Sandy Springs Crier - March 9, 2023

Past Tense: Sandlot Baseball in Sandy Springs

►

Crowd gathers to reject antisemitism

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — On Sunday people of various faiths gathered at Temple EmanuEl to discuss ways to combat antisemitism after anti-Jewish flyers were distributed across the community in early February.

The Rev. DAVID LOWER St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody

The event, titled “Georgia’s Fight Against Antisemitism,” consisted of small lectures from elected officials and religious leaders followed by a community discussion led by representatives from the Anti-Defamation League.

Senior Rabbi Spike Anderson spoke to a crowd of more than 100 about the importance of uniting against hatred. Also present was Anderson’s friend and fellow faith leader the Rev. David Lower of St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody. Lower spoke on the importance of interfaith relationships and showing up for the Jewish community.

See COMMUNITY, Page 10

Perimeter area leaders oppose homeowner bill

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Legislation introduced last week aimed at improving the affordability of Georgia homes has quickly drawn fierce opposition from officials in several Metro Atlanta cities.

House Bill 517, called the Georgia Homeowner Opportunity Act, was introduced by state Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon) Feb. 21 and would prevent local governments from regulating many different building design elements, from the style of porches to the number and types of rooms.

Supporters say HB 517, along with another bill barring local governments from placing moratoriums on new housing construction, would lower housing costs by cutting red tape and encouraging private sector innovation.

However, officials in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and many other municipalities are skeptical of these claims, citing the “slippery slope” effect it could have.

“This legislation undercuts one of the core functions of all local governments to plan for the growth and development of their community, and it undermines the ability of local

See HOUSING, Page 9

“We are ready to do what is required of us.”

PHOTOS BY LUKE GARDNER/APPEN MEDIA

Georgia State House Rep. Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs), the state’s lone Jewish legislator, discusses Georgia House Bill 30, which provides

clearer definition

of hate speech.

Anti-Defamation League presenter Eric Ross leads a community discussion about the dangers of antisemitism.

770-442-3278

AppenMedia.com

319 N. Main Street

Alpharetta, GA 30009

HANS APPEN

Publisher CONTACT

Sandy Springs Police Reports

Each week Appen Media requests police incident reports to inform residents about the safety of their community. Sandy Springs continues to withhold what it calls the "narrative reports." It is the only city Appen

POLICE BLOTTER

NEWS TIPS

Contact reporters directly or send story ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

LETTERS, EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Send your letters, events and community news to newsroom@appenmedia.com. See appenmedia.com/submit for more guidance.

ADVERTISING

For information about advertising in the Sandy Springs Crier or other Appen Media properties, email advertising@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

CIRCULATION

To start, pause or stop delivery of this newspaper, email circulation@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

Police investigate report of assault at hospital

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police are investigating a 58-year-old East Point man who allegedly assaulted an employee at Peachford Hospital Feb. 25.

Police reports said officers responded to the hospital at about 10 p.m. after an altercation occurred between two employees. At the scene, a woman told police she had been punched in the chest by another employee in a “completely unprovoked” attack.

Media covers that follows this practice, which goes against guidance from the Attorney General, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Sheriff's Association, Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia and

Dunwoody man arrested for hit-and-run wreck

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Police arrested a Dunwoody man for allegedly fleeing the scene of a wreck on Jett Ferry Road Feb. 27.

Dunwoody police reports said the wreck happened at about 11 a.m. near the intersection of Jett Ferry and Mt. Vernon roads when the suspect struck another vehicle head-on while turning out of a private driveway. After the wreck, the suspect driver turned into a nearby parking lot and fled the area.

The incident was captured on security camera footage from multiple nearby businesses. Police were able to identify and locate the suspect at his home in Dunwoody.

Georgia Press Association. Appen Media will continue pursuing the release of documents that belong to the public in order to inform residents how safe - or unsafe - the city is keeping it.

The victim discovered Feb. 2 that someone had made five unauthorized transactions totaling $7,642.84 on his credit card at the Jared Jewelry Store on Ashford Dunwoody Road in January and December.

Later, the victim also learned that a suspect had changed the address on his credit card account to an address in Atlanta.

At the time of the report, no suspect in the crime was identified by Dunwoody police.

Resident claims contractor failed to perform project

2022

2018

The victim said her attacker, who works on the same floor of the hospital, came to work in a “bad mood” and became irate when she asked him to pass some items out to hospital patients. Statements from several witnesses collaborated her story, the report said.

The suspect was sent home from the hospital prior to the officer’s arrival, but they later made contact with him over the phone. However, the suspect refused to speak with police at the time of the report.

The report did not say whether any charges were filed in the case.

When confronted with evidence from the wreck, the suspect allegedly denied any involvement in the wreck. However, police also located the suspect’s vehicle and saw it matched the vehicle seen on security footage.

The man was placed under arrest for hit and run, driving with suspended registration and other traffic charges, and was transported to the DeKalb County Jail.

Duluth man files report for fraudulent purchases

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police reports said a Duluth man was recently defrauded of more than $7,000 through credit card purchases at a Dunwoody jewelry store.

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody police are investigating a Buford-based plumbing company that allegedly took $3,500 from a local homeowner for a remodel job and never completed any work.

Reports said the investigation began Feb. 27 when a homeowner on Tillingham Court in Dunwoody reported they paid a plumbing company $3,500 as a deposit for the installation of a new steam shower in January.

The homeowner’s contract said the project would be completed by Jan. 26, but despite the fact that their deposit check was quickly deposited, no work was ever started on the project, the report said.

Once police identified the company’s owner, they found evidence that he had been charged with theft by conversion previously in Michigan in December 2022.

At the time of the report, no charges had been filed by police in the case.

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.

CITY OF DUNWOODY/PROVIDED

Dunwoody officials said Feb. 27 that settlement agreements with tenants of the city-owned property at 4553 North Shallowford Road will allow a $7.78 million sale of the site to move forward in March.

Dunwoody eviction settlement intends to ‘buy the city peace’ to push forward with land sale

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody has approved two $50,000 settlements with tenants of a city-owned property on North Shallowford Road, ending court eviction cases and allowing sale of the property for $7.78 million to proceed.

At its Feb. 27 meeting, the Dunwoody City Council voted unanimously to settle cases in DeKalb County State Court with Dr. Alan Miller and Dr. Jada Moore-Ruffin, tenants of 4553 North Shallowford Road in Dunwoody, making way for a sale of the 21,661-square-foot property to Summit Healthcare Group LLC.

City Attorney Ken Bernard said the settlement agreements will “buy the city peace” and resolve their tenancy issues without waiting on the lengthy court eviction process, which could take months or years.

Bernard said officials still believe they are justified in their attempt to evict Miller and Moore-Ruffin from the property, but waiting for the court to resolve the issue isn’t in the city’s best interests.

“We can wait and prove a point and try to win the battle,” Bernard said. “But you're gonna lose the [Summit Healthcare Group] deal because of the economy, their commitments … They

Dunwoody High School’s 50 years will highlight city’s July 4th parade

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody Homeowners Association’s annual July 4th Parade this year will honor Dunwoody High School’s more than 50 years of educational excellence, officials announced this week.

The parade theme, “50 years of Wildcat Pride, celebrating Dunwoody High School’s past, present and future,” was announced at the HOA’s annual meeting Feb. 26, by event co-chair Matt Webber.

The parade will begin at 9 a.m., Tuesday, July 4, and celebrate both American independence and the students and educators that make Dunwoody High School great, Webber said.

Along with the parade floats, marching bands, clowns and animals, people should expect to see a “less commercialized” side of the event, with students riding bikes, teams from the high school and more of a “neighborhood feel.”

“Hopefully we're going to be able to bring a lot of the high school into the parade,” he said. “That's one thing we're really trying to do to make it younger.”

Webber and event co-Chair Penny Forman also announced Dunwoody High School Principal “Coach” Tom Bass and

teacher Steve Fortenberry will serve as the parade’s grand marshals.

“They probably won't be at the front of the parade,” Webber said. “They don't like to be the center of attention, they like to be the center of the party, but they'll probably be back with the high school.”

Instead, another familiar face from Dunwoody High School may lead the festivities, Forman said.

“We might have the Wildcat mascot in the car that's representing all of them,” she said.

But regardless of who leads the parade, a huge turnout from the community and high school is expected, so they are already planning one big change – adding multiple large speakers along the parade route to broadcast music.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is getting a band, and a band makes the parade right,” Forman said. “If you don't have music, it's boring. So, that's what we came up with.”

More details about the parade should be announced by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association as the date draws nearer, but for now, officials say they are looking for parade sponsors, float entries and vendors.

For parade registration and more information, visit dunwoodyga.org.

want to get this to close. We want to help them and help the city.”

Dunwoody became entangled in the dispute over tenancy after taking possession of the 4553 North Shallowford Road property and another property at 4555 North Shallowford Road, which had several existing leases and tenants.

When the lease agreements ended in October 2022 and Dunwoody took possession of the buildings, several tenants allegedly refused to leave.

“The city is not a landlord. But when it bought the property, it became a landlord because there was a long lease on the property,” he said.

As part of the settlements, the city will pay each tenant $50,000 and will vacate the property in early March.

Bernard said they expect to close on the sale to Summit Healthcare Group by March 8.

Councilmembers did not address the evictions directly, but Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the problems they are experiencing with the DeKalb County Court System are wellknown and widespread.

“We don't run the court system in DeKalb, but you elect three people that do,” Deutsch said. “If you have concerns about how the court system is working or not working, please share with them.”

Knights of Columbus fish fry draws multitude to All Saints

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — If you’re in the mood for a plate of fried fish so good you’ll thank your lucky stars that friers and fish exist, All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody has you covered.

For more than two decades, All Saints Church, its Knights of Columbus chapter and an army of volunteers have supported charity groups throughout the region, funded through proceeds from fried cod, shrimp, salmon and unbeatable clam chowder.

Tom Simon, a Dunwoody resident and event organizer, said the fish fry begins each year on Ash Wednesday and lasts for six Fridays in February and March. But it isn’t just All Saints Church patrons who turn out. Each night they feed nearly 1,200 people of all different backgrounds, religions and origins.

“That goes through the entire community, not just Dunwoody, but the entire metropolitan area,” Simon said. “We've actually had people from Australia, Hawaii, Seattle, New York. You name it.”

“It's a social event for Dunwoody,” said BJ Van Gundy, another event organizer.

Simon and Van Gundy said the church typically raises roughly $30,000 in charitable contributions from the fish fry for groups they believe in, like the Special Olympics, the Boy Scouts and ICare, the volunteer ride service for seniors.

“We do it because we have a bunch of charities that we provide funds to that they can continue their good works,” Simon said.

But all that food and funding doesn’t happen without a lot of help and hard work. Van Gundy said each fish fry takes at least 100 volunteers of all ages, who start preparing food at 9 a.m., serve meals and bus tables and clean the space until about 9 p.m.

With volunteer help, they turn the All Saints Church gym into Dunwoody’s largest restaurant for seven nights each year and function as a well-oiled machine capable of turning out a meal every 6 seconds at peak times.

“It's a continual effort by Knights, their spouses, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, some of the kids of the of the Knights,” Simon said. “So, it's a community effort.”

To learn more about the All Saints Church Knights of Columbus Fish Fry, visit allsaintsdunwoody.org/ programs-events/events/fish-fry/.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Crowds sit at long tables in the All Saints Catholic Church gym in Dunwoody Feb. 24, eating cod, salmon, shrimp and a collection of comfort food staples during the church’s annual Lenten fish fry.

NBA star explores life through art and stories

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Retired NBA All Star Joe Barry Carroll knows events like his Feb. 23 artist talk at Mimosa Hall are set up as lectures, but he hopes his art spurs conversations that run both ways.

The athlete-turned-artist sat down with a small crowd as part of an exhibit of his art in the historic home. The exhibit, “My View from Seven Feet,” will be on display until March 28 for appointment viewings and public events.

At the talk, Carroll reflected on his childhood and 10-year career in the NBA through a series of paintings displayed around Mimosa Hall. He began painting eight years ago as an attempt to have a “deeper understanding of what artists do.”

Carroll said he has always been interested in art. When he traveled as a professional athlete, Carroll scheduled time to go to galleries and museums. As he started painting, though, Carroll was drawn to what he created.

Now, the self-taught artists has more than 100 paintings and four published books. When not painting, Carroll is a wealth adviser to professional athletes, author, publisher and philanthropist.

The art itself is vibrant, often composed of red and orange hues. The paintings depict Carroll, his family and community, as well as more abstract concepts. Each piece is paired with a story written by Carroll.

Carroll approaches his art through “words and images.” As a storyteller, he said the stories sometimes relate to his thoughts while he painted a piece and sometimes are simply what he wants to say.

“It’s never intended to instruct someone on what a painting is, its just there as a conversational piece,” Carroll said.

Conversation is key to Carroll’s art. He said he wants the art to encourage a “mutual exchange” between him and the people who view it.

“I spend a lot of time thinking about our shared humanity,” Carroll said. “I don’t think we’re just talking about Joe here; we’re talking about experiences I had that can relate to your life as well.”

Carroll knows his name is on the situations, but he said everyone deals with what he discusses.

LOCAL

Those situations include his childhood in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, with a painting called “Wagon,” which depicts himself as a child with a bright red wagon.

Carroll recalled the words his mom said to him that day, after he got in trouble for misbehaving.

“My responsibility is to prepare you for most of what the world is about to hand you,” his mother said. “None of that preparation includes allowing you to take shortcuts and be slick.”

Carroll said the words stuck with him.

Another painting depicts a time while playing professional basketball, when he traveled to meet with Palestinian and Israeli children and “bring them together under basketball.”

While Carroll said he knew the sport alone would not solve deeply embedded historical issues, “for a moment we all gathered together” for a traditional meal.

“This is about our shared humanity,” Carroll said.

Carroll carriea the concept of shared humanity beyond the canvas. The proceeds from his books and artist speaking fees all go to nonprofits like the ACLU and the Georgia Innocence Project, dedicated to exonerating innocent people in prison.

“It adds a fun element to it, that I’m doing good work and perhaps helping people,” Carroll said.

Carroll joined the calendar for Roswell Roots, the city’s monthlong celebration of Black History Month after his friend Mike Harris told him about the event.

Harris was previously the president of the Friends of Mimosa Hall and Gardens, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the hall and promoting its use. The organization invited Carroll to be the first artist on display in the historic home.

“I’m glad they invited me, but I honestly may have invited myself and they just said yes,” Carroll said with a chuckle.

Carroll said it’s good to “get out and see people” because he works from home, and he was glad to do it for Roswell Roots.

“When you read what each person is doing, poetry or music or performance, it’s all such a rich experience,” Carroll said.

PHOTOS BY DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Retired NBA All Star Joe Barry Carroll shares his paintings, each paired with a story to an intimate crowd at an artist talk on Feb. 23 at Mimosa Hall.

Guests peruse Joe Barry Carroll’s art exhibit, “My View From Seven Feet,” at his artist talk on Feb. 23 at Mimosa Hall. The paintings explore Carroll’s life and career as a professional athlete.

CALENDAR

DUNWOODY FARMERS MARKET

What: The Dunwoody Farmers Market brings together a variety of vendors selling local and organic fruits, veggies and produce, coffee, breakfast, baked goods, prepared meals, frozen treats, eggs, grassfed meat and fresh seafood.

When: Saturday, March 11, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody

More info: dunwoodyga.gov

ROSWELL DANCE STARZ presents ‘Cinderella’

What: The enchanted tale of Cinderella is brought to stage with a fun and modern twist! Join Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother, the silly stepsisters, and all the magical characters as they tell the treasured tale through ballet, lyrical, jazz, hip hop and tap.

When: Saturday, March 11, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell

Cost: $15

More info: roswellcac.showare.com

‘A MOMENT OUT OF TIME WITH I.O.Z’

What: I.O.Z., a musical collaboration driven by Daniel Groover and Steven Senn, will be accompanied by Jeff (Apt. Q258) Sipe on drums, Pat Postlewait on multiple instruments, Jon Marett on keys, Dan Campbell on violin, Alex Tramble and Jon Lee sitting in on bass and Jeff Bowden supporting vocals.

When: Saturday, March 11, 9 p.m.

Where: From the Earth Brewing, 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell

Cost: $30

More info: ftebrewing.com

150 YEARS OF SPRUILL

What: Spruill Gallery presents works by four women who define the power of art. As influential artists and educators, these women are renowned in their mediums and have mentored many students to also become artists of note. Works are by artists Chery Baird, Carol Brull, Ann Clancy and Vicki Paulet.

When: Up to March 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Spruill Gallery, 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody

More info: spruillarts.org/gallery

‘HEROES AND VILLAINS: SPRING CONCERT’

What: Every good guy needs a bad guy. Every protagonist needs an antagonist. The Atlanta Concert Band presents music from Hollywood, Broadway, the Olympics and more. Darth Vader vs. Yoda. Captain Kirk vs. the Klingons. U.S. Olympic athletes vs. the World. Wile E. Coyote vs. the Roadrunner. Wear your favorite hero or villain costumes to celebrate the music of John Williams, Michael Giacchino, Georges Bizet, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more.

When: Sunday, March 12, 4 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell

Cost: $20

More info: roswellcac.showare.com

THE ECOLOGY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

What: Alan Toney, longtime Sandy Springs resident, master naturalist, soil and water supervisor, fly fisherman and Chattahoochee River activist, talks about the ecology of the Chattahoochee River past, present and future. The presentation will explore the river’s importance for water supply, wildlife and recreation as well as its beauty, threats and resilience.

When: Tuesday, March 14, 7 p.m.

Where: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Road, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

‘THE NICETIES’ AT STAGE DOOR THEATRE

What: Zoe is a young Black student at a liberal arts college. What begins as a polite clash in perspectives of the founding fathers between her and her liberal, tenured professor explodes into a tightrope of what it means to hear and what it means to listen.

When: March 17-April 2, 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/theniceties/

FOOD DRIVE - ALL SAINTS

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

What: All food items are essential and appreciated, however the greatest need is canned meat, peanut butter and diapers. Please, no glass containers as these items break in transport.

When: Saturday, March 18, 2-6:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 19, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Where: All Saints Catholic Church, 2443 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody

More info: allsaintsdunwoody.org/ministries/st-vincent-de-paul/

NORTHSIDE SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE & FESTIVAL

What: The inaugural Northside St. Patrick’s Parade & Festival will commence with the parade honoring St. Patrick and the Irish community in Georgia and will include Irish Societies, businesses and social groups, local school units, bands, families, and some pipes and drums. The parade will complete its route at the City Green where the festival will be in full swing. Local and Celtic vendors will be selling wares, and there will be Irish sports demonstrations, music, Irish dancing and more. The evening will culminate with a concert, ages 21 and over, by Kate Curran at nearby Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House.

When: Saturday, March 18, 10 a.m.

Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: visitsandysprings.org

Sandy Springs #1 Kitchen

Vino Venue serves as one-stop wine shop

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — For the past decade, Vino Venue has been a onestop shop for all things wine related in Metro Atlanta. As a retail space, restaurant, wine school, private event space and travel hub, the store aims to educate everyone interested in wine.

Michael and Lelia Bryan went on their first trip as a couple to Napa Valley, California in 2001. Lelia was a wine lover, but Michael Bryan was new to the spirit.

“He absolutely fell in love with it,” Lelia said.

Michael returned and decided to start teaching wine classes. In the early 2000s, Lelia moved from Brookhaven to join Michael in Dunwoody and the pair opened the Atlanta Wine School on Holcomb Bridge Road. The school was a success, but the couple wanted to expand.

“We had so many people who would taste wine during their classes and want to buy them, want to learn more about them, want to be able to sample different wines,” Lelia said. “It really just made sense to have a place like Vino Venue.”

In October 2012, they opened the doors to Vino Venue, a so-called “wine emporium” with a retail store, cooking classes, tastings and a tapas-style restaurant. One month later, Michael Bryan was diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. He passed away five years later, in 2017.

Those five years were challenging for Lelia and the couple’s daughter, Willa.

“When he did pass, it was my goal to really just keep the vision he had alive,” Lelia said.

Vino Venue now sees 3,000 visitors annually for wine and cooking classes and conducts about 300 private wine events a year. The emporium also hosts a variety of guided wine trips throughout the year to destinations like Portugal and Piedmont, Italy.

The establishment has grown since it opened 10 years ago, but Lelia said she tries to maintain Vino Venue’s initial goal.

LOCAL NEWS

“We want to educate people who wanted to know more about the passion around wine,” Lelia said. “Not in a snotty or uptight way, but in a fun way, where people can really experience and try new things and broaden their horizons.”

Vino Venue offers more than 100 types of wine for sale. About 10 percent of the selection costs more than $75. Lelia said the goal is to make

wine approachable for everyone.

“We pride ourselves in finding unique wines that aren’t going to break the bank, are very enjoyable and are between $10 and $20,” Lelia said.

The selections aren’t what a customer may find at a typical grocery store, because the Vino Venue staff takes time to find “unique gems.” Lelia said her team tastes about 100 wines a week to find the best bottles.

“It’s a labor of love, it’s actually a lot of work,” she said.

Across the years, Vino Venue has opened its wine classes to people with all levels of experience and interest. Atlanta Wine School, now housed in Vino Venue, offers Wine and Spirit Education Trust certifications.

The establishment also offers casual classes during the week that span across wine regions, like “taste of Italy” or “taste of Greece.” Wine professionals teach attendees about the flavors of the region, as well as the best pairings for different foods.

Every few months, Vino Venue puts on a “discover” festival, like the up -

coming “Discover France Festival” on March 26. Attendees can buy a ticket and sample around 80 wines and foods centered around France.

Events like the discover series draw hundreds of customers, but Lelia said the business is “relationshipbased.” Her goal is to bring customers in on any level of their wine education and keep the relationship growing.

“Michael was passionate about making people feel comfortable in whatever wine knowledge they have, but also in their preferences,” Lelia said.

As the managing partner of Vino Venue, Lelia is an avid wine drinker. She said picking a favorite wine is like “picking a favorite child.” She takes particular pride, though, in a wine that honors her husband.

Lelia had a close friend and winemaker in Italy scatter Michael’s ashes in a vineyard, and the winemaker dedicated the vineyard to Michael. The white wine created from the vineyards is sold at Vino Venue, and all profits go to sarcoma research.

“It’s a beautiful white wine, it’s very unique,” Lelia said.

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Vino Venue, a wine bar, restaurant, event space and wine school has more than 100 wine bottles for sale at its Dunwoody location. The staff tastes about 100 wines a week to maintain a varied offering.

Housing:

Continued from Page

residents to have input through their local community planning processes,” Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul said March 1.

Speaking at a Dunwoody City Council meeting Feb. 27, Mayor Lynn Deutsch said they have seen several similar bills come through the Gold Dome unsuccessfully in past years, but typically those bills would not have affected Dunwoody.

“Except this year, they added a few things that we do regulate, lot size and frontage. Frontage is the big one, but it's just the beginning,” Deutsch said. “If they successfully pass this, then it opens the door for more, and it doesn't solve the problem.”

Deutsch said Dunwoody and Sandy Springs aren’t alone in opposing HB 517. City leaders throughout the state, along with the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia are currently developing an alternate “carrot approach” to fighting the state’s housing problems by incentivizing builders with funding for things like paving and sewer installation in certain situations.

“If state resources, city resources, county resources are going to be put into some type of … housing development, there needs to be some assurance of affordabili-

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

State Rep. Long Tran (D-Dunwoody) speaks to the Dunwoody Homeowners Association at its annual meeting Sunday, Feb. 26. Tran gave an update on upcoming legislation that could impact Georgia residents.

ty,” Jim Thornton, director of governmental relations at the Georgia Municipal Association said to Capitol Beat.

HB 517 was heard before the Georgia House Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Wednesday, Feb. 28. During that meeting, Washburn pushed back against the notion the bill would restrict local government’s abilities to regulate housing standards, saying that the proposal instead seeks to eliminate excessive regulation preventing Georgia from developing “workforce

housing.”

“This is preemptive,” he said. “And it is preemptive because we are seeing many, many counties and cities across Georgia now impose a lot of restrictions on singlefamily homes … We should not allow cities and counties to impose such restrictions that housing costs are much higher than they have to be.”

No action was taken at the subcommittee meeting, but members later announced HB 517 would be eligible for further discussion at their session on March 1, 2023. Results from that meeting were not immediately available.

But even with more discussion, some local lawmakers say the bill is unlikely to move forward without some big changes.

In an email to Appen Media, state Rep. Shea Roberts (D-Sandy Springs) said that despite Georgia’s affordable housing shortage and hearing from concerned residents on both sides of the issue, she would not support the bill in its current form.

“I agree that HB517 is not the answer,” Roberts said. “But I do hope municipalities around the state will begin to think about more creative zoning categories that would allow for smaller lots and house square footages so we can offer more opportunity for first-time homebuyers.”

NEWS

Community:

Continued from Page 1

“We are ready to do what is required of us,” Lower said.

The ADL-led community discussion centered around defining antisemitism, with several attendees detailing various examples. Presenter Eric Ross described the need to discuss actions, not people, as antisemitic because it allows room for apology and growth.

Also discussed was the need for allyship and standing up for oppressed people who face injustice. Presenters referenced the complacency of the general public and the lack of allies the Jewish community had in the beginning stages of the Holocaust.

The importance of solidarity across faiths and among marginalized groups and the need to publicly reject hatred were themes present throughout the event.

“The ADL can’t be everywhere, but I can be where I am,” one attendee said.

The community event is largely in response to antisemitic flyers distributed in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs in early February. Georgia State House Rep. Esther Panitch, the state’s only Jewish legislator, was among several concerned citizens who awoke to find antisemitic flyers in their driveways.

Panitch said that such events can feel isolating and that seeing so many nonJewish community members show their outrage was comforting.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch, who is also Jewish, said that while she was upset, she was not surprised because similar flyers had been spread in a nearby area months before.

Free speech vs hate speech

The spreading of antisemitic flyers in February is one of the latest in a disturbing trend of increasing acts of hatred against Jewish people.

Multiple acts of antisemitic acts of gun violence have occurred in the U.S. over the past five years.

Last week, a Los Angeles man was charged with two hate crimes after shooting two Jewish men as they were leaving religious services.

In January 2022, a gunman took a Rabbi and three others hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. In October 2018, 11 people were killed in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Months later, in April 2019, one person was killed and three injured by a shooter at Chabad of Poway Synagogue in San Diego, California.

An Anti-Defamation League audit recorded approximately 2,700 antisemitic incidents in 2021, the highest number on record since the league began tracking them in 1979.

Temple Emanu-El project volunteer Rich Lapin said he believes that Antisemitism is a community issue, not just a Jewish issue.

“The degree to which antisemitism is present becomes an indicator of the quality of life in a country and or community,” Lapin said.

Many speakers at the event shared the same sentiment. Several described the Jewish people as the “canaries in the coal mine” of a society. ADL Regional Director Eytan Davidson expressed the need to stand in solidarity with all marginalized people, including people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

Georgia State House Rep. Long Tran called attention to the rhetoric of rightwing politicians as a likely contributing factor to increased hate speech, specifically referencing the “locker room talk” of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Davidson described the group who distributed the flyers as “loosely organized White supremacists hiding behind the first amendment.”

Besides containing antisemitic content, the flyers suggested that people who might take issue with them are unAmerican, rhetorically asking “You don’t support free speech?”

Dunwoody police chief Billy Grogan told WSBTV that those who distributed the flyers will not be charged because it is a free speech issue. Davidson assured the community that the ADL and law enforcement are keeping an eye on extremist groups.

Georgia House Bill 30 Rep. Panitch spoke about Georgia House Bill 30 at the event, explaining that it was introduced in 2022 and seeks to provide a legal definition and examples of antisemitism. Similar bills have received bipartisan support and have been adopted by several states. The bill seeks to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of antisemitism.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has taken issue with the definition’s discussion of Israel and has condemned the bill as potentially criminalizing pro-Palestinian speech.

Rep Panitch said the law contains examples of anti-Zionism and that “not all anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”

Panitch said in a previous interview that the bill would not affect incidents like the spreading of antisemitic flyers, because that is considered free speech and is protected under the First Amendment.

To view the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of antisemitism, go to holocaustremembrance.com.

To learn more about the Anti-Defamation League, visit adl.org.

To learn about how to report hate speech on various platforms, visit adl. org/cyber-safety-action-guide.

To learn about the services and resources offered by Temple Emanu-El, go to templeemanuelatlanta.org.

LUKE GARDNER/APPEN MEDIA Friends Rabbi Spike Anderson and the Rev. David Lower share a moment of laughter.

A wakeup call to learn your risk for diabetes

to You by - Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

March 28th is an important day on the calendar. The fourth Tuesday in March is the American Diabetes Association Alert Day, a “wakeup call” to take time, learn your risk factors and determine if you or your loved ones are at risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Over 34 million Americans have diabetes, which happens when blood glucose levels, or blood sugar, is too high. Even more surprising is that 1 in 7 – or over 7 million adults - don’t know they have it. As we age, the risk of developing diabetes increases. Type 1 diabetes most often occurs in children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind for middle aged and older adults. Over time it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, eyesight and nerve damage. Millions of additional Americans also have prediabetes, which means their glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to reach diabetic levels.

Learning your risk factors can start with taking the simple Diabetes Risk test on the American Diabetes Association website. Chances of getting it are higher if you are overweight, inactive or have a family history. Talk to your doctor to find if simple blood tests that can help diagnose diabetes, like an A1C test that can be given at any time of day and shows your average glucose level for the past three months, are a good idea for you. Become familiar with the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, that include

increased hunger or thirst, feeling tired, losing weight without trying, going to the bathroom more frequently, blurred vision and skin infections or slow healing bruising. Your older loved one may also have signs of depression or cognitive issues.

The good news is that many Type 2 diabetes cases are preventable with healthy lifestyle changes. Develop a plan to review with your health care provider that addresses the following steps. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle, with a plan for walking or other forms of daily exercise. Manage your weight with healthy food choices, like eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates. Stop smoking. Stay hydrated, water is a wonderful choice. Make sure you regularly take any prescribed medications for blood pressure or cholesterol, and track your numbers.

At Home Helpers we know a skilled and well matched Caregiver can help make each day the best it can be for your older loved one, whether it’s making sure a safe walk is a part of their day, following a healthy diet with nutritious meals, monitoring vital signs or creating bonds to battle social isolation. Our heart centered Caregivers can assist with all personal care, help around the house, or provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc.

We’re here to help – from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and live-in care. For a free consultation contact Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs at (770) 681-0323.

Brought

Sandlot baseball in Sandy Springs

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Baseball games were popular in Sandy Springs long before Morgan Falls Athletic Complex existed. The community had a sandlot team, sometimes referred to as the “Sandy Springs nine” in the Atlanta newspapers.

According to “Images of America Sandy Springs,” by Kimberly M. Brigance and Morris V. Moore, many games were played at an unofficial ballpark between Boyleston Drive, Hammond Drive, Mount Vernon Highway and Roswell Road.

Baseball had begun by 1934 in Sandy Springs, because an outdoor meeting and wiener roast was held in August of that year to plan and raise money for uniforms. (Atlanta Constitution, August 8, 1934)

Sandy Springs baseball was part of the Regenstein’s family life. They moved to 10 acres on Mount Vernon Highway in 1946. Robert Regenstein was an umpire at the baseball field. When his efforts to bring City of Atlanta water to Sandy Springs were successful in 1950, the community held a Fourth of July celebration, which included square dancing and baseball.

When Robert and Jean’s daughter Barbara was born, employees of Regenstein’s store bought a baby-sized baseball uniform for her. The couple took Barbara to the Sandy Springs field in the uniform.

Scheduled league games for August 1, 1948, included Sandy Springs at Roswell and Alpharetta at Austell as part of the North Atlanta League; Dunwoody at Smyrna, State League; Irvindale Dairy vs. Tucker at Piedmont Park and Norcross at Duluth in the County League.

The Atlanta papers regularly reported on the various sandlot team results and the special achievements of the players.

Bill Hardigree of Sandy Springs was the fielding star of a game against the Federal Pen (Penitentiary) team. Sandy Springs won 7 to 4, and Hardigree got six of those seven runs. (Atlanta Constitution, “Hardigree Leads Sandy Springs, Sept. 17, 1951)

John Davis moved to Sandy Springs with his family in 1962 at the age of 10. Little League baseball had recently become popular in the community.

“By the 1960s, baseball in Sandy Springs had taken on a life of its own and had become part of the town’s spirit, even if there was no official place to play it,” Davis recalled.

Local businesses and organizations sponsored teams, buying sports equipment and uniforms including Arlington Cemetery, the Optimist Club, Swofford Shoes,

Northside Pharmacy, and Bondurant Sporting Goods. (Sandy Springs Gazette 2018, “Root, Root, Root for the Home Team”)

Davis played on a team sponsored by Arlington Cemetery. He remembered the team marching down Roswell Road as part of a parade. The league played on fields at Mount Vernon Baptist Church and St. John United Methodist Church and at local elementary school fields.

In 1967, two parks were planned for the southern part of Fulton County in Palmetto and near Fairburn, and two parks in Sandy Springs, Hammond and Morgan Falls. The parks would have baseball fields and tennis courts. (Atlanta Constitution, March 30, 1967, “Four Parks Planned by Fulton”)

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.

Columnist

IMAGES OF AMERICA SANDY SPRINGS/KIMBERLY M. BRIGANCE AND MORRIS V. MOORE

This 1940s Sandy Springs baseball team includes, front row, from left: Bill Sewell, Carl Jameson, Al Holbrook, George Coleman and Hubert Nix. Back row, from left: Charles Sewell, Billy Hair, Doyle Mabry, Richard Coleman and Richard Johnson

A new book series and an old favorite

The top two things that drive me crazy

KATHY MANOS PENN

I’ve been waiting for the most recent book in The Thursday Murder Club series to become available at my library. Only in Atlanta could a parking issue keep you from getting a library book.

Seriously! I put the book on hold when it was first published in 2022, and I was delighted to get the email in October that said I could pick it up. I never would have imagined that early voting at the library would mean that the parking lot was destined to be full on the last day I could pick it up.

I have on a few occasions called the library to ask if they could hold a book for an extra day, and they’ve always been happy to oblige. This time, however, I couldn’t even get through on the phone. That meant I had to re-up my hold request, and I didn’t make it to the top of the list until February. The good news is that it was well worth the wait.

In the meantime, I indulged in a new-to-me series that was easy to get. Heaven forbid I do without reading material.

“Death in the Off-Season” by Francine

Matthews

I love it when I discover a new mystery series. I read a review of the seventh book in the Merry Folger series and immediately picked up the first one, “Death in the OffSeason.” What a treat. Publishers

Weekly said it well: “Spunky but inexperienced, third-generation Nantucket cop Meredith Folger investigates murder in this spare, atmospheric debut.”

She’s the daughter of the local police chief and has recently been promoted to Detective when she’s assigned her first murder case. Not only does she need to solve the case, Merry has to deal with an all-male department that questions her competence.

This mystery checked all my boxes. A strong female lead, a wellplotted story and writing that brings the setting to life. I’ve always wanted to visit Nantucket, and this series

may do the trick for me.

It’s September on the island, and the fog and the chill provide an eerie setting for a murder that has its roots in the family dynamics of one of Nantucket’s oldest and wealthiest families. The extra treat was learning about cranberry harvesting. I’d never heard of a cranberry bog.

“The Bullet that Missed” by Richard Osman

This may only be the third book in The Thursday Murder Club series, but the characters already feel like old friends. The four amateur sleuths return to solve another murder. All in their 70s, the four friends are as different as can be, but they get along famously.

They live in the luxurious Coopers Chase Retirement Village in Kent, England, and meet every Thursday to work on murder cases, most often cold cases. It’s appropriate that they meet in the Jigsaw room in the clubhouse. Aren’t all mysteries puzzles where you have to move pieces around to make sense of them? One way or another, the cold cases wind up involving the friends in a more recent murder. Sometimes, they stir up something that results in yet another murder, and of course, puts one or several of the friends in danger. The plot is filled with twists and turns, even a Russian spy.

I am happy to report that book four in the series is due out in September 2023. Next up, I have the second Merry Folger book and countless other mysteries to keep me entertained. When you read at least two books a week, it’s critical to keep your hold shelf at the library well stocked.

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

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

I think that the older I get the less patience I have with people or stuff that are, well, snarky. That is, stuff that drives me crazy – stuff that should be different and could be different but isn’t.

#1. Flashlights.

Seriously? Yep, flashlights. Yep, I always have a flashlight when I need one, but of course it never works. Either the batteries have died, or the bulb has gone bad – that bulb for which one can never find replacements – or the “bulb” that is now a LED thing that who knows if those are ever replaceable. While I am at it, what the heck does “LED” stand for? Have no idea. Oh, almost forgot to include the contact mechanism – the thing that completes the current and makes a light appear. It’s the thing that without fail, when the batteries are good and the bulb or the LED thing are good, that never works.

I started buying warranties for the flashlights that I buy – extended warranties. Sort of my way of saying/dong “I’ll show you flashlight manufacturer.” But of course, when my flashlight dies, I can never find the warranty or the receipt. So that doesn’t help.

I have tried buying those flashlights that you charge with a USB cord. I have tried those that use rechargeable batteries – you know those batteries that do not recharge because the charger stops working. I have bought those onerous flashlights that law enforcement uses. I have tried those that you leave plugged into outlets that cease working after the 5th time you use it. I have bought expensive flashlights, cheap ones, disposable ones and none last longer than the third or fourth use.

Now, I keep candles and a Bic lighter handy. Why is it that they can make lighters that always work but can ‘t make a flashlight that always works? Why do wax candles always work? Can’t someone find a way to screw those up too? My iPhone flashlight has never failed me. It always works. Hello. Maybe Apple should make flashlights. It could be their huge new product – a Apple flashlight with a touch screen on/off that works – and keeps working. I know Steve would approve and that flashlight would be a huge win.

#2. Motion activated solar-powered security lights run a close second after flashlights.

Another light issue, no? What is up with me and light?

Ok, so, you would think that these would not be like flashlights. I mean, almost no moving parts. Unlimited charging. Almost never in use. So, these should always work, right? Wrong. I am batting 1000 on purchasing these things and them lasting more than 30 days-ish. I have purchased them for my office, for our house, for our warehouse, for our beach place and 100% of the time they stop working in a month or two, if not sooner.

Most of these security lights have rechargeable batteries that the solar panel charges. And that seems like the dog that won’t hunt. I think that most rechargeable batteries can only be recharged so many times and then they too stop working / recharging. Maybe I need to add “rechargeable batteries” to my list.

As with the flashlights I started buying the extended warranties for my solarpowered lights and the result has been identical. Maybe I use the warranty once after the light stops working and then the next time, I can’t find the warranty or don’t have the energy to go deal with the big box store that questions – always questions – my wanting to use the warranty – to the point that I dread even going there.

I know Elon at least at one time was working on roofing material that doubled as solar panels. Maybe he needs to get into the solar-powered motion sensor security light business. No one else seems to be able to get it right although there is one use of these solar chargers that I have found works each and every time. And that would be? Using it as a trickle charger to my car battery at the beach. Since I have started leaving a solar panel hooked up to my car battery, I have not had a single dead battery. Go figure.

So, we have been brewing coffee with coffee makers in the kitchen for generations. And they, generally, worked well and lasted. Then along comes a better mousetrap called a Keurig coffee maker that becomes a runaway sensation – much like those vacuum robots – the Roomba.

We can send someone to the moon. We can make domestic airplanes that safely fly for 50 years easy. We can install new hearts into people. So why hasn’t someone – anyone – made a flashlight that works longer than a month or two? I don’t get it.

Bueller, Bueller, anyone, Bueller?

Columnist

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

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!

Insect allies: predators and parasitoids in the garden

It’s important to identify an insect in your garden before taking action. Are you sure it’s a “bad guy?”

Many insects are actually providing free pest management!

Natural enemies, insects that kill or suppress other insects, help control prey populations and keep nature in balance. There are two categories of natural enemies. A predator is an insect that captures and eats another insect (the prey). A parasitoid is an insect that develops on or inside another insect (the host). The host usually dies in the process of the parasitoid’s development.

Conserving Natural Enemies

Natural enemies need alternate food sources in addition to prey. While they’re out hunting, insect predators might need “snacks” to keep up their energy. Cue flowering plants! Flowers provide nectar and pollen that natural enemies use as supplemental food while hunting or if prey becomes scarce.

To keep natural enemies in the area, plant flowers with varying bloom times, providing food year-round. Native plants are especially pest-tolerant and supportive to natural enemies. Bonus: While drinking nectar and traveling between flowers, natural enemies become pollinators!

Natural enemies also need habitat where they can reproduce, take shelter and overwinter. Aim for structural complexity— variation in height, depth and texture—in your plantings to provide plenty of cover. Many overwinter in cavities, twigs and leaf litter, so “leave the leaves” where you can.

Some natural enemies, like lady beetles, can be purchased in bulk for release in the landscape. This is a short-term solution. The most sustainable way to reap the benefits of our insect allies is to attract and retain them with suitable habitat and food sources. It’s important to remember, natural enemies need prey! Don’t expect to eradicate all pests. It is impossible, and you will lose your natural enemies. Instead, aim to keep pest populations at tolerable levels.

Common natural enemies

Wasps

Most wasps are predators—they capture insects to feed to their larvae (immature wasps). Social wasps, like paper wasps and yellowjackets, live in colonies. Social wasps can be aggressive when their nests are disturbed but are generally docile while they are feeding on nectar. Many are generalist predators, eating a wide variety of different insects. Caterpillars, including

corn earworms, armyworms, loopers and hornworms, are popular prey. Solitary wasps do not live in colonies. A female solitary wasp creates one or a few nests at a time for her developing larvae. She may build her nest in the soil, in a cavity or with mud. After she lays her egg inside, she hunts and delivers live (sometimes paralyzed) prey to her hungry larva once it hatches. Solitary wasps are rarely aggressive.

Parasitoid wasps are extremely beneficial and come in all sizes, from nearly microscopic “fairyflies” (0.5 mm) to giant ichneumon wasps (up to 5 inches). Most lay eggs directly inside aphids, whiteflies, scale insects, leafminers or caterpillars. The larvae hatch and feed inside the insect until they are ready to pupate, emerge as adults and fly away. Gruesome but cool!

Beetles

Lady beetles, or lady bugs, come in all sizes and colors, not only red with black spots. Adults and larvae eat a variety of garden pests, like aphids, mealybugs and whiteflies. Some larvae can consume 200500 aphids before they reach adulthood! Beetles in the family Carabidae, called ground beetles, are common in the garden. These generalists have long legs and powerful mandibles for chomping prey. Adults and larvae are often found hunting on or in the soil at night.

True Bugs

Insects in the order Hemiptera are known as “true bugs.” Some of our worst garden pests, including aphids, whiteflies and scales, and some of our most valuable

predators, are true bugs.

Insects in the genus Orius are called minute pirate bugs for their diminutive size (2-5 mm) and are predators of aphids, armyworms, thrips, spider mites and whiteflies. They can even deliver a pinch to unsuspecting humans. Assassin bug adults and nymphs (immature true bugs) use sharp beaks to pierce aphids, leafhoppers, caterpillars and Japanese beetles. Larger assassin bugs, like the wheel bug, should be handled with caution or not at all, as they can administer a powerful bite.

Flies

Hover flies and flower flies are predators of common garden pests, including aphids. Many species mimic wasps and bees but cannot sting. Robber flies are aerial predators of many insects, including other predators! Larvae feed on soft-bodied insects, like scales and mealybugs.

Flies in the family Tachinidae are parasitoids. Females lay eggs in or on host grasshoppers, Japanese beetles and stink bugs. Larvae feed on the host, leading to its demise.

Lacewings

Lacewings eat soft-bodied mites, aphids, mealybugs and scales. Look out for lacewings’ distinctive eggs, which are perched at the ends of long, graceful stalks.

You may also see mantids, or “praying mantises.” These insects are powerful ambush predators that capture a variety of different insects. Dragonflies may be in the garden if a pond or body of water is nearby. Dragonflies have excellent eyesight and can move each of their four wings independent-

ly, making them precise aerial hunters. They especially like mosquitoes and have earned the nickname “mosquito hawks.”

While spiders are arachnids, not insects, they are excellent predators that feed on a wide range of pests. Garden spiders build webs to capture their prey, while jumping spiders and green lynx spiders are ambush predators that pounce on unsuspecting insects.

Natural enemies are our allies in the garden, providing valuable pest control services and enhancing the complexity and wonder of our natural world. Next time you’re out in the garden, look closer. Is that a foe you see, or could it be a friend?

If you are interested in learning more about common insect predators in the garden and easy ways we can conserve them, please join me for a virtual talk on Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m. To assure your place in the third class of the Spring 2023 Gardening Lecture Series presented by the North Fulton Master Gardeners, “Insect Allies: Predators and Parasitoids in the Garden,” please register at https://bit.ly/Spring2023NFMG-GardeningLectureSeries. The class will also be available for later viewing on the NFMG YouTube channel at youtube. com/northfultonmastergardeners.

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.

About the Author

This week’s guest Master Gardener columnist is Gabrielle LaTora, agriculture agent in Fulton County’s Extension office. An entomologist by training, Gabrielle is interested in insects on farms and in gardens and is passionate about closing the gap between people and their food. In addition to helping coordinate Fulton’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program, Gabrielle oversees the North Fulton Community Garden, answers clients’ questions about gardening and natural resources, works with urban farmers and delivers high-quality educational programs for Fulton County residents.

GABRIELLE LATORA Guest Columnist

A solitary wasp feels on nectar and pollen A lady beetle larva feeds on an aphid.

Hover flies often mimic the look of bees and wasps. Lacewing eggs are perched on long stalks.

If only houses could talk

Sometimes we may pass a building every day for years without giving it a second thought. Such structures may reveal interesting stories if given a second look.

Today, I will describe two buildings side by side on Birmingham Highway in Milton, across the road from Scottsdale Farms, one an attractive white brick house and the other brightly painted green and white with a porch situated under a tall shade tree. The two houses are joined by the history of one family. What stories might these houses tell?

In an earlier column I profiled the life of Billy Albertson (1932–2021) a sharecropper’s son who lived to become a beloved local personality, famous for his vegetable garden on Hardscrabble Road. Billy’s garden was a symbol of friendship, neighborliness, and conversation by those who stopped by to chat, help in the garden, to buy fresh produce or to buy goats that Billy raised.

Circa 1950 Billy’s parents, Egbert Tabor Albertson (1892-1975) and Ola Bell Etris Albertson (1891-1969), purchased a 3-acre farm from Billy’s older brother Judge Albertson and his wife Lula Mae across Birmingham Highway from today’s Scottsdale Farm. Judge and Lula Mae moved to Atlanta for Judge’s new job. Since the family had been sharecroppers and moved from farm to farm every few years, the move to their own farm on Birmingham Highway was a welcome chance to settle down. The green wooden house was already on the property. As a teenager, Billy lived in the house with his parents and sister Betty and brother Bobby. For a while as a teenager, Billy worked at Judge’s mobile sawmill. After an accident at the sawmill Billy began his life’s work as a butcher, initially at the Crabapple Sausage Company, eventually at A&P grocery stores. Billy lived with his parents in the house until he married Marjorie Mary Cornelison (1935-2008) in 1955. About five years later he built the home on Hardscrabble Road that would become his landmark farm.

The widowed Egbert lived in the green painted house until his death in 1975. The house remained vacant from that time on.

Next to the painted green house is a white brick house built in 1956 that Denise and Janet’s cousin Shirley Pilcher and her husband Ronnie lived in for 60 years beginning in 1971 when Ronnie got out of the Air Force. Shirley and her father J.T. Albertson bought the house property from

PILCHER FAMILY/PROVIDED

This is the original brick house next door to the green and white house where the Albertson family lived on Birmingham Highway. Billy Albertson’s niece Shirley Pilcher and her husband Ronnie lived in it for 60 years. The house was recently painted white. Circa early 1970s.

Billy and Margie Albertson cut the cake at their wedding in 1955. The wedding took place at the home of Billy’s niece Shirley Pilcher and her husband Ronnie who lived next door to Billy and his parents on Birmingham Highway.

her grandparents Egbert and Ola in the 1960s, attracted by the fact that their Albertson kin lived next door. The house was red brick until painted white about a year ago. The house has been kept up to date and is today a comfortable residence.

In 2015 Luca Gianturco, owner of Scottsdale Farms, bought both houses and surrounding property totaling 10.5 acres at the time, which he enlarged by purchasing parcels in subsequent years. He did not tear down the painted green house even though it would have required substantial renovation to make it inhabitable for two reasons. First, Luca has a keen sense of history, and the painted green house has stories to tell. Second, it serves a useful purpose as a storehouse for the bales of hay cut off the land around the house that he uses at Scottsdale Farms. He did put a

ALBERTSON FAMLY/PROVIDED

Billy Albertson and his daughter Denise Huntley visited this painted green house where the Albertson family previously lived across the road from Scottsdale Farms where Billy had delivered goats raised on his farm. The photo which is prized by the family, was taken by Luca Gianturco, owner of Scottsdale Farms, in 2016.

new roof on the house to keep its contents dry.

Billy’s daughter Janet Bobeng has fond memories of regular Sunday family gatherings in the 1970s.

“Dad had 10 brothers and sisters, and some would always show up,” she says.

Up to 20 people sat on folding chairs under the large water oak tree in the front yard. A long wooden table was piled high with food brought by the guests.

“Those were special days,” recalls Janet.

Shirley Pilcher has a slightly different memory of those Sunday gatherings which she always attended since she lived

PILCHER FAMILY/PROVIDED Egbert and Ola Bell Albertson were sharecroppers who finally saved enough money to buy a small farm in 1950 across the road from today’s Scottsdale Farms. Their son Billy Albertson became a beloved and admired local celebrity known for his vegetable garden on Hardscrabble Road where friends and neighbors dropped by to purchase produce or help Billy in the garden. Circa 1950s.

next door. She says, “after the guests left, grandmother would cover the leftovers with a large cloth until evening when I would return to indulge in homemade biscuits and raw onions. It was such a happy place.”

In 2016, Luca bought some goats from Billy Albertson to serve as an attraction at Scottsdale Farms. Billy, and his daughter Denise Huntley, brought the goats to Scottsdale Farms and showed Luca how to castrate the goats. Billy looked across the street and told Luca that he had once lived in the green colored house. He took Luca on a tour of the property, and Luca took a picture of Billy and his daughter in front of the house. The photo has become a family gem. For Luca the picture brings back pleasant memories of the visit, and for Denise it evokes special memories of walking through the house with her father. Billy showed her where important events took place and the kitchen where Billy’s father made biscuits for the family.

So, when you are driving along country roads and see old houses or barns in less-than-ideal condition, know that those old greying structures may have some tales to tell, if only we could get them to speak to us.

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 MEYERS

Columnist

PILCHER FAMILY PROVIDED

THE INVESTMENT COACH

H R NG ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Join

There are no easy rules when it comes to retiring

A recent Wall Street Journal article delved into “Glimpses Into the Reality of a $1 Million Retirement” nest egg. The Dec. 28, 2022, piece noted, “Once a symbol of extravagant wealth, $1 million is now the retirement savings goal for millions of Americans.” The question for you may be, “Given inflation, taxes and other personal challenges, do I have enough with $1 million in today’s dollars?”

Previously this column cited the work of Thomas Stanley and William Danko who authored “The Millionaire Next Door,” a best-selling book that defined a threshold level for wealth achievement as having a net worth of $1 million or more. By the end of 2022, it took a net worth in today’s inflation adjusted dollars of $1.89 million to equal the $1 million level specified when the book was published in 1996. If you were to ask a financial planner if a $1 million retirement nest egg is sufficient, the answer must be, “It depends.” Along with time frames, the planning variables are myriad.

How long before you wish to retire, or at least, proclaim yourself as being “financially independent?” Use an inflation calculator to determine the buying power of future dollars based on your time frame.

Say you’re 45 and want to be financially independent by age 65. In 2043, it will take $1,638,616 to equal $1 million in 2023 dollars if inflation averages only 2.5 percent per year. The economy and stock and bond markets are struggling as the Federal Reserve Bank raises interest rates in a battle to get inflation down to an annual rate of 2 percent. Playing with various assumptions and time frames will make you dizzy, but asking “what if?” questions can be useful in weighing variables as you attempt to visualize potential future reality.

In addition to inflation, taxes erode the net purchasing power of your gross earnings. You must consider both current and potential future

estate and tax policies. Retirement money coming out of a qualified retirement plan like a 401(k) or Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is taxed as ordinary income. For accounts like a Roth IRAs or Roth option in a 401(k) plan, you invest after-tax dollars today so as to harvest tax-free dollars tomorrow. Will harvested dollars from personal non-qualified plan sources be subject to ordinary income or short- or long-term capital gains rates? More favorable long-term capital gains rates are blasted by some as a sop to the wealthy, as in “Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.” With our national debt out of control, raising taxes on the so-called rich is a call. At $1-plus in liquid net worth, you will be tagged as “rich.” Count on it! A discussion of tax strategies that are available today is key to optimal future planning.

When you begin to tap your nest egg to provide retirement cash flow, how long do you estimate you will live and need money? Based on your age, and that of a spouse or partner, how long will the money have to last? Do you wish to pass assets to heirs and/or qualified charities? Will you be debt free on your retirement date? What will be your health care needs and how will they be funded? Will life insurance be in place to bolster the financial freedom of a survivor? Will life insurance also be used as a vehicle to support long term care needs or pay potential estate taxes?

How much of your nest egg will be tied up in a qualified retirement plan subject to ordinary income tax upon withdrawal? How much will be held in personal non-retirement funds where more favorable long-term capital gains rates may apply? How does Social Security play into retirement cash flow planning? Medicare is not free and costs for supplemental insurance plans rise every year.

Travel often is mentioned as a retirement goal. Well, “Why wait until retirement?” Suppose Italy is on your bucket list. Round trip tickets for two on Delta to Rome this fall can cost about $3,138 in coach, $3,838 in economy comfort, $6,662 in premium select, and $11,698 in business class. Careful shopping may

reduce expenses, but the point is that when it comes to travel, comfort and style costs far more than the basics. A windowless inside cabin on a cruise ship costs much less than a suite with a balcony, but is that your idea of a good time? When saving for retirement, what level of freedom, flexibility, comfort, and style do you wish to aim for?

What other variables may impact the formulation of your financial plan? How secure is your job and earnings stream from employment? If you’re selfemployed how secure is your income stream and what’s the potential future selling price for your business? Do you have sufficient insurance (life, health, medical, disability, liability, property and casualty, long-term care) to deal with the vagaries of life? Are current and proper legal documents in place such as powers of attorney covering assets and heath care, beneficiary designations, wills, and/ or trusts to deal with incapacity and death, special-needs children and taxes?

These questions and more play into the investment strategies that you will pursue. Your current earning power and net worth, future projections, time frames, risk posture, tax considerations, inflation assumptions, current health status and long-term outlook, family obligations, debt levels, current planning for emergency situations and “what if?” questions, and other factors govern your financial planning strategies.

If it sounds complex, it can be. That’s why independent financial counsel is encouraged. But if you think planning can be complicated, try winging it!

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group; 770441-3553; lewis@capitalinsightgrp. com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Lewis is a registered representative and investment adviser representative of SFA, otherwise unaffiliated with Capital Insight Group. He’s a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

NFCC is looking for a full-time executive assistant to support the Executive Director and leadership team.  This person will play a vital role in help keep the NFCC leadership team organized and productive and will interact with the board of directors and other important stakeholder groups. Sensitivity, discretion and attention to detail are a must. Candidate must have a two-year degree, bachelor’s degree preferred and should have at least 2-3 years of relevant experience. For a complete job description visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Client Services Specialist

The full-time Client Services Specialist greets visitors to NFCC and assists them with obtaining services. In addition, this person conducts followup interviews, enters data and may participate in additional follow-up activities.  A high school degree or equivalent is required along with at least one year in customer service or other relevant experience. Discretion and strong written and verbal communication skills in English and Spanish are also required. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Truck Driver

NFCC needs a reliable driver to work part-time picking up scheduled donations. The person in this role may also assist with facility maintenance and must maintain accurate vehicle maintenance records. It is crucial that they represent NFCC with a professional and friendly demeanor. 1-2 years of box truck delivery experience is preferred. Candidate must maintain a valid Georgia driver’s license and be free of any traffic violations for the past three years.  Work on Saturdays or Sundays may be required occasionally. For a complete job description, please visit https://nfcchelp.org/work-at-nfcc/

Now Hiring: Office Coordinator

Local commercial real estate company is hiring an Office Coordinator. The role includes coordinating administrative tasks between our property management, leasing and accounting departments. The position requires exceptional communication and organizational skills, knowledge of MS Office, a strong work ethic, internal drive, and a positive attitude. This is an office only (not remote work) position. Please contact us Employment@ mpshoppingcenters.com for more information.

Workforce Development Coordinator

Develop programs and services for clients and students who are seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The coordinator collaborates with employers in the community who are hiring. The role also includes working one-on-one on job applications, resumes, interview preparations and offers tips for successfully securing and improving employment. Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field required.

For full job description see: https://nfcchelp.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/02/Workforce-DevelopmentCoordinator-2023.pdf. To apply, send resume to cswan@nfcchelp.org.

Accounting Specialist

Responsible for the day-to-day transactions within the accounting department. The specialist is accountable for preparing financial transactions, processing invoices, and entering general ledger data which will assist in balancing the income statement, managing budgets, and preparing financial reports. Role works closely with the Finance Manager and Director of Finance and Administration. Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or related field required.

For full job description see: https://nfcchelp. org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/AccountingSpecialist-02.21.23-1.pdf. To apply, send resume to jrice@nfcchelp.org.

Wahoo Fitness, L.L.C. has opening in Atlanta, GA for Quality Engineer. Drive & lead new product development quality milestones. Provide expert guidance & direction in DFA & DFM. Operate in Agile & Lean. Mast or equiv + 1yr exp. Ability to travel to Wahoo Fitness locations abroad 10% of yr. Send resumes to Wahoo Fitness, Attn: M. Zilinski, 90 West Wieuca Rd NE, Ste. 110, Atlanta, GA 30342. Must ref job title & code: QE-KD.

POOL TECHNICIANS WANTED

Part-time & Full-time positions available. Pay is $12-$14 per hour. Hours starting at 6:30AM, Monday-Friday. Pick-up truck not required but must have your own reliable transportation. Gas allowance provided. Looking for people who enjoy working outside and are enthusiastic, dependable & punctual. Able to contribute independently or on a crew with consistently friendly attitude.

Well-established commercial pool maintenance company providing service in the North Atlanta Metro area.

Call Bill: 404-245-9396

Supportive Service Coordinator:

The Supportive Service Coordinator (“SSC”) will be responsible for managing the social/supportive services for a portfolio of properties, under the supervision of the Company Asset Manager. This position will serve as a liaison between the Asset Manager and the property management company. This individual will primarily be responsible for managing compliance and reporting for supportive services and, secondarily, procuring grant funding to supplement the property service budget, and identifying local service providers to augment property offerings.

Full time hours. Requires a Bachelor’s degree in social work or education and a minimum of 5 years’ experience.

For a full job description and to submit a resume, please reach out to:

Samit Patel, spatel@rhgroup.org Resource Housing Group, Inc.

Collectibles

KEEPSAKE POTTERY

McCoy and others from the 1950’s. $300/set or sell by piece. 678-221-7983

Budget

Used Cars

JAGUAR XK-8 CONVERTIBLE 2002, triple black, with superb lines, garners attention wherever you go! Wife’s garaged beauty, excellent condition! 103,000 miles. Second owner. Clean title. $7750. iaofga@gmail.com, 678-667-0391

Handyman

Haulers

Cemetery

ARLINGTON

2 plots, Garden G. Valued at $9800. Asking $6000. 404-285-0977

MATTHEW THE HANDYMAN Carpentry, Painting, Drywall, Plumbing, Electrical and Small Jobs. 404-547-2079

HANDYMAN: LET ME FIX what your contractor didn’t! Or add a new kitchen or bathroom. Insured. 20 years experience. 770-292-0576

Bush Hogging, Clearing, Grading, Hauling, Etc.

Many local referencesCall Ralph Rucker

678-898-7237

Painters

Quality Without Compromise

ROBERT CROAWELL REMODELING

Full Service Contractor Additions • Kitchens • Basements • Bathrooms

Interior/Exterior Paint • Minor Repairs • Licensed Insured Office: 770-814-0064 Cell: 678-642-8314