FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Trader Joe’s is joining the mixeduse development Halcyon soon.
Situated on the Big Creek Greenway trailhead side of Halcyon next to the new Chick-fil-A, the neighborhood grocery store will operate a 13,500-square-foot location, joining seven others in Metro Atlanta.
The announcement follows Halcyon’s fifth anniversary.
“For five years, Halcyon has been your date night, your retail indulgence, the background of your photos and the place where countless memories were made,” said Phil Mays, principal of RocaPoint Partners, the developer of Halcyon. “Trader Joe’s is the missing puzzle piece that fits right in, functioning as a vital service provider that helps to complete our district.”
As Halcyon enters its sixth year as a part of the Forsyth County region, Phase III construction continues. In addition to Trader Joe’s, Chewy Vet Care, Chase Bank, Chick-fil-A and Five Guys will open in the next phase.
For additional information about Halcyon, visit www. visithalcyon.com or follow @VisitHalcyon on Instagram and Facebook.
— Amber Perry
Commissioners focus on zoning to ensure data centers keep quiet
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Commission is considering zoning rules to prevent data centers from being disruptive to nearby communities.
At its Nov. 26 work session, commissioners considered changes to the Unified Development Code that would require new data centers to observe rules governing noise, distance to homes, size and utility usage.
The code would define a data center as a business that primarily engages in the storage, management, processing or transmission of digital data.
The centers are becoming more common in the county, and interest from developers is growing.
An August 2024 report from global commercial
real estate services giant CBRE stated that data center construction in Metro Atlanta has increased by 211 percent since 2023.
Viral Chhadua, Gainesville native and a data center developer with HadjPadj Technologies, requested a conditional use permit in August for a data center to be built near Ga. 369 at Jot Em Down Road near Lake Lanier.
Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said a few months ago she also received a call from a data center developer seeking a 300-acre tract in the county.
“It’s very important for the county to stay on top of any market changes that occur,” Mills said. “If we go to sleep on it, we get hit by things we are not prepared for.”
VIRAL CHHADUA/PROVIDED
Viral Chhadua, Gainesville native and data center developer, is working to create a facility near Lake Lanier. He expects the center to operational within a few years.
Halcyon will house a new Trader Joe’s neighborhood grocery store. The Forsyth County location will join seven other stores in Metro Atlanta.
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Man found asleep in car cited for open container
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 45-yearold Canton man was arrested on alcohol and other charges Nov. 19.
Deputies were dispatched to Canton Highway at Friendship Circle about 4 p.m. after a driver was reported asleep behind the wheel, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office report.
Deputies searched the vehicle and found a glass jar containing marijuana. The man said the marijuana was a legal and synthetic variety.
Deputies also found an open alcohol container and a loaded pistol. The man was charged with misdemeanor possession of an open alcohol container by a driver, failure to maintain insurance and expired registration or invalid plates or decal.
— Jon Wilcox
Alleged tailgater charged with driving under influence
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 53-yearold Johns Island, S.C., woman was arrested on a driving under the influence charge Nov. 20.
Deputies stopped a vehicle driven by the woman on Matt Highway at Dahlonega Highway about 11 p.m. after a caller reported she was tailgating them, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office report.
Deputies reported the woman smelled strongly of alcohol and slurred her words while speaking. She said she had consumed two mixed drinks at a restaurant.
Deputies conducted a field sobriety test
and determined she was unsafe to drive. The woman also was charged with following too closely.
— Jon Wilcox
Alabama driver arrested for marijuana possession
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — A 29-yearold Atlanta man was arrested on a marijuana possession charge Nov. 21.
Deputies stopped a Ford Fusion on Buford Highway at Atlanta Highway after the vehicle kept switching lanes and varying its speed, according to a Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office report. The vehicle was also clocked at 65 mph in a 45 mph zone.
While speaking with the man, deputies reported smelled marijuana coming from his vehicle and noticed on the floorboard a tray used for rolling marijuana cigarettes.
Deputies saw the man attempting to hide a plastic baggie in his hand, according to the report. The man showed them the bag, which contained about a gram of marijuana.
Deputies arrested the man and transported him to the jail.
— Jon Wilcox
Japanese church residents report theft of belongings
ROSWELL, Ga. — Police are investigating a residential burglary at the Westminster Japanese Church Nov. 18 after residents reported thieves took more than $3,000 of their personal belongings.
The victims, a 50-year-old Roswell woman and her 57-year-old husband, said someone snuck into their home, which is attached to the church.
The woman said she thought she heard someone closing the door to her home while she was sitting in the church around 11:50 a.m.
When her husband returned to the home around 2 p.m., he said things in their bedroom were out of place and called police.
The couple told officers that a $2,500 pearl jewelry set, $300, 200 yen (1.29 U.S.) were stolen and a pair of $50 cufflinks.
Officers said they noticed several ransacked areas of the home during a sweep, but several valuable electronics were left untouched. They also said very few drawers were rummaged through, and one of the windows was slightly opened.
One witness, a 43-year-old resident and member of the church choir, said she thinks she saw someone walking away from the house around 11:50 a.m.
Officers said she was unable to give and description.
There is no identified suspect.
Hayden Sumlin
Police charge driver for driving intoxicated
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 44-year-old Sandy Springs man was arrested on a driving under the influence charge Nov. 18.
Officers stopped a black Saturn Vue about 3 a.m. on Mansell Road, according to an Alpharetta police report. While interviewing the driver, officers smelled alcohol and noticed his eyes were bloodshot and glassy.
The man, speaking through a Spanish interpreter, said he had three beers before driving. Officers conducted a field sobriety test and determined the man was unsafe to drive.
A search of the vehicle found two half-empty bottles of liquor.
The man was charged with driving under the influence, open container violation while operating a motor vehicle and driving while unlicensed.
Jon Wilcox
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Kemp to chair republican governors association
By DAVE WILLIAMS Capitol Beat
Jimmy Song (NMLS#1218336) 770-454-1871 (Duluth Branch)
Sandy Na (NMLS#983548) 770-454-1861 (Norcross Branch)
ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp has been elected chairman of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) for 2025.
The election of Kemp and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte as the RGA’s vice chairman took place at the end of the association’s annual conference.
“Republican governors are making commonsense, conservative policies a reality, putting families and children first, and making our states the best places to run a business and raise a family,” Kemp said Wednesday.
“I look forward to working with my fellow Republican governors and President Trump to keep getting the job done for the American people and to add even more Republican
governors to our ranks.”
Joining Kemp and Gianforte on the RGA’s 2025 leadership team will be the association’s executive committee: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, Missouri Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster will serve as the RGA’s policy chair.
Republicans will hold the edge in governor’s mansions next year, 27 to 23 over the Democrats, the same margin as this year.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
Make plans to check out December author events
By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia.com
Holiday book shoppers take note: The trio of New York Times bestselling authors collectively known as Team W — Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Milton’s own Karen White — have published a new novel, “The Author’s Guide to Murder.”
Fittingly, a trio of nearby signing events will be held in December, two on the same day. Thursday, festive affairs in Dahlonega and Milton will spotlight the troika’s saucy new mystery as well as the authors’ extensive backlists.
Specifics about those and other December book signings are below.
Thursday, Dec. 5, Karen White and Beatriz Williams. Local signing stops featuring two-thirds of Team W — minus coauthor Lauren Willig — include two events Dec. 5. White and Williams will appear at a jolly Bookmiser-supported 10 a.m. celebration at the Lumpkin County Library, 56 Mechanicsville Road, Dahlonega. Free. bookmiser.net/ events.html. Then, that night at 5 p.m., they will be feted at a ticketed “Merry Murder” party hosted by Poe & Company Bookstore at The RoofTop Event Venue, 12630 Crabapple Road, Suite 340, Milton. poeandcompanybookstore. com/our-events
Saturdays, Dec. 7 and 14, and Wednesday, Dec. 11, George Weinstein and Kim Conrey. Meet the inspiring, oft-published Atlanta Writers Club couple Dec. 7 and 14 from 10:30 a.m.4 p.m. at Posman Books, 4105 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta. On Dec. 11, they will participate in Poe & Company’s Christmas Book Sale at Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub. Free. 4 p.m. 12650 Crabapple Road, No. 100, Milton. poeandcompanybookstore.com
Saturday, Dec. 7, Brianna O. Osaseri, local Illustrator, signing her middle-grade “Gome Fable” series. Free. Noon. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree
Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-2329331. read-it-again.com
Saturday, Dec. 7, Andy Runton’s graphic novel workshop. The author and award-winning illustrator of the “Olwy” graphic novels will lead an interactive workshop. Free, with book purchases encouraged. 2 p.m. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-it-again.com
Wednesday, Dec. 11, Poe & Company Christmas Book Sale featuring, among many others, Rosalind and Maggie Bunn. The mother-daughter children’s authors of, most recently, “All Aboard, Florida!,” will be just two of the authors whose sales will help benefit hurricane relief efforts. Free. 4 p.m. Olde Blind Dog Irish Pub. 12650 Crabapple Road, No. 100, Milton. poeandcompanybookstore.com
Thursday, Dec. 12, Nancy Naigle and Tracy Solheim. The USA Today bestselling authors will detail five of Naigle’s books that have been adapted into Hallmark movies. Light refreshments will be served. Free. 6:30 p.m. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-itagain.com
Saturday, Dec. 15, Boozy Book Fair and Messiah at the Pub: A Singalong, at Distillery of Modern Art. Join the Johns Creek Chorale for a singalong of Handel's "Messiah" and shop a selection of books curated by Read It Again Bookstore. Free. 4 p.m. Distillery of Modern Art, 2197 Irvindale Way, Chamblee, 30341. 404-482-2663. read-it-again. com
Friday, Dec. 20, Alex White’s book and video game launch. The award-winning sci-fi author will discuss his newest title and VR game. Free. 7 p.m. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Pkwy., Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-itagain.com
Saturday, Dec. 21, Terri Parlato release party for “Watch Your Back.” Free. Noon. Read It Again Bookstore, 3630 Peachtree Parkway, Suite 314, Suwanee. 770-232-9331. read-it-again.com
Monday, Dec. 30, teen author Isabella Gerborg with her debut novel, “Discover.” Free. 6:30 p.m. Post Road Library, 5010 Post Road, Cumming. forsythpl. org/event/11919748
To submit an author event for the upcoming month, email Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi at kathydesjardins3@gmail.com by the 15th.
PROVIDED
Coauthors, from left, Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams and Milton’s own Karen White have a new novel out, “The Author’s Guide to Murder.”
Bulloch Hall incorporates European holiday theme
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Through December, visitors to Bulloch Hall are in for a vibrant holiday experience.
The interior of the historic Greek Revival mansion, the childhood home of Martha Stewart “Mittie” Roosevelt, mother of President Theodore Roosevelt, has a European flair. For around three decades, clubs, organizations and individuals have been responsible for holiday decorations in each room, under a theme chosen by Friends of Bulloch, a nonprofit that supports the City of Roswell in operations of the home.
This year, Friends of Bulloch Treasurer Karen Schwank said the theme is “An Old-Fashioned European Christmas,” with each room representing a country of choice.
Longtime participant Martha Stewart Bulloch Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution decorated the main bedroom in a French country style — simple, elegant, cozy. A realistic stuffed dog lays on the bed quilt, an owl is perched on a dresser, a kitten curls up by the fireplace next to a line of small shoes. In France, Christmas celebrants don’t
hang stockings.
The adjacent library, decorated by the Roswell Woman’s Club, represents Spain. A “Feliz Navidad” banner hangs from the mantle, and Spanish flags are poking out from the tree as the topper.
The morning room, or nursery, is Finnish, and the parlor is Norwegian. The pantry and dining room are inspired by England. German traditions are displayed in Mittie’s bedroom upstairs.
French country
For the French country main bedroom, Martha Stewart Bulloch Chapter member and lead decorator Ginger Wiggs said the lace curtains were a must. She has been a professional interior designer for 40 years.
“The lace curtains — we were allowed to do that,” Wiggs said. “We do have a lot of restrictions because it’s actually a museum, but you can’t have French country without lace curtains,” she said.
Wiggs began planning the decorations in August, picking up the decor from a Kennesaw-based nonprofit Mostly Mutts.
See BULLOCH, Page 7
Members of the Martha Stewart Bulloch Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Sue Gilbert, Amy Rudd, Ginger Wiggs and Regent Cynthia Waskowsky showcase their French country decorations in Bulloch Hall’s main bedroom as part of the theme, “An Old-Fashioned European Christmas.” Each year, clubs and organizations around Roswell participate in the annual effort, coordinated by the nonprofit Friends of Bulloch.
PHOTOS BY: AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Bulloch:
Continued from Page 6
“You should have seen my garage,” she said.
The work was delegated and carefully done, using backing for the decor to prevent surface scratches. Wiggs said some took trees to decorate and some wrapped the packages, laid at the foot of the bed. They were stamped with French stickers and garnished with bows of twine.
That day, Wiggs was accompanied by Amy Rudd, her co-chair for the chapter’s Bulloch Hall decoration committee, as well as the chapter Regent Cynthia Waskowsky and former Regent Sue Gilbert. Linda Tartak and Brenda Bartholomew were also on the decorating committee.
The chapter is all about community service.
Each September, members raise community awareness of Constitution Week with displays in schools and libraries. The group also awards medals to distinguished members of area high school Junior ROTCs as well as scholarships.
In November, Waskowsky said the chapter collected more than 80 stockings filled with goodies intended for veterans at the clinic in Marietta, and her regent’s project is helping the Foster Care Support Foundation in Roswell.
“Foster Care Support is near and dear to my heart because they don’t get a lot of money from [the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services] and things like that,” she said.
Friends of Bulloch Board Vice President Pam Billingsley said the Martha Stewart Bulloch DAR chapter was one of the first groups chosen to
Bulloch Hall’s parlor, decorated by Friends of Bulloch member Lynne Thomas, features a Norwegian touch. An informational poster shares Norway’s traditions, like a gingerbread house with marzipan pigs and gnomes, or nisse, thought to protect the countryside.
participate in the annual decorating.
Billingsley’s tenure at Bulloch Hall began in 1989 as a site coordinator. She retired four years ago.
Longtime effort
Before Billingsley, decorations were sparse with wreaths here and there, maybe a Christmas tree.
The home had only been open a week for Christmas, rather than all of December — a premature end for all the decorating trouble. She changed that, too.
“It really wasn’t a show house by any means, a Christmas show house,” Billingsley said.
Billingsley has a hand each year, now making a
two-hour trek from her home in Clayton.
She decorated the open-hearth kitchen in the basement with Icelandic flourishes, such as the Northern Lights and the tradition of 13 Yule Lads, who are known for their mischief, causing trouble for townspeople but leaving gifts for children.
Billingsley said the lads’ mother, a troll-like mannequin with a grandmother’s face, must have scared everybody.
“I just was told that they turned her around…” she said.
Last year’s theme was “A German Christmas,” to complement the first annual Christkindl Market outside Bulloch’s front door. One year, the theme was centered on children’s stories, and for that, Billingsley pulled from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
“I did have some people make comments about it, but it was great,” she said. “The house looked beautiful. It does every year, and everybody always says, ‘Well, I thought last year was the best, but no, it’s this year.’”
Billingsley also created several programs at Bulloch Hall, such the Christmas High Teas. There’s three this year, during the week of Dec. 9. The sold-out event features afternoon tea, finger sandwiches, and desserts served by people dressed in period costumes, followed by a tour of the home.
Another Billingsley brainchild was the reenactment of Mittie’s 1853 wedding to Theodore Roosevelt Sr. She would play Mittie, and as the years went on, she took on the role as Mittie’s mother.
The house, the story, the people draw her in. For Billingsley, Bulloch Hall is a love affair.
“It was just all so much fun,” she said. “I’d say it was probably the best thing in my life, other than my kids and my husband that died 10 years ago.”
FlameTree Glass helps students enjoy artistic process
Key element of class is to overcome fear
By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Maureen Buckley McRorie and her husband Lance McRorie take great care in their craft and dedicate much of their business to sharing it with others.
They specialize in glass blowing at the torch, rather than the older technique of the furnace, and have built their lives around it for more than two decades.
The McRories’ shop FlameTree Glass, Inc. off Warsaw Road in Roswell is part gallery and part workshop space. They also sell glass supplies, but on a small scale, for mostly locals. Competition became nearly impossible when glass supply warehouses, equipped with forklifts, entered the scene.
Maureen said glass blowing is a meditative and therapeutic process. Working
with a hot flame requires a certain level of attention.
“It puts you in the moment, and you just start melting, and then two hours have gone by like that,” she said, snapping her fingers. “So that’s why people get real addicted to it.”
Lance called the process a “Zen space,” so long as everything is going to plan.
“Glass is moving, right, and it keeps you present because you have to move with it,” he said. “And, when you’re in that state, time is not linear anymore. All the problems of the world are gone. You’re relaxed, and you’re immersed in this.”
They took up the craft in 1999.
Maureen was into beading, buying her supplies from Beads by Design in Marietta, and found out she could make her own. So, she and Lance signed up for a bead-class, and from there, their beads started selling, and people began asking to take classes.
See GLASS, Page 9
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Maureen Buckley McRorie and her husband Lance McRorie, owners of FlameTree Glass, Inc. off Warsaw Road, specialize in glass blowing at the torch. They sell finished pieces, do commissions within any budget, and offer a variety of classes at all levels.
Glass:
Continued from Page 8
“We were like, ‘No way,’” Maureen said. They made a couple of moves since then, from Orlando, Florida, to a shopping center off South Atlanta Street. Maureen and Lance found the current location in 2017, opening two years later but closed soon afterward when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Impact of pandemic
The business hasn’t totally recovered from the pandemic, with only a couple of people stopping by that day. Maureen and Lance also used to hold master classes, but student interest has waned.
“The whole industry after COVID has just really gone down,” Maureen said.
The signatures of all the expert glass craftspeople who led master classes at FlameTree are spread out along the metal hood over the studio table.
Lance said he has always participated in the master classes held at the shop, working to build his skill.
“They’re just at such a high level,” he said. “Every time they come back in front of me, I feel like an infant.”
Meanwhile, he said Maureen has only taken two to three official classes but manages to pick up the skill nearinstantly.
She loves sculpting and works mostly in soft glass, as it’s less fussy and stubborn than hard glass, which has a slower heating process and quicker cooling process, forcing you to work, or blow, fast.
Intricate lamps are one of her specialties, building a metal armature frame then attaching glass, made on the wire.
“A lot of this is recycled out of the trash bucket,” she said.
Some can be seen on the walls in the gift shop, along with her watercolor paintings and fabric work, also an abundance of glass jewelry pieces. There’s finished pieces, but they offer commissioned work for any budget.
Hard glass is a medium Lance uses often because of his knack for goblets, forging whimsical stems of different animals and other shapes. Dozens are on display in the shop.
He takes influence from Asian culture, at one point flipping through a book showcasing Chinese folk art. Loren Stump, a master, captivated Lance with his own interest and experiences teaching in Japan.
Joy in teaching
While business isn’t what it used to be, they do have a busy schedule this time of year, teaching students how to blow their own holiday decorations.
In the studio downstairs, Lance was
BUSINESSPOSTS
Learn more For more information about FlameTree Glass, Inc., visit https://flametreeglass.com.
preparing icicles at his workstation, an organized mess of tools in all shapes and sizes and with different uses at the end of a long table where students approach a series of small torches. Kilns of all sizes are tucked in different places.
Icicle-making was the main event the next day.
Lance demonstrated how traditional ball ornaments are made, another class, focusing the flame on a hard glass stem that he prepared in advance. After a few minutes of even rotations in the flame, the bulbous end softened and was malleable enough to blow out into the spherical shape often seen on Christmas trees.
The stem is then cut, leaving an opening to be topped with a metal ornament cap.
Lance said students have to start with the basics and foundation — there’s a lot to it. He and Maureen mapped out the different styles of glass making on the studio chalkboard, accompanied by a history lesson in the craft.
Lance said it’s a difficult medium to teach.
“Well, most people don’t get it,” Maureen added. “...They’re terrified … but then they realize, if you just listen and follow safety instructions, it’s fine … As seasoned veterans, we still have to pay attention because we can still get hurt.”
Maureen and Lance, collectively, have a lot of cuts and burns.
“Sometimes you get a cut, and then you cauterize it with the burn on top,” she said, laughing.
Maureen said she enjoys getting students over the fear but also frustration, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.
“They get into that space, and it’s healing,” Lance added. “Because in this frenetic world that we live in, right — fast, frenetic, flashing pictures on an iPad, cars driving — they learn how to be calm…”
Christmas at Midway
December 8th
Lessons & Carols 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Come worship with us as we retell the story of Jesus’ birth through scripture readings and carols.
December 24th Christmas Eve
3:00 p.m. Children’s Pop-up Christmas Pageant
This family-friendly service invites children to help tell the story of the very first Christmas! Wear a costume or borrow one from the church.
5:00 p.m. Modern – Sanctuary 7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. & 11:00 p.m. Traditional – Chapel
Join us for one of these candlelight and communion services as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Lance McRorie, co-owner of FlameTree Glass, Inc., prepares an icicle project for students the following day.
Name: Chewy Vet Care
Owner: Chewy, Inc
Description: Chewy Vet Care is a veterinary practice that offers a wide array of services, from routine wellness care to urgent care and surgeries. Our passionate, friendly care team provides the highestquality medical care, backed by Chewy’s
award-winning customer service designed to help you and your pet feel at ease.
Opened: May 2024
Phone: 404-205-8001
Address: 4531 Olde Perimeter Way, Suite 150, Atlanta, GA 30346
Description: Sutton Total Tennis is a specialty tennis and pickleball retail shop that offers a wide range of equipment and services. Alex holds certifications with the USPTA and USRSA for instruction and racquet services. The shop carries racquets, paddles, shoes and apparel as well as restringing and regripping services.
Appen Media publishes New Business Spotlights to highlight local businesses as they get started. Submit yours for free at appenmedia.com/newbusiness.
Why a turnkey, one-stop shop is essential for your bath or kitchen remodel
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11 | Forsyth Herald | December 5, 2024
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Find your dream home just in time for the holidays
Brought to you by – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division
The holiday season is the perfect time to settle into your dream home, and Metro Atlanta offers a variety of new home communities with homes ready to move in just in time for the holidays. Whether you're looking for a charming neighborhood in Roswell, a peaceful retreat in Milton, a lakeside escape in Gainesville, or a welcoming active adult community in Acworth, there are plenty of move-in ready options waiting for you. Imagine celebrating the holidays in a brand-new home, complete with all the modern features and finishes you've been dreaming of. Make this holiday season extra special by moving into one of these beautiful, newly built homes. Nestled in the historic charm of Roswell, Hillandale is an intimate community inspired by the timeless streetscapes of Charleston, South Carolina. Perched high on a hill above the town, this enclave of luxury homes is built by the award-winning Patrick Malloy Communities, offering a range of elegant details in every home. Currently available, the Rocklyn on Home-
site 14 is a stunning 5-bedroom, 4.5-bath home with a guest suite on the main level, offering 3,800 sq ft of living space, priced at $1,253,055. The Grafton on Homesite 15 is a spacious 4-bedroom, 4-bath home with a main-level guest suite, priced at $1,117,835. Both homes feature upscale designer finishes and are ready for closing this year. Just minutes from the shopping and dining of historic Roswell, these homes offer exquisite interior features and architectural details, making them a true standout in the area.
David Patterson Homes is offering two beautiful move-in ready homes at their Long Hollow Landing community in Gainesville/Forsyth County. The community also boasts a neighborhood boat dock and a gathering place for residents to enjoy. Lot 1 features a spacious 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home priced at $730,000. For those desiring lakeside access, Lot 25 provides a stunning 5-bedroom, 4.5-bath home with a 3-car garage, a 2,400 sq ft unfinished daylight basement, and a deeded boat slip at the community boat dock. Conveniently located off Hwy 306 and Hwy 53, Long Hollow Landing is close to shopping, dining, GA 400, and Gainesville, with ac-
cess to top-rated Forsyth County schools. Crossroads at Birmingham, a charming new community by Southwyck Homes, offers five exceptional homes with the opportunity to close by the end of the year. Nestled in the sought-after Milton area, this community features farmhouse-inspired 2- and 3-story village homes, as well as luxurious estate homes, all set along established, tree-lined streets. Located near the intersection of Birmingham Road and Birmingham Highway, Crossroads at Birmingham blends seamlessly into the picturesque Milton neighborhood, offering easy access to local shops, renowned restaurants, and expansive green spaces. Currently, there are three move-in ready village homes, ranging in price from $849,000 to $1,120,000. Additionally, two stunning estate homes are available, starting at $1,799,000, offering an elevated level of luxury and sophistication.
Lakeside at River Green by the JW Collection, is a gated age qualified neighborhood that puts you at the center of it all. Connected to the flourishing master-planned community of River Green
alongside beautiful Legacy Lake, this new 55+ neighborhood features luxury single-family homes in a setting of total serenity with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Currently, there are two-, three- and four-bedroom homes available all with finished terrace levels ranging in price from $754,900 - $799,900.
As part of the master-planned River Green community, you’ll enjoy a countryclub atmosphere rich with resort-style activities and amenities. Evermore, Lakeside’s brand-new 10,000+ sq. ft. clubhouse features an elegant club room, veranda, fitness center, yoga room, lounge, meeting rooms and boardroom, covered outdoor terrace, pickleball courts, fire pit and lake pier. Other amenities in River Green include resort/lap pools, a waterpark, tennis courts, playground, nature trails, and over 200 acres of green space.
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division is proud to represent the sales and marketing for each of these exceptional new home communities. For more information on these neighborhoods and many others, please visit www.BHHSGaNewHomes.com. An equal housing opportunity.
North Atlanta’s best gets a new address
Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad
Brought to you by – Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty is transforming the ‘live-workplay’ dynamic into something truly innovative for agents and clients with its upcoming move to Avalon. Set to open in January 2025, the new North Atlanta office will offer an unparalleled location in the heart of Alpharetta’s premier destination for luxury, innovation and connection.
With a cutting-edge design, a multimillion-dollar renovation and a collaborative workspace concept, this state-of-the-art experience center is poised to set a new standard for excellence and usher in a bold new chapter.
Here's what you can expect:
1. A prime location in Alpharetta’s hottest hub.
Avalon’s emphasis on lifestyle dovetails effortlessly with our company’s goal to support our clients in the pursuit of exceptional homes and lives. Nestled in Alpharetta, our new space embodies the area’s reputation for being at the heart of progress and connectivity, with unrivaled access right off GA-400.
2. An innovative design for a collaborative future.
Our multimillion-dollar renovation transforms the prime spot directly above Apple into a cutting-edge experience
center. Designed with a modern industrial aesthetic, the office breaks away from traditional layouts, featuring open clusters and collaborative workspaces tailored for creativity and client engagement. This forward-thinking approach mirrors the trends in commercial spaces, creating an environment that feels as welcoming and functional as home.
3. A new year with a bold new chapter.
Leading the market with recordsetting momentum heading into 2025, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty saw its highest closing sales volume to date in 2024. The new Avalon location represents the pinnacle of luxury and innovation in real estate while paving the way for one-of-a-kind opportunities in the year ahead.
The move to Avalon marks more than just a new address for Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty; it’s a bold step forward into the future of luxury real estate, connecting our new beginning to yours. For nine consecutive years, Appen Papers readers have recognized our company as the best residential real estate brokerage in North Atlanta. This state-of-the-art headquarters reinforces our company’s commitment to excellence as a leader in the North Atlanta market. We can’t wait to provide a warm welcome in a place where location, luxury and innovation converge to create one-ofa-kind experiences and lasting memories for agents and clients alike. Reach out to Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300 for all your real estate needs. We would be happy to assist you!
Compiled and edited by Angela Valente, Marketing Copywriter/Copyeditor
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What truly defines a legacy?
- Estates Law Center USA
While many of us focus on passing down tangible assets, there’s a profound yet often overlooked aspect of estate planning: the ethical will. Unlike a traditional will that outlines the distribution of your possessions, an ethical will is a heartfelt document that conveys your values, life lessons, and personal reflections to your loved ones. Imagine crafting a letter filled with your hopes, dreams, and the wisdom you’ve gained throughout your life—an opportunity to share stories that shaped you, the values you hold dear, and the advice you wish to pass down. It’s not just about what you leave behind, but how you want to be remembered. In a world where material possessions can easily fade, the messages of love, resilience, and purpose carry lasting
weight. An ethical will invites your family and friends to connect with the essence of who you are, offering guidance and inspiration long after you're gone. Whether it’s sharing your triumphs, acknowledging challenges, or imparting lessons learned from mistakes, this document allows you to weave a narrative that transcends generations. So, why not take the time to explore this meaningful practice? Your legacy could be richer than you ever imagined. What stories or lessons would you want to share with your loved ones? Interested in learning more about wills and estate planning?
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Northern Ridge announces new group of Eagle Scouts
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (Cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce a new round Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review Oct. 24 at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
Top row, from left;
Noah Diamond, of Troop 1818 North Metro office of the Marcus Jewish Community Center, whose project was refurbishment and transformation of an old pergola into a transformable Sukkah (a shelter set up during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot), for Berman Commons.
Dylan Craig, of Troop 370, sponsored by St. James United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of a gaga pit and tetherball game pole for Holy Spirit Preparatory School, in Atlanta.
Luke Craig, of Troop 370, sponsored by St. James United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of 14 wooden benches for Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta.
Middle row, from left:
Alex Grigorian, of Troop 143, sponsored by Greenleaf Capital Partners, whose project was the design and construction of three wooden housing units for AEDs and posted on the school property, at Lambert High School. Alex also led a training session for the coaches.
Will Brennan, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church, whose project was the collection of over 2,300 food items for North Fulton Community Charities.
Benjamin Beck, of Troop 1818 North Metro office of the Marcus Jewish Community Center, whose project was the design and construction of two garden beds and the collection and creating 31 personal toilet kits for the residents of Balser Tower, a center for seniors.
Camilo Forcucci , of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of three wooden park
benches for Ocee Park.
Jaxton Barnard, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of an arbor swing at Old Rucker Farm.
Alexander Brill, of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of two planter boxes, a bench, and a deck for the Alpharetta Senior Services Center.
Bottom row, from left:
Sri Dhanabalan, of Troop 143, sponsored by Greenleaf Capital Partners, whose project was the design and construction of a Turfstone concrete paver path connecting the garden to the storage shed at the Special Needs School of Gwinnett.
Hunter Birdwell, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of two high top tables and a ladder golf set for the youth center at Alpharetta Methodist Church
Ja'Far Mujahid-Alexander, of Troop 12, sponsored by Muslim American Society Youth Center, whose project was the design and construction of five wooden park benches using the Aldo Leopold design for the American Legion/VFW Post 12002.
Karthik Mahakala, of Troop 2143, sponsored by The American Legion Post 25, whose project was the design and construction of two separate compost wooden bins with a latch, two trellises for the raised garden beds and two shoe racks for use within classrooms for the Chinmaya Mission.
Avignesh Jagavkar, of Troop 2143, sponsored by The American Legion Post 25, whose project was the collection of over 1,200 school items for the North Fulton Charities.
Camille Ceniza, of Troop 1857G, sponsored by Christ the Shepard Lutheran Church, whose project was the design and construction of a new three-bin, wooden compost container for the community garden at Newtown Park.
PROVIDED
Sgt. Maj. Paul Hershey – a U.S. Marine, Part 1
BOB MEYERS
Sgt. Maj. Paul Hershey served in the Marine Corps for 29 years in a variety of hot spots throughout the world before retiring in 1994. His father served in the Army in World War II, and his brother flew the A-10 Thunderbolt (commonly known as the Warthog) and the F-15 fighter during wars in Vietnam and The Middle East. So, in a sense Paul Hershey was destined to serve his country.
He was a student at East Carolina University where he played football and baseball when his student deferment was due to expire in 1965. Rather than be drafted, he chose to enlist in the Marine Corps in Hampton, Virginia, where he grew up. Paul now lives in Milton and is a soughtafter public speaker. In May 2023 he was the keynote speaker at Milton’s Memorial Day ceremony.
Before describing Hershey’s amazing military career, a few words are in order about the important rank of sergeant major in the Marine Corps where it is the ninth and highest rank for enlisted personnel. Some other military services also have sergeant majors, with slightly different names and different responsibilities.
In the Marine Corps, the rank is part of the command structure, meaning the sergeant major reports to the commanding officer (CO) of a unit such as a battalion, division or military base. The SgtMajMC advises the CO on matters concerning enlisted personnel from training to discipline to morale. He accompanies the CO when he goes to the battle front. Sergeant majors are senior noncommissioned officers (NCOs) who are highly respected and who help guide and mentor younger members of the military whether male or female.
Upon enlistment, Hershey underwent rigorous basic training at Parris Island in South Carolina, where Marine recruits have been trained since 1915. Today, some 17,000 recruits are trained there every year.
Following basic training, Hershey was deployed to Vietnam. He says “Vietnam was just as bad as everyone says it was.”
During his tour he participated in numerous enemy encounters, including Operation Dewey Canyon, Operation Hastings and Helicopter Valley, Battles of Que Son Valley,
Battle of A Shau Valley, Battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive, and other fierce battles.
It is probably safe to say that Marines were shot at almost every day of their Vietnam tours of duty. Unlike other wars, only teachers were given occupational deferments during the Vietnam War. Sadly, returning troops were often ostracized when they came home.
Hershey was wounded four times and spent a total of 11 months in the Dallas, Texas, VA Medical Center and the Balboa Medical Complex in San Diego, which during the Vietnam War, was the largest military hospital in the world. Following his last hospital stay, he became a drill instructor on Paris Island. He arrived on Paris Island as a staff sergeant and while there was meritoriously promoted to gunnery sergeant, which advanced his career by six or seven years.
In late 1974 as Saigon was falling, Hershey went to Okinawa to link up with the 3rd Marine Division and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing for the Saigon “pullout” of American embassy employees, some South Vietnamese soldiers who had fought with the Americans and some civilians.
“We got everybody out in and did the closure of the embassy in April 1975,” Hershey says, “but it was mayhem. We even brought back a C-130 full of babies.”
Refugees were taken to Camp Pendleton for six months where they attended classes on American life and were then released into the United States.
“They were very grateful and patriotic about their adopted country,” says Hershey.
When it was time to leave Vietnam, Hershey boarded a Navy ship to return to Okinawa when the ships received word to turn around and go to Cambodia.
In May 1975, Hershey participated in the U.S. response to the so-called Mayaguez incident when the American freighter Mayaguez and its 39-man crew were captured by gunboats of the Cambodian navy. Cambodia had fallen to the Khmer Rouge communist insurgents in the previous month. The American crew was imprisoned. President Ford sent Marines to attack the island of Koh Tang, where the prisoners were being held and ordered the bombing of the Cambodian port where the gunboats had come from. The crew was released.
Before leaving the Far East, Hershey spent 18 months training Marines in Thailand, Indonesia, Malay -
sia, the Philippines and the Japanese Defense Force at Marine Base Camp Fuji in Japan. Training consisted of low intensity combat (guerilla warfare, small unit tactics, suppressive fire, coordination between air and combat troops, etc).
During the Vietnam War, a division consisted of between 25,000 and 40,000 men. a regiment consisted of 11,000 to 18,000 men, and a battalion about 1,900 to 2,500 men.
Hershey left Vietnam in 1976. He was promoted to sergeant major in 1979.
In a future column I will outline some of Paul Hershey’s post-Vietnam assignments.
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.
Columnist
SGTMAJ HERSHEY
This portrait of Sergeant Major Paul Hershey was taken in 1992 following his tour in Vietnam when he was serving in Hawaii.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Marines riding on top of an M-48 tank cover their ears as the tank’s 90mm gun fires near Phu Bai, Vietnam.
Book offers new take on King Arthur legend
Ever since I read Mary Stewart’s King Arthur trilogy when I was in high school, I’ve been a King Arthur fan. I suspect “The Crystal Cave” was one of the many books I snuck into class to read between the covers of textbooks. It was followed by “The Hollow Hills” and “The Last Enchantment.” Described as the Merlin trilogy, the books are told from his perspective.
Until this year, the last King Arthur book I read was “Finding Camlann” by Sean Pidgeon. Set in modern times, it’s the story of an archaeologist intrigued by new evidence discovered at Stonehenge. Like many before him, he sets out to establish whether Arthur ever actually existed.
When I learned there was a new King Arthur book out, I had to get it. Was I daunted by its nearly 700 pages? Yes, and I wondered whether it would hold my interest. That wonder disappeared in only a few pages, as I stayed up late night after night to finish it.
“The Bright Sword” by Lev Grossman Warning: This is not your typical King Arthur story. It is set wholly in Arthur’s time but has a modern tone. If profanity bothers you, you’ll want to avoid this book. If the conflict between the pagan world and Christianity will upset you, this is not the book for you. Those fairies don’t mince their words.
This description from a Forbes review captures what you’ll encounter in this tale featuring lesser knights of the Round Table.
“’The Bright Sword’ also broaches issues that are decidedly more contemporary: abandonment and abuse, sexual and gender identity, even immigration,
all in ways that feel natural and organic rather than preachy or pedantic.”
A young wannabe knight arrives at Camelot, hoping to become a knight of the Round Table. What he discovers is a small group of despondent knights sitting around the famed table. Arthur is dead, and the top tier knights are dead or departed. Forget Percival, Galahad, and Lancelot. He finds, instead, sirs Dinadan, Constantine, Palomides, and Bedivere, plus a court fool. I recalled Bedivere and Palomides but had to look up the other two. Sure enough, they did exist in the original legend.
To restore Camelot and save England, they must reestablish Arthur’s spirit and vision, and to do that, they must “solve the mystery of why the lonely, brilliant King Arthur fell.” The story turns much of the original material on its head but is all the more intriguing because it does. As the blurb says, this tale “… is steeped in tradition, complete with duels and quests, battles and tournaments, magic swords and Fisher Kings. It's also a story about imperfect men and women, full of strength and pain, trying to reforge a broken land in spite of being broken themselves.”
If you’re a King Arthur fan, this is must-read. If you’re a fantasy fan and know little to nothing of the legend of King Arthur, it’s also a must-read. For me, one sign of a great book is that it stays in my head for days after I’ve finished it. This one did that and more. Happy reading.
Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her Dickens & Christie cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.
“One of ___” (Willa Cather novel)
Stop, for one
Formal orders
Jellied delicacy
Move furtively
Half an ellipse
Fortuneteller 50 Like the Kalahari
51 Spreads grass for drying to make hay
53 Classic car
54 “The Lord of the Rings” figure
56 Outfield surface
58 Slangy denial
60 Grassland
61 Opening for a coin
63 Tweak
67 Hardly wimpy
69 Well known, like Lewis and Clark 72 Winter Olympian 73 Speaker of baseball
Buffalo’s lake
Puts in stitches
Peccadilloes
Enormous birds of myth
London district
Half of an old radio duo
“Peter Pan” pooch
Grounds
Lobbying grp.
Dos preceder
Short dogs, for short
8 Valuable fur
Pieces
Cain raiser
Change your mind
Leg joint 16 Commotion 18 Oenologist’s interest
22 Requiem Mass word
25 Beetle juice?
26 Weasel relative
29 Pulls
30 “You betcha!”
31 At first sight, legally 33 Straight up 35 Daughter of Geb 37 Cookbook direction
39 Actress Barkin of “The Fan”
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Centers:
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New data centers in Forsyth County would not only contribute property tax revenues but also sales tax through often considerable power bills, Mills said.
Sarah Reiter
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Roger Wise Jr.
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But it is important for commissioners to prevent them from being a nuisance to their neighbors, she said.
Code amendments would require 60foot setbacks for centers when they are adjacent to homes.
Sergey Savin
Helen Scherrer
Kate Seng
Carol Williams
They would be limited to 20 feet in height, and any chain-link fences would need to be hidden from the right of way.
The centers’ banks of computers often require extensive air or water cooling systems, which can generate noise. The code would limit cooling systems to 60 decibels as measured from adjacent residential properties. From 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., noise levels would be limited to 55 decibels.
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Cooling systems tapping into the county’s water system would be subject to county limitations restricting the amount used.
“It’s important we have a vision and address those things before we are overtaken by it,” Mills said.
Chhadua said it’s important his data center be as inoffensive to residents as possible. He said too many data centers are terrible neighbors, and their owners fail to understand the importance of limiting their noise and fitting in within a community.
“They’ve gotten a really bad reputation and rightfully so,” he said.
When Chhadua appeared before commissioners in August, residents spoke in favor of the project. Some submitted letters of support. Chhadua’s data center will incorporate a water cooling system to minimize noise and be housed in a nondescript building, he said.
Some centers can be as loud as 110 decibels, which is comparable to a power saw or motorcycle engine, he said.
“If you don’t know, you won’t know it’s a data center,” he said.
The center will mine the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, running only when the electric grid has a surplus of power, Chhadua said.
Chhadua said he plans to obtain a deal with a power company to purchase discounted power only when there’s a surplus. Discounted power is essential to ensuring a profit margin because his data center could use as much electricity as several Walmart Supercenters, he said.
He anticipates paying up to $12,000 in sales tax each month on his energy bill.
Purchasing power only when there’s a surplus also could allow power companies to reduce energy waste and potentially lower prices for other customers, he said.
“We want to be a good neighbor,” he said.
OPINION
100 most influential people #41 - #50
People and things that have impacted our world
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
Here’s another batch of names in my continuing series exploring the most influential people and topics in history
No. 41 Money
The pursuit of money as the end goal is toxic, and it makes the list. Pure capitalism without intervention can be just as destructive as it can be productive. There needs to be balance. Of course, much of the struggle between the two political parties centers upon the responsibility of society to provide for its citizens – who, how much, why, when. Observation: When the primary common denominator in a system, society, or organization becomes money, it will inevitably fail and implode upon itself. We are way down that road already.
No. 42: The “New Coke” (April 1985 to July 2002)
Loyalty to the “old Coke” – the emotional attachment – was generally given as one of the primary reasons for the failure of “New Coke.” That is, Coke underestimated the brand loyalty to the “old” Coke. Points go to then Coke CEO Roberto Goizueta who had the guts to change the formula for Coke after 99 years of use. You don’t get to be CEO if you are afraid to roll the dice.
No. 43: Brands (see #42)
What do all these products have in common: Crest, Cascade, Comet, Zest, Pampers, Gillette, Tide, Febreze, Vicks, Charmin, Tampax, Head & Shoulders, Old Spice, Bounty, Scope, Pantene, Dawn, Ivory, Gain, Pepto Bismol, Mr. Clean? If you guessed that they are all Procter & Gamble brands you would be correct. Procter & Gamble has historically spent more money “brand advertising” than any other retailer worldwide. Brand advertising/consistency is a massively wise investment.
Ask someone to sit with you and write down the first thing that comes to mind as you read this list to them: “a toothpaste, a dishwasher detergent, a laundry detergent, a brand of toilet paper, a tampon brand, a brand of razor, a shampoo, something for upset stomach, a general-purpose cleaner.” See if 80 percent (or more) of the products they name are these - after decades and decades!
No. 44: “Apocalypse Now”
Francis Fords Coppola’s movie makes the list. It is arguably the “greatest” war movie of all time. What script writers come up with lines like these: “You’re an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill”, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” “Who is the commanding officer here?” Soldier: “Ain’t you?” and my favorite, “Charlie don’t surf.”
The scene, complete with go-go dancers and CCR’s Susie Q blasting in the background – about “75 klicks above the Do Luong bridge” – Coppola’s rendition of Dante’s hell – is just one of many scenes that allowed “Apocalypse Now” to check more boxes than almost all other contemporary movies. Incidentally, while the movie
was inspired by Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella “Heart of Darkness,” it is safe to say that the bulk of the script for Apocalypse Now was “borrowed” from Michael Herr’s seminal journal/book on Vietnam, “Dispatches.”
No. 45: Cast of “Apocalypse Now”
What can you say. I just want to see more movies with casts composed of acting gods. Coppola’s cast: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Dennis Hopper, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, Robert Duval, Charlie Sheen and more.
No. 46: The Odds Online gambling is now legal. It is reported that one online betting platform has
already – one week prior to November 5 –taken in over $100 million in election bets. Another platform reports taking in $2.5 billion so far. From casinos to government lotteries, to now online betting, we seem to be increasingly allowing something that is inherently toxic into our humanity. Surely this won’t end well. All for the almighty buck.
No. 47: Pop-tops
The pull-top can, also called “ring-top,” was invented by Ermal Fraze in the early 1960s and discontinued in 1975 because too many people swallowed them or cut their fingers on them. Someone else figured out how to modify the tab so that it stayed on the can. So, it makes the list because it represents the good ole American “can-do” attitude.
No. 48: Bill Gates
I have mixed emotions adding Bill to the list. He now has some questionable history, it seems. On the other hand, he has channeled much of his wealth toward worthy outreaches, from poverty, health, agriculture, education, and more, to the benefit of millions, if not billions, of people worldwide. Another aspect of his impact on our world has been his efforts, along with Warren Buffet, to encourage other billionaires to commit to using their wealth to better the world at large. And no, Gates has not implanted chips in anyone, nor did he fund, plan, or initiate COVID 19. Come on people.
No. 49: Glenn Campbell, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, Barbra Streisand, MJ Art, including especially music, surely is the counterbalance to the pursuit of money. Yes, money often ends up ruining those who create the art, but that art is the magic that reminds us who we are, grounds us, makes us remember what is important, and tempers so many of our default responses to the world in which we live. Art/music is our healing magic.
No. 50: COVID 19
What is there to say that we don’t already know? It changed everything. It killed millions. It came close to destroying the world’s economy. But how will we deal with the next pandemic? Vaccines work. Distancing helps stop the spread. But the pandemic became the epicenter of disinformation that is still out there. Perhaps the greatest victim of COVID 19 was the public’s trust in the federal government and especially the CDC. That can’t be, or we won’t survive the next pandemic.
GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!
Hurricane reshapes familiar creek, but fish remain
It has been a busy few weeks, and fishing time has been a little short. That happens sometimes.
But we have plans for making up for lost time… plans for a leisurely day on Blankets Creek. It’s a small little stream we fish from time to time, and it happens to be home to a lot of correspondingly small fish. There’s nothing very big in there, never anything to write home about or even to brag about in an aw-shucks kind of way, usually. But catching something is usually a sure bet and always fun, even though said “something” may only be 3 inches long. It’s a great place for water therapy, and we go there when we can.
This time, the plan is to go there Thursday afternoon.
But then here comes Helene. Hurricane Helene is in the rearview mirror now, but it left a lot of mayhem in its wake. I hurt for the folks whose lives were turned upside down. The storm’s big impacts were majorly big, and lots of people will need lots of help for a long time to come. Hereabouts, we were lucky and dodged a major bullet. But others were less fortunate. Help them how and where and when you can.
Here, closer to home, there were lesser impacts. One of them happened to affect our chosen creek. It came in the form of unrelenting precipitation, which pushed our little creek to unimaginable levels. The resulting rage of water resculpted the creek bed and reshaped the banks while grabbing up all the fallen trees within reach and sending them roaring as a seething, boiling mass right on down the channel. Some formed what will
DEATH NOTICES
Mary Clark, 84, of Roswell, passed away on November 16, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Sharon Danville, 69, of Milton, passed away on November 23, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
become new brush piles at intervals along the banks, and some of it piled up against a little bridge that carries one of the area’s bike trails over the creek. It’s a wonder that the bridge survived.
But we didn’t understand that yet, not firsthand anyway.
And then comes the appointed day.
“Let’s go!” she says. “I hear fish calling my name!”
So, we make our way to the creek. We pull off Sixes Road and into the parking area and then rig up the fly rods and put on the wading shoes. Then we walk down to the trail toward the water, which soon comes into view.
And there we stop. Our creek, familiar as ever, is oddly unfamiliar, too. There’s flowing water more or less where flowing water has always been, but the flow and the contours and the very shape of the landscape is…what?
It is different. Hurricanes turn things upside down, and “different” is what remains.
“Well,” she says at last.
Sure enough. Where once there had been a graveled riffle, there is now a long, slow pool. And yonder, where there had been an undercut bank, there is now a shallow expanse of rocks and pebbles and sand. Once-wadable spots are now deep. Formerly deep spots now barely tickle our ankles. The old order changeth, sure enough, yielding an entirely new landscape that’s as foreign as it is vaguely familiar.
It is disorienting. It’ll take a while to figure this out, I think to myself. It’ll take a minute to internalize what we are seeing.
We stand there for a bit just taking it in.
“I wonder,” I say after a moment, “where are the fish?”
That part, at least, should be easy enough to figure out.
It takes her only a minute to ready
Dwayne Hall, 62, of Roswell, passed away on November 19, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Stephen Ketterer, 94, of Alpharetta, passed away on November 18, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
her fly rod. She checks the fly, then deftly flicks the small pink foam spider toward a brand-new deep spot near a jumble of storm-tossed debris.
Does it hold fish? It does. One of them drifts nonchalantly up from the depths and, without hesitation, takes the fly. A moment later she unhooks the fish and releases it, saying, “Well, that’s one!”
We continue fishing this oncefamiliar creek, finding newness around every bend. And there are lots of fish too. I’m glad they didn’t all wash away. The storm doesn’t seem to have bothered them much at all, though I do wonder what they think about having their collective living rooms completely redone.
We fish into the early evening, finally stopping in time to catch the dollar oysters at the Salty Mule in Canton.
We make our way back upstream, returning at last to the battered bridge. And that’s when we meet Wendy and Jennifer.
These ladies, it turns out, are moms of two bike team members who are at that very moment enjoying a ride on the area’s network of bike trails. But rather than simply sitting while their kids are riding, Wendy and Jennifer are instead cleaning up the creek. You see, the same high water that changed everything so thoroughly also washed plastic bottles, old flipflops, half-deflated basketballs, and goodness knows what else into the creek, distributing it along the creek bed in what can only be described as a riparian rapture of oddly artistic randomness.
But artistic or not, it’s still a mess – and these ladies are doing their part to clean things up. They have already filled a big, white plastic bag with trash. Now Jennifer is knee-deep in the water going for more, this time targeting a foam sandal that bobs
Aubrey Lee, 76, of Roswell, passed away on November 16, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Stefan Weis, 77, of Milton, passed away on November 22, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
gently in the current a yard or two upstream.
While Jennifer looks for a way through the flotsam, we chat for a while, talking about things like kids and creeks and church and post-storm clean-up. There are times, it occurs to me, when those last two might be pretty much the same thing.
After a while we turn back to the trail – “Now I hear oysters calling my name,” my wife says – for the now-short walk back to the car.
On the way, we do a little tabulating.
“How did you do?” she asks presently. I knew that was coming.
“Oh, about a dozen,” I say, adding at last, “And you?”
“Twenty-one,” she says.
I knew that was coming, too, and the thought of it all warms my soul.
Steve Hudson is an award-winning outdoor writer who loves sharing the fun of exploring Georgia’s outdoors. You’ll enjoy his recently published Second Edition of Chattahoochee Trout, which covers all of the trout water of Georgia’s storied Chattahoochee River. It’s available from many outdoor shops or from flybooks.net.
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Bilingual Food Pantry Supervisor
Bilingual Food Pantry Supervisor
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The Food Pantry Supervisor supports all aspects of the Food Pantry including inventory control, receiving products, client orders, supervising and managing volunteers, entering data and creating reports and supporting client intake. The Supervisor is the primary backup support to the Food Pantry Manager.
The Food Pantry Supervisor supports all aspects of the Food Pantry including inventory control, receiving products, client orders, supervising and managing volunteers, entering data and creating reports and supporting client intake. The Supervisor is the primary backup support to the Food Pantry Manager.
The Supervisor must be proficient in Spanish and have the ability to work with a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Good interpersonal communications skills are required and MS Office (Excel) experience is a plus. Must have the ability to work evenings & weekends, lift up to 42lbs, use a pallet jack, push and pull items, and be on your feet for several hours.
The Supervisor must be proficient in Spanish and have the ability to work with a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Good interpersonal communications skills are required and MS Office (Excel) experience is a plus. Must have the ability to work evenings & weekends, lift up to 42lbs, use a pallet jack, push and pull items, and be on your feet for several hours.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
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THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TIP YOUR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON
Your local community newspaper lands in your driveway every week—rain or shine—bringing you the stories, events, and updates that matter most. But did you know that the person delivering it is often a dedicated individual who goes the extra mile (literally) to ensure you stay connected?
Why Tip?
• Show Appreciation: Your delivery person is out there early in the morning or late at night, navigating all kinds of weather, so you can enjoy the news with your morning coffee.
• Support Local Efforts: While the paper might be free, the effort behind it isn’t. Tipping helps reward those who keep this vital community service running smoothly.
• Brighten Their Day: A small tip can make a big difference in someone’s day, showing gratitude for their hard work and dedication.
If you enjoy receiving your free community newspaper, consider giving a small token of appreciation to the person who brings it to your driveway. A little kindness can go a long way!
Thank you for supporting your local delivery heroes!
How to give your delivery person a tip:
Give via the online portal at appenmedia.com/deliverytip or scan this QR Code
If you prefer, you can also mail a check made out to Appen Media Group and mail it to Newspaper Delivery Tip C/O Appen Media Group, 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009
100% of every dollar you contribute will be spread out evenly between the 24 newspaper delivery people that Appen Media employs. Whether you give $5 or $50, they will greatly appreciate it. 1 2
