FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County School Board approved a $2.1 billion budget for the 2023-2024 school year at a June 6 meeting.
That’s about a 31 percent increase from the current year’s overall $1.6 billion budget.
The spending plan includes a 7.1 percent pay raise for all employees and goes into effect July 1.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Organizers at the June 10 Magnolia Ball, hosted at Dunwoody Country Club said the 38th annual fundraiser brought in about $85,000 to help preserve and restore Roswell’s Bulloch Hall.
The event, hosted by nonprofit the Friends of Bulloch Hall, raises funds
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every year to pay off projects at Bulloch Hall, a historic home built in 1839 that is on the National Register of Historic places. This year, the organization targeted funds for plumbing, furniture, floor repairs and general cleaning.
Friends of Bulloch also honored master carpenter Geoff Lambousis, who spent 30 years reconstructing Bulloch Hall and its pavilion, terrace, gazebo and pergola.
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At the black-tie ball, attendees raised money by buying tickets and participating in a silent and live auction. Bids ranged from $50 to $3,000 on items from jewelry to inclusive vacations.
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The raise is split into a permanent 5.1 percent pay raise for all eligible employees which will cost the school district $42.5 million. The board also approved a one-time 2 percent pay bump to help increase employee retention. The payment, which will cost $14.8 million, only applies to staff who were employed in 2022-2023.
The budget is operating off a proposed millage rate of 17.24, but the countywide tax digest on property values won’t be available until later in the summer.
Fulton County Schools uses a modified approach to zero-based budgeting to cut unnecessary expenditures. With the zero-based budgeting approach, the district has a 95.5 percent spending rate. The county predicts that at the end of 2024 the ending fund balance will be about $358,704,353.
“This was a process that could have been extremely daunting, and you made
See BUDGET, Page 13
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Police Department has arrested a juvenile suspect in a shooting at the North Point Mall Carnival that left two women injured June 7.
The City Public Safety Department said the suspect turned himself in to police June 9. He is facing charges of second-degree cruelty to children, possession of a firearm during
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police said that several unidentified suspects may have attempted to rob a local man at his home on Parkcreek Court in Alpharetta.
Officers responded to a home on Parkcreek Court at about 2:40 a.m. May 29 after receiving reports that a man had been confronted by five males who may have been attempting to burglarize his vehicles and home.
The man apparently arrived home at about 2:30 a.m. and saw a pair of feet coming out from beneath one of his parked vehicles and noticed four other men hiding behind the vehicle. After the victim noticed the suspects, one confronted him in a threatening manner and, according to the homeowner, may have pulled out a handgun.
The victim was able to flee inside his home to call 911 and reportedly heard the suspects attempting to force open his windows.
When police arrived, no suspects were located in the surrounding area, and the victim was unable to provide any explanation for why the men may have targeted him.
commission of a felony, two counts of reckless conduct, possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18 and tampering with evidence.
The suspect’s identity is being withheld due to his age.
Officials said they think the shooting was an accident, and the suspect has known relationships with the two young adult victims.
ROSWELL, Ga. — Police arrested a Roswell man May 29 for felony theft of a car after he stopped making payments for a weekly rental from Sixt rent a car.
An officer spotted the car on Holcomb Bridge Road and confirmed it had been listed as stolen by the Atlanta Police Department. The officer then conducted a “high risk stop” with the driver and passenger. The officer had the driver and passenger hold up their hands until backup arrived.
When other officers arrived, the driver told police he knew the vehicle was overdue and he would have returned it had he known it would be listed as stolen. The passenger, a young woman told police she was holding her son. All the belongings in the car were released to the woman.
Police took the driver into custody and had the car towed. He was taken to Fulton County Jail on a warrant for felony theft by conversion of a car worth about $25,000.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. —Alpharetta police have arrested a 29-year-old Duluth man who allegedly attacked two Alpharetta library employees, including a pregnant woman, during a recent children’s event.
Officers responded to the Alpharetta Library, 10 Park Plaza in Alpharetta, at about 4 p.m. June 1, after receiving 911 calls reporting that two people were injured
Detectives were unable to locate the suspect at the scene but found a handgun while canvassing the area. The female victims were transported to an area hospital.
Public Safety officials consider the incident to be isolated, and there is no threat to Alpharetta residents and visitors.
— Shelby Israeland a suspect had been apprehended by witnesses.
Police were told the two victims were working outside the library at a children’s event when a man became violent after library employees moved his large “hiking type” backpack out of the way of the library’s front doors.
Both victims were struck in the face and head, and one of the victims, a pregnant female was pushed back against the library’s outside wall.
Incident reports said an officer was nearby during the incident and was able to take the alleged attacker into custody.
Police later learned the suspect had previously been criminally trespassed from other areas of the city. He was charged with battery on a pregnant female and battery, then transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Phi Phi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host a reception celebrating Juneteenth at the Alpharetta Arts Center at 238 Canton Street from 6-9 p.m. June 16.
The free reception will include a speech by Penny Brown Reynolds, deputy assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as live music performances by Imani Hines,
Stello Clark and DJ Sugar Bear Entertainment.
Drummer Wayne Curtis and songwriter and poet Tavares Stephens will also deliver spoken word. The reception will include giveaways and
refreshments.
Those interested can register at eventbrite.com/e/celebratingjuneteenth-tickets-636997866767.
— Shelby IsraelJOHNS CREEK, Ga. — To celebrate Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of the country’s enslaved African Americans, Johns Creek is hosting a special event at Newtown Park June 17.
The celebration will run from 3-9 p.m. at the Mark Burkhalter
Amphitheater. Performances include anthems, a gospel choir, storytelling, violin, a student step routine, rap and poem performance, spoken word and jazz.
There will be a fish fry, barbecue and Italian ice, as well as vendors selling crafts and other products. The Johns Creek Arts Center will be on-site with crafts for kids and face painting. The event is set to have a Book Fair as
well, filled with local African American authors.
The mayor is set to welcome visitors at 3:20 p.m.
“I am grateful to the team of resident volunteers that have collaborated with the city staff to plan this event,” Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry said. “I am looking forward to celebrating the freedom, unity and peace that this important event in American history
More than 30 volunteers, with varying experiences and backgrounds, have spent the last few months on the event’s planning committee. Brian Weaver, committee member and former Johns Creek councilman, shared his excitement for the event.
“It’s part of our heritage,” Weaver said. “It shows the history of the Black American culture, where it all started.”
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. —The City of Sandy Springs announced May 25 that William “Bill” Haggett has been appointed the new Executive Director of the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
Haggett will assume his role in late June and will be working in tandem with Interim Executive Director Michael Pauken through his departure in July.
"Michael has done a tremendous job for the City of Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center and we are sad to see him leave us. We wish him every success in the future," City Manager Eden Freeman said.
Before accepting the post in Sandy Springs, Haggett held various roles in the entertainment industry including programming, venue management, production and consulting. Most recently Haggett served as the
head of the Coral Springs Center for the Arts in Coral Springs, Florida for seven years.
“We are pleased to welcome William Haggett to serve as the Executive Director of the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, which is a significant milestone for our city," Freeman said. "His unparalleled experience and innovative vision will elevate the center's artistic offerings and strengthen our community's cultural landscape. We are thrilled to welcome Bill and his family to Sandy Springs, and we look forward to the exceptional contributions he will make."
Haggett comes to Sandy Springs with his wife, Destiny, and two of his five children, Hudson and Carson.
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ROSWELL, Ga. — After a weeks-long process, the Roswell City Council passed the fiscal year 2024 budget at a June 12 meeting.
The $194.3 million budget was originally set for adoption on May 25, but some councilmembers pushed for a new deadline to discuss the finances. At the rescheduled reading on June 12, everyone but City Councilman Mike Palermo voted in favor of the budget.
Palermo cited issues with the expenses, particularly in the operating budget. The general fund, which accounts for the city’s day-to-day operations, is set at $100.5 million. That’s up about $6 million from the current year’s $94.6 million spending plan — about a 6 percent increase.
The bulk of the fund, 64 percent, covers salaries and benefits for city employees. The budget includes funds for 25 new full-time Fire Department positions as part of a five-year strategy to transition to a full-time department to make Roswell the “safest community in America.”
“My major issue is there’s just too large of a percentage of this budget going towards operating and not enough going towards capital,” Palermo said.
The capital budget is separate from the general fund and is used to pay for one-time, major expenses, like road and park upgrades.
Palermo pushed to invest in parks, road resurfacing and sidewalk projects across the city, saying it is more “sustainable” than a focus on the operating budget. The proposed capital fund is set at about $7.2 million.
Roswell Finance Director, Ryan Luckett has said the city’s operating budget has increased due to employee pay increases, a full-time Fire Department transition and nationwide inflation.
While Palermo voted against the budget, he said the proposal is a “step in the right direction.”
The budget includes some capital investments beyond the designated fund as well. Over $21 million is set aside for transportation projects, including road resurfacing, bridge replacements and trail construction, with funding from the transportation sales tax and state assistance.
Roswell officials also set aside $5 million for the historic parks and botanical gardens as part of a maintenance plan that focuses on the city’s historic halls.
The fiscal year 2024 budget pulls from property and sales taxes for a chunk of its funding. Service charges, reserve use, business taxes and other revenue make up the rest of the $199.1 million in sourced funds.
Property tax revenues are based on the city’s millage rate. Last year, the council adopted a rate of 4.463 mills, the lowest rate in 35 years. One mill brings in $1 for every $1,000 in assessed value a property is worth.
Finance Director Luckett said that with anticipated growth in property values – including new construction – the proposed budget is based on revenues generated with the same property tax rate as last year. The city won’t receive the final appraisal numbers from Fulton County until July, though.
The city also must factor in the $180 million general obligation bond approved by voters in November 2022 dedicated to public safety, parking and parks and recreation.
While officials hope to keep the mill levy the same, the city has the added expense this year of repaying new bond debt. Luckett stated that as of now, the bond payments may increase the levy by 0.8 mills, but overall there is room to lower it.
The minor increase, Luckett explained, is because the city only issued about $86 million in bonds at a May City Council meeting. The millage rate will only cover the costs of the first issuance.
The city’s millage rate overall is split into two components: maintenance and operations and debt. Maintenance and operations
pay for most city services through the general fund. The debt portion covers payments on the bonds.
Residents can expect a slight increase in stormwater fees for the city depending on the “tier” of service.
The increase ranges from about 30 cents to a high of 70 cents, with payments ranging from $3.55 to $8.17 per month. The increase will “enhance stormwater management” according to city officials.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Swedish-Swiss automation company ABB is bringing the future to Alpharetta one robot at a time.
The multinational corporation officially opened its U.S. Packaging and Logistics Headquarters on Old Roswell Road in Alpharetta June 8, dedicating the facility to automated robotic solutions.
Company leaders say they hope the new headquarters will be a hub for the design and development of artificially intelligent robots aimed at automating the packaging and logistics industry.
ABB works in logistics, robotics, automation and manufacturing in a variety of global industries including automobiles, water, artificial intelligence, cosmetics and postal services. Some well-known clients include Volvo and Kraft foods.
At a June 8 ribbon cutting ABB displayed a variety of high-speed packing robots.
One robot named YuMi prepared coffee for the guests. Another YuMi across the room pretended to DJ
the event, occasionally mimicking a fist pump with its robotic arm. The high-speed robot is typically used to assemble cell phones.
Another robot sorted chicken wings
into Tyson-branded packages mere yards away from a device that sorted heavy boxes into shelves — all while using artificial intelligence to gauge its surroundings.
The whirring, high-tech displays are all part of ABB’s effort to repair the struggling packaging and logistics job market.
ABB U.S. Country Leader John Bubnikovich said packing and assembly has long been a strenuous job for individuals. Factory workers must spend hours on their feet doing repetitive tasks like assembling cell phones.
“People don’t want to do those jobs anymore,” Bubnikovich said.
Nationally, the unemployment rate is about 3.7 percent. Bubnikovich said that was a low rate, but about 40 percent of United States transportation and logistics companies lack the staff to take on laborious manual packaging tasks.
The robotics center in Alpharetta is part of the company’s larger effort to create at least 70 new jobs in the United States. Currently, about 20 employees are based in the Alpharetta headquarters—a number the company expects to grow.
ABB has more than 105,000 employees worldwide.
“There’s always a stigma of robots taking away jobs, but that’s just not the case anymore,” Bubnikovich said.
While the automated packaging jobs will be passed off to robots, the business leader said people will be able to move into more “meaningful” roles. The factory workers will begin
programming the robots, which Bubnikovich thinks will “fill a void” in the job market.
For robots like YuMi, programming the robot is easy. Employees simply move the arms of the device so it can learn the assembly pattern for small devices, a programming job that doesn’t require a specialized degree. Grabbing the arm stops YuMi entirely, and its soft exterior keeps the robot from causing any physical harm.
“They’ll have an opportunity to actually learn technology and learn how to integrate robots, which is a much more fulfilling career path,” Bubnikovich said.
Other robots use artificial intelligence to streamline and speed up sorting and packaging processes. One device identified objects and placed them into separate containers, while another stacked cardboard boxes onto a shipping pallet “like a game of Tetris.”
The development fits into a broader automation trend across the country. In 2022, the United States installed 41,000 new robots across various industries.
While the Alpharetta headquarters will be the hub for the company’s robotics development, the company will manufacture the so-called “robotics solutions” at factories in Michigan, Shanghai and Sweden.
Still, ABB leaders say the headquarters will benefit Metro Atlanta. Robotics Managing Director Daniel Navarro has lived in Alpharetta for a year working on the headquarters launch.
“Many of our employees live in this area,” Navarro said.
He credits Alpharetta with being an all-around “good environment” filled with diverse backgrounds and plenty of room to grow and expand.
MILTON, Ga. — Vernetta Nuriddin, former vice chair of the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, has been hired as the elections consultant for Milton’s municipal general elections this year.
Her $25,000 contract, passed on the Milton City Council’s consent agenda June 5, has an official start date of May 31 and will run through the end of the year.
Nuriddin is expected to review standard operating procedures, maintain clear lines of communication with the Secretary of State’s Office and Fulton County as well as ensure polling locations are set up and operating correctly.
Nuriddin will also be involved in the hiring process for poll managers and workers. Steve Krokoff, Milton city manager and election superintendent, said there are already more than 70 applications for those roles. Milton will have roughly 32 poll workers, with 16 at each location on Election Day.
In a series of phone conversations, Krokoff said Nuriddin appeared to be “quite knowledgeable” about elections and had the right connections. Krokoff also described Nuriddin’s relative experience, such as her role on the county’s election board and some direct administration.
However, Nuriddin does not have hands-on experience as an elections superintendent.
“Unfortunately, at the end of the
day, we didn't have anybody with that level of experience that was willing to take on this role.”
Another prospect was a consultant provided by the Election Center, aka the National Association of Election Officials, but the price tag was six figures, far exceeding the city’s $20,000 budget for the role.
The nomination for Nuriddin came to city staff’s attention by way of Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne and Milton City Councilman Rick Mohrig. In an interview, Thorne cited Nuriddin’s election certifications as a key reason for her recommendation.
“If you want somebody that can follow the laws, the rules, knows the history, Vernetta is your girl,” Thorne said.
Thorne also recalled Nuriddin’s vote to oust Richard Barron, the county’s former elections chief, and the backlash she received from the Democratic party. Nuriddin was the only Democrat on the board in favor of firing him.
Local media reported that Nuriddin had cited previous botched and sloppy elections, machine failures, mismanagement and firing of longtime election workers as to why Barron should be fired. The Fulton County Commission decided to keep Barron on, but he eventually resigned last year.
“She was doing the right thing, and it was the hard thing, and that really tells you about somebody's character,” Thorne said. “So, I know she's an honest person, and I think that's what you need in that role. I think bipartisanship, somebody who can work with both sides of the aisle — Democrats, Republicans — it builds trust in your election system.”
MILTON, Ga. — It’s hard to do yoga’s Downward Facing Dog with a goat on your back or rise into Mountain Pose with a sloth hanging on your shoulders and a pig snuffling at your ankles.
But for people at Love GOGA in Milton, mixing cute, friendly farm animals with yoga is a recipe for increased mindfulness, health and self-care.
Launched in 2017 by Milton resident Cathi Huff, Love GOGA has grown into a successful yoga and wellness business, with thousands of raving fans who sell out nearly every event the business holds each month.
Huff said everything started for Love GOGA when her kids left for college and she wanted to do something using her background in holistic health and her lifelong dream of owning a farm, where she could learn to ride horses.
So, Huff and her family bought a farm and started their animal family with a retired racehorse named Bronx, who once raced under the name “Atlantis Dream” and inspired their name for the property — the Atlantis Dream Farm. Since then, goats, dogs, cats, llamas, pigs and a herd of other animals have joined them there.
“We bought the property seven years ago, and Bronx moved to the backyard, then he started getting
buddies,” Huff said.
From the very beginning, Love GOGA’s farm animal yoga classes and events blew up thanks to the internet and TV, leading to over 3,000 hits a week on their website and more than 125 people a week visiting the farm to do yoga.
Marketing Manager Danielle Bartling said Huff’s vision came to life in an organic, effortless way because people really seem to understand what she wanted to share.
“She just combined her love for animals and holistic wellness and mindfulness … it was just like alchemy, no one had really done it that way before,” Bartling said.
But Huff said the company’s true mission of wellness and health didn’t come into focus until therapists and private schools started calling, wanting to hire them for private events.
“We realized that it was more than just goat yoga,” she said. “The third year is really when it became crystal clear to me that this was my purpose.”
Bartling said the sessions’ uniqueness draws people in, even people who practice yoga on a daily basis.
“We take people out of their routine; you’re not going to do farm animal yoga every single day, but you come out to Halcyon on a Saturday, you’re surrounded by animals …
See YOGA, Page 9
“The animals help ground you to the moment … you’re really just there with them.”
DANIELLE BARTLING, Marketing manager, Love GOGA
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they’re silly, they’re so cute,” Bartling said. “The animals help ground you to the moment … you’re really just there with them.”
And, ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, people seem to need grounding more than ever, she said.
“People are starving for personal attention and self-care and compassion for themselves,” he said. “The goal for us is to get it to as many people as possible because it’s helped us so much.”
Today Huff and her staff have expanded their lineup to include a partnership with North Georgia Wildlife Park in Cleveland, Ga., and Halcyon in Forsyth County. Those events, GOGA in the Wild and Halcyon Farm Animal Yoga, are almost always fully booked.
These are bolstered by special programs, like an event they recently had with the City of Milton that featured a sloth, capybara and fennec fox.
To learn more about Love GOGA events and Mindful Seeds, the business’s “happiness project” that will begin teaching mindfulness at the farm in July, visit lovegoga.com/
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MILTON, Ga. — After some property owners raised concerns about late changes to the District at Mayfield’s draft zoning code, the Milton City Council has deferred the measure for now.
The district covers about 18 acres in Crabapple and includes 22 parcels with properties off Broadwell Road, Charlotte Drive, Mayfield Road and Mid Broadwell Road. The area will have more strict development regulations intended to keep its unique identity intact, which includes several historic buildings.
Elements of the overlay district would fall under Crabapple formbased code. Caleb Rocicot, with TSW – the firm responsible for drawing up the plans – presented adjustments to the zoning ordinance at the Milton City Council meeting June 5. Items included requirements for frontage, civic spaces, parking, architectural standards, building placements and building form.
“We are not here to codify and mandate development of this exact vision,” Rocicot said. “The formbased code updates are intended to allow this kind of development, but at the same time, address the needs of property owners for certain flexibilities.”
Earlier this year, property owners in the district participated in a series of workshops to come up with suitable guidelines. A draft was available May 15, but owners have noticed lastminute changes.
One issue, voiced by the attorney for one owner, was the requirement for frontage. A subsequent change had allowed only houses or cottages to have frontages on civic spaces, whereas commercial lots are required to have street frontage.
It had also been proposed that civic spaces required a minimum width of 30 feet, but the adjustment had been deleted in the new draft — reverting back to the original requirement of 60 feet.
“The concept plan itself is no longer possible based on the change that was made last week,” attorney Jonathan Akins said.
Other owners were concerned about the potential exercise of eminent domain in the area, for a proposed thoroughfare that would cut through Mayfield and Mid Broadwell roads.
Milton Zoning Manager Robyn MacDonald confirmed the road is only a possibility and that the city would not be acquiring property to build any roads, unless there was some cooperative agreement with property owners.
City Councilwoman Carol Cookerly questioned building height in the area. The newest draft allows buildings three stories, though the attic and basement would be counted as one.
“One of the things that excited me … I felt was very interesting, and it would really separate out this little territory, was building height,” Cookerly said. “It was a maximum of two stories, and that was a popular discussion among many of us.”
Milton Community Development Director Bob Buscemi said the idea has evolved over time to maximize density. The lot size may be too constricting, he said, to spread the building out enough.
“For the things that disappeared or reappeared, we got to get that ironed out,” Cookerly said.
Charlie Roberts, chairman of the Milton Design Review Board and member of the plan’s steering committee, also acknowledged there had been an “honest surprise” since the first draft.
“What made this work is that everybody has listened, and we have come so far,” Roberts said. “Why push it tonight?”
The City Council agreed to defer the vote to its meeting June 19, a day before the moratorium on development in the area is set to end.
Continued from Page 1
it everything but,” Fulton County District 2 School Board member Lillie Pozatek said. “This was deep, it was a very long process, but I would say in a good way, it was exhaustive in preparation.”
The School Board also reviewed the district’s grading policy. Since 2019, district staff have worked on changes to grading standards, with adjustments for COVID-19 and a focus on engagement and implementation.
The grading policy went into effect in fall 2022. It standardized grading requirements across schools for things like giving out zeros, homework grades and communication. Under the new grading policy parents and guardians receive grade updates every 4.5 weeks.
In spring 2023, district staff evaluated the policy with a survey across 14 focus groups at specific schools. In total, they heard back from over 1,000 teachers and about 200 parents.
Ryan Moore, the district’s director of Strategy and Governance, broke down the results into three “broad thematic findings.” The first was engagement with so-called “stakeholders,” primarily referring to teachers, principals, students and parents.
The survey found that school leaders
felt positively about communication, while parents and caregivers said the communication was “non-existent.” On the engagement front, teachers asked for more input in the grading policy.
“We had quotes from parents that said, ‘I didn’t even know there was a grading policy change,’ which speaks to the idea that we still have to work as a district to get deeper into our communities,” Moore said.
The second component was the use of resources. Some parents have asked for more sheets that explain the new grading policy, while teachers have asked for more tests that fit into the grade standards.
“That really speaks to the idea of merging academic curriculum with policy,” Moore said.
District staff said the schools struggle more with implementing the grading policy. About half of the surveyed principals said they felt grades accurately reflected student learning, but that number dropped for teachers and parents. Moore said some teachers just aren’t following the report.
Ultimately, Moore said the policy does make grading more consistent with learning, even if teachers and parents aren’t on board. The key goal is making sure all the “stakeholders” understand the grading policy and its goals.
“I think there’s definitely more to do in future years, but continuing to help people understand the why behind it,” Moore said.
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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek councilmembers agreed at a June 6 work session to advertise the existing tax rate of 3.986 mills for this year, creating a ceiling but not a floor.
Property taxes are set through millage rates. One mill equals $1 of property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.
While the county has yet to provide a preliminary 2023 tax digest for Johns Creek, homeowners whose property values have risen may pay a higher tax bill if the city’s advertised tax rate is approved. Councilmembers have another two months to gather information on how much the tax levy would generate in revenues as the county completes its assessment of property values. The council can adjust the mill levy downward before settling on a final tax rate in August when it has a clearer picture of actual property values.
Residential property taxable values in North Fulton County can only increase by 3 percent or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.
Johns Creek Finance Director Ronnie Campbell said the millage rate has a “cascading effect” on both the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget and Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
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Because this year’s budget anticipates holding a steady millage rate, the city is expected to use surplus funds left over from this year’s budget to compensate for any shortfalls if a lower millage rate is adopted. The discussion on the potential use of property tax stabilization funds – surplus money used to offset property taxes – will likely be taken up at a future work session, Campbell said, once the city receives the new tax digest from Fulton County.
The first of three public hearings on the millage rate is set for July 25 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The second will be held Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. and the third, later that night as part of the City Council meeting at 7 p.m.
In other matters at the work session, the council agreed to fully fund construction for Creekside Park, rather than phase the work. The project is estimated to cost $35.5 million.
About a third of the cost had already been allocated to the project,
using funds from the transportation special purpose local option sales tax – or TSPLOST – the parks bond, general fund revenues as well as Tourism Project Development funds. An additional $10 million of TSPLOST II funds will be dedicated to the park as well as anticipated surplus revenue.
“As far as where the money comes from, and how quickly does it get paid for … is not really what's in front of [us],” Mayor John Bradberry said. “It's more about, ‘Are we still 100 percent committed to what we previously outlined in terms of our plan for Creekside Park?’ … For me, it's an obvious answer — 100 percent yes. Yes, I am.”
The City Council also agreed to add permanent lines for football at one of the synthetic turf fields at Cauley Creek Park for a total of $75,000.
City Councilman Chris Coughlin said he had concerns about prioritizing football over other sports, and looked to use enrollment numbers to determine how to mark the fields.
“The city hasn't supported the program in so many years,” Councilman Larry DiBiase said. “It has been slowly dwindling because there's nowhere to play. Would we want our children to hop a fence?”
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A teen died after she and a young boy were pulled from an apartment complex pool June 5.
Police responded to a medical assistance call at the pool of The Estates at Johns Creek Apartments on Addison Lane at around 4:30 p.m., according to the Johns Creek Police Department.
A witness stated two children, a 16-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, were playing and noticed they had been
underwater for too long. The witness said she could not swim and ran to get help from the office. Three men then came out of the building and pulled the children out of the pool.
The boy was resuscitated and is expected to make a full recovery. The teen was flown to Scottish Rite Medical Center, where she died the next day.
The incident is under investigation but appears to be an accident, police said.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police located a man in Paulding County May 18, who had been charged with multiple violent crimes in a domestic incident in Johns Creek the week before.
Johns Creek Police responded to a call on Caswyck Trace May 12, in which a woman accused 28-year-old Javonte Deon Jarrett, her ex-husband, of rape and assault. Jarrett is a Tennessee resident.
The night before, the woman said Jarrett had demanded sex and pointed a gun to her head, threatening to shoot her with a black semi-automatic pistol. Her two children were home at
the time.
As officers responded that morning, Jarrett fled on foot, leading to a week-long search. Johns Creek police and the Paulding County SWAT team eventually located Jarrett in a Dallas home and transported him to the Fulton County Jail.
According to Fulton County Superior Court records, Jarrett has been charged with rape, aggravated assault, aggravated sodomy, kidnapping, false imprisonment, thirddegree cruelty to children, possession of a weapon during the commission of felonies and hindering persons from making an emergency call.
Jarrett’s bond hearing has been set for June 20.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Four scouts from Girl Scout Troop 15506 in Dunwoody recently earned their Silver Award after making improvements to the dog park at Brook Run Park, troop leaders announced.
The group of 8th graders, including Sophia Powell, Sarah Siegel, Emily Friedenberg and Lydia Bizzell, completed the upgrades April 30. The project involved rehanging and cleaning park signs, creating dog toy bins filled with donated toys and building wooden leash holders.
Prior to the project, the scouts interviewed residents who frequent the dog park to gauge what was needed and hosted a donation drive to gather dog toys
PHOTOS PROVIDED
for the park.
“The girls encourage all dog lovers to come out and come see the work,” leaders said.
— Alexander Popp
By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Perimeter
area residents wanting to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday will have several opportunities this month, thanks to upcoming events in Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Atlanta.
Throughout June, Dunwoody will host two StoryWalk exhibits at Brook Run Park and the Dunwoody Nature Center for Juneteenth, which honors the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Hosted by the Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Department, the StoryWalk exhibits will feature the book, “A Flag for Juneteenth.”
Dunwoody officials said, “A Flag for Juneteenth,” written and illustrated by Kim Taylor, shares a powerful message and story about the first Juneteenth celebration, told from the perspective of a young girl.
“To educate our residents and emphasize the importance of this holiday, we have selected a flag for Juneteenth to share in two visible locations in Dunwoody,” Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said. “We are thrilled to continue to use art and
culture to celebrate our diversity.”
Sandy Springs will host its second annual Juneteenth celebration at 5 p.m. June 18 on the City Springs green in downtown Sandy Springs.
The event will feature a live DJ, music, food, culture and other entertainment. City officials may announce more details prior to the event.
Those interested in joining Juneteenth festivities in downtown Atlanta will have the entire weekend to take part in the city’s Juneteenth parade and music festival.
The 11th Annual Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival will be held in Centennial Olympic Park starting at noon, June 16.
Known for filling Centennial Olympic Park with music, vendors, food and happy revelers, the festival will be held until 10 p.m. June 16, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 17, and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 18.
The Annual Juneteenth Atlanta Parade will start at noon on June 17 and will proceed through downtown Atlanta on Decatur and Marietta streets, past Centennial Olympic Park.
For more information about the Juneteenth Atlanta Parade and Music Festival, visit www.juneteenthatl.com.
The uppermost crust of the earth is one of the principal supporters of life on our planet. Soil provides a medium for plant life, water filtration, organic waste recycling, and has its own ecosystem. Its components are organic matter (5 percent), air (20-30 percent), water (2030 percent) and minerals (45 percent). Mineral particles bigger than 2 mm are not considered soil. The texture of soil varies, depending on the proportions of clay, silt and sand. Topography and climate also influence soil structure.
Clay holds the most water of all soil types due to its large pore spaces. A view of highly magnified clay particles shows immense surface area and looks like pages in a book. Sand and silt aren’t as absorbent and are larger in size. Silt is finely grained, weathered rock — mostly quartz – that is between the size of clay and sand. Sand is coarser than silt and is mostly composed of silica (silicon dioxide). Other minerals will contribute to different colors of sand, depending on geography and geology. Sand particles are large, so it drains more quickly than silt or clay. The proportions of clay, silt and sand affect the water-holding capacity of a soil. Loam is described as soil that is mostly composed of sand, with silt and clay in descending proportions. Loam retains nutrients and water yet allows excess water to drain away.
Soil is made up of both abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) components. The abiotic components are minerals, water, air, and pH. The biotic components include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, earthworms, and plant material. Plant roots bind soil particles and affect porosity and oxygen content. Dead or decaying roots create channels for water and can provide a source of nutrients from their decomposition. Root exudates and soil microorganisms interact to recycle nutrients and suppress diseases.
Here in northern Georgia, most of the soil has a lot of clay. The reddish color is due the presence of iron oxide, and the soil tends to be acidic and low in calcium. Our clay soil tends to clump and become compacted. It is, however, a great medium for nutrients and water retention. It is best not to work with it when it is saturated with water, or it will become clumpy. If it is “naked” and not covered, it can lead to water run-off problems and bake in the sun. Mulch covers help prevent this from occurring. Planting red clover or winter rye will
increase organic matter and allow for air spaces in the clay soil. Do not add sand to clay soil — there is sand in it already, and this will harden it even more.
Several products can be used to improve your soil. Working organic matter into a clay soil is the best way to improve its texture, nutrient levels, and microbiome. Compost can also be purchased at gardening centers or made at home using kitchen and garden scraps. Peat moss has become depleted, and it no longer recommended. Vermiculite is a mica-like material used as an amendment to help water and nutrient retention. It is sterile, has a neutral pH and doesn’t deteriorate for a very long time. It can lighten heavy soils and help keep grass seeds from drying out. Perlite is a natural volcanic glass that expands when heated, and has many uses in filtration, insulation, ceramics, and other industries.
As air is a vital component of soil, aeration may be needed to improve the exchange of oxygen and cardon dioxide in the root zone. Poor aeration slows down the rate of decay and contributes to the pollutant methane gas. Watery bogs that are not aerated (such as some peat bogs) can prevent decomposition. Ancient bodies from the Bronze Age have been discovered in peat bogs in northern Europe, a testament to the lack of aeration and presence of organic components. Aeration for lawns is best done in the growing season, so that roots can regrow in the new spaces. It is not necessary to aerate every year.
The recommended treatment for all soil first begins with a soil test. Your test results, which may suggest adjusting the pH, fertilizing, and other actions, will be emailed to you once the test is completed. These actions will help provide optimal soil conditions for happy and healthy plants. Native plants are a big contributor to healthy soil ecosystems, and future articles in “Garden Buzz” will discuss native plants in detail.
As President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” We are stewards of the land, and it begins in our own backyard.
Happy Gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Texture Triangle
This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Linda McGinn. Linda has lived in Johns Creek, Georgia since 1990. She is an artist and recently graduated from GSU with a degree in science and art. Prior to that, she had a 40-year career as a registered nurse. She and her husband are continually upgrading their garden and loving the opportunities to improve it each year. Linda also teaches “Art and Gardening” at the Johns Creek Arts Center. She has been gardening for 30+ years and recently became certified as a Master Gardener in 2021.
• Soil Texture in Georgia Soil - https://ugaurbanag.com/soil-texture/
• Soil Testing in Georgia - http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soiltest123/Georgia.htm
• Soil Preparation and Planting Procedures for Ornamental Plants in the Landscapehttps://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail. html?number=B932&title=soil-preparation-and-plantingprocedures-for-ornamental-plants-in-the-landscape
• What is Garden Soil - https://www.smallspacegardeningbasics.com/what-isgarden-soil/
Old homes, really old homes like nearly 190 years old, hold a special attraction for a modest group of homeowners. For them an old, possibly dilapidated house restored and reborn through hard work backed up with research, provides unique joys. A home that is historic because of its era and architecture puts such people in contact with the ages and can offer a unique lifestyle.
Such is the situation of Jared and Brandy Kirschner, owners of the historic Hembree Farm in Roswell. In the early 1830s, Amariah Hembree (1781-1855) purchased 640 acres formerly occupied by Cherokee Indians. He and his son Elihu Minton Hembree (1812-1873) and his carpenter brother, James Hembree Jr. (1790-1867), built the house somewhere between 1833 and 1835. It was continuously occupied by eight generations of Hembrees. The land was subdivided over time until 2007 when the final acre and the farmhouse and associated out buildings were donated by Hembree family heir Carmen Ford to the Roswell Historical Society, which made the property available for sale through a partnership with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. A rehabilitation agreement and a conservation easement keep the Georgia Trust involved with the property in perpetuity.
The Kirschners are not strangers to home improvement, having renovated several homes previously. In addition, Brandy is an independent TV producer who identifies and qualifies historic homes throughout the country for TV shows such as HGTV’s “Home Town Takeover” and “We Bought a Dump,” and Magnolia Network’s “In With the Old.” However, this is their first historic home restoration and preservation. They purchased the property in 2022. Their goal is to bring back as much of the original state of the home as they can. The rebirth of a historic home presents many unique challenges not associated with modern construction. “Everything is crooked at the beginning.” says Jared.
The Kirschners do much of the hard work themselves on weekends and after work with the active involvement of Brandy’s mother Yvonne Howell, who has loved history since she was a child. Yvonne is a docent at the recently opened Roswell Historical Society’s
History Museum. When I visited the property recently, Yvonne was busy scraping layers of paint off an old door.
A project of this magnitude requires a team of dedicated and knowledgeable people to assure compliance with current building codes while being true to the home’s historic roots. The City of Roswell, The Roswell Historical Society and The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation have provided major support says Jared, senior vice president at Engine Shop, an experiential marketing firm. Landmark Preservation LLC of Savannah has provided consulting services at this early stage but can also help with preservation carpentry, window repair and other precise needs. Professional contractors are involved when necessary.
Ben Sutton, Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Director of Preservation, says “We are thrilled with the care and effort that the Kirschners are putting into the property to preserve it for future generations.”
Sutton refers to the house as a “vernacular home,” built without the benefit of an architect, an approach common in Georgia’s early rural history. He notes that there were six bidders for the property.
Judy Meer, president of the Roswell Historical Society, believes that the current arrangement is the “perfect
ending to preserving the farm. It turned out just the way it should have,” she says.
A great deal is known about the modifications to the original house thanks to a study by preservation consultant Laura Drummond commissioned by the Roswell Historical Society in 2009. The house has been added to by successive Hembree family occupants from its original configuration “as an approximately 32’ 4” long by 16 1/2’ wide hallparlor farmhouse with two rooms and a 10’ deep front porch.” Its current dimensions are 41’ long by 48’ 5” wide with five rooms. In November 2007, the house was moved 500 feet from its location on Hembree Road to its current site to make room for construction of several new homes. The brick chimneys were removed for the move, and they will be replaced using salvaged original bricks.
As part of the rehabilitation, the Kirschners will install new plumbing, a kitchen and a modern bathroom. They will also leave exposed a unique feature of the house, one of two adjustable metal braces found in the attic that make it possible to make adjustments to the structure if necessary. They have already removed several layers of gypsum and other wall coverings to expose the original tongue and groove wood walls.
Of historical note is that The Lebanon Baptist Church in Roswell was organized on the farm. Amariah Hembree, his family, and 13 other Christians met in the Hembree home on July 16, 1836, and organized the church. It was the first church in the area to welcome Black members. Another historical note, Elihu Hembree’s grave is located on the property. According to Find a Grave 20 Hembree family members are buried in the Lebanon Church cemetery.
The property includes a separate outdoor open hearth kitchen and two corn cribs. The three structures will require considerable restoration which will be done once the house is finished. Yvonne Howell has given historical cooking demonstrations at the Tullie Smith House at the Atlanta History Center and looks forward to using the outdoor kitchen to stimulate interest in history, especially among young people.
Those interested in monitoring the restoration process can follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram. com/woah_livin_on_a_prairie/.
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.
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In the early 20th century, one of the businesses in downtown Dunwoody was Eureka Laboratory. It was along Nandina Lane, then known as Spruill Street, and next door to Dunwoody Methodist Church.
When a new Methodist church was constructed in 1970, a small tin salve box was discovered in the ground. The box read “Eureka Ointment, Eureka Laboratory, Dunwoody Georgia. Price 25 cents. Recommended for chapped hands, face and lips, chafes, burns, catarrh etc.” (The Story of Dunwoody 1821-2001, by Elizabeth L. Davis, Ethel W. Spruill)
Lawrence Albert Ball, born 1885, and his sister Clara Elizabeth Ball, born 1890, started the business. They were children of Reuben Greenleaf Ball and Martha Salina Brightwell Ball. Martha Salina Brightwell was part of a neighboring family that moved to Dunwoody.
The Ball family already had
a long history in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. Albert and Clara’s grandparents were Peter and Margaret Ball, who came to Georgia from South Carolina. Peter Ball owned a mill along a creek today known as Ball Mill Creek, located along Ball Mill Road.
Peter and Margaret Ball had four sons and five daughters. Reuben Greenleaf Ball was one of those children.
Albert Ball received his training at the Atlanta College of Pharmacy (established 1891) and became a registered pharmacist. Then he began developing his formulas for healing salves and lotions.
Clara Ball was known as an accomplished student and cook. She often prepared food for families facing illness or difficult times. She made face powders, perfumes and cosmetics to sell at Eureka Laboratory.
In addition to working as a pharmacist, Albert Ball was an early mail carrier for Dunwoody, traveling the long route by horse-drawn buggy. The route went from Dunwoody to the area along Roswell Road just south of the river, over to Morgan Falls and back to Dunwoody along Mount
Vernon Road.
In 1918, Albert Ball was called to duty for World War I. His registration card is signed by another familiar Dunwoody name: Mr. Tilly. There are no records to indicate he was called to report for military duty.
1920 census records show Albert Ball lived in the same house with his mother Martha and his sister and business partner Clara. Reuben Ball died two years earlier. The space for occupation shows Albert is a student at a medical college.
When the census for 1950 was taken, Albert was 65 and Clara was 59. Albert’s occupation recorded on the document is working around the house and garden. In other words, he retired by 1950.
Clara and Albert Ball are both buried in the Peter Ball family cemetery in Sandy Springs.
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@ gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
In the 1960s, and prior to that, financial advice, such as it was, came largely from purveyors of products such as stockbrokers, insurance agents and bankers. Each had a vested interest in selling their company’s products and solutions. Training primarily was based on techniques designed to “close the sale.”
A new idea took flight on December 12, 1969, when 13 business leaders with backgrounds in mutual funds and financial services gathered in a meeting room at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport Hilton hotel. Led by Loren Dunton, the group sought a better way to deliver financial services without consumers enduring sales pitches from multiple
providers. The group outlined steps to further the idea that the public could benefit from a true profession that integrated knowledge, practices and client-centric solutions from across the myriad facets of the financial services spectrum. Out of that came an educational institution, the College for Financial Planning, and a new membership organization, International Association for Financial Planning (IAFP). Dunton (1918-1997) is regarded as “The Father of Financial Planning.”
In 1972 the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation was introduced and 40 men and two women graduated with the first class in 1973. The graduates decided to create an “alumni association of sorts,” giving birth to the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP). Hearing about this new concept of financial planning in late 1973, this writer began studying for the
See PLAN, Page 24
Continued from Page 22
CFP exam, graduating in 1975 with the third class from the College. With a new body of knowledge and a certification, yours truly was the 171st Certified Financial Planner on the planet. Later, I was privileged to serve on the board of directors of the ICFP for eight years, including as national president, 1986-1987, and chairman, 1987-1988. In 2000, the ICFP and IAFP merged to form today’s Financial Planning Association (FPA).
The primary mission of FPA is to help to ensure that comprehensive financial planning is available to the public through proficient and ethical financial planners. Financial planning is now taught in numerous colleges and universities in undergraduate and graduate formats. We have come a long way in forging a respected profession. At the annual convention of FPA this year in Phoenix, Ariz., Sept. 27-29, the 50th anniversary of the founding of financial planning as a profession will be observed, recognizing graduates of the 1975 first class of
CFP designates as well as the next classes of the 1970s.
Financial planning as a concept tends to revolve around money. But money is but a tool designed to benefit your life and the life of those you love and who depend on you. Financial planners in the 1980s began to think more broadly about life events, both positive and negative, as well as the money and assets required to meet a person’s fundamental necessities, allowing one to feel safe, secure, and confident.
Sooner or later, a person realizes that he or she is on this planet only for a relatively short time when measured against eternity. When America was founded in 1776, the average person could expect to live to the age of 35, a time when many folks today are starting to get serious about security, career, family, purpose and meaning. Now, for a couple, planners plan for a life span of 100 years and a surviving spouse living for 30 to 35 years in retirement. Even retirement overall is being rethought. How money relates to a life of meaning and purpose increasingly is considered, before and, especially, after retirement.
Financial planning preoccupations naturally follow the age wave in terms of the challenges involving
money that one confronts. How to pay for educations, for oneself or children? Marriage. Buying a first home. Career decisions. Continuing education and training. Investments to bolster income and net worth. Bumps on the road of life, illness, injury, disability, untimely death, divorce. The freedom to work or to not work. Economic independence.
We see planners developing specialties to deal with life events and aspirations. College and trade school educations. Career planning. Nurturing a closely held business and ultimately harvesting the value one has built. The psychology of investing. Planning for the vagaries of aging and care for self, spouse, parents and grandparents. Charitable giving and philanthropy. Retirement security devoid of boredom.
As the early financial planners grew in wisdom and understanding through education and real-life conundrums based on their lives and those of clients, financial planning became life planning at one point. But recognizing that financial advisers generally are not therapists, author and writer Mitch Anthony popularized the term financial life planning. Planners need to know your story who you are, how you
got to where you are, and where you wish to go; your values; goals and dreams; your concerns; identifying those who depend on you or who may do so in the future, such as aging parents. In several of his books, including “The New Retirementality,” Mitch asserts that the “ultimate goal of money is a greater return on life.” Money is but a tool to help answer life’s “what if?” questions, and to facilitate the fulfillment of your life’s aspirations, and whatever you think awaits you in the hereafter.
Financial planning as a concept and career path has come a long way from those early events in 1969 and 1973. As life’s possibilities expand, along with improvements in health care and longevity, life-focused financial planning will continue to grow as a career path and as a personal life-affirming planning necessity.
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).
One of the nicest things about the outside world is that there are all kinds of ways to enjoy it.
Traditional favorites include hiking and biking and camping and fishing and birdwatching and – well, you get the idea.
But there are some less traditional ways to have outdoor fun, too.
Some folks, for example, like bungee jumping. That’s the one where you tie yourself to what is essentially a giant rubber band and then jump off a perfectly good tower or a bridge or something, on purpose, and fall through the air toward the ground far below. On the way down you have time to think about things, possibly wondering if the quality control guy over at the giant rubber band factory was having a good day on the day when that particular one was made.
I’m told that the whole thing is fun, but you can rest assured that I will never be able to affirm that personally. I know too much about the frailties of rubber bands (specifically, their annoying tendency to break at exactly the wrong time). So, no bungee jumps for me. I’m over 40, and I don’t have to do that kind of thing anymore.
But there are alternatives. For
instance, some other folks like hang gliding, another sport that sends you through the air. While hang gliding, you are supported underneath a glider of sorts as you soar and swoop in and out among the birds. Birds have been doing the flying thing forever, of course, and so they’re pretty good at it. But we humans come to it less naturally.
I’m told that folks do a lot of this hang gliding thing up in northwest Georgia, congregating in places where otherwise rational humans will strap themselves (and you, if you let them) to a fabric wing and then voluntarily make a running jump off a cliff and into the air. They too say it’s fun.
Oddly enough, the prospect of hang gliding does in fact hold a little bit of appeal to me. Maybe someday I’ll give it try if the opportunity comes along. If I do, I’ll let you know how it goes. Probably.
But there is one other sort of outdoor recreation activity involving “air” that I wholeheartedly embrace –and that is to take a small ham radio rig (ham radio is my other hobby) into the great outdoors in order to “get on the air” from a park or a mountaintop or other outdoor locale. To that end, I’ve even put together a little portable radio set-up that fits neatly into my daypack, and in the process I’ve discovered just how much fun it can be to sit up on a mountaintop
somewhere and talk to people all over the world – no Interweb required.
As it turns out, many ham radio operators enjoy taking their stations “to the field,” as it were – and on Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25, you just might see some hams in action in area parks during an annual ham radio event called “Field Day.”
Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, a national association of ham operators, Field Day gives hams far and wide a chance to test their operating skills out in the field.
What’s the purpose of Field Day? Well, part of it is just to have fun. Stations compete with each other to see who can make the most contacts with other ham radio operators. But it’s also a great chance for hams to test their ability to operate in the field under less than ideal conditions, much as they might have to do in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.
As one ham once put it, “Communication is easy as long as the power stays on and the internet says on. But what would happen if a community lost its regular communication systems? How would emergency responders and other key groups communicate? I’ll tell you how,” he added. “They could call on ham radio operators to help.”
Many metro Atlanta ham radio clubs will be participating in this
year’s Field Day, and one of them is the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association. SARA, as it’s known, will be operating from the Cumming Fairground RV sites from 2 p.m. Saturday the 24th until 2 p.m. Sunday the 25th, and they encourage visitors to stop by.
And you don’t have to be a ham radio operator to enjoy visiting the SARA Field Day operation. One of the stations that the SARA group will set up is what’s known as the “Get On The Air,” or GOTA, station. It’s intended to allow non-hams to experience what ham radio is like by providing an opportunity to operate a ham station with the help of an experienced, licensed operator. It’s fun! And you don’t have to sign up in advance – just walk up and give it a try!
For more info on the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association, visit sawneemountainradio.org.
To get an idea of where other amateur radio clubs might be holding public Field Day events, visit www. arrl.org/field-day-locator. This site, provided by the American Radio Relay League, is designed to help interested folks find Field Day operations nationwide.
And who knows? Maybe you’ll run across me at one of the Field Day operations. I’ll be enjoying being “on the air” – with no giant rubber bands required!
There are so many authors whose new books I eagerly anticipate, it’s often difficult for me to squeeze in someone new. Returning to a tried-and-true favorite ensures an enjoyable read. Taking a chance on someone new can result in a book I set aside and don’t finish. Color me picky.
Because I don’t review books that disappoint me, you never hear about them in my columns. My default position on reviews is that there’s someone out there who will like a book whether I do or not. A good example is “Gone Girl.” I thought all of the characters in that one were unlikable, but the book was a smash hit.
In the case of author Renee Knight’s book “Disclaimer,” I’m glad I branched out. Once again, I have no clue where I read about the book, but the writeup must have intrigued me because I added it to my library hold list.
“Disclaimer” by Renee Knight
The blurb on the inside flap would horrify anyone: “What if you realized the terrifying book you were reading was all about you?” Imagine settling in to read a book you find on your nightstand. It sounds familiar and suddenly you see it isn’t fiction. It’s a horrible chapter in your life, a chapter you thought was known only to you.
The story paints a distasteful picture of Catherine, the main character, and as I read, I kept thinking I’d figured out what she had done. There are hints, but her transgression is left to your imagination for most
of the book. You will think you know what it was. As Lee Child says, it is “sensationally good psychological suspense … exactly what a great thriller should be.” I predict you’ll be as bamboozled as I was.
“The Paris Apartment” by Lucy Foley
Both this book and Foley’s “The Guest Book” are editors’ picks on Amazon, and now I’ve read them both. They’re equally disturbing, and both kept me guessing.
A twenty-something girl from England shows up at her older brother’s apartment in Paris only to discover he’s missing. She texted with him, and he told her how to get there from the train and that he’d be waiting for her. The mysterious neighbors in the building are less than forthcoming, even the one who purports to be a friend of her brother’s from their
university days in England.
As the blurb says, “Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.” Once again, I never saw the twist coming.
If you enjoy “keep you guessing until the very end” mysteries, then these two books are for you.
Note: Are you in a book club? Would you like to have a local author speak to your group? Contact me to arrange a date! inkpenn119@gmail.com
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/.
Rory A Smith, Age 45, of Sandy Springs GA. Passed away peacefully at his Home on June 2nd, 2023. Rory was Born to the Late Mary Kathleen Coon Carreker and is survived by his Father Graydon William Smith. Rory grew up in the Atlanta area and his Memory will be cherished by his extended family members and friends. The Family will Receive Friends
on Sunday June 18th, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Roswell Funeral Home Chapel for a Service. For those who wish to make a donation in Rory’s memory, please consider (The Guiding Eyes for the Blind) https:// www.guidingeyes.org/Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.roswellfuneralhome.com for the Smith family.
A few years ago, in a momentary lapse of any semblance of good sense, I entered a political fray and ran for a seat on the local school board. I tossed my Stetson into the ring. It got stomped and tattered.
I finished a distant third in a three-horse race. I lost to a woman who was a seventime incumbent and a gentleman who I swear, really liked the points I made during a recorded debate. I know this because every time the moderator asked this fellow a question, his response was, I swear: “I agree with what Mike just said.”
The winner lapped both of us, getting nearly 2,300 votes. I got 511 and Mr. Agreeable got around 900.
How do I remember that vote tally? It’s a legitimate question due to that meager vote total being permanently etched into my brain.
Friends had a great time calling me “Senator” or “Your Honor.” The worst insult came when these so-called friends took to calling me “Mr. 511.” As you can
tell, I didn’t have friends who were very politically savvy. I made a point of calling them out on the incorrect moniker they had hung on me.
“You should actually be calling me Mr. 510,” I chastised them. “We need to keep this accurate. The correct number was 510 since I voted for myself.”
More guffaws as I hung up my political aspirations forever, comfortable with my brief foray into politics.
I learned that it’s tough to beat an incumbent. Why? Because they know how to win an election. When the moderator told the candidates we could ask questions of one another, I almost had to get a new shirt. I was salivating buckets.
I asked the wily, elderly candidate how she was going to be as effective in her seventh stint as she was earlier in her tenure as a public servant? An innocent inquiry, one that might give me a chance.
And just that quickly, I had no chance.
With tears in her eyes, about all I remember her saying was: “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry…” Then she cried while explaining all she had done and was going to do, even though she had been a bit distracted with life events that got in the way.
I sat there with her supporters, my supporters, the janitor wanting to go home, family friends and everyone else shooting eye-lasers at me.
I was the beast who made this sweet elderly lady cry buckets. Forget about winning the election. At that moment it would have been a victory to get to my car without being lynched.
The whole experience was a bucket list item that would be forever put away. I remember waking up the day after the election feeling quite good.
“Holy schnikies! You mean there were actually 510 politically astute Forsyth County residents who pulled a lever for a guy who ran on a platform of getting school started after Labor Day instead of early August.
For the life of me, I don’t understand how anyone would want to get elected then stay there for what seems like forever.
Can you imagine Junior asking Dad: “Nathan’s daddy is a policeman, Katie’s mom is a nurse. What do you do for a living?”
If Dad answers he’s a politician, look out. Let him explain what he actually does. I can help out.
If he’s an incumbent his answer should be: “I take other people’s money and make it disappear.”
Junior would have a lightbulb go off. “So you’re a magician?”
If Dad was honest, he’d answer: “No son. I win elections.”
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. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.
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Human Resources Manager
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Recruit, train and supervise all Children’s Ministry teachers and volunteers (this includes providing “child safety training” and assuring compliance with that policy).
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Appen Newspapers is looking for one or two folks to help deliver our newspapers. Work is part time and flexible. Routes can be done at night or during the day - on your schedule - within our deadlines. Comfortably earn $550 or more a month on your own schedule.
This is a great way to get out as well as contribute to helping your local newspaper! Perfect for retired person who wants to stay active or a parent with school-aged kids - deliver during school hours. Also good way to earn supplemental income at night. We have had many retired couples deliver our papers and almost all have managed a route well and enjoyed the time and the work.
Requirements include reliable vehicle, clean driving record, availability, reliability, and honesty. Prior delivery experience is good, but not required. It helps if you live relatively close as papers are picked up to be bagged and delivered from our office in Alpharetta. Delivery areas can be Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek, South Forsyth, Dunwoody, or Sandy Springs typically - depending on open routes.
Please contact our Office Manager Heidi to set up an appointment to come in and fill in paper work or start the process via Email!
The Community Events Manager is responsible for all aspects of NFCC’s community events, from inception through execution, including helping secure sponsorships. Events may include annual golf tournament, annual fundraising gala, community engagement events, donor recognition events, and other community events. Position requires a highly organized, creative, and motivated person to lead event planning, sponsorship, and community engagement. Bachelor’s Degree preferred with 2-3 years special events and fundraising experience. To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/workat-nfcc/ To apply, send a resume to Sandy Holiday, sholiday@nfcchelp.org.
The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and sorts merchandise in a designated area. They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris and the donor door area neat and clean. This position is the face of NFCC so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor with a professional and friendly demeanor. High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Ability to perform low to moderate facility maintenance tasks. To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/work-atnfcc/ To apply, please complete an application for employment and email to Marten Jallad, mjallad@nfcchelp.org.
• A person of outstanding character and strong relational skills who is approachable, compassionate, energetic, honest, dependable, creative, joyful, fun, motivated and humble.
• A dynamic and grace-filled leader who is a role model for children and their families.
• Someone who is committed to setting an inspiring example, serving others, making disciples, and equipping the saints for ministry.
Qualified candidates please send resumes to alpharettajobopening@gmail.com.
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