Roswell welcomes new fire engines
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Fire Department welcomed two new fire engines with a push-in ceremony July 26.
The push-in ceremony is a tradition in the firefighter community that honors the deep, rich
history of the 1800s. Back then, firefighters would use horse-drawn carriages to carry their equipment, which some say weighed up to 2,000 pounds. When the carriages got back to the station, firefighters would cool them down and push the carriage back into the station.
“Roswell Fire is very rich in culture and respects and will always
honor culture,” Fire Chief Pabel Troche said.
Today, fire departments now welcome new fire engines through a push-in ceremony, which consists of watering the fire engine, drying it off with towels and pushing it into the station.
See FIRETRUCKS, Page 13
Alpharetta rock camp offers creative outlet
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The handful of kids confidently walked onto the stage, slung guitars over their shoulders and walked up to microphones. They were ready to rock.
“We are Solo Warriors, and we are going to rock your faces,” said rock band camp Director Mark Grundhoefer, introducing the band to an audience of parents.
Grundhoefer and fellow Director Victor Ezquerra molded about a dozen local
kids into rock stars during a week-long summer camp. Provided through a partnership between Metro Music Makers and the Alpharetta Arts Center, the camp guided children through the basics of making rock and roll music while teaching soft skills such as creativity, music appreciation and problem solving.
About a dozen children split into two bands, the all-girls Solo Warriors and all-boys Twisted Chicken (Bake).
See CAMP, Page 14
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA Twisted Chicken (Bake), an all-boys band, perform July 25 on the last day of a rock band camp at the Alpharetta Arts Center.
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Fire Captain Mike Barnes hoses down the new engine at Fire Station 22 at the push-in ceremony July 26.
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Couple loses thousands in hotel room burglary
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Sunglasses and money were reported stolen from a Webb Bridge Road hotel room July 17.
Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the hotel after the theft was reported.
A 34-year-old Taylorsville, Miss., woman said she and her mother returned to their room about 11 p.m. July 16 to find their door open. They had left about 2 p.m.
Two pairs of Cartier sunglasses valued at $3,900 and three pairs of gold hoop earrings valued at $3,600 were reported stolen. About $1,800 also was missing.
The woman’s mother said she noted their beds had been made, and clean towels were left by housekeeping.
Two cameras in the hallway may have recorded suspects, but hotel staff said they lacked access to them.
The incident was classified as a felony theft by taking, greater than $1,500.
— Jon Wilcox
Residents report apartment burglary during move out
ROSWELL, Ga. — A Roswell couple in the process of moving out of rental assistance housing reported a burglary July 26 at their apartment off Myrtle Street with more than $6,500 in missing belongings.
An officer said he visited the apartment after the couple arrived to find multiple items stolen, damaged or rummaged through in the common area of the unit.
The victims, a 36-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, told the officer that they had been moving out for two weeks and were last at the apartment three days earlier.
Illegal dumping reported at vacant business site
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Police are investigating an alleged illegal trash dumping at a North Point Parkway property.
Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to the vacant business about 8:45 a.m. July 19.
A 56-year-old building manager said cameras recorded two men arrive in a green or black Ford F-150 and dump numerous large objects in the nearby woods.
The items include two patio chairs, a trampoline, various pieces of metal and other objects.
Officers attempted to observe the vehicle with Flock Security cameras but failed to read the tag.
The incident was classified as a misdemeanor unlawful dumping.
The property also was the site of a reported theft of copper wiring June 26.
— Jon Wilcox
Aspen Pointe resident reports burglary
ROSWELL, Ga. — A 20-year-old Roswell man reported a burglary at his parent’s Aspen Pointe apartment July 24 after returning home and finding all the lights on with a door open.
The victim said he left the home around 8:30 a.m. and returned around 1 p.m., finding the chain to the front door locked and the back door cracked.
Before entering the home, the man called law enforcement. Two officers cleared the apartment, yielding no results.
The officers said they walked through the home with the man to see if anything was missing or out of place.
The man said his father’s $5,000 Laurent Dulcio gold jewelry set and $1,500 Apple laptop were missing.
After discovering the stolen items, officers said the man called his mother, one of the unit’s co-owners.
Officers said they continued to search the apartment with the 20-yearold man, finding various thing out of place and miscellaneous items that did not belong to the residents.
bathrooms were locked, he then went to the candle section and dropped a glass candle, causing it to break.
Police confirmed the statement after watching surveillance footage. The officers stated that it seemed he deliberately dropped the candle.
Police found the man in the shopping center and confirmed his identity as a Florida resident with no warrants. The man told police that he dropped the candle.
The officers gave the man a disorderly conduct charge and criminal trespass warning and transported him to the North Fulton County Jail.
— Sarah Coyne
Churches report unlawful dumping
MILTON, Ga. — On the morning of July 20, two Milton churches reported unlawful dumping on their properties.
At 10:20 a.m., police responded to the first call at Boiling Springs Primitive Baptist Church on Birmingham Road. A church member told police that several members noticed a pile of broken-down cardboard boxes and trash bags in the parking lot.
Officers responded to a second call at 1 p.m. at Hopewell Baptist Church on Ga. 9. A church member told police that several black bags, paint cans, boxes and toys were dumped near the cemetery on the property July 19.
Officers were able to trace back the trash to a man who was hired to remove garbage from a residence. Police called the man, who refused to return to the locations to remove the trash.
Police obtained two arrest warrants for unlawful dumping and placed them on the Georgia Crime Information Center.
— Sarah Coyne
Woman reports suspicious activity in front of residence
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A Johns Creek resident reported suspicious activity near her Yukon Drive residence July 20.
The allegedly stolen belongings include an Apple iMac, a PlayStation 5, a Google Chromebook, perfumes, security cameras and jewelry. The couple’s loss totals more than $6,500.
While inside the apartment, the officer said there was no visible damage to the door frame or signs of forced entry.
Because the internet was turned off and the security cameras were stolen, the officer said he had nothing further to report.
— Hayden Sumlin
The Criminal Investigations Division then arrived at the scene, and detectives interviewed the man.
The investigation is ongoing.
— Hayden Sumlin
Florida man arrested for breaking candle
MILTON, Ga. — A Florida man was given a criminal trespass warning July 18 after allegedly breaking a candle in the Five Below on Ga. 9.
A store employee called police stating that a man entered and attempted to use the bathroom. After noticing the
The woman told police that she parked a newly purchased blue Cadillac outside the home July 19 to surprise her 16-year-old daughter. She noted that the home is about to be demolished and is empty inside.
She told officers that at approximately 9 a.m. on July 20 she reviewed surveillance footage and observed an unknown man standing in the driveway at 4 a.m.
Police were unable to find the suspect vehicle through a Flock license plate camera search.
The woman noted there were no signs of attempted forced entry on the car or the home.
— Sarah Coyne
Alpharetta combines remaining parks bond projects in new contract
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta City Council celebrated a milestone that should bring the city one step closer in delivering recreation projects from the $29.5 million bond approved by voters years earlier.
At a July 28 meeting, council members unanimously approved a contract with Georgia-based Integrated Construction and Nobility to take over work at Old Rucker Park, Union Hill Park, Wills Park and the Wills Park Equestrian Center. Officials said the move will reduce costs and expedite work amid rising prices of materials and labor.
After the vote, Councilman John Hipes praised city staff for their work.
“This is one of the biggest above and beyonds I’m aware of in my time as parks liaison," Hipes said.
In 2021, Alpharetta voters approved $29.5 million in bonds to fund numerous parks and recreation improvements.
The work given to Integrated Construction and Nobility marks some of the last projects to be funded by the bond, said Morgan Rodgers, director of recreation, parks and cultural services.
“Now, the fun begins. Now, we're getting ready to go from planning to execution, so this was a big night for Recreation, Parks and Cultural Services in the City of Alpharetta,” Rodgers said. “The good news is that everything that we're doing is what the people asked us to do.”
At Old Rucker Park, plans call for a prefabricated restroom building, walking trails, covered pavilions, a nature discovery and play area, landscaping, a fenced maintenance area including a pole barn, paved parking lot, entrance improvements and stormwater enhancements.
Improvements within Union Hill Park will include a skate park, small themed playground, landscaping, reconfigured and expanded parking lot and stormwater enhancements.
Wills Park improvements include replacing Wacky World Playground and nearby restrooms, renovating Waggy World Dog Park, constructing gateway entries, a continuous concrete walking path, a cross-tie flume adjacent to the Lion’s Club Pavilion, expanded parking and stormwater enhancements.
Community members are invited to participate in the construction of the new Wacky World, which is funded by the bond, the Capital Project Fund, hotel
and motel fund and the impact fee fund.
The Wills Park Equestrian Center will see enlargement and replacement of rings, a new entrance, renovation of the RV utility connections, landscaping, expanded parking and stormwater enhancements.
The Wills Park Equestrian Foundation will offer $1,978,373.22 toward the work.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, rising costs began to pose a problem for the projects, Hipes said.
“Prices went up and the bond dollars stayed the same,” he said. “So we needed to get efficiencies to get what we wanted to get done within the amount of bond dollars.”
Working with city staff, Integrated Construction and Nobility identified about $900,000 in savings.
Director of Public Works Pete Sewczwicz said the
firm is able to realize the savings through economies of scale and efficiencies through coordination and collaboration.
For example, soil from one project might be used for another, he said.
“The contractor and the city worked collaboratively on value engineering options, and that brought the greatest savings,” he said.
Sewczwicz estimates the projects should be completed in about two years.
In other business, council members approved a $115,000 contract with Granicus to provide video streaming services for public meetings. The Council also approved a comprehensive land use plan amendment, rezoning and variance for 67 townhomes at a 10.19 acre gated subdivision at 0 North Fulton Expressway.
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
The Wacky World Playground at Wills Park is expected to receive an overhaul as part of project consolidation approved by the Alpharetta City Council July 28.
Roswell creates comprehensive plan committee, backs hotel financing program
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell City Council approved the creation of a Stakeholder Committee for the Comprehensive Growth Plan 2045 on July 28.
The committee will provide input and feedback for the growth plan. The plan combines an economic and land use development plan with adjustments to existing capital, infrastructure and recreation investment plans.
“The stakeholder committee is actually a requirement by the state,” Director of Community Development Michelle Alexander said.
The group, consisting of two council members, four community members and one member each from the Roswell Development Authority and Downtown Development Authority, will meet four to five times between now and the time the draft is ready. Draft components of the plan are scheduled to be finished by the end of the year.
Councilman Allen Sells, Councilwoman Christine Hall, Downtown Development Authority member Bill Wilkinson, Roswell Development Authority member Jay Corona, and residents Deb Ewing,
Ward Green, Denise Rauch, Clair Snedeker, Jeff Jablonski and George Crumley will serve on the committee.
In other matters, the City Council approved the first reading for the creation of the Roswell Development Finance Program.
In July 2024, the Roswell set goals and objectives to grow the economy through the Economic Development Authority. The finance program would help grow the city’s economy by focusing on financing new hotel development.
“We're using it as a strategic economic development tool to help further hotel development within the city and finance in a very difficult hotel financing environment,” Economic Development Director Darryl Connelly said.
The program will be subject to a minimum completed project value of $20 million, with a $4 million loan minimum. Eligible improvements under the program include energy efficiency,
water conservation, renewable energy and resiliency.
“This isn't for rehabilitation but new product, along with any ancillary uses such as retail or office if that's part of the overall development,” Connelly said.
City staff proposed that the finance program should be administered by the city through the Roswell Development Authority, which can draw on private capital for funding. Staff expect the program to enable property owners to improve economics through lower interest rates, longer amortization and the ability to transfer the loan to new owners.
“This actually enables us to test a new product in the market in Georgia, focusing on products that align with our economic development strategy,” Connelly said.
The program will come back to the City Council Aug. 25 for a second reading and adoption.
In other business, Assistant City Attorney Joe Cusack will now serve on the Public Facilities Authority and longtime Roswell resident David Woodrow will serve on the Roswell Retirement Plans Committee after Mayor Kurt Wilson swore the two in at the meeting.
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson swears in Assistant City Attorney Joe Cusack into the Public Facilities Authority at the City Council meeting July 28.
County commissioner blasts proposed property tax hike
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Fulton County Commissioner Bob Ellis said he is “vehemently opposed” to increasing the property tax rate above its current 8.87 mills.
The rate has remained flat since 2022.
In a 4-3 vote June 18, the Board of Commissioners tentatively adopted a 2025 millage rate of 9.87 mills – a full mill higher. If formally adopted Aug. 6, the levy would represent a tax increase of 12.5 percent over the rollback rate.
Georgia law requires that a rollback millage rate be computed that will produce the same revenue as last year’s rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred. Even if commissioners keep the rate flat, property owners will likely still pay more.
Commission Chairman Robb Pitts, a Democrat, joined North Fulton’s Republican commissioners Ellis and Bridget Thorne, to oppose capping this year’s levy 1 mill higher than county staff’s recommendation.
Property owners pay taxes to help finance the county’s general fund, which pays for maintenance and operations. The general fund budget is expected to total $974 million this year. Property taxes make up the fund’s largest revenue source, taking in close to $700 million.
If commissioners raise the property tax rate by 1 mill, revenues are expected to increase just under $80 million.
Fulton County’s fiscal year begins in January, meaning the budget is fed with revenues collected in the fall. Before the county can collect taxes, it must set a millage rate.
The county commissioners voting in favor of the 1-mill rate cap – Marvin Arrington Jr., Dana Barrett, Mo Ivory and Khadijah Abdur-Rahman – cited a need to fund jail improvements and other programs amid potential cuts in federal funding.
Ellis, who has represented District 1 since 2015, said addressing the Fulton County Jail and its federally mandated upgrades will be handled in upcoming budget cycles. He said if the county collects an additional $80 million this year, the budget will have to be adjusted to spend the funds.
“Our finances are in solid shape. We’ve got solid credit ratings [and] a solid fund balance,” Ellis said. “Yes, we have needs ahead of us that people want to point to and say, ‘oh, the county somehow in crisis and all that.’ But these are generally things that we’re
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA County Commissioner Bob Ellis says a bid to allow Fulton County to raise property taxes by 12 percent this year makes no sense. Ellis, who represents the western half of North Fulton, says the financial picture for 2025 remains strong. The County Commission will formally adopt a property tax rate Aug. 6.
going to be doing from a capital standpoint. They don’t have anything to do with the 2025 budget.”
During a July 23 interview with Appen Media, Ellis said the proposed tax hike affects residents countywide, not just District 1 in North Fulton.
Citing data shared with county commissioners in May, he said expenses are tracking below budget, coming in around 35 percent through 42 percent of the fiscal year.
“I think it’s totally unnecessary, and it flies in the face of the budget we adopted,” Ellis said. “There is no gap in revenue needed to meet our budget if we hold it at 8.87 [mills].”
A tax rate of 1 mill represents a tax liability of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value on property.
While new state laws do not allow the taxable value of a homesteaded property to increase more than the inflation rate each year, no matter how much the home gains in real value, property owners are not protected from a hike in the millage rate.
Both North Fulton commissioners told Appen Media in July they think District 6 Commissioner Abdur-Rahman will vote to keep the millage rate flat, after her response to public opposition. Four votes are needed to adopt a final rate.
County Commissioner Ivory, representing Midtown and downtown Atlanta in District 4, indicated she is looking for three other commissioners to join her motion to adopt the 1-mill increase.
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Milton home baker turns passion into business
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — While juggling the busy stayat-home mom life with her three children, Karen Bates still finds time for her passion, baking.
In her kitchen, Bates bakes up a storm, creating delicious art for friends, family and customers. Bates’s micro bakery, Karen B Cakes, sells custom-made cakes, cupcakes and loaves of sourdough. Soon, she will add muffins and macarons to the menu.
Although Bates has been baking her whole life, the idea to share her gift with others started when her daughter had her second birthday while they lived abroad in China for her husband’s job.
“I was really craving American cake,” she said.
She found some ingredients to make the cake, and the rest is history.
“That’s kind of where it started, where I started really being like ‘Oh I like this,’” Bates said.
When her family moved to Singapore, Bates was able to sell her first cake to someone she didn’t know. A Milton resident for the past decade, Bates transformed her passion into an LLC in January.
She operates on a cottage food license, which allows her to run her bakery out of her home, so long as she adheres to certain requirements such as cleanliness and food labels.
See BAKER, Page 9
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SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Karen Bates, owner of Karen B. Cakes, stands in her kitchen next to a custom-made cake she made for her 9-yearold daughter’s birthday.
Baker:
Continued from Page 8
She brainstorms her recipes with her family and now offers 13 cake flavors, such as Cookie Monster, which consists of a chocolate chip vanilla cake covered in cookie dough buttercream or Razzmatazz, which includes vanilla cake filled with raspberry preserves and raspberry buttercream iced in vanilla.
“A lot of it is what my family likes,” she said.
Buttercream rules
Her business is an all-buttercream micro bakery that does not use any fondant. For custom-made cakes, Bates tries to decorate her pieces with all edible materials, using a range of sprinkles, frosting, rice paper and spring roll wrappers.
“Sometimes they take on a life of their own,” Bates said. “I love that it is edible art. You can do really fun things with it, and then it goes away.”
Her favorite part about the job is seeing people’s reactions to the edible art.
“It makes them so happy,” she said.
To Bates, her micro bakery is more than just a side hustle, it’s a way to make traditions, just like her ancestors who immigrated from Armenia to the United States.
“When they came over from Armenia, they stopped speaking Armenian and only spoke English,” Bates said. “The only thing that they did keep, though, was the food. I feel like that’s a really strong thing.”
The “B” in Karen B Cakes is a symbol for her loved ones, reminding people that family comes first. The “B” represents her grandfather who was an entrepreneur and beekeeper.
“It just really makes me think about him and how hard he worked,” Bates said.
The spirit of entrepreneurship is something she hopes will live on in her family.
“I hope that it inspires them to know that they can do something, that if they have an interest that they can take it into the community,” she said.
Bates said that being able to gift her passion for baking to the community is a blessing.
Sharing her craft
In October, she will begin to offer sourdough and cupcake decorating classes through the City of Milton’s Parks and Recreation Department.
“I hope that through the classes that I can bless other people, and they can find something that they’re excited about,” she said.
Bates said she hopes the cupcake decorating course will allow parents and their children to create new traditions. In
KAREN BATES/PROVIDED Karen Bates creates custom-made cakes for all celebrations, including her daughter’s birthday.
the course, attendees will learn how to fill a piping bag, create designs, decorate with sprinkles and create colored buttercream. Supplies will be provided for guests. The course will be held once a month, on a Saturday, from 10-11 a.m.
“I really feel like it can be something that can help build your confidence,” she said.
The sourdough course will simplify the process of making loaves. Bates will teach how to feed the starter, how to bake sourdough bread on a schedule and how to mix, fold and score dough and what equipment is needed. Classes will be held one Saturday each month at 7 p.m.
Bates said her small business has been a slow growth process, since her three children are her main priority. She hopes the business will grow steadily and become a city staple by the time her 9-year-old reaches high school, but for now she finds her number of customers perfect.
“I’m still a busy mom,” she said. “I love being able to do things here and there on the side, which is what makes it so perfect, because I can kind of have it be whatever I want.”
Those interested in ordering baked goods from Bates can visit her website, karenbcakes.com
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CITY OF MOUNTAIN PARK
NOTICE OF 2025 GENERAL ELECTION QUALIFICATION FEES AND DATES
Notice is hereby given that a non-partisan, General Election for the City of Mountain Park, Georgia will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to elect three City Councilmember seats. Pursuant to Georgia Code § 21-2-131(a)(1)(B), the qualifying fees are as follows:
City Councilmember - $35
Election qualifying will be held at Mountain Park City Hall, which is located at 118 Lakeshore Drive, Mountain Park, GA 30075. Those residents who wish to qualify as a candidate in the election shall file a Notice of Candidacy and Affidavit during the following dates and times pursuant to Georgia Code § 21-2-132(d)(4):
Monday, August 18, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 20, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For more information, please contact the City Clerk by phone at 770-993-4231 or email at city.clerk@mountainparkgov.com.
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Ceila Lopez-Armstrong, MD Celia Lopez-Armstrong, MD
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SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA Homemade chocolate chip cookies sit in Karen Bates’ kitchen.
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!
TOOLS
1. River feature. Croupier’s tool. Hate.
2. Fireman’s tool. Family member. Conundrum.
3. Small whirlpool. Carpenter’s tool. Man of morals.
4. Dentist’s tool. Chess piece. Wanderer.
5. Saintly topper. Plumber’s tool. Killer whale.
6. Sculptor’s tool. Voting group. Sign of healing.
7. Command to a horse. Priest’s superior. Farmer’s tool.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 201 EVENTS
1 River feature. Croupier’s tool. Hate
2. Fireman’s tool. Family member. Conundrum
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. Small whirlpool. Carpenter’s tool. Man of morals
4. Dentist’s tool. Chess piece. Wanderer
5. Saintly topper. Plumber’s tool. Killer whale
6. Sculptor’s tool. Voting group. Sign of healing
7. Command to a horse. Priest’s superior. Farmer’s tool
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Light refreshments served in the Clubroom afterward. RSVP: Ellen Terrell-Youngblood, 678-462-9003; or eftot57@gmail.com
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Georgia Attorney General visits Rotary Club of Roswell
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr paid the Rotary Club of Roswell a visit July 24.
More than 150 Rotary members and guests attended the meeting at Roswell Area Park to hear about Carr’s work. The club chose to bring Carr out to talk about his campaigns to address human trafficking, organized crime and opioid addiction.
Roswell Rotary President Trummie Lee Patrick III said that the main reason they chose to bring Carr out to speak was because of Carr’s work to end human trafficking. Dave McCleary, Roswell Rotarian and past president, founded End Human Trafficking Now, which became an international movement.
“It was a great pairing of both what Dave's trying to accomplish and obviously what Attorney General Carr has tried to accomplish here in Georgia,” Patrick said.
Carr said that his favorite part about meeting local communities such as Roswell is being able to hear the good stories.
“It is so uplifting when you hear people helping other people,” he said.
Carr has served as Georgia’s Attorney General for nearly a decade and is setting his sights on the
governor’s office. Although Carr did not speak about his campaign at the club meeting, he did speak about his future goals for the state.
During his talk, Carr highlighted his initiatives, which include the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, which has led to more than 60 convictions and rescued more than 200 children. He also highlighted his work through the Gang Prosecution Unit, which has collected more than 100 convictions.
“Georgia is a leader in the fight against human trafficking, and that is in part because of the people in this room,” Carr said.
Carr also mentioned the state’s fight to combat the opioid crisis.
“This is the thing that keeps me up at night with a 20-year-old daughter,” he said.
On July 11, Carr announced that the State of Georgia is expected to receive up to $20 million from several recently proposed national settlements with eight drug makers accused of contributing to the opioid crisis. Funds from the settlements will be put toward addiction treatment, prevention and recovery services.
“I think this is going to make a big difference,” Carr said at the Rotary meeting.
To learn more about the club, visit roswellrotary.club.
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr speaks to the Rotary Club of Roswell about his work to combat human trafficking, organized crime and opioid addiction at the Bill Johnson Community Activity Building July 24.
Georgia’s new voucher program is starting, with lower demand than expected
By TY TAGAMI Capitol Beat
ATLANTA —Thousands of Georgians will soon be spending money from the state’s new subsidy for private K-12 education, as the first quarterly payouts appear in “promise scholarship” accounts.
More than 15,000 students applied for one of the $6,500 annual subsidies, and about 8,500 were approved. That means the state is on track to give about $55 million in taxpayer dollars — far less than budgeted — to families that have chosen private schooling over attendance at their nearby lowperforming public school.
To qualify for the payments, most students had to spend a year attending one of the nearly 500 public schools
performing in the bottom quarter of state academic measures. But the youngest students have a way around that requirement. Under last year’s law establishing the payments, often referred to as a “voucher,” rising kindergartners need not have attended public school to qualify.
According to new figures from the Georgia Student Finance Commission, which oversees the program, a third of the recipients will be attending kindergarten. Nearly half will be in elementary school, with the rest in seventh through 12th grades.
The money will be paid out quarterly, starting this month. Families can use it for a variety of education-related expenses. Two-thirds said they plan to spend it on tuition, according to
the commission. The rest will use it to cover home schooling costs and other allowable expenses, such as tutoring, therapy and curriculum.
Opponents of these vouchers argued they would mostly be used by the wealthy, who are more able to afford the difference between the amount of the subsidy and the cost of private school tuition, which can exceed $10,000 a year.
As state Republican lawmakers were pushing Senate Bill 233 to final passage last year, Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes, D-Duluth, summarized the opposition, mostly from fellow Democrats.
Half of the recipients are Black and a third are white.
Two metro Atlanta districts will lose the most students — DeKalb County, with nearly 900 scholarship recipients, and Henry County, with nearly 800. Others rounding out the top five districts losing students to vouchers are Bibb County, at nearly 600 students; Richmond County at nearly 500, and Savannah-Chatham County with more than 400.
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The vouchers are “a mirage for families like mine and for countless others across our state,” she said on the Senate floor, adding that they would undermine education for kids who don’t choose private school, since public schools would lose state funding for each student who took a voucher.
“It is a battle for the soul of our education system,” Parkes said.
“I’ve got news for you,” responded Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, the chief co-sponsor of the bill. “The wealthy already have school choice, including some wealthy members in this room who have been able to exercise school choice for their own children.”
Supporters of the bill, which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law a month after passage, said the loss of state funding for public schools would not hurt them because they would no longer have to cover the cost of educating the voucher recipients.
The commission reports that three quarters of recipients are “lowerincome,” meaning the students are coming from households with incomes at or below four times the federal poverty level. ($106,600 a year for a family of three and $128,600 for a family of four.)
Hike:
Continued from Page 6
Some Fulton County residents — homeowners and renters — have made it clear that they cannot afford a tax hike and may have to move.
Nearly 50 people stopped by Assembly Hall off Pryor Street in downtown Atlanta July 9 to speak in opposition to the proposed tax increase. Another 274 signed up to comment via Zoom.
Chairman Pitts, in a July 15 meeting recap, said he has received hundreds of emails from constituents voicing their strong opposition to the tax hike.
“During my tenure with Fulton County, I can tell you that this amount of
The commission cautioned that the numbers are a moving target because some students may yet opt out. But the participation numbers are well below the $141 million that lawmakers budgeted for this school year.
Tony West, Georgia director of Americans for Prosperity, a group that lobbied for this program, attributed the low participation to several potential reasons: parents haven’t heard of the program yet, they know about it but are skeptical or they did not apply because they do not live in the attendance zone of an eligible public school.
Only 56% of applicants were approved, which suggests that many who applied do not live near an underperforming school. Address and state residency were the two main qualifying criteria.
“I think that strongly suggests that the eligibility requirements are too restrictive,” said West, who noted that 16 states with similar scholarship programs have not based eligibility on address. He can see his group lobbying state lawmakers to convert Georgia’s program to universal access.
“We’ll see what the political appetite is moving forward,” he said.
This story is available through a news partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Educational Foundation.
participation in public comment is truly unprecedented,” Pitts said, adding that he agrees with public opposition. “The participants hailed from every city and all corners of Fulton County, and the overwhelming majority of them have one thing in common — they are downright angry that the Board of Commissioners has proposed a property tax increase of over 12 percent.”
Pitts called the 1-mill increase “unwise and unjust,” adding that county staff advised elected officials that there is no need for an increase.
The third and final public hearing before adoption of the 2025 millage rate will take place during the Aug. 6 Board of Commissioners meeting. Following the public hearing, county commissioners will vote to adopt the official rate.
COMMUNITY
Firetrucks:
Continued from Page 1
The department then blesses the truck and places it into service through a dispatch call.
“The most important part is to bring in the community,” Troche said. “At the end of the day, this is theirs, and we want to make sure that we take every opportunity to connect with the community and our men and women that are serving them.”
Families and city officials also joined in on the tradition. Children were able to carry the hose to “cool” down the engine, dried them off and pushed them into their new homes.
The city invested $1.5 million into the new custom-made engines, which took four years to arrive. The engines are painted in a special patented deep ruby red color that only the City of
Roswell can use.
“They’ve been able to pick and choose exactly how to customize the engine so that it works specifically for that station and for the purpose of that engine in the City of Roswell,” Council woman Lee Hills said.
Compared to the replaced fleet, the new fire engines feature advanced technology, improved lighting systems, enhanced safety features and userfriendly designs. In a statement to Appen Media, Troche said that the two engines will provide reliability that an aging fleet cannot provide and meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s strict emission standards.
The engines are built with crashtested cabs, with rollover protection, airbags and electronic stability control.
As Engine 22 and Engine 26 settle into their new homes at Fire Station 22 and 26, the engines will join the city’s existing fleet and respond to emergencies in their region.
CITY OF ALPHARETTA
NOTICE OF QUALIFYING PERIOD AND QUALIFYING FEES FOR MUNICIPAL GENERAL ELECTION
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on the 4th day of November 2025, a nonpartisan general municipal election will be held in the City of Alpharetta, Georgia to elect three (3) Members of the City Council (Posts 1, 2, and 3). All posts are elected at-large, and the candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast for any city office shall be elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, a run-off election between the candidates receiving the two highest numbers of votes shall be held on the 2nd day of December 2025, and the person receiving a majority of the votes cast in the run-off election shall be elected.
Pursuant to Georgia Code § 21-2-131(a)(1)(A), the qualifying fees are as follows:
City Council Member $450
Those residents who wish to qualify as a candidate in the election shall file a notice of candidacy in the Office of the City Clerk, which is located on the third floor of Alpharetta City Hall at 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009. All candidates shall designate, at the time of qualifying, the post for which they are seeking election. The election qualification dates and times are as follows:
Monday, August 18, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 19, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lauren Shapiro City Clerk
PHOTOS BY: SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Seven-year-old Lydia, from left, and Alice Brackner sit inside the new Fire Engine 22 at Fire Station 22 at the push-in ceremony July 26.
Elizabeth Guest, from left, and her mother Ashton sit at the front of Fire Engine 22 at the push-in ceremony July 26.
Camp:
Continued from Page 1
On July 25 in a nook at the Arts Center, the bands took turns on stage, working their way through a 10-song set that included an homage to the late Ozzy Osbourne. The performance also included two songs written by camp participants.
Under the wash of colored lighting, the kids filled the arts center, which was hosting a Juneteenth art exhibit, with the drone of electric guitars, shimmer of keyboard and thunder of drums. Custom T-shirts, bandanas and ripped jeans helped them channel their internal swagger and banish any hint of stage fright.
The kids spent six hours each day during the preceding week, learning the songs and even writing some of their own. All of the participants have some musical background, which helped in learning the instruments.
Grundhoefer, who has led the camp in Alpharetta for almost 20 years, said he prefers a less-structured kind of class. Kids split into groups, tackling problems together as the two directors move between them, helping out when they can.
Problem solving and learning on the fly is a big part of rock music, but it is also a lesson that can come in handy elsewhere in adult life, the directors said.
Whether it be figuring out how to decorate a T-shirt, troubleshoot a guitar or get a part right, Grundhoefer said he loves it when the kids work through their battles on their own.
“You saw the gear that they have,” Ezquerra said. “One of the main things is, like, why doesn’t this work? They have to go and figure out. Is this volume on? Is it plugged in? Which one are you plugged into?”
The kids also learned how to work in groups, getting lessons on when to give feedback and when to hold back.
“They have to learn to work together,” Grundhoefer said. “It can be really frustrating, and we really try to have honest conversations about that.”
All the while, Grundhoefer and Ezquerra, who holds a doctorate in music
Camp Director Victor Ezquerra, left, introduces performers ahead of a rock concert at the Alpharetta Arts Center July 25.
and teaches at Spelman College, said they hope their students are also learning to love music.
Lessons such as the learning the difference between a chorus and refrain or how tone affects the sound of a guitar hopefully will stay with them throughout their lives, enhancing their appreciation for music.
It is a lesson that is more important than ever, the directors said. Learning to make music can provide immense benefits in other academic settings, but it also carries an immense value on its own.
“Music is a part of the human condition. We have never found a culture without music,” Ezquerra said. “Music, in and of itself, is beautiful. I really don’t care if any of them go on to be famous musicians. That’s not why I do it. I hope that they just love music.”
Parents Sean and Michelle Stephens said they love the lessons their two boys got from the camp.
Apart from the team building and problem solving, they hoped their kids would learn to love music as much as they have. The couple, who grew up on Sublime and No Doubt, said music has played an important role throughout their lives. One of their first dates was at a Jack Johnson concert. Recently, the family went to see The Offspring.
Mark Hubbard agreed, saying he hopes the camp provides his daughter Sophie opportunities to grow as a person. He said he has been deeply impressed at some of the skills she has learned.
“We showed up after four days, and she was playing a full drum kit,” Hubbard said. “That challenge of ‘I’m gonna stand up in front of a bunch of people I don’t know that are older than me and singing into a mic,’ hopefully that changes who you are.”
Hubbard beamed with pride during the performance as Sophie performed “Medusa,” a song she had written. Sophie, a fan of Greek mythology, sang and played a ukulele.
She wrote the song after experiencing a falling out with friends. The creative process was cathartic during that hard time, she said.
“It helped to get it off my mind,” she said. “I get to express it.”
Sophie Hubbard, 13, left; Alexandra Moraru, 12; and Waverly Ankrom, 12, right; perform for parents July 25 at the Alpharetta Arts Center.
Parker Shelnutt, 11, rocks out on the drums July 25 at the Alpharetta Arts Center.
Russell Manley, 14, left; and Andrew Spalla, 13, right; perform on the last day of a rock band camp July 25 at the Alpharetta Arts Center.
PHOTOS BY: JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
OPINION
The history and legacy of philanthropy in America
According to the annual Giving USA report on philanthropy by the Giving USA Foundation and Indiana University, the total in 2023 was $557 billion. DealAid, a fundraiser for non-profits, reports that 56 percent of Americans donated to charity in 2024 and that the average age of a U.S. donor was 65. Twenty-four percent of the total went to religious organizations. Education and human services were tied at 14 percent each, with health-related causes at 9 percent.
In the early days of our nation’s history, religion or moral obligation played a dominant role in giving. As more people gained wealth and status, giving back to society became a key motivating factor. Famous philanthropists such as John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937), Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), Edsel Ford who established the Ford Foundation in 1936, and more recently Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have had an enormous impact on society.
Many people donate to organizations where they have personal ties, or work for corporations with ties to particular charitable organizations. A person with a relative with cancer, for example, might give to the American Cancer Society. An employee might feel satisfaction by taking part in a company fundraiser for its chosen charity. Some give to the United , which like the charity described below distributes money to a range of charities. Someone blessed with wealth may be motivated to leave a lasting legacy through charitable giving to fill a need that is not being met in their community.
ProPublica, a non-profit news service, reports that there are more than 55,000 charities designated as 501(c) (3)s in Georgia. Donations to those entities are tax deductible. They range from small local organizations to large multi-million-dollar hospitals, churches and other large charities. A quick note: there is a big difference between a non-profit organization and a 501(c) (3). This can cause confusion. Not all non-profits qualify for 501(c)(3) status which is granted by the Internal Revenue Service following a lengthy application process. A non-profit corporation is formed under state law. It operates like a regular corporation, but its profits must serve the public good not its owners or shareholders. A 501(c)(3) is exempt from federal income tax and often state taxes as well. Importantly, donations to 501(c) (3)s are tax deductible for the donor.
Portrait of John D Rockefeller taken in 1922. After founding Standard Oil Company in 1870, he spent In retirement much of his retirement directed toward modernizing the South through the General Education Board which he established in 1902 with an initial gift of $1 million. The GEB eventually grew to more than $180 million. The GEB funded thousands of schools in rural areas of the South, teacher training, agricultural modernization, public health and medicine.
Early history
Philanthropy in the United States dates back to a generous gift by a Puritan clergyman, John Harvard. When he died in 1638, he donated half his estate and his collection of 400 books to a young school, which named itself Harvard College after the donor the following year. The Puritans in Massachusetts and the Quakers of Pennsylvania were the first to establish philanthropic institutions in their areas in the 1600s, such as the Scots Charitable Society of Boston. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a pioneer of philanthropy. He advocated the notion that everyone should donate for the common good consistent with his or her means. In 1729, he founded a weekly newspaper, the Philadelphia Gazette, which for the next 30 years promoted various civic projects. His efforts led to a volunteer fire department, the paving of public streets
and a scientific academy that eventually became the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville, the famous French historian who profiled the United States in his book Democracy in America wrote about the strange practice by the Americans of supporting private initiatives for the public good. He said that voluntary giving was a special characteristic of the Americans.
North Georgia example
It would be impossible to highlight multiple charities in a single column, but one that merits special mention is Southern Magnolia Charities, established in 2018 under President Marty Spear, who was succeed by Donna Savas, and is now led by Cynthia Knudson. Other board members since the inception include Lara Dolan and Judy Burds. All have played active roles with the Milton Tour of Homes committee which is the
This portrait of Andrew Carnegie, Scottish-American financier, was taken in 1865 and is part of the Brady-Handy Civil War photo collection in the Library of Congress. Carnegie built 1,800 libraries in the United States between 1898 and 1929, including more than 30 in Georgia. Worldwide, he built some 2,500 libraries.
major fundraiser for the organization. Southern Magnolia Charities donates money to other local charities each year and is known as “A Charity for Charities!” Other fundraisers have included a Comedy on the Green and a cookbook offered during a threeyear disruption during COVID when homeowners did not want people touring their homes. The charity has raised $361,000 and has benefited 15 local charities.
The tour has become popular, and once tickets go on sale, they are sold out at lightning speed. This year’s tour is Sept. 20. Tickets go on sale Aug. 1. The website for the tour is https:// southernmagnoliacharities.org/2025milton-tour-of-homes.
You don’t have to be a Rockefeller or Carnegie to take part in giving. It is open to everyone.
Thanks to Judy Burds for her help with the column and to Marty Spear for suggesting the topic.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS Columnist
PUBLIC DOMAIN
What you learn when you ask ChatGPT a good question
OK, many of us already use or have used the most popular/best known AI app out there – ChatGPT, right? So here is the first question on your AI IQ test.
What does the “GPT” stand for?
So, full disclosure, my knowledge of artificial intelligence is, at best, modest. I have read news stories about it in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and The Economist these past couple years, as well as several of my online news sources including Bloomberg. Until this week, my knowledge essentially was that AI was sort of like a new Google search, except that instead of just spitting out a topicspecific definition of sorts, AI could go the next step and, after crawling the web for relevant information to your query, it could reply in narrative form that processed many relevant pieces of data from the internet and synthesized a summary based on that.
Can you write my term paper for me?
Of course, I had also read about all sorts of things that AI (ChatGPT) could do in response to a command such as “write a high school level research paper that would be appropriate for my AP high school American literature assignment which is …” Or what I heard my wife ask ChatGPT yesterday, “I have these ingredients available. What can I make with these for dinner, and how do I make it?”
Advice to CEOs
One of my friends who is a CEO of a company that runs many medical practices told me that he asks ChatGPT for advice on how to conduct annual staff evaluations. He describes the personality of each staff person to ChatGPT – their Enneagram number or their Myers-Briggs status if he has them. Then,
ChatGPT coaches him on how to communicate with each particular employee. He told me that it has greatly improved the evaluations and saved him massive amounts of time.
The possibilities, of course, are endless.
I asked Chat the following question: “What can you tell me about Ray Appen?” Within a couple seconds I got a lengthy overview about me. It surprised me – in a good way!
“Ray Appen is a media entrepreneur….. His media outlets focus on local news, government, education, and community issues – a rarity in today’s shrinking local news landscape… Appen Media has been recognized for sustaining independent local journalism despite national trends of consolidation…. Ray Appen is known for advocating civic engagement and free speech.”
I then asked ChatGPT, “What can I say to my readers about how critical – how absolutely critical – their contributions and support are to helping Appen Media survive into the future and continue producing honest, reliable, accountability local journalism? I asked it to limit the response to 200 words. Here is what I got:
Why Your Support Matters
At Appen Media, we believe that strong communities start with informed citizens. That’s why we’re committed to producing honest, independent journalism that holds power to account and keeps you connected to what matters most — your schools, your local government, your neighbors.
But producing quality, reliable reporting isn’t free. It takes time, resources, and a team of dedicated journalists who live and work in the same communities we cover. Unlike national outlets or social media, we’re not backed by billionaires or driven by clicks — we’re driven by a mission to serve you.
Your support — whether through a one-time donation or a monthly contribution — is not just helpful. It’s
essential. It keeps reporters in the field, holds elected officials accountable and ensures local voices are heard. Without it, our ability to cover your city council, your school board, your community — truthfully and without bias — is at substantial risk.
If you value trustworthy local journalism, please consider supporting us today. Because when local news disappears, so does local accountability.
Thank you for standing with us.
— The Appen Media Team”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Succent, truthful, and honest. Chat summarized very accurately what’s at stake at Appen – and all local media – and how you can help your local journalism – your local newspaper survive and continue to serve you. That’s not just words; it is reality. We need the community to support us so we can do our jobs – for you.
Please act now!
Please use this link to go to our website and join your neighbors in supporting us with an annual, monthly, or one time contribution. Our goal is to be able to sustain one full-time reporter per city via your donations and support. For the cost of a few cups of Starbucks a week or one dinner out a month, you can make a long-lasting impact on supporting your local news.
Here is the web address of the contribution page: https://tinyurl.com/AppenLinkContribute
Or you can mail a check to Appen News, 319 North Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009. In the subject line please put this: “Appen Press Club”
So, what does the GPT in ChatGPT stand for? “Generative Pre-Trained Transformer”! More on that later.
THANK YOU so very much and sincerely for considering supporting our efforts to keep local news alive.
— Ray Appen and the Appen Media Team
Sandy Springs road named in honor of Dr. Leila Denmark
A road which runs between Boylston Drive and Roswell Road was named for Dr. Leila Daughtry Denmark in 2018. Leila Daughtry was born on a farm in Bulloch County, Georgia, in 1898. She studied at Tift College in Forsyth, Georgia, and Mercer University in Macon. She was the third woman graduate of the Medical College of Georgia, graduating in 1928.
Dr. Denmark participated in pioneering research on whooping cough after an epidemic hit Atlanta in 1932. She worked with Eli Lilly and researchers at Emory University to help develop a successful vaccine for the
deadly illness.
According to the 1940 census, Leila and husband John Eustace Denmark lived in the city of Atlanta. They built a home in Sandy Springs a few years later. The couple first met in elementary school. John Denmark was a banker and became an officer with the Federal Reserve.
Dr. Denmark was named “Woman of the Year in Professions” in 1954, honored because of her work as a pediatrician and her contributions to the field of medicine. She had an office in the family home at 5605 Glenridge Drive, where she could work and be close to their daughter. (Atlanta Journal, Jan. 14, 1954, “Dr. Leila Denmark Woman of the Year”)
A newspaper article written in 1986 tells of Dr. Denmark’s thriving practice that year, when she was 88 years old. In
1985, Leila and John Denmark moved to a 100-year-old Forsyth County farmhouse. She continued to practice as a pediatrician, running her office from the farmhouse. Jack Wilkinson wrote, “The parking lot beside the old white farmhouse was full. The cars came from Cobb and Gwinnett, Floyd and Fulton, DeKalb and Cherokee counties. Some people had driven an hour to get here.” (Atlanta Constitution, April 1, 1986, “Nothing is forgotten in Dr. Denmark’s office”)
My mother never took me or my brother to Dr. Denmark, but she spoke of her often and had a copy of her book, “Every Child Should Have a Chance.” The book was published in 1971. Tucked inside my mom’s copy of the book was the April 1,1986 newspaper article about the doctor, something my mom often did with books. I love to find
these hidden treasures.
The parents who were in the office the day Wilkinson visited spoke of their concern over what they would do once Dr. Denmark could no longer be their children’s doctor. Her personalized care and concern for every child, plus her years of experience, made her a special doctor. She also charged a lower fee than most other doctors in 1985.
When Denmark began practicing medicine in 1928, she was the eighth pediatrician in Atlanta. She continued her work until the age of 103. Dr. Denmark died in 2012 at the age of 114.
Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.
RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com
VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist
You’ll encounter danger in the tall, tall grass!
The nicest thing about these blazing hot July days is that exquisite hour or so of not-quite-so-hot that comes just as the sun is about to go down. That trusty ol’ star settles lower and lower onto the horizon, going from blinding white to yellow and orange and then red. They say red is a danger color, but I kind of like it in the sky on a late July evening.
Late evening is our favorite time for fishing too. Just the other day we fished our way from suppertime to dark, and the later it got the better it got. The fish were bluegill, big and scrappy, and just before dark we were getting a hit on those little foam spiders on almost every cast. And yes, since you asked, she outfished me again.
But you can’t fish all the time. Sometimes you’d rather hike, and that hour right at dusk is a great time for hiking too.
A couple of days ago, I decided on some evening hiking in an area that’s new to me – the Tallapoosa River Wildlife Management Area located between Cedartown and Buchanan. A relatively recent addition to Georgia’s catalog of public lands, this 3,053acre tract is made up of two separate parcels and offers lots of different opportunities for enjoying the out-ofdoors. It’s primarily a hunting area. However, this time of year, the hunting seasons are closed and it’s a great place for a ramble in the woods.
Note that you’ll need either a hunting license, a fishing license, or a lands pass to access this property… and yes, they do check.
Tallapoosa River WMA is a little bit of a trip from home, but as things
DEATH NOTICES
Bennett Boyd, age 55, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on July 17, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Sydney DeSouza, age 88, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on July 18, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
work out, I have plenty of time to make the trip. Since this area is new to me, I have no particular destination. I figure I’ll just find an old woods road or something. Then I’ll strap on the hiking shoes and see where it leads. All I have to do is pick a route and go.
Driving along on one of the gravel roads which provides access to the western portion of the WMA, I see coming up ahead of me a wide spot with room enough to pull over and park – and right next to what appears to be the start of an overgrown old road.
I stop the car and get out for a better look, stepping into knee-high grass that reaches my knees. The old road appears to go downhill, perhaps down toward the river perhaps? Down toward a future place to fish?
I’ll never know if I don’t check it out. I should carry a fishing rod. Just in case.
I walk around to the back of the car and open the rear hatch, grass gently tickling my legs as I do. It takes a few minutes to find the rod I want and another few to rig it up.
I close the back hatch and turn to go but then realize I’ve left my water bottle up front. I walk back through the grass back to the driver-side door, open it, and retrieve the water. With every step, I feel as much as hear the rustle of the grass blades against my jeans.
Ready at last, I set out. I follow the old pathway for a while, enjoying the walk as it meanders in and out of shade, in and out of more patches of grass. But I stop too often (to watch a deer and two fawns, to stand stock-still as a cottontail rabbit nibbles grass, to get a close look at a flower I’d not seen before) and my time gets away long before I ever get to the water.
I’ll just have to come back. Turning back at last, I retrace my
Richard Dey, age 90, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on July 22, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Patrick Hawes, age 77 of Roswell, GA passed away on July 16, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
route – back up the hill, back through the patches of grass and undergrowth, back to the car. I put up the rod, walk back through the grass to the driver’sside door, open it up and settle me in.
The drive home is restful.
The itching doesn’t start till later.
At first, it’s just one little itchy spot down on my lower leg. Being an enthusiastic scratcher of itches, I level it with a few determined swipes of a finger. I know, I know…
Then comes another, also on the lower leg…exactly where, it occurs to me, I felt all those tickles from that grass.
And then there are three…and eight…and 15…and oh no. A word comes to mind, a word to strike terror into the heart of even the most intrepid outdoor adventurer.
Red bugs. Trombiculidae. Chiggers. Oh no.
Chiggers, relatives of ticks, are the larval form of a bug that likes to eat things like us. They tend to hang out in groups in (you saw this coming, didn’t you?) grass and similar environs, waiting for dinner (in the form of you or me) to wander by. When that happens, they waste no time in relocating and digging in. Specifically, they settle in to feed on our skin cells (Ours! Mine!). They don’t actually bite, which should be comforting to know but is not. Instead, they excavate a hole (which scientist types call a stylostome) in one’s skin, which they then use to access and nibble on our inner skin.
And as they do, their digestive enzymes start to cause what one source helpfully describes as “intensely itchy welts.”
Yeah.
Eventually, the well-fed nymph has its fill and drops off. And then the itching begins. Then it gets real.
It was real for several days. Parts
Shaila Pandit, age 80, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on July 18, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Susan Stinecipher, age 53, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on July 17, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
of me looked like I’d been shot by a shotgun loaded with red ink. I have (mostly) resisted the temptation to claw away great expanses of skin, particularly wherever there are creases or folds or tight places. Use your imagination. If you’ve ever had ‘em, you know what I mean.
Yeah.
What can you do to keep chiggers on the grass and off you? Long sleeves and long pants, with pants tucked into your boots or at least your socks, will help. Repellents containing DEET or permethrin may help, too, but I suspect they may just weed out the weak ones. The best thing is to avoid chigger habitat (tall grass, for example…I know, I know), particularly during the cooler parts of the day like sunset when chiggers are most active. As I write this redbug reminiscence, we’re sitting in the Denver airport on our way to Montana. We’re going fishing. Will she outfish me again? I think I know the answer to that one. One unanswered question remains, however.
Are there chiggers in Montana? I’ll let you know.
Elizabeth Towater, age 80, of Milton, GA passed away on July 19, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
Lori Young, 66, Roswell, GA passed away on July 21, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.
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