Milton Herald - June 6, 2024

Gen. William “Bill” Dyer III gives the keynote address at

Milton

honors

fallen soldiers at Memorial Day service

By ALEX ANTEAU newsroom@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Accompanied by early morning storms, crowds gathered at Milton City Hall May 27 for the city’s annual Memorial Day tribute.

“We have a saying in the military, ‘That which does not kill you makes you stronger,’” said retired Army Col. Nick Satriano, Milton Veterans Memorial Marker Association chairman. “Given the weather today, I think we

all consider ourselves a heck of a lot stronger than when we woke up this morning…Thank you for your dedication.”

A crowd nearly 200, including police officers, firefighters, Boy Scouts and veterans, assembled in the auditorium.

The Milton Public Safety Honor Guard kicked off the ceremony with the presentation of colors and Cambrige High School graduate Solo Lowit performed the national anthem.

See HONOR, Page 22

Independent auditor gives city high marks

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — An independent certified public accountant lauded Milton’s comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2023, saying city staff deserve a big pat on the back.

Milton’s 2023 fiscal year ran from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2023.

State law requires independent audits of the financial affairs of all funds and activities of local governments for each fiscal year.

Adam Fraley, a certified public accountant and partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, gave positive feedback on the city’s financial statements at the May 20 City Council meeting.

“We issue an audit opinion on those financial statements,” Fraley said. “Our opinion for the year ending Sept. 30, 2023, was an unmodified audit report; we often call that a ‘clean opinion.’”

Fraley said the city goes above and beyond the minimum requirements in financial reporting by providing information about operational trends, a breakdown of city employee structure and statistics going back 10 years.

Other elements of the city’s report include a narrative describing financial statements and an assessment of economic conditions, which helps laypeople wrap their heads around a complex public document.

“This goes above and beyond what is state law,” Fraley said. “It’s a fantastic document … a lot of time and effort by the city’s Finance Department and others outside of finance putting that together.”

He also added that most local governments in the United States do not complete an annual comprehensive financial report, or ACFR, which the city has done since its first full year in 2007.

“Independence is the cornerstone of what we do,” Fraley said. “We have to maintain our independence in conducting the audit.”

An ACFR is submitted to the Government Finance

ALEX ANTEAU/APPEN MEDIA

Maj.

Milton’s Memorial Day ceremony May 27.

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Pair found at golf club cited for trespassing

MILTON, Ga. — Two teens were caught trespassing at the Manor Golf Club May 20 at around 9:30 p.m., attempting to take a golf cart for a spin.

One of the suspects told police they wanted to fix a broken golf cart on the property. The other suspect had a bag of tools, according to the incident report.

The suspects told police they entered the property through the back via a trail off the golf course.

While the property owner did not press charges on the suspects, he told police the father of one of the suspects who resides at the Manor would have his membership suspended.

Woman loses $9,000 over fake job online

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman reported to police May 23 that she was scammed out of around $9,000 after attempting to work a job she found online.

The woman told police she had received a text message from an employee at the Hyatt Hotel, offering a job to rate Airbnb locations. The woman was instructed to complete an application on a webpage that looked like Airbnb’s official website, but had the URL www. absurdgoovip1.com, according to the incident report.

The woman said she was also instructed to create a MoonPay account to receive her wages based

on the tasks she had to complete, and had to pay $40 to unlock her account, the report says.

But, the woman said her account continued getting blocked and had to pay to unlock the account, culminating to a loss of $9,000, according to the report.

Police arrest Milton man for assault on girlfriend

MILTON, Ga. — Police arrested a 41-year-old Milton man May 26 after he allegedly choked and hit his girlfriend over suspected cheating.

The woman told police the suspect, who had been drinking, smacked her in the face and began to drag her along the home’s upstairs hallway, then took her to another room where he began to choke her.

She also said the suspect hit her jaw area, which caused her to hear a loud “ringing noise,” according to the incident report.

Police noted a lump on the left side of her jaw, redness on her neck and a series of red markings on her right wrist.

Police spoke with the woman’s daughter who said she saw the suspect hold down her mother, while covering her mouth. The daughter also told police the suspect had gotten physical with her in the past, though not that night.

A second child, the pair’s daughter, told police she heard a loud slam.

In an interview, the suspect told police “mutual” combat ensued because he found that the woman had been cheating. But, bruising on the suspect’s body appeared to be old, the report says.

Police charged the suspect with family battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment and two counts of cruelty to children in the third degree. Police transported him to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta.

If you want to talk to someone about the violence in your life or in the life of someone you know, please call Georgia’s 24-Hour Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-33-HAVEN (1-800-3342836).

Man says he was stabbed at apartment complex

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police responded to the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center May 20 after a 36-year-old Roswell man was admitted with a stab wound.

The victim said he was drinking at La Parranda the evening of May 19 and returned to his home around 4 a.m. at the Roswell Creek apartment homes off Warsaw Road.

Officers later spoke with staff from the apartment complex who said the victim’s alleged residence is a vacant apartment unit. Staff also said they were not aware of the victim and many of the surrounding apartments are also vacant.

The victim said he was standing in the parking lot outside of the apartment, where other people were also located, when someone attacked him from behind.

Officers said the victim had swelling and scratches on the left side of his face and “an obvious stab wound,” about a half-inch wide and 1-inch deep, to his lower back.

The victim said he did not know who assaulted him. He also said he was not in any kind of altercation with another person.

Officers said they notified the Criminal Investigations Division, which responded to the hospital for a follow-up.

Expires 6/30/24.

Historical Society president continues his passion project to discover Milton’s identity

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — For Milton Historical Society President Jeff Dufresne, storytelling is an essential component of any community. He has one of his own to tell.

That’s why he decided to interview around 90 residents during the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic to track the city’s sense of community through an upending and emotional time.

Dufresne, born on a dairy farm in Massachusetts, moved to Atlanta with his wife, Josephine, after graduate school in the 1980s.

Dufresne served as executive director of the Urban Land Institute in Atlanta before moving to Milton around 2017. He now serves as principal for Dufresne Projects as a real estate investor and consultant specializing in placemaking.

He’s a former member of the city’s Design Review Board, highlighting his commitment to his community.

“When I moved to Milton, I liked the buildings,” Dufresne said. “I saw there was a need for recognizing the places of historical value.”

His favorite is the Reese House at 12680 Crabapple Road, a Queen Anne style home built in 1912. He said it’s a beautiful gateway and something all travelers can spot entering the city.

The president of a city’s historical society is sometimes expected to have

A map of 28 historical markers, which provide information about each site, is available on the city’s website.

deep ties to the community. While Dufresne grew up a thousand miles from Milton, he has spent the past four years leading the effort to promote its past through education, preservation and exploration.

“I’ve always had a passion for preserving the past,” Dufresne said. “Learning from it and appreciating what went on at the time.”

He credited former Milton City Councilman Bill Lusk, one of the 35 founding members of the nonprofit, for his support getting the organization off the ground.

“It grew out of a group of history lovers in Milton,” Dufresne said. “Not all of us are from this town, but just people who have an appreciation for the history of where they live.”

Dufresne identified one hurdle with preserving and sharing the multifaceted story of Milton: its little-known history.

As more Americans began settling the interior of Georgia in the early 19th century, tensions increased between the Cherokee Nation and White farmers. The state took over Cherokee lands in 1830 and divided it during the 1832 land lottery.

Contractor completes work on athletic fields

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Sports Turf Company announced competition of phase one of the athletic facility renovations May 29 at high schools in the Fulton County district.

Phase one includes the renovation of high school practice fields at Alpharetta, Milton, Westlake in Atlanta and Langston Hughes and Creekside in Fairburn.

Sports Turf turned the existing natural grass practice fields at all five high schools into an artificial turf system, providing more durability and better shock absorbency.

The school district awarded a $13.6 million contract last November to the sports construction and surfacing company to renovate 11 practice fields, one stadium field and two shot put and discus sectors.

Phase two, already scheduled to be underway, calls for a new practice field,

stadium field replacement and track resurface at Cambridge High School.

The second slate of projects also includes construction of a track surface at Langston Hughes and Johns Creek high schools, a practice field at Tri-Cities High School in East Point and a practice field with shot put and discus sector at Banneker High School in unincorporated Fulton County.

The third phase will install new practice fields at Roswell, Centennial and Chattahoochee high schools.

Todd Higgins, president of Sports Turf, said his team is excited to see phase one completed.

“It is a privilege to work for a school system that places such a high importance on their athletic facilities,” Higgins said. “We’re excited to keep working on the next two phases to give them the facilities their athletes deserve.”

PHOTOS BY SPORTS TURF COMPANY/PROVIDED

A bird’s eye shot of Milton High School shows its new practice field with artificial turf. Sports Turf Company announced May 29 the competition of phase one of its track and turf replacement project with Fulton County Schools.

A new AstroTurf practice field stands ready for use behind Alpharetta High School. The athletic facility renovation is one of 15 projects scheduled to be completed this year across Fulton County Schools.

8 | Milton Herald | June 6, 2024

Home farmer shines light on mushroom as superfood

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — Shannon Williams probably fits in with other mushroom enthusiasts, wearing one of several mushroom T-shirts and advocating for a holistic healthy lifestyle, skeptical of silver bullets.

He’s the type to notice a kinship with all things around us.

“Mushrooms are very close to us, not too far from us in the genetic pool,” he said.

Before news of the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, Williams said he came down with a sickness that resulted in a stick up his nose and hushed tones from medical professionals in the hall of the hospital, keeping away from whatever he had.

During his recovery, his son Shannon, the second, turned him onto turkey tail mushrooms. It was off to the races from there, carrying over some of the same equipment he used to brew his own ale.

“I remember I still was in pain when I decided I wanted to sell mushrooms to the public, so I decided I want to feed and heal my public,” Williams said.

Out of the basement in his Cumming home, he grows more than a dozen varieties of (legal) mushrooms. The 10-by-20 Gorilla tent is the last of three size upgrades for his burgeoning business Noble Fungi Farm.

“I don’t know if you’ve ever been born again, but it felt like that but without the politics,” Williams said. “It was my choice, right? It was like, ‘Hey, this is a good thing, and I benefited from it personally, like I am

a witness. Have you ever met Mushroom Jesus?’”

Williams fetched a box of mushrooms from his car — pink and blue oysters, which he identified by their Latin names.

He said they were the backbone to his farm as well as elm oysters and lion’s mane, though he also grows chestnuts, reishi, shitake. Cordyceps get their own room, and so would hen-of-the-wood if he chooses to add it to the bunch.

“Hen-of-the-wood, I believe, knows the difference between its spores and other spores,” Williams said. “If there’s too many other spores in the environment, it’ll grow, but it’ll be underwhelmed. It won’t be like, ‘Life!’ It’ll be like, ‘Life…’”

He sells whole mushrooms, mushroom jerky and mushroom tinctures at local markets, also listing mushroom-based recipes on his website like one concocted by his eldest daughter Rena for vegan rainbow mushroom stroganoff.

Soon, Williams will introduce chaga soap. Chaga is sclerotia, a byproduct of birch trees attacking the locale of a fungal parasite, similar to a mold. Like reishi, Williams said it is an immunomodulator and an adaptogen, nourishing organs to provide chemical stability.

“It’s taking all the good stuff that the tree is throwing at it and making it grow,” Williams said.

Products or “value-adds,” as he likes to call them, are a third of his business. Another third is education, and another is having fun.

See MUSHROOM, Page 9

My grandmother used to say, ‘There’s a place for everything, and everything has its place,’ and that’s kind of my vibe.

he grew at his home-based farm in Cumming. They started

2021 after Williams used mushrooms to heal himself of illness and

pass that power to the community.

SHANNON WILLIAMS, founder, Noble Fungi Farm

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Shannon Williams and his wife Valerie stand next to a box of oyster mushrooms

Noble Fungi Farm in

felt a need to

Pink and blue oysters are part of the backbone of Shannon Williams’ home-based farm in addition to shitake and lion’s mane.

Mushroom:

Continued from Page 8

Williams said his wife Valerie gives his mind direction, one that sometimes takes him down into the grow room at 3 a.m., still finding it miraculous to see his mushrooms grow.

“I bring the purpose, and I bring the dreams, and she helps me make it make sense,” Williams said.

Valerie, responsible for marketing Noble Fungi Farm, chuckled every now and then from across the outside breezeway at Starbucks as Williams’ excitableness over mushrooms pulled him into tangents.

He dove into the weeds of mycology, a meticulous process helped by a skillset he developed working in finance and accounting for UPS before he retired.

“My grandmother used to say, ‘There’s a place for everything, and everything has its place,’ and that’s kind of my vibe,” Williams said.

He also shared insights he accrued while taking his health into his own hands, with a hope that people do the same.

“We shouldn’t lean so much on other things,” Williams said. “They all have their place, but people don’t know how to grow anything. They don’t know how to fix anything. Like it breaks, they just go buy a new one.”

PHOTOS BY SHANNON WILLIAMS/PROVIDED Shannon Williams, owner of Noble Fungi Farm, holds a lion’s mane mushroom he grew in his basement farm. He grows more than a dozen varieties.

Shannon Williams’ son Shannon tends to mushrooms in the grow room.

How does a School District impact home values?

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

We all know the age-old saying location, location, location. When it comes to school districts, this reigns even more true. Even if you never plan to have school-aged children, buying in a good school district brings a multitude

of benefits to your home’s value. A good school district typically means safer neighborhoods, access to sidewalks, restaurants and shops, better parks and recreation departments and active communities. All of this leads to the higher price points for homes located in these areas. The link between school districts and property value is so strong that there has been a recent trend of foreign real estate investors buying property in certain school districts without ever seeing the house. That’s how sure they are that the value of the property will increase.

When a market starts to correct itself or has a downturn, the schools can significantly impact how much the pricing fluctuates in those areas. People will always pay more to invest in their children’s future, so it is a great strategy to buy in an area that will likely maintain stable and rising home values.

It’s not just important to find a real estate agent who is knowledgeable about houses. They should also have extensive knowledge of the house’s surrounding area to best guide each buyer on school districts and the areas in which each school excels

to best fit their specific needs. Homebuyers are encouraged to gather information and research from various sources and tour each school to find the right one for their family!

Investing in your home is one of the hardest and most important decisions you will make for your family. You don’t have to do it alone! Call or email Sam today and we’ll evaluate your needs and get your family into the best schools the area has to offer. Call 404-803-5999 or email sam@homegeorgia.com and get a response within 24 hours.

What do realtors really do to help sell a home?

Brought to you by – Lara Dolan - Craft Dolan Team at Ansley Real Estate | Christie’s International

What do Realtors really do to help clients sell a home?

It’s so much more than opening doors. The depth of market, community, contractual and real estate knowledge is critical. We are in it every day, while the average person may but only 2-3 homes in their lifetime. Even a “frequent mover” is unlikely to know the specifics of local markets, customs and laws from state to state, or have resources to tackle all aspects of the transaction.

• Preparation: Paint, landscaping, repairing windows, removing pet smells, staging, de-cluttering, coordinating estate sales, proper surveys, roof repairs, HVAC techs, prelisting inspections or appraisals… we help clients do everything from picking out new lighting and carpet to get a home updated for sale, to spreading mulch and walking dogs during showings. Last month we replaced a battery in a dead truck that was in the driveway (client had already moved out of state). In short: whatever it takes to get the property “show ready”.

• The Price is Right: Accurately pricing your home is crucial. Without the expertise of a realtor who knows

the local market and recent sales data, you risk overpricing and scaring away buyers, or underpricing and leaving money on the table. Properly comparing your home to recent sales, taking active competition into consideration, and having an objective opinion of the good and the bad of your property are some of the most important things an experienced agent brings to the party.

• Marketing Muscle: Real estate agents have access to Multiple Listing Services (MLS) which broadcast your listing to a wide network of potential buyers and agents. Depending on the listing and the brokerage we also have access to networks that feature luxury listings, specialized types of listings (farms, wineries, land, etc.), local social media groups, and our own closed networks of experienced agents who operate constantly behind the scenes sharing information about buyers and sellers in our area, scouring for opportunities.

• Time is Money: Setting up showings, answering countless phone calls, following up on showings for feedback, screening prospective buyers, attending showings, watching out for fraudsters and bad actors, preparing marketing information, hiring photographers and stagers, finding maintenance resources… these are all part of a normal day.

• Negotiation Ninja: Negotiating a good deal involves skill, strategy and intimate knowledge of the market.

Most serious buyers are using an agent and the relationship between listing agents and buyers’ agents can be invaluable. We will even hear in competitive situations that our offer got the nod because all things being equal, we have a reputation of professionalism – these cooperative relationships are very important in local markets. An experienced agent knows how to handle offers, counteroffers, contingencies, and inspections to get you the best possible outcome.

• Teamwork: Experienced agents have spent years building a team of experts: photographers, stagers, cleaners, maintenance people, landscapers, attorneys, surveyors, engineers, inspectors and more. These resources are invaluable, and you never know who you may need to call on short notice to save a deal... we do it every day.

• Paperwork Maze: The real estate transaction involves important paperwork, legal documents, and disclosures. Understanding these documents and navigating the process can be overwhelming and what you don’t know can seriously hurt you.

• Emotional Rollercoaster: Selling your home can be an emotional experience. A realtor is the buffer between you and potential buyers, protecting you from getting emotionally attached to the negotiation process. It is our job to help clients keep the end-goal in mind and not derail a

transaction over small or emotional issues that will soon be forgotten.

• Finding Qualified Buyers: Not all buyers will be pre-approved for a mortgage or are serious about purchasing. Real estate agents have experience vetting potential buyers to ensure they’re qualified and serious about the home buying process.

• Legal Protection: A realtor helps protect you by advising you on properly disclosing things about your property, abiding by fair housing rules, ensuring paperwork is properly completed and generally providing you a layer of protection in the sales process.

• Managing Inspections and Repairs: Buyers will likely have a home inspection, which can reveal necessary repairs. Experienced realtors are accustomed to reading inspection reports and know when to be concerned, when to call in other experts, and when to negotiate.

• Closing Complications: The closing process can be complex, emotional and involve unexpected hurdles. A good real estate agent can guide you through the closing process and ensure a smooth transaction.

You should expect a high level of service from your Realtor and the other professionals, throughout the transaction. A true professional will turn one of life’s most stressful experiences (moving) into something that is enjoyable, manageable, and profitable.

DOLAN

5 absolute must-haves in the bathroom

Brought to you by - Bath and Kitchen

Throughout America major changes are happening in the bathroom, especially in the shower. North Atlanta expanded rapidly from 1980 to 2005, and this is the era of jetted tubs dominating the bathroom, claustrophobic gold framed showers, poor lighting and the use of materials that promoted mold and mildew (grout).

“We see this every day”, says John Hogan, owner of Bath and Kitchen Galleria in Alpharetta, “Homeowners are tired of recurring grout issues, and they want their bathrooms to be a soothing pleasant experience.” Bath and Kitchen Galleria just completed their 1000th project and bathrooms are their primary type of project. “We have a formula that works for homeowners that balances bathroom aesthetics, function and price.”

In the bathroom, America has realigned its preferences, and the bathroom has taken a new shape in terms of products and appearance. At the center of “America’s New Bathroom” is a larger, open shower. We take more showers than baths, so the emphasis has shifted to the shower. Larger showers are more inviting and in most cases the shower does not have a ceiling.

The openness of the shower is the mold solution.

In concert with the openness is the abundant use of shower glass. Not just any glass but specially coated glass that makes cleaning far less frequent. “We remodel just about every shower to be a maximum of 2 tiled walls: the remaining walls are always glass,” Mr. Hogan continued, “abundant glass and strategically located lighting, promotes that spa feeling.” Bathrooms are now engineered to be cleaner, both in design and materials; grout no longer promotes mold, non-porous tile remains clean, and humidity sensing fans automatically exhaust unwanted humidity.

Americans are taking shorter showers, but an abundance of water is also desired, so multiple shower heads especially incorporating a handheld wand is preferred. Especially when a bench is included, the water needs to be accessible from a seated position.

The 5 Absolute Must-Haves in a Bathroom: Bigger Showers, Brighter Bathrooms, Designs that Promote Cleanliness, Abundant Water experiences and Soothing Colors. For more information visit Bath and Kitchen Galleria’s showroom at 10591 Old Alabama Rd Connector in Alpharetta (no appointment needed) or call them at 678-459-2292.

Galleria

ISTOCK

Open the door to what’s next.

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

Top in-demand amenities for luxury homes in 2024

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

As 2024 opens with limited inventory in high demand coupled with investors who have become accustomed to new interest rates, the luxury market can safely be termed ‘healthy.’ However, sellers need to stay informed about evolving buyer trends. According to a new Luxury Outlook Report from Sotheby’s International Realty, the market is experiencing a shift toward properties that integrate a few key elements well.

Here are a few highlights of what’s next in luxury homes. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current residence or invest in a new property, these features are set to reshape not only homes themselves but the lifestyles they represent.

1. Sustainable features.

The demand for renewable energy and a reduction in carbon footprint has generated an unprecedented market for eco-conscious building and development practices. In addition, many governments offer tax credits for sustainable construction. E-vehicle charging points, solar energy, eco materials and eco amenities are becoming important considerations for buyers. Sustainability is extending into community development as well, with walkability, electric-vehicle charging station availability and LEED-certified designs factoring largely in planned neighborhoods.

2. Hospitality elements.

In Hotel-Style, At Home, Jim Tinson, AIA, says that his clientele “…no longer draws a distinction between their vacation accommodations, private clubs, or primary residences…. ‘There’s a focus on elevated amenities and hospitality experiences baked into private homes.’” Some examples of this trend are:

• hotel-style suites that incorporate en suite bathrooms, closets and blackout shades into secondary bedrooms,

• in-room kitchenettes,

• spa-inspired bathrooms,

• family entertainment destinations,

• high-end mudrooms that mimic the boot rooms of five-star ski resorts (complete with headed lockers, boot warmers and full equipment storage), and

• hotel-worthy cocktail bars

3. Resort-like attributes.

The seamless integration of indoor and outdoor living spaces has become a hallmark of luxury design. This feature emphasizes a harmonious connection with nature and blurs the boundaries between the interior and exterior through expansive glass walls, retractable doors and covered outdoor rooms.

As we navigate through 2024, the landscape of luxury real estate continues to transform, marked by amenities that offer a comprehensive, elevated living experience. For sellers and developers, staying attuned to these trends is crucial in catering to the sophisticated tastes of today’s market. If you need assistance renovating your home or have any other real estate needs, please contact Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300. We would be happy to assist you!

Compiled and edited by Angela Valente, Marketing Copywriter/ Copyeditor

Bill Rawlings and Sherri Conrad

PEXELS

Protect your property

Brought to you by –Estates Law Center USA

Estate planning is essential if you don’t want your property to end up in the costly probate court, but how do you make sure your beneficiaries can inherit without the headache of additional costs? You can put “right of survivorship” language on the deed, which ensures that the remaining joint owner of the property inherits 100% upon your death, but that’s only a temporary stop-gap measure as the property will still end up going into the probate court upon the remaining owner’s death. You can’t sign the property over to your children during your lifetime, since that triggers capital gains tax, and you certainly can’t just leave the property be, as the right of survivorship isn’t automatic in the state of Georgia - not even a spouse would be able to inherit your interest in a property.

That’s where trusts come in, and there are a variety of trusts that you can choose to set up depending on your situation. For instance, a generationskipping trust allows trust assets to

be inherited by nonspouse beneficiaries two or more generations younger than you, which is perfect if you want your greatgrandchildren to inherit. This trust can also be drafted so assets are transferred without incurring generation-skipping tax. Then there’s the 2503(c) trust, which is a special trust created specifically for children under the age of 21. It allows you to control the trust assets and properties until the child reaches maturity. Or you can always go with a basic or enhanced revocable trust, which protects the properties after your death and ensures the beneficiaries inherit without capital gains tax - thanks to something called the “step-up basis,” they would only need to pay taxes based on the current value of the property, not on the value that the property has accumulated over the years.

Regardless of your situation, there is likely a trust that is perfect for you. So don’t wait to begin protecting your property. Start today by contacting a local estate planning attorney and start your estate plan now.

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LAKE LANIER

Lakeside at River Green

an active adult community in Canton

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

John Wieland and his JW Collection team, with more than 50 years of experience, present Lakeside at River Green, a gated, active-adult neighborhood in Canton, GA, just north of Atlanta in Cherokee County. The JW Collection is John’s legacy business and represents his half century commitment to building better homes.

Lakeside at River Green is a neighborhood without comparison. An elevated experience that has no equal. And homes as unique as you are because you help design them. Our luxury single-family homes range from 1,800 to 3,600+ sq. ft. and over one to three stories of spacious living, finished terrace levels with media rooms, sky terraces, luxury owner’s suites with spa-inspired

baths, and elevator capability, along with spacious rear and bonus yards.

It’s what’s next in active adult home design – there is no need to be tied to one-level living or compromise on space for entertaining or the luxury upgrades you desire. Once you’ve chosen from a spectrum of home styles and plans that only a John Wieland neighborhood can over, you join our design team at our new home design studio. Collaborating with the team, you’ll help curate a home that becomes the very image of your personal sense of style and taste.

Lakeside is redefining what an active adult neighborhood is all about. As part of the overall master-planned River Green community, you’ll enjoy a country-club atmosphere rich with resort-style activities and amenities – all just steps away from your front door. Soak in the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Take your furry best

friend on a scenic stroll. Make new friends lakeside, poolside or at Evermore, Lakeside’s brand-new 10,000+ sq. ft. clubhouse featuring an elegant club room, veranda, fitness center, yoga room, lounge, meeting rooms and boardroom, covered outdoor terrace with lake views, pickleball courts, fire pit and lake pier. Other amenities in River Green include a resort and lap pool, waterpark, tennis courts, playground, miles of walking/ biking/nature trails, and more than 200 acres of green space.

Lakeside is as far away from expected as possible, yet it’s close to everything you want, need and love. Here you’ll experience a setting of true privacy woven into the fabric of a flourishing master-planned community. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the arts, culture, and charm of the historic town of Canton, GA. Canton and the surrounding scenic area have become a mecca for wineries,

golf, gourmet dining, and eclectic shops and art studios. If that weren’t enough, everything from cheering on your hometown heroes like the Braves and Falcons to world class music and art is nearby in Atlanta.

Every John Wieland home is built with purpose, and everyone on the JW Collection team is committed to the company’s mission: To conceive and build homes and neighborhoods that will stand the test of time in value and beauty and enhance the lives of their owners. Come experience the John Wieland difference at Lakeside at River Green.

To schedule a tour, please contact Carla or Calvin at 678-321-4211 or visit us online at lakesideatrivergreen.com.

Lakeside is represented by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties New Homes Division. An equal housing opportunity.

Gen Z wins day in Atlanta area primary races

By ALESSANDRO MARAZZI SASSOON Atlanta Civic Circle

ATLANTA — It was Gen Z’s night on Georgia’s May 21 Election Day: All but one of the youngest cohort of statehouse candidates cruised to victories in metroAtlanta.

One big upset stood out in particular, sending shockwaves through the political establishment. That was Gabriel Sanchez’s victory over State Rep. Teri Anulewicz in the Democratic primary for her Cobb County legislative district, which covers parts of Smyrna and Marietta. Sanchez won with 56.8 percent or 2,249 votes – compared with 43.2 percent or 1,711 votes for Anulewicz.

Anulewicz, who has represented District 42 since 2017, rose through party ranks to become deputy whip for Georgia’s House Democrats, while serving on key House committees, such as Appropriations and Transportation. Her reputation for working across the aisle earned her a broad base of support, even among Republicans. She won endorsements from a long list of state and local officials, including U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath and the AFL-CIO of Georgia.

Her unexpected loss to a 27-year-old waiter and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) may signal a shift in local politics — one where young, organized progressives running to the left of the establishment can win elections.

By all accounts, Sanchez ran an impressive campaign. Anulewicz outraised him more than two-to-one, bringing in $123,648 in donations, compared with Sanchez’s $50,097, according to campaign finance disclosures. But nearly half the contributions to Anulewicz came from political action committees, while Sanchez’s contributions were overwhelmingly smaller-dollar, individual donations.

That reflects the grassroots get-outthe-vote mobilization that Sanchez’s campaign has undertaken since last November to win. About 100 volunteers knocked on 17,000 doors, with the target of swaying 2,500 voters to defeat Anulewicz, according to Sanchez campaign manager and DSA-Atlanta co-chair Kelsea Bond.

“Our main takeaway from this campaign — and it’s something that we already knew in our gut — is that there’s a huge disconnect between what the average voter or American actually believes in, and what politicians are doing,” Bond said.

Consequently, the Sanchez campaign’s approach was to go out and talk to constituents about their topline issues — housing, healthcare, a green economy — and connect them to DSA ideals. “This win just really validates what we’ve

ATLANTA DSA/PROVIDED

Gabriel Sanchez, center, in a blazer and tie, celebrates with his supporters May 21.

been saying all along, which is that our ideas are actually popular. It’s just that a lot of politicians are afraid to champion them,” Bond said.

Anulewicz did not respond to a request for comment.

Even for Cobb Republicans, her loss is a wake-up call. Skylar Akins, the Atlanta Young Republicans’ executive vice president and a resident of District 42, said it was completely unexpected.

If anyone had foreseen it, he added, a number of Republican voters in Anulewicz’s district would have chosen a Democratic primary ballot just so they could vote for her. “They definitely would have [picked a Democratic ballot]. The only thing we were deciding on the Republican side in Cobb County was the sheriff’s race,” he said.

Akins acknowledged the “sweat equity” Sanchez’s campaign put in. “I know they flooded this district with people because I was personally canvassed by his campaign three or four times,” he said.

Sanchez will face off against Republican Diane Jackson for the House legislative seat in November. Jackson ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Other Gen Z wins

The other Gen Z candidates to win Democratic primaries for state legislative seats include Bryce Berry and Ashwin Ramaswami in Metro Atlanta and Madeline Ryan Smith in a Middle Georgia district.

Berry bested a crowded field to win the Democratic primary for House District 56, which runs from Ansley Park, through Midtown, all the way southwest to Beecher Hills. The district’s two-term incumbent, Rep. Mesha Mainor, caused a stir last July when she switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party – attracting Berry and four other Democratic challengers.

If Berry wins against Mainor in November, he could be the first public school teacher in the Georgia House of Representatives. The 2023 Morehouse College graduate teaches 7th grade math

More information

Here’s a rundown of run-off elections expected for the five-county, metroAtlanta area based on preliminary election returns:

Fulton County

• Democratic primary for Fulton County Commissioner, District 4: Incumbent Natalie Hall v. Mo Ivory. Clayton County

• Democratic primary for Clayton Sheriff: Incumbent Levon Allen v. Jeffrey E. Turner.

• Democratic primary for Clayton County Commission Chair: Alieka Anderson v. Terry L. Baskin

• Democratic primary for Clayton County Commissioner, District 3: Tashe’ Allen v. Attania Jean-Funny.

DeKalb County

• Democratic primary for DeKalb CEO: Larry Johnson v. Lorraine Cochran Johnson.

• Democratic primary for DeKalb County Commissioner, District 4:

for Atlanta Public Schools. He told Atlanta Civic Circle last month that education reform, including greater teacher pay, along with affordable housing and accessible healthcare are his top issues.

Ramaswami ran unopposed to win the Democratic primary for Senate District 48 in Johns Creek, where he grew up. Ramaswami, a software engineer who just graduated from Georgetown Law School, will face off against Republican incumbent Sen. Shawn Still in November. The Democrat has said he decided to challenge Still after the latter’s indictment in the sprawling Fulton RICO case against former president Donald Trump.

In Middle Georgia, Smith also ran unopposed to win the Democratic primary for House District 158, located between Macon and Savannah. Smith is challenging longtime incumbent Rep. Larry “Butch” Parrish, who just completed his 20th term. This will be her second bid for the seat, after losing to Parrish in 2022.

A Gen Z challenger in Albany, Joshua Anthony, wasn’t able to unseat first-term Rep. David Sampson in the Democratic primary for House District 153. Sampson won a resounding 58 percent of the vote.

Incumbents fare well

Outside of Sanchez’s upset, incumbents fared well in the primary.

Georgia Supreme Court Justice Andrew Pinson staved off a competitive challenge from former Democratic Congressman John Barrow, winning 55 percent of the vote in the closely watched nonpartisan primary. Pinson was ap-

Lance Hammonds v. Chakira Johnson.

• Judicial runoff for State Court Judge Division A-3: Yolanda Mack v. Dionne McGee.

Gwinnett County

• School Board District 1: Karen Watkins v. Rachel Stone

• School Board District 3: Steve Gasper v. Shana White State Legislature

• Democratic primary for State Senate District 55: Iris Knight-Hamilton v Randal Mangham (DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties)

• Democratic primary for State Senate District 38: RaShaun Kemp v. Ralph Long III. (Fulton County)

• Democratic primary for State Senate District 34: Valencia Stovall v. Kenya Wicks. (Clayton and Valencia Counties)

• Democratic primary for State House District 96: Arlene Beckles v. Sonia Lopez (Gwinnett County)

pointed to the state Supreme Court in 2022 by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, so now he’ll serve a 6-year term.

In another nonpartisan judicial race, incumbent Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee also won with a commanding 83 percent of the vote. McAfee is overseeing the historic case alleging election interference against Trump and 14 co-conspirators.

Fulton Sheriff Pat Labat and District Attorney Fani Willis, the prosecutor for the Trump election-interference case, both cruised to victory in their Democratic primaries. Another Democratic incumbent, Clerk of Courts Che’ Alexander, also attracted primary challengers, but won 52 percent of the vote to narrowly avoid a runoff. These primary victories all but assure their wins in November in the heavily Democratic county.

Gwinnett County Sheriff Keybo Taylor trounced three fellow Democrats, winning 67.8 percent of the vote in their primary. He’ll face off against Republican primary winner Mike Baker, a former Gwinnett deputy, in the Nov. 5 general election.

Run-offs to watch

Several other elections will head to a runoff on June 18. In contests with more than two candidates, if no candidate secures over 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election between the top two votegetters is held within four weeks.

Claire Becknell contributed to this story. This article was originally published on atlantaciviccircle.org.

Roswell honors nation’s fallen heroes

By BEECHER TUTTLE newsroom@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Rain gave way to sunshine just long enough Monday morning as thousands gathered for Roswell’s annual Memorial Day tribute at City Hall.

The 25th annual event, held before the city’s Faces of War memorial, is the state’s largest to honor U.S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Crowds traditionally some 7,000 people.

“It’s a difficult and somber day, but one that is critically important,” said former U.S. Rep. Dr. Tom Price, the former Roswell Rotary Club president known as the architect of the “Roswell Remembers” Memorial Day ceremony.

Price spoke on the importance of memorializing our fallen soldiers not only for the families in attendance, but for the children who may be getting their first exposure to the true meaning of Memorial Day.

“There are young people who now recognize the sacrifice necessary to defend freedom in this country,” Price said.

For others, the day is more personal. Retired Navy veteran Skip Green, who was a missile fire control technician aboard the USS Wainwright during the Vietnam War, said that this year’s ceremony was the 23rd he has attended. He came to honor the Navy friends that he lost during the war, yet acknowledged that his brother — a deceased Army vet who also fought in Vietnam — is always especially close to mind during Memorial Day.

Green’s brother survived the war but was never the same after coming home. “Twenty-two of his men were lost [in Vietnam]” Green said of his brother. “The war was the reason that I lost him.”

He declined to go into detail about what happened to his brother after leaving Vietnam.

Keynote speaker Ret. Col. Rick White, who was deployed for 24 months in combat during the Vietnam War, said he often spends his Memorial Day thinking about the early 2000s as well as the 1960s and ’70s. He spoke of his fallen comrades.

“Some of the last eyes they saw and human touch they felt was mine,” White said. “I thought ‘why them and not me?’”

White also said he thinks about his son and what could have happened roughly 30 years later. The younger White was given just 12 hours to live following a crude bomb explosion in Baghdad in 2003, but he beat the odds and is now an active colonel in his own right.

“For families of lost loved ones, every day is Memorial Day,” he said.

White closed his keynote address with a call for patriotism, highlighting a 100-year-old World War II widow whose

Trumpeter Jon Andersen performs “Taps” in front of Roswell’s famous Faces of War memorial.

husband’s body was just recently returned to U.S. soil. “The military doesn’t leave anyone behind,” he said. “And we as citizens should never give up on America.”

The ceremony included the presentation of colors, the singing of the national anthem, the Pledge of Allegiance and a tribute to prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action.

The center of attention was the plaza’s defining Faces of War memorial, a 14-foot monument that depicts a U.S. soldier reaching out to a small girl. In the background are several dozen faces — ranging from American servicemen and servicewomen to Vietnamese citizens — all of whom have been visibly touched by the Vietnam War. The award-winning memorial was dedicated in 1995, three years before the inaugural Roswell Memorial Day ceremony was held.

PHOTOS BY BEECHER TUTTLE/APPEN MEDIA

Ret. Col. Rick White speaks before Roswell’s City Hall on the importance of Memorial Day.

Retired Navy veteran Skip Green stands during the armed forces tribute at the 25th annual Roswell Memorial Day ceremony.

Memorial Day attendees wave flags during a special rendition of “Proud to Be an American.”

Women’s Veterans Day Ceremony Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m. Veterans Walk, Newtown Park 3150 Old Alabama Rd., Johns Creek

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This year, Army and Navy recruitment tables were stationed in the lobby “for our parents thinking about their children’s future,” according to Satriano. As is custom in Milton, white crosses with the names of deceased veterans with ties to the city lined the streets.

“Together we’ve put out almost 900 markers. At some point there will be over 1,000,” Satriano said. “We’ll probably have to reclaim land from Alpharetta [to have room for them],” he added.

Two losses hit the community particularly hard this year. Retired Army Col. Ronnie Rondem and retired Navy Capt. Robert “Bud” Alexander passed away in January. Both served in Vietnam, and Rondem was called to active service again for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

“We’re here to honor these two warriors,” said Navy veteran Bill Lusk.

Maj. Gen. William “Bill” Dyer III, U.S. Army Reserve 108th Training

Command, delivered the keynote address. Dyer is an engineer officer and military lawyer and a veteran of two combat deployments, including the invasion of Iraq in 2003. He is a managing partner at the Atlanta office of law firm Lee & Hayes, where he leads its intellectual property litigation practice.

Dyer’s speech centered on the question: “Was their sacrifice worth it in the end?”

“Certainly there’s an awful lot in this country that would make their chests swell with pride,” Dyer said. “But it’s not all butterflies and bunny rabbits … I think some of our fallen will look down and have a hard time understanding how ideological differences about things that maybe aren’t that significant turn friends and families against one another, [but] compromise is beautiful. This country was founded on compromise.”

Dyer ended on a call to action. “Listen [and] look for compromise,” Dyer said. “I think if we took a few minutes to try to find compromise with people who have different views, I think we’d go a long way toward easing the tension.”

PHOTOS BY ALEX ANTEAU/APPEN MEDIA

Cambridge High School graduate Solo Lowit performs the “Star Spangled Banner” at Milton’s Memorial Day celebration May 27 at City Hall.

Markers citing deceased members of the U.S. military line the streets in Milton over Memorial Day weekend. The project is spearheaded by the Milton Veterans Memorial Marker Association.

Adam Fraley, a certified public accountant and partner with Mauldin & Jenkins, discusses the annual independent audit May 20 with councilmembers and city staff. Fraley said despite one error, the city compiled a “fantastic” comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2023.

Audit:

Continued from Page 1

Officers Association for review to see if it merits the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

Milton received a certificate for the 15th consecutive year in January for its fiscal year 2022 report.

Roswell and Alpharetta have received the award more than 30 times, and Sandy Springs has been awarded each year since 2006.

Because of a change to Roswell’s budgeting method, staff told Appen Media in November 2023 that the city did not apply for the award for its fiscal year 2023 budget.

The finance association had no record of Johns Creek or Mountain Park receiving the award.

The program awards entities that ensure financial statements have all the information the public needs to understand the financial health of their local government.

Sometimes, even municipalities recognized for going beyond the minimum requirements make mistakes.

Fraley said his team found one

significant deficiency in the city’s financial statements related to the disbursement of around $31,000 in October 2023, which was not accrued at the end of the fiscal year.

The disbursement came from the city’s share of county-wide sales taxes, or its TSPLOST Fund.

“This item has been corrected like all the other adjustments and it is reflected correctly in financial statements,” he said. “It was something though that internal controls did not identify but yet the audit process did.”

Fraley said the irregularity is not a “material weakness” because of its magnitude.

Another aspect of the independent audit gave City Council management points, which are recommendations based on observations during a test of cash bonds.

Fraley said the city has 22 bonds worth around $560,000 over 5 years of age, which he recommends for the city continue to watch.

One suggestion is to encourage developers to complete outstanding projects on schedule

“We appreciate it, every year you do a great job,” Mayor Peyton Jamison told Fraley. “Thanks for all that you do.”

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Alpharetta veterans group names Legionnaire of Year

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta American Legion Post 201 Commander Tom Billings has chosen a Cumming resident and Operation Desert Storm veteran as Legionnaire of the Year.

The honor goes to U.S. Army veteran Ralph Fike. Legionnaire of the Year is the highest recognition bestowed on an individual at the local post level by the outgoing post commander.

Billings said that Fike is committed to the post and his fellow legionnaires.

“Fike, in his role as chairman of the House Committee ensures that both routine and more challenging task are accomplished quietly and efficiently,” Billings said. “Ralph is one of those rare individuals who just gets things done. His calm, quiet demeanor, and common-sense approach in dealing with situations is valued and appreciated.”

Fike was also unanimously elected at the same May general membership meeting to the position of Junior Vice Commander of the more than 700-member organization.

Discover:

Continued from Page 4

A couple decades later in 1857, the state established Milton County from parts of Cherokee, Forsyth and Cobb counties.

The McConnell-Chadwick Homestead, built in the late 1830s on Arnold Mill Road, predates the creation of Milton County.

Former state senator and Brig. Gen. Eli McConnell was authorized to mediate conflict between Native Americans and White settlers in the area and to sell property after the Cherokee removal in 1938.

Without the effort from the Milton Historical Society to work with the city and property owner, the historical site would have likely been destroyed.

“The building was in disrepair, and the owner didn’t really have the money to restore it,” Dufresne said. “Ultimately, we got the owner to donate the building to the city, and the city will preserve it.”

The primarily cotton-producing county merged into Fulton County during the Great Depression amid boll weevil infestations and droughts that upended its one-crop economy.

Dufresne identified 1932 as his favorite moment in the history of Milton, as a community, county and city.

The collapse of the national economy, coupled with the destruction of the county’s mainstay crop, could have

spelled decades of disaster for Milton.

“That old saying, ‘when one door closes, another one opens, but it can be hell in the hallway,’” Dufresne said. “It went from worst to on the road to what it is today.”

Instead, the area continued to grow and prosper throughout the 20th century as paved roads bridges and new buildings began to urbanize North Fulton County.

“We have two seasonal events because Milton was an agricultural town and community 100 years ago," Dufresne said. “You’d plant seeds in the spring and harvest in the fall.”

The Historical Society’s Spring Fling May 18 at the Roberts Barn on Freemanville Road drew around 130, the organization’s highest attended event to date.

Dufresne said many who attended were not members of the Milton Historical Society and some were new residents. The nonprofit, with more than 100 members less than seven years into its existence, shows promise for the growing city, he said.

The Historical Society’s slate of fall programs includes two lectures at the Milton Public Library Aug. 13 and Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m.

The Autumn Shindig at Wildberry Creek Farm Sept. 22 wraps up the organization’s list of upcoming programs and events for the year.

To get involved with the Milton Historical Society, visit miltonhistoricalsociety-georgia.org.

Legionnaire of the Year Ralph Fike, left, is honored by Alpharetta American Legion Post 201 Commander Tom Billings.

OPINION

International birthday parties and valuable life lessons

Recently, my daughter celebrated her birthday at the beach with five of her closest friends, while I stayed at her place in Ellijay, babysitting her husky. Although I don’t mind housesitting, taking care of that husky was another story. I was struck by the diversity among my daughter’s friends – their eclectic nature —so unlike the typical groups from my generation. These friends are difficult to categorize or stereotype, and their varied backgrounds made me wonder just how typical they are of their generation, many of whom are now in their mid to late 30s.

All except one friend met my daughter while she lived in California in a big house over a decade ago on the corner of Haight and Ashbury. The outlier is a friend she met in Berlin. Despite geographical distances and time, these friendships have remained strong and vital.

The friend from NYC, a computer programmer from India who grew up in Dubai, recently quit her job in the Bay Area to move to and experience New York City – by herself. When I asked her how the birthday party was at the beach, she replied that it was like a “five-day slumber party,” which brought a smile to my face and made my heart flutter.

The friend from upstate New York is originally from a small village in Bangladesh. He moved to the United States at 5 and became a successful computer programmer. While living at the house on Haight, he began developing Crowdcast, a website for video conferencing, just before COVID-19, which eventually became a popular app and platform used worldwide. Talk about timing.

Two of my daughter’s friends still live in the Bay Area. One is an architect. I would call her an “art connoisseur/ entrepreneur.” When I first met her, she was running a converted warehouse in Oakland that she had converted into

a live/work art collective to address affordable housing and work space for Bay Area artists. Think consignment store, except instead of booths for stuff to sell, there were spaces for artists to create their work. Wandering through the warehouse was mystical, almost like exploring some far-away land. You never knew what you would run into around any corner you turned.

The other friend still living in the Bay Area is much of the time, literally living “in the bay.” His story is remarkable. He is from the Midwest and dropped out of college and that traditional career track thing, and moved to California where he started working as a computer coder – selftaught. He found his place in one or several of the Silicon Valley tech

companies and lives with his long-time partner who was one of the first, say 20, employees of one of the huge tech companies – think like a Google or similar. Most of his time today is split between his new job at yet another tech company and working on the large sailboat he bought and learned to sail in San Francisco Bay – hence “living literally in the Bay.”

The odd-man-out, the one she did not meet in California, is probably the most interesting of them all. Think a modern-day Indiana Jones or similar. Whether it was hiking across much of eastern Europe and the Middle East, to moving to Israel to learn Hebrew (just because), to moving to Indonesia to live in a orangutang-rescue preserve camp for six months to who knows how many

other adventures, he is the poster-child Peter-Pan. He is German and, like the others, a coder/tech guy. Think crazy smart, tech guy. His last “formal” job was rewriting the code for the French unemployment system – seriously. My daughter met him a week or two after she had moved herself to Germany to audition for ballet companies in Europe. She needed a place to live, and through a distant Appen cousin, connected with Stef who held the lease on a large multi-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor above the German headquarters of the Hells Angels in Berlin. Amelia lived there for the better part of two years. Stephen flew in from Berlin for my daughter’s birthday. That alone touches me deeply, that my kid would have a friend who cared enough to do that. But on top of that, he recently raised money to buy an aging, rundown German resort “in the country” – think like a small Grove Park Inn – so he took the time out from his start-up hotel and resort business to spend time with my daughter and celebrate her birthday. And note to self, he had zero experience in running a business, or managing lots of people, or operating something, like a resort, that had to make a profit yet wrote a business plan that impressed a German bank and a few other investors enough to lend him the money (millions of euros). Who would-a thought!

Take-aways

Anyway, my daughters’ friends teach me lots of worthy life lessons by example. They do not bind themselves to accepted norms and expectations. They live lives that are driven to a significant degree by curiosity, by a desire to experience and explore. They embrace the unknown which I am sure produces just as much anxiety for them as it does for you and me, but they seem to thrive on it instead of fearing it. They don’t let “you can’t do this or that” stop them from trying. They are loyal friends, the kind you can count on. They are the kind of companions you strive for. Those kinds of friends are priceless.

And the last lesson? Well, it might be to “never own a husky,” but don’t get me started on that one.

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

SPECIAL

Amelia Appen, crouched in center, stands on the beach this April with an international group of friends.

Fulton County Jail – Band-Aid or build?

Something needs to be done about the Fulton County Jail. It’s a critical part of the public safety ecosystem and its failing. We’ve seen horrific deaths and conditions so shocking that the Department of Justice has launched an investigation which is still ongoing. What you might not know is that a cycle of incidents, investigations and Band-Aid repairs has been going on for decades.

In 2015, the AJC reported on the county’s successful response to a lawsuit after 11 years that included addressing issues of jail overcrowding that had inmates sleeping on the floor, and conditions “so unsafe that inmates could wander about because of faulty locks.”

The article noted that “conditions would improve and then deteriorate again” over the 11-year period but were now fixed and that the “cost to taxpayers [had been] about $1 billion in renovations, repairs and ongoing programs.”

I don’t know how long those fixes lasted but I do know that by 2021, the Board of Commissioners were

PAST TENSE

acknowledging that the same problems were occurring and started looking for solutions.

We spent almost a billion dollars between 2004 and 2015 and it bought us a few years, at best.

In January, 2023, shortly after I took office as a Fulton County Commissioner, I toured the jail at 901 Rice Street and saw firsthand how deteriorated and overcrowded it is. I saw pallets on the floor where men were bunking because there weren’t enough beds, and I saw how small the cells built for one man looked with two men living in them. I saw the handmade weapons the inmates were able to make with pieces of the building they could pull apart with their bare hands, and I talked with the sheriff about how challenging it is to hire and retain frontline law enforcement folks to work there. This year the stories of broken locks and doors sounded like a repeat of the 2015 story.

It was clear to me that something had to be done, and I was glad to learn that a year before I took office, the Board of Commissioners had contracted with a group of industry experts to conduct a Jail Feasibility Study for $1.2 million so that they could address the issues in a more holistic way than had been done in the past.

The study, presented to the board on Feb. 1, 2024, concluded that the “existing jail is obsolete,” “creates public safety concerns” and is “adversely affecting employee retention.” It also stated that the “current buildings are deteriorated” and that the Fulton County Jail, which opened in 1989, exceeded the 30 year “average useful life of comparable jails.”

The study came with a data analysis of the projected inmate population growth for the next 25 years, and a recommendation for a new jail at the 901 Rice Street location, with the lowest cost option estimated at $1.68 billion. After much debate that day and over the weeks and months that followed, it was clear all six of the district commissioners agreed that a new building was necessary. Only the chairman felt otherwise.

For the six of us, the debate was not about whether we should build a jail, but about how big it should be, how much we should spend, and where we would get the money. While that debate continued, we agreed that moving forward with at least the next two phases would not preclude us from working to improve inefficiencies in the justice system which might allow us to build a smaller building, or pursuing the option of a sales tax to help cover the cost and reduce the burden on property taxpayers.

With that in mind, we went ahead with Phase 2 of the Jail Feasibility Study at a cost of approximately $800,000, and approved bond funding and the issuance of a request for proposals (RFP) for the next phase of planning.

But now, the project is at a standstill. At the May 15 Board of Commissioners meeting, an unexpected vote was called to rescind the RFP for the next phase. It passed.

So, what changed? We were not able to get help from the state on the sales tax front, we were able to make improvements to the justice system, make more use of ankle monitoring which has lowered our current jail population, and the idea of renovation has reemerged for some as a viable solution.

To be clear we spent $2 million on experts who gave us their best advice and we didn’t like the advice.

Something has to be done about the Fulton County Jail. But what? Will we spend another decade in a cycle of incident, investigation and Band-Aid response to the tune of $1 billion+ or will we invest in a long-term strategy that is humane, safe and improves public safety countywide?

Dana Barrett is the Fulton County Commissioner representing District 3.

Chamblee’s Sexton family ran area grocery stores

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

James Tolbert Sexton (18641941) was born in Gwinnett County.

He married Nancy Myria Robinson (1864-1954) of Chamblee in 1888.

The couple lived and farmed in Chamblee.

They had three children, Florence, Grover T. and William Robert Sexton, Sr.

The Sexton family were members of the Chamblee Baptist Church, first known as Corinth Baptist. Most of the family is buried at the old church cemetery at the corner of New Peachtree Road and Hood Avenue.

Grover Tolbert Sexton (1891-1951), sometimes listed in military records as T. Grove or Tolie Grove Sexton, reported to Camp Gordon, Chamblee, in July of 1918. Sexton began his service in the 157th Depot Brigade,

later becoming part of the Replacement Draft in Company D of the 11th Infantry.

On July 21, 1918, he left the U.S. aboard the ship Plattsburg. The Army Transport Service list of passengers indicates his hometown of Chamblee and his nearest relative as his mother, Nancy Sexton. T. Grove Sexton remained overseas until July 11, 1919, when he left France, once again aboard the Plattsburg, headed for Hoboken, New Jersey.

After he returned to Chamblee, he married Maggie Caldwell, and they ran a grocery store. They lived on Elliot Street in the 1930s and on Peachtree Dunwoody Road in 1950, according to the U.S. Census. After T. Grove died in 1951, Maggie lived at 3471 Chamblee Dunwoody Way until her death in 1980. (City/suburban directories, DeKalb History Center archives; Atlanta Constitution obituary)

William Sexton, Sr. (1893-1971) and Jessie Ethel Sexton (1891-1956)

had two sons and three daughters, including William Robert Jr., Eugene Grover, Earlene S., Elizabeth, and Dorothy.

William Robert Sexton Jr. (19162000) went by the name Robert. His first job was working at his Aunt Maggie and Uncle T. Grove’s grocery store in Chamblee.

According to the 1940 census records, Robert lived with his grandparents on Sexton Road and was driving a truck for a dairy. The dairy was likely Irvindale Dairies, because Sexton worked there for 30 years, beginning at age 19.

After working at Irvindale and advancing through the company, he helped reform the seven-day work schedule of employees. This led to fewer employees quitting.

Sexton used his grocery store knowledge and opened several grocery stores in Loganville and Acworth following his retirement from Irvindale. He and wife Doris Brown Sexton

had five children. (Atlanta Journal obituary, September 9, 2000)

Clint Daniel grew up in Chamblee and recalls that his dad went to Chamblee High School with Robert Sexton. He remembers their house was on what is now Harts Mill Road close to Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Robert’s brother, Eugene Grover Sexton (1919-1948) served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, from 1944 through 1946. Sexton sadly died two years after his military service ended. He was operating a farm in the Pine Mountain Valley community of Georgia.

Florence Sexton, the daughter of James and Nancy Sexton, continued to live with them and worked as a seamstress.

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

DANA BARRETT Fulton County Commissioner

OPINION

It’s the end of the world as we know it

D.C. AIKEN Guest Columnist dcaiken.com

This week’s “rock” pick as it relates to current economics is the 1987 hit from R.E.M… “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It…and I feel fine.”

This song could relate to many aspects of our current economy and even many of our Federal Reserve folks who believe everything is fine and we need to hold rates where they are. So, let’s see what they obviously are not seeing and why they should possibly be looking at cuts sooner than later…

1. U.S. Leading Economic Indicators have been down 21 out of 22 months.

2. The average debt to income ratios for mortgage applicants nationwide has risen to 40 percent, which is the highest level in history. This means, before taxes, 40 percent of a potential homebuyer’s gross income is going to paying housing, credit cards, car payments and other installment debts.

3. The New York Fed reports that

THE INK PENN

delinquencies on credit cards has now risen to 7 percent, from 3 percent at the beginning of the year.

4. Housing prices have risen by over 47 percent since 2020, and mortgage rates have climbed from the high 2 percent range to their current levels of around 7 percent, which is creating severe affordability issues nationwide.

5. Companies with household names are facing declining sales which is forcing them to reduce stores, create “specials” or file for bankruptcy. Red Lobster is filing for bankruptcy, and Cracker Barrel is considering closing some of their stores. When have you ever seen a Cracker Barrel close a store? McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Krystal and Burger King are all offering “special meal deals” to bring traffic back.

6. Retail sales are showing signs of slowing.

These examples are clear reasons that our economy is not “chugging” along as our Federal Reserve folks might think. The reason for these decreases is that the average American is either “tapped out” on their credit lines or they can no longer afford the things they once could, due

to the “restrictive” Fed policies that are currently in place.

They simply don’t understand that they are part of the problem as to why inflation is at its current levels. Did they think that these companies who are contemplating shutting down or reducing their stores did not pass on their increases in loan payments for their businesses? Of course not, they are simply focused on trying to get the inflation rate back down to 2 percent.

We will see prices fall soon, but it will be because of people not spending money and businesses shutting down, which will lead to higher unemployment and even fewer purchases.

Wow…what a great solution. Funny… in the Federal Reserve minutes from their April meeting, several of the members alluded to possibly tightening some more.

The bottom line is perhaps they should get out and go to a Cracker Barrel or a Red Lobster and see what is going on in America. I think, if they did, they would see that things are not as “rosy” as they might have thought, and avoiding a recession should be their biggest concern.

I have talked before about John Q

Public’s debt problem. Holding rates higher will not solve that problem, which will ultimately hurt U.S. businesses and send us into a deep recession.

Is there any “good news?”

Yes, I do believe that the Federal Reserve will wake up soon and realize that their “restrictive” policies went too far once again, and they will begin making their cuts sooner than many believe.

Rising unemployment, stagnant wages (unless you work at a McDonald’s in California), increased delinquencies on overall consumer debt will push them in the right direction. This will push mortgage rates back down sooner than we may think. I hate to be negative, but perhaps our Federal Reserve folks need to get to know who our average citizen really is and the pain they have caused them.

D.C. Aiken is vice president, producing production manager for BankSouth Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken.com.

The opinions expressed within this article may not reflect the opinions or views of BankSouth Mortgage or its affiliates.

Selecting the books to fit your mood

What are you in the mood to read?

Genteel mysteries set in 1920s England or a fast-paced modernday mystery set in small-town Maine?

These three books are equally entertaining, but the third is quite different from the first two.

“Murder at Millar’s Hotel” by Kelly Mason

I'm hooked. This cozy mystery set in 1920s England has an inspirational main character. Lady Ellen of Ashcombe Hall is staying at Millar's Hotel in a seaside town while her family home is being refurbished.

A war widow, she turned her home into a convalescent home for WWI vets, and now in 1924, is ready to move forward. This is a cozy mystery, so of course, her plans are disrupted when she runs into an unpleasant character from her past.

But she also runs into a charming

man who spent time convalescing at Ashcombe Hall, and the game is soon afoot. Lady Ellen is a caring main character who looks out for others. Some might label her a rescuer, but that's part of her charm. I can't wait to dive into book II to see what develops next for her.

“Murder at Archly Manor” by Sara Rosett

I enjoy the author's contemporary Murder on Location series set in a Cotswolds village, so I wanted to try this historical cozy series set in 1920s England. What a delight. Olive Belgrave is just my kind of heroine--down-to-earth, able to fend for herself and not terribly impressed by the moneyed upper class. She holds her own no matter the surroundings, and the witty dialogue grabs your attention. It's the first in the 8-book High Society Lady Detective series, and I highly recommend you pick it up.

Now, hold on to your hats, fast forward 100 years, and skip across the pond to the U.S.

“The Busy Body” by Kemper Donovan What fun! Two smart women are on

the trail of a killer. One is a ghostwriter who pens memoirs and autobiographies for celebrities and politicians, and the other is a losing candidate in a recent presidential election. One is accustomed to being front and center. The other is a woman who makes a living being invisible.

You're bound to note the similarities to Hilary Clinton in former Senator Dorothy Gibson, who has sequestered herself in her Maine home to lick her wounds.

It occurred to me only as I sat down to write this review that I couldn’t recall the ghostwriter's name. I'm betting it was never mentioned, which is in keeping with her occupation. How clever!

When a neighbor dies, the two "involve" themselves in the investigation, and as befits a mystery with amateur sleuths, solve the case. Other than the cursing, this is very much a cozy mystery. Plenty of clever clues, red herrings, and twists and turns abound. The phrase "Musk adjacent" to describe an entrepreneur is an example of the author's way with words. A few times, I had to stop and think before I got the

meaning.

The ghostwriter's life story is never fully revealed, though there are hints. That means there's more to come. Plus the subtitle is "A Ghostwriter Mystery," which is a clue that this will be a series.

The witty dialogue, complete with plenty of snark, will keep you entertained, and you'll be tempted to read nonstop, much as you would with an Agatha Christie story. It's no surprise to learn that the author hosts an Agatha Christie podcast. I await the announcement that book 2 is on the way.

I enjoy having a variety of books on my nightstand so that I’m sure of finding one that fits my mood. After the calm ones set in England, “The Busybody” was a nice change.

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a two-time Georgia Author of the Year nominee and a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail. com, and follow her on Facebook, www. facebook.com/KathyManosPennAuthor/.

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

CITY OF MILTON

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR REZONING/USE PERMIT/ CONCURRENT VARIANCE AND POSSIBLE REVOACATION OF EXISTING USE PERMIT

Case No. RZ24-02, U24-01, VC24-01

Location: 3499 and 3501 Bethany Bend

Existing Zoning: Townhouse Residential (TR) & Senior Living Use Permit

Applicant: Sapient Minds LLC d/b/a Milton Montessori School

Request: To rezone from TR with a Senior Living Use Permit to O-I and a Use Permit to develop a Private School (Milton Unified Development Code 8.4.1.G) of 24,000 square feet with a total of 160 students and associated activity (outside) areas and a three-part Concurrent Variance:

1. To delete the 20’ side setback along the south property line of 3501

Bethany Bend (Milton Unified Development Code 5.1.4.B)

2. To delete the 10’ landscape strip along the south property line of 3501 Bethany Bend (Milton Unified Development Code 6.2.3.B)

3. To reduce the sidewalk width along Bethany Bend, within the City Rightof- Way, from six to five feet (Milton Unified Development Code 6.2.6.A)

Public Hearing/Meetings: Community Zoning Information Meeting (CZIM) Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

Design Review Board (DRB) Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

Planning Commission Meeting Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

Mayor and City Council Meeting Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

Location: Milton City Hall – Council Chambers 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004 678-242-2540

CITY OF MILTON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DESIGN REVIEW

BOARD

Date: Tuesday, July 9, 2024 6:00 P.M.

Location: Milton City Hall – Council Chambers 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004 678-242-2540

On the date and time, and at the location stated above, the Design Review Board shall conduct a public hearing to consider the following applications for Certificate of Appropriateness.

1. Demolition Permit Review:

A. Address: 1105 Birmingham Road

Applicant: Scott D. Reece

B. Address: 15585 Freemanville Road

Applicant: Scott D. Reece

Request for Proposals On-Call Electrical Services RFP NUMBER 24-PW05

Proposal Due Date: June 26, 2024, by 2:00PM Local Time

Electronic submission via: https://www.miltonga.gov/govemment/finance/bidsrfps

Names for submissions received will be publicly announced via a virtual opening at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the highest scoring Offeror whose proposal meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the request for proposals.

The City of Milton is requesting proposals from qualified parties to provide on-call electrical services for its city-owned facilities, buildings, parking lots, grounds, and right of ways/roundabouts. All qualified proposals will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.

The request for electronic proposals for RFP 24-PW05, On-Call Electrical Services will be posted on the following websites the week of June 6, 2024: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/index

Request for Proposals Fire-Rescue Physical Evaluations

RFP NUMBER 24-FD01

Proposal Due Date: June 20, 2024, by 2:00PM Local Time

Electronic submission via: www.miltonga.gov

Names for submissions received will be publicly announced via a virtual opening at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the highest scoring Offeror whose proposal meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the request for proposals.

The City of Milton is requesting proposals from qualified parties to provide medical services to conduct physical evaluations for Milton's Fire & Rescue employees. All qualified proposals will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.

The request for electronic proposals for RFP 24-FD01, Fire-Rescue Physical Evaluations will be posted on the following websites the week of May 30, 2024: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/index

DEATH NOTICES

Eugene Langston, 78, of Cumming passed away on Monday, May 27, 2024. Arrangements by Ingram Funeral Home & Crematory.

ALPHARETTA-ROSWELL HERALD | FORSYTH HERALD | JOHNS CREEK HERALD MILTON HERALD | DUNWOODY CRIER | SANDY SPRINGS CRIER

Delivering Readers Award-Winning Newspapers

2023 Georgia Press Association

1st Place – News Photograph

1st Place – Feature Writing

1st Place – Business Writing

1st Place – Serious Column

1st Place – Food Ad

1st Place – Newspaper Promotion Ad

1st Place – Classifieds Section/page

2nd Place – Page One

2nd Place – Lifestyle Coverage

2nd Place – News Photograph

2nd Place – Local News Coverage

2nd Place – Business Writing

2nd Place – Lifestyle/Feature Column

2nd Place – Food Ad

2nd Place – Newspaper Promotion

2nd Place – Signature Page

2nd Place – General Excellence

3rd Place – Page One

3rd Place – Lifestyle Coverage

3rd Place – Feature Writing

3rd Place – Breaking News Writing

3rd Place – Local News Coverage

3rd Place – Serious Column

3rd Place – Humorous Column

2023 Association of Community Publishers

1st Place – Feature Article Layout

1st Place – Self Promotion Classifieds

2nd Place – Educational Column

2nd Place – Entertaining Column

2nd Place – Self Promotion Own Publication

www.northsidechapel.com

During these turbulent times, we would like to highlight the continued courage and commitment of everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.

12050 Crabapple Road • Roswell, GA 30075

Request for Proposals

Design Services for Park Improvements - MCPP & Legacy Parks (PA-2410 and PA-2411)

RFP NUMBER 24-PW07

Proposal Due Date: July 10, 2024, by 2:00PM Local Time

Electronic submission via: www.miltonga.gov

Names for submissions received will be publicly announced via a virtual opening at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the highest scoring Offeror whose proposal meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the request for proposals.

The City of Milton is requesting proposals from qualified parties to provide professional design services for park improvements at Milton City Park and Preserve (MCPP) and Legacy Park in Milton, Georgia. All qualified proposals will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.

The request for electronic proposals for RFP 24-PW07, Design Services for Park Improvements - MCPP & Legacy Parks will be posted on the following websites the week of June 6, 2024: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bidsrfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/

Request for Proposals

Police Uniforms

RFP NUMBER 24-PD01

Proposal Due Date:

June 27, 2024, by 2:00PM Local Time

Electronic submission via: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bidsrfps

Names for submissions received will be publicly announced via a virtual opening at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the highest scoring Offeror whose proposal meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the request for proposals.

The City of Milton is requesting proposals from qualified parties to provide uniforms for the Milton Police Department, including embroidery and alteration services. All qualified proposals will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.

The request for electronic proposals for RFP 24-PD01, Police Uniforms will be posted on the following websites the week of June 6, 2024: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/index

AC/Heating

ATLANTA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING, INC. 678 605-91592 TON $5500 INSTALLED 3 TON $6000 INSTALLED COMPLETE SYSTEM INCLUDES CONDENSER 410A, FURNACE 80% AFUE, HIGH EFFICIENCY EVAPORATOR, WIFI THERMOSTAT, PAD, OVERFLOW PAN, FILTER RACK. CALL 678 605-9159

Midway Preschool is hiring lead and assistant teachers for the 2024-2025 school year. Please call Beth @ 770-752-0440 or email beth@midwayumc.org

Senior Solution Engineer (position in Alpharetta, GA 30022): Design and develop engineering systems for presale of dynamic business IT orchestration and automation solutions, products, and applications; perform cloud systems programming; design, document, and implement PoCs leveraging open source frameworks and tools; manage testing activities, utilizing testing automation frameworks, platforms, and tools; serve as Product Owner, ensuring User Story understanding and timely implemented by the development team.

Must have a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics or a related field (or its foreign degree equivalent) and five years of experience in: automation systems engineering and testing, including cloud architectural development, programming, and network integration of cloud services.

Please submit in duplicate your resume and cover letter referencing position #0730 to: Stonebranch, Inc., Attn. Anabelle Aybar, Human Resources Generalist, 4550 North Point Parkway, Suite 400, Alpharetta, GA 30022. Stonebranch, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

While covering Milton election operations, Appen Media analyzed historical voter data and identified possible disenfranchisement.

This reporting caused a statewide watchdog to get involved and, eventually, the city moved to add a polling place to the area. Later in the year, Appen discovered that the feasibility report the City Council used when voting to run their own elections was not the original document. Two residents on a working committee had altered it after city staff had completed it and before its presentation to council. Appen Media reporters identified all of the differences between the two documents and then created an interactive digital document. Readers and officials were able to scroll through the materials and read notes from the newsroom explaining the differences. You can find this document at appenmedia.com/electionsreport.