Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - February 1, 2024

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Roswell left with another staff vacancy

Volunteers tally North Fulton homelessness in annual count

City clerk retires after 26 years ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson announced that the special-called meeting Jan. 29 would be City Clerk Marlee Press’ last, ushering her to the podium.

“I wanted to make sure we acknowledged her and said thank you for the amazing job you did for our city,” Wilson said.

Press is retiring from 26 years of service to the City of Roswell.

According to her LinkedIn profile, she was promoted to city clerk in 2011 after working as the executive assistant to the City Council.

“I’m going to spend a lot more time with my granddaughter and my husband,” Press told the audience. “I spend more time here than at home, and we’re going to switch it around now.”

City Administrator Randy Knighton told Appen Media the city will be in the process of finding a new city clerk, but that there will likely be someone to take the position in the interim.

“Obviously, someone that experienced is hard to replace,” Knighton said.

Press’ retirement comes after a number of departures from Roswell local government. Through an open records request, Appen Media obtained 73 letters of resignations tendered by City of Roswell employees in 2023.

Resignations include the finance director, IT director, purchasing manager, community development director, community development deputy director, and the superintendent of parks.

Mostly recently, Richard Rhinehart resigned after eight months as the city’s chief operating officer. City staff said he left to pursue new consulting opportunities.

— Amber Perry

City spa ordinance under construction ► PAGE 5

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Roswell City Clerk Marlee Press acknowledges a standing ovation Jan. 29 after Mayor Kurt Wilson announced that it would be her last City Council meeting. Press is retiring after 26 years with the city.

BUSINESS

Forsyth’s Gathering reaches crossroads

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — More than 50 volunteers set out from Mary Hall Freedom Village in Sandy Springs Jan. 23 to survey the area’s unsheltered population for the annual Fulton County Continuum of Care Point in Time Count.

Point in time counts provide lawmakers and funding organizations with information on the number, demographics and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness.

In Fulton County, the Continuum of Care promotes funding and programs to combat homelessness in Fulton cities. Atlanta has its own continuum of care.

Data is then sent to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which uses the results to determine federal funding to address homelessness.

The organized count covered the cities of Johns Creek, Sandy Springs, Milton, Alpharetta and Roswell. Mountain Park will also be canvassed through Jan. 30 when the Point in Time formally ends.

South Fulton County canvassing was scheduled for Jan. 24.

See TALLY, Page 28

► PAGE 8

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ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police arrested a 27-year-old Kennesaw man sought in connection with a Jan. 22 robbery at Truist Bank.

James Raborn was captured after a two-day manhunt that ended in Mountain Park.

The Roswell E-911 Center received a call of a bank robbery at the Truist Bank on Holcomb Bridge Road Jan. 22 at around 3:30 p.m. Staff reported that a male, later identified as Raborn, had passed a note demanding money and threatening the possession of a gun, though none was displayed. Close to 10 minutes elapsed between the time of the robbery and the 911 call, and when officers arrived, Raborn had already left the scene.

Using surveillance footage from the bank and neighboring businesses, along with the technology resources of the Roswell Crime Center, detectives were able to quickly identify an involved vehicle and

potential suspects.

The next morning at around 9 a.m., a suspect vehicle driven by Raborn triggered license plate readers on East Crossville Road in Roswell, and officers responded to the area. They quickly located the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop, but Raborn drove off. A short pursuit ensued into the area of Mountain Park, where Raborn abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot.

A female passenger, identified as 29-year-old Emily Browning, remained inside the vehicle. Further investigation determined that Browning was alleged to have been a participant in the Jan. 22 heist, and she was later charged with armed robbery as well.

Meanwhile, police flooded the Mountain Park area in a search for Raborn, including several K9 and drone teams, as well as officers from the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cobb County and Woodstock police departments and Georgia State

Patrol. After several hours of searching, Raborn was not located. Uniformed officers remained in the area with a heavy presence while detectives continued follow up efforts to locate Raborn.

Wednesday evening, detectives received the first cell phone data for Raborn since he had fled, indicating that his phone had become active in the 300 block of Mountain Park Road around 8 p.m. Detectives immediately returned to the area of the cell phone ping, and found an outbuilding on a nearby property with evidence that someone had recently been inside.

Detectives contacted the homeowner, and as she came to the door to meet them, she saw Raborn lying on the floor of a spare bedroom. The homeowner immediately exited and allowed officers inside to take Raborn into custody. The homeowner said she was not aware until

POLICE BLOTTER

from opening while his partner completed the theft.

The suspects returned to the store around 4:30 p.m., and one of them purchased an iPhone 15 Pro Max with one of the fraudulent gift cards, the report states.

The Apple store at the Mall of Georgia reportedly provided the Avalon store with photos of the suspects. The pair allegedly tried to access one of the sales devices at the Mall of Georgia location, but employees did not allow them.

No suspects have been identified.

report of a man locked in a restroom, screaming and banging on the walls for more than an hour.

The man exited the restroom five minutes after officers announced themselves at the scene.

Officers said they observed a white powdery substance in the restroom and detained the man in handcuffs.

A field test of the substance tested positive for cocaine, a Schedule II drug.

The suspect was medically denied at the Alpharetta Jail due to possible withdrawal symptoms, officers said.

After he was medically cleared at the Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, he was transported back to the Roswell Police Department on Hill Street.

Eventually, he was transported to Fulton County Jail.

Officers obtained a warrant for the possession of a Schedule II drug and issued a criminal trespass warning at the request of management.

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.

Police seek two men in Apple store theft ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Employees reported two male suspects fraudulently purchased an iPhone at the Apple store on Avalon Boulevard Jan. 18.

An employee reportedly gave one of the suspects a sales device, on which the suspect allegedly accessed the store’s system to redeem two $1,800 gift cards around 4 p.m.

Employees said the cash register automatically opens when a payment is made in the system, but the second suspect allegedly blocked the drawer

Alpharetta man arrested on drug possession charge ROSWELL, Ga. — Roswell Police arrested a 27-year-old Alpharetta man for cocaine possession Jan. 24 after a trespass call from Mr. Tino’s Ice Cream on Grimes Bridge Road.

Officers said they received a

See TRUIST, Page 4

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Rotary Club awards scholarships to sophomores for study abroad

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Two high school students in Johns Creek are looking forward to their study abroad programs next school year, an immersive experience where little English will be used.

The Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton awarded Erika Gabrielson, a sophomore at Northview High School, and Marcela Vega, a sophomore at Johns Creek High School, $25,000 scholarships for the experience.

The application process was intensive, with background checks, referrals and a series of interviews, which culminated in an event called “The Big Reveal” in December. Gabrielson and Vega didn’t know where they were headed until they popped some balloons which held the name of their destinations.

For about 10 months, Gabrielson will be in Brazil, and Vega, in Sweden, each rotating through the homes of three host families with help from Rotarians along the way. In preparation, they’ve been learning the language of their respective countries.

Bob MacDonald, the youth exchange officer for the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton, said Rotary International has been coordinating the study abroad program for about a century and unlike others, it’s volunteerrun. This year, he said more than 9,000 students all over the world have received $25,000 in-kind scholarships.

“The concept is: Send someone to a different country, get immersed in the local culture,” MacDonald said. “In the process, we’re kind of creating peace and understanding one student at the time.”

Gabrielson said she is ready for the food in Brazil, meeting new people and learning Portuguese more while being immersed.

Her mother, Angel Gabrielson, was

Truist: Continued from Page 2 that point that Raborn was inside. Further investigation indicated that Raborn had likely entered the home shortly before through a kitchen window while the homeowner was away.

Raborn was transported to the Fulton County Jail on charges of armed robbery, criminal trespass, and an assortment of traffic offenses stemming from the pursuit.

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Erika Gabrielson, sophomore at Northview High School, and Marcela Vega, sophomore at Johns Creek High School, are preparing for their trip to study abroad after receiving $25,000 scholarships from the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton.

beside her, both having just listened to Civil Rights activist and Johns Creek resident John Suttles share his story Jan. 24. Part of the deal is attending a rotary event once a month, but also participating in a service project prior to departure.

Angel said her anxiety about her daughter leaving for another country for the better part of year is decreasing, but she’s learning about it, and she’s excited.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Angel said.

Vega said she’s interested in seeing the lifestyle in Sweden and the ways in which language shapes thoughts and ways of self-expression.

“I'm looking forward to seeing how … language, culture affects us as human beings and how the interaction can even change you as a person,” Vega said.

Roswell Police say they will continue to collaborate with their law enforcement partners, as Raborn and Browning are believed to be involved in a number of other armed robberies in the Metro Atlanta area.

This remains an active investigation.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Fernandez at 770640-4583 or mfernandez@roswellgov.com.

Anonymous information can be provided through Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-5778477 or online at www.StopCrimeATL.org.

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AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 5

Roswell massage therapist blasts ‘offensive’ wording in city code City administrator presents action plan to end illicit activity

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com ROSWELL, Ga. — Jo Taylor, a Roswell massage therapist, returned to the podium at the City Council’s open forum Jan. 29 to caution officials against using language that puts legitimate therapists in a precarious position.

In September, Roswell police announced the arrest of three principal figures within a human trafficking network, after dozens of officers and investigators across Fulton County served search and arrest warrants at 10 locations in Roswell, Johns Creek, Sandy Springs and Atlanta.

There have been 70 arrests across 23 locations in Roswell, and the investigation is ongoing.

Since then, a 90-day moratorium has been enacted to stall the licensure process for new massage businesses entering Roswell, in effect through the beginning of March. The city also held the first reading of a new zoning ordinance that will require a conditional-use permit for new massage businesses, meaning they must be approved by the council. The second reading is scheduled for Feb. 12.

City officials have stressed that most of the massage businesses in Roswell are legitimate and should be patronized, sympathizing with them over the residual impact of the city’s police investigation.

But, massage therapists have continued to raise concerns.

Taylor highlighted that Roswell’s city charter currently places “massage spas and establishments” under Chapter 4, or “Adult Businesses and Entertainment.”

“That’s hurtful to me, really hurtful,” Taylor said. “I am not adult entertainment.

I would like to see the language to be changed … I am not a massage parlor.

PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

Jo Taylor, Roswell-based massage therapist, cautions the City Council about the use of language in Roswell city ordinance on massage businesses at the open forum Jan. 29. Roswell’s city charter currently places “massage spas and establishments” under Chapter 4, or “Adult Businesses and Entertainment.”

These are businesses of prostitution.

These are businesses of human trafficking.”

Referencing Georgia law, she said she would lose her license if she was involved in adult entertainment.

Mayor Kurt Wilson told Taylor the city’s priority is to eliminate illegal activity.

He said nothing has been done about it in years and that some of the city’s neighboring communities are continuing to do nothing because the issue appears “benign.”

But, he said the city’s action will eventually prove beneficial for Taylor’s practice.

“When we clean this out of the City of Roswell, it is going to have a positive impact, because nobody will be able to walk into your practice and have any expectations because we’ll have made it very clear in the City of Roswell it is a nogo zone,” Wilson said. “There’s a little bit of pain and frustration. I know, I get it. Just bear with us.”

Earlier at the meeting, City Administrator Randy Knighton presented a cross-departmental action plan to eliminate illegal massages spas and establishments, which included

addressing the demand side.

Knighton also described a number of revisions to city code to allow legitimate massage business to thrive, takeaways from an open house the city hosted Jan. 26 for Roswell massage therapists. He said the city plans to revise requirements for surety bonds, residency of registered agents, but also terminology.

“I had been using the term ‘massage spa ordinance’ intentionally because that’s currently in our ordinance,” Knighton said.

“But, some of the business owners have mentioned other phrases or terminology that they would believe would be more appropriate to distinguish their businesses from those who operate illegally.”

Police Chief James Conroy joined Knighton at the podium, asking audience members to raise their hand if they attended the open house. There were at least a dozen.

“It was a very good learning process,” Conroy said. “They taught us many things, and we educated them as well.”

Other speakers at the open forum lauded the City Council for taking action on human trafficking and sexual exploitation found throughout massage establishments in Roswell.

Roswell City Administrator Randy Knighton presents a crossdepartmental action plan to address illegal activity found throughout various massage businesses in the city as well as revisions to city code in response to concerns from licensed massage therapists.

One woman reiterated the need to address the customer base.

“Whenever you purchase sex through another party, you don’t know if that person is operating on force, fraud or coercion,” she said. “You don’t really know, so we have to protect vulnerable people in our community.”

Another speaker, a licensed massage therapist and registered nurse, asked the City Council to address those who are leasing the commercial properties to sex traffickers, deeming them complicit.

In response, Mayor Wilson said residents won’t hear everything the city is doing in its investigation because it’s a matter of public safety protocol.

“We can’t show all the cards and give people warnings of people that we’re trying to take out,” he said.

For additional information on the Roswell city ordinance related to massage establishments, email massage@roswellgov.com or call the Roswell Police Records and Permits Unit at 770-640-4100.

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Civil Rights activist John Suttles, right, describes his experience as a 16-year-old boy on Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965, when police attacked him and other foot soldiers in a march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery for voting rights. Kaaryn Walker, left, interviewed Suttles for the event, hosted by the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton at St. Ives Country Club Jan. 24.

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Civil Rights activist relates experience in Alabama’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ march

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — It made sense for John Suttles to join in on the fight for voting rights as a preteen in Selma, Alabama, in the early ’60s.

Soon after he and his mother moved to Sheffield, Suttles moved from having fun, building things and blowing things up with firecrackers with other boys, to an involvement in Civil Rights.

“At the age of 12, 13 years old, I was hooked,” Suttles told members of the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton Jan. 24 in an interview with Kaaryn Walker, who’s heavily involved in Johns Creek. “I went to a mass meeting, and I listened to some of the speakers. I went back a couple of times and heard Dr. King speak, and that was it. I was in — in it to win it, so to speak.”

He and his newfound group of young activists would talk about how to bring along the community and help the community, how things should be done.

Suttles, a self-described “diplomat” of his family growing up, said he preferred a nonviolent approach.

But, in the first attempt to march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7, 1965, there was a lot of violence — from police.

The effort was prompted by the death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, killed in a protest the preceding February.

Bloody Sunday When 600 peaceful foot soldiers, from all different backgrounds, crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a sea of state troopers were waiting at the bottom.

“Everything around us just stopped moving,” said Suttles, who was 16 years old at the time. “The air stopped moving.

Everything got quiet … We knew that it was different. We knew this may take a few of

Bob MacDonald, member of the Rotary Club of Johns Creek North Fulton, introduces Civil Rights activist John Suttles. At the Jan. 24 event, Suttles spoke about his experience participating in a march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery for voting rights in 1965. Two more marches would follow, contributing to the passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year. us out. But, we [were] committed.”

Suttles and many more were hospitalized. His own blood soaked the army jacket he wore, which his uncle gave him earlier that day, after Suttles told him he was headed “to Mongomery to talk to George Wallace.” The garment is on display at a national interpretive center.

“John Lewis said, ‘We’re going to say a prayer first,’ and just as soon as he started kneeling, then it broke loose,” Suttles said.

“And, that was the beginning of Bloody Sunday … a day that I’ll never forget. I’m 75 now, and I remember it like yesterday.”

There would be a second, but unsuccessful attempt to march to Montogomery, coined “Turnaround Tuesday,” which Martin Luther King Jr. joined. In a third attempt about two weeks later, 25,000 participants successfully

See SUTTLES, Page 9

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AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 7

Alpharetta approves budget adjustments with existing money

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta officials approved a slew of midyear budget adjustments to move ahead with parks funding and major infrastructure projects.

The funding changes will be finalized after an upcoming second reading.

At a Jan. 29 formal meeting, the Alpharetta City Council voted 5-0 to approve the first reading of a mid-fiscal year budget amendment.

Councilmen Fergal Brady and Doug DeRito were absent from the meeting.

The city adopts its budget each summer to fund its upcoming fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through June 30.

Councilman Brian Will noted for “the first time in a long, long time,” the City Council did not need to increase the mid-year budget, instead redirecting money that had already been allocated for different purposes.

The millage rate, set at 5.75 mills, was adopted in August after the city received revised figures from Fulton County showing larger than anticipated growth in property values. The City Council approved a $154 million budget, with just more than $99 million going for day-to-day operational costs.

At the Jan. 29 meeting, the City Council approved an additional $100,000 for the Public Works Department to obtain right-of-way for the Waters Road bridge replacement.

Most of the project, $5.8 million, is being funded by the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The Recreation, Parks and Cultural

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

From right, Alpharetta Public Safety Director John Robison presents Carl Hall with a service award at a City Council meeting Jan. 29. Hall retired after 35 years with the Public Safety Department.

Services Department is set to receive $130,000 to demolish existing structures at the site of the planned Mayfield Park near the city’s border with Milton. City staff anticipates the work to be split funded between Milton and Alpharetta, with each city contributing $65,000.

City staff anticipates an additional $1.6 million in earnings on the city’s cash balances, which would be placed into an unallocated account for TSPLOST I projects. Public Works Director Pete Sewczwicz said the money will likely be used for the Encore Parkway Big Creek Greenway connection.

In August, Alpharetta formally canceled its 2023 municipal election after seeing no challengers during its qualifying period. The 2024 budget

amendment will reallocate $270,533 of the $407,090 reserved for the election to the city’s contingency fund.

In other action at the meeting, the City Council unanimously voted to apply for a transportation alternative program grant from GDOT. The city would contribute a $1 million match

from its TSPLOST II funds in exchange for $4 million to construct the North Point Parkway streetscape project.

Alpharetta would contribute a match of $250,000 from unallocated funds for the Alpha Link project with a $1 million contribution from GDOT. Councilmembers also approved a lobbying contract with Alcade and Fay. City Administrator Chris Lagerbloom said the contract is aimed at establishing Alpharetta’s presence in Washington D.C. in hopes of securing federal grants for current and future projects.

The city will pay $5,000 a month for the services.

Also at the meeting, the City Council approved Mayor Jim Gilvin’s nomination of Dan Mitnick to the Development Authority. Councilman Dan Merkel was also reelected mayor pro tem.

Councilmembers also recognized Carl Hall for his 35 years of service to the Public Safety Department.

Hall served as a fire battalion chief, 911 director and CAD RMS project manager.

Public Safety Director John Robison presented Hall with a service award.

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Gathering at South Forsyth builds up government steam

By SHELBY ISRAEL shelby@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The Forsyth County Commission is set to formalize the terms of The Gathering at South Forsyth in the coming weeks.

Plans for the proposed development on some 100 acres near Union Hill Road, Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Ga. 400 include 1.6 million square feet of commercial and retail space, a 750,000-square-foot arena, a community center and 450 hotel rooms.

At a Jan. 18 Development Authority meeting, County Manager David McKee said the county was in the process of finalizing the deal points for The Gathering.

“And then there's some contingencies that have to be met,” McKee said. “But I think the most important part is, is if this deal goes forward, that everything is contingent on the National Hockey League landing a franchise at that facility.”

But, McKee emphasized nothing is finalized until approved by the County Commission, and the agreement is still in a draft form.

In a phone call with Appen Media, County Communications Director Russell Brown said there is no promise of a hockey team as yet, and details are subject to change pending formal agreement.

The agreement and further details were scheduled to be presented at a special-called Board of Commissioners work session Jan. 31.

At the Jan. 18 meeting, McKee said the NHL will open a franchise application in March or April, and the process could

take as long as a year.

Project staff first presented conceptual plans for The Gathering at a Forsyth County Board of Commissioners work session April 25.

At that meeting, project staff estimated The Gathering could produce more than 12,000 long-term employment opportunities, as well as more than 20,000 construction jobs during its 10year development.

The 100-acre project is the dream of Vernon Krause, CEO of Krause Auto Group, which operates a collection of family-owned dealerships across four states in the Southeast.

“As a global entertainment hub, The Gathering at South Forsyth will provide residents, employers and visitors with the ability to see their favorite musician, experience a family-friendly ice show or eat at a James Beard-awarded restaurant without having to sit in their car for hours,” Krause said in an April statement.

In September, the development team hired Senior Project Executive Frank Ferrara, who helped secure an NHL tenant when he administered the Arizona State University ice hockey program.

The Atlanta Regional Commission, the planning agency representing most Metro Atlanta governments including Forsyth County, issued its approval of The Gathering in a development of regional impact study in September.

The agreement marks the county’s first formal vote on the project.

In June, the county commissioned an economic impact and financial feasibility study from Ernst and Young’s QUEST division. Results were set to be presented alongside the agreement Jan. 31.

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Forsyth County Manager David McKee shares an update on The Gathering at South Forsyth at a Development Authority meeting Jan. 18. McKee said a forthcoming agreement will outline the project’s contingencies, including a possible NHL franchise at the development.

THE GATHERING AT SOUTH FORSYTH/PROVIDED

This rendering shows a proposed arena at the planned Gathering at South Forsyth.

The Forsyth County Commission is set to formalize the terms of the development with an agreement in the coming weeks.

www.gnfcc.com

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Questions surround Sandy Springs ‘do not respond list’

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A dispute involving police and a manager at the Atlanta North Metro Coca-Cola Bottling Company on Dunwoody Place has sparked questions about the existence of a “do not respond” list at the 911 Center in Sandy Springs.

While Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone explicitly references the list in a Nov. 2023 email to the president of the Atlanta Police Foundation, interviews and records obtained by Appen Media indicate the city has no such thing.

Late last year, Sandy Springs Police officers were instructed to patrol companies that support the Atlanta Police

Suttles: Continued from Page 6 made the 54-mile trek. Suttles walked in all of them.

“That was so impressive to the president, they started talking about the voters’ bill,” Suttles said.

The Voting Rights Act was signed into

Foundation after a Nov. 13 clash between law enforcement and several hundred opponents of Atlanta’s proposed public safety training center in DeKalb County.

That assignment went sour Nov. 14 when a Sandy Springs patrolman reported in an email that while conducting a business check at the Coca-Cola facility at 8250 Dunwoody Place, he was asked to leave the premises.

Through an open records request, Appen Media received emails detailing the incident through the department’s chain of command.

The officer said in an email to a lieutenant that while he was sitting in his patrol vehicle, he was approached by a warehouse manager who told him police were not allowed on the premises “due to it

being private property.”

He told the manager he was sent to check the location due to threats against companies that support the Atlanta Police Foundation.

The manager then “insisted” the officer leave the property, according to the email.

Documents obtained through the open records request show the officer’s account of the incident was sent to Lt. Matthew McGinnis, Capt. Andrew Spears and Deputy Police Chief Craig Chandler.

In the emails, Sandy Springs Police personnel voiced frustration about how the officer was treated at the Coca-Cola facility.

Records show Deputy Chief Chandler forwarded the email thread to Police Chief DeSimone, suggesting “someone

at APF might want to reach out to Coke executives” about the incident.

A Nov. 16 email from the chief to Dave Wilkinson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation, shares the suggestion and references the “do not respond” list.

“Do you have any contacts at Coca Cola?” Chief DeSimone asked in the email.

“I’m getting ready to put them on the ‘do not respond’ list at the 911 center.”

Whether or not that list exists is unclear.

The City of Sandy Springs denied an Open Records Act request for the list, stating it had no responsive documents.

Sandy Springs Interim

law by President Lyndon B. Johnson that August.

three gunshots by police in the protest, refuses to attend anniversary events there.

Her father had been invited to the 50th anniversary of the Orangeburg Massacre

by Bakari Sellers, political strategist and son of Cleveland Sellers, who had been the only individual convicted and jailed for what took place.

“I could not understand why he didn’t want to share his experience to the world,” Walker said.

Empathizing with Walker’s father, Suttles said it was probably too painful for him. Though Suttles had been beaten, he said he was not shot.

“I thank people like you for continuing to not just share your story but to have a positive outlook for our country, of not just where we came from and what we were, but how far we have come and the great things that we have the opportunity to aspire to be,” Walker told Suttles.

Sharing experience Walker, who interviewed Suttles, shared her father’s experience in the 1968 Orangeburg Massacre when police shot and killed three student protesters and wounded 28 more on the campus of South Carolina State University.

She said her father, who had survived

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14 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

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Insights into the current real estate landscape in our community Brought to you by – Allison Kloster, REALTOR® HOME Real Estate, The Kloster Group Greetings as we embark on the first month of the new year! We extend our warmest New Year wishes and trust that you’ve had a splendid beginning to what promises to be your best year yet. Undoubtedly, you’ve come across various reports on the real estate market through different media channels. It’s crucial for all of us to stay informed about the happenings in what is likely our most significant asset – our homes.

In October 2023, mortgage rates surged to a peak of 8%, causing apprehension among eager buyers who took a step back, choosing to wait through the holiday season to observe trends in 2024. Their patience is now rewarded as interest rates have

eased down to a more palatable 6.5%.

Armed with pre-approvals, prospective buyers are actively seeking their next homes. However, a persistent challenge they face is the continuation of low inventory, a nationwide issue we’ve not encountered before.

The root cause lies in the fact that approximately 60% of all current mortgages originated during the pandemic. While not everyone purchased new homes, many opted to refinance, bringing their mortgage rates down to the 2.5%-3.5% range. This has led to a “lock-in effect” as sellers are hesitant to part with their current homes due to the financial implications of paying off existing mortgages, securing new ones at current rates, and potentially purchasing pricier properties.

This lock-in scenario is anticipated to persist through 2024. Nevertheless,

our local community is experiencing an energetic start to the 2024 spring market, which traditionally began in March but is now kicking off in January. Our team, The Kloster Group, has successfully placed every home we’ve listed since the year began, often within days of entering the market.

This trend indicates a robust readiness among buyers, and sellers should seize the opportunity to list their homes.

If you’re contemplating selling, it’s crucial to consider your next move before entering the market. Exploring options early, especially with the possibility of sellers allowing a stay until the end of the school year, can create a win-win situation for both buyers and sellers. Engaging a Realtor sooner rather than later is imperative to strategically plan for your ideal timing.

While national forecasts anticipate the housing market’s lock-in effect to

persist, our community in North Atlanta is thriving. Boasting desirable schools, a strong sense of community, safety, easy access to an international airport, and the inherent beauty of our region, there’s an abundance of reasons to call North Atlanta home. If you’re curious about what 2024 holds specifically for your home and your potential move, we invite you to reach out. Let us assist you in navigating the unique real estate landscape of the coming year.

Investing in your home is one of the hardest and most important decisions you will make for your family. Our team is here to serve you. Call Allison Kloster for a no pressure, no obligation appointment to find out what your home is worth!

Call 404-784-5287 or email allison@ homegeorgia.com and get a response within 24 hours.

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Five strategies for a winter home detox Brought to you by – Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty As the winter season settles in, consider using the extra time indoors Bill Rawlings to freshen up and Sherri Conrad your living space. Winter decluttering helps make your home feel warmer and more inviting and promotes a sense of order and control. It also helps you organize season-specific items such as holiday decorations, warm clothing and coldweather gear. Efficiently managing these items sets the stage for a smoother transition into the new year.

Here are five effective strategies for organizing your surroundings and

creating a living environment that promotes wellness and warmth during the chilly days ahead: 1. Closet cleanout.

Begin by assessing your wardrobe for unused, threadbare, out-of-style or out-of-season clothing, bidding farewell to items that no longer serve you. Consider donating gently worn garments and organize your remaining wardrobe to make getting dressed a breeze during the winter months. Store out-of-season clothing in under-bed storage or a designated closet section to free up room for current-season items.

2. Holiday décor organization.

Sort through your decorations, keeping only those that hold sentimental value or bring genuine joy.

Store items in labeled containers and consider creating a designated space for holiday decor to prevent clutter in

other areas of your home.

3. Paperwork purge.

Take the time to sift through piles of documents, old bills and unnecessary paperwork. Shred or recycle items that are no longer needed and organize important documents in labeled folders or storage boxes. This not only declutters your physical space but also contributes to mental clarity, reducing the stress associated with a disorganized home office.

4. Kitchen cleanup.

Start by decluttering countertops and cabinets, discarding expired pantry items and organizing cookware and utensils. Wipe down surfaces and appliances to create a fresh and sanitary environment. Consider donating unused kitchen gadgets or dishes.

5. Tech/gadget organization.

Assess and declutter your collection of electronic devices, cables and accessories. Tidy up charging stations, untangle cords and dispose of obsolete gadgets responsibly. Establish designated spaces for different devices, making it easier to locate and charge them efficiently.

The benefits of decluttering extend beyond a tidy space. Embracing these practices allows us to enter the new year with a fresh perspective, ready to embrace the warmth and serenity that a well-organized home brings. If you need assistance renovating your home or have any other real estate needs, please contact Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty at 770.442.7300. We would be happy to assist you!

Compiled and edited by Angela Valente, Marketing Copywriter/ Copyeditor

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Capital gains tax Brought to you by – Geerdes & Associates You’ve invested a lot of your energy and time into obtaining real estate, and oftentimes, you’ll want to make sure that the property you worked so hard for is inherited by your loved ones. While inheriting a property may sound easy on paper, there are specific tax features that come into play when your beneficiaries inherit an asset of significant value from you.

The capital gains tax is one of these tax features. It is calculated based on the difference between the original value of the property, or the price you bought it at, and the selling price. Usually when you sell a property, you’ll have to pay capital gains tax on the transaction. When it comes to inheriting a property, however, there is a tax feature called the “step-up in basis.” Simply put, if you are inheriting a property, the property’s original price is revalued to be the current market price, meaning that the beneficiary can avoid having to pay capital gains tax.

Of course, the step-up in basis does not apply to all inherited assets, and whether this tax feature comes into play will depend greatly on your circumstances

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and the inheritance situation. For instance, whether the property is inherited through the probate process or via a right of survivorship are both situations your heirs may encounter. Or, if you didn’t do any estate planning prior to your death, your beneficiaries may not even be able to inherit your property at all.

Tax implications and inheritance are complex, and you should never wait until it’s too late to start learning about them. By delving into the intricacies of estate planning early on, and speaking with a local estate planning attorney, you can make sure you’re fully aware of all the minimized tax liabilities and other benefits that a solid estate plan will bring you.

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I look forward to the opportunity to write articles for Appen Media, but frankly do any of you want to read another story about low inventory and dropping interest rates? The latter is fabulous news, call me if you want to chat about it. But for now, how about some examples of real experiences, real clients, and real life in the world of real estate?

Let’s talk a minute about staging.

I have a client with exceptional taste and decorating skills. She owned a home that while lovely, had some big challenges: synthetic stucco, polybutylene pipes, and a driveway so steep the bottom of my car scraped no matter how slow I drove down it.

However, when prospective buyers walked inside, they were completely blown away by the sensuous fabrics, layered bedding, gorgeous lighting, highquality paint and perfectly displayed collections. That incredible staging got us multiple offers even with our disclosure of the home’s core challenges.

The moral of the story is two-fold: as a seller, don’t underestimate the power of staging, and as a buyer, be sure that staging is not playing too big a role in your decision-making.

Surveys. Yes, we know buyers should get a survey. Selling your house? Please

get a survey, especially if you live on a larger or unique parcel. Perhaps you’ve made improvements (or your neighbor has), another good reason to get a survey before listing your home for sale.

Don’t wait until you have your home under contract to find out you don’t own all the land you think you do, or that your neighbor’s fence is several feet across the property line. Save the stress, save the future deal, get the survey.

Hoarding is real and it does not always look like what you see on television. If your children have left the nest and you are saving their old baby crib for the grandkids, please reconsider.

Technology changes rapidly not just for your iPhone… cribs, strollers and highchairs are all very different than they were 25 years ago. Unless you are a home caterer or professional chef you likely do not need eight strainers and 14 wooden spoons. Inherited six pieces of antique furniture from Nana and feel obligated to keep them all? Pick your favorite and sell or donate the rest. We hold on to things that we don’t need or really want. If it can go in a storage unit, it can probably just go altogether.

Our advice? Staging and a fresh coat of paint, surveys and decluttering are assets that can produce a higher return when we list your home. Get ahead of the game, and get these things done.

Please reach out, we have resources to help.

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Stay at the newly opened Trilith Guesthouse, explore the new homes in the vibrant community of Trilith Brought to you by – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties In the heart of Fayetteville, Georgia, a new haven for creativity and inspiration has emerged with the opening of the Trilith Guesthouse in January. Nestled in the award-winning community known as the Town at Trilith, this boutique hotel stands as a testament to luxury and artistic expression, offering 192 grand rooms designed to awaken the storyteller in every visitor.

Trilith Guesthouse prides itself on providing not just accommodation but an experience curated for comfort and style. The hotel’s versatile indoor and outdoor venues are crafted to inspire collaboration and productivity, making it an ideal choice for creatives, artists, and storytellers. Guests will enjoy a signature restaurant, Prologue Dining & Drinks, a European-inspired rooftop

bar, Oliver’s Twist Bar & View, culinary delights, and breathtaking views of Trilith.

The Town at Trilith, located just 30 minutes south of downtown Atlanta, is a unique community adjacent to Trilith Studios, known for producing blockbuster movies and hit television series. The town’s pedestrian-friendly layout encompasses a meticulously curated Town Centre featuring distinctive restaurants and retail establishments, including Enzo Steakhouse & Bar, Sensu Sushi, and Woodstone Bakery & Cafe. In addition, the newly opened Forest School at Trilith is a 21st century micro-school— grades K-12—with learner-driven technology, Socratic discussions, hands-on projects, and real-world apprenticeships in an intentionally diverse and character-forging community.

What sets Trilith apart is its diverse architectural influences, with homes

ranging from enchanting Provencal cottages to grand Mediterranean estates. Rob Parker, president of the Town at Trilith, describes it as “a place where makers live, create, and inspire the world.” The homes are not just residences; they are individual works of art seamlessly blending into the town’s overall aesthetic.

For those eager to become part of this vibrant community, a selection of homes is currently available on the market, including Cottages from $769,900, Terrace Homes from $699,900, and Village Homes from $1,225,000 plus Custom lots to design your own home.

Trilith has captured the hearts of residents and visitors alike with its natural beauty and recreational offerings. The community boasts 51% green space, offering an array of amenities for all ages and interests.

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breathtaking views and fostering a sense of community. A dog park and outdoor art collection add to the outdoor experience, creating a haven for pet owners and art enthusiasts alike.

Sports enthusiasts will find a paradise in Trilith with tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball courts, and well-equipped playgrounds. Numerous fire pits throughout the community provide the perfect ambiance for gatherings and shared moments. The commitment to a holistic lifestyle is evident in the Piedmont Wellness Center, a state-of-the-art facility offering health and fitness services to residents.

For those considering a move to Trilith, model homes are available for touring seven days a week. To schedule a private tour or gather more information, call the sales office at 678-519-1008 or visit TrilithRealEstate.com.

20 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

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Section of I-285 shoulder closes for auxiliary lane construction SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Georgia Department of Transportation contractors closed the I-285 westbound shoulder Jan. 21 from Long Island Drive past the Mt. Vernon Highway bridge.

The closure is expected to last three months for work on the I-285 Auxiliary Lane Project, which will add an additional track between Roswell Road and Riverside Drive.

The $42 million project also includes the reconstruction of the Mount Vernon Highway Bridge over I-285.

GDOT says the closure may be extended beyond the three-month estimate.

The project contractors, Archer Western Construction and Heath & Lineback Engineering, began construction in August 2023.

Kyle Collins, a communications program manager with GDOT, said completion is anticipated in summer 2025.

GDOT classifies the project under the umbrella of the I-285 Advanced Improvement Project.

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The I-285 projects are a part of the Major Mobility and Investment Program, which seeks to improve freight mobility, decrease travel times and enhance safety across the state.

After a tractor-trailer crash closed the Mount Vernon Highway bridge over I-285 in late September 2023, GDOT looked to accelerate the completion of the bridge.

The initial completion date for the new bridge was set for June.

While there may be delays due to utility relocation and weather, completion of the bridge is anticipated for March, according to GDOT. “We still anticipate a traffic shift to the new Mount Vernon Road bridge this spring,” Collins said. “[We] are working with the project team to expedite that as much as possible.”

GDOT advises drivers to expect delays, exercise caution and reduce speed while traveling through the construction zone.

For real-time information on work status and traffic conditions, visit http://511ga.org/

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ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Rotary Club will host its sixth annual Polar Bear Plunge from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 3 at the Wills Park Pool.

The yearly fundraiser invites nonprofits, schools, clubs, sports teams and community groups to dive into the icy water to raise money for a cause of their choice.

Participants can also create a new team or sign up as individual jumpers.

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The 2023 Polar Plunge raised more than $117,000.

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AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 23

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24 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

NEWS

Scout leader honors late son in fighting human trafficking

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Tom Reitz said his late son Matthew was someone committed to advocacy, but not just talking about it.

Matthew Reitz, who died in 2018 at 27 years old, was spunky and unfiltered. Reitz said he would say and do the things others wouldn’t, and he was loyal, defending and protecting those he cared about.

“Everything about Matt was about fighting oppression,” Reitz in an interview.

Reitz hosted a panel at Johns Creek Presybeterian Church with experts on human trafficking Jan. 24 in memory of his son, moderated by senior Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who had been trained in the subject. Matt joined Boy Scouts as a

Cub, and Reitz is still involved.

In his last semester at Georgia State University, studying political science, Matt took a senior seminar on human trafficking. Reitz would pick him up from the North Springs MARTA station, and on the way back home, Matt shared all about what he was learning. The family now lives in Roswell but lived in Johns Creek for more than two decades.

But, Reitz said he wouldn’t talk about his senior seminar, and so, he questioned him on it.

“He got really stiff and really angry, and he said, ‘Papa … there are some things that you can talk about, but human trafficking — I’m doing something about it,’” Reitz recalled. “And, that was that.”

Matt had been a leading member of

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Georgia State Unversity’s Model Arab League, a program where students learn the politics and history of the Arab world, and the art of diplomacy and speech. He had also jumped at the opportunity to study in India, to celebrate his “quartercentury mark,” and witnessed a number of issues there, particularly poverty.

Matt had plans to further his studies in graduate school in international affairs.

After Matt passed, Reitz went into his room and picked a book off his shelf, and it was about sex trafficking. He said he sat on the floor, reading it for more than four hours, engrossed in a story about the trafficking problem in Nepal, where some fathers had sold their daughters, as young as 4 years old, to brothels.

“After I read the book, I said, ‘You know, I’ve got to do something about this because Matt is not here to do it,’” Reitz said.

Four experts on human trafficking participated in the panel. About 50 people, many Scouts and their parents, were listening and looking at one another as information about the realities of human trafficking were exposed.

On the panel was Maja Hasic with Tapestri, a Tucker-based nonprofit dedicated to ending violence and oppression in immigrant and refugee

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Boy Scout leader Tom Reitz welcomes an audience of about 50 people to a panel on human trafficking Jan. 24 at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church, moderated by senior Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Reitz organized the event in honor of his late son Matthew Reitz, who had avidly fought against oppression and participated in a senior seminar on human trafficking in his last semester at Georgia State University. communities; and Faythe Kadona, a sex trafficking survivor and subject matter expert with Street Grace, a Norcross-based nonprofit committed to ending the sexual exploitation of minors.

Alia El-Sawi, a victims assistance specialist for Homeland Security Investigations, also provided expertise on the subject as well as Dave McCleary, who founded the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery.

Topics spanned from how parents can keep their children safe online and in real life, to false promises given to immigrants, lured into domestic servitude, to federal programs in place that prevent human trafficking.

Kardona said she had experienced childhood sexual abuse by a family member from 5 to 10 years old, and eventually was sold for sex at age 18 by her best friend’s mother, to be placed in an Atlanta massage parlor. She said her exploitation didn’t end until she was 37.

Asked how parents can know if their child is being exploited, Kardona said it’s a matter of staying involved in their life.

“I used to tell my son and my daughter, ‘I’m going to get in your Kool Aid, and I know every flavor, so it doesn’t matter what you try to say that it is…’” Kardona said. “Your own lived experience is a powerful tool with your children. Talk about the stories of the things that you went through.”

For resources on human trafficking, call Georgia’s hotline at 1-866-363-4842 or visit endhtga.org. The Georgia Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking provides leadership, direction and best practices for all forms of human trafficking in Georgia, promoting a coordinated, victimcentered and trauma-informed response throughout the state.

AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 25

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26 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

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NEWS

Continued from Page 9

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Enjoy live jazz, sip on a hurricane cocktail, sample chef-prepared New Orlean's cuisine and take your chance finding a "baby" in the King Cake on Thursday, February 8th from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. It's going to be a memorable evening full of fun, food, laughter, and prizes!

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Communications Director Dan Coffer says the city previously used a “no response” list to reduce the number of false alarm calls.

That practice changed five years ago with a revision to the city’s alarm ordinance, he said.

Police departments throughout the country cite false alarms as a major problem, saying they strain vital resources and manpower.

Like surrounding municipalities, Sandy Springs has adopted various alarm policies to combat the issue. The current ordinance requires alarm companies to register their customers, pay fines for false alarms and take certain steps before calling 911.

When a burglar alarm is triggered, companies must “verify” the emergency using audio, video or in-person signals before dialing authorities for help.

The city added the verification requirement in 2018.

The last time the ordinance changed was 2019, when the City Council voted to allow alarm companies 24 hours to supply the verification evidence.

When asked about the chief’s “‘do not respond’ list at the 911 Center” remark, Coffer said the city had such a document before implementing the verification requirement, but it is no longer in use.

“The ‘no response’ list was used when we responded to all alarms without verification,” he said.

“We no longer have a ‘no response’ list for alarms or alarm sites.”

Appen Media contacted Coca-Cola United, the local bottler that operates the plant on Dunwoody Place, for comment.

“We have the utmost respect for the Sandy Springs Police Department and their duty to serve and protect the

communities in which we operate,” spokeswoman Cassandra Mickens said in a statement. “We have addressed this matter directly with the police department and our associates and have no further comment.”

City officials could offer no additional details as of press time, and it is unclear why the chief referred to a “do not respond” list that the city says no longer exists.

“Chief is out of town, and I haven’t had a chance to talk to him about this,” Coffer said Jan. 17. “We no longer have our ‘do not respond’ list.”

About Chatcomm The 911 Center referenced in Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone’s email is the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority, or ChatComm.

The cities of Sandy Springs and Johns Creek created ChatComm in 2009, which operates through a contract with IXP Corporation.

Dunwoody joined ChatComm in 2011, then Brookhaven in 2014.

New Jersey-based IXP calls ChatComm “the largest known 911 public-private partnership in the country.”

IXP states on its website that ChatComm, based in Sandy Springs, is poised to add other cities to its services.

Sandy Springs Police Maj. Dan Nable is the operation’s executive director.

In addition to officials in Sandy Springs, city staff in Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Johns Creek said ChatComm representatives told them the agency did not have a ‘do not respond’ list.

AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 27

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Tally:

NEWS

Continued from Page 1 Fulton County Senior Public Affairs Officer Mark Baucom said 126 volunteers were registered for the Point in Time Count as of Jan. 17.

While the Point in Time is critical for securing funding to address homelessness, Dawn Butler said it is not comprehensive. Butler serves as the Fulton County Department of Community Development Health and Human Services division manager.

“We’re not expected to count every homeless person, but we want to count as many homeless people, and it is a snapshot,” she said.

Butler said her department also uses the data from the Point in Time to adjust their focus throughout the year. The count can determine which populations have the most need or which have increased since the previous year.

Butler said the Point in Time gathers important data for the government, but it also spurs community outreach.

Local nonprofits are involved in the effort. North Fulton Community Charities provided dozens of hygiene and snack kits to be distributed during the count.

The venue where volunteers gathered before the count, Mary Hall Freedom Village, offers services for women, children and veterans who are struggling with homelessness, addiction or poverty.

North Fulton Improvement Network Chairman Jack Murphy emphasized the importance of the Point in Time. Murphy also serves as senior account executive for the Metro Atlanta Chamber.

“One of the reasons why we got involved was because there’s not enough funding for homeless services in North Fulton,” Murphy said. “And this is one of the ways that HUD determines funding, so we want this to be accurate.

We don’t want it to be inflated.”

Typically, Fulton County solicits volunteers for the Point in Time.

Murphy said this year, the county enlisted the help of nonprofits that already work with volunteers to expand its outreach. One such nonprofit was United Way of Greater Atlanta.

Equipped with flashlights and reflective vests, the 54 volunteers were divided into nine teams and assigned areas across the five cities known to have homeless populations. Some groups set out in transit vans, while others canvassed the streets in personal vehicles.

The first shift of canvassing ran from 8 to 11 p.m., followed by a second, smaller shift from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

One group, team three, was assigned to the Holcomb Bridge Road area in east

SHELBY ISRAEL/APPEN MEDIA

Volunteers assemble at Mary Hall Freedom Village before the annual Fulton County Continuum of Care Point in Time Count Jan. 23. More than 50 volunteers split up into nine teams to survey North Fulton’s unsheltered population from 8 to 11 p.m.

Roswell, with three stops in Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.

Team three had nine marked stops, including East Roswell Park, the Holcomb Bridge Ga. 400 overpass, bus shelters and across from a subdivision in Sandy Springs.

While each route had marked locations to visit, volunteers were also asked to follow their judgment and search in unmarked places.

Recommendations included post offices, parking lots, gyms, parks, gas stations and restaurants.

Each team was given some 20 hygiene kits and flyers about warming centers, temporary shelters that open when the temperature drops below freezing, to be distributed to those surveyed.

The county asked volunteers to download the Counting Us app to conduct surveys. If a person agreed to be surveyed, the volunteer would ask questions about their experience. If they refused, the volunteer recorded their location and basic demographic information.

The Point in Time counts only people who are unsheltered. Those living in hotels or motels, transitional housing, emergency shelters, hospitals and jails are not tallied.

By 10:30 p.m., team three did not locate any unsheltered persons in east Roswell.

In the 2023 count, the Continuum of Care recorded 128 unsheltered individuals, a 26 percent increase from 2022. The totals from the 2024 count will be released by March 21.

FULTON COUNTY/PROVIDED

This map shows the marked locations on team three’s route in the 2024 Fulton County Continuum of Care Point in Time Count. Volunteers were asked to stop at known locations and anywhere people might seek shelter to conduct surveys.

AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 29

Appen Press Club presents

Listening Tour 2024

Reporter-Led Event Series Seeking Story Feedback and Ideas

Roswell – Thurs. Feb. 15, 4–5pm

Open to the public and FREE to attend!

OTHER UPCOMING LISTENING TOUR 2024 DATES & LOCATIONS: March 21st

Sugo (Johns Creek)

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1570 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Roswell, GA 30076 ftebrewing.com | (770) 910-9799

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April 18th

Cherry Street Brewing Home of Rick Tanner’s (Vickery Village – Forsyth)

May 16th

Six Bridges Brewing (Milton)

June 20th

July Moon & Café

July 18th

Pontoon Brewing Company (Sandy Springs)

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30 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

Calendar

FEB. 1 — FEB. 11

ARTIST RECEPTION: DAKORO EDWARDS’ EXHIBIT AT CITY HALL

What: Meet Dakoro Edwards, an abstract expressionism painter, at a reception for his exhibit at Sandy Springs City Hall. His work will be on display through the beginning of March.

When: Thursday, Feb. 1, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Sandy Springs City Hall lobby, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs More info: sandyspringsga.gov

LYRICS & LYRE: AN EVENING OF POETRY AND MUSIC

What: With the theme “Art of the Afrofuture,” the evening will feature performances by poets Ashlee Haze and Jon Goode with musical accompaniment and performances by cellist Okorie “OK Cello” Johnson, bassist Téja Veal and violinist Carey Durham.

When: Friday, Feb. 2, 7:30-9 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $20 to $22.50 More info: roswell365.com

MASTER GARDENER TALK

What: Join for an engaging talk about companion planting with master gardener Richard Osterholtz. This free class includes coffee and light snacks. Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.

When: Saturday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dcgo.org

ORCHESTRA PRESENTS ‘CENTER STAGE RHAPSODIES’

What: Max Amini returns to Georgia, outfitted with an array of new comedy delights, from side-splitting stories to spot-on impressions.

When: Friday, Feb. 2, 8 p.m.

Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs Cost: Tickets starting at $35 More info: citysprings.com

What: Award-winning piano powerhouse Awadagin Pratt will bring his signature sound to Johns Creek in a concert with the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra, featuring Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.”

When: Saturday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek Cost: $20 to $50 More info: johnscreeksymphony.org

ALPHARETTA POLAR BEAR PLUNGE

MASTER GARDENER TALK

MAX AMINI LIVE

What: The Alpharetta Rotary Club is hosting the sixth annual Alpharetta Polar Bear Plunge, encouraging nonprofits, school clubs/teams and other community organizations to put a team together and raise money for the benefit of their choosing. Become a Divemaster or join a team that is already registered and help them reach their goal, or register for $50 to jump yourself.

When: Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m.

Where: Wills Park, 11925 Wills Road, Alpharetta More info: facebook.com/ AlphaPolarBearPlunge

JOHNS CREEK SYMPHONY

in the community with food and performances. Commonly known as the Spring Festival in East Asia, Lunar New Year commemorates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar.

When: Saturday, Feb. 10, 12-4 p.m.

Where: Heisman Field, 1930 Bobby Jones Drive, Johns Creek More info: johnscreekga.gov

METROPOLITAN ATLANTA COMMUNITY BAND

What: Join for an engaging talk about companion planting with master gardener Richard Osterholtz. This free class includes coffee and light snacks.

Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.

When: Saturday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody More info: dcgo.org

What: The Metropolitan Atlanta Community Band and Groveway Community Group celebrates Black History Month with classical and popular music composed or performed by African American musicians.

When: Saturday, Feb. 10, 3-5:30 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell Cost: $17 to $20 More info: roswell365.com

LUNAR NEW YEAR

THE MAD HATTERPILLAR

What: Presented by Dezhu US, the City of Johns Creek’s Lunar New Year celebration is a family-friendly event that embraces cultural diversity

FEATURE YOUR EVENT ONLINE AND IN PRINT! It’s even easier now than ever to promote your event to hundreds of thousands of people, whether online, through our newsletters or in the Crier and Herald newspapers.

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butterfly and escape her mundane garden walls. Like her real life counterpart, she sheds her heads at each new stage of life, stacking the molted heads upon her new one. Each of these heads symbolizes a stage of Maddie’s growth into self-acceptance.

When: Until Feb. 11, times vary Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $15-28 More info: stagedoortheatrega.org

GALLERY EXHIBIT: EARTHBOUND

What: This reception is for an art exhibit that ponders questions about Earth, which has inspired and intrigued artists, poets, philosophers, scientists and everyone who has somehow been touched by its invisible warmth. What physical and emotional impact does the environment have on humanity? And, how might humanity care for this Earth for future generations?

When: Until March 9, business hours Where: Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton Street, Alpharetta More info: artsalpharetta.org

Visit AppenMedia.com/Calendar Provide the details for your event including title, description, location and date Click the red button that reads “Create event” That’s it! Submissions are free, though there are paid opportunities to promote your event in print and online.

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32 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

OPINION

PRESERVING THE PAST

Remembering J.B. Broadwell -- farmer, inventor, builder John B Broadwell (1855-1953) was so poor as a child that he could not afford to go to school. Yet, he became a successful farmer who developed new strains of cotton.

He invented at least two farm implements.

BOB MEYERS He built the iconic Columnist Broadwell Building in downtown Crabapple. He married twice, and at age of 83 talked about starting another family. J. B. was quite a fellow.

J.B. spent his entire life in Crabapple.

He died of pneumonia and was buried in the Crabapple Baptist Cemetery as were his parents, Euel Broadwell and Mary Broadwell, and his wife, Nancy Ruth Rucker Broadwell (1860-1937). Like many cotton farmers, his family was too poor to send him to school, so he taught himself to read and write.

The Broadwell family home was built in 1843. It was restored and made into a restaurant called Mr. B’s in 1990 by Ruby and Lloyd Pittman. In 2002 it was sold again, renovated by its new owners and renamed the Broadwell House restaurant. It is now known as Milton’s Cuisine and Cocktails, a centerpiece of downtown Crabapple.

Norman Broadwell is J.B.’s second cousin. He notes that his cousin crossbred his plants to develop new and improved strains using seeds from plants that provided the most bolls of cotton. His champion 6-foot-tall stalk of cotton containing 715 bolls was put on display for many years in the State Capitol museum. The stalk was grown by a creek on his property where Mayfield Park is today.

J.B. knew how to market his cotton and was a familiar figure driving his horse-drawn wagon around Fulton County promoting his “Double Jointed Cotton” with the wagon’s large sign proclaiming, “3 Bales on One Acre in 1911.” By using his carefully selected seeds he was able to outproduce other farmers at a lower cost per bale. His Broadwell Cotton Seed was well known throughout the Southeast.

J.B. was an inventor. His machine to catch boll weevils worked, but the use of sprayed poison proved to be more economical. His patented combination corn planter and fertilizer distributer prototype was destroyed by fire, and he never built another.

He built the first flour mill in the area and was known to introduce banking to children by offering to match their first deposited dollar.

The Atlanta Constitution in 1934

Norm Broadwell remembers the important role the building played. It stocked food items and light agricultural equipment. In summer, during the “laying by” period, while cotton plants were growing, farmers played dominos on the porch.

“It was the first local self-service store,” says Norm. “Domino players went into the store to get whatever they needed, left money and took their change. Dominos was a big deal.”

Norm recalls that the store was the first place in Crabapple to have a telephone.

“People came in just to use the phone,” he says.

Sheila Rucker Chapman recalls that the phone was visible from the front door.

NORM BROADWELL/PROVIDED

John B. Broadwell is shown on the wagon he used to promote his prize winning “Double-Jointed” cotton seed. Shown with him are his daughter Nalle Broadwell Reese, her husband John Cantrell Reese, John Broadwell’s wife Nancy Rucker Broadwell, John’s brother Newport Broadwell Jr. and his wife Cora Mewburn Broadwell and possibly her half-brother Eli Mewburn.

BOB BERRY/PROVIDED

This is an iconic photo of the Broadwell Building which J.B Broadwell built about 1900 as a dry goods store. The photo taken in the early 1900s shows local baseball star Nap Rucker standing in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform in front of a carriage. Everyone appears to be dressed up, possibly to honor their local hero. referred to J.B. as “one of the best known farmers in country…and is reputed to have grown more wheat and corn per acre than any farmer in old Milton County.”

On his 83 birthday in February 1938, J.B. married Nell Brewer Harris, a nurse 37 years his junior and was quoted in the Atlanta Constitution that he might want to start a new family.

J.B.’s building Around 1905, J.B. built a dry goods

store in downtown Crabapple which his half-brother Newport Broadwell Jr. managed. The two-story building was made of sunbaked clay bricks, which J.B. had made in a brickyard at Broadwell Road and Rucker Road. In the 1960s, the State of Georgia was going to demolish the building, which was vacant at the time, and use the bricks in a heritage complex at Stone Mountain Park, that is until they realized that the bricks were too soft to withstand demolition.

A local landmark Local residents Ben and Linda Statham lived in the building when they were first married. Ben’s parents, Ben and Pat, now deceased, bought the building in the mid-1960s when the building had been vacant for about 10 years. The building is still in the Statham family.

“There was a large Coca Cola sign on the building when they bought it.

Ben’s father decided to paint ‘the world’s biggest crabapple’ over the Coke sign,” said Linda.

The Stathams rented the 2,700-square-foot downstairs for $100 a per month to John and Cleo Morgan who sold rocks and gems to collectors.

Ben’s mother ran an antique store upstairs from 1965 until her death in 1988. Subsequently, Bob Berry operated a design business upstairs and Ben’s brother Floyd briefly had a real estate business there.

The entire building has been occupied since 2017 by the JRL Coal company, which mines surface and underground coal in Harlan County Kentucky.

According to CEO Tim B. Lusby “We selected the building as our headquarters due to its historic nature, central location and because many members of the management team live in Milton, Alpharetta and Woodstock.”

The company has sold more than 5 million tons of coal since its founding in 2016.

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.

GARDEN BUZZ

OPINION

AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 33

The story of a once mighty tree, the American chestnut As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the word “pandemic” became a household word.

But did you know, over the last one hundred years, the Appalachian CAROLE MACMULLAN Mountain Forest Guest Columnist has experienced several pandemics or transformative events that have reshaped the eastern United States forests.

If we could step back in time, back to the early 1900s, the Appalachian Mountain Forest would look different from the forest in 2023. The dominant hardwood forest trees in Georgia today are the oaks, and their acorns sustain directly or indirectly a significant population of forest organisms, making them a keystone plant.

One hundred years ago, the dominant keystone tree was the American chestnut (Castanea dentata) tree. You might ask, have I ever seen an American chestnut tree and where are they now? During the late 1800s, wealthy Americans began to import exotic plants to create eye appealing gardens along with their stately homes to highlight their wealth and social status. Bringing in foreign grown plants had its peril! In 1904, newly identified cankers appeared on some of the American chestnut growing in the Bronx Zoo. Botanists identified the blight as a fungal disease (Cryphonectria parasitica) originating from imported Japanese chestnut trees. Japanese chestnut trees have a natural immunity to this fungal disease, but the American chestnut does not!

Within a 30-year period, the lethal fungal disease spread throughout the entire Appalachian Mountain chain from Maine to North Georgia.

As the American chestnuts died out, the entire ecosystem changed. If you look at pictures of American chestnut trees, you will be mesmerized by their size. Many of the forest animals were dependent on the nutritious chestnuts that covered the forest floor.

The timber was highly prized for its durability and resistance to rot. Not only did the chestnuts serve as a food supply for the forest animals but also for human consumption. Chestnut Ridge, near my former, western Pennsylvania home, was named for this ecologically, culturally and economically valuable tree that until the mid-1930s covered the mountain ridge.

About the author This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Carole MacMullan, a master gardener and a Milton resident.

She taught biology for 35 years in the Pittsburgh area. In 2012 after moving to Milton, Carole completed the Master Gardener training program and joined the North Fulton Master Gardeners (NFMG) and the Milton Garden Club.

Carole uses her teaching skills to create a variety of presentations on gardening topics for the NFMG Lecture Series and Speakers Bureau. She also volunteers weekly at the Assistance League of Atlanta (ALA) thrift store and acts as chair of their Links to Education scholarship program. Her favorite hobbies are gardening, hiking, biking, and reading.

PENN STATE EXTENSION

Left photo: Map of Eastern US showing where American Chestnut trees once grew.

Top right photos: American Chestnut Seed with seed coat opened to show the chestnut.

Want to learn more?

Visit our website at appenmediacom/opinion/ columnists/garden_buzz/.

AMERICAN CHESTNUT FOUNDATION

Bottom right photo- This picture, taken in the mid- to late 19th century, gives an idea of just how large and profuse the American chestnut tree was in Eastern U.S. forests. There are now only 100 or so that remain.

The rapid spread of this fungal disease was possible since fungi reproduce by airborne spores.

When the wind carries spores to the American chestnut host tree, the spores germinate and begin to divide.

The fungus cells, in turn, form rootlike hyphae. These hyphae branch out and penetrate the bark of the tree. Over time, cankers grow and interrupt the internal flow of water and nutrients to the tree’s branches, leaves and roots resulting in the death of the tree.

Two factors contributed to their extinction. As American chestnut trees began to die in astoundingly large numbers, lumber companies stepped in and quickly cut down any remaining chestnut trees. The result was the complete loss of vast swaths of forest, creating erosion and in some cases, flooding and changing the Appalachian Mountain Forest ecosystem forever!

With the loss of a tree that could stand 100 feet tall and produce over 6,000 chestnuts at maturity, there has been a desire to see these trees returned to our eastern forests. How can the goal to create a genetically, blight resistant tree be accomplished?

The solution is complicated.

The American Chestnut Foundation was organized in 1989 to achieve this goal. Fortunately, Chinese chestnut trees have a genetic resistance to the chestnut blight. As a result, the two chestnut species have been crossbred, but the resulting first-generation hybrids have only 50% of the desired genetic characteristics of the American chestnut. Over the last four decades, the most blight-resistant hybrids have been crossbred with the American chestnut in an attempt create a chestnut tree that is as genetically close to the American chestnut as possible. Currently, a hybrid has been created that contains 94% of the genes of the American chestnut.

Another group has used modern genetic engineering techniques to create a hybrid with 99% of the American chestnut genes plus genes to provide immunity from the fungus blight. With the cooperation of federal, state and local forest services, as well as research scientists and private citizens, hybrid trees are being grown throughout the American chestnuts’ former Appalachian Mountain habitat to find the most resistant hybrid.

Pilot research projects have been

established in several locations in the Atlanta area. There are 18 hybrid chestnuts growing in the Atlanta History Center orchard, and 13 of them have prospered and five are too weak to grow to maturity. In 2019, Big Trees Forest Preserve in Sandy Springs next to the UGA Extension office, planted several dozen young, hybrid chestnuts. Both locations hope their young, hybrid trees will mature and produce chestnut seeds to help the American Chestnut Society reach their goal of re-introducing healthy, blight resistant, American chestnut trees into the Appalachian Mountain Forests.

Wishing success to the combined efforts of everyone working on the American chestnut restoration project!

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net.

Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://appenmedia.com/ opinion/columnists/garden_buzz/.

34 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

AIKENOMICS

OPINION

Economic outlook for 2024, from housing to inflation Let’s fast-forward into the year with some quick forecasts: Oil Prices: Brace yourselves for a continued dip in oil prices. With the growing shift toward electric vehicles and solar power, demand D.C. AIKEN for oil is set to Guest Columnist dcaiken.com plummet. Expect gas prices to drop below $2.25 per gallon by fall, contributing to the steady march toward the Federal Reserve's coveted 2% inflation mark.

Unemployment: The Federal Reserve's optimism puts unemployment at a modest 4.1%, but I'm leaning toward a reality check. Our recession runs deeper than they admit, and I foresee unemployment nudging closer to 4.5%

by year-end. The silver lining? Higher unemployment tends to pull mortgage rates down.

Home Prices: Last year's housing price prediction hit the bullseye, and I'm not expecting a different story in 2024.

Inventory constraints persist, and new home construction struggles to keep pace with demand. While apartment rents are dropping due to increased construction, housing prices in Metro ATL are likely to climb by around 5% again this year.

Inflation: Calculating our current inflation rate might bring us close to the Federal Reserve's 2% target. Assuming they stick to their calculation methods, I foresee us hitting that 2% mark by midsummer. Rising unemployment, lower producer prices, and an overall economic slowdown are the driving forces behind this trend, influencing mortgage rates downward.

Fed Cuts and Mortgage Rates: Predictions abound about the Federal Reserve making three rate cuts this year, totaling around 0.75% lower in the FED Funds rate. I find this conservative. With housing slowdowns and a debt-burdened population, I'm leaning toward more cuts—potentially six moves (1.5% lower in Fed Funds) by late spring. If I'm on the money, mortgage rates could dip below 6% by summer, possibly settling around 5.5% or lower by year-end.

Housing Sales: The magic number for sparking home purchases in Metro ATL is a mortgage rate below 6%. Expect a surge in housing sales, potentially up by 10% compared to 2023, once we breach that threshold. Despite the anticipation of lower rates, a return to a 4% "handle" on mortgages in 2024 seems unlikely.

In a nutshell, 2024 holds promise for home sales, with lower rates on the

horizon. However, a return to the 4% mortgage realm might be wishful thinking.

Remember, the best rate is a locked rate... with a float-down option! Ensure you're ready to make an offer by getting pre-approved.

Thank you for reading my column.

D.C. Aiken is Vice President, Producing Production Manager for BankSouth Mortgage, NMLS # 658790. For more insights, you can subscribe to his newsletter at dcaiken.com.

The opinions expressed within this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of BankSouth Mortgage or its affiliates.

BankSouth Mortgage Company, LLC, NMLS #690971, is not a bank or other depository institution and is not FDICinsured. Equal Housing Lender.

THE INVESTMENT COACH

Market forecast: Strap in for possible turbulence Readers are urged to regard “early in the year” stock market and economic forecasts as a form of entertainment. No one really knows what markets will do. Forecasts are LEWIS J. WALKER, CFP educated opinions Columnist at best.

The Investment Coach Last year, the inflation rate was accelerating and the Federal Reserve Bank aggressively raised interest rates.

Many economists predicted a significant slowdown, a bear market, even a potential recession in the second half of the year.

Many investors fled Wall Street in favor of rising yields in FDIC guaranteed savings vehicles, as the bond market struggled with rising interest rates. When interest rates rise, bond values decline.

But the bear went into hibernation. A bull appeared and the market surprised to the upside. On Dec. 30, 2023, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed just shy of its all-time record high of 37710.10 set two days prior on Dec. 28. The S&P 500 Index closed a shade below its all-time high set on Jan. 3, 2022. The Nasdaq Composite Index closed about 1000 points below its record high. Major indexes have waffled during the initial trading days of 2024 as some headlines warn investors to “buckle up for a potential bumpy 2024.”

“Buckle up” is good advice whether driving, riding as a passenger in a vehicle

or when flying. As a frequent flyer I often see little ones on an airplane bouncing around unbuckled because they can’t sit still. After this writer left the U.S. Air Force, I worked for a major airline for a number of years, initially in a two-year management training program. On two occasions I experienced a pilot training exercise in dealing with a simulated “explosive decompression” in the passenger cabin, such as occurred on Jan. 5, 2024, on an Alaska Airlines plane at 16,000 feet when a faulty door plug blew out. Airplanes often fly at altitudes above 35,000 feet in very thin air. While securely buckled up, a planned deep dive decline from over 36,000 feet to below 10,000 feet in mere minutes in a Boeing 727 jet was an amazing experience!

Thankfully, decompressions are extremely rare, but pilots are trained to deal with such emergencies and others.

On the Alaska flight, the row where the door plug blew out was not occupied, fortunately. If an unbuckled child had been sitting looking out of the window when a massive hole emerged with explosive force, most likely the infant would have been sucked out into the night sky blackness over 3 miles in the air. The mere thought of that is horrifying. Yet flying is one of the safer forms of travel. There were no fatal aircraft accidents in 2023 involving international flights or passenger jets.

Over 19,000 people died in U.S. traffic accidents in 2023, yet we think nothing of driving virtually every day. Traffic fatalities are down compared to prior years because more people are buckling up. Nevertheless, per the National Highway Safety Traffic

Administration, about 37 people a day in the U.S. die in drunk-driving crashes, about one person every 39 minutes. That’s why seat belts and car seats for kiddies are recommended. You may not be drinking, but other drivers may.

Because stock market averages are subject to unexpected market turbulence, to the downside as well as the upside, “financial seatbelts” are recommended.

There are certain things that should be in place as one embarks on a long-term investment program. A written comprehensive life-centered financial plan should guide all financial strategies. A person or couple ideally should have at least six months to a year’s worth of living expenses in a guaranteed or otherwise conservative liquid money market account before embarking on a long-range market centered asset accumulation program. However, from day one, enroll in the matching program of an employer’s retirement plan if available so as not to forfeit “free money.”

A comprehensive legally documented living and testamentary estate planning program should deal with the ever present risk of injury, illness, disability, and death.

Investing in the stock market is a longterm strategy. The best time to invest is when you have the money! “Market timing” really doesn’t work. You will never catch markets at the bottom. But if you buy when stocks appear to be on sale, over the long run you’re likely to look like a genius.

With stocks it’s about “time,” not timing.

Alternative investments, often subject to net worth restrictions, can provide diversification to a portfolio in addition to

stocks, bonds, and money market instruments. Do not “bet the house” on any one investment. Diversification counts. One goal of investors as they pass age 50 or so on the way to whatever retirement will be is to build an income and dividend generating portfolio, along with the potential for growth over time.

Even during market dips, when you don’t want to sell stocks if you can avoid it, it’s a good idea to have cash reserves to see you through along with good dividend flows. If you live long enough, you want to have financial peace of mind and a sense of purpose to sustain you, along with faith in God and His eternal promises of salvation as the ultimate reward no matter how crazy the world around you seems or becomes. Scary headlines, sadly, are not rare.

Inflation is still running at 3.5% annualized, and between inflation and taxation your net buying power is under attack.

There’s a major leak in your financial bathtub. A solid tax planning strategy is very important, working with your financial advisor and your tax advisor.

Here’s wishing you and yours a happy and blessed 2024!

Lewis Walker, CFP®, is a life centered financial planning strategist with Capital Insight Group (CIG); 770-441-3553; lewis@ capitalinsightgrp.com. Securities & advisory services offered through The Strategic Financial Alliance, Inc. (SFA), which is otherwise unaffiliated with CIG. Lewis a Gallup Certified Clifton Strengths Coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA).

OPINION

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | February 1, 2024 | 35

With a little patience, you can see a lot watching a river You know what?

It’s been cold these last few days. How cold? Real cold.

Reeeeeal cold.

One of my kids lives up in Wisconsin now, up there in the frozen north country.

He called me STEVE HUDSON yesterday and said Columnist they had 8 inches of snow the previous night.

“But I rode my bike to work today,” he added. Rode his bike. To work. In the snow.

“Yeah,” he continued. “I only slipped and fell once, but that was just as I was getting home.”

He’s an academic, a purveyor of pedagogy, and he’s not yet 40 years old.

Sub-40 academics can be interesting people.

Me? I’m over 40, so I invoke what’s known as the Over-40 Rule: “I’m over 40, so I don’t have to do that anymore.”

But what do I like to do when it gets cold? Well, believe it or not, I like to go fishing.

For years, in one of my favorite wintertime activities was to watch for the coming of a gray, cold, and preferably snowy day. Then I’d round up a rod and set out to spend the afternoon wading

around in liquid nitrogen, hoping to fool fish who, being smarter than me, were probably hunkered down under a rock somewhere drinking the trouty equivalent of hot chocolate. It became tradition, and somewhere deep down I enjoyed it. Now and then I’d even catch a fish. But mostly I just stood in the water, numb, shivering.

Yesterday (it was that really, really cold one, remember?) I briefly entertained keeping that tradition alive.

But then I remembered the Rule.

Still, I wanted to go to a river, most any river, just to sit near the water and see things. Just because. If I dressed right and didn’t fall in, I’d be fine.

I got in the car and drove north a ways, up to what they call the Steele Bridge over Amicalola Creek. There’s a nice little place there where you can park your car and sit on the hood, if your car is old, and watch the river flow by. I figured it would be as good a place as any to scratch that particular itch on that particular day.

Sometimes you’ll see a lot if you just sit by a river and just watch.

Pretty soon I arrived. I pulled off the road onto a gravel turnout not far from the bridge. Then I climbed out and leaned up against the hood, the lingering warmth of the now-stilled motor keeping the cold at bay. I’d stay just a little

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING The following items will be considered by the City Council on Monday, February 26, 2024 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia. a. PH-24-02 The Garren/154 Kimball Bridge Road Change of Conditions Consideration of a request to change conditions of zoning to allow for the demolition of an existing gymnasium in disrepair and construction of a new structure of similar size and design. Previous conditions of zoning required that the gymnasium be designated as historic, saved and re-used. The property is located at 154 Kimball Bridge Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 800, 801 & 804, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia. b. PH-24-03 Wills Overlook Change of Conditions Consideration of a request to change conditions of zoning to increase the height of townhomes from 3 to 4 stories for a rooftop amenity and to change architecture.

The property is located at 531 South Main Street and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 645, 1 st District, 2 nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

while, I told myself. I’d stay till I got cold and it was time to leave.

For a while I had it all to myself.

But then, from down the road, here comes Mavis. I know her name was Mavis because that’s what Lem called her when they pulled up behind me a moment later, and I know his name was Lem because that’s what Mavis called him. We journalist types are highly trained when it comes to the art of observation, you know. We don’t miss a thing.

Mavis opened her car door and got out and walked the3 yards to the edge of the gravel. The river was right below her.

“Hey Lem!” she hollered. “Lem, you gotta come see this. It’s just beeyooteful!”

Lem climbed out of the car then,

bringing with him an unopened silver can of beer. He walked up beside Mavis and popped the top and took a long, slow drink.

“Bee-yooteful sure enough. Mavis, where’s that durned camera?”

Mavis turned back to the car, rummaged in the back seat, and emerged with a small camera, an old one, the kind that uses film.

“Hey mister,” she said to me. “You mind taking our picture?”

She fiddled with the camera for a second and then handed it to me as Lem took another pull on his beer. Then she grabbed Lem by the hand and pulled him to his feet and said, “Come on.

Smile!”

See RIVER, Page 36

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR WINDWARD PARKWAY DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ITB #24-018 The City of Alpharetta is accepting bids for the WINDWARD PARKWAY DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS project, including, but not limited to, furnishing of all materials, labor and equipment for the demolition and reconstruction of existing sidewalk, installation of storm sewer system materials, installation of curb and gutter, tree removal, grading, utility relocation, erosion control, traffic control, and stabilization of disturbed soils. The location of the work is along the Windward Parkway frontages of 1000, 1005, 2015 and 2025 Compass Pointe Drive, all within the City of Alpharetta limits.

The ITB and associated documents will be available online at no cost to bidders on Thursday, February 1, 2024 , at our bid posting website, https:// cityofalpharetta.bonfirehub.com/. Interested parties are required to log in to review the ITB documents.

This procurement is issued under the authority of the City of Alpharetta’s Procurement Policy, also following State of Georgia and Federal applicable laws.

The City has the right to reject all bids or proposals, to reject any bid or proposal that has not followed or met the City’s scope of work or specifications (nonresponsive) or reject any bid or proposal that shows that a bidder cannot meet one or more of the requirements (non-responsibility). The City has the right to ignore unimportant mistakes that do not affect the work or service to be provided, the purchase of requested item(s), or proposal pricing to award a contract that is in the best interest of the City.

The bid opening will be held on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 10:00 AM . All responses must be received before closing at https://cityofalpharetta. bonfirehub.com/, webpage for this project. Responses submitted by hard copy, mail, facsimile, or e-mail will not be accepted. Responses received after the closing time will not be considered.

A Public Bid Opening will be held shortly after the closing of the ITB using Microsoft Teams. The link to the meeting can be found on the project’s webpage, https://cityofalpharetta.bonfirehub.com/ .

For information, please contact Beth Rucker at the City of Alpharetta Finance Department via email at purchasing@alpharetta.ga.us or at 678-297-6052.

36 | February 1, 2024 | Alpharetta-Roswell Herald | AppenMedia.com/Alpharetta_Roswell

THE INK PENN

OPINION

At times, team-building is a murderous exercise

KATHY MANOS PENN Columnist

Two of my recent reads involved death — or at least the possibility of It — during team-building trips.

For a portion of my corporate career, I worked in personnel and facilitated leadership programs.

And, yes, I facilitated

team-building events, too. Thank goodness no one ever died.

Why did I read two books like this?

The answer is that I’ve been desperately trying to finish writing the latest book in my cozy mystery series and it’s set during a conference that includes outdoor team building activities. Because my books usually include a book club meeting where the book that’s read that month loosely ties to the plot, these two

In Memoriam

Bernadette (Tighe) English

Bernadette (Tighe) English of Alpharetta, Georgia passed away on January 22, 2024. She was just shy of her 90th birthday, and was with her family and friends in her last days. Although Bernie was a U.S. citizen at the time of her death, she remained devoted to her birthplace - Dublin, Ireland. As James Joyce once said: “When I die, Dublin will be written on my heart.” And so it was with Bernie.

Bernadette Tighe was born and reared in the Drumcondra neighborhood of Dublin, surrounded by her loving parents and four siblings, with whom she was close throughout their lives. She was a parishioner of Corpus Christi parish in Drumcondra and educated at the parish school. In 1952, she met her husband, William R. (Bob) English, another Dubliner from Glasnevin. They married in 1956, after a courtship that included motorcycle outings in the Wicklow Mountains and picnics by the Irish Sea. Bernie and Bob were married for over 46 years until Bob’s passing in 2003. Their marriage was notable for its love, mutual support, good humor, and gracious hospitality to all who entered their home.

Bernie worked as a secretary for the engineering firm Babcock and Wilcox in London and New York. Bernie and Bob moved to the United States in the late 1950’s, a courageous and life-changing decision to leave their Irish home and families. They lived first in Queens, New York, and eventually lived many years in Selden and Port Jefferson on Long Island, where Bernie raised her three children and made many friends. She also worked as a legal secretary for several law firms, where she was highly respected for her experience and knowledge of the law. Throughout her life, Bernie returned many times to Dublin to visit family and the city she loved.

Eventually, Bernie and Bob relocated to Georgia to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Bernie - now known to her grandchildren and their friends as Nana - was a daily presence and influence in her grandchildren’s lives at their schools, sporting events, Irish dance competitions, parishes, and homes. Although a tender and loving grandmother, she also was known to lay down the law when necessary, often with a subtle dose of Irish humor. Although Bernie proudly became a naturalized American citizen in 1976, she never lost her soft Dublin accent or her love of Irish culture, which she imparted in myriad small ways to her family.

Throughout her life, Bernie was a devout Catholic who attended Mass on Sundays and days of holy obligation, and often on weekdays as well. She loved the beach, classic movies, traveling with family, returning to Dublin, and most of all, her three children and seven grandchildren, who hold her dear in their hearts.

Bernadette is preceded in death by her husband, William R. English.

She is survived by her daughter, Tracy (Lawrence) Bracken; her son, Marc (Bernadette) English; her son, Paul English; her grandchildren, Liam (Natalie) Bracken, Tara ( John) Davis, Alana Bracken, Megan English, Brendan English, Colleen English and Sean English; and her great grandchildren, Bennett and Lila Bracken, and a baby girl on the way.

A memorial mass will be held at Saint Brigid Catholic Church in Johns Creek at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024, followed by a luncheon at the Hamilton in downtown Alpharetta. The family asks that in lieu of flowers that donations be made in Bernie’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

selections appeared to fit the bill.

For example, book five in my series is set in Tintagel, where King Arthus was allegedly conceived, so the book club selection was “The Once and Future King.” For my Christmas book, I chose “Mr. Dickens and his Christmas” as the choice. In search of something to fit the bill for my current book, I stumbled across two that might work.

“Force of Nature” by Jane Harper As this book opens in the bushland of Australia, five women on a corporate retreat in the wilderness are late to their rendezvous point. They’ve been camping for several nights. Are they experienced campers? No, but they have maps and food and equipment, and this experience has been set up by an outdoor event company. It’s not the norm for a group to be late, nor is it the norm for only four of the five to make it back.

What is the norm, based on my experience, is for tensions to rise. My groups never did overnight trips, but they did spend half to a whole day outdoors working through puzzles and problems. One program even had them build a bridge across a small ravine. All of that creates an environment ripe for competition and disagreements over the best solution, even raised voices and arguments.

Is the missing woman dead or injured? You’ll have to read the book to find out. The author slowly reveals the backstory of the office relationships and how they spill over into the wilderness, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I realized as I read this one that I’d also read the first book in the series, but I couldn’t remember much about it other than that I enjoyed it. That means “Force of Nature” can easily be read as a standalone.

“Death by Team Building”

by Cheri Baker Given the title, there’s no doubt that

River: Continued from Page 35 The camera went click.

Lem took a last long swallow from the can.

Then he crumpled the can and folded it in two.

And then, winding up like a major league pitcher, he threw the empty far out over the river. It soared through the crystalline winter air in an oddly graceful arc, spinning so it caught and reflected the setting sun, and then it hit the river

someone will die in this book. It’s just a question of who it will be. Again, the setting is a team building retreat, except this one happens at a remote resort in the Pacific Northwest. The participants are the executive team of a hospital, there to bond and work on goals for the next year. There’s also an external consultant and Kat Voyzey, who’s there representing the Director of Personnel, who can’t make it.

I laughed when I read the tag line, "Group work always bites you in the a__. That was true in ninth grade history class, and just as true in a murder investigation." The dialogue is snappy, and the mystery kept me guessing. As one review says, “The amateur sleuth is smart and funny, which makes this cozy mystery very enjoyable. The setting is very Agatha Christie meets the Pacific Northwest.” Like an Agatha Christie mystery, there may not be that many characters, but everyone has a possible motive for doing away with the victim.

The addition of a snowstorm that means the group can’t leave and the police can’t get to them heightens the suspense. Will a second person die?

You never know. This is book three in a four-book series, but I had no problem enjoying it, even though, in this case, I had not read any of the earlier books.

Though both books involve team building, the tones are very different.

The second one is a cozy mystery and a bit lighter than the first. The first has federal agents and police working to solve the case. The second is solved by an amateur sleuth. I predict you’ll enjoy both.

Award-winning author Kathy Manos Penn is a Sandy Springs resident. Find her cozy mysteries on Amazon or locally at The Enchanted Forest, Bookmiser, Tall Tales, and Johns Creek Books. Contact her at inkpenn119@gmail.com, and follow her on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ KathyManosPennAuthor/. with a shallow little splash. It bobbed for a few seconds, carried by the current, then sank out of sight in an eddy behind a rock near the head of little pool.

“Be-yooteful!” Mavis said again, turning now to walk back the way she came. “I’m sure glad we took that picture. You’re glad, too, aren’t you, Lem?” Followed by Mavis, Lem climbed back into the car then. He turned over the motor and kicked the beast into gear.

Gravel flew from the tires as they drove back onto pavement.

Yeah, you’ll see a lot if you sit and watch a river.

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