Pivotal moments are what one Henry County artist credits with shaping his life. Dr. Zerric Clinton, a local teacher and one of the resident artists at The Gallery at Hood Street in McDonough, takes a look back at some of the key influencers in his life and his art. “I’ve been creating art pretty much my whole life,” shares Dr. Clinton, but it was through drawing contests that he gained attention. “I used to win art shows.” As a teenager, Dr. Clinton experienced one of his first pivotal moments with one of his high school teachers, Dorothy Pope, who he...
Acorn Land Labs: Much More than a Garden
Just a stone’s throw away from the heart of McDonough’s town square, nestled in a quaint neighborhood, lies a special place, Acorn Land Labs – a garden that embodies the essence of home, transcending the confines of mere four walls. A vision built by the team of Kemble Hildreth, Joe Hildreth, and Ben Morse. Home signifies safety, where the family resides, your treasured belongings find their place, and the refuge you seek after a day’s toil in the bustling world. It’s where a faithful dog or cat eagerly awaits your return, where gardens flourish with your care, and where the...
Meeting the Heart Needs of a Community
More than three decades ago, the idea of bringing personalized and compassionate heart care to the southside of Atlanta became a reality. Gopal Rao, M.D., F.A.C.C. opened his first cardiology practice in Riverdale before joining two other cardiologists in 1992 to establish Atlanta Heart Associates, P.C. (AHA). Today Atlanta Heart is the largest, independent cardiovascular practice in the metro Atlanta area with 200 employees, 30 providers, and multiple locations including the newest location at 3333 Jodeco Road in Stockbridge. “Our success at Atlanta Heart is due to providing the best health care and concern for our patient’s satisfaction whether we...
A Life-Saving Heart Check-Up
McDonough resident Nelson Camilo, 79, felt great. He was a happy guy working the 60 acres on his daughter’s property, whether he was trimming trees, mowing the lawn, or cleaning the pool. He didn’t realize he had five blockages in his blood vessels until his cardiologist, Meryl Lynn Braunstein with Atlanta Heart Associates, P.C. scheduled him for a heart catheterization. “She was surprised I wasn’t feeling bad,” said Camilo. “I got scheduled for bypass surgery and was told to do nothing while I waited for the surgery.” The surgery at Piedmont Atlanta took place in May and it was a...
Musical High Note
The day came when Molly Corso found out she’d made it. This Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy student got the news she had been waiting for. “My heart was beating out of my chest,” says Corso. She was selected for the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony. But how did music become such a big part of her life? “I started with piano lessons,” says Corso. Then she joined her school band and transferred into percussion. Music runs deep in this percussionist’s family. Corso’s parents were clarinet players when they were in school. And Corso’s brother Jesse, a euphonium player for The...
Tiny, but Mighty
Christy Deen had been in the food and beverage industry for 20 years, including stints with Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks, when inspiration struck. She had traveled out to the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Martin, and saw drive thru coffee stands throughout the area. “These were small, had a tiny footprint, and I could manage starting one on my own,” said Deen. “It took some time to get it started because it wasn’t a prevalent concept in the Southeast, but after explaining it to the county and state, it got approved.” Located at 50 Hwy 138 West, Drip-Thru prides itself...
Serving a Greater Purpose
“Never underestimate the power of a woman!” This quote by Archie Andrews actually applies to not one, but two local women who founded a nonprofit philanthropic company from a desire to fulfill community needs through their logistics company. Victoria Sparks and Michele Wilson envisioned a charity which focused on children and women issues in Henry County as well as surrounding counties and eventually some worldwide organizations. With Sparks’ and Wilson’s determination to overcome the male dominated logistics industry, the company, PEI (Premier Expediters Inc.), was born in 1992 out of faith and determination. This parent company has expanded into four...
Revs Soccer Aims to Produce Successful Players
Soccer coach Tim Gilbert wants his players to move on to become college — and maybe even professional — athletes one day, but more importantly, he wants them to go on to be great human beings. Since he was young, he’s helped coach his brother, then later his son and hosts of other kids over the years. He admits that he was not the best role model to his younger brother while he was in high school and college, and eventually lost his brother. “Why I am working this hard for these kids is that I don’t want them doing...
Far East Meets South
Sweet Auburn BBQ started with a trailer in Atlanta and continued growing in popularity to now two restaurants, one on North Highland Avenue in Atlanta and one at 1828 Jonesboro Road in McDonough. The McDonough location, co-owned by David Maiolo, celebrated its one-year anniversary in December and is building a solid reputation among area foodies and BBQ aficionados. “We take traditional pit BBQ cooking and combine it with a little Asian fire,” said Maiolo. “It’s the perfect pairing.” When Maiolo talks about “fire,” he doesn’t mean overpowering heat but rather flavor. The Nam Jim Jaew sauce, featured on items like...
It’s Never too Late to Try Something New
For decades, Amy Iketani toyed with the idea of being a writer. In her early fifties, she decided to go for it. Her mother’s passing and a trip back to her hometown in Pennsylvania gave her the final motivation she needed, and in September of 2023, she officially became a published author. “I started dabbling in writing probably 20 years ago but didn’t have any training and didn’t really know what I was doing,” she said. “At least it felt that way.” She found an eight-hour writing course sold on Etsy by an established author, and it opened her eyes...