Historic Black school redevelopment plan remains at standstill years after approval
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The historic Bailey-Johnson School remains shuttered and in disrepair three years after the Alpharetta Development Authority approved a tax abatement bond arrangement for its redevelopment.
Construction originally was set to begin in mid-2022 and be completed by the end of 2023.
On July 21, doors to the school remained padlocked. The red-brick exterior showed no sign of renovation progress, and weeds grew through cracks in the parking lot.
Alpharetta City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said the city is not certain about the project’s future.
“I don’t think that project ever happens,” he said. “I’ve heard different development concepts, but it will require another public process to determine.”
In July 2022, the Development Authority agreed to temporarily take ownership of the property through a bond-for-title deal, allowing North Crescent Communities to make reduced payments in lieu of taxes.
Under the agreement, the North Carolina-based developer pays 50 percent of the property tax obligation in the first year.
See PROJECT, Page 16
Alpharetta attracts thousands for national softball tourney
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia,com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Thousands of families descended on Alpharetta for the national Triple Crown Sports softball tournament July 17-20, bringing a healthy bump to the city’s economy.
The tournament drew some
1,500 players representing more than 100 teams, marking a two-fold increase from last year. With teams from across the eastern U.S., the players and their families rented lodging, ate at restaurants and purchased snacks, sporting supplies and other items during their visit.
PAGE 3
PAGE 12 See SOFTBALL, Page 16
A softball player swings at the ball during the Triple Crown Sports tournament at North Park July 18.
PHOTOS BY: JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Leslie Bethune, foreground, cheers for her daughters, with Allison Huter during a softball tournament at North Park in Alpharetta July 18
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Sandy Springs used cameras to assist ICE, data shows
By CARL APPEN carl@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs Police have used the city’s contracts with a data collection firm to assist the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) immigration investigations, according to public records and interviews with agency officials.
The practice of local agencies using Flock on behalf of federal partners in this fashion was first reported by 404 Media in May.
Data obtained through public records requests, “shows more than 4,000 nation and statewide lookups by local and state police done either at the behest of the federal government or as an
POLICE BLOTTER
‘informal’ favor to federal law enforcement, or with a potential immigration focus,” the outlet reported.
Included in that group of assisting agencies was the Sandy Springs Police Department, according to a review of the data by Appen Media.
As with most neighboring cities, Sandy Springs uses products from Flock Safety, an automated licenseplate reader (ALPR) and security software company based in Atlanta. Police departments use ALPRs to identify and log vehicles moving through town, framing the tools as a way to investigate criminal activity.
For example, agencies can maintain a “hotlist” of reportedly stolen vehicles and receive alerts if cameras spot them.
his paddleboards on a rack behind the activity building around 3 p.m. July 17. When he returned three days later, the man said they were missing.
Law enforcement can also perform searches of identifying information – such as license plate numbers or descriptions – to help locate vehicles they suspect are connected to criminal activity. When departments make these queries, they can search certain databases of other agencies as well, tapping into a nationwide network of sources.
The Flock system, “is trusted by more than 5,000 communities across the country,” according to the company. That number includes all 10 of the cities and counties Appen Media covers in north Metro Atlanta.
The surveillance technology is big business.
All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes. See FLOCK, Page 20
Police arrest motorists for possession of drugs
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Two Alpharetta residents were arrested on drug charges during a Ga. 120 traffic stop July 9.
Alpharetta police officers stopped a car on Ga. 120 just west of Morris Road.
Officers searched the vehicle, discovering marijuana, methamphetamine, opioids and cocaine.
A 47-year-old man was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and providing false information to an officer.
A 44-year-old woman was arrested on charges of possession of cocaine, methamphetamine and a Schedule II controlled substance.
A 54-year-old Rocklin, Cal., man was cited for failure to register a vehicle, having no tag displayed and not having proof of insurance.
— Jon Wilcox
Two paddleboards stolen from Martin’s Landing
ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating the theft of two paddleboards worth a combined total of $1,700 from an activity building at Martin’s Landing July 20 near the Chattahoochee River.
The victim, a 59-year-old Roswell man, said he locked up
The stolen belongings include a $900 11-foot-long red BIC paddleboard and a $700 10,5-footlong white Tahe paddleboard.
The officer said the man suggested someone cut the paddleboards’ straps because the steel cable used to secure the paddleboards was undamaged and remained attached to the rack.
The owner said the kayaks behind the building were untouched from when he last saw his paddleboards.
The officer said he would follow up with the homeowners association and review footage from nearby security cameras.
The victim told the officer he wanted to press charges and would send him photos of the stolen paddleboards.
The case remains active.
— Hayden Sumlin
SUV linked to burglaries escapes police pursuit
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An SUV evaded Alpharetta police in a pursuit after officers investigated a report of vehicle burglaries July 9.
Alpharetta police said officers attempted to stop a black Nissan Rogue traveling east on Webb Bridge Road near Webb Bridge Way about 2 p.m. Officers said the vehicle appeared to carry three male passengers.
Officers investigated the area after they were notified a vehicle was suspected of being involved in vehicle burglaries in Sandy Springs.
The Nissan sped around officers,
almost struck other vehicles, made a turn without signaling and exceeded speeds of 65 mph.
Police decided to end the chase after the vehicle sped through a red light.
Alpharetta officers later learned law enforcement in Oconee County attempted to stop the Nissan, which then fled into South Carolina.
A records search revealed the vehicle was rented in Boca Raton, Fla. Attempts to reach the rental agency were unsuccessful.
— Jon Wilcox
Business owner reports stolen U-Haul truck
ROSWELL, Ga. — A 60-year-old Lilburn man and local business owner reported a stolen U-Haul truck, listed as a 2025 Dodge Ram valued at $32,000, to the Roswell Police Department July 14.
An officer said the stolen vehicle has an Arizona license plate.
The victim said someone rented a U-Haul truck June 23 from Tampico Express off Alpharetta Highway (Ga. 9) but did not return it when it was due July 1.
The man said several attempts to contact the renter were unsuccessful, including a July 11 demand letter.
After receiving no responses, the business owner told officers that he would like to press charges.
The officer said he listed the vehicle as stolen on crime dashboards and provided the victim with a case card.
According to Fulton County Jail records, the suspect was arrested by the Milton Police Department in 2015 on an outstanding warrant out of Gwinnett County.
— Hayden Sumlin
Residents protest city’s plans for Mimosa Hall
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — While a party was brewing down the road on Canton Street for Alive in Roswell, concerned residents gathered to protest the continued construction underway at Mimosa Hall and Gardens July 17.
The residents rallied around the message that they’d been bulldozed and betrayed by the City Council.
The city acquired Mimosa Hall in 2017 from its most recent owner, Sally Hansell, for $2.95 million. The hall is a part of the Founders Park Project, which commits more than $15 million from the city and includes Town Square and its nearby historic homes.
Protestors wearing orange tree protection fencing and holding signs, urged bystanders on street the to sign a petition asking city officials to save what is left on the grounds of the historic hall.
“This is a dereliction of duty,” demonstrator Jacqueline Bass said.
The group’s petition has grown to more than 850 signatures. It calls for the city to save what is left of the Neel Reid Gardens, including the stone garden steps, commit to seeking feedback from citizens about major projects and proactively save and catalogue recovered artifacts from the site.
On the morning of July 22, the group discovered that the Neel Reid garden stairs had already been demolished.
Atlanta architect Neel Reid lived in the home for several years, leaving behind historic works such as his garden and stone steps.
Bass, a small business owner specializing in project management and comprehensive historic preservation, said that the city’s project has little monitoring for historical conservation.
“There’s been a lot of outcries, professional and just concerned citizens who [want the city] to take a pause and look at it,” Bass said. “And
the city’s just completely ignored any kind of request.”
Mimosa Hall was chosen as the first major focus and will transform
the hall into an event venue under the approved initiative to improve public access, environmental sustainability and long-term use of the property.
On May 30, residents were shocked to find much of the property’s tree canopy felled.
Around 35 trees were removed in two specific areas of the site, with some selective removal for a newly landscaped garden and an event lawn area.
In another petition, residents were able to compromise with city officials to save a black walnut tree targeted for removal for creation of an ADA pathway. Councilwoman Sarah Beeson said that the city committed approximately $600,000 to help save the tree and others.
Nearly two dozen residents spoke at the June 30 Open Forum at City Hall to decry the city’s management of the project. As city officials began to address the questions, frustration rose among the crowd, prompting most of them to leave. Despite this, city staff continued to answer the questions.
Residents at the July 17 protest said they felt ignored by the city.
“They really didn’t address any of the questions,” demonstrator Simone du Boise said.
Protestors said that they want to see the city step back from the project to reevaluate plans.
“I’d like to see a stop work order issued immediately so that things can be assessed and not further destroyed,” du Boise said.
The day after the protest, residents found several more trees cut down and on the ground.
The concerned citizens said that they have no plans to stop fighting for the preservation of Mimosa Hall and Gardens until they see change and will continue to pressure the city to share how they intend to catalogue historic artifacts.
THE PICTURE FRAMER
PHOTOS BY: SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA Demonstrators hold signs protesting the construction at Mimosa Hall and Gardens July 17.
Protestors wear orange tree protection fencing and hold signs to voice their anger about the construction at Mimosa Hall and Gardens July 17.
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Roswell officials give nod for county to run election
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Committees of Council gave tentative approval July 15 to allow Fulton County to conduct the upcoming election season.
the second site will make voting more convenient and accessible for residents.
The cost for a runoff election will cost Roswell an estimated $196,978 and an extra $16,087 for the additional polling location.
“The total cost [is] right at about $254,000 which is accounted for in our 2025 budget,” Knighton said.
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Members of the City Council unanimously passed the agreement at the regular the Committees of Council meeting, a council work session presided over by City Administrator Randy Knighton.
The agreement will allow Fulton County to carry out the Nov. 4 Municipal General Election and the Dec. 2 runoff election, if necessary. An additional advance polling location will also be included in the agreement.
Fulton County will provide an advance voting site at the Roswell Library for the November election. Advance voting will take place between Oct. 14 to Oct. 31.
Polling locations are available for residents to view, at mvp.sos. ga.gov/s/.
In other matters, the City Council gave tentative approval to award a contract to Webb Construction to build a Police Permanent Evidence Facility.
The 10,500 square-foot multiuse facility located at the new Public Safety Headquarters on Holcomb Bridge Road will feature a permanent evidence space, motor barn and CrossFit gym.
“Webb has an extensive experience in designing and constructing similar facilities for the military and private businesses,” Director of Environmental and Public Works Brian Watson said.
The city will provide an additional site at the East Roswell Library for advance voting, the general election, and a municipal general run-off election, if needed. The City Council approved of the addition in March, which will cost $41,770, with an additional $16,087 if a run-off is needed. The funds are available within the General Fund operating budget.
City officials said they hope
City officials recommend that the City Council award Webb Construction an amount not to exceed $2.2 million and $220,000 to allow for any unforeseen circumstances encountered during construction.
Both items presented at the meeting will return for formal approval
Heather Grafton, DNP, FNP-C
Ceila Lopez-Armstrong, MD
Celia Lopez-Armstrong, MD
Maria Betancur, AG-ACNP
FILE PHOTO
East Roswell Library will serve as an additional voting site this fall after Roswell Committees of Council approved an agreement with Fulton County to operate polling.
Vacated council seat draws three candidates
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Three candidates are seeking the seat vacated by former Alpharetta City Councilman Brian Will.
Bart Dean, Katie Reeves and Donna Shaw Murphy are running for the Post 2 seat.
Will announced his resignation in early June to run for the State Senate seat held by Brandon Beach, who resigned in March to serve as the U.S. Treasurer.
City officials have decided to wait until the November vote to replace Will.
Reeves, a resident of 40 years, served on the Fulton County Board of Education from 1999 to 2022 and
on the Alpharetta tree and planning commissions.
She is running on a platform of fiscal responsibility and maintaining quality of life.
Murphy is a lifelong resident, graduate of Regional Leadership Institute and a local Realtor.
She wants to promote green spaces and enhance quality of life while lowering taxes and promoting public safety.
Appen Media plans to write additional information about Dean’s background and his platform as it becomes available.
— Jon Wilcox
Cities join Milton campaign to overturn lawsuit ruling
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — More than 61 cities have signed onto a friend of the court brief supporting the City of Milton in a $35 million wrongful death lawsuit.
The joint amicus brief, or letter of support, comes as the Georgia Supreme Court is poised to review the case sometime in late October.
The case is Chang v. City of Milton.
On Nov. 18, 2016, Josh Chang, a Yale University student, was killed in a single-car accident after his car struck a concrete planter on the shoulder of
Batesville Road in Milton.
Chang’s parents sued the city for wrongful death and won after a Fulton County State Court jury ruled in their favor, ordering the city to pay more than $32.5 million in damages. According to the ruling, the court found enough evidence of negligence and cited inconsistent testimony on the part of Milton.
The City of Milton appealed the decision but was unsuccessful after the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the lower court’s ruling last September.
See DECISION, Page 6
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Roswell fire department to honor two new engines
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Fire Department will celebrate the addition of two new fire engines through a push-in ceremony July 26.
A push-in ceremony symbolizes the welcoming of a new engine and the community it will serve.
The department will welcome
Engine 22 to Fire Station 22 at 1111 Crabapple Road, at 10 a.m. Engine 26 will be welcomed by Fire Station 26 at 825 Cox Road at 1 p.m.
The push-in ceremony promises to be a family-friendly event, rich in tradition.
— Sarah Coyne
Pep rallies scheduled to ring in fall classes
FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Fulton County Schools is kicking of the new school year with its annual pep rally July 26.
Going on its ninth year, First Day Fulton, plans to get students and families ready for the school year through a fun and free pep rally. The resource fair will provide students with school and district information, onsite student registration, meal information, bus transportation schedules, health screenings, community services, free school supplies including backpacks, DJ entertainment and giveaways.
"We are excited about the
Decision:
Continued from Page 5
An attorney for the Chang family said at the time he estimated the interest accrued on the award was around $3.5 million and would continue to grow around $10,000 a day.
After the decision, more than
upcoming school year and can't wait to welcome our students," Fulton County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney said. "This is our gift to the community to help kids, and their families start the year strong."
The pep rally will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at Riverwood International Charter School and Georgia International Convention Center.
To learn more and book an appointment for onsite student registration, visit fultonschools.org.
— Sarah Coyne
58 cities joined an amicus brief to have the Georgia Supreme Court review and overturn the verdict. In late June, the court agreed to hear the case and has assigned it to the October 2025 oral argument calendar. The trial could be held on either Oct. 21, 22 or 23.
The cities of Sandy Springs, Roswell, Tucker, Johns Creek and Dunwoody are among those who have approved participation in the brief.
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I don’t like to take no for an answer, and I’m willing to take on a challenge. If I don’t know something, I’m going to do what I can to try to learn about it.
NIDA MUDD, owner, Judy & Grace Boutique
8 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | July 24, 2025
Empty nester fulfills dream in business
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
DUNWOODY, Ga — Nida Mudd has slowed down enough now to talk about her new retail business.
“In May of 2024, I was very deep into trying to get everything set up … it couldn’t have been a busier time in my life,” Mudd said. “I do feel like someone above was definitely helping me get to where I am today because I couldn’t have done it without my friends and, you know, some outside force helping me.”
Judy & Grace Boutique is a new women’s fashion destination within the Shops of Dunwoody in the Village on the west side of Chamblee Dunwoody Road.
Nida Mudd and her husband Todd met as college students at Mizzou, the University of Missouri. They have lived on the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs border for more than three decades, sending their four children to Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic Church and then the Marist School.
“When my oldest child was going into his senior year, I had decided, ‘you know what, I think I’m going to stop working all together and just pursue the mommy track,’” she said. “But what I found is that I was just busier than ever working on things for the school, you know, doing various things on various boards.”
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JANE KONG PHOTOGRAPHY/PROVIDED
The team at Judy & Grace Boutique gathers behind the checkout counter Feb. 26 during the grand opening of the women’s fashion destination. From left, Judy & Grace Boutique owner Nida Mudd is all smiles with her six employees Angie Houghton, Sue Benedikt, Karen Oates, Susan DiChiara, Patricia Seimetz, Mary Peterka and Jennifer Morris.
See BOUTIQUE, Page 8
BUSINESSPOSTS
Boutique:
Continued from Page 8
The idea for a boutique came a couple of years ago when her youngest child and only daughter, Mattie Grace, was a junior in high school.
“I was just reflecting and thinking to myself, ‘what am I going to do next?’ I’m kind of a worker person,” she said. “I’m not a sit around at home, cleaning … you know, just domestic. That just wasn’t in my blood.”
Nida said the name of the boutique honors the two most important women in her life: her mother, Judy, and Mattie Grace. After giving her a little seed money for the business, Nida said she decided to put her mother’s name in the store.
“She’s in her mid-80s, and I know that there’s going to be a day that she’s not going to be with me,” Nida said. “I wanted her name in my store name in order to for me to remember her always.”
Nida said Judy & Grace Boutique is geared toward women with a “stylish, timeless and fabulous” vibe.
Mudd approached her husband, Todd, with the idea of opening a boutique, and he suggested she first get some experience working in a store. So, she approached the owner of Nancy’s Boutique, which she frequently patronized, with an offer of working as a substitute employee without pay.
“I started subbing at Nancy’s for a little bit,” Nida said. “After working there for three or four months, I decided ‘you know what, this is something I would like to pursue.’”
Nancy’s Boutique closed its doors when the owner retired amid health concerns in January 2024, leaving Nida without someone experienced to bounce ideas off of.
“I don’t know how I did it, now that I’m talking to you about it, I honestly am not sure how it all happened,” she said. “I hired a couple of consultants, [and] they became my friends… and I couldn’t have done all that because I had really had no idea.”
While she didn’t have retail experience, her career background is in sales and marketing. Nida said she was extremely busy buying fixtures, hiring people and selecting inventory in the first half of 2024.
“I had inventory, but having to steam [out wrinkles in] the inventory, unbox it, count it, put it into a system, find a point-of-sale system, purchase one, print the prices and stick them on all the clothing,” she said. “I mean, if you can just think of that process, I knew none of it.”
Nida said she was eyeing a lease of Nancy’s former space for her own shop, but the popular chain Summit Cof-
Each week Appen Media asks a staff reporter to profile a business, nonprofit or commerce group they find interesting. The selection can be from anywhere in the Metro Atlanta area. The decision is up to the reporter and is made entirely independent of the sales department. Find other pieces at appenmedia.com/business.
Do you have an idea for a future profile? Send tips and story leads to newsroom@ appenmedia.com.
fee was a more attractive tenant to the shopping center’s leasing team.
The popular coffee spot has been a boon for surrounding businesses at the Shops of Dunwoody with increased foot traffic, Nida said.
Last April, she signed a lease of 1,250 square feet between Palm Beach Tan and the Dunwoody Tavern.
“I don’t like to take no for an answer, and I’m willing to take on a challenge,” Nida said. “If I don’t know something, I’m going to do what I can to try to learn about it. A lot of it is just my girlfriends just being there and saying, ‘you can do this and let’s do it.’”
After a soft opening in November 2024, the boutique had its official grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony with Dunwoody officials and community leaders in late February.
When Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch asked her if she was a city resident, Nida said they had a laugh because technically her home is in Sandy Springs. However, Nida identifies as a Dunwoodian.
“What’s so funny is that Dunwoody incorporated after I moved here,” she said. “So, when I moved here, I was technically in Dunwoody … it’s just where they drew the line.”
Monsignor Joe Corbett from Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic Church and Rabbi Brian Glusman from the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta gave blessings at the ribbon-cutting at Nida’s invitation.
She said there’s no other place she would have raised her children than Central Perimeter. Her identity is intertwined with her church community, friends throughout Dunwoody and work with a local Jewish educational nonprofit.
Judy & Grace Boutique invites Metro Atlanta women to visit and enjoy a warm, welcoming atmosphere with a “girlfriend vibe” that sets the tone for shopping.
The boutique is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment.
For more information, contact the store at 770-680-5213 or visit judyandgraceboutique.com/home.
For the latest updates, visit @judyandgraceboutique on Instagram.
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Wait, so
you’re
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Nemaslug® is a snail and slug pest-control product sold in England and Canada but not available in the United States. I first learned about this product while investigating a skin infection of a patient, and what I learned emphasizes that our connections with our creepy crawly garden neighbors are a little too close for comfort.
A female in her early 20s presented to clinic with a sore on her face that had been present a few days. It was solitary, several millimeters in size and did not seem like a lesion typical of acne. She was prescribed hydrocortisone 2.5% cream and mupirocin 2% ointment (an antibiotic), and a culture was performed to identify the type of bacteria present. Three days later, the results returned positive for Moraxella osloensis (M. osloensis). We were prepared to prescribe an oral antibiotic, but she was asymptomatic with the lesion having resolved with topical therapy.
Moraxella is a genus of gram negative bacteria that normally colonize the human respiratory tract. In medical school, we typically learn about Moraxella catarrhalis, which is a frequent cause of ear infection and pneumonia. Its cousin M. osloensis is almost never discussed due to its rarity. However, there are over fifty case reports in the medical literature of M. osloensis causing infections in both children and adults. Infections range from pneumonia to blood infections, genital sores and even brain infection. Sometimes, this bacteria has been found in the area of a cancer. One case report of a brain tumor found to contain M. osloensis pointed out that it is not known whether the bacteria caused the tumor or whether the tumor provided a hospitable environment for the infection.
Most interestingly, M. osloensis does not just piggyback on cancers. Rather, this type of Moraxella likes to piggyback on worms – nematodes to be precise.
Nematodes, also called “eelworms” or “threadworms” are small round slender worms that
infect a wide variety of animals and humans. The type of worm that infects salmon meat is in fact a nematode and is the reason one should only eat raw fish if it has been sufficiently frozen beforehand.
The same bacteria that infected our patient is actually sold commercially in certain countries outside the United States. Nemaslug® 2.0 contains the nematode P. californica and the bacteria M. osloensis. This nematode infects snails or slugs, but it can only complete its lifecycle and kill the snail if the bacteria M. osloensis is also present. Scientists believe that M. osloensis helps the nematode kill the snail by releasing a bacterial toxin that causes blood poisoning and death. The nematode and its side-kick M. osloensis both replicate and proliferate. The nematode needs the bacteria to kill the snail. The bacteria needs the nematode because the nematode is mobile and can wriggle its way to its next snail or slug. Nemaslug® 2.0 is not sold in the United States out of concern that it could harm our native and sometimes helpful snail and slug species with specific concern for species in the Pacific Northwest.
Our patient did not use Nemaslug® 2.0 on her face. She did mention having a new boyfriend. Because M. osloensis is a normal colonizer of the human respiratory tract, it is possible that our patient already had this bacteria in her own respiratory tract and happened to infect her own skin. However, since she had not experienced a similar lesion in the past, it is more likely that that she accidentally came into contact with this bacteria during contact with another human such as her new boyfriend.
From case reports in the medical literature, we know that M. osloensis can very rarely cause blood poisoning in humans. Perhaps we are more closely related to snails than we would like, or perhaps M. osloensis just makes a toxin that is highly effective across vastly different species. Regardless, I know I am not kissing snails anytime soon, especially if they look under the weather.
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Sandy Springs outpaces area cities in police pursuits
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA — The Sandy Springs Police Deparment has a more aggressive vehicle pursuit policy than surrounding jurisdictions, leading to more high-speed chases and risky maneuvers to stop suspects.
In 2024, Sandy Springs officers engaged in more than twice the number of car chases than police in Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Roswell combined, according to interviews and an analysis by Appen Media.
Law enforcement officials agree that the decision to pursue fleeing motorists is a balancing act; departments must weigh the risk for officers, suspects and bystanders against the danger of not apprehending the suspect at that time.
How Sandy Springs police make that calculation is what sets them apart from neighboring cities.
Guidence from the Department of Justice in 2023 recommends that pursuits should take place when two conditions are met, “(1) A violent crime has been committed and (2) the suspect poses an imminent threat to commit another violent crime.”
The DOJ report also recommends law enforcement officials set policies for their departments that detail the requirements to initiate a pursuit, how to evaluate whether it should continue and instructions on documenting incidents.
Sandy Springs’ policy says the goal of a pursuit is to reduce the danger to the public by stopping a fleeing vehicle as soon as possible. Neighboring police departments have different philosophies.
Alpharetta, Roswell and Dunwoody policies prohibit officers from pursuing vehicles based on traffic charges alone. Following the DOJ’s direction, Alpharetta and Roswell also say pursuits should be avoided if it’s evident the suspect could be apprehended at a later time.
Sandy Springs relies on a more situational approach, allowing pursuits based on the “totality of circumstances.”
In 2024, Alpharetta reported five police pursuits, Roswell documented 10 and Dunwoody logged two.
Sandy Springs officers engaged in at least 41 car chases in 2024, according to an Appen Media analysis.
That’s up from 2023, when Sandy Springs reported 17 pursuits.
Major policy change
Department officials attributed the rise to a “major policy change” in 2024.
The new, amended policy allows for more discretion or freedom for officers, allowing them to pursue a fleeing vehicle if they have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or is about to
Sandy Springs performed a PIT intervention technique on a Dodge Challenger on the Glenridge Connector January 2.
occur.
Available data on the pursuits are scant.
Of the 41 chases identified by Appen Media, the city provided Vehicle Pursuit Reports on 13.
It withheld the remaining documents, saying the underlying cases were pending investigation.
In the 13 provided reports, there were a range of suspected crimes at the pursuits’ inception, from speeding and improper license plates to outstanding warrants and armed robbery.
Officers caught and arrested suspects in about half the cases. The others got away.
Sandy Springs officers conducted PIT, box-in or other forced termination techniques in at least 12 of those pursuits.
A PIT, or precision immobilization technique, is a method used by law enforcement to make contact with a vehicle, forcing it to abruptly turn 180 degrees and stall.
Alpharetta, Roswell and Dunwoody officials told Appen Media they conducted zero forced termination maneuvers in 2024.
“I can’t remember the last time we did a PIT,” Alpharetta Police Captain J. Braithwaite said.
Appen Media asked Sandy Springs Police spokesman Sgt. Leon Millholland why the department has a more aggressive pursuit policy than surrounding cities.
“We’re not going to tolerate crime in the city. We have the support from our city officials, and the chief wants crime delt with,” Millholland said. “That’s where it comes from, its leadership. The citizens of Sandy Springs … we continually hear that’s what they want.”
Appen Media published two stories in
Sandy Springs
Chief Kenneth
has presided over a department that engages in more vehicle pursuits than any neighboring cities in North Fulton County.
Meanwhile, another officer, just off duty, had turned around on his way home to join the pursuit, at one point reaching a speed of 87 mph on Riverside Drive. He continued on the chase for another 30 seconds after the pursuit was canceled, according to the department’s analysis of the incident.
December 2024 and January 2025 about the Sandy Springs Police Department conducting high-speed chases on state highways and interstates and executing PIT maneuvers.
The Sandy Springs Police Department has posted footage of some its pursuits, ending in box-ins or PIT maneuvers on its Facebook page.
Most comments show support for the officers’ actions and the department’s policies.
Others bring up the danger posed to bystanders and the public.
Risks of injuries
The DOJ’s report cited, “there were two serious injuries and 10 minor injuries for every 100 pursuits,” from 2009 to 2013.
Hugh Clements, director of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, said high-speed chases should not be a routine part of law enforcement work.
“The safety of fleeing suspects, their passengers, pursuing officers and uninvolved bystanders are too important to risk on a regular basis,” Clements wrote. “But there are times when the importance of apprehending the suspect in a timely manner means that pursuit is necessary despite these dangers.”
The Sandy Springs Police Department’s policy states “officers who engage in vehicle pursuits must continually balance the need to pursue against all known or apparent risks posed to the general public.”
In July 2024, two Sandy Springs officers pursued a vehicle into the City of Roswell. One officer drove off the road, disabling his vehicle, attempting to make a turn at 80 mph. A second officer negotiated the turn, but the police supervisor canceled the pursuit.
In that report, the department critiqued two additional officers who responded to the scene despite being “not within the vicinity of the pursuit.” One of those officers were clocked at 124 mph on Ga. 400. The other officer, a detective, reached a speed of 90 mph and continued with emergency equipment on for 21 seconds after the supervisor’s cancelation announcement.
The vehicle escaped.
Another pursuit in December over a broken tag light ended in two PIT maneuvers conducted in an apartment complex parking lot off Cimarron Parkway. Police Chief DeSimone ruled the officer’s actions were “unnecessary PIT attempt and not within policy.”
Pursuit training delayed
Sandy Springs schedules pursuit trainings for its officers every two years to keep up with legal updates and changes in techniques or vehicles, Police Sgt. Millholland said.
“It’s not a recertification; it’s a refamiliarization because we’re not required by law to be certified in PIT maneuvers,” Milholland told Appen Media. “The training that we do every two years is a brief familiarization [with] any legal updates, any change in techniques or that have been discovered, or any change in vehicles, you know, anything that needs to be addressed.
Because of an increase in mandated training hours from 400 to 800, Millholland said Sandy Springs is still attempting to schedule its “refamiliarization” at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in the city of Forsyth.
“Right now, our training division is reaching out, and they’ve got a couple of possibilities going right now,” Millholland said. “We will get this scheduled second half of this year to do this refamiliarization … it’s in the process of being scheduled.”
PHOTOS BY: SANDY SPRINGS POLICE/PROVIDED
Police
DeSimone
Northern Ridge District welcomes June Eagle Scouts
ALPHARETTA, Ga.— The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton) is proud to announce a new round of Eagle Scouts who completed their Eagle Board of Review June 26 at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.
Left to right
Ronak Nambiar, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church. His project was the renovation of the outdoor space at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church by cleaning, pressure washing, and repainting the gazebo and three wooden benches, refurbishing the outdoor
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plastic furniture, designed, constructed and installed a Little Free Library, adding mulch and flowers to garden beds, pathways, and dry patches and installed a raised and bordered pathway stones with mulch to improve accessibility and safety.
Samuel Haydock, of Troop 1134, sponsored by St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church. His project was the design and construction of a large rolling bin for collecting used and worn US Flags for a retirement ceremony, the collection of 23 worn flags, and then holding a retirement ceremony for these flags, on behalf of Saint Ann’s Catholic Church in Marietta.
Name: Waxing The City (Dunwoody)
King, Cox roads roundabout gains ground
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — Milton officials agreed July 7 to move forward with plans to place a single-lane roundabout at Cox and King roads on the city’s border with Roswell.
The intersection, which includes stop signs for both roads, recorded 13 crashes from 2017-2021. King Road terminates at the intersection.
The City of Milton is teaming up with the City of Roswell on the project.
With the City Council granting blanket right of way acquisition approval, city staff can now confirm the site scope and budget for the project.
Based on fair market value and limits of negotiation, city staff estimate $102,100 for land purchase.
Money for the project will come from the city’s transportation sales tax revenue.
“I know this is a welcome addition,” Mayor Peyton Jamison said. “People have been wanting this.”
In a related matter at the July 7 meeting, Deputy Director of Public Works Robert Dell-Ross presented
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manage and update the project.
“It’s time to consider updating this document,” Dell-Ross said.
The program allows local governments to take elements of their own roadway master plans, have them evaluated, then select projects within their city. A staff member from each city will guide the process, while the ARC pursues funding through the Georgia Department of Transportation and handles contracts and subcontracts.
So far, the City of Johns Creek has approved the agreement, and will serve as the administrative city collecting the local matching funds from each municipality. Johns Creek is charging nothing for the service.
The estimated cost for the plan is approximately $1.2 million, with $990,000 coming through federal funds and $247,500 in local match from the five cities. The ARC will fund 80 percent of the total cost.
an agreement between the cities of Milton, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell and Sandy Springs to update the North Fulton Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
All five cities have requested the Atlanta Regional Commission to oversee the process.
The ARC coordinated and funded the plan in 2010 and 2018 and will
Based on 2023 population estimates, Milton’s share is approximately $26,462.
The City Council gave unanimous approval to the plan and expects the other cities to sign by the end of July.
What is the cost of living in Fulton County?
Community engagement is an essential part of Appen Media’s newsroom strategy. That’s why reporters for the Herald and Crier newspapers seek out all sorts of reader questions. Sometimes those inquiries don’t lead to standalone stories because of time constraints or, more simply, the answers can be short.
Here is a question Appen has received and the answer your reporter dug up.
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
NORTH METRO ATLANTA —Essential workers in North Fulton cities, including teachers, public safety personnel and mechanics, often live outside of the region in more affordable communities.
In early May, Roswell resident Courtney Rozear asked a series of questions about housing attainability and average wages for workers after the city shut down the Economy Hotel off Old Dogwood Road.
The cost of living for the average family of four in Fulton County requires an annual household income of $107,508, according to a 2022 study
from United for ALICE.
In comparison, the “household survival budget” for a family of four in Butts County is $77,856.
Georgia United Ways produced the statewide report documenting the number of households below the federal poverty level.
The report also included the number of ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households, which earn above poverty levels but
not enough to afford the basics in the communities where they live.
The North Fulton Improvement Network, a local think tank dedicated to workforce housing, income and employment, transportation, child wellbeing and food security, cited the study in a June 2025 report.
In North Fulton cities, Sandy Springs leads the pack with 8 percent of households below poverty level and 32 percent of them ALICE.
Send your story tips and ideas to newsroom@appenmedia.com. Ask questions about the community at appenmedia.com/ask and we’ll do our best to find the answer.
Financial hardship varies by location, and there are not cost of living estimates for individual North Fulton cities.
Roswell is in the middle of the pack in North Fulton with 5 percent of households below poverty level and 31 percent of them ALICE.
Johns Creek has the lowest percentage of households below poverty level in the region, while Milton has the lowest percentage of ALICE households.
Across Fulton County, 67 percent of individuals under age 25 are below poverty level or unable to afford necessities in their community. But when compared to the 13-county metro area, Fulton has the least amount of young people in the category.
SCREENSHOT
Deputy Director of Public Works Robert Dell-Ross presents the proposal of a single-lane roundabout that will be placed at Cox and King roads at the regular meeting July 7.
ILLUSTRATION BY: DIONNA WILLIAMS/APPEN MEDIA
giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 5, 4 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
TYPES
1. Big sandwich. Cheeky. Type of puppy.
2. Type of energy. Pond organism. Fizzy drink.
3. Lackluster. Peruvian beast. Type of eagle.
4. Egress. Barbershop request. Type of enemy.
5. Hirsute. Kind of knife. Sailing vessel with two masts.
6. Kind of brush. Avian chatterbox. Weakling.
7. Attention-getter. In the know. Type of toast.
1 Big sandwich. Cheeky. Type of puppy
2. Type of energy. Pond organism. Fizzy drink.
How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!
3. Lackluster. Peruvian beast. Type of eagle
4. Egress. Barbershop request. Type of enemy.
5. Hirsute. Kind of knife. Sailing vessel with two masts
6. Kind of brush. Avian chatterbox. Weakling.
7. Attention-getter. In the know. Type
Firewood,
Project:
Continued from Page 1
Payments increase 5 percent annually over 10 years until the developer assumes the full obligation.
Crescent Communities partnered with Kimball Bridge Venture Partners to create 160,000 square feet of office space and retain much of the school’s size and design.
The project value at the time was estimated at $70 million.
Venture declined to answer questions about the project.
Katie Harris, Crescent PR senior account executive, said the developer is working through “predevelopment efforts,” but offered no additional details.
“We’ll be sure to share updates as soon as we can on the site’s activity and how the team plans to celebrate the history of the Bailey-Johnson School,” she said.
Located at 154 Kimball Bridge Road just south of Avalon, the Bailey Johnson School was North Fulton County’s first Black school, offering an education opportunity for grade 1-12 students before desegregation.
Originally named the Alpharetta Colored School, it was renamed the Bailey-Johnson School three years after its opening in honor of Alpharetta blacksmith George Bailey and former slave Warren Johnson.
Venture Partners and Crescent Communities have dubbed the project “Garren on Kimball,” as an homage to the two men’s first names.
Former student Charles Grogan said he has fond memories of his time at the school from 1957 to 1965.
“I hate to see it torn down and forgotten all together,” he said.
The site serves as a powerful reminder of a history that matters to him and Alpharetta, he said. He hopes to one day show his great-granddaughter the renovated school.
“I’m going to bring my offspring, my people, to see where I went to school,” he said. “It’s important to me for her to know where her great-grandaddy went to school.”
Development Authority Chairman Jack Nugent said plans called for transforming the 21,321-square-foot
Softball:
As one of the city’s largest sporting events, the competition created a powerful “ripple” effect for local businesses, said Anita Jupin, director of PR and communications for the city’s convention and visitors bureau, Awesome Alpharetta.
“Sports tourism continues to be a key part of Alpharetta’s visitor mix, bringing in athletes, their families and fans, who stay, dine and shop locally,” Jupin said.
The tournament generated about 850 room nights, contributing an estimated $183,600 in hotel revenue. Between games, visitors also ate out at local fast-food and sit-down restaurants, perused shops and picked up last-minute supplies at gas stations, groceries, convenience stores and sporting goods shops.
The doors to the Bailey-Johnson School are padlocked July 21 as progress for a redevelopment project
school into a studio creative office space. He described the project as exciting and an asset for the city.
It is one of more than 20 properties that the Development Authority in Alpharetta is involved in. The assessed value of those properties is more than $430 million.
“When they came to us with that proposal, that was a signature project for Alpharetta,” said Nugent, who was with the Development Authority in 2022.
Nugent said he thinks the project has remained paused for 18-24 months because of supply chain problems and rising costs. Nevertheless, he hopes the project will be completed.
“It is still on our docket for wanting to see this through,” Nugent said. “My guess is that they will probably come back at some point in the not-too-distant future hopefully, and you’ll have some modifications to it.”
Nugent said he still considers the original bond deal a success for the Development Authority.
“The way it works when we get involved is a devel-
Huntsville mom Allison Huter said she made a last minute trip to Dick’s Sporting Goods for a shin guard and other items after her daughter Livy suffered a hit to her ankle.
“We had to spend quite a bit of money there,” Huter said.
During their five-day stay, the family lodged at a short-term rental and ate Einstein Bros bagels, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell. After a Friday afternoon game, Huter said she was looking forward to getting some relief from the day’s sweltering heat by splurging on some margaritas at a local Mexican restaurant.
Triple Crown has hosted tournaments in Alpharetta and other North Metro Atlanta cities since 2015.
The tournament returned to Alpharetta this year for its 10th tournament, in part because of the excellent sporting fields and facilities, said Scott Crawford, an event director for Triple Crown Sports. Teams played on 20 fields across nine different
locations.
oper will come to us and say, essentially we’d like your help in getting this project done,” he said. “They asked us to be a vehicle for enabling this to happen … We will be the vehicle that issues bonds.”
Purchased from the Fulton County School District, the site originally generated no taxes as a public property.
In 2024, the property paid $36,855 in taxes.
If the developers decide they cannot complete the project and sell the property, a new bond deal would likely need to be obtained, he said.
Nugent said the Development Authority has limited tools when it comes to ensuring progress of the project.
“We essentially require the developer to take the lead, and our steps kind of fall in place as the developer moves forward with the project,” he said. “We cannot be proactive about a development. We have to react as a development moves forward.”
Until then, progress remains paused at the school, which sits empty, overgrown and locked.
There are few communities in the U.S. with so many fields within a short driving distance of one another, he said.
“A big part of the reason (for coming) is because you have so many facilities in such a small radius,” Crawford said. “And I don’t want to undershoot the importance of the quality of those facilities.”
Well-maintained fields, ample parking and excellent facilities were just a few of the reasons Triple Crown has repeatedly visited Alpharetta, he said.
Families also love the city’s sense of safety, nearness to a major airport and proximity to numerous recreational destinations elsewhere in Metro Atlanta.
Like many other families watching the games, Wesley Chapel, Fla., father Anthony Stephens said he was doing his best to turn his visit to Alpharetta into a mini vacation.
Stephens said he planned to take
his daughter Skylah to the Georgia Aquarium. Huta said she was thinking of attending a Braves game or simply playing some cornhole in downtown Alpharetta.
Stephens said he was so impressed by the city that he was considering moving there.
Crawford said Alpharetta has remained a top-tier host city for years also because of the cooperation by city and Awesome Alpharetta officials.
He praised the work of staff like Awesome Alpharetta’s Director of Sports Sales Anna Mikell and Park Supervisor Chris Anderson. Those staff made coming to Alpharetta easy, coordinating with almost every aspect of the competition from lodging to marketing.
Awesome Alpharetta is discussing building on that success by potentially bringing an additional tournament to the city next year.
“That’s a big thing to talk about because longevity speaks volumes in our world of sports,” Crawford said.
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Tips for engaging children in gardening activities
Gardening is more than just a fun outdoor activity. It’s an excellent way to engage children in hands-on learning and teach them valuable life skills. From sowing seeds to watching plants grow, gardening provides an immersive experience that fosters a love for nature, curiosity and responsibility. Here’s how you can engage children in gardening and make it an exciting, educational journey.
Start simple with easy-to-grow plants
For beginners, it’s important to choose plants that are easy for children to handle. Flowers like sunflowers, marigolds, or zinnias are vibrant and grow quickly, offering instant gratification. Vegetables like tomatoes, beans, radishes, carrots or lettuce are also rewarding, as children can harvest their crops in a few weeks. Let children participate in every step of the gardening process: digging, planting, watering and caring for the plants. Children are more likely to eat vegetables they grow themselves. A 4-year-old may surprise you and eat a radish or lettuce when you never thought she would.
Incorporate fun, creativity in projects
Gardening doesn’t have to be all about the plants themselves. Children love creativity, so incorporate fun projects like designing a themed garden. Create a Fairy Garden with miniature decorations, or build a vegetable garden in the shape of a star or plant. Plant a Pizza Garden in the shape of a pizza. You could plant tomatoes, basil and peppers in the garden that you can use making a pizza.
Let kids use colorful plant markers to label their plants or design their own garden signs. You can even create a seed bomb by mixing clay, compost and wildflower seeds into small balls, which children can leave in various areas of the garden for the rain to wash the clay away and germinate wildflowers.
Teach valuable lessons about nature
Gardening offers a unique opportunity to teach children about the environment and the science of plant growth. You can explain how plants need sunlight, water and soil to thrive, and show how these elements work together. In addition, you can introduce basic concepts like photosynthesis, pollination and composting. Your child may already know these words if they are in elementary school.
Teaching children about beneficial insects such as bees, butterflies and ladybugs can also spark their interest in the ecosystem and biodiversity. By introducing
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
them to the plant growth cycle, you help them understand the interconnectedness of all living things. Consider participating in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census on August 22-23. You can do this at home or attend one of the many public events in your area, such as the one on Saturday, Aug. 23 at the Sandy Springs Farmers Market, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs, GA 30328. Children can help us count and do fun activities. Visit https://gsepc.org/ for details about doing the Pollinator Census at home.
Foster responsibility and patience
Gardening instills a sense of responsibility as children take on the task of caring for their plants. Watering them regularly, checking for pests and ensuring the soil remains healthy all require consistent attention. Additionally, gardening teaches patience. Unlike many instant gratification activities, gardening takes time. Watching a plant grow slowly from a tiny seed into a blooming flower or a ripening tomato can teach children the value of persistence and the rewards of waiting.
About the author
This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Chris Adams, a Master Gardener for almost 20 years and a Sandy Springs resident. She loves to teach gardening classes, especially to children. She can be found once a month April-October at the Sandy Springs Farmers Market helping the children with a fun nature-based activity.
Incorporate learning opportunities
Use gardening as an educational tool beyond science. Introduce or enhance math skills by measuring plant growth or counting seeds and plants. Gardening can also help with reading and language skills, particularly if you have children label plants or read gardening books together. Check out books at your local library, and read them together. Fun books include “The Great Pollinator Census” by Susan Edwards Richmond and “The Saved Seed” by Brenda Moore.
Create a sense of accomplishment
One of the most rewarding aspects of gardening is the sense of accomplishment that children feel when they see their plants flourish. Whether it’s picking ripe fruit, seeing flowers bloom or simply admiring the beauty of a well-tended garden, these moments can boost a child’s self-esteem and provide a sense of pride.
Gardening is a powerful tool for engaging children in meaningful outdoor activities while also fostering a deeper connection with the environment. By combining creativity, learning and responsibility, gardening provides a wonderful opportunity for kids to explore the natural world and develop essential life skills. Through gardening, children not only learn how to care for plants but also gain a greater appreciation for the world around them.
Happy Gardening!
North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.
Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/opinion/columnists/garden_ buzz/.
Save the Date: The 2025 Great Southeast Pollinator Census is August 22-23.
Thank you Bob Meyers for Celestine Sibley column
To the editor, I thoroughly enjoyed Bob Meyers's article on Celestine Sibley. I loved her articles in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I shared her concerned that Crabapple was losing its charm and Southern roots with "unchecked growth.”
I was honored to meet her when my leadership North Fulton toured the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and met
many of the writers including the very talented editorial cartoonist, Mike Lukovich.
Thank you, Bob for a wonderful article.
– Marsha Spear
Opinions
Appen Media aims to present a variety of views in its opinion pages. Send your thoughts, questions and letters to newsroom@appenmedia.com.
CHRIS ADAMS/PROVIDED A little girl counting pollinators at Lost Corner Preserve.
ANNE WISKIND Guest Columnist
Notes about summers connecting at the beach
Our three grandchildren stayed with us this week for “Papa-Tina” camp at the beach. They are 10, 8, and 5. They do not selfentertain all that much, but we knew that. Actually, I’m not sure that any kids do at those ages.
Food is a big deal. So is going to bed, taking baths and brushing teeth. And by “big deal” I don’t necessarily mean “problem.” I mean those things are mission-critical and, well, sometimes are embraced and at other times, not so much.
“Why I remember when” (fill in the blank) and compare it to today’s kids – their behavior, their awareness, their attitudes and such. If you dare.
Christina (“Tina”) checks on 5-yearold Annie who is in the shower:
“OK Annie, it’s time to get out. It’s bedtime.”
“I only shampooed so I haven’t finished bathing the rest of me.”
“That’s OK, the shampoo ran down the rest of you so you’re clean now.”
Annie just looks at Christina and shakes her head, “I don’t think it works that way, Tina.”
Huh? How old are you?
But that made me remember the story from years ago about the youngest child of one of our friends – 5-year-old
Sammie – that took place outside the Louvre in Paris. There had been an “issue” and Sammie was in timeout –with her mother sitting next to her – on the bench outside of the museum, while dad and the other kids were inside taking in all the art. After a considerable amount of time, Sammie turns to mom: “I bet you’re sorry you gave me this punishment now.”
Huh? Yeah, no words. Sure.
I remember the times when I had to order four copies of each new Harry Potter book – all seven of them – in order to avoid World War III from my kids fighting over who got to read it first. And as I recall, the book releases seemed to frequently fall during the summer, so we would take delivery at the beach – where we spent most summers – and each kid would retreat to their own particular space and not move for days while they devoured each book. And, of course, we would then have the issue of the fastest reader sharing what happened to Harry in the book and, of course, World War III would break out anyway.
You know you really can’t win, right? I think eldest son Hans recently finished (re)reading all seven Harry Potter books to daughter Phoebe. How cool is that? Makes me want to revisit them. And, well, maybe World War III isn’t so bad after all if that is the type of collateral “damage” that results down the road?
Beach time is always special. Memories made at the beach often last
forever. And usually what makes it special are not big things; it is the little ones – top bunk or bottom; Frisbee or football; only one sand-flea net and three kids wanting to catch sand fleas; badminton versus volleyball. Summer beach romances. Freedom. New friends. No schoolwork. Bloody games of Risk, puzzles, book reading, sleeping in, cards, no TV, kite-flying, bare feet the whole time, late night snacks, uncombed hair, of course, fishing.
We have an old not fancy “cracker” Florida beach house we’ve owned now going on 26 years. It’s on a barrier island about 5 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. You get there by boat or plane. There are no stores, no restaurants, no paved roads, no stop lights, no traffic, no hotels or condos, no law enforcement or medical facilities – just sand, shells, arrowheads, pine trees with scars from sap harvesting early in the 20th century, occasionally wrecks of old Spanish sailing vessels, sand fleas, moccasins, gators, raccoons, dunes and about 80 houses – of which maybe 6 are permanent residents.
Everyone knows each other. You know each other’s boats, dogs and favorite beverages. My kids have friends they only ever see at the beach – beach friends only. Most of those kids are now adults now. But they still come back. For years we successfully avoided having a TV so everyone did “analog” stuff, like read books and play games. I think our kids learned how to connect there – how
to be just kids. That hasn’t changed, somehow miraculously on the island. It almost seems to stand still – time.
People meet and catch up at the mail kiosk – three times a week when the mail boat delivers the mail. We pop a squat on the dock in the harbor and just visit. We invite each other to dinner all the time. We’re almost never in a hurry; no one is out there. We watch weather. We watch tides, and it’s a big deal to know wind direction and speed. The weather can change hourly and it’s like going to the movies sometimes – only you and your surroundings are the script.
I think today, loneliness is epidemic, and a hollowness to be connected to something real, something meaningful is pervasive. We know we’re missing something. The loneliness is not just for each other but also for connection to a natural world.
Beach-time reminds us. It is, albeit temporary, an antidote. It is a salve, a tonic, an elixir. It heals. It nurtures. It makes memories we don’t forget. It connects.
“Time passes slowly up here in the mountain
We sit beside the bridges and walk beside the fountains
Catch the wild fishes that float through the stream
Time passes slowly when you’re lost in a dream.”
“Time Passes Slowly”— Bob Dylan
Feeling the heat on an afternoon in July
The other day, and despite the heat, I decide to get outside for a while after lunch.
I know, I know. This time of year, doing anything at all outdoors means dealing with sweltering summertime heat. It’s humid and sweltering. It makes you uncomfortable. It makes it hard merely to breathe.
Yeah. The fact is that this time of year, it’s just too darned hot. Still, I feel the need to break free of the keyboard. But to where? Maybe Stamp Creek? Over off Highway 20, it flows sedately through the Allatoona Wildlife Management Area on its way to
Allatoona Lake. The creek should be cool – at least enough to knock the edge off the heat.
Wading in a creek on a sweltering July day is a pleasant prospect, all things considered. But over even that, there hangs a question: Will the creek hold any fish?
You know about me and fishing. You know I’ll just have to find out.
On my way out I retrieve one of the fly rods. I also pick up an Altoids box full of flies. Dad used to carry flies in little metal Kodak film cans, though these days those metal cans are darned near impossible to find. Plastic ones show up now and then, but plastic’s not quite the same. So I’ve gravitated to Altoids boxes. They do fine too.
Is that everything? I think so. I open the garage door, and a wave of heat rolls in and swallows me up. And when I open
the car door a minute later, an even more determined blast of superheated air hits me full in the face. Am I having fun yet?
I will be, in a minute, once the car’s AC works its magic.
I start the engine and turn the “cold” knob all the way to 10. Unseen machinery whirrs into motion, fighting against the sweltering air, and slowly prevails.
Only then, secure in my bubble of cool air, do I set out for Stamp Creek.
The piece of Stamp Creek I’ll visit on this searing July day is accessed from parking areas near the Ga. 20 bridge. There are small parking areas on the south side of the highway on both sides of the creek. I pick the one to the west and pull off the pavement. I grab the rod, too, and then make my way downhill toward water. In an instant I’m sweating. It’s just hot.
But then I’m at the edge of the stream. Left or right? I toss a mental coin and turn left, downstream, toward the expansive waters of the lake.
The creek is cool and soothing, a perfect respite from the heat. I work my way along, in no hurry, casting now and then. Small sunfish are responsive. The day is good, for I am catching fish and (thanks to the creek) I am cool.
Soon it’s time to begin the walk back. Leaving the cool water, heat again trumps all. Sweat returns, and by the time I reach the car, I feel like leading man in a one-act play set in a planet-sized doubleboiler. But again, the car’s AC provides relief. Soon comfort and joy return. On the way home, I stop by the grocery store to pick up the makings of supper.
STEVE HUDSON Columnist
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
Heat:
Continued from Page 19
And then, just because its close, I decide to make a quick stop at the thrift store.
I’ve come to love thrift stores. I have this hope that someday I’ll walk in and there’ll be a pile of handmade bamboo flyrods with a sign that says “Fishing Poles – $2 each.” It hasn’t happened yet. But it could. And if it does, I have a fiver in my pocket. That would cover two rods and tax too. Maybe I’d even let them round it up and give them the whole thing.
I park in the shade of a big tree. Just the other side of the tree is what appears to be a homeless guy fanning
Flock:
Continued from Page 2
The City of Sandy Springs alone spent more than $400,000 with Flock in 2024, according to public records obtained by Appen Media.
According to 404 Media, DHS Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not have its own contract with Flock. If ICE wants to investigate something using the national network of data, they must get another agency that pays for the service to do it on
himself with a floppy piece of cardboard. He appears to be…wilted. But it’s no big deal. We see that kind of thing all the time here in the promised land.
As I get out of the car, he calls out.
“Brother,” he says, “could you spare a dollar?”
Well. I could, but I don’t. Instead, I walk toward the store, moving away until the voice by the tree is lost in the general noise.
The store’s entryway is one of those airlock-style double doors designed to keep outside stuff outside. As I approach, the outer doors open, letting me in. Immediately the air is cooler. Then the inner doors open too. I step through them into blessed coolness, surrounded by the castoffs of others, searching for fire-sale pricing on things I don’t even need.
their behalf.
Data at the source of the reporting came from a police department in Danville, Illinois.
The agency had given researchers a copy of their Flock “Network Audit,” which is a record of each time another department searched Danville’s data. When law enforcement performs searches in Flock they must record a reason for the query.
Appen Media identified 10 searches Sandy Springs police made of Danville’s network for “ero,” or ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, in March.
When asked about the queries,
CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The following items will be considered by the City Council on Monday, August 25, 2025 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
a. V-25-14 Hampton Hall – Waiting Period Variance
Consideration of a variance to Unified Development Code Subsection 4.2.1(C) to reduce the waiting period for City Council consideration of a request for zoning change affecting the same property from 12 months to 6 months. n of a The property is located at 0 Blake Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 917, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
b. PH-25-10/E-25-07 Hampton Hall – Change of Condition & Exception
Consideration of a change to conditions of zoning and exception related to a 9-lot single-family detached subdivision. The requested changes to conditions of zoning relate to landscape buffers, lighting, and streetscape standards. A variance is requested from Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 3.2.8(B)(3) to allow a fence in a buffer. The property is located at 0 Blake Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 917, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.
Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.
I make a quick run through the store. Nothing catches my eye. So I turn to go, back through the airlock that isolates the comfort inside from the inferno beyond.
Yeah, it’s hot. But don’t they say that heat refines?
I reach the car and can’t help but look toward the tree. The homeless guy is still there. He sees me, and he says again, “Brother, could you spare a dollar?”
And I stop.
I know what you are thinking: Don’t feed the need. Don’t be an enabler. Don’t fall for it. Don’t. He will just take the money and fritter it away.
No one will condemn me, I say to myself, if I just get in the car and go. I’ve got the power – the power to do what I want with my five-dollar bill.
I open the car door and settle into the seat. I crank the engine. Cold air pours
Sandy Springs officials told Appen Media they were not aware of any recent assistance the department had given for ERO efforts.
Police representatives said the officer recorded as making the searches is a detective assigned to the department’s FBI task force. They added that Flock inquiries, “are conducted within policy during various criminal investigations, drug investigations and locating wanted individuals.”
As with other local departments, Sandy Springs assigns officers to standing groups that partner with federal law enforcement agencies. SSPD says they have personnel on task forces with the FBI, DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Appen Media asked why it would be the FBI attachment, and not the HSI detective, assisting with removal operations considering ICE falls under Homeland Security.
Police representatives said they were unsure but suggested it could be part of a joint operation.
FBI officials told Appen Media that the Atlanta office has been working
from the vents.
So heat refines?
I sigh, and I open the car door again. I climb out, back into the miserable July afternoon. I reach into my pocket and pull out the fiver and walk 7 yards and give it away.
“Thanks, brother,” he says. Did I throw away five dollars?
“You’ve been had,” you are thinking. “He played you.”
Maybe. Maybe not.
As I get back into my air-conditioned kingdom, with my groceries on the seat beside me, on the way home to my comfortable house and my cozy life and my prospects for tomorrow, I think again of the guy under the tree.
Sure, I gave him five dollars. Maybe I did it for him. But maybe I did it for me.
with DHS on immigration operations since the end of January, “which includes assigning a number of our special agents to work with them daily.”
“That assistance requires providing investigative and technical support to HSI with the resources that we and our partners have access to,” they said.
FBI officials said they could not speak to the specifics of the Sandy Springs officer’s use of Flock other than the general nature of collaborative work.
“We approach public safety as a collaborative effort, using all available law enforcement tools and resources to achieve the common goal of removing violent offenders from our streets,” they offered.
Following 404 Media’s reporting, Flock began to dampen the system’s data-sharing functions. The company stopped agencies from searching the camera networks of departments inside Illinois, California and Virginia.
In a June statement CEO Garret Langley wrote that the burden is on law enforcement to use the software responsibly: “The point is: it is a local decision. Not my decision, and not Flock’s decision.”
Vice President of Client Programs
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Vice President of Client Programs position. The Vice President of Client Programs (VPCP) is a senior leader responsible for creating and implementing the Client Services department strategy for NFCC. This includes creating programs and services, monitoring their effectiveness and ensuring funds are distributed appropriately. The VPCP also leads a team of 13 client services staff who handle client intake, case management, impact and outcomes data, education (GED/English classes) and workforce development programs.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Workforce Development Coordinator
NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Workforce Development Coordinator position. The Workforce Development Coordinator serves as a crucial link between NFCC clients, Volunteer Coaches, and local employers.
The Coordinator collaborates with community businesses to identify hiring opportunities while working closely with Volunteer Coaches who deliver career readiness services including resume writing, job application assistance, and interview preparation. Through these efforts, the Coordinator helps clients improve their employment prospects that may lead to greater financial stability.
If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org
Lead System Engineering needed by AT&T Services, Inc. in Alpharetta, GA [Hybrid Position] to work with product managers/owners to translate business requirements into technical designs. Apply at http:// att.jobs/, select JOB SEARCH and APPLY and select Search by Requisition Number at the left bottom of the page and enter Job Number: R-67753.
Education Advisor Assistant: Req’d: Bachelor’s in ANY MAJOR $43,534/yr. Send resume to Global Education Research Institute, Inc., 3480 Preston Ridge Rd, Ste 500, Alpharetta, GA 30005
General Motors seeks a Senior Software Developer, in Roswell, GA to Work on an agile team of experienced developers & architects that ensures designs and quality are meeting GM requirements. Note, this is a hybrid position whereby the employee will work both from home and from the aforementioned office address. Hence, the employee must live within a reasonable commuting distance of the aforementioned office address. See full req’s & apply online: https://search-careers.gm.com/en/jobs/ Job Reference: 202511053.
Director, Export Sales– positions offered by Stryten Energy LLC (Alpharetta, Georgia). Develop and manage the Agents Network, Branches & National Account sales effort for the Motive & Network Power business in intl. Markets. Position based in Alpharetta, GA; telecommut’g permitted from anywhere in the US. Domestic & intl. travel up to 60%/working time. Submit resume to talent.acquisition@motrexllc.com & reference Job ID: 8261832.
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