Sandy Springs Crier - January 26, 2023

Candle shop owner stresses clean, safe scent alternatives

‘Learn and ask questions’

Sandy Springs marks MLK Day with kids art and film event

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — There are many ways to celebrate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Some complete service projects in his honor or attend events celebrating his legacy, while others use it as a day of prayer, contemplation or rest.

But for the City of Sandy Springs, the holiday has become a day of learning, questions and fun for the city’s most important resource, young residents.

The City of Sandy Springs held its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Film Celebration at City Hall Monday, Jan. 16, offering a set of educational activities and showings of the 1998 movie “My Friend Martin” for 200 participants, young and old.

Kemp to keep state’s focus on education

By CANDY WAYLOCK candy@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — In a spirited inaugural address Jan. 12, Gov. Brian Kemp took media and pundits to task and renewed his commitment to make education a priority in his second term.

“We listened to the people of our state…not the cocktail circuit [or] the so-called experts,” Kemp said before the crowd gathered at Georgia State University’s Convocation Center. “We gave Georgians the opportunity to go back to work, get their kids back in the classroom…and protect freedom to live their lives without fear of more government lockdowns, mandates and overreach.”

Kemp followed up on his commitment to education the next day by sending his amended FY 2023 budget to the Georgia Legislature which includes a $2,000 raise for teachers, pre-K teachers and certified kindergarten through 12th grade personnel.

If approved by the Legislature, the starting salary for first-year teachers will rise this year to $40,500 and average more than $62,000 for the state’s 115,000 public school teachers. The increase could place Georgia among the top 20 states for teacher pay, which was a goal Kemp set in his first run for office.

Above: Sandy Springs City Councilwoman Melody Kelley opens the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Film Celebration at City Hall on Monday, Jan. 16. Left: Scores of Sandy Springs residents gather for the city’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Film Celebration.

Sandy Springs residents of all ages participate in educational activities, during the city’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Film Celebration.

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SANDY SPRINGS POLICE REPORTS

After months of efforts to provide readers accurate information about crime in the Sandy Springs, the Police Department continues supplying The Crier with abbreviated accounts of police activities. These reports, usually one sentence, contain no pertinent information about crime, arrests, investigations or threats to neighborhoods.

The Crier continues to pursue avenues to make full police incident reports information available to the public and to the taxpayers who fund their police department.

For the Fiscal Year 2023, Sandy Springs is set to spend $27 million on Police and $1.9 million for Communications.

Roswell Police Department reaches full staffing level

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By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. —For the first time in 20 years, the Roswell Police Department is fully staffed.

The department announced there were 160 officers employed at the start of 2023, leaving no vacancies.

“Staffing for law enforcement and retention is a challenge, it’s not a Roswell, North Fulton, Georgia issue, it’s worldwide,” Police Chief James Conroy said.

When Conroy was appointed chief in 2019, he said the department had many vacancies. Hiring new officers and keeping them was his top priority.

His first step was to address salary. Historically, Conroy said Roswell has played “catch up” with the salaries in neighboring cities.

“Salary is just one component, but it is the big headline grabber,” Conroy said.

He met with Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson and the City Council to address police pay, and in July 2022 the council agreed on a “Best in Class” salary template.

The policy raised existing officer salaries by 20 percent and boosted starting salaries by 20 percent across the board. Brand new officer’s salaries start at $58,553, and officers with experience and a college degree can make up to $71,635.

Conroy said the salary increase worked. In 2022, the department hired

36 new police officers, 23 of them with experience at other agencies.

The mix of new and experienced officers was intentional. Conroy said the department received 737 applications in 2022 alone, but they wanted some officers with experience who could start the job faster.

Still, Conroy wanted to put some officers through the academy so they could learn about Roswell from the ground up.

“This is where they develop their policing skills, many of them grew up here, then became officers,” Conroy said. “They work where they grew up, which is important.”

Salary increases aren’t the only measure the city is taking to bolster its police department. In November, Roswell residents approved a $52 million public safety bond, almost half of it committed to a new public safety headquarters for police, fire and the 911 call center.

The Roswell Police Department has been in the same building on Hill Street since 1991. Back then, there were 88 officers serving 49,000 residents. Since then, the population has nearly doubled to 93,000.

With a nearly doubled officer size, Conroy said the department has “outgrown” its existing headquarters.

Roswell Councilwoman Lee Hills, who serves as liaison to Public Safety, supports the initiative to reward good policing.

“Our residents don’t know all that

most officers do, but I would say in the top three items if you ask any of our residents, brand new or been here forever, why do you love it here?” Hills said. “It feels good, it’s safe.”

Conroy emphasized the department takes a less traditional approach to some aspects of policing.

The department abides by a 21stcentury policing, a six-pillar framework focused on reducing crime and building trust with the public. It also has an active policy of de-escalation, an alternative police tactic focused on decreasing the intensity of confrontations.

A 2022 University of Cincinnati study showed that training officers in de-escalation techniques resulted in 28 percent fewer use-of-force incidents, 26 percent fewer injuries to community members and 36 percent fewer injuries to police officers.

Conroy said teaching officers the policy was hard, but the department is “being smart” about interactions, and there is still work to do. In the coming weeks he expects a few vacancies, but he already has a list of candidates lined up.

Mayor Kurt Wilson and Councilwoman Hills said they plan to continue their support for sound policing through 2023.

Wilson said city support needs to be more than financial.

“They look at more than salary, they look at support,” Wilson said. “Are we supported by our elected officials, are we supported by our community?”

Sandy Springs secures key site for Mt. Vernon Highway projects

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs officials this week secured a property key to finalizing the Johnson Ferry Road/Mt. Vernon Highway improvement project, initiated by the city’s 2016 transportation sales tax.

At the Jan. 17 Sandy Springs City Council meeting, councilmembers approved the purchase of 1.8 acres on Mt. Vernon Highway, called “the Spruill Property,” from the estate of a 96-yearold resident for $2.2 million.

The property, which sits between the Sandy Spring Library and Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church, will allow the city to build a connector road between Mt. Vernon Highway and Johnson Ferry Road, City Attorney Dan Lee said.

Eliminating bottlenecks

Corridor improvement projects in the area are aimed at “improving vehicular and pedestrian mobility” in the downtown Sandy Springs area by eliminating “bottlenecks” on Johnson Ferry Road and Mt. Vernon Highway.

“In an effort to support the need to promote development in the downtown area of the city, staff has identified the property as a necessary acquisition to construct a connector road between Johnson Ferry Road and Mt. Vernon Highway,” officials said in a report.

The project is part of set of improvements to Johnson Ferry Road and Mt. Vernon Highway totaling $23.4 million, which were funded through the Sandy Springs 2016 TSPLOST and started in 2017.

Lee said they have also agreed to trade a section on the west side of the property, which won’t be used for the road, to Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church.

A home on the 1.8-acre property will be demolished to build the connector road, and Lee said the city expects to close on the sale in February.

Council members also approved the purchase of land on the south shoulder of Mt. Vernon Highway for $313,000 from the Autumn Chase Homeowners Association. The parcel will also be used for roadway improvement projects on Mt. Vernon Road.

“The greatest part of this $313,000 recommended purchase price has to do with the cost to procure, which means replacing the hardscapes many trees on the property and lots of landscape,” Lee said.

The first property purchase was

Sandy Springs #1 Kitchen

City

two property purchase agreements at a meeting Jan. 17. The purchases will complete key sections of improvements to Johnson Ferry Road and Mt. Vernon Highway.

unanimously approved. The second purchase was approved 6-0, with District 3 Councilwoman Melissa Mular recused due to a conflict of interest.

Recycling amendment approved

Councilmembers also approved an amendment to the city’s solid waste ordinance, requiring all local waste haulers to offer recycling services to their customers.

Sandy Springs Sustainability Manager Catherine Mercier-Baggett told councilmembers the amendment would make recycling a uniform requirement for local companies but wouldn’t require citizens to participate in the programs.

“The greater goals of this text amendment is to provide convenient access to recycling to all of our residents and businesses and ultimately reduce the amount of waste that gets to the landfill,” Mercier-Baggett said

Currently all authorized waste haulers in Sandy Springs, except for one, offer recycling services. The company which doesn’t offer recycling is small and isn’t accepting any new customers, so it will be grandfathered in, she said.

Under the new ordinance, companies will only need to offer one type of recycling, but will be required to deliver what they pickup to a Material Recovery Facility and not the landfill. If problems arise with companies not disposing of materials properly, the company could be investigated, she said.

The ordinance amendment will apply for service at both single family and multi-family dwellings.

Mercier-Baggett said the ordinance amendment will go into effect in April.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and members of the

Council consider

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE CRIER?

Machu Pichu

Kemp:

Continued from Page 1

“We know we need more teachers,” said Kemp, whose daughter is a teacher. “We [also] need to help our kids recover from learning loss, to keep our classrooms safe and [commit] to fully funding our schools once again.”

Educators express support

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators praised the governor’s budget proposal, pointing to the challenges of retaining teachers in the classroom over the past few years. (Statewide study probes deeper into teacher burnout | School News | appenmedia.com)

“We are encouraged by Gov. Kemp’s announcement today of a proposed $2,000 increase to the state salary schedule for Georgia pre-K–12 teachers and certified K-12 personnel,” said PAGE Executive Director Craig Harper. “There is no doubt that a salary increase would assist with recruitment and retention of excellent educators for Georgia’s children.

Four years ago, in his first run at the state’s top office, Kemp won ona platform of public education support. He was able to push through a $5,000 salary increase for teachers during that term.

If Kemp’s amended FY 2023 budget is approved by the Legislature as expected, teachers on the state salary schedule will have received a $7,000 pay hike in his first five years in office.

Moving into FY 2024, which begins July 1, Kemp’s proposed budget includes over $150 million in one-time grants for school districts to address school security, learning loss and create pathways for paraprofessional staff to become fully certified teachers.

Officials with the Georgia School Boards Association praised the governor’s efforts to continue supporting teachers

and students.

“Governor Kemp has been financially supportive of Georgia’s public schools once again this year, [and] we are particularly happy to see funding for items we asked for,” said Justin Pauley, director of communications for the association. “It may not look exactly as we hoped, but the school safety funding and additional counselors is greatly appreciated.

Georgia’s coffers are full

The state is well-positioned financially to support education, Kemp noted, despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and shaky national economy over the past three years.

“As we look ahead to the upcoming fiscal year, we expect the state’s economy to be well positioned to withstand any further national economic slowing,” Kemp wrote in letter to lawmakers that accompanied his budget. “The amended FY 2023 and FY 2024 budgets [will] continue to meet our financial obligations as a state while also investing in the education, health, and safety of our citizens.”

Georgia is coming out of the pandemic in better shape than many states, with a projected surplus of $2.4 billion this year.

Kemp noted Georgia has been among the top 10 states for business for the 9th year in a row. If the governor has his way, much of the state’s tax surplus will be returned to taxpayers this year through tax refunds and a one-time homeowner property tax relief grant to help with rising local property taxes.

“Instead of catering to the talk shows or what is [trending] in media, this administration and the leadership in the General Assembly are going to put you and your families first…and spend the next four years focused on growing Georgia,” Kemp said in his inaugural speech.

“This old construction guy from Athens has never been more optimistic about the future of our state.”

The Watts family from Dunwoody and Do family from Johns Creek hiked the mini Incan Trail in Peru on a beautiful sunny day and ended the hike at Machu Picchu on Christmas Eve. The Crier was lucky enough to join them on the trip. Send your photos with The Crier to newsroom@appenmedia.com

ARVIN TEMKAR/CAPITOL BEAT NEWS SERVICE

Gov. Brian Kemp is sworn in for his second term by Justice Carla Wong McMillian in an inauguration ceremony at Georgia State Convocation Center in Atlanta on Jan. 12.

Liz Hausmann reflects on decades in public office

NFULTON COUNTY, Ga. — ewly retired Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann sat down with Appen Media Managing Editor Patrick Fox Jan. 6 to reflect on her 25-year career in politics, Georgia State Senate campaign loss and her future plans.

A lifelong Republican, Hausmann ran on a platform of fighting crime, election integrity, low millage rates, job creation and increased mental health funding in schools.

Looking back, Hausmann said she doesn’t know if the seat was ultimately winnable for a Republican. The District 14 seat covers parts of Roswell, Sandy Springs and north Atlanta, but that was not always the case.

The senate district originally covered rural Bartow County but was moved to the more purple North Fulton as part of the 2021 legislative redistricting.

“North Fulton is changing

By DELANEY TARR | delaney@appenmedia.com

For the past 12 years, Hausmann has represented District 1 seat on the Fulton County Commission, which covers much of North Fulton. Prior to her time on the County Commission, she served as a charter member of the Johns Creek City Council, a member of the Fulton County Board of Education and on the

demographically,” Hausmann told Fox. “It was viewed as a toss-up seat initially, but I think something’s happened nationally that affected the outlook of folks in the district.”

After losing the election, Hausmann decided to retire.

Volatile beginnings

Hausmann has built a career as a connecter between county and city governments. She was a charter member of Johns Creek City Council and assisted in its incorporation efforts in 2006.

Hausmann said tension between the county and local communities helped spur the drive to form Johns

Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections.

Hausmann retired after losing her bid for the Georgia State Senate District 14 seat in November. In her only career loss, Hausmann finished 9 percentage points behind her Democratic opponent Josh McLaurin.

Creek.

“It was very much the cities had to be created in order just to get basic services,” Hausmann said.

Residents in the area, she said, felt neglected by a county that was too large to provide communities with the service levels they needed on issues like traffic.

“The entire reason was just to have control over what kind of developments come in your community, what the road projects might be, what the parks may be like,” Hausmann said.

Her time in the city’s early years motivated her to run for Fulton County Commission, even

though Johns Creek had a tenuous relationship with the county government.

“Fulton County is so unique, with all the cities that we have, that it was so important to me that we learn to live with each other and work together,” Hausmann said. “Having come from a city that's really been one of the main reasons I ran.”

Joining the ‘bad guys’

It was a change for Hausmann, noting that Fulton County had been painted as “the bad guy that didn’t pay us any attention.”

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

District 1 Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann, who will vacate her seat at the end of 2022, was honored by Alpharetta officials at the Dec. 12 City Council meeting. City representatives said that Hausmann was an invaluable ally to the people of north Fulton County, and they honored her with a city proclamation. Hausmann, a Republican, ran unsuccessfully for Georgia’s District 14 Senate seat in this year’s election.

Hausmann:

Continued from Page 6

Hausmann said that was the climate she faced when she won the District 1 commission seat as the only voice representing North Fulton.

Despite the tension, Hausmann said she was determined to forge relationships and avoid being antagonistic.

Within a couple of years, composition of the commission districts changed and a new District 2 seat was created to add more representation in North Fulton. The new districts equalized the county with three representatives from the north, three in the south and the chairman at large. It solved the problem of representation, but there were many other issues to tackle.

In Hausmann’s first term, the county went through three different managers, in a period she describes as “volatile.”

By the time the county chose a sound manager, commissioners had to inform him the county was near bankruptcy. When current County Manager Dick Anderson came on board in 2015, he sat the commissioners down for training, helped with policies and worked on changing the entire environment.

Hausmann said it was the start of solving their dysfunction as a county, with commissioners sitting down to eat lunch with city mayors for the first time to attempt to find common ground.

Even so, through the years, some city mayors offered few good words for Fulton County.

Fox cited former Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker as one key official who seldom trusted the county and was often quoted blasting it for some of its decisions.

When Fulton County commissioners voted to distribute $2.5 million of the $104 million it received in federal coronavirus relief to the cities, Bodker and a number of other mayors were outraged and threatened to sue.

The county relented and bumped the cities’ share to $25 million.

“Fulton County screws all its residents equally,” Bodker said after the agreement.

For those who continued to butt heads with the county, Hausmann had a simple answer.

“Just give them a job, let them be part of the solution,” Hausmann said.

So, in 2021, with Bodker announcing he would not seek

another term as Johns Creek Mayor, Hausmann nominated and won approval to place him on the Development Authority of Fulton County, where he now serves as treasurer.

For her first four years in office, Hausmann was the only Republican on the commission. It left her often a dissenting vote on issues, like her contentious support in keeping the old Alpharetta library so it could later be converted into an art center.

For the entirety of her career, Hausmann was rarely at the center of conflicts, even in the face of inflammatory conflicts and tensions with local governments.

“I told y’all, I’m not going to go and be a bomb thrower, I’m just going to get things done,” Hausmann said.

With a mix of Republicans and Democrats on the commission, Hausmann pointed out the vote splits were often not along party lines.

According to Hausmann, even with all of the existing challenges, the steps she and the commission took led to a period of peace between the county and local cities.

But the group hug didn’t last long.

Sales tax negotiations

The Fulton County local option sales tax, or LOST, is used by local government to fund projects and services like parks, public safety, recreation, elections, courts, jails and health.

Revenues from the tax, which run in the billions, are split between Fulton County and its 15 cities through a negotiated agreement every 10 years.

In 2022, county negotiators introduced a distribution that would increase the county’s share of sales tax revenues from the current 5 percent to 35 percent, leaving the 15 cities to split the remaining 65 percent. It was a distribution formula not seen since before 2000 when there were still large chunks of unincorporated areas the county serviced.

Mayors from the 15 cities were outraged, pointing out that the landscape of Fulton County had changed drastically since the pre-2000 rate. They said that with the creation of almost half a dozen new cities, Fulton County now presides over 1.5 square miles of unincorporated land today.

The relevancy of Fulton County

Over the past 25 years, the might of Fulton County has diminished. New cities, like Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Milton, and South Fulton have all but closed the door to county sway in many areas.

Hausmann admitted she was taken aback by the county’s initial proposal and stressed that the pitch came from consultants and not commissioners.

“We had just determined there’d be negotiating teams that would meet,” Hausmann said. “The first meeting when the outrageous 35 percent was thrown out there turned everything on its ear.”

In response, cities tried to put forward a proposal that would leave the county with nothing, a move Hausmann called “unrealistic.”

“There are things that the county does that do qualify under the law for the use of LOST revenue that we were using their money for,” Hausmann said.

Cities are more dependent on the funds than the county, but the county needs the funds for elections, courts, libraries, tax assessments, safety net services and public health, she said.

Over time, the county and cities negotiated an agreement by which the county will receive about 10 percent of LOST revenues over the 10-year period. Across the decade, the county share will slowly increase from 4.9 percent to 9.9 percent, leaving the cities with a slow decrease in their share.

The agreement still leaves the cities with 90 percent of the funds, and officials predict economic growth will offset the staggered decrease in LOST funds.

“For years we were making such progress and to see it all, you know, be blown apart was really, really hurtful,” Hausmann said. “I think we did some serious damage over these LOST negotiations.”

She said the resolution is fair but took longer than she hoped for.

The county covers 534 square miles, but it only has exclusive jurisdiction over 1.5 square miles.

Hausmann defended the relevance of the county government.

“See, the services are different,” Hausmann said. “I think that’s what people need to understand.”

At their core, the county serves different areas than the cities, a fact shown by the uses for LOST funding in different areas.

As an example, Hausmann pointed to the County Health Department. Before COVID-19 hit, she said nobody cared about the department. The onset of the pandemic changed that mindset significantly, especially since Fulton County is responsible for Grady Hospital, which has 953 beds.

“I would say that Fulton County serves all 1.1 million folks that live in Fulton County,” Hausmann said.

As Hausmann exits a political career that spans a quarter of a century, she points to North Fulton’s rapid development as a source of pride.

When she joined the Fulton County Board of Education in 2003, there were only about four high schools in the area.

“All the kids were in trailers, and you know, we’re bursting at the seams,” Hausmann said.

Now, the county contains 20 high schools. Hausmann said that level of growth in that time period is significant.

“I really feel honored to have served as long as I did, and to be at all levels of local government,” Hausmann said. “I’ve seen a lot in this community, you know, during a period of high growth.”

“I told y’all, I’m not going to go and be a bomb thrower, I’m just going to get things done.”

LIZ HAUSMANN, former District 1 Fulton County Commissioner

Liz Hausmann, Former Fulton County Commissioner

Pat Fox, Appen Media Group Managing Editor

Dunwoody draws crowd for MLK Day of Service

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Volunteers turned out in droves under chilly conditions for the seventh annual Dunwoody Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Jan. 16.

The day of service was put on by the city in partnership with the Dunwoody-Atlanta Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, an organization focused on leadership development, volunteer service and civic duty for African American children.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteers registered to help with projects across Dunwoody. The city also hosts a “Souper Bowl of Caring” through December and January which pledges to collect 55,000 pounds of food for the Community Assistance Center and Malachi’s Storehouse.

At 9 a.m., residents and visitors alike came to Brook Run Park to participate in various service activities, including tree planting, daffodil planting, community garden cleanup and a blood drive. Morning temperatures dipped into the 30s, but as volunteers dug into the dirt, the day got warmer.

Dunwoody Parks and Recreation partnered with Atlanta-based organization the Daffodil Project to plant 5,400 daffodil bulbs across the park. The parks and recreation staff prepared the area by digging the holes and setting up baskets of bulbs.

About 60 people arrived to plant the daffodils.

“Look how little this bulb is!” one young volunteer announced as she held up a bulb. “It’ll grow a tiny daffodil.”

Families, friends and people from across Georgia gardened as part of The Daffodil Project’s goal to plant 1.5 million daffodils around the world.

A symbol for the ages

The daffodils symbolize the 1.5 million children killed in the Holocaust. The project uses the flowers as a “living Holocaust memorial” and foster Holocaust education and awareness.

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Daffodil Project founder and President Andrea Videlefsky said the flowers resemble the stars Jewish people were forced to wear in the concentration camps. They also have a symbolic meaning.

“Daffodils are very resilient,” Videlefsky said. “The beauty is they come

back and reminds us.”

So far, the organization has planted 860,000 daffodils in 464 locations.

The organization bases its education on Holocaust history, but board member Roberta Lynn sees the knowledge as vital for the present.

“We have to show people how to recognize subversive behavior now and how to stop it now,” Lynn said.

In 2016, The Daffodil Project planted over 2,000 flowers at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. For the past four years, the organization has worked with Dunwoody on Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service projects.

To Videlefsky, the partnership is natural. She quoted Martin Luther King Jr. as an explanation.

“In the words of MLK, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” Videlefsky said.

Down the road, volunteers at the Brook Run Community Garden cleaned up and rebuilt the over 100 garden beds. The beds are split, with some used by garden members and others dedicated to growing food for Malachi’s Storehouse, a local foodbank.

Most of the crops were killed off in the bitter cold temperatures in late December, so volunteers took on the task of replanting winter vegetables in the charitable garden beds.

Last year, the garden donated about

2,032 pounds of produce to the Malachi’s Storehouse.

Cindy McGill, chairwoman for the community garden, said produce helps add variety for the foodbank.

“They have a lot of donations, but not much in the way of fresh produce,” McGill said.

Volunteers spent the day planting frost-resistant plants like Bok choy in the food pantry beds. They also rebuilt nine of the beds and refilled 10 more with fresh soil.

“We’re gardeners, but we also enjoy giving back to the community,” McGill said.

The community also gathered to plant 100 trees near the multi-use fields at Brook Run Park. Trees Atlanta, a nonprofit community group dedicated to improving Atlanta’s urban forest, partnered with the city to take on the task.

Business pitches in

Jennifer Higgins brought out nine of her coworkers for a corporate volunteer day.

Higgins works for Jabian Consulting, a business consulting firm in Sandy Springs. She said the company gives employees paid volunteer days every year and groups split off to volunteer across the area.

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Georgia Tech students dig a hole to plant a tree at the Dunwoody Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Jan. 16 at Brook Run Park.

Service:

“We love Trees Atlanta and we love trees,” Higgins said.

Higgins volunteered with Dunwoody the year before, but with a much smaller group. This year, her group planted five trees.

“Not bad for just a Monday morning,” Higgins said.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch moved between the different events at Brook Run Park, chatting with volunteers and watching the community work.

“This is just awesome,” Deutsch said. “I’m so grateful to Jack and Jill of Dunwoody-Atlanta because it was their idea, and they wanted a day of service.”

The mayor told some of the children planting trees that the plants would grow with them. She said the plants will make a long-term difference for the park.

“It’s going to have a multigenerational impact,” Deutsch said.

Deutsch is happy with the turnout, and said the day of service gave people a “day on” instead of a day off.

“A day off is great, but this is a reminder of why you get the day off,” Deutsch said.

Spruill Center work

Not all the volunteer work was outdoors. At Spruill Center for the Arts on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, a small team of volunteers spent the day painting, stapling sketchbooks and preparing the center for the new

year.

The arts center hosts community programs throughout the year, including a summer camp for young artists.

Grace Cox, who heads Youth Programs and Community Outreach, said a lot of the volunteer work was dedicated to preparing for the summer camp.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was the first major volunteering day the center hosted in the past year. Cox said the center has been without a volunteer program since she started the job last March.

“This is supposed to introduce people to volunteering again,” Cox said.

When she found out Dunwoody was hosting a day of service, she quickly added Spruill to the list of volunteer opportunities.

“It seemed like too good of an opportunity,” Cox said.

The volunteers helped clean and paint classrooms, a job that typically falls on Cox. The center has no cleaning staff.

People also helped prepare large canvases with white paint and staple together sketchbooks for the 2023 summer camp. The team was small, but Cox said the enthusiasm was big.

“We had a huge response, but we don’t have a volunteer coordinator,” Cox said.

The center was unable to respond to all of the people interested in volunteering, but Cox said there was still a good turnout.

“I hope this can restart volunteers here,” Cox said.

PET OF THE WEEK

Junebug

Junebug (ID# 48001423) is a Lovebug. Her foster family describes her as a "sweet, sing-songy and loving soul who deep down just wants some love and some good cuddles." She will make an amazing pet for anyone with older children or an active family with a yard. Junebug knows basic commands like "sit," "lay down," and "stay." She even responds to "leave it," “roll over,” and "look at me."

Come and meet Junebug at DeKalb County Animal Services. To learn more, please email adoption@dekalbanimalservices.com.

Expand your family by four furry little feet, meet Junebug and have a loving friend forever. All adoptions include spay/ neuter, vaccinations and microchip. If you would like more information about Junebug please email adoption@dekalbanimalservices.com or call (404) 294-2165; all potential adopters will be screened to ensure Junebug goes to a good home.

Our shelter is full of incredible pets waiting for homes. We must find 500 homes; will yours be one of them? To foster, adopt or meet your new furry friend, stop by DeKalb County Animal Services at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee, GA 30341.

Atlanta area animal shelter reduces pet adoption rates

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Throughout January, you can adopt a pet from LifeLine Animal Project for $23. The “new year, new friend” deal includes spay and neuter, vaccines and microchip. Typically, dogs have an $85 adoption fee at Lifeline, and cats have a $65 fee.

The organization also opened a new pop-up dog adoption center for the month at 981 Howell Mill Road NW in Atlanta.

The adoption center is open seven days a week.

LifeLine Animal Project also manages Fulton County and DeKalb County Animal Shelters and provides animal enforcement services in Fulton County. As the largest animal welfare organization in Georgia, Lifeline aims to “end the shelter euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals.”

DELANEY TARR/APPEN MEDIA

Volunteers plant daffodils along the road for the Daffodil Project at the Dunwoody Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Jan. 16 at Brook Run Park.

LNB Candles brings Alpharetta clean, safe scent alternatives

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Entering LNB Candles, visitors are greeted by a small, white chihuahua named Johnny Depp and a modern entryway, featuring floral backdrops and neon lighting one might find on a chic Instagram page.

LNB owner Michelle Walters says she offers something other major fragrance retailers do not: safe and clean scents with simple ingredients.

LOCAL NEWS

“It was not ever intended to actually be a full-time business, and it ended up turning out to be one, which is kind of cool,” Walters said.

A self-proclaimed “type A personality,” Walters said her business, located at 6778 Jamestown Drive in Alpharetta, relaxes her and helps her feel her own sense of Zen.

PHOTOS BY SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Michelle Walters sells candles, room sprays, car fresheners, wick trimmers, diffusers and wax melts at LNB Candles, located at 6778 Jamestown Drive, Jan. 17. Walters’ candles and wax melts are soybean-based and are safe to inhale when burned.

Scent “French Market” is packaged in a hand-blown glass jar at the 6778 Jamestown Drive shop Jan. 17. LNB Candles owner Michelle Walters said the price of her candles is determined by its packaging and size.

Candles:

“I want you to feel like you walked into a place that's here for you, that's personalized for you,” Walters said. “So, if you have questions about anything, if you have concerns about anything, if you want to know, can I customize something. Like, I can do things more so than a big box retailer can do, and I want to do those things for you.”

Business background

Walters started making candles 10 years ago. Her daughter loved burning candles, Walters said, but after being diagnosed with a health condition, her daughter developed headaches, sleeplessness and cystic acne from the candles.

Some candles, Walters said, contain chemicals that make the scents harmful when inhaled. A study conducted by the South Carolina State University from 2006 to 2010 showed that candles made with paraffin, a wax made from petroleum, release dangerous chemicals that are “health hazards and could cause various diseases.”

The study also states that candles with bases made from soybean, the base that Walters uses at LNB, do not release similar pollutants.

“So, I made some candles, and then her friends came over to the house, and they're like, ‘Mrs. Walters, could you make us a candle for our room?’” Walters said. “And then it turned into making candles for their parents that had businesses, and then making them for parties and events and weddings, and then just happened to walk by a location that had a for-lease sign and signed up and opened up the store.”

Walters has grown beyond candles, now selling car fresheners, room sprays and diffusers. She said LNB will experiment with body sprays and body lotions.

LNB Candles has already branched out into various retailers, including Walmart and Amazon.

“I got to the point now where I started off with a very small candlemaking process, and now I've gotten to the point where I’m having a very large candle-making process, melting wax for me every single day,” Walters said. “So it's pretty cool.”

Walters said being environmentally-conscious is an important part of her business.

“That's one thing I like about the products that I use, like a lot of times people bring the candles and are like, ‘Hey, can I refill them?’” Walters said. “And I'm like, ‘Yeah, absolutely, come

to the shop.’ Instead of throwing a candle container away, you can refill it again, and you can even choose a different scent to go in it.”

LNB’s products are also pet-friendly and non-toxic, she said. Her room sprays, unlike oil-based air fresheners, do not stain walls.

Setting up shop

Walters opened her shop last year. Part of choosing what products to make and sell depends on a customer’s scent preferences.

“Usually, I go in, and I’ll bring them

three types of scents,” Walters said. “So, I'll bring them something that's maybe like a floral, something that's like a herb-type of scent and something else that's a musk.”

Walters said candles are a very personalized item, and part of expanding on a scent line is deciding what customers most like.

Candles like the “Great Gatsby,” are inspired by personal anecdote. Walters said the scent reminds her of her grandfather, who smelled like aftershave when she hugged him.

Walters said the number of products for a particular scent she keeps in stock depends on demand and whether the scent is part of a limited holiday collection.

Whether it’s out of stock or a request for something new, however, Walters said she accepts custom scent orders to find a customer’s perfect product.

Customers will see the LNB logo displayed behind the front counter and a holiday display table when they enter. Down the hall and to the right is the showroom, which Walters said she likes decorating for holidays. Heart pillows,

the word “love” and a giant pink Teddy bear Walters stuffed herself get customers into the Valentine’s Day spirit.

Next up

This year, Walters said LNB is going through the trademark process, which would allow her to expand the business’s wholesale contracts.

“I would love to just keep expanding it into stores and into more boutiques and expand our line also on Amazon,” Walters said. “We have candles on Amazon, which have sold really, really well, but I was waiting for the trademark protection to come in before we continue to expand the line, just so we're able to protect it.”

LNB makes stops at the Halcyon Farmers Market, the Vickery Village Farmers Market, the North Main Street Market at Alpharetta and the Milton Farmers Market.

The shop is open weekdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m.

“I love what I do, and I know it's going into someone's home, so I want them to love it when they get it and to enjoy the product,” Walters said.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Michelle Walters, owner of LNB Candles at 6778 Jamestown Drive, decorates her showroom with Valentine’s décor on Jan. 17. Walters said she decorates for Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and summertime.

“I love what I do, and I know it’s going into someone’s home, so I want them to love it when they get it and to enjoy the product.”

MICHELLE WALTERS, owner of LNB Candles

King:

Sandy Springs Director of Signature Events Anna Nikolas said this is the first time in two years that the city has been able to hold the event in person, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and participants were very happy for it to be back.

“It was overwhelmingly successful,” Sandy Springs Director of Signature Events Anna Nikolas said. “We just had so many people show up. They loved it, they were so grateful that we did it.”

The event was kicked off by Sandy Springs Councilwoman Melody Kelley, who spoke about growing up and graduating from Martin Luther King, Jr. High School in Detroit.

“But what was interesting is that I grew up as a young person, venerating Dr. Martin Luther King, but also, to some extent viewing him as a family member,” Kelley said. “Fully understanding that his legacy his work, and his accomplishments did not exist in some exalted vacuum that I was excluded from.”

Kelley also read a quote from Maya Angelou, about the accessibility of King’s legacy and the dangers of making him a mythical figure.

“It is very dangerous to make a person larger than life,” Kelley said, quoting Angelou. “Because then young people are tempted to believe, well, if he was that great, he's inaccessible to me ... The truth is, Martin Luther King was a human being with a brilliant mind, a powerful heart, and a sense of humor. So, he was indeed accessible.”

Kelley ended her remarks issuing participants with a “homework” challenge to remember what MLK Day stands for.

“I challenge you to access, apply, actualize and ultimately amplify the moral tradition that lies at the foundation of this day and the man that this day is for,” she said.

Throughout the four-hour event, participants completed a series of educational and collaborative projects, which Nikolas said are meant to inform, inspire and add to what people already know about King’s legacy.

“This creates an opportunity for children who are just starting to learn to ask questions,” she said.

But the collaborative aspects of the event were just as important as the educational aspects, she said, especially after so much time spent separated from each other during the pandemic.

“It's all designed to try to help the kids to reach out to their neighbor, to get to know the person who's next to them,” she said. “They've been isolated for a while. So now you have that component of trying to bring them back together and teach them how to engage

with their neighbor.”

To pull off the event, Nikolas said the city relies on groups of volunteers from local high schools and normally have a huge response from school groups that want to participate in the event.

“The kids love coming out,” she said. “They love interacting with the smaller kids … and they think they know everything there is to know. But they learn something when they're sitting trying to teach it to somebody else.”

With how popular the annual event

has become, the city had to institute a reservation system and limit the event to 200 people. Reservations for the event were quickly capped out, she said.

If it keeps growing, they’ll have to move out of the city hall’s auditorium and into a larger space for future events.

“If we have the same turnout this year that we had the first year, then we may look at maybe moving it to the Byers [Theatre] lobby that is bigger, but we just didn't know what to expect,” she said.

PHOTOS BY ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Young Sandy Springs residents complete a series of arts and crafts projects about the civil right leader at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Film Celebration held at Sandy Springs City Hall Jan. 16.

Sandy Springs residents of all ages participate in educational activities during the city’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Art and Film Celebration Jan. 16.

APPEN MEDIA’S FIRST EVER

Shopping Spree Giveaway

Start the year off right with a chance to win a $1,000 Shopping Spree courtesy of Appen Media and the Crier Newspapers.

Each week, our newsroom will hide this shopping cart image in the newspaper. Once you find it, visit appenmedia.com/shoppingspree and enter 1) Your name 2) Your email 3) The page number you found the image That’s it!

The contest will run for 13 consecutive weeks, so submit an entry each week to maximize your chances of winning.

The winner will be randomly drawn, notified on Monday, April 3rd and announced in the April 13th Crier publications. HAPPY SHOPPING …and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

‘COMPLETENESS’ AT STAGE DOOR THEATRE

What: How does a computer scientist hook up with a molecular biologist? He blinds her with science, of course. When Elliot builds a computer program to help Molly with her research project, the variables in their evolving relationship shift as rapidly as the terms of their experiment. This deft and imaginative new ROM-comedy shows that even the most sophisticated algorithm may freeze in the face of love’s infinite possibilities.

When: Jan. 27- Feb. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $35 for adults, $20 for students, $15 for children

More info: stagedoortheatrega.org

ANNUAL YETI SLEDDY SKI PARTY

What: Come out for Gate City Brewing’s annual 1980s inspired ski party on January 28 from 1-10 p.m. Sledding passes will be available along with hot cocktails and more.

When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 1-10 p.m. Where: Gate City Brewing, 43 Magnolia Street, Roswell

More info: gatecitybrewingcompany.com

LYRICS & LYRE: AN EVENING OF POETRY AND MUSIC

What: This event features performances by poets Ashlee Haze, Adán Bean, Mia Willis and Jon Goode with music accompaniment by cellist Okorie “OkCello” Johnson, harpist Rayn, bassist Téja Veal and violinist Carey Durham.

When: Sunday, Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $18

More info: roswellgov.com

BLACK HISTORY IN ROSWELL: HONORING OUR PAST

What: Presented by the Roswell Historical Society, this event highlights the struggles and triumphs of African Americans in the Roswell area, beginning with the enslaved people brought from the coast by the founding families and ending with the Civil Rights movement. Elaine DeNiro, archivist for the Roswell Historical Society and the City of Roswell, will present original

CALENDAR

ANNUAL YETI SLEDDY SKI PARTY

What: Come out for Gate City Brewing’s annual ’80s inspired ski party on January 28 from 1-10 p.m. Sledding passes will be available along with hot cocktails and more.

When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 1-10 p.m.

Where: Gate City Brewing, 43 Magnolia Street, Roswell More info: gatecitybrewingcompany.com

documents pertaining to the area’s Black history. Charles Grogan, Roswell’s Black historian, and Sandra Taylor will share their personal experiences about growing up in a Black neighborhood in Roswell. When: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2 p.m. Where: Roswell Branch, Fulton County Library System, 115 Norcross Street, Roswell

More info: roswellhistoricalsociety.org

THE SPIRIT OF HARRIET TUBMAN

What: Leslie McCurdy invokes the “spirit” of Harriet Tubman as she portrays the life of the famous Underground Railroad conductor, recreating stories familiar and some rarely told, using words said to have been Harriet Tubman’s own. Through it all, viewers will learn of the faith and conviction that drove Harriet Tubman to follow her dreams — the spirit of the past connecting with the present, inspiring her charges to have the courage to do the same in envisioning their future.

When: Friday, Feb. 3, 10-11 a.m. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $12 More info: roswellgov.com

BLACK OPRY REVUE

What: Black Opry’s stellar line-up of some of the most acclaimed Black performers in the industry launch the 2023 Roswell Roots Festival at Roswell Cultural Arts Center with a celebratory evening of music and storytelling. Black Opry is home for Black artists, fans and industry professionals working in country,

Americana, blues and folk music. This collective of performers brings the longoverlooked contributions of Black country artists to the forefront.

When: Friday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m. Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: Tickets are $32.50; Tickets for seniors, student and military are $27.50 More info: roswellgov.com

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE

What: Mark your calendar for the annual date night of the year at the Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks 13th Annual Daddy Daughter Dance for daughters in kindergarten through fifth grade. The dance will feature music from both dads’ (and father figures) and their daughters’ favorite playlists provided by a live DJ. In addition to dancing, there will be plenty of fun activities that include dance contests, musical games and refreshments. Participants can make a keepsake photo, and there will be door prizes and a goody bag for each girl. The attire for dads and daughters is business casual to semi-formal.

When: Saturday, Feb. 4, 6-8 p.m. Where: Studio Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $35 More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN PERFORMS THE JEWISH AMERICAN SONGBOOK

What: Neranenah presents Michael Feinstein performing the music of the Jewish American Songbook, including works by the Gershwins, Jerome Kern,

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

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To promote your event, follow these easy steps:

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Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lerner & Loewe and more. Feinstein has built a career, bringing the music of the Great American Songbook to the world. From his Grammy-nominated recordings to Emmynominated PBS specials and appearances at iconic venues, his work as an educator and archivist define him as one of the most important musical forces of our time. When: Sunday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m.

Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $44-74 More info: citysprings.com

ENCHANTED WOODLAND TRAIL

What: The fairies and gnomes have been busy building whimsical houses along Chattahoochee Nature Center’s forested trails. Slow down as you search for houses made from tiny natural objects. Take notice of the beautiful and enchanting features of the winter woods.

When: Up to Feb. 28, open daily except for December 24-26 and January 1-3

Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell

Cost: $15 for adults

More info: chattnaturecenter.org

Families of Cheek Spruill House through the years

The historic Cheek Spruill House at the crossroads of Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Mount Vernon Road in Dunwoody was home to three families before it was saved from demolition by the community of Dunwoody and purchased by Dunwoody Preservation Trust in 1998.

“The Story of Dunwoody,” by Elizabeth L. Davis and Ethel W. Spruill indicates a one-level home was first constructed on the site in the 1880s by Joberry Cheek. Cheek was married to Laura Eidson and the couple had six children: Myra, William Joberry Jr., John, Bunyan, Houston and Lizzie.

Joberry Sr. also built a house across Mount Vernon Road where Panera is today, and some of the family lived in that home in the late 1800s and into the 1900s. Lizzie Cheek Newhard lived there until her death in 1978.

History indicates that the CheekSpruill home was modified to become two stories in 1906. Myra Cheek and husband William Martin were living there with their children Hiram and Gladys. When Dunwoody Preservation Trust rehabilitated the home, it was discovered that the second story was once the bottom floor of the home. The one-story home had been raised up and the new section built underneath.

William Martin died that same year and Myra married John W. Crook in 1908. Tragedy struck when Gladys died from an accident where a mill wall collapsed on her in Roswell. Hiram drowned while trying to save a young boy who also drowned.

Myra and John W. Crook lived in the home until 1933. Between the years 1931 to 1933, they took in boarder Dorcas Moulders, a teacher at Dunwoody School.

The next owner was William J. Church and second wife Margaret Church, who moved into the home in 1934. Church was ready to retire and looking for a country home after a career operating different stores around Atlanta. One of his requirements was that the home be near a church. The couple decided on the old home at the crossroads of Dunwoody and became members of Dunwoody Methodist Church.

William Church’s grandson J. Edwin Dilbeck visited the farm in 1998. Dilbeck was excited to have

the

A 1990s snowy day at the Cheek-Spruill House, when the home was owned by the Spruill family.

his grandchildren see the home and share his memories of visiting there. He recalled scuppernongs growing on an arbor in the backyard and his grandfather keeping a Ford Model T in the barn. William Church never bought a newer car.

After Margaret Church died in 1943, the house and property were

sold to Carey and Florence Warnock Spruill. Both Carey and Florence grew up in Dunwoody. They married on June 10, 1923. Their children were Hugh, Edwin and Mary Gladys.

The property included the barn, smokehouse, and corn crib in addition to the house. The Spruill’s farmed the land around the old home. In the early

1970s, Carey Spruill was still plowing fields with his mule Shorty. Those who were living in Dunwoody at the time recall how Mr. Spruill would come out on Mt. Vernon Road when he turned Shorty around.

Dunwoody Crier writer Arden Skrabanek visited the Spruill home in 1978. Florence Spruill invited her to come in and visit for a while. Carey Spruill was busy planting two rows of tomato seedlings in the garden. Shorty, 40 years old at the time, was unhitched for the day. He said the best mules came from Missouri where alfalfa was plentiful. On a second visit, Skrabanek was offered a slice of Florence Spruill’s caramel cake.

Carey Spruill died in 1983 and Florence Spruill died in 1994 after 50 years in the home. Efforts to save the home from demolition and from being replaced by commercial development began that year. Learn more at “How the Cheek/Spruill House was saved” on the Appen Media website.

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

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

DUNWOODY PRESERVATION TRUST/PROVIDED

A view of the back of

Cheek-Spruill House with the barn in the background.

FILE PHOTO

So, who’s the new guy with the hat?

I can pretty much guess what you’re asking: Aren’t there any young, good-looking columnists around?

Longtime columnist Mike Tasos joins Appen Media to share a life of experience

the author of “Friday Night Lights.” Think, a football game in the middle of World War II Okinawa.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — With a keen eye for the absurd, columnist Mike Tasos comes aboard Appen Media with more than a decade of experience getting personal with readers.

MIKE TASOS

I’m happy to have the chance to visit with you this week and the weeks to come. I promise to do my best not to bore you, but sometimes we columnists might do that. Also, I don’t want to get you riled up to the point of breaking windows here at the Appen offices.

No, as a columnist, my job is to make you think, laugh, maybe shed a tear. Mostly, I hope what I bring is something you look forward to reading every week.

Opinions? Why sure I have opinions. We won’t always agree, but I promise to listen and entertain yours.

All righty then. Indulge me while I pull back the curtain and let you know not why I’m here, but how I got here.

First off, I’m a 67-year-old geezer who likes the Atlanta Braves, Notre Dame football, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. I have a partial season ticket package for the Braves and youngest son Greg and I will see lots of games this summer.

I’ll also attend the theater with older son Chris. We’ve made some great memories from our secondrow Friday night seats at the Fox. I used to love going to the movies, but really, have you spotted anything at the local movie house that makes you say: “I really gotta see that!”

Hey Hollywood, we’re champing at the bit to pay $20 for a tub of

“I remember telling my grandmother I wanted to be a columnist,” Tasos said. “And she started crying because she thought I meant ‘communist.’”

Before breaking into the pharmaceutical industry in 1981, Tasos was a sports writer in California. While there, Tasos went the extra mile and went through the hiring process for the CIA. At his ripe age, Tasos has a lot of stories to tell.

“There’s just a lot to me,” Tasos said. “I sure hope to hell I don’t bore anybody.”

He jumped back into writing at Forsyth County News in 2010, but on a more personal note.

As a general column writer, Tasos said the world is his easel. He might paint a picture of his time spent at a professional bull riding show or about his friends and family, but all in his distinct conversational style.

Inspired by columnists like Lewis Grizzard and Jim Murray, Tasos said he wants readers to enjoy their time with him and hopes to continue eliciting laughter, and maybe some tears if readers feel so moved, at Appen Media.

— By AMBER PERRY

popcorn. Just give us an excuse for a family movie night where the product on the screen doesn’t make us cringe.

I like a good explosion as much as the next guy. Just don’t gross me and my family out.

I grew up in Bakersfield, California, and I used to sell pork sausage to Merle Haggard (he liked the spicy stuff) and taught Buck Owens to play racquetball. Growing up, I’m ashamed that I didn’t appreciate Buck and Merle. We were much too cool to listen to that “Okie music.”

Just dumb kids, I reckon.

I’ve been married to the same

woman, Vicki, for going on 43 years and get this, we have the same birthday. I’m an hour older so I’ll spare you the “robbing the cradle” jokes. We have two sons, Chris (25) and Greg (22).

I survived their learning to drive, never once taking solace with liquor or pills to calm my nerves. Now, they look at me with pity, really meaning it if they want to call me “the old man.”

I like to read books. Give me Rick Bragg, Michael Connelly, Tim Dorsey, James Lee Burke, Daniel Silva (we both went to Fresno State), Brad Thor and I’ll try to wear out my Kindle.

Right now, I’m immersed in “The Mosquito Bowl” by Bizz Bissinger,

Dunwoody professor selected for Carnegie African Fellowship

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Professor of Chemistry Paulos Yohannes, a teacher and researcher at the Georgia State University’s Perimeter College in Dunwoody, has been selected for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship.

The Carnegie fellowship, funded by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, matches an African-born professor with an African university to work on research and teaching projects in Africa.

The fellowship has been awarded

to 566 scholars since it started in 2013. Yohannes grew up in Ethiopia and will be the first professor from Georgia State to receive the Carnegie fellowship.

Yohannes is based in Dunwoody, and is the associate dean for Science, Technology Engineering and Math Research at Georgia State University Perimeter College. He will work with chemistry faculty at Georgia State University and Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia to analyze key healing

ingredients in medicinal plants native to Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa University will send medicinal plants from Ethiopia to Georgia State’s Chemistry Department for analysis and testing. Yohannes plans to isolate specific ingredients in the plants for wider pharmaceutical use.

Yohannes will also create a graduate chemistry course on metals in medicine at Addis Ababa University.

I keep threatening to write a book and have received encouragement from authors. I think I’ll start with a collection of past columns, but just between us, the thought of sitting at a table and having me and my book ignored by others is more frightening than having an argument with those women on “The View.”

Tough to imagine a good outcome.

Settling into these new digs here feels like it will be refreshing. Personally, 2022 was a tough year. I started the year losing a kidney (renal cell carcinoma). Some robot named DaVinci tore that sucker out while I was stone cold asleep.

Before the operation, everyone said there was no problem. You can do just fine with one kidney. It was glaring that those who voiced that opinion owned both of their kidneys and their only brush with cancer came while munching on Corn Nuts and watching “Grey’s Anatomy.”

The end of the year saw me lose my 59-year-old baby brother, Marty. I was there at the end and got to hug his neck goodbye. He made me laugh so often and now, it just takes a thought or two, and I’ll laugh again.

Just like my kidney situation, I’m down to one brother, Matt.

I’m going to have to live with one of those, too. It’s like I find myself reminding him: Take care of yourself. You’re all I got.”

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

Paulos Yohannes, a professor of chemistry at Georgia State University’s Perimeter College in Dunwoody, has been selected for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship.

A passion for preserving and riding historic bicycles

Alpharetta resident Jaime Woodward was born to ride bicycles, not the bikes kids ride to school or even sleek racing bikes serious riders use.

Jaime’s choice is the “high wheeler” with the huge front wheel and small rear wheel that goes very fast and creates a stir wherever it appears. His father was an engineer with Ford Motor Company and repaired and collected antique bicycles, accumulating more than 100 bikes at one point. For two years in the 1970s he served as national Commander of The Wheelmen, the organization of individuals devoted to collecting, restoring and, above all, riding historic bicycles.

It is easy to see how Jaime comes by his passion. One of his first dates with his wife Lora was riding their high wheelers together at the 1982 Mummers Parade in Philadelphia.

The most common question asked about high wheel bicycles is “why is the front wheel so big?” The answer is to make the bike go faster. The larger the wheel, the more ground is covered with each turning of the wheel. Tall people have a distinct advantage because their longer legs allow them to ride larger wheels. Wheels came in various diameters in the heydays of the high wheeler in the 1880s, initially as small as 36 inches and growing over time to 64 inches. The average wheel was 52 inches. Today’s bicycle tires usually range from 12 to 29 inches.

According to Jaime, high wheel bicycles have a surprisingly good ride. He should know, because he owns three antique high wheel beauties and four other antique bikes. Relatively quick at normal speeds of 10-12 miles per hour over long distances, large wheels smooth out rough roads which was a big advantage on 19th century unpaved roads. “A common question people ask,” says Jaime, “is how riders get up on the bike.“ Answer: a small step on the backbone helps the rider get into the saddle.

High wheel bicycles are also known as Ordinary bicycles, or Penny-farthings in England because they looked like a penny chasing a farthing, to distinguish them from older bicycles that actually looked more like modern bikes. Known as Velocipedes, early bikes had two wheels of the same size and were made of wood and often had metal tires. They did not go very fast and were uncomfortable, hence their nickname, bone-shakers.

High wheels represented a major technological advance when invented in 1870, and they became wildly popular

in the 1880s which was the great cycling era in the United States. However, their popularity was relatively short-lived in part because the bikes were hazardous. The rider’s center of gravity was just slightly behind the wheel which increased the risk that the rider would fly over the handlebars when hitting a bump in the road, “taking a header” as it was called. Both Jaime and Lora have done headers, but fortunately, neither has been seriously injured.

The most important manufacturer was the Columbia Bicycle Company founded in 1877, which by 1900 was the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world. Its first product was a high wheeler made at the Weed Sewing Machine Company in Hartford, Connecticut. Called the Standard Columbia it sold for $125 while sewing machines were selling for $13, suggesting that bicycle riding was a pastime for the well-to-do. The Columbia company was responsible for many innovations in the industry, and it became one of the country’s first automobile manufacturers. Although the bicycle industry was the precursor to the automobile industry, the bicycle industry as a preferred mode of transportation was quickly replaced when automobiles gained popularity.

It has been said that without the invention of the bicycle, the automobile would not have been feasible. Hundreds of components incorporated into early autos

were invented for bicycles, and bicycles were manufactured using assembly line techniques. Henry Ford’s first 11 dealerships were in bicycle shops (Chicago Tribune September 18, 1994). According to the Chicago newspaper, in 1899 there were 300 bicycle companies in the United States making a million bicycles. By 1910, there were only 100 companies remaining making half as many bikes.

Another link between the bicycle and the automobile was the efforts of the League of American Wheelmen, founded in 1880. Their effective lobbying for paved roads helped make growth of the auto industry possible.

Jim Farris, a resident of Milton, is an avid antique auto collector and restorer who appreciates the link between the two industries. Owner of an 1886 Victor Roaster 52-inch high wheeler made by the pioneering Overman Wheel Company in Massachusetts, Jim appreciates “any antique machine,” calling them things of beauty. He refers to his Victor Roadster as “a piece of transportation history.”

Jaime says “Lora and I love going out for a ride. Both of us have done organized 25- and 100-mile rides in one day on our high wheel bicycles.” The couple is doing their part to keep America’s cycling heritage alive.

Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the

Jaime Woodward takes a spin around his neighborhood on his 1885 Victor Light Roaster with its 52 inch wheel. Victor bicycles were made from 1883 to 1900 and were known for their higher quality and lighter weight than less expensive bikes made by competitors. Due to growing competition from low priced bicycles and a disastrous fire in 1899, the company was forced to sell its bicycle business and turned its attention to the automobile industry where it had mixed success.

WOODWARD FAMILY/PROVIDED

Early ads for bicycles were very artistic. This is an 1897 advertisement for Columbia Bicycles which were made by the Pope Manufacturing Company. Columbia became the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer. This ad was made using the chromolithograph process which was popular at the time.

City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@ bellsouth.net.

BOB MEYERS

WOODWARD FAMILY/PROVIDED

A New Rapid bicycle figured prominently in Jaime and Lora Woodward’s 1983 wedding. The couple has been avid antique bikers ever since. This high wheel bicycle was built in 1888 and has a 52 inch diameter wheel.

BOB MEYERS/APPEN MEDIA

England is not the only setting for a great mystery story

‘Tis the season for relaxing by a roaring fire with a good book or two or three. Yes, a stack of books to choose from is a must for me. Believe it or not, I do read books that aren’t set in England, though that is my preferred location. This week I bring you my perspective on three novels. One, of course, set in England, another in Boston, and the third in Africa.

“Darling Girl” by Liz Michalski

The author “brings all the magic of the classic Peter Pan story to the present, while also exploring the dark underpinnings of fairy tales . . .” As someone who fondly remembers Mary Martin’s Broadway portrayal of Peter Pan and the Disney animated version, reading this novel was at times disturbing.

I didn’t really want to give up the innocent fairy tale image of Peter Pan, but I was hooked on the book from the get-go. Nor did I want to set aside my image of the man who wrote Peter Pan. Having made J.M. Barrie’s real-life visits to the

Cotswolds a plot point in my modern-day cozy mystery series, I plan to retain my view of him as a generous, quirky, funloving man. Still, the darker portrayal of him is intriguing.

The descriptions and the references to characters like Tinker Bell and Captain Hook bring the story alive. What really happened to the Darling children after they returned home? Where did J.M. Barrie get the idea for this tale? You’ll find tantalizing hints sprinkled throughout the book.

“Blood

Feud” by Mike Lupica

Does anyone else miss Robert B. Parker? I was hooked on his three series set in Boston: Spenser, Jesse Stone, and Sunny Randall. And I was always disappointed that he didn’t write more Sunny Randall books. She’s a female version of Spenser with all of his wit and pithy comebacks.

So, I was delighted when I found that Mike Lupica had picked up the Sunny Randall series with the blessings of the Parker estate. I loved this book and have already ordered the next one.

Sunny is a PI with a retired policeman for a father and gangster’s son as a significant other. Her relationships are complex and play a central part in this

book as they do in the Parker versions. What’s different is the inclusion of more cursing and a bit more sex (though not graphic)--a sign of the times, I suspect.

If you like Spenser’s other series, you’ll get a kick out of Susan Silverman – Spenser’s girlfriend – showing up as Sunny’s therapist. And Jesse Stone gets his mention, too. I don’t want to be Sunny Randall, but I envy her way with words. I hope Mike Lupica continues this series for many years to come.

“The

Lioness” by Chris Bohjalian

While I haven’t read every book by Bohjalian, I’ve been a fan since I read “The Double Bind” with its references to Fitzgerald. “The Lioness” is similar in its references to Hemingway and his novels set in Africa. Yes, most of the characters are Hollywood stars and players, but among them are likable people you can root for. They’re not all arrogant, demanding prima donnas.

The story unfolds in alternating chapters told by the various characters as the reader experiences the immediate danger but also bits of each one’s back story. The descriptions of the Serengeti’s breathtaking beauty stand in stark contrast to the perils that await the

travelers from both animal and human predators.

The comparisons to Hemingway and Agatha Christie are well-deserved. I couldn’t put the book down, and the interlocking clues kept me guessing until the end. Well done all the way around.

As I glimpse the glowing embers in our woodburning stove, I realize it’s time to choose a new book and put another log on the fire. ‘Tis the season, after all.

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

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KATHY MANOS PENN

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