Milton Herald - March 30, 2023

Taking the next steps

Wellstar opens new $12 million cancer facility

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Wellstar North Fulton Hospital opened the doors to a $12 million comprehensive cancer center at a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 23.

The 12,000-square-foot facility offers advanced cancer treatments including CyberKnife radiation therapy, a Specialty Teams and Treatments (STAT) Clinic, imaging services and an outpatient infusion center.

Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson, Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison and other Roswell city officials joined hospital representatives for the ribbon cutting.

Wellstar North Fulton President JonPaul Croom said the comprehensive cancer center is the only one of its kind in North Fulton County. Wellstar North Fulton’s sister facility, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is the only other program in the area that offers the same level of cancer care, he said.

Croom credited the bulk of the development to Dr. Mark McLaughlin, a radiation oncologist who spearheaded the expansion.

“About four years ago, we got together with physicians in this area and administrators from Wellstar Health System to share a common goal,” McLaughlin said. “That common goal was to provide comprehensive, truly integrated cancer care at the Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center.”

McLaughlin said when he came to

See WELLSTAR, Page 14

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770-442-3278

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319 N. Main Street Alpharetta, GA 30009

Two teens arrested in home shooting

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Police Department announced March 14 they have charged two teenagers in connection with a March 3 shooting at a home on Wexford Hollow Run.

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On March 3 at around 5 p.m. officers responded to reports of a person shot at their home. When they arrived on the scene, officers found a 17-year-old boy with a gunshot wound to the face. They took the victim to a local hospital where he was treated for

POLICE BLOTTER

serious injuries.

Police found that the victim was with two friends in the basement of the house, a 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy. Roswell officers said the 15-year-old illegally was in possession of a handgun, which he pointed at the victim and fired. Afterward, the 15-year-old gave the handgun to the 17-year-old, who fled the scene and hid the weapon.

Officers are still investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting, but they think it was negligent misuse of a firearm rather than the result of an

who had access to the garage was a handyman she had known for 10 years. There was no video footage available.

Three women suspected of stealing merchandize

argument.

The 15-year-old was arrested by Roswell Police and taken to the Metro Regional Youth Detention Center. He was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes, tampering with evidence, obstruction and possession less than an ounce of marijuana.

The 17-year-old was arrested, charged with tampering with evidence and taken to Fulton County Jail. Police are still investigating the incident.

with a slight build, weighing around 120 pounds. She had black hair, brown eyes and wore a purple tracksuit with green camo, wore black boots and had a black purse.

Thief steals toilet paper from detached garage

MILTON, Ga. — A woman off Charlotte Drive told Milton Police March 13 that someone entered her detached garage and took 16 rolls of toilet paper.

The victim said the burglary happened sometime between 7 a.m. March 10 and 6:19 a.m. March 13. She pointed to a set of open shelves where she keeps her home paper products, the police report said, and the top shelf where toilet paper is stored was empty.

The victim said a side garage window that was regularly locked was unsecured, and a piece of tape sealing the bottom of the window was also missing. But there were no “overt indications” that anyone had exited the garage through the window, the police report said.

The victim said her husband is bedridden, and the only other person

MILTON, Ga. — The manager of Bath and Body Works on Ga. 9 described three women to Milton Police, who she suspected stole dozens of items valued at $1,109 March 16.

The three entered the store at different times, the manager said, then went around the store placing products into large duffle bags they had brought with them.

The first suspect was described as a Black female, 5 feet 11 inches tall and had a heavier build, weighing around 200 pounds. She had black hair, brown eyes and a carried teddy bear duffle bag. Employees told police they knew this suspect from previous incidents.

The second suspect was described as a Black female, 5 feet 5 inches tall with a medium build, weighing around 150 pounds. She had black hair, brown eyes and wore an orange tracksuit.

The third suspect was described as a Black female, 5 feet 4 inches tall

Jewelry taken from home on South Burgess Trail

MILTON, Ga. — A woman, who lives on South Burgess Trail, discovered her small black jewelry box missing which contained more than $15,000 in jewelry.

On March 16, the woman told Milton Police she last saw her jewelry March 13 before she left for work at 9:30 a.m. and discovered it missing March 15 at 12 p.m.

The woman said she thinks the entry point possibly could have been through the window from the rear deck roof. But police did not see any signs of forced entry or any damages on the roof shingles. She was not certain whether she’d locked her upstairs windows or left it cracked, the police report said.

The woman said there were no signs of anything else in the house being disturbed or any damage to her doors or windows.

No cameras were on scene.

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.

Consultants present next steps for Mayfield District

Milton makes headway on municipal elections

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — After months of public workshops to create a defined character area for the District at Mayfield, the project’s consultants submitted recommendations to the Milton City Council March 20 based on final design plans.

The district covers about 18 acres in Crabapple and includes 22 parcels with properties off Broadwell Road, Charlotte Drive, Mayfield Road and Mid Broadwell Road. The District at Mayfield will have more strict development regulations intended to keep the area’s unique identity intact. Elements of the overlay district would fall under Crabapple form-based code.

Residents have stated their preference to connect any new construction to historic buildings in the area.

“We knew the plan wasn’t going to reflect a strong preservation aspect, but it had to be acknowledged,” said Ryan Snodgrass, a planner with TSW, the design firm heading the project.

The Milton Historical Society has been involved in the process, providing insight into the area’s historic side and holding educational sessions with the public on some of the properties at risk.

Jeff Dufresne, Milton Historical Society president, is also a member of the project’s steering committee.

Final plans

The Preferred Master Plan presented at the March 2 public workshop and open house has been adjusted in a few key ways to accommodate further input. However, a density of 5 units per acre in each of the plan’s four areas, broken up by a majority property owner, remains intact.

One of the biggest changes from the previous plan, Snodgrass said, is the removal of the roundabout and reorganization of buildings to create a more “village feel.”

Snodgrass presented some familyoriented and more quiet open spaces sprinkled throughout the final concept plan in addition to commercial building styles. The preferred style is low scale, Snodgrass said, and commercial structures designed to look like residential, or cottage-commercial buildings.

Snodgrass also highlighted a closure to a portion of Mid Broadwell Road for a pedestrian corridor, beginning near the

corner of Broadwell and Mayfield roads.

City Councilman Jan Jacobus said he was surprised at the limited number of residential structures on the final plan. Snodgrass said that while previous plans included more housing, the community didn’t want single-family detached homes or townhouses.

There are only four purely residential dwellings in the plan, all located off Mid Broadwell Road, a detail discussed with the property owner.

Snodgrass couldn’t confirm how many of the district’s 11 property owners participated in the public workshops, but all were invited.

During public comment, one property owner in the District at Mayfield said he had never been consulted about plans.

“Until we have been at least consulted with or involved in the process, we strongly oppose any moratorium or motions to develop our property without permission,” Jeff Pedowitz, the property owner said.

A moratorium has been in place since last summer to stall development in the district. It is set to end June 20.

TSW’s Caleb Rocicot proposed updates to the Crabapple form-based code to support the project’s vision, but he emphasized that there would be no change in density.

“We’ve made a very deliberate effort to recognize that the vision and the code work hand-in-hand,” Rocicot said.

Changes fall under two categories, which are the regulating plan, or the

zoning map, and the standards, Rocicot said,

Elections progress

Milton has checked some boxes in its drive to conduct its own municipal election this year.

The city fixed and published qualifying fees and approved some “housekeeping” measures, updating city code. City staff, including City Manager Steve Krokoff, Deputy City Manager Stacey Inglis and City Clerk Tammy Lowit, also attended election training and obtained the Municipal Election Official Certification.

Krokoff told the City Council an elections superintendent needs to be named by April 10. While no official vote was taken on the matter, councilmembers agreed Krokoff should take on the role. They also said the city should hire an experienced consultant to assist.

“Considering it’s our first time through, it’s like going to medical school but never doing surgery,” Krokoff said. “I think every aspect of the process would be nice to have somebody that’s ‘been there, done that.’”

Also at the meeting, Lowit displayed maps offering options for city polling locations.

The Municipal Elections Feasibility Committee, which has investigated selfrun municipal elections, recommended the city have two polling locations. Historically, Lowit said Milton has had

eight Fulton County polling locations on election day.

Lowit proposed the layout of two locations but maps options that contain three polling locations. All maps mimicked the county’s precinct lines but were colored differently to tend to the lower number of locations.

Inglis provided estimated costs for two, three and eight polling locations. In the first year, staff estimated that two polling locations would cost the city $98,382. A third polling location would add about $11,000 in cost.

If the city were to keep eight polling locations, it would spend $166,522 for the first year.

Krokoff said he thinks Milton is the only North Fulton city running its own municipal elections this year. Johns Creek and Roswell officials have already said they will continue their contract with Fulton County to operate polling, although they plan to study the issue further by the time 2025 municipal elections roll around.

Alpharetta is still in the process of making its decision. And, Sandy Springs does not have a municipal election this year.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea for us to have a chance to do this alone so we can ensure, without any distraction — not that I’m disparaging any of our sister cities that are all wonderful places,” Moore said. “But we need to ensure our own success because this is going to be under such scrutiny...”

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Caleb Rocicot, planner with TSW, proposes updates to the Crabapple form-based code to support the vision developed for the District at Mayfield at the Milton City Council meeting March 20.

CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED Pictured is the final concept plan for the District at Mayfield.

Former Forsyth County official Cooper dies after cancer battle

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County announced former County Commissioner Molly Cooper died March 22 following ongoing health issues caused by pancreatic cancer.

Cooper was elected as District 1 Commissioner in 2018. The County Commission elected her as secretary in 2020 and vice-chairwoman in 2021 and 2022.

“We will forever remember the many contributions former Commissioner Cooper made to the County, including dutifully serving with professionalism, integrity, humility and compassion despite fighting cancer during most of her term as commissioner,” County Manager David McKee said.

Cooper was a county resident for 30 years. She served as president of the Republican Women of Forsyth County, president of Civitan and vicechair of the Forsyth County GOP.

Visitation was scheduled for March 26 at McDonald and Son Funeral Home from 10 a.m.-noon, followed by a burial service at Kennesaw

Forsyth County employee nominated for 2023 Custodian of the Year award

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Kelly Mill Elementary School Head Custodian

Richard Toomey has been selected as the Georgia finalist in the Cintas Corporation’s 10th annual Custodian of the Year Contest.

The winner of the competition receives $10,000. Kelly Mill Elementary School will receive $5,000 in cleaning products if Toomey wins, as well as enrollment in the Global Biorisk Advisory Council Fundamentals Online Course and a free facility assessment and consulting package from ISSA — the worldwide cleaning industry association.

FORSYTH COUNTY/PROVIDED

Former Forsyth County Commissioner Molly Cooper died from pancreatic cancer March 22. Cooper served on the Board of Commissioners from 2019-2022.

Memorial.

Donations in Cooper’s name can be made at http://cummingcivitan.com/ and http://jewishforsyth.org.

The top three winners also receive an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas for the ISSA Show North America in November to celebrate their accomplishments.

“School custodians are beacons of light in their communities, and students look up to them as positive role models who lead by example,” ISSA Executive Director John Barrett said.

Toomey started at Kelly Mill Elementary School in 2015, and he has held the role of head custodian for four years.

He said it is an honor to be nominated, and the appreciation from students makes him proud to do what he does every day.

“It’s just been an amazing experience,” Toomey said.

Kelly Mill Elementary School Principal Tracey Smith said Toomey created a

group huddle among custodians every day to bring them closer.

“It’s those little things like that that make him deserving of this award,” Smith said. “And so, you know, we’re just excited that he is getting recognition for something that he is so deserving of.”

The Forsyth County Board of Education also recognized Toomey for his nomination at its March 21 meeting.

Voting for Toomey is open through April 14 at custodianoftheyear.com.

KELLY MILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL/PROVIDED Cintas Corporation announced Kelly Mill Elementary School Head Custodian Richard Toomey as the Georgia finalist in the 2023 Custodian of the Year Contest.

King’s Ridge boys basketball wins first state championship

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The King’s Ridge Christian School made history March 11 in the Macon Centreplex when the boys basketball team defeated Mount Pisgah 68-58, earning the title of Georgia High School Association’s Class A Division 1 State Champions.

Led by head coach Bob Martin in his fifth year, the team returned to the championship game for the second consecutive year after finishing runner-up in 2022. The team finished the season 23-10 and faced tough competition weekly as a member of Region 6, which housed three of the final four teams in the tournament.

King’s Ridge hit the road as a No. 4 seed to face Social Circle in round one with a 69-60 final, Rabun County in round two with a 65-30 final, Woodville-Tompkins in the quarterfinals with a 62-54 final and Mount Vernon in the semifinals at 53-48 before returning to Macon. Micah Hoover with 25 points and Zak Thomas with 24 points were the leading scorers March 11.

The Tigers were led all season

by its four seniors Micah Hoover, Isaac Martin, Jack Thomas and Zak Thomas.

“We are grateful for the many blessings this great game has given us. We use basketball as a tool to help develop intangibles such as

discipline, teamwork, friendships, commitment, attitude, and dealing with adversity,” Martin said. “While we may fail at times, the lessons learned along the way will make the biggest difference. The players bought into the team by being

selfless and accomplishing a goal bigger than themselves. That is the biggest win of all. We were blessed with the opportunity to play in a state championship game and win. We thank God every day for His many blessings.”

KING’S RIDGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL/PROVIDED King’s Ridge Christian School boys basketball team earn the title of Georgia High School Association’s Class A Division 1 State Champions March 11.

April showers readers with wide variety of book activities

By KATHY DES JARDINS CIOFFI newsroom@appenmedia. com

Joining April’s mixed springtime bag of sunshine and showers is a similarly diverse array of author events. From Dunwoody’s Lemonade Days Festival to an evening of paranormal discussions, and historical fiction championing women to writing guidance for all, April’s book offerings are as varied as a spring bouquet.

Here are some details about these and other events: CULLEN

SLIMMING

More info

On April 22, Atlanta Authors will host bestselling historical fiction novelist Lynn Cullen, author of “The Woman With The Cure.”

Author Jan Slimming is organizing appearances by 20-plus writers at Dunwoody’s Lemonade Days Festival

Literary Events Around North Atlanta

Saturday, April 1, George Weinstein and Kim Conrey. Married authors Conrey and Weinstein will be selling and signing books and chatting with readers in Alpharetta. Conrey is the debut author of the sci-fi romance “Stealing Ares,” and Weinstein’s most recent release is “Return to Hardscrabble Road.” 11 a.m. Conversation, signing. Free. Posman Books, 4105 Avalon Blvd., Alpharetta, 470-5095727. posmanbooks.com

Tuesdays, April 4-May 23, George Weinstein. Weinstein, executive director of the Atlanta Writers Club and author of six novels, returns to lead “Telling Your Story: Start It, Finish It & Share It – Part 2,” an eight-week interactive class for anyone 50 and older (though writers of all ages can connect with Weinstein through AWC.) The two-month program, which is open to anyone interested in writing, and not just those who attended the first series, is offered by Seniors Enriched Living, a nonprofit interfaith organization. 1:15 p.m. weekly. $70. Roswell United Methodist Church, 814 Mimosa Blvd., Roswell. 770-993-6218. https://sites.google. com/selroswellga.org/seniors-enriched-living/classes/ spring?authuser=0

Thursday, April 13, Jennifer Laguzza Dickenson. In 2011, Dickenson was a busy lawyer when she was diagnosed with grade 4 brain cancer and given scant hope for survival. “The Case for Hope: What I Learned on My Journey from Cancer to Wellness: We Can Heal,” published in March 2022, details Dickenson’s cancer journey. 5 p.m. Discussion, signing. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Thursday, April 13, Townsend Prize for Fiction. The award ceremony for the Townsend Prize for Fiction, hosted by the Atlanta Writers Club, will be held in midtown Atlanta. North Fulton authors among the 10 finalists include Kimberly Brock, “The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare,” and Anjali Enjeti, “The Parted Earth.” Tickets include a buffet dinner, drinks and more. 6 p.m. $60. Atlanta Women’s Club Wimbish House, 1150 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta. atlantawritersclub.org/writer-resources/awc-townsend-prizefor-fiction

Saturday, April 15, Morgan Rodgers. Rodgers’ new novel, “Family Business,” a story of twists and turns, is a page-turner. 11 a.m. Talk, signing. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Tuesday, April 18, Ann Hite and Delilah S. Dawson. A Novel Idea presents a paranormal night promising “An Evening of Unknown Expectations” from a pair of bestselling authors. Hite’s newest book is “Haints on Black Mountain,” and Dawson’s latest release is “The Violence.” 7 p.m. Discussion, signing. Free. Vintage Pizzeria, 5510 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 770-509-5611. anovelidea.us

Saturday, April 22, Lynn Cullen. Atlanta Authors hosts the bestselling author of historical fiction as she discusses her new release, “The Woman With The Cure.” Cullen’s book is based on the true story of Dr. Dorothy Horstmann, whose groundbreaking research helped make the polio vaccine possible. 2 p.m. Conversation, signing. Free. In-person and online. Roswell Library, 115 Norcross St., Roswell. 404-6129700. forl.net/atlanta-authors

Saturday, April 22, George Weinstein and Kim Conrey. Conrey and Weinstein return, this time at the Cumming City Center Spring Market. 10 a.m. Talk, signing. Free. Cumming City Center Spring Market, Vision Drive, Cumming. 678-4724708. cummingcitycentermarket

Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23, Lemonade Days Authors and Friends Bookstore. Twenty local authors, including nine from North Fulton, will appear for personalized book signing sessions during the Dunwoody festival’s 23rd year. Authors appearing include bookstore organizer Jan Slimming with her trio of World War II books, including “Codebreaker Girls: A Secret Life at Bletchley Park.” 10 a.m Saturday, noon Sunday. Brook Run Park, 4770 N Peachtree Road, Dunwoody. dunwoodylemonadedays.org

Thursday, April 27, Emily Carpenter. The bestselling author of “Burying the Honeysuckle Girls” returns to uncover a faith healer’s elusive and haunted past in “Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters.” Carpenter’s novel, a mix of historical fiction, mystery and thriller, has something for everyone. 5 p.m. Discussion, signing. Free. Poe & Company Bookstore, 1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101, Milton. 770-797-5566. Poeandcompanybookstore.com

Saturday, April 29, Independent Bookstore Day at Bookmiser. The bookstore, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, will be observing Independent Bookstore Day with giveaways, story time, “epicurean delights” and much more. All day. Free. Bookmiser, 3822 Roswell Road, Roswell. 770-509-5611. bookmiser.net

To submit an author event for the upcoming month, email Kathy Des Jardins Cioffi at kathydesjardins3@gmail.com by the 15th.

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS

Name: Super Chix

Owner: Missy Moon

Description: At Super Chix, we serve fresh, never frozen chicken. We marinate our fillets and jumbo chicken tenders in house each day. All our produce is delivered fresh and cut by hand. To top it off we serve hand-cut

fries, premium frozen custard, & an unlimited dip sauce bar.

Opened: February 2023

Phone: (770) 864-5682

Address: 4712 Ashford Dunwoody Rd

Ste 360, Dunwoody, Georgia, 30338

Website: https://www.superchix. com/

Name: The Halal Guys

Owner: Joseph Hafez

Description: The Halal Guys are bringing American Halal Food to the masses. Featuring a flavor profile that can't be replicated in any other cuisine format, flawlessly cooked, premium quality Halal meats that are seasoned to perfection,

and a melting pot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors that are sure to delight.

Opened: March

Phone: (770) 559-5505

Address: 237 Perimeter Center Pkwy NE, Dunwoody, GA 30346

Website: https://thehalalguys.com/

Name: Bloom Holistic Dentistry

Owners: Dr. Zahra Punjani

Description: At Bloom Holistic Dentistry, we provide high quality, personalized and comprehensive dental care for adults and children in a comfortable and friendly environment. As a holistic or integrative dental office, we evaluate and treat the entirety of

the mouth’s structures and functions as it relates to overall health and wellbeing.

Opened: November 2022

Phone: (770) 396-1188

Address: 200 Ashford Center North; Ste. 330; Dunwoody, GA 30338

Website: https://www. bloomholisticdentistry.com/

Name: Business Owner’s Emporium

Owners: Chastity Conn Moore

Business Description: The Business

Owner’s Emporium offers 7,000 sq ft of private office, meeting, and cowork space. Our community is designed to inspire, connect, and support small businesses and entrepreneurs. We

feature amenities and on-demand business services to help entrepreneurs correctly structure and grow their businesses.

Phone: (678) 587-5278

Address: 56 Perimeter Center East; Suite 150; Dunwoody, GA 30346

Website: https://bizownemporium.com

Residents propose taskforce to address content in school libraries

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County parents and residents asked the Board of Education March 21 to address sexual content in library books following months of debate on the subject.

The Board of Education affirmed the district media committee’s decision to allow Jay Asher’s “13 Reasons Why” to remain in a district middle school’s library. The 2007 novel details the events that lead to a teenage girl’s suicide.

“I just want to say that our opinion today doesn’t say that the book is good or bad or appropriate or inappropriate,” District 5 Board Member Mike Valdes said. “It’s very narrowly focused on: Did they follow the policy? And in my opinion, they did.”

Schools Superintendent Jeff Bearden said it is not the board’s role to act as the book police in the county, but it serves to provide oversight and ensure the district is run well. After the vote, one audience member shouted, “Did you read the book?”

Speakers at meetings had insisted the School Board address library books they deem inappropriate for children.

Mama Bears of Forsyth County members

Alison Hair and Cindy Martin filed a successful lawsuit against the board in 2022, which allowed Hair to continue reading explicit passages from books in local school libraries at board meetings.

Last month, Martin read an explicit

excerpt from a novel that is available as an audiobook at West Forsyth High School, and two speakers agreed the district should limit students’ access to the material.

Sex education policy

At the March 21 meeting, speaker Lauren Voyles said the mature books violate the district’s sex education policy, and she recommended the board create a taskforce to address the books.

“We elected you to represent us and our morals and our values at a local level,” Voyles said. “This is going to impact our kids for decades. We all know this is wrong. We all know this is wrong, so where are we supposed to go? We’re just supposed to ignore it, like it’s just going to go away on its own? It’s not. These are our children.”

Speaker Katherine Wolter also said she suggested the board create a taskforce, and she volunteered to become a member like Voyles.

However, Forsyth Coalition for Education member Becky Woomer said the county has a good media review process.

“Our mission is to protect students’ rights and to respect the work and expertise of teachers, media specialists and principals,” Woomer said. “While we have a range of advocacy interest in education, there’s a lot of urgency right now around book challenges. Our position is, if there’s a school library book you don’t want your child to have access to, no problem. If there’s a book you don’t want my child to have access to, massive problem.”

Woomer said Forsyth County students are entitled to a diversity of voices and viewpoints in their books,

and while library books harm nobody, intolerance and hate spoken in the community does.

Providing safe haven

Also at the meeting, the Board of Education heard a presentation by West Forsyth High School students Ava, Emma and Maddie on the Welcoming Wolverines, a group dedicated to making friends with students and providing a safe place.

“These kids have huge hearts,” group sponsor and Counseling Secretary Christine Jackson said. “They are full of kindness, love, compassion. They connect with everybody they meet. They make everybody laugh, but most of all, their smiles and their laughter are contagious.”

The three students shared why they joined the Welcoming Wolverines, and they presented each boardmember with a bracelet with positive words of affirmation, which they often make for students in the group.

“I had a friend who lost his life in 2021,” Ava said. “And I wonder if he had a group like this, or a place where people could just have, like, genuine connections, he would still be here with us today. And I wonder how many people’s lives we’ve saved. And if we could just save one life, it would mean a lot for all of us to connect. And I know it’s helped save mine.”

Emma said the group plans to power wash, provide yard work and clean a retirement home this spring.

Board members also recognized Kelly Mill Elementary School Head Custodian Richard Toomey for his nomination as a top-10 finalist in Cintas Corporation’s 2023 Custodian of the Year contest.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA Forsyth County parent Lauren Voyles addresses the Board of Education at its March 21 meeting. Voyles requested the board create a taskforce to address sexual library books available in the district.

The City of Roswell is discussing changes to its open record policies, claiming it receives far more requests than any other city. Appen Media decided to find out if that’s true. It’s not.

Roswell gets fewer record requests than most nearby North Fulton cities

By DELANEY TARR and CARL APPEN delaney@appenmedia.com carl@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The City of Roswell was scheduled this week to consider changes to its open record policies that would require people to either provide “verifiable” names and addresses or go to Roswell City Hall in person to retrieve requested records.

Some city officials say the move is an effort to address a large volume of requests, claiming Roswell receives considerably more inquiries than other North Fulton municipalities.

Appen Media decided to find out if that’s true. It’s not.

In fact, Roswell has received fewer record requests than almost all of its sister cities this year, according to documents reviewed by the news organization.

Roswell has received 406 requests since Jan. 1, according to the City Clerk’s office. The city has approximately 92,530 residents.

Sandy Springs, its neighbor to the south, received 947 requests over the same time period. Sandy Springs has approximately 14,000 more residents than Roswell.

Milton, a city less than half the size of Roswell with 41,259 residents, received 507 requests.

Only Johns Creek, a city slightly smaller than Roswell, received fewer requests. Officials there provided documents showing it had received 323 inquiries during that time.

Alpharetta, a municipality consistently compared with Roswell despite its

Newspaper Delivery Route Openings with Appen Media Group

We are looking for one person or couple interested in delivering weekly newspapers in South Forsyth, Alpharetta and the Johns Creek areas.

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smaller population, takes the cake. That city received 1,336 requests, more than three times as many, during the same time window.

It’s worth noting that Roswell was one of only two cities that charged Appen Media for documents related to this analysis, despite the query being the same across jurisdictions.

Residents, including one sitting City Council member, have raised concerns about the legality of the proposed policy changes.

At a March 14 Administration, Finance, Recreation and Parks Committee meeting, Roswell Councilwoman Sarah Beeson cited state law that dictates any person, corporation or entity may request access to public records.

“I cannot be emphatic enough about how much I oppose this resolution,” Beeson said.

Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson assured residents that longtime City Attorney David Davidson has approved the measure after speaking with the state Attorney General’s Office. The resolution, Davidson said, is “simply following state law.”

Appen Media requested documents to vet that statement through an open records request, but the city has not yet provided them.

Among the six members of the City Council and mayor, Beeson was the only elected official to speak against the policy change.

The measure is scheduled for an official vote before the City Council at its next regularly scheduled meeting March. 27.

CHART BY CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Johns Creek seeks ‘vitality’ in city’s branding campaign

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Vitality Committee has been tasked with efforts to cement a health and wellness brand for the city, but its path forward is still up in the air.

Formerly called the iHeart Johns Creek Advisory Committee, Johns Creek created the group in 2020 to promote the city’s image as a healthcare, wellness and innovation destination.

Since August 2022, the Vitality Committee has participated in special events like the International Festival, Trunk or Treat, the Diwali Festival and the Arts Festival where members surveyed visitors, distributing fliers and branded merchandise. A more recent development, led by the committee, is the inaugural 5K run at Cauley Creek Park.

But there was consensus among the City Council at both the March 14 work session, and at the January strategic planning retreat, that the group needs more structure and pointed direction.

City Councilman Bob Erramilli noted that committee attendance has been sparse. Only four of its 11 members showed up in February, he said.

“It seems to me that if there is some great purpose for that organization, they will be motivated to show up there,” Erramilli said.

Finding staff support

Since the retreat, the committee has received more support from city staff through Economic Development Manager Randall Toussaint. While Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry suggested the committee continue working with Toussaint, others said his existing responsibilities are a greater priority.

Councilman Chris Coughlin offered a potential avenue, once mentioned at the retreat, like working with Olivia Ammons, assistant to the city manager. Ammons leads Green Communities initiatives.

Councilwoman Erin Elwood proposed the City Council charge the Vitality Committee with a specific research project, like Town Center.

“What does a healthy Town Center look like? And what have other

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Johns Creek City Councilman Bob Erramilli discusses potential objectives for the Johns Creek Vitality Committee at a council work session March 14.

Northview High School presents Interschool Genetics Symposium

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — More than 50 students, parents and residents gathered at the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce for a student-led Interschool Genetics Symposium March 18.

The event, hosted by the Northview High School Genetics Engineering Club, aimed to create awareness of careers in genetics and science, technology, engineering and mathematics – or STEM.

Club founder and President Vaishali Prahalad said she and the club organized the event to interest students in STEM by showcasing how a future in the fields could look. The symposium featured a Q&A session with three professionals in medicine and genetics.

Prahalad said she had been conceiving the symposium for months, and the club had worked hard to put it together.

“Being able to share what we have put together was really, really meaningful and powerful,” Prahalad said. “And I hope that in the future, we will keep continuing to get people to commit and dedicate themselves toward science.”

The panel included 10X Genomics Science and Technology Advisor Nirav Patel, Emory University School of Medicine genetic counselor Lauren Lichten and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Pediatric Rheumatology Fellow Dr. Christian Oliveros. All fielded questions from students and parents

Branding:

Continued from Page 12

cities done when they leaned into creating … a culture of wellness in their city?” Elwood asked. “Why are they known for that? Maybe it’s the infrastructure, maybe it’s the policies or programs …”

Elwood said the Vitality Committee is perceived as a “branding committee,” but it doesn’t make the brand. Branding falls under the scope of the city’s Communications Department, she said.

Some councilmembers wanted to cancel the committee’s April meeting to regroup but ultimately decided to move forward as scheduled.

“Obviously, we’ve got work to do,” Bradberry said.

on internships, opportunities and how to get started in STEM fields.

Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry, who inaugurated the event, said life science and biosciences have a strong and growing presence in the city.

“I feel like this is a very auspicious occasion,” Bradberry said, “because, you know, basically what this represents to me is that our community, especially at the student level, is hand in glove with what we're attempting to do at the city level.”

Bradberry said Boston Scientific is coming to the Town Center’s

Mayor opines on media

At the following City Council meeting, former Johns Creek City Councilman Brian Weaver shared concerns with the council about the city’s role in the Juneteenth celebration, which was approved last month. Weaver was asked to join the Juneteenth Planning Committee.

Weaver said he was informed that all decisions would have to go through city staff first. Concerned that the city might become a “dictator” in Juneteenth planning, Weaver reminded councilmembers that the Arts, Entertainment and Culture (ACE) Committee recommended a partnership with Impact Johns Creek.

He questioned the city’s process and noted that the event was once headed in a different direction.

“It was, I guess, the combination of the Fourth of July and

Innovation Hub later this year, and the city will repurpose the water reclamation plant at Cauley Creek Park into a STEM playground this summer.

“That is something that, whether it's going to be robotics or something related to art or engineering, that is going to be a place that, of course, you can enjoy the fun parts of the park,” Bradberry said. “But there, you'll be able to actually have a space where you can pursue your extracurricular intellectual endeavors as well.”

Greg Hampikian, founder of the

Juneteenth,” he said.

While public comment does not typically entail back-and-forth, Mayor Bradberry interjected and said, “Yeah, that’s a … that’s a misnomer that’s been put out there. And I was disappointed that the media was led to believe that because there was no basis in fact.”

In early February, Appen Media reported that the idea of a freedom festival, which would wrap Fourth of July and Juneteenth together in a weeks-long celebration, had been floated at a previous ACE Committee meeting.

The comments can be found around the 47-minute mark in the Dec. 8 ACE Committee meeting video recording, available on the city’s website.

The committee’s idea of a freedom fest was also mentioned by Bradberry, himself, at the

Idaho Innocence Project, presented via Zoom on the use of genetics in exoneration efforts in Georgia and across the country.

The event concluded with a student-led interactive game in which participants used their phones to design a baby using CRISPR, a genome editing technology. Students in the Genetics Engineering Club also shared recent projects.

Students interested in starting a genetics engineering club at their school can reach Prahalad at vaishali.prahalad@gmail.com for more information.

strategic planning retreat Jan. 29 in Greenville, South Carolina.

While no city video of the retreat is available, Appen Media was in attendance, and its reporter audio taped workshop discussions.

Speaking at the Jan. 29 retreat, the mayor commented on the concept.

“One thing that the [ACE] Committee is talking about is — just like we have July 4, Juneteenth is very significant to, you know, our Black residents,” Bradberry said Jan. 29. “And the possibility of maybe combining those in some way as like a … almost like a two-week freedom festival, when they celebrate freedom for everyone in our country …”

To Bradberry’s comment, Councilman Erramilli asked for clarification.

“Juneteenth to July 4?” Erramilli asked.

Bradberry said, “Yeah.”

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

From left, panelists Nirav Patel, Lauren Lichten and Dr. Christian Oliveros answer student and parent questions at Northview High School Genetics Engineering Club’s Interschool Genetics Symposium at the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce March 18.

Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry speaks at Northview High School Genetics Engineering Club’s Interschool Genetics Symposium at the Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce March 18. Bradberry inaugurated the event and recognized the growing STEM industry in Johns Creek.

Wellstar:

Wellstar North Fulton about five years ago the cancer care process was disjointed for patients. There was no “one-stop shop” to receive care, and with spread out doctors and appointments things fell through the cracks.

“It’s really difficult for patients to navigate that very difficult diagnosis,” McLaughlin said.

When the oncologist presented his cancer center plan to Wellstar North Fulton President Croom, he said the goal was to make that vision a reality. The vision came with a hefty price tag, though: $12 million.

McLaughlin said he’s glad the Wellstar administration decided to invest fully into the cancer center. The money went to advanced technology like CyberKnife, an approximately $6 million radiation therapy device.

The CyberKnife is a non-invasive device that uses “real time imaging” to treat difficult to reach spots, like lung and brain tumors. With those areas, McLaughlin said the tumor is “always moving.” CyberKnife has a robotic arm that moves with the patient, allowing high doses of radiation to hone in on the tumor’s location.

“What it allows people to do, instead of having five to eight weeks of treatment, it can shorten that to one to five treatments,” McLaughlin said.

The concentrated radiation allows patients to finish treatment faster. Prior to the cancer center in Roswell, patients would have to travel to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital for the CyberKnife treatment.

According to McLaughlin, the hospital in Kennestone has one of the second busiest CyberKnife treatment programs in the United States.

The Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is about 40 minutes from Wellstar North Fulton Hospital. McLaughlin and Croom

said the distance adds difficulty to treatment for patients and their families.

“When my parents were diagnosed with cancer and treated at Kennestone, it was hard for me to get from appointment to appointment,” McLaughlin said.

A key feature of the cancer center in Roswell is the Specialty Teams and Treatments Clinic, called “STAT” by hospital staff. The model brings medical, surgical and radiation oncology under one roof. Rather than having cancer patients travel to see specialists, they can meet with an entire team in one location at one time.

“All the doctors all know each other and are talking to each other, so you’re getting one congruent answer,” McLaughlin said.

Collaboration between doctors keeps patients from receiving different medical opinions as well. McLaughlin said typically, if a patient visits a surgical specialist, they’ll simply perform the treatment rather than look at another option.

At the cancer center, he said doctors can “put their heads together” to figure out the best care for a patient, even if it differs from what the patient expects.

“If I have a patient that comes in and says I want CyberKnife, we’ll meet in the clinic and I’ll know the CyberKnife is not their best treatment,” McLaughlin said. “It could be medical, it could be a combination, but the model allows us to discuss things with the patient.”

The cancer center will officially open to the public on March 27, but the CyberKnife machine is already at full capacity. The hospital expects to serve many of the cancer patients who have had to relocate to Kennestone Hospital for comprehensive care. Croom said Wellstar is already looking towards cancer center expansions to accommodate more patients.

“Cancer is one of those diseases that touches so many people, everybody has somebody that has suffered from it or died from it,” Croom said. “It’s so real, and to be able to have something right here, where you don’t have to go to Atlanta or travel long distances is just right.”

Continued from Page 1

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Wellstar Health Systems officials hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Wellstar North Fulton Hospital Cancer Center on March 23 at Hospital Road.

Roadblock to records impairs public access to open government

“Open government is essential to a free, open, and democratic society…”

§ 50-18-70, Georgia Open Records Act

As Roswell City Council prepares for the final deliberations of a resolution that would alter the city’s Open Records Request policy on Monday, March 27, I urge my fellow councilmembers to pause and reflect on the spirit of the Georgia Open Records Act, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and our charge as lawmakers to foster an open government.

According to language in the pending resolution, the City of Roswell would require requesters to provide “verifiable” names and addresses to fulfill open records requests, or if the requester wishes to remain anonymous, to require retrieval of their request in person at City Hall. To me, this proposed change begs a lot of questions: what is “verifiable” identity? How does one remain anonymous if they are required to appear in person to retrieve public records? Why does Roswell need to implement this change while other cities do not require the “verified” identity to fulfill and collect fees for open records requests? Why does the resolution state that this change is needed in order to collect existing charges for fulfillment, yet we’ve never had a requester fail to pay in the past?

The Georgia Open Records Act makes very clear the definition of public records, the timeliness of response on behalf of agencies providing access to said records, and that public records must “be open for personal inspection and copying.” The act goes as far as

agencies the ability to reasonably charge for cumbersome requests, and even defining how much an agency can charge for such requests.

Want to know what the Georgia Open Records Act never defines? A requirement to provide identification on behalf of the requester.

In accordance with this law, the City of Roswell currently charges a reasonable fee for the preparation and fulfillment of Open Records Requests. We’ve also never had a requester stiff the bill. So, to say this change is necessary to recoup taxpayer costs is a red herring. As a public agency, the City of Roswell is legally obligated to provide non-exempt public records within a timely manner regardless of who made the request. Whether the open records request is initiated by Councilmember Sarah Beeson or Mickey Mouse, the city is equally held to the same requirements for fulfillment. The burden of transparency lies on us as a city — not on the private citizen to divulge their identity in exchange for public information which they’re legally entitled to receive.

There is a long tradition of anonymity and the role it as a concept plays throughout the shaping of the American government — going back as far as Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay publishing the Federalist Papers under the thenanonymous pseudonym “Publius.” The cover of anonymity allows for private citizens or members of the press to request information duly owed to them as enshrined in law without fear of retribution. Anonymous free speech is a protected right according to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution — a document we as duly elected councilmembers are sworn to uphold. With that, I implore my fellow councilmembers to remember our shared oath and side with transparency

ALPHARETTA-ROSWELL

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Conversation around a table in Knoxville

We were sitting around a table with friends at a restaurant in Knoxville. We had driven up because our friend’s adult granddaughter Kelsie, who works at the Knoxville Museum of Art, was introducing a new exhibition that she had curated, and we wanted to see it – as well as visit her grandmother and her parents. We have known everyone for many years; they are island friends who we only see when we are at the beach.

Kelsie is an artist herself – incredibly talented, creative, smart, and her own person, just like her grandmom. She is one of those people who just seems to ooze talent which is communicated by the sparkle in her eyes, her clothes and hair, and a certain reserved confident aloofness – not a casting judgement aloofness, but a demeanor of someone who perhaps sees things that other people do not.

The exhibit pulled almost a dozen artists from all over the South as well as local artists. The art was full of big ideas – big picture vistas – “high art.” That is, most of it was contemporary, mixed

medium, conceptual and symbolic. Think plastic, glass, photo-images, cardboard, dreams, memory and more.

All the artists were there with their work. The museum was serving hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer, and there may have been music. The exhibit was a true event – a melding of ideas, talent, knowledge, experience and connection. Everyone seemed to be plugged into the same energy, and at times it felt overwhelming to me, but, at the same time, alive, engaged, and fun.

Anyway, as we sat around the table post-show, my wife was telling a story, and part of the story for some reason had something to do with Johnny Carson. She stopped mid-sentence during her story though, and looked at the granddaughter and said, “you have no idea who I am talking about do you? You don’t know Johnny Carson, do you?” Kelsie’s completely blank look on her face was her answer. She looked around the table for clues. Nothing. We got nothing.

I think most of us were caught off guard momentarily – surprised and startled a bit. It was no big deal though; it was just one of those moments. I mean, why should we expect a gen Y to know Johnny after he had been off the air since 1992? (The last show was

May 22, 1992 – wow. The first show was October 1, 1962.). The rub is that he/ his memory remains so clearly in place for my generation and those close, and it is hard to remember that our frames of reference – no matter how clear they are to us – may be diddly squat to others.

Who is Johnny Carson?

Who is John Galt?

How about Lenny Bruce, Richard Brautigan, Ken Kesey or Wavy Gravy?

How about David Foster Wallace, Julia Butterfly Hill, Bobby Sands, or H Rap Brown?

And Rachael Carson?

I know them all, but, well, that’s just me. Others do not. Indeed. But they know people and stuff and events that I don’t know. Maybe that’s the point.

When son Hans was in first or second grade at Alpharetta Elementary, his teacher (Mrs. Benton?) asked him what his favorite music was. “Anything by Rodgers and Hammerstein,” he replied. Huh?

I polled my kids – just for fun – asking them if they knew who Johnny Carson was. They made fun of me and my question. Figures.

To try to buffer possible

RAY APPEN

Publisher

Kelsie Conley stands for a photo.

PRESERVING THE PAST

Free flying aficionados bring craft to Dunwoody

Man has yearned to fly for centuries.

Initial efforts involved hot air balloons and gliders. In fact, in the 1480s Leonardo da Vinci made more than 100 drawings of a flying machine that he never built. He just wanted to show how man could fly. According to NASA, the modern-day helicopter is based on his design.

In 1783, the French Montgolfier brothers invented the first flying hot air balloon. The first passengers were a sheep, rooster and duck. The colorful silk balloon rose 6,000 feet and traveled more than a mile. Soon, the brothers were sending human passengers aloft.

In the mid- to early 1850s, George Cayley, an English engineer, designed many gliders. Later in the century German engineer, Otto Lilienthal studied the flight of birds and wrote a book that the Wright Brothers used as a basis for their designs. Unfortunately, Lilienthal was killed when one of his designs crashed with him aboard. In 1891 Samuel Langley, who was director of the Smithsonian Institute, built a glider with a steampowered engine. Orville and Wilbur Wright studied these and other early pioneers to develop their “Flier” that they took turns piloting four times on December 17, 1903, thus ushering in all that has come after them.

I mention these early champions of flight to highlight the fact that flying on currents of air is the basis of controlled flight. In this age of rocket ships and jet planes, it is easy to forget how much we owe to those who proved that objects could be suspended in and made to fly freely on currents of air.

A small but dedicated group of

Knoxville:

Continued from Page 16

embarrassment for Kelsie, I asked her if she was familiar with Howard Finster. Her face lit up. “Yes, of course. Summerville. I was at his studio last year. Some of my friends have some of his stuff.” It didn’t look like anyone else at the table – there were about 10 of us –other than my wife – had Finster on their radar.

Who is Howard Finster?

I often say that “everything important

enthusiasts are keeping the notion of free flying alive locally. These knowledgeable and very patient individuals, many with technical backgrounds, devote countless hours to making and flying model airplanes that depend on air currents to stay aloft and have great fun in the process. They call themselves the Thermal Thumbers of Metro Atlanta.

Free flight model airplanes have no external controls. The goal of the sport is to achieve the longest flight duration possible by making minute adjustments to the design and trim of the airplanes. Two kinds of free flight airplanes are used, indoor and outdoor. The two types are quite different in appearance, size and weight.

I learned in life, I learned from my children.” Well, almost everything. And the irony is that one of the main reasons they can teach me, is because I taught them – and they remember.

William Faulkner said that “the past

More about Kelsie

Kelsie Conley also owns and manages her own gallery in Knoxville called “Bad Water Gallery” (website: LvL3official.com). It is located at

Indoor models are very light, typically weighing no more than a dollar bill or a baby aspirin and fly very slowly. They are powered by special rubber bands, twisted by a device that provides a set number of twists to help assure desired flight characteristics. Too many twists and the plane will hit the ceiling. Typically, the planes are flown in school or church gymnasiums with high ceilings. Competitions are held locally, nationally and internationally every two years. One popular location for world championship competitions is a vast salt mine in Romania noted for its still, cold air and 200-foot-high ceiling.

In early March, members of the Thermal Thumbers gathered in the

isn’t dead; it isn’t even past.” It is still with us – every day. And he could also have said that the future is here too, now. That was crystal clear in Kelsie’s show – for all to see – frozen in time in the museum that afternoon, in a still

320 East Churchill Ave. Her gallery recently was cited in London’s Financial Times along with three other galleries around the world as an example of the new emerging art venues of note – “making shows for the next generation.”

gymnasium of St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody with its ultrahigh ceiling for a day of practice flights and competition with their delicate balsawood models. Doors must be kept closed and ventilation turned off to “calm air currents,” says Dohrman Crawford, Thermal Thumbers of Atlanta vice president and ex-Viet Nam War forward air controller and retired Delta Airlines pilot He says that a welldesigned and adjusted model plane may occasionally fly up to one hour, although most test and practice flights are timed to last just a few minutes.

Outdoor models are usually larger and heavier. They often have engines that shut off soon after launch to help the planes catch the thermal drafts that can carry them to amazing heights. Finding the thermal drafts is one of the challenges of this sport. Different kinds of outdoor models exist each with its own specifications and rules.

Radio controlled model airplanes are also popular outdoors, but they are in a special category and are not considered free flight.

In the U.S., the sport is supervised by the National Free Flight Society. The first national competition was held in 1915.This year the nationals will be held at the University of Idaho June 19-23. The World Air Sports Federation (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) supervises international competitions.

Newcomers of all ages are always welcome to visit or become involved with the Atlanta area group. For information, contact James Martin, jnnmartin1963@gmail.com.

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.

moment – ha, Elliot’s “still point,” while we talked, listened and looked.

The older I get the more I realize that every moment matters. Every connection. Every memory. Every player on stage. The more we see, the more context we absorb, the more meaning we add to our lives. And the moments we miss, or ignore, or don’t see on late night tv, or hear in our parent’s voice as they read to us, or study about in school, is an excruciating loss that we often don’t even see or realize. But it is a loss for all.

Who is Johnny Carson? Who is Howard Finster? Indeed.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

DORMAN CRAWFORD/PROVIDED

Dorman Crawford, vice president of the metro Atlanta free flight indoor model airplane club, the Thermal Thumbers, prepares to launch a Phantom Flash, an indoor model designed in the 1930s and still popular today.

Get prepared: It is time for hummingbirds to return

What a joy to see the variety of birds that come to my bird feeders and suet baskets each day! As the temperatures warm and the day length increases, more birds will return from their winter migration locations. At the beginning of April, when the spring flowers begin to bloom, it is time to prepare for the return of the hummingbirds by adding a hummingbird feeder filled with sugar water to my collection of bird feeders and suet baskets. At the end of September each year, I remove the hummingbird feeder because the hummingbirds are departing for their long migration journey to their winter feeding grounds in Mexico and Central America.

The males leave first, followed by the females two weeks later. Because hummingbirds depend on nectar for survival, they are not attracted to my feeders filled with black sunflower seeds. Most hummingbird feeders are red because hummingbirds are attracted to red flowers. Store-bought, pre-made nectar can be used to fill your feeder, or you can make your own. Tips for creating your own hummingbird nectar include:

• Make a mixture of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar.

• Boil the water and add the sugar stirring until the sugar dissolves.

• Do not add red dye! There is no research that proves red dye is safe for hummingbirds.

• Clean the feeder with soap and water and rinse thoroughly.

• After the sugar solution cools, add it to the feeder.

• Store the extra solution in the refrigerator.

• To prevent mold, clean the feeder every other day, rinse thoroughly to remove any soap residue, and add fresh nectar.

A suggestion: you might want to add two hummingbird feeders and, if possible, space them several feet apart. Last summer, I observed whenever two hummingbirds arrived at my feeder, only one bird would place its long beak into the feeder to obtain the nectar water. In fact, the male hummingbird at the feeder was aggressively signaling the other hummingbird to leave the area near

About the Author

the feeder. Male hummingbirds are small but they are also very territorial!

To attract hummingbirds to your garden, add some native flowers such as cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Eastern columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), or jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) to your garden. Other excellent additions are native vines such as trumpet-creeper (Campsis radicans) or coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens). Avoid using insecticides, as insects are also important to their diet and provide a source of protein needed for these active birds.

Hummingbird identification is easy. Why? There is only one species of hummingbird that spends its mating and nesting season in Georgia, the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris).

Because hummingbirds are small, get out your binoculars in order to distinguish between the male and female hummingbirds. The male, as in most birds, is the most colorful and has a ruby throat and iridescent green back. The female is also beautiful with her iridescent green back, but instead of a ruby throat, she has a white throat speckled with a few grey dots.

Here are some interesting facts about ruby-throated hummingbirds:

• They only weigh 2 to 3 grams, the equivalent of 2 to 3 paper clips.

• They are one of the smallest birds in Georgia.

• They must consume half of their body weight in nectar each day to maintain their high metabolism.

• Their heart beats 1,260 times per minute.

• They breathe 250 times per minute.

• They are the only birds that can fly backwards.

• Males do not participate in making the nest or feeding the young. After mating, the male abandons the female and looks for another mating opportunity.

• The female constructs a nest out of plant material and spider webs and camouflages the nest by gluing lichen to the exterior.

• Almost without exception, the female lays two tiny white eggs in her nest.

• The incubation and fledging periods take about one month. The eggs are incubated by the female for 12-14 days. After hatching, the female feeds the young for 14-18 days.

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.

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a 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. After retirement in 2008, she had three goals: to move from Pittsburgh to Atlanta to be near her daughter and granddaughter, to volunteer, and to become a Master Gardener. Shortly after moving, she became involved with the philanthropic mission of the Assistance League of Atlanta (ALA) and in 2012, 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. She also volunteers weekly at the ALA thrift store and acts as chair of their Links to Education scholarship program. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking, and reading.

For more information

• Stan Tekiela, Birds of Georgia, Second edition, Adventure Publications, 2021, ISBN: 978-1-64755-200-8

• Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer, Field Guide to the Birds of America, National Geographic. ISBN: 1-42620071-4, pages 278-9, 82-3.

• Roger Tory Peterson, Peterson Field Guide to Eastern and Western Birds, Seventh Edition, Mariner Books, 2020, ISBN-10 132877143.

• Charles Seabrook, “Male hummingbirds ready for fleeting, flitting romance,” Wild Georgia, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Saturday, April 23, 2022.

•https://site.extension.uga.edu/ paulding/2021/06/creating-ahummingbird-habitat/

•https://avianreport.com/ hummingbird-identification/

CAROLE MACMULLAN Guest Columnist

DEBBIE KOENIGS/USFWS

Ruby-throated Hummingbird on Common Milkweed

BILL THOMPSON/PROVIDED Ruby-throated Hummingbird

PROVIDED

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Female Drinking

COURTNEY CELLEY/USFWS

A male ruby-throated hummingbird hovers near a feeder, showing part of his tongue.

Tornado devastated Dunwoody 25 years ago

A category F-2 tornado cut through Dunwoody a little after midnight April 9, 1998, leaving a path of destruction. More than 3,000 homes were damaged, 1,500 families were displaced, and damage to homes and property exceeded $150 million. In all, 70 homes were destroyed.

Tragically, John Janisch of Delverton Drive died when a tree struck his home.

Local news station 11 Alive reported there were 62 tornados in a three-day period ending with April 9. The tornado that struck Dunwoody began its path in Alabama and touched down in Cobb County. In Dunwoody, it came across Chamblee Dunwoody Road, moved east along Peeler Road, down Tilly Mill Road, through parts of Kingsley, across Happy Hollow Road and through Fontainebleau Forest, then across Winters Chapel Road into Lockridge Forest. Finally, it struck Peachtree Corners and northern Gwinnett County. (Dunwoody Crier, June 1998, “April 9, 1998: The Storm”)

Those watching weather reports on television just after midnight heard the warnings to take cover, but those who had gone to bed already either woke up to a

sound like a freight train or to the sound of trees crashing all around or on top of their homes.

Some in the direct path tried to walk out in the night with flashlights once the tornado had moved on, only to be unable to maneuver around the fallen trees in the dark. Others walked out the next morning to see the snapped and fallen trees and damage to their property.

Dunwoody High School was set up as a shelter for those whose homes were damaged, but many stayed in their homes if they were able. Others stayed with family or friends or rented nearby. There were blue tarps on houses all up and down the streets with the most damage. Homeowners were advised to be wary of those trying to take advantage of the desperate situation, over-charging for tree removal and repairs.

A large pin oak fell on the home at Donaldson-Bannister Farm during the tornado, damaging the two front upstairs bedrooms and the chimney. Other trees fell through the windows of the dining room, plus there was damage to the barn. Owners Linda and David Chesnut repaired all the damage and replaced damaged magnolia trees.

The tornado’s path included what was then DeKalb College, today’s Georgia State University Dunwoody Campus. Eighty percent of the trees on campus were snapped or uprooted. Travis Weatherly,

director of plant operations, seeing the damage for the first time the following morning, observed, “There are no words to describe the destruction.” There were fallen trees everywhere, broken windows, roof damage, and water inside buildings. The campus remained closed through the following weekend. (Dunwoody Crier, April 4, 2018, “Dunwoody Tornado April 9, 1998 “)

The Dunwoody Homeowner’s Association, Dunwoody Preservation Trust and Dunwoody Nature Center joined forces following the tornado with an initiative called “Replant the Dunwoody

Forest.” More than 25,000 trees were planted around Dunwoody thanks to the effort.

Lemonade Days, Dunwoody Preservation Trust’s annual festival at Brook Run Park, began the next year with a children’s carnival and tours of rebuilt and rehabilitated homes.

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

My ex-gall bladder: I never liked you anyway

It all began with the mother of all bellyaches. I figured it could have been the shrimp. Could have been.

I’d read once that time heals all wounds. Whoever said that has never heard me sing. There’s not enough olive oil (Mom’s surefire earache remedy) in all of Sicily for that to be true. Being somewhat intelligent, with a gullet feeling like it had been doused in week-old sun-drenched Tabasco, the inferno in my personal South-of-theBorder pulled a John Paul Jones and had just begun to fight.

That was on Friday and Saturday. By Sunday, with Northside Hospital seemingly so close I could touch it, I was like those poor saps who tap a keg and wait out a hurricane.

By Monday, I was on an emergency

room gurney, getting scanned, poked, prodded and scanned.

Before I go on, I need to ask a question: Do you know what a gallbladder is and what it does?

Me neither. I know I had one and now I don’t. Good riddance! You stay away and I’ll religiously avoid fried foods. But I’m still not eating lima beans.

I can attest that when it is infected, it’s time to batten down the hatches and pray for relief.

Figuring I’d be out of the ER in a few minutes, I knew we were in for a long haul.

On that Monday I was having a rotten day for figuring.

A nurse came to me and acted like I had won Powerball when she said: “We’re going to admit you.”

There were no spinning balls, just an uncomfortable bed with some cool buttons that it would have been a riot to push had I not been hurting so bad.

I was lucky. No lottery winnings

but at least I’m here to share this. My gallbladder was the width of a spider’s whisker from bursting, and if that had happened, instead of reading this, you’d be reading of a third-grader field trip to Mayfield Dairy.

I met the surgeon, Brian Whitfield VI. I’d never met a “6th” before. The closest I’d ever got to that long a lineage was listening to that old Herman’s Hermits song about the 8th, as in Henry.

Tuesday was a whiff of anesthesia that never lasts as long as it should. It was dreamy, and when I came to, the belly ache nausea pain was gone. In its place was soreness from where holes were punched in my torso, the result of laparoscopic procedure.

I was sore and alive. Dr. Whitfield found a big chunk of nasty infection around ol’ GB, my ex-internal organ who ditched me after 67 years. He scooped out that mess and kept me around to have more adventures and stories to share.

Coming out of the fog in my brain, I kept being asked if there was anything I needed. My reply of “three or four more wallops of that anesthesia,” which I found hilarious, was met with stern looks from a tough-as-shoe-leather nurse.

I also found that hospitals aren’t worried about leaky bed pans, inebriated doctors or trying to explain their bills. No, I kept being warned not to fall, but that I was expected to start walking the halls.

My request for happy juice was ignored, as was my request for some decent food.

I was home on Saturday, five days after walking through the ER door. I would have rather watched the Home and Garden Network for a month.

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

Donaldson-Bannister Farm was hit hard by the April 9, 1998 tornado.

MIKE TASOS

Columnist

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CITY OF MILTON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Date & Time April 18, 2023 6:00 P.M.

Location: City of Milton 2006 Heritage Walk Council Chambers Milton, Georgia 30004-6119 678-242-2500

Consideration of Primary Variances

a. V23-05, 14665 Glencreek Way

Request(s):

• To allow an existing accessory structure to encroach the 50-foot rear setback requirement by 41.6 feet. (Sec. 64-416 (d)).

b. V23-06, 2410 Saddlesprings Drive

Request(s):

• To allow an existing single-family home and concrete patio to remain in the City of Milton’s 50-foot stream buffer and 75-foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426(1)(2)).

• To allow a proposed new deck to encroach into the 75-foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426(2)).

• To allow a proposed new pool to encroach into the 75-foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426(2)).

c. V23-07, 3240 Francis Road

Request(s):

• To allow an existing single-family home to encroach the 60-foot front setback requirement by 23.9 feet. (Sec. 64-416(b)).

• To allow an existing single-family home to encroach the 25-foot side setback requirement by 10.7 feet. (Sec. 64-416(c)(1)).

• To allow an existing accessory structure to encroach the 25-foot side setback requirement by 4.9 feet. (Sec. 64-416 (c)(1)).

d. V23-08, 212 Ranchette Road

Request(s):

• To allow a proposed new guesthouse to be located in front of the primary single-family home (Sec. 64-1598 (b)(5)).

• To allow the existing carport and detached garage to remain in the City of Milton’s 50-foot stream buffer and 75-foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426(1)(2)).

• To allow the existing hot tub, pool and pool decking to remain the 75foot impervious setback. (Sec. 20-426 (2)).

• To allow the existing detached garage to encroach the 25-foot side setback by 10.8 feet (Sec. 64-416(c)(1)).

• To allow the existing carport to encroach the 25-foot side setback by 23.1 feet (Sec. 64-416 (c)(1)).

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Agilysys NV, LLC seeks a Manager, Technical Services in Alpharetta, GA to conduct hands-on design and programing of new product features. Apply https://www.jobpostingtoday.com/ Ref. #86883

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Workforce Development Coordinator

Develop programs and services for clients and students who are seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The coordinator collaborates with employers in the community who are hiring. The role also includes working one-on-one on job applications, resumes, interview preparations and offers tips for successfully securing and improving employment. Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field required.

For full job description see: https://nfcchelp.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/02/Workforce-DevelopmentCoordinator-2023.pdf. To apply, send resume to cswan@nfcchelp.org.

Accounting Specialist – PART TIME

Responsible for the day-to-day transactions within the accounting department. The specialist is accountable for preparing financial transactions, processing invoices, and entering general ledger data which will assist in balancing the income statement, managing budgets, and preparing financial reports. Role works closely with the Finance Manager and Director of Finance and Administration. Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or related field required.

For full job description see: https://nfcchelp. org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AccountingSpecialist-02.21.23-1.pdf. To apply, send resume to jrice@nfcchelp.org.

Now Hiring: Office Coordinator

Local commercial real estate company is hiring an Office Coordinator. The role includes coordinating administrative tasks between our property management, leasing and accounting departments. The position requires exceptional communication and organizational skills, knowledge of MS Office, a strong work ethic, internal drive, and a positive attitude. This is an office only (not remote work) position. Please contact us Employment@mpshoppingcenters.com for more information.

Part-time Office Space

Wonderful Office Suite Available

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Protestant church in downtown Alpharetta seeks a parttime (15-18 hours per week) Administrative Assistant for Youth & Children’s Ministries. In addition to normal administrative duties the candidate will assist with scheduling, social media, securing supplies, maintaining attendance records, planning events and mission trips. Qualified candidates are a person of outstanding character who is friendly, organized, able to prioritize, exhibits an understanding of the importance of confidentiality, and is willing and able to work in an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of all people.

A degree from an accredited college or university is preferred. Computer competence within Office 365, editing, and writing skills are required. Experience with REALM is a plus.

Successful completion of a criminal records and child abuse background check is required. Send resumes to alpharettajobopening@gmail.com.

• Marketing can be included

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• Parking

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• Private office suite within Appen Media Group’s building

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• Office has great light. Ground floor

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• Smaller office space also available in same building

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Contact Ray Appen via Text (770-527-4042) or email me at RayAppen@Gmail.com – or just call me but best to text and I will return your call.

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