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Forsyth updates code as state eases cottage food rules By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com CUMMING, Ga. — Dragan Marjanovic was on vacation with his wife when they received some devastating news. The couple had both been laid off from their jobs. “It struck us like lightning,” Marjanovic said. Faced with few options, the Cumming resident found himself exploring an unexpected career avenue. He decided to run a bakery in his father-in-law’s basement. Now owner of Rise & Knead Bakery, Marjanovic is one of many cottage food business operators in Forsyth County. Recent changes to state law and county code are cutting red tape for the industry by reducing permitting requirements.
See CODE, Page 16
The 2026 voter guide By DAN WHISENHUNT dan@appenmedia.com
COURTESY RISE & KNEAD BAKERY
Dragan Marjanovic, owner of Rise & Knead Bakery in Cumming, shows off a fresh loaf of walnut bread.
Appen Media Group proudly presents your voters guide for the Nov. 3, 2026 midterm elections. This work would not be possible without the support of our readers. If you value this resource, please consider contributing to our fall fundraiser by making a one-time contribution to the Appen Press Club. Learn more at appenmedia.com/join.
About this voters guide Our goal was to complete the bulk of our elections coverage by the start of early voting on Oct. 13. We have prioritized elections coverage for this issue, which means you will see minimal news coverage and no opinion pieces. However, we will still be keeping our community informed at appenmedia.com.
See GUIDE, Page 2
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CANDIDATE Q&A ► PAGE 4: COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICTS 1 & 3
► PAGE 8: FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
► PAGE 12: STATE SENATE DISTRICT 48
► PAGE 13: STATE SENATE DISTRICT 27 ► PAGE 14: U.S. HOUSE DISTRICT 7
2 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
PUBLIC SAFETY
Forsyth, Alpharetta police reports: Drugs, fraud and a Flock assist By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
770-442-3278 AppenMedia.com 319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009 HANS APPEN Publisher RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus CONTACT NEWS TIPS Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com. LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance. ADVERTISING For information about advertising in the Forsyth Herald or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278. CIRCULATION To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.
These reports are compiled from information provided by local law enforcement agencies and are matters of public record. They do not imply guilt, and those described are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Woman loses $15K in phone scam FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 68-year-old Cumming woman reported Sept. 24 that she was defrauded of $15,000 through a phone scam. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said the woman reported receiving a text message Sept. 21 asking her to confirm whether she had authorized a Target purchase. After she replied no, a person phoned her and asked her to withdraw $15,000, place it in a box and place the box into an SUV that met her at a location. The woman complied. The woman attempted to withdraw another $30,000 for a second alleged scam, but her bank locked her account. The bank then contacted law enforcement to request a welfare check on the woman.
Deputies find marijuana, ecstasy in traffic stop FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 48-year-old Jacksonville, Florida, woman was arrested Sept. 24 after deputies allegedly found marijuana and ecstasy in her vehicle. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies stopped the woman’s vehicle near Georgia 400 by Peachtree Parkway. Depu-
Guide: Continued from Page 1 Appen Media Group sent Q&As to nearly 80 candidates running for state and local offices. Our focus is on the local races that are closest to you. While there are many sources for coverage of the large statewide races – like the race for U.S. Senate and governor – there are comparatively few resources for the races in your community. That’s the value we add to the discussion. We hope this voters guide will help you as you weigh your options in the voting booth. While we made sincere and persistent efforts to get Q&A responses from every candidate before our print deadline, some candidates did not respond. We will make note of the
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ties made the stop after allegedly smelling marijuana emanating from her vehicle in traffic. A search of her vehicle found marijuana and a single ecstasy pill in a bag, the sheriff’s office said. The woman allegedly told the deputies the pill contained the drug and was hers. The woman was charged with making an improper turn and possession of a Schedule I controlled substance. She was taken to the Forsyth County Jail.
residue, a plastic straw and a scale. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine in a field test, police said. The man was taken to the Alpharetta Detention Center for the simple battery warrant. He was also charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug-related objects.
Hotel trespass call leads to meth arrest
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 22-year-old Johns Creek man was arrested on shoplifting warrants after Flock Safety cameras flagged his vehicle Sept. 15. Alpharetta police said officers received multiple Flock Safety alerts for the vehicle because the man, who was its registered owner, was wanted on Roswell warrants. The warrants charged him with multiple counts of shoplifting. Officers located the vehicle on Westside Parkway near Mansell Road and stopped it. Police identified the driver through his license and arrested him. According to Roswell police records, the man was charged with five shoplifting offenses that allegedly occurred in July and August.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 56-year-old Atlanta man was arrested on drug charges at a Georgia Lane hotel Sept. 15. Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the hotel about 2:45 a.m. after the man was reported trespassing on the property. A hotel employee said the man refused to leave the lobby. Police determined the man had a warrant charging him with simple battery. A search of the man’s bag allegedly found 3.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, two burnt marijuana cigarettes, three glass smoking devices with candidates who did not respond in this voter’s guide. All our election coverage can be found at appenmedia.com/elections. If a candidate responds after this guide is published, we will update the Q&As published on our website with those responses. The responses have not been edited. How to use The voters guide Q&As will be divided into sections for countylevel and state races. Each race will include a map so you can determine whether you live in that district. For the most accurate information about the races on your ballot, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter page: mvp.sos.ga.gov/s/ Important election information The voter registration deadline for
Flock cameras flag driver wanted for shoplifting
the Nov. 3 election was Oct. 5. Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must bring a valid photo ID, such as a driver’s license, passport or state-issued voter ID card. Advance voting for the election runs Oct. 13-30. To see a list of early voting locations visit (depends on the issue) • Forsyth County: forsythco.com/ government/departments/ voter -registrations-elections/advance-voting-in-person If the Nov. 3 election requires a runoff, that election is set for Dec. 1. The registration deadline for the runoff is also Oct. 5 for most contests, though voters registering solely for a federal runoff race have until Nov. 2.
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | October 8, 2026 | 3
VOTER GUIDE
4 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
Candidate Q&A: Forsyth County Commission Districts 1 & 3 The Forsyth County Commission District 1 race will feature Republican Adam Rodes and Democrat Vincent Wright. The District 3 race will feature Democrat Shuchita Patel and incumbent Republican Commissioner Todd Levent. Wright and Levent did not respond to our Q&A by our deadline. This article will be updated if they respond. Levent was also given an opportunity to respond to specific assertions from his opponent. He did not respond by our deadline. These answers have not been edited by Appen Media Group. To see all of our elections coverage, visit appenmedia.com/elections Help support our coverage of your community. Sign up to become an Appen Press Club member today. Learn more at appenmedia.com/join DISTRICT 1
Adam Rodes Party affiliation: Republican Campaign website and social media pages: adamrodes.com and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=61582108143735
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What is your occupation? Mortgage broker What neighborhood do you call home? The Legends of Settendown Creek Why are you running for this office? Forsyth County is one of the best places to live in the nation, but we are at a crossroads. Our community is growing rapidly, but government spending is out of control and increasing much faster than our population. It is time for leadership that listens to residents and focuses on protecting taxpayers to preserve the quality of life that we see slipping away. Our traffic continues to get worse, our taxes are going up, and too many decisions by the County Commission are being made for special interests instead of families. I’m running to bring conservative, accountable leadership back to Forsyth County government. RODES
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What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? I am grounded in the principles and values of being a fiscally conservative public servant. I have also been deeply engaged in the work of this community since I moved here many years ago. I have been working for many years to create meaningful and positive changes in our community through my church, nonprofit boards, volunteer service, and Rotary. As Forsyth County continues to experience rapid growth, how do you balance economic growth with concerns over traffic congestion and strain on services like education? Growth is far and away the greatest challenge facing Forsyth County. The single most important thing we can do is to proactively plan for our future and
have the backbone to stick to the plan. Forsyth County has an important opportunity ahead in updating the Comprehensive Plan this fall. By deciding purposefully what we want as a community and adhering to that plan, we will move out of the trap of constantly playing defense and reacting. We must also remain vigilant when reviewing new zoning requests and ensuring they adhere to the plan. We have to fully understand the effects of new development on our community. We also need to work harder to coordinate open dialogue with the school system, GDOT, the City of Cumming and neighboring counties. How important is increasing the county’s commercial tax base, and how can the Board of Commissioners work to make the county an attractive place for companies to operate? Commercial growth is critical to helping to lower the property tax burden on homeowners. I will work closely with the Forsyth County Chamber to drive additional commercial investment in the community. I would like to see more national and regional corporate headquarters here, more technology firms, ATTENTION - Double check ad for ALL content. Phone, web, address, coupons, etc. Assume nothing Reply back that ad is approved once ALL ITEMS HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR ACCURACY.
See COMMISSION, Page 6
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VOTER GUIDE
6 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
Commission:
with teeth, recusing yourself when a vote touches your donors, publishing your calendar, and writing a budget people can actually read without a finance degree. Second, growth that pays for itself instead of sticking residents with the tab—real analysis of what a rezoning does to our roads, schools, and water before it's approved, and impact fees that match the true cost. And third, guarding the things that made people want to live here in the first place: the tree canopy, the streams, the green space we keep trading away for one more subdivision.
Continued from Page 4 and production of highly engineered products. We should protect nearby residential areas through appropriate buffers, suitable locations, and reasonable operating conditions. I would like to see us be more competitive and more aggressive in supporting the growth of existing businesses and recruiting highvalue, targeted commercial investment. A special events venue project in north Forsyth County has drawn considerable criticism from nearby residents in the past year. How can commissioners ensure development fits the character of a community? Proactive planning for what the community wants will go a long way to address issues such as “The Venue.” Commissioners and community leaders should be engaged in an ongoing conversation about the direction of the community, growth and proposed projects. Too often, things get out of hand because of a lack of open dialogue and transparency. Forsyth County has committed up to $225 million to a potential mixeduse district that could host an NHL franchise. Do you support the commitment as it stands today, and how would it benefit residents? My understanding is that the commitment of up to $225 million will now largely be covered by a voter approved Tax Allocation District (TAD). If that is the case, I believe that is a far better instrument to use than direct support for the project as previously contemplated. I support the use of TADs when it can be demonstrated that the project will have a meaningful positive impact to the commercial tax digest, help create a landing spot for the kind of companies we are targeting, and the jobs that will create a more stable economic future for Forsyth County. Forsyth County is considered one of the safest counties in the state. How can the county continue to ensure the county is one of the safest places to live while reducing the burden to taxpayers? As a County Commissioner, I plan to support Sheriff Freeman and his work to prioritize frontline law-enforcement personnel, fire, EMS, and emergency management functions. I believe we can do more to support Sheriff Freeman and our emergency response professionals by leveraging data and identifying opportunities for more regional cooperation and grant funding. Nationwide, Flock Safety cameras have come under fire for privacy concerns and for being misused by police
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officers. What are your thoughts on both Flock Safety and the backlash it has caused? I am generally opposed to the use of Flock Safety cameras in most public settings. It is my understanding that most of the Flock Safety cameras in Forsyth County are located in private neighborhoods. In my view, neighborhoods and HOAs should have the right to decide for themselves how they invest in their own security. The balance between personal liberty and public safety is not a new battle. Again, I believe the best thing we can do is to have an open, transparent, and meaningful discussion about this issue and how we deal with it as a community. If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? Yes. It is a founding principle of why I am running for County Commission. It is a top priority for me if I am elected to serve. DISTRICT 3
Shuchita Patel Party affiliation: Democrat Campaign website and social media pages: shuchitaforgeorgia.com; @shuchitaforgeorgia on all platforms What is your occupation? Finance professional with 15 years in corporate finance and compliance. PATEL
What neighborhood do you call home? District 3, since 2012. It's where my husband and I are raising our three kids, and it's home in every way that matters. I keep our exact street private for a reason. As an outspoken South Asian woman on the left in this county, I've drawn threats and real hostility, some of it aimed at my race, some at what people assume about my faith and my politics. My opponent has done nothing to stop it. He's trafficked in the same national culture-war rhetoric for years and hasn't once told his own supporters to cool it. A leader who refuses to lower the temperature is choosing to keep it high. None of it is going to scare me out of this race. This is my home—the trails I walk, the mountain I hike, the neighbors I actually know. I'm not going anywhere. Why are you running for this office? I'm a finance professional and a mom of three. For years I watched this county make expensive decisions without asking the people who'd live with them, while roads, schools, and services fell behind growth nobody was managing. Being angry about it from my couch stopped being enough. My career has been about making the numbers tell the truth before anyone signs off on them, and that's the discipline this commission has been missing. The people who fund this county deserve someone who truly represents them— someone who shows up, answers for the hard calls, and treats residents like the ones actually in charge, because they are. What are your top priorities if you are elected? Accountability, first and above everything. That means an ethics process
What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? Sixteen years in this seat. In that time my opponent became the first commissioner in Forsyth County history censured for ethics violations, by his own colleagues, after an investigation that cost taxpayers about $265,000. He was late on the taxes on an investment property seven of eight years, and in that same stretch he made the motion to hand commissioners a 23% raise. Slow to pay the county, quick to bill it. The donations follow the votes. He moved to approve a developer's project, and $28,900 from that developer and its partners showed up in the campaign account for his failed state senate run. His largest donors are the people whose projects he approves. In this county we call that a pattern. I don't take developer or corporate PAC money, so no one owns my vote before it's cast. I've spent my career holding organizations to their own numbers, and I'll ask this commission to meet the same standard. Sixteen years is long enough. As Forsyth County continues to experience rapid growth, how do you balance economic growth with concerns over traffic congestion and strain on services like education? You make growth prove it can carry its own weight before you approve it. Right now we rezone land without a straight answer about what it will do to the roads and schools around it, and residents absorb the difference in traffic and packed classrooms. I'd put that analysis up front, set impact fees to the real cost of new development, and make sidewalks and trail connections a condition of approval instead of a maybe. Forsyth is going to keep growing either way. The only question is whether it pays its own way or keeps sending the bill to the people who are already here. How important is increasing the county’s commercial tax base, and how can the Board of Commissioners work to make the county an attractive place for companies to operate? It matters a lot. When a county leans
See COMMISSION, Page 8
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8 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
VOTER GUIDE
Candidate Q&A: Forsyth County Board of Education The Forsyth County Board of Education District 1 race features Republican Brittany Amos and Democrat John Holder. The District 5 race features incumbent Republican Mike Valdes and Democratic challenger Vishal Srivastava. Appen Media Group sent Q&As to all of the candidates running for the Board of Education. These answers have not been edited by Appen Media Group. To see all our election coverage, visit appenmedia.com/ elections. Help support our coverage of your community. Sign up to become an Appen Press Club member today. Learn more at appenmedia.com/join/
DISTRICT 1 Party affiliation: AMOS: Republican HOLDER: Democratic
Commission: Continued from Page 6 almost entirely on residential property taxes, families end up funding nearly everything, so a stronger commercial base takes real pressure off homeowners. It also means more people working closer to home instead of sitting on 400 for two hours (at least!) a day. Good employers are drawn to a county that's predictable: a process they can count on, infrastructure that keeps up, and a workforce that's ready. I'd rather win companies by running this county well than by outbidding everyone with public money we rarely get back. A special events venue project in north Forsyth County has drawn considerable criticism from nearby residents in the past year. How can commissioners ensure development fits the character of a community? By taking residents seriously instead of treating a public hearing as a formality. Look at the venue proposed off Keith Bridge Road: eleven-odd acres of agricultural land in a quiet stretch of north Forsyth, and neighbors showing up meeting after meeting because they're worried about noise, traffic, and safety, and they're right to be. Commissioners aren't powerless here. They can hold an application to the comprehensive plan, weigh honestly whether it fits the land around it, and put firm conditions on hours, noise, lighting, and traffic before anything gets built. No family should have to run what amounts to a second job just to be heard about what goes up next to their home.
AMOS
Campaign website and social media pages: AMOS: Familiesforbrittany.com, FacebookFamilies for Brittany Amos HOLDER: www. holderforga.com; https://www.facebook.com/holderforga; https://www.instagram.com/holderforga/ What is your occupation? AMOS: Property Manager HOLDER: Critical Care (ICU) RN
What neighborhood do you call home? AMOS: Downtown Cumming HOLDER: Near Sawnee Mountain HOLDER
Forsyth County has committed up to $225 million to a potential mixed-use district that could host an NHL franchise. Do you support the commitment as it stands today, and how would it benefit residents? I understand the business case, and I'm not going to pretend it isn't there. But my wariness is the same one I hear from just about everyone who lives here: years of construction on an already-strained stretch of 400, and the traffic and crowds that come with an 18,000-seat arena once the doors open. Those costs land on us whether or not a hockey team ever shows up. On the money itself, a speculative sports arena is a hard place to justify public dollars, and decades of research on stadium subsidies say the same. The deal does contain some of the risk. The $225 million is only borrowed if an NHL team is actually awarded, and it's meant to be paid back through a tax district drawn around the development itself rather than out of everyone's pockets. Residents voted to allow that district, and I take that seriously. Still, I'd be asking what a finance person asks. If the revenue projections come in short, who covers the gap? And how do we look families in the eye and justify $225 million in public bonding for an arena when this county couldn't find $12 million to finish a mental health crisis center families still drive two hours to reach? If it goes forward, I'd hold every guardrail in that agreement and demand plainlanguage reporting on it. It wouldn't have been my priority.
Why are you running for this office? AMOS: I am running for this office because I care deeply about not only my own children, but all children. I want to bring a different perspective and view point given that my kids have attended all title 1 schools in our county. HOLDER: My wife and I have six children (five girls and a boy), ages 3-19, so I’m deeply invested in what happens at all levels of education here in Forsyth. I think we need to change our priorities as a Board. We should focus less on just getting our students to walk across the stage at graduation and into the best college, and moreso on making sure they’re actually prepared for what comes next. Too many of our graduates are getting into those great colleges and universities, but then becoming lost. I see it being, in part, a failure of their public education. We can do better. What are your top priorities if you are elected?
Forsyth County is considered one of the safest counties in the state. How can the county continue to ensure the county is one of the safest places to live while reducing the burden to taxpayers? Forsyth is safe, and I want to keep it that way, which starts with backing the deputies and first responders who do the work. The way to hold that line without piling it onto taxpayers is to make growth pay for the demand it creates, so a new subdivision covers its own load on public safety instead of leaning on the families already here. And I'd widen what we mean by safety. We're one of the deadliest states in the country for pedestrians, and our emergency response times have to keep up with every new rooftop we approve. People are already paying for safety in this county. They deserve to watch it grow right along with everything else. Nationwide, Flock Safety cameras have come under fire for privacy concerns and for being misused by police officers. What are your thoughts on both Flock Safety and the backlash it has caused? A government that builds a searchable record of where you drive—every day, logged and stored, no warrant, no reason to suspect you of anything—is not a small government. Flock does exactly that: it photographs your car, stamps the time and place, and holds it in a database someone can pull up later to map your movements. If you believe government should stay out of your business, this should bother you no matter who you vote for. And the pushback isn't coming from just one side. The Institute for Justice, a limited-government legal group, is fighting
AMOS: Ensuring consistency in excellence in all of our schools whether you are brand new or one of our oldest schools, prioritize safety and security, and continue to keep our high academic standards HOLDER: 1. More support for my district (District 1). 2. More time invested in knowing our students. 3. More focus on critical thinking and learning how to learn. 4. Less money spent by our taxpayers. What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? AMOS: I have been involved with Forsyth County Schools through PTO, Local School Counsel, mentoring, and Community Engagement meetings for nine years now. I have learned so much from being so involved within the dif-
See EDUCATION, Page 9 Flock in federal court on Fourth Amendment grounds, arguing that tracking everyone's movements without a warrant is exactly the kind of unreasonable search the Constitution was meant to stop. That case is climbing toward the appeals courts right now, and communities around the country are cancelling their Flock contracts while it plays out. The jurisdiction in Forsyth is straightforward: the Sheriff signed this contract on his own authority, so the commission doesn't run the program. What the commission runs is the budget. I won't vote to spend public money on a dragnet over law-abiding residents without real limits in writing—a warrant standard to pull the data, hard retention caps, an audit trail, and an absolute bar on quietly handing our residents' movements to federal or out-of-state agencies. Meet that bar or the funding isn't there. Keeping this county safe doesn’t mean requiring a permanent file on where everyone goes. If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? Yes, without hesitation. I'd fight for an independent ethics commission with the actual authority to act, and a hard rule that a commissioner steps back from any vote that touches one of their donors. I'd publish my calendar so you can see who's been in the room with me. And I'd make sure the big decisions get genuine public notice and input up front, while residents can still change the outcome. This county has watched too many major commitments move fast and quiet. Raising that bar is the entire reason I got into this.
Education:
VOTER GUIDE
Continued from Page 8 ferent schools. I also substitute taught before I had kids here in Forsyth County which gave me another perspective of our schools. Lastly, I was a Political Science Major in College and worked in politics so I have that background as well. HOLDER: They’ve handpicked my opponent to fill the vacancy left by Wes McCall, who served for eight years. She will be another ‘yes’ vote for The Club. If I remember the yard signs correctly, my opponent is running to “Keep Our Schools Great,” but the status quo isn’t going to cut it. Not for our children’s future, our wallets, or our county. My opponent has also made a point to say she would “Oppose woke policies.” I challenge her to provide an example of such a policy. Being anti-woke (whatever that now means) isn’t a School Board platform. I’m running to be pro-student and to keep political ideologies, wherever they may come from politically, out of our classrooms and lesson plans. Our children don’t need a School Board fighting culture wars. I think we’re all sick of it. They need adults fighting for their future, and I am fighting for their future. While many school districts have seen student enrollment decline over the past decade, Forsyth’s enrollment has grown. As a board member, how will you work to manage this growth? AMOS: We are actually seeing a downward trend here in Forsyth County in the past year. I would work to keep the small town feel in our schools. I would work with my County Commissioners to show them the community growth impact on our schools. HOLDER: The Board absolutely did the right thing by calling for a moratorium on growth. I will join them in calling for renewals on any and all moratoriums. As school districts deal with the rapid increase in the use of artificial intelligence, some districts are leaning towards using this technology in the classroom. What are your thoughts about schools instructing students using this technology? AMOS: I think there is a time that this type of technology can be beneficial as long as it not over shadowing critical thinking and individual learning for the students. HOLDER: I think we ought to keep AI completely out of our elementary schools, both for use by students or teachers. Middle and high schools, those students will increasingly need some AI literacy. AI is not going away, and we need our kids to keep up with the rest of the world. This should be done with
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transparency for parents so we can opt our child out if necessary. Where we are having negative outcomes is through AI dependency. Students are using AI to do the learning for them. Too often, our kids are using AI to do (in seconds) things that took us hours and hours of hard work and critical thinking. As we all know, AI can, for example, write a full research paper with sources and the student will have learned and gained absolutely nothing. Foundational learning is most impactful using the human brain, by listening, reading, writing and absorbing the environment around the student. During the pandemic, laptops and virtual tools became integral to instruction; however, districts such as Atlanta and Decatur Schools are now moving to limit screen time and focus more on pen-and-paper instruction. What are your thoughts on student screen time in Forsyth County Schools? AMOS: I love the idea of moving back to pen and paper here in Forsyth County. Last year was the first step into the right direction for Forsyth County schools, limiting cell phone usage in classrooms. I believe there are additional options we can do to increase student engagement without technology in the classroom. I will work with the other board members and staff to ensure this is a priority. HOLDER: I believe technology is an essential skill and a tool, to help our students learn. However, the most integral learning support we have is our teachers. Our teachers are educated professionals who dedicate their lives to teach our children. There will be ample time to learn and master the ever changing technology around our students, but listening and learning from the teacher, putting pencil to paper is fundamental. K-5 should be on screens only when the teacher can show it enhances learning. We should do away with 1:1 Chromebooks for middle school. Screen time is a huge problem for the younger generation. Technology should be a tool, not the whole toolbox.
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Voters approved a renewal of the district’s ESPLOST VII projects, which includes the need for an elementary school in the Northwest region of the county, as well as new additions to six schools. As a board member, what will be your biggest ESPLOST priorities and how will you ensure the district utilizes the funding efficiently? AMOS: As a board member, I will work to ensure that all projects listed in ESPLOST VII will be completed on time, within budget and we fullfill what was provide to the public who voted to support the ESPLOST. HOLDER: This proposed school is in our District (District 1). I would propose, if this school is indeed needed due to overcrowding, we build this as a K-8 pilot school. The type of school that represents the real Forsyth County. A school that champions the virtues we all hold dear. A school that celebrates and honors our military and veterans, and embodies America. A school with a small town feel, where our children grow and are known and seen by teachers and staff, and where that continuity strengthens our students and our sense of community. In a 2025 proclamation, school board members called for a reduction in high-density residential development, citing rising student enrollment. Since then, Forsyth County has undertaken a months-long effort to update its land use regulations. Has the county done enough to control growth? AMOS: I think the County could do a better job with smart growth. Smart growth is the collaboration between all government entities working together to strategically plan future growth of the county. I will be committed to be part of the solution and work together for better growth planning in Forsyth County. HOLDER: We have clearly seen over recent years, those in our local government have been leading us towards becoming the next Gwinnett/Cobb/Fulton. We don’t need a professional sports team, for example. That’s not the Forsyth I’ve always known. Your hometown is supposed to be a safe haven. As a member of the School Board, I would continue calling for a stoppage of residential development. Growth has been out of control for years, including under the leadership of Pete Amos, the former Chair of the Board of Commissioners. Now my opponent has decided to join the family business. What we don’t need in this county more irresponsibility in government. Other school districts are considering policies that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to show a signed warrant before entering a school campus. Should the school
district adopt a policy restricting the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Forsyth County Schools? AMOS: The school system should follow current laws and regulations at the Federal, State, and Local level. HOLDER: First and foremost, the priority here is always the safety of our students and staff. Secondly, we will always comply with federal and state law. That said, ICE shouldn’t be entering our classrooms. When an office member of one of our schools is made known of ICE’s presence, it should be our policy to alert the Principal and then the Superintendent, and the Superintendent or his designee along with legal council should verify the warrant, at which time the Superintendent or his designee should walk to the classroom, speak quietly with the teacher, and escort the child to the ICE agents. I pray this never happens in our county. If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? AMOS: This is the foundation of who I am. I have ran on my high standards and integrity. I will keep the voters up to date on any issues and he happy to discuss any concerns. HOLDER: I do promise to be ethical and transparent. I’ve stood before the current Board and called for budget transparency. The budget should be visible online to the public, so we can decide whether or not we think our money is being spent responsibly. Current leadership refuses to do so. I also asked the board what waste they found and cut from the budget - they claimed they didn’t cut anything because there was no waste to cut. I find that to be a laughable claim from our Board, or any government entity for that matter. Another thing I promise is to show up. I’ve attended many Board meetings over the past year and have not seen my opponent present. For that matter, I may have been present at more meetings than some of the actual Board members. Why? You’ll have to ask them.
DISTRICT 5 Party affiliation: SRIVASTAVA: Democratic Party VALDES: Republican Campaign website and social media pages: SRIVASTAVA: https://www.vishalforbettereducation.com, https://www. facebook.com/vishalforbettereducation,h ttps://www.instagram.com/vishalforbettereducation/ VALDES: https://www.facebook. com/Valdes4BOE
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Education: Continued from Page 9 What is your occupation? SRIVASTAVA: Head - Data & Analytics VALDES: Construction Engineering Executive What neighborhood do you call home? SRIVASTAVA: Ravenswood VALDES: Springmonte Why are you running for this office? SRIVASTAVA: I moved to Forsyth County for our schools, and as a proud parent of two FCS graduates and a 25year data and AI professional, I know our schools are the heartbeat of this community. However, that heartbeat faces unprecedented pressure from complacency, divisive culture wars, and a rapidly arriving 'AI tsunami.' Being the 'best in Georgia' cannot be our ceiling—our students are competing globally with peers in Silicon Valley, London, and Singapore. I am running for the Board of Education to stop looking in the rearview mirror at past achievements, cut through political distractions, and bring data-driven, future-ready leadership that prepares every child to lead in tomorrow’s economy VALDES: Forsyth County Schools is one of the best systems in the country, and that doesn’t happen by accident. The job now is to protect that while keeping the cost to families under control. Over the last term we cut the millage rate multiple times, capped homestead assessment increases at 4%, paid cash for new construction, took on no new debt, and earned the only AAA bond rating of any school system in Georgia. We got rid of distracting politically driven initiatives, and focused on student outcomes, and staff retention. Academics got stronger at the same time, not weaker. I am running again to finish that work. What are your top priorities if you are elected? SRIVASTAVA: My top priorities center on a simple principle: don't lower the bar for anyone; build better ladders for everyone • Global Benchmarking (“Best in Georgia to Best in the World”): Move beyond state rankings to benchmark curriculum and academic rigor against top global education systems, ensuring our graduates are ready to compete worldwide. • Navigating the AI Era & FutureReadiness: Integrate ethical, practical AI education, digital literacy, and critical problem-solving so students lead— rather than merely adapt to—the AI economy. • Progress Over Politics: Restore
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board focus to student well-being, mental health resources, and academic excellence rather than political distractions, cultural wars. • Empowering & Retaining Educators: Provide competitive SRIVASTAVA compensation, professional development in emerging technologies, and cut bureaucratic red tape so teachers can focus on teaching. • Data-Driven, Fiscally Responsible Budgeting: Allocate taxpayer dollars strictly to classroom resources, VALDES teacher support, and smart infrastructure planning to sustainably manage District 5’s enrollment growth. • Whole-Child Focus & Academic Excellence: Prioritize student mental health, foundational literacy, and academic rigor while eliminating divisive political theater from board governance. VALDES: Academics first: continue our two key initiatives initiated in my first term, first the return to rigor, and second the war con complacency. We will also continue our work towards common assessments, and in-house curriculum so every student leaves prepared, and poltical distractions stay out of our classrooms. Fiscal discipline: no new debt, keep paying cash for construction, and protect the homestead cap, senior exemption, and the millage reductions already made. Currently we sit at the lowest millage rate since 2007, and our recently approved budget represents a 0.6% local spending increase at a time when inflation sites near 4%. That’s real progress and measurable results. Growth without disruption: add capacity at existing schools where it works, so families are not redistricted repeatedly. Safety: finish the panic system rollout and maintain hardened entries, SRO and school safety staffing. Teachers: reduce administrative burden and keep decisions close to the classroom, in close coordination with parents and families. Continue to expand teacher pay scales and provide step increases and pay increases, as we have done every year I have been in office. Parental rights: Parents are in charge of their kids education. Full stop. We will continue to enforce that culture. What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? SRIVASTAVA: My candidacy offers three key distinctions: future-ready technical expertise, global educational benchmarking, and a student-first focus over political division. Direct AI & Data Leadership: As a
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25-year enterprise data and AI leader, I bring specialized expertise that the school board urgently needs. The rapid rise of AI is transforming workforce demands, modern instruction, and data privacy. I have the domain background to help FCS modernize curriculum effectively, critically assess educational technology, and ensure our students lead in an AI-driven global economy. Global Benchmarking over Complacency: While my opponent often relies on past accolades, being "best in Georgia" cannot be our ceiling. Our graduates compete globally against top talent in Silicon Valley, London, and Singapore. I will advocate for benchmarking FCS standards against the world’s highest-performing education systems. Progress Over Politics: School boards must focus on empowering educators, student mental health, and academic excellence rather than culture wars and national political theater. I bring a datadriven approach to solving our community’s core needs: competitive teacher pay, cutting administrative red tape, and managing District 5's growth responsibly. VALDES: I will leave the comparison to voters. What I bring is a record that can be verified, not rhetoric or talking points. I bring a professional fit as an executive who manages large public infrastructure programs for a living: budgets, schedules, construction oversight, large scale governance, and public accountability. That is most of what a board member actually votes on. Over the past term the district delivered three consecutive millage reductions, a AAA bond rating, and a top-five national ranking at the same time. I know how this system works and can keep results moving without a learning curve. Real results, real experience, ready on day 1. While many school districts have seen student enrollment decline over the past decade, Forsyth’s enrollment has grown. As a board member, how will you work to manage this growth? SRIVASTAVA: Managing Forsyth County’s rapid growth requires combining proactive, data-driven planning with bold advocacy for equitable funding. As
a 25-year enterprise data and analytics executive, I will bring predictive modeling to the board to anticipate enrollment trends, infrastructure capacity, and staffing needs well before classrooms become overcrowded. To manage our growth sustainably, I will focus on three key strategies: Advocating for Fair Funding & School Impact Fees: Existing homeowners should not carry the entire financial burden of rapid growth. I will actively partner with our state legislative delegation to push for modernized state legislation allowing education impact fees—ensuring new residential developments help fund the school capacity they require. Revising the Outdated QBE Formula: Georgia’s 1985 Quality Basic Education funding formula does not reflect 21st-century instructional costs, digital infrastructure, or high-growth suburban realities. I will advocate for updating the formula to properly fund growing districts, technology integration, and competitive teacher compensation. Data-Driven Capital Allocation: Prioritize capital investments strictly on core classroom space, modern lab facilities, and campus safety, while optimizing existing school footprints through smart scheduling and advanced resource forecasting. VALDES: During my first term our relationship with the Board of Commissioners is arguably the strongest it has ever been. That has resulted in real collaboration, and real growth management the likes of which this County possibly has never seen before. The Board of Ed passed a resolution asking to control high-density growth, and the County responded. Since then, we have been looking at strategic measures to manage growth and control costs, such as building additions instead of new buildings. This also avoids redistricting. As school districts deal with the rapid increase in the use of artificial intelligence, some districts are leaning towards using this technology in the classroom. What are your thoughts about schools instructing students using this technology? SRIVASTAVA: As an enterprise data and artificial intelligence executive for 25 years, I believe AI is not a trend we can ban or ignore—it is a foundational economic reality that will define our students' futures. Banning or resisting AI in schools only creates a false sense of security while leaving our children unprepared for college and the modern workforce. However, integrating AI must be purposeful, ethical, and instructional—not just handing out software. My framework for AI in Forsyth County Schools focuses on four pillars: Developing AI Literacy, Not Dependence: AI should not be a shortcut for
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Education:
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Continued from Page 10 homework; it must be a tool that accelerates critical thinking, data literacy, problem-solving, and computational thinking. Students must learn how AI models work, their limitations, algorithmic bias, and ethical use. Empowering Teachers: AI should handle administrative burdens—like grading routine assignments or drafting lesson outlines—freeing up educators to do what only humans can do: mentor, inspire, and provide individualized instruction. We must invest in continuous, practical professional development so teachers feel confident using these tools. Rigorous Data Privacy & Safety: School systems handle sensitive student data. We must enforce strict data governance and cybersecurity standards. Global Competitiveness: By responsibly embedding AI education into FCS, we ensure our graduates don't just consume technology—they understand, govern, and lead it. VALDES: AI is here to stay, and it will be part of these students’ working lives, so ignoring it does not serve them. But it comes second, not first. Students need to read closely, write clearly, and do the math themselves before a machine does any of it for them. My view is practical: teach AI literacy, including where it fails and how it is misused, use it to cut administrative load off teachers and staff, hold a firm line on academic integrity, and vet every tool for student data privacy and age appropriateness before it ever reaches a classroom. During the pandemic, laptops and virtual tools became integral to instruction; however, districts such as Atlanta and Decatur Schools are now moving to limit screen time and focus more on pen-and-paper instruction. What are your thoughts on student screen time in Forsyth County Schools? SRIVASTAVA: As a 25-year enterprise tech and AI executive, my philosophy is clear: screens must be active tools for creation and problem-solving, not passive substitutes for instruction. The shift toward limiting screen time is a necessary course correction. When laptops merely replace paper worksheets, they harm handwriting fluency, focus, and peer collaboration. My approach for Forsyth County Schools focuses on three principles: Pedagogy Over Passive Consumption: Screens should never replace high-touch, teacher-led instruction, physical books, or pen-and-paper work—especially in early grades where tactile learning and focus are built. Intentional, High-Value Use: Digital tools should be used strictly for deep learning, such as data analysis, cod-
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ing, and ethical AI literacy, rather than repetitive digital busywork. If a task can be done effectively on paper, paper should be prioritized. Safeguarding Mental Health & Banning Social Media: Evidence clearly shows the mental health strain, anxiety, and distraction caused by early screen and social media exposure. I strongly support strictly banning social media access across all school devices and networks, keeping smartphones out of the classroom, and setting age-appropriate screen limits to protect focus, encourage real-world interaction, and safeguard student well-being. VALDES: I agree with the direction those districts are moving, and believe we should reduce reliance on devices and screen time in the instructional environment. We have already passed a K-12 mobile device policy and removed digital tools that were not earning their place. We did this before it was State law, because it was the right thing to do. Screens are useful for specific tasks and are not a substitute for reading a physical book, taking notes by hand, or a teacher working a problem at the board. Handwriting and sustained reading do things for retention that a device does not. I would keep auditing our software and devices against one test: does this measurably improve learning? Voters approved a renewal of the district’s ESPLOST VII projects, which includes the need for an elementary school in the Northwest region of the county, as well as new additions to six schools. As a board member, what will be your biggest ESPLOST priorities and how will you ensure the district utilizes the funding efficiently? SRIVASTAVA: ESPLOST VII is critical for managing Forsyth County’s growth while protecting property taxpayers. As a 25-year data and analytics leader, my priority is ensuring these capital funds are managed with rigorous financial discipline and direct classroom focus. Top ESPLOST Priorities: Classroom Capacity: Delivering the new Northwest elementary school and six school expansions on schedule to relieve overcrowding and eliminate portable trailers.
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Campus Safety & Infrastructure: Upgrading security tech, vestibules, and lifecycle systems to ensure secure, modern facilities across all feeder patterns. Future-Ready STEM Labs: Modernizing digital infrastructure and lab spaces for computational, AI, and technical learning. Ensuring Fiscal Efficiency: Data-Driven Project Governance: Using predictive project management and milestone tracking to monitor construction timelines, vendor contracts, and material costs to prevent cost overruns. Public Dashboard Transparency: Providing accessible, transparent reporting so taxpayers can track exactly where and how ESPLOST dollars are spent. Strict Instructional Focus: Ensuring every dollar stays focused on safety, capacity, and high-impact educational spaces that directly benefit students and teachers. VALDES: First priority is safety. Every ESPLOST safety related measure will be prioritized. Then, the Northwest elementary school and the six additions, delivered on schedule and on budget. In parallel is doing it without debt. We have been paying cash for construction and I want that discipline to hold, because every dollar spent on interest is a dollar not spent on students. Efficiency lives in the unglamorous parts: realistic enrollment projections so we build the right size, competitive procurement, tight scope control, and construction oversight that catches problems early rather than paying for them later. That is my professional work, and I intend to hold our program to the same standard. Our team truly does a great job with this. In a 2025 proclamation, school board members called for a reduction in high-density residential development, citing rising student enrollment. Since then, Forsyth County has undertaken a months-long effort to update its land use regulations. Has the county done enough to control growth? SRIVASTAVA: The county’s residential moratoriums and UDC updates were a step in the right direction, but temporary zoning pauses are not a long-term solution for school overcrowding. Growth management requires a permanent, proactive approach: Integrated Data Forecasting: Land use and school board planning must be tied together. We need live, predictive data modeling between the Board of Commissioners and the School Board so rezoning decisions explicitly evaluate school capacity before developments are approved. Equitable Funding & Impact Fees: Downzoning alone does not fund classroom expansions. We must advocate aggressively at the state Capitol for school impact fees and an updated QBE formula so that development pays its fair share, protecting residential taxpayers from footing the bill.
Infrastructure-First Standards: Highdensity growth in District 5 must be contingent on existing classroom capacity and infrastructure thresholds—ensuring school expansions precede residential moves, not follow them after trailers are already on campus. VALDES: The current Board of Commissioners has put real effort into controlling undesirable residential growth, the current land use update, and efforts increase the commercial digest. I would argue that they have done more than just about any other Board before them on this issue. I deeply appreciate that our concerns were taken seriously. Whether it is enough is something we will only know by watching the numbers over the next several years, and that is the fair way to judge it, as these things take time to materialize. What I will keep asking for is coordination: the school system and the county working from the same enrollment and development data, our planners working hand in hand, so school capacity is in front of everyone when a rezoning is considered. Both boards want the same outcome here, and we work together very closely to achieve that goal. I am grateful for their support and collaboration. Other school districts are considering policies that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to show a signed warrant before entering a school campus. Should the school district adopt a policy restricting the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Forsyth County Schools? SRIVASTAVA: Yes. Forsyth County Schools should maintain clear protocol requiring a judicial warrant signed by a judge before Immigration and Customs Enforcement are granted access to school campus This policy is essential for three reasons: Campus Safety & Protocol: Just as with any outside entity, our schools must follow strict security and chain-of-custody procedures. Requiring a valid judicial warrant ensures campus administrators and SROs maintain complete oversight and control over school grounds. Constitutional & Legal Precedent: Under Plyler v. Doe and FERPA, public school districts are legally obligated to educate all enrolled children and protect confidential student information. Schools are centers for academic learning, not federal enforcement operations. Preserving the Learning Environment: Unrestricted enforcement activities disrupt the educational environment, drive student anxiety, and harm attendance. Setting a clear, lawful judicial standard protects classroom stability and keeps the district's focus squarely on student safety, literacy, and academic excellence.
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Candidate Q&A: State Senate District 48 The State Senate District 48 race features incumbent Republican Sen. Shawn Still and his Democratic challenger, Laura Murvartian. State Senate District 48 includes portions of Forsyth County and the cities of Johns Creek and Alpharetta. Appen Media sent both candidates our Q&A. Murvartian responded. Still did not respond. The responses have not been edited. Party affiliation: MURVARTIAN: Democrat Campaign website and social media pages: MURVARTIAN: www.lauraMurvartian.com, @ murvartian4ga, Laura Murvartian for State Senate What is your occupation? MURVARTIAN: Executive Director of a non-profit What neighborhood do you call home? MURVARTIAN: Country Club of the South Why are you running for this office? MURVARTIAN: As an immigrant, I feel an obligation to give back to the country that has given me so much and to the state in which I raised my children. What are your top priorities if you are elected? MURVARTIAN: Affordable health insurance, better wages, lower property taxes, attainable housing, thriving schools, and protecting our civil rights, What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? MURVARTIAN: 1) My values and policy priorities are more in line with the current demographic makeup of SD48 and with the current economic and political realities in our state.
Education: Continued from Page 11 VALDES: Absolutely not. Writing our own immigration policy, or restricting the work of law enforcement officers, any law enforcement officers, is not the board’s job or jurisdiction. That is a law enforcement matter. Schools already operate under federal and state law and under board policy governing how any law enforcement agency interacts with a campus, and those rules apply the same way regardless of the agency. Creating a separate policy for one federal agency would put the district in the middle of a
2) I have a clean record and have never been indicted for attempting to interfere with our elections. 3) I will propose and support legislation that benefits all Georgians, not just a select few. MURVARTIAN 4) I believe in the separation of church and state. 5) I will prioritize hard working Georgia families while maintaining a strong business environment. Both are possible. 6) I will be more accessible to the voters of SD48. I will have regular community events to hear from the voters of SD48 and to keep the voters informed. 7) Besides having experience as a small business owner, I have a strong corporate and educational background: I have a Master’s in Public Policy with a focus on international economics, my first job out of graduate school was at the Federal Reserve Bank. I was an executive at Georgiabased corporations where I negotiated IT and data deals worth up to $50M, I was a small business owner contributing more than $7M to Georgia’s economy. 8) I have a wide-range of lived experiences and have a strong work ethic: I came to the U.S. when I was 8-years old and worked in the bean fields and corn fields while in middle school; and in corn processing and chicken processing plants while in high school. I worked my way through college. Gov. Brian Kemp has told government agencies to submit level budgets as they prepare for next year’s budget cycle. Kemp has also cut income taxes. Do you support continunational political fight that has nothing to do with educating children. I would rather our administrators spend that energy on instruction and campus safety. I trust our law enforcement to do the right thing. Full stop. If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? SRIVASTAVA: Yes, absolutely. I promise to lead with complete ethical integrity and transparency. I believe public trust requires open communication, responsible decision-making, and close collaboration with parents, teachers, and the entire community.
ing to reduce government spending while also cutting taxes? If so, what is your plan to provide services with less revenue? MURVARTIAN: No. I support reducing corporate tax breaks and investing more in education, in subsidized childcare, and in affordable healthcare. Do you support changing the constitution to allow for the creation of new school districts? No. We run the risk of underfunding the existing districts as a whole by creating new school districts which may take away resources in a disproportionate manner. Data centers are a contentious topic for many communities. Do you support the creation of more data centers in Georgia? Why or why not? What data center regulations should be in place, if any? MURVARTIAN: I support the right of local municipalities to determine if they want a data center in their jurisdiction; as long as any approved data center has the appropriate economic and environmental protections to ensure Georgia residents are not taking on any of the financial burden and are protected from any potential environmental harm or disproportionate use of environmental resources. And that there is a material economic benefit to people of that district.
people have the right to make their own decisions regarding their use of cannabis as long as it is regulated and taxed by the state. Georgia continues to debate how state elections are conducted and every year there is new legislation on this topic. What changes to our current election system do you support, if any? MURVARTIAN: To the extent that there is a debate in Georgia about this topic, it is due to the fact that Republicans continue to make unfounded claims that there is material election fraud in our state. They then use this pretext to propose legislation which results in limiting access to the ballot. Georgia has secure elections. In order to stop the unnecessary legislations which makes it more difficult for Geogian’s to exercise their right vote, we need a bipartisan election board and bipartisan oversight throughout the process. If you are elected, what will you do to help your constituents who are struggling due to inflation and other rising costs? What can the state do to make Georgia more affordable? MURVARTIAN: Reduce property taxes, eliminate sales tax on food, reduce the cost of health insurance, subsidize childcare.
Georgia recently expanded access to its medical cannabis program, allowing new patients to receive medical cannabis cards and adding new products for patients. Do you support expanding the program further and allowing the sale of cannabis for recreational use? Why or why not? MURVARTIAN: Yes, I support allowing the use of regulated and taxed recreational use of cannabis. I believe
If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? If you are elected, what will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? MURVARTIAN: Yes, I commit to being ethical and transparent. To promote ethics and transparency, I would push to hold those accountable who are not acting ethically and I would push to have legislation that requires that all legislation pass a transparency test before being put up for a vote.
To promote ethics and transparency in our school system, I will: Open Communication & Community Collaboration: Keep board decisions accessible and understandable by actively communicating with parents, teachers, and taxpayers before major policy and curriculum votes are cast. Data-Driven & Responsible Budgeting: Analyze complex budget systems to ensure tax dollars are transparently prioritized for the classroom tools, teacher compensation, and infrastructure that directly drive student outcomes. Integrity in Governance: Eliminate political theater and divisive distractions, ensuring every district decision is guided by measurable student success,
objective data, and the highest standards of fiscal stewardship. VALDES: Yes, just as I have done these last four years, I will always be transparent and ethical. When it comes to my service on the Board of Education, I am an open book. During my first term we have mandated increased communications and transparency on all matters: curriculum, finances, operations, and to the extent feasible school safety. We have invested in communications and transparency. We conduct our business in public, and respond to all public inquiries in a timely fashion. Personally, I am willing to meet with anyone, discuss any issue, and work towards our common goal: exceptional student outcomes.
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Candidate Q&A: State Senate District 27 The State Senate District 27 race features Republican Michael Dudgeon and Democrat Jessica Roper. Senate District 27 covers much of Forsyth County. To see a district map, click here. Appen Media sent both candidates our Q&A. Both candidates responded. We have not edited these answers. Party affiliation: DUDGEON: Republican ROPER: Democrat
DUDGEON
ROPER
Campaign website and social media pages: DUDGEON: https:// www.mikedudgeon. com/ https://www. facebook.com/ BIGMIKEDUDEGON ROPER: www.jessforgeorgia.com @jessforgeorgia on all socials What is your occupation? DUDGEON: Technology Entrepreneur ROPER: Mental Health Therapist
What neighborhood do you call home? DUDGEON: Lake Lanier / Forsyth County ROPER: Cumming, GA Why are you running for this office? DUDGEON: Bring my proven track record in the Ga House to the Senate ROPER: I’m running because Georgia families deserve leadership that listens to them and focuses on the issues that affect their everyday lives. As a mental health professional, I’ve spent nearly two decades helping people navigate some of the most difficult moments of their lives. I’ve seen firsthand how access to mental health care, the cost of living, education, healthcare, and family stability are all connected. I want to bring that perspective to the State Senate and focus on practical solutions that put people and communities first. I believe elected leaders should carry their communities’ voices into the Capitol, not use public office to serve their own interests. What are your top priorities if you are elected? DUDGEON: Education and Energy policy in this age of incredibly fast technological change ROPER: My priorities are mental health access, strong public schools, lower costs for families, supporting working families and veterans, and responsible growth.
IMAGE OBTAINED VIA LEGIS.GA.GOV.
That means expanding access to mental health treatment and crisis services, supporting teachers and fully funding Georgia’s education formula, addressing housing and healthcare costs, and investing in infrastructure while protecting our communities, natural resources, and quality of life. What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? DUDGEON: My deep experience in policy, and conservative views which will keep our state strong economically. ROPER: I’m a mental health professional, a mother, and someone who has worked with veterans, families, government officials, and communities. I bring nearly two decades of experience working directly with people and understanding the challenges they face. I’m not running to continue doing politics the way it has always been done. I’m running to bring a different perspective to the table—one grounded in listening, transparency, practical solutions, and the everyday experiences of Georgia families. Gov. Brian Kemp has told government agencies to submit level budgets as they prepare for next year’s budget cycle. Kemp has also cut income taxes. Do you support continuing to reduce government spending while also cutting taxes? If so, what is your plan to provide services with less revenue? DUDGEON: This question gives away a bias. If you have a growing economy,
you can cut rates and reduce government spending. The left oriented view of a "Fixed pie" is a fallacy. Kemp has proven that during his terms. ROPER: I believe Georgia should keep taxes low while using public revenue responsibly. I would review tax and spending data carefully before supporting changes, looking at both the immediate and long-term effects. We should eliminate waste and make sure taxpayer dollars are being used effectively while also making sure we have the resources necessary to support our schools, infrastructure, communities, and essential services. Do you support changing the constitution to allow for the creation of new school districts? DUDGEON: No, but I fully support more charter schools and expanded school choice ROPER: No. I’m a product of Georgia’s public schools, and I believe deeply in the students, teachers, and communities they serve. I don’t believe restructuring school districts is the answer. Instead, we should focus on strengthening the public schools we already have by fully funding the education formula, supporting and retaining teachers, providing students with the resources they need to succeed, and ensuring schools have the mental health and academic support necessary for every student to thrive. Data centers are a contentious topic
for many communities. Do you support the creation of more data centers in Georgia? Why or why not? What data center regulations should be in place, if any? DUDGEON: We must eliminate the tax credits for data centers - they need to pay their full weight and either bring their own power or pay full rates. Given that, the decision should be at the local level for a particular project. ROPER: I would support a moratorium on new data centers while Georgia evaluates their full impact on our communities. I would also support eliminating special tax incentives for data centers. Georgia has provided substantial tax breaks and other incentives to the datacenter industry, and taxpayers deserve a clear understanding of the public cost of those incentives. Forsyth County is already experiencing significant growth. We are seeing increased pressure on our roads, schools, utilities, water resources, and infrastructure, while also losing green space as development continues. Before approving additional largescale developments that can require significant amounts of electricity, water, and infrastructure, we need to take a step back and understand the full public cost of that growth. During a moratorium, I would support a comprehensive review of energy and water demands, infrastructure and taxpayer costs, existing tax incentives, environmental and green-space impacts, effects on surrounding communities, and whether developers are paying their fair share of the infrastructure they require. Georgia needs economic development, but growth cannot come at the expense of our quality of life or the natural spaces that make our communities worth living in. Source: Good Jobs First, Georgia Data Center Tax Breaks goodjobsfirst.org/georgia-data-center-tax-breaks/ Georgia recently expanded access to its medical cannabis program, allowing new patients to receive medical cannabis cards and adding new products for patients. Do you support expanding the program further and allowing the sale of cannabis for recreational use? Why or why not? DUDGEON: No - states that have gone recerational are not in a good place with their policy, and some governors wish they had not. We dont need to expand addiction or drug issues any further
See SD27, Page 14
14 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
VOTER GUIDE
Candidate Q&A: U.S. House District 7 FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The U.S. House District 7 race features incumbent Republican Rep. Richard McCormick and Democratic challenger Tony Kozycki. Appen Media sent both candidates our Q&A. McCormick did not respond. U.S. House District 7 includes Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek and Sandy Springs. It includes parts of Forsyth County. The candidate’s responses have not been edited.
events, inviting Congressman McCormick to debate, and taking unscripted questions. I am not asking anyone to vote for me because I have a “D” next to my name. I want to earn their vote. I’m running to lower costs, make health care more affordable, protect our democracy, and restore trust in government. Most importantly, I want to help bring our community together. Democrat, Republican, or independent, I will show up, listen, fight for this district, and always remember who I work for: you.
What are your campaign website and social media pages? KOZYCKI: kozyckiforcongress. com, https://www. facebook.com/ KozyckiforCongress, https://www. instagram.com/ KOZYCKI kozycki_for_ congress/, https://www.tiktok.com/@ kozyckiforcongress
What are your top priorities if you are elected? KOZYCKI: My first priority is the affordability crisis. For generations, Americans believed that if you worked hard, you could build a good life and leave your children something better. Too many people are starting to lose faith in that promise. If you work a full-time job, you should be able to afford a home, put food on the table, save a little for the future, and still make it home for your son’s baseball practice or your daughter’s dance recital. Too many families are working harder than ever and still barely keeping their heads above water. We need to fight to get that American Dream back. Second is health care. Getting sick should not be something a family is afraid they cannot afford. People are paying
Why are you running for this office? KOZYCKI: I’m running because I believe we agree on far more than our politics would have us believe. Too many politicians have learned that keeping us angry at each other makes keeping their
SD27: Continued from Page 13 ROPER: I support expanding access to medical marijuana and creating a responsible, regulated system. Georgia should also recognize the potential revenue associated with a regulated medical cannabis industry while maintaining strong safeguards around testing, labeling, age restrictions, and public health. Georgia continues to debate how state elections are conducted and every year there is new legislation on this topic. What changes to our current election system do you support, if any? DUDGEON: We must restore trust in the system - too many voters feel there are major problems. This is more important that exact autopsies of the past. I would like to emulate Floridas paper ballot / machine scanned / hand audited system which has worked great since after 2000. ROPER: Georgia voters deserve elections that are secure, transparent, accessible, and administered according to the rules—and they deserve leaders who take election integrity
IMAGE OBTAINED VIA CONGRESS.GOV
jobs easier. It turns neighbor against neighbor, divides our community, and leaves our biggest problems unsolved. I want to do politics differently. I graduated from the Naval Academy and served nearly a decade on active duty, including three combat deployments. I learned that leadership means working with people you may disagree with, listening to them, and finding a way to accomplish the mission together. That is why I am traveling throughout this district, including places where Democrats rarely win, holding public seriously without using it as a political game. I support strong election-security measures, appropriate audits and verification procedures, and making sure voters can understand how their votes are counted. Election administration should be based on evidence and established safeguards, not fear or unsupported claims. We have also seen why this matters. Democracy Docket reported that former State Sen. Greg Dolezal submitted absentee-ballot applications that were not for actual voters as part of an effort to test Georgia’s election safeguards. Whatever the stated purpose, voters should expect elected officials to follow the rules and treat the integrity of the election system seriously. I believe voters deserve leadership that treats election security seriously, follows the rules, and strengthens public confidence through transparency and accountability. Protect the vote. Follow the rules. Tell voters the truth. Source: Democracy Docket, “Greg Dolezal, GOP nominee in Georgia, submitted fake mail ballot applications.” If you are elected, what will you do to help your constituents who are struggling due to inflation and other rising
costs? What can the state do to make Georgia more affordable? DUDGEON: I will support Governor Jackson's efforts here on reforming health care and tax reform. ROPER: Affordability is one of the biggest issues facing Georgia families. While I can’t change national policies from the Georgia Senate, I can work on policies that directly affect the lives of Georgians. I want to focus on what we can actually do at the state level—making healthcare and mental health care more accessible, strengthening our public schools, addressing housing and childcare costs, protecting our communities as we grow, and making sure Georgia families have the opportunity to thrive. When tariffs increase the cost of goods, we also need to look at who is absorbing those costs. I believe corporations that have the ability to absorb some of those increased costs should consider doing so rather than passing the entire increase on to consumers and small businesses. We should look for ways to protect Georgians from unnecessary price increases while supporting Georgia businesses and workers. Georgia’s economy should work for the people who live and work here, and growth should translate into better opportunities
thousands just to insure their families, then facing huge bills when they actually need care. I want to fight back against the insurance giants, restore real competition, and bring costs down. Finally, we have to change the way Washington works. Division may help politicians keep their jobs, but it does nothing for our community. I want to bring people together and actually solve problems, from affordability and the national debt to term limits and banning congressional stock trading. We don’t need politicians who are better at telling us who to hate. We need leaders who can bring us together and get something done. What makes you a better candidate than your opponent? KOZYCKI: What makes me different is that I am willing to fight against a political system that is tearing this country apart. Washington has become two sides screaming at each other while the same problems get worse. I don’t want to represent half this district. I want to represent all of it. Rich McCormick has embraced that politics of division. I haven’t. I will stand in a room with Republicans, Democrats and independents, take the hard questions, listen when people disagree with me, and
See HD7, Page 15 and a higher quality of life—not simply higher costs. If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? If you are elected, what will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? DUDGEON: In my previous service I was very available and published a "get real" email that was straightforward and not political speak. I strongly fought the system of last minute bill changes on day 40, and I will continue to do that in the future. ROPER: Yes. People deserve to know how their government operates and how decisions are being made. I support making public information accessible, strengthening accountability, and ensuring elected officials seek local input before making decisions that affect the community. Elected officials should be transparent about their decisions and potential conflicts of interest. For me, ethics is also about how you conduct yourself: listening to people, being honest about what you can and cannot accomplish, explaining your decisions, and taking responsibility for them. Thank you again for the opportunity to participate. I appreciate your time and consideration.
HD7:
VOTER GUIDE
men and women who serve this country, and that promise cannot end when they take off the uniform. I want to fight for better health care, mental health services, benefits, and support for veterans and their families. Judiciary would also allow me to bring my experience as an attorney to some of the most consequential legal and constitutional issues facing our country. These are areas where I wouldn’t just bring opinions. I would bring firsthand experience.
Continued from Page 14 tell them what I actually believe. We invited Rich McCormick to six debates, one in every county in this district. He has refused to stand on that stage with me. I’ll say it plainly: Rich is a coward. If you want the privilege of representing this community, you should have the courage to stand in front of it and answer unscripted questions. No handlers. No talking points. Tell us what you believe. I don’t care whether there’s an R or a D beside your name. Congress isn’t supposed to be a rubber stamp for any president or any party. Its job is to represent the community and provide a check on power. So don’t vote for a letter. Look at the two people asking for this job. Make us stand in front of you. Ask us the hard questions. Then decide who has the courage to listen, lead and fight for this entire district. President Trump recently imposed new tariffs on Canada and Mexico. What is your opinion of this policy? KOZYCKI: Tariffs can be an important tool of American economic and foreign policy, but they are a dangerous one and should be used with precision. As a small-business owner, I know how hard it is to plan, hire, and grow when government creates uncertainty or suddenly raises costs. My business may not be directly affected, but businesses and families across our community are. In the middle of an affordability crisis, we should be extremely careful about policies that make everyday life more expensive. Instead of approaching trade with a scalpel, President Trump picked up Elon Musk’s DOGE chainsaw and started swinging it at allies and adversaries alike. We should use American economic power to protect our workers, confront unfair trade, and strengthen critical industries. But we cannot pick fights with everyone at once, especially our closest allies. Teddy Roosevelt said, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Strength comes from knowing when to use it. Canada and Mexico should be partners as China works to expand its global influence. Congress must also be willing to check the President. Our focus should be strengthening America, lowering costs, and building alliances, not starting unnecessary fights that leave American families paying the bill. If you are elected, what investigations would you support into the conduct of current or former elected officials? KOZYCKI: I will fight for the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein who have been failed again and again by the very government that was supposed to protect them. They
AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | October 8, 2026 | 15
APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO
were failed when powerful people escaped accountability, failed when their privacy was violated, and failed when politicians refused to act until public pressure became impossible to ignore. I want every remaining question answered, every responsible person held accountable, and every survivor treated with the dignity our government has denied them for far too long. I would also aggressively investigate waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption throughout government. That means investigating questions surrounding federal contracts awarded under Republican administrations, including DHS no-bid contracts under Kristi Noem. It also means investigating how hundreds of millions of dollars intended to feed children were stolen through Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud scheme and whether government officials failed in their responsibility to protect that money. I don’t care which party is embarrassed. Follow the money. Find out who failed, who profited, and who broke the law. Recover every taxpayer dollar we legally can. Then let’s put that money back where it belongs: rebuilding the middle class, lowering our debt, and investing in the American people who actually earned it. What committees do you hope to serve on if you are elected? KOZYCKI: I would hope to serve on the House Judiciary Committee, Armed Services Committee, or Veterans’ Affairs Committee. I spent nearly a decade on active duty in the Navy and deployed three times in combat. I know what it means when Congress makes decisions about sending Americans into harm’s way because I was one of the people carrying out those decisions. I would bring that experience to Armed Services, particularly as we confront a more dangerous world and make sure America remains strong without unnecessarily putting our service members at risk. Veterans’ Affairs is also deeply personal to me. We make a promise to the
What is your opinion about the current conflict with Iran? Do you support continuing this conflict and, if so, what should the ultimate objectives be? KOZYCKI: Iran has been a menace in the Middle East for decades. But America entered this war without clear objectives, a strategy, or an exit plan. We also entered without the allies who have always multiplied American strength. I know what war looks like. I flew 56 combat missions in the Middle East. Before we ask another American family to send a son or daughter into harm’s way, we owe them an answer to a basic question: What is the mission, and how does it end? This is where Rich McCormick and I vehemently disagree. Rich cheers on putting boots on the ground in Iran. I believe sending American troops into Iran without a plan would recklessly risk American lives, could cost taxpayers trillions, and drag another generation into another forever war. We have been down this road before. I refuse to blindly walk down it again. Our objective now must be to end this war decisively. As a military leader, I learned that you accomplish the mission by using every advantage you have, and one of America’s greatest advantages is our allies. I know firsthand what they bring to the fight. We need them back at the table, building a coordinated strategy that brings overwhelming diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to end this war. And yes, America may need to swallow some pride and acknowledge that we need them. We do. That’s not weakness. That’s leadership. The goal isn’t to prove America can fight alone. It’s to accomplish the mission, protect American lives, and bring our people home. Healthcare costs continue to rise for millions of Americans. What are your plans for making healthcare more accessible and affordable? KOZYCKI: Healthcare is the number one concern I hear across this district. I met a father who couldn’t afford to insure his entire family anymore. He had to choose who would go without, so he chose himself, going without healthcare so his wife and children could keep theirs. I met a single mom who wants to
change careers and build a better life, but one of her children has serious medical needs. She can’t risk losing the insurance her job provides, so she stays. That’s not freedom. Healthcare should provide security, not trap someone in a job. I met a woman in her early 60s working two jobs while needing hip surgery she couldn’t afford. Her plan was to endure the pain until she qualified for Medicare. That should not happen in the wealthiest country in the world. We need to take on the enormous power of the insurance industry and bring real competition back into healthcare. We need to lower prescription drug costs, give families more affordable choices, protect rural and community healthcare, and stop allowing middlemen and massive corporations to drive up what patients pay. This cannot be a left-versusright issue. Nobody asks whether the ambulance is Republican or Democratic when their child is sick. We need both parties at the table focused on one goal: making quality healthcare something every working American can actually afford. If elected, do you promise to be ethical and transparent? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government? KOZYCKI: Yes, because our political system is broken. Gerrymandering lets politicians choose their voters. Outside money lets corporations and special interests flood our elections with cash. Add incumbency and no term limits, and you create politicians who no longer have to listen to the people they represent. Look at Rich McCormick. He lost his first race for Congress, then ran two years later in a newly drawn Republican district, gift-wrapped for him by his own party. Now Rich plays the game. He gallivants around Washington, spews whatever divisive national talking point is popular that day, demonizes the other side, and keeps the culture war burning. But when it comes time to come home, listen to people who need his help, and answer hard questions, he’s nowhere to be found. Rich’s last open town hall was packed with 500 constituents, many frustrated about how his decisions were affecting their families and our community. Instead of continuing to face those questions, he ran away. When he finally returned, it was behind the doors of a private ballroom, invitation-only, with questions screened in advance. I’ve invited Rich to six debates so voters can put us side by side, ask the hard questions, and hear what each of us actually believes. That’s the system I want to change. I support term limits, ending partisan gerrymandering, campaign finance reform, and banning congressional stock trading. I will put my investments in a blind trust and hold regular, open town halls.
16 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
OPINION: AIKENOMICS
Why ‘no butts in seats without a pre-approval’ is still one of the best rules for realtors We all know my friend Joe Lunch Pale. Joe wants to spend the next three weekends looking at houses. Maybe write a low offer here and there just to see what happens. And D.C. AIKEN according to Joe, Guest Columnist dcaiken.com financing won’t be a problem. According to Joe, he has a 950 credit score, makes great money, has almost no debt, and has more cash in the bank than Scrooge McDuck. Don’t worry about Joe… Joe is ready to go.Or is he? There is one basic rule every real estate agent should live by: No butts in car seats until you see a pre-approval. No ifs. No ands. And definitely no butts in seats. Because when it comes to mortgages, I have another rule:
Show me. Don’t tell me. That fictional 950 credit score? Turns out it’s 620. Joe also forgot to mention that he generously co-signed on a couple of car loans for his nieces and nephews. Unfortunately, the mortgage underwriter doesn’t care who is actually making those payments unless we can properly document it. And that shiny new truck Joe just bought? The new payment changed his debt-to-income ratio, while all those credit inquiries and the new account didn’t exactly help his credit profile… hence why Joe’s score is now 620. Then we discover Joe recently left his salaried job and went hourly. “But I’m making more money!” Maybe. The problem isn’t necessarily Joe’s hourly rate. It’s establishing how many hours he can reasonably be expected to work. Is it consistently 40 hours? Or 36? Or 32? And what about overtime?
We may need a documented history before we can use it as qualifying income. Welcome to Hourly Jail, Joe. Then Joe tells me not to worry about the down payment because he has $100,000 in his 401(k). Great! Except having $100,000 in a retirement account doesn’t necessarily mean Joe has $100,000 available for a home purchase. His plan may restrict loans or withdrawals, and we need to know exactly how much he can access. Suddenly, Joe’s “slam-dunk” mortgage isn’t quite the slam dunk everyone thought it was. And that’s the real problem. Maybe Joe qualifies for $650,000. Maybe he qualifies for $400,000. Maybe Joe doesn’t qualify for anything right now. But wouldn’t you rather know that before spending four weekends driving him around Atlanta? Worse yet, imagine showing Joe $650,000 homes for a month only to discover that his actual purchasing
Code: Continued from Page 1 House Bill 398 went into effect in July, eliminating requirements for the businesses to obtain a Georgia Department of Agriculture license that could cost hundreds of dollars. It also allows them to sell products to restaurants, grocers and convenience stores and be subject to fewer inspections. At an Oct. 1 meeting, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners updated the county’s unified development code to conform to changes in state law. Cottage food business owners are no longer required to show a state-issued license to obtain a county permit. Commissioner Laura Semanson said the county is aware the changes apply to two kinds of businesses, those who make food mainly as a hobby and those who are interested in growing their operations into a profitable enterprise. “Some people, they just have this as a hobby and make a little money out of it,” Semanson said. “Some people, they are trying to launch something, and the product may grow over time.” Born and raised in Serbia, where bread is a beloved staple, Marjanovic comes from a family of bakers. “It’s always been in our roots,” he said. He now hopes the business grows to a level where it can support his wife and 2-year-old child. “Everything that gets made goes
The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners meet Oct. 1. back into the business account now, but where it’s going and where we can take it, it could be very substantial,” he said. “That’s the goal, to have something to build for the family.” Although Marjanovic said his business has not yet reached a level to where he can draw a salary, he hopes Rise & Knead will grow into something much more profitable.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
He currently sells about a hundred loaves each weekend at local markets but wants to offer his bread to nearby restaurants. Selling to a single restaurant could allow him to double or triple his sales, he said. Rise & Knead’s bread has become popular with customers because of Marjanovic’s almost obsessive focus on qual-
power is $400,000. Good luck getting Joe excited about the $400,000 house after he’s fallen in love with the $650,000 one. That’s why getting pre-approved isn’t simply about the mortgage. It’s about setting expectations before emotions get involved. It protects the buyer. It protects the agent’s time. It establishes a realistic price range. And when the right house comes along, everyone is prepared to move. No butts in seats until you have a preapproval in your hand. No ifs. No ands. And absolutely, no butts. DC Aiken is senior vice president of lending for CrossCountry Mortgage, NMLS #658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken. com. The opinions expressed within this article may not reflect the opinions or views of CrossCountry Mortgage LLC or its affiliates. ity and attention to detail, he said. He sources only organic ingredients, which include an almost 100-year-old starter from Japan. Rise & Knead’s offerings include sweet and savory loaves, including sourdough and regular artisanal styles, jalapeno cheddar, roast garlic, rosemary asiago, blueberry lemon and white chocolate raspberry. The smaller batches, which are baked in a commercial-grade brick oven, are made 12 at a time. “We can focus more on quality than quantity,” he said. Marjanovic said he thinks the state law and county code changes will make it easier for him to expand. He said he looks forward to no longer navigating the licensing process and fees, which can be substantial for his small business. “It opens up more doors for the cottage bakers,” he said. “Helping small businesses with this bill was a big deal.” Danica Burlingame, owner of Forsyth County cottage food business Deere Creek Bakery, said she too is pleased with the reduction in requirements. She said she thinks the changes could allow more people to enter the cottage food industry. Burlingame said the opportunity to sell to restaurants and stores could allow her business to expand greatly. “This now has opened up doors to allow me to partner with other local businesses to bring my nourishing bread and baked goods to more people in our community,” she said.
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October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | 17
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Brought to you by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta There is a real reason to be very excited about a recent advance in the treatment of melanoma, but when it comes to the word “vaccine,” it seems the marketing departments at the pharmaceutical companies have been exercising poetic license. In August, headlines exploded with the news that Moderna and Merck announced landmark interim data from their Phase 3 clinical trial for a new melanoma "vaccine." If you are picturing a quick poke in the arm at your pharmacy that prevents you from ever getting skin cancer, you are not alone. Many of my patients have asked about it. But the truth is, this is not a vaccine in the traditional sense. To a doctor or a historian (or almost any patient), a true vaccine prevents disease. Think of Edward Jenner in 1796, who brilliantly used the mild cowpox virus to immunize a boy against smallpox, effectively saving millions of lives from an infectious disease. But modern pharmaceutical lingo plays by different rules. Today, drug companies label any therapy a "vaccine" if it stimulates your immune system to mount a highly targeted counter-attack or if it offers a personalized immunologic attack against a cancer. Under this definition, existing immunotherapies like Keytruda are not vaccines. Keytruda acts like an immune system booster, globally taking the "brakes" off your body’s T-cells so they fight harder. The new Moderna shot is completely different. It is a highly customized, built-to-order means of training one’s immune system to fight one’s own individual melanoma. How Moderna’s vaccine works shares a lot with its even more famous COVID vaccine. When a patient is diagnosed with high-risk melanoma, surgeons first remove the tumor. Moderna then analyzes the unique proteins of that specific patient's tumor, identifying how they differ from normal cells. They engineer custom messenger RNA (mRNA) to match those exact cancer targets. When injected, the mRNA forces your own cells to temporarily replicate these targets—essentially handing your immune system a hyper-specific "wanted poster" of the enemy. This technology has evolved rapidly. As Moderna's CEO famously noted, the company has transformed from an infectious disease company into a true oncology pioneer. The clinical results back it up. In
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their landmark trials, adding this personalized mRNA vaccine to standard Keytruda therapy reduced the risk of cancer recurrence or death by a staggering 49%, and cut the risk of the cancer spreading to other organs by 59%, compared to using Keytruda alone. Exact details are expected upon full publication of their results with more data expected soon. However, because this is an adjuvant therapy, it is strictly for patients who have already been diagnosed with advanced melanoma and undergone surgery. It cannot prevent you from getting skin cancer in the first place. I value clarity in language and communication, and I would still call this a treatment – not a vaccine. For the general public, a vaccine does not exist, and the most effective prevention against melanoma remains the same: broad-spectrum sunscreen, sun-protective clothing, and professional skin exams. For patients at a high risk of developing skin cancers, dermatologists can recommend highly effective, truly preventative interventions for some types of skin cancer. At our practice, we frequently utilize topical field treatments like imiquimod cream, 5-fluorouracil, and photodynamic therapy to target and destroy precancerous cells before they ever turn into a threat. Furthermore, when localized skin cancers do arise, timely, expert surgical removal remains the definitive gold standard to eliminate cancer before it has a chance to move to other parts of the body. If you or a loved one has a spot worrisome for skin cancer or any other skin concern, please consider Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C of Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta for your skin care needs. It is our pleasure to take care of you and your family.
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18 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!
OPINION
The joy of planning After years of consideration, I've reached an important conclusion about a matter that affects us all. To wit: Planning is overrated. Wait. What did I say? Haven't we been STEVE HUDSON told since childhood Columnist that you've got to plan things out? You know, as in "plan your work and work your plan"? Well, yeah, I suppose we have. I admit it can be a good thing too, sometimes. My wife is a planner, and I admit that I am the beneficiary of it. Take our camping trips, for example. She checks and rechecks the lists of the critical things (you know, stuff like warm blankets and coffee for the coffeepot), and as a result our campsites are places of peace, tranquility, comfort and abundant coffee, with creamer, which is also on one of the lists. Yes, good planning leaves nothing to chance. Remember that for a few minutes. Just saying ... But what about spontaneity? I must confess that I may, just possibly, be less a
child of the "plan-it-out" school of thought and more a "let's-go-right-now-and-seewhat-happens" kind of guy. Maybe it's some vestige of leftover hippie in me, or maybe it's just that I'd rather be walking in the woods than planning where to do the walking. Could be both, I suppose. In practice, she and I meet in the middle, and it's a wonderful match. When an adventure is afoot, we plan it together. That means I go off on wild flights of fancy about doing this and seeing that, while she reins me in and anchors me to reality and, in the process, probably keeps me alive. Of course, for this to work, she's got to be physically there. The other weekend, she was enjoying her annual weekend visit with her girlfriends. She's been friends with them since about first grade, and they get together once a year. That's a neat thing. This year they got together over in Alabama at one of her friends' homes. And as she was heading out, just as she backed onto the street and pointed the car west, it occurred to me that — and why not? — I should just load up the car and go camping! Where? I dunno. How long? Oh, a day or two. What to take? I'll just grab what I need and go! Quick as thought, I cranked up my phone and found a last-minute campsite at Tugaloo State Park. It took just an instant to book it. Almost as quickly, I tossed the tent and the cot and some of this and a little of that into the car. The whole packing-up thing took me maybe 10 minutes, and as the 11th minute rolled around I too was backing out the driveway, on my way to adventure! Planning? Well ... A couple of hours later I'm at the campground. Tugaloo State Park, which sits close by Lake Hartwell, is just a little off the radar, but it's definitely on my A-list of places to camp. It offers more than 115 campsites of various descriptions, from full-hookup drive-through sites to tent-only walk-in sites. Though I'm tent camping, I pick a back-in site, and I make sure it has water (for easy coffee making) and power (so I can plug in the little heater in case it gets cool at night). My chosen site is right on the lake, too, and it turns out to be a great one. Setup goes smoothly, at least till I go to stake out the rain fly and discover that I've left it (as well as the basket of tent stakes) sitting on the shelf at home. Well, no biggie. It's not supposed to rain, and there are no tent-moving winds in the forecast. Besides, with no rain fly to obscure the view, I can see the stars through the tent's mesh roof. That will be neat, especially for a dyed-inthe-wool man of the wilderness like me. Soon, it's time to set up the cot. My
Tugaloo State Park, at Lake Hartwell, is a great place to camp. solo camping cot is one of those folding affairs from the local big-box retailer. It's sturdy and comfortable and gets me off the ground. One advantage of being somewhere north of 40 is that you don't have to sleep on the dirt if you don't want to, and I don't. But the cot is heavy. Well, the fleas come with the dog. I lug the cot to the tent, set it inside and unfold it. It fits the little tent perfectly, and it's really very comfortable — especially when made up with a nice squishy pillow and a soft, warm blanket to ward off the night's chill. I reach for them to make up my camp bed. In that instant, I realize that I know exactly where the blanket (and the sheets ... and my pillow) are. That's good! What's less good is that they're back home, on the shelf, right next to that basket of tent stakes. Well, no biggie, I tell myself. It isn't supposed to get that cold. Besides, I have extra socks if I need added warmth, and I can stuff some clothes or maybe my fishing vest into my daypack and use it for a pillow. We great outdoorsmen are flexible that way. We may suck at planning, but we sure do know how to adapt. By that point the sun is getting a little low, and I realize it's getting chilly. The forecast had said that the night would be (how did the weather guy put it?) "a little breezy, with the season's first hint of brisk fall air." So I go to look for my jacket. Uh-oh. For the jacket, along with the blanket and pillow and God only knows what other yet-to-be-discovered omissions, is sitting on that shelf back home. For those less experienced, a missing jacket could be a problem. But we seasoned outdoors types just roll with such things, barely batting an eye. That's how it is when you're one with the wilderness! Besides, I have an extra shirt, so I just slip it on instead. It helps a little. By that time it's getting dark. I call it a
STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA
day and turn in, intent on a good night's sleep. Well, fast-forward a few hours. There I am, stretched out on my cot, feeling the promised breezy breeze, and it dawns on me that I'm chilly. I reach for the blanket that isn't there and think about turning up the little heater, which (yep) isn't there either. It's back home, too, there on that shelf by the blanket. Now where are those extra socks? Probably back home on the shelf too. Morning eventually comes. Yes, there's a nip in the air, and I'm ready for coffee. I crawl from the tent, retrieve the coffee maker and plug it in. The light comes on, its comforting red glow promising something great to come. Now where did I put that coffee? Uh-oh. At that point, I just laugh out loud. Planning? Who needs planning? I'll tell you who needs planning. Me! Fortunately, the folks at the corner store did a better job of it than me. Their coffee is hot, strong and just what this chilly camper needs. In no time I'm restored and ready for what the day will bring. It turns out to be a great day. I do some hiking. I catch some fish. I meet a photographer at Traveler's Rest, a nearby historic site, and we talk about photographing trains and trestles. I find a new-to-me barbecue place, a place with some really good Brunswick stew that I'll tell you about next time. I find a Walmart, too, and relieve them of a blanket, some tent stakes, a sweatshirt, some socks and a pillow — and some coffee. Did I forget anything on my Walmart run? Not a thing. I made a list before I went. I did a little planning. I'll tell her about all this when she returns tomorrow evening, and she will be proud.
Puzzles
ier 10/8/26 Connect-It
PuzzleJunction.com
Connect-It
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Each line in the puzzle below 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 5, 4 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!
Forsyth Herald ...................................October 8, 2026 | 19
1
SPOKEN HERE 1. Family man. Nov. birthstone. Bantu language of SE Africa. 2. Language of Gdansk. Ocean predator. King of the road. 3. Bread unit. Language of Vichy. Like Darth Vader. 4. Rock bottom. Musical instrument. Language of Swansea. 5. Base on balls. Dae-Han-Min language. Sniffer. 6. Lagos speak. Boredom. Ruler mark. 7. Martial art. Downright hideous. Sanskritic language. PuzzleJunction.com
Dunwoody Crier 10/8/26 Crossword
Across
1
1 Banquet 5 Tablelands 10 Perlman of Cheers 3 14 Bunsen burner 15 Fragrance 16 Stagecoach actor 4 Tim 17 Phrase to a recent winner 5 19 Assortment 20 Escargot starter 21 Family member 6 23 Starchy tuber 24 Dire fate 7 27 Manicurist’s 0/8/26 Sudoku concern ?? Spoken Here Dunwoody Crier clues 10/8/26 PuzzleJunction.com How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three andKakuro three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is 29 Phrase to an 1. November Bantu language of the Family first letterman. of the second answer, birthstone. and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each underling Southeast Africa. 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 32A number Space shooter Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. The rules are easy: for 3 answers on the puzzle, line. But each here’srow, the catch! Theand clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually Tothe solve the Sudoku column above the diagonal line inof a black the sumbear 35 isMilne 2. Language of Gdansk. Ocean predator. King the square road.is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line be for the second or the third answer in line. Got it? Good luck! box must contain numbers 1that to 9. 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 36sequence. Wool weight 3. Bread unit. Language of Vichy. Like Darth Vader. 37 Range 38 Painting 4. Rock bottom. Musical instrument. Language of Swansea. 39 Ancient Greek 5. Base on balls. Dae-Han-Min-Gook language. Sniffer. theater 42 Beer barrel 6. Lagos speak. Boredom. Ruler mark. 43 Tops 46 Botanist Gray 7. Martial art. Downright hideous. Sanskritic language. 47 Sawbucks 48 Fancy tie 49 Phrase of helplessness 51 Valentine symbol 53 Buckeye State 54 Egg cells 56 Alliance acronym 58 Like some lingerie 62 Well (It.) Copyright ©2026 PuzzleJunction.com How to Solve: Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a 64 Phrase of challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. encouragement
2
7 6 3 2 3 9 7 5 4 7 7 1 4 6 2 1 9 8 6 3 2
4
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Copyright ©2026 PuzzleJunction.com
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares 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.
Solution
Solution 1 6 5 7 4 3 8 2 9
9 8 3 1 6 2 7 5 4
7 2 4 9 8 5 1 3 6
4 3 2 8 7 1 6 9 5
6 1 8 5 3 9 4 7 2
5 9 7 6 2 4 3 1 8
3 7 9 4 5 6 2 8 1
2 4 1 3 9 8 5 6 7
8 5 6 2 1 7 9 4 3
2
3
PuzzleJunction.com
4
5
6
8
9
10
15
14 17
21 24
25
26
30
22 27
36
38
39 44
32
40
41
34
60
61
42
46
47
49 51
62
33
50
52 56
53 57
64
63
23
37
45
48
55
13
28
31
35
43
12
19
18
29
11
16
20
54
7
58 65
59
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
Copyright ©2026 PuzzleJunction.com
67 Tolkien creatures 68 African antelope 69 Trick 70 Baby blues 71 Store events 72 Expires Down 1 Computer memory, for short 2 Collar type 3 Dwarf buffalo 4 Phrase that could mean, “Who cares?” 5 Fmr. Chinese leader 6 Go wrong
7 Miso starter 8 Quantity 9 Steam bath 10 Pi follower 11 Phrase of excitement 12 Lamb alias 13 Energy source 18 Play disaster 22 Nervous twitches 25 Director Preminger 26 State of mind 28 Auction offering 29 Tender spots 30 “No way!” phrase 31 Utopian 33 Happening 34 Lambs
35 Sunscreen ingredient 40 Norse capital 41 The Turtle poet 44 Foot part 45 Baseball’s Musial 47 Dropout’s phrase 49 Number one Hun 50 Enumerate 52 Storms 54 Bassoon relative 55 Exceedingly 57 Elliptical 59 Ornamental purse 60 Gaelic 61 Bar selections 63 Double curve 65 Compass pt. 66 Psyches
See puzzle solutions on Page 20
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3 6 7 9 7 2 3 Solution SOLUTIONS 7 4 5 4 7 1 6 /8/26 Kakuro 8 1 9 2 3 2 6
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7 K U N G F U R D U G L Y
1 6 5 7 4 3 8 2 9
9 7 4 6 5 3 2 1 9 7 4 3 PuzzleJunction.com 2 ©2026 8Copyright 3 4 2 8 7 9 1 1 9 8 5 6 4 3 6 8 7 3 2 5 9 2 5 1 9 4 6 8 7 1 6 4 3 2 5 5 3 9 7 1 8 6 4 6 5 2 8 1 7 Solution
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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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Full-time Georgia Green Power Inc. d/b/a Blueflux Power has opngs: Systems Software Design Engineer. Job loc in Cumming, GA. Dsg & impl comp net & DC infra including LAN, WAN, hybrid cloud, & virt env. Dply & mng virt platforms (VMware vSphere/ESXi, Hyper-V, KVM) & containerized workloads via Kubernetes (EKS, AKS, GKE). Arch hybrid cloud sols on AWS, Azure, and GCP using Infra-as-Code tools (Terraform, CloudFormation). Mod & sim AC/DC pwr dist architectures for mission-critical data ctrs envr. Des data int pipelines w/ pwr metering protocols (Modbus TCP/RTU, BACnet, SNMP, OPC-UA) & cloud telemetry plats. Dvlp digital twins of converged pwr/net infra. Dsgn net sec arch incl Zero Trust & cloud-native security controls. Perf net modeling, capacity planning, & analysis of net infra reqmnts. Ensr compliance w/ DC & elec stds. Eval & pilot emerging net/cloud tech. Req exp with AWS, Azure, SQL, & Python. 15% Domestic Travel req to mfg facilities, cloud briefing ctrs & data ctr sites across US. Req: BS or frgn equi in Electrical/Electronics Eng & 5 yrs exp in job or as a Comp S/W Prof. Email res w/ cvr ltr to careers@bluefluxpower.com; EOE
Hospitalist Physician (multiple positions in Alpharetta, GA). Render medical services at the hospital in the medical specialty of hospital medicine. Reqs.: M.D., D.O., or foreign equivalent degree. Must be board certified or board eligible in Internal Medicine or Osteopathic Medicine. Must possess an Illinois Medical license or be able to obtain. Subject to periodic transfers to various unanticipated locations in the U.S. Must have legal authority to work in U.S. EEOE. Send resume to: Crystal Fann, Director of Human Resources, 24 ON Physicians, PC, 13000 Deerfield Pkwy, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30004 or cfann@incompasshealth. com. Reference: HospitalistNB52 Lead Java Developer, GIS, HQ: Cumming, GA Design, develop & maintain enterprise level apps; work from hm ofc anywhere in US; BS or foreign equiv in CS or clsly rel.; 5 yrs rel. exp; $152,131; resume & cvr ltr to: CJ@global-it-solutions.net.
Part-time Sawnee EMC is seeking a General Clerk 1L (Building and Grounds/Custodial/ Maintenance) (part-time position) to perform facility maintenance and grounds keeping duties. Requires some heavy lifting, high school diploma or equivalency and a valid GA driver’s license. Related experience with outdoor maintenance equipment and a valid CDL are preferred. Hours: Availability for alternate shift assignments and irregular work hours. Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, October 16, 2026. Apply online: www. sawnee.coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568. Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with Disabled and Protected Veterans. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.
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24 | October 8, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth
STORE CLOSING l a n Fi eks! We
Going Out Of Business
60-75% OFF Entire Store!
Over 1,000 Rugs in Stock! All Sizes and Colors!
A few examples of our Going Out of Business prices: 13x20 hand-knotted rug 100% wool – $9,850 now $1,250 11x16 hand-knotted rug 100% wool – $7,500 now $1,050 8.5x11.5 antique heriz – $11,500 now $2,500 8x10 power loom – $1,720 now $290 6x9 woven 100% wool – $950 now $175 3x5 antique – $1,200 now $175
Store Closing Means Unbeatable Savings.
Thousand plus rugs are available in all sizes, colors, and styles new and antiques from all over the world with unbelievable prices. This is your opportunity to purchase premium rugs at some of the lowest prices we’ve ever offered. These savings are only available while inventory lasts, so don’t wait to find the perfect rug for your home.
SCAN FOR MORE INFORMATION Store Hours: Monday - Saturday 10:30 am - 7 pm | Sunday 12 pm - 6 pm 11266 State Bridge Rd, Suite 300, Alpharetta, GA 678-404-7555 * All sizes are approximate. | License #15200