Milton City Council plans to consider public meeting changes ► PAGE 4 Fe b r u a r y 8 , 2 0 2 4 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 1 9 , N o . 6
Providence Park ‘keeper’ joins Adopt-a-Trail effort By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — Charlie Lancelot, neighbor and longtime advocate of Providence Park, adopted one of three trails on the 42-acre space in Milton’s new Adopt-a-Trail program. The half-mile, paved white trail, which stretches down to the park’s pier, now sports the name “Betindiego Pass.” Betindiego is a combination of the names of Lancelot’s three dogs — Bety, Indie and Diego. Lancelot, 82, runs the trail just about every day, and brings his companions along, and he has been since he moved next to the park in the mid-’90s, back before the park was bought by Milton and when contamination plagued the grounds from commercial dumping. He moved there for the park, but it closed in 2001 for chemical cleanup. “I just decided arbitrarily, ‘No way. I moved next to these trails. I'm going to run these trails. If I have to remove the trees myself, I will,’” Lancelot said. “But, I'll do whatever I have to do to keep my trails I moved down here for.”
See KEEPER, Page 27 Charlie Lancelot, adoptee of the white trail at Providence Park, stands with his three dogs, Bety, Indie and Diego. Milton implemented the Adopt-a-Trail program in early November, which requires adoptees to conduct quarterly checks for dead or dying trees and erosion. CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED
BILL LUSK/PROVIDED
Residents of Providence Lake gather for a photo Jan. 29 after lining streets in the community with nearly 1,000 American flags to honor Col. Ronnie Rondem. From left, Kathy Hoffman, Dan Anderson, Cye Roodehchi, Charles Feyt, Jay Walsh, Jack Walsh, Janette Walsh, Georgina Farris and Don Hoffman worked with Milton Veteran Memorial Markers to make the tribute happen.
Residents honor local American hero By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — After a yearslong battle with cancer, retired Col. Ronnie Bjarne Rondem passed away in early January with his wife, Julie, by his side. He was 80. When Providence Lake Homeowners Association President Don Hoffman heard that
Rondem was ill, he sprung the community into action. Through the support group, Helping Hands, the Providence Lake community built a schedule to deliver meals to Rondem and his wife. “Ronnie Rondem was a longtime and active member of the Providence Lake community here in Milton,” Hoffman said. “Unfortunately, after just
Milton Theatre Company schedules spring musical ► PAGE 6
a few days of delivering meals to them, Ronnie passed away.” With the help of Bill Lusk, founder of Milton Veterans Memorial Markers, Hoffman organized a neighborhood effort to display American flags in honor and recognition of Rondem’s life and service.
OPINION
See VETERAN, Page 28
Meyers: Remembering J.B. Broadwell ► PAGE 22