Alpharetta-Roswell Herald - March 26, 2026

Local volunteers pitch in to rebuild Wacky World

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Community

was more than just a concept for the 1,500 volunteers who helped rebuild Alpharetta’s beloved Wacky World playground at Wills Park.

On March 23, the next generation of the playground began to take shape. The sounds of power tools and worksite radio music mingled as the volunteers focused on the task at hand.

Volunteers swarmed over the worksite, performing all manner of

tasks. Some toted 2-by-4s or handed out cups of screws. Others operated heavy machinery like jackhammers and power saws.

Most everyone was getting their hands dirty.

The project is part of a $29.5 million parks bond approved by voters in 2021.

The new playground’s rubber surface, sunshades and play structures came at a cost of about $2 million with some $500,000 from donations.

See PLAYGROUND, Page 20

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Citywide road repaving is set to begin in Roswell this summer after the City Council approved a $6 million contract to complete annual resurfacing plans March 23.

The contract with Baldwin Paving will repave 46 roads and parking lots at three parks, totaling 14.2 miles. The parks include East Roswell Park, Roswell Area Park and the Crabapple Center.

Director of Transportation Andy Phlegar said signs will be posted ahead of construction to alert residents to disturbances. The city’s bond dashboard will eventually mark roads that will be repaved and include the construction timeline.

Road work must begin within 30 days of the company receiving the right to proceed from Roswell. Baldwin Paving faces fines if it does not complete the work within 120 days of the start.

A majority of the contract is funded through Roswell’s budget, with $3.1 million designated toward the repaving and another $1.6 million in bond money to repave the parks. Other funding sources include $1.1 million from the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant.

Roswell City Council signs off on $9 million for transportation work See WORK, Page 20

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Dunwoody, Alpharetta disable police portals amid records concerns

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Dunwoody and Alpharetta’s police dashboards are offline after staff realized they were publishing restricted information.

Police to Citizen (P2C) is a web tool from administrative software firm CentralSquare that cities use to post crashes and police incidents to the public.

Other agencies across Metro Atlanta use the same software, including Roswell, Sandy Springs and Johns Creek.

Dunwoody took its dashboard offline after realizing the portal was displaying restricted information such as identifying data on juvenile offenders.

POLICE BLOTTER

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

Husband allegedly injured by wife at hotel

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 37-year-old Alpharetta woman was arrested on an aggravated assault charge after allegedly cutting a man with a knife Feb. 20.

CUSTOM FRAMING

Alpharetta police said officers were dispatched to a Windward Parkway hotel about 11 p.m. An Alpharetta man inside a room told officers his wife burst into the room and cut him with a knife, police said.

The man told police his wife, who he has an open marriage with, became upset while he was spending time with another woman.

The wife allegedly entered the room, threw objects and cut his hand with a serrated kitchen knife.

Officers observed a cut on the man’s

The city said it first notified CentralSquare of the issue in December.

The company said the issue was fixed, but city staff noticed the information was still being posted, so Dunwoody deactivated the site in mid February, pending further review.

Alpharetta’s has been down since late 2025.

Alpharetta is currently moving database services to Hexagon, which provides computer-aided dispatch and other digital police services. The contract with Hexagon was approved in 2023 and driven by a desire for a more-efficient open records process, Alpharetta staff said.

Implementation of the new service remains ongoing.

Alpharetta officials said they noticed

hand, police said. He declined treatment. Police arrested the 37-year-old woman, transporting her to the Alpharetta Detention Center.

— Jon Wilcox

Fake fraud report scams woman out of $24,000

ROSWELL, Ga. — Police responded to a fraud incident March 17 after a Roswell woman reported withdrawing $24,500 from her bank account at the instruction of a supposed SunTrust bank employee.

The victim received a phone call saying she had been a victim of fraud, citing the problem as an internal bank issue. She was instructed to withdraw $24,500 from her account and meet with an individual from the FBI.

After withdrawing the money from a bank on Shallowford Road, the victim went to a Truist bank on Sandy Plains Road where she placed the money in the backseat of a black Chevrolet sedan and gave the driver the PIN to her bank account.

When police contacted the victim, she showed a pending withdrawal of

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the same issue as Dunwoody, with the portal displaying restricted information.

In 2025, Dunwoody paid CentralSquare $91,237 for services.

As of now, the city has not indicated plans to switch providers, and it expects to pay the company $122,794 this year.

Alpharetta budgeted about $230,000 this fiscal year for CentralSquare and $240,000 for 2027.

It is unclear whether the Alpharetta’s switch to Hexagon will include a public dashboard of events, as CentralSquare’s Police to Citizen service did.

For now, both cities recommend residents who wish to learn about local public safety incidents file open records requests.

$24,500 from her bank account. Police told her to report the incident to her bank immediately and secure her account.

— Hannah Yahne

Police investigate alleged Amazon fraud

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A 41-year-old Alpharetta woman reported she was defrauded of thousands of dollars when her Amazon account was allegedly hacked.

Alpharetta police said the woman reported the alleged fraud Feb. 23. The incident was classified as a felony fraud of a person.

The woman said she noticed about 500 new emails Feb. 22. The emails were from websites and thanked her for subscribing.

She also noticed several emails confirming recent Amazon purchases. Fraudulent purchases totaled $2,667. Some of the purchased items were sent to her home address, but others were forwarded to another location.

— Jon Wilcox

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Alpharetta police propose new city charges

The Alpharetta Police Department is proposing the revision and addition of a number of municipal level crimes.

Revisions:

Sec. 30-5 Firearms

Sec. 30-7 Urban camping and improper use of property

Sec. 30-85 Loitering for the purpose of engaging in the solicitation of sex acts

New:

Sec. 30-9 Discharge of bows or crossbows

Sec. 30-10 Hinderance of a police officer

Sec. 30-11 False representations to police or to any city department, employee or agent

Sec. 30-12 Entering automobile

Sec. 30-13 Loitering or prowling

Sec. 30-14 Petty trespass

Sec. 30-15 Street racing and reckless driving exhibitions

Sec. 30-16 Vandalism

Sec. 30-17 Aggressive panhandling

Sec. 30-19 Public drunkenness

Sec. 30-20 Electric bicycles

Sec. 30-21 Avoiding a traffic sign, signal, or light

Sec. 30-23 Public urination or defecation

Sec. 30-24 Creating a disturbance at schools

Sec. 30-86 Loitering for the purpose of engaging in drug-related activity

Sec. 10-450 Temporary sales

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Police Department says the creation of more than a dozen municipal-level criminal charges would allow it to administer justice more efficiently and effectively.

During a special March 23 Alpharetta City Council meeting, Police Chief Trent Lindgren proposed adding 16 new crimes and revising three others to the municipal code. The new charges include a variety of low-level crimes such as vandalism, aggressive panhandling, public urination and trespassing.

“The city ordinances allow us to keep local control and allow us to address these behaviors,” Lindgren said.

Council members took no vote after the presentation, and the police chief said he expects city staff to make adjustments before bringing the proposal back for a formal council vote. The move follows the city’s December reopening of a jail vacated by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

Alpharetta police currently seek state-level charges for those offenses, resulting in longer court processing times and permanent records for minor crimes, Lindgren said.

That’s important because state

courts and prosecutors with large backlogs may result in long delays or dismissed charges.

“These lower-level crimes, they just jam up the (state) court system,” the police chief said. “Or they don't get prosecuted, or they don't get prosecuted for years on end.’

The municipal charges would be prosecuted by a city attorney and tried by a municipal judge. Lindgren said that approach will result in more timely adjudication, more follow through and better deterrence.

“If you can do something and not get in trouble for it, then it just goes unaddressed,” he said.

Municipal charges also would prevent offenders from being saddled with long-term criminal records for minor crimes.

Many of the city charges would be ticketable offenses while similar statelevel offenses would be misdemeanors. A judge could impose a jail sentence for some crimes, the police chief said.

Lindgren said he understands people make mistakes, and it is important to hold them accountable without saddling them with criminal records.

“They're not necessarily criminals per se, but they're making bad decisions, and you want to be able to address those bad decisions,” he said.

New plan calls for hockey-centered overhaul of North Point Mall

By JON WILCOX jon@appenmedia.com

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A North Point Mall redevelopment plan calls for a 20,000seat hockey arena, a performing arts center, hotels, and a variety of mixeduse amenities in an area city officials have long described as underutilized.

Submitted by Jamestown, the developer responsible for Ponce City Market, the plan redefines the aging mall as an expansive sports district that could be anchored by a new National Hockey League franchise. Jamestown entered into a partnership with the mall property owner, New York Life, in February.

The project is competing with a similar plan in Forsyth County to attract a national hockey team to a $2 billion mixed-use arena development, known as The Gathering at South Forsyth, off Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road near Ga. 400.

For years, city officials have expressed a desire to revitalize the North Point Mall area. Opened in 1993, the mall was once a premier shopping destination in Atlanta but has struggled to attract visitors.

Since 2019, the taxable real estate value of nine mall parcels has fallen by about 47 percent.

DRIVEWAYS & CONCRETE

CITY OF ALPHARETTA/PROVIDED

A redevelopment plan reinvisions North Point Mall as a bustling sportsentertainment district anchored by a hockey arena.

The new plan for the mall would transform the property, bringing major entertainment, shopping, residential and office assets. It would leverage access to nearby Ga. 400 and connectivity to the Alpha Loop.

In addition to the hockey arena, amenities include a 2,000-seat community

hockey rink, a 500-seat movie theater, 45,000-square-foot hotel conference center, 400-room full-service hotel, 300room hybrid hotel, a 150-room hotel, 750,000 square feet of office, 1,385 for-rent homes, several parking decks and 22 acres of public parks, plazas and multi-use trails.

DRIVEWAYS

In its application, Jamestown said the plan represents a unique vision for the area, unlocking its full potential.

“The design-driven approach to North Point Mixed Use District reflects Alpharetta’s high standards, curates a dynamic and balanced mix of uses, and preserves the North Point area as a regional destination for future generations,” Jamestown's application said.

The proposal comes months after the approval of a tax allocation district for the area, which could drive redevelopment. The Alpharetta City Council approved the district in November.

With participation by Fulton County and Fulton County Schools, the tax allocation district could generate more than $950 million over 30 years, according to current estimates. Without their participation, the city’s contribution would amount to about $153 million.

“North Point Mixed Use District is a year-round destination offering a robust lifestyle every day and a game-day experience with uses to create a place that is consistently active and economically resilient,” Jamestown's application said. “It aligns with Alpharetta’s vision of creating the highest quality environment, fostering a strong sense of community, and attracting top-echelon companies.”

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North Fulton Community Charities names new president

ROSWELL, Ga. — North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC) appointed Amy Gates Stroud, Ph.D. as its next president, bringing her nearly three decades of leadership experience to the nonprofit.

Gates will lead NFCC’s strategic direction, operational management and community engagement efforts as the organization continues its mission of helping individuals and families overcome hardship and achieve financial stability.

NFCC has served the North Fulton community for more than 40 years and is recognized as a trusted resource for families in need through programs that include food assistance, financial aid, clothing support, workforce development and other essential services.

Gates currently serves as associate vice president for strategic partnerships and development with an Atlanta nonprofit supporting high school education, where she is part of the national leadership team supporting the organization’s expansion and operational strategy. Gates served as the inaugural executive director of the Roswell Arts Fund when it was founded in 2014.

“Dr. Gates stood out throughout this search process for her depth of nonprofit leadership experience, strategic mindset and clear passion for community service,” said Matt Powell, chair of the NFCC Board of Directors. “The board is confident that Amy will help guide North Fulton Community Charities into its next

chapter while continuing to strengthen the programs and partnerships that make NFCC such an important community resource.”

As president, Gates will serve as NFCC’s chief executive officer, providing strategic leadership across the organization’s programs, operations, fundraising and community partnerships while working closely with the Board of Directors to guide the organization’s longterm strategy and growth.

Gates holds a Ph.D. in public policy and administration with a focus in nonprofit management and leadership along with advanced leadership credentials and graduate degrees in education and speech-language pathology. Her career has been defined by a commitment to mission-driven organizations, cross-sector partnerships and innovative program development that creates measurable community impact.

She is actively engaged in civic and nonprofit leadership in the region, including board service with several community organizations in Roswell and Metro Atlanta. Gates will begin her role as president of North Fulton Community Charities on April 13.

“North Fulton Community Charities plays a vital role in helping families navigate difficult circumstances and move toward stability and opportunity,” said Gates. “I look forward to building on NFCC’s strong foundation and advancing its mission to support individuals and families across our community.”

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Sandy Springs amends policy to allow motorcycle chases

By CARL APPEN carl@appenmedia.com

SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Police Department has amended its rules for vehicle pursuits, now allowing officers to chase motorcyclists.

The move expands a policy that was already more aggressive than surrounding jurisdictions, according to a 2025 analysis by Appen Media.

The reporting indicated that the previous year Sandy Springs officers had engaged in more than twice the number of chases than police in Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Roswell combined, based on interviews and an analysis of public records.

According to a department report recently obtained by Appen Media, the agency updated its policy in October to allow officers to pursue motorcycles.

A police spokesperson said there wasn’t a specific incident that spurred the change.

“No reason in particular other than a policy review and update,” the spokesperson told the newspaper. Law enforcement officials agree that the decision to pursue fleeing motorists is a balancing act; departments must weigh the risk for officers, suspects and bystanders against the danger of not apprehending the suspect at that time.

How Sandy Springs police make that calculation is what sets them apart from neighboring cities.

Alpharetta, Roswell and Dunwoody policies prohibit officers from pursuing vehicles based on traffic charges alone. Following the Department of Justice’s guidance, Alpharetta and Roswell also say pursuits should be avoided if it’s evident the suspect could be apprehended at a later time.

Sandy Springs relies on a more situational approach, allowing pursuits based on the “totality of circumstances.”

In 2024, Alpharetta reported five police pursuits, Roswell documented 10

The aftermath of pursuit along Ga. 400 and I-285 in 2024 shows a Sandy Springs Police Department patrol car pinning a suspect’s Volkswagen against the median barrier. The city has expanded its chase policy to allow pursuing motorcyclists.

and Dunwoody logged two.

Sandy Springs officers engaged in at least 41 car chases in 2024, according to an Appen Media analysis. They logged another 39 in 2025, the department said in its annual report.

Those figures are up from 2023, when Sandy Springs reported 17 pursuits.

Department officials attributed the rise to a “major policy change" in 2024.

The amended policy allowed for more discretion or freedom for officers, allowing them to pursue a fleeing vehicle

if they have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed or is about to occur.

The October change further expanded that allowance.

The city does not shy away from its practice of pursuing vehicles and using Precision Intervention Techniques, or PIT maneuvers.

The Sandy Springs Police Department has published footage of some its chases, ending in box-ins or PIT maneuvers, on social media.

“When running from the police,

do not enter Sandy Springs,” the said in a January Instagram post showing an SSPD officer PIT-ting a chevy on Peachtree Dunwoody Road.

The officers won’t be totally unaccustomed to chasing suspects on two wheels, however.

In one incident from February 2025, Sandy Springs police tried to pull a bicyclist over for riding without a bike light. When the suspect allegedly failed to stop, two police cars got on either side of him. Eventually, a spokesperson told Appen Media, “he gave up.”

Mimms Museum unveils major Apple exhibit at BYTE26

By JAMIE GODIN newsroom@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — Roughly 330 people filled the Mimms Museum of Technology and Art in Roswell March 21 for the fifth annual BYTE fundraiser featuring a sneak peek at an expansive new exhibit dedicated to Apple Inc.

The fundraiser, known as BYTE26, blended a formal gala atmosphere with a preview of the museum’s next major step: "iNSPIRE: Fifty Years of Innovation from Apple," a sprawling exhibition exploring the company’s history and cultural impact. Guests were welcomed with a cocktail reception before moving into a dinner program as a violinist moved through the room.

Beyond the evening’s programming, the event underscored a broader ambition for the museum, one extending far beyond a single exhibit.

Founded by Lonnie and Karin Mimms, the museum has grown from a private collection of computing artifacts into a public-facing institution focused on preserving the history of technology and its influence on modern life.

“[Lonnie] wanted to preserve technology that was being thrown away so that it could be here for generations and inspire future generations,” Karin Mimms said.

The new Apple-focused exhibit represents one of the museum’s most ambitious undertakings. Spanning more than 20,000 square feet and featuring thousands of artifacts, the exhibition traces the evolution of personal computing through products, prototypes and archival materials.

Among the items on display is the Apple I, the hand-built machine that marked the company’s earliest days and helped launch the personal computing era.

For March 21 attendees, the exhibit offered a look at technology and a connection to the people behind it. Several early Apple figures were present, including Ronald Wayne and Randy Wigginton, turning the event into a living history of the company’s earliest days.

Among them was Chris Espinosa, one of Apple’s earliest employees, who recalled being 15 years old and working on an Apple I in a Palo Alto shop when Steve Jobs walked in.

“He asked if I was any good,” Espinosa said. “And then he offered me a job right there.”

Moments like these gave the evening a sense of immediacy, bridging the gap between the artifacts and the people who helped create them.

Proceeds from the event support the

institution’s educational programming, preservation efforts and continued expansion. Organizers emphasized that only a fraction of the full collection is currently on display, with plans to grow both the exhibit space and its offerings over time.

The evening also featured live and silent auctions, with proceeds contributing directly to the museum’s ongoing development. As guests moved through the space, the scale of the museum’s ambitions became clear as a turn around every corner of the Apple wing revealed another carefully curated room.

BYTE26 was more than a fundraiser — it was a statement of intent. By giving guests an early look at the Apple exhibit, the Mimms Museum showed that Roswell could be a hub for experiencing the stories and innovations that shaped modern technology. The exhibit opens to the public April 1.

Georgia High Court sends Milton liability suit back to appeals

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — After review, the Georgia Supreme Court clarified standards of municipal liability in case of the City of Milton v. Chang and sent it back to a lower court for reconsideration.

The opinion, handed down March 12, limits a city’s responsibility to provide safe travel to roadways intended for ordinary use, and does not extend to areas outside of lanes of travel that may fall within the right of way.

Now, the case is back before the Court of Appeals to be considered with the guidance provided by the state’s high court.

“While the ruling is still under review with legal counsel, the city’s initial impression is that it is highly favorable to Milton’s residents and taxpayers,” the City of Milton said.

In 2023, a Fulton County State Court jury found the City of Milton liable for the wrongful death of 21-year-old Josh Chang and ordered the city to pay more than $32 million in damages. Chang died in a single-car accident in 2016 after his car struck a concrete planter on the shoulder of Batesville Road in Milton.

The city appealed, but in 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the decision and ordered Milton to pay postjudgment interest that accrues at roughly $10,000 a day.

Last year, the state Supreme Court agreed to review the decision, and more than 60 cities across Georgia responded by signing onto a friend of the court brief supporting Milton in the lawsuit.

If upheld, the decision would have expanded municipal liability to include any object in the right of way, the cities say.

Staff will continue consulting with city attorneys to determine next steps.

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Disabled adults find kinship at Champions Place

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

ROSWELL, Ga. — For Alison Schwab, living at Champions Place in Roswell alongside 13 other physically disabled young adults is the college experience she never had.

“This has been adulthood with training wheels, and it’s been really nice to have this safety net and knowing that all of these people have my back,” Schwab said.

Schwab has grown up alongside most of the residents since she was 11 and started playing wheelchair sports with them through the Titan Program, another arm of the Champions Community Foundation.

The Champions Community Foundation was founded in 2009 by Rick Thompson to fight the isolation and depression that young adults with conditions, such as cerebral palsy or spina bifida, can face after aging out of high school.

Two of Thompson’s three kids were born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy – his daughter passed away when she was 3. Matthew, his second son, was once expected not to live past 10, but is now in his 30s.

When Matthew was nearing the end of high school, Thompson found his life’s calling starting the Titan Program which has grown to offer wheelchair sports and social events to more than 130 individuals. That turned into a dream of offering people in this community a safe and accessible independent living environment.

The importance of this is amplified during March, National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. In 2024, nearly 500,000 Georgians ages 15 and older were living with a disability that impacts their independent living abilities, according to the Center for Research on Disability. Nationally, that number raises to 16.2 million individuals with independent living disabilities.

Thompson said people have come from across the country to see what Champions Place offers and walked away crying once they see that independence is possible for their loved one.

The Champions Place Foundation has a partnership with Georgia Tech and Google through which they’ve donated assistive technology that helps residents control their fans, televisions, lights and make hands-free calls.

Thompson recognized that the ability to live independently is something they had to share with others who aren’t living at Champions Place. So, they launched Champions Place @ Home and have equipped 54 homes with physically

challenged young adults with the same technology.

“For the first time, the parents in this community are going places and seeing things because they can,” Thompson said. “Because of the infrastructure and support, they’re not worried about it.”

Since opening in 2020, Champions Place offers a social hub to those involved in the Champions Community Foundation. Volunteers host monthly events, such as trivia and movie nights, and they throw holiday parties and fundraisers on-site.

For those unable to make in-person events, the nonprofit created Champions Community Connect, an online option for people to participate in Bible studies and bingo nights. They offer an “Around the World” series that teaches about different cultures by “traveling” to various countries – next month is the Galapagos Islands.

“So, if you are a physically challenging adult and you’re in the Metro Atlanta area, you instantly have a community where you can … just be together,” Thompson said.

The building contains four residential

“quads,” each with four bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchenette, laundry machines and television. Common spaces are spread throughout the house, such as fire pits, dining area, family room and kitchen.

Volunteers host events in the family room, like group workouts or karaoke, or invite residents out to play adaptive golf and other sports.

“We’ve changed their lives and their parents’ lives,” Thompson said. “And there’s over 500 volunteers a year that have changed perceptions and all that, but it doesn’t stop there.”

Most of the residents at Champions Place are employed, mainly at retail or customer service jobs. Thomspon said the residents have learned that they can have purpose through jobs, through volunteering and community.

“It’s words like self-reliance, selfesteem and purpose,” Thompson said. “They are fiercely independent – they almost brag about it.”

The independent living community has plans to expand resident capacity by 40 percent by late 2027. Plans for a new two-story building will offer four

more resident rooms and two in-house staff apartments. Thompson plans to have two occupational therapy students from Georgia State on call overnight in exchange for apartment housing at Champions Place.

With this addition, Thomspon said they’re going to welcome six new families.

The Champions Place Foundation is fundraising $4 million to construct the new living space, and Thompson said they’re at about 75 percent of that goal in nine months.

“Sometimes I think we’re in the hope business,” Thompson said. “We give people hope. They’re in despair and we give them hope.”

It’s all laughter and chit chat when residents gather in the family room. They joke with one another and greet volunteers as they come and go from the building. Despite residents’ ages spanning from 26 to 42, they’ve bonded through their shared experiences.

“I’m not related to them by blood, obviously,” resident Josh Cusick said, “but I do think of them as my chosen family.”

SPORTS

West Forsyth girls lacrosse beats Milton for first time

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

CUMMING, Ga. — West Forsyth girls lacrosse beat Milton 12-9 for the first time in program history March 18.

Both teams came in undefeated. It was a meeting of two reigning champions from Divisions 2A and 3A.

It was Milton’s third loss to a program in Georgia in 10 years, but the second in the last two seasons after losing to Cambridge 8-7 last March.

Milton takes their first loss since April 4, 2025, after never leading in the 48 minutes of regulation against West.

The Wolverines got out to a 5-0 lead before the Eagles got on the board, and the smallest deficit after the first quarter was two goals in the final frame and lasted just over 30 seconds.

The Eagles were able to go on a four-goal run in the second half, building momentum from an earlier two-goal streak in the second quarter. West fired back with two straight from sophomores Bryce Birkholz and Luca Diehl.

Milton attacker/draw taker Lillian Katula then scored the last goal of the game to complete her hat trick. The Penn commit and her younger sister Caroline – who posted two goals – were the only Eagles to score more than once.

West head coach John Kiefer has been with the Wolverines for nearly a decade and reflected on the program’s first time besting a national powerhouse like Milton.

“I think one of the biggest things is over the nine years that I’ve been doing this, we have finally reached the pinnacle of where we can compete with the best teams in the nation, just because we have some of the best players,” he said. “I knew [Milton] wasn’t going to quit no

matter how many goals we got up on them. I knew they were gonna make a run, and when they did, I think it came down to the adjustments we made.”

Senior Bryn Birkholz posted four goals and went 13-for-24 in the circle. The midfielder was named a USA Lacrosse All-American last season. Two Eagles – attacker Kylie Waters and defender Ava Thompson –received the same honor.

When asked what contributed to her success against Milton, the University of South Florida commit pointed to how her team played as a whole and how she had faith in goalie Anna Bastow to show up in the biggest moments.

“I just knew in a competitive game, she’s going to pull it out for us,” Birkholz said. “I think we’re just so excited [about making program history] and we’re going to take this into practice tomorrow and we’re reaching even higher.”

Bryn’s younger sister Bryce, a sophomore, contributed two goals and four draw controls. Maryland commit Avery Jones put up one goal and two assists.

Introduced earlier this month, a new recruiting website called Prep Girls Lacrosse has West sophomore Luca Diehl ranked as the No. 2 player in the country of her class. Diehl posted a hat trick even when at times double teamed by the Eagles.

“When we see the name Milton and see that they’re ranked higher than us, it just brings out the fire in us that we can really come out there and get it done,” she said. “We’ve worked really hard, day after day, we come home tired from practice and today we proved to them who we are and what we can do.”

Diehl said it’s always a compliment to be face guarded and looks forward to making a run for the school’s second state championship.

Metro area athletes punch their tickets to March Madness

By ANNABELLE REITER annabelle@appenmedia.com

NORTH METRO ATLANTA — Atlanta has a reputation as one of the best cities for basketball in the country. It shows when you look at the hometowns of the players competing in March Madness.

No. 1 seed Duke University is the betting favorite to win a title and has one Chattahoochee alum on the roster – graduate student Cameron Sheffield. Oddsmakers have given the Blue Devils’ odds of winning a championship at +300.

Sheffield is from Alpharetta and played for Rice University for three years after winning a 6A state championship at Chattahoochee in 2020. The forward has been in Durham for the past two seasons.

Rival UNC, a six seed which dropped out of the tournament in the first round, also has an Atlanta-area player. Holy Innocents alum Caleb Wilson is expected to be drafted in the first round this year.

One Milton graduate who had his jersey retired this year mader his first tournament appearance as a senior. Ohio State guard and program leading scorer for the Eagles and Buckeyes Bruce Thornton won a 7A title in 2021. Before dropping its second-round match to Nebraska, Vanderbilt had two area players on this year’s roster that went all the way to the SEC tournament championship. Guard Chandler Bing is a freshman and alum of Pace Academy.

Senior Devin McGlockton scored his 1,000th career point for Vanderbilt in December 2025. He attended South Forsyth High and left as the all-time leader in points and rebounds. He played two years at Boston College prior to transferring to Vanderbilt. He averaged 18 points a game his junior and senior years at South and also played tight end for the War Eagles.

His sister Hannah is the varsity volleyball coach at Denmark High School and is an alum of Georgia Southern. Their uncle Chester McGlockton played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Raiders, Chiefs, Broncos and Jets.

Another SEC player with ties to this area is Tennessee forward Cade Phillips. Phillips grew up in Alabama, but nearly transferred to Wheeler High during school. From seventh to twelfth grade, he competed with a club basketball program in this area called The Skill Factory.

The Skill Factory’s 2023 team boasted nine players who went on to get Division I scholarships – including Naismith National Player of the Year

Isaiah Collier and SEC football players LT Overton and Bryce Thornton, Bruce’s younger brother.

Texas Tech sophomore guard Christian Anderson Jr. is from Atlanta and attended Lovett before transferring to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Anderson’s father Christian Sr. was a professional basketball player in Germany.

Anderson has competed internationally with team Germany since 2022. He has taken home several honors this season including Player of the Week and was recently named a third-team AP All-American.

Clemson freshman Zac Foster also had an offer from another ACC school, Virginia Tech, during his senior year at Woodward Academy. The 20242025 War Eagles made it to the state championship, falling to region rival Tri-Cities.

Furman freshman Owen Ritger grew up in Atlanta and attended Marist School. He was ranked by Prep Hoops and Sandy’s Spiel as the No. 4 Power Forward in Georgia for his class.

North Dakota State freshman Riley Saunders is from Sandy Springs and went to Landmark Christian Academy. The guard averaged 15 points a game in his senior year.

Lehigh freshman Caleb Thomas hails from Atlanta and attended Pebblebrook High School before transferring to Combine Academy in North Carolina. He maintained a 4.0 GPA in high school.

On the women’s side, No. 1 seed South Carolina boasts two alumni of Westlake High School in Atlanta, seniors Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson. The pair spent three years together before Latson finished her high school career at Miami Heritage High School where she won Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida.

While in Atlanta, Latson trained under Bernard Pitts. Latson was ranked the top shooting guard in the class of 2022.

Latson transferred to South Carolina this year after three honorable mentions to the All-American list at Florida State. She is already signed to the new three-on-three league in Miami called Unrivaled, founded by UConn alumni Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Johnson drew attention after being waived off defensively by Caitlin Clark in the 2023 Final Four. She fired back the next season with a defensive intensity that couldn’t be ignored.

As a senior in high school, Johnson was the first ever woman to play in the men’s McDonald’s All-American game after winning Atlanta Tipoff Club and the AJC’s Player of the Year award two

straight years. Westlake won four state championships while she was there. She posted a 116:35 assist-to-turnover ratio her senior year according to the AJC.

Johnson was the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2022 and the top point guard. She won a silver medal with Team USA in the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

The University of Southern California has had a down year with their star guard Juju Watkins out with an ACL injury. Last season, they had a No. 1 seed going into the tournament before Watkins injured her knee in the second round. This year, they drew a nine seed and dropped their secondround match against South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.

The Trojans have one area player on their roster, senior Kara Dunn, who played basketball and volleyball for Mount Paran Christian and grew up in Dallas, Georgia.

She transferred to USC this season after three years at Georgia Tech, where she made the All-ACC first team last year. Dunn averaged 15.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game this season.

Her mother Stephanie played for UGA, and Kara grew up with her father as her basketball coach. She won two Region Player of the Year awards and was Atlanta Tipoff Club Metro, Sandy’s Spiel and Georgia Athletic Coaches Association’s Player of the Year in 2022. She was the No. 2 recruit in Georgia her senior year.

LSU is looking for their second title in four years, earning a two seed for this year’s bracket. Star guard Flau’Jae Johnson – the No. 1 recruit in Georgia in 2022 – attended Sprayberry High School after growing up in Savannah. The Tigers are eager to get a second championship for Flau’Jae’s final year with the team.

Flau’Jae was also trained by Bernard Pitts. She is projected to be drafted in the first round in this year’s WNBA draft alongside Latson and Raven Johnson. She is averaging 13.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game this season and is shooting a career-best 40.2 percent from deep.

Syracuse freshman Justus Fitzgerald graduated from Norcross High School, transferring there after two years at Roswell High. Her brother Michael Fitzgerald III was an all-state wide receiver for the Hornets and spent time at UMass, Central Missouri University and the University of Wyoming.

Ole Miss sophomore Tianna Thompson is from Atlanta and went to the Galloway School where she was the first girls basketball 2,000 point scorer

in program history. She transferred to Ole Miss this year from Georgia Tech, where she shot 41.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Her father Rich was a three-time AllAmerican at Georgia Tech and made the Olympic trials for long jump and triple jump, earning him a spot in the GT Hall of Fame. Tianna was a two-sport athlete in high school, competing in the long jump.

Two St. Francis graduates are competing in March Madness. Several of their former teammates are on Division I teams at St. Mary’s and Georgia Tech but are missing the tournament.

Clemson senior Mia Moore is from Alpharetta and recorded St. Francis’s first ever quadruple-double with 15 points, 11 assists, 10 steals and 10 rebounds. She also holds the school record for steals with 500.

She started her college career at Mississippi State for two years and then moved on to UAB. There, she recorded 13 double-doubles and scored 20 or more points in 26 games.

She averaged the fifth-most rebounds in the conference, earning her an offer from Clemson where she is in her second year with the program. Last season, she led the Tigers in 3-point shooting with a 41.6 percent clip.

Southern University junior Anaja Hall from Alpharetta was a two-sport athlete at St. Francis in volleyball. She spent one year at Alabama State before transferring to Southern.

At Alabama State, she was ninth in the conference averaging nearly 2 blocks per game. She averaged 2.5 a game as a senior in high school.

Princeton junior Olivia Hutcherson is from Johns Creek and attended Holy Innocents. She was a multi-sport athlete earning varsity letters all four years of high school in basketball and soccer and is a College Board AP Scholar.

Hutcherson is averaging 11 points and 5.7 rebounds per game and has brought home Player of the Week honors for her conference.

Her younger brother Devin just reopened his recruitment after previously committing to Belmont University. Their father played basketball for Samford and the University of Alabama.

Oklahoma State graduate student Wilnie Joseph is from Atlanta, attending both Roswell and Johns Creek high schools before graduating from Whiteland High in Indiana.

Joseph played for Labette Community College for two years, then the University of Louisiana for one year, and transferred to OSU this year from McNeese.

Summer Camps

From imagination to applause

Spend your summer break with the Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre, where creativity, confidence, and collaboration take center stage. Whether your child wants to try something new or already loves the spotlight, our weeklong theatre camps offer the perfect opportunity to explore their imagination and develop their potential in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment.

At the Alliance Theatre, we believe the journey of learning is just as important as the final performance. Our camps focus on the creative process. Through acting, movement, storytelling, and ensemble work, campers build skills that go far beyond the stage. Camps are offered in Musical Theatre, Acting, Camera Acting, Design,

and Improv, and offerings vary by location. All camps culminate in a short showcase performance for family and friends, celebrating each camper’s creativity and growth throughout the week.

Guided by experienced teaching artists, campers of all experience levels are welcomed. The low student-toteacher ratio provides a supportive space for each camper to grow and shine at their own pace.

This summer, let your child discover the joy of theatre at the Alliance.

Alliance Theatre Drama Camp is offered at 14 locations around Metro Atlanta, including Milton at Milton High School. This location offers camps June 1 – 12 for rising Grades 1-8.

For more information, visit alliancetheatre.org/camps or call 404733-4466.

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 23 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.

A return to oral medications?

From spray sunscreens to creams, ointments, lotions, and foams, dermatologists love the fact that we can often recommend products and treatments that don’t require systemic exposure. When a patient must take a pill or receive an injection, the entire body is exposed, which increases the risk of side effects compared with most topical treatments.

Sometimes, however, a pill is exactly the breakthrough treatment we’ve been waiting for. Many people are unaware of the creative and innovative oral treatments now available to treat skin conditions.

What follows is a brief overview of some of dermatology’s oral medication trends and highlights. Some of these medicines are “off-label” or are supplements. Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of any of these options with a dermatologist before starting treatment.

We start off with “melasma,” a condition in which an individual’s face develops stubborn dark patches. Traditional topical medications like hydroquinone and azelaic acid are often only partially effective. Increasingly, dermatologists are turning to oral tranexamic acid as an option that can be used alongside or instead of topical medications. Tranexamic acid is a medication originally used to decrease bleeding but was later discovered to also reduce pigmentation in the skin. Because of its anti-bleeding properties, it cannot be taken by patients prone to blood clots or those with an increased risk of clotting. For many people suffering from melasma, however, tranexamic acid can be a game changer.

For those experiencing hair loss, topical minoxidil (Rogaine®) can be frustrating to use. Once- or twice-daily application of a foam or liquid on the scalp can leave hair greasy and create styling challenges. Oral minoxidil is increasingly used as an alternative and is often very effective. In addition, Nutrafol® supplements are commonly used as an adjunct, particularly for patients seeking a more holistic or natural approach to hair loss treatment.

extract from a tropical fern that reduces sunburns and may help decrease skin cancer development. Its protective effect is modest—likely comparable to an SPF 4 sunscreen for a few hours after ingestion. Therefore, polypodium is intriguing as an addition to traditional sun protection such as sunscreen and protective clothing. Because polypodium acts as an antioxidant and mild sunscreen, it may also help patients with sun-sensitivity disorders as well as those with melasma and other disorders of pigmentation.

The list of oral medications continues to grow. For patients with chronic hives (urticaria) the new pill remibrutinib inhibits an enzyme called Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, which plays an important role in the release of histamine from mast cells and basophils. Meanwhile, for conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and alopecia areata, oral medications that inhibit enzymes known as Janus kinases (so-called “JAK inhibitors”) have proven extremely effective.

Although it is not a new medication, isotretinoin—better known as Accutane®—deserves mention in any discussion of state-of-the-art dermatologic treatments. Isotretinoin has been used for decades to treat severe acne, but concerns about potential links to suicidality and other possible side effects have caused some patients and physicians to hesitate before considering it. In 2023, however, a publication that combined the data of twenty-four prior studies for a grand total of 1,625,891 isotretinoin patients found no increased risk of psychiatric disorders. In fact, the study showed that people who had taken isotretinoin were less likely than the general population to attempt suicide two to four years after treatment. Other concerns such as the importance of not becoming pregnant while taking isotretinoin must be discussed before taking this medication. Still, isotretinoin remains an outstanding and often lifechanging option for people suffering from acne. For isotretinoin, the pill may not be new, but we continue to receive new and repetitively reassuring safety data.

Accepting

Oral therapies are also gaining attention for preventing skin cancer and reducing sun damage. A form of vitamin B3 called nicotinamide has been shown to reduce rates of certain skin cancers in many patients. Another supplement, polypodium leucotomos (PLE), is an

If you or a loved one is dealing with a dermatologic condition—or simply wants to explore treatments to look and feel your best—consider Premier Dermatology and Mohs Surgery of Atlanta. Dr. Brent Taylor and Kathryn Filipek, PA-C, are honored to care for patients and families throughout our community.

Moving soon? Don’t get caught in the “Transition Gap”

Brought to you by – Senior Source Medicare Solutions

When you move outside of your plan’s service area (county, group of counties, or possibly the entire state), you will need to check your Medicare Advantage or stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan. Both types of plans might require you to change depending on how far away you move.

Plan ahead with Medicare Advantage plans!

You want to have coverage for healthcare in your current location and as you transition into the new location. Some plans, like HMO plans, only cover you in or around your current location for routine care, and will cover emergencies/urgent care outside of the service area. If you move, and the new plan doesn’t begin until the first of the next month, are you okay having only emergency/urgent care coverage with your current plan until the new plan begins?

Medicare Advantage plans right now offer great networks of doctors, and a lot of extra benefits; but when moving, make sure you don’t fall into

this transition gap of having a doctor network in your current location, but not the new one.

A few tips to setup a smooth plan change when moving:

1. When possible, move near or at the end of the month in order to close the plan transition gap. New plans will typically begin on the first day of the next month, unless you specify otherwise.

2. Set up appointments with doctors in the new location only once you know the effective date of the new plan.

3. Have an ample supply of medication during the plan transition. It can take a week or longer for an application to process into the new plan’s computer system. Don’t get caught needing a prescription refill during this processing time, plan ahead!

We are licensed in most states across the Southeast and many others throughout the United States. We can help with your Medicare Plan change when you move. Give us a call today at (770) 913-6464 or send us a message online at SeniorSourceMedicare.com/ contact-seniorsource.

Jay Looft Owner/Agent

TO THE PUBLIC AMERICAN LEGION POST 201 EVENTS

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Dances: Friday, Saturday & Sunday Evenings

Line Dance Instruction: Monday & Friday Mornings; Wednesday Evening Visit www.club201dance.com for Details

in

and

The

Connect-It

Each line in the puzzle below has three clues and three answers. The last

letter is

of the

giving you the

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!

FAMOUS FAUNA

1. Indian bread. Nick & Nora’s pup. South American river.

2. Collie of TV & Movies. Lockup. Limerick language.

3. Social insect. Native American lodge. One of the Simpsons.

4. Disney dog. Large African antelope. Massage target.

5. Kick out. “Born Free” lioness. Like a gymnast.

6. Ploy. Bridge option. Lone Ranger’s mount.

7. Tied up. Bedrock pet. Biting.

1 Indian bread. Nick & Nora’s pup. S. A. river

2. Collie of TV & Movies. Lock-up. Limerick language

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. Social insect. Indian lodge. One of the Simpsons

4. Disney dog. Large African antelope. Massage target.

5. Kick out. “Born Free” lioness. Like a gymnast.

6. Ploy. Bridge option. Lone Ranger’s mount.

7. Tied up. Bedrock pet. Biting.

Mother, daughter pen book chronicling dog’s resilience

By HANNAH YAHNE hannah@appenmedia.com

MILTON, Ga. — Dexter the miniature dachshund was a sassy and stubborn dog, according to his family.

He didn’t listen, chewed the squeakers out of his toys and didn’t like to share, but his story is one of resilience.

“Dexter the Dachshund” wasn’t the children’s book that Milton resident Jennifer Welshons planned to write first, but she was inspired by her 11-pound dog’s spirit after having back surgery and losing an eye nearly 10 years later. She and her daughter, Shelby, wrote a draft in one day after bringing Dexter home from his second surgery.

“Here’s this tiny little creature teaching me resilience,” Jennifer said. “…Everything pivoted and we cranked out [this story] in a day.”

“Dexter the Dachshund” was a passion project for the co-authors that combined Jennifer’s dream to publish a children’s book with Shelby’s passion for animals.

Dexter was adopted in 2011 when Shelby was 10. The book shares a colorful version of his life, walking readers through each of Dexter’s interactions with a kind-looking vet, Dr. Rosie.

Shelby said she put herself in readers’ shoes to illustrate experiences she would have found interesting as a kid.

“I integrated this cute little dog, and they’re going to the vet and … experiencing the excitement of interacting with the veterinarian and understanding how they can help their pet,” Shelby said.

Shelby graduated from Cambridge High School’s Agriscience and Veterinary Education program in 2019 and worked at the Animal Wellness Clinic in Milton – the same vet that gave Dexter care toward the end of his life.

Shelby found that her passion for helping people and love of animals merged beautifully in veterinary medicine, and she’ll be attending the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in the fall.

“I think that being able to help people bridge the gap between them and their pet is like a really unique opportunity you get through veterinary medicine, so that’s what really drives me,” Shelby said.

Printing Dexter’s legacy

Learning the book business was fascinating but challenging, Jennifer said. It took over a year for “Dexter the

WELSHONS/PROVIDED From left, Co-Authors Jennifer Welshons and Shelby Welshons with illustrator Olivia von der Lippe at the January 24 launch party of “Dexter the Dachshund.”

Dachshund” to be printed in 2025.

The family was waiting to receive final copies of the book when Dexter died in September.

“It’s been a really cool passion project to see come to life and serendipitous as well in that we already had his legacy,”

Jennifer said.

It was difficult to focus on finalizing and promoting the book, but Shelby learned that loving Dexter had taken a new form, and you can still grieve while celebrating something.

“Dexter was still very much still teaching me … that the show goes on,” Shelby said.

The character of Dexter was introduced to the public at a January launch party. Jennifer said the joy in the room and being surrounded by love enabled her to start talking about Dexter’s death.

“When I watch children smile when they read or hear his story, I know we’ve put something good out into the world,” Jennifer said. “And that our belief there is power in the connection between people and a resilient, little dachshund is valid.”

“Dexter the Dachshund” was published by Atlanta-based Ripples Media and can be purchased at dexterthedachshundbook.com, on Amazon or at independent local bookstores.

Appen Media Group publishes 7 award winning publications, home-delivered, with a combined circulation of 114,000 every week* and is the #1 source for hyper-local news in the areas we serve.

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*Decaturish Ink currently publishes on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of every month. All other publications publish every Thursday.

Playground:

Continued from Page 1

Morgan Rodgers, Recreation, Parks & Cultural Services director, said relying on volunteers provided some cost savings, but the primary motivation was to cultivate a sense of community and ownership for Wacky World. The original playground was constructed with volunteers in 1997.

“It is intangible, but it is so important,” Rodgers said. “The sense of community is hard to put a price tag on. It’s priceless, and we want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to build that.”

Work on the new playground proceeded at a surprisingly quick pace, Rodgers said.

“If you’d come out here seven days ago, there was nothing out here but holes, absolutely nothing,” he said.

Work:

Continued from Page 1

The second transportation contract approved amends Roswell’s current contract with Winter Construction to include the Green Street mobility project for an additional $3.4 million.

Because equipment is already onsite, the construction to build a multiuse path on Green Street and convert Plum Tree Street into a pedestrian-only path will be expedited, Phlegar said.

Crabapple Center courts

In a temporary win for residents of Roswell Place, council members voted 5-1 to keep the pickleball courts at the Crabapple Center closed until further discussion. Councilwoman Christine Hall cast the dissenting vote.

Staff recommended converting the six pickleball courts back into tennis courts following complaints from residents living less than 200 feet from the courts. At a March 11 public meeting, they raised concerns over noise pollution and its potential to negatively impact property values.

“While there is a strong and growing demand for pickleball across Roswell, the location of these courts, specifically their proximity to homes has become a significant concern,” said Steven Malone, director of the Recreation, Parks, Historic and Cultural Affairs Department.

The pickleball courts replaced two dilapidated tennis courts as part of a $6.5 million renovation to the Crabapple Center. Staff researched sound mitigation efforts, but recommendations to enhance proposed sound barriers on the north side of the

Rodgers said he likes to imagine volunteers running into each other years later and sharing fond memories of the work they shared.

“People are going to see each other and say, ‘You were at that community build. You were the one that was holding that board where I screwed it in,” he said.

Numerous residents from across Alpharetta participated in the twostage build from March 9-14 and on March 23-25. Residents ages 21 and up were allowed to contribute.

Even older residents like Bonnie Steadman, who uses a walker, were put to work. Steadman spent four days working at the tool tent.

“I’m handicapped, and I have had a blast,” said Steadman, who once frequented the original playground when her sons were children.

Representatives of Play by Design, which was responsible for the design, oversaw the reconstruction

courts would have cost an additional $70,000.

Restriping the courts would cost roughly a quarter of that. Council members Allen Sells and Hall opposed the potential $18,000 expense, agreeing that it doesn’t make sense to spend the money when residents haven’t asked for more tennis courts.

“To me, the better course would just simply leave it fallow and we’ll see what happens with the property over the coming years as we continue to program it,” Sells said.

Councilwoman Sarah Beeson agreed that deprogramming the pickleball courts would make the best use of funds for now until better community collaboration can occur. She said when the original decision to replace the tennis courts was made, the City Council was trying to take advantage of an opportunity at the time to fulfill the high demand for pickleball in Roswell.

“We saw it as solving an issue for the neighborhood and the city, without maybe going as far as we needed to make sure that we socialized it with the community first and got everyone’s feedback,” Beeson said.

Revising city ethics code

After two failed motions, the City Council approved Roswell’s new Code of Ethics in a 4-2 vote. Council members Sells and Hall dissented.

Under the former ethics ordinance, complaints went directly to the mayor, so immediately politics were injected into the process, Assistant City Attorney Joseph Cusack said. Then, a Board of Ethics that consisted of two appointments from each council member, would hear the complaint.

Now, complaints are filed with the

process each day. Their team also is responsible for safety code compliance.

Play By Design owner Lee Archin, who worked alongside volunteers, said he was impressed with the enthusiasm of Alpharetta’s residents and the city’s commitment to including them.

“There was history created here 20 some years ago when Wacky World was first created by volunteers,” Archin said. “And people still talk about that like it was yesterday. Their experience that they had, It’s very sacred.”

Rodgers said he thinks of the community build as a professional construction process that draws on local pride. Volunteers were sorted into skilled and unskilled worker categories, each equally important.

Many skilled workers were selftaught who developed a degree of expertise through ambitious home renovations.

“Most of them are lawyers, doctors, salesmen and all that,” Rodgers said.

city clerk and shared with the city administrator. A hearing officer – an attorney with no ties to Roswell – will review the complaint and determine if ethics were violated.

“So, what this new ethics ordinance process has done has tried to really make this process apolitical,” Cusack said. “It’s tried to take the politics … any perceived biases out of the process.

Residents and council members have raised concerns about removing Roswell residents from the ethics process entirely and impacting transparency. However, Cusack said that any findings resulting from an ethics complaint, whether substantiated or not, will come before the City Council for a vote.

Councilwoman Beeson said she doesn’t know how the process could eliminate inherent bias when the “jury of their peers” was appointed by the mayor and City Council.

“I realize that it takes the component of resident involvement out of it, which many people appreciated,” Beeson said. “But I also realize that involvement could become a slippery slope without a proper vetting process.”

Hall said that while she agrees the ethics ordinance needed to be updated and clarified, she’s uncomfortable putting the process in the hands of non-Roswell residents. She suggested taking more time to look at what other cities that do to involve residents in their ethics process, like Alpharetta.

Sells asked to include a section prohibiting council members from participating in a decision if it will affect a group that made contributions to their campaign through a Political Action Committee (PAC).

“But they’re just handy. They’ve built decks on their house. They’ve done all their home improvement projects.”

Best friends Kori Fortman and Kelley Janzen said they fall into that category. The women spent the late morning drilling screws into a tower. Janzen is currently redoing her pantry at home and soon plans to rebuild her kitchen’s cabinets. Fortman renovates and flips old furniture in her free time.

The friends, both with young children, said a good playground is essential for any community. They and their children frequented the previous Wacky World, particularly enjoying its size and safety features.

For Janzen and Fortman, helping out was only fair considering how much they plan to use the new facility.

“If you’re going to participate in the fun afterwards, then you might as well participate in the work,” Fortman said.

Dark money spending has been a popular topic recently among residents after it played an increased role in the most recent municipal elections.

Beeson asked about independent expenditures and how candidates would know to recuse themselves if they didn’t know money was spent on their behalf.

“…You could be pinning all of us into a corner to where we would have to recuse on just about any item,” Besson said.

Other agenda items

The City Council approved the meeting’s consent agenda which included a $1.1 million design contract with Kimley Horn for the Big Creek Trail, a 2-mile multi-use path that will connect to Big Creek Park. Roswell received a $2 million federal grant for the design and partnered with True North 400 Community Improvement District to finance the project.

A presentation and decision for the Roswell Police Department to participate in a free year-long pilot program for first responder drones was deferred to a later meeting.

Council members approved to add definitions of “computer or data processing” and “data or digital storage center” to the Unified Development Code.

The existing moratorium on data centers in Roswell was extended for 95 days so staff can gain input on language surrounding data center developments from those representatives and developers.

The Roswell City Council will host an open forum on March 30 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers. The next regular City Council meeting is scheduled for April 13.

The history of Easter egg hunts in Georgia and elsewhere

I can’t think of anyone I know who has not been exposed to the ancient tradition of easter egg hunting.

Egg hunts began in earnest in the 16th and 17th centuries among Christians. Martin Luther, the key figure of the Protestant Reformation, is often said to have organized egg hunts for his congregations where men hid eggs for women and children to find. Early Christians used eggs to symbolize the tomb of Christ. The hard shell symbolized the sealed tomb; when cracked open the shell represented the resurrection.

While most Easter traditions are of Christian origin, the long-eared rabbit known as the Easter Bunny who delivers eggs to children on Easter is not mentioned in the Bible. According to History.com, it is not known how the Easter Bunny became an important Easter symbol, although it is known that rabbits are prolific procreators and are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life.

One account traces the Easter Bunny to German and Dutch immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1700s and brought with them the tale of the Oschter Haws, a hare that laid eggs in the grass. Children made decorated nests in the grass in hopes that the hare would lay colored eggs there. Over time the tradition became very popular. Gradually, treats and candies were added.

Originally, Easter eggs were dyed red to represent the blood of Christ on the cross. Colors were gradually added by early Christian missionaries with each color representing a different aspect of the Easter story. So, when children today crack open a plastic egg to reveal a candy treat, they are participating in an ancient tradition.

Another tradition is the White House Easter Egg Roll. Each year thousands of children take part via an online lottery. 30,000 eggs will be used for the egg roll and egg hunt. Each child will receive a souvenir wooden egg with a White House logo. The first White House Easter Egg Roll was held in 1878. President Rutherford B. Hayes welcomed children to the South Lawn who had been denied access to the U.S. Capitol grounds.

In Georgia some of the early recorded easter egg hunts were at the Smith Plantation in Roswell. Lizzie Smith (1831-1915) organized easter egg hunts for local children in the early 1900s. The annual event was open to the public. Children went home with a collection of candy-filled treats and a photo with the Easter Bunny.

Newspapers began writing about egg hunts in the late 1800s. The Atlanta Constitution and newspapers in Savannah, Augusta and other cities wrote about Easter celebrations in private gardens. Clothing stores advertised children’s, women’s and men’s clothing for Easter special events such as parades. Eggs were typically hard boiled and colored with vegetable dyes which were extensively advertised in newspapers. The Atlanta Constitution described many small, private events hosted by families or Sunday school teachers. Some early examples from the Atlanta Constitution:

April 2, 1885 “The members of the Park Street

Methodist Church, of West End, have arranged for a pleasant entertainment Saturday afternoon next. At that time there will be an Easter egg hunt in the grounds of the church in which there will be many participants…Admission to the ground will be ten cents, the proceeds to go towards buying a carpet for the new church.”

April 2, 1893 “A delightful Easter egg hunt will be given for the benefit of the children of St. Luke’s Sunday school tomorrow afternoon. It will occur at the residence of Mrs. Mackey, next to the Ballard house on Peachtree street…the occasion promised to be one of unusual merriment.”

April 6, 1890 “The grove at the corner of Georgia avenue and Pryor street, presented a lively picture yesterday afternoon. About two hundred children were enjoying an Easter egg hunt…The children enjoyed the fun of hunting the hidden nests of gaily colored eggs to the utmost, and when the frolic ended each carried away from one to a half dozen as trophies of the day.”

Many events will take place in North Fulton and surrounding area to celebrate Easter 2026. Be sure to check your local information sources if you want to take part.

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

Finding seasonal scents in the garden

We often think the enjoyment of our garden is a sensory experience for our eyes. The colors, shapes and textures of the flowers and leaves, as well as the additional visual interest of pollinators and birds, are how we envision gardens. But there is a sensory experience that we might not think about, although sometimes it attracts our attention when we least expect it. That is scent. We are fortunate here in the Atlanta area that our climate allows us to incorporate plants with scents during every season to complement the visual experience. Here are a few options, season by season, to incorporate into your garden and how to layer them into the landscape.

Winter

• Daphne (Daphne odora) is a real treat to the senses. It flowers in January and February when the weather is dreary and cold and we gardeners are dreaming about spring. It has very fragrant, white to pink flower clusters. Daphne is an evergreen woody shrub that grows slowly in an area that is part sun, part shade.

• Paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha) is botanically related to Daphne. While it is deciduous, it is also is a winter bloomer with very fragrant flowers. Before the leaves fall off in the fall, the buds form and look like a white ball. From January to February the flowers begin to open and are a tight cluster of white tubular flowers with yellow centers.

Spring

As the garden awakens from winter, spring is one of the most aromatic seasons and offers numerous options for the garden.

• Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is an intensely fragrant, evergreen vine with white flowers, opening in late spring. It is excellent on trellises, arbors, or fences. Jasmine prefers four hours of morning sun.

• Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) is a fragrant spring flowering bulb that is planted in the fall. It grows to a height of less than 12”, and the densely clustered flowers come in white, pink and purple. Perfect to plant along a sidewalk.

• Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) is a deciduous ornamental shrub with fragrant, dark red flowers that blooms in April and May and prefers full sun. It is deer resistant

• There are several native deciduous

About the author

This week’s “Garden Buzz” guest columnist is Joan Fiore, a Master Gardener since 2020 and Johns Creek resident. She is a lifelong gardener and studied horticulture at NC State University. Her favorite plants are perennials, as well as plants that surprise us with a scent that enhances our experience in the garden.

many varieties have a beautiful scent. Hybrid tea roses are often fragrant. Other fragrant roses that do well in Georgia include ‘Belinda’s Dream’, ‘Teasing Georgia’ and ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ to name a few.

• Lavender (Lavandula species) can be grown in Georgia even though their preference is for heat and low humidity. Some newer varieties (‘Phenomenal’ and ‘Sensational’) can withstand our humidity. Lavender wants full sun and well-draining soil.

Fall

• Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) is a vigorous vine with masses of small, white fragrant flowers in the fall. Perfect on a trellis, arbor or fence.

• Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora) From late summer into fall this plant produces fragrant white/pink tinged bell-shaped blooms. This semi-evergreen shrub grows 3 to 6 ft tall and wide.

Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans) blooms several times during the year, when you least expect it. The insignificant white cluster flowers of this plant are very aromatic. The shrub itself is very useful in the landscape as a hedge or backdrop with its dark green leathery evergreen leaves.

azaleas that are found in our area of Georgia. Piedmont Azalea (Rhododendron canescens) features white to pink flowers and a muskysweet, honeysuckle fragrance. Alabama Azalea (Rhododendron alabamense) has white blooms with a yellow blotch and a lemony-spice fragrance. Florida Flame Azalea (Rhododendron austrinum) sports fragrant yellow to orange flowers. Typically, these plants prefer a woodland environment.

Summer

We spend more time outside in the warmest season, so the scents in the garden can make our senses come alive.

• Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) comes

in many sizes, everything from low growing varieties, perfect for the front of a border or along a sidewalk or pathway, to varieties that are taller and can be used as a backdrop or foundation planting. All are evergreen and have white flowers that come in a variety of shapes with a recognizable aroma.

• Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) This plant was named because it was believed that it decreases libido. It is a deciduous, aromatic shrub in the mint family. In the summer it produces showy, blue lavender flower spikes that attract butterflies and pollinators. It is grown either as a small tree or large shrub.

• Roses (Rosa species) are very much a part of the summer landscape, and

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. Previous Garden Buzz columns are featured at: https://appenmedia.com/opinion/ columists/garden buzz/.

Save the date for NFMG’s 2026 signature events: Garden Faire on April 11th. Learn more at nfmg.net.

Thanking anonymous mystery good Samaritans

I wrote a recent column about how bad/strong my coffee is and how I never measure how much coffee I put in the filter to brew it. This week, in my mailbox, I found a very nice Tupperware coffee container complete with a measuring cup that attaches to the top. In the container was a generous portion of obviously exceptionally good / bold coffee – thinking Sumatra - ready to be brewed. The measuring cup attached to the top of the container even has a mark made by a sharpie that shows one exactly how much coffee to put in the cup to put into the filter to be brewed.

I sense a kind, generous, caring person who wants to help spare my guests from being exposed to my awful strong coffee and who also optimistically thinks that this old dog actually is capable of learning new tricks or, at a minimum, can be cleaned up and presented in a slightly improved way to the public. There is hope for me I think – especially when others volunteer to help manage me – although I am not sure my wife Christina would agree.

So, thank you mysterious donor! You made my day and gave me a smile that lasted all day long!

And speaking of good coffee, I want to give a shout out to the business I order my beans from. It’s called Café Campesino (CafeCampesino.com). Here is a little bit about them:

“Founded in 1998, Cafe Campesino is Georgia's first and only 100% fair trade, organic specialty coffee company. We are a cooperative importer, roaster, wholesalerdistributor, and online retailer located in Americus, Georgia - the birthplace of Koinonia Partners and Habitat for Humanity International and about 9 miles east of Plains, home to former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn.

HOW WE BUY OUR COFFEE MATTERS. We import all of our coffee directly from small landholder coffee farmer cooperatives via a unique, principle-driven supply chain called Cooperative Coffees that we co-founded in 1998. Cooperative Coffees is the only fair trade green bean roaster cooperative of its kind in North America, employing common-sense, respectful, mutually beneficial terms of trade for sourcing organic green coffee fairly, directly, and transparently from farming communities who we have known for years.

PAST TENSE

So, I want to tell you another local story that is another anonymous mystery good Samaritan story!

My friend Ralph, who many of you know, was in Publix recently buying supplies for the small outreach mission in Kentucky that he has supported for years. His shopping cart was full of diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, infant food, cereals, canned food, and related stuff –none of it cheap. The cart was full. While Ralph is waiting in line, the man behind him strikes up a conversation and asks him about his purchases. So, Ralph is in his 80s and I guess all that infant stuff was puzzling to the man. Ralph explained about the ministry he supports and the fact that he makes the ten-hour round-trip drive to deliver the supplies about once a month in his F250. It’s a long drive that I have made once with him.

Anyway, the cashier rings up the supplies and Ralph reaches into his back pocket for his wallet. “No, you’re not paying for that,” said the man behind Ralph, “I am,” as he hands the cashier his credit card. Ralph tries to use his card, but the man insists.

As Ralph walks out of Publix, the man follows him. “Ralph, wait here please, “the man says. Ralph looks

puzzled. “Just please wait for me, I’ll be right back,” and he walks back into Publix. A short time later, the man walks back out with his own shopping cart brimming full of groceries - diapers, wipes, formula, bottles, infant food, cereals, canned food. “Please take these too,” he asks Ralph as he follows Ralph back out to his truck.

He asks Ralph for his card and Ralph gives it to him, and then they both drive away.

When Ralph shared the story with me over the phone he sounded somewhat distraught. “What’s wrong Ralph,” I asked. “Well,” he said, “I never got the fellow’s name or phone number so I could thank him.”

“You already thanked him,” I told Ralph. “You thank him every time you make that drive and you were gracious enough to allow him to pitch in and help too.”

And we can all thank Ralph too. Today’s world can feel just awful – full of chaos, and conflict, and darkness. And the way past and out of that darkness is thru individual acts of charity and caring – and love - by individuals like Ralph and his mysterious benefactor.

One small act. One person. Every day. With love.

Dr. and Mrs. Duke made prosperous life

The earliest record of a doctor in Dunwoody is Dr. Warren Duke in the late 1800s. He was born in Indian Springs, Georgia, in 1860 to William and Nancy Duke. He was the youngest of nine children, according to 1860 U.S. Census records.

In 1883, Dr. Duke and Georgia Henderson Welch married. She was born in Marietta in 1848 to James W. and Mary Henderson. Her first marriage was to John Welch of New York. Georgia’s son William Welch lived with his mother and Dr. Duke when they settled in Dunwoody. Welch worked at the post office on their land.

Dr. Warren and Georgia Duke owned a home and 11 acres in 1885, in the triangle where Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Roberts Drive meet. His doctor’s office and small pharmacy were in the home. There was also a building used as the Dunwoody post office. (“The Story of Dunwoody,” 1975, Elizabeth L. Davis and Ethel W. Spruill)

Gorgia Duke had property of her own in Dunwoody, where New Hope Cemetery is

located. An 1884 deed shows she donated the land to New Hope Presbyterian Church for purposes of a cemetery. She signed the deed, which is witnessed by Dr. Warren M. Duke and J. R. Russell, clerk of Dekalb County. (New Hope Cemetery deed, Dunwoody History Center)

Dr. Warren Duke appears multiple times in the Atlanta newspapers between 1881 and 1897. He finds trouble on his trips to Atlanta more than once. During these years, you could board the Roswell Railroad to Chamblee and take the train from there to Atlanta.

Dr. Duke stumbled into an Atlanta police station with five large gashes on his head in August 1892. Some former business acquaintances had admired the ring he wore, asked to see it but did not return the ring. They knocked Duke down, jumped on him and attacked him with a knife. (Atlanta Constitution, Aug. 16, 1892, “Robbed and beaten, Dr. Warren Dukes, A prominent physician almost killed”)

In 1897 he found himself in a fight at Maddox’s store on Alabama Street in Atlanta. Dr. Duke came to the store to pay a bill but refused to pay when he did not receive all the items. An argument started between Duke and the store clerks, leading to a fight

between Duke and an employee named Wilson. The doctor was described afterward as looking like “…a thrashing machine had come in contact with his face.” (Atlanta Constitution, March 31, 1897, “Duke and Wilson Mix”)

Dr. Duke was only 42 years old when he died from pneumonia in 1902. His obituary describes him as a “successful physician, merchant and farmer.” He was laid to rest at New Hope Cemetery in Dunwoody with a large obelisk monument in his memory.

Following her husband’s death, Georgia Duke sold acreage to Dr. Nay Strickland and returned to Marietta, where she remained until her death in 1915. The triangle property at Chamblee Dunwoody Road and Roberts Drive was next sold to Edwin DuBose. The Dubose family had a summer home and farm on the property, known as Ellaslea. (Atlanta Constitution, Jan. 17, 1917)

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.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR INVITATION TO BID CITY OF ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA FOR

ADA ALPHARETTA ADULT

ACTIVITY CENTER

PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS

ITB

26-010

The City of Alpharetta (City) is requesting bids for the ADA ALPHARETTA ADULT ACTIVITY CENTER PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS from qualified contractors. The project includes, but is not limited to, demolition, milling of existing pavement, installation of asphalt pavement, installation of sidewalk, installation of storm sewer system materials, installation of curb and gutter, grading, erosion control, and related work. The location of the work is at our City’s North Park Adult Activity Center at 13450 Cogburn Rd --- within the City of Alpharetta, Georgia. The work is solely within City-owned right of way or property. No right of way or easements acquisitions are needed

The ITB will be available online Friday, March 20, 2026, at our bid posting website, https://cityofalpharetta.bonfirehub.com/ . Interested parties are required to log in to review the ITB documents.

This procurement is issued under the authority of the City’s Procurement Policy and applicable law. The City has the authority to reject all bids or any bid that is non-responsive or not responsible, and to waive technicalities and inconsequential discrepancies to award a contract that is in the best interest of the City.

The Work will be funded by federal grant assistance under the Community Development Block Grant program through a subgrant award from Fulton County, Georgia. Bidders agrees to comply with and perform the Work in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, rules, executive orders, policies, guidelines, procedures, directives, and requirements, including, without limitation, 2 C.F.R. § 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements (DavisBacon Act, Copeland Act, and Contract Works Hours & Safety Standards Act), Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, Federal Labor Standards Provisions, and the requirements, terms, and conditions set forth in the Grant Related Requirements found in procurement bid documents, All Bidders are required to submit a bid bond, equal to 5% of the Schedule of Items’ grand total, with each bid prior to the stated due date and time. Payment and Performance bonds in the amount of 100% of the awarded bid will be required from the successful Bidder upon contract award.

Retainage equal to 5% will be held from each approved payment application. Liquidated damages will not apply. All federal, state, and/or local permits have been obtained for this project. The Schedule of Items form will be used as the primary representation of each Bidder’s cost/price. Award for this project will be according to Schedule of Items’ Grand Total.

Bids will be due on Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 10:00 AM . All responses must be received before closing at https://cityofalpharetta.bonfirehub.com/ webpage for this project. Responses submitted by hard copy, mail, facsimile, or e-mail will not be accepted. Responses received after closing time will not be considered.

All ITB Documents, subsequent communication, including Addenda, etc. are available to the public and to all interested Bidders through the Bonfire e-procurement portal, http://cityofalpharetta.bonfirehub.com/ . For all other inquiries, please contact Debora Westbrook at the City of Alpharetta Department of Finance at dwestbrook@alpharetta.ga.us or (678) 297-6050.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The following item will be considered by the City Council on Monday, April 27, 2026 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

a. V-26-07 Alpharetta District Places Phase 1

Consideration of a variance request to allow a specimen tree to be removed along Marietta Street. A variance is requested to Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 3.2.8(K) to allow a specimen tree in the building setback along Marietta Street to be removed. The property is located at 131 South Main Street and 82 Marietta Street and is legally described as being located in Land Lots 695 & 1269, 1st District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

T:\ADS_2026\City of Roswell Legals\ Comm-Dev

City of Roswell Notice of Public Hearing

The following item will be heard at a public hearing held by the Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 PM, at Roswell City Hall, Council Chambers, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, Georgia 30075.

a. ZVAR-0326-000009 – 1350 Northmeadow Pkwy, Ste 130

The applicant, PBS Aerospace, Inc., is requesting a variance to equipment screening requirement; land lot 602.

The complete file is available for public view at the Roswell Planning & Zoning Office, 38 Hill Street, Suite G-30, Roswell, GA, 770.817.6720 or planningandzoning@roswellgov.com. Refer to www.roswellgov.com.

NOTICE CITY OF ROSWELL PUBLIC HEARING

PLACE: ROSWELL CITY HALL 38 HILL STREET, SUITE 215

DATE & TIME: April 2, 2026 10:00 A.M.

PURPOSE: APPLICATION FOR: Full Pouring/Liquor, Beer, Wine/Sunday Sales

APPLICANT: Praveen K. Yedla

BUSINESS NAME: Mercado Latinos BUSINESS ADDRESS: 10479 Alpharetta Street, Ste 8, Roswell, GA 30075

12050 Crabapple Road • Roswell, GA 30075

City of Roswell Notice of Public Hearing

The following Item will be considered by the Planning Commission at a Special Called Public Hearing on Friday, April 10, 2026, 1:00pm, at Roswell City Hall, Room 220, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, GA, 30075.

a. UDC Text Amendment

A text amendment to the Unified Development Code by modifying Chapter 6, Employment Districts, and Chapter 9, Use Provisions.

The complete file is available for public view at the Roswell Planning & Zoning Office, 38 Hill Street, Suite G-30, Roswell, GA, (770) 817-6720 or planningandzoning@roswellgov.com. Refer to www.roswellgov.com.

CITY OF ALPHARETTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The following item will be considered by the City Council on Monday, April 13, 2026 commencing at 6:30 p.m. in the Alpharetta City Hall Council Chambers, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

a. CLUP-25-05/Z-25-18/V-25-32 McKinley Homes/Morris Road

Consideration of a comprehensive land use plan amendment, rezoning and variances to allow for the construction of 110 ‘Dwelling, ‘For-Sale’ Attached’ condominiums on a 15-acre property, which includes 2 existing office buildings that will remain. A comprehensive land use plan amendment is requested from ‘Corporate Office’ to ‘Mixed Use’ and a rezoning is requested from O-I (OfficeInstitutional) to MU (Mixed Use). A variance is requested to Unified Development Code (UDC) Subsection 2.2.20(B) to reduce the minimum lot size and reduce the minimum amount of commercial use in the MU zoning district. The property is located at 12725 & 12735 Morris Road and is legally described as being located in Land Lot 1118, 2nd District, 2nd Section, Fulton County, Georgia.

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) within the past two (2) years must complete a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law and a disclosure form are available in the office of the City Clerk, 2 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, Georgia.

City of Roswell Notice of Neighborhood Meeting & Public Hearing

The following Item will be discussed at a Neighborhood meeting and considered at Public Hearings by the Planning Commission and by the Mayor and City Council on the dates shown below. All meetings are held at Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, GA 30075

ZUSE-1225-000002 – 440 Houze Way

The applicant, Ken Walls, is requesting a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a carriage house; Land Lot 445.

• Neighborhood Meeting April 7, 2026 - 7:00 PM - City Hall, Room 220

• Planning Commission April 21, 2026 - 7:00 PM – City Hall, Council Chambers

• Mayor and City Council May 11, 2026 - 7:00 PM – City Hall, Council Chambers

Note: Georgia law requires that all parties who have made campaign contributions to the Mayor or to a Council Member in excess of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), within two (2) years, file a campaign contribution report with the Community Development Department. The complete text of the Georgia law is available in the office of the City Attorney.

The complete file is available for public view at the Roswell Planning & Zoning Office, 38 Hill Street, Suite G-30, Roswell, GA, (770) 817-6720 or planningandzoning@roswellgov.com.

Refer to www.roswellgov.com.

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Continued innovation in digital media has changed the ways in which people buy, sell and interact with products and services. It has caused businesses to reassess the ways in which it communicates with potential customers and advertises its products. It has been well documented that these changes have had a destructive impact on local newspapers, which continues to be a primary source for local news, but is no longer a primary source for local advertising dollars – historically the lifeblood for reporters and their coverage. At Appen Media Group we want to address this conflict head on, and build new and innovative approaches to monetizing local news and creating a sustainable future for local journalism in metro Atlanta.

Kelly Sarmiento

Derek Scheidt

Stephanie Schniederjan

The Schoenblum Family

Robert Scholz

Robert Schreiner

Stephanie Schuette

Susan Searles

Frances Segars

Tracy Shealy

Tina Shelton

Lisa Shippel

Steve Short

Tom Simon

Cindy Simpson

Robert Singleton

Faye Sklar

Mitchel Skyer

Judith Slaughter

Andy Smith

Lee Smith

Tia Solh

Morris Soriano

Heidi Sowder

Gena Spears

Donald Spencer

Melissa Spencer

Jan Stephens

Wesley Stewart

Cathryn Stovall

Celeste Strohl

Diana Sullivan

Andy Sumlin

Kathy Swahn

Carol Tall

Mike Tasos

Candice Teichert

The Small Business Advisor

Suzanne & Bob Thomas

William Tietjen

Lisa Tilt

Michael Townes

Trunnion LLC

Matthew Tyser

Edward Votta

Linda Wabler

Ollie Wagner

Lewis Walker

Elizabeth Waller

Valerie Walters-Gold

Ann Marie Warning

Terry Warnke

Jonathan Washburn

Michael Watson

Deborah Weiss

Michael Weiss

Herbert Wells

Benjamin Wemberly

Beverly Whisenant

Sally White

Thom White

Umpika White

Mae Whiteside

Ashley Whitt

Jennifer Wieland

Christine Williams

Jamie Wimberly

Jonathan Winkie

Nancy & Dave Wistrand

Kalle Wood

Theresa Woolridge

Laura Wysong

Jonathan Young

THE APPEN PRESS CLUB

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

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

Scan QR code to join the Appen Press Club

IT Professionals:

Ent. Lvl to Sen. Lvl (Mltpl pos’s) of Sftwr Dvlprs, Sftwr Engnrs, Data Anlysts & Scrum Masters are needed for our Suwanee, GA office. Must be willing to trvl to set up sys to var. clients at unanticipated locations across the nation. Pls send resume, Cvr Ltr., & Sal. Req. to Byteware Inc at 1325 Satellite Blvd., Suite 1405, Suwanee, GA 30024.

Scientist-Virtual R&D – positions offered by Kimberly-Clark USA, LLC (Roswell, GA). Assess biz probs & dvlp a tech approach to us’g model’g & simul to address the issue that considers time constraints, resource limitations & any oper’l issues. Position reports to Roswell, GA office. Telecommuting permitted in accordance with company policy, but must live within commuting distance of stated office. Please apply online at: www.careersatkc. com. Salary Range: $102,347 – $128,300 USD per year. At Kimberly-Clark, pay is just one aspect of our total rewards package, which also includes a variety of benefits and opportunities to achieve, thrive and grow. Along with base pay, this position offers eligibility for a target bonus and a comprehensive benefits suite, including our 401(k) and Profit Sharing plan. The anticipated base pay range for this role is provided above for a fully qualified hire. Actual pay will depend on several factors, such as location, role, skills, performance, and experience. Please note that the stated pay range applies to US locations only.

SCM Group North America, Inc.--Project Manager - Engineering (Duluth, GA): Manage engineering projects from post-sales phase through installation and commissioning for the SCM North American market. Project Management: Lead engineering projects from post-sales through installation. Manage schedules, resources, and risks to ensure cost-effective project delivery. Role requires up to 40% domestic travel and 10% international travel. Mail resume to: SCM Group North America, Inc. Attn: Amanda McKisson 2475 Satellite Boulevard, Duluth, GA 30096. Reference job #AC404031

Industrial Production Manager (Duluth, GA) at Moveret Inc. BA in industrial engg or rltd field & 60 mo exp in industrial production mgmt-rltd field. Oversee overall mgmt of mfg projects; Coord & direct activities in workforce dvlpmt & training; Decide how to best use mfg plant’s engineers & eqpmt; Ensure that production stays efficient; Hire, train, & evaluate engineers; Lead staff in improving production & qlty control. Benefits incl medical, dental, vision, PTO. Salary: $156,936. Email res to hr.contact@moveret.com

Production Manager (Suwanee, GA) F/T. Plan & coord the work activities & resources necessary for mfg products in accordance w/ cost, qlty and quantity specis. Manage, coord, administer & oversee day-to-day production & plant activities for 40+ person production facility of vertical manufactured custom flexographic & gravure printing sleeves, lamination, & coating rollers. $156,936.00/yr. Master’s deg in Engg Mgmt, Production Planning, Mechanical Engg or rltd engg deg. Must be fluent in Italian lang (read/ write/speak). Approx 30% of travel to client sites w/in the U.S. reqd, as well as to Italy to meet w/ the overseas mgmt. Email resume to: Rossini North America, LLC, Attn: Sherry Rhodes, HR Generalist at: s.rhodes@rossini-na.com

Principal Software Architect – positions offered by IsoMetrix USA, Inc. (Alpharetta, GA). Collaborate w/ stakeholders & subject matter experts on Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) as well as Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) to determine business goals & market placement. Please submit resume to recruitment-usa@ isometrix.com. Reference Job ID: 10284188.

Remote/part-time/flexible/contract work for seasoned accountants/bookkeepers. NonProfit/ For-Profit Clients. QBO and payroll expertise required. Sue@playbook-cloud.com

HELP WANTED

American Legion Post 201

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

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

Cemetery

GREEN LAWN CEMETERY, Garden of Peace, 2 plots, side by side with vaults, $10,000 both, $6000 one, 678-218-9459

samwes1207@bellsouth.net

Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-245-0398 Dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 400+ procedures. Real dental insurance - not just a discount plan. Get your free Information Kit with details! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258 Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 877- 305-1535

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Peace of mind & early detection-Now more than ever, it’s important to get screened for Stroke & Cardiovascular Disease risk. Life LineScreening is simple & painless. 833-970-4172