Milton Herald - January 5, 2023

Shredding for the season

Cold weather wreaks havoc on water lines, local roadways

By DELANEY TARR and ALEX POPP

delaney@appenmedia.com alex@appenmedia.com

METRO ATLANTA — Georgia’s singledigit lows on Christmas weekend left many residents scrambling to stay warm and protect their plumbing while fire departments and hardware stores were overwhelmed with high demand.

In Roswell, the Fire Department received hundreds of calls during the cold snap, nearly five times as many as usual. On Christmas day alone, the department responded to 142 calls.

Roswell Fire Public Information Officer Chad Miller said he was shocked to learn many residents didn’t know to turn off their main water line when dealing with possible frozen pipes. He also said some of people’s solutions to the freezing temperatures were even more dangerous.

Miller said a structure fire started after a resident tried to heat a frozen pipe outside over a direct flame, accidentally catching their house on fire. He cautioned people against heating

CITY OF MILTON/ PROVIDED

Milton will host Bring One for the Chipper event Jan. 7, where residents can recycle their Christmas trees. The first 100 residents will receive a flowering dogwood seedling, part of the Plant!Milton — the city’s initiative to encourage the planting of, caring for and knowledge about trees. See story, Page 3.

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PUBLIC SAFETY

Johns Creek couple shot inside their residence

By AMBER PERRY alex@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek Police were dispatched to Plantation Bridge Drive Dec. 19 and found Heather Quiggle and her boyfriend shot inside the home.

When police arrived at 3 a.m., they saw Quiggle on the front porch wearing a red shirt soaked in blood, the police report said. Police later found her boyfriend with a gunshot wound to the leg. Quiggle’s 20-year-old son heard the shots, escaped through a window and got help from a neighbor, according to local media.

After receiving lifesaving measures —

POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Resident receives texts from supposed hit-man

ROSWELL, Ga. —A Roswell resident received texts to his phone Dec. 23 threatening to kill him if he did not pay the $1,000.

The sender of the texts said he was a hit man and sent a stock photo of a cowboy.

The text sender also sent photos of the resident’s social media. The resident blocked the number but reported the incident.

Four tractor trailers stolen from parking lot

ROSWELL, Ga.— Four tractor trailers parked at the parking lot of a Kohl’s department store on Holcomb Bridge

Quiggle with a chest seal and her boyfriend with a leg tourniquet — they were transported to North Fulton Hospital. Both are in stable condition.

Friends of Quiggle have since started a fundraising campaign with a $15,000 goal to offset her medical bills. So far, $11,885 has been raised. As of a Dec. 24 update on the fundraiser’s website, Quiggle was to be “released from the hospital shortly.”

“She still has wound vacs as well as extensive wound care needs,” the update said. “They are trying to get her out of the hospital as soon as possible to lower her risk of getting RSV or the flu, which as fragile as her lungs are, she can’t afford

Road were reported missing on Dec. 29.

The truck driver said his lead truck was loaded with three other tractor trailers, all set to be delivered to New York. He said he often parks trucks in the lot without any issues.

Officers found signs advertising a towing service, but the phone number was disconnected. The company that owns the trucks was notified and will ping the locations of the trucks, so the Roswell police listed the trucks as stolen and left the scene.

to get.”

According to local media, the suspect and ex-boyfriend of Quiggle, 46-year-old Batin Azzaam Rashid, was later found dead in Sandy Springs from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot.

Rashid was wanted for one count of aggravated assault under the Family Violence Act, one count of aggravated assault, one count of burglary, one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and one count of a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to a release reported by local media from Police Chief Mark Mitchell.

ployee felt threatened. The employee told the customer that if he didn’t stop yelling, he would beat him up.

Police investigated and found the customer instigated the conflict. No arrest was made.

Police pepper spray dog found roaming outside

Bowler,

employee

clash over lane-change request

ROSWELL, Ga.—Police responded to an assault call at Bowlero Roswell at Old Roswell Road on Dec. 26 after a customer reported an employee threatened to beat him up.

The customer said he had asked the employee to change lanes, but the employee denied the request. The customer then switched to a lane with another friend group and said the employee shut off the lane.

The employee said the customer raised his voice at him and the em -

ROSWELL, Ga. — Officers pepper sprayed a barking unrestrained dog during a response to an animal being a public nuisance call at Houze Road on Dec. 25.

Officers arrived on the scene early in the morning hearing reports of a dog barking. When they arrived, they found the dog was roaming outside and had been barking for an hour and a half.

The officers tried to go to the owner’s house, but the dog was blocking the path. One officer pepper sprayed the dog to get it out of the way and the dog ran to the yard behind the house.

They spoke with the owner, who said the pet had gotten out during the night.

The owner was given a warning and the officers left.

HANS

City of Alpharetta adopts agriculture development plan

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — After nearly a year of community meetings and planning, the Alpharetta City Council has approved a comprehensive plan to guide and encourage agricultural development in the city over the next five years.

The plan was unanimously approved at the city council’s Dec. 12 meeting, making Alpharetta the second Metro Atlanta community to adopt an agricultural plan through the Atlanta Regional Commission and Food Well Alliance.

City leaders and hundreds of residents held six meetings between March and April to generate ideas and create the plan, which includes four main priorities, supporting local growers, cultivating a sense of place, sustainable stewardship and city initiatives and partnerships.

“The community worked hard, alongside Food Well Alliance, the ARC and city staff, to get to the point where we have an official plan in place for our agriculture program. We look forward to implementing the Plan and bringing the great ideas the community brought forth to life in our parks, streetscapes, and developments,” Director of Recreation, Parks & Cultural

Services Morgan Rodgers said. “We like to have fun in Alpharetta, and it’s fun to grow in ways that will benefit the community well into the future.”

The plan includes short, medium and long-term recommendations that are expected to be implemented over the next five years.

Recommendations include items like creating a Home Growers’ Cooperative, expanding farmers market partnerships, creation of community garden space in parks, establishment of a community seed library and tool bank and supporting existing local farms.

With these initiatives, community stakeholders believe they can strengthen the relationships between local food producers, distributors and consumers, and increase access to healthy food in the local community.

“Residents made it clear over the past year that they are passionate about growing, sharing, and supporting local food,” Food Well Alliance Policy and Planning Manager Sarah Brown said. “This plan will integrate those priorities into to Alpharetta’s existing policies, programs and future development.”

Alpharetta has been awarded a $75,000 grant to kickstart the plan, Rodgers said.

Tree recycling event will feature giveaway of dogwood seedlings

MILTON, Ga. — Bring One for the Chipper, Milton’s annual Christmas tree recycling event is coming, and this time the city is giving back.

People can bring their light- and ornament-free tree between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 7 to the Milton High School baseball parking lot. The city’s partners at Casey Tree Experts, with help from volunteers at the Young Men’s Service League, will take the tree from vehicles and feed it to “the chipper.”

The process produces wood chips and mulch that might end up in Milton’s parks or in the yards of residents via Scottsdale Farms. In other words, Christmas trees end up being reused to beautify the community.

This year’s edition of Bring One for the Chipper is special — the first 100 people who bring a tree can also pick up a flowering dogwood seedling to plant and thrive. The seedling giveaway, while supplies last,

is the latest element of Plant! Milton, the city’s initiative to encourage the planting of, caring for and knowledge about trees. You can learn more by going to miltonga.gov/ PlantMilton.

There are other options to discard Christmas trees, including dropping them off at Scottsdale Farms on Birmingham Highway up to Jan. 7 during normal business hours.

Milton residents can also have members of Troop 841 do everything for them on Jan. 7. That day, Scouts and their parents will come to their property, pick up their tree, then haul it away. Reservations must be made online, which includes a $15 donation to the Scouts. Those interested should confirm that addresses are within the troop’s range of service.

For questions about the event, contact Milton Environmental Program Manager Emily Groth at emily.groth@miltonga.gov.

Top podcasts this year

Cadillac Jack: My Second Act

Sept. 29 - Even the bathrooms are bigger in Texas.

Bring in the dancing hooves, it’s the 300th episode of Cadillac Jack: My Second Act.

Do you need another reason to believe how much smarter and more refined women are than men? We’ll give you one —urinal troughs. Caddy and Donna kick us off with a little potty talk and what it means when someone walks in on you. With or without the trough.

We’ve seen the future, and it’s Harry Styles. Harry is pioneering a new way of touring and we think it’ll change the game. Find out why, and why that means that us in the major metros will be the ones hitting the road.

Music is now our PRIMARY category in Apple Podcasts, so we basically spend the entire second half of the show talking tunes. Winona, setlists and, yes, more Harry Styles.

Then a bit of housekeeping. We find out what Door 14 is, where Crossfit Chris is and how to handle a lesson in Disney kindness. All that and more on Show 300.

June 9 - How to tie a knot at the end of a rope

Stretch your imagination for this fiery episode of the My Second Act podcast. Unfortu-

nately for Cadillac Jack, it did NOT earn a triple E rating.

First we talk about The Top 10 Ways to Catch Your Spouse Cheating (and the best way to get away clean). Then on an entirely unrelated note, lets just say that Donna has a thing for badges. So much so that she’s hunting for an investigation at the Alpharetta police station- or is it City Hall? Then we move on to SNL, Kim Kardashian and the real definition of BDE.

And to fulfill our designation as a semi-music podcast we take a step back in time to Novem-

ber 2020, to hear about the wink and why Donna was the only one who caught it. Turns out Joanna Cotten gave the show a little more of a hint than anyone realized. Tune in and hear just exactly how she slipped in the names, and clues, for an Eric Church triple album.

The Georgia Politics Podcast

Dec. 19 – 2022 Year-in-Review

And that’s a wrap, folks! On The Georgia Politics Podcast today, the panel gets together one last time in 2022 to recount the year’s biggest story lines.

From Dobbs to midterms and Gov. Kemp and Sec. Raffesnperger, relive some of the biggest moments from 2022 and the lessons learned along the way. Is money out of control in politics? If people don’t think it is, we’re not sure when they’ll ever change their minds. The red wave didn’t happen, but was it really just a matter of bad expectations setting?

As you might imagine, there are some differing opinions on how important some of these story lines really were, or why they were important, but everyone agrees that we had plenty to talk about on The Georgia Politics Podcast and that will no doubt remain the same in 2023. Thanks everyone for another great year, and we look forward to returning to your podcast feeds in 2023 for Season 4 and our legislative preview.

Nov. 14 – Politics for Dummies – 7th Grade Civics

On The Georgia Politics Podcast today, we kick off a special series called “Politics for Dummies,” where we dive into common misconceptions or questions about how politics works in Georgia and across the country.

Craig welcomes in co-host Daelen Lowry to help kick off the series and is joined by friends of Daelen, Kenlee and Elizabeth. Together, they

present questions to Craig and Daelen about politics that they think will be useful to listeners to have answered. The goal is keep the series non-partisan, informational and useful to listeners.

Topics include the structure of Georgia’s state government, the difference between primary and general elections, how to find out if you are registered to vote and what candidates will appear on your ballot, and more generally how to become a more informed and involved citizen in our electoral process.

Like what you’re listening to? Leave us a review in the Apple Podcast store or wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps us spread the word about the show and makes it easier for other people to find it.

Cadillac Jack: My Second Act and The Georgia Politics Podcast are part of the Appen Podcast Network. Listen for free at appenmedia.com/podcasts or wherever you get your shows.

Podcasting was alive and well this year at Appen Media. Here are some featured episodes from 2022

Pryor reflects on years of Forsyth County park developments

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — For more than 26 years, Jim Pryor’s life has been almost exclusively about parks and recreation.

“I was Doogie Howser,” Pryor said. “I became a director at age 30 and I’ve been in three different locations. But this was the ultimate parks and recreation director job that I wanted.”

And as Forsyth County’s Parks and Recreation Director, Pryor has spent the last eight years spearheading countless projects and initiatives that he thinks will be enjoyed by county residents for decades to come.

But all that is about to change, when Pryor steps down from his position for a private sector job this month.

Pryor said that what he and his staff have been able to accomplish over the last decade has been nothing less than incredible, with more than $100 million in projects completed from the 2016 Forsyth County Parks Comprehensive Plan. That’s not something you find everywhere, he said.

“This is the third place I’ve been a director, and I had the opportunity to do a comprehensive plan at each one,” he said. “Most of them in 10 years, I would get maybe two projects done,” he said. “So, we finished a lot of our projects on the list and taken on a few more.”

With the comprehensive plan, Pryor said they were able to lay the foundations for what Forsyth County would need as it grew and changed, using input from community members and guidance from the County Parks and Recreation Board.

One of the most important parts of the plan, and possibly the department’s biggest accomplishment, he said, was “banking” land for future park use, like when the county held onto a large tract of land in south Forsyth County, which will one day become Denmark Park.

“I’ve said it over and over again, especially when the commissioners were thinking about selling it,” he said. “Denmark Park is going to be Fowler Park one day … It’s going to be a big boost to our community, because of where it’s located and the growth that’s happening down here”

Even now, they are still hunting for land like the future Denmark Park site, in north and east Forsyth, which will be particularly needed when the Coal Mountain area is developed in the future and demand outweighs the capacity of their current parks.

“That’s why I did the 20-year layout of what the county is going to look like with five or 600,000 people,” he said.

“So, I know where to go to get those big tracts of land right now”

With the growth Forsyth County has experienced, Pryor said they’ve also had to account for changes in what county residents need and want from the park system, while remaining flexible for trends that might arise.

Some things, like multi-use trails, baseball and soccer fields, and tennis courts will always be in demand in any park system, he said. But who could have ever anticipated recreation trends like pickleball, which has become increasingly popular.

When trends pop up, the Parks Department has the flexibility try them out before committing to them fully. And with the growing demand for pickleball courts, he said they’ve even started to design them into parks.

“Pickleball is the newest wave of the fastest growing sport,” he said. “It’s gonna stay forever because it’s really attracted a lot of tennis players that can’t cover as much ground.”

Some things, like spaces for equestrians, ice hockey, golf, and aquatic centers, they’ve decided to leave to the private sector. It’s not because the park system couldn’t handle it and there isn’t demand for it, but because it’s not who they are.

“When you’re in public recreation, you’ve got to figure out what business you want to be in and what business you don’t want to be in,” he said. “We can’t be everything to everybody. So, lets pick what business we want to be in and do it really well.”

Forsyth County continues work on filling and repairing gaps in the Big Creek Greenway, a 12-foot-wide nature path that consistently ranks among the most popular recreation amenities for residents. The Greenway currently runs uninterrupted from Roswell’s Big Creek Park north to Alpharetta’s Union Hill Park. Forsyth County plans to link its portion of the Greenway the final 1 mile south to Alpharetta after work is completed on the McGinnis Ferry Road widening project in the coming year or so.

Meanwhile, the county is repairing older wooden portions of its own Greenway trail, and in the past two years has opened new strips.

Pryor said he thinks the Forsyth County Park System is one of the best in the nation. But all of their successes go back to the plan county officials were wise enough to develop in 2016 and the hard work of department staff that made it a reality.

“The hardest part about leaving is leaving the actual parks and recreation team,” he said. “Even though I’ve taken a new job, I’m still gonna be living here in the county … I’ll probably out at Lanierland Park playing pickleball.”

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

For the past eight years, Jim Pryor has guided the development of Forsyth County’s Parks and Recreation Department, spearheading countless projects and initiatives that he says will be enjoyed by county residents for decades to come.

Community rallies around family after tragedy

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — After losing her husband to cancer in November, a Cumming woman was presented a car, $10,000 and Christmas gifts for her three kids.

Friends, family and community members gathered for an annual Christmas breakfast Dec. 13 aimed at helping those struggling in the community. This year, dozens of people pitched in to help the Stonecypher family who had just lost a beloved husband and father.

Around two months earlier, Sarah and Ryan Stonecypher received horrible news when Ryan, in his mid-30s, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Despite being expected to live another six months to a year, Ryan passed away six weeks after the diagnosis, just one month before Christmas.

“It’s my job to keep Ryan’s memory alive, to remember the purest love I’ve ever known, and to remind myself that the love he gave me wasn’t in vain,” Sarah wrote in a statement.

Working through her grief, Sarah, who is pregnant, holds down three jobs while being a homemaker and mother to three kids. On weekdays, Sarah gets up at 6 a.m. to take her kids to school, then heads to work until around 8 or 9 p.m. She has a friend who helps with the kids while she’s working.

Amid the turmoil of surviving her husband’s death, Sarah’s car died, forcing her to rely on Uber, Lyft and her feet. As a last resort, a friend posted on the social network Nextdoor asking for help on Sarah’s behalf.

Kristin McAfee, who hosts a Christmas breakfast every year in which community members gather to give gifts to children from families in need. She saw the post and reached out to help with the Stonecypher’s Christmas.

“I found this amazing lady Kristin who is helping me with my kids’ Christmas and I couldn’t be more grateful,” Sarah said. “She has truly brought light to our family in these trying times and is truly an amazing blessing. I must say I have a pretty amazing community on my side though. If nothing else, we ask for prayer.”

Typically, children’s gifts given to families at the breakfast are tagged as from the parents or from Santa, but Sarah requested the name tags bear the names of the donors. This way, she said, her kids can learn about

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Sarah Stonecypher and Kristin McAfee embrace at the Christmas Breakfast at The Southern Porch in Cumming on Dec. 13. Stonecypher, who works three jobs to support herself and her children, lost her husband to a brain tumor in November.

Kristin McAfee’s daughter-in-law Emily presents Sarah with the check.

Community:

Continued from Page 6

the importance of stepping up to help others in need.

Aware that the Stonecyphers helped out a family in need last year, McAfee wanted to go above and beyond to return that support. She reached out to Christian Brothers Auto, knowing they repair donated cars to re-donate to people in need.

McAfee also learned from a friend who works for the Patterson Barclay Memorial Foundation that the organization had $10,000 in leftover funds to donate. After discussing the Stonecyphers’ case, the foundation decided to donate to Holy Spirit Ranch

Ministries, an organization that could accept the money on Sarah’s behalf.

All the work came to fruition at the breakfast, when Sarah was presented with the car and donations, which she used to pay bills. The Southern Porch, the venue hosting the breakfast, also donated $1,000 to the Stonecyphers.

Also present at the breakfast was the original owner of the donated car who knew nothing of her story. McAfee noted that this was special because most people never know what became of their donated vehicle.

“After hearing this story, people want to help,” McAfee said. “I think it’s so brave of people to ask for help. For Sarah’s 16-year-old daughter to see this outpouring of support was really neat.”

PROVIDED PHOTO

Sarah Stonecypher hugs Tom Burgess, the owner of Christian Brothers Auto in Cumming, after he presented her with the refurbished car.

Animal hospital treats patients as individuals

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — In April, Riva Wolkow took ownership of the veterinarian clinic in Dunwoody Plaza off Dunwoody Village Parkway. The old sign from when the space was corporately owned still hangs on the brick front, and another hides beneath the new Village Animal Hospital name.

The slightly wrinkled banner with large, purple bubbly letters is characteristic of the culture — down to earth and friendly — the kind of culture where humans can expect their beloved companion to be treated with compassion.

There’s a vast difference between corporate and independently owned vet practices, said Wolkow, wearing scrubs with a slicked back ponytail ready for the day ahead. Her focus is clients, patients and patient care.

“We can treat each client, each patient as individuals,” she said. “To me, I want them to be more like family as opposed to numbers.”

Wolkow splits her time between Village and Belle Isle Animal Hospital in Sandy Springs, which she opened in 2011, to make herself present and to ensure that the culture of each practice is consistent with her values. A Dunwoody resident, Wolkow’s dream was opening a clinic in her city.

Owning a vet clinic means Wolkow can do what she thinks is best. She isn’t told how to practice medicine and what meds to use. Corporations have a bad habit of pushing products onto owners, she said.

I’m only going to offer you what I would do for my own pet.

RIVA WOLKOW, veterinarian, owner of Village Animal Hospital

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Riva Wolkow, veterinarian and owner of Village Animal Hospital in Dunwoody, stands in the hospital’s lobby Dec. 29. Wolkow opened Village Animal Hospital in April. She also owns Belle Isle Animal Hospital in Sandy Springs, which she opened in 2011.

Hospital:

“I’m only going to offer you what I would do for my own pet,” Wolkow said.

At its 8 a.m. opening, reception was already busy. Like a mother to her baby, a vet tech used high-pitched speech to coddle a frightened pup on its way to the scale. The office manager, Linda Israel, sought feedback from Wolkow on patients before she stepped into her personal office space, which had a blue, padded dog mat on the floor, hair still clinging to it.

On Thursday, Dec. 29 Wolkow’s dogs weren’t around but they usually are, along with those of fellow veterinarian Ashlyn Roberts. Melanie Lucero, who was absent that day, is Village’s third vet and Wolkow’s former classmate at the University of Georgia’s vet school. There’s also five vet techs on staff.

“The staff here is awesome,” Wolkow said. “Every one of us has stayed late to do an emergency surgery.”

The lobby of Village Animal Hospital is spacious with deep purple walls. The contemporary color palette is incorporated through its three, small exam rooms, which are decorated with animal portraits. Wolkow described a renovation on the horizon — to take away from the oversized lobby and create three new exam rooms, while combining two of the existing rooms for extra space.

“I like to sit on the floor,” Wolkow said. “I like to be able to talk to the owners and have the space.”

Sometimes stuck up on the table, sitting on the floor is less scary for her patients. Wolkow also has treats — anything to make animals more comfortable.

No day looks the same at the Village Animal Hospital. That morning, Wolkow was surprised with a drop-off before her first scheduled appointment — a dog who had been vomiting the night before and had bloody diarrhea. Later in the day, she was to perform a biopsy of a mass in one dog’s mouth, “healthy” appointments in between.

“Sometimes you get a euthanasia thrown in,” Wolkow said.

A veterinarians’ days are an emotional rollercoaster. One moment, Wolkow could put a dog down for the deepest kind of sleep — something you do “for a pet” and not “to a pet” — and the next, she could be greeting a new puppy.

Every life stage is important, she said, and it’s important to be there for the clients and their pets.

“We don’t build a wall around our heart, you know, and especially those clients that you’ve had for years and years that you’ve seen as babies, and then they’re 16 years old,” Wolkow said.

“I’ve been in long enough to kind of have that whole life stage at this point in my career.”

Growing up with animals, she decided to be a vet at 3 years old. Wolkow never wanted to do anything else.

“I grew up in a family of human doctors and had no desire to do that,” she said. “I’d tease my dad – ‘If I don’t get into vet school, I’ll go to med school as my backup.’”

Now, she has two dogs — Gasper and Peter, who is on his way to be a guide dog. Gasper had the same training but is too terrified of stairs. Wolkow also has two snakes and two sugar gliders.

“[Animals] love unconditionally,” she said. “I would be lost without having dogs.”

As a veterinarian, a major issue Wolkow comes across is the lack of preventative care, especially with cats. Cats are underrepresented, she said. Oftentimes, the beginning stages of sickness in cats are too subtle to be detected. Cats get heartworms just like dogs do, Wolkow said, but for them, there’s no treatment — they’ll just die.

Clients should seek annual, if not biannual, exams, she said.

“If people would come in more often for preventative care, we’re going to catch things on bloodwork before they actually get sick,” Wolkow said.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Village Animal Hospital’s banner covers an old sign from when the space was corporately owned. The vet clinic is in Dunwoody Plaza off Dunwoody Village Parkway.

Village Animal Hospital has three exam rooms, but owner Riva Wolkow plans to add more and make the existing ones larger.

CALENDAR

JUST FOR FUN:

TRIVIA NIGHT

What: Whether you’re the whiz of the group or the dunce, a trivia outing is about so much more than the questions themselves. Bring your friends and test your knowledge while you drink a pint at the King George Tavern.

When: Thursday, Jan. 5, 8 p.m. Where: King George Tavern, 4511 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody More info: kinggeorgetavern.com

PARENTS NIGHT OUT

What: Enjoy a night out while your kids spend the evening doing fun science activities and experiments. Kids, ages 5-11, will journey through space and explore our planets and their moons, create an ice comet, make rockets and have a launching contest. Popcorn and drinks are included. Kids can bring dinner if they want.

When: Saturday, Jan. 7, 6-9 p.m. Where: Discover Science Center, 2500 Old Alabama Road, Suite 5, Roswell Cost: $30 More info: discoversciencecenter.com

SANDY SPRINGS PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

What: Are you interested in knowing more about photography? You can

BRING ONE FOR THE CHIPPER

What: Drop off your Christmas tree at the City of Milton’s main annual Christmas tree recycling event. During that time, you can drop off your tree on the Milton High School campus in the baseball field parking lot, which is closest to Freemanville Road. Casey Tree Experts is partnering with the city on this event and will chip all of the trees.

When: Saturday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Where: Milton High School, 13025 Birmingham Hwy, Milton More info: miltonga.gov

learn the basic principles of correctly exposing a photograph by balancing shutter speed, aperture size and sensor sensitivity, and how each of these affect your photography by participating in the beginner session. You will also discover the modes and functions of a DSLR camera and how to use them. The instructor will attach a camera to a large display to demonstrate how a camera's settings impact your photographs.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 6-6:45 p.m. Club meeting will follow.

Where: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Rd NW, Sandy Springs More info: sandyspringsga.gov

BIRD WALK

What: Morgan Falls Overlook Park boasts several habitats, and thus a large variety of birds over the course of the year: mudflats (shorebirds, including Avocets in 2017), lake (winter ducks, nesting Bald Eagles), river, woodland, and field (sparrows). The walk will involve possibly wet grass, stairs, gently sloped pavement and unpaved trails. A scope and loaner binoculars will be available. The walk will begin at the overlook, past the playground. Register online. When: Sunday, Jan. 15, 8 a.m. Where: Morgan Fall Overlook Park & Dam, 200 Morgan Falls Road, Sandy Springs More info: sandyspringsga.gov

ENCHANTED WOODLAND TRAIL

What: The fairies and gnomes have been busy building whimsical houses along Chattahoochee Nature Center’s forested trails. Slow down as you search for houses made from tiny natural objects. Take notice of the beautiful and enchanting features of the winter woods.

When: Up to Feb. 28, open daily except for December 24-26 and January 1-3

Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell Cost: $15 for adults More info: chattnaturecenter.org

LEARN AND LEAD:

BRING ONE FOR THE CHIPPER

What: Drop off your Christmas tree at the City of Milton’s main annual Christmas tree recycling event. During that time, you can drop off your tree on the Milton High School campus in the baseball field parking lot, which is closest to Freemanville Road. Casey Tree Experts is partnering with the city on this event and will chip all of the trees.

When: Saturday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Where: Milton High School, 13025 Birmingham Hwy, Milton More info: miltonga.gov

frozen pipes with direct flame, and said the safer method is letting warm air circulate and slowly defrost ice.

He said he hopes that people will take fire safety measures in the future to reduce a need for emergency fire responses, since the department is overwhelmed with seasonal calls.

Alpharetta, Roswell and other city officials took to social media Dec. 26, urging residents not to call the city’s emergency 911 center about burst pipes.

“Due to frigid and fluctuating temperatures over the weekend, water pipes have been bursting all around the city overwhelming the 911 system with calls for service,” Alpharetta officials said. “As we always strive to provide the highest level of service to our community, we encourage everyone who experiences a burst or leaking water pipe to first shut off the main water to their property and call a plumber, your landlord or property manager first and NOT to call 911.”

Local plumbers were also overwhelmed— one Sandy Springs plumber announced that “due to extreme weather conditions, we’re experiencing an unusually high volume of calls.”

The calls were largely responding to

water line breaks and leaks caused by frozen pipes. If the water inside of the running pipe freezes, the pressure can cause cracks and leaks in pipes, which can eventually lead to severe water damage.

It wasn’t just residential water lines affected by the cold.

Shoppers were evacuated from the Peachtree Dunwoody Road Home Depot store in Sandy Springs Dec. 26 after several pipes at the store’s entrance burst, spraying a deluge of water into the store and parking lot.

After customers were allowed back into the store about an hour later, an employee said the store had sold its entire stock of space heaters by Saturday, Dec. 24.

The Dunwoody Village Parkway Ace Hardware also saw an influx of customers. One employee said they “100 percent sold out of space heaters” and many customers bought ice melts for their frozen sidewalks.

Two Fulton County libraries are shut down until further notice due to water damage. The Milton Library and Ocee Library in Johns Creek experienced water damage to carpets, floors, and some shelves and books due to frozen pipes. There are emergency teams working on the libraries, but the Fulton County Library System does not have a reopening date.

Multiple water line breakages

caused road closures in Johns Creek and Dunwoody.

On Dec. 25, part of Haynes Bridge Road in Johns Creek was closed due to a large water main break between Haynesbrook Layne and Alvin Road. The road reopened on Dec. 27 after repairs were completed.

Late into the night of Dec. 28, Dunwoody officials announced the DeKalb County Watershed Department sent out crews to fix an 8-inch water main break at 1224 Hammond Drive. After a night with little to no water pressure, repairs wrapped up early Dec. 29.

On open roads, drivers faced possible black ice, a thin coating of ice on the roads difficult to see. On Dec. 27 the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency reported black ice patches on less traveled roads.

Much of north Forsyth County was under a water boil advisory starting on Christmas Day, due to a frozen valve at a service pump station which caused a loss in water pressure for many homes north of Ga. 369.

Officials said the frozen valve was quickly found and fixed, and no break in the Forsyth County system was detected, but the boil advisory was kept in effect until Dec. 28.

Fulton County was not under a water boil advisory, despite social media posts suggesting otherwise. The county put out multiple statements clarifying

there was no advisory for the area.

At the same time, while parts of DeKalb County were under a boil water advisory, Dunwoody officials clarified the city was not.

Sawnee EMC reported Dec. 25 that its electrical system was “stressed to its fullest extent” due to power consumption and the freezing temperatures.

In Sandy Springs, the city announced some residents on Dec. 23 were likely waking up to power outages but did not say how many people were impacted. Statewide reports showed thousands of people were left without power.

AAPPEN PRESSCLU

Frank

Tara Tucker

PRESERVING THE PAST

A Confederate soldier depended on his Bowie knife

BOB MEYERS Columnist bobmey@bellsouth.net

According to the Digital Library of Georgia, approximately 120,000 Georgians served in the Civil War. Casualties were very high. Between 11,000 and 25,000 Georgia soldiers died on the battlefield or in hospitals from disease and wounds.

One of the soldiers who survived and went on to become a successful farmer and landowner was John Franklin Shirley (1841-1906). Here is his story based in part on a profile written by Fred Shirley (1935-2017), who was raised on a farm that encompassed today’s Windward neighborhood, located near John Shirley’s land. Many portraits of Confederate soldiers exist on the internet. Relatively few identify the subject. Thus, John is of some historical interest since he is identified in his portrait

The photo of John shows him holding a rather ferocious Bowie knife. Numerous similar poses appear on the internet, often daguerreotype or tintype images in small foldable cases. The cases used during the Civil War were made of gutta-percha, one of the first plastic materials. It was made from a mixture of resins from Malaysian trees. It was molded and often used for daguerreotype cases.

The Bowie knife was a popular fighting weapon prior to the Civil War. It was created by blacksmith James Black for James Bowie in 1830. Bowie was a celebrated knife fighter. The knives became so popular that cutlery factories in Sheffield, England, mass-produced them for export to the U.S. in the 1830s and later. Bowie was killed in the Battle of the Alamo in 1836.

John is holding a very long D-guard Bowie knife, notable for its hand guard shaped like a D. These knives chopped branches, split logs, sliced saplings, and even had their way with an occasional Yankee.

It was said the knife “must be long enough to use as a sword, sharp enough to use as a razor, wide enough to use as a paddle, and heavy enough to use as a hatchet.”

Long knives were popular with Confederate soldiers in the early days of the Civil War but were cumbersome and fell out of favor. In fact, few casualties were the result of hand-to-hand combat. These massive weapons were often made by local blacksmiths or by the soldiers themselves from old files or saw or scythe blades. In 1862, the State of

It was the custom for Confederate soldiers to have

keep. Here is a photo mounted in a Civil War era frame

left side of the frame is velvet material.

John Franklin Shirley was a Civil War soldier, and after the war was a successful local farmer. In this portrait, he is holding a long Bowie knife which was commonly used early in the war by Confederate soldiers. Because they were so unwieldly, they lost popularity later in the war.

Circa 1862

Georgia purchased nearly 5,000 Bowie knives from fourteen different makers for distribution to Confederate soldiers. I am intrigued by his uniform. Some regiments in Virginia had grey stripes, some in Mississippi were red, but there were no striped uniforms in Georgia that I am aware of. There was little uniformity among uniforms, especially

in the South early in the war. Confederate soldiers sometimes wore their own clothes to battle, or took uniforms from captured or killed Union soldiers, leading to confusion on the battlefield. We will probably never know why his jacket has stripes.

John enlisted as a private in Co. 1, 3rd Regiment GA State Troops in October 1861, some six months after the war began. Mustered out in April 1962, he then re-enlisted as a private in Co. G, 56th Regiment GA Infantry in May 1862 when it was first organized. Company G consisted of soldiers from Milton County.

John was born in South Carolina. He was married in 1865, at the end of the war, at age 24 to his second cousin Mary Catherine Shirley (1846-1915). They are buried in Union Hill Cemetery just over the Forsyth County line.

Fred Shirley’s profile identifies some of the battles in which John fought, including the siege of Vicksburg and the Battle of Atlanta.

During the siege of Vicksburg, John

somehow became separated from his unit. Unable to go through enemy lines to return to his unit, he walked back to Georgia evading the enemy by staying off the beaten track until he reached friendly territory. When he arrived back home, he feared he would be considered a deserter and convinced his family to hide him in the Big Creek swamp. When word arrived that Vicksburg had surrendered on July 4, 1863, John no longer felt he was a deserter because the Confederate soldiers were released if they signed certification that they would not bear arms against Union soldiers in the future.

Fred Shirley described John as “extremely ambitious as well as industrious. He had acquired over 500 acres within the first 10 years following the Civil War. Eventually, John amassed more than 1,000 acres. He built two sawmills, several homes including three tenant houses and a cotton gin. One of his houses became the headquarters of the Alpharetta Women’s Club at 112 Cumming Street.

JIM FARRIS/PROVIDED

their portrait taken and mounted in small frames for their families to

by Milton Historical Society Board of Directors member Jim Farris. The

FRED SHIRLEY FAMILY/ PROVIDED

Video movie rental, history from the more recent past

This image of Versatile Video brings back memories for me. I often stopped there with my children for a movie and often a video game in the 1990s and 2000s. We also rented videos and games from Blockbuster at the corner of Dunwoody Club Drive and Mount Vernon Road.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Chuck Tintle opened Versatile Video in 1981 on Chamblee Dunwoody Road. He started the business after his friend bought a VCR for $1,000 in 1980. The question at the time was where to get videos to watch on your VCR. Tintle put together a collection of 270 videos he thought people would want to rent. At first, there was a lot of empty space in the store, so he began selling General Electric VCRs and televisions in the location. Later, he would also carry video games for rent.

Chuck and Mary ran a video store where they were friendly and often knew their customers. If someone asked Chuck what he thought of a movie and if he thought they would enjoy it, he would happily give his opinion.

“Things have changed,” said Tintle as closing was on the horizon in 2008. “There are now faster ways to get movies into homes, and that’s what doing me in, the technology.” He did not believe the Blockbuster that had been around the corner for 15 years from his store was a factor.

He and Mary were planning to retire after the store closed. Both had already retired from their previous careers, Mary taught school in Fulton County for over 40 years and Chuck had retired from the Ford Motor Company. (Atlanta Constitution, Dec.27, 2008, “Technology advances hasten end of Dunwoody video store”)

Besides Blockbuster, other big names in the business were Hollywood Video and The Movie Store. Record stores also began carrying videos and games for rent. Turtle’s, Camelot, and Coconuts Records. Turtles opened a few locations that were strictly video and game rental. There were other independent stores in Atlanta and the surrounding communities.

In 1985, Castleberry’s Appliance Sales & Service in Chamblee and a new location in Lithonia advertised the addition of movie and VCR rental. Four movies for $4.

American Tape & Video had a location in Pinetree Plaza on Buford Highway and in Hammond Festival shopping center on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.

Blockbuster at 1575 Mount Vernon Road closed in 2011 and is now the location of Piedmont Urgent Care. The other Mount Vernon location at 2526 is a Chase Bank today. Versatile Video is now the location of a State Farm Insurance office, still next door to Mellow Mushroom. That was another plus for Versatile Video, being next door to Mellow Mushroom.

If you are feeling nostalgic for Blockbuster Video, Netflix has a series where the story line revolves around the last Blockbuster Video store in the U.S.

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

DUNWOODY CRIER ARCHIVE PHOTO

Versatile Video on Chamblee Dunwoody Road was open for 27 years, from 1981 until 2008.

7 timeless kitchen trends that will never look outdated

cabinet fronts, these functional features will never be outdated.

Built in Appliances

Between expensive appliances, custom cabinets, and costly countertops, we spend a lot of money on our kitchens. In fact, according to John Hogan, Owner of Remodeling Expo Center in Roswell GA, the median spend on a kitchen remodel was $32,000. To make sure that all of this money isn’t creating a kitchen we’ll want to update again in five years, the trick is to incorporate timeless design elements that won’t soon go out of style. By choosing kitchen features that can stand the test of time, you’ll save yourself money (and the work of remodeling) down the line.

So what are the kitchen trends that won’t make you cringe a few years from now? Skip the trendy color of the year, and follow these timeless kitchen ideas that have been loved for decades.

Neutral Paint Colors

The classic white kitchen is sometimes critiqued for being a little boring—but there’s one solid reason to opt for this color in the kitchen: It will never go out of style. According to Remodeling Expo Center, a whopping 43 percent of renovating homeowners opted for white cabinets. Not sure which shade of white to go for? Don’t worry, soft grey’s are also just as popular and combining the two work well also.

Shaker-Style Cabinets

Known for their simple design and recessed-panel doors, Shaker cabinets have been in-style for more than 100 years. Shaker cabinets are popular in farmhouse kitchens, transitional kitchens and are the perfect element to update an otherwise traditional house.

Drawer and Cabinet Organizers

I’m calling it: Organization will never go out of style. And while features like built-in baking sheet dividers and pull-out cabinet drawers haven’t been around for that long, when hidden behind unfussy, timeless

Nothing finishes off the look of a kitchen like the smooth finished look of a built-in appliance. Especially the refrigerator and the microwave. And conversely, nothing looks more outdated than a refrigerator or microwave sticking out or on the countertop. A thoughtful kitchen design should include clever and seamless appliance installation.

Natural Materials

Adding in natural materials like wood and stone will ground the space and keep it classic. If you want a timeless look, resist the urge to create an ultra-modern kitchen full of shiny stainless steel and engineered materials. Resist the feeling that “natural” equals “old” White Marble “Look” or Butcher Block

Countertops

The white marble look will always be an elegant choice for kitchen countertops, but if the maintenance and potential for staining has you worrying about its longevity, consider using quartz. For a more classic look consider butcher block. The go-to choice for farmhouse kitchens, butcher block will wear beautifully over the years and you can prepare food directly on it.

Subway Tile

Subway tile is not only versatile enough to work with many different decor styles, but you probably won’t get sick of it in five years (after all, the look’s been around for over 100 years). While it may be tempting to go with a trendy backsplash, like metallic tiles, sea glass, or bright geometric tiles, opt for something a little simpler if you want a backsplash with staying power.

To learn more, contact The Remodeling Expo Center at 404 910-3969 or stop in at 48 King Street, Roswell, GA 30075. www. RemodelingExpo.com

Sponsored Section

Brought to you by – Remodeling Expo Center

Start the new year in a new custom modern farmhouse

Brought to you by – Wesley Hansard, Harry Norman Realty

As the new year arrives, it brings the opportunity for new beginnings and fresh starts. Imagine yourself a year from now, in your brand-new home, looking back at all the memories, laughter that filled the walls and how you made your new house a forever home. In early spring, I will have two move-in ready homes and 6 pre-sale lots available, from two Custom Builders I have worked with over the years, Peachtree Gardens and Platinum Design Build. These Modern Farmhouse floor plans include spacious and open living areas, making it ideal for entertaining, primary bedroom on main, with walk out back yards. These homes are located in a desired area of Milton, Hopewell Road located right next to The Manor.

My name is Wesley Hansard and I have been a local Realtor in North Fulton for over 8 years, specializing in Luxury Homes. If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment to tour these custom homes, I’m just a phone call away. If you’re interested in selling your home or buying, let’s set up a time to grab some coffee and talk about your goals for your home in 2023.

PROVIDED

The Manor Golf & Country Club offers spectacular luxury estates

Nestled in the heart of Milton, Georgia, The Manor Golf & Country Club offers an unparalleled lifestyle in one of Atlanta’s most sought-after locations. The exclusive high-end gated community features custom luxury homes by award-winning design and build firm Loudermilk Homes.

The Manor Golf & Country Club offers Georgia’s only Tom Watson designed championship golf course, a world class amenity package, and an exceptional country club lifestyle. The 32,000-square-foot European-style

clubhouse overlooks Manor Lake and is the perfect venue for social events and other activities. Enjoy swimming, tennis, a golf pro shop, family and fine dining, private lessons and more in one beautiful location. In addition, The Manor is also part of the Sequoia Club, which gives members access to all three premium Sequoia sister clubs within a 10-mile radius: The Manor Golf & Country Club, White Columns Country Club, and Atlanta National Golf Club.

Currently available is 1069 Kent Court, a spectacular new luxury estate situated on the 7th and 8th holes of the golf course. Situated on a 1-acre quiet and private cul-de-sac homesite,

this modern custom designed home offers breathtaking views, incredible architectural distinction, open concept living and gorgeous designer selections. Enjoy a spacious owner’s suite on the main level, five large bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a grand gourmet chef's kitchen with custom cabinetry, a deluxe island and a professional grade Wolf appliance package. There is also a second catering kitchen and a four-car garage. Selections were planned by the professionals at Loudermilk Designs and can still be personalized with your own preferences for marble, quartz, custom cabinetry, detailed millwork, decorative tile, luxury lighting and more.

Current list price is $2,895,900.

The Manor Golf & Country Club offers additional ready-to-build homesites, award-winning schools and a popular location just minutes from historic downtown Alpharetta, Roswell and Crabapple. Enjoy the gourmet local dining and shopping of a small town plus the convenience and proximity to GA 400, Avalon and more. Homes priced from $2.6 to $8 million plus. For additional information, call 678.578.6766 or visit www.themanorhomes.com. Sales and marketing by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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

ISTOCK

Four steps to estate planning

Estate planning is an essential part of ensuring that your assets will be left to your heirs, not the government. Having an estate plan also stops unwanted disputes and protects your loved ones from debts and taxes.

There are four steps to an estate plan. The first is to create a will. It may surprise you to know writing a letter isn’t enough - the court generally only accepts a will written with appropriate legal language, and it must be notarized. So, make sure you do your research before writing one.

Your second step is to consider setting

up a trust. Surprisingly, having a will isn’t enough as it has to go through probate court - a costly and lengthy process that opens up your assets to being claimed by creditors. A trust can avoid this, but you must consider whether setting one up makes sense for your assets. As long as you have property, a trust makes sense since properties are one of the most contested inheritances.

The final steps are to notify your heirs and write a letter to them. Neither are legal procedures, but it gives your loved ones peace of mind and lets them know your final wishes.

GEERDES

LOOKING FORWARD

Atlanta 2023 real estate update

Wow! It is hard to believe we are kicking off 2023 already. We all know 2022 was unprecedented in many ways. We saw all-time high property values driven by a lack of inventory, a lot of buyers and multiple offers which was all compounded by the lowest interest rates we’ve ever seen.

As 2022 has shown us, real estate can be unpredictable. Let’s talk about what we can expect moving forward in our local real estate market in the upcoming year.

The last quarter of 2022 has helped us move towards a more neutral

market for both buyers and sellers — which is exciting all around. With this shift, we bring back more negotiations, an ability for buyers to truly evaluate if a property matches their needs, and more reasonable win-win solutions in contract terms that can benefit both sides!

For many younger buyers and sellers, this may be the first time they’ve really seen a more neutral market. The average days on market in our area is still between 30-45 days, which is historically excellent, still making it a great time to sell. The higher inventory levels and less competitive atmosphere make it a great time to buy!

Education is the best tool right now. Setting expectations for buyers

and sellers is the easiest way to create a positive and happy transaction experience for everyone in 2023.

Atlanta was named the TOP property market for 2023 according a recent report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). There were 10 key metrics evaluated and Atlanta was the only city that met them all! Our housing affordability, growing employment opportunities and population growth are a few of the categories compared to the national average. These indicators provide the needed support to allow home values to continue to rise by 5% in 2023 according to NAR. This far exceeds the

expected national median home price growth of .3% making Atlanta an excellent place to live — and own property!

Please reach out to me to help you plan your real estate moves in 2023. Happy New Year!

Investing in your home is one of the hardest and most important decisions you will make for your family. You don’t have to do it alone! Call or email Sam today and we’ll evaluate your needs and get your family into the best schools the area has to offer.

Call 404-803-5999 or email sam@ homegeorgia.com and get a response within 24 hours.

Brought to you by - Sam DiVito, REALTOR® HOME Real Estate, The Kloster Group

DIVITO

ISTOCK

Creating shelf scapes ….

The decorating process of a room requires many steps. Selecting wall and trim colors, the selection of furniture and the placement within the room, choosing a perfect rug, along with embellishing the space with lamps and artwork are all integral components in creating the perfect space.

Let’s focus on one aspect of the design where attention to detail is recognized. I believe it makes a big difference in the room to have well-appointed bookcases. Book casements often flank a fireplace or a free standing display case may be chosen to adorn a side wall. Allow me to make suggestions to insure a great look. Eliminating some of the shelves particularly in built ins’ will add some depth and freedom for creativity, remember that while symmetry and balance is important, spacing the shelves evenly is not necessary, I prefer to stagger them. Painting the back walls of the bookcases

with a contrasting color or applying a textured wall coverings such as grass cloth, will with either option make a very custom design statement. The shelves may be adjusted to accommodate the size and shape of the art objects being displayed.

When beginning to place accessories start with some artwork that is positioned leaning on or hung to the back walls, this adds dimension and interest by pulling the viewers eye into the shelf scape.

Enjoy the process of placing your favorite treasures and collectibles on the shelves. The use of books is always encouraged, they can be stacked vertically and horizontally often providing a perfect elevation for an object of art. Small lamps are a welcomed addition, particularly when built in lighting isn’t present. Electrical outlets are often found in the cabinetry bellow the shelves and simple holes can be drilled at the back of the shelves to drop cords from view. The soft illumination will be sure to enhance the overall look and create a dramatic affect.

Well-appointed shelves allow you to tell a visual story, share memories, revisit favorite places and honor family history’s. They create the perfect opportunity for great conversations and welcomed compliments from family and guests.

Peter Benedetto, Interior Designer is an accomplished, award winning interior designers with Tuscany Fine Furnishings, providing …Lifestyle Driven Design...Furnishings for Every Room in Your Home, 1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd. Suite 315, in Roswell, 770-993-0640 ext. 2, Showroom Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6 p.m. Sun. 1-5 p.m… See why…26,000 Families Follow and Shop Tuscany on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, WHATSAPP BUSINESS, GOOGLE BUSINESS AND YOUTUBE... Everyday!

Brought to you by – Peter Benedetto, Tuscany Fine Furnishings

Luxury is defined

by a level of service.

Scan to view this month’s collection of featured properties exclusively represented by our firm.

NOTHING COMPARES.

Why staging helps your home sell

out online.

2. It demonstrates possible solutions.

Every home has unique characteristics that make it attractive to the right buyer and unique challenges that make finding the right buyer more involved than putting a sign in the yard. Often, the appeal and function of a space hide beneath layers of cosmetic difficulty—a dated layout, fading paint or personal clutter, for example—and these things get in the way of a buyer seeing themselves living there.

As one of the most financially significant purchases any buyer will make in their lifetime, a home represents (potentially) millions of investment dollars, years of memories and thousands of hours of time. Before all that gets put on the line, buyers need to make an emotional connection to the home. They need to be able to visualize their life expanding and taking shape, fitting itself into each square foot. When done properly, staging addresses this need in several ways.

1. It enhances photography and online marketing efforts.

The drive to curate home and lifestyle purchases online means that professional photography makes a world of difference in marketing a listing, and staging ensures that you get the most mileage from that expense. Smart design choices go a long way to creating an aspirational, Instagram-worthy quality that stands

Perhaps your home has a few dated features or an odd floor plan. Instead of investing in expensive renovations, staging is a cost-effective option that allows potential buyers to see past the initial drawbacks to the possibilities. It also helps depersonalize a space, removing the stamp of “someone else’s things” and creating the sense of neutral territory. Professional staging companies will bring in furniture, art and accessories that enhance your home and provide a thought process for buyers to follow as they envision themselves living there.

3. It increases the selling price. Staging boosts your home’s perceived value and curb appeal, which translates to higher profits and less time on the market.

If you’re wondering whether you need to think about staging your home, ask your agent. They know the market in your area and will be able to give you an informed opinion. If you need assistance staging your home or have any other real estate needs, please contact Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300. We would be happy to assist you!

Compiled and edited by Angela Valente, Marketing Copywriter/ Copyeditor

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

RAWLINGS

Free clinic opens in Forsyth County

Organization converts healthcare landscape

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — The first patient at the Forsyth Community Clinic last October came in looking for an eye exam. She got something else.

Staff couldn’t provide the exam but convinced her to stay to be processed as a new patient. When she was taken through a preliminary health screening, they found she was on the verge of a medical emergency.

Her blood pressure levels were through the roof, and they rushed her to the emergency room to receive care.

“It was less about that immediate need and just treating her as a human being and being there with her,” said Evan Shoemake, executive director of the Forsyth Community Clinic (FCC).

The first of its kind in Forsyth County, the clinic provides no-cost, non-emergent healthcare to Forsyth County residents ages 18 to 65. Those who qualify for services are uninsured and sit below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

The clinic currently sets up shop at The Place, a nonprofit social services organization, and has serviced around five patients so far.

Patients can receive a number of services, including basic diagnosis and treatment for hypertension, diabetes and cholesterol, eyes, ears and nose exams, heart and lung exams, Body Mass Index screening, urinalysis and Patient Health Questionnaire depression screenings.

Patients also have access to a network of free referrals for additional medical, dental and behavioral health services and receive follow-up services.

“There’s a lot of follow-up at free clinics that I don’t think exist in regular health care,” Shoemake said.

Free healthcare

There’s often a misperception of free clinics, Shoemake said, that they only treat addicts, people with mental health issues or undocumented workers. He described two conferences with the Georgia Charitable Care Network, in which people spoke passionately about the spectrum of patients who receive services at free clinics.

“... ‘Our patients are real people. I don’t care … what boxes they check on the form. They’re just people who need help, and we’re here to help them,’” Shoemake recalled from the conference.

Shoemake, himself, earned a master’s degree and was a full-time freelance writer before his new position and didn’t care

about health insurance until he needed it. With two back-to-back medical emergencies, he used a free clinic.

“It just made such a difference to know that there’s somewhere I can go and not go broke,” Shoemake said.

Forsyth County is fortunate enough to have many people with higher income levels who can afford health insurance, FCC Board Chair Kristine Walden said, but the area also has a significant population of people who cannot afford basic health insurance.

“We wanted to provide a way for them to receive primary health care, for adults in need, to help either prevent illness or prevent an existing medical condition from becoming worse,” Walden said. “So many of us are only one unfortunate incident away from losing our health insurance, or no longer being able to afford it.”

Clinic days

The first clinic day took over The Place’s conference room, equipped with a large roster of volunteers and new software and computers. Patients could talk to a pharmacist and a physician assistant on screens. Nurses had their own office cubicles to allow for private treatment. Reception sat in the middle, acting as a pivot point for patients.

“...[T]o see all of them just step in on a Saturday morning at eight o’clock with no idea of what we were doing and just make it work — I was so impressed,” Shoemake said. “They smiled, they were happy and loved the process.”

Because The Place’s donations were overflowing, stacked to the ceiling in the conference room, the second clinic day in November was in the main lobby. While The Place has little free space, the clinic’s board of directors made sure the clinic

was as private and comfortable as possible.

“Everybody on the board has said that we want people to feel they’re going to a medical office that looks good and professional — not your grandmother’s closet or something,” Shoemake said.

Big plans are in store for the operation, though. By late January, the clinic should have its own spot, Shoemake said. But as of now, clinic days are scheduled for the last three Saturdays in January at The Place.

Labor of love

The Forsyth Community Clinic was inspired by an idea of pharmacist and former Board Chair Carrie Hamilton, who went on a mission to Haiti and saw the amount of good that could be done in a

EVAN SHOEMAKE/PROVIDED

The Forsyth Community Clinic medical staff collaborate with one another on the clinic’s opening day Oct. 29 at The Place.

Clinic:

short time with people who were excited to serve others. Knowing neighboring counties had free clinics that were exclusive to residents, Hamilton and a few others gathered in 2018 to form the FCC Board.

The group lost a year and half due to COVID but had monthly Zoom meetings to continue preparation. They set themselves up as a nonprofit organization, forming bylaws and articles of incorporation, developed a strategic plan and figured out how to begin clinic operations, like obtaining volunteer medical professionals.

Luckily, Georgia offers Sovereign Immunity for medical volunteers when they donate their time and their skills to a free clinic, Walden said. The Geor -

gia Volunteer Health Care program of the state’s Department of Public Health also grants continuing education credits to volunteers, which benefits medical professionals whose practices require licensing.

The board also had to hunt available grants. One paid for Shoemake’s position. They also hold fundraising efforts. The FCC recently launched its first fundraising campaign called “1K are A-Okay.”

The fundraiser, intended to track the first 1,000 patients treated at the clinic, declares the first 100 people to donate $1,000 to be part of the Founders Club. Shoemake said the cost to treat each patient is around $100, versus thousands spent in the emergency room.

“So, a $1,000 donation means, instantly, that 10 people are on a pathway to receiving health care and just a better overall quality of life,” Shoemake said.

EVAN SHOEMAKE/PROVIDED

The Forsyth Community Clinic medical staff collaborate with one another on the clinic’s opening day Oct. 29 at The Place.

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