President Christina DeVictor handpicks small businesses to feature their homemade products every Saturday in front of City Hall.
Although DeVictor has just begun her job, heading an operation like this has been her dream for years. It all began when she was out in Santa Barbara to photograph a wedding and went to a local market.
“We were so in awe of how incredible it was and what a center of community it was,” she said.
MARKET, Page 21
County residents unite to oppose tax hike
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — Residents from all corners of Fulton County cheered one another during a 10 a.m. public hearing July 9, urging the Board of Commissioners to keep the property tax rate flat. At the first of three public
hearings to set the millage rate on property this year, county leaders heard from more than 50 residents, all opposed to an increase.
While the rate won’t be adopted until the final public hearing Aug. 6, the Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 June 18 to allow for a 1 mill increase in the levy. If adopted,
the 1- mill increase would raise an additional $79 million in property tax revenue and represent more than a 12 percent tax increase over the current mill rate of 8.87 mills.
One mill represents a tax liability of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value on property.
See HIKE, Page 6
Strike imperils trash service for thousands in Alpharetta
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A threatened strike by Teamsters Union Local 728 could leave thousands of Alpharetta residents without trash and recycling service.
Since July 8, dozens of sanitation workers who do waste collection for Republic Services went on strike in front of the Cumming Republic Services facility complaining of unfair labor practices.
The picketers are responsible for residential
waste collection in Alpharetta and commercial and industrial waste collection for Forsyth, Fulton and Cherokee counties. Teamsters Local 728 Business Agent Eric Massaro said 22,000 Alpharetta residents could be affected.
The 32 Cumming workers join 500 union members on strike, including in Boston and Illinois, who are fighting for improvements in compensation and working conditions.
See STRIKE, Page 21
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA Teamsters Union Local 728 members who work as waste collectors for Republic Services strike in front of the Cumming Republic Services facility July 10 citing unfair labor practices.
Ceramic artist Gillian Lilley gives a live demonstration at the Roswell Farmers Market July 12.
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
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Copper wiring stolen from vacant retail site
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police received a report June 30 of about $20,000 in copper wiring stolen from a vacant North Point area retail space.
The property manager said he noticed on June 26 the building, which was being renovated, had been burglarized.
A lock on a side door was broken. Copper wires from fuse boxes and conduits were cut and taken. Investigators searched for fingerprints.
The incident was classified as a felony burglary of a business.
— Jon Wilcox
Home improvement store thwarts attempted theft
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police are investigating an attempted theft of around $4,000 in merchandise from a home improvement store off Holcomb Bridge Road July 9 after loss prevention stopped a patron at check-out.
The caller told an officer that the suspect attempted to conceal merchandise totaling $3,958 from a cashier. The employee said the cashier saw the customer attempt to conceal items in her cart by arranging the merchandise to hide more expensive goods.
When the cashier attempted to scan the items, the woman told him that she no longer wanted to purchase them.
The suspect is described as Romanian female with blonde hair, wearing a blue and white sundress. The employee said she left the store on foot toward Holcomb Bridge Road.
The officer said store employees reported the incident because of an ongoing shoplifting issue at several Metro Atlanta locations.
One employee said the same female suspect attempted to shoplift from a store in Greenville, South Carolina, using the same method.
After spending a day at the pool, the woman returned to her room to take a nap. After waking, she realized she had left two envelopes of the money in a bag at the pool.
She found the bag but failed to locate the envelopes after going to the pool to retrieve the money.
The hotel had no cameras in the pool area and declined to provide recordings in the building without a subpoena.
The incident was classified as a felony theft by taking, greater than $1,500.
— Jon Wilcox
Owner confronts suspect accused of stealing vehicle
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police arrested a woman July 9 after a 30-year-old Roswell man reported her for attempting to steal his 2003 Lincoln Navigator from his residence off Mrytle Street.
The responding officer’s report omits the female suspect’s age and place of residence.
The victim told officers that he saw a stranger hop into his vehicle and move it to an abutting parking lot. When he walked over and told her the car belonged to him, the woman said it was hers and had been given to her by God.
The vehicle owner said the woman threatened his life multiple times, but he was not afraid and waited by the vehicle until officers arrived.
Officers said the suspect gave the same divine justification for her actions.
While speaking with both parties, officers said they discovered the woman had a warrant for failure to appear in court out of Fulton County. Her charges since 2021 include assault, obstruction, terroristic threats, hit-and-run, battery and giving false information to law enforcement.
Officers said attempts to garner more information from the suspect failed as she continued to display signs of mental illness.
The victim told officers that he did not want to press charges because of the woman’s mental state, but he wanted her threats documented.
The woman was transported the woman to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.
—
Hayden Sumlin
— Hayden Sumlin
Money left at poolside reported stolen from bag
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 45-year-old Cartersville woman reported $2,000 stolen while staying at a hotel on Haynes Bridge Road July 4.
Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the scene about 6 p.m.
Visitor reports fraud totaling close to
$4,000
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police met with a 26-year-old man from Clarksville, Tennessee, July 8 after he reported falling victim to a deceptive and fraudulent scheme.
The victim told officers at Roswell Police Headquarters that he was visiting a friend from out of town and staying at an Airbnb within the city. He said he
was deceived into transferring $3,469.55 into a fraudulent account, given to him by an unidentified suspect.
The police report said the incident remains under investigation, and a supplemental report from the Criminal Investigations Division that might have provided more detail was omitted.
— Sarah Coyne
Milton woman reports car keyed at coffee shop
MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman reported that her SUV had been keyed while parked in a handicap spot at a coffee shop on Birmingham Highway July 7.
She stated that she was in a rush and parked her Lexus SUV in a handicap spot without proper stickers or plates. She told police she knew she shouldn’t have done it, but that she planned to be gone a short time.
When she returned to her vehicle, she noticed a Toyota Tacoma parked behind her vehicle, blocking her from leaving. The woman went into the store and asked the Tacoma owner to move his vehicle. She said the man allegedly screamed at her and told her he would not move his vehicle. Out of fear, the woman left and attempted to move around the Tacoma.
As she reversed, the man approached her front driver side window. The woman said that this is when the man allegedly keyed her vehicle on the front driver side bumper, just above the tire. When the woman put the vehicle in drive and moved forward, she said the man jumped onto her hood to make it appear as though she had hit him. The woman stated that she had not hit him and left the scene with no further issue.
Police observed the vehicle’s damage and confirmed it matched the woman’s account. She stated that she did not want to press charges.
Police contacted the man, who stated that he was angered by the woman’s actions, because his mother is handicapped. He said he told the woman that she would have to wait for him to finish his order before he moved his vehicle.
Once he got his coffee, he left the store and confronted the woman at her window. He stated that the woman continued to reverse, which caused him to end up in front of her vehicle. He then allegedly collided with her vehicle but sustained no injuries.
Police made note that the woman’s vehicle had no damage on the front bumper from hitting a person.
The man stated that he did not remember whether or not his keys contacted the woman’s vehicle but said he did stick out his keys toward her vehicle as she reversed.
Police issued no citations.
— Sarah Coyne
Roswell joins case to support Milton in wrongful death verdict
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell officials agreed July 14 to join an amicus brief in the appeal of a multimilliondollar wrongful death verdict against the City of Milton.
The Georgia Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments in Chang V. City of Milton for late October.
Josh Chang, a senior at Yale University died Nov. 18, 2016, when his car struck a concrete planter on the shoulder of Batesville Road in Milton.
In September 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld a lower court judgement of $32.5 million in damages, holding Milton accountable for Chang’s death. The award has since accrued in interest to around $35 million.
After the ruling, more than 60 Georgia cities joined an amicus filing to push for the Georgia Supreme Court to review and overturn the verdict.
“The court of appeals upheld that decision, basically stating that the city is responsible for things outside of the roadway that are in their right of way,” Roswell City Attorney David Davidson said. He advised that if the verdict is upheld, the city would have to remove any neighborhood signs and utility poles in the right of way.
The amicus – or friend of the court – brief allows others who are not a party to the specific case to provide information or arguments the court may want to consider.
The case decision could have major implications for local taxpayers. The verdict stands at around $35 million, growing at $10,000 a day.
“It would put us in a bind, a very deep bind, if this is upheld,” Davidson said.
In other matters at the July 14 meeting, the City Council reviewed the transmittal for the 2025 Community Work Program and the Capital Improvement Element update.
The list of projects for public recreation and parks, transportation and goals of the comprehensive plan are eligible for impact fees to help with the costs.
City staff are required to submit the Community Work Program and the Capital Improvement Element to the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Department.
The Capital Improvement Element identifies
City Attorney David Davidson presents his reasoning July 14 for Roswell to participate in an amicus brief in the Georgia Supreme Court in support of Milton in a wrongful death judgement.
projected needs for system improvements in the city’s comprehensive plan.
“It does not constitute any budget commitment,” Community Development Director Michelle Alexander said. “You actually decide how it gets spent when you go through your budget process.”
City staff plan to report the expenditures in two parts, one detailing fiscal year 2023-2024, then another from July to December 2024. The financial report states that the city has a total expenditure of $1.36 million and collected $731,976 in fees.
In the Capital Improvement Element update, the city plans to remove the Chattahoochee pedestrian bridge and three street projects and add one fire station. The Community Work Program update will include a periodic status evaluation of the city’s Facility Services Master Plan and Fleet Master Plan, as well as implement roadway improvements outlined in the North Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
In other matters, the City Council was presented
with the first reading for an amendment to the Unified Development Code for the Hill Street Overlay. The district will consist of the area bounded by Oak Street, Atlanta Street, Hill Street and Forrest Street.
The city hopes to adopt a master plan to direct redevelopment and create a compatible mixed-use environment. The plan was created in 2019 but never adopted.
“We're looking for a catalytic mixed-use development consistent with our economic development strategy, creating long-term revenue streams with participation for the City of Roswell in the project, commercial repurposing of the public safety building and then also supporting the parking as an economic development tool for the city of Roswell,” Senior Vice President of Community Services & Deputy City Administrator Jeffrey Leatherman said.
Several residents made public comments in support of the overlay. The second reading will be at the next regular meeting July 28.
THE PICTURE FRAMER
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Jody Reichel tells the Fulton County Board of Commissioners that she is opposed to a property tax increase of 12.5 percent during a July 9 millage rate hearing. Reichel, who is running for mayor of Sandy Springs, said Fulton County is missing fiscal sustainability and discipline from its leadership.
Hike:
Continued from Page 1
Speaking at the July 9 public hearing, Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said it’s time for Fulton County to “tighten up” and asked the board to not raise the millage rate.
“You also know … we were elected by the people to be the leaders that they hoped that we would be, to make the tough decisions [and] to set priorities,” Bradberry said. “We can’t fund everything that we would like to … every year, I submit a budget to the council, billed on the rollback rate, and we are able to make great success and gains in quality of life for the people of Johns Creek by doing what we can on less.”
New state laws provide some protection with a floating homestead exemption that limits how much an owner-occupied home can increase in taxable value each year. The increase is generally capped at the Consumer Price Index – or the inflation rate.
Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry lobs criticism at the Fulton County Board of Commissioners July 9 during the first public hearing on the county’s property tax rate. Bradberry said many North Fulton cities keep their tax rates flat, which should be the county-wide standard.
increases in assessed values.
Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Jody Reichel, who is a home and rental property owner, said the proposed tax increase will hit every homeowner, landlord and tenant in the county.
North Fulton Rheumatology diagnoses and treats patients suffering from various types of arthritis and other autoimmune or connective tissue disorders. We are committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care, and we use the highest, most progressive medical standards.
North Fulton Rheumatology diagnoses and treats patients suffering from various types of arthritis and other autoimmune or connective tissue disorders. We are committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care, and we use the highest, most progressive medical standards.
Our board-certified physician, Dr. Ciela Lopez-Armstrong, and board certified nurse practitioner, Maria Betancur, AG-ACNP are qualified to manage all autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, including:
Our board-certified physician, Dr. Ciela Lopez-Armstrong, and certified family nurse practitioner, Heather Grafton, DNP, FNP-C, are qualified to manage all autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, including:
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At the June meeting, Commissioners Khadijah AbdurRahman, Marvin Arrington, Jr., Dana Barrett and Mo Ivory voted for the cap rate at 9.87 mills. That’s a full mill higher than the current rate and county staff’s recommendation.
Commissioner Ivory cited the need to fund jail improvements and other potentially shelved programs amid cuts to federal funding.
Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts and North Fulton commissioners Bob Ellis and Bridget Thorne voted against the 1-mill increase cap, saying staff had already declared the 2025 budget could be funded without raising the property tax rate.
“For many, it’s the difference between stability and displacement … many of my tenants have been with me for over 15 years,” Reichel said. “These are families, seniors and individuals who take pride in their homes. I’ve worked hard to keep rents affordable … but this tax hike that will force landlords like me to raise rents, and tenants like mine will have no choice but to leave.”
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Public comments and the millage rate hearing ran nearly three hours at the morning meeting with residents expressing frustration with a potential property tax increase.
A 75-year-old woman on fixed income told commissioners that the take hike would drive seniors like her out of their homes, which will then be purchased by corporations and private equity.
A senior who recently moved to Fulton County from Massachusetts to be closer to her grandchildren said she fears being driven out of another community because of high taxes.
While homesteaded property owners have some protection from spikes in assessed value, renters are likely to see the tax hike in the form of increased monthly payments even if the rate stays flat because of increasing property valuations.
At the same time, many citizens voiced frustration about the county’s tax abatements and incentives for corporations like Microsoft and X. They asked why homeowners are being asked to pay more to the county government, which cuts tax liabilities for corporations.
For homeowners north of Atlanta, typically more than half of their property taxes go to Fulton County Schools, around 30 percent goes to the county’s general fund, another 1015 percent goes to cities and the rest goes to various bonds.
1300 Upper Hembree Road, Building 100, Suite A, Roswell, GA 30076
11685 Alpharetta Hwy, Suite 170, Roswell, GA 30076
A self-described “Grady baby” in his 50s told commissioners that his community association in west Atlanta is staunchly opposed to the 12.5 percent hike.
Citizens of Fulton County made one thing clear: they do not want to pay a higher tax rate on their residential properties amid large
After the county millage rate is adopted Aug. 6, Tax Commissioner Arthur Ferdinand will take the appraised value and the exemption status provided by the Board of Tax Assessors, along with the millage rates set by other governing authorities, to calculate taxes for each property.
Heather Grafton, DNP, FNP-C
Ceila Lopez-Armstrong, MD
Celia Lopez-Armstrong, MD
Maria Betancur, AG-ACNP
Commissioner Thorne holds town hall on taxes
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. —
Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne hosted a two-hour virtual town hall July 8 discussing property assessments and the 45-day appeal window ending Aug. 1.
County staff read off some comments from town hall attendees, while others had an opportunity to ask an appraisal manager a question.
One resident said that one to make to the process easier would be to eliminate property taxes, especially if a home is paid off.
“That would great,” Thorne said, after county staff passed on addressing the comment. “I’m not sure if it’s possible, but that would be great.”
Because the Georgia General Assembly needs to adopt laws to create property tax exemptions, including school-based ones for seniors found in surrounding counties, the Fulton County government is unable to make immediate changes.
James Whitman, deputy chief appraiser with the Fulton County Tax Assessor’s Office, said there is an important difference between a property’s assessed value, which is 40 percent of its fair market value, and a property’s taxable value.
“Sometimes there’s a little bit of confusion because people hear that their value can increase more than 3 percent year after year,” Whiteman said. “Regardless of how high the fair market value increases and subsequently the 40 percent [assessed] value … the actual value that you used to calculate your tax bill is capped to that 3 percent and that’s the mechanism whereby taxpayers are protected from spikes in the fair market value of their property.”
The state’s new floating homestead exemption caps the yearover-year increase in the taxable value at the annual rate of inflation, typically tied to the Consumer Price Index. It means homeowners with a homestead exemption will pay taxes on the original base year value of their property, the year before they qualified, plus the capped annual inflationary increase.
Homeowners and commercial property owners can appeal if they think their valuation is inaccurate, tax-exempt or if they missed exemptions.
Fulton County has a homestead freeze for seniors over the age of
Key dates in Fulton County’s property assessment and appeals process:
• Jan. 1: Deadline for property valuations
• April 1: First deadline to apply for a homestead exemption
• June 17: Annual assessments are mailed, starting a 45-day appeal window
• July 1: Deadline for mailing annual assessment notices
• Aug. 1: Deadline for 2025 property value appeals (and homestead exemption applications)
• Sept. 1: Deadline to submit annual digest
65 with a household income below $39,000, which applies to county operations and bond debt.
One town hall attendee was thrilled to learn that she and her husband qualify, even though one is below the age of 65. There is another full-value exemption for seniors over the age of 70 with income below what they receive from Social Security.
Regarding a potential millage rate increase the county is considering, Thorne said she thinks it will create a compounding effect on residents’ pocketbooks, whether they own property or not.
Thorne has come out against raising the county’s property tax rate.
She said she is excited about senior tax exemptions for Fulton County Schools on ballots this November.
If passed by voters, seniors aged 65-69 will qualify for a 25 percent exemption from school-based property taxes, while residents ages 70 and older will qualify for a 50 percent exemption.
Most of the questions during the town hall related to specific valuations of homes in North Fulton cities.
Some homeowners said recent sales in their neighborhoods have been “flips,” which involves buying a property, renovating it and then selling it for a profit. Because homes in their neighborhood sell for higher prices, the valuation of their property has jumped.
Others told county officials that they take issue with the appraisal methodology and the lack of available information related to appeals.
A Johns Creek woman described her crumbling 1950s brick ranch doubling in value year-over-year and said there must have been a mistake.
Fulton County Appraisal Manager Brian Gardner, who has more than three decades of experience in his role, said an appraisal is an opinion of value.
“It is completely fine to have an opinion different from the Board of Assessors,” Gardner said. “That is literally why the appeal process exists.”
When appealing a property assessment, owners should submit all evidence with the initial appeal form, including sales in 2024 of similar homes in the same neighborhood, comparable properties that sold nearby, current property appraisals, documentation of current conditions and a contractor estimate of repairs.
Staff recommends evidence showing a property’s value
differing from similar homes in the neighborhood, specific physical conditions and inaccuracies in the recorded property details.
Commissioner Thorne represents most of the east side of Ga. 400 in North Fulton County, and District 2 Commissioner Bob Ellis serves most of the western half north of I-285.
A part of District 1 bleeds over Ga. 400 into parts of Roswell, and District 3 includes all Sandy Springs residents south of I-285 and some just north of it.
Thorne, who owns a home in North Fulton, said its taxable value is not much higher than the year before.
“For most people it’s just shocking to see the value of your home and how it’s gone up and up,” Thorne said after the townhall. “We need to really assure people that even though your home values are going up, your actual taxable value is not going to go up that significantly.”
Thorne has another town hall scheduled for July 29, giving property owners a couple of days to learn more about the property valuation and appeals processes before the Aug. 1 deadline.
Area residents learn about water conservation method
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Community members along with 25 rain barrels rolled into the Bill Johnson Community Active Building at Roswell Area Park for a workshop July 12.
The free workshop coordinated by the City of Roswell, Keep Roswell Beautiful, Fulton County and the City of Alpharetta invited community members to come out and learn about the benefits of rain barrels.
City of Roswell Environmental Education Coordinator Liberti Gates helped host the event to educate the attendees about the conservation method.
Gates said that the goal of the workshops is to teach attendees how to install the barrels and why they’re so important.
“Water is a very important resource, but it is finite,” Gates said.
The Environmental and Public Works department staff chose to collaborate on the workshop to promote environmental stewardship and the importance of conservation.
Rain barrels collect rainwater from rooftops via gutters or downspouts. While the water is not potable, the collection can be used for watering
yards, plants and gardens.
“This water is coming from the sky anyways, so why not use it,” Gates said.
Twenty-five people attended the class.
Keep Roswell Beautiful board member Rip Campbell said he was happy to find out that there was a waitlist.
“I think it's because we partnered with Fulton County, and we're grateful for that relationship, too,” he said.
The group, actively looking for new members, cultivates environmental stewardship within the community. The rain barrel workshop is just one of the many ways the group educates the community.
The attendees were given barrels, an installation kit and a presentation on the water conservation method.
Keep Roswell Beautiful board member Nancy Womack helped round up the barrels through her employer, Greif. In between orders for customers, the company creates swirl barrels, which are the incorrect colors. The imperfect barrels are donated to Keep Roswell Beautiful and the city.
Those who were unable to attend the workshop can purchase a rain barrel and kit for $65 at keeproswellbeautiful.org.
City of Roswell Environmental Education Coordinator Liberti Gates teaches community members about rain barrels at a workshop in the Bill Johnson Community Active Building at Roswell Area Park July 12.
giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 5, 5 and 4 letters). 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!
GROUPS
1. Royal flush card. Burglar. Group of birds.
2. Group of cattle. Passe. Dining room cabinet.
3. Texas shrine. Work group. Wax-covered cheese.
4. Sporting group. Kick out. Evening wear.
5. Stringed instrument. Education group. Football play.
6. Musical group. Big cat. Break in friendly relations.
1 Royal flush card. Burglar. Group of birds
2. Group of cattle. Passe. Dining room cabinet.
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. Texas shrine. Work group. Wax-covered cheese
4. Sporting group. Kick out. Evening wear
5. Stringed instrument. Education group. Football play
6. Musical group. Big cat. Break in friendly relations 7. Gung-ho. Western group. Envelope part.
7. Gung-ho. Western group. Envelope part. See puzzle solutions on Page 28
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JOELY SIMMONS, founder of Salon AF
Cumming hair stylist finds niche in alternative looks
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Joely
Simmons loves when clients see themselves in the mirror.
“When you turn them around in the chair and they see it, and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh. This is amazing,’” Simmons said. “That feels great.”
The 24-year-old Ball Ground resident has only been out of cosmetology school since February, but she has already cut a niche for herself at Salon AF, 100 Turner Road Suite C in Cumming. Her black business cards read “alternative hairstylist,” which speaks to a specialty in unique and sometimes admittedly crazy-looking haircuts and colors.
Her clients range from creatives, such as musicians, bartenders, estheticians, tattoo and other artists, to those with more conventional occupations, like nurses, accountants and Realtors.
Requests vary from a Luke Skywalker haircut with 6-inch Padawan rattail to vampire fang bangs, pixie cuts, mohawks and very long mullets. She also specializes in custom, sometimes hand painted colorings like neon shades or animal patterns like cheetah fur.
Some clients show pictures of looks they want her to capture. One person brought a picture of a moth. Another was inspired by a betta fish.
Simmons admits some of the looks
she creates may seem strange, but she thinks the motivation behind them are something everyone can understand.
It’s all about having your appearance reflect how you feel inside, she said.
“As lame as it’s gonna sound, whether people admit it or not, most people care a lot about their hair,” Simmons said. “Even for nonalternative people, their expression definitely, really matters.”
As one of a handful of hair stylists at Salon AF, Simmons works in a space occupied by several other salons in a lonely building just off Ga. 400. Clients often are surprised to find her chair tucked inside in the clean-looking, modern suite, which resembles a pastelcolored wellness spa stacked with chic hair products.
That’s in part why Simmons decided to meet her clients on their own terms.
“I knew right off the bat that no one was just gonna walk in and be like, ‘I want a green mullet,’” she said. “That just was not going to happen.”
To get the word out, she began regularly posting advertisements on social media platforms from Facebook to Instagram to Reddit.
She also uses herself as a walking billboard, attending events that are sure to draw alternative crowds like emo, punk and metal concerts and frequenting gay bars.
See SALON, Page 11
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Joely Simmons displays one of the tools of her trade at Salon AF in Forsyth County. Simmons has built a reputation around creating unique looks.
Salon:
Continued from Page 10
Simmons said she has long loved showing off an alternative look, and whenever she goes out, she is sure her appearance is on point. On a Thursday at work in the salon, her copper-colored hair was accented with blond highlights and featured a raccoon print on one section. Dressed in black from head to toe, she admitted that day’s look was more on the professional side.
“I’ll get tons of compliments when I go out,” she said. “When someone comes up to me and says, ‘Oh, my God, I love your hair,’” I say, ‘Yeah, thanks. Here’s my card.’”
That bold marketing strategy has paid off immensely, and Simmons said she now serves several hundred regular clients. Some drive hours just to see her.
April Richards, owner of Salon AF and Simmons’ boss, said that motivation has deeply impressed her, as has the young hair stylist’s skills.
All too often, stylists spend more time scrolling than they do advertising on social media, she said, chuckling.
“She’s killing it,” Richards said. “She’s on all the social media. She’s promoting herself. She’s doing all the things that she’s supposed to be doing to gain clientele, which is amazing.”
Achieving success through hard work is nothing unusual for Simmons. Before she went to cosmetology school, she ran her own pet grooming business beginning at age 18. Now, she also finds time to periodically work as a special
effects artist.
Neon colors and specialty patterns are some of Joely Simmons specialties. Custom color jobs can take as long as 10 hours, Simmons said.
Her calling as an alternative hair stylist is something that feels natural, Simmons said.
Since she was a youth, she has always had a penchant and passion for hair.
She also has long had a desire to look different.
“I’ve had every rainbow color you could possibly imagine, like since as young as I was 10,” Simmons said. “I always did my hair, my friends’ hair.”
She hopes to continue with that passion but is not sure where it might lead her.
Richards said one thing is for certain. She will go far and perhaps one day run her own salon.
For now, Simmons said she loves where she’s at, doing what she does.
At the end of the day, it’s all about giving someone a look that means something special to them.
“Sometimes haircuts are literally life changing for people,” she said.
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PHOTOS BY: JOELY SIMMONS/PROVIDED A customer sports a vampire bang cut by Joely Simmons.
Your Assets, Your Home, And Your Family In 3 Steps
Reserve Your Seat For A FREE Estate Planning Workshop
• Does my Will protect my “stuff”? (It does not.)
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• What do I need to know about Revocable Living Trusts?
• How do Irrevocable Trusts work?
July/August Workshops:
August 5 - 4 pm
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August 7
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• Medicaid. What’s true and what’s not?
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• How can my family avoid probate?
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Your legacy your way
Smartest estate planning starts with smart decisions
Brought to you by - Estates Law Center USA
Who will inherit what? It’s one of the most personal—and often difficult—decisions you’ll make in your estate plan. But having clarity now prevents confusion, disputes, and unintended consequences later.
Here are key considerations when deciding who should inherit your assets:
✓ Family Dynamics – Choose beneficiaries thoughtfully, especially in blended families or complex relationships.
✓ Fair vs. Equal – Fair distribution doesn’t always mean equal; make decisions that align with your values.
✓ Contingency Planning – Always name backup beneficiaries in case someone predeceases you.
✓ Communicate Clearly – A well-written plan prevents misunderstandings and helps maintain harmony.
✓ Update Regularly – As your life changes, so should your beneficiary designations.
Your legacy isn’t just what you leave behind—it’s how you leave it. Join our workshops to learn more.
The Cottage School Career Center opening Fall 2025
Brought to you by – The Cottage School
The Cottage School (TCS), dedicated to building a sense of self for students with special learning differences through academic and experiential programming, is excited to announce The Cottage School Career Center, reinforcing its mission to prepare students to become confident, productive, and independent adults.
The TCS Career Center, spearheaded by Director Kyle Jarczynski, is open to all TCS high schoolers that will include classes that cover job readiness, financial literacy, and essential life skills. Students will have the opportunity to participate in electives featuring hands-projects, certifications, (e.g., CPR, ServSafe, HVAC, and Drone Aviation), and real-
world application both on and off campus. Seniors benefit from a dedicated cohort model providing internships, personalized job coaching, and post-secondary planning.
The Cottage School (TCS) celebrates over 40 years of creating success stories for students who learn differently. With an additional campus added in Roswell, they continue to expand their growth as an accredited K-12 school, with a 10:1 studentteacher ratio, and 100% of their students graduating with a postsecondary plan. For more information about The Cottage School Career Center or if you would like your organization to partner with TCS, reach out to Director Kyle Jarczynski or visit our website cottageschool. org.
Brought to you by – The Davis Academy
From Kindergarten Prep - Eighth Grade, The Davis Academy teaches to the whole child, creating compassionate leaders and equipping them with skills they will use for the entirety of their academic careers and beyond. We teach life skills, instill Jewish values, and provide diverse experiences to make our students well-rounded and self-confident individuals. Students learn in a warm and supportive community that shares common values and visions. We celebrate both the ways our diversity makes our school vibrant and the individual differences that make our school community so unique. With a retention rate
of 97%, The Davis Academy community is comprised of families from across the globe, nation, and 31 metro Atlanta zip codes. Davis graduates attend the most prestigious public and private high schools in Atlanta. They know who they are and continuously make a difference in their communities and the world.
The school offers many options for prospective families to learn about the school and community. Parents can schedule a personal tour. In addition, families can engage in wonderful Nurture events that are free and open to the community.
To learn more or schedule a tour, go to www.davisacademy.org/admissions or call 678-527-3300.
When school is out and summer begins, it’s natural for routines to shift. Bedtimes are often stretched later, screens stay on longer and sleep habits can fall by the wayside. While summer brings more freedom and fun, consistent sleep is still crucial for your child’s mental and emotional well-being. Going to bed late and waking up late can disrupt their internal clock which can lead to increased irritability, trouble focusing, mood swings and even anxiety. Children and teens thrive on routine. Without it, their sleep patterns can become erratic which can affect their behavior, energy levels, and ability to regulate emotions.
Here are a few helpful tips to keep sleep habits on track during the summer:
1. Set a “summer bedtime range” this gives flexibility while keeping things predictable
2. Create a wind down routine that remains the same each night, even if it starts later than usual
3. Limit screens at least an hour before bed
4. Start adjusting bedtime slowly a few weeks before school starts again to avoid a stressful transition
Remember sleep isn’t just rest, it’s repair and regulation. Keeping sleep habits in check is one of the most important ways to support your child’s mental health all year long.
Brought to you by – Sarah Mixson, M.S.W., at Summit Counseling Center
SARAH MIXON
Change lives, change the world
Brought
to you
by – Wesleyan School
Wesleyan School believes faith and intellect are great partners with each other. At Wesleyan, it’s not a matter of choosing faith or intellect, but rather using both to create the best possible education for your child. Our leadership and faculty work to provide students with an atmosphere that is challenging, reinforces the value of hard work, and emphasizes character and integrity above accomplishment. Wesleyan prepares students for each stage of life and provides them with the opportunity to see all the possibilities that lie before them. Wesleyan’s school motto is JOY-Jesus, Others, Yourself, and every aspect of school life is oriented to reinforce this philosophy of putting Jesus first and others ahead of ourselves.
A college preparatory environment, students have access to a wide range of academic opportunities along with athletics, arts, service and other extracurricular activities. Wesleyan’s 85-acre campus provides stateof-the-art academic facilities along with on-campus practice space for athletics and arts.
Located just outside of I-285 in Peachtree Corners, Wesleyan enrolled 1,206 students in grades K-12 for the 2023-2024 school year. Wesleyan offers bus routes throughout the metro Atlanta area. Supervised care before school is included in the cost of tuition and after care is available (K-8) until 6 p.m. at an affordable rate.
The Wesleyan School
5405 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-448-7640 https://www.wesleyanschool.org/
Roswell Police Department 5K to commemorate fallen officer
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Police Department will host a memorial 5K dedicated to Officer Jeremy Labonte Aug. 23.
The community is invited to run or walk the first annual 5K, while taking time to remember his legacy, his service and stand united in support and love.
Officer Labonte was killed in the line of duty Feb. 7 while responding to a suspicious person report off Holcomb
Bridge Road.
Through the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a non-profit which honors military and first responders who make the ultimate sacrifice, the Roswell Police Department hopes to raise $10,000.
The run/walk will begin at 8 a.m. at Riverside Park 575 Riverside Road.
To learn more, visit bit.ly/ LabonteMemorial5K.
— Sarah Coyne
Roswell opens public comment for use of federal housing grant
ROSWELL, Ga. — The City of Roswell is asking residents for feedback on the 2025 Community Development Block Grant Annual Action Plan.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires cities to submit a plan each year that outlines how it will use the federal funds to support housing, infrastructure and community development.
The plan specifically focuses on low to moderate-income residents.
This year, city staff plan to direct the full federal grant toward the redevelopment of Pelfrey Pines Apartments at 199 Groveway, an affordable housing project led by the Roswell Housing Authority.
The redevelopment is a part of the city’s five-year Community Development Block Grant strategic
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plan and is backed by a $2 million HUD Section 108 loan. City staff also plans to commit its entire block grant allocation of $400,668 to the repayment of the loan and redevelopment of the apartments.
A public comment period is open until July 28, with a public hearing set for July 22 at 5 p.m. in Room 220 at Roswell City Hall.
To learn more, visit the grants tab on roswellgov.com.
— Sarah Coyne
The City of Mountain Park does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to be held at the Community Building located at 100 Lakeshore Drive, Mountain Park, GA 30075 on Monday July 28, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. § 48-5-32 does hereby publish the following presentation of the current year's tax digest and levy,
The state required advertisement below is advertised at the 2025 rollback rate of 5.9540.
COMMUNITY
ASK APPEN
How can I get involved with community groups?
You may have noticed a certain tab on Appen Media’s website titled “Ask a Question.” At Appen, community engagement is essential, and we want to answer your questions. Here are a few recent inquiries we can answer for you.
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Community engagement is an essential part of Appen Media’s newsroom strategy.
That’s why reporters for the Herald and Crier newspapers seek out all sorts of reader questions. Sometimes those inquiries don’t lead to standalone stories because of time restraints or, more simply, the answers can be short.
Here is a question Appen has received and the answers your reporter has dug up: I want to get involved in a local grassroots organizations in Roswell.
Do you know of any or where I can find something about them?
In the past six months, two local grassroots organizations have popped up. The groups are made up of ordinary citizens advocating for government transparency.
Roswell Women Rising, founded in February by Lyndsey Coates, Lia Bertelson and Anne Smith, consists of local women working to create a strong, inclusive community through civil engagement, advocacy and connection.
The group has grown to just under 450 women. The women gather monthly at a member’s house to listen to a speaker and support a charity. A weekly coffee meetup also takes place for women to connect.
Coates hopes that her work with the group can show women to pay attention to municipal politics.
“It’s a safe space for us to come together, build community from the
Have a question?
Send your story tips and ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com. Ask questions about the community at appenmedia.com/ask and we’ll do our best to find the answer.
inside out,” Coates said.
Another resident, Jennifer Donlon, founded Roswell Empowered. The organization has grown to over 150 members since its creation in early May.
The group aims to give representation to members of the community who need to be heard.
Donlon plans to eventually transform her group into a nonprofit.
“You’re only as strong as your weakest member,” Donlon said.
In June, they hosted Roswell’s first ever pride walk, where hundreds
of people showed up and over 10 local businesses showed their solidarity with the group.
Roswell Empowered and Roswell Women Rising worked together in July to help the Roswell Housing Authority obtain new AC units and fans for the residents, after a mother came to the city’s open forum night June 30. The mother told City Council that her family had been without air for weeks and that nothing had been done.
“You could just hear the desperation in her voice, just pleading for somebody to come by and look at the conditions,” Donlon said.
The group was able to donate $370 to Grove Way for the Roswell Housing Authority.
To join the grassroots groups, email roswellwomenrising@gmail. com and join the Roswell Empowered group on Facebook.
Northern Ridge District welcomes May Eagle Scouts
ALPHARETTA, Ga.— The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton) is proud to announce a new round of Eagle Scouts who completed their Eagle Board of Review May 22 at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
Top row, left to right:
Samuel Hadjiconstantinitis , of Troop 51, sponsored by American Legion Post 20. His project was the design and construction of an outdoor firewood storage shed, 2 benches, and a general cleanup of the firepit/picnic area of Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
Brody Shields , of Troop 51, sponsored by American Legion Post 201. His project was the design and construction of a rock patio with benches for the congregation of Temple Beth Tikvah.
Elias Kidd , of Troop 51, sponsored by American Legion Post 201. His project was the design and construction of two dirt berms and armoring the trail with large stones and gravel at the mountain bike trail at Big Creek Park.
Jackson Barker , of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church. His project was the design and construction of three picnic tables, three benches, and leading the cleanup of the nature trails at Milton High School.
Jay Hackett , of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church. His project was the collection of books for the Friends of Alpharetta Library Program, to use for their book sales. Jay collected more than 2000 books for the book sale and more than 700 books that were not sellable but instead donated to Books for Africa to help students in Africa.
Bottom row, left to right: Samuel Ansley , of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. His project was the design and construction of two percussion shelves and a podium for the Concert Band of Pinecrest Academy.
Aryan Shetty , of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. His project was
the renovation of the outdoor shed at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Aryan scraped and repainted the double swinging doors, resetting and replacing the wooden window/sill, replacing damaged sheets of plywood on the shed, and replacing the fascia and part of the roof from a previous truck accident.
Srikar Jujala , of Troop 1459, sponsored by St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church. His project was the design and construction of 2 benches and a fence, with a gate around the garden area at River Eves Elementary School.
Zachary Anderson , of Troop 841, sponsored by St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. His project was the design and construction of a rain barrel collection system, including stands, educational signs about rain barrel collection systems for three City of Milton Facilities.
Evan Clements , of Troop 431, sponsored by Roswell United Methodist Church. His project was the design and construction of wooden trail markers, every quarter mile for Alpharetta Parks Greenway Trail. Evan also designed and constructed a bench for the trail.
Brady Berry , of Troop 1486, sponsored by North River Baptist Church. His project was the design and construction of two picnic tables for Fellowship Christian School. PROVIDED
Medley contractors at work on Johns Creek’s ‘third place’
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Medley is making its mark on Johns Creek, repurposing an old corporate campus to create a destination.
Medley is a $560 million mixed-use project within a 42-acre triangle within McGinnis Ferry Road, Lakefield Drive and Johns Creek Parkway. It’s set to feature 200,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment; 110,000 square feet of Class A office space; 150 owneroccupied townhomes; a 175-key boutique hotel and 750 luxury apartments.
After groundbreaking this January, a tentative grand opening is set for Oct. 29, 2026.
Medley is part of a larger 192-acre Town Center masterplan, which is set to include City Hall, public parks and pathways on both sides of Johns Creek Parkway.
Before he branched out on his own, Mark Toro led development of North American Properties’ mixeduse destination Avalon off Ga. 400 at Windward Parkway in Alpharetta.
Now, Toro Development Company is working to bring some of its strategies to create a “third place” in Johns Creek.
Sociologists refer to a third place as a social environment where people can build community bonds, which is not in their homes (first place) or at work (second place).
While the larger Avalon will remain a regional draw for Metro Atlantans, developers say Medley is about culture, community, connection, convenience and charm for the people of Johns Creek.
Johns Creek native Allie Cyr, who toured the construction site in early July with Appen Media, said having a spot close to home for neighbors to build connections is exciting.
Brian Keaton, senior superintendent at Hoar Construction, will manage construction.
Keaton, who started his career installing door frames at the State Farm office campus on the same site in 1990, said a lot has changed in the woods between Peachtree Corners and Alpharetta.
“It is so fulfilling to return to the same site I worked on 35 years ago,” Keaton said. “There has been so much change since then — I remember standing in line in the rain for my physical paper check and testing the robotic mail cart to make sure it could fit through the doors.”
To make way for the new project, the team has demolished one of the State Farm buildings and is incorporating the other into the Medley site plan. The remaining building is being repurposed to include ground-level retail on both
Members of Medley’s construction, development and marketing team stroll across the mixed-use project’s main entrance July 8 during a tour of the 43-acre site. Developers are repurposing one of the existing buildings at the former State Farm campus and constructing a couple others to create a mixed-use destination for existing residents and newcomers.
sides with other floors remaining office space.
“I am proud to be back at this site where it all began and play a larger role in transforming this property into a mixed-use destination that we know will serve the incredible community of Johns Creek,” Keaton said.
He knocked out one of his longstanding traditions earlier this year by tossing a coin into the first slab of concrete poured on the site for good luck.
Because of the site’s elevation changes, the main plaza is above portions of the site abutting McGinnis Ferry Road and Lakefield Drive. While most of the construction work and infrastructure is underground, the exciting stuff is beginning to sprout.
Building heights are capped at four stories for the office and multifamily buildings on both sides of the planned Medley Boulevard, cutting through the center of the site. It will resemble Avalon, with pedestrian friendly streetscapes, “jewel box” retailers with activated rooftops, open-air shops and restaurants with outdoor patios.
In early July, Hoar Construction made progress on the first floor and foundation of the multi-family building with hundreds of construction workers on-site.
Keaton said finding labor is difficult, but it’s a nationwide problem. He said his team does a great job, glancing over to
his son and smiling.
Dividing the townhomes from the retail hub, offices and main plaza are a set of two-story buildings, allowing patrons to use a staircase to trek between the two sections of Medley.
Empire Communities is building some 150 townhomes on the southern end of the site, while Hoar Construction has the reins of Medley’s first phase of mixed-use development.
While most trees on the site have been cleared, developers plan to replant more than a thousand and have saved a
pine oak near the main boulevard and a couple of others around the site.
The two entities are not partners, but the concepts support one another.
Caroline Simmel, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Empire, said Medley’s residences represent a new category in housing — upscale homes that offer owners all the benefits of an urban lifestyle, while still living in the suburbs.
To learn more and keep up with Medley’s construction, visit medleyjohnscreek.com.
Hoar Construction Senior Superintendent Brian Keaton and Toro Development Company Partner John Kelley stand in front of the heart of Medley, a 43-acre mixed-use destination in Johns Creek.
PHOTOS BY: HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Market:
Continued from Page 1
“And we essentially wrote like a manifesto.”
Just about two years later, it became a reality. In October 2024, she volunteered to become the board’s next president. Since then, she has transformed the market.
As a homegrown girl, DeVictor knows Roswell like the back of her hand, and this project is more than just a volunteer role.
“I take it so seriously because I want to build in the community that I want my kids to be raising and I want to enjoy,” she said.
DeVictor said that she always knew the farmers market would become a success, just not at such an accelerated pace.
From 8 a.m. to noon, the Roswell City Hall parking lot becomes alive. On average, the market sees around 1,000 guests per weekend, including some members of the City Council.
“It’s just one of the best markets in town,” Councilwoman Christine Hall said.
Visitors from neighboring cities come to see what the market has to offer.
A nonstop line can be found every Saturday for Mountain Earth Farms fresh fruit and vegetables. Farmer Ronnie Mathis said that he planned on retiring after years of participating in the market but ultimately decided to return after pushback.
“I’d hate for the blueberries to go to waste,” Mathis said. “Everyone kept calling and calling, so here we are.”
Among the vendors, DeVictor and her husband’s small business, Fellows Café, is also featured.
The market is more than just an opportunity to buy local goods; it is an experience. The farmers market includes live singers and children playing in the grass rotunda. The market even features live demonstrations from vendors, such as ceramic artist Gillian Lilley.
DeVictor also sees the farmers market as an educational opportunity. She encourages
Strike:
Continued from Page 1
“The company made unilateral changes, and they did not bargain with the union,” Massaro said.
While the local picketers cite unfair labor practice for the strike, many others across the country are on strike for contract expiration.
residents to come out and support the city’s economy through the market.
“If you want your money to be impacting Roswell this is where you can spend it,” DeVictor said.
DeVictor also sees it as an opportunity for the community to access fresh food.
“There is nothing like produce at peak freshness,” she said.
In the future DeVictor hopes to
Massaro said that they are currently negotiating for a new contract, which expired April 1. Negotiations are set for the end of July.
“I guess they’re just not serious right now,” he said.
The union members plan to remain on strike for at least two more weeks. Massaro said that they will be on the picket line for as long as it takes.
have more local businesses featured in the market, along with a dynamic list of vendors offering visitors more options.
“It’s one of our number one goals, is to highlight more local in the city limits businesses,” DeVictor said.
She hopes to stay in the volunteer role for many years and to watch the market grow. Since the market opened in April, DeVictor has received
“The garbage really won’t be overflowing until probably next week,” he said.
The City of Alpharetta posted in a statement on Facebook that officials are aware of the issue and are actively working with Republic Services to understand the situation. The post states that residents should continue to place bins on the curb on their collection day and leave them until they are collected.
more than 60 vendor applications. She looks to her team of nine board members to help her through the decision-making process.
“Vendors want to succeed; we want the community to be happy,” she said. “There’s going to be some discomfort.”
At the end of the day, DeVictor’s main goal is for the market to foster a community.
“All I’ve wanted for years is just for people to see how special this town is,” she said. “I don’t see it as a traditional suburb.”
The Roswell Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. till noon until November at 38 Hill St. To learn more, visit roswellfarmersmarket.com.
No code enforcement action will be taken for trash cans left outside beyond the timeframes listed in the city ordinance. If delays occur, residents are asked to submit a request using the “Report Trash Related Issues” form on alpharetta. ga.us.
Appen Media will update the story when more information becomes available.
PHOTOS BY: SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Mountain Earth Farms farmer Ronnie Mathis holds fresh squash and blueberries at his stand at the Roswell Farmers Market near City Hall July 12.
The Roswell Farmers market attracts more than 1,000 guests July 12.
Organic sourdough and pastries from Mission Bakery sit on display at the Roswell Farmers Market on the grounds of City Hall July 12.
A child looks at the fresh fruit and vegetables offered by farmer Ronnie Mathis at the July 12 Roswell Farmers Market near City Hall.
PRESERVING THE PAST
Haynes Bridge Road, a vital artery not well known
BOB MEYERS
Many roads in Georgia are named after early pioneers. Dirt roads connected farms with small communities. Sometimes we know a lot about the roads, especially when they are long and important. The histories of less significant roads are not often told.
Haynes Bridge Road is just 5 miles long, too short to generate much historic interest. The starting point is Academy Street in downtown Alpharetta. It runs behind the Alpharetta City Hall and library, crosses Old Milton Parkway and terminates at Old Alabama Road in Johns Creek. While it is a vital connector road today, its story is not well known. Today’s column will put a little meat on the bare bone.
Richard London Haynes (1773-1844) and Abigail Ragan Haynes (1781-1853) were early pioneer settlers who moved from Virginia to Cobb County in the early 1800s and later moved to what is Alpharetta today. Both are buried in Old Big Creek Cemetery in Alpharetta. Their son Richard Luther Haynes, Jr. (1818-1894), the youngest of 11 children, was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He married twice, first to Martha Mayfield Tate (1816-1862) in 1838. That marriage started a long relationship between the Haynes and Mayfield families. Richard Luther’s second wife was Sara Hooks (18141892). Both wives are buried in the Haynes family cemetery in Alpharetta, while Richard Luther is buried in Old Big Creek Cemetery with his parents.
Like most pioneer settlers, both Haynes’ generations were farmers. Richard Luther owned a farm of 240 acres probably inherited from his father. The Haynes home place was where North Point Mall in Alpharetta is today.
In 1894 Richard Luther Haynes, Jr. died, and his land was divided and sold. The 30 acres that Haynes Bridge Middle School occupies today was a part of Haynes’ farm. Haynes Bridge Middle School was opened in 1983 for six through eighth grade students. In 2000, a chimney from Richard and Abigale’s farm dating back to the late 1700s or early 1800s was relocated and installed near the garden area of the Haynes Bridge Middle School. The move, restoration and relocation of that historic marker were made possible by a $10,000 grant from the
Teacher Grant Award to Christie Pratt, a teacher at the school.
In December 2012, the relocation of a section of Haynes Bridge Road in downtown Alpharetta between Old Milton Parkway and Academy Street was completed to make room for the new city hall and library as part of the City Center project. A new library was built on a 3-acre site donated by the city adjacent to the new city hall which was completed in September 2014. The new library broke ground in March 2014 and opened July 30, 2015. The relocation of Haynes Bridge Road made it possible to create a unified city center rather than a collection of isolated structures.
Unlike some other local bridges that began near ferry boat operations, the original Haynes Bridge was a rather modest affair, possibly made of wood and primarily built to serve the Haynes farm and other nearby farms. It crossed Big Creek or a tributary and was built in the second half of the 1800s.
Elsie Knight, a longtime Alpharetta resident, grew up on Haynes Bridge Road, which was a dirt road until circa the 1950s, according to Elsie. She
recalls hearing that “Mr. Haynes had three boys who one night rode their horses into the local church during a service. They got into a lot of trouble,” she says. “My sister Edna and her husband Leroy Strickland built a house across the street from Mr. Haynes. I was born in an old farmhouse on the same hill.” She notes that the county rebuilt the original bridge prior to World War ll when she was a little girl.
Elsie’s parents were Talmage and Lunette Burgess. Talmage owned a sawmill and cotton gin. He worked for many years in the gin which was located across the street from Resthaven Cemetery in downtown Alpharetta. In the mid-1900s he owned the Talmage Burgess Grocery at 1 South Main St. Prior to that, the building housed the Jones Grocery, Lively Grocery and the John A. Oliver Store. John was Elsie’s great grandfather. Lunette taught school at the Newtown School which no longer exists. She had to quit teaching when she married Talmage because married women were not allowed to teach at that time.
Elsie remembers some of her neighbors from the early days. “Daisy
and Nick Bailey lived beside us on Haynes Bridge Road. Daisy cooked for Alpharetta schools and was the best cook ever. Bob and Elsie Shaw lived three houses up the hill. Bob was my uncle and was overseas in World War ll. After the war Bob and Elsie delivered morning newspapers for the rest of their lives. Cliff and Florence Thomas lived four houses up the road. They had a huge flower garden. Uncle Bud Isiac Shaw lived across the street. He kept foxes in his barn and turned one loose every Sunday and set his dogs after them. The dogs would tree the fox but never killed it. Uncle Bud thought that was fun.”
Thanks to Connie Mashburn; Donna Alexander, assistant principal, Haynes Bridge Middle School for their help with this column and the unknown reader who suggested this week’s topic.
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.
Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Honor
Columnist
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
Big Creek, an important historic waterway, taken from a bridge on Haynes Bridge Road. Settlers built bridges across Big Creek in the early 1800s. None of the original bridges still exist.
OPINION
Setting the record straight, Sandy Springs Shopping Center
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF
Columnist
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Sandy Springs Shopping Center, the first shopping center in the community. The location I described for the shopping center was incorrect. Thanks to Linda Oglesby, who has lived in Sandy Springs all her life, I can now describe the correct location of the shopping center. It was on the east side of Roswell Road, between Hammond Drive and Hilderbrand Drive, according to Linda.
She remembers when the shopping center first opened and recalls the early stores.
“I visited Sandy Springs Pharmacy often where I met both Bob Ney and his wife Hilda,” Linda said. Bob and Hilda Ney were owners of the early pharmacy.
Forrest Five and Ten was where Linda had her first job. The dime store did not have a lunch counter or soda shop as other similar stores had. Around Easter, the store sold baby chicks dyed in a variety of colors. She shopped at other stores in Sandy Springs Shopping Center
regularly, including Swofford Shoes and Tappan’s Record Shop.
Tappan’s was one of the locations where concert tickets could be purchased in the 1960s. When the Beach Boys were coming to Atlanta for a concert in 1965, Tappan’s sold tickets to the Municipal Auditorium concert. Another ticket location was
She remembers the Big Apple grocery store and a hardware store at Sandy Springs Shopping Center. Linda also recalls that the post office was located there. Today, there are apartment buildings at the former
location of Sandy Springs Shopping Center.
Sandy Springs Plaza, where Trader Joe’s, Roasters, Henri’s and other businesses are today, was built later by Maurice Womack. Womack owned an electrical contracting company called Bales and Womack. One of Linda’s favorite places in Sandy Springs Plaza was Hospitality House, which sold gifts, stationery, greeting cards and invitations with monogramming available.
Swofford Shoes later moved to Sandy Springs Plaza.
Linda Oglesby recalls the shopping center I mistakenly identified as Sandy Springs Shopping Center as Cromwell Square. It was on the west side of Roswell Road between Sandy Springs Circle and Cromwell Road. Oglesby also recalls Hancock Fabrics and a much-loved home décor store called Larry Lucas.
Thank you to Linda for providing history and the accurate location of Sandy Springs Shopping Center.
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.
Focusing on local solutions for affordable housing
By KATHY SWAHN, NANCY DIAMOND, JACK MURPHY North Fulton Improvement Network Executive Team
Lately, there’s been a lot of national attention on the role of institutional investors in the housing market. Stories of large companies purchasing homes and pricing out local families are understandably concerning, and Georgia’s elected officials have taken notice. But when it comes to the challenges we’re facing in North Fulton, the picture is more nuanced.
A recent article by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, “Wall Street Remains Easy Target, but Tackling Housing Affordability Begins in Georgia,” reminds us that while institutional investors may play a role in some markets, they account for a relatively small share of the housing stock statewide. In North Fulton, where data shows only a modest presence of such investors, the more pressing issues lie closer to home.
Our community is experiencing the
strain of limited housing options — especially for middle-income workers, young families and retirees looking to downsize. Yet the barriers to meeting this demand are largely local. Zoning rules that limit housing types, minimum lot sizes that restrict density and lengthy approval processes all contribute to the high cost of developing new homes.
Studies show that up to 27% of the cost of a new home in Georgia can be tied to regulatory and permitting expenses. For builders and developers, navigating these rules takes time and adds uncertainty, especially when projects require rezoning or special approvals. The result is fewer housing starts, slower construction and higher costs passed on to homebuyers and renters.
The North Fulton Improvement Network (NFIN) believes that meeting the housing needs of this region starts with intentional planning. That includes a willingness to rethink our land-use policies, modernize zoning and welcome a wider range of housing types — like duplexes, triplexes,
Affordable housing continues to be a serious issue across North Metro Atlanta. Groups like the North Fulton Improvement Network are trying to help, and Appen Media is dedicated to covering the process. Send ideas, questions and feedback to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
For more information on ADU’s, check out improvenorthfulton.org
quads, cottage courts and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These “missing middle” options are essential for the teachers, healthcare workers, hospitality staff and public safety professionals who keep our communities running.
We also need more predictable timelines and streamlined approval processes so that housing projects — especially those designed with affordability in mind — can move forward without years of delay.
As North Fulton continues to grow,
it’s important to focus on practical solutions that reflect both our values and our long-term needs. Ensuring that essential workers and our own adult children can afford to live in the same community they serve is not just a housing issue — it’s a community issue.
By working together to modernize our policies and remove obstacles to thoughtful development, we can ensure that North Fulton remains a place where families of all kinds can thrive.
Share your housing experience in our North Fulton Residential Community Survey:
Kathy Swahn, Nancy Diamond and Jack Murphy are members of North Fulton Improvement Network. Learn more at www. improvenorthfulton.org.
LINDA OGLESBY/PROVIDED
This photo of the early Sandy Springs Shopping Center was in a scrapbook belonging to Linda Oglesby.
Jim Salle’s record store in Buckhead, which Linda also remembers. (Atlanta Journal, April 4, 1965)
Once confusing Southern sayings make perfect sense
As we slog these humid days that serve to turn sitting on the deck as close to a steam bath you’re ever going to get while fully-clothed, my mind started wandering about some sayings. Here in the South, we have plenty of little pearls that if “you ain’t from around here” will make little or no sense. It took me awhile to become adept at making sense of some phrase that, until I became an enlightened Southerner, would have given me a headache.
Now, after happily embracing where the Good Lord has placed me for more than half of my 70 years, I find myself using some of these amusing, often nonsensical ditties. I should have known this was my pre-ordained fate.
After all, I was raised on country music, sold sausage to Merle Haggard and taught Buck Owens to play racquetball.
Here are some of my favorite
DEATH NOTICES
Jacqueline Boling, 94, of Roswell, passed away on July 6, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
phrases that…
“Tickle me pink.” I have no idea what this means, and I certainly am not a fan of being tickled. And I see no benefit of losing any type of tan that results from being on a motorcycle ride and turning pink.
“He ain’t got the sense that God gave a goose.” Okay, I double dog dare you to make any sense of that one. First, I would hope God has more things to worry about than whether his geese creatures are making sound decisions. Second, I’ve ran into geese on the golf course back in the day. I’ve only seen them hiss at me, try to attack (incidentally, a 3-iron is a good deterrent for goose aggression; I could never hit a golf ball with that club, but it saved me on a few occasions from getting goosenipped), and poop on the greens.
“That’s a tough row to hoe.” Huh? Okay Leroy, why don’t you go to Home Depot and arm yourself with a better tool. Better yet, go out to the shed and pick out one that will tame that row and double as a goose-smacker too.
Speaking of sheds, when someone said: “I’m going to take
Lester Dorsey, 85, of Roswell, passed away on June 30, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
you out behind the woodshed,” there’s no way I’m going anywhere near that woodshed. There might be spiders. See if you can entice the belligerent goose to go instead.
“He’s full of prunes.” You don’t have to be a genius to know that you’re not talking honest-togoodness wrinkled prunes. The subject of this derision is probably full of what that is full of before dumping the load on a putting surface.
I’ve never eaten a goose, but all this goose talk has made me hungry. How hungry, you ask? “I could eat the south end of a northbound horse.” Or you can substitute “wooden hobby horse” for “northbound horse.” Either way, no way I’ll be eating a horse of any ilk, wooden or otherwise.
I get tickled pink when I hear “I’ll stomp a mudhole in your butt.” Now wait a minute! I watched plenty of rasslin’ in my day and the only way I see anyone accomplishing this feat is to use the old “loaded boot” tactic.
No stomping necessary. In fact, I’d hope we could be a bit more civil. Better yet, let’s go have a
Michael Miralles, 69, of Alpharetta, passed away on July 1, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
few drinks. My treat. With any luck, you might be “drunker than Cooter Brown.” Hold it! Just who is Cooter Brown and with him being so popular despite liking to imbibe more than Otis Campbell, I say we show some compassion and get ol’ Cooter into some type of 12-step program.
Finally, we have perfected being sensitive and kind here. When someone describes a particularly less-than attractive baby by saying: “Isn’t she precious?” instead of being truthful, Southern diplomacy and kindness usually shines through, lest the daddy threatens to “beat you like a red-headed stepchild.”
Anyone threatens me like that, I’m going to find them a cantankerous goose. Or maybe I’ll just leave before someone says: Don’t let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.”
Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.
Peter Oswald, 80, of Alpharetta, passed away on July 5, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
MIKE TASOS Columnist
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12050 Crabapple Road • Roswell, GA 30075
CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The following items will be considered by the Board of Zoning Appeals on Thursday, August 21, 2025 commencing at 5:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
a. V-25-16 Nass/3565 Newport Bay Drive
Consideration of a variance to Unified Development Code Subsections 2.3.3(B) and 2.3.3(C)(7) to reduce the rear swimming pool setback from 20’ to 10’. The property is located at 3565 Newport Bay Drive and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1188, 2nd District, 1st Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
b. V-25-15
Colonial Pipeline Fence Variance
Consideration of a variance to Unified Development Code Subsection 2.3.6(f) to reduce the setback for a fence along a multi-use trail and to increase the height of a fence along a multi-use trail. The property is located at 1000 Lake Street and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 698, 699, 744 & 745, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
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We are looking for one person or couple interested in delivering weekly newspapers in South Forsyth, Alpharetta and the Johns Creek areas.
Requirements: Must have a perfect driving record and background check, reliable transportation, honest, hard-working and positive attitude.
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NOTICE OF INTENT TO VOLUNTARILY DISSOLVE A CORPORATION
Notice is given that a Notice of Intent to Dissolve GANT MEDICAL INC., a Georgia corporation with its registered office at 5770 Shiloh Rd, Ste# 100, Alpharetta, GA, 30005, has been delivered to the Secretary of State for filing in accordance with the Georgia Business Corporation Code.
A
CITY OF ALPHARETTA
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on Thursday, August 7, 2025 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
Items forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Monday, August 25, 2025 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
a. Z-25-06/V-25-13 KOA Land Group/272 & 276 Thompson Street
Consideration of a rezoning and variance to allow a 16-lot ‘For-Sale single-family subdivision, consisting of 9 detached homes and seven townhome units on 2.03 acres in the Downtown. A rezoning is requested from R-12 (Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’, Residential) to DT-LW (Downtown Live-Work). Variances are requested from Unified Development Code (UDC) Appendix A: Alpharetta Downtown Code Subsection 2.3.3(G) to reduce the right-of-way width of a local street residential and from UDC Appendix A: Alpharetta Downtown Code Subsection 2.4.6(C) to eliminate the 20’ recess requirement for a streetfacing garage on a single-family detached home in the Downtown. The property is located at 272 & 276 Thompson Street and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 749 & 802, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
b. Z-25-04/V-25-07 Madewell/Milton Avenue Tract
Consideration of a rezoning and variance to allow for a 1.34-acre property to be subdivided into 2 single-family detached lots. A rezoning is requested from SU (Special Use) to R-12 (Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’, Residential) and variances are requested to Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 2.2.6(D) to reduce the front and side building setbacks and UDC Subsection 3.3.2 to reduce the stream buffer and impervious setback required for a perennial stream. The property is located at 0 Milton Avenue and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 1251 & 1270, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
c. MP-25-08/CU-25-13/V-25-17 Hanover Windward Park/Windward MP Pod 66
Consideration of a master plan amendment, conditional use, and variances to allow 326 ‘Dwelling, ‘For-Rent’ units on 47.65 acres in the Windward Park mixed-use development. A master plan amendment is requested to the Windward Master Plan Pod 66 to add ‘Dwelling, ‘For-Rent’, as well as other modifications to the Windward Park mixed-use development. A conditional use is requested to allow ‘Dwelling, ‘For-Rent’. Variances are requested to Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 2.7.0(b)(1) to increase the distance to/from the off-street parking to the door of the residential unit; UDC Subsection 2.7.0(b)(2)(i) to reduce the ratio of outdoor amenity space; UDC Subsection 2.7.0(b)(3) to allow ground floor dwellings on storefront streets and to allow first floor dwelling units on more than 2 sides of the building; UDC Subsection 2.7.0(b)(4) to reduce the minimum floor area of required balconies; UDC Subsection 2.7.0(b)(6) to reduce the first floor minimum ceiling height; and UDC Subsection 2.7.0(b)(9) to eliminate the requirement for a neighborhood grocery. The property is located at 0 North Point Parkway and 0 Dryden Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 1112, 1177 & 1188, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
d. MP-25-09/CU-25-12 Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy
Consideration of a master plan amendment and conditional use to allow a ‘Recreation Facilities, Indoor’ for Dominque Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy . A master plan amendment is requested to the North Point Mall Master Plan to add ‘Recreation Facilities, Indoor’ as conditional use and a conditional use is requested to allow ‘Recreation Facilities, Indoor’ for Dominque Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy. The property is located at 380 North Point Circle and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 741 & 742, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
e. CU-25-11/V-25-21 Perfekttouch LUXE
Consideration of a conditional use and variance to allow ‘Spa Services’ for Perfekttouch LUXE. A conditional use is requested to allow ‘Spa Services’ for Perfekttouch LUXE and a variance is requested to Unified Development Code (UDC) Section 1.4 Definitions to reduce the distance requirement for comparable ‘Spa Services’ businesses. The property is located at 1115 Upper Hembree Road, Suite B and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 550, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
f. PH-25-13 Unified Development Code Text Amendments – Vertiport
Consideration of text amendments to Section 1.4 Definitions and Section 2.2 Permitted Use Districts and Regulations of the Unified Development Code to add definitions related to Vertiports and to assign Vertiport as a permitted or conditional use in certain zoning districts.
Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
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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
Hospitalist Physician – 24 ON Physicians, P.C. –Alpharetta, GA. (Mult Positions Avail) Diag & prov nonsrgcl med trtmnt of diseases & injrs of ntrnl organ sys’s to hosptlzd patients of all ages. Mst hv an M.D., D.O., or frgn equiv deg. Mst be brd cert or brd elgbl in Intrnl Med. Subj to perdc xfers to vars unantcptd loctns in the U.S. Mst hv lgl auth to wrk in the U.S. EEOE. Send resumes to Crystal Fann, HR Director, 24On Physicians, PC, 13000 Deerfield Pkwy, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30004, or email to cfann@incompasshealth.com. Pls ref job title + AI25 in cvr ltr or eml subj ln.
Lead Software Engineer, UKG Inc., Alpharetta, GA (Hybrid):
Serve as a member of the Notifications team within the FleX Foundations domain and take part in building a Notifications platform to be used by all UKG products. Will work alongside other Software Developers, Quality Analysts, and Product Management Specialists on an agile software development team. REQ: Bach (or foreign equiv.) in Comp. Sci., Comp. Info. Systems, or closely rel. field. & 7 yrs of exp as a Software Engineer. Hybrid position working 3 days/week in the UKG Alpharetta Office & 2 days/week from a home office. Review full job descr. & reqs. & apply at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers [REF: LEADS014643].
General Motors seeks a Micro Services Developer, in Roswell, GA to lead & generate technical solutions, including specifying requirements, functional decomposition, analysis, development & testing for current, new & major programs. Hybrid Role - 3 Days In-Office, 2 Days Work from Home. Must be able to report to local office. See full req’s & apply online: https://search-careers.gm.com/en/jobs/ Job Reference: 202510554.
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, July 18, 2025 . Apply online: www. sawnee.coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363, 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.
Primerica Life Insurance Company seeks Pega Senior System Architect to develop/implement business applications using Pega PRPC to provide Pega guardrails/guidelines/security standards. At least $149,760/year. Job in Duluth, GA and allow remote work from anywhere within the U.S. following EST hours. Health/Dental/Vision ins., 401(K), PTO, Life/Disability Ins. & more. Apply at https://primerica.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PRI. JOB #R-258:052025.
Andritz, Inc. seeks Inside Sales Rep/ Customer Service Rep for its office in Alpharetta GA. Provide sales and customer service support related to ANDRITZ recovery boilers and auxiliary equipment, such as furnace walls, steam/water drums, super heaters, evaporative surfaces, economizers and steam/water air preheaters. 5% travel to domestic customer sites. Submit resumes to Suzanne.Fulton@ andritz.com. Reference job title in subject line.
Workforce Development Coordinator
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Workforce Development Coordinator position. The Workforce Development Coordinator serves as a crucial link between NFCC clients, Volunteer Coaches, and local employers.
The Coordinator collaborates with community businesses to identify hiring opportunities while working closely with Volunteer Coaches who deliver career readiness services including resume writing, job application assistance, and interview preparation. Through these efforts, the Coordinator helps clients improve their employment prospects that may lead to greater financial stability.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
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