By Tripp Liles

Nothing goes with summer like ice cream, especially the homemade variety, and on Aug. 26 you will have an excellent opportunity to taste some of the best around at the Annual Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ held on the Historic Square in Roswell. The event is a fundraiser of The Drake House, which provides housing programs to homeless single mothers and their children in North Metro Atlanta.

“Miss Mary’s Ice Cream Crankin’ was the brainchild of Rev. Joe Clifford, an original Drake House board member,” said Christy Merritt, director of programs at Drake House. “Now 14 years later members of the community enjoy this annual event where they can taste over 150 flavors of homemade ice cream made by our dedicated community volunteer ice cream ‘crankers’ comprised of local corporate, civic, faith, and family teams. The ‘crankers’ make homemade ice cream and compete for top awards by local judges. Categories include: Best Vanilla, Best Chocolate, Best Fruit, and Best Other Flavor.”

While the event fosters a great sense of community and is a blast for everyone, there is a serious side, as it also serves as a fundraiser for The Drake House, and their vitally important mission of providing short-term housing for single mothers and their children. We live in an area where poverty is sort of hidden but believe me, it is there. We have homeless children right here in our own schools, right now as you read this, I guarantee you there are dozens of kids who have inadequate nourishment and no housing within a few miles of you. Poverty is not something that you can move to the suburbs to get away from. Fortunately we have strong community leaders and individuals who work tirelessly to assist those less fortunate.

“Poverty in North Fulton certainly has a different face than what most envision when hearing the word homeless,” said Merritt. “The Drake House works closely with Fulton School Social Workers and other nonprofits who serve low income families to identify single mothers with children who may have lost their housing.”

In that regard, the mission of The Drake House is quite unique. This is more than an organization that provides housing to the approximately 50 families they serve each year, rather they provide life skills to help these women get on their feet, obtain proper employment, and most importantly, learn the financial skills needed to survive. Essentially they live by an adage of: “Give a woman a fish, and you feed her for a day. Teach a woman to fish, and you feed her for a lifetime.”

That is an important aspect to note, because of the growing impact of wage disparity in this nation, and the steep rise in the cost of housing. The challenges of raising children and living on low-income pay are difficult, to say the least.

“There is a shortage of fulltime jobs that fit traditional daycare hours which presents a challenge for our moms with young children. Our residents also need superhuman budgeting skills to make ends meet so we address that need in our life skills classes. And of course, a lack of public transit complicates the financial picture when low credit scores result in high interest rate car loans,” said Merritt.

These issues are playing out in front of us as we all deal with the cost of higher home prices and reliable transportation. Politically speaking, on a local level there is little appetite for low-income housing or public transportation. The result of which is downward pressure on local businesses that rely on these people to staff their businesses. In speaking with many local restaurant owners, all express concern of the labor force and note that even paying higher wages does not solve the problem. Bottom line is no one will travel and go through the trouble of commuting long distances for a low paying job. A community that is thriving must have a mix of workers available to provide a wide array of services. At present this is affecting the lower wage earners but if things increase it will hit teachers and other municipal workers next. For context, in San Francisco right now a job paying $100,000 per year is considered low income.

“Atlanta has one of the fastest growing segments of suburban poverty in the country. And as our economy improves, rents continue to escalate. We are seeing more and more of our graduates moving their children out of our area and their school in order to find affordable housing,” said Kathy Swahn, executive director of Drake House. “An ideal situation would be for our municipal leadership to encourage development of  multi-income housing within our six North Fulton cities. When people can’t afford to live in the city where they work, you will see traffic grow exponentially. We have a task force of community leaders that have been studying these trends for four years.”

This issue is all around us, even in Cobb County, where they are also dealing with rising homelessness. Recently, Cobb Chairman Mike Boyce announced that the county would be funding a homeless camp through next year’s budget. The “camp” would offer food, temporary housing, and medical help for people who would be allowed to stay for 90 days as they attempt to get back on their feet.

Nationally speaking, there are much worse places, such as Seattle and San Francisco. It’s important to note Seattle, as it is the headquarters to Amazon. In case you live under a rock and have not heard, Georgia government officials have been falling over themselves with tax incentives and unprecedented breaks to be the home of the second Amazon headquarters. Amazon says it will bring 50,000 high-tech jobs and spend $5 billion on construction with the second headquarters. Dubbed ‘HQ2’, it will be the equal to its original Seattle home. Those will be high paying jobs and these new workers need a place to live. We are literally out of homes on nearly every scale but especially on the low end.

“With homes priced under 250K there is only about two to three weeks of inventory on the market,” said Kirsten Ricci, a Roswell resident and a Berkshire Hathaway Agent who specializes in residential real estate in the north metro Atlanta area. “For example, as we speak there are only two homes for sale in the Roswell, Alpharetta areas under 200K and both need work. There are only 50 homes (under 200K) for sale in the whole northern arc… we just do not have product available.”

As our elected leaders and many others continually stress that everyone goes to college and everyone gets a high paying job, life is in fact much more complicated. This is compounded by the fact that elected leaders are largely unwilling to tackle the problem or in some instances even refuse to recognize the issue. Roswell has made some strides in redeveloping the Groveway district near City Hall but these are slow moving projects and there is practically no appetite for any large construction, much less for affordable apartments or housing. As long as the economy is adding jobs and people continue to move into the area at high numbers, the situation will only worsen and with all of this, remember that Atlanta is a real contender for Amazon. I say to all Georgia leaders to be careful what you ask for. Seattle is not the place you want as a model for your cities.
To put it in real terms, I spoke to a local restaurant worker who I will identify as Susan, because she did not want to use her real name.

“I live in Sandy Springs and have one child.” Susan said. “I take the bus to both of my jobs in Roswell. I leave for work nearly two hours early to take my child to daycare when it’s open. If I miss a bus, especially on weekends, I could be as much as an hour late for work. Between both jobs, I put in over 55 hours per week and I would say I spend an additional 10 to 12 hours riding the bus. I don’t know how long this can last… I really hope to have just one job that is closer to home but my rent has increased this year and other prices just keep going up. I feel like I’m just on a treadmill with no end.”

MISS MARY’S ICE CREAM CRANKIN’
AUG. 26 2pm to 4pm
Roswell Square Park
$6 for individuals or $25 for families up to five.

A Reflection by Robert Fezza

By Robert Fezza

My love of personal finance runs deep. It was something I hoped to pass down to my children (along with my unwavering allegiance to the New York Mets). While my son does indeed love baseball, he’s an avid Braves fan. And much to my chagrin, he did not initially inherit my love of personal finance. He ardently has proclaimed he would never have a job in finance like mine, or so I thought. For his senior year in high school, we suggested he add an elective to his schedule: Personal Finance. Without objection, he attended this class, and then something unusual happened. He began asking me questions about car loans and interest, the advantages and disadvantages to buying or leasing, trust funds, credit cards and debt…the list went on. These weren’t one-off questions, but thoughtful inquiries about how these topics affected him, and how his decisions could impact his financial successes or failures.

My son went from thinking my credit card was almost free money, constantly pushing the boundaries of allowable purchases, to someone who applied for his own credit card to help build his credit score. He recognizes the risks of abusing credit and having to pay interest—“that’s what you pay when you don’t pay on time and in full, and that’s bad!” After a classroom discussion on compound interest and learning about the benefits of saving early, he came home to ask me if he could open a Roth IRA account to save some of his money that he earned from his summer job. He started contributing right away and was eager to do so!

I’ve always been proud of my son, but watching him try to apply the lessons he learned in the classroom to his daily life has me brimming with pride. And my gratitude also goes to his teacher, who taught a curriculum that could be boring and dry, but instead transformed it into knowledge that excites and inspires action. This just proves that teachers can bring their subjects to life, lighting a spark in the minds of our children.
That’s why Odyssey is excited to announce Odyssey’s Favorite Teacher Contest. We are reaching out to members of our local community asking you to nominate teachers who have lit that spark for your child. Why?  Because these unsung heroes are shaping our kids’ futures and deserve to be recognized for their hard work. Our first-place winner will receive $1,500, second-place $500, and third-place will receive $250 to use in their classrooms! All you have to do is nominate a teacher and vote for them by “liking” their picture on our Facebook page (@OdysseyPFA). Download the Odyssey Favorite Teacher Contest Nomination Form at www.odysseypfa.com/favorite-teacher-contest. Send the completed nomination form, to Anne.Simpson@
odysseypfa.com. See our ad in the Current Hub for the contest rules and information.

Life’s a journey—navigate it wisely!

By Kirsten Ricci

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), national home sales fell in June for a third straight month. On the surface that looks like a struggling market but it is not due to weak demand, rather a shortage of properties on the market… essentially there is nothing to buy so total sales are low. There are concerns in the industry that rising mortgage rates coupled with the higher prices are also causing a downturn.
Overall, existing home sales slipped 0.6 percent in June, according to NAR, with a total of 5.38 million units. Sales rose in the Northeast and Midwest. They fell in the West, which has seen a sharp rise in prices, and the South, where most of the homes are sold. Existing home sales, which make up about 90 percent of U.S. home sales, dropped 2.2 percent from a year ago in June. They have declined on a year-over-year basis for four consecutive months and decreased 2.2 percent in the first half of 2018.

Locally, the metro Atlanta area saw record prices in June of homes that were sold and we hit a low in the actual homes on the market. The median price is up over 7 percent from this time last year with homes priced right in desirable areas selling fast. Sales are being stymied by acute shortages of homes on the market. Rising building materials costs as well as shortages of land and labor have left builders unable to bridge the inventory gap, pushing up house prices. Additionally, most local municipal governments are opposed to any sort of large-scale projects so most home sales will come from existing inventory. All of this means the local supply crunch is unlikely to ease soon.

On the local side, folks in Roswell have been buzzing recently at the news of a new Crabapple Middle School being built. Crabapple is in the heart of Roswell, situated near Canton Street and many desirable neighborhoods. In July, Fulton County School System signed a letter of intent to purchase a 29-acre parcel on Woodstock Road near the intersection of Jones Road. At press time, the final deal was still being worked on and no renderings are yet available. The construction would be completed by August 2021, and the current school would operate as normal until that time.

Of course this has led to much speculation online about what is next for the current site and Fulton County Schools had no comment. The present location of Crabapple is a highly desirable area so that land is very valuable. It’s an understatement to say local residents are watching the situation closely. As soon as I hear something you will know.

Kirsten Ricci is a Roswell resident and a Berkshire Hathaway Agent who specializes in residential real estate in the north metro Atlanta area. She can be reached at 678-472-3832, kirsten@roswellrealty.net.

By Jon Copsey

Have you seen butterflies sleep? They hang upside down under leaves and branches during the night. When the temperature warms up, they unfold their wings and start fluttering.

Experience the flying butterflies all month long at the Butterfly Encounter at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. This newly improved and expanded, enclosed space features hundreds of butterflies flitting around the native plants they love to eat.
It’s easy to get up close to the butterflies, and you even have a chance to feed them using a nectar stick. Each of the species in the encounter is native to Georgia, so you are sure to walk away more familiar with our local species and butterfly biology! Be sure to bring your camera, the Butterfly Encounter is an exhibit where memories are made, and photos that will become your personal keepsakes are taken.

The popular Monarch butterfly is just one of the colorful species you will find in the Butterfly Encounter. This butterfly is the only one known to migrate, from northern American down to Mexico, each year. What you may not know is that it only likes to lay eggs on the milkweed plant. If there are no milkweed plants available, the butterfly will not lay its eggs, leading to population decline. Like other pollinators, like bees, butterflies have an important role to play in our ecosystem.

The Butterfly Encounter outdoor exhibit is open daily until July 31, and is included with general admission to CNC and free to CNC members. For more information, visit www.chattnaturecenter.org.

By Frank Mack



The Local Wood Fired Grill is my latest discovery. It’s small, efficient, and the staff is a pleasure to watch. And most importantly, the food is simply superb. 

Parked at 5315 Windward Pkwy. in Alpharetta, you would never see it—it’s tucked away in a small strip center. In a word, it’s nondescript. Out front they have a little sign and I had not a clue as to what’s behind it, and no reason at all to find it. But I did.

The Local Wood Fired Grill has been around for over a year and is owned by local folks Diane and Danny Kim, a perfectly matched pair. These two have the harmony game down pat. And boy does it show. This place is calm, no matter what, because they have got it handled, a system that works. You walk in and line up and order off the menu that is beautifully handwritten on the wall. They feature very simple choices of grilled proteins and a host of vegetable options that change often, and in my opinion are the real stars of the show.

Now stop please and note that this is not you average “grill.” This is real, honest, grilled, and smoked meat on a wood-fired grill. Their day starts at 5 a.m., and that makes all the difference in the world. With cooks that have real skills and work with real food, which is cooked over real wood, means you get real flavor. They feature chicken, pulled pork, and grilled or smoked wings. These guys serve a completely grease-free meal that explodes with flavor. Who knew?

The sides, oh my god, the sides. Now here you’re going to call me a liar. Because I am going to call them the best ever! Everything, absolutely everything, is fresh. That’s the first thing… if it was fresh at the market, fresh when they cook it, and fresh when they serve you… well you get the point.

Beyond the freshness it’s the seasoning as well. A quick flip where they add just the right touch, the pow, the wow, and the mmmm oh boy! Is that the secret? I think it’s not a secret exactly. It’s more that they are willing to bring in and train up a staff properly. To do it their way, which is honest cooking featuring real ingredients.

I am utterly amazed when chefs get a shot at real food. What happens to corn on the cob when it’s been wood-grilled and perfectly seasoned? It’s like the world ended and it’s just me and that ear of goodness. I go after it with gnashing teeth, like a starving glutton. Their carrots, perfectly done carrots, at a fast food place? And that’s another thing, is this really fast food? I’m confused, it’s fast alright, real fast. But it’s just to darn good to be called fast food.

What will the choices be daily? Who knows, whatever is fresh so they change frequently but they feature at least a dozen choices. This place is a vegans best friend. And that corn on the cob, oh my, I hope it never runs out. Did I mention the corn on the cob?

At The Local Wood Fired Grill they also serve wraps and salads to go along with their meals that feature meats and proteins. This is the one place that could drop the proteins and go straight up veggies. It’s that good. But I hope they don’t because I do love the wings.

Another great feature is the unique beverage offerings. Take note of the soda machine because it’s an experiment and as far as I know, there are very few like it anywhere. They are bringing back the old time soda flavors. They have also added in some organic sweet tea and you get it. It’s a throwback, brought forward, and they are leapfrogging the grease merchants with freshness. 
Congrats to the Kims. They have really brought a new style of cooking. They translate their desires, their standards, into action every day, every meal, and every customer. You’ll feel it and taste it. There is something different in what they do, and how they do it. They push every day for excellence. And I am here to tell you, they achieve it. ❍