Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - June 25, 2026

Alpharetta denies bid for multi-home project after neighbors’ protest

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta City Council denied a residential developer’s rezoning request June 22 after nearby homeowners said the project could diminish their quality of life.

Residents voiced concerns about a request by Mayfield Development Services to allow for construction of five homes at 1425 Mayfield Road. Some residents of the nearby quiet, tree-shaded neighborhood said they were worried the project would increase

traffic, remove old-growth trees, contribute too much density and cause stormwater runoff problems.

Council members denied the developer’s rezoning request to change a narrow 4.6-acre tract from agriculture to residential use and a variance to reduce the street right-of-way width and allow a sidewalk. The homes were to have a price point near $4 million.

Council members made no public comment about why they voted to deny the changes.

Roswell approves variances for grocery retail development

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell officials approved an updated site plan and concurrent variances June 22 for a grocery-based retail development at Bowen Road and Ga. 92.

The project consists of a land swap with the existing Westminster Japanese Church, constructing more than 60,000 square feet of retail space

and a new fire station.

SJC Ventures purchased the 6-acre site at 1340 Woodstock Road in December for $5 million while allowing Roswell to keep 2.5 acres on which to build the city’s eighth fire station.

Fire Chief Pabel Troche said the new station is projected to improve citywide travel times by at least two minutes, decreasing response times for more than 20,000 rooftops.

The site plan includes changes to

the intersection leading up Bowen Road toward Ga. 92 to help with traffic flow and pedestrian safety which are common concerns among nearby residents.

Roadway improvements include installing left- and right-turn lanes into the site, extending pedestrian connectivity down Bown Road and enhancing related facilities.

See VARIANCES, Page 22

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Roswell police find drugs during surveillance work

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police found bags containing multiple grams of methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine June 16 after a Roswell detective learned of an Atlanta suspect’s location.

The detective was tipped off to a Black BMW that had frequented an area on Old Dogwood Road and was possible being driven by a suspected criminal. The driver of the BMW had an active warrant for his arrest after failing to appear in Fulton County Court on a violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act.

While surveilling the driver in a parking lot, the detective saw him enter a building for almost 30 minutes before leaving. Upon attempting to exit, officers blocked the vehicle and commanded the driver to step out of the car.

During a search of the driver, police found $531 in bills of various denominations that were consistent with street level drug sales.

A K-9 unit arrived and detected drugs in the vehicle after performing an open-air sniff test. As a result, officers searched the vehicle and found various drugs in separate bags.

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Within a bag, officers found 38 grams of methamphetamine, 33 grams of marijuana, a THC vape pen, digital scale and empty bags. In the center console, there were 21 bags of suspected cocaine totaling 22 grams.

The driver was charged with trafficking methamphetamine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute for the cocaine and marijuana.

— Hannah Yahne

Sandy Springs driver answers call for speeding

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 22-year-old Sandy Springs man was charged with reckless driving after he was allegedly clocked at 108 mph on Ga. 400.

Alpharetta police were conducting speed enforcement on northbound Ga. 400 near Mansell Road about 6:30 p.m. June 6, when they saw a black Chevrolet Camaro speeding and weaving between traffic. The roadway has a speed limit of 65 mph.

Officers were unable to catch up to the car because of road conditions.

Officers called a phone number registered with the vehicle and reached the driver. He allegedly admitted to speeding, saying he was going home for a family emergency, police said.

The man was cited for reckless driving, speeding and improper changing of lanes.

— Jon Wilcox

Hotel patron reports theft of $2,700 electric bicycle

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An electric bicycle was reported stolen from an Old Milton Parkway hotel June 6.

Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the hotel about 12:15 p.m.

A 43-year-old Alpharetta man said his electric bicycle was missing after he had parked it outside June 5.

The bicycle was valued at a total of $2,700.

The man said he suspected the occupants of an adjacent room but had no evidence they committed the crime.

The incident was classified as a felony theft by taking greater than $1,500.

Jon Wilcox

Man reports robbery while at pool house

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 19-earold Bethlehem, Ga., man reported he

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was robbed June 14 at pool house on Westfall Parkway.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said the man reported he was robbed after picking up a woman for a date.

The man said the woman accused him of stealing money from her shortly after they left the pool house, and he decided to return her there and started searching his vehicle for her missing money.

While searching, a man approached them and demanded the 19-year-old give him all of his belongings, authorities said. The teenager allegedly said the man was reaching toward his waistband as if he had a weapon.

The man allegedly threatened to shoot the teen. The teen gave over his wallet, police said.

The incident was described as a felony robbery case.

— Jon Wilcox

Hospital patient charged with possession of fentanyl

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Hospital staff allegedly seized a 36-year-old Cumming patient’s fentanyl during his hospital stay June 13.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said Northside Hospital Forsyth staff told deputies they had found a powdered substance wrapped in tissue paper. The tissue paper was allegedly hidden under the man’s body.

Staff said they began monitoring the man’s behavior after noticing he was acting suspiciously. The man appeared to be trying to hide something, they said.

A preliminary test found the substance was fentanyl, the Sherriff’s Office said.

The case was forwarded to sheriff’s investigators.

The incident was classified as a felony possession of a Schedule III substance.

— Jon Wilcox

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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

DRIVEWAYS & CONCRETE

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

DRIVEWAYS

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.

SPORTS

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.

“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.

Soccer fans cheer on their favorite teams in metro Atlanta

By ZOE SEILER, JIM BASS and DEAN HESSE newsroom@decaturish.com

NORTH METRO ATLANTA — 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 MercedesBenz 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.

“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 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.

A concrete planter, near the entrance to Little River Farms event venue on Batesville Road, was involved in the fatal car accident of 21-year-old Joshua Chang in November 2016. The Georgia Court of Appeals ordered Milton to the Chang family around $32.5 million in damages, affirming a jury’s decision last summer.

Fulton cities sign amicus brief to back Milton in court case

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.

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 personal-injury 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.

Just opened?

Local Starbucks baristas join national labor union

ROSWELL, Ga. — Baristas at the Starbucks on Ga. 9 and Holcomb Bridge have joined the Starbucks Workers United, adding to the more than 12,000 baristas nationwide.

Local partners are joining the movement of baristas who have spoken out against management and gone on strike for all Starbucks baristas.

“This victory shows what can happen when partners come together and stand up for change,” barista Wallace Whitaker said. “We've worked through chronic understaffing and the stress that comes with trying to do our best without the resources we need. Winning our union election gives us the opportunity to push for meaningful change, stronger staffing and real accountability from leaders responsible for supporting partners so we can build a workplace where both partners and customers can thrive.”

Local workers join a growing movement across 45 states and the District of Columbia. While baristas and the company have notched more than 30 tentative agreements on important issues, they’re demanding Starbucks finalize a contract that addresses better hours and higher take-home pay.

Baristas report chronic understaffing while struggling to get enough hours to qualify for benefits or pay their bills. With starting wages at $15.25 in most states and average schedules of 19 hours per week, which is just below the threshold to qualify for benefits, many baristas rely on SNAP and Medicaid.

Last November, Starbucks baristas launched a nationwide strike protesting what they term the company’s labor violations and refusal to finalize a fair union contract.

—

Shops of Dunwoody to acquire new retail

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Two new fitness studios and two more dining options are on tap to open in The Shops of Dunwoody after the four businesses inked lease agreements this month.

The new tenants are Beyond Juicery + Eatery, a fast-casual concept offering fresh juices, smoothies, salads and wraps; Jetset Pilates, a reformer-based Pilates studio focused on high-intensity, low-impact workouts; Tenku Sushi, a contemporary sushi restaurant offering traditional and modern Japaneseinspired cuisine; and Sweat440, a group fitness studio specializing in 40-minute, high-intensity interval training classes.

The tenants are expected to open through the summer and fall of 2026.

The influx of new retail shows neighborhood-centric shopping centers is attractive to a variety of businesses, said JLL Vice President Allie Spangler. Spangler leads the leasing effort with 10Twelve on behalf of The Shops of Dunwoody owner Asana Partners.

“These leases underscore the strong demand we’re seeing for bestin-class wellness and dining concepts in strong, neighborhood-centric trade areas,” Spangler said in a news release.

“The Shops of Dunwoody is gaining meaningful traction as we curate a tenant mix that complements the market and elevates the everyday experience for the surrounding community.”

Since acquiring The Shops of Dunwoody in March 2025, Asana Partners has refreshed branding and added new signage. The company’s broader merchandising strategy — focused on attracting more highquality retailers and restaurants to the Dunwoody neighborhood — is reflected in the recent leasing momentum, Spangler said.

The Shops of Dunwoody is about 2 miles north of Perimeter Mall on Chamblee Dunwoody Road in the heart of Dunwoody Village. It’s location near residential neighborhoods plus its accessibility to office users in Central Perimeter make it a “true neighborhood destination,” Spangler said.

“Its walkable setting and visibility along a key local corridor further strengthen its appeal to retailers, restaurants, and the surrounding community,” Spangler said.

— Dyana Bagby

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.

“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.

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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 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 Milton Historical Society was founded in 2018 with the mission to appreciate and promote the history through education and preservation.

“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.”

Fulton cities plan special events to celebrate July 4

NORTH METRO ATLANTA, Ga. — The United States marks its 250th birthday this year, and many North Metro Atlanta communities are helping it celebrate.

This July 4 is the nation’s semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Although Independence Day is on a Saturday, some celebrations will take place on other days.

Here is a list of events celebrating the holiday across Fulton.

Alpharetta is hosting a July 3 concert and drone show 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Town Green at Alpharetta City Center, 2 Park Plaza, with the drone shower beginning at 9:30 p.m. On July 4, the city holds a fireworks show with the fireworks commencing at 9:15 p.m. with the latest start of the show at 10:40 p.m. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket, picnic and games for a memorable evening together.

In Johns Creek, a fireworks display will be held at The Boardwalk at Town Center, 11362 Lakefield Drive from 6 to 9 p.m. July 3 Fireworks will be displayed after 9 p.m. The free event also features music, activities and food.

Milton’s Red, White, and YOU! will be held at Broadway Pavilion, 12615 Broadwell Road, 9 a.m. to noon July 3. A parade begins at 9:45 a.m. with a foam party to start at 10:15 a.m.

Roswell’s July 4 celebration is from 7 to 11 p.m. at 10495 Woodstock Road. Enjoy live music, entertainment and food trucks. Bring chairs and blankets to spread out at one of several fireworks viewing areas throughout the park. Fireworks will start at sunset.

Sandy Springs’ Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration is July 4 at City Springs District, 1 Galambos Way. The event opens at 4 p.m. with food trucks opening at 6 p.m., a concert by Don McLean from 8 to 9:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

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.

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” often 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.

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

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.

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.

Your Local Broker for Medicare Insurance Needs

Jay Looft Owner/Agent

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Is your wallet prepared for nursing care?

Many believe that Medicare insurance will pay for assisted living and nursing home care, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Medicare will provide coverage up to the first 100 days of Skilled Nursing Care, also referred to as Rehabilitation Care. Staying in a “Rehab” facility usually takes place after a surgery to help get you back on your feet. Rehab is not a long-term care situation. With average costs for full time care in a nursing home now reaching $10,000 per month for a private room (source: seniorliving.org), it is wise to plan ahead. You hope it won’t happen to you, but that is a risky bet. If you are of lower income, you may qualify for Georgia Medicaid; however, that typically requires a “spend down” of your assets. You could also self-pay, but if your long-term care needs last longer than average this could mean a sizable amount of your nest egg being spent to provide for your long-term care.

A better way to preserve what you have worked so hard for is by obtaining Long-Term Care Insurance. LTC Insurance comes at a cost, like most insurances do, but costs are lower if you purchase between the ages of 50 and 60 versus waiting until you are in your seventies. LongTerm Care Insurance companies will examine your health in order to qualify you for their insurance, so it’s better to get it while you are younger and healthier if possible. If you are 70 or older and in good health, it may still be possible to get approved for an affordable LTC plan.

The Long-Term Care Insurance business has changed in recent years, with new policy designs and new companies entering into the business. At SeniorSource Medicare Solutions, we keep up to date with the latest news and changes in the Medicare and Long-Term Care Insurance industries. If you have thought about getting LTC Insurance for yourself or a loved one, please give us a call today! Call us at (770) 913-6464 or visit our website at www.SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

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.

Oliver Brown, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church. Oliver’s project was

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building four wooden picnic tables for Milton High School Art Department.

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.

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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Connect-It

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.

They Run In Europe

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

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Dances & Dance Instruction

Free Lessons for Vets, 1st Responders & Partners 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., July 2, 9 & 16 Dance Nights Open to All 18 Years & Older For All Dance Information Visit www.club201dance.com

Johns Creek celebrates Juneteenth

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek’s Juneteenth celebration is going strong.

Four years after the City Council placed the holiday on the city calendar, members of the community-led Planning Commission have continued to organize the Newtown Park celebration. This year, residents again showed they value the gathering with about 1,000 turning out for an evening of music, food and more.

Zoya Griffith, commission member, said she was impressed with the attendance and takes it as an indication for how much the holiday is valued in Johns Creek. She said it’s important to hold a Juneteenth party in Johns Creek.

“We're not going anywhere, and we're going to continue to have a good time,” Griffith said. “We just want everyone to come out and celebrate.”

Celebrated since 1866, Juneteenth marks the arrival of Union forces in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. It was made an official federal holiday in 2021.

In Newtown Park, community members gathered under and around a central pavilion stage where live music and dance acts performed. Along a nearby park roadway that was closed for the event, almost a dozen food trucks served tasty eats to long lines of eager customers.

Many residents brought blankets and folding chairs to gather on a wide terraced space that was flanked by tents erected by community organizations.

Under one tent, members of the nonprofit Descendants of Macedonia Church and Cemetery met with residents, organizing support for the restoration of the historic Black cemetery.

Located on the northeast corner of State Bridge and Medlock Bridge roads, the 1.92-acre property is the site of dozens of memorials and graves. Community members are championing its preservation as an important piece of Johns Creek heritage.

Madyun Shahid, nonprofit member, said his great-great grandfather April Waters is buried at the cemetery.

The celebration was the perfect opportunity to communicate the importance of its preservation, Shahid said. Although Juneteenth is very much a festive event, he said it also serves to remind residents about the importance of heritage.

“It wouldn't be the same if we do this on the Power Point lecture,” he said. “It's like a party with a purpose.”

Kurt Canaday, a Johns Creek

About a thousand residents turn out

resident of 20 years, agreed, adding he thinks it is essential younger generations learn about the trials and tribulations of Black Americans.

Decades after Jim Crow and civil rights battles of the 1960s, too many

have forgotten just how far things have changed.

“People need to know and understand what has happened,” he said.

He said he still has the receipts for

poll taxes his grandfather once paid. Although much progress has been made, he said much is yet to be done.

“You have to tell them so they understand what the crisis is,” he said. “So many people don't understand.”

Black Women of Sugar Hill host Juneteenth celebration

By STANLEY LEARY newsroom@appenmedia.com

SUGAR HILL, Ga. — Crowds filled downtown June 20 as the Black Women’s Association of Sugar Hill joined the city in hosting the seventh annual Juneteenth Celebration.

The free community event featured food trucks, local vendors, family games, music, dancing and a scholarship presentation as guests celebrated African American culture and commemorated Juneteenth, the holiday marking the end of slavery in the United States.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, participants took part in R&B Bingo, Family Feud, Musical Hoops and line dancing. The celebration also included a performance by Mariyah’s Dance Kingdom.

The Black Women’s Association of Sugar Hill, also known as BWASH, presented a scholarship before concluding the evening with a raffle drawing, Soul Train line and Swag Surf.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The observance became a federal holiday in 2021.

“This is the seventh year,” said Schenell Johnson, chair of Juneteenth for BWASH. “The first year, we got together and just wanted something in Sugar Hill and didn’t want to drive down to downtown Atlanta for the Juneteenth

celebration, so we created our own.”

Johnson said the inaugural event had no vendors and has since expanded.

“It has grown every year since,” she said.

The organization’s goal, Johnson said, is to educate residents while building community.

“We want to teach the history of America, and that includes Black history,” she said. “We also want to celebrate unity and community.”

Johnson also expressed concern about recent actions affecting the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Attendee Cedric Bailey shared the sentiment.

“The recent administration actions on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 concern me,” Bailey said.

“Education is everything,” he added. “The more you know, the better informed you are.”

His daughter, Chantel Bailey, said she worries recent developments could reverse progress made by previous generations.

“The accumulation of things lately is taking us back rather than forward for our community,” she said.

For attendee Rytchne Clarke, the event highlighted the value of cultural exchange.

“I love how we embrace other cultures’ foods,” Clarke said.

As residents gathered throughout the evening, organizers said the annual celebration continues to serve as a place for education, remembrance and community connection while honoring Juneteenth’s legacy of freedom.

Variances:

Continued from Page 1

The median splitting Ga. 92 will be shortened to accommodate U-turns and the intersection’s signal timing will be upgraded after the project is completed.

Five area residents spoke during public comment in support of this new site plan in comparison to what was previously approved.

Roswell has held multiple community meetings with neighbors of the development to talk through worries of noise levels, lighting and a lack of privacy.

“For right now, we feel like the developer actually heard and, in their presentation, included our concerns,” Jim Johnson said.

Other public commentors restated concerns of increased traffic impacting pedestrian safety.

In response, Councilwoman Sarah Beeson asked if an all-stop signal would be possible, allowing pedestrians to travel without the risk of cars from any direction.

However, the highway is governed by the Georgia Department of Transportation, and Roswell Director of Transportation Andy Phlegar said that could be a hard sell based on the amount of time pedestrians would need at an intersection of that size.

Overall, the City Council approved 13 variances for the development that include modifying the required outdoor amenity space for civic buildings, altering parking lot requirements and increasing the maximum building height by 11 feet, which is consistent with surrounding retail developments.

Other meeting matters

Also at the June 22 meeting, council members voted to extend Roswell’s current moratorium on

Project:

Continued from Page 1

Gibbs Frazeur, who has lived at his nearby home for about 30 years, said he was particularly concerned about the tall trees that shade the edge of his property. He said although the trees would be removed in accordance with the city’s tree ordinance, he worried the younger replacement trees would lack the thick canopy he and his wife love.

“They provide a real benefit … That directly affects our backyard and deck. Right now in the morning, our deck is

new data centers within the city for another 90 days. It’s the second time this year that the ban on data centers and related permits has been extended – now through Sept. 20.

Staff with the Community Development Department have been working to refine land use standards and evaluate the compatibility and environmental impacts related to data centers since January.

The extension comes one week after the City of Milton passed a 30-day moratorium on data centers with the intention to prolong it after holding the required public hearings.

Also at the meeting, the City Council approved the consent agenda

habitable,” he said. “But because of the orientation and the morning sunrise, it’s going to be uninhabitable.”

His wife, Peggy Frazeur, said she has come to love the beauty of the forest behind her home where the project would be built. She said she has seen a fawn and other wildlife, which provide a real benefit to their quality of life.

“My desire and prayer has been that we could save this little forest,” she said.

The Mayfield Development property includes at least 19 specimen trees.

Although more than 20 residents signed documents in support of the project, others wrote letters to the city

which included a contract with Midwest Employers Casualty for workers compensation reinsurance coverage. The two-year premium will run the city around $356,000 in total – a more than 15 percent decrease from Roswell’s current premium.

Fees will be covered within the annual operating budget of the Workers Compensation Fund which stands at $212,413.

The City Council also approved the annual action plan required for Roswell to receive this year’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which equates to more than $443,000. A budget amendment accompanied the grant acceptance,

asking it not to proceed.

Representatives of the developer said they met with residents to mitigate their concerns.

Nearby resident Sonja Holcombe said she was uneasy about the project’s impact on traffic, particularly during construction, and potential increase to her property taxes.

“Increased traffic from additional residences will strain an already busy roadway and alter the character of our neighborhood,” she said.

William and Karrey Bates said they thought the homes to be built would be too close to their own property.

“This level of density on such a narrow tract would dramatically

creating a fund for allocated grant revenues.

For the foreseeable future, Roswell is using its annual CDBG grant funding to repay a more than $2 million Section 108 loan supporting the redevelopment of properties owned by Roswell Housing Authority.

Roswell must file its annual action plan with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development no later than June 30 for approval.

Next Monday, June 29, the Roswell City Council is hosting an open forum at 7 p.m. in City Hall for residents to voice concerns, share ideas and communicate directly with elected officials.

alter the character of the area and significantly impact the privacy, spacing and livability that current residents have long valued,” they said. “Our property specifically would have each of the homes backing into our lot.”

After the vote, the Frazeurs said they were surprised and encouraged by the council’s decision.

They also said that despite their opposition to the project’s request, they understand development is inevitable in Alpharetta.

“I don’t think that development is an evil thing,” Gibbs Frazeur said. “It’s a necessary thing, and it’s the engine for our economy.”

The greatest man (excluding family) 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.

PRESERVING THE PAST

The historic Sherrill House and the Old Federal Road

For some people a special joy is renovating an ancient house that has deteriorated over the years. Patience, commitment, a willingness to work and a source of funds play important roles. We are fortunate that some wonderful examples exist in North Fulton County, either completed or in progress. Today’s column will highlight the historic Eli and Cynthia Heard Sherrill House in Forsyth County and some related structures.

The Sherrill House was built in 1904 and is one of the most important historic structures still surviving in northern Forsyth County.

The house

The Sherrill House was in the center of a small crossroads community called Hightower. The house is on the historic Old Federal Road in former Cherokee territory which, like many settlement communities, consisted of farms, taverns, inns and other buildings including a dairy. The structures are all gone with the exception of the Sherrill House and a tavern now in a park in Cumming.

In 1904 the Sherrill family moved into the Blackburn Inn while their house was being built. Jimmy and Martha McConnell, co-presidents of the Forsyth County Historical Society, explain that the tavern was moved across the road for 100 years until the City of Cumming moved it to the Cumming Fairgrounds where it is called the Buffington/Blackburn Tavern, named after previous owners.

The Sherrill House is on 225 acres along the Old Federal Road purchased by Forsyth County in 2009 to become Eagles Beak Park. The house is typical of the era, one story wood-frame farmhouse with gables, brick chimneys and a wraparound porch. It was occupied by the Sherrill family until circa 1980 when it became a rental property until the mid-1990s. The house then sat vacant for 20 years and experienced extensive deterioration. The family included Eli Stanhope Sherrill (1859-1925), his wife Cynthia Ann Heard (1871-1957) and at least one son, Herman Eli Sherrill (1906-1933).

The Forsyth County Historical Society has been renovating the house since 2012 under the terms of a 15year agreement with Forsyth County for restoration and adaptive reuse.

The McConnell’s report that plans call for a native American, Black history and pioneer heritage center. Thus far the historical society has stabilized the foundation, installed a new roof, rewired the house and replaced some flooring. Most of the work was donated. Volunteers are committed to the project, and financial support comes from various sources. The local Chestatee River Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR, has taken responsibility for gardens and pathway support and the county cuts the grass.

The taverns

The taverns have a history of their own. The McConnells explain that the Vann’s Tavern was built by Cherokee leader Chief James Vann (circa 17621809) in 1804. A second tavern which Vann built was the Buffington Tavern, later called the Blackburn Inn on the Etowah River.

Chief Vann had negotiated an agreement with the government that allowed him to build and operate three taverns and collect the revenues. Two of the taverns were in Forsyth County. The taverns served as inns, trading

posts and stagecoach stops.

As a result of the agreement, Chief Vann became the richest man in the Cherokee Nation. He built a two-story brick mansion in 1804 which he called Diamond Hill. He built a ferry boat service across the Chattahoochee River, built a store and a trading post and donated land for a Moravian mission school. He owned hundreds of acres and had more than 100 slaves. Vann’s father was Scotch and his mother was Cherokee.

Vann was murdered in the Buffington Tavern in February 1809 by an unidentified person. Vann was known for his terrible temper and heavy drinking, and it is thought that his killer may have been someone he had wronged. Some others believe his killing was ordered by his sister who was concerned that his reputation was a danger to the family.

President James Monroe slept in the Blackburn Tavern/Inn in 1819 during a tour of the South.

The Old Federal Road

The Old Federal Road was the principal trade and migration route

through the Cherokee territory. It was constructed following the 1805 Treaty of Tellico with the Cherokee Nation. Initially it was a narrow horse path. Later it was the first vehicular road and postal route. It crossed east to west through the Hightower area.

The federal government wanted a military and postal route and a migration corridor for settlers going west. A route through Cherokee territory was the best way to do that and they hired the bilingual James Vann to negotiate with the Cherokees for the rights to build a highway through Cherokee lands. The government gave the Cherokees the rights to tolls at river crossings. The road played a major role in the early American expansion.

Bob is a member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission, director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and member 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. (1906-1933).

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.

OPINION

CITY OF ALPHARETTA

NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF CITY CODE AMENDMENTS

The following item will be considered by the City Council during the Alpharetta City Council Meeting and Public Hearing on Monday, July 13, 2026, and will be considered for adoption at the Alpharetta City Council Meeting on Monday, July 20, 2026. Both meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Alpharetta City Hall, located at 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. The purpose of the public hearing shall be for public review and comment regarding the following:

Consideration of an ordinance to amend Chapter 20, titled “Fire Prevention and Protection,” of the Code of the City of Alpharetta, Georgia. The purpose of the public hearing shall be for public review and comment concerning proposed modifications to amend provisions related to adoption of state minimum fire safety standards; definitions; appeals from decisions of the fire department; storage of explosives, blasting agents, and liquified petroleum gases; sprinkler installation requirements; outdoor burning regulations; emergency access for gated communities; emergency responders radio coverage and testing; special fire services and public safety plans; fire watch personnel and fire safety officer requirements; permit requirements for certain assembly events, temporary events, or planned activities; fire and life safety record retention; records reporting system requirements through the use of thirdparty inspection reporting software programs; compliance reporting; enforcement provisions; and for other purposes. A copy of the proposed amendment will be on file with the City Clerk and will be made available upon request. All City of Alpharetta residents and any other affected and/ or interested persons are invited and encouraged to attend.

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

The legend of Altie, Georgia’s 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

CITY OF ALPHARETTA

NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF CITY CODE AMENDMENTS

The following item will be considered by the City Council on Monday, July 13, 2026 and Monday, July 20, 2026 during the Alpharetta City Council Meeting and Public Hearing, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Alpharetta City Hall, located at 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. The purpose of the public hearing shall be for public review and comment regarding the following:

Consideration of an ordinance to amend Chapter 4, titled “Alcoholic Beverages,” of the Code of the City of Alpharetta, Georgia. The purpose of the public hearing shall be for public review and comment concerning proposed modifications to amend provisions related to alcohol service and consumption at publicly-owned facilities; to provide for severability; to provide for an effective date; and for other purposes. A copy of the proposed amendment will be on file with the City Clerk and will be made available upon request. All City of Alpharetta residents and any other affected and/or interested persons are invited and encouraged to attend.

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?

tiny little 6-inchers. No way. Instead, he talks about the monsters – the 20inch 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 are not real high.

But how about a home-grown Georgia-style version? How about Altamaha-ha instead?

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 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.

Hudson:

Continued from Page 26

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 papier-mâché.

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.

The true believers are, I expect, much more enthusiastic about the 20-foot-long Altie sculpture on display in the Darien-McIntosh 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

DEATH NOTICES

Kenneth Brown, age 76, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on June 7, 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.

Randy Knighton City Administrator

depiction was created based on details from eye-witness 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.

Margaret Hall, age 84, of Roswell, GA passed away on June 15, 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.

T:\ADS_2026\City of Roswell Legals\ Comm-Dev

City of Roswell Notice of Public Hearing

Mary Robichaux Mayor

The following item will be heard at a public hearing held by the Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday, July 14, 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, is requesting a variance to the BTZ; land lot 583.

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.

City of Roswell Notice of Public Hearing

The following item will be considered by the Mayor and City Council at a Public Hearing on Monday, July 13, 2026, 7:00PM, at Roswell City Hall, Council Chambers, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, GA, 30075.

• Presentation of Draft 2045 Roswell Comprehensive Growth Plan with Annual Update to the Community Work Program (CWP) and Capital Improvement Element (CIE) for transmittal to Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC).

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), within two (2) years, file a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law is available in the office of the City Attorney.

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.

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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.

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

To place a classified ad, email classifieds@appenmedia.com. Deadline is Thursdays by 3pm

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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