Forsyth Herald - August 17, 2023

Forsyth County to celebrate talent of state’s seniors

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Senior Services and the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association will host a Senior Talent Show at 10 a.m. Sept. 16 at Sexton Hall at 2115 Chloe Road.

County Senior Services staff said the department is seeking performers aged 50 and older from all experience levels across the state. Acts can include singing, dancing, storytelling, magic or other talents.

A rendering shows the new Forsyth County Administration Building that will sit on a 42-acre campus on Freedom Parkway near Ga. 400. County Commissioners approved an additional $155,200 for the building Aug. 8 at a work session.

County grants additional funding for new administration campus

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County commissioners approved additional funding for the new County Administration Building, which officials say will provide convenience for residents by consolidating nearly all its departments into one facility.

At its Aug. 8 work session, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an additional $155,200

toward engineering requirements for the four-story administration building. The 130,000-square-foot main building will share a campus with an Employee Center, a health facility and greenspace on Freedom Parkway near Ga. 400.

The additional costs for the Administration Building include a traffic study; fiber optics and communications services; flood plain, trails and wetlands impacts; coordination of a service provider for customer service

systems; a third-party roof plan review; and specifications for a building automation system.

The Administration Campus, which includes the three facilities, is estimated to cost $140 million, including the newly approved change orders.

Forsyth County’s current Administration Building was built in 1996 and includes 55,000 square feet of space, about half the size of the new facility.

See CAMPUS, Page 6

“The show is a great opportunity for those who love to be on stage and win trophies,” Senior Services Director Ruthie Brew said. The department last held the talent show in 2019.

Registration is due Aug. 18. Those interested can sign up at forsythco. com/Departments-Offices/SeniorServices.

Tickets to attend are also available for purchase at the same link. Tickets are $3 for admission and $8 for lunch.

— Shelby Israel

Cumming Municipal Election

Qualification dates for Nov. 7, 2023, city elections

• 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 21

• 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 22

• 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 23 City Council posts 3,4 and 5 are up for election.

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Suspect cited for DUI following domestic call

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 46-year-old Cumming man Aug. 1 on DUI charges after he allegedly fled a domestic dispute.

The County 911 Center reported receiving a call around 9 p.m. the suspect had left the dispute in his truck while intoxicated. Deputies located the truck on Mullinax Road and observed the vehicle crossing into other lanes, the report states.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop and observed the driver to be impaired to the extent he was unsafe to drive. In the truck, deputies found an open Coors Light can, the report states.

He was charged with misdemeanor DUI alcohol, possession of an open alcohol container and failure to maintain lane.

The suspect was also charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the first degree, criminal damage to property in the second degree and misdemeanor criminal trespass for the domestic incident.

Deputies arrest suspect for child pornography

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 49-year-old Alpharetta man July 27 on 14 felony child pornography charges.

Deputies reported receiving a tip Feb. 20 on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Computer Crimes Unit.

The suspect was charged with seven

counts of possession of child pornography and seven counts of creation or distribution of child pornography.

He is being held at the Forsyth County Jail on a $77,280 bond.

Driver cited for DUI on Buford Highway

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 30-year-old Lawrenceville man July 25 on speeding, DUI and open container charges.

Deputies reported stopping the suspect for speeding 82 mph in a 45-mph speed zone around 11 p.m. on Buford Highway. Deputies conducted a DUI investigation and determined the suspect to be impaired.

Deputies found two open cases of Budweiser, several open cans and beer “spilled all over” inside the vehicle, the report states.

The suspect was charged with misdemeanor DUI alcohol, possession of an open alcohol container, driving without a valid license and speeding.

Homeowners report theft of purses, ashes of dog

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police were dispatched to a home on Weathervane Drive July 31, where a burglary was reported.

When police entered the residence, they observed items strewn over several areas of the home as well as pry marks on a living room window. One of the residents said her mother, who also lives at the home, is a business owner who is known to bring cash home at the end of the day.

The woman also reported the suspect took ashes of her dog, which were in an urn located upstairs. She also reported eight to 10 Louis Vuitton bags, priced at $8,000 each, missing from her closet.

Police canvassed the neighborhood and checked ring cameras, but they yielded no additional information. Detectives also responded to the scene.

Woman reports assault during neighborhood walk

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek woman reported to police Aug. 4 that while she was walking in her neighborhood on Mount Katahdin Trail, a man sexually assaulted her from behind.

The victim told police the suspect grabbed the left side of her sports bra from under her shirt while simultaneously grabbing her right then left butt cheek. The victim said the suspect quietly said, “I just had to do this.”

The victim said she screamed and started running up the street, then chased the suspect to where he had parked his car. The victim said the suspect got in his vehicle and drove away.

The victim described the suspect as a thin Black male with a medium to dark complexion, 5-foot-9, with closely cut hair. She also said he drove a silver SUV, possibly a Ford or Acura, with what appeared to be an “applied for tag.”

Detectives arrived at the scene for further investigation. While checking the neighborhood for cameras, a neighbor allowed police to look into his ring camera footage which showed a vehicle matching the victim’s description.

Driver cited for speeding on State Bridge Road

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Police reported observing a Dodge Charger and a white Audi sedan driving close to 100 mph in a posted 45 mph zone on State Bridge Road Aug. 5.

While the Audi failed to stop, police successfully stopped the Charger and noticed alcoholic beverages in the pocket of the driver’s seat. The driver , an 18-year-old Alpharetta resident, was placed under arrest for reckless driving. They also charged the driver with minor in possession of alcohol and transported him to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

The driver’s parents arrived at the scene and took possession of the vehicle.

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Forsyth County Schools Deputy Superintendent Mitch Young presents plans for redistricting in the 2024-25 school year Aug. 8 at a Board of Education work session. The redistricting would likely affect eight county elementary schools.

Forsyth County Schools proposes timeline for 2024-25 elementary school redistricting

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County Schools is gearing up for redistricting ahead of the 2024-25 academic year to alleviate overcrowding at its elementary schools.

Schools Deputy Superintendent Mitch Young presented plans for the process Aug. 8 at a Board of Education work session. While no formal vote was taken, Young said the presentation provides insight for the board to finalize the plans this fall.

Drafts of the redistricting map will be presented at 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Board of Education work session.

“What we looked at even a couple of months ago and what we’re seeing right now may not be 100 percent in line with where it was a few months ago,” Young said. “As close as we get to this timeline, we want to have the most accurate, real-totime numbers we can before we make any recommendations to [the School Board].”

At the end of the 2022-23 year, Forsyth County Schools had a total enrollment of 54,393 students. Schools Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Caracciolo said Aug. 7, less than a week into the semester, the school system enrolled 54,338 students, with increases likely through Labor Day.

School enrollment has consistently grown over the past decade in Forsyth County. Since 2012, overall enrollment grew nearly 43 percent. U.S. Census Bureau data shows about 25 percent of the county’s population is under 18 years old.

In addition to spreading out students at the existing schools, Young said the redistricting will populate the new Midway Elementary School on Mullinax Road near Denmark High School.

The school system celebrated a “beam signing” for the new school July 18. The original facility, which was built in 1961,

was earmarked for a new and larger location by the Forsyth County Commission in 2022.

Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden said at a July meeting the new Midway school is on track to open next fall.

Young said the redistricting is likely to impact students at Big Creek, Haw Creek, Mashburn, Sawnee, Brandywine, Kelly Mill, Vickery Creek and the current Midway elementary schools.

He said the school system is proposing students who are enrolled in dual language immersion programs and their siblings at Brandywine, Kelly Mill and Mashburn be allowed to remain at their current schools if they are enrolled in the programs.

“Hopefully, if things will work out, then we would also be able to provide transportation to those students for [dual language immersion],” he said.

Students entering fifth grade and their siblings who are affected by the redistricting may remain at their current schools for one year but must have their own transportation. Parents or guardians of these students must submit an out-of-district application.

The redistricting for the 2024-25 year will not affect middle and high schools.

A draft map for the elementary schools is scheduled to be presented Sept. 12 at the Board of Education work session, with Sept. 13-29 reserved for online public feedback.

The School Board will formally vote on the redistricting Oct. 17 at its regular meeting. Out-of-district applications will open Oct. 1-Nov. 30.

To involve residents throughout the process, the school district is hosting a public forum on the draft redistricting map at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Forsyth Central High School auditorium.

Updates will be posted at forsyth.k12. ga.us/redistricting.

FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS/SCREENSHOT

Lanier Tech students win gold at national health conference

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Three Lanier Technical College students won first place in the career pathways for health science competition at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta.

Ashley Watson, Lillian Phillips and Janet Penaloza participate in the college’s health information management technology program. The team collaborated with Northside Hospital Forsyth and the County Healthcare Association to study Avive Solutions’ 4 Minute City.

The students chose health care data analysis as the career pathway for their project, and they researched the data behind how 4 Minute City aims to lower the sudden cardiac arrest mortality rate from 94 percent to 30 percent.

The 4 Minute City program seeks to raise the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrests by providing AEDs that have a GPS system to locate the equipment before first responders arrive. The initiative is a partnership between the County Fire Department, Northside Hospital Forsyth, Central EMS, the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management and the Chamber of Commerce’s Healthcare Association.

Forsyth County became the third partner community in the program in February.

Watson, Phillips and Penaloza observed in their project that of the 514 sudden cardiac arrests in the county between 2019 and 2022, an AED was used 67 times.

— Shelby Israel

HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION OF FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED

The Lanier Technical College health information management technology program won first place in the career pathways for health science competition at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta.

Forsyth County Library System to feature lectures on diaspora

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Public Library system will host a series of free programs and reading groups on displacement, migration and diaspora from August to March.

The Yiddish Book Center awarded the library system a grant for the “Stories of Exile” series. The book center grant provided the libraries with copies of three books translated from Yiddish into English.

The series explores narratives on home, identity, memory and belonging by pairing a Yiddish text with a book related to other cultures in the community.

“Many in our community have lived through the circumstances of dispossession, exile, migration and/ or diaspora and will find their own experiences reflected in the literature,” Library Information Services Supervisor Brooke Rose said. “The

discussions will also help others who have not had these experiences understand and empathize with the condition of such a rapidly growing demographic in our community.”

Karen Isenberg Jones presented the first program “What Is Exile?” Aug. 15 at the Sharon Forks Library.

A reading group on Yenta Mash’s “On the Landing” and Roberta Fernández’s “Intaglio” is scheduled at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 also at the Sharon Forks Library.

New American Pathways will host “Empathy for the Refugee Experience” from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Post Road Library. A second reading group on Chava Rosenfarb’s “In the Land of the Postscript” and Murali Kamma’s “Not Native” will follow at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at Sharon Forks.

A “Yiddish Language and Culture” program will be held at an undecided

Campus:

Continued from Page 1

Staff said the county has outgrown the building as demand for services has increased.

date in December at the Hampton Park Library.

The series continues in 2024 with a reading group on Jacob Glatstein’s “The Glatstein Chronicles” and James Baldwin’s “The Stranger in the Village” at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at the Sharon Forks Library.

A “The Stories We Share” lecture will be held in February at the Cumming Library, with details to be decided.

A final reading group on Ha Jin’s “A Good Fall” and Mash, Rosenfarb and Glatstein’s stories will conclude the series at 7 p.m. March 19 at the Sharon Forks Library.

Additional reading group discussions will be held in January and March.

Those interested can register online for the reading groups at forsythpl.org/events.

— Shelby Israel

When the original Administration Building opened, the population of Forsyth County was around 68,000. Now, the county is home to more than 260,000 residents.

The $81 million Administration Building is funded by the county through surplus capital outlay funds. The Whole Health facility, which will house the County Health Department and mental health services provided by Avita Community Partners, is funded by American Rescue Plan dollars.

The third building, an Employee Center, is funded through surplus dollars in the county’s employee benefit fund. The facility will offer county employees a Health and Wellness Center and serves as a place for recruitment and retention efforts.

Jericho Design Group of Cumming is in charge of engineering and contracting of the campus, one of the nine firms who bid for the project in 2021.

A groundbreaking for the project was scheduled for this spring, but never happened. County Communications Director Russell Brown said the county is finalizing dates for the groundbreaking, but the campus is still on track for a 2025 opening.

Commissioners also approved $91,838 for additional design services for the Employee Center.

Both change orders will be finalized at an upcoming formal County Commission meeting.

An additional amount sought for design services for the Whole Health Building was also on the agenda, but commissioners voted to postpone the item for two weeks following a disagreement over whether the county should provide a sexual assault nurse examiner program on site.

Commissioner Laura Semanson said sexual assault services are better suited at a hospital like Northside Forsyth. But, Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said she thinks the county is obligated to house the service as part of the County Sheriff’s Office and district attorney’s investigation processes.

Even so, Semanson argued for a hospital-based operation.

“I’m just a little shocked that a large hospital with a huge presence that’s buying up real estate all over the county and purports to be a big part of this community can’t provide that service,” Semanson said.

See solution page 23

The Splatter Studio sparks joy, creativity

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — What makes art, art? Is art just paint on a canvas, clay on a wheel, or a moment in time frozen by an expertly snapped picture?

For the folks at The Splatter Studio in Sandy Springs, art goes beyond any form or medium, becoming a full-body experience that can inspire talent, emotion and creativity in even the least artistic of us.

Opened in 2020 by Howard Krinsky, owner of the Atlanta-based art supply store Binders, The Splatter Studio offers customers a chance to become Jackson Pollock for an hour or two by creating personal artworks in a riotous frenzy of paint.

Jenna Rees, chief brand officer for The Splatter Studio, said the business’s mission of being a “contemporary action painting experience” pays tribute to the Abstract Expressionism period in art history, where artists like Pollock, Willem De Kooning, Lee Krasner and others started experimenting with non-objective paintings, made through new techniques.

“Instead of just a traditional

brush, they were using sticks and brooms, and whatever they could find,” Rees said. “It was a full body experience, experimental, and the paintings were totally non-objective.”

Today, customers at The Splatter Studio are encouraged to immerse themselves fully in the process of making art, in whatever way feels right to them.

“It’s very therapeutic for people, a lot of people say that it’s kind of like unofficial art therapy,” Rees said. “Action painting is all about experiencing the process of art making and not really being too attached to like the end result. It’s not about coming in here and being an exceptional artist or creating a work of art that is necessarily going to make you famous.”

With admission to a “splatter session,” customers are given a protective poncho or Tyvek suit, goggles, paint sticks, brushes, paint blasters (squirt guns made from a foam material) and squirt bottles, along with a colorful panoply of paints, then set loose on a 16- by 20inch canvas.

The reckless abandon and heights that past customers have gone to create their art, can be seen in the layers of paint coating nearly every wall in The Splatter Studio, all the

See SPLATTER, Page 9

At

a Contemporary

customers are given the opportunity to create one painting, or many, by flinging, shooting and throwing paint.

It’s very therapeutic for people, a lot of people say that it’s kind of like unofficial art therapy.’

JENNA REES, Chief brand officer, The Splatter Studio

Business encourages patrons to immerse themselves in art

BOTTOM SPLATTER STUDIO/PROVIDED

The Splatter Studio,

Action Painting Experience in Sandy Springs,

Splatter:

Continued from Page 8

way up to its lofty rafters.

Some customers, even people who have never shown any interest in the arts, find something inside them that has to come out when they step up to the canvas. And Rees said they are glad to be the ones sparking that creation.

“It’s typically the people that say, ‘Oh, I’ve never even done anything like this before’ that come out with something really interesting,” she said.

Beyond the basic session, which costs $45 on weekdays and $65 on the weekends, The Splatter Studio offers a host of other classes, parties and experiences at their locations in Sandy Springs and Virginia Highlands.

“We just recently launched some new products at our Virginia Highlands location that are coming soon to Sandy Springs, one of which is a collaborative splatter session,” Rees said. “So rather than coming with your friend, each do your own painting, you’re now coming together to create one larger painting.”

The business has attached itself to the idea of making sessions a bonding, teambuilding, or dating activity, with a new “date and create” session for couples, an adults-only session

held each Friday night in Sandy Springs, and sessions held specifically for teambuilding within families, companies and other groups.

The Splatter Studio co-owner Fabrice Werner said over the past year, the Sandy Springs location has shown them how well the action painting experience works for business and corporate groups.

“We want to bring together two worlds, the art and the business world,” he said. “So, for instance, if you have a challenge around change management, that’s one of the things we can work on together.”

But no matter what group or individual is in their studio, the joy they witness firsthand each session shows them they are on the right path.

“I think the word fun is also something that is on top of my mind,” Werner said. “Over the weekend, we were quite busy, and I could hear people laughing, having a great time … it’s not usually something you see too often, different ages, different people, from the youngest to the oldest, they are having a great time. This is really what I love about it.”

The Splatter Studio is in the Parkside Shops shopping center at 5920 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs. To learn more about The Splatter Studio and how to book a session, visit thesplatterstudio.com.

PHOTOS BY ALEXANDER POPP/APPEN MEDIA Splatter Studios on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs offers customers a place to unleash their inner Jackson Pollock, by making creative and personal action paintings using a variety of tools and paints.

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

By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

The Forsyth County Recycling Center on Old Atlanta Road in Suwanee is the county’s nearest location to Johns Creek. City residents can use the county’s three recycling facilities starting Sept. 1 as part of a part-nership between the communities.

Johns Creek expands recycling through Forsyth County pact

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek has entered a pilot program with its northern neighbor to expand ser-vices to three Forsyth County recycling centers.

The 90-day pilot program begins Sept. 1.

Johns Creek residents currently bring recyclable items to Keep North Fulton Beautiful’s Sandy Springs Recycling Center on Morgan Falls Road. Johns Creek officials said the program will provide a northern option for drop-offs.

The partnership will use Forsyth County’s Coal Mountain Center at 3560 Settingdown Road, the Old At-lanta Center at 3678 Old Atlanta Road and the Tolbert Street Center at 351 Tolbert Street. The

Cumming City Council names new police chief

CUMMING, Ga. — The Cumming City Council hired new Police Chief P.J. Girvan June 28 at a called meeting.

Girvan, a Forsyth County native, previously served in the Uniform Patrol Division, the APEX Unit and the Executive Protection Unit in the Atlanta Police Department. He also worked for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in the Uniform Patrol Division and the JCAF Drug Task Force.

He served in uniform patrol, as a criminal investigation detective and as a sergeant in the Cumming Police Department before his promotion to

police chief.

Girvan replaces David Marsh, who held the position since 2019.

Girvan was ceremonially sworn in July 18 at a formal City Council meeting.

“Being the police chief of my hometown is a dream come true,” Girvan said. “The City of Cumming isn’t just a duty assignment or a job I got. This is where I’m from, my family, my friends, they’re all from here. I’m excited about this opportunity and the future of the Cumming Police Department.”

— Shelby Israel

Old Atlan-ta location is the closest of the three to Johns Creek.

Officials said the program is part of an ongoing effort to expand recycling services. The city launched a glass recycling drop-off container at Ocee Park in October 2022, which received positive feedback and was heavily used.

Both jurisdictions will review the pilot program’s results after three months to consider the possibility of a long-term partnership.

A list of acceptable items at the Forsyth County centers can be found online at forsyth-co.com/Departments-Offices/ Recycling-Solid-Waste/Recycling-Centers.

— Shelby Israel

‘Doggy Daze of Summer’ set for East Roswell Park

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell-area canines can rejoice because the City of Roswell will host its “Doggy Daze of Summer” event this September.

Held at East Roswell Park from 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 9, the event will offer our fourlegged friends and their owners an outdoor extravaganza of free fun activities.

“Pet owners and dog enthusiasts alike are invited to join us for a ‘paw-some’ day of fun, love, and wagging tails,” officials said.

The event will feature interactive agility courses and competitions, a pet vendor vil-

lage with carefully curated canine vendors, a pet adoption drive from Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, a K9 Officer meet and greet with Roswell Police Department K9 Officer Goose, human and dog-friendly food trucks and a live DJ.

The event is free. Participants must make sure their doggy friends are fully vaccinated and leashed at all times.

For more information visit www. roswell365.com/event/doggy-daze-ofsummer.

—

Alexander Popp

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Recently a couple asked Bank of America to add their trust as the beneficiary or Pay-On-Death (POD) Payee of their joint checking account at the bank. They were denied. Bank of America is not the first bank to do this. It seems several banks believe that a POD Payee can only be added to a checking account after a joint owner dies. What if both owners die together such as in a car accident? Now we have a checking account with no living beneficiary requiring an executor to be approved after paying for and going through the probate process – a process which we are trying to avoid by creating a revocable trust for the couple in the first place. Our Georgia Code states in O.C.G.A. Section 7-1-812(b) that a POD account belongs to the original payees (whether there are 1 or more)) during their lifetimes. This means that our code anticipates the probability that more than one person may own

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a checking account jointly or together with equal rights to access the money and that they can have a beneficiary (such as their trust) named as the POD payee on the account. Later in Section 7/1/818 our Georgia Code states that a POD payee may receive payment upon proof that all the original payees have died. So why is Bank of America stopping my clients from protecting themselves from probate by naming their trust as the POD payee or beneficiary on their joint checking account? I called to find out, but they wouldn’t answer their phone. I’ll be stopping in for a chat next week. Stay tuned for the answer.

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August’s many book events spur back-to-school shuffle

By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com

Author events could have everyone hitting the books this month, and not just students.

August’s abundance of literary happenings include Forsyth County Public Library’s monthlong series supporting local writers, as well as a week of anniversary celebrations at Milton’s Poe & Company Bookstore. Add in appearances by a host of notable wordsmiths like much-honored Chika Unigwe and Becky Albertalli, whose debut novel was adapted into the feel-good film “Love, Simon,” and avid readers would do well to have any backto-school shopping finished early.

Details about these and other author activities in August are below:

Literary Events Around North Atlanta

Wednesday, Aug. 16. Wild Woman Who Write Writing Workshop Series. Kathy Nichols, one of five members of the author-support podcast group, will lead a writing class emphasizing individual attention and encouragement. 7 p.m. $20. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Thursday, Aug. 17. Kay Paschal. The author of “Insert Giggle Giggle: Laughing Your Way Through Raising Kids and Running a Business” will share lighthearted parenting advice. 5 p.m. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Saturday, Aug. 19, Dr. Martha Boone. The·North Atlanta Author Series will host the launch of “The Unfettered Urologist: What I Never Had Time to Tell You in a Fifteen Minute Office Visit.” Boone, a local urologist and author, will be in conversation with Mary Ann Walser, an attorney and realtor. 2 p.m. Free. Milton Branch Library, 855 Mayfield Road, Milton. 770-509-5611. bookmiser.net/book-events.html

Sunday, Aug. 20, Forsyth County Public Library’s Local Authors Showcase. Keynote speaker George Weinstein, author and executive

director of the Atlanta Writers Club, will kick off Forsyth’s second annual event with “We’re All in this Together: The Importance of Finding a Writing Family.” Multiple local authors will also be featured. 2 p.m. Free. Sharon Forks Library, 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming. 678-513-9364. forsythpl.org/ event/8717909

Sunday, Aug. 20, Book Fair for Grown Ups. Read It Again Bookstore will partner with a Milton winery on a book fair featuring carefully curated books and local wine. 2 p.m. Free. Painted Horse Winery and Vineyards, 13762 Hopewell Road, Milton. 770-232-9331. readit-again.com/event/painted-horsewinery-vineyards-book-fair-grown-ups

Tuesday, Aug. 22, Christopher Swann, Mike Shaw, T.M. Brown and Kate Hallock. A Novel Idea Author Showcase presents “A Night of History, Mystery, Mayhem and Music” featuring four authors and musical interludes. Bookmiser will have the writers’ books for sale. 7 p.m. Free. Brimstone Restaurant & Tavern, 10595 Old Alabama Road, Alpharetta. 770-509-5611. anovelidea.us

Saturday, Aug 26, Marilyn Baron and Kathy Des Jardins. Awardwinning novelists Marilyn Baron and Kathy Des Jardins will headline a double author event featuring Baron’s latest cozy mystery, “The Case of the Forgotten Fragonard,” and Des Jardins’ debut release,

More information

• Pictured Above: No. 1 bestselling author Becky Albertalli will chat about her new novel, “Imogen, Obviously,” Aug. 26 in Milton.

• Pictured at left: The mother-daughter duo of Rosalind and Maggie Bunn will read and sign their children’s picture books Aug. 12 in Alpharetta.

“Mama Tried,” along with bookthemed snacks. Noon. Free. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232.9331. read-it-again.com/ event/kathy-des-jardins-marilynbaron-author-event

Saturday, Aug. 26, Becky Albertalli. The North Atlanta Author Series continues with the former psychologist chatting about her most recent young adult bestseller, “Imogen, Obviously.” 2 p.m. Free. Milton Branch Library, 855 Mayfield Road, Milton. 770509-5611. bookmiser.net/ book-events.html

Sunday, Aug. 27, Andrew Diaz Winkelmann. Bookmiser presents an intimate afternoon with the Cuban-American author of the “debut novel, “The Guava Tree.” 4:30 p.m. Free. 3822 Roswell Road, Marietta. 770-509-5611. bookmiser.net/book-events.html

PHOTO BY HEATHER MURPHY

Political funding group forms ahead of Milton election

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Adam Hollingsworth, Milton resident and former chief of staff for Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott, calls his independent expenditure committee Milton Families First a “grassroots movement” he hopes will last for “years and years and years.”

Different from political action committees (PAC), an independent committee is a group that does not coordinate with individual candidates, according to the State Ethics Commission. It expends funds to affect the outcome of an election.

An independent expenditure committee can spend as much as it likes so long as it is completely divorced from any one candidate.

Milton Families First is the only active, independent committee registered in Milton and one of just a few in North Fulton.

Hollingsworth, president of Milton Families First, said he formed the group because some of the city’s leaders “have put their self-interests above those who they were elected to serve.” The committee boasts three founding principles — government transparency and accountability, public safety and responsible growth.

“We hope to build Milton Families First as a place to give the citizenry a seat at a really important table,” he said. When asked how his background in politics informs Milton Families First, Hollingsworth said his background as a citizen is what’s most important.

“I've served in government. I've been a citizen who has interacted with government at every level, just like every citizen in Milton, and what's most important to

me is the functionality and responsiveness of government,” he said.

The Milton City Council’s three Post 2 seats are up for election in November. Two residents have announced their candidacy on the council — Doug Hene to replace Councilman Paul Moore in District 2 and Phil Cramer to replace Councilman Rick Mohrig in District 3. Both seats are ones Hollingsworth said his committee is “focusing” on.

Neither Moore or Mohrig have announced whether they will run for reelection. Moore has filed a declaration of intent to accept campaign contributions, however. No one has announced for the District 1, Post 2 seat now held by Councilwoman Carol Cookerly.

“Unfortunately, what we know is that in the case of Paul Moore, he was unanimously found to have violated multiple sections of the Milton Ethics Code, and then two appeals courts refused to even take up his appeal,” Hollingsworth said.

Last August, Moore was charged with three ethics violations when he voted to defer a council decision related to White Columns — a subdivision of about 440 homes, where he lives. Hollingsworth serves as the White Columns Community Association secretary. Milton Families First Treasurer Tony Palazzo is the White Columns president.

“In the case of Rick Mohrig, we've read your reporting, we've read the reporting from others in the community that make it clear that he crossed a line in engaging in the way in which Milton’s city elections could and should be administered,” Hollingsworth said.

In recent months, records surfaced showing Mohrig made several personal requests to Milton City Manager Steve

Krokoff to interview Vernetta Nuriddin for a position as an elections consultant. Nuriddin was hired in late May.

Reporting requirements

While Milton Families First does not coordinate with candidates, Hollingworth admits he and Hene’s kids attend Kings Ridge Christian School and that he and Hene are in the same men’s prayer group. On the other hand, Hollingsworth said he met Cramer for the first time when he first considered running about a month ago.

Hene has a campaign war chest of $77,000, according to a July Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report.

Hollingsworth and Palazzo would not disclose how much money their committee has raised since its July 19 registration. Attorney R. Mansell McCord, former treasurer of the Georgia GOP, registered the committee.

“You’ll see on the Sept. 1 filing,” Palazzo said.

The State Ethics Commission requires an independent committee to file reports on the first day of each of the two months preceding an election. It also requires the committee to file a report two weeks before the election, then a final report before Dec. 31 of the election year. The committee also must file supplemental reports on June 30 and Dec. 31 of each year that it continues to accept contributions or make expenditures.

Trouble in White Columns

The White Columns HOA Board has seen major criticism in recent months. Some residents in the subdivision have said the board has lacked transparency — one of the cornerstones of Milton Families First’s founding.

One issue cited by residents who contacted Appen Media, was a “secret”

personal transportation vehicle path project no longer in the works after a negative response from the community. The path would have connected the gated section to the White Columns Country Club.

Responding to the complaint, Hollingsworth said it is part of his job as a neighborhood leader to address issues raised by residents.

“[The project is] a great example of where leaders have to adjust and adapt and be responsive to the community, even if the leader's opinion and desire is inconsistent with that of the community,” Hollingsworth said.

Residents of the non-gated section of White Columns were not aware of the path project until March, nor its $47,000 estimated cost. But Hollingsworth said the project was exclusively funded by gated residents, who had been informed about the plan since it began more than a year ago.

Residents have also criticized the way the HOA Board’s fall 2022 elections were handled. Hollingsworth, who was on the ballot, received cast proxies as the secretary, but he said this was in line with the community’s governing documents.

There were other ways White Columns residents could participate in the election, Hollingsworth said, including sending proxies to the property manager.

Questions also surround the proxies themselves. Hollingsworth ran in a slate with other candidates, and pre-filled DocuSign proxies were circulated throughout the community, but he said residents had the option to vote for individual candidates.

“We have made the bold and courageous decision to be public about advocating for important principles in government, which certainly makes us ripe for those who want to throw stones,” Hollingsworth said.

Milton’s New Fire Station 42 opens for operation

MILTON, Ga. — Fire Station 42 is back on Thompson Road. Firefighters moved into the brand-new facility July 31.

The station sits in the same place as a former Fulton County structure Milton firefighters called home for many years until its demolition, a step necessary so the new state-of-the-art station could rise in its place.

While the new Station 42 was being built, crews worked out of Bethwell Community Center near Cogburn Road and Francis Road. That made for a tight squeeze because the center wasn’t designed for firefighter operations. But Milton-Fire Rescue made it work.

Now, the firefighters are in their permanent home. While it will take a few days to fully move in, the new Fire Station 42 qualifies as an upgrade in many ways with its distinctive “great room” to its sleeping quarters to the looping driveway that allows emergency vehicles to get in and out easily.

“We’re excited that this day has come so our crews now can make the most of this terrific Station 42, and we’re thankful to all those who helped make it happen,” said Milton Fire Chief Gabe Benmoussa. “The new Station 42 will be a great work and home-base for our firefighters as they serve our community for many years.”

CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED

The new Fire Station 42 on Thompson Road includes a looping driveway that allows emergency vehicles to get in and out easily.

They finally fired the cannon at my old newsroom

My first newspaper job was at the Marion County Record, a small weekly in central Kansas.

equipment and electron-ics.

for her age up till last Friday. That night, she was crying. Follow-ing the police raid, she couldn’t eat or sleep.

The next day, she collapsed and died.

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

The late editor and publisher Bill Meyer taught me everything I know about community journalism. Bill’s wisdom and his command of writing for his small-town audience was an acquired taste for a young college graduate with aspirations for the New York Times or Chicago Tribune. It took months, but I finally came around.

The first thing Bill told me was to focus primarily on the massive historic courthouse directly across the street where all county government business took place. An annex, just off to the side, was home to the City of Marion Police Department.

Bill told me that at one time, the courthouse had an old Civil War cannon on its front lawn. It was aimed straight at the newspaper. The antique had been removed by the time I arrived in 1980.

But last Friday, they lit the fuse anyway.

City police, acting on a warrant signed by a magistrate judge, raided the newspaper office, confis-cating equipment, computers and other materials necessary for publishing The Record. They didn’t stop there.

Police also raided the home of the publisher, Bill’s son Eric Meyer, seizing

The raid sought information on a confidential source the newspaper had used to investigate a DUI conviction of a local business owner applying for a liquor license. The news staff never intended to publish the story because they surmised it was planted to discredit the business owner. Neverthe-less, they did check out the lead by combing through government records.

During the process of the home and newsroom search, police snatched a reporter’s cell phone, aggravating an earlier injury she’d sustained to a finger.

Eric’s 98-year-old mother, Joan, who shared ownership of the paper, also lived at the house with Eric. Police took her computer, the router that gave her access to Alexa smart speakers she used to call for assistance and to stream television. Joan watched as police pored over her son’s bank rec-ords and investment papers.

Joan was the paper’s community editor, and had been when I worked there, so I knew her well. She was always laughing, smiling about something.

Her son said she was in good health

The Marion County Record was my professional nursery. Now, it’s ability to publish has been seized. I know of no other instance in my lifetime in which police shut down a newspaper in the United States. There are countless cases of it happening in Turkey, China and Russia.

I spoke with Eric on Monday, and, like his father, he was focused on getting the paper out this week. He said he was in the middle of untangling the mess left in the wake of the police raid.

“Even if I have to scribble something out on a notebook and deliver it door to door, we’re going to have something published this week,” he said.

So, this is where I should write some lofty platitudes about freedom of the press, about guarding our constitutional rights –maybe quote Jefferson. I should write that the press is the only profes-sion specifically cited for protections in the U.S. Constitution.

I should write all that.

But, I’m too angry. I’m furious.

Newsrooms, reporters never forget

EDITORS NOTE

CARL APPEN Director of Content and Development carl@appenmedia.com

As a company executive, I have the pleasure of attending conferences about the media industry. We network, train and problem-solve. One of my least favorite parts about the events, though, is the amount of time spent talking about the work. In recent years, there seems to be a trend of less editorial boards and more media columnists. Greater resources spent on analyzing local news and less on producing it. The people talking about local news are often those I want to listen to least. I would much prefer visiting other newsrooms and sitting quietly in the corner, observing the work they’re doing.

Over the weekend, news broke about a Kansas police department raiding a small weekly newspaper.

Officers armed with a signed warrant stormed the office of the Marion County Record and the home of its publisher. They seized equipment, notes and other newsroom materials.

The operation’s cover was a search for information about a confidential source who had tipped the newspaper off to a

MEYER

This week’s editions of the Herald and Crier newspapers are dedicated to Joan Meyer and staff, past and present, of the Marion County Record.

local liquor license applicant’s buried DUI conviction.

I knew Appen Media Managing Editor Pat Fox cut his teeth in Kansas newsrooms, so I sent him an article about the incident. As it turns out, Pat spent his first few years out of school at that very paper, working alongside the same family that was raided.

In a letter to Editor Eric Meyer, Pat wrote about an issue he had with the City of Marion Police Department some 40 years ago. He was not surprised to see more problems with the department, he wrote. More concerning was the fact that a district judge had signed a search warrant that was so likely illegal.

Pat’s letter never made it to the Record publisher because email service was

disabled when police seized the paper’s equipment.

Unfortunately the disaster turned into a tragedy. Over the weekend, co-owner of the paper Joan Meyer, 98, passed away.

She was in the house with her son Eric as police officers and sheriff’s deputies executed the warrant.

She had been in good health, the Record reported, but was unable to eat or sleep following the raid.

Pat later told me he knew Joan. She had worked in the newsroom alongside him. Her husband Bill Meyer was Pat’s first editor.

If I had to bet, the Meyer family did not attend many industry conferences.

The Marion County Record is probably one of those newsrooms where I’d rather visit and shadow, where operators are too busy doing the work to spend time talking about the work.

Pat signed his letter to the Record as the managing editor of a news media group in Alpharetta, Georgia. I’m sure he is almost as proud of that as I am. Pat Fox’s byline leaving the pages of the Marion County Record as a reporter, only to reappear as one running a newsroom 1,000 miles and many years away.

I know Bill and Joan had an impact on the people of Marion County. I also know they had an impact on the people of Metro Atlanta. The Meyers coached Pat, who in

turn has fostered a group of reporters at Appen Media.

I’d like to imagine some Appen reporters will end up teaching the next generation of journalists, too.

I don’t know much about Joan Meyer, but I know she contributed to Pat’s experience, which trickled down into my knowledge and the skills of my peers in the Appen Media newsroom. By that one fact I know she has had more of an impact than any conference I’ve attended.

One problem for the Marion County Police Department, Chief Cody and Judge Viar is that the U.S. Constitution protects the press, and the Department of Justice follows that lead.

Another is that journalists have a long, collective memory. News of the raid has been on the cover of The New York Times, the Washington Post and USA Today. It ran on ABC Sunday night and in Britain’s Guardian.

Those companies sent a condemnation letter to the Police Department, alongside the signatures of Bloomberg, the Associated Press, McClatchy, Pro Publica, the Wall Street Journal and the LA Times.

I know one Atlanta journalist who spent his Saturday morning reading up on the Kansas Open Records Act.

We already knew the Meyers and the Marion County Record were paying attention. Now everyone else is, too.

“Even if I have to scribble something out on a notebook and deliver it door to door, we’re going to have something published this week.”

ERIC MEYER Marion County Record publisher

Me and Jethro: Double aught spies (almost)

Ok kiddies, since school is back in session, it just might be time for Uncle Mikey to tell you a story that I swear is 99.99 percent the God’s honest truth. So get out your resting mat and relax.

Try to stay awake, and I’ll do my best to re-create a tale that happened in the summer of 1981. After I’m done, my bet is that I’ll get letters, phone calls, and maybe even a bullet in my head for what I’m going to divulge.

If you’re not excited and bursting with anticipation, I don’t know what else I can do to set up how your humble columnist, came within a spider’s eyelash of becoming just like Jethro Bodine, a double-aught spy for the Central Intelligence Agency.

I’ve probably lost some of you. A few are probably saying: “That’s it, Eunice. No more wasting my valuable jigsaw puzzle time by reading that lunatic’s malarkey.”

For those of you sticking around, here goes.

I’d just watched “The In-Laws” starring Peter Falk and Alan Arkin, the for -

CIA agent. Arkin is a dentist whose daughter was to marry Falk’s son. The movie was hilarious, inspiring me to ask colleagues in the newsroom: “How do you go to work for the CIA?”

“Look ‘em up in the phonebook,” was the snarky reply.

So that’s what I did. I called the CIA office in the Los Angeles area and spoke to a gentleman named Larry Curran. At least that’s what he said his name was. More about name games later.

Early in the conversation, he asked the following questions: “Were you ever in the military? Can you speak a foreign language? Why are you calling me?”

Two “no’s” and an “I think I can help my country and do my part to put an end to what these Commie bastids are trying to do.”

The last one must’ve set a hook because he asked me to meet him in LA. I was given an address that turned out to be a bank. At least the first floor looked like a bank. The front desk guard, before I could hitch up my trench coat and say a single word, directed me to the fifth floor.

Since there were only four floors listed on the directory, I figured I might be a goner. I met Mr. Curran and I thought he was marvelous. Our 30-minute meeting stretched to three hours.

he’d be in touch.

I read the books and shared my thoughts. A few weeks later, I was in a hotel room with two agents. Again, I found them and the whole process fascinating.

Mr. Curran’s next move was to enroll me in a one-day foreign language aptitude battery of tests. Again, I was fascinated but hated the class, only because it was held at USC.

I heard from someone in Washington that I would now be known as “Michael J. Treet.” Mr. Curran told me that the process weeds out 98 of 100 applicants. Two received an all-expense-paid trip to Washington for a week of interviews and activities.

My parents were petrified, believing “they’re going to turn you into a Lee Harvey Oswald.” The FBI descended on Bakersfield and spoke to teachers, coworkers and friends.

The phone calls were something like: “What the hell! You’re going to be a spy?” I had fun by replying: “I can neither confirm nor deny that.”

I remember them saying the agents were serious and that the female agent was huge.

I flew to Washington where I was taken for a ride several times. It was quite a gauntlet. Several buildings were

doors and they were beehives of intelligence gathering.

The highlight was taking a lie detector test at CIA headquarters, where I was asked about past activities by the most serious FBI agent on the planet. Unconvinced of the accuracy of a polygraph, the skeptic in me wanted some proof. The agent produced a deck of cards, asked me to pick a card, then lie when he showed it to me.

I tried to lie and failed miserably but must’ve passed the test. The next day, there was a final interview where I was asked where I might like to be stationed.

I was newly married, and the plan was for me to work as some sort of journalist and for Vicki to teach. I replied to my potential CIA boss that I thought England or France might be cool.

His reply: “No son, where in the Middle East or Central America do you think you might want to live?”

Check please. I came home, quit my newspaper job and went to work as a pharmaceutical salesman.

Not as wild as being a spymaster, but I’m here to write about it.

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

MIKE TASOS

Columnist

Escape into nature on the Big Creek Greenway

I am a nature lover, and every morning I begin my day by observing what bushes and perennials are flowering and what has finished flowering in my backyard garden. If time permits, especially on weekends, I hike with a friend and my golden retriever, Snowball, in the north Georgia mountains or load up my bike and head to the Big Creek Greenway.

The Big Creek Greenway is a north Atlanta treasure! The path runs through Fulton and Forsyth Counties providing free access to 26 miles of walking, running, skating and biking. The Greenway paths are 12 feet wide and are constructed of concrete and wooden boardwalks. The path meanders through woodlands, with views of the Big Creek and the wetlands created by the Big Creek floodplain. Another benefit of this off-road trail is that it provides safe passage because you can ride your bike or walk without worrying about or dodging vehicular traffic!

The Alpharetta section of the Big Creek Greenway extends from the Union Hill Road Skate Park south to Mansell Road, near the North Point Mall. Future plans are to complete the last phase of the Greenway from Union Hill Road in Alpharetta to Union Hill in Forsyth County. The Greenway is currently 26 miles long, with 16 miles in Forsyth County and 10 miles in Alpharetta. For more outdoor adventures you can take the 7.6-mile trail from Roswell to Mansell Road or mountain bike in Roswell on the 6.8mile cross country, mountain bike path with opportunities for dirt jumping and pump tracking.

Parts of this popular escape have been closed, but I am happy to report the two closed areas in Forsyth County are now open. The Greenway from Halcyon to Union Hill Road was closed for reconstruction from late 2020 to March 22, 2022. The 1 mile from Union Hill to Fowler Park was closed from May 20, 2020 and just opened three months ago, on April 1. Both of these sections of the trail were totally reconstructed with all new wooden boardwalks and railings and bridges, one of which crosses under Ga. 400. In my opinion, the section from Union Hill to Fowler Park is the most scenic portion of the trail because is not impacted by residential or commercial

buildings. The 16-mile Forsyth Big Creek Greenway has parking and restrooms available at the following locations: Halcyon, 6265 Cortland Walk; Union Hill, 5259 Union Hill Road; Fowler Park, 4110 Carolene Way; Bethelview, 5120 Bethelview Road; and Sawnee Mountain Preserve, 4075 Spot Road.

The Greenway is open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. March through October and from 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. November through February.

The recent improvements were essential because much of the Greenway is in a Big Creek floodplain, and the standing water creates a swamp-like environment in some areas. These conditions contributed to the decay of much of the Greenway’s boardwalks in Forsyth County. The trail also was and is currently impacted by the construction of a new McGinnis Ferry Road exit/entrance off of Ga. 400. The construction of the new McGinnis Ferry ramps began on Oct. 4, 2021. The highway project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2024.

This construction introduced additional surface water and several trees that were long-term residents of the forest and were contently growing on dry land could not adapt to newly created wetlands. When the roots of trees are surrounded by water, the roots can no longer obtain oxygen needed for cellular respiration and in a short time, the tree dies from the inability to metabolize the nutrients needed for survival. Sadly, the result was many dead trees, often breaking at the soil line. As they fell to their death, some careened into the newly constructed Greenway, thus requiring yet another reconstruction project and a delay in the opening of the Halcyon to Union Hill portion of the Greenway.

If you are looking for nature therapy and an opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of birds, the rustle of trees, wildflowers and an occasional deer, I recommend a trip to the newly improved Big Creek Greenway.

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener

Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative. Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.

Learn more

• Big Creek Greenway Maphttps://www.bigcreekgreenway.com/index.php/maps/

• General Information on Big Creek Greenwayhttps://www.traillink.com/trail/big-creek-greenway/

• Information on Big Creek Greenway in Alpharettahttps://www.alpharetta.ga.us/government/departments/recreationparks/facilities/big-creek-greenway

• Information on Big Creek Greenway through Forsyth Countyhttps://parks.forsythco.com/Parks/Big-Creek-Greenway

• Mountain Biking Informationhttps://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4683982/big-creek-park

• Big Creek Greenway Section and Trailhead Reopen After Renovationshttps://www.forsythco.com/News/big-creek-greenway-trailhead-reopensafter-renovations

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a Master Gardener since 2012 and a Milton resident. Carole describes herself as a born biologist. Since childhood, she loved to explore the out-of-doors and garden with her mother. When she entered college, she selected biology as her major and made teaching high school biology her career for 35 years. In 2012, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau. She also volunteers weekly at the Assistance League of Atlanta (ALA) thrift store and acts as chair of their Links to Education scholarship program. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking, and reading.

CAROLE MACMULLAN Guest Columnist

CAROLE MACMULLAN/PROVIDED

I have shared the history of the Roswell Railroad in this column at least 10 times over the years. In case you missed it, the railroad traveled from Chamblee through Dunwoody and on toward Roswell twice a day from 1881 until 1921. Ike Roberts was engineer of the railroad for the entire 40 years.

Dinky was not the only Dinky

Stories of the Roswell Railroad tell of an engine that went by the name Buck or Old Buck and another engine called Dinky. However, Dinky is not a unique name for an engine. There have been Dinkys across the U.S., and as the name would suggest, they were small engines.

In 1942 a photo was taken of another nearby Dinky which ran from a rock quarry at Stone Mountain to the town of Stone Mountain. The train had a V for victory painted across it and was about to be cut up and contributed to the metal drive of World War II. (The DeKalb News Sun, July 22, 1981)

There is a Dinky on display in Conyers, Georgia, across from the original train depot. According to georgiaencyclopedia.org, the 1905 Rogers steam locomotive model is one of three remaining in the world.

There was a group several years ago that gathered at Heritage Sandy Springs to see if Roswell Railroad’s Dinky or Buck could be located. The group did not locate the original engines.

Roswell Railroad went to Roswell

The Roswell Railroad never crossed the Chattahoochee River and never went into Roswell. The original plan for the railroad would have taken it into the town of Roswell where Oxbo Road and Atlanta Street meet, according to historian Michael Hitt.

Stone embankments built along Vickery Creek were intended to accommodate the tracks. However, the cost of building a bridge across the Chattahoochee River was so great, it never happened. The Roswell Depot was built on the Sandy Springs side of the river, up on a hill across from engineer Ike Roberts’ house. The depot burned down in the 1950s. (Atlanta Constitution, June 1, 1994, “Historian tracks Roswell Railroad”)

Lesser-known facts about the Roswell Railroad

PROVIDED

A Roswell Railroad dog story

In 1961, 74-year-old Carl Wallace of Chamblee shared memories of the Roswell Railroad with The Neighbor Newspaper. He remembered how the sound of the train whistle would send his dog Bob running toward the engine to catch the evening paper as it was tossed to him.

Chamblee was Roswell Junction

According to “Ghost Trains and Depots of Georgia,” by Les H. Winn, it was the officials of the Richmond and Danville Railroad, owners of the Roswell Railroad at the time, who changed the name of the depot from Roswell Junction to Chamblee around 1887.

Winn says, “As the community around the depot grew and prospered, the name Chamblee stuck.”

When the Southern Railway was formed in 1894, the stock of Richmond and Danville Railroad became part of the assets of Southern Railway.

The Roswell Railroad carried mail

Lizzie Newhard recalled that her father Joberry Cheek had to drive a wagon to pick up Dunwoody mail before the Roswell Railroad was in operation. The Roswell Railroad’s Dinky,

“replaced the mail wagon in bringing postal service to the area.” Once the railroad stopped running, mail was again delivered by wagon and later by automobile.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Columnist

The Roswell Depot was located on the Sandy Springs side of the Chattahoochee River. This 1912 photo appears in Les R. Winn’s “Ghost Trains & Depots of Georgia.”

This 1887 image of a Roswell Railroad schedule was shared by Douglas van Veelen, who studied and treasured railroad history.

PRESERVING THE PAST

The rise and fall of train travel

The Roswell Railroad and other considerations

The rise and fall of train travel, The Roswell Railroad and other considerations

Railroads played a vital role as the United States expanded westward in the 19th century.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first railroad chartered in the United States, and 14 miles of track were opened in 1830. It operated under horsepower until the following year when an American-made steam locomotive was put into service. The South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company completed a 136 mile railroad in 1833, making it the longest steam railroad in the world. New railroads came quickly, almost haphazardly, most of which were short-distance passenger lines that were not profitable. They could not compete with canals and stagecoach operators, and some railroads were abandoned before they were completed. Railroads gradually proved their worth, however, and in 1869 the Intercontinental Railroad joining the east and west coasts of America was completed.

In Georgia, in response to anticipated competition from the South Carolina railroad, a group of Savannah businessmen established the Central Railroad and Canal Company which became the Central of Georgia Railway. After receiving a charter from the state Legislature in 1833, the company started construction in 1835, and a 190-mile line from Savannah to Macon was built.

The following years witnessed a frenzy of construction. The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company built a line from Augusta to Marthasville (later Atlanta) in 1845. In 1851, the Georgia state-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad connected Chattanooga with Terminus (also later Atlanta). By 1855, Georgia’s major cities and towns were linked by railroad.

After the Civil War, new railroads were built and existing lines were consolidated into larger systems. In 1892, Southern Railway was created by financier J. P. Morgan out of the financial ruin of two failed railroads. Southern became one of the leading systems in Georgia in the 20th century.

The golden age of railroading lasted from the 1880s to the 1920s when alternative modes of transportation eroded the railroads’ dominant position. Passenger service declined steadily beginning in 1920 due to the growing popularity of automobiles, which stimulated construction of new roads which facilitated the rise of truck freight hauling. Then came the airplane. In the 1960s and 1970s, railroad stations in many cities and towns were demolished or put to other uses.

Today in Georgia, rail freight is transported by two lines, CSX and Norfolk Southern. Passenger service is available on three Amtrack routes.

Roswell Railroad

The Roswell Railroad ran from south of Roswell to Chamblee. It was in operation from 1881 until 1921, independently at first. Beginning in 1894 the line was operated by the Southern Railway.

Roswell Railroad was one of many short-line railroads in north Georgia, and like most similar railroads, it suffered economic challenges which were amply covered by the Atlanta Constitution newspaper. According to Michael Hitt, author of the book “History of the Roswell Railroad,” 1994, the railroad was originally going to go from Roswell to Atlanta. Work stopped during the Civil War near Roswell Junction (now Chamblee). It began operations almost 28 years after the idea for a railroad was first put forward.

The railroad was narrow gauge (3 foot) which cost about one fourth the amount of a standard gauge line (4 foot, 9 inches) to build and operate. The narrow gauge tracks were broadened in 1903 to standard gauge. The line was 9.8 miles long and had a rolling stock consisting of one locomotive nicknamed Buck, one passenger/baggage car, two box cars, and four flat cars. One of its primary purposes was to support the work of the fabric mills of the Roswell Manufacturing Company which until then required five wagons and 10 mules to deliver its products to market. With the railroad, one wagon and two mules were sufficient.

This postcard dates from circa 1900. The Roswell Railroad ran for 9.8 miles from a terminus south of Roswell to Chamblee, making four stops en route. It was in operation from 1881 until 1921 at first independently. Beginning in 1894 the Southern Railway took over operations. Note the pile of lumber in the foreground. Short line railroads often transported lumber on flatcars. The train was powered by a steam locomotive named “Buck.” Below: The Chamblee railroad station in 1908. The location was originally called Roswell Junction. To avoid confusion with Roswell, the town was named Chamblee.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY/PROVIDED

MICHAEL HITT/PROVIDED

ALIVE IN ROSWELL

What: Alive in Roswell is a free familyfriendly monthly festival held every third Thursday evening from April through October, featuring music, food trucks, hundreds of interactive vendors. It also sees participation from the many surrounding boutiques, small businesses and restaurants. Free regular trolley service connects the free parking at Roswell City Hall and Woodstock Park to the event. Dogs are allowed at Alive in Roswell, but please bring them on a leash and clean up any deposits from your baby. Animals are not allowed on the free trolley.

When: Thursday, Aug. 17, 5-9 p.m.

Where: Canton Street & Roswell Antique and Interiors lot, Roswell

More info: aliveinroswell.com

CITY GREEN LIVE: GRAND FUNK RAILROAD

What: Grand Funk Railroad, which laid the groundwork for bands like Foreigner, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard-driving sound and soulful vocals, will perform. The opening band will be Sailing to Denver. Lawn seating is free, and blankets, lawn chairs and umbrellas are allowed.

When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.

Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MILTON FARMERS MARKET

What: Every Saturday morning through October, more than a dozen vendors set up shop around Milton City Hall with fresh produce, fresh meat, sweets, coffee and tea, flowers, soaps, jewelry and more.

When: Saturday, Aug. 19, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.

Where: Milton City Hall plaza, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton

More info: facebook.com/ miltongafarmersmarket

THE ROSWELL MUSIC CLUB AT MIMOSA HALL: DENIELLE WILSON

What: Presented as part of the monthly classical pop-up series at Mimosa Hall, cellist Denielle Wilson will perform. She has taught privately and publicly, and performed in solo, chamber and orchestral settings throughout

MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT: ‘THE LION KING’

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

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

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

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

the Atlanta, Chicago and Charlotte metropolitan areas. Admission includes hors d’oeuvres and beverages.

When: Sunday, Aug. 20, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Where: Mimosa Hall, 127 Bulloch Avenue, Roswell

Cost: $35

More info: roswellartsfund.org/popup

MJCCA PRESENTS AUTHOR ALICE HOFFMAN

What: The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta will host a discussion with Alice Hoffman, author of “The Invisible Hour.” Tickets include a presigned book.

When: Wednesday, Aug. 23, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Road, Dunwoody

Cost: $36

More info: atlantajcc.org

DUNWOODY FOOD TRUCK THURSDAYS

What: Sweet and savory food trucks will be available at this weekly event.

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

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

AUGUST 17 AUGUST 27

More info: facebook.com/ dunwoodyfoodtruckthursdays

MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT:

‘THE LION KING’

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

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

Where: Heritage Amphitheater Lawn, 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs More info: sandyspringsga.gov

CHRIS STAPLETON’S ALL-AMERICAN ROAD SHOW

What: Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Chris Stapleton is an American singersongwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Stapleton has been recognized with several awards including eight Grammy Awards, 10 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards. He was also named the ACM’s Artist-Songwriter of the Decade.

When: Friday & Saturday, Aug. 25-26, 7 p.m.

Where: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre,

2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta

Cost: Tickets from $190

More info: livenation.com

RIVERSOUND SOUNDS: JAKE LA BOTZ

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

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

Where: Riverside Park, 575 Riverside Road, Roswell

More info: roswellgov.com

BJ WILBANKS

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

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

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

More info: matildasmusicvenue.com

To promote your event, follow these easy steps: Visit AppenMedia.com/Calendar Provide the details for your event including title, description, location and date Click the red button that reads “Create event” That’s it! Submissions are free, though there are paid opportunities to promote your event in print and online.

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Software Engineer Specialist (Alpharetta, GA): Collab w/ engrs across the Platform & Product Engg team to create tech dsgns, dvlp, test, & solve cmplx prblms that drive the solution from initial concept to prod. Contribute to our automated build, deploy, & test processes for each solution. Work w/ a wide range of systms, processes, & techs to own & solve prblms from end-to-end. Resumes to: Total System Services LLC, Brian Simons, Associate Director, HR Risk and Compliance, One TSYS Way, Columbus GA 31901.

Job #RS708168

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Optum Services, Inc. Sr. Software Engineer III (Full Stack). Alpharetta, GA. Design, develop, implement, test, and maintain business and computer applications software or specialized utility programs including mainframe and client/server applications, and major enhancement of existing systems. Can work remotely. Mail resume to GMI Recruitment at 9900 Bren Road East MN008 R120, Minnetonka, MN 55343 and indicate applying for #23-GA 5876.

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Optum Services, Inc. Sr. Software Engineer. Alpharetta, GA. Design, modify, develop, write and implement software programming applications to automate, manage, and maintain cloud based infrastructure and development tools for new cloudbased big data healthcare analytics platform. Can work remotely. Mail resume to GMI Recruitment at 9900 Bren Road East MN008 R120, Minnetonka, MN 55343 and indicate applying for #23-MN-6065.

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Donor Operations Associate

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

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Solution

Continued from Page 19

In 1894 Southern Railway Company took over operation of the Roswell Rail line. This was also the first year the name Chamblee was used instead of Roswell Junction. The people living

around Roswell Junction wanted to have their own post office. Postal officials would not grant the request because its postmark could be confused with Roswell’s. So, the town’s name was changed to Chamblee which is still used to this day.

In 1920 the Southern Company began efforts to discontinue the Roswell Railroad because it was a consis -

tent money loser. Southern Company maintained that the increasing cost of operating a small line due to the development of a good road system and automobile and truck transportation had destroyed most of the line’s passenger and freight business. The line ceased service in 1921.

Today, only hardy explorers can find any traces of the old railroad, but

it earned an important place in the history of north Fulton.

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.