Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - June 19, 2025

Art experience

Alpharetta advances FY 2026 budget

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta City Council unanimously approved a property tax rate of 5.75 mills during the first of three public hearings on the fiscal year 2026 budget June. 16. The city has maintained the

rate since 2009.

One mill generates $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s taxable value, which by state law, is 40 percent of a property’s real – or fair market – value. A home that is worth $100,000 on the market would have a taxable value of $40,000, and a levy of 1 mill would cost the homeowner $40 in taxes.

The tax rate is composed of 5.030 mills for maintenance and operations and 0.720 mills for general obligation debt.

At the meeting, the council also unanimously approved a $163 million citywide budget, marking a slight decrease from the current year’s $164 million.

See BUDGET, Page 6

Residents mount campaign to save trees at Mimosa Hall

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The trees of Mimosa Hall & Gardens provide more than just shade. They are a part of the culture of Roswell’s historic downtown.

On May 30, Gus Hadorn was left speechless when he discovered the tree canopy on the left lawn of Mimosa Hall felled. The canopy included over 10 specimen trees.

“It was a total shock,” he said.

Hadorn, a Roswell resident of 40 years, was one of the founding members of the Friends of Mimosa Hall & Gardens.

Hadorn, along with other concerned citizens created the group in the spring of 2017 after commercial developers set their sights on the property. The group stands to work with the city to plan the ongoing preservation of Roswell’s history.

Hadorn remains steadfast in his effort to preserve the property.

“It’s important that we preserve not only our history but the natural world that surrounds us,” he said. “From a historical perspective, those trees give context to what happened here.”

ground of Mimosa Hall & Gardens June 16.

SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA Remnants of close to three dozen trees lay on the

See TREES, Page 7

From left, Brianna and Carmen Utley stand inside Cloak and Draugr Tattoo on 468 South Atlanta St. in Roswell June 11. Read the profile starting on page 8.

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POLICE BLOTTER

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.

Business contacts police over alleged check fraud

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Officers investigated a reported check fraud of $4,400 from a business account May 14.

Alpharetta police said the company reported discovering a check had been cashed by an employee.

The check was dated May 11 and made out to a 43-year-old Atlanta woman for $1,200.

After reporting the check to the bank, which conducted its own investigation, several more fraudulent checks turned up. The checks appeared to be altered versions of a legitimate check made out to the woman.

Officers spoke to the woman, who said her bank account was compromised by scammers. The woman said she had been scammed after attempting to upgrade her account with a money transfer service for a Facebook Marketplace sale.

The incident was classified as a third-degree forgery.

— Jon Wilcox

Thief steals credit cards from three gym patrons

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell police are investigating the theft of credit and debit cards, cash and personal belongings from gym patrons June 10 at the LA Fitness off Holcomb Bridge Road.

An officer said he spoke with one of the victims, a 23-year-old Tuscaloosa man, at the gym parking lot off Ga. 140 around 7:30 p.m.

The Alabama man said he started

working out around 6 p.m. and noticed his debit and credit card were missing from his wallet when he finished.

While he initially did not report fraudulent transactions, the victim later told officers that his credit card had been used three times for the same amount, around $257, at the Kroger near East Roswell Park.

The officer said another gym patron approached him about his missing credit card.

The second victim, a 38-year-old Sandy Springs man, said his card was charged the exact same amount as the first victim, but at a different Kroger off Ga. 120 near the Cobb County line.

The report did not indicate what the purchases were for.

The officer then spoke with a third victim, a 37-year-old Roswell man, who reported multiple stolen cards and the loss of $200 in cash.

The third victim said he had two credit cards, each charged the same amount as the other victims, at a nearby Kroger.

The officer said he was not able to determine the specific Kroger location. He also said the third victim received another $125 charge at a nearby La Parilla restaurant.

After speaking with LA Fitness employees, the officer said they set up a time to review security footage of the incident.

In total, the victims’ financial transaction cards were charged more than $1,650.

The Criminal Investigations Division responded to the scene and took over the investigation. The case remains active.

— Hayden Sumlin

Officers cite Clarkston man on reckless driving charge

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 24-year-old Clarkston man was arrested on a reckless driving charge May 16.

Alpharetta police said they clocked a Toyota Camry traveling 100 mph on southbound Ga. 400 at Ga. 120. The

roadway has a speed limit of 65 mph.

Officers determined the vehicle’s speed with a laser device.

Police initiated a traffic stop, but the vehicle failed to immediately stop and was drifting out of its lane.

After stopping, the man told officers he was speeding because the roadway was clear. He declined consuming any alcohol or drugs, and officers noted no signs of impairment.

The man was released after telling police he was the sole family member caring for sick, elderly mother.

— Jon Wilcox

Jewelry store owners report fraud attempt

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police are investigating a case of financial identity fraud after the owners of a jewelry store off East Crossville Road reported attempted bank transactions June 11.

An officer said he spoke with one of the owners, a 49-year-old man, about the incident a day after it occurred.

The victim said he received a call from a Wells Fargo branch manager in Las Vegas who was trying to confirm his identity. According to the victim, the branch manager said someone came in and attempted to initiate two wire transfers and a withdrawal using an ID with his exact information.

The store owner said the Wells Fargo branch denied both wire transfers, one for $49,500 and the other for $47,640, as well as a $9,700 withdrawal.

The officer said the man and his mother are co-owners of the Wells Fargo business account.

As a result, the 49-year-old man’s credit has been frozen, and his name has been withdrawn from the account.

He told officers that he wishes to press charges and file an official report, so that Wells Fargo could give information about the fraudulent transaction to law enforcement.

The case remains active.

— Hayden Sumlin

THE PICTURE FRAMER

Alpharetta vacant council seat to remain open until November

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga.

— The Alpharetta City Council plans to wait until November’s general election to fill former Councilman Brian Will’s Post 2 seat.

Will announced his resignation June 3, saying he planned to seek the seat of former state Sen. Brandon Beach, who resigned in March for a position as the U.S. Treasurer.

Gov. Brian Kemp has called for a special election Aug. 26 to replace Beach.

So far Donna Shaw Murphy and Bart Dean have announced their intention to seek the Post 2 seat.

Will, who is running as a Republican, was notably absent from the council dais at a June 16 meeting and instead watched the proceedings as a member of the audience.

Elected in 2021, Will said he plans to run on a platform that includes fiscal responsibility.

“The primary campaign platform for me is Georgia Doge, and it's transparency in finance,” Will said previously. “It's transparency in contracting. It's basically where did the money go? Who got it? What did they get it for, and how much did

they get?”

Alpharetta Mayor Jim Gilvin said the council has decided against calling for a special election or appointing a replacement.

“Because there's such a short time frame between now and the election in November, when we have scheduled seats up, we didn't see any point in trying to hold an election at this point or try to appoint somebody for such a short term,” the mayor said.

Instead, council members plan to let Will’s seat remain vacant.

“It could cost us over $300,000 to do something now, rather than wait until November,” Gilvin said.

Gilvin also cited the potential confusion to voters if Will is replaced ahead of the election.

“The decision is to let the voters (decide),” Gilvin said.

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Roswell Councilwoman Hills announces for State Senate

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tempore Graham “Lee” Hills has announced she will run for the District 56 seat in the Georgia Senate in 2026.

Hills is finishing her first term as the Post 6 member on the City Council which she won in the 2021 election.

Hills, a Republican, stated on social media that she will fight to eliminate state income tax, defend election integrity, support ICE to deport all illegal immigrants and end the “woke” agenda in schools. Her campaign website,

leehillsforgeorgia. com, states that she is the America First Republican.

“For too long, we’ve watched the corrupt political establishment tiptoe around the tough issues, bending to pressure and comprising our conservative Georgia values,” Hills wrote on her social media.

The long-time Roswell resident has served as the president of the Roswell High School PTSA and is a founding board member of the Keller Williams non-profit Curtin Team Cares, which

provides resources to empower the vulnerable and strengthen the community.

An Auburn University graduate, she co-founded a grassroots movement in 2020 to advocate for Second Amendment rights, medical freedom, education reform and government transparency.

On her campaign website, Hills states that she is running for the Georgia Senate seat to protect the state’s freedoms, invest in Georgia families and to bring principled, conservative leadership to the Capitol.

Republican John Albers currently serves as state senator for Georgia’s 56th District. Albers has held the district seat since the 2010 general

election and has won each bid for reelection.

With the election more than a year away, it’s not clear yet whether Albers plans to run for the seat. He was not immediately available for comment when Appen Media tried to reach him Tuesday morning.

The 56th District includes part of south Cherokee County, north Fulton and northeast Cobb.

State Senate elections are held every two years, on the even year.

The primary election will be held May 19, 2026. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

The qualifying dates have not yet been announced but typically take place in March.

Roswell moves forward with stormwater projects

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Committees of Council gave tentative approval June 10 to two stormwater projects on the top of the list for the city’s Capital Improvement Program.

The City Council unanimously passed both items at the regular Committees Council meeting, a work session presided over by Senior Vice President of Community Services & Deputy City Administrator Jeffery Leatherman.

City officials gave tentative approval to the Northmeadow Parkway

Budget:

Continued from Page 1

The budget includes $101 million in general fund spending for day-today operations, such as salaries and operating expenses. The spending plan includes $20 million for capital projects, like road maintenance and improvements, vehicles and land purchases.

City staff cited a three-part community vision as inspiration for deciding the tax rate and budget.

City leaders say they want to provide the highest quality environment for residents and businesses, foster a strong sense of community including safety and security and provide a business climate that attracts topechelon companies.

Incorporated in 1858, the city maintains a AAA bond rating for its

stormwater lining project to replace failing pipe located on the road. The project will restore roughly 300 linear feet of 72-inch corrugated metal pipe and roughly 25 linear feet of 90-inch corrugated metal pipe.

“This is actually the top project on our [Capital Improvement Program] for stormwater, so we’re excited to get this done,” Director of Environmental and Public Works Brian Watson said.

City staff sent the scope of work to all pre-qualified contractors May 25.

Officials awarded the contract to the low bidder, Utility Asset Management Inc. in the amount of $146,225, with a contingency

more than 67,000 residents who inhabit 27 square miles.

A second set of public hearings for the budget and mill rate is set for 11:30 a.m. June 23. A third set and final vote are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. later that day.

The hearings will be held in the council chambers at Alpharetta City Hall, 2 Park Plaza.

Mayor Jim Gilvin said deciding the mill rate is about striking a balance between reducing taxpayers’ burdens while providing the necessary services to facilitate growth and a healthy community.

The city is host to nearly 700 tech companies and boasts 25 million square feet of office space.

“We try to be good stewards of all the taxpayers, commercial property owners and the homeowners and the residents,” he said.

Ensuring the budget and mill rate fall in line with taxpayers’ expectations

of $14,622 for unforeseen circumstances.

The City Council also gave tentative approval for the Spring Creek Road stormwater construction project. The work will replace failing 18-inch and 30-inch corrugated metal pipes, catch basins, junction boxes, a headwall and new manholes and outfall.

On May 14, city staff sent the scope of work to all stormwater prequalified contractors and received four responses. The city chose the low bidder, GradeCo, with a contract for $205,504, with a contingency of $20,550 for unseen conditions.

“They’ve done work with the city in the past and we’ve been extremely pleased,” Watson said.

Funding for both projects is available in the Stormwater Fund.

Both projects are top of the list for the Stormwater Master Project List, which is a part of the Capital Improvement Program.

The Capital Improvement Program, approved in early 2022, is a fiveyear strategy that details anticipated expenditures and the approved sources of funding.

The projects will move forward to the June 23 City Council meeting for final approval.

Financial Director Tom Harris briefs council members about the city’s proposed 2026 tax rate and budget during a June 16 meeting at City Hall.

begins with listening, he said. Elections and conversations with residents serve an important role in that process, he said, as does seeing who shows up to the budget and tax rate hearings.

On June 16, no residents appeared

to voice concern or approval, signaling to Gilvin that the council had the support of residents and businesses.

“If they’re satisfied with the course, then they’re less motivated to come to City Hall on a Monday night, right?” Gilvin said.

HILLS

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Trees:

Continued from Page 1

To Hadorn, the trees are more than just a spectacle, they are a piece of history. He said that the tree removal is a tragedy.

“This happened because of the disconnect between us as people and the natural world,” Hadorn said.

Although the damage is already done, Hadorn hopes that this situation gives awareness to why preserving the history of the property is important.

“At this point, given what we’ve lost, the best that we can achieve is an awareness for what we have and the importance of preserving,” Hadorn said.

The city’s plans

The City of Roswell became the owner of Mimosa Hall in 2017, after being sold from Sally Hansen for approximately $2.95 million.

Under the Founders Park Project, the work to convert the hall into an event venue is part of the approved initiative to improve public access, environmental sustainability and long-term use of the property.

The city chose Mimosa Hall & Gardens as the first major focus as a part of The Founders Park Project. The project has a commitment of $15 million from the city and includes Town Square and the historic homes surrounding it.

The tree removal is a part of the second phase project to renovate the hall into an event venue.

“We’ve heard some describe the work as “clear-cutting,” but that is not accurate,” the city said in a statement to Appen Media.

The city removed 35 trees in two specific areas of the site, with some selective removal for a newly landscaped garden and an event lawn area. According to city staff, all trees that were designated for removal were documented in approved construction plans, with their species, condition and size fully evaluated.

“While 35 trees are being removed, this action was not taken indiscriminately,” the city said in a statement to Appen Media. “Each removal was carefully evaluated and deemed necessary to complete key components of the project.”

City staff stated that the majority of the trees were removed out of a necessity to create a regional stormwater basin, access and a parking area.

Out of the 22.7-acre project site, 4.18 acres involve tree removal, which includes invasive species, understory vegetation and select trees. The city stated that it will replant 12 new native trees and support an implementation of 100 percent native plant restoration plan.

Last September, the City Council approved a contract to Reeves Young Inc. and a budget authorization for the Historic Parks Comprehensive Plan for an amount not to exceed $460,420.

The contract includes an additional 4.5 percent of the construction costs, which is estimated to amount up to $3 million. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was required to be spent by the end of 2024.

City staff stated at the City Council meeting that around $2 million had already been invested into Mimosa Hall for a driveway and renovations to the building’s second floor for event space.

The Historic Preservation Commission reviewed the project Oct. 9, 2024.

The next month, the City Council approved to use its American Rescue Plan Act funds balance for the Historic Parks Comprehensive Plan, bumping the cost to $5.7 million. City staff cited “scope and requirements adjustments” for the increase.

Today, the city asks for continued patience and trust to create a functional and beautiful park.

The City of Roswell has been named a Tree City for over 30 years. To qualify as a Tree City by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters cities must create a tree board or department, create a public tree care ordinance, create a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita and perform an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Community concerns

Mimosa Hall was built in 1841 by John Dunwoody, a planter from coastal Georgia. A fire the same year caused the wooden walls to burn down. The home was rebuilt with brick walls in 1846.

By the late 1860s, all of the Dunwoody children had moved away, and the home was purchased in 1869 by General A.J. Hansell, the new manager of the Roswell Manufacturing Company.

After Mrs. Hansell passed away, the home was sold and put up for auction. The home was owned by several people including Atlanta architect Neel Reid.

Nearly 78 years later, the home was sold back to the great-grandson of General A.J. Hansell.

Sally Hansell was the sixth generation of the family to grow up on the property. She visited her grandparents at the home frequently and later moved into the home in 1968 when she was 12.

Some of Hansell’s favorite memories are at the hall. She remembers her grandfather planting trees regularly.

“They say that he planted a tree every other weekend,” she said. “That was his passion.”

Hansell, who now lives in Hudson Valley, New York, said that what has

happened to the property is criminal.

“The photos look like something out the Battle of Atlanta,” Hansell said.

Not only are the trees a part of her family’s history, but to her, they make the property what it is.

“It’s a sanctuary,” she said.

While the work at her former home is devastating, Hansell said she does not regret selling. She said she had to get on with her life and do what was best for her.

But, she said she hopes the city realizes that in the end it Is not about her memories of the land, but the core values of historic preservation.

Hansell’s niece, Virginia DeRosa, was one of the last family members to spend time on the land.

Her mother, Dottie Hansell DeRosa’s ashes were once buried under a Japanese Maple tree on the property. Now, that memorial is gone.

“[She] will soon be buried beneath concrete, would be lying in front of a bulldozer if she were here,” DeRosa said. “And she would be on the right side of history for it.”

Future work at property

Among the ruins stands a towering black walnut more than 100 years old. Community members are now fighting to save it.

In a meeting with Mayor Kurt Wilson and city staff, a group of concerned citizens learned that the tree may face

destruction for creation of an ADA pathway.

As of June 17, more than 725 people have signed a petition calling on the city to commit to protect the black walnut. The petition also calls for the city to seek feedback from the public about the details of all major projects on the historical properties.

Sally McKenzie, a supporter of the petition, is a 30-year Roswell resident.

“I just want to focus on what we can do to make that property the best it can be going forward, and to prevent it from happening again,” McKenzie said.

McKenzie created an email list and Facebook page called Responsible Development in Roswell in 2017 to keep residents in the loop about preservation efforts.

She signed the petition to help protect the black walnut and prevent future damage to the greenspace of the property. She said she understands the need for an ADA pathway, but she hopes the city finds a way to move it to protect the tree.

She said that she thinks the city did not enter the project with preservation in mind, and she hopes for more consideration in the future.

“All we can do now, is move forward,” McKenzie said.

To learn more about the petition, visit change.org/p/save-mimosa-hallgardens-magnificent-black-walnut-treefrom-potentially-being-cut-down.

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Tattoo shop owner works to make body art an experience

By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — When her daughter decided to pursue a career as a tattoo artist, Carmen Utley never thought she would be brought along for the ride.

Thanks to Utley’s daughter, Brianna, she is now the proud owner of Cloak and Draugr Tattoo at 468 South Atlanta St. in Roswell. The shop, with a classy and sophisticated aesthetic, invites tattoo rookies or seasoned pros in for their next piece.

The journey began when Brianna got an apprenticeship at the studio in early 2023. Utley, originally born in Mexico, moved to the United States just under 30 years ago. She worked as a mortgage processor for 28 years and never thought she would own a business, until her brother encouraged her to just go for it.

“I [was] like, ‘I think you’re crazy, but okay yeah,’ so I didn't think [anything] was going to happen,” Utley said.

Domingo opened Cloak and Draugr Tattoo in June 2017. Inside the store, guests can find art and décor that matches Domingo’s Nordic heritage.

In December 2023, Utley officially became the owner of Cloak and Draugr. Her first thought when walking into the studio as owner, was “what did I get myself into?”

“I was super nervous because I couldn't let them down,” she said.

To this day, you can still find Domingo in the studio working as the manager.

The importance of atmosphere

The name for the studio comes from inspiration from Norse mythology. In folklore, a draugr is an undead creature that inhabits graves and burial grounds. Despite the scary background, the atmosphere in the studio is nothing but.

One of the main draws for Utley was the studio’s atmosphere. Currently, her team consists of eight artists, all bringing a different style to the studio.

See DRAUGR, Page 9 8

She met with the original owner, Nic Domingo, and asked if the shop was for sale. To her surprise, he said yes.

SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA

Brianna Utley stands next to her trinkets and art inside her studio room at Cloak and Draugr Tattoo on 468 South Atlanta St.

BUSINESSPOSTS

Work on mixed-use redevelopment in Sandy Springs set to begin

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Trammell Crow announced plans to begin construction this month on an 8.1-acre redevelopment — Hillcrest — just a block from City Springs off Mount Vernon Highway.

Plans for the mixed-use development include 362 apartments, 30 for-rent townhomes and around 18,000 square feet of retail space with a central plaza and greenspace.

The company’s subsidiary, High Street Residential, and mixed-use developer Third & Urban are expected to complete the project in 2027, according to information from Trammell Crow.

Sandy Springs Economic Development Director Chris Burnett said advancing the project involved a lot of moving parts.

“This is a big one for us, no doubt about it,” Burnett said. “I want to talk about new project that is really in the shadow of City Springs, it’s on the southwest corner of the [Mount Vernon Highway and Sandy Springs Circle] intersection.”

Currently, the site consists of Sandy Springs United Methodist Church’s Hitson Center, a grass field and a parking lot. Because of the property’s steep grade, Trammell Crow says the development will terrace down from Mount Vernon Highway along Sandy Springs Circle.

The church, which is selling a chunk of its properties on the south side of Mount Vernon Highway, says it plans to use proceeds to fund significant improvements to its primary campus.

Sandy Springs Methodist Rev. Kate Floyd said she envisions that the church’s

Draugr:

Continued from Page 8

“They are great spirits,” Utley said. Utley and her team of artists work to provide a comfortable and safe environment for all who enter.

“They know how to take care of the clients, and especially the first timers,” Utley said.

The studio offers an encouraging atmosphere where first timers can ring a bell when their tattoo is finished.

Those seeking a tattoo can book at the studio by contacting an artist of their choosing on their website, cloakanddraugrtattoo.com. The minimum price for a tattoo at Cloak and Draugr is $100.

The studio offers a range of styles, from traditional to fine line, and from black and white to color.

Utley’s daughter, Brianna, mainly

TRAMMELL CROW/PROVIDED

An artist’s rendering of Hillcrest shows plans for an 8.1-acre mixed-use development along Sandy Springs Circle at Mount Vernon Highway just a block from City Springs. Trammell Crow says it plans to break ground on the project in June and finish it in 2027.

redeveloped campus will be integral to a vibrant city center and a welcome addition to the community.

The Sandy Springs Development Authority approved a tax abatement proposal at its June 5 meeting, laying out a parking arrangement with the city and Trammell Crow.

Development Authority members said the proposal should come before the Sandy Springs City Council June 17.

The agreement designates 111 parking spaces at Hillcrest for city use through a parking easement, making them free for the first two hours for patrons of City Springs or Hillcrest. Those are separate from around 400 spaces for residential use.

City Councilman Andy Bauman, who serves on the Development Authority, said there were two parts of the project that piqued his interest, whether there would be affordable or owner-occupied hous-

tattoos in an anime style. Brianna originally went to school to become a kindergarten teacher but quickly learned that it wasn’t for her.

She then went on to make her passion of drawing into a career by tattooing. For Brianna, drawing and tattooing is an escape.

“My brain goes quiet,” she said.

Inside her private studio room, guests can find a welcoming environment with little trinkets and artworks from her favorite animes, cartoons and Studio Ghibli movies.

Brianna’s first customer was her mother. To this day, Utley still allows her artists to play around and put new art pieces on her. Before owning the shop, Utley didn’t have a single tattoo, now she has 10.

Brianna, who is coming up on her 26th birthday, will be handed over the shop when she gets older. A second shop, now in the works, will be given to her son.

ing and how to replace the city’s overflow parking at the site.

Sandy Springs has plans to expand its downtown district — City Springs — across Mount Vernon Highway to Hilderbrand Drive. While those are shelved, the private sector is helping to develop the city’s downtown.

Bauman said his conversations with the developers led him to believe affordable and owner-occupied housing is not an option.

“The good news is our piece of this is the parking,” he said. “That’s what we’re going to have a chance to address is replacement parking at a lot less cost.”

Bauman said the city is getting parking spots and some streetscape improvements at 15 cents on the dollar through the Development Authority’s agreement, which includes a buyout and maintenance cost sharing.

The three-party agreement caps the

“I think it'll be a good idea to leave them as my legacy,” Utley said.

Brianna said she finds it cool that one day the shop will be all hers.

Connecting with community

Utley said that she learned a lot in the past two years.

“It blows my mind, this new world,” Utley said.

Utley is now in an apprenticeship to become a tattoo artist, under Domingo.

“I've always been talented at drawing, but I got married, had kids and I abandoned that,” Utley said. “But now that I have the time, I'm relearning how to draw.”

Although Utley has been welcomed into the tattoo industry with open arms, things haven’t been the same with the community in Roswell.

Despite having loyal clients and over 10,800 followers on Instagram, Utley is having a hard time connecting with the people of Roswell. She said she thinks it

city’s investment for parking spaces and infrastructure at $4.87 million. The 10year tax abatement kicks in after construction is completed with 50 percent off the first year with a 5 percent reduction each subsequent year. The realized tax savings is then paid to the city for its parking costs.

Bond documents, required by state law, are expected to be executed by midJuly and total $150 million. In the bond resolution, the city and its Development Authority have no financial obligations.

According to the city, the Development Authority funds desirable economic development projects in Sandy Springs by providing access to capital and other financial incentives. It operates under the direction of a seven-member board with members appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Some its largest projects and partnerships include City Springs and Chastain Market.

Trammell Crow says the project will feature a three- to five-story apartment building with a parking garage and luxury townhomes with two- to three-bedroom floor plans. Highlights of the residential portion include a rooftop pool and clubroom, state-of-the-art fitness amenities and a dog park.

Third & Urban partner Hank Farmer said Hillcrest’s retail side will introduce a mix of walkable shops and restaurants with abundant patio and outdoor spaces. “[It] creates a retail experience that’s unique to the market,” Farmer said. “Located adjacent to City Springs, the project sits at the heart of the community in a pedestrian-focused, connected environment that reflects the character and spirit of Sandy Springs.”

is because of the taboo behind tattoos.

“I think people need to change that, because tattoos now are different,” Utley said. “…you're expressing yourself through your body.”

Utley said she has a hard time being able to feature not only her tattoo artists’ pieces, but also their other artworks, such as drawings or paintings at events or festivals.

“They pushed me away,” Utley said. “It's very difficult as a woman owning a tattoo shop [and] being accepted, especially because it's the tattoo industry.”

Utley knows it will take time for the community to change their perspective about her shop, she hopes people will understand that her studio is different.

“We are not your regular tattoo shop, we’re unique,” Utley said. “We're very classy, we like to make people feel comfortable.”

To book an appointment, email cloakanddraugrtattoo.com.

Police Foundation ordered to release ‘Cop City’ records

Judge: Public records cannot be withheld because of who asks

By ALESSANDRO MARAZZI SASSOON Atlanta Civic Circle

ATLANTA — A Fulton County Superior Court judge has ordered the Atlanta Police Foundation to turn over records related to the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center — or “Cop City” — within 30 days.

Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick’s decision follows a closely watched legal battle initiated by journalists and researchers seeking greater transparency about the polarizing project’s construction on city-owned land. The plaintiffs — the Atlanta Community Press Collective (ACPC) and Lucy Parsons Labs, a Chicago-based research group — requested emails, APF board meeting agendas, and minutes.

“This court concludes that APF was under a duty to provide records to ACPC and Lucy Parsons Labs pursuant to the Open Records Act,” Barwick wrote in her 12-page order, delivered two months after a two-day bench trial in April. “Under the authority explained in this order, no exemptions applied.”

However, Barwick narrowly tailored her ruling, only forcing APF to hand over the records at issue.

While many observers hoped the decision would clarify how Georgia’s Open Records Act applies to non-profits whose work is almost exclusively related to a government agency, the judge explicitly declined to set broader legal precedents.

“Plainly speaking, this court is not entering an advisory opinion,” Barwick wrote.

Barwick clarified that the order does not designate APF a “public entity” whose records are all declared “public and accessible.” Nor does the order make the requested records available in future open records requests, “though everyone should comply with the law.”

The judge also declined to award attorney’s fees to ACPC and Lucy Parsons Labs, ruling that APF’s violation of the Open Records Act was not done “knowingly and willfully.”

In doing so, Barwick also agreed that, while not valid, APF’s stated reason for denying the requests was reasonable.

APF lawyers argued that releasing the records would endanger named individuals, citing the harassment and

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jane Barwick

Why Appen Media is sharing this story

While Appen Media rarely republishes reporting from other newsrooms, this story adds important context for readers.

Appen Media has covered the public safety foundations of cities in its coverage area. Most groups, like the ones in Alpharetta, Roswell and Johns Creek, focus on fundraising to support first responders during times of crisis. Sandy Springs formed a second organization, the Sandy Springs Police Foundation, aiming to construct a training facility with an estimated price tag of $37-$45 million. Appen Media first reported these plans in April 2024. The city then stopped fulfilling public records requests related to the foundation, saying the agency is a separate entity and not subject to the Georgia Open Records Act.

sometimes violent tactics Stop Cop City activists have employed to oppose the facility. APF also argued that ACPC was functionally an arm of the activist movement, equating their actions to “terrorism.”

ACPC rejected that characterization, asserting that Georgia’s Open Records Act does not permit withholding public documents based on the requester’s identity, an argument that Barwick endorsed in the closing sentence of her order.

“Let the record also be clear that the identity of the requester does not determine whether records are characterized as public,” she wrote.

Samantha Hamilton, ACPC’s staff attorney, said she was glad that Barwick “saw through” APF’s stated justification for withholding the records, and that in reality they had done so simply because they had published information critical of APF and the training center.

“It’s frustrating that we had to go through the whole process of filing a lawsuit a year and a half ago to prove

what we knew to be true all along: that these records related to Cop City are subject to the Georgia Open Records Act,” she said.

It is unclear whether APF plans to appeal the ruling. Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Howard Melton, the Troutman Pepper attorney who represented APF during the trial, declined to comment for this story.

This article was originally published on atlantaciviccircle.org. The nonprofit newsroom covers housing, democracy and labor in Metro Atlanta.

PHOTOS BY: ALESSANDRO MARAZZI SASSOON/ATLANTA CIVIC CIRCLE

presides at a hearing in April.

Atlanta Police Foundation CEO Dave Wilkinson sits in Barwick’s courtroom in April.

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, 3 and 7 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!

CAPTAINS

1. Depp’s captain. Grotto. Canon camera

2. Spiral shell. Clumsy person. ‘Peter Pan’ captain.

3. King of the road. Martini additive. Captain of the H.M.S. Bounty.

4. Pirate captain. Venture out. Icy coating.

5. Tropical fruit. Scottish hillside. Captain of the Pequod.

6. Poker pot. ‘Star Trek’ captain. Bakery supply.

7. Ford flop. Having a lot to lose. Jules Verne’s captain.

1 Depp’s captain. Grotto. Canon camera

2. Spiral shell. Clumsy person. ‘Peter Pan’ captain

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. King of the road. Martini additive. Captain of the H.M.S. Bounty

4. Pirate captain. Venture out. Icy coating

5. Tropical fruit. Scottish hillside. Captain of the Pequod.

6. Poker pot. ‘Star Trek’ captain. Bakery supply

7. Ford flop. Having a lot to lose. Jules Verne’s captain.

Estate planning isn’t just about assets

Estate planning is about the people you love and the challenges they may face. Mental health is an oftenoverlooked part of the planning process, but it can have a major impact on long-term protection and decision-making.

Here are 5 key mental health considerations to keep in mind:

✓ Guardianship Decisions – Protect vulnerable children or adults who may need ongoing care.

✓ Customized Trust Provisions –Use trusts to provide support without disrupting benefits or autonomy.

✓ Planning with Compassion – Your estate plan should reflect not just your wishes, but your family’s needs.

✓ Capacity Matters – A clear mind is essential when signing legal documents. Plan early.

✓ Appointing the Right Agents – Choose someone who understands and respects your family’s mental health dynamics.

Join our in person workshops to learn how estate planning can protect both financial and emotional well-being for your loved ones. Please call us at 770.209.2346 for more information.

• Does my Will protect my “stuff”? (It does not.)

• Should I upgrade my Will to a Trust?

• What do I need to know about Revocable Living Trusts?

• How do Irrevocable Trusts work?

• Medicaid. What’s true and what’s not?

• How do I protect my assets for my family and legacy?

• How do I remain in control?

• How do I avoid losing everything to nursing home costs?

• How can my family avoid probate?

Dedicated to making a positive impact in the business community

As a dedicated Business Development Officer specializing in small businesses at Touchmark National Bank, Carlos Rodriguez leverages over 20 years of banking experience to assist business customers in identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities. In addition, as an ambassador for the Alpharetta Chamber of Commerce, Carlos is a trusted resource in the community, recognized for his commitment to fostering strong business relationships and promoting trust within the business community.

Touchmark National Bank also offers special competitive deposit rates to help businesses maximize their financial potential. With a focus on banking resources, Carlos is passionate about helping small businesses thrive and achieve their financial goals through building lasting relationships based on trust and mutual success. At Touchmark National Bank, we provide a comprehensive range of products, tools and resources tailored to streamline processes and support the unique needs of each business we serve. We are dedicated to making a positive impact in the business community and are committed to helping businesses succeed and grow through meaningful relationships built on trust and collaboration.

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RODRIGUEZ

Georgia Power plans for huge escalation in energy demand

By Emily Jones WABE

ATLANTA — Georgia’s largest electric utility is preparing to meet what it says is a huge spike in new electricity demand. Georgia Power says it expects it will need to provide 8,200 more megawatts by 2031 – about four times the energy made by its new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle.

A key factor driving Georgia Power’s plans is the enormous growth in need the company says it expects over the next few years from large industrial customers — especially data centers.

But some critics argue Georgia Power’s predictions are too high. Energy experts testifying before the Georgia Public Service Commission this week cast doubt on Georgia Power’s prediction of a massive, rapid increase in energy demand — known as load.

“We conclude that the forecast produced by Georgia Power is likely skewed to show load realization sooner and in greater quantity than is likely to materialize,” said Robert Trokey, who leads the electric unit of the Public Service Commission’s staff.

Getting that forecast wrong could have major implications for customer bills and for climate change.

The commission last year approved new natural gas turbines and battery storage that Georgia Power asked for in an emergency request driven largely by expected data center demand.

Now, the commissioners are considering the utility’s new long-term energy plan as part of a regularlyscheduled regulatory proceeding.

The plan calls for keeping coal plants open longer, upgrading nuclear and hydroelectric power plants, adding solar and improving power lines.

Georgia Power made its case to the commission over several days of hearings in March. Last week, the commission’s public interest

advocacy staff and the intervenors — environmental and consumer advocacy groups, municipal governments, industry groups and large power buyers like MARTA and Walmart — responded with their own expert testimony.

Several of them simply did not buy Georgia Power’s predictions.

“The way the company has treated its load forecast is deeply flawed,” said energy planning consultant Derek Stenclik, who testified on behalf of the Sierra Club, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Natural Resources Defense Council. “I would even call it utility planning malpractice.”

He and other analysts said the currently booming data center industry is too new to make confident predictions. They argued that Georgia Power isn’t properly accounting for the chance that data center projects could fall through.

To make forecasts for big customers like data centers and factories, Georgia Power experts run projects in various stages of development through mathematical models that predict how likely the projects are to actually open and how much power they’ll need.

But the company uses different calculations for data centers, predicting they’re more likely to come to fruition than other potential customers like factories and warehouses.

The company doesn’t have data to back up that different math, Trokey argued. Others questioned whether Georgia Power’s modeling adequately accounts for canceled projects.

Officials with the utility maintain their modeling is based on real projects, factoring in how far along the data centers are in the development pipeline and whether data center developers have signed a contract to buy energy from Georgia Power. In the earlier hearings in March, company officials said that any cancelled data center projects had so far been quickly

replaced by new ones.

During last week’s hearings, commissioners expressed little patience for skepticism from experts and advocates about the company’s forecast for data center-driven demand.

“Obviously the company believes it’s real because they’re putting them under contract,” said Commissioner Tricia Pridemore. “The state of Georgia believes it’s real. Georgia Department of Economic Development has been involved. The governor’s been involved. Commissioners have been involved. We’ve worked on these projects, in some cases for years.”

Georgia Power’s forecast is critical because it shapes how the utility plans to be able to meet future, predicted demand.

If the company overestimates, Stenclik and others argued, it risks spending too much on the infrastructure to make and deliver extra energy, and regular customers could end up paying for it. If it underestimates, the company contends, energy reliability could be at risk.

Much of the company’s plan to meet its forecast in the near term relies on fossil fuels, which many public commenters opposed because they contribute to climate change. They urged the commission to consider the impacts of climate change before approving any new or extended use of coal or natural gas.

Considering rates later

The power rates that customers pay, though based on the need to pay for construction and other expenses approved in the energy plan under consideration, are not a part of the current hearings before the commission.

Instead, rates are typically decided during a subsequent proceeding called a rate case. But rates are top of mind for many Georgia Power customers

because their bills have increased six times in the past three years: three rate hikes approved in the last rate case in 2022, two to pay for new reactors at Plant Vogtle and a separate bill increase to cover high natural gas costs.

This year, the utility and commission staff have proposed an agreement that would freeze rates for now, bypassing the regular rate case. That’s possible largely thanks to the increased revenue Georgia Power is expecting from new, large customers — like data centers.

The commission has also taken steps to help ensure data center companies and other large customers pay for their own infrastructure. But witnesses in last week’s hearings questioned whether those measures are sufficient to protect residents and small businesses from extra costs.

Energy analysts for the commission’s staff also said they’re concerned about rates increasing for other reasons, like cleaning up storm damage and complying with environmental regulations. The deal to freeze rates already includes a plan to address the costs of Hurricane Helene next year.

Upcoming elections

Two of the five commissioners who will vote later this year on both Georgia Power’s long-term plan and the proposed rate freeze are up for election in November. Early voting in the primary has already begun.

In late May, one candidate in that primary was disqualified for failing to fulfill residency requirements. The ruling was paused by a Fulton County Superior Court judge, and the candidate, Daniel Blackman, was scheduled for an appeal hearing to consider his case June 10. This story was provided by Appen Media media partner WABE.

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Rise and fall of trousers: Pants helped build Roswell

BOB MEYERS

This week’s column highlights the Oxbo Falls Manufacturing Company, also known as the Roswell Pants Factory or Oxbo Pants Factory, founded in 1894 by James Henry “Pony” Waller (1852-1913) who organized, built and operated the plant. It is thought that earlier he was superintendent of the Roswell Manufacturing Company, known as the Roswell Cotton Mill, founded by Roswell King, the namesake for the City of Roswell, and his son Barrington King. King’s cotton mill was rebuilt in 1882 following its destruction by General Sherman’s troops in the Civil War.

Pony Waller’s pants factory employed about 125 people in the early days to operate sewing, cutting and pressing machines. He began his career by working in a cotton factory in Marietta as a teenager. His prior experience no doubt helped prepare him to start the Oxbo company which initially specialized in work pants and overalls worn primarily by laborers, industrial workers and farmers.

The company changed ownership several times. In 1902, according to a short history by Mary Wright Hawkins (1921-2001) written in 1993, the Nully Overall Company of Atlanta acquired the Oxbo Pants Factory and added more space and machines and hired more workers. I could not find any official records of that transaction, but early records of the pants factory are sketchy. A few years later, according to Mary Hawkins, the pants company changed hands again and became the Nunnally and McRae Company.

The factory played an important role in Roswell’s recovery after the Civil War.

The factory burned down in 1941. The loss of jobs was a major blow to the small town of Roswell. The townspeople decided to rebuild the factory themselves. They sold stock to the public to raise money. Together with 103 stockholders they completed the project on Hill Street in early 1942 and called the firm the Roswell Company. According to the Neighbor Newspaper at the time, the steel beams and posts ordered for the building’s roof were denied because of World War II, so wood posts were used in their place.

Elaine DeNiro, recently retired archivist for the Roswell Historical Society, in 2003 interviewed Johnnie Mae Strickland who was employed by the company for more than 18 years. Johnnie Mae worked 8-hour days from 8 to 5 with a half hour for lunch, five days

a week in the original building before the fire. Employees were paid by the piece. She said that the factory produced work pants and woolen dress pants from material obtained elsewhere.

A notable and remarkable leader of the factory after the fire was Elwyn Gaissert (1923-2005), who joined the company when he graduated from Georgia Tech in 1945. He held a variety of management positions during his 34 years with the company and was a highly respected businessman in Roswell. Under his leadership, the plant was the largest employer in town, with up to 350 workers at its peak, which represented a large number of family members in the small agricultural community. It played an important role in the city’s post-Civil War recovery by providing steady employment and producing quality products. It also represented a change in the textile industry from cotton mills to industrial products.

I interviewed Elwyn Gaissert’s son, who shares his father’s name. He told me that the original products from the plant were grey and khaki work pants. He said that in 1961 Hayes Garment Company, a subsidiary of Genesco, a large conglomerate from Nashville specializing

in shoes and apparel, purchased The Pants Company and renamed it The Hayward Company, a division of Genesco. Upon retiring from the plant as General Manager in 1981 Gaissert was recruited by Roswell Mayor Pug Mabry to be the city’s personnel director. He later became Roswell City Administrator from 19831993

“He was one of a kind,” says his son. “He did things on a handshake.”

Under Gaissert’s leadership, in addition to making pants, the Roswell plant trained consultants from Kurt Salmon Associates, a management consulting firm that specialized in retail, consumer goods and healthcare consulting. Gaissert taught them how to help businesses improve their manufacturing operations and supply chains.

Elwyn’s son says “Dad made those eager young engineers put aside their slide rules and stop watches used for time and motion studies and go down to the plant and make a pair of pants. The engineers told me years later that they always remembered their time with my dad.”

More than 300 consultants gained hands-on experience in stitching, time

management and client interaction at the Roswell plant.

As business slowed due to foreign competition and other factors, management closed the business in 1975. The building was rented and repurposed and became the Roswell Antiques and Interiors Center in the 1980s and 1990s. Antique dealers, artists and small businesses operated in the building.

In the 1990s, the building was demolished to make way for the construction of a Law Enforcement Center (police department).

Roswell had a proud and successful textile industry that operated well into the 20th century. Competition from large industrial centers eventually caused sales to decline and the industry closed. Today, remnants of the mills can still be seen at Old Mill Park and along the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.

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.

Columnist

ROSWELL HISTORICAL SOCIETY/PROVIDED

Workers making pants in the Oxbo Pants Factory in the 1920s before a fire that destroyed the building in 1941. A new building was constructed on Hill Street but was demolished when a new Roswell Police Station was built.

OPINION

Homebuyers now forced to drive until they qualify

D.C. AIKEN Guest Columnist dcaiken.com

This week’s musical inspiration comes from Willie Nelson’s iconic 1980 country hit, “On the Road Again.” The song captures the feeling of constant travel — an increasingly relevant theme for many aspiring homeowners who find themselves venturing farther and farther from their roots in search of affordable housing across Metro Atlanta.

Home prices in Metro Atlanta have not declined significantly, and with

mortgage rates still hovering around 7 percent, the monthly payment impact has been minimal. For first-time buyers targeting homes under $500,000, the search has now extended well beyond the perimeter. Areas that once offered affordability just outside the I-285 loop — like Tucker, Decatur, or Smyrna — are now seeing prices push toward or exceed $700,000, often requiring monthly payments in the $5,000 range.

As a result, the dream of homeownership is taking many prospective buyers to more distant communities like Douglasville, Cartersville, Dawsonville, Murrayville, Jasper, Tyrone, McDonough, Monroe and Covington. These locations — once considered remote — are quickly

becoming the new frontier for those who are, quite literally, “driving until they qualify.”

It’s worth noting how dramatically the landscape has changed.

Not long ago, cities like Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming, Canton and Marietta were considered the outskirts. Today, average home prices in many of those areas exceed $800,000. This growing affordability gap is not just a housing issue, it’s a community issue. The lack of attainable, entrylevel homes in the Metro Atlanta core is pushing young professionals, new families and essential workers farther from where they grew up, work, and want to build their lives. If we don’t address this, we risk losing a

Sifting fact from fiction in today’s

APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

My son Hans texted me a link. So of course, I opened it because he never sends me something that is not interesting, new, or worthwhile.

I clicked on it, and it took me to an in-depth broadcast news show that was fascinating. Think a cross between “60 Minutes” and possibly a national news broadcast at 7 p.m. on NBC or CBS.

The show was anchored by an articulate, polished, attractive, very professional female journalist dressed in a dark blue suite who did a flawless job. She showed clips of events and seamlessly wove them into and out of her stories. There were live feeds. There were interviews with on-the-scene witnesses. She switched from story to story and never missed a beat.

She even cracked a few jokes and made a few sage observations.

execution was perfect. And, as I said, the anchor was a real pro.

The only problem with the show was that it was 100 percent AIgenerated. The people on the show, the clips, the dialogue, the interviews, the on-the-scene events, the countryside, the city backgrounds, the witnesses, the cops – everything – not real. It was created by artificial intelligence software. The anchor was an avatar – an online constructed image. Think “animation” but refined to a degree that one cannot tell if the animation is an actual human being or only something that mimics one.

Without someone letting you in on the back story, there was absolutely no way – none – to have known that every word, every story, every video image was made up – fake, artificial – that it was all pretend and staged like a Broadway show or a Netflix docudrama.

And I guess I owe Kelly Ann Conway an apology; yes, there are alternative truths out there because, as Hans mentioned at the end of his text to me, “it’s here.”

I have stewed about what I saw. It bothered me. It didn’t actually surprise me, although it did. So, what keeps rolling through my tiny brain, is “what’s next? Where do we go from here?” That is, how are we going to deal successfully with this? Can we successfully deal with it?

It is hard to imagine that we will be able to digest this aspect of AI and how and why we will process information going forward. How will we know what is real and what is not – what is true and what is not – who we can trust and who (what) we cannot? How are we supposed to figure out what is geared to influence/ manipulate us instead of objectively and factually inform us? And will we need to redefine what we consider the word “real” means.

generation of talented, motivated young adults to other metropolitan areas that are doing a better job of providing sustainable, affordable housing.

Our future depends on creating communities where the next generation can truly live, work, play —and most importantly — stay.

D.C. Aiken is vice president, producing production manager for CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #3029. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken. com.

The opinions expressed within this article may not reflect the opinions or views of CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC or its affiliates.

world of AI

countries and other governments, as well as from domestic political parties, individuals, and operatives via social media and other digital information conduits. Safe, fair and reliable elections are the foundation of our democracy – that and “rule of law.” How is that working for us today – tomorrow?

Maybe we should ask ChatGPT what it thinks? RAY

The content was compelling. The

That was a couple of days ago.

And what will be the impact of this ambiguity to us as a society or as a country? We already saw the impact – the utter chaos caused by this information veracity deficit last election. Our election process was flooded – overwhelmed – by a tidal wave of false and misleading information originating in other

What are the answers? Are there answers? Obviously more regulation of the internet and the information it carries has to be part of the solution, but will the amount of regulation required to actually address the “problem” be so great that it destroys the positive contributions of the free flow of information on the net? That is, would the cure be worse than the illness? Probably.

Perhaps the most disturbing is even the very idea of the government increasing control of what we know –of what information we have access to – and of the means to transmit that information. Surely, today we are in the most consequential Pandora’s box in history.

Sandy Springs Shopping Center had a bit of everything

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

The first shopping center in Sandy Springs opened in 1954. George Ivey and Robert Ney, who both lived in Sandy Springs, saw the potential for growth. They purchased land on the west side of Roswell Road, between what is now Sandy Springs Circle and Cromwell Road. (Sandy Springs Gazette, 2018, “Sandy Springs shopping takes center stage”)

The Big Apple grocery store opened in the shopping center in 1955. It was the first large grocery store in Sandy Springs. At the time, many stores were open half the day on Wednesdays, so the Sandy Springs Big Apple advertised being open all day on Wednesday. (Images of America: Sandy Springs, Kimberly M. Brigance and Morris V. Moore for Heritage Sandy Springs)

Big Apple marketed their Sandy Springs store as their “finest store.” S&H Green stamps were earned with each purchase. Shoppers saved S&H Green Stamps to purchase household goods. A grand opening was held on September 10, when Big Apple gave away a 1955 Ford Ranch Station Wagon.

Big Apple began from the 1924 wholesale grocery business of Louis Alterman, who came from Russia to New York to Georgia. The name Big Apple began with an independent supermarket on Marietta Street. By 1957, there were 37 stores in Atlanta and the surrounding communities as well as throughout Georgia. (Atlanta Journal, March 3, 1957, “Big Apple founder to see chain show”)

Robert Ney’s Roswell Road Rexall Pharmacy was the first business to open in the Sandy Springs Shopping Center. He describes the early shopping center in an October 1997 oral history with Heritage Sandy Springs. “Next to me there was a Big Apple Grocery store. Next to them was a Forrest Five and Ten, which was a local chain.” Other early stores included Aldridge Hardware, Swofford Shoes, Pinkard Dry Cleaners and a children’s shop owned by Mary Maglin.

Swofford Shoes was one of the local businesses who sponsored Sandy Springs Little League baseball.

Ney also recalled that First Federal Bank was in the early shopping center at a time when there were no banks in Sandy Springs. Residents had to drive to Buckhead or other locations to manage their banking. The Sandy Springs post office was also located in Sandy Springs Shopping Center.

George Ivey had to get busy helping ensure water and sewer services were available to the new shopping center. He provided library space for ten years, up until 1965, when the permanent library was dedicated and open to the public. (Atlanta Journal, Feb. 24, 1965, “Sandy Springs to dedicate new library”)

Today, the shopping center is known as Cornerstone Square, owned by Regency Centers. Stores include Aldi’s, CVS, Carniceria Los Pinos and Concentra Urgent Care. Wells Fargo Bank is located in the corner at Sandy Springs Circle and Roswell Road.

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.

DEATH NOTICES

Barbara Anderson, 77, of Alpharetta, passed away on June 4, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Barbara Ramer, 92, of Roswell, passed away on June 3, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Charles Rogers, 80, of Roswell, passed away on June 1, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF/APPEN MEDIA

Cornerstone Square on Roswell Road is the site of the first shopping center in Sandy Springs.

Newspaper Delivery Route Openings with Appen Media Group

We are looking for one person or couple interested in delivering weekly newspapers in South Forsyth, Alpharetta and the Johns Creek areas.

Requirements: Must have a perfect driving record and background check, reliable transportation, honest, hard-working and positive attitude.

For more information or to apply, email heidi@appenmedia.com and include a paragraph or two about who you are and any relevant background/experience. In the subject line of the email please put “Delivery Route Application.” CITY

OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF CONSIDERATION OF CITY CODE AMENDMENTS

The following item will be considered by the City Council on Monday, June 23, 2025 during the Alpharetta City Council Meeting and Public Hearing, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Alpharetta City Hall, located at 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009. The purpose of the public hearing shall be for public review and comment regarding the following:

Consideration of an ordinance to amend Chapter 4 of The Code of the City of Alpharetta, Georgia, referred to as the Alcohol Ordinance. Specifically, to amend the following: Sec. 4-1, Definitions; Sec. 4-17, Distance requirements; Sec. 4-398, Minimum distance requirements within downtown district; Sec. 4-399, Waiver procedure and standards; Sec. 4-451, Minimum distance requirements within mixed use districts; and for other purposes.

A copy of the proposed amendment will be on file with the City Clerk and will be made available on request.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The following items will be heard at a public hearing held by the Planning Commission on Thursday, July 10, 2025 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

Items forwarded by the Planning Commission will be considered by the City Council on Monday, July 28, 2025 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

a. CLUP-25-03/Z-25-05/V-25-18 Wooten Tract Townhomes

Consideration of a comprehensive land use plan amendment, rezoning, and variance to allow 67 ‘For-Sale’ townhomes on 10.19 acres in a gated subdivision. A comprehensive land use plan amendment is requested from ‘Mixed Use’ to ‘High Density Residential’ and a rezoning is requested from O-I (Office-Institutional) to R-10M (Dwelling, ‘For-Rent’ or ‘For-Sale’, Residential). A variance is requested from Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 2.10.4(A)(5) to allow a private street to be gated. The property is located at 0 North Fulton Expressway and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 609, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

b. Z-25-06/V-25-13 KOA Land Group/272 & 276 Thompson Street

Consideration of a rezoning and variance to allow a 16-lot ‘For-Sale single-family subdivision, consisting of 9 detached homes and seven townhome units on 2.03 acres in the Downtown. A rezoning is requested from R-12 (Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’, Residential) to DT-LW (Downtown Live-Work). Variances are requested from Unified Development Code (UDC) Appendix A: Alpharetta Downtown Code Subsection 2.3.3(G) to reduce the right-of-way width of a local street residential and from UDC Appendix A: Alpharetta Downtown Code Subsection 2.4.6(C) to eliminate the 20’ recess requirement for a streetfacing garage on a single-family detached home in the Downtown. The property is located at 272 & 276 Thompson Street and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 749 & 802, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

c. MP-25-06/CU-25-10 Sandbox VR/City Center MP

Consideration of a master plan amendment and conditional use to allow ‘Recreation Facility, Indoor’ for Sandbox VR in the City Center mixed-use development. A master plan amendment is requested to the City Center Master Plan to add ‘Recreation Facility, Indoor’ as a conditional use and a conditional use is requested to allow ‘Recreation Facility, Indoor’ for Sandbox VR. The property is located at 2001 Commerce Street, Suite 6HJK and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 749 & 802, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

d. PH-25-03 Unified Development Code Text Amendments – Zoning Districts and Permitted Use Districts and Regulations

Consideration of text amendments to Section 2.1 Zoning Districts and Section 2.2 Permitted Use Districts and Regulations of Article II of the Unified Development Code to clean up zoning district titles and descriptions and to clarify that certain zoning districts are in accordance with a specific master plan.

e. PH-25-07 Unified Development Code Text Amendments – Parking

Consideration of text amendments to Appendix A: Alpharetta Downtown Code Section 2.4 Parking and Loading and Section 2.5 Parking and Loading of the Unified Development Code to amend certain parking ratios for properties over a certain distance from a public parking facility in the Downtown and to amend parking ratio for elementary and middle schools.

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.

Locally Owned and

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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

Information Security Engineer – positions offered by Motrex LLC (Alpharetta, Georgia). Responsible for providing technical guidance within an enterprise’s information security & compliance environment and recommending security & compliance measures to safeguard its valuable information assets. Domestic travel required up to 10% of working time. Submit resume & transcripts to talent.acquisition@motrexllc. com & reference ID: 8491342.

Community Engagement Manager

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the fulltime Community Engagement Manager position. The Community Engagement Manager oversees all aspects of NFCC’s community events from planning through execution, including creating timelines, managing vendors and securing sponsorships. Events range from the annual golf tournament and fundraising gala to donor recognition and community engagement gatherings. The ideal candidate must be highly organized, creative, and motivated to successfully lead event planning and community engagement initiatives.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

Mechanical Design Engineer. Work on design of commercial kitchen appliances, Truck Bodies builder solution, healthcare industry & Commercial Vehicles. Develop automation using CAD applications; conduct Design for manufacturing & assembly, DFMEA, physical Testing activities. Project management, manufacturing process, design, estimate preparation, tolerance analysis, drafting standards & Geometric Dimension & Tolerance. Reverse Engineering, CAD Design & Detail Engineering, Drafting standards. CAD modelling, drafting and assembly concepts. Reqd: BS in Mech Eng +5 yrs of exp. Job Location: Alpharetta, GA. Contact: Jaydu LLC, 5975, Shiloh Road, Ste 114, Alpharetta, GA 30005

Infor (US), LLC has an opening for a Consultant, Senior in Alpharetta, GA. Responsible for delivering business process and application consulting services which include process design, application configuration, testing, client training, technologies, and tools in accordance with prescriptive implementation methods. Domestic (U.S.) travel and International travel is required up to 50% to travel to client site for supporting software implementations. 100% telecommuting permitted. How to apply: E-mail resume, referencing IN1037, including job history, to careers@infor.com. EOE.

Principal Technical Sales Specialist position available with PTC Inc. in Alpharetta, GA. Position will provide pre-sales engineering support, demonstration, and application development in coordination with sales account managers for strategic sales efforts; work with IT resources to help identify data integration requirements to support required functionality. Travel required up to 50% to North, Central and South America; Telecommuting permitted up to 100%. Please send resume to resumes@ ptc.com including the job title and “Job Code 20858.450” in the subject line. EOE.

Infor (US), LLC has an opening for a Project Manager in Alpharetta, GA. Position will coordinate and monitor billable projects from initiation through delivery. Maintain project financial and project profitability, to include resource scheduling, revenue forecasting per project, billing reconciliations, expense report and time approval for project work. Domestic (U.S.) travel is required up to 50%. 100% Telecommuting permitted. How to apply: E-mail resume, referencing IN1052, including job history, to careers@infor.com. EOE.

Ciena Corporation has an opening for ASIC Engineer 4 in Alpharetta, GA. $141,700226,300/year . Job duties include: Write and refine functional specifications for next generation modems advancing the state of the art. International travel is required. Position reports to the Ciena Alpharetta, Georgia office, partial telecommuting permitted. Contact: Human Resources, Ciena Corporation; https://ciena.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/ Careers/job/Atlanta/ASIC-Engineer-4_R027986

Must reference job A710.15.5.

Data Engineer II; Travelers; Alpharetta, GA; WFH 2 dys/ wk. Build & operate complex data solutions, correct problems, apply transformations & recommend solutions. Must have at least bachelor or equiv in Comp Sci, Info Sys, Comp Eng’g, or a rltd STEM field plus at least 6 yrs progressive exp as Engineer working w/ data (OR in ALT, master’s and 4 yrs exp). Exp also must incl 4 yrs exp w/: applying knowledge of industry & tech trends to formulate solutions; presenting complex info to next level of mgmt; Cloud platforms: Talend, AWS, Data Modeling, Erwin, Snowflake, Data Bricks, Data Warehousing, Dimensional Modeling; & 2 yrs exp w/ Python programming language; & demo exp w/ Data Eng’g, ETL/ELT tools, techniques, and manipulation incl Cloud platforms, programming languages. Resume to LPURSEL@travelers.com & reference Job Code R062025H.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERS: Cumming, GA & various unanticipated locations throughout the U.S.: JOB(744): Gthr rqmts, prvd updts & ensure dlvry of Salesforce enhncmnts. Mnge & cstmz Salesforce featrs, ensrng algnmnt w/biz objtvs & enhncng prdctvty. Idntfy & impl imprvmnts in Salesforce processes. Cordnt proj timelns, rsurcs & tasks to ensr on-time & within budget dlvry. Master’s in Sci, Tech, or, Engg (any); Buss Admin is req’d. JOB(734): Idntfy, dfn & anlyz biz rqmts . Dsgn, code, test, dply & mntn robots. Anlyz fesblty of exist process sutbl for autmtn. Dvlp unttnd robotic bots to autmt biz process. Impl slctrs to intrct w/window & web brwsrs for cntnus nvgtn. Extrct strctrd data frm brwsr app u/Data Scrpng mthd. Cnfgr Bots, dply processes & schdl jobs. Prfm code revw & fine tuning code for prfm rltd issues. Trublshot prdcn issues & prvd suprt. Skills Req’d: VB.Net, RPA, VBA, UI Path, Oracle, PL/SQL, Talend, Kibana, Blue Prism, ServiceNow & Jira. Bachelor’s in Sci, Tech, or, Engg (any); Buss Admin w/2 yrs of exp in job offe’d or rltd occup is req’d. Cmbntn of 2 degrees twrds Bachelor’s is acceptable. BOTH JOBS: Mail CV: HR, Jobly Solutions, LLC., 110 Samaritan Dr., Ste 211, Cumming, GA 30040

SVK Systems, Inc. (Duluth, GA) seeks multiple Software Developers to analyze user requirements, design, develop, test and deploy various client-servers, web based software applications. Requirements: MS or Foreign equivalent in Comp. Sc./IT, Engg./Math/ Science or related + 1 year of relevant IT experience in job offered or related occupation using Java, Microsoft SQL Server, .Net, and Salesforce (or BS or foreign equivalent in Comp. Sci/IT/Engg/Math/Science or related plus 5 yrs of relevant IT experience in job offered or related occupation using same IT skills listed above). Positions involve travel to client locations all over the USA. Send resume to HR Manager – SVK Systems, Inc., 3057 Peachtree Ind. Blvd., Suite 100, Duluth, GA 30097 or Email: hr@svksytems.com.

Pilot Travel Centers, LLC. dba Pilot Flying J seeks Data Strategist III in Roswell, GA. to ensure the quality, availability, effectiveness, and support of Data Governance projects to support key business initiatives. Apply at www.jobpostingtoday.com (REF #63719) for consideration.

Part-time

Part-time

Salesforce Business Analyst

NFCC is seeking a part-time Salesforce Business Analyst to help ensure operational efficiency by updating data, building reports and assisting organizational teams to increase their capability to meet organizational needs. The Salesforce Business Analyst will also build and generate organizational reports monthly (eg. KPI, volunteer reports), complete Salesforce data clean-up projects and analyze data sets for special projects to ensure organizational efficiency.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

If you love working with children, Midway Preschool is hiring Assistant Teachers.Call Beth @ 770-752-0440 or email beth@midwayumc.org

Part-Time Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Thrift Shop Associate

NFCC is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the part-time Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Thrift Shop

Associate position. One of the primary responsibilities of this role is to provide a high level of customer service in the Thrift Shop. The associate is responsible for all cash register and client clothing program transactions and keeping the merchandise in the store neat, clean, and organized. The role requires a friendly and customer-focused demeanor where all shoppers are treated with dignity and compassion.

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

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To place a classified ad, email classifieds@appenmedia.com Deadline is Thursdays by 3pm

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