Milton Herald - April 16, 2026

McConnell-Chadwick House in line for National Registry

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — The McConnell-Chadwick House, a Greek Revival-style home from the late 1830s, was deemed eligible by Georgia's Department of Com-

munity Affairs to apply for the National Register of Historic Places.

The Chadwick House Preservation Committee and Milton Historical Society received the news March 26 and can now begin the application.

The McConnell-Chadwick House was one of the earliest structures in what was then Cherokee County and belonged to Brig. Gen. and State Sen. Eli McConnell.

See HOUSE, Page 24

Milton Historical Society lays plans for Spring Fling

MILTON, Ga. — The Milton Historical Society’s fifth annual Spring Fling will be held Friday, April 24 in the Wildflower Barn at Little River Farms, 14505C Batesville Road.

The social outing will begin at 7 p.m. and offer live entertainment, finger foods and a beer and wine bar for partygoers to enjoy.

Visitors can browse historic exhibits throughout the venue as the purpose of the event is to educate the public on Milton’s history.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online until April 17.

—

Hannah Yahne

► PAGE 4

APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO

Milton residents and members of the Milton Historical Society enjoy Spring Fling at The Barn on Birmingham April 26, 2025.

APPEN MEDIA FILE PHOTO

From left, Joan Borzilleri, Jeff Dufresne, former property owner Larry Chadwick and former City Councilman Bill Lusk are all smiles after a tour of the McConnell-Chadwick House in 2024.

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battle a blaze on Redd Road April 2.

Milton home damaged by fire

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — A Redd Road home was significantly damaged by fire April 2.

Firefighters were dispatched to the blaze at 7:42 p.m., arriving within six minutes, the city of Milton said. Firefighters arrived to find the home burn-

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ing. An accessory structure and a half dozen golf carts on the property also burned, contributing to the fire's intensity and duration.

The city said dry weather conditions and heat contributed to the flames.

Three neighbors reported small fires, which Milton firefighters extinguished with help from the Alpharetta Fire Department.

THE PICTURE FRAMER HAS

Damage sustained by the Redd Road home made it uninhabitable. No one was injured, although one person was assessed at the scene. The homeowner said he was not injured and did not need assistance.

The fire's cause is under investigation.

CITY OF MILTON/PROVIDED

Firefighters

3 Forsyth County teens killed in Florida crash identified

By JASMINA ALSTON Atlanta News First

ATLANTA — The identities of three metro Atlanta students killed in a fiery crash in Florida have been released.

The crash happened in Franklin County, Florida, on Monday. Florida Highway Patrol said the car ran off a shoulder and collided with a tree before catching fire.

Jaylyn Fehr, 17; Charlotte Martin, 16; and Jackson Mobley, 18, were all killed. All three were students at Horizon Christian Academy (HCA) in Cumming.

Jamison Mobley, Jackson’s 17-year-old sister and fellow HCA student, was seriously injured in the crash.

“As we continue to grieve as a school family and community, we ask that you continue to pray for the families of the students we lost this week,” the school said in a statement on social media Wednesday.

School leaders asked the community to continue praying for Jamison, who is still in the hospital.

“We pray for her healing,” HCA said. “We pray for peace and comfort for her family. We pray for wisdom and

clarity for the doctors as they treat her.”

In the post, the school included remembrances of the students by their families.

Jackson and Jamison Mobley

Jackson Mobley’s family said he was “a gentle giant, an incredible brother, had the best one-liners, and was a dream son.”

Mobley had planned on attending Chattahoochee Tech in the fall to study HVAC, with the goal of one day running his own HVAC company.

“The void Jack will leave behind is insurmountable,” his family said. “We know the last thing his soul did earthside was to help save his sister, Jamison.”

The Mobley family said that while Jamison’s “road to recovery is going to be hard and she’s going to need all the support she can get, Jamison survived for a reason.”

Her family said “we know God has big plans for her and part of that plan is to never allow the memories and all Jackson, Jaylyn and Charlotte stood for to fade. She loves her two best friends and brother with all her heart.”

Jaylyn Fehr

A student at HCA since first grade, Fehr’s family said she was heavily involved in her church and youth group, and was “a light that people were drawn to.”

“She was smart, funny, witty, compassionate, and empathetic,” her family said. “Jaylyn’s legacy is one of faith, kindness, and connection. While her passing leaves an immeasurable void, her impact will continue to be felt throughout the many lives she touched.”

She planned on pursuing a law degree after graduating next year.

A GoFundMe set up for Fehr’s family said, “Her faith and kindness touched everyone who knew her, and her loss is deeply felt by her family, friends, and the entire community.”

Charlotte Martin

Martin’s family said she had attended HCA since kindergarten, and was a dedicated student, “consistently at the top of her class while pursuing a rigorous AP and Dual Enrollment course load.”

Along with playing soccer and volleyball for the school, she also worked there in an after-school role.

“Charlotte approached everything she did with discipline, humility, and a genuine heart for others,” her family said. “While her achievements were many, what defined Charlotte most was her faith, her kindness, and the way she loved others. We find peace knowing she is with the Lord, and her life will continue to impact everyone who knew her.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to help Martin’s family with funeral-related expenses.

According to the A5 Gwinnett volleyball club, Fehr and Martin were part of the organization.

In posts shared by the club’s director, the organization said they lift both families up in prayer.

“We are grateful to the off-duty law enforcement and several Good Samaritans who stopped to render aid. Their bravery saved a life, and their willingness to step into an unknown and dangerous situation reflects true selflessness,” the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said. “We ask the community to keep (Jamison) in your thoughts and prayers as she moves forward on the road to recovery.”

Appen Media partner Atlanta News First provided this story.

Georgia legislation mandates literacy coaching statewide

By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Georgia lawmakers have passed a sweeping education bill that requires literacy coaches, mandates science of reading instruction and implements first-grade retention standards.

According to the Georgia Council on Literacy, more than 60 percent of third graders in Georgia do not read proficiently.

“Not only is it a huge issue for us to resolve from the workforce, it’s a huge issue for us to resolve from a dollar standpoint,” Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, said during the March 31 Senate floor session. “If only 29 percent of kids are reading on grade level, then that doesn’t work well for employers. It doesn’t work well for families, and it certainly doesn’t work well for schools.”

House Bill 1193, known as the Georgia Early Literacy Act, requires literacy coaches to be in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. The state will fund one literacy coach per public school. It also creates regional literacy coaches. There will be 1,313 literacy coaches across the state.

“We state that literacy coaches in each school shouldn’t be doing other things. They should spend no less than 70 percent of the school day in the classroom,” Tillery said. “We don’t want them to have other administrative duties.”

The legislation establishes the Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee within the Office of Student Achievement, and creates two new state positions – a state literacy director and a Georgia literacy coach coordinator.

All literacy instruction must be grounded in the science of reading, a structured, phonics-based approach to reading. Beginning in the 20292030 school year, schools will not be able to use state funds on reading materials not approved by the State Board of Education.

“Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, it shall be the policy of this state that only highquality instructional materials that are aligned with the science of reading are going to be available for state funds,” Tillery said.

HB 1193 also establishes standards for first-grade retention. Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, students must attend kindergarten before first grade. They may be held back from first grade if they are at risk or not reading at grade level, and parents can appeal a retention decision.

DEAN HESSE/APPEN MEDIA

Yael Lutenberg reads a book with her daughter Mica during the Little Shop of Stories 20th Anniversary Celebration in Decatur June 28, 2025.

The Georgia Literacy Task Force is created and must meet by September to recommend reading screeners and high-quality instructional materials.

“We think the most important things in this bill are what we’re accomplishing in the classrooms,” Tillery said.

Literacy was a top priority for lawmakers this year, particularly House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington.

“The passage of the Early Literacy Act of 2026 marks the beginning of unprecedented change and a monumental step forward for every child who steps foot in a Georgia class -

room,” Burns said. “This is just the beginning of a success story that I believe will make a generational difference in the lives of children, families, and our entire state by ensuring every child has the chance to learn to read.”

House Education Committee Chairman Chris Erwin, R-Homer, added that reading on grade level empowers students to expand their knowledge and learning.

“This bill will blanket the state with expert literacy coaches, high-quality instructional material and tools for teachers to improve the literacy rates of their students,” Erwin said.

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Alpharetta developer preparing for construction of retail, dining space

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A developer will soon begin the first phase of a project to revamp the gateway to downtown Alpharetta and is considering its options on how a second phase should proceed.

Alpharetta-based developer Alpharetta District Places is preparing to start construction at the end of May on 2.4 acres along Roswell Street between Old Milton Parkway and Marietta Street. Plans call for about 34,000 square feet of retail space that will “match the residential scale and architectural character of the downtown Alpharetta Heritage District,” the developer said.

Erik Rowen, Alpharetta District Places partner, said his partnership is excited to move forward with the project and anticipates move-ins by mid-2027.

“We’re focusing on growing the pie in downtown Alpharetta, not dividing it,” he said.

The project is located within walking distance of the city’s downtown on one of its busiest roadways.

District Places initially proposed a second phase to include 195 for-rent residential units and 30,000 square feet of ground-level retail space on the other half of the block.

That phase drew concerns from some residents about potential traffic issues to the nearby intersection. Others voiced concerns about a proposed building height of five stories. Rowen said traffic studies conducted by

the partnership showed minimal impacts. Initially scheduled for council consideration for a rezoning request, conditional use permit and variances in December, the project was deferred to allow the developer time to consider its options, Rowen said.

Phase 2 can only begin after the completion of Phase 1, he said. Rowen said he still thinks a Phase 2 plan that includes 195 for-rent units is viable, but District Places also could move forward with a plan that includes only commercial space in accordance with the current zoning.

“We’ve withdrawn our rezoning plans to give us more flexibility to move forward,” he said. “But we haven’t abandoned the idea. We are just keeping our options open based on the market conditions.”

Phase 1 will provide a shopping and dining destination to visitors and residents, especially those living nearby. But Rowen said the unique format also could be attractive to visitors from nearby communities who may not often visit the downtown area.

The project would leverage pedestrian connectivity and be easily accessed by an existing Alpha Loop section along Roswell Street. It also would match the surrounding neighborhood’s character and architecture.

sions with potential tenants, which could include boutiques, restaurants and other businesses. It also would include retail spaces as small as 400 square feet, which would be ideal for small businesses, District Places partner Brent Beecham said. Those spaces would be ideal for small businesses looking to take their next step, he said.

“There just aren’t enough rightsized, affordable tenant spaces to help them take that next step,” Beecham said. “We want to be the development in the heart of downtown that helps them reach their potential.”

Shawn Allen, who lives down the street from the project, said he is particularly excited about being able to walk there. He said he and his family appreciate the ability to avoid driving, but walking also affords them a better sense of place.

There’s something special about taking a brief walk to visit a favorite coffee shop or restaurant, he said. It also makes things easier when he wants to have a few glasses of wine.

“When you walk down to your coffee shop or your restaurant where you know the servers, you just feel a more part of your community,” he said.

Mathew Khodayari, owner of Aria Salon, said he is excited about the project and thinks it will help make Alpharetta a more attractive destination.

With the city’s focus on attracting skilled workers and high-tech firms, providing after-hours shopping and dining becomes ever more important, he said.

“We thought that it was critical that our development fits the neighborhood in scale and architectural character,” said Rowen. “Roswell Street has enormous potential with strong pedestrian connectivity thanks to the Alpha Loop extension from Wills Park to Milton Avenue.”

For drivers, the plan calls for parking that exceeds the city’s requirement by about 50 percent.

District Places is currently in discus-

He thinks the expansion of the city’s downtown offers benefits to businesses already located there.

“If it generates more foot traffic, then it’s good for all of us,” Khodayari said.

ALPHARETTA DISTRICT PLACES/PROVIDED

A developer plans to begin construction at the end of May on a project to create 34,000 square feet of retail space on 2.4 acres along Roswell Street between Old Milton Parkway and Marietta Street.

Veteran launches campaign for 7th Congressional District

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Tony Kozycki, a Navy combat veteran and attorney, is running for Georgia's 7th Congressional District, which represents North Fulton County. He will appear on the ballot during the May 19 Democratic primary.

The district also represents Dawson, Forsyth and Lumpkin counties, and portions of Hall and Cherokee counties. The other Democratic candidates are camera technician Case Norton, environmental health scientist Jayson Toweh and Larry Long, who is retired. The primary winner will face incumbent Republican Rep. Rich McCormick in November. McCormick does not have a primary challenger.

Kozycki was raised in LaGrange and spent a decade serving as a naval aviator, flying combat missions on three deployments, before becoming an attorney representing families across Georgia, according to a news release.

“Our country is going through a moment where too many people feel that our government is working against them, instead of for them,” Kozycki said. “In the military, we are trained to

focus on the mission and we need that in Washington - people willing to work across lines, solve problems, and move the country forward.”

Kozycki is focused on lowering the cost of living, restoring trust in government and ensuring immigration enforcement is carried out lawfully and humanely.

“Families across our district are doing everything right and still feel like they’re falling behind,” he said. “The success of our economy should be based on whether working families can actually get ahead.”

Kozycki says he thinks representatives should hear directly from the people.

“That’s why I’m announcing today a series of rolling town halls across the district to meet with voters and listen to their concerns and priorities,” he said.

– Zoe Seiler

KOZYCKI APPEN

Dunwoody teen makes a splash on the clay

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Londyn McCord knew before she started elementary school that tennis was her calling.

Twelve years later, she has entered the International Tennis Federation’s World Tennis Junior Rankings Top 200.

Recovering from an elbow injury that came after a nine-month period of climbing nearly 800 spots into the top 300 of the rankings took as much mental work as physical.

McCord, 16, reflected on the injury period and what she gained from the experience.

“I learned that, number one, I’m not just tennis,” she said. “Tennis doesn’t define me, and there will be an after tennis. I need to find another hobby because I’m not going to be playing tennis seriously for my whole life.”

When she was ready to return to competition, the rankings had adjusted to her absence, and McCord fell out of the top 1,000 players.

But, she came back with a fire, jumping even more in the rankings in a fraction of the time. In eight weeks since returning, she has achieved a career-high ranking at No. 192 as of March 23. The streak has reaffirmed her Blue Chip 5-star status.

McCord described the process of ascending the rankings. She’s also No. 1 in Georgia.

“I would only check in with my mom maybe once a month or so, because I wasn’t really paying attention to the ranking,” she said. “I was just focused on my development physically and mentally, and the results just came.”

The youngest of parents Terry and Trish’s three daughters and two sons, Londyn is ranked the No. 3 recruit in the Southeast region and the No. 10 recruit in the country.

Her oldest sister attends Troy University studying sports management and law, but she has been able to get away to take a few trips with Londyn to attend tennis matches or tournaments.

Londyn has attended online school via Institute for Champions & Leaders (ICL) Academy since sixth grade. Many of her online classmates are top performers in acting, dance or sports like tennis, golf, figure skating or volleyball.

Londyn attended Dunwoody Elementary School and Peachtree Middle before starting at ICL. The McCord family relocated to Dunwoody to be in the same neighborhood as Londyn’s former trainer, Fred Haynes.

Londyn’s four favorite tennis players are Roger Federer, Carlos Alcaraz, Serena Williams and Aryna

up tennis, the McCord family got in contact with trainer Fred Haynes. Fred’s daughter Angela was a professional tennis player on the WTA tour. He raised his children in Compton, California, at times training alongside their neighbors, the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena. Angela’s last professional match was at Wimbledon against her childhood friend, Serena.

Fred says Londyn reminded him of Serena as a child. He remarked of Londyn’s success that he is “happy but not surprised,” and also said we haven’t seen her peak just yet.

“Londyn was one of the strongest players that I’ve ever coached, I’ve never coached anyone like her, she’s just on another level physical-wise,” he said. “I just knew that she would be special. Londyn has what you can’t teach.”

The McCords became family to Fred, living just two blocks apart for the nearly 10 years Londyn would spend five days a week training with him.

Mom Trish said Londyn’s weapons with her forehand and serve are what set her apart as a player, but tennis has given her daughter more than just technical skills with a racket.

“The opportunity that tennis has given Londyn in terms of becoming a young lady off the court,” she said. “Preparing her for life outside of tennis, being disciplined, being able to make decisions on her own. That’s what the sport is teaching her and exposing her to other cultures.”

Trish said an especially meaningful and “eye-opening” part of the journey has been watching the transition from seeing her daughter take photos with famous athletes, to now being approached by fans for autographs.

Sabalenka. Being able to meet athletes like Sabalenka, Tiafoe and Coco Gauff has made Londyn realize her dream is closer than she thought.

Londyn reflected on earlier years, while she was in kindergarten watching Williams play on television.

“She is who I want to be,” Londyn recalled thinking to herself. “I want to make people feel like this when they see me play.”

She said her goal to be on the pro tour has been in the back of her mind as long as she can remember playing tennis.

Londyn says she has an open mind about her next steps, college or otherwise.

She said her primary goal right now is to break the top 100 in the

ITF junior rankings to secure direct entry into the four Junior Grand Slam tournaments, Wimbledon and the U.S., French and Australian Open.

Dad Terry was described as a gentle giant. He reminisced on how far his daughter has come since first picking up a racket.

“At 4 years old, she was just hitting the ball in the air, and to go from where she is now, it’s been a real journey,” he said. “It’s been probably one of the best experiences of my life. She’s competing at a high level, at such an early age to see the dedication and hard work that she put in, to see the way she’s developed, it just means a lot.”

Two months after Londyn picked

Londyn said the journey has been long, full of hard work, but it has been worth it.

“Looking back, all I can see is constant growth and that motivates me every single day to keep pushing, no matter if I’m having a bad day or a bad week,” she said. “It just keeps me pushing because I can go back and see how much I’ve grown, and it’s just constant motivation for me.”

Off the court, Londyn enjoys cooking and baking, watching gothic romance movies, shopping and spending time with family when she gets the chance to have some free time. She collects vinyl records, and her favorite movie is “Shrek 2.”

Londyn will return to the United States in mid-April for some rest after several weeks competing in South America.

MCCORD FAMILY/PROVIDED

Dunwoody teen Londyn McCord is the top-ranked girls tennis player in Georgia. She has recently entered the International Tennis Federation’s World Tennis Junior Rankings Top 200.

MARTA service updates to affect Roswell routes

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Beginning April 18, MARTA stops in Roswell will be reconfigured to improve service through Metro Atlanta.

The NextGen Bus Network will remove stops in Roswell and add six new ones that will improve access to area destinations and provide service along higher-use corridors.

Alongside new bus routes, NextGen includes a service called MARTA Reach that has been providing on-demand transit services in 12 zones across MARTA’s service area since launching in March. The bus operates daily from 6 a.m. until midnight, and the fare is free through May 2 when it will increase to $2.50.

The North Fulton Reach Zone is bound by Mansell Road, Commerce Highway, Old Roswell Road, Holcomb Bridge Road, Dogwood Road and Old Alabama Road. Reservations can be made on the MARTA Reach app, the website, itsmarta.com/reach.aspx, or by calling the reservations line, 404848-6622.

MARTA stops to be removed April 18:

• 10777 Alpharetta Highway (Ga. 9 northbound), in front of Popeyes Louisiana Chicken

• 10730 Alpharetta Highway (Ga. 9

southbound), in front of Dreamland

BBQ

• 10761 Alpharetta Highway (Ga. 9 northbound), in front of Brannon Square Shopping Center (Post Office and 2nd & Charles)

• Alpharetta Highway at Commerce Parkway (Ga. 9 southbound), between Atlanta Cycling and Jiffy Lube

• Alpharetta Highway at Commerce Parkway (Ga. 9 northbound), in front of Aurora Cineplex

• Alpharetta Highway at Houze Rd (SR 9 southbound), in front of AutoZone

Auto Parts

• Holcomb Bridge Road at Old Dogwood Road (Ga. 140 eastbound), at the Ga. 400 southbound on ramp.

• All stops along Holcomb Bridge Road east of Ga. 400

New MARTA stops effective April 18:

• 515 E Crossville Road (Ga. 92 westbound), in front of Wilton Center

• E. Crossville Road at Alpharetta Highway (northwest corner), in front of Crossville Village near Stoney River Steakhouse & Grill

• Alpharetta Highway at Mansell Road (Ga. 9 southbound), in front of Roswell Market Place near Starbucks

• 570 Mansell Road (northbound), in front of Kroger

• 630 Mansell Road (southbound), near Aldi

• 675 Mansell Road (northbound), in front of Mansell West Office Park.

FLING

Friday, April 24, 2026 • 7:00 PM

The Wildflower Barn at Little River Farms 14505C Batesville Road, Milton, GA

Live Entertainment • Delicious Finger Foods

Beer & Wine Bar • Historical Exhibits

Tickets are $50 per person

Scan the QR Code to Purchase Tickets by April 17, 2026

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Celeste Jackson Designs

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Management

Silver - $500+

Bollinger Gallery

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Bronze - $250+

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Poe & Company

Bookstore

Thrive Medical Spa

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10 | Milton Herald | April 16, 2026

Lush Plant Co. strives to be a resource for plant lovers

By ZOE SEILER zoe@appenmedia.com

ATLANTA — Tucked in a shopping center on Waddell Street, plants are thriving and looking for their forever homes.

Lush Plant Co. moved from Oakhurst to a small space in Inman Park in 2023 and is now open for retail again. For a couple of years, owner Andrea Kidd offered in-home services and other support to plant owners, such as repotting.

“I was like, you know what, it’s time,” Kidd said. “I didn’t feel ready for a long time to do retail again, but something about the energy this year made me feel ready to do it.”

Lush Plant Co. opened in August 2020 and operated in collaboration with Kidd’s sister, Jennifer Martha. At the time, there weren’t any houseplant shops in Decatur, and the pair felt the city needed one of its own.

The sisters opened Lush Plant Co. at Scout in Oakhurst as a weekend pop-up, then moved into a larger space at the Solarium in 2021. Lush Plant Co. closed in 2023.

The Solarium leased the plant shop space during the COVID-19 pandemic, when events weren’t taking place. As activities ramped up, the Solarium needed more event space.

Kidd knew the Oakhurst location wasn’t a long-term solution.

After seeing a story in Decaturish, a property owner reached out to Kidd to offer her space, and she moved into 27 Waddell St. NE in December 2023. When Kidd first moved into the new store, she had an office in the back,

See LUSH, Page 11

ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA

Andrea Kidd is the owner of Lush Plant Co., located at 27 Waddell St. NE in Inman Park in Atlanta.

Lush Plant Co. in Inman Park offers a variety of Venus flytraps for sale.

Lush:

Continued from Page 10

and the front area was her hub for serving corporate clients, delivery clients and offering repotting services.

“I was not convinced that this space would work as a retail space because of the size. It’s so much smaller than what we used to have,” Kidd said. “But about two months ago, I had to redo the floors and I decided to convert my office in the back to additional retail. I’ve just hired a new employee … we’re trying the retail thing again.”

The store features many of the same plants customers have loved over the years, like Venus flytraps, pilea, string of pearls, pothos, airplants and more. The store continues to sell pots, soil and other plant accessories.

Before launching extended hours, the business opened for retail sales on Saturdays.

“That allowed us to see what it

looks like when five people walk in here at once,” Kidd said. “It actually worked out fine.”

Lush Plant Co. is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All plants get watered on Mondays, and Kidd receives deliveries on Tuesdays. There is a parking lot available for customers, as well as on-street parking.

Kidd received a Beltline facade improvement grant. A mural will be installed on the storefront to help make the shop more inviting and identifiable. The artist will also add an awning above the door.

“That kind of kicked me in the tail and motivated me to see this could be more than it was before,” Kidd said.

Kidd strives to be a resource to plant lovers so people can learn about how they can add plants to their homes, different types of light, soil quality and how to care for plants.

“We’re just here to make people feel confident,” Kidd said. “My goal is for everyone to be able to check their plants once a week and then move on with their lives.”

ZOE SEILER/APPEN MEDIA

Johns Creek sets its sights on ambitious greenway plan

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek is planning a greenway that could become one of the city’s most significant outdoor recreational assets.

The Chattahoochee River Greenway would provide about 4 miles of pathway along the river near Cauley Creek Park.

To be built in two phases, the first 1-mile section will connect Abbotts Bridge Road to Cauley Creek Park through the Abbotts Bridge Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. A second almost 3-mile phase would trace the river from the park to McGinnis Ferry Road.

The project’s nearly $7 million budget is funded primarily by federal funds with about $1.5 million coming from matching city money.

City Council members approved agreements to secure federal funding March 2.

Public Works Director Brian O’Connor said the project aims to provide residents one of the city’s longest natural pathways while using its largest park asset, Cauley Creek Park.

Completed in 2023, the $25 million, 203-acre park is home to numerous recreational and practical amenities including pickleball and sand volleyball courts, a 5K rubberized trail, playground, picnic pavilions, river overlooks, cricket pitch, lighted athletic fields and numerous restrooms and water fountains.

The greenway also would allow better pedestrian access to the park from McGinnis Ferry and Abbotts Bridge roads, O’Connor said.

The greenway will tie in a regional plan for 100 miles of Chattahoochee River trails from Buford Dam to Chattahoochee Bends State Park.

City staff are looking toward engineering and design for Phase 1 with plans to acquire right of ways in 2027 and begin construction in 2028. Phase 2 could see construction after 2029.

A two-phase greenway project is expected to provide pathways along the Chattahoochee River while making better use of Cauley Creek Park.

GDOT plan for I-285, Roswell Road interchange alarms Sandy Springs officials

By DYANA BAGBY dyana@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A preliminary design to ease traffic at the notoriously clogged Interstate 285 and Roswell Road interchange by building a diverging diamond interchange has some Sandy Springs leaders sounding the alarm about its potential harm to surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.

The city council heard about the concept plan from Georgia Department of Transportation officials at its March 17 work session. GDOT officials said replacing the existing interchange with a diverging diamond interchange was the best option to reduce traffic and improve safety.

GDOT officials also said the interchange project could be tied to the planned I-285 top-end express lanes, which would add toll lanes in each direction and include replacement of the existing bridge. A bid for the first phase of the top-end express lanes is expected to be awarded by the end of the year. Phase one includes I-285 westbound from Henderson Road to Northside Drive, and Ga. 400 northbound from Johnson Ferry Road to Abernathy Road NE.

There is no timeline when the I-285 bridge at Roswell Road will be replaced as part of the top-end express lane project.

The diverging diamond project is estimated to cost $70 million to $85 million. Only the $1.25 million scoping study, presented at the work session, is funded so far. Sandy Springs contributed $150,000 toward that study. Preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition and construction funds have not been secured, and full buildout remains years away, according to GDOT officials.

"This is simply a scoping study," Joel Seagraves, an engineer with Gresham Smith and GDOT representative, said at the work session. "The only deliverable right now is an approved concept.”

Council members told GDOT they do not yet accept that concept.

The preliminary design identifies 23 affected parcels including apartment complexes and commercial properties. At least one parcel — a gas station on the south side of I-285 — faces likely displacement. Several local streets could be “cul-de-sacked,” cutting off neighborhood connectivity and potentially hindering emergency response times, council members said.

Councilmember Andrew Chinsky, who represents District 6 on the south side of the interchange, told Appen Media in a recent interview he and the council understand something needs to be done to improve traffic flow at the interchange. But, he said, he fears GDOT is not considering the residents and businesses.

A pedestrian walks across the Interstate 285 bridge at Roswell Road, the busy interchange where some 40,000 vehicles travel daily. The Georgia Department of Transportation is proposing a diverging diamond interchange be built at the interchange to reduce the bottleneck, but City Council members are raising concerns about walkability and access to businesses.

“This is a very high pedestrian area and a lot of folks in that area take the MARTA bus which goes up and down Roswell Road,” Chinsky said. He noted the city is constructing sidewalks along roads near the interchange to improve pedestrian safety for those living and working there.

Local businesses that rely on patrons having direct access into their venues from the interstate and Roswell Road could be negatively impacted by a diverging diamond interchange, Chinsky said.

“We recognize the need to improve that intersection, given the volume of traffic, but more thought needs to be given to how to minimize negative impact to our nearby residents and small business community,” he said. “This is a hugely impactful project that is going to require [GDOT] to go above and beyond even what they normally do.”

‘A terrible design’

The existing interchange carries tens of thousands of vehicles daily. Roswell Road alone sees about 40,000 vehicles a day, according to GDOT. The area is

also densely developed, with hundreds of housing units, dozens of commercial properties and heavy pedestrian and transit use.

At last month’s work session, Councilmember John Paulson chastised GDOT concept.

“This is a terrible design, in my opinion,” Paulson said at the meeting. “This doesn't appear to be a workable plan for a lot of these businesses. If you make customers go a half mile out of their way instead of just turning in, these businesses are going to go under.”

District 3 Councilmember Melissa Mular, who represents the north side of the interchange, said the project must balance vehicle efficiency with quality of life for nearby residents.

“We all agree this is a chronically congested intersection,” Mular said. “But are we improving vehicular flow while worsening local conditions for neighborhoods, businesses and pedestrians?”

Mular noted that the broader study area includes more than 300 homes, 650 apartment units — including senior

housing — and more than 20 commercial properties.

Transportation officials acknowledged the concerns and said the project remains in an early stage and that detailed impacts will become clearer after additional surveying and design work.

Mular said diverging diamond interchanges work effectively at other locations, including I-285 at AshfordDunwoody Road and Georgia 400 at Abernathy Road.

“What is different here is that this proposed DDI sits in a very dense business and residential corridor,” she said.

City leaders are pushing for more community outreach before plans are finalized. GDOT officials said they would look at holding a public open house later this year, perhaps in the summer.

Chinsky told Appen Media the city has requested follow-up discussions with GDOT and is urging officials to engage directly with affected property owners and residents.

“I think our message [to GDOT] was pretty loud and clear. They have a lot of work to do,” he said.

DYANA BAGBY/APPEN MEDIA

Fulton's Reparations Task Force produces 615-page report

By DORMIYA VANCE WABE

Fulton County’s Reparations Task Force has worked since 2023 to research and account for the harms done to Black people who were enslaved there or lived during the Jim Crow era.

The group now has an official “Harm Report,” and one of their findings shows as much as around $900 billion in today’s dollars in stolen labor over a decade of slavery in Fulton.

Dr. Karchiek Sims-Alvarado, a professor of Africana Studies at Morehouse College, was appointed chair of the county-based task force after it was established in 2021.

“We knew that if we were going to be talking about dollars and cents, this research had to be based on quantitative data, and so that’s exactly what we’ve done,” she said.

What does the Harm Report focus on?

“The first year of the harm report study was actually compiling the data … and so during that time period, we were able to bring together about a team of about five individuals in order to help us with the report,” Sims-Alvarado said.

“We were able to build new data sets, new tabular data sets that actually allowed us to document the number of individuals that were enslaved in Fulton County, the value tied to their person, as well as who were the profiteers of slavery, meaning who were the slave owners.”

The 615-page Harm Report was backed by county funding totaling $250,000. It features several charts, diagrams and dollar amounts tied to slavery’s ten-year run, 1854-1864, in Fulton.

Research shows the county saw its highest number of enslavers, 761, a year before slavery ended in 1865.

The report then transitions into accounting for harm, like racial terror and lynchings, done to Black residents during Jim Crow as early as the 1870s.

To produce the data, Sims-Alavardo created two theorems, or formulas, as the foundation of the report. Her Dual Lens Hidden Disparities Theorem quantifies inequalities, while her ExtractionAcculation Harm Theorem looks at economic harm experienced by Black residents and their descendants.

“Applying the Extraction-Acculation Harm Theorem … the cost of stolen labor and the failure to grant recompense can range up to nearly $903 billion from Fulton County alone,” Sims-Alvarado said.

How did the task force determine what counted as harm?

“These are wrongs committed against

Fulton County Residents. So you’re talking about harms where people’s civil rights or civil liberties were violated or deprived of them, or basic human rights. Also, looking at county services, these are things that county residents are supposed to be entitled to, and these are things that were deprived from them,” Sims-Alvarado said.

The report shows that Black residents struggled to access services such as healthcare, public libraries and schools. Researchers suggest these limitations have had lasting effects on modern times and institutions.

“When you begin to look at the services that fall under the purview of the county, you have voting, the jails, and the courts. You have health clinics, you have property taxes … even the arts fall under the purview of the county as well. But these are the things that affect our daily lives, and historically, for African Americans who resided in Fulton County, they paid for county services that they did not receive, or they received inferior services,” she added.

Segregation also created economic challenges for Black Fulton taxpayers.

One example in the report suggests “Black taxpayers paid into a system that denied them equal access to public services,” citing over $8 million in economic value denied to Black residents within the library system.

Sims-Alvarado says even as a kid in post-Jim Crow Alabama, she could see the long-term impacts of intentional limitations put on Black people.

“Every day, I saw how Black people were denied the same services as their white counterparts. And even as a child, you could see this. And I often ask myself, why is it that one half of the residents in a community are deprived of resources or have a certain quality of life compared to others?” she said.

What in the Harm Report was specific to Fulton County compared to other places?

“Even though Fulton County only had ten years of slavery, the value of the enslaved was extremely high compared to some of the other 150+ counties, and that is very Fulton County. The taxes collected on the value of Black people as property served as seed money for the county, which allowed for the county and the city of Atlanta to become the commercial epicenter of the American South,” Sims-Alvarado said.

The task force chair says that “seed money” ranged up to nearly $4.7 billion in today’s money. The enslaved were legally considered property following the 1857 United States Supreme Court ruling in Dred Scott v. Sanford, stating they were not U.S. citizens and not protected as such.

Fast-forwarding to the Great Depression, research shows that barely 1% of Black residents owned land in Fulton, but faced twice as high tax burdens compared to their white counterparts.

“From 1867 to 1937, the property value of Blacks was assessed at almost 210% that of whites historically. So their property was over-assessed, doubling the value of whites,” she said.

What did this work cost emotionally?

“I spent two years working on this. I mean, many days and nights working on this sometimes. I was working on it for eight to twelve hours, and not just myself, but other people who were part of this team. It was so emotional. I had a little moment even when presenting it to the Fulton County Commissioners. I kind of broke down a little bit,” SimsAlvarado said.

The group suspended public meetings heading into the fall of 2024, which was also the same year the report was initially projected to be released.

However, officials say, the nearly 10-pound, textbook-esque report needed the group’s full attention. They updated the public in 2025 on their progress, saying the research was “mentally, emotionally, and spiritually demanding.”

The group also faced pushback from elected officials such as Fulton County Commissioner Bridget Thorne, who, on behalf of her constituents, asked, “Why

should we be responsible for a crime that we never committed?”

“But I would have to say we’re all grateful that we did this. It’s so rewarding just to be a part of this and to be able to produce this for the world,” she said. “It is a joy, it is a blessing to be able to produce it, but it took a toll on all of us.”

So, what’s next for the Fulton Reparations Task Force?

“So now it’s sharing that information with the public, letting people read it, sit with it, and digest it. Now we have to start making recommendations,” SimsAlvarado said.

The task force was granted a twoyear extension towards the end of 2025. The group will move forward to their second report, the Repair Report, which will focus on the possibility of issuing reparations to Black descendants in Fulton.

As of now, the task force will hold a public meeting to debut the Harm Report at the Auburn Avenue Research Library on April 16.

“I believe that if we’re about the business of repair, you’re going to see that reparations have a significant economic benefit to the county and to the nation,” Sims-Alvarado said.

Appen Media partner WABE provided this story.

DORMIYA VANCE/WABE

Pearl Gibson Jackson served as a servant during Jim Crow in Fulton County. She adorns the front cover of the Fulton County Reparations Task Force's Harm Report, making a debut after over two years of research.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Artist displays big ideas with Alpharetta exhibit

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alexi Torres schedules his painting around the cycles of the moon.

“I start each painting when the moon is waning,” Torres said. “I finish on another waning moon. It’s something I learned from my dad in Cuba. That's what farmers there do. I harvest the paint. I harvest an idea.”

Through his art, Torres, an Atlanta painter, sculptor and mixed media artist, strives to forge a stronger relationship with the universe. He aims to communicate those lessons to his audience in hope they can live better lives.

“I do that to give a stronger connection to what we are,” he said.

Torres’ work is on display at the Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton St., through April 18. Hidden in each of the striking paintings and intricate embroideries is a reservoir of meaning.

“I don't like to paint for paint,” he said. ”Each one of my paintings has a story behind it.”

One of a series, an embroidery on display depicts a human head with hair alive with dozens of hands displaying peace signs. A painting shows a dancing buddha weaved from scarlet wicker.

A gleaming bronze sculpture is fashioned into a melding of a heart and brain, emphasizing a message Torres said he hopes viewers can benefit from.

Torres, who always listens to audiobooks while he works, said he was inspired one day when he heard a writer encouraging people to think with their heart.

The longer he thought about it, the more the idea made sense.

“I was like, ‘What a beautiful thing,’” he said. “The mind is crowded with noise and better for little decisions, but for big, hard decisions, we should be thinking with our heart.”

Dave Palmieri, marketing specialist for the Alpharetta Arts Center and graphic designer, said he was impressed with the collection of Torres’ art on display.

The works are all immediately astonishing, but the longer viewers take them in, the more they see, he said.

“Each one has something that you definitely take with you,” he said. “They are very thought-provoking. They are striking.”

Alpharetta artist Mike Buchanan said he was especially moved by a painting of the Statue of Liberty made of baseball leather and stitching. Buchanan said he grew up playing the sport.

“It evokes memories of playing ball and my dad coaching me,” he said.

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Alpharetta resident Ana Ansari views a painting by Alexi Torres at the Alpharetta Arts Center April 10.

ALEXI TORRES/PROVIDED

Atlanta artist Alexi Torres arrived in the U.S. from Cuba in 2003.

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA

Alpharetta artist Mike Buchanan looks at a painting by Alexi Torres at the Alpharetta Arts Center April 10. See ART, Page 26

All irrevocable trusts are not the same

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OPINION

The Reeces, a remarkable pioneer family

BOB MEYERS

The Reeces are a well-known North Fulton pioneer family. The first Reece family to settle in Georgia was John Reece (born circa 1785–1795) who arrived with his wife and small family between 1820 and 1834 from North Carolina. They were descendants of earlier Welsh settlers who sailed from Wales to Virginia and Pennsylvania. Current day Reece family members descend from John, whose family settled first in Hall County, then moved to Cherokee County and after 1857 some settled in Milton County. The original name of the family was Rhyse, a Welsh name.

Franklin Pierce Reece (1903–1996), known as Pierce, married Faustina Etris Reece (1904–2006) in 1922. Faustina had two older sisters who had not married. Their father, William Samuel "Bill" Etris (1875–1963), the namesake of Etris Road in Roswell, reportedly "would not agree to the wedding until the older sisters married," according to Pierce's grandson Scott Reece. Pierce and Faustina eloped with the knowledge and blessings of her mother and sisters. "It took about six months for the drama to settle and the family to fully accept the marriage," Scott notes.

Pierce was the oldest son of Oda Pitman Reece (1881–1961) and his wife Mary Arizona Willis Reece (1885–1944). Both Reece families are buried in the Ebenezer Cemetery in Roswell.

Pierce and Faustina had three children, a stillborn daughter in 1925 and two sons. The first son was Hoyt Fletcher Reese (1927–1981). His last name was misspelled at school and carried forward throughout his life. According to Scott, "Hoyt passed away at age 54 because of complications of encephalitis contracted from working his farm adjacent to the swamps of Big Creek, which was infected with mosquitoes."

Pierce and Faustina saved their money and eventually bought a farm on what is now Wood Road in Milton.

The second son is Charles Verney Reece, born in 1930. At 96, Verney is in good health living on a farm in Dawson County where he still drives tractors and helps his son Scott raise beef cattle.

Another Reece family, John Cantell Reece (1873–1951) and Nallie Ollie Broadwell Reece (1871–1973), built the historic house in downtown Crabapple in 1912. It has a historic marker.

Pierce worked as a sharecropper for

several years on John B. Broadwell's cotton farm near Crabapple. John "secretly paid Pierce a quarter more per hour because, in his words, 'you do more than the rest of them,'" according to Scott. Pierce was strong and tall, about 6 feet 2 inches, and weighed about 200 pounds.

Pierce worked for the local blacksmith in Crabapple, George Allen, for several years. Allen was locally celebrated but not documented widely, so there is not much information about him, which is true of most early blacksmiths. His shop was located near the intersection of Houze and Rucker roads. He was widely regarded as exceptionally skilled with metal.

Pierce was the go-to person for just about everything that needed to be done on anyone's farm. "If you needed to move a cow, you called Pierce,” historian Connie Mashburn said. “If you needed someone to take the lead in a hog killing, you called Pierce. He learned about veterinary medicine using common sense country techniques." Pierce owned the first 4-wheel drive cattle truck in the area, which allowed him to provide cattle

hauling services.

In 1960, Dr. Victor Puckett established a veterinary practice in the area. For the next 25 years, Pierce and Dr. Puckett worked together, providing quality animal care. "The two were instrumental in helping eradicate Brucellosis in Georgia in 1985," according to Scott.

Pierce worked as a vet on local farms all over north and south Fulton, south Forsyth and south Cherokee for local farmers and gentlemen farmers who lived and worked in Atlanta and were farmers on the weekends. One such farmer was Dr. John Walker (1902–1977), chief of staff at Crawford Long Hospital, who raised Black Angus cattle on his 500-acre farm in Alpharetta. He developed his own feed formula to ensure the best possible cattle.

Verney Reece, then a teenager, worked on Dr. Walker's farm on a unique underground silo that produced nutritious silage from green corn stalks that the cows loved. Dr. Walker also co-owned the Cherokee Poultry Market in Buckhead with his friend Ed Mashburn from 1946 to 1952; Mashburn managed the

Pierce was the preeminent auctioneer in the area. He became an auctioneer by accident. According to the Atlanta Journal column "Georgia Rambler" by Charles Salter, "In 1956, a neighbor requested that he sell furniture in a farmhouse. He said, 'Mr. Willie, I ain't never done that. Well, I can do a little of what the other feller can do a lot of.' And he sold the furniture." Pierce conducted more than 100 auctions.

Scott summed up Pierce very well: "With his proficiency in such a variety of endeavors, it seemed that everyone in the community knew him for one reason or another. He was a local celebrity and icon."

Bob is a member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission, director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and member of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society. You can email him at bobmey@ bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.

business. Ed was Connie Mashburn's father.

Columnist

At 96-years young, Vernie Reece is still active on his farm in Cherokee County as this recent photo shows.

Failing in the pursuit of excellence

DAN WHISENHUNT Executive Editor dan@appenmedia.com

Let me tell you a story.

My first major in college was not journalism. I didn’t grow up dreaming about holding a notebook and asking powerful people pointed questions. I wanted to be an actor. I majored in theater. It was not, as it turned out, an easy path. I struggled. I failed. And when you failed out of theater school at the University of Alabama, as people often did, you typically went to the broadcasting school, because a chunk of the credits were transferable. So I did that, but only because I wanted to be done with college. I didn’t know what came after. I didn’t care.

I was lost. I struggled. My grades were atrocious. As part of my journey through the broadcasting school, I was required to take a journalism 101 class. They taught you the basics: the inverted pyramid form of story writing, Associated Press style guidelines, all the building blocks of what we do. I did not care for any of it. I scraped by.

The class was taught by Bill Keller, who was once the head of the Alabama

Press Association. Bill would bring in important people in the community, CEOs, politicians and the like, so students could practice asking them questions. The room, full of nervous college journalists, usually greeted these guests with an awkward silence. When it was their turn to ask questions, few did.

Except me. I was always the one asking the questions. They were pointed and effective at eliciting interesting answers. Where that instinct comes from, I could not tell you. I’ve always been an ornery person. Perhaps the questions were just a product of my own cynicism about life, how nothing seemed to fit.

Bill took an interest in me. I remember one day we were talking about what I was going to do after college.

Bill looked me in the eye and said, “I’ll tell you what you’re going to do. You’re going to buy a nice suit and I’m going to get you a job.”

He was the kind of person who could pick up the phone and make that happen. His word is something you can take to the bank.

And that’s how it started, my career as a reporter, Decaturish, all of it. It started because someone saw something in me that I did not see in myself. Someone intervened in my life and mentored me into a career that became a

calling. I always think about Bill when I see the gatekeepers of our profession try to weed out those they deem unworthy. I encountered this myself when I tried to land a job at a bigger publication – namely, the AJC – and was told, in no uncertain terms, that it was never going to happen for me. They said I wasn’t good enough. I decided that I was and launched Decaturish out of pure spite. I spent 10 years running my own small business because I believed that I could run circles around the AJC covering our community.

I achieved what I set out to do, but owning a small business was not easy. It changed me. Things happened to me along the way. I became a father. I earned some recognition for my work. I challenged powerful people and won. I made enemies. I hired my first full-time employee. My determination to prove people wrong carried me over all the gates standing in my way.

It also wore me out. Working around the clock takes a toll and by 2024, I decided it was time to let other, more capable people start making business decisions for me. Enter Hans Appen and Appen Media Group.

They offered me a fair deal and took care of my team. I started working for someone else again. It was … a period of adjustment. Becoming an employee

after a decade as an entrepreneur was awkward in ways I did not anticipate. I went from calling all the shots to consulting about all the shots. That was a change. But it was worth it. Knowing it wasn’t all on my shoulders, that other people wouldn’t be hurt if I failed, was worth it.

Decaturish has grown and prospered under the Appens’ stewardship. The paper you’re holding in your hands and the website of the same name are profitable. There aren’t many newspapers these days that can say that.

I had become accustomed to the tradeoffs and was thinking about my next public records fight when Hans Appen called me into his office a few weeks ago to tell me he had “big news.” I work in newspapers, so when a publisher tells you they have big news, it’s usually about launching a new curated email or something.

I sat on the couch in his office and he casually asked whether I’d want to take over all Appen Media’s editorial operations. Getting to manage a large team of journalists? Being able to bring the concepts I developed at Decaturish to a wider audience? Having the ability to shape news and influence people in an entire region? It was an instant yes.

Lemonade Days 2026 supports Donaldson-Bannister Farm

The annual Lemonade Days Festival at Brook Run Park runs from April 22-26. The fundraiser began in 1999 following the devastation of the April 1998 tornado which struck Dunwoody.

The event is the largest fundraiser of Dunwoody Preservation Trust. Money raised goes toward the ongoing rehabilitation and maintenance of the historic 1870 Donaldson-Bannister Farm, owned by the City of Dunwoody and managed by Dunwoody Preservation Trust.

Before I review the fun activities of Lemonade Days, consider a few fun historical facts about the farm and the six families who owned the property. Each fact was shared by the families or discovered by Dunwoody Preservation Trust research of the home and land.

Vermack Road was once known as Donaldson Drive, named for W.J. and Millie Adams Donaldson who built the home in 1870 after receiving land from Millie’s father. Their son, Will Donaldson, wanted the name to remain Donaldson Drive, but a disagreement with the county commissioner led to the road name change.

Before purchasing the former Donaldson home and 26 acres of the land at an auction in 1932, Lois Pattillo attended Agnes Scott College. She was a skilled golfer in the 1920s, playing in the 1924 Atlanta Women’s Golf Association tournament. The first round of the tournament was played at Brookhaven Country Club. (Atlanta Constitution, May 4, 1924)

When the next owners, Charles and

Flossie Roberts, moved away from the home, they included household and farm items in the sale. Those items included an electric butter churn, a buggy, a coal stove, two jersey cows, a mule and harness.

Between 1946 and 1956, Henry and Leila Ogden owned the home.

Leila Ogden and Nan Ramsey hosted a celebration for teacher Nettie Austin at the farm in 1949. The property was known as Boxwood Farm at the time, because of the numerous boxwoods planted by Lois Patillo Bannister.

There were six 150-foot greenhouses on the farm between 1956 and 1975, when Frank and Hortense Smith were owners. Frank

Smith owned a popular Atlanta nursery business at the time.

Horses and donkeys lived at the farm during the time when Linda and David Chesnut were owners. The animals were often visited at the fence by neighbors in the area. Linda’s parents bought her first pony from the Ogden family back in the 1940s.

“When I was a child, you had to pack a lunch to come out here,” she recalls.

Come to Brook Run Park next week for Lemonade Days and enjoy the carnival rides, food, music and beer garden while also helping preserve Donaldson-Bannister Farm.

Two new rides have been added

to the carnival rides this year, The Fireball and Jumping Jumbo. A petting zoo and pony rides will be available on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

On Saturday, April 25, a 5K run, produced by Junction 311 Endurance Sports, will be held at 8 a.m. in the park.

For more information and a detailed schedule for each day, visit dunwoodylemonadedays.org.

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.

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

SMITH FAMILY PHOTO

Lemonade Days proceeds benefit the maintenance of Donaldson-Bannister Farm, pictured here in 1935 as new owner Lois Patillo remodeled the home and built a new barn.

OPINION

GET OUTSIDE, GEORGIA!

The white bass byte is here again

STEVE HUDSON Columnist

Ahh. The dogwoods are blooming at last. Why does that matter? Only because I love to flyfish in rivers, and the blooming of the dogwoods is the sure-enough signal that the white bass run is about to begin.

If you can’t trust folk wisdom, then what can you trust?

That little tidbit of angling wisdom (the thing about dogwoods) has been part of the fishing community’s knowledge base for as long as I can remember, and that’s a long time. It matters because white bass fishing is an enormous amount of fun. When they move up into the rivers, white bass are not too hard to catch. Tying into one is a trip. They’re fine eating, too, and you’re not going to impact the population at all if you keep a few for the table.

The biologists say that the start of the white bass run has to do with things like water temperature and streamflow and duration of daylight and stuff like that.

But I like it better if I just tell myself that it’s all about when the dogwoods bloom. Don’t you like that better too?

And so, I wait through the long, gray winter, waiting for the old wisdom to work its magic, anticipating that wonderful day when those dogwoods appear. For when I do (and just like that) I know that white bass season has arrived.

Yes, old wisdom can be good. But there’s still something to be said for new wisdom too.

Maybe that’s why I’ve been playing, lately, with my new buddy Claude.

Claude is not real. Claude lives in the realm of artificial intelligence, or AI. Yeah, some folks are skeptical of such things. But skepticism can cost you if you’re not careful. Sometimes, rather than dismiss something out of hand, it can be better (I’ve learned) to be skeptically optimistic, kind of like Reagan did when he said, “trust but verify.” Of course, his focus was on nuclear weapons. That’s a little scary, for there’s a lot more at stake when the subject is nuclear annihilation than there is when it’s the annual white bass run.

But back to Claude. Yeah, Claude’s not real, though when I talk

with him I’d sometimes swear that he is. That’s a little scary, too, if you think about it. He’s got the power of all those silicon chips and things right there behind him, and he knows how to use it. Yeah, he knows a lot of stuff.

How smart is Claude? I decide to test him. I decide to ask him about white bass fishing and see if he gives me the right answers.

I start with an easy one.

“Claude,” I say (well, actually I type it, but for the sake of narrative flow I’ll just say “say”), “what’s a white bass?”

He immediately replies, and his answer is spot on – right down to the Latin name Morone chrysops.

I ask him when’s a good time to fish for white bass, and he gets that one right, too. Stripped to its basics, he says “right now.”

Next, I ask the all-important “where” question. Up comes a bunch of stuff about places to go, among them most of my personal favorites. These include the Chestatee and Chattahoochee Rivers above Lanier, the Coosa River below Mayo Lock and Dam, the Etowah River above Allatoona, and Little River above Allatoona at Rope Mill Park. Darn it, he’s giving away my secrets.

What about tactics? Claude tells me that white bass love to feed on small minnows and suggests that I use bright, flashy spinning lures or small crankbaits or white curlytail grubs on white lead-head jigs. If I’m flyfishing, he adds, good patterns are silver-and-gold Rolex flies, white-and-chartreuse Clouser minnows or the Red-Nosed Yeti. That latter fly is one I came up with myself a number of years ago, and it’s kind of cool to learn that Claude has taken notice.

Claude goes on to remind me that, no matter what fly or lure I choose, it’s important to let it sink down into the bottom part of the water column and also to animate it so it looks like a real minnow. Casting close to cover or other holding places is also key, Claude says.

Well. So far, ol’ Claude seems to know his stuff. He might turn out to be a pretty good fishing buddy after all. But don ‘t worry – I’m not losing it. I know that Claude is not an actual fishing buddy, not like that anyway.

My mind idles for a minute, but a thought starts to form. It turns into

one more question, and I have to ask.

So I do. I ask Claude if he’s ever actually been fishing.

“Ha, I wish!” he replies (and these are his actual words). “I’m an AI, so no fishing trips for me unfortunately – no fly rod, no waders, no cold river water on a spring morning.”

That’s all in Claude’s own words… and he continues:

“There is something a little wistful about knowing so much about fishing – the flies, the rivers, the fish, the seasons – and not being able to actually experience any of it. No feeling the tug of a white bass on a tight line, no hearing the river, no smelling that cool spring morning air down at Rope Mill.”

And he adds, “But honestly, conversations like this one are pretty enjoyable in their own way.”

Claude adds that talking about fishing is “genuinely interesting to me, even if I’m experiencing it from the sidelines. In a way I get to tag along on a lot of fishing adventures through the people I talk with. So you go catch some white bass on the fly,

and maybe come back and tell me about it. That’s probably the closest I’ll get – and I’m okay with that.”

At that very instant it occurs to me that I’ve been talking with Claude (using personal pronouns, no less) just like I’d talk with Marty or Joe, actual flesh-and-blood fishing buddies of many years standing. And Claude is holding his own.

Yeah, I know Claude is just doing incredibly fast research, connecting the dots, and then reporting what he’s found. And I know that Claude does not, in any real sense, actually exist.

Or does he?

Better think about that one, a little voice says.

But before I can wander down that particular rabbit hole, I remember that thing Claude said at the end of our chat – that thing about going out there to do some fishing.

I’m on my way, Claude. I’m getting up from the computer right now, and I’ll be on the water in a half hour.

T:\ADS_2025\Appen Media Group\Filler Ads\ Shop, Eat, Read Local

I’ll let you know how it goes.

GARDEN BUZZ

Tiny borers, big problems: ambrosia beetles in landscapes

Ambrosia beetles are tiny insects that can cause big problems in Georgia landscapes. These bark-boring beetles attack more than 100 species of trees and shrubs, including many common ornamentals. While Georgia is home to over 170 species of bark and ambrosia beetles, most damage in nurseries and landscapes is caused by one invasive species: the granulate ambrosia beetle (Xylosandrus crassiusculus).

The good news is that ambrosia beetles don’t typically attack healthy trees. Instead, they target plants that are already stressed — from drought, flooding, root damage, or other pests. Understanding this behavior is key to preventing problems in the landscape.

When and why they attack

Ambrosia beetles become active in late winter or early spring, often when temperatures reach about 68 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days in a row. The adult females emerge from trees where they’ve overwintered and begin searching for new host trees.

What are they looking for? Stressed trees. These trees release chemical signals, like ethanol, that act like beacons to ambrosia beetles. They’re also drawn to wood containing some moisture, attacking stressed or dying trees, rather than those that are already dead.

Once a female finds a suitable host, she bores into the trunk or branches, creating tunnels called galleries. As she drills, she pushes out compacted sawdust, forming the telltale “toothpicks” or “noodles” sticking out of the bark. These are often the first and most noticeable sign of an infestation.

Fungus farmers

What makes ambrosia beetles especially unique is that they don’t actually eat the wood they tunnel through. Instead, they farm fungi.

Female beetles carry spores of “ambrosia” fungi in specialized structures on their bodies. Once inside the tree, they introduce this fungus into their galleries and carefully tend it like a garden. The fungus grows along the tunnel walls, and both adult beetles and their larvae feed on it.

This relationship benefits the beetles, but it’s bad news for the tree. As the fungus spreads, it can clog the tree’s water- and nutrient-conducting tissues, leading to wilting, dieback and eventually death. Smaller or already

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest 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. 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 educational programs for Fulton County residents. Gabrielle’s favorite insect of the moment is the Pandora sphinx moth, Eumorpha pandorus.

more than one-third of a tree’s canopy at one time.

For fast-growing species like fig, cutting the plant back to the base may allow it to regrow. While it may be tempting to burn infested wood, that step isn’t necessary — ambrosia beetles are already widespread in Georgia. Chipping, composting or simply allowing the wood to dry are all acceptable options.

The bottom line

stressed trees are more likely to suffer worse fates.

What to look for

Because ambrosia beetles are tiny (2-4 mm) and spend most of their lives hidden inside trees, you’re unlikely to see the insects themselves. Instead, keep an eye out for signs of their activity.

The most distinctive clue is the presence of those small, toothpick-like strands of sawdust sticking out from the bark. You might also notice fine sawdust collecting at the base of the tree or in bark crevices.

As infestations progress, trees may show more general symptoms of decline, such as delayed leaf-out in spring, wilting or early leaf drop. In severe cases, branches or entire trees may die.

Ambrosia beetles attack a wide range of plants, including crape myrtle, dogwood, redbud, oak, magnolia, peach and pecan, among others. While most species focus on stressed plants, one exception is the redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus), which can attack healthy trees and has caused widespread losses of redbay, sassafras and avocado in the Southeast.

Prevention is the best protection

Because ambrosia beetles are attracted to stressed trees, the best defense is keeping your plants as healthy as possible. Start by choosing the right plant for the right place, and be mindful of site conditions like soil type, drainage and sunlight. The conditions at the planting site should match your plant’s preferences and tolerances.

During dry periods, irrigate as needed, especially for newly planted trees. Avoid injuring trunks and roots with lawn equipment, as wounds can increase stress and make trees more attractive to beetles.

What to do if you see signs

Once ambrosia beetles are inside a tree, control options are limited. The insects are protected within the wood, and because they feed on fungus rather than plant tissue, systemic insecticides are generally ineffective.

In most cases, early detection and removal of infested wood is the best course of action. Prune out affected branches or remove severely infested trees to prevent further spread. Be careful not to remove

Ambrosia beetles are a common part of Georgia’s landscape, and in most cases, they’re taking advantage of plants that are already under stress. The key to managing them isn’t chasing the beetles, it’s supporting tree health.

By recognizing the early signs of infestation and focusing on proper plant care, you can reduce the risk of serious damage and keep your landscape thriving

Happy Gardening!

North Fulton Master Gardeners, Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose purpose is to educate its members and the public in the areas of horticulture and ecology in order to promote and foster community enrichment. Master Gardener Volunteers are trained and certified by The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. Learn more at nfmg.net. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at https://www.appenmedia. com/users/profile/garden%20buzz/.

Catch North Fulton Master Gardeners at these scheduled events throughout the season:

• Alpharetta Farmers’ Market (starting April 18)

• Sandy Spring Farmers’ Market: Diggin’ in the Dirt kid’s activities

• Crabapple Festival in Milton this fall

LAUREN LADOV (LADOV LANDSCAPING)/PROVIDED You can identify ambrosia beetles from their tell-tale sawdust “toothpicks” or sawdust at the base of the tree.

GABRIELLE LATORA Guest Columnist

House:

Continued from Page 1

"We knew it was old but had no idea what an early example of a folk version of Greek Revival architecture we had in Milton," Joan Borzilleri with the Milton Historical Society and Chadwick House Preservation Committee said.

At the time, McConnell mediated conflict between Native Americans and white settlers in the area and was later designated to sell former Cherokee property after the forced removal of the Native American tribe in 1838.

In the following years, he helped found the town of Hickory Flat and advocated for the creation of Milton County, which is now part of Fulton County.

The Greek Revival home was donated to the City of Milton in 2024 and legally acquired by the city last year.

At that same time, Milton appropriated $220,000 in its budget for stabilization of the home's kitchen and main structure, along with other necessary repairs. Priorities include repairing the foundation, roof replacement, window restoration and repairing the porch and siding.

Borzilleri with the Milton Historical Society said they envision a welcome center, interpretive center for Cherokee and early pioneer culture, and a creative arts center or office space on the property.

The McConnell-Chadwick House

received statewide recognition as a preservation project after the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation named the house a Place in Peril in 2023.

The Chadwick House Preservation Committee and Milton Historical Society have worked with multiple undergraduate and graduate students from area universities.

Swathi Jayakumar, a graduate student in historic preservation at Georgia State, used the historic home as her capstone project and completed the NR 10-900 form needed to apply for the National Register.

Being recognized as a national historic site or deemed eligible for the registry opens the McConnellChadwick House to different grant opportunities ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.

The distinction carries a prestige factor as well, putting the historic home on the same level as other North Fulton properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, like Bulloch Hall, Barrington Hall and the Archibald Smith House.

If approved by staff in the National Register of Historic Places, this will be the first property in Milton to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"We have a long stretch ahead to restore the 185-year-old house and have it named to the National Register," Borzilleri said. "With the continued help of the city, community and talented preservation volunteers, we hope to cross the finish line to save a significant house that tells our story."

We knew it was old but had no idea what an early example of a folk version of Greek Revival architecture we had in Milton.”

MILTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY/PROVIDED

From left, Georgia State graduate student Swathi Jayakumar with architectural historian Bob Gamble at the McConnell-Chadwick House in Milton.

JOAN BORZILLERI

Milton Historical Society and Chadwick House Preservation Committee

Puzzles

Each line in the puzzle below 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 5, 5 and 4 letters). The clues are numbered 1 through 7, with each number containing 3 clues for the 3 answers on the line. But here’s the catch! The clues are not in order - so the first clue in Line 1 may (or may not) actually be for the second or third answer in that line. Got it? Good luck!

CITIES OVERSEAS

1. Rock bottom. Hindu princess. City near Oberhausen.

2. Port city in NE Brazil. Fencing sword. Fragrance.

3. Bone-dry. City of NW Syria. Gumbo vegetable.

4. Honshu city. Resting place. Building material.

5. Barber’s supply. Halt. French city of the Strait of Dover.

6. City of central Poland. Kind of bee. Nada.

7. City in the Asian part of Russia. Big sandwich. Flashy.

1 Rock bottom. Hindu princess. City near Oberhausen.

2. Port city in NE Brazil. Fencing sword. Fragrance

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. Bone-dry. City in NW Syria. Gumbo vegetable.

4. Honshu city. Resting place Building material.

5. Barber’s supply. Halt. French city on the Strait of Dover.

6. City of central Poland. Kind of bee. Nada

7. City in the Asian part of Russia. Big sandwich. Flashy

How to Solve: To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

use the digits 1 to 9, and a digit can only be used once in any sequence.

Whisenhunt:

Continued from Page 19

As of March 30, I am now the executive editor of Appen Media Group. I will oversee five full-time journalists, seven newspapers and three websites.

This will mean changes for me, but Decaturish isn’t going anywhere except up. Our team remains in place, and I will still be contributing to our work. I will simply have more responsibilities and an expanded ability to be for others what Bill was for me.

I’m not a gatekeeper. I’m a collector of malcontents, weirdos and wise-asses who want to become reporters

Art:

Continued from Page 15

“Even though baseball started in America, it's become international now. These paintings hit a nerve in some way.”

Torres has garnered considerable acclaim during his decades-long career, winning numerous awards including the 2017 top prize at ArtFields in Lake City, S.C and 2014 People’s Choice Award at the Huntsville Museum of Art.

Torres, who grew up in Cuba and came to the U.S. in 2003, said he considers the success his career has found to be an enormous blessing.

because, frankly, they’d be miserable at any other job. I’m inviting people to hop into the back of a truck for a ride up to the journalism farm in Alpharetta. What we do is not complicated. If you’re willing to show up, do the work and learn, you’re giving me 99 percent of what I need. And if it doesn’t work out, well, the good news is there are certainly easier and more lucrative ways to earn a living. Less fun, sure, but you can reflect on your career unhappiness while you’re enjoying your lake house.

For the rest of us who are too foolish to give up on this series of indignities we call a profession, I am still hanging in there with you. I’m interested to see where it’s going, too. I’m curious about what happens in our industry when we honor our principles without propping up antiquated thinking. What can we achieve when we try things without

The son of a farmer, he was lucky to stumble upon the world of art, which he now considers his true calling.

He remembers how a painting his father bought to hang in their home evoked a startlingly powerful inspiration in him.

“I will never forget that day that I walked in, coming from school at lunch time, and on my left, there was this landscape,” he said. “I just get goosebumps right now telling the story.”

The landscape was of a house and woman carrying a bucket of water on her head. It marked the opening of a creative door for Torres, who practiced sketching as a child.

“I froze, and I just couldn't move, and I stayed looking at that for a long time,” Torres said. “I told my dad, ‘I want to do this. I want to do that one day.’”

That moment led him to pursue a coveted spot at the National Art School in Havana, where he continued his training.

Now as an accomplished artist, Torres said he thinks of his calling as a communicator rather than simply a

DEATH NOTICES

Burke, age 89, of Alpharetta, GA passed away on April 1, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

being afraid of failure? What will we accomplish if we let data and business sense guide our decisions rather than assuming we know what our audience wants? How will our audience grow when we demystify the reporting process and invite them to collaborate with us?

Let’s find out. If we fail, let it be in the pursuit of excellence.

If we succeed, let’s pay it forward by growing our ranks, covering more communities and telling more of their untold stories. I can think of no better use of my time, or yours.

I am grateful to the Appens for this opportunity. I do not see this as an “I’ve made it” moment. I see it as a “let’s get to work” moment. That is what I intend to do.

I remain your humble and grateful community news editor.

creator. The borrowed ideas he instills in his work are not always his own, but nevertheless he thinks they are important.

“I give to the world my state of mind,” he said. “I feel like they're given to me. They are bigger than me. I’m blessed because of that.”

Joan

James Toler, age 90, of Milton, GA passed away on April 5, 2026. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA Councilman John Hipes looks at a painting by Alexi Torres at the Alpharetta Arts Center April 10.

Invitation to Bid

Generator and ATS Replacement - Fire Station 43 HMGP Project #4738-0035

ITB NUMBER

26-FD02

Proposal Due Date:

May 18, 2026, by 2:00PM Local Time

Electronic submission via: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bidsrfps

Names for submissions received will be publicly announced via a virtual bid opening at approximately 2:30 PM at the City of Milton City Hall located at 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the highest scoring Offeror whose proposal meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the request for proposals.

The City of Milton was awarded funding from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), a funding opportunity from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The City is requesting bids from qualified parties for the removal of the existing generator and automatic transfer switch (AFS) and the installation of a new fixed industrial generator system for Milton Fire Station 43 located at 750 Hickory Flat Rd, Milton GA 30004. All qualified proposals will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.

The request for electronic proposals for ITB 26-FD02, Generator and ATS Replacement - Fire Station 43 will be posted on the following websites the week of April 16, 2026: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/

City of Milton Notice of Public Hearing Board of Zoning Appeals

The City of Milton Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing for the variances described below at the following time and place:

Date & Time: May 19, 2026, 6:00 P.M.

Location: City of Milton 2006 Heritage Walk, Council Chambers Milton, Georgia 30004-6119 678-242-2524

Consideration of Primary Variances

V26-04, 14115 Brittle Road

Applicant: Ben & Kylee Kopacka Request(s):

Sec. 3.1.4.B – Unified Development Code. To reduce the 25 feet minimum side yard (interior) to 10 feet adjacent to the east property line for a proposed guest house accessory structure.

Sec. 3.1.4.C – Unified Development Code. To reduce the 40 feet minimum side yard (street) to 27.96 feet adjacent to the west property line and Brittle Road for a proposed guest house accessory structure.

Sec. 3.1.4.B – Unified Development Code. To reduce the 25 feet minimum side yard (interior) to 10 feet adjacent to east property line for a proposed primary single-family home.

Sec. 3.1.4.D – Unified Development Code. To reduce the 50 feet minimum rear yard to 42.33 feet adjacent to south property line for a proposed carport accessory structure.

Sec. 8.8.13.B.5 - Unified Development Code. To allow a proposed guest house accessory structure to be located in front of a proposed single-family home.

V26-05, 2215 Dinsmore Road

Applicant: Marcus Kindall

Request:

Sec. 3.1.4.B – Unified Development Code. To reduce the 25 feet minimum side yard to 10.5 feet adjacent to the west property line for a proposed garage accessory structure.

CITY OF MILTON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING DESIGN REVIEW BOARD

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 6:00 P.M.

Location: Milton City Hall – Council Chambers 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004

678-242-2528

On the date and time, and at the location stated above, the Design Review Board shall conduct a public hearing to consider the following applications for Certificate of Appropriateness.

1. Demolition Permit Review:

A. Address: 14880 Freemanville Road

Applicant: Scott D. Reece

B. Address: 16440 Hopewell Road

Applicant : Liam Byrnes

C. Address : 655 Dorris Road

Applicant : Scott D. Reece

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Lisa Tilt

Michael Townes Trunnion LLC

Matthew Tyser

Edward Votta

Linda Wabler

Ollie Wagner

Lewis Walker

Elizabeth Waller

Valerie Walters-Gold

Ann Marie Warning

Terry Warnke

Jonathan Washburn

Michael Watson

Deborah Weiss

Michael Weiss

Herbert Wells

Benjamin Wemberly

Beverly Whisenant

Sally White

Thom White

Umpika White

Mae Whiteside

Ashley Whitt

Jennifer Wieland

Christine Williams

Jamie Wimberly

Jonathan Winkie

Nancy & Dave Wistrand

Kalle Wood

Theresa Woolridge

Laura Wysong

Jonathan Young

THE APPEN PRESS CLUB

One solution is the creation of a membership driven organization called the Appen Press Club that is dedicated to recruiting people and companies to join as members. Members pay recurring monthly or annual dues that are 100% dedicated to sustainable journalism. By providing predictable revenue, Appen Press Club members and partners help fund the salaries and expenses of local reporters who will no longer be subject to the whims of marketing budgets and an ever changing advertising world. In turn, those reporters will provide the readers they serve with highly researched and qualified journalism focused on subjects that directly affect their quality of life.

To join go to appenmedia.com/join and follow the prompts to select your membership level and select your t-shirt size! Questions? Email Hans Appen at hans@appenmedia.com or call 770-442-3278.

Scan QR code to join the Appen Press Club

Agilysys, Inc. seeks a Senior Lead Systems Analyst in Alpharetta, GA to analyze existing systems, business processes, & user needs to identify areas for improvement & optimization. Apply at jobpostingtoday.com/ Ref #26941.

MCS Project Manager sought by an IT service & solutions co. in Duluth, GA. Reqs a min. of a Bach’s deg in Info Systems, Comp Sci, Industrial Engg, or a rltd field, & 2 yrs of exp in mfg IT system mgmt. Send resume to: SK AX USA Inc. @ 2055 Sugarloaf Circle, Ste 500, Duluth, GA 30097.

SYSTEMS ENGINEERS: Cumming, GA & various unanticipated locations throughout the U.S.: Dsgn & impl MDE onbrdng for Windows 10/11 dvcs u/ Intune, SCCM & script atmtn. Cnfgr & dply EDR, ASR rules, Tamper Prtctn, Web Fltrng & Endpoint Attack Prtctn. Intgrt MDE w/Microsoft 365 Dfndr Prtl, enblng unfd threat dtctn & atmt invstgtn wrkflws. Est gvrnnc mdl for alerts, incdnts, dvc tgng & vlnrblty mgmt. Dvlp Intune tenant archt inclu cmplnc, cnfgrtn, update rings, app dplymnts & Autopilot prvsnng. Atmt device onbrdng, cleanup, rptng, & rmdtn tasks u/PowerShell & Graph API rdcng mnl efrt. Associate’s in Sci, Tech, or, Engg (any) w/2 yrs of exp in job off’d or rltd occup is req’d. Mail CV: HR, Jobly Solutions, LLC., itservices@joblysolutions.com.

YOUTH DIRECTOR (Part-Time) Alpharetta Presbyterian Church — Alpharetta, GA

APC seeks a vibrant, relational leader to serve as Youth Director for middle and high school students. 20–25 hrs/week | Up to $25/hr. Ideal candidates have a passion for youth mentorship and a background in education, coaching, or youth leadership. Retired teachers and ministryminded professionals encouraged to apply. Strong volunteer team and pastoral support in place.

To apply: Submit a brief introduction and resume to jobs@alpharettapres.com.

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

NFCC is looking for a part-time Bi-lingual (Spanish/ English) Thrift Shop Associate to join our team. In this role, you’ll deliver exceptional customer service while handling cash register transactions, managing our client clothing program, and keeping merchandise neat, clean, and organized. Above all, we’re looking for someone with a warm, welcoming presence who treats every shopper with dignity and compassion.

The schedule is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 9:30am–5:30pm, Tuesdays 4:30pm–8:30pm, and one Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm per month.

If you’re passionate about serving your community and connecting with people in both English and Spanish, we’d love to hear from you! Please submit your resume to jobs@nfcchelp.org.

HELP WANTED American Legion Post

201

Part Time Custodian – Needed Saturdays & Sundays start time 6:30 am. General cleaning of building, pick up and discard trash on grounds. Supervise community service workers when available. Must be able to lift 50 lbs., and move around safely and efficiently without aid of mechanical support, accept and sign for deliveries. Approx. 5-7 hours a day.

Part Time Bartender – Flexible schedule afternoon and evening hours, approximately 15-20 hours per week. Previous experience preferred but not necessary. Must be able to qualify for City of Alpharetta Pouring Permit.

If interested in either position please contact DiAna Casale (770) 475-9023 Mon-Thurs 10 am – 2 pm or americanlegionalpharetta@gmail.com. Detail job description for both available upon request.

Garage Sale

ROSWELL

Multi family. Crabapple Creek and Crabapple Walk Subdivisions. 130 Birchwood Court 30076. Saturday 4/18 and Sunday 4/19, 8AM-4PM. Furniture, toys, clothing and more!

Johns Creek, DoubleGate Communitywide sale. Enter onto Twingate from State Bridge. Saturday, 4/25, 8am-2pm. See signs & balloons. Online info: doublegate.net/sale

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398

Health & Fitness

Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258

Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 877- 305-1535

AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 833-640-4753 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

Water damage cleanup: A small amount of water can cause major damage to your home. Our trusted professionals dry out wet areas & repair to protect your family & your home value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809. Have zip code!

Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-948-6176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

NATIONAL ADVERTISING

No more cleaning gutters. Guaranteed! LeafFilter backed by no-clog guarantee & lifetime warranty. Call 1-833-610-1936 to schedule FREE inspection/ estimate. Get 15% off your entire order. Military & Seniors get additional 10% off. Limited time. Restrictions apply, see rep for details.

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Wesley Financial Group, LLC timeshare cancellation experts over $50 million timeshare debt/fees cancelled in 2019. Free info package. Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. 833-308-1971

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405

Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom bath or shower in as little as 1-day. Limited time, waving all installation costs! Additional terms apply. Subject to change & vary by dealer. Ends soon. 844-501-3208

Don’t let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-833-399-3595

MobileHelp America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! Call 1-888-489-3936

Consumer Cellular - same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees free activation. All plans feature unlimited talk & text, starting at just $20/mo. Call 1-877-751-0866

Reach millions of homes nationwide with one easy, affordable buy in the ADS Network! For more information www.communitypublishers.com/ category/all-products

Pest control: Protect your home from pests safely. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders & more. Locally owned & affordable. For service or inspection today! 833-860-0657 Have zip code ready!

Peace of mind & early detection-Now more than ever, it’s important to get screened for Stroke & Cardiovascular Disease risk. Life LineScreening is simple & painless. 833-970-4172 Own land. YourCheapLand. com. TX NM AZ OK CO. Homestead, tiny home, RV, camp, hunt, invest. ON26 for $100 Off.YourCheapLand.com

Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads

Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234

Home break-ins take less than 60 seconds. Don’t wait! Protect your family, your home, your assets now for as little as 70¢/ day! 833-890-1262

Need cash quickly? We buy houses in any condition. Get a fair cash offer within 24 hours! Call today. Liz Buys Houses: 833-359-4707

Inflation is at 40 year highs. Interest rates are way up. Credit cards. Medical bills. Car loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call National Debt Relief and find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! Free quote: Call 1-844-955-4930

TOP DOLLAR PAID for old vintage guitars! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Grecsch, Rickenbacker, Epiphone, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Call 866-433-8277

Professional lawn service: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Free quote. Ask about first application special! 833-860-0811

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