Johns Creek Herald - March 9, 2023

Mayor announces Juneteenth celebration

Community organizations stress value of formal event

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A roomful of Johns Creek residents cheered and applauded news of a Juneteenth special event on the horizon following action at a Feb. 28 City Council work session.

Juneteenth harkens back to the federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of the country’s enslaved African Americans.

The event will be June 17 at Newtown Park.

Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry announced the news from the dais at the successive City Council meeting.

“Whatever happened in between then — I don’t know,” Skinner said. “But we’re excited.”

The decision comes after the recommendation from the Johns Creek Arts, Culture and Entertainment (ACE) Committee, which discussed the idea at its Feb. 2 meeting. Several ideas were tossed around, such as a gospel choir, a DJ with secular music, a barbecue cookoff as well as a ceremony honoring Black families buried at Macedonia Cemetery and other historical cemeteries in the city, like Little-Terry.

Four students in Northview High School’s Black History Club share their experiences with the club and support for recognizing Black history at the Feb. 28 Johns Creek City Council meeting. Other public comments included support for the city’s new Juneteenth event scheduled June 17 at Newtown Park, which the City Council approved at its work session earlier in the evening.

At the work session, Councilwoman Stacy Skinner pointed out that the City Council was in full support of Juneteenth last year.

While Juneteenth is a federal holiday, ACE Committee members also recommended it be recognized on the city calendar. Johns Creek currently shows a blank slate for June 19, whereas nearby cities like Dunwoody and Sandy Springs have adopted the holiday.

Councilwoman Erin Elwood

See JUNETEENTH, Page 7

Johns Creek pulls the plug on self-run city elections

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The Johns Creek City Council folded on plans to run its own municipal elections this year, throwing the ball back to Fulton County this time around.

At a crowded Feb. 28 work session, councilmembers agreed that city-run municipal elections in 2023 would be too

costly of a task for city staff, carrying an estimated $1 million price tag.

Based on the latest estimates from a Fulton County Commission meeting Feb. 1, the city would pay $429,252 for fall 2023 municipal elections, or $7.09 per registered voter.

If the city were to have directly administered elections, city staff estimated that cost per registered voter would exceed $16. And, if the city were

to have entered into an agreement with the other North Fulton cities, cost per registered voter would be more than $17, which includes a shared cost for wages of the proposed regional elections superintendent.

Some councilmembers added they didn’t want to forgo the level of service in haste.

“We don’t want to disenfranchise one person,’” Councilman Larry DiBiase said.

“Our level of service has to be the same as Fulton County or better, period.”

Early cost estimates

Johns Creek Mayor John Bradberry provided “context” for the election discussion, noting that Fulton County had initially set the cost for Johns Creek at $11.48 per registered voter.

See ELECTIONS, Page 7

AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA

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Crooked credit activity sparks police complaint

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A man reported he received a letter from Capital One Feb. 16 in reference to an attempt to open a new credit card.

His son told Johns Creek Police Feb. 21 his father had not made the application, and that Capital One had been notified. It is not known when and where the account was opened or by whom, the police report said.

The man received another letter in the mail from GAP clothing in reference to opening a new GAP credit card, which had an outstanding balance of $800.

GAP informed the man the card had been opened in an unidentified store using his Social Security number and date of birth. The phone number on the account was inaccurate, the report said, and the account had been flagged as fraudulent.

The man and his son went to the Social Security Office and informed personnel of the situation and froze the man’s credit with all three credit bureaus.

Driver pulls out gun in bout of road rage

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek Police was dispatched to Holcomb Bridge Road Feb. 21 in reference to a road rage incident that occurred in a parking lot.

A man stated he was traveling westbound on Holcomb Bridge when he and another driver started honking their car horns back and forth due to a disagreement in their driving methods. He then pulled into the parking lot in front of

Moon Indian Restaurant, the report said, and a dark blue Toyota Tacoma followed him into the lot.

The man said the middle-aged, White male driver brandished a black 9mm handgun and pointed it at him. The man could not give further details and was not sure if the driver had glasses or not.

The man told the other driver to “go ahead and shoot me” before taking out his phone and calling 9-1, the police report said.

The man said the driver saw him making the call and fled the scene in an unidentified direction. He later added that he only told the driver to shoot him because he did not believe he would do it, and that he was put in fear of his life.

When police ran the vehicle’s tag, the registered owner of the other vehicle came back as a Lawrenceville resident. The tag did not return with a vehicle description, had a nine character VIN, and a note stating the plate is no longer in the system, the report said. The only distinguishing description that the man could provide for the vehicle was what appeared to be white paint transfer streaked on the driver side bumper.

Police said there did not appear to be any visible outward facing cameras from the restaurant that would have captured the incident. The man said he would like to pursue criminal charges against the offender if identified.

Woman with sweet tooth sought in fraud incident

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The store manager of Royce Chocolate informed Johns Creek Police Feb. 22 a woman defrauded the business out of $1,105 and some candy.

The manager said that the business received an online order Oct. 15 for $202.17, which was filled, and the woman came into the store to retrieve the product.

A few days later, the man said the business received notice that the transaction was disputed, landing in favor of the customer and leaving the

business holding the bag.

At the time, the manager said his superiors thought it was something wrong with the online order system and didn’t think anything else of it.

But the same thing happened Feb. 13 on a charge of $519.49, but the outcome of the dispute is pending.

The man said the business does not know the woman’s information because she used different names, email addresses and phone numbers. But he said the business captured her on camera in two of the incidents.

Delivery items stolen off woman’s porch

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — A woman told Johns Creek Police Feb. 24 that a UPS package containing Bvlgari sunglasses and a gold bracelet had been stolen from her residence the day before. The items had a combined value of $2,229.

UPS sent her a notification the package was delivered between 3-5 p.m. to her residence off Bellmoore Park Lane, but when the woman looked for her package, it wasn’t there. The woman said there is no working video surveillance system at her residence and the package was supposedly delivered as certified mail, requiring a signature for receipt. But no one signed for the package.

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.

Milton man revived in Roswell Area Park

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. —The last thing Nick Bogle saw before his heart stopped beating at Roswell Area Park was two people inspecting the park’s automated external defibrillator, or AED.

The 63-year-old Milton resident was walking past the park bathrooms toward his soccer practice Feb. 4 when he experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Within moments, a fellow soccer player and retired fire chief started CPR on him.

When CPR proved ineffective, the pair inspecting the AED acted. Jeff Freemyer, a board member of elderfocused soccer club FC Georgia United, called 911. Alina Waring, an emergency physician administered the AED.

After only a few minutes and a single shock from the defibrillator, Bogle was revived and taken to the hospital by emergency medical services. Bogle spent four days in the hospital where he had an internal cardio defibrillator placed in his heart. If his heart stops again the device will restart it.

Weeks later Bogle is back on his feet, preparing to return to his athletic

lifestyle.

“My recovery really is going to be complete because they got to me so quickly,” Bogle said.

The soccer player called the lifesaving measures a “miracle.” Bogle said he was lucky to be right by the AED, and he was lucky the device they inspected was charged and ready for use.

Bogle ran through everything that could have gone differently, that could

Gasthaus Tirol

have kept the three individuals from saving his life. The American Heart Association says 436,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest every year.

Somebody could have been in the bathroom where the AED is stored, Bogle said. The device could have been dead. He could have been alone.

Thankful for his recovery, Bogle said he wants to raise awareness about the lifesaving measures around Roswell parks. He credits the city for keeping AEDs at all the fields.

Recreation and Parks Department Director Jeffrey Leatherman said the city has 31 AEDs spread across the parks, recreation centers and art centers.

“We want people to be as safe as they can be in our parks and facilities,” Leatherman said.

The devices are stored in women’s restrooms, usually around active areas like the sports fields. While the devices are readily available, Leatherman knows they can blend into the background.

“When you notice them all the time, you forget they’re even there,” Leatherman said.

Leatherman encourages people to

“be conscious” and take mental notes of where the devices are in the parks. He said staff are also available to help in emergency situations.

“It’s just a way we can all help take care of the community and take care of our neighbors,” Leatherman said.

Bogle said the other part of community safety falls on “individual responsibilities,” and everyone should take the time to learn CPR. If performed immediately, the American Heart Association said CPR can double or triple survival chances for cardiac arrest.

He also said people should learn how to use the AED devices, because they can be “intuitive, but intimidating.”

The devices all have directions printed on the outside, as well as audible commands and photo instructions. The defibrillator only activates when all the systems are hooked up correctly.

Leatherman said the device manufacturers also have how-to videos online.

Bogle and his soccer club have helped fund some of the devices because, as an older group, they must prepare for heart attacks.

Bogle emphasized that cardiac arrest could happen to anyone, no matter their age or fitness level. He named Damar Hamlin, a 24-yearold professional football player who experienced sudden cardiac arrest on the field as an example.

“I didn’t think this could ever happen to myself, and I was a little bit arrogant about it,” Bogle said. “It shows it can happen to anyone really.”

As he prepares to resume sports again, Bogle said he’s grateful for the community who came together, from his family and teammates to the doctors and nurses at the hospital.

“This story has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with everybody else around,” Bogle said.

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

After experiencing sudden cardiac arrest at Roswell Area Park on Feb. 4, Nick Bogle was revived with the help of people around him and an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

Pickleball club franchise to launch in Roswell

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Ace Pickleball Club is set to open Roswell’s first indoor pickleball club on Market Boulevard this spring. The club will feature 14 professional grade courts members can access anytime.

The membership-driven, indoor pickleball court will be the first location for Ace Pickleball Club. It will function as the headquarters and “beta-testing site” as the franchise expands nationally.

Pickleball is a sport that has skyrocketed in popularity since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020. The sport is similar to tennis but employes paddles and whiffleballs on a smaller court.

Ace Pickleball Club co-founder and CEO Jay Diederich said the sport became popular with older age groups, then grew to include the younger set.

“There are millions of people pouring into the sport and it’s no longer that retiree age group,” Diederich said. “The average age was 64 and a-half, and now we’re headed to the mid-20s.”

Diederich said the sport is starting to expand into high school programs as well. People as young as 12 and as old as 80 can play, and the gender split is even.

The club co-founder started playing the sport with his wife while living in Florida at the start of the COVID-19 shutdowns. It was one of the few ways the couple could get out

of the house.

“We were hooked immediately,” Diederich said.

Within weeks, the pair had already met upwards of 40 new people who also played pickleball. For Diederich and others, the sport replaced the gym.

But the Florida weather wasn’t ideal because of the “brutal” heat,

and many tournaments and matches got cancelled or rescheduled last minute.

When Diederich’s wife suggested the sport move indoors, a lightbulb went off.

Diederich has worked in development for Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park franchise for the past decade, so he was familiar with the concept of indoor athletic spaces. He met with Joe Sexton and Vincent Barrios, both Sky Zone employees, to “take a hard look at moving pickleball indoors.”

The co-founders knew they wanted something different than the typical entertainment establishments, like Pickle and Social or Chicken N Pickle which are primarily restaurants that use pickleball to drive traffic.

Pickle and Social had originally committed to developing a location in East Roswell in 2020 but backed out of the deal in 2022 after they deemed the property too cost-prohibitive. The pickleball facility and restaurant opted to develop a location in Alpharetta instead.

Diederich said those places are

See PICKLEBALL, Page 6

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Ace Pickleball Club is set to open Roswell’s first indoor pickleball club on Market Boulevard in May 2023, with 14 courts available to members anytime.

Embattled Milton official sues for damages

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Milton City Councilman Paul Moore, found guilty of three ethics violations last August, is suing the resident who filed the complaint.

And the city, which has already shelled out thousands in legal expenses over the issue, has also been named in the case.

The litigation began in November when Moore filed an appeal through a writ of certiorari to the Fulton County Superior Court requesting to reverse the ethics panel findings. The filing stated the threemember Milton Ethics Board ruled in error. Moore also seeks reimbursement from Tony Palazzo, the defendant in the suit, for attorney fees spent during the panel

investigation.

The issue stems from a May 2, 2022, council meeting in which Moore voted to defer discussion on a matter to reimburse part of the costs for traffic calming devices installed by the White Columns Homeowners Association, a neighborhood in which Moore resides.

Palazzo, the White Columns HOA president, filed the ethics complaint acting as a citizen of Milton shortly after.

Palazzo’s complaint was the first ethics case advancing to an evidentiary hearing since Milton overhauled its ethics ordinance in 2010, creating an “attorney panel” system.

Moore’s hearing resulted in a decision that the councilman had violated city code relating to ethics for city officials

and department directors, disclosure of interest and abstention to avoid conflicts of interest.

Palazzo, himself, said he’s spent at least $30,000 in legal fees as a result of the appeals process. He said the case illustrates to Milton residents that they could be financially destroyed if they file an ethics complaint.

“What occurred here sets a horrible precedent and will make sure residents and citizens never come forward again,” Palazzo said.

In 2020, the median household income for the City of Milton was $127,487, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Lawsuit costs city

Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison said the lawsuit is a civil matter between two parties, and the City of Milton takes no position on it.

The Milton Ethics Board and Milton City Council are named as respondents, acting more as bystanders to provide records. But according to city code, Milton could be on the hook for $5,000 of those fees.

The city has already spent its fair share on the proceedings. Milton City Attorney Ken Jarrard said his firm has billed the city more than $14,100 from the time Palazzo filed the ethics complaint in May, and $6,440 of that was spent in the appeals process alone.

The ethics panel recommended to the City Council that Moore receive a written censure or reprimand outlining the ethics violations he committed and that they be publicly announced at one of its regular

Pickleball:

Continued from Page 5

creating family-friendly environments, but he wants to prioritize an all-ages pickleball club that’s “welcoming to all players.” That welcome extends to costs, too.

“For the price of one trip to Pickle and Social, that’s monthly access (to Ace Pickleball Club),” Diederich said.

The Roswell location will be open play-oriented, and members will have priority access. For a monthly fee, members can come in at any time to hop into a game. There will also be member-focused events and tournaments.

“Everything revolves around the game itself, and activating more people to the sport, whether you’re playing for fun or socializing or training to get on tour,” Diederich said.

The co-founder picked Roswell

meetings and included in the official minutes. In October, Jamison announced Moore had been already “sufficiently sanctioned.” In January, Jameson swore in Moore as the mayor pro tempore.

“That decision was extraordinarily disappointing,” Palazzo said. “Basically, what [the City Council is] saying is … ‘These violations and following the ordinances and ethics in Milton just don’t matter.’”

In a December filing, the Milton ethics panel reinforced its ruling, and requested the court to dismiss Moore’s suit, the relief requested be denied, and all costs cast against Moore.

A hearing is scheduled for May 12 to consider a motion by Palazzo’s attorney Josh Belifante to dismiss the lawsuit, alleging Moore did not file legal action within the state’s required time period. The case will be closed if the motion is granted, unless Moore appeals the order to the Georgia Court of Appeals within 30 days of the Superior Court ruling.

Conflict of interest

Palazzo filed the ethics complaint against Moore for participating in the May 2 vote.

“This wasn’t some pleasant process I wanted to be involved in, but I felt strongly it was the right thing to do,” Palazzo said in an interview at the time.

The agreement concerned the HOA’s purchase and installation of radar feedback signs, with city staff approval, for a total cost of $13,706. It wasn’t until See DAMAGES, Page 20

after he moved his search out of Florida. He said the establishment could work in most markets, but Roswell “blew him away.” The location is close to Atlanta’s HartsfieldJackson Airport, a perk for future business travel, and Diederich was drawn to the area’s growing film industry.

As the Ace Pickleball Club franchise headquarters, the location will be the site of future advancements, like livestreaming, instant replay and instant highlight reels.

“The Roswell players are going to be on the cutting edge,” Diederich said.

While the club will likely not open until late May, Diederich said interested players should join the waitlist now. The club has a cap on memberships to provide adequate playing time for everyone.

“We have the leg up to figure out what this can look like, what the model can look like,” Diederich said.

Juneteenth:

Continued from Page 1

brought attention to the issue at the Feb. 28 work session. She also added that while city staff have Martin Luther King Day off, the city doesn’t observe the holiday with an event. Cities typically host a Day of Service, Elwood said.

If resources aren’t available, Elwood said the city should look into leveraging and supporting existing Black History Month events, like one hosted by the Johns Creek Arts Center.

Elections:

Continued from Page 1

“I think that there have been folks [who] have tried to maybe turn this into something different than I think the way it started, which was simply kind of a real sticker shock situation,” Bradberry said.

While ideas for 2023 locally controlled municipal elections were put to rest, there was consensus among councilmembers that the city should continue efforts to study selfrun elections, entailing more public engagement and an elections taskforce. The taskforce should be a 2023 event, Councilman Chris Coughlin said.

“We need to start looking at it over the next few council meetings from the public engagement and project planning perspective,” Coughlin said.

Councilwoman Stacy Skinner asked if the task force would be led by a consultant to advise the group on legal requirements. As Councilwoman Erin Elwood nodded her head “yes,” Johns

Black history

At the City Council meeting, several Johns Creek residents voiced their support for Juneteenth and Black history. Accompanied by their sponsor, four students in Northview High School’s Black History Club shared their experience and urged for more diverse representation.

“I know it’s the last day of Black History Month, but I hope that we don’t only have these spaces or create these spaces during this month,” said Ibrah L.J. Thornton, a club member.

“I hope that we do it throughout the entire year.”

Anisa Washington, a junior from Chattahoochee High School, provided

Bradberry moved to conclude the agenda item.

With municipal elections on the backburner, Bradberry announced that sustainability and Green Communities will now be one of the city’s five strategic priorities at the following City Council meeting.

Public speaks out

The elections topic saw several public comments, around half from nonresidents — the same individuals seen throughout Milton’s election committee meetings.

Lucia Frazier, a Roswell resident and former poll worker, advocated for paper ballots for Johns Creek, citing the number of voters each day during early voting. There were around 200 votes cast each day during early voting in Johns Creek, Frazier said. On election day, she said there were 7,000 votes.

“It’s really easy to hand-count all the ballots at the end,” Frazier said.

Matt Rowenczak, another Roswell resident who frequented the Milton Municipal Election Feasibility Committee meetings last year, brought forth a

a short Black history lesson to the City Council and said “MLK wasn’t the only African American with a dream and vision for a harmonious society.”

“Standing here today, I am a product of my ancestors’ hopes, dreams and desires that if we draw focus to unification, positive change and recognizing unjust treatment, the opportunities will be endless,” Washington said.

On behalf of the Johns Creek North Fulton Rotary Club, Shinjini Das thanked the City Council for ushering in a Juneteenth event.

“I thought we had to fight for it, but I had to say thank you for making this a reality,” Das said. “I hope that

2021 audit report from the Fulton County Office of the County Auditor. The report covered all of 2020 and lists nine findings regarding Fulton County elections inadequacies.

That same report was discussed at the Feb. 9 Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections meeting. Patrick Eskridge, deputy director of the Registration and Elections, said the department met with the county auditor, who provided a list of items for review to compare and contrast with the original audit. Eskridge said the department was collecting that data to be reviewed by the auditor Feb. 15.

we live in a world where women, where Black people — we don’t have to fight for equality, that this is just given to us because this is a right.”

Das’ media company works with a lot of Black-owned businesses. Economic empowerment is one path forward for minorities, she said, but there’s also respect.

“My whole brand is to help dreamers become go-getters. But the other part of it is respect. The other part of it is really making sure that we respect the sacrifices that the people who built this country have made, and we continue to honor their sacrifices and the celebrations that will ensue later this year.”

Johns Creek residents also provided public comments at the City Council meeting later in the evening. Some said they were in favor of the elections task force. J. Campbell O’Keeffe said he appreciated the City Council for holding out on self-run 2023 municipal elections.

“I also appreciate that you’ve asked for input from your citizens willing to work with the city to do anything possible to make sure that we have an election that fits Johns Creek, not based on innuendo, based on comments from people who don’t live here …” O’Keeffe said.

Vino Venue serves as one-stop wine shop

By DELANEY TARR delaney@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — For the past decade, Vino Venue has been a onestop shop for all things wine related in Metro Atlanta. As a retail space, restaurant, wine school, private event space and travel hub, the store aims to educate everyone interested in wine.

Michael and Lelia Bryan went on their first trip as a couple to Napa Valley, California in 2001. Lelia was a wine lover, but Michael Bryan was new to the spirit.

“He absolutely fell in love with it,” Lelia said.

Michael returned and decided to start teaching wine classes. In the early 2000s, Lelia moved from Brookhaven to join Michael in Dunwoody and the pair opened the Atlanta Wine School on Holcomb Bridge Road. The school was a success, but the couple wanted to expand.

“We had so many people who would taste wine during their classes and want to buy them, want to learn more about them, want to be able to sample different wines,” Lelia said. “It really just made sense to have a place like Vino Venue.”

In October 2012, they opened the doors to Vino Venue, a so-called “wine emporium” with a retail store, cooking classes, tastings and a tapas-style restaurant. One month later, Michael Bryan was diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer. He passed away five years later, in 2017.

Those five years were challenging

for Lelia and the couple’s daughter, Willa.

“When he did pass, it was my goal to really just keep the vision he had alive,” Lelia said.

Vino Venue now sees 3,000 visitors annually for wine and cooking classes

and conducts about 300 private wine events a year. The emporium also hosts a variety of guided wine trips throughout the year to destinations like Portugal and Piedmont, Italy.

The establishment has grown since it opened 10 years ago, but Lelia said

she tries to maintain Vino Venue’s initial goal.

“We want to educate people who wanted to know more about the passion around wine,” Lelia said.

DELANEY TARR / APPEN MEDIA

Vino Venue, a wine bar, restaurant, event space and wine school has more than 100 wine bottles for sale at its Dunwoody location. The staff tastes about 100 wines a week to maintain a varied offering.

See WINE, Page 9

We want to educate people who wanted to know more about the passion around wine.

LELIA BRYAN, owner, Vino Venue

Wine: NEW BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS

“Not in a snotty or uptight way, but in a fun way, where people can really experience and try new things and broaden their horizons.”

Vino Venue offers more than 100 types of wine for sale. About 10 percent of the selection costs more than $75. Lelia said the goal is to make wine approachable for everyone.

“We pride ourselves in finding unique wines that aren’t going to break the bank, are very enjoyable and are between $10 and $20,” Lelia said.

The selections aren’t what a customer may find at a typical grocery store, because the Vino Venue staff takes time to find “unique gems.” Lelia said her team tastes about 100 wines a week to find the best bottles.

“It’s a labor of love, it’s actually a lot of work,” she said.

Across the years, Vino Venue has opened its wine classes to people with all levels of experience and interest. Atlanta Wine School, now housed in Vino Venue, offers Wine and Spirit Education Trust certifications.

The establishment also offers casual classes during the week that span across wine regions, like “taste

of Italy” or “taste of Greece.” Wine professionals teach attendees about the flavors of the region, as well as the best pairings for different foods.

Every few months, Vino Venue puts on a “discover” festival, like the upcoming “Discover France Festival” on March 26. Attendees can buy a ticket and sample around 80 wines and foods centered around France.

Events like the discover series draw hundreds of customers, but Lelia said the business is “relationshipbased.” Her goal is to bring customers in on any level of their wine education and keep the relationship growing.

“Michael was passionate about making people feel comfortable in whatever wine knowledge they have, but also in their preferences,” Lelia said.

As the managing partner of Vino Venue, Lelia is an avid wine drinker. She said picking a favorite wine is like “picking a favorite child.” She takes particular pride, though, in a wine that honors her husband.

Lelia had a close friend and winemaker in Italy scatter Michael’s ashes in a vineyard, and the winemaker dedicated the vineyard to Michael. The white wine created from the vineyards is sold at Vino Venue, and all profits go to sarcoma research.

“It’s a beautiful white wine, it’s very unique,” Lelia said.

Name: VIVA Chicken

Owner: Gerald Pulsinelli, CEO

Description: VIVA Chicken, a fast-casual charcoal-fire rotisserie joint that serves distinctively fresh and flavorful chicken and sauces made from authentic Peruvian recipes, will open its second Georgia restaurant on March 1, located at 11760 Haynes Bridge Road in Alpharetta.

Opened: March 1, 2023

Address: 11760 Haynes Bridge Road, Alpharetta, Ga, 30009

Phone: (404) 474-8512

Web Address: http://vivachicken.com

Tucker

Summer Camps

A summer camp to stretch their imagination and delight

Brought to you by – Flour Power Kids Cooking Studios

Flour Power Kids Cooking Studios, located on Main Street in downtown Alpharetta, is ready to welcome your children to summer camp! Our popular cooking camps are offered weekly, May 30th through August 5th,   and are open to kids ages 5-12. We’re offering both full and half day camps this year!

Each week will feature a different theme, from the Chocolate Factory to Christmas in July to Movie Munchies! Your lil’ chef will be making their own snacks and lunch and will round out their day with arts and crafts, kitchen science experiments, games, and

lots of FUN! All ingredients and supplies are included.

For more information and to register, visit our website at www. flourpowerstudios.com/alpharetta. Questions? Give us a call at 470.760.6460. We look forward to seeing you this summer!

Kimberly Rosario, Owner/ Operator 470.760.6460

Flour Power Kids Cooking Studios Alpharetta flourpowerstudios.com/alpharetta

Join

Don’t miss out on our upcoming classes and events! Check them out and register here.

A wakeup call to learn your risk for diabetes

Brought to You by - Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs

March 28th is an important day on the calendar. The fourth Tuesday in March is the American Diabetes Association Alert Day, a “wakeup call” to take time, learn your risk factors and determine if you or your loved ones are at risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Over 34 million Americans have diabetes, which happens when blood glucose levels, or blood sugar, is too high. Even more surprising is that 1 in 7 – or over 7 million adults - don’t know they have it. As we age, the risk of developing diabetes increases. Type 1 diabetes most often occurs in children and young adults. Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind for middle aged and older adults. Over time it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, eyesight and nerve damage. Millions of additional Americans also have prediabetes, which means their glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to reach diabetic levels.

Learning your risk factors can start with taking the simple Diabetes Risk test on the American Diabetes Association website. Chances of getting it are higher if you are overweight, inactive or have a family history. Talk to your doctor to find if simple blood tests that can help diagnose diabetes, like an A1C test that can be given at any time of day and shows your average glucose level for the past three months, are a good idea for you. Become familiar with the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes, that include

increased hunger or thirst, feeling tired, losing weight without trying, going to the bathroom more frequently, blurred vision and skin infections or slow healing bruising. Your older loved one may also have signs of depression or cognitive issues.

The good news is that many Type 2 diabetes cases are preventable with healthy lifestyle changes. Develop a plan to review with your health care provider that addresses the following steps. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle, with a plan for walking or other forms of daily exercise. Manage your weight with healthy food choices, like eliminating sugar and refined carbohydrates. Stop smoking. Stay hydrated, water is a wonderful choice. Make sure you regularly take any prescribed medications for blood pressure or cholesterol, and track your numbers.

At Home Helpers we know a skilled and well matched Caregiver can help make each day the best it can be for your older loved one, whether it’s making sure a safe walk is a part of their day, following a healthy diet with nutritious meals, monitoring vital signs or creating bonds to battle social isolation. Our heart centered Caregivers can assist with all personal care, help around the house, or provide specialized care for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc.

We’re here to help – from six hours a day, several days a week to 24/7 and live-in care. For a free consultation contact Home Helpers of Alpharetta and North Atlanta Suburbs at (770) 681-0323.

Medical ethics and dermatology

Ethical questions arise in all fields of medicine, and dermatology is no different. One of the more remarkable cases that I encountered during training was that of a woman who became pregnant while taking a medication known to cause birth defects. Despite explicit and severe warnings, she insisted that she be allowed to keep taking the medicine throughout her pregnancy. When her dermatologist refused to prescribe the medicine, the patient convinced the hospital’s ethics board to recommend that her obstetrician continue prescribing the medication during pregnancy. The woman received her prescriptions at the board’s recommendation, and the baby was tragically but not unpredictably born with birth defects.

Although I wholeheartedly disagree with the ethics board’s recommendation, I can see how ethical principles are sometimes difficult to apply in practice. The four guiding principles of medical ethics are often taught to be “autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice.” Loosely translated, these principles mean: respect someone’s right to choose; do good; do no harm, and act in a fair or equitable way.

The above example is extreme. The ethics board made a mistake and prioritized “autonomy” above all other considerations (including “do no harm”). But many less dramatic ethical considerations occur almost every day in practice. When treating patients, I find that the common sense strategies of putting the patient first and asking what I would want for a family member go a long way towards making sound ethical decisions.

In Mohs surgery, a tissue removal technique for curing skin cancers, shades of grey are often encountered. Cancer is not always black and white. Sometimes, invasive cancer has been eliminated, but the edges have “in situ” cancer – cancer

confined to the top layers of the skin, or the edges exhibit “actinic keratoses,” best understood as “pre-cancers.” Severely sun-damaged individuals sometimes have cheeks or scalps that are covered with precancers and “in situ” cancers. Continuing to cut in such cases is sometimes not in the patient’s best interest. Instead, once the invasive cancer is removed, I frequently discuss switching strategies with my patients. We often treat the area around an invasive cancer with an anti-cancer cream post-operatively instead of dogmatically continuing to cut and missing the forest for the trees.

Personalized medicine is often medicine at its best. One recent patient presented to me for a second opinion regarding a melanoma on his eyelid. The first surgeon the patient saw recommended complete removal of the lower eyelid and a 3 month reconstruction process during which the patient would not be able to see from that eye. The patient and I discussed that the large margin the first surgeon recommended is the standard of care. However, the patient stated that at his age he did not want to undergo an extensive surgery. He understood the risks and chose a smaller margin. He understands that the “middle ground” option that he wanted is not in line with the official guidelines for treating cancers like his, but the smaller surgery that he chose is the option that is right for him. The standard of care is a guideline. The patient comes first.

As interesting as philosophical principles like autonomy and nonmaleficence are, I have found that the most useful principles are variations of the Golden Rule. Treat patients like you would want your family or loved ones treated. And put the patient first.

If you or a loved one has a skin cancer or other skin care needs, please consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. It is our privilege to take care of you.

Brought to You by - Brent Taylor, MD, Premiere Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta

The intersection of faith communities and mental health

Brought to you by - Cathy Murphy, Director of Community Outreach, Summit Counseling Center

Many people with mental health conditions, including suicide risk, often turn first to their faith community for help. On Thursday, March 30th the North Fulton Mental Health Collaborate will lead a panel discussion surrounding mental health and the important role of our faith communities.

Spirituality and Mental Health

Many turn to their faith community for support in dealing with mental health problems. Supportive relationships, such as family, long-term friendships and meaningful connections through faith can be important to building resilience and well-being. Faith communities can also play a key role in educating their members about mental health problems.

Culture and Mental Health

Culture can provide a lens for how people think about mental health and how people and mental health professionals interact with one another. Racial and ethnic minorities bear a greater burden from unmet mental health needs due to the stigma surrounding mental health in their culture. There is also a racial/ethnic inequity within the mental health workforce. Just this month, Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, was able to get a lastminute amendment to H.B. 520 that would require a workforce study commission to examine cultural competence and language to better understand how the state can meet the mental health needs of Georgia’s diverse population.

How can faith communities address these issues and minister to those in need?

Educate your communities and congregations. Promote awareness by educating the members of your communities and congregations about mental health issues through educational forums and other opportunities.

• Invite local mental health experts—including those who have experienced mental illness—to speak with your congregation or at community gatherings.

• Share facts and common myths about mental health.

• Organize additional meetings, dinners, or other gatherings for members of your congregation or community to have conversations about mental health.

Identify opportunities to support people with mental illnesses. Religious organizations can play an important role in supporting individuals living with mental illnesses and encouraging them to seek help.

• Consider offering your organization’s meeting spaces for community conversations and support groups focused on addressing mental health issues.

• Provide space for peer-led groups that give people the chance to tell their stories in their own time and way.

• Support community programs (for example: peer mentoring programs or opportunities for volunteering) that encourage social participation and inclusion for all people.

Connect individuals and families to help. Strengthen the connections within your community to mental health services and support and

enhance linkages between mental health, substance abuse, disability, and other social services.

• Learn the basic signs of mental illnesses and other facts about mental health to encourage those in need to seek help.

• Remind others that people can and do recover from mental health challenges and that help is available and effective.

• Train key community members (such as adults who work with the children, youth, older adults, veterans, and LGBTQIA) to identify the signs of depression and suicide and refer people to resources.

• Develop relationships with local mental health service providers and other family and youth organizations to help direct individuals and families in need to available services and support in the community. other social services.

• Promote acceptance of those with mental health issues. The voices of leaders and members of faith-based organizations can greatly influence

attitudes about mental health conditions and those who experience them.

• Talk about your own mental health openly.

• Be an example of taking good care of your mental health by making mental wellness a priority in your personal life.

• Be inclusive. Mental health affects all of us.

• Foster opportunities to build connections with individuals and families dealing with mental health challenges through trust and acceptance.

• Foster safe and supportive environments for people to openly talk about mental health, stress, trauma, and related issues.

Join us on Thursday, March 30th from 10:00-11:30am at Alpharetta FUMC, 69 North Main St., Alpharetta to be a part of this important discuss. Learn more about the event and our panelist on our website at summitcounseling.org

Information from mentalhealth. gov/talk

Pain Relieving Laser Therapy

Brought to you by - Johns Creek Physical Therapy

Having treated hundreds of patients over the past 6 years with Pain Relieving Laser Therapy, it’s not hard for me to appreciate how well it works. But if you’ve never tried it, trust me when I tell you…. you’re missing out!

Several years ago, John Deere ran a promotion on their zero turn lawn mowers. They used a fun tag line, “It’s not how fast you mow, it’s how well you mow FAST!” I wish I could come up with

a similar tag line for Pain Relieving Laser Therapy because it can deliver pain relief in just a few minutes. It’s not uncommon for patients to have their pain be reduced by 50% on the first treatment.

How does it work? Pain Relieving Laser Therapy uses light energy to promote healing and reduce pain. Laser Therapy is FDA cleared to treat pain, inflammation, arthritis, and muscle spasms and is a great alternative to medications and injections.

The most common thing we hear after some -

one tries it for the first time is “WOW!” I’m sure if you are just reading this article, you are probably thinking, “yeah, RIGHT??!! Nothing works that fast!” But don’t take my word for it, call our office today and schedule your FREE TRIAL. The only thing you have to lose is your pain!

Johns Creek Physical Therapy

4060 Johns Creek Parkway, Suite H Suwanee, GA 30024 770-622-5344

Colorectal cancer: moving beyond awareness

Brought to you by - Dr. Jay Singh, medical director of surgical services at Wellstar Health System

Since 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton designated March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the mission to decrease the worldwide incidence of the third most common cause of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths has largely been successful if we simply measure “awareness.”

Unfortunately, as we have seen decreasing incidences in colorectal cancer related to screening, particularly colonoscopies, in older individuals, we

have seen a disproportionate increase of cancers at younger ages. As a result, the current recommendation for screening has gone down from 50 years of age now to 45, as of 2021.

Awareness begins with education of not only the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer but the fact that real prevention occurs before any symptoms can be seen. Awareness begins with understanding one’s own risks, including family history and personal behaviors that would immediately put someone at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer. We know that people with a first-degree relative who has had colorectal cancer are at twice the average risk of developing colorectal cancer and should generally get screened earlier. We know that people who smoke, consume alcohol or are obese are more likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Adopting healthy behaviors, including quitting the use of tobacco products, reducing

alcohol consumption and eating meals that include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, can also reduce the risk.

Recognizing the impact that this disease has on individuals, families and society, Wellstar has invested in educational programs designed to get the word out, preventive programs that recognize that any test for colorectal cancer is better than no test and treatment programs that involve the comprehensive, multispecialty care of the disease process from diagnosis to treatment.

Wellstar has had an intensive focus on increasing access to screening by the creation and growth of a gastrointestinal service line spanning all our campuses and outpatient centers. This has been in coordination with growth of colorectal surgical services at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center and the expansion of our minimally invasive and robotics programs

throughout the system.

We are proud to have Atlanta’s first program recognized by the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons, at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center and hope to soon have that same accreditation at Wellstar North Fulton and Cobb medical centers. This accreditation demonstrates Wellstar’s commitment to providing personalized, high-quality cancer care close to home for patients in Georgia. Imagine, after being diagnosed with a potentially devastating illness, you could meet your whole treatment team and have a plan developed in one visit. This is all part of our mission at Wellstar to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve.

Learn more about colorectal cancer screening at wellstar.org/cleancolons.

SINGH

COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CARE

From diagnosis to treatment and survivorship, Wellstar is ensuring the community in this area has access to expert, compassionate cancer care.

The new Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center brings more than 12,000 additional square feet on the medical center campus dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking cancer treatments right here in the North Fulton area. Services include:

• CyberKnife radiation technology

• Physician expertise in many specialties

• Surgery, medical and radiation oncology

Find care at every step of your cancer journey here in North Fulton.

wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare

Wellstar North Fulton Cancer Center 4500 Hospital BLVD | ROSWELL (770) 410-4530

Worry less. Hire right.

Brought to You byMichelle Wilson, Wilson Legal, PC

Hiring an attorney can be a stressful and scary experience. You want to protect your loved ones and you don’t know how the attorney creates their pricing or if you’re getting enough value for the money or if the attorney has enough experience to actually do what you need them to do.

What do you need to look for when hiring an attorney – especially for estate or eldercare planning?

1. Is Estate Planning and Eldercare or Elder Law all that they do? This is called specializing and it means that the attorney will be studying only those areas of law and should be more knowledgeable about them.

2. Does the attorney have staff? Attorneys that have no staff or only one person working for them may not return calls promptly.

3. Ask the attorney what their process is for returning calls and responding to email.

4. Do they have a process for handling their cases? When will you know the

date when you’re going to sign your documents? When will you know the date when you will receive your documents?

5. Has the attorney followed their own advice? Ask if they have an estate plan for their own family.

6. What about their business? Do they have a backup plan for their law firm in case something happens to them?

7. Is the attorney easy to talk to and compassionate? Does he or she listen to you (without seeming to be focused on what they want to say)?

At Wilson Legal, we’ve been focused on Estate Planning and Eldercare or Elder Law since 2008 taking double the required hours of continuing education most years. Our clients find the first conversation to be easier than they expected, and they leave knowing exactly when they will come back to sign documents and receive delivery of their plan because we book dates in advance and often at the first appointment. We have a team of seven (7) people all helping to make sure each step in the process is smooth and that calls are answered and return calls are scheduled. Worry less. Choose Wilson Legal and hire right for estate planning and eldercare services. Call 770-205-7861 to schedule an initial consultation or visit our website at www.wilson-legal. com to find out more.

PEXELS

WILSON

Why do I get so many Cavities?!

At Roswell Dental Care, we take pride in our ability to educate our patients about their oral health. One question we frequently hear from our patients, “Why do I get so many cavities? I brush my teeth every day!” We understand the frustration that comes from putting the work in to maintain your teeth and still ending up with cavities, we are here to help break those reasons down for you.

1. How deep your grooves are:

How your teeth are shaped, including the grooves of your teeth, are inherited. These grooves are too small for your toothbrush bristles to get in and clean properly. Some teeth have deeper grooves, which increases the risk of biting surface cavities. We can prevent these types by placing sealants (plastic) over the grooves of the teeth.

2. Your oral bacteria:

Did you know, you inherit the genetic layout of your oral bacteria from your mom? The types of oral bacteria can impact your oral health, including your likelihood of cavities and developing periodontal disease. Staying on a cleaning schedule with your dental hygienist will help reduce the number of bacteria you have in your mouth.

3. Your frequency of sugar intake: Your habits also play a significant role in your oral health. Your frequency of sugar intake has a direct tie into the frequency of the occurrence of cavities. The more times you consume sugar, the more opportunities for cavities to take hold.

4. Your flossing habits: Flossing removes plaque and bacteria from the sides of your teeth, so not flossing on a consistent basis increases your risk of developing cavities between your teeth.

5. Your medications: When you eat or drink anything other than water, the pH of your mouth becomes acidic. Saliva’s job is to neutralize the acidic environment. Some medications cause xerostomia (or dry mouth). If your saliva is reduced or becomes thicker, your teeth have an increased risk of developing decay, especially along the gumline. Products containing xylitol are “mouth wetters,” and xylitol prevents bacteria from adhering to tooth structure, helping to prevent the effects of a dry mouth.

The above reasons are just a few of the many complex factors that go into why cavities develop. As dental professionals, we strive to keep our patients educated in their oral hygiene. Good or bad oral hygiene plays a role in overall health, and we are here to get your oral health in excellent condition so that your overall health can be too. Drs. Hood and Remaley at Roswell Dental Care understand and customize treatment for each person. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels. Give our office a call at 770.998.6736, or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!

Brought to You by - Dr. Destinee Hood, Roswell Dental Care

Community gathers to reject antisemitism

By LUKE GARDNER newsroom@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — On Sunday people of various faiths gathered at Temple Emanu-El to discuss ways to combat antisemitism after anti-Jewish flyers were distributed across the community in early February.

The event, titled “Georgia’s Fight Against Antisemitism,” consisted of small lectures from elected officials and religious leaders followed by a community discussion led by representatives from the Anti-Defamation League.

Senior Rabbi Spike Anderson spoke to a crowd of more than 100 about the importance of uniting against hatred. Also present was Anderson’s friend and fellow faith leader the Rev. David Lower of St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody. Lower spoke on the importance of interfaith relationships and showing up for the Jewish community.

“We are ready to do what is required of us,” Lower said.

The ADL-led community discussion centered around defining antisemitism, with several attendees detailing various examples. Presenter Eric Ross described the need to discuss actions, not people, as antisemitic because it allows room for

Damages:

Continued from Page 6

after installation that the HOA learned of a program that allows subdivisions to apply for city funding to pay half the costs for traffic calming measures. The City Council eventually reimbursed the HOA, but has since eliminated the cost-share agreement from the city code.

In his 63-page ethics complaint, Palazzo stated that because Moore lives on White Columns Drive, where three of the four signs are located, he stood to be financially affected by the installation and maintenance costs. While Palazzo filed the complaint in an individual capacity, he said he had the full support of the association’s board.

During several City Council meetings, a large number of White Columns residents came forward disagreeing with the HOA action and stated the board did not seek a supermajority consent from the community to purchase and install the signs. At the time, HOAs had the ability to act on behalf of neighborhoods without the petition requirement.

In a letter dated Dec. 1, 2021, Palazzo requested that Moore and city staff help develop a solution to the speeding issue in White Columns and identify locations for the four radar-controlled speed signs.

apology and growth.

Also discussed was the need for allyship and standing up for oppressed people who face injustice. Presenters referenced the complacency of the general public and the lack of allies the Jewish community had in the beginning stages of the Holocaust.

The importance of solidarity across faiths and among marginalized groups and the need to publicly reject hatred were themes present throughout the event.

“The ADL can’t be everywhere, but I can be where I am,” one attendee said.

The community event is largely in response to antisemitic flyers distributed in Dunwoody and Sandy Springs in early February. Georgia State House Rep. Esther Panitch, the state’s only Jewish legislator, was among several concerned citizens who awoke to find antisemitic flyers in their driveways.

Panitch said that such events can feel isolating and that seeing so many nonJewish community members show their outrage was comforting.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch, who is also Jewish, said that while she was upset, she was not surprised because similar flyers had been spread in a nearby area months before.

Free speech vs hate speech

The spreading of antisemitic flyers in February is one of the latest in a disturbing trend of increasing acts of hatred against Jewish people.

Multiple acts of antisemitic acts of gun violence have occurred in the U.S. over the past five years.

Last week, a Los Angeles man was charged with two hate crimes after shooting two Jewish men as they were

leaving religious services.

In January 2022, a gunman took a Rabbi and three others hostage at the Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas. In October 2018, 11 people were killed in a mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Months later, in April 2019, one person was killed and three injured by a shooter at Chabad of Poway Synagogue in San Diego, California.

An Anti-Defamation League audit recorded approximately 2,700 antisemitic incidents in 2021, the highest number on record since the league began tracking them in 1979.

Temple Emanu-El project volunteer Rich Lapin said he believes that Antisemitism is a community issue, not just a Jewish issue.

“The degree to which antisemitism is present becomes an indicator of the quality of life in a country and or community,” Lapin said.

Many speakers at the event shared the same sentiment. Several described the Jewish people as the “canaries in the coal mine” of a society. ADL Regional Director Eytan Davidson expressed the need to stand in solidarity

See COMMUNITY, Page 22

His involvement with the offshore industry is referenced in his city bio. But he goes further in the affidavit to say he plays a “significant role in pioneering future U.S. government policy related to the granting of offshore wind industry FCC licenses for life/safety communication.”

Moore also says he was able to “solicit and secure meetings as well as receive regular correspondence with high level government officials” prior to the ethics charges. But since his sanction, Moore says he has not been able to secure similar access.

Moore’s professional career was called into question in a prepared statement from the Palazzo camp, alleging that Moore’s activities constitute lobbying and that he is an unregistered federal lobbyist.

In a lawsuit filed with the Fulton County Superior Court, Milton City Councilman Paul Moore, center, seeks to reverse the findings of the Milton Ethics Board from last August, which cited him for three ethics violations.

According to the court document that provides the letter, filed by Moore’s attorney, the request “belies Mr. Palazzo’s later contention that Councilman Moore should have recused himself from the City Council’s discussion on these issues because he had a conflict of interest.”

When asked about the letter, Palazzo said Moore had always deferred everything relating to the HOA to city staff.

“Ultimately, at the [May 2] Council meeting, all of a sudden that did not

occur. Everything changed,” Palazzo said. “Basically, city staff, for all intents and purposes, was ignored.”

Resident levies accusations

Councilman Moore declined to comment on his filing. But in his affidavit, he says that the ethics panel ruling caused him financial loss of more than $5,000 in legal fees, damage to his reputation in the community and damage to his professional career.

Doug Chalmers, Moore’s attorney, would not comment on the allegation. However, a few days later on Feb. 27, he filed a sur-reply providing the full definition of a federal lobbyist, whose lobbying activities must exceed 20 percent of their dedicated time over a three-month period.

In the document, Chalmers references the conversation with Appen Media, in which he learned of Palazzo’s media consultant helping publicize Palazzo’s “baseless attacks” on Moore, “without understanding the law and without knowing – or – indeed apparently even caring about – the facts.”

FILE PHOTO

GFAA/PROVIDED

Friends Rabbi Spike Anderson and the Rev. David Lower share a moment of laughter.

Northern Ridge lists February Eagle Scouts

The Northern Ridge Boy Scout District (Cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, John’s Creek, Milton) is proud to announce its newest Eagle Scouts, who completed their Eagle Board of Review on February 23,2023, at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church.

Eagle Scouts are, from left:

Sean Sternot , Troop 51, sponsored by American Legion Post 201, whose project was the design and construction of an outdoor communal library and three benches to sit and read at Vickery Mills Elementary School.

Chase Brown, Troop 51, sponsored by American Legion Post 201, whose project was the design and construction of a communal library as well as beautifying the surrounding area by clearing overgrowth and removing the worn out ground tiles and staining the concrete below the tiles at Sweet Apple Elementary School.

Sadie Brinser, of Troop 1857, sponsored by Christ the Shepard Lutheran Church, whose project was the design and construction of 10 ready to assemble wooden bed kits for local children in need of a bed. The

kits were given to Sleep in Heavenly Peace Organization for distribution. Andrew Jackson, of Troop 629, sponsored by Mt. Pisgah United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of a GAGA pit at Ocee Park.

Yash Choudhury, of Troop 2000, sponsored by Johns Creek Presbyterian Church, whose project was the design and construction of four wooden shoe holders and two raised garden beds for the Chinmaya Mission Alpharetta.

Community:

Continued from Page 20

with all marginalized people, including people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

Georgia State House Rep. Long Tran called attention to the rhetoric of right-wing politicians as a likely contributing factor to increased hate speech, specifically referencing the “locker room talk” of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Davidson described the group who distributed the flyers as “loosely organized White supremacists hiding behind the first amendment.”

Besides containing antisemitic content, the flyers suggested that people who might take issue with them are unAmerican, rhetorically asking “You don’t support free speech?”

Dunwoody police chief Billy Grogan told WSBTV that those who distributed the flyers will not be charged because it is a free speech issue. Davidson assured the community that the ADL and law enforcement are keeping an eye on extremist groups.

Georgia House Bill 30 Rep. Panitch spoke about Georgia House Bill 30 at the event, explaining

PROVIDED

Brendan Latorre-Murrin, of Troop 69, sponsored by Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, whose project was the design and construction of a large semi-circular bench around a large oak tree at Chattahoochee Nature Center.

that it was introduced in 2022 and seeks to provide a legal definition and examples of antisemitism. Similar bills have received bipartisan support and have been adopted by several states. The bill seeks to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of antisemitism.

The American-Arab AntiDiscrimination Committee has taken issue with the definition’s discussion of Israel and has condemned the bill as potentially criminalizing pro-Palestinian speech.

Rep Panitch said the law contains examples of anti-Zionism and that “not all anti-Zionism is antisemitism.”

Panitch said in a previous interview that the bill would not affect incidents like the spreading of antisemitic flyers, because that is considered free speech and is protected under the First Amendment.

To view the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of antisemitism, go to holocaustremembrance.com.

To learn more about the AntiDefamation League, visit adl.org.

To learn about how to report hate speech on various platforms, visit adl. org/cyber-safety-action-guide.

To learn about the services and resources offered by Temple Emanu-El, go to templeemanuelatlanta.org.

150 YEARS OF SPRUILL

What: Spruill Gallery presents works by four women who define the power of art. As influential artists and educators, these women are renowned in their mediums and have mentored many students to also become artists of note. Works are by artists Chery Baird, Carol Brull, Ann Clancy and Vicki Paulet.

When: Up to March 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Spruill Gallery, 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody

More info: spruillarts.org/gallery

COMMUNITY:

DUNWOODY FARMERS MARKET

What: The Dunwoody Farmers Market brings together a variety of vendors selling local and organic fruits, veggies and produce, coffee, breakfast, baked goods, prepared meals, frozen treats, eggs, grass-fed meat and fresh seafood.

When: Saturday, March 11, 10 a.m.12 p.m.

Where: Brook Run Park, 4770 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody

More info: dunwoodyga.gov

FOOD DRIVE - ALL SAINTS ST. VINCENT DE PAUL

What: All food items are essential and appreciated, however the greatest need is canned meat, peanut butter and diapers. Please, no glass containers as these items break in transport.

When: Saturday, March 18, 2-6:30 p.m. & Sunday, March 19, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Where: All Saints Catholic Church, 2443 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody

More info: allsaintsdunwoody.org/ ministries/st-vincent-de-paul/

LEARN AND LEAD: THE ECOLOGY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

What: Alan Toney, longtime Sandy Springs resident, master naturalist, soil and water supervisor, fly fisherman and Chattahoochee River activist, talks about the ecology of the Chattahoochee River past, present and future. The presentation will explore the river’s importance for water supply, wildlife and recreation as well as its beauty, threats and resilience.

When: Tuesday, March 14, 7 p.m.

Where: Lost Corner Preserve, 7300 Brandon Mill Road, Sandy Springs

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

JUST FOR FUN:

ROSWELL DANCE STARZ PRESENTS ‘CINDERELLA’

What: The enchanted tale of Cinderella

Delivering Readers Award-Winning Newspapers

is brought to stage with a fun and modern twist! Join Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother, the silly stepsisters, and all the magical characters as they tell the treasured tale through ballet, lyrical, jazz, hip hop and tap.

When: Saturday, March 11, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell

Cost: $15

More info: roswellcac.showare.com

‘A MOMENT OUT OF TIME WITH I.O.Z’

What: I.O.Z., a musical collaboration driven by Daniel Groover and Steven Senn, will be accompanied by Jeff (Apt. Q258) Sipe on drums, Pat Postlewait on multiple instruments, Jon Marett on keys, Dan Campbell on violin, Alex Tramble and Jon Lee sitting in on bass and Jeff Bowden supporting vocals.

When: Saturday, March 11, 9 p.m.

Where: From the Earth Brewing, 1570 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell

Cost: $30

More info: ftebrewing.com

‘HEROES AND VILLAINS: SPRING CONCERT’

What: Every good guy needs a bad guy. Every protagonist needs an antagonist. The Atlanta Concert Band presents music from Hollywood, Broadway, the Olympics and more. Darth Vader vs. Yoda. Captain Kirk vs. the Klingons. U.S. Olympic athletes vs. the World. Wile E. Coyote vs. the Roadrunner. Wear your favorite hero or villain costumes to celebrate the music of John Williams, Michael Giacchino, Georges Bizet, Andrew Lloyd Webber and more.

When: Sunday, March 12, 4 p.m.

Where: Roswell Cultural Arts Center, 950 Forrest Street, Roswell

Cost: $20

More info: roswellcac.showare.com

‘THE NICETIES’ AT STAGE DOOR THEATRE

What: Zoe is a young Black student at a liberal arts college. What begins as a polite clash in perspectives of the

founding fathers between her and her liberal, tenured professor explodes into a tightrope of what it means to hear and what it means to listen.

When: March 17-April 2, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: Stage Door Theatre, 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody Cost: $35 for adults, $20 for students, $15 for children

More info: stagedoortheatrega.org/ the-niceties/

NORTHSIDE SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE & FESTIVAL

What: The inaugural Northside St. Patrick’s Parade & Festival will commence with the parade honoring St. Patrick and the Irish community in Georgia and will include Irish Societies, businesses and social groups, local school units, bands, families, and some pipes and drums. The parade will complete its route at the City Green where the festival will be in full swing. Local and Celtic vendors will be selling wares, and there will be Irish sports demonstrations, music, Irish dancing and more. The evening will culminate with a concert, ages 21 and over, by Kate Curran at nearby Thos. O’Reilly’s Public House.

When: Saturday, March 18, 10 a.m.

Where: City Green, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

More info: visitsandysprings.org

SANDY SPRING THEATRE COMPANY’S ‘SPAMALOT’

What: Join King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and the glamorous Lady of the Lake as they turn the Arthurian legend on its ear in their quest for the Holy Grail. Along the way, they encounter dancing showgirls, flying cows, killer rabbits and assorted French people. The production is the winner of the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical.

When: Up to March 26, times vary

Where: Byers Theatre, 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs

Cost: $37-100

More info: sandyspringsga.gov

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Stand-Alone Gloss

Ifonly houses could talk

Sometimes we may pass a building every day for years without giving it a second thought. Such structures may reveal interesting stories if given a second look.

Today, I will describe two buildings side by side on Birmingham Highway in Milton, across the road from Scottsdale Farms, one an attractive white brick house and the other brightly painted green and white with a porch situated under a tall shade tree. The two houses are joined by the history of one family. What stories might these houses tell?

In an earlier column I profiled the life of Billy Albertson (1932–2021) a sharecropper’s son who lived to become a beloved local personality, famous for his vegetable garden on Hardscrabble Road. Billy’s garden was a symbol of friendship, neighborliness, and conversation by those who stopped by to chat, help in the garden, to buy fresh produce or to buy goats that Billy raised.

Circa 1950 Billy’s parents, Egbert Tabor Albertson (1892-1975) and Ola Bell Etris Albertson (1891-1969), purchased a 3-acre farm from Billy’s older brother Judge Albertson and his wife Lula Mae across Birmingham Highway from today’s Scottsdale Farm. Judge and Lula Mae moved to Atlanta for Judge’s new job. Since the family had been sharecroppers and moved from farm to farm every few years, the move to their own farm on Birmingham Highway was a welcome chance to settle down. The green wooden house was already on the property. As a teenager, Billy lived in the house with his parents and sister Betty and brother Bobby. For a while as a teenager, Billy worked at Judge’s mobile sawmill. After an accident at the sawmill Billy began his life’s work as a butcher, initially at the Crabapple Sausage Company, eventually at A&P grocery stores. Billy lived with his parents in the house until he married Marjorie Mary Cornelison (1935-2008) in 1955. About five years later he built the home on Hardscrabble Road that would become his landmark farm.

The widowed Egbert lived in the green painted house until his death in 1975. The house remained vacant from that time on.

Next to the painted green house is a white brick house built in 1956 that Denise and Janet’s cousin Shirley Pilcher and her husband Ronnie lived in for 60

years beginning in 1971 when Ronnie got out of the Air Force. Shirley and her father J.T. Albertson bought the house property from her grandparents Egbert and Ola in the 1960s, attracted by the fact that their Albertson kin lived next door. The house was red brick until painted white about a year ago. The house has been kept up to date and is today a comfortable residence.

In 2015 Luca Gianturco, owner of Scottsdale Farms, bought both houses and surrounding property totaling 10.5 acres at the time, which he enlarged by purchasing parcels in subsequent years. He did not tear down the painted green house even though it would have required substantial renovation to make it inhabitable for two reasons. First, Luca has a keen sense of history, and the painted green house has stories to tell. Second, it serves a useful purpose as a storehouse for the bales of hay cut off the land around the house that he uses at Scottsdale Farms. He did put a new roof on the house to keep its contents dry.

Billy’s daughter Janet Bobeng has fond memories of regular Sunday family gatherings in the 1970s.

“Dad had 10 brothers and sisters, and some would always show up,” she says.

Up to 20 people sat on folding chairs under the large water oak tree in the front yard. A long wooden table was piled high with food brought by the guests.

“Those were special days,” recalls Janet.

Shirley Pilcher has a slightly different memory of those Sunday gatherings which she always attended since she lived next door. She says, “after the guests left, grandmother would cover the leftovers with a large cloth until evening when I would return to indulge in homemade biscuits and raw onions. It was such a happy place.”

In 2016, Luca bought some goats from Billy Albertson to serve as an attraction at Scottsdale Farms. Billy, and his daughter Denise Huntley, brought the goats to Scottsdale Farms and showed Luca how to castrate the goats. Billy looked across the street and told Luca that he had once lived in the green colored house. He took Luca on a tour of the property, and Luca took a picture of Billy and his daughter in front of the house. The photo has become a family gem. For Luca the picture brings back pleasant memories of the visit, and for Denise it evokes special memories of walking through the house with her father. Billy showed her where important events took place and the kitchen where

PILCHER FAMILY/PROVIDED

This is the original brick house next door to the green and white house where the Albertson family lived on Birmingham Highway. Billy Albertson’s niece Shirley Pilcher and her husband Ronnie lived in it for 60 years. The house was recently painted white. Circa early 1970s.

ALBERTSON FAMLY/PROVIDED

Billy Albertson and his daughter Denise Huntley visited this painted green house where the Albertson family previously lived across the road from Scottsdale Farms where Billy had delivered goats raised on his farm. The photo which is prized by the family, was taken by Luca Gianturco, owner of Scottsdale Farms. 2016

Billy’s father made biscuits for the family.

So, when you are driving along country roads and see old houses or barns in less-than-ideal condition, know that those old greying structures may have some tales to tell, if only we could

get them to speak to us.

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 MEYERS

Columnist

Pass the Kleenex; Spring is in the air

Pardon me if this one takes a little longer to read and to write.

I’ll be taking frequent breaks.

Hey, get your mind out of the toilet.

That’s not where I’ll be going.

No, the way we blazed through January and February like that proverbial hot knife through butter (why would anyone use a hot knife to prepare their morning toast? Wouldn’t that sear your fingers?) it’s time to beeline it for any type of medicine that will stop this early onset of spring.

Snort, sniff, cough, sneeze, enough water in your eyes to fill an Aquafina bottle. Then that “snorty” throaty sound that will get you thrown out of most restaurants.

Ahhh, springtime in the South.

As I’ve increased my tenure on this big

blue ball, it seems like the allergy gods are giving me just a little more to deal with than the previous year.

“You did okay with that ragweed last year,” those dastardly allergy gods must be saying. “Let’s see how many boxes of Kleenex you can blow through when we toss a heaping helping of mold and grasses your way.”

I can hear you saying: “Oh you big baby, just take a Zyrtec.”

Not a viable solution. A non-drowsy product claim to me means I can take one now and sleep until the last firework has exploded in early July.

Or you might be offering: “Quit complaining. Just go to the doctor.”

My response would be to tell you to go someplace, but it wouldn’t be to the doctor.

I have a crackerjack medical team that keep me on this side of the grass, but I try to frequent them as little as possible.

Having a sawbones yank out Lefty, my renal cell carcinoma-riddled left

kidney makes me a bit hesitant to mount a table and inquire: “OK Dr. Mellis (my outstanding urologist), what else can we tear out of there?”

In actuality, Dr. Mellis saved my life.

For now.

That’s the thing about cancer, those MRIs and chest X-rays can come back normal.

Until they don’t.

So, all this sneezing and snorting has made me deal with staring down those tests. It’s a rite I’ll probably deal with for the rest of my life.

And that’s fine with me. Getting old is a blast. I never thought there were some many ways to say “Oy vey” when I take those first steps in the morning.

The hits (cracks and pops) just keep on coming.

While the Braves get into playing shape, anticipating the opening of the season, I am absolutely giddy waiting for that letter from my gastroenterologist, Dr. Simon Cofrancesco, informing me of his interest in a different opening and that

it’s colonoscopy time again. Oh joy.

I think all this early spring is merely a tease. I’m banking on it getting cold a few more times. I’ll pray for anything so long as it will gets me out of playing in the dirt.

But there’s nothing quite as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as springtime here in the South. Friends in other parts of the country always ask: “Is Augusta National as beautiful in person as it looks on TV?”

No. It’s an optical delusión. Stay away. And you have a better chance of winning Powerball than ever sniffing around on that hallowed ground.

The Masters belongs to us Southerners. All that flora and fauna comes with a price that we pay every year. Gesundheit!!!

Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.

Sandlot baseball in Sandy Springs

Baseball games were popular in Sandy Springs long before Morgan Falls Athletic Complex existed. The community had a sandlot team, sometimes referred to as the “Sandy Springs nine” in the Atlanta newspapers.

According to “Images of America Sandy Springs,” by Kimberly M. Brigance and Morris V. Moore, many games were played at an unofficial ballpark between Boyleston Drive, Hammond Drive, Mount Vernon Highway and Roswell Road.

Baseball had begun by 1934 in Sandy Springs, because an outdoor meeting and wiener roast was held in August of that year to plan and raise money for uniforms. (Atlanta Constitution, August 8, 1934)

Sandy Springs baseball was part of the Regenstein’s family life. They moved to 10 acres on Mount Vernon Highway in 1946. Robert Regenstein was an umpire at the baseball field. When his efforts to bring City of Atlanta water to Sandy Springs were successful in 1950, the community held a Fourth of July celebration, which included square dancing and baseball.

When Robert and Jean’s daughter Barbara was born, employees of

Regenstein’s store bought a baby-sized baseball uniform for her. The couple took Barbara to the Sandy Springs field in the uniform.

Scheduled league games for August 1, 1948, included Sandy Springs at Roswell and Alpharetta at Austell as part of the North Atlanta League; Dunwoody at Smyrna, State League; Irvindale Dairy vs. Tucker at Piedmont Park and Norcross at Duluth in the County League.

The Atlanta papers regularly reported on the various sandlot team results and the special achievements of the players.

Bill Hardigree of Sandy Springs was the fielding star of a game against the Federal Pen (Penitentiary) team. Sandy Springs won 7 to 4, and Hardigree got six of those seven runs. (Atlanta Constitution, “Hardigree Leads Sandy Springs, Sept. 17, 1951)

John Davis moved to Sandy Springs with his family in 1962 at the age of 10.

Little League baseball had recently become popular in the community.

“By the 1960s, baseball in Sandy Springs had taken on a life of its own and had become part of the town’s spirit, even if there was no official place to play it,” Davis recalled.

Local businesses and organizations sponsored teams, buying sports equipment and uniforms including Arlington Cemetery, the Optimist Club, Swofford Shoes, Northside Pharmacy, and Bondurant Sporting Goods. (Sandy Springs Gazette 2018, “Root, Root, Root for the Home Team”) Davis played on a team sponsored by Arlington Cemetery. He remembered the team marching down Roswell Road as part of a parade. The league played on fields at Mount Vernon Baptist Church and St. John United Methodist Church and at local elementary school fields.

In 1967, two parks were planned for the southern part of Fulton County in Palmetto and near Fairburn, and two parks in Sandy Springs, Hammond and Morgan Falls. The parks would have baseball fields and tennis courts. (Atlanta Constitution, March 30, 1967, “Four Parks Planned by Fulton”)

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

MIKE TASOS

Columnist

KIMBERLY M. BRIGANCE AND MORRIS V. MOORE/ “IMAGES OF AMERICA SANDY SPRINGS”

This 1940s Sandy Springs baseball team includes, front row, from left: Bill Sewell, Carl Jameson, Al Holbrook, George Coleman and Hubert Nix. Back row, from left: Charles Sewell, Billy Hair, Doyle Mabry, Richard Coleman and Richard Johnson.

Insect allies: predators and parasitoids in the garden

It’s important to identify an insect in your garden before taking action. Are you sure it’s a “bad guy?”

Many insects are actually providing free pest management!

Natural enemies, insects that kill or suppress other insects, help control prey populations and keep nature in balance. There are two categories of natural enemies. A predator is an insect that captures and eats another insect (the prey). A parasitoid is an insect that develops on or inside another insect (the host). The host usually dies in the process of the parasitoid’s development.

Conserving Natural Enemies

Natural enemies need alternate food sources in addition to prey. While they’re out hunting, insect predators might need “snacks” to keep up their energy. Cue flowering plants! Flowers provide nectar and pollen that natural enemies use as supplemental food while hunting or if prey becomes scarce.

To keep natural enemies in the area, plant flowers with varying bloom times, providing food year-round. Native plants are especially pest-tolerant and supportive to natural enemies. Bonus: While drinking nectar and traveling between flowers, natural enemies become pollinators!

Natural enemies also need habitat where they can reproduce, take shelter and overwinter. Aim for structural complexity— variation in height, depth and texture—in your plantings to provide plenty of cover. Many overwinter in cavities, twigs and leaf litter, so “leave the leaves” where you can.

Some natural enemies, like lady beetles, can be purchased in bulk for release in the landscape. This is a short-term solution. The most sustainable way to reap the benefits of our insect allies is to attract and retain them with suitable habitat and food sources. It’s important to remember, natural enemies need prey! Don’t expect to eradicate all pests. It is impossible, and you will lose your natural enemies. Instead, aim to keep pest populations at tolerable levels.

Common natural enemies

Wasps

Most wasps are predators—they capture insects to feed to their larvae (immature wasps). Social wasps, like paper wasps and yellowjackets, live in colonies. Social wasps can be aggressive when their nests are disturbed but are generally docile while they are feeding on nectar. Many are generalist predators, eating a wide variety of different insects. Caterpillars, including

corn earworms, armyworms, loopers and hornworms, are popular prey. Solitary wasps do not live in colonies. A female solitary wasp creates one or a few nests at a time for her developing larvae. She may build her nest in the soil, in a cavity or with mud. After she lays her egg inside, she hunts and delivers live (sometimes paralyzed) prey to her hungry larva once it hatches. Solitary wasps are rarely aggressive.

Parasitoid wasps are extremely beneficial and come in all sizes, from nearly microscopic “fairyflies” (0.5 mm) to giant ichneumon wasps (up to 5 inches). Most lay eggs directly inside aphids, whiteflies, scale insects, leafminers or caterpillars. The larvae hatch and feed inside the insect until they are ready to pupate, emerge as adults and fly away. Gruesome but cool!

Beetles

Lady beetles, or lady bugs, come in all sizes and colors, not only red with black spots. Adults and larvae eat a variety of garden pests, like aphids, mealybugs and whiteflies. Some larvae can consume 200500 aphids before they reach adulthood! Beetles in the family Carabidae, called ground beetles, are common in the garden. These generalists have long legs and powerful mandibles for chomping prey. Adults and larvae are often found hunting on or in the soil at night.

True Bugs

Insects in the order Hemiptera are known as “true bugs.” Some of our worst garden pests, including aphids, whiteflies and scales, and some of our most valuable

predators, are true bugs.

Insects in the genus Orius are called minute pirate bugs for their diminutive size (2-5 mm) and are predators of aphids, armyworms, thrips, spider mites and whiteflies. They can even deliver a pinch to unsuspecting humans. Assassin bug adults and nymphs (immature true bugs) use sharp beaks to pierce aphids, leafhoppers, caterpillars and Japanese beetles. Larger assassin bugs, like the wheel bug, should be handled with caution or not at all, as they can administer a powerful bite.

Flies

Hover flies and flower flies are predators of common garden pests, including aphids. Many species mimic wasps and bees but cannot sting. Robber flies are aerial predators of many insects, including other predators! Larvae feed on soft-bodied insects, like scales and mealybugs.

Flies in the family Tachinidae are parasitoids. Females lay eggs in or on host grasshoppers, Japanese beetles and stink bugs. Larvae feed on the host, leading to its demise.

Lacewings

Lacewings eat soft-bodied mites, aphids, mealybugs and scales. Look out for lacewings’ distinctive eggs, which are perched at the ends of long, graceful stalks.

You may also see mantids, or “praying mantises.” These insects are powerful ambush predators that capture a variety of different insects. Dragonflies may be in the garden if a pond or body of water is nearby. Dragonflies have excellent eyesight and can move each of their four wings independent-

ly, making them precise aerial hunters. They especially like mosquitoes and have earned the nickname “mosquito hawks.”

While spiders are arachnids, not insects, they are excellent predators that feed on a wide range of pests. Garden spiders build webs to capture their prey, while jumping spiders and green lynx spiders are ambush predators that pounce on unsuspecting insects.

Natural enemies are our allies in the garden, providing valuable pest control services and enhancing the complexity and wonder of our natural world. Next time you’re out in the garden, look closer. Is that a foe you see, or could it be a friend?

If you are interested in learning more about common insect predators in the garden and easy ways we can conserve them, please join me for a virtual talk on Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m. To assure your place in the third class of the Spring 2023 Gardening Lecture Series presented by the North Fulton Master Gardeners, “Insect Allies: Predators and Parasitoids in the Garden,” please register at https://bit.ly/Spring2023NFMG-GardeningLectureSeries. The class will also be available for later viewing on the NFMG YouTube channel at youtube. com/northfultonmastergardeners.

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.

About the Author

This week’s guest Master Gardener columnist is Gabrielle LaTora, agriculture agent in Fulton County’s Extension office. An entomologist by training, Gabrielle is interested in insects on farms and in gardens and is passionate about closing the gap between people and their food. In addition to helping coordinate Fulton’s Master Gardener Extension Volunteer program, Gabrielle oversees the North Fulton Community Garden, answers clients’ questions about gardening and natural resources, works with urban farmers and delivers high-quality educational programs for Fulton County residents.

GABRIELLE LATORA Guest Columnist

A solitary wasp feels on nectar and pollen A lady beetle larva feeds on an aphid.

Hover flies often mimic the look of bees and wasps. Lacewing eggs are perched on long stalks.

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