Johns Creek Herald - June 25, 2026

June 25, 2026 |

Fulton Schools to cover deficit using reserves

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County Board of Education formalized adoption of a $2.3 billion budget for 2026-27 after receiving an updated financial report at its June 11 work session.

The district still faces a $56.9 million deficit when balancing revenues against expenditures and expects to use around 20 percent of this year’s remaining fund balance to cover the gap. Despite tapping into the fund balance, Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef estimates reserves will rest at more than $233 million by the end of Fiscal Year 2027.

When Fulton Schools began budget preparations, staff initially projected a much bigger deficit.

“Despite significant financial pressures, including inflationary impacts, rising employment benefit costs and enrollment declines … the district successfully reduced an initial projected budget gap of approximately $95 million down to $57 million while maintaining core services,” Dereef said.

Fulton County Schools used its G.L.I.D.E. initiative, which started last year, to find cost-saving opportunities and revenue-generating strategies without disrupting student services.

See SCHOOLS, Page 19

Johns Creek Symphony marks 20th anniversary

► PAGE 3

Regina

‘Like a party with a purpose’

Johns Creek celebrates Juneteenth

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

See JUNETEENTH, Page 10

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Roswell Fire performs water rescue in creek

ROSWELL, Ga. — A family’s hiking trip on the National Park Service side of Vickery Creek ended in a water rescue June 4 after a child became stranded on a steep embankment.

Emergency dispatch received a call before 12:30 p.m. reporting a 6-yearold girl had fallen into the water and could no longer be seen. Another adult had gone to help locate her.

When units arrived, the caller was able to point out the two on the opposite side of the stream.

Personnel swam across the river to reach them on a steep embankment near the dam. Supporting units used an inflatable rescue boat to take the

POLICE BLOTTER

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.

Driver cited with fleeing after leaving ID behind

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 20-year-old Atlanta man, who left his driver’s license behind during a traffic stop, was charged after he eluded officers June 4.

Police said an Alpharetta officer was monitoring Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office radio chatter when he heard that a black Mercedes Benz had fled from a traffic stop. During the pursuit with deputies, the car allegedly collided with and disabled a deputy’s vehicle.

The officer began watching for the car on southbound lanes of Ga. 400 near Old Milton Parkway.

The officer began pursuing the Mercedes when it passed him. The car allegedly sped to more than 100 mph, weaving in and out of traffic.

child back across the river where she was evaluated by medics and found without injury.

The adult asked to be reunited with her other child and dog waiting by the river. Using ropes and webbing, crews helped the family back up to the established trail system.

All operations were completed without incident.

The Roswell Fire Department posted about the incident on Facebook, reminding trail users to stay on the designated trails and wear life jackets if in or around the water.

— Hannah Yahne

The car allegedly evaded stop sticks by driving on the shoulder, reaching speeds in excess of 120 mph.

Alpharetta officers discontinued the pursuit but charged the man using his driver’s license, which was left with Forsyth County deputies.

Alpharetta officers charged him with fleeing a police officer and reckless driving.

— Jon Wilcox

Retailer reports theft of gaming consoles

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Six video game consoles were reported stolen from an Alpharetta department store June 1.

Alpharetta officers were dispatched to the North Point Parkway business about 2:30 p.m.

A loss prevention employee told police a man grabbed six of the gaming devices and left without paying. Employees said the man left in a black SUV.

Loss prevention staff later determined the suspect was a 45-year-old Atlanta man.

The devices were valued at a total of $1,800.

ROSWELL FIRE DEPARTMENT/PROVIDED Personnel with the Roswell Fire Department paddle an inflatable rescue boat across Vickery Creek after performing a swift water rescue operation June 4 to remove a 6-yearold girl from a steep embankment.

The incident was classified as a felony shoplifting.

— Jon Wilcox

Deputies seek suspect in residential burglary

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Thousands in cash and jewelry were reported stolen in a home burglary June 6.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to a Shiloh Drive home after a 35-year-old Cumming woman noticed the door smashed in. The woman had been dogsitting for the home’s owners.

Two piggy banks were smashed, and $3,800 was missing.

In the master bedroom, a nightstand’s drawers had been opened. Jewelry valued at a total of $4,000 and additional money were taken.

The woman said she had seen a suspicious man in a reflective vest driving by and knocking on the door. The incident was classified as a felony forced burglary of a home.

— Jon Wilcox

Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra marks 20

By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a season called “Becoming,” a yearlong program that orchestra leaders say reflects both the organization’s history and where they want to take it next.

Music Director Henry Cheng was selected to lead the orchestra in May 2025. Executive Director Philip Kim joined the orchestra in November 2025. Both described the season as a turning point for an organization stepping into new leadership at the same time it marks two decades of performances in North Metro Atlanta.

“We are building an orchestra that is not only excellent on stage, but continually evolving in how it serves, connects and expands what orchestral music can be in our community,” Kim said.

Cheng said the “Becoming” theme captures what he hopes the season will do for the orchestra and the people who come to hear it play.

“It reflects our belief that orchestras must continue to evolve alongside the communities they serve,” he said.

The orchestra, made up entirely of professional musicians, was founded by

Wayne Baughman in 2006. Baughman died in 2023, and a memorial concert was held for him the following year. Cheng attended that concert and said it influenced him to want to lead the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra.

“What was amazing about that experience was how the community showed up,” Cheng said.

“As a conductor, I’ve had the honor of flying around the world and experiencing a lot of different cultures, organizations, orchestras — and what was quite palpable in that room was the sense that everybody was there for the right reasons, that this was an organization that was truly and sincerely cared about,” he said.

Since 2006, the orchestra has evolved into one of the leading cultural institutions in the area, performing for audiences across the region while building education and outreach programs in local schools, Kim and Cheng said.

Opportunity to expand

There have been challenges. Last year, Johns Creek voters rejected a $40 million bond referendum to build a performing arts center. But Kim said the vote created an opportunity for the orchestra to expand beyond Johns Creek’s borders.

See ORCHESTRA, Page 19

Johns Creek City Council approves 3 land purchases

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek has boosted plans to purchase properties that could expand its inventory of recreational amenities for residents.

The City Council approved the purchase of three properties June 1 after an executive session. They include two adjacent parcels, 5.8 acres and 4.3 acres at 9110 and 8940 Medlock Bridge Road for a total of $2.8 million, and a 15.38-acre tract at 10275 Jones Bridge Road for $5.8 million.

The votes were 4-3, and the purchases are pending a 90-day period for due diligence that includes surveying and environmental assessment. Council members Stacy Skinner, Bob Erramilli and Larry DiBiase dissented.

The Jones Bridge Road property is the home of equestrian center Go With It Farm. The historic Medlock Bridge Road property is adjacent to the Chattahoochee River and the former home of Millie Medlock, whose family once operated the Medlock Ferry. Medlock died in 2025 at the age of 92.

The property had been in her family for about 200 years.

Mayor John Bradberry said council members plan to keep the historic home there and are considering uses that would preserve it.

Bradberry said the council also is considering buying land across a small lake at The Boardwalk, newly opened behind City Hall. The 5.86acre property, 11555 Medlock Bridge Road, is the site of a two-story office building whose tenants could contribute rent revenue to the city.

Council members are currently considering the land at 8940 and 9110 Medlock Bridge Road as a potential site for athletic fields or park land. No official decision has been made about its use.

“The needs of the community are only going to continue to grow,” Bradberry said. “It's short-sighted for us not to always be looking toward the future while there is still land available because land is disappearing.”

DiBiase said he voted against the purchases because he questions whether the money might be needed for the city’s police and fire departments.

See COUNCIL, Page 18

JULY

July 3

City Offices Closed for Independence Day Observance

America 250 Celebration

The Boardwalk at Town Center - 6 p.m.

July 9

Public Participation Meeting

City Hall - 7 p.m.

July 10

Movies at the Park “Zootopia 2”

Newtown Park - 7 p.m.

City Calendar & Events! 2026

July 13

Millage Rate Public Hearing

City Hall - 11 a.m.

City Council Work Session

City Hall - 5 p.m.

Millage Rate Public Hearing

City Hall - 6 p.m.

City Council Meeting

City Hall - 7 p.m.

July 15

Recreation & Parks Advisory Committee

City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

July 19

Atlanta Soccer Watch Party

Newtown Park - 3 p.m.

July 21

Board of Zoning Appeals City Hall - 7 p.m.

July 27

City Council Work Session

City Hall - 5 p.m.

City Council Meeting City Hall - 7 p.m.

Scan the QR Code to learn more or to contact the City of Johns Creek!

Tune-Up Projects

Kitchen Tune-Up

Paint Cabinets

New Countertops, Sink & Faucet

New Backsplash

Cut Down 2-level Island

Bathroom Tune-Up

New Countertops, Sink & Faucet

Enlarge Shower Shower Glass Shower Safety Full Remodel

Kitchen Remodel

Total Cabinet Replacement

Large Island

Optimize Cabinet / Appliance Locations

Open Concept –Move Walls

9-5 Mon-Fri • 10-4 Sat

Showroom – Design Center 10591 Old Alabama Rd. Connector Alpharetta, GA 30022 (near Northpoint Mall)

Projects

Bathroom Remodel

New Larger Shower

Vanity Replacement –Cabs, Counter, Sink

Free Standing Tub

Floor Tile, Wall Tile

Plumbing Fixtures

Fulton cities sign amicus brief to back Milton in court case

Ruling in wrongful death suit could ripple across the state

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Municipalities across the state are again signing amicus briefs as the case of Chang v. City of Milton remains on remand from the state Supreme Court.

It’s been nearly 10 years since Josh Chang died after striking a concrete planter on the shoulder of Batesville Road in Milton. His family sued the city for wrongful death in Fulton County Superior Court, and a jury found the city liable on theories of negligence and nuisance.

The trial court found that Milton’s sovereign immunity – the legal doctrine that shields governments from lawsuits –had been waived because the city had a ministerial duty to maintain its streets and the planter was located within the public right-of-way.

Milton appealed the decision. If the verdict stands, the city must pay $35 million in damages plus interest accrued since the original ruling two years ago. The outcome would also set a statewide precedent, potentially requiring cities to clear objects such as neighborhood signs and utility poles from the areas outside travel lanes but within the right of way.

More than 60 cities signed the first amicus – or friend of the court – brief submitted to the Georgia Supreme Court last year, asking it to reverse the 2024 decision. An amicus brief allows parties not involved in the case to provide information or arguments for the court’s consideration.

In March, the Supreme Court

remanded the case to the Court of Appeals, clarifying that a city’s ministerial duty to keep streets safe does not automatically extend to everything within a public right of way. The court also held that Georgia’s road-defect statute alone does not waive a city’s sovereign immunity, and plaintiffs must identify a separate legal basis for waiver before relying on road-defect laws to pursue a claim.

City Attorney Ken Jarrard said the state Supreme Court’s opinion shifted the legal landscape in Milton’s favor.

“The issues now before the Court of Appeals are not identical to the issues the Supreme Court decided,” Jarrard said, “but the Supreme Court clarified the law in a way that is significant for the city’s position.”

Multiple cities, including Alpharetta, Roswell and Decatur, have joined a second amicus brief backing the Georgia Supreme Court’s approach to sovereign immunity. The brief argues that judges cannot create exceptions to sovereign immunity on their own. Instead, any waiver allowing personal-injury lawsuits against municipalities must come from the Georgia Constitution or be enacted by the General Assembly.

The Georgia Supreme Court found that one specific immunity waiver did not apply to the negligence claim but left open whether another, such as one triggered by the city’s insurance coverage, might still allow the case to proceed. The court also did not address the nuisance claim, which was a separate basis for the jury’s $35 million verdict.

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

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RECREATION:

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Best Of North Atlanta 2026

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Soccer fans cheer on their favorite teams in Metro Atlanta

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

DECATUR, Ga. — Decatur WatchFest’26 is underway and thousands of soccer fans have gathered on the Square since June 11 to cheer on their favorite teams and dance to music.

Organizers are hosting match screenings and concerts over the next 30 days. Free events will be held on the Decatur Square through July 19.

People packed the Square to watch the Mexico vs. South Africa match on three big screens and enjoy a slate of activities on June 11, the opening day of the festival. After the game, the rain cooled things off, ending in time for a dynamic free concert by Big Boi, one half of the Southern hip-hop duo OutKast.

Camille Wright, who owned and operated Kaleidoscope Boutique in downtown Decatur, summed up the evening: “I’ve watched how they’ve built up the Square. I’m so proud. This is what Atlanta should be like — all the different races, people, families. This is huge.”

The World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19, with eight matches taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Matches will be shown every day at pubs and restaurants in Decatur and on the Square. To see the full event schedule, visit decaturwatchfest26.com.

Decatur City Manager Andrea Arnold told Decaturish that the first night exceeded her expectations. A couple of minor issues arose, but attendees were able to enjoy their experience on the Square throughout the day.

“I think everybody who was there had a wonderful time,” Arnold previously said. “I’ve only gotten very positive feedback from the attendees. I couldn’t be more pleased.”

So far, fans have cheered on the United States, Brazil, Netherlands, England, Japan, Spain and France among other teams. Attendees have also enjoyed performances from The Dammages, DJ EU, The Stews, Drivin N Cryin and The War and Treaty.

The city of Atlanta celebrated the first game at the Atlanta Stadium on June 15 as Spain tied Cape Verde 0-0.

To honor the first day of the tournament on June 11, Atlanta hosted its opening ceremony and watch party, unveiling its free Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park.

The celebration kicked off the first of 18 days for the festival that features a 50-foot video screen, fan zones, kids areas and multiple live entertainment stages. Admission is free, however, attendees must register online to enter.

Among the multiple speakers at the opening ceremony, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp gave speeches celebrating the festival and the opportunity that Atlanta has to be one of 16 host cities for FIFA World Cup 2026.

“Hosting the World Cup is now a part of Atlanta’s rich history, and we are thrilled to welcome all of our national and international visitors to this great city,” Dickens said. “But I’m telling the people of Atlanta, the people of metro Atlanta and Georgia, I want us all to participate in these events.”

Kemp shared a similar sentiment of encouraging both locals and travelers to engage in the festivities and celebrate the city’s opportunity to be a host city for this year’s World Cup.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and I hope all Georgians will find a way to enjoy this. Whether that’s attending a match or just taking in the incredible atmosphere here in Atlanta over the next five weeks,” Kemp said.

Northern Ridge District names May Eagle Scouts

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on May 28, 2026, at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.

Top row, from left:

William Chanco, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church. William’s project was the installation of a 140 -foot plant living wall for Northwestern Middle School.

Max Holley, of Troop 1459, sponsored by St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church. Max’s project was the building and installation of a 35-foot long, 4-foot wide and 1-foot raised wooden walkway over a low ground trail to avoid muddy area for Stone Creek Church.

Graham Fourney, of Troop 27, sponsored by Johns Creek Christian Church. Graham’s project was the building and installation of a flooring system with a French drain for a pavilion owned by Johns Creek Christian Church.

Sourish Kanakala, of Troop 629, sponsored by Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Sourish’s project was the building of two new flower beds, building a new bench, restoring four existing benches and adding stone bricks and mulch around trees in the memorial garden at Taylor Road middle School.

Oliver Brown, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church. Oliver’s project was building four wooden picnic tables for Milton High School Art Department.

Bottom row, from left: Joshua Barrera, of Troop 7153, sponsored by St. Brigid Catholic Church. Joshua’s project was building 16 high-quality sensory activity boards for St. Brigid Catholic Church to assist individuals with sensory or developmental disabilities.

Trey Donovan, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church. Trey’s project was mulching and adding wooden curbs along a 300-foot trail between Thornbury and Lake Windward Elementary; building a bench for the trail and refinishing an existing archway at the trail entrance.

Neil Gardner, of Troop 431, sponsored by Roswell United Methodist Church. Neil’s project was the construction of a flag pole with landscaping around the flag base. Additionally, the project included the replacement of wooden flooring in a pavilion for the DD/ SS Homeowners Association.

Sujay Akula, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Sujay’s project was the replacing of a new enlarged cross, the building of one cross stand and the refurbishing of a stone bank at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.

Max Chandran, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church. Max’s project was the constructing of two picnic tables, the refurbishing of two wooden benches and the mulching around trees along the walkway in George Pierce Park in Gwinnett County.

Johns Creek schedules America 250 celebration

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek will celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday with an America 250 celebration July 3.

The free celebration is scheduled for 6 to 10 p.m. at the newly opened The Boardwalk at Town Center, 11362 Lakefield Drive.

Fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m.

Numerous food trucks will be on hand, and the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra will perform.

Beer, wine and sangria will be for sale.

Juneteenth:

Continued from Page 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Decades after Jim Crow and civil rights battles of the 1960s, too many have forgotten just how far things have changed.

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

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

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

No pets are allowed, although service animals are permitted.

Outside alcohol, tents and personal fireworks also are forbidden.

Attendees may bring lawn chairs and blankets.

Parking will be available at 11330 and 11340 Lakefield Drive, 11315 Johns Creek Parkway, 11315 Johns Creek Parkway. Handicap parking will be available at Life Time Fitness, 11555 Lakefield Drive. — Jon Wilcox

and

to

at the 2026 Juneteenth celebration in Newtown Park June 20. At left, About a thousand residents turn out for the 2026 Juneteenth celebration in Newtown Park June 20.

11 | Johns Creek Herald | June 25, 2026

Milton graduate’s app surpasses 10,000 users

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — When Skyler Ventura saw the chaos of a group chat of college women trying to rent out date night dresses, he thought: Why is there not an app for that?

The Milton resident, a Milton High School graduate, spent the last part of his senior year at the University of Georgia coding Rotation, an app that allows women to rent clothing from one another for weddings, nights out or beach vacations.

“People aren’t renting stuff because they’re interested,” Ventura said, “they’re renting stuff based on need.”

Ventura’s momentum has been building since he won an entrepreneurship competition at UGA his senior year. With the $2,500 prize, he started to grow the app and gained around 800 users at the university before being approached by Brandon Spencer, the founder of E-Closet, a competing app.

The March merger

E-Closet had been operating in the college market for more than a year when Spencer approached Ventura about a merger. Since the apps combined in March, more than 3,000 orders have been placed nationwide on college campuses the team has never set foot on.

“We have girls signing up at like, certain universities that I’ve never even been to,” Ventura said.

Accounts have grown organically at Coastal Carolina, Louisiana State

University and Florida Atlantic University.

This fall, E-Closet is planning a tour of colleges in the Southeastern Conference and wants to launch an ambassador program for students.

As E-Closet users relocate to different cities, they’re hoping to expand their market to include high school students and young professionals.

“We already can prove it works in college,” Ventura said.

E-Closet’s four co-founders now want to continue hitting the flywheel and allow their financial statements to tell the story.

Since merging, E-Closet has surpassed 10,000 users and generated more than $60,000 in revenue. Despite the early success, Ventura – the company's chief

financial officer and one of four cofounders all under 27 – is eager for more. He is targeting $100,000 in sales by August.

“We’ve done over $60,000 dollars now, we’re moving quicker every day,” Ventura said.

Selectivity sells

Sellers keep 85 percent of the listing price with rentals averaging $90 to $100 each.

“The closets that do well are like really expensive things that people can’t get,” Ventura said.

That selectivity is a key differentiator, the co-founders said, and investors have taken notice. The team has secured more than $100,000 in funding with more on the horizon.

The investments come as E-Closet expands its in-app experience. A new discover page lets users browse outfits by occasion or filter for items available for purchase. A “closet talk” feature lets users post what they’re searching for, and others can comment inspiration or options from their own closets.

“There’s so much changing, and we don’t want that to change in an overwhelming way,” Ventura said.

Soon, boutiques will be able to list items for users to rent or buy as the app looks to expand beyond college campuses to cities across the Southeast and further.

“There’s no world in my mind where it doesn’t work out,” Ventura said. “I just kind of feel like everything that’s happened keeps happening for a reason.”

Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist

Insist on the

BEST

Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 23 years experience as a Dermatology PA and cosmetic dermatology.

Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.

Efudex exhibitionism

Recently, patients have brought to my attention that people are posting startlingly graphic videos on social media of their experiences using creams like Efudex® to treat precancerous sun damage. Efudex® is a prescription-only cream that can help treat certain skin cancers and precancerous lesions. These “influencers” often discuss how many times they have gone through Efudex® treatments and continue to apply medicine long after their skin has become severely irritated. I fear that these individuals are causing themselves suffering and likely damage for dramatic effect, “clicks,” or “likes.” Because social media platforms can financially reward high view counts, there is an incentive for self-treatment to be intentionally extreme.

I do not know whether these individuals are misguided themselves, but what is certain is that they are misleading their viewers. Many of these creators highlight their severe skin reactions, holding themselves up as models for how treatment should be carried out. They report performing multiple rounds of treatment back to back, continuing treatments for weeks after skin is severely inflamed and are likely crafting their own regimens, presumably against medical advice. Contrary to what the influencers imply, “no pain, no gain” doesn’t mean the higher the pain, the higher the gain.

To understand the proper way to use Efudex® (also known as 5-fluorouracil), it helps to understand its mechanism of action. Cells use building blocks called nucleotides to replicate DNA and RNA. Think of these blocks like individual cars in a model train set. Efudex® acts as a counterfeit part that gums up the assembly of the train and then often causes the completed train to break into pieces. Unable to function, the damaged cell is essentially sent to a cellular scrap yard.

Dosing is key. Precancerous cells divide and manufacture proteins much faster than healthy, resting skin cells. But even healthy “resting” skin cells exhibit some degree of growth and division. The strategy with

Efudex® is to exploit cancerous cells’ hyperactive metabolism—targeting the abnormal cells while sparing the healthy ones.

Achieving this balance requires aiming for a "Goldilocks zone." In general, the goal is to apply just enough cream to cause severely sun-damaged areas to become inflamed, pink, and mildly scabby, but not enough to turn the entire application area into a raw field of broken skin.

If the skin seems barely pink or completely unaffected, then the patient is likely under-dosing the medicine, and precancers are not being eliminated. If the entire skin surface is painful and severely inflamed, then both the precancers and the healthy skin are likely being damaged. Very rarely, a patient’s burden of disease may be so severe that a “harsh” result is advised by their dermatologist, but this is generally the exception to the rule.

Severe Efudex® reactions can lead skin to breakdown to such an extent that skin infections and scarring can occur. Many times, the whole point of using a cream like Efudex® is to try to eliminate precancerous lesions and avoid surgery. If the cream itself is overdosed and leads to scarring, then the entire enterprise of using a cream can prove counterproductive, and influencers’ digital martyrdom ultimately hurts our common cause.

Undergoing this treatment under the guidance of a caring and competent dermatologist is vital. A spot of concern might actually be a skin cancer requiring a biopsy rather than a cream. Other spots might be purely cosmetic, requiring entirely different therapies tailored to aesthetic sun damage. Before starting Efudex®, risks, benefits, and alternatives all need to be discussed.

If you have concerns about sun damage, a non-healing spot, or any other skin condition, a consultation with a qualified dermatology provider can help determine the most appropriate treatment options. If you are in the Atlanta area, we would be honored to help.

At Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta, Dr. Brent Taylor, Kathryn Filipek, PA-C, and our staff are privileged to care for patients and families throughout our community.

The greatest man (excluding family) I ever knew

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

His name is Jim, and he’s about 90 now.

When I first met him, he was the managing editor at a newspaper in central Kansas, a mid-sized daily in a city of 42,000.

Everybody liked Jim. He was about 50 – twice my age –witty, smart, and he’d been running the newsroom for about a decade. He never spoke without having something to say, leaving everyone to do their job. But he read every story after it had been edited and proofread, just to make sure – a quiet backstop.

He was trim and came to work most days in a blue Oxford, navy tie and dark slacks. An avid golfer, Jim’s face was tanned, his hair golden-brown with silver at the temples – a requirement for all managing editors.

He sat at his desk in the newsroom among some 25 reporters, copy editors and edition editors.

Alongside Jim’s desk was a yellowcushioned chair almost always occupied by a reporter seeking advice or complaining about something. Jim listened.

I was an edition editor and never sat in that chair, figuring Jim had enough to do.

He smoked about a pack a day at that desk. Sometimes, he’d get up and walk over to someone with a question or a compliment. He once praised one of my headlines.

Jim wasn’t a pal, though. He seldom engaged in banter. Sometimes, he'd chat with some of the veterans – the press foreman, senior reporters – people he’d known a long time.

The nightlife

Back in those days, it was common to go out for a drink after work, usually after midnight after putting the morning edition to bed. I was pretty good at it.

Jim must’ve heard, because one evening, he asked me if I wanted to go get a drink during my dinner break at 8 p.m. I declined but said I’d meet him after work.

That’s when I saw the other side of Jim. The guy could knock ‘em back, and he had an underground network of dive bars and basement lounges not listed in the Yellow Pages – the Red Lion, Lena’s, the Knotty Pine.

He was one of the best drinking companions you could ever want, funnier the more he drank. At an allnight diner once, he took a spoon to a small bowl of salsa – the green kind –and began eating it like soup.

He talked about quitting smoking and once went a week without lighting up.

That ended one night, when over drinks, he said he’d watched a Bogart film the night before. He swore to me the plot revolved around how many cigarettes you could smoke in two hours.

Two years into my stint at the paper, Jim was fired.

It had come to light that some staffers had been sneaking beer into the building on Saturdays.

The executive editor, who likely knew Jim drank, held the managing editor responsible. He announced that Jim had been fired, that he’d never work for the paper again and that he likely would not work for any paper in the chain.

We were flattened, and it took more than a week for the newsroom to recover. It helped when the editor promoted a senior staff reporter to fill the vacancy, a veteran everyone respected.

Things settled down to a new normal.

Then, a month later, I arrived at work, and there was Jim, sitting in the editor’s office. You could see through the windows. Jim was hunched forward in his chair, wearing a blue Oxford with a tie, smoking a cigarette, listening to the editor.

The guy had been sent to hell, and here he was … Lazarus in the newsroom, talking to the big guy.

An hour passed, all of us sneaking glimpses to follow the interchange.

The lecture

Then, Jim came out. I thought he’d stop by the new managing editor’s desk or chat with some of the others he’d known for years.

Instead, he made a beeline for my desk, pulling up a chair.

“Pat, I’m worried about you,” he said.

“Oh yeah?” I responded, maintaining focus on my work.

“Yeah, I’m worried because I think back to when I was your age, and I believe you’re on the same path like me. I just spent a month in recovery, and I don’t want to see it happen to you.”

I stopped typing, turned, and looked at him.

“Jim, I’ll sit here and listen to this bull for as long as you like because I know it’s part of your recovery process. But, when you were my age, you were over at the El Capitan Club talking to walls.”

He laughed, lit a cigarette and copped to practicing his spiel on me. He just wanted to sit a while to get his bearings.

The formal announcement came that afternoon. The editor had agreed to take Jim back – as a reporter.

A man who had ruled the newsroom for a decade, with credentials most journalists would kill for, was now on the bottom rung of our reporting staff. It broke our hearts. Better the earlier career death sentence than to see this man humiliated.

Back to work

Jim showed up the next day, shirttie-slacks, stationed at his old desk. No one sat in the yellow chair. Jim was on the phone or out on an assignment.

He tore it up, outpacing, outwriting and outproducing every reporter. His stuff was polished, newsy.

In September 1985, I was running the morning desk for the afternoon paper as UPI provided overnight updates on an earthquake that had struck Mexico City the day before. New information put the death toll in the thousands.

It was 6 a.m. Jim and I were the only two in the newsroom.

Our city had a small Hispanic population, but I asked Jim if he could spin a local angle. He hopped on the phone.

Within two hours, just before the deadline, Jim turned in an 800-word article filled with quotes and accounts of the devastation from local people who had spoken to family in the disaster zone.

To this day, I’ve never seen anything like it.

Jim continued the pace for a full year. He was always out the door by 5 p.m. to attend church – part of his sobriety program.

Another thing: Jim was even funnier sober than drunk. He’d wisecrack about my odds of making a deadline or the likelihood of my misspelling a word in a headline.

After one year of torrid reporting, the newspaper chain announced that Jim would be leaving. He’d been named executive editor of another paper in northeastern Kansas. It was a smaller paper, but Jim was back on top.

The newsroom exploded in applause, but we were losing a role model.

My turn

Some 30 years later, I too lost my job at a major newspaper in the middle of the Great Recession. I wasn’t drinking … well, beet juice for high brain function. Layoffs and firings were increasing, and I was one of the final casualties.

It was devastating. The world I’d known for 25 years had ended.

Colleagues called offering condolences. Some were angry, saying I’d been singled out because I was 56. One went to the effort of printing a spreadsheet showing my story production over the past year, ranking in the top 10 percent at the paper.

Life isn’t fair.

Before the recession, I was a golden boy, having left the copy desk to return to reporting. Almost immediately, the paper named me reporter of the month, reporter of the quarter, posted my articles on newsroom bulletin boards –blah, blah and more blah.

Unemployment makes you bitter. I envied the drivers who passed my house each evening, coming home from a steady job. I chased down freelance work, even advised on a political campaign.

Each day – every single day – I thought of Jim.

Pity is poison, he screamed in my head, and it got me through the lows.

Eventually, I landed this job. It’s been good to me.

As I step away to retirement, there will be other challenges.

I’ll think of Jim.

The legend of Altie, Georgia’s own denizen of the deep

Some people dream about clouds and flying. But I have it on good authority that fisherfolk dream mostly about monsters from the deep. It’s said that there’s at least one of them over in Scotland, in Loch Ness.

Might there be one swimming hereabouts somewhere too? Maybe, some might say, down on the Georgia coast near the town of Darien?

But I digress. Maybe… Monsters. Yeah. That’s what fills anglers’ dreams, no matter what they say to the contrary. They may talk all day about the spiritual validity of catching small fish and even affirm on a stack of fishing books that size doesn’t matter.

You and I both know better.

Next time your fishing buddy gets to talking about what he caught, listen to what he says. He doesn’t talk about tiny little 6-inchers. No way. Instead, he talks about the monsters – the 20-inch trout, the 7-pound bass. These stories he recounts loudly and often because even though size doesn’t matter, it does.

There’s no doubt at all. Monsters are what anglers dream about.

Interestingly, and possibly distressingly too, kids seem to pick up on this early.

“Granddaddy,” said one of the grandkids on a recent fishing trip, “do you think we will catch any monsters?”

“You never know,” I answered. “You never know what’s in that water.”

Have I ever caught a monster? Once I thought I had. I was fishing a pond in central Georgia and hooked something that felt huge. It turned out to be a soggy old tennis shoe. I’d guess it was about size 16. That qualifies, I suppose.

Another time, on a fast-flowing north Georgia stream, I managed to hook a flat rock. Not just anyone can do that, you know. That rock sure felt like a monster as it planed back and forth through the water, acting for all the world like some kind of leviathan bass. But it stayed on the hook. When I finally brought it in and saw what it was, I just stood there and laughed out loud. Sometimes that’s all you can do.

Flat rocks? Tennis shoes? Uh-huh. And yet the possibility of encountering a bona fide monster – you know, something like the well-marketed one said to swim the storied waters of Loch Ness –always remains, at least out there on the very edge of imagination.

Nessie, of course, lives a long ways off. The odds of it swimming to Georgia

The author checks out the Altie sculpture in the Darien-McIntosh County Visitor Center just off I-95.

are not real high.

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

it’s just…Altie. That’s what I was kind of hoping, deep down, as I walked along the river there just the other day. “Come on, Altie,” I found myself whispering. “Just a glimpse. Just one glimpse is all I need…”

Alas, Altie didn’t show.

But maybe that’s how Altie keeps the legend alive – and with a legend as appealing as this one, it’s no surprise that there has been a hoax or two. One involved what appeared to be decomposing remains which turned up on a beach in the Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge about a dozen miles east of Darien. You know that had to cause all sorts of excitement, at least until a New York performance artist named Zardulu fessed up that it was just a creation fashioned from a shark carcass and some papiermâché.

Skeptics probably said, “See, I told you so.”

But skeptics are never any fun. And did it dissuade the true believers? Not even a little.

How about who?

Altamaha-ha. Yes, it’s a thing – especially down around where the sightings seem to be concentrated. According to sources that might be reliable, Altamaha-ha (whom those in the know call “Altie” for short) is a mysterious aquatic creature said to inhabit the waters of the Altamaha River in coastal Georgia’s McIntosh County. Some say the legend appears to have come from the Muscogee culture and that it may have been embellished by Scottish immigrants (echoes of Nessie!). Whether such embellishments might have been tied to enthusiastic sipping of another Scottish legend is unclear but, one must admit, not beyond the realm of possibility.

Assuming that Altamaha-ha is real (and who would dare to say that it is not?) what might Altie actually be? Some say that it’s an alligator gar. That could be the case, for those gar grow to 10 feet and do have a certain sea monster-ish look about them. Others say it could be a giant sturgeon, another massive and primitive-looking creature from the watery deep.

It’s even been suggested that Altie sightings represent nothing more exotic than two dolphins swimming together who happen to have been perceived as one…something…

As explanations go, I suppose they’re all at least possible.

But why must we always seek explanation? What’s the fun in that? Maybe

The true believers are, I expect, much more enthusiastic about the 20-foot-long Altie sculpture on display in the DarienMcIntosh County Visitor Center just off I-95. It’s the work of cryptid artist Rick Spears. A cryptid artist (and yes, it’s a thing) is one who “specializes in visualizing hidden, unverified, or mythical creatures.”

According to the little sign there in the visitor center, the Darien depiction was created based on details from eyewitness sightings. Most say that it looks a little bit like a dinosaur. But it also has that kind of big-eyed, happy-go-lucky face you see on the neighborhood golden retriever. You just want to scratch it between its ears…except it doesn’t have ears, at least not that we can see.

Want to maybe see Altie for yourself? A good place to try is beneath the US 17 bridge where it crosses a channel of the Altamaha River just south of Darien. If you stroll there, and you should, first look at the sea creatures mural painted under the north end of the bridge. If you search a bit, you’ll find Altie depicted there among the fish and everything else.

Since you will then know what Altie might look like, next turn an eye to the river. Watch carefully until…what’s that? Was there something there?

I can’t tell you for sure that you’ll glimpse Altie in the flesh. But I can’t promise you that you won’t either. There always hope. And where there’s hope, just about anything can happen.

Maybe it even will.

In any case, if you get close enough, give him a little scratch between those unseen ears. And tell him Steve says hi.

Each line in the puzzle below has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

THEY RUN IN EUROPE

1. Ford’s flop. Essen’s river. Jingle.

2. Dutch cheese. Toss. River of Tuscany.

3. Glasgow’s river. Gung-ho. Fencing sword.

4. River to Donegal Bay. Citrus fruit. Like Scrooge

5. It’s a no-no. Kick out. Yorkshire River.

6. Baseball stat. France’s longest river. Like hen’s teeth.

7. Like a busybody. Forest growth. River in England and Wales.

1 Ford’s flop. Essen’s river. Jingle

2. Dutch cheese. Toss. River of Tuscany

How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

3. Glasgow’s river. Gung-ho. Fencing sword

4. River to Donegal Bay. Citrus fruit. Like Scrooge

5. It’s a no-no. Kick out. Yorkshire river

6. Baseball stat. France’s longest river. Like hen’s teeth

7. Like a busybody. Forest growth. River in England and Wales

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

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.

South

We’re

South Forsyth Memo

Chapel

3545

South Forsyth Memorial Ch

everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.

DEATH NOTICES

Kenneth Brown, age 76, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on June 7, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Carol Brubaker, age 87, of Milton, GA passed away on June 14, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Margaret Hall, age 84, of Roswell, GA passed away on June 15, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Suzanne Walbert, age 83, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on June 13, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

This 19th century general store and bunkhouse catered to hill country farmers who carried their produce to Atlanta. In early June, the Johns Creek City Council approved the purchase of land where the historic building sits.

Council:

Continued from Page 4

He and Erramilli added they think the city already owns sufficient land at 200-acre Cauley Creek Park for future projects. The park is expected to host a Makerspace community robotics workshop, but they said it could be combined with the indoor recreation center for cost savings.

“I thought it was important to have that conversation first before making the land acquisition, before expending millions of dollars on these three items,” he said.

Bradberry disagreed, saying public safety is already well-funded. The mayor noted the city now employs more police officers than ever before. He also pointed to a 2026-2027 U.S. News and World Report list that ranked Johns Creek as the safest city in the U.S. Bradberry said he thinks the recreation center and Makerspace should be located in different locations because

there’s no proof whether any money could be saved.

“The pros outweigh the cons on having them in separate locations,” he said.

“And it’s not just me. A majority of the council has said this repeatedly.”

The Jones Bridge Road land could be used for an indoor recreation center that council members have discussed since voters shot down a $40 million bond to fund a performing arts center.

The council called for a feasibility study last November to examine the potential costs and amenities of such a center.

About 68 percent of residents have ranked adult fitness and wellness programs a priority, the city said. The city’s master plan has identified indoor recreation facilities as a high priority, with indoor tracks, gym space and tennis and pickleball courts as significant needs.

The land purchases would be funded by about $20 million initially earmarked for the performing arts center.

Bradberry said council members are interested in the Jones Bridge Road property in part because of its central location within the city.

Schools:

Continued from Page 1

Changes for the 2026-27 school year include ensuring high school students remain enrolled full-time to gain an additional $1.2 million in funding. There will also be a districtwide furlough day, which will shorten next year’s instructional calendar by one day and save the county around $4.5 million.

Superintendent Mike Looney praised the budget saying that, while it is conservative, it will allow the district to continue meeting the needs of students.

Changes since tentative approval

Fulton County Schools has received additional revenue sources that required altering the budget that was

Orchestra:

Continued from Page 3

“We will be branching out geographically and moving into different regional spaces … to bring the community of Johns Creek to other areas, to other cities, to other regional geographic locations, and for us to reach audiences outside of Johns Creek as well,” Kim said.

The expansion is not a direct result of Johns Creek’s rejection of the performing arts center, Cheng added. Most importantly, he said, it shows how a regional professional orchestra in the 21st century defines its mission “to hopefully connect more communities within themselves, and then also together across boundaries.”

The season opens Oct. 3 with “Outdoor Pops: Soundtrack of Us,” a free outdoor concert at Newtown Park in Johns Creek. The program will feature iconic popular music and beloved favorites in an accessible setting for audiences of all ages.

On Oct. 9, the orchestra performs “Tchaikovsky + Stravinsky” at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center’s Byers Theatre, a booking Kim and Cheng pointed to as part of the orchestra’s push to grow its presence outside Johns Creek. The program features violinist Simon Zhu, who won the 57th International Violin Competition “Premio Paganini,” along with the Michael O’Neal Singers performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and Christopher Tin’s “Sogno di Volare.”

Collaboration concert

In November, the orchestra turns to a different kind of programming. “Sound-

tentatively approved in May.

The district’s general fund budget projected revenues remain hovering above $1.4 billion – a decrease of around 1.7 percent from the current year. The general fund covers day-today operating expenses, like salaries, student services and transportation. This year, nearly 80 percent is allocated directly to schools.

One bit of good news is that revenues increased after Fulton County Schools was awarded a $4.4 million Schools Safety and Security Grant from the state. However, that bonus will be partially offset by the decrease in local fair share taxes that the district will receive from the Georgia Department of Education.

Because of the grant funding and additional hirings related to career, technical and agricultural education, the district’s general fund expenditures increased by $4.6 million.

craft Symphonic Experience,” set for Nov. 14, pairs the orchestra with Georgia Tech and the Fulton County Public Art Futures Lab on a project built around composer Terry Riley’s “In C.” Students will work with digital creator JazziiRed to design interactive musical environments inside the video game Minecraft, with the project culminating in a live performance combining the orchestra with the students’ digital work.

Cheng said the project is meant to push students and audiences to rethink what an orchestra musician’s training looks like today.

“Holiday Pops: From Our Family to Yours” is set for Dec. 5 at Innovation Academy in Alpharetta. The program will feature the Christmas Voices of Johns Creek choir alongside new arrangements written by the orchestra’s composer-in-residence, Michael Duff.

The season closes April 10, 2027, with “Beethoven’s Fifth & Mahlon Berv World Premiere,” presented as part of JCSO’s Music as Healing initiative. The program pairs Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony with a new work by Young Composer-in-Residence Mahlon Berv, created in collaboration with Full Radius Dance, a professional dance company in Georgia that brings together dancers with and without disabilities. The concert is part of the orchestra’s “Music as Healing” initiative and centers on accessibility and the human experience, organizers said.

Kim and Cheng said the orchestra continues to grow its education work, now reaching thousands of students annually through its Meet the Orchestra program, school residencies and partnerships across Fulton County.

Kim said the timing of the season

Expenses are still projected to exceed general fund revenues by roughly $55 million which Dereef said will be covered using the district’s remaining fund balance.

“These changes do not represent staffing reductions or significant program changes,” Dereef said. “They are refinements intended to ensure resources are aligned with district priorities and available funding sources.”

Awaiting the tax digest

As the Board of Education awaits the final tax digest from Fulton County, local revenue projections stand at $891 million. Dereef anticipates receiving the county’s tax digest in the coming days.

The digest represents all taxable property within the county and is updated each year.

Once Fulton Schools gets the tax digest, board members will begin to

carries extra weight, coinciding with the 20th year since Johns Creek’s incorporation as a city.

“Season 20 reflects our commitment to pushing artistic and institutional

discuss the millage rate on property and host public hearings.

Fulton County Schools has held a millage rate of 17.08 for the past two years which is the lowest by more than 1 mill compared to surrounding school districts.

A school millage rate is a property tax that collects $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property values and specifically allocated toward funding school districts’ operations, salaries and facility maintenance.

Since last year, Fulton County voters approved two homestead exemptions for senior residents that were projected to decrease Fulton Schools local revenues by approximately $50 million.

Two public hearings on the millage rate will be scheduled after the digest is issued in the coming weeks. The Board of Education must approve its millage rate by Sept. 1.

boundaries,” Kim said. More information on the season, including ticket information, is available at johnscreeksymphony.org. screeksymphony.org.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONday, July 13, 2026, AT 7:00 P.M.

CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS

11360 LAKEFIELD DRIVE, JOHNS CREEK, GEORGIA 30097

The following Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments are scheduled for public hearings:

A-26-002 – Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment

A proposal to amend the City of Johns Creek Zoning Ordinance, Section 4.12Home Occupation to prohibit uses incompatible with residential properties.

A-26-004 – Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment

A proposal to amend the City of Johns Creek Zoning Ordinance, Article III –Definitions and Article XIX – Administrative Permits and Use Permits, to establish definitions for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) related terminology, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft and vertiports, and to allow vertiports as a special use in specified zoning districts.

The following items are scheduled for a public hearing to consider issuance of Metropolitan River Protection Act Certificates:

Case Number: RC-26-0001

Location: 10555 Embry Farm Road, Johns Creek, GA 30097

Acreage: 204.10

Applicant: Toll Southeast LP Company, Inc.

Property Owner: Marlene Embry Crowe

Proposal: To construct 130 single-family detached dwelling units within the Chattahoochee River Corridor as part of a proposed 189-lot residential development.

Case Number: RC-26-0002

Location: 9355 Riverclub Parkway, Johns Creek, GA 30097

Acreage: 1.028

Applicant: Christoper Manley Paulmann Construction, Inc.

Property Owner: Malin Eriksson

Proposal: To construct a covered porch and deck and to extend a bathroom within an existing single-family residence.

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Leslie Mullis

Donna Murphy

Jack Murphy

Aileen Nakamura

George Nathan

THE FUTURE OF LOCAL NEWS

Caroline Naughton

Richard Nichols

Cindy Nolan North

Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc.

Tricia Novarro

Bob O’Brien

Diana O’Sullivan

Anne Pappas

Lynn Pennington

Jonathan Peters

Kurt & Leslie Phillips

Mary & Jan Phillips

James Potts

Debra Powell

Seth Price

Joyce Provissiero

Chuck Pugh

Robert Radloff

Raj Rajagopalan

Pankaj Rajankar

Ashwin Ramaswami

Cheryl Rand

Manu Rao

James Rasmussen

Paula Rattray

Lori Rausch

Jean Rearick

Joseph Reed

Scarlett Reynolds

Righteous PR

Angie Rigney

Sean Riley

Neil Robertson

Kimberly Robinson

Matt Rohs

Kim Romaner

Courtney Rozear

Continued innovation in digital media has changed the ways in which people buy, sell and interact with products and services. It has caused businesses to reassess the ways in which it communicates with potential customers and advertises its products. It has been well documented that these changes have had a destructive impact on local newspapers, which continues to be a primary source for local news, but is no longer a primary source for local advertising dollars – historically the lifeblood for reporters and their coverage. At Appen Media Group we want to address this conflict head on, and build new and innovative approaches to monetizing local news and creating a sustainable future for local journalism in metro Atlanta.

Fran Russell

Janet Sandberg

Kelly Sarmiento

Derek Scheidt

Stephanie Schniederjan

The Schoenblum Family

Robert Scholz

Robert Schreiner

Stephanie Schuette

Susan Searles

Frances Segars

Tracy Shealy

Tina Shelton

Lisa Shippel

Steve Short

Tom Simon

Cindy Simpson

Robert Singleton

Faye Sklar

Mitchel Skyer

Judith Slaughter

Andy Smith

Lee Smith

Tia Solh

Morris Soriano

Heidi Sowder

Gena Spears

Donald Spencer

Melissa Spencer

Jan Stephens

Wesley Stewart

Cathryn Stovall

Celeste Strohl

Diana Sullivan

Andy Sumlin

Kathy Swahn

Carol Tall

Mike Tasos

Candice Teichert

The Small Business Advisor

Suzanne & Bob Thomas

William Tietjen

Lisa Tilt

Michael Townes Trunnion LLC

Matthew Tyser

Edward Votta

Linda Wabler

Ollie Wagner

Lewis Walker

Elizabeth Waller

Valerie Walters-Gold

Ann Marie Warning

Terry Warnke

Jonathan Washburn

Michael Watson

Deborah Weiss

Michael Weiss

Herbert Wells

Benjamin Wemberly

Beverly Whisenant

Sally White

Thom White

Umpika White

Mae Whiteside

Ashley Whitt

Jennifer Wieland

Christine Williams

Jamie Wimberly

Jonathan Winkie

Nancy & Dave Wistrand

Kalle Wood

Theresa Woolridge

Laura Wysong

Jonathan Young

THE APPEN PRESS CLUB

One solution is the creation of a membership driven organization called the Appen Press Club that is dedicated to recruiting people and companies to join as members. Members pay recurring monthly or annual dues that are 100% dedicated to sustainable journalism. By providing predictable revenue, Appen Press Club members and partners help fund the salaries and expenses of local reporters who will no longer be subject to the whims of marketing budgets and an ever changing advertising world. In turn, those reporters will provide the readers they serve with highly researched and qualified journalism focused on subjects that directly affect their quality of life.

To join go to appenmedia.com/join and follow the prompts to select your membership level and select your t-shirt size! Questions? Email Hans Appen at hans@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

Scan QR code to join the Appen Press Club

(Alpharetta, GA) ANDRITZ, Inc. seeks multiple Digital Products & Solutions Team Leads, responsible for the development of digital solutions with focus on process optimization & continuous improvement, & to manage Optimization contracts for U.S. pulp & paper customers. Must have Bachelor degree in Engineering or related field and five (5) years of experience in the Pulp & Paper Industry required. 30–40% Travel to U.S. client sites as needed. Submit resumes to Suzanne.Fulton@andritz. com. Reference job title in subject line.

(Alpharetta, GA) ANDRITZ, Inc. seeks a Specialist Engineer – Instrumentation & Control responsible for the design & commissioning of instrumentation & process controls of ANDRITZ pulp & fiber processing equipment. Must have Bachelor in Engineering or related field, and (4) four years of experience in Instrumentation & Process Control within the pulp and paper Industry. Travel to various U.S. client sites 5x/ year for 2-3 weeks each. Submit resumes to Suzanne. Fulton@andritz.com. Reference job title in subject line.

Project Architect, Treanor, Inc., Alpharetta, GA. Lead the design, deliverables (drawings and specifications) and the construction administration of assigned projects. Must be a Licensed Architect. Up to 10% regional travel required. Work from Alpharetta office 4 days a week is required. One day of remote work permitted within standard commuting distance from the employer’s Alpharetta, GA office. Email resumes to: careers@treanor.design. EOE.

Full-time

Software Developer (Cumming, Georgia) 1 Position

Design and develop Software Applications. Determine design specifications or details, resolve information technology issues. Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system. Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces. Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints. Master’s in Computer Applications or related required. Please email resumes to careers@bristechsolutions.com

Pilot Travel Centers LLC (Roswell, GA) seeks Sr. Engineer, Data Engineering to lead projects and provide tech. expertise for R&D, and mod. of ETL processes and jobs in support of a Big Data infra. Must have BS in comp. sci., data sci., or eng. w/ courses in DB mgmt., comp. prgm., and eng. math, +5 years exp. as data eng. or related. Partial remote work permitted. For more details/ to apply online, see: https://jobs.smartrecruiters. com/ni/PilotCompany/ff6022b0-c405-4ae7-946caafbb80916bc-sr-engineer-data-engineering

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

Midway Preschool is looking for an experienced Young 5’s/Prek teacher for the 2026-2027 school year. Contact Beth at beth@midwayumc.org.

Software Developers –Multiple openingsAlpharetta, GA

BPM Technologies LLC needs professionals:

Work Using LWC, Aura Components, Apex, REST APIs, CPQ, SFRA, B2C Commerce Cloud, Copado, Visual Studio code & JavaScript. Req: Bachelor’s+5 yr exp. Wages: $152131/yr. Relocate to unanticipated site. No Int’l/Nat’l travel. Send mail to: President, 6495 Shiloh Rd, Ste 200, Alpharetta, GA, 30005

Part-time

YOUTH DIRECTOR

(Part-Time) Alpharetta Presbyterian Church — Alpharetta, GA

APC seeks a vibrant, relational leader to serve as Youth Director for middle and high school students. 20–25 hrs/week | Up to $25/hr. Ideal candidates have a passion for youth mentorship and a background in education, coaching, or youth leadership. Retired teachers and ministryminded professionals encouraged to apply. Strong volunteer team and pastoral support in place.

To apply: Submit a brief introduction and resume to jobs@alpharettapres.com.

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