Johns Creek Herald - May 28, 2026

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Brittany Johnson, clinical program coordinator, and Dallas Terry, social services coordinator, wait inside the behavioral health mobile unit at the Ocee Branch public library May 20.

Fulton County mental health fair promotes array of free services

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Fulton County mental health workers want residents to know help is available.

“The first part is to break away from the shame, and just letting them know that they're not alone in their journey,” said Brittany Johnson, clinical program coordinator.

Johnson and other county staff conducted a mental health fair at the Ocee Branch public library May 20. It was one of three held in May, Mental Health Awareness Month.

The fair featured a number of tables representing a variety of county resources from the Behavioral Health Crisis Center to Intellectual Developmental Disability Service Centers to opioid addiction services. Also pres-

People need to be aware they need to take care of their mental health as well as their physical health.”

BRITTANY

JOHNSON

Clinical program coordinator

ent was North Fulton Community Charities, a nonprofit that offers assistance to residents in need.

Dallas Terry, social services coordinator, said promoting awareness is one major reason the county hosts the fairs.

HEALTH, Page 18

Dogs get their due

Canine statues honor fire station staple

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Every Johns Creek fire station ought to have a dog.

That goal was put into action May 21 by members of the Bellmere Garden Club, Johns Creek Beautification and the Johns Creek Public Safety Foundation. Members of the organizations dedicated the three canine statues at the entrance of Fire Station 63, 9880 Brumbelow Road.

Mina Dyson, Bellmere president and Beautification board member, said with sufficient funding additional dog statues could be installed at the city’s three other fire stations.

See DOGS, Page 20

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Three dog statues are dedicated at the entrance of Johns Creek Fire Station 63 May 21.

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Sheriff’s sergeant accused of attacking detainee

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A former Fulton County Sheriff’s sergeant is accused of punching a detainee and directing his subordinates to deactivate their body-worn cameras.

Louis Brown III, a 41-year-old Smyrna resident, was arraigned May 15, the U.S. Department of Justice said. A federal grand jury indicted Brown May 12 on a charge of depriving a person of civil rights under color of law.

Brown was working at the Fulton

County Courthouse June 4 when he allegedly repeatedly punched and slapped a handcuffed detainee. Brown ordered deputies to turn off their cameras in order to get away with the assault, the department said.

Nevertheless, one deputy’s camera recorded the attack and showed the detainee was compliant and nonthreatening, the department said.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office use-of-force policy forbids force when

a person is compliant and not resisting arrest.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said law enforcement officers who violate the public’s trust must be held accountable.

“Brown allegedly betrayed his badge by punching a handcuffed detainee without justification and by directing his subordinates to turn off their body-worn cameras to try to get away with his crime,” he said.

— Jon Wilcox

Alpharetta couple charged with money laundering

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two Alpharetta residents are accused in a scheme to launder drug money through group homes for at-risk children.

Kristin Draper has been arraigned on federal charges for allegedly conspiring to launder money with her boyfriend Antwaun Brown, the U.S. Department of Justice said May 19.

An investigation allegedly revealed Draper used the funds to purchase a $3 million home in Forsyth County and a Lamborghini SUV worth more than $200,000. She was arrested March 21 while driving the SUV with nearly

Alteration business owner reports theft of dresses

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The owner of an Alpharetta clothing alteration business reported the theft of six prom dresses April 25.

Alpharetta police were dispatched to the Haynes Bridge Road business about 1:20 p.m.

The woman said an employee was working on the dresses at her Woodstock home and sent them back

10 pounds of fentanyl inside, the department said.

Brown is a felon with state and federal convictions for trafficking crack cocaine and heroin. He faces federal drug charges related to the 2025 seizure of a large amount of fentanyl in Sandy Springs.

Draper is the owner of Reflections Group Home and operates three group homes in Dayton, Ohio. The facilities have space for 15 children.

Draper allegedly earned more than $1 million from Reflections in 2024.

A grand jury returned a superseding

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.

after work was completed. The dresses were sent using a rideshare app.

The app showed the driver stopped after traveling most of the way to the business, police said.

indictment against Brown and Draper in May.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Draper was entrusted with protecting children but used her position to profit off the sale of illegal drugs.

“My office will continue to work tirelessly to aggressively prosecute the drug dealers who poison our communities, as well as the money launderers who facilitate crime by concealing the proceeds of illicit activity,” Hertzberg said.

— Jon Wilcox

The driver nor the dresses ever arrived, police said.

The business owner was forced to repay the owners for the dresses and additional funds because the prom was scheduled for April 25.

Four of the dresses were valued at a total of $3,300. Police were awaiting cost estimates for the remaining two.

The incident was classified as a felony theft by taking.

— Jon Wilcox

Atlanta primes for hosting World Cup matches

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA, Ga. — The World Cup is coming to Atlanta starting with a match between Spain and Cape Verde June 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Matches hosted here run through July 15.

The first game of the Cup will be in Mexico City between Mexico and South Africa June 11.

Decatur will host several watchfests, starting with the Opening Ceremony headlined by an appearance by Savannah native Big Boi. The rapper will be performing at the Opening Ceremony of Decatur Watchfest June 11 to celebrate the beginning of the tournament that takes place once every four years.

June 15 is when Atlanta will host its first game at Mercedes-Benz. Atlanta’s next game is June 18 at noon where Czechia and South Africa face off.

June 21, Mercedes-Benz will host its third game where Spain will play against Saudi Arabia. On June 24, the fourth game will be played, Morocco versus Haiti.

Atlanta’s final game of the group stage will be Uzbekistan versus Democratic Republic of the Congo June 27.

From there, they will have three remaining games in the single-elimination bracket at Mercedes-Benz. The teams are yet to be determined, but the times have been established.

For the round of 32, Mercedes-Benz will host a game at noon July 1. The round of 16 game will take place at the same time July 7.

The final game in Georgia, and the biggest, will be July 15 for the semifinals at 3 p.m.

There will be a Closing Ceremony at Decatur Watchfest the day of the finals with a performance by the Indigo Girls.

Team USA will play its first game of the group stage the next day at 9 p.m. in Los Angeles.

Team USA will play its second game the next day in Seattle against Australia.

Team USA’s last group stage game is against Turkiye in Los Angeles June 25.

On July 18, the Bronze Medal match will take place in Miami. The finals are being played in New York on July 19.

What to know when Hollywood comes knocking

By GALYN CHATMAN decaturish@appenmedia.com

DECATUR, Ga. – Production season is back and Georgia neighborhoods are buzzing with activity. More than 20 projects, including “Southern Bastards,” “Scooby-Doo: Origins,” and “Turpentine,” are currently filming, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

And while many residents welcome Hollywood in their community, they also hope that filming won’t disrupt their daily lives—a sentiment that industry veterans said is all too real.

Making first contact

During “production season,” location managers and scouts are sent to find places fitting a film’s narrative and creative vision. Once given guidelines by the creative team, they visit neighborhoods, knock on doors, and leave letters notifying of their prospective projects.

“It’s my job to introduce the reason I’m knocking on someone’s door,” said Dodd Vickers, a location manager, scout, and member of the Television Academy, as well as the Location Managers Guild International.

“In Decatur, for example, I made it a point to speak with someone from the economic development office so that if someone from the community called, the city could say they knew who I was,” Vickers recalled about filming “See You When I See You,” a 2026 Duplass Brothers film. Professionals in the industry understand they are guests in residential communities.

JUNE

June 1

City Council Work Session

City Hall - 5 p.m.

City Council Meeting

City Hall - 7 p.m.

June 2

Planning Commission Meeting

City Hall - 6 p.m.

June 5

Summer Concert Series

“Yacht Rock Schooner”

Newtown Park - 6 p.m.

June 11

Arts, Cultural, & Entertainment Committee

City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

When Fulton County resident Ricky Gaines was approached by scouts from FX’s “English Teacher,” he wondered what he was getting into.

“When the scout explained they were filming a TV show in the neighborhood, he detailed why my house was a fit for what they were looking for,” Gaines recalled. “It was definitely a leap of faith.”

The production crew began staging an in-progress pool build—requiring removing sod, digging a massive hole in his backyard, and taking down part of his fence. But the production team’s upfront communication put him at ease.

“They explained how long they needed it to be there, and what restoration would look like afterward. That made all the difference—and of course they explained the compensation,” Gaines said.

Kadesha McCastle, another Atlanta-area location manager, said this level of communication should be standard practice.

“It’s crucial to outline what the production is looking for,” she said. “Knowing what the timeline is, what areas of your home will be used and modified, helps homeowners feel more comfortable and prepared. They shouldn’t have to guess or worry about what’s happening in their own space.”

Respecting the community

Netflix’s “Tulsa King” recently wrapped its fourth season after filming across multiple DeKalb County

See HOLLYWOOD, Page 16

City Calendar & Events! 2026

June 12

Movies at the Park

“Kicking & Screaming”

The Boardwalk at Town Center - 7 p.m.

June 12

Atlanta Soccer Watch Party

The Boardwalk at Town Center - 9 p.m.

June 15

City Council Strategic Planning Retreat Legacy Lodge at Lake Lanier - 10 a.m.

June 16

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

June 17

Recreation & Parks Advisory Committee

City Hall - 6:30 p.m.

June 20

Juneteenth Celebration Newtown Park -5 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

OPEN SATURDAYS

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

Custodial staffs recognized for district’s cleanest schools

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Two North Fulton schools were awarded the Jerry Coker Award for Custodial Excellence in May for scoring the highest on cleanliness across the district.

Across two inspections, Crabapple Middle School in Roswell scored the highest average with a custodial team led by Ned Nahirovic. The school’s principal, Stephanie Haga, said she is grateful for their commitment and pride the custodial staff brings to Crabapple Middle.

“We are proud to be recognized as the cleanest school in the district,” Haga said. “This honor reflects the dedication and hard work of our incredible custodial team. They go above and beyond each day to create a safe, healthy and welcoming environment for our students and staff.”

Sal Sapina and the custodial staff at Hembree Springs Elementary School, also in Roswell, scored second. Global Impact Academy in Fairburn placed third.

The award is named for late environmental technician Jerry Coker who passed away while working for Fulton County Schools. He started as a head custodian at schools across all three levels and became one of the first environmental technicians in the district.

“This award represents the overall collaborative efforts between administrators and custodians to provide a clean, safe and healthy environment for students and staff to be in,” Coordinator of Environmental Services Eric Flint said. “We are so proud of these award winners who represent the overall best in each of the grade level tiers of elementary, middle and high school.”

— Hannah Yahne

Summer reading programs at libraries across Fulton County kick-off June 1 with this year’s theme encouraging kids to unearth stories and a passion for reading.

Fulton County libraries promote summer reading

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Libraries across Fulton County will host kick-off parties to encourage young readers to unearth a story as part of the annual Summer Reading Program starting June 1.

Those who participate in the twomonth Summer Reading Program are encouraged to improve their reading skills by cracking the covers on new books or revisiting old ones for a chance to win prizes.

Families can log their reading progress on Beanstack, a mobile app or website that connects to reading programs at local libraries. Participants can track how many pages or how long they read and earn prizes from their library.

Visit fultoncounty.beanstack.com/

reader365 and register an individual, family or reading group to participate.

Upcoming summer reading kick-off parties at North Fulton libraries include: May 30 – East Roswell Branch, 2301 Holcomb Bridge Road, from 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

June 1 – Milton Branch, 855 Mayfield Road, from 1–3 p.m.; Ocee Branch, 5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, from 2–3 p.m.; Northeast/Spruill Oaks Branch, 9560 Spruill Road, from 11 a.m.–noon;

Sandy Springs Branch, 395 Mount Vernon Highway, from 11–11:45 a.m. and from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

— Hannah Yahne

Student leaders earn statewide championship

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Student Leadership NORTH Secretary of State Ambassadors have claimed the Georgia Secretary of State Ambassador State Championship, surpassing the second-place team by more than 150,000 points.

Student Leadership NORTH empowers students from local high schools to interact with business and government executives to lead positive change within their communities.

This past year, the leadership team played a role in registering and informing Johns Creek voters, hosting multiple voter registration drives and facilitating a debate and mayoral forum for local candidates. Students also hosted two financial literacy forums in partnership with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

“Our Secretary of State Ambassador teams have shown what it means to truly show up for their community,” Executive Director Irene Sanders said. “They have engaged with elected officials, championed

financial literacy, registered voters and inspired everyone around them. We couldn’t be prouder of all that they have accomplished, and we know each one of them will carry these values with them wherever life takes them next.”

Many of this year’s Ambassador team members are preparing to head to college, where they will carry the skills, relationships and civic values cultivated through Student Leadership NORTH into their next chapters.

The Ambassadors team was led by Program Coordinator Lucy Liu, a member of last year’s winning team.

Student leaders on the 2025-26 state championship team are:

Violette Purcell, Anay Bahukhandi, Spoorthi Kakarla, Amber Qian, Aditi Kothari, Aanya Shah, Prinsha Chanda, Vishal Varma, Zara Duque Vasquez, Elliot Shin, Benny Hamann, Ishita Tyagi and Shaurya Attal.

— Hannah Yahne

selection of

and power-loom rugs,

and antique oriental rugs from around the world, including Persia, India, China, Turkey, and Egypt. We offer all sizes, up to palace sizes, at the best prices around. Conveniently located on the corner of State Bridge and Kimball Bridge.

Sandy Springs CEO earns dual honors for leadership

Construction executive seeks women for work

By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Guiomar

Obregón has spent nearly three decades leading her company building roads, runways and drainage systems across the Southeast. Her work and success have put her in the spotlight.

The Sandy Springs resident is CEO of Precision 2000 Inc., a civil engineering and construction firm. She was inducted this spring into two prestigious programs: the Georgia Titan 100 Hall of Fame on May 7 and the Georgia Tech College of Engineering's 2026 Academy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni on March 21.

The Titan 100 Hall of Fame honor came after Obregón was named a Georgia Titan 100 for three consecutive years. The program selects 100 top CEOs and C-level executives annually across Georgia. Hall of Fame status is awarded to just 10 of those honorees and recognizes executives who demonstrate “exceptional leadership and community impact,” according to its website.

At Georgia Tech, Obregón made history. In the academy's more than 20-year history, she is the first Hispanic woman inducted and one of fewer than five Latin American honorees overall.

BUSINESSPOSTS

CEO:

"These are very meaningful to me," Obregón said. "It shows that it can be done. It takes time, effort and perseverance, but you can be successful. It’s really nice to be among the top of the top.”

Launching the business

Obregón co-founded Precision 2000, known as P2K, in 1998 with her husband, Carlos Sánchez, following the construction boom sparked by the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. The Chamblee-based firm specializes in civil infrastructure and transportation projects, with clients including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Georgia Department of Transportation, MARTA and the City of Atlanta.

“We saw an opportunity, and decided, let's give it a try,” she said. “We were young, had lots of energy.”

Born in Boston and raised in Colombia, Obregón earned a civil engineering degree from the Colombian School of Engineering before coming to Georgia Tech, where she completed a master's degree in structural engineering and an MBA. Her parents were both engineers. Her mother served as dean of engineering at the National University of Colombia, and her father earned a doctorate from MIT.

Under Obregón's leadership, P2K has earned national recognition, including the Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2024 and the Minority Construction Firm of the Year award from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency in 2003.

The company was instrumental in the Transform 285/400 project in Sandy Springs. Crews installed storm drainage systems with reinforced concrete pipes ranging from 18-inches to 48-inches along the new lanes and shoulders along 6.2 miles of Ga. 400 from the Glenridge Connector to Spalding Drive.

World Cup boon

P2K is currently working near Mercedes-Benz Stadium on sidewalk, intersection and traffic improvements ahead of Atlanta's hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Obregón wants to attract more Hispanics and women into the construction industry and has funded nearly $500,000 in scholarships at Georgia Tech.

leadership helps diversify the student body and launch the careers of young Hispanic engineers."

In 2012, she co-founded the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association to create networking and mentorship opportunities for Hispanic business owners and workers. She also helped launch the association’s Latinas in Construction program to support women seeking a path into the industry.

Obregón says it is important that P2K is known as a family-owned business. Her daughter, Cristina Sanchez, 28, is a SCAD graduate and oversees marketing. Her son, Diego Sanchez, is 19 and a sophomore at Georgia Tech studying computer science and participates in internships in the summer. Her mother, now 85 and retired, would do whatever was needed, Obregón said. Her mother also inspired her to start an internship program to bring civil engineers from Colombia to practice in the U.S.

Being a business owner has given her the flexibility to work and have a family, she said, although it is not always easy. But watching your children grow, and your business grow, is rewarding, she said.

have visited several Chambers and have found my home at the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce. The group is committed, involved, and I have made many good friends.

"Guiomar is the epitome of service and walking the walk," said Patricia White, director of development at Georgia Tech's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. "Her

“You have to juggle a lot,” she said. “My company is like another kid. I get to see them grow and mature, and they have issues sometimes. Overall, I’m very happy, very grateful for how things happened.” Continued from Page 8

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Milton artist’s works featured at University of Buffalo gallery

MILTON, Ga. — The University of Buffalo will showcase an exhibit by a Milton artist.

The university’s art gallery will host “Clayton Pond: A Retrospective,” an exhibit that includes the artist’s colorful paintings, screenprints and sculptures. The exhibit is on display through July 31.

Born in 1941 in Bayside, New York, Pond moved to the Milton area after his family relocated there. In Milton, he installed his studio on the lower level of his home and produced his distinctively personal paintings in oil and acrylic on canvas and other surfaces.

He is known for a unique style that brings painstakingly rendered interpretations of the ordinary, including mechanisms from machinery and streetside columns.

Pond often works in series, enlarging details from his paintings and reshaping existing images into screenprints.

Anna Wager, curator of exhibitions at the University of Buffalo’s art gallery, said Pond is an artist who is always observing with humor, cynicism but mostly delight.

“He is inveterately curious, and his capacity for attention is so evident in the work,” Wager said. “It invites us to look at our own surroundings with the same care.”

Pond earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University, in 1964. He received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Pratt Institute in 1966.

At Pratt, he developed his distinctive drawing style, cultivating a keen interest in bright, intense color relationships and teaching himself the serigraph process.

In 1966, Pond began working in SoHo’s industrial loft buildings, where the interiors of his studio and the cast-iron façades of the neighborhood became central subjects in his work.

Columns, architectural fragments and utilitarian objects recur throughout his paintings and constructions.

He continues to produce drawings, collages, paintings and painted relief sculptures.

Robert Scalise, University of Buffalo art gallery director, said Pond’s work marks an important piece of postwar American art.

*Decaturish Ink currently publishes on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of every month. All other publications publish every Thursday.

“To present a retrospective of his work is to fulfill our core purpose, bringing meaningful, lasting art into the lives of our students and community and honoring the collection that made this institution possible,” Scalise said. — Jon Wilcox

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Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist

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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.

Ancient India, syphilis, war and cancer – The journey to rebuild a nose

For as long as humans have had noses, we’ve had reasons to repair them. The nose sits at the center of the face, essential not just for breathing, but for identity. The history of nasal reconstruction is therefore not just a surgical story— it is deeply human, shaped by conflict, disease, and ingenuity.

One of the earliest chapters begins in ancient India, around 600 BCE. In some regions, nasal amputation was used as punishment for theft or adultery. This harsh practice drove innovation. Surgeons developed a method to rebuild the nose using a pedicled facial flap—the “Indian method” of nasal reconstruction. This technique is attributed to Sushruta, often considered one of the fathers of surgery. In these descriptions, a facial flap of tissue is measured, raised while maintaining a living attachment for blood supply, and transferred to reconstruct the nose, with small tubes used to preserve the airway during healing.

Over time, this tradition evolved into what is most closely associated with the modern forehead flap. Today, a segment of forehead skin is elevated on a preserved arterial supply, left attached at its base, and rotated down to reconstruct the nasal tip. In modern Mohs and reconstructive surgery, it remains a cornerstone technique after skin cancer removal and one of the most reliable methods for complex nasal defects.

From ancient India, the narrative jumps forward two millennia. But what about Greece? What about Rome?! Didn’t Rome invent everything?

There is little evidence of formal nasal reconstruction in classical antiquity. Aulus Cornelius Celsus described facial wound care and basic repair but not structured reconstructive nasal surgery. When nasal reconstruction re-emerges in Europe centuries later, it is better understood as rediscovery rather than continuous tradition.

So, indeed, we fast forward 2000 years from ancient India.

In the Renaissance and early modern period, nasal deformities became more common due to trauma and disease. Syphilis was especially destructive, eroding nasal structures and leaving profound disfigurement. This increased interest in both reconstruction and prosthetic solutions.

Artificial noses—made from leather, metal, or wax—allowed patients to return to society with some degree of normalcy and laid the groundwork for modern facial prosthetics.

In the 1500s, Gaspare Tagliacozzi developed the “Italian method” of nasal reconstruction, transferring skin from the arm to the nose in a staged fashion. Though innovative, his work was later abandoned for centuries due to technical limitations such as a lack of modern anesthesia and antisepsis and also due to social and religious objections.

The next major leap came from war. World War I produced devastating facial injuries, forcing rapid innovation. Harold Gillies refined skin flaps, introduced staged reconstruction, and emphasized both function and appearance—principles that remain central today. World War II further advanced reconstruction through improved anesthesia, antibiotics, and surgical planning.

In the 20th century, the ancient forehead flap evolved into the modern paramedian forehead flap. A segment of forehead skin is elevated on a preserved arterial supply just lateral to the midline, kept attached at its base, and rotated to reconstruct the nasal tip. In modern Mohs and reconstructive surgery, it remains a foundational technique after skin cancer removal.

In recent decades, nasal repair has entered a more precise era. In dermatologic surgery, particularly Mohs surgery, cancer can be removed with microscopic accuracy while preserving healthy tissue. Reconstruction then restores contour and function using techniques such as the paramedian forehead flap, skin grafts and an assortment of elegant and innovative flaps. However, Mohs surgery often allows for so much tissue preservation that many wounds can close in a much simpler linear fashion further enhancing postoperative results.

From ancient punishment to modern cancer care, nasal reconstruction reflects restoration—of form, function, and confidence. It is also a story of trust. Patients facing facial cancer entrust their health and their identity to their surgeon. Modern techniques now allow us to restore not only structure and function but also the sense of wholeness that comes from having one’s identity preserved.

Be on guard; It’s Bambi time in North Georgia

BOB MEYERS

It is birthing time for white-tailed deer in North Fulton County where most fawns are born in May and June. Unlike the fall breeding or rut season when bucks go crazy with lust and accidents with cars are frequent, the birthing season is relatively calm.

However, when does, female deer, cross roads in May and June in search of food for their fawns, auto accidents also occur. Both seasons are vital for the wellbeing of deer and both cause problems for humans. Just ask a gardener whose carefully planted flower garden has been selected by some whitetails for a picnic lunch.

Adult white-tailed deer range from 70 to 225 pounds, while fawns weigh about 4 pounds at birth. As protection from predators, when born, fawns’ light brown fur has some 300 white spots that begin to fade a few months later when they start to forage for food. For several months after birth, fawns give off little scent which also helps protect them. Adult females spend very little time with their offspring, leaving them alone for hours while the mother doe forages to produce milk for her fawn(s). With this behavior the mother reduces the possibility that she might carry her own scent to a fawn’s hiding place.

Charlie Killmaster, State Deer Program supervisor at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, says that the range of deer in Georgia varies from 150 to more than 1,200 acres. Smaller ranges occur in areas with high deer populations such as North Fulton County. He notes that the high degree of urbanization in North Fulton and Cherokee County makes a quality deer habitat. Charlie says, “a lot of nutritious food from fertilized gardens coupled with less hunting in urban areas is a recipe for more deer."

Deer population is determined partly by the availability of quality food and the presence or absence of natural enemies such as coyotes and bears. Such factors are difficult to control, so the main regulator of deer populations is hunters. In Georgia, the hunting season takes place in the fall. If the deer population is excessive, the result can be disease, destruction of farm crops, not to mention the effect on local gardens. The ability of white-tailed deer to run up to 30 or 40 miles an hour and leap over fences up to 8 feet high also helps protect them. They also have a keen sense of smell, some 500 to 1,000 times better than humans, and their large ears can rotate independently to isolate sounds.

Alpharetta resident Rick Moore is familiar with deer intrusion in gardens. An

A doe and her fawn. The fawn will stay with its mother for about a year.

TOM KOEMER/U.S.

A fawn with some 300 spots has an instinct to remain motionless for protection from predators while it’s mother doe forages for hours. The fawn will begin to lose its spots a few months after birth when it begins to forage for food.

avid gardener with plants that are in bloom every month of the year, Rick has taken to fencing in all his gardens.

“I have tried everything but nothing else

works,” he says. Still, he enjoys watching the deer in the woods behind his house.

“I have a love/hate relationship with deer,” he says.

I am indebted to Clay Gridley, owner of Six Bridges Brewing in Johns Creek and Milton, for suggesting this topic. He sees deer in the woods behind his house in Cherokee County almost every day. He once had a fawn hiding up against his garage in some grass.

“I never saw the mother,” he says, “but I enjoy observing and celebrating the miracle of new life coming into the world.”

Clay has given up trying to grow hops and most flowers although he does protect his hostas and hydrangeas.

Living with deer in our suburban and urban environments is a challenge. Deer are herbivores, meaning they feed on plants. Depending on the season, they eat leaves, shrubs, tree saplings, agricultural products and of course flowers. In that process they help control the growth of undesirable plants while aggravating us when they consume desirable plants. Hopefully, our attitudes will be guided by knowledge and compassion as we continue to experience deer’s effect on our environment.

Bob is a member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission, director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and member of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

OPINION

The self-care routines of a workaholic

DAN WHISENHUNT Editor dan@appenmedia.com

Dear readers, When you find your self-worth in your work, as I do, self-care can be a chore.

As a self-described workaholic, I have spent many hours in therapy trying to separate my personal from my professional satisfaction. They are entwined like a pile of jumbled wires. Untangling the pile can be a tedious, discouraging experience. It’s often easier to just “roll with it” and hope you can find your pleasures where you can.

But self-care, like therapy, is important work. It can save your life.

There are a few activities I’ve discovered I can’t do without. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, here are the self-care routines that I find valuable. I hope you will find them valuable, too.

Walking

Before I started my therapy journey, I weighed 300 pounds. I’m at a respectable 235 now.

Food became my go-to source of comfort during COVID, when I was running my own company. I deluded myself into thinking my dangerous eating habits were OK because I wasn’t retreating into substance abuse like so many of us were then. I was eating my way through the pandemic. It wasn’t until I was in therapy and had an embarrassing flare-up of gout that I decided to make a change.

So, I began walking and kept going. I set a goal of walking 10,000 steps (about five miles) every day. The first few weeks of this were excruciating. My legs throbbed and the gout continued gnawing at my toes. My brother, who is a CrossFit trainer, kept me

focused through calorie counting and exercises designed to increase my range of movement.

After a while, the walking became easier. Then it became mission critical. I began to cherish my time away from my screen and in the sunshine. (Avoiding screens will be a recurring theme of this column.) I began walking extra miles just for my own enjoyment. Last year, I walked all the way from Decatur to the Atlanta Beltline.

My community looks so different when I’m walking through it. I see the architecture subtly change as I go from neighborhood to neighborhood. I notice the clever yard signs, the people holding new babies while walking their jilted dogs, the smell of freshly cut grass in the spring and the shuffling piles of leaves in the fall. In the summer, I wake up earlier when I can to avoid the worst of the heat. But when I sleep in, I hydrate more and endure.

The walking sustains me. It gives me clarity of thought and focus. I get some of my best ideas when I’m listening to my music and feeling the warmth of the sun on my neck.

When I miss a day or two of walking, I get antsy. It’s an essential activity for me. I swear by it.

Playing piano

I taught myself to play piano not long after my son was born. I learned a few tunes that make for great party tricks. I’m told my singing voice is nice. When I’m at the keyboard and belting out Chappell Roan or Tom Petty, I feel free, as ifsome enormous weight has been removed from my shoulders.

When I sold Decaturish to Appen Media Group, the one extravagance I indulged was obtaining an old piano. It’s a brown wooden upright I call my granny piano. It can’t hold a tune longer than a few months, and the keys stick in the upper ranges. Sometimes,

on a Saturday morning when my family is sleeping, I’ll gently roll through chord progressions before moving into slow pop songs, waiting for my wife and son to come down the stairs. We make coffee. I sing. They listen. Then we go on about our day.

I love pop music. I’m learning to play “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves. It’s hard, but every time I learn a new section, I have to step away so my brain can rest and rewire itself.

It’s the kind of challenge that I don’t mind dipping back into. I am not overly critical of myself or my playing, unlike with my job. It’s just for fun.

Cooking

A gourmand, I am not, but I like what I like. This is peak dad energy, but there are few things more satisfying than mowing my lawn, then looking at my mowed lawn while I grill a steak. I’ve become something of a nerd about cooking steak, though inflation has limited my ability to indulge my hobby. When it’s in my budget, I inspect juicy cuts of beef behind glass the way a handyman judges the straightness of a two-by-four.

I often watch food YouTubers. I’m fascinated by the people who do these

weird dry-aged beef experiments like encasing a steak in butter for three months, before proclaiming, “and then this happened!” Spoiler alert: Most of the time, what happened is a culinary abomination. Better your ribeye than mine.

My favorite food YouTuber is Max Miller, who hosts “Tasting History.” He’s ridiculously charming and a great reporter at heart. He does his own research, rather than mindlessly regurgitating Wikipedia. Miller’s series on homefront cooking during World War II is simply outstanding. He makes a strong case that food history is human history.

These are some of the self-care methods I recommend. They are not cures for unhappiness. But I can’t do without them. I’d love to know what you do for self-care and what gives you peace amid life's pressures. Drop me a line: dan@appenmedia.com. I may include some of your routines in next year’s Mental Health Awareness month column.

I remain your humble and grateful community news editor.

– Dano Dan Whisenhunt, editor and founder

How to get what you want, made simple

"Never Split the Difference" by Chris Voss is a book that should probably be required reading for everyone. I am sure of this.

However, I am not sure if it should be read in elementary school, middle school or high school. Or maybe it should be required in every corporation at every level.

It's not a new book. I read it almost 10 years ago and am rereading it now. I reread books that I think are important or magical — such as "One Hundred Years of Solitude" or "The Overstory."

In "Never Split the Difference," Voss shares the methods he used as one of the FBI's top hostage negotiators. That was his job: talking people who had kidnapped others and held them for

Hollywood:

Continued from Page 4

locations. John Weeks, the show’s construction coordinator, brings a perspective sometimes missing between residents and production operations.

“I love being a cheerleader for the film industry, but we also understand that we’re sometimes speaking a whole other language from a whole other universe that people don’t see every day,” Weeks said. “And it just rolls into communities like a circus.”

Weeks emphasized the genuine commitment crews feel to being respectful guests.

“We’re all parents. Family people. And it sucks to us too if we have to leave someone waiting who has to take their child to Girl Scouts,” he said. “People are justifiably concerned with how our presence is going to impact their daily lives. So, we just know to respect that they want us out of their driveway as quickly as possible.”

Todd Brunsvold, vice president of zoning for the Inman Park Neighborhood Association (IPNA), works at the intersection of resident concerns and production needs.

“We embrace being a community that invites everybody in. We want to share our history and architecture,” Brunsvold said. However, he said the neighborhood does not accept unlimited disruption. “IPNA welcomes productions, but we also don’t want anyone to have a problem getting to the grocery store just because filming is happening.”

ransom — under threat of death — into releasing their hostages alive. There may be no bigger ask than that. Failure is not an option.

The book is engaging, highly readable and filled with accounts of actual hostage negotiations from around the world — rebel armies, prison revolts and hijackings. But its lessons are not limited to dangerous or traumatic situations. At its core, hostage negotiation is really nothing more than advocating for your wants and needs to others. In that light, consider negotiating a major software contract with a Fortune 500 company, convincing your boss to promote you with a raise or persuading your child not to quit piano lessons or drop off the travel team.

At the end of the day, life is driven by wants and needs. This book is about how to recognize them and respond appropriately, efficiently and successfully. What this book is not, however, is one of those formulaic bestsellers prom-

ising to teach you how to sell anything to anybody. It is not that.

Alongside "Never Split the Difference," another book has recently resurfaced in my memory — one I have read at least three times over the years: "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman. Both books are about how people make decisions, how they think, and how they process information. Think Malcolm Gladwell — "The Tipping Point," "Blink," "Outliers" and all his other books. To be clear, though, Gladwell rode to fame on the shoulders of Kahneman — as did Voss.

Voss's message is simple, profound and accessible. Getting your way with another person involves basic, teachable skills — listening better, practicing empathy, building trust and seeing the world through the other person's eyes. Step by practical step, Voss shares techniques for achieving these things, and most of what he suggests is little

more than common sense. The problem is that most of us have forgotten how to connect effectively with others because we are too busy, too distracted or not focused on what matters most to the other person. We are too self-centered.

He brings the core pieces together and shows how each connects to the others — teaching both context and execution. It is not rocket science. It requires practice, focus and a genuine desire to achieve goals that depend on another person or organization.

Usually something happens that reminds me that wisdom from a past book needs to be revisited. Sometimes I am the one who needs the refresher course. Sometimes it is people in my orbit. In this case, it's the "other people" who sparked the memory and the motivation to reread it. They are dealing with life curveballs at the moment, and reading and internalizing the book will help them navigate forward more successfully.

A construction crew member and location team member

ing "English Teacher" Season 1.

When filming wraps

Location teams commit to resetting homes to their original state, so McCastle and Vickers encourage residents to view the location department as a concierge.

“I joke that I’m a professional guest,” Vickers said. “We fold the towels, make the beds, and leave everything as we found it. When production crews are good guests, the community is happy, and when the

community is happy, we get to make entertainment.”

For homeowners interested in listing their properties as filming locations, visit the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

Health:

“We want to bring awareness,” he said. “A lot of people don't realize the type of services that the county provides, as well as other nonprofits in the area.”

Johnson met with residents inside a behavioral health mobile unit, an RV the county uses to host screenings throughout the community. The assessments are free and part of the county’s Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities’ mission to increase access to mental health and substance use services. Johnson said mental health challenges

are more common than some may believe. Depression, anxiety and grief are reported by many adults. Children and teens can experience issues related to anxiety, anger, ADHD and impulse control.

“People need to be aware they need to take care of their mental health as well as their physical health,” Johnson said.

About 20 percent of U.S. adults experience a mental illness each year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said. About 1 in 20 experience a serious mental illness each year.

More than 14 percent of youths ages 6-17 experience a mental health disorder

for memories made For informat on on preplann ng call 470-375-1192 or visit SouthForsythChapel com unlike anything else in the Atlanta area. g South Forsyth Memorial Chapel

community engagement for North Fulton Community Charities, said the nonprofit attended the fair to connect residents with resources for mental health and other challenges.

Too often, residents suffering from mental health challenges also experience other obstacles.

“If you have such a strong case of depression, how do you pay your bills?” she said. “Or you got diagnosed with something that requires you to go to treatment for two weeks, you can't go to work.”

After visiting with a case worker, residents can be connected to any number of resources that include rent assistance, a food pantry, thrift store, GED program

We’re proud to introduce our new celebration of life center, unlike anything else in the Atlanta area

> Cremations > Funerals > Life Celebrations > Grief support > Catered events > Veteran services emories, ommunity.

For Cordona and others at the nonprofit, providing that assistance is about living in a community that cares.

“Nobody is an island. We all live together,” Cordona said. “We're in this world

NOTICE OF LOCATION AND DESIGN APPROVAL P. I. 0020927

FULTON COUNTY

Notice is hereby given in compliance with Georgia Code 22-2-109 and 32-3-5 that the Georgia Department of Transportation has approved the Location and Design of this project.

The date of location and design approval is: ______ May 4, 2026

> Cremations > Funerals > Life Celebrations > Grief support > Catered events > Veteran services

Grief support > Catered events > Veteran services Built for memories, made for community For information on prep anning cal 470-375- 192 or v sit SouthForsythChape com

3545 Peachtree Pkwy | Suwanee GA 30024 We re proud to ntroduce our

We’re proud to introduce our new celebration of life center, unlike anything else in the Atlanta area

> Cremations > Funerals > Life Celebrations > Grief Support > Catered Events > Veteran Services

South Forsyth Memorial Chapel

We’re proud to introduce our new celebration of life center, unlike anything else in the Atlanta area

Chapel

3545 Peachtree Pkwy | Suwanee, GA 30024

3545 Peachtree Pkwy | Suwanee, GA 30024

3545 Peachtree Pkwy. Suwanee, GA 30024

For information on preplanning, call 470-375-1192 or visit SouthForsythChapel.com.

> Cremations > Funerals > Life Celebrations > Grief support > Catered events > Veteran services For information on preplanning,

The proposed project is located along the SR 141/Medlock Bridge Road corridor from the intersection with Bobby Jones Drive to approximately 0.3 miles north of the intersection with CS 119/State Bridge Road in the City limits of Johns Creek. The project includes traffic signal modifications, widening, and restriping for through lane and turn lane additions at the intersection of SR 141/Medlock Bridge Road and State Bridge Road as well as the intersection of SR 141/Medlock Bridge Road and Old Alabama Road. The project also includes the addition of shared-use path along the west side of SR 141 from Bobby Jones Drive to Old Alabama Road, and along the east side of SR 141 from approximately 350 feet south to approximately 650 north of State Bridge Road. The project is located entirely in Fulton County Georgia, GA Land District 1, and Land Lots 290, 296, 289, 297, 288, 298, 299, 330, and 300.

South Forsyth Memorial Chapel

The project will be constructed using on-site traffic shifts. The roadway alignment will be approximately the same. The estimated construction time is 24 months. The City of Johns Creek would be responsible for acquiring property rights for this project.

During

3545 y | , 0024

Drawings or maps or plats of the proposed project, as approved, are on file and are available for public inspection at:

Riki Forney, Project Manager Public Works Department riki.forney@johnscreekga.gov 11360 Lakefield Drive

Johns Creek, GA 30097

678-512-3219

Any interested party may obtain a copy of the drawings or maps or plats or portions thereof by paying a nominal fee and requesting in writing to: Kimberly W. Nesbitt, State Program Delivery Administrator Office of Program Delivery Attn: Franks Childs fchilds@dot.ga.gov

600 West Peachtree St NW, 25 th Floor Atlanta, GA 30308

478-553-3330

childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.

Any written request or communication in reference to this project or notice SHOULD include the Project and P. I. Numbers as noted at the top of this notice.

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!

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

1. Wander. Kind of tube. Jiddah denizen.

2. Tough. Corinth native. Military wear.

3. Suva resident. Squabble. Exploding star.

4. Scat. Marine NCO abbr. South African native.

5. Foot part. Mombasa native. California wine valley.

6. Vase name. Aix-la-Chapelle denizen. Barbershop call.

7. Pak Kret native. Stiff-upper-lip type. Citadel student.

Is Where the Heart Is

1 Wander. Kind of tube. Jiddah denizen

2. Tough. Corinth native. Military wear.

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. Suva resident. Squabble. Exploding star.

4. Scat. Marine NCO abbr. So. African native.

5. Foot part. Mombasa native. California wine valley.

6. Vase name. Aix-la-Chapelle

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

Dogs:

Continued from Page 1

Jim Collins, a Signal Mountain, Tenn., artist, fashioned the three steel dog statues in the likeness of a Visla, German Shepherd and Dalmatian. Collins also contributed three other dog statues installed at New Town Park in 2025.

Fire Chief Jeff Johansen thanked those responsible for the installation, adding he thinks the dogs will have a real benefit for firefighters working at the site.

“It’s a pride thing. They are going to see that Dalmatian and be proud,” Johansen said. “It means something.”

Numerous city officials, police officers and firefighters attended the dedication.

Also there were Master Patrol Officer Bryce Flora and his K-9 Finn, a Visla.

Fire

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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.

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Ryder System, Inc. seeks a Sourcing & Supply Manager I in Alpharetta, GA, to contract Management-Develop and manage a contract portfolio which will entail business reviews, supplier performance management, and contract renewal activities. Telecommuting is permitted. 10% of domestic travel to local sites within 50 miles of the worksite address is required. Apply at https://www.jobpostingtoday.com/Ref #70825.

Lead Software Engineering needed by AT&T Services, Inc., in Alpharetta, GA to collaborate to gather and review software requirements/user stories, provide estimates, create software design specifications, and collaborate with engineers/ architects to assess and test hardware and software interactions. Apply at http://att.jobs/, select JOB SEARCH and APPLY and select Search by Requisition Number at the left bottom of the page and enter Job Number: R-108022.

Hussmann Corporation seeks Controls Engineer, Systems Controls in Suwanee, GA to work with product engineering, marketing, manufacturing, Quality, and others to capture functional requirements and design documents. Requires up to 25% Domestic Travel and up to 5% International Travel. 1 day remote work permitted/week. Apply at www.jobpostingtoday.com Ref # 34680.

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Sawnee EMC is seeking a General Clerk III –Customer Service to assist in a high-volume call center. Requires high school diploma or equivalency, computer, communication, and general office skills. Requires one (1) year experience in a customer service call center or service-type organization, utility, finance, banking, or equivalent industry. Bilingual is preferred, fluent in English and Spanish (written and verbal).

Position is full-time; must be flexible to work irregular hours, to include evenings, weekends and holidays.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5PM, May 29, 2026. Apply online: www.sawnee. coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-8872363, extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled and Protected Veterans. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

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

Lead Software Engineering needed by AT&T Services, Inc. in Alpharetta, GA to collaborate to gather and review software requirements/user stories, provide estimates, create software design specifications and collaborate with engineers/ architects to assess and test hardware and software interactions. Apply at http://att.jobs/, select JOB SEARCH and APPLY and select Search by Requisition Number at the left bottom of the page and enter Job Number: R-106067.

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.

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

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