J u n e 8 , 2 0 2 3 | A p p e n M e d i a . c o m | A n A p p e n M e d i a G r o u p P u b l i c a t i o n | 5 0 ¢ | Vo l u m e 1 8 , N o . 2 3
Milton remembers fallen soldiers By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com MILTON, Ga. — Retired Sgt. Maj. Paul Hershey, keynote speaker at Milton’s Memorial Day ceremony May 29, described his 29 years in the U.S. Marines and offered heartfelt words of respect to those who have died serving the country. “If you look at the number of ‘killed in action’ for our country, it comes down to 1,316,771,” Hershey said. “Now, the spirit of men with the courage, dedication and conviction to duty will never be broken in our country. Never.” He also called attention to those missing in action – more than 80,000. Hershey said this is a group that is often forgotten. “Now think about that devastation to those families. They have never had closure,” Hershey said. “That bothers me a lot.” After joining the Marines in 1965, Hershey was deployed to Vietnam where he was wounded several times. He had returned there in 1975 and helped rescue Marines as well as recapture the U.S. merchant vessel SS Mayaguez. He also assisted in the closure of, and safe airlifting of thousands from the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. Hershey was also part of combat operations in Laos, Cambodia, Panama and Lebanon, where he was pulled from the rubble after the 1983 bombing on a Marine barracks in Beirut. He also saw duty in Operation Desert Storm targeting Iraqi forces after the 1990
See MEMORIAL, Page 18
State guidelines govern Milton’s election sojourn By AMBER PERRY amber@appenmedia.com
PHOTOS BY AMBER PERRY/APPEN MEDIA
Retired Sgt. Maj. Paul Hershey speaks during Milton’s Memorial Day ceremony May 29. Hershey, the event’s keynote speaker, joined the Marines in 1965 and was involved in several combat operations until his retirement in 1994.
The Milton Public Safety Color Guard’s stands at attention during the national anthem at Memorial Day services, May 29.
MILTON, Ga. — For the first time in its history, the City of Milton has decided to pull away from Fulton County and conduct its own municipal election. While other North Fulton cities have discussed the same idea, Milton will be going it alone. The others will be watching. The state election codes governing elections are extensive and tedious. The city’s election team — the city manager, deputy city manager and city clerk — have said they dedicate roughly 30 percent of their work week to preparation. It’s a heavy lift, and one that none have experience with. To alleviate the load and act as a guide, an elections consultant is expected to join the team soon. The contract for the consultant is under negotiation, according to documents obtained by Appen Media, and their responsibilities are wide in scope. For residents interested in what underlies Milton’s decisions in the election season, here are some key statutes to follow. They can be found in Official Code of Georgia Title 21, Chapter 2. Please note: The list is not comprehensive. Ballot security • OCGA 21-2-283. Printing and safekeeping of ballots and labels
See GUIDELINES, Page 10