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D e c e m b e r 1 8 , 2 0 2 5 | 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 2 9 , N o . 5 1

New path inspires hope with each plank secured By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The construction behind Johns Creek City Hall is starting to look less like work in progress and more like the recreational and community anchor point officials have envisioned. The Boardwalk at Town Center near Medlock Bridge at McGinnis Ferry roads, has begun to take shape in December. The massive $39 million project includes an outdoor amphitheater, pond overlooks, pedestrian plazas, trails through wetlands and terraced seating. Construction began in August 2024 and is slated for completion by summer 2026. City officials said it’s intended to serve as the heart of the walkable, 192-acre Town Center district, which also includes the under-construction mixed-use Medley center.

See BOARDWALK, Page 21 JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Grave markers sit among trees Dec. 12 at the Macedonia Cemetery in Johns Creek.

Johns Creek continues discussions to preserve historic Black cemetery By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek is preparing for a second round of radar analysis at the historic Macedonia Cemetery to map the locations of unmarked graves. City Council members discussed the plan during a Dec. 8 work session.

Bigman Geophysical would conduct ground penetrating radar at the historic Black cemetery, allowing the city to proceed with a plan for improvements there, City Manager Kimberly Greer said. The company was hired to conduct similar work in Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery where it found almost 900 unmarked graves. “Having a deeper level of analysis across the whole site

would allow us to know where all the marked and unmarked burials are likely located,” Greer said. Located on the northeast corner of State Bridge and Medlock Bridge roads, the cemetery is tucked behind a neighborhood and car wash. The 1.92-acre site once hosted the Macedonia Methodist African Church.

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Construction continues for an amphitheater at The Boardwalk behind City Hall Dec. 10.

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The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is releasing information about an inmate-caused fire at the Rice Street jail Dec. 12 that sent nine people to the hospital from smoke inhalation. The Sherriff’s Office said firefighters and jail staff responded quickly, and no lives were lost.

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office explains cause of jail fire By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — The afternoon of Friday, Dec. 12, reports surfaced about an inmate-caused fire at the Fulton County Jail on Rice Street, sending nine people to the hospital from smoke inhalation. Sheriff Pat Labat thanked the team on duty at the jail in west Atlanta at the time of the incident and the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department for its quick response and coordination to ensure no lives were lost. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office reported five inmates, including the one accused of starting the fire, and four staff

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members were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with injuries from smoke inhalation. Preliminary information reveals that a single, unidentified inmate who was “out for free time” started a fire around 5:15 p.m. in a bottom tier shower of a zone on the seventh floor in the north tower. The Sheriff’s Office says the inmate gathered plastic trash bags and Styrofoam food trays, placed them in the shower and set them on fire, causing thick smoke and flames. Atlanta Fire Rescue Department firefighters responded quickly, located and extinguished the fire. Investigators with the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department are

conducting an investigation. The Sheriff’s Office reported there were 16 inmates housed in the zone where the fire occurred, and all 118 inmate residents on that floor were moved to the south tower. It is the latest problem to strike the facility under a federal consent decree that has cited unconstitutional, overcrowded living conditions and a lack of supervision. County officials have been conducting ongoing repairs, planning for a new facility and working with the consent decree monitoring team. The Dec. 12 fire is the second at the jail since September.

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AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 3

Regional housing experts offer tips to navigate unaffordable market By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com METRO ATLANTA — MarketNsight’s latest peek into the housing industry Dec. 11 indicates troubled times for some areas of the country as home prices continue to outpace purchasing power. The update, delivered twice annually, is geared to help clients navigate a shifting market, discussing the relationship between declining interest rates and affordability. The business is centered around providing real-time data, expert forecasts and strategic insights to homebuilders, developers and other real estate professionals. The firm is unique in the industry for tracking pending sales

and inventory trends every week across several U.S. markets. To open the program, the company paid tribute to its former CEO and cofounder John Hunt, who passed away in late July. Michelle Hunt, John’s wife, company co-founder and former chief operating officer, transitioned to CEO of MarketNsight. “Since the beginning of the MarketNsight, John noticed this trend in affordability, and he predicted the current housing affordability crisis,” she said. “He could see this coming way down the road. This is how he said it during our last MarketWatch and it’s even more true today … it’s an indisputable fact that we have a housing

shortage of epic proportions in this country.” Michelle shared some of John’s routine advice for prospective homebuyers: drive until you qualify. For homebuilders looking to create an attainable product: consider reducing square footage. In its September update to clients, MarketNsight reported that some of its metro-based markets increased their housing supply to six months, a metric indicating how long it would take to sell all homes on the market at their current listing price. Increased supply puts downward pressure on prices. “Younger buyers continue to depend on their savings, or inherit, for their down

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Economist forecasts Fed moves Rajeev Dhawan, Ph.D., director at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, provided his insights. “The forecast is for aggressive rate cuts,” Dhawan said, predicting cuts totaling 150 basis points in the first half of 2026. “They need to get done now.”

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payment, while older buyers use proceeds from the sale of their previous residence,” Hunt said. “Median age is 40 for first-time homebuyers. Also, the median age for all buyers is 59 years. That changes our perspective on who the first-time home buyer is.”

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4 | December 18, 2025 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

County forecasts property tax hike for 2026 expenses Jail expenses noted as ball and chain By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com ATLANTA — Along with a looming tax increase, Fulton County is forecasting a roughly $57 million deficit in its proposed $1.05 billion operating budget for next year. Officials are predicting a roughly 4.5 percent property tax increase to make up for the shortfall. Fulton County operates on a calendar year budget. The County Commission approves annual operating or general fund budgets in January, then in August approves a property tax or millage rate to pay for it. Property taxes are the primary source of revenue for Fulton County’s general fund. The general fund pays for constituent services, including senior and behavioral health, the Grady Health System, the Sheriff’s Office and all jail facilities, election management, libraries and animal services. Next year’s proposed budget, months into its development, calls for spending $57 million of the county’s operating reserves, or about 25 percent of its rainy-day fund.

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Commissioners are expected to adopt the final 2026 budget at their Jan. 7 or Jan. 21 meeting. Fulton County CFO Sharon Whitmore said her team is projecting the county to end 2026 with reserves totaling $175.6 million, which complies with the required minimum. The county jail along Rice Street has long-standing problems requiring a lengthy and costly process with a federal consent decree monitor reviewing conditions to ensure the rights of incarcerated citizens are not violated. “Of note on the revenue side, there is

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The Fulton County Commission is projecting it needs to spend at least $32 million, potentially $60 million, to comply with a federal consent decree on its jail system. In an August report, the consent decree monitoring team reported it was focused on staffing and supervision, repairing damaged appliances and alarm systems, inmate classification and mental health at the Rice Street jail in west Atlanta.

an additional $32 million of property tax, which corresponds with the $32 million in incremental spend[ing] associated with the consent decree,” she said. “To generate the appropriate property tax revenue based on those assumptions, that millage rate would be 9.26 mills.” This August, commissioners approved a long-term plan to build a new 1,813bed jail facility for around $1.1 billion, specifically for people with medical, mental health and special needs. That spending also includes repairs at Rice Street. Whitmore said her team expects more compliance recommendations from the monitoring team within the next month. While some commissioners pushed for a nearly 12.5 percent property tax increase this past summer, they eventually approved keeping the millage rate flat at 8.87 mills. If the County Commission approves the proposed tax hike next August, property owners will need to cover a roughly 4.5 percent increase. The county’s property tax rate has remained flat since 2022, declining steadily from 10.5 mills in 2015. That represents a net decrease of 16 percent in a decade.

After the chief financial officer’s budget update, County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. said consent decree compliance may require an additional $30 million in spending. In November, the county projected a $66.7 million to $96.7 million deficit for 2026, mostly due to costs for repairs and improvements to its jail system. Whitmore said $30 million in spending would require a property tax rate around 9.6 mills, a more than 8 percent increase. County Commissioner Dana Barrett said the Fulton jail system is under a consent decree because the commission has failed to put enough money toward staffing and maintenance. “I do think there’s a lot of questions about how we’re moving forward here,” Barrett said. “I understand the goal that we’re going to have to raise the millage rate to pay for these items that we’re going to need in order to be in compliance with the consent decree.” County Commissioner Mo Ivory said “the scary truth” is that the county needs to raise more revenue to pay for consent decree-related costs. Ivory said she wants the budget to fund all the county’s needs. County Commissioner Bob Ellis said the county’s proposed budget increases expenditures 12 percent. Ellis said the County Commission has invested heavily in the justice system and Sheriff’s Office, a major point of contention. He has stated that the county should maintain its current tax rate and cut other expenses. “So, we’re not cutting,” Ellis said. “I don’t think many of our households are seeing jumps at 12 percent. There are a handful of people on this board who seem to be darned and determined to raise taxes on people regardless, and I’m not one of those folks.”

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Bottom row, from left Manesha Buwaneka, of Troop 27, sponsored by the Johns Creek Christian Church. Manesha’s project was the design and construction of six wooden benches for the Georgia Buddhist Vihara. Graham Farrar, of Troop 629, sponsored by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Graham’s project was the design and construction of three rolling painting shelves with 10 places to put paintings, and the reorganization and creation of a labeling system for all the items located in the back storeroom for Furkids. Derrick Butler, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church. Derrick’s project was the design and construction of a standing whiteboard, three standup tables and repositioning the picnic tables at Providence Park. Manogna Baavesh, of Troop 2143, sponsored by The American Legion Post 251. Manogna’s project was the removal and then design and construction of three Little Libraries in the shape of a school bus, a clock tower, and a library with a bench attachment for Newtown Park. Manogna also held a book drive to stock the libraries. Tristan McCloskey, of Troop 1857, sponsored by the Christ the Shepard Lutheran Church. Tristan’s project was the refurbishment of the seating area for the tennis courts at Etowah High School, which included rebuilding tables, installing a handrail and replacing the fascia of the tennis team’s equipment shed.

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 7

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (TSPLOST) 2025 YEAR END REPORT On November 8, 2016 voters in Fulton County approved a 5-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation Purposes (TSPLOST). This referendum was made possible through SB 369, which was adopted during the 2016 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. SB 369 requires that no later than December 31st of each year the City provide a nontechnical report of the expenditures of the projects. The list below represents all the Tier 1 projects for the City and the expenditures from the start of the program on April 1, 2017 until November 30, 2025.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX (TSPLOST II) 2025 YEAR END REPORT On November 2, 2021 voters in Fulton County approved the continuation of TSPLOST or TSPLOST II, a 5-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation Purposes (TSPLOST II). This referendum was made possible through SB 369, which was adopted during the 2016 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. SB 369 requires that no later than December 31st of each year the City provide a nontechnical report of the expenditures of the projects. The list below represents all the Tier 1 projects for the City and the expenditures from the start of the program on April 1, 2022 until November 30, 2025.

Just opened? Appen Media publishes New Business Spotlights to highlight local businesses as they get started. Submit yours for free at appenmedia.com/newbusiness. 8 | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025

Big Play Entertainment opens in Dunwoody center By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — Brandon and Ray Wooldridge, the father and son who own Big Play Entertainment Atlanta, picked a spot in Dunwoody after a tornado demolished the family’s business outside of Nashville. Like the City of Dunwoody itself, the Wooldridge family knows how to bounce back from the destruction of high-speed winds. A little more than 24 hours before its 5 p.m. grand opening Dec. 11, Brandon Wooldridge announced Big Play Entertainment cleared its last hurdle, passing a grease-trap inspection from DeKalb County Watershed Management. Brandon Wooldridge is the general manager of Big Play Entertainment, spending the past couple of weeks training his staff of around 30 employees. “We thought we were going to open this summer,” Wooldridge said. “Because of knocking down walls and dealing with older buildings, we ran into all kinds of different delays and problems.” Big Play Entertainment resembles entertainment centers like Main Event in Alpharetta, Cobb County and Suwanee. Its 44,000-square-foot space within the Mount Vernon Shopping Center has 16 bowling lanes, a 24-person laser tag arena, an ’80s themed mini-golf course and some 80 arcade games. There’s been a lot of chatter about Big Play Entertainment in the Dunwoody community and on social media. Matt Weber interviewed Valerie Inglesby, who is handling property management of the shopping center, on the What’s Up Dunwoody podcast a few days before the grand opening. Inglesby confirmed the CVS Pharmacy renewed its lease and will be staying.

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Big Play Entertainment, opening at the Mount Vernon Shopping Center in northeast Dunwoody just before the holidays, features 16 bowling lanes next to a full-service restaurant and bar. After the city approved a rezoning of the shopping center earlier this year, Big Play purchased the site and renovated a former grocery store into an entertainment center. Wooldridge also addressed another controversy. He said a parking agreement with Crema Espresso Gourmet went through a couple of iterations but taking on liability didn’t make sense for his business. He said it’s possible the two businesses forge an agreement next year.

Family business picks Dunwoody The Wooldridge family is from Sandy Springs. The library and academic center at the Marist School, a private K-12 Catholic school in Brookhaven, is named after longtime benefactor Raymond Wooldridge. The family gives

discreetly to other nonprofits, including the Northside Youth Organization at Chastain Park. Brandon Wooldridge, a Lovett School graduate, is back in Metro Atlanta after a couple of decades on the Gulf Coast.

See PLAY, Page 9

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Play: Continued from Page 8 “I started Big Play with my dad in 2010 in Biloxi, Mississippi,” Brandon Wooldridge said. “It started just as a mini-golf course, and over the years we added on go-carts, bumper cars, arcade and eventually in 2016, built the bowling alley there with a restaurant and bar.” The Biloxi venue has grown into a popular beachside tourist destination. Wooldridge said northeast Dunwoody’s new entertainment center won’t have bumper cars but will still feature other attractions at the company’s flagship. After the tornado destroyed the Hendersonville, Tennessee, location in 2023, he said the family took a couple of months to see how the insurance situation played out. “We’ve been trying to get back here,” he said. “We had a deal during COVID to come back, then prices went through the roof, and everything got crazy.” Brandon Wooldrige said the family business purchased the Mount Vernon Shopping Center in February from Branch Properties, including all three parcels rezoned by the city in January. The previous owner spent fall 2024 working on a rezoning of three parcels, forming a triangle at Jett Ferry Road and Dunwoody Club Drive, necessary for an entertainment center. “My dad has been getting his hair cut next door [at Dunwoody Hair Co.] for 30 years and kept seeing the space was sitting here and a few things had failed,” Wooldridge said. Just 18 months ago, the shopping center was struggling with a quarter of its commercial space vacant after a revolving door of grocery stores at 2480 Mount Vernon Road failed. Big Play Entertainment closed on the purchase of the Mount Vernon Shopping Center in February for an undisclosed amount. As of early December, DeKalb County property tax records online have not been updated to record the transaction, or the shopping center’s trading price.

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 9

Big Play Entertainment Atlanta, anchoring the Mount Vernon Shopping Center in northeast Dunwoody, has 16 bowling lanes, 80 arcade games, laser tag, mini golf and fullservice dining. After months of renovations and some delays, Big Play Entertainment held its grand opening Dec. 11.

Brandon Wooldridge declined to say how much the family business paid but said “a sizable investment, a lot of money.” He described expensive improvements to conform the building to updated codes, on top of security cameras and improvements to the parking lot and pedestrian safety. What patrons can expect Big Play has transformed the former Lidl grocery store site into the city’s only entertainment center, offering hours of bowling, arcade games, mini golf and laser tag. “We’re priced competitively with the market,” Wooldridge said. “We’ve got to make money, but we do have what we call our Happy Days specials, trying to make it more accessible, especially during the week.” There are bargains for patrons Sunday through Friday, offering half off food and beverage, a free kid’s meal, “buy one, get one free” deals or family bundles, depending on the day. Besides offering enough games and activities to fill an afternoon, Big Play has Woody’s, a full-service restaurant, bar and private event space. The entertainment center bills itself as a community hangout where residents can schedule a kid’s birthday party, corporate team building activity or night out with friends. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Wooldridge said he’s grateful for an outpouring of support from the community of the family business’s new location. “We’re not a kiddie, kiddie place, but we are an entertainment center that is just very family friendly,” he said. “We use bowling as the anchor attraction because it’s the number one participatory sport in America.” Wooldridge said most people just wanted to know when Big Play would open. “I would not feel good if I was a grocery store coming into this space,” he said. “We never planned to open the week before Christmas break. It’s about to be our busiest two weeks of the year.” To learn more, visit bigplayatl.com.

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AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 13

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14 | December 18, 2025 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

SPORTS

Area graduates competing in the CFP By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Teams are gearing up for the College Football Playoff with the first games taking place Dec. 19, and their rosters include plenty of players from North Metro Atlanta. The Southeastern Conference is the most popular in this region of the country for top high school players to attend for college, and it also coincidentally has the most teams in the playoff. The University of Alabama has two familiar names, senior defensive lineman LT Overton, a Milton graduate, and Vito Perri, a linebacker and redshirt junior from Alpharetta. The University of Oklahoma brought in one Cambridge graduate from the transfer portal in tight end Carson Kent. Kent played for Kennesaw State for two years before becoming a Sooner. Ole Miss has a pair of high school rivals that have figured out working together after playing against each other just two seasons ago in a 70-year rivalry: Sophomores Mark Trigg Jr., a linebacker from Roswell, and Wyatt Smalley, a tight end from Milton. The Georgia Bulldogs tally up with the most players from Appen Media’s coverage area, with three graduates each from Westminster and West Forsyth High School. Kirby Smart grabbed two players from Milton’s class of 2025 – tight end Ethan Barbour, who suffered an injury early this season but is now back in action, and wide

CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Teams gearing up for the College Football Playoff include plenty of players from North Metro Atlanta.

receiver CJ Wiley. Another player from Milton, sophomore wide receiver Will Taylor, was a 2024 Cambridge graduate. Next year, he will be joined by another standout Cambridge receiver, AJC Super 11 Craig Dandridge. From Johns Creek, junior tight end Patrick Hester is a graduate of Northview High, and junior running back Gannon Hearst went to Greater

Atlanta Christian before playing for the Bulldogs. University of Miami boasts a pair of brothers who graduated from Milton High School, Jack and Luke Nickel. Luke won Mr. Georgia last year after leading the Eagles to their second straight state title. Luke, a quarterback, graduated early from Milton to join his brother Jack, a tight end, in south Florida. Tulane University sophomore Jack Tchienchou, a 2023 St. Pius X graduate, won the Mike Aresco Most Outstanding Player for his remarkable performance Dec. 6. The safety posted an interception, forced fumble and fumble recovery and a team-high nine tackles against North Texas to boost his team to the conference title. Defensive back Isaiah Wadsworth is a graduate of St. Francis in Milton and transferred to the Green Wave after four years with Wofford College. James Madison University has two Roswell graduates on the roster, freshman tight end Ethan Gurela and sophomore wide receiver Dylan Williams. The Associated Press’s No. 1 team in the country, Indiana University, has two veteran players from North Fulton. Holden Staes, a senior tight end, is a Westminster graduate and previously played for Notre Dame and Tennessee. Running back Solomon Vanhorse is a Milton graduate and transferred to the Hoosiers after five seasons with James Madison. Ohio State is the current betting favorite to win a national title, though they just lost the Big 10 championship to the Hoosiers.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: DANES 59, RAIDERS 26 - BOYS BASKETBALL: RAIDERS 56, DANES 47

Alpharetta teams split against Denmark High By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta basketball hosted the boys and girls Denmark teams Dec. 5 for a double header. The Lady Raiders lost to the Danes, but the boys came out on top. The girls fought an uphill battle against Denmark. Both the girls and boys basketball teams had enjoyed an extended break in play since Thanksgiving. The Danes, however, resumed play a few days earlier against West Forsyth Dec. 5. Both girls teams came into the matchup seeking their first win of the season. Denmark point guard Jadyn Shepard led the team with 18 points and three 3-pointers. The sophomore was described by head coach Erik Siuta as a gym rat and a leader on the team. “We’re a really young team, so we struggled to start out, but we’re playing with great energy and great effort,” he said. “My two seniors have really stepped up. They’ve been leading this young group all year long, and they’ve done it the right way, great energy and keeping a positive atmosphere.” The Danes secured their first win of the season with the 59-26 victory. Alpharetta’s boys basketball team is now 6-1 after posting a 56-47 win over Denmark. Less than one month into the season, the Raiders have

ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA

Raiders guard Christian Rivera, No. 1, takes a free throw at Alpharetta High School Dec. 5. Rivera posted four assists, combining with guard Adam Bahhur for 13 assists coming from the Raiders backcourt in the 56-47 win over Denmark. reached their win total from last year when they finished 6-20. The Raiders only loss so far came in a close game, 48-42, to Marietta High Nov. 22. Statement wins over Cambridge, Chattahoochee and Blessed Trinity have cemented Alpharetta turning around the program after a down year.

Coaches and players have credited the improvement to the maturity the team has undergone since last year. Sophomore Miles Cromwell led the charge against the Danes, posting a monster double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds. The forward was a force defensively in the paint, sending a Denmark lay-up nearly out of the gym. “This year, we’re showing up even though we’re young, and we’re still getting wins,” he said. “We’ve been playing really good defense at the end of games.” Junior Colin Hennessy was another dominant presence in the restricted area, posting two blocks alongside his 6 points, five rebounds and two steals. Alpharetta’s starting backcourt didn’t reach double digits scoring, but Christian Rivera and Adam Bahhur showed consistent playmaking with a combined 13 assists. The pair also logged six rebounds. Head coach Clay Crump said the team has been building on its growth from last year. “We did a good job at attacking inside and getting their primary bis defenders out,” he said. “Late in the game, that opened up the rim for us. We talk about being tougher together all the time, so we saw some defensive toughness tonight and some togetherness with sharing the ball for some big 3 [pointers] late.” Alpharetta has several region games and tougher opponents on the schedule before their first tournament at Sequoyah High School Dec. 29-30.

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 15

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16 | December 18, 2025 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

OPINION

The overwhelming sound of a silent press him up and find a place for him to stay and feed him. I have never forgotten the story. I remembered that story as I was reading my Sunday AJC this week – reading stories about the history of the paper – past reporters, editors and events through the years – as the slow countdown continues, the last few weeks before the final print edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution rolls off the press in December 2025 after 157 years. What happens when the newspaper is gone? I thought. What happens when the guy being chauffeured into work is no longer there to help the homeless guy – figuratively? Stay with me. The answer, I’m afraid, is that a great big black hole is created – a void with no one left/nothing left to fill it. It’s not that newspapers were not businesses and motivated by making a profit; they were. It’s not that they didn’t have agendas at times ; they did. The difference however, between those newspapers and other businesses, was the “why”– the mission. You see, no matter how negatively you might view today’s media – including the “mainstream media” – the local newspaper in the small town or in the

big city has always been part of the heartbeat, part of the soul, part of the security and belief that when all else fails, the local newspaper was always there to help right a wrong, celebrate a victory, rally the troops to save a park, a theater, or create a shelter, help raise funds for a museum or a school team, and hold crooked politicians or business people to account. The local newspaper was part and parcel to our humanity, our security, our sense of “its going to be OK.” The AJC has been that heartbeat for Atlanta since 1868. During that time, others also contributed – The Coca-Cola company, Home Depot, Georgia Power to name a few. But their mission was not the same as the AJC. One of the last publishers of The Miami Herald under Knight-Ridder was Dick Capen. His primarily responsibility I think was to be the head cheerleader – the talking head, the public face – for the Herald. I heard him speak many times, and I don’t think I ever listened to him that he didn’t invoke the core “idea” of the Herald – its “sacred trust.” That is, it’s obligation to report what was true to its readers. “Truth” was that “sacred trust” he referred to time and time again.

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*The current publisher of the AJC – Andrew Morse – doesn’t even live in Georgia. That is how far Cox has fallen from its core mission.

RESS P N

UB CL

Free to read, not to produce.

Said very simply, when the last print issue of the AJC rolls off the press, we all are going to lose something “sacred” – our local advocate for what is “good and true” and our local defender against what is “bad and corrupt.” Yes, there will still be a digital effort to continue that mission, but it will not be the same. Converting to digital from analog will not be unlike fighting a war via proxy* – with drones and missiles – instead of with boots on the ground – presses, press operators, circulation / delivery people, reporters reporting without using Ai, local defenders of community, working in-person face to face – on site - whose marching orders are simply to get it right, find what is true, and report it – locally. We'll never get that from Zuckerberg, Google, Musk or their digital ilk. Never. When that last print issue rolls off the press and the press becomes silent forever, the sound will be deafening. I can hear it already.

APPE

In another life I worked at the Miami Herald, which was owned by KnightRidder. I was there for about seven years in the 1980s. At that time, newspapers were still hugely profitable – rolling in RAY APPEN money. Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com Corporate KnightRidder was in the Miami Herald building where I worked – on the 6th floor overlooking Biscayne Bay. Knight-Ridder had been formed by the merger of the Ridder and Knight newspaper chains in 1974 and combined, created a company that operated 35 daily newspapers with a combined circulation of just under 4 million – the largest circulation in the country at the time. This was probably in the early 1980s. Alvah Chapman, Knight-Ridder’s CEO, was driven into work daily. One day, he noticed a homeless person in downtown Miami at an intersection with a cardboard sign asking to work for food. After he got to his office, Mr. Chapman called someone at the Herald and instructed him to go find the homeless man; pick

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PRESERVING THE PAST

OPINION

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 17

The Goat Man in Georgia – a traveling folk legend

BOB MEYERS Columnist

Charles “Ches” McCartney (circa 1901-1998), better known as “the Goat Man,” roamed America, including Middle and North Georgia in his goat propelled wooden wagon between the late 1930s or early 1940s for about 40

years. Children and adults flocked to see him when he passed through North Fulton. Those who saw him never forgot him. Here is his history. Born on a farm in Iowa, McCartney always loved the goats his father raised. At age 14, Ches ran away from home and fell in love with Agnes Smithart, a Spanish professional knife thrower after seeing her perform in New Your City. She was about 10 years older than Ches. They married and performed together by placing a balloon on his head while she threw knives at the target. She became pregnant and they tried to settle down as farmers, but the Great Depression wiped them out. Ches came up with the idea of becoming an itinerant preacher traveling with a goat wagon. His wife made goatskin clothes for him and their young son Albert Gene, but she did not support the wagon idea. She left, and they divorced. McCartney married twice more, then left his third wife to begin his goat journey across America. In his autobiography Ches wrote “The good Lord gave me three wives which proved to be three too many.” Ches traveled with a team of goats pulling his homemade wagon loaded with pots and pans, old license plates from various states, bales of hay for his goats, a variety of beat-up buckets and junk he picked up here and there. He sold some of his stash together with postcards of his journey. Lifting a side panel revealed his bed. Drawing a crowd His arrival in a town always created a stir. He had no known schedule. He would simply show up. Word of mouth would often precede him guaranteeing a large turnout of local children and adults. He spent winters in Georgia and Florida and camped regularly in North Fulton. Ches traveled with about a dozen or more goats, some in front of the wagon, a few behind sometimes serving as brakes on downhill stretches. He liked to chat with people and told many stories that could not be verified. He claimed that he was born in 1879 and that he was 105 years old. Neither claim was true.

GADSDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY

Iconic postcard of Charles “Ches” McCarthey, the Goat Man, and friend. The Goat Man was a living legend who visited almost every state in his wagon pulled by goats. He was a frequent visitor to North Fulton. The photo was taken near an unknown Alabama town circa 1960s. To some folks he was the essence of freedom. To others he was a curiosity who smelled like a goat. Don Rolader, a North Fulton attorney, recalls his family relating accounts of the Goat Man. “My great uncle Reverend Tommy Henderson ran Henderson’s Feed Store on Hwy 9 near Cogburn Road,” Rolader says. “He used to sell feed to the Goat Man when he passed through. His checks were always good, and legend has it that he was wealthy. The bank said that he could write a check for any amount he wanted.” Pat Miller, president of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society, remembers that the Goat Man was friends with her professor of geopolitics when she was a student at the University of Georgia. “Whenever he passed through Athens, he would camp out with his goats in the professor’s yard,” she says. “The Goat Man came to class once and spoke about his unique lifestyle and answered a lot of questions.” Hal Coleman, also known as Milton Crabapple, recalls that Goat Man would stay on the Lebanon Church dirt parking lot for two or three days at a time. It

was located under the trees at Holcomb Bridge Road and Crossville Road in Roswell. “A lot of people would come and crowd around the Goat Man,” Coleman says. “They gave him money and food and he would do some preaching. I remember attending church one time when the Goat Man was in the parking lot. The preacher pointed to him through the window and said in his sermon ‘that’s not the way God wants us to be.’” A knack for preaching Preaching was an important part of McCartney’s life. He carried a Bible and his favorite book, Daniel Defoe’s novel “Robinson Crusoe” (1719.) McCartney was injured by a falling tree, or according to “Facing South,” when dragged by a horse in 1935 while working for the Works Progress Administration, WPA, a New Deal program. He permanently injured his left arm. Following the accident he found religion. Around 1941-42 he established the Free Thinking Christian Mission in Jeffersonville, Georgia, a modest structure with a dirt floor on property

he owned. From there, he continued his trips until he retired in 1987 due in part to having been attacked several times while on the road. During one attack, he was assaulted while asleep in his wagon. He suffered three broken ribs, and two of his goats were killed. In 1978, the church which was also his home burned down, after which he purchased and lived in an old bus with his son. He entered The Eastview Nursing Center in Macon in 1987. His son was murdered in 1998 six months before Ches passed away at age 97 at the nursing center. The famous Georgia writer Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) mentioned the Goat Man in some of her private letters and may have based some of her characters on him. Like the song says, he did it his way. In the process he became a celebrity and a folk legend. Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

18 | December 18, 2025 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

PAST TENSE

OPINION

‘The Candy of the South’ and other sweets manufacturers In 1923, candy manufacturing was big business in Atlanta. More than 4,000 people in the city worked in candy factories. There were several candy companies, but VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF four were identified in the Atlanta Chamber Columnist of Commerce publication “City Builder” as the largest. They were Nunnally, Norris, Block and Schlesinger Candy Companies. (The City Builder, 1923, “The Sweets Center of Dixie,” Atlanta History Center archives) James Nunnally began Nunnally Candy Company in 1884, manufacturing and selling boxed chocolates in Atlanta. The company produced 5 million pounds of candy a year and was known by the slogan “The Candy of the South.” Nunnally had 10 retail stores across the U.S. When James Nunnally married Cora Winship, a cousin of the Coca-Cola Woodruff family, he combined his candy business with Coca-Cola connections. He built Nunnally’s, a soda fountain on Peachtree Street facing Luckie Street. In 1920, James and Cora’s son

PROVIDED

Nunnally Candies featured its manufacturing facility at Edgewood Ave. and Ivy Street in this 1906 advertisement from The Atlanta Georgian newspaper.

Winship took over the family business. Winship Nunnally served on the boards of Delta Airlines, Coca Cola Company, Trust Company of Georgia, Lowry National Bank and First National Bank. He built a summer house along the Chattahoochee River off Spalding Drive, where the Sandy Springs neighborhood River Oaks is now located.

Norris Candy was the newest candy manufacturer among the top four as of 1923. The factory was located on Peachtree Street. The Norris recipes included pecans from the Southern U.S., but they also incorporated imported nuts and fruits. Advertising for Norris Inc. appeared in national publications, such as the Saturday Evening Post. A Norris employee had the job of searching the art centers of Europe for new candy box designs. A.L. Norris, owner of Norris Candy Company, entertained dealers who sold his candy at his Dunwoody summer home. In 1927, more than 500 guests enjoyed music and dance at his home on Chamblee Dunwoody Road and on the grounds of Sirron Gardens, his nursery business. (The Constitution, Sept. 1, 1927, “Dealers in Norris Candies are feasted at barbecue given by A. L. Norris at Sirron Farms”) The Norris house was later destroyed by fire, but the guest house remains on Sirron Court. Roy C. Head worked for Norris Candy for 25 years, then decided to start his own candy business in 1933. He planned to use Georgia products whenever possible. (Atlanta Constitution, “Head will make candy in Atlanta”)

Head owned property on both sides of Chamblee Dunwoody Road, including where Boxwood Farms is today. One of the Head family homes still stands on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Another home in Dunwoody with ties to Norris Candy was that of Earl Smith, who was a salesperson for the company. That home was also on Chamblee Dunwoody Road but was demolished to make way for new construction. Among the other top four candy companies in 1923, Frank E. Block Company was the oldest, dating back to 1866. Harry Schlesinger Candy Company began in 1888. Block Candy produced 9 million pounds of candy and 10 million pounds of crackers and cakes in 1923. From 1928 until 1936, the company was located at 512 Means Street in Atlanta in a building that still stands. Schlesinger Candy was best known for its peanut butter kisses, also known as “Charlies.” Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

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Puzzles

r 12/18/25 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 5, 5 and 4 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!

Johns Creek Herald ................................December 18, 2025 | 19

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

1. Sheik’s bevy. Small songbird. Catchall abbreviation. 2. Pickle choice. Aerospace acronym. Wine bottle size. 3. Stock exchange abbreviation. Daybreak. Give up. 4. Alpha’s opposite. Mishmash. Treaty acronym. 5. UN acronym. Make believe. Know-it-all. 6. California wine valley. Director’s cry. Weather abbreviation. 7. Smell bad. Weather acronym. Dislike to the max. PuzzleJunction.com

3 4 5 6

2/18/25 Sudoku 7

Dunwoody Crier 12/18/25 Crossword

Acronyms & Abbreviations 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 1. Sheik’s bevy. Small songbird. Catchall abbr. 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 solve the Sudoku column forTothe 3 answers on the puzzle, line. But each here’srow, the catch! Theand clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually 2. Pickle choice. Aerospace acronym. Wine bottle size. contain the numbers to line. 9. Got it? Good luck! bebox for must the second or third answer in 1that 3. Stock exchange abbr. Daybreak. Give up. 4. Alpha’s opposite. Mishmash. Treaty acronym.

5. UN acronym. Make believe, Know-it-all.

3 7. Smell bad. Weather acronym. Dislike to the max. 7 1 8 9 9 1 4 2 3 6 1 2 6 9 5 5 3 9 8 How to Solve: Kakuro, also known as Cross Sums, is a challenging number puzzle, solved in a crossword style grid. 7 3 The rules are easy: A number above the diagonal line in a 8 4

6. California wine valley. Director’s cry. Weather abbr.

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

Solution 9 1 7 6 2 4 8 3 5

3 8 2 7 5 1 4 9 6

6 4 5 3 9 8 2 1 7

7 6 4 5 1 2 9 8 3

2 9 1 8 3 7 5 6 4

8 5 3 9 4 6 1 7 2

5 3 8 2 6 9 7 4 1

4 2 9 1 7 3 6 5 8

1 7 6 4 8 5 3 2 9

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.

ASK APPEN

Across

1 “Woe is me!” 5 Stately trees 9 Flu source 13 Supermarket section 14 Navy commando 15 Cake topper 16 Carbon compound 17 Pseudonym of H. H. Munro 18 Poet’s “below” 19 Peddle 21 Chooses 23 Bygone bird 24 Kind of welder 27 Country club ﬁgure 28 Thick spicy stew 31 Aquarium denizen 32 Engine part 35 Abysmal test score 36 Debt instrument 38 Dodge 40 Jessica of Sin City 41 Bone china name 43 Hubbubs 44 Nero’s instrument 46 Hibernia 47 Twins, e.g. (Abbr.) 48 Cambodian coin 49 Round Table title 51 Allergic reaction 53 Bake sale org. 54 Scoundrel 55 Card game for two 58 Goes bad

PuzzleJunction.com

21 25

40 45

58 65

53 56

20 24

59 66

60 67

61 69

60 Jai ___ 64 Stood up 66 Gossip tidbit 69 Chances 71 Not quite right 72 Lyra’s brightest star 73 Big party 74 Brain wave 75 Heroic poem 76 Old World duck Down 1 Citrus drink 2 Lorgnette part 3 Cream additive 4 Window ledge 5 Double curve

6 Grassland 7 Ocean menace 8 Spinal vertebrae rupture 9 Air hero 10 Thailand, once 11 Division word 12 Turkish ofﬁcial 15 Boot part 20 Fall behind 22 Three (Ital.) 25 Holds up 26 Helpful 28 Contradict 29 Type of renewal 30 Stable color 32 Gulf of ___, Spain 33 Hacienda brick 34 Military meal

35 Nukes 37 ___’easter 39 Bud holder 42 Sicilian resort 45 Fish hawk 50 “What was ___ do?” 52 Writer LeShan 55 Dry riverbed 56 Desiccated 57 Lasso 59 Aerobic bit 61 Records 62 Comic Sandler 63 Loaﬁng 65 Hot springs 67 Conceit 68 More, in Madrid 70 Toothed tool

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20 | December 18, 2025 | Johns Creek Herald | AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek

Macedonia: Continued from Page 1 Over the years, the cemetery and church, which was built in the late 1800s or early 1900s, fell into disrepair. In 2020, the Johns Creek City Council unanimously approved acquisition of the property, conducting a survey that included ground penetrating radar to confirm the presence of unmarked graves. Now, the city is looking ahead to improve and protect the site with an action plan that could include installing better access, fence, signage and parking. The city also is considering better maintenance and improving memorials. A second round of radar analysis will provide a clearer picture of burial locations to allow improvements without disturbing the graves, Greer said. “The scope this time is different,” she said. City staff recommend formalizing access, which was granted as part of a 1998 maintenance agreement and elaborated in a 2021 deed. Access is provided by a service road, which is opposite the entrance to Club Corners

Car Wash and crosses over private property. Acquiring the land around the access road would ensure permanent access. City staff also recommend installing an additional fence to better delineate the burials and a second sign to guide visitors to the cemetery. A new gravel parking lot large enough to accommodate from four to five cars is also under consideration. City workers currently inspect the site and perform as-needed maintenance. Staff recommend that the city maintain inspections of the numerous trees in the area and monitor the access road to perform infill when needed. Dozens of memorials have been located, and the city recommends engaging a firm to evaluate them. An evaluation could allow the markers to be repaired or placed in positions that limit further damage. A shortterm solution would include elevating some markers and using gravel to prevent water from pooling on them or nearby. “Without the memorials, the site will lose its last remaining original element and connection to its history,” the city said.

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Grave markers sit among trees at the Macedonia Cemetery Dec. 12.

Market:

he said. “Cutting the interest rates will not bring down the mortgage rates forever. They will start going back up. At 6 percent, very few people can refinance.”

Continued from Page 3 The day before, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-point or 25 basis points to 3.50 percent to 3.75 percent, marking a third consecutive cut to combat a weakening job market. Dhawan said he expected the move while other economists expected a more hawkish decision to tighten monetary policy and control inflation, which is hovering around 3 percent. “The economy is much weaker than what you think in terms of spending power,” Dhawan said. “The first six to nine months of next year will be very crucial in how the Fed moves. My forecast is they will be aggressive because they are going to get … a dump of data between now and the end of the year.” Dhawan titled his MarketWatch presentation, “Outlook in an Era of Shutdown-Induced Lack of Official Data.” Because the federal government’s record 43-day shutdown in the fall, Dhawan said he is using “soft data,” like state tax collections. He also mentioned several news headlines over the past few months, announcing thousands of corporate layoffs. Because of the white-collar layoffs and tightening job market, there are fewer potential homebuyers out there. Dhawan said the data shows Social Security collections have grown weaker

GSU ECONOMIC FORECASTING CENTER/PROVIDED

Graph from the Georgia State University Economic Forecasting Center shows the relationship between job growth and tax collections. since the start of 2025. “In the third quarter, the collections were negative,” he said. “So even though the jobs data will be delayed, this thing was clearly telling me, just like 20 years ago, that the economy is much weaker

than what the official numbers imply.” The Fed’s recent rate cut, Dhawan said, will do little to improve housing affordability for the middle class, later offering a way to help. “Can the housing market be helped?”

A path to affordability Freddie Mac, which issues and guarantees mortgage-backed securities in support of the U.S. housing market, reported the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate averaged 6.22 percent Dec. 11. That’s up from the first week of December when it averaged 6.19 percent. A year ago, the 30-year rate averaged 6.60 percent. “So, what can help them?” Dhawan said. “[Mortgage rates were super high last year and are beginning to come down, but it’s not as low as the boom we saw after COVID, when the Federal Reserve was buying the mortgage-backed securities with both hands.” When first-time homebuyers are looking to purchase a family home, they often don’t have enough cash and borrow money from a bank, called a mortgage. If there aren’t enough people buying homes, the Federal Reserve can purchase mortgage-backed securities from banks to give the financial institutions more cash to lend homebuyers. That eventually lowers mortgage rates. “[The Fed] should buy mortgagebacked securities,” Dhawan said. “That will bring that mortgage premium number that is running about 200 basis point down to 50, and there you have your mortgage rates below 5.5 or 5 percent, easily.”

AppenMedia.com/Johns_Creek | Johns Creek Herald | December 18, 2025 | 21

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

A boardwalk path will run through wetlands to give residents natural scenery.

Boardwalk: Continued from Page 1

Johns Creek Communications Director Bob Mullen said the city envisions The Boardwalk as a kind of catalyst for activity in the city’s center. “Nobody's building anything like this right there in their downtown,” Mullen said. Centered around a large pond, the space immediately behind City Hall will serve as a natural gathering place. Terraces of artificial turf lead to a stage, and speakers and other seating areas dot the edges of the water, allowing a capacity of about 4,000 people. Festivals and events are a big deal in Johns Creek, and The Boardwalk will act as a new home for gatherings such as the Easter Bunny Hop and Holly Jolly Block Party, said Assistant City Manager Chris Haggard. Previously, many events were held in the City Hall’s parking lot. “The plan was, ‘Hey, let's have a gathering space for the public where we can do concerts and events,” Haggard said. “In our case, it happens to be at a pond.” The project is one of the city’s most ambitious projects to date and posed a unique challenge to city staff, said Stormwater Manager Roman Carey. Planning prioritized natural beauty, he said. “It's probably everything. It's the big draw,” Carey said. “You don't want to come out to a place that's just ugly. In today's world, we have so much built up. You want a little bit of those natural resources to draw you in so you have somewhere you can kind of get away.” The Boardwalk uses green infrastructure extensively. For example, detention ponds and wetlands serve as pristine backdrops for the auditorium and a boardwalk

and trail, which is linked to a pedestrian tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road. “We have a number of things that kind of help create a clean and clear environment,” Carey said. Along the central pond, bioretention areas are filled with plants to clear pollutants while serving as a habitat for wildlife. City officials expect the area to become a home for animals, and during construction, at least a few ducks had already taken up residence there. “The constructed wetlands are a great draw,” Carey said. “You're talking about a diversity in plant species bringing wildlife to the area. We already have egrets here. We have frogs here. I see deer here all the time.” Between events, the area will provide residents an escape from the suburban landscape prevalent in Johns Creek. The paths, turf and water is meant to attract walkers, joggers and families. The Boardwalk also will help boost the area’s economy by providing a natural space for Medley residents, nearby hotels and adjacent offices, Haggard said. “When the office complexes have vacancy, they have to find new tenants,” Haggard said. “Having an amenity like this for your lunch break, for your commute, your office events, it's going to make it a lot easier to lease those spaces.” Johns Creek already does a lot right, but The Boardwalk is expected to help the city in a new way, Communications Directo Mullen said. City officials have high hopes for the project making the city an exciting and vibrant visitor destination and community to reside in, he said. “There is an element of it making John's Creek cool,” he said. “There was the Avalon creation. Roswell is talking about doing some stuff downtown. We have an amenity here that is wholly unique.”

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA Highmark Land, LLC Plaintiff, VS. Theresa Perkins, et al. Defendants. CASE NO. 2025-CA-004672 NOTICE OF ACTION-SERVICE BY PUBLICATION TO: PAM MANNING YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Complaint has been filed. This litigation is to quiet title to certain real property legally described as follows: A PORTION OF SECTION 08, TOWNSHIP 36 SOUTH, RANGE 18 EAST, SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA; BEING A PORTION OF LOT 11, NEWTOWN FARMS, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 4, PAGE 38, OF SAID PUBLIC RECORDS; BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: COMMENCE AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SAID LOT 11; THENCE S89°50'04"W, ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID LOT 11, A DISTANCE OF 200.00 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING; THENCE S89°50'04"W, ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID LOT 11, A DISTANCE OF 247.82 FEET; THENCE N00°09'56"E, A DISTANCE OF 20.00 FEET; THENCE N89°50'04"W, A DISTANCE OF 251.41 FEET; THENCE S09°59'47"E, A DISTANCE OF 20.32 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING. CONTAINING 4,992 SQUARE FEET, OR 0.115 ACRES, MORE OR LESS. PAM MANNING is required to serve a copy of her answer and written defenses, if any, to the Complaint to Aidan A. Gross, Esquire, Plaintiff's Attorney, whose address is 2033 Main Street, Suite 600, Sarasota, Florida 34237 on or before January 15, 2026. You must also file your original answer and written defenses, if any, with the Clerk of Court, Sarasota County, Case No. 2025-CA-004672, either before service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter; OTHERWISE, A DEFAULT WILL BE ENTERED AGAINST YOU for the relief demanded in Plaintiffs' Complaint. The notice contained herein shall be published once a week for four (4) consecutive weeks in the Johns Creek Herald. KAREN E. RUSHING CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT BY Deputy Clerk ICARD, MERRILL, CULLIS, TIMM, FUREN & GINSBURG, P.A. 2033 Main Street, Suite 600 Sarasota, Florida 34237 (941) 366-8100 - Phone (941) 366-6384 - Fax /s/ Aidan A. Gross Esq. Florida Bar No. 1050047 Attorney for Plaintiff

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