aims to stop insurance companies from “gaming” the system with a process referred to as upcoding.

These new standards will provide more accurate payments to insurance companies. The funding increase will help ease the insurance companies into these new policy standards. Will the funding increase to

Medicare Advantage plans help the Medicare beneficiary? I believe so.

It’s too early to tell how this influx of additional funding will play out in the Medicare Advantage Plan designs for plan year 2026, but now that this is public knowledge, the MA companies will be under a microscope for next year’s plans.

What should you look out for if you are already on a Medicare Advantage plan or looking to make a change to Medicare Advantage?

In the fall of this year (October 15th-December 7th), next year’s plans will be released. Look for a possibility of these benefits getting stronger: Dental, Vision, lower medical copays, and increases in Over-The-Counter Program benefits.

Another prediction is that we might see Medicare Advantage insurance companies create a plan design not yet seen in Georgia. It’s too early to say, but if you are interested in knowing more about Medicare Advantage plans, or need help with your Medicare Supplement plan, contact me at SeniorSourceMedicare. com/contact-seniorsource or call (770) 913-6464.

Source: HealthCareDive.com

Your Local Broker

Jay Looft Owner/Agent

Bands

Dances &

Dances:

Line

Connect-It

The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

A DAY IN COURT

1. Suds stop. Red ink amount. It can be brought in court.

2. Beige. Important court figure. Wedding party member.

3. Eastern discipline. Chess piece. Court verdict.

4. Quagmire. It can be entered in court. Chubby.

5. One who represents a client in court. Figure skater’s jump. Gumbo pod.

6. Biting. Large-eyed promate. Court’s get out of jail money.

7. Very, in music. Court panel. Busybody.

A Day in Court

1 Suds stop. Red ink amount. It can be brought in court

2. Beige. Important court figure. Wedding party member.

How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

3. Eastern discipline Chess piece. Court verdict.

4. Quagmire. It can be entered in court. Chubby.

5. One who represents a client in court. Figure skater’s jump Gumbo pod.

6. Biting. Large-eyed promate. Court’s get out of jail money

7. Very, in music. Court panel. Busybody

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Hospital schedules community seminar on life-saving skills

Truett

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Whittall

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Emory Johns Creek Hospital will host a handson life-saving class 10 a.m.-2 p.m. April 26.

The free 90-minute CPR Saturday class will be taught at Johns Creek Baptist Church, 6910 McGinnis Ferry Road.

Sergey Savin

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Kimberly Verska Carol Williams

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— Jon Wilcox

Volunteers sought for cleanup sweep along Johns Creek

CREEK, Ga.

The

invites residents to join them in a creek cleanup April 26. From 9 a.m. to noon, the cleanup will focus on a section of Johns Creek along the western border of the Medlock Bridge subdivision, according to the preserve. Participants should consider bringing a pair of water shoes, hat, reusable water bottle, sunscreen and bug repellant.

Water, first aid supplies, trash bags, litter grabbers and gloves will be provided.

After an introduction and overview on the importance of keeping the watershed clean, participants will team up and walk about half a mile to the creek’s northern end to clean.

Collected debris and litter will be sorted, bagged and weighed at the Groomsbridge parking lot for the city to dispose of.

Those who wish to help but would prefer to stay dry can pull invasive privet plants, carry full trash bags and provide replacement bags.

Participating Johns Creek residents can use a 10 percent stormwater credit to apply toward the fee next year.

— Jon Wilcox

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Autrey Mill Nature Preserve

Funds:

Continued from Page 3

“We have not taken any extraordinary actions, in terms of cost reductions or constraints,” Anderson said. “Our thought right now, absent different direction from the board, is to move toward a mid-year review and closer to June than August.”

After talking with DeKalb County Chief Operating Officer Zach Williams, Anderson said Fulton’s neighbor to the east is more reliant on federal grants and has taken basic steps, although he provided no specifics.

“[The mid-year review will] give us the best perspective on emerging expenses from the consent decree, as well as perhaps from these federal government grants,” Anderson said. “[The plan is] to seek your direction then, but right now, it’s business as usual.”

Jail upgrades continue

Anderson is referencing the legally binding agreement between Fulton and

Bonds:

Continued from Page 1

In November 2022, voters of Roswell approved the issuance of $179.6 million in general obligation bonds for capital improvement projects. The first tranche issuance occurred in April 2023 in the amount of $86.2 million, with $53.1 million dedicated to recreation and parks, $13.1 million for public safety and $20 million for a public parking deck.

“Currently spent under contract is $21 million for parks and $17 million for public safety,” Roswell CFO Bill Godshall said. “While that looks like $21 million may be a lot, that is committed to be spent in full before the end of the third quarter, which brings us to the need to raise a second tranche.”

The City Council will review the sale of the bonds and adoption of the resolution to formerly price and sell the bonds on June 23. Once the final issuance amount is determined by city leaders, staff must provide an estimate of the millage rate increase needed to service the debt.

In other business at the committee meeting, Deputy City Administrator Jeffrey Leatherman presented the economic development quarterly report and the Seer World LLC master services agreement report.

Late last year, the City Council approved a resolution to switch its fiscal year to coincide with the calendar year. “This is our opportunity essentially to catch up from 2024 and also close out the first quarter of 2025,” Leatherman

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Fulton County Justice System Programs

Director Steve Nawrocki discusses a monthly update on the jail population across all facilities.

the Department of Justice to ensure its jail system is no longer violating the constitutional rights of inmates, specifically the Eighth and 14th Amendments.

There are long-standing problems at the Rice Street jail requiring a lengthy and costly process spanning at least two years with a consent decree monitor

said.

Leatherman highlighted that the city was faced with a number of economic development challenges.

“[Roswell has] a number of singlefamily detached homes, which makes Roswell special, but we also have to recognize it as something that is a challenge for us, because it limits the amount of property that we have available commercially in our community for economic redevelopment,” Leatherman said.

The master services agreement with Seer World has a $2 million limit that will reset by the first week of May.

For the second quarter, the city plans to focus on the further definition of the scopes of work and deliverables with Seer.

“Also, we’re going to be working on a scorecard,” Leatherman said. “This is really just a quick example of the types of things that will be included on our scorecard, but we need to be able to report back to the council, from an economic development perspective, what success looks like and how we’re measuring our success.”

In other business, officials unanimously approved a contract with Georgia Interlocal risk Management Agency in an amount not to exceed $1.28 million payable through Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. for property, casualty and management liability insurance for the city.

The contract will cover one year and also provide coverage for an additional amount of $112,838 for cyber insurance through Travelers Insurance and drone liability insurance through Global Aerospace for a $6,480.

reviewing facilities to ensure the county is not violating the rights of incarcerated citizens.

The probe into the county’s Rice Street facility and three annexes, including one in Alpharetta, began in 2023 after the murder of an unindicted inmate who had been in custody for eight months.

There were 25 inmate deaths from 2022-23, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The Fulton County Jail ended a previous consent decree less than 10 years ago after spending $1 billion to comply.

Fulton County Sherrif Pat Labat, District Attorney Fani Willis and the Board of Commissioners have come under fire for the management of the jail facilities, backlogs in the judicial system and a lack of funding for a solution.

In other business at the meeting, commissioners received an update on the $13 million “jail blitz” repair program, which moves inmates to other areas of the jail so damage can be addressed. The work at Rice Street is 64 percent complete with seven out its 11 housing units finished, according to staff, and includes fixing cell doors and locks, repairing

Also at the meeting, it was announced that City Hall will begin interior renovations to the ground level for an amount not to exceed $1.24 million with a budget authorization of $1.41 million.

plumbing and sealing concrete walls. The blitz project is expected to wrap up this summer after a couple years of work, but the consent decree monitor is set to remain until minimum requirements are met.

Since the beginning of the year, the Rice Street population has increased 6 percent to 1,707 inmates, which is down from the more than 3,200 incarcerated people there in summer 2023.

Because 575 beds out of a total of 2,644 beds are currently unavailable during the repair work, the county is using programs like its new diversion center to reduce the jail population as work continues.

Pitts said the county has invested around $2.5 million on policing alternatives and diversion initiatives. He said money is tight, referencing the county’s operational budget, and asked if county-funded diversion programs are working.

“It looks like the bookings are increasing on a monthly basis,” he said. “Are we going to use it or are we not going to use it?”

The renovations will occur across 8,500 square feet, including the area previously occupied by the Planning and Zoning Department and the area currently occupied by the IT Department.

A simple set of rules one should live by

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

Dear Grandchildren, I wanted to make a few notes for you about being wise, caring and a good friend. You are already very good children and already you treat others – most of the time – with respect and caring.

I have been reading books lately about how to be good. The book that I borrowed the rules listed below from is called “The Serviceberry,” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It’s a little book with lots of wisdom. I think one of its main messages is that we are all connected – people with other people, people with plants and animals, people with everything in the environment in which we all live.

You are so very important. What

you do and say and how you treat others is a big deal.

So here are some of the lessons from that “Serviceberry” book.

No. 1: Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you can take care of them. That means pay attention to how your parents treat you and other people and things. Learn from your parents.

No. 2: Introduce yourself.

Recently I heard that Annie Moon (4) introduced herself at a party to an adult.

“So, do you have any siblings?”

Adult: “Why yes I do.”

Annie Moon: “Do they live close by?”

That was so great Annie Moon. It made that woman feel important that you were interested in her and her family. By being curious, you will learn many things.

No. 3: Ask permission before taking, and abide by the answer. You

know what that means, right? You know about asking permission and not fussing if you don’t get it. That is just a way to be respectful of others Annie.

No. 4 : Share. We know about sharing.

No. 5: Say “thank you” when someone gives you something. When someone helps you or is kind to you, you should try to help them and be kind to them back.

No. 6: Never take the first one. Never take the last. A lot of adults never learn this one, Annie. Be patient. Wait in line. Let parents or grandparents or very young children go ahead of you. This is being respectful of others.

No. 7: Only take what you need. This is another one that many adults never learn, sweetie. Do you know why? You can show them this lesson by your example. Adults have so very much to learn from children.

No. 8: Never take more than half. Leave some for others. Yet another one that many adult’s parents never taught them. If you take more than half, is there much left for others – for your friends and their friends? No. 9: Harvest in a way that minimizes harm. And what you harvest, use respectfully. Never waste what you have taken. Boy, that is a lot to understand. Do you think it might mean not to be selfish or greedy? And do you think that if everyone always tried to take the most they could take, that many people would have nothing while some people would have so much more than they need?

Remember, we all need each other. We also need the plants around us because they help us, too. We need the clean water and air that we drink and breath, but it is not clean and safe if we don’t respect it and take care of it at the same time.

Community contributions from the Eidson family

Zachariah Eidson was born in Georgia in 1823. He was the son of Boice and Catherine Willard Eidson. The Eidsons appear in the 1848 Georgia Tax Digest listing of Shallowford District, which includes what is now Dunwoody. Zachariah Eidson donated land for the first Dunwoody School in 1880. The school is named Eidson Academy on the plat map. The land and school were where Dunwoody Library and the Spruill Center for the Arts are located today.

A deed recorded in 1906 provides the record for Zachariah’s donation to the community. James Spruill was executor of Zachariah Eidson’s

estate. During his lifetime, Eidson had arranged for “a certain parcel of land for a schoolhouse or plat of ground two acres to include right of way to nearest and best water or spring. To extend from public road to include said schoolhouse.” The trustees for this property, land lot 366 in the 18th Land District, were James Spruill, John King and W. J. Donaldson.

The deed also indicates the schoolhouse be known as Eidson Academy. The school built there was the first Dunwoody School. I have not found any other documents that reflect the name Eidson Academy, but Zachariah Eidson had the foresight to provide property for Dunwoody to build a school.

A plat map showing the site donated by Zachariah Eidson, also shows the adjoining property of W.H. and Edna Wilson, Charlie Blackmon,

Bud Crews corner property and the 1976 purchase of land behind the school by Jim Cowart.

Stephen Spruill, born in 1870, shared his memories as an early student in Dunwoody.

“My first school was a one-room log cabin on the site of the present Dunwoody Elementary School. My first teacher was Miss Mattie Graham, who lived with my grandparents. At that time, there were no public schools in Georgia and each family paid tuition for their own children.” Dunwoody Elementary School remained at this location until it closed in 1985. (“Story of Dunwoody,” Elizabeth L. Davis, Ethel W. Spruill, Joyce Amacher, Lynne Byrd”)

Boyce Eidson donated the land for the Eidson family cemetery, located on Winters Chapel Road across the street from Winters Chapel Methodist Church

and next to North Atlanta Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The earliest burial according to findagrave.com is for his wife, Catherine. She died in 1869, and he died a few years later. Today, there are 314 gravesites at Eidson Cemetery.

Calvin Eidson, grandson of Boyce, was a carpenter who helped build the Dunwoody Methodist Chapel on Mt. Vernon Road. He also led a committee who constructed a new parsonage for the church in one day.

Eidson Road, located between Tilly Mill and Winters Chapel roads, is a reminder of the contributions of the Eidson family.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

OPINION

Church bells ring, and the people listen

Church bells ring, and people listen

One might say that I have a thing about bells. I have written a column about farm bells and another about cow bells. The subject this week is church bells. So, maybe I do have a thing about them.

This week I will explore the history of church bells and illustrate the challenges of installing a bell weighing several hundred pounds in the top of a church tower using as an example the Birmingham United Methodist Church in Milton. In a recent column I described the history of that church.

History

Nearly everyone in North Fulton lives near a church, and most have heard a church bell ring to announce church service, a wedding or other important event.

Historically, the first bell used in church is often credited to Bishop Paulinus of Nola, Italy, around 400 AD. It was used primarily to call monks to prayer and was probably a handbell.

In 604 AD, Pope Sabinian sanctioned the used of bells by churches.

Benedictine monks, a monastic order dating back to the fifth century, used larger bells mounted in towers in the 7th and 8th centuries. Bells helped them manage their daily routines, marking prayer time, meals, study time and sleep time.

According to National Bell Festival, a non-profit organization dedicated to the celebration and restoration of bells, bell-making originated in China some 5,000 years ago. Sheets of metal were hammered into bell shapes with a bead, rock or metal bit suspended inside the bell to make a clapper.

Ancient Greek sentries used bells as warning devices. The book of Exodus 28:33-35 describes golden bells as part of the high priest’s robe. Early Romans hung bells around livestock to locate strays. Gradually, bells were adopted by Western religions.

The first church bells in the United States were in the San Miguel Mission, Santa Fe, New Mexico, built circa 1610. It is still in use.

Bells have been featured in numerous films. To name a few: “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (1943), starring Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman, based on Ernest Hemingway’s novel; “A

Christmas Carol” (1938), starring Gene Lockhart and Reginal Owen, based on Charles Dickens’ story; and “The Bells of St. Mary’s” (1945,) starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman, a musicalcomedy-drama.

Birmingham UMC

Birmingham United Methodist Church is fortunate to own a bell

made by the C.S. Bell Company of Hillsborough Ohio, possibly the largest manufacturer of church bells in the United States for more than 100 years. The company ceased to make bells in 1974. The BUMC bell was cast circa 1892, has a diameter of 28 inches and weighs in at 294 pounds. Including the accessories required to suspend and operate the bell, total weight is 450

pounds.

It is not known exactly when or how the church acquired the bell or who may have owned it previously. The best guess is that it was acquired in the 1940s or earlier.

In May 2009, eight church volunteers, who became known as the “The Bell Bunch,” opened a panel in the side of the rooftop steeple to inspect the bell to see how it was mounted and to plan its descent for eventual installation in a recently installed new bell tower. It is difficult to imagine the challenges involved in taking a nearly 450-pound bell from a steeple rooftop to the ground.

The volunteers asked the Milton Fire Department to assist. The firefighters extended their long ladder to the chapel roof and placed lumber skids on the ladder. Four firefighters slowly slid the bell to the ground where it was placed in a truck and moved to the barn owned by parishioner Byron Foster. Volunteers disassembled, repaired and restored the bell over the summer.

Next, a mounting structure for the bell had to be designed, built and tested. Fortunately, parishioner Jeff Johnson and his father George Johnson, a retired Lockheed engineer who had worked in elevator design, were able to spearhead the task.

Finally, on Nov. 14, 2009, a large crowd watched as the bell was raised by a rope to its new home. The bell was installed and tolled for the first time in many years.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

PHOTOS BY: JEFF JOHNSON/PROVIDED

Milton firefighters climb their ladder to remove the 294-pound bell from its home on the chapel roof. Including its auxiliary equipment, the bell weighs 450 pounds. Fire crews had to slowly slide the bell down the ladder.

The church bell tower where the bell is now housed.

The bell after it was repaired, restored and repainted. It is ready to be lifted by ropes to its new home in the church bell tower.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, May 5, 2025 to consider the following item during the Alpharetta City Council Meeting and Public Hearing, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Alpharetta City Hall, located at 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009. All Alpharetta residents and any interested persons are invited and encouraged to attend for public review and comment.

a. The Code of the City of Alpharetta, Georgia Text Amendments – Chapter 28, Occupational Licenses, Taxes and Regulations, Chapter 42, Article II, Insurer License Fees, and Chapter 42, Article III, Occupation Tax

Consideration of an ordinance proposing modifications to increase the annual license fee levied upon each insurer doing business within the City; to increase the occupation tax levied on certain businesses and practitioners of professions and occupations; to amend business registration requirements; to provide for enforcement; to provide penalties for violations; to repeal conflicting ordinances; and for other purposes.

In Memoriam

Marjorie Shirley Harris

October 9, 1930 - April 19, 2025

Marjorie Shirley Harris, a beloved mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother, passed away peacefully on April 19, 2025, at the age of 94.

Born in Alpharetta, Georgia, on October 9, 1930, to the late Joel and Carrie Shirley, Marjorie was a true Southern lady and a shining example of quiet strength and grace—a real “Steel Magnolia.” She was a woman of deep faith whose life centered around her love for family, her church, and her garden.

Marjorie will be remembered for her kind heart, selfless nature, and quiet presence. She touched countless lives with her gentle spirit and caring ways.

She is survived by her children, Vickie

DEATH

NOTICES

Ishwarasa Basawa, 85, of Roswell, passed away on March 29, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Walter Bator, 90, of Roswell, passed away on March 26, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Ross (Dave), Jean Bradbury (Steve Mew), and Charles Harris (Louis Okoniewski); grandchildren, Renee Diggelmann (Kevin), Victoria Quach (Yin), and James Morris; and greatgrandchildren, Kai, Jia, and Elise.

Visitation will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Roswell Funeral Home, followed by a service at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Green Lawn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a children’s charity of your choice, in honor of Marjorie’s lifelong commitment to kindness and care.

During these turbulent times, we would like to highlight the continued courage and commitment of everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.

Selina Faulkner, 83, of Roswell, passed away on March 31, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

William Dudley Garrett, 89, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 10, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Sarah Harman, 75, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 14, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Angelo Noto, 81, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 12, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Searching for Charles Sherman Rose aka Michael Rose.

Sign up for our FREE new resident email series that is designed to help individuals and families who are in the process of relocating or new to Roswell. The newsletter series comprises of seven informative and engaging emails that will be delivered over time to provide new residents valuable insights into the city’s happenings.

Vice President of Client Programs

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Vice President of Client Programs position. The Vice President of Client Programs (VPCP) is a senior leader responsible for creating and implementing the Client Services department strategy for NFCC. This includes creating programs and services, monitoring their effectiveness and ensuring funds are distributed appropriately. The VPCP also leads a team of 13 client services staff who handle client intake, case management, impact and outcomes data, education (GED/English classes) and workforce development programs.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

IT POSITIONS: Alpharetta, GA & various unanticipated locations throughout the U.S: SOFTWARE ENGINEERS: Invol in SDLC. Invol in sys anlys, dsgn, dvlpmnt & implmntn of ETL methdlgs. Dsgn & dvlp lots of data stg jobs to load data into dimnsnl & fact tbls of diff data marts from extrctng data from dwh tbls. Dvlp Java apps in sandbox envirnmnts. Mntn & mntr Unix file sys for DataStage ETL Projs. Test & impl bug fixes or enhmnts in test & live envrmnts. Doc & mntn tstng reslts & Test logs. Skills req’d: IBM Information analyzer, Erwin, SQL Server, Oracle, PL/SQL, VMware & Linux. Master’s in Sci, Tech, or Engg (any) w/1 yr exp in job off’d or rltd occup is req’d. SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS: Invol in SDLC. Admin, Impl, code, dsgn, suprt, & Cnfig w/Force.com pltfrm. Dvlp Apex Trigrs, Apex Classes, Test classes & Visual Force pgs emplyng std & cstm cntrlrs, SOQL & SOSL queries. Dvlp Salesforce Lightng Apps, Cmpnts, Cntrlrs & Events. Prep unit test cases u/ apex test classes. Use Jira for proj mgmt & bug trakng, Subvrsn for source code cntrl, & Jenkins for dplymnt & continuous intgrtn. Skills required: Salesforce, Apex, SQL, Oracle, JavaScript, J2EE, Angular JS, Bootstrap & Eclipse. Master’s in Sci, Tech, or Engg (any) w/6 mnths exp in job off’d or rltd occup is req’d. BOTH JOBS: Mail resume: HR, Verinova Technologies LLC.,4080 McGinnis Ferry Rd, Ste 1301, Alpharetta, GA 30005

Sawnee EMC is seeking a Billing Clerk to audit the billing process by ensuring accuracy in accordance with Sawnee EMC rate schedules and fee policies. Requires: high school diploma or equivalency, two-year certificate or degree and a minimum of two years of related accounting experience demonstrating proficiency in mathematics, and general office skills. Position is full-time; must be flexible to work irregular hours, to include evenings and weekends.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, April 25, 2025. Apply online: www.sawnee. coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-8872363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Protected Veterans. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

Sawnee EMC is seeking a General Clerk III –Customer Service to assist in a high-volume call center. Requires high school diploma or equivalency, computer, communication, and general office skills. Requires one (1) year experience in a customer service call center or service-type organization, utility, finance, banking, or equivalent industry. Bilingual is preferred, fluent in English and Spanish (written and verbal).

Position is full-time; must be flexible to work irregular hours, to include evenings, weekends and holidays.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5PM, May 2, 2025. Apply online: www.sawnee. coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-8872363, extension 7568.

Infor (US), LLC has an opening for a Software Engineer, Principal in Alpharetta, GA. Oversee the deployment processes across various stages, including development, QA, integration testing, production support and perform infrastructure automation. Telecommuting permitted up to 20%. How to apply: E-mail resume, referencing IN1047, including job history, to careers@infor.com. EOE.

Infor (US), LLC has an opening for a Senior Consultant in Alpharetta, GA. Responsible for delivering business process and application consulting services which include process design, application configuration, testing, client training on software, technologies and tools. Domestic (U.S.) travel is required up to 50%. 100% Telecommuting permitted. How to apply: E-mail resume, referencing IN1053, including job history, to careers@infor.com. EOE.

Emory Healthcare, Inc. in Johns Creek, GA seeks a Clinical Dietitian III to provide Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to patients with complex medical conditions in inpatient and outpatient hospital settings. Requires: Registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration, Specialty Certification from an approval nutrition area or Master’s degree in Food and Nutrition, Dietetics, Nutritional Science or related field of study, and Licensure as a Dietitian in the state of GA. Apply online at https://www.emoryhealthcare.org/careers/ or send resume to careers@emoryhealthcare.org. Please reference job title and location.

Software Engineer Senior (Alpharetta, GA): Prfrm tstng & valdtn reqs for moderately cmplx code changes; prfrm corrective measures for moderately cmplx code deficiencies & escalates alt proposals; participate in client facing meetings, joint venture discussions, vendor partnership teams to dtrmne solution approaches. Resumes to: Total System Services, LLC, Brian Simons, Associate Director, HR Risk and Compliance, One TSYS Way, Columbus, GA 31901. #SK493733

AARON’S

Bargains! Multi-Family in Lexington Woods Neighborhood, Sargent Road, Johns Creek, April 26 from 8 am - 3 pm.

JOHNS CREEK, DoubleGate Subdivision Community Sale (enter into Twingate Dr. from State Bridge). Saturday 4/26 8am-2pm RAIN OR SHINE. See signs & balloons. Online info: doublegate.net

CUMMING-30040: Fieldstone multi-family; Elder Field Lane, Azurite Street, Balas Street, Preserve Crossing Lane, Delano Drive. Along Drew Campground and Hyde Roads. Saturday 4/26, 8am-3pm RAIN OR SHINE!

Roswell-WEXFORD Subdivision NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE at Etris Rd. and Hardscrabble Rd. Saturday, 4/26th 8:00 am – 2:00 pm: RAIN or SHINE

Over 20 homes participating! Look for entrance signs with a QR code of a map showing homes that are participating and balloons and signs to direct you to sellers.

Yard Sales

Our trusted professionals dry out wet areas & repair to protect your family & your home value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code! !!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866- 433-8277

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DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405

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Find your one of a kind.

Welcome to 12690 Ebenezer Pond Court—Discover serene

countryside living with city convenience in this new construction, custom-built Milton home. Featuring a designer chef’s kitchen, three full-size owner’s suites (one on the main level), a finished terrace level with a sauna and a private heated saltwater pool, this home blends timeless elegance with modern amenities—all minutes from top-rated public and private schools and vibrant downtown destinations in Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton and Avalon.

7 BEDROOMS 8.5 BATHROOMS OFFERED FOR $3,999,000