Ga. 400 express lanes worker killed ► PAGE 3
Summer of sippin’
Festival assists endeavor to employ disabled adults
By DEAN HESSE | newsroom@appenmedia.com
CUMMING, Ga. — The third annual Sips of Summer Festival, hosted by The Well GA, took place at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater at Cumming City Center on Saturday, May 30.
The event serves as a fundraiser for Launch Ability, a nonprofit that supports adults with disabilities finding employment. It featured free admission, a local artisan market, live music and unlimited tastings of beer, wine, spirits and seltzers from The Well's curated selection, available with a ticket purchase.
Ivy Lawson, director of workforce development for Launch Ability, said the organization is the sister nonprofit to SliceAbility, a pizza restaurant located upstairs at the city center, where more than 80 percent of employees are autistic or have an intellectual or physical disability.
Lawson said Launch Ability's goal is to help other local businesses recognize the value of hiring people with disabilities.
See SIP, Page 6
Forsyth County Commission nibbles at sales tax proposal
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County voters may get the chance this November to decide whether to impose a transportation sales tax to help fund roads and trails as the population continues to climb.
A second sales tax could appear on future ballots that would directly offset tax bills on homesteaded properties.
The Forsyth County Commission expressed some ambivalence for placing the proposals before voters because they fear residents have little appetite for tax referendums.
At its May 26 work session, commis-
sioners indicated support to explore placing both the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax and a Local Homestead Option Sales Tax before voters.
See COUNTY, Page 14
From left, Jennifer Sheran, Jana Birdseye and Kim Welch dance to live music by Rock Station during the third annual Sips of Summer Festival at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater at Cumming City Center May 30.
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POLICE BLOTTER
All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
Driver cited for possession following May traffic stop
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 50-yearold Roswell woman was arrested on drug distribution charges after a May 13 traffic stop.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies stopped the woman’s vehicle after clocking it at 89 mph on northbound Ga. 400 near Bald Ridge Marina Road.
The woman admitted to smoking marijuana in the vehicle May 12, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A search of the vehicle allegedly found four plastic baggies of marijuana and 10 chocolate bars marketed to contain psilocybin mushrooms.
The woman allegedly told deputies she obtained the drugs from someone in Atlanta and was bringing them to a person. She said she had been delivering drugs to the person for the past two months to afford medical bills, the Sheriff’s Office said.
She was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a Schedule I substance with intent to distribute and possession of dangerous drugs.
— Jon Wilcox
Authorities charge woman with stealing pickup truck
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A woman was arrested on a theft charge after allegedly stealing a pickup truck May 16.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to a Branch Drive business after a theft was reported.
Representatives of the business said the woman, who was hired as a subcontractor, allegedly entered a vehicle at the location and sped away. They said
the woman appeared intoxicated on drugs, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The vehicle and woman were located outside Macon. She was taken to the Monroe County Jail on a felony theft of an automobile charge. The Forsyth County report did not include information about where the woman is from.
— Jon Wilcox
Woman reports jewelry theft while in process of moving
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police investigated the reported theft of thousands of dollars of heirloom jewelry May 10 while a Johns Creek woman was in the process of moving to a residence at Soul Aly.
Alpharetta police said the woman said she had hired a Roswell company to help her move numerous boxes and items.
Police said she placed valuables in a black duffel, which she left in her bedroom and planned to transport herself. The woman took a video conference call while the movers were working, then later discovered jewelry was missing from the bag after relocating to the new home, police said.
The missing jewelry included earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Their total value was set at about $5,100.
The woman said she spoke to a moving company manager, who told her they would begin an investigation into the alleged theft.
The incident was classified as a felony theft by taking.
— Jon Wilcox
Man faces drug charges following traffic stop
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 31-year-old Cumming man was arrested on drug charges during a May 15 traffic stop.
Alpharetta police said officers stopped the man’s vehicle at Windward Parkway and Westfield Drive after it made a U-turn at a red light.
Officers arrested the man after learning he was charged with a Forsyth County warrant.
A search found several pills of dextroamphetamine and alprazolam in his wallet.
The man was charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance.
— Jon Wilcox
Police cite homeowner over graduation party
ROSWELL, Ga. — A party involving some 50-70 high school students at a house on Kingridge Court in Roswell ended after police arrived and cited the homeowner for a loud residential gathering.
Police heard loud music as they arrived on scene May 18 and entered the backyard to see the partygoers surrounded by containers of alcoholic beverages discarded on the ground. A variety of liquors and other beverages were observed on a folding table.
A juvenile told police that no one was 21 or older, and all individuals were detained on the property.
An officer found the homeowner among the crowd of underage drinkers, who told police it was his daughter’s high school graduation party. The homeowner had slowed speech and appeared intoxicated, according to the police report, and said he had just arrived home drinking on Canton Street.
Police questioned the homeowner’s daughter, who said she told partygoers they were not allowed to have alcohol but that it got out of control when more people arrived.
All individuals were checked for their age and if they had been drinking any alcohol. Those who were drinking were transported from the home by a sober driver.
Police said there were too many people to cite or arrest for underage drinking.
Police found it unreasonable that the homeowner had no knowledge of the crime taking place and cited him for a loud and unruly gathering in a residential neighborhood.
— Hannah Yahne
Ga. 400 express lanes worker killed in Sandy Springs
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A Ga. 400 express lanes construction worker installing warning signs on the highway near Abernathy Road died May 21 after being struck by a motorist.
Sandy Springs Police have charged the driver of the Toyota Tacoma that allegedly struck the worker with Mover Over Law violations, second-degree vehicular homicide and speeding. The driver's name has not been released. An investigation is ongoing, police said.
Police were called shortly after 1 a.m. about a crash on Ga. 400 southbound near Abernathy Road and Exit 4.
About 250 yards south of the scene of the fatal collision, officers found a heavily damaged Toyota Tacoma against the
DRIVEWAYS & CONCRETE
right-side wall of the highway.
The name of the construction worker has not been released. Georgia Department of Transportation officials said he was a subcontractor performing sign installation on the inside median barrier wall as part of the massive Ga. 400 Express Lanes project now underway.
“The worker was with a mobile traffic control operation with all appropriate safety protocols in place,” Kyle Collins, spokesperson for the project, said in an email to Appen Media. “There were two buffer vehicles and a law enforcement (blue light) support during the operation.”
GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry cited the crash and fatality at the May 21 State Transportation Board meeting. The fatality is the first of the Ga. 400 express lanes project, he said.
He told the board that the worker was installing construction warning signs. Two buffer trucks and a police car flashing its blue lights were at the scene with the worker before the crash. Somehow the driver “ran through all of that and struck the employee, killing him,” he said.
McMurry noted that GDOT officials were wearing orange ties and ribbons when the ground was officially broken on the project in April. Orange is the color of National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 20-24. The week is an annual campaign held at the start of construction season to promote safe driving and protect highway workers.
The $4.6 billion project will construct new express lanes in both directions along an approximately 16-mile section of Ga. 400 from the MARTA North Springs
station at Exit 5C in Sandy Springs in Fulton County to approximately 1 mile north of McFarland Parkway at Exit 12 in Forsyth County.
Early construction preparations are underway near Exit 5 on Ga. 400, with activity along the southbound shoulder between the Spalding Drive bridge and Abernathy Road ramps to support future traffic shifts, according to GDOT.
Grubbing — the clearing out of stumps, roots, and buried logs after trees along the highway that were clearcut — is currently ongoing to prepare for upcoming construction, including concrete barrier placement, lane striping, and new signage installation, according to GDOT. Earthwork operations and construction of retaining walls are scheduled to begin in these locations later this summer.
Roswell community mourns San Diego shooting victims
By STANLEY LEARY newsroom@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — As members of Roswell Community Masjid grieved the deadly May 18 shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, they chose to respond by opening their doors to neighbors and people of different faiths.
On May 20, the mosque hosted a community vigil and Salat al-Janazah in absentia, an Islamic funeral prayer offered when the deceased are not physically present, honoring three men killed during the San Diego attack who community members said died while protecting children.
“We are first honoring the lives of the three men who gave their lives for protecting the children,” said Shannon Landry, development and communications representative for Roswell Community Masjid.
The gathering brought together faith leaders, city officials, law enforcement and residents from across Roswell in an expression of support and shared grief.
For Dania of Roswell Community Masjid, the tragedy felt especially personal.
Dania lived in San Diego for two and a half years and attended the Islamic Center of San Diego.
and a half years ago.
She said people told her the tree would take seven years to bear fruit, and last year it finally did.
For Robichaux, the tree represented something larger.
“The roots of the Muslim faith community are deep in our community,” she said.
Roswell Community Masjid Imam Abdullah Jaber encouraged those gathered to respond with resilience rather than fear.
“Being resilient as a Muslim community because faith under pressure doesn’t break but deepens,” Jaber said.
He also urged attendees to continue making room for others.
“Every stride we make as a nation is making room for others in our hearts,” he said.
As the vigil ended, Jaber offered one final thought that captured the evening’s message.
“This was my mosque,” Dania said, explaining that family members still live in the area, including a cousin who attends the school’s second-grade program.
“We are grieving and also asking people to allow for our humanity in this time and recognize it for the hate crime it is,” she said.
“Learn to love your children as my children,” he said.
Roswell Mayor Mary Robichaux reflected on relationships built between the mosque and the wider community over the years. She recalled helping plant a fig tree outside the masjid seven
The event’s focus remained on honoring lives lost, but throughout the evening, another message surfaced repeatedly: grief shared across communities can become a bridge rather than a dividing line.
STANLEY LEARY/APPEN MEDIA
Roswell Community Masjid Imam Abdullah Jaber speaks during a community vigil Wednesday evening in Roswell, honoring victims of the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in California.
Former CDC supervisor stole more than $190,000 from agency
By DAN WHISENHUNT dan@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — A former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supervisor pleaded guilty to stealing more than $190,000 in agency funds, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Gwendolyn Brandon, 43, of Cumming, Ga., pleaded guilty to theft of government funds and admitted to submitting fake invoices to the CDC.
“This defendant embezzled taxpayer money and brazenly exploited her position of public trust by fabricating invoices,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a news release.
“When she is sentenced later this year, she will pay the price for her greed and deception.”
From August 2023 to February 2025, Brandon created phony invoices that appeared to be from vendors.
Those payments went into an account she controlled.
“She used her role as a supervisor and her knowledge of CDC’s invoice and credit card processing system to perpetrate the fraud by causing employees under her supervision, who were unaware of the fraud, to make the payments,” the news release said.
“Through her scheme, she caused the CDC to pay at least 46 fraudulent invoices in amounts ranging from $2,230 to $9,970, resulting in the theft of $190,461.50 in government funds.”
Brandon’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3.
“As part of her plea agreement, Brandon agreed to resign from the CDC and never apply for employment with the federal government again, nor will she seek to do business with the federal government as a contractor or vendor,” the news release said.
STORE CLOSING
businesses, and at events like this here at the City Center," Lawson said. "Not only do proceeds benefit us, but it's a great community event. We meet business owners, people donate. It's really amazing that they do this for us." Continued from Page
"We
From left, Susan Roberson and her daughter Cameron Moon, a market vendor, at the third annual Sips of Summer Festival at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater at Cumming City Center on Saturday, May 30. Moon owns Magnolia Moon Modern Outfitters, a boutique in Alpharetta, and said she enjoys getting out to meet people at festivals.
The Lou Sobh Amphitheater at Cumming City Center serves as the site of the third annual Sips of Summer Festival on May 30.
Mark Reardon, left, and his son, local Atlanta chef Ben Reardon, of market vendor Benny Sauce, offer a sample of Ben’s Verde Heat sauce during the third annual Sips of Summer Festival at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater on May 30.
Trade traffic for charm — discover life in Senoia
Brought to you by -
Gin Property
As more homebuyers search for communities that blend charm, convenience, and lifestyle, the spotlight is increasingly turning toward South Atlanta—and few places capture that appeal quite like the historic town of Senoia, Georgia. Known for its picturesque downtown, walkable streets, and vibrant small-town atmosphere, Senoia has become one of metro Atlanta’s most sought-after destinations for those looking to enjoy a more connected way of life without sacrificing modern conveniences.
Located approximately 35 miles south of Atlanta, Senoia offers residents an exceptional quality of life with locally owned boutiques, coffee houses, restaurants, entertainment venues, and year-round community events centered around its thriving downtown district. Sidewalk-lined streets and beautifully preserved architecture create a welcom-
ing environment where neighbors gather for farmers markets, festivals, and evenings on Main Street. The town’s accessibility to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and major employment centers only adds to its growing appeal.
At the center of this momentum is Gin Property, a thoughtfully planned mixed-use community that reflects the very best of what modern small-town living can offer. Positioned within walking distance of downtown Senoia, Gin Property combines residential living with walkable access to shopping, dining, and entertainment in a setting designed to foster connection and community.
The community is attracting some of the region’s most respected builders, including the renowned JW Collection by John Wieland and award-winning Baker Homes. JW Collection recently announced the groundbreaking of five additional luxury townhomes at Gin
Property, further expanding its presence within the community. Priced from the $799,900s, the Overlook at Gin Property Townhomes continue JW Collection’s legacy of design-driven living, quality craftsmanship, and timeless architecture built over more than 50 years and 30,000 homes.
Adding to the community’s appeal is a charming village of cottages by Baker Homes. Builders Brett and Belle Baker have brought their thoughtfully designed, award-winning cottage homes to Gin Property, currently priced from the $525,000s. The cottages provide an inviting blend of character, efficiency, and style that complements the community’s overall vision.
Together, the variety of housing options at Gin Property—from cottages to luxury townhomes to future singlefamily opportunities—creates a unique residential environment designed around walkability, lifestyle, and architectural character.
As development pressures and rising land costs continue to challenge growth in many northern Atlanta suburbs, communities like Senoia are becoming increasingly attractive to both builders and buyers seeking value, authenticity, and livability. Gin Property represents that shift perfectly—offering a refined yet approachable lifestyle in one of Georgia’s most charming towns. With momentum continuing to build and demand steadily increasing, Gin Property and Historic Senoia are proving that the future of metro Atlanta living may be found not in the city’s congestion, but in the communities that prioritize connection, character, and quality of life.
For more information visit www.GinProperty.com or call 770-790-0175.
79 Bourbon Street, Senoia, GA 30276. Sales and marketing by LLane & Co.
LLANE & Co is a boutique real estate brokerage founded by Lori Lane.
At LLANE & Co, we’re proud to represent an exceptional collection of builders and communities across Georgia. Featured here are a few of our new construction communities and partners.
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Setting the stage for your listing
Brought to you by – Bill Rawlings, CEO & Founder of Peachtree Town & Country
“The first fourteen days of a listing are not a window. They are the entire stage. What happens in that opening act sets the ceiling for everything that follows.”
— BILL RAWLINGS, FOUNDER & CEO
THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE ONLY IMPRESSION
In today’s market, a home does not get a second chance to launch. Buyers are more informed, more selective, and more skeptical than at any time in recent memory. They watch listings the moment they hit the market, and they form an opinion within hours, not weeks. Once that first impression is set, it is exceptionally difficult to reset.
This is why pricing, presentation, and timing must be aligned the day a home goes live, not corrected weeks later.
WHY THE OPENING WINDOW MATTERS MOST
The first fourteen days of a listing generate the highest concentration of buyer activity it will ever receive. Saved searches alert. Agents preview. Showings cluster. Online traffic peaks. This is the window where the home is at its most visible, most discussed, and most competitive. A home priced correctly in this window invites momentum. A home priced ambitiously in this window invites silence. And silence, in real estate, is the most expensive sound there is.
THE COST OF “TESTING” A PRICE
In a strong seller’s market, an aspirational price can sometimes work. In today’s more measured market, it rarely does. When a home is priced beyond what the market will support, buyers usually do not
negotiate — they move on. Days on market accumulate, and price reductions begin to signal weakness instead of strength.
By the time a correction happens, the most qualified buyers have often already passed on the listing. The home is no longer fresh, and the opportunity to create competition has been lost.
WHAT STRATEGIC PRICING ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
Strategic pricing is not about pricing low. It is about pricing precisely. It reflects a careful read of comparable sales, current inventory, buyer behavior, and the home itself. Done well, it attracts the strongest pool of qualified buyers and creates the conditions for multiple offers. That is where leverage is created — not by hoping one buyer will stretch, but by motivating several buyers to act.
PREPARATION IS PART OF PRICING
A home’s price cannot be separated from how it is presented. Photography, staging, repairs, and curb appeal directly influence what buyers are willing to pay. A home that is priced confidently must also be prepared completely. The two work in concert, and neither can carry the listing alone. This is why our advisors invest meaningful time before a home ever goes live. The work done before launch is what determines what is possible after launch.
OUR PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW
The Atlanta market remains active and opportunity-rich, but today’s market rewards discipline over assumption. Inside the Perimeter, wellprepared homes priced strategically continue to attract strong interest, while overpriced properties are sitting longer and trading lower.Outside the Perimeter, demand remains healthy across Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, and North Atlanta, but increased new construction and more buyer options mean resale sellers must compete with thoughtful pricing and strong presentation.
Across both markets, the takeaway is simple: homes that launch well sell well. Homes that launch without intention often spend the rest of their market time trying to recover from the first two weeks.
The most dangerous place for seniors
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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GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!
There’s still gold in those thar Georgia hills
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
Turning on the TV these days is not much fun. I am reminded of that again just now when, out of habit, I punch the little button on the cable remote and the big screen over the mantle comes to life. It brings visions of talking heads talking, of wars and rumors of wars, and of scandal and deception. There’s a lot of talk about gold, too, and it’s all mixed up in a casserole seasoned with inuendo and outright lies.
What would Mr. Kitchens have had to say about all that?
I’m talking about the late Dan Kitchens, journalist extraordinaire. You won’t know anything about him unless you happened to have been in one of his classes at the good ol’ U-of-GA, where he took starry-eyed young writers like me and birthed them into the Way of Reported Words.
Mr. Kitchens (one always added the “Mr.”) had high standards, and woe to anyone who did not adhere.
“It is MISTER Kitchens, not DOCTOR Kitchens,” he’d say. “Do your research, Mr. Hudson, and always get it right.” There was no academic posturing in him, no holierthan-thouness, nothing like that. There was just a mantra of accuracy, completeness, and using one’s brain – and on reporting every story it like it really is.
What a concept.
“Yeah,” I think to myself. “Mr. Kitchens would have plenty to say about today’s journalistic landscape, and I think most of it would not be complimentary…”
Ahhh. Such reflection is fun. But inevitably reverie fades as the blather of the newsfeed creeps back in. A different talking head is at it now – different, but spouting the same stuff as the one before. The voice is prattling on about golden glitz in high places. There’s that gold thing again. Where is this noise coming from? I check the channel. Oh, well, yeah. How did it get switched over to that one?
It is enough to make one want to turn the darned thing off.
So I do. It requires just one click of the button, and peace again fills the room.
I lean into the quiet and savor the silence. But then I realize that my mind has latched onto one of the words I’d just heard: Gold.
Okay. So gold is definitely in the news these days. Yesterday it was selling for upwards of $4,600 per ounce. That’s a lot of lunch money. Maybe that’s why I’ve been seeing more and more folks prospecting for it using gold pans in all sorts of colors, among them (though it pains me to say it)
Auburn orange.
As it turns out, one of my favorite fishing streams just happens to be a popular gold panning stream too. It’s not unusual to see a prospector or two there on any sunny afternoon, working the gravel with high expectations. Sometimes, when I see someone panning for gold, I stop fish-
ing and strike up conversation. Once in a while, the prospector chats back. The exchange is usually cordial, at least until I acknowledge the little vial tucked into the prospector’s pocket and, pointing to it, ask the big question: “Are you finding anything?”
That’s when the poker face appears. The less it reveals, I figure, the more gold that bottle likely holds. But I’m not offended by the reticence. Heck, if I was finding gold, I’d play it close to the chest too.
Over time, in gold prospecting as in life, you learn things. The big thing you learn is that there’s still gold in them thar hills. Sure, those old-time prospectors found a lot of it. But they didn’t get it all.
Let me tell you a story about some of the gold they left behind.
Some years ago, a friend of mine – a classic man-of-the-mountains prospector type – took me into his confidence and showed me part of his personal stash of Georgia gold. This was gold he had found with his own hands, mind you, and it filled a large mayonnaise jar. It was so heavy it took two strong hands to pick it up.
Yeah, he eventually told me where he found it. Yeah, he swore me to secrecy.
And no (sorry), I will not violate that oath, not for love nor money nor even for directions to your most secret fishing hole. Some confidences just must be kept.
But there are plenty of other places where you can prospect. I’ve tracked some of them down, and I’ve found a little gold for my trouble. You can too.
How do you get into this prospecting game? Maybe you start at one of our state’s many tourist gold mines. They’re great places to learn basic panning and perhaps find a few flakes of color too.
As your panning skills develop, take it to the next level – perhaps by researching what’s known as the Gold Belt, a northeasttrending zone that starts near Villa Rica and stretches up through northeast Georgia and beyond. That’ll show you where goldbearing geology might be found. Just note the word “might,” for there are no sure bets when it comes to gold. Eventually, you must put your boots on the ground and check things out in person.
Finally, remember that there are rules regarding where and how you can look for gold. For instance, prospecting is not allowed in Georgia state parks. But you may be able to prospect in national forests or on Corps of Engineers land, though special regs may dictate where and how. To be sure you’re following the rules, it’s always a good idea to check with land administrators beforehand.
Finally, get written permission from the landowner before searching for gold on private land.
Prospecting for gold gives you a great reason to get outside and experience the natural world on its own terms. Will you find what you seek? You might.
But even if you don’t, the search yields a treasure of even greater value – a blessed opportunity, at least for a little while, to leave the talking heads behind.
Here’s how to get what you want, made simple
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
"Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss is a book that should probably be required reading for everyone. I am sure of this.
However, I am not sure if it should be read in elementary school, middle school or high school. Or maybe it should be required in every corporation at every level. It's not a new book. I read it almost 10 years ago and am rereading it now. I reread books that I think are important or magical — such as "One Hundred Years of Solitude" or "The Overstory." In "Never Split the Difference," Voss shares the methods he used as one of the FBI's top hostage negotiators. That was his job: talking people who had kidnapped others and held them for
ransom — under threat of death — into releasing their hostages alive. There may be no bigger ask than that. Failure is not an option.
The book is engaging, highly readable and filled with accounts of actual hostage negotiations from around the world — rebel armies, prison revolts and hijackings. But its lessons are not limited to dangerous or traumatic situations. At its core, hostage negotiation is really nothing more than advocating for your wants and needs to others. In that light, consider negotiating a major software contract with a Fortune 500 company, convincing your boss to promote you with a raise or persuading your child not to quit piano lessons or drop off the travel team.
At the end of the day, life is driven by wants and needs. This book is about how to recognize them and respond appropriately, efficiently and successfully.
What this book is not, however, is one of those formulaic bestsellers promis-
ing to teach you how to sell anything to anybody. It is not that.
Alongside "Never Split the Difference," another book has recently resurfaced in my memory — one I have read at least three times over the years: "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman. Both books are about how people make decisions, how they think, and how they process information. Think Malcolm Gladwell — "The Tipping Point," "Blink," "Outliers" and all his other books. To be clear, though, Gladwell rode to fame on the shoulders of Kahneman — as did Voss.
Voss's message is simple, profound and accessible. Getting your way with another person involves basic, teachable skills — listening better, practicing empathy, building trust and seeing the world through the other person's eyes. Step by practical step, Voss shares techniques for achieving these things, and most of what he suggests is little more than common
sense. The problem is that most of us have forgotten how to connect effectively with others because we are too busy, too distracted or not focused on what matters most to the other person. We are too selfcentered.
He brings the core pieces together and shows how each connects to the others — teaching both context and execution. It is not rocket science. It requires practice, focus and a genuine desire to achieve goals that depend on another person or organization.
Usually something happens that reminds me that wisdom from a past book needs to be revisited. Sometimes I am the one who needs the refresher course. Sometimes it is people in my orbit. In this case, it's the "other people" who sparked the memory and the motivation to reread it. They are dealing with life curveballs at the moment, and reading and internalizing the book will help them navigate forward more successfully.
Each line in the
below has three
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 6, 4 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!
GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
1. Seaweed for sea urchins. Game on horseback. Large brown bear.
2. Saint topper. Racket sport. Supreme god of ancient Greece.
3. Horseshoes game. Neat. Highlander.
4. Spring purchase. Young pigeon. Lawn game.
5. Italian bowling game. Boredom. Measles symptom.
6. Greek sandwich. Water sport. Milky white gem.
7. Football game. White Cliffs place. Locate.
1 Seaweed for sea urchins. Game on horseback. Large brown bear
2. Saint topper. Racket sport. Supreme god of ancient Greece.
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. Horseshoes game. Neat. Highlander.
4. Spring purchase. Young pigeon. Lawn game.
5. Italian bowling game. Boredom. Measles symptom
6. Greek sandwich. Water sport. Milky white
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the
to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the 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.
County:
Continued from Page 1
The catch is that the county would require special state legislation to get the homestead relief tax on the ballot. The 2026 Geogia legislative session ended in April, but Gov. Brian Kemp has called a special session for June 17 to redraw legislative districts and to address issues with the state election code.
Forsyth County wants to add their petition for a homestead offset sales tax to the Gold Dome agenda, and it has the backing of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, which represents all 159 counties in the state.
At the same time, commissioners acknowledged passage of either tax would face difficulties.
The transportation sales tax, whose revenues target only transportation projects, would allow Forsyth County to keep pace with infrastructure demands of a rapidly growing population and leverage federal and state dollars, which often require matching funds.
The homestead sales tax would offset taxes for homesteaded property and is allowed through the Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026, which the governor signed into law in May.
Both measures are 1 percent sales
FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED
Traffic fills the intersection of Elmer and Bannister roads in Forsyth County. The area is set to receive traffic improvements from sales tax revenue.
taxes and would require voter approval. A homestead relief tax would not go into effect until 2028 at the earliest.
The discussion comes four years after Forsyth County voters narrowly shot down a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. About 50.19 percent of voters rejected the measure in 2022.
Forsyth County officials estimated the tax would have brought in about $250 million over five years. A new transportation sales tax would run six years and would bring in an expected $375 million.
If approved in November, the funds could contribute to a roster of transportation projects with costs totaling about $878 million. The list is derived from the county’s 2018 Transportation Plan, which was amended in 2022.
County officials face a short runway to get the transportation sales tax on November ballots, County Attorney Ken Jarrard said. A notice for the referendum must be announced by Aug. 5.
“Even if we are doing just a good, old-fashioned TSPLOST, our hair is a bit on fire,” Jarrard said. “We’ll need to be working fast.”
The ballot measure also would come amid considerable anti-tax sentiment within the state, Chairman Alfred John said.
“I’m not convinced either passes,” John said.
In 2024, Cobb County voters rejected a 1 percent sales tax to expand bus and shuttle transport over the next 30 years. Also that year, Gwinnett County voters rejected a transportation sales tax.
Commissioner Todd Levent said a Forsyth County transportation sales tax could provide important infrastructure, but he added that voters will ultimately have the final say.
“We’re just putting it out there. The public gets to decide,” Levent said. “If they realize at the end of the day, they get
DEATH NOTICES
Janice McClean, age 65, of Roswell, GA passed away on May 21, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
extra services, extra roads and there is extra money in their pocket.”
Alex Werner, president and CEO of the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, said he supports a transportation sales tax, pointing out the 2022 referendum was defeated by a slim majority.
He said he sees the issue as an economic one.
“The No. 1 issue we hear from residents and businesses is our roads need improvement,” he said. “And that is the fastest way to fix it.”
The county has only grown since the 2022 referendum, marking an ever-rising need for better roads, he said.
“Our roads need improvement today, and the only measure without increasing the millage rate is a transportation SPLOST,” he said.
Forsyth County resident Lynne Castleberry raised concerns about a transportation sales tax. She said she’d need to review the projects to be funded in order to make an informed decision.
Although she said she understands the county’s roadways need improvement to meet the demand of heavy traffic, she also worries poorly chosen projects could contribute to high-density development and the erosion of rural areas’ character.
“If there is not enough research, I would be hesitant to vote for it,” she said.
Donald Gore, another Forsyth County resident, agreed.
Gore said he wishes the county would communicate its plans for how the sales tax funds would be spent. The county should go into more detail than a list of potential projects, he said.
He cited surveying mistakes that delayed the widening of the Ga. 369 overpass at Ga. 400 as one example of projects that give him pause.
“I would love to see a more detailed plan for how this money would be spent,” Gore said. “Give us some specifics.”
Paige Murphy, age 40, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on May 17, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Dunwoody Crier 5/28/26 Kakuro
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