Dunwoody Crier - October 9, 2025 by Appen Media Group

Dunwoody foresees financial wiggle room in 2026 budget

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch said she’s been able to exhale a little bit after an “exceptional year” of growing revenues, allowing the city to balance its proposed 2026 budget.

Senior city staff and City Council members discussed the budget Sept. 29 at a morning workshop. While the city’s structural deficit appears to be resolved, Deutsch is looking to return to the city’s pre-pandemic budgeting approach.

“I want to talk about where we are

In Memorium - Michael Nash

The Dunwoody community is mourning the loss of legendary Dunwoody High School head football coach Mike Nash, who died Oct. 3 following emergency surgery. Nash, 51, stepped down in February after leading the Wildcats to two consecutive playoff berths. His decade of service to the school and the community garnered praise and recognition throughout the city. See story, page 4.

fiscally as a city, and where we’ve come from and what we went through,” she said. “Way back at the beginning of [cityhood] … we would save for capital projects through operating budget revenues, and then we would build them.”

Soon after Deutsch took office, the pandemic hit, ushering in a period of

uncertainty and inflation.

“Financial security seemed like a fantasy at that point,” she said. “Seventy percent of Dunwoody’s property taxes come from the commercial district at this point, so I reined things in.” See BUDGET, Page 17

Village Crossing enhancements eligible for more federal money

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody’s Village Crossing project, which calls for enhancements along a nearly mile-long stretch of Chamblee Dunwoody Road, may get a shot in the arm.

At the Sept. 29 City Council meeting, the Public Works Department presented an agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to accept an additional $1.6 million in federal funding to complete the project’s final design.

Votes to formally accept the federal money and fully fund the project’s design are set for a meeting later this year.

While staff’s memo referenced a $600,000 federal grant with a required $150,000 local match,

Public Works Deputy Director Michelle Hirose said she was notified earlier that day of an additional $1 million for the project.

“Costs have gone up … even like three years ago, I never thought I’d be looking at these numbers,” Hirose said, referencing the final design contract.

“That’s why I asked for the additional money. We just applied for it, maybe a month or two ago.”

While construction is not slated to begin until 2029, the city is allocating federal and county dollars to fund the revamp of the main corridor splitting the Dunwoody Village from Womack Road to Roberts Drive.

The project’s current design calls for a more walkable and bikefriendly corridor, with added trafficcalming measures.

See CROSSING, Page 16

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Sandy Springs police arrest 2 in wreck that injured officer

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs police arrested two suspects allegedly involved in a high-speed, chain-reaction crash Sept. 20 on Ga. 400 that seriously injured an officer.

The incident occurred just before 10:30 p.m., while the Sandy Springs officer was investigating a crash along Ga. 400 just north of the Abernathy Road overpass.

It initially appeared the officer was struck by a motorcycle that lost control. Officers later determined the bike had allegedly been racing another vehicle northbound on Ga. 400 before the second collision.

According to a crash diagram and accompanying police narrative, the incident occurred after the driver of a Suzuki GSX-R600 sideswiped a Lexus LS in the far-left lane, which had slowed because of the earlier collision.

The driver of the motorcycle was identified on the report as 33-year-old Riad Ahmed of Milton. He is charged with driving under the influence, possession of a firearm by a convicted

POLICE BLOTTER

All crime reports published by Appen Media Group are compiled from public records. Neither the law enforcement agencies nor Appen Media Group implies any guilt by publishing these names. None of the persons listed has been convicted of the alleged crimes.

Officers arrest suspect in alleged armed dispute

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 31-year-old Grayson man Sept. 24 after he admitted to pointing a gun at another person during a dispute at The Hartley apartment complex off Perimeter Center North.

Dispatch told officers that a 40-yearold Atlanta man ran into the leasing office, checked if he was being followed, then yelled “He’s got a gun!”

When the Grayson man arrived outside of the leasing office, the Atlanta man exited through the back door.

Upon arrival, the officer said he immediately identified and detained the fleeing Atlanta man.

Shortly after, the officer said he spotted a subject matching the description of the other man who was heading toward The Heights at Dunwoody off Asbury Square with a handgun in his waistband. Officers said they detained the man and cleared the chamber of the Glock 43 pistol in his possession.

Police interviewed both men.

The Atlanta man said the Grayson man was staring at him while inside

felon, reckless driving, serious injury by vehicle (felony), driving with a suspended license, racing and five other traffic offenses.

After he allegedly struck the Lexus, Ahmed was ejected from the motorcycle, which continued northbound in the emergency lane until it struck the Sandy Springs officer and a Mazda6 Touring sedan.

A dashboard camera video from the Sandy Springs Police Department shows the motorcycle, traveling at a high rate of speed and striking the Mazda.

The collision left the motorcyclist and officer with serious injuries. Both were taken by ambulance to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.

According to Fulton County Jail records, Ahmed was booked Sept. 29 after recovering from his injuries at the hospital.

A June 2022 arrest warrant for Ahmed states he fled from officers in excess of 127 mph on I-85 before crashing along Chamblee Tucker Road.

During the investigation of the Sept. 20 incident, officers identified the vehicle that was allegedly racing the motorcycle.

An arrest warrant says officers

his vehicle and yelled at him before an argument ensued. Eventually, the Atlanta man said the driver pointed a gun at him, and he ran away to avoid further contact.

The Grayson man told officers that the Atlanta man was being “weird” and “disrespectful.” During the conversation, officers said the Grayson man admitted to pointing to the gun at the victim out of fear because of his past experiences.

Officers said they secured misdemeanor warrants for pointing a gun at another and disorderly conduct.

On the way to DeKalb County Jail, officers said the Grayson man expressed remorse for his actions. According to records, he was released Sept. 27.

— Hayden Sumlin

Man wanted for assault arrested at Perimeter Mall

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 37-year-old Brookhaven man at Perimeter Mall Sept. 24 on several outstanding aggravated assault warrants out of Atlanta.

The Dunwoody Police Department report says its officers were notified that the Brookhaven man was in the vicinity of the mall.

An officer said he first met with the store manager of Dillard’s to see if the Brookhaven man was employed at the store. After confirming the employee was working, the officer said he was apprehended on the third floor

used dashboard cameras, license plate readers and witness testimony to confirm a white Volkswagen Jetta was unlawfully participating in street racing with the motorcycle.

Less than three days after the collision, Sandy Springs officers arrested a 37-year-old man at his residence within the Waters Edge Apartments off Roberts Drive.

The signed arrest warrants for the Sandy Springs man, David Hightower, say officers arrested him after confirming he was the only driver in the vehicle.

His charges include racing on highway, reckless driving and serious injury by vehicle, which is a felony.

Sandy Springs Police spokesman Sgt. Leon Millholland said the officer has been with the department for just over a year after serving with the Utah Highway Patrol. Millholland confirmed that the officer is now recovering at home with his wife and child.

“The injuries were significant, but we are incredibly grateful to report that he is alive and currently recovering,” a statement says. “Our thoughts are with him and his family as he continues to heal.”

without incident.

Officers transported him to DeKalb County Jail after confirming his warrants. According to Fulton County Jail records, the Brookhaven man was booked Sept. 26 with eight aggravated assault and two criminal damage warrants, signed May 24. He remains in jail.

— Hayden Sumlin

Atlanta man charged with public indecency

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody Police arrested a 33-year-old Atlanta man Sept. 26 after employees at the Perimeter Center Place Target reported him for exposing himself in the restroom.

Officers said they responded to the scene where a store employee said a customer approached him after witnessing the naked man performing acts in the men’s restroom. Another employee said he also saw the man undressed and doing strange things.

When officers went into the restroom, they said the man was shirtless and told them he was showering.

After detaining the man, officer said he repeatedly denied the accusations made by witnesses. The man said he was changing clothes.

Officers secured a warrant for public indecency (local ordinance) and transported the man to DeKalb County Jail. According to records, he was released Sept. 29.

— Hayden Sumlin

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Former Dunwoody football coach Mike Nash passes away at age 51

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — The Dunwoody community is mourning the loss of former Wildcats head football coach Mike Nash, who passed away Oct. 3 at age 51 after an emergency surgery.

While the Wildcats topped the Arabia Mountain Rams 31-14 on the road that Friday evening, the celebration came to a crashing halt Saturday when word of Nash’s death circulated.

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A Facebook post from Dunwoody Wildcats Football broke the news to the community, which had embraced Nash and his family as their own.

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of Michael Nash, known to so many as ‘Coach Nash,’” the post says, crediting him with building a football program and a family. “His legacy as a mentor, leader and friend will continue to live on in the lives of the countless players and families he impacted. Coach Nash, we love you.”

Dunwoody football players and community members gathered at Dunwoody High School Saturday, Oct. 4 to reflect on Nash’s life. He passed unexpectedly after battling sudden organ failure.

Funeral and memorial plans had not been announced at press time.

Nash dedicated a decade of his high school coaching career as head coach of the Dunwoody Wildcats. He brought a program with 17 interested players in 2015 to its first playoff berth in more than 10 seasons in 2023.

Nash announced his resignation Feb. 25 after leading the Wildcats to back-to-back playoff appearances his last two seasons at the helm of the school’s football program.

The Wildcat community, including parents, former and current players and friends, expressed their love and appreciation of Nash and his impact on their families.

Following his effort to rebuild the Wildcats football program, Nash announced he was stepping into a head coaching job at Chattahoochee County High School.

This summer, Nash said he was preparing for a new chapter, moving to Chattahoochee County to be closer to his young granddaughter and taking a new coaching job near his daughter’s family.

He lived in Dunwoody North for several years and remained connected

DUNWOODY WILDCATS FOOTBALL/PROVIDED Fourth of July Parade co-chairs Matt Weber, left, and Penny Forman, right, honor former Dunwoody High School football coach Mike Nash for his years of service to the community at the March 23 Dunwoody Homeowners Association meeting.

as a proud member of the Dunwoody North Driving Club.

The Dunwoody Homeowners Association honored Nash March 23 naming him grand marshal of the 2025 Fourth of July Parade.

“I’m tired of crying,” Nash said when he took the floor to accept his award. “I’m not taking a promotion or anything else because I don’t think there is anything better than Dunwoody. I hope that you all realize how special this place is … love is a big part of what we talk about.”

He said his parting instructions are to keep making the program about more than just football.

“If you love Dunwoody, it will love you back,” Nash said.

After the Dunwoody 4th of July celebration, parade co-chair Matt Weber said Nash told him it was one the best days of his life, riding in a red convertible around the heart of the community that had embraced him and his family.

“Coach Nash leaves behind a legacy far greater than wins and losses,” Weber wrote on his “Living in Dunwoody” blog. “He rebuilt a program, restored pride in a school and helped raise a generation of young men. He showed us what patience, vision and heart can do when you stay the course.”

containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

SAY CHEESE!

1. Urban blight. Mild cheese in a ball. Cattle breed.

2. Let up. Stand-offish. Greek salad cheese.

3. Mold-rippened cheese. Enrico Caruso, e.g. Kick out.

4. Family man. Roquefort cheese

aka. Young pigeon.

5. Decant. Wander. Wax-coated cheese.

6. Goat cheese. Therefore. Sir ____ Guinness.

7. Domestic. Play a guitar. Cheese with holes in it.

1 Urban blight. Mild cheese in a ball. Cattle breed

2. Let up. Stand-offish. Greek salad cheese

How to Solve: Each line in the puzzle above has three clues and three answers. The last letter in the first answer on each line is the first letter of the second answer, and so on. The connecting letter is outlined, giving you the correct number of letters for each answer (the answers in line 1 are 4, 5 and 5 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, which each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

3. Mold-rippened cheese. Enrico Caruso, e.g. Kick out

4. Family man. Roquefort cheese aka. Young pigeon

5. Decant. Wander. Wax-coated cheese

6. Goat cheese. Therefore. Sir ___ Guinness 7.

Johns Creek chef has eye for detail, care, creativity

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Every dish

Andrew Traub creates is crafted with care.

“We see all the quality that goes into it,” said Traub, owner of A&S Culinary Concepts. “It’s not done by machines. It’s done by people. There’s care and love in it.”

For the past 10 years, A&S Culinary Concepts has made a point of preparing every dish from scratch, calling on an impressive reservoir of culinary expertise to create inspired menus. The Johns Creek culinary studio caters events, hosts cooking classes and holds teambuilding exercises that allow groups to prepare a gourmet meal together.

Traub’s journey into the world of cooking started at age 15 when he began working for a neighborhood Italian steakhouse in Long Island.

“My mother said go out and get a job,” Traub said.

As a salad cook and busboy, he fell in love with the fast-paced kitchen environment and decided to continue his education at a culinary school in the Catskill Mountains. Immediately after graduation, Marriott recruited him to help open the flagship New York Marriott

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“I ended up learning from the best of the best,” he said.

As a manager trainee, he worked alongside 200 hotel cooks in six different kitchens, preparing food for banquets that routinely attracted several thousand guests. The role was so demanding that he sometimes worked 20-hour days, which often required him to sleep at the hotel.

“They would put a bunch of us all in one room to sleep because we were working so much,” he said.

After leaving Marriott, Traub opened Love at First Bite Catering in Manhattan with a college friend. Their clients included Radio City Music Hall, the Luxembourg Consulate, Pace Collection and Fordham University.

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Traub made his way to Atlanta when he was again recruited by Marriott to serve as the executive sous chef at the Marriott Marquis. He continued working with Marriott as an executive chef at various other hotels, including the Memphis Marriott Downtown Hotel & Conference Center and Atlanta

Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort in Stone Mountain.

Traub now works for himself, cooking for his own business. He said he loves applying his 40 years of cooking experience to meet the unique demands of every client.

With the help of 20 staff members, A&S Culinary Concepts starts by brainstorming creative menus that feature all sorts of techniques from smoking to grilling and cuisines from Tex-Mex to Mediterranean. Everything is made from scratch and taste-tested multiple times before being served.

Some notable creations include a pumpkin pie bar with muffin crust and

Grilled shrimp are served on a platter for a September event.

cheesecake, goat cheese and grape hors d'oeuvre with caramelized pecans and pimento cheese wonton.

Clients often express their delight at the creative dishes, but Traub said he also receives immense satisfaction from the work.

Each dish is an exercise in the art of making food and a joy to partake in.

“It's not boring to come to work,” he said.

Appen Media Publisher Hans Appen named to 2025 ‘40 Under 40’ list

ATLANTA — Appen Media Group

Publisher & CEO Hans Appen has been selected for Georgia Trend magazine’s 2025 “40 Under 40” list. This distinction recognizes young professionals across the state who are making significant contributions in business, the arts, public service and other fields.

The Georgia Trend “40 Under 40” award is one of the most prestigious honors for emerging leaders in Georgia. Appen’s inclusion

underscores his influence in the media landscape and his commitment to both journalistic excellence and community impact.

“I’m deeply honored to be included in Georgia Trend’s 2025 class of ‘40 Under 40,’” Appen said. “This recognition is a tribute to the talented team at Appen Media Group and the communities we serve across Georgia. I’m energized to continue pushing the boundaries of local journalism and news media innovation.”

Under Appen’s leadership, Appen Media Group has expanded its footprint across the state, strengthening local journalism through deeper community connections and sustainable business practices. He has positioned the company as a trusted voice in independent media and a model that news organizations across the country look to for inspiration in building sustainable local journalism.

PHOTOS BY: ANDREW TRAUB/PROVIDED

Sue Traub and husband Andrew Traub. A&S Culinary Concepts was named after the couple’s first names.

Sous chef Julianne Pace teaches a corporate teambuilding participant how to grill lettuce.

Citrus-stuffed chickens are cooked at A&S Culinary Concepts’ Johns Creek location in 2025.

How Chattahoochee Nature Center became what it is

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

In the 1970s, a movement began to conserve land and create green space along the Chattahoochee River in Roswell. John Ripley Forbes was one of the people involved in this vision. He started the SE Land Preservation Trust to fund the purchase of green space.

In addition to Chattahoochee Nature Center, Forbes was part of the movement to create the Dunwoody Nature Center and the force behind Big Trees Forest Preserve on Roswell Road, next to the North Fulton Service Center. Forbes did this kind of work across the U.S. He is credited with setting up nature centers in over 30 states. Frank McCamey, another supporter of nature centers, was brought in to help with the search. Roy Wood, father of Roswell Mayor Jere Wood, suggested a large privately owned property along the Chattahoochee River. The 6.7-acre tract was home to American Adventures Club. With the acquisition of this land, Chattahoochee Nature Center opened in 1976. (chattnaturecenter.org)

American Adventures Club was a family recreation center owned by Horace Holden. It offered tennis, swimming and ball fields. In 1985 and 1992, additional acreage was purchased from Horace Holden. This land was part of Camp Chattahoochee. Holden, a teacher and graduate of Emory

University, and his wife Jodie started Camp Chattahoochee and school on the property with hopes to build two new school buildings in the future. (Atlanta Constitution, June 29, 1971, “This morning campers, we hit the slopes”)

Advertised as having three lakes, the camp offered fishing, canoeing and swimming. Other activities were horseback riding, tennis, archery, campouts, arts and crafts, and gymnastics. The camp offered transportation. (Atlanta Journal, May 4, 1969, Camp Chattahoochee ad)

In 1971, they tried something new at Camp Chattahoochee, summertime snow skiing. A ski slope was constructed the previous fall with an Astro-turf surface. Then plastic snow was spread on the turf. Former Austrian ski champion, Raimund Winkler, helped create the ski slope along the Chattahoochee. (Atlanta Constitution, June 29, 1971, “This morning, campers, we hit the slopes”)

One summer in the late 1960s, I went to Camp Chattahoochee day camp for two weeks. It was only in the last few years that I realized the camp was today home to the Chattahoochee Nature Center. I remember riding a bus with a neighbor friend and other children on a long route across town to Roswell. Horseback riding, tennis, swimming and canoeing were all fun activities, although I don’t recall wearing a life jacket in the canoe. That is not surprising, considering there were also no seat belts in cars.

Chattahoochee Nature Center was the first nonprofit nature center in Georgia. Today, it is a beautiful nature preserve on 127 acres. There are trails, programs, events, exhibits and summer camps. There are special event spaces that embrace the outdoors. In the coming months, check their website for more information of their 50th anniversary in 2026.

Award-winning author Valerie Biggerstaff is a longtime columnist for Appen Media and the Dunwoody Crier. She lives in Atlanta. You can email Valerie at pasttensega@gmail.com or visit her website at pasttensega.com.

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Mustangs sweep softball tri-match against Blessed Trinity, Chamblee

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA, Ga — Mount Vernon hosted Blessed Trinity and Chamblee softball teams for a tri-match Sept. 27.

Mount Vernon pulled off a 5-3 comeback against the Titans first and closed out the day by overpowering Chamblee 4-1.

Beating the Titans and Bulldogs broke a three-game losing streak for Mount Vernon. Prior to Sept. 23, the Mustangs had been one of four teams in Georgia that remained undefeated nearly two months into the season.

Calvary Christian suffered its first loss of the season last week to Harris County, leaving just Buford and Eastside (Covington) unbeaten.

Mustangs head coach Mike Edmondson said it felt good to get back in the saddle after a down week.

“We pride ourselves on being able to hit the ball hard and play good, solid, fast defense,” he said. “The girls believe in themselves, and they believe in their teammates, they know that we’re never out of it. With that kind of belief, it doesn’t matter what the score is or what inning it is, we know that we can come back.”

Blessed Trinity had the first two games of the day, first against Mount Vernon, then Chamblee. Titans leadoff batter Chelsea Lewis hit a home run in the first at-bat of the morning and was one of the strongest fielders, playing second base. Lewis went on to steal six bases against Chamblee.

Mount Vernon answered with a home run of their own in the first inning from catcher Priscilla Andrin. The Providence College commit leads the Mustangs in home runs this season with four, RBIs with 25 and a batting average at .630. With the score tied at one apiece, the Titans got hot in the sixth inning when catcher Mandy Endres and shortstop Addie Spak, a UNC-Charlotte commit,

pulled in two more runs.

The Mustangs responded once more, with a three-run homer by sophomore Ella Clockadale to put Mount Vernon up 5-3. It was her first home run of the season.

Blessed Trinity freshman Rylan Fuller was on the mound for the entirety of both games, pitching 11 innings and allowing just six runs all day.

Titans head coach Mark Harrison said he was impressed with what Fuller was able to get done against one of the best teams in the state in Mount Vernon.

“[Fuller] jumped through everything like she needed to, she gave us everything she had,” he said. “Really proud of what we did today to kind of push through the next two weeks to get ready and build to a playoff run.”

Chamblee struggled to get the offense moving, while Blessed Trinity exploded for five runs in the first inning.

Bulldogs junior Hannah Sullivan batted in the only run her team scored against the Titans.

Blessed Trinity kept their heads down, dominating 10-1 by the end of the fifth inning to even out their record for the day.

Chamblee started off strong against Mount Vernon, with right fielder Madison Jones scoring the Bulldogs’ only run in the first inning.

After that, the Mustangs scored four unanswered runs to secure a 2-0 record for the day.

Chamblee has two players who faced off against their sisters on the Mustangs. Freshman Brooke Winokur pitched against her sister, senior Mia Winokur, who hit a double and two singles knowing the pitcher’s tendencies.

Chamblee senior Avery D’Auria also faced off against her sibling, sophomore Taylor D’Auria.

The Mustangs are hopeful to make a run to their fifth straight title game. The postseason begins in two weeks.

CONGRATS DAWGS! BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Managing fall skin flare-ups

Brought to you by – Dr. Lola Sode, Epiphany Dermatology

October is a transitional month—cooler mornings, drier air, and unpredictable weather patterns here in Atlanta can all impact the health of your skin. For many patients, these shifts mean more than just a change in wardrobe. They often trigger flare-ups of common skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and rosacea.

As humidity drops, your skin may produce more oil to compensate, which can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Similarly, people living with psoriasis or rosacea often notice that their symptoms worsen during this time of year, with increased redness, itching, or irritation. Seasonal triggers—like temperature changes, wind, and even indoor heating—can further complicate matters.

The good news is that you don’t have to face these changes alone. Visiting a board-certified dermatologist allows us to create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your skin’s needs during the fall transition. Whether that means adjusting your skincare regimen, prescribing medication to control flare-ups, or recommending in-office treatments, the goal is to restore balance and comfort while preventing long-term damage.

For those also interested in improving skin’s appearance, fall is a wonderful time to explore cosmetic dermatology. Treatments such as laser therapy or professional-grade facials can target redness, refine texture, and support overall skin health before the busy holiday season.

This October, don’t let climate shifts dictate how your skin feels or looks. Partner with your dermatologist to keep your skin clear, calm, and resilient all season long.

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Designing hope: How Wellstar helped interior design student beat cancer & pursue dreams

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Wellstar

Maria Fernanda Ortiz was a college junior, pursuing a degree in interior design. But her life took an unexpected turn. She discovered a lump in her breast, which led to a cancer diagnosis. Expert, multidisciplinary care would see her through treatment, recovery and shape her professional aspirations.

Feeling heard in healthcare

After Maria discovered a lump, she initially saw a doctor who went through the motions but didn’t seem to take her concerns seriously.

“He was so sure it was nothing because I am so young,” Maria remembered. “I didn’t think it was cancer, but I wanted someone who would get to the bottom of it.”

She then saw her OB/GYN who referred her to Dr. Laura Pearson, a Wellstar breast surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center, for a second opinion.

Maria got what she was looking for: a doctor who listened and would help her find answers.

A surprising cancer diagnosis

Dr. Pearson immediately performed an ultrasound in the office, followed quickly by a biopsy, which came back positive for cancer.

"The diagnosis was scary," Maria said. “Dr. Pearson made it as simple as possible to understand by making sketches. She took the time to answer my questions—and she gave me hugs.”

Maria was diagnosed with stage 2A breast cancer, meaning it was a small tumor but had spread to a nearby lymph node.

An empowering decision during chemotherapy

Dr. Pearson connected Maria with a medical oncologist—fast.

Maria describes Dr. Nagender Mankan as “awesome.” He began her on a five-month chemotherapy

regimen to shrink the tumor before surgery and to stop its spread.

Maria chose to start the treatment right away, leaving no time for fertility preservation. So Dr. Mankan started her on an ovarian oppression medication. The aim was to stop the ovaries to protect them during chemotherapy.

Knowing she would lose her hair during treatment, Maria made an empowering choice: “For me, taking control and shaving my head before the hair started falling was powerful. I was in control,” she said.

Offering hope around breast surgery

After chemotherapy, it was time for breast surgery to remove the tumor. While the cancer was not found to be genetically driven, Maria opted to have a double mastectomy, a full removal of the breasts, to lower the risk of the cancer coming back.

“Maria was completely clear of cancer at the time of her surgery,

which bodes well for her for long-term outcome,” Dr. Pearson said.

The pursuit of making a difference in design

Today, Maria is in remission and is “healthy as I can be!” she pronounced. She takes an estrogen-blocking drug to help keep the cancer at bay. She will also see her cancer team for regular surveillance every six months for the five years following her surgery.

Even during her most challenging moments during treatment, Maria remained focused on her studies. "Part of the control I took was not taking away my dream of graduating," she explained.

The 2025 Georgia State University graduate looks forward to her continuing good health. She plans to pursue a career designing healthcare spaces that offer comfort, healing and hope for others facing similar challenges.

Learn more about breast cancer care at Wellstar at wellstar.org/breastcancer.

When a mammogram result is flagged for follow-up care, it can be scary and intimidating—but at Wellstar, you won’t have to navigate your breast health journey alone. Our Comprehensive Breast Health Program will ensure you’re surrounded in care with complimentary concierge services and compassionate experts to guide you every step of the way. Our dedicated team provides a personalized care plan, scheduling assistance and education about your care options. For more information, call (470) 610-1910 or visit wellstar.org/breasthealth.

Walkers

Mobility Plus Alpharetta celebrates a 3rd year in the Winner’s Circle!

Brought to you by – Mobility Plus Alpharetta

Mobility Plus Alpharetta is humbled by earning a top spot in the Best of North Atlanta rankings during its’ third year in operation!

This family-owned small business, owned by Scott and Mary Block of Alpharetta offers a customer-focused experience for those needing powered or manual wheelchairs, mobility scooters, stairlifts, lift recliners, walkers, portable and modular ramp systems or home health items.

Mary, a former Fulton County teacher, was led to working with seniors after caring for her father. She quickly realized how difficult it was to find informational resources, products and support services. When seeking a professional change, she wanted to address some of the deficits that she had previously encountered by offering as many products as possible under one roof, and by serving as a community educational resource.

The Blocks partner with local experts like move managers, senior living placement specialists, and occupational therapists to be as informed as possible about the variety of needs that their customers have. They host lunch and learns in their 3500 sq. ft. Space on a variety of topics once a quarter. “No one that comes in for a wheelchair, stairlift, or ramp, needs just that one item. Our customers are seniors, children supporting aging parents, or those living with chronic degenerative diseases. There are always other needs besides a product purchase” says Mary.

They look forward to serving the North Atlanta community for many years to come and are so grateful for your votes, and support!

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4020 Nine McFarland Drive

Alpharetta, GA 30004

470-545-1827

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Crossing:

Continued from Page 1

Hirose said the most significant change to the project’s existing plans is the contractor’s removal of a hybrid roundabout at Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Roberts Drive. Based on an updated traffic study, consultants discovered a roundabout would increase travel times by an average of 3 seconds because of the corridor’s traffic congestion. Instead, the contractor is proposing a realigned and regraded intersection with an improved traffic signal, helping clear more vehicles.

Hirose said eliminating the roundabout saves significant money on construction and right-of-way costs.

The project’s layout also attempts to minimize impacts to adjacent property owners and save as many trees as possible.

Hirose said staff is recommending approving an increase of $1.4 million to its contract with KCI Technologies to produce final design documents needed to move the project into right-of-way acquisitions. That brings the project’s total design budget to $2.22 million with a 10 percent contingency.

Elected officials first approved an $837,000 preliminary contract with KCI in summer 2024 to complete a third of the design phase, environmental assessments and an updated traffic analysis. Two months later, the city approved a project agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation, including a preliminary design budget of $500,000 split evenly between the city and federal funds.

Mayor Lynn Deutsch said the project’s federal funding, totaling $1.85 million, is “tremendous” news. Those funds require the city to contribute just under $600,000, or 25 percent.

“I believe there’s gridlock in Dunwoody Village ... we need to be looking at every strategy we can have to keep traffic moving,” Deutsch

said. “This project is a long way from starting ... as we design it, I think it’s key to look at how we’re going to construct it.”

Dunwoody residents first identified their desire for improvements during work on the 2011 Dunwoody Village Master Plan. The city prioritizes streetscape improvements, particularly within commercial hubs, to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists and support local businesses.

The Public Works Department indicated it will take about two years to acquire the right of way needed for the corridor improvements with construction set to begin in winter 2029.

The city has set aside $1 million of its own 2025 SPLOST budget for the project. With the additional federal funding, all that money will be reimbursed through GDOT.

Staff indicated the remaining $324,000 for design is slated to come out of next year’s local share of DeKalb County’s one-cent sales tax.

David Ziskind, a Meadowlake resident running for the City Council’s Post 2 seat in District 2, said he supports the city prioritizing the stretch of Chamblee Dunwoody Road through the Village because it’s the heart of the city.

Ziskind spoke during public comment to open the meeting and before the new design was unveiled.

“However, I’m concerned about the emphasis on cycling and pedestrian improvements at the expense of vehicle traffic,” Ziskind said. “This is a critical corridor for drivers, as we know from the traffic, and any improvement should also address traffic flow, not worsen it.”

After public comment and during the Village Crossing discussion, City Councilman Joe Seconder addressed Ziskind’s comments.

“It sounds like we are keeping the same capacity if not increasing the capacity for motor vehicles in this concept,” Seconder said.

A side-by-side comparison shows the existing conditions along Chamblee Dunwoody Road from Womack Road to Roberts Drive and proposed improvements from the Village Crossing project.

Budget: AAPPEN PRESSCLU

Continued from Page 1

While the city received $23 million in federal funds through the coronavirus relief bill and the American Rescue Plan Act, significant money was needed to cover plummeting commercial property values, increasing personnel costs and economy-wide inflation.

The city has avoided spending its reserves since the pandemic hit in spring 2020 but has budgeted the use of excess dollars to cover operations. After elected officials adopted the 2025 budget last October, the spending plan called for the use of $1.2 million in reserves.

The new budget from Deutsch and City Manager Eric Linton is the first proposed spending plan in several years that does not earmark the use of reserves to cover operational costs in the general fund budget.

According to the year-end audit of 2024 financials, Dunwoody added $3.5 million to reserves. The proposed 2026 budget also shows recurring revenues increasing $3 million or 8.6 percent year-over-year.

Piggy bank safe this year

Finance Director Richard Platto said

projected increases to city’s tax digest and other revenues eliminated the need to use reserves in the 2025 budget, as well as next year’s.

“As a matter of fact, we haven’t used fund balance for the last six years, since COVID basically began,” he said. “That’s the same philosophy that we used to develop the 2026 budget.”

Platto also said the city will continue to keep its reserves at six months of operating costs, which is two months above the required minimum set by city charter.

In the realm of capital projects, Deutsch is proposing to allocate $7 million of the city’s nearly $30 million in reserves for the buildout of Homecoming Park, sidewalks, police equipment and pedestrian safety.

Police Chief Mike Carlson said he thinks some of the department’s $500,000 will go toward a second drone through a partnership with the Perimeter CID and to cover a terminated federal grant for electrical vehicles.

Because the city has been prioritizing 12-foot-wide paths along busy corridors, there is also another $500,000 to fill in sidewalk gaps, typically 6 feet wide along residential streets.

City Councilman Joe Seconder said he thinks the $500,000 for pedestrian safety needs to go toward Road Safety Action Plan items.

The mayor’s plan would leave the

city with around $10 million more than its four-month reserve of $12.5 million. Because of increasing operational costs associated with personnel, the city’s growing reserves are covering fewer months of the operating budget.

Deutsch said she’s comfortable with a roughly $22 million cushion, which could cover around seven months of city operations.

“We’re not going to overspend,” Deutsch said. “We’re going to do what we can.”

Homecoming Park in play

The big-ticket item is the $5 million buildout of Homecoming Park, which city officials originally planned to cover with revenues generated from the 2023 parks and trails bond.

After the referendum failed by a 57-43 margin, city officials have spent several meetings trying to figure out how to do more with less.

Council members expressed near unanimous support for constructing Homecoming Park, a more than 9-acre greenspace off Vermack Road near Village Mill that the city purchased in 2021.

To allocate the $7 million in reserves for the mayor’s capital plan, elected officials will need to amend the budget at an upcoming public hearing, most likely Oct. 14 or during final approval Oct. 27.

City Councilwoman Stacey Harris said she “very much in favor” of the mayor’s capital spending plan, especially buildout of the park.

“It is time to stop just paying our mortgage and have a park,” Harris said.

City Councilman John Heneghan said he wants to ensure the city has $600,000 set aside in case it needs to continue paying for the city’s ambulance.

Elected officials discussed ambulances, the DeKalb County Fire Department and emergency medical services in detail.

Response times are improving through a reworked county contract, and the city is not planning to continue paying for its own ambulance. No concrete decision was made.

Heneghan also said he wants to maintain enough reserves to cover worst case scenarios in public safety like having to rework its contract for E911 services and potential opportunities like purchasing a property at the Dunwoody Village.

“In case the Post Office were to become available, we can buy that as a city and improve the Village,” Heneghan said.

Possible (fun) solutions to life in a lonely world

RAY APPEN Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

One of the biggest challenges today, in my opinion, is to live some version of an engaged, connected, grounded and nourishing life – in big ways or small. It is a recurrent theme in my columns. Our worlds are too full of white noise, digital dribble, shallow or worthless distractions, rampant and really sad materialism – $200$300,000 cars and multimillion-dollar second or third beach or mountain homes, video/streaming vomit and other time-stealing, time-consuming unproductive and in the long run, debilitating crap – in my opinion. Yea, I know, say what you really feel, Ray.

So now, I am going to proceed to talk out of both sides of my mouth.

Redemption via geocache

I was driving back to my house this morning after having checked stage two of my most recent three-stage geocache hide – a sort of hide-andseek treasure hunting activity – which I named “Cellulose Alpha Loop Cache.” “Cellulose” is sort of my moniker that I used when naming my geocache hides. My next hide that I am working on will be called “Cellulose Key Lime Pie Cache.” There is a reason.

That Alpha Loop cache went live yesterday – worldwide – because geocaching is web-based. Last night, I got a direct message from geocacher GeoMonkeyTiger!, who was trying to find my hide, telling me that he couldn’t find stage two. He is trying to be the “first to find” for this new cache – which is a big deal in the geocache world. I double checked stage two an hour ago. It is still there, so I messaged him that he just missed it. He needs to go back and look a little harder.

I won’t go into further details other than – for the benefit of those of you not familiar with geocaching – it is like a web-based scavenger hunt that started in San Francisco/ Oregon in 2000. Some people like to make the hides; some enjoy the search for them; some/most do both. The hides contain nothing of value; the hunt is the point. Adults play. Kids play. The rich play. The poor play. Republicans play, and Democrats play. It’s free. It gets you outdoors – looking, observing, thinking, and – perhaps most importantly – slowing down. You discover places that amaze you – that are right in your own backyard, that you never knew. You meet people out doing the same thing you are doing. It is usually an instant bond to a degree. It’s challenging. It’s fun – lots of fun. Today, there are over 3 million hidden geocaches world-wide. This web-based scavenger hunt is in every state and almost every city and in 90 percent of all the countries around the world.

Alpharetta alone probably has a couple hundred hides. Some people go on geocache vacations, traveling state to state hunting geocaches. Many folks will get together with a friend or two on a weekend to see how many hides they can find. Many geocachers have well over 20,000 finds! There is this underground thing going on folks!

Go to Wikipedia for a brief overview (by Googling “Geocaching”). Then you can go to the main website: Geocaching.com to get started.

Two chocolate retrievers

On my way home from checking the stage two of my cache, I stopped at the red light by the American Legion in Alpharetta. An oldish man was crossing the street walking two chocolate labs. Their muzzles were turning white. His hair had already turned. The three of them were there waiting then, together they walked in unison through the crosswalk to the other side of Wills Road.

As I watched I thought – for just a few seconds before the light changed back (but it felt like a lifetime) – about all the times together they surely have had – where they have been; how many walks taken together; how much their companionship has meant; where they were going and where they started. Then the light changed.

When I got home, a friend of ours from Ft. Lauderdale was already there. He was road-tripping with Charlie – his

part Jack Russel/part Chiwawa terrier. We used to work with him in another lifetime at The Miami Herald. He was coming for dinner and to catch up. Old ties endure. He is driving “out west.” His next stop is New Orleans then onto Vegas to the “Sphere” to see the reworked version of The Wizard of Oz – a play I think, along the lines maybe of Cirque du Solei. His itinerary looks wonderful, fun, and nourishing –just Ken and Charlie – not in the least hurry.

I wouldn’t have been at that intersection to see those chocolate labs had I not been coming back from my geocache. I would not have appreciated Ken’s visit quite as much had I not seen the man and his labs. As trivial geocaching sounds – hunting for trinkets hidden in film canisters, bottles, ammo boxes and the like – it is the real deal, the real “life in the moment” space.

In today’s world, we have choices, lots of them. Embrace wonder. Be curious, not judgmental. Seek out bright colors and mysteries in nature. Listen to trees growing and watch leaves as they convert sunlight into sugar and energy, then pass it on through their underground railroad, natures mycelial networks of fungal colonies and root systems that can reach for miles underground. It’s all there if you slow down and look! Maybe go geocaching. Learn. Thrive. Experience. In person; but not with screens.

Hunting for snapping turtles – once a popular pastime

Hunting for snapping turtles used to be a popular pastime, particularly in the rural southeast. Snapping turtle meat was good eating and it made excellent soup, but hunting for it was not for everyone. The methods used to capture snapping turtles could cost inexperienced hunters a finger. In today’s column we will describe the history of the sport in this area.

There are two kinds of snapping turtles in Georgia. In North Georgia streams, ponds and creeks, you will encounter the Common Snapping Turtle which is widespread throughout the state. They weigh10-35 pounds and

measure up to 18 inches long. They are often seen crossing roads. The Alligator Snapping Turtle with its heavily ridged shell that is spiked like an alligator can weigh well over 100 pounds and measures up to two feet long. They are almost never seen locally.

If you do see a snapping turtle do not touch it because its neck can quickly reach around its shell to remove a finger. It would be best to call animal control.

Crabapple was known as turtle hunting territory. Local historian Connie Mashburn’s book Alpharetta, Milton County – the Early Years contains a photograph of ten residents celebrating a successful turtle hunt in 1955. The catch that day was 107 turtles.

Earl Mansell, a well-known farmer in Roswell, used to hunt for snapping

turtles with his friends, according to his son Barry. They hunted in different creeks including Foe Killer Creek and called the sport turtle grappling. “It was a good way to cool off in the summer,” says Barry.

The Atlanta Journal carried many articles dating back to the late 1800s about turtle hunting as a social activity. On July 27, 1955, the newspaper promoted an article that would appear the following Sunday. The promo said “When you go hunting for hard-shell loggerheads, you may lose a hand or just a few fingers. But turtle hunters from Crabapple, Ga., a few miles from Roswell, have a lot of fun catching the loggerheads in north Georgia streams. This interesting article…tells how they have a fried turtle feast after they catch them.” Note: in this area of Georgia, the terms loggerhead or hard-shell

loggerhead were used to describe snapping turtles. Gradually, the terms came to refer only to loggerhead sea turtles.

Here are a few choice quotes from the Sunday article. “Just about everybody in Crabapple, GA., goes hunting for hard-shell turtles every Fourth of July…. When a man catches a hard-shell loggerhead, he starts singing ‘Amazing Grace,’ and everybody in the creek rallies around and joins in the old hymn.”

“Nap Rucker, the famous Brooklyn Dodger southpaw of some 40 years ago, told me that when he was a boy, growing up in Crabapple around the turn of the century, he used to hunt turtles up and down every creek anywhere near the community.”

BOB MEYERS

Columnist

Ever seen a gopher tortoise?

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

Ever seen a gopher tortoise, Georgia’s state reptile, in the wild?

I have. The first one I encountered was at Georgie T. Bagby State Park down in southwest Georgia. It was about this time of year, and I was enjoying an afternoon hike on one of the park’s many trails when some slow and subtle movement in the undergrowth along the trail caught my eye. I looked, and there it was – a surprisingly large creature moving with deliberate slowness and apparently paying no attention to me at all.

I watched for a while. The critter seemed to be heading home, which in this case appeared to be that burrow opening right over there. I decided to stay and witness the arrival, but then I realized that this might take a while. Tortoises are not known for speed, and even by tortoise standards this one was not in a hurry. So, after a while I excused myself (there is something about gopher tortoises that brings out formality and politeness, you know) and continued on down the trail, leaving the tortoise to do whatever it is that tortoises do on late summer afternoons.

As far as tortoise welfare goes, everything appeared to be okay that fine fall day in the south Georgia woods.

Gopher tortoises, smooth-shelled and about the size of a dinner plate, are not particularly showy or flashy. But their unassuming appearance belies their importance to the environment.

Considered a “keystone” species (that is, one which has a major impact on its ecosystem), they’re known for the long burrows they excavate in sandy soil –burrows that are subsequently used by more than 300 other species, among them the rare and federally threatened eastern indigo snake.

For many years, gopher tortoises faced an uncertain future. Loss of habitat was the problem. In parts of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, the species had been listed as “threatened” as long ago as 1987. Up until 2022, it was a candidate for such a listing in Georgia, too – and that brings us to the Georgia Gopher Tortoise Initiative.

A gopher tortoise population group needs to include at least 250 adult tortoises to be self-sustaining. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, when the Georgia Gopher Tortoise Initiative was launched in 2015, only 36 of Georgia’s 125 viable gopher

tortoise populations were protected. However, studies suggested that at least 65 populations needed to be protected if this species’ future was to be secure.

So, the goal was set: protect at least 65 gopher tortoise population group while also shooting for conservation and restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystems that gopher tortoises require.

Launched in 2015 by Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Defense because (gopher tortoises are found on Fort Stewart as well as on Fort Benning) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, this initiative now draws together nearly 30 groups.

These range from conservation organizations to government agencies to businesses to private landowners, all working together to address the matter of gopher tortoise protection. It’s a coalition of what some might call strange bedfellows, but the synergy is profound, and the goal is a worthy one: to keep the gopher tortoise off the “endangered” list. Is avoiding “endangered” status a big deal? Well, as numerous conservationminded folks have pointed out, it’s easier to address a problem before it occurs (in this case, before a species becomes endangered) than it is to fix it once “endangered” status becomes a reality. That was the idea behind the Gopher Tortoise Initiative – to proactively move on behalf of gopher tortoises before the need to do so became critical.

And so, tortoise lovers, there is good news! Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources recently announced that Georgia’s Gopher Tortoise Initiative has “reached its goal of permanently protecting 65 viable tortoise populations.”

Population No. 65, which includes just over 1,200 acres of pineland habitat near Cordele, will help protect more than 250 gopher tortoises.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the owner of this particular tract of land – Austin McKinney of Newnan – feels that a conservation easement with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service makes sense.

“We’ve always valued uplands, quail and wildlife,” McKinney says. “We take this seriously, and we’re looking forward to continuing to improve” the habitat.

“We’re incredibly proud of the success of these conservation efforts,” notes Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon, adding, “This collaborative approach has shown great promise as a model for successful

wildlife conservation.”

Want to see a wild gopher tortoise yourself? There are many places in the state where your odds of doing so are excellent. You’ll find them in George T. Bagby State Park, where I saw my first wild one. Another good tortoise-spotting spot is the Gopher Tortoise Bike Loop at Reed Bingham State Park a few miles west of Adel, Ga. There’s a large population in Seminole State Park in Donalsonville, too, where you’ll also find one of the largest longleaf pine forests of any Georgia state park. Look in places such as the Ceylon Wildlife Management Area in Camden County, too. In fact, any area with well-trained sandy soil and a longleaf pine canopy can be a good place to look.

As Monica Thornton, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in Georgia (which is a member of the Initiative) has noted, reaching that goal of 65 protected gopher tortoise populations is “proof that if we think big and work together, we can accomplish anything.”

Working together…what a concept. It works!

Turtles:

Continued from Page 18

“Early on the morning of the Fourth, we all piled into 10 cars – there were more than 60 people in the party – and headed north from Crabapple…. Ed Chambers, an old-timer who has been hunting turtles more than 45 years, struck out upstream, and started poking around in likely looking places along the banks at water level… the oldtimer was just about all the way into the water, with only his head and shoulders showing. All of a sudden, his face lighted up and his bass sounded loud and clear – “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound—” and he hauled out a turtle by the tail, the loggerhead stretching its neck and swiveling its head, its jaws snapping viciously.”

Linda Tucker Martin grew up in Alpharetta when snapping turtle hunting was part of the social fabric. “My Dad (Walter Tucke) hunted snapping turtles with the Collett brothers. They would use big sacks to keep the turtles alive and when finished they emptied them in front yard.

“My mother would fry the turtles using flower and milk. Every section of turtle meat would taste like a different kind of meat, some like chicken, some like fish.

“I didn’t go near the turtles when they were alive. A common saying was ‘if a snapping turtle bit you it wouldn’t turn loose until it thunders.’ The children all believed that.”

Turtle hunting was a family affair. The men hunted turtles and the women went saining for catfish using a big net with wooden poles at each end. The children would play in the water.

“Every July 4 we had a turtle and fish

DEATH NOTICES

Priya Ashok, 53, of Alpharetta, passed away on September 15, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

fry in our back yard, Linda recalls.”

Johnny Collett used to go turtle hunting with his grandfather Clarance Collett whose picture is in the photo in Connie Mashburn’s book. “My grandmother passed away when I was five years old and I lived with my grandaddy when I was growing up. He taught me to hunt turtles. We would go to different streams 15 or 20 times

Mary Huffinton, 94, of Roswell, passed away on September 15, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

every summer for about eight years until he passed away of cancer. I still eat turtle meat every chance I get.”

Johnny says that the only thing his grandfather was afraid of was muskrats. “He could handle snakes by grabbing them and throwing them up on a bank.

“I was bitten by snapping turtles several times and still have a few

Kathleen Eggert, 96, of Alpharetta, passed away on September 22, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

John Fahy, 85, of Alpharetta, passed away on September 16, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Charlie Lail, Sr., 86, of Roswell, passed away on September 20, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Richard Lindstadt, 95, of Alpharetta, passed away on September 26, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Valerie McIntyre, 71, of Alpharetta, passed away on September 22, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Linda Morris, 79, of Roswell, passed away on September 23, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Tom Ness, 77, of Roswell, passed away on September 26, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

scars. I was quick enough that the turtles never latched on, Johnny says.”

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.

Terrell Parker, 87, of Roswell, passed away on September 28, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Catherine Popp, 64, of Roswell, passed away on September 26, 2025. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

COURTESY LINDA TUCKER MARTIN FROM BOOK “ALPHARETTA, MILTON COUNTY – THE EARLY YEARS” BY CONNIE MASHBURN A group of friends from North Fulton relax after a day of turtle hunting in September 1955. They caught 107 snapping turtles. Front row, from left, Luke Collett, Walter Tucker, Elip Spence, Joe Smith and Tillman Collett. Back row, Woodrow Blackwell, Pierce Reece, Clyde Collett, Clarence Collett and Paul Westbrook. Clarence Collett’s grandson and Walter Tucker’s daughter were interviewed for this column.

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Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor

The Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor (Full-time) manages the donation door process and delegates tasks to staff, volunteers, and community service workers. As the face of NFCC, they provide excellent customer service while greeting donors and ensuring donations are properly removed from vehicles and sorted in designated areas. They are responsible for maintaining the security of merchandise and keeping all areas clean and organized.

The Supervisor must be able to lift up to 75lb frequently and be on their feet most of their shift. They must enjoy staying busy, training and influencing others to work as a team in a professional manner. Must have the ability to work Tuesday through Saturday 9am – 5pm. An extraordinary Total Rewards Package is included with this opportunity!

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

Graphic Designer. FT (Morrow, GA) Create dsgns, concepts, layouts, based on knowl of esthetic dsgn concepts. Prep rough sketches of mat’l. Draw & print charts, graphs, illustrations. Dvlp graphics. Generate new images. Bachelor’s Deg in Graphic Dsgn or Other Rltd Field. Send resume to Joon Company, Inc. (dba Beauty Master) Attn. HR, 1400 Mount Zion Rd. Morrow, GA 30260

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

Truck Driver

Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor

ESL Contractor Instructor (Evening)

Bilingual (English / Spanish) Donor Operations Supervisor

NFCC is seeking a Truck Driver (Donor Operations Services Associate II) to join our Facilities team. Our Truck Driver collects scheduled donations from businesses, residential locations, and special events while serving as a key point of contact for donors to coordinate pickup appointments. As the face of NFCC during donor interactions, this role requires maintaining a professional and a welcoming presence that reflects the organization’s values. Additionally, this position contributes to facility maintenance operations as needed.

The Truck Driver works Monday through Friday 9am – 2pm and periodically on Saturdays or Sundays for special events.

If you have 1-2 years of Box Truck delivery experience, maintain a valid Ga Driver’s License free of any traffic violations for the past 3 years and enjoy providing excellent customer service, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

NFCC is seeking an Evening ESL Contractor Instructor to teach English classes through our Adult Education program, serving students throughout North Fulton and surrounding counties. Our ESL Program runs three sessions annually, with comprehensive lessons covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, along with regular assessments to track student progress.

We’re looking for an instructor who is available to teach evening classes. The ideal candidate will be committed to maintaining strong enrollment of at least ten students per class and who can create an engaging learning environment that supports adult learners in achieving their English language goals.

If you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in TESL, TESOL, English with a TESL certificate, linguistics or applied linguistics with a TESL certificate, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org

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