Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - July 23, 2026

Roswell teacher shapes wood, music and lives

By STANLEY LEARY newsroom@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Erik Herndon describes his longtime friend and bandmate Seth Gamba, an orchestra director who teaches elementary and middle school students in Roswell, as a man without limits.

“I don’t think there’s anything Seth can’t do,” Herndon said.

“I’m not joking. He’s brilliant. I think we used to use the term like Renaissance

man,” Herndon added. “I know that’s getting harder to do in today’s world because there’s so much out there to learn and do. But this guy, I’ve seen him; he made me a guitar pedal from scratch, engineered it, soldered it, did the circuitry.”

Herndon said Gamba wired up a recording studio himself, teaching himself to be a studio engineer and mastering the software along the way.

See GAMBA, Page 10

Bike rental to return to Alpharetta paths and parks

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Bike

ownership will soon no longer be a barrier to cycling at the Big Creek Greenway and other Alpharetta locations.

At a July 20 meeting, the Alpharetta City Council approved an agreement with Tandem Mobility to provide a public bike share program with five docking stations and 25 bicycles. The decision comes six years after a rental program established in 2016 with Zagster broke down when the company ceased operations.

Bike enthusiasts said the move could open one of the city’s best forms of recreation to a wider cross section of people.

The city will pay $12,000 annually, with the remaining $48,000 coming from the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, True North 400 and Avalon, said Morgan Rodgers, Alpharetta’s recreation, parks and cultural services director.

Renters will be able to pick up or drop off a bicycle at any of the self-service stations. The service will be ideal for short-distance, point-to-point trips, the city said.

The new stations will be located at the City Center Town Green, Alpha Loop near Westside Parkway, North Point Park, East Parking Deck at Avalon and Rock Mill Park.

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Grandmother charged in toddler’s Roswell pool drowning

By ATLANTA NEWS FIRST

ATLANTA, Ga. — The grandmother of a 2-year-old boy who drowned at a Roswell apartment complex in June has been charged in his death, according to arrest warrants.

Emelisa Paz-Santos was booked July 15 in the Fulton County Jail on felony second-degree cruelty to children and misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of her grandson Axel Delgado.

She also has a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold, jail records show.

On the night of June 21, Roswell police responded to The Lake House at Martin’s Landing after reports of a young child drowning at the clubhouse pool.

There, first responders provided aid to the child, who died the next day at a hospital

Investigators determined Paz-Santos was in charge of supervising Delgado at the pool, but she “failed to provide adequate supervision” for “an extended period of time,” according to the arrest warrants.

Appen Media partner Atlanta News First provided this story.

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.

Man charged with DUI after crash into Roswell shop

CUSTOM FRAMING

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police charged an Alpharetta man with driving under the influence after his car crashed into a bottle shop on Houze Road July 14. When given a breathalyzer test, police reported the man had a breath alcohol concentration of .277 and was unable to complete field sobriety evaluations.

Police arrived after 7 p.m. to find a Nissan Rogue embedded in the front doors and windows of the store. According to bystanders, the car reversed in the parking lot and backed into a light pole

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ATLANTA NEWS FIRST/PROVIDED Roswell police responded to The Lake House at Martin’s Landing June 21 after reports of a child drowning at the clubhouse pool.

before accelerating rapidly into the front of the building. The 59-year-old suspected driver was in the bathroom when police arrived.

While interacting with police, police said the man had droopy eyelids, a staggering walk and the odor of alcohol on his breath. When asked about the crash, the man admitted he “had too much to drink” and said the crash was caused by a vehicle malfunction.

The man said he drank alcohol early that morning but could not remember how much. He consented to field sobriety exams but allegedly struggled to balance and follow instructions.

Officers arrested the driver and charged him with driving under the influence and reckless driving. They transported him to a hospital to be treated for injuries sustained during the collision, drew his blood for state-administered chemical testing and booked him into Cherokee County Jail.

— Hannah Yahne

Erratic driver strikes mailbox, flees street

ROSWELL, Ga. — A driver knocked down a mailbox in a neighborhood on Old Oak Trace the evening of July 14 after residents observed a car speeding and moving erratically.

Before 10 p.m., a resident saw a sedan parked in the cul-de-sac before it accelerated suddenly, jumping the curb before briefly stopping in front of his house. The vehicle struck a mailbox as it sped away.

When a Roswell officer arrived, residents said an unknown vehicle had been driving erratically through the neighborhood and had nearly struck several parked vehicles.

None of the residents had surveillance footage that captured a clear description of the suspect’s vehicle or license plate.

— Hannah Yahne

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Roswell mayor calls for independent finance review

By ERLANDRYA RUTLEDGE erlandrya@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Mayor Mary Robichaux released a statement July 14 calling for an independent review of the city of Roswell’s financial, purchasing and compliance practices from 2023 to the present.

The city has been conducting a comprehensive review of its overall financial operations, including a functional review of the Finance Department and restructuring intended to strengthen service and accountability.

In her statement, Robichaux said the city’s fiscal year 2025 external audit produced a clean opinion but did identify two areas of improvement. Appen Media Group reviewed the audit, which discovered a significant deficiency: the city’s year-end closing process wasn’t finished before audit fieldwork began, forcing repeated revisions to the trial balance across capital assets, debt, cash reconciliations, pension activity and other areas.

Auditors recommended a formal closing schedule and supervisory review process to ensure figures are complete before future audits start. City management concurred and said it will implement those changes. The same issue was flagged as unresolved from the FY2024 audit.

Robichaux said the city is actively addressing audit concerns and that the independent review will build on that work.

“The review will verify that the improvements underway are complete and effective, and it will identify any additional steps needed to ensure every tax dollar is accounted for,” Robichaux said. “This effort continues work that city leadership and staff initiated, and I appreciate their commitment to transparency and continuous improvement.”

Details on scope, timeline and selection of an independent firm will be released in the coming weeks.

‘This Story Might Save Your Life’ author to speak at Roswell library

By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com

It’s not often that a debut author’s freshman effort garners over 140,000 Good Reads reviews in just four months. But Tiffany Crum’s “This Story Might Save Your Life” has done exactly that.

Atlanta Authors will spotlight Crum detailing her book and whirlwind publishing journey Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell. Ahead of that conversation with local author Carlie Walker, Crum answered a few questions.

Q: You were raised on a dairy farm near which maximum-security prison?

A: I grew up in Chino, Calif., just down the road from the California Institution for Men. Other than the prison, we had very few neighbors, just thousands of cows and a billion flies.

Q: When did you move to Metro Atlanta?

A: My husband and I moved here in 2021 after spending almost two decades in Los Angeles, where I had a variety of jobs over the years, including working as an executive assistant and later doing bookkeeping for my husband’s production company.

Q: When did you decide to become an author?

A: Writing wasn’t something I stumbled into overnight. It was a long process of learning the craft, writing multiple manuscripts, and figuring out what kind of stories I wanted to tell before I finally wrote the book that sold. I’ve wanted to be a novelist for a long time. I decided to seriously pursue writing when my son was born, and he’s 19 now, so this has definitely been a long journey.

Q: What proved instrumental in getting published?

A. I earned an MFA in creative writing and spent years writing literary fiction before realizing my heart was really in mystery and suspense. Like many authors, I wrote several novels before writing the one that found a publisher. The previous manuscripts will never see the light of day, but that’s OK. I’ve thanked them for making me a better writer and moved on.

Q: Was the novel penned in Atlanta?

A: Yes, I wrote “This Story Might Save

Your Life” after moving to Georgia.

Q: Can you sum up the accolades and honors your book has so far amassed?

A: The response has been far beyond anything I imagined. “This Story Might Save Your Life” debuted as a New York Times bestseller and has since been named one of the best books of the year by Amazon, Indigo and Spotify. It was also a Book of the Month Main Selection, a LibraryReads pick, and a BBC Radio 2 Book Club selection, and it’s being translated into 23 languages.

Q. Touch on yet another development, the TV adaptation.

A. We’re still very early in the TV process, and anyone who’s spent time around Hollywood knows there’s a long and unpredictable road between an option and seeing something on screen, but I’m crossing my fingers.

Q. What has most surprised you since the novel’s March release?

A. I hoped people would find the book, but I never imagined how many would have read it by this point. That’s been the biggest surprise. Hearing from readers around the world and realizing the story has reached far more people in just four months than I could’ve ever dreamed, has been incredibly surreal. I’m immensely grateful.

Q: Have you and your presentation partner, Carlie Walker, collaborated previously?

A: Carlie and I actually just met at the last event we did together, but I’m already a fan. One of my favorite parts of becoming an author has been getting to know other writers, especially here in Georgia. Writing is such a solitary job, so it’s always a treat to spend an afternoon talking books with someone who truly understands the ups and downs of this business.

Q: What are you planning for Atlanta Authors?

A: Attendees can expect a fun, relaxed conversation about writing and publishing, along with plenty of time for audience questions. I hope readers come for the mystery but stay for the friendship.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I’m currently writing my second novel, which has also been picked up by Flatiron.

There is no charge to attend Crum’s Atlanta Authors event, but registration is required at eventbrite.com/e/ atlanta-authors-presents-tiffany-crumtickets-1989374592960.

For more information, go to AtlantaAuthorsGa.com.

STORE CLOSING

Alpharetta park gets new swing courtesy of Rotary, CVB

By ERLANDRYA RUTLEDGE erlandrya@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Rotary Club of Alpharetta gifted a new swing to the city of Alpharetta July 15.

Located in Main Street Park at the northwest corner of North Main Street and Milton Avenue, the swing is custom-built and designed to be a new landmark that reflects the city’s spirit of community and collaboration.

The colors surrounding the swing were strategically chosen, with the blue reflecting the colors that are on the signs around the park and the gold signifying the official Rotary Club color.

The swing initiative started as an idea for Rotary Club President Paul Slavik and evolved into something even more meaningful, with the finished product offering a hub for the community to converse, celebrate or just swing.

“Working alongside the Alpharetta CVB and the city of Alpharetta Recreation, Parks and Cultural Services Department made it possible to provide a meaningful amenity to residents and visitors alike, without any cost to the city,” Slavik said. “This swing is a win for everyone. Rotary continues its commitment to give back to the community, and the community has a beautiful new park feature to enjoy.”

The Rotary Club of Alpharetta is a group of passionate individuals who are committed to making a lasting impact to the community, Slavik said. With goals of service and fellowship, club members work to create meaningful change throughout the city and beyond, he added.

Each year, members lead handson projects that address local and global issues, organizing food drives, supporting education, building homes and partnering with international communities.

Slavik said he hopes this landmark is set apart from others in the city.

“It sits right in downtown,” Slavik said. “But also it ties a civic organization closer to the city by having our name and showing our presence, as well as Awesome Alpharetta, which is

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[the convention and visitors bureau’s] slogan. So, I think it just shows the stronger tie between all the different groups that support our community.”

The two organizations added the swing as part of an ongoing effort to create unforgettable experiences throughout the city. The groups hope the swing becomes an “Instagramworthy” spot for guests.

Main Street Park is an inviting destination in downtown Alpharetta that strives to touch residents

Rental:

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The first hour of use will be free to riders, with every subsequent 30 minutes coming at a charge of $2.50.

Tandem Mobility will conduct maintenance and cleaning at the stations and replace bikes as needed.

Should the program meet the city’s goals, it could be expanded with additional stations and bicycles.

“We think there is a really good opportunity here to have some additional partnerships and grow this program, so we can keep Alpharetta moving on two wheels,” Rodgers said.

On the evening of the meeting, numerous cyclists already were

and visitors with its vibrance and accessibility, CVB officials said.

“When Paul and the Rotary team approached us to collaborate on a project, we immediately saw the vision of developing a unique landmark for the city,” said Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta CVB. “The finished swing is not only beautiful; it is a destination in itself, a place where memories will be made and shared.”

The CVB is the official destination marketing organization for Alpharetta, which was recognized by Southern Living magazine in 2024 as one of the South’s “best cities on the rise.”

Rodgers said the efforts of the two organizations are tied to making the community better and stronger.

“We’re just two strong civic organizations that really try to do good for the city … try to be really good stewards and partners with the city of Alpharetta … by funding and doing things that make better amenities for the city,” Rodgers said. “It makes us proud.”

John Hipes, an Alpharetta city councilmember and the CVB’s board chair, said he hopes passersby take advantage of the perfect “photo-op” place.

“Being at our busiest intersection, with everybody driving home through the city, that’s our ‘I love Alpharetta’ [sign] right there … when the people come to stay in town at the hotel, how cool would it be if we start having pictures from other parts of the country with that swing right there?” he said.

Visitors to the swing can start that trend and are encouraged to tag @awesomealpharetta on social media and use the hashtag #awesomealpharetta.

making use of the trail.

Kevin DuBose said he was glad he had decided to come out to the Greenway after receiving some encouragement from a friend. Cycling is a great exercise and good fun, he said.

DuBose, who recently purchased a $900 bike, said the rental program could allow some who aren’t yet willing to make the commitment for a purchase to try out cycling.

“It would just be a good way for somebody to go try it out for an afternoon without [spending] several hundred dollars,” he said.

His friend Paul Copeland agreed, saying the rental program could allow him to invite others out for rides even if they don’t own a bike.

“There’s a lot of gatekeeping, especially with road biking,” he said.

Just opened?

Appen

Northview senior grows program offering engaging classes to kids

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — For Northview High School senior Aanya Shah, volunteering for Discovery Circle since 2020 isn’t about her sister founding the organization – it’s about believing in the impact of accessibility.

“So many students might do drives and things, and those are phenomenal,” Shah said, “but I think when you really get to see the impact that you make it’s a lot more inspiring.”

Discovery Circle, a student-driven organization working toward non-profit status, has brought free and online access to extracurricular activities to more than 500 students across the United States, Canada, India and Europe. It also provides a community of 75 high school students coaching participants in their passion.

As one of the founding team members when she was in sixth grade, Shah helped develop the website while participating in some of the classes offered at Discovery Circle. After taking over the program from her sister, Aesha, Shah has expanded its offerings to 20-30 courses over seven weeks each summer, all inspired by the coaches themselves.

“I think it's really important for the high school students to showcase their passion and their true interest to the younger students, so they feel motivated to find that for themselves,” Shah said. “I think, like, asking them what they want to teach makes it more engaging and more exciting for them to do.”

In recent summers, Discovery Circle has expanded from offering debate, chess and public speaking classes to jewelry making, creative writing, financial literacy and 3D computeraided design courses for aspiring architects and engineers.

While coaches do offer free language courses and traditional academic topics, Shah said those are already accessible to most families. Discovery

Circle has been working to bridge the gap between online, free extracurricular activities.

There were academic resources students could access online, Shah said, but often, students want to pursue their passions instead of academics.

That’s when Discovery Circle’s main mission formed: to provide free, online lessons for elementary and middle school students.

The organization is one of several community service activities Shah has participated in through middle and high school. She’s brought it to other local service organizations, like her high school’s Beta Club, as a way for members to earn community service hours.

“We work to make sure our hours are certified with different nonprofits or organizations nearby or different school clubs that are also focused on volunteering,” Shah said.

As a coach herself, Shah said she’s experienced a lot of personal growth and gathered new skills working with fellow coaches, students and their parents. Even with a fiveperson team, Shah said the demands can get overwhelming.

“But over time … I've really been able to kind of guide our newer members of our management team on how to approach those kinds of situations,” Shah said. “And I think it's a great skill for all of us to … learn how to balance all of those things.”

As current students grow, Shah hopes to see more of them get involved in the program and eventually take the lead. She wants to see even more creativity in the classes offered as new coaches bring different passions.

“Especially with everything being digital and so much social media, it’s important to make sure that we’re fostering real passion in the next generation,” Shah said.

For those interested in learning more about Discovery Circle, visit discoverycircle20.wixsite. com/freeonlinelessons.

COMMUNITY

North Atlanta mermaids make a splash

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — At age 50, Amy Becham heard the water calling.

Not much of a swimmer, Becham felt a yearning that had been with her since she was a little girl.

While scrolling Facebook in 2018, the creative services manager for an international paper products manufacturer, saw a post advertising a mermaid swim camp at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida.

“I don’t know,” said Becham, who grew up enamored by the Hans Christian Andersen tale “The Little Mermaid.” “It must have been fate or destiny, or whatever you want to call it.”

For two days, she donned a monofin mermaid tail, forging a deeper connection with the water and her inner child.

Eight years later, Becham is a Scuba Schools International certified mermaid, hosting classes, attending community events as her magical marine persona, Mermaid Amy. In her free time, she relaxes by swimming with the tail in pools at gyms, her subdivision and aquatic centers, often drawing curious onlookers.

“You should never lose your motivation to play,” Becham said. “It’s a very physical escape. You’re getting away from everything … It’s everything the real world is not.”

On a Saturday in late June, Becham and a half dozen other women met up at an indoor pool at a strip mall in Johns Creek. For more than an hour, they practiced monofin swimming techniques, their colorful tails gracefully propelling them through the water.

In between handstands, tail flips and other advanced techniques, the group also found time to laugh and play.

After the swim, Meredith “Mermaid Meredith” Simpkins said moving with the tail is harder than it looks.

Simpkins and Becham serve as certified mermaid instructors for Diventures, a North Atlanta swim and SCUBA instruction center.

Made of synthetic materials, the fluke-like monofin attaches at the feet and joins the legs with fabric. Swimming relies on an undulating dolphin kick that requires coordination along the entire body and serves as a surprisingly hard workout.

“We joke with our students, it’s all in the hips, so just channel Shakira,” Simpkins said. “You want to really start with your head and shoulders and start a wave movement, and it continues down. A lot of your power comes from your hips and your upper legs.”

Like Becham, Simpkins said she

felt an inexplicable draw to becoming a mermaid. After becoming SCUBA certified at age 14, she grew increasingly interested in everything aquatic, eventually beginning study to become a marine biologist.

In between her studies and a job at Starbucks, Simpkins also leads mermaid classes.

Simpkins said there are scientific reasons behind the many benefits that

come with swimming. Whether with two legs or one fin, being in the water can reduce stress and promote physical fitness. Swimming also is an essential skill that can open doors for children later in life and ensure their safety should they fall into water.

“There is definitely something physiological and psychological about being in water,” she said. “We came from the water, we are meant to be in the

water.”

Apart from the general benefits of swimming, mermaiding also offers something more intangible. It stimulates the imagination, Simpkins and Becham said.

Both women routinely share their mermaid personas with Johns Creek and other North Atlanta residents. They host classes teaching swimmers how to use the fins and sometimes attend events.

At Autrey Mill Nature Preserve’s Earth Day celebration, Mermaid Amy met with children who eagerly formed a line to meet her. Enamored by her tail and persona, the wide-eyed kids asked questions about the water.

Becham recalled one mermaid class she offered for a girl’s birthday party. The girl was awestruck by the experience, she said, smiling at the memory.

“She probably has no idea what my name is, but she remembers having that first tail swimming with another mermaid,” Becham said.

More pragmatically, the magic of mermaids has enticed numerous young people to learn how to swim, Becham and Simpkins said.

“It is a life-saving skill,” Simpkins said. “No matter where you live or what kind of lifestyle you have, it is very, very likely that you will be around water at some point in your life.”

Black bear necessities: What to know as sightings rise

By JOSHUA WILSON joshua@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — A black bear might be a scary sight, but officials say the animal would rather avoid you than confront you.

Recent local news reports have noted bear sightings in Sandy Springs and Smyrna neighborhoods, a natural occurrence in the summer months for bears wanting to establish habitats, find food or even locate a mate. The animals, according to the North American Bear Center, are timid and will often run away when they encounter humans. A fact sheet from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources notes there are no recorded bear attacks on humans in the state’s history and only two documented fatal attacks in the Southeast.

Black bears were once common in the Peach State, according to the fact sheet, but have been reduced in population by habitat loss, unrestricted hunting and overall degradation of habitat due to human development. There are now about 5,100 black bears throughout the state.

The animals can still be a nuisance, officials note, and game management offices receive numerous calls about them every year. Instead of immediately capturing and relocating bears, staffers evaluate “why the bear is causing problems,” according to the fact sheet.

“Most problems can be resolved through simple actions such as taking down bird feeders, taking in pet food, or storing garbage in an area unavailable to bears like a garage,” the fact sheet notes. “Removing

Gamba:

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He’s watched Gamba pick up nearly any instrument and play it at a high level.

Seth Gamba is a professional bass player who specializes in string education, a background that puts him in daily contact with students learning to play their first instrument, even as he continues to perform at a high level himself.

That range shows up just as clearly in Gamba’s woodworking. Working out of his home shop, Gamba hand-turns bowls and vessels almost entirely from wood sourced within walking distance of his front door.

“I usually play up the local angle,” Gamba said of how he describes the work to customers.

The majority of the wood he uses — about 85% — comes from the street where he lives, pulled from tree services removing trees from neighbors’ yards or his own. He estimates he’s found wood from close to half the yards on his street.

What draws him to wood turning, he said, is that it’s a tree-to-finished process — he doesn’t buy pre-cut lumber from a home improvement store. He cuts the log himself and carries it through to a finished piece someone can use, enjoy, or pass down as an heirloom.

Gamba brings that same hands-on instinct to his own playing. He composes original music, which he posts on gambamusic.com, and recently helped form a blues band, where he plays upright bass and electric violin. The group’s first performance is set for August.

Music has connected Gamba to a tight circle of fellow teacher-musicians for two decades. Herndon, also an orchestra director, met Gamba around 2005 through a shared mentor teacher.

trunks or trees,” the fact sheet advises.

After losing their meal ticket, bears will “simply move on” to “a more traditional range,” officials say, but it might be necessary to install an electrical fence if beehives or gardens are involved.

Game management staffers consider capture and relocation a last resort, only warranted if a bear persists in being a nuisance and warrants a safety threat. Disturbing bears could disorient them, experts warn, ultimately causing them to wander onto roadways and be killed by passing traffic.

So, what should you do if you see a black bear in the wild? Biologist Lynn Rogers, who founded the North American Bear Center, says to “enjoy it” and observe the bear from a safe distance. It will move on, she writes in a blog post. However, if it lingers past your comfort, you can make the bear run away by waving and announcing your presence. The animals tend to “run first and ask questions later,” she adds.

“Most attacks by black bears are defensive reactions to a person who is too close, which is an easy situation to avoid,” Rogers notes.

or making attractants unavailable to bears is a critical step in resolving bear/human conflicts. It is equally important for people to be patient. It may take several days for the bear to learn that it is no longer going to be provided with a free meal.”Campers and those enjoying Georgia’s ample outdoor offerings are also urged to avoid providing easy food offerings for black bears.

“When camping or hiking, store food items in a vehicle or hoist food packs into the air away from the

“That lady kept telling me, ‘Oh, you should meet Seth. You guys would hit it off,’” Herndon said.

The two hit it off immediately and began making music together, eventually forming a group called The Expats that ran nearly nine years before the pandemic ended it, followed by a five-year run with a group called the Vesna Quartet.

Today Gamba plays in a newer project alongside Herndon and Jay Champion, who teaches chorus and music technology at Lost Mountain Middle School in Kennesaw. Champion said he’s known Gamba for

The biologist says a small can of pepper spray is “a good way to feel self-confident around black bears.” The spray will not hurt the bear but will prompt it to leave the area. Throwing stones at the bear can also scare it away, she mentions.

“Black bears have killed 61 people across North America since 1900,” she says in the post. “This no longer worries me. My chances of being killed by a domestic dog, bees, or lightning are vastly greater.”

more than a decade through the music educators’ community, largely through Champion’s wife, who also teaches orchestra.

“This is certainly the most I’ve gotten to know him,” Champion said of playing alongside Gamba. “It’s a real pleasure to get to make music with him and get to know him as a musician and share this experience.”

For Champion, playing outside the classroom isn’t a side hobby — it’s part of what makes him a better teacher.

“Music teachers have to keep themselves musically centered. I can’t let middle school choral music be the only music in my life,” he said. He’s sung in choirs and played piano at his church since he was 15.

Herndon sees the same pattern in his own career. He said many musicians end up teaching to piece together a living, and many fall in love with it — but the two feed each other.

“I teach music, and therefore the music that I get to play enhances my teaching and vice versa,” he said. Before returning to the classroom, he worked as a professional musician full-time — and, in his words, was poor and without insurance.

Beyond the music and the woodworking, Herndon points to something simpler about his friend.

“He’s got a good moral and ethical compass. I don’t know, I don’t see that in everybody. But I know that this guy shoots straight,” Herndon said.

It’s that combination — a professional bassist who teaches strings, builds guitar pedals from scratch, turns bowls from his neighbors’ fallen trees, and still finds time to help launch a new band — that keeps drawing comparisons to a bygone kind of craftsman. Whether at a lathe or with an instrument in hand, Gamba’s work follows the same instinct: take something raw and carry it all the way through to something finished.

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With Summer in full swing and many of us traveling stateside and internationally, it’s important to understand how your Medicare insurance coverage works outside of where you live. This will vary depending on your type of plan.

If you have Traditional Medicare and a Medicare Supplement Plan, you may see any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare, either for emergency or non-emergency care. Coverage outside of the United States is not covered by Traditional Medicare; however, your Medicare Supplement plan will provide emergency coverage while traveling outside of the United States.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage will depend on your network type, typically a PPO or an HMO. A PPO style network will give you national coverage for emergency, urgent care and non-emergency services. An HMO style network would only provide for emergency and urgent care services outside of your plan’s service area (typically the county or a group of counties around where you live). For foreign travel, the Medicare Advantage

plan will provide emergency coverage only.

When traveling internationally, we recommend acquiring Trip Insurance. This will typically give you additional health insurance protection when traveling.

Most Trip Insurance policies will bundle other protections into the policy, such as lost baggage and last minute cancellation coverage. While your Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage plans cover any emergencies internationally, they do not cover medical transportation. Make sure you examine your trip insurance to ensure it includes transportation back home, should you encounter a medical event on your travels that prevents you from traveling in a regular plane seat.

Also, when planning international travel, it is a good idea to touch base with your Medicare insurance carrier to fully understand coverage outside of the United States.

If you have questions about your Medicare insurance coverage when you travel, if you are turning 65 soon, or if you are leaving group insurance give us a call today! Call us at (770) 913-6464 or reach out using our website at www. SeniorSourceMedicare.com/contactseniorsource.

Jay Looft Owner/Agent

Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist

Insist on the

BEST

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.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

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.

A tale of two sunscreens

How the FDA helped us finish first by finishing last

Brought to you by – Premier Dermatology

For more than thirty years, the US and Europe have followed different sunscreen paths. In Europe, twelve new sunscreen filters have been approved since 1996. In the US, as of August 2026, the FDA approved bemotrizinol (BEMT) as a safe and effective over-the-counter sunscreen ingredient—the first new sunscreen filter approved here in twenty years. Europe approved BEMT in 1999, and the US approved BEMT in 2026. But who really won: the turtle or the hare?

The Bullet We Dodged

Patients often ask why the United States has taken so long to approve newer sunscreen filters available in Europe for years. The answer lies in a fundamental regulatory difference. Europe generally regulates sunscreens as cosmetics, while the United States classifies them as over-the-counter drugs and is very concerned with how much sunscreens are absorbed through the skin. That higher standard requires manufacturers to demonstrate multiple indicators of safety before products reach consumers in the US.

The contrast became especially clear with 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC). This UV filter was approved fifty years ago in Europe and was widely used for decades but never gained FDA approval because it failed to satisfy the agency’s safety requirements. Subsequent research confirmed that 4-MBC acts as an endocrine disruptor with estrogenlike activity, alters thyroid hormone levels, may be genotoxic, and causes significant environmental toxicity, including developmental abnormalities in some vertebrates.

The European Union ultimately banned retail sales of products containing 4-MBC beginning May 1, 2026, after fifty years of use. It was never allowed to be sold in the United States.

Meanwhile, twenty-seven years after its European approval, bemotrizinol has finally gained FDA approval.

Getting to know BEMT

Bemotrizinol’s story is an unexpected one. In the early 1990s, Swiss chemists developed it as an industrial plastic stabilizer to protect outdoor materials from UV damage before realizing it absorbed ultraviolet light remarkably well while remaining exceptionally stable. Most importantly, its stability, negligible skin absorption, and reassuring toxicity data make it an ideal sunscreen ingredient. Its unusually large molecular structure limits penetration into the bloodstream while providing excellent protection against both UVA rays, which accelerate skin aging, and UVB rays, which cause sunburn. Its broadspectrum protection rivals zinc oxide without

leaving the heavy white residue many people dislike. Bemotrizinol also stabilizes older ingredients such as avobenzone, helping some sunscreen formulations remain effective longer.

Cleaner for the Ocean?

Mineral sunscreens have long been promoted as the only “reef-safe” option. However, growing research suggests that zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles may stress some marine organisms and contribute to coral damage under certain conditions.

Bemotrizinol appears environmentally promising. It is highly stable, does not readily dissolve into seawater, and produces few reactive breakdown products. Although long-term studies are still underway, early evidence suggests it may prove less disruptive to marine ecosystems than some mineral formulations.

When Can You Buy It?

DSM-Firmenich first applied for FDA approval in 2005, but the application stalled for years under the previous review process. The 2020 CARES Act modernized that system, allowing the FDA to evaluate sunscreen ingredients more efficiently.

As an incentive for the company’s extensive safety testing, Congress granted DSM an 18-month exclusivity period through February 2028. The parent company of Neutrogena and Aveeno has already announced plans to incorporate bemotrizinol into selected sunscreens under the trade name “Parsol Shield.”

Premium formulations containing bemotrizinol are expected to reach U.S. store shelves around September 2026, followed by generic versions in 2028. The FDA’s streamlined approval process and exclusivity incentive may also pave the way for several additional modern sunscreen filters including Tinosorb M to come to the US.

The FDA’s review process may sometimes seem frustratingly slow. We waited a long time for BEMT, but we also avoided toxic 4-MBC while it was used for fifty years in Europe. When protecting both our skin and long-term health, caution can be one of medicine’s greatest strengths. In this case, the tortoise beat the hare.

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.

BINGO – 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26

Jackpot - $1,000

Future Games: 2nd & 4th Sunday Each Month

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6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 6, 13, 20

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Dances: Friday, Saturday & Sunday Evenings

Line Dance: Monday & Friday AM; Wednesday PM Visit www.club201dance.com for all the Details

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!

FAMOUS FIRST NAME

1. Jingle. Sicilian volcano. Baseball’s Mr. Doubleday.

2. Civil rights activist Ms. Parks. Positive pole. Its capital is Doha.

3. Iridescent gem. Director Mr. Ponti. Renter’s agreement.

4. Western star Mr. LaRue. Small burrowing rodent. Ladder part.

5. Chess piece. Fuzzy fruit. TV’s Mr. Godfrey.

6. Hate. Movie’s Ms. Kitean. Litter member.

7. Nevada city. Movie & TV’s Mr. Pyle. Domestic.

1 Jingle. Sicilian volcano. Baseball’s Mr. Doubleday

2. Civil rights activist Ms. Parks. Positive pole. Its capital is Doha

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. Iridescent gem. Director Mr. Ponti. Renter’s agreement.

4. Western star Mr. LaRue. Small burrowing rodent. Ladder part

5. Chess piece. Fuzzy fruit. TV’s Mr. Godfrey

6. Hate. Movie’s Ms. Kitaen. Litter member

7. Nevada city. Movie & TV’s

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The gift of never casting judgment

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

Every time I write a column, I am torn between writing about a subject that is local, timely and in some way unique or writing about a topic that is not necessarily “local” but instead “universal,” like love, loss, kindness, education, patriotism or faith.

I know that regardless of which direction a column takes, it always helps to tell a story. We all love stories. And, if one can tell a story that also recognizes someone or something important, teaches a lesson or imparts a positive value — all the better. So, here is a story for you.

Ralph Rucker, one of the people I admired more than almost anyone else in this world, recently died. His death took me by surprise because — even though he was closer to 90 than he was 80 — it never entered my mind that he was, as we all are, subject to mortality. He was too strong, too indestructible, too good, too kind, too loyal and too

fierce in his unshakable faith.

Yet, despite all that, we lost him. His death made me notice others lately who have passed — many famous, many not and many not so very old.

Some made big splashes; they built businesses, wrote books and made movies. They invented things, made lots of money, traveled across the world, gave lectures, taught and healed. They drove expensive cars, lived in big houses and ran for office. Others struggled, as single parents, to raise kids and put food on the table. Their greatest accomplishment — their proudest achievement — was raising a kid who didn’t do drugs, respected people and grew up strong, honest and self-sufficient.

And it never occurred to them that they could have done “better.” They knocked it out of the ballpark. I think we tend to not remember so much what people did, or how much they had, as much as how they lived — how they treated other people, how they saw their lives in relationship to the world around them, how many people they touched and helped in some way. That, I think, determines if one is remembered — if there is something left

over after mortality catches up with us.

Part and parcel to how we treat other people is how we don’t treat other people. When my friend died, I took inventory of why he was so important to me and to others. One thing stood out more than almost everything else. I never — as in never ever — heard him say a single disparaging remark about another person. Never. Think about that. He didn’t cast judgment — no red or blue attacks, no making someone else feel smaller. There was no “holier than thou” attitude with Ralph Rucker. That value is, to me, life’s gamechanger. Look around. Isn’t life really, honestly, way too short to blow through your very limited time and energy doing stuff as unproductive, destructive, debilitating and downright unfun as casting stones in judgment of others? Don’t we all have better things to do?

George Carlin used to do a shtick about grudges. He said that holding a grudge was like drinking poison in the hope the other guy dies. Casting judgment — and disparaging other people — seems, to me, very close to holding a grudge.

One of the best things I have ever done for myself was to make a

conscious, deliberate decision a couple years ago to never be in a hurry again — for anything or anyone. Doing that has literally changed my life. It’s like a whole new ballgame. My stress level plunged. Incidences of anger and frustration plummeted. My patience with other people greatly increased, and because I am less occupied with being frustrated and angry, I have the capacity to engage in other stuff — stuff that is healthy, nurturing and simply more fun.

Eliminating the default impulse to negatively judge others — to criticize or disparage — will be a much harder task than deciding to stop being in a hurry. I know this. It will require a lot of work, a lot of discipline. But I also know the rewards will be far greater. It seems like a no-brainer to me. Game on. Going for it.

Thank you, Ralph Rucker, for being the example for me — for leading my way to that path. I wonder how many other people have followed or will follow your lead. What a wonderful gift you left — a present that will surely endure for a very long time.

Ray Appen is the publisher emeritus at Appen Media Group.

Retiring amid a circle of friends; what a way to go

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

You cannot imagine the unease a newspaperman feels when a city issues a proclamation in his honor.

Members of the press are expected to be at odds with government. Some take pride in it.

When the Alpharetta City Council chose to honor my 45 years in newspapers July 13, I was ambivalent. On one hand, it is humbling to be celebrated by such a remarkable city. On the other, journalists feel more comfortable being lambasted from the dais because it shows they’re not in cahoots with government.

I haven’t the fingers and toes to count the number of times officials have blasted me during meetings, attacking my account of the mess they’ve made or the imprudent path they’ve pursued.

Years ago, I recall covering one county commissioner who’d spent the evening in jail on what turned out to be a bogus DUI charge. Two blood tests showed zero alcohol.

He declined to speak on the record that night, but he added that if he were going to talk with anyone from the press, it would be me. I was not a soft touch, but I always listened.

That’s how journalists should operate. Give everyone a fair shake but keep your eyes open.

I later uncovered evidence that same commissioner was part of a coalition that profited by voting to overpay for park land. He resigned amid a grand jury investigation.

After having spent some 15 years covering Alpharetta, it strikes me that the city gets things right more than it gets them wrong. It has smart people on and off the dais, and its government operates with a lot more openness than most cities and counties I’ve covered.

Going out of their way

The July 13 affair was made more exhilarating by the people who turned out to wish me well. There were many Alpharettans, great people I’ve come to know.

Most startling was the number of colleagues, past and present, who attended. There were Aldo Nahed and Jonathan Copsey, my first newsroom

That’s how journalists should operate. Give everyone a fair shake but keep your eyes open.”

PATRICK FOX Managing Editor

mates at Appen Media 12 years ago. Aldo looked younger. Jonathan looked the same.

There were many wonderful current and former reporters. It was so humbling to have them make the effort.

Dan Whisenhunt, the current executive editor, was there, although I know he works at least 24 hours a day.

And, there were the Appens — Ray, Christina, Hans and Carl — who, over the years, always spoke of how they valued me. You only get treated like that at a true family-owned newspaper.

What lies ahead

In retirement, every day is Saturday. There is much to do around the house, and I may write a little. If money runs tight, though, I have a few schemes to earn some cash:

• Express checkout lane bouncer — I’d have to bulk up for this, but those who feel entitled to overload the express checkout lane should be called out.

• Certified jellybean accountant (CJA)

— Plenty of gigs available in the outdoor entertainment industry. County fairs, shopping center promotions — the list is endless.

• Booking agent for church aisle seats

— Back in the day, devotional etiquette required you scoot toward the center of the pew when arriving for worship. Today, even those arriving on time face an obstacle course of legs and knees simply to find a seat. Churches should charge a premium for aisle seats. I could handle the arrangements.

• Thanksgiving dinner fact-checker — Oh, the fun of setting Uncle Raymond straight when he prattles on about the latest news he read on the internet. Families could rent me out to do what I’ve been doing for the past 45 years. So long for now.

OPINION

Mountain Park celebrates a century of history

The Roswell Seating Company played a significant role in the city’s post-19th century textile mill era. It was founded in 1927 by the Rev. Ralph M. Donehoo (1887-1965) who was born in Cobb County and attended a one-room school as a child. He was a good student and was encouraged by his teacher to attend college. He enrolled in Reinhardt College for a short time before attending Mercer University where he studied for the ministry, graduating in 1912. He married Ethel Frances Scott (1891-1991), and together, they raised seven children all of whom are deceased. Most of the family is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery in Roswell.

Ralph entered the ministry and became a circuit preacher. After several years going from church to church, he decided to slow down and purchased a small farm in Roswell on Pine Grove Road probably before 1920. (In the 1920 census the Rev. Donehoo is listed as Occupation: Minister and Industry: Farm.)

He bought some crates to hold a large crop of sweet potatoes and decided to set up a shop to make his own crates. He powered his shop with the engine from his Model T car. In 1927 he made pews for the Sandy Springs Baptist Church where he was preaching, and his new business was incorporated. His barn was reportedly where his first commercial products were made.

The Rev. Donehoo preached at numerous local churches as a supply preacher, meaning he preached as needed. He became a part-time pastor at the First Baptist Church of Roswell from 1916 to 1936 where a chapel is named in his honor, and he preached extensively at the First Baptist Church of Alpharetta from 1924 to 1942. His portrait is displayed in both churches. He preached 2 to 5 times a month at different churches, held revivals and supplemented his income with farming and carpentry.

Roswell resident Tim Worley worked in the Roswell Seating Company for eight years in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His mother was the bookkeeper for the company for 50 years. “In the late 1980s the company stopped being a production company and became a distributor for other producers although it still manufactured some products with

outmoded equipment,” Tim says. “By then the industry was dominated by much larger firms.”

Tim left the company in 1985, and it closed permanently sometime in the 2000s.

Tim notes that the early pews were made of solid oak, cherry or mahogany,

“depending on what the customer wanted.” Later they were laminated with a veneer on the surface available in a range of colors. The laminated systems weighed less and

have a church pew.”

Ralph Donehoo ran the business until old age slowed him down. His sons Pat, Scott, Bill, Sam and John, who had worked in the business at various times, took over. Tim Donehoo’s father John, the youngest son, became president of the company. All except John served in World War II but came home after the war wanting to work in the factory.

Like Tim Worley, Tim Donehoo also lives in Roswell and worked in the factory, in his case during summers from 1983-1990 before going to college. Tim started out in the paint department and worked his way through most departments up to an office job while in graduate school.

“One department took wood, and step by step made pews,” he says proudly. “We made pew bottoms, backs, ends called heads, communion tables, slanted book racks to hold hymnals and Bibles, chairs for Sunday schools and baptismal stands. It took talented craftsmen to make them.”

The work was hard and dusty but rewarding.

“If I could go back to work I would do so in a heartbeat,” Tim Donehoo says. “We produced something tangible and had pride in our work.”

Everything was done by hand, unlike the products made by the machines and computers used by others in the 1950s.

For well over 50 years, the Donehoo family provided seats and other church items to more than 5,000 churches throughout the Southeast. If your family attended Roswell United Methodist, Roswell Presbyterian, Sandy Springs United Methodist, Mount Paren Church of God, the Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Peachtree Presbyterian, Union Hill Baptist, Crabapple Baptist or many other churches, your family sat on the handiwork of the Donehoos.

were probably stronger and maybe cheaper to make. Tim drove a truck periodically to Wisconsin where the Wisconsin Laminating Company did the laminating and made some of the parts.

Tim recalls that it was an amazing site to see an installation.

“Workers assembled the pew upside down at the front of a church,” he says. “Two guys would get busy with a drill and screwdriver. After three or four minutes, they would put the pieces together, and we would

Thanks to the faith, vision and commitment of one man and the dedication of his sons and other family members, the Roswell Seating Company occupied a key role in the history of Roswell.

Bob is a member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission, director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and trustee on the Board of Directors of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

Going home again, back to the water

You might not know this, but there was once a time when I didn’t fish for trout.

Sure, I fished for other things — for bream, mostly, and usually with a glob of worms. Red wigglers were good. Super-jumpers were better. But catalpa worms, those colorful caterpillars from the trees down by the pond, were always best of all. It’s a fact, Dad would say, that you just can’t find a better bait for bream, even as he reminded one and all that the proper way to say it was “catawba.”

From the time I was about 12 years old, Dad always had a pond. The house he built for us back in the mid-60s had one, a nice little farm pond of about an acre. Near the upper end, where a tiny creek flowed in, we built a boat dock sized just right for the Sears aluminum john boat which was such an essential part of my childhood.

It was a nice pond. One bank was open and sunny; the other was shaded and dark and mysterious, especially right before rain on a summer afternoon.

What was it about an impending storm that always seemed to make the

Randy Knighton City Administrator

fishing better? The air got thick and heavy. The sky morphed from blue to gray, the same gray as a sheet of stainless steel. The wind slowed and then stopped completely. The earth held its breath. Premonition?

And then the bream went wild. You just knew you were going to catch a mess of fish. And we did too — big bream, lots of them, each bending the rod in a battle of epic proportions. We’d catch a mess of them and then clean them and carry them up to the kitchen, where Mom had hush puppies (made from cornbread mix and sweet onions and other stuff, but never from a recipe) all mixed up ready to go. In the massive pot sitting on the stove, the grease was hot and ready for frying. Hush puppies went in first. Then, while those drained on paper towels folded over a big cookie sheet, she’d bread and salt and pepper the fish and set them in the hot grease, too, where they bubbled merrily until she deemed them just right.

By the time the fish were done, the hush puppies were cool enough to eat without burning your tongue. And then — then! — we’d sit at the round table, that platter of fried bream on the lazy Susan, and we would bask in heavenly bliss right here on earth until the platter was bare and the real world drifted back into view. Oh, those bream … is it any

City of Roswell Notice of Neighborhood Meeting & Public Hearing

Mary Robichaux Mayor

The following item will be heard at a public hearing held by the Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, 7:00 PM, at Roswell City Hall, Council Chambers, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, Georgia 30075.

a. ZVAR-0626-000020 – 1329 Holcomb Bridge Road

The applicant, Madison Rieke/Brixmor, is requesting a variance to the BTZ; land lot 583.

b. ZVAR-0626-000017 – 1050 Holcomb Bridge Road

The applicant, Dakota Carruthers/QuikTrip Corporation, is requesting two variances – a variance for the transparency requirements and a variance for pedestrian access; land lot 538 .

c. ZVAR-1125-000002 – 10855 Houze Road

The applicant, Kelsey Kreher/ Valvoline Instant Oil Change, is requesting a variance to the BTZ; land lot 484.

The complete file is available for public view at the Roswell Planning & Zoning Office, 38 Hill Street, Suite G-30, Roswell, GA, 770.817.6720 or planningandzoning@roswellgov.com. Refer to www.roswellgov.com.

wonder that I didn’t think about other fish? Is it any wonder, through those shimmering years between childhood and adolescent awakenings, that bream were the center of my universe?

Yeah, bream. But no trout.

The trout came a little later, and my spirit guide to their world was a buddy, Randy. Randy and I shared lots of interests — music, ham radio and fishing — but when it came to things piscatorial, Randy was sophisticated in a way that I was not.

Randy, you see, had gone beyond bream. Randy knew the ways of trout.

One day, somewhere during the high school years, he called me. I paraphrase shamelessly, but the conversation went something like this:

“Want to go trout fishing?” he asked.

Trout fishing! It was the holy grail. I’d read of it, but I’d never dabbled. Now, though, there was a way forward.

“Sure,” I said.

A couple of days later, early on a Saturday morning, he picked me up (in his pumpkin-orange Karmann Ghia) and off we went.

We were bound for Boggs Creek, the namesake stream of the U.S. Forest Service’s Boggs Creek Recreation Area up in Lumpkin County about 15 miles north of Dahlonega off U.S. 19/129. It’s easy to find — just go up 19/129 for about 15 miles, and watch for the brownand-white sign announcing that you’ve arrived. The sign is about an eighth of a mile before you get to the access road, which turns right off the main highway.

Besides fishing, what will you find in the Boggs Creek Recreation Area today? Vehicle access is limited by a closed gate, but there’s picnicking before you reach it. Beyond the gate, foot travel opens up places that relatively few take the time to see, including waterfalls on Little Ridge Creek, a tributary to Boggs Creek proper.

But for us, that day, the trout were the thing. That’s why we were there.

We had with us two ultralight rods and a small container of bait.

Wait. Bait? Not my hallowed latterday flies? No sir, but I was younger then and can be forgiven. Or maybe forgiveness is not required. Maybe in my neophytic enthusiasm I’d just stumbled onto a great bit of troutcatching wisdom. I’ll let you decide.

Anyway, bait (specifically, mealworms) was what we had, and so mealworms were what we would use. They are the larval form of some sort

of beetle and were, as I recall, kind of cream colored and each about an inch long. Randy told me they were the thing for trout, even better than catalpa worms were for bream.

I had high hopes.

We rode a while, and pretty soon we were there. Randy parked the Karmann Ghia, and we hiked a little bit to his secret spot (some things never change) and then hunkered down by the creek to talk it through.

“That’s where they are,” Randy said, pointing to a deep run that flowed close by a big rock.

Randy, the expert, selected a mealworm and slipped it onto my hook.

“Cast it over there and let it drift through the deep water,” he said, and I did.

Right away I had a bite. I lifted the rod and hooked the fish and brought it in, a small rainbow trout about 6 inches long. It was the first of about a half dozen we caught over the next hour or so — and (I have to be truthful here) we kept them all and cleaned them right there and sprinkled on salt and pepper and cooked them over a tiny fire right beside the sparkling water. They were delicious.

That was a long time ago. So why, just the other day, did I decide to go see Boggs Creek again? I hadn’t been there even once since that fateful day in 1970-something, so why go now, a half a century later? Was I trying to rediscover the heady thrill of a first? Was I maybe trying to atone for trout caught on wormy things and cooked?

I don’t know. But I went.

I wish I could now share with you an inspiring return-of-the-native narrative, an uplifting story of many trout now caught on tiny flies, a tale of justification or affirmation or some other such multi-syllabic arc of lofty prose.

But I can’t. I can only tell you the truth, and the truth is I didn’t catch a single fish. Not a one.

But that’s okay. Sometimes that happens. It’s the experience that matters, after all.

You know, there are things you always remember — things like the first time you kiss the love of your life … or the first time you catch a trout. They’re way different, those two things are, but they’re kind of the same too.

And you know what? That next kiss is even sweeter than the one before. Always.

Steve Hudson is an award-winning outdoor writer and fly fisherman.

NOTICE CITY OF ROSWELL PUBLIC HEARING

PLACE: ROSWELL CITY HALL

38 HILL STREET, SUITE 215

DATE & TIME: August 6, 2026 10:00 A.M.

PURPOSE: APPLICATION FOR: Package License

APPLICANT: Aakanksha Patangay

BUSINESS NAME: Roswell Corner Mart Inc – DBA Roswell Mini Mart

BUSINESS ADDRESS: 146 Norcross St, Roswell, GA 30075

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS & ST. JOHN ORIENTAL BANK, Plaintiff, V. SHAWN J. DOWE, HADY DOWE, AND MAHOGANY RUN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Defendants.

To: Hady Dowe

Covington, Georgia Order of Publication

CASE NO. ST-24-CV-97

Within 30 days after completion of the publication period specified in the Order of Publication dated March 9, 2026, you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a Cross- Claim filed against you in this action for, inter alia, a money judgment, judgment confirming the amount, validity, and priority of MRHA's lien against Shawn J. Dowe and Hady Dowe's real property located on St. Thomas, judgment foreclosing MRHA's lien, and an award of costs and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the Cross- Claim for Debt, Foreclosure, and Quiet Title. Witness my hand and the seal of this Court this 10TH day of JUNE 2026. Court Clerk II of said court.

By/Solicitors for Mahogany Run Homeowners Association

Shari N. D'Andrade

KROBLIN D'ANDRADE P.C.

9716 Estate Thomas, Suite 203 St. Thomas, VI 00802

TO BE RUN: 07/02, 07/09, 07/16 and 07/23/2026.

NOTICE CITY OF ROSWELL PUBLIC HEARING

PLACE: ROSWELL CITY HALL

38 HILL STREET, SUITE 215

DATE & TIME: August 6th, 2026 10:00 A.M.

PURPOSE: APPLICATION FOR: Limited COP/Beer & Wine/ No Sundays

APPLICANT: Bui Eng Doyle

BUSINESS NAME: Kaya Sushi & Ramen / Kaya Restaurant Inc.

BUSINESS ADDRESS: 10707 Alpharetta Hwy, Roswell, GA 30076

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS & ST. JOHN ORIENTAL BANK, Plaintiff, V.

SHAWN J. DOWE, HADY DOWE, AND MAHOGANY RUN HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., Defendants.

To: Shawn J. Dowe

Covington, Georgia Order of Publication

CASE NO. ST-24-CV-97

Within 30 days after completion of the publication period specified in the Order of Publication dated March 9, 2026, you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a Cross- Claim filed against you in this action for, inter alia, a money judgment, judgment confirming the amount, validity, and priority of MRHA's lien against Shawn J. Dowe and Hady Dowe's real property located on St. Thomas, judgment foreclosing MRHA's lien, and an award of costs and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the Cross- Claim for Debt, Foreclosure, and Quiet Title. Witness my hand and the seal of this Court this 10TH day of JUNE 2026. Court Clerk II of said court.

By/Solicitors for Mahogany Run Homeowners Association

Shari N. D'Andrade

KROBLIN D'ANDRADE P.C. 9716 Estate Thomas, Suite 203 St. Thomas, VI 00802

TO BE RUN: 07/02, 07/09, 07/16 and 07/23/2026.

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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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Sawnee EMC is seeking an Accounts Payable Clerk to process invoices, purchase orders, payments, reports, and vendor files while assisting with audits, closings, and customer inquiries. Requires: high school diploma or equivalency, proficiency in mathematics, monetary, and general office skills. A minimum of two years of related work experience, as well as a degree in a related field preferred. Position is full-time; must be flexible to work irregular hours, to include evenings and weekends.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, July 31, 2026. Apply online: www.sawnee.coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Protected Veterans. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

Sr. Principal Business Systems Analyst, UKG, Inc., Alpharetta, GA (Hybrid) Responsible for design, development, testing, & deployment of new software solutions that deliver business value as well as supporting existing software solutions in complex systems landscape. Req: Master’s degree (or foreign equiv) in Software Engineering, IT, Management Info. Systems, or closely rltd fld & 5 yrs exp lead software business systems analyst for enterprise projects, Bachelor’s degree (or foreign equiv) in same & 7 yrs exp in same. Pos req approx 25% of dom & int’l travel by air. Hybrid pos: 3 days/wk in office in Alpharetta, GA, 2 days/wk from home. Full job descr. & reqs. & apply at ukg.com/about-us/careers under “Sr. Principal Business Systems Analyst” (Job #: SRPRI019275).

Sawnee EMC is seeking a General Clerk III –Financial Services to retrieve and deliver mail, file/ scan documents, operate office equipment, and assist internal customers. Requires: high school diploma or equivalency, valid Georgia Driver’s License, basic office/ computer skills, and 12 months’ related experience or equivalent education. Position is full-time; must be flexible to work irregular hours, to include evenings and weekends.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, July 31, 2026. Apply online: www.sawnee.coop/ careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Protected Veterans. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

Midway Preschool is looking for an experienced Young 5’s/Prek teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Contact Beth at beth@midwayumc.org.

Food Pantry Manager

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the full-time Food Pantry Manager position. Under the direction of the Food Pantry Director, the Food Pantry Manager leads back of house food pantry operations including inventory control, receiving products, client orders, managing volunteers, entering data and creating reports.

This role is perfect for someone who enjoys managing people and process! Volunteer and inventory management, operations and data entry are primary responsibilities of this role.

The applicant should have a desire to join the team of a mission-driven non-profit where we work to ease hardship and build financial stability throughout our community. We offer one of the most competitive total rewards packages among Atlanta’s nonprofit organizations, making this role both meaningful and rewarding.

Please send resumes to jobs@nfcchelp.org

Sawnee EMC is seeking a Mapping Technician to update, maintain and operate Geographic Information System (GIS), related mapping systems and peripheral equipment to create integrated circuit designs for an electrical distribution system. Provide technical assistance in database maintenance and map production for the GIS. Requires an Associate degree or technical school certificate in GIS or related mapping or associated field, with a minimum of two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Must have advanced computer skills with MS Office products, ESRI GIS mapping and Auto CAD. Must be available for alternate shift assignments and irregular work hours, including evenings and weekends as necessitated by circumstances and on-call functions.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, July 31, 2026. Apply online: www.sawnee.coop/ careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Protected Veterans. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable

ECM Consultant, EVS - Skin Care – positions offered by Kimberly-Clark USA, LLC (Roswell, GA). Drive end-to-end supply chain excellence in alignment w/ global & regional enterprise initiatives. Position reports to Roswell, GA office. Telecommuting permitted in accordance with company policy, but must live within commuting distance of stated office. Must be willing to travel 10% (domestic and international). Salary Range: $129,594 - $155,500 USD per year. At Kimberly-Clark, pay is just one aspect of our total rewards package, which also includes a variety of benefits & opportunities to achieve, thrive & grow. Along with base pay, this position offers eligibility for a target bonus and a comprehensive benefits suite, including our 401(k) & Profit Sharing plan. The anticipated base pay range for this role is provided above for a fully qualified hire. Actual pay will depend on several factors, such as location, role, skills, performance, & experience. Please note that the stated pay range applies to US locations only. Apply online at: www. careersatkc.com

(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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