Dunwoody Crier - February 23, 2023

Police: no charges for those behind antisemitic flyers

► PAGE 3

City leaders study medical cannabis laws

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Medical cannabis may not come to Dunwoody anytime soon, but city leaders recently laid the groundwork for how future sick residents could get cannabis oils under new Georgia laws.

At the Feb. 13 Dunwoody City Council meeting, members extended a moratorium banning cannabis dispensaries in the city until September before participating in a discussion about Georgia’s medical cannabis laws and how the city needs to prepare for the future.

Deputy Community Development Director Paul Leonhardt said medical cannabis, in the form of low- level THC oil, has been legal since 2019 thanks to Georgia’s Hope Act. Under the law, which is much more restrictive than other states, people with 17 specific medical conditions can buy and use THC oils as a form of medicine. The list includes conditions like end-stage cancer, for instance, Leonhardt said.

Unlike traditional cannabis flower or THC oil purchased

See CANNABIS, Page 4

Dunwoody marks “Tree City” designation

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga — For the 11th year in a row, the City of Dunwoody has been recognized with the Tree City USA distinction, given each year to cities that demonstrate their commitment to growing tree cover and environmental change.

To celebrate Arbor Day and being recognized as a Tree City for over a decade, city leaders met at the Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center Feb. 17, and planted a ceremonial October Glory Red Maple tree, which will grow and thrive for decades.

“The saying is, when was the best time to plant a tree? 50 years ago. When's the second best time? Today,” Dunwoody

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said. “This tree will grow and be enjoyed by all our visitors to the library and the Cultural Arts Center … It's a fine symbol of our commitment to trees in Dunwoody.”

Arbor Day was started in 1874 by concerned citizens in Nebraska who wanted

See ARBOR, Page 3

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Dunwoody city leaders and members of the community, plant an October Glory Red Maple tree at Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center on Chamblee Dunwoody Road for Arbor Day 2023, Feb. 17.

NEWS TIPS

Police seek gunman in restaurant shooting

770-442-3278

AppenMedia.com

319 N. Main Street

Alpharetta, GA 30009

HANS APPEN

Publisher

DICK WILLIAMS Publisher Emeritus

CONTACT

Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance.

ADVERTISING

For information about advertising in the Dunwoody Crier or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

CIRCULATION

To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A security guard at the Sage Woodfire Tavern in Dunwoody was shot while trying to stop a pair of suspects who allegedly left without paying for their meal Feb. 11, law enforcement officials

$760 fraud reported to Dunwoody police

DUNWOODY, Ga. — A Sandy Springs resident recently reported he was defrauded of $760 while attempting to purchase DeWalt power tool batteries from a man in Marietta.

Sandy Springs Police said the victim spoke with a 20-year-old Marietta man Feb. 6 and made a deal to buy several DeWalt batteries from him for $760. Because the victim had previously dealt with the man, he sent the money via Zelle and made plans to pick up the batteries Feb. 10.

However, when the victim tried to reach the man before the exchange, the man didn’t answer his phone. The suspect later blocked the victim’s number.

Using information gathered by the victim, police officers located a suspect in an incident.

At the time of the report, the suspect had been identified but hadn’t been arrested.

Thieves steal checkbook in hotel vehicle burglary

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Sandy Springs Police reported a vehicle at the Marriott Hotel on Perimeter Center Parkway was burglarized by unidentified thieves Feb. 10.

The vehicle was parked in the hotel

said.

Sgt. Michael Cheek of the Dunwoody Police Department said the security guard was shot in the hand and shoulder at about 10:50 p.m. after a man and woman having dinner at the restaurant on Ashford Dunwoody Road left without paying for their meal.

POLICE BLOTTER

When the couple were confronted in the restaurant’s parking lot, the male suspect pulled out a gun and shot the security guard twice, police said.

The suspects fled the scene after the shooting, and the security guard was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in a stable condition.

After the man’s checks were stolen, thieves also attempted to withdraw an additional $6,700 from his account from a Truist Bank in Forsyth County. However, the bank canceled the withdrawal because the signatures on the account didn’t match, the report said.

lot at about 8:30 a.m. and the burglary was discovered at 12:30 p.m. At the scene, police learned the vehicle’s right rear window had been smashed and many of the victim’s belongings were stolen including his checkbook, laptop and book bag.

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

Thieves steal $18,000 through forged checks

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Thieves using forged checks stolen from the mail were used to steal more than $18,000 from a Dunwoody business owner recently, police said.

The owner of a Dunwoody company reported to Sandy Springs police Feb. 9 that three of his checks, two from his business and one from his personal account, had been stolen and forged after they were mailed from the post office on Dunwoody Village Parkway.

The victim said images of the checks showed the thief wrote their Social Security number on the back of one of the checks for an unknown reason.

At the time of the report, no suspect had been identified in the case.

Thieves take two safes in residential burglary

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A couple left their home on Fairview Bluff with a locked door around 11:30 a.m. Feb. 6, and returned home a few hours later to find the door unsecured and damaged.

The man told Johns Creek Police he found multiple items missing from the dining room table, located immediately to the left of the front door. The bedroom and closet appeared to have been ransacked with multiple items missing, the police report said.

Two safes were taken, the report said, one from under each side of the master bed. The rest of the home appeared to be untouched.

Both the man and his wife reported multiple items missing, including two safes, basketball cards valued at $100,000, a laptop and iPad valued at $350, $22,000 in cash, 12 ounces of gold and 140 ounces of silver, two passports, immigration paperwork and a work permit.

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.

Suspect and victim named in Sandy Springs homicide

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Police have identified a murder suspect in a fatal shooting of an Atlanta man that occurred at an abandoned Sandy Springs property Sunday, Jan. 29.

Sandy Springs police located the body of Michael Williams deceased in a car at about 6 p.m., after responding to a call about an abandoned vehicle at 4499 Peachtree Dunwoody Road.

A Sandy Springs Police Computer Aided Dispatch report for the incident, obtained by Appen Media, said a witness called 911 after finding, “an abandoned car at the bottom of the driveway” of an address on Peachtree Dunwoody Road, just south of Registry Lane.

Police suspect Williams was shot and killed Jan. 26 by Kemit Campbell, an alleged member of the Gangster Disciples street gang. A BOLO seeking information about the murder said Williams drove to Campbell’s home in Atlanta for a drug transaction, was robbed at gunpoint and forced into his own vehicle.

Campbell allegedly made Williams drive to the residence on Peachtree Dunwoody Road, fatally shot him and fled the scene, police said.

The Sandy Springs Police Department secured warrants for Campbell’s arrest for murder and armed robbery. Police said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information about Campbell’s whereabouts should contact Sandy Springs Detectives B. Davidson at (770) 551-3327 or BDavidson@ SandySpringsGa.gov and C. Needham at (770) 551-2563 or CNeedham@SandySpringsGa.gov.

Evidence that a homicide occurred in Sandy Springs was scrubbed from the city’s public police dashboard following Appen Media inquiries, leaving residents no way of knowing a possible murder had taken place in their city.

Sgt. Matthew McGinnis, public information officer for the Sandy Springs Police Department, said the entry was likely removed because the case is an active investigation with sensitive information, which is the department’s policy.

Dunwoody police: No charges to be filed over antisemitic flyers

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Authorities have identified the Individuals responsible for distributing antisemitic flyers in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs Feb. 5, but they will not pursue charges, Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan said.

Grogan told members of the Dunwoody City Council Feb. 13 the Police Department has concluded its investigation and has determined no charges can be filed in the case, because the flyers did not contain a threat or any other actionable language.

“After conducting a thorough investigation and discussing this with the District Attorney’s Office and City Solicitor’s Office there’s no charge we can make against them,” Grogan said. “It’s a free speech issue.”

The flyers, which were found on driveways around the two cities, sparked an immediate public outcry from community members and leaders statewide, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and state Rep. Esther Panitch.

“Welcome to being a Jew in Georgia,”

Panitch

Grogan said the city also won’t be able to cite the individuals for littering, because they don’t cite other individuals and organizations for distributing flyers, which is common in the Dunwoody area. To enforce one because they don’t like the message would expose them legally, he said.

However, Grogan did say that the individuals involved in the incident have been identified and are now on local authorities’ radar.

“I mean they posted a video online of them passing the flyers around, so we know who did it,” he said.

Since the incident, Panitch and other Georgia lawmakers have united behind House Bill 30, currently being considered at the Capitol, which would define antisemitism under Georgia law and link it to the state’s hate crimes law.

“This weekend it was my turn to be targeted,” Panitch said on the Georgia House floor Feb. 6. “We all know it might the Jews today, but the same people will come after you tomorrow.”

Arbor:

Continued from Page 1

more trees in their community, said Dave Long, urban and community forestry specialist with the Georgia Forestry Commission.

Since then, the holiday has spread “like a forest fire” and is now celebrated in all 50 states, he said.

“Unlike other holidays that celebrate something that has already happened, Arbor Day represents a hope for the future,” he said. The simple act of planting a tree, like we're doing today, represents a belief that the tree will grow to provide us with clean air and water, cooling shade, habitat for wildlife, healthier communities and endless natural beauty tree.”

To be recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, communities must maintain a tree board or department, must have a community tree ordinance, must spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, and must celebrate Arbor Day.

More than 3,700 cities in the nation have been recognized with the Tree City

Dunwoody city leaders and members of the community, plant an October Glory Red Maple tree at Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center on Chamblee Dunwoody Road for Arbor Day 2023, Feb. 17.

distinction since its creation.

“We are committed to protecting our tree canopy and demonstrating what it means to be a Tree City,” Dunwoody Arborist Amy Bledsoe said. “Trees provide so many benefits to our community. They increase property values, reduce stress levels and provide wildlife with important habitats.”

To learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation and the Tree City USA award, visit arborday.org.

Tweeted, sharing a photo of the flyers on her driveway in Sandy Springs.

PHOTOS BY ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch speaks to a crowd of city leaders and community members Feb. 17, at a tree-planting event held at Dunwoody Cultural Arts Center on Chamblee Dunwoody Road for Arbor Day 2023.

“The simple act of planting a tree, like we're doing today, represents a belief that the tree will grow to provide us with clean air and water, cooling shade, habitat for wildlife, healthier communities and endless natural beauty tree.”

DAVE LONG

Urban and community forestry specialist, Georgia Forestry Commission

Cannabis:

Continued from Page 1

illegally on the street or in states where it’s sale has been legalized, Georgia law stipulates legal low THC oil must contain less than 5 percent THC.

“In recreational cannabis, things you buy on the street more or less, the THC content is typically 19 percent or can be more than 19 percent,” he said. “So, Georgia has really strict regulations comparatively.”

A path opens

The Georgia Hope Act opened two pathways to dispense medical cannabis, Leonhardt said. One path is through the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, which deals with standalone dispensaries and is expected to license six operators with some 30 dispensaries statewide.

The second route, the State Board of Pharmacy, has not been fleshed out as of 2022, Leonhardt said.

As part of their research, Dunwoody officials looked at seven Florida municipalities where medical marijuana has been legal since 2014, under much more permissive laws. Their research found that Georgia’s medical cannabis laws could be implemented in the community with minimal impact and risk.

The city also considered the City of Doraville, which passed legislation in 2022 to make dispensaries a special use with a special land use permit, which requires approval from the Doraville Planning Commission and City Council.

After examining these communities, Leonhardt said Dunwoody city staff recommended either moving forward with an ordinance making dispensaries a permitted use or a special use. The first option would be more administrative, while the second option would be more restrictive, similar to Doraville.

Either way, he said they recom -

mended adopting requirements in line with state law, with stipulations preventing clustering of the businesses and language to prevent consumption of cannabis on the premises of potential businesses.

Council members react

After Leonhardt’s presentation, Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch and the City Council shared largely positive feedback, mixed with a few questions, comments and concerns.

“To me, this is a narrow law written to provide essentially a drug for people with chronic medical conditions,” Post 2 Councilman Robb Price said. “Do we want our citizens to be able to access that if they have those conditions? I think, yes. So I think we do want to figure out a way for something like this to be allowed in the city.”

Most councilmembers also agreed the “permitted use” option would be best for Dunwoody and said they like the rules that would limit the number of dispensaries and spreading them out in the city.

“I think the important thing for us to remember is this isn't us becoming a Colorado and this isn't recreational use and people aren’t going in to get edibles and go crazy,” Post 3 Councilman Tom Lambert said. “This is medical, this is regulated by the state, they'll need a prescription. I think people that are recreational users will have no interest in this, because it's probably going to be more expensive and the potency is far less than what they can get from their local dealer.”

However, several other members expressed some concerns about rushing to a decision without a good template in Georgia to model their policy after.

“I just wish someone else had already opened one in Georgia,” Deutsch said.

The City Council took no action on the item, but Leonhardt said he had heard enough information to continue working on the topic.

Theatre to mark 30th season with production of ‘Cinderella’

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Jerry’s Habima Theatre, the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s award-winning, inclusive theater company, will celebrate its 30th anniversary season with a production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Cinderella: Youth Edition.”

Jerry’s Habima Theatre is Georgia's only professional theater company that features actors with special needs, who perform alongside professional actors to create a Broadway-style performance. In addition to actors, professional staging managers, costume designers, directors and choreographers also work with the

theater company.

Jerry’s Habima Theatre’s upcoming production of “Cinderella” is the timeless story of magic, romance and the surprising power of wishes reimagined with great warmth and hilarity. All the beloved songs and characters are present and accounted for, including “Ten Minutes Ago,” “A Lovely Night,” and “Impossible.”

The performance will run from March 9-19. The show will be held at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Morris & Rae Frank Theatre on Tilly Mill Road.

PET OF THE WEEK

Oaklynn

Oaklynn (ID# 50734815) - Oaklynn is 2 years old and quite playful. He does well with people and other pets, but he's especially fond of toys. A little shy at first, he becomes very affectionate once he gets to know you. Bring a toy and come meet your new best friend today. To foster or adopt Oaklynn drop by DeKalb County Animal Services, 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee, GA 30341 or email adoption@ dekalbanimalservices.com.

"Free Adoptions in February" – Expand your family by four furry little feet; meet Oaklynn and have a loving friend forever. All adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchip. If you would like more information about Oaklynn please email

adoption@dekalbanimalservices.com or call (404) 294-2165; all potential adopters will be screened to ensure Oaklynn goes to a good home.

Our shelter is full of incredible pets waiting for homes. We must find 500 homes; will yours be one of them? To foster, adopt or meet your new furry friend, stop by DeKalb County Animal Services at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road., Chamblee, GA 30341.

MARCUS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF ATLANTA/PROVIDED

Robbie Cox, Molly Drumm and Cynthia Outman rehearse with Jerry’s Habima Theatre for the upcoming “Cinderella: Youth Edition.” The performance will run from March 9-19 at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta’s Morris & Rae Frank Theatre on Tilly Mill Road.

Exercise Coach Alpharetta personalizes fitness

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — When Eric Roberts lost his job in 2019, he was forced to reimagine what he wanted to do with his life.

“I was just kind of trying to figure out what I wanted to do, and I was so glad to be back in Georgia,” Roberts said. “I was so glad to be back in Alpharetta that I absolutely thought, you know, I want to do something locally, and I’d always wanted to provide jobs.”

Roberts, a Macon native, spent his career traveling around the United States and Canada. After an opportunity relocated him and his wife to Georgia, Roberts opened The Exercise Coach Alpharetta in February 2021 after a year of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The studio, located in Suite 800 at 735 North Main St., offers customers two 20-minute sessions a week, where they work one-on-one with a coach to find a personalized routine that works for them.

Customers exercise on the studio’s proprietary Exerbotics equipment, which analyzes the user’s minimum and maximum force to tailor the experience. The machine, Roberts said, learns something new about a customer every time they use it.

The display on the equipment shows a range for each user. Roberts said the goal is to keep the line within the shaded area.

Rather than doing 20 reps, he said, a user will do between four and eight intense reps, which loads the body’s muscles and burns energy. With each experience, workouts get progressively harder along with the customer’s individual pace.

Roberts, 54, said he had never enjoyed exercising, but a longtime friend introduced him to the studio’s Dunwoody location. There, despite initial skepticism, Roberts said he found a love of fitness, which he wanted to share with the community.

“And when I started to do it and I fell in love with it, I then signed the deal,” Roberts said. “It not only meets the need of what I had wanted to do is to bring jobs locally, but it’ll allow me to work out with a coach because I still work out to this day with my own coaches.”

He said his father, who owned a convenience store when Roberts was growing up, often spoke of the pride he had for his business that gave him the ability to give back to the commu -

nity. The studio employs five coaches who build relationships with customers to provide a customized experience

beyond the equipment, Roberts said. Many of the studio’s customers, he said, are retired or live lifestyles that leave little time for exercise.

“We have a lot of pilots that come to us,” Roberts said. “We have a lot of retired people that come to us. We also have younger people as well, but it really is for that person that's on the go, getting that full workout and not having to spend an hour in the gym and walking out of there and not feeling like you've just been attacked in any way, shape or form.”

Roberts also said the studio is a no-judgment zone that has no mirrors, and it lacks the atmosphere that many gyms have.

Before opening the studio, Roberts worked in the insurance and energy efficiency industries. While he still does some consulting work on the side, Roberts said The Exercise Coach Alpharetta is his passion.

Beyond providing employment opportunities, Roberts said seeing how his studio has improved his custom -

ers’ lives is a rewarding experience. He described himself as a customer and the owner, and working out alongside patrons gives him the opportunity to find ways to improve the business.

Part of the personalized experience, Roberts said, is ensuring that customers get their money’s worth. He said the studio has been successful, and 10 percent of his customers have been there since day one.

The Exercise Coach has five other locations in Georgia. After his experience with the Alpharetta studio, Roberts said he hopes to open another in Cumming, Woodstock or Canton in the next year and a half.

“It's the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced,” Roberts said.

The studio stops by the North Main Street Market at Alpharetta, which takes place in the parking lot in front of the studio, on Wednesdays from 3:30-6:30 p.m.

The Exercise Coach Alpharetta is open weekdays 6 a.m.-8 p.m., and Saturdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

The Exercise Coach Alpharetta employs five, including, from left, owner Eric Roberts , Studio Manager Roxanne Foster , and coaches Joe Dougherty and Justin Phillips . Coaches at the 735 North Main St. studio work individually with clients to provide a personalized fitness experience.

The Exercise Coach Alpharetta Studio Manager Roxanne Foster uses the 735 North Main St. studio’s proprietary Exerbotics abdominals and back machine Feb. 16. The user’s goal is to keep the yellow line within the green shaded range, which will adjust in the next workout based on the user’s performance.

Nonprofit offers support for children with aging parents

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Atlanta chapter of Adult Children of Aging Parents, a nonprofit that provides support to children and caregivers of aging adults, met at Town Square Sandy Springs Feb. 8.

The free, monthly program provides resources, informational presentations and an open floor Q&A for adults who have aging parents or loved ones.

Chapter Coordinator Mary Remmes said the program offers an important social setting for individuals who may not have anyone else to share their experiences with.

"The other thing that it addresses is the community support, because caring for an aging parent can be very isolating,” Remmes said. “Really, I mean, I’ve coached so many people, and they all say to me, ‘Are we the only ones that have this? Am I the only one that experiences this?’ And I say, ‘No, you know, you can't see it because you're in it, but I see it all over.’”

Remmes worked to start the Atlanta chapter over the past 10 months. Remmes has worked as a life coach and aging parents guide and relationship expert for eight years.

She has a background in long-term care, working as a nursing home admin-

istrator before beginning her path as a life coach.

Remmes said she saw a need in the Atlanta area for social support and education to address the struggles and nuances of the experience. The chapter, the first in Georgia, will provide resources and work to reduce the stigma surrounding the discussion of aging parents, she said.

Organizations like ACAP are important,

Remmes said, because the experience is not discussed widely.

“So, people are reluctant to talk about it,” Remmes said. “And yet, I think if we can normalize that it's hard to experience this, but it doesn't mean that it has to be. There's ways and resources available to take this situation that is hard and make it more manageable for you without giving up your life, without putting your life on hold

for 10 years or 20 years.”

Each meeting will follow the same template, with refreshments, an information session and a Q&A. Remmes said the chapter uses data from the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving to cater each presentation to the evolving needs of aging adults and their caregivers.

Remmes said Dr. Melissa Black, a physician at Empower Family Medicine and a core sponsor of the chapter, seeks to start a chapter in Decatur as well. Black was one of two speakers at the Feb. 8 meeting, where she shared information and tips on understanding dementia and how to provide care.

The Atlanta chapter will meet at 5:30 p.m. every second Wednesday at Town Square Sandy Springs, an adult daycare center that employs reminiscence theory, a process designed to stimulate mental activity. The interior of the facility is designed after mid-century America, with a retro model car, a diner-themed cafeteria and a green town square.

Remmes said the facility, another core sponsor of the chapter, offered its use at no cost.

“And I just think that level of engagement and that environment that they have brings out the absolute best in the people who are even experiencing cognitive decline,” Remmes said.

Leader Tara Tucker

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Dr. Melissa Black speaks on the topic of dementia at the Atlanta Chapter of Adult Children of Aging Parents’ first meeting Feb. 8 at Town Square Sandy Springs. Black, a physician at Empower Family Medicine in Decatur, is one of the chapter’s core sponsors.

Meeting our students where they are

While the pandemic is in the rearview mirror for many, we are still riding the wave of challenges brought on by Covid-19 with specific impact on our youth. Recent studies have shown that children are facing a variety of problems including anxiety, depression, impulsivity, sleep problems, and beyond (National Library of Medicine). If left untreated, research tells us that these symptoms can lead to adverse consequences including drug and alcohol abuse, violence or self-destructive behavior, low educational attainment, and lower rates of employment in adulthood (2023 Voices of Georgia Children Factbook). Additionally, suicide rates among youth are once again on the rise, with suicide being the 3rd leading cause of death for individuals 3-17 in Georgia (2023 Voices of Georgia Children Factbook).

These staggering statistics point to the vital need for mental health services in our schools. School board members nationwide consider student mental health the most pressing issue facing schools and students today, according to a new national survey of school board members commissioned by Mental Health First Aid USA. In our state, 45% of children aged 3-17 struggle to, or are not able to access needed mental health services due to the many barriers. (2023

Voices of Georgia Children Factbook). By partnering with local public and private schools in our community,

Summit Counseling Center addresses many of the mental health challenges facing youth today. Through Summit OnSite, we currently have therapists in 31 schools providing therapy to students on a daily basis. This program aims to meet each child where they are – physically at their schools, and financially through subsidized sessions – to ensure they have access to the support they need and otherwise may not receive.

As a nonprofit counseling center, The Summit’s school-based program is one of the many ways we provide hope, healing, and restoration to our community. At our core, we strive to create a community where everyone has full access to professional, integrative mental health services without the barriers of affordability, accessibility, or stigma. To learn more about our services, visit us online

at www.summitcounseling.org

We invite you to join our mission by attending or sponsoring our 8th annual Summit Gala: A Hope Full Experience on Saturday, March 25th at The Hotel at Avalon. Each year at our gala, hundreds of community leaders and Summit supporters gather to celebrate and reflect on how far we've come, share the joy and generosity of our community, and express our continued commitment to support mental wellness. Funds raised at this event help subsidize counseling for children, adults, and families in our community.

To learn more about attendance and sponsorship opportunities for our gala, please visit www.summitcounseling.org/ gala or contact Rachel Newcomer, Director of Development, at rnewcomer@ summitcounseling.org.

Brought to you by - Rachel Newcomer, Director of Development at Summit Counseling Center

It’s time to focus on heart health

Brought to You by - Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

While February brings thoughts of those we love and Valentine’s Day cards, the best gift of all is to remember it’s also American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of hospitalization for those over age 65 and is still the leading cause of death in this country. Over 800,000 deaths a year are due to cardiovascular disease. The good news is it’s largely preventable, so let’s review how to improve and maintain your heart health.

Monitoring your blood pressure is a key indicator of where you stand with your heart health. Yet only 48 per cent of people aged 50 to 80 who take medication or have a health condition affected by high blood pressure (or hypertension) monitor it on a regular basis. Preventing hypertension lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke. So setting a regular schedule and getting a blood pressure monitor you can learn to use at home is the start of knowing the numbers for your heart health journey.

Eating a healthy diet with a variety of food with potassium, fiber, protein, and importantly is lower in salt is critical. Flavor your food using more spices, eat salads and steamed vegetables. Select grilled poultry or fish and avoid heavy sauces, salad dressings and fats. This will help you get to or keep a healthy weight.

Staying physically active and reducing stress comes next. Moderate walking or other forms of physical exercise can do wonders. While 150 minutes of moderate activity a week is recommended, be sure

to check with your doctor about forming a personalized plan of action and regular visits that are right for your current health status. Social isolation can also impact your stress levels, so staying in touch with friends, community groups and family is an important part of the picture.

Sleep is emerging as an ever increasing factor in heart health. It keeps your blood vessels healthy, and not getting enough sleep on a regular basis correlate to increased rates of stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease. Aim for a regular schedule and seven to eight hours of sleep.

Stop smoking and be careful about alcohol consumption for a healthy heart. So, if this is an issue, monitor your use and start a plan to cut back.

At Home Helpers, we know how important a skilled and well-matched Caregiver is to helping an older loved one maintain their heart health. Whether it’s making sure a moderate walk can be done without fear of a fall risk, regularly monitoring blood pressure and vital signs, following a nutritious diet, keeping a regular sleep schedule, or creating social bonds to battle loneliness, we strive to make each day the best it can be.

Our heart centered Caregivers can assist with all personal care, help around the house, safely speed up recovery from surgery, or provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc.

We’re here to help - from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and livein care. For a free consultation contact Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs today at (770) 6810323.

ISTOCK

Firefighters drop a line to cheer young patients

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta got an interesting surprise while looking out their windows on Valentine’s Day morning this year.

It wasn’t cupid launching his arrows at unsuspecting couples, but a group of Sandy Spring firefighters practicing high-rise rescue skills in the real world, rappelling down the hospital’s roof and taking a few moments to brighten the day of the youngsters.

“It's important for us at Children’s to collaborate, support and nourish relationships with our local first responders,” Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Director of Security Angela Gilovanni said. “The Sandy Springs Fire Department has an amazing team who is dedicated to this type of relationship-building and collaboration with Children’s.”

Sandy Springs Communications Director Andrew Allison said the Fire Department regularly conducts training for its technical rescue team on large buildings and elevated terrain, to give firefighters experience in the real world. But this time, they decided to switch things up and give people a show.

“The event was designed as a community outreach effort, centered around the kids at the children’s hospital,” Allison said. “The whole reason

behind the event was to cheer up the kids, with the additional benefit of offering a training opportunity.”

Hospital patients looked like they were having a great time watching firefighters scale the building, Allison said, and the department was glad to involve them in the training.

“It’s important to involve the community so they can better understand what SSFD does on emergency scenes and how they react to certain situations or scenarios,” he said.

Sandy Springs did not make any Fire Department personnel available for an interview about the event but provided comments from Allison via email.

SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

A Sandy Springs firefighter rappels down the side of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite Hospital Feb. 14, stopping to wave at patients every so often. The Fire Department held a training event at the hospital to practice real-world rescue skills and brighten the day of young patients.

Sandy Springs firefighters rappel down the side of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta during a technical rescue training event Feb. 14. City officials said the training event is a perfect way to engage with the community and give firefighters experience in the real world.

“It’s important to involve the community so they can better understand what SSFD does on emergency scenes and how they react to certain situations or scenarios.”

ANDREW ALLISON Sandy

Springs Communications

Director

When the first automobiles came to the country

Effie Spruill Carpenter recalled the first time she saw a car drive through Dunwoody and told the story to her granddaughter Jane Anderson Autry.

The people of Dunwoody waited in yards and along the road, waving and clapping as the car drove by. Carpenter said the driver was a Mr. Vaughn from Roswell, and his drive through Dunwoody took place in the early 1900s.

Cliff P. Vaughn and Claud Groover opened the Roswell Motor Company in 1921, so Vaughn may have been advertising for the dealership. The company sold Fordson tractors, Lincoln and Ford cars. A Whippet dealership opened in Roswell in 1929 but was short lived due to the Great Depression. (“Roswell, A Pictorial History,” edited by Darlene Walsh)

According to the Digital Library of Georgia, White Star Automobile in Atlanta was the first Southern automobile manufacturer and began operations in 1909. The $1,500 car was advertised as “complete with top, magneto, and lamp equipment.” That same year, the company name was changed to Atlanta Car Company. The company filed for bankruptcy in 1911.

Benjamin Burdett and his son Arthur of Sandy Springs invested in the Hanson Motor Company in 1917 after the car was introduced at the Southeastern Automobile Show. The Hanson Six automobile was designed by Don Ferguson, who had worked with Studebaker and General Motors. Arthur Burdett was vice president of Hanson Motor Company.

The Burdett family built a twostory brick mansion in 1900 where Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church is today. Benjamin Burdett had already started a realty firm before getting into the car business. The Hanson Six sold well initially, but by the mid-1920s, large manufacturers were too much competition. The company closed in 1925. (“Atlanta and Environs, Vol. 2,” Franklin Garrett)

Tillie Hindman Womack recalled that Benjamin Burdette commuted from Sandy Springs to Atlanta in his Hanson Six. At the time, he was the only person driving a car in Sandy Springs. People still got around with horse-drawn carriages and wagons, so everyone was fascinated with the car. (Sandy Springs Gazette, 2017)

Elmer Womack, who lived where Georgia State University Dunwoody campus is today, was the proud owner of a 1925 Model T Ford that was sitting idle in the garage. When the Tucker Federal Savings and Loan interviewed him for their local newsletter in 1970, Womack told the story of an $800 cash offer he recently received for the old car. He turned down the offer because he was still thinking of trading the Model T for a newer car.

Fred Donaldson of Dunwoody remembers a 1928 model Chevrolet the family owned. One day the car started rolling down the driveway. As Donaldson tells it, “We were all sitting on the front porch one Sunday when the ’28 model Chevrolet came down the drive right by itself. My brother Fletcher ran and jumped in, stopped it right before it reached the railroad cut.”

Johnson W. (Dub) Brown grew up in Chamblee, graduating from Chamblee High School in 1941, the year the school burned. His family ran a dairy.

Brown later served as mayor of the city. His first car was a stripped-down Model T. Ford.

Gordon Wallace also had a stripped-down Model T, which he took with him to the University of Georgia. His father was postmaster of Chamblee for 18 years, ran a store with Charlie Warnock, and owned Wallace Construction Company.

In “Dunwoody Isn’t Bucolic Anymore,” Richard W. Titus recalls seeing Dunwoody school principal Elizabeth Davis driving a Henry J automobile from the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation. For two years, a version of the Henry J. was sold in the Sears-Roebuck catalog.

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

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

DONALDSON FAMILY

The Donaldson family car parked out front of the family home around 1932.

“A HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY OF CHAMBLEE” BY VIVIAN PRICE SAFFOLD Edna Brown on the left, and Dub Brown stand on the running board of his first car, a stripped-down Model T. Ford. The Brown family dairy pasture is in the background.

60/40 asset allocation debate and your financial plan

The 60/40 asset allocation debate and your financial plan

For years, Wall Street gurus espoused an asset allocation model of 60 percent stocks, 40 percent bonds. The idea was that a generous allocation to equities would provide for long-term growth, with a modicum of dividends, while bonds offered interest income and a potential cushion during periods of market stress. Easy guidelines to follow have appeal that’s based on simplicity. Reality is generally a bit more complicated, as a truly diversified investment portfolio is likely to contain more than stocks and bonds.

The drops in equity values along with a concomitant rout in the bond markets in general in 2022 have several large asset managers arguing over the pros and cons of the 60/40 strategy. The rigid allocation model may be akin to declaring that a fruit salad should always contain 60 percent apples and 40 prcent bananas. What about berries or exotic options such as mangoes, passion fruit, coconut, etc.?

As noted, a diversified investment portfolio will likely contain more than stocks and bonds. Even stocks and bonds offer a plethora of choices. You may elect individually self-selected stocks, mutual funds, exchange traded funds (ETFs), professionally managed portfolios of various holdings including individual stocks. Bonds come in various formats, similar to equity offerings. Some formats may include stocks and bonds in the same portfolio, as in a “balanced fund.”

Equities offer a variety of choices akin to a diverse restaurant menu. Large-cap (capitalization) stocks, mid-cap, smallcap, micro-cap? What would you prefer today: U.S. stocks, non-U.S. stocks? What about investment “style”─growth, growth at a reasonable price (GAARP), value, deep value? Dividend-paying stocks, non-dividend payers focused on growth? Utilities? Where do strategies such as option writing (puts and calls) come in, if at all?

When it comes to cash or bonds, what mix is appropriate for you? Treasury bills, notes, bonds? Money market funds, CDs, corporate bonds, municipal bonds, other types of debt instruments? Again, you have choices as to individual holdings, mutual funds, ETFs, and/or separately managed portfolios.

You may want to mix in alternative investments in various forms such as real

estate, private equity, precious metals, or other assets. Perhaps you own a closely held business that is your largest single investment. How does growing the value of that asset play into other investment and planning choices?

If you are confounded in a fine restaurant by a complex and diversified menu with an extensive wine and cocktail list, you are likely to turn to an experienced waitress or waiter and ask, “What do you suggest?” In the same way, you might turn to an experienced financial adviser to suggest what mix of planning options and investment choices is right for you.

To determine what is appropriate for you, before any recommendations are made, a client-centered adviser will have a series of discussions with all parties involved. This means you, of course, as well as your spouse or partner depending on the circumstances, and perhaps an adult child who may have to step up given your incapacity or death. As with choosing the makeup of your portfolio there are a multitude of variables: your age and time frames, goals and objectives, health status, number of dependents and their time frames, other family obligations such as aging parents or a special needs child, current net worth, debt levels and cost of debt, need for liquidity, your understanding of risk versus reward, and your mental and financial ability to deal with risk.

An adviser would want to understand your story. How did you get to where you are and where do you see yourself in the short-, mid-term, and long-range future? What do you want your money to do for you? Do you understand risk?

Risk is a tricky concept. Some people will tell you that they can tolerate risk, only to change their mind when confronted with loss. Markets fluctuate. Some investments do well, some okay, some lose money. With some speculations (like the recent crypto fiasco), the value of the investment may go to zero. If you’re going to take a flyer, the question would be, “If you lost your entire investment in XYZ Ventures, would it imperil your lifestyle?” If your answer is “Yes,” don’t invest.

In any well-diversified portfolio, performance in any one sector will vary from time to time. But the assumption is that over the long run, the portfolio will grow to meet your goals. Beyond investment strategies, you must look at the “what if?” vicissitudes of life. A comprehensive financial plan encompasses elements of living and testamentary estate planning, application of various insurance tools,

tax planning, special needs planning and charitable giving. For the business owner, concepts of “value acceleration” are critical for dealing with what may be your largest single investment asset, your lifestyle business or enterprise. The allocation model of 60/40 is not as simple as it looks. The proportion, or something similar, may be a good starting point and a useful rule of thumb periodically, but there are many other factors to consider.

Kofi Annan, former SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, noted, “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and

why you want to get there.”

Your financial plan should reflect your journey and your goals and expectations. Choose well, indeed.

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group; 770-441-3553; lewis@ capitalinsightgrp.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Lewis is a registered representative and investment adviser representative of SFA, otherwise unaffiliated with Capital Insight Group. He’s a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

Columnist

The Investment Coach

Choose your location—London or Paris

once again the reluctant author who writes about the mysterious Detective Hawthorne. This book opens with him telling the detective he no longer wants to write about him.

KATHY MANOS PENN

Whether it’s new locales or familiar ones, reading can transport you wherever you’d like to go. I especially enjoy visiting cities I’ve explored in the past, because I like recognizing familiar landmarks. That’s what I got to do with these two books — first I crossed the pond to visit London, and then I hopped the channel to see Paris.

“The Twist of a Knife” by Anthony Horowitz

If you’re a fan of “Masterpiece Mystery,” you likely watched “Magpie Murders,” a recent hit on PBS. It is based on the book of the same name by Anthony Horowitz. The author was also the screenwriter for “Foyle’s War,” another fan favorite on “Masterpiece Mystery.”

What fun to read a novel in which the author is the main character. That’s the case with Horowitz’s Detective Hawthorne novels. In this fourth in the series, Horowitz is

When Horowitz becomes a murder suspect, though, he has no choice but to call on the reclusive detective and resume a reluctant partnership with him. Intrigued by the blurring of fact and fiction, I turned to the internet for more information.

Fact: Horowitz did write a play called “Mindgame,” and it debuted at the Vaudeville Theatre in London. A fact not in the book is that it also debuted on Broadway with Keith Carradine in the lead role.

Fact: As happens in the book, the play was not a success in London, and in real life, its Broadway run wasn’t either.

If you’ve read the first three books, you will recall that the titles have a pattern: “The WORD is Murder,” “The SENTENCE is Death,” “A LINE to Kill.” This title is different, and he mentions in the story that the first three titles were a mistake as they were difficult to continue.

I have to wonder if that detail is

fact or fiction, and I wonder whether there will be a fifth book. Something tells me the series will continue because there’s more to learn about Detective Hawthorne. Horowitz the author has yet to reveal the complete story about the man, and, of course, in the books, Horowitz the character is as clueless as we readers are.

“Time was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co.” by Jeremy Mercer

I had to pick up this book when I saw it displayed at Shakespeare & Co., the bookshop in North Carolina, not France. I feel quite fortunate that I’ve gotten to know the manager of this quaint bookshop in Highlands and that he decided to carry my books. Yes, I visited the namesake shop in Paris but didn’t have the time it takes to get to know it. This book showed me what I missed.

Most of us have heard of the original shop that opened in 1919 and became a home away from home to authors such as Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and others. It didn’t reopen after WW II. Today’s Shakespeare & Co. opened in 1951 on the banks of

the Seine as Le Mistral and its owner changed the name to Shakespeare & Co. in 1964 when the original owner died.

This book is a memoir about an unemployed Canadian journalist who made his home there in early 2000. He lived above the store and worked for “the proprietor … patron saint of the city’s down-and-out writers.” It is a memoir, though it is as much about the strange and wonderful bookshop as it is about the author’s time there. For me, it was a very different visit to Paris.

Where will your next book take you? I’m reading “A Dangerous Fossil,” so I’m off to Dorset, a county in southwest England known for the Jurassic Coast. Such is the beauty of a good book.

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/.

What happens in Opelika comes home to Roswell

Here’s a bit of news trivia for you: The locations at the start of articles (you know, the ones that look like this: SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — ) are called datelines. They’re used to show readers where the story is taking place.

Some newsrooms use them to indicate a reporter had boots on the ground.

The last few weeks Appen Media has had some special datelines. We’ve published stories that start with GREENVILLE, S.C.; CHATTAHOOCHEE HILLS, Ga.; ATLANTA, and now OPELIKA, Al.

Using them means Appen Media had boots on the ground in all those places. Most of our city governments go on “strategic retreats” every year. The whole city council and administrative staff will pack up and head out of town for a few days. They offer a range of reasons – to visit a downtown they want to model, team building or really buckling down to focus on the issues.

The meetings aren’t recorded or streamed online, and most city “notes” are scant. Last year Roswell went to Greenville for five days and came home with a plan to revise the city’s charter.

The meeting minutes – the official record of what took place that week –was 34 words long. If you’ve ever been to a Roswell City Council meeting, you know they speak more than one word every four hours.

Of course, by law these meetings are open to the public. Any time a quorum – or voting majority – of elected officials gather for city business, discussion, research or action, you’re allowed to be there.

But if the meeting is in Greenville, who is going to drive three hours just to go along and be in the room?

Well, us, I suppose.

When the Johns Creek City Council traveled to Greenville, S.C. for the weekend, Amber Perry went along too. Shelby Israel woke up at dawn on a Sunday to be in Chattahoochee Hills for the Alpharetta retreat. Then she did it again the following day.

Alex Popp had it easy. Sandy

Springs held their retreat in Sandy Springs.

Delaney Tarr is spending the weekend in Opelika, Alabama, to cover the Roswell City Council retreat.

She really got the short end of the stick. The City Council is staying at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Resort & Spa at Grand National. I tried to get her a room there too, but the entire place was booked. So, each day Delaney is making a quick drive over from Opelika’s Hampton Inn. Imagine that.

On behalf of city officials and staff, taxpayers are footing the bill for these excursions.

For the reporters in the room – and I assure you, we’re the only ones – that bill falls squarely on our shoulders. Your local newsroom. (So maybe after all, it’s a good thing every room was taken at the Grand National.)

We’re glad to do it.

In fact, Managing Editor Pat Fox and I think it’s pretty special that you can open up the local newspaper and see a dateline from South Carolina because there’s a newsroom willing to follow local officials there.

We have problems getting

metropolitan dailies to show up at city council meetings to cover the city council.

Local news is not always local. Just because Roswell is strategizing in Opelika doesn’t mean what they do there happens in a vacuum.

Chattahoochee Hills is not Las Vegas. What happens there comes home.

Shelby was in the room when Alpharetta approved requests for funding increases.

Amber got to walk along the Reedy River with the Johns Creek City Council as they took notes on Greenville’s public art, civic partnerships and cohesive branding. Now those are all lessons the city will hope to implement as the Johns Creek Town Center moves forward.

I can tell you this much, Delaney’s report from Opelika is going to be a lot more comprehensive than the one that comes from the city.

So, we think it’s important to go.

If the Johns Creek City Council is meeting, the Johns Creek Herald should be in the room. Even if we have to pay our own way.

Columnist

CARL APPEN

Director of Content & Development carl@appenmedia.com

PRESERVING THE PAST

WWII hero celebrates 100 years (Part 1)

Eighteen-year-old Jack Buckner was in his second year studying architecture at Georgia Tech at night while working days at Western Electric Company. A 1940 graduate of Fulton High School in Atlanta where he was senior class president, Jack was having fun at a roller skating rink in Lakewood Park on December 7, 1941, when he heard the news over the loudspeaker that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor. He knew he had to do something.

Jack joined the Army January 19, 1942, the day the Army lowered the enlistment age for Aviator Cadets to 18.

Thus began a saga of sacrifice and courage that took young Jack to fight in distant places under the most challenging circumstances.

Jack is a special person. He celebrated his 100th birthday on Feb. 3, 2023. He and his wife Florence will observe their 79th anniversary on Feb. 25. He flew 50 perilous missions as a bombardier in World War II and shot down two German Luftwaffe fighters in the process. What a great story he has to tell.

After passing the written test and physical exam at the local Army recruitment center, Jack was sent home to pack a toothbrush and shaving articles. Upon returning to the recruitment center, Jack joined other volunteer enlistees who passed the entrance exam that day. They marched together to the Terminal Railroad Station where they took a train to the Army’s Maxwell Field (now Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base) in Montgomery, Alabama, for initial training as Army Air Corps cadets. Next stop for Jack was the Army Bombardier Flying School at Kirtland Army Air Field in Albuquerque, New Mexico, noted for training 5,200 bombardiers during the war.

Upon graduation in August 1942, Jack was commissioned a second lieutenant and was sent to Hendricks Field in Sebring, Florida, the first training school in the United States for heavy bomber crew instruction. There, he began training on the B-17 Flying Fortress, developed by Boeing Corporation, that dropped more bombs during WW II than any other aircraft. That training was followed by advanced training at Gowen Field Army Air Corps Base in Boise, Idaho. It was there that his 10-man crew was formed as part of the 347th Bombardment Squadron, 99th Bombardment Group, which was composed of four squadrons with nine planes each. The final eight months of training was at Sioux City Army Air Base which was constructed shortly after Pearl Harbor for advanced group

training prior to overseas deployment.

The crew picked up their plane at the Smoky Hill Army Airfield in Salina, Kansas, in January 1943. The crew named their plane Warrior, and Jack was given the honor of painting the name and image on the side of the aircraft.

A bombardier had to be proficient in mathematics, Morse code, meteorology and have the ability to identify enemy aircraft quickly. Jack learned to use the Norden bombsight, a top secret weapon that he had to guard with a sidearm every time he carried it to and from his aircraft. The bom-

bardier has to factor in the speed of the airplane, its altitude, speed and direction of the wind and the size and weight of the bomb. Most missions were from 20,000 to 26,000 feet so accuracy was a complicated assignment.

The crew’s first operational assignment was in March 1943 at the Navarin Airfield in Algeria, used by B-17 bombers against the German Afrika Korps led by Field Marshal Rommel. There was no base, just a landing strip in the desert, and no ground crews, so the Warrior crew had to load their own bombs, ammunition and gasoline from 5-gallon cans. They had no tents, so they slept under the wings of the aircraft. They had only C-rations and Krations to eat.

It could be 120 degrees during the day in Algeria and 40 to 50 degrees below zero at flying altitudes. The B-17s were not pressurized or heated. The crew took buckets of water on missions to freeze so they would have ice for drinks after their return from their missions.

When the Americans moved east into Tunisia, the airfield was dismantled and abandoned.

The Warrior’s first mission was to bomb ships and docks at Naples, Italy. They had five direct hits on a ship, and all planes returned safely to base.

In July 1943 the Warrior was tasked with the destruction of airfields and railroad yards during the Allied invasion of the island of Sicily. Rommel accumulated ammunition and food for his Africa troops on the island, and he had to be stopped. The Warrior also bombed the harbors in Tunis where Rommel kept his boats. The objective was to prevent German supplies from entering North Africa.

To be continued.

My appreciation to Martine Broadwell for her assistance with this column.

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.

FAMILY/PROVIDED PHOTOS

Eight of the 10-man crew of the B-17 named Warrior are photographed beside the aircraft. Bombardier Jack Buckner is standing second on the left. The bombardier sat in the transparent nose of the aircraft. His job was to assure accurate placement of bombs taking into account weather, wind direction, outside temperature, speed, altitude and other factors. He also operated one of the plane’s machine guns.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

Jack Buckner’s official portrait was made after he joined the Army as an Army Air Corps Cadet shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

APPEN MEDIA’S FIRST EVER

Shopping Spree Giveaway

Start the year off right with a chance to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree courtesy of Appen Media and the Crier Newspapers.

Each week, our newsroom will hide this shopping cart image in the newspaper. Once you find it, visit appenmedia.com/shoppingspree and enter

1) Your name

2) Your email

3) The page number you found the image That’s it!

The contest will run for 13 consecutive weeks, so submit an entry each week to maximize your chances of winning.

The winner will be randomly drawn, notified on Monday, April 3rd and announced in the April 13th Crier publications. HAPPY SHOPPING …and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Friends, Rome, Georgians, lend me your ears

Part of my job includes reminding our reporters about AP Style – that’s the official rulebook for language use as laid down by the Associated Press.

unless you consider the person and buffoonery of one Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Listing Ms. Green as (R-Ga.) is unfair to most residents of this state.

My recommendation would be to credit those local voters who unleashed her on our nation.

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

Many of these rules I don’t agree with, and I encourage some to be ignored.

One rule I’d like to change regards U.S. House members.

AP Style guidance is to name the person, then, in parentheses, provide their party affiliation and the state they represent.

It seems a simple and salient practice,

So, it would be: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Rome, Ga. or R-Floyd County, Ga.).

Give credit where it’s due, I say.

Greene’s continual outbursts are in contrast to a recent report from Preply, an online language learning platform, that recently ranked Georgians among the slowest talkers in the United States.

The report analyzed data from two nationwide studies based on YouTube

videos and call recordings. It then ranked the average speech rates of Americans from 114 cities and in all 50 states.

Georgia ranked 5th among states with the slowest talkers with an average of 4.89 syllables per second. The U.S. average is 5.09 syllables per second.

Here are some of the key findings in the Preply study:

• The state with the fastest average speech rate is Minnesota at 5.34 syllables per second.

• The state with the slowest average rate of speech is Louisiana at 4.78 syllables per second.

• The U.S. city with the fastest average rate of speech is Portland, Oregon, at 5.38 syllables per second.

• The U.S. city with the slowest average speech rate is Peoria, Illinois, at 4.71 syllables per second.

Those in the Southeast ranked way up there in slow speech.

Having lived in the South for almost 40 years, I’ve learned to love the musical lilt of the local dialog.

Few things aggravate me more than actors, mostly from other regions, who feign Southern accents for their roles. They’re often preposterous and almost always exaggerated. Have you ever heard someone from Nebraska try to say “y’all?”

Oddly, the actors who can best nail a genuine Southern accent are British or Irish. (Tell me Kenneth Branagh isn’t dripping with perfect Buckhead portraying an Atlanta attorney in “Gingerbread Man.”)

The Pelpry study does not address the content of speech, whether what’s being said is worth saying or the time it takes to listen to it. Nor does it say whether the speech is infused with banal interjections, like “like,” “sorta like” and “you know.”

Such a study would be valuable, allowing us to focus our attention on those most reliable for not wasting our time.

NFCC is looking for a full-time executive assistant to support the Executive Director and leadership team.  This person will play a vital role in help keep the NFCC leadership team organized and productive and will interact with the board of directors and other important stakeholder groups. Sensitivity, discretion and attention to detail are a must. Candidate must have a two-year degree, bachelor’s degree preferred and should have at least 2-3 years of relevant experience. For a complete job description visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Client Services Specialist

The full-time Client Services Specialist greets visitors to NFCC and assists them with obtaining services. In addition, this person conducts followup interviews, enters data and may participate in additional follow-up activities.  A high school degree or equivalent is required along with at least one year in customer service or other relevant experience. Discretion and strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish are also required. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Truck Driver

NFCC needs a reliable driver to work part-time picking up scheduled donations. The person in this role may also assist with facility maintenance and must maintain accurate vehicle maintenance records. It is crucial that they represent NFCC with a professional and friendly demeanor. 1-2 years of box truck delivery experience is preferred. Candidate must maintain a valid Georgia driver’s license and be free of any traffic violations for the past three years.  Work on Saturdays or Sundays may be required occasionally. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Now

Hiring: Office Coordinator

Local commercial real estate company is hiring an Office Coordinator. The role includes coordinating administrative tasks between our property management, leasing and accounting departments. The position requires exceptional communication and organizational skills, knowledge of MS Office, a strong work ethic, internal drive, and a positive attitude. This is an office only (not remote work) position. Please contact us Employment@mpshoppingcenters.com for more information.

POOL TECHNICIANS WANTED

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

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

Call Bill: 404-245-9396

TRAVEL AGENT , 2 years+ experience required. Call 770-396-3299. Email resume to: leslie@travelfaire.net

Legal Assistant. Atlanta, GA. Prepare legal documents, including briefs, pleadings, appeals, contracts. Meet with clients and other professionals to discuss details of the case. Req. exp. 2yrs $38.59h/h. werner@wfpimmigration.com

Concrete

MARTINEZ MASONRY

Retaining Walls • Patios• Repairs Walkways • Masonry Work martinezmasonry281@yahoo.com 404-408-4170

Ask for Tony Martinez

Driveways

$250 OFF NEW DRIVEWAY!

Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs.  A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $5,000.

LET ME FIX what your contractor didn’t! Or add a new kitchen or bathroom.

Insured. 20 years experience. 770-292-0576

Instruction

PIANO TEACHER looking for new adult students, any level. Your location. Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Chamblee. Email pianolessonstoday@hotmail.com

Collectibles

KEEPSAKE POTTERY McCoy and others from the 1950’s. $300/set or sell by piece. 678-221-7983

Legal

The Dunwoody Preservation Trust will host the Lemonade Days Festival at The Liane Levetan Brook Run Park at 4770 N Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338 Wednesday April 19- Sunday April 23, 2023.

Hours of operation are:

Wed., April 20, 4pm-10pm

Thurs., April 21, 4pm-10pm

Fri., April 22, 4pm-10pm

Sat., April 23, 10am-10pm

Sun., April 24, 12 noon-6pm

Requirements: Must have a perfect driving record and background check, reliable transportation, honest, hard-working and positive attitude.

For more information or to apply, email heidi@appenmedia.com and include a paragraph or two about who you are and any relevant background/experience. In the subject line of the email please put “Delivery Route Application.”