Sandy Springs Crier - August 10, 2023

Sandy Springs honors Purple Heart veterans

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North Fulton County beautification group names new director

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga.

— Keep North Fulton Beautiful announced Ryder Leary as its new executive director, who brings 16 years of experience from his time at the YMCA.

Police HQ expansion draws residents’ flak

More neighbors object to use of razor wire

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Plans to build a $50 million expansion of the Sandy Springs Police headquarters off Morgan Falls Road, with an off–site fleet maintenance facility, might be a done deal – but residents still have pressing concerns about it.

At the Sandy Springs City Council’s Aug. 1 meeting, residents of the Cambridge townhome development on Morgan Falls Road spoke against portions of the expansion plans, which will add more than 20,00 square feet to the existing police

headquarters.

Sandy Springs has gone through multiple iterations of plans for the facility and initially intended the complex to be a “one-stop shop” for all things law enforcement and justice.

But due to space concerns, parking requirements and a desire to fit expansion and a future firearms training center and fire station all on the Morgan Falls Road property, leaders later opted to build a fleet services facility on a parcel on Roswell Road.

PROVIDED

At a meeting Aug. 1, residents of the Cambridge townhome community off Morgan Falls Road asked Sandy Springs leaders to reconsider their use of razor wire for the city’s $50 million police headquarters expansion project. See PROJECT, Page 12

Leary will oversee all operations and community relations for Keep North Fulton Beautiful (KNFB), an environmental nonprofit that provides education and conservation programs to the communities of Johns Creek and Sandy Springs. The organization also operates the Sandy Springs Recycling Center on Morgan Falls Road.

Leary has made significant contributions to various YMCA chapters, according to the KNFB, including the YMCA of Central Florida and the YMCA of Florida's First Coast.

For the past six years, Leary has been an integral part of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta, the organization said, where his dedication to its mission and expertise in fundraising has supported numerous programs and initiatives promoting healthy living and social responsibility.

Born and raised in Fernandina Beach, Florida, Leary developed a deep appreciation for nature and the environment from a young age and is a proud graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned his degree.

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

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COMPARING POLICE TRANSPARENCY

Sandy Springs vs. Roswell

Sandy Springs Roswell

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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 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 Georgia Press Association. Appen Media will continue pursuing the release of more detailed documents that belong to the public in order to inform residents how safe – or unsafe – their city is.

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

Members of Sandy Springs' Purple Heart veteran community speak to the City Council Aug. 1 during a proclamation presentation for Purple Heart Day.

Sandy Springs honors

Purple Heart veterans

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs City Council recognized local veterans Aug. 1 in honor of Purple Heart Day, which celebrates U.S. armed forces members who are wounded or killed in combat.

During the council meeting, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul proclaimed Aug. 7 as Purple Heart Day and honored five local men who served with the Marines and Army in Vietnam and Iraq.

Honorees included District 5 Councilman Tibby DeJulio, who served as a U.S. Army Infantryman during the Vietnam War.

“It's a real pleasure for us to be in Purple Heart city,” DeJulio said. “I think it's a real honor for the city and it's a real honor for all of our veterans here in the city.”

The Purple Heart was first awarded in 1932 and has since been awarded to over 2 million individuals. This is the seventh year that Sandy Springs has recognized Purple Heart Day.

“This is the least we can do, gentlemen. The absolute least we can do,” Paul said.

— Alexander Popp

Sexual assault reported on Roswell Riverwalk Trail

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police are investigating a sexual assault that allegedly took place on the Riverwalk Trail near Riverside Road and Dogwood Road Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Reports said a 19-year-old woman was attacked at about 8 a.m. while walking along the paved Riverwalk Trail, which follows the northern bank of the Chattahoochee River through Roswell.

Police said the woman reported she was grabbed from behind by an unidentified male and was forced into a wooded area near Riverside Road and Dogwood Road, where she was sexu-

ally assaulted. Police said the suspect claimed to be in possession of a gun and was wearing dark clothing and a surgical mask.

Beyond those items, police do not have a description of the alleged attacker, but said they are speaking with a possible person of interest in the case. More details will be released as their investigation continues.

The victim, who suffered some minor visible injuries, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.

Anyone with more information about this case has been asked to contact the Roswell Police Department at (770) 6404100.

Dunwoody youth recovered in sex trafficking crackdown

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Working with Atlanta FBI agents and other authorities, the Dunwoody Police Department recently assisted in a sex trafficking operation that led to dozens of arrests across the county.

During Operation Cross Country XIII, which partnered FBI agents with law enforcement officers in Dunwoody, Fulton County and Atlanta for two weeks, 10 juvenile victims of suspected sex trafficking were located, and two suspects were arrested for enticement and interference of custody.

One Dunwoody youth, recently reported missing, was recovered in Virgina during the operation.

Dunwoody police spokesman Sgt. Michael Cheek said a juvenile female was taken from her home in the city after meeting a man on social media July 28.

The same day the girl went missing, officers involved in Operation Cross Country VIII tracked her and a 38-yearold male suspect to Newport News, Va. Virgina police recovered the girl un-

of Dunwoody files third appeal in ex-officer’s unemployment case

harmed and arrested the suspect.

Cheek said the man will be extradited back to Georgia to face charges.

“The Dunwoody Police Department is resolute in its mission to protect our youth from the horrors of sex trafficking, and all forms of child exploitation, as well as adult sex trafficking within our city,” Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan said.

“Our law enforcement personnel, in collaboration with local, state, and federal partners, are unwavering in our collective pursuit to eradicate this despicable activity from our community.”

Across the nationwide operation, 200 sex trafficking victims were identified and located, and 68 suspects were arrested for sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses, FBI spokeswoman Jenna Sellitto said Aug. 1.

No further information on the operation was available, but authorities said their investigation in Georgia is ongoing.

“The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice,” Sellitto said.

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Lawyers representing the City of Dunwoody have filed a third appeal with the Georgia Department of Labor over $10,000 in unemployment benefits claimed by an expolice officer and whistleblower.

In a filing July 20, John Bennett, a partner with Freeman, Mathis & Gary, said a “long track record of mistakes” led GDOL Hearing Officer Tracey L. Lee to rule in ex-police officer Austin Handle’s favor , allowing him to collect unemployment benefits from the city.

Bennett claims the City of Dunwoody was repeatedly denied the right to a fair hearing, after multiple alleged clerical errors by GDOL staff caused Dunwoody to not be represented in the hearings.

“Enough is enough,” Bennett said in his response. “The GDOL needs to finally right its wrongs in this case, and the Board of Review now has a third opportunity to do so.”

Handle was fired from the Dunwoody Police Department in April 2020 for “police violation, due to dishonesty,” during

A Place for ALL Jews

an investigation into whether the officer used his patrol vehicle’s lights and sirens to speed through his neighborhood.

Bennett claims the ex-officer was fired after lying multiple times during an internal investigation and allegedly admitted to being untruthful in recorded interviews with superior officers.

However, Handle claims these accusations were false and he was fired in retaliation for speaking up about sexual assault and misconduct perpetrated and sanctioned by senior officers within the department.

In an email Thursday, Aug. 3, Dunwoody Communications Director Jennifer Boettcher said the city does not comment on employment claims.

City officials have also not commented on Handle’s accusations of retaliation, but an internal report released by the city in 2020 alleges internal strife within the department has been going on for years.

The report cited nearly 50 allegations of sexual harassment and professional misconduct against senior officers. Many of the allegations centered around former Lt. Fidel Espinoza, who resigned before the probe concluded in July 2020. Some officers said Espinoza had been harassing them for years.

Following the city’s appeal, Handle said even if the city’s appeal is granted, he isn’t going to stop fighting for his benefits and what he feels is right.

“I have no intention of giving up telling my story and telling the story of the people that were victimized in the City of Dunwoody,” he said. “Because now it's not about me winning $10,000 ... This is about me defending the right to have unemployment benefits.”

City

“Enough is enough. The GDOL needs to finally right its wrongs in this case, and the Board of Review now has a third opportunity to do so.”

JOHN BENNETT

Partner with Freeman, Mathis & Gary representing the City of Dunwoody

Kids get special treatment in mobile spa, just for them

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Decked out in robes, a small group of young girls and one boy lined up along a red carpet to enter the Spoiled Rotten Kids Spa Partybus, where makeovers awaited them.

Owner Khadija Bronson, a Johns Creek resident, helped them on, one by one, in front of a business off Crabapple Road in Roswell. Geared for ages 2 to 13, the bus travels around town and as far as the Lawrenceville area, usually for weekend birthday parties.

Bronson’s staff manned a pedicure station to one side of the bus and on the other, a table for manicures. A chair at the front is where Bronson added color to a girl’s eyelids — makeup is the kids’ favorite.

She also offers chocolate facials and a fashion show. After their makeovers, the group was set to walk on a mini-runway, wearing tutus, boas and other accessories hanging above the door. In down times, her young clients have access to an outside patio attached to the truck, bordered by a white picket fence.

In the average salon, pedicure chairs will swallow a small kid. But on the bus, all the furniture is sized for children — little tables, little chairs, little bowls.

“I just wanted to do something that was more kid-friendly, like something on their level — not too grown,” Bronson said.

One girl, who had just gotten her makeup and nails done, said she loved how “pretty” the bus was. Its aesthetic, glitz and glam and very pink, is as loud as the pop music playing over the speakers.

Featured on “The Tyra Banks Show,” Bronson said her business was the first of its kind in the country when it hit ground in 2008. She once operated three storefronts, in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland, but decided to go mobile, finding it a better business route.

“Most people like for us to come to them, and then they can still have the experience at their house,” Bronson said. “... We’re more like a party/babysitter because the kids come on the bus, the parents are inside.”

The business is a full-circle moment for Bronson. She recalled being in 8th and 9th grade, dipping pencil tips in nail polish to paint designs.

“It's crazy how it came about, to this,” Bronson said. “I didn't grow up wanting to do this job, but I love it.”

She said her business is one where you have to love kids, and have patience, for when a girl cries when she accidentally messes up her nails, which happened earlier that day. For Bronson, it’s all worth it, especially when she sees children smiling and becoming more secure in themselves.

“They come out here and break out of their shell,” Bronson said.

More Information

A staff member on the Spoiled Rotten Kids Spa Partybus paints a boy’s nails. Owner Khadijah Bronson opened the spa for kids in 2008 and has since gone mobile only. Kids, ages 2 to 13, can receive manicures, pedicures, facials and participate in fashion shows on the bus.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Spoiled Rotten Kids Spa owner Khadijah Bronson helps a line of children in robes onto the bus for makeovers.

Spoiled Rotten Kids Spa is a mobile spa service for kids, ages 2 to 13, that has traveled as far as the Lawrenceville area for birthdays. Services are typically provided on weekends.

For more information or to book a reservation, visit spoiledrottenkidsspa.com

ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S TRIVIA NIGHT

What: Come out and share your knowledge of Roswell’s rich history from its founding in 1854 to the present day. Teams are encouraged, with a max team size of four members.

When: Thursday, Aug. 10, 7-9 p.m.

Where: The Vick, 1182 Canton Street, Roswell

Cost: $25 ticket includes one drink

More info: roswellhistoricalsociety.org/ events/trivia-night

SUMMER MOVIES AT THE PARK

What: For a teen and adult movie night, Johns Creek will feature “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in its free summer series on a huge inflatable screen. Preshow activities include an inflatable moonwalk, face painting, children’s activities, giveaways and music. Gates open at 7 p.m., and the movie starts at dusk. Families are encouraged to bring blankets and relax as they watch the movie. No alcohol or pets please.

When: Friday, Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek

More info: johnscreekga.gov

SANDY SPRINGS CONSERVANCY’S AUGUST TRAIL BLAZERS WALK

What: Alex Popp, reporter for the Sandy Springs Crier and outdoor enthusiast, will be leading a guided tour at Island Ford, part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area featuring 3 miles of hiking trails. Meet the group at the entrance to the visitor center. Walks are limited to 25 participants, and registration is required.

When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m.

Where: Island Ford, 1978 Island Ford Parkway, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MILTON FARMERS MARKET

What: Every Saturday morning through October, more than a dozen vendors set up shop around Milton City Hall with fresh produce, fresh meat, sweets, coffee and tea, flowers, soaps, jewelry and more.

When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.

Where: Milton City Hall plaza, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton

SANDY SPRINGS CONSERVANCY’S AUGUST TRAIL BLAZERS WALK

What: Alex Popp, reporter for the Sandy Springs Crier and outdoor enthusiast, will be leading a guided tour at Island Ford, part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area featuring 3 miles of hiking trails. Meet the group at the entrance to the visitor center. Walks are limited to 25 participants, and registration is required.

When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 8:30 a.m.

Where: Island Ford, 1978 Island Ford Parkway, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

More info: facebook.com/ miltongafarmersmarket

GROOVIN’ ON THE GREEN: BACK TO SCHOOL BASH

What: Groovin’ on the Green, a free series at the Brook Run Park amphitheater, will feature the band Deep Velvet. Guests are encouraged to walk or ride bikes to the concerts. Bring your own picnics or pick up dinner from a featured food truck. Dogs, on a leash, are also welcome.

When: Saturday, Aug. 12, 6-9 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dunwoodyga.gov

INTERACTIVE MOVIE ON THE GREEN

What: Bring chairs or blankets to this free interactive movie night featuring “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” There will be 200 interactive kits to enliven the movie experience and encourage fun participation for the kiddos. Food will be available for purchase. No outside alcohol allowed.

When: Friday, Aug. 12, 7-9 p.m.

Where: The Green at Crabapple Market, 12650 Crabapple Road, Milton More info: crabapplemarketga.com

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ROSWELL YOUTH THEATRE AUDITIONS FOR ‘ELF THE MUSICAL JR.’

What: Roswell Youth Theatre invites student performers to audition for “Elf the Musical Jr.,” open to middle and high school ages. Participants only need to attend one night but must stay the entire time.

When: Monday & Tuesday, Aug. 1415, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $25

More info: roswellgov.com

CITY GREEN LIVE: GRAND FUNK RAILROAD

What: Grand Funk Railroad, which laid the groundwork for bands like Foreigner, Van Halen and Bon Jovi with its signature hard-driving sound and soulful vocals, will perform. The opening band will be Sailing to Denver. Lawn seating is free, and blankets, lawn chairs and umbrellas are allowed.

When: Friday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m.

Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

MARIUPOL: THE CITY THAT DOESN’T EXIST

What: This exhibit is a collection of original photographs by Ukrainian artist Anna Rumiantseva, who has recorded what Mariupol used to be before the war in her home country. The exhibit can be viewed at the Alpharetta City Hall Community Room Monday through Thursday, 8:30 to 5 p.m., and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

When: Until Sept. 11

Where: Alpharetta City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta

More info: alpharetta.ga.us

‘WHIMSY’

What: The exhibit “Whimsy” will feature artists who consider works by Dali, Magritte, Chagall, Bosch and others for inspiration. Presenting a wide variety of art showcasing the breadth and depth of artists’ imagination, artworks will include surrealism and fantastic imagery.

When: Until Sept. 23, business hours

Where: Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton Street, Alpharetta

More info: alpharetta.ga.us

Georgia Peaches celebrate national championship showings

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Four Georgia Peaches Girls Baseball teams returned home to North Georgia recently, victorious after the Baseball For All (BFA) Nationals Tournament in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Georgia Peaches 14U, 12U, 10U and 9U teams participated in the BFA Nationals Tournament July 12 through July 16, outscoring their opponents and sending several teams to the championship games, coaches said.

The 14U and 12U teams outscored their opponents 47- 18 and 40-17, and the 9U and 10U teams advanced to the 10U division championship.

Coaches said the 9U team’s performance during the tournament was particularly impressive, because they competed primarily against 10-year-olds throughout the week, while they only have players between 7 and 9 years old on their team.

By the end of the week, the 10U team collected 85 runs, 53 hits, 56 defensive strikeouts, and allowed only nine runs and nine hits.

“Our program continues to grow at an astonishing pace and our teams have become feared at both the local level and at the national stage, where we’re proven to be a top program in the nation,” Georgia Peaches 9U head coach Ian Winklemann said.

J.P. Borod, head coach of the Georgia Peaches 10U team, said the 50 girls in the Georgia Peaches program had a great time during the tournament, playing their hearts out, bonding and making their communities proud.

“To say that the girls had a good time at this tournament would be an understatement,” he said. “This is something they look forward to all year long.”

Georgia Peaches players come from all over the state, but they are predominantly from the North Georgia and Atlanta area. However, coaches said they have several players from neighboring states, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, that do not have an all-girls baseball program.

Because they are the only all-girls baseball program in Georgia, Borod said their teams typically only play against boys teams locally. So the national championship is a perfect chance for the team to connect with other girls who are passionate about baseball.

“For most of the year when these girls

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step onto a ballfield, they hear sneers, they aren’t viewed as equals, it is assumed that they are less than,” he said. “At this tournament they can let down their guards and they can be themselves.”

Winklmann and Josh Cammack coach the 9U team, Borod and Marquis Harris coach the 10U team, Brian Terry and Christian Lafon coach the 12U team, and Garrett Wilson coaches the 14U team.

Coaches said they are always looking for more girls who are passionate about baseball and want to develop their skills.

“For some odd reason after tee ball girls are led to believe that there is not a home for them in baseball and often their parents steer them towards softball,” Borod said. “We are here to break that fallacy. Our girls have shown they there is a place of for females in the sport of baseball.”

For more information about the Georgia Peaches Girls Baseball program visit them on Facebook or Instagram at www.facebook.com/GeorgiaPeachesBaseball and www.instagram.com/georgiapeachesbaseball.

Peachtree Industrial Boulevard evolved into Peachtree Boulevard

becoming the industry center of the South. Atlanta Journal writer Ted Lippman says, “… on a late fall day in 1945, Holder (Robert Holder) and a representative of General Motors drove slowly around the city’s borders looking for a plant site. They found it in DeKalb, behind a railroad and old Peachtree Road.” The location was in Doraville.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF

Columnist

“North of Atlanta, slashed across the flat red plain of the Piedmont, a vibrant symbol of the new south flourishes.” This sentence describes a new fourlane highway known as Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. (The Atlanta Journal, Oct. 26, 1958, “Peachtree leads new south to shiny industrial future”)

Peachtree Road led from downtown Atlanta, past Piedmont Hospital, Lenox Square, homes, churches and luxury apartments to Brookhaven. In Brookhaven, the road passed Veterans Hospital No. 48, and then Peachtree Golf Club. Except for the veterans hospital, these landmarks still exist along with many more. In 1958, the next stretch is described as open country.

Following World War II, Atlanta was

General Motors opened in 1947. According to “Chamblee, Georgia: A Centennial Portrait 1908-2008,” a new highway was needed for the distribution of new cars and to make travel easier for employees. State and federal funds totaling $803,000 were used to build Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

Robert Holder credited DeKalb County Commissioner Scott Candler and Mose Cox, state highway department’s chief engineer with helping “bring the vision together.” The road was Mose Cox’s idea. “A new street for new industry, paralleling Peachtree and the rails.”

Other industries followed General Motors to the area. The road was without a name when Westinghouse was ready to move into the area. Westinghouse wanted to print stationery with their new address. The name Peachtree Industrial Boulevard was suggested, and DeKalb County, Chamblee and Doraville officials liked the name.

Besides General Motors, other business that located in Chamblee included BoyleMidway, Eastman-Kodak, Write-Rite Company, Westinghouse Lamp Division, General Electric, John Deer Plow, Case Machinery, Dow Chemical, U.S. Gypsum and Frito-Lay. The Frito-Lay plant was at the corner of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Johnson Ferry Road.

Frito-Lay and General Motors both became field trip destinations for local students, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Some recall the Frito-Lay field trip included a bag of chips at the end. I went on the tour and only remember huge vats of potatoes cook-

ing. Frito-Lay closed in 1999 and is now the location of Lowe’s at 4950 Peachtree Boulevard, the former Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

The General Motors site is now home to Assembly Atlanta, the 135-acre movie and TV studio. A main street constructed with brick ironwork facades simulates the look of New Orleans, New York City, Chicago or a European city. Plans for a public park with a pond water feature and amphitheater for local events are underway. (discoverdunwoody.com)

Chamblee dropped the word industrial from the name back in 2008. Doraville recommended the same in 2018.

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

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus

I just finished reading a book that was on my wife’s book club list, “The Dictionary of Lost Words.” It was a wonderful, easy summer beach read that moved me in a way that I haven’t known in a long time, at least since Anthony Doerr’s “All the Light We Cannot See.”

The last few years I have been reading more and more non-fiction – generally history or popular social commentary. Think Michael Lewis (“The Premonition,” “The Undoing Project,” “The Blind Side”) or books by Malcolm Gladwell (“The Tipping Point,” “Outliers,” “Blink).**

I love those types of books that Lewis and Gladwell write. They entertain, illuminate, educate and generally help me understand just a little better who I am and who others are – and why. Reading them is like opening a road map to how we think and following the roads wherever they take us.

Those roads – those kinds of books –however don’t move me the way fiction can and has. They are not magic. They don’t lift me up and take me far away into worlds I don’t know. They don’t reach into my heart or soul and change me in some way like those rare, works of fiction do – TS Elliot, Hemingway, Mary Oliver or Louise Gluck. Gluck was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature “for her unmistakable poetic voice that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal.”

“The Dictionary of Lost Words” took me

far away to another time, and it did mine old memories in me, memories that had been dormant for years – one reveal after another.

About halfway through the book I remembered that I used to collect words many years ago, literally “collect” them much in the same way that Esme, the protagonist in the book, collected the rejected words. These- words that for one reason or another were deliberately excluded from the original Oxford English Dictionary that was composed roughly between 1900 and 1912. Esme’s collection of ‘lost words” had a purpose – a reason. Most of Esme’s “lost” words were those that had been discounted and, in a sense, shunned primarily by the men who edited the OED, and the editors were by in large, all men around the turn of the century. That is, they were words that were not important to them but could have been important to a woman. History, context, politics and social order were the filters that were illuminated and annotated throughout this book – woven in and out of the author’s engaging story like a patchwork quilt depicting the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary.

My collection of words was far less ambitious. I just collected words that I didn’t know, and which seemed interesting; I wasn’t on a mission, like Esme.

My word collection began when I was in my early teens. I kept a notebook by my bed and every time I encountered an interesting word I would log it into my notebook: definition, sentence, and the name of the book and page number in which I found the word. Since I was very young and didn’t know much, I discovered a lot of words. In

fact, I felt like an eager prospector during a gold rush, working a fecund steam, panning for linguistic treasures in the books.

Most of my early word discoveries were from two books – Will and Ariel Durant’s “The Lessons of History,” and a little bit later, Gibbon’s “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.” And while I still have not finished Gibbon’s work – it’s in tatters, a fading green paperback on my bookshelf still with another 20 percent yet to be read – I don’t think I ever turned a single page without finding new words for the collection.

Years later after college (in the early 1980s) I moved to Chile and took my word collection with me. Other than some clothes and a guitar, my books and my word collection were about the only things I took. There, my word collection took a huge turn; it began to include Spanish words and their histories. I began to read in Spanish novels and poetry: Pablo Neruda, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Luis Borges (El Hacedor), and others.

At some point, Spanish became my default language. I thought it, wrote it, dreamed it, and read it by preference. It was more descriptive than English. It had better words, often simpler words that described people or things so much better than the equivalent English. Often there simply was no English equivalent.

When I left Chile to go home and recover from an illness, I intended to return, so I didn’t take my stuff with me. It turns out I never did go back to Chile to live and all my belongings – including my word collection – disappeared forever, left in a tiny upstairs room in the small port of San Antonio. Of

note, most of San Antonio was destroyed in a massive earthquake not long after I left so, my word collection truly was lost.

Timing is everything.

We use words to tell stories, and “stories” are the oil that lubricates societies. Sometimes the words themselves are the story, a story that tells greater truths about our world. That was the case in “The Dictionary of Lost Words” – a story within a story, within a story – not unlike the movie “Inception.“

Paying attention to written words is important. It is like looking into a mirror, one that illuminates everything and hides nothing.

Words are more powerful than bombs. They cannot be discounted or ignored.

Paying attention to words is a way to stay in the present but also know the past and possibly the future. Words are living histories and are in constant flux. Lose connection to the written words and lose connection to what is important “now,” “this hour,” “this minute.” Words can help ground us if we slow down and pay attention. They can keep us connected if we let them.

** On a different note, for those of you who love to read, I cannot resist recommending (again) two amazing, non-fiction books. These spell-binding easy-reads delve into aspects of our recent past that are incredibly important. Both are true stories about the pandemic, but they reveal the actual backstories that took place, and in large part, determined the course of events.

• “The Premonition” by Michael Lewis

• “Code Breaker” by Walter Isaacson

I used to collect words; Now someone has done it for me

INVESTMENT COACH

Why getting your story is important

When a person thinks about contacting a financial planner, often he or she has a money question; perhaps how to deal with a short-term situation, or longrange planning for major life events such as buying a home, funding educations for children, dealing with issues of aging, retirement, starting or selling a closely held business. Decisions about major life challenges and transitions transcend money. Emotions, feelings, and values come into play and must be understood. What makes you happy? What makes you nervous?

If multiple people are involved in a decision, such as a spouse, adult child or other family member, a business partner, for example, it’s important that a financial advisor have a deep understanding as to everyone’s values and emotional relationships with money. Your advisor needs to know your story before a plan is developed and recommendations are made.

Growing up, this writer never received an allowance. If I was to have

money, I had to earn it. Plus, I grew up with two very different childhoods, both of which shaped my attitudes toward money and life itself. From birth to age 10, I was raised by my maternal grandparents in Flushing, Long Island, New York. World War II was raging and a “junkman” would come around and collect materials such as metals, glass, rags, paper, and rubber, anything that could be recycled to support the war effort. I took my red Radio Flyer wagon around the neighborhood, collecting items to sell to the junkman. I found that I really liked getting paid and having money.

From age 10 until I left home at age 18 for college, I lived with my mom and stepfather in Jacksonville, Florida. My stepfather, a Greyhound bus driver, was an authoritarian and expected me to do a variety of chores, which included yardwork, housework, and care of a dog kennel as he raised hunting hounds. While I did not get an allowance, when a momma dog had a litter of puppies, I could select one pup to sell. I hated selling the dog, but I liked getting paid for my labors. In addition to school and a myriad of chores and caring for the animals, I was always thinking of ways to make money, such as selling potted plants obtained from a wholesale nursery up the street, a comic book exchange

and part-time jobs. In college I worked for the university and for three years also had a paper route on campus. I learned that hard work has rewards, which had a great deal of influence on my choice of self-employment and entrepreneurship for most of my career.

My mom and stepdad worked hard but my mom frequently joked about “too much month at the end of the money,” except she wasn’t kidding, and that caused constant stress and anxiety. After paying off my college loans, and after I left military service as an Air force officer and married, I resolved to accumulate enough liquid capital as soon as possible so that my family and I could live for a minimum of one year with no paycheck.

Think about that. That’s financial freedom, knowing that you can deal with setbacks such as loss of your job or some other interruption in your income stream. It gives you the flexibility to change jobs or careers if you wish. Financial security confers freedom of choice and that’s worth working towards.

That’s my story. What’s yours? Where and how did you grow up? What has shaped your relationship with money? How soon would you like to be financially independent, to have the choice of working or not work -

ing? That may be a far better question than, “When would you like to retire?” Some people regard “retirement” as the ending of something; they worry about losing purpose, being bored. Financial independence, and the choices and options financial freedom provides, reduces anxiety, boosts energy, and funds purpose-fulfilling generosity, whether to family, other loved ones, friends, charities and other causes that you care about.

Of course, there’s a downside to success and having ample money, especially if it fuels bad habits and destructive behavior. Religious underpinnings and solid values often are important to the prudent uses of money and talent, and that’s a part of your story that an advisor should understand. “Financial life planning” encompasses far more than investment policy and money questions. What’s the next chapter in your story?

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-4413553; lewis@capitalinsightgrp.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA), which is otherwise unaffiliated with CIG. Lewis a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

Mysteries set in the English countryside

What a treat! British mysteries are my favorite, and when they’re set in the Cotswolds or Devon, I’m in heaven. I started the week with one set in the 1930s in Devon at Agatha Christie’s fictional country house. Next was a contemporary cozy mystery in the Cotswolds.

“A Trace of Poison”

by Colleen Cambridge

This was a marvelous follow-up to “Murder at Mallowan Hall.” Phyllida Bright, housekeeper and friend to Agatha Christie, is in fine fettle once again. The members of The Detection Club — G. K. Chesterton, Dorothy L.

Sayers, and of course, Agatha — are on hand for a Murder Fete. The event includes a writing contest for local authors, and the prize is enough to kill for.

There’s a superb twist, but for me the fun part was glimpsing hints about Phyllida and Bradford, the chauffeur. We know Phyllida worked with Agatha Christie during the war, but not much beyond that. Even less is known about Bradford. What we DO know is that he has a unique ability to get under Phyllida’s skin.

I’m looking forward to learning more in the third book in the series, due out in September. Meanwhile, “Mastering the Art of French Murder,” also by Cambridge is on my desk.

“Death in an English Cottage”

by Sara Rosett

It was a pleasure to return to another book in the Murder on Location

series. I don’t know why I waited so long after reading Book I.

Location scout Kate Sharp is back in the Cotswolds, this time working on a documentary about Jane Austen. As if that weren’t entertaining enough, the plot involves newly discovered Jane Austen letters, a literary find, if indeed they exist.

Add an evolving romance, and you have all the ingredients for another cozy read, especially for an Anglophile like me.

Sara Rosett’s descriptions of the English countryside, the cottages, and the village transported me to one of my favorite British locales. It won’t be long before I visit again with the next entry in this seven-book series.

What could be better than two entertaining reads? Being able to find them in an indie bookshop. If you’re fortunate enough to live near any of

the several scattered around the North Fulton area, you’re sure to find your next great read at one of them. I’ve ventured as far as Bookmiser in Marietta but haven’t yet made it to Poe & Company in Milton or Johns Creek Books & Gifts.

Whenever you’re intrigued by one of my book reviews, why not stop by your nearest indie bookshop? If they don’t have the book on hand, they’ll happily order you a copy, and you might even stumble across a few others that strike your fancy.

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/.

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

Columnist

The Investment Coach

KATHY MANOS PENN

Columnist

PRESERVING THE PAST

Gone but not forgotten – Bobwhite Quail are part of our history

Folks who grew up in the rural areas of North Fulton County and surrounding counties in the 1960s and ’70s will remember the distinctive call of the bobwhite quail.

BOB MEYERS

That delightful and unmistakable early morning and evening

“bob white” whistlelike call was the way country folks started the day. Those quail were part of our history. Their sounds are not heard today. So, where have all the bobwhites gone? Will they come back? Let’s take a look.

There are six species of quail in the U.S. Bobwhite quail are found in nearly 40 states but are native to the southeastern states. They were particularly plentiful in Georgia which for 100 years was known as the “Quail capital of the world.”

Like most quail, northern bobwhite quail live on the ground, preferring native grasslands where they can feed on seeds and insects. The birds can only fly a few hundred feet at a time due to their short wings, so for protection they rely on concealment in tall grass and thickets that are bushy above but open near the ground. Their cheerful bob white whistle is a mating call and is heard mostly in the spring and summer when birds pair up. In the fall, they gather into small groups called coveys to prepare for the winter. Males have a prominent white stripe above the eye, while hens have buff colored head stripes.

Hunters love to hunt quail because they burst from concealment when startled

Project:

Continued from Page 1

Like at the City Council’s previous July 18 meeting, when residents criticized plans for visible security fencing at the proposed fleet services building , Cambridge homeowners said any use of razor wire at the expanded headquarters building will ultimately hurt the community.

“The total budget for this new facility as approved by the City Council is upwards of $50 million,” resident Marek Fikejz said. “It would be unfortunate to spend this money on a new facility and not to construct a fence that is both aesthetically copacetic with the adjoining residential neighborhood, while meeting the security requirements for the new facility.”

The Cambridge townhomes sit directly behind the headquarters complex, and residents said dozens of their units would have a clear view of the razor wire fencing.

The northern bobwhite quail is Georgia’s officials state game bird. Its numbers have dramatically declined in recent decades. Many organizations and individuals are working to reestablish the bird through habitat rehabilitation.

making challenging targets. They are tasty when cooked properly, kind of a cross between a chicken and a pheasant.

Numerous factors played a role in the 85 to 90 percent decline in the bobwhite population in Georgia over the past century and especially since the 1960s. Dramatic population growth and subsequent urbanization reduced the birds’ natural habitat of native grasslands, so they produced fewer chicks. (Georgia’s population in 1960 was less than 4 million people, and in 2022 it was almost 11 million.) Consolidation of small farms with hedgerows between properties into large pastures offered less protection to bobwhites and made them more vulnerable to predators. Finally, increased use of pesticides and herbicides reduced the insect population and some of the natural grasses the birds rely on.

Barry Mansell was raised on a farm in

That view, especially in the winter and fall when trees are bare, would have a negative impact on property values, Cambridge Homeowners Association President Leslie Odmark said.

“How would you feel if you could see concertina wire from your home?” Odmark said. “People's homes are their largest investments, so please do not consciously decrease our property values and make us appear to border prison.”

After hearing from Huntcliff neighborhood representatives at the July 18 meeting, the City Council came to a compromise that calls for using ornamental, 8-foot steel security fencing on all visible portions of the Roswell Road fleet services facility, then using chain-link fencing and razor wire in other areas.

Cambridge residents may have sought a similar compromise at Tuesday’s meeting, but the City Council listened to the public comments and took no action on the police headquarters expansion.

Concerned residents did receive a mea-

Roswell and remembers several coveys of bobwhites on the family farm property in the early 1950s. “They were beautiful birds and their mating calls were unforgettable. My brothers and I hunted them for sport and food.”

The situation is not hopeless

Bobwhites have occupied a special place in the history of Georgia wildlife since the development of the modern shotgun in the 1800s. Today both public and private programs seek to restore the bobwhite population over time. In 1970 the Legislature named the bird the official state gamebird of Georgia. Georgia’s bobwhite quail Initiative begun in 1999 by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and a number of federal programs promote habitat restoration for bobwhites and other wildlife on farms and forestland.

Private bobwhite hunting plantations, many managed for commercial quail hunting, are contributing to the recovery of the bobwhite. A narrow ribbon of land extending from Albany to the Florida border is home to some 100 private plantations including some that are open to the public for hunting. The land known as Plantation Belt comprises some 400,000 acres. After the Civil War, the South was in ruins, and the plantations were purchased by wealthy northerners for vacation retreats. Many are still owned by descendants of the original buyers. These facilities have significantly increased the population of bobwhites through modern land conservation practices and offer perfect conditions for bobwhite quail.

Georgia Wildlife Federation President and CEO Mike Worley says, “The bobwhite

sure of support from the dais when District 2 Councilwoman Melody Kelley said the city should slow down and get things right, even though they are a “high functioning multimillion dollar municipality.”

Kelley, who was in favor of postponing a decision on the fleet services facility for further study, said she has seen real concern from her district over these issues over the past month.

While those concerns were brought up late in the process, more than one year after project planning began, Kelley said they still are valid.

“Where I get uncomfortable, is submitting to residents, my constituents taxpayers, that their questions and concerns, while valid, are simply too inconvenient to address right now,” she said.

Kelley told the City Council that thinking about the affect they could have on the city’s future by acting hastily now, gives her “nightmares.”

“…a pedestrian a few years from now, strolling along a partially redeveloped

is not in danger of going extinct due to the breeding of quail in pens on hunting plantations. But due to habitat loss reversing the situation for wild bobwhites is a major challenge. We are working hard to reverse the trend, and with all our challenges, Georgia still has some of the finest quail hunting in the country.”

The difference between bobwhites raised in pens for hunting and wild birds is that pen-raised birds have lost some of their instincts according to Dallas Ingram, Georgia Department of Natural Resources State Quail Coordinator “Pen-raised birds are not taught by wild parents how to hunt, raise a brood and avoid predators. Even if they survive predators and know where to eat, they don’t seem to be able to survive. The one-year survival rate is about ½ of 1 percent.”

Dallas says “Wild bobwhites need 1,500 acres to survive long term. North of Fulton County, some landowners are working together to create larger tracts which is conducive to a healthy and growing bobwhite population.”

So, if you crave to hear that bob white sound there are places in Georgia where that is possible. However, in our area, history is not on our side. The bobwhite quail, once such a happy addition to life in north Georgia, is gone but not forgotten. Hopefully, the many efforts to bring them back will be successful in the long term.

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

Roswell Road and seeing as an aesthetic feature, a chain linked fence with razor wire, that actually gives me nightmares,” she said. “I picture a resident of Cambridge townhomes looking out of their window on a brisk fall morning only to see the sun rising over a chain link fence with concertina wire.”

Following the meeting, Kelley said she thinks other city leaders heard her concerns and took residents’ comments to heart.

“I am learning from this experience, and I am taking things away that will inform my outreach strategies going forward,” she said. “We are going to address the concerns of the residents of Cambridge townhome community. We are actively working on that.”

A groundbreaking for the police headquarters was originally scheduled for midJuly, but that event did not occur, and the city has not released any further information about the ceremony.

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Columnist

Stop an apocalypse of invasive plants with good choices

Apocalypses and alien invasions have long been popular themes in print and video. The H. G. Wells classic “The War of the Worlds,” the original “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” “The Walking Dead” and “The Last of Us” are just a few fan favorites that demonstrate how alien invasions can be entertaining.

In real life? Not so much. Especially when an invasion and the resulting apocalypse is a result of someone’s plant choice that turns out to be invasive.

The U.S. Forest Service defines an “invasive plant species” as not native to a given ecosystem and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Invasive plants have the potential to take over a landscape, smothering out native plants or other plants that we want in our landscape.

Frequently called “the vine that ate the South,” kudzu was brought to America in 1876 during the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and introduced to the Southeast in 1883 at the New Orleans Exposition. Originally thought to be helpful for soil erosion control and planted widely, kudzu quickly got out of control. Kudzu can pretty much overtake everything in its path, growing a foot per day, with mature vines as long as 100 feet.

Many people favor English ivy, a non-native perennial vine. Do traditional ivy-covered cottages and houses make a picturesque image? Yes! Can those lovely green English ivy vines (Hedera helix) climbing those brick walls (and stucco and windows and trees) create damage if left unchecked? If you live in Georgia, you bet! English ivy is known to cause damage to brickwork and trees and take over landscapes.

As all species do, plants compete for light, water, nutrients and space to live. Unfortunately, some species too easily out-compete others and rapidly overtake a landscape, reducing biodiversity and threatening plants that support an environment and pollinators. Kudzu, English ivy, Chinese privet and mimosa are some of those on invasive plant lists.

Remember, not all non-native plants are invasive, and many non-native plants look great in our urban landscapes and perform well. However, we should be aware of the damage that can occur from plants that are invasive. For example, if you employ ivy in your landscape, say as a groundcover for a steep incline or other difficult area, keep in mind its propensity to quickly overtake other habitats and

Learn more

• UGA Cooperative Extension Bulletins “Invasive Plants of Georgia Forests,” “Native Plants for Georgia Part I: Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines,” Native Plants for Georgia Part II: Ferns and Native Plants for Georgia Part III: Wildflowers

• Georgia Green Landscape Stewards Program - https:// site.extension.uga.edu/ georgiagreen/

About the author

This week’s guest Master Gardener “Garden Buzz” columnist is Pam Rentz. Pam lives in Roswell and has been a North Fulton Master Gardener since 2010. Along with a background in marketing communications for tech companies, she has a longtime passion for plants and our planet.

displace beneficial native species.

If you’re unsure if a plant has zombie potential, “Invasive Plants of the Southeast” (botgarden.uga.edu/ wp-content/uploads/2017/01/InvasiveSpecies-Brochure.pdf) is a handy guide produced by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance that lists the top 20 invasive species:

1. Chinese Privet, Ligustrum sinense

2. Nepalese Browntop, Microstegium vimineum

3. Autumn Olive, Elaeagnus umbellata

4. Chinese Wisteria, Wisteria sinensis & Japanese Wisteria, W. floribunda

5. Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin

6. Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica

7. Amur Honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii

8. Multiflora Rose, Rosa multiflora

9. Hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata

10. Kudzu, Pueraria montana

11. Golden Bamboo, Phyllostachys aurea

12. Oriental Bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus

13. English Ivy, Hedera helix

14. Tree-of-Heaven, Ailanthus altissima

15.

Some other helpful resources include:

• Georgia’s Exotic Pest Plant Council list of non-native invasive plants: gaeppc.org/list/.

• What to Look For: wildspotter.org/ what-to-look-for.cfm, a collaborative project of the University of Georgia, Wildlife Forever, the USDA Forest Service, and others.

• Learn more about invasive species in Georgia at Invasive.org.

What are the best ways to get rid of invasive plants? The UGA Cooperative Extension Bulletin “Invasive Plants of Georgia Forests” (gatrees.org/wpcontent/uploads/2020/02/InvasivePlants-of-Georgia-Forests.pdf) and “Managing Invasive Plants in the GA Piedmont” (https://athenslandtrust.org/ our-work/land-conservation/invasivespecies-guide/) have suggestions.

Remember that plants native to Georgia tend to perform better in our climate, require less maintenance and are more attractive to pollinators. If you’d like some good plant suggestions, “Invasive Plants of the Southeast” also has a helpful list of native groundcovers,

vines, shrubs, small and large trees recommended for the Southeast. (Hint: Scarlet Oak, Quercus coccinea is a recommended tree.)

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.

Chinese Tallow, Sapium sebiferum

16. Chinese Princess Tree, Paulownia tomentosa

17. Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum

18. Silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis

19. Thorny Olive, Elaeagnus pungens

20. Nandina, Nandina domestica.

PAM RENTZ/PROVIDED

Ivy scaling a tree

PAM RENTZ Guest Columnist

Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for developing programs and services for NFCC clients and students seeking employment, post-secondary education, or other career options. The workforce development coordinator collaborates with local employers to help match job seekers to open positions. They work directly with clients on the job application, resumes, and interview preparations and provide tips for successfully securing and improving employment to foster financial stability.  Bachelor’s degree in a human services, human resources, or other related field required and 2 years of professional experience in human services, human resources or career counseling preferred.

To view the entire listing visit https://nfcchelp.org/ work-at-nfcc/. To apply, please submit resume to Carol Swan at cswan@nfcchelp.org.

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Painters

ROBERT CROAWELL REMODELING

Full

Donor Operations Associate

The Donor Operations Associate greets and removes donations from vehicles and sorts merchandise in a designated area.  They are responsible for keeping the merchandise secure, all areas free of debris and the donor door area neat and clean.  This position is the face of NFCC so they are expected to provide excellent customer service and treat each donor with a professional and friendly demeanor.  High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Ability to perform low to moderate facility maintenance tasks.  To view entire listing visit: https://nfcchelp.org/work-atnfcc/  To apply, please complete an application for employment and email to Marten Jallad,  mjallad@nfcchelp.org.

us for roof repair or roof replacement. FREE quotes. $200 OFF Leak Repairs or 10% off New Roof. Affordable, quality roofing. Based in Roswell. Serving North Atlanta since 1983. Call to schedule FREE Quote: 770-284-3123.

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