FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A planetarium could enhance Sawnee Mountain Preserve as an educational asset as Forsyth County officials continue to expand the park’s amenities.
At a July 28 work session, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners gave tentative approval for a planetarium to be donated by the nonprofit Forsyth County Parks Foundation. The inflatable planetarium is a highdefinition projection system valued at $39,189. It could assist in education programming for many grade levels, said Kirk Franz, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.
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Stacy Navarrete, Steven Russell, center, and Nico Russell enjoy a day at the Indian Seats vantage point at Sawnee Mountain Preserve on Sept. 7, 2025.
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Cumming driver arrested on drug charge after meth found
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 31-yearold Cumming man was arrested on a drug possession charge after deputies allegedly found methamphetamine in his vehicle July 20.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies stopped the man on northbound Ga. 400 after clocking his car at 90 mph in a 55-mph area. The man also allegedly failed to maintain his lane.
Deputies began an impaired driver investigation after noticing the man’s eyes were watery and bloodshot. The man allegedly admitted to drinking three beers.
Deputies searched his vehicle after arresting him on a driving under the influence charge.
The search allegedly revealed three opened cans of beer and a baggie of methamphetamine.
The man was charged with possession of methamphetamine.
— Jon Wilcox
Newnan driver charged after alleged road rage incident
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies arrested a driver on a weapons charge after an alleged road rage incident July 21.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to northbound Ga. 400 near Peachtree Parkway after receiving a call for service about 4:20 p.m.
Deputies met with two drivers, a 28-year-old Gainesville man and a 45-year-old Newnan man. The Gainesville man had a 27-year-old passenger with him.
The Gainesville man told deputies the
other driver racked and pointed a pistol at him following a dispute over changing lanes. The man’s passenger corroborated his story.
Deputies recovered a silver pistol from the Newnan man’s vehicle. The Newnan man denied pointing the weapon.
Deputies charged the Newnan man with pointing a firearm at another and aggressive driving.
— Jon Wilcox
Dogs removed from Woolton Hill Lane home in cruelty case
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Animal Services officers removed dogs from a Woolton Hill Lane home after finding them in poor condition.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to the home about 6:30 p.m. July 12 after a 74-year-old Suwanee man requested a welfare check on his wife.
The woman was found dead at the home. The sheriff’s office report said foul play was not suspected in her death.
Deputies observed at least 10 small dogs at the residence, noting feces and urine in the home, the sheriff’s office said. The floors and furniture appeared heavily soiled.
Deputies also allegedly observed holes in walls that appeared scratched through by the dogs.
The Suwanee man told deputies that 28 dogs were living at the home, adding the couple were unable to care for the animals because of their declining health, the sheriff’s office said.
Animal Services officers were sent to the home and removed all of the dogs except for four. The incident was classified as a misdemeanor cruelty to animals case.
— Jon Wilcox
Deputies investigate Elmo Road home burglary report
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies investigated a report of a home burglary July 10.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were sent to an Elmo Road home and met with two residents, a 36-year-old Cumming man and 36-yearold Cumming woman.
The residents said they returned from swimming at a river to find a front door cracked open.
An alprazolam anti-anxiety prescription, jewelry, contact lenses and clothing totaling a value of $339 were reported stolen.
The incident was classified as a felony forced home burglary. No suspects or charges were listed in the sheriff’s office report.
.— Jon Wilcox
Roswell man reports sports cards missing
ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell man recently reported that nine packages containing sports cards valued at $5,805 were stolen from his P.O. box on Holcomb Bridge Road.
He reported the theft to the Roswell Police Department July 21 after tracking information showed the packages had been delivered the previous day.
The man resells sports cards purchased in high volumes from various sellers through the online retail site Fanatics. He told police that his P.O. box is not always big enough to hold all his packages. When that happens, UPS Store staff typically put the overflow packages in a bag kept behind the service counter for pickup.
The man told police there are multiple sports cards posted on eBay that he believes are from the missing packages. He said photos of the cards feature his Fanatics username, indicating they are the ones he bought.
He was told to audit all of his transactions with Fanatics to see if other packages had been previously stolen. The man is asking police to pursue charges against whoever stole the packages.
— Hannah Yahne
Art tour spotlights Milton brothers born with cleft lip
By ERLANDRYA RUTLEDGE erlandrya@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA. — Artist Katie Manning believes babies born with cleft lip — a common birth difference where the upper lip does not close all the way during pregnancy — are uniquely themselves and worth celebrating.
She is providing Atlanta with 100 reasons why through her 100 Cleft Portraits tour, a traveling art and education exhibition featuring drawn and painted portraits of people born with cleft from around the world.
The portraits are currently featured at two Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospitals, Arthur M. Blank on North Druid Hills Road and Scottish Rite on Johnson Ferry Road.
Portraits of two Milton brothers are included in the series, and they will be formally presented to the brothers and their family members by Manning on Aug. 8 at Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta, 155 W. Paces Ferry Road NW, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Guests interested in seeing those portraits and hearing from Manning about her work should register in advance at acpacares.org/100-cleft-portraits-tour.
The portraits and accompanying tour are part of National Cleft and Craniofacial
DRIVEWAYS & CONCRETE
SUBMITTED/CHILDREN'S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA
Awareness and Prevention Month. The month serves as a time to advocate on behalf of patients with cleft lip — and also to celebrate them and their health journeys.
The American Cleft Palate Association and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are among the tour’s sponsors.
The Milton brothers have been under the care of Dr. Joseph K. Williams, a pediatric plastic surgeon and director of Children’s Center for Cleft and Craniofacial Disorders, since birth.
Williams said Manning’s work creates visibility for patients with cleft lip while also highlighting the artist’s own journey with the birth difference. Manning’s son was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate.
Portraits of patients born with cleft lip by artist Katie Manning are on display at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Scottish Rite Hospital. The portraits, which include depictions of two brothers from Milton, are designed to highlight the beauty and uniqueness of each patient, the artist noted.
“This is a mom who … needed to understand how to deal with that internally, the emotions and guilt that a lot of these families have,” Williams said. “She went back to what was in her core, which is to be an artist.”
A surgeon for 30 years, Williams said a common misconception about patients born with cleft lip is that it is a life-altering condition. He acknowledged, however, that treating the birth difference is a lengthy process and one that can be challenging for families.
“I think when that happens twice, in a situation like this [with the brothers from Milton], the burden of care becomes formidable,” Williams said. “It is undoubtedly
an enormous stress on the family and the family dynamics.”
He said cleft repair involves an 18-year treatment plan with an average of five to seven surgeries.
Surgeries start in a patient’s first year of life and are followed by speech and dental development evaluations. Other procedures could later be necessary, including reconstruction of the gums, revisions of the lip and nose, and jaw surgery.
Patients meet a number of health care specialists — surgeons, dentists, speechlanguage pathologists, nutritionists and even psychologists — during their journey, Williams added.
The surgeon said a prenatal, or before birth, diagnosis can be helpful both to medical teams and families. With that information, parents can prepare for the process and be provided with sufficient information to make decisions and adapt to potential challenges.
“We can ease their mind and make sure they understand that this is a well-worn path and there are a lot of people that are there to take care of it,” Williams said. He said medical advancements are helping shorten recovery times. One bright spot, he noted, is that lab-created materials, instead of bone taken from a patient’s hip, can now be used to repair a bone gap.
Book pairs father, son’s reflections on autism journey
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — When David Raphael wrote his first essay, “Jacob’s Story: A Miracle of the Heart,” nearly 30 years ago, he never predicted it would turn into a published book that explores the “amazingly emotional” experience he said results from raising a child with autism.
“Every autistic kid’s story is unique,” David said. “Among the things that makes Jacob’s path unique is … he started in a really serious place.”
His son Jacob was diagnosed with autism at 2 years and 7 months old, and doctors could not guarantee how far he would progress due to significant cognitive delays. In the essay published in 1997, David wrote that the weeks following his son’s diagnosis were among the most painful he had ever experienced.
“I would lie awake at night, unable to sleep,” David wrote. “I had no appetite.”
I could think of nothing but the son that would be lost to me forever.”
This severe anxiety continued until the Raphaels were introduced to the DIR model, a scientific framework used to promote healthy development in children with autism. DIR — an initialism for the developmental, individual differences, relationshipbased model — was developed in the 1980s and 1990s by Dr. Stanley Greenspan and expanded upon by Dr. Serena Wieder.
“The first time we saw Dr. Greenspan … Jacob and I were in his office and it was as if somebody had opened a door to the future,” David said. “When we started doing the Floortime method, we saw changes right away.”
Floortime, according to the DIR website, is the DIR model put into practice. Activities focus on building a child’s underlying developmental capacities — emotional regulation, engagement, two-way communication and problem-solving — through play that follows the child’s interests.
With Floortime treatment, David said progress came “immediately,” making the three-hour commute to Greenspan’s office — and the thousands of dollars spent on provider costs — worth it. He said it was gratifying and exhilarating to see his son’s growth.
“As Jacob was healing, I was healing, too,” David said.
David read his “Jacob’s Story” essay at the 1996 Zero to Three child
ANTHONY BOYD GRAPHICS/PROVIDED David Raphael, left, embraces his 13-year-old son Jacob in the cover photo for “A Miracle of the Heart: A Father and Son’s Autism Journey,” which was published earlier this year.
development conference, sharing how important early intervention and DIR was to their lives. He said it was hard work, frustrating at times, and he noted Jacob’s progress was rapid and remarkable. Jacob, by age 5, had said his first word — “meow” — and wanted to learn everything.
“Jacob’s Story” was published in the April/May 1997 edition of the Zero to Three Journal, which publishes the latest research on early childhood development and related insights from experts. Three years later, he was again invited to speak at the group’s conference. His second essay, “Jacob’s Story Part II: Each Day is Another Adventure,” was published in 2000.
David said parents of children diagnosed with autism are desperate for hope. The diagnosis is becoming more prevalent, with the Centers for Disease Control reporting that, in 2022, 1 in 31 8-year-old children in the U.S. were identified with autism spectrum disorder. In 2002, 1 in 150 were noted.
“We’ve been telling Jacob for years that he has an important message to share, that he has an important story to share with others,” David said.
See RAPHAEL, Page 9
United Way, Forsyth Te Ayuda host Latin Festival in Cumming
By DEAN HESSE dean@appenmedia.com
CUMMING, Ga. United Way of Forsyth and Dawson Counties and Forsyth Te Ayuda hosted the 2026 Latin Festival at Cumming Fairgrounds on Saturday, Aug. 1.
The free, family-friendly event featured dance performances, live music, food vendors, community resources, free backpacks and school supplies, and many other activities.
“The goal is to bring [together] not only our Latin community but the community in general to celebrate,” said Tyler Dominy, vice president of philanthropy for United Way. “We provide free backpacks and school supplies — that’s the starting point of the event, that’s why people are here. But even bigger than that, it’s about community, about bringing people together. It’s basically, at its purest form, our community coming together.”
Dominy said nonprofit partners and vendors united to support this mission.
“At United Way, our mission … is to strengthen our community by collaborating and by providing service and support,” he said.
—
Hesse
Photos by Dean
Sisters Ariel (8) and Alice (6) Bounnakhom show the jellyfish they made at the Forsyth County Public Library Bookmobile during the Latin Festival at the Cumming Fairgrounds on Aug. 1.
Ballet Mexicano de Lupita Sosa dancers perform at the Latin Festival at Cumming Fairgrounds on Aug. 1.
Hector Dominguez sings with Mariachi Voces de Mexico at the Latin Festival at Cumming Fairgrounds on Aug. 1.
Marlaine and Jaxon dance at the Latin Festival at Cumming Fairgrounds on Aug. 1.
Dancers from Ballet Mexicano de Lupita Sosa perform at the Latin Festival at Cumming Fairgrounds on Saturday, Aug. 1.
Members of Mariachi Voces de Mexico, from left, Pablo, trumpet; Judith, guitarrón; Maro, violin; and Mario, vihuela, pose for a photo before performing at the Latin Festival at Cumming Fairgrounds on Saturday, Aug. 1.
Drive for the Cure offers free prostate cancer screenings
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — When Ed Hoppe learned about Drive for the Cure from friends more than 20 years ago, he thought the annual golf tournament, which raises funds for prostate cancer research, was a worthy cause and that he should get involved.
“One in eight men will, presumably, be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, so it’s a good thing,” Hoppe said. “It’s a worthy cause for us men.”
Drive for the Cure was started in 1999 by a group of men at the Country Club of Roswell. As the tournament heads into its 28th year, the nonprofit organization has raised around $1.5 million for the Emory Winship Cancer Institute.
Last year’s tournament offered an exciting addition, volunteer Dan Gordon said. Golfers could receive free screenings at the course through a blood test at
Emory’s Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Bus.
About 20% of men screened last year were recommended for further testing after their results flagged concerns. This year, community members not participating in the tournament are also able to take advantage of the free screenings.
“Early detection for men is key to making sure that there’s no long-term issues,” Gordon said. “That bus screening has been fantastic.”
Community members are invited to receive a free mobile screening at the Country Club of Roswell, 2500 Club Springs Drive, from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. the day of the fundraiser, Tuesday, Sept. 29.
Participation in the golf fundraiser is filled. Anyone interested in donating to the cause or participating in the silent auction to bid on vacations, golf packages and memorabilia can visit birdease.com/ DrivefortheCure.
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The Emory Winship Cancer Institute’s Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Bus travels the state offering free prostate cancer screenings via a blood test. It will be open to the public from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Country Club of Roswell on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
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8 | Forsyth Herald | August 6, 2026
Confetti Jar connects parents with party vendors
By ERLANDRYA RUTLEDGE erlandrya@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Less than three years after its launch, nearly 10,000 parents a month are using ConfettiJar.com, an Atlanta-based platform that, according to its founders, connects families with trusted local vendors for birthday parties and other events.
Jessica Vicars, who moved to the Atlanta area 18 years ago, and Roy Duvall, a lifelong Georgian, founded the website. They worked together in healthcare information technology before founding Confetti Jar to solve an ongoing issue — birthday parties that required parents to find service providers and vendors through blind social media or internet searches.
Confetti Jar makes that process more simple, bringing those businesses together on one website. Its staff members spend time with vendors, helping them get exposure and build trust with customers. It’s free for parents to use, with a small
A screenshot shows the homepage of ConfettiJar.com. The Atlanta-based platform connects parents with local vendors for birthday parties and other events.
commission fee charged to businesses when their services are booked through it, the founders said. The latest update, they said, allows customers to book services
from local vendors directly through Confetti Jar. The new booking feature cuts out the back-and-forth quote requests that used to define party planning, they said.
“It’s bringing everything together for both sides to make a seamless experience,” Duvall said.
The website now has 150 participating businesses. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have been the biggest driver of Confetti Jar’s visibility.
“[I’m] a real mom [who] genuinely cares about other families having a great birthday party experience, and we really aim for that to come through in [our] social media pages, where people get a chance to get to know us,” Vicars said.
Vicars and Duvall have plans to branch out to other cities but are more invested in Atlanta right now, they said, wanting to ensure local businesses are seeing growth.
“[Our local businesses are] so collaborative, fun and friendly,” Vicars said. “It’s been an amazing community to get to connect with, and we certainly couldn’t do something like this without the local businesses being so excited about what we’re building.”
SCREENSHOT
Raphael:
Continued from Page 5
Last year, David collected his essays and spoke with Jacob about each chapter. The dad transcribed his conversations with his son. Jacob contributed his own chapter, “A Boy and His Autism,” which details the confusion and difficulties he experienced while growing up with autism. The prose also recounts the first time he read “Jacob’s Story.”
Jacob, usually hesitant to discuss the development disorder, wrote that reading the essay caused a wave of emotions to burst through a dam he had long been building.
“The emotion that broke the camel’s back, in this case, wasn’t anger but empathy … empathy and a radical shifting of a memory that happens years after the fact,” Jacob recorded.
Chapters pairing dad-and-son reflections weave readers through the shared experience and what those times meant to both individuals. The essays and reflections were published in the book “A Miracle of the Heart: A Father and Son’s Autism Journey,” which was released this summer through the publisher they founded, The Narrow Bridge Press.
Jacob, now 35 with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Georgia College and State University, is working on his own novel and applying for a graduatelevel social work program. With his father, he served as a keynote speaker at the Creating Connections to Shining Stars child development conference in Virginia July 14-16.
“It’s taken me three decades to become
more comfortable in my own skin and with my own unique qualities,” Jacob said. “I still have a ways to go. That said, I’d like to think that I’ve learned a thing or two along the way.”
Jacob told the conference crowd, a group of special educators and parents, that it is essential to help neurodivergent people connect with others around them. He said finding people who accept others as they are — autism and all — is even more important.
“When thinking about his long journey, the latest chapter of his is embracing his autism identity,” David said. “He really embraced who he is and it’s incredibly … empowering for him and affirming.”
To learn more, read the dad-andson pair’s blog or purchase a book, visit narrowbridge.us.
Bridge replacement will affect back-to-school traffic
By ERLANDRYA RUTLEDGE erlandrya@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — Local students and their families can expect significant delays when school resumes due to the replacement of a Freemanville Road bridge.
Students from Milton High School, Northwestern Middle School, Crabapple Crossings Elementary School, and some Birmingham Fall Elementary may be affected, according to a news release.
The bridge project is said to be on schedule, with the bridge expected to reopen by the end of October.
Every year, traffic congestion increases as more vehicles head to and from schools. The start of the 2026-27 school year could be especially challenging.
Several buses have to be rerouted onto Birmingham Highway, forcing them to abandon the usual route.
Fulton County Schools have made efforts to adjust routes, though there are limits to what they can do.
Expect high traffic in the Heritage Walk and at the Birmingham Highway roundabout, and along Mayfield Road, likely adding congestion at the front of schools.
To ensure safety, it is recommended that children ride the bus or walk to school.
Adjusting travel times between 7 - 9 a.m. and 2:15 - 4:15 p.m. can help minimize disruptions and maximize efficiency.
Milton police officers will fan across the city on weekday mornings and afternoons during August to help traffic move as smoothly as possible.
PHOTOS BY: DAVID RAPHAEL/PROVIDED
Jacob Raphael, left, visits with his dad, David. They recently wrote a book, “A Miracle of the Heart: A Father and Son’s Autism Journey.”
Jacob Raphael speaks at a July conference for child development professionals and parents in Virginia.
The most dangerous place for seniors
Brought to you by – Bath and Kitchen Galleria
The bathroom, a place we take for granted, transforms into one of the most hazardous areas in the home for aging seniors. With slippery surfaces, high tub walls, and the need for frequent maneuvering, the risk of falls—the leading cause of injury among older adults—spikes dramatically. John Hogan, President of Bath and Kitchen Galleria and Aging in Place Expert says, “Proactive bathroom modifications are not merely an upgrade; they are an essential investment in the long-term safety, independence, and dignity of our seniors.”
To mitigate the dangers, several specific aspects of the bathroom should be modified to create a supportive and accessible environment:
Shower and Bathtub: The single greatest fall risk is often stepping over a high tub wall. The ideal solution is a curbless or low-threshold walk-in shower to eliminate this barrier entirely. For added security, install a permanent shower seat or bench and a handheld showerhead to allow for comfortable, seated bathing. Shower floor should have non-slip tile surfaces.
Grab Bars: Strategically placed sturdy, professional-grade grab bars are critical. They must be securely anchored into wall studs, not just
the drywall. Placement is key: near the toilet to assist with sitting and standing, and both inside and just outside the shower/tub for secure entry and exit. Modern grab bars come in a variety of stylish finishes to seamlessly blend with your décor.
Toilet Area: A standard toilet can be difficult to use for those with limited mobility. Installing a comfort-height or raised toilet seat reduces the strain on joints and makes the transition from sitting to standing much easier. Pairing this with well-placed grab bars provides a significant boost in stability.
Flooring and Lighting: Replace slippery tile or remove loose bathmats and throw rugs, which are tripping
hazards. Install slip-resistant flooring throughout the bathroom. Finally, good lighting is paramount. Bright, even lighting—including motion-sensor nightlights—helps seniors navigate safely, especially during middle-of-thenight trips.
By implementing these thoughtful changes, the bathroom can evolve from a high-risk area into a secure, comfortable, and accessible space that supports an aging senior’s desire to age in place safely at home. For more information visit Bath and Kitchen Galleria’s showroom at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector in Alpharetta (no appointment needed) or call them at 678-459-2292.
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Long Hollow Landing
Long Hollow Landing Community Dock
Find your new home – and your North Georgia lifestyle – with David Patterson Homes
and modern features today’s buyers want.
From peaceful acreage and Lake Lanier living to a walkable downtown address, David Patterson Homes is creating exceptional new-home opportunities across Gainesville, Cumming and Dawsonville. The award-winning homebuilder is known for creating thoughtfully designed, European urban farm style homes with spacious floorplans, quality craftsmanship and desirable locations close to excellent school districts, shopping, recreation and everyday conveniences.
Creekside Overlook in Gainesville , an enclave of just 33 homes, is located just minutes from Lake Lanier. Set within a peaceful, wooded neighborhood, Creekside Overlook features spacious half acre plus homesites and beautifully designed single-family homes that offer the room, privacy
The available homes showcase open concept living spaces, gourmet kitchens, inviting primary suites and flexible rooms that can serve as home offices, guest accommodations or additional entertainment areas. Outdoor living spaces and generous yards provide even more opportunities to enjoy the natural North Georgia setting. With five homes ready for a faster move, Creekside Overlook is an excellent choice for buyers who want the advantages of a new home without waiting through the full construction process. It’s convenient Gainesville location also places residents near Lake Lanier’s boating, fishing and recreation, along with area dining, shopping and medical services.
For buyers dreaming of a home directly connected to the lake lifestyle, Long Hollow Landing in Gainesville
offers a rare opportunity. Recognized as Best New Homes Community by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, Long Hollow Landing has only two lakeside homes remaining. Priced from $1.2 million, each home includes a deeded boat slip at the community dock, making it easy for residents to enjoy days on Lake Lanier.
In Cumming, Reece Run offers an intimate setting with only four homesites. Each homesite is more than one acre, providing privacy and space while remaining convenient to Forsyth County destinations. Homes are priced from the mid $700s, and a Move-In Ready home is currently available with $45,000 in incentives, creating an exceptional opportunity for buyers ready to make their move.
David Patterson Homes is also introducing Enclave on Wallace Tatum , its newest Cumming-area community. This limited collection will feature
only six homesites of more than one acre, with homes priced from the high $700s. The intimate size and large homesites are expected to make this a highly sought-after address.
In the city of Dawsonville, Downtown Fausett offers a different style of living. New townhomes are currently under construction and priced from $329,900. Residents can enjoy a walkable location near Downtown Dawsonville, the local farmers market, restaurants, community events and other city attractions.
From move-in ready homes near Lake Lanier to lakeside residences, spacious estate homesites and walkable townhome living, David Patterson Homes offers opportunities for a variety of lifestyles and price points throughout North Georgia. Call David Patterson Homes at 678-578-6824 or visit DavidPattersonHomes.com to begin your new home search.
Brought to you by – David Patterson Homes
The best offer this summer is rarely the largest one.
It is the one with the
Brought to you by – Bill Rawlings, Peachtree Town & Country
Where the market stands
Metro Atlanta closed June with a median sale price near $410,000, effectively where it stood a year ago. Inventory tells the more interesting story. Active listings are up nearly ten percent from last summer, placing Atlanta third among the country's forty largest markets for supply growth, and putting us back within reach of pre-pandemic levels for the first time since 2019. Homes are taking roughly fifty-five days to sell. Across Georgia, sellers are collecting 95.6 percent of their original asking price, down slightly from a year ago.
None of that describes a market in trouble. It describes a market that has finally caught its breath, and one in which the terms of a transaction now carry as much weight as the price.
Inside the perimeter
Town has shifted, and the shift is most visible at the top. Inventory above one million dollars is up roughly eighteen percent year over year, and Buckhead is now sitting at approximately six months of supply. By the standard we hold to, six months is balanced. Not soft, not distressed, balanced. The median luxury sale in Buckhead is holding near $1.72 million, which tells you demand has not left. It has simply become selective.
For sellers in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Morningside, and Druid Hills, this means the days of waiting for the market to come to you are behind us. For buyers, particularly in the high-rise segment, this is the most workable negotiating window we have seen in several years.
Outside the perimeter
Country continues to run at a different tempo. Alpharetta is carrying roughly four and a half months of supply, which by our standard is balanced, and well-positioned homes are still going under contract in about three and a half weeks. The distinction that matters here is not average versus average. It is prepared versus unprepared. Across North Fulton, the share of listings taking a price reduction climbed again in June, and those homes have been sitting an average of eighty-two days. Fresh, correctly positioned inventory moves. Everything else waits.
Pricing across much of North Fulton has moderated, with Johns Creek the notable exception, posting a solid gain in median sale price during June. Milton, Roswell, Cumming, and northern Forsyth remain supported by relocation demand, school reputation, and a new construction pipeline that gives buyers a genuine alternative. A resale home more
fewest conditions attached
than a decade old is now competing directly against a builder who can offer rate buydowns and closing cost credits. That is not cause for concern. It is cause to prepare properly and structure thoughtfully.
The cost of money
Rates moved up again this week to 6.66 percent, the highest reading in about a year, after the Federal Reserve held its position in late July. Two things are worth saying plainly. First, we are still slightly below where we were twelve months ago. Second, buyers in this market have stopped waiting for a number and started negotiating for a payment. Seller concessions, rate buydowns, and creative structure are doing work that price reductions used to do, and they often serve both sides better.
What we are advising clients right now
For sellers: if your goal is to close before the holidays, you are on the runway now, not in September. Price to the last ninety days of closings rather than to last spring's aspiration, and come to market prepared. Then be genuinely open on terms. A clean,
well-structured offer at a slightly lower number is frequently worth more than a higher one carrying contingencies.
For buyers: you have leverage you did not have two years ago, and it is concentrated in listings that have been sitting. Use it on structure, not just on price. Ask for the buydown. Ask for the credit. And move decisively when the right property appears, because well-prepared homes in strong neighborhoods are still trading quickly.
For both: the transaction is no longer won on a single number. It is won on how the whole agreement is assembled.
With warm regards, Bill Rawlings Founder and CEO Peachtree Town & Country
Market data is compiled from FMLS, Georgia MLS, the Georgia Association of REALTORS, and Freddie Mac. Figures are not a representation of properties listed or sold by Peachtree Town & Country.
BILL RAWLINGS
GARDEN BUZZ
Southeast Pollinator Census is this month
ANNE WISKIND Guest Columnist
Do you look forward to delicious fresh peaches, golden zucchini and luscious tomatoes every summer?
Then thank the bees and other insect pollinators! They pollinate over 85% of wild flowering plants, more than 75% of agricultural crops and are essential to maintaining a balanced ecosystem.
Why is pollination so important?
Pollination allows plants to develop seeds, which then produce flowers, fruits or vegetables. It requires the transfer of pollen from the male flower part (the stamen) to the female flower part (the ovule), which then forms the seed. The problem is that some flowers may have only male or female parts, so they require pollinators to move pollen. Research shows that a single flower requires eight separate pollinator visits to develop properly shaped fruit. Talk about busy bees!
Flowers produce both nectar and pollen. Nectar is a sugar-rich fluid packed with energy to attract pollinators. Pollen is a protein-rich powder that contains the plant’s male genetic material. Bees are considered the most efficient pollinators because they collect and transport both pollen and nectar. They are also “fuzzy,” and pollen collects on their hair or on special collection structures on their legs. Wasps, flies, butterflies, beetles and ladybugs are more accidental pollinators. They are primarily after the nectar and may transport pollen collected on their legs, but their true benefit is as predators that eat harmful insects such as aphids, mites, thrips, leafhoppers and insect larvae. Most insects are not aggressive and are just interested in the nectar or pollen, but it is best not to touch them. Using the magnifying feature on your phone may help with insect identification.
Insect populations have been declining since the 1930s. This trend is widespread, not only in developing areas of the world but also in remote locations. Scientists believe this insect decline is due to habitat loss, light pollution, microplastics, pesticide use, disease and climate change. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently lists more than 50 species of pollinators as threatened or endangered. The loss of insect communities may have a disastrous effect on food webs.
The University of Georgia Extension developed and launched the Great Georgia Pollinator Census in 2017 to track insect pollinator populations in Georgia to measure the effects of pollinator habitat restoration. The initiative has since expanded throughout the Southeast to include South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and, for the first time this year, Mississippi. Now known as the Great Southeast Pollinator Census (gsepc.org), it is the nation’s largest pollinator counting effort. The project also features an educational component designed to augment STEM curriculum in elementary schools.
Anyone can participate in the GSEPC on either Friday, Aug. 21, or Saturday, Aug. 22, and all ages are welcome! Participants simply pick a pollinator plant and count the number of insect visits to that single plant in a 15-minute window. Participants can complete multiple counts using a separate tally sheet.
The census tracks insects across eight different categories: bumble bees, carpenter bees, honeybees, small
bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, moths and others, such as beetles, ladybugs, dragonflies and lacewings.
The tallies are then loaded onto the GSEPC website for analysis. A pollinator plant is any blooming native or nonnative plant that shows insect activity. The GSEPC tally sheets feature pictures of the different insects to assist with identification, and an identification guide on the website helps participants understand differences between the pollinator groups.
This year, the Fulton County Extension Office is hosting census events at four locations on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026:
• Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, Summerour House Garden, 9770 Autrey Mill Road, Johns Creek, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Chastain Park Native Plant Garden, 4001 Powers Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, 9 a.m. to noon.
• GROWL Garden at Camp Truitt, 4300 Herschel Road, College Park, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Little Diggers Booth at Sandy Springs Farmers Market, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Fulton County Master Gardeners will be at these locations and will host free, family-friendly educational activities to help everyone learn about the importance
of pollinators in nature. You will find everything you need to participate in the census, including tally sheets and insect ID guides.
You can also participate in your own yard or local park, any place with flowers! You will find all the necessary information and forms at gsepc.org. Consider joining their Facebook page: Southeast Pollinator Census or follow on Instagram @SoutheastPollinators.
So Bee on the lookout for pollinators!
Happy Gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.
Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/opinion/ columnists/garden_buzz/.
Come visit us at the Alpharetta Farmer’s Market on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays through October or the Sandy Springs Farmer’s Market the 3rd Saturday of the month through October.
UGA EXTENSION SERVICE/PROVIDED
Leafcutter bee on mountain mint.
OPINION
many benefits of water therapy
Oh, how I do love the sound of flowing water – but not when it’s coming from the potty.
Yeah, that’s right. The other day, something happened and the outflow from the washing machine had nowhere else to go. You really can’t blame the water; it was just doing what water does.
The first clue that something was amiss was a burbling commode. Toilets are not supposed to burble. But this one was.
Hearing it, I walked into the bathroom to check things out. The potty was full of soap-sudsy bubbles, and the first thing I thought was, “Well, at least it looks clean.”
The burbling stopped. I went back to the other room. But then the burbling resumed, even more burbly than before. It sounded…cheerful, like a burbling creek… happy even…
I went to look again. This time the carpet squished.
Uh-oh.
Long story short: That musical hydrology was just a devious little teaser of what was really going on, which was that water was flowing across the basement floor on the other side of the wall. Said water flowed around baseboards and into the carpet, soaking the padding, sheetrock, and whatever boxes or other items were within its reach. It didn’t take long for it all to happen, and by the time we got the water cut off we had (as my grandma used to say when talking about politics) “a mell of a hess.”
Fast forward a few days, during which the disaster folks came and did their thing. That basically involved tearing up the kitchen, bedroom, closet, vanity area and bathroom, too. That latter, which was especially disruptive to (forgive me) the normal flow of things, involved removing the toilet (the very same one which had alerted me in the first place) and setting it unceremoniously in the tub (no, not so it could be used but just to get it out of the way). I actually felt kind of sorry for the toilet, ensconced as it was in that noble but now totally non-functional state. The bathroom sink, for its part, ended up in
the living room, while the kitchen sink ended up outside. Oh boy.
One has not fully experienced this modern world until one has lived in it accompanied by a non-functioning toilet sitting in one’s bathtub – and without a kitchen, too. If we’d had at least a functioning kitchen, we might have used it to prepare some sort of comfort food, ideally one involving chocolate or perhaps some sort of fortified spirits.
We stayed for a little while, albeit without kitchen or sinks and or toilet or tub (remember, it now held the toilet), while the restoration folks worked. It was, my wife observed, kind of like camping but without the woods.
That is not nearly as much fun as you might imagine.
Soon, they told us we needed to go somewhere else while things dried out (mold) and then, a few days later, they told us we needed to go somewhere else again while repairs were made.
That’s where we are now, camping out (but this time with conveniences) at an Airbnb up in the foothills north of home.
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
STEVE HUDSON/APPEN
Preserve:
Continued from Page 1
“Think of a bounce house that kids can go inside and lie on their backs and look up at the sky,” Franz said. “The projection has all kinds of programs and scenarios.”
Kristin Morrissey, foundation chair, agreed the planetarium could help make the preserve into a valuable resource for school field trips and county-organized
Hudson:
Continued from Page 17
This evening, barely two days into telling ourselves that lemonade-out-oflemons is really a thing, we decided that we needed respite.
This water catastrophe had messed with our home, with our nest – and by her own admission, my wife is a nest builder. She was stressed, for you do not lightly mess with a nest-builder’s nest. Water therapy. That’s what we needed. It would be oddly appropriate, wouldn’t it? So we got in the car and
educational programming. The preserve’s location in the heart of Forsyth County means it is an ideal destination for local schools.
Started in 2010, the Forsyth County Parks Foundation coordinates with local organizations and officials to support county parks by raising funds and seeking grants.
With more than 820 acres of forested mountain terrain just north of Cumming, Sawnee Mountain Preserve is one of the county’s “crown jewels,” Morrissey said. Opened to the public in 2005, it now
drove to the local lake. As its watery expanse came into view, thoughts of that other H2O and all it had wrought began to fade from view. Life on Earth began to look a little better.
I knew we were on the right track when she asked me, “Do you think there will be fish?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “But I will go find out.”
“Some fish would be good right about now,” she mused, her voice a little softer maybe. “Maybe they’re there. I’ll sit here and crochet while you check it out.”
So that’s what she did, and that’s what I did, too. I tied a bright yellow
includes a visitor center with interpretive exhibits, hiking trails and adventure activities. Visitors can also enjoy over 11 miles of hiking.
Forsyth County continues to invest in the site, enhancing it as a recreational and educational asset.
The Barker Overlook, expected to open this year, will increase the trail mileage and provide additional views of the north Georgia mountains. From the overlook, sight lines extend for miles, giving visitors a breathtaking perspective of Forsyth County.
foam fly to the end of the line, made my way down to the water, and immediately caught a decent bluegill. Three casts later, I caught another.
Then I stopped fishing and turned to walk back up the hill, ready to deliver the happy news.
“It’s good,” I told her. Together, we walked back down the hill to the water’s edge. She cast, using the rod I had built for her not long after we married, and she promptly caught a bluegill of her own. It was a good one.
I caught one, too, and she took my picture.
I walked on down the shoreline, fishing as I went. Then I heard her
Morrissey said the foundation also anticipates providing an all-terrain mobility device for those who have trouble climbing the sometimes difficult trails. She said the foundation would love to see the preserve become accessible for more residents.
At the work session, commissioners expressed interest in the donation and recognized the improvements at the park.
“I think we should make a field trip out there,” Commissioner Mendy Moore said.
call my name and turned and saw her rod bent more than I’d ever seen it bent before. She had a big one – an enormous one, a brag-worthy one, a bluegill of epic proportions. I watched as she brought it in, and I went to her to take a picture.
It was the biggest bluegill she’d ever caught.
“With fishing like this, we could have had some for supper,” she said. “We would have eaten well.”
But she slipped it back into the water, and for the first time that day I saw a smile flicker across her face.
Water therapy? Uh huh. Sometimes that’s all you need.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Ava Parson reads her Bible on a rock at the Indian Seats at Sawnee Mountain Preserve Sept. 7, 2025.
Puzzles
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, 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!
OUTSIDE THE BIRDCAGE
1. Radar image. Gung-ho. Small olive-colored flycatcher.
2. Big party. Long-legged webfooted shore bird. Urban haze.
3. Clan emblem. Elevator, in England. European blackbird.
6. Big brass. Room at the top. Short-billed Old World rail.
7. Tyrant flycatcher. Pricing word. Trade.
1 Radar image. Gung-ho. Small olive-colored flycatcher.
2. Big party. Long-legged web-footed shore bird. Urban haze
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. Clan emblem. Elevator, in England. European blackbird.
4. Three-toed bird. Downhill racer. Newbie golfer
5. Winter wear. Diving duck. Figure skater’s jump 6. Big brass. Room at the top. Short billed Old World rail.
7. Tyrant flycatcher. Pricing word. Trade
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
A
sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.
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THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS
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Continued innovation in digital media has changed the ways in which people buy, sell and interact with products and services. It has caused businesses to reassess the ways in which it communicates with potential customers and advertises its products. It has been well documented that these changes have had a destructive impact on local newspapers, which continues to be a primary source for local news, but is no longer a primary source for local advertising dollars – historically the lifeblood for reporters and their coverage. At Appen Media Group we want to address this conflict head on, and build new and innovative approaches to monetizing local news and creating a sustainable future for local journalism in metro Atlanta.
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THE APPEN PRESS CLUB
One solution is the creation of a membership driven organization called the Appen Press Club that is dedicated to recruiting people and companies to join as members. Members pay recurring monthly or annual dues that are 100% dedicated to sustainable journalism. By providing predictable revenue, Appen Press Club members and partners help fund the salaries and expenses of local reporters who will no longer be subject to the whims of marketing budgets and an ever changing advertising world. In turn, those reporters will provide the readers they serve with highly researched and qualified journalism focused on subjects that directly affect their quality of life.
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Breaux & Associates Architects, Jr. Project Architect, Alpharetta, GA: Assist w/ archtrl dsgn & tech tasks. Prep/coord. archtrl drawings, conduct zoning/ building code research, coordinate consultants, review submittals/RFIs, maintain project records, prep. cnstrctn docs. Resp for: Schematic Dsgn (drafting, site analysis, zoning/code research, dsgn materials); Dsgn Dvlpmnt (refine dsgn, coord. w/ eng’g consultants, assist w/ material/system/ finish selections); Cnstrctn Documentation (prep permit/bid docs); Procurement/Bidding (maintain bid docs, contractor clarification); Cnstrctn Admin (review submittals, RFIs, ensure compliance w/ approved drawings/specs). Reqs: Bach degree (or higher), or foreign equiv. in Architecture + license as an Architect in GA + 3 yrs exp. in job offered or as an Architectural Dsgner in an archtrl firm. Reqs project exp in hospitality, mixed-use, multifamily residential, commercial office, retail, educational, concrete masonry unit cnstrctn, & large-scale urban master planning projects + exp w/AutoCAD, Revit, V-Ray, Enscape, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator), Adobe Premiere to create presentation videos, & MS Office. Reqs exp. devlp’g archtrl drawings, renderings, physical & 3D virtual models for conceptual/schematic dsgn; researching zoning/code ordinances, building codes, by-laws, materials, & building systms data; prep’g drawings for bidding/cnstrctn; analyzing space/ site reqmnts; coord’g consultants; & reviewing tech docs. Portfolio of professional dsgn work required. Email resume to: careers@BXArch.com
Food Pantry Manager
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the full-time Food Pantry Manager position. Under the direction of the Food Pantry Director, the Food Pantry Manager leads back of house food pantry operations including inventory control, receiving products, client orders, managing volunteers, entering data and creating reports.
This role is perfect for someone who enjoys managing people and process! Volunteer and inventory management, operations and data entry are primary responsibilities of this role.
The applicant should have a desire to join the team of a mission-driven non-profit where we work to ease hardship and build financial stability throughout our community. We offer one of the most competitive total rewards packages among Atlanta’s nonprofit organizations, making this role both meaningful and rewarding.
Please send resumes to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Midway Preschool is looking for an experienced Young 5’s/Prek teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Contact Beth at beth@midwayumc.org.
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Req. # R-801105
Advance Solutions Corp. (Alpharetta, GA): ServiceNow Developer to wrk on in-house prjcts rltd to app dvlpmnt. Min Reqs: Bach dgr in Comp Applctns, Mech Engg, or rltd fld & 5 yrs exp in sftwr dvlpmnt, or rltd occptn. Plus 5 yrs exp w/ the fllwng: Dsgnng, dvlpng & cstmzng ServiceNow app & modules; & ITSM. Telecommuting anywhere in the U.S. 40 hrs/wk. To apply, email resume to megha.s@advancesolutions.com
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