North Fulton cities sign amicus brief supporting Milton
Ruling in wrongful death suit could ripple across the state
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Municipalities across the state are again signing amicus briefs as the case of Chang v. City of Milton remains on remand from the state Supreme Court.
It’s been nearly 10 years since Josh Chang died after striking a concrete planter on the shoulder of Batesville Road in Milton. His family sued the city for wrongful death in Fulton County Superior Court, and a jury found the city liable on theories of negligence and nuisance.
The trial court found that Milton's sovereign immunity – the legal doctrine that shields governments from lawsuits – had been waived because the city had a ministerial duty to maintain its streets and the planter was located within the public right-of-way.
See AMICUS, Page 27
Mothers, sons form team to refurbish headstones
► PAGE 4
Milton approves moratorium on data center developments
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — Milton enacted a moratorium on data center applications June 15 to allow city staff time to draft possible amendments to the Unified Development Code addressing the developments.
The 30-day moratorium will allow the City Council to host a public hearing in early July to weigh possible regulations.
“The idea is to be able to make sure that we’re prepared should we receive an application,” City Attorney Ken Jarrard said.
The City Council approved the decision unanimously with council members Juliette Johnson and Carol Cookerly absent.
The action comes two weeks after resident Dr. Cameron Howard raised concerns about Milton’s lack of a policy surrounding data centers and specifically asked that the city implement a moratorium at the council’s first meeting in June.
Howard said he would not like to see Milton’s remaining land bought and turned into a data center. He expressed worry over the effect data centers have on the power and water supply.
“A lot of times with new infrastruc-
ture comes spreading the cost amongst many users, and that would affect many of us,” Howard said.
Georgia is among the top five states with the most data centers with around 200. Currently, the closest data center to Milton is in Alpharetta on a 14-acre site on Union Hill Road.
Also at the meeting, City Council members approved an intergovernmental agreement with Alpharetta to allow inmates with municipal and state charges to be housed at the Alpharetta Jail Facility.
See DATA, Page 26
HANNAH YAHNE/APPEN MEDIA
City Attorney Ken Jarrard, far right, explains to the Milton City Council the intent behind implementing a moratorium on data centers. The measure was approved at the June 18 meeting.
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Roswell Fire performs water rescue in creek
ROSWELL, Ga. — A family’s hiking trip on the National Park Service side of Vickery Creek ended in a water rescue June 4 after a child became stranded on a steep embankment.
Emergency dispatch received a call before 12:30 p.m. reporting a 6-yearold girl had fallen into the water and could no longer be seen. Another adult had gone to help locate her.
When units arrived, the caller was able to point out the two on the opposite side of the stream.
Personnel swam across the river to reach them on a steep embankment near the dam. Supporting units used an inflatable rescue boat to take the
POLICE BLOTTER
All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
Driver cited with fleeing after leaving ID behind
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 20-year-old Atlanta man, who left his driver’s license behind during a traffic stop, was charged after he eluded officers June 4.
CUSTOM FRAMING
Police said an Alpharetta officer was monitoring Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office radio chatter when he heard that a black Mercedes Benz had fled from a traffic stop. During the pursuit with deputies, the car allegedly collided with and disabled a deputy’s vehicle.
The officer began watching for the car on southbound lanes of Ga. 400 near Old Milton Parkway.
The officer began pursuing the Mercedes when it passed him. The car allegedly sped to more than 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic.
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child back across the river where she was evaluated by medics and found without injury.
The adult asked to be reunited with her other child and dog waiting by the river. Using ropes and webbing, crews helped the family back up to the established trail system.
All operations were completed without incident.
The Roswell Fire Department posted about the incident on Facebook, reminding trail users to stay on the designated trails and wear life jackets if in or around the water.
— Hannah Yahne
The car allegedly evaded stop sticks by driving on the shoulder, reaching speeds in excess of 120 mph.
Alpharetta officers discontinued the pursuit but charged the man using his driver’s license, which was left with Forsyth County deputies.
Alpharetta officers charged him with fleeing a police officer and reckless driving.
— Jon Wilcox
Retailer reports theft of gaming consoles
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Six video game consoles were reported stolen from an Alpharetta department store June 1.
Alpharetta officers were dispatched to the North Point Parkway business about 2:30 p.m.
A loss prevention employee told police a man grabbed six of the gaming devices and left without paying. Employees said the man left in a black SUV.
Loss prevention staff later determined the suspect was a 45-year-old Atlanta man.
The devices were valued at a total of $1,800.
ROSWELL FIRE DEPARTMENT/PROVIDED Personnel with the Roswell Fire Department paddle an inflatable rescue boat across Vickery Creek after performing a swift water rescue operation June 4 to remove a 6-yearold girl from a steep embankment.
The incident was classified as a felony shoplifting.
— Jon Wilcox
Deputies seek suspect in residential burglary
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Thousands in cash and jewelry were reported stolen in a home burglary June 6.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to a Shiloh Drive home after a 35-year-old Cumming woman noticed the door smashed in. The woman had been dogsitting for the home’s owners.
Two piggy banks were smashed, and $3,800 was missing.
In the master bedroom, a nightstand’s drawers had been opened. Jewelry valued at a total of $4,000 and additional money were taken.
The woman said she had seen a suspicious man in a reflective vest driving by and knocking on the door. The incident was classified as a felony forced burglary of a home.
— Jon Wilcox
R ed , White andYOU !
Friday, July 3 9am-12pm
Walking Parade starts at 9:45am, Water Attractions open at 10:00am
Broadwell Pavilion 12615 Broadwell Road
Join us this Independence Day at Broadwell Pavilion for a celebration where YOU are the star of the show! Dress yourself, your kids, your wagons, scooters, bikes, and even your leashed pets in the most festive red, white, and blue gear you can find, and parade with pride! We're giving out awesome prizes for the best patriotic outfits and decorations. But that's not all! After the parade, cool off with our water attractions from 10 AM to 12 PM! Bring a towel and a bathing suit. Let’s make America’s 250th birthday bash the most unforgettable one yet! Mark your calendars and bring your festive spirit –we can’t wait to see you there!
Mothers, sons form team to clean church headstones
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — Mothers and sons got to work scrubbing headstones at the Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church June 13 in a service project with the Alpharetta and Old Milton Historical Society.
It’s the second year that the historical society has partnered with the local chapter of the Young Men’s Service League for the clean-up.
Jim Farris, co-founder of the Milton Historical Society, said the 14 volunteers all seemed to really enjoy the work.
“It fosters relationships between them and their mothers … and it is also a good charitable-type thing for them to do,” Farris said.
The Young Men’s Service League brings together moms and their teenage sons to grow their relationship while volunteering. Altogether, volunteers cleaned 16 gravestones, scrubbing them until the names showed.
The Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical societies combined in 1980 and were officially re-incorporated as it is today in 1994. The nonprofit plays an active role in preserving artifacts and historical information related to Alpharetta and what once was Milton County.
“It’s a preservation of our society and our town … and a respect for the institutions and people who came before us,” Farris said. “… And actually, it’s beautifying our society.”
OKSANA SOLOVEI/PROVIDED
Volunteers with the Young Men’s Service League assemble to clean headstones in the cemetery at Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church June 13. The work was part of a service project with the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society.
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Pro basketball players practice, visit with kids at Alpharetta gym
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Days before their first game of the Big3 league, professional athletes with the LA Riot took the court with youth basketball campers at Shoot 360 on Old Roswell Road in Alpharetta.
The 3 v. 3 basketball team is captained by 8-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard who lives in the area. Fellow players include former NBA players Jordan Crawford, Kosta Koufos and professionals Billy Preston and Chris Allen.
The team visited with participants of Halftime Sports, the City of Milton’s official youth basketball program partner, to speak with players and give them some tips the second week of June.
“Experience is the best teacher,” Howard said. “And now, I just want to take my experiences and leave a lasting impression with the kids to where they believe that they can basically do anything they put their minds to.”
Not only is Shoot 360 where his son plays basketball, but Howard partnered with the gym’s coaches to start DH12, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) travel league for boys and girls in sixth and seventh grade.
“We really want to have life-lasting friendships, relationships but also bonds that are deeper than basketball,” Howard said.
Seeing kids at the gym enjoy the sport and work hard to improve was inspiring, he said.
“It just reminded me of myself when I was young trying to find a way and have this dream of making it to the NBA,” Howard said.
Howard spent 18 seasons in the NBA after being the No. 1 draft pick straight out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. Throughout his career, Howard became an NBA champion in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers and earned a spot in the NBA Hall of Fame.
“Even if you don’t make it in that sport of basketball, it can teach you so much about life,” Howard said. “And I want to be that catalyst or that person to kind of bring some change or move the needle in the right direction with our kids.”
Pre-season practice
Howard brought the team to Alpharetta for practice 10 days before LA Riot’s season begins against Miami 305 on June 20.
This is Howard’s second year as captain of the LA Riot, one of the eight teams playing in the Big3 basketball league that launched in 2017.
Some players, like Preston and Koufos, had been playing overseas and are returning for the summer season in the states.
Preston set the goal last summer to play in the Big3 league and put himself in every position to get drafted. After joining the LA Riot, Preston went from watching Howard and Crawford to sharing the court with them.
HANNAH YAHNE/APPEN MEDIA
Former NBA player Dwight Howard dribbles toward the hoop during practice with the LA Riot team at Shoot 360 in Alpharetta June 10.
Fulton Schools adopts budget with $57 million deficit
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County Board of Education formalized adoption of a $2.3 billion budget for 2026-27 after receiving an updated financial report at its June 11 work session.
The district still faces a $56.9 million deficit when balancing revenues against expenditures and expects to use around 20 percent of this year’s remaining fund balance to cover the gap. Despite tapping into the fund balance, Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef estimates reserves will rest at more than $233 million by the end of Fiscal Year 2027.
When Fulton Schools began budget preparations, staff initially projected a much bigger deficit.
“Despite significant financial pressures, including inflationary impacts, rising employment benefit costs and enrollment declines … the district successfully reduced an initial projected budget gap of approximately $95 million down to $57 million while maintaining core services,” Dereef said.
Fulton County Schools used
its G.L.I.D.E. initiative, which started last year, to find costsaving opportunities and revenuegenerating strategies without disrupting student services.
Changes for the 2026-27 school year include ensuring high school students remain enrolled full-time to gain an additional $1.2 million in funding. There will also be a district-wide furlough day, which will shorten next year’s instructional calendar by one day and save the county around $4.5 million.
Superintendent Mike Looney praised the budget saying that, while it is conservative, it will allow the district to continue meeting the needs of students.
Changes since tentative approval
Fulton County Schools has received additional revenue sources that required altering the budget that was tentatively approved in May.
The district’s general fund budget projected revenues remain hovering above $1.4 billion – a decrease of around 1.7 percent from the current year. The general fund covers day-today operating expenses, like salaries, student services and transportation.
This year, nearly 80 percent is allocated directly to schools.
One bit of good news is that revenues increased after Fulton County Schools was awarded a $4.4 million Schools Safety and Security Grant from the state. However, that bonus will be partially offset by the decrease in local fair share taxes that the district will receive from the Georgia Department of Education.
Because of the grant funding and additional hirings related to career, technical and agricultural education, the district’s general fund expenditures increased by $4.6 million.
Expenses are still projected to exceed general fund revenues by roughly $55 million which Dereef said will be covered using the district’s remaining fund balance.
“These changes do not represent staffing reductions or significant program changes,” Dereef said. “They are refinements intended to ensure resources are aligned with district priorities and available funding sources.”
Awaiting the tax digest
As the Board of Education awaits the final tax digest from Fulton
County, local revenue projections stand at $891 million. Dereef anticipates receiving the county’s tax digest in the coming days.
The digest represents all taxable property within the county and is updated each year.
Once Fulton Schools gets the tax digest, board members will begin to discuss the millage rate on property and host public hearings.
Fulton County Schools has held a millage rate of 17.08 for the past two years which is the lowest by more than 1 mill compared to surrounding school districts.
A school millage rate is a property tax that collects $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property values and specifically allocated toward funding school districts’ operations, salaries and facility maintenance.
Since last year, Fulton County voters approved two homestead exemptions for senior residents that were projected to decrease Fulton Schools local revenues by approximately $50 million.
Two public hearings on the millage rate will be scheduled after the digest is issued in the coming weeks. The Board of Education must approve its millage rate by Sept. 1.
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Northern Ridge District names May Eagle Scouts
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on May 28, 2026, at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
Top row, from left:
William Chanco, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church. William’s project was the installation of a 140 -foot plant living wall for Northwestern Middle School.
Max Holley, of Troop 1459, sponsored by St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church. Max’s project was the building and installation of a 35-foot long, 4-foot wide and 1-foot raised wooden walkway over a low ground trail to avoid muddy area for Stone Creek Church.
Graham Fourney, of Troop 27, sponsored by Johns Creek Christian Church. Graham’s project was the building and installation of a flooring system with a French drain for a pavilion owned by Johns Creek Christian Church.
Sourish Kanakala, of Troop 629, sponsored by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Sourish’s project was the building of two new flower beds, building a new bench, restoring four existing benches and adding stone bricks and mulch around trees in the memorial garden at Taylor Road middle School.
Bottom row, from left: Joshua Barrera, of Troop 7153, sponsored by St. Brigid Catholic Church. Joshua’s project was building 16 high-quality sensory activity boards for St. Brigid Catholic Church to assist individuals with sensory or developmental disabilities.
Trey Donovan, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church. Trey’s project was mulching and adding wooden curbs along a 300-foot trail between Thornbury and Lake Windward Elementary; building a bench for the trail and refinishing an existing archway at the trail entrance.
Neil Gardner, of Troop 431, sponsored by Roswell United Methodist Church. Neil’s project was the construction of a flag pole with landscaping around the flag base. Additionally, the project included the replacement of wooden flooring in a pavilion for the DD/ SS Homeowners Association.
Sujay Akula, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Sujay’s project was the replacing of a new enlarged cross, the building of one cross stand and the refurbishing of a stone bank at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.
*Decaturish Ink currently publishes on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of every month. All other publications publish every Thursday.
Oliver Brown, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church. Oliver’s project was building four wooden picnic tables for Milton High School Art Department.
Max Chandran, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Max’s project was the constructing of two picnic tables, the refurbishing of two wooden benches and the mulching around trees along the walkway in George Pierce Park in Gwinnett County.
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Soccer fans cheer on their favorite teams in metro Atlanta
By ZOE SEILER, JIM BASS and DEAN HESSE newsroom@decaturish.com
DECATUR, Ga. — Decatur WatchFest’26 is underway and thousands of soccer fans have gathered on the Square since June 11 to cheer on their favorite teams and dance to music.
Organizers are hosting match screenings and concerts over the next 30 days. Free events will be held on the Decatur Square through July 19.
People packed the Square to watch the Mexico vs. South Africa match on three big screens and enjoy a slate of activities on June 11, the opening day of the festival. After the game, the rain cooled things off, ending in time for a dynamic free concert by Big Boi, one half of the Southern hip-hop duo OutKast.
Camille Wright, who owned and operated Kaleidoscope Boutique in downtown Decatur, summed up the evening: "I've watched how they've built up the Square. I'm so proud. This is what Atlanta should be like — all the different races, people, families. This is huge."
The World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19, with eight matches taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Matches will be shown every day at pubs and restaurants in Decatur and on the Square. To see the full event schedule, visit decaturwatchfest26.com.
Decatur City Manager Andrea Arnold told Decaturish that the first night exceeded her expectations. A couple of minor issues arose, but attendees were able to enjoy their experience on the Square throughout the day.
DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA
Fans throw their hands in the air at the Big Boi concert during Decatur WatchFest ’26.
DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA
Big Boi, left, performs with Sleepy Brown during Decatur WatchFest '26 on June 11.
JIM BASS/APPEN MEDIA
Soccer:
Continued from Page 12
“I think everybody who was there had a wonderful time,” Arnold previously said. “I’ve only gotten very positive feedback from the attendees. I couldn’t be more pleased.”
So far, fans have cheered on the United States, Brazil, Netherlands, England, Japan, Spain and France among other teams. Attendees have also enjoyed performances from The Dammages, DJ EU, The Stews, Drivin N Cryin and The War and Treaty.
The city of Atlanta celebrated the first game at the Atlanta Stadium on June 15 as Spain tied Cape Verde 0-0.
To honor the first day of the tournament on June 11, Atlanta hosted its opening ceremony and watch party, unveiling its free Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park.
The celebration kicked off the first of 18 days for the festival that features a 50-foot video screen, fan zones, kids areas and multiple live entertainment stages. Admission is free, however, attendees must register online to enter.
Among the multiple speakers at the opening ceremony, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp gave speeches celebrating the festival and the opportunity that Atlanta has to be one of 16 host cities for FIFA World Cup 2026.
“Hosting the World Cup is now a part of Atlanta's rich history, and we are thrilled to welcome all of our
14.
national and international visitors to this great city,” Dickens said. “But I'm telling the people of Atlanta, the people of metro Atlanta and Georgia, I want us all to participate in these events.”
Kemp shared a similar sentiment of encouraging both locals and travelers to engage in the festivities and celebrate the city’s opportunity to be a host city for this year’s World Cup.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I hope all Georgians will find a way to enjoy this. Whether that's attending a match or just taking in the incredible atmosphere here in Atlanta over the next five weeks,” Kemp said.
ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA
Jeffrey MaGee and Junko Suzuki cheer for Japan during the Japan vs. Netherlands World Cup match. They watched the game on the Decatur Square during Decatur WatchFest’26 on June 14.
ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA
Fans dance during The Stews performance on the Decatur Square on June 15. The Stews took the stage as part of Decatur WatchFest’26.
ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA
Decatur WatchFest’26 attendees watch the Brazil vs. Morocco World Cup match on June 13 on the Decatur Square.
ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA
The Stews perform at Decatur WatchFest’26 on June 15, 2026, on the Decatur Square.
ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA Amari, 2, shows off his soccer ball during Decatur WatchFest’26 on June
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Milton graduate’s app surpasses 10,000 users
By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — When Skyler Ventura saw the chaos of a group chat of college women trying to rent out date night dresses, he thought: Why is there not an app for that?
The Milton resident, a Milton High School graduate, spent the last part of his senior year at the University of Georgia coding Rotation, an app that allows women to rent clothing from one another for weddings, nights out or beach vacations.
“People aren’t renting stuff because they’re interested,” Ventura said, “they’re renting stuff based on need.”
Ventura’s momentum has been building since he won an entrepreneurship competition at UGA his senior year. With the $2,500 prize, he started to grow the app and gained around 800 users at the university before being approached by Brandon Spencer, the founder of E-Closet, a competing app.
The March merger
E-Closet had been operating in the college market for more than a year when Spencer approached Ventura about a merger. Since the apps combined in March, more than 3,000 orders have been placed nationwide on college campuses the team has never set foot on.
“We have girls signing up at like, certain universities that I’ve never even been to,” Ventura said.
Accounts have grown organically at Coastal Carolina, Louisiana State University and Florida Atlantic University. This fall, E-Closet is planning a tour of colleges in the Southeastern Conference and wants to launch an ambassador program for students.
As E-Closet users relocate to different cities, they’re hoping to expand their market to include high school students and young professionals.
“We already can prove it works in college,” Ventura said.
E-Closet’s four co-founders now want to continue hitting the flywheel and allow their financial statements to tell the story.
Since merging, E-Closet has surpassed 10,000 users and generated more than $60,000 in revenue.
Despite the early success, Ventura –the company's chief financial officer and one of four co-founders all under 27 – is eager for more. He is targeting $100,000 in sales by August.
“We’ve done over $60,000 dollars now, we’re moving quicker every day,” Ventura said.
Selectivity sells
Sellers keep 85 percent of the listing price with rentals averaging $90 to $100 each.
“The closets that do well are like
really expensive things that people can’t get,” Ventura said.
That selectivity is a key differentiator, the co-founders said, and investors have taken notice. The team has secured more than $100,000 in funding with more on the horizon.
The investments come as E-Closet expands its in-app experience. A new discover page lets users browse outfits by occasion or filter for items available for purchase. A “closet talk” feature lets users post what they’re searching for, and others can comment inspiration or
options from their own closets.
“There’s so much changing, and we don’t want that to change in an overwhelming way,” Ventura said.
Soon, boutiques will be able to list items for users to rent or buy as the app looks to expand beyond college campuses to cities across the Southeast and further.
“There’s no world in my mind where it doesn’t work out,” Ventura said. “I just kind of feel like everything that’s happened keeps happening for a reason.”
SKYLER VENTURA/PROVIDED
From left, three of E-closets founders, Skyler Ventura, Olivia Mayer and Brandon Spencer, are celebrating the success of their clothing rental business. The firm specializes in pairing customers with owners of clothing tailored for formal occasions.
Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra marks 20th years with ‘Becoming’
By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a season called "Becoming," a yearlong program that orchestra leaders say reflects both the organization's history and where they want to take it next.
Music Director Henry Cheng was selected to lead the orchestra in May 2025. Executive Director Philip Kim joined the orchestra in November 2025. Both described the season as a turning point for an organization stepping into new leadership at the same time it marks two decades of performances in North Metro Atlanta.
"We are building an orchestra that is not only excellent on stage, but continually evolving in how it serves, connects and expands what orchestral music can be in our community," Kim said.
Cheng said the "Becoming" theme captures what he hopes the season will do for the orchestra and the people who come to hear it play.
"It reflects our belief that orchestras must continue to evolve alongside the communities they serve," he said.
The orchestra, made up entirely of professional musicians, was founded by
Wayne Baughman in 2006. Baughman died in 2023, and a memorial concert was held for him the following year. Cheng attended that concert and said it influenced him to want to lead the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra.
"What was amazing about that experience was how the community showed up," Cheng said.
"As a conductor, I've had the honor of flying around the world and experiencing a lot of different cultures, organizations, orchestras — and what was quite palpable in that room was the sense that everybody was there for the right reasons, that this was an organization that was truly and sincerely cared about," he said.
Since 2006, the orchestra has evolved into one of the leading cultural institutions in the area, performing for audiences across the region while building education and outreach programs in local schools, Kim and Cheng said.
Opportunity to expand
There have been challenges. Last year, Johns Creek voters rejected a $40 million bond referendum to build a performing arts center. But Kim said the vote created an opportunity for the orchestra to expand beyond Johns Creek's borders.
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JOHNS CREEK SYMPHONY/PROVIDED
Henry Cheng conducts the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra.
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Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.
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Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 23 years experience as a Dermatology PA and cosmetic dermatology.
Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.
Efudex exhibitionism
Recently, patients have brought to my attention that people are posting startlingly graphic videos on social media of their experiences using creams like Efudex® to treat precancerous sun damage. Efudex® is a prescription-only cream that can help treat certain skin cancers and precancerous lesions. These “influencers” of
ten discuss how many times they have gone through Efudex® treatments and continue to apply medicine long after their skin has become severely irritated. I fear that these individuals are causing themselves suffering and likely damage for dramatic effect, “clicks,” or “likes.” Because social media platforms can financially reward high view counts, there is an incentive for self-treatment to be intentionally extreme.
I do not know whether these individuals are misguided themselves, but what is certain is that they are misleading their viewers. Many of these creators highlight their severe skin reactions, holding themselves up as models for how treatment should be carried out. They report performing multiple rounds of treatment back to back, continuing treatments for weeks after skin is severely inflamed and are likely crafting their own regimens, presumably against medical advice. Contrary to what the influencers imply, “no pain, no gain” doesn’t mean the higher the pain, the higher the gain.
Efudex® is to exploit cancerous cells’ hyperactive metabolism—targeting the abnormal cells while sparing the healthy ones.
Achieving this balance requires aiming for a "Goldilocks zone." In general, the goal is to apply just enough cream to cause severely sun-damaged areas to become inflamed, pink, and mildly scabby, but not enough to turn the entire application area into a raw field of broken skin.
If the skin seems barely pink or completely unaffected, then the patient is likely under-dosing the medicine, and precancers are not being eliminated. If the entire skin surface is painful and severely inflamed, then both the precancers and the healthy skin are likely being damaged. Very rarely, a patient’s burden of disease may be so severe that a “harsh” result is advised by their dermatologist, but this is generally the exception to the rule.
Severe Efudex® reactions can lead skin to breakdown to such an extent that skin infections and scarring can occur. Many times, the whole point of using a cream like Efudex® is to try to eliminate precancerous lesions and avoid surgery. If the cream itself is overdosed and leads to scarring, then the entire enterprise of using a cream can prove counterproductive, and influencers’ digital martyrdom ultimately hurts our common cause.
Accepting
To understand the proper way to use Efudex® (also known as 5-fluorouracil), it helps to understand its mechanism of action. Cells use building blocks called nucleotides to replicate DNA and RNA. Think of these blocks like individual cars in a model train set. Efudex® acts as a counterfeit part that gums up the assembly of the train and then often causes the completed train to break into pieces. Unable to function, the damaged cell is essentially sent to a cellular scrap yard.
Dosing is key. Precancerous cells divide and manufacture proteins much faster than healthy, resting skin cells. But even healthy “resting” skin cells exhibit some degree of growth and division. The strategy with
Undergoing this treatment under the guidance of a caring and competent dermatologist is vital. A spot of concern might actually be a skin cancer requiring a biopsy rather than a cream. Other spots might be purely cosmetic, requiring entirely different therapies tailored to aesthetic sun damage. Before starting Efudex®, risks, benefits, and alternatives all need to be discussed.
If you have concerns about sun damage, a non-healing spot, or any other skin condition, a consultation with a qualified dermatology provider can help determine the most appropriate treatment options. If you are in the Atlanta area, we would be honored to help.
At Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta, Dr. Brent Taylor, Kathryn Filipek, PA-C, and our staff are privileged to care for patients and families throughout our community.
Dr. Brent Taylor
Kathryn Filipek, PA-C
Brought to you by – Premier Dermatology
Roswell Cops ’N Cars strengthens community through shared interests
By STANLEY LEARY newsroom@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Classic cars brought people together, but community connection was the real focus of the annual Cops ’N Cars held Saturday, June 6, at Lebanon Baptist Church.
Hosted by the Friends of Roswell Police Foundation in partnership with the Roswell Police Department, the event attracted residents, law enforcement officers, car enthusiasts and local businesses for an afternoon of family-friendly activities and vehicle displays.
Rows of classic and custom vehicles filled the church grounds. Families explored exhibits, visited food trucks and spoke with vehicle owners. Children climbed into police vehicles, examined equipment and interacted with officers in a relaxed environment.
Roswell Police Public Information Officer Tim Lupo said the event provides valuable opportunities for officers and residents to connect outside emergency situations.
“For most people, their first interaction with the police occurs when something has gone wrong,” Lupo said. “Events like Cops ’N Cars flip that dynamic, providing a meaningful opportunity for our officers to engage with our residents in a positive, relaxed environment.”
Lupo said the event helps residents see officers as fellow community members while also supporting local outreach efforts.
“Connecting over a shared interest like cars reinforces that we are members of this community right alongside those we serve,” he said. “Equally important, the success of this event allows us to directly reinvest in our city by supporting initiatives like OPERATION: Holiday Heroes, our annual holiday shopping event for local children.”
The Friends of Roswell Police Foundation, established in 2021, serves as the official Qualified Law Enforcement Foundation supporting the Roswell Police Department. Funds raised through events such as Cops ’N Cars help support community programs and departmental initiatives.
Lupo was pleased with this year’s event.
“This year's event was a resounding success by every metric,” he said. “We packed out the parking lot with an outstanding variety of show cars and auto enthusiasts, and saw great attendance from the public.”
While the vehicles attracted attention, the strongest moments involved people — neighbors meeting neighbors, families spending time together and officers spending time with the community they serve.
PHOTOS BY: STANLEY LEARY/APPEN MEDIA
Visitors gather around a customized 2022 Chevrolet Camaro themed after Superman during Roswell Cops ’N Cars held June 6 at Lebanon Baptist Church.
A father lifts his son for a closer look inside a 1932 Chevrolet Deluxe Sport Coupe at the Roswell Cops ’N Cars show June 6 at Lebanon Baptist Church.
Roswell SWAT Officer Nolan Smith checks an M4 rifle to ensure it is unloaded before allowing the public to handle it during Roswell Cops ’N Cars June 6 at Lebanon Baptist Church.
Chief James W. Conroy presents the Best Modern award to Mike Grier for his 2014 BMW 650i during the 2026 Cops ’N Cars in Roswell.
Chief James W. Conroy presents the Best Classic award to Andy Hohl for his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS during the 2026 Cops ’N Cars event in Roswell, Ga.
A father lifts his son for a closer look inside a 1932 Chevrolet Deluxe Sport Coupe during the Roswell Cops ’N Cars event at Lebanon Baptist Church in Roswell, Ga.
Attendees walk past a variety of vehicles, including several offered for sale, during the Roswell Cops ’N Cars event at Lebanon Baptist Church in Roswell, Ga.
An aerial view shows classic cars, vendors and attendees gathered for the Roswell Cops ’N Cars event at Lebanon Baptist Church in Roswell, Ga.
The greatest man (excluding family) that I ever knew
PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com
His name is Jim, and he’s about 90 now.
When I first met him, he was the managing editor at a newspaper in central Kansas, a mid-sized daily in a city of 42,000.
Everybody liked Jim. He was about 50 – twice my age –witty, smart, and he’d been running the newsroom for about a decade. He never spoke without having something to say, leaving everyone to do their job. But he read every story after it had been edited and proofread, just to make sure – a quiet backstop.
He was trim and came to work most days in a blue Oxford, navy tie and dark slacks. An avid golfer, Jim’s face was tanned, his hair golden-brown with silver at the temples – a requirement for all managing editors.
He sat at his desk in the newsroom among some 25 reporters, copy editors and edition editors.
Alongside Jim’s desk was a yellowcushioned chair almost always occupied by a reporter seeking advice or complaining about something. Jim listened.
I was an edition editor and never sat in that chair, figuring Jim had enough to do.
He smoked about a pack a day at that desk. Sometimes, he’d get up and walk over to someone with a question or a compliment. He once praised one of my headlines.
Jim wasn’t a pal, though. He seldom engaged in banter. Sometimes, he'd chat with some of the veterans – the press foreman, senior reporters – people he’d known a long time.
The nightlife
Back in those days, it was common to go out for a drink after work, usually after midnight after putting the morning edition to bed. I was pretty good at it.
Jim must’ve heard, because one evening, he asked me if I wanted to go get a drink during my dinner break at 8 p.m. I declined but said I’d meet him after work.
That’s when I saw the other side of Jim. The guy could knock ‘em back, and he had an underground network of dive bars and basement lounges not listed in the Yellow Pages – the Red Lion, Lena’s, the Knotty Pine.
He was one of the best drinking companions you could ever want, funnier the more he drank. At an allnight diner once, he took a spoon to a small bowl of salsa – the green kind –and began eating it like soup.
He talked about quitting smoking and once went a week without lighting up.
That ended one night, when over drinks, he said he’d watched a Bogart film the night before. He swore to me the plot revolved around how many cigarettes you could smoke in two hours.
Two years into my stint at the paper, Jim was fired.
It had come to light that some staffers had been sneaking beer into the building on Saturdays.
The executive editor, who likely knew Jim drank, held the managing editor responsible. He announced that Jim had been fired, that he’d never work for the paper again and that he likely would not work for any paper in the chain.
We were flattened, and it took more than a week for the newsroom to recover. It helped when the editor promoted a senior staff reporter to fill the vacancy, a veteran everyone respected.
Things settled down to a new normal.
Then, a month later, I arrived at work, and there was Jim, sitting in the editor’s office. You could see through the windows. Jim was hunched forward in his chair, wearing a blue Oxford with a tie, smoking a cigarette, listening to the editor.
The guy had been sent to hell, and here he was … Lazarus in the newsroom, talking to the big guy.
An hour passed, all of us sneaking glimpses to follow the interchange.
The lecture
Then, Jim came out. I thought he’d stop by the new managing editor’s desk or chat with some of the others he’d known for years.
Instead, he made a beeline for my desk, pulling up a chair.
“Pat, I’m worried about you,” he said.
“Oh yeah?” I responded, maintaining focus on my work.
“Yeah, I’m worried because I think back to when I was your age, and I believe you’re on the same path like me. I just spent a month in recovery, and I don’t want to see it happen to you.”
I stopped typing, turned, and looked at him.
“Jim, I’ll sit here and listen to this bull for as long as you like because I know it’s part of your recovery process. But, when you were my age, you were over at the El Capitan Club talking to walls.”
He laughed, lit a cigarette and copped to practicing his spiel on me. He just wanted to sit a while to get his bearings.
The formal announcement came that afternoon. The editor had agreed to take Jim back – as a reporter.
A man who had ruled the newsroom for a decade, with credentials most journalists would kill for, was now on the bottom rung of our reporting staff. It broke our hearts. Better the earlier career death sentence than to see this man humiliated.
Back to work
Jim showed up the next day, shirttie-slacks, stationed at his old desk. No one sat in the yellow chair. Jim was on the phone or out on an assignment.
He tore it up, outpacing, outwriting and outproducing every reporter. His stuff was polished, newsy.
In September 1985, I was running the morning desk for the afternoon paper as UPI provided overnight updates on an earthquake that had struck Mexico City the day before. New information put the death toll in the thousands.
It was 6 a.m. Jim and I were the only two in the newsroom.
Our city had a small Hispanic population, but I asked Jim if he could spin a local angle. He hopped on the phone.
Within two hours, just before the deadline, Jim turned in an 800-word article filled with quotes and accounts of the devastation from local people who had spoken to family in the disaster zone.
To this day, I’ve never seen anything
like it.
Jim continued the pace for a full year. He was always out the door by 5 p.m. to attend church – part of his sobriety program.
Another thing: Jim was even funnier sober than drunk. He’d wisecrack about my odds of making a deadline or the likelihood of my misspelling a word in a headline.
After one year of torrid reporting, the newspaper chain announced that Jim would be leaving. He’d been named executive editor of another paper in northeastern Kansas. It was a smaller paper, but Jim was back on top.
The newsroom exploded in applause, but we were losing a role model.
My turn
Some 30 years later, I too lost my job at a major newspaper in the middle of the Great Recession. I wasn’t drinking … well, beet juice for high brain function. Layoffs and firings were increasing, and I was one of the final casualties.
It was devastating. The world I’d known for 25 years had ended.
Colleagues called offering condolences. Some were angry, saying I’d been singled out because I was 56. One went to the effort of printing a spreadsheet showing my story production over the past year, ranking in the top 10 percent at the paper.
Life isn’t fair.
Before the recession, I was a golden boy, having left the copy desk to return to reporting. Almost immediately, the paper named me reporter of the month, reporter of the quarter, posted my articles on newsroom bulletin boards –blah, blah and more blah.
Unemployment makes you bitter. I envied the drivers who passed my house each evening, coming home from a steady job. I chased down freelance work, even advised on a political campaign.
Each day – every single day – I thought of Jim.
Pity is poison, he screamed in my head, and it got me through the lows. Eventually, I landed this job. It’s been good to me.
As I step away to retirement, there will be other challenges.
I’ll think of Jim.
OPINION
The storied saga of Altie, Georgia’s own denizen of the deep
Some people dream about clouds and flying. But I have it on good authority that fisherfolk dream mostly about monsters from the deep. It’s said that there’s at least one of them over in Scotland, in Loch Ness.
Might there be one swimming hereabouts somewhere too? Maybe, some might say, down on the Georgia coast near the town of Darien?
But I digress. Maybe… Monsters. Yeah. That’s what fills anglers’ dreams, no matter what they say to the contrary. They may talk all day about the spiritual validity of catching small fish and even affirm on a stack of fishing books that size doesn’t matter.
You and I both know better.
Next time your fishing buddy gets to talking about what he caught, listen to what he says. He doesn’t talk about tiny little 6-inchers. No way. Instead, he talks about the monsters – the 20-inch trout, the 7-pound bass. These stories he recounts loudly and often because even though size doesn’t matter, it does.
There’s no doubt at all. Monsters are what anglers dream about.
Interestingly, and possibly distressingly too, kids seem to pick up on this early.
“Granddaddy,” said one of the grandkids on a recent fishing trip, “do you think we will catch any monsters?”
“You never know,” I answered. “You never know what’s in that water.”
Have I ever caught a monster? Once I thought I had. I was fishing a pond in central Georgia and hooked something that felt huge. It turned out to be a soggy old tennis shoe. I’d guess it was about size 16. That qualifies, I suppose.
Another time, on a fast-flowing north Georgia stream, I managed to hook a flat rock. Not just anyone can do that, you know. That rock sure felt like a monster as it planed back and forth through the water, acting for all the world like some kind of leviathan bass. But it stayed on the hook. When I finally brought it in and saw what it was, I just stood there and laughed out loud. Sometimes that’s all you can do.
Flat rocks? Tennis shoes? Uh-huh. And yet the possibility of encountering a bona fide monster – you know, something like the well-marketed one said to swim the storied waters of Loch Ness –always remains, at least out there on the very edge of imagination.
Nessie, of course, lives a long ways off. The odds of it swimming to Georgia
The author checks out the Altie sculpture in the Darien-McIntosh County Visitor Center just off I-95.
are not real high.
But how about a home-grown Georgia-style version? How about Altamahaha instead?
it’s just…Altie. That’s what I was kind of hoping, deep down, as I walked along the river there just the other day. “Come on, Altie,” I found myself whispering. “Just a glimpse. Just one glimpse is all I need…”
Alas, Altie didn’t show.
But maybe that’s how Altie keeps the legend alive – and with a legend as appealing as this one, it’s no surprise that there has been a hoax or two. One involved what appeared to be decomposing remains which turned up on a beach in the Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge about a dozen miles east of Darien. You know that had to cause all sorts of excitement, at least until a New York performance artist named Zardulu fessed up that it was just a creation fashioned from a shark carcass and some papiermâché.
Skeptics probably said, “See, I told you so.”
But skeptics are never any fun. And did it dissuade the true believers? Not even a little.
How about who?
Altamaha-ha. Yes, it’s a thing – especially down around where the sightings seem to be concentrated. According to sources that might be reliable, Altamaha-ha (whom those in the know call “Altie” for short) is a mysterious aquatic creature said to inhabit the waters of the Altamaha River in coastal Georgia’s McIntosh County. Some say the legend appears to have come from the Muscogee culture and that it may have been embellished by Scottish immigrants (echoes of Nessie!). Whether such embellishments might have been tied to enthusiastic sipping of another Scottish legend is unclear but, one must admit, not beyond the realm of possibility.
Assuming that Altamaha-ha is real (and who would dare to say that it is not?) what might Altie actually be? Some say that it’s an alligator gar. That could be the case, for those gar grow to 10 feet and do have a certain sea monster-ish look about them. Others say it could be a giant sturgeon, another massive and primitive-looking creature from the watery deep.
It’s even been suggested that Altie sightings represent nothing more exotic than two dolphins swimming together who happen to have been perceived as one…something…
As explanations go, I suppose they’re all at least possible.
But why must we always seek explanation? What’s the fun in that? Maybe
The true believers are, I expect, much more enthusiastic about the 20-foot-long Altie sculpture on display in the DarienMcIntosh County Visitor Center just off I-95. It’s the work of cryptid artist Rick Spears. A cryptid artist (and yes, it’s a thing) is one who “specializes in visualizing hidden, unverified, or mythical creatures.”
According to the little sign there in the visitor center, the Darien depiction was created based on details from eyewitness sightings. Most say that it looks a little bit like a dinosaur. But it also has that kind of big-eyed, happy-go-lucky face you see on the neighborhood golden retriever. You just want to scratch it between its ears…except it doesn’t have ears, at least not that we can see.
Want to maybe see Altie for yourself? A good place to try is beneath the US 17 bridge where it crosses a channel of the Altamaha River just south of Darien. If you stroll there, and you should, first look at the sea creatures mural painted under the north end of the bridge. If you search a bit, you’ll find Altie depicted there among the fish and everything else.
Since you will then know what Altie might look like, next turn an eye to the river. Watch carefully until…what’s that? Was there something there?
I can’t tell you for sure that you’ll glimpse Altie in the flesh. But I can’t promise you that you won’t either. There always hope. And where there’s hope, just about anything can happen.
Maybe it even will.
In any case, if you get close enough, give him a little scratch between those unseen ears. And tell him Steve says hi.
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
PHOTOS BY: STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA
The Altamaha River near Darien, Ga., where a lucky few say they have seen Altamaha-ha, Georgia’s version of the Loch Ness Monster. Will you see Altie too?
GARDEN BUZZ
Observe the beautiful luna moth in nature
If you had a moth beauty pageant, the luna moth would win out hands-down, in my estimation. The luna moth is one of nature’s most exquisite creations. The moth is a standout with its 3-5-inch wingspan and its beautiful, pale green wings, which extend into elongated tail extensions.
During my lifetime I have probably only seen three adult luna moths. If you are lucky and have the opportunity to observe a luna moth, it will probably be at night. Luna moths are considered nocturnal since they are active at night. I saw my first luna moth since moving to Georgia 17 years ago, in early August on the porch of a home in Hiawassee. Unfortunately, it was barely moving and in its last stage of life. Being a former biology teacher and nature lover, I was curious and wanted to know why its life was ending abruptly.
Luna moths’ unique life cycle
1. Eggs – Luna moths lay between 200 and 400 tiny, brown-and-whitespeckled eggs on the leaves of their host plants: walnut, sweetgum, hickory, persimmon, sumac and birch trees.
2. Caterpillar – The 2- to 3.5-inch larvae are bright green with a yellow line running down the complete length of their bodies. After two to three weeks of constant eating, they start to turn a reddish-orange color before creating their cocoon.
3. Pupa – The pupation stage, where they transform from a larva to an adult inside their cocoon, takes about three weeks.
4. Adult – When the adult moth emerges from the cocoon, the moth pumps blood into its wings, causing them to unfurl, and it hangs upsidedown while the wing veins harden in the right shape. Now it is ready to spread its wings, fly, find a mate and fulfill its life mission to produce offspring. This typically happens at night because the luna moths are nocturnal.
Unfortunately, adult moths lack mouthparts and are unable to eat, resulting in their deaths within seven to 10 days of emerging from their cocoons.
Luna moths are found throughout
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a Master Gardener and Milton resident. She taught biology for 35 years in the Pittsburgh area. In 2012 after moving to Milton, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking and reading.
away or directs the attack to a less vulnerable area of the body. The elongated sections of the wings can also disrupt the echolocation ability of a bat in pursuit of its prey, as bats are enemy No. 1 for luna moths. If you are lucky enough to find a live luna moth, try not to touch its wings. You could possibly rub off some of its powdery scales, which help it fly, regulate its body temperature and camouflage it from predators. Because it is so rare to find one of these beauties, if you do spot one it is considered a symbol of transformation and new beginnings. Consider a spring or summer evening walk. Look on the shady side of their host trees and you might be lucky and have an opportunity to view a living luna moth.
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.
the eastern United States. In cooler climates, they mate once a year, but in Georgia they are active from March to September and can produce three broods of offspring per year. Although luna moths are large and nocturnal, they have enemies. The wings of luna moths are designed
for defense against their predators. The wing pattern and color provide them with camouflage when they are resting in a tree or on leaf litter.
On the upper mid-region of each of the four wings, there is an eyespot. The eyespot confuses a predator, allowing the luna moth time to get
Previous Garden Buzz columns are at: appenmedia.com/opinion/ columists/garden buzz/.
Come visit us at the Alpharetta Farmers Market and the Sandy Springs Farmers Market every other weekend. We will also have a booth at the Crabapple Festival in Milton on Oct. 3, 2026. Learn more at nfmg.net.
LAYLA BURGESS/HOME AND GARDEN CENTER, CLEMSON COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
A luna moth rests in a person’s open hands. Because human touch can easily rub off the powdery, protective scales on their pale green wings, nature experts advise against handling the fragile, nocturnal insects.
CAROLE MACMULLAN Guest Columnist
RONALD F. BILLINGS/TEXAS A&M FOREST SERVICE
Close-up view of a luna moth caterpillar, with the yellow line down the body. During this stage, the larvae spend two to three weeks eating foliage before spinning their cocoons.
Basketball:
Continued from Page 6
“I just told them the other day … being able to play with you, it’s like playing with one of my childhood superstars,” Preston said.
Going into the Big3, Preston said he feels confident and comfortable because, “they accepted me just for my game.”
After one season in the NBA and multiple years playing abroad, Preston said he’s ready to show that you don’t have to be in the NBA to be happy playing basketball.
“That will be one thing I want to show when I pop out in the Big3 for the first year,” Preston said. “Let people see [I’m] still doing this at a high level.”
Allen, who has been in the Big3 league for three years now, said it has been the most fun he’s had playing basketball.
“There is no judgement in this league,” Allen said. “We’re all in the same boat, we’re all trying to be successful – it’s that simple … I love it.”
Allen said he credits the league’s vibe to its founder, Ice Cube, the rapper and actor from Los Angeles. He said the energy is different because players are allowed to show their charisma and have fun.
“We’re not trying to hold people back,” Allen said, “… you know, have fun. If you have charisma, show your charisma … that’s what makes this league amazing.”
The LA Riot will be back in Atlanta Aug. 2 to play against the Houston Rig Hands in State Farm Arena.
Orchestra:
Continued from Page 15
"We will be branching out geographically and moving into different regional spaces … to bring the community of Johns Creek to other areas, to other cities, to other regional geographic locations, and for us to reach audiences outside of Johns Creek as well," Kim said.
The expansion is not a direct result of Johns Creek's rejection of the performing arts center, Cheng added. Most importantly, he said, it shows how a regional professional orchestra in the 21st century defines its mission "to hopefully connect more communities within themselves, and then also together across boundaries."
The season opens Oct. 3 with "Outdoor Pops: Soundtrack of Us," a free outdoor concert at Newtown Park in Johns Creek. The program will feature iconic
popular music and beloved favorites in an accessible setting for audiences of all ages.
On Oct. 9, the orchestra performs "Tchaikovsky + Stravinsky" at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center's Byers Theatre, a booking Kim and Cheng pointed to as part of the orchestra's push to grow its presence outside Johns Creek. The program features violinist Simon Zhu, who won the 57th International Violin Competition "Premio Paganini," along with the Michael O'Neal Singers performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" and Christopher Tin's "Sogno di Volare."
Collaboration concert
In November, the orchestra turns to a different kind of programming. "Soundcraft Symphonic Experience," set for Nov. 14, pairs the orchestra with Georgia Tech and the Fulton County Public Art Futures Lab on a project built around
composer Terry Riley's "In C." Students will work with digital creator JazziiRed to design interactive musical environments inside the video game Minecraft, with the project culminating in a live performance combining the orchestra with the students' digital work.
Cheng said the project is meant to push students and audiences to rethink what an orchestra musician's training looks like today.
"Holiday Pops: From Our Family to Yours" is set for Dec. 5 at Innovation Academy in Alpharetta. The program will feature the Christmas Voices of Johns Creek choir alongside new arrangements written by the orchestra's composer-inresidence, Michael Duff.
The season closes April 10, 2027, with "Beethoven's Fifth & Mahlon Berv World Premiere," presented as part of JCSO's Music as Healing initiative. The program pairs Beethoven's Fifth Symphony with a new work by Young Composer-in-Residence Mahlon Berv,
created in collaboration with Full Radius Dance, a professional dance company in Georgia that brings together dancers with and without disabilities. The concert is part of the orchestra's "Music as Healing" initiative and centers on accessibility and the human experience, organizers said.
Kim and Cheng said the orchestra continues to grow its education work, now reaching thousands of students annually through its Meet the Orchestra program, school residencies and partnerships across Fulton County.
Kim said the timing of the season carries extra weight, coinciding with the 20th year since Johns Creek's incorporation as a city.
"Season 20 reflects our commitment to pushing artistic and institutional boundaries," Kim said.
More information on the season, including ticket information, is available at johnscreeksymphony.org.screeksymphony.org.
HANNAH YAHNE/APPEN MEDIA
LA Riot team member Billy Preston soars above his opponent to score during practice June 10 at Shoot 360 in Alpharetta.
Each line in the puzzle below has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
THEY RUN IN EUROPE
1. Ford’s flop. Essen’s river. Jingle.
2. Dutch cheese. Toss. River of Tuscany.
3. Glasgow’s river. Gung-ho. Fencing sword.
4. River to Donegal Bay. Citrus fruit. Like Scrooge
5. It’s a no-no. Kick out. Yorkshire River.
6. Baseball stat. France’s longest river. Like hen’s teeth.
7. Like a busybody. Forest growth. River in England and Wales.
1 Ford’s flop. Essen’s river. Jingle
2. Dutch cheese. Toss. River of Tuscany
How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
3. Glasgow’s river. Gung-ho. Fencing sword
4. River to Donegal Bay. Citrus fruit. Like Scrooge
5. It’s a no-no. Kick out. Yorkshire river
6. Baseball stat. France’s longest river. Like hen’s teeth
7. Like a busybody. Forest growth. River in England and Wales
How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
easy: A number above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.
During these turbulent times, we would like to highlight the continued courage and commitment of everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.
12050 Crabapple Road • Roswell, GA 30075
DEATH NOTICES
Kenneth Brown, age 76, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on June 7, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Margaret Hall, age 84, of Roswell, GA passed away on June 15, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Carol Brubaker, age 87, of Milton, GA passed away on June 14, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Suzanne Walbert, age 83, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on June 13, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Continued from Page 1
Staff estimate spending more than $103,000 annually to book, detain and house inmates in Alpharetta. Milton will be charged per inmate at a rate of $165 each day and be responsible for associated medical costs and transfers.
With the new arrangement, Milton police will no longer have to drive inmates to the Rice Street Jail in Atlanta, which can take hours depending on traffic, intake delays and frequent medical clearance requirements.
Officers average drive time in the past 12 months has been 132 minutes limiting the officers that can respond to calls and fulfill patrol operations in Milton.
“Having access to the Alpharetta jail would not eliminate every transport or medical issue,” Police Chief Jason Griffin said. “But it significantly reduces our reliance on the Rice Street facility and keeps our officers where I want them, where you want them, here in the city limits of Milton.”
The agreement also provides a place for the municipal court to send probationers if they fail to comply. Police say there have been multiple instances in the past year with repeat offenders, and the judge is not able to impose confinement for the violation.
“[The judge] has nowhere he can send them to spend 24 hours in jail … and people are starting to learn this trend,” the chief said.
He also said morale among the Police Department will be boosted now that they can transport offenders to Old Milton Parkway and complete the booking process in around 20 minutes.
City Manager Steven Krokoff said the city is looking to adjust its fine structure to determine if it can better reflect the actual cost of enforcement or processing and jail services.
“This is not about increasing enforcement activity or using fines as a revenue tool,” Krokoff said. “It’s about making sure that we’re legally appropriate, the cost of these services is not borne entirely by the general taxpayer when those costs are directly tied to violations that require police, court and detention services.”
Also at the meeting, the City Council amended the budget to reflect an increase in overall revenue projections for the city.
Amicus:
Continued from Page 1
Milton appealed the decision. If the verdict stands, the city must pay $35 million in damages plus interest accrued since the original ruling two years ago. The outcome would also set a statewide precedent, potentially requiring cities to clear objects such as neighborhood signs and utility poles from the areas outside travel lanes but within the right of way.
More than 60 cities signed the first amicus – or friend of the court – brief submitted to the Georgia Supreme Court last year, asking it to reverse the 2024 decision. An amicus brief allows parties not involved in the case to provide information or arguments for the court’s consideration.
In March, the Supreme Court remanded the case to the Court of Appeals, clarifying that a city's ministerial duty to keep streets safe does not automatically extend to everything within a public right of way. The court also held that Georgia's road-defect statute alone does not waive a city's sovereign immunity, and plaintiffs must identify a separate legal basis for
waiver before relying on road-defect laws to pursue a claim.
City Attorney Ken Jarrard said the state Supreme Court’s opinion shifted the legal landscape in Milton’s favor.
“The issues now before the Court of Appeals are not identical to the issues the Supreme Court decided,” Jarrard said, “but the Supreme Court clarified the law in a way that is significant for the city’s position.”
Multiple cities, including Alpharetta, Roswell and Decatur, have joined a second amicus brief backing the Georgia Supreme Court’s approach to sovereign immunity. The brief argues that judges cannot create exceptions to sovereign immunity on their own. Instead, any waiver allowing personalinjury lawsuits against municipalities must come from the Georgia Constitution or be enacted by the General Assembly.
The Georgia Supreme Court found that one specific immunity waiver did not apply to the negligence claim but left open whether another, such as one triggered by the city's insurance coverage, might still allow the case to proceed. The court also did not address the nuisance claim, which was a separate basis for the jury's $35 million verdict.
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The City of Milton City Council will hold a public hearing for the applications for alcohol licenses listed below on Monday, July 6, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on the First Floor of City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, Georgia 30004. All interested persons are encouraged to attend the public hearing.
PH-26-AB-06 – Pete’s Meats LLC dba The New York Butcher Shoppe & Wine Bar has submitted an application for an Off-Premises License for Wine, Malt Beverages, Craft Beer, Craft Wine, and Sunday Sales at its place of business located at 12635 Crabapple Road, Suite 120, Milton, Georgia 30004.
PH-26-AB-07 – Milton Chevron Inc dba Extra Mile Chevron for a license to sell Wine and Malt Beverages for Retail Package Sales, and for Sunday Sales of same, at its place of business located at 13625 Arnold Mill Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075 (located within Milton City limits).
Request for Proposals
Merchandise Screen Printing and Sales for City Events
RFP NUMBER
26-PRO2
Proposal Due Date: July 16, 2026, by 2:00PM Local Time Electronic submission via: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bidsrfps
Names for submissions received will be publicly announced via a virtual bid opening July 16, 2026 at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the highest scoring Offeror whose proposal meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the request for proposals.
The City of Milton is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide on-site t-shirt production and sales for City events. Primarily the service will be for the City's annual Crabapple Fest event; however, the City has the right to utilize this service for other City event. The initial contract term will be two months, expiring on October 30, 2026, with the option for three (3) automatic annual renewals through October 30, 2029. The purpose of this RFP is to select a qualified thirdparty vendor to produce and screen print t-shirts and other merchandise onsite, manage inventory, and handle all merchandise sales during City events. Crabapple Fest, the City's primary and largest event, is held annually on the first Saturday in October. All qualified proposals will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.
The request for electronic proposals for RFP 26-PR02, Merchandise Screen Printing and Sales for City Events will be posted on the following websites the week of June 25, 2026: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/
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Continued innovation in digital media has changed the ways in which people buy, sell and interact with products and services. It has caused businesses to reassess the ways in which it communicates with potential customers and advertises its products. It has been well documented that these changes have had a destructive impact on local newspapers, which continues to be a primary source for local news, but is no longer a primary source for local advertising dollars – historically the lifeblood for reporters and their coverage. At Appen Media Group we want to address this conflict head on, and build new and innovative approaches to monetizing local news and creating a sustainable future for local journalism in metro Atlanta.
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(Alpharetta, GA) ANDRITZ, Inc. seeks multiple Digital Products & Solutions Team Leads, responsible for the development of digital solutions with focus on process optimization & continuous improvement, & to manage Optimization contracts for U.S. pulp & paper customers. Must have Bachelor degree in Engineering or related field and five (5) years of experience in the Pulp & Paper Industry required. 30–40% Travel to U.S. client sites as needed. Submit resumes to Suzanne.Fulton@andritz. com. Reference job title in subject line.
(Alpharetta, GA) ANDRITZ, Inc. seeks a Specialist Engineer – Instrumentation & Control responsible for the design & commissioning of instrumentation & process controls of ANDRITZ pulp & fiber processing equipment. Must have Bachelor in Engineering or related field, and (4) four years of experience in Instrumentation & Process Control within the pulp and paper Industry. Travel to various U.S. client sites 5x/ year for 2-3 weeks each. Submit resumes to Suzanne. Fulton@andritz.com. Reference job title in subject line.
Project Architect, Treanor, Inc., Alpharetta, GA. Lead the design, deliverables (drawings and specifications) and the construction administration of assigned projects. Must be a Licensed Architect. Up to 10% regional travel required. Work from Alpharetta office 4 days a week is required. One day of remote work permitted within standard commuting distance from the employer’s Alpharetta, GA office. Email resumes to: careers@treanor.design. EOE.
Full-time
Software Developer (Cumming, Georgia) 1 Position
Design and develop Software Applications. Determine design specifications or details, resolve information technology issues. Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system. Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces. Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints. Master’s in Computer Applications or related required. Please email resumes to careers@bristechsolutions.com
Pilot Travel Centers LLC (Roswell, GA) seeks Sr. Engineer, Data Engineering to lead projects and provide tech. expertise for R&D, and mod. of ETL processes and jobs in support of a Big Data infra. Must have BS in comp. sci., data sci., or eng. w/ courses in DB mgmt., comp. prgm., and eng. math, +5 years exp. as data eng. or related. Partial remote work permitted. For more details/ to apply online, see: https://jobs.smartrecruiters. com/ni/PilotCompany/ff6022b0-c405-4ae7-946caafbb80916bc-sr-engineer-data-engineering
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Midway Preschool is looking for an experienced Young 5’s/Prek teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Contact Beth at beth@midwayumc.org.
Software Developers –Multiple openingsAlpharetta, GA
BPM Technologies LLC needs professionals:
Work Using LWC, Aura Components, Apex, REST APIs, CPQ, SFRA, B2C Commerce Cloud, Copado, Visual Studio code & JavaScript. Req: Bachelor’s+5 yr exp. Wages: $152131/yr. Relocate to unanticipated site. No Int’l/Nat’l travel. Send mail to: President, 6495 Shiloh Rd, Ste 200, Alpharetta, GA, 30005
Part-time
YOUTH
DIRECTOR (Part-Time) Alpharetta Presbyterian Church — Alpharetta, GA
APC seeks a vibrant, relational leader to serve as Youth Director for middle and high school students. 20–25 hrs/week | Up to $25/hr. Ideal candidates have a passion for youth mentorship and a background in education, coaching, or youth leadership. Retired teachers and ministryminded professionals encouraged to apply. Strong volunteer team and pastoral support in place.
To apply: Submit a brief introduction and resume to jobs@alpharettapres.com.
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