DUNWOODY, Ga. — Lawyers representing the City of Dunwoody have filed a third appeal with the Georgia Department of Labor over $10,000 in unemployment benefits claimed by an ex-police officer and whistleblower.
ATLANTA — Working with Atlanta FBI agents and other authorities, the Dunwoody Police Department recently assisted in a sex trafficking operation that led to dozens of arrests across the county.
During Operation Cross Country XIII, which partnered FBI agents with law enforcement officers in Dunwoody, Fulton County and Atlanta for two weeks, 10 juvenile victims of suspected sex trafficking were located, and two suspects were arrested for enticement and interference of custody.
“The Dunwoody Police Department
is resolute in its mission to protect our youth from the horrors of sex trafficking, and all forms of child exploitation, as well as adult sex trafficking within our city,” Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan said. “Our law enforcement personnel, in collaboration with local,
See DUNWOODY, Page 21
In a filing July 20, John Bennett, a partner with Freeman, Mathis & Gary, said a “long track record of mistakes” led GDOL Hearing Officer Tracey L. Lee to rule in ex-police officer Austin Handle’s favor , allowing him to collect unemployment benefits from the city. Bennett claims the City of Dunwoody was repeatedly denied the right to a fair hearing, after multiple alleged clerical errors by GDOL staff caused Dunwoody to not be represented in the hearings.
See CASE, Page 21
GDOL needs to finally right its wrongs in this case, and the Board of Review now has a third opportunity to do so.”
“Enough is enough. TheJOHN BENNETT Partner with Freeman, Mathis & Gary representing the City of Dunwoody
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By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.comROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police are investigating a sexual assault that allegedly took place on the Riverwalk Trail near Riverside Road and Dogwood Road
Tuesday, Aug. 1. Reports said a 19-year-old woman was attacked at about 8 a.m. while walking along the paved Riverwalk Trail, which follows the northern bank of the
Chattahoochee River through Roswell. Police said the woman reported she was grabbed from behind by an unidentified male and was forced into a wooded area near Riverside Road and Dogwood Road, where she was sexually assaulted. Police said the suspect claimed to be in possession of a gun and was wearing dark clothing and a surgical mask.
Beyond those items, police do not have a description of the alleged at-
each other. Security camera footage of the confrontation confirmed witness statements, the report said.
Officers later learned one of the men was on probation for “manufacturing/importing firearms” and was not permitted to use weapons per his agreement with federal authorities.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — A 41-year-old Dunwoody man under federal probation for weapons charges has been arrested in connection with an assault at a local apartment complex.
Dunwoody Police said the man was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for allegedly pointing a handgun at another person during a fight at the Dunwoody Glen Apartments July 25.
Police responded to the complex on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard at about 4 p.m. after reports of a fight in progress between armed suspects. Officers learned the fight started between juveniles and escalated as adults joined in.
At one point, two adults pulled out handguns and pointed them at
Police arrested the man and transported him to the DeKalb County Detention Center.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police arrested a 34-year-old Atlanta man July 26 after he was allegedly found in possession of a large quantity of marijuana during a traffic stop.
Officers stopped a southbound silver Mazda CX5 at about 2 a.m. on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, after detecting, “a strong smell of marijuana emanating” from the vehicle, which was alone on the roadway.
After stopping the vehicle, the driver admitted he was in possession of marijuana and officers located a backpack with 38 grams of marijuana, a digital scale and multiple plastic baggies.
The driver was charged for posses -
tacker, but said they are speaking with a possible person of interest in the case. More details will be released as their investigation continues.
The victim, who suffered some minor visible injuries, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Anyone with more information about this case has been asked to contact the Roswell Police Department at (770) 6404100.
sion of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of drug-related objects.
Officers transported him to the DeKalb County Jail after the arrest.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody authorities are investigating a suspect who has allegedly used a local couple’s address for years to open credit cards, car loans and other financial accounts.
Residents on Austin Glen Drive called police July 28 saying that for the past five years, they have received bills for a man they do not know, and that their address is being used for an ongoing fraud.
Officers learned the family received multiple credit cards, car loans and cell phone account paperwork over the years. Recently, they received medical bills for the person from businesses in Buckhead and Midtown.
The more recent medical bills led them to believe the man may be a Georgia resident and could live in the area.
No suspect was identified in the report.
Thanks so much for inquiring about the “Best of All…It’s Dunwoody” banners that have been placed throughout the Dunwoody Village corridor. These were designed and installed by the City of Dunwoody to complement and support upcoming placemaking efforts spearheaded by the City’s Economic Development department. In the coming months, you will see the introduction of gateway signs at entry locations throughout the City, designed to establish a sense of place and pride in and for our community. We plan to add banners to the new Winters Chapel Road Multiuse Trail soon. Additional plans include periodic message changes and possible rotations throughout the city.
We are thrilled that you love them. We do, too!
Jennifer Boettcher City
Director
Thank you for covering the drug treatment moratorium extension. I think it would be helpful to the readership to have a more in-depth report on the specifics of the zoning issues that are being worked through. The moratorium itself mentions a review of state requirements, best practice regulations, and potential impacts and externalities of drug rehabilitation centers in general,
I plead with all those who drive on Mt. Vernon between Ashford Dunwoody Rd and North Park Place (where Happy Sumo use to be) to please drive the speed limit of 35 mph, or at least not more than 40. For those of us who live in Dunwoody Station and Trailridge neighborhoods, it is very hard to turn left safely and comfortably when cars are significantly exceeding the speed limit. It is especially frustrating because
The Crier is parking the Talk Back section right here on page 3 for the foreseeable future. Send your letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com by Sunday night and they’ll end up here that week. Park locations, tree-lined medians and backyard chickens welcome.
and certain regulatory measures such as minimum distance requirements and exclusion in specific zoning districts. It would be enlightening to read about the specific details around these factors to consider and what areas are posing roadblocks to forward progress.
David Ratonyi Dunwoodythe lights at Ashford Dunwoody and N Park are not timed/synchronized so that there are solid breaks in the traffic flow and when it does happen to occur, there’s a driver going 45 in the lane across which one is turning so the opportunity is lost. Please lower your speed and be considerate to others.
L. Schaffer DunwoodyRules of engagement:
• Typically we restrict letters to 300 words. To limit fury from the copy desk, try and stay below that line.
• We normally do not publish letters written in response to other letters. We are going to waive that policy for the time being.
• We won’t publish your letter or name without explicitly getting your approval.
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame (GMVHOF) held their ROTC Scholarship Certificate Presentation Aug. 2 in a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Walk in Johns Creek’s Newtown Park.
Roughly 35 people attended the morning event held in front of The Wall That Heals, a 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Two scholarships of $4,000 each were presented, one to Joshua Acklen of Roswell, the other to David Blackwell of Marietta for their involvement with the JROTC Program at The King’s Academy in Woodstock. Both graduates are entering freshmen and ROTC cadets at the University of North Georgia. Scholarships are provided through donations from individual veterans and veterans organizations awarding $4,000 each to accomplished ROTC cadets.
“The feedback was highly positive, and they were deeply touched by the entire GMVHOF ROTC Scholarship Presentation Ceremony,” said Col. Rick White (retired), Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame director and chairman of the board. “This will encourage some of our Georgia high school students to consider becoming part of their school's JROTC Program.”
The scholarship was created by the Hall of Fame’s Founder, Col. Paul Longgrear. In 2020, the GMVHOF Board of Directors voted to establish the ROTC Scholarship Program to “inspire and prepare future leaders for America.”
In addition to earning impressive GPA
and SAT scores, potential candidates must graduate high school with heavy involvement in the JROTC program. From there, they must also be accepted into a four-year Georgia college or university and its respective ROTC program with the intention of serving in the U.S. Military
upon graduation.
“[Longgrear] felt that the U.S. was in urgent need of future leaders for our great nation and that one way to help develop those leaders was through the high school JROTC program and the college or university’s ROTC program,” White said.
Acklen’s scholarship is in honor of the late U.S. Navy veteran “Submarine” Mike Kotler of Alpharetta. Blackwell’s scholarship honored retired U.S. Army Capt. Tommy Clack, also of Alpharetta.
In accordance with their mission statement, the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame is a non-profit corporation existing for the purpose of “honoring Georgia veterans, educating the youth and citizens of Georgia about real heroes, and preparing future leaders for America through the GMVHOF ROTC Scholarship Program.” To learn more about the organization or how you can donate, visit www.gmvhof.org.
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Plans to build a $50 million expansion of the Sandy Springs Police headquarters off Morgan Falls Road, with an off–site fleet maintenance facility, might be a done deal – but residents still have pressing concerns about it.
At the Sandy Springs City Council’s Aug. 1 meeting, residents of the Cambridge townhome development on Morgan Falls Road spoke against portions of the expansion plans, which will add more than 20,00 square feet to the existing police headquarters.
Sandy Springs has gone through multiple iterations of plans for the facility and initially intended the complex to be a “one-stop shop” for all things law enforcement and justice.
But due to space concerns, parking requirements and a desire to fit expansion and a future firearms training center and fire station all on the Morgan Falls Road property, leaders later opted to build a fleet services facility on a parcel on Roswell Road.
Like at the City Council’s previous July 18 meeting, when residents criticized plans for visible security fencing
at the proposed fleet services building , Cambridge homeowners said any use of razor wire at the expanded headquarters building will ultimately hurt the community.
“The total budget for this new facility as approved by the City Council is upwards of $50 million,” resident Marek Fikejz said. “It would be unfortunate to spend this money on a new facility and not to construct a fence that is both aesthetically copacetic
with the adjoining residential neighborhood, while meeting the security requirements for the new facility.”
The Cambridge townhomes sit directly behind the headquarters complex, and residents said dozens of their units would have a clear view of the razor wire fencing.
That view, especially in the winter and fall when trees are bare, would have a negative impact on property values, Cambridge Homeowners Association President Leslie Odmark said.
“How would you feel if you could see concertina wire from your home?” Odmark said. “People's homes are their largest investments, so please do not consciously decrease our property values and make us appear to border prison.”
After hearing from Huntcliff neighborhood representatives at the July 18 meeting, the City Council came to a compromise that calls for using ornamental, 8-foot steel security fencing on all visible portions of the Roswell Road fleet services facility, then using chain-link fencing and razor wire in other areas.
Cambridge residents may have sought a similar compromise at Tuesday’s meeting, but the City Council listened to the public comments and took no action on the police headquarters expansion.
Concerned residents did receive a measure of support from the dais when District 2 Councilwoman Melody Kelley said the city should slow down and get things right, even though they are a “high functioning multimillion dollar municipality.”
Kelley, who was in favor of postponing a decision on the fleet services facility for further study, said she has
seen real concern from her district over these issues over the past month.
While those concerns were brought up late in the process, more than one year after project planning began, Kelley said they still are valid.
“Where I get uncomfortable, is submitting to residents, my constituents taxpayers, that their questions and concerns, while valid, are simply too inconvenient to address right now,” she said.
Kelley told the City Council that thinking about the affect they could have on the city’s future by acting hastily now, gives her “nightmares.”
“…a pedestrian a few years from now, strolling along a partially redeveloped Roswell Road and seeing as an aesthetic feature, a chain linked fence with razor wire, that actually gives me nightmares,” she said. “I picture a resident of Cambridge townhomes looking out of their window on a brisk fall morning only to see the sun rising over a chain link fence with concertina wire.”
Following the meeting, Kelley said she thinks other city leaders heard her concerns and took residents’ comments to heart.
“I am learning from this experience, and I am taking things away that will inform my outreach strategies going forward,” she said. “We are going to address the concerns of the residents of Cambridge townhome community. We are actively working on that.”
A groundbreaking for the police headquarters was originally scheduled for mid-July, but that event did not occur, and the city has not released any further information about the ceremony.
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Decked out in robes, a small group of young girls and one boy lined up along a red carpet to enter the Spoiled Rotten Kids Spa Partybus, where makeovers awaited them.
Owner Khadija Bronson, a Johns Creek resident, helped them on, one by one, in front of a business off Crabapple Road in Roswell. Geared for ages 2 to 13, the bus travels around town and as far as the Lawrenceville area, usually for weekend birthday parties.
Bronson’s staff manned a pedicure station to one side of the bus and on the other, a table for manicures. A chair at the front is where Bronson added color to a girl’s eyelids — makeup is the kids’ favorite.
She also offers chocolate facials and a fashion show. After their makeovers, the group was set to walk on a mini-runway, wearing tutus, boas and other accessories hanging above the door. In down times, her young clients have access to an outside patio attached to the truck, bordered by a white picket fence.
In the average salon, pedicure chairs will swallow a small kid. But on the bus, all the furniture is sized for children — little tables, little chairs, little bowls.
“I just wanted to do something that was more kid-friendly, like something on their level — not too grown,” Bronson said.
One girl, who had just gotten her makeup and nails done, said she loved how “pretty” the bus was. Its aesthetic, glitz and glam and very pink, is as loud as the pop music playing over the speakers.
Featured on “The Tyra Banks Show,” Bronson said her business was the first of its kind in the country when it hit ground in 2008. She once operated three storefronts, in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland, but decided to go mobile, finding it a better business route.
“Most people like for us to come to them, and then they can still have the experience at their house,” Bronson said. “... We’re more like a party/babysitter because the kids come on the bus, the parents are inside.”
The business is a full-circle moment for Bronson. She recalled being in 8th and 9th grade, dipping pencil tips in nail polish to paint designs.
“It's crazy how it came about, to this,” Bronson said. “I didn't grow up wanting to do this job, but I love it.”
She said her business is one where you have to love kids, and have patience, for when a girl cries when she accidentally messes up her nails, which happened earlier that day. For Bronson, it’s all worth it, especially when she sees children smiling and becoming more secure in themselves.
“They come out here and break out of their shell,” Bronson said.
For more information or to book a reservation, visit spoiledrottenkidsspa.com
The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (Cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on July 27, 2023, at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.
Top Row—left to right
Andrew Lampert, of Troop 1486, sponsored by North River Baptist Church, whose project was the design and construction of a puzzle table and a Lego table for Elkins Pointe Middle School.
Arya Iyer, of Troop 10, sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, whose project was the design and construction of a Chicken Coop Rainwater Harvesting & Watering System for Old Rucker Farm Park.
Srinandan Remala, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church, whose project was relocating and refurbishing six wood benches that are on an abandoned trail in Providence Park.
Nikhil Deo, Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction five raised outdoor gardens for the Southeastern Railway Museum.
Vignesh Burugupalli, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church, whose project was design and construction of a trailhead kiosk which will contain a map of the newly reopened Providence Park.
Johan Jerry, Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of four benches for the soccer field basketball court area at Lake Winward Elementary School.
Caleb Hankinson, of Troop 2143, sponsored by The American Legion Post 251, whose project was the design and
construction of a Gaga pit and ball Rack for Peachtree Corners Baptist Church.
Bottom Row, from left Julian Yelisetty, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church, whose project was the design and construction of four raised garden boxes for Settles Bridge Elementary School.
Venkat Arun, of Troop 629, sponsored by Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of three picnic tables at Fulton Science Academy
Toby Chiu, of Troop 1486, sponsored by North River Baptist Church, whose
8-3-23
project was the collection over 2,000 units of food for Meals by Grace Charity.
Patrick Jones, of Troop 10, sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, whose project was replacing the soil in 10 planter boxes, dismantling three planter boxes, spreading mulch across designated areas, building six bird boxes, and landscaping a 25-foot diameter area by placing rocks around the edge and installing pine straw for Creekview Elementary School.
John Burton Jr., of Troop 143, sponsored by The American Legion Post 251, whose project was the design and construction of three raised gardens with
mesh covering for Happyfeat, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with special need.
Dhruv Jadhav, of Troop 143, sponsored by The American Legion Post 251, whose project was the design and construction of an information Kiosk, two raised block flower beds, and a gravel/ stone path from the parking lot to the kiosk, at the greenway located at the Bell Road Roundabout.
Garrett Douglass, of Troop 10, sponsored by St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, whose project was the design and construction 20 cat houses out of 50-quart coolers for Planned PEThood of Georgia.
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Keep North Fulton Beautiful announced Ryder Leary as its new executive director, who brings 16 years of experience from his time at the YMCA.
Leary will oversee all operations and community relations for Keep North Fulton Beautiful (KNFB), an environmental nonprofit that provides education and conservation programs to the communities of Johns Creek and Sandy Springs. The organization also operates the Sandy Springs Recycling Center on Morgan Falls Road.
Leary has made significant contributions to various YMCA chapters, according to the KNFB, including the YMCA of Central Florida and the YMCA of Florida's First Coast.
For the past six years, Leary has been an integral part of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, the organization said, where his dedication to its mission and expertise in fundraising has supported numerous programs and initiatives promoting healthy living and social responsibility.
Born and raised in Fernandina Beach, Florida, Leary developed a deep appreciation for nature and the environment from a young age and is a proud graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned his degree.
ATLANTA — Four Georgia Peaches Girls Baseball teams returned home to North Georgia recently, victorious after the Baseball For All (BFA) Nationals Tournament in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
Georgia Peaches 14U, 12U, 10U and 9U teams participated in the BFA Nationals Tournament July 12 through July 16, outscoring their opponents and sending several teams to the championship games, coaches said.
The 14U and 12U teams outscored their opponents 47- 18 and 40-17, and the 9U and 10U teams advanced to the 10U division championship.
Coaches said the 9U team’s performance during the tournament was particularly impressive, because they competed primarily against 10-year-olds throughout the week, while they only have players between 7 and 9 years old on their team.
By the end of the week, the 10U team collected 85 runs, 53 hits, 56 defensive strikeouts, and allowed only nine runs and nine hits.
“Our program continues to grow at an astonishing pace and our teams have become feared at both the local level and at the national stage, where we’re proven to be a top program in the nation,” Georgia Peaches 9U head coach Ian Winklemann said.
J.P. Borod, head coach of the Georgia Peaches 10U team, said the 50 girls in the Georgia Peaches program had a great time during the tournament, playing their hearts out, bonding and making their communities proud.
“To say that the girls had a good time at this tournament would be an understatement,” he said. “This is something they look forward to all year long.”
Georgia Peaches players come from all over the state, but they are predominantly from the North Georgia and Atlanta area. However, coaches said they have several players from neighboring states, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, that do not have an all-girls baseball program.
Because they are the only all-girls baseball program in Georgia, Borod said their teams typically only play against boys teams locally. So the national championship is a perfect chance for the team to connect with other girls who are passionate about baseball.
“For most of the year when these girls
step onto a ballfield, they hear sneers, they aren’t viewed as equals, it is assumed that they are less than,” he said. “At this tournament they can let down their guards and they can be themselves.”
Winklmann and Josh Cammack coach the 9U team, Borod and Marquis Harris coach the 10U team, Brian Terry and Christian Lafon coach the 12U team, and Garrett Wilson coaches the 14U team.
Coaches said they are always looking for more girls who are passionate about baseball and want to develop their skills.
“For some odd reason after tee ball girls are led to believe that there is not a home for them in baseball and often their parents steer them towards softball,” Borod said. “We are here to break that fallacy. Our girls have shown they there is a place of for females in the sport of baseball.”
For more information about the Georgia Peaches Girls Baseball program visit them on Facebook or Instagram at www.facebook.com/GeorgiaPeachesBaseball and www.instagram.com/georgiapeachesbaseball.
From balancing a busy work schedule to running errands around town, it can be easy to keep putting off important wellness appointments. However, an annual visit with your Wellstar primary care provider is one of the best investments you can make in your health.
“Your primary care provider will collaborate with you to create a customized care plan and recommend screenings based on factors such as your age, gender and family history,” said Wellstar Primary Care Physician Dr. Cristina Dasoveanu. “Regular screenings can help you stay ahead of issues and catch any health concerns early.”
At your check-up, your provider will assess your health with a physical exam and wellness screenings to help you understand your current health stats and
stay ahead of potential medical issues.
These screenings include:
Blood pressure
The healthiest reading is less than 120/80 mmHg.
Blood glucose. A healthy blood sugar level is less than 140 mg/dL if you have not been fasting and less than 100 mg/ dL if you have been fasting.
Blood cholesterol. For women and men, an ideal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is less than 100. For women, the ideal high-density lipoprotein (HDL) reading is 50 or higher, and for men, it is 40 or higher.
The results of these preventative screenings may help identify risk factors and indicate the onset of certain conditions, such as high blood pressure or heart disease.
At Wellstar, we believe in lowering risk and preventing cancer whenever possible. When screenings catch cancer in earlier stages, patients can have better outcomes. Your provider may recommend cancer screenings, including:
Mammogram . If you are at average risk of developing breast cancer, you should start annual mammograms at age 40. If you have a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors, your provider may recommend you start screenings earlier and can help you create a personalized screenings plan.
Colonoscopy . This is a colorectal cancer screening using a flexible, lighted tube to examine and remove polyps from the colon and rectum. People at average risk should start colonoscopies at age 45, but your provider may recommend earlier screenings depending on your risk factors or family history.
Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) .
This blood test measures your PSA level and can be used to detect prostate cancer. Most patients will start this screening at age 50, but if you are at higher risk of prostate cancer, including if you are a Black man, your provider may recommend earlier screenings.
Find a provider at wellstar.org/primarycare. Locations serving the North Fulton area include:
2450 Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta (470) 267-0360
2570 Holcomb Bridge Road, Alpharetta (770) 650-8980
260 Rucker Road, Alpharetta (470) 956-4540
4895 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta (770) 475-0888
1360 Upper Hembree Road, Roswell (770) 740-1753
Recent statistics paint a vivid picture of the challenges faced by our youth. According to a comprehensive study, an alarming 1 in 5 adolescents grapple with mental health issues, ranging from depression and anxiety to addiction and suicidal ideation. The effects of childhood trauma (which studies have shown affects over two-thirds of the population) are also significant, affecting a child's overall well-being and future life outcomes. Additionally, the influence of social media can worsen mental and physical health issues, including depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and attention issues.
The 2022 Ken Burns documentary Hiding in Plain Sight gives voice to the experiences of young people who struggle with mental health challenges like these and focuses on the importance of awareness and empathy. The film includes insights from families,
providers, and advocates and explores the impact of childhood trauma, stigma, and social media.
The North Fulton Mental Health Collaborative is determined to confront these critical issues head-on, promoting awareness, understanding, and dialogue within our community. At our next meeting on Thursday, August 31st from 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM, we invite you to a free screening of Hiding in Plain Sight and a panel discussion following the presentation. Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis will be moderating a panel discussion with mental health leaders in our community.
This gathering provides a unique opportunity to connect with likeminded individuals, businesses, and organizations passionate about mental health. Together, we can break down barriers, challenge stigma, and create a supportive environment for those facing mental health challenges. Register today at tinyurl.com/NFMHC823.
in Plain Sight: Unveiling the truth about youth mental health
What: Come out and share your knowledge of Roswell’s rich history from its founding in 1854 to the present day. Teams are encouraged, with a max team size of four members.
When: Thursday, Aug. 10, 7-9 p.m.
Where: The Vick, 1182 Canton Street, Roswell
Cost: $25 ticket includes one drink
More info: roswellhistoricalsociety.org/ events/trivia-night
What: For a teen and adult movie night, Johns Creek will feature “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in its free summer series on a huge inflatable screen. Preshow activities include an inflatable moonwalk, face painting, children’s activities, giveaways and music. Gates open at 7 p.m., and the movie starts at dusk. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and relax as they watch the movie. No alcohol or pets please.
When: Friday, Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek
More info: johnscreekga.gov
What: Alex Popp, reporter for the Sandy Springs Crier and outdoor enthusiast, will be leading a guided tour at Island Ford, part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area featuring 3 miles of hiking trails. Meet the group at the entrance to the visitor center. Walks are limited to 25 participants, and registration is required.
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m.
Where: Island Ford, 1978 Island Ford Parkway, Sandy Springs
More info: sandyspringsga.gov
What: Every Saturday morning through October, more than a dozen vendors set up shop around Milton City Hall with fresh produce, fresh meat, sweets, coffee and tea, flowers, soaps, jewelry and more.
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.
Where: Milton City Hall plaza, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton
What: Alex Popp, reporter for the Sandy Springs Crier and outdoor enthusiast, will be leading a guided tour at Island Ford, part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area featuring 3 miles of hiking trails. Meet the group at the entrance to the visitor center. Walks are limited to 25 participants, and registration is required.
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m.
Where: Island Ford, 1978 Island Ford Parkway, Sandy Springs
More info: sandyspringsga.gov
More info: facebook.com/ miltongafarmersmarket
What: Groovin’ on the Green, a free series at the Brook Run Park amphitheater, will feature the band Deep Velvet. Guests are encouraged to walk or ride bikes to the concerts. Bring your own picnics or pick up dinner from a featured food truck. Dogs, on a leash, are also welcome.
When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 6-9 p.m.
Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dunwoodyga.gov
What: Bring chairs or blankets to this free interactive movie night featuring “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” There will be 200 interactive kits to enliven the movie experience and encourage fun participation for the kiddos. Food will be available for purchase. No outside alcohol allowed.
When: Friday, Aug. 12, 7-9 p.m.
Where: The Green at Crabapple Market, 12650 Crabapple Road, Milton More info: crabapplemarketga.com
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.
AUGUST 10 AUGUST 20
What: Roswell Youth Theatre invites student performers to audition for “Elf the Musical Jr.,” open to middle and high school ages. Participants only need to attend one night but must stay the entire time.
When: Monday & Tuesday, Aug. 1415, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $25
More info: roswellgov.com
What: Grand Funk Railroad, which laid the groundwork for bands like Foreigner, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard-driving sound and soulful vocals, will perform. The opening band will be Sailing to Denver. Lawn seating is free, and blankets, lawn chairs and umbrellas are allowed.
When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs
More info: sandyspringsga.gov
follow these easy
What: This exhibit is a collection of original photographs by Ukrainian artist Anna Rumiantseva, who has recorded what Mariupol used to be before the war in her home country. The exhibit can be viewed at the Alpharetta City Hall Community Room Monday through Thursday, 8:30 to 5 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
When: Until Sept. 11
Where: Alpharetta City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta
More info: alpharetta.ga.us
What: The exhibit “Whimsy” will feature artists who consider works by Dali, Magritte, Chagall, Bosch and others for inspiration. Presenting a wide variety of art showcasing the breadth and depth of artists’ imagination, artworks will include surrealism and fantastic imagery.
When: Until Sept. 23, business hours
Where: Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton Street, Alpharetta
More info: alpharetta.ga.us
I just finished reading a book that was on my wife’s book club list, “The Dictionary of Lost Words.” It was a wonderful, easy summer beach read that moved me in a way that I haven’t known in a long time, at least since Anthony Doerr’s “All the Light We Cannot See.”
far away to another time, and it did mine old memories in me, memories that had been dormant for years – one reveal after another.
RAY APPEN Publisher EmeritusThe last few years I have been reading more and more non-fiction – generally history or popular social commentary. Think Michael Lewis (“The Premonition,” “The Undoing Project,” “The Blind Side”) or books by Malcolm Gladwell (“The Tipping Point,” “Outliers,” “Blink).**
I love those types of books that Lewis and Gladwell write. They entertain, illuminate, educate and generally help me understand just a little better who I am and who others are – and why. Reading them is like opening a road map to how we think and following the roads wherever they take us.
Those roads – those kinds of books –however don’t move me the way fiction can and has. They are not magic. They don’t lift me up and take me far away into worlds I don’t know. They don’t reach into my heart or soul and change me in some way like those rare, works of fiction do – TS Elliot, Hemingway, Mary Oliver or Louise Gluck. Gluck was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal.”
“The Dictionary of Lost Words” took me
About halfway through the book I remembered that I used to collect words many years ago, literally “collect” them much in the same way that Esme, the protagonist in the book, collected the rejected words. These- words that for one reason or another were deliberately excluded from the original Oxford English Dictionary that was composed roughly between 1900 and 1912.
Esme’s collection of ‘lost words” had a purpose – a reason. Most of Esme’s “lost” words were those that had been discounted and, in a sense, shunned primarily by the men who edited the OED, and the editors were by in large, all men around the turn of the century. That is, they were words that were not important to them but could have been important to a woman. History, context, politics and social order were the filters that were illuminated and annotated throughout this book – woven in and out of the author’s engaging story like a patchwork quilt depicting the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary.
My collection of words was far less ambitious. I just collected words that I didn’t know, and which seemed interesting; I wasn’t on a mission, like Esme.
My word collection began when I was in my early teens. I kept a notebook by my bed and every time I encountered an interesting word I would log it into my notebook: definition, sentence, and the name of the book and page number in which I found the word. Since I was very young and didn’t know much, I discovered a lot of words. In
fact, I felt like an eager prospector during a gold rush, working a fecund steam, panning for linguistic treasures in the books.
Most of my early word discoveries were from two books – Will and Ariel Durant’s “The Lessons of History,” and a little bit later, Gibbon’s “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” And while I still have not finished Gibbon’s work – it’s in tatters, a fading green paperback on my bookshelf still with another 20 percent yet to be read – I don’t think I ever turned a single page without finding new words for the collection.
Years later after college (in the early 1980s) I moved to Chile and took my word collection with me. Other than some clothes and a guitar, my books and my word collection were about the only things I took. There, my word collection took a huge turn; it began to include Spanish words and their histories. I began to read in Spanish novels and poetry: Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Luis Borges (El Hacedor), and others.
At some point, Spanish became my default language. I thought it, wrote it, dreamed it, and read it by preference. It was more descriptive than English. It had better words, often simpler words that described people or things so much better than the equivalent English. Often there simply was no English equivalent.
When I left Chile to go home and recover from an illness, I intended to return, so I didn’t take my stuff with me. It turns out I never did go back to Chile to live and all my belongings – including my word collection – disappeared forever, left in a tiny upstairs room in the small port of San Antonio. Of
note, most of San Antonio was destroyed in a massive earthquake not long after I left so, my word collection truly was lost.
Timing is everything.
We use words to tell stories, and “stories” are the oil that lubricates societies. Sometimes the words themselves are the story, a story that tells greater truths about our world. That was the case in “The Dictionary of Lost Words” – a story within a story, within a story – not unlike the movie “Inception.“
Paying attention to written words is important. It is like looking into a mirror, one that illuminates everything and hides nothing.
Words are more powerful than bombs. They cannot be discounted or ignored. Paying attention to words is a way to stay in the present but also know the past and possibly the future. Words are living histories and are in constant flux. Lose connection to the written words and lose connection to what is important “now,” “this hour,” “this minute.” Words can help ground us if we slow down and pay attention. They can keep us connected if we let them.
** On a different note, for those of you who love to read, I cannot resist recommending (again) two amazing, non-fiction books. These spell-binding easy-reads delve into aspects of our recent past that are incredibly important. Both are true stories about the pandemic, but they reveal the actual backstories that took place, and in large part, determined the course of events.
• “The Premonition” by Michael Lewis
• “Code Breaker” by Walter Isaacson
becoming the industry center of the South. Atlanta Journal writer Ted Lippman says, “… on a late fall day in 1945, Holder (Robert Holder) and a representative of General Motors drove slowly around the city’s borders looking for a plant site. They found it in DeKalb, behind a railroad and old Peachtree Road.” The location was in Doraville.
Columnist
“North of Atlanta, slashed across the flat red plain of the Piedmont, a vibrant symbol of the new south flourishes.” This sentence describes a new fourlane highway known as Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. (The Atlanta Journal, Oct. 26, 1958, “Peachtree leads new south to shiny industrial future”)
Peachtree Road led from downtown Atlanta, past Piedmont Hospital, Lenox Square, homes, churches and luxury apartments to Brookhaven. In Brookhaven, the road passed Veterans Hospital No. 48, and then Peachtree Golf Club. Except for the veterans hospital, these landmarks still exist along with many more. In 1958, the next stretch is described as open country.
Following World War II, Atlanta was
General Motors opened in 1947. According to “Chamblee, Georgia: A Centennial Portrait 1908-2008,” a new highway was needed for the distribution of new cars and to make travel easier for employees. State and federal funds totaling $803,000 were used to build Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
Robert Holder credited DeKalb County Commissioner Scott Candler and Mose Cox, state highway department’s chief engineer with helping “bring the vision together.” The road was Mose Cox’s idea. “A new street for new industry, paralleling Peachtree and the rails.”
Other industries followed General Motors to the area. The road was without a name when Westinghouse was ready to move into the area. Westinghouse wanted to print stationery with their new address. The name Peachtree Industrial Boulevard was suggested, and DeKalb County, Chamblee and Doraville officials liked the name.
Besides General Motors, other business that located in Chamblee included BoyleMidway, Eastman-Kodak, Write-Rite Company, Westinghouse Lamp Division, General Electric, John Deer Plow, Case Machinery, Dow Chemical, U.S. Gypsum and Frito-Lay. The Frito-Lay plant was at the corner of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Johnson Ferry Road.
Frito-Lay and General Motors both became field trip destinations for local students, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Some recall the Frito-Lay field trip included a bag of chips at the end. I went on the tour and only remember huge vats of potatoes cook-
ing. Frito-Lay closed in 1999 and is now the location of Lowe’s at 4950 Peachtree Boulevard, the former Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
The General Motors site is now home to Assembly Atlanta, the 135-acre movie and TV studio. A main street constructed with brick ironwork facades simulates the look of New Orleans, New York City, Chicago or a European city. Plans for a public park with a pond water feature and amphitheater for local events are underway. (discoverdunwoody.com)
Chamblee dropped the word industrial from the name back in 2008. Doraville recommended the same in 2018.
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
When a person thinks about contacting a financial planner, often he or she has a money question; perhaps how to deal with a short-term situation, or longrange planning for major life events such as buying a home, funding educations for children, dealing with issues of aging, retirement, starting or selling a closely held business. Decisions about major life challenges and transitions transcend money. Emotions, feelings, and values come into play and must be understood. What makes you happy? What makes you nervous?
If multiple people are involved in a decision, such as a spouse, adult child or other family member, a business partner, for example, it’s important that a financial advisor have a deep understanding as to everyone’s values and emotional relationships with money. Your advisor needs to know your story before a plan is developed and recommendations are made.
Growing up, this writer never received an allowance. If I was to have
money, I had to earn it. Plus, I grew up with two very different childhoods, both of which shaped my attitudes toward money and life itself. From birth to age 10, I was raised by my maternal grandparents in Flushing, Long Island, New York. World War II was raging and a “junkman” would come around and collect materials such as metals, glass, rags, paper, and rubber, anything that could be recycled to support the war effort. I took my red Radio Flyer wagon around the neighborhood, collecting items to sell to the junkman. I found that I really liked getting paid and having money.
From age 10 until I left home at age 18 for college, I lived with my mom and stepfather in Jacksonville, Florida. My stepfather, a Greyhound bus driver, was an authoritarian and expected me to do a variety of chores, which included yardwork, housework, and care of a dog kennel as he raised hunting hounds. While I did not get an allowance, when a momma dog had a litter of puppies, I could select one pup to sell. I hated selling the dog, but I liked getting paid for my labors. In addition to school and a myriad of chores and caring for the animals, I was always thinking of ways to make money, such as selling potted plants obtained from a wholesale nursery up the street, a comic book exchange
and part-time jobs. In college I worked for the university and for three years also had a paper route on campus. I learned that hard work has rewards, which had a great deal of influence on my choice of self-employment and entrepreneurship for most of my career.
My mom and stepdad worked hard but my mom frequently joked about “too much month at the end of the money,” except she wasn’t kidding, and that caused constant stress and anxiety. After paying off my college loans, and after I left military service as an Air force officer and married, I resolved to accumulate enough liquid capital as soon as possible so that my family and I could live for a minimum of one year with no paycheck.
Think about that. That’s financial freedom, knowing that you can deal with setbacks such as loss of your job or some other interruption in your income stream. It gives you the flexibility to change jobs or careers if you wish. Financial security confers freedom of choice and that’s worth working towards.
That’s my story. What’s yours? Where and how did you grow up? What has shaped your relationship with money? How soon would you like to be financially independent, to have the choice of working or not work -
ing? That may be a far better question than, “When would you like to retire?” Some people regard “retirement” as the ending of something; they worry about losing purpose, being bored. Financial independence, and the choices and options financial freedom provides, reduces anxiety, boosts energy, and funds purpose-fulfilling generosity, whether to family, other loved ones, friends, charities and other causes that you care about.
Of course, there’s a downside to success and having ample money, especially if it fuels bad habits and destructive behavior. Religious underpinnings and solid values often are important to the prudent uses of money and talent, and that’s a part of your story that an advisor should understand. “Financial life planning” encompasses far more than investment policy and money questions. What’s the next chapter in your story?
Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-4413553; 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).
What a treat! British mysteries are my favorite, and when they’re set in the Cotswolds or Devon, I’m in heaven. I started the week with one set in the 1930s in Devon at Agatha Christie’s fictional country house. Next was a contemporary cozy mystery in the Cotswolds.
This was a marvelous follow-up to “Murder at Mallowan Hall.” Phyllida Bright, housekeeper and friend to Agatha Christie, is in fine fettle once again. The members of The Detection Club — G. K. Chesterton, Dorothy L.
Sayers, and of course, Agatha — are on hand for a Murder Fete. The event includes a writing contest for local authors, and the prize is enough to kill for.
There’s a superb twist, but for me the fun part was glimpsing hints about Phyllida and Bradford, the chauffeur. We know Phyllida worked with Agatha Christie during the war, but not much beyond that. Even less is known about Bradford. What we DO know is that he has a unique ability to get under Phyllida’s skin.
I’m looking forward to learning more in the third book in the series, due out in September. Meanwhile, “Mastering the Art of French Murder,” also by Cambridge is on my desk.
It was a pleasure to return to another book in the Murder on Location
series. I don’t know why I waited so long after reading Book I.
Location scout Kate Sharp is back in the Cotswolds, this time working on a documentary about Jane Austen. As if that weren’t entertaining enough, the plot involves newly discovered Jane Austen letters, a literary find, if indeed they exist.
Add an evolving romance, and you have all the ingredients for another cozy read, especially for an Anglophile like me.
Sara Rosett’s descriptions of the English countryside, the cottages, and the village transported me to one of my favorite British locales. It won’t be long before I visit again with the next entry in this seven-book series.
What could be better than two entertaining reads? Being able to find them in an indie bookshop. If you’re fortunate enough to live near any of
the several scattered around the North Fulton area, you’re sure to find your next great read at one of them. I’ve ventured as far as Bookmiser in Marietta but haven’t yet made it to Poe & Company in Milton or Johns Creek Books & Gifts.
Whenever you’re intrigued by one of my book reviews, why not stop by your nearest indie bookshop? If they don’t have the book on hand, they’ll happily order you a copy, and you might even stumble across a few others that strike your fancy.
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/.
Folks who grew up in the rural areas of North Fulton County and surrounding counties in the 1960s and ’70s will remember the distinctive call of the bobwhite quail.
That delightful and unmistakable early morning and evening “bob white” whistle-like call was the way country folks started the day. Those quail were part of our history. Their sounds are not heard today. So, where have all the bobwhites gone? Will they come back? Let’s take a look.
There are six species of quail in the U.S. Bobwhite quail are found in nearly 40 states but are native to the southeastern states. They were particularly plentiful in Georgia which for 100 years was known as the “Quail capital of the world.”
Like most quail, northern bobwhite quail live on the ground, preferring native grasslands where they can feed on seeds and insects. The birds can only fly a few hundred feet at a time due to their short wings, so for protection they rely on concealment in tall grass and thickets that are bushy above but open near the ground. Their cheerful bob white whistle is a mating call and is heard mostly in the spring and summer when birds pair up. In the fall, they gather into small groups called coveys to prepare for the winter. Males have a prominent white stripe above the eye, while hens have buff colored head stripes.
Hunters love to hunt quail because they burst from concealment when startled making challenging targets. They are tasty when cooked properly, kind of a cross between a chicken and a pheasant.
Numerous factors played a role in the 85 to 90 percent decline in the bobwhite population in Georgia over the past century and especially since the 1960s. Dramatic population growth and subsequent urbanization reduced the birds’ natural habitat of native grasslands, so they produced fewer chicks. (Georgia’s population in 1960 was less than 4 million people, and in 2022 it was almost 11 million.) Consolidation of small farms with hedgerows between properties into large pastures offered less protection to bobwhites and made them more vulnerable to predators. Finally, increased use of pesticides and herbicides reduced the insect population and some of the natural grasses the birds rely on.
Barry Mansell was raised on a farm in Roswell and remembers several coveys of bobwhites on the family farm
In the fall after the mating season is over, northern bobwhite quail establish coveys, groups of 10-15 birds. At night they roost on the ground in a tight circle with tails pointed inward and heads pointed out. This provides warmth and helps them spot predators. Their favorite foods are insects, weed seeds and berries. They whistle mainly early in the morning during mating season and again in late October/November when living in coveys.
property in the early 1950s. “They were beautiful birds and their mating calls were unforgettable. My brothers and I hunted them for sport and food.”
The situation is not hopeless
Bobwhites have occupied a special place in the history of Georgia wildlife since the development of the modern shotgun in the 1800s. Today both public
and private programs seek to restore the bobwhite population over time. In 1970 the Legislature named the bird the official state gamebird of Georgia. Georgia’s bobwhite quail Initiative begun in 1999 by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and a number of federal programs promote habitat restoration for bobwhites and other wildlife on farms and forestland.
Private bobwhite hunting plantations, many managed for commercial quail hunting, are contributing to the recovery of the bobwhite. A narrow ribbon of land extending from Albany to the Florida border is home to some 100 private plantations including some that are open to the public for hunting. The land known as Plantation Belt comprises some 400,000 acres. After the Civil War, the South was in ruins, and the plantations were purchased by wealthy northerners for vacation retreats. Many are still owned by descendants of the original buyers. These facilities have significantly increased the population of bobwhites through modern land conservation practices and offer perfect conditions for bobwhite quail.
Georgia Wildlife Federation President and CEO Mike Worley says, “The bobwhite is not in danger of going extinct due to the breeding of quail in pens on hunting plantations. But due to habitat loss reversing the situation for wild bobwhites is a major challenge. We are working hard to reverse the trend, and with all our challenges, Georgia still has some of the finest quail hunting in the country.”
The difference between bobwhites raised in pens for hunting and wild birds is that pen-raised birds have lost some of their instincts according to Dallas Ingram, Georgia Department of Natural Resources State Quail Coordinator “Pen-raised birds are not taught by wild parents how to hunt, raise a brood and avoid predators. Even if they survive predators and know where to eat, they don’t seem to be able to survive. The one-year survival rate is about ½ of 1 percent.”
Dallas says “Wild bobwhites need 1,500 acres to survive long term. North of Fulton County, some landowners are working together to create larger tracts which is conducive to a healthy and growing bobwhite population.”
So, if you crave to hear that bob white sound there are places in Georgia where that is possible. However, in our area, history is not on our side. The bobwhite quail, once such a happy addition to life in north Georgia, is gone but not forgotten. Hopefully, the many efforts to bring them back will be successful in the long term.
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.
The first day of August made itself known with the expected sweltering temperatures, parlayed with humidity making it feel like you were in a kiln. Anyone not drenched with sweat could have very easily been one of those aliens some in Washington are trying to convince us does (or doesn’t) exist.
Maybe the UFOs are fiddling with our environment and should be taking credit for global warming. From my perch, I say “Nonsense!”
Like every year for as long as you and I can remember, this heat and humidity thing is and always has been a constant. No need to dress in layers unless you attend Christ the Redeemer in Dawsonville, where Father Higgins might have a little Eskimo in there with his Irish heritage.
But the chills and teeth-chattering are worth it as long as he keeps delivering some of the best, fiery messages from the pulpit I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to.
All the perspiring was well worth the experience at Truist Park. Don’t believe it could have been better. As usual, the joint was bloated with another 40,000-plus fans, most of them arriving early to get in a little baseball watching before school started on August 3rd.
Ugh!
The stadium was overrun with youngsters. I was giddy, hopeful that maybe, just maybe, the young fans were there for some sort of public objection to going back to school in the heart of summertime.
Instead of a nostalgic Vietnam War era “Hell no, we won’t go,” the hearty “Go Braves!” ruled the evening.
There was literally nothing to protest within the Truist gates. As they have been doing all season, Atlanta’s team got outstanding pitching from mustachioed Spencer Strider, who struck out nine Angels, one of those whiffs being his 200th of the season.
The “Quadzilla” moniker fits because of Strider’s lower-body attributes. But he is a real monster to opposing batters. The kids love him and celebrated the Braves 5-1 win.
Adding to the festive environment was the ceremony honoring newly enshrined Hall of Fame first baseman Fred McGriff, whose alwayssmiling persona has always made him a personal favorite. McGriff’s recent Cooperstown enshrinement was long overdue and was a “good feeling” accomplishment that Braves fans, no matter their age, could share in and swap high fives. I felt fortunate to get one of the 15,000 bobbleheads that were distributed.
I found myself explaining why McGriff, who debuted in Atlanta the day the press box was set ablaze, was nicknamed “Crime Dog.” Apparently, the McGruff commercials have long been made extinct in favor of geckos and emus.
Another drawing card was manifested in the form of another monster, fittingly from Japan.
I don’t believe there is a better baseball player on the planet than Shohei Ohtani. Saying he’s a phenom is selling him short. He pitches and hits. More importantly to the team’s owner, he sells tickets and merchandise wherever the Angels play.
It was remarkable to see the sheer
volume of Ohtani jerseys, Japan jerseys and hats touting the sizable star.
The jerseys threw me for a loop, though. I don’t believe they were real replicas. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to read anything written in Japanese.
Both are remarkable, one already with a plaque in Cooperstown and the other a sure bet when he retires.
Ohtani’s effort and proficiency, whether it be with a bat or on the mound, is something that is an honor to experience. McGriff constantly looks so darned happy all the time.
As a lifelong baseball fan, the thing I most appreciate is that I can’t remember anything negative being said or written about either of these superstars. Both players wear smiles seemingly 24/7.
Wonder if they’d be so happy if they had to go back to school the first week in August?
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.
Apocalypses and alien invasions have long been popular themes in print and video. The H. G. Wells classic “The War of the Worlds,” the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,”
“The Walking Dead” and “The Last of Us” are just a few fan favorites that demonstrate how alien invasions can be entertaining.
In real life? Not so much. Especially when an invasion and the resulting apocalypse is a result of someone’s plant choice that turns out to be invasive.
The U.S. Forest Service defines an “invasive plant species” as not native to a given ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive plants have the potential to take over a landscape, smothering out native plants or other plants that we want in our landscape.
Frequently called “the vine that ate the South,” kudzu was brought to America in 1876 during the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and introduced to the Southeast in 1883 at the New Orleans Exposition. Originally thought to be helpful for soil erosion control and planted widely, kudzu quickly got out of control. Kudzu can pretty much overtake everything in its path, growing a foot per day, with mature vines as long as 100 feet.
Many people favor English ivy, a non-native perennial vine. Do traditional ivy-covered cottages and houses make a picturesque image? Yes! Can those lovely green English ivy vines (Hedera helix) climbing those brick walls (and stucco and windows and trees) create damage if left unchecked? If you live in Georgia, you bet! English ivy is known to cause damage to brickwork and trees and take over landscapes.
As all species do, plants compete for light, water, nutrients and space to live. Unfortunately, some species too easily out-compete others and rapidly overtake a landscape, reducing biodiversity and threatening plants that support an environment and pollinators. Kudzu, English ivy, Chinese privet and mimosa are some of those on invasive plant lists.
Remember, not all non-native plants are invasive, and many non-native plants look great in our urban landscapes and perform well. However, we should be aware of the damage that can occur from plants that are invasive. For example, if you employ ivy in your landscape, say as a groundcover for a steep incline or other difficult area, keep in mind its propensity to quickly overtake other habitats and
• UGA Cooperative Extension Bulletins “Invasive Plants of Georgia Forests,” “Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines,” Native Plants for Georgia Part II: Ferns and Native Plants for Georgia Part III: Wildflowers
• Georgia Green Landscape Stewards Program - https:// site.extension.uga.edu/ georgiagreen/
This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Pam Rentz. Pam lives in Roswell and has been a North Fulton Master Gardener since 2010. Along with a background in marketing communications for tech companies, she has a longtime passion for plants and our planet.
displace beneficial native species.
If you’re unsure if a plant has zombie potential, “Invasive Plants of the Southeast” (botgarden.uga.edu/ wp-content/uploads/2017/01/InvasiveSpecies-Brochure.pdf) is a handy guide produced by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance that lists the top 20 invasive species:
1. Chinese Privet, Ligustrum sinense
2. Nepalese Browntop, Microstegium vimineum
3. Autumn Olive, Elaeagnus umbellata
4. Chinese Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis & Japanese Wisteria, W. floribunda
5. Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin
6. Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica
7. Amur Honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii
8. Multiflora Rose, Rosa multiflora
9. Hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata
10. Kudzu, Pueraria montana
11. Golden Bamboo, Phyllostachys aurea
12. Oriental Bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus
13. English Ivy, Hedera helix
14. Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima
15.
Some other helpful resources include:
• Georgia’s Exotic Pest Plant Council list of non-native invasive plants: gaeppc.org/list/.
• What to Look For: wildspotter.org/ what-to-look-for.cfm, a collaborative project of the University of Georgia, Wildlife Forever, the USDA Forest Service, and others.
• Learn more about invasive species in Georgia at Invasive.org.
What are the best ways to get rid of invasive plants? The UGA Cooperative Extension Bulletin “Invasive Plants of Georgia Forests” (gatrees.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/02/InvasivePlants-of-Georgia-Forests.pdf) and “Managing Invasive Plants in the GA Piedmont” (https://athenslandtrust.org/ our-work/land-conservation/invasivespecies-guide/) have suggestions.
Remember that plants native to Georgia tend to perform better in our climate, require less maintenance and are more attractive to pollinators. If you’d like some good plant suggestions, “Invasive Plants of the Southeast” also has a helpful list of native groundcovers,
vines, shrubs, small and large trees recommended for the Southeast. (Hint: Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea is a recommended tree.)
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.
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“Enough is enough,” Bennett said in his response. “The GDOL needs to finally right its wrongs in this case, and the Board of Review now has a third opportunity to do so.”
Handle was fired from the Dunwoody Police Department in April 2020 for “police violation, due to dishonesty,” during an investigation into whether the officer used his patrol vehicle’s lights and sirens to speed through his neighborhood.
Bennett claims the ex-officer was fired after lying multiple times during an internal investigation and allegedly admitted to being untruthful in recorded interviews with superior officers.
However, Handle claims these accusations were false and he was fired in retaliation for speaking up about sexual assault and misconduct perpetrated and sanctioned by senior officers within the department.
In an email Thursday, Aug. 3,
Sue Bird (ID# 52636040) - Like her namesake, Sue Bird is a baller. She loves to fetch whatever you have. You can tell by her expressive face how much she wants to be loved. She was non- reactive with other dogs in adjacent runs. She’s definitely been a bit neglected and could use a good brushing. She will allow you to brush her for hours for just a small treat. In fact, she takes treats very gently and is eager to please. Sue Bird wants to be your forever friend. Can you come play a fun game of fetch with her?
Expand your family by 4 furry little
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state, and federal partners, are unwavering in our collective pursuit to eradicate this despicable activity from our community.”
One actively missing youth was also recovered in Georgia during the operation.
Dunwoody police spokesman Sgt. Michael Cheek said a juvenile female was taken from her home in the city after meeting a man on social media July 28.
The same day the girl went missing, officers involved in Operation Cross Country VIII tracked her and a 38-year-
feet; meet Sue Bird and have a loving friend forever. All adoptions include spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchip. If you would like more information about Sue Bird or if you have questions about adopting, fostering or volunteering please email adoption@dekalbanimalservices.com or call (404) 294-2165; all potential adopters will be screened to ensure Sue Bird goes to a good home. The shelter is full; foster or adopt to save a life and meet your new furry friend, stop by DeKalb County Animal Services.
old male suspect to Newport News, Va. Virgina police recovered the girl unharmed and arrested the suspect.
Cheek said the man will be extradited back to Georgia to face charges.
Across the nationwide operation, 200 sex trafficking victims were identified and located, and 68 suspects were arrested for sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses, FBI spokeswoman Jenna Sellitto said Aug. 1.
No further information on the operation was available, but authorities said their investigation in Georgia is ongoing.
“The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice,” Sellitto said.
Jim was born on April 26, 1965, in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from Crestwood High School in Roswell, GA, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Georgia State University and then received his MD from the Medical College of Georgia in 2000. He was a practicing Emergency Medicine physician for 23 years.
Jim is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Julie, and their three amazing children, James Patrick (J.P.), 21; Nicholas, 19; and Jenna, 16. He also leaves his mother, Evelyn Shanni; his two sisters Pamela (John Cummings) and Alison (Matthew James); nieces Avery, Josephine
Dunwoody Communications Director
Jennifer Boettcher said the city does not comment on employment claims.
City officials have also not commented on Handle’s accusations of retaliation, but an internal report released by the city in 2020 alleges internal strife within the department has been going on for years.
The report cited nearly 50 allegations of sexual harassment and professional misconduct against senior officers. Many of the allegations centered around former Lt. Fidel Espinoza, who resigned before the probe concluded in July 2020. Some officers said Espinoza had been harassing them for years.
Following the city’s appeal, Handle said even if the city’s appeal is granted, he isn’t going to stop fighting for his benefits and what he feels is right.
“I have no intention of giving up telling my story and telling the story of the people that were victimized in the City of Dunwoody,” he said. “Because now it's not about me winning $10,000 ... This is about me defending the right to have unemployment benefits.”
and Isabelle; and nephews Jake, Owen, Samuel, and Luke.
Jim is predeceased by his father, James J. Shanni.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Catholic Center at The University of Georgia ccatuga.org
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 4, at the University of Georgia Catholic Center at 11:00am. Interment will follow at Oconee Memorial Park in Watkinsville, GA. The family will receive friends at Lord & Stephens at 1211 Jimmy Daniel Rd, Watkinsville, GA 30677 on Thursday, August 3, from 6:00 - 8:00pm with a Rosary beginning at 7:30pm.
Lord and Stephens, West is in charge of arrangements.
www.lordandstephens.com
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.
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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.
