Tourism president lauded as advocate for public safety
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau was recognized this February for her leadership with the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation.
Janet Rodgers serves as the board’s chairperson of the nonprofit foundation, which supports local police, fire, communications and civilian personnel.
Their mission involves the purchase of vital equipment and creation of public safety programs.
The foundation has been in service for 19 years.
— Jon Wilcox
ALPHARETTA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU/PROVIDED Janet Rodgers, second from right, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau, is recognized for her work with the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation. Rodgers chairs the nonprofit foundation.
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Black school’s legacy lives on in exhibition
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. —
For Charles Grogan and other former students, the photos in the Bailey-Johnson School & Community Exhibit represent an opportunity to share their stories.
“It’s a pride you get from people knowing your history,” said Grogan,
a 77-year-old Decatur resident who helped assemble the photos. “It’s a warm feeling that you touched someone.”
Hosted by the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society and the City of Alpharetta, the exhibit of about 100 photos will be on display in the Community Gallery
See EXHIBIT, Page 16
County begins work on health, services center
Page 3
The Bailey-Johnson School’s
graduating class poses in their caps and gowns in 1954.
ALPHARETTA AND OLD MILTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY/PROVIDED Visitors scan photos featured in the Bailey-Johnson School & Community Exhibit at Alpharetta City Hall during a reception Feb. 13. Former students mingled with visitors, sharing details about the photos.
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Community, law enforcement mourn fallen officer
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Crowds gathered along the road to watch the vehicle processional and remember the life of Roswell Police Officer Jeremy Labonte during the afternoon of Feb. 12.
Despite the cold rain, community members rallied with their umbrellas and American flags to pay their respects for Labonte.
Police cars from cities across the state drove along the route. Cities as far as Milledgeville to Ellijay were included, as well as vehicles from the United States
POLICE BLOTTER
Customs and Border Protection, National Parks Service and the Georgia State Patrol. The processional lasted a little under an hour and consisted of over 100 vehicles, beginning their journey at Lebanon Baptist Church. They made their way down Crabapple Road, Canton Street, Atlanta Street and Mimosa Boulevard, with community members watching from the sidewalks. The processional ended at Roswell United Methodist Church, where the funeral service was held at 3 p.m.
See MOURN, Page 16
A community member holds an umbrella over a firefighter during the vehicle processional honoring Police Officer Jeremy Labonte on Feb. 12.
7 and towed it to an auto body shop in Canton.
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.
Authorities locate vehicle reported stolen in Roswell
ROSWELL, Ga. — A 38-year-old Roswell woman reported Feb. 5 that her exboyfriend sent her threatening messages and stole her Audi Q5.
An officer said the woman reported that her ex-boyfriend was threatening her over text while she was attempting to have him return her vehicle.
The woman said she purchased the vehicle last October for $6,500, and the officer confirmed the car was registered in her name.
The victim said she was in rehab for several weeks before New Year’s, and her ex refused to return her vehicle.
After listing the vehicle in regional crime databases, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle Feb.
The case was cleared Feb. 13 after the victim declined to press charges.
— Hayden Sumlin
Drugs discovered on man during processing at jail
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 39-year-old Kennesaw man was accused of attempting to bring drugs into the jail Feb. 7.
Police stopped a vehicle about 2 a.m. on southbound Ga. 400 after it failed to maintain its lane while entering from Mansell Road, according to an Alpharetta police report. The vehicle was reportedly leaving a nearby hotel where several drug arrests have been made.
Before the stop, the officer had been called to the hotel where someone was reported to be using drugs in the restroom.
The officer noticed the vehicle at the hotel while investigating the report. A woman had left the vehicle, entered a hotel room and departed about 10 minutes later.
During the traffic stop, a 37-year-old Sandy Springs woman who was driving
the vehicle said she had visited the hotel. The Kennesaw man was sitting in the passenger’s seat.
The officer confirmed the woman’s license was suspended. The officer smelled the faint odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to the report, and a K-9 was called to sniff the exterior of the vehicle.
The K-9, whose name is Suche, allegedly indicated there were drugs inside.
The officer notified the woman of the dog’s alert, and she said there was a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle.
A search revealed marijuana in the woman’s jacket and nine-and-a-half Xanax pills under the man’s seat, according to the report.
At the jail, 6.5 grams of cocaine reportedly fell from the man’s body during a strip search.
The woman was charged with failure to maintain lane and driving while license suspended.
The man was charged with possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of cocaine and crossing guard lines with prohibited drugs.
— Jon Wilcox
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
County kicks off renovations for Health & Human Services Center
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A commercial property along North Point Parkway is getting a face-lift as Fulton County transforms the site into a new Health and Human Services Center.
County officials gathered at 4700 North Point Parkway Feb. 11 for a “sledgehammer ceremony” to mark the beginning of renovations for a new one-stop shop for a range of health services for residents of all ages.
The county says the facility renovations are set to be completed in the first quarter of 2027 and will improve access to services for developmental disabilities, behavioral and public health, seniors and social support for North Fulton residents.
Commissioner Bob Ellis, representing the eastern half of North Fulton, said the county began looking for a site to put a health and human services center north of the Chattahoochee River in late 2018.
“We have to think about services geographically to make sure that we are getting them close enough to our residents,” Ellis said.
In 2019, Fulton County purchased the office building, formerly a telecommunications center, for $11 million. It served as one of the county’s main sites for testing and vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, second only to Mercedez-Benz Stadium
The renovation project, approved by the Board of Commissioners last November, has been in the works since 2019. The $15.4 million contract with the Beck Group to renovate the building is funded through a loan from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia.
After remarks from various elected
officials, Ellis and Fulton County Commissioner Chair Rob Pitts took turns putting holes in a wall on the first floor of the empty office building with sledgehammers.
Ellis said he thinks the health-related service center is going to be impactful longterm. He said the additional space available at the facility serves as a beachhead for future expansion.
The site, set to be renovated into the North Fulton Health and Human Services Center, consists of a 108,000-square-foot, two-story facility on 23.87 acres. The plan is to revamp the entire first floor, tearing down walls and retrofitting the space. On the second floor, the plan is to leave around 25,000 square feet untouched for future expansion.
Ellis said the proximity of the site to Ga. 400 is excellent and generally accessible to all North Fulton cities, which was one of
the goals of the facility.
The site allows the county to consolidate its existing services within several offices in Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton and Roswell. County officials said those sites are crowded and dilapidated.
The county has the Customer Service Center off Maxwell Road in Alpharetta for assistance with water and sewer billing, tax assessments and driver services. The North Fulton Service Center along Roswell Road (Ga. 9) in Sandy Springs offers similar services.
Those facilities will continue normal operations.
“What we have not had is many of the health-related services, or have them more proximate to residents,” Ellis said. “We have some smaller senior service centers that do sit in North Fulton cities right now … this is about being able to serve the
entirety of the population better.”
As far as what active seniors can expect at the future North Fulton Health and Human Services Center, Ellis mentioned the Benson Center off Roswell Road (Ga. 9) in Sandy Springs.
Some services at the future center will be geared toward low-income residents, but county officials said others, like adult day care and vaccinations for international travelers, are available to everyone.
Other elected officials, including Mountain Park Mayor Bill Kolbrener, Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry and Sandy Springs council members Melody Kelley and John Paulson, also attended the ceremony. The lucky ones got to swing a sledgehammer.
Fulton County Chief Operating Officer Pamela Roshell said the renovated facility will bring new senior services to North Fulton, while providing existing ones for behavioral and public health, developmental disabilities and real estate management.
She also said there is room for expansion and opportunities for collaboration with community partners and organizations at the site.
With more than a year until the North Fulton Health and Human Services Center is welcoming residents, there is a plan for a similar center south of Atlanta.
Roshell said plans for a second healthrelated service center is dependent on a feasibility study, which the county is actively seeking a vendor to conduct.
“This transformation today is significant step toward creating a state-of-theart facility that will enhance health and social support services for our friends and neighbors in North Fulton,” Roshell said. “We are not only expanding our capacity but also strengthening our commitment to well-being.”
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
From left, Fulton County commissioners Bridget Thorne and Bob Ellis ready their sledgehammers as Commission Chairman Robb Pitts takes a swing during the kickoff of renovations at 4700 North Point Parkway for the future North Fulton Health and Human Services Center. Work is expected to be completed by this time next year.
Proposed legislation could cut school funding
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
NORTH FULTON, Ga. — The Fulton County School District may lose millions in funding due to proposed legislation that could affect its senior homestead tax exemption.
At a Feb. 13 community meeting held at Roswell North Elementary School, District 1 Board Member Sara Gillespie said state legislators are considering a law that would expand the exemption.
Lawmakers have not formally introduced the bill, and the details are still under consideration. However, if it moves forward in its current form, school officials say it could have a negative impact to the district’s budget.
“A large majority of our funding does come from our homestead taxes,” Gillespie told people at the meeting.
Fulton County property taxes account for about 64 percent of the revenues in the district’s fiscal year 2024-25 budget.
There is currently an exemption in Fulton County with a reduction of $10,000 of homestead assessment values for residents over 65.
Gillespie also offered other district updates at the community meeting.
She spoke about possible school consolidations that may impact District 1 families. She said residents can expect changes that are “immediate enough” to issue the warning.
“This is not going to be a one-time situation,” Gillespie said.
School closures would be based on student populations and capacity. District 1 encompasses areas in North Fulton County such as Roswell, Alpharetta and Johns Creek.
On a related topic, Gillespie said the district received applications for more than 1,700 students through the Change of School Assignment process. The application allows for students to attend a school different than the original school they were zoned for.
“We have a total of 741 middle and high school students that were offered placement,” Gillespie said.
“Elementary will be offered at the end of March.”
The applications come in the wake of possible school closures for Spalding Drive Elementary School in Sandy Springs and Parklane Elementary School in East Point.
In her address to patrons, Gillespie also shared that K-12 students can soon enjoy seeing three new fourlegged friends in the hallways.
Ducky, Delilah and Ernie, 18-month-old dogs, will join the canine unit to begin cycling through the schools.
“They are super sweet, loving, they like to snuggle,” Gillespie said. “They’re very well prepared to be in the school environment.”
The dogs, who went through an “extreme” process to get selected, can help provide safety measures, like detecting drugs and weapons.
Gillespie went on to note a few personnel changes for the district.
Crabapple Middle School will welcome Stephanie Haga as its new principal. The Roswell resident began her journey with Fulton County
Schools in 2005, where she spent 11 years as a middle school teacher and was principal of Wilson Creek Elementary School.
“She knows our community,” Gillespie said.
Haga has supported 21 schools as a STEM program specialist.
Roswell High School will start the football season with a new head coach. Jonathon Thompson has been coaching since 2012 and was recently an offensive coordinator at Lee County.
“If you know anything about high school football, south Georgia brings a different breed,” said Melissa Little, Roswell High School assistant principal. “We’re just excited to add that to the competitive nature that’s already been there at Roswell.”
Among policy changes, Gillespie said that exchange students will now have to submit a J-1 Visa to participate to be eligible to attend school.
Students will also be limited to joining at the start of the semester and can attend a maximum of one
year. The student’s placement will depend on school capacity.
The students will not receive a diploma but can transfer their credits earned to their home institution.
The meeting discussed:
• A Transition Services Resource Fair will be held to discuss the transition from school to adulthood on Feb. 18 at Riverwood International Charter School and Feb.19 at Benjamin Banneker High School from 4-7 p.m. Families interested can register on the Fulton County Schools website under academics.
• Spring sports schedules are available on the respected athletics department website.
• Fulton County Schools received the Common Sense Media Certificate, which aims to provide digital citizenship to families, staff and students.
• Parents and teachers can declare their candidacy for the School Governance Council until March 28 at fultonschools.org/our-district/ charter-system/elections
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Sara Gillespie, Fulton County Schools District 1 board member, presents three new canine unit members to the crowd Feb. 13 at Roswell North Elementary School. “They’re very well prepared to be in the school environment,” Gillespie said.
Taste of Alpharetta scheduled for May 8
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The 33rd annual Taste of Alpharetta will feature signature creations from more than 60 of the city’s best restaurants.
Scheduled for 5-10 p.m. May 8 in the city’s downtown, the signature culinary event will offer food samples for $1-$6. Admission is free.
Since 1991, Taste of Alpharetta has invited visitors to savor delicious food, live entertainment and community spirit. It unites the area's top chefs, local restaurants and food enthusiasts for an evening of culinary discovery.
Taste of Alpharetta has been recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as a premier regional event.
Janet Rodgers, president & CEO of the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Taste of Alpharetta is an opportunity to show off the talent to local chefs and restaurants.
“It’s not just an event. It’s a celebration of everything that makes Alpharetta the dining destination it is today,” Rodgers said. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to taste, enjoy and create lasting memories with us.”
Featured dishes include a variety of global flavors and hometown favorites. A variety of beverages will be served throughout the downtown area.
Four stages will feature the talents of local musicians. Children are invited to enjoy a family-friendly Kidz Zone with rides, games and challenge courses for all ages.
Amanda Musilli, City of Alpharetta community agriculture & sustainability
Event Details
When: 5-10 p.m. May 8, 2025
Location: Downtown Alpharetta
Admission: Free
Food Samples: $1-$6 per dish
Food, activity and merchandise purchases must be made with TasteBucks, Taste of Alpharetta’s digital currency. Fans are encouraged to download the Taste of Alpharetta mobile app, which is available on Google Play and App Store, and use it to purchase and redeem TasteBucks during the festival. TasteBucks and Kidz Zone wristbands for the 2025 festival go on sale April 14. Festival goers can take advantage of special early bird discounted TasteBucks and Kidz Zone wristbands by purchasing items in the first week of the online release.
services manager, said visitors can learn about where food comes from through hands-on activities, demonstrations and nonprofits at the Locally Grown area.
“We want to inspire a deeper appreciation for the people and organizations that make our food scene so special,” Musilli said.
Taste of Alpharetta is produced by the City of Alpharetta in partnership with the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
— Jon Wilcox
Alpharetta native Sarah Coyne joins Appen reporting team
ALPHARETTA, Ga —
Appen Media Group announced Feb. 14 that Sarah Coyne will join its staff as a reporter. Coyne will immediately begin covering local government and business in North Fulton. She will report to Carl Appen, director of content and development, and will be based in Alpharetta.
“Having an Alpharetta native come home to cover her community is a special gift for us,” Appen said. “Sarah hit the ground running this week already covering some heavy topics, like the tragic death of Roswell Police Officer Jeremy Labonte. For a hometown news group, connecting to the reporting is key. We’re lucky to have some-
one with the reporting and photo chops Sarah brings. The fact that already has roots here just makes it that much better.”
Coyne grew up in Alpharetta and graduated from the University of Georgia in Dec. 2024 with a degree in journalism. During her time at Georgia, Coyne took courses in investigative reporting, international affairs and photojournalism. Alongside her coursework, Coyne served as the city and county beat reporter for The Oglethorpe Echo.
“I’m so excited to be able to write for the newspaper that I grew up reading,” Coyne said. “I have a passion to inform my audience and through my writing and photography, which I crafted at Grady College.”
To contact Coyne with news tips or story ideas, email sarah@appenmedia.com.
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Tourism bureau names new head of public outreach
Roger Wise Jr.
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. —
The Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau has welcomed a new director of public relations and communications to their team.
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Anita Jupin began in the position in October, bringing years of experience and ample experience in the field, according to the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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Jupin served the City of Milton for five years, rising from special events coordinator to economic development manager. There, she orchestrated highprofile community events, built strong partnerships with local businesses and championed initiatives to drive economic growth and community engagement.
She has a background in marketing, hospitality and event planning. That experience equips her to attract visitors, enhance local tourism and foster a vibrant community, according to the bureau.
Janet Rodgers, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau, said she looks forward to seeing what Jupin can accomplish leading the communications team.
“We are thrilled that Anita has joined our team,” Rodgers said. “Talented individuals working together for a common purpose is what makes our organization so awesome. Anita’s skills and reputation precede her.”
Public relations and communications efforts are essential to the success of the bureau’s goals and strategies, according to the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Convention & Visitors Bureau serves as the official destination marketing organization for the city.
The agency works to reinforce Alpharetta’s position as a regionally, nationally and globally recognized premier tourism destination by developing programs and facilities to attract overnight visitors. It reaches potential visitors all year to attract overnight stays through innovative and targeted marketing, communications strategies and sales efforts.
Alpharetta was named one of the Top 10 of the South’s best cities on the rise in 2024 by “Southern Living Magazine.” “The Local Palate’s” readers selected Alpharetta as a Top 3 culinary town in the South in 2024.
Jon Wilcox
JUPIN
EAGLES 82, HORNETS 26
Milton girls take 5A region championship
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga — The Milton girls kept the Region 7, 5A basketball title at home Feb. 14, winning the championship for the second straight season with a home win over Roswell, 82-26.
The Hornets struggled to break through an Eagles squad determined to hold stiff on defense. Sophomore Harms Mulkey led the Hornets with 6 points.
Milton senior Raygen Lewis held Roswell’s leading scorer, Eve Buckley, to 5 points, shooting 1-9.
In another display of scoring distribution, four Eagles made it to double figures.
Freshman Aaleanna Milord and senior Londyn Walker scored 17 points each to lead the team. Junior Caroline Young chipped in 16.
Walker also notched six rebounds, eight assists and seven steals. Young hauled in five
rebounds and three steals.
Milord said the team is now locked in for the state tournament. She discussed what went right to allow her to go off for five 3-pointers.
“In pregame shootaround I made sure I got my shot right, then when I kept making them, I got more confidence building up,” she said. “I think this is one of our best games this season because we were able to hype each other up.”
Milton head coach Julian Barfield agreed that the team is in good position in their development this season.
“We talk about the roller coaster all the time,” he said. “Traveling for tournaments and going on the road, it’s paying off and paying dividends. I’m excited for [the state tournament] to start.”
Despite the loss, Roswell takes the second seed to face off against Lassiter for the first round of the state tournament. Milton matches up against Sequoyah.
7506 Wilderness Parkway Big Canoe, GA 30143 bigcanoeanimalrescue.org 706-268-1346 Facts About Me
Breed: Boxer Mix
Color: Black/White- (shorthair)
Age: 15 months old
Weight: (Current) – 60 lbs.
Fully Grown: Large – (75 lbs.))
Sex: Male
My Info
Healthy / All shots current / Neutered Good with dogs & children / Cats??
My Story
Ace was surrendered to a county shelter by a couple who had to move to a condo and thought he deserved a better life than what they were able to provide for him. He has been well cared for! He enjoys walking, hiking the trails, LOVES playing ball at the park and, you guessed it, just hanging out with the family. He has a wonderful, sweet disposition and enjoys everyone he meets. Come meet him, bring a tennis ball and treats.
7506 Wilderness Parkway Big Canoe, GA 30143 bigcanoeanimalrescue.org 706-268-1346
Facts About Me
Breed – Great Pyrenees Mix
Color – Black/White
Age – 2 yrs old approx.
Size – Fully Grown – Large (75 lbs.)
Weight – Current – (70 lbs.)
Sex Male
My Info
Healthy / All Shots current Good with children / No cats
Neutered & Chipped Good walker / Likes car rides
My Story
Get ready ! This sweet boy will steal your heart and become your faithful companion. Timber is good natured, calm, enjoys being the only pet in the family so he can spend fun filled days of walking, riding in car (front seat only for him!), hanging in the sun, watching TV , cuddling and holding paws with you ! Food, treats and humans are his thing.
He is a gentle giant looking for just the right family to grow old with. Are you a match?
All BCAR dogs are placed as indoor family pets. No electric fences, please. Visit pets every Saturday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (706-268-1346) or visit our website for adoption information at www.bigcanoeanimalrescue.org
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Milton junior Caroline Young tips off against Roswell senior Taylor Carlson during the Region 7, 5A championship game at Milton High School Feb. 14.
STEPHEN HARTSOCK, founder and owner, Socks’ Love Barbeque
CUMMING, Ga. — When Stephen Hartsock opened his barbecue restaurant in 2018, he brought a meticulous eye for detail honed over 15 years in home construction.
At face value, there’s little difference between the menu at Socks’ Love Barbecue and the thousands of other barbecue spots in the nation.
They serve brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, turkey and all the traditional sides.
But there’s something special going on behind the scenes.
“It’s kind of like the ongoing question. ‘What sets you apart from other barbecue joints?’” Hartsock said. “And I just kind of smile and say, ‘Come with me into our kitchen for a day, and you’ll see.”
In pursuing his culinary passions, Hartsock said he has applied lessons learned while mentoring under the owner of a construction company he worked at for over a decade. It was sometimes a frustrating experience, but he learned the value of perfection over “good enough.”
That approach has made Socks’ barbecue a truly exceptional experience.
“I promise you, once you figure us out and try it, it’s unforgettable,” he said.
That attention to detail hasn’t just won over locals. It’s turned heads in the barbecue world, too.
In 2024, Daniel Vaughn, the mind behind “Texas Monthly’s” Top 50 barbecue list, included Socks’ as an honorable mention for barbecues outside
Texas and in a list of his favorites outside the state.
Socks’ Love Barbecue is open at 1050 Buford Highway in Cumming 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
To browse their products, visit socksloverub.com. To learn more about the restaurant, visit sockslovebrands.com.
seasonings.
After entering competitions and dabbling in catering, he realized he wanted to open a restaurant.
Pursuing that dream has been an exciting opportunity, but it’s also a lot of work, he said.
The brisket spends 14 hours in a J&R Manufacturing smoker, which he specially picked because of its ability to handle large quantities without skimping on flavor. The smoker is unique because the meat is cooked solely by hickory smoke rather than relying on an extra boost of heat from gas.
The magazine’s list of top barbecues is considered a Holy Grail for the latest and greatest meat smokers in the nation.
Among locals, the menu has won equally impressive praise and earned a steady stream of repeat customers who just can’t get enough. On Socks’ website, comments ooze with praise.
“I never write reviews, but I just
finished the absolutely best barbecue I’ve ever had,” one reviewer writes. “That’s saying a lot because I lived in Texas.”
Hartsock began his professional foray into barbecue with a custom rub he gave out to guests at his wedding. Now dubbed Socks’ Love Rub, the mixture of molasses sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, cayenne and onion and garlic powder is sold by the restaurant along with other custom condiments and
Trimmed and smoked daily, the certified Angus beef takes on a rich, juicy texture in the J&R, which also renders the beef’s fat into the butter-like consistency of tallow.
“When you achieve that, you know you’ve done it correctly,” Hartsock said.
The sausage is another source of pride at Socks’. Made in-house, staff make a point of respecting the cows by wasting as little of their meat as possible.
See SOCKS, Page 9
STEVEN HARTSOCK/PROVIDED
Brisket is smoked for 14 hours at Socks’ Love Barbecue in Cumming. Owner Stephen Hartsock opened the establishment on Buford Road in 2018.
Atlanta Regional Commission launches transportation survey
METRO ATLANTA — For the first time in 14 years, the Atlanta Regional Commission has launched the Regional Household Travel Survey, in efforts to see how metro Atlanta residents travel around the region.
In partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and the Georgia Department of Transportation, the commission is one of the first in the nation to administer a survey of its kind since the COVID-19 pandemic.
John Orr, Senior Managing Director of Transportation Planning at the Atlanta Regional Commission said that the survey is “one of the most important tools we have to understand how people in metro Atlanta travel.”
Data gathered will be given to researchers, policy makers and transportation planners to help provide improvements to the quality and availability of transportation.
“The findings will shed light on how travel patterns have changed since the pandemic, which caused a sharp rise in teleworking,” Orr said.
The commission aims to aid the Atlanta region through “transportation planning, aging services, community development, water resources management, workforce development and homeland security.”
The 19-county Atlanta region wide survey will consist of two phases, with the first that will be administered through Dec. 2025. This phase will include 3,000 households.
A “statistically significant” sample size that will consist of 6,500 households will be provided through the second phase, planned for 2026.
Households are defined as people
Socks:
Continued from Page 8
Natural hog casings are filled with brisket trimmings, and Hartsock applies a mathematical precision to their preparation, combining of 30-to70 ratio of fat to lean beef. The mixture is ground several times and seasoned throughout the process.
Extra fat is rendered to tallow and saved for sale.
“We’re not wasting money,” he said. “We’re not wasting meat. We’re not wasting this animal’s life.”
After the sausages are stuffed, they are dried and then smoked.
Hartsock said he has applied that same attention to detail to the menu’s
More Information: You can find more details about the survey at https://atlantaregional.org/news/uncategorized/ arc-launches-regional-household-travelsurvey-to-shed-light-on-transportationpatterns-in-metro-atlanta/
who live together in one residence with a shared kitchen.
Counties that will be surveyed include Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Rockdale, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Coweta, Hall, Newton, Paulding, Spalding and Walton.
Households randomly selected to participate in the survey will receive details in the mail, along with the incentive to earn a gift card of $20 or more, based on household size, if chosen to opt-in.
The survey will ask the household to document travel for household members on an assigned day given by the Federal Highway Administration. Documentation should include time of day, mode of transportation, purpose of the trip and who they were traveling with. It is also important to note whether those who travelled were driving, walking, jogging, bicycling or using the transit.
A second survey, consisting of 9,000 households is planned to be conducted in 2025 through 2026, to provide an additional set of data for planning efforts.
“This survey will inform regional transportation planning efforts for years to come,” Orr said.
— Sarah Coyne
sides, which include macaroni and cheese, collard greens, Frito chili pie, beans and creamed corn.
For example, the collards are made with Korean gochujang, fish sauce, soy sauce and other ingredients to impart a rich savoriness. The mac and cheese has an “ultra creamy” and “ultra cheesy” flavor and texture that makes it simply the “best mac and cheese you’ve ever had,” he said.
While many places do barbecue well, it’s entirely different to do it with excellence, Hartsock said. That guiding principle has led Hartsock to critical acclaim, a healthy business and personal satisfaction.
“It’s a ton of work,” Hartsock said. “But it’s why we can exist and be successful with a competitor just a half a mile down the road.”
Verizon FanFest parties at State Farm Arena
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA, Ga — This year for the Super Bowl, Verizon replaced a nationwide commercial with expanding into local markets and emphasizing providing a Super Bowl experience to their customers dubbed Fan Fest.
With help from several partners, including the NFL, Verizon provided a new and unique experience in 30 cities across the country.
More than 1,000 fans gathered at State Farm Arena in Atlanta Feb. 9 to play games and watch the Super Bowl on the jumbotron.
Verizon’s Atlantic South retail vice president Shawn Alexander said they wanted to do something different this year.
“This is really about the experience and connecting with our customer base and fans that love the NFL,” she said. “We wanted to get as close to a big Super Bowl party that you could get.”
Three-time Pro Bowler, former Falcons running back and current Falcons minority owner Warrick Dunn
Jahi “Deuce” Fields Jr. plays with a football aiming game before the big game starts at the Verizon Fan Fest at State Farm Arena Feb. 9.
took pictures with dozens of attendees at the party.
What meant the most to him was being there to help create memories for fans.
“It’s the relationships that we build in life that really impact us,” Dunn said.
“To me, you’ve gotta meet [people] where they’re at, and this is a great opportunity to actually do that and create memories
today.”
Falcons linebacker Matt Judon said he was happy to get the call asking him to attend Fan Fest. He also complimented the Falcons’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Grady Jarrett.
“It’s a cool award to have around the league,” he said. “It makes us be competitive in giving, how much we can not think about ourselves.”
Wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III stressed how the city’s support has been vital to his first year with the Falcons. He said he was excited to give back to a community that’s embraced him.
“This is a fan-driven league,” he said. “Being involved with the fans, being involved with the community is big for me. When our kids can touch, feel and see what their dreams look like I think it’s big for them.”
Fellow wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge agreed that being there for the fans has been a highlight of his time in Atlanta.
“The love they have for me, I love them just as much,” he said. “I love the fan base, all the people. Love when they come out and have a good time.”
Innovation Academy girls win fencing championship for second straight year
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga — FCS Innovation Academy hosted the Georgia High School Fencing League Championship Feb. 8 and took home gold in girls team play for the second year in a row.
The final was a rematch of the previous year but this time on the academy’s home turf. Lambert High School was runner-up for the second straight season after taking first in 2023.
Boasting 97 fencers, Innovation Academy’s team is one of the biggest in the nation.
League Chairman Kathy Vail said Georgia ranks third in the nation with about 400 fencers in their 20th season.
“It’s a lifetime sport,” she said. “One of the things I like about the high school league is it gives more kids a chance to be a high school athlete.”
Innovation Academy Head Coach Bill Donges said 40-50 fencers join the team each year.
“(About) 90% of new participants have not fenced before. It’s a great opportunity,” he said. “It gives kids on my team a chance to succeed in a sport, and it’s huge for the community here.”
Team Captain Yuchen Fan said fencing “is IA culture.”
Assistant Coach Becca Han agreed.
Han said she returns to Alpharetta from Georgia Tech in order to stay
the Georgia
School
connected with an organization that has added immense value to her life.
“I gained almost all my best friends through the team,” Han said. “Coach Bill recognizes every small achievement. It really makes you feel accomplished.”
Innovation Academy took third in the boys final. The championship saw Pope High School triumph over Johns Creek High School.
Pope Head Coach David Eichler said seeing his team rise to the occasion
was the best way to close out his career before retiring this year.
“They fenced better than I have ever seen them fence before,” he said. “I could not be more proud of my team. They worked so hard this year.”
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
From left, FCS Innovation Academy fencers Claire Wang, Anna Donges, Catherine Rafferty and Emma Cheng celebrate taking first place at
High
Fencing League championship held at FCS Innovation Academy Feb. 8. The quartet beat Lambert High School 45-31 for the title.
Touchmark National Bank: Your local partner for business growth
Brought to you by — Touchmark National Bank
Touchmark National Bank is proud to serve Roswell, Alpharetta, and metro Atlanta as a dedicated community bank. We specialize in commercial loans for small businesses and real estate investors, providing personalized financing solutions with the speed and flexibility that only a local bank can offer.
As a community-focused lender, we take the time to understand your unique business needs, allowing us to structure loans that align with your goals. Our Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs make it easier for startups and growing businesses to access capital, as the SBA’s guarantees encourage banks to lend to a broader range of entrepreneurs. We encourage business owners to plan ahead when seeking financing. The loan process takes time, and businesses in urgent need of cash often face greater scrutiny from lenders. The best time to secure funding is before it becomes a necessity.
Of course, borrowing is a strategic
decision. While the right financing can fuel growth and new opportunities, overleveraging can create risks—even a small dip in revenue can lead to cash flow challenges. That’s why we take a relationshipdriven approach, working closely with our clients to ensure they make informed financial decisions.
Commercial lending is a long-term commitment, often spanning 10 years or more. At Touchmark National Bank, we are dedicated to supporting our clients at every stage—from initial financing to ongoing business growth.
If you’re exploring financing options, we invite you to connect with Zed Yu, one of our experienced commercial lenders. Zed recently rejoined Touchmark National Bank, having previously worked with us from 2021 to 2023. With 25 years of experience in small business and investment financing—and a strong presence in the Atlanta market since 2006—he brings valuable expertise to local businesses.
Contact Zed Yu at 678-215-1981 or zed.yu@touchmarknb.com.
At Touchmark National Bank, we’re committed to helping local businesses succeed. Let’s build something great together!
Pre-Nuptial Agreements
Their essential role in empowering couples through estate planning
Pre-nuptial agreements represent one of life’s most significant milestones as couples enter marriage, symbolizing love, commitment, and partnership. While the emotional elements of marriage often take center stage, practical considerations inevitably accompany this profound union, particularly regarding finances and asset management. Pre-nuptial agreements can play a crucial role in addressing these important aspects, providing a structured framework for navigating potential complexities that may arise during the course of a marriage. One of the primary benefits of a prenup is its ability to alleviate potential financial disputes in the future. By addressing issues such as property division, spousal support, and debt allocation in advance, couples can minimize misunderstandings and conflicts that may arise later. This level of foresight
is particularly valuable for individuals entering a marriage with significant assets, business interests, or children from previous relationships. In such cases, prenuptial agreements can ensure that these existing responsibilities and assets are safeguarded. If you own any assets prior to marriage or remarriage you should also establish a trust to keep assets separate instead of commingling the assets during marriage. Sometimes without the trust your assets get commingled and therefore you may waive some or all of your rights in the prenuptial agreement.
Therefore, we always recommend a trust with a prenuptial agreement. Worst case if prenuptial agreement is not possible then at least do a trust to keep your assets separate during the marriage.
Come to one of our weekly workshops to learn how to protect your assets in all different circumstances during your life and for your beneficiaries after your death.
Summer Camps
Sponsored Section February 20, 2025 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | 12
Atlanta International School
Offering an enriching summer experience full of fun, new friends, and adventures!
Brought to you by – Atlanta International School
Summer means just one thing at Atlanta International School (AIS) – and that’s fun! With a fantastic variety of unique camps for children from 4K to Grade 10, beating boredom is guaranteed! Designed to exercise both young minds and bodies during the summer months, we have a camp to suit everyone.
The school hosts over 90 camps, across its Buckhead Campus, and now for the second year, at its new Sandy Springs location.
AIS Sandy Springs is the perfect place to enjoy friendship and fun. Set in 25 acres of beautiful natural woodland on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, campers get to experience the outdoors and enjoy the newly renovated campus facilities.
Depending on the age of the student, the camps offered at Sandy Springs are:
Art Meets Science, Bulls and Bears Camp, Chess, Chicos on Stage, Cosplay – Character Fashion, Digital Creators Academy, Dungeons and Dragons Camp, Filmmaking, Islandmon, LEGO Robotics: Power Machines, LEGO Robotics – Remote Control Mania, Model UN Camp, No-Sew Design Camp, Read All About It, Slimetopia 2, Sports Play, Sports Play Party, STEAMtank Entrepreneurs, STEAMWarts, Stop Motion Camp, Sustainable Eco-Fashion Design Camp, Video Game Design and Coding Camp, and an awesome Wilderness Survival Camp!
And at the school’s Buckhead Campus, students can explore language camps - in Chinese, French, German, Spanish, and English. Or how about Tinkering, Engineering, Multi Sports, Music Video Production, Basketball, or Cheerleading? There is a vast range of camps which means there is truly something for everyone!
AIS Camps run from June 2nd - July 25th, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Free early drop-off is available from 8 a.m., and we also have Stay and Play from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for $25 a day.
Find detailed descriptions of each camp and register at www.aischool.org/summercamps.
AIS Sandy Springs Campus: 1701 Brandon Hall Drive, Sandy Springs, GA. 30350
AIS Buckhead Campus: 2890 North Fulton Drive, Atlanta, GA. 30305
If you have any questions, please contact adriana.quispe-mesia@aischool.org. We look forward to making your child’s summer special!
A Place to Thrive this
Sandy Springs Campus | Grade 3 - 10
Enjoy over 90 fun camps including arts, science, coding, drones, chess, and more.
Delivers to 28,000 households every Thursday Zip Codes: 30005, 30009, 30022, 30075, 30076. Alpharetta & Roswell’s primary news source. Alpharetta and Roswell’s paper of record. Est. 1983
Delivers to 20,000 households every Thursday Zip Codes: 30022, 30097. Johns Creek’s primary news source. Est. 1997. Johns Creek’s paper of record.
Delivers to 17,000 households every Thursday. Zip Codes: 30040, 30041. Forsyth County’s largest circulation newspaper. Est. 1998
Delivers to 10,000 households every Thursday Zip Code: 30004. Community news for and about the City of Milton. Est. 2006. Milton’s paper of record.
Delivers to 18,000 households every Thursday Zip Codes: 30338, 30350, 30360, 30346, 30319. Community news for and about the City of Dunwoody and surrounding areas. City of Dunwoody paper of record. Est. 1976.
Delivers to 12,000 households every Thursday Zip Codes: 30327, 30328, 30342, 30350
Exhibit:
Continued from Page 1
at Alpharetta City Hall through April 18.
Grogan, began attending as a first grader in 1953 and graduated in 1965 as a senior.
The school was the first to offer a public high school education to Black students in Fulton County.
Pat Miller, president of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society, said the pictures offer a glimpse into life at the school and the community it served, shining a light on segregated education in Alpharetta.
At a reception marking the exhibit’s opening on Feb. 13, former students met with visitors, joyfully recalling details about the school.
Two students of a second-grade class featured in a photo were on hand to offer insights. They pointed out the class clown and recounted where some of the students are now.
Another photo shows Grogan, who played on the varsity basketball team, making a jump shot.
The photo has long been in Grogan’s possession, but showing it to others is a privilege, he said.
The Bailey-Johnson School was opened on Kimball Bridge Road in 1950 during a time when Black Fulton County district students had no options for public education at the high school level, requiring them to either enroll in private schools or in another district.
“They only received free public
Mourn:
Continued from Page 2
education through the seventh grade even though their parents paid taxes like everyone else,” Miller said.
The school was named after two local men, George “Hard” Bailey, a blacksmith who operated a shop on South Main Street in Alpharetta, and Warren Johnson, a Roswell resident.
Bailey donated the land for the school. Johnson, who was born into slavery, spent much of his life
A livestream of the funeral was provided to the public on www.roswellgov.com/FuneralService.
Roswell Police Chief James Conroy spoke at the funeral where he provided words to those in attendance about the impact Ofc. Labonte made.
“If you look around you are surrounded by love,” Conroy said.
Community members, which have “overwhelmed” the police department with support, are encouraged to donate to the Labonte family on the Friends of Roswell Police Foundation PayPal.
At a press briefing on Monday, Feb. 10, Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson addressed the public about the city’s efforts to honor Ofc. Labonte.
“Officer Labonte dedicated his life to serving and protecting the people of Roswell, and now we come together to honor him,” Wilson said.
A private burial service for friends and family will take place on Thursday, Feb. 13.
“What we’re doing, I think is small really, in comparison to the sacrifice that this young man made for our city,” Wilson said.
advocating for improved educational opportunities for Black students.
The school was closed in 1967 with the desegregation of public schools in North Fulton County.
Nancy Murphy, gallery coordinator, said although the school was unique in the opportunities it provided, it also was a full-fledged high school like any other.
Bailey-Johnson offered a variety of
To donate photos to the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society, contact them at artsculture@alpharetta.ga.us or visit aomchs.org.
extracurriculars to enrich students’ lives from a drama club to varsity sports to a 4-H club.
When former students looked at the decades-old photos, many expressed a “tremendous love” for their time there, she said.
“They were deeply involved, just as any other school at the time,” Murphy said.
Miller, a 78-year-old Milton resident, said segregation was still the law of the land when she was in high school.
But when she graduated in 1964, that had begun to change.
The year of her graduation also was the year civil rights activists
James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan in Mississippi.
Miller said the exhibits’ photos show how important education was to the students at the Bailey-Johnson School. They also reveal the students’ humanity and individuality.
One particular photo of students carpooling in the back of a truck especially reveals how much the school meant to them, she said.
“You would really want to get an education to ride 30 miles to school and 30 miles back, hanging on in the open air,” she said. “These are really incredible people to me.”
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
A procession of more than 100 vehicles roll past crowds lining streets in Roswell to honor Police Officer Jeremy Labonte Feb. 12. Residents braved rain and cold temperatures to pay their respects to the officer who was shot and killed while responding to a suspicious person Feb. 7 at a Market Boulevard shopping center.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Photos in the Bailey-Johnson School & Community Exhibit are mounted on the wall at Alpharetta City Hall.
Corn shucking (separating the husk from the ear of corn) was labor intensive task requiring a group effort. In this 1932 photo the extended Bell family and neighboring farmers are gathered at the Albert Bell farm on Rogers Bridge Road. For generations the Bells farmed the land that includes today’s Cauley Creek Park.
PRESERVING THE PAST
Shakerag – A delightful community with a curious name
Shakerag is a historic community in Johns Creek dating back to the early 1800s. Parts of the community are in Forsyth County and parts are in Fulton County. It was originally called Sheltonville in honor of the pioneer family of Vardy Shelton. It changed its name to Shakerag sometime in the 1880s. The other most noteworthy historic communities in Johns Creek are Ocee, Warsaw, and Newtown.
Shakerag has many claims to fame, like its gold rush. After the famous Dahlonega gold rush in the 1830s gold was discovered in Sheltonville in the early 1840s when a resident, Mrs. Campbell, found a shiny yellow object in the dirt. A new small-scale gold rush was the result. Shafts were dug and a stamp mill was set up to crush ore. Later, surface, or placer gold mining took place especially along Cowpen Creek where a gold-rich vein of milky quartz existed. About 1849 when the gold was hard to find many miners left the area for California. Some remained and became permanent residents. There are several stories about how Shakerag got its odd name. One claims that in the old days people would shake white cloths, or rags, in the air
to stop trains when they wanted to ride. The problem with that tale is that there were no trains in Shakerag says noted historian Charlie Boyd a lifelong resident of the community.
More likely the name derives from a fistfight described in a booklet written by the Sheltonville-Shakerag Community Club in 1962. According that that story, two disheveled miners got into a fight in a local store. Their ragged clothes flapped wildly as they fought. Observers broke up the scuffle. The store owner told the brawlers to leave and shake their rags elsewhere and a town name was born.
Charlie Boyd believes the fight story is the most credible and that a fight most likely occurred on a Saturday afternoon when people gathered to buy essentials such as coffee, tea, tobacco, corn meal and shortening. “Most of the stores I went to in my youth had one wall of canned goods, sometimes some bartered goods from local farms, but mostly just the essentials,” says Boyd.
As in most communities farming was the main economic activity. Cotton, as they say, was king. Charlie was raised on small farm near a 1700-acre farm owned by the Findley brothers. Charlie’s father was a sharecropper who, like many others, had a small plot of land and worked part time for a large farmer. “The large farms sustained the small farmers,” Charlie says. In the 1980s a technology park was developed
where the Findleys farmed.
“My parents lacked education but required all their children to get an education. If we got in trouble at school we got a good whipping at home,” Charlie recalls.
At the time, Shakerag consisted of a few large farms and no more than 40 small sharecropper houses. Charlie says that when harvesting came, information was posted at the local store and sharecroppers and the entire community would work. “If you arrived early, you could get the most productive rows of cotton, butterbeans or whatever was being harvested and make more money since workers were paid by the pound.”
The gold rush stimulated the local economy. A post office was opened in Sheltonville in 1848 and remained in operation until 1907 when rural free mail delivery began. Over time several general stores, a sawmill, a cotton gin, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop and a shoemaker were started. Ferry service across the Chattahoochee River was fairly common in the early 1800’s. The first bridge in across the Chattahoochee River was completed in 1907 near the McGinnis Ferry operation. The bridge ended the need for the McGinnis Ferry after 80 years of service. In the 19th century schools and churches were built, however, by the early 1960s there were still only two paved roads in the community.
In 1864, Shakerag was the site of a brief Civil War skirmish when eight Confederate soldiers of the 8th Texas Calvery were in the area to scout river crossings. They were spotted by a strong group of Federal Calvery riding down McGinnis Ferry Road. Two Texans were shot while the rest escaped. Sam Street, a blacksmith, was killed and buried in Shady Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. George Zimpelman was shot in the chest but was nursed back to health at the home of Henry and Luisa Rogers. He later became a successful businessman in Austin, Texas.
The Shakerag Hounds fox hunt, the oldest recognized hunt in Georgia, played a significant role in Shakerag’s history. Founded in 1943 it has had several homes. From 1948 to the to the late1980s it was located near McGinnis Ferry and Medlock Bridge roads in Shakerag. Charlie remembers the excitement the hunts generated among the children of the community.
Special thanks to Joan Compton, President of the Johns Creek Historical Society for her help and for connecting me with Charlie Boyd.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS
Columnist
JOHNS CREEK HISTORICAL SOCIETY ARCHIVES COURTESY OF JAN BELL WEBSTER AND WOODY BELL
Don’t be hoodwinked by sloppy headlines
A reader emailed recently to point out a couple of grammatical errors in an article we published.
We are always on guard to ensure that what we publish is correct, and correctly presented. That includes grammar.
Another thing we do is write headlines. You don’t hear much about that. It’s not as simple as snatching a few words from the story and slapping them across the top.
A good headline should encase the “news” of the story. The headline writer must read the story, understand its essence.
It is an art I strive to master. Not long ago, there were rules for writing headlines, practices refined over centuries. The skills were born through a collaboration between writers and printers, a shotgun marriage of intellect and artisanship.
Back in the day, we were taught that if a headline has more than one line, each line should extend roughly the same length, filling the entire column. Printers understood that lines of equal length lines in a headline created a visually pleasing symmetry.
We had to learn character measures for each letter of the alphabet. For example, an “a” counted as 1, an “f” was ½, a “w” counted as 1½. Each column of a newspaper page allowed only so many characters of a certain type size. Large headlines allowed fewer characters than small headlines.
The goal was to make the words on each line fill the available width.
You had to calculate it in your head. Over time, you got good at it – not always perfect, but close.
That was decades before pagination software. Now, you can look at a computer screen to see how well your words fit each line.
Attracting the eye and mind
I learned rules governing newspaper presentation by reading books on typography and attending seminars on page design. My best teacher, though, was watching seasoned printers, mostly old timers who approached their work as the craft that it is.
From hot lead to the advent of photocopy cold type in the 1970s, these artisans took their profession seriously. A certified printer had to complete an apprenticeship – sometimes up to seven years.
Editors are not printers, but they should acquaint themselves with the craft. Before computers allowed them to
assemble pages on a screen, editors depended on printers. Editors drew a mockup – called a “dummy” – on a sheet of graph paper, which told the printer where to paste strips of type onto a fullscale cardboard sheet. The mockup told the printer where to place everything, including the dimensions of a photo, the space to allow for a headline and such.
If a story ran too long, the editor stepped forward with a blue highlighter to mark cuts – maybe the last sentence in a paragraph or a paragraph at the bottom.
Using a blade, the printer sliced out the highlighted portions, then adjusted the remaining pieces. If the story came up a line or two short, the printer would slice between the last few paragraphs and arrange the pieces evenly to make the gaps uniform. Only printers were allowed to touch the type and the board.
Smart editors marked cuts, kept their mouths shut and let printers do their job.
Smart editors had college degrees and wore ties, but they knew who the boss was during page production. Ideally, each respected the other.
The computer age and cheating
Computer pagination has replaced many printers. You don’t see them anymore. I married one, so there is that. And yes, I often keep my mouth shut around her, too.
But, it is sad to see the craftsmanship involved in newspapering fade.
I blame sloppy online news services for much of this, mainly because the people running them never learned the basics of what printers knew – how to appreciate readers, how the eye moves across a page, the perfect width for a line of type before the reader’s eyes tire.
(There’s an old printer’s formula for the proper length of a line of type: It’s roughly 1½ times the point size of the type, expressed in picas. A pica equals about 1/6 of an inch. So, if you’re using standard 10-point body type, you should
limit the line length to 15 picas – about 2 ¼ inches.)
Sloppy online news services also cheat. They deceive in content and presentation. They steal stories from television interviews. They also cheat when writing headlines.
Whether through incompetence or deliberate deception, their headlines do the opposite of what they’re supposed to do – tell the “news” of the story.
One telltale sign that you’re being had is when you see the words “this” or “these” in a headline.
Here's one from a broadcast news organization’s website:
“If you’re not doing this, experts say your pipes could burst during winter storm”
Click on the story, and five paragraphs in, you’ll find that the ”this” referred to in the headline is to leave a faucet dripping overnight.
Shocker!
A decent editor, one who respects
readers, would have written:
Plumbing experts say leave faucet dripping to avoid frozen pipes
Not rocket science. It tells the story in a nutshell – and all three lines are roughly the same length.
Remember, when you see the word “this” in a headline, you’ll hit a paywall that charges you valuable time.
Another scurrilous practice is to make outrageous claims in a headline without specifics. Many sports websites do this.
“College football world outraged at lategame penalty”
I follow college football. I’m in the world. Why am I not already outraged? Did East Carolina get robbed by Temple?
Dear readers, these phony news websites are a sham. They are the stranger standing on your doorstep with both hands behind his back. Do you open the door?
Be smart. Good headlines tell you that the writer appreciates your time.
In Memoriam
Suzanne Parker Maddux April 16, 1971 –
Suzanne Parker Maddux, age 53, of Milton, Georgia, passed away much too early on Sunday, January 26, 2025 from chronic alcoholism. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Thomas Maddux and her parents Glen and Rita Parker. She is survived by her beloved children Mackenzie, Parker, and Spencer (“Tripp”). Suzanne was born in North Miami Beach, Florida and grew up in Fort Lauderdale. She graduated from Pine Crest School in 1989. She attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where she graduated in 1994. While at the University of Alabama, Suzanne was an active member of Sigma Kappa sorority and ardent fan of Crimson Tide football, and she met her future husband Thomas. Suzanne later earned a Master’s degree in Counseling at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and worked as a guidance counselor in the public school system. Suzanne and Thomas settled in Alpharetta/Milton where she attended St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church and the children attended King’s Ridge Christian School. She was active in her community
with Backpacks of Love, providing food and needed items to homeless, sheltered, and at-risk persons in the North Atlanta area. Suzanne was always known for her generous, friendly spirit and welcoming smile. Other survivors include sister Robin Parker (Denise Jayroe) of Portland, Oregon; brother Randy Parker (Nancy) of Brookline, Massachusetts; in-laws Tommy and Iva Jo Maddux of Albertville, Alabama; sister-in-law Susan Maddux Goodwin (Eddie Goodwin) of Albertville, Alabama; as well as many other beloved family and friends. An informal memorial gathering for sharing was held at St. Aidan’s in Milton on Monday, February 10th at 11:00am. Family remembrances will be private. She will be buried next to Thomas at Memory Hill Cemetery in Albertville, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you give generously to the following charities in memory of Suzanne: Backpacks of Love in Alpharetta (https://ngcf.fcsuite. com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_ id=1625) or St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Milton (https://onrealm.org/ StAidansEpiscopal/-/form/give/now).
PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com
Free Spring gardening classes set in Milton
In collaboration with the City of Milton, the North Fulton Master Gardeners are offering a series of gardening classes open to everyone. The classes will be held on successive Tuesday evenings beginning February 25th and continuing on March 4th and March 11th. They are held at the Milton City Park and Preserve, located at 1785 Dinsmore Road.
These classes are free and open to the public. The doors open at 6:30 p.m.; we entertain questions and garden topics until 7:00 p.m., when the classes start. Each session consists of one or two topics and concludes around 8:30 p.m. We hope you join us! Please RSVP at https://nfmg.net/ wp/2025/01/21/spring-2025-classes-plant-milton/.
Here’s a round up of classes you can expect.
The basics of vegetable gardening
Get a jump on vegetable gardening with Master Gardener George Scesney, who learned how to garden as a child. Whether you are new to growing vegetables or are interested in learning how to increase your garden’s bounty, there is much to learn from this lifelong gardener. George shares his expertise in sustainable (organic) gardening, mulching, weed control, fertilizing and pest control. He will also provide instruction on how to prepare your garden, select the best vegetables to grow in our area, and the optimal time to plant each type.
George has been a Master Gardener for over 15 years. He volunteers at community gardens and gardens that support local foodbanks. George is a highly soughtafter speaker.
March 4
Hello Hostas! A perfect addition to your shade garden
Master Gardener Carole MacMullan has a lifetime of experience with hostas. She will tell you that no shade garden should be without a hosta, which have been the mainstay of shade gardens for at least one hundred years. Even though their flowers are insignificant, the appeal is the diversity of their leaves. Thanks to hybridizers the leaves of hostas come in a variety of sizes, colors as well as textures. Learn how to plant, care for, fertilize and prevent eradication from hosta enemy number one, deer.
DEATH NOTICES
David Byrd, 46, of Alpharetta, passed away on January 20, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
William Corder, 74, of Roswell, passed away on January 31, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
PROVIDED
Master Gardener George Scesney will be teaching a class on the basics of vegetable gardening at the Milton City Park and Preserve.
Carole MacMullan taught biology for 35 years in the Pittsburgh area. In 2012 after moving to Milton, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners and the Milton Garden Club.
Goodbye lawn: Alternatives for a healthy environment
Shrink your lawn: Save money and time while enhancing biodiversity! North Fulton Master Gardener Sandra Shave explains how you can and should reduce your lawn size by making your own native habitat. Join the effort to create a country-wide Homegrown National Park and reduce your lawn size. Use low-growing natives; plant a native wildflower meadow; establish a pollinator garden; embellish those shady spots with natives or even non-native ground covers; or just convert more of your lawn to native shrubs.
Sandy graduated from the Master Gardener program in early 2019. She is a recent transplant to Roswell, Georgia, moving from Wisconsin in 2014 after retirement to be nearer to her children and most importantly her grandchildren.
March 11
Growing berries, figs and other small fruit
If you have picked berries on roadside bushes and
Brian Pressnall, 54, of Roswell, passed away on January 25, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Cheryl Reese, 77, of Roswell, passed away on January 31, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Michael Snow, a Milton resident and North Fulton Master Gardener since 2021. Michael had always been active in “yard work” and growing plants and shrubs. Upon retiring from a career in real property finance, he sought to benefit from an organized source of garden information and became a Master Gardener. He plays golf almost as frequently as he gardens.
found them to be bitter, hard and inhospitable, help is on its way. If you have ever tasted a fig preserve and wish to have more, help is on its way. Lynn Nations will talk about how the home gardener can grow small fruits in the North Atlanta area. In addition to her experience as a gardener, she will provide selected informational handouts from UGA Extension.
Lynn Nations, a California native, followed her grandchildren to Georgia. Coming from California she had problems determining plants from weeds, which led her to become a Master Gardener. Lynn is a retired pharmacist, and a certified medical Qigong instructor.
There must be a tool for that
Every job is easier with the proper tool. Michael Snow will talk about his favorite tools and the benefits of having the proper tool to use. He will also provide insights into the favorite tools of other Master Gardeners. Michael wants to know: If you only had $100, what garden tools would you buy?
He may be the only person with an inventory of his garden tools, a list for what he wants to buy next and a desire to manufacture and sell garden tools.
Happy gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https:// appenmedia.com/opinion/columists/garden buzz/.
James Robertson, 43, of Roswell, passed away on January 20, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Charles Stoyer, 92, of Alpharetta, passed away on January 24, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Edward Wegener, 90, of Alpharetta, passed away on January 23, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
MICHAEL SNOW Guest Columnist
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE LOCAL LEGISLATION
Notice is given that there will be introduced at the 2025 regular session of the General Assembly of Georgia a bill to amend an Act to amend, consolidate, create, revise, and supersede the several Acts incorporating the City of Alpharetta, approved April 9, 1981 (Ga. L. 1981, p. 4609), as amended; and for other purposes.
Locally Owned and Operated
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Veteran Services 12050
Road • Roswell, GA 30075 • Cremation Services
info@northsidechapel.com www.northsidechapel.com
During these turbulent times, we would like to highlight the continued courage and commitment of everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, for purposes of Section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the Roswell Development Authority (the “Authority”) will hold a public hearing on February 28, 2025, at 11 a.m., accessible to the public by telephone, with respect to a plan of financing that will consist of the issuance, in one or more series and in one or more years, of the Authority’s revenue bonds (the “Bonds”). The Bonds are proposed to be issued as qualified 501(c)(3) bonds in a maximum aggregate principal amount of $100,000,000 for the benefit of Wellstar Health System, Inc., a Georgia nonprofit corporation (“WHS”), or one or more of its tax-exempt nonprofit affiliates, to (i) refinance certain WHS obligations that were incurred to refinance the acquisition of healthcare facilities and equipment (collectively, the “Project”) and (ii) pay costs in connection with the issuance of the Bonds. The Project to be refinanced with the Bonds is the acquisition of the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center located at 3000 Hospital Blvd., Roswell and other healthcare facilities and equipment used in an integrated operation and located in Roswell at 2500 Hospital Blvd., 4500 Hospital Blvd., 2570 Holcomb Bridge Rd., 4895 Windward Pkwy., 670 North Main St., and 260 Rucker Rd. The Project will be initially owned and principally used by WHS or one or more of its tax-exempt nonprofit affiliates.
The Bonds will be limited obligations of the Authority payable solely from the repayment of a loan of proceeds of the Bonds to WHS and shall not be a charge upon the faith and credit of the Authority, the City of Roswell, Georgia, or the taxing power of any entity.
All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing by telephone and will be given an opportunity to address the question of whether the Mayor and Council of the City of Roswell, Georgia should approve the plan of financing for the Project and the issuance of the Bonds. Individuals may attend the public hearing by telephone toll-free by dialing 877-853-5257. The conference code is 6308532545.
Questions, requests for additional information, or written comments may be directed in writing in advance of the hearing to the Authority in care of Wellstar Health System, Inc., 793 Sawyer Road, Marietta, Georgia 30062, Attention: Chuck Carder.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, for purposes of Section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the Development Authority of Alpharetta (the “Authority”) will hold a public hearing on February 28, 2025, at 10 a.m., accessible to the public by telephone, with respect to a plan of financing that will consist of the issuance, in one or more series and in one or more years, of the Authority’s revenue bonds (the “Bonds”). The Bonds are proposed to be issued as qualified 501(c)(3) bonds in a maximum aggregate principal amount of $25,000,000 for the benefit of Wellstar Health System, Inc., a Georgia nonprofit corporation (“WHS”), or one or more of its tax-exempt nonprofit affiliates, to (i) refinance certain WHS obligations that were incurred to finance the acquisition of a healthcare facility (the “Project”), and (ii) pay costs in connection with the issuance of the Bonds. The Project to be refinanced with the Bonds is the Wellstar Avalon Health Park located at 2450 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta. The Project will be initially owned and principally used by WHS or one or more of its tax-exempt nonprofit affiliates.
The Bonds will be limited obligations of the Authority payable solely from the repayment of a loan of proceeds of the Bonds to WHS and shall not be a charge upon the faith and credit of the Authority, the City of Alpharetta, Georgia, or the taxing power of any entity.
All interested persons are invited to attend the public hearing by telephone and will be given an opportunity to address the question of whether the Mayor and Council of the City of Alpharetta, Georgia should approve the plan of financing for the Project and the issuance of the Bonds. Individuals may attend the public hearing by telephone toll-free by dialing 877-853-5257. The conference code is 6308532545.
Questions, requests for additional information, or written comments may be directed in writing in advance of the hearing to the Authority in care of Wellstar Health System, Inc., 793 Sawyer Road, Marietta, Georgia 30062, Attention: Chuck Carder.
Crabapple
Communications and Marketing Manager
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Communications and Marketing Manager position. The Communications and Marketing Manager is responsible for helping raise awareness of North Fulton Community Charities and its programs and services. One of the primary responsibilities of this role is to create internal and external communications and marketing materials to promote NFCC’s overall mission.
The Manager will manage and update multiple channels including social media, email, websites, newsletters, presentations, and video. Proficiency in WordPress, Microsoft Office, and Canva are required and experience with Salesforce or other CRM and Pardot/Account Engagement a plus.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Software Developers/Senior Programmer
Analyst– Multiple Openings (Alpharetta, GA)
Discovery Analytics Inc: Work using MVS, JCL, Cobol/CICS, TSO/ISPF, VSAM, SQL, DB2, MQ Series & SqL. Req. - Bachelor’s +5yrs Exp. Comp. salary, Relocate to unanticipated site. No national/ international travel. Mail resume to: President, 11535, Park woods Circle, Ste A, Alpharetta, Georgia, USA- 30005.
Will serve on agile sftwre develpmnt team responsbl for develpng & maintainng existng sftwre prodcts by buildng new functionlty while ensurng qualty & excellnc of UKG’s prodcts. Will wrte code using knowldg of codng technqus, tech stacks, & best practcs, perform techncl architctre & desgn projcts, & mentor othr membrs of develpmnt team. Req: either (i) BS degree (or equiv foreign degree) in Computer Science, IT, Electrical Engineering or closely relatd field & 5 yrs of exp as Software Engineer wrkng on enterprise level projects or (ii) MS degree (or equiv foreign degree) in Computer Science, IT, Electrical Engineering or closely relatd field & 3 yrs of experience as Software Engineer wrkng on enterprise level projects. Hybrid position working 3 days/wk at co office in Alpharetta, GA & 2 days/wk from home office. Review full job descr. & reqs. & apply at https://www.ukg.com/about-us/careers under “Senior Software Engineer" REF:SRSOF011628.
Sawnee EMC is seeking a Warehouse Clerk - Trainee to restock, organize, and distribute materials. Responsible for unloading and verifying incoming shipments, maintaining accurate inventory records, operating a forklift and other heavy equipment, and proficient in Microsoft Office. Requires heavy lifting, high school diploma or equivalency and a valid GA driver’s license. Hours: Availability for alternate shift assignments and irregular work hours.
Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, February 28, 2025. Apply online: www. sawnee.coop/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.
Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer of Females, Minorities, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.
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