Dunwoody Crier - June 22, 2023

Dunwoody releases dates for Groovin’ on the Green

Final hearing scheduled for Dunwoody 2023 millage rate

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody City Council will hold its third and final public hearing July 10 over a proposed millage rate that could cause local homeowners to see a property

tax increase in the coming year. Dunwoody leaders held the first and second hearings over the 2023 millage rate June 12.

At each of the hearings, Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said that Dunwoody’s property tax rate will remain at 3.040 mills for the sec -

ond year, but tax bills are expected to increase by 1.57 percent for some homeowners this year, due to annual property reassessments.

Dunwoody’s millage rate is capped by city charter at 3.040 mills. With property values generally increasing each year, the city can

City calls for adjustments to Peeler Road Path plan

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Plans for a shared-use path connecting two parks along Peeler Road were put to the test June 12, as Dunwoody officials and residents had their first chance to comment on the proposal.

Public Works Director Michael Smith introduced the plans for Peeler Road Path, which began in 2022 but was paused for several months to allow the PATH Foundation to complete the city’s Trail Master Plan.

“The city has always envisioned a trail between Brook Run [Park] and Winwood Hollow [Park] going back to the original transportation plan and the original parks plan which were adopted about 12 years ago,” Smith said.

In 2017 the trail recommendations were extended up to Winters Chapel Road, he said.

As proposed, the project would include a 12-foot-wide concrete path for cyclists and pedestrians on the north side of Peeler Road.

Eventually, the path would connect multiple trail segments in the area with local neighborhoods and residents.

However, several Dunwoody residents who spoke during the meeting’s public comment session said that if the path is built on the north side of Peeler Road, it would have huge negative impacts on those who live in the area.

A tight fit

Smith said that while the path was being developed, they considered building it on the south side of Peeler Road, but when the road conditions were reexamined, they determined there was not enough room to accommodate the trail.

“There’s places between Winwood Hollow and Winters Chapel where if you put it on the reservoir side, there's only 17, maybe 19 feet of space between the curb and the wall for the reservoir,” he said. “So, it's really tight to try to fit the recommended buffer and path in there.”

See PLANS, Page 10

lower the mill levy to keep revenues from existing properties stable, or it can maintain the same millage rate, which often results in owners whose property values have increased paying more.

See MILLAGE, Page 20

PROVIDED

A map of Dunwoody shows where officials may choose to build a multi-use trail along Peeler Road in the coming years. Plans for the trail were released at a City Council meeting June 12.

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Two men stabbed at Dunwoody bar

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police said two men were stabbed at a Dunwoody sports bar June 4.

Officers responded to a bar on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard at 11 p.m. after receiving reports that a stabbing occurred between three men who had a fight in the parking lot. Victims reported the stabbing occurred after the three had been drinking for several hours and one of the men was told he was too intoxicated to drive home. One man was stabbed in the arm and the other was stabbed in the back while he attempted to apply a tourniquet to the first victim’s arm.

Both victims were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Witnesses reported the suspect dropped the knife and fled the scene driving a gray Dodge van. Doraville police arrested the suspect shortly after a wreck in their jurisdiction.

The suspect, a 28-year-old Atlanta man, was also transported to Grady Memorial Hospital and has been charged with aggravated assault.

Man charged with burglary of office on Ravina Drive

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a 39-year-old Decatur man who was allegedly found burglarizing a Dunwoody office building.

Police responded to a business on Ravina Drive in Dunwoody at 11:30 p.m. June 9 after receiving reports a man was refusing to leave the building and had stolen a package.

The report said officers knew the sus-

pect by sight, having helped him previously that day and saw on security camera footage that he wandered through the building and threw up on the floor before fleeing the scene.

Officers located the man sitting in front of the building and found him in possession of a package from a business on the building’s seventh floor.

The man was charged with burglary and was transported to the DeKalb County Jail.

Sandy Springs man cited for alleged drug possesion

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a Sandy Springs man for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after a recent traffic stop in Dunwoody.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on a silver Chevrolet Malibu June 9 at about 10 p.m. near Ashford Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center, after a police database search showed the vehicle’s registration had expired in 2022.

During a search of the vehicle, officers reported smelling the odor of marijuana and located multiple bags of narcotics and alleged drug paraphernalia.

Officers charged the vehicle’s passenger, a 25-year-old Sandy Springs man, for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and transported him to the DeKalb County Jail.

Snellville man arrested for fraud and assault

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police charged a 25-year-old Snellville man with fraud and assault after an incident at a Dunwoody Macys store.

Officers were called to Perimeter Mall at about 4:45 p.m. June 5, after receiving reports that a suspect was fighting with mall loss prevention associates.

Witnesses reported the incident occurred after store employees were alerted that someone in the store was actively using someone else’s card information to purchase items. Employees said they were able to watch in real-time as the man scanned

items to purchase, using card information from multiple customer accounts.

After employees confronted the man, he allegedly became violent and attacked several people.

Police charged the suspect with financial transaction card fraud and assault, then transported him to the DeKalb County Jail.

Woman reports threat from phone scammers

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported to police June 5 that she had been threatened by scammers over the phone, following an email claiming to be from Best Buy’s Geek Squad.

The email requested payment for a device and said her Geek Squad Care is about to expire, set for auto renewal for a $417 12-month subscription. But the woman said she had not purchased a device from Best Buy in more than 15 years.

She called the phone number found on the email, and an unidentified representative said she needed to pay the subscription fee and that they know where she stays.

The victim further explained that the representative said, “We will shoot you, if you do not cooperate,” and that a charge will be withdrawn from her bank account.

The victim said she did not send any money to them, and she gave them no information.

Driver flees police pursuit on State Bridge Road

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — As police were conducting speed enforcement on State Bridge Road June 7, they reported clocking a gray Dodge Charger speeding at 67 mph in a 45-mph posted zone.

Police pulled onto the road behind the vehicle to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver failed to comply, eventually entering the City of Duluth.

After police ran the tag, they confirmed the driver was the registered owner and Duluth resident. Police issued warrants for speeding as well as fleeing and eluding.

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.

DeKalb County government proposes 8.5% tax increase

Deadline to appeal property assessments is July 10

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — With DeKalb County tax rates now under consideration, residents still have time to appeal their property assessments before tax bills are mailed in August.

The DeKalb County Governing Authority announced June 15 that it intends to keep its 2023 millage rate steady at 20.810, but taxes are expected to increase by 8.5 percent, due to annual property reassessments.

With property values generally increasing each year, the county has the option to lower – or roll back – the tax rate to keep revenues from existing properties stable. Or, it can maintain the same millage rate, which often results in higher tax bills for owners whose property values have increased.

The DeKalb County School District has also tentatively adopted a millage rate that will increase property taxes by 13.44 percent.

In a public notice issued in early June, the school district announced it will maintain the 23.08 millage rate, which is 2.734 mills higher than the roll-back rate. If the millage rate is approved, resident homeowners with a fair market property value of $550,000 will pay approximately $546 more in school taxes this year. Exemptions, credits and other deductions may affect what some homeowners pay.

Public hearings were held over the proposed DeKalb County School District millage rate on June 12 and 20.

DeKalb County Governing Authority will hold public hearings over its proposed tax increase on June 27 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and on Tuesday, July 11 at 10 a.m.

After millage rates are finalized and a total county tax digest is approved by the Georgia Department of Revenue, the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s office will begin sending out final property tax bills in mid-August.

Residents may have already

received their annual assessment notices, but these are not their tax bills and may not include all eligible exemptions, DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin J. Johnson said in a statement.

“Homeowners are encouraged to carefully review their assessment notices as soon as possible,” Johnson said. “While these notices serve as an estimate, the actual tax bill may be more or less and are mailed annually around mid-August.”

DeKalb County homeowners have until July 10 to file a property assessment appeal with the county’s Property Appraisal & Assessment Department.

Information about how to file an appeal can be found in mailed assessment paperwork, or by visiting www.dekalbcountyga.gov/ property-appraisal/appeal-process.

Dunwoody residents play for Brookhaven Bucks

Dunwoody residents Charlie Kapp and Drew Jabaley will play for the Brookhaven Bucks this summer as part of the Sunbelt Baseball League. The league, funded by Major League Baseball, is a summer collegiate wooden bat league, which attracts players from around the Southeast. The Bucks play home games at Oglethorpe University and their season

Tell the Crier: Send your photos, announcements and letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com

runs through the first week of August. Jay Kapp was pleased enough to send it to the Crier last week.

BROOKHAVEN BUCKS/PROVIDED

“While these notices serve as an estimate, the actual tax bill may be more or less and are mailed annually around mid-August.”

IRVIN J. JOHNSON DeKalb Tax Commissioner

KEVIN WATTS/SUBMITTED

Dunwoody scout

Avery Watts recently completed his Eagle Scout project after building multiple outdoor recreational items for the Norcross-based Corner’s Outreach.

Local youth completes Eagle Scout project

Avery Watts, of Dunwoody, recently completed his Eagle Scout project for the nonprofit Corner’s Outreach in Norcross, and Kevin Watts wanted to share that news with the community.

With the help of other Scouts in his troop, Avery built the nonprofit two PVC pipe soccer goals, a storage bin and a picnic table. He was also able to buy ten soccer balls and 10 kickballs for Cor -

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ner’s Outreach.

“The children and the owner were very grateful for the supplies and equipment this project brought to them,” Watts said in an email to the Crier.

Sandy Springs student works to aid children

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A Sandy Springs teen has embarked on a mission to help ease the pain of kids suffering from cancer, blood disorders and other rare conditions.

In mid-April, Elizabeth McCall, a rising junior at the Marist School in Brookhaven, decided she wanted to work on a project that would mix her interests in STEM while helping sick kids in need. So, she launched a GoFundMe campaign for the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. The goal is to raise $2,500 to buy 50 devices called “Buzzys,” which will make it easier for kids to receive injections and blood draws.

McCall said a Buzzy is an electronic device with an icepack, that is held on a patient’s skin vibrating at high speeds, numbing areas targeted for sharp needle pricks that kids with cancer and other disorders have to regularly suffer through.

“It alleviates and numbs the pain that comes from receiving blood draws, finger pricks and any sort of medical treatment,” she said. “For children to have to go through a disorder that’s that painful, I just wanted to go after what I could to help.”

Often designed to look like bees, ladybugs and butterflies, with vivid colors and silly eyes, McCall said that Buzzys are cute and versatile devices that can be worn on a band at the injection site or can be used like a handheld massager.

But each Buzzy is expensive, she said, about

$50 per device. That’s not part of CHOA’s budget, leaving the hospital to rely on donations to fill their needs for the Buzzies.

“I think the look of the Buzzy is adorable and very eye-catching for kids,” she said. “It just really caught my eye, and then with it holding so much value to CHOA, I just thought it was a need that I needed to go after.”

Since starting the GoFundMe campaign, McCall has raised over 40 donations totaling $1,900, which she called “incredible.” By reaching more and more people outside of her friends, family and school groups, the teenage philanthropist hopes to provide the hospital with as many of the devices as possible.

Tasha McCall, Elizabeth’s mom, said that knowing her daughter, she wasn’t surprised in the least when the she proposed possibly doing a fundraiser for CHOA.

Proud yes, but surprised no, she said.

“Since she was really little, she’s always been involved in the community and helping others,” McCall said. “So, she’s a constant giver, and for her to take the initiative and think about how she can give back to children with cancer. I’m just so proud of her.”

She said that even more impressive is the fact that this campaign isn’t for a school project or extracurricular assignment. The teen just wanted to help, then went out and did it.

“It’s just a testament to who she is, a testament to how many people she will impact,” McCall said.

To read more about McCall’s GoFundMe campaign or donate, visit https://gofund.me/2f86f8da.

Dunwoody releases dates for Groovin’ on the Green

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Perimeter area residents can celebrate summer in style, thanks to a series of upcoming outdoor events hosted by Dunwoody Parks and Recreation.

Dunwoody kicked off the 2023 Pics in the Park movie series at Pernoshal Park and its Groovin’ on the Green Summer Concert Series at the Brook Run Park Amphitheater with free events in early June that will continue throughout the Summer.

“Summer is our favorite time to gather and show off Dunwoody parks. We’re particularly proud of Groovin’ on the Green, which is becoming more popular and recognizable every year,” Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Director Brent Walker said. “Our concerts are quintessential community events, where you can bring your family, meet your friends and kick back to enjoy music in a beautiful, natural setting.”

Concerts will be held at the Brook Run Park Amphitheater on the second Saturday of each month through October beginning at 6 p.m. Officials said

Groovin’ on the Green concerts are free and open to the community, with snacks and drinks provided by a featured food truck at each event.

Groovin’ on the Green will feature the following bands:

• Corporate Therapy and Dunwoody Music Student Showcase on July 8

• Deep Velvet on Aug. 12

• Singer-songwriter showcase with Kate and Corey, Highbeams and Run Katie Run on Sept. 9

• Journey tribute band, DEPARTURE, with After School Special on Oct. 14

Pics in the Park at Pernoshal Park will feature a showing of “Wonder Woman” on July 7 and “Ready Player One” on Aug. 4. Movies will begin at dusk and free refreshments will be served from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

For more information about these events, visit www.dunwoodyga.gov and click on events in the Parks and Recreation tab.

ELIZABETH MCCALL/SUBMITTED Sandy Springs teen Elizabeth McCall holds a kit containing a Buzzy device, used to help sick children manage pain from injections. McCall recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to provide Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta with dozens of the devices.

— Alexander Popp

Held at the Brook Run Park Amphitheater throughout the summer, Dunwoody officials said that Groovin’ on the Green is one of the city’s best and most well attended events. Concerts will continue on July 8.

Sandy Springs offers variety of summer camps

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — On weekdays throughout June and July, Sandy Springs is hosting unique summer camps for children.

Each camp has a special theme, ranging from basketball to Broadway. Parents pay for summer camp programs by the week, and each kid’s schedule is customizable. Some children go to the same camp for weeks in a row, while others change camps every week. Many kids go from one camp in the morning to a different camp in the afternoon.

The Summer Art Camp at the Abernathy Arts Center takes place every week of the camp series, hosting dozens of kids a day from ages 6-12.

Campers are separated into rooms by age and can choose to attend the morning session from 9 a.m. to noon, the afternoon session from 1-4 p.m., or all day from 9 a.m.4 p.m.

“We have a nice-sized crowd for the first week,” said Mindy Spritz, director of the Abernathy Arts Center. “We did scratchboard projects today and beautiful watercolor with the older campers. We did an abstract organic shape design project with little ones. I put it on Facebook; these 6-and 7-year-olds are knocking it out of the park!”

Many of the campers live in Sandy Springs, but several kids from out of town come to stay with family for a week to attend summer camp. This summer, kids have come from places as far away as Alabama and New York.

Camp instructors are paid professionals including art educators and working artists who have experience teaching children. To assist teachers in the classrooms, the camp also uses the volunteer efforts of high school and college students who are pursuing a future in the arts. Spritz also has a history of teaching children and enjoys helping the art instructors and the students, assisting wherever she can.

“Twelve months ago today I had no idea this would be happening in my future,” Spritz said. “I'm just really thrilled to be here. Also, we still have spaces available, so don't miss out!”

The Summer Art Camp is just one of the 13 camps offered this year. Other camps offer themes related to sports, theatre, nature and even learning medicine.

Camps Schedule

June 5-9: Summer Art Camp, Ultimate Frisbee Camp

Ultimate Frisbee Camp is for ages 10-14 and is held daily from 9 a.m. to noon at Hammond Park. Campers receive two tickets to an Atlanta Hustle home game.

June 12-16: Summer Art Camp, Ultimate Frisbee Camp, Explorer Summer Camp, All-Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, Wilderness Medicine Camp

The Explorer Summer Camp runs from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at Ison Springs Elementary School, with visits from special guests, an off-site water day, a kayaking field trip and a trip to the movie theatre.

The All-Sports Camp is also from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at Sandy Springs Middle School. Activities include kickball, dodgeball, golf, flag football, basketball, soccer, water games and more. The Basketball Camp is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Sandy Springs Middle School.

The Wilderness Medicine Camp is at Hammond Park, where participants age 8-12 will role-play emergencies and natural disasters while learning about snake bites, poisonous plants, forest fires and other dangers.

June 19-23: Summer Art Camp, Ultimate Frisbee

Camp, Explorer Summer Camp, All-Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, Little Doctor School Summer Camp

Running from 9 a.m. to noon at Hammond Park, this week’s new Little Doctor School Summer Camp caters to little ones role-playing as doctors, learning about vital organs, using simple medical equipment and administering first aid.

June 26-30: Summer Art Camp, Ultimate Frisbee Camp, Explorer Summer Camp, All-Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, Equine Veterinary Summer Camp, NextGen Broadway Camp

This week will introduce two new camps, the Equine Veterinary Summer Camp and the NextGen Broadway Camp. In the Equine Veterinary Camp, kids will learn about horse care and maintenance and will leave with an adopted plush toy horse.

The NextGen Broadway Camp is the first in a series of two camps put on by City Springs Theatre Company and Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. Children in grades 6-8 will learn and perform “Dear Edwina Jr.” They will meet at the Studio Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

No camps are scheduled the week of July 3 - 7.

July 10-14: Summer Art Camp, Explorer Summer Camp, All-Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, NextGen Broadway Camp, Teen Medical School Summer Camp

Teen Medical School Summer Camp will be introduced this week. Participants in grades 6-9 will discuss the steps to becoming a doctor. The camp meets at Hammond Park from 9 a.m. to noon.

The next installment of the NextGen Broadway Camp will also take place this week from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in Studio Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center. Students in grades 2-5 will learn and star in Disney’s “The Aristocats Kids.”

July 17–21: Summer Art Camp, Explorer Summer Camp, All-Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, Little Vet Cat School Summer Camp

Cat lovers will be drawn to this week's Little Vet Cat School Summer Camp, taking place at Hammond Park from 9 a.m. to noon. The camp will see kindergarten through fifth graders role-play as vets, learning about animal body language and cat care, and take home an adopted plush toy cat.

July 24-28: Summer Art Camp, All-Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, Musical Theater Camp, Sports Medicine Summer Camp

The final week in the summer camp series will include two new camps, the Musical Theater Camp with Alliance Theatre and the Sports Medicine Summer Camp.

This is the last camp in the little medical school series which runs from 9 a.m. to noon at Hammond Park. The sports medicine camp will teach kids about hand and knee injuries, why we sweat, and the responsibilities of being a sports medicine professional.

The musical theatre camp is presented by Alliance Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Kids are divided into two groups, one with kindergarteners and first graders, and one with kids in second and third grade.

Details about each camp, including age ranges and admission costs, can be found at artsandysprings.org/ summer-camp.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

At the Summer Art Camp, campers ages 9-12 cast molds from balloons to make paper lanterns. The lanterns are meant for battery-operated tea light candles, not ones with an actual flame.

Director of the Abernathy Arts Center Mindy Spritz holds up the instructor’s example lantern.

Parent hosts at-home kindergarten ceremony

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Because Barnwell Elementary School didn’t have an official kindergarten graduation ceremony this year, one parent took it upon herself to host one at her home.

Khadijah Bronson’s son, a twin, had some anxiety about moving onto first grade. So, she wanted to do something to show his accomplishments.

“He's doing very well here, and I just wanted to do something for my kids,” Bronson said.

Her family moved down from Washington, D.C., less than a year ago.

While the event was initially going to be more simple, Bronson sent out invites to her children’s

two kindergarten classes. For the event, there was a cookout and pool party. Bronson funded everything herself, denying donations.

About 20 students arrived at Bronson’s home June 3. Wearing their caps and gowns, and on a red carpet, they received their diplomas teachers had signed. Takisha

Appen Media staff honored by Georgia Press Association

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Ap-

pen Media staff won multiple division titles in the Georgia Press Association’s 2023

Better Newspaper Contest at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel June 9.

The 136th annual competition recognizes state journalists for outstanding achievement in newspaper reporting.

feature writing category, and Amber Perry received the third-place title.

Alex Popp was awarded first place for best news photograph, and Perry won second place.

Former reporters

Benning, Barnwell’s principal, announced each student over the phone, followed by a speech.

“One of the kids was like, ‘Can we throw our caps up?’” Bronson said. “At the count of three, everybody threw them up, then we threw the confetti up. They were just so happy.”

Appen Media staff won second place in general excellence and page one, lifestyle and local news coverage in the F Division for weekly papers with a circulation of 15,000 or greater.

Company staff also scored third place in the lifestyle category, as well as breaking and local news coverage.

Appen Media reporter Delaney Tarr was awarded first place in the division’s

Chamian Cruz and Jake Drukman were recognized as the top two winners of the division’s business writing category.

Publisher and CEO Hans Appen won first place in serious columns, and columnist Bob Myers was awarded the secondplace title. Columnist Steve Hudson also won second place for best lifestyle or feature column. Managing Editor Pat Fox took the third place price for best humorous column.

— Shelby Israel

PROVIDED

Two kindergarten classes from Barnwell Elementary School celebrate graduating June 3. Because the school didn’t have an official ceremony, parent Khadijah Bronson held the event at her home.

Brothers customize repertoire to suit seniors’ tastes

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — Close to two dozen residents at the Oaks at Hampton assisted living facility tapped their feet, clapped their hands and nodded their heads side to side listening to Nick Vernola and his brother Mike play familiar tunes.

Gathered around in big, comfy couches and armchairs, residents listened to songs from the “Great American Songbook.” Some dogs were wandering about, probably feeling the music too.

“That’s a fictitious book that exists, but everybody knows what songs are in it. It’s songs that everybody knows — that’s why,” Nick said.

Wearing a red beret and shirt with musical notes, Nick took the lead of the set and introduced songs with history lessons and personal anecdotes. He played the virtual accordion, as part of the moniker Memory Lane.

Nick’s instrument had been programmed with a couple hundred different types of recordings, or samplings. But that day he used all orchestrations, with sounds from the saxophone, clarinet, trumpet and harmonica.

The first of two solos was “Begin the Beguine” by Cole Porter, written in World War I to an African drum beat.

Later introducing a re-recording of a 1930s song by Willie Nelson, Nick said music is timeless.

“It travels through the years,” he said. “It stays with us.”

It also stays with the residents, despite mental handicaps, re-animating them and carrying them back to days long ago.

“I try to calculate when they were 18 to 24 years old because that’s when people remember the most about the music, and sometimes playing music that their parents listened to really works as well,” Mike said.

Other classics in the one-hour set were Tommy Dorsey’s “Tea for Two Cha-Cha,” Glen Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade” and Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” sung in part by Nick who assumed Satchmo’s distinct gravelly voice.

Soon, the Vernolas will also have a projector set up behind them as they play, casting old television programs like “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and maybe some silent clips of The Beatles and Bing Crosby.

Giving back

Around six years ago, Nick met a woman at a homeowners association function, who said an assisted living center off Tribble Gap Road was looking for entertainment. He and Mike

More info

To book a show with the Nick Vernola, visit accordionshow.com. He’s open to playing private parties, restaurants, nursing facilities, retirement and senior living centers as well as farmers markets.

have been touring senior living facilities ever since.

Over time, they developed a catalog of about 300 songs and practice at Mike’s house. Newer songs are introduced as crowds change with age.

The brothers play all over North Georgia, in Cumming, Roswell, Canton and Gainesville, and book over 100 performances a year with repeat clients, playing at the same facilities every month. They know some residents by name, like a woman named Georgia who was front and center to “Georgia on My Mind” at Oaks at Hampton.

Originally from New York, the Vernolas had a musical upbringing. Their parents always had the phonograph on. They also played in bands albeit in different decades — Nick is 15 years

older than Mike, and he had exposure at the 1964 New York World’s Fair as well as a restaurant on Broadway.

“I was destined to be in entertainment because I was born one block off of Broadway in Times Square,” Nick said.

Mike pulled up an old photo of himself in the ’70s with big hair, holding a guitar.

“I had dreams of being a rock star. You want to conquer the world. You want to build a business. You get past all of that,” Nick said. “Now, I just want to give back.”

Jogging memory

For the first year and a half, Nick and Mike played for free but began charging a nominal fee of $50 once they saw more demand. Before the COVID pandemic, they put on nearly 300 shows a year.

“You know, we watched our father wither away in a nursing home” Mike said, describing a time when an older fellow walked into his father’s facility, setting up and strumming a guitar. “We said to each other — ‘Boy, I’d like to be

doing that.”

Earlier that day, the Vernolas played for the same facility’s memory care unit — coined as the “mile-long walk” by Laurie Owens, assisted living lifestyle director at Oaks at Hampton.

Owens grew up at Oaks at Hampton, taking her mother’s position when she retired. Her twin sister works there, too. Nick and Mike had been playing before Owens began working there, and she wanted to continue their shows for residents — her “adoptive grandparents.”

“[Music] lets them reminisce, and bring back memories,” Owens said.

While the brothers enjoy playing at independent living residences, where there are full-blown dance parties, memory care is their most rewarding show.

During one performance at a memory care facility in Gainesville, one woman mouthed all the words to all the songs. After the performance, Nick and Mike were told by an employee that she never spoke.

“You get a lot of stuff like that,” Mike said.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

From left, brothers Mike and Nick Vernola play for about 20 assisted living residents at Oaks at Hampton. The pair tours senior living facilities around North Georgia, booking more than 100 shows a year.

Wire and Wood festival announces headline acts

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Wire and Wood announced Susto and Marc Broussard as the headliners of its 10th annual songwriters festival in downtown Alpharetta 5-11 p.m. Oct. 13-14.

Rock, soul and R&B-inspired

Continued

from Page

Following Smith’s presentation, nearly all members of the City Council shared concerns about the plans, like the possible loss of residents’ privacy and how the path could effectively be shaded.

Post 3 Councilman Tom Lambert said he had spoken to many residents along the proposed route, and many are worried about having such a large path near their homes.

“The primary concern that has been raised is the privacy factor,” Lambert said. “Right now, they do have a pretty busy road going through their backyards, but they don't have a sidewalk with people walking on it.”

Mayor Lynn Deutsch that her main concern is that the city would be building an entirely new path on the north side of the road, across from an existing sidewalk with plenty of shade, which could be modified and expanded to fit their needs without impacting so many residents.

“I support paths, but I also sometimes support the path of least resistance,” Deutsch said. “I think in an urban builtout area, despite what the PATH Foundation says, we are not always going to be able to get a 10 or 12-foot trail easily … If we wait across the city to do that, we may be cutting off our own nose to spite our face.”

Deutsch said the city should investigate whether the south side of Peeler Road could be used if a foot was added to the existing sidewalk and protected bike lanes were installed on the roadway.

“Even if they have to walk side by side for that stretch, eventually it may connect to a wider path,” she said.

No decision was made on the plans at the meeting, but the City Council directed staff to begin meeting with residents along the proposed path to see if they can come to an agreement on the project.

Public Works assistant

Also at the June 12 meeting, the City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city’s employee position and compensation chart to allow hiring a deputy Public Works director in the coming months.

Assistant City Manager Jay Vinicki said that until now, the city has worked with a contract vendor to hire a capital projects manager position, which has acted

artist Broussard will perform Oct. 13, followed by the indie rock band Susto Oct. 14. The headliners will be joined by more than 30 artists on six outdoor stages downtown. Genres include Southern rock, indie, Americana, pop,

country and others.

The festival will be preceded by a kick-off on the plaza at Avalon Oct. 12. During the event, Music Match will highlight local musicians at participating businesses downtown in

partnership with Wire and Wood. Admission is free, and the festival will take place rain or shine. Updates and lineup information can be found at wireandwoodalpharetta.com.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

informally as the city’s deputy public works director.

But recently, they have had immense difficulty filling the position and other highlevel positions through the vendor.

“Slowly over about the past few years, we've added deputies in every department save Parks and Public Works,” Vinicki said. “At that level, there seems to be a sweet spot of the private contractor might have a higher salary but worse benefits. People want stability with the city employment because they also know, should the municipal vendor not renew the contract in two years, they're out of the job.”

Because Public Works is the city’s largest department, things have reached a point where they need a permanent deputy director to help manage and operate the agency, Public Works Director Smith said.

“Just for long-term planning and thinking about the department and where it's

going. Having another city employee that can step in when needed would be very helpful,” Smith said.

Vinicki said the new position is estimat-

— Shelby Israel

CADILLAC JACK MY SECOND ACT APPENMEDIA.COM/PODCASTS New Show, Same Ride.

The Alpha Arts Guild finds new home

Group christens The Scene in North Point Mall space

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — No longer rotating between the Alpharetta Arts Center, Joann Fabric and Crafts, restaurants or homes, the Alpha Arts Guild has secured a permanent home 15 years after it began.

“We were just vagabonds,” said Barbara Rush, president of the Alpha Arts Guild. She joined the group about two years ago.

Opened in mid-May, The Scene is an 11,269-square-foot space on the second floor of North Point Mall that includes a gallery as well as a classroom area. It’s exclusively for Georgia artists, and the Guild is looking for those who want to consign their family-friendly art in a juried selection for three- to six-month contracts.

“We're all about the arts,” Rush said. “We love talking with other artists about techniques, and we share information here.”

The Alpha Arts Guild, open to all Georgia residents, is a nonprofit arts community with 50 members. Its mission is to learn and inspire one another through their work. Mediums vary.

“We have such a melting pot of nationalities that have come to our local area,” Rush said, represented throughout the gallery.

There were more than 100 pieces by 35 artists, many of them Guild members, hanging on the walls that day. Rush had her own work on display — what she calls “geocubism,” consisting of colorful animal portraits formed through geometric shapes.

She highlighted several artists throughout the gallery. Hope Riveron, Guild member, uses herbs, ground seeds and berries to create the pigments for her paintings. Sangeeta Lal, another longtime member, dyes silk for her vibrant work.

And, there’s space for more. Rush pointed out newly painted sculpture stands waiting to be used, sitting by the breaker box she opened to flip more than a dozen light switches in the backroom. Tables were gathered and chairs were stacked in the same room for upcoming monthly artist workshops.

“I never thought that I'd be flipping switches,” Rush said.

It took a year and half to close the deal on The Scene. Rush said it was a “big undertaking” for the Guild’s

More info

For Georgia artists looking for consignment at The Scene, apply online at thesceneartgallery.com.

To join the Alpha Arts Guild, apply online at alphaartsguild.org

board of directors, who have volunteered time and energy into making the gallery their new home.

“We have been through many trials and tribulations and have chosen to continue moving forward without looking back,” Rush said. “We are The Scene, but we are also the Alpha Arts Guild, and together we pulled all of this together.”

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Opened in mid-May, The Scene is located on the second floor of the North Point Mall. Behind the gallery is space for monthly classes.

BARBARA RUSH/PROVIDED

Board members of the Alpharetta Arts Guild and employees stand inside The Scene art gallery, a 11,269-squarefoot home for the Guild and Georgia artists. From left, bottom row, is Sharmila Roy , member at large; Barbara Rush , president; and Max Lundin , gallery assistant. From left, back row, is Tatiana Mack , first vice president; Ericka JonesCraven , gallery manager; and Kelly Cook , second vice president.

SUMMER PUPPET SERIES: TANGLEWOOD MARIONETTE’S CINDERELLA

What: Set in the 18th century and featuring a dozen lavishly costumed 30-inch marionettes, this production of Cinderella is a Tanglewood Marionettes showpiece. All your favorite characters are here, from gentle Cinderella to the bumptious stepsisters and the charming Prince.

When: Until June 24, times vary

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

Cost: $7

More info: roswellgov.com

SUNDOWN SOCIAL: FLOWER & GARDEN

What: Happening on select Thursdays, Sundown Social is a relaxed neighborhood gathering with live music and signature cocktails. The event will feature tours of the greenery around City Springs.

Jamie Empert, an accomplished flute player, and her husband Joe will provide the event’s music entertainment. There will also be a mobile flower truck and food trucks.

When: Thursday, June 22, 5:30 p.m.

Where : City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MEAD TASTING

What: A new event at Dunwoody Nature Center, this mead taste experience will include trying three different types of mead from Georgia’s first meadery, Monks Meadery. One drink ticket will also be included in the cost of entry. The mead tasting is for adults 21 and over. Anyone under the age of 21 is free.

When: Friday, June 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody

Cost: $25 for members, $40 for nonmembers

More info: dunwoodynature.org

MILTON FARMERS MARKET

What: Every Saturday morning until Oct. 28, more than 30 vendors set up shop around Milton City Hall

SCRAPBOOKING FOR ADULTS AND TEENS

What: Join this scrapbooking session to make an 8x8 album for yourself or a loved one. This free program is for adults and teens, ages 14 and up. Please register as space is limited.

When: Thursday, June 29, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek More info: johnscreekga.gov

with fresh produce, fresh meat, sweets, coffee and tea, flowers, soaps, jewelry and more.

When: Saturday, June 24, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

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

BLOOM YOUR SELF: INTUITIVE PAINTING WORKSHOP

What: Join award-winning European artist Diana Toma in exploring the art of intuitive painting. This workshop is about letting go of inhibitions and plunging into your own inner creative volcano while collaborating with other artists. All levels are welcome. Paint supplies are included in the $20 materials fee payable to the instructor at the workshop. Just bring two acrylic brushes and a canvas 36 inches x 48 inches or larger.

When: Saturday, June 24, 10 a.m.12:30 p.m.

Where: Spruill Center for the Arts, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

It’s even easier now than ever to promote your event to hundreds of thousands of people, whether online, through our newsletters or in the Crier and Herald newspapers.

Cost: $155

More info: spruillarts.org

GUNS AND HOSES GOLF TOURNAMENT

What: Held in memory of Johns Creek Police Sgt. Greg Whitaker, the department will host the 12th annual Guns and Hoses Golf Tournament to benefit two local special needs groups, Special K’s and North Fulton United FC. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. with registration and breakfast, followed by a shotgun start at 10 a.m., a silent auction at 3 p.m. and dinner in the club’s ballroom.

When: Monday, June 26, 8:30 a.m.

Where: Country Club of Roswell, 2500 Club Springs Drive, Roswell Cost: $200 for general public; $125 for first responders

More info: johnscreekga.gov

3RD STREAM BIG BAND

What: In its premiere, the 3rd Stream Big Band combines the coolest and most highly diverse genres of music with some of the finest musicians.

follow these easy steps:

When: Tuesday, June 27, 8-11 p.m.

Where: Roaring Social, 35 Milton Avenue, Alpharetta

More info: roaring-social.com

PETER FRAMPTON: NEVER SAY NEVER TOUR

What: Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English American guitarist, singer and songwriter who rose to prominence as a member of the rock bands the Herd and Humble Pie. He has released several solo albums and has worked with acts such as Ringo Starr, David Bowie and both Matt Cameron and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam.

When: Tuesday, June 27, 8-11:30 p.m.

Where: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta

Cost: Tickets start from $35 More info: livenation.com

SCRAPBOOKING FOR ADULTS AND TEENS

What: Join this scrapbooking session to make an 8x8 album for yourself or a loved one. This free program is for adults and teens, ages 14 and up. Please register as space is limited.

When: Thursday, June 29, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Northeast Spruill Oaks Library, 9560 Spruill Road, Johns Creek

More info: johnscreekga.gov

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

BOOK EVENTS

Books hot off the press add sizzle to July author events

By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com

The dog days of summer have arrived, but these nearby book events are the cat’s meow. Author appearances across the area in July offer such novel approaches to beating the heat as curling up with a chilling thriller or perusing a variety of genres with a locally distilled beverage in hand.

What’s more, local luminaries are providing much of the month’s reading respite. Lisa Yaszek, the Regents

Saturday, July 8, Licia Chenoweth. Chenoweth will chat about her awardwinning debut middle-grade novel, "My Thousand Treasures.” Noon. Talk, signing. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331 www.read-it-again.com

Saturday, July 15, Cody Ray George. George will chronicle his new occult thriller, "Good Night Room Nine." Noon. Discussion, signing. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. www.read-it-again.com

Saturday July 15, Boozy Book Fair. Suwanee’s Read It Again Bookstore is partnering with Distillery of Modern Art on a Boozy Bookfair showcasing a selection of carefully curated books and locally distilled beverages. 6 p.m. Free. Distillery of Modern Art, 2197 Irvindale Way, Chamblee. 404- 482-2663. distilleryofmodernart.com

Thursday, July 20, Lisa Yaszek. Yaszek, the Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech, will detail her new anthology, "The Future Is Female! Volume Two, The 1970s: More Classic Science Fiction Stories By Women: A Library of America Special Publication.” 7 p.m. Talk, signing. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. www.read-itagain.com

Saturday, July 22, George Weinstein and Kim Conrey. Married Atlanta Writers Club officers Weinstein and Conrey will sign and discuss their latest works. Weinstein is the award-winning author of six titles, including the Southern Gothic historical novel “Hardscrabble Road” and its sequel, “Return to Hardscrabble Road.” Conrey’s works include the sci-fi romance series Ares Ascending and the urban fantasy, “Nicholas Eternal.” 11 a.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech, is heading to Suwanee July 20 to talk about her new anthology. Atlanta’s Thomas Mullen, an internationally bestselling author and Townsend Award finalist, will discuss his latest release in Sandy Springs July 24. And, on July 25, the powerhouse Atlanta Writers Club couple of George Weinstein and Kim Conroy are launching a pair of new books in Alpharetta.

Here are details about these and other July author events:

Monday, July 24, Thomas Mullen. Friends of the Sandy Springs Library, in partnership with Bookmiser, will host Mullen, an internationally bestselling author and Townsend Award finalist. The conversation will center on his seventh book, “Blind Spots,” a riveting crime novel with a speculative edge about the ways our perceptions of reality can be manipulated. 6 p.m. Discussion, signing. Free. Sandy Springs Library, 395 Mount Vernon Highway NE, Atlanta. 404-612-7000. bookmiser.net/bookevents.html

Tuesday, July 25, George Weinstein and Kim Conrey. A Novel Idea presents Atlanta’s philanthropic writing couple as they officially launch their latest books. Weinstein, the twice-former president and current executive director of the Atlanta Writers Club, will focus on his new release, “Offlining.” Conrey, whose many roles include serving as AWC’s vice president of operations, will be spotlighting “Nicholas Eternal.” Bookmiser will have copies of both authors’ novels for sale. 7 p.m. Celebration, signing. Free. Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern, 10595 Old Alabama Road, Alpharetta. 770-509-5611. bookmiser. net/book-events.html

Friday, July 28, Saturday, July 29, Monday, July 31: Friends of the Roswell Library will have a “Mid-Summer Sale” filled with all the boxes of treasures they can pull from storage. Old and new books, books for children and senior citizens, fiction and non-fiction, vintage and collectible, cheap and pricey, sad and funny. If weather permits, the sale will be held on the library’s front porch as well as in the meeting room and bookstore. Free. See website for hours. Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell. 404612-9700. forl.net

To submit an author event for the upcoming month, email Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi at kathydesjardins3@gmail.com by the 15th.

Married Atlanta Writers Club officers George Weinstein and Kim Conrey will each launch new books July 25 in Alpharetta.

Thomas Mullen, an internationally bestselling author and Townsend Award finalist, will speak in Sandy Springs July 24.

Dunwoody Crier | AppenMedia.com/Dunwoody

OPINION: THE INVESTMENT COACH

Avoiding travel nightmares, achieving vacation dreams

Men have emotion regulation needs, too

As a male therapist, I’m constantly surprised by my own hesitancy to ask for help. I know the benefits of regulating my emotions and opening up to someone I trust, but I also know the challenges men face when it comes to seeking therapy. Many men have grown up under pressure to suppress emotions and maintain a tough exterior. Be vulnerable? Not today! Unfortunately, this leads many men to suppress valid thoughts and emotions, missing out on greater satisfaction in our work, relationships, and life.

Here are some helpful strategies to regulate emotions:

1. Develop emotional awareness. Recognize tense shoulders, shaky legs, and tiredness as your emotions giving you a heads up. Next, identify your main emotional triggers, like work stress or financial problems, to know why your body is sounding an alarm.

2. Once aware, learn strategies to regulate the emotion. In the work I do with men, we process what the emotional alarms communicate and determine effective responses. Men tell me they feel more empowered and less stress when they can observe the anger or fear start in then

body, and then check the facts and choose their response. Responding effectively versus just reacting is both tough and doable.

3. Create healthy coping mechanisms. It’s amazing the benefits I see in my office from straightforward actions like addressing sleep issues, drinking water, eating well, and exercising. In fact, regular exercise has been shown to be one of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety and depression and improve mood in men.

I know it takes courage to seek help, and the benefits of improved mental health and wellbeing are well worth it. Learn more about Summit and schedule an appointment by visiting www. summitcounseling.org.

Avoiding nightmares in travel

The Wall Street Journal, 5/25/23, ran a picture of the world’s largest passenger cruise ship, a massive vessel that can carry 7,084 guests. It boasts 18 decks and 2,867 staterooms. The headline underneath the picture in unflattering prose proclaimed, “Summer Cruise Travelers Get Packed Like Sardines.” The Journal advised, “Expect long lines, sold-out excursions and stressed crews; in some cases would-be passengers are bumped due to overbooking.” That seems like the seagoing version of the 1979 hit song, “Highway to Hell,” by the Australian rock band AC/DC. Ship to hell????

The same issue of the Journal also headlined, “Airlines Take Steps to Avoid Summer Chaos.” Who can forget the dysfunction of the not-so-distant past of mass cancellations, seas of lost luggage stranded at airports, and stories of ruined vacations and special events? How do you avoid travel nightmares and costly surprises? Advance planning well in advance, and with the help of a seasoned travel agent. A good agent can help you to plan a great trip within the parameters of your budget and time constraints.

This writer traveled from Atlanta to South Africa for a safari-oriented tour of South Africa, to Zimbabwe for Victoria Falls, and with forays into Botswana and Namibia. Delta flies nonstop from Atlanta to Johannesburg several times a week. The flight takes about 15 hours and 20 minutes. Expect to be on the plane for about 16 hours. Depending on the departure times of your outbound and return flights, per person expect to pay about $2,179 in the main cabin (coach), $4,362 in Premium Select with more comfort, and $7,827 in the Delta One lay-flatbed seats in the front of the plane. Obviously, if you have the funds, and/ or frequent flyer miles to help cut the cost, go for comfort. But flying coach is fine if you want the destination experience and have limited funds. The key is to “get out there.” That goes for any destination on the planet.

My wife and I made many long-haul

trips in coach, and one option is to buy seats that are aisles across if you don’t want to climb over someone, even a loved one, in the middle of the night to get to the restroom. Check the website seatguru.com for cabin layouts for all major airlines, and/or your specific flight. The site will pinpoint good and less-than-good seats, for example, seats with no window, too close to the lavatory or galleys, partial blockages under the seat in front of you, seats with no or limited recline, etc.

Say, you’re flying to Europe and want to splurge. Going over on a night flight, you may opt for lay flat beds in the front of the plane. Coming back on a daylight flight where sleeping is less important, you may opt for the carrier’s version of premium economy for significant savings. Carriers with the premium economy cabin between coach and first or business class up front, offer a more spacious seat with greater recline, and upgraded food and beverage packages. That’s a good option if up-front is too pricy on any trip.

Cruise ships come in all sizes with “personalities” to match. Again, a seasoned travel agent can match your personality, travel dream, and budget to the right ship. If family is involved with little children or teenagers, certain ships may fit your needs. Older travelers may not crave waterslides and cartoon characters running around the decks, preferring a different experience on a smaller more intimate vessel known for outstanding cuisine and refined service. Right now, luxury travel on smaller more elegant ships in the small to mid-sized category are hot. Suites and higher style more roomy cabins sell out quickly.

Several cruise lines such as Ponant, Silversea, Seabourne, Viking, National Geographic and others offer luxurious small ship cruising in exotic locales. Expedition cruises to places like the Arctic, Antarctica, the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, the wild Kimberley Coast in South Africa, featuring Zodiacs, naturalists, and guest lecturers along with comfortable cabins and great cuisine are increasingly popular.

Other outfitters may organize treks to see mountain gorillas, climb mountains, ride bikes in unique and scenic locales, hike renowned trails such as the Milford Track on the spectacular south island of New Zealand, photography trips, dive trips...if you can dream

See WALKER, Page 20

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

Columnist

The Investment Coach

Brought to you by - Jason Howard, Licensed Professional Counselor at Summit Counseling Center

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

News from the wonderful world of bugs

I was sitting on the patio the other day, savoring a refreshing beverage that could have had an umbrella in it, when I heard that dreaded sound: a faint, highpitched whine that seemed to come from thin air, an acoustic harbinger of what was about to come.

Sound the alarm! The bugs of summer have arrived!

The source of that sound, a small mosquito, dropped into its landing pattern before coming to rest on my left forearm. It just stood there for a moment, apparently sizing me up. Maybe it wanted to be friends? No, it wanted a free meal, and I was the buffet.

Sorry, mosquito.

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” I thought, an instant before I reduced it to two dimensions with a single swat from my right hand. Victory is sweet, isn’t it?

Mosquitoes? Yuck. But other bugs can be cool.

You probably know that I love to flyfish, and flyfishing by its very nature requires that bugs be part of things. But those are good bugs. Consider mayflies, for example, beautiful little aquatic insects with gossamer wings and gracefully curving tails. Mayflies feed the trout even

as flyfishing feeds my soul.

There are others, too. Caddisflies, another favorite of trout, are thick on the Chattahoochee and account for much trouty happiness. They’re not nearly as glamorous as mayflies (a caddisfly looks like nothing so much as a drab little moth). But there are a lot of them, and trout must think they taste like filet mignon, medium rare. Trout like them, so I like them too.

Sometimes, when I’m hiking to the water and about to enjoy a little fishing, I’ll pause to see what sort of bugs are active in the neighborhood. I tell myself that I do this to become better informed, to understand what sort of bugs are out and about. Armed with that knowledge, I figure, I will be a better fly fisher. I will be able to “match the hatch” and tie exactly the right fly to the end of my line. But the fact is that it’s just plain fun to look at bugs, even when you’re all grown up and aren’t supposed to spend your time doing frivolous things.

So I go into the Great Outdoors, armed with my finely honed wilderness skills and my engineered fabric outdoor attire and of course my matte finish fly rod, made with the very latest in hightech fiber technology, and I survey the world through the lenses of my graphiteframed polarized sunglasses –

And then I sit down on a log and look at bugs.

I remember one trip where bugs maybe saved my life. No kidding. I was fishing

up near Helen, and I’d hiked a couple of miles back into the woods to see this one certain waterfall and to check out the stream below it. The waterfall was neat, and the stream did hold the hoped-for Salvelinus fontinalises, which is a fancy way of saying “brook trout.” In fact, it held so many of them and I was having so much fun that I just kind of forgot about the facts that it was getting late and that I had 2 miles of hiking to get back to the car.

So, I fished and fished, using a fly that imitated an Ephemeroptera (more fancy wordage, this time for mayflies), and life was good.

Meanwhile, it was getting dark – so dark, in fact, that the trail was starting to disappear.

Let me tell you: It is an odd thing to be hiking where you cannot see the trail. At first, as the light faded, it was merely indistinct. Then it was elusive. And then it was invisible, as in “I am walking blind.”

What does one do when one is a couple of miles from the car and trying to follow a trail that isn’t there?

I stopped to consider that question and realized that, yes, I should have brought the flashlight. But I hadn’t. I hadn’t expected to be in the woods at dark…after dark…but the fishing had been so, so good…

And then I noticed something unexpected: tiny green spots moving along the ground near my feet. What’s that?

I looked closely, intently, and – sure enough, and lo and behold! – there were little creatures of some sort along the edges of the trail, gently lighting up their corner of the world with a soft blue-green glow.

Glow worms. Their light wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to outline things. Yes, the bugs had come to my rescue.

So. It took a while. But with the help of some buggy luminescence, I eventually found my way back to the car.

Along the way, I had time to ponder things…among them the question of why had I not brought the flashlight.

And there was another discovery, too. As I stumbled along in the dark, I realized something. I realized that if I tried hard to focus on the trail, to focus on seeing the path ahead through my own efforts and my own strength of will, I lost my way and wandered off the trail and failed.

But if I lifted my eyes upward, up and away from the trail, something happened with peripheral vision or something, and the light of those glow worms gently but clearly outlined the way home.

Neat, huh?

The next day, after I finally got back home and had time to commiserate with myself about the adventure of the night before, it occurred to me that bugs can surprise you if you let them. That was a nice little epiphany and, I suspect, somehow makes me a better person.

But I’m still gonna swat those mosquitoes.

A tax increase, much like a diamond, is forever

MIKE TASOS

Columnist

At my tenure on this big round ball, it’s easy to think that things are moving way too fast. Finding myself in a semi-state of confusion while glancing at a newspaper is enough to induce a panic that might make me do something really stupid.

Like try to make sense of it all. Here are some “for instances:”

Does anyone understand exactly what a “debt ceiling” is? It beats the dickens out of me, yet Washington folks who are running things seem to be in a whale of a scrap. Everyone is in a rage about this concept and the ruination it will cause.

As one who has long ago given up trying to comprehend the pure folly of politicians, this is a term that I know must have devastating ramifications for us “regular folks.”

Why? Because it is a point of common ground for both Democrats and Republicans.

While the government brain trusts huddle and portray their collective concern and empathy, I have about given up on ever trying to understand much about government bigwigs, except that: a) any money they have was made while they were in office; b) they all shiver and break into a cold sweat at the mention of “term limits”; and

c) the Flat Tax concept makes far too much sense to ever be adopted.

If they want to make my list of essential human beings, let them figure out how to get the Braves some decent starting pitching.

Here in Forsyth County, property tax bills were mailed out and, as happens every year, citizens are grousing that the increases are way too steep.

No kidding!

That’s another concept that I have come to embrace: Once anyone votes for a “temporary tax increase,” you might

as well say “Sayonara” to that yen you’ll never see again. It’s rather telling that withholding tax was only supposed to be something temporary – way back during World War II.

Perhaps it’s the realization that this is it for me writing a column as a 67-year-old. I’m steaming headlong into being 68. And that makes me officially old, no matter how many pairs of thick glasses you use.

There are some definite perks to reaching this milestone. But I’ve kind of eased my way into it.

I guess I should make more of an effort to get that geezer discount offered at Publix, or better yet, at a favorite restaurant. It just feels rather cheesy to ask for 10 percent off a bowl of queso.

And as I’ve advanced, I can’t help but notice youngsters in their 40s holding a door for me and insisting I go first. It’s a nice gesture, but there are times, for the life of me, that I can’t remember why I’ve gone to the store in the first place.

It was probably either a prescription or

something to help with grooming.

I don’t know why God plays this cruel joke on us old guys. What is the purpose of having all this hair growing in my ears?

And these eyebrows! They are both as unruly as an 8-year-old on a sugar high. They grow every which way. Forget a trimmer! I need a hedge clipper and a competent gardener to stop this infestation that has taken residence in my lower forehead.

My job is keeping me challenged and I am truly enjoying the lack of travel. Unless it involves jumping on The Black Beauty, my newly named Harley Trike.

Then I’m ready to put on my helmet and head for the mountains.

That’s where I feel young again and love seeing the forest, providing no betraying mirror unveils my ears and eyebrows.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

Enjoying bluebirds and helping them prosper

A bird that I enjoy and would enjoy seeing more often is the Eastern Bluebird. Although they remain in Georgia year-round, I rarely see them during the winter months. On Jan. 29, I was thrilled to see a bluebird for the first time in 2023. These beautiful birds with a blue head and wings and an orange breast, are a standout, and seeing one is always a memorable experience.

Bluebirds enjoy a diet of insects and fruit and will periodically appear at my suet baskets. I tried to attract them with mealworms last year without success. I have also added three bluebird boxes to the trees that border the divide between the grass-covered portion of my yard and the pine forest behind it because they like an open area in front of them and a forest behind them.

Bluebirds prefer open cavities in trees but will occupy a nesting box if a tree cavity cannot be found. Place the bluebird box near the forest edge and leave it up all year. Bluebirds will use them for shelter in the cold winter months. If you purchase or build a bluebird box, make sure it has a door that can be opened for cleaning. Add a metal guard to surround and protect the circular front opening from predators who often try to chew their way into the nest.

For instructions on building a bluebird nesting box, please consult the following website: gadnr.org/out-my-backdoorwhats-best-bluebird-box-design

Here are interesting facts about Eastern Bluebirds:

• Scientific name: Sialia sialis.

• They are approximately 7 inches in length.

• The female builds the nest and incubates the eggs.

• The female lays 4-5 pale blue eggs without markings.

• The male helps the female feed the young.

• Their main food is insects and fruit.

• Lifespan: 6-10 years.

• They live year-round in Georgia.

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.

Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis)

Learn more

• https://www.thespruce.com/eastern-bluebird-387244

JOHNNY N. DELL/BUGWOOD.ORG

• https://site.extension.uga.edu/newtonextanr/2021/05/bluebird-basics

• https://fcmasternaturalists.com/eastern-bluebird/

• https://gadnr.org/out-my-backdoor-whats-best-bluebird-box-design

• Birds of Georgia, Stan Tekiela, Adventure Publications, 2002.

• Field Guide to the Birds of America, Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer, National Geographic. ISBN: 1-4262-0071-4, pages 278-9, 82-3.

• Peterson Field Guide to Eastern and Western Birds, Seventh Edition, Roger Tory Peterson. Mariner Books, 2020, ISBN-10 132877143.

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a Master Gardener since 2012 and a Milton resident. Carole describes herself as a born biologist. Since childhood, she loved to explore the out-of-doors and garden with her mother. When she entered college, she selected biology as her major and made teaching high school biology her career for 35

years. in 2012, she completed the Master Gardener program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking, traveling and reading.

CAROLE MACMULLAN

Guest Columnist

CHRIS EVANS/UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS/BUGWOOD.ORG Eastern bluebird, habitat,

DAVID J. MOORHEAD, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA/BUGWOOD.ORG Eastern bluebird on cell.

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PRESERVING THE PAST

Sacred Harp continues Alpharetta tradition

unique sound. Singers sing the notes to the hymn first using the shapes (fa, sol, la, mi) before singing the written lyrics.

BOB MEYERS

This June marked the 155th anniversary of the June Singing held in Alpharetta, the longest running public event in the city’s history. It dates back to 1868 a decade after Alpharetta became the seat for Milton County. Alpharetta had fewer than 300 residents.

Sacred Harp singing is a special and unique kind of acapella harmony using only four notes. It originated in England, was popular in Ireland and Scotland, then migrated to New England before moving to the rural South where it became firmly established. The “June Singing” in Alpharetta was not only an all-day event for singing hymns, it was also a social happening with families enjoying picnic lunches and meeting with friends and neighbors. At its heyday in the early 1900s, several thousand people would travel to Alpharetta in their buggies and wagons to gather every second Sunday in June.

Local historian Connie Mashburn wrote an article about the June Singing in his book “Alpharetta, Milton County – The Early Years,” in which he quoted George D. Rucker, publisher of the Alpharetta Free Press. In an article written in 1923, Rucker said “The Alpharetta 1923 June Singing has just passed. There were several thousand people present, and it was a well behaved crowd, considering the size of it. The men were sober and in a good humor, and the women were well dressed and happy, bringing their many baskets of good eats. We hope they will continue to come here from year to year, as long as people’s hearts are touched by old-time songs.”

Sometimes called “fa-so-la” singing or “shape-note singing,” the music got its name from “The Sacred Harp” hymnal tune book by B.F. White published in 1844. It uses a system of four printed shapes, instead of standard music notation, to help those who don’t know how to read music. The book and subsequent revisions helped promote shape note singing throughout the South.

In the songbook, each of the four voice parts, base, tenor, alto and treble, is printed on a separate musical staff. Singers sit or stand in a square facing the center with each group corresponding to one of the four singing group harmonies. Each singing group has its own melody which adds to the

A singer will stand in the middle of the group and lead a few songs before turning the floor over to another volunteer who will select a few more songs from the song book. Anyone is welcome to join the singers. There are no rehearsals, and unlike a choir, there are no members who must be present. While interested people are welcome to come to listen, there is no formal audience. Singers are singing for themselves.

The June Singing is an annual event held at the City Hall in Alpharetta. This year’s program, held June 11, was in the rotunda which magnifies the sound of the music manyfold. The 15 singers at this year’s event sounded to me like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The music is loud, bold and clearly heartfelt.

Although the songs are hymns, the June Singing is not affiliated with a specific church. One exception is Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church founded in 1837 in today’s City of Milton and some other Primitive Baptist Churches, which included Sacred Harp singing in every Sunday service. Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church Elder Randall Cagle, says “Every Sunday when I was growing up, we sang Sacred Harp for an hour as part of the church service.”

As was true with the June Singing, competition from movies, television and other distractions reduced participation over the years. It is no longer part of the Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church service and the number of singers has been drastically reduced at the June Singing.

Faye Holbrook, Chairman of the June Singing, says “For the singers it is pure love of the music. The music is deeply felt. Our goal is to keep Sacred Harp alive for generations that come after us.”

People who are interested in knowing more about the June Singing can contact Faye Holbrook at fholbrook218@gmail.com. For general information about Sacred Harp singing in Georgia go to www.atlantasacredharp.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.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Faye Holbrook, chairman of the June Singing held annually in Alpharetta’s City Hall atrium, leads volunteer singers at arranged in a square with each group corresponding to one of four singing group harmonies. Faye led the singers in a few hymns and then turned the floor over to another volunteer singer who led the group in a few more songs. The singing began at 10 a.m. and finished at 3:00pm with a break for lunch provided by the singers.

The Sacred Harp Songbook was originally published in 1844 and has undergone several revisions. It’s oblong shape makes it easier for the song leader to hold the book in one hand while keeping time to the music with the other hand and arm.

Walker:

Continued from Page 14

it, there’s probably an outfitter or guide out there somewhere.

If cruise ship excursions are sold out, you can always hire your own guide. See viator.com and toursbylocals.com to find experienced and vetted local guides. If you are not on a ship-arranged tour, you are responsible for getting yourself and your party back to the ship on time. If you’re going to book ship tours, do so early. Don’t wait until you’re aboard the ship. Many tours in popular locales in Europe for this summer are already sold out. If you want to see a popular attraction, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Antoni Gaudi’s stunning Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, or renowned museums,

Millage:

Continued from Page 1

Because the city is not proposing to opt for a rollback millage rate of 2.993, owners of a typical Dunwoody home can expect a city property tax bill of about $296, or 81 cents a day, Vinicki said.

“Eighty-on cents a day to keep your police, your parks, your roads, your planning department all operating,” he said.

Based on 2022 property tax numbers from DeKalb County, DeKalb County Schools and the county’s many municipalities, which each have different millage rates, Dunwoody has the lowest tax rate in the county.

In 2022 Dunwoody homeowners paid a city millage rate of 3.040, a county millage rate of 13.113 and a school system millage rate of 23.080.

Vinicki said that prior to the city’s first millage rate increase in 2022, when the rate was raised from 2.740 to 3.040 mills, local homeowners should have seen little to no increase in their city property taxes since the city’s incorporation.

However, he said the city is now at the point where it needs the gradual increase in property taxes to fund about a third of the city’s general fund budget and pay for things like police salary increases.

“For homes that were here in 2008 and 2009 when they were incorporated, they went over a decade without any fee increase whatsoever to their city tax bill. Over a decade,” he said. “But yet, the city managed it accordingly and worked it. We’re now at the point where it doesn't quite work as

buy a skip-the-line tour from Viator or some other operator, or you are not likely to get in, given summer crowds. Everyone has travel dreams. Don’t say “someday,” because that means you really haven’t decided to do it. If you don’t have the money, establish a travel savings bucket and work toward your goal. “Someday” may never come due to illness or other happenstance. Get out there!

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).

well.”

During the June public hearings, city leaders heard from two residents who spoke in opposition to the proposed millage rate.

Bob Hickey alleged that the numbers shown in Vinicki’s presentation were incorrect and said that the presentation should have included the city’s financial statements.

“I'm just telling you, you need to do the homework,” Hickey said to councilmembers. “You're not getting the straight numbers. They're all over the place.”

Vinicki did not address the comments about the numbers but said a draft of the city’s financial report, which is currently under peer review, is available to anyone interested in seeing it.

Responding to several comments about how property taxes have increased for Dunwoody residents over recent years, despite the steady millage rate, Mayor Lynn Deutsch and multiple council members said that residents should look at the school system’s millage rate and how it has affected taxes.

“If you want to impact how much you're writing in taxes every year, I would strongly recommend reaching out to your school board rep and perhaps attending the School Board meetings as well … because that will have the biggest impact,” Post 3 Councilman Tom Lambert said.

Residents interested in sharing their thoughts on the proposed 2023 millage rate still have a chance to do so, before it is adopted.

The final public hearing will be held at the City Council’s meeting on July 10. City officials are expected to vote on the millage rate immediately after the hearing.

Part-time

NEWSPAPER DELIVERY ROUTE

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.

Part-time

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.

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!

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.

INCOME TAX PREPARER

Carmichael, Brasher, Tuvell & Company is hiring an Income Tax Preparer, Corporate and Individual. Great pay and flexible, relaxed work environment. Seeking full and/or part-time individual for individual and corporate tax preparation and accounting. Prior tax preparation required and have working knowledge of QuickBooks. Our office is located in the heart of Dunwoody and work from home is an option. To apply email your resume to ccarmichael@cbtcpa.com.

Donor Operations Associate

The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and sorts merchandise in a designated area.  They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris and the donor door area neat and clean.  This position is the face of NFCC so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor with a professional and friendly demeanor.  High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Ability to perform low to moderate facility maintenance tasks.  To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/work-atnfcc/  To apply, please complete an application for employment and email to Marten Jallad,  mjallad@nfcchelp.org.

• A person of outstanding character and strong relational skills who is approachable, compassionate, energetic, honest, dependable, creative, joyful, fun, motivated and humble.

• A dynamic and grace-filled leader who is a role model for children and their families.

• Someone who is committed to setting an inspiring example, serving others, making disciples, and equipping the saints for ministry.

Qualified candidates please send resumes to alpharettajobopening@gmail.com.

Volunteer Services

Volunteers Needed! Looking for a fun, impactful volunteer opportunity? One Good Deed Friendly Visitor Program of JF&CS matches older adults with volunteers for friendship and fun! Help a senior in your community. Learn more at //jfcsatl.org/ogd or call 770.677.9489.

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

Roofing