Community fun run benefits local charities ► PAGE 3
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FREEDOM AND FUN Crowds fill Boardwalk at Town Center for Johns Creek Independence Day gala
JAMIE GODIN/APPEN MEDIA
Duncan Erode gives a thumbs-up for the camera during the America 250 Independence Day Celebration in Johns Creek, Georgia July 3. ► PHOTO GALLERY PAGES 12-15
By JAMIE GODIN | newsroom@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Thousands of people gathered July 3 at The Boardwalk at Town Center for Johns Creek’s America 250 Independence Day Celebration, a free community event featuring live music, family activities, food trucks and a fireworks display. The celebration, held from 6 to10 p.m., took place around The Boardwalk’s loop surrounding a pond, where attendees gathered on grassy areas, decks and patios overlooking the water. Many brought lawn chairs and blankets while visiting face-painting stations, photo opportunities and other activities throughout the evening. A stage in front of Johns Creek City Hall featured performances by the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, the Johns Creek Chorale and Gib Green, while DJ K-Swiss provided music between acts. More than a dozen food trucks lined a nearby parking lot, where long lines formed throughout much of the evening as attendees waited to order food and drinks. Warm, humid conditions persisted throughout the evening, though the threat of rain never materialized.
See CELEBRATION, Page 12
Appen Media Group receives 19 awards from Georgia Press By ELLE GIRARD elizabeth@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Appen Media Group earned 19 awards for achievements in newspaper journalism in the 2026 Georgia Press Association’s
Better Newspaper Contest, including a first-place finish in the General Excellence category. The awards were announced June 12 at the 138th Georgia Press Association convention at the Jekyll Island Club. “We are honored to receive these
recognitions from the Georgia Press Association, and I am thrilled to see our staff recognized for the incredible work they do day in and day out,” Publisher Hans Appen said. “News media is an increasingly competitive and complex industry, and these awards reflect the
quality journalism our readers have come to expect from us. They are a testament to our team’s dedication to informing, engaging and serving our communities with excellence.”
See AWARDS, Page 26
2025 DR. JOHN REYES
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AMBER BECKER, WHNP
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“We focus on personal, compassionate care”
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ANNA HEPBURN, PA