MILTON, Ga. — Milton drivers will see reduced speed limits along four major city roads.
At its July 10 meeting, the Milton City Council unanimously voted to lower speed limits by 5 mph on Bethany Way, from 45 mph to 40 mph. Speeds were also lowered on segments of Freemanville, Providence and Mayfield roads.
MILTON, Ga. — After more than a year’s discussion about Milton’s 2023 municipal election, which will be run locally for the first time, residents still have questions about how it will work.
To help bring residents up to speed and hone-in on potential poll workers, city officials hosted an election information session at City Hall July 13. About 30 residents swung by.
The Milton City Council voted in December that the city would run its own 2023 municipal elections for the council’s three Post 2 positions up for grabs. The action followed a recommendation from the Milton Municipal Election Feasibility Committee report suggesting the city could save money by taking the election reins from Fulton County.
City Elections Superintendent and City Manager Steve Krokoff said when the county changed it’s rules in 2021 the price it charged municipalities went up, causing Milton taxpayers
to shell out more than $155,000 per election cycle.
Members of the city’s Municipal Election Feasibility Committee previously predicted cost savings of 50 percent or more during future election cycles by making the switch to local control.
At last week’s information session, Krokoff said city staff aren’t exactly sure what to expect because they have virtually no experience in election administration. But, he
The speed limit on Freemanville Road, between the southern city limits and Providence Road, will be reduced from 40 to 35 mph. The speed limit on Providence Road, between Freemanville Road and the southern city limits, will be reduced from 45 mph to 40 mph.
The City Council also approved a speed zone on Mayfield Road, from Birmingham Highway to the roundabout at Charlotte Drive and Heritage Walk, which will see a 10mph speed reduction to 25 mph.
The city’s Local Road Safety Plan, adopted in August 2022, initiated speed studies city-wide. Examining daily volume, average speed and bicycle usage, roads warranting speed adjustments were selected and submitted to the Georgia Department of Transportation for review and recommendation.
Milton City Councilman Paul Page 6
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MILTON, Ga. — An Atlanta woman, with a warrant out of the Douglasville Police Department, was denied entry to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta based on undisclosed medical reasons July 4.
Milton Police pulled the woman over for speeding on Deerfield Parkway, driving 52 mph in a 35-mph posted speed limit zone. While the woman had valid registration and insurance, police found she had a warrant out of Douglasville for failure to appear.
The woman was placed under arrest and transported to the North Fulton County Jail in Alpharetta, but she was denied entry by the jail’s medical staff.
Officers were advised that they would not transport the woman to the hospital and sit with her as she was medically evaluated. According to the police report, the woman also said she did not want to be dropped off at the hospital.
Police transported the woman back to her vehicle and released her from custody.
MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man reported to police July 6 that someone had fraudulently opened an account with Verizon and ran up a $4,337 balance, negatively affecting his credit score.
In late May, the victim said he was notified by Experian of a drop in his credit score due to the outstanding balance in collections from Verizon.
The victim said his credit score dropped 150 points, and he was told by
Verizon he needed a police report for them to investigate the charge and remove it.
Verizon said the address the suspect gave was in Perry, Georgia.
According to the police report, the person used the victim’s Social Security number to create the account. The victim said he didn’t know how the person would have obtained his information and that the suspect used a fake email.
MILTON, Ga. — A Milton man reported to police July 7 that he believed he was being scammed by the Sandy Springs Police Department.
The victim was allegedly informed by a Sandy Springs officer that he had two warrants for his arrest, one for a failure to appear in a major case and another for contempt of court.
The victim spoke to a Sandy Springs police sergeant, supposedly over the civil litigation for the city, who advised him of a location where he should review citations with the victim’s signatures.
Because the victim was out of town, the sergeant said the victim could pay through PayPal to resolve the citations.
The victim was scammed out of $7,612, paid to different individuals.
Police advised the victim to cancel the pending transactions. Police listed Impersonating a Police Officer as an offense in the incident.
MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman reported to police July 10 that someone had burglarized her home on Thompson Road while she was on vacation.
When her family returned, the victim found her entire house ransacked with several pieces of jewelry missing. The victim listed $114,220 in stolen items.
Before leaving for vacation, the victim said she secured all the doors and windows, except for the front door, left
unlocked for the cleaning lady. But she noticed her basement window had a damaged screen, which police noted as a possible point of entry.
There was no surveillance footage collected. But police found a black glove in the front yard of the residence and turned it over to detectives as evidence.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police incident reports said the Copacabana Brazilian Bakery on Old Milton Parkway was burglarized sometime overnight June 29.
Owners reported they arrived at the store at about 6:40 a.m. and discovered the front glass door of the business had been shattered by a large rock.
Security camera footage showed the business had been entered by an unidentified man sometime during the night. The suspect stole the business’s cash drawer, which contained less than $200 in cash and immediately fled the scene.
Police have not identified a suspect in the incident.
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police are investigating a series of vehicle burglaries that occurred in Alpharetta between June 29 and July 2.
Alpharetta police said vehicles were entered at businesses and residential locations on North Point Parkway, Wills Road, Mansell Road and Misty Lane over the four-day spree. Locations targeted included several known burglary hot spots, like the Benihana restaurant on Mansell Road.
Thieves were able to steal electronics, a handgun, wallets, cash, credit cards and other valuables. Police believe thieves attempted to steal one of the vehicles.
Several suspect vehicles were identified through security camera footage, but no suspects have been identified.
crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.
MILTON, Ga. — Milton residents can submit comments on an online portal to evaluate the Milton Police Department on its compliance with Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., or CALEA, standards until Aug. 19.
The purpose of the public portal is to receive comments regarding an agency's compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services and overall candidacy for
accredited status. Comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns.
The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide Milton Police with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence.
The Milton Police Department was accredited by the Commission in 2021 for four years, with the next reaccreditation award due in 2025.
But annual reviews are required every year, where assessors pick a random 25 percent of sampling to ensure the agency is maintaining compliance.
The remote, web-based assessment will take place from Aug. 11 to Aug. 19. Assessors will review the Department’s policies and practices, interviews with individuals and witness evidence of compliance during the review period.
— Amber PerryMILTON, Ga. — Bernadette Harvill has been promoted to Milton’s deputy city manager, a move that reflects her contributions to city government.
Harvill joins Milton’s other deputy city manager, Stacey Inglis, and City Manager Steve Krokoff in overseeing a wide range of responsibilities and making decisions that can positively impact the entire
Continued from Page 1
Moore raised concerns about the decision to reduce speed on only the southern portion of Freemanville Road. Northern Freemanville Road will remain at 45 mph.
“I still think we are woefully short of a couple of super highways that we have … Freemanville happens to be one of those — north of the roundabout where you’re suggesting…,” Moore said. Public Works Director Sara Leaders said other measures will be taken, such as radar signs, repaving and striping, on Freemanville and Hopewell roads. She also said speed reduction on one road section had a higher probability of approval from the Georgia DOT.
“We wanted to see how successful southern Freemanville was with the data and with the presentation to DOT,” Leaders said. “Freemanville and Hopewell are definitely on the radar.”
City staff also proposed performing speed studies on six other streets, including Hickory Flat, Batesville, Hamby, Bethany, Green and southern Cogburn roads, to submit to GDOT this fall.
organization.
Her primary charge includes optimizing internal operations, streamlining operations and implementing innovative solutions.
“Bernadette has been an invaluable member of our team, consistently demonstrating exceptional dedication, skills, and a strong commitment to our organization’s mission,” Krokoff said. “Her promotion to deputy city manager is a testament to her outstanding contributions and her potential for even greater accomplishments in the future.”
In other matters at the council meeting, Bernadette Harvill, who recently accepted her new role as Milton’s second deputy city manager, solicited feedback on the city’s budget, focusing on sustainability projects. This was the sixth presentation in a series on budget preparation, using the city’s Comprehensive and Strategic plans as guides. Previous discussions were on the phasing of major capital projects, like parks, as well as economic development initiatives.
Based on the property valuation digest data provided by Fulton County, Harvill said the city would likely need only one public hearing for the millage rate, rather than the three that are required when an adopted millage rate exceeds the calculated rollback rate. The public hearing and adoption of the millage rate is scheduled for Aug. 14.
The first Fiscal Year 2024 Budget public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 6. The second public hearing as well as budget adoption is scheduled for Sept. 18.
At the council meeting, councilmembers also approved an update to the city’s definition of personal transportation vehicles (PTVs) to include the term “golf carts.” The issue stems from questions over whether the city’s PTV ordinance
As Milton’s former finance director and captain of its budgeting process, Harvill is a familiar face at City Council meetings and city events. Born in New York, she has lived in Georgia most of her life, having earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kennesaw State University.
Harvill spent more than eight years working in the private sector before joining the City of Milton in 2012, starting in its Human Resources Department. She lives in Cherokee County with her husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Nora.
AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Milton Public Works Director Sara Leaders answers for plans to reduce speed limits on four city roads. The Milton City Council voted to approve speed reduction on Bethany Way as well as segments of Freemanville, Providence and Mayfield roads at its July 10 meeting.
affects homeowner association covenants that prohibit golf carts.
While Mayor Peyton Jamison confirmed golf carts would be allowed on city streets, which would include non-gated sections of an HOA-led community, City Attorney Ken Jarrard said it was not the city’s intention to invalidate covenant restrictions.
By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County Schools will move away from adding new school buildings over the next five years as part of a capital plan aimed at “protecting the investment” in its existing 108 education facilities.
In June, the School Board approved a $2.1 billion budget for the 2023-2024 school year, with $612 million targeted for capital projects. Typically, the capital fund goes towards major construction projects — including the cost to build new schools.
In the upcoming year, though, Fulton Schools Chief Operations Officer Noel Maloof said the district is headed away from adding schools due to declining enrollment across the county. Instead, the capital plan focuses on renovations, replacements and “behind-the-scenes” construction.
“Overall, in general the district is shrinking, not at a rapid pace,” Maloof said. “We don’t have the need as we have had the past 20 years to continue building new schools.”
Fulton County Schools enrollment is expected to decline over the next 10 years, despite some pockets where Maloof said enrollment is “exploding.”
Because the district already has 108 schools, Maloof said the county is focused on “protecting the investment” it has in existing buildings.
The capital project construction is largely funded by the Education Special Local Option Sales Tax, which generates over $180 million annually. While the tax has brought in hundreds of millions of dollars, Maloof said it isn’t enough to cover all the school district’s needs.
“Although we do bring a lot in, we have to prioritize,” Maloof said.
Priorities are determined through a facility assessment at every school. It considers age, future plans and the condition of each structure and its “critical systems” like air conditioning and electricity.
The top priorities are then slotted into the five-year capital projects plan, scheduled in steps through 2027. Several North Fulton County schools are
slated for major renovations.
In Alpharetta, Manning Oaks Elementary and Summit Hill Elementary are in the process of major renovations with an expected completion date in 2024.
Johns Creek will also see major renovations through August 2025 at Abbots Hill and Ocee elementary schools.
Other schools in Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek, Alpharetta and Sandy Springs are set for roof replacements and freezer system replacements.
A few schools are set for full replacements and reconfiguration. The county has been exploring reconfiguring Holcomb Bridge Middle School and Haynes Bridge Middle School in Alpharetta into kindergarten through 8th grade schools. The replacement and reconfiguration projects do not have a set date.
In Sandy Springs, the county plans to replace North Springs High School by the end of 2027.
The district will replace 13 turf fields with artificial turf throughout 2024 and 2025.
“This will allow that sort of 24/7 feel, and you don’t have to wait for grass to grow back before you can get back out on the field,” Maloof said.
Alpharetta High School and Milton High School are scheduled to have their fields fully replaced by December 2024.
Cambridge High School in Milton will have its competition and practice fields replaced by March 2025, as well as its track. Roswell’s Centennial High School and Roswell High School will have their practice fields replaced in 2025, as will Johns Creek High School and Chattahoochee High School.
The county is also investing in district-wide improvements to its infrastructure.
“Overall, the infrastructure is focused on better technology,” Maloof said. “The other piece is going to be around efficiencies with our mechanical systems.”
The operations officer said the school district hopes to be “good stewards” of taxpayer moneys with the focus on “protecting investment.”
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek Historical Society is mounting a campaign to save a 69-foot water oak that stands in the way of a planned Shake Shack near the Publix on State Bridge Road.
The tree, with a spread of 100 feet and a trunk 48 inches in diameter, has withstood the test of time dating back more than a century, but it now faces the axe as part of the proposed building project.
“In a city with very little remaining that physically ties to its history, the tree is a treasure,” writes Joan Compton, president of the Johns Creek Historical Society.
Compton created a document detailing the water oak, aka the Publix tree. In it, she advocates the denial of site plans for a 3,500-squarefoot Shake Shack, which call for its removal. The project would subdivide a .72-acre out-parcel from an 8.65-acre property, which Compton says means there are other options.
The Publix tree is one of 17 heritage trees Compton has listed in an Excel spreadsheet, a project started during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said the oldest tree in Johns Creek, near the Regal Cinema, dates to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Each tree tells the history of different parts of the city, she said. Macedonia Cemetery, where locally enslaved people and their descendants are buried, sits just up the road from the Publix tree. The land was once part of the Cherokee plantation.
“Over its long lifetime, the tree would have seen the horse-drawn traffic of traders, travelers, and local farmers on their way to and from the Warsaw and Medlock ferries …” Compton writes.
The tree “evaded the axe and plow,” she writes, and for decades it grew, despite rapid development.
“Saved once as a heritage tree when
the applicant was also asked to seek an independent arborist to evaluate the tree. The arborist’s report was expected to be filed July 7.
Before the application was accepted, Song asked if the tree could be transplanted, but for a tree that size, the risk could be too great. Lynn Pennington, president of Johns Creek Beautification, assumes the Publix tree would not survive a transplant.
“Based on the root structure, the size of that tree – where could it go? Where could you transport it?” Pennington asked. “It’s wider than a double-lane highway.”
Compton sent her document to Johns Creek officials and others in the area, including Johns Creek Beautification, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the city’s natural beauty.
In the Publix parking lot on State Bridge Road, a large water oak, estimated to be more than 100 years old, is under threat for the development of a Shake Shack. Site plans, which call for its removal, were expected to be reviewed by the Johns Creek Planning Commission July 10.
the Publix shopping center was built, it’s in jeopardy again.”
Shake Shack plans, approved by city staff, were expected to go before the Johns Creek Planning Commission July 10. A final vote of approval is scheduled for a later City Council meeting.
According to the city staff report, the zoning applicant initially considered incorporating the tree, but the existing topography presented a challenge. The tree sits on a 5,400-square-foot raised bed, 4 to 5 feet taller than the surrounding parking lot. Traffic flow was listed as another issue.
To abide by the city’s Tree Preservation Administrative Guidelines, staff placed conditions on the application. For specimen trees — defined by their high value in type, size or age — their removal must be replaced with a greater density in vegetation.
The applicant must also plant a 12inch caliper hardwood by the proposed
restaurant’s patio. Community Development Director Ben Song said the developer’s Land Disturbance Permit would include more detail to ensure the replacement tree’s survival. While not a requirement, Song said
“Most everything, when it comes to development, is taken down,” Pennington said.
She envisioned an alternative, one that has people gathering for picnics under the tree. Pennington hopes the Publix tree could motivate various groups to inventory all the city’s heritage trees and provide signage.
“Everybody respects trees and loves trees,” she said.
Name: Sid’s Pizza
Owners: Stan and Sharon Kurnett
Description: Celebrating 20 years! We opened our 2nd location in downtown Alpharetta.
Opened: December 2022
Phone: (470) 657-2277
Address: 11770 Haynes Bridge Rd Ste 301, Alpharetta, GA 30009
Name: Be Sassy CEO Designs
Owner: Collyne Partee
Description: Be Sassy CEO Designs: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs with Innovative Web and Branding Solutions. Be Sassy CEO Designs was born out of a desire to support and uplift women in business, because every woman has the potential to achieve greatness, and we are here to provide them with the tools.
Opened: June 2023
Phone: (470) 758-9204
Website: https://www.besassyceo.com/
Appen Media publishes New Business Spotlights to highlight local businesses as they get started. Submit yours for free at appenmedia.com/newbusiness.
Name: Camp - A Family Experience Company Description: CAMP is a Family Experience
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Address: 4551 Olde Perimeter Way; Atlanta, GA 30346
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Brought to you
by - Geerdes & AssociatesEstate planning plays a pivotal role in protecting your loved ones and your legacy. While some may think a beneficiary is only important where a Will is involved - did you know you should also be naming beneficiaries on your bank accounts? If you didn’t, here are some vital facts about beneficiaries that you should know.
First, a beneficiary is any individual or entity that you wish to bestow your assets to. Beneficiaries are an integral part of estate planning as having them determines whether or not your assets are left in limbo. If you don’t name a beneficiary for important assets such as life insurance policies, retirement plans, and bank accounts, then your heirs and loved ones will have to go through the costly probate court process to get whatever remains of your assets after court fees. You can also name your trust as the beneficiary if you wish to protect the assets after your death in the event your beneficiary gets sued, remarried, divorced, or disabled.
Even if you name a beneficiary for all
your accounts, there are situations in which that beneficiary cannot get your assets. This happens when the beneficiary is a minor child, in which case the surviving spouse or guardian will have to file a conservatorship with the probate court to access the funds. However, none of the funds can be used without a court order until the minor reaches the age of 18, and the surviving spouse or guardian will have to file annual reports on the maintenance of the funds, which is a tiring, costly, and time-consuming process. On top of that, if the beneficiary is disabled, then leaving your assets to them outright can result in that beneficiary losing his or her government benefits. Don’t disinherit your disabled children when instead you can leave assets to them in a trust and at the same time keep them eligible for government benefits.
If your beneficiary designation is a Trust, rather than an individual, then you can also avoid the costly and timeconsuming probate process entirely. Keep in mind, though, that your Trust must be tailored to the specific assets you want to protect when you designate your trust as a beneficiary. A Trust set up to protect a life insurance policy will be different from one set up for a retirement account on how to properly designate your trust as the beneficiary. For that reason, it’s recommended that you seek out the advice of a local estate planning attorney to know your best options.
In the realm of education, where knowledge is imparted and minds are shaped, an invaluable connection exists far beyond textbooks and curriculum: teacher-student relationships. At King’s Ridge Christian School, these relationships form the bedrock of our educational philosophy from Pre-K through High School. These relationships are also what continue to draw our alumni back to campus long after graduation.
Nurturing Personal and Spiritual Growth:
At King’s Ridge Christian School, the commitment to individualized attention and care is at the forefront of our educational approach. By establishing strong relationships, our teachers create a safe and nurturing environment where
students feel seen, heard, and valued. This feeling of being “known” encourages students to explore their passions, take risks, and discover their true potential.
Through relationships and small class sizes, our teachers become mentors and leaders, providing students with the support and encouragement they need to overcome challenges and achieve their goals. By understanding students’ unique strengths and learning styles, our teachers can often tailor their instruction to meet individual needs, cultivating personal growth and selfconfidence.
Recognizing the importance of each student’s personal relationship with Christ, educators at King’s Ridge Christian School actively model this for our students of all ages. We understand that a growing relationship with Christ is foundational to a purposeful and fulfilling life and a cornerstone of our school’s mission. By integrating biblical
PROVIDED
teachings into the curriculum, engaging in prayer and chapel services, and participating in small group advisement, King’s Ridge Christian School teachers guide our students toward deepening their relationship with Christ in a safe and loving environment.
Academic Success and Motivation: The influence of teacher-student
relationships on academic success cannot be overstated. Our faculty and staff know that when students feel connected to their teachers, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their studies. The positive rapport established between teachers and students creates an environment where students are eager to learn, actively participate, and take ownership of their education from a young age.
As the educational landscape evolves, King’s Ridge Christian School stays true to its passion: to bring every student into a personal growing relationship with Jesus Christ while equipping them to do with excellence all that God has called them to do. Through nurturing bonds, our teachers cultivate an environment where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to make an impact that extends far beyond the King’s Ridge Christian School campus.
Since 1985, The Cottage School (TCS) has provided a comprehensive program for students with learning differences grades 3-12. TCS offers a business-based model that promotes self-advocacy and fosters self-confidence, preparing them for life after graduation to pursue post-secondary educational paths or vocational opportunities. Our accredited college preparatory curriculum meets Georgia graduation standards and HOPE scholarship requirements to take students to graduation and beyond.
Our students, in all grades, enjoy unique experiential learning with electives based on their interests and clubs including archery, drama, forensics, robotics, horticulture and amazing off-campus experiences throughout the year.
The school’s beautiful 23-acre Roswell campus is a hidden gem in North Fulton, with small class sizes our students develop meaningful connections to our teaching staff. Our cottages are unique and warm
learning environments that include computer and science labs, art studios, a multi-purpose athletic and performing arts facility, indoor and outdoor classrooms, comprehensive music program and trails for mountain biking and cross-country. TCS encourages students of all
abilities to participate in athletics by offering sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, cross-country, tennis, and golf.
The Cottage School has built a oneof-a-kind learning environment perfect for students who learn differently. TCS offers 12-month rolling admissions for
The Cottage School
700 Grimes Bridge Road Roswell, Georgia 30075 770-641-8688
www.cottageschool.org
Established in 1985 at the highest point in the city of Roswell, GA, The Cottage School equips students with learning differences to face the challenges of a changing world by meeting the students where they are today.
Established in 1985 at the highest point in the city of Roswell, GA, The Cottage School equips students with learning differences to face the challenges of a changing world by meeting the students where they are today.
Established in 1985 at the highest point in the city of Roswell, GA, The Cottage School equips students with learning differences to face the challenges of a changing world by meeting the students where they are today. Our unique experimental programming and business based model sets us apart from all the rest.
Our unique experimental programming and business based model sets us apart from all the rest.
Our unique experimental programming and business based model sets us apart from all the rest.
ACADEMICS TECHNOLOGY
ATHLETICS
There is no place like High Meadows School. Since 1973, High Meadows students in Pre-K through 8th grade have learned through experiential, immersive educational opportunities offered both in the school’s spacious, light-filled classrooms and across 42 acres of grassy fields and scenic woodlands. High Meadows School’s progressive curriculum is focused on developing future global citizens and innovative leaders who embrace challenge and think for themselves.
High Meadows lower years classrooms offer low student-teacher ratios in which instruction emphasizes academic excellence, love of learning, critical thinking, and environmental and social responsibility. As a nationally recognized and awardwinning leader in progressive education, High Meadows is an
accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering its renowned Primary Years Program for students in preschool through fifth grade.
High Meadows School’s accomplished and experienced faculty lead each student on this journey. Through interactive, inquiry-based instruction, supported by of-themoment technology and our naturebased campus, High Meadows teachers are unequaled in their intellect, passion, and compassion for these kids. Every day they inspire authentic learning opportunities that are engaging and sticky (literally and figuratively!).
When children graduate from High Meadows, they are empowered with a deep respect for international perspectives, an intuitive understanding of life’s interconnectedness, and an exceedingly strong sense of self. Education is an
expedition that starts from the moment we are born. When we teach children to be curious and inquiring at an early age, we create within them a love of learning that lasts an entire lifetime.
What is more important than that?
Please visit our website at highmeadows.org or call 770-9932940 to learn more about High Meadows School.
Brought to you by - Eaton Academy
Eaton Academy offers multiple programs, both in person and online, since a “one size fits all” approach to education is not effective in today’s world.
The full-day K-12 school, with its 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio, allows instructors to address students’ individual learning styles, while maintaining social distancing. Students achieve significant academic and personal success resulting from STEAMrelated activities and multisensory instruction. The challenging collegeprep curriculum is delivered in a safe, nurturing environment.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please fo Did you know that mental health support in schools is often lacking? Recent data from a 2022 Pew Research Center survey revealed that only about half of U.S. public schools offer mental health assessments, and even fewer provide treatment services - meaning that many students who may be struggling with their emotions are not receiving the support they need.
Research has shown that school connectedness (how much youth believe that adults and peers at school genuinely care about them and want them to succeed) plays a significant role in mental health. Youth who experience a strong sense of connectedness during middle and high school are less likely to encounter problems with substance use, mental health, suicidality, and risky sexual behavior as they become adults (Steiner, R. J., et al., Pediatrics, Vol. 144, No. 1, 2019).
Our Summit onsite school-based therapy program seeks to bridge the gap. Our highly skilled therapists are physically present in 31 public and private schools across Fulton, Dekalb, and Gwinnett counties so students can receive professional therapy right within the familiar environment of their own schools, making it easier for them to access the help they need. Our program is specifically designed to address a wide range of mental health concerns, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and behavioral challenges. Therapists work closely with school staff to establish a comprehensive support system that nurtures emotional well-being and resilience.
Our program is now accepting referrals for the 2023-2024 school year. If you believe your student could benefit from our nonprofit services, visit our website at summitcounseling.org. Together, let’s prioritize youth mental health, foster school connectedness, and ensure that every student receives the guidance they need to lead happier and healthier lives!
For students with more significant academic and social needs, the Pace Program helps students develop life skills and independent living strategies. Pace students follow the traditional school day and work to develop greater self-sufficiency and independence, on their way to earning a high school diploma.
The Independent Study Program (ISP), tailored to students’ schedules and academic needs, permits individuals to work at their own pace. The tutorial setting enables aspiring athletes and
performers to work toward graduation while following their dreams. Some students enroll in ISP to accelerate their scholastic work; others seek academic remediation. ISP arranges the oneto-one sessions on a schedule that accommodates the students’ needs for flexibility.
LEAP is designed to help individuals strengthen their life skills in order to achieve greater independence. Participants benefit from job readiness training, life skill development, and scholastic support.
The LIFE program places young adults into their own apartments. Participants meet with a LIFE coach several times each week for support with topics such as budgeting, hygiene, roommate relations, and housekeeping. Supported Employment prepares young adults for the workplace.
Assistance is given with resume writing, applying for positions, and keeping a job. College Exploratory offers individuals college level, non-credit courses so they can gauge their readiness for university life.
Eaton Academy is the ideal place for families to discover education options and independent living solutions.
1. You are awesome. Be confident in who you are. I promise you’ll meet people who are smarter than you, and that’s OK. You don’t have to be the smartest person—oddly enough, sometimes being the smartest person is difficult. I also promise that you will be smarter than most. Enjoy that; while being smart isn’t everything, it is definitely something. Be confident in your intelligence, but not arrogant. I’ve found that, most of the time, being arrogant backfires on you. That leads into point two…
2. Sometimes it takes more courage and intelligence to be silent than to speak. It took me a long time to understand and respect silence. I’m still learning that it’s a mark of maturity and, most of the time, intelligence. Also, respect everyone’s differences and challenge yourself to learn about them.
3. Never stop learning. I don’t mean that in a teacher way, I mean it in a learning life sort of way. You are constantly growing, maturing, and developing, so enjoy it. Life is a condition to which no one is immune. We learn something every day. Our taste in music, food, TV, and the people we surround ourselves with evolves. It’s natural for these preferences to change. I wasted a lot of time trying to be someone I wasn’t because I thought I was supposed to be someone else. To complete number three, you need to invest in number four…
4. Spend time with yourself. Since you’ve been in my class, I’ve learned how amazing you are each in your own way. If you sit and spend time with you, I think you’ll feel the same way. I’m such a people person, but sometimes the best thing is time alone with great music, a book, TV, or whatever. As cheesy as this sounds, be your own best friend. The sooner you learn that all of your faults and idiosyncrasies are what make you awesome, the sooner you will be a better person and enjoy life so much more. That leads to number five…
5. Everyone has faults. With the advent of social media, I sometimes find myself comparing my faults with everyone else’s highlights. Scrolling through your Twitter feed (or
Snapchat or TikTok), you see people lauding their accomplishments, great times, and great friends. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, as long as you understand that what you see on social media is an incomplete picture. If you compare all of your faults to those highlights, you may feel a bit inadequate. Everyone has faults, so embrace yours. Grow from them and know that they add to what makes you, you. And remember, you’re awesome.
6. Surround yourself with people who love you and think you’re great (but also who know and accept your faults). You need this. If someone won’t accept you for who you are, ask yourself if you really need that relationship (be it friends or more).
7. Smile. Every day. I’m not getting into the psychology of it all, but it could possibly make you happier and healthier. It works. Trust me.
8. Don’t trust people just because they say, “trust me.” Still...
9. Trust people. It’s endearing. I know this is very contradictory, but it’s true. Even though “trust me” should raise flags, trusting people means you are human and we all need people we can trust.
10. I’ve saved one of the most important tips for last: Be happy. Genuinely happy. Choose a profession that pays the bills and makes you want to go to work most days. You won’t be happy every day. You will have bad days, weeks and maybe even months, but you’ll be generally happy. Money will not, in the end, make you happy.
One of the greatest pieces of advice my dad ever gave me was to make greatmemories. Good and bad, and all kinds in between, they are all part of our life.
So, make them good ones and remember that you are part of other’s memories so make sure they are positive, too.
I have to end this the way my mother ended most of our conversations when I was in high school and college. Make good choices. (I repeat this often to my own kids.)
Lori Fenzl, Upper School social studies teacher
ROSWELL, Ga. — From July 24-26, North Fulton Community Charities is collecting new backpacks and school supplies to donate to children in need for its annual Back to School program.
Donations can be dropped off from July 24-26 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at
Elkins Pointe Middle School. A list of needed school supplies can be found on the nonprofit’s website.
The nonprofit will distribute supplies to families from July 27-29.
Last year, the program helped more than 1,200 students in elementary,
middle and high schools across North Fulton County. The seasonal assistance program also accepts financial donations and volunteer help.
Director of Development Sherri Morgan said inflation has impacted many families across North Fulton County and has left
some people struggling to afford basic school materials.
“Our back-to-school program helps parents provide their children with needed school supplies while leaving more money in their pocket to go toward essentials like food and housing,” Morgan said.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Residents’ need for a public transportation network continues to rise as the Forsyth County adjusts to a rapidly growing population, officials say.
Now, the county is exploring ways to expand in-house options.
At its July 11 work session, the Board of Commissioners granted an additional $260,000 to Common Courtesy, a third party that provides discounted on-demand rides to county seniors and disabled residents.
The service manages national rideshare organizations to provide transportation, and trips are $2. To qualify, residents must register, have a credit card and be able to exit and enter the vehicle without accommodation.
Common Courtesy is one of two county-administered public transit options. The other, Access Forsyth, is a demand-based bus system that allows residents to schedule rides in advance. The buses, formerly called Dial-a-Ride, do not operate on fixed routes, and patrons ride with other passengers.
Both systems are the product of Link Forsyth, the county’s first public transportation master plan in 2021. The project was funded by the county and the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority, a body that oversees transportation in Metro Atlanta.
The Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority also operates an Xpress park-and-ride service at 163 Deputy Bill Cantrell Memorial Road, which offers weekday morning rides from Cumming to downtown Atlanta with a return trip in the evening.
Unlike neighboring counties Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton, MARTA does not operate in Forsyth County.
Like Common Courtesy, seniors can also use the Senior Services Department’s shuttles to official events. But, Access Forsyth remains the county’s only public transit option for all residents.
County Public Transportation Director Roy Rickert said since
January 2022, the number of Common Courtesy riders has grown each month.
“The associated cost of providing the service has risen an average of 9.65 percent, resulting in costs for this year through May being 71.63 percent higher than last year,” Rickert said.
“As such, we will run out of funds at the end of July.”
In 2022, Common Courtesy reported hosting 115 riders for a total of 13,305 trips. As of May 2023, the number of riders climbed to 141, and the number of miles traveled rose about 39 percent.
The service was initially launched to supplement Access Forsyth, which had reached capacity. Now, Rickert said Common Courtesy requires additional funding to meet its demand.
At the July 11 work session, commissioners unanimously approved an additional $260,000 to Common Courtesy’s 2023 budgeted amount, as well an increase to the company’s annual maximum funding. Commissioner Todd Levent was absent.
While acknowledging the need for services, commissioners were concerned about the 100 percent increase and the dollar amount of future requests if demand continues to grow.
Commissioners were also worried the service could be abused, with riders not actually meeting the eligibility criteria.
Rickert said the ridership among
Access Forsyth and Common Courtesy is 87 percent senior and disabled, and trips to medical facilities have increased. He said it would be difficult to vet Common Courtesy patrons for their personal information.
Ultimately, Rickert said he would prefer focusing on the bus system so all residents can access transportation, rather than the narrower qualifications for the ride share service.
“Part of my personal problem with Common Courtesy is that it is limited in what it can do,” Rickert said. “Ideally, I believe we should be expanding the bus service to where we don’t need Common Courtesy, and then we have more control over what’s going on. And when you fill up the buses, then the cost goes down.”
County Manager David McKee said the county will explore a service like Common Courtesy that is countyoperated, which could be reimbursed through federal funds.
Commissioners requested Rickert and county staff gather more ridership data to consider moving forward.
The approved funding agreement will be formalized at an upcoming Board of Commissioners regular meeting.
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added, with planning and a team of experienced poll workers they feel confident about their ability to run the election.
“We have no practical experience,” he said. “We acknowledge that right out in front. Everything we have learned, we've learned from reading the law, going through the training sessions, going to classes done by the Secretary of State's office. But we've never done this.”
After a short presentation, the floor opened to questions from residents, who were curious about a wide range of election topics.
Here are some of the questions Milton residents asked:
“If you live in Milton, do you have to vote in Milton for early voting, or can you still go to the Alpharetta library?”
Krokoff said all registered Milton voters can cast their ballot at one of two polling locations in the city – But only at those locations.
“You must vote in Milton,” he said. “The only place you will see a Milton item (is in Milton), and this year we’re not doing any referendums ... Conversely, you’re not going to see anything else from outside.”
Advance Voting for the Nov. 7, 2023, election will take place at City Hall from Oct. 16 to Nov. 3, with two Saturday voting days, he said.
Election day voting will take place at City Hall and the Milton City Park Preserve, formerly known as the Milton Country Club.
“Do you still have to apply for an absentee ballot in Milton?”
Milton Elections Consultant Vernetta Nuriddin said Milton residents must apply for an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots will be accepted starting Aug. 21, Nuriddin said. All absentee ballot applications must be received by the city 11 days prior to the election.
“What elections are the City of Milton permitted to administer?”
Krokoff said, based on Georgia law, Milton is only permitted to administer local municipal elections, which are held in odd-numbered years.
Fulton County will continue to run elections in Milton on evennumber years when county, state and national elections are held.
“The only thing Milton can do regarding elections, are
municipal elections and municipal referendums,” he said.
“Will there be any advance tabulation for ballots cast during early voting?”
There will be no advance tabulation of votes from early voting, Krokoff said.
“We are statutorily prohibited from counting them,” he said. “Unlike the county side … They can start counting if they advertise appropriately the morning of Election Day ... We cannot. We have to wait until the polls close.”
“Why are poll pad tablet devices being used for voter registration, rather than a paper registered voter roll?”
Multiple questions asked during the meeting were about the “poll pad” tablets, which Milton received from Fulton County and the state, to run voter registration on election days and early voting.
These devices, according to Krokoff, were provided at virtually no cost to local taxpayers and will help poll workers work through the process of voter registration efficiently.
Officials said the poll pads will be the only pieces of “vulnerable” technology used during Milton’s election.
“Will the vote tabulation process still include a bipartisan representation process?”
Nuriddin said it won’t be required, like it sometimes is for other elections, but it is part of their best practices, so they will attempt to have representatives from both pollical parties present during vote tabulation.
“What will happen if it turns out the 2023 election was more expensive than outsourcing to the county?”
Krokoff said this is a great question that doesn’t have a great answer yet.
“Great question. It's also outside my authority,” he said. “But if it ends up in a situation where it's costing us more than it would be to get into an (agreement) with Fulton County then that’s something we would have to consider.”
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By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Fulton County officials have confirmed that a major sewage spill which caused more than 15 miles of the Chattahoochee River to be closed ahead of the July 4th holiday, originated at the Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility in Roswell.
Officials said July 3 that E. Coli bacteria levels, over 300 times greater than safe recreation levels, were detected in the river last week thanks to a monitoring program by the National Parks Service and the nonprofit Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
After the high bacteria levels were confirmed, the spill was tracked to Fulton County’s Big Creek Water Reclamation Facility which sits on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in Roswell and treats wastewater for North Fulton communities.
Fulton County officials have found no physical leak in their system at the facility but say the sewage spill was caused by an issue in the biological processes used to treat wastewater.
Other representatives with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said that some of the 12 sand filters at the Big Creek facility, responsible for filtering nutrients and fine particles from water have failed, causing other impurities to possibly enter the river.
“Fulton County has reported this issue to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division,” Jessica A. Corbitt-Dominguez, director of Fulton County’s Department of External Affairs said. “We support the decision of the National Park Service to extend the partial closure of the Chattahoochee River until this matter is resolved. We also express our appreciation to the Chattahoochee River Keeper for their work in monitoring water quality and raising this issue.”
After the spill was discovered, officials initially closed the river from the Chattahoochee Nature Center to Johnson Ferry and Whitewater Creek. But the closure was later expanded to include all river sections downstream from the nature center.
With the July 4th holiday and scorching temperatures, river officials said the river closure could not have come at a worse time.
“Just the weather alone it’s a hot holiday weekend in Atlanta,” said Beth Wheeler, chief of planning resources and education
at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. “It’s natural that folks want to get out, cool off and shoot the hooch. So, yeah, it’s terrible timing.”
No matter how hot it gets, or inviting the Hooch might look, Wheeler said people need to heed the closures and find somewhere else to cool off, because E. Coli bacteria can be dangerous in the quantities detected.
E. Coli infections can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and occasionally, fever. Officials said that in severe cases, infections can also lead to serious health complications, especially in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly and individuals with weakened immune systems.
People shouldn’t even let their dogs swim in affected areas of the river until the closure is lifted, Wheeler said.
“We’ve been saying human health, but I realize so many folks recreate with their dogs,” she said.” But again, safety is the most important priority.”
Fulton County officials are working to rebalance the levels of “good and bad” bacteria, while adding additional UV treatment processes to the facility.
“We are currently diverting approximately 5 million gallons of wastewater to Cobb County’s Sutton Water Reclamation Plant. We are grateful for their support,” Corbitt-Dominguez said. “Testing is continuing, and very preliminary results show that the process is
beginning to work. We will continue to carefully monitor and test throughout the plant.”
Additionally, river stakeholders are working with the Army Corps of Engineers to release additional
water from local dams, to dissipate the E. Coli-tainted water and wash it downstream.
Wheeler said one bright side of this situation is the Chattahoochee River will bounce back with basically no long-term effects once problems at the Big Creek facility are corrected.
“It’s not uncommon to have a sewage spill, it probably happens far more likely than we want to or realize, but we have not dealt with a spill of this magnitude,” she said. “The Chattahoochee goes through the city of Atlanta and continues on, so this is I think, just a natural part of that ecosystem. In terms of longterm impacts, it will restore itself to right again.”
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and other local groups will continue to test and monitor the river for water quality daily, and the decision on how river sections are reopened will be made based on that data.
Information and updates on the closure will be made through the websites of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, https://www.nps.gov/chat, and Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, https:// chattahoochee.org/.
I have a friend here in Alpharetta
I’ve known for decades. We went to school together at FSU, lived in the same dorm, swam at the same sinks, camped out at St. George Island together with our posse with kegs of beer on weekends and such. I don’t think you can sleep in the dunes at St. George with kegs of beer anymore. That was a long time ago.
I am sure he knew and could play almost every recorded Bob Dylan song ever made.
else makes sense or explains this stuff.
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus
We’re both married and have adult children. We are retired or very close. We’ve both survived bouts of prostate cancer and we’ve both stumbled into older age sometimes clueless and other times with firm and clear resolve. And we are headed into, well, those later chapters of life now.
And boy, who knew?
My friend is an artist – a talented musician, writer, painter, and who knows what else. He never ceases to surprise me. We were both big Dylan fans back in the day. At one point,
Dylan still makes up maybe half of my play list – with the Stones, Jackson Brown, Velvet Underground, Hendrix, Tracy Chapman and Van Morrison making up most of the remainder. When I did my hike seven years ago, it was the same playlist that it is now. I don’t think I have added more than a few songs in the last 20 years. Sad. While I seem to be stuck in one place musically, he has probably moved on, I think; his playlist today probably doesn’t overlap so much with his old one, I suspect.
Neither of us would have imagined back then that after all the water under all the bridge, and all the years that we should end up living within a couple miles of each other in North Fulton. Life is funny.
It reminds me of water; water is going to go where it wants to go, and at the end of the day, one rarely has control of water. The older I get though, the more I believe that very little in life is random. There is a reason – a plan – somewhere. Nothing
Our relationship is still the same, but it’s not.
Time, I find, has a sneaky way of messing with people, relationships, friendships and the status quo. I can count on one hand the number of truly close friends I have. If I include the friends who are still so close, but who have changed in ways that are no longer as convergent with our shared relationship back then, my list probably expands to two hands, but not more.
The friends I have from the onlyone-hand group will always be there, and the relationship will never change. We can pick up the phone after years, and it is like not a day has passed. We can do that today. We can do that in 20 years. Depending on who goes first, we’ll attend each other’s funerals.
We know each other’s kids and spouses well. The kids are almost as close to us as we are to each other. We’ve been to their weddings. We’ve driven or flown down for funerals of their grandparents. We keep track
of their lives, their careers and their families as if it were our own. And when the chips were down, we are the ones who always show up.
“Just show up,” is what my son Carl says about things that are important. Just show up. My friend’s kids know, and they appreciate their parents’ friendships almost as if it is their own – which actually, it really is.
My friend and I have been through a few rough patches in our relationship, but we have managed to fight off those times and stay connected and stay friends, good friends. A lot of the reason that we have been able to do that is because we keep talking, we keep communicating, we keep working at staying connected; we don’t throw in the towel because of stupid differences or not so important divergent points of view. It takes work. It takes will. And at the end of the day, what is more important than family and the close friends you keep?
The company you keep defines you, who you are, and is worth fighting for to the very end. The company you keep makes it all worthwhile.
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Walking in the garden this morning I observe something new! Overnight, suddenly there are fungi everywhere! White mushrooms, orange mushrooms, puffballs and bracket fungi! The showstopper and the source of my interest was a blue fungus. How unique – a blue mushroom with a royal blue underside or gills. My internet research determined it is commonly called indigo milk mushroom and goes by the scientific name of Lactarius indigo.
CAROLE MACMULLANSo how did these fungi suddenly appear? Like all organisms they need moisture, nutrients and light. This week the conditions were perfect. Fungi spores are opportunists waiting for the perfect conditions to spring into life! Spores can wait for weeks, months and even years to germinate. Fungi do not germinate from seeds but reproduce by spores. Spores wait for the perfect moment to pop out of the ground and grow.
Fungi are not green; therefore, they do not contain chlorophyll and do not carry on photosynthesis, so biologists kicked fungi out of the Plant Kingdom several decades ago and assigned them to their own kingdom, Fungi! Scientists also discovered fungi differ from plants in their cellular structure. Fungi cells contain cell walls like plants, but their chemical composition is different. Plants have cell walls constructed from a chemical called cellulose, but Fungi contain a different chemical called chiton. Like all living things, fungi contain DNA, and variations in the DNA found in the nucleus of fungi can create the many different genera and species assigned to the Fungi Kingdom.
I also observed a fairy ring, a cluster of fungi that grows in a circular pattern. Why in a circular pattern? If we had the ability to view beneath the surface, we would find decaying organic material, the source of nutrients for fungi. Fungi are one of the main contributors of decomposition on the Earth. The fairy ring in my yard was probably sustained by the remains of a maple tree that was removed two years before. Underground its root system is decaying. This decaying process creates a perfect opportunity for spores to germinate and for the above
ground mushrooms to grow, prosper and continue their life cycle.
I challenge you to walk around your yard or wherever your favorite walk takes you and observe the fungi you might see. If you have children or grandchildren, give them a minilesson on fungi.
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.
• Morel Mushroom Hunting Club - https://morelmushroomhunting.com/
• Fairy Ring Mushrooms - https://site.extension.uga.edu/bartow/ fairy-ring-mushrooms/
• Indigo Milky - https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/indigo-milky
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a Milton resident and master gardener since 2012. Carole describes herself as a born biologist. Since childhood, she has loved to explore the out-of-doors and garden with her mother. When she entered college, she selected biology as her major and made teaching high school biology her career for 35 years. After retirement in 2008, she had three goals: to move from Pittsburgh to Atlanta to be near her daughter and granddaughter, to volunteer, and to become a Master Gardener. Shortly after moving, she became involved with the philanthropic mission of the Assistance League of Atlanta (ALA) and in 2012, completed the Master Gardener program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club. Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau. She also volunteers weekly at the ALA thrift store and acts as chair of their Links to Education scholarship program. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking, and reading.
When European settlers came to Georgia, some thought that planting mulberry trees, which are home to silkworms, would be the road to riches. Silkworms would provide the fiber to make silk cloth which was highly prized by the European upper classes. In 1734, a group of persecuted German-speaking Protestants from Salzburg, Austria, founded the town of Ebenezer about 25 miles northwest of Savannah. After a decade, the residents began producing high-quality silk from the mulberry trees they had planted.
The Revolutionary War ended production completely in 1779. It did not recover after the war, and cotton replaced silk production. Cotton was easier to grow and was more profitable than silk. Along the Georgia coast, around 1785, growers began importing long staple Sea Island cotton seed from the West Indies.
Farmers in North Fulton began growing a different type of cotton as well. Lynn Tinley, a board member of the Milton Historical Society with a PhD from Emory University in American Studies with an emphasis on textiles says, “short staple Upland cotton fibers are lower quality than Sea Island cotton fibers, but the plant produces higher yields. It is well suited to the climate in North Fulton.”
Seeds are particularly difficult to remove from short staple cotton. (Staple refers to the length of fibers.) The rapid expansion of short staple cotton production in this part of Georgia was made possible by the perfection of the cotton gin which Eli Whitney patented in 1794. According to the National Archives, Whitney’s idea was based on earlier gins and on
ideas from others. Whitney thought he would become rich by making and installing gins throughout Georgia and the South, charging farmers a fee for doing the ginning for them. Farmers revolted, and Whitney’s dream of great wealth did not come true.
Upland cotton is well suited for basic products such as canvas and denim jeans. It is low maintenance, soft and strong. Ninety-five percent of the cotton grown in the U.S. is short staple. As staple length increases, cotton becomes softer and silkier and is ideal for sheets and towels.
Unlike the plantation system on the
coast, cotton production in this area was linked to the 19th century land lotteries, notes Lynn Tinley. There were a few large landowners in this area. Most, however, grew cotton on portions of 40- to 100-acre lots obtained directly or indirectly through the land lotteries. As subsistence farmers, they kept a portion of their cotton for personal use. The remainder was a cash crop which they had ginned and then sold.
Two of the most notable cotton growers in North Fulton were John B. Broadwell (1855-1953) and Joel Jackson Rucker (1880-1960). Broadwell was a breeder of cotton
plants. By using only the seeds from his best plants he was able to produce three bales of cotton per acre while the average was one or two. His Broadwell Double-Jointed Cotton Seed was very well known throughout the cotton belt.
J.J. Rucker, brother of professional baseball star Nap Rucker, founded the Rucker Cotton Seed Company circa 1911. He actively promoted his Rucker Select No. 1 seed in newspapers throughout Georgia. In 1930, he built a cotton gin in Crabapple which remained open until the 1950s. In a testimonial ad in the Atlanta SemiWeekly Journal in 1918, the Roswell Manufacturing Company said it always paid a premium for Rucker cotton and in turn received a premium for its goods in local and foreign markets.
The Roswell Manufacturing Company played an important role in the history of cotton. Lynn Tinley has done extensive research on the company and its relationship with local farmers. She will present a public presentation on the local cotton industry sponsored by the Milton Historical Society in November at the Milton Library.
Roswell King first arrived in North Georgia in 1830. He was on the board of the Darien Bank and came to the area to scout out a new branch location. He knew the cotton industry, having overseen cotton plantations and been a cotton agent in Darien, and he believed Vickery Creek would provide the perfect water supply to power a cotton manufacturing company. Together with some prominent Darien families, he founded the town of Roswell in 1839. In that year he and his son Barrington established the Roswell Manufacturing Company with a cotton mill and adjacent mill village to house its workers. The factory spun ginned cotton into coarse yarn and then wove some of it into coarse cotton cloth. He later built another cotton mill and converted a sawmill into a wool mill. During the Civil War, the factory sold cloth to the Confederate government for army uniforms. The mills were largely destroyed during the Civil War. Some of the mills were rebuilt and remained in operation until the 1970s.
You can contact Lynn Tinley at lynntinley38@gmail.com.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
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RFP NUMBER 23-PW08
Proposal Due Date: August 15, 2023, by 2:00PM Local Time
Electronic submission via: www.miltonga.gov
Submissions will be publicly announced on the above date at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004 (opening may be moved online due to public health conditions). 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 consultants to provide on-call land acquisition services for Public Works projects. 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 23-PW08, On-Call Land Acquisition Services for Public Works Projects will be posted on the following websites the week of July 20, 2023:
http://www.miltonga.gov and http://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/PRSapp/PR_index.jsp
RZ23-06 – A Text amendment to Article XIX Crabapple Form-Based Code, (Chapter 64 of the City Code) to amend The District At Mayfield to add the parcel at 840 Mid Broadwell Road to the District.
Public Hearings/Meeting: Community Zoning Information Meeting (CZIM)
Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 7:00 PM
Planning Commission (PC) Meeting
Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at 6:00 PM
Mayor and City Council Meeting
Monday, November 6, 2023, at 6:00 PM
Location: Milton City Hall – Council Chambers 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004 678-242-2540
Human Resources Manager
Handles all employee-related processes and procedures. This role will be responsible for Recruitment and Onboarding, Job Design, Employee Relations, Performance Management, Training and Development, Employment Compliance, Total Rewards and Talent Management. This position reports to the Director of Finance and Administration and will interact with the entire management team by providing guidance on all Human Resources related topics at NFCC. Bachelor’s degree in human resources or related field and 3-5 years of Human Resources experience, preferably in multiple HR disciplines required. Please visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/ to see the full job description. To apply, submit a resume to sholiday@nfcchelp.org and to mburton@nfcchelp.org.
Software Engineer Senior (Alpharetta, GA): Dvlp, create, & mdfy general comp apps s/w or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs & dvlp s/w solutions. Work throughout the s/w dvlpmt life cycle & prfrm in a utility capacity to create, dsgn, code, debug, maintain, test, implmnt & validate apps w/ a broad understanding of a variety of langs & architectures. Remote work permitted within the US. Resumes to: Total System Services LLC, Brian Simons, Associate Director, HR Risk and Compliance, One TSYS Way, Columbus GA 31901. Job#HG526101.
Senior Tech Lead, Job Code 0801 (Opus Consulting Solutions Inc.): Alpharetta, GA & various unanticpt locs w/in U.S. long term relo may be req’d. Understnd & anlyze critcl bus reqmnts and provde tech soltns. Resp for overall ATM app dvlpmnt, unit testing, bus operatn, incident, change & release mgmt. Invld in testing bus flow, cardless modules, hw devices & providng networking firewall updates. Uses tools such as CrossTec, Host Simulator, Mainframe Host System, Javascript, XML & ATM Solutions. Requires Bachelor’s in Comp. Sci./Eng./IT or frgn equiv. + five yrs progressive wrk exp. Refer to job code and email resumes to hrusa@opusconsulting.com
Community Events Manager
The Community Events Manager is responsible for all aspects of NFCC’s community events, from inception through execution, including helping secure sponsorships. Events may include annual golf tournament, annual fundraising gala, community engagement events, donor recognition events, and other community events. Position requires a highly organized, creative, and motivated person to lead event planning, sponsorship, and community engagement. Bachelor’s Degree preferred with 2-3 years special events and fundraising experience. To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/workat-nfcc/ To apply, send a resume to Sandy Holiday, sholiday@nfcchelp.org.
The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and sorts merchandise in a designated area. They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris and the donor door area neat and clean. This position is the face of NFCC so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor with a professional and friendly demeanor. High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Ability to perform low to moderate facility maintenance tasks. To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/work-atnfcc/ To apply, please complete an application for employment and email to Marten Jallad, mjallad@nfcchelp.org.
Many local referencesCall Ralph Rucker 678-898-7237
Mention this ad. Concrete driveway specialists. Driveways, Pool Decks, Patios, Walkways, Slabs. A+ BBB rating. FREE ESTIMATE. Call Rachael at 678-250-4546 to schedule a FREE Estimate. 30 years of experience. ARBOR HILLS CONSTRUCTION INC. Please note we do have a minimum charge on accepted jobs of $4,500.
Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for developing programs and services for NFCC clients and students seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The workforce development coordinator collaborates with local employers to help match job seekers to open positions. They work directly with clients on the job application, resumes, and interview preparations and provide tips for successfully securing and improving employment to foster financial stability. Bachelor’s degree in a human services, human resources, or other related field required and 2 years of professional experience in human services, human resources or career counseling preferred.
To view the entire listing visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/. To apply, please submit resume to Carol Swan at cswan@nfcchelp.org.
Software Developers – Multiple openingsAlpharetta, GA. Intuites LLC needs professionals.
work using Oracle Apex, PL/SQL, HTML, Java Script, Unix, JIRA, CSS, GIT, ETL tools, DBMS. Req. - Bachelor’s +2yrs, Comp. salary, Relocation within USA possible.
Please mail resume to Ref: Director, 1740 Grassland Parkway, Ste 405, Alpharetta, Georgia, 30004.
Appen Newspapers is looking for one or two folks to help deliver our newspapers. Work is part time and flexible. Routes can be done at night or during the day - on your schedule - within our deadlines. Comfortably earn $550 or more a month on your own schedule.
This is a great way to get out as well as contribute to helping your local newspaper! Perfect for retired person who wants to stay active or a parent with school-aged kids - deliver during school hours. Also good way to earn supplemental income at night. We have had many retired couples deliver our papers and almost all have managed a route well and enjoyed the time and the work.
Requirements include reliable vehicle, clean driving record, availability, reliability, and honesty. Prior delivery experience is good, but not required. It helps if you live relatively close as papers are picked up to be bagged and delivered from our office in Alpharetta. Delivery areas can be Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Johns Creek, South Forsyth, Dunwoody, or Sandy Springs typically - depending on open routes.
Please contact our Office Manager Heidi to set up an appointment to come in and fill in paper work or start the process via Email!
Call 770-442-3278 and ask for Heidi or Email Heidi@AppenMedia.com
24 hour emergency service. Licensed, insured. Workers Comp, insurance claims. 25+ years experience. Family business. Free estimates. We Love Challenges!
Yellow Ribbon Tree Experts 770-512-8733 • www.yellowribbontree.com
COMPLETE TREE SERVICES
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Text or Call us for a FREE quote appointment.
Tree removal, Pruning, Stump grinding, Free mulch. Fully insured. Emergency 24/7 770-450-8188
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ROOF LEAKING?
ALL-TYPE GUTTERS Installed. Covers, siding, soffit, facia. www.aaronsgutters.com. Senior citizen discount! 678-508-2432
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Landscaping
Retaining walls (brick or wood), grading, sod, tree services, hauling, topsoil & more.
Ralph Rucker 678-898-7237
Call us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123. Christian Brothers Roofing
Brick or Wood
Contact Ralph Rucker. Many local references. Honest, punctual, professional and reasonable prices!
678-898-7237
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DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos
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