Milton Herald - June 20, 2024

Milton officials focus on commercial corridors

► PAGE 4

State halts Ga. 9 widening amid fraud investigation

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Work to widen Ga. 9 through Milton is at a standstill until the Georgia Department of Transportation sorts through a snag in its right-of-way and easement process.

GDOT notified the city June 11 that it has become aware of fraudulent activity associated in the acquisitions.

Nearly 23,000 vehicles use the roadway daily, and the city has braced residents for months of construction which had already been poised to commence with orange cones and heavy equipment along the thoroughfare.

Milton officials said their first

priority is to strongly urge GDOT to promptly take action to clean up properties damaged and affected by construction. Because the widening is a state project, city officials have little control over its administration and timeline.

“We’re already reaching out to state leaders for answers and expect productive conversations to ensure that Milton citizens and businesses are heard, and their best interests are served,” Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison said. “Highway 9 is vital to our city’s present and future, and it’s important that this project is done right.”

Milton was alerted to the

Milton seeks public input on Deerfield athletic complex

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Milton residents with an interest in plans for the potential athletic complex at 300 Deerfield Parkway are invited to give input again.

People will have a chance to offer their thoughts on what should, or should not, be a part of the facility at the June 24 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting at Milton City Hall.

After acquisition of a property on Hopewell Road fell through last winter, park advocates have been searching for an answer to the demand for youth sports facilities, like diamonds and rectangles for baseball and lacrosse.

On April 22, the city contracted with Crescent Communities to purchase the 21.4-acre property for $8 million as space for a potential athletic complex.

A 90-day due diligence period gives citizens, city staff and councilmembers time to ensure the property is a fit for the city’s needs.

After a May 16 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting, outside experts were asked to incorporate feedback and come back with updated sketches.

Board members, residents and staff discussed some of the park features at the May 16 meeting, including access to Ga. 9, parking

spaces, pickleball and tennis courts, the number of rectangles versus diamonds and pedestrian safety.

Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen said some changes include the addition of batting cages and more parking spaces. He said the inclusion of pickleball is supported, but not necessarily 16 courts.

McKlveen said the discovery of a spring and wetland area in

Caroline Nalisnick

C: 404.513.9226

Sam DiVito

C: 404.803.5999 | Sam@HOMEgeorgia.com

Allison Kloster

C: 404.784.5287 | Allison@HOMEgeorgia.com

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Construction cones sit on Milton’s section of Ga. 9 extending from Windward Parkway to the Forsyth County line. GDOT announced the project has been halted after an internal investigation revealed fraudulent right-of-way acquisition from one official who has since been fired.

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Bus driver cited for DUI in crash with kids aboard

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County deputies arrested school bus driver Ginger Katz May 23 for driving while under the influence and endangering 30 middle schoolers from Piney Grove.

The crash occurred around 2 p.m. at Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Brannon Road.

Deputies said none of the students, ranging from ages 11 to 15, were injured.

After an investigation, Forsyth County deputies said Katz was at fault for failure to yield while turning left, driving a commercial vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and 30 counts of child endangerment.

As the school bus approached the intersection northbound on Ronald Reagan Boulevard and attempted to turn left onto Brannon Road, a Chevrolet Equinox attempted to pass through the intersection

POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Woman reports theft of jewelry, $300 in cash

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating a non-forced burglary at an apartment on Hemingway Lane June 6 after a woman reported stolen jewelry and cash.

Officers said the victim, a 38-yearold female, said she last saw the items June 3 and didn’t notice them missing until that day. She said she suspects someone took her key, which she accidentally left in the lock when she returned from vacation May 30.

The officer said there were no signs of forced entry or damage to the residence.

The victim’s stolen jewelry includes six rings, five chains, six bracelets and

southbound, according to the incident report.

Deputies said both drivers reported the traffic signal was yellow during the incident.

The driver of the SUV, a 62-year-old Cumming woman, complained of injuries after the crash but denied transport to a hospital. Her car sustained extensive frontend damage and was left in the middle of the intersection, deputies said.

While speaking with Katz after the crash, a deputy said he noticed the faint odor of alcohol on her breath, glassy eyes and “thick” speech.

The bus driver said she drank alcohol the night before and agreed to a preliminary breath test.

After deputies conducted the breathalyzer and field sobriety evaluations, they determined Katz was under the

eight watches, valued around $15,000. The stolen cash totals $300.

The victim said most items are 18 karat gold.

Officers said there are no security cameras near the woman’s apartment. Officers did not identify a suspect.

Police investigate claim by fired spa worker

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating a spa on Grimes Bridge Road after an ex-employee claimed management wanted her to perform sexual acts on customers.

An officer said he spoke with the business owner and manager June 7 at the establishment.

They said the reason for the incident stemmed from the woman’s request for more money.

The manager said an argument ensued and resulted in a phone call to 911.

The ex-employee, who called 911, said the manager and owner asked her to perform sexual acts on customers.

influence.

While a lieutenant transported Katz to Forsyth County Jail, a deputy conducted a search of the crash site and bus. He said he found no contraband.

Because deputies read the wrong implied consent notice before taking blood at the jail, they conducted an additional draw around two hours after the crash.

The results are unverified because the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office redacted the information.

After turning Katz over to jail staff, a deputy said he submitted her blood samples to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and obtained warrants for driving a commercial motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, 30 counts of endangering a child and failure to yield to right of way.

Katz is being held on a $55,640 bond.

She said she wanted to work at the spa because she was told it was a legitimate massage parlor.

She also said the manager and owner refused to pay her for refusing to perform the acts.

The Criminal Investigations Division responded and took over the scene, the officer said.

Man says wheels stolen from car parked in lot

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police responded to The Crossings at Holcomb Bridge apartments June 7 after a man reported stolen rims and tires.

The victim, a 24-year-old Roswell man, said the theft occurred sometime between 9:30 p.m. June 6.

Thieves took the tires and rims for three 18-inch stock wheels, totaling around $1,500 from the owner’s vehicle, a 2009 Infiniti G7.

The officer said there were no security cameras in the area.

Officers did not identify a suspect.

or

Milton turns focus to commercial districts

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Milton officials focused attention on commercial corridor planning during the June 10 work session.

Community Development Director

Bob Buscemi discussed planning initiatives for two commercial areas on opposite sides of the city, the District at Mayfield and the Deerfield/Ga. 9 area.

In early May, the city announced its search for a new community development director as Buscemi transitions to a new role as director of special projects to focus on large city priorities.

Buscemi discussed the selection of a planning firm for the Deerfield Implementation Plan, which looks to ensure Ga. 9 and Windward Parkway corridors match up with the Deerfield and Bethany Bend character areas.

City officials have indicated they want to make the southeast corner of the city its commercial engine.

The city’s moratorium on properties under the Deerfield form-based code prohibits use permits, rezoning and condition amendments through Dec. 2. It allows the city to contract with a firm

to create the Deerfield Implementation Plan without a rush on the city’s zoning team.

Buscemi said a contract will be awarded sometime in July after negotiations conclude.

Progress in Mayfield District

Turning its attention to Mayfield, a subdistrict of the Crabapple formbased code, the council noted the district encompasses 23 parcels on 19 acres between Broadwell and Mayfield roads. It is home to the Milton branch of the Fulton County Library System off Charlotte Drive.

Buscemi said the plan for the district follows the success of Market District Crabapple and Heritage Walk.

Just 700 feet away from the District at Mayfield, developers worked with the city to donate land needed to build Heritage Walk before construction of the three-story midrises began.

Buscemi said the public-private partnership for Market District Crabapple is the blueprint for Mayfield, but significant planning with the Public Works Department and land owners remains.

“We had the concept plan, and everyone liked and approved it,” Buscemi said. “We’re trying to transition from a concept plan to really implement this plan, and there’s a couple priorities that have to happen.”

One of the priorities involves encouraging property owners and developers to amass parcels, which Buscemi said helps make the master plan become a reality.

Staff are currently working with property owners and developers to acquire the land needed to construct a future roadway between Broadwell and Mayfield in alignment with Marstrow Drive.

“I think we’ve hit some home runs so far,” Buscemi said, referencing work with a property owner across from Marstrow Drive to dedicate right-ofway for the new street.

The city still needs to acquire more land to construct the thoroughfare, but the process is underway and seeing results.

Budget talks begin

While public hearings to approve the 2025 budget are three months away, the city kicked off the process June 10 with a discussion between staff and councilmembers.

“Staff met with the City Council back on May 3 for our annual retreat, where we received feedback,” Harvill said. “This feedback has been incorporated into our budget work, and tonight we’re here to kick off meeting number one of the budget input meetings.”

Councilmembers gave staff direction on three large projects, including a potential athletic complex off Deerfield Parkway, the donation of the McConnell-Chadwick House and Mayfield Farm.

With significant funding set

See PRIORITY, Page 12

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

A handful of residents listen as Community Development Director Bob Buscemi discusses the implementation plan for the Deerfield and Ga. 9 area in east Milton. Residents remarked on the deluge of information discussed by city officials after the meeting.

Alpharetta Legion post announces new officers

The more than 700 members of Alpharetta’s American Legion Post 201 will see new leadership this month as swearing-in ceremonies put a new post commander, auxiliary president, and Sons of the American Legion commander into office.

Bob Byrd has been named post commander, his fifth time serving in the role. He has also served as adjutant, judge advocate and Executive Committee member. Byrd, a U.S. Army veteran and a twodecade member of the post, is retired from a lengthy career in information systems.

Lee Harrison has been a member

of Unit 201 for over 50 years as she takes on the role of unit president. During her five decades of active and dedicated membership she is a past president, vice president, and chair of several committees.

Derek Garmon will take the oath as commander of the Sons of the American Legion, for the 18th time. He will lead his group of more than 270 members, which is now the second largest in Georgia.

For information about the Post 201 family go to www. legion201.org. To contact the post about membership, email americanlegionalpharetta@gmail.com.

AMERICAN LEGION POST 201/PROVIDED

Newly installed officers for American Legion Post 201 include, from left: Derek Garmon, Sons of the American Legion commander; Lee Harrison, unit president; and Bob Byrd, post commander.

SCHOOLS

North Fulton County’s 2024 valedictorians and salutatorians

By HANNAH FRAZER hannah@appenmedia.com

High Schools commemorate top students each year by highlighting the valedictorian and salutatorian in the graduating class. The valedictorian is awarded to the student with the highest academic rank in their gradating class, based on GPA and academic achievements. The salutatorian is the student with the second highest rank. Congratulations to the following students in area schools.

DeKalb County

Fanta Ndiaye

• Magnet Valedictorian

• Arabia Mountain High School

Rayna Robinson

• Magnet Salutatorian

• Arabia Mountain High School

Jada Bailey

• Resident Valedictorian

• Arabia Mountain High School

Nathan Thwaites

• Resident Salutatorian

• Arabia Mountain High School

Jack Bolte

• Magnet Valedictorian

• Chamblee High School

Joshua Jacks

Magnet Salutatorian

Chamblee High School

Hanna Lin

• Resident Valedictorian

• Chamblee High School

Kai Henderson

• Resident Salutatorian

• Chamblee High School

Adriel Ammah

• Valedictorian

• Cedar Grove High School

Waynijah Kuykendall

• Salutatorian

Cedar Grove High School

Kennedy Edge

• Valedictorian

• Clarkston High School

Rasina Abdulkadir

• Salutatorian

• Clarkston High School

Leah Johnson

• Magnet Valedictorian

• Columbia High School

Christopher Cook

• Magnet Salutatorian

• Columbia High School

Zoe Carter

Resident Valedictorian

• Columbia High School

Sakhari Matthews

• Resident Salutatorian

• Columbia High School

Exahel Castaneda

• Valedictorian

• Cross Keys High School

Floricela Bravo-Avendano

• Salutatorian

• Cross Keys High School

Christalle Bristol

• Valedictorian

• DeKalb Early College Academy

Blain Daniel

• Salutatorian

• DeKalb Early College Academy

Danielle Beaucejour Valedictorian

• DeKalb School of the Arts

Anna Kirk

• Salutatorian

• DeKalb School of the Arts

Terry Crawford

• Valedictorian

• Druid Hills High School

Micah Burton

• Salutatorian

• Druid Hills High School

Neil Shah

Valedictorian

Dunwoody High School

Naomi Kleber

• Salutatorian

• Dunwoody High School

Deandra Smith

• Valedictorian

• Lithonia High School

Shakara Miles

• Salutatorian

• Lithonia High School

Hannah Parks

• Salutatorian

Lithonia High School

Shreya Chatterjee

• Valedictorian

• Lakeside High School

Matthew Phillips

• Salutatorian

• Lakeside High School

Zachary Murphey

• Salutatorian

• Lakeside High School

Danielle Buchanan

• Valedictorian

• McNair High School

Dieynabou Diallo

• Salutatorian

• McNair High School

Zy’Eshia Hudson

• Salutatorian

• McNair High School

Chance Hill

• Valedictorian

• Martin Luther King, Jr. High School

Janea Jackson

• Salutatorian

• Martin Luther King, Jr.

High School

Winter Adam’s

• Valedictorian

• Miller Grove High School

Asauni Jones

Salutatorian

Miller Grove High School

Mikiah Jones

• Valedictorian

• Redan High School

Chi Choo

• Salutatorian

• Redan High School

Myra Furlow

• Salutatorian

• Redan High School

Aryel Allen

• Magnet Valedictorian Southwest DeKalb High School

Autumn Luke

• Magnet Salutatorian

• Southwest DeKalb High School

Austin Akhabue

• Resident Valedictorian

• Southwest DeKalb High School

Keion Jefferies

• Resident Salutatorian

• Southwest DeKalb High School

Journee Love-Gates

• Valedictorian

• Stephenson High School

Morgan Shepperd

• Salutatorian

• Stephenson High School

Matthew Kedir

• Valedictorian

• Stone Mountain High School

Sojat Kedir

• Salutatorian

Stone Mountain High School

Kisha Richard

• Valedictorian

• Towers High School

Trystan Davy

• Salutatorian

• Towers High School

Betelehem Gidey

• Valedictorian

• Tapestry Charter High School

Richard Halloway, Jr.

• Salutatorian

• Tapestry Charter High School

Bram Rosenblatt

Salutatorian

Tapestry Charter High School

Violett Todd

• Salutatorian

• Tapestry Charter High School

Epherata Zeleke

• Valedictorian

• Tucker High School

Ava-Elizabeth Jacoby

• Salutatorian

• Tucker High School

Forsyth County

Advaith Nidumukkala

• Valedictorian

• Alliance Academy for Innovation

Eshan Jaffar

• Salutatorian

• Alliance Academy for Innovation

Sheil Dharan

• Valedictorian

Denmark High School

Pranav Potluri

• Salutatorian

• Denmark High School

Madison Lee Malone

• Valedictorian

• East Forsyth High School

Rebecca Ann Wade

• Salutatorian

• East Forsyth High School

Suyash (Vasu) Dwivedi

• Valedictorian

• Forsyth Central High School

Phillip Porter

• Salutatorian

• Forsyth Central High School

Anish Madireddy

• Valedictorian

• Lambert High School

Justin Wang

• Salutatorian

• Lambert High School

Coleton Thomas

• Valedictorian

North Forsyth High School

Arianna Hagen

• Salutatorian

• North Forsyth High School

Kavin Kalicheti

• Valedictorian

• South Forsyth High School

Pravallika Nayak

• Salutatorian

• South Forsyth High School

Anirudh Naveen

• Valedictorian

• West Forsyth High School

Maya Zhang

• Salutatorian

West Forsyth High School

Fulton County

Malavika Niverthi

• Valedictorian

• Alpharetta High School

Faye Lu

• Salutatorian

• Alpharetta High School

Ruqaiyah Njie

• Valedictorian

• Banneker High School

Jameiyah Sparks Salutatorian

• Banneker High School

Mitchell Landis

• Valedictorian

• Cambridge High School

Ayan Agarwal

• Salutatorian

• Cambridge High School

Cindy Zheng

• Valedictorian

• Centennial High School

Amrita Puri

Salutatorian

Centennial High School

Sahil Hemrajani

• Valedictorian

• Chattahoochee High School

Alif Misha Antony Selvin

Raj

• Salutatorian

• Chattahoochee High School

Demi Jones

• Valedictorian

Creekside High School

Ngone Seye

• Salutatorian

• Creekside High School

Lakshana Ramanan

• Valedictorian

• FCS Innovation Academy

Tanish Potula

• Salutatorian

• FCS Innovation Academy

Vihaan Narvekar

• Salutatorians

• FCS Innovation Academy

Andy Qu Valedictorian

• Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence

Brea Butler

• Salutatorian

• Fulton Academy of Virtual Excellence

Cyr Kamga

• Valedictorian

• Salutatorian

• Global Impact Academy

Myles Estime

• Valedictorian Independence High School

Jasmine Valle

• Salutatorian

• Independence High School

Daniel Bao

• Valedictorian

• Johns Creek High School

Annika Joshi

• Salutatorian

• Johns Creek High School

Mattison Downs

• Valedictorian Langston Hughes High School

Yazmina Holness

• Salutatorian

• Langston Hughes High School

Joseph Petkash

• Valedictorian

• Milton High School

Kiran Bardakjy-

• Salutatorian

• Milton High School

Christopher Yamamoto Valedictorian North Springs High School

Aoi Chiara Misawa

• Salutatorian

• North Springs High School

Vaishali Prahalad

• Valedictorian

• Northview High School

Kevin Xiang

• Salutatorian

• Northview High School

Leah Perlman

• Valedictorian

• Riverwood High School

Ava Satisky

• Salutatorian

• Riverwood High School

Christian Jimenez

• Valedictorian

• Roswell High School

Nori Liang

• Salutatorian

• Roswell High School

Dana Lopez Lopez Valedictorian

• Tri•Cities High School

Jennifer Bojorge-Arredondo

• Salutatorian

• Tri•Cities High School

Mi’Cai Haywood

• Valedictorian

Sayantan Das

• Global Impact Academy Isabela Damian

• Westlake High School

• Salutatorian

• Westlake High School

I’m just trying to do right by the customer. That’s why I was always successful, not just as a wine educator but successful as a salesperson.”

ANITA LARAIA, founder, Anita LaRaia Wine School/Winegroceries.com

8 | Milton Herald | June 20, 2024

Wine educator shares fruits of her experience

World-renowned expert keys customers to value

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — When students at Anita LaRaia’s Wine School wrap up their first class, they’re likely struck with the extensive knowledge and infectious energy of their instructor.

Whether they took her series of 2-hour in-person classes decades ago or stumbled across her new videos on YouTube, LaRaia’s students remember her empowering personality and wine expertise.

In her 33 years, LaRaia has graduated more than 2,000 people from her classes – young adults in the hospitality industry, trade professionals and anyone interested in understanding the process of selecting a quality wine.

So, what did students walk out the door with? LaRaia says they carried confidence and a bottle of wine with some of five noble grapes of Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

If the mention of Red Bordeaux and blended wine makes your head spin, LaRaia’s new venture in 2024 can get you up to speed in no time.

LaRaia, a 30-year resident of Dunwoody, kicked off 2024 with the rollout of her YouTube channel, Winegroceries.com, including six videos around 10 minutes each.

See LARAIA, Page 9

in early January.

Anita LaRaia sits ready to record the “Latin Lovers” video on her YouTube channel, Winegroceries.com,

The third educational video in a six-part series dives into LaRaia’s grocery-shopping advice for patrons.

LaRaia:

Continued from Page 8

She said her goal is to give viewers the information they need to be able to walk into a grocery store or distributor and select a cost-effective wine that pairs with an occasion and its food.

Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for six two-hour classes with the wine expert, you can access them for free on YouTube. Viewers won’t get a nice bottle of wine, but they will be able to find one on their own.

In her six videos available on YouTube, viewers are first introduced to the different processes used to make Champagne in France and different varieties of sparkling wine from around the world.

One video explores Australian wines, which LaRaia helped popularize in the United States. Other topics include South American and Latin wines, “Big Spenders,” or expensive bottles and which American wines give you the best bang for your buck.

LaRaia says her decision to roll out her wine classes online was sparked when her channel’s producers, Nancy and Murph Ivey from South Carolina, began sending her photos of wine bottles on grocery store shelves.

“I was sitting there thinking, well my goodness, I’m back in the business,” LaRaia said.

The 77-year-old wine expert, unafraid to discuss her recent foot surgery and time in a wheelchair, told the Iveys to drive down to Dunwoody and film some videos at her dining room table.

“I set it all up and decided to think long and hard, what could I cover in these short videos?” LaRaia said. “I did write scripts, although people think I do this extemporaneously; Yes, I do because it’s real, more exciting and I have that personality.”

Winegroceries.com on You Tube combines LaRaia’s six years studying in London, her time answering questions posed from around the world for CNN.com and 33 years of teaching in Atlanta – all in an easily digestible one-hour series.

“I wanted to do this as a service to grocery shoppers,” LaRaia said.

WineGroceries.com creates videos designed to make viewers savvy buyers of wine in their local grocery store wine department, with entertaining instruction from one of America’s top independent wine educators.

Pairing the correct wine bottle with a meal, occasion or partner is what it’s all about. If complicated grape varieties, sommeliers and “wine snobs” have soured your wine education, LaRaia’s sweet and energetic personality make the process more

More information

Anita LaRaia’s Wine School established Feb. 1978

• WineGroceries.com

• @WineGroceries on YouTube

• “Pick a Perfect Wine in No Time” on Amazon

palatable.

The daughter of Italian immigrants to New York City after World War I, LaRaia’s story is an inspiration.

After earning the valedictorian title at her high school, LaRaia received two degrees from Cornell University before heading to London for her wine education.

If the American Dream is a myth, try telling LaRaia.

She still carries the first payment her father received in the United States, a 1908 Golden Eagle coin.

“My Osage friend from Oklahoma worked on the necklace for a year,” LaRaia said. “I wear it sometimes with that gold coin.”

Equality among all Americans is important to LaRaia, and her decision to start her YouTube channel represents that philosophy.

LaRaia’s resume also includes 10 years at the retail, wholesale and importer levels, including as Banfi Vintner’s sales manager in Georgia.

Her deluxe tours have taken her everywhere from the vineyards of Tuscany, Italy and France to Jack Nicklaus Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida.

Despite her luxurious experiences in the wine industry, LaRaia remains down-to-earth.

Her inspiring story as the daughter of American immigrants approaches legendary status as the wine expert now wants to make her lifetime of knowledge available to the public.

If someone picks up a wine bottle in the grocery store and checks out the label, odds are they won’t recognize the region of origin and grape varieties.

One of LaRaia’s goals with her YouTube channel is to give patrons the knowledge to select the cheaper bottle with the same grapes grown in the same region as the bottle worth hundreds of dollars on the top shelf.

“I’m just trying to do right by the customer,” she said. “That’s why I was always successful, not just as a wine educator but successful as a salesperson.”

LaRaia’s next series, shot from the Kroger off Dunwoody Club Drive in Sandy Springs, will be available shortly on the Winegroceries channel.

LaRaia said trips to other local stores, like Costco, may be in the cards for future installments.

NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS

Name of Business: Dunwoody Gallery

Owner(s): Dawn Tresh and Linda Pozzobon

Description: As the inaugural fine art gallery in Dunwoody, we are honored to present a captivating fusion of established and emerging talent, curated with meticulous care and a discerning eye for beauty. Join us on a journey of exploration

and inspiration as we celebrate the boundless possibilities of fine art.

Opened: April 2024

Address: 5496 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338

Website: dunwoodygallery.com

FYZICAL

Name: FYZICAL Therapy and Balance Centers of Alpharetta

Owner(s): Irfan Mandani and Vikash Sharma

Description: FYZICAL Alpharetta is unlike any physical therapy clinic you've been to before. Our highly skilled, compassionate team of physical therapists, who work one-on-one with you, are 100% focused on achieving optimal health and wellness for you so you can get back to living the life you love!

Opened: December 2023

Phone: 770-881-8100

Address: 3400-C, Suite 390, Old Milton Parkway, Alpharetta GA 30005

Website: fyzical.com/alpharetta-ga

Just opened?

Appen Media publishes New Business Spotlights to highlight local businesses as they get started. Submit yours for free at appenmedia. com/newbusiness.

Forecasting experts evaluate prospects for housing market

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — More than 1,200 professionals from the housing industry tuned into a two-hour zoom call June 13 from John Hunt, chief analyst, principal and cofounder of MarketNsights.

Hunt’s presentation, “Higher for Longer May Be Here to Stay,” covered markets from Dallas to Richmond, and he spoke from a vantage point of someone with more than 30 years of experience and a track record of accurate modeling to the discussion.

In 2006, Hunt was on the team that first predicted the Great Recession.

Hunt briefly mentioned the U.S. is still recovering from the “irrational exuberance” in the housing market.

Quoting former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s famed comment about market bubbles, he traces the current housing availability crisis back to December 2007.

Hunt said housing starts had reflected increases in population before the crash, but they have not recovered since.

During a discussion with the North Fulton Improvement Network in February, Hunt said housing attainability or affordability is the defining issue of our time.

Hunt reaffirmed the significance of housing June 13. He said the barriers to

“missing middle housing” stem from the emergence of zoning regulations 100 years ago from politicians during Jim Crow.

“Their goal for doing zoning was to circumvent Civil Rights laws and to keep neighborhoods White,” Hunt said. “Don’t trust me, look it up and read the book, ‘The Color of Law.’”

Georgia State University economist Rajeev Dhawan also spoke in the June 13 presentation.

Georgians can expect “practical” cuts from the Federal Reserve totaling 175 basis points by the end of 2025, he said.

Dhawan is the holder of the Zwerner Chair of Economic Forecasting and director at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at GSU.

The questions are whether interest rate cuts will help bring down mortgage rates, and whether homebuyers should wait on the cuts, Dhawan said.

For the week of June 9-15, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. is 7.33 percent.

The Federal Reserve voted to hold rates steady at the end of its two-day meeting June 12, pushing back the start of rate cuts and relief from high borrowing costs.

Dhawan’s prediction came during an explanation for what spurred the growth of the national economy in the second half of last year.

Dhawan pointed to pent up travel demand, changes with consumer spending, a government hiring spree and a superb stock market rally.

Another factor stimulating the economy is the lack of mortgage rate shocks, as seen in other countries like the United Kingdom and Canada.

“Fed rate cuts are going to happen, the speed is different and it’s going to come in,” Dhawan said. “The issue is what is going to happen after that.”

Hunt said the shortage of affordable homes in the region is here to stay, keeping many younger buyers from owning while pushing others farther from downtown Atlanta.

Dhawan and Hunt were clear about the role homeownership plays in building wealth for Americans.

Hunt is skeptical about the effect of decreasing mortgage rates on housing attainability, but he also doesn’t think it should dissuade new buyers.

Pointing to data from the second half of the 20th century, Hunt showed waiting for rates may hurt prospective buyers.

One of the topics debated between the two forecasters is whether mortgage rates will fall when the Fed cuts rates on a ratio of 1-to-1.

Dhawan said increasingly restrictive trade policies, which take dollars chasing

Treasury bonds out of the market, prevents rates from dropping together.

MarketNsights also brought along some of its clients and sponsors to discuss how they view the housing industry.

Lori Lane, director of Berkshire Hathaway’s New Homes Division, discussed the new regulations surrounding real estate commissions and their effect on sellers, buyers and agents. The rules take effect in July.

The changes remove the assumption that sellers will pay the buyer’s agent and require buyers’ agents to secure written agreements with clients. Up till now, the average real estate commission in the United States is around 5.5 percent, divided between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. The new law eliminates that arrangement.

Representatives from Jackson EMC and BankSouth Mortgage discussed the mortgage industry, affordability and their companies’ initiatives.

Mac Kregger, senior vice president at BankSouth, promoted the Georgia Dream Homeownership program, which provides affordable financing options, down payment assistance and education to first-time and low-income buyers.

More information is available on the Georgia Community Affairs Department’s website, dca.ga.gov.

Roswell Cultural Arts Center opens summer puppet series

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Kids, their teachers, and families gathered at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center June 11 for All Hands Productions’ performance of “Three Billy Goats Gruff and Other Stuff,” the first show in this year’s Summer Puppet Series.

“It's such an infusion of energy when kids come for the first puppet show of the summer,” Cultural Arts Manager David Crowe said. “The building responds to that excitement, and it ushers in a sunny warm pleasant feeling for the rest of summer.”

“Three Billy Goats Gruff and Other Stuff” included five performances running through June 15. The show retells the story of several traditional fairytales interpreted through the lens of puppeteer David Stephens.

“There are five different stories in this show,” Stephens said. “I tell the story of ‘Little Red Riding Hood,’ a version of ‘Three Little Pigs,’ ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff,’ and a takeoff on ‘Stone Soup,’ which is about a couple of farmers in my show. There's also a bit with a couple of chickens.”

The stories contain slight deviations from the original fairytales, like Little Red

Riding Hood’s real name being Julie, and the Big Bad Wolf developing a blueberry allergy. These retellings are performed through a colorful variety of puppets that Stephens constructs himself. He also makes brief appearances as a narrator.

“This is the show’s 25th anniversary,” Stephens said. “I created this show after I had been doing tours through summer reading programs at libraries. I had already done a show of Aesop’s fables and I was looking to select a group of classic fairytales I could do in one show.”

As a creator of several shows, Stephens has learned how to craft puppets, characters, storylines and jokes over his decades-long career.

“Shows start out as an outline,” Stephens said. “I begin mapping out characters and figuring out the dynamics between them. There’s an outline of the major plot points, but there’s no set script when I start. It’s dictated by the audience, born out of improv, and after several years the show locks itself in, with subtle changes over time.”

Stephens can’t always see his audience while he’s on stage, so he relies on audible cues, like the sounds of children’s reactions and laughter. Sometimes the show includes calls and responses to

“I was obsessed with ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘The Muppet Show;’ glued to the TV,” Stephens said. “I started to make puppets as a teen, and in college, I was already getting paid to do shows. I’ve been doing this for 25 years, and for about two years I didn’t do any shows because of the pandemic. This is my first year back on my feet again. It’s been a very rewarding experience seeing that the shows still have resonance.”

The Cultural Arts Center features an entire lineup of productions throughout the year, including theater performances, music, dance, puppet shows, pageants, exhibits and special events.

engage young audience members. However, it's not just the children who enjoy themselves at his puppet shows.

“Sometimes the adults bring in something else to do, like a book to read,” Stephens said. “Teachers might bring papers to grade. By the end of the show, the adults are paying attention like the kids.”

Stephens has been performing at the Cultural Arts Center for more than a decade, but his career has lasted over twice as long, and his passion for puppets stretches back to his youth.

“Immediately the puppet shows were popular,” Cultural Arts Manager Crowe said. “People are looking for a fun experience with the little ones. At these shows, they can spend 45 minutes to an hour laughing in a comfortable environment.”

The next installment in the puppet series will be the Tanglewood Marionettes’ performance of “Sleeping Beauty” from June 18-22.

For more information about the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, its schedule of performances and ticket packages, visit roswellcac.showare.com/.

LUKE GARDNER/APPEN MEDIA Puppeteer David Stephens interacts on stage with Julie, the “Little Red Riding Hood” puppet.

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Continued from Page 4

aside for a new athletic complex, councilmembers grappled with how to direct remaining dollars to other priorities.

Eli McConnel, former brigadier general and state senator, played a role in the creation of the former Milton County. Four residents, including former City Councilman Bill Lusk and Milton Historical Society President Jeff Dufresne, advocated going beyond accepting the donation of the late 1830s homestead with Greek Revival architecture.

Councilmembers supported funding to save the historical asset but held off on committing funds for its restoration. Funding for repairs on visible signs of deterioration and structural issues is pending an assessment now underway, staff said.

Possible grant funding and collaboration with the Milton Historical Society remain on the table.

The structures on the 12-acre Mayfield Farm, acquired in 2017 through a cost-sharing agreement with Alpharetta, have become dilapidated and attracted vagrants, staff said.

Mayor Peyton Jamison said he would like to hold off on a demolition

at Milton and Alpharetta’s shared property until a master plan is on the table.

Last year, the cities discussed modeling the shared park after the

“Grow-A-Row” program at Alpharetta’s Old Rucker Farm.

Councilmembers and staff also briefly discussed collaboration with Forsyth County on the Ga. 9 corridor.

The Ga. 9 widening project, halted for now in Milton due to fraudulent land rights deals discovered recently, is expected to proceed in Forsyth County.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

Public Works Director Sara Leaders and Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill open discussions on Milton’s 2025 budget at the June 10 work session. Harvill asked councilmembers to begin considering their priorities as the budget process kicks off.

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fraudulent activity surrounding the project around 1 p.m. June 11. It involves a now-former Georgia Department of Transportation official associated to the Ga. 9 widening project.

Milton Communications Director Greg Botelho said the city is still looking for answers.

“We are concerned and disappointed by these reports, as well as the resulting impact on our citizens, business leaders and employees and others who travel on this main Milton thoroughfare,” he said.

Scott Higley, director of strategic communications for GDOT, said the department investigated the actions of a former right-of-way acquisition specialist who was involved in the falsification of internal documents

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the northern area of the property jeopardizes the preferred conceptual sketch, designated as “interparcel connectivity.”

He said he thinks the effects on the layout of the property will be small but not inconsequential.

Councilmembers discussed creative ways to provide parking at the athletic complex, including adjacent commercial sites like the Verizon campus and Ga. 9 shopping center.

The consensus appeared to be that fields will not be sacrificed because of parking or wetlands.

The latest cost estimate from the city puts the price tag on a new athletic complex at $28 million, including planning and design, land acquisition and construction.

Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill said around $18 million in funding for the project is set aside in the 2024 budget.

The other potential pay-as-yougo funding sources come from other Parks and Recreation projects and the potential $4.9 million sale of the Hopewell Road property.

An indoor community center, site improvements to Providence Park and passive facility needs may be put on the back burner.

“Those estimates will be updated as we get that pricing back from the consultants,” she said. “When a concept is approved by council, then we’ll set the official budget.”

Mayor Peyton Jamison said he approved of the funding approach.

Communications Director Greg

which led other officials to believe that right-of-way parcels necessary to advance a total of five infrastructure projects in metro Atlanta had been acquired by GDOT, when in fact they had not.

Higley said GDOT traced the falsified information to a single employee, who was immediately fired after an initial investigation.

“A subsequent and thorough investigation into all projects verified by the employee over the past decade has since been conducted, and an internal audit of processes and procedures is underway,” Higley wrote in an email. “At this time, it has been confirmed that the extent of fraudulent information traced to the employee is limited to just five projects.”

He said the other four projects are not associated with the Ga. 9 widening and that they are less extensive in their impact.

According to GDOT, there are 139 parcels necessary to advance an active project to widen Ga. 9 in the city of Milton from Windward Parkway in Alpharetta north to the Forsyth County line.

Higley said work had begun on 33 parcels GDOT believed had been acquired for the project.

The Office of the Inspector General and other state officials are conducting further review of the matter.

“The Georgia Department of Transportation will notify any property owner impacted by activity on their property that GDOT will work to properly acquire the necessary rights and easements for the project,” Higley said. “GDOT is also making immediate changes to certain internal processes and procedures to help ensure that the state is protected against any such fraudulent activity in the future.”

Ike Yancy, leader of Milton’s

Coalition Against GDOT Havoc, said he and surrounding neighbors are grateful to the city for casting light on this apparent total mismanagement of the widening of Ga. 9.

“This development is extremely disturbing, especially in the light of the cavalier attitude by GDOT towards the wanton destruction of our landscaping and mature trees,” Yancy said. “If I read this correctly, it appears that trees, landscaping and areas along Ga. 9 in Milton that were not legally owned by GDOT were destroyed.”

As for what comes next, Yancy said the news gives a reason for GDOT officials to listen to residents along the corridor.

“All of this casts serious doubt on the management and control of the Ga. 9 widening,” Yancy said. “Now that the widening has been shut down, the whole approach needs to be given a thorough and complete review.”

A conceptual design of the proposed athletic complex at 300 Deerfield Parkway shows plans for four baseball diamonds and two rectangular fields, with a cut through to a Ga. 9 shopping center. Revised sketches will be presented at the June 24 Parks and Recreation Advisory Board meeting.

Botelho said the city is waiting for revised sketches from Woodstockbased CPL Architects and Engineers. He said the initial sketches arrived the evening before the May 16 meeting.

The city paid the design firm $4,150 for two rounds of site illustrations and presentations, as well as a cost estimate for the final sketch.

City staff said if the property is deemed a good location for an active park, there will be a separate and more comprehensive design process that outlines what is built on the property and exactly where it will go.

The due-diligence period runs to July 21, which gives staff and consultants time to review options for the property.

Findings from the feasibility study and site analysis, including construction estimates, will be presented to the City Council sometime in July.

CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA Parks and Recreation Director Tom McKlveen gives councilmembers the latest details June 10 on the proposed athletic complex on Deerfield Parkway. McKlveen said the sketches are not official plans.

Sponsored Section June 20, 2024 | Milton Herald | 14

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OPINION

So many hills, so many views to block

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

I drive this stretch of road every day, usually multiple times a day. It is the road I take leaving or heading to my home in Crabapple just inside the Alpharetta city limits. Every day when I travel this road, it is the same. I pass the same buildings, the same school, the same lawns and trees; it rarely changes. I know, because I look; I am always looking.

This past week when I was driving the road, Milton Avenue, however, I noticed something I have never seen before. This happens to me when I reread a book; I notice things I missed the first time through – details, names, plot twists, descriptions. My rereads of

any of JD Salinger’s books are notorious for this. Those I have reread at least a half dozen times each, and still, I spot things I missed the previous five times.

So, I spotted a sign on Milton Avenue that I had never noticed. Part of me wants to believe it is a new sign, but another part of me suspects it has been there all along, and I just wasn’t watching close enough to see it. When you are traveling east on Milton Avenue almost in front of the old Milton High School – now called Innovation Academy – you go up a hill. Just before the crest of the hill, on the right, is that yellow regulatory sign I just noticed. The sign says, “Hill blocks view.”

And it does – somewhat.

I am sure I have never seen quite that specific message on a street sign before. It struck me as odd. On one hand, the hill really doesn’t obstruct your vision, not really. On the other hand, a “view” as I think of “views” does not really exist

there; it is just a street a couple blocks from downtown Alpharetta that runs past a cemetery and a school at the top of a very slight grade, barely what one might call a “hill.” It certainly wasn’t as linear a message, such as “blind curve use caution” that immediately precedes a dangerous curve on the side of a mountain or something. That is, the sign just didn’t seem very necessary to me or have that much utility. But, I have a hunch as to why it is really there.

Anyway, the sign struck some kind of nerve in me. I have stewed about it –a lot. Yea, I know that sounds weird, a little bit off. I just started thinking about the idea, about things blocking views. Lots of things block our views these days besides hills. And there are lots of “views” that really aren’t “views.”

Right now, the most obvious “hill” that is “obstructing” many “views” is that trial we have all just watched for the past month or so – the so-called

“hush-money” trial. The “hill” is one’s belief about what that was all about. The “view” is how our beliefs determine what we think we just witnessed – our interpretation. The “street” is both the trial itself and the sum total of all our past experiences, values and beliefs.

While there is great divergence among us in our views, the one aspect that we all hold in common is how our bias determines what we think – or say – we witnessed. This is in spite of the fact that there is an actual objective, straightforward reality here, a paved asphalt street that slopes upward perhaps 5 degrees – enough to partially obstruct a driver’s vision of the street ahead – an objective reality not subject to opinion, no matter how much one desires to see something different.

And the reason for that sign? I think it might have something to do with law enforcement, radar guns, and tickets for speeding. But what do I know?

When Shallowford District was up for grabs by two counties

In December of 1927, the DeKalb County Grand Jury weighed the question of whether the Shallowford District, also known as Dunwoody, should remain in DeKalb County or become part of Fulton County. Residents of the Shallowford District argued that the 5,500 acres in question were surrounded by Fulton County on three sides. In the previous year, Grogan’s District of Milton County, between DeKalb and the Chattahoochee River became part of Fulton County.

R.C. Head of the Shallowford District prepared the petition, arguing that the district did not pay enough taxes to DeKalb County “to meet the necessary expenditures from the county treasury. The opinion of the DeKalb County commissioners is that the expense of keeping up roads in the Shallowford District is a losing proposition.”

Dunwoody in 1927 consisted of a small business area that developed around the depot of the Roswell Railroad. The rest of the community consisted of small farms, and the railroad went under in 1921. The petition to become part of Fulton County would first go before

FROM THE COLLECTION OF JIM PERKINS

This map illustrating the Fulton-DeKalb disputed county line was prepared by engineer and surveyor of Rabun County, J. A. Reynolds.

the DeKalb Grand Jury. If DeKalb approved, the matter would go before the Fulton County Grand Jury. Then Dunwoody could have become part of Fulton County. (Atlanta Constitution, Dec.3,1927, “Shallowford citizens seek entry into Fulton County”)

Just four days later, the Atlanta Constitution announced, “Shallowford’s plea for annexation to

Fulton disapproved.” The petition was presented to Judge John B. Hutcheson in DeKalb County Superior Court. A few years later, the boundary between DeKalb and Fulton counties along the northern edge of the Shallowford District was under dispute. DeKalb County claimed several hundred acres of land that Fulton County also claimed. (Atlanta

Journal, Nov. 13, 1934, “Acreage is given to DeKalb County under 1859 law”)

Secretary of State John B. Wilson declared the Old Martin’s Ferry or Lawrenceville Road as the northern boundary of DeKalb County. Fulton County claimed the Hightower Trail should be the boundary. The Hightower Trail was used by the Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee people who had lived on and traveled this land.

Residents were not all in agreement of whether they wanted to be in Fulton or DeKalb County. Georgia Gov. Eugene Talmadge selected an impartial arbitrator to decide. That person was J.A. Reynolds, a civil engineer from Rabun County.

Secretary Wilson held hearings with arguments presented from both sides. Julius McCurdy represented DeKalb County and Ralph Pharr represented Fulton County at the hearings. The decision was in favor of DeKalb County, and from that point, the Old Martin’s Ferry Road or Lawrenceville Road was the boundary between the two counties. That road later became known as Dunwoody Club Drive.

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.

RAY APPEN

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist PAST TENSE

OPINION

Women took up baseball well before World War II

In the 1992 blockbuster film “A League of Their Own,” the top grossing baseball movie ever made, an exasperated team manager played by Tom Hanks says to his Rockford Peaches all-women team

“there’s no crying in baseball.” Loosely based on a true story, the film takes place during WWII when many professional male players went off to war, and an all-female baseball league was established in the Midwest.

The film shows just how skilled female players are and how they can draw large crowds to games. Sixty-five original members of the league played various parts in the movie.

Attendance peaked at more than 900,000 spectators in 1948. The league closed in 1954.

The inspiration for this column comes from Sheila Rucker Pennebaker who shared with me a treasured photo of The Crabapple Women’s Baseball Team taken in 1934. Baseball has always been important in Crabapple, home of the immortal Nap Rucker who pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers in the early 1900s. According to Sheila, the Crabapple team played on Sunday afternoons.

In the photo, one girl is wearing high heels since she came directly from church. Sheila says, “Most players used their sons’ or husbands’ equipment, and most were related to each other. They played against other local women’s teams.”

In this era when female college basketball tournament finals can attract audiences as large as the men’s can, and when female tennis stars are household names, it is curious that comparatively few women play baseball professionally or at the high school or college level.

Efforts are being made in many places to provide opportunities for more girls to play baseball. One example is the Georgia Peaches girls baseball program which offer some 60 girls the opportunity to learn and play baseball. Established in 2021, the organization consists of five teams organized by age from 7 to 14 who play competitively from September to July.

According to head coach J.P. Borod, players represent all areas of Georgia with a concentration in North Georgia and Atlanta. A few players come from neighboring states.

“Since they are the only all-girls teams in Georgia, during the school year they play mainly against all-boys teams and they do very well,” says J.P. “Unfortunately, opportunities for girls are

THE MCLOUGHLIN FAMILY/PROVIDED Ellie Grace McLoughlin, age 12, plays first base and pitches for the all-girls Georgia Peaches baseball program which gives girls ages 7 to 14 an opportunity to learn and play baseball. The organization consists of five teams based on age. Some of the girls also play with all boys teams to increase the time devoted to the sport.

few at the high school and college levels, and many switch to softball so they can play regularly.”

Mike and Livy McLoughlin of Alpharetta are proud of their 12-year-old daughter Ellie Grace who plays first base and pitches for the Georgia Peaches. In order to play as much as possible, Ellie Grace also plays with the Georgia Jackets Gold 12U (12 and under), an all-male team that trains at the Auterson Baseball Instruction Facility in Milton. Georgia Peaches is not a recreation baseball team. It is a travel team which competes at a more advanced level. Jeff Auterson, founder of Auterson Baseball, says “we have 375 boys and one outstanding girl playing and improving their skills at our facility.”

Like Ellie Grace, J.P.’s daughter Riley also plays with an all-male team, the TG Diamonbacks that play in Ocee Park in Johns Creek. Riley plays pitcher and catcher on the 12 and under (12U) Georgia Peaches team.

“When the girls get together to play or socialize, something electric happens because they have found members of their own tribe,” J.P. says. “They only play other

all girls teams at the national level.”

If anyone knows a girl interested in playing with the Georgia Peaches, visit: georgiapeachesbaseball@gmail.com. The organization wants to grow their program.

Communities are also in the baseball business through their parks departments.

Alpharetta, for example, provides baseball opportunities in Wills Park and Web Bridge Park for some 750 players through their 57 recreation teams from 4–19 years of age. They also have 13 higher level travel teams. The youngest play T-ball where they get used to handling balls and bats with no scoring. The city advertises its programs as co-ed, and some 25 girls play in the busy spring season throughout all recreation age divisions. The Alpharetta program is operated by the volunteer driven group Alpharetta Youth Baseball Association. Its “Young players develop a love of baseball, and as they get older they can move to more intensive traveling clubs,” President/Commissioner Daniel Burkett says.

One organization that is working to increase opportunities for girls to play baseball is Baseball for all (BFA} which

seeks to “crack the grass ceiling” because “creating opportunities for girls and women to play baseball is a social justice issue.”

An annual Baseball for All (BFA) National Tournament in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in July draws 500 to 600 girls from all over the U.S. and Canada. Last year, four Georgia Peaches teams went to the national tournaments, 9U, 10U, 12U and 14U. The 10U team won the national tournament, amassing 85 runs, 53 hits and 56 strikeouts while allowing opponents only 9 runs and 9 hits. The 9th annual tournament will take place July 7-11th, 2024, at the beautiful Ripken Experience in Elizabethtown which features 12 diamonds and stadium seating.

Progress for girls in baseball is slow but steady, and many girls do have the drive and skills to excel at the sport.

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

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

SHEILA RUCKER PENNEBAKER/PROVIDED

The Crabapple Girls Baseball Team in 1934. Baseball has always been very important in Crabapple. From left to right back row: Mossy Hughes, Louise Lacky, Helen Rucker, Nancy Rucker, Velma B. Alberson, Montez Chester, Nona Broadwell Coleman. Front Row: Byrd Broadwell Rucker, Ruth Murdock, Delsie Dorris, Fuzzie Maria Westbrook, Faron Holcombe.

J.P. BOROD/PROVIDED

Group photo of the four Georgia Peaches baseball teams at the 2023 Baseball for All (BFA) National Tournament in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Ages of the players range from 7 to 14. The 10 and under team won the national tournament. This year Georgia Peaches has five teams.

OPINION

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

Stone circles, wool socks and fish stew

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

If there’s one thing that’s true about exploring the great out-of-doors, it’s the fact that it’ll make you hungry. It’s hard work climbing mountains and fording creeks, even low ones and narrow ones, and one must have sustenance if one is to reach the summit or come out of the water safely on the other side.

I have learned that that’s just as true in Ireland as it is anywhere else.

One Tuesday, for instance, we get an early start with the idea of driving to the town of Kenmare to see the stone circle which sat just outside of town. It’s a well-known early Bronze-Age site within walking distance of the little town.

We know we have to see it (after first doing a little shopping for wool socks). And then we will continue the day with what had turned into a genuine quest –specifically, to find the very best fish stew in the land.

To understand the importance of this quest, you must first know that I absolutely love any kind of seafood-based soup. I make a mean crab and clam bisque, and she makes a shrimp and corn chowder that’s even better.

In Ireland, we discovered right away, they make what they all call fish stew. Rich, thick, warm, flavorful – the adjectives could go on and on, but none adequately describe it. I’d fallen into the pleasant habit of ordering fish stew everywhere we went, and I was beginning to learn to differentiate the various recipes. All were good. Which was best? Maybe the next one…and today the next one would most likely come from a pub somewhere in Kenmare.

It’s all in the name of research, and I do it all for you.

The drive over from our cottage is a little less harrowing than before (maybe we are getting the hang of it?), and we arrive with plenty of time for socks shopping. She purchased a pair a few days before and immediately pronounced them one of the crowning achievements of humankind. We need more, she says, and Kenmare seems as good a place as any to fine ‘em.

So sock shopping we go. We find some for us and for family back home too. The day is off to a grand start!

And then, socks secured, we walk up a small street and follow a sign pointing down a little lane. “Kenmare Stone Circle,” it says. We are almost there.

“Two of ye?” asks the gatekeeper. I pay the small admission and turn to follow the path to the stones. But he stops me and hands me two small pieces of

paper, each with a string attached – one for me and one for her.

I look at them, puzzled.

“For the tree,” the gatekeeper says. “For the hawthorn tree.”

Taking hers, she walks on ahead of me toward the ancient stones. But I linger for a moment. I want to know more about the hawthorn trees.

Hawthorns, I learn, are considered magical and sacred, symbolizing love and protection. They’re said to bring blessings and good luck, and so for ages they have been revered and treated with great respect by one and all. In fact, roads in Ireland have been rerouted to avoid having to take one down.

Usually, it seems, that common knowledge is enough to keep the trees safe. But to deal with the occasional chainsaw-wielding ne’er-do-well who hasn’t gotten the word, further protection for hawthorn trees is said to come from the fairies who live under them. The fairies’ job is to protect the trees from harm, a task which they apparently embrace with gusto. The fairies don’t seem to mind if you respectfully collect hawthorn twigs and flowers, especially for a bride who might wear the blossoms in her hair or carry them in her bouquet as a symbol of love. But if your motives are not so good as that, be forewarned!

As it turns out, hawthorn trees are commonly found at ancient sites like this one.

“There are several hawthorn trees near

the stones, and visitors often leave notes with handwritten wishes attached to the trees’ branches,” our host tells me. “Maybe you’ll want to do that too.”

We chat a minute more, and then I start down the short path to the stones. She is already ahead of me, and as I round a bend in the path I see her standing by one of the hawthorns and affixing something to one of its branches.

I stroll toward her, suddenly aware of the notecard I hold in my hand. I need to leave a note too, a decide, a word or a wish or something too.

But what?

That one’s easy.

We writer types usually carry a pen in case we ever need to write something down. So, I retrieve my pen and stop mid-path and write some words on the card. Then I walk up to the biggest of the hawthorns (which is already decorated with dozens and dozens of words and wishes from others before me) and begin to look for just the right branch. Which one…that one? Yes! Then, carefully, I tie my note to the tree. By this time, she has moved from the trees to the stones themselves. Ancient and weathered but strong and enduring, they have been there for perhaps 3,000 years, silent and solid as the earth itself. There are 15 stones arranged in a circle about 17 meters (roughly 55 feet) in diameter, plus a center stoner. The rock used to make them came from a site several miles away. Only

someone who really wanted to build this would go to the trouble of moving those stones so far.

Why are they there? No one is completely sure. Some say it was a ritual site used by Druids. Others believe it is some sort of calendar or perhaps a memorial site. The fact is that no one knows for sure.

But whatever its purpose, the stone circle is captivating. We wander there for a while, walking among the stones, touching them, wondering…

After a while, I realize, I am getting hungry.

“Fish chowder time?” I ask her, and we turn back to the path to walk back into Kenmare.

We do find a pub with fish stew, and it is good.

“Is that the best one?” she asks.

“I’m still not sure,” I answer. “Further research is in order, I think.”

She smiles at me and squeezes my hand across the table. A moment passes.

“That was a neat place,” she says at last. “The stones. And the hawthorn trees. Did you leave a note?”

“I did,” I say, and I feel the beginnings of a smile.

What did I wish for in my note on the hawthorn tree?

Did I wish for the perfect bowl of fish stew? Did I offer a word of thanks that I had already found it?

Maybe.

But maybe not.

STEVE HUDSON/APPEN MEDIA

The stone circle in Kenmare, Ireland, dates back some 3,000 years and includes a center stone surrounded by 15 others. The purpose for the arrangement remains a mystery.

Branching out beyond mystery books

My TBR list is filled with mystery titles as is my Kindle. If you were to glance at my hold list or the books that fill my “For Later” shelf at the East Roswell Library, that’s pretty much all you would see. Still, from time to time, I branch out. I see a novel described in the paper or online and think, “that’s one I need to read.” The selections for this week are two that I stumbled across. Both were absorbing reads.

“The Soulmate” by Sally Hepworth

After reading this book, I understand why its reviews label it so many different things. Is it a crime novel, a thriller, a novel of domestic suspense, or a psychological study? Whatever it is, it packs a punch.

Each time I thought I had it figured out, the author threw a new twist my way. The story is

told in first person by two women in alternating chapters and in alternating time frames. The time frames are now, before, after, and then. Chapter one is Pippa (now) and we meet the other woman in chapter 4, Amanda (after).

It opens in a seaside town in Australia in a cottage on a cliff. What’s special about this cliff is that it is a popular spot for people to end their lives. Since the current family has lived there, Gabe, the husband, has successfully talked every despondent soul out of jumping off the cliff. “Until one day he doesn’t.” Therein lies the story. Why was he unsuccessful? Was it inevitable there would be a first time?

Unputdownable is a common descriptor for books these days. Add page-turner, and you’ve described “The Soulmate,” a book I highly recommend.

“The Seven Year Slip” by Ashley Poston

This book was not only named a New York Public Library Best Book of 2023, but also a most anticipated

book by “Entertainment Weekly,” “Harper’s Bazaar,” and “Real Simple” magazines. Could it possibly be that good? Trust me. It is.

It’s a story of grief, of love, of loss, and friendship. Clementine is dealing with the death of her beloved aunt, the charming adventurer who took her on trips to faraway lands and enriched her life in so many ways.

Bit by bit, we learn about Clementine’s relationship with her aunt, who lived every moment to its fullest. When she died suddenly, a devastated Clementine inherited her NYC apartment and attempted to pack away her grief along with her aunt’s belongings.

Despite the changes, she pictures her every time she walks in the door after a long day at her publishing job. An overachieving career woman, she has long-time friends, but no romantic partner. Those come and go.

Until, one day, she “finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies.”

The problem is that he exists seven years in the past in an apartment filled with her aunt’s belongings, as though she never left.

Yes, this book is a romance with a bit of fantasy thrown in. It’s whimsical yet serious and portrays Clementine’s grief in a way that makes you feel it. Dealing with romance and grief makes her reflect on her life and question what she wants from it.

What she learns about herself and the decisions she makes are at the heart of this book. Pick it up. I predict you won’t be able to put it down.

Happy reading.

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/.

Recalling another memory from time spent in Georgia

A few weeks back, I wrote about some thoughts reflecting on these 33 years of living in Georgia. There were emails, texts and Facebook posts that served the purpose of jogging my memory.

Inevitably, they started with “remember the time, we…” or “you should have written about…”

Okay. Message received. I’ll throw a few more at you that warm my heart and make me grateful for being here.

In October 1995, the Braves were playing the Cleveland Indians in the World Series. Looking back, the fact that it will likely be the last “Native American mascot” Fall Classic. The sixth game was to be played on a Saturday, and I desperately wanted to go. The Atlanta paper was filled with ads from folks selling tickets, and I called several inquiring how much it was going to cost me to see history.

There were some outrageous prices, but I bartered two tickets on

Delta and a week at a Marriott as bait to entice a visionary soul to allow me to play Monty Hall and play “Let’s Make a Deal.”

Jan Spector was one of the guys who wasn’t interested in what I was offering.

And then he called back. He took my deal. Vicki and I watched Tom Glavine pitch a beauty, David Justice hit a home run and the city went bonkers. Couldn’t have had better seats. First row, right behind home plate. I could have called balls and strikes.

Wait. It gets better.

When I drove to Atlanta to pick up the tickets, I was under a time crunch. Jan, who is Jewish, would do no business on the Sabbath. I packed Rosie, our Old English Sheepdog, in the car and we met Jan at his house. No money changed hands and our now 30-year bond was formed on trust. As I was ready to leave, I noticed two extra tickets on a table.

“You want those?” Jan asked. “See if you can sell them”

I did sell them to neighbor Tom Pollock, who at first, balked at going to the game because he had tickets to

the Atlanta Knights hockey game. Tom came to his senses, bought the tickets, which had him sit on the top row of right field in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. He and his wife Lucine, both now deceased, had a rollicking time, blowing cigarette smoke into the Atlanta night with Tom making sure those around him knew his friend was sitting in prime seats while he was in the nosebleed section.

I also was in Minnesota when Morten Andersen kicked a field goal to send the Falcons to the Super Bowl. Tom was with me on that trip. We had tickets on the 50-yard-line, and we hugged each other like a couple of buffoons. The people in Minnesota couldn’t have been nicer. Except for the priest at St. Olaf’s who didn’t appreciate us attending Sunday Mass in Falcons gear.

I had the privilege of playing golf every week with Shaun Callahan and his sons, Michael and Bobby, at the since-demolished Lanier Golf Club. The boys would smack drivers toward houses that bordered the driving range, and it was an added bonus when a shot would rattle around on

the deck, bringing the owner outside while still in his PJs.

We all got a laugh when we ordered a “Mike Tasos sandwich” at the turn. It was a fried egg, bacon and cheese on rye and both Callahan boys still long for one.

I was fortunate to coach my son Greg in baseball. In a most unlikely turn of events, our Central Park team, which lost more 10-year-old all-star tournament games than it won, went to Tyrone, Georgia, and won the state championship in 2009. I still have the plaque in my office.

After a ton of extensive travel, it was always heartwarming to get back to north Georgia. Like many others are doing now, I am glad to have forsaken my California roots for my home here.

Anyone asks me where you from, “Georgia” is my answer. It’s home.

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.

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

MIKE TASOS Columnist

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

HVAC Maintenance and On-Call Services

RFP NUMBER 24-PW06

Proposal Due Date: July 9, 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 regularly scheduled preventative maintenance and emergency on-call services on all HVAC equipment for its city-owned facilities. 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-PW06, HVAC Maintenance and On-Call Services will be posted on the following websites the week of June 13, 2024: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl. doas.state.ga.us/gpr/

DEATH NOTICES

Bradley

Wesley Goswick, 60, of Alpharetta, passed away on June 8, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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.

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

Angela Pruett, 96, of Roswell, passed away on June 3, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Bromelow, 54, of Alpharetta, passed away on June 9, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

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Autos Wanted

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

VISUAL DESIGNER: E & E Co., Ltd. dba JLA Home. Headquarters in Fremont, CA. Jobsite in Roswell, GA. Create 3D product model/package rendering. Master degree req’d. Salary: $67,267/year. Fax resume to 510-490-2882 or e-mail: hrdept@jlahome.com

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