ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Wide receiver Chris Reyes (No. 3) leads the Cougars to the field at Centennial High School Sept. 12. Reyes scored Chattahoochee’s first touchdown of the game.
Centennial rolls past Hooch in penalty-riddled matchup
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga — Centennial’s Knights defeated Chattahoochee High School 32-16 Sept. 12.
The game flow suffered from 26 penalty flags thrown. One player was ejected as emotions boiled over at points on both sidelines.
Centennial scored first, with a 32-yard receiving touchdown by sophomore Kendall Bodwell.
Chattahoochee fired back within nearly a minute with an 85-yard touchdown reception by junior Chris Reyes. The extra point was no good, leaving Hooch down by 1.
The Cougars didn’t make it to the end zone again until halfway through the fourth quarter.
Knights head coach Adam Miller said a 4-1 record has done a lot for his young team’s confidence.
See FOOTBALL, Page 18
Johns Creek firefighter recounts his experience during terrorist attacks
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek Fire Department Capt. Matt Broderick wants Americans to remember Sept. 12.
Broderick spoke to a crowd of several hundred residents on the morning of Sept. 11 at Newton Park during a city commemoration of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Held in conjunction with Rotary Clubs of Johns Creek and Johns Creek – North Fulton, the event featured Broderick as its keynote speaker along with solemn ceremonies that included school choir performances and a color guard.
“I'm glad you kids didn't have to experience that, but let me reassure you, everyone is going to have their own 9/11 in their life,” Broderick said. “It's what you do on 9/12 … We saw the best, and we saw the worst. We rose as a country on 9/12.”
This Sept. 11 marks 24 years since the hijacking of four airliners by 19 terrorists, resulting in the deaths of some 3,000 people.
See BRODERICK, Page 20
Johns Creek Fire Department Capt. Matt Broderick speaks to a crowd at Newton Park during a 9/11 ceremony Sept. 11. Broderick served as a New York City firefighter during the 2001 attacks.
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Mansell Road business reports theft of wiring
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — About $15,000 in wiring was reported stolen from a Mansell Road restaurant Aug. 27.
Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the restaurant after a burglary was reported about 9 p.m.
A 41-year-old man and 27-yearold man who own the building told officers someone entered through the back door, cut wire and destroyed a power box.
A set of Milwaukee tools and one black glove appeared left behind from the theft, police said.
The building has no security cameras.
Officers took photographs and noted the rear door’s lock appeared bent.
Police connected the reported theft to an earlier call about someone finding copper wire in a shopping cart.
The incident was classified as a felony forced burglary of a business.
— Jon Wilcox
Roswell woman reports losing $94,000 in scam
ROSWELL, Ga. — A 71-year-old Roswell woman reported being scammed out of $94,000 Sept. 6 after she received text messages from someone claiming to be with the Federal Trade Commission.
An officer said he met with the victim at Roswell Police headquarters to discuss the fraud.
The victim said a caller told her she had outstanding felony charges
and needed to convert her money into cryptocurrency at Bitcoin ATMs. It’s unclear whether the victim was charged with a crime.
The officer said the caller told the woman to stay on the phone, visit several gas stations and send money through phone applications.
In total, the victim said she made seven transactions, totaling $94,240, but one of them for $14,900 did not go through.
When the transaction failed, the woman said she told the caller, who then asked her to deposit two cashier checks, totaling $100,000, into her bank account.
The officer said the victim still had $60,000 in account but was unsure if an additional $40,000 was taken out on top of the $94,240 in confirmed receipts.
The woman also said she believes the suspect had her Social Security number, which she said she entered to complete one of the ATM transactions.
After reviewing the cryptocurrency ATM receipts, the officer said the recipient’s IP address and ID number were the same on each.
The officer notified the Criminal Investigations Division.
As of Sept. 8, there is no identified suspect.
— Hayden Sumlin
Suspect sought for theft of $1,000 worth of items
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — More than $1,000 in cologne was reported stolen from a North Point Parkway beauty store Aug. 30.
Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the business about 6 p.m. after the theft was reported.
A 30-year-old manager said a man in his 20s stole the items Aug. 26.
A security camera video showed the man placing seven bottles of Gucci cologne into his jeans.
The bottles were valued at a total of $1,107.
The incident was classified as a felony theft by shoplifting over $500.
— Jon Wilcox
Roswell police arrest suspected pedophile
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police arrested 21-year-old Lorenzo Abarca of Ellenwood Sept. 3 on child sexual exploitation charges after he allegedly targeted multiple young teens online.
The department’s Sept. 6 announcement says additional charges are expected as more victims are identified. As the case progressed, investigators identified at least four more victims in Roswell.
Police said the investigation began in August after a juvenile disclosed a sexual assault to a mandated reporter, who promptly notified the department.
Investigators learned that the victim initially connected with Abarca through Snapchat before being sexually abused.
All known victims had also connected with Abarca through Snapchat and were sexually exploited online, with some also being physically abused, the report says.
A forensic analysis of the victim’s phone provided evidence of additional online victimization and exploitation by Abarca, police said.
In addition, the victims were provided with drugs and alcohol by Abarca.
Officers arrested Abarca on charges of obscene internet contact with a child, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor and sodomy.
The report says warrants are pending for the additional victims who have been identified, and investigators believe there may still be more victims.
The Roswell community expressed gratitude for law enforcement on Facebook.
Roswell Police confirmed Abarca is an American citizen.
— Hayden Sumlin
City weighs $10 million plan for path,
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Pedestrians forced to walk on the grass along Barnwell Road may get some safer paths if Johns Creek officials move forward with a major upgrade plan.
Councilwoman Erin Elwood, who lives off Barnwell Road, said her husband is one of the city’s residents who are eagerly awaiting a path there.
“He texts me or calls me, ‘Hey, there’s someone walking in the grass. When are you guys going to get that sidewalk?’” Elwood said. ”I know this is going to be a huge boon to this community.”
On Sept. 8, the Johns Creek City Council discussed allocating some $10 million for a path, intersection improvements and bike lanes along a 1.5-mile stretch of Barnwell Road from Niblick Drive to North Peak Drive. The council took no vote, but the item will be up for a decision at a future meeting.
The stretch of Barnwell supports an average of 10,000 vehicles a day, according to the Georgia DOT.
The expenditure would include an $8.9 million construction contract with Summit Construction; a $354,200 construction, engineering, and inspection contract with Atlas Technical Consultants; a $893,764 contingency; and $1.2
million for a water and sewer line agreement with Fulton County.
The project can be fully funded with TSPLOST II and 2025 local maintenance and improvements grant funds. It is expected to take 18 months to complete.
Barnwell Road is a two-lane collector roadway in southwestern Johns Creek, collecting residents from numerous adjacent neighborhoods and connecting them north to Old Alabama Road and south to Holcomb Bridge Road.
About 1.5 miles of Barnwell Road between Niblick Drive and North Peak Drive has no bicycle lanes or trails. Barnwell has no center turn lane to allow safe passage for bicyclists.
The project could contribute bike lanes and a path, connecting existing paths to the north and south. The area also includes the River Glen Swim & Tennis Club and Barnwell Elementary School.
Residents identified pedestrian improvements as a top priority in the city’s strategic plan, Mayor John Bradberry said.
In recent years, the city has made substantial progress in expanding its network of pedestrian amenities, Bradberry said.
In 2022, the council adopted a bicycle corridor policy that identified the road as a bicycle corridor.
See LANE, Page 20
Milton ceremony pays tribute to 9/11 horrors, heroes
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga — Milton first responders, students and community members gathered at Milton High School Sept. 11 for a ceremony honoring the victims and survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
This is the 18th year the ceremony has been held.
Each year, four students deliver a speech about one of the 2,977 victims of the Sept. 11 attacks and add four pictures to their corresponding alphabetically sorted flag on the front lawn of the school.
This year, keynote speaker and Alpharetta resident Beth Zampieri told about her third day at a new job on the 51st floor of the first tower and overcoming the trauma. Zampieri told her story of pushing her experience down after moving to Georgia, accustomed to the anniversary in New York where everyone knew someone personally affected.
She said honoring her past has become her tradition, along with paying respects to both the first responder victims of the attack alongside current first responders in the community.
Zampieri detailed how she struggled
Milton students hold photographs of 9/11 victims at Milton High School Sept. 11. Added to the growing group of memorial pictures this year were Robert Zampieri, Christopher Gray, Valerie Ellis and Welles Crowther.
when others would try to comfort her by saying she “was saved for a reason,” knowing her husband’s cousin, who also worked in the Twin Towers, wasn’t afforded that same fate.
Robert “Robby” Zampieri was at work on the 92nd floor when the second plane crashed into the building. Like everyone else above the impact point, he did not make it out.
Beth Zampieri challenged the audi-
ence to, “find a first responder in the community, look them in the eye, shake their hand and say, ‘thank you for all you do for the community.’”
High school seniors Amelia Wilkes, Keller Kazmi, Laurel Elliott and Derek Tilli took turns giving a synopsis of the life of one of the 2,977 victims.
Those profiled included Christopher Gray, a University of West Virginia quarterback engaged to be married in May of
2002; then Valerie Ellis, a no-nonsense Maryland native who was one of the first female partners in her employer’s equity division; and finally Boston College lacrosse alumni Welles Crowther, popularly known as “the man in the red bandana,” a 24-year-old at work on the 104th floor who rescued at least 18 people as an off-duty volunteer firefighter.
Student organizers Jack Mikels and Will Chambers took on the responsibility from last year’s organizers and plan to keep the tradition going in coming years.
Chambers said the ceremony is important to keep students who weren’t alive at the time connected to the attacks.
“I just think it’s important to never forget,” he said. “This tradition should be passed along to future generations, and it should never be forgotten because it’s so important to remember the lives that were lost that day.”
Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison also gave remarks thanking the first responders present and sharing his pride in Milton’s ceremony reaching “far beyond the city.”
“It mattered then and it matters now,” Jamison said. “Remember that when terrorists sought to divide us, they instead brought us together in strength, resilience and resolve.”
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Spalding parents group pushes to buy, operate charter school
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Save Spalding Committee announced Aug. 30 that the National Heritage Academies has submitted a letter of intent to purchase the former school building and property in Sandy Springs.
The parent-led committee also announced that National Heritage Academies has been selected as its operating partner as it works to establish a charter school on the site, called the Spalding Academy for Innovation and Learning.
After a six-month review process wrapped up in February, the Fulton County School Board narrowly voted to close Spalding Drive Elementary School citing an aging building and low enrollment.
When neighbors and elected officials rallied around an effort to save the school, many said they though Fulton County Schools officials were not being transparent during community meetings about the school closure.
Fulton County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney, PhD; Chief Operating Officer Noel Maloof and the Board of Education received copies of the letter, committee spokesperson Raymond Grote said in a press release.
“This represents the third attempt by former parents of Spalding Drive Elementary students to acquire or lease the property,” the announcement says. “We trust that this offer will be given the serious and genuine consideration that it deserves.”
The school district announced plans in May to convert the building into administrative offices and a consolidated teaching museum, drawing uproar from parents and city officials.
Fulton County School Chief Communications Officer Brian Noyes confirmed in early September that officials received the letter.
“The building is currently in use, with long-term plans to relocate the teaching museum and district archives to the site; however, the offer will be reviewed thoroughly by the superintendent and the Board of Education,” he wrote. “As with any charter school proposal, the school operates independently and may consider multiple facility options.”
Noyes said the school district’s plan has not changed,
adding that virtual education staff has moved into the former school building.
“The proposal from Save Spalding is a request to change that plan and sell it to them. The Board and superintendent will review the proposal and make a decision,” Noyes said. “As far as financial impact, we have not performed a financial impact review of the proposal at this time, so I would not be able to provide any data as a response.”
In the committee announcement, it says the school district has publicly acknowledged the financial challenges it faces, alongside declining enrollment. As a solution to the district’s financial constraints and public mistrust, the committee wants leaders to enter into an agreement to sell
the former Spalding Drive facility to a nationally recognized charter school operator.
“Just as importantly, it would bring students back into the public system who have chosen to exit it, a dynamic Save Spalding predicted and which is now evidenced by under-enrollment compared to projections at nearby schools,” the announcement says. “The opening of a new charter school in Sandy Springs is a practical solution that can be executed in a reasonable time frame, bringing an option for education with local control back to our community.”
To view a new webpage for the Spalding Academy for Innovation and Learning Charter School, visit www. sailcharter.org.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
The Save Spalding Committee, through a partnership with the National Heritage Academies, is offering to purchase the former elementary school property to operate a charter school.
Alpharetta acclaims planner who guided its success
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Working behind the scenes of municipal government, Marie Lewis Garrett helped transform the oncesleepy cities of North Metro Atlanta into the bustling suburban metropolises of today.
“They are what they are in large part because of her and her experience,” her husband Steve Garrett said.
Marie Lewis Garrett died Aug. 10, 2024 after a long battle with breast cancer. The former city planner leaves behind her husband, three sons, sister, brother, three grandchildren and a legacy of public service.
After obtaining a Master of Science from Georgia State University’s College of Public and Urban affairs in 1985, Garrett played a pivotal role as a city planner in numerous cities.
The Alpharetta City Council recognized her contribution to the city at an Aug. 19 meeting. She served as director of Planning and Community Development from 1982 to 1989, assistant city administrator from 1989 to 1992 and city administrator for development from 1991 to 1993.
Garrett joined the city’s staff when the population was a little more than 3,000. Now, the city boasts more than 67,000 residents.
She helped chart the city’s evolution into a major employment hub in the Metro Atlanta area, overseeing numerous private sector master plans, Mayor Jim Gilvin said in a proclamation.
“Marie was a visionary and dedicated to building a world-class city,” Gilvin said. “We the City Council of the City of Alpharetta do hereby recognize Marie Lewis Garrett for her passion for public service, her contributions to our city.”
Her work includes projects in the Windward, Kingswood, Brookside, Preston Ridge and Mansell Ridge areas. She also helped bring North Point Mall to the city.
At the meeting, State Rep. Chuck
Martin, who represents Alpharetta and District 49, said Garrett played an instrumental role in the area’s development. He said she was recognized by lawmakers in part for her work as a lobbyist at the state level.
“She helped shape communities all over this end of Georgia and probably really beyond,” Martin said. “Marie’s life will be measured over the years for the impact she made for our future. Marie Garrett led a life that will impact people … for generations.”
Martin and state Rep. Jan Jones authored a House resolution in her memory. It was adopted in March.
Apart from her posts in Alpharetta, Garrett served as Brookhaven’s first city manager. In Canton, she was special adviser to the mayor. In Johns Creek, she was appointed interim city manager.
She did consulting work for Powder Springs, Stone Mountain, Roswell, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs through her firm, Marie Garrett Consulting.
Garrett had big ideas for the local governments, but she was happy to act behind the scenes, letting elected officials take the credit, her husband said.
As the daughter of a command sergeant major, the highest enlisted rank in the U.S.
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER COMMUNITY MEETING
The City of Johns Creek will hold a series of community meetings related to the General Obligation Bond Referendum for the purpose of a Performing Arts Center (PAC):
Wednesday, October 1st 6pm Park Place at Newtown Park Thursday, October 16th 6pm Johns Creek City Hall
All meetings at City Hall will be held in the Council Chambers located at 11360 Lakefield Drive. Meetings at Newtown Park will be held in Park Place located at 3125 Old Alabama Road. Please contact the City Clerk’s office at 678-512-3212 should you have any questions.
Army, Garrett was raised to hold herself to a higher standard.
“He pushed his kids, and Marie was the middle child,” her husband said. “She was definitely a daddy’s girl through and through. She was the closest to being almost exactly like him.”
As a mother, she applied that spirit to her own sons, who have obtained higher degrees and started their own families.
As a city planner, she was never satisfied with the status quo, and instead worked toward a better future that was not always apparent to all.
“That was the hardest thing, was convincing the mayor and council that we could make this a metropolitan city,” Steve Garrett said. “And of course, you got the good old boys that didn’t want all that really.”
Community Development Director Kathi Cook said Garrett’s vision for Alpharetta was bold. The planner oversaw numerous “game-changing” master plans that transformed the city into what it is today.
“She was visionary with North Point,” said Cook, who worked under Garrett in the 1990s.
Garrett also was pivotal in planning the Big Creek Greenway years before the first work began.
The multiuse trail now offers recreation opportunities to residents and serves as a powerful attracting force for businesses looking to make the city a home.
“Every day was exciting,” Cook said. “It had a lot of people interested in developing Alpharetta and bringing projects to the city.”
As a leader, Garrett worked collaboratively, sharing her vision with those she worked with. She also readily gave and received feedback.
“She was so personable,” Cook said. “When she would talk to people, she would really listen. She was someone everyone always wanted to be around.”
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Marie Lewis Garrett’s husband Steve Garrett, center, accepts a proclamation read by Mayor Jim Gilvin, left, and Steve Garrett Jr. right, during an Aug. 18 meeting.
Allison Tarpley, City Clerk
8 | Johns Creek Herald | September 18, 2025
Seasoned exec to open luxury real estate firm
NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A former president of the Atlanta Realtors Association, Bill Rawlings, is launching the metro area’s newest luxury real estate firm, Peachtree Town & Country.
The boutique brokerage is set to launch this fall with two flagship market centers, one in the heart of Buckhead and another in the North Fulton city of Alpharetta. The firm’s goal is to set a new standard for how high-net-worth clients experience buying and selling residential property. founder and CEO Rawlings is one of Atlanta’s most respected real estate executives, serving in leadership roles with Harry Norman Realtors, Jenny Pruitt & Associates and Sotheby’s International Realty, as well as his own firm, Rawlings Fine Homes.
“Atlanta deserves a new standard in real estate,” Rawlings said. “At Peachtree Town & Country, we’re building a culture of excellence that empowers our advisors and delivers a world-class experience for every client.”
Peachtree Town & Country is backed by an esteemed group of local investors,
including Brian Brasher, an Atlanta entrepreneur and co-founder of the multiplatinum band Creed and Pitch Hammer Music. Horst Schulze, legendary co-founder and former president and chief operating officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, will serve as Cultural Advisor, bringing his world-renowned service philosophy to guide the company’s culture and client experience.
“Excellence in real estate, like in hospitality, begins with service,” Schulze said. “At Peachtree Town & Country, we will bring the same standards that defined The Ritz-Carlton, ensuring every client experience is extraordinary.”
With over 25 years in Atlanta’s luxury real estate sector, Rawlings has overseen billions in residential sales, developed many of the city’s top-producing agents, and held senior leadership roles at multiple prestigious national brands.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society named him one of its National All-Star Visionary of the Year, and he continues to champion philanthropic causes.
Rawlings credits much of his inspiration to his late mentor and close friend, the late Jenny Pruitt, a legend in Atlanta real estate.
“Jenny’s wisdom shaped my career for more than 20 years,” Rawlings said. “Her legacy of integrity and generosity is at the core of what we’re building.”
Joining the leadership team is Chief Brand & Creative Officer Erica Jackson Weingart, with more than a decade of luxury real estate branding experience across North America.
“Our brand must be as distinctive as the properties we represent,” said Weingart. “I see my role as a true partner to our advisors, equipping them with cutting-edge creative resources and reimagining how they connect with clients through design, storytelling, and innovation.”
Peachtree Town & Country is now inviting confidential conversations with top-producing agent to become founding advisors, offering them an opportunity to help shape the company from the ground up.
— Hayden Sumlin
PEACHTREE TOWN & COUNTRY/PROVIDED Bill Rawlings is the founder and CEO of the new luxury real estate firm Peachtree Town & Country, with hubs in Atlanta’s Buckhead and Alpharetta.
Greater Perimeter Chamber
lists women’s award nominees
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Greater Perimeter Chamber announced the nominees for its 2025 Woman of Distinction Award, selected by their peers across the Dunwoody and Sandy Springs business community.
This year’s winner will be announced Oct. 22 during one of the Greater Perimeter Chamber’s Signature luncheons at the Sinclair Premier Event Venue off Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.
The first woman to win the award was former Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos. Last year’s winner, Clarissa Sparks, is an instructor for the Bank of America Institute for Women’s Entrepreneurship through Cornell University’s eCornell program.
The 2025 nominees include the dean of Perimeter College, the executive director of the one of the nation’s fastest growing theater companies, successful entrepreneurs building companies in their communities and directors of public companies.
This year’s keynote speaker is Atlanta broadcast journalism legend Monica Kaufman Peterson, known for her time as an anchor on Channel 2 Action News for WSB-TV.
Tickets to the 90-minute Signature Luncheon are $45 for GPC members and $65 for nonmembers. Sponsors include the Atlanta International School, Northside Hospital and Nothing Bundt Cakes.
2025 Woman of Distinction nominees:
• Emily Ritzler: WSP in the US
• Jill Post: Face Haven
• Julie-Ann Ried: Hines
• Bari S. Holmes: Pivotal PMG
• Laurie Adams: Certapro Painters of Dunwoody
• Dr. Mojgan Zare: Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition
• Jan Paul: Community activist (retired)
• Lauren Sok: Functionize Health and Physical Therapy
• Natalie DeLancey: City Springs Theatre Company
• Leandra Mabry: Atlanta Marriot Perimeter Center
• Katie Prellwitz: Leverage Communications
• Debbie Emery: Juvo Jobs
• Gloria Mattei: Nothing Bundt Cakes
• Barbara J. Johnson, Ph.D.: Perimeter College at Georgia State University
Subscri be to the Johns Creek Chamber’s weekly newsletter for valuable net working opportuni ties, chamber events, communi ty happenings, and much more – your gateway to staying ahead in our vi brant communi ty!
Cambridge ends with mixed results hosting volleyball tri-match
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga — Cambridge High School hosted a volleyball tri-match Sept. 11, ending with mixed success.
Parkview went 2-0, Cambridge split and Clarkston lost both matches.
Parkview drew the first two slots, against Cambridge first and then Clarkston. The first match was the most competitive of the day.
The first set resulted in Parkview surviving 25-18 as Cambridge dropped several balls finding their footing, but the Bears were not willing to go down easy.
The second set saw the Panthers with a 11-4 lead early. When the deficit got to nine later in the set, Cambridge went on a 4-0 run to shorten the gap.
Slowly but surely decreasing the deficit, the Bears went on a 5-0 run with the score at 24-19, evening the set for the first time.
A nail-biter to the end, an attack error by the Bears and a block by the Panthers sealed the sweep with a 28-26 final score.
Clarkston, lacking in height but not in heart, struggled in their first set against Parkview. Although the Angoras got out to a 3-0 lead off the bat, the Panthers quickly tied the score and went on to win the first set 25-8.
In the second set, Clarkston was more dominant and able to capitalize on several Panther errors. Freshman libero Chloe Evanculla served an ace and was able to dig some of Parkview’s stronger hitters.
Clarkston’s blockers Charmaine Jones and Asawer Yahya were also able to find moments of success going against hard hitters in Parkview’s Angie Chambry and Sydney Jackson.
Younger Bears got more minutes in the second match, swapping senior libero Audrey Lampa for sophomore Madelyn Radde. Radde was able to get in on the action with a kill in the second set against Clarkston.
Cambridge beat the Angoras 25-15 in the first set, then composed themselves for the biggest deficit of the night, only allowing Clarkston four points to the Bears’ 25.
Outside hitter/defensive specialist Keri Griffin logged two aces and 10 digs on the night. Don’t be fooled by her 5’1” stature, the sophomore has an eight-foot, eight-inch approach jump.
Major hops helped Griffin grab three block assists and nine kills. Griffin had a long stretch of serving against Clarkston, providing the consistency needed to keep the Bears on the right track.
Bears head coach Bri Bullock Evans said the roller coaster of a season has been on the upswing with all credit going to the players’ hard work.
“We have to set the tempo from the very beginning,” she said. “That comes from reassurance and preparation and a lot of getting their minds right. We rallied together, started to find our groove and then we just started playing with confidence.”
PHOTOS BY: ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Cambridge sophomore Keri Griffin spikes the volleyball past Parkview’s block at Cambridge High School Sept. 11. Griffin and the Bears lost to Parkview but beat Clarkston 2-0 later in the evening.
From left, Clarkston senior Soe Zaw, junior Paw Say and freshman Chloe Evanculla prepare to receive a serve at Cambridge High School Sept. 11. Clarkston went 0-2 at the tri-match.
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Northview freshman Deuce Johnson takes down St. Pius X sophomore Ryder O’Malley at St. Pius X High School Sept. 5. Johnson later grabbed the Titans’ only interception of the game.
St. Pius X blasts over Northview
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — St. Pius X improved to 3-0 Sept. 5 with a 56-21 gridiron win over the Northview Titans.
It was a tick upward for the Titans who lost last year’s matchup, 47-0.
Senior quarterback Dexter Mosley had a 19-yard rushing touchdown in St. Pius X’s ground-heavy offense. Running backs Scott Ivey II and Alex Nerbonne also scored on the Titans.
St. Pius X’s offense was steady down the stretch, and it didn’t hurt to get a rest when the Golden Lions defense made it to the end zone several times. The defense got their cardio for the day and then some.
The Golden Lions dominated the first half, scoring three touchdowns within nearly 20 seconds in the second quarter. The score at halftime was 42-7. The second half saw some of St. Pius X’s younger players get minutes with the starters sitting.
Golden Lions head coach Chad Garrison said the defense’s three touchdowns was the most he had seen in his 26 years of coaching. Two pick-sixes and a fumble recovery return made for an energized crowd.
After returning only a few starters from last season, Garrison said he has been impressed with the “growing up” the team has done so far to go 3-0.
“I’m very proud of our young men,” he said. “A lot of great hustle. They earned this win tonight by the way they’ve been working for the last couple of weeks.”
In the huddle after the game, defensive end coach Camden Wooden was pleased with how the team played with poise.
“When you pay attention to the little things, great things happen every time,” he said.
The Titans won their preseason game against Johns Creek, then kicked off their season with a nail-biting 21-17 loss to West Hall. Community members have said the new coaching staff has brought an athletic intensity hoping to match Northview’s academic rigor.
First-year head coach Mario Drayton has brought a renewed energy after a 1-9 season last year. Coming from McNair High School, where he broke a 24-game losing streak and a 17-year playoff drought, Drayton looks to revitalize another program at his second head coaching position.
Community members and students say Drayton has already been successful in stirring excitement about the program.
Junior wide receiver Cade Zeman pulled in two of the Titans’ touchdowns, and quarterback Drew Beane rushed for the third. Zeman leads Region 5 of Class 4A in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Beane threw 13-21 for 216 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Beane leads Region 5 of 4A in passing yards. The Titans have found success relying on the junior for offensive production.
Freshman Deuce Johnson was one of the strongest defensive backs, forcing multiple incomplete passes including the Titans’ one interception. Junior linebacker Wyatt Harper led the team in tackles with six solo and two assists. Senior Ghadi Sabra was another highlight of Northview’s defense, with five solo tackles and three assists.
Northview faces Marist at home Sept. 12. The Golden Lions will face off against Druid Hills on Sept. 11.
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK
Medlock Bridge Road at State Bridge Road Intersection Improvements and Trail Project
Public Information Open House October 2, 2025 6:00 PM
The community is invited to provide input on the Medlock Bridge Road (SR 141) at State Bridge Road intersection improvements and trail project at a Public Information Open House on Thursday, October 2, at 6:00 PM at City of Johns Creek, 11360 Lakefield Drive Johns Creek, GA 30097.
City staff will discuss recommendations for improvements to address traffic operations, pedestrian accommodations, and safety needs along Medlock Bridge Road at the Old Abama Road and State Bridge Road intersections. Residents will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the project. For those not able to attend in-person or online, meeting materials and an online comment form will be available on the city website.
Allison Tarpley, City Clerk
7506 Wilderness Parkway Big Canoe, GA 30143
Facts About Me
Breed: Terrier Mix
bigcanoeanimalrescue.org
706-268-1346
This is Buttercup!
Color: Brindle - (shorthair)
Age: 2 yrs old
Weight: (Current) – 45 lbs / Medium size
Sex: Female
My Info
Healthy / All Shots current / Good with dogs & children / Cats?? / Spayed & Chipped / Good walker / Affectionate, Sweet, Cuddly
My Story
Hi, my name is Buttercup.
Are you looking for a gentle, adorable, sweet girl? Well, here I am. I like car rides, playing in the park, going for walks and exploring the outdoors. If you have a small family or even one with some children, I’ll fit in perfectly. I have a happy disposition and lots of love to give you.. Stop looking and come meet me, I’ll warm your heart!
Forsyth County approves park project
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Outdoor enthusiasts are getting a new perspective on Forsyth County.
At its Sept. 4 meeting, the Forsyth County Commission progressed a project to give hikers access to the highest point in the county. The Barker Overlook project will provide visitors with a hike-in, hike-out trail to a mountaintop where, on a clear day, they can see as far as Brasstown Bald, Yonah Mountain, Dahlonega and Sharp Mountain.
Commissioners approved a $1.1 million contract with Vertical Earth for the project.
Located at the site of the former Barker “spaceship house” at Sawnee Mountain Preserve, the site will feature a picnic plaza, historical information about the house and educational signage about local geography.
Once dubbed the county’s most unique home, the Barker House was a flying-saucer-shaped residence designed by architect Jim Barker. Demolished in 2017, the house was located at an elevation of about 1,960 feet.
The county acquired the property, along with 12.8 acres, in 2003.
“This project continues the county’s commitment to expanding outdoor recreation opportunities while preserving the natural and cultural heritage of Forsyth County and honoring the legacy of Jim Barker,” said Russell Brown, director of Forsyth County’s Department of Communications.
Sawnee Mountain Preserve is less than a 10-minute drive north of Cumming and is host to about 30,000 visitors each year.
The preserve includes about 960 acres and has 11 miles of hiking trails, an amphitheater, picnic pavilions, a visitor center and a bird observatory. The preserve also hosts numerous activities, such as rock and tower climbing and zip-lining.
The preserve also hosts a vantage point known as the Indian Seats, which offers a breathtaking view of the county.
On Sept. 7, dozens hiked to the Indian Seats, taking in one of the most pleasantly cool afternoons in weeks.
Golden sunlight filtered through dense foliage onto the stone-studded dirt paths. The surprisingly quiet forest was punctuated by the occasional lonely cricket and gentle rustle of wind in treetops.
Cumming resident Ava Parson said she tries to make the trip to the preserve once a week. She loves sitting on the big rocks at the Indian Seats promontory and doing her Bible quiet time.
Forsyth County’s spaces like these were a “very important” part of why she decided to move to the area because
they help her connect with the natural environment, she said.
“Not everyone obviously has access to be able to come to spaces such as this,” she said.
Parson said she supports any projects that allow other residents to share the natural space she has learned to love.
“Anything that adds on to the accessibility for people to get up here, if that’s trails, restrooms, whatever makes it so that people feel more comfortable to bring their dogs or their kids up here, I’m for it,” she said.
Stacy Navarrete, a longtime resident of Cumming and graduate of Forsyth Central High School, said she has been coming to the park since she was a teen.
Navarette said she is surprised the park doesn’t get more visitors but also admits she likes it that way. She worries the new project may make the park too busy.
“I say keep everything the way that it is,” she said.
PHOTOS BY: JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Stacy Navarrete, Steven Russell, center, and Nico Russell enjoy a day at the Indian Seats vantage point at Sawnee Mountain Preserve Sept. 7.
Ava Parson reads her Bible on a rock at the Indian Seats at Sawnee Mountain Preserve Sept. 7.
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OPINION
Life in an isolating world has some (fun) solutions
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
One of the biggest challenges today, in my opinion, is to live some version of an engaged, connected, grounded and nourishing life – in big ways or small. It is a recurrent theme in my columns. Our worlds are too full of white noise, digital dribble, shallow or worthless distractions, rampant and really sad materialism –$200-$300,000 cars and multimilliondollar second or third beach or mountain homes, video/streaming vomit and other time-stealing, time-consuming unproductive and in the long run, debilitating crap – in my opinion.
Yea, I know, say what you really feel, Ray.
So now, I am going to proceed to talk out of both sides of my mouth.
Redemption via geocache
I was driving back to my house this morning after having checked stage two of my most recent three-stage geocache hide – a sort of hide-andseek treasure hunting activity – which I named “Cellulose Alpha Loop Cache.” “Cellulose” is sort of my moniker that I used when naming my geocache hides. My next hide that I am working on will be called “Cellulose Key Lime Pie Cache.” There is a reason.
That Alpha Loop cache went live
yesterday – worldwide – because geocaching is web-based. Last night, I got a direct message from geocacher GeoMonkeyTiger!, who was trying to find my hide, telling me that he couldn’t find stage two. He is trying to be the “first to find” for this new cache – which is a big deal in the geocache world. I double checked stage two an hour ago. It is still there, so I messaged him that he just missed it. He needs to go back and look a little harder.
I won’t go into further details other than – for the benefit of those of you not familiar with geocaching – it is like a web-based scavenger hunt that started in San Francisco/Oregon in 2000. Some people like to make the hides; some enjoy the search for them; some/most do both. The hides contain nothing of value; the hunt is the point. Adults play. Kids play. The rich play. The poor play. Republicans play, and Democrats play. It’s free. It gets you outdoors – looking, observing, thinking, and – perhaps most importantly –slowing down. You discover places that amaze you – that are right in your own backyard, that you never knew. You meet people out doing the same thing you are doing. It is usually an instant bond to a degree. It’s challenging. It’s fun – lots of fun.
Today, there are over 3 million hidden geocaches world-wide. This web-based scavenger hunt is in every state and almost every city and in 90 percent of all the countries around the world.
Alpharetta alone probably has a couple hundred hides. Some people go on geocache vacations, traveling state to state hunting geocaches. Many folks will get together with a friend or two on a weekend to see how many hides they can find. Many geocachers have well over 20,000 finds! There is this underground thing going on folks!
Go to Wikipedia for a brief overview (by Googling “Geocaching”). Then you can go to the main website: Geocaching.com to get started.
Two chocolate retrievers
On my way home from checking the stage two of my cache, I stopped at the red light by the American Legion in Alpharetta. An oldish man was crossing the street walking two chocolate labs. Their muzzles were turning white. His hair had already turned. The three of them were there waiting then, together they walked in unison through the crosswalk to the other side of Wills Road.
As I watched I thought – for just a few seconds before the light changed back (but it felt like a lifetime) – about all the times together they surely have had – where they have been; how many walks taken together; how much their companionship has meant; where they were going and where they started. Then the light changed.
When I got home, a friend of ours from Ft. Lauderdale was already there. He was road-tripping with Charlie – his part Jack Russel/part Chihuahua terri-
er. We used to work with him in another lifetime at The Miami Herald. He was coming for dinner and to catch up. Old ties endure. He is driving “out west.” His next stop is New Orleans then onto Vegas to the “Sphere” to see the reworked version of The Wizard of Oz – a play I think, along the lines maybe of Cirque du Solei. His itinerary looks wonderful, fun, and nourishing –just Ken and Charlie – not in the least hurry.
I wouldn’t have been at that intersection to see those chocolate labs had I not been coming back from my geocache. I would not have appreciated Ken’s visit quite as much had I not seen the man and his labs. As trivial geocaching sounds – hunting for trinkets hidden in film canisters, bottles, ammo boxes and the like – it is the real deal, the real “life in the moment” space.
In today’s world, we have choices, lots of them. Embrace wonder. Be curious, not judgmental. Seek out bright colors and mysteries in nature. Listen to trees growing and watch leaves as they convert sunlight into sugar and energy, then pass it on through their underground railroad, natures mycelial networks of fungal colonies and root systems that can reach for miles underground. It’s all there if you slow down and look!
Maybe go geocaching. Learn. Thrive. Experience. In person; but not with screens.
Don’t stop believing: Homeownership may be within grasp
This week’s inspiration comes from Journey’s 1981 anthem, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
For many firsttime homebuyers, the song’s title captures both the challenge and the hope of entering today’s housing market. While the down payment has traditionally been viewed as the biggest hurdle, the reality in 2025 is different: the true obstacle is the monthly payment.
As noted in last week’s column, the return of no-down-payment programs has lowered one barrier to entry. Yet the recurring cost of carrying a mortgage—not the upfront cash—is what keeps many renters on the sidelines.
Consider a recent client of mine.
Like countless first-time buyers, they had successfully saved enough for the minimum down payment. In fact, the funds required were comparable to the cost of moving into a new rental: first month’s rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit. What stood in the way was not liquidity — it was the affordability of the monthly obligation.
Here’s where strategy matters. Many sellers today are quick to reduce asking prices, hoping to entice buyers. But I advised my client to take a different approach. On a $450,000 property, instead of chasing a lower sales price, we negotiated for a 3 percent seller concession to permanently buy down the interest rate.
The math is striking. A small reduction in sales price barely moves the monthly mortgage figure. But a concession applied to interest-rate buydowns produces immediate and
lasting relief — often hundreds of dollars per month. That difference is tangible; it shifts affordability from theoretical to real. In my client’s case, the deal closed successfully, and they stepped into homeownership with a payment structure they could confidently manage.
This outcome underscores a broader truth in today’s market. Price cuts may grab headlines, but they don’t solve the pain point most buyers feel day to day. Affordability is not about the sticker price — it’s about the monthly check that leaves a household’s bank account. Rate buydowns, concessions and creative structuring directly address this core anxiety.
For industry professionals — lenders, realtors, and builders alike — the lesson is clear. To unlock first-time buyer demand, we must pivot from price-driven conversations to payment-driven solu -
tions. Every dollar in savings that lowers the recurring monthly cost builds confidence, expands eligibility, and reopens the path to ownership.
So, to the would-be buyers watching from the sidelines: Don’t stop believing. The headlines may emphasize high rates and affordability challenges, but opportunities still exist for those willing to explore new strategies. With the right approach, homeownership may be closer than you think.
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.
D.C. AIKEN Guest Columnist dcaiken.com
GARDEN BUZZ
Why fig trees have a place in your home landscape
Every homeowner can benefit by having a fig tree as part of their landscape garden. There are several reasons to consider growing at least one tree in your garden area. The fig tree, steeped in history, is easy to start and maintain, provides a shady canopy from the hot summer sun and provides good tasting, nutritious fruit for your family and friends.
An attractive addition to your home landscape: Fig trees beautify your landscape from spring to late fall. These naturally fast-growing trees, located optimally in your landscape, will provide an eye-catching focal point in your yard. A typical tree can grow from 10 to 30+ feet and provide welcome relief as a natural shade to deck areas or near your home with its large, majestic leaves.
Easy to grow and maintain: Regardless of your expertise as a gardener, fig trees are relatively easy to grow. The Atlanta area’s warm, humid summers and mild winters are perfect for fig trees. They adapt well to our soil types and are able to withstand periods of drought, which makes them low maintenance throughout the year. In optimal conditions, the trees will grow significantly, and you may elect to prune yearly to allow easy access to all the fruit produced. It’s best to prune them when they are dormant in the late winter or early spring.
Figs are also easy to propagate. If you already have a tree in your yard or a friend/neighbor has one that you admire, you can easily start another by cutting a branch during growth and placing in a container or layering a branch on the ground until it creates its own roots.
Healthy and tasty fruit: An added benefit that enhances the natural beauty of this tree is that it can provide phenomenal and bountiful fruit during the summer and fall months with very little effort on your part. In the proper growing location, you can harvest multiple pounds of this sweet signature fruit. The fruit can be eaten fresh or used to make dried fruit and jam (my favorite). In a typical year, I was able to process over 100 jars of fig jam, even after allowing friends, neighbors, birds, squirrels, bees, wasps and other yard visitors to partake in the fruit from a single tree. Getting started: For optimal outcomes and bountiful fruit production, it is recommended you plant the tree
in an area with full sun and well-drained soil. It is recommended that you have the soil tested for nutrients through your local Extension office. While you have a plethora of types of fig trees to choose from, there are specific varieties that thrive in our area: Celeste, Concordia, Hardy Chicago and more. Check out
the UGA Extension publication, “Home Garden Figs,” for a list of varieties recommended for Georgia. My favorite is Italian White, which produces large, light-skinned, sweet fruit. It is recommended that you select a plant from your local garden retailer that is selfpollinating, so you are not dependent on the microscopic wasp in the family Agaonide to ensure proper fruit production.
Find an optimal location for your tree that is near your house (or wall) with southern exposure that will have plenty of morning and afternoon full light exposure. Fig trees thrive when they have a wall for structural support, as they are not a hardwood fruit tree. Alternatively, you can start your tree in a container while you determine the best location for your yard. Moreover, figs can be a container plant if you do not have the ability to plant in-ground or want to contain their growth. Here’s hoping you can FIGure it out.
Happy Gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https://www.appenmedia.com/opinion/columnists/garden_buzz/.
About the author
This week's "Garden Buzz" features Sandy Springs resident Jerry Veltri, an active gardener in the Atlanta area for over 30 years. Jerry is a recent member of the UGA Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program. He spends most of his time supporting Master Gardener Extension Volunteer efforts at Lost Corner Preserve.
JERRY VELTRI Guest Columnist
PHOTOS BY JERRY VELTRI/PROVIDED
Mature fig tree
Harvested figs—the ‘fruits’ of your labor
The history and future of polo in Alpharetta
BOB MEYERS Columnist
Those familiar with the sport of polo are aware of the Chukkar Farm in Alpharetta, founded by Jack Cashin (1926-2019) and his wife Helen (19252014) in 1980. Noted for its beautiful setting with pastures, woods and creeks, the property includes a polo field, a covered outdoor special events feature and facilities for horses. The property was 110 acres when the Cashins bought it. It had been a cattle ranch beginning in the 1930s.
After Jack’s death operations were maintained by the family until it was put up for sale. By then, the property was 70 acres. In May 2025, Kristen Colby and her father Ken Millen purchased the property. They plan to continue the polo and special events that made the Chukkar Farm so successful.
Polo is one of the world’s oldest team sports. Its origins date back to the 6th century BC in Persia, now Iran. It started as a game to train cavalry, with up to 100 players on each side. Over time, it was adopted by the gentry and royalty and spread to the Far East. In the 1860s, it was introduced to England by British cavalry officers.
Polo is normally played with two teams of four players on a grass field and is played professionally in 16 countries. An outdoor field is huge, 300 yards long by 160 yards wide, equal in square feet to about nine football fields.
The game is played in segments, each called a chukker. The purpose of dividing the game into chukkers is to provide both horses and players time to rest. There are six chukkers in a game, each lasting 6 minutes, 30 seconds. Note that the spelling of chukker is slightly different from the spelling of Chukkar Farm, possibly a marketing decision by Jack Cashin.
The Alpharetta polo field is not official size. It is 225 yards by 125 yards because, from the beginning, Jack sought to teach novice players the joys of the sport.
Jack was a most amazing fellow. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he served two years during World War ll in the U.S. Army Air Corps training as a pilot. However, the war ended before he was deployed overseas, so he enrolled at Colgate University. He worked for Business Week Magazine as their advertising director in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sometime in the 1960s, he decided to start his own publication, Dare magazine, which was distributed nationwide and was particularly popular on college campuses. It lasted about six years according to his son Jason. As publisher, Jack felt obliged to take part in daring activities. He tried his hand at skydiving, race car driving and racing sailboats, for example.
He came to Georgia in 1973 where he and Helen started Cashin’s Place, a chain of six restaurants. They were particularly successful at Merchant’s Walk in East Cobb and Cumberland Mall where it was one of the original tenants when the mall opened in 1973. Jack ran for the U.S. Senate as a Libertarian in 1996 and for governor in 1998 and 2016.
Three of Jack’s children lived on the farm and raised their families there. Jason Cashin bought 10 acres from his father in the 1990s and raised a son on the farm. Jason says he is “glad the purchasers of the property plan to maintain it and fix it up properly.”
Kristen Colby is also quite amazing. In 2021 she bought a run down but very historic house in Alpharetta, and after several years of sweat and tears, brought it back to life magnificently. I wrote a column about the house in
Kristen Colby, new owner of Chukkar Farm and Polo Club, is shown with an Argentine Thoroughbred polo pony. Even though they are called polies, they are not small. They must be quick and agile, able to turn quickly and to not be afraid to bump into other horses. Their tails are braided to ensure they do not interfere with play.
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
People can learn to play polo at a young age at the Chukkar Farm in Alpharetta. The game is played by two opposing teams of four mounted players. Scoring is done by using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small, hard plastic ball through the opposing team's goal. The game usually lasts one to two hours, divided into periods called chukkers.
July 2023. The house will be on this year’s annual Milton Tour of Homes in September.
Kristen’s dad Ken Millen will manage the polo property. He knows how to run a business with his background in technology and human resources. A graduate of Georgia Tech, he was an executive with several major companies before retiring, including IBM and Sears Roebuck. Operations continue even while Kristen and Ken refine
the annual Down and Derby fundraising event hosted by Children’s Healthcare of
at
Farm on May 3, 2025.
plans for the future. They will maintain the property’s focus on polo and will do some necessary repair work. They will continue to emphasize charitable work, for example, the annual Down and Derby fundraising event hosted by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. They will host entertainment programs and will board horses, and of course will continue polo instruction and games from April through October.
“We are excited to be stewards of Chukkar Farm, to connect the past legacy of the Cashin family farm with its future as we create memories with old and new friends from the community,” Kristen says.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA
FAMILY PHOTO
Jason Cashin (Jack’s son), Ken Millen and Kristen Colby, are pictured at
Atlanta
Chukkar
Football:
Continued from Page 1
“Our biggest thing is continuing to try to build our guys as young men first and foremost,” he said. “Our boys played hard, they met the challenge and came out with a win. That’s the most important thing.”
Knights running back/safety Kamron Hudson credited his offensive line in the win.
“The team has really bought in and built onto the foundation,” he said. “We fought hard tonight.”
Hudson made it to the end zone in the beginning of the second quarter and grabbed the Knights’ only interception of the first half.
Senior Emory Smith and sophomore Junior Howard logged the other two picks for Centennial, both in the third quarter. The Knights’ defense stifled the Cougars in that period as Chattahoochee tried to gather momentum trailing by two scores.
Junior Atticus Cordes was a force for the defense, active in stopping the Cougars’ drive both inside and outside.
Centennial’s defense was solid down the stretch, even including one touchdown by middle linebacker Brayden Roberson following a blocked punt.
Unforced incompletions were the story of the night for the Cougars. Chattahoochee fans found themselves imagining how differently the game may have turned out without five incompletes behind the line of scrimmage by senior captain Justin Wilson.
The Cougars struggled even without a defender within 2 yards at times.
Chattahoochee cornerback Bryce
School Sept. 12. After an injury to the
The senior class in outside linebacker Laolu Oguntola and middle linebacker Hyatt Cox led the defense with multiple key tackles.
Junior Bryce Henry was a bright
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2025, AT 7:00 P.M.
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONday, OCTOBER 20, 2025, AT 7 :00 P.M.
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS 11360 LAKEFIELD DRIVE, JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA 30097
The following Land Use Petition is scheduled for public hearings:
LAND USE PETITION:
spot for the Cougars, starting at quarterback despite his background as a running back. Playing special teams, offense and defense, Henry forms a pillar of the Cougars program. He scored
final touchdown. Centennial will have a bye next week, facing Chapel Hill High on Sept. 26. Chattahoochee takes on the Milton Eagles Sept. 19.
SUP-25-0001, VC-25-0002, VC-25-0003 & VC-25-0004
LOCATION: 10505, 10509 and 10625 Jones Bridge Road
PETITIONER: Duane Wood, RDW Real Estate Company, LLC
CURRENT ZONING: AG-1 (Agricultural District) PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Special Use Permit to allow for a 22,500 square-foot church building, with three concurrent variances:
1) VC-25-0002: Reduce the 100-foot building setback to 50 feet along the west property line.
2) VC-25-0003: Allow temporary grading and land disturbance within the 25-foot undisturbed buffer and 10-foot improvement setback along the west property line.
3) VC-25-0004: Reduce the 50-foot undisturbed buffer and 10-foot improvement setback to 20-foot undisturbed buffer along the rear property line.
Chattahoochee’s
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Henry (No. 5) closes in on Centennial’s AJ Hatton in the backfield at Centennial High
Knights’ starting quarterback, Hatton led Centennial to a 32-16 win over the Cougars.
Broderick:
Continued from Page 1
Broderick, who has served in Johns Creek since the city’s founding, was a firefighter in New York City at the time. His address was the first time he has spoken publicly about his experiences.
Like every other American who was alive on Sept. 11, 2001, Broderick remembers the day vividly, he said.
“It's not easy getting up here, talking about something that I will never forget,” he said.
Broderick remembers the day as a bright, clear, beautiful morning if not for the thick smoke from the World Trade Center that blocked out the sun.
“The acrid smoke was choking. The despair and the looks on people. They were sitting on every street corner, begging for myself and my crew to try and find their loved one,” he said. “That’s something that will stay with you.”
In the aftermath of the attacks, hundreds of flyers appeared in the city with photos and information about missing friends and family. The images have become one of Sept. 11’s most poignant symbols of the loss suffered that day.
Broderick, who had extensive firefighting training, said he felt powerless to the scope of the violence.
He was given the task of examining
countless photos of the scene and circling human remains for identification.
“You can’t wrap your head around that,” he said. “I hope you have more 9/12s than 9/11s.”
Hundreds of firefighters, police officers and other first responders were dispatched to the World Trade Center im-
Lane:
Continued from Page 3
Councilman Chris Coughlin questioned whether the city should fund bike lanes in addition to the path. He said a path could be used by cyclists, saving the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Most cyclists prefer riding on paths, he said.
“I want people to ride bikes,” Coughlin said. “I just don’t want to build a trail and bike lanes.”
Councilman Larry Dibiase pushed
mediately following the attack. More than 300 firefighters were killed in the towers’ collapse with many more succumbing to related illnesses in the years that followed.
Many others have lived with psychological wounds from their experiences.
During the service, speakers asked members of the audience to thank first
responders for the price paid on Sept. 11 and continual service to their communities.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, after Broderick left the stage, about a dozen community members approached.
“Thank you for your service,” many said.
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED Plans call for transportation improvements along 1.5 miles of Barnwell Road.
back, saying restricting cyclists to a pathway with pedestrians would prevent
many from riding as they like. He said the city’s policy recommends building dedicated cycling lanes when possible. The restriction also would jeopardize the city’s pursuit of bike-friendly initiatives.
“I can promise you that cyclists, they are going to want asphalt,” DiBiase said. “The concrete is just not a place to ride bicycles at 15 miles an hour, minimum.”
Councilman Bob Erramilli agreed.
Johns Creek is home to numerous serious cyclists, he said. On many Saturday mornings, scores of them can be seen on Ga. 141.
Those cyclists too often travel to Roswell to get their rides in, Erramilli said.
“I bike a lot. We just do not like to bike on (paths),” he said.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
A color guard marches through a pavilion where a 9/11 ceremony was held at Newtown Park Sept. 11
DC Aiken
Big Sky Franchise Team
David & Michelle Bertany
Amour & Duane Carthy
Corder
Barbara Anderson
Kerry Arias
Scott Baynton
Joseph Bell
Rita Brown
Carl Abernathy
Bruce Ackley
Salpi Adrouny
Alpharetta Lions Club
Omar Altalib
Dave Altman
Ron Altman
Joel Alvis
American Legion Post 201
Alice & Dr. Richard Appen
Gaye Armstrong
Mary Asbury
Bangkok Boxing LLC
Shannon Banna
Beth Barnes
Janet Bass
Caitlin Bates
Jannet Bauer
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Education Manager
The Education Manager is responsible for coordinating the educational activities ranging from formal classroom to on-line programs, and workshops. Programming includes ESL, GED, Workforce Development and Financial Support events for families working toward financial stability. The Education Manager supervises NFCC team members within the program department including the Sr. Education Specialist, Workforce Development Coordinator and contract ESL Instructors.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in Adult Education or other relevant field and 3 years’ experience in a non-profit program manager role or other relevant experience, we’d love to hear from you.
Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Mechanical Design Engineer. Designing engines by using SolidWorks. Prepare assembly & part level drawing for production, prepare nesting files. Perform quality checks; Gather historical data , analyze for design updates. Mold flow analysis, maintain project database. Responsible for making modeling & detailing of different types of casting, forging, sheet metal components of engine assembly. Work with engine cross functional team, component validation, proto test, noise test, engine tests, fuel consumption test and component release process. Work on concept design, cost optimization, large assembly, create manufacturing drawing. Create 3D CAD models.
Reqd: MS in Mechanical Eng +1 yr of exp or BS in Mech Eng +5 yrs of exp. Job Location: Alpharetta, GA. Contact: Jaydu LLC, 5975, Shiloh Road, Ste 114, Alpharetta, GA 30005
Renesas Electronics America Inc., in Johns Creek, GA is in need of: Staff Electrical Engr (BS0525) Resp for proposing, architecting, & designing RTL in Verilog for use in a mixed signal integrated circuit. Refer to job#. Apply: us-hr-staffing@dm.renesas.com
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty seeks a Senior Financial Analyst in Alpharetta, GA to conduct development and modeling statistical data analysis. Telecommuting permitted. $81,818.18-$141,818.18 May apply at www.jobpostingtoday.com /Ref #99123
Administrative and HR Coordinator
The Administrative & HR Coordinator provides comprehensive administrative support to the President and essential human resources functions to the Vice President of People and Culture. This dual role combines executive administrative duties including board meeting preparation, correspondence management, and event coordination with HR responsibilities such as recruitment support, benefits administration, and employee record maintenance.
The Administrative & HR Coordinator takes initiative, can multi-task and remain very organized. The role requires exceptional organizational skills, discretion with confidential information, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
If you have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, human resources or another relevant field, at least two years of administrative experience and enjoy project management and coordination, we’d love to hear from you!
Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Truck Driver
NFCC is seeking a Truck Driver (Donor Operations Services Associate II) to join our Facilities team. Our Truck Driver collects scheduled donations from businesses, residential locations, and special events while serving as a key point of contact for donors to coordinate pickup appointments. As the face of NFCC during donor interactions, this role requires maintaining a professional and a welcoming presence that reflects the organization’s values. Additionally, this position contributes to facility maintenance operations as needed.
The Truck Driver works Monday through Friday 9am – 2pm and periodically on Saturdays or Sundays for special events.
If you have 1-2 years of Box Truck delivery experience, maintain a valid Ga Driver’s License free of any traffic violations for the past 3 years and enjoy providing excellent customer service, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
NFCC is seeking an Evening ESL Contractor Instructor to teach English classes through our Adult Education program, serving students throughout North Fulton and surrounding counties. Our ESL Program runs three sessions annually, with comprehensive lessons covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, along with regular assessments to track student progress.
We’re looking for an instructor who is available to teach evening classes. The ideal candidate will be committed to maintaining strong enrollment of at least ten students per class and who can create an engaging learning environment that supports adult learners in achieving their English language goals.
If you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in TESL, TESOL, English with a TESL certificate, linguistics or applied linguistics with a TESL certificate, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Remote/part-time/flexible/contract work for seasoned accountants/bookkeepers. Non-Profit/ForProfit Clients. QBO and payroll expertise required. Sue@playbook-cloud.com
TAX PREPARER ASSISTANT: Experience required. Flexible hours. Lacerte software experience helpful. admin@skbcpas.com
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ESL Contractor Instructor (Evening)
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