Dunwoody Crier - August 24, 2023

National Night Out moved to Sept. 14 because of weather

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police Department officials postponed their 14th Annual National Night Out until September after a dangerous weather delay in August.

The community-building and engagement opportunity will now be held at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 14, during the city’s Food Truck Thursdays event, officials said.

Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out is a yearly community-building campaign that allows citizens and public safety officials to meet, talk and learn from each other.

During the 2023 National Night Out, Dunwoody residents will meet Dunwoody Police Department employees and see police vehicles and equipment.

“The Dunwoody Police Department is proud to celebrate its 14th year participating in a community event that involves thousands of communities from all 50 states, United States territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide,” officials said. Brook Run Park is at 4770 N. Peachtree Road in Dunwoody. For more information about the National Night Out, please get in touch with Community Outreach Officer Mark Stevens at mark.stevens@dunwoodyga. gov.

— Alexander Popp

Dunwoody volleyball team wins Spikefest

► PAGE 3

Brook Run Park holiday display captures City Council attention

Officials also approve rules governing medical cannabis

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Amid soaring Georgia summer temperatures, Dunwoody city leaders are feeling the holiday spirit and planning for the city’s annual Holiday Lights event at Brook Run Park.

At the Aug. 14 Dunwoody City Council meeting, officials held a first discussion about bringing bright lights and snow to Brook Run Park throughout December.

“Believe it or not, it's 100 degrees outside, but we're talking about December events,” Dunwoody Parks and Recreation Director Brent Walker said.

Dunwoody city leaders have begun discussions about the annual Holiday Lights celebration held in Brook Run Park throughout December.

Georgia-based Chitwood Studios will produce the annual lights at the park and will have a “ski village” theme for 2023, Walker said. That means this year’s event will feature thousands of lights, several photo areas and a winter wonderland playground area, with a working “snow factory” and mounds of snow for kids to play on.

The park display is typically one of the most popular holiday events the city hosts, he said, and has historically drawn hundreds of families each night.

See CITY, Page 20

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Deputy Community Development Director Paul Leonhardt speaks to the Dunwoody City Council about medical cannabis ordinances at a meeting Aug. 14.

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Perimeter Mall worker reports sexual assault

DUNWOODY, Ga. — An employee of the LensCrafters Perimeter Mall store reported an unidentified suspect sexually assaulted her at the store Aug. 15.

Police said the employee was assaulted while opening the store when a man grabbed her from behind and groped her. She said the assault was unsolicited.

After the alleged assault, the suspect allegedly told the woman to “check out his Sound Cloud” account and left the scene.

The woman said the suspect may work at a nearby store, based on the uniform he was wearing.

Officers learned the suspect may have been involved in similar interactions with employees at the mall's Warby Parker and Build-a-Bear stores.

No suspect was immediately identified.

Police arrest two suspects after hit-and-run incident

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police arrested two men who allegedly fled the scene of a wreck at the Walmart on Ashford Dunwoody Road on Aug. 14.

Witnesses called 911 at about 3 p.m. after a Honda Civic struck a pole in the Walmart parking lot and fled the scene leaving their vehicle behind.

Officers found the men hiding behind a nearby gas station and determined they were both under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

After taking them into custody, officers located a small amount of marijuana and learned one of the men was

wanted for outstanding arrest warrants from the Jonesboro Police Department.

Officers arrested the vehicle’s 25-year-old passenger for possession of marijuana and charged the 45-year-old driver with DUI, reckless driving, hit and run and improper lane usage.

Both men were transported to the DeKalb County Jail without incident.

Storage unit customer reports items stolen

DUNWOODY, Ga. —Police reports said unidentified thieves recently burglarized a Dunwoody self-storage facility.

Officers responded to the Public Storage on Dunwoody Park at about 6 p.m. Aug. 14 after a victim discovered his unit had been pried open. The victim reported his storage locker was entered sometime between Aug. 11 and Aug. 14, and roughly $6,000 in cash, electronics and other items were stolen.

A lock on the victim’s storage unit was found intact, but the unit’s door showed signs someone had pried it open, reports said.

No suspects have been identified.

Hotel patron reports attempted robbery

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police are investigating an attempted armed robbery at the Crowne Plaza Hotel reported Aug. 13.

Police said a 37-year-old Atlanta man may have been held at gunpoint in the hotel’s first-floor public bathroom after a suspect followed him in from the underground parking garage. The suspect allegedly demanded money and appeared to be holding a gun in his pocket.

The victim was able to flee the bathroom unharmed and called 911 from the lobby area, but police were unable to locate the suspect.

Reports said police were able to get a photo of the suspect from security camera footage, but he was not positively identified.

Grocery shopper reports sexual assault in aisle

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported Aug. 7 that while shopping at Dollar Tree on Jones Bridge Road, she noticed an unidentified male rubbing up against her from behind in a sexual manner.

The woman said she pushed the man away and headed toward the front of the store where she alerted staff to the incident. The suspect left the store, according to the police report.

The store manager said he came out of his office as the suspect exited the store’s front door and saw him get into a vehicle, the report said. The description of the vehicle was redacted on the police report, but the manager said he believed the suspect headed east on Abbotts Bridge Road.

Police viewed the surveillance footage and captured an image of the suspect. The scene was turned over to detectives.

Online marketing scam takes woman for $1,169

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported to police Aug. 9 that she fell victim to fraud after attempting to sell an item on Facebook Marketplace. The victim said a woman offered to purchase the item for $1,350 and sent the money through Venmo. But when the victim tried to verify whether the transaction was complete, she saw the money was on hold, the police report said.

The suspect told the victim the money was on hold because she did not have a business account, the report said, but that the account could be expanded if there was an additional $650 payment. The suspect said she sent the additional money and was reimbursed by the victim. The victim also sent another $500 through Zelle to a different account provided by the suspect.

By the end of the exchange, the victim was out $1,169 which included fees.

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.

TO THE CRIER,

I am writing in response to the August 3, 2023 letter discussing the City of Dunwoody's August 2 Senator Fran Millar Day:

In the 25 years plus I've known Sen. Fran Millar I have found him to be unfailingly kind, compassionate, competent and honest. Fran has served as both representative and senator in the Georgia General Assembly and worked across the aisle for the benefit of both the City of Dunwoody and DeKalb County. This includes working with DeKalb's CEOs, including CEO Michael Thurmond. Few may know Fran championed to change

The Dunwoody High School Varsity Volleyball team celebrates after winning first place at the 2023 Spikefest held Aug. 12. Front row from left, Manager Jonah Willard, Haley Baron, Caroline Samuelson, Alexis Stidsen, Sophia Lima and Carlota Kile. Back row from left, Manager Megan Liu, Brea Tiller, Natlaie Duke, Ella Johnson, McKenna Willard, Kate Keskonis, Nelly Lilic, Judy Goodchild, Riley Casey, Emily Edwards, Gabriela Sarmiento and Coach Julie Davis

Dunwoody volleyball team wins Spikefest

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The Dunwoody High School varsity volleyball team came in 1st place after beating out all challengers during the 2023 Spikefest tournament held in Tucker Aug. 12.

During the weekend tournament, the Lady Wildcats defeated teams from Miller Grove, Tucker, Decatur and Lakeside, and only dropped one set during the contests.

Senior Captains Judy Goodchild and Caroline Samuelson led the team.

“It was a great team effort all day and

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Istanbul

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an awesome start to the season,” Whitney Samuelson said in an email to the Crier.

The Dunwoody High School volleyball team will have its first home game of the 2023-24 season Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. They will face Alpharetta and Milton.

Georgia's flag, for which he was recognized by the Georgia NAACP, and served on the commission to establish MLK's statue on Georgia's Capitol grounds. Moreover, Rep. Millar worked with Sen. Dan Weber to enact legislation enabling the vote to create the City of Dunwoody. Absent Fran's efforts, there would be no City of Dunwoody. For the City of Dunwoody to name one day as Senator Fran Millar Day in recognition of his service is more than appropriate.

Bob Dallas Dunwoody

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.

Rules 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.

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You talk, we listen.

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New mural unveiled at Dunwoody Village

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody city leaders unveiled a new public mural at Dunwoody Village during a ceremony held Aug. 15. The mural, “Good Vibes,” was created by artist Ashley Bingham and can be seen in the

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Dunwoody Village Courtyard next to Morty’s Meat & Supply on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. David Abes commissioned the mural, officials said.

— Alexander Popp

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A Place for ALL Jews

Property owners may face tax hike in Sandy Springs

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs city leaders are poised to approve a millage rate for 2023 that will increase property taxes for some residents.

Following initial public hearings in August, elected officials have tentatively approved a property tax rate of 4.731 mills. No public comments were shared during the first hearings.

A final hearing was scheduled for Aug. 22 prior to a formal City Council vote on the millage rate.

Sandy Spring’s millage rate is capped by city charter at 4.731 mills. With property values generally increasing each year, the city could roll back the tax rate to generate the same revenues as the prior year, or it can maintain the same millage rate, which

generally brings in more money because property values have risen.

At the Aug. 15 public hearing, City Manager Eden Freeman said staff considered a revenue-neutral rate of 4.3808 mills. But the city would miss out on more than $3.5 million in revenues with the rollback rate, so it was not recommended, Freeman said.

Although many residents will pay more in taxes this year, officials stressed the city’s homestead exemption will ensure the increase isn’t too sizeable.

Homes with a fair market value of $500,000 and a homestead exemption should expect to pay about $65 more in city property taxes in 2023. For non-homestead properties, the increase will be about $70.

“Regardless of what happened to somebody's property value, if it went up a lot, the most their Sandy Springs

tax could go up is 3 percent,” City Councilman Andy Bauman said.

While residents have received their 2023 property tax assessment notices, the Fulton County Tax Commissioner's office has yet to finalize the tax digest.

Once those numbers are finalized, Sandy Springs residents should expect to see their property tax bill in the mail, officials said.

Milton artist’s creations mark 50 years of hip-hop

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — DL Warfield might be known as “coach” to many in the area, but to others he’s the cover art designer of OutKast’s acclaimed “ATLiens” and “Aquemini” studio albums and dozens more from other well-known hip-hop artists.

Warfield, a Milton resident and human hip-hop encyclopedia, has a stylish confidence. When out and about, he sports one of his 15 wide-brimmed hats and patterned eye glasses, standing out in the crowd much like his iconic artwork.

“My trademark as a creative person is thinking differently at the drop of a dime,” Warfield said.

He aims to disrupt stereotypes, epitomized in his decision to pull inspiration from Spaghetti Westerns for T.I. and the Hustle Gang’s 2017 compilation album “We Want Smoke.”

Long before he became a youth football and track coach or helped brand Cambridge and Milton high schools, Warfield used his background in fine arts to create packaging for Atlanta hip-hop artists. The sensibilities he developed as a breakdancer in the early ’80s on the streets of St. Louis had their place, too.

In 1995, he became the creative director for LaFace Records, once home to artists like OutKast, T.I. and Goodie Mob. Some of their album covers, designed by Warfield, are hanging on the walls of the Atlanta mayor’s office downtown in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th year. They will be available for viewing until October.

Appen Media joined Warfield in his Alpharetta studio, where he was in the midst of adding warm colors with a long paint brush to a piece for a retrospective show to be held in St. Louis.

The space had some of his older work, like the original painting for OutKast’s single “Elevators (Me & You),” tucked away in a side room. But many pieces, propped along the wall, were part of his new series “CYPHERS.” Large wooden wheels, some with rotating pieces, painted and printed in mostly black and white, moving bodies forming kaleidoscopic patterns.

Warfield’s latest hip-hop infused collection materializes the inner workings of a cypher – a tight circle of individuals where someone might step into the middle to rap or breakdance with a competitive spirit.

Warfield said cyphers are a place where rappers “exchange ideas and flows,” where some five B-Boys “keep going and going and going.” From a bird’s

eye view of a cypher, he said angles appear and present as sacred geometry, patterns present in all of nature.

“That's not by mystery, that's designed on purpose,” Warfield said.

One of his intentions with “CYPHERS” is to create an air of mystery before a big reveal. From a distance, viewers see abstraction and it isn’t until

they inch closer that they digest the event, the intensity of graffiti, dancers.

“I've always thought about, like, visually, ‘How can I elevate breakdancing in a way that it feels like fine art?’” Warfield said.

While a location has not yet been decided, he anticipates an exhibition for “CYPHERS” to be held in early 2024.

Warfield said hip-hop, like many other pop culture movements, is a movement started by those with lesser means. From there, he said the music took on a life of its own, but to him Atlanta’s hiphop scene is special.

“Atlanta separated themselves by being non-traditional, not trying to be like anybody else,” he said.

Warfield and his wife Lisa, both from the Midwest, knew they would move to the Georgia capital because of its reputation as a place where a young Black man could go and find success. But what cemented the move, Warfield said, was listening to OutKast’s song “Player’s Ball,” produced by Organized Noize.

“When I first heard that song, I was like ‘Jesus Christ, what is this?,’” he said. “It sounded like some place I gotta go and be around.”

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Above: DL Warfield, Milton resident, accompanies a piece from his new hiphop infused series “CYPHERS.” At left: An exhibit of DL Warfield’s album art will be available at the Atlanta mayor’s office until October. Warfield was responsible for designing album covers like OutKast’s “ATLiens.”

Lemonade stand prospers at Alpharetta Farmers Market

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Cooper Garrison-Brook, a 12-yearold Johns Creek student, began selling lemonade to raise money for a new computer. Now, he has dedicated the weekly stand to helping those in need.

In May 2021, Cooper said he slipped while exiting the school bus and dropped his laptop, which broke on the pavement. Cooper, who was 10 years old, sought an enterprising way to earn money for a replacement.

That summer, he and his parents opened the first Lemonade with a Purpose booth at the Alpharetta Farmers Market.

His father Dan Brook is a partner in Bagel Boys Cafe, another local business. Dan said Bagel Boys owner John Lamb had provided the family some supplies for a test run at the market.

“Now it's become sort of a family thing where we all look forward to the time together on Saturday and doing it together,” Dan said.

While the lemonade stand began as a way for Cooper to earn money, sales continued to grow. By the summer’s end, the family decided to make Lemonade with a Purpose a staple at the market.

“We have had lots of people tell us it’s the best lemonade they have ever had,” Cooper said.

The purpose

Staying true to its name, Lemonade with a Purpose donates more than a third of its profits to charity. Its current recipients are the Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center, Discovering My Purpose and Save the Children.

Cooper’s mother, Laura Garrison-Brook, is the president and CEO of Discovering My Purpose, a nonprofit that provides resources and programs for young people.

Ultimately, Laura said Cooper chose the three groups because he is passionate about them. While the family volunteers at the market to keep the booth running, she and Dan said Lemonade with a Purpose is Cooper’s idea, from concept to execution.

“This is a big endeavor for our family,” she said. “And it's about helping Cooper connect to what lights him up, helping him connect to a sense of, ‘I have the ability to make a difference in the world,’ his own sense of agency.”

In its first year, the booth donated $1,555 to charity. To date, it has given more than $6,800. The booth’s cash tips sponsor Shihab, a boy in Bangladesh who is around Cooper’s age.

With the profits from the booth’s second year, Cooper and his family volunteered at the Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center in the Amazon rainforest in Peru for a week.

“I wanted to give back to the community,” Cooper said. “Obviously, everyone in the farmers market is what's fueling this business, so I felt wrong to just take for myself. I had to give back.”

The process

Much like the concept of Lemonade with a Purpose, the lemonade itself is also a product of Cooper’s mind. He said he spent weeks studying and testing recipes to find the perfect blend to sell at the market on Saturdays.

The process starts on Wednesday or Thursday, when Bermet, an exchange student from Kyrgyzstan whom Cooper considers his sister, makes a simple syrup base. Before, Cooper and his family would hand-squeeze the lemons, a process that takes between four and five hours.

The family has since invested in a commercial juicer, which expedites the process. They work through Friday to prepare the lemonade and watermelon puree. The juices are packed that evening and ready for the market in the morning.

At the farmers market booth, customers can choose from blueberry, mango, peach, pina colada, raspberry, strawberry and watermelon lemonade.

The booth also has weekly specials, like peach tea. Customers can add lemon, lime or grapefruit sparkling water or flavored popping pearls to their lemonade for $1 extra. Prices range from $5 to $7.

Cooper said the work is sometimes tiring, but he enjoys his seasonal business venture because it allows him to meet people and feel like he is a part of the community. On the side, he also works at a summer camp.

“I've just been having fun with it,” he said. “That's the whole goal, is having fun at this point.”

With two summers under his belt and a successful third in progress, Cooper has no plans to stop selling his lemonade. While he said he may try to expand one day,

for now, he is content.

Cooper said he and his family are considering finding other families to sell his lemonade at other local markets. Until then, Lemonade with a Purpose can be found at the Alpharetta Farmers Market.

The market runs April through November from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays in downtown Alpharetta. The market will start at 9:30 a.m. in November.

“It's been a really good experience for our family to do this together and do something that gives back and at the same time, gives him a good experience,” Dan said.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Cooper Garrison-Brook, center, runs Lemonade with a Purpose on Saturdays at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. From left, Cooper’s grandmother Cindy, mother Laura, father Dan and exchange student Bermet, whom Cooper considers a sister, volunteer at the booth.

Lemonade with a Purpose volunteer Laura GarrisonBrook pours lemonade for a customer Aug. 12 at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. More than a third of the booth’s profits are donated to charity.

“I’ve just been having fun with it. That’s the whole goal, is having fun at this point.”

COOPER GARRISON-BROOK Founder of

Lemonade

with a Purpose

Sandy Springs expands district allowing open alcohol containers

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A policy allowing patrons to drink outdoors at City Springs events in Sandy Springs got an upgrade this week when officials voted to expand the city’s open container ordinance.

The move comes as Sandy Springs leaders prepare for construction on the next phase of the City Springs campus and plan for how the larger development will be used in the future.

“As the City Springs district evolves, we identified a need to expand the open container district boundary,” Assistant City Manager Kristin Byars Smith said at the Aug. 15 City Council meeting.

The city’s open container ordinance, initially approved in 2017, allowed alcohol consumption in a multi-block area largely within Roswell Road, Johnson Ferry Road, Sandy Springs Circle and Mt. Vernon Highway.

But Smith said the new boundary now includes city-owned parcels around the Heritage Sandy Springs Museum and Park, Hilderbrand Drive and several properties south of Mt. Vernon Highway.

“We tried to think carefully about where events would be happening, where folks would be walking and that sort of thing,” she said.

The ordinance change will only apply to licensed sellers of alcohol within the City Springs footprint and will only take effect when city events are being held, and the right of way for roads has been closed.

“So, it’s an official city event, the right of way has been closed, that’s when this kicks in,” District 1 Councilman John Paulson said. “And if that’s not the case, you can’t just go wander around on a Thursday night, crossing the street (with alcohol).”

The updated ordinance goes into effect immediately, just in time for late-summer, early-fall events.

“For instance, we have our upcoming Bluestone Art Music Festival that’s Sept. 29th and 30th,” Smith said. “This will be in effect for that event.”

After a brief discussion, the ordinance was approved 6-0, with Mayor Rusty Paul absent.

Trail funding approved

Also at the meeting, the City Council accepted a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that will help fund the local sections of the PATH 400 trail.

In April 2022, Sandy Springs applied for more than $12 million in funding from HUD’s multi-billion dollar Economic Development initiative, which was needed to complete the 1.8-mile, multi-use trail from Buckhead into the Perimeter District.

But this year, the city learned it will receive a substantially smaller grant amount —a little more than 6 percent of what it had sought, Public Works Director Marty Martin said.

“This grant does not require a local match,” Martin said. “So, the $750,000 goes directly into the funds available to render the project.”

Despite that much smaller grant amount, Martin said they are confident they can fully fund the project through local sources and Atlanta Regional Commission funding.

“We think, possibly, one more phase after this year… to execute the project,” Martin said. “It depends a lot on the funding pace and the funding schedule within Atlanta Regional Commission as they try to satisfy all requests in a particular fiscal year.”

Atlanta officials are working on several pieces of the PATH 400 project now, and

Sandy Springs officials expect to complete their 1.8-mile portion in sections as funding becomes available.

“The project marches forward toward us,” Martin said.

Meanwhile, Martin said city leaders

should expect an updated, phased approach schedule in the coming year.

“I think it’s a great project,” District 4 Councilwoman Jody Reichel said. “I love riding up (Ga. 400), seeing people on their bikes and walking on the paths.”

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

A map shows the expanded borders of Sandy Springs’ open container district, which is centered around the City Springs campus. City leaders voted to expand the district at a meeting Aug. 15.

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Milton man sentenced in Jan. 6 attack on U.S. Capitol

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat

ATLANTA – A Georgia man has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison for assaulting a law enforcement officer during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Bruno Cua, 21, of Milton, also received 36 months of supervised release July 26 from U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss.

According to stipulated facts, Cua and his parents attended the rally at the Washington Monument that day, then walked to the Capitol. After arriving there, Cua separated from his parents and entered the building armed with the type of baton police typically carry.

After reaching the doors to the Senate Gallery, he assaulted a Capitol Police officer trying to lock the doors by violently shoving him. The officer Cua attacked and fellow officers on the scene retreated from the doors without locking them.

After rushing into the Senate Gallery, Cua jumped to the floor of the chamber, walked to the dais, and sat in the vice

president’s chair with his feet propped up on the desk. He was escorted out of the chamber by law enforcement personnel.

Before the attack, Cua made multiple statements on social media about his plans to violently interrupt the proceedings certifying the election of Democrat Joe Biden to the presidency over incumbent Republican Donald Trump.

After Jan. 6, Cua admitted on social media that he took part in the attack using violence and that more violence might be necessary in the future.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Atlanta field office, working with the federal agency’s Washington, D.C., field office and the Capitol Police.

During the 30 months since the attack, at least 1,070 have been arrested in all 50 states. More than 350 have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

Police arrest two juveniles linked to armed robberies

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. —Sandy Springs police have arrested two juvenile suspects after a series of armed robberies in the city.

Sandy Springs Police Chief Ken DeSimone announced his officers arrested two female juveniles Sunday, July 16, in connection with a spree of pedestrian robberies the week before. Officers are searching for a male juvenile suspect in connection the cases, he said.

All three suspects were connected to five armed robbery cases in the city, Sgt. Matthew McGinnis of the Sandy Springs Police Department said.

However, the case numbers associated with the incidents do not appear in the police department’s Police2Citizen incident search page, so no information was available on

when or where the robberies occurred.

McGinnis said Friday, July 21, he did not know why these cases were not found in the system.

Police investigators are working with other law enforcement agencies to determine whether the suspects are responsible for robberies in other jurisdictions.

The two arrested suspects are being held in the Regional Youth Detention Center without bond on multiple armed robbery charges. McGinnis said additional charges are pending.

Police declined Appen Media’s requests for more information on the arrests, instead issuing a brief Facebook statement and directing the media to the department’s open records office.

Open records requests for documents in the cases were not immediately available.

In a complaint filed Jan. 29, 2021, the FBI released a reporter’s video still shot of a person they believe to be Bruno Cua walking inside the Senate Chamber during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by protesters.

Fulton County grand jury hands Trump fourth indictment

By Dave Williams Capitol Beat News Service

ATLANTA – A Fulton County grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump Aug. 14, charging the Republican with trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia that saw Joe Biden become the first Democrat to carry the Peach State since 1992.

Monday’s indictment was the fourth for Trump, following federal charges arising from his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and his retaining of classified government documents at his Mar-aLago club in Florida after leaving office. He also is accused in a New York case of paying hush money to ex-porn actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign to cover up a sexual relationship.

Unlike the other cases, the Fulton County indictment was wide ranging, naming 18 other defendants and covering 41 counts. The list of defendants includes former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, formerly Trump’s personal lawyer; Mark Meadows, who served as the former president’s chief of staff; former Georgia Republican Chairman David Shafer; and state Sen. Shawn Still, R-Norcross.

Charges listed on the indictment included violation of Georgia’s RICO law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), submitting false documents and false statements, forgery, conspiracy to commit election fraud, and perjury. The RICO charge, which was leveled against all 19 defendants, carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years.

While the other cases against Trump were narrowly focused on specific incidents, the 97-page Georgia indictment encompassed several episodes. The list includes then-President Trump’s phone call asking Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger at the beginning of January 2021 to “find” 11,780 votes, the margin Trump needed to overcome Biden’s vote count in Georgia.

The indictment also cited a meeting of “fake” Republican electors inside the state Capitol in December 2020 to certify Trump as the winner of Georgia’s 16 electoral votes rather than Biden, presentations Giuliani made to state lawmakers – also in December 2020 – leveling false allegations of election fraud, and a data breach at the elections office in Coffee County.

“Rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn

Indictment names local figures

The Fulton County grand jury indictment includes several local political and legal figures.

The list includes:

State Sen. Shawn

Still, who represents portions of Fulton and south Forsyth

Georgia’s presidential election results,” Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis told reporters after the indictments were unsealed.

Trump took to his social media website to blast the indictments as politically motivated by Willis, a Democrat, while sticking to his claim that he won the election in Georgia.

“[The] only election interference that took place in Fulton County was done by those that rigged and stole

counties; Harrison Floyd, who ran as a Republican candidate for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District in 2020; and Robert Cheeley, an Alpharetta-based attorney.

Still’s attorney, Tom Bever, told Appen Media Aug. 17 the first-term senator is innocent of all charges. Floyd and Cheeley could not be reached for comment on the indictment.

the election, not by me,” he wrote. Willis took exception to Trump’s accusations.

“I make decisions in this office based on the facts and the law,” she said. “The law is nonpartisan.”

The grand jury had not been expected to act on Monday, as some final witnesses had been summoned to testify on Tuesday, including former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. Instead, Duncan, who has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics among Georgia Re -

publicans, spent more than an hour testifying early Monday evening.

“I was honored to answer their questions to the best of my ability,” he said shortly after completing his testimony.

The grand jury also heard Monday from two Georgia Democrats, former state Rep. Bee Nguyen and former state Sen. Jen Jordan. Both ran unsuccessfully for statewide office last year, Nguyen for secretary of state and Jordan for attorney general.

“No individual is above the law,” Nguyen said after giving her testimony. “I believe that every individual who wrongfully and illegally tried to overturn our valid elections should be held accountable.”

Willis said she will give the defendants until noon Aug. 25 to turn themselves in. She said she plans to try all 19 at the same time.

While the timetable for that trial is up to the judge, Willis said she will ask for the case to be heard within the next six months.

CAPITOL BEAT/PROVIDED

Former President Donald Trump speaks to a crowd during a visit to Atlanta in July 2020.

ALPHARETTA FOOD TRUCK ALLEY

What: Kick off the weekend a little early at Alpharetta’s Food Truck Alley. Culinary options include more than 10 food trucks every fourth Thursday of the month until October, offering a diverse range of cuisine types. This is a family-friendly event, with limited seating available and will feature live music each month. It is recommended that attendees bring a blanket or chair and leave pets at home for these events.

When: Thursday, Aug. 24, 5-9 p.m.

Where: Old Roswell Street, 37 Old Roswell, Alpharetta

More info: facebook.com/foodtruckalley

OPENING RECEPTION: BEYOND TRANSPARENCY

What: “Beyond Transparency” is an exhibition of local artists, emerging to professional, presenting a myriad of glass arts. Works in mosaic, stained, blown, lampworked and fused glass will be shown. The exhibit will be on display during normal operating hours from Aug. 26 to Sept. 28.

When: Friday, Aug. 25, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Roswell Visual Arts Center, 10495 Woodstock Road, Roswell

More info: roswellgov.com

MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT:

‘THE LION KING’

What: Bring a picnic or choose your dinner from a food truck and enjoy “The Lion King” on the big screen at this free event. The movie begins after sunset.

When: Friday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m.

Where: Heritage Amphitheater Lawn, 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

GEORGIA AUDUBON

SOCIETY BIRD WALK

What: Learn about Georgia’s birds from Atlanta Audubon’s volunteer field trip leaders. All walks are free and open to the public, but please register. If you need to borrow a pair of binoculars, contact the field trip leader or the Dunwoody Nature Center in advance, and they should be able to loan you a pair.

When: Saturday, Aug. 26, 8-10 a.m.

Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody

More info: dunwoodynature.org

GEORGIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BIRD WALK

What: Learn about Georgia’s birds from Atlanta Audubon’s volunteer field trip leaders. All walks are free and open to the public, but please register. If you need to borrow a pair of binoculars, contact the field trip leader or the Dunwoody Nature Center in advance, and they should be able to loan you a pair.

When: Saturday, Aug. 26, 8-10 a.m.

Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody

More info: dunwoodynature.org

MILTON FARMERS MARKET

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. 26, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.

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

RIVERSOUND SOUNDS: JAKE LA

BOTZ

What: Grab your lawn chairs, blankets and friends for a night along the banks of the Chattahoochee River, filled with music from singer-songwriter Jake La Botz. Guests are invited to bring their own food and beverages, but there will also be food and drink vendors onsite, while supplies last.

When: Saturday, Aug. 26, 7-9 p.m.

Where: Riverside Park, 575 Riverside

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.

Road, Roswell More info: roswellgov.com

BJ WILBANKS

What: Georgia-based BJ Wilbanks’s exploration of love and the pursuit of enlightenment has been referred to as “Back Porch Soul,” fusing the musical roots of Americana, Motown and Delta Blues into a blend of Southern Rock.

When: Saturday, Aug. 26, 8-10 p.m.

Where: Matilda’s Music Under the Pines, 850 Hickory Flat Road, Milton Cost: $28.50

More info: matildasmusicvenue.com

ARTIST RECEPTION FOR DIANA TOMA

What: This reception is for the latest exhibit in the rotating gallery at Sandy Springs City Hall, featuring the work of Diana Toma until early November. Toma, an instructor at the Abernathy Arts Center, also painted a mural inside the Sandy Springs Library.

When: Tuesday, Aug. 29, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Sandy Springs City Hall, 1

easy

Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT: ‘THE BAD GUYS’

What: Bring a picnic or choose your dinner from a food truck and enjoy “The Bad Guys” on the big screen at this free event. The movie begins after sunset.

When: Friday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.

Where: Heritage Amphitheater Lawn, 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

ROTARY CLUB OF ALPHARETTA

CONCERT SERIES: FLUXCAPACITOR

What: Held on the Town Green, this Alpharetta Rotary concert will feature the opening band School of Rock. Fluxcapacitor, an ’80s cover band, will follow.

When: Friday, Sept. 1, 7-10 p.m.

Where: Town Green, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta

More info: facebook.com/ RotaryClubAlpharetta

ALPHARETTA-ROSWELL HERALD | FORSYTH HERALD | JOHNS CREEK HERALD MILTON HERALD | DUNWOODY CRIER | SANDY SPRINGS CRIER

Delivering Readers Award-Winning Newspapers

2022 Georgia Press Association

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2nd – Special Issues/Sections

2nd – Business Writing

3rd – Business Writing

3rd – Page One

3rd – Locals News Coverage

3rd – Spot News Photograph

3rd – Breaking News Writing

3rd – Lifestyle Feature Column

2022 Association of Community Publishers

1st – Orig. Editorial Photo Sports

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2nd – Front Page Special Section

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From exhaustion to empowerment: Conquering caregiver stress

to you by - Line Fleming, Staff Therapist at Summit Counseling Center

We hear a lot about someone going through a medical or mental health issue. We hear about their symptoms, how they affect them, and treatments they implement to improve their health.

But what about the caregiver helping with their recovery? The caregiver is the person experiencing the issues with you and providing care needs, and it can be short-term or life-long depending on the situation.

Caregiver stress is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion caregivers experience.

As a caregiver, you can become so focused about providing care for your loved one that you forget about yourself, putting your physical health and well-being in jeopardy. It's important to be aware of how you're feeling physically and emotionally, and to listen to others if they recognize that your health is suffering.

Signs of caregiver stress:

• Feeling overwhelmed and worried

• Not getting enough sleep

• Isolating from others

• Neglecting daily activities

• Becoming easily irritated

• Feeling sad

Ways to cope with caregiver stress:

• Focus on what you can provide. Delegate some tasks to others.

• Establish a daily routine. Make a list of what needs to be done.

• Be intentional about self-care. Do one thing daily that rejuvenates you.

• Take a break! It is okay to accept help and take a “time out” from your caregiver duties.

Caring for a loved one who needs you is both rewarding and stressful. As your role as caregiver evolves, it's natural to experience a mix of emotions and stressors. It's important to recognize them to be proactive with helping yourself. A healthy and happy caregiver is better for you and your loved one!

Brought

Shirley Peters Pruitt, memories of DeWald’s Alley

In February of 2023 I wrote about DeWald’s Alley, a community of Black families who lived off Barfield Road from the 1920s until the early 1970s. Shirley Pruitt contacted me to share her story, because she and her family lived there. Pruitt was born Shirley Peters in 1941 at Grady Hospital. She left Sandy Springs for many years but returned and lives there today.

The Peters family included seven boys and one girl, Shirley. There were eight homes at DeWald’s Alley. Some of the houses were set up for two families, and Shirley Pruitt’s family shared one side of their home with her aunt’s family for a while before using both sides.

Residents of DeWald’s Alley rented from Clyde and Susie DeWald, who lived nearby on Spruill Road, later known as Meadow Lane Road. Susie DeWald would go door to door collecting rent each month. The houses of DeWald’s Alley had outhouses, no electricity, and well water. Pumps were eventually installed.

Ms. Pruitt’s family planted a garden each year by their house. She remembers as a child going to Burdette’s Store at Mount Vernon Road and Roswell Road to buy groceries. She also recalls going with her father to a Spruill farm where Perimeter Mall is today for butter and buttermilk.

When she was 5 years old, Ms. Pruitt started school at the community’s church, known as Mt. Mary’s Baptist Church. The church was a wooden building, painted white, and located on Mt. Vernon Highway. Her grandfather, Will Peters, helped build the church. There had been both a school and church, but the school building burned down.

When the church membership had fallen to only five people, it moved to Lynwood Park in Brookhaven. Then, the children of DeWald’s Alley, including Shirley Pruitt, were bused to the Alpharetta Colored School. Due to segregation, the children were not permitted to attend nearby Hammond or Morgan Falls School. They were bused to a school that would have been at least a 15-mile trip before Ga. 400 existed.

The children’s teachers, Ms. Hambrick and Ms. Jones, went to the new school also. While Pruitt was attending the school, the school’s name was changed to Bailey Johnson. Bailey Johnson was the only school for Black children in north Fulton County. The last class to graduate from the school was in 1967.

All these schools, including Mt. Mary’s, were part of the Fulton County School System. In the school archives of the county, records indicate that Mt. Mary’s School

was in a church building. Some of the other schools that Black children attended were also in churches.

Other Black children in the area, who did not live on DeWald’s Alley, attended Mt. Mary School. Those families included the

Brown, Evans, Martin and Lucas families. The Evans children were cousins of Shirley Pruitt, and the family lived where Glenridge and Mount Vernon Road meet. The Lucas family lived on Meadow Lane.

The Fulton County Superintendent’s

Annual Report reveals the inequities of the time. There was one teacher at Mt. Mary during the 1929-1930 school year, and she earned $660 for the year. Hammond School had six women teachers who earned $1,434 each. (Fulton County School Archives)

During the 1948-1949 school year, Mt. Mary’s had two teachers for 51 children. Nearby Morgan Falls School had 12 teachers for 130 children.

At the age of 13, Shirley Pruitt had a terrifying experience. A White family that lived near where Johnson’s Ferry meets the Chattahoochee River was asking around for a babysitter. She went with the father of the family to their property and the man attempted to assault her. Fortunately, after a long struggle she was able to fight him off and escape.

There would have been no protection or recourse from the legal system at that time for Shirley Pruitt or her family. The family no longer felt safe and moved to Roswell. After the family moved, Pruitt needed to see a dentist for a filling, but no dentist in Roswell would take a Black patient. She ended up going to a Norcross dentist, who said she must enter through a back door. Then, when he administered Novocain, he struck a nerve causing permanent damage to her face.

Shirley Pruitt’s grandparents lived on the property of Dr. Griffith on Heard’s Ferry Road, where her grandfather worked. The couple had 10 children, plus they raised a grandchild on the property.

Ms. Pruitt remembers learning to drive a Dodge straight shift on Barfield Road, a dirt road at the time.

Shirley Peters later married Lugene Pruitt, and they had four children. After the marriage ended in divorce, Shirley Pruitt moved back to Sandy Springs.

While living in Roswell, her oldest son played basketball at Roswell High School, and her youngest child Denny was the mascot. Later, after moving to Sandy Springs, Denny played basketball at North Springs High School. During his time playing on the team from 9th to 12th grade, in the mid-1980s, he was the only Black player. Ms. Pruitt went to all his games. As a senior in 1988, Denny Pruitt was nominated to the McDonalds’s All-American Team.

I am grateful to Shirley Pruitt for reaching out to me and sharing her story of living at DeWald’s Alley in Sandy Springs. This history can be preserved thanks to Ms. Pruitt.

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.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Columnist

SHIRLEY PRUITT/PROVIDED

This Atlanta Journal Dec. 17, 1987 clipping from Shirley Pruitt’s mementos includes her son Denny Pruitt, far left, during his years playing basketball at North Springs High School.

PROVIDED

At left, Ms. Pruitt's brother-in-law Clarence Pruitt, and on the right her cousin A.C. Peters stand in this DeWald's Alley photo from the 2017 Sandy Springs Gazette.

Authors can trigger a variety of emotions

My two recent reads evoked different emotions — one book was entertaining, while the other was thought-provoking. I found one delightful and the other distressing. Perhaps I should have read them in reverse order, so that I could more easily dispel the cloud created by the second one.

“The Girl Who Knew Too Much” by Amanda

Quick

Amanda Quick is a new author for me, and this book, the first in her Burning Cove series, was a great place to start. Set in the 1930s in an exclusive hotel near Hollywood, California, it entertained me with its spunky heroine and a few mystery men.

Rookie reporter Irene is on the scene for a murder or two and, of course, uses her investigative skills

to ferret out the murderer and get the story. Along the way, Hollywood moguls and others try to shut down her investigation, but she has no plans to stop.

It's an intriguing mystery with a bit of romance thrown in, and there's more than one mystery solved by the time it's over. I enjoyed the way the author slowly revealed the backgrounds of the main characters as the story progressed. Wanting to know more about each of them was a big reason that I found this book to be a page-turner. I wanted to learn their secrets as much as I wanted to find out who the villain was – and the villain was a shocker.

I highly recommend this book, but I suggest you be prepared to stay up late several nights to finish it. I sure did. This next novel will also keep you awake at night, but for different reasons.

“I have some questions for you” by Rebecca Makkai

I've been struggling to put words to

how I feel about this book. It is unquestionably a well-written crime tale, one set in a New England boarding school.

Finally, I found an NPR review that captured its essence:

"This is a dark, uncomfortable story about murder, racism, sexual abuse, grief, the nature of collective memory, privilege, the way humans want to be at the center of tragedy even when they're not, and feeling like an outsider."

The story centers on a crime committed in 1995 at the school, the murder of a promising senior girl. Twenty years later, Bodie Kane, the girl's roommate, answers the call to teach two short mid-semester courses at her alma mater.

Even before she gets there, the question tormented her: Did they convict the right person? What follows is Bode working her way backward and forward as she examines what she remembers, what she may have blocked, and what she could have done differently. Mixed in with the crime at the center of the novel

are references to the oh-so many crimes against women that we are now accustomed to hearing about.

It's a thought-provoking book, not just as you try to determine whodunit, but also as you consider today's social environment. What I found most horrifying — yes, horrifying – were the descriptions of what teenage boys said and did to their female classmates in 1995. Do the sexual insults and accusations hurled by these young men have any basis in reality? If so, today’s teenagers inhabit a different world than the one I grew up in. "Dark" is a word that comes to mind as I attempt to describe this book, but somehow, that doesn't begin to touch it.

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/.

B

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

The early history of firefighting in Alpharetta

The current hot summer is an appropriate time to write about firefighters because of risks due to weather.

Firefighters’ gear is hot in the winter and dangerously hot in summer when every 15 or 20 minutes firefighters must be replaced by a fresh team so they can hydrate and cool off before going back to fighting a blaze. A special rehab vehicle is an important part of keeping firefighters cool. In this column we are going to highlight the early history of the Alpharetta Fire Department which today is part of the Alpharetta Public Safety Department headed by John Robison.

The five fire departments in North Fulton County are Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs. Each department has more than one location, and all departments help each other when there are major fires or other catastrophes. Alpharetta has six fire stations.

In the early 1940s, Alpharetta was a town of about 300 people and had no fire department. When a fire broke out, there was little to be done except to rely on ineffective bucket brigades. During World War ll, the Federal Office of Civil Defense donated some surplus firefighting equipment to the city so it could protect civilians in a war emergency. The equipment sat in the Milton County Courthouse unused. In 1944, two local businessmen, Ben and Loyal Brady, who owned a small Chevrolet dealership, gas station, repair shop and taxi business in downtown Alpharetta, worked with the local Civil Defense Council to access the stored equipment. The brothers bought a Dodge military truck for $200 from the Fort McPherson surplus yard in southwest Atlanta, today the location of Tyler Perry Studios. The truck was modified to accept a pump from the courthouse equipment. The brothers bought a 500-gallon water tank which Loyal welded onto the chassis. Hooks to hold ladders, a hose box, a siren and a coat of red paint were added, and Alpharetta had its first fire engine.

Ben Brady became Alpharetta’s first fire chief. Loyal was assistant chief. They kept the truck in Brady’s repair shop, and if a fire occurred, volunteer garage mechanics would jump aboard with Ben or Loyal and

ATLANTA CONSTITUTION/PROVIDED

On Sept. 7, 1964, an Alpharetta fire truck was responding to a request for help from the Roswell Fire Department when the truck swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car. The truck left the road and overturned. None of the three volunteer firemen were seriously injured but the truck was badly damaged. The city ordered a new fire engine and had it painted white to increase its visibility. Ever since, Alpharetta’s fire engines have been white.

head to the blaze. Since it was the only fire truck in North Fulton that could pump water from a tank, it was often called upon to fight fires in other cities, according to volunteer firefighter John Edelen, now deceased. Over time, better trucks replaced old trucks and more volunteers joined the department, including Billy Bates, deceased, who rose to prominence as a historian and genealogist of local families. Historian Connie Mashburn in his book, “Alpharetta, Milton County, the Early Years,” says that in the early 1950s the city built a small building adjacent to the old courthouse for the use of the fire and police departments. In 1957, a new city hall was completed, and the fire department was given space in the basement. A surplus siren installed on the roof was used to notify volunteers of a fire.

In 1964 Alpharetta responded to a call for help from the Roswell Fire Department to fight a fire that destroyed the Economy Church Furniture Store. While trying to avoid an oncoming car on Highway 9, Alpharetta’s fire truck left the road and rolled over. Although thrown from the truck cab, none of the three volunteers were seriously hurt; however, the truck was severely

damaged. The city ordered a new engine from the John Bean Fire Engine Company in Michigan with a high-pressure pumping engine and a 750-gallon water tank. To make the engine more visible, it was ordered in white. Ever since then, Alpharetta fire engines have been white.

In 1969, the Brady brothers retired from the department. New people and new equipment came and went in subsequent years. In 1976, for the first time the city purchased helmets, rubber coats and boots for the department. Until then volunteers fought fires in their street clothes.

Billy Bates’ son Bill joined the department as a volunteer in 1972 after earning a degree in marketing from Georgia State University. As a youth, Bill accompanied his father when he went on calls. Bill had to stay in the car while Billy fought fires. Bill became the second paid employee of the volunteer fire department in 1988, and in 1990 he became the city’s first full-time paid fire chief. Bill retired in 2006 from Alpharetta Fire Services which became part of the combined police, fire and 911 Public Safety Department.

One of Bill’s proudest achievements was the dramatic improvement in the department’s

FAMILY/PROVIDED Bill Bates in his turnout gear at the Canton Street Apartments near Wills Park in Alpharetta circa 1990. Turnout gear is the personal protective equipment (PPE) used by firefighters. The suit consists of three layers, an outer shell, a moisture barrier, and a thermal liner. A full set can weigh 45 pounds including helmets, gloves, hoods, boots, coats and pants.

ISO rating which is a score assigned to a fire department based on how well it can protect a community. The rating is used by insurance companies to determine homeowner insurance premiums. The lower the ISO rating, the lower the insurance premiums. When Bill started with the department, Alpharetta’s rating was 8. When he retired it was 2, thus saving residents a lot of money. Alpharetta Fire Services first earned an ISO1 rating in in 2015. Fewer than 1 percent of fire departments in the U.S. achieve that status.

Many dedicated, courageous individuals have served as Alpharetta firefighters over the years. All Alpharetta firefighters are also EMTs or paramedics. All undergo extensive training and are experts at what they do. Alpharetta’s citizens can be very proud.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

Who wants to be a Master Gardener Extension Volunteer?

Two weeks ago, I began to notice brown spots in my lawn. Neighbors’ lawns also have these brown patches. Will it eventually go away on its own? Or, should I act?

What are these ferns? They’re choking everything out and they’re so dense they don’t look good. I’m considering removing them entirely, if that’s possible. Some of them are 6 feet tall.

We planted a tree several years ago and now it seems to be dying branch by branch. Why are these branches dying? Are there options available to preserve my tree?

Finding solutions for plant problems sometimes feels like being a contestant on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”

Myriad websites and product advertisements provide the multiple choices. Neighbors, contractors, and retail garden professionals compose the audience and your phone-a-friend list available as lifelines.

Georgia residents seeking answers to horticultural questions can access another resource. UGA Extension Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are here providing unbiased researchbased horticultural information and educational programs in counties around the state.

The Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program started in the early 1970s as a way for an agricultural extension agent in Washington state to meet the growing demand of home gardeners with requests for information about plants in their landscapes. Volunteers were recruited and trained to respond to gardeners’ questions. The program’s success led to the establishment of programs in all 50 states and multiple countries around the world.

Georgia’s Master Gardener Program was started in Atlanta in 1979, and participants have been teaching community members how to use plants and gardening to improve their environment, personal health, and quality of life since. The UGA Extension Fulton County agriculture and natural resources team depends on the dedicated service of more than 100 volunteers to provide our diverse community of more than one million with answers to their questions, beautifully maintained gardens, and horticultural programs.

The purpose of the Georgia

Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is to assist UGA Extension in delivering educational programs to increase environmental stewardship, success in home food production, youth participation in gardening, the value of landscapes, and health benefits of gardening. Active projects in Fulton County include exhibiting at horticultural shows and festivals, writing articles, presenting to live and virtual audiences, and responding directly to residents’ questions — like the real questions received by our office last week and included at the top of this article.

The first step in becoming a Master Gardener is completing a few forms and an interview with the local UGA Extension office. Selected trainees complete 42 hours of core horticultural training and pass two exams to prepare for their new role. Within the first year, trainees complete 50 hours of volunteer service. After completing 50 hours on Extension-approved projects that support MGEV program initiatives, the Trainee is recognized as an official MGEV. To remain a current, active MGEV, volunteers give at least 25 hours of volunteer service hours each year and track their accomplishments using an online recordkeeping system.

If you have a passion for teaching others through volunteer community service and consumer horticulture programming, we hope you will consider applying for our upcoming class beginning in January 2024. Applications are being accepted until September 15, 2023 and notification of acceptance will be communicated by December 1, 2023.

To learn more about the UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program or to submit your application for the next training class, visit https:// site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/ files/2023/08/2024-Fulton-CountyMGEV-Application-Final.pdf or Fulton County’s MGEV site at https:// extension.uga.edu/county-offices/ fulton/agriculture-and-naturalresources/mastergardner.html.

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.

Learn more

• 2024 MGEV class application - https://site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/ files/2023/08/2024-Fulton-County-MGEV-Application-Final.pdf

• Fulton County MGEV page - https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/ fulton/agriculture-and-natural-resources/mastergardner.html

• Becoming a MGEV - https://extension.uga.edu/programs-services/ georgia-master-gardener-extension-volunteer-program/volunteer/becominga-mgev.html

• Frequently Asked Questions - https://extension.uga.edu/programsservices/georgia-master-gardener-extension-volunteer-program/volunteer/ becoming-a-mgev/frequently-asked-questions.html

• Become a Master Gardener - https://nfmg.net/becomeMG.html

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is James Herrin, agriculture and natural resources agent with UGA Extension Fulton County. James is motivated by learning and leverages this to help clients solve the issues and answer the questions they bring to the Extension office. In addition to helping coordinate Fulton County’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program, James supports county teachers with agricultural programming, works with farmers, and delivers educational programs for Fulton County residents.

JAMES HERRIN

Guest Columnist

MGEV Logo/Learn Serve Grow, UGA

THE CITY OF DUNWOODY, GEORGIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The City of Dunwoody Zoning Board of Appeals will meet on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Council of Chambers of Dunwoody City Hall, located at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338, for the purpose of due process of the following:

ZBA 23-12, 5026 Old Branch Ct: Two variances from Sec. 27-269 to allow a retaining wall to encroach into the rear setback and to allow retaining wall height of 4.25 feet. This case was initially advertised for the September 7, 2023 Zoning Board of Appeals meeting and will instead be heard at the October 5, 2023 meeting.

ZBA 23-14, 4857 Cambridge Dr: Variance from Sec. 16-78 to allow a fence to encroach into the 75-foot stream buffer and variance from Sec. 27-267 to allow a 6-foot-tall fence in the street yard.

Should you have any questions or comments, or would like to view the application and supporting materials, please contact the City of Dunwoody Community Development Department at 678-382-6800. Members of the public are encouraged to call or schedule a meeting with the staff in advance of the Public Hearing if they have questions or are unfamiliar with the process. The staff is available to answer questions, discuss the decision-making process, and receive comments and concerns.

City:

“We had a lot of good feedback, a lot of repeat families coming out,” he said. “It's a great free event, it's something that the kids get excited about. I bring mine out every year, they enjoy walking through lights and having a good time.”

But, after Walker’s presentation, several council members admitted they were underwhelmed by the 2022 Holiday Lights, which suffered numerous display malfunctions and inconsistent maintenance.

“I also had an underwhelming experience, but I went on the second to last day and you could see lights were out,” Post 1 Councilwoman Catherine Lautenbacher said.

Walker said his staff is aware of the malfunctions and they are already working to ensure it doesn’t happen again. This year, staff plan to have the lights less accessible and less likely to be unplugged by running and playing kids.

“Unfortunately, with that much traffic, and then the children running around, they damage a lot of it,” he said.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said regardless of the changes they make, the city needs to have a daily maintenance plan for the display.

“There can be a plan where somebody shows up at 5:30 (p.m.) when it's dark and make sure the lights are on,” Deutsch said. “Because it is a very different experience when a quarter of the lights are off or half of the lights are off.”

The contract for the display, expected to run through all of December, states that Dunwoody will pay Chitwood Studios about $88,000 for production and execution.

The contract was set aside Aug. 14 and

will be considered at a future City Council meeting, officials said.

Medical cannabis approved

Also at the Aug. 15 meeting, officials approved a set of ordinances regulating where medical cannabis dispensaries can operate in the city.

The approval comes following months of discussion over how medical cannabis would be regulated and where dispensaries could be opened near Dunwoody’s borders with Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville and Peachtree Corners, tucked at least 1,000 feet away from schools and places of worship.

Since Georgia’s Hope Act was signed into law in 2019, the possession and sale of low-level THC oil has been legalized as medicine for people with 17 specific medical conditions, like end-stage cancer.

Unlike traditional cannabis flower or THC oil purchased illegally on the street or in states where it’s legal, Georgia law stipulates legal low-THC oil must contain less than 5 percent THC

Deputy Community Development Director Paul Leonhardt said nothing has changed in Georgia’s laws or the city’s recommendations since the last City Council meeting where medical cannabis was discussed.

Leonhardt said after much deliberation, city staff decided to stick with a recommendation requiring cannabis dispensaries to be spaced at least 2 miles apart, which they believe will prevent the businesses from clustering in certain areas of the city. However, the 2-mile requirement could be shortened in the future as Georgia laws change.

“Just so we don't end up with multiple of these on one corner,” he said. “We can revisit that at a later time.”

After a short discussion, the item was unanimously approved.

Continued from Page 1

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

Dunwoody residents watch the annual tree lighting ceremony held at Brook Run Park during the 2022 Holiday Lights celebration.

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

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.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Electricians

HERALD FORSYTH HERALD | JOHNS CREEK HERALD MILTON HERALD DUNWOODY CRIER | SANDY SPRINGS CRIER