Milton Herald - April 13, 2023

Milton offers invite to ‘Meet the Neighbors’

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Milton residents are invited to come out April 15 for “Meet the Neighbors,” an opportunity to interact with horses and those who love them.

Hosted by the Milton Equestrian Committee, the event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 12-acre greenspace at Freemanville and Birmingham roads. The entrance is 15660 Freemanville Road.

A primary goal of the occasion is giving people time with and exposure to horses — the “neigh” in “Meet the Neigh-bors” — whether they have ridden since childhood, live on a horse farm or simply want to hang out with animals.

The event will include a demonstration from the Milton FireRescue Department’s Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue Unit as

well as arts, crafts and other types of vendors selling equestrian-themed goods, and food and drinks.

“Meet the Neighbors” aims to increase awareness and foster Milton’s proud, storied equestrian community. That community includes those who

Governor notes

‘significant holes’ in state’s adopted spending package

By JILL NOLIN GEORGIA RECORDER

ATLANTA — Lawmakers signed off on a $32.4 billion spending plan for next year as the clock expired on the 2023 legislative session, although Gov. Brian Kemp warned of “significant holes” in the budget.

own horses as well as those who feel a special affinity with horses and what they mean to the city.

For more information, email Emily Salerno, Milton Community Outreach Manager, at Emily.Salerno@miltonga. gov.

Milton unveils online tool to help with fire, life safety

MILTON, Ga. — Milton recently unveiled CRAIG 3000, a valuable tool that can be used to better plan out fire and life safety initiatives.

While this program will be used primarily in-house by the Milton FireRescue Department, CRAIG 3000 has a public-facing component. This way, residents have access to key information and data points that will allow them to fully understand the factors and decisions made by Milton’s firefighters and city leaders.

A product of the National Fire Protection Association, the acronym CRAIG stands for Community Risk Assessment Insight Generator. Its dashboard incorporates incident data that’s overlayed with local community indicators. For example, you can dig deep into things like:

• Numbers and trends for fire, EMS (or medical), hazardous condition, even false alarm calls

• The “age,” number of rooms and household sizes of Milton residences

• Population breakdowns, like the percentage of those age 65 and over in specific parts of Milton

This type of information, as gathered and presented through CRAIG 1300, gives departments like Milton’s a more robust, fact-driven, holistic understanding of what’s called in, where and how crews are responding, and how the department can become even more effective.

To view the tool, visit miltonga.gov/ CRAIG1300.

“I think it’s important for me to say tonight that the recent news from the Federal Reserve and others suggest there may be storm clouds on our nation’s economic horizon,” Kemp told members of the Senate on the final day of the session. “Additionally, there are significant holes in this year’s final budget that my office will need to work closely with you all, the House and the Office of Planning and Budget to address in the coming months.”

Kemp called on lawmakers to assist in making the tough decisions necessary to keep the financial health of this state on sound footing.

As with all bills that pass through the Legislature, the governor has the power of the pen and can veto lines in the budget he finds problematic. The close of the session kicks off the usual 40-day bill signing period, and Kemp has already signed a few bills, including a controversial measure banning most gender-affirming care for minors.

Kemp also pressed senators to sign off on renewing a tax break for

See BUDGET, Page 6

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Couple suspects plumber may have stolen jewelry

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton couple reported the theft of a wedding ring from their home on Sonata Lane March 27.

The couple told Milton Police they noticed the ring missing that day after a plumber had performed work at their home earlier that day. They said the plumber arrived at 10:30 a.m. and said the work would take him from four to six hours to complete.

The husband left the plumber with his wife and children as he went off to work. When the man returned, he and his wife discovered that her $10,000 diamond ring was missing from the ring box in the master bedroom’s top dresser drawer.

The man said the plumber had been working in the area alone for several hours. The couple also showed police footprints on the carpet leading upstairs because the plumber did not wear shoe covers before stepping onto the light-colored carpet.

The man said he called the plumbing company, but the business would not give him any information on the plumber. He also said he wanted to give the plumber a chance to return the ring.

Scam victim duped for Peloton treadmill

MILTON, Ga. — Milton police were notified March 27 that a resident had been duped out of more than $1,200 in an online transaction for a

Peloton Treadmill and other exercise equipment he’d found on the website OfferUp.

The victim said that on March 26, he began exchanging texts with the seller, and they agreed upon a price of $1,239 for the treadmill, the police report said, including shipping from Statesboro.

The seller texted a shipping label from the UPS Store on Northside Drive in Statesboro with a tracking number, showing that the items would be shipped to the victim after receipt of the money. The seller asked that the payment be transferred to his wife’s Zelle account.

The victim transferred the money but became suspicious and contacted the UPS store in Statesboro. The store manager said he had no record of the shipping label texted to the buyer.

The manager also said the store would not have shipped an item as large and heavy as the Peloton Treadmill.

The victim’s bank confirmed that the money had been transferred.

Retailer reports theft of $1,000 in candles

MILTON, Ga. — Milton Police responded to a call March 29 in reference to a theft at Bath & Body Works on Ga. 9.

The store manager said that at 6:40 p.m., the suspect entered the store with two empty Bath & Body Works bags, grabbed candles off the shelves and placed them into her bags. The manager said 10 minutes later, the suspect passed all points of sale and left without paying for the merchandise. The value of the merchandise totaled $1,024.10.

The suspect was described as a Black female, around 5-foot-4 inches tall with a medium build and dark complexion, long braided hair, eyebrow piercings, a right ankle

tattoo and wearing a white tennis outfit.

The store manager said only the corporate office could access video footage of the incident.

Pair flees Home Depot after suspected of theft

MILTON, Ga. — The loss prevention officer at Home Depot on Windward Parkway informed police of an attempted theft April 2.

The officer said she witnessed a couple entering the store March 29 and grabbing a flat shopping cart. They selected a lawnmower, various tools, batteries and food items. The suspects are Acworth and Roswell residents.

The woman said the female suspect pulled the cart toward the front entrance while the male distracted the associate at the service desk. She said the female exited the store with the cart, passing all points of sale.

The store manager approached the female suspect who then fled back into the store, abandoning the cart of merchandise, the police report said. When the store manager approached, the male suspect exited the store and fled to his vehicle. He then picked up the female suspect at the back of the parking lot and left.

All the merchandise, valued at $1,840, was recovered.

The loss prevention officer said she was able to identify the suspects because the Home Depot in Roswell called her and asked if she had a theft with similar suspects and sent over pictures of the two. The Roswell Police Department arrested both suspects March 31 for a theft at the store.

Milton Police obtained a signed arrest warrant for both suspects for theft by shoplifting. Both warrants were signed by a Fulton County Magistrate judge.

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.

Theater loses contract with Roswell, moves operation to Marietta

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — For now, the website for the Roswell Cultural Arts Center says it is “proud to have the Georgia Ensemble Theatre as its resident artist company,” but that relationship is changing.

After more than 30 years of residency in Roswell, the professional mainstage plays at Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET) will have a new home at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre in Marietta.

Its contract was canceled at a Roswell Recreation Commission meeting in early March with a recommendation that the theater enter the Roswell Cultural Art Center’s Partnership Production contract model.

Since its founding in 1992, the Georgia Ensemble Theatre has operated under a Resident Theatre contract which allowed the company to handle all things related to production.

But in Fiscal Year 2022, the theater presented only three of the five agreed-upon productions. There were 47 “dark days” with no programmed

activities. The city also cited a high turnover in production managers at GET, four managers in two years.

Production has a high price tag. GET co-founder Anita Allen-Farley said a play is about $60,000 to produce and musicals are well over $100,000.

“It’s expensive, and when you

don’t have the money, you have to go … ‘how can we adjust to satisfy our patrons?’” Allen-Farley said. “By moving things around, by postponing different shows.”

Allen-Farley and Mary Saville, GET communications director, sat inside the theater’s studio on Hembree Parkway April 4, discussing the

Georgia Theater Ensemble’s big move.

City partnership

The new partnership model would have allowed Roswell to help the Georgia Ensemble Theatre with production and marketing, run its box office and patron services, then collect the revenue. David Crowe, Roswell Cultural Arts coordinator, said the city would have found an “equitable split” once paying technical fees.

Many local arts organizations had been struggling with money postCOVID, Crowe said. The city has fostered successful partnerships using a similar model over the past couple of years, he said, like with the Atlanta Balalaika Society, the Atlanta Vocal Project, the Song of Atlanta chorus and the Atlanta Dance Theatre.

“We were trying to find ways to partner with [GET] so that they wouldn’t have to worry about rent anymore,” Crowe said.

The Georgia Ensemble Theatre had been behind on around $30,000 in rent for its space at the Cultural Arts Center. The City of Roswell offered reduced rent to the theater, but Allen-

See CONTRACT, Page 4

Tara Tucker

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Mary Saville, communications director at the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, and Anita Allen-Farley, co-founder of the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, stand outside of the theater’s studio on Hembree Parkway April 4. After more than 30 years of residency in Roswell, the theater is moving to the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre in Marietta.

Contract:

Continued from Page 3

Farley said GET will pay half the cost at the Anderson.

Considering GET’s season isn’t quite over in Roswell, Crowe hasn’t actively sought other theater companies. But he intends to make those connections.

Crowe had been with the city’s Cultural Arts Center since 2015 but has known the founders of Georgia Ensemble Theatre much longer. He said Bob Farley, the late co-founder of the theater, gave him his “first big break” after graduate school to direct at GET. As a young person, Crowe also performed in “Of Mice and Men” in the 2004-2005 season.

“Georgia Ensemble Theatre has been an enormous asset to the city on and off for many years, and it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t find a way to continue working together,” Crowe said. “But the way that I see this is: everything is an opportunity. I think this is a great opportunity for them and for us to find something different, maybe.”

Community connection

Despite city efforts to retain the theater company, Allen-Farley said she couldn’t afford the partnership.

“The biggest issue was the model has [the city] selling all of the tickets, keeping all of the money until after the show is over,” Allen-Farley said. “And I have people that I have to pay, months before we open the show.”

The agreement would have also cut the theater’s 20-week season in half. Saville said producing two shows, rather than four or five, would generate far less income. The cut also would have meant the theater wouldn’t

have been able to produce the same variety of shows, Saville said.

The Georgia Ensemble Theatre struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Allen-Farley said it’s been fun to watch more and more patrons fill the seats. She said around 25 percent of the house was filled for the first two shows, which had gone up to 35 percent.

“And now, we’ve had some really nice houses with ‘Bright Star,’” AllenFarley said. For the foreseeable future, “Bright Star” will be GET’s last mainstage production in Roswell.

Many patrons have told AllenFarley they’ll ride along with her to Marietta and have bought subscriptions, or a package deal. While the move is only 13 miles away, she knows some won’t be able to follow her. The theater sees an older demographic, and many can’t drive at night.

“What I’ll miss most is that connection that we’ve had,” AllenFarley said. “We’ve had some people that have had the same seats for 30 years.”

But she’s exploring a shuttle option for those who can’t make the drive themselves.

A new space

The Georgia Ensemble Theatre released a statement, saying staff will continue to be in conversation with Roswell officials about the future and are open to return if an opportunity arose. The theatre also said it would continue its investment into Roswell’s growth and well-being, considering its studio will remain on Hembree Parkway.

The studio hosts the theater’s administrative offices, its conservatory and the GET Travel Team, which takes professional productions to schools and senior communities at

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their locations. The studio also serves as the rehearsal space for mainstage plays.

The Jennie T. Anderson Theatre has around the same number of seats as the Roswell Cultural Arts Center with 606 seats. It does not include a balcony, but handicap-accessible seating is on the front row.

Saville shared that the Anderson was once home to the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, which recently closed due to a collection of pandemicrelated issues, like rising costs, reduced revenue and donations, and audiences’ reluctance to return quickly.

“Being able to regain our footing after our entire industry was closed for over a year has been a very slow process—much slower than anyone anticipated—and we all need patience, understanding and grace while we’re still in the ‘rebuilding’ phase,” Saville said.

While GET is raising prices of premium seating, it has made more “budget-friendly” seats available at the Anderson Theatre. Preview plays will be $15 a ticket, and regular performances will range from $25 to $70. Discounts will be offered to seniors, students, educators, military/ veterans and first responders.

The Georgia Ensemble Theatre is set to produce three plays at the Anderson, in October, February and April, though the titles have yet to be announced. GET will also co-produce two musicals in the Overture Series with the Anderson Theatre, “The Light in the Piazza” in December and “Ragtime” in June of 2024.

“I think people will enjoy the experience of watching a play [at the Anderson Theatre]. It is a change. But that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing,” Saville said. “Change is just inevitable.”

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Continued from Page 1

big economic development projects, threatening to call lawmakers back for a special session if they didn’t. The current perk is set to end this summer.

The Senate gave the measure final approval with a 43-to-6 vote shortly before midnight, extending the tax break to 2026.

“There’s only been 18 of them in the history of Georgia. These are used very selectively,” said Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, a Rome Republican who chairs the Senate Finance Committee and who is the bill’s sponsor. “About 75 percent of them are outside the Atlanta metro area that have been done. It’s brought in thousands and thousands of jobs.”

School voucher push fails

Kemp had less luck this year with a push to expand Georgia’s school voucher program. That measure fell short of votes in the House in what proved to be one of the more dramatic votes of the 2023 legislative session.

The governor and the state’s lead budget writers framed the process of developing next year’s spending plan as an exercise in restraint in anticipation of a potential economic downturn. Revenues will also be needed to fund future priorities, such as the gradual income tax rate reduction plan passed last year that is set to start in 2024.

State revenues have been on an upswing in recent years, but economists predict a slowdown in tax collections and that has caused budget hawks to approach new spending with caution. But rising revenues have also turned up the pressure to boost funding for state services.

“I’d like to note that this is no easy task to balance the revenue at hand with the needs statewide. With more money, we certainly could have done more things, and I would have liked that,” House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett said.

When asked about the governor’s comment about “significant holes” in the budget, House Speaker Jon Burns told reporters there are always some funding plans that come up short. Lawmakers typically address the gaps when they return in January when they amend the budget.

“I think we have a very comprehensive budget, but I’m sure there’s some issues that maybe we could have addressed in different ways that may need to be backfilled some in the future,” Burns said.

Teachers will get pay bump

The new budget, which will take effect in July, provides a $6,000 pay raise for some state law enforcement and a

$2,000 salary bump for teachers and other state employees, and funds the state’s HOPE scholarship at 100 percent.

The increase for educators is part of a multiyear effort to drive up those salaries and will put the average teacher salary in Georgia to $61,000, according to Hatchett. The budget also includes a $1,000 supplement for school custodians.

The final spending plan softened some of the cuts made in the Senate, but the reductions remained, including a $1.4 million cut to Georgia Public Broadcasting and $66 million cut to the University System of Georgia.

The top legislative budget writers said the Board of Regents has about $500 million in reserves to help absorb the cut, and Senate Appropriations Chair Blake Tillery told senators GPB’s news competitors have long complained about the state subsidy.

“I think that’s actually a very valid point: Why are we picking winners and losers?” Tillery said this session.

Lawmakers also set aside $9.4 million to pay for 500 people to come off the wait list for services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. That’s short of the 2,400 a Senate panel recommended last year.

But this year’s budget process also appeared to become tied up with tensions between the House and Senate. Hatchett received a standing ovation when he kicked off his late-night budget presentation with this declaration: “This House does not play politics with the budget.”

Some Democratic priorities – such as $6.3 million for free breakfast and lunch for school children – were also restored after being stripped out in the Senate.

“Kids aren’t able to learn if they’re hungry,” Hatchett said to cheers from some lawmakers. “This funding will provide more than 17 million meals at no cost to low-income students in Georgia public schools. Seventeen million meals.”

This story comes to Appen Media through a partnership with Georgia Recorder, a nonprofit newsroom covering statewide issues.

JILL NOLIN/GEORGIA RECORDER Gov. Brian Kemp speaks to reporters after signing the amended fiscal year 2023 budget in early March.

8 | Milton Herald | April 13, 2023

Mother-daughter café brings Vietnamese flavors to Alpharetta

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. —Hanh Nguyen filled a decades-long dream when she opened July Moon Bakery and Café at the Maxwell in Alpharetta in 2022 — and she did it with her daughter by her side.

The bakery and café named in honor of Nguyen’s daughters, offers Vietnamese iced coffees, boba teas, bánh mìs and Asian pastries. She opened July Moon in 2022, but her dream stretched back much further.

Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant born in a Malaysian refugee camp, where she said she “should have died but didn’t.” Her mother made Vietnamese iced coffee to make a living and Nguyen often had to help.

“I used to crush ice for my mom, it’s not an easy task for a child,” Nguyen said.

After a tumultuous childhood, Nguyen, her mother and siblings ran away from her abusive father and spent two years in a homeless shelter. Nguyen said she had “humble beginnings” but eventually made it to college, and later Seattle, Washington, where she began her career in the IT industry.

“I might look polished, like I had it all together, but it’s been a long journey, a lot of sacrifices and heartaches,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen found success in the industry, working for various Fortune 500 companies. But the memories of making coffee with her mom never disappeared. Nguyen said her time in

Seattle, a coffee destination and the origin of Starbucks turned her into a “bit of a coffee snob.”

She had wanted to open a business in Seattle, but the market was oversaturated with boba and coffee offerings. It wasn’t until Nguyen moved to Alpharetta for a job promotion that she saw an opportunity to bring her

business concept to life. Her eldest daughter, 11-year-old Charlie, helped push Nguyen to pursue her dream. During a visit to a gourmet bakery years ago, Nguyen caught Charlie staring at the baristas. She told Charlie that if she wanted, she could work at a coffee shop one day.

“I’m not going to work here, I’m

going to own my own bakery,” Charlie said.

Charlie’s response inspired Nguyen to pursue the café, both for herself and to inspire her daughter. Nguyen had no business ownership experience, little capital and faced a long journey

See FLAVORS, Page 20

I might look polished, like I had it all together, but it’s been a long journey, a lot of sacrifices and heartaches.

HANH NGUYEN, Founder of July Moon

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Hanh Nguyen and her daughter, Charlie Crose, work together to bring the vision of July Moon Bakery and Café, an Asian coffee shop and bakery concept to life.

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Building a Parkinson’s support team

Brought to You by - Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

This is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Join us on April 22nd as we help sponsor the Parkinson’s Optimism Walk. You’ll feel the hope and support provided for this progressive disease by the Georgia Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association. (Visit their website at apdaparkinson.org/GA for details.)

Recent studies show Parkinson’s affects over 1,000,000 Americans, with over 90,000 new cases diagnosed annually. While there are early onset cases, the main risk factor is age - with over 90% occurring after age 60. It can be hard to diagnose and comes on slowly. When the brain cells that make the chemical dopamine stop working it impacts movement, thinking and behavior. There’s no definitive cause but aging, repeated head injuries and exposure to environmental toxins are factors. Men are twice as likely to be diagnosed, and while there may be some genetic issues it’s rare to run in families.

Tremors are a major symptom but not everyone has this. Slowness of movement, stiffness or tight muscles, balance instability, walking or gait difficulties, a decrease in arm swinging when walking, loss of smell (often months or years earlier), gastrointestinal issues, loss of facial expression, monotone or decreasing vocal strength, fatigue, insomnia, cognitive changes and depression or anxiety are all symptoms. With two or more of these, it’s time to consult your doctor about a visit to a neurologist with Parkinson’s training or a Movement Disorder Specialist.

With a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, it’s important to build a support system. While there is no cure, there are a number of treatments that can maximize your potential with this disease and not let it overwhelm your life and outlook. This includes highly individualized medications like carbidopa and levodopa, physical, occupational and speech therapy for daily lifestyle changes to maintain fitness, balance and strength building, stress reduction, good sleep habits and maintaining a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods. To help manage this you need a team of professionals that includes your Primary Care Physician, Neurologist, a Movement Disorder Specialist, Nutritionist, Therapy providers and Psychologist.

Being a Care Partner for a loved one with Parkinson’s is a critical role. As an advocate, educating yourself, managing the daily care process and coordinating with the care team is crucial. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease and can take years to progress, so it’s just as important to care for yourself. To keep up your stamina you have to take time and get some respite and additional support.

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Not tan? Labrador overweight? POMC might be the answer!

coverage in the popular press as the “Barbie Drug.”

Are you pale? Is your labrador overweight? Then this is the article for you! Proopiomelanocortin (POMC for short) is a remarkable hormone that your brain makes and that may unlock our ability to regulate body weight and even help us get a tan without going in the sun.

If we break apart POMC’s name, pro-“opio”-“melano”-“cortin” comes from the fact that POMC is cut apart by enzymes into three main smaller proteins. First, POMC is broken into opioid hormones that regulate pain, satiety (feeling full after eating) and response to exercise. Second, POMC is broken down into melanocyte stimulating hormones that affect skin pigmentation, sexual behavior and satiety. Third, POMC is broken down into adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), a cortisol-regulating hormone that affects blood sugar, responses to stress and the immune system.

To think like a doctor, imagine what could go wrong if any one of these proteins isn’t working due to a disease. In fact, a mutation in POMC has been linked to increased interest in food and obesity in labrador retrievers and might explain why your labrador is overweight. Many labradors have been found to have a mutation in beta-endorphin, which is one of the opioid hormones that POMC is broken down to form. Beta-endorphin is also famous as a protein that contributes to the “runner’s high” – the feeling of wellbeing that we get with exercise. Similarly, low POMC has been found to make affected humans constantly hungry.

To think like a pharmaceutical scientist, imagine the medical (or cosmetic) potential of developing medicines that affect our responses to pain, our sense of well-being, whether we feel hungry, blood sugar levels, immune system health, sex drive and how tan our skin is. Just one of these functions has incredible pharmaceutical potential. University of Arizona researchers got to work on the tanning applications of POMC in the 1980s and developed a synthetic form of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) which became known as “Melanotan” (aka afamelanotide, aka Scenesse) and now is best identified as “Melanotan I.” As an aside, Melanotan II is another synthetic hormone similar to MSH, but it is not FDA approved for any use, has more sexual and satiety effects and has periodically received

Melanotan I causes the pigment producing cells in your skin – the melanocytes – to produce more melanin. Melanin is an important defense against ultraviolet radiation. The problem is that we normally make melanin in response to ultraviolet light exposure after a lot of damage is already done. Increasing melanin before sun exposure sounds very appealing. Is Melanotan I ready for the masses?

Not yet…

The package insert for Melanotan I points out that carcinogenicity studies have not been performed. These studies are often required for FDA approval. Melanotan I gained approval under special circumstances for a very specific condition called erythropoietic protoporphyria – a skin disease in which people are so sensitive to sunlight that their quality of life is severely affected. The FDA sometimes issues special approval of medications used for “Orphan” diseases when no other treatments are available and when the number of patients affected is so small that the cost of fully testing a medicine would stop it from coming to market.

We do not have enough data on Melanotan I to help us know if it is appropriate for sunless tanning. Carcinogenicity studies have not been published. Long term safety studies have not been published. Melanotan increases blood pressure, and long term effects on cardiovascular health would likely not be known for decades. Case reports of individuals who developed melanoma while using Melanotan cannot know whether Melanotan had a role in causing the melanoma because they are simply case reports and not case-controlled or placebo-controlled.

So where do things stand? Some individuals are purchasing Melanotan I and II illegally, as these chemicals are part of the steroid and tanning-bed using weightlifting community. They are purchased at great personal risk because of all the above unknowns in addition to the problems with purity and safety when illegal substances are procured. For the rest of us, the pharmaceutical companies are still hard at work. They are actively testing similar compounds to identify medicines with fewer side effects. There is reason to hope that in the future a pill may allow us to develop a tan before going on vacation and better protect ourselves from the sun. In the meantime, traditional sun safety measures are best… and our labradors will remain fat and happy!

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As we get older, losing weight can be more difficult and sometimes dieting and exercise alone just isn’t enough. While quick fixes and crash diets can help you lose weight, the results aren’t long-lasting. Hydralive Therapy® Milton offers a medical weight loss program with Semaglutide that includes goal-oriented plans and lifestyle changing skills to ensure your results are long-lasting.

Semaglutide is an FDA-approved medical prescription used for managing adult weight loss. When used with a healthy lifestyle that includes mindful eating habits and exercise, Semaglutide is a powerful long-term weight loss solution that can improve overall health and wellness.

The injection is administered once a week to help with long-term weight management. The injectable glucagonlike peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin that plays a major role in your appetite and digestion. Incretins (hormones released by your small intestine) are sent out by your body after you’ve eaten a meal to help lower your blood sugar by triggering insulin and blocking other sources of sugar.

Semaglutide works by slowing down how quickly food leaves your stomach and allows you to feel full for a longer period of time. By reducing hunger, lowering your appetite and increasing feelings of fullness, it will reduce your calorie intake and allow you to lose weight.

An initial consultation is required to determine if Semaglutide is right for you based on your BMI and medical and weight history. If our specialists determine that Semaglutide is right for you, we will develop your plan together so you can get started right away.

The goal of our program is to meet your desired weight by administering Semaglutide and developing a healthy lifestyle. With the help of improved sleep, diet and physical activities, many will be able to take a significantly smaller dosage and some patients will be able to stop the medication completely.

Program participants may start to see the effects of Semaglutide working after the first dose and could start experiencing weight loss within the first two weeks of their program. Everyone’s weight loss journey looks different and how much weight you have to lose will dictate the duration

of your program. However, it is typical to lose 1-2 pounds a week or 8-10 pounds a month, but results vary per person. It’s important to remember that the best results will happen when you are using your medication in

combination with a healthy diet and exercise.

If you’re ready to shed that excess weight and keep it off for good, give Hydralive Milton a call at (470) 3594815 to schedule a consultation today!

Summer group therapy: helping your child thrive with 4 key benefits

Brought to you by - Summit Counseling Center

It’s no secret that most kids love summer - with its long days, warm weather, and lack of school, summer break provides a welcome pause from the structure and routine of the academic year. For some kids, however, summer break can be a difficult time. Without the support, resources, and social exposure provided by school, they may struggle to maintain their mental health and well-being after the last school bell rings in May. Therapy groups during the summer can benefit all students, no matter where they fall along the spectrum of mental health, by helping provide a safe and supportive environment for children to learn new skills, build healthy relationships, and address any mental health concerns they may be experiencing.

According to a 2019 study, summer programs designed for children and youth with social and emotional difficulties showed moderate evidence of effectiveness in improving social skills, self-esteem, and overall emotional well-being while decreasing anxiety, depression, and unwanted behaviors at home (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Shaping Summertime Experiences: Opportunities to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being for Children and Youth. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press). There are several other potential benefits of therapy groups for kids during summer break, including:

1. Social support: Therapy groups can provide a sense of community and social support for children who may feel isolated or disconnected during summer break, proving particularly helpful for kids who struggle with social anxiety, shyness, or other social difficulties. Therapy groups also allow kids to receive feedback and support from

their peers, which can be great for students who may struggle receiving feedback from adults or authority figures.

2. Skill-building: Many therapy groups for kids focus on teaching specific skills, such as social skills, coping strategies, or emotional regulation techniques. Not only are these skills helpful during summer break when kids may have more unstructured time and less support from school-based resources, but they are also invaluable to have once school restarts in the fall.

3. Safe environment: If your student struggles to open up at home, therapy groups can help by providing a safe and supportive space for kids to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Additionally, participating in a therapy group can help reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, as kids can see that they are not alone in their struggles and that seeking help is a normal and healthy behavior.

4. Continuity of care: By regularly practicing skills throughout the summer, therapy groups can help children maintain the progress they made during the school year and prevent any regression that may occur during summer break.

Summit Counseling Center is offering both individual and group therapy services for Kindergarten through 12th grade students throughout the summer, providing a supportive and structured environment for children to work on their mental health goals and develop new skills and coping strategies. Selection requests for our 6-week groups close on May 12th, so register your student now at tinyurl.com/ SCCSummer23!

Optometrist or Ophthalmologist?

Brought to you by – North Fulton Eye Center

Most people don’t know the difference between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist.

Optometrists provide eye examinations, mainly for young healthy eyes, for determining your glasses and/or contact lens prescriptions.

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors and eye surgeons. They provide medical eye exams to determine eye conditions, diseases, and the treatment of such and can also determine your best corrected vision and provide you with a prescription for glasses or contacts.

Celebrating 40 years of eyecare in the Roswell and Cumming community. Drs. Paré, Hewitt and Park are general ophthalmologists/ surgeons. All are board certified

and trained at Emory University Medical School. Our practice specializes in medical eye exam, laser assisted cataract surgery, LASIK surgery, Corneal/Pterygium surgery, Blepharoplasty surgery (eyelid surgery) and treatment of medical eye conditions and diseases such as Dry Eye, Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Retinopathy and many other conditions of the eyes. Our stateof-the-art offices are in Roswell and Cumming. Our practice is built on personalized patient care with short wait times and a personal touch from our staff, opticians and physicians.

Both locations also have an optical department for your convenience.

You only get 1 set of eyes. Let us help you care for them. northfultoneyecenter.com

Allergy season is here

Brought to you by - Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center

As spring comes, so do allergies! If you have symptoms like congestion or sinus infections, you are not alone. Each year, more than 50 million people in the United States have allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Allergies are your body’s response to the environment. You might react to things in the air like dust or

pollen. Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, red eyes, itchy eyes and post-nasal drip. These can progress to infections if not treated.

Wellstar Ear, Nose and Throat knows every symptom and infection can impact your daily life. You can use simple tips to relieve your allergy symptoms and prevent infection.

How to relieve seasonal allergies

• Try over-the-counter medications

like antihistamines and medicated nasal spray.

• Rinse your nose. Over the counter saline sprays and sinus irrigations can help clean your nose.

• Check the weather report. Avoid outside activities on days with a high pollen count.

• Don’t invite allergens inside. Keep windows and doors shut.

• Stay on top of spring cleaning. Dust, wipe and vacuum surfaces.

• Don’t forget your four-legged

friends. Be sure to wash or brush your pets more often.

Expert care for allergies

When these tips do not work, Wellstar Ear Nose and Throat can help diagnose you. We help treat a full range of adult and pediatric allergy conditions at 1360 Upper Hembree Road in Roswell.

Call (770) 475-3361 to make an appointment today.

COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CARE

From diagnosis to treatment and survivorship, Wellstar is ensuring the community in this area has access to expert, compassionate cancer care.

The new Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center brings more than 12,000 additional square feet on the medical center campus dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking cancer treatments right here in the North Fulton area. Services include:

• CyberKnife radiation technology

• Physician expertise in many specialties

• Surgery, medical and radiation oncology

Find care at every step of your cancer journey here in North Fulton.

wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare

Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center 4500 Hospital BLVD | ROSWELL (770) 410-4530

Thank You for Voting US Best

At Roswell Dental Care, we take pride in our ability to educate our patients about their oral health. One question we frequently hear from our patients, “Why do I get so many cavities? I brush my teeth every day!” We understand the frustration that comes from putting the work in to maintain your teeth and still ending up with cavities, we are here to help break those reasons down for you.

1. How deep your grooves are:

How your teeth are shaped, including the grooves of your teeth, are inherited. These grooves are too small for your toothbrush bristles to get in and clean properly. Some teeth have deeper grooves, which increases the risk of biting surface cavities. We can prevent these types by placing sealants (plastic) over the grooves of the teeth.

2. Your oral bacteria: Did you know, you inherit the genetic layout of your oral bacteria from your mom? The types of oral bacteria can impact your oral health, including your likelihood of cavities and developing periodontal disease. Staying on a cleaning schedule with your dental hygienist will help reduce the number of bacteria you have in your mouth.

3. Your frequency of sugar intake: Your habits also play a significant role in your oral health. Your frequency of sugar intake has a direct tie into the frequency of the occurrence of cavities. The more times you consume sugar, the more opportunities for cavities to take hold.

4. Your flossing habits: Flossing removes plaque and bacteria from the sides of your teeth, so not flossing on a consistent basis increases your risk of developing cavities between your teeth.

5. Your medications: When you eat or drink anything other than water, the pH of your mouth becomes acidic. Saliva’s job is to neutralize the acidic environment. Some medications cause xerostomia (or dry mouth). If your saliva is reduced or becomes thicker, your teeth have an increased risk of developing decay, especially along the gumline. Products containing xylitol are “mouth wetters,” and xylitol prevents bacteria from adhering to tooth structure, helping to prevent the effects of a dry mouth.

The above reasons are just a few of the many complex factors that go into why cavities develop. As dental professionals, we strive to keep our patients educated in their oral hygiene. Good or bad oral hygiene plays a role in overall health, and we are here to get your oral health in excellent condition so that your overall health can be too. Drs. Hood and Remaley at Roswell Dental Care understand and customize treatment for each person. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels. Give our office a call at 770.998.6736, or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!

Why do I get so many Cavities?!

Transit agency considers MARTA Reach future

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) is weighing its options on the future of MARTA Reach after interest and ridership climbed during a six-month pilot period last year.

MARTA Reach offers riders the ability to call a shuttle to a regular MARTA rail or bus stop or to one of several new stops added for the service.

The program, a partnership between Georgia Tech and MARTA, served more than 8,000 riders during its run from March-August 2022. Its launch followed the increasing call for ondemand transportation, rather than traditional fixed-route buses.

Reach launched with three Atlanta coverage zones, including Belvedere, the Gillem Logistics Center and West Atlanta. In May 2022, the service added a North Fulton zone, which spanned from Roswell to North Point Mall, Avalon and the Georgia State

University Alpharetta campus.

Based on the ridership trend upward during its six-month run, MARTA Reach could increase the days and hours of service at a similar cost if it were relaunched, said Anthony Thomas, MARTA Customer Experience

Innovation Program manager.

With positive results from the end-of-program data analysis, Thomas said he and staff recommend authority boardmembers incorporate underserved areas, pursue a request for proposal for the program’s software

and include ADA trips on regular shuttles.

Thomas said the cost of the service using MARTA vehicles, maintenance and software would be ultimately cheaper than a contract with a thirdparty vendor.

The board made no decisions at the April 6 meeting, but it will hear a more complete overview on ridership and demographics in October.

Boardmembers also heard updates on the ATL Rides program, a multiagency trip planning app that allows riders to transfer from MARTA to Xpress buses, as well as Cobb, Douglas, Cherokee, Gwinnett and Henry County public transit.

Atlanta Regional Commission Transit Funding Manager Abby Marinelli said the app is in beta testing and will formally launch this summer.

The ATL is also assisting Forsyth County in implementing a new demand response computer aided dispatch and automated vehicle locator for county vehicles.

Group focused on eating disorders schedules walk at Alpharetta park

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Atlanta’s annual NEDA Walk will take place April 16 at Webb Bridge Park.

The event is intended to raise awareness about eating disorders and help fund programs provided by the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA), the country’s largest nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders.

The organization offers a number of services, including screenings, a helpline and connecting individuals with treatment. So far, Atlanta has raised more than $8,600 toward a goal of more than $18,500.

“People can come out and have a safe place to either celebrate the

fact that they’re in recovery or if they know someone, or if they themselves kind of feel like they might be experiencing symptoms,” said Lyla Mills, a counselor at Johns Creek and Alpharetta Counseling.

Mills, who has helped coordinate the Atlanta NEDA Walk since 2017, specializes in eating disorders. She also worked at an eating disorder facility before entering private practice.

NEDA Walks are an educational opportunity, Mills said. They often have dieticians and therapists who speak, and this year, Mills said the event will feature more outpatient providers.

Eating disorders are common, she said, and it’s common for them to go undiagnosed.

“Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes,” Mills said. “It’s more so about the patterns and behaviors and thought processes behind the eating than it is about how much you weigh in numbers.”

Check-in is at 9 a.m., and the walk will begin an hour later. Registration is free, but walkers who pay the suggested donation of $25 will receive a T-shirt.

For more information, email nedaatlanta@gmail.com.

Alpharetta Symphony to present ‘Organic Fanfare’ concert

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Symphony announced it will host an “Organic Fanfare” concert 8 p.m. April 21 at Alpharetta First United Methodist Church.

The program will feature three artists and a showcase of the organ by Matthew Alan Edwards, who serves as keyboardist for the Alpharetta

Symphony and director of music and organist at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Snellville.

Edwards will play Camille SaintSaëns’ “Symphony No. 3,” named the “Organ Symphony” for its uncommon use of the pipe organ.

Following Edwards, violist Jason Seo will perform Max Bruch’s

“Romanze” with the orchestra. Seo, 17, of Johns Creek was selected by the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America to play at Carnegie Hall in New York City and on tour in Europe.

The concert will conclude with “Oracle,” an original piece that highlights brass instruments and high

woodwinds by composer Michael Torke. The Alpharetta Symphony is also set to host a “Twilight in Paris” concert 7:30 p.m. May 29 at Brooke Street Park.

Tickets can be purchased at alpharettasymphony.org.

— Shelby Israel

FILE PHOTO

A MARTA Reach shuttle waits outside the Fulton County Public Library in Alpharetta July 28, 2022.

ASHLEY DONAHUE/PROVIDED

Four individuals hold the NEDA Walk banner in 2018 at Piedmont Park.

Flavors:

Continued from Page 8

to creating July Moon, but she was determined to build a business from the ground up.

She also knew Charlie would be integral to July Moon’s success. It would be a mother-daughter project in every aspect. Charlie is officially a co-founder of July Moon, and Nguyen’s younger daughter Colette is “quickly becoming more instrumental” in the business by putting stickers on the cups and helping clean the bathrooms.

“(Charlie) has been in all the major meetings, like loan signing, architectural rating floor plan design,” Nguyen said.

Charlie called the meetings “boring,” but her mother said Charlie’s candor and creativity helped bring July Moon to where it is now.

Charlie helps create new drink recipes for the business, which she jots down during development. During an April 6 interview, she concocted an ombre drink with “everything boba,” mango sparkling water, mango-rose tea and strawberry-kiwi tea.

The café has a limited food menu due to its small kitchen, but Nguyen’s focus is on the drinks. She sources coffee beans from local business Boarding Pass Coffee and gets tea from Atlanta-based business Just Add Honey. She also makes organic and gluten-free drink syrups from scratch.

Her taro tea, a popular boba drink made from a purple root vegetable, is made from actual taro rather than the powder used in many other boba

shops. It’s more work to cut up and boil the vegetables, but for Nguyen it’s essential.

“It’s these little things that people don’t see,” Nguyen said.

Every aspect of the business is “highly intentional,” Nguyen said, from the accessible seating to the drinkmaking methods.

“There’s meaning behind everything I do,” Nguyen said.

She said her pellet ice machine is a reference to her childhood spent crushing ice for her mother’s Vietnamese iced coffee. The ice is the “best way to drink” Vietnamese coffee.

Nguyen carries her intention into the rest of the businesses, where she focuses on mentorship and expansion opportunities. She hosts networking events for women in business, acts as a mentor for her young employees and spotlights small businesses.

“Charlie and I wanted to launch July Moon to be a safe, fun community space for people,” Nguyen said.

PHOTOS BY DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA Hanh Nguyen prepares a traditional Vietnamese iced coffee at July Moon Bakery and Café April 6. The coffee is sweetened with condensed milk, and Nguyen serves it with pellet ice reminiscent of her mother’s recipes.

Hanh Nguyen serves a Vietnamese iced coffee across the outdoor bar at July Moon Bakery and Café on April 6.

PRESERVING THE PAST

A centenarian’s story of World War II (Part 2)

In Part 1 of Centenarian Henry (Hank) Cockerill’s story, we told of his experiences in France following the bloody invasion of Normandy in June 1944 when Allied forces marched across France toward Germany.

Hank’s exhausted battalion met up with the 7th Armored Division about Dec. 1 in Malmedy, Belgium, in the Ardennes Forest. After five days, Hank’s battalion went south about 16 miles to the town of St. Vith for a long overdue break.

Germany was on its last legs, or so thought Allied commanders, and no one expected any major offensives. American entertainers such as Marlene Dietrich and a group of baseball players led by Mel Ott of the New York Giants traveled to the Ardennes to entertain the troops. The Allies, including 500,000 Americans, were lightly defended, spread out along the 75-mile-long forest, short of supplies, living in deep snow and bitter cold.

Battle of the Bulge

Hank tells a unique story about his experience. He became friends with the battalion cook, Frenchie. One day Frenchie suggested they take a hike. He said, “Let’s take our guns in case we see a deer and I will cook it.” They saw a deer across a valley about a mile east of St. Vith, then they heard a rumble. Hank says “I recognized Rommel’s old battalion of Tiger tanks with 81 caliber canons that could be lowered to shoot at ground forces. Two hundred tanks, all painted white, had been brought in from the Russian front. We weren’t prepared. We had settled down for the winter.”

Early on Dec. 16, an estimated 200,000 German troops with 800,000 in reserve and nearly 1,000 tanks launched a surprise attack along 50 miles of the forest.

At the end of the first day, the Germans broke through the American lines and captured key crossroads creating the “bulge” that gave the battle its name. Everything happened so quickly that troops often did not know what was happening nearby.

“Having to retreat knocked hell out of our morale. It was the breakthrough that

no one expected,” says Hank. “That’s when Ike said ‘turn around and fight’ and we did.”

The Americans were quick to provide reinforcements. Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight Eisenhower rushed reinforcements to the bulge to prevent further penetration by the Germans. Gen. George Patton counterattacked with his Third Army. The Germans were ultimately thwarted and permanently weakened.

“I went back to find my pup tent,” says Hank. “It was full of bullet holes.”

The Battle of the Bulge was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the U.S. in WW II, with more than 19,000 killed. Fierce battles took place in Malmedy and St. Vith. In the Malmedy Massacre, 84 American soldiers were captured and executed by the Waffen-SS in a farmer’s field. St. Vith was a priority target due to its excellent road network. The Americans successfully defended the town, thereby slowing the German advance. Hank remained in the Ardennes until the middle of January.

Battle of Remagen

As German forces retreated, they destroyed all the bridges crossing the Rhine River except one, the Ludendorff Bridge in the town of Remagen. The bridge was mined but it had not exploded.

Hank says “Our job was to disarm the explosives so our tanks could cross. One guy took the right side of the bridge and I took the left. We climbed on the girders and came across satchels full of dynamite. The wiring was different from ours and the wires were different colors. I had a feeling that the red wire was the one to cut. On the count of three I cut it and no explosion.”

The two soldiers crawled toward satchels at the end of the bridge, but they were exposed to sharpshooters.

“We crawled back thinking we would disarm the explosives at night,” Hank says.

Just then a jeep drove up with a general on board. It turned out to be General Patton. He said, “What’s the delay?”

Hank replied, “We are going to remove the explosives tonight because of the sharpshooters.”

Patton said “Son, this is a war. People die. I want to cross the Rhine. Get back on the bridge.”

The men climbed back on the bridge, somehow avoided the sharpshooters, disarmed the explosives and saved the bridge from destruction.

Hank is a very humble man according to his son Gary.

“Dad has not spoken much about the war. He doesn’t volunteer information,

BOB MEYERS/PROVIDED Hank Cockerill will celebrate his 100th birthday in May 2023. He joined the Army as a young man and had assignments in Europe during WWII, including Normandy following the D-Day invasion, the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Remagen. After the war, Hank went on to a distinguished career with The CocaCola Company, retiring in 1993 after 45 years. (March 2023)

but he will respond if people are really interested,” Gary says.

After separation from the Army in December 1945, Hank’s first job was in Detroit selling Esquire calendars and playing cards.

“The challenge of sales gave me a thrill,” he remembers. He also owned a seasonal restaurant, Hank’s Hi-Da-Way, a Lake Huron favorite. He eventually realized he could not simultaneously work at a full-time sales job, so he sold the restaurant.

In December 1948, Hank obtained a job with The Coca-Cola Company selling Coke machines to outdoor movie theaters which were proliferating all over Michigan. He climbed the corporate ladder quickly thanks to his strong entrepreneurial spirit: district manager in Detroit, regional manager in Cleveland, senior regional manager in Baltimore. He was sent to Atlanta to create a sales team targeting the top 100 food chains in America. Hank’s team became the lead food service industry sales team for Coca-Cola. He worked 45 years at Coca-Cola, retiring to his home in Sandy Springs in 1993 as senior vice president, director National Accounts. He will celebrate his 100th birthday in May.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

Grasping a new perspective on time as we grow older

So, I am closing in on 70 – 68 to be exact. That is old, or at least it sounds really old – seventy years old. Huh? No way, no? Yep.

I can probably attribute that to my ADD or perhaps to a lack of “brain exercise” –stuff like learning, problem solving, and intentional reading. That is, I feel like I can improve on my mental state to some degree – still. And I do try to do this.

sitting outside a theater in Columbus, GA as a chaperone for the Milton HS theater program. I wasn’t there, but I will probably remember that comment forever, and I can so visualize that brief exchange.

is a constant that is akin to “free will” –that we do control how we react to “unfair life.” The unfairness is that huge boulder that we must push up the hill every day and it either makes us or breaks us.

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus

Of course, that is in chronological years. In no way, shape, or form do I actually relate to that. I can still play tennis relatively well – singles of course. With a little more practice, my serve would still be maybe 80 percent of what it was almost 50 years ago. I can still get in the pool and swim a mile. I can still run. I still shoot a decent game of pool although my bridge is no longer possible because of the arthritis in my hands and I can still fit into my 32 x 32 size Levis –same as high school – although at times that button is a bit difficult to get into the hole, I must admit.

And I will say that I know – 100 percent for sure – that I still have another Appalachian Trail hike in me still (the whole enchilada) – were I to get the time off to entertain that project!

While I have noticed that I seem to be a bit more distracted these days and maybe forget things more frequently, I have not panicked about that and feel like

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

With “older age” I have discovered many things that make me thankful, and which frequently do surprise me in a good way. In fact, thankfulness, may be one of the highlights of getting older.

I am especially and increasingly thankful for those few good friends I have kept – priceless.

I think I understand people better now – all people. I have more empathy I think, probably because I know more, and I have seen more. I see context better these days. And that generally is a positive thing, but not always.

Having more experiences and context to process what I see these days allows me to also see how and why we collectively stumble and struggle with life all too often. People die. People get sick. Bad things happen to good people. Children get hurt; that one is the hardest.

Life doesn’t always end well and that fact, as I age, becomes all too obvious and in my face. “My life didn’t turn out how I thought it would,” was something that a complete stranger commented to my wife Christina a long time ago while she was

“Just let me end well,” is probably the only thing on my bucket list I think and it’s not a morbid thought; it is a task – a proactive life goal – and not an unreasonable one. But that is something for tomorrow and not something I worry about generally.

Time, ah yes, time becomes more and more something more concrete and less ephemeral as I age. It is something – time – when you are young that almost doesn’t exist. Life just feels like a downhill ski run or a day at a amusement park or a spring day out in the deep woods exploring with a friend. Yes, we still do those things now – or similar things – but they are colored now by the knowledge that you graduated from high school over 50 years ago, or that 15% of your senior class are not alive, or that girlfriend or boyfriend that so attracted you so long ago, has changed – a lot. That, is “time” and it becomes more impossible to not see or to ignore as one ages.

Part of getting old – and it is a hard part – is realizing that life all too often isn’t very “fair” – that it isn’t and never was nor will it ever be. But, at the same time, there

With age we start seeing the cycles in all walks of life. Everything has its own season and – over time – we see and experience the changes and revolutions.

I have noticed with age, I am almost never in a hurry anymore; I take my time – no matter how much in a hurry the person is behind me. I just don’t care –or care enough – to change how fast I go anymore. In hindsight, I think I realize that very little in life merits being in a hurry and that being in a hurry all too often has a cost or costs.

In my “old age” I find I crave great books even more. I appreciate art more. I appreciate just being alive more. And I know that if in my mind I still believe that I have plenty of time left to learn how to play the piano and play it well, then I am still young.

And, one of the most endearing aspects of growing old I have found is that each day I find that I am more in love with my wife than I was the day before.

So, that’s my story and I am sticking to it – another character flaw that I have discovered in myself in my old age –stubbornness!

Why do trout jump out of the water?

I’ve lived here most all my life, but I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the switch from winter to spring. A couple of days ago it was in the 20s when I went out to start the car. But today it’s pushing 80 degrees. I guess spring really has arrived. Flowers are blooming. Birds are singing. Somewhere, fish are probably jumping too.

I love to see fish jumping. Don’t you?

Yeah, I thought so. So, let’s talk about jumping trout.

One of my favorite places to see jumping fish this time of year is the Jones Bridge Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation area. You’ll be standing there on the riverside trail, looking out across the river, when there it is – a flash of silver as some previously unseen trout takes to the air.

On this afternoon, I’m watching the

river (and its trout) from the fishing platform at Jones Bridge. There’s a family there, too – a mom and a dad and two kids, a boy of about 8 and a little girl of about 6.

“Why are they jumping, Daddy?” asks the little girl.

“I don’t know,” the dad says. “Maybe they’re just happy.”

Maybe so!

The Jones Bridge Unit of CRNRA is right off Barnwell Road. ¬All you have to do is to turn onto the access road and follow it to the parking area at road’s end. There’s a bit of parking along the way, but be mindful of spots reserved for vehicles towing boat trailers. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Anyway, at the end of the road, there’s a paved parking area and even a restroom. There are also trails leading off upstream and downstream. The hiking is great, especially if you hike downstream and explore the network of trails in the unit’s southern portion. It’s one of my favorites, and I recommend it highly.

Directly opposite the parking area,

there’s a step ramp – that is, a series of steps leading down to the water – which provides a good place from which to launch a kayak or ease into the river if you’re wading. In front of the ramp, and upstream and downstream for quite a ways too, the water is wide and smooth. It’s a great place to look for jumping trout.

But the question remains. Why do trout jump out of perfectly good water, where they live, and into the air where lives the likes of us?

Why indeed? Only the trout knows for sure.

One explanation is that small trout jump into the air to get away from bigger trout who might want to eat them. That makes sense. If you’ve ever seen schools of baitfish blasting out of the water, you’ve probably seen just that kind of thing happening.

There’s another (and maybe more likely) explanation too. Those who know about such things say that, in this particular case, this jumping behavior is really just part of the process of chasing

down dinner.

Here’s what seems to be going on. At this time of year, there’s typically what’s known as a “hatch” of aquatic insects on many parts of the Chattahoochee. During a hatch, and at the risk of oversimplifying things, the immature forms of aquatic insects metamorphose into adult forms that take to the air to mate and lay eggs and continue the cycle of life. These insects reach adulthood only after living underwater as nymphs or larva for some period of time. But eventually, the larva undergo a series of physical changes that ultimately results in adult insects.

And that’s where it gets interesting. In order to “emerge” as an adult, the developing bug must make its way from the bottom to the surface. During that transition, those “emergers” (as they’re known) offer easy pickings for hungry trout, which often chase the emergers to the surface. As they dash to try to grab the bug before it escapes, those fish sometimes gain so much momentum that

See TROUT, Page 28

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

Discovering the brilliance of pink lady’s slippers

Every woodland walk or hike gives the observer an opportunity to view the seasonal transitions associated with the changing temperature, tree leaf cover and sunlight. My favorite spot for a daily walk is in the 150-acre wooded lot behind my house in Milton. Last year’s mid-April walk revealed an amazing discovery! Not only are these Milton woods peppered with groves of native azaleas but also rare and protected Pink Lady’s Slippers. The first discovery revealed a handful of pink lady’s slippers, but as the April

sun warmed the air and soil and the day length increased, more and more pink lady’s slippers emerged from their winter dormancy. By the end of April, my walking partner and I counted over 150 flowering plants! Pink lady’s slippers are one of the most visually appealing of the many Georgia spring wildflowers. They are a native orchid species with one large pink, showy flower per plant. They are rare and protected by the Georgia Wildflower Preservation Act of 1973. Do not develop an urge to transplant one into your garden or pick the flowers, as it is illegal, and transplanting is almost always unsuccessful. What contributes to their rarity is destruction of their habitats, growth requirements and a seven-year reproductive cycle

from seed to flowering. Over the last decade the metro Atlanta population has increased by almost a million people, creating a continuing need for new office buildings, homes and shopping areas and thus reducing the forest environment for lady’s slippers and other native plants and animals to thrive.

In February 2022, the Georgia Department of Transportation began a project to add lanes and a new exit/entry ramp onto Georgia 400 north of exit 11, Windward Parkway. During an environmental assessment, the Department found a stand of close to 1000 pink lady’s slippers in the path of new construction. As required by law, it was determined the pink lady’s slippers needed to be saved and relocated. A team from the Department of Natural Resources and members of the Georgia Botanical Society attempted the difficult and meticulous task of digging up each individual plant along with its allimportant surrounding soil.

Pink lady’s slippers have a very poor transplant survival rate since they have a symbiotic relationship with a specific soil fungus. Without this fungus in the soil, they die. Even with the expertise of the Georgia Botanical Society and transporting the pink lady’s slippers to an area where the soil fungus was present, the survival rate was 70% with declining survival rates expected over time.

Scientists are learning more each year about the network of interconnections among soil organisms and the types of plants that thrive in our environment. This spring, take a walk in the woods, closely observe the flora and fauna and you will be amazed at what you will find and learn about the north Georgia woodlands. Remember to leave the environment intact for the next visitor and for future generations.

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.

About the Author

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 gardening 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.

For more information

•“Plant Lovers Dig in, Save Pink Lady’s Slippers,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, December 10, 2022, page G-1

•Favorite Wildflower Walks in Georgia, Hugh Nourse and Carol Nourse, The University of Georgia Press, 2007, ISBN-13: 978-0-8203-2841-6

•North Fulton Master Gardenershttps://www.nfmg.net/

•To learn more about Spring Wildflowers, visit the NFMG YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/ sw4cdG3OoOA)

CAROLE MACMULLAN Guest Columnist

WW II soldiers welcomed into local homes

When the United States entered World War II and Lawson General Hospital for wounded soldiers opened in nearby Chamblee, Effie McGaughey began thinking of ways to help recovering soldiers.

McGaughey’s summer home was on what was Spruill Road and later became Meadow Lane. The home was a social gathering spot to a place for injured soldiers to rest and relax, known as Serviceman’s Shelter.

In “The Story of Dunwoody,” by Ethel Spruill and Elizabeth Davis, the authors describe the McGaughey home.

“Using a rustic building on the McGaughey property and colorful festive lanterns, church groups, community clubs, and Atlanta groups took turns at entertaining the boys and furnishing food and dance partners.”

Mrs. McGaughey also donated money for a new mobile emergency kitchen, capable of feeding 2,000 people. The truck could be driven

THE INK PENN

around to different parts of Atlanta as part of the canteen corps of the Atlanta Red Cross. (Atlanta Constitution, June 7, 1942, “Canteen Corps Given Mobile Kitchen Here”)

Effie McGaughey and other Atlanta women organized a committee to plan parties for recovering soldiers around Atlanta. At the home of Carroll and Effie McGaughey, soldiers were entertained and treated with a barbeque supper and swimming, while listening to music by the Georgia Tech band, and a movie shown on an outdoor screen. (Atlanta Constitution, July 12, 1944, “Many parties are planned for convalescent officers”)

Mr. and Mrs. Ryburn Clay were on the list of homes opened to officers stationed in and around Atlanta. Their summer home was along the Chattahoochee River off Spalding Drive, and it included a swimming pool, tennis court, barn, horses and riding rings.

In August of 1944, the president of the Girls Battalion Club, Mary Parham Woolfolk, announced a swimming party and picnic at the Clay home, known as Lazy River Farm. The party was held for the officers of the armed forces stationed in and around Atlanta.

(Atlanta Constitution, August 10, 1944, “Girls’ battalion gives picnic Sunday”)

The Girl’s Battalion Club was a group of 100 young women, usually from the “society” of 1940s Atlanta, who were organized to furnish hospitality to the armed forces stationed in and around Atlanta. Every Friday, the group sent members to Lawson General Hospital in Chamblee to play Bingo with the patients. (Atlanta Constitution, August 2, 1942, “And now-hospitality

for the officers in service”)

Ida Akers and her husband William owned a summer home known as Idalakers along Spalding Drive. She was a member of the Iris Garden Club, named for her favorite flower. In 1942, she was asked by a friend who lived far away to visit a patient at Lawson General Hospital. She gathered 100 gardenia blossoms from Idalakers and delivered them to the hospital for all the patients to enjoy. (Atlanta Constitution, July 1, 1942)

The Anderson family entertained injured soldiers at their home on the corner of Tilly Mill Road and Mount Vernon Road with Sunday dinner, often following services at the Baptist church. Jane and Carolyn Anderson took their visitors around to see the sights of Dunwoody. Other families who entertained soldiers and patients of Lawson General Hospital were the Burell, Martin, and Kirby families.

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.

Hitting the book jackpot at the local library

KATHY MANOS PENN

Columnist

Receiving emails that say, “Materials you have on hold are now available at your pick-up library” brings a huge smile to my face. The message informs me I have seven days to pick up my book(s), and if I already have a few on my nightstand, I often delay pick up until the last possible moment.

The other time I delay is when I see the little truck icon on my “Hold” list on the library website. That means my selection is in transit, and I can anticipate it arriving in a few days. It’s a rare occasion when I have plenty of books on my nightstand, several waiting for me at the library, and suddenly, several more in transit.

Imagine me humming Carly Simon’s “Anticipation” as I finally made my trip to the library to pick up—wait for it—five books! I told the librarian I felt as though I’d hit the jackpot, and she wished me happy reading. I often pick up several at a time, but I think five may be a record.

Three were part of some of the series that I return to time and time again—the latest and, hopefully, not last book in the Clare Ferguson / Russ Van Alstyne series, another from The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, and one Ruth Galloway mystery. I suspect I’ve written about all of these before, but chances are you’ll get an update soon. Which book did I immediately dive into? It was “Killers of a Certain Age” because it was a two-week checkout. The others were good for a month. Who knows where I read about this book? Maybe I stumbled across it on Amazon where it’s labeled an Editor’s Pick and one of the Best Books of 2022. Maybe there was a review in the AJC or the WSJ. Buzzfeed’s one-liner says it all: “This Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of.” As I write

this, I’m halfway through after one night and loving it.

The final book in the stack was recommended to me by one of my newsletter subscribers when I asked what everyone’s favorite Christmas read was. She wrote me that she rereads Rosamunde Pilcher’s “A Winter Solstice” every December. That seemed to be quite a testament to the book, so I added it to my library hold list. I read Pilcher’s “The Shell Seekers” years ago and I recall enjoying it, but somehow never picked up any of her other books. The blurb inside the cover has me eagerly anticipating this one. “Once again, Rosamund Pilcher reminds us all that friendship, compassion, loyalty, and love can come together and renew us all— even when the days seem darkest.”

If you’re an avid reader like I am, you won’t have any difficulty with the idea of me finishing five books in a month. If you’re not, you may think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. Either way, I’ll be smiling as I work my way through the stack night after night. Oh! Did I mention I have many more books on hold at the library? I hope to hit the jackpot again soon!

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries locally at The Enchanted Forest in Dunwoody and Bookmiser in East Cobb or on Amazon. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

“THE STORY OF DUNWOODY”/PROVIDED During World War II, Effie and Carroll McGaughey entertained injured soldiers from Lawon General Hospital.

Trout:

Continued from Page 24

they blast through the surface and into the air. That seems to be what you are seeing when you spot a trout jumping clear of the water.

But there’s also that third possibility. As the dad on the platform suggested, maybe the trout simply think it’s fun. No one knows what trout consider entertaining, of course, but who’s to say? It’s really kind of neat to think of a river filled with exuberant trout, each expressing its inner happiness by leaping from the water and then splashing back into the cold, clear flow where it belongs. I kind of like that notion. In fact, I like it a lot.

The kids are still looking. No jumping trout have appeared yet. Then…

“There!” I say, pointing. The two kids follow my gaze. We watch intently, and after a minute or two –

As if on cue, a small trout zooms out of the water, goes airborne for an instant, and then splashes back home.

“There’s one!” the children say almost in unison.

And then it’s like somebody flipped

a switch. Within 30 seconds, the river becomes alive with jumping trout. Lots of attacking predators? Lots of emerging bugs? Or just lots and lots of subsurface happiness that can’t help but break through?

The aerobatics continue for a while, then gradually taper off.

“That was cool!” says the oldest, and the mom answers, “Yes, it was.”

For trout fishing enthusiasts, all of this is a signal to get out the fly rod.

But even if you’re not a flyfisher, it’s great fun to look for the jumping trout.

“And they looked so happy!” offers the little girl as the family turns to walk back to their car, leaving me alone on the platform once again.

The afternoon is warm, and the world is right, and I decide to linger a few more minutes. I look over the water one more time, and I see another trout jump into the air. Its eye catches mine – and I’d swear that trout gave me a wink.

Yes, the child is right. The trout does look happy, so happy that the feeling just has to come out, so happy that it just can’t be contained.

And you know what? That’s something I understand these days¬. I really do.

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