Forsyth Herald - August 31, 2023

Cumming announces candidates ahead of municipal elections

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Cumming City Council has three incumbents and one new candidate on the ballot for its elections this November.

Four candidates qualified between Aug. 21 and 23 to fill City Council posts 3, 4 and 5.

Post 3 City Councilman Joey Cochran is seeking reelection and does not have a challenger. Cochran, a second-generation city councilmember, was first elected in 2019. He is a lifelong Cumming resident and managed C&W Auto Sales, a familyowned business, on Dahlonega Highway.

Forsyth County officials divided over use of new health building

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County commissioners blocked additional funding for a future county health facility in a split vote, reaching no consensus following a two-week postponement.

A motion to secure an additional $20,325 in design services for the Whole Health Building failed in a 2-2 vote Aug.

22 at a Board of Commissioners work session. Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills was absent from the meeting. County staff said the change order would cover medical office space and examination rooms, with $11,000 of the total reserved for a sexual assault nurse examiner, or SANE, unit.

But, some commissioners expressed concerns about the facility being used for the SANE services, which

would supplement the County Sheriff’s Office and district attorney investigations.

County Commission Chairman Alfred John and commissioners Kerry Hill and Laura Semanson argued the scope of the building has expanded since its conception, resulting in a higher bill for the government facility.

Officials celebrate new amenities at Lanierland Park Page 3

Councilman Christopher Light, who holds Post 4, is also seeking reelection unopposed this fall. Light was first elected in 2015 and to a second term in 2019. He works as an attorney for Cumming-based law firm Lipscomb, Johnson, Sleister, Dailey and Smith LLP.

A third candidate, Linda Ledbetter, is seeking reelection for Post 5. Ledbetter was also elected in 2015 and again in 2019. She is the executive director of Age Well Forsyth, a county nonprofit.

Susie Charles-Carr, who is running for Post 5, is the only candidate who is not a sitting city councilmember. Charles-Carr works as a special education teacher for Forsyth County Schools.

The Cumming municipal election will be held Nov. 7. The deadline to register is Oct. 10.

More information on voting in the city elections can be found at cityofcumming. net/news.

FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED

A 2022 site plan shows the Whole Health Building, left, on the future Forsyth County Administration Campus. County commissioners denied additional funding for the facility Aug. 22 at a work session.

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Dawsonville man cited for obstructing deputies

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 43-year-old Dawsonville man Aug. 16 who allegedly resisted arrest after being questioned for criminal trespass.

Deputies were dispatched to a home on Freeman Road around 7 a.m. in response to a suspicious person, the report states. Footage from the caller’s Ring camera showed a suspect in a red shirt walking across their yard and toward a neighboring address.

The Sheriff’s Office reported receiving multiple calls from the neighboring resident, who said the suspect had been trespassing and stalking over the last several days. The suspect had active warrants in Forsyth County, the report states.

Deputies reportedly located the suspect in the wood line behind the house and asked to see his hands. He then fled on foot downhill into the woods, and deputies followed him.

The suspect tripped after a brief chase and fell. Deputies tried to handcuff the suspect, but he “attempted to roll to his side, pulled his right arm away from deputies and tried to use it to push up to his feet.”

Deputies reported applying an armlock until he was handcuffed.

He was charged with one count of misdemeanor stalking, three counts of obstruction of law enforcement officers, two counts of criminal trespass by unlawfully remaining and one count of criminal trespass by damage.

Second suspect arrested in 2022 home burglary

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth

County deputies arrested a 38-year-old Lawrenceville man Aug. 17, a second suspect charged for a 2022 burglary on Waterstone Drive.

The homeowner reported Nov. 2, 2022, he had received alerts from his Ring doorbell the suspect was on the back porch. The footage showed the suspect allegedly using a tool to pry open the glass door, which shattered. He also broke a window, the report states.

Deputies and K9 units set up a perimeter around the residence and searched for the first suspect, the report states. The K9 tracked the suspect to a pool house in the neighborhood, but he fled in a vehicle.

Both suspects were later identified and charged with felony first degree residence burglary. The second suspect faces a second count of the same charge.

Atlanta man cited for DUI, speeding

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 58-year-old Atlanta man Aug. 17 on DUI, speeding and traffic violation charges.

Deputies who were conducting speed enforcement around 1 a.m. on northbound Ga. 400 reported observing a Mazda heading from Windward Parkway into Forsyth County driving around 85 mph in a 55-mph speed zone.

The suspect exited the highway at McFarland Parkway, the report states, but stopped despite a “keep moving” sign. He then continued onto McFarland Parkway in a right turn only lane but drove through the intersection without making a turn.

Deputies conducted a traffic stop and observed the suspect had visible signs of impairment. Deputies then conducted a DUI investigation and determined the suspect to be impaired to the extent that is less than safe to drive.

Deputies also reported finding an open 16 oz can of beer on the front passenger floorboard that was still cold.

He was charged with misdemeanor DUI alcohol, possession of an open alcohol container, failure to obey a traffic control

device, improper turn and speeding.

Deputies arrest Conyers man who allegedly violated order

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested a 51-yearold Conyers man Aug. 17 who allegedly violated a temporary protective order filed against him by his ex-girlfriend.

The victim reported Aug. 14 the suspect had been texting her after she was granted a temporary protective order against him Aug. 2.

She provided deputies with screenshots of the messages, which showed the suspect texting her multiple times asking if they could talk. On a second phone number, the suspect allegedly told her not to tell anyone and asked if she could call him “off the record.”

The suspect also allegedly texted her parents, asking to speak with them. The victim reported blocking his number on her parents’ phones as well.

The suspect was charged with misdemeanor violation of a temporary protective order.

Man accused of stalking neighbor’s daughter

MILTON, Ga. — Police cited a Milton man for allegedly stalking his neighbors on Eagle Pass Aug. 20.

A woman told police she and her daughter were outside gardening when she saw the suspect prop his cellphone on his second story window directly facing her residence. The victim said her daughter went inside because she was scared and upset about being watched by the suspect.

When police confronted the suspect, he said the phone was used to record the victim throwing trash on his property, identified to be a weed pulled from a potted plant. The suspect said the phone in his window was not recording but used to “scare” the victim.

Police say they found probable cause to believe the suspect used the phone for surveillance for the purpose of harassing and intimidating the victim.

FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED

Forsyth County officials, staff and community leaders celebrate upcoming amenities at Lanierland Park Aug. 19 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The project will add new sports fields, an inclusive playground and a space for the Miracle League.

Forsyth County officials celebrate new amenities at Lanierland Park

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County officials gathered Aug. 19 at Lanierland Park for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate new recreational amenities opening this fall.

The $16.5 million expansion marks phase two of the Lanierland Park master plan and is funded through SPLOST VII revenues and impact fees.

New amenities include additional parking; a football and lacrosse fieldhouse; a walking path; an all-inclusive playground; a Miracle League field; four baseball and softball fields; four pickleball courts; and six tennis

courts.

“The new amenities and facilities at the park have something for everyone to enjoy,” County Parks and Recreation Director Kirk Franz said.

Lose Design handled consulting for the project, and Astra Group Inc. provided general contracting.

Participants of Miracle League, a nonprofit for adults and children with special needs, performed a ceremonial first pitch on the new field and held a game exhibition after the ribboncutting.

— Shelby Israel

Nonprofit plans program on navigating dementia

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Atlanta chapter of Adult Children of Aging Parents will host a free program on communicating with loved ones who have dementia Sept. 13 at the Town Square Sandy Springs Adult Day and Alzheimer’s Resource Center.

The educational event “Communicating with Individuals Living the Dementia Experience” will feature three techniques on navigating the subject, as well as discussions on relationship building and overcoming obstacles.

Dementia Team Lead Staci Hannah of the Georgia Department of Human

Services will present the program. Hannah specializes in supporting those living with dementia and their caregivers. She also owns Graceful Journey, a coaching business on navigating terminal illness.

Registration opens at 5 p.m., and refreshments will be provided. The program begins at 5:30 p.m. in Suite 130 in Building 1 at 8601 Dunwoody Place in Sandy Springs.

More information on ACAP Atlanta programs is available at acapcommunity. org/upcoming-events.

— Shelby Israel

Park study: Chattahoochee River bolsters North Fulton community

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — National Park Service officials said more than 3.5 million people visited the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area in 2022, spending millions of dollars and bringing thousands of jobs to North Fulton County communities.

A recent National Park Service report shows that $176.6 million was spent around the park in 2022, supporting 2,372 jobs in the area. The Chattahoochee River National Park is a 48-mile waterway corridor stretching from Buford Dam in Forsyth County to Peachtree Creek in Atlanta.

“Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area provides great opportunities for outdoor recreation in the Atlanta region and attracts many outof-town visitors,” Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Superintendent Ann Honious said National Park Service economists gathered this data as part of a nationwide park visitor spending analysis. Officials said the study showed the lodging, hospitality and restaurant industries were most affected by park attendance in 2022. Officials said that 312 million visitors

spent nearly $24 billion directly around national parks.

“Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said. “With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 300 million visitors every year.”

To learn more about the Chattahoochee River National Park visit www.nps.gov/ chat.

— Alexander Popp

Metro Atlanta agencies report totals from state asset forfeitures

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

METRO ATLANTA — While public safety departments across Metro Atlanta receive annual funding from local governments for operational costs, a portion of these agencies’ expenses are covered through local asset forfeiture.

A forfeited asset is property or currency that has been determined to be the benefit or proceed of a crime by a state superior court judge.

Once an agency is granted a forfeited asset, it is distributed among the law enforcement groups that participated in the investigation. Assets that are not currency are assigned a fair market value and may be liquidated through sales, such as on auctionbased sites like GovDeals and PropertyRoom or through a Federal Firearms License holder.

State law requires departments to report annual asset forfeiture funds to the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, a financial reporting database for local governments.

Alpharetta, Roswell, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs and Forsyth County each reported a list of

expenses covered by forfeited assets in the 2022 fiscal year to the Carl Vinson Institute.

Combined, the Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs police departments and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office reported some $398,675 in expenses covered by forfeitures.

Milton Police Capt. Charles Barstow said the Milton Police Department initially did not provide an asset forfeiture report to the Carl Vinson Institute due to an oversight. The report has since been submitted, and it is pending approval by the institute as of publication.

Of the six Metro Atlanta agencies that have available reports, Roswell was the biggest spender, recording around $140,174 in expenditures covered by state forfeiture funds. Some of these expenses included training, employee travel, equipment and facilities.

The Dunwoody Police Department reported the lowest dollar amount of expenditures at $20,917, which covered training; law enforcement awards, museums and memorials; training; investigation; and facilities and equipment.

According to state law, local law enforcement agencies can use funds derived from forfeited assets “for any official law enforcement purpose at the discretion of the chief officer of the law enforcement agency receiving such distribution,” if the use does not replace other funds that have been appropriated for the purpose, or for salaries or rewards to employees.

Alpharetta provided a detailed list of expenses from its confiscated assets fund, including firearms, customized

public safety Yeti cups and phone chargers.

Police departments can also cover specific types of training with forfeited asset funds. Roswell and Johns Creek offered its officers Brazilian jiu jitsu, which officials said is effective in reducing injury to suspects and officers during arrests.

“There's no difference in how we spend the money, whether it comes federally or locally,” Alpharetta police Lt. Andrew Splawn said. “But once we have the money, it can be spent on things like training, equipment, initiatives. In fact, much of our second floor is paid for with asset forfeiture money. We got a SWAT bus and some other high-dollar items that are typically hard to budget for.”

For aiding in federal investigations, local agencies can also participate in the Equitable Sharing Program, an asset forfeiture effort operated by the United States Department of Justice that allows assets or proceeds from federal crimes to be liquidated.

The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation participate in the program. Local task forces that participate in investigations related to each federal branch are eligible to receive funds from assets forfeited from the crimes.

Many agencies employ officers on task forces that are related to the federal law enforcement branches, such as the high-density drug trafficking area or financial investigation teams.

DATA: CARL VINSON INSTITUTE OF GOVERNMENT CHART: CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Data for Milton was unavailable. A police official told Appen Media the city did not submit their report due to an oversight, but had remedied it after it was brought to their attention.

MOVIES BY MOONLIGHT: ‘THE BAD GUYS’

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

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

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

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

HOME BY DARK CONCERT: UNION HILL PARK SERIES

What: The event, featuring Sarah Darling and Emily Shakelton, is part of a series that offers the opportunity to enjoy music by established and emerging performers and songwriters in an intimate setting under the covered pavilion nestled in the trees at Union Hill Park.

When: Friday & Saturday, Sept. 1-2, 8-10 p.m.

Where: Union Hill Park, 1590 Little Pine Trail, Alpharetta

More info: homebydark.com

ALPHARETTA FARMERS MARKET

What: Every Saturday morning through November, more than a dozen vendors set up shop near the Town Green with locally grown produce, natural meat, gardeners with fresh flowers and plants, handcrafted gifts, jellies, sauces and soaps, homemade baked goods and more.

When: Saturday, Sept. 2, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: North and South Broad streets, Alpharetta

More info: alpharettafarmersmarket.com

JAZZ ON THE LAWN

What: Forever Pink Foundation, Inc. will present the “Jazz on the Lawn” music concert with performances by Groove Centric, PR Experience and DJ XL/ Xavier Lewis. All proceeds go toward funding grants, scholarships and other philanthropic thrusts of the Foundation. Bring your cooler, picnic basket and lawn chairs to relax and enjoy the melodic tunes.

When: Saturday, Sept. 2, 4-9 p.m.

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

Cost: $75-$100

More info: jazzonthelawn.my.canva.site

JAZZ ON THE LAWN

What: Forever Pink Foundation, Inc. will present the “Jazz on the Lawn” music concert with performances by Groove Centric, PR Experience and DJ XL/Xavier Lewis. All proceeds go toward funding grants, scholarships and other philanthropic thrusts of the Foundation. Bring your cooler, picnic basket and lawn chairs to relax and enjoy the melodic tunes.

When: Saturday, Sept. 2, 4-9 p.m.

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

Cost: $75-$100 More info: jazzonthelawn. my.canva.site

SHOP, SIP & STROLL

What: This event, recurring one Friday a month through November on The Green, will feature 25-plus artisans and makers offering handmade items like candles, jewelry, pottery, skincare, gourmet food and more. There will also be live music and drinks.

When: Friday, Sept. 8, 5-8 p.m.

Where: The Green at Crabapple Market, 12650 Crabapple Road, Milton More info: crabapplemarketga.com

MUSIC ON THE HILL: THE GEEK SQUAD

What: In this event, as part of a free outdoor music series every second Friday of the month through September, The Geek Squad Band will perform. Bring a blanket, unpack your picnic and uncork a bottle to unwind with sounds from this dynamic cover band.

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

It’s even easier now than ever to promote your event to hundreds of thousands of people, whether online, through our newsletters or in the Crier and Herald newspapers.

When: Friday, Sept. 8, 7-9 p.m.

Where: Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Roswell More info: roswell365.com

AN EVENING OF SONG FEATURING INDIA TYREE

What: Join this event for a performance of musical theater standards by one of Atlanta’s talented singers, India Tyree.

When: Sept. 8-10, 7:30-9 p.m.

Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $28 for adults; $20 for students; $15 for children

More info: stagedoortheatrega.org

DOGGY DAZE OF SUMMER

What: Bring your pooch and enjoy the last days of summer at East Roswell Park for a free outdoor extravaganza.

When: Saturday, Sept. 9, 4-9 p.m.

Where: East Roswell Park, 9000 Fouts Road, Roswell

More info: roswell365.com

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: WHO’S BAD

What: Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to this free summer concert series, where the Michael Jackson cover band Who’s Bad will perform. Food trucks will be on-site. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Dogs are not allowed, except service animals. Music begins at 7 p.m.

When: Saturday, Sept. 9, 6-10 p.m.

Where: Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater at Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek

More info: johnscreekga.gov

CONCERT BY THE SPRINGS: STILL SWINGING

What: Get ready to hear horns, woodwinds, strings and percussion with the band Still Swinging. Lawn seating is free. No pets are allowed.

When: Sunday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m.

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

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

Rivermont Golf Club celebrates after 50 years in the game

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — It’s not often that you hear of a family owned and operated golf club, or one that takes so many environmentally green measures, but that’s Rivermont in Johns Creek.

Chris Cupit, owner and general manager of Rivermont Golf Club, is the son of one of the guys who started the place in 1973. In July the club hosted the Georgia Amateur Championship for the first time as part of a week-long celebration to mark its 50th year. There were also parties for the club’s 700 members and a night of fireworks.

Cupit and his mother Lynda are neighbors and live on the golf course. Cara, Cupit’s sister, will soon run a Pilates studio that was recently built next to the clubhouse. A brown spritely dog named Hobbes, after “Calvin and Hobbes,” acted as an escort to the new building.

Cupit said family-owned private golf clubs are an unusual model. There are member-run clubs, he said, but there’s an increasing number of companies who consolidate.

“We have to be successful, and we have to make money because it’s our livelihood,” Cupit said. “But our focus is on so much more. My mom will say it’s her ministry.”

Family history

Cupit sat in his office on the second floor of the clubhouse, stately and tastefully dated, describing the story of his

father David, how he came over from a big golfing family in Texas. David, who died in 2003, was one of 10 kids, and one of five who became a golf professional.

Cupit’s father moved to Atlanta and began working at the Atlanta Country Club in the ’60s, then Ansley Golf Club. Before making Rivermont what it is today, David was the first head golf professional at Dunwoody Country Club.

The Cupits became the sole owners in 1988 and since then, have fostered a sense of community among its members and beyond, like with the Rivermont Women’s Association.

While the club never had any exclusionary policies like other clubs at the time, Cupit said his family recognized the ladies wanted to be more involved and allowed not only members, but also women in the surrounding neighborhood to join.

The association has an investment club, a book club, a lunch bunch and several bridge groups. That day, about a dozen women played the card game in the dining area. The association also regularly brings in guest speakers.

Eye on environment

Rivermont Golf Club has become known for its innovative green practices.

To fertilize the course, the club’s “mad scientist” Mark Hoban brews compost tea using worm manure, or worm castings, fish hydrolysate and mycorrhizal fungi, brought in from different areas around the country like Alaska.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Chris Cupit is the owner and general manager of Rivermont Golf Club, where he lives. The club, located on Rivermont Parkway in Johns Creek, celebrated 50 years in operation this year and hosted the Georgia Amateur Championship for its first time in July.

See GOLF, Page 11

A member drives along the cart path to his next swing. Rivermont Golf Club prides itself on environmentally green, organic course maintenance.

If we can help people find friends and develop relationships, and have fun being together, centered around golf … that’s what we want.

CHRIS CUPIT, owner and general manager,

Rivermont Golf Club

Golf:

Continued from Page 10

Hatcher Hurd, former editor and writer for Appen Media, detailed Hoban’s positive impact on Rivermont in a story from 2015. Hurd reported Hoban’s “organic maintenance philosophy” earned him the Environmental Leader in Golf award from the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation.

Cupit said Rivermont uses less than a pound of nitrogen per acre in a year, whereas golf courses tend to use four to five pounds of nitrogen per acre annually. Homeowners typically use one to two pounds of nitrogen per acre, he said.

He also said Rivermont’s irrigation uses recycled water.

“We’re the last bit before it goes in the Chattahoochee,” Cupit said. “So instead of all the runoff going from the neighborhoods going right into the river, we capture it.”

A social sport

There’s 100 people waiting to become a member at Rivermont, Cupit said, in part due to the growth in golf’s popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Golf was one of the few things people could safely do.

The pandemic reminded everyone of how they’re social creatures, he said, contributing to the mission of Rivermont.

A new Pilates studio was recently built next to the right of Rivermont’s clubhouse. Classes are expected to begin in September.

“If we can help people find friends and develop relationships, and have fun being together, centered around golf … that’s what we want.”

While he didn’t follow his father’s footsteps as a pro, Cupit played golf in college and involves himself with the game today whether it’s through volunteering with the Georgia State Golf Association or with the United States Golf Association as a rules official.

Cupid said he loves golf because it has some “old fashioned values,” defined by walking with a bag and not being bombarded by screens, and he enjoys that the game is “primal.”

“You get to hit a ball with a bat,” he said. “It’s fun to whack something.”

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AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Roxy kills a Copperhead in a late-night battle

The way I see it, there are three ways to look at snakes. There are those who pay the creatures no mind.

Others are fascinated and will participate on social media sites trying to one-up one another when it comes to identifying whether you’ll be close to bodily harm should you step on one like it while walking barefoot in the yard.

But majority rules whenever folks are anywhere near one of these slithering creatures. They refuse to leave the house until someone has blasted the reptile to smithereens. They’re the ones who quote the Bible about snakes being “evil,” quoting Genesis and relaying how the no-good belly-crawler tricked Eve and now we have a passel of bad things because Eve didn’t refuse the apple.

THE INVESTMENT COACH

In my house, everyone except me is scared to death every time someone says there is a snake in Forsyth County. We used to have a big, gorgeous white king snake that would use our yard as a thoroughfare every summer.

“Welcome back, Whitey,” I would say. “Help yourself. Treat our lot like it’s your own Golden Corral.”

Vicki and the boys, whenever there is a snake on the premises, lock the doors, close the shutters and turn out the lights, refusing to go outside until Dad has given assurances that “Mr. No Shoulders” has departed.

My brother Matt refuses to visit because there are snakes in Georgia. I’ve told him you can step around a snake to avoid it. How can you dodge an earthquake.

So far, you’re probably thinking: “Okay, he’s a little goofy and kinda likes good snakes that eat bugs and whatnots.”

A recent occurrence in the neighborhood could have turned out a lot worse. In summary, there was an encounter where

the final score turned out to be Roxy, the 80-pound pit bull-mix, besting a Copperhead in a fight to the finish.

As part of a bedtime ritual, neighbors Josh and Alethea let Roxy out to do her business before bedtime. Roxy didn’t want to go to bed, instead staring at the grass.

Josh said she was very lethargic and not herself. She was producing a Niagara Falls amount of drool and still staring out into the yard.

If Roxy was a boxer, she would have been dancing with her arms stretched to the sky like she was Muhammad Ali after a win.

Josh investigated, grabbing a flashlight, paying little mind to the stick in the yard. After all, the stick wasn’t moving. Roxy had vanquished a six-foot Copperhead, but not before the snake bit Roxy an estimated five times.

It must’ve been a whale of battle. Roxy was hurting and needed help. It took two vials of antivenin and a stay at All Pets in Alpharetta, a facility that luckily had the

antidote to the poison that was coursing through Roxy’s body. She was discharged after a night of treatment and came home.

She was in excellent hands. After all, Alethea is a nurse. Roxy received antibiotics and there was no sign of infection or necrosis. All told, with the antivenin costing $495 a vial, the entire episode cost Josh and Alethea around $2,000.

It was a most unfortunate encounter and the snake didn’t mean to put a hurtin’ on Roxy. After all, it was just being a snake. And now it’s a hatband.

Copperheads are around these parts, and they aren’t looking for a fight. If you see one, don’t shoot it, unless it’s with a water hose. They just want to eat a mouse or a frog.

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.

Is tithing one of your financial imperatives?

percent, and counseled, “You should also know how much you make. Part of the benefit of giving a portion of your money is it makes you think about where your money goes. God does not want us to be sloppy with our finances, Don.”

money,” perhaps for a second home, motor home, boat, exotic trips. Dreams often are listed as “bucket list” items.

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP Columnist The Investment Coach

In Newtown Park in Johns Creek there is a free lending library in what looks like a big birdhouse. Walking in the park almost every day, I always check the library to see if there’s a new book that piques my interest. Recently I finished “Blue Like Jazz,” a book by Donald Miller billed as “nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality.” A semi-autobiographical work, it’s a collection of essays and personal reflections of a young man wrestling with his conscience midst secular surroundings as he seeks to better understand the nature of God and Jesus, and the need for an authentic personal response to that understanding.

In a chapter on the subject of money, after learning that a friend, who always seemed broke and, in many ways, appeared to be non-religious, tithed, Don confessed to his pastor that he gave no money to the church. Rick, the pastor, asked why he didn’t give, and Don replied, “Because I have no money. Everything goes to rent and groceries. So am I exempt?” Acknowledging Don’s tough financial situation, Rick said, “Nope. We want your cash.” After a brief conversation, Don speculated that maybe he made about a thousand dollars a month as a struggling writer. Rick said the church wanted a hundred dollars, ten

One reason folks engage a financial planner is because they don’t want “to be sloppy with finances.” They desire a well-thought-out and disciplined approach based on defined goals and objectives and life transitions timelines. In planning what your money and investments should do for you, questions are posed. Writer Mitch Anthony, in his best-selling book, “The New Retirementality,” offered a way to think about money based on Abraham Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs.” At the base of a pyramid titled “Maslow Meets Retirement,” Anthony starts with “survival money,” funds needed to handle everyday expenses and necessities. At the next level up is “safety money,” a reserve to meet “life’s unexpected turns,” emergency money.

Next you have “freedom money,” funds for life’s fun things, hobbies, travel, dining out, theater, sports, plus personal growth and education, etc. Higher on your pyramid, is “gift money,” funds for the people and causes about which you care deeply, including support and gifts to children, grandchildren, charities, etc. Sometimes “sandwich generation” needs for offspring (whether minors or adults over age 18), or aging parents or grandparents, may necessitate funding expenses out of cash reserves or deferring “freedom money” aspirations. At the top of your pyramid is “dream

In talking with clients early in the planning stage, it is useful to understand religious preferences and affiliations as some folks practice tithing. For many, tithing, money donated for God’s purposes comes “off of the top,” given as part of “survival money” with faith that our Lord will provide. When Don decided to tithe, he emptied his checking account that contained only eight dollars. But shortly thereafter he got a lucrative writing gig with a magazine plus well-paid speaking engagements at retreats and conferences. Each time he took ten percent off of the top for his church and another ten percent went into a savings account. His life, attitude, earning power, net worth, and sense of wellbeing, improved dramatically. As an advisor I have heard the same story over and over; those who give time, talent, and treasure to causes about which they care report getting more done with more energy and success in work and play. Interesting how that works!

The concept of tithing one-tenth of your income first appeared in the Old Testament. Leviticus 27:30 instructs, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” The 10% requirement specifically comes from the Hebrew translation of tithe, or “ten.”

Philanthropy is an important aspect of financial planning, which can be combined with prudent tax planning. Some Pharisees tried to trap Jesus by asking

whether it was lawful to pay taxes to the oppressive Roman Emperor. Pointing out that Caesar’s face appeared on the coin of the realm, Jesus replied, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21). For those blessed with significant income and net worth, it’s prudent and acceptable to minimize taxes while doing good. Various types of trust vehicles may be employed. Gifting common stock with embedded taxable capital gains may make sense compared to giving cash. Insurance vehicles may provide tax free cash to heirs while some of the estate assets go to charity. Those taking mandatory distributions from qualified retirement plans like 401(k) or IRA plans, may donate up to $100,000 per year as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) to approved charities while having the money excluded from taxable ordinary income. That may help to lower Part B Medicare premiums.

Mark Victor Hanson, author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” opined, “Discover the joy of giving and you will discover the reason for living.” Life without purpose is a train wreck.

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-441-3553; lewis@ capitalinsightgrp.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA), which is otherwise unaffiliated with CIG. Lewis a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

MIKE TASOS

Columnist

Too many dairies in North Dekalb to name

Brown’s family owned a dairy farm. Brown shared his memories of living and working on the family dairy farm in an oral history recorded in October 1987 at DeKalb History Center. The family dairy was located on two properties along Buford Highway. Everyone in the family worked on the dairy farm including his two sisters and two brothers.

Columnist

Dairies played a major role in the economy of north DeKalb County from the 1930s up until the early 1950s. There are too many for me to name and describe in one article. Today I will focus on a few of the dairies that were in Chamblee and Doraville.

According to “A Century in North DeKalb,” compiled by the First Baptist Church of Chamblee in 1975, there were 33 dairies in Chamblee and 200 dairies in DeKalb County in 1939. DeKalb County was the largest producer of Grade A milk in the south and had more dairies than any other Georgia county.

David Chesnut, whose family lived in Doraville along where Chamblee Tucker Road meets I-85, recalls dairies near the family home. The W. O. Pierce and P. E. Pierce Dairies were located on both sides of North Peachtree Road, between North Shallowford Road and Peachtree Boulevard. Irvindale and Chatham Dairies were located across from the railroad tracks. David and Linda Chesnut later lived at the historic Donaldson-Bannister Farm in Dunwoody.

Irvindale Dairy was also across from the railroad tracks in Chamblee. Owner P. E. Hyde started Irvindale Dairy in 1918 with six cows, delivering milk in single horse drawn wagons. Thirteen years later, Hyde had accumulated 33 acres for his dairy business. By 1931, Irvindale was considered “one of the most modern dairies in the entire south.”

Former Chamblee Mayor Dub

The B. F. Lyle Dairy was located on ten acres along Woodwin Road between Winters Chapel and Tilly Mill Roads. The dairy sold to customers in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Chamblee, and Doraville, using their dairy truck to deliver buttermilk and butter.

The intersection of Buford Highway and Shallowford Road was once home to the I.O. Morton Dairy. The Morton Dairy was on 62 ½ acres with a large rock dairy barn, milk house, large feed room, and three family homes. In 1949 the farm was up for auction, advertised as being near Lawson General Hospital and the General Motors plant.

Another dairy was located on part of the land where the General Motors plant was built-the J. H. Maloney Dairy. John Harwell (Bud) Maloney delivered milk to families in Doraville and other nearby communities. He also operated an Amoco station in downtown Doraville.

As job opportunities increased with the construction of the General Motors plant and other industries, nearby communities shifted from the land of dairies into the land of new subdivisions.

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/SPECIAL TO APPEN MEDIA

This 1939 map of north DeKalb dairies appears in "A Century of North DeKalb," compiled by the First Baptist Church of Chamblee in 1975.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Have a question? Ask a master gardener.

Georgia Master Gardener Extension Volunteers (MGEVs) assist the UGA Cooperative Extension in providing horticultural information using research and the resources of the University of Georgia. Here are a several recent questions that came to the help desk at the Fulton County Extension office.

Question: My Bartlett pear bloomed beautifully in early spring, but then the stems started turning brown and died. I’ve learned it may be due to fire blight so I cut off as much as I could and sterilized the pruners. It still looks like the tree will die. Is there any remedy for this disease?

Answer from MGEV Dana Hallberg: I’m sorry for the loss of your pear tree due to fire blight. As you have already done, prune any affected plant parts, making sure to clean pruners with isopropyl alcohol or disinfectant wipes between cuts. This will help prevent spreading the disease. Dispose of pruned limbs in the garbage or burn them. Next year, apply fungicides/bactericides preventively. Most fungicides will not make a difference on plants that are already showing symptoms. The publications above have suggestions about pruning symptomatic branches, along with information on what products to apply and when.

Question: I’ve noticed large mounds in a mulched area in the alley behind my house and huge hornets flying around the mounds. There are also some dead cicadas on the ground nearby. I managed to get a few photos of the hornets. What are they and do I need to be worried?

Answer from Extension Agent Gabrielle LaTora: Your photos confirm that these are not actually hornets, but Eastern cicada killer wasps! Cicada killers, even though they’re huge, are not aggressive and are only interested in hunting cicadas. The male wasps like to “patrol” and

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might be more interested in people than the female wasps, but they can’t sting. Females are very unlikely to sting unless they’re being handled or accidentally squeezed. The adults are busy during mid-late summer building their nests and collecting cicadas for their larvae inside the nests. They should be done flying by early September. The larvae will overwinter in the spots where the mounds are and emerge next year from those spots. I wouldn’t expect a huge explosion in the population, but you will see wasps in that area next year if you leave the mounds. If you decide to remove them, you can apply insecticides listed for wasps or grow plants or turfgrass in that spot. If you decide to disturb the mounds during the summer, I would do so at night when the females are inactive, and wear protective clothing (or leave it up to the professionals!).

I would encourage you and your neighbors not to worry about them and to leave them alone since they’re great pollinators and beneficial predators of cicadas.

Question: What can I do about ambrosia beetles in my crape myrtle and fig trees?

Answer from Extension Educator

Norlethia Harris: Unfortunately, once you start seeing signs of an ambrosia beetle infestation there is not much you can do to get rid of them. The beetles bore into the trunks of trees and produce frass (insect poop) that looks like toothpicks sticking out of the trunk. This is the main sign that you have the beetles. Ambrosia beetles also inoculate the tree with a fungus that feeds the emerging larvae. This fungus then clogs up the vascular system of the tree and affects its ability to take up water. If you are seeing signs of the beetle on a small number of branches, we recommend pruning the infected limbs and safely burning or bagging them and removing them from the site. If the damage is more extensive, you will have to remove and dispose of the entire tree to prevent the beetles spreading to other trees.

Ambrosia beetles are attracted to trees that are stressed, e.g., trees that may not be receiving the right amounts of water, nutrients from the soil, or are stressed from the environment. The two

If you have a question about your landscape or garden, contact the North Fulton UGA Extension Office at 404-613-7670 or northfulton.extension@uga. edu. Or find a local UGA Extension office by calling 1-800-ASK-UGA1 or visit https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices.html.

deep freezes we had this past winter (in December and March) resulted in trees being stressed and susceptible to the ambrosia beetles. The best solution to an ambrosia beetle attack is early identification and early removal and disposal of infected plant material. You also want to make sure that the trees remain as healthy as possible. This means planting tree species that are suited to our climate here in Georgia and to the particular characteristics of your yard or landscape and fertilizing and watering

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appropriately.

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.

Your local Fulton County Extension office does soil testing and plant disease diagnostics. Follow instructions for taking soil and plant samples and bring them to your local Fulton County Extension office.

Pricing:

• Routine Soil Test – pH, Lime, P, K, Ca, Mg, Z, Ma ($12 per sample)

• Expanded Soil Test – S1 + Na, Fe, Cu, Cr, Mo, Ni, Cd, Pb, CEC, % base saturation ($14 per sample).

• Homeowner Plant Disease Sample ($10 per sample)

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Gabrielle LaTora, agriculture agent in Fulton County’s Extension office. An entomologist by training, Gabrielle is interested in insects on farms and in gardens and is passionate about closing the gap between people and their food. In addition to helping coordinate Fulton’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program, Gabrielle oversees the North Fulton Community Garden, answers clients’ questions about gardening and natural resources, works with urban farmers, and delivers educational programs for Fulton County residents.

GABRIELLE LATORA Guest Columnist

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PRESERVING THE PAST

A story of three different churches

In a sense, this week’s column is a sequel to a recent column I wrote telling the story of Amariah Hembree (17811855) and the house he built in Roswell around 1834, along with its modern day restoration and renovation. Amariah and his family together with 13 other Christians met in the Hembree home on July 16, 1836, to establish the Lebanon Baptist Church. It was named after the community of Lebanon and was to be the first church in the area to welcome black members.

Caroline Dillman in her seminal book, “Days Gone by in Alpharetta and Roswell Georgia,” described Lebanon as “a thriving village,” located in the general area from where Holcomb Bridge Road goes over Big Creek to the intersection of Highway 9 and Holcomb Bridge Road. Early Roswell pioneering residents such as Roswell King and people living in other local areas depended on Lebanon for their supplies, post office and services such as blacksmithing.

Amariah’s son James, a carpenter, built a structure, possibly a log cabin, on

Building:

Continued from Page 1

“If you take the County [Administration] Building and the Employee Center and separate that from this mental health facility and the Whole Health Building, what was originally proposed was that it would be about $23 million,” John said. “It’s been blended all in together, and the county has taken on added responsibility at the expense of our taxpayers.

The Lebanon Baptist Church cemetery has some 145 memorials including members of the founding Hembree family and many blacks in mostly unmarked graves.

Houze Road about a mile from the Lebanon business center to serve as a church reportedly at a cost of $158. A cemetery was built next to the church. During the Civil War in 1864 Union soldiers badly damaged the church. Repairs were done but a new church was built at the corner of Highway 9 and Holcomb Bridge in 1866 where it remained for about 130 years.

In 1996 the Lebanon Baptist Church purchased 28 acres on Crabapple Road which is the church’s current home.

The original cemetery remains on Houze Road. The cemetery is not easy to find and is surrounded by houses.

There’s a broader discussion than just this one item.”

The 65,000-square-foot Whole Health Building is estimated to cost $38 million, funded through American Rescue Plan dollars. It will also house the County Health Department.

The current Health Department was built in the 1960s and is located on Canton Highway.

The Whole Health facility is one of three buildings on the county’s new Administration Campus, slated to open in 2025. The $140 million campus will also include an Employee Center and a

Some 145 memorials are there. Most of the tombstones are illegible. Many original church members are buried in the cemetery including at least 20 members of the Hembree family and more than 70 unmarked fieldstones, most likely anonymous black graves. One identified slave named Jone worked in the home of John Bulloch, grandfather of former president Theodore Roosevelt. Amariah Hembree and his wife Sara Minton (17811856) are buried in the cemetery. Burials took place until the 1980s, although most took place many years earlier.

Two slaves, Burt Hembree and his brother Alec Hembree, were ordained as ministers by the Lebanon Presbytery circa 1839/40.

Around 1847-1855 the black congregation of the Lebanon Baptist Church established their own church, the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and cemetery. Burt Hembree was the first pastor with Alex Hembree serving as a deacon. The original church, located at the corner of Holcomb Bridge and Highway 9, is gone. The Pleasant Hill Church purchased land and built a new church on Pleasant Hill Street in 1922 with members contributing the labor. In 1963 the building was replaced by a new church in the same location. The cemetery was established in 1855 and has more than 112 graves.

new County Administration Building on Freedom Parkway near Ga. 400.

The Whole Health Building will also house a mental health center that will provide inpatient, outpatient and crisis services, operated by Avita Community Partners.

Still, Semanson argued sexual assault services are better suited at a hospital, a sentiment she also expressed when the change order was first presented Aug. 8 at a work session.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever felt that the County [Administration] Building or the health center at that campus was

It is located off Old Roswell Place. Burials continued until the early 1960s.

Circa 1871 white members of Lebanon Baptist Church donated land for a missionary church and school which was built in 1885 at Zion Circle in Roswell by a group of African American Christians. The original one room Zion Missionary Baptist Church building was destroyed by fire in 1885. Its replacement was severely damaged by fire in the early 1960s and torn down in 1963 to be rebuilt the following year. In 2001, Zion moved in to a new 77,000 square-foot building on Zion Circle.

Thus, three historic and successful Roswell churches, The Lebanon Baptist Church, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and the Zion Missionary Baptist Church, are linked together over time in unique ways. Brian Peterson, Senior Pastor of the Lebanon Baptist Church since 2012, says “The partnership and faithfulness in the gospel of these three churches for more than a century is a clear demonstration of the sovereign grace of God.”

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.

necessarily the proper environment to conduct these types of services,” Semanson said. “And that a true hospital would provide a lot more professionalism, consistency, availability, as well as a little bit more privacy for the affected individual.”

At the Aug. 8 meeting, commissioners approved $247,038 in change orders for the other two facilities on the new Administration Campus. The health building has failed to garner the same support.

Commissioner Todd Levent said the SANE services are desperately needed in the county, but he agreed with Hill the county should have more information before committing the funds.

County Manager David McKee requested commissioners vote on the change order and said he would meet with local partners to discuss the SANE services to present more details at a later date.

“This will be a county building at the end of the day,” McKee said. “Which means … you, as the board, can dictate from a policy standpoint what services we allow to go into this facility.”

After a lengthy debate, Levent proposed a motion, seconded by Hill, to approve the change order. Semanson and John voted to deny the funding.

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

BOB MEYERS Columnist

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