Sandy Springs Crier - April 11, 2024

Bill preps city for water talks with Atlanta

Sandy Springs rolls out Police Foundation

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Spurred by a new statewide initiative, the City of Sandy Springs has formed a police foundation that, among other things, will raise funds for a shooting range and training center.

Documents show the facility has been in the works since at least April 2021, though city officials have shared little information about the project or its new funding mechanism. Current cost estimates for the training facility sit at $37$45 million, up from a January estimate of $25 million.

The city says it intends for the foundation to be the primary funding source for the project, which would sit next door to the new police headquarters and municipal court currently under construction at 620 Morgan Falls Road.

While it has not formally launched

a fundraising campaign, the foundation has already received $49,500 in donations as of March 29.

The updated cost estimate and donation tally comes from City Manager Eden Freeman.

Construction is underway at the new Sandy Springs Police Department Headquarters and Municipal Court on Morgan Falls Road April 4. Recent documents show the city also plans to build a firing range and training center behind the complex with an estimated price tag of $3 7-$45 million.

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Atlanta Sandy Springs may renew water talks

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Sandy Springs residents, who have long complained of paying more for water services than residents of its supplier, the City of Atlanta, have a reason for optimism.

The ongoing fight for equitable water services in Sandy Springs predates the city’s incorporation.

Since it became a city in 2005, Sandy Springs has purchased its water from the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, using various systems built by different developers over the years, including some installed when the young city was part of unincorporated Fulton County.

Atlanta delivers services to Sandy Springs from its Hemphill Water Treatment Plant on 17th Street.

When the city incorporated, it sought to revise its service delivery agreement and reduce the price of water it buys from Atlanta. A 15-year legal dispute followed with no agreement reached.

Sandy Springs officials have said publicly that Atlanta is delivering services without authority.

Today, residents who get water from Atlanta facilities but live outside the city limits pay a 21 percent surcharge, which Sandy Springs officials say is unjustified.

Atlanta has a one-cent municipal option sales tax that applies to most goods purchased within the city and funds required investments to water and sewer facilities.

Sales tax defrays costs

The MOST revenues “have staved off a 25 percent increase in rates,” according to the Atlanta Watershed Management Department website.

During his biweekly report at the April 2 Sandy Springs City Council meeting, Mayor Rusty Paul said the battle between Fulton County’s two largest cities is set to gain momentum with a new bill from the Georgia General Assembly.

“Sandy Springs has been in business for 18 years,” Paul said. “We’ve never had a service delivery agreement in Fulton County during that whole time.”

While serving on a task force with the Georgia Municipal Association and Association of County Commissioners to examine service delivery strategies, Paul said he was a major proponent of “putting the teeth back in the law.”

There are about 30 jurisdictions across Georgia that have issues with service delivery strategies, but the Georgia Department of Community Affairs has yet to issue any sanctions for failing to reach an agreement, Paul said.

HB 1407 requires the department to issue sanctions if, after six months of negotiations, there is no agreement on a service delivery strategy.

Sanctioned local governments will not be eligible for state funds, federal grants issued through the state or permits. There are exceptions for natural disaster relief.

“So, it’s a pretty significant hammer,” Paul said. “It’s designed to force people who have just been blithely going along and not adhering to the SDS requirements to get serious about settlements.”

The mayor said he expects Gov. Brain Kemp to sign the bill into law sometime in May.

“This makes a number of changes to the SDS law, and that’s something we will begin probably fairly soon,” Paul said.

HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

City Attorney Dan Lee, right, says new legislation, expected to be signed by the governor in May, will push Atlanta toward a more equitable agreement for water delivery services to Sandy Springs.

The Pippin Project closes digital divide

By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — When students were forced to learn remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Yvonne David realized that some students would lose what has become necessary to succeed in the world — computers.

While her two sons used schoolissued devices, she and her husband worked from home on their computers. But, in other households, she knew the situation was more precarious.

“It became so crystal clear to me that this is something that maybe we can do something about,” David said.

So, David founded The Pippin Project, a nonprofit that refurbishes old computers and gifts them to those who can’t otherwise afford them — even in Johns Creek, an affluent city with a median household income of more than $153,000, according to 2022 U.S. Census data.

After forming connections with school social workers, David has provided around two dozen computers to students at Chattahoochee High School each year since 2021 and close to 30 to students at Decatur High School in her first year.

tions. The education system is much different there, she said, with cheaper tuition and easier inroads to obtain an advanced degree.

A formative experience for David was conducting her thesis research in Trinidad and Tobago. The country has a stable economy due to its oil and gas production, but working through its poorer communities was an eye opener for David.

“That was the first time that I was face to face with it, because in the Netherlands, I wasn’t confronted,” said David, who also serves on the board for The Netherland-America Foundation chapter in Atlanta.

The Pippin Project doesn’t just serve senior graduates, why David has opted out of grant funding — she also provides devices to students who have dropped out. She said grants often require that students seek at least an associate degree, though most require students to seek a bachelor’s.

ated, through partnerships with the Georgia Justice Project, which serves anyone affected by the justice system including those on probation or awaiting trial, and the Georgia Innocence Project, a nonprofit focusing on people who have been exonerated.

David also works with The Braille Transcribing program out of the Emanuel Women’s Facility, which teaches offenders how to translate textbooks for visually impaired K-12 students. The Pippin Project comes in when they are released into the halfway house and need their own equipment to continue working.

Returning to her previous line of work, David also provides professional development training. Right now, she is developing a curriculum for the Georgia Innocence Project alongside a professor of entrepreneurship and job training, who is based in New York.

David is originally from the Netherlands, where she earned her master’s degree in sociology of developing na-

in partnership with Georgia Native Plant Society & the Alpharetta Community AG Program Saturday, April 20 • 9am–3pm The Grove @ Wills Park • 175 Roswell Street Free parking and shuttle from the Amana Academy parking lot The popular North Fulton Master Gardeners Pass-along Plant Sale will feature more than 2000 beautiful plantings suitable for sun and shade. The North Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society will have a selection of around 2000 native perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees. The Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program will have around 5000 unique varieties of organic, heirloom, and non-GMO plants, grown from seed at Old Rucker Farm. Educational speakers, Fleatique, Children’s activities, Plant Vendors, Food Vendors, and Master Gardeners to answer your gardening questions. For more information: www.nfmg.net/garden-faire

“I don’t know the circumstances,” David said. “I know that, at the moment, there are two kids who live in a car. So, how am I going to tell them that you have to go to school?”

Early on, computers were partially collected from technology drives that David would host in collaboration with the Alpharetta-based nonprofit Green Cell. She also worked with HaulDash and eCloud Recycle for the recycling events.

But, because of the high cost associated with the process, the last recycling event was held in November 2022, and David now buys refurbished computers outright.

From the outset of The Pippin Project, David helped another demographic — people who had been incarcer -

“We try to be very, very careful and mindful, but also very mindful of our ignorance,” David said.

She said a large percentage of those she works with had been in prison for 15 to 20 years and never finished high school, so redefining what “basic” skills are for the group is kept in focus.

David was reminded of her experience working for a nonprofit in Chicago, where she helped people below the poverty line and those who had been in prison find jobs.

“It always stuck with me because companies don’t hire you because there’s a stigma,” David said, describing common assumptions about people exiting the prison system, like being capable of only lower-level jobs. “... A lot of people have more to offer.”

Appen Media Listening Tour scheduled for Forsyth County Schedule

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Staff reporters with Appen Media will be all ears at its open forum at Cherry Street Brewing in Forsyth County April 18.

The forum provides visitors the chance to offer suggestions and feedback on coverage.

Beginning at 4 p.m., staff will be onhand for around an hour or so for oneon-one conversations and a Q&A session.

May 16 – Six Bridges Brewing, Milton

June 20 – July Moon Bakery and Café, Alpharetta

July 18 – Pontoon Brewing Company, Sandy Springs

This is the fourth stop on the newsroom’s “Listening Tour,” a seven-month series touching base in each of Appen Media’s coverage areas. So far, staff have made rounds in Dunwoody, Roswell and Johns Creek, gaining valuable insight from residents on how to strengthen reporting.

All stops are open to the public and free to attend.

An RSVP is not required but appreciated. Visit appenmedia.com/join to let us know you are coming.

To donate to The Pippin Project, visit thepippinproject.org

YVONNE DAVID/PROVIDED Yvonne David is the founder of The Pippin Project, a nonprofit that provides computers to people who cannot afford them, including high school students and individuals who have been incarcerated.

Movie studios and model trains keep store running

By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — With classic rock playing in the background and Loco the golden retriever hanging out with customers, 425 Market Place embodies the historic Roswell feel.

It only took Allison Kummerfeldt of Peachtree Corners a few minutes to find a piece of uranium glass she was looking for. Sometimes called Vaseline glass for its pale yellowish-green color, uranium glass fell out of widespread use during the Cold War.

Kummerfeldt said there are only so many places in Metro Atlanta with such treasures available for purchase.

Because it glows under ultraviolet light, the glass is sought after today.

With around 7,000 square feet of retail space filled with collectibles, antiques, jewelry and consignments, Steve Funsten and Greg Lundy have something for everyone.

Lundy warned, because the pieces contain radioactive materials, do not breath in if your uranium glass breaks.

The store at 425 Market Place has three components: dealers who have rented booths and have a permanent presence; artists who re-create old things into new treasures; and consignors who sell items because they are redecorating or no longer have a need for the item.

Blue Ox Tains, which handles over 50 percent of the business at the store, took over half of the first floor after Funsten purchased the business in 2016.

The remainder of the first floor and upstairs features various booths where customers can find anything from a March 1918 picture of the Atlanta Police Department’s Bicycle Division to hand-painted porcelain vases of unknown origins.

Model trains are big

Funsten started his journey at 425 Market Place as a vendor with one case at the front of the store with just a few model trains on display.

“Then things spread, and I got a little bit more space and a little bit more space,” Funsten said.

Located in historic Roswell, 425 Market Place is housed in a lodge-looking building that began life as the retail store, Call of the Wild. Built by the Watford family some 60 years ago, it served the needs of area outdoorsman until it closed in 2005.

Funsten said a Woodstock resident, Jerry Blackledge, took over operations from the Watfords for a few years after the couple took a step back from the business.

Chris and Julia Watford still own the building and lease out space to Funsten

space requirements for indoor tracks.

“We do a lot of model train sales,” Funsten said. “We have good variety for everybody with all the consignment items, antiques, collectibles and artwork.”

Funsten said he knows why people from Tennessee and south Georgia drive to his shop.

“In a lot of places, there are not any train stores left,” Funsten. “They’re all closed down and everything has gone online, that’s kinda why I started the business.”

A lot of nearby North Fulton residents, like a New Jersey woman and her 3-yearold Roswell grandson, just like to come in to see the model railroading displays.

“Some folks like to test run things and get advice,” Funsten said. “That is the biggest thing, you order something online, and you can’t get advice.”

It should be no surprise that Funsten named his golden retriever Loco, short for locomotive.

“He’s come to work ever since he was 8 weeks old,” he said. “He’s almost 6 now and has never missed a day of work.”

Windfall from Hollywood

Besides Funsten’s Blue Ox Trains and his golden retriever, 425 Market Place also draws high-profile customers to peruse its antiques and one-of-a-kind treasurers.

and Lundy. Since the pair took over in 2016, Anna Lee’s Café and Swiss Watch & Clock Shop have moved into separated retail space in the wings of the lodge.

“I basically bought over the whole business, instead of just being a vendor here with the trains,” Funsten said.

Today, half of the first floor of the antique shop is dedicated to building model railroads and educating customers along their own journey through the complexities of the miniature train hobby.

Blue Ox Trains, owned and operated by Funsten, draws model train enthusiasts from around the Southeast for the store’s extensive selection of HO and N scale locomotives, rolling stock, structures and scenery.

The HO scale, or 3.5 millimeters to 1 foot, is the most popular modeling proportion worldwide.

The HO scale’s middle-of-the-road status provides a balance between the detail of larger model railroads and the smaller

“We get a good bit of movie set designers,” Funsten said. “All the movies going on around Atlanta… buyers will come in here and get the most off-the-wall stuff.”

He said you can’t predict what set designers are looking for. Typically trying to date a scene, some film productions buy rotary dial phones, while others need a kitchen appliance from the 1960s.

“We still have a few dealers, so we make consignment space available if someone wants to rent a booth,” Funsten said. “If we’ve got an empty booth, we will just fill it with consignment items from individuals.”

The result is an array of treasures you can’t find anywhere else.

Lundy, who works the front register and manages consignments, said some customers come in for baseball cards.

“People collect different things, so it will be random,” Lundy said. “Fortunately for us, we also get the set designers in, so we have provided materials for some of the Netflix shows and some movies.”

He said a production crew came in last week looking for items to fill a 1980s home. Because people rarely have contemporary home décor, the set designers wanted antiques from the 1960s and 1970s.

“They will buy here, as opposed to going out and buying new,” Lundy said. “Because they can find something they like at a fraction of the price.”

PHOTOS BY HAYDEN SUMLIN/APPEN MEDIA

From left, Greg Lundy and Steve Funsten, operating 425 Market Place since 2016, stand with Loco the golden retriever in front of a model train layout. Funsten said the name of his golden retriever is short for locomotive, referencing the model trains sold at the consignment and antiques store.

A look from the staircase inside of 425 Market Place April 2 shows jewelry, painting and antiques on display at the front of the store.

Common questions for the dermatologist

What factors contribute to acne?

Acne is influenced by a combination of factors, including genetics, hormonal changes, excess oil production, and the presence of acne-causing bacteria on the skin.

Lifestyle factors like diet, stress, and certain medications can also play a role. Understanding these factors is crucial in developing an effective acne management plan.

How can I treat my acne? Treating acne involves a multifaceted approach. Over-the-counter products

with ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide can help, but for more severe cases, consulting a dermatologist is essential. Dermatologists can prescribe topical or oral medications tailored to your skin's specific needs. They also provide personalized advice on skincare routines and may recommend procedures like laser therapy or chemical peels for more severe cases. Partnering with a dermatologist ensures that your treatment plan is effective, minimizing the risk of scarring and promoting long-term skin health. It's a collaborative effort to find the most suitable solutions for your unique skin conditions.

Q&A with Dr. Radhika Trivedi of Epiphany Dermatology

Dunwoody schedules drive to recycle hazardous waste

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody residents can responsibly dispose of their household hazardous waste May 4 in the parking lot of City Hall at 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Road.

Registration is only open to Dunwoody citizens, who must bring proof of residency.

The recycling drive runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 4.

Community Development Director Richard McLeod said his department and the Sustainability Committee prioritize recycling efforts every year.

“This event gives residents a way to support the city’s sustainability efforts by keeping household hazardous waste out of a landfill,” McLeod said. “We’ll also hold an electronics recycling event in the fall.”

Last year, 415 residents participated and recycled 17,060

pounds of latex paint, 3,395 pounds of pesticides, 531 pounds of antifreeze, 107 pounds of lithium batteries and 12 fire extinguishers.

Some examples of recyclable items include oil and latex paints, stains, paint thinner, automobile batteries, household batteries, motor oil, antifreeze, gasoline, diesel, household cleaners, pool chemicals, household chemicals, pesticides, flammables and corrosives.

The following will not be accepted: agricultural wastes, bio-hazardous and bio-medical waste, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials, smoke detectors, cylinders of acetylene, oxygen, carbon dioxide, helium and refrigerant gases.

To register and select a drop-off time, visit www.dunwoodyga.gov/ waste.

27th Annual Georgia Cup to feature historic match

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — An unprecedented set of competitors will headline the 27th Annual Georgia Cup April 7. PGA Tour Winner Nick Dunlap and top world amateur Christo Lamprecht will face off in an 18-hole match at The Golf Club of Georgia just days before their first appearance in The Masters. Dating back to 1998, The Georgia Cup has featured some of the world’s best up-and-coming golf talents after their triumphs in the U.S. Amateur Championship and British Amateur Championship. Previous competitors in the event include Matt Kuchar, Sergio Garcia, Edoardo Molinari, Matt Fitzpatrick, Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland.

The 27th Annual Georgia Cup is free to watch and open to the public, and all golf fans are encouraged to watch the opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. before

the 18-hole match, which begins at 9 a.m.

All proceeds from the event will go directly to Folds of Honor, a nonprofit that provides scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military as well as to the families of first responders.

The Georgia Cup and The Golf Club of Georgia Cup will announce a record donation of $400,000 in 2024 that brings the total donation in the past four years to $1 million.

“It is imperative that we support the young men and women and their families who have sacrificed to protect our freedoms and our families by serving in the military,” Golf Club of Georgia owner Ben Kenny said. “We are honored to be able to continue our support of the Folds of Honor Foundation and their scholarship recipients.”

The end of truth keeps marching forward

RAY APPEN

I have always studied history; it is one of my passions. I studied it in college, and I study it now. Now I find myself in a disturbing place. Everything tells me that “truth” as we have known it, is dead – or at least rapidly disappearing. That is a problem, a really big problem.

It is not so much that “truth” is disappearing. It is more that our access to it and our ability to disseminate it is diminishing. Why? Because of a number of factors.

Our world is now more connected than it has ever been – like in the history of the world. Ease of communication and access to information via the internet has changed everything. Part of that is good. Part is very not good.

PAST TENSE

The very not good aspect of the internet is that, in effect, because we now have access to so much information, the information that is “true” is being diluted; it is mixed in with all other information, including information that is false/not factual/not accurate/not presented in context.

In addition to this “dilution” problem, there is a compounding factor – a multiplier if you will –with the emergence of artificial intelligence, “AI.” Basically, AI will increasingly make it more difficult for us to judge what is true and what is not. Information will be generated by AI, as directed by those people and organizations who wish to advocate for their own agendas, uploaded to the internet and passed off as “true.” Some of it will be, and some of it won’t be.

AI-generated information reminds me of fusion – the merging of different elements to form another element. So, especially with AI, one can take two

things that are true, add them together; and in some cases, the result is something that is false. So much depends on context.

Increasingly, that AI-generated information will appear to be more and more “true” because that is what AI does. It accesses and processes almost “all information,” and from that universe of data, crafts new “information” that looks more like it must be factual and “the truth.” That is, it is going to get geometrically more difficult for all of us to decide if what we are reading or watching or listening to is “true” – and is in appropriate context.

The magnitude of the “problem” absolutely cannot be underestimated.

“More information” does not necessarily mean better decisions. You would think it should, but it does not – at least those decisions made by humans. We have a limited capacity to process information. Our brains can only deal with a fixed amount. So,

between the internet and AI, we are kind of toast, like sailing ships without rudders – at the mercy of weather we do not control.

Compound the internet with AI and add in “natural selection” – arguably the only true constant in any society –and where do we land? Indeed.

Is it any wonder that “democracy” as a form of government has succeeded as long as it has? A democracy based on the will and knowledge of “the people” – a plebiscite – even now as I write, just seems and feels like a remnant of the past, an aberration, an antique of some sort – certainly not an idea or a concept that is in ascent.

I hope I am wrong.

In the meantime, as this information “problem” plays out, we still have our faith to hopefully keep us on some sort of an even keel, and we will keep putting one foot in front of the other and try to make the best of it like we have always done, no?

Buckle up.

Do you remember S&H Green Stamps?

VALERIE BIGGERSTAFF Columnist

I grew up with S&H Green Stamps and other saving stamps around the house. There was a drawer in the kitchen where all the saving stamps were kept. My brother and I helped stick stamps in books until each book had the required number. The stamps were not self-adhesive. Filled books were collected until there were enough to make a purchase, usually a household item.

The only purchase I recall making for my own home with S&H Green Stamps was a coffee pot in 1982. Saving stamps continued to be part of shopping through the late 1980s.

S&H stood for the Sperry and Hutchinson Company, which began in 1896. There were several saving stamp companies. Top Value and Gold Bond stamps were also popular.

Different grocery stores gave out different stamps, and along with the product price they advertised how many stamps were given with the purchase. The program encouraged customer loyalty, as shopping decisions were often influenced by the type of saving stamps offered. The best strategy was to primarily collect one savings stamp brand, and at my house it was S&H Green Stamps.

Advertising encouraged shoppers to plan around these stamps. The September 1960 LIFE magazine features an advertisement showing a mother and son along with the line, “Merry Christmas in September,” and “I’m starting right now to save more S&H Green Stamps than ever for extra gifts to give at Christmas.”

The S&H Green Stamp Ideabook of 1966 celebrated the 70th anniversary of the company.

Women were the primary advertising target of S&H Green Stamps. S&H claims, “No wonder four out of five women who save stamps save S&H Green Stamps.” They also appeal to women with these

words, “Be smart. Be thrifty. Join the 20 million thrifty women who save S&H Green Stamps.”

Saving stamps was so much a part of shopping and culture in the 1960s, musical humorist Allan Sherman wrote a song called “Green Stamps.” He is best remembered for his song “Camp Granada,” which he performed on the Ed Sullivan Show.

In 1962, there were five redemption centers in Atlanta and the surrounding communities. The S&H Green Stamp Redemption Center on Columbia Drive in Decatur opened that year. There were also redemption centers on Piedmont Avenue, Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, Perkerson Road in southwest Atlanta, and Roswell Street in Marietta. A larger store on Peachtree Street was built in November 1962, just in time for Christmas shopping.

Redemption stores advertised the brand name of products they carried. These included General Electric, Samsonite, Spalding, Kodak, Bulova and Kodak. The company also published a catalog of items available for purchase with stamps. The catalog had different names through the years but is best remembered as the “Ideabook.” In addition to household products, S&H stamps could be used to buy toys.

If this article brings back fun or not so fun memories of saving stamps, contact me at the email address below to share your stories.

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

Publisher Emeritus ray@appenmedia.com

The famous Will Rogers had deep local roots

PRESERVING THE PAST BOB

Perhaps the two most famous Cherokee sons are Jim Thorpe (1887-1953), an outstanding athlete and Olympic Gold Medal winner, and Will Rogers (1879 -1935), a cowboy, humorist, author, actor and entertainer. They were both born in Indian Country, now Oklahoma. They knew each other and led fascinating lives. Today’s column will feature Will Rogers because of his Georgia roots.

Will Rogers was proud of his Cherokee heritage.

He would often joke, “My ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower, but they met the boat.” His father, Clement Vann Rogers (1839-1911) was a widely respected Cherokee senator and judge who helped draft the Oklahoma state constitution. Rogers’ mother was Mary America Schrimsher Rogers (1839-1890), daughter of a judge. Will was raised on his father’s 60,000-acre ranch in Oklahoma where he learned his cowboy skills from the ranch hands. Like thousands of Cherokees, many of Will’s ancestors had migrated from Georgia to Indian Country following the lndian Treaty of 1835.

A tragic death

Will Rogers died tragically on Aug. 15, 1935, in a plane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska. He and his pilot friend, the famous pioneering aviator Wiley Post, were in a modified Lockheed Orion when it stalled just after takeoff, causing the plane to nose-dive and crash into a lagoon. The two were enroute from Seattle via Alaska to the Soviet Union to chart a possible transSiberian airline route. Never a pilot himself, Will loved to fly and traveled to many countries by air.

Rogers’ death caused global shockwaves. In Atlanta, the Peachtree Christian church chimes chanted a requiem service simultaneously with Will’s funeral in Glendale, Calif., one of more than 400 such simultaneous tributes throughout the country. In Los Angeles, flags on all buildings were lowered to halfstaff.

His initial fame came because of his amazing ability to do rope tricks. It was said that he could throw three lassos simultaneously. He made 71 films in less than 14 years (50 silent films and 21 “talkies”) and was a star in Ziegfeld’s Follies. His movies were sure hits. In 1934, he was number one in the box office ahead of Clark Gable. He wrote more than 4,000 nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Famous for his humor, politicians were

PHOTO PROVIDED

Will Rogers, left, and Wiley Post with their Lockheed Orion at Renton, Washington. The pontoons had just been installed for their 1935 fatal flight to the Soviet Union via Alaska. The two were close friends. In 1931 Wiley Post was the first aviator to fly solo around the world.

among his favorite targets. His weekly Sunday article appeared in the Atlanta Journal magazine section, and a daily observation piece was carried in the newspaper. His Sunday radio program was broadcast over WSB. He was a good friend of John Cohen, president of the Atlanta Journal, who hosted a dinner in Atlanta for Will in 1931. He asked Will for some after-dinner remarks. Will spoke for 2 ½ hours “keeping his listeners doubled up with laughter,” according to a report of the evening in the Journal.

Georgia roots

My thanks to Joan Compton, board president of the Johns Creek Historical Society, and to Ed Malowney, board member of the Alpharetta and Old Milton County Historical Society, for their help with the complex Rogers family history.

Will Rogers was the great, great grandson of Thomas Clark Cordery III (born circa 1763 in St George Parish, Georgia – died circa 1840). He married a full-blooded Cherokee Indian Susannah

Sonicooie (1764-1818).

Their daughter Lucy “Betty” Elizabeth Cordery (circa 1786-circa 1895) married Robert “Bob” Rogers (circa 1785-1842), Will Rogers’ great grandfather. According to the Gwinette Historical Society, Robert and Lucy were forced to sell their land in 1829 and move their family to Oklahoma Indian Territory because the local government considered them to be Indians. That is why Will Rogers was born in Oklahoma, not Georgia.

Lucy and Robert’s son, Robert Jr. (1815-1842), who was Will Rogers’ grandfather, married Sallie (Sarah) Vann Rogers (1818-1882). She was from the Wolf Clan, the largest Cherokee clan known as protectors.

Another Cordery daughter, Sarah Cordery (1786-1842), married John Rogers Jr. (1774-1851). While Robert and John Jr. were brothers-in-law, they were not related by blood. John Jr. was Will Rogers’ great uncle by marriage.

John Rogers Jr. was a wealthy farmer with 640 acres along the Chattahoochee

THE FILM DAILY/PROVIDED Will Rogers caricature in an advertisement for the film “Down to Earth” from The Film Daily, 1932. Rogers made 71 films in less than 14 years and was one of Hollywood’s leading actors.

River. Their two-story house, built in 1804, was constructed of heart-pine timber from John’s land. It was floated across the Chattahoochee to its current location in 1819 where it still stands in the Shakerag community in today’s Johns Creek. John Jr. established a ferry across the Chattahoochee, and during the Creek Indian uprising in 1813 served on Gen. Andrew Jackson’s staff. John Jr. and Sarah had 12 children, all of whom grew to adulthood, a rarity in those days. Sarah and John Jr.’s second son, William Rogers, held leadership positions in the Cherokee Nation. He built a house in 1839 that still stands in Johns Creek.

Robert Jr. and Sarah’s son, Clement (known as Uncle Clem) Rogers (18391911), married Mary America Schrimsher (1839-1890) who was one-quarter Cherokee. They were Will’s parents. Clem owned a cattle-driving business and was one of the wealthiest men in the Indian Territory. They had eight children. The youngest was William (Will) Penn Adair Rogers, who was named after the assistant principal chief of the Cherokee Nation Colonel William Penn Adair.

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/APPEN MEDIA

A number of Will Rogers’ ancestors are buried in the Rogers–Bell Cemetery in Johns Creek. The cemetery dates back to 1839.

GARDEN BUZZ

Community Gardens & Agriculture: A Fun Way to Grow

As summer approaches, do you long to savor homegrown tomatoes and other fresh veggies but don’t have enough sun or anywhere suitable to raise a few crops? Or you do have space but aren’t sure what or when or how to plant?

When we think about agriculture, what often comes to mind are images of a farmer riding an old John Deere tractor through rows of crops on a sunny day. I grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, and I think of my mother’s garden, which must have been onequarter acre in size! We grew every vegetable, from tomatoes and potatoes to onions, dill and cucumbers. Yet, for those of us living in a suburb or city there are other gardening options.

How about renting a plot at a community garden? Gardening or farming on a small scale in a shared, public space offers fun and fulfillment. Residents have the opportunity to rent garden beds for their own gardening projects, whether it’s growing vegetables, herbs, fruits or perhaps a garden to attract pollinators or a cutting garden. Plus, if you have a question, there’s probably a friendly neighbor who can offer suggestions.

As Master Gardeners, encouraging sustainable practices among consumer horticulturalists is a priority. Proceeds from our annual Garden Faire provide scholarships and benefit community education efforts and project gardens supported by the North Fulton Master Gardeners volunteer organization.

Support for community gardens

At the North Fulton Community Garden in Sandy Springs and the GROWL Garden in College Park, local residents can rent garden plots for growing food and flowers. Here, they have the opportunity to build relationships with other gardeners of all skill levels and attend educational classes offered by UGA Extension faculty, Master Gardener Extension Volunteers and other partners. Through workshops on composting, sustainable pest and disease management, cover cropping, wildlife exclusion, and much more, community gardeners grow their gardening skills along with their plantings.

Education at Farm Chastain

Farm Chastain, situated in the middle of Chastain Park in Atlanta,

is an urban teaching farm where classes are taught hands-on, as well as via online gardening videos. Farm Chastain began in 2013 as a rehabilitation program for veterans with acquired brain injuries. Today the farm has 18 beds (and growing) and offers free classes to individuals, families, scout groups, schools, garden clubs and other groups.

Master Gardeners have been teaching on site at Farm Chastain since 2014. Classes vary from soil testing, composting at home, herb gardens, vegetable planting, container gardening and many other topics. The harvest is used for teaching purposes, and all surplus is donated to local foodbanks.

The Chastain Park Conservancy offers online gardening classes taught through a partnership with the North Fulton Master Gardeners. Orchids, container gardening, step-by-step vegetable gardening, tips for gardening

About the Author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Sandra Shave, a Master Gardener since 2018. Sandra grew up on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin and learned to garden at her mother’s knee. She is a recent transplant to Roswell, moving from Wisconsin in 2014 after retirement to be nearer to her children and most importantly her grandchildren! Sandra was co-president of the North Fulton Master Gardeners in 2022 and is excited to master the art of gardening in Georgia and to help teach others via the NFMG Gardening Lecture Series and the Speakers Bureau.

with kids, composting, soil testing, why microorganisms are important and much more valuable horticultural information can be easily accessed in gardening mini-videos. Check out the “Master Gardeners Educate at Farm Chastain” playlist on our YouTube channel.

Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program

Alpharetta’s Community Agriculture Program launched in 2018 and has been steadily growing every year!

The mission of the Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program (ACAP) is to model and inspire the stewardship of natural resources through sustainable practices, while connecting the community through growing food and nature-based education.

The City of Alpharetta operates The Farm at the city’s Old Rucker Park, a wonderful organic vegetable farm with

resources such as tools, free seeds and seedlings, educational classes and workshops, volunteer opportunities and partnerships. There’s also a community garden where residents can rent one of the 36 raised beds, including seeds and seedlings.

There’s a wide variety of learning opportunities around agricultural topics. For example, monthly classes are offered to the community, ranging from seed starting and container gardening to composting, garden journal making and wreath design.

Old Rucker Farm is located within Old Rucker Park at 900 Rucker Road, Alpharetta, GA 30009. For more information, visit https://alpharettacommunity-agriculture-program. square.site/. New programs are sprouting soon!

There are many studies that have shown the health benefits of being outside, gardening and participating in community service. These community gardening and agriculture programs supported by the North Fulton Master Gardeners and Alpharetta’s Community Agriculture program offer opportunities to do all these things.

Garden Faire

The North Fulton Master Gardeners will hold its annual Garden Faire on Saturday, April 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in partnership with the City of Alpharetta at The Grove at Wills Park in Alpharetta (175 Roswell St, Alpharetta, GA 30009). This year, the Alpharetta Community Agriculture Program will have unique varieties of organic, heirloom, and non-GMO plants, grown from seed at Old Rucker Farm. Approximately 5000 vegetable, herb, flower seedlings will be available for home gardens. They also have children’s activities.

Happy Gardening!

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

Save the Date! Garden Faire 2024 will be held on April 20, 2024, at The Grove at Wills Park. https://www. nfmg.net/garden-faire.html

SANDRA SHAVE Guest Columnist

CATHY RAPER/PROVIDED NF Master Gardeners educate at Farm Chastain

AMANDA MUSILLI/PROVIDED Fall morning at the ACAP Farm

Police:

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The Police Department announced the establishment of the nonprofit in a March 22 Instagram post.

According to the city, the new Police Foundation is geared toward providing equipment and facilities to help the Sandy Springs Police Department with public safety and community relations. It differs from the Sandy Springs Police Benevolent Fund, a nonprofit formed in 2010 to support law enforcement in times of crisis.

Sandy Springs City Councilman Andy Bauman and his wife, who already contribute to the Benevolent Fund, plan to donate to the foundation.

“This provides a conduit for citizens to essentially direct tax dollars to their local community’s police force,” Councilman Bauman said. “Big picture, there’s nothing that unifies our community, across all backgrounds, more than support for our law enforcement and all first responders.”

He also said he anticipates contributions to the foundation from across the city.

“It’s a win-win all the way around,” Bauman said.

Nearly a year in the works

Appen Media first learned of the foundation from June 2023 emails obtained through the Open Records Act. In those messages, local police officials thank members of the Atlanta Police Foundation for guidance about “starting up a non-profit fund.”

In financial account reports published in June 2023 for activity dating back to April, a new city account appeared. A few lines down from the Tree Fund and Community Development Escrow was “Qualified Law Enforcement Foundation, Inc.” with an allotted $37,500.

Documents from February 2023 show the city paid Jericho Design Group $14,000 for conceptual design of the firing range. The city’s request for the renderings can be found in documents dating back to April of 2021.

This year, in February, the line item changed in the city’s published financial reports. The account, which had grown to $40,860, was changed to “Sandy Springs Police Foundation, Inc.”

Appen sought information about the organization and its funding source from city staff over the course of a few weeks. Then, Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul announced the foundation at a March 5 City Council meeting, adding that a newly appointed board of directors had met the previous day.

Citing this public acknowledgement, Appen asked again for the organization’s purpose, funding and forma-

tion timeline. This time the newspaper added a request for the names of the board members.

In response, the city confirmed the Police Foundation met March 4. Regarding Appen’s questions about funding, formation timeline and board members, officials said it “will need to submit an open records request to get the information.”

The newspaper obtained and inspected 83 documents through more than a dozen Open Records Act requests to piece together some answers. Appen has since filed additional requests seeking more information about the firing range and training center. Those inquiries await the city’s response.

Funding sources

At a Jan. 30, 2024 planning retreat, Councilwoman Melody Kelley inquired about the future firearms training facility during a conversation about publicfacing gun ranges.

During the discussion, City Manager Freeman said the facility “is subject to fundraising…and not something we will anticipate using general fund dollars for.”

There was no mention of the city’s already paying $14,000 to Jericho Design Group for the renderings.

Also at the retreat, Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone set the estimated cost of the facility at $25 million.

But that figure has risen.

In a March 29 email to Appen Media,

Freeman, who serves as treasurer on the foundation’s executive committee, said cost estimates have changed.

“The amount mentioned at the retreat for the firearms training center was an older estimate and did not account for recent inflation, nor include site work,” she wrote. “The most recent estimate is $37-$45 million, [and] as with all estimates, those numbers will likely change before we get to construction.”

Sandy Springs Communications Director Dan Coffer said the intent is for the project to be funded through donations.

“Since the project is still in the planning stages, the funding sources have not been finalized,” Coffer said.

Sandy Springs Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Leon Millholland, who is also a director on the foundation’s Executive Committee, said officials are looking for corporate sponsors, including a Fortune 500 company he referred to at the January retreat.

Millholland said in late March that the agency has secured two federal law enforcement partners — the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration. Chief DeSimone had mentioned at the January retreat that there were federal agencies which had pledged financial support to maintain and supply the training center.

Currently, the Sandy Springs Police Department maintains a simulated munition training facility in Doraville

and contracts with Sandy Springs Gun Range on Roswell Road for its Handgun Safety classes.

Millholland said the new training facility will be available to law enforcement personnel and Sandy Springs citizens who sign up for community courses.

He also said the timeline for funding is open-ended.

“The [Police Foundation] is not only focused on the new firearms training facility, which will certainly aid SSPD officers in achieving their annual training objectives and qualifications, but it will also support other law enforcement training opportunities, equipment and community safety initiatives,” Millholland said. “As for the specific plans and designs of the training facility, they are still being reviewed, and due to safety concerns, designs and blueprints are not being released.”

Supporting public safety

Police Chief DeSimone, who is a director on the foundation’s Executive Committee, said in a March 22 Instagram post that the nonprofit provides the public with opportunities to directly support officers.

The remaining six members of the Executive Committee include Mayor Rusty Paul, chair; Councilman John Paulson, vice chair; City Manager Freeman, treasurer; police Maj. Dan Nable, secretary; police Sgt. Millholland,

PHOTOS BY CARL APPEN/APPEN MEDIA

Construction of the new Sandy Springs Police Headquarters and Municipal Court continues along Morgan Falls Road.

Police:

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director; and local businesswoman Gail Early Jokerst, director.

Other materials on the foundation’s website include an explanation of the donation process involving the Georgia Department of Revenue, details on tax credits for annual state income tax liability and a portal for contributions.

Georgia’s Law Enforcement Strategic Support Act, passed in 2022, allows individuals and businesses to donate to the foundation and receive dollarfor-dollar tax credit.

Donations to the foundation are also tax deductible on federal returns.

The tax credit program allows individuals to claim up to $5,000 of their state tax liability. Married couples and limited liability companies’ donations are capped at $10,000 annually.

The legislation also allows a qualifying corporation to claim up to 75 percent of its state income tax liability.

During the March 5 City Council meeting, Mayor Paul announced the foundation can start taking donations

Water:

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Legislations forces settlement

The Service Delivery Strategy Act, passed by the Georgia Assembly in 1997, requires Atlanta to justify charging higher rates for water services to customers in Sandy Springs.

“The SDS Act is a great law, it makes sure that there’s no duplication of services,” Paul said. “The county and the cities work out who is delivering what service to whom, who is paying for them and what sources of money are being [used].”

Paul, a former state senator and active Atlanta Regional Commission Board member, also said some judges

CITY OF SANDY SPRINGS/PROVIDED

A January 2023 map shows in blue the site of a proposed firing range and training center behind the Sandy Springs Police headquarters.

from community members.

“This is a great way to provide some extra assistance to the Police Department with some of the things they need that we might ultimately get around to

consider the revisions to the resolution process as draconian, and they are unwilling to strip state and federal funding after failed negotiations.

“It really takes away the judge’s ability to issue stays,” he said. “We kinda insisted that if you’re going to have a hammer, someone has to be able to wield it.”

City officials, including the mayor and City Attorney Dan Lee, said they are optimistic that the new legislation will speed up the process.

“The law has always had teeth, but it had been defanged,” Paul said. “The Legislature just put the fangs back in.”

Sandy Springs can start the 180day clock by giving notice to Fulton County and Atlanta. Because the existing service delivery strategy has expired, Sandy Springs officials can

DEATH NOTICES

Jimmie Cadenhead, 79, of Alpharetta, passed away on April 1, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Elissa Coalson, 89, of Milton, passed away on March 23, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

getting done,” he said. “This will accelerate some of that process.”

To learn more about the organizations and donate, visit https://www. sspdfoundation.org.

give notice to all parties and begin the nonbinding arbitration process when the law takes effect on July 1.

If Fulton County updates its 10year plan, it must initiate the process for developing a strategy, Paul said.

“This is going to be very painful for everybody when these sanctions hit,” Paul said. “Hopefully that will have the result the Legislature intended, to get people serious about working these issues out.”

Sandy Springs officials hope to settle a multi-decade-long issue of making the city’s water system more reliable, by forging a new agreement with the City of Atlanta and Fulton County.

Earlier this year at the City Council retreat Jan. 30, City Attorney Lee provided updates on the ongoing legal battle over water charges with Atlanta.

Dee Dee Cooley, 58, of Milton, passed away on March 31, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Cynda Douglas, 72, of Alpharetta, passed away on March 25, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

You can also contact Sandy Rose, the donation coordinator for the Sandy Springs Police Foundation, at 770-5516910 or sandra.rose@sandyspringsga. gov.

While the law requires the price of water services to match the cost to provide the utility, Lee said Sandy Springs residents pay a surcharge well above the cost of delivery.

Lee said he’s more optimistic about reaching an agreement after conversations with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and his staff.

Citing a $400,000 city-funded study, Lee said upgrades and repairs to Atlanta’s water system would cost $80 million, which affects arbitration.

Speaking at the April 2 City Council meeting, Lee said ongoing litigation with Atlanta centers on the previous agreement, and the new bill requires the process to start again.

“I hope that our counterparts in Atlanta can agree on the issue of water, and whatever we or the courts decide, will carry onto the new one,” Lee said.

Sandra Piper, 78, of Roswell, passed away on March 29, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.

Charlene Shirley, 86, of Alpharetta, passed away on March 30, 2024. Arrangements by Northside Chapel Funeral Directors & Crematory.