Milton Herald - April 27, 2023

Guardian of the park

School budget spending details draw comments at Milton forum

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Fulton County District 2 School Board member Lillie Pozatek held a community meeting on April 18 where educators and community members gathered at Hopewell Middle School in Milton to hear details on the school district’s proposed 2023-2024 budget. Pozatek, who represents areas of Alpharetta and Milton said the meeting was also an opportunity to get feedback from her district on the proposed 2023-24 budget, rounding out at about $1.1 billion.

“I know this is a team effort, I am here to represent you,” Pozatek said.

Fulton County Schools Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef presented the budget, which is scheduled to be adopted on June 6. The budget has been discussed at previous school board meetings, and it calls for employees to receive a 7 percent salary increase for the 2023-2024 school year.

Dereef said the compensation increase is the highlight to the budget, because “we’re

See BUDGET, Page 6

Charlie Lancelot, 82, leans against the Providence Park pier, which jets out onto Providence Lake. Lancelot, deemed the “keeper of Providence Park,” spent more than a decade maintaining the 42-acre park on his own to continue his daily running routine. Read story, Page

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Couple pays for pool, left with hole in ground

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton couple, who paid more than $105,000 to have a pool installed in their backyard, filed a fraud report with police April 10.

The woman said the project has been left unfinished for months.

She said construction on the pool had begun, and it appeared to be going well until the company owner and his sub-contractors stopped showing up.

After several failed attempts to contact the owner, the woman found out the owner inquired with the City of Milton for a building permit but had not completed the necessary paperwork. Several contractors also contacted the woman to say they had not been paid for the concrete or fill dirt used on their pool project.

Because a contract was signed and some work was completed, Milton Police said the issue was a civil matter and could not be resolved by police.

Morris Road gas station reports burglary, damage

MILTON, Ga. — An employee of the Exxon gas station on Morris Road reported a burglary to Milton Police April 11.

When the employee arrived at work around 6 a.m., he discovered the glass on the front door was busted and called 911. Police also observed the ATM door open, a strike mark on the plexiglass surrounding the cashier and register, and two strike marks on the entry door to the cashier’s register area.

A large glass display case was also shattered, the police report said, and what appeared to be multiple vape ma-

chines were missing.

Video footage showed a young Black male around 5-foot-5, wearing a black Reebok hoodie, gray pants and black slides, approach the front of the store wielding a two-handed ax, which he used to break into the store at 12:44 a.m. that morning.

The video also shows the suspect attempting to use the ax to pry open the ATM door, then using a screwdriver to take screws off. But the suspect ultimately failed to open the ATM safe.

Police were not provided with a value or quantity of the items taken, nor an estimate to replace the damage.

Police ran the vehicle’s license plate number but returned to a black Nissan Rogue Sport rental from an Enterprise in Roswell. Police also issued a BOLO to surrounding agencies for the vehicle and suspect.

The scene was turned over to the Investigations Department.

Scam takes woman for thousands of dollars

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman informed police April 13 that she had provided thousands of dollars to an individual in a scam that covered three days.

The victim said she was on her computer when several ads began to pop up, rendering her computer unusable. She said a message then popped up, saying her computer was locked and advising her to call a number to regain access.

The individual on the phone said someone had gained her information and was attempting to purchase online pornography with her bank information. The victim was then provided instructions to obtain around $20,000 in gift cards through specific stores.

The victim bought $20,000 in gift cards from Walmart, Home Depot and Lowes, then provided the individual with the gift cards’ numbers and security codes via text message. She also converted nearly $13,500 of her

bank account money into Bitcoin using Coinflip.

The individual banks and Social Security Administration have been notified.

Man’s credit report shows added account

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man informed police about an unauthorized account he found on his credit report April 14.

The victim was notified by Experian about a “potential threat” to his credit and upon viewing his account, he saw he had an outstanding debt of around $5,562 to a collection agency by the name of “MRS BPO.”

The agency told the victim they were collecting debt in reference to a purchase from AT&T Mobility, which the man said he had not made. Representatives from AT&T said an account was opened using his information in Mobile, Alabama, last year.

The victim said he noticed other recent charges, which he did not make, to his business credit card connected to his account. But he was reimbursed.

Police advised the victim to speak with his bank about further steps he could take to protect his information while the matter is being investigated.

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.

Milton resident, Marvel comic book artist to be featured at Atlanta’s MomoCon

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — For Milton resident Mark Brooks, the work week is no ordinary 9 to 5. Right now, he’s illustrating cover No. 16 of Marvel’s “Immortal X-Men” series.

Brooks, a critically acclaimed InkPot Award winner, starts the process using a large computer monitor tilted at 45 degrees for digital penciling. If he’s not in a time crunch, Brooks prefers the traditional process. He prints the drawing in non-photo blue and uses different mediums from there — a marker base, then Prismacolor or Polychromos pencils and acrylic paint.

There’s a purity to comic books, Brooks said.

“While yes, technology has improved, and there are people that do comics fully digitally now, it’s still an artist sitting down and having to draw these things,” he said. “It’s still done the same way today that it was done in the ’60s, or the ’50s.”

Comic books hooked Brooks as a preteen. After reading his first, “Uncanny X-Men” No. 217, Brooks bought comics every month and started drawing their contents. He named Alan Davis, who worked on “Uncanny X-Men” and continues to work for Marvel, as an inspiration.

“He just – it just captured my imagination like crazy,” Brooks said.

In May, he will be featured as a guest artist at MomoCon, an annual multi-genre convention in Atlanta that celebrates anime, gaming, comics and cosplay. The event, which has the second largest game hall in the country, saw 42,000 attendees last year.

“Mark Brooks is definitely an icon in the comics world, so we were very excited at even the opportunity to possibly have him as a guest, much less confirm him as a guest,” said Jess Merriman, MomoCon co-founder.

This year will be Brooks’ fifth time attending MomoCon, but his first as a guest artist.

Brooks has had two decades of success, illustrating art for titles such as Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Avengers and more. He described his humble beginnings — waiting in line to meet artists at conventions, holding a scrappy portfolio of fan art.

But his career took off in 2001 at Wizard World Chicago, now Fan Expo Chicago, when he picked up gigs working on “Transformers” and “G.I. Joe.” Through connections, he found himself with a company affiliated with Marvel’s Deadpool.

“I ended up meeting Bill Jemas, who was the publisher of Marvel at the time, and he offered me work, and the rest is history,” Brooks said.

His favorite project was “Star

Wars: Hans Solo,” a five-issue series nominated for an Eisner Award. He illustrated the interior work and made his wife Lisa Kwon and former editor Heather Antos part of Star Wars canon. The two are twin Twi’lek racers.

Brooks has also stepped out of the comic book world and recently illustrated artwork for three Tool tour posters, a band known for its visual art.

It’s uncertain whether Brooks will be on a panel at MomoCon, but he will have a table where prints and books will be available. He also plans to make an appearance at Infinite Realities, a Tucker comic book shop, after the convention.

Brooks said he’s interested in seeing how visitors will receive an American comic book artist at a convention primarily focused on anime

and manga.

“I’m hoping that there will be a lot of kids there looking at me cross-eyed,” Brooks said.

Brooks has been a longtime fan of anime and manga. Though his current works are more realistic in style, his early days were filled with more cartoonish, anime illustrations.

Brooks said he signs a lot of comics for adults, but he especially enjoys seeing kids who make their way to his booth.

“When you look at all the stuff they have available to them, and they still choose to sit down and read a comic book — I think that’s amazing,” Brooks said.

MomoCon, held at the Georgia World Congress Center, will take place May 25-28. For more information, visit momocon.com.

PHOTOS BY MARK BROOKS/PROVIDED Mark Brooks, a Marvel comic book artist and Milton resident, performs a drawing demonstration on a panel sponsored by Wacom in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Brooks is often asked to do drawing demos or speak on specific topics at his guest appearances around the world.

Mark Brooks stands in front of a giant display of his artwork, featured at the Marvel booth in San Diego, California.

Neighbor proves quiet champion for Providence Park

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — A little contamination wasn’t going to stop Charlie Lancelot from doing his daily run throughout Providence Park and maintaining its trails.

Lancelot moved to a house within a stone’s throw of Providence Park in 1995. When he relocated for work, he wanted a place nearby where he could run every day.

The 42-acre park was more active at that time, and all the trails were wooded. There was a picnic ground where families could rent space. Boy Scouts would camp at the park — Lancelot’s dog used to go into their tents on Sunday morning and rattle them. There was canoeing, and like today, fishing on Providence Lake.

Rappelers would also climb the quarry’s tall sides, the same quarry once used as a dumping ground for General Motors. The company had an automotive painting facility in Doraville, Lancelot said, and its waste lay at the bottom of the quarry.

The dumping stopped some years before Fulton County took over the park, Lancelot said. But remnants, like paint cans, were still visible and were a cause for concern. Lancelot and neighbors finally got a hold of county officials to address

the issue.

“Largely, there wasn’t much they could do, and there was nothing that they did do,” Lancelot said.

Thus, “Friends of Providence Park” was formed — a group of volunteers that included Lancelot and his wife — who took it upon themselves to clean up the mess. Lancelot recalled how a rusty paint can once left a nasty gash on his neighbor’s dog.

Eventually, a whistleblower flagged the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, he said. Chemical cleanup began around 2001, which closed the park. The area was covered in sampling stations.

While the City of Milton incorporated in 2006, it had to wait nine years to acquire the property. All that time, the park remained closed — but not to Lancelot.

He and his gardener, alone, would trespass into the park wielding a chainsaw, to cut down dead trees infested with pine borers and keep the trails clear. Lancelot even made his own trail in one section of the park, which still exists and connects to the paved .05-mile loop.

“I must have spent thousands and 14 years keeping these trails clear,” Lancelot said.

But he also read over the shoulder of the folks doing the clean-up. The EPD flushed the soil for a number of years, he said, but the department had a tough time getting rid of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons — a carcinogen that tends to hang onto the dirt.

Holding a Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton, Lancelot would check chemical levels, an EPD page of numbers detailing substances in milligrams per milliliter.

Running for life

“Are you a runner?” Lancelot asked. He thought about making a run through the park trails as a prerequisite for an interview.

He turned 82 years old that day, April

20. He just finished a 10K at Notre Dame the Saturday before, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1962. He was the oldest participant in the race, by 18 years, and was stuck inside the 60-64 age bracket because brackets didn’t go higher than that.

When he’s not running, Lancelot plays the piano and organ for a Hispanic ministry in Cumming. He’s also the director of music there. “Bilingual since birth,” Lancelot was born in New York City to a Spanish mom. He caught a flight the same day as the race to make it back in time to 2 p.m. Sunday mass.

He’s a busy guy, and it keeps him young.

Now and then, at the races, a younger participant will pass him and say he’s an inspiration — which is a little frustrating.

“I don’t want to be an inspiration,” Lancelot griped. “I wanna win!”

He placed fourth in the Notre Dame race but was placing first and second up until he hit his 80s.

Lancelot started running when he was 47. He was in bad health, with blood pressure and cholesterol through the roof, and he certainly didn’t want to take medication known to destroy the liver. He kept the pill bottles on the shelf. Running and some changes to his diet were all he needed.

He’s been an avid runner ever since. Lancelot goes for a run every day at Providence Park, sometimes taking one to two of his three dogs with him. The brooks cool them off afterward. Before Milton opened the park in 2016, Lancelot said he and his gardener would construct dams on some of the streams to create a pool for his dogs.

Today’s Providence Park

In a nearly two-hour tour, Lancelot described what the park used to be like and would occasionally pause to admire some of its natural beauty.

Since Milton bought the park from the

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county, it has made major improvements. The city planned to spend more than $3.5 million in its Phase I of upgrades, according to the park’s master plan drafted in 2018.

The phase involved demolishing existing structures. Other items included necessary infrastructure, like parking and stormwater management, wetland improvement and an updated trail system.

Lancelot described how the city moved the earth to raise the ground for the ADAaccessible, paved trail. After noticing a toddler walking down the trail all on her own, Lancelot remarked on its value.

“That’s what you couldn’t see back before [the city] built a paved trail,” he said.

Other features in Phase I included a lake deck. Today, visitors can walk onto a pier, spacious and modern and sturdy. Bathrooms were recently installed as well, a feature Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison proclaimed in his State of the City Address — “no more porta-potties.”

Some features have not yet been implemented. The master plan’s Phase II includes expanded parking, a quarry overlook and a performance space, a nature center and lawn area, lake dredging, a wetland boardwalk and a camping area. Lancelot said there will also be more trail resurfacing.

Lancelot, of course, doesn’t do maintenance anymore. But he stays in touch with Milton Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen. Lancelot said he talks to McKlveen at least every couple of weeks, keeping him updated on where the trees fall.

Lancelot is involved in other ways, or will be. In February, he was Mayor Jamison’s appointment to the new Milton Sustainability Advisory Committee, a group tasked with advising city staff on sustainability-related strategies.

During the public appointment process, Jamison accurately named Charlie Lancelot the “keeper of Providence Park.”

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Georgia National Guard to advertise at north Metro Atlanta high schools

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — The Georgia Army National Guard is mounting an advertising effort to increase recruitment and awareness at 67 Georgia public high schools, including some in north Metro Atlanta.

Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton and Johns Creek high schools are among dozens of schools throughout the state whose students will be targeted with location-based advertising.

The National Guard will use geofencing, which serves ads to social media users based on their location data, with the “intent of generating qualified leads of potential applicants for enlistment” from the 17 to 24-yearold demographic, according to contract

Budget:

Continued from Page 1

in a competitive market” with neighboring school districts in DeKalb and Cobb County.

“We have 10 school districts that border us, that’s our competition,” Dereef said.

The financial officer said the budget has seen some other financial boosts for the upcoming year.

“Another element to this year that’s different than the past is planning for a transition of federal funds,” Dereef said.

The funds, largely used to help the schools with COVID-19 impacts, total about $200 million. Those come alongside an increase in the area’s tax digest, estimated at around 4.5 percent.

Dereef said it’s not “just a plan with dollar signs,” and that the budget is also about showing support to students, schools and employees. It’s a message that was echoed at previous school board meetings.

Part of that support comes in the form of a 7.1 percent salary increase for the 2024 year. Dereef said the School Board ideally would have wanted employees to receive the raise permanently but knew it would not be feasible in the long term.

As a compromise, the school board decided on a permanent 5.1 percent salary increase, with a 2 percent payout in the coming school year.

“We want to ensure that we create the best environment for students

documents obtained by Appen Media.

In addition to high school juniors, seniors and recent graduates, documents said the campaign will target parents who visit school locations and “centers of influence” at the schools, like coaches and school counselors.

The proposed contract, which closed bidding in February but has not yet been publicly awarded, stipulates concentrating on a 1-mile radius around each school through social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and others. The infamous video-sharing social network, TikTok, which is banned for official United States Department of Defense use, will not be included in the campaign, despite its enormous popularity among young people.

Other schools included in the

advertising campaign include Cambridge High School in Milton and Centennial High School in Roswell. However, within a mile radius of nearly all the schools listed, there are middle and elementary schools that could also be targeted.

An Associated Press report from February said the U.S. Army fell about 15,000 soldiers, or 25 percent short of its recruitment goals in 2022. Officials said this may be due to a declining perception of army life among young people.

Army officials told the Associated Press that, based on information gathered through surveys, they believe young people do not see the Army as a safe place or a good career path, as previous generations might have.

Representatives from the Georgia Army National Guard could not

be reached for comment on the advertising campaign.

In an email to Appen Media, Fulton County Schools Media Relations Manager Anne Boatwright said the school system is not involved with the Georgia National Guard’s advertising plans but does supply student directory information to aid in military recruitment, as required by Georgia law.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, local schools are required to release the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of high school students when requested by military recruiters, unless students or parents request that the information not be made available.

Attempts to reach representatives at the DeKalb County School System for comment were unsuccessful.

and our employees, and that’s reflected in his budget,” Dereef said.

Board members and employees expressed some concerns over the maintenance budget, which an attendee of the community meeting took issue with.

“I’m not sure the capital planning improvements are keeping up with some of the maintenance we’re seeing,” the speaker said.

Dereef responded that part of the challenge with maintenance funding is planning and procurement, but School Board members have asked for an increase in the maintenance budget previously.

After Dereef’s presentation, Pozatek took over the meeting to announce some Fulton County Schools developments, including the purchase of 55 propane-powered

school buses.

Pozatek stressed that the community should reach out with questions and feedback.

“I don’t want you to think twice just shoot me an email, hopefully before the (School Board) meeting,” Pozatek said. “I can find time for conversation or maybe even ask my fellow board members for some clarification.”

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Fulton County District 2 School Board member Lillie Pozatek hosts an April 18 community meeting at Hopewell Middle School to talk details for the district’s proposed 2023-2024 budget.

Housing board pursues route to resuscitate Grove Way

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Nearly one year after the residents of 199 Grove Way were displaced from their public housing units, the Roswell Housing Authority has a $30 million plan to redevelop the complex.

The Roswell Housing Authority owns the 40-unit complex in the Pelfrey Pines public housing development, designated for seniors and people with disabilities that make less than 80 percent of the area’s median income.

In July 2022 the residents were told the property had been condemned and everyone needed to find another place to live. At the April 11 board meeting, the Roswell Housing Authority announced the last remaining tenant had been relocated.

It’s a step that moves the housing authority closer to demolishing the existing building and increasing the number of units to 102. The residents who left the property would have “first right of refusal” according to officials with the City of Roswell.

Grove Way is managed in partnership with the Gainesville

Housing Authority, helmed by Executive Director Beth Brown.

Project plans take shape

The Roswell Housing Authority declared the 199 Grove Way units structurally unsound in 2022. The building was held up in some parts with metal supports, and residents had issues with mold, cracks and doors that didn’t close.

The $30 million redevelopment project calls for tearing down the existing building and construct new units, increasing capacity by over 60 apartments. It will be helmed by the developer Pennrose.

Roswell Housing Authority Chair Karen Parrish said the group has about 2,000 people on a waiting list for the Grove Way homes.

“They’re so old that it takes a while to go through just because people have found other housing or they don’t respond or their address has changed,” Brown said.

At a March 27 Roswell City Council meeting, officials changed requirements for Grove Way to allow for redevelopment.

The adjusted plans will allow four story portions of Roswell Housing

Authority buildings to exceed 100 feet in depth and all building lengths to exceed 300 feet.

“We also eliminated the requirement to spend about $200,000 on public art, because we thought it would be better spent on housing,” said Eric Schumacher, Roswell Housing Authority board member.

Schumacher said the group is still looking at public art for the property but wanted to remove the financial requirement.

Parrish said she wants to be “especially responsible with every dime,” and that involves prioritizing homes over anything else.

With the property rezoned for the major development, the housing authority must look to securing the funds from local and state sources. In the meantime, the property will remain vacant.

Gainesville Housing Authority Executive Director Beth Brown said the Roswell Police Department approached the group about potentially using the space to run drills.

“We agreed there would not be a problem with it, and it could be a win for us just having a greater police

presence here on site,”

Another board member asked for advance notice to residents, so they can know when drills will be happening. Brown said the housing authority could give notice that drills would “happen occasionally.”

Board member Schumacher said the housing authority should also avoid any liability with the police, because the building has already been condemned for safety reasons.

“We want to make sure that’s accepted and it’s not a problem for insurance because this is like, a secondary use,” Schumacher said.

Finding the funds

The Roswell City Council approved $2 million in grant funding for the Roswell Housing Authority at an April 11 meeting, a step toward securing a 9 percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit worth $6 million.

To qualify for the credit the housing authority must show proof of financial support. The $2 million loan from the city proves some funding, but the group is looking at other options to fill the gap.

See HOUSING, Page 13

Cumming’s Kapow Comics builds one-stop nerd shop

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — While comic book and hobby shops have sprung up in Metro Atlanta in recent years, Kapow Comics focuses on the interests of its customers in a unique way.

“Atlanta area is probably the mecca of the nerd world,” store owner Andy Diehl said. “And if you do research and look it up, you’ll see how many stores fail, open and closed, that are like this ... And at the end of the day, it’s the ones who take care of their customers that keep their stores open.”

After a career in retail, Diehl said he realized he disliked working for others, which spurred his decision to expand his collection from the home into his own business.

Kapow, located in the Westlake Terrace plaza off Lake Center Parkway in Cumming, offers comic books, manga, figurines and an open space for trading card and tabletop games.

Beyond its official offerings, the shop serves as a place of community and fun for hobbyists and collectors.

“Everybody’s welcome to come here,” Diehl said. “Everybody, we don’t care. There’s no discrimination, there’s no judgment, there’s nothing.”

A niche offering

Customers are greeted with packed shelves of figures, comic books and graphic novels. To the right of the main sales floor is a sprawling space dedicated to a Pokémon league, tabletop games and an upcoming corner for retro video games.

Diehl said he targeted comic books when

he opened the shop, and the neighboring expansion was added for games to maintain a quiet reading and browsing space.

Each week, Kapow hosts Dungeons and Dragons, Werewolf and Warhammer games. The first Sunday of the month is reserved for painting and building miniatures, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays mark comic book release days.

Diehl said the shop’s busiest days are Saturdays, which are dedicated to its Pokémon league of over 100 members.

“It is whole families coming in here, mom, dad, their kids, their nephews,” Diehl said. “They’ve created a community to themselves to come in here and play Pokémon … It’s not like any Pokémon league anybody goes to.”

Diehl said Kapow does not charge for its card and tabletop games as much as other stores in the industry, and the shop aims for price to not be an obstacle to participation.

Adults are asked to purchase a $5 store gift card to play Dungeons and Dragons, and Magic the Gathering Commander players aged 13 and older contribute $5 to a prize pool.

“We just prefer you to come in and have a good time,” Diehl said.

The Kapow comeback

When Kapow opened in 2012, Diehl said he had less than $200 in the cash register and $1 in the store bank account.

“It was kind of spooky,” Diehl said. “The store was packed full of product. I had $172 in the cash register, and I said, ‘Well, we’ll see if this works.’ I had zero working capital, and I was doing it by myself.”

See COMICS, Page 9

“I had zero working capital, and I was doing it by myself.”

ANDY DIEHL, owner of Kapow Comics

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Andy Diehl owns Kapow Comics on Lake Center Parkway in Cumming. Diehl, who co-owns the shop with his wife, departed a career in retail to pursue his passions in the business.

A Batman figure adorns a table of comic books at Kapow Comics April 19. Owner Andy Diehl said he hopes for the Cumming business to be a “one-stop nerd shop.”

Comics:

Continued from Page 8

The shop’s niche product offerings and loyal community kept the business growing. But in 2017, Diehl said a fire had destroyed $300,000 in inventory in the shop’s back room at a previous location.

After recouping losses from the fire, the shop closed at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Diehl said he had no intentions of reopening.

“Then we saw a void in the community that said they wanted the store here, somebody’s store, so I looked at it again,” Diehl said. “We started the same way again over here. We started off a little smaller space to see what the community would bear, and it was just huge.”

Moving forward, Diehl said he plans to dedicate the back wall of the shop to anime, manga and Japanese pop culture. He also hopes to expand the store’s selection of T-shirts.

Now, the shop has four employees, and its success has enabled Diehl to open its dedicated space for games.

“We’re trying to make this the one-stop nerd shop,” Diehl said.

Kapow Comics is located in Suite 108 at 540 Lake Center Parkway in Cumming. The shop is open from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. SundayThursday and from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA Kapow Comics sells comic books, collectible figures and storage boxes. The shop, owned by Andy Diehl, offers an array of merchandise and games for hobbyists and fans.

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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

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

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!

Reconnecting with your adult child: A guide to healing broken relationships

Broken relationships between parents and their grown children are, sadly, very common. Whether actions were simply misunderstood or serious emotional injury was inflicted, it’s a painful situation for everyone involved. While you may not be entirely responsible, initiating reconciliation may be up to you. Here are some points to keep in mind as you seek to reconnect:

• Remember your child is an adult. While you may feel that just yesterday they were children, they are grown and should be treated with the respect they deserve.

• Acknowledge your contribution. There are two sides to every story

- harmless actions in your eyes may have been seen as hurtful to your child. Try to understand their perspective and apologize for your part.

• Be fair. This doesn’t mean you accept all blame and overlook their wrongdoings, but criticizing everything you see wrong may do more harm than good - try to stick to the current issue.

• Get support. By reaching out to a friend or therapist, you can gain a neutral perspective that can help you be more objective and empathetic.

Navigating relationships with adult children can be tricky, but the reward of a healthy connection is worth it. Visit summitcounseling.org to view our services and see how we can help you in your journey!

Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market draws thousands on opening Saturday

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — After a twoweek postponement due to inclement weather, thousands of visitors flocked downtown for the opening day of the Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market April 15.

Throngs of attendees stopped by

Housing:

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Parrish said she met with state representatives, including members of Sen. Raphael Warnock’s office to talk about using appropriation funds for the project. She said the office likely won’t provide an answer in time for

the beloved event at City Center for a taste of fresh food, handmade jewelry, pastries, live music and play on the Town Green.

The market will feature 140 vendors during its April-November run. Now in its 17th year, the event has grown from 25 vendors on Old Roswell Street to an annual highlight that draws crowds of 2,000-3,000 each Saturday.

the tax credit deadline in May.

The city had also explored using COVID-19 funds in the past, the board said, but the group is uncertain about the logistics of accessing the funds. Board members said it’s a “positive thing” in discussion.

The tax credit application is due by May 19, but the housing authority won’t know until November whether it has secured the funds.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Crowds visit the opening day of the Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market April 15. The event launched Saturday after two weeks of postponements due to inclement weather.

Visitors wait in line at booths at the Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market April 15. The market returned for its 17th year with more than 100 vendors lining the streets of City Center.

Visitors stop by booths selling fresh produce, churros, sausages, pastries and other offerings at the Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market April 15. Hundreds of guests visited the market for its first 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. day this year.

A vendor prepares bratwursts at the Downtown Alpharetta Farmers Market April 15. Thousands of attendees enjoyed sunny Saturday weather, fresh food and live music on the Town Green.

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.

Requirements: Must have a perfect driving record and background check, reliable transportation, honest, hard-working and positive attitude.

For more information or to apply, email heidi@appenmedia.com and include a paragraph or two about who you are and any relevant background/experience. In the subject line of the email please put “Delivery Route Application.”

Roswell hosts Georgia run to honor fallen veteran

ROSWELL, Ga. — Runners raced through a 4.2-mile path that looped around Roswell City Hall early on Saturday, April 15 to participate in the state’s only annual Pat Tillman honor

run. The run honored the legacy and impact of football star-turned-army ranger Pat Tillman.

— Delaney Tarr

PHOTOS BY DELANEY TARR

Northern Ridge District lists March Eagle Scouts

NORTH FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (Cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on March 23, at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.

Pictured, from left:

Nolan Sims , of Troop 1459, sponsored by St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, whose project was removing a set of lockers that are currently in the boys locker room at Milton High School and building an 18-foot-long shelving system with 6 feet of shelves separated by 6 feet of a double hanging racks for uniforms, and then another 6 feet of shelves to line the wall.

Timothy Schindler , of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church whose project was design and construction of a Gaga Pit for Crabapple Crossing Elementary School.

Joshua Justifus , of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyte -

rian Church whose project was the design and Construction of three wooden picnic tables for the parking lot of Johns Creek High School.

Nathaniel Sonmez , of Troop 429, sponsored by Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, whose project was the design and creation of Hammock areas, with mulching, for the Brookwood Elementary School’s Victory Garden.

Jack McCammon , of Troop 3000, sponsored by Birmingham United Methodist Church whose project was design and construction of a community garden for the East DeKalb Boys and Girls Club and the Redan Recreation Center. This project included the design and construction of six raised garden beds and a storage shed.

Siddhartha Sai Yalavarthi , of Troop 27, sponsored by the Johns Creek Christian Church, whose project was the design and construction of a retention wall behind the outdoor pavilion at Johns Creek Christian Church.

PRESERVING THE PAST

Rest Haven Cemetery is part of Alpharetta’s history

Rest Haven Cemetery in Alpharetta is unusual for several reasons.

First, it is one of the few cemeteries in Georgia owned by a municipality. Second, it is in the heart of the city across Milton Avenue from Innovation Academy, a new STEM high school. Third, even though it is not full, it does not sell any new plots as explained below. Finally, it is closely associated with the early history of Alpharetta.

A farmer and prominent local citizen Arthur Tarpley Camp (1800-1868) purchased several 40-acre parcels of land distributed in the 19th century Georgia land lotteries. He paid $108, $100 and $350 for three lots from different sellers between 1836 and 1841. He and his sister Mary Camp Manning (1811-1900) sold 60 acres of land to Milton County in 1858. He donated two additional acres circa 1860 to the town of Alpharetta for the creation of a cemetery. Arthur is buried in the small, private Martin Cemetery in Alpharetta together with several other members of the Camp family. Mary is buried in Rest Haven along with nearly two dozen Manning family members.

Arthur Camp’s daughter Susan Camp Garrison (1822-1861) was the first person to be buried in Rest Haven. Her husband, Russell Davis Garrison (1818-1862), a blacksmith, joined the Confederate Army in March 1862 and was a second lieutenant in Company C of the Georgia 42nd Infantry Regiment. He died near Nashville of an illness in October 1862 and was buried in Rest Haven.

According to Find a Grave website, there are 1569 memorials, or grave markers, in the cemetery. The number is not precise because over the years many records have been lost or destroyed. There are numerous unidentified graves, some of which have a simple fieldstone. In times past the care of the cemetery was sometimes haphazard. A large, sloped area in the middle of the cemetery has very few markers which has led to some speculation over the years that African Americans may have been buried there in unmarked graves.

The cemetery is historically significant in part because some of Alpharetta’s prominent early citizens are buried there. Pat Miller, President Emeritus of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society, who has some ancestors in Rest Haven, says there are eleven former Alpharetta

mayors and 109 veterans from the Civil War through Vietnam interred there.

While it is not possible to mention all the pioneer families represented in the cemetery, a list would include Broadwell, Manning, Maxwell, Mayfield, Mosteller, Rucker, Skelton, Teasley, Webb and Wills.

Oliver Perry Skelton (1817-1896) was a physician who played an important role combatting smallpox during an outbreak in the 1860’s. He helped save Milton County records during the Civil War by hiding them in Elberton, Georgia. When he built his Greek-Revival house with a masonry foundation and 12 inch thick walls in 1856, Alpharetta was still called New Prospect Campground. When the name changed to Alpharetta two years later, Skelton was named the town’s first postmaster. In 1869 he was elected Milton County’s first Ordinary, a position similar to today’s county commissioner, according to local historian Connie Mashburn’s book Alpharetta, Milton County, the Early Years.

Connie tells fascinating stories of some of the early families. Isham Oliver Teasley, Jr. (1917-1944) loved airplanes and learned to fly at a young age. To impress the girls, he once landed a

plane in front of the courthouse on Main Street in Alpharetta. He had a serious side as well and joined the 15th Airforce, a special unit established in 1943 by the Army Air Forces, headed initially by famed General Jimmy Doolittle. Oliver was a B-17 pilot and was shot down and killed in Italy in August, 1944. He was brought to his final resting place in Rest Haven in March, 1949. His great grandfather Isham HailyTeasley, Jr (1807-1883) owned a cotton gin and grist mill in Farm House, a predecessor community to Alpharetta. He donated property to build the First United Methodist Church in downtown Alpharetta. He and his wife Mary Maxwell Teasley (1803-1851) are buried in the Maxwell Family Cemetery in Alpharetta.

Someone once said that when graves are in disrepair, we lose a part of our history. In spite of the cemetery’s somewhat confusing past ownership, the city of Alpharetta has taken responsibility for maintaining the facilities. Today Rest Haven, sometimes called Alpharetta Cemetery, contains 6 ½ acres, of which the city owns four. A private company owned the cemetery but quit the cemetery business circa 1970s and transferred ownership to the city.

It appears to have been a handshake agreement. Thanks to a substantial gift from a now-deceased resident, the city created a special budget account for maintenance of the cemetery. Plots are no longer available, but individuals who already own plots can be buried in Rest Haven. From time to time funerals do take place. The city established a special committee consisting of the City Clerk, Director of Public Works and the Director of Parks and Recreation, supported by the City Attorney and Finance Director to oversee maintenance of the public areas of Rest Haven. Individual plot owners are responsible for the maintenance of their plots.

For information on cemetery maintenance, contact Lauren Shapiro, Alpharetta City Clerk, at LShapiro@ alpharetta.ga.us. To become involved in voluntary efforts to support the cemetery contact Pat Miller at ptatummiller@ 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. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

Rest Haven Cemetery in downtown Alpharetta is closely linked to the history of Alpharetta. It is the final resting place of some of the city’s early pioneering families, yet it has an unusual story to tell.

Meet the weird and wonderful Butterfly Pea Flower

It’s a wonderful time to be a gardener. Perhaps this is one of those times, after the great Columbian exchange and the era that saw the fervor of the Victorian plant collectors, where we’re seeing the introduction of so many new plants previously unheard of to the West. Although the Victorian plant explorers went all over the world, their precious Wardian cases in hand, collecting new specimens to satiate their patron’s hunger for anything exotic, those plants they brought home from distant lands came at a premium. In most cases, only the rich could afford them. However, these days, thanks to the advances in technology and shipping and not to mention better phytosanitary measures, anybody can source quality plant materials from any corner of the world. One such plant, still relatively new to the temperate gardens of the west, is the Butterfly Pea plant - Clitoria ternatea.

Belonging to the pea (Fabaceae) family, the plant is native to equatorial Asia. As a legume, its roots form a symbiotic association with soil bacteria known as rhizobia, which transform atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-usable form - a process called nitrogen fixing. Therefore, this plant makes for a great companion plant and is also used to improve soil quality through the decomposition of the nitrogen-rich plant material.

It’s a remarkable flower with vivid deep blue petals and light-yellow markings in the center. The form itself is quite striking. The conch-shaped petals have earned it the moniker of Shankhupoovu (Shankhu - conch, poovu- flower) in many parts of India. What makes the flower extraordinary is that, apart from its various purported medicinal values, it is a great source of all-natural blue dye which can be used to color food and natural fibers alike. When steeped in warm or hot water/milk, the blue dye is released from the flower and can then be used as a coloring agent. The tea made from the butterfly pea flowers steeped in hot water with the addition of flavoring agents like ginger, lemongrass, or mint, served with honey, makes for a wonderful soothing drink. If you like a little herbal alchemy, try adding some lemon juice to the tea and sit back and enjoy the magic as the color of the

drink changes from blue to a pinkish purple hue.

A versatile ingredient, the flowers can be used to color anything from beverages to rice to delectable desserts. When steeped in milk, the dye from the flower turns a lighter shade of blue, lending the end-product the color of a clear summer sky.

While the extract of the flowers has a mild woody/earthy taste, with the addition of vanilla or any other flavor of choice, it is rather unnoticeable. The depth of the color, be it in a beverage or food, depends on the number of flowers used. You can use fresh or dried flowers- to dry the flowers, simply lay them on a piece of parchment paper on your countertop away from direct sun.

Being that it is from the tropical region of Asia (India, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.), the butterfly pea plant is grown as an annual in most parts of the United States. The flowers, although usually single petaled, are also available in double petaled forms. However, if growing from seed, the form of the flower cannot be guaranteed as the genetics of the seed-grown plant can be

unpredictable.

There are also some varieties that have light blue, lavender, or even white flowers, and while they are pretty, they don’t produce the muchdesired deep blue dye. The plants are easy to grow from seed. They can be soaked in warm water for up to 24 hours before sowing to improve germination. You can start the seeds indoors under a grow light or on a windowsill before planting them out in the spring after the last frost date. There’s still time if you’d like to give it a go this year. Although, be forewarned that once you fall for the hypnotic blue of this exotic flower, you might find it hard to be without it.

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.

More information

You can learn more about the Butterfly Pea Flower at https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Clitoria_ternatea.

About the Author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Anila Nair. Anila, a Johns Creek resident, has been a master gardener since 2020. After graduating with a degree in Computer Science Engineering, she worked as a Software Engineer for more than a decade before leaving that life behind to pursue a career in horticulture. A self-confessed plantaholic and plant hoarder, she can be found puttering around in her garden when not assisting the North Fulton Master Gardeners with their Gardening Education classes.

ANILA NAIR

Guest Columnist

ANILA NAIR/SPECIAL TO APPEN MEDIA

Morrison Farms on Osborne Road in Brookhaven

Morrison Farms, a nursery business which began in 1970, once operated at 3086 Osborne Road in Brookhaven. Today, 3086, 3068 and 3064 Osborne Road are on the market and under contract, according to advertising. The three addresses total 7.1 acres.

William Morrison was born on a farm in Utica, Mississippi, in 1920. Growing up on a farm, raising vegetables and flowers was part of everyday life, and he put that knowledge to use later in life.

Morrison first entered the military in 1942 in Biloxi, Mississippi. When selected for aviation school he was sent to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and from there went to Walla Walla, Washington, to continue training to fly B-24 bombers.

In Walla Walla, Morrison met Mary Elaine Kolberg. When he was transferred again, this time to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia in 1944, he asked Mary to move there so they could get married.

Morrison participated in the Berlin

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Airlift after World War II. He attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and served 25 years in the military, both in the U.S. and overseas. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1966. Four years later, he opened Morrison Farms

in Brookhaven, which he continued to operate until 2006. Mary Elaine worked along with him as bookkeeper for the business.

When The Atlanta Constitution recommended six metro Atlanta nurseries to visit for an enjoyable weekend outing, they included Morrison Farms. The 1991 article advises, “You might miss it because the sign was small with red letters and pointed the way.” Morrison Farms was the only nursery on the list located inside I-285. (The Atlanta Constitution, May 12, 1991, “A weekend escape: Hop in the car and find these 6 nurseries”)

Morrison Farms had 40,000 square feet of greenhouse space and offered vegetables, annuals, perennials, herbs, houseplants, hanging baskets and clay pots. It was described as a farm with shade trees and level terrain, making it a fun place to walk around and explore.

In 1994, suggestions of Morrison as Father Christmas or Colonel Christmas are made. Poinsettias, which are native to Mexico, became the popular plant at the farm.

“William Morrison doesn’t live at the North Pole. But a visit to his Morrison Farms in northeast Atlanta, near Oglethorpe University, will almost make you be-

lieve this engagingly energetic 74-year-old nursery owner is the real thing.” (The Atlanta Constitution, Dec. 23, 1994, “Colonel Christmas: Nurseryman’s knack begets a wonderland of poinsettias”)

The farm’s October 1996 newspaper advertisement announced, “Poinsettias are growing.”

In November of 2000, the nursery was featured in an article about poinsettias. The greenhouses were filled with various varieties of poinsettias and other holiday flowers. Colors included the Freedom variety featuring red, white, and pink, Monet poinsettia with speckled red and cream color flowers, and the Red Velvet variety. (Atlanta Constitution, Nov. 23, 2000, “Welcome holidays with poinsettias from Morrison Farms”)

Morrison Farms also advertised their poinsettias and other plant offerings on a regular basis in the Dunwoody Crier newspaper. I don’t remember ever visiting there, but if you have memories to share of Morrison Farms, please send me an e-mail.

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.

The things you remember this time of year

So I’m sitting here looking out the window, savoring the notion that spring’s about to get here at last. And I’m glad. Winter is nice, but spring is better. When spring comes around, everything is once again brand new. The world awakens in every way, and thoughts turn to… …fishing.

Yeah, I was going to say to love, and that’s true too. Sometimes the cliches are right on. But at this precise instant it’s fishing that’s come to mind.

The start of what we always called “fishing season” was always an epic occasion in my family, heralded by much excitement and ritual and ceremony. It was kind of like Christmas, or maybe birthdays, but deep down I guess I always knew that the coming of fishing season was always at the top of the list.

Later, when I had kids of my own, I’d get just as excited as I did when I

was a child. That first warm spring day would come, and I’d be ready. I’d get up early while the kids were still asleep and pick up the fly rod and ease toward the door, quiet as dawn, set to slip out for a morning of solitaire-style water therapy. Just me and the creek and, with any luck, a fish or two.

I started to daydream, to remember…

Years ago…spring had come, and The Day had at long last arrived. But the night before, while I was getting ready, the child had seen the rod. And knew.

“Take me?” asked the tiny voice.

I hadn’t said no. But I hadn’t said yes either.

And now, not asleep after all, in the wee small hours of the first day of Fishing Season, on that Most Important Day of All Days, the little one had appeared as if by magic there in the hall by the door.

“Take me with you?” the tiny voice said again, this time rubbing sleepy eyes with one hand and holding a bright orange Snoopy spinning rod in the other.

“Take me fishing?” – a question now – and for an instant the universe had paused.

I remembered. I’d looked toward the

flyrod — and then I had looked at the child …

And to my immense credit…

“Take you fishing?” I’d said. “Take you fishing! Of course I’ll take you fishing!”

The child smiled then, and all creation cheered as we followed the dew-sparkled path that led to the water, walking slowly, taking our time on our way to the pond to see what would happen next.

I remembered. It was a long time ago, but I remembered every detail. I remembered it all... ***

Her voice nudged me back to present tense.

“I made you coffee,” she says.

There’s a pause, and I sip. She makes the best coffee.

“Thinking about fishing?” she asks, or maybe it’s a statement. She knows me well.

“Uh-huh,” I say, “and other things…”

“Good thoughts?” she asks.

“Oh yes,” I reply.

I take another sip. It’s heaven in a cup.

And I remember something else –

It was last year. We were going to dinner or lunch or something, and on a whim I said, “Have you ever been fly fishing?”

She allowed as to how she had not.

“Well then!” I had said, suddenly unaccountably hopeful, and a few miles down the road I turned right instead of left and we were soon at a little creek that I knew was full of fish. I rigged up a rod, and in a minute we were walking a shaded trail through the soft green light of the wood.

We reached the water. I stepped down onto a gravel bar, taking her hand to steady her over a rough spot as she followed. Then I handed her the rod.

“Want to try it?” I asked.

For an instant the universe paused. Then --

“Sure,” she said, and she smiled.

She cast the little fly over near that deep spot there, exactly where I would have cast it if I’d been holding the rod.

The fly began to drift with the current. She followed it with her eyes.

I watched, too, waiting, expectant, wondering where the drift would take it, watching to see what would happen next.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Columnist PROVIDED

A 1990s advertisement for Brookhaven’s Morrison Farms which appeared in the Dunwoody Crier.

STEVE HUDSON

Columnist

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DEATH NOTICES

David Arthur, 74, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 14, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Marc Caruso, 42, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 17, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Michael Dougherty, 67, of Roswell, passed away on April 14, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Judith Hill, 82, of Milton, passed away on April 17, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Daniel Lazzaroni, 34, of Roswell, passed away on April 16, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Anne McShane, 90, of Milton, passed away on April 15, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Richard Merkel, 88, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 14, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Valeria Nagel, 87, of Johns Creek, passed away on April 16, 2023. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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