Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - May 4, 2023

IN MEMORIAM: WILLIAM LEE MABRY (1927-2023)

Roswell’s longest-serving mayor dies Pug Mabry carried city into a parks paradise

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — William Lee “Pug” Mabry, Roswell’s longest-serving mayor who presided over the city’s growth from a small town into a thriving Atlanta suburb, died April 28. He was 95.

Mabry was elected mayor in 1966 when the city’s population stood at just over 3,000. Over the next 31 years he saw the city’s population grow to almost 60,000. Mabry presided over the development of a park system consistently ranked among the best in the state, the revitalization of Roswell’s Canton Street and the preservation of the city’s historic homes.

Mabry, who was nicknamed “Pug” as a child by a neighbor who always said he was “as sweet as her dog, Pug” moved to Roswell in 1956 after the birth of his two sons. At the time, the Mabry family was one of the longest-established and most influential families in the community.

As mayor, Mabry had a vision to change Roswell in a period of growth

Kimball Bridge Road

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Alpharetta sets timeline for adopting 2024 budget

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta city staff have set a timeline on public engagement for the fiscal year 2024 budget, which includes a recommended $3 million for positions and projects focused on elected officials’ priorities for the upcoming year.

City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom set three public hearings on the draft budget at a May 1 City Council meeting. The proposed spending plan will be on the agenda at a May 22 meeting at 6:30 p.m. and at two June 19 meetings at 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

for North Fulton while protecting the qualities that made the city unique. As a father of two sons and a lover of sports, he saw a need for parks and ball fields in the city, pushing him to run for mayor.

Under Mabry’s leadership the city bought 63 acres of land that would

later become Roswell Area Park, which now houses ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds, a gymnastics center and other facilities.

Mabry was passionate about preserving the city’s character,

See

MABRY, Page 6

The City Council has set a list of 10 priorities and the Annual Action Plan for fiscal year 2024 funding. Among the priorities are downtown Alpharetta; bolstering the Public Safety Department; the Alpha Loop and Big Creek Greenway; strategic growth and redevelopment; and communications strategies.

The draft budget posted in the agenda packet for the May 1 meeting proposes adding positions.

The recommended proposals for Public Safety include $333,000 for four positions in Real-Time Crime

See BUDGET, Page 7

SPECIAL TO APPEN MEDIA

From left, Hans Appen, W.L. “Pug” Mabry, and Hatcher Hurd stand at the Appen Media office in 2017.

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Car burglaries reported to Alpharetta Police

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Between March 31 and April 8, Alpharetta police investigated multiple vehicle burglaries that occurred throughout the city.

Reports said the first burglary was investigated at the Benihana restaurant on Mansell Road March 31 at about 11 p.m., after a restaurant patron discovered their vehicle’s rear passenger window had been shattered.

From security camera footage at the restaurant, officers were able to see a grey Kia Optima pulling up next to the victim’s vehicle and suspects breaking in.

On April 8 and 9, vehicles were burglarized at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Kimball Bridge Road and the Passador Brazilian Steakhouse on Mansell Road. In both cases, the vehicles’ windows were shattered, but no items were stolen.

In the later incidents, no security cameras were available to capture the burglaries.

At the time of the report, no suspects had been identified.

Police subdue suspect sought in disturbance

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police arrested a 31-year-old Thomasville man on terroristic threats and obstruction of a law enforcement officer after an altercation on April 13 at the Shell gas station on Holcomb Bridge Road. Police responded to a public disturbance at the gas station and found a man that officers believed had a mental health defect. The gas station

employee asked the officers to issue a trespass warning and escort him off the property.

When police explained the trespass warning, the man told officers “Not to threaten him.” The officers said the man then threatened to kill them. When they began to place the man under arrest, he did not follow commands and told the police to keep their hands to themselves.

Police warned the man he would be tased if he did not comply, but he continued to resist and an officer tased him in the back and thigh. The officer then fired a second volley of tasers at closer range and officers took the man to the ground and put him in handcuffs.

The officers took the man to North Fulton Hospital for a medical evaluation and took out a felony warrant for terroristic threats and a misdemeanor warrant for obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

New Mercedes Benz stolen using fake ID

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A thief used a fake ID and a forged check to drive a $160,000 Mercedes Benz SUV off an Alpharetta car lot April 7.

Police were called to a Lincoln dealership on Mansell Road April 13, after it was reported that a man using a North Carolina driver’s license and a $35,000 check written out in the same name had stolen a 2021 Mercedes G-Class SUV from the dealership April 7.

Police were told the suspect completed all paperwork online before coming to the dealership and nothing seemed out of place for almost a week, until the dealership received a phone call from a North Carolina man, who said his identity had been fraudulently used to buy the car.

When the theft was discovered April 13, the dealership hadn’t deposited the $35,000 down payment check yet and learned from PNC Bank that it was fraudulent. A police database check

for the driver’s license used in the transaction also showed the ID card provided to the dealership was fake.

Staff at the dealership identified the suspect as a 60-year-old White man with gray hair and brown eyes.

Roswell man arrested for assault with bottle

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police arrested a 22-year-old Roswell man for aggravated assault outside a Mexican restaurant on Holcomb Bridge Road April 16 after witnesses said he struck and injured someone with a glass bottle.

Officers arrived on the scene to find the victim with wounds to the face and chest. The police treated the victim and transported him to North Fulton Hospital, then spoke to witnesses. One witness stated that the suspect struck the other person in the head with a glass bottle. Police took the suspect into custody. He told police that he had been in a verbal altercation that got physical. The man told police he hit the other person with a glass bottle.

With a witness statement and admission from the suspect, officers took the man into custody on aggravated assault charges and transported him to Fulton County Jail.

Alpharetta braces for traffic shifts with Kimball Bridge Road closure

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Thousands of drivers will face year-long commuting challenges on Kimball Bridge Road in Alpharetta as work begins May 8 to replace the bridge over Ga. 400.

Alpharetta Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard said GDOT will restripe Ga. 400 between Haynes Bridge Road and Old Milton Parkway May 6. The restriping will shift lanes during construction of the new Kimball Bridge Road bridge, and the speed limit on the freeway will be reduced to 55 miles per hour on the entire stretch of the highway in Alpharetta.

The highway work will be followed by the closure of Kimball Bridge Road between North Point and Northwinds parkways to allow for construction of a temporary bridge May 8.

The Georgia Department of Transportation estimates 2023 annual daily traffic on Kimball Bridge Road westbound at 5,750 vehicles and eastbound at 4,600. The department estimates average daily traffic on Ga. 400 under the bridge at 128,000.

Drinkard said GDOT and project

contractor CW Matthews estimate the demolition of the current bridge and construction will take a full year to complete.

He said construction will continue into the evening, but GDOT has been in conversation with the nearby neighborhood at Northwinds Parkway and Kimball Bridge Road to provide information and prepare residents for what to expect.

“It’s going to be noisy over there,” Drinkard said.

The bridge replacement is part of the GDOT Ga. 400 Express Lanes Project, which will add paid lanes on each side of the highway between the North Springs MARTA Station in Sandy Springs and McFarland Parkway in Forsyth County.

The new bridge will include two lanes in each direction, a center median, wide sidewalks on both sides, improved street lighting and decorative elements, Drinkard said.

“In the end, capacity for both vehicles and for pedestrians in that area of Kimball Bridge Road will be improved,” Drinkard said.

He said drivers will use North Point GDOT/PROVIDED  While Kimball Bridge Road is closed, motorists will use Haynes Bridge Road as an alternate route. See TRAFFIC, Page 22

Eagles Nest Church announces plans for Kohl’s property

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Eagles Nest Church will find its permanent home next year in a newly announced multiuse development: The Beacon at East Roswell, a commercial multi-use property that will replace the vacant Kohl’s lot on Holcomb Bridge Road.

Eagles Nest Church founder Pastor Lee Jenkins unveiled the development plan at a community meeting on April 30 at Centennial High School. The preliminary plan features event space, multipurpose rooms, a common area with a “Starbucks type atmosphere,” a childcare facility and an 800-seat auditorium for church services on 15.5 acres.

Jenkins expects to start using the space by spring 2024.

“There’s a lot of talk out there, ‘Is this going to be just a church?’ and no, it’s so much more,” Jenkins said.

The church founder and senior pastor has spent years planning to relocate his 3,000-member church to a permanent home.

In the meantime, Eagles Nest Church found a temporary home at Centennial High School across the street from Kohl’s site. The auditorium is small,

so many of the church members must attend Eagles Nest services entirely online.

Jenkins spent years eyeing the Kohl’s property, once home to Rite-Aid, Moe’s, Petco and Kohl’s— all but the Petco now shuttered. The rest of the lot has been vacant since 2016.

He attempted to purchase and redevelop the property into a church and pickleball sports and recreation facility in 2020 with Competitive Social Venture, but the developers backed out in March 2022. The pastor said he “had to let

the deal die” until he could find a new partner.

Jenkins wanted to keep the church close to the Kohl’s site, though, to get the membership used to the East Roswell area. In December 2022, he found a new partner and purchased the property.

A new partner

Eagles Nest Church is now working with Regent Partners, a real estate development company that specializes in mixed-use properties. Founder and chairman of the company David Allman joined the community meeting to talk about the property plans.

Allman and Pastor Jenkins said that while part of the property is a space for Eagles Nest Church, the plan is to make it a “thriving hub” in East Roswell with more than weekly services.

“It’d be foolish not to think of this as a community asset that you want to leverage for the benefit of the community,” Allman said.

The pastor said he’s been in touch with Roswell city leaders as well.

“We’ve had conversations with the City Council and mayor, and, you know, they’d like to see this be a destination location,” Jenkins said.

Roswell City Councilman Peter

Vanstrom, the city’s liaison to economic development, attended the meeting and said the city will be working “hand in hand” to make the Beacon plans a reality.

“I actually campaigned on these subjects right here, making sure that East Roswell is taken care of, and that East Roswell grows and continues to flourish,” Vanstrom said.

For Jenkins, anchoring the property at the Kohl’s site was essential. As a long-term resident of East Roswell, the pastor wanted to spur economic activity in the area.

“From a business standpoint, when I look at East Roswell, I would describe it as being partly cloudy and sometimes storming,” Jenkins said. “I believe what we’re discussing today, we’re going to see the sun rise again in East Roswell.”

While some of the anchoring development plans including the auditorium and childcare facility are set in stone, the developer is still considering options for the rest of the space. Allman said the group is considering food and beverage options, as well as recreational and entertainment opportunities.

“We’re beginning to home in on a few ideas, but you know, there’s flexibility in what we do there,” Allman said.

Due to the multi-use development plans the property will keep its commercial zoning. Pastor Jenkins also said they will pay regular taxes on the property, not relying on churches’ typically tax-exempt status.

“The majority of this property will be used for non-church related activities; therefore, we will be paying taxes like a regular for-profit,” Jenkins said.

Creating a destination

The pastor showed a general “initial rendering” of plans for the existing property and explained some of the decisions, like keeping the auditorium size to about 800-1,000 seats.

See CHURCH, Page 21

To

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Eagles Nest Church Pastor Lee Jenkins and developer David Allman unveil plans for the Beacon at East Roswell, a multi-use development on Holcomb Bridge Road, at an April 30 community meeting at Centennial High School.

Mabry:

Continued from Page 1

especially through Roswell’s Historic District. The mayor renovated a historic home on Canton Street, repaved the sidewalks, improved drainage and added new lighting to bolster the city’s central hub. The man beyond the gavel

Following the death of his first wife, Sarah in 2003, Pug Mabry met his second wife, Sandra Mabry, after decades of crossing paths. The pair wed in 2004 and spent the next 18 years by each other’s side, inseparable while they adventured, worked and lived in the community.

Mabry had raised his two sons with his first wife in a home on Prospect Street until she passed way in 2003. Shortly before her passing, the couple had moved to a historic home on Canton Street that Pug Mabry renovated.

Sandra Mabry met Pug after his tenure as mayor, but he had never stopped working in some form.

“He was always busy,” Sandra said. “After he retired, he built a house for his son, he built a fence around our home on Canton Street, he was always working in his carpenter workshop.”

When not serving the city as mayor, Mabry spent more than 40 years overseeing field operations for Flagler Construction Company. Sandra said during the 1960s, he did construction on her workplace building while she was there. The two wouldn’t meet for decades, though. Sandra called it “destiny” that the pair met while she was working at Roswell’s Cultural Arts Center.

Once married, Sandra said the two had fun fixing up his house on Prospect Street, which Mabry had built in the 1950s. Even in his 80s, the former mayor would stay busy on endless home projects.

It was the same dedication that he approached the city with, Sandra said. And his love for people carried beyond City Hall, too.

“He always said the most important thing you can do to be a good leader is be a good listener, and he was a good listener,” Sandra said.

She recalled every time a person came to him in need, and that Pug would always be there for whoever needed it — from financial help to fixing up someone’s yard.

Pug Mabry was also a man of faith, who had attended First Baptist Church in Roswell since 1965. He also served as a deacon in the church. Sandra became active with him in the church, adding that the pair “never parted from each other,” whether it

was a church trip or shopping spree.

With more free time, Sandra said Pug was able to adventure more. The pair went on frequent trips to the mountains. They also loved to entertain, frequently hosting guests.

“He was a pillar of the community, and I was proud to stand next to him,” Sandra said. “I learned so much by sharing my life with him.

Sandra said it was God’s plan that she met her “darling,” and she’s lost without him.

“I was so fortunate to be able to spend 18 and a-half years with a man like Pug Mabry,” Sandra said. “The things he taught me about life, I will carry to my grave; he made me a better person because I knew him.”

Widespread admiration

To his fellow city leaders, Mabry is remembered as the man who build the foundations of Roswell today. “Mayor Pug Mabry devoted his life to Roswell and to bettering our city in extraordinary ways,” Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said. “We will forever be grateful to him and his legacy of leadership and public service; I extend my deepest condolences to Pug’s wife, Sandra, to his family and friends, and to all those who loved and respected him.”

Jere Wood, who succeeded Mabry as Roswell’s mayor from 1998 to 2018 said Mabry was dedicated to his city — with impacts that are felt today. He loved Roswell and he loved people, Wood said, joking that the former mayor liked to hug all the ladies and shake hands with the men.

With a three-decade tenure as mayor, Wood said Mabry contributed a lot to the city.

“He built a foundation for modern Roswell,” Wood said.

When asked if he could remember any moments with Mabry, Wood laughed and said “I have way too many moments with him.” Instead, Wood focused on Pug Mabry’s legacy as a big part of Roswell’s history.

“I’m not thinking about this so much as we lost him, I’m thinking about what we gained through his term,” Wood said.

A hard act to follow

Georgia State Rep. Chuck Martin was a first grader at Northwest Elementary School in 1967 when Mabry completed his first year in office. Martin still has a newspaper clipping his mom saved about him and his classmates attending a carnival. On the back of the clipping is a story about Mayor Mabry celebrating the purchase of property for what is today Roswell Area Park.

Some 30 years later, Martin would become mayor of Alpharetta, serving alongside his neighbor to the south in

Roswell in 1996-97.

Martin recalled one chamber function he spoke at early in his term. He said Mabry delivered his remarks first and basically left the young Alpharetta mayor speechless when he followed at the podium.

“I think I said ‘How do you follow that?’’’ Martin recalled.

He said Mabry was so articulate, so studied about everything relating to North Fulton. And, he added, Mabry was able to touch on sensitive topics from a perch of authority that few others had.

“I grew up here,” Martin said. “But Pug Mabry knew everyone in the room.”

Reflecting on a political career that spanned 31 years leading the largest city in North Fulton County, Martin said Mabry had the knack to understand what the community needed at the time and deliver it.

“He gave his heart and his soul to the City of Roswell,” Martin said. “Good man.”

Appen Media’s former executive editor Hatcher Hurd remembers when Atlanta hosted the Olympics in 1996, and Roswell was chosen as a location for the passing of the Olympic torch. To celebrate the event, Mabry threw an Olympic festival in the town.

“Unfortunately, not many people outside of Roswell and Alpharetta came,” Hurd said. “It ended up being a money loser, but everybody enjoyed it.”

Mabry balanced his time as mayor, acting as the city’s main “salesman” while putting residents first. Hurd said nobody sold Roswell better than he did, and nobody represented the city quite like him.”

“He always made sure Roswell maintained its character,” Hurd said.

An ear for residents

Amid the city’s growth and development, Mabry ensured Roswell stayed true to itself as a city, not just becoming another Atlanta suburb, Hurd said.

“Pug’s eye was always on the residents living here now, not on the residents who might live here in the future,” Hurd said.

The editor remembered Mabry as a mayor who represented Roswell 24/7 with unparalleled enthusiasm. Hurd joked that Mabry could’ve sold cars, but he only ever wanted to sell Roswell — as an economic engine, a parks destination and a jewel in North Fulton County.

“In many ways, Pug was the consummate politician, and I mean that in the best sense of the word,” Hurd said.

As editor of the local paper, Hurd joked that it was sometimes frustrating how much Mabry focused

on hearing his residents. City meetings could run until 4 a.m. because the mayor was adamant about letting everyone talk for as long as they wanted. That care was present in every interaction with the mayor, Hurd said, from hugs to handshakes.

“When he shook your hand, you knew it had been shook,” Hurd said. “He wanted to know about you and welcome you.”

Hurd called Mabry the champion of Roswell’s residents who knew what the city wanted.

“He was a canny politician in the best sense of the word — he didn’t want to be governor or state senator, he just wanted to be the mayor of Roswell,” Hurd said. “He lived it and breathed it.”

In 1988, the Georgia General Assembly honored Mabry for his years of service and designated a portion of Ga. 9 the W.L “Pug” Mabry Highway. In 1998, the City of Roswell granted him the honorary title of Mayor Emeritus for his years of service. He also received honors from former President Jimmy Carter, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson and then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp.

Pug Mabry is preceded in death by his first wife Sara Lane Mabry. He is survived by his wife Sandra Mabry, sons Wayne and Randy Mabry, his siblings, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren and cousins.

A public celebration of life will be held on Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m., at Roswell First Baptist Church, 710 Mimosa Boulevard, Roswell.

Prior to the church ceremony, Sandra Mabry said the hearse will stop for a brief ceremony at City Hall, where the flags will be flown at halfmast.

“It’s his last little trip there,” Sandra said.

A private, family, graveside service will follow the church service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in honor of Pug Mabry to Roswell First Baptist Foundation at www.fbroswell. org/give.

Budget:

Continued from Page 1

Center staffing and assistant fire marshal for $59,400.

Not recommended for funding at this time, Public Safety had sought an emergency management division chief, a police detective, a fire captain, a paramedic and several other positions, totaling more than $600,000.

Recommended funding for 2024 also includes posts in other departments, including $30,000 for an external communications services firm and $50,000 for a grant management firm to handle contracts for areas targeted in the annual action plan.

The full list of recommended operating initiative requests for the budget that cover City Administration; Community and Economic Development; Information Technology; Public Safety; Recreation, Parks and Cultural Services; and citywide needs total just over $3 million, with an additional $239,900 capital component.

Hearings on the budget will also cover recommended capital initiative requests, which propose to allocate $15.6 million, not including another $1.2 million in reserve.

Following discussion by councilmembers and community input,

the recommended Fiscal Year 2024 Operating and Capital Budget will be released to the public in early May. The budget is set to be finalized by the end of June.

Neighborhood rezoning approved In matters at the May 1 meeting, the City Council voted 7-0 to rezone 5

acres of agricultural land on Mayfield Road to allow construction of five single-family homes.

Community Development Director Kathi Cook said the Planning Commission denied approval of the item at a Jan. 5 meeting, and nearby residents in attendance had expressed concerns about density and

stormwater runoff.

Following the feedback, Cook said developers negotiated 14 conditions with the Harrington Falls Community Association to reduce the number of lots from seven to five, as well as to provide adjacent buffers to neighboring subdivisions and an earthen detention pond with landscaping.

The City Council unanimously approved a text amendment to the city code to allow businesses with on-premises consumption of alcohol to sell packaged beer and wine for offsite consumption.

Councilmembers also recognized the efforts of gym employees and first responders for saving the life of Don Milich, whose heart stopped while swimming at Life Time Fitness.

“When I got to the hospital and they finally stabilized me and the doctor spoke with me, they said I’m part of the 2 percent club, given what happened to me and how long I was out,” Milich said. “He said if it wasn’t for the people at poolside, and if it wasn’t for the emergency people as well, and then obviously what they did in the hospital, I wouldn’t be here.”

Public Safety Director John Robison and Mayor Jim Gilvin recognized first responders on the scene, and Gilvin presented gym staff with a Distinguished Service Award.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

The Alpharetta City Council recognizes first responders and Life Time Fitness employees for saving the life of Don Milich, sixth from left, at a May 1 meeting. Milich’s heart stopped while swimming at the gym, and he was saved by staff’s immediate use of CPR and an AED.

ON THE LIGHT SIDE

Eclipse Over Roswell promotes spiritual healing for open minds

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Some people have called Eclipse Over Roswell looking for manipulative spells, like one that could return a lost love. But co-owner Michael Jerome said staff stays “on the light side.”

“We have people that will call in … and we’re like, ‘Yeah, we can’t do that,’” Jerome said.

Eclipse Over Roswell, on South Atlanta Street, is a metaphysical shop. Visitors are hit with a smell of incense as they enter and an inventory of items intended for spiritual growth and healing.

Even if the spell did work, Jerome said it would create a conflict in the brain.

“They’re gonna go crazy,” he said. “It’s never gonna work out.”

Rather than playing with someone else’s free will, co-owner Azalea Johns said staff is focused on internal light and connecting it to source energy.

Metaphysical tools

Crystals are a big portion of the store’s stock, their meanings and purpose printed on cards next to each container. There’s also a collection of tarot decks, colored candles, herbs and jewelry.

Through a door behind the retail space, Jerome and Johns were situated in the “living room.” This is where meditations are held, like ones for the

New Moon. To the right of the living room, Psychic Fairs are held on the second and fourth Saturday. Several tables were lined up.

Johns, also a house practitioner, regularly leads the meditative sessions where visitors gather round and encourage one another.

“Our New Moon Meditation is all about setting new intentions. It’s new beginnings. The moon is at its darkest point then,” Johns said. “It’s just going to grow. Light is just going to start to shine all the way up to the full moon.”

She also hosts tarot classes on most Sundays, referred to as “Sunday school.”

The business has a few house practitioners, including Mahogany Rose, the self-described “herb lady” who was in-store April 25. But there’s also about a dozen guest practitioners who come in from time to time with other specialties, like TJ Lecroy, a longtime intuitive reader, also at the front counter.

Farther back, there’s a smaller room for energy healing, featuring a bed and a poster outlining the chakras. Tarot, numerology and astrology readings are also performed there.

Jerome and Johns plan to expand the business into a studio in the same shopping center, which will be dedicated to events and classes. Current back rooms would become a place for more retail. They had spoken to an architect earlier that day.

See SPIRITUAL, Page 9

readings and reflexology work.

“If someone is skeptical, I would just say — be open and receptive to all good, and then see what happens.”

AZALEA JOHNS, co-owner, Eclipse Over Roswell

PHOTO BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA; ILLUSTRATION BY DIONNA WILLIAMS/APPEN MEDIA Opened in 2018, Eclipse Over Roswell is owned by Michael Jerome and Azalea Johns. The business offers a stock of metaphysical items, like crystals, candles and tarot cards, as well as energy healing, card, astrology and numerology

Spiritual:

Continued from Page 8

New territory

Jerome was more of a skeptic before he took ownership of the business six months after it opened in May 2018. A veteran of the restaurant business, he would sometimes watch videos from a medium named John Edward, but that was his only experience.

When he first entered the venture, Jerome dove into the crystals and minerals for their geological aspects.

“As far as metaphysical properties, I kind of passed that off,” Jerome said.

Now, every day when gets home, he brushes himself with a rod of Selenite, a crystal known for its ability to cleanse energy.

“I get a chill just every time,” Jerome said. “That first time, I was like, ‘Wow, this is real.’”

He also regularly uses diffusing oils for different intentions, some for prosperity.

Meanwhile, Johns, who joined the business in July 2019, has had a longtime fascination with astrology and crystals. Tarot came later. But it wasn’t until after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 that she began to listen to the messages she had been receiving.

Johns has her own daily practice, like quiet time in the morning. She puts on her “protection” for the day by setting an intention and sometimes uses cards as a guide. Johns might pull an Oracle card, which often has a word, something to focus on. Then, she asks herself about that intention at night with the aid of tarot.

Crystals have a daily use for Johns, in her pockets and covering her wrists. Her favorites rotate, but right now, they’re lepidolite for stress and anxiety, angelite, pink calcite and strawberry quartz.

Jerome reminded Johns that she also loves Blue Goldstone, a man-made stone of glass and cobalt infused with copper particles. Online articles ascribe a variety of meanings to Blue Goldstone, like confidence and ambition, good luck.

A ‘spiritual team’

An anatomy and physiology college instructor for nearly 20 years, Johns uses her scientific knowledge of the body to connect it to the spiritual. Chakras aren’t just “ethereal” concepts, she said.

“There are real structures in your body. There’s nerve plexuses, there’s endocrine glands that are coordinated or associated with those different energy centers,” Johns said.

She’s a certified Reiki instructor, but she most often practices tarot.

“It’s interesting to see the energy that

comes through when you’re in session with someone,” Johns said.

To begin a session, Johns connects what she calls a “spiritual team” — all beings of love and light, or guardian angels. The team could be ancestors, she said, or loved ones who have passed over.

“It’s about tapping into that center of love and hope and faith, and the energy that brings you peace and comfort,” Johns said.

Religion can be part of the session, Johns said, though some have come into the store under the impression that offerings are antithetical to religion.

“People come in here and tell us straight out, ‘You guys are demons,’” Jerome said.

But Jerome shared that metaphysical practices often incorporate religion. He named Judaism and Qabalah, a variety of Jewish mysticism, as well as Christianity as examples.

Johns has her own approach.

“If someone is skeptical, I would just

Eclipse Over Roswell

Address: 408 South Atlanta Street #150, Roswell Phone: 678-682-8624

Website: eclipseoverroswell.com

Eclipse Over Roswell owner Azalea Johns regularly hosts meditation groups in the business’ “living room,” furnished with comfy couches and covered in tapestries. Tables to the right of the same room, not pictured, are used for the bi-monthly Psychic Fair.

say — be open and receptive to all good, and then see what happens. Listen to the messages that you may be getting, and trust that,” Johns said. “Follow that, and see how that feels. See how it feels in your physical body.”

Hours: Monday-Saturday, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

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to you by –

Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

According to Zillow, certain features and corresponding keywords have been shown to stand out in listings to help a home sell for a higher price. In spite of the uptick in mortgage rates and the trend toward homes appraising at higher values, serious buyers are still attracted to specific features that help them visualize their best life.

Traditionally, homeowners have been advised to renovate or update for mass appeal and avoid assuming potential buyers’ tastes. However, data from Zillow shows that the same features that turn off one type of buyer will attract others who are willing to pay more for them, especially if those elements improve lifestyle quality and add to the fun factor. Knowing which features to emphasize before you list your home can help boost its profile

(both online and in person), attract serious attention and ultimately sell at a higher price point.

1. High-end cooking amenities.

Discerning foodies and gourmets appreciate deluxe cooking facilities such as steam ovens, pizza ovens and professional-grade appliances, and these features earn sellers an average of between three and five percent more.

2. Retreat spaces. The concept of home as a retreat space has grown exponentially in popularity following the pandemic as more people work and play from home. Although the home may sit on the market slightly longer, features such as she-sheds and wine cellars are prime assets, earning sellers around two percent more.

3. Upmarket materials. If your home build or renovation includes materials such as terrazzo, soapstone and quartz, make sure to

include this in your listing description. Data from Zillow shows that they are worth at least a two percent price increase.

4. Modern Farmhouse elements. From natural wood accents and apron sinks to stainless steel and polished stone, the ‘modern farmhouse’ aesthetic popularized by Joanna Gaines is the perfect blend of sophistication and comfort. Homes that fit within this category have been shown to sell for approximately two percent more.

While this information can help you prep and list your home, be sure to approach the selling process from a well-rounded point of view, understanding that regional variations always impact how a home sells in a particular area. If you need assistance staging your home or have any other real estate needs, please contact Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300. We would be happy to assist you!

Compiled

and edited by

Angela Valente, Marketing Copywriter/Copyeditor

Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad

7 Timeless kitchen trends that will never look outdated

Brought to you by - Remodeling Expo Center

Between expensive appliances, custom cabinets, and costly countertops, we spend a lot of money on our kitchens. In fact, according to John Hogan, Owner of Remodeling Expo Center in Roswell GA, the median spend on a kitchen remodel was $32,000. To make sure that all of this money isn't creating a kitchen we'll want to update again in five years, the trick is to incorporate timeless design elements that won't soon go out of style. By choosing kitchen features that can stand the test of time, you'll save yourself money (and the work of remodeling) down the line.

So, what are the kitchen trends that won't make you cringe a few years from now? Skip the trendy color of the year and follow these timeless kitchen ideas that have been loved for decades.

Neutral Paint Colors

The classic white kitchen is sometimes critiqued for being a little boring—but there's one solid reason to opt for this color in the kitchen: It will never go out of style. According to Remodeling Expo Center, a whopping 43 percent of renovating homeowners opted for white cabinets. Not sure which shade of white to go for? Don’t worry, soft greys are also just as popular and combining the two work well also.

Shaker-Style Cabinets

Known for their simple design and recessed-panel doors, Shaker cabinets have been in-style for more than 100 years. Shaker cabinets are popular in farmhouse kitchens, transitional kitchens and are the perfect element to update an otherwise traditional house.

Drawer and Cabinet Organizers

I'm calling it: Organization will never go out of style. And while features like built-in baking sheet dividers and pull-out cabinet drawers haven't been around for that long, when hidden behind unfussy, timeless

cabinet fronts, these functional features will never be outdated.

Built in Appliances

Nothing finishes off the look of a kitchen like the smooth finished look of a built-in appliance. Especially the refrigerator and the microwave. And conversely, nothing looks more outdated than a refrigerator or microwave sticking out or on the countertop. A thoughtful kitchen design should include clever and seamless appliance installation.

Natural Materials

Adding in natural materials like wood and stone will ground the space and keep it classic. If you want a timeless look, resist the urge to create an ultra-modern kitchen full of shiny stainless steel and engineered materials. Resist the feeling that “natural” equals “old”

White Marble “Look” or Butcher Block Countertops

The white marble look will always be an elegant choice for kitchen countertops, but if the maintenance and potential for staining has you worrying about its longevity, consider using quartz. For a more classic look consider butcher block. The go-to choice for farmhouse kitchens, butcher block will wear beautifully over the years and you can prepare food directly on it.

Subway Tile

Subway tile is not only versatile enough to work with many different decor styles, but you probably won't get sick of it in five years (after all, the look's been around for over 100 years). While it may be tempting to go with a trendy backsplash, like metallic tiles, sea glass, or bright geometric tiles, opt for something a little simpler if you want a backsplash with staying power.

To learn more, contact The Remodeling Expo Center at 404 910-3969 or stop in at 48 King Street, Roswell, GA 30075. www. RemodelingExpo.com

Your Will

Brought to you byGeerdes & Associates

Anyone who’s read a Victorian novel or watched Knives Out has heard about the Last Will and Testament. A Will is a document that contains an individual’s wishes for his or her asset distribution upon his or her death. There are four major parts to a Will: First, it lists identifying information for the Testator or Testatrix- the person who is writing the Will. This information generally includes the full legal name and residential address of the Testator. It can also include the birth date and contact information. Next, the Will details the powers that would be granted to the Executor of the Will. The Executor is the person named or appointed by court to distribute the decedent’s assets. After that, the Will names

Guardians for any minor children that the decedent may have. Some Wills may even name Guardians for their beloved pets! Finally, the Will should provide supplementary information that specifies terms used in the document, which prevents ambiguous terms from slowing down probate. Although these four parts may seem simple, don’t underestimate how complicated a Will can get, particularly if you want to designate specific assets such as a ring or even a property to a specific person. Properties in particular are often contested, as mortgage companies will try to claim a property after the owner’s death. Wills can also be contested if the decedent’s heirs fight amongst themselves. That’s why it’s important to not rely on generic templates or Will generators that you may find online. It is always recommended to find the help of an attorney specializing in estate planning to decide on how you can encapsulate all of your wishes in your Will.

GEERDES

The North Fulton Real Estate Market had a very strong Q1 in 2023. We continue to see home prices rise and the lack of inventory in the overall market is pushing the demand and prices higher. We did see a longer, but normal, average days on market for the start of Q1. Coming out of the holidays and the high interest rates, compared to 2022, contribute to this. We are, also, not seeing as many over asking price contracts, as compared to 2022. In the first Quarter, the average sales price to listing price ratio was 98.3%. In 2022, this ratio was around 101%! If you are looking to buy or sell, you need to be informed about what is going on in the industry, and I would be happy to help you out.

Brought to you by Wesley Hansard, Harry Norman Realtors

Conducting your due diligence

You’ve spent months searching for the right home and you’ve just received the call that your offer is being selected and you are finally under contract! What comes next in the process?

Georgia is a “buyer beware” state. This essentially means that a buyer is responsible for doing their homework to learn of any defects in a home before purchasing the home. This is typically done during the due diligence period where a buyer can walk from the contract for any reason or no reason at all. The record low inventory levels combined with an increase in the number of buyers often pushes the market to write offers with more and more competitive terms.

In the past few years, we moved from a world where 10-14 days was

typical for a due diligence period to today, where most contracts have a maximum of 7 days. In multiple offer scenarios, we are still seeing the market push for 2-5 day long due diligence periods. In an ideal world, a buyer would complete all their desired inspections, bring contractors to the house to quote repairs or renovations, research schools and the area, negotiate repairs, and more. This leads to a big question – how is a buyer supposed to get all of this done in so little time?

The unfortunate truth is that too many buyers are not only choosing to waive their due diligence contingency, but they are also foregoing their inspections all together. The importance of completing your due diligence prior to closing on your home purchase continues to be equally as important

as it has been in the past - you might just be completing this earlier in the process or outside of a contingency period. The contract is typically held together by a negotiated amount of earnest money that proves to the seller that the buyer truly intends to purchase the home. Once the contingency periods have ended, the earnest money becomes at risk should the buyer default on the contract.

While a buyer might have a substantial amount of earnest money on the line, it is still critical for the buyer to have a full understanding of the condition of the home they are purchasing. With the findings from the inspection, a buyer will be able to comprehend the full financial commitment they are making in this purchase. This is the true purpose and value behind the due diligence period.

If you are working with an experienced full-service Realtor or Realtor Team, like The Kloster Group, you’ll be guided throughout the entire home buying process. An experienced agent will help to provide resources and contacts to do the necessary area research early on in your search for the right home so that you can focus on home specific questions after going under contract. An experienced agent will also help share their knowledge and connect you with vetted service providers to quickly work through inspection concerns, estimated repair costs, renovation experiences, and survey issues to help give you the confidence you need to move forward in the buying process.

Caroline Nalisnick The Kloster Group at HOME Real Estate caroline@homegeorgia.com 404-513-9226

Brought to you by - Caroline Nalisnick, The Kloster Group at HOME Real Estate, caroline@homegeorgia.com

NALISNICK

PEXELS

Soleil Belmont Park - An extraordinary resort-level 55+ Community

After much anticipation, Soleil Belmont Park, a 55 plus gated community located between Milton and Canton, has started construction of their resort-style amenities. Built by award-winning Patrick Malloy Communities, this extraordinary new neighborhood was expertly designed with active adults in mind and features a model home park with five stunning, designer model homes.

Soleil Belmont Park’s exciting resortstyle amenities are right outside your door and include a 9,800 square foot

community clubhouse with a coffee and cocktail bar, health and fitness center, catering kitchen, arts and crafts studio, club/card room and a community post office. Homeowners will enjoy a country club-style pool, tennis and pickle ball courts, bocce ball, a community garden, and nature walking trails. In addition, Soleil Belmont Park will have its own lifestyle and travel director.

There are nine homes currently under construction of which five are READY TO CLOSE NOW. Each of these

breathtaking homes are situated on a large maintenance-free homesite. For a limited time, take advantage of a 4.99% fixed 30-year interest rate on any of the available homes making it the perfect time to purchase your new home.

Everything is all within reach with shopping, dining, and entertainment nearby in Alpharetta, Milton, and Canton, plus Northside Hospital-Cherokee is just down the road. Easy access to major interstates makes for a quick trip to downtown Atlanta or the North Georgia

Mountains. Soleil Belmont Park offers world-class resort amenities and endless opportunities for adventure.

New friends, new beginnings and new memories are all waiting to be made at a moment’s notice. There is something for everyone at Soleil Belmont Park. Priced from the $500s - $800s. Visit www.SoleilBelmontPark.com or call 770.635.4080. Sales and marketing by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Two Roswell High gymnasts head to Air Force Academy

ROSWELL, Ga. — In June 2023, two Roswell High School students will start their gymnastics journey at the United States Air Force Academy. Aiden Esval and William Pyle committed to compete in Division I gymnastics for the service academy.

The pair have trained in gymnastics since they were about five years old, according to Esval’s mother, and now compete for Roswell Gymnastics. Both athletes will graduate from Roswell High School in 2023. They will commit to serving in the United States Air Force during their second year at the academy.

To get into the academy each student must receive a nomination. Esval was nominated by Georgia State District 6 Representative Rich McCormick, while Pyle received a “presidential nomination” from his

mother. Presidential nominees are selected by their “career” military member parents.

Aiden Esval’s older brother Ethan Esval also attended the Air Force Academy and served as the gymnastics team captain in 2021.

On April 25, the two athletes had a “signing party” to celebrate their commitment to the Air Force Academy. Adorned in Air Force Academy clothing the pair cut a cake with the rest of the Roswell men’s gymnastics team, Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson and the Roswell City Council.

Aiden Esval’s mother, Stacy said her son turned to her at the end of the event and said “I’ve never felt this special in my life.”

Esval and Pyle will start at the academy on June 28.

STACY ESVAL/PROVIDED

Aiden Esval and William Pyle celebrated their commitment to compete as gymnasts for the United States Air Force Academy with Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson and city councilmembers at the Roswell Recreation Center on April 25.

County lists road upgrades to handle The Gathering

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — While The Gathering at South Forsyth is expected to bring unprecedented economic growth to Forsyth County, officials say road upgrades in the area will manage related traffic concerns.

County Manager David McKee said the new Ga. 400 interchange and the widening of McGinnis Ferry Road, as well as the extension of Ronald Reagan Boulevard, will be completed before The Gathering opens if plans are approved.

The site for the proposed development is located at Union Hill Road and Ronald Reagan Boulevard. The Drawing from 2019 figures, the County Engineering Department estimated traffic counts for Union Hill Road at 5,180 vehicles a day. It showed 9,490 vehicles on McGinnis Ferry Road.

The Big Creek Greenway will also extend for one mile through the develop-

ment and connect the Halcyon and Union Hill Park trailheads, marking a 27-mile connection from Roswell to the Sawnee Mountain Preserve.

“This is a big economic driver, not only to the county, but to the region and even to the Southeast,” McKee said.

“We're looking forward to working with the developers, working through the traffic issues that would arise with a development like this and coming together for a good community solution, both from the regional level, but all the way down to the local level.”

While the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to extend express lanes on Ga. 400 from the North Springs MARTA Station to Forsyth County near McFarland Parkway, McKee said there are no plans as yet to extend MARTA rail or bus service to the county.

Proposed by North Georgia business-

man Vernon Krause, The Gathering at South Forsyth is billed to serve as an entertainment, business and residential hub at the southern border of the county.

Project developers presented conceptual plans for the 100-acre site at an April 25 Board of Commissioners work session and estimated The Gathering could produce over 12,000 long-term employment opportunities, as well as 20,000 construction jobs during its 10year development.

While finalized plans for the future of the development have not been presented, discussions and further details are slated for the May 9 County Commission work session.

Updates and information on the project can be found at thegatheringatsouthforsyth.com.

— Shelby Israel

Sawnee EMC part of group drawing from solar project

CUMMING, Ga. — Sawnee EMC and 29 other Georgia electric cooperatives are now sharing the renewable energy generated by a new 106-megawatt solar project constructed in Clay County.

Sawnee EMC will receive around 10 percent of the project’s energy.

Green Power EMC, the renewable energy supplier for 38 of Georgia’s electric membership corporations, including Sawnee EMC, is purchasing all of the energy and environmental attributes generated by the Clay Solar

Church:

Continued from Page 4

Jenkins said it could benefit Eagles Nest to have a 2,000-seat auditorium, but it would discourage people from using the space for other events like weddings.

“We need to keep it big enough to accommodate what we want to do and a lot of the events we would like to have, but it has to be smaller to not lose that intimate feel,” Jenkins said.

The church and developers plan to open the first phase of development by March or April 2024, Jenkins said. Phase one will focus on the core Kohl’s property building with the auditorium, common spaces and daycare. The other phases will focus on the outparcels, other buildings and businesses on the rest of the property.

Jenkins said timelines are tentative because a “lot of the timing is dependent on resources” and supply chain issues

Project. As a clean and renewable energy source, the solar site’s environmental benefit is equivalent to eliminating approximately 193,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.

The Clay Solar Project has more than 337,000 solar modules that track the sun on its daily path across the sky, resulting in increased energy production when compared to a solar project that utilizes a fixed-tilt installation.

Sawnee EMC offers a virtual solar energy program where members can

are slowing plans down. Still, he believes the Beacon will be ready for use by next spring.

The developer and pastor opened the floor to community questions, where they faced concerns about the Petco still open on the Kohl’s property. Jenkins said discussions aren’t finalized, but both parties are working on a short-term lease extension to keep the store open.

A Petco groomer told Jenkins store managers had announced the store would close in a matter of months and employees had already told customers the location was shutting down. Jenkins said he could not speak for the team at Petco, but they haven’t “kicked anybody out” of the property.

Jenkins also outlined how the Beacon will serve different parts of the community. Many residents raised concerns about a lack of space in Roswell for teenagers and children to hang out for free.

Jenkins said a portion of the property will be dedicated to young people with gaming rooms, hangout space and a tutoring company. He is also working

receive the benefits of alternative energy without the challenges of owning and operating a system at their home or business.

Also, Sawnee EMC has a “new” solar renewable energy credit program that allows members to purchase the environmental attributes of Sawnee’s solar assets. To learn more about both programs, call Sawnee’s Call Center at 770-887-2363, chat online, text 678999-8124 or email customerservice@ sawnee.com.

with Centennial High School to make the Kohl’s site an overflow parking lot for high school students.

“I love this city, I even did something stupid a couple of years ago and ran for mayor,” Jenkins said. “Our hearts are here, and I promise you we’re going to do something special.”

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS

HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO SHARE?

Run it in the newspaper!

WEDDINGS ENGAGEMENTS ANNIVERSARIES BIRTHS DEATHS

To submit your announcement visit appenmedia.com/submit

Name: No Longer Bound Thrift Store Owners: Ben Tison, executive director; Bethany Monroe, director of Thrift Operations

Description: No Longer Bound Thrift Stores sell donations from the community including furniture, electronics, clothing, accessories and more. Customers can

Traffic:

Continued from Page 3

or Northwinds parkways to detour to Old Milton Parkway or Haynes Bridge Road to avoid the road closure.

“Haynes Bridge as you’re headed east

shop and donate at the store and know they are saving lives by funding the nonprofit addiction treatment program.

Opened: January 14, 2023

Address: 6000 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek Phone: 470-839-8838

Web Address: nolongerbound.com

Name: Newtown Hearing Center

Owner: Elisa Bobbitt, Au.D.

Description: Better hearing leads to better living. Newtown Hearing Center’s compassionate and expert team will take the time to truly understand you — not just your hearing. Personalized audiological services include hearing evaluations, hearing technology, ear wax removal, tinnitus evaluations and treatment, custom ear protection, custom swim molds, broadcasting and musician in-ear monitors.

Opened: March 1, 2023

Address: 3005 Old Alabama Rd., Suite 400 Johns Creek, GA 30022

Phone: 470-294-2116

Web address: www.newtownhearing. com

or northeast, if you’re headed downtown from North Point Parkway along Haynes Bridge, that area is nowhere near capacity,” Drinkard said. “So there’s a lot of ability to still absorb some traffic in that area.”

Further information on the Ga. 400 Express Lanes Project can be found at 0001757-gdot.hub.arcgis.com/.

Best Date Night Hotspot

Best Day Spa / Massage

Best Farmers Market

Best Golf Course

Best Group/Corporate Activity

Best Gym / Fitness Facility

Best Music Lessons

Best Performing Arts / Theatre

Best Place for Kids to Have Fun

Best Sports Program

Best Summer Camp

Best Wedding Venue

RETAIL:

Best Antiques Store

Best Apparel Boutique (LOCAL)

Best Art Gallery / Retailer

Best Beverage / Wine Store (LOCAL)

Best Boutique Shop (LOCAL)

Best Bridal Shop

Best CBD Retailer

Best Consignment Store

Best Florist

Best Furniture / Home Décor

Best Community Event

Best Dance Lessons/Studio

PRESERVING THE PAST

A downtown Alpharetta barber shop that made history

Q: Why is a barber shop like an Irish pub?

A: Because, historically, both were places where neighbors gathered to socialize, where friends congregated, and new friendships were made. Some of these shops were hardly known outside their neighborhoods, others achieved near cult status. The Alpharetta Barbershop was an example of the latter.

Hoke Wallace (1906-1990) was born in Gainesville, the son of a farmer. He started working in a local barber shop at age 12 shining shoes and sweeping floors. One day, a halfsober gentleman asked the youth to cut his hair. The result was pretty good, and Hoke gave a few more haircuts, he recalled later. Two years later he opened a barbershop in his parents’ home and charged 10 cents a haircut. He attended school through the seventh grade in Gainesville.

In 1932, at age 26 he moved to the Brandywine Community in Forsyth County and cut hair in his home. He was a barber in Roswell for two years, then worked for three years at the Bell Bomber Plant, now Lockheed Corporation, during World War ll. Then, he worked for five years in the Sims Barber shop near Georgia Tech. Later, he moved to a small brick house on North Main Street in Alpharetta where he continued to cut hair. He opened his one-man barbershop in downtown Alpharetta in 1953 and charged a quarter for a haircut. He also ran the Old Milton County Jail and helped the local undertaker. His shop was in a small wood building on Main Street. It had a barber pole mounted on one side and the name of the shop on a large Coca Cola sign above the door. (After World War I, Coca Cola Company printed the name of businesses on metal Coca Cola signs called “privilege panels”). It had room for one barber chair and about four chairs for waiting customers. He had a loyal clientele, some of whom traveled 30 miles for one of his haircuts.

Hoke was a talented musician. He played the guitar and drums. When business was slow, he picked up his guitar, often joined by his brother Clyde who played the fiddle. Hoke, Clyde and a few other musicians could usually be found entertaining folks at the Saturday night street

dances in downtown Alpharetta. Several nights each week, Hoke played guitar at square dances with his own Hoke Wallace Band throughout North Georgia and South Carolina. He became known as “the pioneer of country music.”

Hoke was a little eccentric. He refused to have a telephone in his shop because it cost too much and because clients might get phone calls in the middle of their haircuts. Whenever a customer wanted a fancy hair style, Hoke sent him to one of the two other barbers in town.

A few people have memories of Hoke. Jim Spruell, who as youth accompanied his father to Hoke’s barber shop, remembers that Hoke was always joking and “usually had a dominos game going in the back of the room where farmers and retired men would spend hours.”

Ben Hollingsworth says that clients arriving while Hoke was playing his guitar would have to wait until his song was finished to get their haircuts.

Connie Mashburn recalls that Hoke liked to fish and would close the shop on a moment’s notice if someone came in and suggested they go fishing together. Jim, Ben and Connie are board members of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society.

Hoke retired in 1986. The barbershop stood vacant for about four years, and then rather than knock it down Hoke gave it to Carlos Bagwell who owned the adjacent property. Carlos and his three sons placed telephone poles under the building and moved it to his property where he used it as a storehouse. The building was torn down when Carlos

converted the property into a parking lot in 2017.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

Hoke Williams talks with a customer in his cramped barber shop on Main Street in downtown Alpharetta. Photo, circa 1960s, is in the Alpharetta History Museum

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA Hoke Williams used this barber chair for many years in his one-man barber shop in Alpharetta. The chair is on display at the Alpharetta History Museum at Alpharetta City Hall.

GARDEN BUZZ

Gardeners can take steps to help monarch population

“If you build it, he will come.”

It worked in the film classic “Field of Dreams.” Kevin Costner played Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer who heard a voice whisper those words to him one evening while he was walking through his cornfield. A baseball fan, Ray took it as a sign that if he had faith and went ahead and built a baseball diamond on his farm – even plowing under part of the corn crop – the great “Shoeless” Joe Jackson would show up. He went ahead and put together the field and oh my, did the baseball greats from the past show up.

So, what does a movie about baseball, albeit one nominated for three Academy Awards, have to do with monarch butterflies coming to your yard?

The eastern monarch butterfly population is in decline, and many people are motivated to help by creating their own version of a field of dreams by planting a butterfly garden.

However, sometimes we hear: “Why am I not seeing any monarch butterflies?”

Just as a baseball field has requirements —three bases, a home plate, the pitcher’s mound, etc. —there are features that a successful butterfly habitat includes. While there are no guarantees (and know that it may take some time), these tips should help.

Bring monarchs to your garden

Location matters. Butterflies and other pollinators love the sun and so do their favorite flowers. They also need some protection from the wind.

Butterflies love a buffet. Asters, Anise Hyssop, bee balm, Black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, Joe Pye (a.k.a. Swallowtail Delight), lantana, milkweed, purple coneflowers, sunflowers and zinnias are favorites.

No milkweed, no monarch babies. Monarchs will happily sip nectar from different species of milkweed and other plants. However, in Georgia, the milkweed (Ascleperis tuberosa) is the host plant for their caterpillars. Check online to see what the native milkweeds for your area are. Also, remember young’uns like to eat. One or two plants probably won’t be enough. The more milkweed, the better chance that you’ll see monarchs and eventually find their tiny pinhead-size eggs and larvae.

Beware tropical milkweed. Tropical or exotic (non-native) milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) actually harms the monarchs, according to Monarch Joint Venture. Instead of migrating to overwintering sites, year-round tropical milkweed encourages monarchs to linger, unlike the native North American milkweeds that die back. Winter larvae feeding on the tropical milkweed face multiple threats, including a higher chance of becoming infected with Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) parasites. Tropical milkweed should be cut back in the winter and fall months in the southern U.S.

No insecticides. Insecticides sprayed to control mosquitoes also control butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and more.

It may take time, but the monarchs, along with the other butterflies and pollinators, will come.

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and

More information

foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.

•U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Monarch Butterfly - https://www.fws.gov/savethemonarch/

•How to Build a Pollinator Garden - https://www.fws.gov/midwest/news/PollinatorGarden.html

•Project Milkweed - https://xerces.org/milkweed

•UGA Extension: Environmental Enhancement with Ornamental Plants: Butterfly Gardening - https://secure.caes.uga.edu/extension/publications/files/pdf/C%20 975_4.PDF

About the Author

This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Pam Rentz. Pam, a Roswell resident, 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.

PAM RENTZ

Guest Columnist

With suffering a part of life, planning is important

Fundamental to successful financial life planning is understanding the known vagaries of life and strategizing how best to deal with them.

There are certain “known knowns,” as Donald Rumsfeld, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, famously observed, among them the inevitability of death and the likelihood of suffering along the way, whether from injury, sickness or other bodily or emotionally related happenstance. Painful and disruptive occurrences are not pleasant to think about so it’s easy to defer advance planning in favor of more pressing or more enjoyable life circumstances.

These thoughts came to mind on Holy Thursday during Holy Week, on the day before Good Friday, as Christians contemplated the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist and new priesthood. It was the night that Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested. Good Friday focuses on the passion of the Lord, his scourging, the carrying of his cross while in excruciating pain, and his bloody crucifixion and death on the cross. This was the Son of God, our Creator, sharing fully in our human condition, suffering rejection, humiliation, pain, emotional distress and a gruesome death. All of this was prelude to the good news of Easter and of resurrection.

As mortals with complex and interdependent bodies and souls, we do at times endure excruciating pain and emotional anguish. The adjective, excruciating, stems from the Latin words excruciatus and excruciare. These were Roman words meaning “to afflict, harass, vex, torment,” in a manner as gruesomely painful as a crucifixion. The crucifixion process produced suffering so intense that new Latin words came into usage to describe them, and they exist today in English as the root of excruciate. Excruciating may also seem to apply to the pain caused by tedious tasks, paperwork snafus, or long waits, such as those suffered by both the patient and loved ones in overburdened emergency rooms and hospitals.

If you are an adult age 18 or older in Georgia and need medical attention, you are protected by federal privacy laws regarding your medical condition.

However, in a serious circumstance you may not be able to make rational decisions about your care or be able to communicate your wishes. This also applies to end-of-life care. Someone you know, someone who loves and cares about you, someone who understands your wishes and religious preferences, should have the authority to work with doctors, hospitals, and emergency workers, legal authorization to make decisions that he or she knows reflect your wishes and values.

The person to whom you delegate power of decision-making, and a backup person if the primary designee is not available, may be contained in legal documents such as a Living Will, an Advance Directive for Health Care, or a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. You can easily find sample documents on the internet, but a better option is an overall and comprehensive living and testamentary estate plan formulated with the guidance of an experienced financial adviser who can coordinate with an estate and trust planning attorney, along with input from those busy loved ones who may have to step in on your behalf. Medical care overall and end-of-life care in particular is complex with all parties demanding reams of paperwork and funding to protect them from, among other things, rising costs and complex malpractice and legal claims.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta recently published a new Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care in conformity with Catholic teaching. Whether you are Catholic or not, the document is worth reviewing as it contains important things to consider relative to a myriad of choices. See archatl. com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ georgia-advance-directive-catholicteaching-2015.pdf

Baby boomers, with the oldest turning 77 this year, remain a massive population cohort and long-term care represents the single largest potential financial and emotional burden for seniors and their families. A recent article in the Atlanta JournalConstitution (4/2/23) noted that costs for 40 hours of weekly home health assistance can exceed $56,000 per year. Nursing home intensive care can cost someone an average of $120,000 per year out of pocket unless one qualifies for Medicaid. While sometimes a son, more often it’s a daughter who steps up to take care of mom or dad, or grandma or grandpa. She is likely to be in her late 40s or early 50s with children of her own with demanding needs, including

education and car pooling, while juggling work and other challenges. What’s your plan for family care, including time, money, and resources?

Those who are young and healthy may not think they have a stake in such planning, but accidents, serious illness and death do not respect age. Making decisions to cope with the vagaries of life is best done in a period of calm, not under duress, stress, pain, and immediacy. The life of Jesus teaches us many things, including the reality that life is relatively short when measured against eternity. The excruciating pain and suffering of our Lord God Creator were meant as a lesson for us all.

Suffering, whether physical or emotional, is part of our human condition. You can respond in ways that are destructive, such as aggressive actions, anger, excessive drinking, drugs, imprudent and immoral behavior. Or you can respond in positive ways that illustrate life lessons well learned, a process that builds character and resilience. A life of purpose and meaning, one of gratifying success and happiness, is

about choices. Choose wisely!

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770441-3553; lewis@capitalinsightgrp. com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA), which is otherwise unaffiliated with CIG. Lewis a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

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LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

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The Investment Coach

DEATH NOTICES

Robert Henson, 60, of Roswell, passed away on April 24, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Linda Jane Kelly, 70, of Milton, passed away on April 20, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Tommy Partin, 85, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 25, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ENGINEER

Sawnee EMC is seeking an Electrical Distribution System Engineer. Requires a bachelor’s degree in electrical, mechanical, civil engineering or similar engineering discipline. Preferred experience in design, modeling and maintenance of distribution power systems. Must have strong computer, mathematical and communication skills.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, May 12, 2023. Apply online: www.sawnee.com/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer of Females, Minorities, Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

Landscaping Full Service LANDSCAPING Company

Administrative Assistant for Youth and Children

Protestant church in downtown Alpharetta seeks a parttime (15-18 hours per week) Administrative Assistant for Youth & Children’s Ministries. In addition to normal administrative duties the candidate will assist with scheduling, social media, securing supplies, maintaining attendance records, planning events and mission trips.

Qualified candidates are a person of outstanding character who is friendly, organized, able to prioritize, exhibits an understanding of the importance of confidentiality, and is willing and able to work in an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of all people.

A degree from an accredited college or university is preferred. Computer competence within Office 365, editing, and writing skills are required. Experience with REALM is a plus.

Successful completion of a criminal records and child abuse background check is required. Send resumes to alpharettajobopening@gmail.com.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Home Improvement

DECKS BUILT & REPAIRED-PAINT

Retaining walls (brick or wood), grading, sod, tree services, hauling, topsoil & more.

Ralph Rucker

678-898-7237

Concrete/ Asphalt Retaining Walls Brick or Wood

Contact Ralph Rucker.

Many local references. Honest, punctual, professional and reasonable prices! 678-898-7237

Office Space

Wonderful Office Suite Available

Near (.7 mile) Downtown Alpharetta

• Turnkey – Everything provided

• Utilities included

• Marketing can be included

• Conference Room

• Parking

• 24/7 access

• Private office suite within Appen Media Group’s building

• Easily accommodates up to 5 people

• Office has great light. Ground floor

• .7 mile to Alpharetta City Hall on Hwy. 9

• Smaller office space also available in same building

• Short or longer term lease. Reasonable $

Contact Ray Appen via Text (770-527-4042) or email me at RayAppen@Gmail.com – or just call me but best to text and I will return your call.

Software Developer:

Degree in comp/eng related. MS (2yrs) or BS (5yrs) expr. Expr in SDLC, Data Analysis, Datawarehousing & Data Mgmt, algorithm design & analysis for code optimization, AWS, Prog. Lang (C#.Net, JavaScript, Angular JS, Python), SQL & Oracle Server, Scrum & Agile. Travel/ Reloc/Telecommuting allowed. Resumes to: Before You Solutions LLC, 2970 Davidsonville Dr, Cumming GA 30041 Email: bhavana.d@beforeyousolutions.com

Decks repaired/built. Labor payment upon completion. 30-plus years experience. John Ingram/678-906-7100. Act now before prices increase next year! Heritage Home Maintenance HOMEREPAIRGA@GMAIL.COM, (HERITAGECONSTRUCTIONGA.COM)

Bargains – Miscellaneous

ELECTRIC PRESSURE WASHER, A.R. Blue Clean plus surface washer $115. ABOVE GROUND POOL PUMP and motor, new ETJ $200. 770-640-6250

Pinestraw

PINESTRAW, MULCH

Delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch. 770-831-3612

SUWANEE 30024

Multi family. Glencree Subdivision; Glencree Drive & Old Atlanta Road. Look for signs. FRIDAY 5/5 and SATURDAY 5/6, 8AM-2PM.

Gutters

AARON’S ALL-TYPE GUTTERS Installed. Covers, siding, soffit, facia. www.aaronsgutters.com. Senior citizen discount! 678-508-2432

Tree Services

24 hour emergency service. Licensed, insured. Workers Comp, insurance claims. 25+ years experience. Family business. Free estimates. We Love Challenges!

Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts 770-512-8733 • www.yellowribbontree.com

COMPLETE TREE SERVICES

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Text or Call us for a FREE quote appointment.

Tree removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Free mulch. Fully insured. Emergency 24/7 770-450-8188

Haulers

Bush Hogging, Clearing, Grading, Hauling, Etc.

Many local referencesCall Ralph Rucker 678-898-7237

Deadline to place a classified ad is Thursdays by 4 pm

Garage Sales

Health &

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