Sandy Springs Crier - November 17, 2022

770-442-3278 | NorthFulton.com 319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

PUBLIC SAFETY

Teen faces charges in school bomb threat

Sandy Springs police investigate incidents

770-442-3278 | AppenMedia.com 319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

PUBLISHER EMERITUS: Ray Appen

770-442-3278 | NorthFulton.com 319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

PUBLISHER: Hans Appen

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

County school bus in the area of the Goddard School.

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs police responded to number of incidents recently, including an incident in which a person was ar rested for car theft.

PUBLISHER EMERITUS: Ray Appen

MANAGING EDITOR: Patrick Fox

PUBLISHER: Hans Appen

MANAGING

PUBLISHER: Hans Appen

EDITOR: Patrick Fox

EDITORIAL QUESTIONS:

MANAGING EDITOR: Patrick Fox

EDITORIAL QUESTIONS:

Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: Alpharetta: ext. 118, Roswell ext. 122 Dunwoody Crier: ext. 143 Forsyth Herald: ext. 118 Johns Creek Herald: ext. 123 Milton Herald: ext. 139 Calendar: ext. 122

Alpharetta: ext. 118, Roswell: ext.122 Dunwoody Crier: ext. 143 Forsyth Herald: ext. 118 Johns Creek Herald: ext.123 Milton Herald: ext. 139 Sandy Springs: ext.102

EDITORIAL QUESTIONS:

Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: Alpharetta: ext. 118, Roswell ext. 122 Dunwoody Crier: ext. 143 Forsyth Herald: ext. 118 Johns Creek Herald: ext. 123 Milton Herald: ext. 139 Calendar: ext. 122

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police detec tives have charged a 13-year-old Hol comb Bridge Middle School student with making terroristic threats, for allegedly making a bomb threat at a school in Roswell last week.

“Further investigation and interviews determined that the student intended Holcomb Bridge Middle School as the tar get location for their criminal phone call,” Roswell Police Officer Tim Lupo said.

Police were called to the 5400 block of Glenridge Drive the after noon of Nov. 1 on the report of a 2018 Audi illegally parked.

TO SUBMIT EDITORIAL:

TO SUBMIT EDITORIAL:

News/Press Releases: NorthFulton.com/Sponsored Calendar/Events: NorthFulton.com/Calendar

TO SUBMIT EDITORIAL:

News / Press Releases: newsroom@appenmedia.com Calendar / Events: AppenMedia.com/Calendar

Roswell Police reported that multiple agencies responded to the Goddard School on Holcomb Bridge Road Nov. 3 after 911 received a brief call reporting a bomb threat. The school was evacuated and cleared by the Roswell Police Department Explosive Ordnance Detection K9 team. Police located no suspicious devices.

The student has been charged with terroristic threats and will face other administrative consequences from the Fulton County School District as well, Lupo said.

The investigation turned up that the car had been reported stolen off a lot in Richmond, Va.

Police arrested a 23-year-old Kennesaw man in connection with the theft.

News/Press Releases: NorthFulton.com/Sponsored Calendar/Events: NorthFulton.com/Calendar

ADVERTISING QUESTIONS:

ADVERTISING QUESTIONS:

ADVERTISING QUESTIONS:

General Advertising: ext.100 advertising@appenmedia.com Classified Advertising: ext. 119 classifieds@appenmedia.com

General Advertising: ext. 100 advertising@appenmediagroup.com Classified Advertising: ext. 119 classifieds@appenmediagroup.com Circulation/Subscriptions/Delivery: ext. 100 circulation@appenmediagroup.com

An investigation of the call led detec tives to a 13-year-old student at Hol comb Bridge Middle School, who called 911 making the threat while on a Fulton

“The Roswell Police Department is intentional and emphatic in referring to this as a criminal phone call, in contrast to the student who consid ered it a ‘prank,’” he said. “Parents are encouraged to have a frank discussion with their children about the serious consequences of foolish youthful deci sions.”

Police were also called to the report of a disorderly person on Roswell Road Oct. 28, and they responded to a report of suspicious activity on the 4300 block of Park side Place on Oct. 29.

Details about those incidents were not included in those reports.

Circulation / Subscriptions / Delivery: ext. 100 circulation@appenmedia.com

OUR PUBLICATIONS:

General Advertising: ext. 100 advertising@appenmediagroup.com Classified Advertising: ext. 119 classifieds@appenmediagroup.com Circulation/Subscriptions/Delivery: ext. 100 circulation@appenmediagroup.com

Agency reports Georgia flu activity ‘very high’

OUR PUBLICATIONS:

OUR PUBLICATIONS:

Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: 28,000 circulation Johns Creek Herald: 20,000 circulation

Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: 28,000 circulation Johns Creek Herald: 20,000 circulation Dunwoody Crier: 18,000 circulation Forsyth Herald: 17,000 circulation Milton Herald: 10,000 circulation Answer Book: 40,000 circulation

By REBECCA GRAPEVINE Capitol Beat

bus, Drenzek said.

in 2009-10.

Dunwoody Crier: 18,000 circulation Forsyth Herald: 17,000 circulation Milton Herald: 10,000 circulation Sandy Springs Crier: 12,000 circulation

Alpharetta-Roswell Herald: 28,000 circulation Johns Creek Herald: 20,000 circulation Dunwoody Crier: 18,000 circulation Forsyth Herald: 17,000 circulation Milton Herald: 10,000 circulation Answer Book: 40,000 circulation

319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

319 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009

AppenMedia.com

ATLANTA — Georgia’s flu activity is currently very high, state epidemiolo gist Dr. Cherie Drenzek said during the state Department of Public Health board meeting Tuesday.

Flu activity is spread around Georgia but is especially concentrated in Metro Atlanta and around Macon and Colum

The state’s flu activity has been high since mid-August and increased to “very high” recently. Currently, in Georgia, 18 percent of flu tests are positive, while only 9 percent are positive nationally, Drenzek said.

Outpatient visits for influenza-like symptoms have hit 10 percent this week. The last time the state saw similarly high rates so early in the flu season was

The current influenza activity is dis proportionately affecting young children and the elderly, Drenzek added. DPH has confirmed 58 institutional flu out breaks in the last week alone, about half of those in schools and half in long-term care homes.

“Annual vaccination really remains

The Sandy Springs Crier is home deliv ered to a select 12,000 homes.

If you do not wish to receive the news paper at your home, email your ad dress and the name of your subdivision to circulation@appenmedia.com with “Stop Delivery” in the subject line.

If you would like to start delivery to your home, email your address and the name of your subdivision to circula tion@appenmedia.com and put “Start Delivery” in the subject line.

Delivery of the Sandy Springs Crier

Family Promise cuts ribbon on new headquarters

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — After years of hard work serving families out of donated church basement space in Dunwoody, Family Promise of North Fulton/DeKalb finally has a permanent home.

At a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Grove Way Community Center in Roswell Nov. 9, North Fulton community mem bers officially welcomed Family Promise into its new space, where members will work to serve families in the community experiencing homelessness.

With a base of operations so centrally located to all of their partner church congregations, the organization now has greater ability to serve the community, Family Promise Executive Director An drea Brantley said.

“I’m just really excited about this new relationship that we’re going to have,” Brantley said. “I think it’s going to help us really grow and get the word out about what Family Promise does.”

Family Promise is a nationwide nonprofit group that fights homelessness by providing resources, transitional hous ing and support to struggling families. Brantley said this three-pronged ap proach is what has made the group so

Members of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and Family Promise cut the ribbon on the charity’s new headquarters in Roswell Nov. 9. Group leaders said the new building will improve their efforts to fight homelessness and engage with the North Fulton community.

successful over the years.

At any given time, Family Promise is likely serving about 14 people – families, parents and kids – with its rotational shelter system, where people are tempo rarily housed at local church congrega tions on a weekly basis.

In addition to that, Brantley said the

organization served more than 1,000 people in 2021 with its Emergency Response Program, providing gift cards, toiletries, groceries and gas cards to people at risk of becoming homeless.

The charity also served 33 individuals in 2021 who were able to graduate from the Family Promise system, she said.

The organization faces more need than ever in the North Fulton commu nity, which makes the move to the area so much more important, she said.

“We’re definitely seeing more families who have never experienced homelessness before,” she said. “I think COVID put us in a desperate situation for many folks.”

The COVID-19 pandemic made many families choose between working and keeping kids at home when schools closed, which was especially hard for their clients, many of them single par ents, she said.

But with the help of their community partnerships, like the churches that house their families, business partner ships like they have with the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, the volunteers who keep the organization running, that need was filled.

“Our congregations are very invested in our success not only do they house a lot of our families, but most of them also support us financially,” she said. “Our ministers spend the night with our fami lies, our ministers cook, it’s just a great community that we have.”

To learn more about Family Prom ise of North Fulton/DeKalb, volunteer opportunities and more, visit familypro misenfd.org

TO NORTH ITALIA

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

St. Martin’s Episcopal School announces new administrator

BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — After a nation wide search, seasoned independent school administrator and educator Maria Croley Madden was named head of school for St. Martin’s Episcopal School.

Madden will begin at St. Martin’s on July 1. She will bring 18 years of educa tional experience to her new role.

As head of school, Madden will bring her leadership and educational skills to lead the faculty and administration, plan strategically with the Board of Trustees and develop positive relationships with the entire St. Martin’s community.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maria back to Atlanta,” Board of Trustees Chair Shara Sanders said. “She is a natural leader who will build commu nity and relationships with St. Martin’s students, teachers and parents. Her pos itive energy, strong communication skills and her expertise in strategic thinking will lead St. Martin’s into a new era.”

Madden has dedicated her career to a variety of roles at independent schools. As middle school head for Heathwood Hall Episcopal School in Columbia, South Carolina Madden served on the school’s leadership team to navigate the pandemic while ensuring student learning was a priority. Prior to her

ST. MARTIN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL/PROVIDED Maria Croley Madden has been named head of school for St. Martin’s Episco pal School and will step into her new role July 1.

time at Heathwood Hall, she spent 13 years at The Lovett School in Atlanta as middle school assistant director, dean of student life, world language teacher and coach. Her teaching career began at The Walker School in Atlanta, where she is also an alumnus.

THANKSTEAMING

What: Join this event to design corn mazes, mix up some pumpkin pie slime and engineer your very own Mayflower When: Sunday, Nov. 20, 2 p.m. Where: Hammond Park Activity Building, 6005 Glenridge Drive, Sandy Springs Cost: $25 More info: sandyspringsga.gov

times vary

Where: Blessed Trinity Catholic High School Theater, 11320 Woodstock Road, Roswell Cost: Tickets start at $25 More info: theatlantadancecompany.org

HOLIDAY LIGHTS OPENING NIGHT

What: Brook Run Park will come to life in 85,000 sugar-coated lights, complete with a chocolate volcano, candy castle, ice cream land, and more! Hot Cocoa and Popcorn carts open at 4pm. Lights turn on at 6pm. Nightly in December, lights turn on at sundown. When: Thursday, Dec. 1, 4-8 p.m. Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dunwoodyga.gov

COMMUNITY:

DUNWOODY FARMERS MARKET

What: Every Saturday through Dec. 17, the farmers market brings together a variety of vendors selling local and organic fruits, veggies and produce, coffee, breakfast, baked goods, prepared meals, frozen treats, eggs, grass-fed meat and fresh seafood.

When: Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. - Noon Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dunwoodyga.gov

MONTHLY COMMUNITY BIKE RIDE

What: Join your friends and neighbors for a casual 4.5 mile loop around Dunwoody (mostly right turns) and stick around for some post-ride socializing. Learn biking safety pointers. All ages and abilities are welcome. Helmets are required.

When: Sunday, Nov. 20, 3:45 p.m. Where: Village Burger, 1426 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody More info: bikewalkdunwoody.org

RUNNING OF THE TURKEYS 5K

What: This new Roswell Thanksgiving Day tradition starts and finishes on Canton Street with overall and group awards. The event is in support of Friends of Roswell Police, which gives and raises money to support local families and seniors in need for the holidays. All participants get a cool turkey hat and an awesome tri-blend t-shirt. The race is stroller-friendly, so the entire family can participate. Sign up early because participation is limited.

When: Thursday, Nov. 24, 8-10 a.m. Where: 928 Canton Street, downtown Roswell Cost: $40 in-person, $35 virtual More info: roswellturkeyrun.com

LEARN AND LEAD:

FRIDAY NIGHT HIKE

What: Explore the outdoors at night at the Dunwoody Nature Center. The hike starts with hot cocoa and a campfire

in the park’s historic fireplace. Then, the crowd splits up into smaller groups for a 20- to 30-minute hike through the woods. Guided by a Nature Center educator, the groups enjoy games and activities along the way as they keep an eye out for nocturnal animals. When: Friday, Nov. 18, 8-9 p.m.

Where: Dunwoody Nature Center, 5343 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody Cost: $5 for nonmembers, free for DNC members More info: dunwoodynature.org

BOOK FESTIVAL OF THE MJCCA

What: The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta will host its 31st an nual book festival with over 40 renowned authors.

When: Nov. 3-19 Where: Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody More info: atlantajcc.org/our-programs/ arts-authors/book-festival/

HOLIDAY FUN:

LOCAL NEWS

HANDMADE HOLIDAY POP-UP

What: Shop all local, handmade prod ucts from over 25 Atlanta area artists. There will be fine art, sculpture, mosaic, glass, pottery, jewelry, candles, char cuterie boards, wood-turning, cards and stationary, ornaments and holiday decor.

When: Friday & Saturday, Nov. 18-19, Where: Roswell Visual Arts Center, 10495 Woodstock Road More info: visitroswellga.com

ATLANTA DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS BABES IN TOYLAND

What: Atlanta Dance Company announces the return of this family friendly ballet for their second season. Mother Goose narrates as we follow the journey of Bo Peep’s mischievous sheep. While Bo Peep’s friends help her search for her sheep, the evil Barnaby is out to steal Mary Quite Contrary’s magic, making the journey to find the sheep difficult.

When: Friday & Saturday, Nov. 18-19,

ROSWELL DANCE THEATRE PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER

What: Travel with Clara and her Prince to the Land of Sweets where they are entertained by enchanting dancers from around the globe. Gorgeous costumes, magical scenery, beloved music, and exquisite dancing in this classic Nutcracker will delight guests of all ages. When: Nov. 25 to Dec. 4, days and times vary

Where: Byers Theater, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: $27 - $40

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT!

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.

To promote your

event,

follow these easy steps:

1. Visit AppenMedia.com/Calendar;

2. Provide the details for your event including title, description, loca tion and date;

3. Click the red button that reads “Create event”

4. That’s it! Submissions are free, though there are paid opportunities to promote your event in print and online.

Republican office holders run the table in statewide races

By JILL NOLIN Georgia Recorder

ATLANTA — Georgia’s U.S. Senate race may be headed for a runoff, but Repub licans swept all other statewide races Tuesday and dashed Georgia Democrats’ hopes of building on recent electoral wins to loosen the GOP’s grip on state government.

In addition to sending Gov. Brian Kemp back for another term, voters reelected Secretary of State Brad Raffens perger, Attorney General Chris Carr and state School Superintendent Richard Woods to four-year terms. They also gave Kemp-appointed Insurance Com missioner John King his first elected term.

Georgians promoted a trio of Repub lican state senators – Burt Jones, Tyler Harper and Bruce Thompson – to higher office.

State Sen. Burt Jones overcame con cerns about the role he played as a fake elector in the 2020 presidential election to become lieutenant governor. He was one of the two GOP candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump who survived the primary election.

Jones won with the narrowest mar gin with 51.42 percent of the vote to Democrat Charlie Bailey’s 46.4 percent, giving him enough to avoid a runoff. In Georgia, the top vote-getter must reach 50 percent to win without going into overtime.

“Our campaign was successful be cause we ran a positive, truthful cam paign focused on the issues that Geor gians truly care about,” Jones said in a statement, referring to economic mes saging like a pledge to continue cutting

the state’s income tax rate.

Bailey, a former prosecutor who put democracy at the center of his cam paign, conceded Wednesday.

“Last night, across the entire coun try, voters stood up and fought back against attacks on our Democracy,” Bailey said in a statement the day fol lowing the election. “Although we came up short, the fight to defend our Democ racy must continue. The survival of our nation depends on it. I will never give up on that fight, and I will never give up on the fight to ensure every Georgian has an equal shot and an equal opportunity.

“Now we must focus all of our efforts on re-electing Senator Warnock to the United States Senate,” Bailey said.

Warnock will face Republican Her schel Walker in a Dec. 6 runoff after neither candidate reached 50 percent.

State Sen. Jen Jordan, who ran for attorney general and put reproductive rights at the center of her campaign, racked up more votes than any other Democrat other than Warnock. She finished with nearly 13,000 more votes than the Democratic nominee for gover nor, Stacey Abrams, even though Jordan was farther down the ballot.

But it wasn’t enough. Carr ended up with 51.9 percent of the vote. Jor dan conceded Wednesday morning, and Carr posted a message on social media shortly afterward saying he had won another term.

“Over the next four years, I look forward to building on the progress we have made attacking gangs, human trafficking, elder abuse and more,” Carr posted to Facebook.

Jordan, who flipped a Cobb County Senate seat in 2017 and made national

news in 2019 for her dissent during the debate on Georgia’s abortion law, hinted of more to come.

“Although this chapter has come to an end, the fight for a safer, more equi table Georgia continues,” Jordan said in a statement Wednesday. “We may not have received the results we were hoping for last night, but the work is far from over. It is now more important than ever that we continue to support and elect leaders who will prioritize the health and safety of Georgia families. Leaders who will stand up for women and defend our right to make the most personal deci sions about our own bodies. Leaders who will reject partisan political agendas and put people first.”

In the race for agriculture commis sioner, Harper will take the reins from Republican Gary Black who unsuccess fully ran for the U.S. Senate. Harper beat Democrat Nakita Hemingway by 8 points.

State Sen. Bruce Thompson was elected labor commissioner, succeeding outgoing Commissioner Mark Butler. Thompson beat Democratic state Rep. William Boddie by nearly 7 points.

And Raffensperger, who benefited from Democratic crossover voting in the primary, beat Democratic state Rep. Bee Nguyen by about 9 points. Raffensperger was one of Trump’s top targets following the 2020 presidential election and had already survived an intense intraparty challenge earlier in the year.

This story comes to Appen Media through a reporting partnership with Georgia Recorder, a nonprofit newsroom that covers statewide issues.

JILL NOLIN/GEORGIA RECORDER

Georgia Republicans running for state offices had a good night Nov. 8. Most of them campaigned together Monday, but sena torial candidate Herschel Walker has largely campaigned separately.

Republicans maintain presence in north metro legislative races

NORTH METRO ATLANTA — In the state’s first legislative election since re districting, Republicans and Democrats laid claim to new territory.

Here’s a look at results from some of the contested races affecting north metro counties.

State Senate District 14

Democrat Josh McLaurin defeated Republican Liz Hausmann by garner ing 54.68 percent of the vote. Legislative redistricting moved the seat from rural Bartow County to now include parts of North Fulton and Buckhead. McLaurin is the current District 51 representative in the House. Hausmann is complet ing her final term as District 1 Fulton County Commissioner, a post she has held for 11 years.

State Senate District 48

Republican Shawn Still beat Demo crat Josh Uddin in a race for District 48. A Johns Creek business owner, Still serves as chairman of the Georgia Republican Party Finance Committee. Uddin, an insurance business owner, previously ran for State Senate in 2020. District 48 includes portions of Johns

Election winners

• U.S. House, District 4: Hank Johnson U.S. House, District 5: Nikema Williams

• U.S. House, District 6: Rich Mc Cormick

• State Senate, District 6: Jason Esteves

• State Senate, District 14: Josh McLaurin

• State House, District 48: Scott Hilton

• State House, District 49: Chuck Martin

• State House, District 53: Debo rah Silcox

Creek and western Gwinnett County.

State House District 48

Republican Scott Hilton toppled incumbent Democrat Mary Robichaux for the State House District 48 seat. Robichaux, a healthcare consultant from Roswell, was seeking her third term.

Hilton, of Peachtree Corners, served one term in the House from 2017-19. He is senior vice president of Commercial Banking at SouthState Bank.

House District 48 includes portions of Peachtree Corners, Johns Creek, Al pharetta and Roswell. State House District 49 Incumbent Republican Chuck

Martin held onto his seat, securing a 10th term representing the district, which includes most of Alpharetta. Martin is former mayor of Alpharetta. He faced Democrat Peggy Gillen, a small business owner and resident of Alpharetta.

Then imagine the number of other readers that noticed it too! Advertise your products and services in our newspapers and get noticed by our 232,500 readers every week in North Atlanta.*

*Based on total circulation of 93,000 homes Support Local News appenmedia.com/join

x

standard).

focuses on

under the gold dome. Show host Preston Thompson covers the most noteworthy updates to the legislative session of Georgia’s House of Representatives and State Senate.

Longtime House leader will not seek another term as speaker

By JILL NOLIN Georgia Recorder

ATLANTA — The longtime leader of the Georgia House of Representatives an nounced Nov. 4 that he will not seek another term as speaker.

House Speaker David Ralston, who has led the chamber since 2010, said in a statement that he needs to focus on a “health challenge which has arisen recently.”

The Blue Ridge Republican said he plans to finish serving as speaker until January to “ensure a smooth transition for my successor.” A new speaker will be elected on the first day of the new legisla tive session set for Monday, Jan. 9, which means the Legislature will now convene with new leadership in both chambers.

Ralston, who ran unopposed in the Nov. 8 General Election, said he plans to continue to serve as a state representa tive, making him one of 180 lawmakers

statement.

“I need to take time to address a health challenge which has arisen re cently, and the House needs a speaker who can devote the necessary time and

his Republican colleagues to the right of him have floated.

In a chamber with tightening mar gins, Ralston managed to attract bipar tisan support for his continued leader

working across the aisle. His leadership will be missed in the House Chamber.”

Stacey Abrams, a former House minority leader and the Democratic nominee for governor, said she learned from Ralston’s example.

“As Minority Leader, I worked closely and well with him as speaker,” she tweeted. “Our politics differ, but my respect is deep + absolute. God bless my friend as he faces this new challenge.”

Ralston is one of the most powerful elected officials in Georgia, and when he called a proposal a “non-starter,” that was usually the end of the conversation because the speaker is charged with bringing bills to the floor for debate. He also jealously guarded the House’s in dependence from the Executive Branch and at times, butted heads with Republi can Gov. Brian Kemp.

“The Speaker of the House is not elect ed to be the best friend of the governor,” Ralston said at the close of this year’s leg

JILL NOLIN/GEORGIA RECORDER

House Speaker David Ralston celebrates passage of his sweeping mental health bill during the 2022 legislative session. Ralston announced Nov. 4 that he will not seek another term as speaker.

Speaker:

Substance Abuse. “He is a forever cham pion, and that is going to be his legacy – is a forever champion. He has actually saved lives.”

Sandy Springs #1 Kitchen

tended to continue to call on his “friend” for advice and counsel.

“David Ralston has been a steadfast leader for Georgia throughout his time as speaker, and our state is better off thanks to his wisdom and commitment to all Georgians while guiding the House through challenging times,” Kemp said.

Ralston was an effective political leader who campaigned statewide for his caucus and squelched a minor GOP uprising that challenged his leadership a few years ago. But he led with tender ness when the moment called for it and could be poignant in challenging times.

He also used his influence to el evate issues that can often fade into the background. During the 2022 session, Ralston put all his might behind a com prehensive behavioral health measure that passed even after far-right activists tried to sabotage it.

“He has earned a legacy of love and respect from the millions of Georgians and our families who have been impact ed by behavioral health issues, mental health and substance use disorder,” said Jeff Breedlove, chief of communications and policy with the Georgia Council on

In 2018, Ralston used his influence to push through major changes to the state’s adoption system, and under his leadership, bipartisan-led pushes like the overhaul of the citizen’s arrest law cited initially in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery and a long-stalled hate crimes law were passed.

In an advisory announcing his plan to step down as speaker, Ralston also touted the passage of a long-term tax plan to fund Georgia’s roads and bridges in 2015, a proposal to gradually lower the state income tax rate in 2022, and a paid parental leave policy for state employees and teachers that passed in 2021.

But Ralston also presided over some of the more controversial votes in recent years, including the six-week abortion ban that passed in 2019 and took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. He also allowed a last-min ute change this year that enabled the Georgia High School Association to ban transgender athletes in girls sports after a similar proposal had appeared to stall in the House.

This story comes to Appen Media through a reporting partnership with Georgia Recorder, a nonprofit newsroom that covers statewide issues.

Fuel Coffee expands to Halcyon in Forsyth

By ALEXANDER POPP alex@appenmedia.com

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Finding a coffee shop these days is almost too easy. Turn a corner or throw a stone and you’re bound to find a new pop-up shop or break a window at Starbucks.

But finding a truly local coffee house that makes every customer feel like a regular is something special.

For more than a year, Angela and Dave Thompson of Fuel Coffee in Al pharetta have been serving thousands of customers with that feeling as their main mission.

“We are your community coffee shop,” Dave Thompson said. “We just love being a part of the community. And we want you to have that feeling.”

The Thompsons started Fuel Coffee off North Main Street in Alpharetta in March 2021 and have expanded to open their own coffee roasting operation, and now a brand-new location at Halcyon, which opened just weeks ago.

Dave, a longtime veteran of the cor porate restaurant world, and Angela, a former director of procurement, started their business during one of the worst times of the COVID-19 pandemic, when businesses were closing their doors and laying off workers to stay afloat.

As manager responsible for multiple restaurants in the Atlanta area, Dave said the breaking point came when he was forced to lay off nearly 300 people on a single day, closing some restau rants and saving others.

“I was renting refrigerated trucks, taking them around from one restaurant to another,” he said. “Every single place we went to, coffee shops were thriving in the pandemic, where everyone else was struggling to figure out how to survive.”

When the couple finally knew it was time for a change in October 2021, the idea of opening a coffee shop together came up and the rest was history.

But they didn’t want to open just any

coffee shop, Angela said, they wanted to open a coffee shop for people like them, people who asked questions and didn’t know everything about coffee. A com munity coffee shop, where anyone was

Business profiles

Each week Appen Media asks a staff reporter to profile a business, nonprofit or commerce group they find interesting.

The selection can be from any where in the Metro Atlanta area.

The decision is up to the reporter and is made entirely independent of the Sales department.

Do you have an idea for a future profile? Send tips and story leads to newsroom@appenmedia.com.

welcome.

“When we were thinking of doing the coffee thing, we toured 1,000 coffee shops around Atlanta,” Angela said. “One thing that we found was missing is we felt out of place if you walked into certain coffee shops, and you didn’t know exactly what certain orders or drinks were.”

In just a few months from that deci sion, they opened their first location off North Main Steet in Alpharetta.

Beyond being coffee lovers, Angela and Dave Thompson had no experience in the coffee industry or roasting coffee beans, so they relied on help of other in dustry professionals and family to learn and become professionals in quick order.

Dave said he and his son-in-law, who now works as the company’s head roaster, worked side by side for months

Read Now at AppenMedia.com

Every single place we went to, coffee shops were thriving in the pandemic, where everyone else was struggling to figure out how to survive.”.

DAVE THOMPSON, co-owner, Fuel Coffee

ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

Angela and Dave Thompson, owners of Fuel Coffee in Alpharetta and Cumming, stand outside their location on North Main Steet in Alpharetta.

Fuel:

“He and I learned kind of shoulder to shoulder, so he’s roasting for us right now,” he said.

The couple has also put their daugh ter and sons to work, making the opera tion a true family business. With the help of their family, they were able to

Fuel

“self-serve”

launch the Halcyon location this October in the development’s Market Hall, which is a huge step for their business, Dave said.

With a foothold in Alpharetta and south Forsyth County, Dave said that he can see the coffee shops expanding into areas like Roswell, Johns Creek, Wood stock and Canton. With their roaster churning out beans by the barrelful, they might even try starting a bean sub scription plan in certain areas.

“In a previous life, I did run 10 restaurants for a while, and I feel like I could get it to 10,” he said.

But no matter how many locations they start, Dave and Angela said they won’t lose sight of the community feeling that started their business in the first place.

“If we have, two locations, or 222 lo cations, I always want to make you want to feel that small-town feeling,” Dave Thompson said.

Visit Fuel Coffee in Alpharetta at 800 N Main St, Alpharetta, GA 30009, or at the Forsyth County location 6330 Halcyon Way, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Learn more at www.fuelatl. com

Frank

Tara

Coffee in Halcyon is in the process of obtaining permits for a

beer wall, where patrons over the age of 21 can sample varieties of beer before relaxing on the coffee shop’s back patio.

PHOTOS BY ALEX POPP/APPEN MEDIA

A Fuel Coffee barista prepares drinks at the business’s new location in Forsyth County’s Halcyon Development Nov. 3.

Flu:

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), another infectious disease that affects primarily young children, has also had high levels of activity in September and October, said Drenzek, though num bers have declined recently. While 20 percent of tests were positive in midSeptember, only 4.6 percent were posi tive this week.

Drenzek noted the disease can be deadly and that there is no vaccine for it. RSV mainly affects young children, and infants are at most risk for hospital ization.

DPH Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey noted the department had re ceived reports that hospitals were being hit hard by the high number of cases across the state and that EMS trans port had been a problem in some cases. Toomey said she contacted the gover nor’s office and the Georgia Depart ment of Community Health about those issues.

In other public health develop ments, the DPH will also launch a new program to educate health-care providers and families about a com mon cause of hearing loss in young children, congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV). Twenty percent of children born with the disease have a perma nent disability such as hearing loss or a developmental delay, Tina Turner, deputy director of child health services at DPH, told the board.

Georgia requires screenings for all newborns for hearing problems so that they can receive early treatment and intervention. Beginning next month, the DPH will roll out an educational cam paign about congenital cytomegalovirus to health-care providers and families, Turner said.

The agency also is putting together a work group to look more closely at increasing CMV screening efforts in newborns in Georgia. Most other states have such a screening program in place, said board member Dr. Cynthia Mercer, an OB-GYN.

The Nov. 8 meeting was the first in recent months in which COVID was not discussed in detail.

This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.

OPINION

Old Balloon Road in Brookhaven

BIGGERSTAFF

It was local histo rian Jim Perkins who first discovered Bal loon Road on an old map. He believed the road led to a hot air balloon field, located in one of the pas tures owned by the Spruill family. The field would have been in the area where Pe rimeter Mall is today.

Ballooning was an expensive hobby, so it doesn’t fit in with the lifestyle of the farmers who lived in the area. However, it does seem an appropriate hobby for those who built summer homes in Dun woody, Sandy Springs and Brookhaven. The owners of summer homes included banking executives, department store owners and candy manufacturers. People from Atlanta may have traveled to view the balloons.

Advertisements for land in the Atlanta Constitution both in 1920 and 1946 list land on Balloon Road and Dunwoody Road, both described as being off Peachtree Dunwoody Road. In 1920, all the local roads were dirt. Roads began to be paved in the 1930s as part of the Works Progress Admin istration. Mount Vernon Road was not paved until 1935.

A piece of the Balloon Road remains today. It is called Old Balloon Road, located to the east of the complex that includes Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital and the surrounding office buildings. It is no longer directly connected with Peachtree Dunwoody Road but does lead to Johnson Ferry Road.

The first hot air balloon flight took place in 1783 in France, launched by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier. Rather than people, the passengers of this first flight were a duck, a sheep and a rooster. Thanks to Sir Richard Branson’s website virginballoonflights.co.uk for hot air balloon history.

James Gordon Bennett, an American journalist, founded an annual balloon race in 1906. The first race began in Paris, France. The balloons were fueled by hydrogen gas. The Gordon Bennett Balloon Trophy Races continue today. The only years the race did not take place was during World War II and 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The 2022 race began in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland.

During World War I, hot air balloons were used for military observations. The location of Old Balloon Road is near where WWI Camp Gordon and WWII Naval Air Station Atlanta were located, where DeKalb Peachtree Airport is today and extending down as far as the loca

This 1945 map of north DeKalb County shows Balloon Road, or as it is shown on the map, Balloon Rt., leading to a hot air balloon field near where Perimeter Mall sits today.

tion of Blackburn Park. I have not found a connection yet to these military bases. Modern hot air ballooning, when bal looning changes from gas power to hot air, began in the 1960s. Edward Yost invented a propane burner which made that pos sible. A successful flight occurred with the new propane burner in Nebraska.

Award-winning author Valerie Bigger staff is a longtime columnist for Appen Me dia. She lives in Sandy Springs. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

Talk Back

VALERIE

There’s still plenty to keep a person active in this world

When am I going to act on some of the things that I know would improve my life?

I know that as we age, it is important to remain engaged and social as not doing this is linked to heightened risk of dementia and the like. Women in gen eral, I think, tend to do this almost by default. But with men, I think we tend to become more solitary, more introverted as we age. My wife is in two book clubs, several faith-based activities - including a centering prayer group - and is actively engaged in studying various subjects and authors including Richard Rohr. She recently had a reunion with her best friends from college; they meet every couple years and absolutely enjoy that time. One of her friends is in a bridge club, plays competitive field hockey, studies Richard Rohr, is in several book clubs, and, as a therapist, sees over 60 clients every week. I don’t see how they do it.

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

What about me? Ok, so I read a lot —

alone — usually in a comfortable chair at home. I still have an interest in tennis but now, that translates into me going and hitting against a backboard at Wills Park tennis courts — alone. But that’s how I learned tennis as a high schooler, and at one point I played at a fairly high level. I get asked to play with other folks these days. But I hate “playing” tennis with anyone unless I am able to play at a high level, which I cannot do right now. I would rather not play. Maybe a thousand more hours at the backboard would get me to where I could enjoy “playing” again.

I swim off and on, usually at 5 a.m. at the Y — alone. Well, with maybe a half dozen other early morning swimmers. For years there was a woman who swam in the lane next to me — for years — and we would chat sometimes at one end of the pool. But we never learned each other’s names. We knew about each other’s families and such, just not each other’s name. How odd.

So, swim, tennis, work and family. That’s mostly it.

My daughter asked me this week if I could use my truck and pick up a futon for her. She recently relocated back to Georgia and is busy furnishing her

house. She is good at spotting bargains out there and never pays retail for any thing. About a month ago she sent me to buy a thousand dollar brand new, stillin-the-plastic king-sized mattress from Overstock for $200. I couldn’t believe it.

The futon this week was in Johns Creek. Someone was moving and try ing to get rid of the stuff they were not planning to take with them. I am sure my daughter saw the ad on Craigslist. My warning radar always goes off when Craigslist is involved in any transaction. There are so many scammers out there. It doesn’t seem to bother my daughter in the least.

So, I pulled up to the house and was looking for the phone number on my phone to call to let them to let them know I was there. I looked up and right next to my window was a middle-aged man just standing there. I got out, and we introduced ourselves. He was an en tomologist (study of insects) from India and his wife, a computer programmer originally from Singapore. They had been living in the states for, I am thinking, the last 25 years or so and were mov ing back to India to take care of ageing parents. He took early retirement. I suspect he had his doctorate and was

teaching as well as practicing in the field. She was not crazy about moving back to India; it was stressing her out.

So, I don’t know as much about India as I should, historically or socially. It’s a bit embarrassing to me. My knowledge of the country is more or less limited to having read “Freedom at Midnight,” a definitive long nonfiction novel about Indian independence from Great Britain as well as the incredibly bloody parti tion with Pakistan and the creation of Bangladesh. I know that India as well Pakistan are two of the 14 countries with nuclear weapons. I know that India is the world’s largest democracy, and that Pakistan has unofficial U.S. Airforce bases, is run by a military government, and is an Islamic country. Of note, two of our delivery folks at the newspaper were from India, and one of my favorite authors is Indian — Jhumpa Lahiri. Her “Interpreter of Maladies” is an amazing first book of short stories that I highly recommend. The rest of my knowledge of India is taken from watching the movie “Slum Dog Millionaire,” and the current book I am reading, which takes place in

‘Till death do us part’ should include plan for survivors

together is a series of transitions, some planned and some forced by circum stances. After the honeymoon reality eventually settles in, wrapped in a blan ket of mutual support and respect.

LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP

While wedding customs and tradi tions vary from religion to religion and in secular society, vows generally are a significant and meaningful aspect of the joining of two persons in matrimony. Among the most well-known tra ditional wedding vows are those derived from medieval England. In the Book of Common Prayer by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, we find couples promising each other “to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death us do part.” That promise is a contract where by the two people in the union pledge to share responsibilities.

A financial life planning plan rec ognizes the shared goals of prospering from a wealth and health standpoint, while providing for eventualities stem ming from injury and illness, and the death of a partner and oneself. Life

People depend on you. In addition to your spouse, these dependents may be children, other family members and loved ones, dear friends. Depending on what you do for a living, they may be associates, partners, employees, mem bers of the military, teammates, clients and customers. Community organiza tions, charities, and religious institu tions depend on your support. As does everyone, you likewise depend on others for important aspects of your well-being. Do you and your significant other have plans in place to handle whatever life throws at you?

How you navigate the challenges of life as a team is a function of alterna tives, resources, and expectations. How will you tackle challenges connected with health and wealth? Remember the part about richer or poorer, in sickness and health? Often the pledge, “till death us do part,” generates a fear of a “life in surance sales pitch,” but it goes beyond that one aspect of “What if?” planning.

On October 6, 2022, a memorial Mass was held for the beloved spouses of the Saint Brigid Catholic Church Widowed Group in Johns Creek, Geor gia. The Mass program listed the names of the departed, which sadly included my spouse of 55 years who passed away recently. Of the dearly departed noted, 23% were female, 77% were male. That’s a small sample but it illustrates the fact that on average women outlive men. Widows outnumber widowers by sub stantial margins. Susan Bradley, CFP, founder of the Sudden Money Institute in Florida, focuses on major life transi tions, including the difficulties involved in being a caregiver and life after the death of a spouse or other loved one. She notes that 80% of men die married. Eighty percent of women die single. Have you prepared for the likelihood that one of you will outlive the other? One of you will die before the other?

While death can come suddenly at any point in a marriage, you must prepare for the possibility of illness, incapacity, and struggle prior to death regardless of age. Severe illness or incapacity may not result in death but engender a life transition toward some

form of “new normal” that may involve ongoing physical or mental limitations. When it comes to money and re serves pertinent to emergencies, and overall wealth, do you have a written Investment Policy Statement for your money that is clear to you, your spouse, whoever else who may have to step in, and your advisors? Decisions regarding finances and the management of key assets are best made when you are men tally sharp, not in the face of decline, de nial, and confusion. Are you reasonably certain that your bank balance will not go to zero before your heartbeat does? If you had a stroke or were otherwise im paired, and your spouse or partner was not available to act, who would get the emergency phone call?

Who has the authority to act in your behalf if you were incapacitated? Who has Durable Powers of Attorney to act for you in financial, business, medi cal, and other matters? When did you last review these documents? Are they current? Do you have backup if the primary designee cannot act? Have you discussed your wishes with your family?

With playoffs ahead, let’s fix parts of college football

While the image is muddle-headed enough, the fact they are running to the strains of Carl Orff’s mildewed “Carmina Burana,” is more than I can stomach. In fact, let’s retire “Carmina Burana” from all airwaves – a work so derivative that a critic once described it as “music that a gland would write.”

imaginable (except magenta), accord ing to bleacherreport.com. This is a team more suited to Bravo TV than ESPN.

PAT FOX Managing Editor pat@appenmedia.com

I’ve loved college foot ball since the days of Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes and Pepper Rodgers. It offers something few sports can lay claim to – the ability to suspend cynicism and believe that coaches are hon orable, players love their school, and col lege sports programs are honest.

Even so, there are some alarming trends creeping into the game.

Offensive holding

College football affords fans the free dom to love and hate without guilt. I love Georgia. I hate Oklahoma.

Up until last year, I loved Clemson. For some reason, the school’s marching band – between plays – began holding the final note of “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath” by Hector Berlioz. So annoying was that prolonged discord, it gave me a headache, and I no longer watch Clemson games.

This year, Oklahoma’s band be gan doing the same thing, holding the fourth-to-last note of its school fight song (stolen from Yale’s “Boola Boola” decades ago), which gives me yet an other reason to hate them.

The NCAA has a rule stating that a team can be penalized if their band interferes with the signal-calling of an opposing team. It’s a dead ball foul. This note-holding business could qualify as targeting, so great is the risk of head injury. Bands can enhance the college football experience, but they should be reminded of their place. The show is on the turf, not the sidelines.

More irritation

While we’re on the subject, can we stop with the obnoxious commercials repeated over and over during games?

I don’t want to single out any one culprit, but I hold particular contempt for the abject silliness of the T-Mobile commercial in which a mob of wideeyed maniacs run toward the camera in slow motion to get their hands on a new iPhone.

Again, I don’t want to pick on TMobile, a telecom giant that has twice successfully sued other companies for using magenta, a color it claims to own. So, nothing personal, T-Mobile. Really.

Style points

Penn State has only recently dug its way out from the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal that tarnished a once-proud program. That’s good, because I’ve al ways loved the minimalist approach the school takes to its threads.

The Nittany Lions wear navy and white. Simple. No emblem on the helmets. No names on jerseys. The team has all the appearance of a work crew setting out to demolish a building.

That’s in stark contrast to the tricked-out, revolving-door wardrobe at the University of Oregon.

By virtue of having Nike co-founder Phil Knight as an alum, the Ducks now have more than 327 different uniform combinations with every color

Dazzling and garish, the Ducks’ uniforms always scream for atten tion, begging fans to focus on fashion instead of…say, the scoreboard, which might read: Georgia 49, Oregon 3.

While I’d love to isolate on Or egon, this emphasis on style over substance can be traced back to Iowa coach Hayden Frye. When he came to the school in 1979, Frye changed the Hawkeyes’ uniforms from the tradi tional, black-and-gold slice of butter on a coal pile to an exact replica of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, another team I hate.

Frye reasoned that dressing his perennially mediocre team to resemble the most dominant football franchise of the 1970s would turn them into win ners.

Since suiting up as faux Steelers, the Hawkeyes have gone 325-203, a winning percentage of .624. They’ve played in 32 bowl games (Who hasn’t?), with a record of 15-16-1.

The lesson: There is a middle ground between originality and theft. It’s the same in any profession. Forge your own brand, elevate it by succeeding, and stick to it.

Good news for trout Anglers: ‘DH’ season is here again!

If you enjoy trout fishing in Georgia, you should be a happy camper right about now. Why? Because as of Nov. 1, Georgia’s Delayed Harvest trout fishing season has begun!

Delayed Harvest, or “DH” as it’s often called, is a special program under which portions of certain Georgia streams are managed under special regulations. DH waters are too warm for trout during the sum mer, but through the winter months their waters cool enough to provide good trout habitat. Georgia’s five DH fisheries (Amicalola Creek from Steele Bridge downstream to GA 53, the Chat tooga River from Reed Creek down to GA 28, the Chattahoochee in Atlanta from Sope Creek to US 41, Smith Creek downstream of Unicoi Lake in Unicoi State Park, and the Toccoa River from 450 feet above the Sandy Bottom Canoe

Access downstream to a point 0.4 miles above Shallowford Bridge) are managed under artificials-only, catch-and-release regulations from Nov. 1 through May 14. The idea is to provide some great wintertime trout fishing, and a focused stocking program helps ensure that there will be good catch rates and thus lots of smiles on lots of anglers’ faces.

This year there are plenty of stock able trout available, too, and so all five of those waters (including the Chatta hoochee section) will be stocked.

“We are excited to resume Delayed Harvest stockings on the Chattahoochee River below Morgan Falls Dam this year, thanks to excellent trout production in our state hatchers, and the low, fishable flows we are seeing in the river current ly,” says Georgia Trout Stocking Coor dinator John Lee Thomson. “With the Lake Burton Fish Hatchery renovation complete and trout inventories returned to historic levels, the Chattahoochee DH should provide a great trout fishing op portunity near Metro Atlanta.”

One neat things about the Delayed Harvest season is that it gives trout

anglers an opportunity to be involved in Georgia’s trout stocking program in a hands-on kind of way. For example, members of several Trout Unlimited chapters have already lent a hand by helping Department of Natural Resourc es personnel to stock trout into the state’s various DH waters.

Want to try your hand at stocking some trout yourself? There will be op portunities for that coming up too. For example, one day during Thanksgiving week, the hatchery truck will roll into the parking area at the Whitewater Unit of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, where it will be met by a cadre of volunteers (maybe even you!) who will help stock trout into that portion of the “Hooch DH.” All you need to help out is a 5-gal lon plastic bucket and some waders (or clothes you don’t mind getting wet).

When will this happen? The exact date has not been nailed down as of this writing, but watch websites such as North Georgia Trout Online (ngto. org) or various Georgia Trout Unlimited chapter websites for details on the exact date and time. I’ll do my best to let you

know here, too, as soon as I find out. These volunteer-assisted stock ing events are an enormous amount of fun, and I remember one in particular. I was there with bucket in hand and my much-loved but by now somewhat bedraggled fishing hat perched atop my increasingly hairless head. It’s an old hat, and it really is looking kind of bat tered these days, but I like it and it fits and it helps keep me warm.

The assembled volunteers made quick work of stocking several thousand trout – and once the stocking was done the fishing commenced. Yes, it’s okay to fish on stocking day, even right after the fish have been put in. In fact, I encour age it. It can make you feel like God’s gift to fly fishing, and sometimes we all need a little bit of that sort of thing.

Anyway, I’d rigged up my rod with the idea of catching a few before heading back to the house. But mostly I was just wandering around enjoying the moment –and that’s when I noticed a dad with his two young daughters. The kids, who were

I love college football. But there are alarming trends creeping into the sport.

Anglers:

probably about 6 and 8, had been help ing stock fish, and they’d worked hard.

Hmmm, I thought. Here’s a chance to have some fun.

I approached the dad, introduced myself, and asked if he would mind if I hooked a fish on my flyrod and then let one of the kids bring it in.

“Can we, daddy?” the oldest asked excitedly – and the dad said sure!

We were standing in shallow water just a few yards from a spot where lots of newly-stocked trout were holding in the current, so it took just a moment to fool a fish into taking the fly. Once I hooked it, I made great ceremony of put ting the rod in the hands of one of the kids. I showed her how to bring in the fish, then netted it and held it for photos and happy congratulations all around.

Anil:

the slums of Mumbai — a city of over 20,000,000 — called “Behind the Beauti ful Forever’s” by Katherine Boo. The book has won tons of awards and so far, seems like a fabulous read.

So, when I heard that Anil and his wife were moving back to India, it surprised me, I have to admit. “Why” I thought. Even to take care of ageing parents, it just seemed, well, counter intuitive to my frame of reference.

Coach:

from Page 16

What would be the economic impact on those who depend on you given prolonged incapacity? The latter question is im portant to closely-held business owners. What would be the economic impact on your “business family,” your employees and key associates? What would be the impact on your family if your enterprise is the primary engine for family cash flow and wealth accumulation?

If you were permanently incapacitat ed, what would you want done regarding your investments, business interests, real estate, your treasured “stuff,” pets, your health care? What do you want done at your death regarding the above? What do you want relative to funeral and burial arrangements? If you’re a military veteran, do you understand your ben efits? Where is Form DD-214? Have you had a discussion with your family about such matters? If an adult child has to

Then…

“Can I do it again?” she asked. Her dad nodded yes. I flipped the fly out into the flow again and in less than a minute had another trout on the line. She landed that one too. More pictures, more high fives.

Then…

“Can I do it again?”

This went on for about a half dozen fish. But Younger Sister was watching.

She looked at me and said, “Mister, that’s a funny hat.” Ahh, flattery will get you everywhere! But that was only preamble. The real question came next:

“Can I catch one too?”

“How about it?” I asked the dad, and he said “Sure!” – and so I hooked anoth er trout and this time handed the rod to Younger Sister. She too did a great job, encouraged more or less constantly by Older Sister, who by now of course was an experienced veteran. It was great!

Younger Sister landed four or five, and then it was Older Sister’s turn again.

And that’s what we did for more than an hour. I’d hook a trout and give the rod to one of the kids, who would then bring in the fish. It was enormous fun, and we kept at it for quite a while until the kids got cold and we finally called it an afternoon.

Later, another fly fisher mentioned that he’d seen me helping the kids catch all those fish.

“Didn’t you mind not landing them yourself?” he asked me. “Didn’t you miss getting to fish yourself?”

Well, no, I didn’t miss it. I didn’t miss it at all. It was a hoot helping those two catch those trout, much more fun than it would have been to catch them myself. Besides, I got a great story out of it.

But they got a lot more. Those two kids had more fun than the law al lows – out-of-doors, standing in a river, discovering must how much fun fishing for trout can be – even if your mentor is the dude in the funny hat!

It took us about 15 minutes to load up my daughter’s futon as well as a cof fee table Anil offered for free. Then we started talking about India — the govern ment, the economy, where in India he was moving back to and more. We talked about his education; it was essentially free, and we talked about world events including COVID and some of the books I had read relating to the topics. We talked at least a half hour about insects and commercial agriculture on the industrial scale and how — he pointed out — dif ficult it was to produce it without the heavy use of pesticides and herbicides. We talked about books. He gave me

step in, what does she or he know?

Do you understand your actual living and testamentary estate plan, which may be very different from the one you think you have? Wills, trusts, owner ship forms, beneficiary designations, operating agreements for a closely-held business, or other legal documents may govern what happens. Insurance con tracts, including life, health, disability, liability, and property and casualty, are pertinent to funding in emergency situ ations. When did you last undergo an in-depth review of all documents critical to “What if?” eventualities?

The answers to these questions form the basis for a holistic and comprehen sive financial, estate, investment, life transitions, and “peace of mind” plan. Winston Churchill warned, “He [she] who fails to plan is planning to fail.”

“Failure to plan” is a decision, but not one likely to make you, or those who love you and depend on you, happy.

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital

one — “Pax Indica: India and the World of the 21st Century.” I promised to send him a copy of “The Overstory” once he was sure of his new address in Southern India. I expect we will stay in touch, and I look forward to that.

I think we talked for well over an hour, maybe almost two. His wife came to the door, and without saying any thing, communicated it was time for me to leave so they could get back to pack ing. They leave for India soon. We said our goodbyes, and as I drove off, I asked myself again, “Why I don’t get out more often, why I don’t make the effort?”

Insight Group; 770-441-3553; lewis@lew walker.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA). Lewis is a registered representative and investment adviser rep resentative of SFA, otherwise unaffiliated with Capital Insight Group. He’s a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certi fied Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

Part Time

POOL TECHNICIANS

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

Supportive Service Coordinator:

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

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

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

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

Computer skills are desired.

Requires successful completion of a criminal record and child abuse background check, a valid driver’s license and the ability to perform physical tasks. Full job description can be seen at https://alpharettapres. com/about-us/jobs/.

Qualified candidates please send resume to office@alpharettapres.com

Handyman

Brian Iroff

Graduate Gemologist