Inside the Box

Development and self-run elections highlighted a Milton City Council candidate debate Oct. 4 at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church. Ahead of the advanced voting, which begins Oct. 16, about 100 residents showed up to track positions of candidates for the contested Post 2 seats on the City Council. At the event, hosted by Appen Media and the Milton Herald, incumbent Councilman Rick Mohrig and Phil Cranmer went toe-to-toe on issues to win the District 3, Post 2 seat. Meanwhile, incumbent Councilwoman Carol Cookerly in District 1, Post 2 drew less pressure with opponent Helen Gordon absent due to a prior commitment as a teacher at Milton High School.

Liz Hausmann has been a public official in North Fulton for 20-plus years. On the other side of the microphone is Appen Media Managing Editor Pat Fox, who covered the area as a reporter for just as long. They talk about Hausmann's career in politics, recent loss running for Georgia State Senate and what plans she has for the future. 

You can read a recap of the interview, written by Appen reporter Delaney Tarr, on appenmedia.com. 

This podcast is made possible by members of the Appen Press Club, a group of community members interested in supporting local media and creating an informed citizenry. Learn more at appenmedia.com/join. 

For the last 10 years the Dunwoody Police Department has had an informal policy to obscure the location of where undercover sex trafficking operations occur in published documents, instead using the address of Dunwoody City Hall.

For this reporting Appen Media filed 28 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and inspected 271 pages of documents. Two reporters, two editors and a number of other staff members contributed to the project over the course of six months.

To read the full report, click HERE.

To support local journalism and join the Appen Press Club, click HERE.

Appen Media, publishers of the Alpharetta-Roswell Herald, invited all four candidates running for Roswell City Council Post 1 to record an interview with reporter Chamian Cruz. All four sessions are also available in written form, prepared by reporter Amber Perry and managing editor Pat Fox.

You can find all four interviews and more voting information at appenmedia.com/roswellelection.

This podcast is made possible by the generous members of the Appen Press Club, a division of Appen Media comprised of paying members of the community interested in protecting local press and creating an informed citizenry. To support these efforts, please visit appenmedia.com/join.

To find more about Mulham Shbeib, visit his website, here.

Appen Media, publishers of the Alpharetta-Roswell Herald, invited all four candidates running for Roswell City Council Post 1 to record an interview with reporter Chamian Cruz. All four sessions are also available in written form, prepared by reporter Amber Perry and managing editor Pat Fox.

You can find all four interviews and more voting information at appenmedia.com/roswellelection.

This podcast is made possible by the generous members of the Appen Press Club, a division of Appen Media comprised of paying members of the community interested in protecting local press and creating an informed citizenry. To support these efforts, please visit appenmedia.com/join.

To find more about Jason Miller, visit his website, here.

Appen Media, publishers of the Alpharetta-Roswell Herald, invited all four candidates running for Roswell City Council Post 1 to record an interview with reporter Chamian Cruz. All four sessions are also available in written form, prepared by reporter Amber Perry and managing editor Pat Fox.

You can find all four interviews and more voting information at appenmedia.com/roswellelection.

This podcast is made possible by the generous members of the Appen Press Club, a division of Appen Media comprised of paying members of the community interested in protecting local press and creating an informed citizenry. To support these efforts, please visit appenmedia.com/join.

To find more about Allen Sells, visit his website, here.

Appen Media, publishers of the Alpharetta-Roswell Herald, invited all four candidates running for Roswell City Council Post 1 to record an interview with reporter Chamian Cruz. All four sessions are also available in written form, prepared by reporter Amber Perry and managing editor Pat Fox.

You can find all four interviews and more voting information at appenmedia.com/roswellelection.

This podcast is made possible by the generous members of the Appen Press Club, a division of Appen Media comprised of paying members of the community interested in protecting local press and creating an informed citizenry. To support these efforts, please visit appenmedia.com/join.

To find more about Sarah Beeson, visit her website, here.

On this episode Hans sits down with Jason Howard and Cathy Murphy of the Summit Conceling Center to discuss an upcoming townall host by the center and the City of Milton at its city hall. The event is designed to raise awareness of the growing epidemic of suicides in the country and Georgia, but especially in affluent suburbia. Cathy and Jason talk about how to recognize early signs for suicide and what can be done to prevent it.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, get help immediately. Call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line 1-800-715-4225 or visit mygcal.com, where you can find an agency in your area that may help.

Suicide, A Community Conversation (townhall)

Sep 10, 2019, 6:30pm - 8:30pm, Milton City Hall

The City of Milton, in partnership with the Summit Counseling Center, is hosting a community conversation at Milton City Hall to discuss suicide prevention. This important community conversation will include an expert panel of parents, counselors, medical experts, and youth leaders. 

Important Resources 

Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL)

1-800-715-4225

For immediate access to routine or crisis services 24/7/365.

My GCAL App

The app will allow youth to call, text, or chat with GCAL 24/7/365.

Trusted Adult Training

Signs of Suicide “Trusted Adult” Workshop

Sunday, September 22nd, 5:00PM

City Hall – Community Place, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton

Hans is joined in studio by three people that have been instrumental in making the work of the Ed Isakson/Alpharetta Family YMCA possible over the years. Roger Wise, Jimmy Moore and Elwyn Gaissert discuss what it took to bring a new YMCA "north of the river" in Atlanta for the first time in the early '80s, the process for developing its brick and mortar structure, and the people involved along the way. It is a show about dedication, the importance of community service above self.

Watch the episode: https://youtu.be/DbJBzTUtAoc

On the show this week is Jeff Graham, the Executive Director of Georgia Equality. He and Hans talk about the HIV epidemic in Atlanta, hate crime bills, trans people in the military - and much more! 

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WEuw-FAuB0E

Follow Georgia Equality on Twitter @GAEquality or online at www.georgiaequality.org.

Follow Inside the Box podcast on Twitter @insidetheboxpod.

Joining Hans on the show this week is US Senator Johnny Isakson, the senior Senator from Georgia and Chair of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. They talk all things national security – from his recent trip to Iraq, escalating tensions in Iran, and trade wars with China.

Visit the Senator’s official website HERE

Watch the episode HERE

Follow Senator Isakson on Twitter @SenatorIsakson

Follow Inside the Box podcast on Twitter @insidetheboxpod

Joining Hans on the show this week is Professor Carolyn Bourdeaux, a Democratic candidate for Georgia's 7th Congressional District to discuss her 2020 race, student loans, health care and more!

Watch the episode HERE 

Find out more about Carolyn's campaign HERE

Follow us @insidetheboxpod 

Joining Hans on the show this week is Alpharetta City Councilman Jason Binder to discuss the recently proposed Safe Hotels Ordinance. Councilman Binder talks about how he originally thought of the idea, why he thinks it's important, and what effect he thinks it might have on crime in the city of Alpharetta.

To learn more about the ordinance or to contact Jason directly, click HERE.

Listen to the North Fulton Serves podcast, HERE.

Donate to the 2019 Ed Isakson/Alpharetta Family YMCA campaign HERE.

The Appen Family was invited to give a presentation on the history of Appen Media Group and their take on the future of local news at their church, Alpharetta Presbyterian, which has been hosting a speaking series called Community Conversations. 

Joining Hans on the show this week is Brian Patton, a commercial real estate expert in the north Metro Atlanta area who gives his take on trends in the industry, why Alpharetta continues to buck the trend, his thoughts on a potential bubble and much more.

Craig Kidd, Chief of Staff for Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker and First Vice Chair for the Fulton County Republican Party joins Hans on the show this week to talk all things Johns Creek - including traffic, Mayor Bodker's tenure, a potential Johns Creek city center and the city's recent election of Democrats to the state legislature. 

Preston Thompson, the campaign manager for Representative Elect Mary Robichaux, joins the show to talk about their upset victory over incumbent Representative Doctor Betty Price. Will metro Atlanta politics continue to trend blue? How will recently elected Democrats forge their own path under a Brian Kemp governorship? Preston answers all of these questions and more in a behind the scenes peak into local politics and running a campaign.

Follow Preston on Twitter: @PSton3

Alpharetta Presbyterian Church Associate Pastor Rev. Caitlin Phillips and congregation member Derek Scheidt join the show to talk about the church’s recent push to attract people of all walks of life through its “ACCEPTANCE” marketing efforts. Caitlin and Derek talk about why this is important and what it means for the church to be a safe place for people in desperate need of one. 

On the show this week, Mary Robichaux, the Democratic candidate for House District 48 joins the show to discuss her platform, how she as a healthcare professional looks to make an impact on Georgia politics, and the state of the governor's race. 

Black Box reporter Pat Fox jumps on the phone to discuss his most recent article detailing two North Fulton mayors, Alpharetta's Jim Gilvin and Johns Creek's Mike Bodker, issues with the composition of the governing authority for metro Atlanta's newest transit authority - the ATL.