Area hockey team headed to Canada

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SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs City Council has approved an update to the city’s multifamily housing ordinance that will place requirements on local apartment communities in an effort to make residents safer.
At a Sept. 5 City Council meeting, officials unanimously approved an update to the city’s code of ordinances, increasing inspections for all of the city’s 98 communities and placing new requirements on property managers and thirdparty inspectors.
Community Development Director Ginger Soto said these changes come after years of dealing with numerous rental communities with staggered inspection schedules that make protection and enforcement difficult.
Previously, she said the city only inspected about 20 percent of its apartment communities per year.
“Currently, the code and third-party inspections are spread out over five years, making it difficult for all parties to keep track of which buildings have already been inspected,” Soto said. “100 percent of code enforcement and thirdparty inspections will be completed annually instead of being spread out over five years.”
Communities will also be required to complete separate mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment inspections every five years.
Sandy Springs officials speak to the City Council about updates to the city’s multifamily housing ordinance at a meeting held Sept. 5. The ordinance update was unanimously approved. See HOUSING, Page 6
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Construction for a 23-acre park on the banks of the Chattahoochee River will soon be underway, thanks to a recent approval from the Sandy Springs City Council.
At a Sept. 5 City Council meeting, officials approved a contract with Lose Design to design and manage construction of the park that will be located off Old Riverside Drive in west Sandy Springs.
Speaking to officials at the meeting, Recreation and Parks Director Michael Perry said the large river-side park will include multiple nature trails, river observation locations, play experiences and green infrastructure elements while retaining a passive and natural atmosphere.
See PARK, Page 6
I want to say I’m really excited to get this going. This has been around since I first arrived on city council in 2014.”
ANDY BAUMAN City Councilman
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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.
MILTON, Ga. — Ben Parsons, a 12-yearold seventh grader at Northwestern Middle School, joined his Atlanta Fire Hockey Club teammates in an electronic recycling fundraiser at The Cooler Sept. 9 to raise funds for their upcoming tournament in Quebec, Canada. While the event was free, optional donations were appreciated to support the team with their travels in February. The team hoped to use this opportunity to help preserve the environment and make a positive impact on the community by safely recycling electronics that would otherwise end up in landfills.
“The boys are trying to incorporate a few different fundraisers to raise money to help with the costs associated with the Quebec tournament,” said Michelle Parsons, Ben’s mother. “But they were really excited when one of the players' parents suggested the electronics recycling fundraiser. It is an opportunity to help the community and help the environment.”
Parsons plays forward for the Atlanta Fire Pee Wee Quebec team which serves as part of the Southeastern Showcase League. Founded in 1960, the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament remains the oldest and most prestigious youth minor league tournament in the world. Attended annually by more than 120 teams representing 40 different countries, more than 1,100 former participants have gone on to play in the NHL including Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Marcel Dionne.
“All of the kids are really excited about having the opportunity to play hockey in another country and experience another culture,” Michelle said. “The program allows the players to stay with a French-speaking family for most of the 10-day tournament. The boys know that some of the most famous NHL players have played in this tournament.”
According to the Atlanta Fire Hockey Club website, the special tournament provides players with a “once-in-a-lifetime, multicultural experience.” Joining Parsons on the team are a few of his Northwestern classmates. In the hopes of continuously raising funds, the boys previously held an Atlanta Fire season kick-off party to sell raffle tickets along with offering sponsorship opportunities to local businesses.
Kicking off next year with their biggest tournament, the team “prepare, train, and play hard all season” in the hopes of competing well against teams from all over the world.
“What we found is that the hockey community is really family. His teammates and their entire families are a special group of friends. The boys are really excited about getting to know each other, learning, and growing as a team,” Michelle said. “The positive impact that hockey provides are its many life lessons including discipline, respect, teamwork, communication skills, and humility.”
To learn more about the Atlanta Fire Hockey Club, visit www.cooler.com/ atlanta-fire. For more information about the fundraiser, visit www.givebutter. com/atlfirerecycles.
DUNWOODY, Ga. — Many schools and organizations work hard to connect young adults with their community in ways that also bring awareness to relevant issues and drive academic success. Dunwoody High School’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) program provides an entrepreneurial, marketing-oriented club for hardworking students interested in finance and economics. With a wide range of available activities from social to career development, DECA strives to appeal to each member in the hopes of preparing them for success in upcoming academic and career endeavors. This is done through academic competitions
with highschoolers from all over the country.
“A chief bragging point for the organization is how motivated students are towards competition and taking their skills and talents to the next level,” said Kate Bergquist, the Dunwoody DECA’s Co-Vice President of Finance. “DECA offers roleplay-based competitions where students test their knowledge and skills in the area of marketing, finance, hospitality, and entrepreneurship.”
In 2017, DeKalb County pushed for more career and technical student organizations to be implemented into local schools. Opening the door for Dunwoody High School to kick off a DECA organization of their own, student membership grew quickly. Since its inception, DECA has invited own -
ers and CEOs from both local and outside businesses to speak at workshops that help students build college resumes and enhance academic careers.
“Not only does DECA offer certain competitions that other clubs cannot, but it also lays the groundwork for an extraordinary bond with the community,” Bergquist said. “DECA has done extensive volunteer work with organizations like the Dunwoody Nature Center, the Community Assistance Center, Malachi’s Storehouse, Trinity Table Soup Kitchen, and many others. [We] helps kids make like-minded and career-focused friends.”
In recent years, Dunwoody’s DECA has achieved several successes with record-breaking results for the organization. Just this year, the school sent 17 accomplished students to the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, FL with an opportunity to compete against more than 20,000 of the best DECA members from around the globe. Several of these students received awards with most reaching competency level for content knowledge in their respective event. The uptick in Dunwoody students qualifying for this achievement is
accompanied by the school’s unique partnership with the Academy of Finance and Marketing, founded in 1999.
“This program focuses on training highschoolers to home in on skills associated with PR, advertising, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and more,” Bergquist said. “Few other high schools in Georgia offer such a program and this program, partnered with DECA, gives students an outlet for their passions in these areas.”
As Dunwoody’s DECA continues to pave the way for aspiring students, they are preparing for several upcoming events to finish the year. With a leadership retreat this month, practice competitions in October, and their Fall Leadership Development Conference in November to name a few, the organization plans for a busy season. Receiving “overwhelmingly positive feedback” from families and faculty members, Dunwoody is seeing DECA’s growing impact within their community.
To learn more about DECA and how you can become involved, visit www.deca.org. For updates on Dunwoody DECA’s latest accomplishments, visit their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/dunwoodydeca/.
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Level Spa Salon owners George-Anna “Georgie” Wood and Andrea Craighead have two decades of experience as stylists, but at their salon, business is secondary to creating a home away from home.
“The atmosphere we want to create when you come in is warm, cozy, homey, inviting,” Wood said. “And that’s probably the biggest one. We want our salon to be just an inviting space.”
Wood and Craighead execute their vision through an open floor plan, without the partitions separating chairs that are often found at salons. Stylists can share ideas and have conversations while working, and clients can interact with other stylists if one is busy.
“Our clients, we want them to feel comfortable if they need to see other people because we are … kind of that family environment,” she said.
Wood and Craighead opened Level Spa Salon on Peachtree Parkway in 2007 during the Great Recession. Despite the economic climate, the pair found immediate success in their first and only location.
“I think that we were just the right amount of young and dumb and driven,” Wood said. “Because I mean, we worked, for sure, six days a week for the first two years, [first] year for sure … And even at those times, I don't remember it being really that much of a chore … We were excited. Failing wasn't an option.”
Craighead said in the early days, the two worked 10- to 12-hour days, driven to not have debt from their business venture. Their dedication, and their commitment to crafting an intimate environment, paid off, and Level Spa Salon cemented a loyal following.
“I would say 80 percent of our clientele, if not more, we've probably serviced for a minimum of 15, if not 20-plus, years,” Craighead said. “You know, it's a family. They just were so excited to just want to see us grow.”
Craighead, who hails from a rural Florida town, said she never seriously considered styling as a career until moving to Georgia in 1997. She said she came from a creative background and loved dolling up her three sisters, but her small hometown did not afford much opportunity.
“I used to lock myself in the bathroom knowing that I was going to get grounded,” Craighead said. “I was always very into my hair and extreme styles from the get-go. So, I was grounded a lot.”
She began working at a salon in Alpharetta in 2000, where she met Wood, who shared a similar background of loving to dress up and wear makeup. Wood said she knew in high school she wanted to go
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that we're hairdressers, and that's what we're best at.”
Craighead emphasized the salon’s commitment to testing and enjoying the products it sells. Wood said Level Spa Salon currently sells nutritional supplements for skin and hair health.
Wood said the salon offers customized hair coloring, cutting, detailing and styling. Even if five customers request the same thing, she said Level Spa Salon aims for a personalized experience.
to cosmetology school, but first, she tried her hand at a business degree.
“I got about two years into the college route, which I loved,” Wood said. “I loved that experience, but I wouldn't say I'm the best academic student. And I just was like, ‘… This is going to take me another three years, then hair school. Let me just get that middle portion out of the way.’ So yeah, went to hair school and surprisingly, I was a way better student.”
Reflecting on 23 years of working together, Craighead said she and Wood have been “married” longer than they have to their husbands, and they have spent more of their lives together than apart.
While Wood and Craighead had a heavy workload during its early years, Level Spa Salon now employs 13, including the owners, who still style and work with clients.
through the schools’ cosmetology programs.
Although the salon offered other services in the past, Craighead said Level Spa Salon now focuses on hair, its standout service.
“We’re always open for something new,” she said. “In the past years, we've had massage, we've had nails, we've had eyebrow waxing, facials, but we have realized
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“Everybody is different, and each head of hair is different and will be customized to what fits and suits them,” Wood said. “I feel like we definitely strive to give that more personal, detailed approach, versus a one-haircut-shop kind of style.”
Level Spa Salon is in Suite 160 at 405 Peachtree Parkway. More information on pricing, hours and appointments can be found at levelspasalon.com.
“It's just real life, and then you get to be creative,” Craighead said. “Nobody ever comes in feeling worse when they leave. Even if it's a bad day, you're always making it better.”
Much like their commitment to customer service, Wood and Craighead strive to make working at the salon the best possible experience for their stylists. They said they offer their employees holidays and holiday weekends off, as well as a 401(k).
“We mentor these people to buy houses and cars and build credit and create not just a career for themselves, but a life for themselves,” Craighead said.
One of their employees, Melissa “M.J.” Janes, has worked at Level Spa Salon for 11 years and handles customer service. She said the salon is like a second home to her, and it is her safe space.
Level Spa Salon also provides mentorship for Forsyth Central and West Forsyth high school students, who can gain credits working at the salon to earn a license
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Continued from Page 1
Officials said the future park is a result of years of hard work by community leaders and stakeholders that involved multiple rounds of public hearings and the implementation of a new park master plan.
Documents show the park will be centered around a large natural meadow and acres of Chattahoochee River shoreline, with multiple integrated passive-use amenities.
“I want to say I’m really excited to get this going. This has been around since I first arrived on city council in 2014,” Councilman Andy Bauman said. “But it’s an important park and I’m really excited for the very passive nature of the park and beautiful setting.”
The park project will cost about $5 million to complete, including $500,000 budgeted for Lose Design’s work.
“Funding in the amount of $4 million is currently available in the city’s capital fund account for this project,” Perry said. “As the design process will take eight to nine months to complete, there’ll be sufficient time to evaluate options to fully fund the project or to phase the project over more than one funding cycle.”
After a short discussion, the contract was unanimously approved.
Continued from Page 1
Currently, there are about 1,300 apartment complex structures in the city. Officials said that 47 percent of those structures do not have an automatic sprinkler system, while 25 percent only have a partial sprinkler system, and only 28 percent have a full sprinkler system.
“Due to a large number of aging apartments without sprinklers there is a heightened risk of fire and potential loss,“ Soto said.
Additionally, the updated ordinance will place new requirements for how local building inspectors are certified and what the city requires from property owners and managers.
Under the updated ordinance, all building inspectors must be certified at a level required by the State of Georgia, and in order to get an occupational tax certificate, community owners will need to complete a code compliance certificate and property manager certification and will have to
submit a certificate of insurance with the city.
“It’s also a matter of ownership and turnover with management,” Code Enforcement Manager Yvonne Shaw said. “So, at minimum, we would ask that they have a binder or something that shows that.”
However, for communities that refuse to make changes or improvements, officials said they will now consider more serious ramifications that directly affect property owners.
City Attorney Dan Lee said that in past years Sandy Springs has levied fines of between $35,000 and $100,000 from communities with violations, but that could eventually become as serious as an injunction from the court.
“What we’re trying to do is get directly to the owner and make it something that the owner loses money on,” Lee said. “At some point, repeat offenders, especially when it comes to the fire code and structural problems … We are going to have to seek civil penalties in the superior court.”
At the meeting, the City Council also heard from Stephen Davis, a representative of the Atlanta Apartment
Association.
Davis said their association represents about 80 percent of local communities and they feel as if they were not given enough time to review and consider the new ordinance.
“Some of the items of concern will impact the regulatory and financial burdens that are placed on the communities,” Davis said. “Those costs most assuredly will be passed right along to residents, raising the cost of living here in Sandy Springs.”
Members of the city council rejected many of Davis’s points and said what the city is asking for is entirely reasonable.
“I hear from folks in District Six that live in some of the older apartment complexes where rents over the last 15 years have gone from $600 to $1,800,” Councilman Andy Bauman said. “I want to send a loud and clear message that you guys got to step up the game because this body is serious about stepping in, and this is not the last effort.”
“These are good times,” Bauman added. “If you can’t make these improvements in the good times what happens in the bad times?”
The Dunwoody Woman’s Club is pleased to partner again with Southern Comforts for the 50th Annual Home Tour set for Wednesday, October 4, 2023 from 10 am to 2 pm. In addition to three beautiful homes, this year’s tour will include a decorator showcase hosted by everyone’s favorite designer, Marc Jones, The Consignor’s Designer. Marc will host “Fall Entertaining” at the Dunwoody location of Southern Comforts. The event will be at 10:15 am on tour day and guests are encouraged to pre-register for the event at style. southerncomforts.com or by calling 770-901-5001. Southern Comforts is located at 2510 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody, GA 30338, in the Mt. Vernon Shopping Center and is the will call location for Home Tour tickets purchased online.
With Marc’s expertise in design combined with his musical and theatrical background this is always a fun and entertaining event. He is the in-house designer and marketing director for all three locations for Southern Comforts and spokesperson and host for seasonal events for all the stores.
For the home tour design event expect great ideas for fall entertaining, refreshments and a song or two. Join us as we welcome back Marc Jones for our annual home tour.
Since 2003, Southern Comforts has been Atlanta’s first choice for furniture consigning. They offer new and consigned furniture along with home accents for discerning and savvy shop-
pers, all at fabulous prices.
New on this year’s tour is a raffle for a chance to win one of three prizes; an original painting by local artist, Pat Fiorello, a $500 shopping spree at Lauderhills Fine Jewelry, and Dine around Dunwoody (assorted gift cards). Each prize is worth at least $500. Both cash and credit cards accepted.
Home Tour tickets are $30 in advance and $35 on tour day. Tickets are available now and can be purchased three ways:
• https://www.dunwoodywomansclub.com/buy-home-tour-tickets/
• From any member of the Dunwoody Woman’s Club
• In person at Southern Comforts Consignments – Dunwoody – 2510 Mt. Vernon Rd., Dunwoody
All profits of the Home Tour are used to implement the club’s charitable initiatives. Thank you for your support. Buy your tickets today!
For more information about the Dunwoody Woman’s Club go to www.dunwoodywomansclub.com
See solution Page 15
On in-stock furniture from major quality brands like Bradington-Young, Massoud, American
Chamblee began on property purchased in 1950. The original home was a red brick colonial structure on eight landscaped acres. A modern 18 room dormitory was added in 1958. The home was located along North Peachtree Road, just west of Peachtree Boulevard.
Columnist
The first Florence Crittenton Home was established in 1883 by businessman and evangelist Charles N. Crittenton in New York City. He named it after his daughter who died from scarlet fever at age four. By the late 1800s there were over 50 Florence Crittenton Homes across the U.S.
Growing up in Atlanta, I heard the name occasionally, usually mentioned as a cautionary tale in the 1960s and 1970s. The home was a place where young women could go if they were pregnant and unmarried.
The scenario usually began with parents wanting to keep everything secret, so going to a facility like the Florence Crittenton home helped facilitate secrecy and adoption after the child was born. Friends and family would be told that the girl was away for some fabricated reason to conceal the truth. After her child was born, she was expected to go on with life as though it never happened.
The first Florence Crittenton Home in Atlanta was established in 1893, first outside city limits and a few years later within the city.
The Florence Crittenton Home in
In 1962, a dedication was held for a new annex at the Florence Crittenton Home in Chamblee. The annex added much needed square footage, including school rooms and recreation space.
The girls who lived there, awaiting the birth of their babies, could receive a high school diploma. “Now our girls don’t have to go back home and explain the gap in their school progress or lack of a diploma,” director Helen Oppenheimer commented. (Atlanta Constitution, March 16, 1962, “Board members at Florence Crittenton quietly celebrate another milestone”)
Arts and craft classes and typing classes were offered. The girls received counseling and their families were included as much as possible. Each young woman was expected to do chores.
When the 1962 dedication was held, the current residents of the home were taken out for an activity away from the home, “to avoid embarrassment.”
Carol Nichols Henwood shared
her memories of the home in a 2014 Atlanta Journal-Constitution article and in her book, “Our Erring Sisters,” She remembers being driven by her parents in 1967 to the Florence Crittenton Home, a large brick home hidden behind hedges between North Peachtree Road and then Peachtree Industrial Boulevard. There was no sign to indicate what place was hidden behind the large plants. (Atlanta JournalConstitution, Aug. 29, 2014, “Secret Keeper”)
She only held her baby boy once, two days after he was born. Henwood went on to marry and have two children. She was able to reconnect with her son in 2004. When her book was published in 2013, he attended her first book signing at the Capital City Club in Brookhaven.
The Florence Crittenton Home in Chamblee closed in 1981 as times changed and there was less need for these facilities. From 1950 until 1981, there were usually about 180 women who spent part of the year living at the home. The home had the capacity to house over 60 women and often had a waiting list.
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.
“O death where is thy sting?” That provocative query often is attributed to William Shakespeare, who frequently focused in plays and sonnets on the tragedies associated with death and dying.
The quote, however, is not from the Bard of Avon, but from the Bible. First Corinthians 15:54-57 declares, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 71, the speaker urges a lover not to dwell on the speaker's death but to instead move on with life once the speaker is gone. Failing to do so, the speaker argues, will bring only misery and pain. The grieving process is different for everyone. But eventually, one must move forward.
MIKE TASOS ColumnistOn August 16th of 1977, having just earned a journalism degree from Fresno State University, I coerced a friend to drive his battered Chevy pickup to San Diego, loaded down with the cheap furniture that went handin-hand with being a cash-strapped recent college graduate.
I was about to become much poorer. For some reason, in a momentary example of not knowing my limitations, I was a week away from becoming a first-year student at the University of San Diego School of Law. Step aside F. Lee Bailey, the kid from Bakersfield was about to dazzle the legal profession and set fire to nasty professors probably didn’t know a courtroom from a tennis court.
Somewhere between LA and San Diego, conversation and taking in the
Pacific Coast grandeur, the rock station DJ broke in on the Eagles “Hotel California” to breathlessly announce that Elvis Presley had died in Memphis.
I was kinda sorta positive that Memphis was in Tennessee and Elvis lived there. I was never a fan and didn’t get why he was so popular. After dumping the meager furniture in the rathole that would be my home for nine miserable months, we headed back to Bakersfield.
This “Elvis dying” story dominated the airwaves the entire four-hour drive. My mom and stepdad had seen him several times in Las Vegas, always raving at his penchant for keeping an audience of high-rollers and fans enthralled for two shows a night. They must have had primo seats since The King, as was his custom, bent down during the show and put a sweaty scarf around my Mama’s neck and gave her a little smooch.
Arriving home, the scarf was on the table and Mom was crying. That’s when it hit me how much she loved Elvis and
his death was a defining moment in her life. His passing left a void and the realization that there would be no more concert experiences and that made her as sad as I had ever seen her.
In a twisted way, Jimmy Buffett’s recent death made me feel closer to Mom. I should be shot for writing Jimmy was my Elvis. I never attended a concert in Vegas, but there were plenty others. I put together a recent scorecard and I went to Margaritaville 15 times. Jimmy never reached down and put a scarf (or a Hawaiian lei) around my neck. No smooch or even a fist bump either.
But one time in Houston, he did hand me a guitar pick. I bought a guitar and learned a few chords. I could play a few songs. Mostly I just listened, whether live or on a recording. I read his books and even have an autographed copy of “Where Is Joe Merchant” he signed for me.
We know that we will die, but thinking about death is a “downer.” In fact, for any complex conundrum involving life and aging, our default mechanism is to procrastinate when it comes to planning. But when “out of the blue” we are seriously hurt or ill, or deceased, someone will have to wrestle with the complexities of the matter.
Guys, eighty percent of men who die are married. If you wake up your spouse at 0-dark-thirty, as we said in the military, complaining of intense pain and nausea due to a possible heart attack or stroke, the first call your partner will make is to 911 to get you to the hospital. Once you’re stabilized, who is going to get the second phone call?
Having asked couples that question over the years in planning sessions, most of the time if there’s an adult daughter in the family, she’s going to get the call. Yes, it may be a son, or a close friend, but someone is going to get startlingly disturbing and life disrupting news. Lack of advance planning makes the situation more emotionally draining than it needs to be. If you are a widow or widower, or never married, who gets “the call?”
What: Explore the cultural exchange between Spain and Latin America through the language of flamenco with La Candela Flamenco.
When: Friday, Sept. 15, 7-9 p.m.
Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell
Cost: $24.50 with available discounts for seniors, students, military and groups
More info: roswell365.com
MILTON
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, Sept. 16, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m.
Where: Milton City Hall plaza, 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton More info: facebook.com/ miltongafarmersmarket
What: Sharon Weiss, award-winning artist and longtime Spruill Arts instructor, will be leading a bird and wildlife drawing class at the Dunwoody Nature Center. Learn about composition, light, color and pattern as you have fun depicting some of your favorite animals.
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody
Cost: $40-50
More info: dunwoodynature.org
What: The festival will offer some 100 different artisan exhibitors and a creative Kidz Zone for families to explore.
When: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 16-17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming More info: cummingcitycenter.com
What: Bring your dogs and family to this event featuring live music, an animal balloon twister, a pup mascot, pet-related vendors and more. There are contests for Best Dressed Dog and Best Dog
What: The festival will offer some 100 different artisan exhibitors and a creative Kidz Zone for families to explore.
When: Saturday & Sunday, Sept. 16-17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Cumming City Center, 423 Canton Road, Cumming More info: cummingcitycenter. com
Trick. For people, food will be for sale from food trucks, while pets splurge on doggie treats. Pet care vendors will be on hand to demonstrate new products and educate dog owners about pet care.
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 1-3 p.m.
Where: Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater in Newtown Park, 3150 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek
More info: johnscreekga.gov
What: Stage Door Theatre will host comics from Dad’s Garage.
When: Saturday, Sept. 16, 7:30-9 p.m.
Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $28 for adults; $20 for students; $15 for children
More info: stagedoortheatrega.org
What: Meet live farm animals, bring a picnic, and get down in the dirt to celebrate one of the best harvesting
It’s even easier now than ever to promote your event to hundreds of thousands of people, whether online, through our newsletters or in the Crier and Herald newspapers.
seasons of the year. Continue enjoying the fall season with partners, games, crafts and the opening of Naturally Artistic which explores connecting art and nature.
When: Sunday, Sept. 17, 12-4 p.m.
Where: Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell
Cost: Included in general admission; free for CNC members More info: chattnaturecenter.org
CONCERTS BY THE SPRINGS: GUARDIANS OF THE JUKEBOX
What: Described as “a visual and sonic highlight reel of one of the most influential decades in music history,” Guardians of the Jukebox is an ’80s-nostalgia juggernaut. Lawn seating is free. Blankets, lawn chairs and umbrellas are allowed, but no pets.
When: Sunday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m.
Where: Heritage Amphitheater Lawn, 6110 Blue Stone Road, Sandy Springs More info: sandyspringsga.gov
easy
What: Grab some food and beverages from one of the Crabapple Market restaurants and bring a blanket or chair to enjoy live music from David Payton. No outside alcohol allowed.
When: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 6-8 p.m.
Where: The Green at Crabapple Market, 12650 Crabapple Road, Milton More info: crabapplemarketga.com
12
What: In Sherman L. Sergel’s play adaptation of the teleplay, a 19-year-old man who has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. “He doesn’t stand a chance,” mutters the guard as the 12 jurors are taken into the bleak jury room. It looks like an open-and-shut case— until one of the jurors begins opening the other’s eyes to the facts.
When: Until Sept. 24, times vary
Where: Act1 Theater, 180 Academy Street, Alpharetta Cost: $20-25
More info: act1theater.org
Question: What’s special about Sept. 23?
STEVE HUDSONAnswer: It’s National Hunting and Fishing Day, and that means that on that day there will be a lot of outdoor excitement waiting for you and your family to enjoy!
National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 by Congress and President Nixon to recognize the contributions that hunters and anglers have made to wildlife conservation efforts. It happens each year on the fourth Saturday of September, and it is marked by special programs and outdoor-themed events held far and wide.
Here in Georgia, you’ll find National Hunting and Fishing Day events all across the state.
“National Hunting and Fishing Day offers a variety of events that are a great way to introduce youth and newcomers to outdoor activities,” notes Ted Will, director of the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. You’ll find a wide range of
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A 2022 CNBC report noted that 67 percent of Americans have no estate plan in place. Covid-19 increased awareness of the need for planning, yet procrastination still rules. Living and testamentary estate planning deals not only with the reality of death, but the likelihood of severe illness or injury along the way. Death or disability is not a respecter of age. Teenagers as seniors in high school or first year college students largely are age 18 or will be shortly. At 18, they’re adults under the laws of most states. As an adult, if they’re sick or hurt and you get a phone call, mom or dad, saying that they are in a hospital emergency room, under HIPPA regulation’s (Health Insurance and Accountability Act of 1996), without a properly executed Heath Care Power of Attorney, you can-
activities to enjoy, including family/kid fishing events as well as Outdoor Adventure Days featuring activities such as fishing, archery, shooting and more.
“These events are family-oriented and fun and remind us of what great outdoor natural resources we have right here in Georgia,” Will says.
Two events close to home are particularly noteworthy:
• Outdoor Adventure Day at James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park between Rome and Summerville from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. Kids 15 and under can try their hand at catching tagged catfish to win prizes (bring your own fishing rods and bait). There will also be archery, a birds of prey show and a reptile show. The event is free, but there is a $5 per vehicle parking fee at the park.
• Kids Fishing Event at Lower Pool Park (below Buford Dam at 3600 Buford Dam Road in Cumming). From 9 a.m. till 1 p.m., kids can fish, try their hand at fly tying, and enjoy fishing demonstrations. Volunteers will be on hand to help with baiting hooks and unhooking fish. A limited number of loaner rods and reels will be available, but it never hurts to bring your own. Bait is provided – and
not get information as to your loved one’s status. All the hospital will want to know is who is responsible for the bill? Who will bear the cost, emotionally and financially, of a failure to plan?
If you are an owner or co-owner of a closely-held business, most likely your largest single investment, planning for the “5 D’s,” death, disability, divorce, disagreement, or dissolution, also is a complex undertaking subject to procrastination. Georgia businesses predominately are owned by baby boomers, 52 percent of whom are over the age of 60. Ninetytwo percent of owners surveyed by the Exit Planning Institute in 2018 agreed with the statement, “Having a transition strategy is important for both my future and the future of my business.” Yet, 54 percent of owners have no plans to transition. Most have no written contingency plans in place to deal with the “What if?” realities of business and life. Is that fair to your “family-family” or your business
to make sure that there are plenty of trout, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ trout stocking staff will stock fish before the event.
There are several other events going on around the state that day, too:
• Family Fishing Event at Marben Public Fishing Area’s Boar Pond at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield, Ga. (8 a.m. till noon). Bring your own gear and bait.
• Kids Fishing Event at the Hugh M. Gillis Public Fishing Area in Laurens County (8 a.m. till noon). Ponds have been stocked with channel catfish for kids under the age of 16. Bring your own gear and bait.
• Kids Fishing Event at Big Lazer Public Fishing Area, near Talbotton, Ga. (8 a.m. till 11 a.m.), for kids 15 and under. Bring your own gear and bait, and enjoy the drawing for some fun prizes too.
• Family Fishing Event at Flat Creek Public Fishing Area in Houston County (8 a.m. - noon). Bring. your own gear and bait.
• Kids Fishing Event at McDuffie Public Fishing Area in McDuffie County (8 a.m. till noon). Bring your own gear and bait.
• Kids Fishing Event at Evans County
family, those who will endure the financial and emotional repercussions of a stressful surprise?
Comprehensive personal and business planning deals with the uncertainties of life and death. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney for assets and health care, and advance health care directives, are basic planning considerations. A “pour over will” tied to a Revocable Living Trust may be apropos, especially if you own property in a state other than the one of your residence and/or want to simplify or eliminate probate. How are investment and bank accounts titled, in your name only or jointly with someone else? Beneficiary designations on insurance policies, annuities, or retirement accounts? Does your closely-held business have an up-to-date Operating Agreement? A good agreement spells out how an entity is structured and operates, and who controls the relationship with the members in a multi-member LLC.
This column does not constitute
Public Fishing Area (8 a.m. till noon). Bring your own gear and bait.
• Outdoor Adventure Day / JAKES Day at Paradise Public Fishing Area (near Tifton). Fishing activities from 7:30 a.m. till noon. A variety of fishing-related activities, plus JAKES Day events (beginning at 9 a.m.) including archery and shooting. A free lunch is provided by the National Wild Turkey Federation, and there will be a prize drawing after lunch.
• Outdoor Adventure Day at Richmond Hill Hatchery near Richmond Hill, Ga. (8 a.m. till noon). Activities include fishing, archery and kayaking.
For more info on the programs, including contact numbers for more information, visit www.georgiawildlife.com/ get-involved/nhfday.
That’s a big line-up, and there’s sure to be something there that you’ll enjoy!
But wait! There’s more!
Sept. 23 is further celebrated as a “Free Fishing Day” for Georgia residents. On this day, Georgia residents do not need a fishing license or trout license to fish on any public waters in the state, including lakes, streams, ponds and public fishing areas.
There’s no doubt about it. Sept. 23 is sure to be a great day to be outdoors.
legal advice, as comprehensive planning should be done in concert with an advisory team that may include an attorney, CPA, CFP, and others with expertise in relevant matters, such as dealing with special needs family members, for example.
How old will you and those you care about be in ten years? And ten years after that? Tragedy is not a respecter of age, but as you grow older, the likelihood of serious difficulty increases. What’s your plan for your “next ten?”
Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-441-3553; 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).
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.
VETERINARY TECHNICIANS & ASSISTANTS:
Dunwoody Animal Medical Center is hiring! Send resume to office@dunwoodyamc.com
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.
Specialist contractors to implement comprehensive marketing strategies for a variety of highly acclaimed specialty products.
Proficiency in one or more of the following:
1. Innovative graphic artist/cartoonist
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4. Launch an Amazon store for specialty products.
5. List products on National Online Marketplaces.
6. Product placement, media demos and endoresements.
7. SMO: Develop effective Facebook, Instagram and other influencer programs.
8. SEO Specialist-create content, identify strategies, techniques, key words and tactics and conduct technical audits.
9. Create Google ads and optimize Google Adword campaigns, monitor ad copy, find suitable bids and adjust key words to maximize yields.
10. Targeted email campaigns.
11. Blog development specialist to optimize interactive blog posts for search to include formatting with heading tags and Twitter engagement.
12. In-house administrative assistant, responsible for shipping, invoicing, inventory control, scheduling, teamwork liason and correspondence. Specify your area(s) of expertise in a detailed resume of achievement in any one or more of the above specialties. Atlanta area location, in-office collaboration required. Please advise your weekly available hours and times for both in-office and remote work together with desired compensation in your cover letter, including your extramural interests; will help us evaluate your affinity with our target market. Reply to zeldan@myyahoo.com
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Retired medical surgeon, 83, male, would like to meet retired medical doctor, female, 75-80 years, Sandy Springs area. Please call 781-850-6113. Please leave a message.
Continued from Page 10
I marveled at his “Midas Touch.” Whether it was restaurants (Margaritaville), mail order catalogues (Coconut Telegraph) or making great music for all those years, Jimmy’s music brought
me such joy and happiness. I was a fan since 1975 and took Vicki to see him and his Coral Reefers on our first date in 1979.
I have been receiving condolences ever since the world learned about the cancer that killed him. It was reported he loved life right up until he couldn’t.
The last Jimmy Buffett concert I experienced was this past February and
it was a little calmer than usual. Was he just phoning it in?
Then came the reports of cancellations and hospital stays. His new song “My Gummy Just Kicked In” was a window to what he was experiencing. Jimmy was sick and then he just up and died.
To borrow from the late Lewis Grizzard, Jimmy is dead and I don’t feel so good myself.
So wherever you are Bubba, have a lovely cruise. Fins up! I miss you so badly. And thanks for providing a soundtrack for my life
Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.
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