City Council approves plans for 23-home site in Crabapple
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — The Milton City Council unanimously approved the final plat March 3 for the Echo at Crabapple residential development.
The subdivision, at 12580 Crabapple Road between Lecoma Trace and Green Road, will consist of 23 single-family lots on 4.8 acres, a density of 4.7 units per acre.
A preliminary plat proposal was introduced in late 2021, when Harrison Development & Construction sought to create the subdivision in the T4 General Urban Zone, which allows for mixed use, but primarily residential, with a wide range of building types.
City of Milton Land Development Manager Tracie Wildes presented the final plat that includes a proposed underground water detention and common areas.
“The final plat will allow them to begin selling lots and to go vertical,” Wildes said.
Installations have begun for the detention with 10foot diameter pipes in the excavation, alongside filter fabric. A representative from Arkan Homes said this approach is approximately 3.5 times more expensive than an above-ground detention pond.
The underground water detention is something “you typically don’t see in these developments,” Wildes said.
The feature will allow residents to enjoy a civic area above ground, while storing excess water from storm runoff to help reduce flooding and erosion.
Wildes said the developer hopes to make the four different civic areas “more interactive than passive.” Concepts include a dog park, community garden, fireplaces and outdoor eating areas.
See CRABAPPLE, Page 24
Church moves forward with community event building
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
MILTON, Ga. — After the Milton Design Review Board approved a slew of demolitions at its March 4 meeting, it considered something that might help build the community.
Ebenezer Methodist Church of Milton was given a courtesy review to use its new 23,000-square-foot activity center for events, following approval of a use permit for a rural event facility.
Church member and Board of Trustees Chairman Michael McGuire said that while the addition is big for the church their “mission is not changing.”
can be from weddings to play to concerts,” McGuire said.
Planning Commission to advance the matter.
The permit will allow the church to hold events to help gather the community at the new center that sits on a 6.61-acre property.
“It is to bless the surrounding community by not only hosting Christian-based worships, but other various community events, and that
As set out in the Unified Development Code, the facility is given rules and standards for the church to follow. One code section defines the event space as “a permanent facility with indoor, outdoor, or indoor and outdoor sites utilized on a regular or seasonal basis for public and private gatherings.”
The board recommended approval for the use permit and for the Milton
In other matters at the meeting, the Design Review Board offered five courtesy reviews to residents. The reviews help developers and homeowners get early feedback on city standard design elements.
A pickle-ball court was the cause for debate during the courtesy review for 100 Deerhaven Lane.
See BUILDING, Page 24
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA Tracie Wildes, Milton Land Development manager, presents the final plat for the Echo at Crabapple residential neighborhood at the Milton City Council meeting March 3.
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POLICE BLOTTER
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Thieves target trucks in overnight break-ins
MILTON, Ga. — Milton police investigated two vehicle burglaries in the early morning Feb. 26.
The first report came from Freemanville Road where a man reported a Glock 17, a Sprite Rolex watch had been stolen from his truck. The suspect also entered the garage of the residence and rummaged through a Land Rover.
The Glock was valued at $1,500, and the watch carried an estimated value of $20,000.
The owner said both vehicles had been left unlocked.
The second break-in occurred on Red Maple Lane, where a man reported a Glock 43 pistol, two fully loaded magazines, 21 9mm firearm rounds and a briefcase containing a Lenovo ThinkPad and papers were stolen from his truck. The owner said he thinks the truck was locked.
The value of the stolen property was estimated at $1,030.
Police also learned that neighbors had reported entering autos on the same day. The report shows one person lost items worth $2,800 from their vehicle.
— Sarah Coyne
Woman reports flurry of fraudulent notices
MILTON, Ga. — A Milton woman notified police Feb. 21 that she suspected she was the victim of identity theft.
The woman said she received a credit card in the mail that morning with an $18,000 credit limit. She had not applied for the card.
Another notification in the mail from Chase Bank referred to a transfer of
$7,500 from a Chase account to Visa. The Chase account cited did not match her account number, she told police.
She also said she spoke to a Chase representative who said her personal information had been used to open the new account. The woman said that she had not lost any money from the fraud, but the new account was immediately closed.
Later that day, the woman called police to say she spoke to a representative from Synovus Financial who reported three checks totaling $423 were deposited into an account established using her name and private information.
She said she also received a recent spam email stating that money had been transferred from Wells Fargo account into a Nortons account. Another spam email said money had been transferred to Bitcoin through Paypal.
Police gave her a case number and cautioned her against providing any personal information to unknown solicitors.
— Sarah Coyne
Officers arrest suspect with copper pipes, tools
ROSWELL, Ga. — Police arrested a 24-year-old Roswell man Feb. 28 after an officer stopped a cyclist carrying copper pipes around Old Holcomb Bridge Road and Creekside Way.
The officer said he initiated a traffic stop on two pedestrians because one carried a bundle of brass or copper tubing. He also said there is an ongoing issue involving vandalism and squatting at vacant apartments around the Roswell Creek apartments.
The officer said a 24-year-old Roswell man threw the bundle of copper into the tree line seconds before the encounter.
While checking their identifies, the officer said the Roswell man had an active arrest warrant out of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office for a probation violation related to shoplifting.
The officer said the man with the copper would not say where he was living.
The other pedestrian, a 26-year-
old woman, said she was two months pregnant, and the couple was on the way to her mother’s house in Forsyth County.
After Fulton County confirmed the man’s warrant was active, officers said they searched and detained him and found voltage probes, wire cutters, screw drivers, two ski masks and glass pipes with burnt residue.
Officers retrieved the copper lines, which appeared to have been cut from an air conditioning unit with fresh marks. They said the evidence led them to believe that the man was using the tools to commit thefts.
Because the man said he swallowed fentanyl before the police stop, an ambulance was called to transport him to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.
After he was cleared, police took him to the North Fulton County Jail. It’s his fourth arrest since August 2023.
According to jail records, the man was charged with two probation violations, possession of tools for the commission of crime, theft by taking, criminal damage to property and tampering with evidence.
— Jon Wilcox
Store staff detain 2 men suspected of shoplifting
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Officers investigated a reported felony shoplifting of more than $500 of clothing at a North Point department store Feb. 23.
Police arrested two Gainesville men, aged 28 and 39, charging them with theft by shoplifting.
Officers were dispatched to the department store about 8:30 p.m. after a shoplifting was reported, according to an Alpharetta police report. They met loss prevention staff who said four men had entered the store, concealed items in a Nike shopping bag and left.
Police also reviewed surveillance camera footage that showed the alleged theft.
The men stole swimming trunks, pants, shirts and shoes.
Loss prevention staff apprehended two of the four men.
— Jon Wilcox
THE PICTURE FRAMER
County approves water distribution master plan
Study may include new rate schedule
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — County commissioners approved the North Fulton Water Distribution Master Plan March 5, detailing around $278 million in capital improvements over the next 25 years.
Fulton County Public Works Director David Clark said the master plan and a separate rate study will help determine which projects and funds are necessary to maintain the system.
The county approved a 5 percent per year increase in water and sewer rates running from 2020-25 to generate revenue for upgrades and expansions. A new rate increase package is in the works.
“An ongoing rate study … will be brought back to the commissioners probably in a month or two about our water and sewer rates,” Clark said.
With anticipated growth in population and development, Fulton County is taking steps to adjust its water and sewer
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
Anna Skipper, a staff engineer in the Fulton County Public Works Department, presents the North Fulton Water Distribution Master Plan March 5 to the Board of Commissioners. Skipper also dived into the county’s goals and recommended projects to maintain the system’s integrity.
capacity to meet the need.
While the county owns all sewer collections north of Atlanta, its water distribution pipes only service Johns Creek, Mountain Park, Alpharetta, Milton and most of Roswell.
Sandy Springs purchases water from the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, which it has done since before it incorporated in 2005.
Atlanta delivers services to Sandy Springs from its Hemphill Water Treatment Plan off 17th Street. The rest
DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR MILTON RESIDENTS TO GET TAX RELIEF
of North Fulton draws its water from the Tom Lowe Atlanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant in Johns Creek.
The North Fulton water distribution system serves around 285,000 with more than 1,200 miles of pipe.
Anna Skipper, a staff engineer in the county’s Public Works Department, said the average demand on the North Fulton water system last year was around 27 million gallons a day with a peak around 47. She also said the county stores more than its anticipated annual usage at
the treatment plan and throughout the distribution system.
“Everything starts with population projections and looking at estimated development demands in coordination with the cities,” Skipper said. “We then develop level of service requirements … then we do a series of evaluations of capacity, our ability to maintain pressure, water loss, storage and interconnections.”
Most of the projected population growth is centered around major highways, including Holcomb Bridge Road (Ga. 140), Medlock Bridge Road (Ga. 141) and Ga. 400.
By 2050, the county is projecting peak demand could grow 34 percent to around 63 million gallons a day.
Skipper said her team uses the maximum water demand for a specific area of the system to determine when a capital project needs to be completed.
“If we look at how we’re doing today … we’re meeting minimum or better level of service requirements for the vast majority of our system,” she said. “We do have pockets of red here and there, where we’re not meeting it … on the whole, we’re doing pretty well today.”
See WATER, Page 31
The City of Milton offers several homestead exemption options to lower people’s property tax bills. But you must act soon to take advantage!
Who’s eligible?
Property owners must own and occupy their home as primary residence as of January 1st of the given tax year. Other requirements apply depending on the exemption type.
When do I have to apply?
By April 1 to be eligible for this tax year.
MILTON EXEMPTIONS APPLIED THROUGH FULTON COUNTY (go to: fultonassessor.org/exemptions)
•Basic Homestead Exemption* – $15,000 (no age or income limitations)
•Floating Homestead Exemption* – caps assessed value growth at no more than 3% (no age or income limitations)
• Veterans Exemption – $117,014 (available to disabled veterans, amount subject to change annually)
*Certain exemptions do not apply to Milton’s debt service property tax levy.
MILTON EXEMPTIONS APPLIED THROUGH THE CITY OF MILTON
•65+ Senior Exemption – $25,000 (no income limitations)
•70+ Senior Exemption – Full-value tax relief (your adjusted gross income, and that of the spouse who also resides in the home, must be less than $100,000 for the immediately preceding year)
•Disability Exemption – Full-value tax relief (must provide proof of disability and your adjusted gross income, and that of the spouse who also resides in the home, must be less than the annual maximum social security benefit listed for the immediately preceding year, which was $91,728 for 2024 returns)
For more on these exemptions and other tax relief opportunities, including one-year spousal support and the conservation use value assessment (CUVA), please visit miltonga.gov/exemptions or call the City’s Finance Department at 678-242-2511
KRISTIN SHEEHAN
MELANIE SNARE
MONICA BLANCO
BEANNE CREEGER JOSH DOWER SARA EAD TRISHA ESTES
John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm, re-imagining how bath & kitchen remodels are done.
Atlanta Lacrosse Invitational draws elite athletes to Georgia
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — The second annual Atlanta Lacrosse Invitational at Bobby Dodd Stadium March 1 drew more than 10,000 fans.
In the three-game invitational, sponsored by 285 Lacrosse, the Milton Eagles took the field first to face off against Lambert High. The Longhorns held stiff on defense, allowing two goals, coming from sophomore Jordan Carrasquillo and senior Steele Smithson.
Sandwiched between the high school matchup and the hometown team, Mercer University, going up against Drexel, was the biggest game of the day. No. 1 Notre Dame had a rematch of their national championship win over No. 2 Maryland.
The Terrapins made massive improvements to their defense after a 15-5 loss to the Irish in the title game last year. Their long poles kept
the Terps’ record unblemished and maintained their streak of holding opponents to 10 goals or fewer.
Notre Dame midfielder Fisher Finley returned to his home state to play in the biggest game of the college lacrosse season.
The Milton alum labeled his team matchup as just another game, and said the Irish were going through their same processes and focusing on fundamentals.
Finley discussed how meaningful it has been to see his former club team, Thunder Lacrosse, expand and be joined by other new travel teams in the area. He said he hopes to see even more growth in Metro Atlanta.
“The amount of people that came out today was really special, to see everyone here is something I’ll remember for a long time,” he said. “Just seeing the Georgia community all come together, high school to high school, rival to rival, it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, we’re all just lacrosse fans.”
Owner John Hogan & Designer Bobbie Kohm
PHOTOS BY: ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
The Milton Eagles face off against Lambert at Bobby Dodd Stadium Mar. 1 to kick off the Atlanta Lacrosse Invitational sponsored by 285 Lacrosse. The Longhorns defeated the Eagles 14-2.
Notre Dame midfielder Fisher Finley looks for a pass at Bobby Dodd Stadium during the Atlanta Lacrosse Invitational Mar. 1. The Maryland Terrapins took down the No. 1 team in the country, 11-10.
Rony Ghelerter
Cigar ‘chateau’ builds community amid sanctuary for connoisseurs
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — The joy of a good cigar is about more than savoring the rich flavor of aged tobacco.
At The Chateau Cigar Lounge, it’s about camaraderie, connection and company.
“I first thought I was selling cigars, beer and wine, but we sell community,” owner Jeff Curry said. “You can come in here as a stranger, but you won’t leave as one.”
When Curry purchased The Chateau in 2018, the business was struggling, he said. The location at 9700 Medlock Bridge Road had little more than a dozen cigars, beer coolers, televisions and furniture. The meager cigar inventory and lessthan welcoming environment had stolen customers’ trust, he said.
So, when Curry announced the change in ownership, few were impressed.
“We were getting snarky replies. ‘Oh, really, you actually have cigars?’” he recalled hearing.
There was plenty of work to be done, and Curry, who had spent the previous 15 years in software sales, first recruited Staci Gibbs, an employee of the former owner. Gibbs now serves as general manager.
Together, they worked to make The Chateau a welcoming place where patrons could gather, relax and explore the world of fine tobacco.
Today, the business boasts close to a thousand cigars in its humidor. It’s also cultivated a cult customer base, who
routinely visit to play poker, participate in raffles, watch sports and socialize.
“I have a customer who came here 340 times last year,” Curry said.
Tucked into the first floor of a small row of shops, The Chateau offers a refuge from the congested traffic of nearby Medlock Bridge and State Bridge roads.
A sweet smell of smoke lingers in the spacious interior, which features stainedwood flooring and high ceilings.
The space is perfect for hanging out, Curry said. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with natural light. A fully stocked bar serves beer, wine, top-shelf liquors and craft cocktails. Some days, food trucks populate the ample parking lot. Plush leather armchairs invite visitors to unwind alone or in groups. A state-ofthe-art ventilation system facilitates indoor smoking, but many opt for the patio when the weather is nice.
“It’s a beautiful thing to watch when … new faces come in here,” Gibbs said. “Maybe five minutes will pass before somebody walks up and strikes up a conversation. Then, they move their seats together.”
One popular informal event, a weekly “cigar bible study,” allows connoisseurs to analyze and evaluate flavors. Customers are welcome to enter their thoughts about a smoking experience into a handsomely bound leather tome and mark the flavors, whether they be of coffee, fruit, spice, nuts, earth or vanilla.
STACI GIBBS, general manager, The Chateau Cigar Lounge
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
General Manager Staci Gibbs and owner Jeff Curry stand in the humidor of The Chateau Cigar Lounge at 9799 Medlock Bridge Road in Johns Creek.
CIGAR, Page 9
Cigar:
Continued from Page 8
“What our people do is they sit around, and they smoke cigars, and they go, ‘OK, here’s the name of the cigar I had. This is what it’s like,’” Curry said.
There are plenty of opportunities to explore all manner of cigars from triedand-true favorites to limited editions in The Chateau’s humidor.
The narrow, wood-paneled room is climate controlled and dehumidified to extend the tobacco’s shelf life almost indefinitely.
Curry said the inventory caters to new and experienced customers.
For those who are just getting into tobacco, he recommends the Perdomo brand, which are like the “Johnson & Johnson” of cigars, he said.
“Whether you’re an experienced cigar smoker or novice, no one’s going to smoke that cigar and say they don’t like it,” he said.
Figuring out personal tastes is a big part of the fun for beginners, he said.
“It’s just seeking out where are you in your journey. Where are you in your experience?” he said. “And then, let us give you variations within that same flavor profile.”
For those who know what they
like, The Chateau offers some exciting options from premium cigars that can range into the hundreds of dollars to rarer batches.
Curry maintains personal relationships with suppliers to ensure
he gets the latest and greatest. The shop boasts cigars from all over the world, including brands such as La Flor Dominicana, Sin Compromiso, Oliva, Mi Querida, Plasencia and many more.
GEORGIA FARMERS NEED YOUR SUPPORT
(AND YOUR VOTE)
For generations, the farmers you represent have worked, studied, retooled, innovated, and done their best for the land—and the communities you serve benefit from their expertise.
Georgia farmers trust the science and know glyphosate can be used safely. The litigation industry, on the other hand, relies on junk science in the courtroom to threaten the go-to crop protection tools farmers depend on every day. Experts estimate that without glyphosate to ensure our food supply, inflation at the checkout line will double.
More than 90 organizations in the Modern Ag Alliance are standing up for farmers to sustain the work of feeding America. Will you help us keep glyphosate available to them?
The Chateau Cigar Lounge is located at 9700 Medlock Bridge Road No. 114 in Johns Creek. For more information, visit thechateaucigarbar.com or call 678-822-0912
On one shelf, Gibbs keeps a special stash, which she sometimes allows patrons to smoke from if they’re lucky.
“Some of the best cigars on the planet are sitting right down there in those boxes,” Curry said.
For Curry, now retired from sales, owning The Chateau has been a dream. He frequents the shop almost seven days a week, chatting up regulars and meeting new faces.
Curry admits he may not make as much money as he used to, but there’s something special about running a business that provides real satisfaction to customers.
“We took something that was dead, and we managed to regrow the business,” he said.
Curry said he certainly enjoys indulging in a good cigar, but the real joy is being a part of the community the shop has fostered.
“I quit my day job at the end of 2020,” he said. “I haven’t set an alarm clock in years, and it’s been like, we got real a business here.”
JON WILCOX/APPEN MEDIA
Owner Jeff Curry holds a premium cigar in the humidor of The Chateau Cigar Lounge at 9799 Medlock Bridge Road in Johns Creek.
Connect-It
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 4, 6 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!
BY ANY OTHER NAME
1. It’s a sheep. Down in the dumps. Gumbo vegetable.
2. Kitten’s plaything. It’s an Asian deer. Precious gem.
3. Gambler’s wish. It’s a venomous snake. Kick out.
4. Verdant. It’s a horse, of course. Tidings.
5. Kind of nerve. Sidekick in Juarez. It’s an alpaca or llama offspring
6. Like a maple leaf. It’s a fly or gnat. Small whirlpool.
7. Garden structure. Vow. It’s a marine food related to cod
By Any Other Name
1 It’s a sheep. Down in the dumps. Gumbo vegetable.
2. Kitten’s plaything. It’s an Asian deer. Precious gem
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. Gambler’s wish. It’s a venomous snake. Kick out.
4. Verdant. It’s a horse, of course. Tidings
5. Kind of nerve. Sidekick in Juarez. It’s an alpaca or llama offspring.
6. Like a maple leaf. It’s a fly or gnat. Small whirlpool.
7. Garden structure. Vow. It’s a marine food fish related to cod.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 201 EVENTS
BINGO - 2 p.m. Sunday, Mar. 23
Future Games: 2nd & 4th Sunday Each Month
Children’s Easter Egg Hunt - 11 a.m. Saturday, Mar. 29
For children 12-years-old and under.
Six “egg hunting areas” separated by age level. Two Golden Egg prizes in each egg hunt area.
Dances & Dance Instruction
For all the details visit: www.club201dance.com
Support Roswell Rotary “Honor Air” Trip to D.C., Wednesday, April 9, 2025
For World War II, Korea, Vietnam Vets Visit www.legion201.org for more information
puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.
Honored to be Voted: Best Dermatologist and Best Vein Specialist
Insist on the
BEST
Dr. Brent Taylor is a Board-Certified Dermatologist, a Fellowship-Trained Mohs Surgeon, and is certified by the Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine in the field of Vein Care.
He is an expert in skin cancer and melanoma treatment, endovenous laser ablation, minimally invasive vein procedures and cosmetics procedures such as Botox and injectables.
Kathryn is a certified physician assistant with over 22 years experience as a Dermatology PA and cosmetic dermatology.
Her specialties include general dermatology such as acne, eczema, rashes, hair loss, full body skin exams, abnormal growths etc. Kathryn also specializes in cosmetic dermatology including lasers, injectables, micro-needling, PRP, facial peels, sclerotherapy for spider veins and at home skin care.
Is Lidocaine a secret weapon against cancer?
We always worry about the negative side-effects that a medicine might have. At the end of a pharmaceutical company’s commercials, an auctioneer very quickly states the twenty terrible things that might happen if you take the advertised medicine. Side effects range from your ear falling off when you sneeze to the belief that you are Elvis. Side-effects make almost any medicine sound scary. But occasionally, a positive side effect emerges. Sometimes, we discover something wonderful about a medicine that is wholly unexpected. Examples of positive side-effects are not hard to find. The medicine finasteride was first being used to help decrease the size of the prostate in men who were having difficulty urinating. An unexpected positive side-effect was discovered when it was noticed that many of the men were re-growing their scalp hair. With finasteride, male pattern baldness was often partially reversed or stopped in its tracks.
One of the most recent medications discovered to have a possible positive side effect is lidocaine, which has been around since 1943. Lidocaine is an injectable anesthetic. We use lidocaine for skin biopsies, excisions, Mohs surgeries and countless other procedures every day in the dermatology office. Amazingly, lidocaine may be more than an anesthetic. It may also have anticancer effects.
A team of surgeons in India operating on breast cancer divided patients into two groups. One group had standard breast cancer surgery. The other group received a lidocaine injection around the tumor 7-10 minutes prior to surgery. During the 5 years after surgery, the group that received the lidocaine injection had an 8.5% rate of the cancer recurring (popping up again) at a distant site versus an 11.6% rate of distant recurrence in the surgeryonly (no lidocaine) group. The study has some limitations including not being a double-blind trial and
being a single-center study, but it is intriguing enough to warrant further investigation. The authors reported that injecting lidocaine around breast cancer before removing it increased survival in their study.
What made the surgeons perform this study in the first place? Why lidocaine? Over the last few years, researchers have discovered that electrical gradients maintained across the membranes of cancer cells are important to their ability to metastasize or spread. Our cells have pumps in them called “ion channels.” They allow certain ions to pass across the cell membrane. The resulting ion concentration gradient creates an electrical charge across a cell. This gradient affects the way other proteins in the cell function. Importantly, some of the proteins affected by the charge across a cell membrane are important for healthy cells’ growth and development as well as for cancers’ ability to grow and spread.
Lidocaine works by blocking sodium channels in cell membranes. Disrupting the electric charge across a cancer cell membrane was suspected to have the potential to weaken the cancer itself. Pre-clinical studies supported this hypothesis, and the breast cancer surgeons took the next step of performing a trial with breast cancer patients and peritumoral lidocaine injections.
I don’t know if breast cancer surgeons in the United States consider these results valid, are awaiting confirmatory studies or are already injecting lidocaine. However, in dermatology, these results are exciting because, for now, we do not need to change anything that we are already doing. Every day that I perform Mohs surgery, we inject the area around a tumor with lidocaine prior to surgically removing the cancer. If lidocaine is more than an anesthetic, then our patients are likely already benefiting from any anti-cancer properties that lidocaine has.
Mohs surgery is the gold standard for treating most skin cancers and has a cure rate that is usually at or above 99%. Perhaps lidocaine is one of the secrets to this success.
Dr. Brent Taylor
Kathryn Filipek, PA-C
Brought to you by – Dr. Brent Taylor, Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta
Time for spring cleaning?
– Dr. Bradley Hepler, Atlanta Center for Dental Health
I don’t know about you, but I am ready for Spring. I can’t wait for the weather to warm up. I want to walk and run and spend more time outside. I can’t wait to see everything start blooming and everything get greener. Spring is coming! It’s time to get ready. It’s time to get in shape! It’s time for Spring Cleaning! Do you need a Spring dental cleaning or maybe a Smile Tune-up?
This year, let’s eat healthy, exercise, and address our health proactively and preventively. This includes a visit to the dentist to address those problems that you know are getting worse and to prevent future problems.
• Restoring Your Smile – Repairing your teeth allows you to keep your teeth for a lifetime and look and feel your best.
• Cosmetic Dentistry – It’s more than just Whiter Teeth. Uneven and chipped teeth can be reshaped painlessly. You can make your smile
healthy and vibrant again and create the smile of your dreams.
• Dental Implants – Replacing missing teeth allows you to eat your favorite healthy foods again, smile without fear, and provides support to
your face to avoid looking older.
• Invisalign – The metal-free way to straighten your teeth, improve your bite, and have an attractive smile that everyone notices.
• Preventive Tooth Cleaning –
Routine cleanings prevent problems and keep your teeth healthy, white, and attractive.
• Don’t Forget that these things can be accomplished comfortably while you rest… with Sedation Dentistry!
“Preventive Dentistry can add 10 years to human life.”
-Dr. Charles Mayo of the Mayo Clinic
A healthy mouth is part of a healthy body. Our wish for you is that you look and feel your best!
Dr. Bradley Hepler and the experienced team at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health provide the most modern advances in complete dentistry. Experience immediate results with procedures to greatly enhance your smile and your health. If you would like a complimentary consultation to discover which of these options is best for you, please call us at 770-992-2236. Dr. Hepler is highly trained to provide you with the latest and best techniques to allow you to achieve your cosmetic and restorative goals.
ADOBE STOCK
Obtaining labs for Integrated Wellness: Unlocking the blueprint to optimal health
Brought to you by – OlympusMD
When it comes to taking charge of your health, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach. Especially in integrated wellness, where personalized care is the key to unlocking your body’s full potential, understanding your unique physiology becomes essential. This is where lab results come into play—providing an in-depth look at your body’s inner workings and guiding you toward the best IV therapy, peptide therapy, nutraceuticals, or gut health solutions for your needs. Whether you’re new to these advanced wellness options or looking to optimize your current routine, lab testing acts as your personalized roadmap to better health.
Why labs are essential for personalized wellness
Your health is unique, and so are your body’s needs. Reviewing labs consists of analyzing specific biomarkers that provide insight into your overall health and highlight areas for improvement. By understanding these markers, healthcare providers
can tailor treatments to your body’s specific requirements, ensuring you’re not wasting time or effort on generic solutions that may not work for you. When you have this information in hand, you can make informed decisions about your integrated wellness plan, knowing that every treatment or supplement you choose is backed by science.
How labs determine the best wellness solutions
IV Therapy is a direct and effective way to replenish essential vitamins, minerals, and hydration. But not all IV treatments are created equal. By obtaining labs, your healthcare provider can pinpoint what your body is lacking— whether it’s vitamin C, magnesium, or a combination of nutrients—and create a thoughtfully curated IV therapy plan. This precision ensures you receive exactly what your body needs, whether you’re addressing chronic fatigue, boosting immunity, or recovering from a tough workout. Peptides, small chains of amino acids, are increasingly popular for enhancing cellular function, metabolism,
and tissue repair. However, their effectiveness hinges on understanding your body’s baseline. For example, labs can determine your growth hormone levels, insulin sensitivity, or even inflammatory markers. This data allows experts to select the best peptides, such as CJC-1295 for growth hormone optimization or BPC-157 for injury recovery and gut health, tailored to your specific needs.
Nutraceuticals combine nutrition
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and pharmaceuticals—think vitamins, minerals, and plant-based compounds tailored to address specific health goals. Without labs, selecting nutraceuticals can feel like guesswork. With lab results, you can cut through the noise and focus only on what your body truly needs. For instance, labs may reveal that you’re low in omega-3 fatty acids, prompting the inclusion of a high-quality fish oil supplement in your routine. Gut Health is often considered the gateway to overall health, influencing everything from immunity to mental well-being. Labs allow practitioners to look deep into your gut health using tools like microbiome mapping, stool analysis, and inflammation markers. This information forms the foundation for a tailored gut health plan, addressing problems like leaky gut, food intolerances, or microbiome imbalances.
Curious about how lab results could transform your health? Connect with a wellness expert today to explore your options. Start uncovering the insights hidden in your health profile and take the first step toward a more vibrant life. Contact OlympusmdWellness.com today.
Your youthful smile
1. Avoid staining: Avoid tobacco and limit stain causing and enamel eroding acidic foods and drinks.
In order to understand a youthful smile, one needs to know the look of aging teeth. An aging smile can occur as a person gets older, however, they can be influenced by various factors such as oral habits, lifestyle choices, and dental hygiene care…at any age!
Some of the most common features of an aging smile are:
1. Teeth yellowing: Over time, and many coffee/tea, chocolate, wine and tobacco indulgences later, teeth can lose their natural brightness and present more yellow.
2. Tooth wear and tear: Years of grinding, taking out one’s stress on one’s teeth, and misaligned teeth can contribute to excessive and uneven tooth wear and flatter and shorter surfaces.
3. Gum recession: gum recession exposes the darker root surfaces and makes teeth look longer and less esthetic.
4. Tooth loss: missing teeth can impact the appearance of one’s smile and contribute to decreased lip and cheek support and fullness causing facial changes.
5. Teeth crowding: As we age our teeth have a tendency to shift in a forward direction, causing the front teeth to become more crowded.
To maintain a youthful smile here are a few tips:
2. Whitening: professional dental whitening can remove most stains and bring back the luster and brightness to one’s teeth.
3. Resin bonding: Tooth colored fillings do a beautiful job of masking exposed root surfaces and restoring the beautiful shape of the teeth, and thus enhance one’s smile.
4. Tooth replacement: In today’s world, replacing a tooth with implant therapy is the gold standard of dentistry and has long lasting benefits in maintaining the longevity of one’s dentition.
5. Orthodontics: Crooked and misaligned teeth can be corrected using braces or aligners and immediately restore the “wellness” of the smile. It is amazing what a straight smile does to restore youthfulness and confidence! 6. Occlusal guard: A bite guard can shield the teeth from the harmful effects of clenching and grinding.
Maintaining a youthful smile is a lifelong commitment to YOURSELF! Regularly consulting with a good dentist who is committed to your optimal dental health and smile will help ensure personalized advice and appropriate care and methods keep your smile healthy and youthful.
Call us for a free consultation (upon mention of this article) on how we can help you rejuvenate your smile!
Brought to you by – North Fulton Smiles
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Make colon health your habit
Brought to you by - Wellstar
For many people, talking about colon health can be a little uncomfortable, but potential medical issues don’t just go away if you ignore them.
Being proactive about your wellbeing with preventative care can help catch colorectal cancer or another serious condition early—often before it becomes a bigger problem.
Wellstar is committed to keeping your colon healthy with preventative screenings and expert care, so you can continue to live well.
Catch colon cancer early
Early detection is the best prevention, especially when it comes to colon cancer. People at average risk should start colonoscopies at age 45. Those with a higher risk or a family history of colorectal cancer may need
to start screening sooner. Partner with your care team to create a personalized screening plan—and stick with it to stay ahead of the disease.
The death rate for colon cancer in older adults has been decreasing for the past several decades due to screenings, according to the American Cancer Society. Screenings can identify polyps before they become cancerous and can catch cancer earlier when it is more easily treatable. However, in people under 55, death rates from colon cancer have been increasing by about 1% per year since the mid2000s.
Why colonoscopies work
During a colonoscopy, a Wellstar gastroenterologist will view the inside of your colon and look for polyps or any other abnormal tissue that could be cancerous. This preventative testing is key to catching colorectal issues at
the start. Polyps take about five to 15 years to evolve into an invasive cancer, so regular colonoscopies can catch polyps before they become cancerous. The procedure itself is not painful.
Signs of colorectal cancer
Colon cancer is typically discovered when a patient has a colonoscopy, but it’s important to watch for these warning signs:
• A change in your bowel habits, such as persistent diarrhea or constipation
• Bloody stools or rectal bleeding
• Abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, gas and pain
• Feeling like you are unable to empty your bowels completely
• Weakness or fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your care team right away.
Colorectal cancer care at Wellstar
If you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, count on Wellstar for comprehensive, personalized care. Our specialists will work together with you to form a tailored treatment plan and offer support every step of the way.
Wellstar offers medical expertise close to home, clinical trials and state-of-the-art surgical procedures to treat colorectal cancer. We also have a multidisciplinary gastrointestinal (GI) tumor board that diagnoses and creates treatment plans collaboratively.
Along with cancer surgeons, medical oncologists and other experts, our care team also includes nurse navigators, dietitians, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors to provide complete care and support.
Visit wellstar.org/gastro to learn more about gastroenterology care.
At Wellstar, you’ll find a multidisciplinary team of cancer care experts built around your needs and dedicated to comprehensive, personalized treatment.
We are a leader in cancer care, embracing innovation to improve patient outcomes. Our surgeons perform a variety of minimally invasive procedures—providing patients with smoother recoveries and less pain. We also support patients during their cancer journeys with STAT Clinics, which bring cancer care clinicians together and put people at the center of their treatment. With this multidisciplinary approach, patients start care sooner, optimizing treatment and outcomes. wellstar.org/northfultoncancercare
The connection between oral plaque, heart disease, and brain health
How oral health affects brain function
Most people think of plaque as a problem that affects only their teeth. Dentists warn us about plaque buildup leading to cavities and gum disease, but what many don’t realize is that the same plaque lurking in your mouth could also be harming your heart and brain. Mounting research shows a striking connection between oral health and systemic diseases, particularly heart disease and cognitive decline.
The link between oral plaque and heart disease
The impact of oral plaque doesn’t stop at the heart—it also affects the brain. Recent studies indicate that poor oral hygiene may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Like its role in heart disease, oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to the brain, triggering inflammation and potentially contributing to the formation of amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Plaque in your mouth is a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth when food particles and saliva mix. If not removed through brushing and flossing, this plaque hardens into tartar, leading to gum disease (periodontitis). The bacteria from gum disease don’t just stay in the mouth— they can enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammation throughout the body.
Chronic inflammation is a key factor in heart disease. When oral bacteria reach the arteries, they can contribute to the formation of arterial plaque—the fatty deposits that clog blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Studies have shown that people with gum disease have a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular conditions, including high blood pressure and atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries).
One of the most well-documented bacterial culprits is Porphyromonas gingivalis, a pathogen found in gum disease patients. Researchers have discovered this bacterium in the arterial plaque of heart disease patients, suggesting a direct link between gum infections and cardiovascular complications.
Scientists have found P. gingivalis in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, further strengthening the connection between oral bacteria and cognitive decline. Inflammation caused by gum disease may accelerate brain cell damage, leading to memory loss and other cognitive impairments. Additionally, poor oral health has been linked to an increased risk of strokes, which can further contribute to dementia and other neurological issues.
Protecting your mouth, heart, and brain
By taking care of your teeth and gums, you’re also protecting your heart and brain. Your oral health is a vital part of your overall well-being— don’t overlook it! Dr. Hood and her team at Roswell Dental Care help you understand your health status and risks and customize your treatment. We assure you will feel confident in the solution you choose before beginning any treatment. For enhanced comfort, we offer FREE nitrous oxide. You can rest assured that your experience will be positive, relaxing, and rewarding on many levels.
Give our office a call at 770.998.6736, or visit us at www. roswelldentalcare.com, to begin your journey to happy and pain-free oral healthcare!
Dr. Destinee Hood
Brought to You by - Dr. Destinee Hood, Roswell Dental Care
Let’s talk about social media & screen time
Brought to you byAlyssa Kiss, M.A., Summit Counseling Center
Parents raising a teen in today’s world of technology can often experience confusion, stress, and judgement from others for their decisions surrounding social media use and screen time. There are mixed messages, a lack of sufficient research, and little support out there to help parents navigate these tough decisions. As a therapist who primarily works with adolescents, teens, and young adults, I am surrounded by the issue of social media and phone addiction. Often, I work with parents who say the same thing – “I don’t want them to be on their phones so much, but I also don’t want them to be isolated from their friends.”
There is no doubt that screen time and social media are impacting us all, especially kids and adolescents. This age group is inundated with screen time which is causing issues with attention and the brain’s reward system. The research we currently have clearly shows that excessive screen time can impact social-emotional development, language development, and executive functioning. These can deeply impact adolescents who are already struggling with increased academic pressure and developing peer relationships.
So, what can we do about it? I have often found myself after a day of sessions with adolescents just wishing that I could wake up and social media would have vanished. I see the impact it has on these students while also knowing it is unrealistic to believe that it can be completely cut out of anyone’s life. Here are a few tips about navigating this difficult topic.
1. Have an open discussion. Help educate your child on the impact of social media and screen time. Oftentimes kids don’t understand or fully realize why their parents are limiting their screen time. Take some time to openly talk to your child about the ways that social media and screen time impact them without using judgements.
2. Educate yourself on the issue. This is a very complex issue with lots of different things to consider. Take some time to read up on the research and tips from leaders in the field. Here are a few recommendations:
a. Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and survive) in Their Digital World by
Dr. Devorah Heitner
b. The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World by Adam Gazzaley and Larry D. Rosen
3. Model the relationship with your phone that you want your child to have.
Kids are constantly watching their parents to learn about the world around them. This is no different when it comes to screen time and social media use. By modeling the relationship with technology that you would like your child to have, it can help your kids learn how to navigate their use of technology.
4. Implement screen time limits that
your child is actively involved in. Use collaboration with your child to set screen time limits that they can understand and feel a part of. Giving a teen or adolescent a level of autonomy in their own screen time typically helps them adhere to the rules set. This varies given the child’s age and is best suited for middle and high school students.
5. Give yourself grace and be flexible. We are in unprecedented times as we all learn to navigate the way technology has so prevalently impacted our lives. Remember to be kind to yourself and maintain a flexible mindset. As we learn new things in this area, give yourself space to adjust your stance or approach.
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North Fulton Chamber accepting applications for leadership programs
Roger Wise Jr. Colt Whittall
NORTH FULTON, Ga. — The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce invites the next batch of future leaders to apply for the Leadership North Fulton and Emerging Leaders Program.
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Both programs are created by the chamber to foster leadership development in the community. The chamber aims to grow business, develop talent and lead regional prosperity across North Fulton.
Leadership North Fulton has led the region with its signature leadership development program for more than 30 years by allowing members of the community to build relationships with businesses and nonprofit partners.
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The program contains a mix of executives, small business owners and young professionals, with a class size of around 35 members. The program will consist of eight, eight-hour class days, in addition to the evening opening reception, overnight retreat and graduation luncheon. Classes are held on the third Thursday of the month and range from arts and culture to public safety.
Participants can learn from a diverse curriculum, while promoting community awareness, instilling civic responsibility and building relationships. Graduates can join the ranks of more than 500 alumni. The all-inclusive program costs $2,500 for Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce members and $3,000 for non-members. Payment plans and two half-scholarships are available on a situational basis.
Applications for the Leadership North Fulton Program close March 25.
Juniors and seniors from North Fulton high schools who are looking to join in on the leadership development can apply for the Emerging Leaders Program. High schoolers can learn leadership skills, identify and address community issues and interact with local leaders, while becoming good citizens.
Students will attend six class days, in addition to orientation, retreat and graduation. Outside of class days, students are expected to complete five activities that correspond with class day themes to develop life lessons. Curriculum such as financial literacy and mock interviews are among the topics students will learn.
Applications for the Emerging Leaders Program close March 20 and include a $300 program fee upon acceptance. Those interested can apply on the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce website.
— Sarah Coyne
Roswell agency to act as ‘pass through’ for Wellstar debt
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Committees of Council gave approval for a resolution to issue Roswell Development Authority revenue bonds to refinance obligations of Wellstar Health System.
The resolution includes an aggregate principal amount currently estimated at not to exceed $100 million.
There will be no financial impact or jeopardy for the city or the Roswell Development Authority if Wellstar defaults on the debt. The resolution will also have no impact on the city’s bond capacity, and Roswell taxpayers are not on the hook for the bonds.
The Committees of Council includes the mayor and members of the City Council, along with the city administrator.
Formal approval of the measure will come before the City Council at its March 10 meeting.
Roswell Development Authority Chairman Joe Cusack said the hospital system uses the development authority as a “pass through” to refinance or secure a better rate on the revenue bonds.
The Roswell Development Authority has consistently maintained an AAA bond rating, the highest possible. Institutions with high bond ratings generally receive the lowest interest rates on loan financing.
Wellstar has a Moody’s Investor Services creditworthy rating of A2, defined as upper medium-grade.
“They were refinancing $100 million worth of debt, at savings of about a million dollars a year through these revenue bonds and using the RDA through that,” Cusack said.
Wellstar has taken this path to
refinance debt before, most recently with the Cobb County Kennestone Hospital Authority.
Marietta-based Wellstar is the state’s largest healthcare system, operating 11 hospitals and dozens of affiliated health campuses. According to a report from the Georgia Hospital Association, Wellstar Health System contributes nearly $4 billion to the state’s economy.
A Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) hearing took place to learn what the resolution authorizes and won approval from a Fulton County Superior Court judge.
The Roswell City Council must give final approval to the measure.
“You get to put your stamp of approval on this as part of this process,” Cusack said.
A public hearing was held on the measure at 11 a.m. Feb. 28. Another public hearing may be held after the bonds are priced but has not yet been
scheduled.
In other matters at the Feb. 25 Committees of Council meeting, Roswell officials unanimously agreed to sign a pact with True North 400 Community Improvement District that would help provide $2 million for a trail to connect two city parks.
True North has offered to provide the $500,000 match to secure The Big Creek Park Trail Reconnecting Communities Grant.
The grant has been awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
City officials said that with True North picking up the tab for matching funds, the grant comes at no cost to Roswell taxpayers.
“True North 400 has actually agreed to reimburse the city up to $500,000 for that match, so the city will not be responsible for any of that,” Roswell Transportation Director Jeffery Littlefield said.
The multi-use trail will provide a connection between Liberty Square Park and Big Creek Park.
True North 400 is a self-taxing business district that includes commercial property owners along Ga. 400 in Alpharetta, Roswell and Milton. In other matters at the meeting, Roswell city leaders approved an agreement with Fulton County for the Woodstock Road Multi-Use Trail Phase 1 project.
The TSPLOST 2-funded project includes two phases, and the trail will extend from Woodstock Road to Canton Street.
Under the agreement, Fulton County will reimburse the city for costs
Deputy Transportation Director Greg Nicolas said Phase 1 should begin in late summer and run about a year. Nicolas said the Phase 2 is going to be “a little bit further behind.”
The committee also approved a budget amendment of $610,305 for a Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The resolution allows for the water treatment plant to get a standby generator with a lifespan of 15-20 years.
“Backup generators [are] an industry-best practice, we don’t have a generator at the plant right now,” Brian Watson, director of Environmental/ Public Works, said.
In Oct. 2022, the city originally applied for the program through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. In January, the city was accepted with an award amount of $573,686. The city is required to match funds in the amount of $36,618.30, from the Water and Sewer fund.
“That’s an important item, sometimes these items seem to be a bit benign,” City Administrator Randy Knighton said.
Alpharetta mourns detective following short cancer battle
By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Residents lined sidewalks to honor a long-time Alpharetta Police Department detective who died of cancer recently.
Detective Brian Smith was honored by a procession along Old Milton and Westside parkways and Cumming Street March 4. Smith died of pancreatic cancer Feb. 26. Public safety officials also placed a memorial patrol vehicle in his memory at Westside and Old Milton parkways.
He was one of Alpharetta’s longest tenured detectives, serving from 2007 to
2021. At the time of his death, he was working in the Alpharetta Public Safety Department’s Technology Division.
Capt. Jakai Braithwaite, who considered Smith a friend and colleague, recalled Smith as a dedicated, intelligent and supportive investigator who specialized in technology. He was particularly skilled with social media, often scouring web pages for evidence.
Smith’s death has rocked the tightknit Detective Bureau, which includes about 20 investigators, Braithwaite said.
The specialized expertise and difficult demands of the job means detectives share a strong bond, making the
loss of one of their own especially painful, the police captain said.
Investigators are often subjected to traumatic experiences and long hours. But they also have a special pride in their work.
Braithwaite described Smith as a quiet man whose humor shined through to those he warmed up to.
Smith primarily investigated property and financial crimes, but he worked on thousands of cases of all kinds, lending a hand with cases whenever asked.
He often helped other investigators by helping them pull security camera video and other tech issues.
“You could always call on him to be there for you,” Braithwaite said.
Smith’s death came suddenly about two weeks after receiving a diagnosis for Stage IV pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer often has no symptoms until it has reached advanced stages, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Smith was admitted to the hospital shortly after he began experiencing stomach pains. His initial diagnosis gave him about six months to live.
“It was an emotional roller coaster,” Braithwaite said.
Smith was set to retire in July at the age of 55.
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Roswell Transportation Director Jeffery Littlefield presents data for the True North 400 Reconnecting Communities Grant at the Committees of Council meeting Feb. 25.
Milton girls fall to River Ridge in Final 4
By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com
ATLANTA — The Milton girls basketball team’s season ended Feb. 28 after a 91-64 loss to the River Ridge Knights in the 5A semi-finals at Georgia State University.
The Eagles faced off against MaxPreps’ 22nd ranked team in the country, the highest-ranking team from any division in Georgia.
A rematch of the Dec. 14 game that River Ridge won by 10 points, Milton added the defensive stronghold of Raygen Lewis, who was absent from the first matchup.
Lewis was tasked with defending the Knights’ dynamic guard Sophia Pearl. Pearl was held to just 11 points and racked up four fouls before checking out of the game in the final period.
Milton struggled against a fundamental, suffocating River Ridge defense. Point guard Londyn Walker led the Eagles with 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds but struggled to get into rhythm at times.
One of only a few Eagles who could get their wheels spinning offensively was senior Zana Justice, with several postups in the lane and three made shots
from beyond the arc. Justice tallied 14 points and was one of Milton’s biggest strongholds on the glass.
Head coach Julian Barfield said his team’s Achilles heel all season has been slow starts, but there was no room for stagnancy against the Knights.
“We fought hard, but [River Ridge] only lost one game for a reason,” he said.
“Because we couldn’t hit shots, we couldn’t set our defense. We had a chance when we cut the lead down to 9, we just had nothing left after that.”
Milton picked up their energy and offensive output in the second and third quarters after a tough 7-point start in their first eight minutes.
They cut the lead down to within 10 points multiple times but couldn’t complete a comeback with no gas left in the tank.
Junior Caroline Young is the only rising senior and expressed her gratitude for the outgoing seniors who have given so much to the program. Making the Elite Eight as juniors and Final Four as seniors has left a legacy.
“Win or lose, we’re family,” she said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m so proud of every single person and how far we have come.”
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Milton sophomore Deyva Davis shoots a free throw during the 5A semi-finals at Georgia State University Feb. 28. The Eagles, unable to complete a comeback, fell to the Knights 91-64.
ANNABELLE REITER/APPEN MEDIA
Milton junior Caroline Young tips off against River Ridge’s Finley Parker at Georgia State University Feb. 28. Young tallied 9 points, five rebounds and five steals against the Knights.
Historic plaque honors Alpharetta Black entrepreneur
By SARAH COYNE sarah@appenmedia.com
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Residents and visitors to Alpharetta can now learn a bit about the city’s past through a new historical marker dedicated Feb. 27.
The plaque marks the site of George “Hard” Bailey’s Blacksmith Shop at Citizen Soul restaurant on South Main Street. The marker recognizes Bailey, an African American, who owned and operated the shop in the early 1900s.
Bailey was one of the earliest Black entrepreneurs in Alpharetta. He provided land from his farm on Kimball Bridge Road for construction of the Alpharetta Colored School. Community members later honored him by changing the school’s name to the Bailey-Johnson School. The school operated from 1950 to 1967, when segregation of public education ended in North Fulton County.
Bailey’s historical marker is part of a joint effort of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society and City of Alpharetta to celebrate Black History Month.
Building:
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Board members Danielle Gagne and David Jackson brought forward concerns over the level of noise that could be caused by the two proposed courts.
“Noise is a huge problem with pickleball,” Gagne said.
The board asked for the residents of the home to use quiet paddles and balls.
Chris Cain voiced concern for the potential of disturbance from the courts, as an adjacent neighbor.
“They’d have to be 60, 70-foot trees for me not to see anything,” Cain said.
Board member Samia Coker
Continued from Page 1
A common area at the front of the subdivision toward Crabapple Road and along the rear alleys will also be built to accommodate the rear entry homes.
Each home will be different while still capturing the elements of traditional-style Milton homes. The homes will start at $1.6 million and will range in size from 3,800 to 4,6000 square feet.
“This is going to be a tight
Historical Society President Pat Miller wrote the excerpt displayed on the plaque.
“The main thing it does is it gives people a glimpse into what Alpharetta was like, because so many people that live in this area now have no long-term ties to the area,” Miller said.
recommended the applicant look into repositioning the court closer to Deerhaven Lane, look into noise solutions, provide additional information on lighting and provide a sightline study for the adjacent neighbors. The motion was approved with a 4-1 vote with Jackson opposed. The request will be presented to the Board of Zoning Appeals for final approvals.
“It sounds like you guys are willing to kind of do those things to be a good steward and to be a good neighbor,” board member Ken Warlick said.
Fifth Third Bank located at 13794
Ga. 9 was given a final review for a proposed wayfinding mural. The mural will help guide guests to the entrance of the bank.
After much deliberation on color
neighborhood, so they wanted to make sure that the architectural elements in the house differed because they were so close together,” Wildes said.
Also at the meeting, Director of Special Projects Bob Buscemi and Deputy City Manager Bernadette Harvill presented more data about “Destination Deerfield,” the city’s plan to revitalize its easternmost commercial district along the spine of Ga. 9.
Planning is in the final stages and will run through May. The plan covers code revisions, finalizing the design manual, traffic studies and a drainage hydrology study.
Buscemi presented the long-
Miller said the markers around the city allow for the community to “run into history.”
Little was known about Bailey, and Miller said she enjoyed learning about him while preparing for the BaileyJohnson School & Community Exhibit and the historical marker unveiling.
Michael McGuire, chairman of the Board of Trustees for Ebenezer Methodist Church of Milton, presents a slideshow about the new rural event facility during the March 4 Milton Design Review Board meeting.
choices, the board decided upon a final motion to swap the proposed colors and instead use Pantone color Forest
term impact of up to 20 years of the buildout.
“We are putting a lot into this district, but there’s also going to be a lot of revenue that I think is going to be returned to the city with the expansion,” Buscemi said.
City staff have met with Georgia Power, Fulton County and city department leaders to anticipate how the potential addition of 1,785 residential units and 875,000 square feet of commercial space could affect operations.
The estimated cost of construction would be $1.4 billion, with a permit fee generation of $6.8 million and
“I just keep researching and hopefully one day I’ll solve all these mysteries,” Miller said.
Phillip Cooper, owner of Citizen Soul, 60 S. Main, honors Bailey with a hammer and anvil logo for the business. The historical marker adds to the aesthetic.
“Once we kind of stumbled on his story, I just kind of ran with it, and it made a lot of sense,” Cooper said.
Servers at the restaurant also wear blacksmith aprons to complement the theme.
“It’s a tribute to how far we’ve come from then till now,” Cooper said.
After years of talk about the plaque, Bailey’s granddaughter, Patricia Centers Martin, participated in the marker unveiling, alongside Linda Brown, Bailey’s great-grandniece.
Martin thanked the crowd for their help and for thinking about her “granddaddy.”
“I’m overwhelmed. I would have never dreamed of this,” Martin said.
Martin said her favorite memories are when she went to visit her grandfather.
“I just couldn’t wait,” she said.
Green for the lettering and background and use Pantone color Fun Green for the accent designs.
“At the end of the day this is a city business, we’ve got citizens that go there [who] obviously need help trying to find the door,” Warlick said.
The all-volunteer board reviews and approves of the design aesthetics and building developments in Milton, so that structures meet city standards. Each member is appointed by a City Council member or the mayor.
The Board consists of seven members, most with a background in architecture, engineering, construction, real estate or design consulting.
Selection of a chair and vice chair will take place during the May 6 meeting.
total impact fee of $23.4 million, offsetting city-related costs. If all goes as planned, Harvill said the city can anticipate 20 percent or more of its tax revenue coming from commercial sources.
“We will be doubling our commercial tax base,” Harvill said.
Staff also noted that the addition of residents could impact public education, with a potential for redistricting for some elementary schools.
In other matters, the City Council approved an alcohol license to Your Pie at 2955 Bethany Bend. The request was based on a change of ownership.
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
SARAH COYNE/APPEN MEDIA
Linda Brown and Patricia Centers Martin unveil the historical marker for George “Hard” Bailey’s Blacksmith Shop along South Main Street in Alpharetta Feb. 27.
Atlanta Jewish Film Festival wraps 25th anniversary season
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The 25th annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival wrapped another successful year March 5 with its Closing Night celebration, featuring the heartfelt Brazilian dramedy “Cheers to Life!”
The annual Atlanta Jewish Film Festival is one of the largest cultural events of its kind in the world, celebrating the power of film to foster understanding and strengthen connections between Jewish and diverse global communities.
After the 88 in-theatre screenings across six venues in two weeks, some 1,000 patrons packed the Byers Theatre at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
Before spending most of the film giggling, reading subtitles and releasing some tears, the audience was treated to a quarter-century celebration of international film in the Jewish center of the South.
Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, welcoming the audience and film festival organizers, promoted the city’s Performing Arts Center as a hub for exploring different cultures.
In a major announcement, festival organizers revealed an upcoming one-night-only concert Oct. 20 in partnership with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Turner Classic Movies. The concert is at Atlanta Symphony Hall in the Woodruff Arts Center with TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz hosting.
"I've been coming to the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival for years, and I couldn’t be more excited for this extraordinary celebration of film and music,” Mankiewicz said. “Iconic scores from classic Jewish cinema performed live? That’s a night you don’t want to miss.”
A panel of filmmakers, journalists, students and industry experts determine the Jury Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in Jewish cinema across six categories.
The 2025 winners are: “Pink Lady” for Narrative Feature, “Riefenstahl” for Documentary Feature, “The Sacred Society” for Short Film, “Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round” for the Building Bridges Award, “Sapir” for the Human Rights Award and Tom Nesher as Emerging Filmmaker for “Come Closer.”
James Alexander, a marketing executive and the next president of AJFF, announced Coca-Cola’s $250,000 investment in the festival’s Kenny Blank Vision Initiative, a $2.5 million capital campaign designed to
From left, Atlanta Jewish Film festival moderator Holly Firfer hosts a post-film Q&A session at Closing Night in Sandy Springs’ Byers Theatre March 5 with the cast and crew of the Brazilian comedic drama “Cheers to Life!”
expand the festival’s impact beyond its annual programming.
Kenny Blank, AJFF’s executive and artistic director, said the 25th anniversary is a defining moment for the nonprofit.
“We are grateful to our audiences, supporters and partners for making this milestone so special,” Blank said. “We look forward to building on this momentum as AJFF continues to evolve, expand and elevate its impact in the years ahead,”
During the North American premier of the 2024 Brazilian film “Cheers to Life,” the Portuguese language was no hurdle to understanding and enjoying the film’s characters, familial themes and life-affirming message.
The 103-minute narrative feature blends a young woman’s exploration of her identity and familial history with comedic missteps and chance revelations during an adventure to Israel.
Audiences meet the main character of the film, Jessica, a disillusioned antique shop employee who finds a
locket that leads her to seek out her grandparents living in Tel Aviv.
The film is drama, thriller and comedy all set in the backdrop of Israel. The country is almost a character in the story as Jessica and her companions search from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for her grandmother.
The Closing Night celebration was in the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center’s Byers Theatre, featuring a post-film Q&A panel with the Brazilian cast and crew, including director Chris D’Amato, producer Júlio Uchoa and three main actors from the film.
Rodrigo Simas, who plays Jessica’s sidekick as she tracks down her grandparents, said his character Gabriel receives the help and companionship he needed as his character assists Jessica track down her family.
“It’s a pleasure to be here in Atlanta, this is the first time out of Brazil with the movie and it’s a great honor to make a Brazilian movie in Israel,” Simas said. “Watching and
learning … with our elder characters, not just in the movie but life too, makes us look forward to life and appreciate it.”
Thati Lopez, speaking Portuguese to the audience, said she grew into her character and said Jessica’s transformation throughout the film attracted her to the role.
The atmosphere of the Byers Theatre did not change after the credits rolled. The audience, actors and crew laughed through the difficulties of translating in real-time.
Guests leaving the theater overwhelmingly said they loved the film with men and women in the audience split with affection for the leading couple.
An all-access streaming pass is available March 7-16 to Georgians who want to follow along from home with 21 feature films and 14 short films from the festival. Some are only available for exclusive in-theater presentation.
To learn more and stream, visit https://ajff.org.
HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA
OPINION
Louie E Jones, undertaker with a rebel streak
Most folks of a certain age in the Alpharetta area are familiar with the name Louie Jones due to the Louie E. Jones Funeral Home. Fewer people may be aware of his service as a state senator and fewer still know about his personality. Today, we will try to portray the various aspects of this unique man and his accomplished wife Gertrude.
Louie Eugene Jones (1897-1987) was born and raised in Alpharetta in a house adjacent to the Milton County Courthouse on today’s Main Street. He lived with his parents and three siblings. Alpharetta was buzzing economically. It was said that there was a cotton gin on almost every corner. Farming was the chief occupation, but merchants, hotels, stables, blacksmiths and carpenters helped keep the town alive. From the early days of the century through the Great Depression, Alpharetta was the county seat of Milton County, but the roads were dirt and the county overall was very poor. Things improved when the county merged with Fulton County in 1932.
Louie’s father, Maj. Harrison Jones (1872-1918) was an undertaker who established a funeral business in Alpharetta in the early 1890s. Louie’s mother, Frances Naomi DeVore Jones (1878-1960), was a teacher. We know that as a child Louie had a pet goat thanks to a photo in the book “Alpharetta, Milton County – The Early Years” by celebrated local historian Connie Mashburn. Jones’s goat pulled a cart with large metal wheels.
Upon the death of his father, Louie, age 21, took over the funeral business.
Jones developed a love for politics. He served as Milton County Coroner for eight years. When Milton County and Fulton County considered a merger, Jones was serving a two-year term as state senator representing Milton, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. He maneuvered a bill in the legislature that led to the merger and was largely responsible for the bill’s success in the Senate. He said there wasn’t much opposition to the merger because the county was so poor.
In a March 1979 interview in the Neighbor newspaper he said, “We didn’t have one inch of paved road and only one road scraper.” He believed the road situation forced the merger. Most of the time, the people were knee-deep in mud, he said.
According to a 1931 article in the Atlanta Constitution, Jones was one of the most popular members of the Senate and
a member of some of the most important Senate committees.
After the merger, Jones left the political arena and returned full-time to the funeral home, which moved several times over the years. In a January 1987 article in the Alpharetta Review, Jones was quoted saying that before he became a licensed embalmer in 1925, his biggest business was selling caskets. He had to make two trips a day with a horse-drawn wagon to the train depot across the river in Roswell to pick up his caskets. He owned the business for more than 50 years before selling it.
Jones was not afraid of a little controversy. He had a partial interest in
a drugstore on South Main Street near today’s Milton Avenue. In the 1920s, businesses could not open on Sundays. One Sunday in 1923 he opened his store to sell refreshments during the city’s annual June Singing. According to Connie Mashburn, the police came and locked door. Louie went back to the store and removed the door and continued to sell refreshments. The public was outraged about his behavior. About 135 citizens, representing 75 percent of the population, signed a petition. Mashburn says, “Louie was known as a rebel. He had his own way of doing things.”
Lifelong local resident Elsie Knight has childhood memories of Jones.
“He was a true southern gentleman,” she says. “He was very kind and everybody liked him. He used to joke that he had more money underground than he had on top.”
Apparently, not everyone’s funeral expenses were paid in a timely fashion.
Elsie recalls that Louis’s wife, Gertrude Callaway Jones (1900-1984), was a fourth grade teacher at Alpharetta School on Broad Street, which is today’s Milton Avenue.
In her book “Echoes of the Past: A Glimpse of Life in a Small Town,” published in 1990, Eulalia Maddox Wilson said of her teacher, “Mrs. Gertrude Jones (called in those days simply Miss Gertrude) helped students develop good penmanship and encouraged their interest in literature.”
In those days, boys delayed going to school because they had to help bring in the crops. Miss Gertrude and other teachers worked with them to get them caught up with the girls.
Gertrude was born and raised in McDonnough and attended business school at the University of Georgia and Emory University and received her degree from Oglethorpe University. She taught school for 39 years at Alpharetta School. At a banquet for retiring teachers, she was celebrated as an inspiration to students and fellow teachers alike.
Special thanks to Pat Miller, president of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society for her help with this column.
Bob is director emeritus of the Milton Historical Society and a Member of the City of Alpharetta Historic Preservation Commission. You can email him at bobmey@ bellsouth.net. Bob welcomes suggestions for future columns about local history.
BOB MEYERS Columnist
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY: ALPHARETTA AND OLD MILTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
As a child, Louie Jones had a goat. In this 1905 photo Louie is in the public area near his home behind the courthouse. This was the area where the annual county fair, tent revivals and other popular events were held.
Louie Jones stands beside his 1938 Meteor hearse in this advertisement. The Meteor Motor Car Company began making cars in 1915 in Indiana. They pioneered direct sales of funeral vehicles to funeral homes.
This portrait of Louie Jones appeared in a March 1979 interview in the Neighbor newspaper.
OPINION
A life-changer from a Sunday phone call
“I could live my whole life, without a phone call, the likes of what I got today.”
The late Texas troubadour, Jerry Jeff Walker, spoke to me on that late January morning when my world crumbled like a week-old muffin. The above lyric from “I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight” smacked me in an unexpected way that put me into a month-long funk that I’m pretty sure I’ve crawled out of.
Thanks to Vicki, the boys and lots of friends, some sense of normalcy has returned. I’m back, but not all the way back. Melancholy, profound sadness and a big dose of “why” bewilderment, sneaks in without warning, leaving me to deal with an adjustment I never wanted to, or thought I would have to deal with.
After attending 9 a.m. mass on that cold January morning, I was nestled in the Man Cave, all set to watch the Eagles and Commanders try to get to the Super Bowl in New
Orleans. An easy, relaxing day.
The phone rang and my sister-inlaw Suzanne was calling. Cheerily, I was chipper and gave her a “Hey, what are you up to?” That’s when the whole Sunday and many days since slammed me with a “Life is really short” message.
Suzanne was crying hysterically. Not good. She told me my 64-year-old brother Matt had died in his sleep in Idaho. Totally unexpected. Matt and I had spoken Friday afternoon. In retrospect, maybe Matt knew something wasn’t right.
He insisted on staying on the phone for nearly an hour and wanted to talk about everything. We talked about family, friends, politics, business. In a quintessential “if I knew then what I know now moment,” the hour-plus call should have gone past dinner. In retrospect, his wanting to talk so long has fortified my belief that he knew something wasn’t right.
Matt’s family was shattered and I spent Sunday fielding their calls. Then there were calls from friends in Bakersfield who wanted to know what had happened.
In simple terms, Matt took a
snooze on the couch and never got up. Kenny Rogers sang “The best you can hope for is to die in your sleep” and that’s what Matt did. No suffering. No fuss. No muss.
Apparently, Matt’s heart was less-than-robust. One artery was 100 percent blocked, another more than 80 percent blocked. I keep reasoning that he had to feel bad.
My little brother was a pillar of the Bakersfield community. Social media erupted with tributes and gratitude. There were more than 1,000 messages detailing all the good he had done while operating a successful livestock/pet supply store.
As the tributes appeared on various message boards, I was profoundly proud at all the philanthropic deeds he had done. And in typical Matt fashion, the deeds were done without anything close to needing to take a bow.
He just did the right thing by a lot of people. Never wanted credit for the good he had done. That was just Matt.
My two younger brothers are no longer with us. I miss the laughs. It’s lousy being “brother-less.” Never in a million years did I think I’d be
the “last man standing.”
Friends and family have diligently been checking in, making sure I’m okay. The first few weeks were awful, filled with tearful recollections of regular phone calls. Good friend Klint Schahrer reached out and warmed my heart, saying “I’ve always considered myself your brother.” That one resulted in few more tears.
So, that’s where I’ve been for the past few weeks, not having the ability to sit down at the MacBook and write. Like the old bull rider, I needed to jump back on, and even though I’ve been thrown, I needed to ride until I got thrown again.
Through all this, even though Matt up and died without a proper goodbye, I had to be thankful for the last thing I said to him on that chilly Friday.
My last words to him: “I love you, Brother.” I meant it then and mean it now.
Mike Tasos has lived in Forsyth County for more than 30 years. He’s an American by birth and considers himself a Southerner by the grace of God. He can be reached at miketasos55@gmail.com.
MIKE TASOS Columnist
INVITATION TO BID
Milton City Council will accept sealed bids until 10:00 a.m., June 12, 2025, for the following real property located within the city limits of the City of Milton, Georgia. Property Legal Description: That certain real property identified as: Tax Parcel No. 22-4780-0964-092-3 and Tax Parcel 22-4770-0909-008-9, as described in that Limited Warranty Deed recorded at Deed Book 66583, Page 471, Fulton County, Georgia records, being 33.420 acres; Tax Parcel 22-4780-0964-091-5, as described in that Limited Warranty Deed recorded at Deed Book 66583, Page 471, aforesaid records, being 0.649 acres; Tax Parcel 22-4770-0909-048-5, as described in that Limited Warranty Deed recorded at Deed Book 66749, Page 597, aforesaid records, being 4.852 acres; and Tax Parcel No. 22-4780-0964092-3, as described in that Quitclaim Deed recorded at Deed Book 66583, Page 478, aforesaid records, being 0.168 acres; totaling 39.089 acres, more or less. Additional Property Documentation: See www.miltonga.gov/HopewellSale (the “City Website”).
Conditions of Sale : The winning bidder shall be obligated to tender $50,000 in earnest money within five (5) business days of notification of bid award, to be credited toward the purchase price at closing, together with a properly completed IRS W-9 tax form. Said earnest money shall be made payable to the City of Milton in cashier’s check or money order. If for any reason, other than the City’s inability to convey marketable title, the closing is not consummated, the City shall retain the earnest money.
No Bids under $5.159 million dollars will be considered. It is the bidder’s responsibility to review the City Website for all potential updates and Addenda.
Bid specifications may be obtained at the City Website or by contacting the City of Milton Attorney’s office, 222 Webb Street, Cumming, Georgia 30040. Telephone: 678-455-7150. To be considered, all bids MUST BE RETURNED to the same office prior to the deadline stated above. Copies of the bid specifications are also available for pick up from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Bids will be opened publicly at 11:00 a.m., June 12, 2025, at the City of Milton’s Attorney’s office, 222 Webb Street, Cumming, Georgia 30040. A ward of the bid will be made to the highest responsible bidder at a later date. Milton City Council reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Bidders and the general public are invited to attend the bid opening.
Request for Proposals
Construction Engineering and Inspection Services
RFP NUMBER
25-PW02
Proposal Due Date: April 3, 2025, 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 is requesting proposals from qualified consultants to provide Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services on various transportation improvement projects on an as-needed basis. These CEI services include project management, on-site inspections, and quality control to ensure construction meets approved plans and safety standards. These services also cover schedule and budget oversight, regulatory compliance, and project close out support. 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 RFP 25-PW02, Construction Engineering and Inspection Services will be posted on the following websites the week of March 13, 2025: 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 following variances at the time and place described below.
Date & Time: April 15, 2025, 6:00 P.M.
Location: City of Milton 2006 Heritage Walk Council Chambers Milton, Georgia 30004-6119 678-242-2500
Consideration of Primary Variance
V25-08, 13062 Bethany Road
Applicant: Ralph Davia Request:
Sec. 11.5.7.A.2 - Unified Development Code. To allow an existing home and proposed covered porch to encroach the 75-foot impervious setback.
V25-09, 315 North Court
Applicant: Ron Presswood Request(s):
Sec. 4.6.1.B. – Unified Development Code . To reduce the 7 feet minimum side yard to 4.47 feet adjacent to the north property line for a proposed garage and shop addition.
Sec. 4.6.1.B. – Unified Development Code . To reduce the 7 feet minimum side yard to 1 foot adjacent to the south property line for the remaining portion of an existing shed accessory structure after partial removal.
Sec. 4.6.1.D. – Unified Development Code . To reduce the 50 feet minimum rear yard to 0.5-foot adjacent to the east property line for the remaining portion of an existing shed accessory structure after partial removal.
Sec. 4.6.1.D – Unified Development Code To reduce the 50 feet minimum rear yard to 12.7 feet adjacent to the east property line for an existing Covered Grill and Wet Bar Accessory Structure.
Sec. 4.6.1.D. – Unified Development Code . To reduce the 50 feet minimum rear yard to 11.1 feet adjacent to the east property line for an existing Covered Patio Accessory Structure.
Locally Owned and Operated
• Pre-planning
• Funeral Services
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• Veteran Services
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770-645-1414
info@northsidechapel.com www.northsidechapel.com
During these turbulent times, we would like to highlight the continued courage and commitment of everyone who works in the health care, law enforcement, childcare, food service and utility sectors. We are extremely grateful.
12050 Crabapple Road • Roswell, GA 30075
Invitation to Bid
Branded Manhole Lid Production
ITB NUMBER
25-PW04
Bid Due Date:
April 2, 2025, by 2:00PM Local Time
Electronic submission via: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bidsrfps
Bid submissions 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 bids. If the contract is awarded, it will be awarded to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder whose bid meets the requirements and criteria set forth in the invitation for bids.
The City of Milton has recently rebranded its logo and is requesting bids from qualified vendors for the casting (molding) of storm sewer manhole lids. This bid encompasses the creation of a mold/template, manufacturing an initial batch for the City, and providing pricing for future projects requiring new or replacement lids. All qualified bids will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin. The time and terms of payment, along. with the conditions, cost of plans and specifications can be found in the solicitation of bids posted on the websites below. A bid bond of 5% is required when submitting bid response.
The request for electronic bids for ITB 25-PW04, Branded Manhole Lid Production will be posted on the following websites the week of March 13, 2025: https://www.miltonga.gov/government/finance/bids-rfps and https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/
Newspaper Delivery Route Openings with
Appen Media Group
We are looking for one person or couple interested in delivering weekly newspapers in South Forsyth, Alpharetta and the Johns Creek areas.
Requirements: Must have a perfect driving record and background check, reliable transportation, honest, hard-working and positive attitude.
For more information or to apply, email heidi@appenmedia.com and include a paragraph or two about who you are and any relevant background/experience. In the subject line of the email please put “Delivery Route Application.”
NOTICE
OF MEETINGS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR THE CITY OF MILTON
RZ25-07 – Text Amendment to Article 1 Introductory Provisions, Article 7B Deerfield Form Based Code, Article 8 Use Provisions, Article 9 Site Development and Article 13 Definitions regarding changes to development requirements, uses, signage, incentives, and the Regulating Plan (Zoning Map) for the Deerfield Form Based Code
The above item will be considered at the following meetings and public hearings:
Community Zoning Information Meeting Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Planning Commission Public Hearing Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Mayor and City Council Public Hearing Monday, May 19, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Location:
Milton City Hall – Council Chambers 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004 678-242-2540
NOTICE OF MEETINGS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR AMENDMENTS TO THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR THE CITY OF MILTON
RZ25-05 - Text Amendment to Article 8 Use Provisions, Sec. 8.2.1 Use Table for All Districts Except Form Based Codes regarding assembly hall, event facility uses.
RZ25-06 – Text Amendment to Article 2 General Provisions, Article 6 Special Purpose Districts, Article 7A Crabapple Form Based Code, Article 7B Deerfield Form Based Code, and Article Site Development 9 regarding Stormwater Facilities to correct references within the above Articles.
The above items will be considered at the following meetings and public hearings:
Community Zoning Information Meeting Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Planning Commission Public Hearing Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Mayor and City Council Public Hearing Monday, June 2, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
Location:
Milton City Hall – Council Chambers 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004
678-242-2540
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Water:
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There are a few areas where the county fails to meet its standard, typically during summer months and droughts. The county indicated that White Columns County Club and the surrounding neighborhood in Milton has its highest concentration of low water pressure in the North Fulton system.
Skipper said if the county opts not to do any capital improvements, its tanks will not be able to accommodate demand requirements and would drain to zero with maximum conditions.
Projects in the Capital Improvement Program are spread out over five phases, including 46 projects to complete the transmission main, smaller distribution pipes and storage capacity.
There are also major goals. One is to complete the transmission main, which serves as the treatment facility’s main artery for water transport, to more efficiently serve the northwest portion of the system. That area includes most of Milton and the western parts of Roswell and Alpharetta.
The transmission line zig-zags northwest from the Johns Creek treatment facility off Old Alabama Road across Ga. 400 to downtown Alpharetta and Ga. 9.
“We’ve installed previous sections of this transmission piecemeal,” Skipper said. “We’ve tried to be in coordination with transportation projects, but new projects, we’re going to do them standalone without coordination with transportation as necessary.”
She said it’s the best way county engineers could ensure they meet the phased deadlines. For example, if a project is in the 2030 phase, it needs to be completed before Jan. 1, 2031.
Another goal, which county staff considers “low hanging fruit,” is to connect distribution lines where a larger pipe crosses or abuts a smaller one. Staff said the first phase of the projects was completed last year with more scheduled for the second phase, wrapping up in 2030.
The final major goal is to get storage and capacity levels to where they need to be by 2050 with six projects planned over the next 25 years.
Additional tanks are needed to supply the Johns Creek Town Center with plans for a $560 million mixed-use development, Medley, to surround City Hall and Creekside Park.
Skipper said storage will also be increased at other existing sites.
The county also identified projects related to pump stations, which can move water and ensure consistent flow. It recommends a booster pump for Alpharetta’s storage tank, in-line stations to address low pressure areas and a connection to Gwinnett County’s system for emergencies.
Skipper said Gwinnett can already receive water from Fulton in an emergency, but the county can’t send it back without the connection.
The Board of Commissioners approved the plan without amendments. North Fulton commissioners Bob Ellis, Bridget Thorne and Dana Barrett made no comments on the measure.
