Forsyth Herald - June 6, 2024

County considers bow hunting events to control deer population

By JAKE DRUKMAN newsroom@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Some Forsyth County bow hunters may soon get their shot at scoring some local game.

At its May 21 work session, the Board of Commissioners discussed the possibility of hosting bow hunting events at the Shakerag water reclamation facility, a property of

Forsyth County libraries promote summer reading

By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Public Library launched its annual summer reading program with a variety of events designed to excite kids for the start of summer reading.

The kickoff activities started May 28 and ran through May 31, featuring entertainment like Lew-E’s Comedy Circus where around 300 kids watched the clown perform a comedy set infused with magic tricks at Sharon Forks Library.

The aim of the festivities was to encourage children to visit the library and perceive reading as enjoyable.

This time last year, the summer reading program at the Forsyth County library system had 3,274 kids registered. By the end of the summer, the number increased by more than 4,400, the same number of kids signed up currently. The goal is a 12 percent increase.

This year’s theme across Georgia’s public libraries is “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” The Forsyth County Public Libraries collaborated to develop a game-focused

about 300 acres.

The hunting events would represent an effort by the county to control the local deer population.

Assistant County Manager Tony Tarnacki said the county has received

complaints from residents about deer destroying their landscaping and causing accidents on roadways.

Emily Rapach, an urban

See CIRCUS, Page 22 See DEER, Page 21

Lew-E’s Comedy Circus invites a child on stage to participate in the performance at

Library May 29. The event was part of the library system’s campaign to promote summer reading.

HANNAH FRAZER/APPEN MEDIA

the Sharon Forks

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Bus driver cited for DUI in crash with kids aboard

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested school bus driver Ginger Katz May 23 for driving while under the influence and endangering 30 middle schoolers from Piney Grove.

The crash occurred around 2 p.m. at Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Brannon Road.

Deputies said none of the students, ranging from ages 11 to 15, were injured.

After an investigation, Forsyth County deputies said Katz was at fault for failure to yield while turning left, driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and 30 counts of child endangerment.

As the school bus approached the intersection northbound on Ronald Reagan Boulevard and attempted to turn left onto Brannon Road, a Chevrolet Equinox attempted to pass through the intersection southbound, according to the incident report.

Deputies said both drivers reported the traffic signal was yellow during the incident.

The driver of the SUV, a 62-year-old Cumming woman, complained of injuries after the crash but denied transport to a hospital. Her car sustained extensive front-end damage and was left in the middle of the intersection, deputies said.

While speaking with Katz after the crash, a deputy said he noticed the faint odor of alcohol on her breath, glassy eyes and “thick” speech.

The bus driver said she drank alcohol the night before and agreed to a preliminary breath test.

After deputies conducted the breathalyzer and field sobriety evaluations, they determined Katz was under the influence.

While a lieutenant transported Katz to Forsyth County Jail, a deputy conducted a search of the crash site and bus. He said he found no contraband.

Because deputies read the wrong implied consent notice before taking

FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE/PROVIDED

A diagram shows a crash between a school bus and an SUV May 23 at Ronald Regan Boulevard and Brannon Road. Forsyth County deputies arrested bus driver Ginger Katz after determining she caused the crash while under the influence of alcohol.

blood at the jail, they conducted an additional draw around two hours after the crash.

The results are unverified because the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office redacted the information.

After turning Katz over to jail staff, a deputy said he submitted her blood

samples to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and obtained warrants for driving a commercial motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, 30 counts of endangering a child and failure to yield to right of way.

Katz is being held on a $55,640 bond.

Alpharetta veterans group names Legionnaire of Year

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta American Legion Post 201 Commander Tom Billings has chosen a Cumming resident and Operation Desert Storm veteran as Legionnaire of the Year.

The honor goes to U.S. Army veteran Ralph Fike. Legionnaire of the Year is the highest recognition bestowed on an individual at the local post level by the outgoing post commander.

Billings said that Fike is committed to the post and his fellow legionnaires.

“Fike, in his role as chairman of the House Committee ensures that both routine and more challenging task are accomplished quietly and efficiently,” Billings said. “Ralph is one of those rare individuals who just gets things done. His calm, quiet demeanor, and common-sense approach in dealing with situations is valued and appreciated.”

Fike was also unanimously elected at the same May general membership meeting to the position of Junior Vice Commander of the more than 700-member organization.

Rotary’s Cars for Causes benefits Johns Creek kids

By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Dozens of vintage trucks and cars filled the parking lot at City Hall June 1 for the annual Cars for Causes to benefit local children.

The event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton as a fundraiser to send kids to summer camps.

Rotary Club members said the aim is to sponsor 16 or more deserving children to weeklong summer camps at the Johns Creek Arts Center or the Autry Mill Nature Center.

The fundraiser featured some 63 vehicles, including vintage automobiles and custom-made transportation. It was a bit more than organizers had planned, so they extended the display area.

“We went into overflow,” said Ron Jones, former Johns Creek Rotary president who served as chairman for this year’s event.

Final figures from the fundraiser have yet to be tallied, but Jones said that outside of expenses, every penny raised will go toward the summer camp scholarships.

About 300 visitors got a glimpse under the hoods of many of the vehicles.

PHOTOS BY HANNAH FRAZER/APPEN MEDIA

Vintage cars line the lot at Johns Creek City Hall June 1 for the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton’s annual Cars for Causes. Car enthusiasts glimpsed some 60 classic vehicles at the event that raised money for summer camp scholarships for children.

In addition to the car show, there was a 50/50 raffle, music and food.

Rotary is one of the largest nonprofit organizations with a global network of around 1.4 million members.

“These events are very special to us,” Jones said, adding that getting people out and about following the pandemic is important for the community.

Those interested in joining Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton can visit: rotary.org/en/get-involved/join.

PROVIDED

Legionnaire of the Year Ralph Fike, left, is honored by Alpharetta American Legion Post 201 Commander Tom Billings.

North Fulton cities team up on ambulance services

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Cities in North Fulton are partnering up in a contract with American Medical Response for subsidized ambulance services.

Johns Creek Fire Chief Chris Coons told the City Council at its May 28 work session the negotiations between AMR and the cities of Johns Creek, Roswell (which also represents Mountain Park), Sandy Springs, Alpharetta and Milton have been long-standing.

Coons said the cities have studied the current service delivery model under AMR with the intent of providing “topshelf” service in the future, resulting in a one-year agreement with four successive one-year terms.

The contract will require a $2 million subsidy in the first year, split among the cities based on a three-year average of population and number of service calls. Subsidy increases will be negotiated but capped at no more than 3 percent.

Johns Creek’s monthly share in the first year will be around $28,400.

Paying for service

There had been no cost to Johns Creek for ambulance services in previous

But, Coons said he felt the response time set in the contract is reasonable based on the Fire Department’s ability to place a paramedic at the scene in around six minutes, its average response time.

The contract, currently under legal review by American Medical Response and the attorneys for each of the North Fulton cities, is set to come back before the council at its work session June 17.

Tax buffer

In other matters at the work session, the City Council debated whether to maintain its property tax millage rate stabilization fund or add new parameters for use as part of the city’s Budget Policy.

The fund was initially implemented to offset property tax increases, which City Councilman Chris Coughlin likened to a floating homestead exemption.

Over the course of several work sessions, some councilmembers cautioned against using it to automatically roll back the millage rate each year, without consideration for other city priorities like capital projects.

years, based on a North Fulton-wide agreement in place from 2013 to 2018.

Coon said this was because participating cities, excluding Sandy Springs, were

not receiving the level of service they had asked for from the provider.

In January, Appen Media reported that Sandy Springs was looking at a price hike with AMR from $260,000 a year for 8-minute response times to $3.6 million, an 850 percent increase.

“Government subsidizing a private ambulance service to ensure response time parameters are achieved, appropriate standards of care are followed, and the number of ambulances and service at any moment in time, is not a novel approach,” Coons said.

The City of Dunwoody recently agreed to pay a $600,000 yearly subsidy to ensure one ambulance is posted within its city limits during peak hours.

Forsyth County also pays a subsidy for its negotiated standard of care with its service provider, and DeKalb County is in negotiations on the amount of the subsidy for its service provider.

Response times

The $2 million combined subsidy will buy a system-wide 12-minute response time for critical, emergency calls and a 20-minute response time for minor or uncertain issues.

The contract also will implement a system-wide priority posting plan, using data analytics, and establish an avenue for seeking liquidated damages if there’s noncompliance with performance standards. Penalties range from $5,000 to $30,000 a month.

City Councilman Larry DiBiase raised concern about potential liability associated with not buying down the best response time.

At the work session May 28, the council voiced support for a proposal from City Councilwoman Stacy Skinner which advised considering the fund as part of the adoption of the millage rate for the closeout of the current fiscal year, rather than during budget preparation that looks ahead at future fiscal year projections.

Skinner also said use of the fund is only appropriate if there’s an increase to the millage rate, not when it is held steady or rolled back.

Restoration project

At the formal meeting following the work session, Public Works Director Chris Haggard described the Town Center Stream Restoration and Trail Project in relation to a $2.9 million construction contract intended to restore and stabilize an eroded streambank.

The project will also add a 10-footwide trail connecting McGinnis Ferry Road to Creekside Park, which will anchor the Town Center.

The item was originally on the consent agenda, a slate of typically noncontroversial items approved by the council in bulk. But, Councilman DiBiase singled it out for attention as it exemplifies major work the city is doing to address stormwater issues.

“[The project] is such a strategic importance to this council…” DiBiase told Haggard.

Groundbreaking for the project has been tentatively scheduled for June 19 at 12 p.m. on East Johns Crossing adjacent to the glass recycling dumpster.

SCREENSHOT

Johns Creek Fire Chief Chris Coons addresses a City Council work session May 28 regarding a contract between American Medical Response and North Fulton cities. The five municipalities will provide a combined $2 million subsidy for the service in the first year.

Gen Z wins day in Atlanta area primary races

By ALESSANDRO MARAZZI SASSOON Atlanta Civic Circle

ATLANTA — It was Gen Z’s night on Georgia’s May 21 Election Day: All but one of the youngest cohort of statehouse candidates cruised to victories in metro-Atlanta.

One big upset stood out in particular, sending shockwaves through the political establishment. That was Gabriel Sanchez’s victory over State Rep. Teri Anulewicz in the Democratic primary for her Cobb County legislative district, which covers parts of Smyrna and Marietta. Sanchez won with 56.8 percent or 2,249 votes –compared with 43.2 percent or 1,711 votes for Anulewicz.

Anulewicz, who has represented District 42 since 2017, rose through party ranks to become deputy whip for Georgia’s House Democrats, while serving on key House committees, such as Appropriations and Transportation. Her reputation for working across the aisle earned her a broad base of support, even among Republicans. She won endorsements from a long list of state and local officials, including U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath and the AFLCIO of Georgia.

Her unexpected loss to a 27-yearold waiter and member of the Demo cratic Socialists of America (DSA) may signal a shift in local politics — one where young, organized progressives running to the left of the establish

sures. But nearly half the contributions to Anulewicz came from political action committees, while Sanchez’s contributions were overwhelmingly smaller-dollar, individual donations.

That reflects the grassroots getout-the-vote mobilization that Sanchez’s campaign has undertaken since last November to win. About 100 volunteers knocked on 17,000 doors, with the target of swaying 2,500 voters to defeat Anulewicz, according to Sanchez campaign manager and DSA-Atlanta co-chair Kelsea Bond.

“Our main takeaway from this campaign — and it’s something that

Gabriel Sanchez, center, in tie, celebrates with supporters May 21 after winning the Democratic primary against incumbent Teri Anulewicz for Georgia House District 42. The seat covers much of Cobb County.

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Historical Society president continues his passion project to discover Milton’s identity

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — For Milton Historical Society President Jeff Dufresne, storytelling is an essential component of any community. He has one of his own to tell.

That’s why he decided to interview around 90 residents during the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic to track the city’s sense of community through an upending and emotional time.

Dufresne, born on a dairy farm in Massachusetts, moved to Atlanta with his wife, Josephine, after graduate school in the 1980s.

Dufresne served as executive director of the Urban Land Institute in Atlanta before moving to Milton around 2017. He now serves as principal for Dufresne Projects as a real estate investor and consultant specializing in placemaking.

He’s a former member of the city’s Design Review Board, highlighting his commitment to his community.

“When I moved to Milton, I liked the buildings,” Dufresne said. “I saw there was a need for recognizing the places of historical value.”

A map of 28 historical markers with information about each site is available on the city’s website, miltonga.gov

His favorite is the Reese House at 12680 Crabapple Road, a Queen Anne style home built in 1912. He said it’s a beautiful gateway and something all travelers can spot entering the city.

The president of a city’s historical society is sometimes expected to have deep ties to the community. While Dufresne grew up a thousand miles from Milton, he has spent the past four years leading the effort to promote its past through education, preservation and exploration.

“I’ve always had a passion for preserving the past,” Dufresne said. “Learning from it and appreciating what went on at the time.”

He credited former Milton City Councilman Bill Lusk, one of the 35 founding members of the nonprofit, for his support getting the organization off the ground.

“It grew out of a group of history

Refurbished athletic fields enhance area high schools

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Sports Turf Company announced competition of phase one of the athletic facility renovations May 29 at high schools in the Fulton County district.

Phase one includes the renovation of high school practice fields at Alpharetta, Milton, Westlake in Atlanta and Langston Hughes and Creekside in Fairburn.

Sports Turf turned the existing natural grass practice fields at all five high schools into an artificial turf system, providing more durability and better shock absorbency.

The school district awarded a $13.6 million contract last November to the sports construction and surfacing company to renovate 11 practice fields, one stadium field and two shot put and discus sectors.

Phase two, already scheduled to be underway, calls for a new practice field,

stadium field replacement and track resurface at Cambridge High School.

The second slate of projects also includes construction of a track surface at Langston Hughes and Johns Creek high schools, a practice field at Tri-Cities High School in East Point and a practice field with shot put and discus sector at Banneker High School in unincorporated Fulton County.

The third phase will install new practice fields at Roswell, Centennial and Chattahoochee high schools.

Todd Higgins, president of Sports Turf, said his team is excited to see phase one completed.

“It is a privilege to work for a school system that places such a high importance on their athletic facilities,” Higgins said. “We’re excited to keep working on the next two phases to give them the facilities their athletes deserve.”

PHOTOS BY SPORTS TURF COMPANY/PROVIDED

A bird’s eye shot of Milton High School shows its new practice field with artificial turf. Sports Turf Company announced May 29 the competition of phase one of its track and turf replacement project with Fulton County Schools.

A new AstroTurf practice field stands ready for use behind Alpharetta High School. The athletic facility renovation is one of 15 projects scheduled to be completed this year across Fulton County Schools.

8 | Forsyth Herald | June 6, 2024

Home farmer shines light on mushroom as superfood

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — Shannon Williams probably fits in with other mushroom enthusiasts, wearing one of several mushroom T-shirts and advocating for a holistic healthy lifestyle, skeptical of silver bullets.

He’s the type to notice a kinship with all things around us.

“Mushrooms are very close to us, not too far from us in the genetic pool,” he said.

Before news of the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Williams said he came down with a sickness that resulted in a stick up his nose and hushed tones from medical professionals in the hall of the hospital, keeping away from whatever he had.

During his recovery, his son Shannon, the second, turned him onto turkey tail mushrooms. It was off to the races from there, carrying over some of the same equipment he used to brew his own ale.

“I remember I still was in pain when I decided I wanted to sell mushrooms to the public, so I decided I want to feed and heal my public,” Williams said.

Out of the basement in his Cumming home, he grows more than a dozen varieties of (legal) mushrooms. The 10-by-20 Gorilla tent is the last of three size upgrades for his burgeoning business Noble Fungi Farm.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever been born again, but it felt like that but without the politics,” Williams said. “It was my choice, right? It was like, ‘Hey, this is a good thing, and I benefited from it personally, like I am

a witness. Have you ever met Mushroom Jesus?’”

Williams fetched a box of mushrooms from his car — pink and blue oysters, which he identified by their Latin names. He said they were the backbone to his farm as well as elm oysters and lion’s mane, though he also grows chestnuts, reishi, shitake. Cordyceps get their own room, and so would hen-of-the-wood if he chooses to add it to the bunch.

“Hen-of-the-wood, I believe, knows the difference between its spores and other spores,” Williams said. “If there’s too many other spores in the environment, it’ll grow, but it’ll be underwhelmed. It won’t be like, ‘Life!’ It’ll be like, ‘Life…’”

He sells whole mushrooms, mushroom jerky and mushroom tinctures at local markets, also listing mushroom-based recipes on his website like one concocted by his eldest daughter Rena for vegan rainbow mushroom stroganoff.

Soon, Williams will introduce chaga soap. Chaga is sclerotia, a byproduct of birch trees attacking the locale of a fungal parasite, similar to a mold. Like reishi, Williams said it is an immunomodulator and an adaptogen, nourishing organs to provide chemical stability.

“It’s taking all the good stuff that the tree is throwing at it and making it grow,” Williams said.

Products or “value-adds,” as he likes to call them, are a third of his business. Another third is education, and another is having fun.

See MUSHROOM, Page 9

My grandmother used to say, ‘There’s a place for everything, and everything has its place,’ and that’s kind of my vibe.

SHANNON

he grew at his home-based farm in Cumming. They started

2021 after Williams used mushrooms to heal himself of illness and

pass that power to the community.

WILLIAMS, founder, Noble Fungi Farm

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Shannon Williams and his wife Valerie stand next to a box of oyster mushrooms

Noble Fungi Farm in

felt a need to

Pink and blue oysters are part of the backbone of Shannon Williams’ home-based farm in addition to shitake and lion’s mane.

Mushroom:

Continued from Page 8

Williams said his wife Valerie gives his mind direction, one that sometimes takes him down into the grow room at 3 a.m., still finding it miraculous to see his mushrooms grow.

“I bring the purpose, and I bring the dreams, and she helps me make it make sense,” Williams said.

Valerie, responsible for marketing Noble Fungi Farm, chuckled every now and then from across the outside breezeway at Starbucks as Williams’ excitableness over mushrooms pulled him into tangents.

He dove into the weeds of mycology, a meticulous process helped by a skillset he developed working in finance and accounting for UPS before he retired.

“My grandmother used to say, ‘There’s a place for everything, and everything has its place,’ and that’s kind of my vibe,” Williams said.

He also shared insights he accrued while taking his health into his own hands, with a hope that people do the same.

“We shouldn’t lean so much on other things,” Williams said. “They all have their place, but people don’t know how to grow anything. They don’t know how to fix anything. Like it breaks, they just go buy a new one.”

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

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Newspaper Delivery Route Openings with Appen Media Group

We are looking for one person or couple interested in delivering weekly newspapers in South Forsyth, Alpharetta and the Johns Creek areas.

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

PHOTOS BY SHANNON WILLIAMS/PROVIDED

Shannon Williams, owner of Noble Fungi Farm, holds a lion’s mane mushroom he grew in his basement farm. He grows more than a dozen varieties.

Shannon Williams’ son Shannon tends to mushrooms in the grow room.

Visit Our Brand New Showroom

5 absolute must-haves in the bathroom

Throughout America major changes are happening in the bathroom, especially in the shower. North Atlanta expanded rapidly from 1980 to 2005, and this is the era of jetted tubs dominating the bathroom, claustrophobic gold framed showers, poor lighting and the use of materials that promoted mold and mildew (grout).

“We see this every day”, says John Hogan, owner of Bath and Kitchen Galleria in Alpharetta, “Homeowners are tired of recurring grout issues, and they want their bathrooms to be a soothing pleasant experience.” Bath and Kitchen Galleria just completed their 1000th project and bathrooms are their primary type of project. “We have a formula that works for homeowners that balances bathroom aesthetics, function and price.”

In the bathroom, America has realigned its preferences, and the bathroom has taken a new shape in terms of products and appearance. At the center of “America’s New Bathroom” is a larger, open shower. We take more showers than baths, so the emphasis has shifted to the shower. Larger showers are more inviting and in most cases the shower does not have a ceiling.

In concert with the openness is the abundant use of shower glass. Not just any glass but specially coated glass that makes cleaning far less frequent. “We remodel just about every shower to be a maximum of 2 tiled walls: the remaining walls are always glass,” Mr. Hogan continued, “abundant glass and strategically located lighting, promotes that spa feeling.” Bathrooms are now engineered to be cleaner, both in design and materials; grout no longer promotes mold, non-porous tile remains clean, and humidity sensing fans automatically exhaust unwanted humidity.

Americans are taking shorter showers, but an abundance of water is also desired, so multiple shower heads especially incorporating a handheld wand is preferred. Especially when a bench is included, the water needs to be accessible from a seated position.

The 5 Absolute Must-Haves in a Bathroom: Bigger Showers, Brighter Bathrooms, Designs that Promote Cleanliness, Abundant Water experiences and Soothing Colors. For more information visit Bath and Kitchen Galleria’s showroom at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector in Alpharetta (no appointment needed) or call them at 678-459-2292.

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The openness of the shower is the mold solution.

Top in-demand amenities for luxury homes in 2024

Brought to you by – Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

As 2024 opens with limited inventory in high demand coupled with investors who have become accustomed to new interest rates, the luxury market can safely be termed ‘healthy.’ However, sellers need to stay informed about evolving buyer trends. According to a new Luxury Outlook Report from Sotheby’s International Realty, the market is experiencing a shift toward properties that integrate a few key elements well.

Here are a few highlights of what’s next in luxury homes. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current residence or invest in a new property, these features are set to reshape not only homes themselves but the lifestyles they represent.

1. Sustainable features.

The demand for renewable energy and a reduction in carbon footprint has generated an unprecedented market for eco-conscious building and development practices. In addition, many governments offer tax credits for sustainable construction. E-vehicle charging points, solar energy, eco materials and eco amenities are becoming important considerations for buyers. Sustainability is extending into community development as well, with walkability, electric-vehicle charging station availability and LEED-certified designs factoring largely in planned neighborhoods.

2. Hospitality elements.

In Hotel-Style, At Home, Jim Tinson, AIA, says that his clientele “…no longer draws a distinction between their vacation accommodations, private clubs, or primary residences…. ‘There’s a focus on elevated amenities and hospitality experiences baked into private homes.’” Some examples of this trend are:

• hotel-style suites that incorporate en suite bathrooms, closets and blackout shades into secondary bedrooms,

• in-room kitchenettes,

• spa-inspired bathrooms,

• family entertainment destinations,

• high-end mudrooms that mimic the boot rooms of five-star ski resorts (complete with headed lockers, boot warmers and full equipment storage), and

• hotel-worthy cocktail bars

3. Resort-like attributes.

The seamless integration of indoor and outdoor living spaces has become a hallmark of luxury design. This feature emphasizes a harmonious connection with nature and blurs the boundaries between the interior and exterior through expansive glass walls, retractable doors and covered outdoor rooms.

As we navigate through 2024, the landscape of luxury real estate continues to transform, marked by amenities that offer a comprehensive, elevated living experience. For sellers and developers, staying attuned to these trends is crucial in catering to the sophisticated tastes of today’s market. If you need assistance renovating your home or have any other real estate needs, please contact Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300. We would be happy to assist you!

Compiled and edited by Angela Valente, Marketing Copywriter/ Copyeditor

Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad

PEXELS

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Lakeside at River Green

an active adult community in Canton

Brought to you by – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties’ New Homes Division

John Wieland and his JW Collection team, with more than 50 years of experience, present Lakeside at River Green, a gated, active-adult neighborhood in Canton, GA, just north of Atlanta in Cherokee County. The JW Collection is John’s legacy business and represents his half century commitment to building better homes.

Lakeside at River Green is a neighborhood without comparison. An elevated experience that has no equal. And homes as unique as you are because you help design them. Our luxury single-family homes range from 1,800 to 3,600+ sq. ft. and over one to three stories of spacious living, finished terrace levels with media rooms, sky terraces, luxury owner’s suites with spa-inspired

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Lakeside is redefining what an active adult neighborhood is all about. As part of the overall master-planned River Green community, you’ll enjoy a country-club atmosphere rich with resort-style activities and amenities – all just steps away from your front door. Soak in the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Take your furry best

friend on a scenic stroll. Make new friends lakeside, poolside or at Evermore, Lakeside’s brand-new 10,000+ sq. ft. clubhouse featuring an elegant club room, veranda, fitness center, yoga room, lounge, meeting rooms and boardroom, covered outdoor terrace with lake views, pickleball courts, fire pit and lake pier. Other amenities in River Green include a resort and lap pool, waterpark, tennis courts, playground, miles of walking/ biking/nature trails, and more than 200 acres of green space.

Lakeside is as far away from expected as possible, yet it’s close to everything you want, need and love. Here you’ll experience a setting of true privacy woven into the fabric of a flourishing master-planned community. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the arts, culture, and charm of the historic town of Canton, GA. Canton and the surrounding scenic area have become a mecca for wineries,

golf, gourmet dining, and eclectic shops and art studios. If that weren’t enough, everything from cheering on your hometown heroes like the Braves and Falcons to world class music and art is nearby in Atlanta.

Every John Wieland home is built with purpose, and everyone on the JW Collection team is committed to the company’s mission: To conceive and build homes and neighborhoods that will stand the test of time in value and beauty and enhance the lives of their owners. Come experience the John Wieland difference at Lakeside at River Green.

To schedule a tour, please contact Carla or Calvin at 678-321-4211 or visit us online at lakesideatrivergreen.com.

Lakeside is represented by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division. An equal housing opportunity.

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Estate planning is essential if you don’t want your property to end up in the costly probate court, but how do you make sure your beneficiaries can inherit without the headache of additional costs? You can put “right of survivorship” language on the deed, which ensures that the remaining joint owner of the property inherits 100% upon your death, but that’s only a temporary stop-gap measure as the property will still end up going into the probate court upon the remaining owner’s death. You can’t sign the property over to your children during your lifetime, since that triggers capital gains tax, and you certainly can’t just leave the property be, as the right of survivorship isn’t automatic in the state of Georgia - not even a spouse would be able to inherit your interest in a property. That’s where trusts come in, and there are a variety of trusts that you can choose to set up depending on your situation. For instance, a generationskipping trust allows trust assets to

be inherited by non-spouse beneficiaries two or more generations younger than you, which is perfect if you want your great-grandchildren to inherit. This trust can also be drafted so assets are transferred without incurring generation-skipping tax. Then there’s the 2503(c) trust, which is a special trust created specifically for children under the age of 21. It allows you to control the trust assets and properties until the child reaches maturity. Or you can always go with a basic or enhanced revocable trust, which protects the properties after your death and ensures the beneficiaries inherit without capital gains tax - thanks to something called the “step-up basis,” they would only need to pay taxes based on the current value of the property, not on the value that the property has accumulated over the years.

Regardless of your situation, there is likely a trust that is perfect for you. So don’t wait to begin protecting your property. Start today by contacting a local estate planning attorney and start your estate plan now.

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A ‘Mulligan’ for Mordecai the Great Pyrenees

If you ever find yourself taking a trip in Forsyth County and stumble onto the Sweetwater subdivision, you might find yourself face-to-face with 80 pounds of hugs and kisses from Mordecai.

Don’t fight the urge to run. Just succumb to the canine affections until owner Ken Wishner is able to entice Mordecai to move on. He is a busy boy with plenty of neighborhood kids, adults and dog friends to greet and let them all know how happy he is to be in their midst.

If you’re not a dog person, you should probably go make a sandwich. There’s not much need to keep reading. However, if you want a saga that will give you some “warm and fuzzies” and provide a break from knives replacing finger

TENSE

paints at schools, by all means read on.

Mordecai’s “Mulligan” began during a particularly nasty stretch of weather this past winter. The romanticist in me would love to believe he magically appeared on our streets. But let’s face it: Cuddly Mordecai didn’t stay small for very long. It’s not a stretch to figure his previous owner tapped out, choosing to dump him. There was probably hope that things might just work out, so they left him to fend for himself.

Mordecai’s new digs can’t necessarily be chalked up to some type of divine intervention. Not unless Good Samaritan/animal lover Amy Belitsos came from the heavens and not from just down the street. Mordecai showed up wet, dirty and hungry, probably innately knowing that Amy was a soft touch. As a dog lover, Amy was torn. She tried to find the owner and even contacted a woman who owned a farm and was willing to take Mordecai off Amy’s hands. But not so fast. Enter Wishner, who was still smarting from

the loss of his two fur pals. Tank was a gregarious Golden Retriever who never left Ken’s side. Didn’t even need a leash when they were on neighborhood strolls. Einstein was a Golden, with a few other breeds thrown in for good measure. Both were adopted and Ken was looking for a new friend.

Enter Amy and Mordecai. Sort of. Ken wasn’t sure, and Mordecai had to do some time in lockup. He got cleaned up and vaccinated while a guest of Forsyth County Animal Control. Amy and Ken raved about the county’s facility, its cleanliness, and the kindness of the staff. By all accounts, Mordecai was a model prisoner until Wishner sprung him and brought him home.

That’s when the fun began with a ravenous Mordecai devouring windowsills, cushions, and his new dog bed. Ken figured quickly how to save his sills. He now buys paint sticks at Home Depot.

“They’re cheap and Mordecai loves them.”

And the Sweetwater denizens have taken a real shine to Mordecai. During neighborhood jaunts, there is often a line to pet the puppy, an instant charmer as he puts his paws on your shoulders and gives you a bearhug, He’s got being a charmer down to a science, instantly able to woo you with his “googly” eyes.

Ken says Mordecai’s leash training is getting better. Thank heavens! The initial Mordecai sighting looked like Ken had been fishing and was trying to land an uncooperative whopper.

These days, Mordecai has adjusted to his new digs and let other creatures what belongs to him. Pity a squirrel or coyote that enters Mordecai’s kingdom. His breed is known as fierce protectors.

Just ask any unwary windowsill.

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

The Sexton family of Chamblee operated area grocery stores

James Tolbert Sexton (18641941) was born in Gwinnett County. He married Nancy Myria Robinson (1864-1954) of Chamblee in 1888. The couple lived and farmed in Chamblee. They had three children, Florence, Grover T. and William Robert Sexton, Sr. The Sexton family were members of the Chamblee Baptist Church, first known as Corinth Baptist. Most of the family is buried at the old church cemetery at the corner of New Peachtree Road and Hood Avenue.

Grover Tolbert Sexton (1891-1951), sometimes listed in military records as T. Grove or Tolie Grove Sexton, reported to Camp Gordon, Chamblee, in July of 1918. Sexton began his service in the 157th Depot Brigade, later becoming part of the Replacement Draft in Company D of the 11th Infantry.

On July 21, 1918, he left the U.S. aboard the ship Plattsburg. The Army Transport Service list of passengers indicates his hometown of Chamblee and his nearest relative as his mother, Nancy Sexton. T. Grove Sexton remained overseas until July 11, 1919, when he left France, once again aboard the Plattsburg, headed for Hoboken, New Jersey.

After he returned to Chamblee, he married Maggie Caldwell, and they ran a grocery store. They lived on Elliot Street in the 1930s and on Peachtree Dunwoody Road in 1950, according to the U.S. Census. After T. Grove died in 1951, Maggie lived at 3471 Chamblee Dunwoody Way until her death in 1980. (City/suburban directories, DeKalb History Center archives; Atlanta Constitution obituary)

William Sexton, Sr. (1893-1971) and Jessie Ethel Sexton (1891-1956) had two sons and three daughters,

including William Robert Jr., Eugene Grover, Earlene S., Elizabeth, and Dorothy.

William Robert Sexton Jr. (1916-2000) went by the name Robert. His first job was working at his Aunt Maggie and Uncle T. Grove’s grocery store in Chamblee. According to the 1940 census records, Robert lived with his grandparents on Sexton Road and was driving a truck for a dairy. The dairy was likely Irvindale Dairies, because Sexton worked there for 30 years, beginning at age 19.

After working at Irvindale and advancing through the company, he helped reform the seven-day work schedule of employees. This led to fewer employees quitting.

Sexton used his grocery store knowledge and opened several grocery stores in Loganville and Acworth following his retirement from Irvindale. He and wife Doris Brown Sexton had five children. (Atlanta Journal obituary, September 9, 2000)

Clint Daniel grew up in Chamblee and recalls that his dad went to Chamblee High School with Robert Sexton. He remembers their house was on what is now Harts Mill Road close to Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Robert’s brother, Eugene Grover Sexton (19191948) served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, from 1944 through 1946. Sexton sadly died two years after his military service ended. He was operating a farm in the Pine Mountain Valley community of Georgia.

Florence Sexton, the daughter of James and Nancy Sexton, continued to live with them and worked as a seamstress.

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.

MIKE TASOS Columnist

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist PAST

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NANCY SEXTON

From “A History of the community and city of Chamblee,” by Vivian Price

OPINION

The Shirley Family: Ireland, England, Virginia and North Fulton

The history of the Shirley family can be traced back to the 11th century in Europe. Since I am related to the Shirley family and was vaguely aware of my Irish and English roots and have a fondness for Irish pubs, I tracked down the Shirley Pub in the small Irish town of Kells near Kilkenny a few years back. I spent a delightful time with the owners in their nearby home.

The Shirley Arms boutique hotel in the heart of Carrickmacross, County Monaghan, is another worthwhile location to visit. The Shirley estate just outside Carrickmacross was the largest estate in the county in the 17th century, covering some 26,000 acres, about the size of Disneyworld. At the end of the 19th century the lands had to be sold due to the Irish Land Acts. The estate now has fewer than 1,000 acres.

English Protestant migration to Ireland took place over several centuries. Ireland was a very Catholic country dating back to St. Patrick’s trip to Ireland in the 5th century to convert the population to Christianity. In 1649 the English Parliament sent General Oliver Cromwell to quell a Catholic uprising in Ireland. Cromwell devastated several Irish cities and was preparing to attack Kilkenny when the city capitulated. One of the Kilkenny residents was Thomas Shirley who had immigrated to Northumberland County, Virginia in 1643. DNA tests have shown that the Kilkenny DNA matches the DNA of at least some of the Shirleys of North Fulton, so it is safe to conclude that at least some local Shirleys are descendants of both Ireland and England.

The Shirley family history is detailed in an 1841 book “Stemmata Shirleiana” by Evelyn Phillip Shirley. It records the lineage of the Shirleys through the oldest sons from 1066 to the late 1800s. It dates the Shirley lineage to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy, who invaded England with his army from Northern France, an attack which earned him the name William the Conqueror. After becoming King of England, William seized the estates of families who did not support him and gave them to those who did support him. Among those who came with William from Normandy was Sir Henry de Ferrières (1036-1101).

According to a book written by Fred Shirley of Alpharetta (1935-2017) “The Shirleys of Northumberland, VA,” King William rewarded Ferrières with vast

lands seized from six landowners who had opposed the king.

The Shirley lineage began as the surname of several parishes, the first being in Derbyshire in the English midlands. There are several other Shirley towns in England. Shirley is a Saxon word, signifying “a clear place or pasture.” The charming Shirley village and civil parish still exist today in Derbyshire which had a population of 270 in 2011. In the 14th century the Church of St. Michaels was built in the town and the local Saracen's Head pub built in 1791.

Fred Shirley’s book is a great resource about the history of the Shirleys in America. Fred tells the story of Thomas Shirley, who was probably the first, or certainly among the first, Shirley immigrants in 1643 as a very young man. He became a successful tobacco farmer and was a leader in his community. He passed on to future generations of Shirleys his qualities of “wisdom, ambition and an adventurous spirit,” wrote Fred Shirley. Thomas married Francis Snatt Shirley (1633-1690) in 1665. He died in 1696.

In 1784 descendants of Thomas,

John and Elizabeth Shirley, loaded their wagon with their seven children and, together with their six horses and 13 cattle, left Northumberland and traveled to Abbeville County, South Carolina, where John purchased 200 acres on the Savannah River. John constructed a sawmill and grain mill, and the family grew and prospered. Other relatives followed them to Abbeville or settled in Honea Path about 19 miles from Abbeville.

In the mid-1800s, some Shirley families left South Carolina and moved to north Georgia, attracted by reports of good land available at cheap prices. They were also aware of newspaper reports of the Gold Land Lottery of 1832 and that some owners of the 40-acre land lots were selling their lots at low prices since anything they received represented a profit.

John Franklin Shirley (1841-1906) was born in South Carolina and moved with his wife Mary Catherine Shirley (1846-1915) and children to North Fulton in 1846. He enlisted in the Confederate Army, 56th Infantry Regiment, Company 1, 3rd Regiment GA State Troops. After the Civil War, John became

a successful farmer with more than 1,000 acres with two sawmills and several houses in the Union Hill, Ocee and Stono communities about 3 miles from Alpharetta.

John and Mary’s son, James Wright Shirley (1868-1960), and his wife Dora Josephine Strickland (1870-1931), lived on a farm that includes what is today Lake Windward in Alpharetta. Just below the house was a large building housing the Stono Post Office, store and grain mill owned by Mr. Shirley. He also owned a general store in Ocee, the Farm Merchandise Store in downtown Alpharetta and a 500-acre farm with five tenant houses. James and Dora had 10 children most of whom were farmers. Fred Shirley and his sister Sally David, who lives in Hiawassee, were grandchildren of James Wright.

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

FAMILY PROVIDED

James Wright Shirley, far left, his sons and sons in law sit on the front stoop of James’ farm house near to where Alpharetta’s Lake Windward is today. The photo is from the 1950s.

International birthday parties and valuable life lessons

Recently, my daughter celebrated her birthday at the beach with five of her closest friends, while I stayed at her place in Ellijay, babysitting her husky. Although I don’t mind housesitting, taking care of that husky was another story. I was struck by the diversity among my daughter’s friends – their eclectic nature —so unlike the typical groups from my generation. These friends are difficult to categorize or stereotype, and their varied backgrounds made me wonder just how typical they are of their generation, many of whom are now in their mid to late 30s.

All except one friend met my daughter while she lived in California in a big house over a decade ago on the corner of Haight and Ashbury. The outlier is a friend she met in Berlin. Despite geographical distances and time, these friendships have remained strong and vital.

The friend from NYC, a computer programmer from India who grew up in Dubai, recently quit her job in the Bay Area to move to and experience New York City – by herself. When I asked her how the birthday party was at the beach, she replied that it was like a “five-day slumber party,” which brought a smile to my face and made my heart flutter.

The friend from upstate New York is originally from a small village in Bangladesh. He moved to the United States at 5 and became a successful computer programmer. While living at the house on Haight, he began developing Crowdcast, a website for video conferencing, just before COVID-19, which eventually became a popular app and platform used worldwide. Talk about timing.

Two of my daughter’s friends still live in the Bay Area. One is an architect. I would call her an “art connoisseur/ entrepreneur.” When I first met her, she was running a converted warehouse in Oakland that she had converted into

a live/work art collective to address affordable housing and work space for Bay Area artists. Think consignment store, except instead of booths for stuff to sell, there were spaces for artists to create their work. Wandering through the warehouse was mystical, almost like exploring some far-away land. You never knew what you would run into around any corner you turned.

The other friend still living in the Bay Area is much of the time, literally living “in the bay.” His story is remarkable. He is from the Midwest and dropped out of college and that traditional career track thing, and moved to California where he started working as a computer coder – selftaught. He found his place in one or several of the Silicon Valley tech

companies and lives with his long-time partner who was one of the first, say 20, employees of one of the huge tech companies – think like a Google or similar. Most of his time today is split between his new job at yet another tech company and working on the large sailboat he bought and learned to sail in San Francisco Bay – hence “living literally in the Bay.”

The odd-man-out, the one she did not meet in California, is probably the most interesting of them all. Think a modern-day Indiana Jones or similar. Whether it was hiking across much of eastern Europe and the Middle East, to moving to Israel to learn Hebrew (just because), to moving to Indonesia to live in a orangutang-rescue preserve camp for six months to who knows how many

other adventures, he is the poster-child Peter-Pan. He is German and, like the others, a coder/tech guy. Think crazy smart, tech guy. His last “formal” job was rewriting the code for the French unemployment system – seriously. My daughter met him a week or two after she had moved herself to Germany to audition for ballet companies in Europe. She needed a place to live, and through a distant Appen cousin, connected with Stef who held the lease on a large multi-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor above the German headquarters of the Hells Angels in Berlin. Amelia lived there for the better part of two years.

Stephen flew in from Berlin for my daughter’s birthday. That alone touches me deeply, that my kid would have a friend who cared enough to do that. But on top of that, he recently raised money to buy an aging, rundown German resort “in the country” – think like a small Grove Park Inn – so he took the time out from his start-up hotel and resort business to spend time with my daughter and celebrate her birthday. And note to self, he had zero experience in running a business, or managing lots of people, or operating something, like a resort, that had to make a profit yet wrote a business plan that impressed a German bank and a few other investors enough to lend him the money (millions of euros). Who would-a thought!

Take-aways

Anyway, my daughters’ friends teach me lots of worthy life lessons by example. They do not bind themselves to accepted norms and expectations. They live lives that are driven to a significant degree by curiosity, by a desire to experience and explore. They embrace the unknown which I am sure produces just as much anxiety for them as it does for you and me, but they seem to thrive on it instead of fearing it. They don’t let “you can’t do this or that” stop them from trying. They are loyal friends, the kind you can count on. They are the kind of companions you strive for. Those kinds of friends are priceless.

And the last lesson? Well, it might be to “never own a husky,” but don’t get me started on that one.

RAY APPEN

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

SPECIAL

Amelia Appen, crouched in center, stands on the beach this April with an international group of friends.

What are the current planting zones?

It seems like we hear comments about global warming every day. As the weather reporter or meteorologist can tell you, the average summer temperatures are increasing, but on the other hand, are the winter temperatures increasing or decreasing? In December of 2022, we had one day in North Fulton and surrounding areas when the temperature reached a low of 6 degrees for the first time in 30 years. As a result, many shrubs lost a significant number of leaves, died or had their overall growth significantly impacted. Some of the shrubs most significantly impacted by last year’s hard freeze were the camellias, azaleas, lorepetulum and gardenias. These four shrubs are evergreens, do not lose their leaves in the fall and are green throughout the winter. As a result of the deep freeze, some of my azaleas partially died and did not bloom last spring, and one of my large Camellia japonicas sadly lost all of its leaves, and its flower buds were frost damaged and did not bloom as they normally do in late February. When I saw what I thought was a dead plant, my impulse was to cut it down and remove it from my landscape. But fortunately, I got busy, and several months later to my amazement it started to show signs of life and began to produce a new crop of green leaves! I am happy to report it is alive and well, and this year it has 100 plus flower buds. If you lived anywhere in the Atlanta metropolitan area on January 28, 2014, I am sure you remember the history-breaking, catastrophic snow and ice storm that covered all of the roads and brought traffic to a halt. This storm even has a name, Snowmeggedon! It not only paralyzed everyone’s ability to get home from school, work or shopping, but it also had a devastating effect on plants in our yards, on the Georgia’s farm economy and people with nursery businesses. In my yard, every Indian hawthorn planted by the builder in 2004 died. Because the Indian hawthorns outnumbered all the other landscape plantings, I lost 35 bushes as a result of the storm. When I researched to determine why these shrubs failed to survive while most of the other plantings survived, the answer was that the shrubs were the wrong plants for my planting zone. Indian hawthorns are winter hardy in zones 8 through 10.

Although the Indian hawthorns survived for nine years during mild winters, 2014 was too much for these zone 8 plants! As a result, I caution all gardeners in north metro Atlanta to carefully read the plant tags and note the Plant Hardiness Zones. Think carefully before purchasing any plant recommended for zone 8 and higher and determine if there is a safer option.

During the current winter season, the temperatures dipped into the mid and low 20s for several days. Taking these high and low temperatures into account, what effect do these temperatures have on the plants we try to grow in our landscapes and flower and vegetable gardens? What are the current planting zone designations, and have the plant zones changed because of global

PROVIDED

About the Author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a master gardener and a Milton resident. She taught biology for 35 years in the Pittsburgh area. In 2012 after moving to Milton, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking, and reading.

and regional warming? If you do an internet search to determine your planting zone, you will find two sources of information. Based on the USDA 2012 Plant Hardness Zone map, North Fulton, Cherokee, Forsyth and most of north Georgia were identified as zone 7b. In November 2023, the USDA modified the Plant Hardiness Zones for Georgia, and now Fulton, Cobb, Forsyth and Cherokee have been reassigned to Planting Zones 8. These changes are based on weather data collected over a 30-year period from 1991 to 2020. The 2023 map reflects a half zone shift for our area of Georgia.

CAUTION - Even as the climate warms, there will always be extreme weather events, and new plantings should be selected with these extremes in mind.

How can you avoid an expensive landscaping mistake? My suggestions are: do not fall in love

with a zone 8+ plant, and look at the plant tag before you purchase any plant. The gardenias and camellias are especially vulnerable to single-digit temperatures because some of the cultivars are zone 8 plants. If you want to purchase a gardenia, I would suggest the two most frost-tolerant cultivars, Frostproof or Foolproof. Both of these cultivars are designated as zone 7 plants. The same is true of camellias. Some camellias are more frost-tolerant and are designated as zone 7. Here is a quote from Tom Money, a landscape designer from Scottsdale Farms in Milton, when asked about planting zone 8 plants: “l would not plant zone 8 plants because in a year or two I would need to return to replant.”

Please compare the 2012 and 2023 planting zone maps that accompany this column and note the current changes. If you are a vegetable gardener, I suggest you read the Georgia Vegetable Planting Calendar cited in the “Learn More” resources.

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. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/opinion/ columnists/garden_buzz/.

CAROLE MACMULLAN Guest Columnist

Left: 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Right: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Fulton County Jail – Band-Aid or build?

Something needs to be done about the Fulton County Jail. It’s a critical part of the public safety ecosystem and its failing. We’ve seen horrific deaths and conditions so shocking that the Department of Justice has launched an investigation which is still ongoing. What you might not know is that a cycle of incidents, investigations and Band-Aid repairs has been going on for decades.

In 2015, the AJC reported on the county’s successful response to a lawsuit after 11 years that included addressing issues of jail overcrowding that had inmates sleeping on the floor, and conditions “so unsafe that inmates could wander about because of faulty locks.”

The article noted that “conditions would improve and then deteriorate again” over the 11-year period but were now fixed and that the “cost to taxpayers [had been] about $1 billion in renovations, repairs and ongoing programs.”

I don’t know how long those fixes lasted but I do know that by 2021, the Board of Commissioners were acknowledging that the same problems were occurring and started looking for solutions.

We spent almost a billion dollars between 2004 and 2015 and it bought us a few years, at best.

In January, 2023, shortly after I took office as a Fulton County Commissioner, I toured the jail at 901 Rice Street and saw firsthand how deteriorated and overcrowded it is. I saw pallets on the floor where men were bunking because there weren’t enough beds, and I saw how small the cells built for one man looked with two men living in them. I saw the handmade weapons the inmates were able to make with pieces of the building they could pull apart with their bare hands, and I talked with the sheriff about how challenging it is to hire and retain frontline law enforcement folks to work there. This year the stories of broken locks and doors sounded like a repeat of the 2015 story.

It was clear to me that something had to be done, and I was glad to learn that a year before I took office, the Board of Commissioners had contracted with a group of industry experts to conduct a Jail Feasibility Study for $1.2 million so that they could address the issues in a more holistic way than had been done in the past.

The study, presented to the board on

Feb. 1, 2024, concluded that the “existing jail is obsolete,” “creates public safety concerns” and is “adversely affecting employee retention.” It also stated that the “current buildings are deteriorated” and that the Fulton County Jail, which opened in 1989, exceeded the 30 year “average useful life of comparable jails.” The study came with a data analysis of the projected inmate population growth for the next 25 years, and a recommendation for a new jail at the 901 Rice Street location, with the lowest cost option estimated at $1.68 billion. After much debate that day and over the weeks and months that followed, it was clear all six of the district commissioners agreed that a new building was necessary. Only the chairman felt otherwise.

For the six of us, the debate was not about whether we should build a jail, but about how big it should be, how much we should spend, and where we would get the money. While that debate continued, we agreed that moving forward with at least the next two phases would not preclude us from working to improve inefficiencies in the justice system which might allow us to build a smaller building, or pursuing the option of a sales tax to help cover the cost and reduce the burden on property taxpayers.

With that in mind, we went ahead with Phase 2 of the Jail Feasibility Study at a cost of approximately $800,000, and approved bond funding and the issuance of a request for proposals (RFP) for the next phase of planning.

But now, the project is at a standstill. At the May 15 Board of Commissioners meeting, an unexpected vote was called to rescind the RFP for the next phase. It passed.

So, what changed? We were not able to get help from the state on the sales tax front, we were able to make improvements to the justice system, make more use of ankle monitoring which has lowered our current jail population, and the idea of renovation has re-emerged for some as a viable solution.

To be clear we spent $2 million on experts who gave us their best advice and we didn’t like the advice.

Something has to be done about the Fulton County Jail. But what? Will we spend another decade in a cycle of incident, investigation and Band-Aid response to the tune of $1 billion+ or will we invest in a long-term strategy that is humane, safe and improves public safety countywide?

Dana Barrett is the Fulton County Commissioner representing District 3.

DANA BARRETT Fulton County Commissioner District 3

Discover:

Continued from Page 6

lovers in Milton,” Dufresne said. “Not all of us are from this town, but just people who have an appreciation for the history of where they live.”

Dufresne identified one hurdle with preserving and sharing the multifaceted story of Milton: its little-known history.

As more Americans began settling the interior of Georgia in the early 19th century, tensions increased between the Cherokee Nation and White farmers. The state took over Cherokee lands in 1830 and divided it during the 1832 land lottery.

A couple decades later in 1857, the state established Milton County from parts of Cherokee, Forsyth and Cobb counties.

The McConnell-Chadwick Homestead, built in the late 1830s on Arnold Mill Road, predates the creation of Milton County.

Former state senator and Brig. Gen. Eli McConnell was authorized to mediate conflict between Native Americans and White settlers in the area and to sell property after the Cherokee removal in 1938.

Without the effort from the Milton Historical Society to work with the city and property owner, the historical site would have likely been destroyed.

Deer:

“The building was in disrepair, and the owner didn’t really have the money to restore it,” Dufresne said. “Ultimately, we got the owner to donate the building to the city, and the city will preserve it.”

The primarily cotton-producing county merged into Fulton County during the Great Depression amid boll weevil infestations and droughts that upended its one-crop economy.

Dufresne identified 1932 as his favorite moment in the history of Milton, as a community, county and city.

The collapse of the national economy, coupled with the destruction of the county’s mainstay crop, could have spelled decades of disaster for Milton.

“That old saying, ‘when one door closes, another one opens, but it can be hell in the hallway,’” Dufresne said. “It went from worst to on the road to what it is today.”

Instead, the area continued to grow and prosper throughout the 20th century as paved roads bridges and new buildings began to urbanize North Fulton County.

“We have two seasonal events because Milton was an agricultural town and community 100 years ago,” Dufresne said. “You’d plant seeds in the spring and harvest in the fall.”

The Historical Society’s Spring Fling May 18 at the Roberts Barn on Freemanville Road drew around 130, the organization’s highest attended event to date.

Dufresne said many who attended were not members of the Milton Historical Society and some were new residents. The nonprofit, with more than 100 members less than seven years into its existence, shows promise for the growing city, he said.

The Historical Society’s slate of fall programs includes two lectures at the Milton Public Library Aug. 13 and Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

The Autumn Shindig at Wildberry Creek Farm Sept. 22 wraps up the organization’s list of upcoming programs and events for the year.

To get involved with the Milton Historical Society, visit miltonhistoricalsociety-georgia.org.

stands.

The Board of Commissioners will hold its formal business meeting on June 6 at 5 p.m. Continued from Page 1

wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, told commissioners that urban sprawl creates an environment in which deer populations can easily multiply because local landscaping and gardens provide an “endless buffet” of food. Combined with a lack of hunting in developed areas, the increased number of deer can reduce native plant cover and harm the habitats of smaller animals.

Rapach said that while there are nonlethal methods for mitigating deer populations, such as fertility control or animal relocation, these methods are not legal in Georgia and are not as effective or efficient as hunting for reducing population numbers.

Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said she’s received calls from residents “begging” to be able to hunt within the county for years.

“People were dying — I mean, there’s some folk legend going on about how big these deer are,” Mills said.

While commissioners generally seemed open to the hunting events,

there was some hesitancy on the board. Rapach and Tarnacki proposed two events, one in September and one in October, each allowing 30 hunters on the property. Citing safety concerns, Commissioner Todd Levent suggested holding six smaller events instead, each allowing only 10 hunters.

“I’ve been in the middle of one of these before,” Levent said. “Let me tell you, it was crazy.”

Mills asked county staff whether there were certifications for bow hunters. While there are stateapproved bow hunting safety courses available online, they are not required in Georgia, and County Manager David McKee noted that someone having the certification “doesn’t mean they can shoot better than anybody else.”

Rapach noted that the proposed hunting events would involve the bow hunters shooting from elevated positions such as tree stands, allowing the ground to act as a natural backstop to prevent danger from stray arrows. She emphasized the safety of bow hunting, noting that it has lower reported injury rates than typical sports like basketball or baseball, and that more than 90 percent of injuries related to bow hunting stem from hunters falling out of unsecured tree

Also on the agenda at the May 21 work session was five property condemnations along Old Atlanta Road to enable the county to move forward with work to widen the road. The condemnations will cost the county an estimated total of $232,000. County attorney Ken Jarrard said that the county was unable to reach a settlement with the property owners in each of the five cases.

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actually popular. It’s just that a lot of politicians are afraid to champion them,” Bond said.

Anulewicz did not respond to a request for comment.

Even for Cobb Republicans, her loss is a wake-up call. Skylar Akins, the Atlanta Young Republicans’ executive vice president and a resident of District 42, said it was completely unexpected.

If anyone had foreseen it, he added, a number of Republican voters in Anulewicz’s district would have chosen a Democratic primary ballot just so they could vote for her. “They definitely would have [picked a Democratic ballot]. The only thing we were deciding on the Republican side in Cobb County was the sheriff’s race,” he said.

Akins acknowledged the “sweat equity” Sanchez’s campaign put in. “I know they flooded this district with people because I was personally canvassed by his campaign three or four times,” he said.

Sanchez will face off against Republican Diane Jackson for the House legislative seat in November. Jackson ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Other Gen Z wins

The other Gen Z candidates to win Democratic primaries for state legislative seats include Bryce Berry and Ashwin Ramaswami in Metro Atlanta and Madeline Ryan Smith in a Middle Georgia district.

Berry bested a crowded field to win the Democratic primary for House District 56, which runs from Ansley Park, through Midtown, all the way southwest to Beecher Hills. The district’s two-term incumbent, Rep. Mesha Mainor, caused a stir last July

More information

Here’s a rundown of run-off elections expected for the five-county, metroAtlanta area based on preliminary election returns:

Fulton County

• Democratic primary for Fulton County Commissioner, District 4:

Incumbent Natalie Hall v. Mo Ivory. Clayton County

• Democratic primary for Clayton Sheriff: Incumbent Levon Allen v. Jeffrey E. Turner.

• Democratic primary for Clayton County Commission Chair: Alieka Anderson v. Terry L. Baskin

• Democratic primary for Clayton County Commissioner, District 3: Tashe’ Allen v. Attania Jean-Funny. DeKalb County

• Democratic primary for DeKalb CEO: Larry Johnson v. Lorraine Cochran Johnson.

• Democratic primary for DeKalb

when she switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party – attracting Berry and four other Democratic challengers.

If Berry wins against Mainor in November, he could be the first public school teacher in the Georgia House of Representatives. The 2023 Morehouse College graduate teaches 7th grade math for Atlanta Public Schools. He told Atlanta Civic Circle last month that education reform, including greater teacher pay, along with affordable housing and accessible healthcare are his top issues.

Ramaswami ran unopposed to win the Democratic primary for Senate District 48 in Johns Creek, where he grew up. Ramaswami, a software engineer who just graduated from Georgetown Law School, will face off against Republican incumbent Sen.

County Commissioner, District 4: Lance Hammonds v. Chakira Johnson.

• Judicial runoff for State Court Judge Division A-3: Yolanda Mack v. Dionne McGee.

Gwinnett County

• School Board District 1: Karen Watkins v. Rachel Stone

• School Board District 3: Steve Gasper v. Shana White State Legislature

• Democratic primary for State Senate District 55: Iris Knight-Hamilton v Randal Mangham (DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties)

• Democratic primary for State Senate District 38: RaShaun Kemp v. Ralph Long III. (Fulton County)

• Democratic primary for State Senate District 34: Valencia Stovall v. Kenya Wicks. (Clayton and Valencia Counties)

• Democratic primary for State House District 96: Arlene Beckles v. Sonia Lopez (Gwinnett County)

Shawn Still in November. The Democrat has said he decided to challenge Still after the latter’s indictment in the sprawling Fulton RICO case against former president Donald Trump.

In Middle Georgia, Smith also ran unopposed to win the Democratic primary for House District 158, located between Macon and Savannah. Smith is challenging longtime incumbent Rep. Larry “Butch” Parrish, who just completed his 20th term. This will be her second bid for the seat, after losing to Parrish in 2022.

A Gen Z challenger in Albany, Joshua Anthony, wasn’t able to unseat first-term Rep. David Sampson in the Democratic primary for House District 153. Sampson won a resounding 58 percent of the vote. Incumbents fare well

Outside of Sanchez’s upset, incumbents fared well in the primary. Georgia Supreme Court Justice Andrew Pinson staved off a competitive challenge from former Democratic Congressman John Barrow, winning 55 percent of the vote in the closely watched nonpartisan primary. Pinson was appointed to the state Supreme Court in 2022 by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, so now he’ll serve a 6-year term.

In another nonpartisan judicial race, incumbent Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee also won with a commanding 83 percent of the vote. McAfee is overseeing the historic case alleging election interference against Trump and 14 coconspirators.

Fulton Sheriff Pat Labat and District Attorney Fani Willis, the prosecutor for the Trump election-interference case, both cruised to victory in their Democratic primaries. Another Democratic incumbent, Clerk of Courts Che’ Alexander, also attracted primary challengers, but won 52 percent of the vote to narrowly avoid a runoff. These primary victories all but assure their wins in November in the heavily Democratic county.

Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor trounced three fellow Democrats, winning 67.8 percent of the vote in their primary. He’ll face off against Republican primary winner Mike Baker, a former Gwinnett deputy, in the Nov. 5 general election.

Run-offs to watch

Several other elections will head to a runoff on June 18. In contests with more than two candidates, if no candidate secures over 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election between the top two vote-getters is held within four weeks.

Claire Becknell contributed to this story. This article was originally published on atlantaciviccircle.org.

strategy to engage children in reading. To begin the program, the child needs to create an account on Beanstack, which is available on

DEATH NOTICES

Eugene Langston, 78, of Cumming passed away on Monday, May 27, 2024. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory.

the library website. Afterward, they complete reading logs to earn points toward incremental prizes.

Grades K-12 can read to receive a lanyard with badges. Pre-K aged children will get stickers.

For every 500 points earned, participants will get a ticket for a grand prize drawing. The grand prizes are gift baskets sponsored by the Rotary Club of Forsyth County.

In addition, the Forsyth County Public Library Friends and Advocates donates money for prize books. Once a child accumulates 500 points, they will be awarded a book of their choice. Other prize sponsors include Gifts Gardens, The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and Los Rios Cantina.

The gift baskets are geared to all ages with a preschool, elementary, teen and adult grand prize section.

Forsyth County libraries will also provide in-person and online activities. Families can check out experience passes that allow them to venture to different destinations across the state.

“The reason we do summer reading is because it keeps people engaged, it helps with academic regression, it keeps kids coming to the library, and it keeps their minds active and healthy,” said Leslie Marinelli, communications manager for Forsyth County Public Library.

To learn more about the summer reading programs, visit forsythpl.org/ summer-reading-fun.

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