🌱 Johns Creek Man Sentenced For Abuse + Shooting At Townhomes

Hello all. It's me, Amy Mayo, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here are all the things you need to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Heavy thunderstorms; not as warm. High: 79 Low: 68.

Here are the top three stories in Johns Creek today:

1. Brian Baker, a Johns Creek man arrested in May of 2018, was found guilty last week of four counts of rape, incest, and aggravated child molestation. He has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus 70 years by Judge Melynee Leftridge. Baker was arrested after a then-13-year-old victim confided in another child about the abuse perpetrated against her by Baker since she was 8 years old. Baker admitted to sleeping in bed with the victim and texting her that she "turned [him] on" in an interview with Johns Creek police during the investigation. (Fox 5 Atlanta)
2. Nearby College Park police are currently investigating a townhome shooting that left one man dead and another in critical condition. Per the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office, on Wednesday, Jun. 14 at around 9:30 p.m., police were notified of a person shot at a Princeton Avenue townhome. When law enforcement arrived, they found Rodney Alfred, 25, who was pronounced dead on the scene, and another victim, who was taken to the hospital. Detectives with the College Park and Fulton County Police Departments believe the shooting to have been a part of an armed robbery at the townhomes. (WSB-TV)
3. Fulton County officials are planning for a Fulton County Police training center similar to the controversial DeKalb Co. "Cop City" development, which will be independent of the metro area installation. Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts has gone on record saying that plans for Fulton's police training center pre-date the controversy surrounding the Atlanta public safety center: In the late '90s and early 2000s, there were ambitions to renovate and repurpose the Wolf Creek Shooting Complex originally built as a shooting range for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The Fulton County training center will be smaller than the DeKalb Co. public safety center and is slated for a 2024 unveiling. (Fox 5 Atlanta)

Today in and around Johns Creek:

Monday, June 19

• Vibha Dream Golf Tournament 2023 At St. Ives Country Club (10:00 AM)
• Wellness Tea Party Workshop At George Pierce County Park, Gwinnett (11:30 AM)
• Adopt a Mom and Pop's Bingo At Culver's of Johns Creek, Suwanee (1:00 PM)
• Open Mic Hosted by Ben Wade At Adobo Taqueria and Tequila Bar (6:00 PM)
• Energy Yoga At Ocee Library (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Linda McGinn, master gardener and local artist, will be teaching a four-part class series to impart the Art of the Garden from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Jun. 29, and Jul. 13, 20, and 27, at the Johns Creek Arts Center. As part of the course, McGinn and students will explore how gardening can be both an art and a science. Registration is available at the link. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
• City officials are asking for public input online and at a community meeting to be held this upcoming Thursday, Jun. 22. Residents are invited to comment on the contours of updates to the City's Comprehensive Plan. Visit this link to weigh in. (City of Johns Creek, Georgia - Government via Facebook)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Amy Mayo

About me: Amy Mayo is a writer, visual artist, and political scientist, living in the NC Research Triangle. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and has worked in a variety of fields outside of copywriting including policy advocacy, the healthcare industry and pharmaceuticals, and education. She hopes one day to live up to the stringent expectations of her cat, Morty.