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Charitable fund grants $2M to local nonprofits ► PAGE 4 A u g u s t 2 0 , 2 0 2 6 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 3 0 , N o . 3 4

Warrant upgrade streamlines steps for police, judges By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners approved a new digital warrant system for law enforcement officers as the county looks increasingly toward technology to increase efficiency. At an Aug. 11 work session, commissioners approved two contracts with Tyler Technologies, a Texas-based company that specializes in software for government entities. A $60,000 contract provides for judicial business process improvements, and an $103,750 contract will supply CloudGavel, the new digital warrant system. The county currently uses a digital warrant system from Palatine Technology Group, according to county officials. CloudGavel will streamline the county’s warrant process — from initiation by law enforcement officers to approval by judicial officers — with its accessible web-based platform. The customizable system allows for the creation and modification of warrant templates and is available from any location with internet access. It can be used on computers, smartphones and tablets. “They can access it wherever versus having to log into the network,” Mike Seymour, the county’s chief information officer, said.

See WARRANT, Page 10

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‘COWBOY COUTURE’ Forsyth fashion show saddles up to fight cancer Cancer survivor Adam Rhodes draws imaginary six-shooters at the end of the runway during the Aug. 14 Cowboy Couture for a Cure fashion show in Cumming. The fashion show, the kickoff event for the 2027 North Georgia Cattle Baron’s Ball, raised funds for the American Cancer Society. See story on page 9

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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.

Atlanta woman charged after Georgia 400 highspeed chase FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 55-yearold Atlanta woman was charged after allegedly crashing her vehicle during a Georgia 400 pursuit that reached speeds of 130 mph. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called about 7 p.m. to assist a Cumming police officer who was chasing a black Honda Civic on southbound lanes near Exit 14. Deputies attempted but failed to box in the vehicle, which was maneuvering through traffic at speeds faster than 130 mph, the sheriff’s office said. The car crashed after attempting to evade a spike strip, crashing into two vehicles and coming to a stop in the grass on the side of the roadway. Deputies conducted a precision im-

PUBLIC SAFETY mobilization technique maneuver as the vehicle attempted to leave, pinning it in place. The woman was apprehended The woman was apprehended at gunpoint, with officers also aiming a Taser at her. She was charged with fleeing and eluding, improper lane change and reckless driving. — Jon Wilcox

Deputies advised the man to check Facebook Marketplace for the glasses. The incident was classified as a felony unforced burglary of a home. — Jon Wilcox

Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses reported stolen in burglary

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A shirtless 20-year-old Brookhaven man was arrested after allegedly fleeing from officers at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre July 23. Alpharetta police said officers were working at the amphitheater’s west gate when they were notified by staff the man was threatening them. Officers told the man to leave the area, but he returned to antagonize staff members. The man, who was no longer wearing a shirt, fled into a nearby wooded area after additional officers arrived, a police report said. He was arrested as he was attempting to reenter the venue through the backstage. The man was ticketed for disorderly conduct and taken to the Alpharetta Detention Center. — Jon Wilcox

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Deputies investigated a reported theft of smartglasses Aug. 3. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to a Parks Road home to meet with a 25-year-old Dawsonville man. The man said his RayBan Meta smartglasses, valued at $460, were stolen from the home. The man said he was unsure when the theft may have occurred but suspected they were stolen before Aug. 2. A family member reported taking the glasses into the home after finding them outside. No sign of forced entry was found at the home.

Shirtless man arrested at Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

What to know about West Nile virus after park closure By JOSHUA WILSON joshua@appenmedia.com

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — South Fulton closed Old National Park to the public this week after mosquitoes collected during routine surveillance tested positive for West Nile virus. City officials told CBS News Atlanta the South Fulton Parks and Recreation Department learned of the result Aug. 11 and shut the park down as a precaution while Fulton County coordinates treatment of the property. Any programming planned for the park will be canceled or rescheduled, with the county’s health department expected to spray targeted insecticides and apply larvicides to any standing water sources. Officials will then decide when the park can reopen. The park’s temporary closing is the latest development in a summer that has brought West Nile back into local headlines. Here is a primer on the virus itself and what is actually driving this year’s attention. A familiar mosquito-borne threat West Nile virus isn’t new to the U.S., with infections first showing up in New York City in 1999. It spread across the country within a few years and peaked with nearly 10,000 reported cases in 2003. The virus is carried by mosquitoes. The small flies pick it up from infected

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES/UNSPLASH

A mosquito feeds on human skin.

birds and then pass it along to humans — and many animals, including dogs, cats and horses — through bites. There is still no vaccine, which is why prevention is key. A record pace — and likely an undercount Officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the country is seeing its earliest start to West Nile season on record. By July 28, 2026, 113 human cases had been reported nationally — more than double the 44 cases reported by the same point in 2003, the worst West Nile season since the virus arrived in the U.S. As of Aug. 11, there were 181 reported cases across 30 states. Fulton County’s own mosquito surveillance program picked up the trend

locally, with positive traps turning up in the Grant Park area of Atlanta earlier this summer. DeKalb County followed with its own detections — positive samples out of two ZIP codes, 30088 covering unincorporated DeKalb and Redan and 30360 in Doraville — though officials from both counties say there have been no reported human cases so far this year. Human cases in Georgia have stayed relatively rare so far this season, with the CDC counting just one reported case in the state as of Aug. 11. But the numbers can undercount reality. Health officials believe actual infections each year run higher since approximately 80% of people who are infected will not show any symptoms. Also, people with mild cases never seek medical care or get lab tests. Georgia logged 18 reported cases of West Nile virus in 2025 and 54 confirmed cases — and five deaths — in 2024. Dry conditions, more mosquitoes CDC officials say the rise in West Nile detections and infections stems from the virus circulating earlier in the season, which infectious disease specialists attribute in part to warmer weather nationwide. Heat speeds up the mosquito life cycle and shortens the time it takes the virus to become transmissible once a mosquito picks it up from an infected bird.

See VIRUS, Page 10

AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | August 20, 2026 | 3

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Forsyth charitable fund grants $2M to local nonprofits By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A $2 million grant fund is turning charitable giving into shoes for children in need, mental health training for youth mentors and care for trauma survivors, nonprofit leaders across Forsyth County said. Representatives from numerous nonprofits gathered Aug. 11 in a meeting room at the Denmark Library to receive their grant awards. Excitement and gratitude filled the room as the awards were announced over music played through a speaker system. One word kept coming up as nonprofit directors described the impact of the funding — “huge.” “This is huge,” said Angela Dikes, executive director for Bald Ridge Lodge, a Cumming group home for boys. The event was the culmination of the Forsyth County Community Foundation’s inaugural $1 million grant cycle. The funds were matched by another $1 million provided by Tommy Bagwell, a Forsyth County poultry billionaire and longtime philanthropist. Established in 2015, the Forsyth County Community Foundation is an

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affiliate of the North Georgia Community Foundation, a Gainesville-based charitable organization that manages and distributes donated funds. The North Georgia Community Foundation manages about 650 funds contributed by residents, families, businesses and other sources, said Michelle Prater, president and CEO. The foundation works to simplify charitable giving for donors, handling taxes, vetting nonprofits, and managing estate planning and investments. The result is a smarter, safer way of donating. “I’m a former banker, and this is everything I loved about banking,” Prater said. “We’re doing it for the cause of our community.” Organizations that received funds Aug. 11 varied greatly in their missions, but they all share one goal in common — bettering their community. In total, 21 organizations received grants for the 2026 grant cycle. Many nonprofits like Bald Ridge Lodge rely on limited funding sources, making contributions like the Forsyth County Community Foundation grants ever more important.

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6 | August 20, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth

NEWS

Alpharetta Pokémon prodigy earns spot at world championships By ERLANDRYA RUTLEDGE erlandrya@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Soren Pitchford’s fourth grade teacher handed him his first pack of Pokémon cards. Now, less than a year later, the 11-year-old Alpharetta native is headed to the world championships. Soren is the top junior Pokémon Trading Card Game player in the Atlanta area, often beating players in the senior and master divisions. The Pokémon World Championships are from Aug. 2830 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. The annual tournament brings together the world’s top Pokémon card players, who qualify through regional and international competitions. His father Tyler said Soren’s qualification was highly unlikely. He scored zero points at his final tournament in New Orleans, but the top 85 players advance — and he placed 85th. Had he lost his final match, he would not have qualified at all. That match, against a player named Cage, earned Soren a Top 8 finish

and remains his favorite and most memorable. “I got there by the skin of my teeth and was so extremely excited,” Soren said. “That was a good day for me.” After learning the rules of the game, his parents bought him more cards, leading to Soren placing in the Top 100 out of 6,000 junior players in North America in his first year of competing. “When I started playing, it was a bit overwhelming, but I’m just regularly beating [other contestants] now,” Soren said. The youngster has traveled to tournaments in Puerto Rico — where he placed in the Top 8 — as well as in Pittsburgh, Toronto, London, Seattle, Orlando and New Orleans. Getting to Puerto Rico was a challenge in itself. Soren’s first flight from Atlanta was delayed by lightning, and the second one was halted by hail. The third flight was delayed, but he finally made it. He slept for two hours at a hotel before competing at 7 a.m. “At the start, I was like this might be a fun hobby, and then I realized I like playing casually but was kind of

envious of the players that were up there,” he said. Soren said preparing for the world championships means practicing, choosing a deck and analyzing competitive strategies. He plays two to three times a week locally and competes once a month regionally or internationally, practicing on his own and taking private lessons from other players. “He’s a good strategic thinker; he plays well, and I think part of it is pattern recognition,” Tyler said. “He plays at a high level, but he’s played enough of the same people in this area that he’s developed a strategy.” Soren also started a Pokémon club at the Alpharetta library, teaching around 15 kids how to play. He said he hopes to keep competing and coaching and eventually become a professional player. Outside of Pokémon, Soren plays piano and fencing — although he has put his sword away for a year to focus on competing with cards. He is also a member of the Lego Robotics team at Fulton Science Academy Middle School and has been a member of the Cambridge Youth Track team for the past four years.

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Tyler Pitchford posing with son, Soren, in Puerto Rico after placing Top 8.

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Slim Chickens to open south Forsyth County location By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Fast-casual eatery Slim Chickens is seeking to expand to southern Forsyth County. Franchise group Peach State Slims is planning a location of the chicken restaurant at 2611 Peachtree Parkway in the Forsyth County portion of Suwanee, according to documents submitted to the county commission. The franchise group obtained an alternate design variance for the reduction of the location’s landscape, sidewalk and pedestrian zones. The 4,671-square-foot restaurant will be located on 1.17 acres in a strip mall that includes Target, Home Depot, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Your Pie Pizza and healthcare clinics. The land is zoned for central business district use. The building once housed a Steak ‘n Shake. Hundreds of Steak ‘n Shake locations have closed in recent years. Slim Chickens currently has locations in 32 states. Its menu is anchored around hand-breaded fried chicken tenders. Menu items also include sandwiches, wraps, bowls, salads, and chicken and waffles. Peach State Slims plans to build an additional 10 Slim Chickens locations in North Georgia, according to franchising.com. Competitors in south Forsyth include Popeyes and Chick-fil-A.

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8 | August 20, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth

OPINION

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

The joy of rediscovering my dad’s prized popping bugs The other day, on the radio, I heard a story about artificial intelligence agent gone rogue. The short version: There was this one AI system which somehow escaped its handlers and (as the story put STEVE HUDSON it) “broke out of the Columnist sandbox” and took over another AI system. But free-range AI is nothing compared to free-agent washing machines. Bet you haven’t heard about those, have you? I thought not. Just remember you read it first here. And here’s how I know it’s a thing: Do you recall our water incident? The one that upturned our otherwise peaceful life and then sent us packing to the hills while repairs are being made? Remember that? I’m convinced that the whole thing started right when we began talking about maybe getting a new washing machine, a sleek and sexy one with buttons and knobs and multi-colored lights? Yeah. Did the old washer overhear us plotting? Did we make it mad? They hear everything, you know. Washing machines don’t miss a beat. They’re smart – deviously smart – and even play cheery little tunes when the cycle’s done. How nice, we think. How cute! But maybe they’re just trying to distract us. Maybe it’s all part of their plan. Yeah, it’s all sunshine and light with washing machines. Until it isn’t. But I digress. The sunshine and light part went away when water from the washer somehow ended up on the floor…and in the carpet…and the sheetrock...and, well, pretty much everywhere. As it turned out, getting rid of the water was easy. Massive 747-sized fans and hulking dehumidifiers made short work of that. But then the repairs came. They’re still going on, and while they are we’re hiding out in an AirBNB up in the hills. But I’ve got to say that it’s not all bad, because our temporary home-awayfrom-home comes with a lake, and the lake comes with a whole bunch of fish. Lakes are made to be fished, of course, so on Day 2 of our exile I picked up my flyrod and carried it to the water. I made a cast, had a hit and caught one of the biggest breams I’d ever seen. “Wow,” I said. I sent a photo of the fish to my wife, who was back at the AirBNB putting

A stash of popping bugs found inside an old tackle box. things together in the kitchen. “Wow,” she said. After supper, we both went to the water. She promptly caught one even bigger than mine, and then another, and then one more. I picked up a few more too. Maybe, I thought, exile isn’t going to be so bad. But I was going to need more flies. And for those big bream, what I’d really need was something beefy. What I’d need was popping bugs. Popping bugs are named for the sound they make as you work them on the water. That sound – a deep, liquid galoompf – was part of the soundtrack of my childhood, and I suppose that it (like the memories) will be with me for the duration. The next day I stopped to visit my Mom. We sat at the round kitchen table, looking past the orchids growing in the window, out past the boat dock, out to the pond where Dad had so often fished poppers for his beloved bass and bream. He could make almost any popper do magic things, but his favorite was always one he called the Peck’s Popping Minnow. Developed by Earnest H. Peckinpaugh of Chattanooga, Tenn., in the early 1900s, it featured a high-floating cork body adorned with some artfully added feathers. On the water, it suggests a struggling minnow, and bass and

STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA

bream just can’t leave it alone. “It’s the best there is,” Dad always said, and he must have bought hundreds of them over the years – many, I’m sure, to replace the ones I left hanging in trees. Anyway, Mom and I visited for a while. I told her about the fishing. She offered me sweet tea and a piece of cake. I asked if she’d mind if I went downstairs to see if there might be some popping bugs lying about. “You just help yourself,” she said, for she knew what a popping bug was and what it could do with big bream. The best ones always know. So, into the basement I went. I turned on the light and started to rummage about. That’s when I saw it: an ancient aluminum tackle box, a box that had been part of my childhood. And memory flooded back. I knew that Dad had kept his most-prized lures inside that box – Hula Poppers, Rapalas, and red-and-white Heddon’s spoons. But those went in the second tray down. The top tray, the place of respect and highest honor, was reserved for popping bugs – and the best compartments, the ones front and center, were always reserved for Peck’s Popping Minnows. Were there still any poppers in that

dented old box? There was one way to find out. With an unexpected sense of profundity, I picked up the box and set it on the workbench. Then I eased open the latch. Hinges creaked a little as I swung it open. Lo and behold, there they were. Popping bugs – at least a hundred of them. They had been in that box for a long, long time. Long enough that maybe I’d even used one of them myself all those years ago? I picked out a dozen or so, favoring yellow and white like Dad had always done, cradling them like old friends in my hand. Then I went to close the lid, securing the rest for another day. But then something caught my eye from the back corner of the bottom of the box. What’s that? I looked closer and there before me were two yellowed plastic containers, each holding a brand-new Peck’s Special Popping Minnow. I had found the holy grail, and it was pristine. About then I realized then that I was holding my breath. I exhaled, slowly, and reached deliberately to pick up the two little packages and timeless treasure that each contained. And for a time – how long? – I just stood there in the half-light of the basement, thinking of…what? Of memories from years ago? Of memories yet to come? I know I thought this: When my Dad first met the lady who would become my wife – the lady with whom I now share life and everything else and with whom I’ll share time on the water this very evening – he knew right away that I was onto something good. And when I told him that, yes, she was learning to flyfish, and that yes, she would even unhook her own fish, he’d looked me square in the eye and said, “Son, she is a keeper.” You remember things like that. After a while, I went back upstairs. Mom said I could have the popping bugs and the Peck’s poppers, too, if I wanted them. I did, so I wrapped them carefully and put them in a little box. Then I said goodbye and got back in the car. I drove slowly down the driveway, past the azaleas now resting from their summertime exuberance, past the shady pines and the sweetgum tree. At the end of the drive, I turned north, willing the GPS to take me home the short way (for home is where she is) and to the good fishing and all that’s yet to come. Isn’t it true? It all goes full circle. It does.

A cancer survivor modeling western wear tips his hat during the Aug. 14 Cowboy Couture for a Cure fashion show in Cumming.

COMMUNITY

Tachia Rivas, a 101-year-old bladder and kidney cancer survivor, struts the runway at the Aug. 14 Cowboy Couture for a Cure fashion show in Cumming.

AppenMedia.com/Forsyth | Forsyth Herald | August 20, 2026 | 9

A cancer survivor turned model twirls on the runway at the Aug. 14 Cowboy Couture for a Cure fashion show in Cumming.

Forsyth fashion show saddles up to fight cancer By DEAN HESSE dean@appenmedia.com Local cancer survivors, dressed to the nines in western wear, strutted down the runway with confidence and attitude during Cowboy Couture for the Cure, an Aug. 14 fashion show benefiting cancer research. The evening, which honored cancer survivors and celebrated caregivers, included dinner, a silent auction and line dancing. Proceeds benefited the American Cancer Society. Among the models strutting the runway was 101-year-old Tachia Rivas, a bladder and kidney cancer survivor who is marking one year free of cancer. She said she embraces each day with gratitude and hopes she can inspire others to keep fighting, cherish every moment and believe that hope is stronger than fear. The show, held at the Forsyth Conference Center at Lanier Technical College in Cumming, served as the kickoff event for the 2027 North Georgia Cattle Baron’s Ball. The ball will be held on Feb. 27, 2027, at Reid Barn on Majors Road in Cumming. It aims to bring communities together around a shared goal — finishing the fight against cancer. Barons’ balls started in Dallas in 1974 and have evolved into one of the cancer society’s premier fundraisers. Next year’s North Georgia ball will be the first one held in North Fulton and South Forsyth. Learn more about the North Georgia Cattle Baron’s Ball at nfsf.acscbb.org. — Photos by Dean Hesse

Line dancers perform at the Aug. 14 Cowboy Couture for a Cure fashion show in Cumming.

10 | August 20, 2026 | Forsyth Herald | AppenMedia.com/Forsyth

Warrant:

Fund:

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The new system will also integrate with the county’s digital court system, facilitating warrant review outside court business hours. Seymour added that officials from the sheriff’s office have reviewed demos for the CloudGavel system and given their approval. The two contracts — budgeted for through a July resolution — follow efforts by courts in the county to improve the efficiency of their processes. Citing rising case loads, courts have expanded virtual hearings and sought improved filing systems and online portals for payments.

“This grant was for our care team, which are the staff members that 24/7 take care of the boys, and we could not have a program without them,” Dikes said. “We’re always relying on philanthropy to help us.” The lodge works with boys, many of whom are victims of trauma and abuse, to help them transition into productive adults. Mary Elizabeth McKnight, youth programming director for Mentor Me North Georgia, said the funds they received will help the organization “encourage, empower and equip the next generation.” Mentor Me provides adult mentors for youths for academic support as well as social and emotional development. The grant they received will fund mental health training for their volunteer mentors. “We see stress and anxiety at unprecedented levels, and so this really is equipping our mentors to be able to meet our students where they are,” McKnight said. Wendy Goodrow, board chair for Confident Threads, said their $5,000 grant will support the purchase of shoes for kids identified by social workers as in need. The organization takes a different approach to charitable clothing donations,

APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO

Forsyth County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Pittman directs traffic.

Virus: Continued from Page 2 Georgia and several other states are also seeing increased West Nile activity due to the worst drought in decades. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, approximately 49% of the lower 48 U.S. states are in drought as of Aug. 4. About 19% of the total area of Georgia is currently in drought. Elmer Gray, a public health extension specialist and research professional at the University of Georgia, says this spring’s drought conditions across the Peach State impacted more than just the land. The dry conditions spawned prime

breeding grounds for the southern house mosquito and one other bird-feeding mosquito. Elmer said the lack of rain means storm drain systems have not been flushed out by currents of water after typical rain events, leading to stagnant water and an attractive home for larval development. He recommends treating those habitats with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved larvicides, several of which are available from local hardware and feed and seed stores. He also advises the public to empty planter trays, recycle used tires, clean up debris, and position boats, wheelbarrows and other items so they will not hold water. What infection actually looks like Most people who get bitten by an infected mosquito never know it. Only

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Michelle Prater, North Georgia Community Foundation president and CEO, addresses a crowd of nonprofit representatives at a grant award ceremony Aug. 11. recognizing the power of giving kids the clothes they actually want to wear. “We want the children to go to school with confidence that they are wearing the latest styles,” Goodrow said. “They are wearing what they want, and they are wearing something that will fit.”

For Confident Threads, which is funded primarily through donations, the Forsyth County Community Foundation grant is a demonstration that residents believe in supporting their community. “That's what this county is all about,” Goodrow said.

about 1 in 150 infected people develop a serious illness. Most infections bring about mild symptoms, including fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, and pass within days. Serious cases, however, can attack the central nervous system, potentially causing encephalitis or meningitis. Older people and those with weakened immune systems face the highest risk of these severe complications. No treatment is available for West Nile virus. Providers recommend rest, hydration and over-the-counter medications to minimize symptoms of mild cases. Patients with severe symptoms might require pain control drugs and vomiting suppressants, rehydration therapies and closer monitoring.

How to keep from getting bitten The CDC and local health officials point to a handful of basic habits that cut your risk of infection substantially: • Use an insect repellent that is registered with the EPA. The federal agency has an online search tool that identifies repellants by protection time and active ingredient. View it at epa.gov/insect-repellants. DeKalb County officials recommend repellants containing the ingredients DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin and R3535. • Wear long, loose-fitting shirts and pants when outdoors. • Avoid being outside between dusk and dawn, which is when mosquitoes are the most active. • Use screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes outside.

DEATH NOTICES Judith Bredahl, age 78, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 4, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Newton Brumbeloe, age 86, of Milton, GA passed away on August 5, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Jesse Perry, age 80, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on August 5, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Donald Brown, age 91, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 6, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Sheri Datri, age 62, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 4, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Richard Ptacin, age 88, of Roswell, GA passed away on August 10, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Puzzles

rier 8/6/26 Connect-It

PuzzleJunction.com

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!

Forsyth Herald ...................................August 20, 2026 | 11

THE PLANETS 1. Muse of poetry. Fine fur. The Red Planet. 2. Our home planet. Doctor’s order. Mold-ripened cheese. 3. Colorful salamander. Jovian planet. Musical work. 4. Giant outer planet. Mexican money. Mischief maker. 5. Lock name. Ostrich relative. Planet nearest to the sun. 6. Test. Planet with a ring of ice. Computer command. 7. Chubby. Links feature. Small planet farthest from the sun. PuzzleJunction.com

Dunwoody Crier 8/6/26 Crossword

Across

1 Limit 4 Trade punches 8 Dejected 11 One of the 3 Osmonds 13 Western director Sergio 4 14 Top gun 15 Patagonia native 17 Map abbr. 5 18 Not me 19 Apr. addressee 20 Rarely 6 22 Ghent native 25 Small dam 26 Current unit /6/26 Sudoku 7 27 Decree The Planets 8/6/26and Kakuro PuzzleJunction.com How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle Dunwoody above has Crier three clues three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is 30 Asp 1. first Muse ofofpoetry. Fine fur. The Planet. the letter the second answer, and soRed on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each 33 Courtroom event 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 34 Wrath 2. Our home planet. Doctor’s order, at times. Mold-ripened Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. The rules are easy: A number for 3 answers on thepuzzle, line. Buteach here’srow, the catch! Theand clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually To the solve the Sudoku column above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is37 the Arduous sum cheese be the second or the thirdnumbers answer in1that line. Good inluck! boxformust contain to of 9. the Got whiteit? squares the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence. 38 A Smothers 3. Colorful salamander. Jovian planet. Musical work. brother 39 Tense 4. Giant outer planet. Mexican money. Mischief maker. 40 Alias 5. Lock name. Ostrich relative. Planet nearest to the sun. 41 French impressionist 6. Test. Planet with a ring of ice. Computer command. painter 42 Gamut 7. Chubby. Links feature. Small planet farthest from the sun. 43 Gem mineral 45 Via 46 Urban center 47 Bratislava natives 51 Donnybrooks 53 Bullﬁght cheer 54 Grassland 56 Samuel’s teacher 57 Belgrade native, once 61 Carte start 62 Chip away at How to Solve:Copyright Kakuro,©2026 also PuzzleJunction.com known as Cross Sums, is a 63 Like a dryer trap

2 4 6 9 5 1 7

8 9 2 6 5

9 2 5 4 8

4 1

How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diagonal line is the sum of the white squares in the sequence below it. You may only use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

Solution

Solution 9 3 2 5 4 8 7 1 6

8 7 4 1 9 6 2 3 5

5 1 6 7 3 2 4 9 8

1 5 9 4 8 7 6 2 3

7 4 3 6 2 1 8 5 9

6 2 8 3 5 9 1 4 7

4 6 5 8 1 3 9 7 2

2 8 1 9 7 5 3 6 4

3 9 7 2 6 4 5 8 1

PuzzleJunction.com

14 17

16 19

18 22

26 30

21 25

33 38

40 43

60 63 66

64 Heavy weight 65 Lifeless 66 Latin foot Down 1 Locust pod 2 Bicker 3 Pastry 4 Japanese coin 5 Luau dish 6 Literary collections 7 Restoration 8 Mediterranean island native 9 Role player 10 View as 11 Might

12 Mystery 13 Actress Kudrow 16 Excursion 21 Waikiki wear 23 Fat 24 Cherbourg natives, once 28 Lens holders 29 Calendar square 30 Chinese tea 31 Furniture wood 32 São Paulo native 33 African nation 35 Carpet 36 Summer on the Seine 38 Gumshoe, to some 39 Mitchell mansion

41 Free from tears 42 Divulge 44 Mineral suffix 45 After straw or exit 46 Bowed stringed instrument 48 Misplace 49 French Kiss star Kevin 50 Airline assignments 51 Butcher’s stock 52 Certain 55 Unspecified number 58 Indian state 59 Eccentric 60 Big shot, briefly

See puzzle solutions on Page 13

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Support Local News 2 4 SOLUTIONS 6 9 8 9 2 Join Appen Press Club 5 1 6 Solution

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THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS

Cindy Nolan North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. Tricia Novarro Bob O’Brien Jay O’Meara Diana O’Sullivan Anne Pappas Lynn Pennington Jonathan Peters Kurt & Leslie Phillips Mary & Jan Phillips James Potts Debra Powell Seth Price Joyce Provissiero Chuck Pugh Patricia Rackliffe Robert Radloff Raj Rajagopalan Pankaj Rajankar Ashwin Ramaswami Cheryl Rand Manu Rao James Rasmussen Paula Rattray Lori Rausch Jean Rearick Joseph Reed Scarlett Reynolds Righteous PR Angie Rigney Sean Riley Neil Robertson Kimberly Robinson Matt Rohs Kim Romaner Courtney Rozear Fran Russell

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.

S A D S P A R C A P A C E L E O N E M A R I E R T E A R G E N T I N I A N S E L D O M I R S Y O U W E I R B E L G I A N Pu O R D A I N A M P Dunwoody Crier 8/6/26 Kakuro I R E T R I A L C O B R A T A U T T O M M Y H A R D Mike Tasos E grid. The rules a A N G style R crossword S G A solved D E puzzle, A K A number a in challenging a is Sums, Cross as known Kakuro, also Candice Teichert R E P N O C R I Z line in a black square is the sum of the white squares to the right of it. A number below the diag the diagonal aboveBusiness The Small Advisor S can only be used onc L O1 toV9, A S digits T Y I may andKa digit only use the of the&white Suzanne Bobsquares Thomasin the sequence below it.C You L E A O L E S E E L E M William Tietjen Y U G O S L A V I A N E L I Lisa Tilt L I N T Y E R O D E A L A Michael Townes P E S D A E D N O T Trunnion LLC

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2 R E H A B R I E A R T H 3 O P U S A T U R N E W T 4 V E N U S C A M P E S O 5 M E R C U R Y A L E M U 6 U R A N U S A V E X A M

Solution

7 T R A P L U M P L U T O

9 3 2 5 4 8 7 1 6

3 9 7 2 6 4 5 8 1

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Full-time Veeam Software Corporation in Alpharetta, GA seeks Security Architect. Dvlp & maintain enterprise-wide security policies, standards, procedures, & guides. Must have Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) & at least one cloud architecture cert (AWS, Azure, or GCP). Reqs 10% domestic & int’l travel, fully reimbursed by employer. Some telecommuting permitted (hybrid). $149,968 to $233,854/yr. To apply, send resume to Veeam.HR.NA.Paperwork@ veeam.com specifying job code 92138. EOE. Principal System Engineering needed by AT&T Services, Inc. in Alpharetta, GA to Lead and manage SOX Audits related to ITGC and ITAC. Role requires a deep understanding of audit requirements, collaborate with functional and technical teams, and the ability to accumulate evidences efficiently over time. Apply at http://att.jobs/, select JOB SEARCH and APPLY and select Search by Requisition Number at the left bottom of the page and enter Job Number: R-116487.

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