Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - June 29, 2023

Alpharetta police find fertile ground in Garden State

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Police Department is seeking to bolster its ranks in a second out-ofstate recruitment effort July 12-14 in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey.

The effort is led by Police Capt. Jakai Braithwaite, who said the initiative follows a successful first run last year, which yielded the department nine new officers. All but one of the nine is still with the department.

Rather than the traditional hiring scenario of candidates traveling to job locations, Braithwaite said the department opts to bring the necessary equipment and resources to the applicants.

“When I think about myself when I was right out of undergrad, 23-24 years old, didn’t have any money, by the time I was done with this process, I might have flown out here three to five times,” Braithwaite said. “So how do we take that expense off the table?”

Braithwaite, a New Jersey native, said he oversaw the department’s recruitment efforts last year. Through connections in his home state, Braithwaite identified a demand for police careers in the area and a logistical opportunity.

In the police hiring event, applicants participate in the State of Georgia standard physical agility test and virtual panel interviews. Those interested in working for the 911 Center complete a

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Roswell approves task force makeup for Canton Street promenade plan

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council approved a framework for the seven-member temporary taskforce that will advise on a proposal for a pedestrian promenade on Canton Street.

At a special-called meeting June 21, the council weighed the qualifications for those serving on the panel, their responsibilities and a timeline for recommendations.

The proposal to close Canton Street to cars, making it a pedestrian “promenade” on summer weekends, has drawn fire from some residents and business owners. The street closure would extend from Ga. 9 to East Alley.

pre-qualification phone call and dispatch preparatory exam, as well as data processing and decision-making tests.

“The testing, which is designed to present challenges unique to each job function, are great opportunities for candidates to showcase their abilities and determination,” Braithwaite said.

Other required tests, such as the

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psychological screening, are conducted virtually, and candidates can be evaluated at home.

One Alpharetta officer built a mobile training unit that can be transported to New Jersey for applicants to complete the physical tests. Through Braithwaite’s

See POLICE, Page 10

The city introduced the plan on Facebook in May, and it has since drawn opposition from some who cite concerns over parking, revenue impacts and public intoxication.

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City officials, residents and business owners agreed at a May 19 City Council workshop to form two separate Canton Street task forces to study the proposal: The city task force will aim to provide formal recommendations on the proposal to the mayor and council. A separate, shop owners’ task force hopes to come up with its own plan for Canton Street, See CANTON, Page 11

ALPHARETTA POLICE DEPARTMENT/PROVIDED

Capt. Jakai Braithwaite speaks to prospective Alpharetta Police Department recruits at a 2022 hiring event in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. The department is returning to the city July 12-14 to expand its reach.

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Bank account raided after man loses phone

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An Alpharetta man who lost his cell phone June 10, reported to police that more than $8,500 was stolen from his bank accounts through wire transfers from the lost phone.

Reports said the man lost his phone at about 2 a.m., and several hours later, $8,500 was transferred out of his account via Zelle and Apple Pay to an account in California. No suspects were identified in the report.

Norcross man arrested for robbery in Roswell

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police arrested a man for armed robbery and assault after receiving reports that he had attacked a man and woman on Holcomb Bridge Road June 17.

When police arrived on the scene there were three individuals, one who departed on a bicycle. They were able to catch the cyclist, who claimed the other two had his belongings and would not return them.

The cyclist, a Norcross resident, said he took the other person’s backpack because he believed his belongings were inside. Another officer who remained with the couple involved in the altercation said they claimed the Norcross man had taken their electronic tablets.

They said the Norcross man had grabbed the man’s phone stating it was his, sprayed him with isopropyl alcohol and tried to light him on fire. The Norcross man then confronted

the woman and demanded she unlock the phone so he could reset it. She refused and took back the phone.

The Norcross man took the other man’s backpack and bicycle.

After hearing all accounts, police tried to take the Norcross man into custody, but he resisted. He was charged with aggravated assault, armed robbery and obstruction of law enforcement.

Truck reported stolen recovered in Alpharetta

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police recently arrested a wanted 46-year-old Alpharetta man who was allegedly found in possession of a stolen rental truck.

Officers responded to an apartment complex on Jameson Pass in Alpharetta to investigate a case of illegal parking at about noon June 13 and were told a moving truck had been parked in a handicapped spot for several weeks.

Officers learned the vehicle had been reported stolen after being rented from a Penske location and had never been returned.

A suspect was located at the scene and admitted that he intended to return the truck, but he hadn’t officially secured an apartment at the complex, so he couldn’t remove his items from the truck.

Officers learned the suspect was also wanted for felony theft by conversion in Milton and he was arrested.

The exact charges were not available at the time of the report, but the suspect was transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

Man reports threats through text message

ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell man told police a stranger texted him on June

13 threatening to kill him and come after his family if he did not send over $6,000.

The man presumed it was a scam, but the unidentified texter sent over his personal address and relative’s name, pushing him to get the incident investigated.

Police submitted the text message thread to records. The case is now inactive.

Valuables snatched from Milton man

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police are searching for a suspect who allegedly stole items worth $3,000 from a Milton man during a recent robbery.

Police reports said an unidentified suspect robbed a Milton man who was attempting to sell multiple valuable shoes and hoodies through Facebook Marketplace June 13 at the Publix shopping center on Haynes Bridge Road.

Witnesses reported the victim and suspect met in the shopping center’s parking lot at about 3 p.m. and the suspect immediately grabbed the shoes and hoodies before fleeing in a vehicle waiting nearby.

The vehicle turned onto Ga. 9 and fled the scene, the report said.

Police were provided with a description of the suspect, but at the time of the report, no arrests had been made.

Resident receives package with plush dolls, USB drive

ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell woman told police June 20 that a suspicious package containing two plush dolls and a USB drive was delivered to her home on Junction Track.

The package was addressed to her husband and mailed from a Houston address from a subject named Osmar Melo. The report does not say what is on the USB drive. The couple turned the items over to police.

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Footage shows alleged use of force by Fulton County detention officer

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police released bodycam footage June 23 of a use of force incident that rendered a woman unconscious in the Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta earlier this month.

Police Chief John Robison said an investigation of the two Alpharetta Police Department officers who witnessed the event concluded June 13 and absolved the two of misconduct.

The two officers reported arresting a woman on charges of criminal trespass and public drunkenness around 3 p.m. June 5. The woman was transported to the North Fulton County Jail on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta.

In an officer’s bodycam footage, she is seen using profanities toward officers and requesting they call her mother. She appears to refuse to enter the intake machine that scans for weapons and takes a mugshot.

The woman is then seen sitting down in a nearby chair. Fulton County Sheriff’s Office deputies assist in moving the woman to stand in front of the machine.

In the footage, Fulton County

Alpharetta Police Chief John Robison addresses a June use of force incident in the North Fulton County Jail at a press conference June 23. Bodycam footage shows a Fulton County Sheriff’s detention officer placing his hands around a woman’s neck until she appears to fall unconscious.

Sheriff’s detention officer Monique Clark places his hands around the woman’s neck and says, “I chokehold. I advise you to cooperate. Hold your face before you lose your breath. The choice is yours.”

The woman appears to briefly fall

unconscious. After the incident, she tells jail staff she cannot breathe and does not feel good.

An Alpharetta police officer reportedly called an ambulance, and she was transported to North Fulton Hospital.

Following the incident, Clark was charged with felony aggravated assault and violation of oath by a public officer, as well as misdemeanor reckless conduct.

Fulton County’s unlawful use of force investigation of Clark is pending.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

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Tech Alpharetta approved for $95,000 in city funding

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta officials approved $95,000 in funding June 20 to Tech Alpharetta, an economic resource that fosters tech startups.

The Development Authority unanimously voted at a regular meeting to approve a contract with the city to disperse the funds to help the organization through the 2024 fiscal year beginning July 1.

The agency was first launched as the Alpharetta Technology Commission by the city in 2012 to capitalize on Alpharetta’s booming population of technology companies. Rebranded as Tech Alpharetta in 2017, it is now an independent nonprofit, but it still receives annual financing from the city.

In 2015, the city granted Tech Alpharetta $37,500, and funding increased 120 percent the following year. To date, the organization has received roughly $980,000 from the city, and its city-owned offices on Webb Bridge Road is provided at no cost.

Tech Alpharetta’s services include the Innovation Center, a startup incubator, themed events and a strategic board, composed of city officials, technology professionals and leaders from companies that graduated from the Innovation Center.

Tech Alpharetta President and CEO Karen Cashion said the organization has seen a successful year in finances and marketing, and it exceeded revenue projections in the first quarter.

“We’ve worked very hard to really embed ourselves within the overall Metro Atlanta ecosystem, the innovation ecosystem, so that our events are being promoted not just here for Alpharetta and the North Fulton region,” Cashion said. “But we now have them on the Startup Atlanta organizational calendar so that our events are promoted all the way throughout Metro Atlanta, the other tech startup incubators and throughout the City of Atlanta as well.”

Cashion said the group’s startup companies have raised over $221 million from investors since 2015, a near $40 million rise from the total raised at the end of 2021.

She also said enrollment in the nonprofit’s Women’s Forum STEAM Mentoring Program, which encourages female students at the Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy to pursue careers in the field, will double this fall.

Cashion said Tech Alpharetta has created 1,188 technology and service jobs in the city and nearly 1,900 in the state since 2015.

“We’re full speed ahead,” Cashion said. “We want to continue to build this organization and continue to build jobs and new companies for the City of Alpharetta.”

The City Council approved the funding agreement at a May 1 meeting, but some councilmembers requested more detailed year-end financial information from Tech Alpharetta moving forward. City elected officials have repeatedly stressed they want the organization to become self-sustaining in the near future.

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CITY OF ALPHARETTA/SCREENSHOT

Tech Alpharetta CEO and President Karen Cashion requests the approval of $95,000 from the city at a Development Authority meeting June 20. The City Council initially approved the financing in May, and the funding was finalized at the June meeting.

Alpharetta pursues stormwater project to revitalize historic Log Cabin property

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — In the final week of the 2023 fiscal year, Alpharetta officials approved some $150,000 to improve stormwater management at the site of the historic Log Cabin on Milton Avenue.

The City Council voted 6-0 at a meeting June 26 to allot $154,065 of reserve funds to secure a design contract for stormwater mitigation near the Log Cabin. Councilman Donald Mitchell was absent from the meeting.

Alpharetta Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz said the project will alleviate flooding in the Meadow Brooks subdivision, which is just south of the property.

“The stormwater challenges downstream of here have been going on for decades,” Sewczwicz said. “And what we’re trying to do is, we identified an area where we can capture runoff before it makes its way down to that subdivision that sees the overflow of Foe Killer Creek, of its banks when it has some serious storm events.”

Sewczwicz said the Log Cabin itself does not contribute to the runoff issues, but its location happens to coincide with the problem area.

The Log Cabin is a significant Alpharetta landmark. Constructed in 1935 by a student chapter of the Future Farmers of America, it served as a social gathering place until 2017 when it was relocated from the old Milton High School campus across the street during construction of the Innovation Academy.

Today, the site is used for historical field trips, and it houses the Alpharetta Research Library and Archives as of 2021. The property is owned by the city, but jointly managed with the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society.

With the approved funds, civil engineering firm Rummel, Klepper and Kahl will be tasked to “capture and infiltrate or retain stormwater within the city-owned property in combination with the existing and future park amenities.”

The firm will provide modeling services, as well as draft a final design for management facilities and provide a cost estimate for construction.

Sewczwicz said the approved amount will not cover any final design or building costs, which the Public Works Department would request later.

City Councilman Brian Will

expressed concern about granting a large sum toward the effort before area homeowners address problems with sinkholes and blocked sewer lines on their own properties, which the city cannot control.

“My concern would be that if we’re putting this out there as an opportunity to fix a lot of these issues, and the homeowners themselves don’t

fix their own personal issues, that they’re just going to come back and say either, ‘You didn’t do anything,’ or, ‘It’s not helping me,’” Will said. “We’re spending money to do something that isn’t going to have the effect that maybe we think it is because it’s not really all of the problem.”

Sewczwicz said the stormwater project is just one element the department is working on to mitigate the issue, but it will help reduce the runoff.

While still appreciating the department’s work, Councilman Jason Binder said the $4 million the city reserved for stormwater projects is but a drop in the bucket.

“I would hate for us, which I’ve seen in the past, rely that we have plans, and say we have got a plan, and say that to the community, when we overextend ourselves on plans and not enough money on execution,” Binder said.

But, Councilman John Hipes said the City Council has increased its budget for stormwater needs from $175,000 to $4 million since 2010.

“We’ve heard the residents,” Hipes said. “And we’re responding to what the residents have asked us to do.”

Also at the meeting, the City Council recognized June as National Recreation and Parks Month and thanked the Recreation, Parks and Cultural Services Department for their contributions to Alpharetta.

“You know, 10-12 years ago, we used to hope that we would actually have events that would bring people to downtown Alpharetta, and because of the people we’re celebrating here this month, we do,” Mayor Jim Gilvin said.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA/PROVIDED

The Alpharetta City Council approved a design contract June 26 for stormwater management at the site of the historic Log Cabin, outlined in red. City Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz said runoff issues on the parcel have impacted the area downstream for decades.

Roswell officials back allocations for art, history nonprofits

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council voted June 26 to fund two of the city’s partner organizations for the upcoming year, pulling from a pot of $765,000 set aside in the 2024 budget.

The allocations were awarded to Roswell Arts Fund and the Roswell Historical Society. The council has not weighed in on how much each will receive. Nor has it indicated whether it will extend any funding to a third partner organization, Roswell Inc, a nonprofit that works with the city to promote economic development.

Created a decade ago, Roswell Inc has regularly received about $277,000 in city assistance each year to pursue business growth and retain existing commercial operations. It gathers an additional $500,000 in funding from private income.

This year, the organization was temporarily allocated $0 in the 2024 fiscal budget, alongside the Roswell Arts Fund and Roswell Historical Society.

All three partner organizations presented their funding requests at an April 25 budget work session. The organizations, which operate outside core city bureaucracy, all presented projects and costs for the 2024 fiscal year.

The three partner groups weren’t allocated any money in the approved 2024 fiscal year budget, though, because their contracts with the city needed to be reviewed and updated. The agreement lays out the responsibilities and partnership between the organization and the city.

Instead, the council set aside $765,759 in the budget for the partner organizations, planning to later allocate some funds from the lump sum as contracts are approved and extended.

A city representative said the mayor and council will determine exactly how much each partner organization receives after the memorandums are approved. Roswell’s Convention and Visitors

Bureau, known as Visit Roswell, is the city’s official destination marketing partner organization. Visit Roswell was allocated over $800,000 in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget separately from the lump sum for the rest of the partner groups. The group’s funding comes through a percentage of the city’s lodging tax revenues. Roswell receives the remainder of the lodging revenues.

Originally, Visit Roswell requested $694,000 in funding. The request was based on about 40 percent of an expected $1.5 million in lodging tax revenues.

At the June 26 meeting, councilmember approved an updated memorandum of understanding with Roswell Arts Fund and recognized an extended memorandum of understanding with Roswell Historical Society, clearing the path to decide on how much funding each will receive.

Roswell Arts Fund is the city’s designated art agency, tasked with implementing a four-year Public Art Master Plan through various projects and exhibitions. The nonprofit requested $465,00 at the April 24 work session for projects including ArtAround Roswell, trail-focused temporary installations and existing exhibit maintenance.

“I think you’ll see some really interesting thing while we’re working internally on some reorganization, identifying aesthetics and branding in the city so we can move forward with some potential public art down the road,” Roswell City Councilwoman Lee Hills said.

The nonprofit recently launched an outdoor summer-long public art installation called ArtAround: Pathways, one of the various free art projects the partner organization proposed in the April funding request.

The council also recognized an extended memorandum of understanding with the Roswell Historical Society, a nonprofit focused on preserving the history of the city. The group maintains the Roswell History Museum, the city’s archives, and the Old Roswell Cemetery.

The Roswell Historical Society requested $69,500 in archivist, assistant and guest services coordinator salaries.

Roswell Inc, the city’s accredited

economic development organization, was left out of the partner contract updates. A city representative said the partner organization’s agreement is “under review” after staff sent an amended memorandum to the nonprofit.

Originally, Roswell Inc requested $315,000 in funding with the possible addition of a $36,000 leadership retreat. Without the approval of an amended memorandum of understanding, the organization sits at $0 in funding from the city.

Roswell Inc typically gathers over half its funding, about $500,000 from private income.

Roswell Inc did earn a mention during discussion on the five-year short-term work program and capital improvement element, which creates a list of projects and recommendations the city will implement from 2023-2028.

The documents are reviewed by the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The short-term work projects range from population-oriented tasks like monitoring and publicizing adult literacy programs, to economic development goals like promoting economic growth.

Many of the economic development goals are under the purview of Roswell Inc. At an April 18 meeting, though, the Planning Commission recommended that staff remove all mentions of Roswell Inc from the short-term work program documents.

Planning commissioners recommended that the responsibilities be listed instead under the city’s Economic Development Department. Councilwoman Christine Hall supported the suggestion, saying Roswell Inc operates under the leadership of the Economic Development Department. She called the change a matter of “clarifying language.”

Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said he was “confused” why the Planning Commission would make a recommendation to remove Roswell Inc, instead of allowing the City Council to make that determination.

“What I don’t like is this sounds like there is a political piece in this because Roswell Inc is a highly charged topic within the city,” Wilson said.

City Attorney David Davidson said the inclusion or removal of Roswell Inc in the documents won’t “matter either way” from a legal perspective when it comes to the various projects, but he agreed that it was a political decision.

Ultimately, the council voted unanimously to forward the documents to the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Department of Community Affairs without any mention of Roswell Inc, based on the understanding that the organization is included under the umbrella of the Economic Development Department.

DELANEY TARR/ APPEN MEDIA

Roswell City councilmembers approve the transmission June 26 of short-term work program documents, omitting the inclusion of Roswell Inc under the economic development tasks.

Roswell renews program offering residents insights into city’s inner workings

ROSWELL, Ga.— Roswell residents and business leaders can learn more about the city’s day-to-day operations with the return of the CORE community engagement program.

CORE will conduct a free, nineweek session in August in which participants can learn the inner workings of city departments and the city’s policies, processes and goals. Enrollment is limited to 25 people.

The program, relaunched after a three-year hiatus, runs from August 16 to October 28, with classes on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

“Not only do we want to help bring awareness and understanding of the city’s day-to-day work through this program,” Roswell

Milton Girl Scouts earn Gold

MILTON, Ga. — Eight graduating Milton seniors earned Gold Awards, the highest achievement that can be earned by a Girl Scout.

Mayor Kurt Wilson said., “we hope the program’s personal interaction among participants and staff helps inspire meaningful relationships, engagement and collaboration within our community.”

Interested residents and business owners can apply online by Friday, July 21. Applicants will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis. Everyone who applies must either own a Roswell-registered business or be a Roswell resident.

Across the nine-week program, participants will learn about local government, transportation, police, finance, public works, community development, economic development and recreation and parks.

Applications are online at www. roswellgov.com/CORECommunity.

Roswell offers free admission to its 3 historic home museums

ROSWELL, Ga. — Starting July 1, the city of Roswell will offer free admission to its three historic home museums, Barrington Hall, Bulloch Hall and Smith Plantation. Visitors can attend different events throughout the year including History Seek Saturdays, a series of interactive programs on the third Saturday of each month.

The programs include gold panning and the gold rush, 19th century dance and “exploring Black experiences.” Volunteers will be at the sites to answer questions, and a free cell-phone tour is available for download. Historic home staff recommend dedicating about one hour to each museum.

Ticketed 90-minute guided tours are available via appointment, starting at $8 for children 13 and up. Tickets will cost $6 for children aged 6-12 and are free for children 5 and under.

All three free-to-attend historic homes are on the National Register of Historic Places.

At 535 Barrington Dr., Barrington Hall is a museum and welcome center with a textile mill along Vickery Creek. The 7-acre space, known for its connection to Roswell’s founders the King family, is home to the oldest antebellum

garden in Metro Atlanta.

Barrington Hall is open MondaySaturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

Bulloch Hall at 180 Bulloch Ave, an antebellum home linked to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s mother Mittie Bulloch, has preserved interiors and outdoor gardens. The historic building also has a reproduction of slave quarters.

Bulloch Hall is open WednesdaySaturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

The Smith Plantation, next to Roswell City Hall on Alpharetta Street uses a house and property to show the history of antebellum Roswell to the 1950s. Smith Plantation is open WednesdaySaturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m.

In a statement, the city says that the free admission aims to encourage public engagement, community involvement and educational opportunities teaching about everyone who has lived and worked throughout Roswell’s history.

“This initiative is our way of giving back to the community and making our rich cultural heritage accessible to everyone,” Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said.

Nationwide, only about 6 percent of all eligible Girl Scouts achieve the Gold Award, which requires at least 80 hours of planning and implementation on a challenging project that is innovative, engages others and has a lasting impact on its targeted community.

Gold Award recipients were Parinita Vardhineedi, Sumana Naganathanahalli and Swara Viswanadha from Troop 11763; Katie Wishert from Troop 11483; Snigdha Jannu from Troop 12481; Shweta Awasthi, Allison Kitchens and Caroline Daniels from Troop 11489;

Ambuja Sharma and Anvitha Suram from Troop 14512 graduated from Cambridge High School last year but earned their Gold Award in 2023 as well.

“These girls each developed and implemented an incredible individual project to help make the world a better place and should be very proud of their achievements,” said Cindy Tippett, Milton service unit director.

— Amber Perry

JENNIFER KITCHENS/PROVIDED

From left, graduating seniors Shweta Awasthi, Allison Kitchens, Caroline Daniels from Girl Scout Troop 11489 earned Gold Awards, the highest achievement that can be earned by a Girl Scout. Five other Milton seniors in various troops earned the award as well, including Parinita Vardhineedi, Sumana Naganathanahalli, Swara Viswanadha, Katie Wishert and Snigdha Jannu.

Johns Creek opens door to Cauley Creek Park

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — About 100 people gathered to celebrate the “soft opening” of Cauley Creek Park June 20, welcoming residents to use some of the park’s amenities.

Located on Bell Road, Cauley Creek Park encompasses 203 acres. Three quarters of the near-$26 million project was funded by a bond referendum passed by Johns Creek voters in 2016.

“We have effectively doubled our available green space and parkland in the city,” Mayor John Bradberry said. “It is bigger than Piedmont Park, and it's just the latest investment that we've made towards quality of life, towards making this a city of health and wellness.”

Erica Madsen, soon-to-be Johns Creek parks director, had taken the lead on the project. She described park features open for use, including a 5K rubberized trail and more than 10 lighted sports sites for basketball, futsal, pickleball and sand volleyball. There are also two synthetic and two turf lighted athletic fields, which have a cricket overlay, as well

as a pedestrian bridge and river overlooks.

The council recently agreed to have permanent lines sewn into one of the synthetic turf fields for football. Goal posts for football as well as soccer and lacrosse have also been ordered.

In partnership with the City of Duluth, a ribbon-cutting for the opening of the Rogers Bridge Road pedestrian connection will take place July 10 at 11 a.m.

City staff advises residents to use caution in the coming days and weeks as more landscaping projects are completed, with construction equipment still on-site.

Next month, Johns Creek is also hosting a days-long celebration for Cauley Creek Park. Scheduled from July 18 to July 22, Cauley Creek Week will include demonstrations on the field and court areas and culminate into a carnival that Saturday from 4 to 8 p.m. The event will have park tours, carnival rides and games, music, food trucks and more.

“You only open a park this big once,” Assistant City Manager Kimberly Greer said.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Erica Madsen, Johns Creek city engineer and Cauley Creek Park project lead, cuts the ribbon on the 203-acre park June 20. With the soft opening, the public can use the park’s 5K rubberized trail, lighted sports courts, lighted grass and synthetic turf playing fields, pedestrian bridge and river overlooks.

A saxophonist performs at Johns Creek’s Juneteenth celebration June 17. More than 3,000 visitors came together for a day of live entertainment, food and activities at Newtown Park, commemorating the emancipation of the country’s enslaved Black Americans.

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — More than 3,000 visitors attended the Juneteenth celebration at Newtown Park June 17, commemorating the emancipation of the country’s enslaved Black Americans.

Held from 3-9 p.m. at the Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater, the event featured a gospel choir, storytelling, violin, a step routine, rap, spoken word and jazz. There was also a fish fry and barbecue, vendors selling crafts and other products as well as kids’ activities.

“I could not be more proud of our Johns Creek community,” Mayor John Bradberry said on the city’s Facebook post. “Thank you to all the resident volunteers that guided this event to the success that it was. Unity - PeaceFreedom. Happy Juneteenth!”

The special gathering also included a book fair, featuring several local Black authors whose works cover a variety of topics. sharon-vanessa horton-pellom was one, selling her work.

“We live in a culture of trying to find truth in all of this, so we can be at peace,” horton-pellom said. “And, that has never been found … So, we enjoy getting together and knowing who we are, reminding us who we are, and just enjoying each other because we have so many talents.”

She developed coursework for her newest book, “AWAKE!: The Creator/ she/he,” which is about the need to research information within deceptive

times. While Juneteenth signifies the freeing of Black Americans from physical slavery, horton-pellom said “AWAKE!” is about the “slavery of the mind.”

“People don't read, and they don't research,” she said. “They just go along with the group.”

The book’s precursor, “He Lives: A living testimony,” was named after her father’s last words, what she had come to see as a testament to spirituality. Both books were available at the event and stem from horton-pellom’s journey following his death.

“I started living my life,” hortonpellom said. “I started seeing how the Creator, what I call him, shows up and shows out in our lives, and leads, guides and directs all things if we just have that connection with him.”

For more information about sharonvanessa horton-pellom, visit awaken11-us.org.

We enjoy getting together and knowing who we are, and just enjoying each other because we have so many talents.”

sharon-vanessa horton-pellom Local Author

Local author discusses ‘slavery of the mind’

PHOTOS BY CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

Food and fellowship abound at Johns Creek’s Juneteenth event.

PHOTOS BY CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

Act3 Productions posts 2023-24 season lineup

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Act3 Productions in Sandy Springs recently announced the lineup of shows and performances for the 2023-24 season.

Officials said the season will open Sept. 8 with the musical comedy “Xanadu.” It will also feature a comedy from Atlanta playwright Topher Payne, a musical comedy revue, and a comedic farce.

Shows included in the 2023-24 season will include the following performances:

• “Xanadu” directed by Charlie Miller –Sept. 8 to 24

• “Perfect Arrangement”

directed by Amy Cain – Oct. 13 to 29

• “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” directed by Cathe Hall Payne – Feb. 9 to 25

• “Lend Me a Tenor” directed by Jared Wright – March 15 to 31

Season ticket packages are available for the 2023-24 season and can be purchased for between $68 and $108.

For more information about Act3 Productions and upcoming shows, visit www.act3prod.org or call the box office at 770-241-1905.

An

Police:

Continued from Page 1

connections, the city will also use the Hasbrouck Heights High School gym at no cost.

Braithwaite said Hasbrouck Heights, which sits some 15 miles from New York City, is an ideal location for drawing candidates from across the New York metropolitan area.

He said there are interested candidates in North Fulton County and Metro Atlanta, but many of those who try out for the roles may not meet the requirements of the hiring process or face barriers such as residency requirements.

Those who do qualify then must choose among competitive local agencies.

“Then you get somebody like Roswell that says, ‘Oh, boom, let’s throw this money. Now we’re the highest paid in the state,’ and then Sandy Springs says, ‘Oh, let us come and do this,’” Braithwaite said. “Now Milton wants to try to get in this, and Cobb County, and all the agencies do it.”

As of publication, Alpharetta offers new police officers starting pay of $57,581 with a $5,000 signing bonus. In Milton, new officers make a base salary of $53,893, with bonuses up to $4,000 based on certification.

Sandy Springs is offering $56,672 for recruits and a $10,000 bonus for out-ofstate hires.

“Our agency takes pride in its recruitment efforts and is committed to finding individuals who are passionate about serving on our team,” Braithwaite said.

ALPHARETTA POLICE DEPARTMENT/PROVIDED

applicant participates in a physical agility test at the Alpharetta Police Department’s 2022 hiring initiative in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey. The agency hired nine recruits from the event.

— Alexander Popp

Canton:

Continued from Page 1

but business owners emphasize their task force may determine it impractical or unwise to close the street at all.

Instead, at the workshop business owners John Michael Brunetti of Rock ‘N’ Taco and Jenna Aranowitz of 1920 Tavern said the focus will be on “activating” the area.

The pair initially set a three-week timeline to come back to City Council with a plan, but the business owners have not yet made any public moves regarding Canton Street.

At the June 21 meeting, city officials proposed a framework for the city’s task force that would include several local business owners on and near Canton Street. The task force will recommend measures to the mayor and City Council but will not be able to set policy or “seek additional alternatives.”

The seven-member task force will consist of four business owners on or within 1,000 feet of Canton Street, two residents living within one-half mile of Canton Street, and one resident selected at-large from within the city.

After the drafted framework was presented, Councilwoman Sarah Beeson asked for the task force to have an open application process.

The council decided for an online application process running from June 22 to July 2 for eligible residents. Councilmembers will review applications and select members by July 10. The mayor and each councilmember will nominate one task force member. The chair of the task force will be elected by the appointed members, Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said.

Once appointed, the task force will have 45 days to provide a final recommendation to the mayor and council. The task force will disband after 90 days.

Roswell resident Susan Tyser, a vocal opponent of the proposal, urged the council to look beyond Canton Street for a pedestrian promenade.

“There’s other areas in Roswell that a promenade may be better suited to,” Tyser said.

She also raised concerns with the framework for the task force.

“The document you gave us indicates that you want it to be successful, you’re pushing it to be successful,” Tyser said. “The reason you have a task force is to look at the possibility of something, and where there is a possibility there’s also possibility it won’t happen.”

In the task force framework, one of the stated goals is to “mitigate negative impacts” of the potential Canton Street closure. Tyser said that document does not indicate any problems that must be

overcome.

Councilwoman Christine Hall referenced one of the first public meetings held on the topic in which residents shared concerns and potential negative impacts of the closure. Those concerns, focused largely on parking, revenue and public intoxication were written on a large notepad.

Hall said she wants to “make sure those (concerns) are incorporated in the taskforce because that’s what they’re being brought forward to do.”

The framework for the task force states the members will discuss items on their agendas approved by the city administrator and the chief operating officer. Discussions will occur during public meetings, which will include 15

minutes of public comment at the end.

While the original timeline stated task force members would have to provide a recommendation to the city within 30 days, pushback from councilmembers and residents said the timeframe was “not adequate.” The council adjusted the plan to 45 days.

Some residents said there is urgency around the Canton Street closure, though.

Laine Bristow, owner of Bristow Hair Company on Canton Street, said the community needs to be more informed about any action taken around Canton Street, because many residents are unclear about whether the plan will proceed at all.

“Whether or not this decision is made to do this now or to do this later, it would be good if we let our community know that the decision has been made, because what I’m hearing in my salon is that the businesses have killed this deal,” Bristow said.

Many of her clients, she said, favor the proposal, if its “properly planned and executed.”

Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson said the goal of the task force is to be “open ended,” while solving the problems surrounding Canton Street.

“We’re saying, big picture, can you solve for the Canton Street promenade on a trial basis?” Wilson asked. “That’s really the equation.”

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Roswell resident and Bristow Hair Company salon owner Laine Bristow speaks in favor of the Canton Street pedestrian promenade at a June 21 City Council meeting.

Local charity transforms lives with language lessons

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — When Roswell resident Diana Traslavina moved to the area from Colombia a year ago, she quickly learned that English was a necessity.

The native Spanish speaker came from Bogotá with her son to the United States in hopes of the “best life.” She came to Georgia to be with her sister, who speaks no English.

“Quickly, we clearly needed the language,” Traslavina said.

She said several people encouraged her to visit North Fulton Community Charities in Roswell to take the organization’s English as a second language course. The charity services around 10,000 people in Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park and Roswell.

This year, the nonprofit celebrates 40 years of service through emergency assistance for housing, medical care and transportation, as well as a food pantry and thrift shop. It also runs education programs—namely, the English as a second language program.

The 15-week course is offered three times a year, with classes twice a week. Students take a placement test and are placed by level, advancing to “proficient” in level five. The free classes require no personal identification, which helps keep the program accessible.

Traslavina said she started the program at a level three, although she joked she didn’t know any English going

See CHARITY, Page 13

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Roswell resident Diana Traslavina works the front desk at North Fulton Community Charities on Elkins Road in Roswell, one year after moving to the United States from her home in Colombia. Traslavina is a former student of the nonprofit’s English as a second language program.

They’re here to say teach me the language to communicate and take care of myself in my daily life, and that’s pretty awesome.

SANDY HOLIDAY, executive director, NFCC

Charity:

Continued from Page 12

in. The program was intensive, but in three months she moved through to level five.

“I feel very, very proud of me to have known I can do that,” Traslavina said.

NFCC Executive Director Sandy Holiday said people who come to the United States without the English language creates unique barriers.

“They are the most challenged in our communities, because they don’t know how to advocate for themselves,” Holiday said.

The English learning program is full immersion, so the teacher only speaks in English. Students come from various countries, including India, Ukraine, Cameroon and Colombia. The students are placed in rotating groups to communicate with each other.

Without a shared language to rely on, the students speak to each other exclusively in English. Program manager Wynona Kuehl said the format creates close bonds between the new North Fulton County residents.

“That really builds community,” Kuehl said. “By the last week, they all feel connected.”

The 15-week course serves about 200 students a session. Holiday said

many students drop out of level three of the program because they have learned enough to “empower” themselves.

“They’re here to say teach me the language to communicate and take care of myself in my daily life, and that’s pretty awesome,” Holiday said.

Language is not the only barrier faced by many clients, though. Holiday said a lot of people use multiple services from the nonprofit.

“It’s called a continuum because no matter where you enter that spectrum, you continue on it towards other services,” Holiday said.

Part of the continuum came into play when the nonprofit started looking for a new client services specialist in March. Holiday wanted to recruit internally, from one of their thousands of clients.

“We should be employing our clients, we should walk the walk,” Holiday said.

As program manager for the English language classes, Kuehl recommended Traslavina, who had recently completed the language program for the company role.

After two interviews, Traslavina was hired at the nonprofit’s front desk. She said the position requires some administrative and computer work, but a lot of her job calls for interacting with people who come into the building.

“We need to learn what problems they have or how we can help,” Traslavina said.

People often come to the front desk in need of emergency services, and Traslavina is the one who helps them get started. She said the conversations have also been good practice for her English skills. In her months at the role, Traslavina said the job has “opened the doors” to her new life.

“The best thing here is I can help other people,” Traslavina said.

Holiday said there’s an added benefit to having a former client be the first face people see at North Fulton Community Charities.

“She’s looking at our work as a client,” Holiday said.

The executive director explained she often reaches out to former clients for advice and questions regarding everything from organizational decisions to newsletters. The nonprofit also has a former client on the board of directors, which Holiday plans to continue long term.

Traslavina said she’s grateful for the opportunities she’s received, and she now feels better in this country.

In light of the nonprofit’s 40th anniversary, Holiday wants to flip that gratitude back to the community. Rather than celebrate the organization’s success she wants to spotlight those who helped it last across the decades.

“They’re grateful to us, but we see it a little bit differently,” Holiday said. “We are so grateful that the community didn’t just launch us but grew us and has helped us be successful.”

Business pages

Each week Appen Media asks a staff reporter to profile a business, nonprofit or commerce group they find interesting.

The selection can be from anywhere in the Metro Atlanta area.

The decision is up to the reporter and is made entirely independent of the Sales department.

Do you have an idea for a future profile? Send tips and story leads to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

The best thing here is I can help other people.”

DIANA TRASLAVINA

Front desk receptionist, NFCC

North Fulton Rheumatology diagnoses and treats patients suffering from various types of arthritis and other autoimmune or connective tissue disorders. We are committed to providing comprehensive and compassionate care, and we use the highest, most progressive medical standards.

Our board-certified physician, Dr. Ciela Lopez-Armstrong, and certified family nurse practitioner, Heather Grafton, DNP, FNP-C, are qualified to manage all autoimmune and connective tissue diseases, including:

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Osteoarthritis

• Systematic Lupus

• Scleroderma

• Vasculitis

• Gout

• Sjogrens

• Psoriatic Arthritis

• Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Fibromyalgia

• Osteoporosis

• Osteopenia

1300 Upper Hembree Road, Building 100, Suite A, Roswell, GA 30076

Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Closed on Fridays P: 770-619-0004 | F: 770-619-0252 northfultonrheumatology.com

PROVIDED

Northern District lists May Eagle Scouts

The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) has announced its newest Eagle Scouts who completed their Eagle Board of Review on May 25,2023, at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.

Top row, from left:

Matthys Serfontein, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church, whose project was refurbishing the River Trail Middle School’s Adventure Quest Outdoor Classroom Area by designing and constructing a concrete firepit with surrounding paved plinth, cleaning up the wooded area, removing undergrowth, removing fallen tree limbs, removing litter, mulching the entrance and constructing an outdoor serving table.

Joshua Alan Panuganti, of Troop 3143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction three storage shelving units and a mobile storage cart for Waypoint Baptist Church.

Nicholas Sparkes, Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of three picnic tables and four benches for the Bridge House, a faith-based house for fully rehabilitated women who are relearning how to function and contribute to society.

Ian Fox, of Troop 356, sponsored by Fellowship Christian School, whose project was the design and construction of a 6-foot picnic table and a sunshade sail secured by wooden poles secured in the ground with concrete with hooks secured to the wall for the lunch area and painting of a 16 x 12-foot shed at the King’s Academy High School.

Jason Lampert, of Troop 1486, sponsored by North River Baptist Church, whose project was the design

and construction of two picnic tables, at North River Baptist Church.

Bottom row, from left:

Vance Visger, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church, whose project was design and construction of an archway for the trail to Paul Anderson’s burial site at the Paul Anderson Youth Home, in Vidalia, Georgia.

Thomas Gamba, of Troop 1717, sponsored by Cross of Life Lutheran Church, whose project was the design and construction of shelving and reorganizing the sound and light system storage room at Elkins Pointe Middle School.

Vishnu Reddy, of Troop 27, sponsored by the Johns Creek Christian Church, whose project was relandscaping several islands in the parking lot as well as painting yellow around the island curb and constructing two sitting benches in the main outdoor eating area for North American Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta.

Kipras Kairys, of Troop 1459, sponsored by St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, whose project was removing a set of plastic storage shelves and replacing them with wooden shelving units for the preschool at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church.

John Bodamer, of Troop 143, sponsored by John’s Creek United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of five large wooden garbage bins for the Southeastern Railway Museum.

Arya Sabzevari, Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of two ADAcompliant picnic tables for the Special Education Department of Alpharetta High School.

Heather Grafton, DNP, FNP-C

Ceila Lopez-Armstrong, MD

Milton delays action on new development on Hickory Flat Road

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Plans for a restaurant and event facility drew resident concerns about density and preservation of the Birmingham Crossroads character area at the June 19 Milton City Council meeting.

Curtis Mills, owner of Matilda’s Under the Pine and 7 Acre Bar N Grill, has applied to repurpose a 2,640-squarefoot, 1890s-era farmhouse along Hickory Flat Road into a new breakfast restaurant. Plans also include adding a 2,000-square-foot indoor event pavilion alongside a 1,550-square-foot patio.

The development, which covers 6.5 acres, would bisect two zoning districts, AG-1 – or agriculture – and C-1, which is generally reserved for transition areas that allow neighborhood and communityoriented retail and service activities.

Among the zoning variances requested, new village center buildings would be set back more than 10 feet to allow for parking as well as some parking lot requirements eliminated.

City staff recommended approval of all the requested zoning variances, but with conditions.

Vouching for his two-year-long

project, Mills said some of city staff’s conditions were last minute and “unworkable,” such as the times of operation on the event facility, a wedding venue.

The proposal drew some public support at the meeting. Hazel Gerber said she wished to see the church’s historic building re-used rather than

destroyed.

Citing the Birmingham Crossroads Plan, others argued the new development would be too intense.

“The Birmingham Crossroads area was not designed for dense or intense commercial use,” resident Mary Cronk said. “Because of the intensity of use, the current plan we’ve been presented with does not fit into this purposefully planned community.”

The council voted to defer project plans to the July 24 City Council meeting.

In other matters before the council,

residents shared concerns about the design of five state-funded bridge replacements throughout Milton, located on Hopewell, Birmingham, Freemanville, Hickory Flat and Clarity roads.

Resident Bill Lusk said traffic could increase with additional traffic lanes, threatening the city’s rural character.

“Bridge maintenance and periodic replacement is good policy,” Lusk said. “My concern is, however, that in our eagerness to accept such funding, it may run counter to the original vision of our city.”

Milton Engineering Project Manager Rob Dell-Ross said the project isn’t an effort to widen the road, but rather it is to avoid bridge closure due to sufficiency rating. No additional lanes would be added, Dell-Ross said, but some lanes would be widened to meet requirements.

In another matter, the council also approved a zoning code that would allow for the District at Mayfield overlay as well as accept its concept plan.

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 overlay is intended to keep the area’s unique identity intact.

“I do want to say thank you for everyone,” Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison said. “I know it’s been a long, long process. We had a lot of citizen engagement, and I’m glad to finally get this done.”

King and Queen buildings glow for Muscular Dystrophy Day

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The iconic King and Queen towers at the Concourse in Sandy Springs were illuminated orange June 20 in honor of the 8th annual World FSH Muscular Dystrophy Day.

Officials said the Atlanta Chapter of the FSHD Society, the world’s largest research-focused patient organization for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, organized the lighting.

“The buildings are a prime focal point for the North Atlanta Perimeter, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody areas,” said Christiane Wyckoff, whose daughter, Carden, has FSHD. “We’re so grateful to the people at King and Queen building management for recognizing the need and helping promote awareness in a positive way for FSHD.”

On World FSHD Day, advocacy groups ask community members to raise awareness and support for people suffering from the debilitating,

genetic muscle-weakening condition, which affects nearly a million people worldwide.

In addition to the building lighting, supporters are asked each year to post photos on social media “using an orange slice in place of their smile” to draw attention to a symptom experienced by many people suffering from FSHD — loss of the ability to smile.

“It’s a slow disease that gradually robs people of muscle in their face, shoulders and upper body,” Atlanta FSHD Chapter Founder Jack Gerblick said. “It takes things away like being able to get dishes down from the top shelf, wash your hair, the ability to smile and other activities most people take for granted.”

For more information about the Atlanta Chapter of the FSHD Society visit www.fshdsociety.org/connect/ local-chapters/atlanta-chapter.

SCREENSHOT

Rezoning applicant Curtis Mills describes his project to repurpose an historic building along Hickory Flat Road into a new breakfast restaurant at the June 19 Milton City Council meeting. The council voted to defer the item to the July 24 regular meeting, following resident complaints about impact.

Sandy Springs suffers daylong water outage

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Thousands of homes in Sandy Springs were left without water for more than 24 hours last week after a water line breach caused low water pressure and water boil advisories throughout the entire city.

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management announced a water boil advisory for nearly all of Sandy Springs at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, June 18, so a transmission main breach near Riverside Road and Don White Memorial Park could be investigated.

Watershed Management officials discovered the water transmission line that feeds Sandy Springs water from the City of Johns Creek was breached at a point under the Chattahoochee River, which required divers to fix.

Ultimately the water line was repaired after an overnight lightning storm delay, and the advisory was lifted at 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 20.

Sampling conducted after the water line was fixed confirmed that there was no contamination of the system,

water system officials said.

Speaking at the Sandy Springs City Council meeting June 20, Mayor Rusty Paul said city leaders were left flat-footed by this situation, which turned into a city-wide “water crisis,” due to a breakdown in communication between Atlanta officials, Sandy Springs officials and members of the public.

“I do want to apologize to our community,” Paul said. “We generally are pretty good at communicating during emergencies and I think we did okay at communicating but we didn’t live up to our normal standards.”

Following this incident, Sandy Springs elected leaders met with city staff and Atlanta representatives to assess where things went wrong and how problems can be resolved better in the future.

“Tragically, this is the second time in about the last decade, where we had a system-wide failure that affected virtually all of the city,” Paul said.

At the city’s annual retreat held in January, Sandy Springs officials said that improving local water reliability would be one of their top priorities for

See WATER, Page 18

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Sandy Springs officials said that thousands of homes in the city went without water for more than 24 hours after a breach in a main water transmission line was discovered under the Chattahoochee River near Don White Memorial Park.

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Water:

Continued from Page 17

2023.

City Attorney Dan Lee said that since the city’s inception in 2005, it has purchased its water from the City of Atlanta, using various systems built by different developers over the years, including some installed when Sandy Springs was part of unincorporated Fulton County.

“When developers wanted to leave Atlanta and go to unincorporated Fulton County, Fulton County would not provide water, so Atlanta was the only source,” Lee said. “To their credit, they allowed developers to build out their system and turn it over to the city.”

This mish-mash infrastructure of the city’s water system has caused countless headaches, Lee said. Without intervention, the city could face massive problems.

But until now, Lee said officials in Atlanta and Fulton County have been unwilling to take up the city’s concerns about water delivery, leading to multiple lawsuits, arbitration and appeals to the Georgia Supreme Court.

“We’ve prevailed on all five actions to get to the point of letting our experts go examine the system of Atlanta,” he said.

That examination produced a 1,100-page report on the water system, showing Sandy Spring’s water actually comes from the City of Johns Creek and the system needs roughly $50 million in immediate repairs.

“There has been no real improvement to the water system in 50 years,” he said.

But under Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Lee said Atlanta officials have been open to new negotiations over the city’s water contract, and Sandy Springs leaders believe a positive resolution is on the horizon in the next year.

Paul said after meeting with Dickens on Tuesday, they feel as if they have reached a better understanding of how to communicate in the case of a water emergency.

“I also want to thank the mayor of Atlanta. The city manager and I went down and met with Mayor Dickens today, within 48 hours after the event to sit down and do some Monday morning quarterbacking,” he said. “So, if something like this happens again, we know who to call and they know who to call.”

In the future, Paul said that city residents should make sure they are signed up for Sandy Springs emergency alerts, which can be found by visiting sandyspringsga.gov/sandysprings-alerts.

PROVIDED

Nearly all of Sandy Springs was under a water boil advisory for more than 24 hours June 18, as representatives with the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management repaired the main transmission line feeding water to the city.

Tragically, this is the second time in about the last decade, where we had a system-wide failure that affected virtually all of the city.”

RUSTY PAUL

Sandy Springs Mayor

JUNE 29 JULY 9

What: Happening on select Thursdays, Sundown Social is a relaxed neighborhood gathering with live music and signature cocktails. This event will feature Mauricio Amaya, a multiinstrumentalist that plays folk and traditional music from Latin America. There will also be food trucks.

When: Thursday, June 29, 5:30 p.m.

Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

PRIDE MEET AND GREET WITH THE TELETUBBIES

What: The Teletubbies are coming from over the hills and far away to visit. You can give the colorful quartet a big hug, dance and snap a photo. Tickets grant you access to a 30-minute Pride celebration.

When: Friday, June 30, 3-5:30 p.m.

Where: Camp, 4551 Olde Perimeter Parkway, Dunwoody

Cost: $10

More info: camp.com

SUMMER PUPPET SERIES: FRISCH’ MARIONETTES’ WIZARD OF OZ

What: Adapted from the classic children’s novel into a musical featuring expertly hand-carved puppets and custom costumes, this show celebrates America’s rich musical heritage. Travel down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy and find out why Lion, Tinman and Strawman are all singing the Blues.

When: Until July 1, times vary

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell

Cost: $7

More info: roswellgov.com

MILTON FARMERS MARKET

What: Every Saturday morning until Oct. 28, more than 30 vendors set up shop around Milton City Hall with fresh produce, fresh meat, sweets, coffee and tea, flowers, soaps, jewelry and more.

When: Saturday, July 1, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Where: Milton City Hall plaza, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton More info: facebook.com/ miltongafarmersmarket

DUNWOODY FOURTH OF JULY PARADE AND FESTIVAL

What: The Dunwoody Homeowners Association and the Dunwoody Reporter newspaper will host the annual Fourth of July Parade featuring marching bands, floats, clowns, animal units and local celebrities. This year’s theme is “50 years of Wildcat Pride,” celebrating Dunwoody High School’s past, present and future. The grand marshals will be Principal “Coach” Tom Bass and Steve Fortenberry. When: July 4, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Mount Vernon Road and Dunwoody Village, Dunwoody

More info: dunwoodyga.org

INDEPENDENCE DAY WALKING PARADE

What: The Walking Parade has become one of Milton’s most beloved traditions. Find your most festive red, white and blue, and dress up you and your kids, your wagons, bikes and even leashed pets to walk or ride along in the parade. Before and after the parade, which starts at 11 a.m., people and pets can earn prizes for their patriotic attire and decorations as well as participate in a host of family-friendly activities, savor some treats and more.

When: Saturday, July 1, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Broadwell Pavilion, 12615 Broadwell Road, Milton

More info: miltonga.gov

Alabama Road, Johns Creek

More info: johnscreekga.gov

DUNWOODY FOURTH OF JULY PARADE AND FESTIVAL

What: The Dunwoody Homeowners Association and the Dunwoody Reporter newspaper will host the annual Fourth of July Parade featuring marching bands, floats, clowns, animal units and local celebrities. This year’s theme is “50 years of Wildcat Pride,” celebrating Dunwoody High School’s past, present and future. The grand marshals will be Principal “Coach” Tom Bass and Steve Fortenberry.

When: July 4, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Where: Mount Vernon Road and Dunwoody Village, Dunwoody

More info: dunwoodyga.org

Where: Roswell Area Park, 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell

More info: roswell365.com

STARS AND STRIPES: JULY 4

FIREWORKS CELEBRATION

What: The annual Sandy Springs July 4 fireworks display will have food trucks and music. Blankets, lawn chairs and umbrellas are allowed and can be set up after 4 p.m. No outside tables, tents, personal sparklers or pets.

When: Tuesday, July 4, 6 p.m.

Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

JULY 4 FIREWORKS IN ALPHARETTA

JOHNS

CREEK

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

What: Celebrate the country’s independence with live music, activities, food and a fireworks display. Fireworks will begin after sunset. Lawn chairs and blankets are allowed. No pets, tents or personal fireworks.

When: Monday, July 3, 6-10 p.m.

Where: Newtown Park, 3150 Old

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

ROSWELL JULY 4 CELEBRATION

What: The City of Roswell will light up the skies on July 4 and include live music, other entertainment and food trucks. Bring your chairs and blankets to spread out at one of several fireworks viewing areas throughout the park. Fireworks will start at sunset. When: Tuesday, July 4, 5:30 p.m.

What: Celebrate the country with the family under the stars watching a display of fireworks at dusk. Fireworks will begin at around 9:30 p.m. If there is a weather delay, the latest start-of-show will be 10:40 p.m. Families are encouraged to bring a blanket, picnic and games for a memorable evening together.

When: Tuesday, July 4, 9:30 p.m.

Where: Wills Park, 11925 Wills Road, Alpharetta

More info: alpharetta.ga.us

To promote your event, follow these easy steps: Visit AppenMedia.com/Calendar

Provide the details for your event including title, description, location and date Click the red button that reads “Create event”

That’s it! Submissions are free, though there are paid opportunities to promote your event in print and online.

A day in the life outside the shell we call home

I always am surprised when I go “out” and end up meeting people. My default is to not be that social, probably to the point of being at a minimum an introvert if not downright antisocial. Yet, almost without fail, when I step outside of my default, I end up being pleasantly surprised.

So, my wife (Christina) is in Ohio helping her mom move out of the family house of the last 60 years or so into a more appropriate housing – no steps, easy to maintain, social atmosphere. I am here holding down the fort. The “fort” yesterday consisted of taking care of our three grandchildren for much of the day. Their other grandparent handed them off to me around 3 p.m. So, at that point it is me and three kids 8 and under. They are good kids, but their behavior is best when they are actively engaged in something. That is the rub, as we have not so long attention spans and we tend to compete and often that ends up – well, let’s say, “challenging.”

We started out at my house with snacks. They weren’t hungry so I was 0 for 1 at that point. From home, we decided to go to Wills Park tennis courts and become “engaged.” Our 8-year-old granddaughter is quite good at tennis. She takes lessons and is one of the most athletic/coordinated kids I know. However, Leo, the middle sibling and Annie our youngest don’t play tennis at all. My plan was to let Phoebe hit against the backboard while I attempted to “play tennis” on the adjacent court with Leo and Annie, maybe turn it into a play catch, or miniature pickle ball, or something. It was hot, humid, and they didn’t last long. Yes, Phoebe wanted to keep hitting against the backboard, but I lost the other two big time. Zero for 2.

On to Wacky World, the giant playground adjacent to the tennis courts. We swung, looked for our name on the slats that surround the facility and quickly began to get bored. Then, out of the blue, the three of them decided to play hide and seek at the playground. Hello! I sat and watched, ultimately for well over an hour. I sat down on a bench next to a woman probably about my age who obviously was there for the same reason I was – to watch the grandchildren. We compared

notes. She was down from Michigan to see her adult children. We talked about Alpharetta, the humidity, City Center and life in general. It turned out that we take the grandchildren to the same parks – the one on Cogburn Road and the one on Crabapple Road across the street from the Alpharetta traffic ticket courthouse place. I shared with her one of my very favorite places in all of Alpharetta which happened to be in the area that she traveled. The favorite place is the “fairy park” immediately adjacent (on the south side) to the Milton Library on Charlotte Drive and Mayfield.

Volunteers have turned a small patch of land with trees, bushes and little trails into a wonderland filled with gnomes, gnome houses, fairies, trolls, benches and more. We often can easily spend an hour or so exploring the fairy park and never once get bored. In fact, the kids usually protest and don’t want to leave. The lady on the bench thanked me and said that she would take her grandkids to look for the fairies.

A short time later, as I continued to watch from the bench, a mom came up and introduced herself and started a conversation. She shared with me that they had recently moved to Alpharetta –I guessed from Europe – and that they had just enrolled their kids in Fulton Science Academy (FSA, a local private STEM school that my youngest son Carl attended during middle school. FSA holds a special place in my heart. The mom and I – and a short while later her husband too – ended up talking about the school for some time. I shared that Christina and I traveled with FSA teachers, many of whom are Turkish, way back when for two weeks to Turkey, sort of like a field trip but across the ocean.

The school used to take both parents as well as kids on the trip the first of each summer but no longer since the current President Tayyip Erdogan (who was just now reelected to a third term) essentially banned or imprisoned a large percentage of the country’s teachers. I thanked them for our conversation when they left.

“Lets stay in touch,” the husband said. I replied that I was sure we would see each other again at Wacky World. I gave them my card and asked them to give Dr. Sener (headmaster/principal at FSA) my regards when they ran into him at FSA.

The kids continued their hide and seek. I noticed that our youngest, Annie Moon, had found a friend who was playing hide and seek with her. They both walked up to me, and Annie held out a length of thread that she said her friend had given her to tie around her finger as a ring. As I tried to tie the

small thread around her finger, the father – Ross – of Annie’s new friend walked up and introduced himself. He was there with his young daughter and son.

As with the Turkish couple, Ross and I talked while we watched. We had common interests including “food” –or more accurately, the status of our sustainable or not sustainable food supply. We talked about health care. I am not sure, but I think he was either South African or lived some years in South Africa where health care is so different than in the States -- universal and cheap/affordable.

He ended up sharing with me a podcast that he recently listened to about our food supply (On YouTube search for “Peter Zeihan the shocking truth about global fertilizer”) and it should take you to his YouTube lecture. I ordered one of his books last night so I could learn more.

I shared with Ross an online lecture my daughter sent me which, after listening to it, finally made me understand this whole “organic” thing. I used to think that “organic” was just some sort of tree-hugger or marketing thing to get you to spend more. I don’t think that anymore. Basically, you really don’t want to eat non-organic food unless you want to deal with the tragic/toxic consequences of ingesting food grown via the use of ultra-toxic herbicides – Roundup being the big one – or pesticides. I am now willing to pay extra to avoid that stuff; it makes sense to me now.

If you google “John Kempf embracing the connection between agriculture and health,” you should get a link to his regenerative agriculture podcast.

Ross and I exchanged contacts and I think if at least one of us takes the initiative, we will have more conversations in the future.

So, why don’t I go “outside” more? Go figure. I am missing so much.

*The use of Roundup is currently the focus of literally thousands of lawsuits. According to Forbes, “Monsanto (the owner of Roundup) has settled over 100,000 Roundup lawsuits, paying out about $11 billion as of May 2022. There are still 30,000 lawsuits pending…”

Many government institutions - such as city recreation departments - still use large quantities of Roundup to maintain grounds, sports fields, playgrounds (where thousands of children play and recreate) - and greenways adjacent to water sources likes creeks and rivers even though Roundup has repeatedly been associated with many forms of cancer.

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus

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PRESERVING THE PAST

Fungus among us – the history and benefits of mushrooms

This week’s column is about mushrooms whose history as food goes back at least 7,000 or 8,000 years. Before we get into history, we should define what mushrooms are and are not.

Mushrooms are not plants, because plants need sunlight and carbon dioxide to synthesize their food. Mushrooms rely only on organic matter. Unlike plants, they do not produce chlorophyll (a green pigment that helps plants create their own food,) but they are high in nutrients. They live off dead and decaying matter, such as wood and leaves.

In addition to numerous kinds of edible mushrooms, there are thousands of species of other fungi including types of molds, mildews, yeasts, rusts and toadstools (poisonous mushrooms).

No one knows who ate the first edible mushroom, but it must have been thousands of years ago. Egyptian Pharaohs ate mushrooms, and for centuries mushroom consumption was limited to the wealthy. Louis XIV’s reign in the 17th century marked the start of cultivation and marketing of mushrooms. French gardeners grew mushrooms in caves, which provided a perfect environment. In the United States, mushroom farming became popular in the early 20th century. The first commercial mushroom farm in the U.S. was established in 1896 in Pennsylvania which today continues to be the leading producer of mushrooms in the U.S. In the 1920s waves of European immigrants brought with them knowledge of mushroom cultivation. New technologies and techniques, such as climate-controlled growing environments, revolutionized the industry and allowed for yearround cultivation. The resulting increase in production and lowered costs led to today’s widespread availability of mushrooms in supermarkets and restaurants.

Mushroom farming is big business today. World production of cultivated mushrooms is about 4 million tons a year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in 2021-2022, the U.S. sales by growers were $1.02 billion. The market research firm Market Data Forecast puts the global mushroom market size at $50.3 billion in 2021 driven by growing demand for healthy, low-calorie diets. One

cup of raw mushrooms contains just 15 calories, 2.2g of protein, 2.3g of carbohydrates, and 0.2g of fat and lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

There are some large mushroom farms in Georgia and many smallscale farmers. An example of the latter is Jeff Dufresne who started growing mushrooms on his property in Milton just two years ago, satisfying a lifelong love of the edible fungi. Jeff grows Shiitake, Oyster and Lion’s Mane varieties, while his wife Josephine enjoys experimenting with mushroom recipes.

Dufresne says “Shiitake mushrooms have a rich meaty flavor and are great for soups, pasta and stews. Their proven medicinal benefits include helping to control blood pressure and cholesterol. Oyster mushrooms,” according to Jeff, “have a mild taste, silky textures, and are great with seafood, chicken or pork. They can be cooked or served raw in salads, and they help strengthen the immune system. Lion’s Mane are sweet and succulent, soft and chewy with a shellfish flavor. They help fight dementia and memory loss.”

Jeff lists several benefits of mushrooms beyond their culinary rewards. They can be a natural pesticide, can help clean up land oil spills and make good packing material

being used by companies such as IKEA. Research is being conducted on mushrooms as insulation and eventually as replacement for concrete blocks and bricks.

Jeff’s 4-acre farm is named “Pax Domus,” or House of Peace. Jeff cultivates mushrooms outdoors on hardwood logs and indoors in plastic bags which provide a more sterile environment and better control of temperature, humidity and light. Jeff, who is president of the Milton Historical Society, is happy to share his knowledge with anyone contemplating growing mushrooms. Contact him at Jeff@PaxDomusFarm.com.

According to Dr. Michael Yeh, medical toxicologist with Emory University, care must be taken when consuming mushrooms. Most varieties found in the wild are not edible. Many species are irritating to the gastrointestinal tract and can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Some mushrooms can cause severe organ damage such as liver or kidney failure, damage to muscles, and even seizures.

Most people do not realize, Yeh says, but even edible mushrooms should not be eaten raw with the exception of the familiar white button variety which make up about 90 percent of the mushrooms consumed in the United States, or the cremini

(brown button), both of which are found in local supermarkets. Fortunately, commercially available mushrooms are grown by knowledgeable mushroom farmers. There are five major mushroom growing companies in Georgia.

This is where the Mushroom Club of Georgia enters the picture. Sam Landes, treasurer of the club, describes it as an educational, scientific, outdoor social group with monthly meetings via Zoom. From March through November, the club organizes two walks per month in the metro area for its members where they learn to identify, collect and study edible and non-edible wild mushrooms. The combination of the pandemic and a short film has led to an explosion of new members, now totaling about 500. The film, “Here’s to Us,” can be seen at www.mychinet. com/ideas/all-of-us/mushroom-club/. For information about the club, contact Sam at treasurer@gamushroomclub. org.

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

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Jeff Dufresne, owner of Pax Domus Farms in Milton, holds some mushrooms he just harvested from mushroom logs on the ground behind him.

Shiitake mushroom logs at the Pax Domus Farms in Milton, one of three varieties of mushrooms grown on the property. Holes are drilled in the hard wood logs and mushroom plugs are placed in the holes. This is a cost-effective and efficient way to grow mushrooms outdoors.

Why does poison ivy seem to like people?

For millions of years, plants have evolved defenses to protect themselves from prey, disease, and encroachment, as they are obviously immobile once situated. Many of these defenses are chemical, and include poisons, irritants, odors and compounds that inhibit the growth of other plants. Of the irritants, poison ivy (Rhus radicans) causes reactions in about 85 percent of people. The offending toxin is urushiol. Named from the Japanese Urushi tree, or Oriental lacquer tree, urushiol is an organic compound that exists in all parts of the poison ivy plant, even the dormant-looking vines.

As gardeners, we are familiar with the adage “leaves of three, beware of me” as we install and maintain our gardens. Poison ivy is prevalent in our area, and the leaves are easily recognizable for most of us. The plant can be climbing, shrub-like and/or a ground cover. The oily urushiol irritant can exist for years on clothing, tools and animal fur. Burning the plant gives it airborne danger. Urushiol can be inhaled from the smoke.

What benefit does it give poison ivy to have this compound as a defense? When the delicate leaf or stem is broken, the urushiol acts as an antimicrobial. When the urushiol is exposed to air, it forms a lacquer-like substance to help restore the plant integrity. Hundreds of years ago, Japanese craftsmen tapped the Urushi tree for its sap to make furniture lacquer, as well as glue and varnish. This lacquer can withstand heat and damage from acids, alkali and alcohol. The oxidized urushiol in lacquer is non-toxic.

By utilizing this substance to mend broken plant parts, the plant puts less energy into repair and can focus on growing new leaves and stems.

Poison ivy is a great source of food for animals and birds. The berries it produces are especially coveted by birds. Deer and goats readily munch on the entire plant, but they do not react to the urushiol! Aside from a few other mammals, humans are the major species that have the allergic reaction. When we come into contact with urushiol, our body responds with antigens, causing an allergic reaction. The rash, dermatitis and pruritis (itching) can be severe and last a week or more. Blisters can form. The fluid in the blisters is not contagious or a source of the allergen.

Why just us? It may be that our immune system is so finely tuned to

allergens that we have not acclimated to this toxin. Or, as a species, we are too new to develop resistance. The answer is not known definitively.

Of course, staying away from poison ivy is the best defense, but if contact does occur, wash off contaminated skin immediately with soap and water, and if more time has elapsed, use a solvent such as alcohol. For skin reactions, cortisone and calamine lotion may provide temporary relief, as will a soft cold pack. See a dermatologist for severe skin reactions. Be sure to wash tools, clothing and your pets if exposed.

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.

About the author

This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Linda McGinn. Linda has lived in Johns Creek 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, johnscreekarts.org/product/the-art-of-the-gardensummer-2023/. She has been gardening for 30+ years and became certified as a Master Gardener in 2021. Linda created a new class, “All About Plant Toxins,” (https:// youtu.be/4ux2YGE04ao) which she presented in the Spring 2022 Gardening Lecture Series presented by the North Fulton Master Gardeners. In this class, Linda discussed various plants that produce toxins, with an overview of their history, chemistry, action and current use.

Learn more

• Controlling Poison Ivy in the Landscape - https://extension.uga.edu/ publications/detail.html?number=C867-10

• Poisonous Plants in the Landscape - https://extension.uga.edu/ publications/detail.html?number=C957

LINDA MCGINN

Guest Columnist

The challenges in finding purpose

On radio and television you constantly hear ads about planning for a well-funded retirement.

Suppose with the help of a financial advisor, and/or through pluck and true grit, you do it. You wake up on Day One of your next 10 years in retirement (whatever that is), and you, and the one you love, if a couple is involved, have all the money you ever needed, more than enough to do whatever you want. What would you do?

A longtime friend, prolific author, speaker, and trainer, Mitch Anthony, author of “The New Retirementality” and other books on both the meaningful and destructive uses of money, has said that in retirement you need enough money to sleep soundly at night, but you also need a purpose to wake up to in the morning. Lack of purpose is destructive. So, what is purpose?

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881), British statesman, Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher, wrote, “A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life, and having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you.” Substitute woman or person for “man” if you wish, but you get the point. Life without purpose leaves one adrift.

Life expectancy in England in the 1800s was approximately 40 years, which included high numbers of infant

PAST TENSE

deaths. Life was hard and most people did not contemplate retirement as we know it today. They worked until they dropped. Very few lived into their 50s, let alone their 80s as Carlyle did. In the long history of mankind’s struggles, that you have the option of contemplating longevity, and actualizing a well-funded retirement, is a gift from your Creator. And He has a plan for overcoming boredom, a by-product of retirement.

Boredom is the downside of having ample time on your hands sans a plan to use it well with energy-bolstering purpose.

When a person is asked what retirement looks like to them, most answer with a laundry list of activities...travel, play more golf, fish or hunt, spend time with children and grandchildren, move to a retirement community, etc. These are activities, what a friend called “excessive leisure.” After sleeping, eating, grooming, and taking care of other daily necessities, over the average day you will have about 14 hours to fill, 5,110 hours in a year, 153,300 hours over a potential 30year retirement. Beyond the activities listed above, which are fine but cannot be done to excess, what are you going to do to bring meaning and purpose into your life outside of “busy work?” What happens if you wake up morning after morning with ample money but no purpose? Boredom, loss of energy, physical and mental deterioration, restlessness, destructive behavior, drinking to excess, filing for divorce in search of something new, are potential results, but not positive outcomes!

Lots of things go into having a sense of purpose. Being useful and

appreciated, perseverance, for example. Another British statesman, Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881), opined, “The secret to success is constancy of purpose.” The apostle Paul was verbally abused, stoned, beaten and driven away by skeptics and disbelievers, but he persisted in his mission aided by the Holy Spirit. Hardship and resistance often brings greater resolve to a purpose-fueled quest. Tenacity is a sign of dedication and purpose.

The “Baltimore Catechism” was published in 1885 as a compendium of Christian doctrine, posing a series of questions and answers. Question 1 affirmed that God made the world. Question 6 dealt with our purpose on earth, asking, “Why did God make you?” The answer: “God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him, and to be happy with Him for ever in Heaven.”

That explains the purpose God had in mind for us when we were given the gift of life. Jesus gave us two great commandments that underpin purpose. The first was, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” The second was to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37-39).

Folks who are not religious certainly can find purpose and meaning in life. For all of us, God’s commandments about loving and selfless giving can aid us in our quest for purpose. All around us are worthy charities that can benefit from your skills as a volunteer. Financial donations are welcome, but personal involvement will further bolster your sense of satisfaction and purpose. At a recent conference, this writer

was asked what my guiding purpose was. “My purpose,” I said, “is to get to Heaven and take as many people with me as I can.” Supporting charities that do God’s work on earth is part of my mission.

An unknown author noted, “Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in.” In addition to outreach efforts sponsored by houses of worship, we are blessed with charities in our community that provide essential services such as Atlanta Mission, Atlanta Community Food Bank, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Habitat for Humanity, North Fulton Community Charities, no-kill animal shelters and pet rescue, and so on.

Countless testimonials from volunteers attest to the power of God’s grace and the energy one receives from service. Giving, whether time and/or money, feels good. Loving one’s neighbor as oneself as Our Lord commanded is a proven antidote to boredom, listlessness, and a nagging lack of purpose, all silent killers of the spirit. Worthy causes are all around you. They need you!

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-441-3553; 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).

Always helpful and kind, that was Ken Anderson

Soon after I began writing Past Tense for the Dunwoody Crier in 2006, I learned about Ken Anderson.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Local historian and co-founder of Dunwoody Preservation Trust

Lynne Byrd told me that Ken had lived in Dunwoody his entire life and was happy to share his memories.

He enthusiastically shared memories and stories of the families he descended from. There was the Anderson and Carpenter families, but his ancestors also married into the Spruill, Eison (or Eidson), Donaldson and Copeland families.

I could always call Ken and ask what he knew about any subject. He helped me with articles, my “Images of America: Dunwoody” book and any other project on my list. Many of the photographs in the book were provided by Ken Anderson. He also told the history behind each photograph.

I remember asking him if he would come to the DPT History Booth several years ago to share his memories with visitors of Lemonade Days. He not only spent time in the booth, but he also brought old photographs of the original Dunwoody School. His sisters Carolyn Anderson Parker and Jane Anderson Autry also joined us one year in the booth. Visitors to the booth enjoyed hearing about early Dunwoody from those who grew up in the community.

The roots of Ken Anderson’s family in Dunwoody go back to the first half

of the 19th century. Many stories were passed down through the family. There was the story of the day Union soldiers showed up on the family farm looking for food. Susan Carpenter gathered meat from a pot in her apron only to be told by the soldiers that she could put it back. They were not going to take food from her children.

Calhoun and Effie Mae Spruill Carpenter sold eggs, butter, vegetables,and peaches from the farm on a two-horse wagon they drove to

See ANDERSON, Page 27

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

Columnist

Columnist

A pair of mysteries by Elly Griffiths

I stumbled across British author Elly Griffiths years ago and read quite a few of her Ruth Galloway books.

Ruth is a forensic archaeologist who teaches and works on digs around England, some locally and some a bit farther afield. Why I haven’t kept up with the series is a mystery to me as I never fail to enjoy them.

The first book, “The Crossing Places,” won the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and there are 14 more to read after that. As I started this column, I googled the author and found her words on how she came up with the idea for that first mystery.

“We were on holiday in Norfolk, walking across Titchwell Marsh, when [my husband] mentioned that prehistoric man had thought that marshland was sacred. Because it’s neither land nor sea, but something in-between, they saw it as a kind of bridge to the afterlife … As he said those words, the entire plot of ‘The Crossing Places’ appeared, full formed, in my head and, walking

Anderson:

Continued from Page 26

Atlanta.

Ken’s mother told of the old Dunwoody Depot being placed on logs and rolled up the road to become a store and post office on the southwest corner of Chamblee Dunwoody and Mount Vernon Roads.

In 1958, Ken married Alvilene Price, whose family had moved to Dunwoody when she was a child. Both Ken and Alvi, as she is called, attended Dunwoody School.

Ken worked at General Motors for 28 years. While still working at GM, he began working part-time at Dunwoody Baptist Church. Later he became Director of Operations at the church, staying for 40 years until retirement in 2016.

For a few years, Ken was in his director role, and I taught preschool. It was nice to be able to stop by his office after the preschool day ended to talk history.

On June 15, 2023, I attended the memorial service for Ken and heard

towards me out of the mist, I saw Dr. Ruth Galloway.”

I admit, I’m now waiting for the plot of my next book to spring fully formed from my head. I suspect I’ll be waiting quite a while for that miracle. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to read Griffiths works, both her series and her standalone novels. I’ve read one of each in the past month.

“A Dying Fall”

In Book V, Ruth Galloway travels to Lancashire to investigate the find of an old university friend. He died shortly after writing her about his discovery.

I couldn’t put this one down because it concerns Arthurian legend. I always get hooked on books about the legendary king. Who knew that the Raven King was an ancient name for King Arthur? Given how many books I’ve read about him, I was surprised and delighted to learn something new. Did Ruth’s friend find the remains of King Arthur? What happened to the bones he unearthed? As is the case in any good series, the relationships among the ongoing cast of characters are as important as the mystery. Ruth is a single mother who’s trying to juggle a new romantic relationship, the presence of her little girl’s father,

many more stories of the kind and compassionate man that he was. He was always helping others, both family and friends. As a lifelong member of Dunwoody Baptist Church who was also always there as a volunteer or an employee, Ken was usually making sure things ran smoothly during the services. He helped wherever he was needed, including changing a flat tire in the church parking lot.

Many memories were shared at the service, but the one that seems to sum up Ken Anderson is “He would give you the shirt off his back.”

December 12 was proclaimed Ken Anderson Day by Denis Shortal and the Dunwoody City Council in 2016. He was recognized for his “selfless service to the ministry of Dunwoody Baptist Church, his contributions to our community, and the inspiration he has provided to his colleagues, friends, and family.”

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

and her job.

If you haven’t read the series, I suggest you start with Book I so you can more easily follow the ups and downs of Ruth’s personal and professional life.

“Bleeding Heart Yard”

The main character in this book, billed as a thriller, is DI Harbinder Kaur. She has appeared in two previous Elly Griffiths books, though the three are not described as a series. Still, it’s interesting to follow Harbinder’s career progression from a post in Shoreham to a position as a DI in the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police. For the first time, she has a team to manage, and she’s only just arrived in London when she has a murder to investigate—a high-profile murder of an MP.

This one kept me guessing. The murder takes place at a school reunion, and another death, one that happened nearly 20 years ago, keeps coming up. At the time, it was deemed a drug-related suicide, and the friends of that earlier victim are still haunted by it. When Harbinder arrives on the scene, she finds that her detective sergeant, Cassie Fitzgerald is one of the attendees. Is that a pro or a con?

Will Cassie help the investigation or hinder it?

The deceased MP and Cassie Fitzgerald are both part of a group of close-knit friends, or at least they were close when the first death occurred. The relationships have shifted over 20 years. In alternating chapters, Harbinder, Cassie, and Anna — another classmate — share the narrative. The shifting perspectives set up a well-plotted whodunit with plenty of red herrings.

“Bleeding Heart Yard” is an Amazon Editor’s Pick, and I can see why. I’m hoping the author has another Harbinder Kaur book planned. Until then, I’ll continue with the next Ruth Galloway tale.

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/.

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

PROVIDED

Ken Anderson was born in 1937, living all his life in Dunwoody.

Ken and Alvilene Price Anderson on their wedding day in 1958.

NOTICE

CITY OF ROSWELL PUBLIC HEARING

PLACE

ROSWELL CITY HALL

38 HILL STREET, SUITE 215

DATE & TIME

Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 10:00 A.M.

PURPOSE

Application for a Limited Pouring/ Beer & Wine/Sunday Sales

APPLICANT Jasmin Willis

BUSINESS NAME

Cherried Mary’s Ice Cream Parlor

BUSINESS ADDRESS

1075 Canton Street Roswell, GA 30075

T:\ADS_2023\City

The following item will be considered by the City Council on Monday, July 17, 2023 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

a. MP-23-03 Fulton Science Academy

Consideration of a master plan amendment to allow for the construction of athletic fields (tennis and soccer) in conjunction with the Fulton Science Academy athletic program. A master plan amendment is requested to reduce building setbacks along Fanfare Way for tennis courts and retaining walls. The property is located at 3035 Fanfare Way and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 688, 689, and 700, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

Human Resources Manager

Handles all employee-related processes and procedures. This role will be responsible for Recruitment and Onboarding, Job Design, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Training and Development, Employment Compliance, Total Rewards and Talent Management. This position reports to the Director of Finance and Administration and will interact with the entire management team by providing guidance on all Human Resources related topics at NFCC. Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related field and 3-5 years of Human Resources experience, preferably in multiple HR disciplines required. Please visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/ to see the full job description. To apply, submit a resume to sholiday@nfcchelp.org and to mburton@nfcchelp.org.

Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for developing programs and services for NFCC clients and students seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The workforce development coordinator collaborates with local employers to help match job seekers to open positions. They work directly with clients on the job application, resumes, and interview preparations and provide tips for successfully securing and improving employment to foster financial stability.  Bachelor’s degree in a human services, human resources, or other related field required and 2 years of professional experience in human services, human resources or career counseling preferred.

To view the entire listing visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/. To apply, please submit resume to Carol Swan at cswan@nfcchelp.org.

Computer Systems Analyst: Req  1. MS Deg in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr/IT/Bus. Admin. + 6 Mon. Exp.

24 ON Physicians of California, PC seeks multiple FT Hospitalist Physician (Alpharetta, GA). Diagnose & provide non-surgical medical treatment of diseases & injuries of internal organ systems to hospitalized patients. Must have MD, DO or foreign equiv. Must be board certified or board eligible in internal medicine. Subject to periodic transfers to various unanticipated locations in US. Must have legal authority to work in U.S. EEOE. Resume to: C. Fann, 24 ON Physicians of California PC, 13000 Deerfield Pkwy, Ste 100, Alpharetta, GA 30004.

Lead Software Engineer, Alpharetta, GA: Bach/ forgn equiv deg in CS, CIS, or a rel fld. Employer considers 3- or 4-yr degrees acceptable. At least 5 yrs’ exp in SW design, development & maintenance of backend workflow sytms supporting product & relt’d services. Exp must incl knwldg of ASP.NET, MVC, SQL Server, & Windows services. CV: HR, Ingo Money, Inc., 11545 Wills Rd, Ste 130, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Software Engineer Senior (Alpharetta, GA): Dvlp, create, & mdfy general comp apps s/w or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs & dvlp s/w solutions. Work throughout the s/w dvlpmt life cycle & prfrm in a utility capacity to create, dsgn, code, debug, maintain, test, implmnt & validate apps w/ a broad understanding of a variety of langs & architectures. Remote work permitted within the US. Resumes to: Total System Services LLC, Brian Simons, Associate Director, HR Risk and Compliance, One TSYS Way, Columbus GA 31901. Job #RM608552.

BOOTH RENTALS AVAILABLE

Fun hair salon in Dunwoody, FREE 1st MONTH RENT 770-912-7151

Deadline to place a Classified ad is Thursday at 4 pm

Community Events Manager

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.

Salary: 85000/Yr. Req 2: BS Deg in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr/Bus. Admin. + 5yrs Exp. Salary 119750/ Yr. Req.3. BS Deg in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr/Bus. Admin. + 2 yrs Exp. Salary 67500/Yr.  Duties: Analyze, design, dev, test, imp, monitor & upgrade computer sw sys, spec. Sw apps. Details: www.cloudsoft-inc. com. Resume-Cloud Soft, 40 Technology Pkwy Ste 210, Norcross, GA 30092.

Computer Systems Analyst: Req  1. MS Deg in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr/IT/Bus. Admin. + 6 Mon. Exp.

Salary: 85000/Yr. Req 2: BS Deg in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr/Bus. Admin. + 5yrs Exp. Salary 119750/ Yr. Req.3. BS Deg in Com. Sci/Com. Apps/Engr/ Bus. Admin. + 2 yrs Exp. Salary 67500/Yr.  Duties: Analyze, design, dev, test, imp, monitor & upgrade computer sw sys, spec. Sw apps. Details: www. unicorntek.com. Resume-Unicorn Tech, 4080 McGinnis Ferry Rd STE 1305, Alpharetta, GA 30005.

Sawnee EMC is seeking a Staff Accountant – Financial Services to provide financial and accounting services in compliance with RUS accounting requirements and standards, coordinate budgeting and financial planning functions, compile and analyze financial information, prepare financial statements, statistical analyses, balance sheet and financial position statements, make recommendations on reserves, collect appropriate data to prepare tax returns, and prepare related reports to management. Requires: Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in accounting with a minimum of two years progressively responsible work experience; high level of competency in MS Office, Accounting, Spreadsheet and Database Software; knowledge of RUS System of Accounts preferred.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, July 7, 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.

Part-time

Donor Operations Associate

HIRING ACCOUNTANTS!

Entry level to Senior level. Direct Hire and temp to hire. Resume to lauren@discoverstaffing.com or call or text 678-393-9313 for more details.

Sr. Full Stack Java Developer, GIS, HQ in Cumming, GA, hm off anywhere in US. Design, develop & maintain web apps; BS or for equiv in CS or clsly rel; 3 yrs exp; $99,008/yr; resume & cvr ltr to: CJ@ Global-it-solutions.net

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

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.

Part-time

NEWSPAPER DELIVERY ROUTE

Director of Childrens Ministry

Seeking Director of Children’s Ministry for Alpharetta Presbyterian Church. Part-time position with benefits.

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Also have classroom or work experience in education and/or children’s ministry. Work with children’s ministry leaders to provide meaningful and engaging Sunday School and additional programs for children. Collaborate with committee, recommend curriculum to Session for approval and provide the curriculum for children’s Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible School.

Recruit, train and supervise all Children’s Ministry teachers and volunteers (this includes providing “child safety training” and assuring compliance with that policy).

• A person of mature Christian faith who will work collegially with others in support of the overall mission of the church.

• 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.

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!

Call 770-442-3278 and ask for Heidi or Email Heidi@AppenMedia.com

HANDY HELPER NEEDED 20-30 hours/week.

Call Stan 678-357-5371

One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. Free info kit. Call 877929-9587

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Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protec-tion. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase.

10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-610-1936

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800245-0398

HughesNet - Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Fi-nancing available.

1-855-417-1306

Switch & save up to $250/yr on talk, text & data. No contract or hidden fees. Unlimited talk & text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage.

100% U.S. based service. Call 1-855-903-3048

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure!

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Free high speed internet if

Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation ExpertsOver $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-3081971

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/ Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405

Are you a pet owner? Do you want to get up to 100% back on vet bills? Physicians Mutual In-surance Company has pet coverage that can help! Call 1-844-774-0206 to get a free quote or visit insurebarkmeow. com/ads

Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-855-948-6176

Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

DISH TV $64.99 For 190

Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-479-1516

quote: 1-877-592-3616

Call

Diagnosed with lung cancer?

You may qualify for a substantial cash award - even with smoking history. No obligation! We’ve recovered millions. Let us help!! Call 24/7, 1-877-648-2503

1-855-417-1306

With purchase of a new Safe Step Walk-In Tub. Not applicable with any previous walk-in tub purchase. Offer available while supplies last. No cash value. Must present offer at time of purchase. CSLB 1082165 NSCB 0082999 0083445

Roofing

ROOF LEAKING?

Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123. Christian Brothers Roofing

Haulers

Bush Hogging, Clearing, Grading, Hauling, Etc.

Many local referencesCall 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

Labor payment upon completion. 30-plus years experience. John Ingram/678-906-7100. Act now before prices increase next year! Heritage Home Maintenance

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

Ralph Rucker

678-898-7237

Gutters

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

Pinestraw

PINESTRAW, MULCH

Delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch.

770-831-3612

Deadline