Johns Creek Herald - December 15, 2022

We Treat Peripheral Neuropathy

‘Rehearsal for life’

Drama teacher to retire from Autrey Mill school

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Across a conference table at Autrey Mill Middle School, it is clear that Shelly McCook is a thespian by the animated way she speaks. The energy and zest for life of the soon-to-retire drama teacher in Johns Creek could pull anyone in.

Set to exit the school system in June, McCook has been in theater education for 25 years. She said teaching has allowed her to have a direct relationship to all of America.

“I have taught at all kinds of different schools with different populations. I’m in a relationship with people that are very, very different from me,” McCook said. “I don’t think that everybody has that opportunity. I don’t think that they get to see America, who we are, for better, for worse.”

McCook had 10 years of theater experience before entering education. An introvert growing up, she sought comfort in characters. She was initially scared to teach — she lost her first husband in 1999 and had a little boy to raise and needed to fashion a schedule that matched his.

She already had a theater degree but obtained an emergency certificate and went back to school for a secondary English education degree. At the time, she worked, directed, went to school and performed at night, all while raising her son.

“But it was great because I had some other actors move into my house with

me and help me. It was like this village of people.”

Getting comfortable

McCook has been at Autrey Mill for five years and before that, Crabapple Middle School in Roswell. She also spent many years working at the high school level, where students choose to take drama, rather than being assigned.

Teaching middle school is more of a balancing act, McCook said, where classes aren’t a homogenous group with the same levels of development or comfort.

“[Middle school] is the age where [students] are most uncomfortable with themselves,” she said. “Some of them still

have childlike imaginations. And some of them you would think are 30. And then some of them are in those teenage years where they hate everyone, including themselves.”

Students must be comfortable with being silly, McCook said. In middle school, games are an important tool for classes. And McCook is not off to the side when students play them — she participates.

“My favorite thing about my job is when I have kids that have major social anxiety, and when they get in my class or my rehearsals, they are set free,” McCook said.

See McCOOK, Page 14

New members to assume posts on School Board

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Fulton County School Board swore in three new members during a work session Dec. 6. The newcomers will take office in January 2023.

Michelle Morancie, Kristin McCabe and Lillie Pozatek won their district seats in May 2022, after the current board members decided to retire. The seats are non-partisan.

The Fulton County School Board also appointed Katie Gregory to fill the District 3 seat, covering parts of Sandy Springs, College Park, East Point and Hapeville. She was appointed to fill the term of Gail Dean.

Gregory will be sworn in at the Dec. 14 School Board meeting at the South Learning Center in Union City.

York Stock Exchange/SIPC. 22-BR3KA-0166 TA 11/22

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA Michelle Morancie is sworn in as District 7 Fulton County School Board member at a work session Dec. 6. She’ll begin her term in January.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Shelly McCook is a drama teacher at Autrey Mill Middle School in Johns Creek, set to retire in June. McCook talked about her career and relationship to students Dec. 9.

NEWS TIPS

770-442-3278

AppenMedia.com 319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009

HANS APPEN Publisher RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus

CONTACT

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 Johns Creek 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

PUBLIC SAFETY

Scam takes Alpharetta firm for $2 million

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Thieves using spoofed email accounts of Fulton County School System employees were able to defraud a local company out of more than $2 million over a three-month period, Alpharetta police officials say.

Details of the investigation are limited, but police reports said that unidentified thieves pretending to be Fulton County Schools Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef and a school system purchasing agent stole nearly 1,000 laptop computers worth $2,060,474 from Edge Solutions, an Alpharetta-based technology company.

Police said Edge Solutions received an email order from the suspects Sept. 14 for $372,867 worth of Lenovo X1 Thinkpad computers.

Employees at Edge Solutions told police they believed the email was a

legitimate order because it came from the email address, @fultoncschools.org, which is a spoof of the legitimate Fulton County Schools address, @fultonschools. org.

The order was processed and shipped, and on Oct. 3, an unidentified suspect picked up the computers from Edge Solution’s warehouse in Alpharetta.

Thieves later used Dereef’s identity to make two more orders for laptops worth $834,103 on Oct. 13, and for $853,502 on Nov. 4. Both orders were also picked up at the Edge Solutions warehouse by an unidentified suspect.

The fraud was finally uncovered on Nov. 29, when after multiple attempts to reach Dereef for payment, Edge Solutions employees visited the offices of Fulton County Schools and met the real Marin Dereef, who said the orders were not real.

“This is when Edge Solutions realized they had been scammed,” police reports

said.

In an email statement to Appen Media, Julie Haley, Edge Solutions chief executive officer, promised the company’s clients that no customer data has been exposed by the incident.

“Edge Solutions recently fell victim to a sophisticated fraud scheme involving criminals posing as legitimate customers,” Haley said. “While the case is ongoing and law enforcement agencies have requested us not to discuss details of the investigation, we want to assure our customers that this theft involved only computer hardware and no customer data was lost or breached during this crime.”

Alpharetta Police officials have declined to comment further on this incident.

Brian Noyes, Chief Communications Officer for Fulton County Schools, said the district is cooperating fully with authorities.

Alpharetta drug trafficker sentenced to 25 years

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — A Mexican national arrested for trafficking pounds of illegal drugs from an Alpharetta home has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.

U.S. Department of Justice officials said Dec. 8 that Giovani Orozco Ramirez, 31, of Guerrero, Mexico, has been convicted of multiple counts relating to the trafficking of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, which he sold out of his home in Alpharetta.

“The defendant, besides dealing deadly illegal drugs, showed a reckless disregard for his children’s safety by keeping these drugs and loaded guns within their plain sight,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said. “This investigation successfully put an end to his dangerous crimes.”

Ramirez and a co-conspirator, Bryan Razo Bermudez, 34, of Michoacan, Mexico, were arrested April 26, 2017, after joint task force agents tracked Ramirez to a drug deal in Johns Creek and later raided his home in Alpharetta.

During the raid, agents recovered nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.6 pounds of heroin, and 4 pounds of cocaine, along with an arsenal of weapons and $53,797 in cash stashed throughout the home.

Investigations also revealed that Ramirez and Bermudez had a third co-conspirator, Eduardo Reyes Gonzalez, 28, of McAllen, Texas, who was working to help launder drug money through a series of bank accounts in Atlanta and Texas.

Ramirez was convicted by jury July 17 for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession with in -

tent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on premises where minors are present; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Bermudez pleaded guilty to multiple charges Feb. 21, 2019, and was sentenced to 17 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Gonzalez pleaded guilty to money laundering charges June 5, 2018, and was sentenced to one year and six months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Local artists share their muses in exhibition

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — From October to November, the Johns Creek Art Center hosted “My Muse and I,” an exhibition that called on artists to voice their inspiration through statements for each piece.

Around 90 people attended the closing reception for the student-member show Nov. 12. Althea Foster, program director and curator, said the center hosts studentmember shows twice a year.

While the space was dressed back down Nov. 15, Foster described Saturday evening, setting the scene. The tables were covered in cloth, she said, and the room was lit with candles. Music played. There was a bar. Artists were awarded — students and members were judged separately because many of the center’s members are professional artists.

“We have a 28-minute record for transforming the space,” Foster said.

The call for artists went out three to four months in advance of the exhibition. Foster said that the center struggles finding artists to enter student-member shows because students can be uncomfortable showing off their work.

Because of the known issue, the center initially said artists could enter multiple pieces. But Foster eventually had to limit

entry to one piece. The show grew from 25 pieces to around 82, she said, probably because of the influx of dedicated students due to COVID-19.

“It’s a good problem to have,” she said.

Many of the artists have already picked up their pieces, but Foster highlighted some of what remained, pointing out the nuances of each and sharing what caught her eye personally.

One watercolor, “Lighthouse by the Sea,” by student artist Ning Sun had an accompanying song from the band Sunforest, performed in the movie “Frank.” The art center has an online gallery, where the

Althea Foster, program director and curator for the Johns Creek Art Center, describes art pieces from the “My Muse and I” exhibition Nov. 15. The exhibition ran from mid-October to mid-November, with a closing reception Nov. 12, and called on artists to submit statements about what inspired them to create their art.

song can be heard. Lyrics were provided in a statement printed and sitting beside the 9x12 painting.

Foster said the online gallery was launched in response to COVID-19, and was made possible by a Fulton County grant.

“I would say at least 50 percent of our students are Asian and have significant family members that live in other places,” Foster said. “And now they can see their work online.”

Foster also highlighted a mixed media piece made by member Gerald Burch, who won a People’s Choice award and a first

place award. Burch is set to be one of two Black artists in the center’s Black History Month exhibition next year.

The impetus for his piece, “Why,” Burch wrote, is his time growing up in the Jim Crow South in the ’50s and ’60s. The 47x36-inch work featured young Black girl looking at a “White Only” water fountain in dismay. Above her head are what appear to be strips of paper with words like “segregation,” “Ku Klux Klan,” and “Pig Laws” fused into the backdrop.

“A lot of the things that are in his work are pieces of his life,” Foster said. “I just love the way he assembles things.”

Foster shared other plans for the Johns Creek Art Center. In December, the center is hosting a holiday artist’s market. She said the market is primarily for the community artists.

Unlike most galleries, which take 50 percent of the profit, the holiday market artists will keep 75 percent of what they make. Foster also said the space is convenient because artists and shoppers don’t have to be outside in December’s freezing weather.

“It’s a great place to shop for gifts and things,” Foster said.

The market, which opened Dec. 2, runs until Dec. 23. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Schools:

Pozatek is a Milton resident and former teacher. She won the District 2 seat, which represents areas in Alpharetta and Milton. Pozatek has a Bachelor of Science in exceptional education and has been active as a parent in Fulton County Schools for 12 years.

Pozatek’s platform focused on funding and support for teachers, engaging parents and “putting children first.”

McCabe will represent District 5, which covers parts of Johns Creek and Alpharetta. McCabe has lived in Johns Creek for the past 18 years and has been involved in Fulton County Schools for 15 years.

McCabe has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of South Florida. Her husband, Dan, is a charter member of the Johns Creek City Council. McCabe aims to lower the tax rate for the school system and supports the creation of a charter district.

Morancie, a Sandy Springs resident, won the District 7 seat covering Sandy Springs and parts of Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Roswell. Morancie has worked in public schools as a licensed school psychologist for over 30 years.

Morancie ran on a platform of improving mental health services for children during the school day and equalizing the quality of education in the country.

The newcomers mark a major change for the school board.

All three retiring members represent

combined service of more than five decades.

Katie Reeves, the current District 2 board representative, has held the position since 1999. Linda McCain has represented District 5 since 2011. Julia Bernath, School Board president and District 7 representative, has held the position since 2000.

“The board was very consistent with about five members for almost 20 years,” Fulton County Schools Chief Communications Officer Brian Noyes said. “That created a great deal of consistency and a wealth of knowledge.”

Noyes said the schools will miss the insight and experience the veteran members had, but they’re looking forward to the future.

“It’s an exciting time, because we have four members bringing new insight and experience,” Noyes said.

McCabe and Pozatek have already interacted with the school system as parents, an experience Noyes finds beneficial to their work. As for Morancie, she’s had experience working in public schools for decades.

“The positives and strengths of our board is that connection on a personal level,” Noyes said.

Because the board members won’t take office until January, Noyes said it’s an opportunity for residents to learn the priorities of each member.

“(Residents) should be engaging, listening and talking to board members,” Noyes said.

Milton elections panel presents findings, including polling costs

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — The committee tasked with determining whether it’s feasible that Milton conduct its own elections, presented its findings to the City Council Dec. 5 and included an eye-opening comprehensive cost analysis.

If the city were to renew its agreement with Fulton County for 2023, committee members projected a price tag ranging from more than $186,000 to almost $190,000 —not including the cost of a runoff election.

The estimate also comes with the county’s recommendation for area governments to run their own elections announced at an October Fulton County Registration and Election Board meeting.

If the City Council were to approve the measure at its Dec. 19 meeting, the City of Milton and its taxpayers would see significant cost savings. In the first year, the city is looking at $72,254 to run its 2023 municipal general election, according to the presentation led by Lisa Cauley, Milton Municipal Election

mittee

Amick

presentation on the panel’s findings at the Dec. 5 Milton City Council meeting. Since formalized in June, the committee has studied whether Milton should conduct its own municipal elections. The City Council reviewed the findings and is expected to vote on a proposal in the coming weeks.

Cauley

Feasibility Committee member, who is one of two at-large representatives on the panel.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA Milton Municipal Election Feasibility Com-

members Mark

and Lisa

confer following a

Milton:

In subsequent years, with one-time costs out of the way, it is estimated the city will pay $56,589.

Committee member Mark Amick set the ground for Cauley’s presentation on cost, explaining to councilmembers how the panel gathered information. Amick also cited matter-of-fact research about elections, culled through the six months of formal meetings and around half a dozen informal, closed meetings held before the panel’s official formation in April.

A Fulton County trend

The 2023 projected cost the city would pay Fulton County to operate its municipal election is a 120 to 124 percent increase from the cost charged in 2021, Cauley said, when the city paid $84,671 to the county. But in that same year, Milton paid Fulton County another $70,368 to conduct a runoff election in late November, according to the contract agreement.

By bringing municipal elections inhouse, Cauley noted any potential runoff elections would include additional savings for the city.

The upward cost trend from the county echoes a similar jump from

2019 to 2021. In 2019, the city paid Fulton County $41,758 for its municipal general election.

The calculation used to project the 2023 Fulton County municipal election cost was based on the number of Milton registered voters (31,104) multiplied by the county-determined cost per voter, which has more than doubled since the last municipal election cycle.

Milton Deputy City Manager Stacey Inglis said the city was charged $2.96 per voter for the last election, while the county’s estimated new charge will be

more than $6 per voter.

The Fulton County Elections team released an update Dec. 7 stating that election costs have increased statewide due to the implementation of new voting equipment and new voting law requirements. The county is completing the analysis of municipal costs and will present the figures to the Board of Registration and Elections and the Board of Commissioners for approval this month, the update said.

Setting an example

While the City Council rarely allows

public comment during presentations, Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison made an exception for seven comments on the election presentation, most from Milton residents but two from Roswell residents. All comments cited Fulton County mismanagement and urged the City Council to move forward with selfrun municipal elections.

The committee’s assumption at its last meeting — that the City Council would vote in favor of in-house elections — may prove true Dec. 19. Following the presentation, City Councilwoman Carol Cookerly said she has supported the prospect from the beginning.

“Things are never as inexpensive as we hope,” Cookerly said. “I certainly have the latitude and would expect that if we need more money, we’ll make it available.”

A packed room of applause followed Jamison’s comment, the second and last remark on the item.

“I do feel like a lot of cities and a lot of mayors are looking at the City of Milton because more costs will be carried over to the municipalities over time, so this is probably inevitable for all the cities — North and South,” Jamison said. “It’s important that we get this right the first time. Let’s make it a successful local election, so that all the cities can mirror us, and we can be an example for everybody.”

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Lisa Cauley, Milton Municipal Election Feasibility Committee member, presents a report Dec. 5, on the panel’s cost analysis associated with the city running its own elections.

Milton City Councilwoman Carol Cookerly offers supportive comments to the committee Dec. 5.

A HOLE-IN-ONE

Trader Golf succeeds with expertise, relationships

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Sitting in the Trader Golf teaching center, employee Rick Coursey defined golf’s uniqueness — it’s a competition more with oneself, rather than another person. And it’s a game of a lifetime, suitable for any age, and a game of integrity.

Coursey wore a ball cap, hiding a balding head of white hair, and a Magellan fishing shirt tucked into a pair of polyester khakis. With a slow, measured voice, he shared his thoughts on golf and described the store’s business model, which hinges on expertise and relationship-building.

“When we see somebody in here, and they don’t know how to hold a golf club, we can give them a mini lesson,” Coursey said. “They go from swinging a club, and can’t even hit the ball, to three or four swings later — we have them hitting the ball straight right down the fairway, just by giving some very important tips.”

Walking into Trader Golf, a small brick building with a worn metal roof, crooked golf posters tacked to its windows and racks of collared shirts behind them, visitors will most likely hear a friendly conversation between Coursey and a customer.

Maybe the conversation is about finding a specific used or new golf club, needing a repair or a club fitting. Talk could isolate on lessons to improve a golf game, taken in the shop’s teaching center — a spacious, secluded room with netting covering the wall, marked with the brand Callaway, behind a green. Golf bags packed with clubs and training aids are off to the side. In the main area, Trader

Golf also has a range in the left corner and a putting green to the right.

Or maybe Coursey’s conversation is unrelated to golf, an exchange about personal matters. It’s not uncommon for Coursey to ask returning customers about their family, knowing intimate details acquired over the years, or casually talk with someone new as if he’s known them for a long time.

The relationships that can be forged, and that are essential, in small, local businesses are incomparable, Coursey

said.

He isn’t opposed to staying after hours to help someone. The night before, Coursey talked with a first-time customer, trying to accommodate a budget. That same customer, Coursey now knowing him by name, came back to snag what he didn’t buy.

“He now trusts me because of things that I’ve told him and showed him, and the communication that I gave to him,” Coursey said. “Now we’ve got a relationship.”

Golf clubs abound

After handing over heavy- and lightweight training aids, Coursey said, “But the biggest tool is the knowledge that we have.”

Trader Golf feels like an heirloom. It’s a cozy space with a familiar smell, perhaps of a grandparent’s living room, and it holds a wealth of experience, and plenty of stories, among its three employees. Coursey has been seeking to fill more positions for more than a year, but he has high standards.

“The years of knowledge that we have about golf — I would put it up against anybody, any place in America,” Coursey said. “There’s no doubt.”

Coursey, who is somewhat of a store manager but cleans golf clubs with the rest of them, has been in the golf industry since 2000. He worked at Edwin Watts before Trader Golf and began playing the sport long before then, though, at age 26, through his father-in-law.

At one point, the store only sold used clubs. But when Coursey joined the business eight years ago, he introduced new merchandise, buying from manufacturers like Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno and Cobra.

Coursey, 59, has an impressive memory of the store’s bursting inventory. Used clubs are well-organized in wooden racks along the right wall. New clubs in plastic wrap are lodged in a free-standing rack in the middle of the store. But there’s also dozens of boxes in the back room.

“There’s about 10,000 golf clubs behind this wall here,” Coursey said from within the teaching center. “If a guy calls in and says, ‘Hey, I need a 1984 Ping Eye 2 Square Groove Green Dot. Do you have one?’ Yeah, I got four.”

But the biggest tool is the knowledge that we have.

RICK COURSEY, Trader Golf employee

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Robie Robinson and Rick Coursey, employees at Trader Golf, stand in front of the business logo. A retired PGA professional, Robinson offers golf lessons in-store. Coursey has been with Trader Golf for eight years but has been in the golf industry since 2000.

Golf:

Robie Robinson was also on the floor Dec. 8. A 6-foot-something kindhearted jokester, Robinson is a retired PGA professional of more than 40 years and gives private lessons at the store. Coursey was proud to point out Robinson’s plaques on the wall.

“You’ll get to see me take my PGA card and take the trash out to the dumpster as well,” Robinson said in the backroom.

With no need for additional income and a passion for what he does, Robinson drives an hour and half one way for work. He, Coursey and Tom Reed, an employee absent on this particular humid Thursday morning, are all past the retirement age and continue to show up because they hang out, have fun and share their love for golf with whoever walks in the door.

Reed, who is in his early 80s, still plays golf twice a week. He used to work at Edwin Watts alongside Coursey, who said Reed has a repertoire and a grandfatherly way of talking to people who are uncomfortable with the sport.

“That’s experience that you’re not really going to get any other place,” Coursey said.

Word of mouth

Coursey declines using advertisements because of a strong belief in spreading word the old-fashioned way. It also allows for a low-key atmosphere, preferred by the professionals who don’t want to be bothered while shopping at Trader Golf.

The belief isn’t unfounded. The golf

Trader Golf on North Main Street, Alpharetta, has been in business for almost 30 years. The shop offers trades, new merchandise, repairs, club fittings and golf lessons.

shop might seem like Alpharetta’s best kept secret since the mid-’90s. But at its 10 a.m. opening, customers were already there.

Coursey uses email blasts from time to time about Trader Golf deals for the shop’s private consumer base, including prompts to forward the email. But outside of that, what keeps customers returning, and new ones coming in, is more of an organic transmission, based on reputation. All the Google reviews are positive, Coursey said, apart from one review caused by an employee who has since been fired.

Erin Fletcher, a frequent Trader Golf shopper, showed up Tuesday afternoon,

Dec. 6, looking to price clubs he bought from the PGA superstore. He set several on the counter and swung one for practice.

“Hey, Erin,” Coursey called from the opposite side of the store, while talking to another customer.

Fletcher, an easygoing 39-year-old with an athletic build, has been going to Trader Golf since 10th grade. He was driving around Alpharetta one day and stumbled across the store, before it moved to its current location on North Main Street. His hometown of Calhoun didn’t have golf options at the time.

Fletcher said he likes everything in his golf bag nowadays, which he’s been building for 25 years, save for the occasional trade. But he still makes the trip from Milton at least twice a week to the shop to hang out and buy knickknacks.

Bigger stores tend to pay bottom dollar for products, Fletcher said, but with Trader Golf, the relationship is clean. When Fletcher was in the store Tuesday, Coursey was transparent in telling him he would get a better deal selling his clubs on eBay than he would selling them at the store.

“[Honesty] is basically dead,” Fletcher said. “There’s a way we can all be equitable, and everybody can win in whatever we do. But most people don’t live or have that philosophy.”

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA Erin Fletcher, 39, has been a Trader Golf customer since 10th grade.

What NOT to do when someone dies

Brought to you by – Michelle Wilson, Wilson Legal, PC

When someone dies, you do not want to tell the bank, you do not need to pay credit cards, and you do not leave the house unlocked. If you tell the bank someone passed away, the bank will freeze the account. One check that comes in the mail after someone dies is the check for the portion of the monthly premium that was not used by the health insurance company. If the bank is not informed right away the family can simply put “ for deposit only” on the back of the check and drop the check in the night drop for deposit. Banks process the checks retrieved from the night drop the following day. No one wants to have to go through probate for such a small amount.

When someone passes away, do not

rush to pay any credit cards. Credit cards are unsecured debts and are not paid at all if the estate lacks the money to pay them.

There are several other debts that are of a higher priority than credit cards.

When someone passes away, do not leave their house unlocked. Theft and robbery occur in unlocked houses - sometimes even during the funeral.

There are 3 things you should do after someone dies. If you would like to know more, please listen and subscribe to our podcast coming out in January 2023 called the Proactive Planner. Please also check out our events page at www.wilson-legal. com/events to find out where will be speaking and when you can ask a general question on the spot.

Merry Christmas!

WILSON

ISTOCK

Financial literacy tips

their parents, there are some simple steps you can take to help your kids be in the 25% who feel ready to manage their own finances.

A. According to a recent survey from the National Financial Educators Council, as many as 75% of students are confused about being responsible with their money. They struggle with how to create a budget, how to balance saving and spending and how to keep track of their funds. Most of the students surveyed received most of their financial education at home. As

A. Creating a budget is a good place to start. Help your student set up a spreadsheet or download a budgeting app and have them begin to enter their information. If they have a job, their paycheck is a good place to start. But what if they don’t have a job or are heading off to college and don’t plan to work for the first few months? In that case, begin with the funds they

currently have in their savings account or the weekly/monthly allowance they’ll be given by you.

Q. What are the items we should include in their budget?

A. This is the time to have a discussion about needs and wants. They may need a pair of sneakers for daily wear but want the latest superstarendorsed brand. You may agree to purchase the basic brand but decide the additional cost for the high-end pair must come out of their budget. In addition, your student should include expenses for entertainment and meals out with friends. Don’t forget to have them include funds for emergencies (or unexpected opportunities they don’t want to miss). Finally, be sure to encourage them to designate a portion of their income or allowance to a cause that’s important to them.

Q. What about credit and debit cards?

A. There are very important dif -

ferences between debit cards and credit cards. Make sure your student understands that their debit card is the equivalent of cash and as soon as they use their debit card, that money comes out of their checking account. Using a credit card does not immediately take the money out of their checking account but they still need to be cognizant of how and when they’re using it to avoid a big bill that they can’t pay in full at the end of the month

Q. This all seems pretty involved. Are there any outside resources that can help with this education process?

A. Yes, right here at American Commerce Bank. We have experienced and committed bankers who will gladly teach a financial literacy class to school groups, scout troops, sports teams or any group who might benefit from our experience. Call Soraya Kenney in our Johns Creek office at 470.422.1200 to schedule your group.

Q. As my kids get their first jobs and start thinking about college, how can I help them be prepared to responsibly manage their finances?

Q. What is a good first step in this education process?

American Commerce Johns Creek Team.

Front row: Karen Chavarria, Soraya Kenney.

Back Row: Travis Carithers, Gary Lochbaum, Carlos Laverde, Alex Roach

Understanding the probate process

Probate is the process by which a court takes over the assets of a deceased loved one and distributes it as the court sees fit. This is a process that can be burdensome, especially if your loved one has recently passed away –not to mention the court procedures take at least a year. The worst part of probate is that the estate of the decedent becomes public. This means any creditor can place a claim on an estate, leading to loved ones losing control over the decedent’s assets.

There are a few ways to avoid

probate. Surprisingly, having a will does not exempt your assets from probate. However, by making a trust and doing careful estate planning, you can rest assured that your family will not have to worry about the court process when you pass on.

At Estate Law Center, we understand the pain of losing a loved one, and we understand the last thing you want is for your family to have to deal with the court while grieving for you. Let us help by helping your family walk through the probate process – or by teaching you how to avoid probate entirely at one of our free workshops.

GEERDES

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TIP YOUR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON

This holiday season, consider giving your newspaper delivery person a tip for their weekly delivery of the free community newspaper to your driveway. These folks work hard to make sure you are informed of all the local happenings, rain or shine, week in and week out. Importantly, at Appen Media, we have always been intentional about our desire to keep delivery of our newspapers free. That said, it would mean the world to us if you would consider tipping your newspaper delivery person so that they will have a little extra money for the holiday season.

If you can help us help these amazing people, we promise to keep delivering high quality news to your driveway, for free, every week. Free home delivery of 105,000 homes is hard work –and we couldn’t do it without our amazing delivery folks.

How you can give your delivery person a tip:

We have created an online portal at www.appenmedia.com/deliverytip.

100% of every dollar you contribute will be spread out evenly between the 24 newspaper delivery people that Appen Media employs. Whether you give $5 or $50, they will greatly appreciate it.

If you prefer, you can also mail a check made out to “Appen Media Group C/O Newspaper Delivery Tip” to 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

McCook:

Forming bonds

Mimi Gamel, assistant principal at Autrey Mill, sat in the room Dec. 9 and asked that McCook share about her improv classes. Gamel said McCook can see kids with a different eye, knowing the way they are.

“I’ve seen some of my seventh grade, my eighth graders who do not speak, become somebody else because of what she’s been able to do with the improv,” Gamel said.

McCook said that with improv, the kids have permission to be uninhibited.

“With social media and all that, they’re so scared of being criticized by their peers or being made fun of that it can just be crippling,” McCook said.

Improv also allows the students to bond, she said. They applaud each other after scenes and take a dramatic bow when they mess up.

Debbie Prost is in her 13th year as a drama teacher at Johns Creek High School, a feeder school for Autrey Mill.

Students from Autrey Mill who go to Johns Creek High already have advanced theater knowledge, skills and a strong work ethic, Prost said. McCook’s kindness and inclusivity has also materialized within

Prost’s students.

“They fully understand what is needed to put on high-level work while always lifting up those around them,” Prost said.

Learning styles

Because students today consume story snapshots, rather than television shows or movies, they have a hard time following a narrative and determining character intention, McCook said.

Some of the joy for McCook is giving students the opportunity to consult their imaginations.

“They’ll read something on the face of the dialogue,” she said. “And I’ll be like, ‘but that’s not really their intention. What are they saying when they’re doing that?’”

She also said she asks that students think like artists, rather than products.

Sometimes everything becomes about the show, McCook said, where kids are seen as commodities — like having the longest legs or best voice.

“They need to be developed as humans,” she said.

McCook said metacognition, or knowing the way you think, is part of that development. For example, students have to know what their best process is for memorizing lines.

“Sadly, the best one is when Ms. McCook offers them sweets,” she said with a boisterous laugh. “It’s amazing how quickly they can memorize something if there’s a cookie behind it.”

Advanced students are asked to write reflections about what they learned over the course of one unit. They groan, McCook said, but there’s no right or wrong answer.

“The whole thing about learning in the arts, and I think this is kind of true with all performing arts, is you’re learning yourself,” she said.

Returning to the stage

McCook plans to get new headshots done and get her old agent back when she retires. She talked with adoration for her teaching career, but she said she’s ready for day-time rehearsals. Her last show, before the pandemic, was Tennessee Williams’ “The Glass Menagerie” with Dunwoody’s Stage Door Players where she played the lead, Amanda Wingfield — her dream role.

McCook said the Katherine Hepburn movie adaption of “The Glass Menagerie” was what inspired her to become an ac-

tress.

Hearing a woman that sounded like her grandmother, with an old Southern accent, caught her attention. Then, it became about the story.

It took about six hours a day over the course of Thanksgiving and Christmas break 2019 to prepare for the role. McCook recalled practicing with her mother, who ran lines with her and quizzed her on the material.

Kate Arthur, drama teacher at the Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence, has known McCook for three years and helped with the last Autrey Mill production — Disney’s “Moana, Jr.”

Arthur saw McCook in “The Glass Menagerie,” and said she was phenomenal.

“The fact that she is such a talented actress — that’s why she knows what plays so well on the stage,” Arthur said. “Like she just has a knack and understanding for what it means to be a professional actor because she is one.”

Post offices played a vital role in georgia’s development

Two of our nation’s founding fathers share responsibility for establishing the postal service that we pretty much take for granted today. In 1737, Benjamin Franklin was selected by the British government to be Postmaster of Philadelphia, a post he held for several years. During his tenure, carefully marked routes were established from Maine to Florida, overnight mail delivery between New York and Philadelphia was launched, and a postal rate chart based on distance and weight of letters and parcels was created. This was essential infrastructure that enabled future enhancements to take place.

In 1775, a year before Congress declared independence from Great Britain, Franklin was appointed our nation’s first postmaster by the Second Continental Congress, a position he held for only about a year, long enough to establish a new system of postal routes from today’s Portland, Maine, to Savannah, Georgia, which became the first post office in our state. Soon after the colonies declared independence in July 1776, Franklin was named an ambassador to France. The postal system by then was well established and continued to flourish.

George Washington signed the Postal Service Act in 1792 creating The Post Office Department. This pivotal legislation gave the postal service responsibility for creating additional postal routes, essential for settlement of a new and expanding nation. It recognized a right to privacy by stipulating severe penalties for opening other people’s mail and allowed inexpensive distribution of newspapers by mail, which encouraged literacy and participation in community affairs. Franklin, along with George Washington, were honored by being on the first U.S. postage stamps in 1847.

Certainly, the U.S. Postal Service has its challenges today. It lost $4.9 billion

in 2021. The volume of mail has been declining for years while advertisements now constitute the majority of USPS mail. Competition from other carriers, the cost of pension benefits for more than 1 million workers and retirees, increased cost of fuel and equipment pose real challenges for the institution. However, the USPS is written into our Constitution and still provides essential services. Don’t expect it to go away any time soon

The history and importance of post offices in Old Milton County and surrounding areas in north Georgia has been studied in great detail by Ed Malowney, president of the Alpharetta and Old Milton Historical Society and founder of the Johns Creek Historical Society. Over the past five years, he has researched some 40 post offices in Old Milton County and another 30 or so in surrounding counties, plus some 200 individuals connected to the post offices. His initial efforts focused on four villages, or crossroads communities, Newtown, Warsaw, Shakerag and Ocee and quickly expanded into surrounding areas.

When studying post offices, Malowney has noted the importance of family ties. Post offices often existed in tight-knit communities where the postmaster was the head of a leading family. His descendants or close relatives often followed in his footsteps and became postmasters in the same or nearby communities. This interconnectivity existed in many post office jurisdictions.

Another interesting finding of his research is that several postmasters were medical doctors.

“I’m not sure why,” Malowney says. “It is the last thing I would expect.”

When he looked into the matter, he found that some of the postmasters had recently graduated from medical school. Because many post offices were housed in or near stores, he believes this may have been a promotional tool by a store owner if the doctor held regular clinics in the store.

Malowney notes that the first postmaster of Alpharetta was Dr. Oliver P. Skelton, who was appointed in 1858, the day the Farmhouse Post Office was closed. Farm-

house was a small community located northeast of Route 400 and Old Milton Parkway. The Farmhouse postmaster was Isham Teasley, Skelton’s son-in-law. Skelton served two other Alpharetta appointments and Teasley also was later appointed to serve as the Alpharetta postmaster. In 1899, Isham’s wife, Nannie Teasley, became the first female postmaster in Alpharetta.

A third finding of the research pertains to the devastating economic impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction period, which delayed the establishment of Milton County post offices. Only one Milton post office was added in 1873, three in the early 1880s and

six in the late 1880s. Nine post offices were added in the 1890s. Most were discontinued by 1907 with the implementation of Rural Free Delivery. At that time old Milton County had one post office at Alpharetta. The Roswell Post Office, then part of Cobb County, covered the south portion of the county; Duluth, in Gwinnett County, provided mail service to the eastern part of the county.

Ed’s goal for his research is to preserve the basic information electronically and in hard copy for current and future generations and to selectively write summaries for each post office and related individuals.

BOB

Columnist

bobmey@bellsouth.net

Around and around we continue to go

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

It hardly seems possible, but little over a decade ago, there were no roundabouts in Metro Atlanta. Today, you can’t gather a head of steam without coming across one. They’re everywhere.

I have one in my driveway.

Governments love roundabouts because they save on the cost of traffic signals which can run anywhere between $80,000 to half a million dollars. That doesn’t include the expense of signal maintenance and diverting police to run traffic control when a light malfunctions.

For a roundabout, all you need is someone who can draw a circle, perform some engineering, a bit of land, and bam!

Traffic experts praise roundabouts for safety.

A 2020 report from the Georgia Department of Transportation reported that where roundabouts have replaced traditional intersections,

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE

PURPOSE

An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to City on Nov 11, 2022 for Consumption on Premises of Malt Beverage, Wine and Distilled Spirits.

BUSINESS NAME

Ziaaapl LLC

Dba

ATL Pakka Local 9775 Medlock Bridge Rd Suite A Johns Creek, GA 30097

OWNER/OFFICERS

Ziaaapl LLC Dba

ATL Pakka Local

9775 Medlock Bridge Rd Suite A Johns Creek, GA 30097

Owner, Sandeep Jangiti, Susmitha Palarapu and Anoosha Madishetti

accidents of all types declined 35 percent, while accidents resulting in injuries fell 60 percent.

Outside the safety and cost benefits, roundabouts also provide a donut hole, a sort of island refuge filled with pretty flowers, trees or other interesting things you can enjoy as you drive by.

Down in Sandersville, Ga., you can actually see a freight train running through the middle of the roundabout, and you can orbit a bronzed horse on the Mayfield Road roundabout in Milton.

A groggy introduction

My first encounter with roundabouts came some 30 years ago. Following an overnight flight overseas, in which I enjoyed no sleep, I rented a car at the Shannon, Ireland, airport. The car had a steering wheel on the right and a four-on-the-floor gear shift on the left.

I am right-handed.

After a quick run-through in the parking lot, I pulled out onto the freeway and settled in. Then, in less than a few miles, there it was – like that monster wave in “The Perfect Storm” – a two-lane roundabout. I had no idea what it was. Nothing I could

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE

PURPOSE

An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to City on December 7, 2022 for Consumption on Premises of Malt Beverage, Wine and Distilled Spirits.

BUSINESS NAME

OM Gurushivay Inc Dba Mavericks 11030 Medlock Bridge Rd Suite 160 Johns Creek, GA 30097

OWNER/OFFICERS

OM Gurushivay Inc Dba Mavericks 11030 Medlock Bridge Rd Suite 160 Johns Creek, GA 30097

Owner, Vijay Gupta

Opinions

Appen Media aims to present a variety of views in its opinion pages. Send your thoughts, questions and letters to pat@ appenmedia.com.

do but dive headfirst into it.

I went around and around and around before figuring out how to extricate myself. I pulled into a gas station to collect my wits and surveil the anomaly.

After a while, I figured it out and continued my journey.

The first roundabout in North Fulton County opened in Roswell in 2012, and it created a furor. I was there at the ribbon cutting, and it’s an interesting story.

Roswell Transportation Director Steve Acenbrak introduced the project as a way of relieving the ghastly rushhour gridlock at Grimes Bridge Road and Norcross Street, which up till then had been a four-way stop.

Acenbrak told me later he faced a storm of criticism from residents opposed to the contraption, and I have no doubt there were some on the City

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE

PURPOSE

An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to City on Nov 14, 2022 for Consumption on Premises of Malt Beverage, Wine and Distilled Spirits.

BUSINESS NAME

The Good Crew LLC Dba

Cru Lounge Alpharetta 11105 State Bridge Rd Suite 250 Johns Creek, GA 30022

OWNER/OFFICERS

The Good Crew LLC Dba

Cru Lounge Alpharetta 11105 State Bridge Rd Suite 250 Johns Creek, GA 30022

Owner, Torica Cornelius

Council who felt the same. A petition with 100 names was presented to the City Council opposing the project.

It’s important to note, though, how the city went about completing the project.

Listening to residents

One of the most strident opponents was 104-year-old Mattie Smith, who had lived on the southwest corner of the intersection for 30 years. Smith’s son, Gary, who lived in Cumming, took up his mother’s fight, arguing the project would lower nearby property values and lower his mother’s quality of life.

After weeks of negotiations, the city decided to buy the home for $180,000 and let the elderly Smith rent for as long as she liked. It also offered to extend a berm along the corner and install a privacy fence.

Throughout the negotiations, Acenbrak told me he and the city were committed to avoiding imposing eminent domain to obtain use of the Smith property through litigation.

Two weeks into construction, Mattie Smith died.

Another resident with property at stake was Barney Burroughs, who

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PUBLIC NOTICE

PURPOSE

An Alcoholic Beverage License Application was submitted to City on November 23, 2022 for Consumption on Premises of Malt Beverage, Wine and Distilled Spirits.

BUSINESS NAME

ACB PAK Inc Dba

Kani House Japanese Restaurant 10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd Johns Creek, GA 30097

OWNER/OFFICERS

ACB PAK Inc Dba

Kani House Japanese Restaurant 10820 Abbotts Bridge Rd Johns Creek, GA 30097

Owner, Meerai Pak

told me at the time that he worried construction would damage several historic willow oaks on his lot and impede access to his driveway.

The matter was settled when the city agreed to pay $55,000 to move his driveway and modify the house to reorient the garage. It also hired an arborist to prepare the trees for the construction.

Not long after traffic began flowing through the roundabout, public

sentiment changed, and Acenbrak became known on the street as “The Roundabout Man.”

“I’ve never gotten a thank-you note before,” he told me at the time. “People stop me in the grocery store and tell me how much they like it.”

Maybe that’s because of how Roswell treated its residents.

The city originally budgeted $1.4 million for the project, but it came in at about $771,000, counting a $200,000 water line relocation paid for through grant money.

Sometimes, paying extra for some good will can be a bargain.

The crippling of crypto currency

Is crypto currency a chimera or a true investment? Per Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, one definition of a “chimera” is “an illusion or fabrication of the mind, especially: an unrealizable dream.” Webster also defines investment as “the outlay of money usually for income or profit.” Crypto may be both a chimera and an investment. But how wise an investment is crypto? Crypto is not traditional money which is issued by a national government or central bank, for example, the American dollar. You can carry physical denominations of U.S. dollar currency or fractional coins in your wallet or coin purse. Crypto currency resides in cyberspace. It exists digitally or virtually and is not issued by government entities. The two leading forms of crypto currency measured by market capitalization are bitcoin and

ethereum.

Bitcoin, the first crypto creation, is the most well-known. Crypto does not pay interest or dividends. But like a traditional investment, you buy it with hope that ultimately you’ll be able to sell it for a profit.

Like some things new and unregulated, crypto has been hyped in a manner that would make the “wild, wild West” seem relatively tame. The 1881 gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, resulted in mayhem, death, and injury. That chaotic incident lives in infamy as an example of lawlessness that demanded containment.

The Nov. 11, 2002, sudden Chapter 11 bankruptcy implosion of FTX Trading may go down in history as another example of out-of-control disregard for prudence, the law and public interest. Regulation and oversight is now demanded as criminal investigators, regulators, lawyers and politicians jump into the fray. Luminaries who lauded FTX in commercials are ducking for cover and seeking legal counsel. Billions of dollars are unac -

counted for.

Per The Wall Street Journal, FTX, a leading crypto exchange, had $16 billion in funds that customers had placed with the firm for trading purposes. Without the knowledge of investors, FTX lent roughly $8 billion of that to an affiliated firm, Alameda, to fund “risky bets.” A subsequent investor run on FTX caused a classic liquidity squeeze and the destruction of the company.

As a financial advisor with a penchant for eschewing speculators as clients in favor of working with true investors who seek long-term growth of capital while understanding the dynamics of risk, reward, and diversification as a risk management tool, bitcoin and other digital assets hold little appeal. It’s true that bitcoin soared to an all-time high of over $68,000 for a single coin in November 2021, after starting the year at just under $30,000. That kicked off a buying frenzy as even small investors seeking quick returns flooded in. This situation was akin to the recent “meme stock mania” involving names like GameStop, Bed Bath and Beyond, and AMC, whose prices were driven to unrealistic heights by armies of speculators who grouped together on social media platforms. Speculative fever didn’t go well for most who jumped aboard late in either game.

The Journal noted that prior to the FTX debacle, crypto markets lost roughly $2 trillion in market value over the last year. On Nov. 13, 2022, one bitcoin traded at $16,546, facing pressures from rising interest rates as the “Federal Reserve has removed liquidity and markets re-priced financial assets.” So much for crypto “inflation hedge” theories. But the siren song of “quick riches” still lives on the internet. Trading platform Robinhood urges, “There’s no need to buy a whole coin ─ start with as little as $1.” You may buy crypto with a debit card or credit card. Using borrowed money to speculate is overly risky and aggressive.

Firms like FTX are not governed relative to the safety of client assets like well-known independent custodians such as Pershing, Fidelity, Schwab, T.D. Ameritrade, etc.

For example, Pershing, a division of Bank of New York/Mellon, protects securities in a customer’s account up to $500,000 through Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Plus, Pershing carries extensive added insurance on client assets through

underwriters such as Lloyds of London. Custodians such as those noted and others offer SIPC protection and excess coverage similar to Pershing. Note that insurance does not protect you from the rise and fall in the value of securities due to market volatility. Protection only guards against insolvency or the bankruptcy of the custodian entity. Such safeguards do not exist in cryptoworld.

Independent financial advisors should use independent custodians to house client cash and assets and execute trades. Make sure that account statements come from recognized custodians, not from the advisor directly. Some of the greatest frauds, Madoff included, came from fake statements generated in-house by the fraudster. Understand what safeguards are in place.

Long-term investment strategies involve diversification. With inflation concerns paramount, “loanership,” a portfolio of cash and bonds, is less likely to provide real long-term returns in excess of inflation and taxation. Nevertheless, such asset classes are germane to liquidity needs and wealth preservation efforts during turbulent periods. Cash is a source of bargain hunting capital when opportunities arise.

For value-oriented conservative investors, a long-run growth-oriented portfolio should encompass equities and real assets with the potential to generate interest, dividends, and and/ or growth, i.e., “real returns in excess of inflation and taxation over time. “Ownership” of growing companies and assets such as dividend paying real estate or other alternative investments form the core of long-term wealth-building and wealth-preservation strategies. Because any individual asset or asset class can underperform expectations at any given time, diversification counts.

Crypto as a prudent investment? The jury is still out.

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group; 770441-3553; lewis@capitalinsightgrp. com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Lewis is a registered representative and investment adviser representative of SFA, otherwise unaffiliated with Capital Insight Group. He’s a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

INVITATION TO BID CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

ITB #23-363-2

JONES BRIDGE ROAD PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS (DOUGLAS ROAD TO MCGINNIS FERRY ROAD)

The City of Johns Creek extends an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to qualified construction firms for the construction of trail sections along Jones Bridge Road between Douglas Road and McGinnis Ferry Road in the City of Johns Creek. ITB’s will be received electronically via the City’s bid platform, BidNet no later than 2:00PM on December 29, 2022. A recommended Prebid meeting will take place December 13, 2022 3:00PM at City Hall. Questions are accepted and answered online only via BidNet. Deadline for questions is December 22, 2022 at 5:00 PM.

Quotes, bids, and RFP’s are electronically managed through the Georgia Purchasing Group by BidNet, our online bidding/vendor registration system, on the City website: https://www.johnscreekga.gov/Residents/Purchasing. To access the ITB document you must register with BidNet. Go to the City website above and click the link “register and view quote/bid/RFP opportunities”.

The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.

All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting Neil Trust at the City of Johns Creek Procurement Division at purchasing@johnscreekga.gov or (678) 512-3233. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to wave technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

INVITATION TO BID CITY OF JOHNS CREEK

ITB #23-363-1

MEDLOCK BRIDGE ROAD AT JOHNS CREEK PARKWAY INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT

The City of Johns Creek extends an Invitation to Bid (ITB) to qualified construction firms for the construction of an intersection improvement at the intersection of Medlock Bridge Road (State Route 141) and Johns Creek Parkway in the City of Johns Creek. ITB’s will be received electronically via the City’s bid platform, BidNet no later than 2:00PM on December 29, 2022. A recommended Prebid conference will take place December 13, 2022 2:00PM at City Hall. Questions are accepted and answered online only via BidNet. Deadline for questions is December 22, 2022 at 5:00 PM.

Quotes, bids, and RFP’s are electronically managed through the Georgia Purchasing Group by BidNet, our online bidding/vendor registration system, on the City website: https://www.johnscreekga.gov/Residents/Purchasing. To access the ITB document you must register with BidNet. Go to the City website above and click the link “register and view quote/bid/RFP opportunities”.

The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.

All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting Neil Trust at the City of Johns Creek Procurement Division at purchasing@johnscreekga.gov or (678) 512-3233. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to wave technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.

Thank You!

Our local news is free to read but not to produce. Johns Creek Herald relies on advertisers to keep the lights on, pay our reporters and publish your news. That’s why we want to say thank you to all the advertisers, large and small, who have stuck by us through thick and thin. Consider giving them your business, just as they have done with us.

Buy local, eat local, read local.

Full-time

Software Developer: Analyze, design, dev, test, imp, monitor & upgrade computer SW sys, spec. SW apps. Req 1: MS Deg Or Foreign Equiv. in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr. /IT/MBA + 6 Mon. Exp.  Salary:  80101/Yr.   Req 2: BS Deg Or Foreign Equiv. in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr. /IT/MBA + 24 Mon. Exp.  Salary: 99008/ Yr.  Details @ www.excelitllc.com. Resume-excelIT, 3556 Old Milton Pky, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

POOL TECHNICIANS

WANTED

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude.

Well-established commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Call Bill: 404-245-9396

Full Stack Application Developer –Alpharetta, GA.

Design & dev. custom web apps. using advanced tech. Build reliable & reusable code w/ performance, scalability & security. Analyze sftw. Defects and dev. corrective sol. Reqs: U.S. Master’s deg. in Info. Sys., Comp. Sci., or closely rel. field & 3 yrs. exp. in the job offered, Full Stack Programmer, or closely rel. pos. Concurrent exp. must incl. 3 yrs. exp. w/: Design & dev. custom web apps. using advanced tech. incl. C# ASP.NET w/ MVC Framework & SQL Server; Build reliable & reusable code while considering performance, scalability & sec.; & Work w/ bus. units to identify bus. needs & initiate & deliver bus. sol. Mail resume: Tracy Ryan, Balbec Capital, LP, 10000 Avalon Blvd., Ste. 550, Alpharetta, GA 30009

Installed. Covers, siding, soffit, facia. www.aaronsgutters. com. Senior citizen discount! 678-508-2432

LEAKING?

Driveway

Tree Services

Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs.  A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $4,500.

24 hour emergency service. Licensed, insured. Workers Comp, insurance claims. 25+ years experience. Family business. Free estimates. We Love Challenges!

Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts 770-512-8733 • www.yellowribbontree.com

COMPLETE TREE SERVICES

Appen-Rated 98 Text or Call us for a FREE quote appointment.

Tree removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Free mulch. Fully insured. Emergency 24/7 770-450-8188

20% OFF ALL Tree Services

Free consutation. 20 years experience. Fully insured. References. Call Tree Expert for an appointment @ 470-588-5339.

ALPHARETTA

Part-time

MAINTENANCE WORKER

20-30 hours/week. Call Stan 678-357-5371

up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398 HughesNet - Finally, superfast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/ mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

Put on your TV Ears & hear TV w/unmatched clarity. TV Ears Original - originally $129.95 - now w/this special offer only $59.95 w/code MCB59! 1-888-805-0840

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/23. 1-866-479-1516

The Generac PWRcell solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce reliance on grid, prepare for outages & power your home. Full installation services.

$0 down financing option. Request free no obligation quote. 1-877-539-0299

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306

Protect your home from pests safely and affordably. Pest, rodent, termite and mosquito control. Call for a quote or inspection today 844-394-9278

Switch and save up to $250/yr on talk, text & data. No contract or hidden fees. Unlimited talk & text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time get $50 off any new account. Use code GIFT50. 1-855-903-3048

Attention Homeowners! If you have water damage and need cleanup services, call us! We’ll get in & work with your insurance agency to get your home repaired and your life back to normal ASAP! 855-767-7031

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! 1-888-489-3936

Free high speed internet if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Call Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-7583892

!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866-433-8277

Caring for an aging loved one? Wondering about options like senior-living communities and in-home care? Caring.com’s Family Advisors help take the guesswork out of senior care for your family. Free, no-obligation consult: 1-855-759-1407

FREE $20 Cash App Everyone! Yes It’s Real. Very Limited supply until we run out! Go to Free20Now.com