Milton Herald - August 24, 2023

Covering hip-hop

City updates cost for its November municipal election

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — To save money and ensure greater election integrity, the City of Milton decided last December to divorce Fulton County and run its own municipal election this fall.

Milton and the City of Palmetto are the only cities in Fulton County that will be taking on the task.

Since the Milton City Council decision, cost estimates provided by city staff have fluctuated but have remained far lower than what Fulton County would have charged this year. The latest estimate, shown in Milton’s fiscal year 2024 budget draft, is a cost of $102,280.

Fulton County officials told Appen Media it would have charged Milton $217,565 to run its November 2023 municipal election. If the city required a December runoff election, the county would have charged another $96,586.

The county rate no longer uses a flat fee per registered voter formula to set its price, like it did in previous years. In 2021, Fulton County charged Milton $84,671 for its municipal elections and another $70,368 to conduct a runoff election in late November.

See COST, Page 7

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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 accused of attack on two female coworkers

MILTON, Ga. — Police obtained warrants on a Lawrenceville woman Aug. 8 for allegedly swinging a knife at her coworkers at The Phoenix at Milton assisted living facility on Ga.

9.

One female co-worker, also from Lawrenceville, said she and the suspect were prepping food in the kitchen when they got into a verbal argument. She said the suspect grabbed a knife and started moving toward her and swung the knife at another employee as well.

The second victim, a Sandy Springs woman, told police she was recording the suspect swinging the knife at her co-worker, and while she was recording, the suspect swung at her. Police were shown the video.

Another employee on the scene told police the suspect called her saying she was going to follow the first victim home.

The suspect, fired during the incident, had left the scene by the time police arrived. Police charged her with two counts of aggravated assault and with terroristic threats and acts.

Woman seeks probe into canine purchase

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman reported to police Aug. 10 that she paid $800 for a Teacup poodle but never received the dog.

The woman sent a woman with Classic Kennels the money through Venmo Aug. 2 and was supposed to

receive the dog the following day, the police report said.

The woman then sent $1,000 to a man with another company to ship the poodle, the report said. But the company later sent an email to the woman stating that the dog died and requested that she pay the $30,000 insurance policy for the dog. The woman did not pay for the policy and received another email saying the breeder paid for the policy, but that the company needed her personal information to process the request.

The woman did not provide her information, and still has not received the dog. The investigation is ongoing, according to the police report.

Couple claims landscaper never completed project

MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman reported to police Aug. 10 that she and her husband paid a company to complete landscaping and deck renovation in their backyard, but the company never finished the work.

The couple found Ideal Landscape Solutions on Facebook, which estimated the work to cost $146,335. They paid the company $58,534 to begin the project, and the company dropped off large bags of dirt and other materials sometime in July, but they did not hear from them again for some time, the police report said.

The victim contacted the company owner who said the project couldn’t be completed but did not provide a reason. The victim asked if her initial down payment would be returned but did not receive an answer.

Residents lose thousands in apartment burglary

MILTON, Ga. — Two Milton residents reported to police Aug. 11 that their apartment on North Park Lane had been burglarized.

They told police that when they arrived home, they noticed their bedrooms had been rummaged through. One of the victims also said up to $3,000 in cash, $15,000 in gold and a $1,400 laptop was missing.

Police observed tool marks near the deadbolt on the front door where it had been pried open, damaging the lock. Investigators also arrived to further process the scene.

One victim also told police he saw two people he had never seen before outside of his apartment. He described one individual as a heavyset Hispanic or White female around 5-foot in her 30s or 40s, wearing glasses and a pink and purple striped shirt. The victim said she was talking to a 6-foot tall Hispanic or White male in his 30s or 40s with longer black and red hair in a ponytail, wearing a blue shirt.

Police canvassed the neighborhood but found no evidence pertaining to the incident.

Popeyes store employee sought in alleged attack

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police are searching for a local restaurant manager who allegedly attacked a delivery driver’s car while it was at the Popeye’s off Old Milton Parkway.

Police said a food delivery driver went to the Popeyes at about 11 a.m. Aug. 6 to pick up a customer’s order. Upon arrival, an employee, later identified as the store’s assistant manager, told the driver the store was closed due to low staffing.

As the driver took a picture of the restaurant’s closed sign, the unidentified employee allegedly threatened her and swung a heavy backpack into her front window, causing damage.

When police arrived at the scene, the employee had already left and officers were not able to positively identify him, beyond his job title.

Fulton County grand jury hands Trump fourth indictment

By Dave Williams Capitol Beat News Service

ATLANTA – A Fulton County grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump Aug. 14, charging the Republican with trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia that saw Joe Biden become the first Democrat to carry the Peach State since 1992.

Monday’s indictment was the fourth for Trump, following federal charges arising from his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and his retaining of classified government documents at his Mara-Lago club in Florida after leaving office. He also is accused in a New York case of paying hush money to ex-porn actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign to cover up a sexual relationship.

Unlike the other cases, the Fulton County indictment was wide ranging, naming 18 other defendants and covering 41 counts. The list of defendants includes former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, formerly Trump’s personal lawyer; Mark Meadows, who served as the former president’s chief of staff; former Georgia Republican Chairman David Shafer; and state Sen. Shawn Still, R-Norcross.

Charges listed on the indictment included violation of Georgia’s RICO law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations),

Indictment names local figures

The Fulton County grand jury indictment includes several local political and legal figures. State Sen. Shawn Still, who represents portions of Fulton and south Forsyth counties; Harrison Floyd, who ran as a Republican candidate for Georgia’s 7th Congressional District in 2020; and Robert Cheeley, an Alpharettabased attorney.

Attorney Tom Bever, who represents Still, told Appen Media Aug. 17 the first-term senator is innocent of all charges laid against him. Floyd and Cheeley could not be reached for comment on the indictment.

submitting false documents and false statements, forgery, conspiracy to commit election fraud, and perjury. The RICO charge, which was leveled against all 19 defendants, carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years.

While the other cases against Trump were narrowly focused on specific incidents, the 97-page Georgia indictment encompassed several episodes. The list includes then-President Trump’s phone call asking Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger at the beginning of January 2021 to “find” 11,780 votes, the margin Trump needed to overcome Biden’s vote count in Georgia.

The indictment also cited a

meeting of “fake” Republican electors inside the state Capitol in December 2020 to certify Trump as the winner of Georgia’s 16 electoral votes rather than Biden, presentations Giuliani made to state lawmakers – also in December 2020 – leveling false allegations of election fraud, and a data breach at the elections office in Coffee County.

“Rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election results,” Fulton District Attorney Fani Willis told reporters after the indictments were unsealed.

Trump took to his social media website to blast the indictments as politically motivated by Willis, a Democrat, while sticking to his claim that he won the election in Georgia.

“[The] only election interference that took place in Fulton County was

done by those that rigged and stole the election, not by me,” he wrote.

Willis took exception to Trump’s accusations.

“I make decisions in this office based on the facts and the law,” she said. “The law is nonpartisan.”

The grand jury had not been expected to act on Monday, as some final witnesses had been summoned to testify on Tuesday, including former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. Instead, Duncan, who has been one of Trump’s most vocal critics among Georgia Republicans, spent more than an hour testifying early Monday evening.

“I was honored to answer their questions to the best of my ability,” he said shortly after completing his testimony.

The grand jury also heard Monday from two Georgia Democrats, former state Rep. Bee Nguyen and former state Sen. Jen Jordan. Both ran unsuccessfully for statewide office last year, Nguyen for secretary of state and Jordan for attorney general.

“No individual is above the law,” Nguyen said after giving her testimony. “I believe that every individual who wrongfully and illegally tried to overturn our valid elections should be held accountable.”

Willis said she will give the defendants until noon Aug. 25 to turn themselves in. She said she plans to try all 19 at the same time. While the timetable for that trial is up to the judge, Willis said she will ask for the case to be heard within the next six months.

Marketing Matters

Originally listed with another agent for 297 days, our team staged, painted and added new lighting to the home. We listed the property for a higher price and went under contract in five days with multiple offers and a backup contract.

Dear Milton Neighbor,

Sixty-five percent of our buyer-side transactions are off market. We love to make transactions as easy as possible for everyone and have well-qualified clients ready to go who also have flexible timing. Please contact us or have your agent reach out if you have a home or property that fits the criteria below.

• Up to $1.2M and needing renovation: Six Hills or Heritage at Crabapple

• Up to $1.5M: Birmingham Falls Elementary School district

• Up to $1.6M: Valmont, Nettlebrook Farms, Annandelle Farms, The Grove, Triple Crown and Preserve at North Valley (no pool)

• Multiple buyers: $3.5-4.5M, 3-4+ acres, modern farmhouse, pool, ideally not located on a busy road

• Multiple buyers: 3-25 acres of land in Milton

• Multiple buyers: $3-5M, houses with guest homes (30004 or 30115)

Listed and marketed numerous times by other agents with no success, our team staged the home and added new lighting to create renewed interest. We also listed at a higher price and were under contract in 18 days at the full list price.

SOLD • 1970 Bethany Way

SOLD • 14041 Triple Crown Drive

MILTON 2023 MUNICIPAL ELECTION FAQS

Milton has a webpage for residents, listing pertinent information for the city’s 2023 municipal election, and it can be found at miltonga.gov/residents/ election-information.

Milton

to hold

final

public

hearing

on 2023 property tax rate Aug. 21

Officials review draft of proposed budget

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. —

comments on the 2023 millage rate at the City Council meeting Aug. 21, when it will be formally adopted.

The city has advertised its current rate of 4.469 mills, which, though the same as last year, would represent a 1.82 percent increase in property taxes because of higher property values.

The council held a special-called meeting Aug. 14 for the second of three required public hearings on the millage rate. The meeting was quick and quiet with no public comments or discussion from the council.

Milton Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill said the fiscal year 2024 budget is most closely supported by a rate of 4.395 mills. That rate would yield about $256,000 less in revenue for the city as compared to the proposed rate, but it would save the average resident claiming a homestead exemption on a $700,000 home about $20 on their property tax bill.

Harvill presented a draft of the new budget in an earlier work session Monday evening. The budget includes $42.6 million in expenses. Public Safety accounts for about 40 percent of Milton’s fiscal year 2024 budget.

She proposed surplus from fiscal year 2023 be transferred to the capital projects fund to pay for the city’s pay-as-you-go projects, which includes $3.4 million for the planning, construction and outfitting of Fire Station 45, $951,330 for a new fire apparatus and $752,131 for the planning and construction of a new indoor community center, whose location has not yet been determined.

The first public hearing for the fiscal year 2024 budget is scheduled for Sept. 6. The second public hearing, as well as budget adoption, is scheduled for Sept. 18.

KEY DATES:

• Aug. 21-25: Qualifying period for municipal general election candidates

• Oct. 10: Last day to register to be eligible to vote in the municipal general election

• Oct. 16: Advanced voting begins

• Oct. 27: Last day to submit an absentee ballot application for the municipal general election

• Nov. 3: Last day of advanced voting

• Nov. 7: Election Day for municipal general election

VOTING HOURS:

Advanced voting

• Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Oct. 17 and Oct. 18, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Oct. 19 to Oct. 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding Sundays)

• Nov. 1 to Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Election Day voting

• Nov. 7, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Runoff election voting

• Dec. 5, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

•

*Advanced voting for a runoff election will run Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I register to vote?

The Fulton County Voter Registration Division handles voter registration for all Fulton County residents, regardless of city or unincorporated area where they reside.

You must be registered as a resident within the area in which you intend to vote. To register, or to check your voting status, go to Georgia’s Online Voter Registration.

You will be mailed a voter registration card from Fulton County. Your precinct and polling location will be designated on the card. For more information on voter registration, contact the Fulton County Voter Registration Division at 404-730-7072.

To use the Online Voter Registration system you must have a valid driver’s license or identification card issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services

(DDS) with a signature on file with DDS. For more information, visit dds.georgia.gov/ voter.

How do I vote absentee?

Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot not earlier than 78 days or less than 11 days prior to the date of a general election. The first day residents can request a ballot is Aug. 21, and the deadline for the absentee ballot application is Oct. 27. They will be mailed starting Oct. 16.

While advanced voting ends Nov. 3, residents can submit an absentee ballot Nov. 7, Election Day.

An online absentee ballot application will be posted on Milton’s “Election Information” webpage as well as shared on the city’s social media in the coming weeks.

What is advanced voting?

Advanced voting generally begins 21 days prior to Election Day, or as soon as possible for runoffs. Advanced voting for the Milton municipal general election will begin Oct. 16 and end Nov. 3.

Any registered voter can participate in advanced or early voting. You do not have to provide a reason for casting a ballot during advanced voting instead of Election Day.

Where and when do I vote?

Those wishing to cast in-person ballots ahead of Milton’s 2023 municipal general municipal election, also known as advanced or early voting, can do so at Milton City Hall between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. between Oct. 16 and Nov. 3, excluding Sundays. The address for Milton City Hall is 2006 Heritage Walk.

On Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023, voters can cast their ballots between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at their assigned polling place. There will likely be three polling places on Election Day: Milton City Hall, the Community Center at Milton City Park and Preserve at 1785 Dinsmore Road, and the Milton Public Safety Complex at 13690 Ga. 9.

What are the latest election results?

In the case of its municipal election, Milton plans to share election results after all voting concludes on its “Election Information” webpage as well as its Facebook page.

Election results must be in by 11:59 p.m. Election Day.

Appen Media also has a dashboard available, where readers can find all coverage of the city’s push to run its own municipal elections. Find it at appenmedia.com/municipal_elections.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Milton Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill presents a draft of the fiscal year 2024 budget at a City Council work session Aug. 14.

HOW HAVE COST ESTIMATES FOR THE MILTON 2023 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS CHANGED OVER TIME?

City of Milton figures are for first-year expenses only.

Cost:

Continued from Page 1

For comparison, the City of Suwanee in Gwinnett County conducted its own general and runoff municipal election in 2021 for a combined total of $12,600, according to Suwanee City Clerk Robyn O’Donnell. The city, which is around 11 square miles, used one polling location at Suwanee City Hall, and hand-counted paper ballots.

Meanwhile, Milton, a city encompassing about 40 square miles, intends to implement polls at Milton City Hall, the Community Center at Milton Park and Preserve and the Milton Public Safety Complex.

Appen Media will continue to track fluctuation in estimated election costs for the City of Milton.

MILTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION

Qualification dates for Nov. 7, 2023, city elections

• 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 24

• 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 25

The three City Council Post 2 seats are up for election.

The initial Dec. 5 estimate, provided by the Milton Election Feasibility Committee, is based on the city operating two Election Day polling places. The subsequent figures are for three locations. It is unknown how many polls Fulton County would have operated in the city.

GRAPHIC BY DIONNA WILLIAMS/APPEN MEDIA

Lemonade stand sells sweet hit at Alpharetta Farmers Market

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Cooper GarrisonBrook, a 12-year-old Johns Creek student, began selling lemonade to raise money for a new computer. Now, he has dedicated the weekly stand to helping those in need.

In May 2021, Cooper said he slipped while exiting the school bus and dropped his laptop, which broke on the pavement. Cooper, who was 10 years old, sought an enterprising way to earn money for a replacement.

That summer, he and his parents opened the first Lemonade with a Purpose booth at the Alpharetta Farmers Market.

His father Dan Brook is a partner in Bagel Boys Cafe, another local business. Dan said Bagel Boys owner John Lamb had provided the family some supplies for a test run at the market.

“Now it's become sort of a family thing where we all look forward to the time together on Saturday and doing it together,” Dan said.

While the lemonade stand began as a way for Cooper to earn money, sales continued to grow. By the summer’s end, the family decided to make Lemonade with a Purpose a staple at the market.

“We have had lots of people tell us it’s the best lemonade they have ever had,” Cooper said.

The purpose

Staying true to its name, Lemonade with a Purpose donates more than a third of its profits to charity. Its current recipients are the Rainforest Awareness

See LEMONADE, Page 9

Dr. Eva Heintz graduated from GaTech in 2004 with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. She is currently a Global Strategic Key Account Manager and a Large Deals Coach at Solvay. Additionally, she is Chairwoman for Solvay North America, GGF and founder and former Chairwoman of Solvay X-factor

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Cooper Garrison-Brook, center, runs Lemonade with a Purpose on Saturdays at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. From left, Cooper’s grandmother Cindy, mother Laura, father Dan and exchange student Bermet, whom Cooper considers a sister, volunteer at the booth.

I’ve just been having fun with it. That’s the whole goal, is having fun at this point.

Lemonade:

Continued from Page 8

Rescue Education Center, Discovering My Purpose and Save the Children.

Cooper’s mother, Laura GarrisonBrook, is the president and CEO of Discovering My Purpose, a nonprofit that provides resources and programs for young people.

Ultimately, Laura said Cooper chose the three groups because he is passionate about them. While the family volunteers at the market to keep the booth running, she and Dan said Lemonade with a Purpose is Cooper’s idea, from concept to execution.

“This is a big endeavor for our family,” she said. “And it's about helping Cooper connect to what lights him up, helping him connect to a sense of, ‘I have the ability to make a difference in the world,’ his own sense of agency.”

In its first year, the booth donated $1,555 to charity. To date, it has given more than $6,800. The booth’s cash tips sponsor Shihab, a boy in Bangladesh who is around Cooper’s age.

With the profits from the booth’s second year, Cooper and his family volunteered at the Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center in the Amazon rainforest in Peru for a week.

“I wanted to give back to the community,” Cooper said. “Obviously, everyone in the farmers market is what's fueling this business, so I felt wrong to just take for myself. I had to give back.”

The process

Much like the concept of Lemonade with a Purpose, the lemonade itself is also a product of Cooper’s mind. He said he spent weeks studying and testing recipes to find the perfect blend to sell at the market on Saturdays.

The process starts on Wednesday or Thursday, when Bermet, an exchange student from Kyrgyzstan whom Cooper considers his sister, makes a simple syrup base. Before, Cooper and his family would hand-squeeze the lemons, a process that takes between four and five hours.

The family has since invested in a commercial juicer, which expedites the process. They work through Friday to prepare the lemonade and watermelon puree. The juices are packed that evening and ready for the market in the morning.

At the farmers market booth, customers can choose from blueberry, mango, peach, pina colada, raspberry, strawberry and watermelon lemonade.

The booth also has weekly specials, like peach tea. Customers can add lemon, lime or grapefruit sparkling water or flavored popping pearls to their

lemonade for $1 extra. Prices range from $5 to $7.

Cooper said the work is sometimes tiring, but he enjoys his seasonal business venture because it allows him to meet people and feel like he is a part of the community. On the side, he also works at a summer camp.

“I've just been having fun with it,” he said. “That's the whole goal, is having fun at this point.”

With two summers under his belt and a successful third in progress, Cooper has no plans to stop selling his lemonade. While he said he may try to expand one day, for now, he is content.

Cooper said he and his family are considering finding other families to sell his lemonade at other local markets. Until then, Lemonade with a Purpose can be found at the Alpharetta Farmers Market.

The market runs April through November from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays in downtown Alpharetta. The market will start at 9:30 a.m. in November.

“It's been a really good experience for our family to do this together and do something that gives back and at the same time, gives him a good experience,” Dan said.

Lemonade with a Purpose volunteer Laura Garrison-Brook pours lemonade for a customer Aug. 12 at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. More than a third of the booth’s profits are donated to charity.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Lemonade with a Purpose volunteer Dan Brook offers guests lemonade Aug. 12 at the Alpharetta Farmers Market. Dan and his wife Laura work at the booth to help their son Cooper, the founder.

Johns Creek expands recycling through Forsyth County pact

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek has entered a pilot program with its northern neighbor to expand services to three Forsyth County recycling centers.

The 90-day pilot program begins Sept. 1.

Johns Creek residents currently bring recyclable items to Keep North Fulton Beautiful’s Sandy Springs Recycling Center on Morgan Falls Road. Johns Creek officials said the program will provide a northern option for drop-offs.

The partnership will use Forsyth County’s Coal Mountain Center at 3560 Settingdown Road, the Old Atlanta Center at 3678 Old Atlanta Road and the Tolbert Street Center at 351 Tolbert

Street. The Old Atlanta location is the closest of the three to Johns Creek.

Officials said the program is part of an ongoing effort to expand recycling services. The city launched a glass recycling drop-off container at Ocee Park in October 2022, which received positive feedback and was heavily used. Both jurisdictions will review the pilot program’s results after three months to consider the possibility of a long-term partnership.

A list of acceptable items at the Forsyth County centers can be found online at forsythco.com/DepartmentsOffices/Recycling-Solid-Waste/ Recycling-Centers.

CITY OF JOHNS CREEK/PROVIDED

The Forsyth County Recycling Center on Old Atlanta Road in Suwanee is the county’s nearest location to Johns Creek. City residents can use the county’s three recycling facilities starting Sept. 1 as part of a partnership between the communities.

Dr. Samantha Benson

Dr. Cheryl McGowan

— Shelby Israel

Page

AMERICAN LEGION POST 201 EVENTS

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29 - “SINATRA & FRIENDS” NIGHT

Open to the Public

Featuring Dr. Patrick Sallarulo as Frank Sinatra, Sheri Winkelmann as Marilyn Monroe, and Mark Phillips as Dean Martin Visit www.legion201.org/events for details

SATURDAY, SEPT. 30 - “MARRIED WITH LAUGHTER”

Open to the Public

Featuring Jeff Norris and Renee DeLorenzo

A Laughter at the Legion Series Show

Tickets available online or at the Clubroom/Bar Visit www.legion201.org/events for details

DANCES & DANCE INSTRUCTION – Open to the Public

Dances: Friday, Saturday & Sunday Evenings

Line Dance Instruction: Monday & Friday Mornings; Wednesday Evening Free Dance Lessons: Thursday Evening (Donations Accepted for Troops & Veterans Services)

For Complete Details Visit: www.club201dance.com/calendar

From exhaustion to empowerment: Conquering caregiver stress

Brought to you by - Line Fleming, Staff Therapist at Summit Counseling Center

We hear a lot about someone going through a medical or mental health issue. We hear about their symptoms, how they affect them, and treatments they implement to improve their health.

But what about the caregiver helping with their recovery? The caregiver is the person experiencing the issues with you and providing care needs, and it can be short-term or life-long depending on the situation.

Caregiver stress is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion caregivers experience.

As a caregiver, you can become so focused about providing care for your loved one that you forget about yourself, putting your physical health and well-being in jeopardy. It’s important to be aware of how you’re feeling physically and emotionally, and to listen to others if they recognize that your health is suffering.

Signs of caregiver stress:

• Feeling overwhelmed and worried

• Not getting enough sleep

• Isolating from others

• Neglecting daily activities

• Becoming easily irritated

• Feeling sad

Ways to cope with caregiver stress:

• Focus on what you can provide.

Delegate some tasks to others.

• Establish a daily routine. Make a list of what needs to be done.

• Be intentional about self-care. Do one thing daily that rejuvenates you.

• Take a break! It is okay to accept help and take a “time out” from your caregiver duties.

Caring for a loved one who needs you is both rewarding and stressful. As your role as caregiver evolves, it’s natural to experience a mix of emotions and stressors. It’s important to recognize them to be proactive with helping yourself. A healthy and happy caregiver is better for you and your loved one!

Ticks are ruining hot dogs and hamburgers

Brought to You by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

Although I grew up in Georgia, I spent my summers near Boone, North Carolina at my granddad’s Christmas tree farm. Most mornings, I helped him in the fields where, at 70 years old, my granddad still easily outworked me. As the sun rose higher, I inevitably asked permission to leave the heavy burlap bags behind to hike into the cool shade of the mountain hollows above his fields. At the day’s end, my dog Willy and I would return with muddy scratches and a tick or two to pluck off our skin.

At the time, I didn’t recognize ticks for what they are. I thought that they were just another nuisance like a spider or a wasp. They are so much worse.

Ticks are vile, nefarious, silent creeping instruments of disease, disability, and death. The list of diseases that they carry stands at over two dozen and counting. Ticks carry bacterial diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tularemia (a type of plague). Ticks carry viruses such as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and Powassan virus. They carry protozoal diseases like Babesiosis. Some ticks even produce a toxin that can completely paralyze you and result in death if the tick is not found and removed. In the movie Oppenheimer, the famous physicist contemplates the destructive power of the atomic bomb and says “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” For me, the tiny tick is every bit as soul-shivering as the tiny atom.

Alright, maybe that comparison is a bit over the top, but ticks really are terrible. In addition to the diseases and toxins listed above is the amazing ability of some ticks to make their human victims allergic to mammalian meat including beef, pork, lamb and more. Ticks can cause a disease called Alphagal syndrome in which people bitten by a tick develop an allergy to these meats. Many patients with Alpha-gal can also no longer eat dairy.

Some mammals including cows, pigs and deer produce a carbohydrate (a chain of sugar molecules) called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (aka “alpha-gal”). When a tick feeds on one of these animals, some alpha-gal particles remain in the tick’s digestive tract. When the tick then feeds on a human, the tick injects a bit of this alpha-gal into the bloodstream of the human which can cause the human to develop an allergic reaction to alpha-gal carbohydrates.

Then, if the human eats food or products made from animals that produce alphagal, the human will have an allergic reaction. Three to eight hours after eating alpha gal-containing mammalian meat, affected individuals develop symptoms ranging from severe stomach pain to rashes, hives, difficulty breathing and even anaphylaxis.

Patients with Alpha-gal can still eat chicken, turkey, eggs and seafood, but some non-obvious foods like jello as well as some medicines can contain alphagal. Refined readers will be dismayed to learn that the CDC website on Alpha-gal syndrome states that Rocky Mountain oysters and “scrapple” are particularly high in alpha-gal. For me, prairie oysters and scrapple were always off the table, but hamburgers and hot dogs are more than just an American staple – they are an American treasure. When my kids and I have discussed what defines Mexican food, French fare, and other national cuisine, they have asked me what qualifies as “American” food. I believe that there is no more obvious answer than a burger at a backyard barbeque with friends or a hot dog at a family outing to a baseball game. And ticks are trying to ruin it!

Ticks aren’t just attacking us in National Parks. They are attacking us in our backyards. They are riding our clothes and animals inside to attack us where we live. They are causing allergies so that we can no longer eat hamburgers and hot dogs. Ticks are un-American.

In all seriousness, ticks really are more dangerous than I ever realized in my childhood, and recognizing the dangers of tick bites should provide inspiration to use insect repellants, carefully check clothing, hair and fur after outings and seek care for any signs of tick-borne illness. Some diseases ticks carry can cause lifelong disability or death, and parents and grandparents alike should perform “tick checks” in armpits and other nooks and crannies for unwanted pests after time in woods or fields. In areas endemic for Lyme disease, recent guidelines are even suggesting prophylactic doses of doxycycline after prolonged tick exposure (tick attachment for 36 hours or more).

As a Mohs surgeon, I have learned that the beach-goer has more to fear from the Sun in the sky than from a shark in the water. As someone who loves the great outdoors, I would add that I am more afraid of the tick on the leaf than the bear in the woods. If you, like me, have ever been sun-kissed or tick-bitten, Premier Dermatology is happy to help.

Warfield:

Continued from Page 1

and track coach or helped brand Cambridge and Milton high schools, Warfield used his background in fine arts to create packaging for Atlanta hip-hop artists. The sensibilities he developed as a breakdancer in the early ’80s on the streets of St. Louis had their place, too.

In 1995, he became the creative director for LaFace Records, once home to artists like OutKast, T.I. and Goodie Mob. Some of their album covers, designed by Warfield, are hanging on the walls of the Atlanta mayor’s office downtown in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th year. They will be available for viewing until October.

Appen Media joined Warfield in his Alpharetta studio, where he was in the midst of adding warm colors with a long paint brush to a piece for a retrospective show to be held in St. Louis.

The space had some of his older work, like the original painting for OutKast’s single “Elevators (Me & You),” tucked away in a side room. But many pieces, propped along the wall, were part of his new series “CYPHERS.” Large wooden wheels, some with rotating pieces, painted and printed in mostly black and white, moving bodies forming kaleidoscopic patterns.

Warfield’s latest hip-hop infused collection materializes the inner workings of a cypher – a tight circle of individuals where someone might step into the middle to rap or breakdance with a competitive spirit.

Warfield said cyphers are a place where rappers “exchange ideas and flows,” where some five B-Boys “keep going and going and going.” From a bird’s eye view of a cypher, he said angles appear and present as sacred geometry, patterns present in all of nature.

“That’s not by mystery, that’s designed on purpose,” Warfield said.

One of his intentions with “CYPHERS” is to create an air of mystery before a big reveal. From a distance, viewers see abstraction and it isn’t until they inch closer that they digest the event, the intensity of graffiti, dancers.

“I’ve always thought about, like, visually, ‘How can I elevate breakdancing in a way that it feels like fine art?’” Warfield said.

While a location has not yet been decided, he anticipates an exhibition for “CYPHERS” to be held in early 2024.

Warfield said hip-hop, like many other pop culture movements, is

a movement started by those with lesser means. From there, he said the music took on a life of its own, but to him Atlanta’s hip-hop scene is special.

“Atlanta separated themselves by being non-traditional, not trying to be like anybody else,” he said.

Warfield and his wife Lisa, both from the Midwest, knew they would move to the Georgia capital because of its reputation as a place where a young Black man could go and find success. But what cemented the move, Warfield said, was listening to OutKast’s song “Player’s Ball,” produced by Organized Noize.

“When I first heard that song, I was like ‘Jesus Christ, what is this?,’” he said. “It sounded like some place I gotta go and be around.”

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

DL Warfield, Milton resident, accompanies a piece from his new hip-hop infused series “CYPHERS.”

DL Warfield’s original painting of OutKast’s “Elevators (Me & You)” single hangs in his studio.

An exhibit of DL Warfield’s album art will be available at the Atlanta mayor’s office until October. Warfield was responsible for designing album covers like OutKast’s “ATLiens.”

Several pieces in DL Warfield’s new “CYPHERS” series sit in his studio off Trotters Way. He anticipates the exhibition to take place in early 2024.

PRESERVING THE PAST

The early history of firefighting in Alpharetta

The current hot summer is an appropriate time to write about firefighters because of risks due to weather.

Firefighters’ gear is hot in the winter and dangerously hot in summer when every 15 or 20 minutes firefighters must be replaced by a fresh team so they can hydrate and cool off before going back to fighting a blaze. A special rehab vehicle is an important part of keeping firefighters cool. In this column we are going to highlight the early history of the Alpharetta Fire Department which today is part of the Alpharetta Public Safety Department headed by John Robison.

The five fire departments in North Fulton County are Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Roswell and Sandy Springs. Each department has more than one location, and all departments help each other when there are major fires or other catastrophes. Alpharetta has six fire stations.

In the early 1940s, Alpharetta was a town of about 300 people and had no fire department. When a fire broke out, there was little to be done except to rely on ineffective bucket brigades. During World War ll, the Federal Office of Civil Defense donated some surplus firefighting equipment to the city so it could protect civilians in a war emergency. The equipment sat in the Milton County Courthouse unused. In 1944, two local businessmen, Ben and Loyal Brady, who owned a small Chevrolet dealership, gas station, repair shop and taxi business in downtown Alpharetta, worked with the local Civil Defense Council to access the stored equipment. The brothers bought a Dodge military truck for $200 from the Fort McPherson surplus yard in southwest Atlanta, today the location of Tyler Perry Studios. The truck was modified to accept a pump from the courthouse equipment. The brothers bought a 500-gallon water tank which Loyal welded onto the chassis. Hooks to hold ladders, a hose box, a siren and a coat of red paint were added, and Alpharetta had its first fire engine.

Ben Brady became Alpharetta’s first fire chief. Loyal was assistant chief. They kept the truck in Brady’s repair shop, and if a fire occurred, volunteer garage mechanics would jump aboard with Ben or Loyal and

ATLANTA CONSTITUTION/PROVIDED

On Sept. 7, 1964, an Alpharetta fire truck was responding to a request for help from the Roswell Fire Department when the truck swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car. The truck left the road and overturned. None of the three volunteer firemen were seriously injured but the truck was badly damaged. The city ordered a new fire engine and had it painted white to increase its visibility. Ever since, Alpharetta’s fire engines have been white.

head to the blaze. Since it was the only fire truck in North Fulton that could pump water from a tank, it was often called upon to fight fires in other cities, according to volunteer firefighter John Edelen, now deceased. Over time, better trucks replaced old trucks and more volunteers joined the department, including Billy Bates, deceased, who rose to prominence as a historian and genealogist of local families. Historian Connie Mashburn in his book, “Alpharetta, Milton County, the Early Years,” says that in the early 1950s the city built a small building adjacent to the old courthouse for the use of the fire and police departments. In 1957, a new city hall was completed, and the fire department was given space in the basement. A surplus siren installed on the roof was used to notify volunteers of a fire.

In 1964 Alpharetta responded to a call for help from the Roswell Fire Department to fight a fire that destroyed the Economy Church Furniture Store. While trying to avoid an oncoming car on Highway 9, Alpharetta’s fire truck left the road and rolled over. Although thrown from the truck cab, none of the three volunteers were seriously hurt; however, the truck was severely

damaged. The city ordered a new engine from the John Bean Fire Engine Company in Michigan with a high-pressure pumping engine and a 750-gallon water tank. To make the engine more visible, it was ordered in white. Ever since then, Alpharetta fire engines have been white.

In 1969, the Brady brothers retired from the department. New people and new equipment came and went in subsequent years. In 1976, for the first time the city purchased helmets, rubber coats and boots for the department. Until then volunteers fought fires in their street clothes.

Billy Bates’ son Bill joined the department as a volunteer in 1972 after earning a degree in marketing from Georgia State University. As a youth, Bill accompanied his father when he went on calls. Bill had to stay in the car while Billy fought fires. Bill became the second paid employee of the volunteer fire department in 1988, and in 1990 he became the city’s first full-time paid fire chief. Bill retired in 2006 from Alpharetta Fire Services which became part of the combined police, fire and 911 Public Safety Department.

One of Bill’s proudest achievements was the dramatic improvement in the department’s

FAMILY/PROVIDED Bill Bates in his turnout gear at the Canton Street Apartments near Wills Park in Alpharetta circa 1990. Turnout gear is the personal protective equipment (PPE) used by firefighters. The suit consists of three layers, an outer shell, a moisture barrier, and a thermal liner. A full set can weigh 45 pounds including helmets, gloves, hoods, boots, coats and pants.

ISO rating which is a score assigned to a fire department based on how well it can protect a community. The rating is used by insurance companies to determine homeowner insurance premiums. The lower the ISO rating, the lower the insurance premiums. When Bill started with the department, Alpharetta’s rating was 8. When he retired it was 2, thus saving residents a lot of money. Alpharetta Fire Services first earned an ISO1 rating in in 2015. Fewer than 1 percent of fire departments in the U.S. achieve that status.

Many dedicated, courageous individuals have served as Alpharetta firefighters over the years. All Alpharetta firefighters are also EMTs or paramedics. All undergo extensive training and are experts at what they do. Alpharetta’s citizens can be very proud.

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

They finally fired the cannon at my old newsroom

My first newspaper job was at the Marion County Record, a small weekly in central Kansas.

The late editor and publisher Bill Meyer taught me everything I know about community journalism. Bill’s wisdom and his command of writing for his smalltown audience was an acquired taste for a young college graduate with aspirations for the New York Times or Chicago Tribune. It took months, but I finally came around.

used to investigate a DUI conviction of a local business owner applying for a liquor license. The news staff never intended to publish the story because they surmised it was planted to discredit the business owner. Nevertheless, they did check out the lead by combing through government records.

police raid, she couldn’t eat or sleep.

The next day, she collapsed and died.

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

The first thing Bill told me was to focus primarily on the massive historic courthouse directly across the street where all county government business took place. An annex, just off to the side, was home to the City of Marion Police Department.

Bill told me that at one time, the courthouse had an old Civil War cannon on its front lawn. It was aimed straight at the newspaper. The antique had been removed by the time I arrived

in 1980.

But last Friday, they lit the fuse anyway.

City police, acting on a warrant signed by a magistrate judge, raided the newspaper office, confiscating equipment, computers and other materials necessary for publishing The Record. They didn’t stop there.

Police also raided the home of the publisher, Bill’s son Eric Meyer, seizing equipment and electronics.

The raid sought information on a confidential source the newspaper had

During the process of the home and newsroom search, police snatched a reporter’s cell phone, aggravating an earlier injury she’d sustained to a finger.

Eric’s 98-year-old mother, Joan, who shared ownership of the paper, also lived at the house with Eric. Police took her computer, the router that gave her access to Alexa smart speakers she used to call for assistance and to stream television. Joan watched as police pored over her son’s bank records and investment papers.

Joan was the paper’s community editor, and had been when I worked there, so I knew her well. She was always laughing, smiling about something.

Her son said she was in good health for her age up till last Friday. That night, she was crying. Following the

The Marion County Record was my professional nursery. Now, its ability to publish has been seized. I know of no other instance in my lifetime in which police shut down a newspaper in the United States. There are countless cases of it happening in Turkey, China and Russia.

I spoke with Eric on Monday, and, like his father, he was focused on getting the paper out this week. He said he was in the middle of untangling the mess left in the wake of the police raid.

“Even if I have to scribble something out on a notebook and deliver it door to door, we’re going to have something published this week,” he said.

So, this is where I should write some lofty platitudes about freedom of the press, about guarding our constitutional rights – maybe quote Jefferson. I should write that the press is the only profession specifically cited for protections in the U.S. Constitution.

I should write all that.

But, I’m too angry. I’m furious.

Newsrooms, reporters never forget

The operation’s cover was a search for information about a confidential source who had tipped the newspaper off to a local liquor license applicant’s buried DUI conviction.

She had been in good health, the Record reported, but was unable to eat or sleep following the raid.

generation of journalists, too.

CARL APPEN Director of Content and Development carl@appenmedia.com

As a company executive, I have the pleasure of attending conferences about the media industry. We network, train and problem-solve. One of my least favorite parts about the events, though, is the amount of time spent talking about the work. In recent years, there seems to be a trend of less editorial boards and more media columnists. Greater resources spent on analyzing local news and less on producing it. The people talking about local news are often those I want to listen to least. I would much prefer visiting other newsrooms and sitting quietly in the corner, observing the work they’re doing.

Over the weekend, news broke about a Kansas police department raiding a small weekly newspaper. Officers armed with a signed warrant stormed the office of the Marion County Record and the home of its publisher. They seized equipment, notes and other newsroom materials.

I knew Appen Media Managing Editor Pat Fox cut his teeth in Kansas newsrooms, so I sent him an article about the incident. As it turns out, Pat spent his first few years out of school at that very paper, working alongside the same family that was raided.

In a letter to Editor Eric Meyer, Pat wrote about an issue he had with the City of Marion Police Department some 40 years ago. He was not surprised to see more problems with the department, he wrote. More concerning was the fact that a district judge had signed a search warrant that was so likely illegal.

Pat’s letter never made it to the Record publisher because email service was disabled when police seized the paper’s equipment.

Unfortunately the disaster turned into a tragedy. Over the weekend, coowner of the paper Joan Meyer, 98, passed away.

She was in the house with her son Eric as police officers and sheriff’s deputies executed the warrant.

Pat later told me he knew Joan. She had worked in the newsroom alongside him. Her husband Bill Meyer was Pat’s first editor.

If I had to bet, the Meyer family did not attend many industry conferences.

The Marion County Record is probably one of those newsrooms where I’d rather visit and shadow, where operators are too busy doing the work to spend time talking about the work.

Pat signed his letter to the Record as the managing editor of a news media group in Alpharetta, Georgia. I’m sure he is almost as proud of that as I am. Pat Fox’s byline leaving the pages of the Marion County Record as a reporter, only to reappear as one running a newsroom 1,000 miles and many years away.

I know Bill and Joan had an impact on the people of Marion County. I also know they had an impact on the people of Metro Atlanta. The Meyers coached Pat, who in turn has fostered a group of reporters at Appen Media.

I’d like to imagine some Appen reporters will end up teaching the next

I don’t know much about Joan Meyer, but I know she contributed to Pat’s experience, which trickled down into my knowledge and the skills of my peers in the Appen Media newsroom. By that one fact I know she has had more of an impact than any conference I’ve attended.

One problem for the Marion County Police Department, Chief Cody and Judge Viar is that the U.S. Constitution protects the press, and the Department of Justice follows that lead.

Another is that journalists have a long, collective memory. News of the raid has been on the cover of The New York Times, the Washington Post and USA Today. It ran on ABC Sunday night and in Britain’s Guardian.

Those companies sent a condemnation letter to the Police Department, alongside the signatures of Bloomberg, the Associated Press, McClatchy, Pro Publica, the Wall Street Journal and the LA Times.

I know one Atlanta journalist who spent his Saturday morning reading up on the Kansas Open Records Act. We already knew the Meyers and the Marion County Record were paying attention. Now everyone else is, too.

“Even if I have to scribble something out on a notebook and deliver it door to door, we’re going to have something published this week.”

ERIC MEYER Marion County Record publisher

Thank you to the class of 2023, four years in the making

When I agreed to be a coach with Cambridge High School, I was elated about the opportunities ahead.

It was initially a little different because I had competed against them for at least the past five years while coaching other teams.

PATRICK STAFFORD

Fresh off a state runner-up finish for the girls team the past season, I was excited to retool and reload for a chance to compete for a state title. I began to build a relationship with the returning veterans (and fellow coaches) and looked forward to welcoming newcomers and incoming freshmen (particularly because we all would create experiences together).

The season started with promising big meet results in the Archer Invitational and Milton Showcase. Then, the track and field world as we knew it ground to a halt with the COVID-19 suspension of the remainder of the season. All were devasted, but understanding. The promising season was over. To this day, I wonder what would have been. I wonder which of our athletes would have competed for an individual state title. I wonder whether we would have competed for the elusive state team title. I wondered how the freshmen felt. With the NCAA granting an additional year of eligibility to their athletes, I wondered how many of the seniors may have lost

collegiate recruiting opportunities. I, and the world, just wondered.

The 2021 season arrived with much anticipation, along with a number of unknowns. Would many of the athletes return after the COVID pause? Did we lose some to transfer? The answer for us, thankfully, was that many returned. We worked hard that year with the boys winning the region and the ladies finishing fourth, but we were not able to advance enough athletes to state to make a measurable team impact except in a few events. Nevertheless, we were happy to have completed a full season.

The 2022 season turned out to be a positive one in the process of building on a program goal of continual improvement. The team enjoyed success at a number of big meets and

was finding success in a number of disciplines around the track. After the girls won the region and the boys finished a close second, a number of athletes advanced to sectionals and then to state. Our state contingent was strong with the girls team just missing the podium and having one state champ (0livia Bollenbacher – now at Colorado State – in the pole vault), and the boys competing well.

We looked with a great deal of anticipation at what the next year would bring. We were slated to drop down one classification and go to a new championship venue. It did not matter. Although we lost some key athletes due to graduation, we could not wait for the new region and season.

The 2023 season had arrived.

The senior year for those who had lost their first year due to the COVID suspension. Those same seniors that were determined to make this an impactful and memorable season. Indeed it would be. After doing well in any number of big meets, with state classification leading marks in a number of events, both the girls and the boys won a tough region title. At sectional, a large contingent advanced to state. The team performed superbly at state with the girls finishing a close runner-up (led by state titles from Julia Versluis in pole vault; Lilah Versluis in triple jump; and Gabrielle Dandridge finishing second in the 400 meters), and the boys finishing tied for sixth (led by the hurdling duo of Dominick Lawshea and Ibrahim Bangura, plus Dillon Shin in a number of events).

All in all, the seniors contributed to a number of the top finishes and showed great leadership for the underclassmen as they depart for their next steps in life. My primary thought is that they endured and lasted the four years and set the tone and model future team success.

I end by simply saying thank you to the seniors! Thank you to each of them. Thank you to the coaches, athletes, school administrators and those that officiated across the state. Wishing each of you continued success – in track and life.

Authors can trigger a variety of emotions

an exclusive hotel near Hollywood, California, it entertained me with its spunky heroine and a few mystery men.

KATHY MANOS PENN

My two recent reads evoked different emotions — one book was entertaining, while the other was thought-provoking. I found one delightful and the other distressing. Perhaps I should have read them in reverse order, so that I could more easily dispel the cloud created by the second one.

“The Girl Who Knew Too Much”

by Amanda Quick

Amanda Quick is a new author for me, and this book, the first in her Burning Cove series, was a great place to start. Set in the 1930s in

Rookie reporter Irene is on the scene for a murder or two and, of course, uses her investigative skills to ferret out the murderer and get the story. Along the way, Hollywood moguls and others try to shut down her investigation, but she has no plans to stop.

It’s an intriguing mystery with a bit of romance thrown in, and there’s more than one mystery solved by the time it’s over. I enjoyed the way the author slowly revealed the backgrounds of the main characters as the story progressed. Wanting to know more about each of them was a big reason that I found this book to be a page-turner. I wanted to learn

their secrets as much as I wanted to find out who the villain was – and the villain was a shocker.

I highly recommend this book, but I suggest you be prepared to stay up late several nights to finish it. I sure did. This next novel will also keep you awake at night, but for different reasons.

“I have some questions for you”

by Rebecca Makkai

I’ve been struggling to put words to how I feel about this book. It is unquestionably a well-written crime tale, one set in a New England boarding school.

Finally, I found an NPR review that captured its essence:

“This is a dark, uncomfortable story about murder, racism, sexual abuse, grief, the nature of collective

memory, privilege, the way humans want to be at the center of tragedy even when they’re not, and feeling like an outsider.”

The story centers on a crime committed in 1995 at the school, the murder of a promising senior girl. Twenty years later, Bodie Kane, the girl’s roommate, answers the call to teach two short mid-semester courses at her alma mater.

Even before she gets there, the question tormented her: Did they convict the right person? What follows is Bode working her way backward and forward as she examines what she remembers, what she may have blocked, and what she could have done differently. Mixed in with the crime at the center of the novel are

See EMOTIONS, Page 19

Patrick Stafford is an assistant coach for Cambridge High School Track and Field. He lives in Atlanta.

Guest Columnist

SPECIAL TO APPEN MEDIA

Both the boys and girls track and field teams at Cambridge High School won the 5A Region Championship for the first time in school history April 24-25.

Columnist

Emotions:

Continued from Page 18

references to the oh-so many crimes against women that we are now accustomed to hearing about.

It’s a thought-provoking book, not just as you try to determine whodunit, but also as you consider today’s social environment. What I found most horrifying — yes, horrifying – were the descriptions of what teenage boys said and did to their female classmates in 1995. Do the sexual insults and accusations hurled by these young men have any basis in reality? If so, today’s teenagers inhabit a different world than the one I grew up in. “Dark” is a word that comes to mind as I attempt to describe this book, but somehow, that doesn’t begin to touch it.

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

Who wants to be a Master Gardener Extension Volunteer?

Two weeks ago, I began to notice brown spots in my lawn. Neighbors’ lawns also have these brown patches. Will it eventually go away on its own? Or, should I act?

What are these ferns? They’re choking everything out and they’re so dense they don’t look good. I’m considering removing them entirely, if that’s possible. Some of them are 6 feet tall.

We planted a tree several years ago and now it seems to be dying branch by branch. Why are these branches dying? Are there options available to preserve my tree?

Finding solutions for plant problems sometimes feels like being a contestant on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”

Myriad websites and product advertisements provide the multiple choices. Neighbors, contractors, and retail garden professionals compose the audience and your phone-a-friend list available as lifelines.

Georgia residents seeking answers to horticultural questions can access another resource. UGA Extension Master Gardener Extension Volunteers are here providing unbiased researchbased horticultural information and educational programs in counties around the state.

The Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program started in the early 1970s as a way for an agricultural extension agent in Washington state to meet the growing demand of home gardeners with requests for information about plants in their landscapes. Volunteers were recruited and trained to respond to gardeners’ questions. The program’s success led to the establishment of programs in all 50 states and multiple countries around the world.

Georgia’s Master Gardener Program was started in Atlanta in 1979, and participants have been teaching community members how to use plants and gardening to improve their environment, personal health, and quality of life since. The UGA Extension Fulton County agriculture and natural resources team depends on the dedicated service of more than 100 volunteers to provide our diverse community of more than one million with answers to their questions, beautifully maintained gardens, and horticultural programs.

The purpose of the Georgia

Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program is to assist UGA Extension in delivering educational programs to increase environmental stewardship, success in home food production, youth participation in gardening, the value of landscapes, and health benefits of gardening. Active projects in Fulton County include exhibiting at horticultural shows and festivals, writing articles, presenting to live and virtual audiences, and responding directly to residents’ questions — like the real questions received by our office last week and included at the top of this article.

The first step in becoming a Master Gardener is completing a few forms and an interview with the local UGA Extension office. Selected trainees complete 42 hours of core horticultural training and pass two exams to prepare for their new role. Within the first year, trainees complete 50 hours of volunteer service. After completing 50 hours on Extension-approved projects that support MGEV program initiatives, the Trainee is recognized as an official MGEV. To remain a current, active MGEV, volunteers give at least 25 hours of volunteer service hours each year and track their accomplishments using an online recordkeeping system.

If you have a passion for teaching others through volunteer community service and consumer horticulture programming, we hope you will consider applying for our upcoming class beginning in January 2024. Applications are being accepted until September 15, 2023 and notification of acceptance will be communicated by December 1, 2023.

To learn more about the UGA Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program or to submit your application for the next training class, visit https:// site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/ files/2023/08/2024-Fulton-CountyMGEV-Application-Final.pdf or Fulton County’s MGEV site at https:// extension.uga.edu/county-offices/ fulton/agriculture-and-naturalresources/mastergardner.html.

Happy gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative. Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.

Learn more

• 2024 MGEV class application - https://site.extension.uga.edu/fultonag/ files/2023/08/2024-Fulton-County-MGEV-Application-Final.pdf

• Fulton County MGEV page - https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/ fulton/agriculture-and-natural-resources/mastergardner.html

• Becoming a MGEV - https://extension.uga.edu/programs-services/ georgia-master-gardener-extension-volunteer-program/volunteer/becominga-mgev.html

• Frequently Asked Questions - https://extension.uga.edu/programsservices/georgia-master-gardener-extension-volunteer-program/volunteer/ becoming-a-mgev/frequently-asked-questions.html

• Become a Master Gardener - https://nfmg.net/becomeMG.html

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is James Herrin, agriculture and natural resources agent with UGA Extension Fulton County. James is motivated by learning and leverages this to help clients solve the issues and answer the questions they bring to the Extension office. In addition to helping coordinate Fulton County’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program, James supports county teachers with agricultural programming, works with farmers, and delivers educational programs for Fulton County residents.

JAMES HERRIN Guest Columnist

Full-time

SERVICE DIRECTORY

PC TECHNICIAN

Sawnee EMC is seeking a PC Technician to review PC and network system capabilities; inspect personal computer equipment; prioritize and schedule repairs; and coordinate help desk activities. Requires an associate degree with a minimum of three years of experience in LAN/Network design, configuration, installation, and PC troubleshooting. Position is fulltime; must be flexible to work irregular hours as necessary, to include evenings and weekends.

Must have a thorough working knowledge of administering and maintaining the latest version of Windows Operating Systems; MS Office products; Office 365; internet configuration and technologies. Must have strong verbal documentation and customer service skills. Strong abilities performing monitoring, testing, troubleshooting, maintenance, and administration of WAN/LAN infrastructure, SCCM, Power Shell, iPhone, iPad, Airwatch, MDT, Intune and KMS.

Applicants must complete an application prior to 5 PM, September 1, 2023. Apply online: www.sawnee. com/careers. If you require a paper application or an alternate format, please contact us at 770-887-2363 extension 7568.

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer of Females, Minorities, Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities. Sawnee EMC is VEVRAA Federal Contractor. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Drug Free Workplace.

Software Engineer Senior (Alpharetta, GA): Develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Work throughout the software development life cycle and perform in a utility capacity to create, design, code, debug, maintain, test, implement and validate applications with a broad understanding of a variety of languages and architectures. Resumes to: Total System Services LLC, Brian Simons, Associate Director, HR Risk and Compliance, One TSYS Way, Columbus GA 31901. #AN489124

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.

Part-time

Donor Operations

Associate

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.

ASSISTANT TEACHERS Midway Preschool at Midway United Methodist Church is looking for people to join our team as part-time Assistant Teachers. Tuesday/Thursday or M-F from 8:15am – 1:30pm. Please contact Beth: beth@midwayumc.org

Tree Services

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

Appen-Rated 98 Text or Call us for a FREE quote appointment.

Tree removal, Prun ng, Stump grinding, Free mulch. Fully insured. Emergency 24/7. 770-450-8188

Home Improvement

DECKS BUILT & REPAIRED-DRYBELOW SYSTEMS INSTALLED – Affordable hardwood flooring-engineered flooring. Heritage Home Maintenance, 678-906-7100 HOMEREPAIRGA@GMAIL.COM, (HERITAGECONSTRUCTIONGA.COM)

Gutters

AARON’S ALL-TYPE GUTTERS Installed. Covers, siding, soffit, facia. www.aaronsgutters.com. Senior citizen discount! 678-508-2432

Pinestraw

PINESTRAW, MULCH

Delivery/installation available. Firewood available. Licensed, insured. Angels of Earth Pinestraw and Mulch. 770-831-3612

Bargains/Antiques

ANTIQUE TABLE, diningroom size. No scratches, looks new. $75/negotiable. 678-663-5953, 253-293-6508.

Roofing

ROOF LEAKING?

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

Driveway

$250 OFF NEW DRIVEWAY!

Flooring

PHILLIPS FLOORING

Hardwood, laminate, carpet & tile installation and repairs. We do tile floors, showers, tub surrounds and kitchen back-splashes. Regrouting is also available. Call 678-887-1868 for free estimate.

Health & Fitness

NATIONAL ADVERTISING

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.

Cemetery

GREENLAWN ROSWELL:

2 plots on picturesque lakeview hillside. Market price, $9000 each. Bargain priced at $6000 each! 770-475-7307

VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00. 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW!

Español

888-445-5928 Hablamos

Dental Insurance - Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real in-surance - not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-855-526-1060 www. dental50plus.com/ads #6258

Attention oxygen therapy users!

Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587

Miscellaneous

Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-855-948-6176

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 20% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-833-610-1936

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call

1-800-245-0398

HughesNet - Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo!

Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

Become a published author.

We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

DISH TV $64.99 For 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Included, Free Voice Remote. Some restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24.

1-866-479-1516

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Fi-nancing available.

1-855-417-1306

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure!

1-888-489-3936

Free high speed internet if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Call Maxsip Telecom!

1-833-758-3892

Inflation is at 40 year highs. Interest rates are way up. Credit Cards. Medical Bills. Car Loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call National Debt Relief to find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! Free quote: 1-877-592-3616

Wesley Financial Group, LLC Timeshare Cancellation ExpertsOver $50,000,000 in timeshare debt & fees cancelled in 2019. Get free info package & learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-308-1971

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS

1-866-859-0405

Are you a pet owner? Do you want to get up to 100% back on vet bills? Physicians Mutual In-surance Company has pet coverage that can help! Call 1-844774-0206 to get a free quote or visit insurebarkmeow.com/ads

Diagnosed with lung cancer & 65+? You may qualify for a substantial cash award. No obligation! We’ve recovered millions. Let us help! Call 24/7 1-877-707-5707

My Caring Plan’s local advisors have helped thousands of families with unique needs find sen-ior living. Can you afford 2k a month in rent? We can help for free! 866-511-1799

Deadline to place a Classified ad is Thursday at

4 pm