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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Edwin McCain coming to Suwanee
On tour to promote his just-released album, a collection of vintage R&B cover songs entitled "Nobody's Fault But Mine," platinum-selling singer/songwriter Edwin McCain will perform a free concert at Suwanee's Town Center Park on Saturday, Aug. 16. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. with an opening act.
McCain is well-known for his blend of southern soul and acoustic storytelling as well as for his hits like "I'll Be, I Could Not Ask for More," among others.
McCain's musical career, which began in earnest in 1993, is filled with self-penned hits, yet he reveled, according to information on youtube.com, in the experience of recording others' classic R&B and southern soul songs.
The concert is free. Food and beverages, including beer and wine, will be available for purchase; however, no alcohol may be brought into Town Center Park.
Off-site parking and free shuttle transportation to Town Center Park will be provided. The shuttle will run from 7:30-10:30 p.m. from Shawnee North Business Center, 305 Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road.
- www.northfulton.com
Hometown heroes honored in Alpharetta
Alpharetta will remember 150 years of hometown heroes at the 56th Annual Old Soldiers Day Parade Saturday, Aug. 2.
American Legion Post 201 honors the city's 2008 sesquincentennial anniversary and will recognize all Alpharetta veterans of all wars. "Alpharetta Remembers 150 Years of Hometown Heroes" is this year's theme.
"We recognize not only the veterans of Alpharetta, but the veterans of all hometowns of all wars," said Mayor Arthur Letchas.
Alpharetta City Band starts off the day at 8:45 a.m., followed by an introduction of guests at 9:30 a.m. The parade begins on Main Street at 10:15 a.m. at City Hall, then turns west (right) on Old Milton Parkway and ends at the American Legion Post 201.
Approximately 185 units are expected in the parade, with marching military units, the Shriners, floats, bands, wagons and horses, classic cars, clowns and candy. The celebration continues at Post 201, where the Varsity serves free hot dogs and Coca Cola free soft drinks.
The Old Soldiers Day Parade first began in 1865 after the guns were silenced in the War Between the States. The Confederate soldiers living in and around Milton County, now part of Fulton County, relived a fellowship born of war each year, coming from miles around by horse, wagon and on foot to a small town called Alpharetta. Apparently sometime during 1920 the Confederate soldiers invited the "young-uns," the new veterans of World War I, to parade with them. After a few years most of those soldiers were gone and the event faded.
In 1952, a group of men from American Legion Post 201 re-dedicated the Old Soldiers Day Parade.
The 56th Old Soldiers Day Parade sponsors include: The Varsity; Coca Cola; ADP; Alpharetta Revue & News; Bank of North Georgia; Carl Black of Roswell; Kinkos; Lusk & Company, Inc.; News/Talk 750 WSB AM; North Point Mall; Northside Chapel Funeral Directors; Robin R. McIntire; CPA, Sam's Club; VFW Post 12002; WGKA Radio 920 AM; Wal-Mart Alpharetta; and Wal-Mart Roswell.
- www.northfulton.com
Roswell police want services evaluation
The Roswell Police Department wants to hear from residents on the services they provide by asking them to respond to a brief online survey. The survey is posted on the city's Web site, www.roswellgov.com, and will provide important information that will assist in the department's reaccreditation process.
This is the first time the Police Department has utilized the Web as a survey tool. One completed survey is allowed per IP address and the deadline to respond is Oct. 31.
"The survey is an important part of our Community Oriented Policing Strategy," explains Chief Edwin Williams. "It gives us an opportunity to hear directly from our citizens on police performance and effectiveness and helps us to understand the citizens' perception of crime in Roswell. The survey results will help me form the police department's strategy for the next year."
The survey is posted as a home page feature on www.roswellgov.com.
- www.northfulton.com
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Welcome to a garden party in Roswell
There are usually two kinds of gardeners - those who strive for the aesthetic beauty of nature in all her radiant colors and aromas, and those who just love a tomato sandwich made with tomatoes picked that morning.
But husband and wife Philip Hasty and Laura Smith (she is an attorney and keeps her name for professional reasons) say why not do both? The Roswell couple married the idea of a vegetable garden with that of a formal garden, and what you get is good enough to eat.
Philip grew up in Ashburn and had his own garden for most of his life. Laura came by her green thumb in just the last few years after her children had grown.
"But I didn't get a green thumb without having a black thumb for a long time," she said.
Growing up in Roswell, Laura was not into gardening growing up, but with the influence of her husband, she has taken to growing her own garden. After her first tomato garden she decided she liked growing veggies.
And it is their "his and her" gardens that make them different. Phillip grows for bulk, he has rows of corn – three different varieties – melons, tomatoes, beans and more.
"His is the manly garden," said Laura. "It's big so he can get to use his tractor. Mine is the little one with the fence around it."
Laura is the artist. It is easy to walk through her garden, its raised beds surrounded by a wood fence she "rescued" from a property that was facing the bulldozer. An old wheelbarrow and a wagon wheel with flowers planted in them or curled around them add attractive decorative accents.
Along with flowers along the perimeter of the garden are blackberries, blueberries and a variety of spices such as thyme and sage.
And while the overall effect of the raised beds, color and fragrance does please the senses, it is a vegetable garden after all, and Laura doesn't mind pointing out she's taken out 200 pounds of cucumbers alone.
Laura makes expert use of flowers and other fragrant plants to control insects and aid in pollenization.
"Nature has a better way," she said.
For instance, marigolds among her tomato plants attract good insects to chase the bad ones away. Philip is no stranger to "green" gardening, and neither uses insecticides or herbicides if they can help it. He likes to use wheat straw in his long rows, which attracts spiders. The spiders in turn eat the aphids. All of which makes everybody happy – except the aphids.
"I still have trouble with squirrels, though," he said.
But like all successful gardeners, their biggest headache is what to do with so much produce? They are continually giving it away to friends and neighbors. But the most creative way was through a true garden party.
Philip, who is on the board of trustees for The Drake House, has entertained fellow board members and supporters as host to the charity's annual dinner. He smokes the barbecue for the main course, and of course all the vegetables are homegrown.
But the highlight comes at the end when the guests are given their grocery bags and told to go forth and pick. Fellow board member and CEO of Security Bank of North Fulton Phil Baldwin says this is the third year and he looks forward to Philip and Laura's bash more each year.
"Nothing tastes better than vegetables fresh from the garden, and Philip and Laura's vegetables are the best," Baldwin said.
Drake House Executive Director John E. Smith III said he loves the garden party because he knows "my whole board is going to go home in a good mood."
- www.northfulton.com
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