Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - January 26, 2023

Human trafficking experts chronicle scourge affecting northern suburbs

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Faith, a human trafficking survivor, was 4 years old when someone first put a price tag on her. Her mother would not hand her over to her relatives unless she was given something in return, whether it was a car or payment for utility bills.

“That was the only way that she would allow me to be free from her abuse, from her neglect, from her addiction, and from all of her unhealthy cycles and patterns,” Faith said.

Faith’s story concluded the Jan. 21 Human Trafficking Summit at the Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy, hosted by the Alpharetta Rotary. Preceding Faith, two panels consisting of experts in human trafficking spoke from varying angles on the subject.

Because she was sexually assaulted at a young age, Faith said she had a skewed version of what love was.

“I learned then that I had no voice, that I had no value, that I had no worth, and that I had no purpose, and that I certainly didn’t have a destiny anymore,” she said.

Faith’s turbulent beginnings

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Clothing reported stolen from Plato’s Closet

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ROSWELL, Ga. — On Jan. 19, Roswell police responded to a theft at Plato’s Closet, a thrift store on Alpharetta Highway. A store employee told police several totes of clothing had been stolen from a shipping container behind the store overnight.

Security footage showed at 10:43 p.m. Jan. 18, a white minivan pulled up to the shipping container, and an individual began taking the clothing totes from the container and putting them into the minivan.

The employee does not know what items are missing, but said she would compile a list for officers. The case remains open.

Truck theft reported at Alpharetta hotel

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police are investigating a truck that was stolen from a hotel near North Point Parkway Jan. 15.

Reports said the truck was parked at the Sonesta ES Suites on North Point Drive at 8 p.m. Jan. 15, but it was missing from the parking lot the next morning at 8 a.m. Police confirmed the truck wasn’t in the area around the hotel and also found there were no security cameras that could have captured the theft.

However, the truck was spotted on FLOCK traffic cameras at about 5 a.m. traveling northbound on Haynes Bridge Road.

No suspect in the theft was identified at the time of the report.

Armed robbers strike at GameStop store

ROSWELL, Ga. — Armed robbers took $3,898 in merchandise and cash from the GameStop on Mansell Road Jan. 19, according to police reports.

Roswell Police arrived on the scene to find an employee hiding in the back room, unharmed. The employee told police that while he was working, two younger men wearing hoodies, jeans, gloves and a face mask came in and robbed him at gunpoint.

The employee said the men ordered him to fill a plastic bag with about $394 from the register and asked if he had any PlayStation fives at the store. The employee said he didn’t have any, and the men threatened to shoot him if he was “messing around.”

The men took eight PlayStation 5 controllers off the shelf and made their way to the back of the store, where they found several PlayStation 5s stacked against the wall in storage. The suspects allegedly yelled at the employee and took six of the game consoles valued at $560 each before leaving through the back door.

Police reviewed security footage and are searching for the suspects.

Vehicles burglarized at Alpharetta hotels

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police said multiple vehicles at Alpharetta hotels were burglarized by thieves in a string of incidents Jan. 15.

Thieves burglarized three vehicles at the Extended Stay Motel on Rock Mill Road, shattering multiple vehicle windows to steal more than $1,000 in belongings from inside. Reports said the hotel had no security cameras that could have captured the theft.

Officers also responded to the Embassy Suites hotel on North Point Parkway Jan. 16, after a truck’s back window had been smashed out.

Like the other incidents, no security cameras were on site to capture the theft.

No suspects in the spree of burglaries were identified at the time of the report.

Police arrest suspect in car theft, hit and run

ROSWELL, Ga. — An 82-year-old Roswell man notified police on Jan. 13 to report a stolen car after he realized his vehicle was missing from the parking lot of the Roswell Country Club, where he had parked only two hours earlier.

He checked the entire parking lot but did not see the car, a silver 2018 Lexus. He noticed a new car in the lot, left running with nobody inside next to where his car had been parked. The car appeared heavily damaged on the passenger side, which police said was consistent with the damage from a hit and run accident that occurred an hour earlier on Ga 400.

Police traced the tag to an Alpharetta man but could not make contact with him. The country club had no cameras in the parking lot, and police could not access security footage from a nearby camera.

The next day, the stolen Lexus was found on Haynes Bridge Road at Mansell Road. Police stopped the car and found the man who was registered to the abandoned car from the country club.

Officers held the man at gunpoint and took him into custody, where he reportedly told police he stole the car and abandoned his vehicle. He was taken to Fulton County Jail.

Roswell transportation panel studies ways to slow Oxbo traffic

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL Ga. — Roswell

Transportation Advisory Commission members bandied about ideas to calm traffic on Oxbo Road, but they couldn’t lock one idea to back at their Jan. 17 meeting.

Roswell Transportation Director Jeffrey Littlefield and interim Deputy Director of Transportation Dave Cox drafted options for small-scale projects for an area near the middle of Oxbo Road, close to Grimes Bridge Road. The solutions are early drafts, but if approved would narrow the road in an effort to slow traffic on the busy street.

The Advisory Commission asked the department to explore traffic calming measures on the Oxbo Road Corridor last year.

“When you have a wide street, you’re encouraging faster traffic, and you’re also encouraging cut-through traffic,” commission member Jason Yowell said.

The Roswell Transportation Department drafted four plans to slow traffic.

The first is simply to use paint to restripe and a few vertical poles to create a gore, narrowing the lanes.

The project would cost the city almost nothing and could be completed in the next few weeks.

The painted gore solution, which takes up a small triangle in the middle of the street, has been used in Roswell before. City crews set up a painted gore on King Road a few years ago.

Cox said the city performed a speed study shortly after adding the painted gore on King Road and found it lowered traffic speeds by 6 miles per hour.

Commission Chairman Jason Hudson said he has seen the impact.

“I know I don’t have the data, but I will say as someone who travels King Road on a regular basis, I think the ones they have put on the road have made a difference,” Hudson said.

He emphasized the solution is more a bandage than a permanent fix.

Yowell opposed the idea.

“If you put the Band-Aids on, you live with them a lot longer than you should,” Yowell said. “Because it’s working, we don’t have to do anything.”

Yowell called the paint and poles “ugly” and a waste of money.

Yowell also opposed the other three draft plans. The second and third plans involved building a concrete median between the roads, with landscaping included in the third plan.

“Typically in our best practices, we do that along with the road paving project,” Cox said. “We would repave the road and then add it in and that’s the preferred way to do it.”

Cox said the road needs some patching jobs and would eventually be repaved.

A fourth option is a miniature roundabout at the intersection.

“These are just some of the temporary ideas, I know the aesthetics of these are not very pleasing to the eye,” Cox said. “But if you wanted to try it as a pilot project or something temporary, we could try it this way.”

All of the proposed options would be relatively low cost to the city and could be completed on fairly quick timelines.

Yowell favored a different plan entirely.

“I’d like to see what we recommended on Grimes Bridge Road, that is a full curb line on one side and go down into 10-foot lanes,” Yowell said.

The street is about 25 feet of asphalt, which leaves room for the proposed traffic solutions. Yowell wants the city to narrow the roads instead to discourage cut-through traffic, block large trucks and increase path space.

“I prefer permanent solutions that are well designed from the get-go and not Band-Aids,” Yowell said.

City Councilman Mike Palermo suggested Yowell choose which solution he likes best while also advocating for his more permanent solution. He also clarified that the city does not have money or a timeline set to narrow the curbs.

Yowell disagreed and suggested not moving forward with any of the proposed traffic calming solutions while more study is performed on moving the curbs on the road.

Committee member Richard Arena showed support for moving the curb as a long-term solution and adding street parking as a short-term fix.

“I don’t think these things are mutually exclusive,” Arena said. “But I also understand the urgency we have, and sometimes urgency overcomes importance.”

After further discussion, the commission agreed to talk further about the proposed solutions and come back with a solid answer.

“My suggestion is going to be that between now and the next meeting we have some more dialogue with the people since it just got brought to us tonight,” Chairman Hudson said.

American Legion Post 201 commemorates 75 years

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — American Legion Post 201 celebrated its 75th anniversary at Carl Black Buick GMC Roswell Jan. 21 with a cake-cutting ceremony.

Post 201, founded in 1946 by World War I veteran and Alpharetta resident Abijah B. Adams, provides a place for veterans to connect and to engage with the community through service. It is headquartered on 13 acres at 201 Wills Road, Alpharetta.

“Because when we’re out in the community, people get to see us,” said Legion member Frederick Mahony. “And that’s a positive image of the military that they get to think about.”

After the presentation of colors, Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame Ambassador Roger Wise cut a cake reading “Happy 75th Birthday American Legion Post 201.”

Ed Postell, chairman of the Atlanta chapter of Our Community Salutes, said celebrating the post’s anniversary is important because the group has been doing for 75 years what Our Community Salutes has done for only three years.

Our Community Salutes is a nonprofit that honors high school enlistees and provides their families support during the transition to military service.

The post received commendations from Gov. Brian Kemp; the Johns Creek Veterans Association; the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame; Our Community Salutes; and the Cities of Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell and Alpharetta.

“We have been key partners for a long time, and this is recognition of their contributions to date,” said Keith Bogle, vice president and Color Guard captain of the Johns Creek Veterans Association. He said he is looking forward to the next 75 years and how the association can help the post accomplish more.

Georgia District 21 Sen. Brandon Beach and Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry attended the ceremony, along with Roswell City councilmembers Lee Hills, William Morthland and Christine Hall.

“To me, us being here today is an outward and visible sign of how the City of Roswell feels about our veterans,” Hills said. “It’s so important for us to show up and to stand up. We’ve got a lot of veterans that still need help, need support, and we owe them everything.”

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Roswell City councilmembers Lee Hills, Christine Hall and William Morthland attend the American Legion Post 201’s 75th anniversary ceremony at the Carl Black Buick GMC Roswell Jan. 21.

Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame Ambassador Roger Wise cuts the cake at the American Legion Post 201’s 75th anniversary ceremony at the Carl Black Buick GMC Roswell Jan. 21.

Tech Alpharetta official releases 2022 job stats

Alpha Loop site receives funding

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Development Authority looked back at accomplishments from 2022 and upcoming partner projects at its Jan. 17 meeting.

The Development Authority approved $20,000 in funding to help launch a website for the Alpha Loop Foundation in an effort to boost the organization’s ability to fundraise and provide information to the community.

Four of the six Development Authority members voted in favor of the funding. Board members John Goss and Morgan Reynolds recused themselves from the vote because they serve as Alpha Loop Foundation board members.

Mayor Jim Gilvin joined the meeting, swearing in new board members Goss, Shawn Allen, Jill Bernard and Jack Nugent.

Authority members elected Nugent as chairman, Bernard as vice chairwoman and Allen as secretary/ treasurer.

Tech Alpharetta update

Tech Alpharetta CEO and President Karen Cashion said the organization provided 1,188 new jobs in Alpharetta and 1,854 in the state in 2022. She said the technology commission had three startup graduates last year as well.

“We hit our aspirational targets,” Cashion said. “So, it was a very busy year, but very successful for us.”

Cashion said Tech Alpharetta placed 20 Fulton County school counselors and students from Alpharetta High School, Innovation Acadamy, Milton High School and Centennial High School with Tech Alpharetta startup internships in 2022.

Authority members also heard from Alpharetta Economic Development Manager Lance Morsell, who announced SK Battery is opening an office in Alpharetta’s Sanctuary Park along Old Roswell Road. The company’s American headquarters is in Commerce, Ga., where its 283-acre battery plant is expected to employ 2,000 by the end of 2025.

Morsell said construction on the Bailey Johnson School redevelopment is moving forward, but due to weather

Karen Cashion, president and CEO of Tech Alpharetta, shares 2022 job highlights with the Development Authority at a Jan. 17 meeting at City Hall. Cashion said Tech Alpharetta has created 1,188 new jobs in Alpharetta and 1,854 in Georgia.

delays an exact timeline has not been set.

The school, which was the first in Alpharetta to serve Black students from 1st to 12th grade, is set to be redeveloped into an office project after the Development Authority approved the plan January 2022.

Chamber celebrates holidays

Deborah Lanham, president and CEO of the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, said the business organization had a successful Sips of the Season event in December with high turnout. She said the downtown City Green was “covered with people.”

“You’re seeing, as a whole, a city that is inviting everyone to be down here and doing business and enjoying food,” Lanham said.

She also said the chamber is thinking of families with small children being able to go downtown on weekend nights and play on the green without the concern of the large crowds that events like concerts can bring.

The Chamber of Commerce will host its 10th anniversary gala March 10 and a ladies’ night out April 25.

Authority members also unanimously approved funding for the Windward Technical Assistance Panel. The panel will bring in experts that will survey the Windward District to improve walkability and make workers want to spend time there, Morsell said.

According to the 2022 application for funding, the survey of the area “should focus on how to redevelop the target area while both opening the door to further redevelopment and maintaining or improving connectivity to the users of neighboring properties.”

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Alpharetta graduate elected president of Harvard Lampoon

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, GA. — Suchetas Bokil is ringing in the new year as the first South Asian president of the Harvard Lampoon, a 146-year-old nationally circulated humor magazine run by Harvard students.

It’s a historic step for the publication, but 20-year-old Bokil is “excited for what’s to come.”

The Harvard Lampoon has a long list of famous alumni, with former presidents Conan O’ Brien, “Saturday Night Live” writer and star Colin Jost, and “Parks and Recreation” creator Michael Shur.

Bokil, who grew up in Alpharetta, entered Harvard in 2020 after graduating from Alpharetta High School, but comedy wasn’t a part of his original plan.

“I used to love consuming (comedy) but I don’t think it’s ever something I thought of as a serious field to study or dive into,” Bokil said.

Bokil loved watching “Saturday Night Live” and late-night comedy shows throughout middle and high school, but when choosing a college major he looked toward his experience as a policy debater.

“My high school years, there was so much going on in national politics, it felt like an important time to get involved,”

Summit:

followed her until her late 30s, when she finally escaped the cycle of human trafficking. She now works at Street Grace, a faith-driven organization whose mission is to eradicate the sexual exploitation of minors and become one of the founding members for its Survivor Advisory Council.

“Please get involved,” Faith said. “Because there are people out there who depend on you …they need someone to help them through breaking the cycles that they get wrapped up in, in the patterns that they get wrapped up in because it’s not easy.”

Defining human trafficking

Moderated by Dave McCleary, founding member of the anti-human trafficking organization Rotary Action Group Against Slavery, the first panel consisted of Susan Coppedge, former ambassador to the Trafficking in Persons Office; Alia El-Sawi, victim assistance specialist at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Hannah Palmquist, human trafficking section chief for the Georgia Attorney General’s Office; and Jonathan Leach, special agent for the Georgia Bureau of

Bokil said.

He chose to major in government and politics, then dove into politics-oriented extracurriculars his first year of college. Soon, he was drawn in by the looming Harvard Lampoon building he called “mysterious.”

“Not only do I enjoy consuming it and seeing it happen, but the chance to make that comedy is really special,” Bokil said.

Bokil applied to the Harvard Lampoon his freshman year but got cut in the final round of applications. It left him with enough interest that Bokil applied again in the fall of his sophomore year and got in.

“I’ve spent the last year or so writing a lot, doing a lot of work around the place, doing almost a janitorial role,” Bokil said.

He was elected president of the publication in December and started his year-long tenure in January.

“There’s a lot of pressure in a good way, in the sense that you’re stepping into big shoes,” Bokil said. “There’s a sense of oh wow, so many people have done this.”

The Lampoon has been the start of many successful comedy careers, but Bokil is more focused on the work he does now than any future opportunities.

“At the lampoon, what makes it so cool is there’s no pre-professional sense

Investigation’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit.

Human trafficking is rarely kidnapping by physical force, Palmquist said, but rather victims are lured in by promises to fill basic needs that aren’t being met.

“Sex trafficking is the exploitation of the most vulnerable victims in society,” Palmquist said.

There are three types of human trafficking, Leach said, labor trafficking, sexual servitude and benefits trafficking. Benefits trafficking, which targets older people or people with disabilities, doesn’t see a lot of discussion, Leach said.

Most trafficking, 60 percent, comes in the form of labor. El-Sawi commented on some of her case work that found domestic servitude within multimillion-dollar homes.

“It can happen anywhere,” El-Sawi said. “It could happen in an affluent neighborhood … So this is an issue that really affects all of us — all communities, all populations.”

According to data provided by Alpharetta Rotary, it’s estimated that 43 percent of johns live in North Fulton.

Coppedge asked the audience to be conscious consumers, directing visitors to slaveryfootprint.org. The website allows users to answer a series of questions informing them of how

SUCHETAS BOKIL/PROVIDED Suchetas Bokil, an Alpharetta High School graduate, was elected as Harvard Lampoon’s first South Asian president in the publication’s 146 year existence.

about it,” Bokil said. “The goal should be to be funny, to be good at being funny.”

Bokil knows he wants to write comedy professionally, but he only started pursuing the field professionally in the past year. He maintained the government and politics major but added an English minor to round out his schooling.

“There’s so much overlap in politics and comedy,” Bokil said. He pointed

purchasing habits contribute to the global labor trafficking problem.

“Sex trafficking is horrific — it’s a bodily assault,” Coppedge said. “But labor trafficking can be a bodily assault, too, and we are all contributing to that with our consumer purchasing.”

Prevention efforts

The summit’s second panel focused on prevention within the transportation industry, health care field and the school system.

Moderated by Ashlie Bryant, CEO of the anti-human trafficking organization 3Strands Global Foundation, the second panel included FCS Innovation Academy students Sejal Whitaker, Lakshana Ramanan and Sree Hariharan; Joe McDermot, vice president of Operations and Training at Delta Airlines; and Freda Lyon, vice president for Emergency Services at Wellstar Health System.

Bryant’s organization developed a human trafficking prevention program that can be implemented in schools at all grade levels. Starting in kindergarten, students are taught to listen to their inner voice.

“A really important part of prevention is being able to meet people where they’re at,” Bryant said.

Lyon said hospital staff are trained to ask all patients if they feel safe at

to the variety of late-night shows with a political spin as ways his knowledge could help.

Bokil said the Alpharetta community has been supportive, if not surprised.

“I think my parents and family, they’ve been very supportive,” Bokil said. “They were a little bit like, ‘are you sure you want to be doing this?’”

Bokil said he’s always been extroverted, but his comedy interest was completely out of left field from his earlier interests.

Still, Bokil joked “I would hope my friends consider me somewhat funny.”

As a full-time student, Bokil spends most of the year on campus, but he comes back to Alpharetta when he can.

“I see a lot of my teachers at Alpharetta High School, and they’re all very supportive,” Bokil said. “They thought it was very funny at first.”

Bokil is set to graduate in the spring of 2024 and has plans to write some “fresh material” and possible literary scripts. Right now, though, he’s focused on “producing funny content” for the Lampoon.

“In a way, I think it’s very cool because they take comedy so seriously,” Bokil said about the Lampoon. “I think one of the best parts is I learn a lot from my peers at the Lampoon.”

home in a way that makes patients feel comfortable. She also described some of the signs of human trafficking that health care workers should look for, like tattoos.

But Lyon said trafficking victims don’t always look like they’ve been trafficked.

“We have to worry about our bias, making sure that we’re aware of our bias.”

McDermot said all 95,000 Delta Airlines employees are trained to spot signs of human trafficking. He shared a success story about two aircraft mechanics in Florida who were able to observe the signs and act as a result of the training.

“Don’t underestimate the awareness that everybody has in this room,” McDermot said, alluding to the packed auditorium.

He also said that Delta uses frequent flier miles to help evacuate trafficking victims back to their families, which has been done 326 times.

Hariharan, a junior at FCS Innovation Academy, evoked applause after giving a call to action to the parents in the room.

“What we need to do is reduce the stigma of talking about sexuality — good touch, bad touch — because you’d rather be the one to tell your children.”

LNB Candles brings Alpharetta clean, safe scent alternatives

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Entering LNB Candles, visitors are greeted by a small, white chihuahua named Johnny Depp and a modern entryway, featuring floral backdrops and neon lighting one might find on a chic Instagram page.

LNB owner Michelle Walters says she offers something other major fragrance retailers do not: safe and clean scents with simple ingredients.

“It was not ever intended to actually be a full-time business, and it ended up turning out to be one, which is kind of cool,” Walters said.

A self-proclaimed “type A personality,” Walters said her business, located at 6778 Jamestown Drive in Alpharetta, relaxes her and helps her feel her own sense of Zen.

“I want you to feel like you walked into a place that’s here for you, that’s personalized for you,” Walters said. “So, if you have questions about anything, if you have concerns about anything, if you want to know, can I customize something. Like, I can do things more so than a big box retailer can do, and I want to do those things for you.”

Business background

Walters started making candles 10 years ago. Her daughter loved burning candles, Walters said, but after being diagnosed with a health condition, her daughter developed headaches, sleeplessness and cystic acne from the candles.

Some candles, Walters said, contain chemicals that make the scents harmful when inhaled. A study conducted by the South Carolina State University

from 2006 to 2010 showed that candles made with paraffin, a wax made from petroleum, release dangerous chemicals that are “health hazards and could cause various diseases.”

The study also states that candles with bases made from soybean, the base that Walters uses at LNB, do not release similar pollutants.

“So, I made some candles, and then

her friends came over to the house, and they’re like, ‘Mrs. Walters, could you make us a candle for our room?’” Walters said. “And then it turned into making candles for their parents that had businesses, and then making them for parties and events and weddings, and then just happened to walk by a location that had a for-lease sign and signed up and opened up the store.”

Walters has grown beyond candles, now selling car fresheners, room sprays and diffusers. She said LNB will experiment with body sprays and body lotions.

LNB Candles has already branched out into various retailers, including Walmart and Amazon.

“I got to the point now where I started

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Michelle Walters sells candles, room sprays, car fresheners, wick trimmers, diffusers and wax melts at LNB Candles, located at 6778 Jamestown Drive, Jan. 17. Walters’ candles and wax melts are soybean-based and are safe to inhale when burned.

“I want you to feel like you walked into a place that’s here for you, that’s personalized for you.”

MICHELLE WALTERS, owner, LNB Candles

BUSINESSPOSTS

Candles:

off with a very small candle-making process, and now I’ve gotten to the point where I’m having a very large candlemaking process, melting wax for me every single day,” Walters said. “So it’s pretty cool.”

Walters said being environmentallyconscious is an important part of her business.

“That’s one thing I like about the products that I use, like a lot of times people bring the candles and are like, ‘Hey, can I refill them?’” Walters said. “And I’m like, ‘Yeah, absolutely, come to the shop.’ Instead of throwing a candle container away, you can refill it again, and you can even choose a different scent to go in it.”

LNB’s products are also pet-friendly and non-toxic, she said. Her room sprays, unlike oil-based air fresheners, do not stain walls.

Setting up shop

Walters opened her shop last year. Part of choosing what products to make and sell depends on a customer’s scent preferences.

“Usually, I go in, and I’ll bring them three types of scents,” Walters said. “So, I’ll bring them something that’s maybe

like a floral, something that’s like a herbtype of scent and something else that’s a musk.”

Walters said candles are a very personalized item, and part of expanding on a scent line is deciding what customers most like.

Candles like the “Great Gatsby,” are inspired by personal anecdote. Walters

said the scent reminds her of her grandfather, who smelled like aftershave when she hugged him.

Walters said the number of products for a particular scent she keeps in stock depends on demand and whether the scent is part of a limited holiday collection.

Whether it’s out of stock or a request for something new, however, Walters said

she accepts custom scent orders to find a customer’s perfect product.

Customers will see the LNB logo displayed behind the front counter and a holiday display table when they enter. Down the hall and to the right is the showroom, which Walters said she likes decorating for holidays. Heart pillows, the word “love” and a giant pink Teddy bear Walters stuffed herself get customers into the Valentine’s Day spirit.

Next up

This year, Walters said LNB is going through the trademark process, which would allow her to expand the business’s wholesale contracts.

“I would love to just keep expanding it into stores and into more boutiques and expand our line also on Amazon,” Walters said. “We have candles on Amazon, which have sold really, really well, but I was waiting for the trademark protection to come in before we continue to expand the line, just so we’re able to protect it.”

LNB makes stops at the Halcyon Farmers Market, the Vickery Village Farmers Market, the North Main Street Market at Alpharetta and the Milton Farmers Market.

The shop is open weekdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m.

“I love what I do, and I know it’s going into someone’s home, so I want them to love it when they get it and to enjoy the product,” Walters said.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Michelle Walters, owner of LNB Candles at 6778 Jamestown Drive, decorates her showroom with Valentine’s décor Jan. 17. Walters said she decorates for Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and summertime.

Barnacles on the ship of life

Over the next few months, we’ll take a closer look at a few of the most common spots that pop up on our skin. Today’s article is about the most common new growth that develops after the age of 40 – the “seborrheic keratosis” or SK for short.

SK’s are benign, which means that they are not cancerous. Still, they are probably THE growth that patients ask me about most frequently. It is understandable that SK’s generate worry because they exhibit many of the features that we teach people to fear. SK’s grow and sometimes itch. If scratched or traumatized, they can hurt or bleed. They can be brown or black. Such spots often cause alarm.

Changing brown or black growths should be examined by a dermatologist to rule out melanoma. The most common differences between SK’s and melanomas are fairly easy to list but can be hard to apply without practice. And because the stakes for misdiagnosing one’s self are so high (death), having a dermatologist look at spots with you is completely justified. Some patients feel silly coming in for something that turns out to be “nothing” but getting checked is smart. Self-diagnosis is not advised, especially not initially. But, with time, patients can often identify most SK’s confidently using these rules:

SK’s have a few reasonably consistent features: they are usually rough or waxy in texture. They are almost always “stuck-on” in appearance similar to a barnacle on a ship. SK’s often feel as if you can get a fingernail underneath the edge and just pop them off (and some patients can and do!). Waxy SK’s are not particularly rough whereas the rough SK’s are often “warty” in appearance.

Other features of SK’s are less consistent. SK’s are often tan or brown, but they can be black, pink, multicolored or even white. On the feet and ankles, white SK’s are called “stucco keratoses and look as if the ankles and feet were spackled with stucco. Seborrheic keratoses range in size from pinpoint to as big as an oyster shell. Given these variations, color and size are not helpful diagnostic features. They often get thicker and bigger with time, so growth isn’t a helpful differentiator either.

What do you do once you’ve confirmed that a growth is “only” an SK? Seborrheic keratoses are easily treatable and can often be frozen away with liquid nitrogen or curetted away with ease. Insurance unfortunately only considers it medically necessary to treat SK’s that are bleeding, irritated, painful, getting rubbed on by clothing or otherwise symptomatic. “Cosmetic” SK removal is available at most dermatology clinics for a cosmetic fee.

Small SK’s can usually be removed with minimal residual blemish, but larger SK’s may leave a lighter-colored area or subtle scar after removal. In one U.S. study, the average American over the age of 40 developed one new SK per year with the average 65-yearold exhibiting 33 SK’s upon a thorough counting. Given how pleasingly SK’s can be removed when they are still small, a “debarnacling” every year or two is a reasonable choice for most individuals.

Given that skin cancer is more than ten times more common than any other cancer, it pays to familiarize yourself with the appearances of skin cancer and its mimics (Google Images is a great tool for this purpose). For patients with concerning spots, a family history of skin cancer or risk factors such as a history of sun damage or tanning bed use, a visit with a dermatologist is highly recommended.

Brought to you by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Get a great PCP!

Going to a physician specialist, like a Cardiologist, might be the final solution; but when a new health concern pops up, consider going to your Primary Care Physician first. To some this might sound like “old school” thinking, but there is a great amount of logic, and savings, to taking this approach. Let me explain.

Too many of my clients have told me that instead of going for an annual physical with their PCP, they ONLY go to their specialists for annual checkups. While seeing your specialists on an annual basis is a good thing to do, the Cardiologist or Gastroenterologist is not typically looking at the body as a whole. I believe most doctors would agree that this is one reason the Primary Care Physician and the Specialist co-exist. One looks at a “specialized” area of the body, while the other is broadly monitoring the “whole” system.

If you are someone who sees your PCP at least once or twice a year, the

doctor might very well catch issues earlier than you are able to detect them yourself. Your PCP could possibly be your lifesaver if visited regularly! There are so many services and tests that the Primary Care Physicians can do to check your body’s status. It makes sense to make an appointment sooner than later.

Over the past decade, Medicare and most Medicare Advantage plans have figured out that prevention, by using PCPs, has not only saved money, but has saved lives. It’s hard to make cost an issue, because most preventive services with Medicare are covered at 100%. They want you to go! Many Medicare Advantage plans have a $0 copay for PCP visits, so what’s stopping you from scheduling that appointment? If the reason is that you don’t have the right Primary Care Physician, change it!

Give us a call (770) 913-6464, and we can help provide a list of PCPs in your area based on your Physician Network. You can also reach out to us on our “contact SeniorSource” section of our website at www. SeniorSourceMedicare.com.

Five signs your parents might need assisted living

When a child is growing up, it is parents who must care for them and ensure their well-being is protected. However, when parents become elderly, the relationship is reversed. Aging is inevitable and it is important to be prepared.

The Need for Senior Living

If you are the child of parents who are deep into their senior years, it is incumbent on you to know the signs your aging parents can no longer live on their own. At some point, it may become necessary for your parents to move into assisted living.

Unfortunately, aging individuals are not always able to recognize when they are in need of help. Some may resist facing up to reality. Losing independence, after all, is extremely difficult for anyone. This means that it is important to remain aware of indicators that your parents may need assisted living. Here are five major signs of mental and physical decline you must watch out for.

Loss of Mobility: Loss of mobility means a loss of independence. It’s a sad reality that an older adult who cannot move around as they once did is probably no longer fully capable of caring for themselves.

Isolation: As an older person becomes less physically capable, it may become steadily harder for them to maintain social connections. Isolation is often the result.

Not Remembering to Take

Medications: This, of course, is a very serious sign that your aging mother or father can no longer be relied on to care for themselves. Failing to take vital medications can have dire consequences. If this happens more than once or twice, it’s almost certainly time for assisted living.

Neglecting Hygiene: As an older adult ages, they may become less and less capable of even completing such basic tasks as bathing, shaving, and other elements of hygiene. This is a strong sign they should no longer be living on their own.

Brought to you by - Inspired Living at Alpharetta

to assisted living, you want to be prepared so that the move can be taken care of as smoothly as possible. Recently voted one of Atlanta Top 10 Senior Living Communities, Inspired Living at Alpharetta is a A-Class assisted living and memory care community located off Morris Road. As tenured experts in senior living,

prepare. To speak with a Senior Lifestyle Advisor please call 407-509-5995

Understanding drug use and addiction

Drug use has become a concerning health issue in our society today. It is generally misunderstood to be a lack of moral principle or willpower when in reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting can be very difficult.

What is drug addiction?

“Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences” (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

While the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, continuing to use drugs changes the brain in a way that affects a person’s self-control and interferes with their ability to resist the intense urges to continue taking them. These brain changes are persistent, contributing to the increased risk of relapsing even after quitting. Drugs affect the brain’s “reward circuit” and floods it with dopamine, creating a sense of euphoria. This reinforces unhealthy behaviors and leads people to repeat the behavior again and again. Over time the

brain adapts, and the person needs more of the substance to achieve the same reaction. This can lead to a loss of pleasure in other things as well, like food or social activities. Longterm drug use causes changes in other areas such as judgment, decisionmaking, memory, and behavior. This is what can lead to continued use despite negative consequences.

Can drug addiction be cured or prevented?

Drug addiction is a chronic disease, and treatment for it isn’t considered a cure. However, it is treatable and can be successfully managed. People in recovery are at risk for relapse, but treatment with addiction medicines and behavioral therapy can offer the best chance of success. Each person’s recovery process is different and must be tailored to the individual. Support from family, friends, and professionals offers the best chance of success.

If you are concerned about a loved one’s drug or alcohol use, join our 8-week Family Support Group starting on February 6th and meeting on Mondays from 6:30 – 7:30 PM at Summit’s Dunwoody Satellite location (1548 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody). Call our main office at (678) 893- 5300 for more information and to register.

Brought to you by - Janet Fluker, Licensed Professional Counselor and Staff Supervisor at Summit Counseling Center

ISTOCK

Cost for park maintenance facility climbs by 23 percent

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta City Council voted unanimously to approve a change order that will raise the cost of constructing the new Wills Park maintenance facility by 23 percent over its originally approved contract.

The building was part of a list of projects listed for funding in a $29.5 million parks bond that voters passed in 2021.

The project was approved for construction in spring 2022 with a price tag of $649,000. Soon after, the price jumped another $30,000 after issues arose that called for additional electrical, framing and plumbing.

This latest change order, for $123,000, now puts the project cost at $802,500.

Alpharetta Recreation & Parks Director Morgan Rodgers said the change covers replacing the soil at the facility and installing a dry fire suppression system to comply with code.

Mayor Jim Gilvin said freezing weather recently damaged the Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, and he learned through Senior Pastor Oliver Wagner that dry fire suppression systems must be maintained every 15 to 17 years.

“I just want to make sure it’s on our radar 17 years from now that when we have a cold snap, whatever maintenance is required, let’s make sure somebody around here at that point knows about that,” Gilvin said.

In other matters at the Jan. 17 meeting, councilmembers approved candidate qualification fees and a candidate qualification period for municipal elections. City

Shapiro said the city is required to post qualification fees under state code no later than Feb. 1. The cost of qualification for mayor is $900 and $450 for City Council positions.

Council Chambers upgrade

The council held a workshop to discuss updates to enhance the audio-visual system for the Council Chambers.

Councilmen Jason Binder and Gilvin agreed that the council would have to review its initial approval of the project from July 2021 before deciding whether to make further decisions.

Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard and Tom Spearman, executive vice president of One Diversified, the audio video technology vendor for the project, said work has been postponed due to unexpected supply shortage issues.

“I think I need to do more research,” Mayor Pro Tem Dan Merkel said. “But maybe we don’t need this much. Maybe we need to reevaluate what we really need.”

The updates call for replacing the two wall panel screens on each side of the chamber, totaling $70,000 for both screens. Spearman said the screens he recommends cost about $35,000 each.

Councilman Donald Mitchell asked Spearman why the council couldn’t have a consumer-grade smart TV installed instead, which would run roughly $25,000 less, according to Spearman.

Clerk Lauren Shapiro said the qualification period for the 2023 election for mayor and City Council posts 4, 5 and 6 will run from Aug. 21 to 23.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

The Alpharetta City Council vote to approve construction costs for the Wills Park Maintenance Facility and an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Johns Creek to house inmates at the Alpharetta Jail. The council also heard an update on the Council Chambers’ ongoing audio video project at the Jan. 17 meeting.

Alpharetta Fire Department promotes 13 to leadership roles

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Fire Department promoted 13 of its members to leadership roles in a ceremony at City Hall Jan. 18.

Fire Operations Chief Brad Denkinger joined Chief of Public Safety John Robsion in announcing the promotions. Fire Administration Chief Philip Seabolt welcomed those being recognized and their families.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do,” Robison said. “I think that sometimes separates the good employees from the great ones, those who really love what they do and have that passion that we’re talking about, that passion we see in these 13 men today that we’re recognizing.”

Honorees chose someone in the department who played a large part in influence their professional development, or someone who impacted them, to present their awards.

A loved one pinned each honoree’s shirt collar after their name was called. The five categories that were recognized each had a piece

Cost:

“They’re [the recommended models] built to be longer-lasting devices,” said Spearman. “They’ve got more brightness, and the resolution to allow folks in the back of the room to read. The way they size these displays is based on how far away the viewer is.”

Drinkard said the project will effectively turn the chambers into a “Zoom room” with full functionality for video conferencing. The project will replace the decade-old technology of the current wall panels and all the audio video components, such as the electronic voting system and microphones.

Drinkard asked the council if it would approve the planned installation date of March 7 for the wall panels. Spearman said the process typically takes two to three weeks. As a result, Drinkard said some city meetings would be relocated during installation.

No decisions on the workshop item were made until the details of the project are further reviewed.

Government agreements

Councilmembers also unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement between the cities of Alpharetta and Johns

of fire equipment exemplifying the profession’s history.

Chris Brown, Sean and Ryan Griffin, Kyle Quakenbush and Richard Zabala received a pair of boots for their promotion to fire apparatus engineers.

Denkinger said firefighters wore the boots during fire suppression 100 years ago. While the boots are

Creek and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to allow arrested individuals to be housed at the Alpharetta Jail.

The IGA comes after a previous agreement with Milton at the Jan. 3 special called meeting. Alpharetta City attorney Melissa Tracy said it is nearly a carbon copy of the Milton agreement.

“We’re glad to have the jail open and functioning again,” Mayor Gilvin said.

The council unanimously approved the submission of the 2022 Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant. The grant funds criminal justice local initiatives, training, personnel and supplies.

Councilmembers also voted to consider an agreement with the City of Atlanta under the grant program.

Following an executive session, the council voted to approve and ratify a $1.6 million settlement agreement with the Plaza Star Associates located on Windward Parkway.

The litigation determined the appropriate cost of right of way the city should pay the North Fulton Community Improvement District to add an additional left turn lane on the northbound Ga 400 exit ramp onto Windward Parkway. The left turn lane would then extend into a dedicated right turning lane onto Deerfield Parkway northbound.

Plaza Star Associates, the owner of the retail center along the turning lanes, is part of the North Fulton CID.

no longer used, they represent the hard-working history of the role.

“You’re still very much a doer, a worker, one of the most critical jobs on the fire scene,” Denkinger said. “However, you’ve now taken a step back. You’re no longer the nozzleman. You’re now responsible for helping focus, grow and develop the next nozzleman.”

received radio straps.

“These lieutenants are getting a radio strap as a reminder that they are now responsible for thinking, directing, speaking to and for their crews,” Denkinger said. “What and how they communicate is absolutely vital to their success.”

Matt Bozer, Nick Marlin and Adam Wade, who were promoted to captain, accepted red leather helmets. The red helmets are a “ubiquitous symbol of the firefighter,” Denkinger said.

Bozer’s mother Donna, who traveled from California to attend the ceremony, said she was proud of her son’s growth and accomplishments.

Both Ethan Talbot and Jeff Garreau received white helmets. Talbot was promoted to fire marshal, and Garreau received a promotion to training chief.

Denkinger said he hopes the white helmet reminds the two that the community looks to them for wisdom and guidance.

Denkinger recognized retirees and former members at the ceremony for their service to the department as well.

Newly named lieutenants Bruce Hartman, David Palmer and William Ziliak

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Members of the Alpharetta Fire Department gathers at City Hall Jan. 18 for a Promotion Ceremony. The honorees took a group photo after being recognized.

Dunwoody police obscure arrest locations

City Hall stands in as reported location

of prostitution stings

By CARL APPEN and ALEXANDER POPP carl@appenmedia.com alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — This summer, a series of prostitution arrests in Dunwoody had a peculiar similarity – the police reports all said they took place at City Hall.

It wasn’t the only occurrence. In the past three years there have been at least 51 police reports involving prostitution using the location ID of 4800 Ashford Dunwoody.

It turns out, there was no underground brothel operating out of City Hall. Instead, officers follow an “informal policy” meant to preserve the department’s ability to conduct sting operations at local hotels.

When arrests are made in stings, Dunwoody officers use the address of Dunwoody City Hall in police reports because Chief Billy Grogan says hotels wouldn’t let them use their space otherwise.

“I think if we had to put the exact address, then we might as well stop trying to enforce human trafficking,” Grogan said. “If we started saying, ‘Okay, we made 15 arrests here at the Crowne Plaza today.’ Well, then, the Crowne Plaza could get bad publicity from that, and then say, ‘Hey, y’all, this is hurting our business. We’re not gonna allow you to do this.’”

Instead, the Police Department treats the hotels they operate out of for these stings the same as a confidential informant.

“The crime would never have been committed if the police had not been proactive,” Dunwoody Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said. “So therefore, do not penalize the property owner by saying a crime was committed.”

Open Records law

However, Georgia First Amendment Foundation spokesman Richard T. Griffiths said the practice that Grogan and Vinicki describe basically amounts to filing a false police report and violates Georgia’s Open Records law.

“There are minimal reporting requirements for the Open Records Act,” Griffiths said. “It doesn’t get into the investigative files, but it does

For

10 years,

Behind the story

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

require accurate information to be published in incident reports that are available to the public for inspection.”

He said he thinks the practice is, “a deliberate attempt to mislead the public about what’s happening in their community,” which isn’t mitigated by the fact that it may, or may not, protect the identity of a local business.

“The public has a right to know what is happening in their community, and for police departments to deliberately falsify their incident reports for an alleged protection of the investigation doesn’t serve the public very well,” he said. “It doesn’t build trusted institutions.”

the project over the course of six months.

Support dogged reporting of local issues by joining the Appen Press Club at appenmedia.com/join.

The practice also goes against the department’s own Standard Operating Procedure, which states that incident reports will include, among other information, the “location of the incident.”

Grogan said it was a longstanding informal policy, but one he believes is justified given the city’s history with sex trafficking crimes and the efforts they’ve taken to combat it over the past decade.

When the Dunwoody Police Department began targeting human trafficking and sex trafficking about 10 years ago, Grogan said the city was dealing with an influx of what amounted to “open air” prostitution

markets at local hotels.

In interviews with those arrested for orchestrating sex trafficking operations, Grogan said police learned over the years that Dunwoody is viewed as the perfect place for sex workers and sex traffickers because it’s a gateway between the north, south, east and west, with easy access to Gwinnett and Cobb counties on I-285, and on Ga. 400 into north Fulton cities and into the heart of Atlanta.

Crackdown has worked

Through operations and educational events, Grogan said police have been able to slow sex trafficking in the Dunwoody area down to a trickle. So now they’ve taken the fight online, setting up stings for people coming into Dunwoody from other areas to buy or sell sex, using sting operations targeting suspects online.

“Because we’re being proactive and addressing this, even now, it’s sometimes difficult for us to attract people to come to them,” Grogan said.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

the last

the Dunwoody Police Department has held an informal policy to obscure the location of where undercover sex trafficking operations occur in published documents, using the address of Dunwoody City Hall.

Alpharetta City Council approves condo project along Thompson Street

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta City Council voted unanimously Jan. 23 to rezone about 1 acre on Thompson Street to allow for five condominiums.

The condominiums are the latest of 25 residential approvals since the Downtown Master Plan Update passed in 2015.

Applicants Paul Gibbs and Jeff Pittman told councilmembers they incorporated area residents’ feedback in the 92 Thomspon Street Condominium Project.

The vote was 5-0, with councilmen Jason Binder and John Hipes absent for the meeting.

Bob Collins, a member of the Academy Park Neighborhood Association Board of Directors, said the board agrees with the conditions of the plan, and it supports city approval.

“Speaking personally, I’m looking forward to seeing how this property will esthetically enhance the vibe of downtown Alpharetta with a creekaware neighbor who acknowledges and appreciates the responsibility all of us have to being good stewards, and of this beautiful, natural, natural resource that we have,” Collins said.

The project was presented to the Alpharetta Planning Commission at a public hearing Jan. 5. Nearby residents expressed concerns about the project contributing to erosion, as well as encroaching on the stream buffer behind the lot and the trees growing there.

Developers addressed these concerns with conditions to perform a creek study and prepare an erosion control plan.

The Planning Commission approved the project 7-0 with 14 recommended conditions, including a connection to the Alpha Loop and stream buffer enhancements.

Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin, who lives in Academy Park, said the project

Obscure:

Continued from Page 16

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she wasn’t aware of the Police Department’s informal policy to obscure confidential crime locations using the address of City Hall. She said she has no authority over the Police Department’s policies.

“In a city manager-council form of government, the layers of authority as it relates to police are very clearly defined … So those are decisions that aren’t made by myself and are

marks a tremendous improvement to the area.

In other matters addressed at the Jan. 23 meeting, the council approved 5-0 a motion to provide legal representation to Alpharetta officials and employees facing charges from events, conditions or circumstances resulting from their job with the city.

“This is coming forward now because it’s timely,” City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said. “As much as about a year ago, we had a police officer who was acting in his official capacity in the city encountered a use of force incident. We were notified by the district attorney that she intends on presenting that to the grand jury in March with some

not reviewed by myself or the council either,” Deutsch said.

However, Deutsch said she stood by the policies and decisions made by the Police Department and city leaders and believes they have “good reasons” for everything they do.

“I have a lot of confidence in those types of decisions being made by the people who do it for a living, or for the city manager who has worked in local government for decades,” she said.

Grogan later told Appen Media that the department’s informal policy to obscure locations where crimes occur is very limited, and by necessity only.

“Everything can’t be a policy. You’d

significant life-changing, life-alteringtype accusations.”

Councilmembers also voted 5-0 to authorize a superintendent to manage municipal elections, following similar discussions in the cities of Milton, Roswell and Johns Creek.

Also at the meeting, Mayor Gilvin recognized Jan. 14-29 as the “Surya Namaskar Yajna” Yogathon, a twoweek event proposed by nonprofit Hindu Swayamsevak Sang that “aims to create awareness about Yoga and its advantages in achieving a healthy body, mind, and spirit,” according to the proclamation.

The event celebrates the Jan. 14 Hindu holiday “Makar Sankranti.”

have a book that big,” he said, holding his hands about a foot apart.

He said that even with the sex trafficking cases they do value the importance of accuracy at some point along the line. Some cases, like those with attached felony drug charges, must be bound over to DeKalb County Court. In those scenarios the obscured address goes away and the real address of where the crime occurred is entered into the public record.

“It’s one thing for us to put it on our system,” he said. “But if they had taken a warrant out, they should put the actual address where it happened.”

Speaking at a Jan. 23 public hearing before the Alpharetta City Council, project applicant Paul Gibbs reports that the proposed 92 Thompson Street condominiums have been designed to blend in with surrounding structures. Gibbs said he is considering living at the property himself.

But Grogan said that nearly 100 percent of cases generated from their sex trafficking sting operations are settled in municipal court, either for a plea deal or other type of negotiation, so often cases don’t ever reach the DeKalb County Court.

Grogan said “maybe” it’s a double standard to obscure information in local reports and the municipal court, and not in county court documents, but he believes it’s worth it if it allows them to continue fighting human trafficking.

“Because if none of the hotels will cooperate … it just wouldn’t happen,” he said.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Alpharetta Planning and Development Services Manager Michael Woodman presents renderings for the 92 Thompson Street Condominiums Project to the Alpharetta City Council at a public hearing in City Hall Jan. 23. The council approved the rezoning and variance of land off Thompson Street for construction of the five-unit building.

Liz Hausmann reflects on decades in public office

NFULTON COUNTY, Ga. — ewly retired Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann sat down with Appen Media Managing Editor Patrick Fox Jan. 6 to reflect on her 25-year career in politics, Georgia State Senate campaign loss and her future plans.

A lifelong Republican, Hausmann ran on a platform of fighting crime, election integrity, low millage rates, job creation and increased mental health funding in schools.

Looking back, Hausmann said she doesn’t know if the seat was ultimately winnable for a Republican. The District 14 seat covers parts of Roswell, Sandy Springs and north Atlanta, but that was not always the case.

The senate district originally covered rural Bartow County but was moved to the more purple North Fulton as part of the 2021 legislative redistricting.

“North Fulton is changing

By DELANEY TARR | delaney@appenmedia.com

For the past 12 years, Hausmann has represented District 1 seat on the Fulton County Commission, which covers much of North Fulton. Prior to her time on the County Commission, she served as a charter member of the Johns Creek City Council, a member of the Fulton County Board of Education and on the

demographically,” Hausmann told Fox. “It was viewed as a toss-up seat initially, but I think something’s happened nationally that affected the outlook of folks in the district.”

After losing the election, Hausmann decided to retire.

Volatile beginnings

Hausmann has built a career as a connecter between county and city governments. She was a charter member of Johns Creek City Council and assisted in its incorporation efforts in 2006.

Hausmann said tension between the county and local communities helped spur the drive to form Johns

Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections.

Hausmann retired after losing her bid for the Georgia State Senate District 14 seat in November. In her only career loss, Hausmann finished 9 percentage points behind her Democratic opponent Josh McLaurin.

Creek.

“It was very much the cities had to be created in order just to get basic services,” Hausmann said.

Residents in the area, she said, felt neglected by a county that was too large to provide communities with the service levels they needed on issues like traffic.

“The entire reason was just to have control over what kind of developments come in your community, what the road projects might be, what the parks may be like,” Hausmann said.

Her time in the city’s early years motivated her to run for Fulton County Commission, even

though Johns Creek had a tenuous relationship with the county government.

“Fulton County is so unique, with all the cities that we have, that it was so important to me that we learn to live with each other and work together,” Hausmann said. “Having come from a city that's really been one of the main reasons I ran.”

Joining the ‘bad guys’

It was a change for Hausmann, noting that Fulton County had been painted as “the bad guy that didn’t pay us any attention.”

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Former District 1 Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann, who vacated her seat at the end of 2022, was honored by Alpharetta officials at the Dec. 12 City Council meeting. City representatives said that Hausmann was an invaluable ally to the people of north Fulton County, and they honored her with a city proclamation. Hausmann, a Republican, ran unsuccessfully for Georgia’s District 14 Senate seat in this year’s election.

Hausmann:

Continued from Page 18

Hausmann said that was the climate she faced when she won the District 1 commission seat as the only voice representing North Fulton.

Despite the tension, Hausmann said she was determined to forge relationships and avoid being antagonistic.

Within a couple of years, composition of the commission districts changed and a new District 2 seat was created to add more representation in North Fulton. The new districts equalized the county with three representatives from the north, three in the south and the chairman at large. It solved the problem of representation, but there were many other issues to tackle.

In Hausmann’s first term, the county went through three different managers, in a period she describes as “volatile.”

By the time the county chose a sound manager, commissioners had to inform him the county was near bankruptcy. When current County Manager Dick Anderson came on board in 2015, he sat the commissioners down for training, helped with policies and worked on changing the entire environment.

Hausmann said it was the start of solving their dysfunction as a county, with commissioners sitting down to eat lunch with city mayors for the first time to attempt to find common ground.

Even so, through the years, some city mayors offered few good words for Fulton County.

Fox cited former Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker as one key official who seldom trusted the county and was often quoted blasting it for some of its decisions.

When Fulton County commissioners voted to distribute $2.5 million of the $104 million it received in federal coronavirus relief to the cities, Bodker and a number of other mayors were outraged and threatened to sue.

The county relented and bumped the cities’ share to $25 million.

“Fulton County screws all its residents equally,” Bodker said after the agreement.

For those who continued to butt heads with the county, Hausmann had a simple answer.

“Just give them a job, let them be part of the solution,” Hausmann said.

So, in 2021, with Bodker announcing he would not seek

another term as Johns Creek Mayor, Hausmann nominated and won approval to place him on the Development Authority of Fulton County, where he now serves as treasurer.

For her first four years in office, Hausmann was the only Republican on the commission. It left her often a dissenting vote on issues, like her contentious support in keeping the old Alpharetta library so it could later be converted into an art center.

For the entirety of her career, Hausmann was rarely at the center of conflicts, even in the face of inflammatory conflicts and tensions with local governments.

“I told y’all, I’m not going to go and be a bomb thrower, I’m just going to get things done,” Hausmann said.

With a mix of Republicans and Democrats on the commission, Hausmann pointed out the vote splits were often not along party lines.

According to Hausmann, even with all of the existing challenges, the steps she and the commission took led to a period of peace between the county and local cities.

But the group hug didn’t last long.

Sales tax negotiations

The Fulton County local option sales tax, or LOST, is used by local government to fund projects and services like parks, public safety, recreation, elections, courts, jails and health.

Revenues from the tax, which run in the billions, are split between Fulton County and its 15 cities through a negotiated agreement every 10 years.

In 2022, county negotiators introduced a distribution that would increase the county’s share of sales tax revenues from the current 5 percent to 35 percent, leaving the 15 cities to split the remaining 65 percent. It was a distribution formula not seen since before 2000 when there were still large chunks of unincorporated areas the county serviced.

Mayors from the 15 cities were outraged, pointing out that the landscape of Fulton County had changed drastically since the pre-2000 rate. They said that with the creation of almost half a dozen new cities, Fulton County now presides over 1.5 square miles of unincorporated land today.

The relevancy of Fulton County

Over the past 25 years, the might of Fulton County has diminished. New cities, like Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton, and South Fulton have all but closed the door to county sway in many areas.

Hausmann admitted she was taken aback by the county’s initial proposal and stressed that the pitch came from consultants and not commissioners.

“We had just determined there’d be negotiating teams that would meet,” Hausmann said. “The first meeting when the outrageous 35 percent was thrown out there turned everything on its ear.”

In response, cities tried to put forward a proposal that would leave the county with nothing, a move Hausmann called “unrealistic.”

“There are things that the county does that do qualify under the law for the use of LOST revenue that we were using their money for,” Hausmann said.

Cities are more dependent on the funds than the county, but the county needs the funds for elections, courts, libraries, tax assessments, safety net services and public health, she said.

Over time, the county and cities negotiated an agreement by which the county will receive about 10 percent of LOST revenues over the 10-year period. Across the decade, the county share will slowly increase from 4.9 percent to 9.9 percent, leaving the cities with a slow decrease in their share.

The agreement still leaves the cities with 90 percent of the funds, and officials predict economic growth will offset the staggered decrease in LOST funds.

“For years we were making such progress and to see it all, you know, be blown apart was really, really hurtful,” Hausmann said. “I think we did some serious damage over these LOST negotiations.”

She said the resolution is fair but took longer than she hoped for.

The county covers 534 square miles, but it only has exclusive jurisdiction over 1.5 square miles.

Hausmann defended the relevance of the county government.

“See, the services are different,” Hausmann said. “I think that’s what people need to understand.”

At their core, the county serves different areas than the cities, a fact shown by the uses for LOST funding in different areas.

As an example, Hausmann pointed to the County Health Department. Before COVID-19 hit, she said nobody cared about the department. The onset of the pandemic changed that mindset significantly, especially since Fulton County is responsible for Grady Hospital, which has 953 beds.

“I would say that Fulton County serves all 1.1 million folks that live in Fulton County,” Hausmann said.

As Hausmann exits a political career that spans a quarter of a century, she points to North Fulton’s rapid development as a source of pride.

When she joined the Fulton County Board of Education in 2003, there were only about four high schools in the area.

“All the kids were in trailers, and you know, we’re bursting at the seams,” Hausmann said.

Now, the county contains 20 high schools. Hausmann said that level of growth in that time period is significant.

“I really feel honored to have served as long as I did, and to be at all levels of local government,” Hausmann said. “I’ve seen a lot in this community, you know, during a period of high growth.”

“I told y’all, I’m not going to go and be a bomb thrower, I’m just going to get things done.”

LIZ HAUSMANN, former District 1 Fulton County Commissioner

Liz Hausmann, Former Fulton County Commissioner

Pat Fox, Appen Media Group Managing Editor

So, who’s the new guy with the hat?

I can pretty much guess what you’re asking: Aren’t there any young, good-looking columnists around?

Columnist Mike Tasos joins Appen Media

the author of “Friday Night Lights.” Think, a football game in the middle of World War II Okinawa.

MIKE TASOS Columnist

I’m happy to have the chance to visit with you this week and the weeks to come. I promise to do my best not to bore you, but sometimes we columnists might do that. Also, I don’t want to get you riled up to the point of breaking windows here at the Appen offices.

No, as a columnist, my job is to make you think, laugh, maybe shed a tear. Mostly, I hope what I bring is something you look forward to reading every week.

Opinions? Why sure I have opinions. We won’t always agree, but I promise to listen and entertain yours.

All righty then. Indulge me while I pull back the curtain and let you know not why I’m here, but how I got here.

First off, I’m a 67-year-old geezer who likes the Atlanta Braves, Notre Dame football, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. I have a partial season ticket package for the Braves and youngest son Greg and I will see lots of games this summer.

I’ll also attend the theater with older son Chris. We’ve made some great memories from our secondrow Friday night seats at the Fox. I used to love going to the movies, but really, have you spotted anything at the local movie house that makes you say: “I really gotta see that!”

Hey Hollywood, we’re champing

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — With a keen eye for the absurd, columnist Mike Tasos comes aboard Appen Media with more than a decade of experience getting personal with readers.

“I remember telling my grandmother I wanted to be a columnist,” Tasos said. “And she started crying because she thought I meant ‘communist.’”

Before breaking into the pharmaceutical industry in 1981, Tasos was a sports writer in California. While there, Tasos went the extra mile and went through the hiring process for the CIA. At his ripe age, Tasos has a lot of stories to tell.

“There’s just a lot to me,” Tasos

at the bit to pay $20 for a tub of popcorn. Just give us an excuse for a family movie night where the product on the screen doesn’t make us cringe.

I like a good explosion as much as the next guy. Just don’t gross me and my family out.

I grew up in Bakersfield, California, and I used to sell pork sausage to Merle Haggard (he liked the spicy stuff) and taught Buck Owens to play racquetball. Growing up, I’m ashamed that I didn’t appreciate Buck and Merle. We were much too cool to listen to that “Okie music.”

Just dumb kids, I reckon.

I’ve been married to the same

said. “I sure hope to hell I don’t bore anybody.”

He jumped back into writing at Forsyth County News in 2010, but on a more personal note.

As a general column writer, Tasos said the world is his easel. He might paint a picture of his time spent at a professional bull riding show or about his friends and family, but all in his distinct conversational style.

Inspired by columnists like Lewis Grizzard and Jim Murray, Tasos said he wants readers to enjoy their time with him and hopes to continue eliciting laughter, and maybe some tears if readers feel so moved, at Appen Media.

Tasos can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

woman, Vicki, for going on 43 years and get this, we have the same birthday. I’m an hour older so I’ll spare you the “robbing the cradle” jokes. We have two sons, Chris (25) and Greg (22).

I survived their learning to drive, never once taking solace with liquor or pills to calm my nerves. Now, they look at me with pity, really meaning it if they want to call me “the old man.”

I like to read books. Give me Rick Bragg, Michael Connelly, Tim Dorsey, James Lee Burke, Daniel Silva (we both went to Fresno State), Brad Thor and I’ll try to wear out my Kindle.

Right now, I’m immersed in “The Mosquito Bowl” by Bizz Bissinger,

I keep threatening to write a book and have received encouragement from authors. I think I’ll start with a collection of past columns, but just between us, the thought of sitting at a table and having me and my book ignored by others is more frightening than having an argument with those women on “The View.”

Tough to imagine a good outcome. Settling into these new digs here feels like it will be refreshing. Personally, 2022 was a tough year. I started the year losing a kidney (renal cell carcinoma). Some robot named DaVinci tore that sucker out while I was stone cold asleep.

Before the operation, everyone said there was no problem. You can do just fine with one kidney. It was glaring that those who voiced that opinion owned both of their kidneys and their only brush with cancer came while munching on Corn Nuts and watching “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The end of the year saw me lose my 59-year-old baby brother, Marty. I was there at the end and got to hug his neck goodbye. He made me laugh so often and now, it just takes a thought or two, and I’ll laugh again.

Just like my kidney situation, I’m down to one brother, Matt.

I’m going to have to live with one of those, too. It’s like I find myself reminding him: Take care of yourself. You’re all I got.”

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God.

A passion for preserving and riding historic bicycles

Alpharetta resident Jaime Woodward was born to ride bicycles, not the bikes kids ride to school or even sleek racing bikes serious riders use.

Jaime’s choice is the “high wheeler” with the huge front wheel and small rear wheel that goes very fast and creates a stir wherever it appears. His father was an engineer with Ford Motor Company and repaired and collected antique bicycles, accumulating more than 100 bikes at one point. For two years in the 1970s he served as national Commander of The Wheelmen, the organization of individuals devoted to collecting, restoring and, above all, riding historic bicycles.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

It is easy to see how Jaime comes by his passion. One of his first dates with his wife Lora was riding their high wheelers together at the 1982 Mummers Parade in Philadelphia.

The most common question asked about high wheel bicycles is “why is the front wheel so big?” The answer is to make the bike go faster. The larger the wheel, the more ground is covered with each turning of the wheel. Tall people have a distinct advantage because their longer legs allow them to ride larger wheels.

Wheels came in various diameters in the heydays of the high wheeler in the 1880s, initially as small as 36 inches and growing over time to 64 inches. The average wheel was 52 inches. Today’s bicycle tires usually range from 12 to 29 inches.

According to Jaime, high wheel bicycles have a surprisingly good ride. He should know, because he owns three antique high wheel beauties and four other antique bikes. Relatively quick at normal speeds of 10-12 miles per hour over long distances, large wheels smooth out rough roads which was a big advantage on 19th century unpaved roads. “A common question people ask,” says Jaime, “is how riders get up on the bike.“ Answer: a small step on the backbone helps the rider get into the saddle.

High wheel bicycles are also known as Ordinary bicycles, or Penny-farthings in England because they looked like a penny chasing a farthing, to distinguish them from older bicycles that actually looked more like modern bikes. Known as

Jaime Woodward takes a spin around his neighborhood on his 1885 Victor Light Roaster with its 52-inch wheel.

Victor bicycles were made from 1883 to 1900 and were known for their higher quality and lighter weight than less expensive bikes made by competitors. Due to growing competition from low priced bicycles and a disastrous fire in 1899, the company was forced to sell its bicycle business and turned its attention to the automobile industry where it had mixed success.

Velocipedes, early bikes had two wheels of the same size and were made of wood and often had metal tires. They did not go very fast and were uncomfortable, hence their nickname, bone-shakers.

High wheels represented a major technological advance when invented in 1870, and they became wildly popular in the 1880s which was the great cycling era in the United States. However, their popularity was relatively short-lived in part because the bikes were hazardous. The rider’s center of gravity was just slightly behind the wheel which increased the risk that the rider would fly over the handlebars when hitting a bump in the road, “taking a header” as it was called. Both Jaime and Lora have done headers, but fortunately, neither has been seriously injured.

The most important manufacturer was the Columbia Bicycle Company founded in 1877, which by 1900 was the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world. Its first product was a high wheeler made at the

Weed Sewing Machine Company in Hartford, Connecticut. Called the Standard Columbia it sold for $125 while sewing machines were selling for $13, suggesting that bicycle riding was a pastime for the wellto-do. The Columbia company was responsible for many innovations in the industry, and it became one of the country’s first automobile manufacturers. Although the bicycle industry was the precursor to the automobile industry, the bicycle industry as a preferred mode of transportation was quickly replaced when automobiles gained popularity.

It has been said that without the invention of the bicycle, the automobile would not have been feasible. Hundreds of components incorporated into early autos were invented for bicycles, and bicycles were manufactured using assembly line techniques. Henry Ford’s first 11 dealerships were in bicycle shops (Chicago Tribune September 18, 1994). According to the Chicago newspaper, in 1899 there were 300 bicycle companies in the United

States making a million bicycles. By 1910, there were only 100 companies remaining making half as many bikes.

Another link between the bicycle and the automobile was the efforts of the League of American Wheelmen, founded in 1880. Their effective lobbying for paved roads helped make growth of the auto industry possible.

Jim Farris, a resident of Milton, is an avid antique auto collector and restorer who appreciates the link between the two industries. Owner of an 1886 Victor Roaster 52-inch high wheeler made by the pioneering Overman Wheel Company in Massachusetts, Jim appreciates “any antique machine,” calling them things of beauty. He refers to his Victor Roadster as “a piece of transportation history.”

Jaime says “Lora and I love going out for a ride. Both of us have done organized 25- and 100-mile rides in one day on our high wheel bicycles.” The couple is doing their part to keep America’s cycling heritage alive.

GIL LEINES/PROVIDED

A New Rapid bicycle figured prominently in Jaime and Lora Woodward’s 1983 wedding. The couple has been avid antique bikers ever since. This high wheel bicycle was built in 1888 and has a 52-inch diameter wheel.

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

What’s Up with that Sign in Your Yard?

When a passerby stops and asks what that sign in your yard means, it’s an opening to have a conversation about any number of topics. Native plants, birds and butterflies and bees, wildlife, water, sustainable green landscape practices, invasive species and more are all topics that we can help and encourage others to learn more about to protect our world for generations to come.

But why go through the steps to certify your property and post a sign? It’s a way to show, not just tell. After all, we work to achieve certifications in our professional lives. Aren’t our landscapes important, too? Here’s an overview of a few sign certifications that signify that the location follows sustainable landscape practices.

Georgia Green Landscape

The Georgia Green Landscape Stewards Program, created by the University of Georgia Extension, was launched to inspire residences and businesses in Georgia to adopt more environmentally friendly practices and consider how their landscape use and activities can complement the natural world.

It takes just three simple steps to get certified:

#1 – Review the easy-to-access virtual learning tools and modules that provide information on:

• Composting

• Mulching

• Pollinator Habitats

• Welcoming Wildlife

• Water Conservation

• Water Quality

• Stormwater

• Invasive Species

• Native Plants

• Biodiversity

#2 – Check the Green Landscapes Metrics Scorecard to see if your landscape meets the minimum number of 70 points to gain “Certified Georgia Landscape” status.

For example, under Topic 4: Welcoming Wildlife, if you can check “Provide a food source with native plants: fruits, seed, forage, nectar, and pollen,” award yourself 4 points.

Under Topic 9: Native Plants and

Low Maintenance Landscapes, you can give yourself 4 points if you do the following: “Put the right plant in the right place! Consider sun, soil moisture, salt tolerance, spacing, and temperature. Plant in groups of three.” It’s not hard!

#3 – Send in your scorecard. Email your completed scorecard to UGA’s Georgia Green Landscape Stewards coordinator at georgiagreen@ uga.edu. You can also mail the scorecard to: Georgia Green Landscape Stewards, Program Coordinator, UGA Extension Camden County, P.O. Box 309, Woodbine, GA 31569. You have the option to purchase an outdoor sign for your yard.

Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

The Georgia Audubon Society encourages creating bird-friendly communities through conservation, education, and community engagement where wildlife and people thrive.

To certify your property as a Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, your site must provide the basic components of a wildlife habitat: food, water, nesting and resting places.

The online Audubon Society Sanctuary Resources are excellent references for native plants, how to combat non-native, invasive species, how to create a haven for hummingbirds and much more.

National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat®

Since 1938, the National Wildlife Federation has provided conservation programs across the country, including the Ranger Rick magazine for children.

The National Wildlife Federation will recognize your site with a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat® sign if you meet the following requirements for creating a wildlife habitat garden to attract birds, butterflies, and other neighborhood wildlife:

• Food: Native plants provide food eaten by a variety of wildlife. Feeders can supplement natural food sources.

• Water: All animals need water to survive, and some need it for bathing or breeding as well.

• Cover: Wildlife need places to take shelter from bad weather and places to hide from predators or hunt for prey.

• Places to Raise Young: Wildlife need resources to reproduce, and to protect and nourish their young.

• Sustainable Practices: Maintain your yard or garden in natural ways to ensure soil, air, and water stay healthy and clean.

Start a new HABITAT® is a conservation movement inspired by Doug Tallamy, a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, to plant native plants and remove most invasive plants.

According to the website, Homegrown National Park™ is a term coined by Doug and is the key to the call-to-action:

“Our National Parks, no matter how grand in scale are too small and separated from one another to preserve species to the levels needed. Thus, the concept for Homegrown National Park, a bottom-up call-to-action to restore habitat where we live and work, and to a lesser extent where we farm and graze, extending national parks to our yards and communities.”

You can print a yard sign as well as get on the online map that shows individual contributions.

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.

About the Author

This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Pam Rentz. Pam has been a North Fulton Master Gardener since 2010. Along with a background in marketing communications for tech companies, she has a longtime passion for plants and our planet.

Homegrown National Park HOMEGROWN NATIONAL PARK® –

Happy Gardening!

PAM RENTZ Garden Buzz

A little background on today’s Spalding Drive

Spalding Drive east of Roberts Drive was originally part of Jett or Jett’s Ferry Road.

former Jett Ferry Road in the 1930s and 1940s. The Clay brothers may have both owned summer homes and property along the Chattahoochee River adjacent or nearby.

then.

The old Jett Ferry Road ran closer to the Chattahoochee River near the place where the Jett family operated a ferry. The ferry was where Ball Mill Creek meets the river.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

In 1929, the wooden bridge that crossed Ball Mill Creek washed out and that section of the road was moved farther south to where Spalding Drive is today. A new bridge was built over the creek, just west of where Spalding Drive meets Ball Mill Road. (“The Writings of Jim Perkins,” Dunwoody Historian, 2006)

According to Jim Perkins, the abandoned stretch of Jett Ferry Road became Clay Drive. Perkins attributes the name Clay Drive to Lucius Clay, but several newspaper articles describing parties at the summer home of Ryburn and Helen Clay indicate they owned the land along the

Today’s Jett Ferry Road, past the crossroads with Spalding Drive, was once part of Old Nesbit Ferry Road, leading to that ferry crossing of the Chattahoochee River.

In Lois Coogle’s 1981 book, “More of Sandy Springs Past Tense,” she recorded history of the Spalding family for which the road is named. The history comes from her interview with Atlanta Journal editor Jack Spalding.

Jack Spalding’s grandfather was Jack Spalding Sr., co-founder of King and Spalding Law Firm. Jack Spalding Jr.’s parents were Bolling Phinizy and Hughes Spalding. Hughes Spalding and Albert Thornton purchased 400 acres on Johnson Ferry Road in 1925. This land later became Breakwater and River North neighborhoods.

Local builder Arthur Mabry built the Spalding family a weekend retreat along the Chattahoochee River, which they named The Shack. In 1939, the family built another home on this

THE INK PENN

PROVIDED

This 1930 map shows Spalding Drive to the west of Roberts Drive, then known as Old Roswell Road. Spalding Drive continues just past Ebenezer Church and the Geffcken property. This map is part of the Jim Perkins collection..

land, naming it Hang Over because it was on a bluff overlooking the river near Johnson’s Ferry Road. Both The Shack and Hang Over burned in the 1960s, but the family had built more permanent homes on the property by

Hughes Spalding also purchased 600 acres for farming which later became the Spalding Woods neighborhood. Local Dunwoody farmer Floyd Spruill oversaw this land.

Suzanne Spalding Shroder and her son John donated their 20 acres along the Chattahoochee River in 1957 to establish the Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center, which remains today on the same site along Riverside Drive.

Today, Spalding Drive begins at Roswell Road and continues past Winters Chapel Road, Holcombe Bridge Road and Highway 141, until it changes to South Old Peachtree Road at Medlock Bridge Road. Perkins says this part of the road was once known as the Lawrenceville Road which is also one of the old names for Dunwoody Club Drive.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

The Friends of the Dunwoody Library are at it again

The Friends of the Dunwoody Library are back in a big way, with four sales planned for 2023. In my book, that’s huge news and there’s nothing better than being able to mark my calendar with the sale dates.

• Jan. 27, 28,

30 -- Children’s & YA sale

• Mar. 23, 24, 25, 27 - Adult sale

• July 28, 29, 31 - Children’s & YA sale

• Sept. 14, 15, 16, 18 - Adult sale

These days, the FODL accepts credit and debit cards in addition to cash. And you can’t beat the prices—$2.00 for most hardbacks and $1.00 for paperbacks. For me, it means I can afford to take a chance on an author I haven’t tried before. And don’t forget that the final Monday of each sale is Bargain Day. What’s the worst that can happen? I don’t finish a book and I donate it back to the FODL for them to sell again. It’s a win for everyone.

The sales will be held indoors with a maximum of fifty people permitted in the

shopping room at any one time, and face masks are encouraged but not required. Should there be a wait to enter the main sale area, you’ll be able to shop for puzzles and DVDs in the library lobby.

If you’re unable to make the sales events, you can visit the library lobby to shop the sales carts during library hours. Located near the donation bins, the carts carry books and DVDs at the same prices you’ll pay at the four events. The only difference is that these purchases are exact cash only, so you’ll want to come prepared. On the other hand, you can always leave a bit extra to support the work of the FODL.

Where does the money go? What you spend at these sales supports a variety of projects that enhance the library. The FODL was busy last year completing “home improvements” for the library:

• Replaced the wire magazine racks in the lobby with a wooden one

• Replaced the old message board with a new one

• Painted the wall for the hall gallery where you can find Dunwoody Fine Art Association works on display

• Finished up the new tall bookcase which was delayed by what else? Supply chain issues

The FODL is also taking book donations, and you can drop yours off at the library during normal library operating hours. You can put them in the bins in the lobby. Even boxes of books are accepted, but the FODL requests that you be careful not to block the hallway with these. Do you need help unloading a car full of books? Visit on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 until noon when there are always volunteers available to help you.

If you’re de-cluttering your house this winter, this could be the perfect time to scan your bookshelves for donations to deliver to the library. The good news is that de-cluttering makes room for new books!

You won’t see me at the Children’s & YA sales, but I hope to run into you at the others. Happy shopping and reading to all!

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries locally at The Enchanted Forest in Dunwoody and Bookmiser in East Cobb or on Amazon. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www. facebook.com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.

KATHY MANOS PENN

Delivering Readers Award-Winning Newspapers

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ANNUAL YETI SLEDDY SKI PARTY

What: Come out for Gate City Brewing’s annual ’80s inspired ski party on January 28 from 1-10 p.m. Sledding passes will be available along with hot cocktails and more.

When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 1-10 p.m.

Where: Gate City Brewing, 43 Magnolia Street, Roswell More info: gatecitybrewingcompany.com

LEARN AND LEAD:

BLACK

HISTORY IN ROSWELL: HONORING OUR PAST

What: Presented by the Roswell Historical Society, this event highlights the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in the Roswell area, beginning with the enslaved people brought from the coast by the founding families and ending with the Civil Rights movement. Elaine DeNiro, archivist for the Roswell Historical Society and the City of Roswell, will present original documents pertaining to the area’s Black history. Charles Grogan, Roswell’s Black historian, and Sandra Taylor will share their personal experiences about growing up in a Black neighborhood in Roswell.

When: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2 p.m. Where: Roswell Branch, Fulton County Library System, 115 Norcross Street, Roswell More info: roswellhistoricalsociety. org

THE SPIRIT OF HARRIET TUBMAN

What: Leslie McCurdy invokes the “spirit” of Harriet Tubman as she portrays the life of the famous Underground Railroad conductor, recreating stories familiar and some rarely told, using words said to have been Harriet Tubman’s own. Through it all, viewers will learn of the faith and conviction that drove Harriet Tubman to follow her dreams — the spirit of the past connecting with the present, inspiring her charges to have the courage to do the same in envisioning their future.

When: Friday, Feb. 3, 10-11 a.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $12 More info: roswellgov.com

JUST FOR FUN:

BLACK OPRY REVUE

What: Black Opry’s stellar line-up

of some of the most acclaimed Black performers in the industry launch the 2023 Roswell Roots Festival at Roswell Cultural Arts Center with a celebratory evening of music and storytelling. Black Opry is home for Black artists, fans and industry professionals working in country, Americana, blues and folk music. This collective of performers brings the long-overlooked contributions of Black country artists to the forefront.

When: Friday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: Tickets are $32.50; Tickets for seniors, student and military are $27.50

More info: roswellgov.com

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE

What: Mark your calendar for the annual date night of the year at the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks 13th Annual Daddy Daughter Dance for daughters in kindergarten through fifth grade. The dance will feature music from both dads’ (and father figures) and their daughters’ favorite playlists provided by a live DJ. In addition to dancing, there will be plenty of fun activities that include dance contests, musical games and refreshments. Participants can make a keepsake photo, and there will be door prizes and a goody bag for each girl. The attire for dads and daughters is business casual to semi-formal. When: Saturday, Feb. 4, 6-8 p.m. Where: Studio Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $35

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN PERFORMS

THE JEWISH AMERICAN SONGBOOK

What: Neranenah presents Michael Feinstein performing the music of the Jewish American Songbook, including works by the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe and more. Feinstein has built a

career, bringing the music of the Great American Songbook to the world. From his Grammy-nominated recordings to Emmy-nominated PBS specials and appearances at iconic venues, his work as an educator and archivist define him as one of the most important musical forces of our time.

When: Sunday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m. Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $44-74 More info: citysprings.com

ENCHANTED WOODLAND TRAIL

What: The fairies and gnomes have been busy building whimsical houses along Chattahoochee Nature Center’s forested trails. Slow down as you search for houses made from tiny natural objects. Take notice of the beautiful and enchanting features of the winter woods.

When: Up to Feb. 28, open daily except for December 24-26 and January 1-3

Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell Cost: $15 for adults More info: chattnaturecenter.org

‘COMPLETENESS’ AT STAGE DOOR THEATRE

What: How does a computer scientist hook up with a molecular biologist? He blinds her with science, of course. When Elliot builds a computer program to help Molly with her research project, the variables in their evolving relationship shift as rapidly as the terms of their experiment. This deft and imaginative new ROM-comedy shows that even the most sophisticated algorithm may freeze in the face of love’s infinite possibilities.

When: Jan. 27- Feb. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $35 for adults, $20 for students, $15 for children

More info: stagedoortheatrega.org

Full-time

POOL TECHNICIANS

WANTED

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude.

Well-established commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Call Bill: 404-245-9396

IT Professionals

DevOps Engineer: Develop,design software & deploy it to end users using various techs. Job locns Cumming, GA & various unanticipated client sites in US req.trvl & relocation to these sites involving long & short term assignmnts. Mail resume: Srsoft Inc, 600 Peach Tree Pkwy,#106,Cumming, GA 30041.AttHR

IT Professionals

Software Developers: Modify complex apps programs from dtld specs,& design, test, debug,doc & maintain those progs using various techs. Job locns Cumming, GA & various unanticipated client sites in US req.travel & reloc.to these sites for short&long term assignmnts. Mail resume: Analytics9 Solutions Inc dba Ai9 Solutions Inc,3810 Windermere Pkwy.#503,Cumming, GA 30041. AttHR

Computer Professionals for GA based IT firm : Sr. Software Engineer to Plan, dsgn, develop, test, enhance, customize & co-ordinate activities to implement advance software module components in complex computing environments using Tableau, SQL, HP Quality Center, MS Office, Visio etc. Travel and/ or reloc to various unanticipated loc’ns throughout the US may be required. Apply w/ 2 copies of resume to HR, Blue Fusion Enterprise Technologies Inc. 11205 Alpharetta Hwy, Ste E-3, Roswell, GA 30076.

ArrowCore Group LLC seeks Master’s+2yrs exp/equiv.: QA Manager (AGQM23): JIRA, Agile testing, Salsify, PIM and PROD. Mail resume with job ID # to HR :24 Sloan Street, Roswell, GA 30075. Unanticipated work site locations throughout U.S. Foreign equiv. accepted.

Landis + Gyr Technology, Inc. Alpharetta, GA

Technical Implementation Manager

Responsibilities: Deliver Landis+Gyr’s GridStream Advanced Metering Infrastructure solutions using structured deployment project lifecycle to ensure quality of delivery. Work closely with program deployment team to evaluate client business processes & consult with clients on technical feasibility & integration of processes utilizing AMI solutions.

Requirements: Bachelor’s in Computer Science, Electrical Engg, or related field & 3 years experience in job offered or 3 years experience with Oracle or SQL Server databases. Experience must include 3 years experience with wireless technologies. Experience must include 3 years utility domain experience. Experience may be gained concurrently. Send resume & cover letter to: Landis+Gyr c/o Lisa Hudson, Talent Acquisition, 30000 Mill Creek Ave, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30022 or via email to: lisa.hudson@landisgyr.com

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Salesforce Application Managers, Cumming, GA: Work w/ sftwre vendors to identify tech & design patterns for the dvlpmt of a solutions based on customer landscape. Lead organization-wide CRM methodology, framework governing Program and Portfolio Mgmt, Sys Dvlpmt & Tech Governance Drive adoption of dvlpmt method best practices across the COE & facilitate the salesforce pltfrm & eco-system across the organization. Some job duties may be performed from home Trave/reloc to various unanticipated locations. Send res to: Hanya Technologies, hr@hanyatechnologies.com

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