Community Corner

NEWS NEARBY: Lawsuit Alleges Sex Abuse at Canton Church; Man Drowns in Lake Lanier

Check out these Patch headlines from communities not far from Alpharetta and Milton.

 - Canton Patch

 allowed a fired employee with a history of sexual misconduct against children to return to the church as a volunteer, a misstep that led to the sexual battery of a teenage boy, the parents of the victim allege in a civil suit.

The boy's parents are suing the church, senior pastor George Anderson and former church employee Shawn Finch, alleging that they not only failed to properly supervise the volunteer and the children in their care, but tried to "downplay" the abuse in a meeting at the church.

Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A Cherokee County grand jury in April 2011 indicted the volunteer, 29-year-old Matthew Brent Sheffield of Canton, in the June 2010 sexual battery of the boy, who was 14 years old at the time. Sheffield faces two felony counts of child molestation.

 - Sandy Springs Patch

Find out what's happening in Alpharetta-Miltonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A Sandy Springs man accused of killing his girlfriend’s pet Pomeranian and then using the dead animal as a weapon to beat the woman is expected to enter a guilty plea on Thursday morning, a statement from the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office said.

Emmanuel Alfredo Tadeo is charged with aggravated assault, aggravated animal cruelty, animal cruelty and battery in the May 19 incident.

The victim was allegedly kicked and beaten by Tadeo during an argument at her Roswell Road apartment.

 - Cumming Patch

A 25-year-old man from nearby Gainesville reportedly drowned in Lake Lanier at Bolling Mill on Monday afternoon.

According to Melissa Cummings, public affairs coordinator for the Department of Natural Resources, Spencer Obe Dye, 25, of Gainesville, got into trouble in the water. A friend pulled him out and attempted CPR but was unsuccessful. Cummings said Dye was pronounced dead at 5:55 p.m.

 - Roswell Patch

"Crime against innocent worshipers is deplorable, said Parvinder Singh, spokesperson for Sikh Educational Welfare Association (SEWA) Gurudwara Sahib congregation in Roswell, speaking about recent revelations which suggest .

In the days since shooter Wade Michael Page shot a half dozen Sikh worshipers before he was himself killed by an Oak Creek Police officer, details about the tragedy have emerged to show that Page was linked to several white supremacy groups. Media reports have indicated that Page, a neo-Nazi heavy-metal band member, was consumed by hate.

While several organizations are planning interfaith vigils across the country for Wednesday eveing, SEWA will hold a special candlelight service on Friday, Aug. 10. The local congregation is inviting all local residents and religious organizations to join them.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Alpharetta-Milton