North metro governments plan to integrate new floating homestead exemption
By ZOE SEILER zseiler@decaturish.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Georgia counties, cities and schools districts will soon decide whether to opt out of the statewide floating homestead exemption established in House Bill 581.
Voters across Georgia approved a
referendum in November that puts HB 581 into practice, placing a floating homestead exemption that caps property assessments at the inflation rate. Since the referendum was approved, the law went into effect this month.
A floating homestead exemption generally offsets or reduces increases in the taxable value of property.
“The intent is to protect those homeowners. It does slow the growth of the digest for your residential homestead properties,” said Dante Handel, associate director of governmental affairs at Association County Commissioners of Georgia, which lobbies for and advises all 159 counties in the state.
Under HB 581 property assessments
ADAM
DARBY/APPEN MEDIA
could not increase more than the inflation rate each year. Only residential, homestead properties. The floating exemption. It does not apply to commercial, industrial or non-homesteaded properties, such as rentals.
See HOMESTEAD, Page 12
Donated public art approved for site at Newtown Park
By ADAM DARBY adam@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – The Johns Creek City Council discussed the installation of a proposed art project for Newtown Park at its Jan. 13 meeting.
In November, Johns Creek Beautification (JCB) submitted a public art application to install a trio of stainless-steel, life-size dog sculptures at Newtown Park. The sculptures are from artist Jim Collins and funded by Michèle Morel, a JCB board member. After careful review and consideration by the Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Committee, JCB was granted permission to propose the project to the City Council for public hearing and consideration. Once approved, JCB will commission the three sculptures and officially donate them to the city.
The council voted unanimously in favor of the project moving forward for installation. The project is expected to be completed by early spring.
“I think this is a wonderful addition to Newtown Park. Art defines a city,” City Councilman Bob Erramilli said. “At a certain age, we will not be here, but [the city’s] culture will be there for a long, long time and we’ll talk about how good the city is and promoting artists…I’m really thankful that you thought about this.”
Johns Creek City Council members discuss the benefits of public art at Newtown Park at their Jan. 13 meeting at City Hall. The project is funded with no public money. See COUNCIL, Page 21
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Avalon store reports theft of merchandise
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Sunglasses valued almost $1,000 were reported stolen from an Avalon store Jan. 4.
An employee told officers a woman had grabbed two pairs of sunglasses from a display stand while staff were busy, according to an Alpharetta police report. The woman concealed the glasses in her jacket and exited the store.
Police viewed a surveillance video of the alleged theft.
The woman had black hair and was wearing a pink hoodie, brown overcoat and black leggings.
The sunglasses, both Prada brand, were valued at a total of $892.90.
The employee said she suspected the woman had stolen from the store at least two times before.
The incident was classified as a felony theft by shoplifting over $500.
— Jon Wilcox
Storage unit manager reports break-in, theft
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police are investigating a burglary at Extra Space Storage off Arnold Mill Road after a 58-year-old Milton man reported $2,500 in missing guitars.
The manager told police that the victim called Jan. 6 to report that someone had accessed his storage unit through its mesh-wire ceiling.
The manager said the client had last accessed the unit Dec. 14 with all items accounted for.
The victim told the manager that wire roofing was pulled back and two of his guitars were laying on the ground.
The missing guitars include an $800 Grestch model 5120T with a red sparkle finish, an $800 Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s with a tobacco burst finish and a $600 Squire Fender with a candy apple finish.
Police said the manager found a 6-foot ladder lying on top of the wire roofing just a few doors down from the victim’s unit.
The officer said the manager recognized lettering on the ladder as belonging to another client with storage units near the victim’s locker. According to the manager, one of the other client’s units also had damage to the wire roofing.
Police found no tools used in the commission of the crime at the scene.
After listing the guitars’ serial numbers as stolen, officers said they would review security footage from the facility to narrow down the timeline of the theft.
There are no identified suspects.
Hayden Sumlin
Mail found in disarray in post office burglary
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A burglary at an Old Milton Parkway post office was reported Jan. 6.
An employee said she noticed after arriving that the door was ajar and mail appeared to have been rummaged through, according to an Alpharetta police report.
Officers cleared the building after the crime was reported. During their investigation, they found only the drop box baskets had been rummaged through.
Numerous other Amazon packages and other valuables appeared undisturbed.
The door to the cashier appeared to have been pried open with a bar. Officers noted the metal of the door was bent and orange paint had been transferred. None of the cashier’s desks were disturbed.
The employee was not certain whether cameras in the cashiers’ area
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were working. She also could not provide the exact time the last employee left.
— Jon Wilcox
Roswell man arrested after leveling threats
ROSWELL, Ga. — Police arrested a 38-year-old Roswell man Jan. 9 at his Woodstock Road residence after he allegedly threatened to kill people and refused to comply with officers.
Dispatch told officers that a man was making threats and stating he was going to kill police and feed them to his dog.
Officers said they saw the suspect enter a Dodge pickup and head toward them when they arrived at the residence. While the suspect was in his vehicle, officers said the man told them they would have to kill him because he would not surrender.
Officers said attempts to negotiate his surrender failed because he refused to comply with verbal commands. When they attempted to arrest him, officers said the suspect fled on foot, ran into his home and later came outside declaring he would not surrender.
While the man was approaching officers despite warnings, they tased and detained him.
Once the suspect discovered he had an active warrant while being put in a patrol car, officers said he kicked one of them in the mouth.
The active warrant is out of Fulton County for failure to appear.
An officer said he listened to tapes from dispatch and confirmed the suspect’s verbal threats to officers, dispatchers and his children. Dispatchers told officers that the suspect screamed racial epithets at them.
Officers secured warrants for terroristic threats, obstruction of law enforcement, unlawful conduct and battery to law enforcement.
Officers had the suspect cleared at North Fulton Medical Center, then transported him to Fulton County Jail.
— Hayden Sumlin
Massive mixed-use project in Forsyth County gains steam
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County commissioners discussed aesthetic and use details for the Gathering, a proposed shopping, office and residential project that could be anchored by an NHL franchise.
Commissioners approved a decision Jan. 9 to amend the Unified Development Code to update zoning for the area off Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road, which was previously zoned for a regional shopping mall. The update allows construction of a modernized mixed-use development.
Ethan Underwood, an attorney for The Gathering, spoke to commissioners about plans for the development that include connecting the project to the Big Creek Greenway, allowing a luxury car showroom and other details. The changes lay the foundation for codes to stipulate the appearance of signage, landscaping, business-types and parking.
In November, voters approved a referendum allowing establishment of a tax allocation district to fund the project.
The discussion at the Jan. 9 meeting marked an important next step in making the Gathering project a reality, Underwood said.
“We are very excited to finally be bringing the zoning aspect of the gathering project,” he said.
The Gathering is a proposed $2 billion mega-mixed-use development project that
aims to attract an NHL team.
Alpharetta Sports & Entertainment Group also has submitted a petition to attract an NHL franchise farther south at North Point Mall. New York Life Co., the insurer that owns the property, said they have plans to create a mixed-use project around the team.
Underwood presented renderings of how the arena and surrounding entertainment district will look. Also at the meeting was The Gathering development team member Vernon Krause, CEO of Krause Sports and Entertainment.
“You can see these beautiful exhibits that have been displayed and published, and we’re excited about the prospect of this right on the county line,” Underwood said.
The multi-story arena will feature glass facades, LED signage, climate-controlled dumpsters and other amenities.
“What Vernon Krause and The Gathering team is looking to bring to you is an arena focused activity center that will bring
commerce and hopefully an NHL franchise to Forsyth County,” Underwood said.
Krause, who also serves as president and CEO of Krause Auto Group, asked commissioners to consider allowing a luxury vehicle showroom at The Gathering. Commissioners said they wanted to ensure any automobile sales location would be suitable for a “premier property.”
“A showroom is one thing. A full-fledged lot is another,” Commissioner Laura Semanson said.
Krause, whose car business owns Lamgorhini, Lotus and Rolls Royce sales locations, said he envisioned including a business like Tesla and Mercedes showrooms found at the Avalon and Halcyon developments.
“We would envision having inside the arena and maybe a showroom where we would display those vehicles,” he said. “They would be indoors and I’m sure they wouldn’t be an embarrassment to anybody.”
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Roswell assigns $8.4 million for Big Creek Parkway construction work
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council approved an $8.4 million construction contract Jan. 13 for an ambitious project to reduce traffic congestion on Holcomb Bridge Road.
Council members unanimously approved a $8,370,324 contract to Summit Construction & Development as part of the first phase of the Big Creek Parkway project.
Proposed more than 15 years ago, the parkway would create an alternative east-west route across Ga. 400 to relieve traffic along Holcomb Bridge Road, which is the city’s only access to the freeway and carries more than 70,000 vehicles a day.
The city received five bids for the project, selecting the lowest bidder. The project received $7.9 million in funding from the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
The city has authorized up to $8.8 million for the construction.
Dual left-turn lanes will be built on three of the four approaches at Holcomb Bridge Road and Warsaw Road.
Warsaw Road will be widened from two lanes to four from Holcomb Bridge Road to just north of Bainbridge Road. The widening will accommodate the project’s second phase, which will create a route from Warsaw Road east over Ga. 400 and then to Holcomb Bridge Road.
The project also will include sidewalks and an 8-foot multi-use trail along Warsaw Road.
In 2019, Roswell officials approached GDOT about a partnership to redesign and replace the interchange at Holcomb Bridge Road and Ga. 400 as part of an express lane project on Ga. 400. The
Holcomb Bridge Road at Warsaw Road is set to receive improvements as part of a larger project to reduce congestion in
interchange redesign aims to improve traffic on Holcomb Bridge.
In other business at the Jan. 13 meeting, business owners and residents offered opinions about paid parking in Roswell during a public comment period. Councilmembers are exploring parking solutions and commissioned a $143,000 study by consultant Seer World.
the Ga. 400 and Holcomb Bridge Road intersection.
The move comes less than a month
after the Roswell City Council approved a major mixed-use development on a 6 acre tract that sits in City Hall’s shadow along Hill, Atlanta and Ellis streets.
The city’s police headquarters is located on the site, but the agency will soon move to a new facility near Holcomb Bridge Road. The development could bring 80,000 square feet of commercial space and as many as 143 multi-family housing units and 16 townhomes.
Construction on the Hill Street project is projected to begin in July,
according to remarks by Peter Sorckoff, head of the Seer World consulting firm, during a Dec. 9 Roswell City Council meeting. Sorckoff’s company has a contract with the city to explore potential revenue streams outside of property taxes.
The DDA also discussed the Hill Street project during its Jan. 9 meeting in a closed-to-the-public executive session. The panel’s next regular scheduled meeting is Feb. 13 at City Hall.
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Rotary partnership funds renovations for American Legion post
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
Alpharetta Rotary member Donna Murphy was as shocked as anyone when she received a college scholarship from American Legion Post 201.
“No one gave me a heads up,” Donna Murphy said. Murphy, a Realtor and lifelong Alpharetta resident, took that scholarship and ran with it. After completing a degree in management information systems at UGA, she has found career success while contributing to the community, serving as a member of the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals and the president elect of the 400 North Association of Realtors.
“It really just touched my heart that a group like this was willing to invest in young adults in the community and hope that we would step up and do other things,” she said.
Years later, she decided to return the favor.
The Rotary Club raised more than $80,000 for improvements at the Legion’s aging post on Wills Road in Alpharetta. The money paid for refurbishing parts of the entry, foyer, bathrooms and dance hall.
It also has created a symbiotic relationship between the Legion and Rotary Club, which has long sought a convenient meeting place for its almost 200 members.
“If you join together for the greater good of the community, great things happen,” she said.
When she was a youth, Murphy’s father, Don Shaw, was a member of the Legion.
Murphy said she thinks the U.S. Navy veteran found a safe space at the post and enjoyed the camaraderie of other military service members.
She also remembers fondly how the post supported the community. They helped support her in college and sponsored her participation with Girls State. On every first Saturday of August, the post sponsored the Old Soldiers Day Parade.
DONNA MURPHY/PROVIDED
Drop cloths cover areas marked for renovations in the American Legion Post 201 in Alpharetta. The local Rotary Club partnered with the veterans organization to fund and complete the work.
“Oh my gosh, it was the biggest event of the year,” Murphy said.
Decades later, Murphy decided she wanted to help the post.
She and other Rotary members coordinated to raise the necessary funds, which Murphy admits were substantial. At the Rotary’s annual Polar Bear Plunge, Murphy coordinated support under the name Freezing for the Legion and jumped off a diving board into a frigid swimming pool in February while wearing a U.S. flag onesie.
“It was a total leap of faith, literally,” she said. Countless attendees of the charity Under The Stars
concerts provided a significant bulk of the funds.
The club and Legion also sold bricks in the memories of post members to create a walk of memories.
“We did everything and anything we could,” she said. Others supported the work directly by purchasing necessary items like toilets and paint through a charity auction.
Post Commander Bob Byrd said he’s deeply impressed with the improvements.
“It was just a fantastic job, a really good job,” he said. He added that Rotary has proved to be an excellent partner with other efforts, like outreach to homebound veterans. The post and club will likely work together on future projects and are currently looking at possibilities.
“It’s quite a partnership,” he said.
Through an agreement, the Rotary Club funded and organized the post improvements. Dozens of light fixtures were replaced. Fresh coats of paint were applied to walls and molding. Bathrooms were redone. New flooring was laid.
The work and agreement has given the Rotary Club a new morning meeting space in the post’s dance hall. Previously, the hundreds of members met in the gymnasium of the First Baptist Church of Alpharetta.
That arrangement had its drawbacks as members were often required to promptly leave to make room for students and other functions
“It’s hard to find a space,” Murphy said.
On Oct. 31, the Rotary Club held its first meeting at the post. Afterward, they lingered unhurried, enjoying chitchat for the first time in a long time.
The improvements also have allowed the post to rent out the dance hall to other organizations and groups, adding to the group’s bottom line.
Murphy said she is now looking at additional enhancements.
“We’ve been searching for a home, and people feel like this could be our forever home,” she said.
Community Assistance Center to offer tax filing aid for needy
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Community Assistance Center will kick off its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program Feb. 1 for the 2025 tax season.
The program is an IRS initiative, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Atlanta, that assists moderate- and lowerincome earners with accurate and timely tax filings. The Community Assistance Center is one of its Metro Atlanta partners.
Volunteers are needed to provide a few hours each week February through May to help prepare tax returns or support the program in other roles. No prior experience is required, and training is provided.
Volunteer Amy Hayes said volunteering with the Community Assistance Center is rewarding.
“I loved meeting members of the community and knowing that I was helping people in a real and tangible way,” she said. “The training was thorough, and the staff made sure we had the support we needed to succeed.”
The free service offers tax preparation assistance to households in Metro At-
lanta with an annual income of less than $67,000. The program also serves persons with disabilities and limited English-speaking skills.
Last year, the Community Assistance Center’s program processed 520 tax returns for 480 individuals, bringing nearly $750,000 in refunds back into the local economy.
It also saved the community approximately $189,000 in tax filing fees compared to professional services, thanks to the efforts of 43 dedicated volunteers who contributed more than 1,800 hours of their time.
The CAC is a certifying acceptance agency, a designation that allows it to verify foreign identification documents for taxpayers that require an IRS-issued Individual Taxpayer Identification Number to file a tax return. It means the nonprofit is now able to directly assist individuals who do not qualify for a Social Security number to apply for or renew their ITIN to meet tax filing requirements.
Last year, the program highlighted
emerging trends in the community. One of the most prominent is the growth of gig economy jobs with more individuals reporting income from platforms like Uber and Lyft, requiring assistance in navigating tax forms unique to independent contractors.
Families with dual incomes also turned to the program for help, reflecting the rising cost of living and financial challenges for households at various income levels.
Another trend is a noticeable increase in elderly individuals reporting part-time or freelance income as they reentered the workforce to supplement retirement or Social Security benefits.
The nonprofit’s work also includes difficult cases with individuals piling up almost a decades’ worth of unfiled tax returns. Royalty payments also present a unique challenge and reflect the complexity of staying in good standing with the IRS.
Daniel Weiss, a volunteer program coordinator at the Community Assistance Center, said Volunteer Income Tax Assistance provides essential preparation services to
those who might otherwise be unable to afford them.
“By ensuring accurate and timely tax filings, we help individuals and families receive the refunds and credits they are entitled to, which in turn supports the local economy,” Weiss said.
Volunteers interested in joining the program can learn more by contacting the VITA program team directly at vita@ourcac. org
Individuals eligible for the program can schedule an appointment by emailing vita@ ourcac.org or calling the CAC helpline at 770-552-4015.
Appointments are required, and participants should prepare necessary documentation, including government-issued photo identification, Social Security or Individual Taxpayer Identification cards or letters, income documents, any additional tax forms and a copy of last year's tax return. Appointments start Feb. 1.
For more information about volunteering, eligibility or the program itself, visit www.ourcac.org/vita.
Spalding Drive school remains on list for proposed closure
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Fulton County Schools staff recommended the closure of Spalding Drive Elementary to the Board of Education Jan. 14, setting up a final vote Feb. 20.
Board member Katie Gregory, who represents the south half of Sandy Springs in the district 3 seat, asked for more information about the school’s state-defined capacity and facility assessment score and the rationale behind shuttering the neighborhood institution.
“I appreciate that we often talk about our financial stewardship, and it’s often compared … to home and personal budgets, but it’s not,” she said. “It’s a school district … when we talk about these kinds of operations or teacher raises … we play almost a game of chicken, like we can’t balk first at some of this.”
Gregory had the most questions about Fulton County Schools’ rationale for the closure from the seven-member board.
“Yes, there are financial implications and things to be considered, but there are regional impacts,” she said. “Is this the right time, and a necessity, to make this [decision]?”
District 7 member Michelle Morancie, representing the northern half of Sandy Springs, said she appreciated the concerns of Superintendent Mike Looney and Spalding Drive Elementary School parents.
Looney said Fulton County Schools is faced with a deficit, spending millions more each year than it collects in revenue. He told School Board members that they must decide whether to cut expenses or raise taxes.
In August, the School Board passed a slight rollback on the district’s property tax rate from 17.14 mills to 17.08.
Looney said the issue is nationwide, not unique to Fulton County. He said the financial reality facing school districts is that everything is more expensive, including labor. Because the state funds public education based on enrollment, a district-wide decline means less revenue.
Student populations have dropped roughly 10 percent over the past seven years, according to data presented in August.
Looney said the school district is spending $7,000 more dollars on students at Spalding Drive and Parklane than at other elementary schools in the county. Parents said it was their first time hearing the dollar figure since staff announced in September their recommendation to close the schools and redistrict.
Looney and some board members said they may need to take another look at the district policy for school closure and consolidation, which sets the conditions and procedure for staff. The policy, officially
FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS/PROVIDED
The final recommendation map for attendance zone changes to Sandy Springs elementary schools shows the closure of Spalding Drive and subsequent redistricting of its students to Woodland and Heards Ferry. Some Woodland students are also redistricted to Ison Springs.
listed under the Facility Expansion Program with code FDB, was last updated in October 2010.
District gives rationale
Fulton County Schools says the proposed closure of Spalding Drive Elementary at the end of the 2024-25 school year is driven by declining regional enrollment, underutilized classroom capacity and the age and condition of the facility.
At three community forums at Riverwood International Charter School last fall, staff received more than 1,000 in-person comments from more than 500 people. Almost all argued against the recommended closure of Spalding Drive Elementary School this May.
While no vote was taken at the Fulton County Board of Education’s Jan. 14 work session, the Sandy Springs community showed up with elected officials to let school officials know how important the school is to them.
State Rep. Deborah Silcox, Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis, all members of the Sandy Springs City Council and Mayor Rusty Paul put some political weight behind the push to save the school.
Since the announcement, the elementary school community formed a commit-
Timeline for school closure/ redistricting vote:
• Jan. 22: Board member Katie Gregory (District 3) community meeting at Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary School at 4 p.m.
• Jan. 23: Board of Education meeting at the South Learning Center, 4025 Flat Shoals Road.
• Feb. 11: Board of Education work session at North Learning Center, 450 Northridge Parkway.
• Feb. 13: Board member Michelle Morancie (District 7) community meeting at Ison Springs Elementary School at 10 a.m.
• Feb. 14: Board member Katie Gregory (District 3) community meeting at Lake Forrest Elementary School at 4 p.m.
• Feb. 20: Board of Education meeting and final vote at the South Learning Center, 4025 Flat Shoals Road.
• March: Fulton County Schools says letters will be sent to households affected by redistricting with instructions for eligible students wishing to remain at their current school.
Woodland.
Meanwhile, the attendance zone for Ison Springs would expand south to include current Woodland students living north of Cimarron Parkway and west of Ga. 400.
There are four elementary schools affected in the city.
tee, hired a public relations firm and began work on a 106-page document — “The Case to Save Spalding”— handed over to board members and district staff a week before Christmas.
However, after Fulton County Schools staff gave their presentation, committee members said they were disappointed the district did not address the document, which details inconsistencies with enrollment data and the closure’s rationale.
Closure impacts take form
The final recommended map for attendance zone changes at Sandy Springs elementary schools was the same as that presented by the school district at the third and final community forum Dec. 9 at Riverwood High School.
The final map, showing attendance zones for the city’s seven elementary schools, shows the closure of Spalding Drive with its students going to either Woodland, east of Ga. 400, or Heards Ferry, south of I-285. Parents said the shift is significant for students at the neighborhood-based school with most households in walking distance.
The map shows students living on the west side of Brandon Mill Road attending Heards Ferry for the 2025-26 school year, while those on the east side would go to
The district says 264 current K-4 students are impacted by the closure and 276 students are affected by redistricting. The district’s policy allows 53 rising fifth graders to remain at their current school if they satisfy conditions.
During public comment at the work session, parents cited issues with feeder patterns, a result of shifting attendance zones and the myriad of programs at Fulton County Schools.
For example, some Spalding Drive students redistricted to Heards Ferry would attend Sandy Springs Middle. Because of shifting school curriculum, like International Baccalaureate and STEAM, some students may be unprepared or left behind, parents said.
Leaders speak out
Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis highlighted the list of speakers at the meeting, arguing that it harms the community to close a school in the 95th percentile of academic performance in the state.
“Within [my] district there are many great schools, and one of those great schools is Spalding Drive Elementary,” he said. “I want to thank all the citizens for their thoughtful engagement and the work they’ve
See FULTON, Page 13
Alpharetta’s Mercantile Social provides creative escape
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The owners of permanent pop-up bar Mercantile Social know when they’ve done their job.
“I call it the wow factor,” co-owner Jonathan Phillips said. “[Customers] take out their phone and take a picture. Their mouths drop open.”
For the past four years, Phillips and his brother Mark have worked hard to make Mercantile Social much more than just another Alpharetta watering hole. Every season, the bar, at 20 N. Main St., selects a theme, reinventing its look and menu.
“It’s all about something unique and different,” he said.
This spring, the bar will allow patrons to raise their wands and glasses with a Harry Potter theme that will have them wondering whether they’ve enrolled at a school of witchcraft and wizardry.
“You’ll really feel like you’re in the Hogwarts dining hall, in a magical environment,” Jonathan Phillips said.
Floating candles will hang from a ceiling filled with clouds and lightning. A smoke machine will create an air of enchantment, and characters from Dobby to the Whomping Willow will adorn the walls of the cozy 1,800 square-foot space.
The bar will be sectioned into Hogwarts’ four houses — Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. After taking a sorting hat quiz, customers can hang in their house’s area, which will be appropriately decorated to make them feel at home, and side-eye rival students.
Guests are welcome to wear Harry
Potter costumes to get into the spirit, Phillips said.
he said.
As with previous themes, Mercantile Social partnered with an interior decorator to bring the Harry Potter universe alive. Phillips said they prefer to work with local designers to support the Alpharetta economy and community.
An astonishing amount of preparation and detail go into decorating because it’s critical for guests to have their socks knocked off,
Mercantile Social takes its themes seriously, and feeding patrons’ imaginations is a central part of the experience.
Previous concepts include “Indiana Jones,” “Mean Girls,” the 1993 film “Hocus Pocus,” and the crowd-favorite Grinchmas holiday theme.
When the Phillips brothers purchased the bar, it reinvented itself with the Christmas pop-up theme only once a year.
The brothers, whose day jobs are in real estate, decided they loved the idea so much they wanted to make it a regular thing.
“When the opportunity came, we jumped on it,” he said.
Guests are sure to get a kick out of Mercantile Social’s dedication to the pop-up concept, but the bar is no slouch when it comes to the fundamentals.
A “Goblet of Fire” cocktail is one of many thematically inspired drinks at year-round pop-up concept bar Mercantile Social in Alpharetta.
PHOTOS BY: MERCANTILE SOCIAL/PROVIDED
Mercantile Social features an in-house kitchen to serve gourmet eats.
Mercantile:
Continued from Page 10
Drinks are served by bartenders whose skills make them closer to mixologists, Phillips said. Cocktails lean heavily into the wow factor, but they also are well balanced and tasty.
“A lot of pop-up bars will give you a martini with a candy cane,” he said. “We try to go above and beyond that.”
A “Hocus Pocus” inspired drink called the Black Flame Candle was built around tequila with blueberry and sage accents. Flaming cocktails are a recurring theme at the bar, and the Black Flame Candle was served ablaze with dark fire.
Other drinks, like those inspired by Hogwarts potions, change colors before the cutomer’s eyes. The “Harry Potter” theme also promises a butter beer inspired beverage.
The bar offers a full range of options for wallets big and small from cheap drinks for the college crowd to high-end Scotch whiskies and other aged premium liquors. They also can make any cocktail nonalcoholic.
An in-house kitchen also serves up delicious eats from mozzarella balls in homemade sauce to something Phillips calls an “Amish grilled cheese,” toasted bread with candied bacon, Brie, Amish apple butter and Granny Smith apples. When possible, the bar opts for ingredients from local distributors rather than big box brands.
“Everything is higher end quality,” Phillips said.
Homestead:
Continued from Page 1
Under Georgia law, a home with a fair market value is $750,000 has an taxable value of $300,000 – or 40 percent. If the assessed value increases to $330,000 the following year, but inflation is 2 percent, then the taxable value could only increase by 2 percent, up $306,000.
Cities, counties and school districts can opt out of the exemption after they hold three public hearings and notify the Secretary of State’s office by March 1. Under the new law, this March deadline is the only time a local government can opt out.
If a local government does not take action, it will be automatically “opt in,” and owner-occupied homeowners could receive the floating exemption.
If a city or county already has a floating exemption, such as Fulton County’s 3 percent floating homestead exemption, then homeowners would receive whichever is more beneficial if the local government didn’t opt out of the HB 581 exemption, Ryan Bowersox, assistant general counsel for the Georgia Municipal Association said.
In cities or school districts that offer a flat-rate homestead exemption, the floating exemption would be added on top of that.
The floating homestead exemption would provide some predictability regarding property taxes if a local government does not opt out, according to Latisha Gray, director of communications for GMA.
“As a homeowner stays in their home, over time, they can come to expect consistent change/increase in their home’s taxable value,” Gray said. “This helps avoid the possibility of a rapid increase in a given year, which can possibly result in a greatly increased property tax bill compared to the previous year.”
She added that the exemption will impact cities differently depending on the makeup of their tax digest and how often homes sell.
“If a city was required down the road to raise their millage rate to maintain the same level of revenue due to the
exemption, the tax burden would shift more to the non-homesteaded portion of the digest,” Gray said.
Non-homestead properties, such as commercial, industrial, agricultural, and multifamily residential, will continue to be valued at the fair market value.
“Renters will not see the benefit of the homestead exemption, as these are treated like commercial properties, but potentially they could see the benefit of the [new local option sales tax] if the millage rate is reduced and the savings are passed along from the property owner to the renter,” GMA General Council Bowersox said.
Here’s a look at what local cities, schools and Fulton County are planning to do:
• Alpharetta does not intend to opt out of the statewide exemption, as the city already has a floating exemption in place.
“As the new law allows both to exist simultaneously, and the proper exemption will be applied to the benefit of the property owner, I do not see any reason to make a recommendation to the Mayor and City Council that we opt out,” City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said.
Finance Director Tom Harris added that Alpharetta, Roswell and Milton
brought legislation forward to the state legislators to create a floating homestead exemption to “be based on the difference between the current assessed value and an adjusted base value of the homesteaded property” within those three cities. The exemption was approved in 2018.
“The adjusted base value is the initial assessed value at 2018 or at time of homestead, if later, adjusted annually at the lessor of 3 percent or CPI (Consumer Price Index),” Harris said. “In essence, this exemption will cap the annual growth in value to which the millage rate applies to the lesser of 3 percent or CPI.”
• Dunwoody has a property assessment freeze in place and does not plan to opt out of HB 581. The freeze would remain no matter what the city decides regarding the statewide floating exemption.
“The City of Dunwoody already has a property assessment freeze in place that is actually more restrictive than the new state freeze in that it doesn’t allow for inflation,” Dunwoody Communications Director Jennifer Boettcher said. “‘Opting out’ regarding HB581 only applies to the new statewide freeze, not the one currently on the books in Dunwoody.
• Fulton County has a 3 percent floating homestead exemption. The county commission decided to opt into the statewide exemption.
“We want to be clear that Fulton County is committed to property tax relief for homeowners,” County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts said in a statement. “Our action today [Jan. 8] will ensure that they get the best deal possible.”
All homeowners who have a Fulton County homestead exemption in place automatically receive a floating homestead exemption. For those receiving the new floating exemption in the 2025 tax year, the property’s assessed value in 2024 will determine the exemption’s base value, the county says.
• Fulton County School District plans to opt out of the exemption and will hold
hearings Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at the South Learning Center, 4025 Flat Shoals Road in Union City.
According to a Fulton County Schools presentation, the district has an exemption that’s capped at 3 percent or the CPI, and HB 581 is only capped at inflation.
“Exemptions will perform identically until inflation goes over 3 percent, then the FCS exemption is more beneficial to the taxpayer,” the presentation says.
• Forsyth County has not made a final decision, but the county commission will receive a recommendation from staff to not opt out of the statewide exemption.
“Any board decision on the matter will determine that, however,” Forsyth Communications Director Russell Brown said.
• Forsyth County Schools intends to opt out of HB 581 and will hold hearings on Jan. 28 at 6 p.m., Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. at 1120 Dahlonega Highway in Cumming.
“Our primary goal is to provide a safe, connected, and thriving learning experience for every student in our district,” Mike Valdes, Forsyth County Board of Education chairman, said in a press release. “We want to ensure that any decision we make reflects the values and priorities of our community, which is why hearing from our stakeholders is so crucial.”
• The Johns Creek City Council decided to not opt out of the statewide exemption, meaning it would go into effect in the city.
“Essentially, [the] council was in consensus to take no action as a homestead exemption is already in place,” Johns Creek Communications Director Bob Mullen said.
The city has a local floating homestead exemption that was approved in 2018.
“The council discussed and decided not to ‘opt-out’ to ensure residential homeowners will receive the floating homestead exemption that would be most beneficial to them (either the existing one that was already in place or the one created by HB-581),” Mullen said.
• Milton also doesn’t plan to opt out of the statewide exemption, “resulting in the City of Milton taxpayers receiving the best possible tax exemption,” Milton City Manager Steven Krokoff said.
The city has a floating exemption in place that caps property assessments at 3 percent or the CPI, whichever is less, Krokoff added.
• Roswell has not responded to Appen Media’s requests for a comment and does not have information available, but the city does have a local floating homestead exemption in place.
• Sandy Springs is in the same situation as the other North Fulton cities and plans to take no action regarding the statewide exemption.
“We have had a floating homestead similar to HB 581 for many years, so we have no plan to opt out,” Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said.
GRAPHIC BY ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA
Fulton:
Continued from Page 9
done in presenting an extremely compelling case for why Spalding Drive should not be closed, and instead be a model for how we improve our elementary’s schools.”
Ellis said the school’s diversity and academic achievement is a special thing in the county, and the last thing students who are still catching up from the pandemic need is to shift school buildings. He said it’s not a risk worth taking.
“I’m highly concerned about the proposed closure and the negative impact it would potentially have, not only on the citizens who are here, but on our taxpayers … the quality of school system overall and, most importantly, the children of Fulton County,” he said.
Mayor Rusty Paul asked the board to compete with private schools in Sandy Springs, one of the reasons for declining enrollment.
“Parents here have a choice, they can send their kid to private school,” Paul said. “Compete to get them back in the public school system by being innovative and creative.”
Following the meeting, Paul told Appen Media the school district needs to take time to consider the community’s report and how to strengthen the city’s public schools and compete for students.
What happens next?
Throughout community forums in October, November and December, Fulton County Schools staff stood by the data, rationale and the district’s policy for closures and redistricting.
Paul told the community when news broke in September that they needed to come up with a data-driven argument to keep the school. He says they did just that.
Chris McShane, who lives within walking distance of the elementary school, said he aspires to be a Spalding Drive parent. One of the reasons he moved his family to the Sandy Springs neighborhood was so his children could attend the school, like state Rep. Silcox.
Steven Bell, a Spalding Drive parent, asked board members “to take the path less traveled” and pressed the district to explain its financial constraints to the community.
With the viewing gallery at capacity during the board’s work session, around 50 supporters of the school listened to the session in an overflow room. The display of community support has been common throughout the redistricting process.
Some parents say they wants the School Board to delay the closure at least one year to give the district time to take their data and arguments into consideration. Others say they want a five-year deferral.
More discussions about the closure and redistricting are expected at school board meetings Jan. 23 and Feb. 11.
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Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist
Insist on the
BEST
Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.
He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.
Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 22 years experience as a Dermatology PA and cosmetic dermatology.
Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.
Great news in Pediatric Melanoma
Isn’t it wonderful to hear that you are making a difference? Well, you are! All that hard work that you put in with children or grandchildren getting them to protect themselves from the Sun and wear sunscreen is making a difference!
A recent study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD) of more than 76,000 pediatric melanomas confirmed a decline in melanoma incidence over the last ten years in children ages five and older. That decrease in melanoma is likely due to the measures you and your family members have taken during those years and during the prior ten to fifteen years when you worked so hard to protect them from the Sun. And it is hard work. I have personally braved and endured myself. We all know what it’s like: The child in question seems to morph into a wet fish wriggling out of your grasp. Your
slippery sunscreen hands don’t make it any easier! The rascal gets free, and you chase him or her down. Your drink gets knocked over. Sand gets on chairs, in bags and in other places you don’t want sand to get. It’s a task somewhere between roping a calf and getting a cat to take a bath. Grueling, grasping, groaning, finally it’s complete! The child may go and play. And in an hour and a half, you get to repeat the process all over again!
We know sun safety isn’t easy. What dermatologists ask of parents and grandparents is not a simple task. Is it really all worth it?
Yes! The results are in, and they are inspiring. This very encouraging study in the JAAD strongly suggests that all our hard work is paying off.
For children ages 10-14, there was a greater than 30% drop in melanoma between 2002 and 2020.
For children ages 5-9, there was a greater than 60% drop in melanoma between 2014 and 2020.
Dr. Brent Taylor
Kathryn Filipek, PA-C
Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta
Melanoma:
Continued from Page 14
Interestingly, a small increase in pediatric melanoma cases for children ages four and younger supports that what we are doing is making a difference. Older children who develop melanoma are much more likely to have developed skin cancer from sunburns and sun exposure. Babies and children under 4 years old who develop melanoma are NOT likely to have developed melanoma from sun exposure. (But they still need to be protected from the Sun). Instead, genetics, a chance unlucky mutation or non-sun related environmental factors are more likely to be responsible for melanoma in the extremely young. They simply haven’t had much time to be damaged by the Sun. The fact that melanoma in those ages four and under slightly increased but melanoma in those five and older dramatically decreased makes the claim even more credible that our efforts at sun protection are working. Good news in pediatric melanoma is likely great news for these individuals’ entire lives. Our bodies have proteins called “mismatch repair enzymes” whose job it is to fix DNA that has been damaged by ultraviolet
rays from the Sun. Unfortunately, these enzymes don’t do a perfect job, and many mutations in our DNA are with us for life. Our entire lives, these mutations increase the chance that we develop skin cancer. Dermatologists have tools including prescription creams and in office treatments that kill pre-cancers and reduce one’s sun damage, but some of the Sun damage from childhood and adulthood is always with us. The fact that pediatric melanoma has plummeted in the last ten years gives us great hope that these same individuals will develop far fewer cancers as adults as well.
When you protect your loved one as a child, you are likely helping protect him or her for life.
The next time you wonder, “is it worth it?...Should I really use that sunscreen, that UPF 50 sun shirt or take on the herculean task of wrangling a kiddo channeling his or her inner feral cat?,” the answer is YES. You are making a difference. And we only see these wonderful results at the population level in a published study because of many, many daily actions at the individual level – through the genuine care and love of many, many parents and grandparents who love their family and showed it through their actions. Keep up the great work!
PRESERVING THE PAST
A bell tolls in Georgia for Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter was our 39th president. His funeral motorcade stopped at his boyhood farm in Plains, Ga., on Jan. 4 at the start of a three-day remembrance of his life. There, an old farm bell was rung 39 times in his honor. That prompted me to write about the history of farm bells.
Many kinds of bells have played important roles throughout history. They were made in different sizes and different metals for various uses: farms, churches, fire departments, schoolhouses, factories, carillon bells, marine bells and more. Farm bells were typically 10 to 20 inches in diameter and weighed between 25 to 100 pounds. Most farm bells were made of cast iron.
Farm bell manufacturing was big business in the 1800s and early 1900s. Several large foundries manufactured bells but stopped production when they became less popular once telephones became available or during wartime when raw materials were scarce.
Farm bells were used primarily for notifying farm workers in the fields that it was time to gather for dinner. After all, they had no other means of communication. The bells were typically mounted on posts near the farmhouse and rung by pulling a chain or rope. They also served to alert farmhands of tragedies such as fires.
There is a famous scene in the 1985 award-winning movie “Witness,” starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis where the young boy Samuel secretly rings the family’s farm bell to alert the neighbors working in the fields about a criminal threatening the family. The neighbors dramatically rush to the farm and confront the criminal who is forced to surrender.
According to the authoritative website Tower Bells, more than 300 bell foundries have existed in the United States in the past three centuries. Some 200 of them produced traditional cast bronze bells while others worked with cast iron, cast steel or a combination of metals. Very few of the old companies still exist.
One notable exception is Bevin Bells, the oldest bell producer in the United States, founded in 1832 in East Hampton, Connecticut. At one point there were 30 bell companies in the town. Bevin Bells is the town’s sole survivor and the only company remaining in the U.S. exclusively
A worker at the White House gardens rings a bell in this historic photo dated September 12, 1922. The bell notified workers of important daily activities such as meals. mer people gather from Cherokee, Fulton, Forsyth and other counties for 10 days of “prayer, preaching, hymn singing, and fellowship.”
devoted to making bells. Although today, the company’s largest bell is 8” in diameter, at one time they forged large bells up 21” or greater that were likely also used on farms, in addition to ships, trains and other places.
Another pioneer company was C.S. Bell Company founded by Charles Singleton Bell in Hillsboro, Ohio, in 1875. One of the greatest and longest-lasting bell foundries, known as “America’s Original Farm Bell Manufacturer,” its bells were used on many of the 6,000 Allied vessels that took part in the invasion of Normandy. The company still exists but makes other products today. Many of its original bell molds and patterns were purchased in the 1990s by Prindle Station Bells a company that today casts bells using the C.S. Bell molds.
Yet another example is the American Casting Company in Birmingham, Alabama, founded by Dan B. Dimick in 1903. It produced a range of cast iron products including farm bells. The company no longer exists, but its farm bells are highly collectable.
The most famous bell in the U.S. is the Liberty Bell which weighed 2,080
FOX 5 ATLANTA/PROVIDED
The historic farm bell at former President Jimmy Carter’s boyhood farm in Plains, Georgia, is rung 39 times by the National Park Service to honor the former president. Randy Dillard and Karen Barry, the NPS’s longest-serving members in Plains, rang the bell.
NATIONAL BELL FESTIVAL/PROVIDED
A Sears, Roebuck and Co. spring 1912 catalog lists farm bell options for bells ranging from 35 to 90 pounds. Bells were mounted on posts or attached to porch railings and used to summon farm workers for dinner. The bells cost about $2 each. The ad says “Every farm, no matter how small, should have a good bell.”
pounds when cast in England in 1752. It was transported by boat to Philadelphia. The bell cracked the first time it was rung during its initial test ring. A substitute bell, known as the Centennial Bell, was cast in 1876 and hangs in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It did not replace the original bell because the original had by then become a powerful symbol of our freedom.
Many presidents were known for the gardens they or their wives kept on the White House grounds. Plants were grown in greenhouses or in glass conservatories adjacent to the White House. An article published in several newspapers in September 1922 had titles such as “Bell Calls President’s Gardeners to Daily Task.” The article says “In the heat of Washington hangs this old-fashioned bell…located in the ‘Propagating Gardens’ where all flowers and plants for the White House gardens are grown…. It is rung at 7:30 a.m., 12 m., 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. The bell originally hung in the State, War and Navy Building” which is today’s Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House.
Paul Ashe is director of the National Bell Festival, a charitable organization dedicated to the preservation of bells. He says that the Propagating Gardens are long gone, and one of the most historic bells of the U.S. has disappeared. His organization is dedicated to finding the bell if that is possible.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS Columnist
COURTESY OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND NATIONAL BELL FESTIVAL
OPINION
100 most influential people and things: No. 61- 65
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
Here’s more of my continuing list of important people and things –some serious, some not so much.
No. 61 – Urban Legends
These are popular myths often shared as if true that seem to just keep on keeping on. Many are used as plots in books, TV shows, movies. They are included in the Top 100 list because they represent our fears and superstitions which, to varying degrees, are part and parcel to our unhealthy national infatuation with conspiracy theories.
Here are a few.
The Vanishing Hitchhiker: Someone picks up a hitchhiker. They later vanish but they leave behind something – a discarded letter, some memento, a newspaper clipping that leads the driver to discover that their hitchhiker died years earlier. Often used in TV episodes of “One Step Beyond” and Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone.”
Alligators in Sewers: New York city is often where these giant alligators swim around in the sewers. Flushed pets from years ago. Of course, one variation of this urban legend is the snakes in the toilets.
The Hook-Handed Killer: A couple are parked in lover’s lane and hear a radio broadcast about an escaped killer with a hook for a hand. They later find a hook hanging from the door handle of their car. One variation of this is found in the movie “Miracle on 34th Street” where, at the end of the movie, a cane is found, left behind by someone in the house. It’s the same cane that Kris Kringle had used earlier in the movie.
No. 62 – Top 10 most objective/reliable/credible news media sources
According to ChatGPT, an arguably reliable/objective information source, here they are:
Associated Press (AP), a global news wire service known for its straightforward and neutral reporting style and relied upon by many media outlets.
Reuters, another global focused news source – one celebrated for its impartiality, accuracy and commitment to factual reporting.
NPR, National Public Radio, provides in-depth coverage of national and global issues known for its balanced, well-researched reporting.
The remaining seven sources, ranked in order are: PBS NewsHour, The Wall Street Journal (owned by Fox News owner, Ruppert Murdock), The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, ProPublica, Christian Science Monitor.
No. 63 – The belief that all the mainstream media is biased
It just ain’t so. If everyone would do their homework and fact-check their news sources, we would live in a much safer, more predictable, more sustainable world. Conspiracy theories are easily fact-checked, but one has to invest the time in doing that. The problem is that so many believers in the non-mainstream, social mediabased information platforms are unwilling to double check the veracity of their information.
ChatGPT.com is an easy way to start your fact-checking your information. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligencebased website. While its data sources are a combination of subjective and objective information by nature, its output can generally be relied upon because of its ability
to parse and process vast quantities of resource data to arrive at a most likely objective conclusion.
No. 64 – Top 3 conspiracy theories
The Illuminati and New World Order theory that there is a secret group of elites who control world governments, financial systems and major events with the goal of establishing a totalitarian global government. Yes, people with billions of dollars, like Musk and Theil, have more influence in our systems than you and I do, but that influence is not based on some sort of formal organization or deep state. It’s 100 percent pure bunk.
9/11 Truth Movement is the theory that the 9/11 attacks were either orchestrated or knowingly permitted by the U.S. government to justify wars in the Middle East. Pure bunk. There is no credible proof, just as there was no proof that Trump won the 2020 election. If your news source presents “proof,” then challenge that “proof” by researching it. Google it. Use ChatGPT. Do your homework.
The government controls the weather including hurricanes and flooding! Pure bunk. The High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) has generated a frenzy of conspiracy theories linked to weather manipulation, earthquakes and even mind control. There is no proof. Test this concept by posting the following in your ChatGPT.com search: “Is there proof that the government controls the weather via HAARP?”
No. 65 – The two Voyager satellites
Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched in 1977 and are now located respectively 15.4 billion and 12.8 billion miles away from Earth. They now are transversing interstellar space well beyond our own solar system. Both are powered by nuclear batteries which have a core of plutonium-238, which has a half-life of 88 years. Hence, they are gradually depleting. These two EnergizerBunny satellites make the list because they speak to the possibilities of future space travel and space compatibility for mankind.
My new favorite author is Jonathan Santlofer
KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist
Twice last year, I reviewed books by Jonathan Santlofer. I read a review of his second Luke Perrone suspense novel, “The Lost Van Gogh” and decided to begin with the first in the series, “The Last Mona Lisa.”
Both are intriguing mysteries that mix in art history and the modern world of art. The main character, Luke Perrone, is an art history professor and an artist who sets out to learn more about his French grandfather. The tale is based on the true story of the theft of the Mona Lisa by a Louvre museum guard in 1911, but the grandson and today’s art world are all fiction.
Next, I picked up the Van Gogh mystery, described as “another thrilling story of masterpieces, masterminds, and mystery.” It was every bit as good as the first one, and I found myself hoping for a third Luke Perrone outing.
Imagine how surprised I was to get a message from Jonathan Santlofer himself thanking me for my review of his book. It’s not often that a bestselling author takes the time to personally thank a reviewer. He also said he’d look for my books. May I just say, wow? We messaged back and forth a few times, and I found out that he has started a third Luke Perrone book. When I indicated I planned to read some of his earlier books, he suggested “Anatomy of Fear,” and that’s the subject of this week’s review.
“Anatomy of Fear” by Jonathan Santlofer
Written in 2007, this novel has nothing to do with art history or art theft. Instead, the main character is a
talented NYPD sketch artist who’s more comfortable with pencil and paper than he is with people.
When Nate Rodriguez is called in to sketch a killer who leaves behind a drawing of his victim at each crime scene, he also analyzes the killer’s artwork. Combining what he sees in the killer’s sketches with the details from a handful of witnesses, he goes beyond creating an image of the killer. He also develops insight into the killer’s mind, the mind of a fellow artist. What do the brushstrokes tell him? Why does the killer draw his victims?
What sets this book apart is the inclusion of sketches drawn by the author, who is also an artist. We see how Nate’s composite image of the killer evolves. We see the evolution of the killer’s drawings. It’s easy to see why “Anatomy of Fear” won the Nero Award for Best Novel.
I admit I was hesitant to read this book, as I long ago stopped reading novels focused on serial killers. Jeffrey Deaver was one of my favorites, but I gave him up along with all the others whose plots were just too dark for me. What can I say? Tastes change. And change again.
Yes, this book is about the hunt for a serial killer, but somehow, there’s more to it. Maybe it’s Nate’s back story and his relationship with his abuela. Whatever it is, I plan to get the second Nate Rodriguez book. Can you tell I’m a fan?
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/.
OPINION
Stephen Martin Cemetery has drawn care, attention
Between Perimeter Expo shopping center on Hammond Drive and Campus 244 at 244 Perimeter Center Parkway in Dunwoody lies the historic Stephen Martin Cemetery. Recent work at the cemetery and maintenance plus special projects over the last 10 years have made it a peaceful spot to sit and reflect or remember those who are laid to rest in the cemetery.
Back in 2015, members of Boy Scout Troop 434 out of All Saints Catholic Church began projects to improve the cemetery. David Savini built benches and a kiosk for the cemetery to display history and information for visitors. The two endeavors were his Eagle Scout project. Daniel Montgomery’s Eagle Scout Project was clearing out overgrowth of weeds and small trees along the gravel path leading to the cemetery.
Glen Fuse volunteered his time for over 10 years maintaining the cemetery by cutting the grass and trimming the surrounding hedges. He also kept the kiosk up to date with current information and placed a visitor sign-in book at the kiosk.
The kiosk was updated recently with documents and photos which tell the history of the people and the land where the cemetery is located. Chryse Wayman and Journey Bradham of Dunwoody Preservation Trust joined me to complete this project.
Sam McEntyre of DPT organized the repair of cairn graves and broken headstones at the cemetery. Cairn graves are constructed from pieces of stone arranged to form a box indicating the location of a grave.
The three large cairn graves belong to Stephen Martin (1798-1866), his first wife, Frances Elizabeth Garrett (1800-1847) and his second wife, Sarah Crowley (18121878). It is believed Stephen Martin’s grave site is the middle cairn. A smaller cairn grave may have been for a child.
Stephen and Sarah’s daughter Naomi married Thomas F. Spruill. Stephen Spruill, who grew up and lived in the home that is now Spruill Gallery, was one of the children of Naomi and Thomas F. Spruill. Another daughter, Sophia, married Joseph Spruill.
The cemetery is the final resting place for members of the Martin, Spruill, Reeves and Hardigree families, among others. During World War I, John Hardigree trained at Chamblee’s Camp Gordon, then served as a Prisoner of War escort.
Homer Morgan (1900-1902), son of Luvader Spruill Morgan and Joseph
Tilman Morgan, grandson of Sophia and Joseph Spruill, was buried near his greatgrandparents’ graves. His stone marker was recently repaired.
Campus 244 includes the former three-story office building that opened in 1975 as headquarters to Gold Kist Inc. and the Cotton States Insurance Group. (Atlanta Journal, June 4, 1974, “Gold Kist starts new building”)
The building has been repurposed into a five-story Class A office building, according to dunwoodyga.gov. The campus also includes Element Hotel by Westin and two restaurants scheduled to open in 2025.
The City of Dunwoody Trail Master Plan includes the new concrete path that leads to Stephen Martin Cemetery. Until the trail opens, park on the Nordstrom Rack side of Perimeter Expo and walk toward the back of the parking lot. When you see Campus 244, turn left and follow the path to Stephen Martin Cemetery.
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.
The cairn grave markers of Stephen Martin Cemetery were recently repaired. The buildings in the background are the Perimeter Expo shopping center.
PHOTOS BY VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA
The updated kiosk of Stephen Martin Cemetery provides additional history. Campus 244 is visible in the background.
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
The changing face of eastern U.S. forests
In March 2020, Americans became keenly aware of a fastspreading, globally transmitted disease called COVID-19. Soon pandemic became a household word, and everyone became concerned about its transmission and possible deadly consequences.
Most Americans in 2020 never encountered a disease that had spread so rapidly and had such dark consequences. Going back in history, in 1952 there was an epidemic of polio, a viral disease that attacks the human nervous system. As a result of donations to the March of Dimes and the discovery of the Salk and Sabin vaccines, the risk of a polio pandemic in the U.S. is now zero!
Reaching further back into history, you probably remember studying about the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918-19 and the Bubonic Plague that rapidly spread throughout Europe, killing an estimated 50 million people, or 50 percent, of the European population in the 1300s and 1400s.
Pandemics are not isolated to humans. Pandemics have ravaged the population of a wide variety of plants and animals as well. I would like to concentrate on three tree pandemics.
American Chestnut
As a child, I lived near a mountain range in western Pennsylvania called Chestnut Ridge. Even though we hiked in the forests near our house, I never saw a chestnut tree. Soon, I became curious about the catastrophic loss of the American chestnut tree in the wild. Before 1930, an estimated 4 billion American chestnut trees existed in the forests of the eastern U.S. These trees were the dominant hardwood species, and their large, high energy content chestnuts provided a food source for a wide variety of insects, microorganisms, birds and mammals.
The chestnut forests were rapidly changed by a microscopic package of bad news! A dying American chestnut tree was first observed in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in 1904. It promptly was determined to have been infected by a foreign invader, a fungal disease that was given the common name American chestnut blight.
Fungal diseases can spread rapidly because they reproduce by microscopic spores. The wind spreads these species-specific, microscopic messengers of death quickly. In three short decades, the wind carried the chestnut blight spores throughout the entire eastern U.S., causing an American chestnut pandemic. By 1930, so many American chestnuts died from blight that the logging industry began to clearcut all the remaining healthy American chestnuts, devastating Appalachian forest ecosystems from Maine to north Georgia and Alabama. By 1940, they were declared extinct in the wild. This event has been described as the “most devastating forest event ever!”
Today if you walk in any eastern U.S. forest, you will find that oak trees now occupy the habitats once populated by the life-sustaining
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a Milton resident and Master Gardener since 2012. Carole describes herself as a born biologist. Since childhood, she loved to explore the out-of-doors and garden with her mother. When she entered college, she selected biology as her major and made teaching high school biology her career for 35 years. Shortly after moving from Pittsburgh, she became involved with the philanthropic mission of the Assistance League of Atlanta (ALA), and in 2014, completed the Master Gardener program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau.
selective breeding and bioengineering with the goal of creating a healthy, viable and disease-resistant American Chestnut. The hope is to create hybrids of both species that will grow and thrive in their former habitats.
Southern pine beetle
American chestnuts. Nutritious, high-energy acorns produced by over 70 species of oak trees, 28 of which inhabit the forests of Georgia, now sustain a diversity of microorganisms, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. As a result, oak trees are now the dominant or keystone trees of eastern U.S. forests.
American Elm
There are more than 30,000 Elm Streets in the United States and many town and city parks, such as Central Park in New York City, that enjoy the beauty and cascading form of the American elm tree. These highly desirable urban trees also encountered a deadly fungal disease, Dutch elm blight. As the name suggests, the disease was first detected in the Netherlands in 1921 and was introduced to the U.S. for the first time in the 1970s. Many towns were forced to cut their streetscape trees. Currently, my hometown of Westmont, Pennsylvania, has the longest continuous tree-lined street of American elms in the United States. Luzerne Street is home to approximately 195 well-tended American elm trees.
Through the efforts of selective breeding for resistance to Dutch elm blight, two new, disease-resistant elm hybrids are now available. Additionally, the American Chestnut Society is engaged in a two-pronged approach using both
One of the most common forest diseases facing Georgia landowners and foresters is the Southern pine beetle. Pine beetles bore through the bark of pine trees and create tunnels as they consume the xylem tissue that makes up the annual rings. Without the xylem tissue needed to transport water throughout the tree, the tree will die. Since I moved to Milton in 2008, I have witnessed the death of hundreds of young, venerable pine trees in the forest behind my house. If you see a pine tree with peeling bark and exposed tunnels made by the pine beetles, please consult an arborist to confirm the extent of the beetle infestation. If confirmed, please take action to destroy and remove the tree or trees from your yard to prevent the spread of this disease that is devastating our southern pine forests,
Let me end with this quote, “We are all interconnected - people, animals, our environment. When nature suffers, we suffer. And when nature flourishes, we all flourish.” Dr. Jane Goodall
Happy gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https://appenmedia.com/opinion/ columists/garden buzz/.
Save the dates for NFMG’s 2025 signature events: Garden Faire on April 12 and Garden Tour on June 7. Learn more at nfmg.net.
CAROLE MACMULLAN Guest Columnist
CAROLE MACMULLAN/PROVIDED
American Chestnut Tree with disease canker caused by the American Chestnut Blight at Berry College
Council:
Continued from Page 1
Mayor John Bradberry expressed his appreciation for the project as the city continues its focus on arts and culture.
“JCB has been so energetic and really making a good contribution to the city. I really appreciate it, and I look forward to the project being installed,”
Bradberry said.
To learn more about JCB, visit their website at www.JohnsCreekBeautification.org.
In other matters at the Jan. 13 meeting, the City Council held a special presentation for Student Leadership Johns Creek. VyStar Credit Union presented the student-based organization with a check for $2,500. The donation will help the non-profit continue to provide leadership training for local high
schoolers.
“Student Leadership Johns Creek has been a very successful program involving the different high schools in our community,” Mayor Bradberry said. “It’s been a great leadership-enhancing opportunity for the students for 13 years and they’ve been doing very well.”
To see the full meeting and agenda along with the council’s upcoming meeting schedule, visit www.JohnsCreekGa.gov.
ADAM DARBY/APPEN MEDIA
Members of Student Leadership Johns Creek stand with city officials Jan. 13 during a check presentation in the amount of $2,500 from VyStar Credit Union. The program provides leadership training for local high school students.
INVITATION TO BID CITY OF JOHNS CREEK
ITB #25-042
JOHNS CREEK PARKWAY CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS (LAKEFIELD DRIVE TO EAST JOHNS CROSSING)
The City of Johns Creek is inviting qualified construction firms to submit bids for corridor improvements along Johns Creek Parkway. The project includes the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Johns Creek Parkway and Lakefield Drive, as well as the development of a raised, signalized intersection with a new traffic signal at the intersection of Johns Creek Parkway and East Johns Crossing. Additionally, the project will add on-street parking to the existing southbound lanes and convert the current northbound travel lanes into green space, which will feature a new pedestrian trail. ITB’s will be received electronically via the City’s bid platform, BidNet no later than 2:00PM on February 11, 2025 Questions are accepted and answered online only via BidNet. Deadline for questions is February 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM.
Quotes, bids, and RFP’s are electronically managed through the Georgia Purchasing Group by BidNet, our online bidding/vendor registration system, on the City website: https://www.johnscreekga.gov/Residents/Purchasing. To access the ITB document you must register with BidNet. Go to the City website above and click the link “register and view quote/bid/RFP opportunities”.
The City of Johns Creek, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and 78 Stat. 252, 42 USC 2000d—42 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, part 21, Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, sex, or national origin in consideration for an award.
All offerors must comply with all general and special requirements of the ITB information and instructions.
Additional information may be obtained by contacting Neil Trust at the City of Johns Creek Procurement Division at purchasing@johnscreekga.gov or (678) 512-3233. The City of Johns Creek reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to wave technicalities and informalities, and to make award in the best interest of the City of Johns Creek.
PUBLIC NOTICE
CITY OF JOHNS CREEK
CALL FOR MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION AND QUALIFYING FEE & DATES NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that, in accordance with O.C.G.A. 21-2-131, the City of Johns Creek shall hold a Municipal General Election for Offices of Mayor and Councilmember Posts 1, 3 and 5 on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 per O.C.G.A. 21-2-9.
Qualifying for the Municipal General Election will be Monday, August 18, 2025 through Wednesday, August 20, 2025, between the hours of 8:30 AM - - 4:30 PM per the Georgia Election Code O.C.G.A. 21-2-132. Qualifying will be held in the City Clerk’s Office (3rd floor) at Johns Creek City Hall located at 11360 Lakefield Drive, Johns Creek, GA 30097.
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. 21-2-131(a)(1) the qualifying fee was set by the Mayor and Council at the January 13, 2025 meeting at $750 for Office of the Mayor and $450 for each Council Post which is three percent of the total gross salary for the preceding year.
All persons who are not registered to vote and who desire to register to vote may register to vote through the close of business on October 6, 2025. Early voting will be held October 14, 2025 through October 31, 2025. The last day to submit an absentee ballot application is October 24, 2025. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Should a runoff election be required, such runoff will be held on December 2, 2025.
Please contact the City Clerk at 678-512-3212 should you have any questions or concerns.
This 23rd day of January, 2025
Allison Tarpley City Clerk
Donor Operations Supervisor
The Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) The Donor Operations Supervisor manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.
The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing other to work as a team in a professional manner within a fast paced environment. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Infor (US), LLC has an opening for a Team Lead in Alpharetta, GA. Position will develop new features, modules, and functionalities for the product, ensuring they meet quality standards. Participate in unit testing, integration testing, and performance testing to ensure the reliability and robustness of the product. 100% Telecommuting permitted. How to apply: E-mail resume, referencing IN1035, including job history, to careers@infor.com. Infor (US), LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. EOE.
Computer Systems Analysts – Multiple Openings - Alpharetta, GA. Intuites LLC needs professionals: Analyze SAP FICO standardization, optimize processes, conduct FIT/GAP workshops, oversee integration testing & guide implementations. Req. –Bachelor’s + 2 yrs. Exp. Comp. salary, Relocate to unanticipated site. No national or international travel. Please mail resume to Ref: Director, 1740 Grassland Parkway, Ste 405, Alpharetta, Georgia, 30004.
Application Developer III (Alpharetta, GA) Work across a broad suite of techs (Azure & AWS) that involve UI dvlpmt , middleware dvlpmt & d/b dvlpmt . Reqs: U.S. Master’s deg in Info Sys, CS, or closely rltd field & 3 yrs of exp in the Application Dvlpr III, S/w Dvlpr, S/w Eng, or closely rltd pos. Exp which may have been obtained concurrently must incl 3 yrs of exp w/: Designing & dvlpng custom web apps using C#.NET & bldg reliable & reusable code. Must be Microsoft Certified: Azure Dvlpr Assoc. Mail resume only to: Tracy Ryan, Balbec Capital, LP, 10000 Avalon Blvd., Ste. 550, Alpharetta, GA 30009
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