Milton Herald - June 15, 2023

Love Goga

Farm

City hires elections consultant

Milton officials postpone vote on District at Mayfield zoning

Property owners question late changes to proposal

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — After some property owners raised concerns about late changes to the District at Mayfield’s draft zoning code, the Milton City Council has deferred the measure for now.

The district covers about 18 acres in Crabapple and includes 22 parcels with properties off Broadwell Road, Charlotte Drive, Mayfield Road and Mid Broadwell Road. The area will have more strict development regulations intended to keep its unique identity intact, which includes several historic buildings.

Elements of the overlay district would fall under Crabapple form-based code.

Caleb Rocicot, with TSW – the firm responsible for drawing up the plans – presented adjustments to the zoning ordinance at the Milton City

See ZONING, Page 7 Page 3

With sessions held at the Atlantis Dream Farm in Milton and special events held throughout North Georgia, there are countless opportunities to take part in Love GOGA’s farm animal yoga classes.

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Teen dies, child revived following pool drowning

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A teen died after she and a young boy were pulled from an apartment complex pool June 5.

Police responded to a medical assistance call at the pool of The Estates at Johns Creek Apartments on Addison Lane at around 4:30 p.m., according to the Johns Creek Police

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Man finds residence ransacked by burglar

MILTON, Ga. — An Alpharetta man reported May 29 that his home on Morris Road had been burglarized and ransacked.

He said the suspect ransacked the master bedroom closet and bathroom and that there were items out of place and thrown about. After going through his items, the victim noticed $10 missing from inside a purse located in the master bedroom closet.

Upon evaluating the crime scene, police said it was apparent someone had forced entry into the residence via the front door. But the items that were known to be disturbed were not suitable for fingerprinting, the police report said.

Pool company accused of leaving job unfinished

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man reported to police June 2 that he had been having an ongoing contract dispute with an area pool building company that other residents have accused of leaving work unfinished.

Department.

A witness stated two children, a 16-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy, were playing and noticed they had been underwater for too long. The witness said she could not swim and ran to get help from the office. Three men then came out of the building and pulled the

The victim entered a contract with the company in October 2021 for the design and construction of a pool, estimated to cost $130,000. He said the contract called for payments in installments, with the final payment due when the pool tile was installed.

The victim said the business had laid around one row of tile, stopped and then demanded the final payment, which the victim paid. The victim said he had been getting the “run-around” since then, and he’d been left with an incomplete pool.

With legal representation, the victim sent a letter to the contractor, the police report said, but it has gone unanswered.

He told police he was forced to hire a new contractor to complete the work. As the project wrapped up, the homeowner reached out to the supplier of the automatic pool cover inquiring whether the company had received the deposit for the item that was supposed to have been paid by the original contractor. The supplier told the victim they never received the deposit.

The victim told police he wished to prosecute.

Milton animal clinic reports illegal dumping

MILTON, Ga. — Police were dispatched to Family Tree Animal Clinic on Birmingham Highway May 31 in reference to illegal dumping.

A man reported to police that

children out of the pool.

The boy was resuscitated and is expected to make a full recovery. The teen was flown to Scottish Rite Medical Center, where she died the next day.

The incident is under investigation but appears to be an accident, police said.

someone had driven up in a black Tacoma and dumped miscellaneous documents into the dumpster of the clinic’s property. The witness said the documents included the name of a possible suspect, who was a client.

He said he wished to press charges if the suspect turns out to be the offender.

Officers arrest man driving overdue rental

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police arrested a Roswell man May 29 for felony theft of a car after he stopped making payments for a weekly rental from Sixt rent a car.

An officer spotted the car on Holcomb Bridge Road and confirmed it had been listed as stolen by the Atlanta Police Department. The officer then conducted a “high risk stop” with the driver and passenger. The officer had the driver and passenger hold up their hands until backup arrived.

When other officers arrived, the driver told police he knew the vehicle was overdue and he would have returned it had he known it would be listed as stolen. The passenger, a young woman told police she was holding her son. All the belongings in the car were released to the woman.

Police took the driver into custody and had the car towed. He was taken to Fulton County Jail on a warrant for felony theft by conversion of a car worth about $25,000.

City of Milton hires elections consultant

Former county official to oversee operations

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Vernetta Nuriddin, former vice chair of the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections, has been hired as the elections consultant for Milton’s municipal general elections this year.

Her $25,000 contract, passed on the Milton City Council’s consent agenda June 5, has an official start date of May 31 and will run through the end of the year.

Nuriddin is expected to review standard operating procedures, maintain clear lines of communication with the Secretary of State’s Office and Fulton County as well as ensure polling locations are set up and operating correctly.

Nuriddin will also be involved in the hiring process for poll managers and workers. Steve Krokoff, Milton city manager and election superintendent, said there are already more than 70 applications for those roles. Milton will have roughly 32 poll workers, with 16 at each location on Election Day.

In a series of phone conversations, Krokoff said Nuriddin appeared to be “quite knowledgeable” about elections and had the right connections. Krokoff also described Nuriddin’s relative experience, such as her role on the county’s election board and some direct administration.

However, Nuriddin does not have hands-on experience as an elections superintendent.

“Unfortunately, at the end of the day, we didn't have anybody with that level of experience that was willing to take on this role.”

Another prospect was a consultant provided by the Election Center, aka the National Association of Election Officials, but the price tag was six figures, far exceeding the city’s $20,000 budget for the role.

The nomination for Nuriddin came to city staff’s attention by way of Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne and Milton City Councilman Rick Mohrig. In an interview, Thorne cited Nuriddin’s election certifications as a key reason for her recommendation.

“If you want somebody that can follow the laws, the rules, knows the history, Vernetta is your girl,” Thorne said.

Thorne also recalled Nuriddin’s vote to oust Richard Barron, the county’s former elections chief, and the backlash she received from the Democratic party. Nuriddin was the only Democrat on the board in favor of firing him.

Local media reported that Nuriddin had cited previous botched and sloppy elections, machine failures, mismanagement and firing of longtime election workers as to why Barron should be fired. The Fulton County Commission decided to keep Barron on, but he eventually resigned last year.

“She was doing the right thing, and it was the hard thing, and that really tells you about somebody's character,” Thorne said. “So, I know she's an honest person, and I think that's what you need in that role. I think bipartisanship, somebody who can work with both sides of the aisle — Democrats, Republicans — it builds trust in your election system.”

Wire and Wood festival announces headline acts

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Wire and Wood announced Susto and Marc Broussard as the headliners of its 10th annual songwriters festival in downtown Alpharetta 5-11 p.m. Oct. 13-14.

Rock, soul and R&B-inspired artist Broussard will perform Oct. 13, followed by the indie rock band Susto Oct. 14. The headliners will be joined by more than 30 artists on six outdoor stages downtown. Genres include Southern rock, indie,

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The festival will be preceded by a kick-off on the plaza at Avalon Oct. 12. During the event, Music Match will highlight local musicians at participating businesses downtown in partnership with Wire and Wood.

Admission is free, and the festival will take place rain or shine. Updates and lineup information can be found at wireandwoodalpharetta.com.

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Roswell, Milton residents decry antisemitic leaflets

By DELANEY TARR delaneytarr@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Metro Atlanta residents and officials are speaking out against a series of antisemitic and racist fliers spread across driveways in Roswell and Milton in May, mere months after similar leaflets were found in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs.

Roswell resident Andrea Ferrard, who lives in the Edenwilde neighborhood off Etris Road, said May 28 was an average Sunday morning. She got an early start to let her dog out and grab the newspaper when she saw a flier in her driveway, tucked into a plastic bag of corn kernels.

The paper announced antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories. Ferrard said she was saddened to see the message spread in her neighborhood, particularly as a resident who grew up in Roswell and Dunwoody.

“I came back home to be in Roswell because it’s a great place to raise kids, I’ve been here over 20 years and never seen anything like this,” Ferrard said.

The resident had security cameras outside her home, but they caught no

footage of people dropping the bags. Ferrard filed an online report with the Roswell Police Department in hopes they could investigate further.

Ferrard also reached out to City Councilwoman Sarah Beeson, who lives in a nearby neighborhood off Etris Road.

“I need to speak up because it’s not okay,” Ferrard said. “Our diversity is what makes us strong.”

Beeson did not see a flier on her driveway but said about 400 homes in her area were hit with the papers.

“The majority of them were antisemitic propaganda, but there were also some that invoked race,” Beeson said.

Beeson said the distribution seemed random, although her Black neighbors specifically received fliers about race and found an egg smashed on their garage door.

“I think it’s incredibly disappointing, not only because it’s not a reflection of our community, but to hit peoples’ homes on Memorial Day weekend” Beeson said.

The councilwoman said the fliers were an act of division on a weekend that is meant to “bring together the country.”

Beeson said somebody in her neighborhood who had awakened early saw the “baggies of hate” and picked them up, sparing many residents from seeing the flyers themselves.

Beeson, who serves as the City Council’s liaison to Public Safety, said the baggies likely did not violate any laws. They were not put into mailboxes or attached to anything, but simply dropped into people’s yards. The baggies of corn were used to weigh down the papers.

“They knew what they were doing,” Beeson said.

Still, she urges people to file police reports online if they received the fliers. That way the department has a record of the incident and a “pathway for investigation.”

Roswell Police Department Public Information Officer Timothy Lupo said several residents have already reported receiving the fliers.

“We’ve been reviewing the distribution and content for any criminal violations,” Lupo said.

When other cities like Dunwoody were hit with the same fliers, the individuals responsible for the distribution were identified but no charges were pressed. The city’s police chief said it was a “free speech issue.”

Georgia State Sen. Josh McLaurin (D- Sandy Springs) took to social media on May 28 to disavow the antisemitic messaging in Roswell.

“This is the effort of a very small and loosely organized group of people,” McLaurin said in a Twitter thread. “This isn’t from our neighbors.”

The legislator said the “whole point” of the fliers is to scare and harass people and make it seem like the group has more members than it does.

Miles away in the Kensington Farms neighborhood in Milton, resident Bill Anderson said his neighborhood was hit with antisemitic and homophobic fliers a week earlier on May 23. He said the papers were wrapped in plastic, so he picked it up. When he realized what it was, he was surprised and disappointed.

“That kind of hatred doesn’t have a place in our society,” Anderson said. “I absolutely despise bullies, and that’s exactly what these people are trying to do.”

Anderson gave the materials to the Milton Police Department, and he said he believes the people who distributed the papers should be prosecuted for a crime akin to intimidation or “hate mail.”

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Head & heart guide director at Autrey Mill wildlife clinic

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Jess Legato used to perform medical treatment for injured wildlife at the front desk of Autrey Mill Nature Preserve’s Visitor Center.

But with a new wildlife rehabilitation clinic on-site, there’s ample space to care for and temporarily house about 20 animals.

“I’ve been trying to build it and get this thing going for two years,” said Legato, Autrey Mill’s education program manager and clinic director.

Legato is a spunky, tenacious 26-year-old with dyed hair and a The Cure T-shirt, and she has a lot of know-how. There’s a high population of wildlife in the Piedmont region of Georgia, she said, because of its environmental diversity.

“The thing about Johns Creek being fairly new — there’s a lot of development. There’s a lot of habitat fragmentation,” Legato said. “You get a lot of wildlife in yards … a lot of wildlife all over, and people don’t know what to do.”

In early Autrey Mill times, Legato said the clinic space — attached to an old barn — was a classroom, but eventually became a place for storage.

“We have a lot of animals that are all rinky-dink, and need a lot of help and health stuff. They need their own safe space,” Legato said. “So, I started fighting to take this over as a safe space for them.”

To quote a poem

The clinic, the first of its kind in Johns Creek, received a baby opossum on its opening day in late May. The animal’s successful release, on May 23, was posted on the bulletin board outside the clinic doors.

Legato has also taken in two cottontails, which are usually less successful cases, and two fawns.

For people who have a wild animal in need of services, they can call or email Legato. She will either coach them through the process of gathering them for transport, or she can make the trip on-site.

“Our end-all, be-all goal is we want them back in the wild,” she said. “We do not want them to stay in captivity.”

There’s a separate outdoor fence area for pre-release, where animals can re-learn natural skills of foraging or hunting. One of the fawns had been transferred that morning, after staff bottle-fed it and helped it learn to walk.

“It did the whole Bambi thing,” Legato said, laughing.

Only one animal was left in the

clinic, an ambassador duck prone to respiratory infection. The clinic serves Autrey Mill’s ambassadors, too, which are permanent fixtures used to educate the public. There’s more than 30, including goats, rabbits, chickens and various reptiles.

Legato said there was some hesitancy, or pushback, on clinic plans because a lot of people don’t understand why a wildlife rehab matters. She often refers them to a poem, “Birdfoot’s Grampa” by Joseph Bruchac, laminated and posted on the clinic door.

“Just because it’s one life, doesn’t mean it deserves to suffer,” Legato said. “If you can make a difference, do it.”

Team effort

Originally from Florida, Legato started volunteering at exotic rescues at a young age, working with animals like giant pythons and crocodiles. She wanted to go to college for zoology. But when Legato’s mom passed away when she was 18, she began living with an aunt who didn’t see it as a successful career field.

“I was like, ‘Alright, how am I going to work around this to do what I want to do?’” Legato said.

She decided to get her bachelor’s in science education at Georgia State University, pouring over expensive zoology books to teach herself.

Legato eventually went on to earn an international certification in wildlife rehabilitation, which hangs above the clinic door next to her clinic licensure.

She’s now on her way to earning her master’s degree in wildlife biology.

A veterinarian sponsor is on call for more complicated situations, or if euthanasia is needed. But Legato also sees tremendous help from a handful of interns, typically a senior in high school or in college, who work within a tiered system.

In addition to all the intensive paperwork that comes along with opening a wildlife clinic at a nonprofit, Legato had been training her interns the past two years in wildlife rehabilitation.

To familiarize interns with animal anatomy, some training involved work with cadavers, like squirrels and mice. The most experienced can administer medications, do intramuscular or subcutaneous injections and assess in a physical examination.

“They’re literally like my kids,” Legato said. “They’re like, ‘You’re my dad.’”

JESS LEGATO/PROVIDED

Jess Legato, education program manager at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, stands by an ambassador duck in the new wildlife rehabilitation clinic. Opened in late May, the clinic can house up to 20 animals.

Zoning:

Continued from Page 1

Council meeting June 5. Items included requirements for frontage, civic spaces, parking, architectural standards, building placements and building form.

“We are not here to codify and mandate development of this exact vision,” Rocicot said. “The formbased code updates are intended to allow this kind of development, but at the same time, address the needs of property owners for certain flexibilities.”

Owner concern

Earlier this year, property owners in the district participated in a series of workshops to come up with suitable guidelines. A draft was available May 15, but owners have noticed last-minute changes.

One issue, voiced by the attorney for one owner, was the requirement for frontage. A subsequent change had allowed only houses or cottages to have frontages on civic spaces, whereas commercial lots are required to have street frontage.

It had also been proposed that civic spaces required a minimum width of 30 feet, but the adjustment

had been deleted in the new draft — reverting back to the original requirement of 60 feet.

“The concept plan itself is no longer possible based on the change that was made last week,” attorney Jonathan Akins said.

Other owners were concerned about the potential exercise of eminent domain in the area, for a

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proposed thoroughfare that would cut through Mayfield and Mid Broadwell roads.

Milton Zoning Manager Robyn MacDonald confirmed the road is only a possibility and that the city would not be acquiring property to build any roads, unless there was some cooperative agreement with property owners.

Building height

City Councilwoman Carol Cookerly questioned building height in the area. The newest draft allows buildings three stories, though the attic and basement would be counted as one.

“One of the things that excited me … I felt was very interesting, and it would really separate out this little territory, was building height,” Cookerly said. “It was a maximum of two stories, and that was a popular discussion among many of us.”

Milton Community Development Director Bob Buscemi said the idea has evolved over time to maximize density. The lot size may be too constricting, he said, to spread the building out enough.

“For the things that disappeared or reappeared, we got to get that ironed out,” Cookerly said.

Charlie Roberts, chairman of the Milton Design Review Board and member of the plan’s steering committee, also acknowledged there had been an “honest surprise” since the first draft.

“What made this work is that everybody has listened, and we have come so far,” Roberts said. “Why push it tonight?”

The City Council agreed to defer the vote to its meeting June 19, a day before the moratorium on development in the area is set to end.

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8 | Milton Herald | June 15, 2023

Farm offers mindfulness with mix of animals, yoga

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — It’s hard to do yoga’s Downward Facing Dog with a goat on your back or rise into Mountain Pose with a sloth hanging on your shoulders and a pig snuffling at your ankles.

But for people at Love GOGA in Milton, mixing cute, friendly farm animals with yoga is a recipe for increased mindfulness, health and self-care.

Launched in 2017 by Milton resident Cathi Huff, Love GOGA has grown into a successful yoga and wellness business, with thousands of raving fans who sell out nearly every event the business holds each month.

Huff said everything started for Love GOGA when her kids left for college and she wanted to do something using her background in holistic health and her lifelong dream of owning a farm, where she could learn to ride horses.

So, Huff and her family bought a farm and started their animal family with a retired racehorse named Bronx, who once raced under the name “Atlantis Dream” and inspired their name for the property — the Atlantis Dream Farm. Since then, goats, dogs, cats, llamas, pigs and a herd of other animals have joined them there.

“We bought the property seven years ago, and Bronx moved to the backyard, then he started getting

buddies,” Huff said.

From the very beginning, Love GOGA’s farm animal yoga classes and events blew up thanks to the internet and TV, leading to over 3,000 hits a week on their website and more than 125 people a week visiting the farm to do yoga.

Marketing Manager Danielle Bartling said Huff’s vision came to life in an organic, effortless way because people really seem to understand what she wanted to share.

“She just combined her love for animals and holistic wellness and mindfulness … it was just like alchemy, no one had really done it that way before,” Bartling said.

But Huff said the company’s true mission of wellness and health didn’t come into focus until therapists and private schools started calling, wanting to hire them for private events.

“We realized that it was more than just goat yoga,” she said. “The third year is really when it became crystal clear to me that this was my purpose.”

Bartling said the sessions’ uniqueness draws people in, even people who practice yoga on a daily basis.

“We take people out of their routine; you’re not going to do farm animal yoga every single day, but you come out to Halcyon on a Saturday, you’re surrounded by animals …

See

“The animals help ground you to the moment … you’re really just there with them.”

DANIELLE BARTLING, Marketing Manager, Love GOGA

LOVE GOGA/PROVIDED

Milton resident Cathi Huff founded Love GOGA farm animal yoga at her farm in 2017 after her kids went off to college. Since then, the company has grown into a wildly popular health and wellness business, with fans throughout North Georgia.

YOGA, Page 9

LOVE GOGA/PROVIDED

During Love GOGA farm animal yoga events, participants will be surrounded by fluffy, friendly animals who love to be held, photographed and petted. Goats, chickens, cows and llamas are all regulars at their events.

Yoga:

Continued from Page 8

they’re silly, they’re so cute,” Bartling said. “The animals help ground you to the moment … you’re really just there with them.”

And, ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, people seem to need grounding more than ever, she said.

“People are starving for personal attention and self-care and compassion for themselves,” he said. “The goal for us is to get it to as many people as possible because it’s helped us so much.”

Today Huff and her staff have expanded their lineup to include a partnership with North Georgia Wildlife Park in Cleveland, Ga., and Halcyon in Forsyth County. Those events, GOGA in the Wild and Halcyon Farm Animal Yoga, are almost always fully booked.

These are bolstered by special programs, like an event they recently had with the City of Milton that featured a sloth, capybara and fennec fox.

To learn more about Love GOGA events and Mindful Seeds, the business’s “happiness project” that will begin teaching mindfulness at the farm in July, visit lovegoga.com/

LOVE GOGA/PROVIDED

Held at the Halcyon development in Forsyth County each month, Farm Animal Yoga on the Green is one of Love GOGA’s most popular events and nearly always sells out, business owners said.

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The second type of spousal trust is called a bypass trust. Bypass trusts can only be created after the death of the first spouse and are used to greatly reduce the surviving spouse’s tax liability. Bypass trusts are helpful when the estate tax revenue is less than the combined exemption rates of both spouses and can completely exclude estate tax. However, bypass trusts are capped at the current tax exemption rate.

The third spousal trust is the Spousal Lifetime Access Trust (SLAT). For SLATs, only one spouse is a Grantor, or the person who creates and moves assets into the trust. In the creation of the trust, the Grantor spouse gives up all his or her rights to the funds in the trust so that the other spouse gains access to those funds instead, which is helpful for instances such as retirement accounts.

There are many more types of spousal trusts, so keep an open mind when reviewing your options, and always ask an estate planning attorney from your state for advice on your best course of action.

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Group recruits faith-based leaders into affordable housing discussion

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — A North Fulton think tank hopes to bring faith-based workforce housing to Metro Atlanta as congregations nationwide have started building affordable homes.

The North Fulton Improvement Network describes itself as a “think tank” made up of community leaders from local nonprofits, faith groups and government organizations focused on “exploring financial vulnerability in our community.”

North Fulton Improvement Network Chairman Jack Murphy has focused his sights on affordable housing in North Fulton County. The homes are “workforce housing,” dedicated to middle-income workers.

“One of the reasons for that is people in middle incomes can’t afford to live here anymore,” Murphy said.

The improvement network said North Fulton County has become an increasingly less affordable area to live in over the years, particularly for minimumwage workers.

In Georgia the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. Even with many employees making more than that, Murphy said the income does little to offset high housing

costs in North Fulton County.

In Roswell, one of North Fulton County’s larger cities, the population has remained largely the same in recent years, increasing by about 0.1 percent to about 92,000 since 2020. The median gross rent

is $1,447.

Murphy said “unbridled growth” is great for the North Fulton communities that have expanded significantly over the decades, but they run the risk of “becoming exclusive.”

Instead, he advocates for more affordable housing where people who work at local businesses can live. The larger question for Murphy and the improvement network, though, is how to get there.

The think tank originally looked at governments for development but quickly decided to pivot to private organizations.

“We’re doing what we call quiet advocacy, with large business owners or employers talking about building over parking lots,” Murphy said.

The group is also looking at faith-based housing funded by local congregations. At a May 23 North Fulton Improvement Network meeting, national nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners, which is dedicated to increasing housing supply, held a presentation on faithbased workforce housing development for members of the think tank.

“We help by deploying capital and communities to support the creation of affordable housing,” Enterprise Senior Program Director Timothy Block said.

The organization also advocates for certain policies and supports community development organizations.

Block said houses of worship are a key target to build affordable housing, because many are struggling to bring in parishioners, leaving them with extra property to use.

“Do they sell it, close it, shrink it? There’s a lot of opportunity to work with houses of worship,” Block said.

The nonprofit program director said across all of Fulton County, faith-based organizations own 3,214 parcels that equate to about 6,278 acres which can be used for community development.

While the houses of worship have land, they have little expertise in development. Block said Enterprise runs a development initiative to help faith leaders get more comfortable with the process.

Comparing the approach to “not in my backyard” and “yes in my backyard” philosophies, Murphy said the area needed to take a “YIGBY” approach: Yes in God’s backyard.

“It’s our 10th year of doing this, we’ve got to get moving,” Murphy said.

The Rev. Oliver Wagner, senior pastor at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, said the issue comes down to a “continuum of care.”

His congregation is primarily involved with emergency needs, helping place people in temporary housing through organizations like Family Promise North Fulton. Wagner said for nonprofits the consensus is clear: there simply is not affordable housing.

“We help people through these difficult transitions, but then where do they go?” Wagner said.

The pastor said many of the people they help with financial literacy, temporary housing and education are doing everything the congregation asks, but they still cannot find housing. His church can only provide temporary shelter, though.

Wagner said his church is too small to develop affordable workforce housing, and that even if they did, it would be a “smaller part of a much bigger effort” that requires support across every sector.

“That’s a bigger all-in question across the community,” Wagner said.

The solution, he said, should be a coalition between congregations, private businesses and local governments. That way, as congregations and nonprofits help people through emergency needs, other groups can take on longer-term challenges.

“We do our part, but the part we need we can’t do alone,” Wagner said.

The pastor said he hopes the “political needle will move” as the conversation around affordable housing continues. Eventually, he aims for a wide partnership with citizens and civic support.

“One of my older church members realized that all these wonderful people who serve her dinner in her community can’t afford to live there,” Wagner said.

Wagner knows there are people who can buy an expensive meal and pay pricey rents, but he wants North Fulton County to be an option for everyone.

“Communities need diversity of housing,” Wagner said.

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DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Local think tank North Fulton Improvement Network hopes local congregations, like Alpharetta Presbyterian Church can take on the task of building affordable workforce housing.

Former Alpharetta K9 officer indicted in use of force incident

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A Fulton County grand jury has indicted former Alpharetta police officer Michael Esposito on charges stemming from a July 2021 use of force incident in which a K9 injured a man’s arm.

Esposito was charged with violation of oath by a public officer and aggravated assault and battery in the Fulton County Superior Court May 23.

While employed by the Alpharetta Police Department, Esposito reportedly responded to a domestic disturbance call July 25, 2021. In the following minutes, Esposito released a K9 named Ares, who attacked the arm of Travis Moya, leaving “large amounts of blood and fatty tissue coming out of the wound.”

The indictment states Esposito “did maliciously cause bodily harm to Travis Moya by unlawfully directing a police canine to bite Travis Moya and seriously disfigure his person,” and Esposito had failed to faithfully discharge his duties as a police officer by permitting the K9 to bite Moya.

In an official 2021 review of the incident, the Alpharetta Police Department found there was no violation of federal, state or departmental policy.

The following year, Moya and Stewart Miller Simmons Trial Attorneys of Atlanta filed a civil suit against Esposito and the city, which is ongoing.

Moya’s family said he was not resisting, and his attorneys said the incident left him with permanent disfiguration, physical pain, loss of wages, humiliation and distress.

Moya was initially charged with felony willful obstruction of law enforcement officers and misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement, but the charges were dropped in 2022 after a Fulton County assistant district attorney found insufficient evidence to support a finding of guilt.

The City of Alpharetta declined comment per policy on matters of pending litigation.

Packed shelters offer free Friday adoptions

METRO ATLANTA, Ga. — LifeLine Animal Project, the organization that manages four shelters across Fulton and DeKalb County will offer free dog adoptions on Fridays throughout the summer starting June 2.

The free Friday adoptions will only apply to dogs who weigh 25 pounds or more and include spay or neuter surgery, vaccines and microchip services worth about $300.

The organization has struggled with overstuffed shelters for months. In January, hundreds of people turned out to the shelters after LifeLine announced it needed to adopt

150 dogs that faced euthanasia.

Now, for the first time in its 21-year history, all four shelters are operating at “critical capacity.

In total, 1,366 animals are living at Fulton Animal Services, DeKalb County Animal Services, LifeLine Midtown and Community animal Center.

The Fulton Animal Services shelter is under quarantine until June 7 due to an outbreak of the canine flu.

LifeLine Animal Project asks people who can’t adopt a dog to foster animals in need or donate to the organization.

MOYA FAMILY/PROVIDED Cellphone footage shows Alpharetta police officers surrounding Travis Moya during a July 25, 2021, domestic incident at the Moya home.

Johns Creek proposes keeping property tax rate unchanged

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek councilmembers agreed at a June 6 work session to advertise the existing tax rate of 3.986 mills for this year, creating a ceiling but not a floor.

Property taxes are set through millage rates. One mill equals $1 of property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.

While the county has yet to provide a preliminary 2023 tax digest for Johns Creek, homeowners whose property values have risen may pay a higher tax bill if the city’s advertised tax rate is approved. Councilmembers have another two months to gather information on how much the tax levy would generate in revenues as the county completes its assessment of property values. The council can adjust the mill levy downward before settling on a final tax rate in August when it has a clearer picture of actual property values.

Residential property taxable values in North Fulton County can only increase by 3 percent or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower.

Johns Creek Finance Director Ronnie Campbell said the millage rate has a “cascading effect” on both the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget and Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

Because this year’s budget anticipates holding a steady millage rate, the city is expected to use surplus funds left over from this year’s budget to compensate for any shortfalls if a lower millage rate is adopted. The discussion on the potential use of property tax stabilization funds –surplus money used to offset property taxes – will likely be taken up at a future work session, Campbell said, once the city receives the new tax digest from Fulton County.

The first of three public hearings on the millage rate is set for July 25 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The second will be

held Aug. 8 at 11 a.m. and the third, later that night as part of the City Council meeting at 7 p.m.

In other matters at the work session, the council agreed to fully fund construction for Creekside Park, rather than phase the work. The project is estimated to cost $35.5 million.

About a third of the cost had already been allocated to the project, using funds from the transportation

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special purpose local option sales tax – or TSPLOST – the parks bond, general fund revenues as well as Tourism Project Development funds. An additional $10 million of TSPLOST II funds will be dedicated to the park as well as anticipated surplus revenue.

“As far as where the money comes from, and how quickly does it get paid for … is not really what's in front of [us],” Mayor John Bradberry said. “It's more about, ‘Are we still 100 percent committed to what we previously outlined in terms of our plan for Creekside Park?’ … For me, it's an obvious answer — 100 percent yes. Yes, I am.”

The City Council also agreed to add permanent lines for football at one of the synthetic turf fields at Cauley Creek Park for a total of $75,000.

City Councilman Chris Coughlin said he had concerns about prioritizing football over other sports, and looked to use enrollment numbers to determine how to mark the fields.

“The city hasn't supported the program in so many years,” Councilman Larry DiBiase said. “It has been slowly dwindling because there's nowhere to play. Would we want our children to hop a fence?”

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* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 090822. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 090822. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

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* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 090822. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

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AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA Johns Creek Finance Director Ronnie Campbell presents an advertised millage rate of 3.986 mills at the City Council work session June 6. The council agreed to the recommendation, creating a ceiling for the new millage rate.

Fulton County Schools approves 2023 budget

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — The Fulton County School Board approved a $2.1 billion budget for the 2023-2024 school year at a June 6 meeting.

That’s about a 31 percent increase from the current year’s overall $1.6 billion budget.

The spending plan includes a 7.1 percent pay raise for all employees and goes into effect July 1.

The raise is split into a permanent 5.1 percent pay raise for all eligible employees which will cost the school district $42.5 million. The board also approved a one-time 2 percent pay bump to help increase employee retention. The payment, which will cost $14.8 million, only applies to staff who were employed in 20222023.

The budget is operating off a proposed millage rate of 17.24, but the countywide tax digest on property values won’t be available until later in the summer.

Fulton County Schools uses a modified approach to zero-based budgeting to cut unnecessary expenditures. With the zero-based

budgeting approach, the district has a 95.5 percent spending rate. The county predicts that at the end of 2024 the ending fund balance will be about $358,704,353.

“This was a process that could have been extremely daunting, and you made it everything but,” Fulton County District 2 School Board member Lillie Pozatek said. “This was deep, it was a very long process, but I would say in a good way, it was exhaustive in preparation.”

The School Board also reviewed the district’s grading policy. Since 2019, district staff have worked on changes to grading standards, with adjustments for COVID-19 and a focus on engagement and implementation.

The grading policy went into effect in fall 2022. It standardized grading requirements across schools for things like giving out zeros, homework grades and communication. Under the new grading policy parents and guardians receive grade updates every 4.5 weeks.

In spring 2023, district staff evaluated the policy with a survey across 14 focus groups at specific schools. In total, they heard back from over 1,000 teachers and about 200 parents.

Ryan Moore, the district’s director of Strategy and Governance, broke down the results into three “broad thematic findings.” The first was engagement with so-called “stakeholders,” primarily referring to teachers, principals, students and parents.

The survey found that school leaders felt positively about communication, while parents and caregivers said the communication was “non-existent.” On the engagement front, teachers asked for more input in the grading policy.

“We had quotes from parents that said, ‘I didn’t even know there was a grading policy change,’ which speaks to the idea that we still have to work as a district to get deeper into our communities,” Moore said.

The second component was the use of resources. Some parents have asked for more sheets that explain the new grading policy, while teachers have asked for more tests that fit into the grade standards.

“That really speaks to the idea of merging academic curriculum with policy,” Moore said.

District staff said the schools struggle more with implementing

the grading policy. About half of the surveyed principals said they felt grades accurately reflected student learning, but that number dropped for teachers and parents. Moore said some teachers just aren’t following the report.

Ultimately, Moore said the policy does make grading more consistent with learning, even if teachers and parents aren’t on board. The key goal is making sure all the “stakeholders” understand the grading policy and its goals.

“I think there’s definitely more to do in future years, but continuing to help people understand the why behind it,” Moore said.

Johns Creek mayor unveils winners of student art contest

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Three winners of an art contest, open to all Johns Creek elementary, middle and high school students, will have their works hung in City Hall.

This year’s iteration of the Mayor’s Public Art Challenge, in its second year, is ‘All the World in Johns Creek.’ Mayor John Bradberry said the theme focuses on the many cultures in the city, “the most diverse city in Georgia,” and was intended to bring the community closer together.

“Lots of other cities have diversity, but our diversity is uniquely diverse with a sprinkling of people from every part of

the world,” Bradberry said. “In origin or background, we might be different, but together we have fashioned a culture of excellence in what still feels like a small town.”

Bradberry announced the winners at the City Council meeting May 23: Mahi Shah, Grade 11, Northview High School; Minakshi Chilagani, Grade 6, River Trail Middle School; and Celine Ma, Grade 5, Findley Oaks Elementary School. Their works were chosen out of more than 40 art pieces submitted.

“We’re very interested in seeing more art and culture take place here in Johns Creek, and we want to foster that … there’s really no better [way] to do that than through our students,” Bradberry said.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

This year’s Mayor’s Public Art Challenge winners features works by: Mahi Shah, grade 11, Northview High School (left); Minakshi Chilagani, grade 6, River Trail Middle School (top right); and Celine Ma, grade 5, Findley Oaks Elementary School (bottom right). This year’s competition carried the theme, “All the World in Johns Creek.”

One shot at eating from the public trough

A few years ago, in a momentary lapse of any semblance of good sense, I entered a political fray and ran for a seat on the local school board.

I tossed my Stetson into the ring. It got stomped and tattered.

I finished a distant third in a threehorse race. I lost to a woman who was a seven-time incumbent and a gentleman who I swear, really liked the points I made during a recorded debate. I know this because every time the moderator asked this fellow a question, his response was, I swear: “I agree with what Mike just said.”

The winner lapped both of us, getting nearly 2,300 votes. I got 511 and Mr. Agreeable got around 900.

How do I remember that vote tally? It’s a legitimate question due to that meager vote total being permanently etched into my brain.

Friends had a great time calling me “Senator” or “Your Honor.” The worst insult came when these so-called friends took to calling me “Mr. 511.”

As you can tell, I didn’t have friends who were very politically savvy. I made a point of calling them out on the incorrect moniker they had hung on me.

“You should actually be calling me Mr. 510,” I chastised them. “We need to keep this accurate. The correct number was 510 since I voted for myself.”

More guffaws as I hung up my political aspirations forever, comfortable with my brief foray into politics.

I learned that it’s tough to beat an incumbent. Why? Because they know how to win an election. When the moderator told the candidates we could ask questions of one another, I almost had to get a new shirt. I was salivating buckets.

I asked the wily, elderly candidate how she was going to be as effective in her seventh stint as she was earlier in her tenure as a public servant? An innocent inquiry, one that might give me a chance.

And just that quickly, I had no chance.

With tears in her eyes, about all I remember her saying was: “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry…” Then she cried while explaining all she had done and was going to do, even though she had been a bit distracted with life events

that got in the way.

I sat there with her supporters, my supporters, the janitor wanting to go home, family friends and everyone else shooting eye-lasers at me.

I was the beast who made this sweet elderly lady cry buckets. Forget about winning the election. At that moment it would have been a victory to get to my car without being lynched.

The whole experience was a bucket list item that would be forever put away. I remember waking up the day after the election feeling quite good.

“Holy schnikies! You mean there were actually 510 politically astute Forsyth County residents who pulled a lever for a guy who ran on a platform of getting school started after Labor Day instead of early August.

For the life of me, I don’t understand how anyone would want to get elected then stay there for what seems like forever.

Can you imagine Junior asking Dad: “Nathan’s daddy is a policeman, Katie’s mom is a nurse. What do you do for a living?”

If Dad answers he’s a politician, look out. Let him explain what he actually does. I can help out.

If he’s an incumbent his answer

should be: “I take other people’s money and make it disappear.”

Junior would have a lightbulb go off. “So you’re a magician?”

If Dad was honest, he’d answer: “No son. I win elections.”

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

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Stand-Alone Gloss

Understanding the ground beneath your feet

The uppermost crust of the earth is one of the principal supporters of life on our planet. Soil provides a medium for plant life, water filtration, organic waste recycling, and has its own ecosystem. Its components are organic matter (5 percent), air (20-30 percent), water (2030 percent) and minerals (45 percent). Mineral particles bigger than 2 mm are not considered soil. The texture of soil varies, depending on the proportions of clay, silt and sand. Topography and climate also influence soil structure.

Clay holds the most water of all soil types due to its large pore spaces. A view of highly magnified clay particles shows immense surface area and looks like pages in a book. Sand and silt aren’t as absorbent and are larger in size. Silt is finely grained, weathered rock — mostly quartz – that is between the size of clay and sand. Sand is coarser than silt and is mostly composed of silica (silicon dioxide). Other minerals will contribute to different colors of sand, depending on geography and geology. Sand particles are large, so it drains more quickly than silt or clay. The proportions of clay, silt and sand affect the water-holding capacity of a soil. Loam is described as soil that is mostly composed of sand, with silt and clay in descending proportions. Loam retains nutrients and water yet allows excess water to drain away.

Soil is made up of both abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) components. The abiotic components are minerals, water, air, and pH. The biotic components include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, earthworms, and plant material. Plant roots bind soil particles and affect porosity and oxygen content. Dead or decaying roots create channels for water and can provide a source of nutrients from their decomposition. Root exudates and soil microorganisms interact to recycle nutrients and suppress diseases.

Here in northern Georgia, most of the soil has a lot of clay. The reddish color is due the presence of iron oxide, and the soil tends to be acidic and low in calcium. Our clay soil tends to clump and become compacted. It is, however, a great medium for nutrients and water retention. It is best not to work with it when it is saturated with water, or it will become clumpy. If it is “naked” and not covered, it can lead to water run-off problems and bake in the sun. Mulch covers help prevent this from occurring. Planting red clover or winter rye will

increase organic matter and allow for air spaces in the clay soil. Do not add sand to clay soil — there is sand in it already, and this will harden it even more.

Several products can be used to improve your soil. Working organic matter into a clay soil is the best way to improve its texture, nutrient levels, and microbiome. Compost can also be purchased at gardening centers or made at home using kitchen and garden scraps. Peat moss has become depleted, and it no longer recommended. Vermiculite is a mica-like material used as an amendment to help water and nutrient retention. It is sterile, has a neutral pH and doesn’t deteriorate for a very long time. It can lighten heavy soils and help keep grass seeds from drying out. Perlite is a natural volcanic glass that expands when heated, and has many uses in filtration, insulation, ceramics, and other industries.

As air is a vital component of soil, aeration may be needed to improve the exchange of oxygen and cardon dioxide in the root zone. Poor aeration slows down the rate of decay and contributes to the pollutant methane gas. Watery bogs that are not aerated (such as some peat bogs) can prevent decomposition. Ancient bodies from the Bronze Age have been discovered in peat bogs in northern Europe, a testament to the lack of aeration and presence of organic components. Aeration for lawns is best done in the growing season, so that roots can regrow in the new spaces. It is not necessary to aerate every year.

The recommended treatment for all soil first begins with a soil test. Your test results, which may suggest adjusting the pH, fertilizing, and other actions, will be emailed to you once the test is completed. These actions will help provide optimal soil conditions for happy and healthy plants. Native plants are a big contributor to healthy soil ecosystems, and future articles in “Garden Buzz” will discuss native plants in detail.

As President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” We are stewards of the land, and it begins in our own backyard.

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.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Texture Triangle

About the author

This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Linda McGinn. Linda has lived in Johns Creek, Georgia since 1990. She is an artist and recently graduated from GSU with a degree in science and art. Prior to that, she had a 40-year career as a registered nurse. She and her husband are continually upgrading their garden and loving the opportunities to improve it each year. Linda also teaches “Art and Gardening” at the Johns Creek Arts Center. She has been gardening for 30+ years and recently became certified as a Master Gardener in 2021.

Learn more

• Soil Texture in Georgia Soil - https://ugaurbanag.com/soil-texture/

• Soil Testing in Georgia - http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soiltest123/Georgia.htm

• Soil Preparation and Planting Procedures for Ornamental Plants in the Landscapehttps://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail. html?number=B932&title=soil-preparation-and-plantingprocedures-for-ornamental-plants-in-the-landscape

• What is Garden Soil - https://www.smallspacegardeningbasics.com/what-isgarden-soil/

LINDA MCGINN Guest Columnist

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Hembree Farm is a historic work in progress

Old homes, really old homes like nearly 190 years old, hold a special attraction for a modest group of homeowners. For them an old, possibly dilapidated house restored and reborn through hard work backed up with research, provides unique joys. A home that is historic because of its era and architecture puts such people in contact with the ages and can offer a unique lifestyle.

Such is the situation of Jared and Brandy Kirschner, owners of the historic Hembree Farm in Roswell. In the early 1830s, Amariah Hembree (1781-1855) purchased 640 acres formerly occupied by Cherokee Indians. He and his son Elihu Minton Hembree (1812-1873) and his carpenter brother, James Hembree Jr. (1790-1867), built the house somewhere between 1833 and 1835. It was continuously occupied by eight generations of Hembrees. The land was subdivided over time until 2007 when the final acre and the farmhouse and associated out buildings were donated by Hembree family heir Carmen Ford to the Roswell Historical Society, which made the property available for sale through a partnership with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. A rehabilitation agreement and a conservation easement keep the Georgia Trust involved with the property in perpetuity.

The Kirschners are not strangers to home improvement, having renovated several homes previously. In addition, Brandy is an independent TV producer who identifies and qualifies historic homes throughout the country for TV shows such as HGTV’s “Home Town Takeover” and “We Bought a Dump,” and Magnolia Network’s “In With the Old.” However, this is their first historic home restoration and preservation. They purchased the property in 2022. Their goal is to bring back as much of the original state of the home as they can. The rebirth of a historic home presents many unique challenges not associated with modern construction. “Everything is crooked at the beginning.” says Jared.

The Kirschners do much of the hard work themselves on weekends and after work with the active involvement of Brandy’s mother Yvonne Howell, who has loved history since she was a child. Yvonne is a docent at the recently opened Roswell Historical Society’s

History Museum. When I visited the property recently, Yvonne was busy scraping layers of paint off an old door.

A project of this magnitude requires a team of dedicated and knowledgeable people to assure compliance with current building codes while being true to the home’s historic roots. The City of Roswell, The Roswell Historical Society and The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation have provided major support says Jared, senior vice president at Engine Shop, an experiential marketing firm. Landmark Preservation LLC of Savannah has provided consulting services at this early stage but can also help with preservation carpentry, window repair and other precise needs. Professional contractors are involved when necessary.

Ben Sutton, Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Director of Preservation, says “We are thrilled with the care and effort that the Kirschners are putting into the property to preserve it for future generations.”

Sutton refers to the house as a “vernacular home,” built without the benefit of an architect, an approach common in Georgia’s early rural history. He notes that there were six bidders for the property.

Judy Meer, president of the Roswell Historical Society, believes that the current arrangement is the “perfect

ending to preserving the farm. It turned out just the way it should have,” she says.

A great deal is known about the modifications to the original house thanks to a study by preservation consultant Laura Drummond commissioned by the Roswell Historical Society in 2009. The house has been added to by successive Hembree family occupants from its original configuration “as an approximately 32’ 4” long by 16 1/2’ wide hallparlor farmhouse with two rooms and a 10’ deep front porch.” Its current dimensions are 41’ long by 48’ 5” wide with five rooms. In November 2007, the house was moved 500 feet from its location on Hembree Road to its current site to make room for construction of several new homes. The brick chimneys were removed for the move, and they will be replaced using salvaged original bricks.

As part of the rehabilitation, the Kirschners will install new plumbing, a kitchen and a modern bathroom. They will also leave exposed a unique feature of the house, one of two adjustable metal braces found in the attic that make it possible to make adjustments to the structure if necessary. They have already removed several layers of gypsum and other wall coverings to expose the original tongue and groove wood walls.

Of historical note is that The Lebanon Baptist Church in Roswell was organized on the farm. Amariah Hembree, his family, and 13 other Christians met in the Hembree home on July 16, 1836, and organized the church. It was the first church in the area to welcome Black members. Another historical note, Elihu Hembree’s grave is located on the property. According to Find a Grave 20 Hembree family members are buried in the Lebanon Church cemetery.

The property includes a separate outdoor open hearth kitchen and two corn cribs. The three structures will require considerable restoration which will be done once the house is finished. Yvonne Howell has given historical cooking demonstrations at the Tullie Smith House at the Atlanta History Center and looks forward to using the outdoor kitchen to stimulate interest in history, especially among young people.

Those interested in monitoring the restoration process can follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram. com/woah_livin_on_a_prairie/.

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.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Hembree Farm in Roswell is approximately 190 years old and is one of the oldest homes in North Georgia. It is undergoing a major restoration by new owners Brandy and Jared Kirschner. Here is the farmhouse before restoration began and before the house was moved 500 feet to make room for some new homes.

BOB MEYERS Columnist

The family behind Eureka Laboratory of Dunwoody

In the early 20th century, one of the businesses in downtown Dunwoody was Eureka Laboratory.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

It was along Nandina Lane, then known as Spruill Street, and next door to Dunwoody Methodist Church.

When a new Methodist church was constructed in 1970, a small tin salve box was discovered in the ground. The box read “Eureka Ointment, Eureka Laboratory, Dunwoody Georgia. Price 25 cents. Recommended for chapped hands, face and lips, chafes, burns, catarrh etc.”

(The Story of Dunwoody 1821-2001, by Elizabeth L. Davis, Ethel W. Spruill) Lawrence Albert Ball, born 1885,

GET OUTSIDE GEORGIA

and his sister Clara Elizabeth Ball, born 1890, started the business. They were children of Reuben Greenleaf Ball and Martha Salina Brightwell Ball. Martha Salina Brightwell was part of a neighboring family that moved to Dunwoody.

The Ball family already had a long history in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. Albert and Clara’s grandparents were Peter and Margaret Ball, who came to Georgia from South Carolina. Peter Ball owned a mill along a creek today known as Ball Mill Creek, located along Ball Mill Road.

Peter and Margaret Ball had four sons and five daughters. Reuben Greenleaf Ball was one of those children.

Albert Ball received his training at the Atlanta College of Pharmacy (established 1891) and became a registered pharmacist. Then he began

developing his formulas for healing salves and lotions.

Clara Ball was known as an accomplished student and cook. She often prepared food for families facing illness or difficult times. She made face powders, perfumes and cosmetics to sell at Eureka Laboratory.

In addition to working as a pharmacist, Albert Ball was an early mail carrier for Dunwoody, traveling the long route by horse-drawn buggy. The route went from Dunwoody to the area along Roswell Road just south of the river, over to Morgan Falls and back to Dunwoody along Mount Vernon Road.

In 1918, Albert Ball was called to duty for World War I. His registration card is signed by another familiar Dunwoody name: Mr. Tilly. There are no records to indicate he was called to report for military duty.

1920 census records show Albert Ball lived in the same house with his mother Martha and his sister and business partner Clara. Reuben Ball died two years earlier. The space for occupation shows Albert is a student at a medical college.

When the census for 1950 was taken, Albert was 65 and Clara was 59. Albert’s occupation recorded on the document is working around the house and garden. In other words, he retired by 1950.

Clara and Albert Ball are both buried in the Peter Ball family cemetery in Sandy Springs.

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.

You can ham it up outdoors with shortwave operators

One of the nicest things about the outside world is that there are all kinds of ways to enjoy it. Traditional favorites include hiking and biking and camping and fishing and birdwatching and – well, you get the idea.

But there are some less traditional ways to have outdoor fun, too.

Some folks, for example, like bungee jumping. That’s the one where you tie yourself to what is essentially a giant rubber band and then jump off a perfectly good tower or a bridge or something, on purpose, and fall through the air toward the ground far below. On the way down you have time to think about things, possibly wondering if the quality control guy over at the giant rubber band factory was having a good day on the day when that particular one was made.

I’m told that the whole thing is fun, but you can rest assured that I will never be able to affirm that personally. I know too much about the frailties of rubber bands (specifically, their annoying tendency to break at exactly the wrong time). So, no bungee jumps for me. I’m over 40, and I don’t have to do that kind of thing anymore.

But there are alternatives. For

instance, some other folks like hang gliding, another sport that sends you through the air. While hang gliding, you are supported underneath a glider of sorts as you soar and swoop in and out among the birds. Birds have been doing the flying thing forever, of course, and so they’re pretty good at it. But we humans come to it less naturally.

I’m told that folks do a lot of this hang gliding thing up in northwest Georgia, congregating in places where otherwise rational humans will strap themselves (and you, if you let them) to a fabric wing and then voluntarily make a running jump off a cliff and into the air. They too say it’s fun.

Oddly enough, the prospect of hang gliding does in fact hold a little bit of appeal to me. Maybe someday I’ll give it try if the opportunity comes along. If I do, I’ll let you know how it goes. Probably.

But there is one other sort of outdoor recreation activity involving “air” that I wholeheartedly embrace –and that is to take a small ham radio rig (ham radio is my other hobby) into the great outdoors in order to “get on the air” from a park or a mountaintop or other outdoor locale. To that end, I’ve even put together a little portable radio set-up that fits neatly into my daypack, and in the process I’ve discovered just how much fun it can be to sit up on a mountaintop

somewhere and talk to people all over the world – no Interweb required.

As it turns out, many ham radio operators enjoy taking their stations “to the field,” as it were – and on Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25, you just might see some hams in action in area parks during an annual ham radio event called “Field Day.”

Sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, a national association of ham operators, Field Day gives hams far and wide a chance to test their operating skills out in the field.

What’s the purpose of Field Day? Well, part of it is just to have fun. Stations compete with each other to see who can make the most contacts with other ham radio operators. But it’s also a great chance for hams to test their ability to operate in the field under less than ideal conditions, much as they might have to do in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency.

As one ham once put it, “Communication is easy as long as the power stays on and the internet says on. But what would happen if a community lost its regular communication systems? How would emergency responders and other key groups communicate? I’ll tell you how,” he added. “They could call on ham radio operators to help.”

Many metro Atlanta ham radio clubs will be participating in this

year’s Field Day, and one of them is the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association. SARA, as it’s known, will be operating from the Cumming Fairground RV sites from 2 p.m. Saturday the 24th until 2 p.m. Sunday the 25th, and they encourage visitors to stop by.

And you don’t have to be a ham radio operator to enjoy visiting the SARA Field Day operation. One of the stations that the SARA group will set up is what’s known as the “Get On The Air,” or GOTA, station. It’s intended to allow non-hams to experience what ham radio is like by providing an opportunity to operate a ham station with the help of an experienced, licensed operator. It’s fun! And you don’t have to sign up in advance – just walk up and give it a try!

For more info on the Sawnee Amateur Radio Association, visit sawneemountainradio.org.

To get an idea of where other amateur radio clubs might be holding public Field Day events, visit www. arrl.org/field-day-locator. This site, provided by the American Radio Relay League, is designed to help interested folks find Field Day operations nationwide.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll run across me at one of the Field Day operations. I’ll be enjoying being “on the air” – with no giant rubber bands required!

Columnist

STEVE HUDSON

Columnist

Mysteries that will keep you guessing

There are so many authors whose new books I eagerly anticipate, it’s often difficult for me to squeeze in someone new. Returning to a tried-and-true favorite ensures an enjoyable read. Taking a chance on someone new can result in a book I set aside and don’t finish. Color me picky.

Because I don’t review books that disappoint me, you never hear about them in my columns. My default position on reviews is that there’s someone out there who will like a book whether I do or not. A good example is “Gone Girl.” I thought all of the characters in that one were unlikable, but the book was a smash hit.

In the case of author Renee Knight’s book “Disclaimer,” I’m glad I branched out. Once again, I have no clue where I read about the book, but the writeup must have intrigued me because I added it to my library hold list.

“Disclaimer” by Renee Knight

The blurb on the inside flap would horrify anyone: “What if you realized the terrifying book you were reading was all about you?” Imagine settling in to read a book you find on your nightstand. It sounds familiar and suddenly you see it isn’t fiction. It’s a horrible chapter in your life, a chapter you thought was known only to you.

The story paints a distasteful picture of Catherine, the main character, and as I read, I kept thinking I’d figured out what she had done. There are hints, but her transgression is left to your imagination for most

of the book. You will think you know what it was. As Lee Child says, it is “sensationally good psychological suspense … exactly what a great thriller should be.” I predict you’ll be as bamboozled as I was.

“The Paris Apartment” by Lucy Foley

Both this book and Foley’s “The Guest Book” are editors’ picks on Amazon, and now I’ve read them both. They’re equally disturbing, and both kept me guessing.

A twenty-something girl from England shows up at her older brother’s apartment in Paris only to discover he’s missing. She texted with him, and he told her how to get there from the train and that he’d be waiting for her. The mysterious neighbors in the building are less than forthcoming, even the one who purports to be a friend of her brother’s from their

university days in England.

As the blurb says, “Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.” Once again, I never saw the twist coming.

If you enjoy “keep you guessing until the very end” mysteries, then these two books are for you.

Note: Are you in a book club? Would you like to have a local author speak to your group? Contact me to arrange a date! inkpenn119@gmail.com

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

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KATHY MANOS PENN

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