Johns Creek Herald — January 14, 2021 by Appen Media Group

J a n u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 2 1 | N o r t h F u l t o n . 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 2 5 , N o . 2

City Council extends emergency ordinance

► PAGE 3

Churches, organizations plan MLK Day events

► PAGE 5

KATIE ANDERSON/HERALD

All eyes on Georgia

The nation watched as Georgia voters went to the polls Jan. 5 to cast ballots in the special runoff election for two U.S. Senate seats. Among those exercising their civic duty was Matthew Johnson, who cast his ballot at Johns Creek High School. While areas of North Fulton showed strong Republican support, the statewide results flipped both seats to the two Democratic challengers, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Read more, Page 4

Drug abuse survivor to run in marathon

► PAGE 9

2 | January 14, 2021 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

POLICE BLOTTER 770-442-3278 | NorthFulton.com 319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009 PUBLISHER EMERITUS: Ray Appen PUBLISHER: Hans Appen MANAGING EDITOR: Patrick Fox EDITORIAL QUESTIONS: Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: Alpharetta: ext. 118, Roswell ext. 122 Dunwoody Crier: ext. 143 Forsyth Herald: ext. 118 Johns Creek Herald: ext. 123 Milton Herald: ext. 139 Calendar: ext. 122 TO SUBMIT EDITORIAL: News/Press Releases: NorthFulton.com/Sponsored Calendar/Events: NorthFulton.com/Calendar ADVERTISING QUESTIONS: General Advertising: ext. 100 advertising@appenmediagroup.com Classified Advertising: ext. 119 classifieds@appenmediagroup.com Circulation/Subscriptions/Delivery: ext. 100 circulation@appenmediagroup.com OUR PUBLICATIONS: Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: 28,000 circulation Johns Creek Herald: 20,000 circulation Dunwoody Crier: 18,000 circulation Forsyth Herald: 17,000 circulation Milton Herald: 10,000 circulation Answer Book: 40,000 circulation

319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

THECRIER.net Honored as a newspaper of General Excellence

2018

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.

Apartment owners swindled by person posing as renter JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police investigated a fraud reported by rental property owners Dec. 30. The victim, according to police, owns apartments along Piedmont Avenue and told officers his 19-year-old daughter got a text from a prospective tenant looking to lease one of the units. That tenant claimed their employer would pay the $1,100 rent. The landlord’s daughter told officers she got a $2,500 check purportedly from the tenant’s employer on Dec. 18. She said the tenant then sent her a text message claiming her employer overpaid and asking the teen’s family to reimburse the difference. The property owner said he wired $800 to the supposed employer’s bank account, according to the report. Soon after, the landlord received another check for $2,900 and the “tenant” asked to be reimbursed again. The property owner wired $1,000 to a different account. After both of the supposed employer’s checks bounced, the property owner and his daughter realized they’d been scammed, they told investigators.

Target store employee arrested for alleged theft JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police arrested a Target employee for allegedly stealing merchandise from the retail store at 5950 State Bridge Road. Patrick Raymond Shealy, 31, of Balmoral Glen Drive, Berkeley Lake, was booked into the Fulton County jail on a felony charge of theft by taking. Police responded to the Target store on Dec. 29, according to the arrest report. Loss prevention officers reported that Shealy was caught on camera several times concealing items and leaving

There are better ways to spend your time.

Shopping for insurance isn’t one of them. As an independent agent, we can shop among multiple companies and use our knowledge and experience to find the right combination of quality coverage, competitive prices and personal service Scan to learn more. that meets your unique needs. Rely on us to find you the best value for your insurance dollar!

Metro-Atlanta Insurance Agency, Inc.

1730 Mount Vernon Rd, Suite C Dunwoody, GA 30338 770.938.1000 insurance@metro-atl.com www.metro-atlantainsurance.com Call us today! 2-7694 07/16

PUBLIC SAFETY the store without paying. Police said that Shealy admitted he stole the items while working at the store and sold some of them on websites like Letgo.com. The thefts occurred between Dec. 2 and Dec. 22, the report stated. Among the items stolen were an Elgato video capture device, two pair of Beats headphones, a Cyberpunk video game, a Harry Potter film collection, a Fitbit smartwatch, a pair of Apple air pod pros and a pack of batteries. The total value of the stolen items was estimated at $1,375, the report stated.

Woman reports death threat following road rage incident ROSWELL, Ga. — Officers responded to a road rage incident on Holcomb Bridge Road on Dec. 29. According to the report, a 21-year-old Alpharetta woman told police she was traveling north on Alpharetta Highway and when she tried to merge into a turn lane, the driver of a Nissan Sentra began following and blaring the horn at her. The victim said the vehicle sped up and stopped in front of her, then the driver got out and began banging on her window. The man yelled at her, believing that she cut him off. He called her a disparaging name and lobbed other insults at her, according to the report. After the woman drove away, she said the man pulled beside her at an intersection, held something in his hand and said, “I could kill you,” then drove off. The woman told officers she took a picture of the car, which she emailed to police, the report stated.

Handgun reported stolen from unlocked vehicle

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police responded to Alpine Drive for a report of a vehicle break-in Dec. 30. The victim told officers he may have left his truck unlocked while unloading groceries the previous night. He said someone stole his wallet, credit cards, debit cards and Glock 9mm from his center console. The debit and credit cards were used fraudulently at a QT gas station, Kroger grocery store and Walmart in Roswell, according to the incident report.

Upgrades to tag offices may impede renewals FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Vehicle owners with tag renewals in January may be pinched for time this year. The Georgia Department of Revenue is shifting to a new system to process vehicle tags and titles which will result in a temporary shutdown of all motor vehicle transactions the week of Jan. 12-19. Online, in-person and kiosk transactions will be unavailable during that period. Fulton County Tax Commissioner Arthur Ferdinand said the upgrade is needed to better coordinate local offices with the state. “While ultimately this transition will help our office and the Division of Driver Services better serve our constituents, this move will be a temporary inconvenience for customers,” Ferdinand said. The upgrades are a part of the ongoing statewide effort to transition to the State of Georgia’s new Georgia Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System. Registrations for Fulton County taxpayers that expire during the January 12 through January 19 time frame will not accrue penalties or interest. Processing is expected to resume normally following the upgrade at all tag office locations, except at Greenbrier Mall and Fulton County Government Center which both remain closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. For more information go to eservices.drives.ga.gov or www.fultoncountytaxes.org.

NEWS

City Council extends emergency ordinance By KATIE ANDERSON newsroom@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. —During a special called meeting on Jan. 4, the Johns Creek City Council unanimously voted to extend the emergency ordinance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency ordinance, first adopted last March, provides for the operation of essential services and allows for votes and meetings of the City Council by teleconference. The original ordinance was valid for 30 days and has been extended each month since. “My expectation, given the trending of the COVID numbers until the vaccine and other things have had a chance to really take hold, we’re gonna see the numbers continue to climb, especially with all the travel that probably occurred during the holiday season,” Mayor Mike Bodker said. “And with that, there is a need to extend our emergency ordinance.” The ordinance is designed to preserve the city’s ability to maintain its commitment to safety and service. City officials stated in March that the authority granted in the ordinance would be used only as necessary to slow the spread of the virus and to avoid overwhelming city services and the local healthcare system. During the Jan. 4 meeting, Councilman Lenny Zaprowski asked the mayor and council to confirm the city’s “stance” on mask requirements after he had received a call from a resident who said they had been asked by a city official to wear a mask.

The ordinance is designed to preserve the city’s ability to maintain its commitment to safety and service. Bodker explained that the city requires masks to be worn in city facilities, something owned and controlled by the City of Johns Creek. Outside of that, the city has encouraged residents to wear a mask when indoors or around those who may be at risk, to practice social distancing whenever possible, to frequently wash their hands and clean surfaces and to follow all the CDC guidelines. He said that while most businesses are requiring masks, it is up to the individual business. “If a business is not following what people believe are the state’s requirements — because it’s the state that mandates all of the rest of the requirements — then they can call the governor’s office or the Health and Human Services at the state who’s in the enforcement position for that,” Bodker said. “We, the city are not, and probably did not, ask someone to wear masks going into a private business.” The emergency ordinance extension became valid on Jan. 8, 2021, and will require either an extension or repeal after 30 days.

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021 | 3

LOCAL POLITICS. LOCAL PODCAST. Georgia has proven to be the epicenter of the political world these last few months. Catch up on all the latest under the Georgia Gold Dome and with our representatives in Washington D.C.

GEORGIA POLITICS

Listen anywhere you download your podcasts.

4 | January 14, 2021 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

NEWS

North Fulton voters split in U.S. Senate runoffs By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com NORTH FULTON, Ga. — While a vast majority of Fulton County voters backed Democratic candidates in the Jan. 5 runoff election, residents in North Fulton were more divided. Turnout was robust. Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler, and most media outlets have called Democrat Jon Ossoff the winner in his race to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. David Perdue. With the two seats flipped, Democrats have now gained the upper hand in the U.S. Senate. Overall, Fulton County voters backed the Democratic candidates with 72 percent of the vote in each race. Most residents opted to vote early in person. More than 57 percent of the 477,000 votes recorded in the county were cast in advance. The remaining votes were split almost evenly between Election Day votes and mailed absentee ballots. Unlike the Nov. 3 General Election, each precinct was locked in tandem, with either both Republicans or both Democrats earning a majority. Republican voters backed Perdue slightly more than Loeffler. In the Nov. 3 General Election, Warnock defeated Loeffler in a few precincts where Perdue earned a majority in his race against Ossoff. That was most likely due to Loeffler defending her seat in a “jungle primary,” which included more than a dozen candidates. In the runoff, Republicans swept the most northern precincts in the county, including all but two Milton precincts, the eastern portion of Roswell and the southernmost areas of Johns Creek.

KATIE ANDERSON/HERALD

Voting was sporadic at Johns Creek High School Jan. 5 as Georgians participated in a special runoff election for two U.S. Senate seats. A majority of Johns Creek residents voted for the Democratic challengers in the race that would decide control of the Senate. Democrats carved a wide path along Ga. 400, taking almost all districts close to the thoroughfare. Alpharetta Democrats took 12 of Alpharetta’s 21 precincts, but the margins in the Senate races were razor-thin. More than 32,000 residents cast ballots, and the margin of victory for the city was just 83 votes between Ossoff and Perdue. Warnock topped Loeffler by 673 votes. Johns Creek Johns Creek came out strong for the Democrats. Warnock garnered 55 percent of the vote. Ossoff earned 54 percent. The Democratic candidates won 13 of the city’s 20 precincts.

Commissioner results Fulton voters strongly backed Democrat Daniel Blackman for the District 4 Public Service Commissioner in the Runoff Election, but Republican incumbent Lauren “Bubba” McDonald retained his seat. Members of the five-member commission, which regulates public utilities in the state, are elected statewide. Milton While Johns Creek backed Democrats by the highest margins, Milton voters posted the strongest effort for the GOP. Republicans won 10 of the city’s 12 precincts. Perdue took 11,424, or 58 percent, of the nearly 20,000 votes cast. Loeffler also took Milton, but her margin of victory was slightly less at 57 percent.

Roswell The race for Roswell was neck-andneck, and the city was the only in North Fulton to split between Democratic and Republican candidates. Perdue carried 51 percent of the more than 47,000 votes cast over Ossoff. However, Warnock defeated Loeffler by a total of 38 votes. Both Republicans won 12 of Roswell’s 22 precincts.

City Clerk Joan Jones retires after 14 years with Johns Creek By KATIE ANDERSON newsroom@appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Joan Jones, one of Johns Creek’s first employees and their City Clerk, officially retired from her position on Dec. 31. Jones served Johns Creek for 14 years. She was appointed as the first assistant city clerk for the new city in November 2006. She advanced to city clerk in March 2007. Her retirement comes after 26 years in municipal government. Jones began her public service career in 1994 with the City of Jonesboro. She received her clerk’s certification in 1999 through the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. In 2002, she became Jonesboro City Clerk and obtained

her Master Clerk’s Certification in 2008. She was recognized as a leader by her peers in municipal government in 2016 when she was called to serve as president of the Georgia Municipal Clerk’s Association. Johns Creek officials called Jones a champion and advocate for the city. She was not only a member of the inaugural Leadership Johns Creek class of JONES 2010 but also participated in the Johns Creek Police Department’s Citizen’s Police Academy and put in countless volunteer hours at various city events including the Johns Creek Founders Day Parade.

Jones was known for her ability to work closely with all members of the City Council and various city boards and committees to efficiently run all regular and special called meetings and ensure transparency. She was described as an energetic and positive initial point of contact for many individuals, organizations and groups that connected with or conducted business with the city. “From tours of City Hall to welcoming students, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, clubs and organizations of all kinds, she lived the promise of the city and championed the good of local government,” Mayor Mike Bodker said. The mayor said Jones’ cheerful and delightful interactions with everyone were contagious and refreshing.

“Mrs. Jones’ positive contributions to the city will continue to resonate for years to come, and her close connections with all elected and appointed officials will be cherished and remembered as exceptional and extraordinary,” Bodker said. “And after 14 years of dedicated service to Johns Creek and a total of 26 years of service in the field of municipal government, Mrs. Jones embarks on a well-deserved retirement. Working with Mrs. Jones has been a sincere privilege and it is an honor to recognize her for her efforts and contributions.” During a special called city council meeting Dec. 4, the council moved to appoint Terri Lea Hugie as the interim city clerk. Hugie has served as assistance city clerk.

COMMUNITY

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021 | 5

Groups to commemorate MLK Day in tumultuous year of racial reckoning Alpharetta church to honor slain leader in 3-day online event By PHOEBE LIU newsroom@Appenmediagroup.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day comes amidst a year of local and national racial reckoning. But because in-person celebrations are nearly impossible due to the pandemic, many Johns Creek organizations have struggled to find ways to commemorate King’s legacy. For the past several years, the Johns Creek Arts Center has held festive “birthday parties” each year in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The free events featured live storytelling, art activities, pizza and birthday cake and were designed for the whole family. This year’s event, the Center’s “Martin Luther King Family Day Drive-up event,” will take place on Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants can drive up to the center, located at 6290 Abbotts Bridge Road/Suite 700, to pick up a free activity bag. Because quantities are limited, those interested in attending should register by filling out a Google form on the johnscreekarts.org website. Johns Creek Arts Center Executive Director Stephanie Cook said the celebration will be the center’s eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day event. Residents who would prefer to celebrate King’s birthday at a synchronous, albeit virtual, event can look to Alpharetta’s St. James United Methodist Church. Past celebrations hosted by the over-150-year-old church in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day have drawn crowds of hundreds — singing, marching and cheering together to celebrate King’s legacy. This year’s event will be virtual for the first time and will be spread across three days, from Jan. 17 to Jan. 19. The event’s theme is “Where Do We Go From Here? Visions of Beloved Community.” The theme emphasizes how the community can use the celebration of one of the United States’ most inspiring figures to find hope during a time of racial unrest, pandemic and political divisiveness. “So where do we go from here? I think the first thing that we have to do is learn to love one another, respect one another and value each other,” said the Rev. Dr. Gregory S. Williams, St. James

senior pastor. “As children of God, we can have different beliefs. We can have different values, but the bottom line is we have to learn to live together and work together because we are God’s people.” On the evening of Sunday, Jan. 17, a group of North Georgia pastors will share their perspectives on the importance of King’s legacy in the present moment. Monday’s programming will include music, a presentation of a Dr. MLK, Jr. award and a talk by featured speaker Artis Stevens, the first Black president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. A rebroadcast of a November “Bridging the Gap” event on racial reconciliation through worship and fellowship will conclude the threeday event on Tuesday. St. James UMC Associate Pastor Tavares Stephens said he hopes the weekend’s events will leave participants with tangible examples of “where [to] go from here” and inspire discussion about “how we’re living into where God wants us to go.”

The virtual celebration aims to reach people across the world and encourage them to listen and learn from each other, Williams said. He stressed that the past year’s events — including this week’s U.S. Capitol riot — have shown that the United States is currently a nation divided, which makes coming together to honor King’s legacy of unity and togetherness under God especially important. “Both division and togetherness are a choice,” Stephens said. Much of the programming at the upcoming event comes out of St. James UMC’s longstanding partnerships with other churches in the area that encompass different denominations. All events will be livestreamed on St. James UMC’s website, stjamesumc.org/, and on its Facebook page. “When we band pastors together and give them a voice, they are able to go back to their churches and they’re able to impact their people,” Williams said. “That’s how we change the world. One person at a time, one church at a time, one home at a time.”

Get More News, Opinion & Events Every Friday Morning with

Herald Headlines.

A NEWSLETTER FROM

Join for free at northfulton.com/newsletters

When it comes to customers, you just gotta be nice to them. PEARL BIVINS, Alpharetta Beauty Shop owner 6 | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021

After 34 years in business, salon surrenders to downtown flurry By TIFFANY GRIFFITH newsroom@appenmediagroup.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Downtown Alpharetta is quickly becoming the latest trendy hangout in the metro area. But amid the stylish boutiques and popular bars and restaurants, one business closed its doors Dec. 31. The next time you drive past 22 Milton Avenue, you won’t see the Alpharetta Beauty Shop. Owner Pearl Bivins said the old-fashioned salon couldn’t keep up with all of the change surrounding it. “It was kinda sad,” Bivins said. “People around there in the other businesses were nice. We just didn’t really fit in with all those retail stores.” Bivins and her sister, Jean Collett, have cut, curled, combed and coiffed the hair of women in Alpharetta for more than 50 years. After working in various salons, they opened the Alpharetta Beauty Shop in 1986. “We just did the old-fashioned cut and shampoo. Set, roll up, under the dryer. Most people nowadays don’t even know what a dryer looks like,” Bivins laughed. “That’s years old.” The atmosphere in the shop was fun and full of laughter — most of the time. “Sometimes we had tension in there between the two sisters,” she chuckled. “Customers could tell when things weren’t going just fine.” And with customers stopping by every week, you could also count on the salon sisters for some juicy gossip. “Of course!” Bivins confirmed. “If we didn’t get it, we got blamed for it.” Bivins credits those loyal customers for decades of keeping her in business. “They would always say they loved to

TIFFANY GRIFFITH/HERALD

Alpharetta Beauty Shop owner Pearl Bivins said the old-fashioned salon couldn’t keep up with all of the change surrounding it. get their hair shampooed because it was the best in town, the best they’d ever had,” Bivins said. The sisters enjoyed hearing about the happenings of their clients’ weeks. Bivins and Collett followed the lives of their clients as they became grandparents and great-grandparents, and sadly, when they passed away. But at the close of 2020, the Al-

pharetta Beauty Shop styled its last strand of hair. Bivins said the increase in foot traffic and vehicle traffic made it difficult for her 80 and 90-year-old clients to park and visit the salon. “Too many people, too much traffic, too much everything,” Bivins said. “It was better for the salon when the city was smaller. It was easier for people to get in and out of there.”

The pandemic also prevented the sisters from seeing their elderly clients in the salon or at senior living facilities. The salon’s space was purchased by the owners of Sis + Moon, a women’s clothing, jewelry, and art gallery next door. When Bivins gave her loyal customers the unfortunate news, some didn’t know where they would go for their next wash and set. “We were really proud of our customers because they were older ladies and a lot of them had been with us for 50 years,” Bivins said. “Everybody was really nice and friendly. They were regular people. It meant a lot to know we had the same clients every week to keep us in business.” Some clients said maybe it was time to close up shop. Bivins agreed. “It’s time to move on,” she said. “Progress has to go on. I understand that. We’re older. Our clientele, most of them are older than we are. So, it was time to close up and get out of there.” On her last day in the salon, the 78-year-old stylist simply packed up her belongings and locked the door behind her. This isn’t the way she envisioned her days at the shop ending. However, Bivins wasn’t sentimental because her days of creating the perfect hairdo are far from over. “I’m going to work at a salon about a mile away on Main Street,” Bivins said. “My sister is working at a senior living home in Roswell.” Bivins calls herself an Alpharetta lady. And while she thinks the loss of her salon is a loss for the city’s history, she is willing to share the secret to her longevity. “When it comes to customers, you just gotta be nice to them,” Bivins said.

Join us.

The future of business is here. Contact Deborah Lanham, President & CEO 404.545.0212

Support. Promote. Connect.

www.alpharettachamber.com

BUSINESSBRIEFS

Fiserv offers grant program for minority small businesses

BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Fiserv, a financial tech company and one of Alpharetta’s largest employers, announced on Monday it is accepting grant applications from minority-owned small business owners based in the greater Atlanta area as part of its ongoing Back2Business program. The program is designed to help support small, minority-owned businesses that have been negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Back2Business connects small businesses with critical resources, including complimentary mentorship, subject matter expertise and business coaching, technology solutions such as the Clover point-of-sale platform from Fiserv, and community partners. In conjunction with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, a national nonprofit expanding economic opportunity for Black entrepreneurs through its Tapestry Project, the program includes $10 million in grants, with approximately $1 million designated for Atlanta-area businesses, and up to $10,000 awarded to individual businesses. Each grant recipient will also be connected to local networking, support and resources from Fiserv community partners such as the Metro Atlanta

Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta Black Chambers, Russell Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The Village Market Atlanta and the Atlanta Business League. Eligible minority-owned businesses can apply for a Fiserv Back2Business Grant at aeoworks.org/Fiserv. Grants can be used to assist with payroll, rent or lease payments, technology or equipment purchases, or premise redesign. Merchants must have revenues of less than $1 million annually, have been founded prior to June 1, 2019 and have fewer than 10 employees. Approximately $1 million in grants will be provided to businesses based in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Rockdale and Spalding counties. Applications will be accepted until grant funds are exhausted. “Coming off a challenging year, we are committed to helping make 2021 a better one for the small business community, particularly for minority-owned businesses that have been adversely impacted by the pandemic,” said Leslie Pearce, senior vice president, SMB Inside Sales at Fiserv. “We are proud to support local small businesses by providing them with the resources they need to thrive in the new year and beyond.”

Bungalows & Cottages Independent Living Assisted Living Memory Care Village Park Milton 555 Wills Road Alpharetta, GA 30009 470.509.4557

Village Park Alpharetta 12300 Morris Road Alpharetta, GA 30005 678.740.3499

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021 | 7

Our Lenders Can Help With Your PPP Loan Experience What A Community Banker Can Do For You. * Payroll Expenses * Rent Expense * Utilities * Mortgage Interest Carlos Laverde Market President

10690 Medlock Bridge Rd, Johns Creek,GA 470-422-1200

People banking with People AmericanCommerceBank.com

8 | January 14, 2021 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

Dunwoody Crier 1/14/21 Crossword Across

PuzzleJunction

1 13

1 Rush job notation 17 18 16 5 Grow dim 20 21 19 9 Graf ___ 22 23 24 13 Wise one 14 Between ports 25 26 27 15 Lagers 33 34 32 16 Arab chieftain 17 After pencil 37 38 36 and knife 41 42 40 19 Toy 20 Gymnast’s goal 46 47 44 45 21 Woodworking 48 49 50 tools 22 Store sign 51 52 53 24 Quote 58 59 25 Tuck was one 27 Bubble source 62 61 28 Challenge 65 64 32 Intends 33 Singer Vaughan Copyright ©2021 PuzzleJunction.com 35 Accomplished 8 Corn serving 60 Amazes 33 36 Actor Wallach 9 Had a hunch 37 Mexican liquor 61 Certain exams 62 Afﬁrm 10 Chick’s sound 34 39 Captain’s 11 Flubs 63 Ooze 38 journal 64 GOP rivals 12 Sharp curve 43 40 Family girl 15 Exhausted 65 Red Planet 45 41 Opus 18 Aboriginal 66 Whirlpool 42 Bind 23 Sticky stuff 47 44 Fires Down 24 Radium 49 46 Cow chow discoverer 50 47 Disregards 25 Odd Couple 1 Ancient 51 48 Remain character 2 Kind of 52 unsettled wrestling 26 Up the ante 53 50 Light bulb unit 27 Garish 3 Seed covering 55 51 Native New 29 Improvise 4 Swipe 56 Zealander 5 Quicker 30 Thigh-slappers 57 53 Tank 6 Pallid 31 Brink 58 54 Secret message 7 Campus bigwig 32 Arizona city 59 58 Averageness

35 39 43

60 63 66

Old TV hit, with 58 Down Be the ghost Cultural Weirdo Goes sour, like milk Forest gods Love god Lake ﬁller Paltry Garden ﬁgure Cheer starter Was in debt Exploit Notice See 33 Down Battering device

SOLUTION ON PAGE 17 CDAR Member SWIFT Code: GMCBUS3A

SBA Loans (Small Business Administration Loans) 770-455-4985

SBA LOANS RANKED #1 IN GA

(Fiscal year 2009-2012, 2014-2019 in total dollar amount)

Residential Loans SolutionMortgage on next page

Jimmy Song (NMLS#1218336) 770-454-1871 (Duluth Branch) Sandy Na (NMLS#983548) 770-454-1861 (Norcross Branch) Headquarters | 5114 Buford Highway, Doraville, GA 30340 Metro City Bank is a wholly owned subsidiary of MetroCity Bankshares, Inc, (Nasdaq: MCBS).

Please Contact Us For More Information 770-455-4989. www.metrocitybank.com

COMMUNITY

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021 | 9

Once battling breathing issues and drug abuse, local man sets sights on completing marathon By JOE PARKER joe@appenmediagroup.com CUMMING, Ga. — Running 26.2 miles is no easy undertaking no matter a person’s physical fitness or mental fortitude. It’s an especially tall task for a man who struggled to breath normally without a slew of medications and battled drug addiction for years. Jon Haley, 28, took massive strides in his drug abuse recovery this year, and has set his sights on another goal — completing a marathon — later this month to continue his mental and physical recovery. Haley will aim to accomplish his feat in Roswell Jan. 23 at the Thundermeat Endurance Shrinkage event which benefits No Longer Bound, a Cumming-based recovery nonprofit which has steered Haley through his sobriety. Haley’s endurance challenge to his lungs comes after he spent years using multiple inhalers and medications to mitigate his serious breathing issues. Haley said he could hardly walk down a flight of stairs without stopping, and his inhalers became a lifeline. Even using the bathroom without one on hand was cause for anxiety. Emergency room visits and steroid injections were common, along with cases of bronchitis and pneumonia. Haley’s breathing troubles were spurred and worsened by his drug addiction. As a teen, Haley said he was generally a “bad kid,” and he dropped out of high school and began drinking and working. Eventually drinking lost its luster, and around the time he joined the Army National Guard, Haley began using drugs. He was first introduced to opiates by a cough syrup prescribed to him for a case of bronchitis. When he was 21, he overdosed on the substance and was rushed to the emergency room. Following his military training, Haley said he was constantly exposed to drugs like MDMA, cocaine and ecstasy and began using the drugs. He also began taking strong opiates like Oxycontin. “It never really seemed to effect my work, and for a long time, all I cared about was work,” Haley said. “I’m not realizing these drugs are messing up my life, my personal relationships. I was not having the hard consequences or not correlating the consequences that were bad to drug use.” Around four years ago, Haley began using heroin and his descent into addiction increased. Haley said his finances were out of control despite his well-paying job. “I had a good job with good money, but it didn’t matter because it was all

gone within a few weeks,” he said. After titling his car several times and living in his apartment without power, Haley was eventually evicted and began living out of his car. He would park overnight in Kroger parking lots, only leaving his four-wheeled home to use the store’s bathroom and snort cocaine or heroin. After several shortlived stints of sobriety, spurred by Haley’s family, coworkers and military leaders, Haley arrived at No Longer Bound in October, 2019. After six months, he left the program, but HALEY immediately realized he needed to return when he used less than 24 hours after leaving. “That’s when I understood…I have absolutely no control over this,” he said. Haley has found his sober self over the last seven months. One way he has done it is through running. He first began running to get back into shape, but found the activity was also a boon for his mental well-being.

“It provides clarity, a focus,” he said. “Relationships, work, anything stressful I save to think about when running. It’s also my time with God. I’m on autopilot physically, so I can talk to God, get mad, plan my week, work things out that bother me. It allows me to be there for my family, for my brothers and to do well at my job.” Haley has lost around 50 pounds since hitting the pavement and has gradually increased his speed and stamina. He no longer has breathing issues or requires the use of an inhaler or medications, and he said he is no longer afraid to look in the mirror. “I feel comfortable, confident and that I can overcome obstacles in my life,” he said. And also reach new goals. “I’m not 100 percent sure I can run this marathon, I’m very confident I can,” he said. “I’m not 100 percent sure I can stay sober for the rest of my life, but I know there are things I have to do to accomplish that, and that’s what I try and compare my recovery to, working out and running. It’s kind of hard to see the mental and emotional changes, but not to see the physical changes.”

Thanks for Voting Us Best German Restaurant WINNER 2018

WINNER 2019

Presented By

with The Mansions

Soup on the Go event! Come by January 21st from 2:00 to 4:00 pm for a tour and take home your choice of hearty, homemade Vegetable Soup or New England Clam Chowder and homemade bread for two!

WINNER 2020

Best Of Best Of Best Of North North North Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Presented By

Warm Up

Presented By

Gasthaus Tirol German & European Cuisine 770-844-7244 | www.gasthaus-cumming.com

310 Atlanta Rd • Cumming, GA 30040 Lunch: Tues. – Sun. 11a.m. to 2p.m. Dinner Tues. – Thurs., Sun. 5p.m. to 9p.m. | Fri. and Sat. 5p.m. to 10p.m.

RSVP by January 19th to (470) 705-5104.

THE MANSIONS at ALPHARETTA

SENIOR INDEPENDENT LIVING ALSO VISIT OUR OTHER ATL METRO LOCATIONS: DECATUR • GWINNETT PARK • SANDY SPRINGS

3700 Brookside Parkway, Alpharetta, GA 30022 www.MansionsSeniorLiving.com

10 | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021

Sponsored Section

Experience the most advanced form of pain relief available Deep Tissue Laser Therapy

Brought to you by – Johns Creek Physical Therapy Class IV Laser Therapy is the most advanced pain relief technology available to the public and it’s now available right here in Johns Creek. Laser therapy uses a process called photo-bio-modulation to enhance your body’s ability to heal itself. Laser Therapy works by flooding the tissues with photons, energizing the damaged cells and increasing circulation to the painful area. Treatments are fast, painless and don’t require any down time but the therapeutic effect continues to soothe and heal long after you leave the office. Laser Therapy is FDA cleared to treat pain, inflammation, arthritis, and

muscle spasms and are a great alternative to medications and injections. Laser Therapy can treat a host of conditions including rotator cuff injuries, post operative pain and soreness (for any surgery), frozen shoulder, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, neck pain, muscle strains, low back pain, migraines, and can even be used to relieve pain associated with diabetic neuropathy. Johns Creek Physical Therapy, recently voted as the Best Physical Therapy Practice in North Atlanta, is the only medical practice in the area to offer Laser Therapy technology. For the month of January, you can receive a complimentary treatment just for trying it out. If you are experiencing any type of pain, call 770-622-5344 to schedule your Free Consultation. Johns Creek Physical Therapy 4060 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite H Suwanee, GA 30024 770-622-5344 PAID ADVERTISEMENT

FREE Balance and Fall Prevention Workshop Sponsored by JOHNS CREEK PHYSICAL THERAPY

• Do you feel unsteady when you walk? • Do you have periods of dizziness and don’t know why? • Do you avoid going out because you are afraid you will fall? • Would you like to learn what you can do to improve your balance? If you answered YES to any of these questions then you don’t want to miss the FREE BALANCE, DIZZINESS AND FALL PREVENTION WORKSHOP on Tuesday, January 19 at 12:30 pm. Death rates from falls among older adults have risen 31% over the last decade. Every year in the United States 1 out of 4 older adults has a fall. In fact, every 19 minutes an older adult dies due to a fall. Falls can

At the workshop you will learn the TOP THREE factors that increase your risk of falling cause fractures, head injuries and even emotional trauma that lead to a constant fear of falling again. But did you know that you can improve your balance and reduce your risk for falling? Try out this quick self test for balance. How long can you stand on one leg? If it’s not more than 10 seconds you are at increased risk for falling. If you would like to know more about improving your balance and reducing your risk of falling, you won’t want to miss the

FREE BALANCE, DIZZINESS AND FALL PREVENTION WORKSHOP on Tuesday, January 19 at 12:30 pm. At the workshop you will learn the TOP THREE factors that increase your risk of falling. You will also learn the #1 mistake people with balance deficits usually make that increase their fall risk. We will also discuss different ways you can be safer in your home and out in the community. Registration is FREE. Register by calling 770-622-5344. Johns Creek Physical Therapy 4060 Johns Creek Pkwy., Suite H Suwanee, GA 30024

WE ACCEPT MEDICARE

Beth Paton, PT, DPT

WINNER

WINNER 2020

Best Of North

Presented By

2018

Atlanta

2019

Atlanta

HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section

Can bumping your leg cause skin cancer? Brought to you by — Dr. Brent Taylor Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta Multiple times over the last ten years, patients have told me that a skin cancer popped up DR. TAYLOR right where they banged their leg. Initially, I was skeptical of whether such mild trauma could cause skin cancer. One of my teachers speculated that patients were developing skin cancers first and then later noticed them when they bumped the area. However, patient were certain about the timeline and insisted that the bump caused the skin cancer. Who is right? Can mild trauma cause skin cancer? The medical literature is rife with examples of chronic trauma indirectly leading to skin cancer. For example, a “Marjolin’s ulcer” is a squamous cell carcinoma (squamous cell skin cancer) that arises from a chronic wound. While Marjolin’s ulcers are not common, they are an important diagnosis for doctors to avoid missing. Their danger is often due to delayed diagnosis. For example, a patient with an ulcer from bad veins on his or her leg may go to a wound care clinic and receive dressing changes intended to allow the wound to heal on its own. When the ulcer fails to heal, everyone involved assumes it is still “just a venous ulcer.” Unfortunately, chronic ulcers can sometimes give rise to skin cancers – usually squamous cell carcinoma. The ulcer is no longer just a broken down area of skin from bad circulation. Instead, it is a skin cancer AND a broken down area from bad circulation. But the two conditions can look nearly identical in ulcerated form, and a biopsy is needed to make the diagnosis. Delays in diagnosis of the skin cancer can give it a chance to spread to other organs and lead to death. The stakes are high. Why would a chronic wound give rise to skin cancer? The explanation is usually “cell turnover.” Areas of healthy skin usually have cells undergoing cell division (mitosis) at a very slow rate. Skin cells are quoted as replacing themselves every 28 days. Where skin is cut, injured or otherwise wounded, the replication rate goes up. Growth factors are released at sites of tissue damage to spur tissue regrowth and renewal. If you cut your skin or have a wound, cells need to grow and divide rapidly to replace the cells that were lost and to heal. Increased cell division means increased opportunity for error. Cell division is a vulnerable time. When a cell is dividing, its DNA is more

susceptible to mutations and to making mistakes. Such mutations can increase cell growth rate and otherwise allow them to grow in an uncontrolled manner. Mutations cause cancer. So chronic wounds not unexpectedly generate skin cancers. If chronic wounds can yield cancers, what about minor/short term wounds? Or even a bump on the leg? There is not a lot of medical literature about skin cancers arising from small traumatic events such as a bump on the leg. However, it stands to reason that a similar phenomenon exists for small injuries as for chronic wounds. Both involve healing tissue, growth factors, and stimulus for cell division. In my experience, the small bumps that were blamed for causing skin cancers almost always occurred in patients with severe amounts of background sun damage. Patients with severe sun damage already have mutations in their cells from the sun’s UV rays. Accordingly, the combination of sun damage and a banged shin is like a one-two punch. One of the first successful explanations for the cause of any cancer was the “two-hit hypothesis.” It explains why retinoblastoma, an eye tumor, develops in children. The two hit hypothesis states that you need two copies of the same gene to go bad for certain cancers like retinoblastoma to develop. Children with retinoblastoma are born with one bad (mutated) copy in every single cell in their eyes, either inherited from a parent or from a mutation acquired early in fetal development. Additional spontaneous mutations are common enough that the chance that the second copy of the gene mutates in at least one cell is high. That cell now has two bad copies of the retinoblastoma gene. That single cell will then grow uncontrollably and develop into a cancer. Like retinoblastoma’s second mutation, the “bump on the leg” might be the second hit a squamous cell needs in some individuals’ legs. The first hit is the years of sun damage introducing mutations into many cells in a patient’s skin. Then, the second hit can take many forms – sometimes an additional sun burn, sometimes a chronic wound, and sometimes a literal hit -- a small bump on the leg. So yes, in my opinion, my patients are probably right. Sometimes a skin cancer really does pop up from a simple bump on the leg. We hope that you found this article interesting and informative. Please know that if you or a loved one has a skin cancer or any skin care need, we at Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta are here for you and are honored to help. Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C would like to be your partners to achieve your skin health goals.

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021 | 11

12 | January 14, 2021 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section

Help us protect North Fulton By Kali Boatright, President and CEO, GreaterNorthFulton Chamber of Commerce, Liz Hausmann, Fulton County Commissioner, District 1, Bob Ellis, Fulton County Commissioner, District 2, and Jon-Paul Croom, SVP and President, Wellstar North Fulton Hospital COVID-19. Global pandemic. Coronavirus. PPE. Community spread. For ten long months, we have heard about these topics in our community, state, nation, and world, often to the point where we just don’t want to hear about them anymore. It’s what many are calling “COVID fatigue.” For those people who adopted recommended safety measures early on, perhaps you have grown tired of wearing a mask, not going to restaurants, and not seeing family and friends. For those who never adopted safety measures, perhaps you prefer to live “normally” since you figure your or your family’s risk of getting infected or being ill from COVID is relatively low. After all, the mortality rate is fairly low, right, so how bad is COVID, really? There is so much information circulating – and so much misinformation – that it’s difficult to know what’s real; and what’s not. Additionally, some people don’t pay attention until COVID

has affected them personally. North Fulton, the impact is real, and it’s now very personal to our community. Wellstar North Fulton Hospital – staffed compassionately 24/7/365 by our neighbors, friends, and family, and the recent recipient of many awards and accolades – is seeing a significant surge in patient volume, many very critical. The hospital is operating above 100% capacity due to limitations of the available workforce. As of Jan. 8, approximately 38% of the patients are COVID-positive, and 54% of the patients in the full ICU are COVID patients. That is far too many. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients require intensive resources – often more than other patients – and many are very, very ill, with complex medical conditions either caused or made worse by the virus. These are our beloved neighbors, friends, and family from right here in North Fulton. And we are only at the beginning of seeing cases from gatherings and kids coming home from college for the holidays. The numbers are rising, alarmingly. The trajectory of cases and hospitalizations for the coming few months is concerning, especially with the recent

FREE Upcoming Webinars: Protect your family today! Be sure to check out our webinars at Wilson-legal.com/events-listing/ January 22, 2021 at 3:00pm EP 101: Probate & Estate Planning

February 5, 2021 at 3:00pm EC 201: Elder Law (VA, Medicaid, Asset Protection) & Home Care Basics

Attorney Michelle Wilson

February 19, 2021 at 3:00pm EP 102: Long-Term Care Insurance Buyer’s Guide

407 East Maple St., #105 • Cumming, GA 30040 • (770) 205-7861

Christmas holiday and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Wellstar Health System is one of the largest health systems in Georgia, with extensive resources to help balance the load and serve our community with high-quality and compassionate care. The 11-hospital system has prepared for surge scenarios like the one we are currently facing and can shift resources where they are needed. Still, the virus is spreading significantly across the state, which impacts not only our healthcare workers but everyone in our community. We must act together to Protect North Fulton immediately. It’s an explicit plea so we can flatten the curve here in our community and at our local hospital. The hospital needs our support in this moment, and so do the families and friends of those who have fallen ill or died, as well as everyone who has the potential to contract COVID … and possibly succumb to it. The way the virus is currently spreading, that means every single one of us. 1. We must work together to do what’s right, to care for our community.

Now is the time to band together to stop the spread. It is possible to support our businesses *and* keep each other safe, and that is what we need to do. 2. Please start wearing a mask when you are around other people. It has proven to slow the spread of the virus. In fact, we are seeing that it may be preventing the spread of the flu, too. It works, and it will help Protect North Fulton. 3. We ask that you also think about how to minimize gatherings with other people. Getting together in groups – both large and small gatherings – without masks and social distancing is a big part of what is driving the rampant spread of COVID-19. Small family and friend gatherings are a particular issue because people tend to relax their safety measures, which increases transmission. Using technology for meetings and get-togethers – or at least wearing masks and keeping your distance – for a few more months *will* help Protect North Fulton. While we wait for broad vaccine distribution and levels of community immunity over the coming months – which will be a critical line of defense to protect people, our communities, and our healthcare systems – the best treatment we have right now is prevention. It is urgent for our community that we do things differently for the moment so we can Protect North Fulton … together.

The ‘Round TUIT’ Brought to you by — Michelle Wilson, Wilson Legal, PC When I was growing up, my mom had a round white magnet on the fridge with the letters T -U-I-T on it. When she’d ask us if WILSON we had done a chore and we responded that we’d get it done when we got around to it, she’d take that magnet, slap it on the table in front of us and say “here’s your round TUIT now get up and do it” in her best first grade teacher singsong voice. Her words would get stuck in your head and we began forcing ourselves to avoid the phrase “when we get around to it” so that we wouldn’t give her a chance to use the magnet on us. We knew the chore needed to get done and Mom wanted it done sooner rather than later. It is really easy to put off chores – especially ones without reminders. Updating your will, your power of attorney, your healthcare directive are chores that slip your mind. The remind-

ers come when you or someone you know has a bad life event. Often it’s more expensive or too late to help after something bad happens. Don’t wait for a crisis. Find some help to review your documents today. Check out wilson-legal. com/events for upcoming presentations. Wilson Legal, PC 407 East Maple St., #105 Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 205-7861

HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section

NorthFulton.com | Johns Creek Herald | January 14, 2021 | 13

SAFE URGENT CARE

Are you feeling “under the weather” after your doctor’s regular business hours? Or just running behind on your children’s flu shots* and sports physicals? At Wellstar Avalon Health Park, we know unexpected illnesses or injuries never fit into a busy schedule. That’s why we offer safe, convenient urgent care right around the corner. Our physicians treat minor medical problems with mindful care and attention, whether you are feeling sick, have a sprained ankle or more complex issue. Following strict health precautions from start to finish, you can count on Wellstar to care for your whole family, safely. wellstar.org/safecare

WELLSTAR AVALON HEALTH PARK Open 7 Days a Week | 8 AM to 8 PM (470) 267-0320 | Walk-ins welcome To hold your place in line, visit wellstar.org/avalon.

More than healthcare. PEOPLE CARE *Wellstar Avalon Health Park is offering flu shots to established patients on Wednesdays from 5 PM to 7 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 12 PM through October 28, 2020.

14 | January 14, 2021 | Johns Creek Herald | NorthFulton.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS • Sponsored Section

Thank You for Voting US Best Dentist in North Atlanta for 6 Years!

Dr. David Remaley

Dr. Destinee Hood

WINNER 2015