Forsyth Herald - March 14, 2024

County pushes back vote on extended stay regulations

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County officials deferred a vote on code changes that would tighten the definitions of extended stay hotels and amenities citing concerns raised by the Planning Commission.

At a March 7 formal meeting, the Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to postpone the final vote and public hearing on the changes to April 18.

As proposed, the changes would amend the county Unified Development Code to outline the differences between a hotel and an extended stay hotel or motel, as well as help county staff identify extended stay components in dualbranded hotels.

Originally presented at a County Commission work session in January, the UDC amendments were targeted to address dual-branded hotels. The county defines dual-branded hotels as establishments that house two separate hotels in one building.

Forsyth tourism agency announces new diretor

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce named Stacey Gross its new tourism development director for Discover FOCO, the chamber’s tourism initiative.

Gross previously served as executive director for the Johns Creek Convention and Visitors Bureau. She also owned a small business and served as

STACEY GROSS

event coordinator for Johns Creek, where she planned community festivals and celebrations. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business.

“These are exciting

times for Forsyth County, particularly when it comes to the marketable tourism attractions currently available and those forthcoming on the horizon,” Gross said. “I look forward to contributing to the success of the Discover FOCO brand.”

Chamber of Commerce President and CEO James McCoy said Gross understands what Forsyth County

has to offer visitors, and her skills at cultivating relationships and guest experiences align with the chamber’s tourism development goals.

Discover FOCO is an outsourced visitor investment development service for Cumming and Forsyth County.

— Shelby Israel

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Rivermont Golf Club adapts after clubhouse fire

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A portion of Rivermont Golf Club on Rivermont Parkway went up in flames March 6, resulting in smoke and water damage to around 90 percent of the clubhouse.

Firefighters responded to the scene at around 5:30 a.m. that morning for a fire that took over the laundry room area of the building. General Manager and club owner Chris Cupit said the fire was likely caused by a tree that had fallen on a power panel.

A police incident report obtained by Appen Media noted the roof above the kitchen collapsed.

Cupit said there were no injuries.

The clubhouse will be down for several months, he said. While the building’s exterior looks untouched, Cupit said the clubhouse is now a “ghost town” as carpets

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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.

Atlanta man arrested in string of liquor thefts

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 25-year-old Atlanta man Feb. 28 who allegedly stole more than $1,500 in liquor from a package store on Peachtree Parkway.

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An employee reported Feb. 1 that two cases of Clase Azul and Don Julio 1942 valued at $680 were stolen. He said multiple cases of liquor, valued at $850, had gone missing over the past three to four months.

The employee said he used security footage to identify the suspect, and he showed deputies a screenshot of messages warning others about the suspect. He was reportedly able to find the suspect’s name because his mugshot from the Cobb County Jail was published online.

The employee also said other stores have reported the same issue, and he provided deputies with a list of names, the report states.

The suspect was charged with three counts of felony theft by shoplifting.

Couple arrested at Walmart for alleged drugs, shoplifting

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a Decatur couple Feb. 28 for alleged shoplifting and drug possession at Walmart on

The Rivermont Golf Club clubhouse, pictured here late last year, saw fire damage March 6. The club’s owner says the building will be down for several months but that golfers are already back on the course.

are being ripped up and furniture is moved off-site. Golf carts have already been relocated, he said.

Golfers were back on the course that Thursday, following rains, Cupit said, and staff is quickly adapting.

Peachtree Parkway.

Loss prevention employees reported the 30-year-old woman and 29-year-old man were at the store swapping price tags on different items at self-checkout around 9:30 p.m. He said the female suspect tried to leave with a cart and purse full of stolen items, but she said the male suspect had the receipt.

The man reportedly left the selfcheckout area after multiple declined payments, and deputies followed him to the womens clothing section.

The suspects were talking to one another in adjacent aisles, and deputies reported seeing the grip of a tan handgun and merchandise roll out under a clothes rack from where the male suspect was.

Price tags and stickers and a small glass vial of cocaine were allegedly found on the male suspect, and the Smith and Wesson handgun he left behind returned stolen out of Atlanta, the report states.

Deputies reported more stolen items were found in the woman’s purse, and narcotics detectives found suspected MDMA and a 9 mm round in the suspects’ vehicle.

The male suspect was charged with felony possession of cocaine, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

He also received one misdemeanor charge of theft by shoplifting.

He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail on a $67,695 bond.

The woman was charged with felony theft by receiving stolen property, possession of a Schedule Ie controlled substance and weapon receipt by a convicted felon. She also received a misde-

Cupit said the Golf Club’s new pavilion, which houses a fitness studio, is providing a temporary space for offices and will continue to provide small food services. He also said there are already tents on-site to provide more space, after city approval of a permit application submitted that Friday.

[The City of Johns Creek has been] obviously very understanding, very sympathetic and are going to try to help us through as best as possible,” he said. “The building will probably come back online in sections or phases, so we’re hoping we could get maybe a temporary certificate of occupancy.”

He said employees, including clubhouse servers, will be financially covered until the clubhouse is up and running again and has plans to increase their hourly wage.

“We’ve been here for 52 years,” Cupit said. “We made the commitment to our employees, you know, no one’s going to lose their job.”

meanor charge for theft by shoplifting. No bond information is available.

Gainesville woman charged for alleged assault, trespass

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 29-yearold Gainesville woman Feb. 28 who allegedly damaged another woman’s front door during an argument with her ex-boyfriend on Gravitt Road.

The man reported he had been living with the woman who owns the house for about a week, but that he and the female suspect had been in a relationship for three years but were taking a break.

He reported arriving at the house and finding the ex-girlfriend’s purse on the porch and the front door open.

He reportedly found his ex-girlfriend locked in his bathroom, and she agreed to come outside and speak with him.

While talking, he said the woman accused him of seeing other women, and she slapped his cigarette out of his mouth. She then allegedly struck him and swung a hammer at him. After he went inside, she hit the door with the hammer.

The man reported letting the ex-girlfriend inside because she said she needed to get her things.

Deputies arrived and reported seeing dents on the front door, and the doorknob was missing. The suspect appeared to be hiding in the bathtub with the shower curtain closed.

The owner of the house told deputies she would like to press charges.

The ex-girlfriend was charged with felony aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor criminal trespass damage and family violence battery.

Sawnee EMC names new district 3 director

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation named Adrian Flack its new cooperative director for district three, Cumming.

Flack fills the vacancy of Bill Barnett, who served as district three director from 2020 until his death Feb. 20.

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Flack to his new role on our board and extend our heartfelt condolences and gratitude to the family of Mr. Bill Barnett for exceptional service he provided our members and this community for so many years,” said Blake House, vice president of member services.

ADRIAN FLACK

Flack is the owner of Flackwell LLC and has been a member of Sawnee EMC since 2001. He previously served on the company’s Consumer Advisory Task Force and the Foundation Board of Directors.

Flack also currently serves as a Forsyth County Planning Commissioner for district four. He is a University of Georgia alumnus.

— Shelby Israel

Chick-fil-A announces spring move to Halcyon

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Chick-fil-A will be joining the roster of businesses at Halcyon in south Forsyth County this spring.

RocaPoint Partners, the developer of Halcyon, announced March 4 a 5,300-square-foot Chick-fil-A, a 3,500-square-foot Chase Bank and a 2,400-square-foot Five Guys will be opening as part of the development’s phase three construction.

The third phase of construction is on the right side of Halcyon near the intersection of Oak Farm Drive and McFarland Parkway.

Officials said a new high-end grocery store will also be announced by the end of the year.

“Everything we do at Halcyon is for the

local community,” RocaPoint Partners principal Phil Mays said. “These well-known additions offer convenience and the comfort of familiarity to our Forsyth County neighbors. Phase three at Halcyon is moving full steam ahead, and we look forward to more announcements to come.”

In July, the Forsyth County Commission approved a series of changes to the county Unified Development Code to allow an additional 265 apartments at Halcyon, a measure developers said was necessary to accommodate the new grocery tenant.

The master planned district for Halcyon was originally zoned in 2015 to allow for 690 residential units and up to 550,000 square feet of commercial space.

—

Shelby Israel

Appen Media staff to visit Sugo for Johns Creek ‘Listening Tour’

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Staff reporters with Appen Media will be all ears at its open forum at Sugo in Johns Creek March 21.

The forum provides visitors the chance to offer suggestions and feedback on coverage.

Beginning at 4 p.m., staff will be onhand for around an hour. There will also be a short Q&A session.

This is the third stop on the newsroom’s “Listening Tour,” a seven-month series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. In January, the group set up shop in Dunwoody, and in February, they heard from residents in Roswell.

Milton

June 20 – July Moon Bakery and Café, Alpharetta

July 18 – Pontoon Brewing Company, Sandy Springs

All stops are open to the public and free to attend.

An RSVP is not required but appreciated. Visit appenmedia.com/join to let us know you are coming.

Irish-based nonprofit prepares for St. Patrick’s Day celebration

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Northside Irish Culture & Arts, is gearing up for its 2nd annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 23 in Sandy Springs.

A shortfall in funds this year has scrapped plans for the parade, but the focus will be on the festival, celebrating Irish music, dance and culture.

The city is wrapping up installation of synthetic turf at the City Green, a 4-acre park on Galambos Way, just in time.

The celebration honors St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland. It also gives Metro Atlantans an opportunity to wear green on the City Green and soak in all things Irish.

Mike Moors, president of Northside ICA and former local president of The Ancient Order of Hibernians, said he and a few members of the north metro Irish community created the nonprofit during the pandemic to bring a St. Patrick’s Day celebration to the area. He also emphasized the annual event is distinct from The Ancient Order of Hibernians, a fraternal organization founded in New York City in 1836.

“[Sandy Springs] Mayor [Rusty] Paul

organizations; Irish arts, music and dance groups; neighborhood and civic organizations; churches, schools and families; Irish artisans and other attractions.

Moors said Ireland-native Kate Curran, a youth ministry director at Christ the King Cathedral in Atlanta, will sign the “Irish National Anthem” in her native tongue.

“The AOH is a part the overall Irish community here in Atlanta, there’s several groups doing different things,” Moors said. “People don’t really like going downtown anymore, and we have a critical mass here on the northside.”

He said The AOH will participate in the 136th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 16 in midtown Atlanta.

Butch Elmgren, Savannah-native and owner of Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House, said the idea is to prevent competition with larger events the weekend of March 17 in Atlanta and Savannah.

has been a big supporter, and we have worked with the folks at the city,” Moors said. “There was an Irish band that played in early 2022 at the Performing Arts Center, and then we decided to go for it.”

With more than 1,500 patrons at the inaugural event last March, Northside

ICA organizers are looking for more sponsors and community outreach.

Festival organizers said they hope the weather improves from the cold and rainy event last year.

The festival will feature city and state officials; local and national Irish

Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House, 227 Sandy Springs Place, is a sponsor of and event organizer with the Northside ICA.

While the festival contracted with Guiness in 2023, organizers are teaming up with Sandy Springs-based Mutation Brewing this year.

BUTCH ELMGREN/PROVIDED

Pictured center, Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, consul general of Ireland in Atlanta, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp hold a signed proclamation Jan. 17 declaring March as Irish American Heritage Month. Representatives from The Ancient Order of Hibernians joined the Kemp family and Irish Consulate representatives for the honor at the state capitol.

Slave Dwelling Project schedules Roswell visit

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Slave Dwelling Project will land in Roswell for a three-part series to hold a conversation, share stories of people who lived on the city’s land, built it, maintained its sites, and what this means to American history and life experiences today.

The Slave Dwelling Project is a nonprofit that works to address the legacies of slavery through education and preservation. The series will offer information on the untold narratives lingering behind historic structures in Roswell.

The first event, slated for March 15 at 6 p.m. at Mimosa Hall, will be a lecture and author discussion with Joseph McGill and Herb Frazier, authors of “Sleeping with the Ancestors: How I Followed the Footprints of Slavery.”

The book is a personal account of one man’s groundbreaking project to sleep overnight in the countless, oftoverlooked, former slave dwellings that still stand across the country, the history behind those sites, and how he has used the experiences to shed light on larger issues of race in America.

On March 16 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at Bulloch Hall, The Slave Dwelling Project will present the lives and histories of enslaved people at Bulloch Hall through its “Inalienable Rights: Living History Through the Eyes of the Enslaved” program. There will be storytelling, artisan demonstrations, hearth and open-fire cooking and dynamic presentations.

Later that evening, the nonprofit will present a Campfire Conversation at 6 p.m. at Bulloch Hall to dive further into the history, the remaining legacy of slavery and racial reconciliation.

The series is open and free to the public, though registration is required for the book discussion and Campfire Conversation. For more information, visit www.Roswell365.com.

Pictured at left is the Slave Quarters at Bulloch Hall, a historic structure that will be featured in a threepart series presented by The Slave Dwelling Project, a nonprofit that works to address the legacies of slavery through education and preservation. Pictured at right are the furnished living quarters inside the Slave Cabin at Bulloch Hall.

‘Women of Color’ exhibit nurtures art photography

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Classrooms inside of Emory Johns Creek Hospital were bumping with music as the Johns Creek Art Center’s Artist Guild led a talk from artists displaying their work in its “Women of Color” exhibition on-site.

Questions?

The Black History Month celebration, segueing into Women’s History Month, signaled the first-time collaboration between the Artist Guild and Sistagraphy, a Decatur-based photography collective founded 30 years ago, exclusively composed of women of color.

The Artist Guild has showcased its work at the hospital for years. The group also has work hanging in Johns Creek City Hall and will have another exhibition at the Gwinnett County Historic Courthouse in the summer.

The group, consisting of more than 30 members, serves the Arts Center by facilitating exhibitions on and off-site, assisting with special events, and acting as an ambassador.

Monika Mittal, president of the Artist Guild, introduced several artists to describe their work as well as herself, whose acrylic paintings are often symbolic whether it be of a feather for freedom or droplets, alluding to a lesson she learned from her mother.

“I learned from my mom that every drop makes the bucket full,” Mittal said.

Sistagraphy Executive Director Furery Terriy Reid spoke of the stories behind her

photographs. One titled “Stand for Justice” shows a group of people holding onto a white cross during a commemoration ceremony for the Chattahoochee Brick Company. Written on the cross were the names of those who worked there.

According to the Georgia Trust of Historic Preservation, the site is known for its extensive use of convict leasing where hundreds of African American inmates were forced to work in harsh conditions, a system some call “slavery by another name.”

Reid said the descendants of the laborers recently acquired the land after the City of Atlanta attempted to develop it.

“They were trying to take it and put housing and all that kind of stuff over these people, so the descendants said, ‘No, not my folks,’” she said, evoking some cheers from the audience.

Guild member Sarika Jaswani, who displayed a fiber art piece in the exhibition, described her passion behind art making and the creative process, which she chalks up to one word — “transcendence.”

“My art is an honor to the present moment,” said Jaswani, also a published poet. “My art is a love affair with everything in the moment. My art is the key to freedom from everything in the next moment, or the moment that has passed. My art is that one moment of purity brought by distillation of all the thoughts. My art is the culmination of many such brief moments into prolonged sense of calm.”

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Photographs in the “Women of Color” exhibition hang in Emory Johns Creek Hospital’s Center for Breast Care.

Milton mansion lists at nearly $9 million

MILTON, Ga. — A single-story, 24,000-square-foot Milton mansion at 13090 Freemanville Road hit the market in early February.

After 27 days on realtor.com, the home has a listing price of $8,950,000. A description on the website bills the property as “Milton’s most iconic estate.”

The mansion, custom-built in 2002, sits at the back of a 9-acre and fully gated property abutting Milton High School. The home sits in the Summit Hill Elementary and Northwestern Middle school districts.

Ron and Mary Wallace own the property.

The estate is located less than a mile from the Crabapple Market district and Milton City Hall with its 1,000-foot-long driveway factored into the calculation.

A five-bay, 14-car garage equipped with 220-volt wiring and high-voltage hookups is ideal for any automotive enthusiast. It also features a complete workshop area with built-in cabinetry, with one bay designed to accommodate motorhomes or boats.

The mansion has an exercise room with a sauna and a steam room, an executive office, a two-story library, a lounge with a curved bar for entertaining and a media room custom-designed for

sound.

Checking every box for quality, the commercially built home sports a steel and concrete structure, a commercial boiler with a cooling tower, 22 temperature-controlled systems and a state-ofthe-art emergency generator.

The ceiling of the one-story home extends some 25 feet with floor-to-ceiling windows highlighting custom millwork on the window and door trim.

One wing of the home sports a 4,400-square-foot Old West town replica with a saloon and two half baths, modeled after 19th century Tombstone, Arizona.

The realtor, Bonnie Smith of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty, said the wing could be adapted for additional living areas or an indoor basketball court. The 15,000-square-foot unfinished basement also offers opportunities for expansion.

A manicured and level front yard is suitable for equestrian pursuits, or helicopter landings.

The home features four bedrooms, eight bathrooms, covered patios and porches and a shingle roof.

For interested buyers, the monthly payment on a 30-year fixed loan at 7 percent is just over $50,000.

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This image shows an overhead view of the 24,000-square-foot home at 13090 Freemanville Road, with an asking price of $8,900,000. The 9-acre estate was listed Feb. 8 on realtor.com.

The harp is not just for classical musicians on a concert stage. Once we know what your goals are, we can find the harp that is right for you.

KATHERINE COOK, manager, Atlanta Harp Center

Atlanta Harp Center strings together festival lineup

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Atlanta Harp Center, located in a quiet office park off South Main Street in Alpharetta, sports the largest selection of harps in the South.

Its showroom at 11775 Northfall Lane features pedal and lever harps from Lyon & Healy and Venus in Chicago; Salvi in Piasco, Italy; Camac in Mouzeil, France; and Dusty Strings in Seattle.

Visitors to the showroom are greeted with a mix of nature and technology.

More than 50 harps are on display from around the world. Three little fish, each of one the primary colors, circle a tank in the lobby as harpists peruse the extensive inventory.

From the hand-carved pillar of the Minerva Natural from Salvi to the 34-string, electric-lever Camac Ulysses, there is a harp designed for each patron’s taste.

The Atlanta Harp Center requires appointments to visit its showroom, which employees said allows clients to hear and experience the unique sound of each stringed instrument.

For harpist across the South, Alpharetta’s Atlanta Harp Center is a mecca.

The rent-to-own program for lever harps gives customers the choice to either return the instrument after a four-month period or continue to rent it on a month-to-month basis.

The team, consisting of industry experts and professional harpists, applies most rental payments toward the purchase of the instrument and allows

a trade-up policy for the purchase of a pedal harp.

The initial payment for rental varies between $260-$600, with monthly payments less than $200.

While credit approval and a contract are required for the rental program, Atlanta Harp Center works with customers to find the right size, sound, look and price.

The price range for harps extends from $2,500 to $40,000.

After co-owners David and Mary Jane D’Arville married, the couple opened the Midlothian-based Virginia Harp Center in 1997. They decided to keep the name when opening a second showroom in Haddonfield, New Jersey after the success of their first location.

The Atlanta Harp Center opened its doors to the public in 2007, becoming the go-to place for world-renowned harps for interested players across the Southeast.

The Atlanta Harp Center Festival, sponsored by Camac Harps, Lyon & Healy and the Virginia Harp Center, will be March 15-17 at the Courtyard by Marriot in downtown Decatur at 130 Clairmont Ave.

See HARP, Page 11

The D’Arvilles bill their locations as offering the largest selection of harps on the East Coast with international and domestic customers.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Katherine Cook, manager of the Atlanta Harp Center, and David Paul Raaen, assistant manager and harpist, stand in the showroom at 11775 Northfall Lane off South Main Street in Alpharetta. Cook said employees and customers are excited for the world-class lineup at the Atlanta Harp Center Festival March 15-17 in Decatur.

Sandy Springs approves incentives for corporate relocation to Queen Building

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Newell Brands is preparing to relocate its global headquarters less than 2 miles south from 6655 Peachtree Dunwoody in Sandy Springs to the Queen Building on Concourse Parkway.

Representatives for Newell Brands applied to the city Jan. 25 requesting a waiver of building permit fees and business occupational taxes for the buildout of their corporate headquarters.

Newell Brands, a global manufacturer and marketer of consumer and commercial products, is known for products like Coleman, Rubbermaid and Sharpie.

Harp:

Continued from Page 10

The second regional Harp Center festival after the COVID-19 pandemic features Canadian harpist Valérie Milot; multi-award winner Juan Riveros; Celtic harpist Kim Robertson; and jazz specialist Amanda Whiting from Wales.

The festival also showcases guest performances and ensembles from Urban Youth, Middle Georgia and Feiner Musicke.

Tickets are available online and at the door.

For more information, visit atlantaharpcenterfestival.com/.

The manager, Kathrine Cook, said clients primarily come from the Lower 48 states, but the team has fulfilled orders from South Korea and Canada.

“We don’t do all international shipping, because harp factories have dealers in other countries,” Cook said. “There’s just not that many dedicated harp locations.”

Cook graduated from Kennesaw State University where she studied clarinet performance. She said she applied for an assistant manager position at the retail store without ever playing the harp.

“After college, I was working as a theater manager and was away from the music world a bit more than I liked,” she said. “I thought, ‘there’s no way they would want me, I don’t play harp,’ but it was too interesting to not apply!”

Cook said she promoted David Paul Raaen, assistant manager and harpist, to a full-time position when she took over the manager position last year.

“The harp is not just for classical musicians on a concert stage,” Cook said. “Once we know what your goals are, we can find the harp that is right for you.”

Raaen, who began playing the harp

at 13, performs in weddings, church services and ensembles. He said Rhett Barnwell, composer-in-residence, and Julie Koenig, harpist-in-residence, are in the showroom a couple days a week.

Pedal harps are primarily used for classical repertoires in orchestras, while lever harps are best suited for the quick notes in folk styles, such as Celtic. Pedal harps are typically more expensive and larger than lever harps, making transportation more difficult.

“The similarity between the harp and the piano is you use both hands,” Raaen said. “You have the treble clef and the base clef.”

Raaen said Seattle-based Dusty Strings is the world’s most well-known manufacturer of lever harps for folk music.

“On the lever harp, if you start changing, you lose your base clef because you have to change it with your left hand,” Raaen said. “Whereas on [the pedal harp] you are shifting it with your feet.”

The tradeoffs between the styles do not limit the possibilities of the harp, but interested customers should note the differences, he said.

French instrument maker, Sébastien Érard, first patented the double-action pedal system in 1801.

Raaen said the system, with a few mechanical upgrades, is still in use today.

Harp-like instruments emerged around 3,500 B.C. in Mesopotamia.

Cultures throughout Africa, Asia and Europe developed harps in different forms throughout the centuries.

After its introduction into classical orchestra in the 1800s, pop culture icons in the 20th century, like the Marx Brothers and the Beatles, used harps in their performances.

“A silver lining during the pandemic was the resurgence in popularity of harps,” Raaen said.

The Queen Building at 5 Concourse Parkway lies in the heart of Perimeter Center and stands 31 stories with almost 700,000 square feet of Class A office space.

The property is a part of the Concourse at Landmark Center, a 2.2 million-square-foot development just north of I-285 and immediately east of Ga. 400.

“The new site will serve as our world headquarters of our multinational business that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange,” a spokesperson for Newell Brands said. “We routinely bring business contacts from around the world to meetings at our headquarters which further promotes the city.”

Following the recommendation to approve the incentive application from city staff, the City Council will vote March 5 whether to approve or deny the incentives.

With the national office vacancy rate at a record-breaking 20% in the fourth quarter of 2023, a new major tenant in the Queen Building signifies a jump in the regional competitiveness of the Perimeter Center.

With councilmembers expressing concerns about office vacancy rates at the Jan. 30 annual retreat, the city is expected to keep the global headquarters in the city.

City staff said the publicly traded company is in the final stages of exploring relocation options both inside and outside of Sandy Springs, including Dunwoody. They also said the application for incentives will help the corporation determine the final costs and benefits of selecting Sandy Springs.

Staff expects the corporation to sign an 11-year lease commitment for some 181,000 square feet of office space.

Newell Brands is expected to invest $30.4 million for renovation and another $20.8 million for furniture, fixtures and equipment. The corporation is anticipated to occupy the first floor and seven others.

If Newell Brands elects to stay in

Sandy Springs, it will retain 890 jobs and add 165 new jobs, with an average wage of $130,000.

Based on information that Newell Brands submitted to the city Feb. 7, the relocation project satisfies the tier three qualifications in the city’s Economic Development Incentive Policy, last updated in 2017.

The incentive policy allows the city to hold large employers accountable for following through with redevelopment and revitalization efforts.

With more than 100 jobs created, $5 million invested and 10 years committed, Newell Brands qualifies for expedited permitting, a building fee waiver and a 3-year business tax waiver.

Staff in the Finance Department said the estimated value of waived fees will not exceed $282,000.

“Our employees and visitors often leave for lunch or after work stopping to eat, shop and play in the businesses in Sandy Springs,” a Newell Brands spokesperson said. “We also have a subset of employees that choose to live close to work, and will buy or rent housing, raise families and ‘do life’ in Sandy Springs outside of work hours.” The city anticipates renovations to begin in fall 2024 and the relocation to occur sometime in 2025.

— Hayden Sumlin

FILE PHOTO A view of northbound Ga. 400 shows the Queen Building, or Concourse Corporate Center V. The Sandy Springs City Council will vote March 5 whether to approve an economic incentive request for the relocation of Newell Brands’ global headquarters to the iconic building.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

David Paul Raaen, sales associate at the Atlanta Harp Center and music instructor, plays a classical tune March 6 on the Minerva Natural from Salvi Harps. Raaen said preferences for harps vary, based on an individual’s ear and preferred style.

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Interdisciplinary Clinic treats brain and spine tumors at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center

Brought to you byWellstar Neurosurgeon

Dr. Benjamin Zussman

A diagnosis of a brain or spine tumor affects each person differently. While for some people, the tumor’s location in the central nervous system can cause disorientation, an altered mental state, dizziness and seizures, for others the symptoms will look different. At Wellstar, every person is unique and deserves a personalized care team and plan that’s right for them.

The compassionate team at the Brain and Spine Tumor STAT Clinic at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center is made up of expert

neurosurgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, neuroradiologists and neuropathologists who come together to offer the timeliest, patient-centric diagnosis and treatment for benign and malignant tumors of the brain and spine.

In our STAT Clinic, we put people at the center of their care by bringing multiple cancer experts together to collaborate about care and meet with patients the same day. As a result, patients and their families are able to ask questions, make decisions and start treatment sooner. At the heart of the clinic’s philosophy is the recognition that oncology requires a multifaceted approach, considering not only the physical aspects of the disease, but also the emotional wellbeing of the patients. In addition to the Brain and Spine Tumor STAT Clinic, Wellstar North Fulton offers

STAT Clinics for head and neck, breast and lung cancers.

The cancer care team at Wellstar North Fulton uses the latest diagnostic technologies, allowing for precise imaging and monitoring of brain tumors. Patients are seen by a variety of specialists on the day of their STAT Clinic appointment and benefit from a streamlined and coordinated approach to care. The multidisciplinary team collaborates seamlessly, facilitating quick decisionmaking and ensuring that patients receive the most effective and personalized interventions.

The interdisciplinary nature of the clinic promotes a continuous flow of information and expertise among providers, so patients benefit from the collective knowledge of specialists across various disciplines. Regular case conferences and tumor boards

create a forum for collaborative decision-making, ensuring that the most up-to-date and evidencebased approaches are employed for each patient. In addition to medical interventions, the clinic places a strong emphasis on caring for the whole patient. Our dedicated nurse navigators and nutritionists collaborate with the medical team to address the emotional, social and nutritional aspects of the patient’s journey.

This unique Wellstar clinic represents supportive, comprehensive care for those navigating the challenging terrain of brain and central nervous system tumors.

To learn more about cancer care at Wellstar North Fulton, visit wellstar. org/northfultoncancercare or call (770) 410-4530.

ZUSSMAN

PEXELS

Ulysses

On Occam’s Razor, Hickam’s Dictum and Crabtree’s Bludgeon

Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Arriving at a correct diagnosis is not a simple matter. With the exception of the occasional conspiracy theorist (Is Elvis alive?), most people gravitate to the least elaborate explanation to a question – the explanation that makes the fewest assumptions to fit available data.

fit our previous beliefs and account for the new evidence. Never underestimate the ability of people who are wrong to invent reasons not to admit it and to figure out how the new evidence actually further proves that they are right. (Think Flat Earthers)

Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.

He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.

Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 18 years experience as a Dermatology PA. We are excited to welcome her, as she brings with her experience in general dermatology and cosmetic dermatology.

Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care. Kathryn

Indeed, this approach is known as “Occam’s razor” and is the most famous rule of diagnosis taught in medical school. Within medicine, this rule is sometimes abbreviated to mean that a doctor should seek one single unifying diagnosis that explains all of a patient’s complaints instead of trying to explain five complaints with five diseases. For example, if a patient has a tick bite, rash, fever, headache and confusion, perhaps a single tick-borne illness explains all the symptoms and the patient can be treated accordingly rather than delaying treatment and introducing risk to perform spinal taps, MRIs or other investigations to search for second, third or fourth diseases.

Occam’s razor might sound like obvious and sage advice. Unfortunately, it proves wrong often enough that a Dr. John Hickam, former departmental head of medicine at Indiana University, felt the need to remind students that Occam’s Razor is sometimes wrong. He coined Hickam’s Dictum, which states “patients can have as many diseases as they [darn] well please.” (Dr. Hickam used the other D word, but we may have children in the audience.)

How often is Occam’s razor wrong?

In my physical diagnosis class in medical school, a professor taught us that there was a study of inpatients admitted at a university hospital in which the researchers looked at how often at least two diagnoses were necessary to account for the patient’s chief complaint. The result? One third of the time at least two diseases were to blame. Hickam’s dictum counterbalances Occam’s razor and reminds us of not becoming nearsighted or prematurely triumphant upon reaching a plausible single diagnosis. Sometimes two or more diseases are to blame. Sometimes, the patient in respiratory distress has the flu and covid.

A third rule, Crabtree’s Bludgeon might be my favorite. Who doesn’t love a good bludgeon? (You can tell I am a father of boys). Crabtree’s bludgeon says that a motivated individual will figure out an intelligible method of explaining away a set of contradictions, no matter how contradictory they are and how wrong they might be. This rule hints at the extent to which we humans often doggedly stick to a certain conviction or belief despite all the evidence to the contrary. New evidence says we might be wrong? No problem. We simply reason out elaborate new rules and exceptions that

Sometimes, a doctor can cling to an erroneous diagnosis far too long when what the patient needs is a complete reassessment. This is one of the most compelling arguments for patients receiving second opinions.

One of the most interesting cases that I have encountered in my medical career occurred when I spent a month studying at Stanford University. A patient presented to Stanford’s dermatology clinic with a tumor near her optic nerve and with certain birthmarks of her skin. She was sent by the ophthalmology department to the dermatology department for an opinion on whether the eye tumor was related to the birthmarks.

The stakes were high. If the eye tumor was deemed connected to the skin findings, then the ophthalmologists planned on watchful waiting and observation of the tumor. If not, then they planned surgery which could result in blindness in that eye. I spent hours researching the embryology of her findings and discovered reasons to believe that the patient’s tumor was very likely an atypical presentation of a disease called segmental neurofibromatosis. I concluded that the tumor and the birthmarks were very likely part of a single syndrome.

When I presented the case at Stanford’s dermatology grand rounds, Occam, Hickam, and Crabtree all showed up. Great debate ensued. The first professor to speak argued for the optic nerve tumor being unrelated to the birthmarks. Other professors found my evidence for a syndrome convincing. When the first professor found herself outnumbered, she doubled down and bludgeoned her way into arguing that the data was not only weak but actually backed her argument.

How did things turn out? The patient chose observation instead of surgery. My visit to Stanford ended, but I corresponded with a professor there, and the last update that I received was that the patient was doing well with no further growth of the tumor on subsequent MRIs.

I hope that you enjoyed this peek into diagnosis within medicine. For readers with children or grandchildren, I suggest that the lessons to be learned from Occam, Hickam and Crabtree are worth sharing and have relevance far beyond the field of medicine.

If you or a loved one has a possible skin cancer or any medical or cosmetic skincare need, please consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor, Kathryn Filipek, PA-C and our wonderful staff are honored to take care of you and your family.

Dr. Brent Taylor

Living with guilt vs. Living with gusto!

Brought to you by - Alice D, Hoag, EdD, LPC, Summit Counseling Center

A few years ago, I intercepted one of my sons as he was descending the staircase and heading outside. He explained, with a guilty expression on his face, that he was going to go outside to smoke a cigarette. Ever since I was my grandmother’s companion during her final months of life as she went through chemo and radiation treatments for lung cancer after her 50 years of smoking cigarettes, I’ve not been a fan of cigarette smoking. And he knew this. I stopped him and challenged, “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.” I went on to encourage him, “Fully enjoy inhaling and blowing smoke rings or whatever you do. Get the most out of whatever it is that you do. Choose wisely, then do it with no guilt. If you cannot enjoy it fully, then don’t do it at all.”

In the decade since that first statement just slipped out of my mouth on its own, I’ve reflected on that sentiment. I believe it is a way of living life to its fullest. “Either do it with gusto or don’t do it at all.”

Guilt and anxiety. Neither is a good option to live with as a way of life, yet I interact with so many people who do live in a constant state of guilt and/ or anxiety! It’s their default mode; it just happens without even thinking. Every action and thought carries with it

either a sense of guilt or anxiety.

“Being my best self” is a way of life that I attempt to live by every moment of every day. While I may not hit the “best self” goal all the time, I can certainly choose the “better self” more often than not. It’s an element of being a good steward of what I’ve been given. And we’re all called to good stewardship of everything we’ve been given: time, talent, energy, body, mind, actions, motives, finances, relationships, and on and on.

It is not an easy task to choose our better self (or best self). It requires that we surrender the easy path, the selfish or self-protective default mode in each of us. However, as we do, we become more intentional. When we choose our actions intentionally to be consistent with our best self, we end up being less guilt-driven. And when we act intentionally, there is less anxiety. There’s actually less emotional involvement at all. Acting intentionally requires that we observe the options from several angles, then choose the best version of ourselves to move forward in a direction. This results in freedom, contentment, and joy. That’s living with Gusto!

If you’d like guidance and encouragement on choosing joy and living with gusto as your better self, The Summit would love to come alongside and walk with you on your journey.

Worry and your health, plan for peace of mind

Brought to you by – Michelle Wilson, Wilson Legal, PC

She’s suffering from memory loss, and she knows it. Three years ago, she thought her neighbor had her back. In fact, they were going to have each other’s backs. But then she found out that her neighbor’s daughter’s name was on her deed. How did that get there? Now they want to go to the bank with her and put their names on her bank accounts. She doesn’t want that, but she also doesn’t want to lose her friend. She likes her family just fine, but she didn’t want to put anyone out or burden them when she chose her agents for her power of attorney. Now she’s worried the outcome will result in the loss of a friend. She’s already anxious and this turn of events has her up at night.

Choosing the right people to help you is super important. Are they helping so that they can get access to your money and your property? Are they helping because they want the best for you? If you’re not sure,

it may be time to review your current financial power of attorney. A financial power of attorney (POA), your trust or will, and an advanced healthcare directive (AHD) are amendable. You can change them anytime. If you have not reviewed your deeds or your documents in 1-2 years, it’s time to review them. At Wilson Legal, we do document reviews for a low flat fee, and we also discuss your documents with you. We ask you if the people you chose to be on your team are the teammates that you still want or need, and we talk about alternatives too.

Worry and anxiety are not good for your health. About 4% of the global population has an anxiety disorder. If you or someone you love needs more peace of mind and less worry about their planning documents or their property, connect them with us through one of our free community webinars on our events page. Wilson Legal is the place where preparation meets peace of mind.

Four Killer or Foe Killer – what’s in a name?

If you are like many people who have moved recently to North Fulton you probably have wondered about the odd name of one of our creeks, Foe Killer Creek. Or, if you have lived here a while, you may be convinced that the original name was Four Killer Creek, and that a Cherokee Indian by that name lived by the creek and may have killed four enemies. Here is the story behind the name.

Cherokee warriors were sometimes awarded ranks reflecting the number of enemies they killed in battle. These were honors awarded to outstanding warriors. One such warrior was Four Killer, or commonly Fourkiller, who lived with his family at the headwaters of the stream that lies between Alpharetta off Hopewell Road and Roswell where it joins today’s Big Creek. His Cherokee name was Nvgidlihi or Nunggihtehe or Nanketeehee. Nunggih means “four” and tehe signifies “killer.” Somehow over time the word Foe became a misnomer for Four (possibly slurred by White settlers). Modern road signs identifying the creek call it Foe Killer Creek.

Historian John Goff included an essay written in 1956 on the subject in his 2007 book “Placenames of Georgia.” He explained that a warrior’s name or rank would change as he vanquished more enemies:

One Killer, Two Killer, Three Killer, Four Killer, Five Killer, Six Killer and possibly more elevated ranks were used. Anyone with “teehee or tehe” at the end his name, regardless of number slain, was a prominent individual. Further detailed information on Cherokee place names can be found at chenocetah. wordpress.com.

Sometimes “killer” was used with other than cardinal numbers. Path Killer was a warrior, statesman and Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1811–1827 and was a signer of the Treaty of Tellico in 1805. Tellico was the site where several treaties were negotiated whereby the Cherokees ceded large portions of land in Tennessee and Georgia. Chickasaw Killer also signed the treaty. He must have been a very special warrior because the Chickasaw were known to be very fierce, unconquerable warriors.

Four Killer’s land was confiscated during the Gold Lottery of 1832. He died on the infamous Trail of Tears march to the Oklahoma Territory in 1838, also known as The Cherokee Removal from Georgia.

Chekilli was an important Creek chief who in 1733 negotiated peace with the British upon their founding of Savannah. According to John Goff, Chekilli’s name in the Creek language has a suffix equivalent to the Cherokee “teehee,” signifying “killer.”

From Georgia to Oklahoma

In modern times, the Fourkiller surname is most common in Oklahoma where many Cherokees

were settled following the Trail of Tears. According to “Name Census,” Fourkiller appeared 195 times in the 2010 U.S. census, primarily in Oklahoma. Eighty percent of the individuals with the Fourkiller last name were classified as American Indian, 10 percent were white and 7 percent mixed race.

The Fourkiller Cemetery in Piney, Oklahoma, has 110 memorials according to “Find a Grave,” more than 50 of which are marked Fourkiller with the earliest burial in 1848 and the most recent in 2009.

Sam Sixkiller (1842–1886) was a prominent Cherokee leader during and after the Civil War. He was the

son of Red Bird Sixkiller. According to legend, the Sixkiller name came from a fight between the Creeks and the Cherokees where one of Sam’s ancestors killed six enemies before being killed himself. The name has been passed down since then.

The Tenkiller Ferry Dam and lake were built across the Illinois River between 1947 and 1952 and were named after a prominent Cherokee family, the Tenkillers. They operated a ferry service near the dam. After the Trail of Tears, the warrior husband was given his name by soldiers because of the 10 notches in his bow.

Controversy

There has been some good natured (?) discussion over the years as to what the correct name of the stream should be. In a National Public Radio “All Things Considered” program in 2018 the announcer stated “We discovered that Foe Killer is actually a misnomer. The stream between Roswell and Alpharetta was actually called Four Killer Creek.”

Celebrated columnist Aubrey Morris in his May, 1998 “North Fulton Footprints” column titled “Foes of Foe Killer Creek dispute name clouded in Indian lore,” he quoted several knowledgeable people, some of whom favored one version while others favored the other. Both sides spoke with conviction.

The Atlanta Constitution in March 1957 ran an article by Marjory Rutherford with a cartoon of Four Killer in which she referred to “a little stream with the intriguing name of Four Killer Creek.”

“Roswell A Pictorial History,” edited by Darlene Walsh and published in 1985, plays it safe with a photo of the creek and the following caption “Four (Foe) Killer Creek is a small stream that winds its way from the site of the old Camp Mill near Rock Bridge Crossing. The stream derives its name from a prominent Cherokee called Four Killer who once farmed the land at the head of the stream.”

Whether you call it Four Killer or Foe Killer, the 6.8 mile long stream is one of many Georgia small waterways with odd names, many derived from our rich Cherokee heritage.

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

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

PHOTOS BY BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

Foe Killer Creek can be seen from the overpass on Hembree Road.

This overpass on Hembree Road identifies the location of Foe Killer Creek, a stream that winds its way for 6.8 miles from near Hopewell Road in Alpharetta to where it joins Big Creek in Roswell. Four Killer was a Cherokee warrior who lived with his family at the headwaters of the stream.

AI wave – When reality can no longer be ignored

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I hate it when what I have been working so hard at avoiding or not seeing becomes so compelling and so intrusive that I must deal with it. Sometimes that “thing” is something personal and relatively trivial –like a toothache at the point a dentist can no longer be avoided, or like a mole that is starting to change shape and color and not going to see the dermatologist is no longer an option.

Sometimes the “thing” is not so individually personal but more “macro” in nature – like say an epidemic – like COVID 19. We collectively ignored it; dealt with it by isolating and getting vaccinated; denied it; recognized it; and so on – but at one point, no one could continue to not see it or deny its existence - even though we were told not to worry because it would just “magically disappear someday” – the height of scientific reasoning, knowledge and prudence.

Now we are in one of those “macro” situations, and the reality of the “idea” or the “concept” is getting real, fast. I am not talking about the war in Ukraine. It is still going to be a while before we collectively must face the realities of that war – including the direct consequences to us when and if Russia succeeds, which will probably happen if U.S. aid does not resume. Talk about penny-wise and poundfoolish to the most absurd extreme.

No, the unavoidable 900-pound gorilla that can no longer be ignored or swept under the rug is artificial intelligence – AI. To me, it is no longer this vague existential threat that “we” must “do something about.” It is here, now, and the impact is already hitting us in the pocketbook.

Here is a case in point: Atlantabased Hollywood movie and film producer Tyler Perry just announced that he's putting his Atlanta studio's $800 million expansion on hold indefinitely because of his concern that much of the utility of the physical production facilities could be done instead with software – AI software. Tyler’s expansion – four years in the planning – was to include construction of 12 new sound stages on his 330-acre production campus. Tyler was quoted as musing that “why would I go to the time, money and labor to build

production sets when I can sit in my office in front of a computer and accomplish the same thing with AI?”

The short term and long-term economic impact of Perry’s $800 million expansion could have been substantial. The number of jobs that could have been created in building the facility and post-construction use – from construction workers and engineers, to actors, grips, electricians, sound technicians, writers and editors – was massive. That is not to mention the tax base that would have been generated for the City of Atlanta; the power that would have been consumed; the number of hotel-stays and restaurants that would have benefited; the business generated for the real estate companies; and all the peripheral businesses that would have been created to support and supply the demands of the expanded studio. We are talking about a ton of lost jobs, lost revenue, and lost opportunity –all because so much of the core work now – and in the future – can be done with artificial intelligence software and computers.

Yes, not all those jobs are lost, and yes, one would assume more computer-related jobs will be created, but, as AI is increasingly used in the film process, a huge percentage of jobs formerly required will simply go away. Why spend more money than necessary in producing entertainment content?

Even Gary Trudeau who writes the Doonesbury comic strip picked up –almost immediately – on Tyler Perry’s announcement.

In his Feb. 25 script, Trudeau shows a talent agent pitching a new writer sensation to a producer. The producer incredulously replies to the talent agent the following: “Ted, anyone who doubts that AI can write a soap opera script has never watched a soap opera. Two years from now, AI output will be network quality! In three years, it’ll be cranking out peak TV and film scripts.”

The example of AI’s impact on the film industry is only representative of its impact on the entire current economic system. It will impact most jobs in most industries and services. More will be done with less – less employment. Yes, there will be an upside –somewhere – and yes, on some scale, new jobs will be created – somewhere, somehow. I wish I could see in that crystal ball, but I can’t.

So, fasten your seatbelt. It is going to get bumpy.

Across

1 Actress Sorvino

5 Child’s ailment

10 Check

14 Voiced

15 Lariat

16 Toothpaste holder

17 Slick thief

19 Soon, to a bard

20 Look for

21 Cuba, e.g.

23 ___ Cayes, Haiti

24 Fairy tale character

26 Berth place

28 Deer

29 City on the Ruhr

33 With 68 Across, old radio duo

34 Couch

36 Street sign inits.

37 Small rug

38 Conger

39 Query

40 Handful

41 Time zone

42 Herb for a feline

44 Bowed

45 Sand bar

47 Cape ___, Mass.

48 Blowgun missile

49 Expire

51 Jog

52 Mexican dish

55 Started a lawn

58 All excited

59 Needles, in a way

63 Primary

64 Stars

65 Ark builder

66 Coastal raptors

67 Affirm

68 See 33 Across

Down

1 Floor cleaner

2 Spring bloom

3 Subspecies

4 Acid neutralizers

5 Gator relatives

6 Rolling in dough

7 Durable wood

8 Colorado native

9 Terrace

10 Horse holders

11 Sandwich filler

12 Deep black

13 Darn, as socks

18 Make ready, briefly

22 Aerodynamic

24 Moppet

25 Keep

26 Demolish

27 Numbers game

28 The Nile and Mississippi have them

30 Less hazardous

31 Happening

32 Former Speaker Gingrich

33 Rock band equipment

34 Vast amount

See solution Page 23

35 Clairvoyance, e.g.

38 Plaudits

43 Compass pt.

44 Head or neck wear

46 Trues up

48 Face-off, of sorts

50 Aches

51 Recycle

52 Notability

53 Food thickener

54 Connect

55 “Go away!”

56 Collar type

57 At rest

60 “___ so fast!”

61 Egg cells

62 Timid

Simpler times sure seem like better times

MIKE TASOS Columnist

This wise old woman who used to apply Bactine to my scrapes, provide solace and refuge from a raging drunkard’s maniacal rantings, all while stretching a food budget for three growing boys by making fideo pasta that you would have paid good money for, never once focused on what we didn’t have.

“Always be thankful for what God has given us,” was what Mom used to say.

We never got help from the welfare department. We always had clean clothes, even if the latest styles stayed on store shelves. Working for Thrifty Drugs as a clerk, she did all she could to make a good life for me and my two brothers, Matt and Marty.

Looking way back, realistic perspective was best summed up as: “We were poor, but we didn’t know it.”

There was always a quarter for bus fare to visit my grandpa and grandma. After a Saturday of raking leaves or mowing their yard, we could always count on going to a football game to watch the Bakersfield College Renegades batter an opponent. The ‘Gades used to pack 18,000 fans into Memorial Stadium on a Saturday night.

This was for junior college football, before cable TV. There was one game on TV in the afternoon. If you didn’t like Keith Jackson and his home-spun sayings, you were slap out of luck.

If I was lucky, and I seemed to always have a pocketful of horseshoes, I’d hop in Gramps’ battered old pickup truck and we’d head for town. I had no idea of the destination, but I knew I’d be entertained by the characters I’d meet.

It was an opportunity to hone my observation and listening skills. I could count on learning some new cuss words that didn’t go over well when I repeated them. Picture Ralphie in “A Christmas Story” with a bar of Lifebuoy in his mouth.

Recently, while having an inordinate amount of time on my hands to remember the way it used to be, I thought of how many things used to be a normal part of our lives that have dissipated into thin air.

There used to be a man named Fitzpatrick who sold Mom a life insurance policy. He’d show up at the house to, I guess, collect a premium. I’m sure I was a handful, and the policy was purchased as a hedge against Mom or Dad braining me. I wonder what ever happened to Fitzpatrick, or better yet, the policy premiums.

It used to cause a clamor and interrupt our street football games when our ears would perk up at the shrill Helms Bakery truck whistle. Every once in a while, the driver would open his truck’s doors and let us look at all the goodies packed into the drawers.

It was always a bad day when the TV repairman would be summoned to magically restore order and allow us to fill our minds with the mush of afternoon cartoons. The repairman was a wizard as he isolated which tube

would restore our ability to watch Mighty Mouse.

Does anyone remember the concept of a “service station,” where a man would pump gas, check your oil, wash your windshield and give you a drinking glass, all for 25 cents a gallon?

Simpler times, indeed. Our milk was ice cold and came in glass bottles. If you got sick, the doctor would come to the house and give you a shot taken from his big bag of goodies.

I’m pretty sure some of those goodies came from the liquor store and came in a brown bottle. I remember seeing Fitzpatrick and the doctor laughing themselves silly. Perhaps they thought a penicillin shot and a pull of Seagram’s was hilarious.

I remember my dad sure liked that doctor’s “medicine.”

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 rea ched at miketasos55@ gmail.com.

County:

Continued from Page 1

With the changes, hotels or motels with any rooms that include cooking facilities and refrigerators larger than 3.5 cubic feet would be considered extended stay. Hotels with common areas for cooking would also fall into the category.

Refrigerators larger than 3.5 cubic feet, ovens and cooktops would not be allowed in hotels. The proposed changes do not affect motels.

The code changes also outline a separate definition for an amenity-rich hotel, which offers “a wide variety of premium amenities and exceptional services” including spas, ballrooms, 24-hour room service and high-end furnishings.

Amenity-rich hotels would be exempt

Festival:

Continued from Page 4

He also said the Northside ICA festival bills itself as a more familyfriendly event, rather than an afternoon of excessive partying.

“There’s a lot of things that are kind of stereotypes, green beards, leprechauns and things like that,” Elmgren said. “There’s a whole lot more to it, Ireland is rich in culture, history and arts.”

Irish American history

More than 9 percent of Americans or 32 million people reported having Irish ancestry, according to 2020 U.S.

from the extended stay definition, and restrictions would be determined by the property’s specific zoning conditions.

At its Feb. 27 meeting, the County Planning Commission voted unanimously to postpone a recommendation on the matter, preferring more time to weigh the proposal and its ramifications.

The Board of Commissioners March 7 meeting would have marked the second required hearing on the proposal, and the code changes could have been approved without a Planning Commission recommendation.

Commissioner Laura Semanson said she would like to address planning commissioners’ questions about the code changes before casting a vote.

The UDC changes were brought forward to address a planned hotel on Brannon Road which lies in Semanson’s

Census results.

Some famous Irish Americans include former presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama, Tom Cruise and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush issued the first proclamation declaring March as Irish American Heritage Month. In subsequent years, Congress passed legislation designating the month as a celebration of Irish Americans. Since 1997, presidents have issued annual proclamations for the observance of Irish American Heritage Month.

On Jan. 17, representatives from The AOH along with Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, consul general of Ireland in Atlanta, presented Gov. Brian Kemp with a crystal bowl from Dingle, Ireland,

district.

The County Commission approved a rezoning and conditional use permit to construct the hotel Sept. 21. The county rescinded the permit Dec. 7 after Semanson said it was revealed the applicant intended to operate an extended stay component at the site.

“Our intent is to build a hotel there,” Semanson said at the December meeting. “We just want to make sure that all of the right controls and conditions are in place that prevent a dual-branded property bringing in extended stay, comes in through the door of a regular hotel.”

Semanson said the applicant was working with the county to address the issue.

“They have agreed that they are not going to be conducting any extended stay on the property,” she said. “That

full of shamrocks from a Peachtree Corners farm.

Sandy Springs Mayor Paul signed the local proclamation Feb. 27.

While Ireland was a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain from 1801 to 1922, a period known as “an Gorta Mór” or the Great Hunger, from 1845 to 1852 saw the systematic starvation of 1 million Irish people and the exodus of another 1 million.

Contemporary analysis of the British government’s role in the humanitarian crisis attributes the mass starvation in Ireland to an inadequate response.

The potato blight throughout Europe during the period did not result in mass starvation in other nations, except in British-controlled Ireland.

The Irish population recovered to its

was part of the original conditions, but I think there was some interpretation and some advice, maybe, from an attorney that they were using at the time, that they could get away with a pretty high percentage.”

At the March 7 meeting, commissioners voted to reinstate the permit to build the hotel with a new condition that allows developers to move forward with the land disturbance process while the UDC is being refined. The hotel will be subject to the new code if it is adopted before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

“But, in terms of the final offering, that code change will be in place, I am quite certain, prior to them applying for their [certificate of occupancy],” Semanson said.

The Planning Commission will revisit the UDC changes at its March 26 meeting.

pre-1845 level in 2022.

While funding the festival remains a priority for Northside ICA organizers, Moors also discussed the nonprofit’s charitable partners.

“If we can raise enough money and we have overage, then we will contribute,” Moors said. “The charities that we support would be the Hibernian Hunger Project and Solidarity Sandy Springs.”

Both organizations aid food-insecure families.

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